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avengersapology-vid · 4 years

Conversation

Avengers: College Edition

Steve: Criminal Justice and Studio Art double major. He doesn't want to torture himself with anything difficult and still wants to study what he loves. He is still an over achiever though. Highkey hates frat parties, saw someone twerking upside down and almost cried but stayed because hes the designated driver (responsible KING). prefers small get togethers with his friends. Roommates with sam and bucky!! Joins Criminal Justice club, jokingly rivals with Engineering (Tonys Club) Everyone on campus loves him including the professors, wins Homecoming king and is very happy. Sam jokingly asks to be his queen, Bucky butts in and says "NO, im his queen". Can be found in the library or art studio, usually with ink or pencil markings on his hands.

Tony: Obvi an engineering KING has physics as a minor. procrastinates to the max "No Bruce I have everything under control" *crams for 46 hours straight on a constant IV drip of Redbull and coffee* Super smart and helps draw the blueprint for the new engineering building. Roomies with Bruce! Tony was in a frat for a bit his freshmen year but hated it and wanted real friends (Throws better parties anyway) met Bruce and all the other avengers during a 1301 intro class. Pulls women like no tomorrow. On the presidents list every semester and tutors math for free on the side. He is basically the Dad in STEM. Tries hitting on Natasha but she is just like :/ nah, when her and bruce start dating tony is surprised because bruce is his "quiet little cinnamon roll." Tony constantly teases bruce and is like "yall fuckin (;" Steve butts in "tONY PLZ I JUST WANT TO WATCH THIS MOVIE" Bruce is thankful for steves intervention. You know how he rivals Steves Criminal Justice club? He butts heads with Business Clubs leader (Pepper) until everyone catches them together at a party. Has a caffeine addiction. Works out with Thor and Bucky one day in the rec and almost dies.

Bruce: Physics and Engineering double major (Hardworking KING) In math club with Vision and Wanda. He loves being roomies with Tony because it helps him out of his shell. Likes to draw with Steve sometimes and enjoys the quiet. Doesn't procrastinate and gets things done in a timely manor. 4.0 icon we all strive to be. Him and Nat already know each other, but bond and get a lot closer while studying in the library and they eventually start dating. He takes her coffee when she works across campus and is always almost late to class because of that (He doesn't care though bc thats his BABY) "Um.. Bruce your class is in 5 minutes" "Okay and?.....Wait I have an ex-" *Sprints to his building* Takes boxing at night with Thor, Bucky, Sam and Steve!!! Loves sparring with Thor and can surprisingly take the big buy on pretty well. Gets his butt kicked by Natasha in a MMA class though.

Natasha: Majors in Criminal Justice and Minors in Psychology. Ballet club AND MOCK TRIAL!! Has a Job at the Criminal Justice Deans office and takes MMA classes on the side. She is on Mock Trial with Loki and they actually get along quiet well once they stop butting heads about the case. Introduces Sam and Wanda to dance and they have so much fun. Coffee dates with Bruce!! Her and Steve become RAs in the following years and are the coolest RAs you know. Prefers night classes, Bruce walks her to all of them. Psychology classes are her favorite and really wants to help children one day. Volunteers at a daycare during breaks. Sis can really out drink Tony and Thor. Puts Wanda under her wing and helps her with fafsa and what not. Her and Bucky get the Russian language credit by simply testing out. Has her sh!t together and while she has a lot on her plate she can take it. She is really the Mom of the group. Can be found dancing or with Bruce. Her and Clint are icons in psychology classes.

Clint: Deaf Studies with education minor! (we stan deaf clint in the comics) In the Archery club and wins nationals for the Uni. Loves to draw with Steve. Helps Bruce ask Natasha out! PRANK ICON! loves to do prank wars with tony, bucky, loki and sam. Was in the same frat with Tony but hated it as well. While he seems to have a more reserved demeanor he is still the life of the party. (Like he knows people at the clubs ya know?) Can get in anywhere and helps everyone rent out a club for the night in celebration of midterms being over. Loves reading in the library and loves morning classes and being productive early in the day. Cracks Tonys netflix and hulu passwords (no tony... tonyr0cks69 is not good enough) Wants to teach at a school for the Deaf. Bruce sets him up with a girl from engineering and that is his future wife.

Thor: Physical Education major and Communications minor! Here on a football scholarship and is in a frat (not the asshole one tony was in) and is a partying ICON. Tries to get Loki to party but Loki just wants to drink wine with the cat he snuck into his dorm. Learns Sign from Clint to prepare for his career in education. Loves working out with Bucky, Sam and Steve. Takes up boxing during football off season and spars with Bruce. Despite being everyones fav himbo he gets really good grades and is a very good writer. Loki dorms across the hall from him. Thor actually rooms with Peter. Peter is the freshman baby and Thor takes peter under his wing and introduces him to everyone and helps him with college stuff in general. Also hooks him up with MJ and brings him to the occasional boxing session. Has a loud booming laughter you can hear in all floors of the library when he sees a funny meme. One time he actually makes a very good point and notices a flaw in one of Tony and Bruces projects leaves everyone stunned. Picks on Loki in big brother fashion. Unironically calls weed the devils lettuce.

Loki: Pre-Law and Criminal Justice. LOVES to argue. (Devils advocate ass) In Mock Trial and Criminal Justice Club. Tony jokingly calls him steves sexy secretary in CJ club. Loves Mock Trial and is the president with Nat as his right hand woman. Sneaks a cat he found at the shelter into his dorm and names it muffin. Stays in the Library writing or going over cases. The one time he was taking Natasha a copy of the Mock Trial case packet and caught her and bruce smooching. (He screeched) "Haha funny joke yall heres the case packet BYE." He automatically texts the group chat "i think nAT AND BRUCE HAVE SOME TEA FOR US HMM". Lets Peter and Bruce come over to his dorm because he knows their roommates can get a little too much sometimes. Loki also becomes an avid twitter user and thats how he gains popularity on campus. (He called the uni out for their awful and expensive parking) Was able to convince the Dean with tony and steve to create a new parking lot. Caffeine addict!!! Him and Tony always bump into each other at the coffee shop. Brings baked goods to meet ups with the gang. Loves to play pranks (especially on Tony) Him and Bucky come up with a genius prank on him and even get pepper involved. Best dressed on campus and is in the fashion club. He is the embodiment of dark academia.

Sam: Criminal Justice Major with Aerospace Engineering minor. Gets introduced to Bucky and Steve during move in and they literally become brothers. Is both in Criminal Justice Club and Engineering Club. In the Historically Black Frat on campus and takes huge pride in that. Parties with tony and thor BIG TIME. Procrastinates by throwing paper airplanes at Bucky until Bucky is like "Um...dude your paper is due in like two hours." At that moment Sam got into work faster than he ever had. Loves gossip sessions with Loki and Wanda. Works out a lot with Bucky, Steve and Thor to get rid of stress. When he and Bucky finish a final they go to loki's dorm and ask "Hey can we see your cat." Helps prep food for friends-giving and decorates the dorm for holidays. HATES 8ams so so so much. Steve promises him pancakes if he gets up and goes. Binge watches shows during weekends and screams when Destiel is finally canon. Loves running and gets a Track Scholarship when Thor gets him to join a sport. Gets Peter to join track.

Bucky: criminal justice major and psychology minor. Buck is also in ballet club with Nat, it really helps him relax and gives him a free space to think (also he runs that shit like no ones business) Criminal justice club as well and LOVES to work out and box. One time Sam accompanies him to ballet and Bucky pushes Sam into a split... the scream was heard for miles. "Sam ballet is good for athletes it helps w-" "Yeah but its not good for my balls" Doesn't willingly procrastinate but once in awhile he will forget an assignment, you best believe his eyes will snap open from his nap and get to work asap. For one of his psyche labs he had to question Steve as if he were Steve's therapist to which Steve responds "Hey bro you dont have to hit a nerve that deep" He also likes to do dance with peter since it helps him get away from Thor for a bit. Not a big partier but once the weight of finals are off his chest you best believe he will go all out. Picks on Nat and says hes gonna steal her man, to which tony interjects and says "Not if I do first" Bucky also has a very comfy dorm, comfy lighting and tons of pillows, the man loves his sleep... and so does everyone else. Sometimes he finds peter, sam, THOR, tONY EVERYONE just napping in his bed before their study time. Overall, bucky is a smart boy and his time in college is kind to him.

Wanda: English Major and Education Minor. After being an orphan Wanda knows what it feels like to not have a parental figure there and she wants to change that for other kids by becoming an english teacher. She volunteers at an orphanage, specifically the one her and pietro were in for a brief moment when they came to the states. She loves to draw as well and takes plenty of art classes with steve. She paints a portrait of the entire gang and gives it to tony as a graduation present (he cried). She loves to do volunteer work for children and also spend a lot of time in the library, She helped Nat calm down before Bruce asked her out. Her and Loki are in constant competition for best dressed. "Loki ill let you win best dressed but you have to let me see your cat" "ugh fine... btw your shirt doesnt match your boots" "hEY" Her and Peter take alot of intro classes together and are constantly running around craft stores trying to get the right stuff for projects. Visits Vision at his Job on Campus and he visits her where she volunteers and eventually they start dating. She is constantly getting visited by pietro at 4am asking "Um do you have milk" "Pietro its 4am what do you ne-" "my OREOS"

Pietro: Track star business major, frat ICON with Thor. poor boy is STRESSED he hates college and is here on a track scholarship, constantly late and running around getting shit done. Queen of late assignments but still gets them graded because he is in Track. Yeah he has alot on his plate but he still parties with thor for hours. When he is drowning in assignments Clint is always there to help him, Bruce also helps him with biology and the more science-y classes. Likes to mess around and race sam at track practice. Not into coffee but will run on all the monster energy drinks you could possibly buy. Seriously is tired of 8 a.m courses, he just wants to nap after practice. Walks into the study room that everyone was in and actually looks more sleep deprived than tony. He gets a lot of tips from steve on how to have an easier time in college and it really helps him.

Vision: Grad student working on a civil engineering masters and a TA. Meets Wanda in the library and she asks him where the biographies are. He mistakenly says they are on the 2nd floor "Uh theyre actually on the third" "Then why did you ask?" "Cause I wanted to talk to you :)" He swooned. Through Wanda he met Tony and Bruce and became their best friend, He helped out a lot with engineering club and got them far. He spends a lot of time doing research for his masters degree, he loves relaxing with the group on weekends and picks on pietro as if he is already apart of the family. Him and Loki bond over intellectual conversations from time to time. Bruce and Nat go on double dates with him and Wanda. Went to a bar once with tony and bruce and had to stop tony from singing Queens entire discography, he had the best night that night. Helps everyone with getting into jobs and into grad school in general while everyone helps him let loose and have some fun.

Peter: Peter is a Physics major and eventually works his way up to biochemistry. (hardworking icon) He is the freshman baby of the group and is introduced to them through Thor. He dances with Buck and Nat sometimes as well. Tony obviously takes peter under his wing and helps him with assignments. One time everyone was in the same study room and him and pietro have a redbull shot gunning challenge. When Peter wins Thor picks him up and almost yeets the poor boy into the ceiling. "VERY WELL DONE YOUNG PARKER YOU SHOULD BE DOING THAT WITH BEER IN NO TIME." "Thor plz" Tony and Thor help him ask MJ out and even spy on them during a dinner date. (Imagine thor with sunglasses and a scarf around his head pretending to be tonys date) He feels so accepted in college because of the gang and gets all his work done on time. Goes out of his way to get everyone christmas presents and is so excited for friendsgiving. Becomes a little stressball during finals and midterms and stays in the library till it closes. He spots loki alot in there and helps loki with science classes while loki helps him with political science classes. He meets MJ through wanda and is obviously blushing the whole time while being introduced. Gets embarrassed when the guys flirt with aunt may. "guys plz stop" This is when Sam earns his "milf hunter" nickname. "Pete hows your aunt?" "She doesnt want you sam i-" its not like that... actually it is like that"

Coulson: Alumni Icon. Is the gangs Intro professor and is the reason why everyone meets eachother. (the class was chaotic indeed) Coulson loved that class so much and he still gets visited by everyone from time to time. He is obviously close with Nick. They were there that night when Tony was signing Queen at the bar and couldnt help but laugh.

Nick Fury: Dean for criminal justice and is heavily involved with criminal justice club and mock trial. He is tired of everyones shit as always. Makes a tiktok account for the criminal justice club and has no idea how to manage social media so gets Loki to help. Has to delete it when Loki commented "hah losers" on the engineering tiktoks page. He looks intimidating but in his office he has a picture with the club and has all the gifts he gets on display. (He even framed lokis comment because it was hilarious afterall)

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theyearoftheking · 3 years

Text

Book Eighty-One: Billy Summers

“Maybe a chilly story needs a chilly writing room, he thinks. It’s as good an explanation as any, since the whole process is a mystery to him, anyway.”

Well hello there, Constant Readers! Have you missed me and my half-assed reviews of Steve books?

Crickets.

I know I’ve promised book reviews, television recaps... all the things. But I’m kind of busy living and enjoying life at the moment, without the need to take notes or screen grabs. That being said, I really did enjoy Billy Summers, and it took me almost a hundred pages to remember how this blogging thing worked. I was supposed to take notes? Dark Tower references? DePere, Wisconsin? Should I remember that for some reason? But don’t worry, it was like riding a bike. This blog is full of all the stuff you’ve come to know and love, as well as SPOILERS!!! So, if you have not finished the book yet, stop reading and come back once you’ve turned the last page.

SPOILERS!!! Consider yourselves adequately warned.

Billy Summers doesn’t really include anything supernatural, and it’s more suspenseful and plot driven than some of Steve’s other books. In other words, it’s another great recommendation for people who don’t claim they don’t like Stephen King.

Billy is an assassin who has mastered the art of “dumb like a fox”.

He’s hired for a new assignment, but something seems off. Billy has been in the assassin game long enough to know when something is foul in the state of Denmark. He doesn’t trust the people who hired him, and he has the distinct impression he’s going to end up as the patsy in the end. But, he plays along as Dave Lockridge, single man and writer. He moves onto a charming street in Midwood (I kept reading this as Midworld... thanks, Steve), makes friends with all the neighbors, and beats all the neighborhood kids at Monopoly on the weekends. This part of the book was so tender, it reminded me a lot of Ted Brautigan and the kids from Hearts in Atlantis. Of all the things Billy later regrets, it’s letting these kids down, and having them trust him when he was obviously so untrustworthy.

During the day, Billy writes at his office in Gerald Tower. There’s always a tower, isn’t there? And this tower takes on more significance, because it’s the spot from which Billy is supposed to shoot Joel Allen. Joel is due to be transferred to Midwood, and marched up the steps of the courthouse just like in The Outsider. Constant Readers remember how well that worked out...

Billy has an assassins creed: he only shoots bad guys. On the scale of bad guys, Joel Allen isn’t quite Ted Bundy, but he’s not Mr. Rodgers either. He had something of a “me too” moment when he accidentally mistook a feminist writer for a sex worker; and there was a gun fight outside of a poker game. It’s enough for Billy to work with.

Billy is waiting for Joel to be transferred to the Midworld Midwood county lock-up; and he bides his time by actually doing some writing. He covers his tragic childhood (his mom worked in a laundry facility, just like Steve’s mom), and his time in the military. This is where Steve really shines. Billy’s book is written in a childish tone that just WORKS. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a simple-minded assassin. But still waters, friends. As the story goes on, Billy’s voice grows and improves. Well done, Steve, it’s like two books for the price of one.

In between writing, Billy assumes another fake identity (Dalton Smith), and secures a bolt hole to hide out in once his job is complete. Believe it or not, the murder of Joel Allen is such an insignificant part of the book. Billy successfully takes him out, and makes it to his bolt hole undetected. And this is really where the second part of the book starts.

One rainy night, Billy hears random noises outside his apartment. He looks out the window in time to see a van full of guys dump a female body into a gutter. Billy should have just anonymously called the police... but if he had done that, we wouldn’t have a story. Instead, Billy goes full on Captain Save A Ho, and pulls the young woman from the gutter. It’s clear she had been drugged and assaulted, and she manages to puke all over Billy’s place.

Neat.

When Alice wakes up in the morning, she recognizes Billy from the police sketches, but promises not to rat him out for the Joel Allen murder. They form an unlikely friendship that includes watering the neighbor’s plants, watching Blacklist, and Alice reading Billy’s book. Basically, they were sheltering in place before that was even a thing; something Steve jokes about. Eventually, Billy knows he needs to get the rest of his money for the Joel Allen hit, and punish the guys who raped Alice.

Y’all. I’m still having nightmares over the most creative use of a hand mixer I have ever read. I thought the can-opener in Lisey’s Story was bad... this was worse. But the kind of worse you feel good about, if that makes sense.

After finding out the name of the guy behind the Joel Allen hit, killing a few bad dudes, and pissing off a bitch named Marge (fucking Marge if you’re nasty), Billy and Alice hunker down in Colorado with Billy’s assassin booking agent, Bucky.

As soon as Billy and Alice entered Colorado and the town of Sidewinder was mentioned, I knew where we were headed. Yeah buddy, Overlook time!

Billy takes to writing in a little shack behind Bucky’s house, and inside the shack is a Polaroid picture of the topiary animals at the Overlook. Every time Billy looks at the picture, the animals seem to have shifted. It gives him a cold sense of dread.

There’s a certain parallel I picked up on in Colorado: Jack Torrance and Billy Summers are both haunted men running away from things. The Overlook was where Jack went to dry out, and work on his writing. He wanted to work on his marriage, and become a better father to Danny. We all know he failed spectacularly. Then, we’ve got Billy. Billy actually gets writing accomplished, and becomes an unlikely father-figure to Alice. Despite having just as much, if not more baggage than Jack, Billy doesn’t let it define him. He acknowledges it, and moves past it. It’s almost like Billy accomplishes what Jack couldn’t. And it took the Overlook burning to the ground for that to happen.

While we’re on the topic of Billy and Alice, one of the things I love about Steve’s characters is he never forces romance where there doesn’t need to be any. While Billy acknowledges the age gap between him and Alice, nothing untoward ever happens between them. There’s obvious love, but never the romantic kind. Steve is one of the few contemporary writers to get this right.

The story ends with Billy killing the guy behind Joel’s hit, getting shot by Marge as he leaves the crime scene (fucking Marge), Alice nursing him back to health, and getting him back to Colorado where they all live happily ever after.

I wish.

I wish I had stopped reading twenty-three pages before the book ended, because the actual end was more realistic, but heartbreaking. In reality, fucking Marge shot Billy in the stomach, and he died of an infection in the back of a Walmart parking lot. Fucking Marge indeed. But this was the way the book should have ended. Needed to end. Anything else would have been unrealistic. But damn, I hated to see Billy go out like that.

There was one Wisconsin reference: after Billy kills Joel Allen, he’s supposed to be transferred to a safe house in De Pere. You know... where Steve lived when he was in a kid.

Other than Gerald Tower, we were also graced with “the world has moved on-” just to remind us that we all follow The Beam.

Total Wisconsin Mentions: 49

Total Dark Tower References: 78

Book Grade: A+

Rebecca’s Definitive Ranking of Stephen King Books

Doctor Sleep: A+

The Talisman: A+

Wizard and Glass: A+

11/22/63: A+

Mr. Mercedes: A+

Billy Summers: A+

End of Watch: A+

Under the Dome: A+

Needful Things: A+

On Writing: A+

The Green Mile: A+

Hearts in Atlantis: A+

Full Dark, No Stars: A+

The Outsider: A+

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: A+

If It Bleeds: A+

Just After Sunset: A+

Rose Madder: A+

Misery: A+

Different Seasons: A+

It: A+

Four Past Midnight: A+

Stephen King Goes to the Movies: A+

The Shining: A-

The Stand: A-

Finders Keepers: A-

Bag of Bones: A-

Duma Key: A-

Black House: A-

The Institute: A-

The Wastelands: A-

The Drawing of the Three: A-

The Dark Tower: A-

Dolores Claiborne: A-

Blaze: B+

Hard Listening: B+

Revival: B+

Nightmares in the Sky: B+

The Dark Half: B+

Joyland: B+

Skeleton Crew: B+

The Dead Zone: B+

Nightmares & Dreamscapes: B+

Wolves of the Calla: B+

‘Salem’s Lot: B+

Song of Susannah: B+

Carrie: B+

Creepshow: B+

Later: B+

From a Buick 8: B

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon: B

Sleeping Beauties: B-

The Colorado Kid: B-

Storm of the Century: B-

Everything’s Eventual: B-

Cycle of the Werewolf: B-

The Wind Through the Keyhole: B-

Danse Macabre: B-

The Running Man: C+

Cell: C+

Thinner: C+

Dark Visions: C+

The Eyes of the Dragon: C+

The Long Walk: C+

The Gunslinger: C+

Pet Sematary: C+

Firestarter: C+

Rage: C

Desperation: C-

Insomnia: C-

Cujo: C-

Nightshift: C-

Faithful: D

Gerald’s Game: D

Roadwork: D

Lisey’s Story: D

Christine: D

Dreamcatcher: D

The Regulators: D

The Tommyknockers D

I’m not going to end this with any promises of upcoming posts. That way when I do randomly stumble on here one afternoon, it will be a delight for us all.

Until next time, Long Days & Pleasant Nights,

Rebecca

#constant reader #stephen king #the dark tower #the shining #billy summers #hearts in atlantis #lisey's story #the overlook #jack torrance

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chell-min · 4 years

Note

What are your favorite Danganronpa and Genshin Impact characters? Love your work~✨🌟

awww tysm!!! and for faves uuu i have so many... be prepared for a LIST. i’m probably gonna write more for genshin bc. brainrot.

danganronpa: (way too many faves, but i’ll try to pick a few)

- rantaro!! my man who only had 5 minutes of screentime... i simp very hard for him, i am in LOVE with his colour scheme, his clothes and his whole mystery survivor vibe. its so edgy. kodaka you wanted to give him more screentime so pls give more dr season 52 😩

- peko is my favourite girl. sword goth gf... yes please?? she’s so cool... so pretty... and the fact that she love fluffy animals and tries to soften her face when with others hhh Gently Holds 💖 💖

- kirumi... i’m sensing a theme here. i think i’m into calm goth girls. but yeah kirumi is just so elegant and her spiderweb design is so graceful... she’s just overall an incredibly comforting character to me i would wanna spend time w her

- ishimaru!! my fave when i first got into danganronpa. he’s adorable and was really trying very hard to lead and get along w the others. plus the whole keeping nothing but school uniforms in his closet and ironing them daily... he is a jock nerd dork

(other faves: celestia, leon, sayaka, hajime, tenko, maybe nagito?)

genshin impact:

- kaeya. everyone can see this coming from a mile away. the colour scheme. the stupidly impractical fur cape. the knee high boots. the 6th grader edgy wrist glove spikes. the eye patch. this man is so overdesigned and dramatic its sexy. also king bc i love his swordwork and the cryo element. and he’s probably gonna die

- xingqiu, bastard number 2. just... everything abt his personality and backstory. yea he’s super polite heroic chivalrous but also a little shitgoblin who likes to prank his friends. he’s a prodigy rich kid who’s just good at everything he tries. he’s like... what. 15? and he wrote a bestselling book in inazuma and revived a whole martial arts clan just for kicks. immaculate.

- razor BABY. this boy was the first non-starter character to come home to me on my first day and has been carrying the team ever since. all the good weapons artifacts level up materials just go straight to him. he probably smells bad but i would like to brush his hair. and his relationship with klee?? his sweet voicelines??? THE HASHBROWNS???? DUDE. he is the softest most valid boy on earth.

- zhongli. first 5 star i actively tried to roll for and i’m ashamed to say i considered whaling 4 him. he is a refined himbo... wearing a fancy suit and being so cultured but at the same time a broke dumbass. and oh the ANGST in this man... his lore is my favourite out of all the characters i really like having my heart ripped out of my chest. also eyeliner.

- keqing a whole QUEEN. i’ll be honest i didn’t like her at first bc of her design and the super repetitive purple colour scheme but her personality and backstory is amazing. the fact that she’s born into a noble family but worked blue collar jobs to better understand how to improve worker’s rights?? how she can go venturing into the forest for days with only her sword and a single hairpin bc she’s just that badass??? i want to draw her in a suit

- maybe weird but i also really like lumine. i play on jp voiceover, but i am smitten with her english voice! her va did a phenomenal job imo - and i also love her cute expressions! i just think her design is really ethereal and angelic and pretty... also FEMALE PROTAG POWER she is a princess and she deserves the world. and i am LIVING for how the fandom just collectively decided that aether is the nice twin and she’s the feral one

(other faves: hu tao, albedo, scaramouche, venti, amber)

yeah i am thinking abt them too much thank u 4 letting me vent abt them anon i can’t shut up

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yukiobeyme · 4 years

Note

Your tattoo shop AU sounds cute! I’d love to hear more about it!!

I’m so sorry for how long this is, but thank you to you and @s8ncake , @asmos-pet , @aguacats , @dj-night-owl , @avellanna-world for enabling me to write and share this. I am putting it under the cut because it is extremely long, like way too long. I am so sorry.

So AciesGecko on Twitter Piercing Diavolo has been living in my mind rent-free and like Tattoo Shop! AU. Their @ here is the same but they suffered from me tagging them once but here is their tweet that inspired it ( x) (it can also be found on Tumblr here: x)

This was originally found on my Twitter but I have made edits and added more details to indulge everyone because I really like this idea. I don’t have any relationships in it, but it could easily have DiaLuci, Solomon/Asmodeus, and Barbatos/Simeon. I have this currently have Lucifer being Satan’s biological father and Lucifer is a single parent. But anyway now into the actual meat and enjoyment of this Tattoo Shop! AU

Welcome to Royal Art and Design (RAD) owned by Diavolo Rey. (It’s my default last name for Diavolo, in my modern DiaLuci fic his name is Diago and someone suggested Rey because it meant King in Spanish and so it’s just stuck.) Diavolo was supposed to take over his father’s company but fell in love with tattooing instead.

This caused major tension and Diavolo’s dad just thinks Diavolo is being rebellious and will one day realize his mistake and crawl back to his Dad but as Diavolo is in his late twenties to early thirties, Diavolo doesn’t regret the tattoo shop. Diavolo is covered with piercings and tattoos that he shows off constantly. Something that also upsets his father because it isn’t professional to have all those tattoos and piercings.

The shop’s main receptionist is Barbatos, a childhood friend of Diavolo. Barbatos’ family lived on the Rey’s property and were their butlers. Barbatos is about 10 years older than Diavolo but they are close friends and Barbatos would follow Diavolo anywhere. Barbatos has far fewer tattoos and piercings than Diavolo. Most of his tattoos are covered except for the ones on his hands.

Then you have the six “brothers”. They aren’t by blood but by choice. They all grew up in (and out of) the foster system.

The oldest is Lucifer, a renowned tattoo artist (honestly no one knows how Diavolo convinced Lucifer to work with him) Lucifer has a unique tattoo style, something that is sought after. Diavolo loved and adored Lucifer’s style and could recognize his work from a mile away. Diavolo begged and pleaded with Lucifer to work at his shop and was glad they came up with the agreement.

I haven’t decided yet but Lucifer is either covered in tattoos, that he always has covered. Long sleeve button-ups and long pants are a part of Lucifer’s everyday wear. Something Diavolo has told him isn’t necessary. OR Lucifer surprisingly has no tattoos but either way has his ears gauged and an eyebrow piercing and is constantly covered up. (I am leaning towards him being covered in tattoos)

Diavolo constantly compliments Lucifer’s skin and say how it would be a dream to tattoo because he is so pale. Any color would pop and look good and honestly, Diavolo is waiting and hoping for the day, Lucifer lets him tattoo Lucifer. (Spoiler Lucifer will probably let Diavolo tattoo a huge back piece)

Soon after getting out of foster care, Lucifer got a girl pregnant. He didn’t know until he was contacted. Saying how the mother had given up her rights to the child and he could either sign his rights way or take the child. Not wanting his kid in foster care, Lucifer adopted Satan.

So while Lucifer is in his late thirties Satan just turned 18 and is a walking contradiction. He already filled up one of his arms with tattoos and has plenty of piercings, he loves nothing more than to curl up and read books (he wears big chunky black glasses). Lucifer tried his best to be supportive of Satan wanting to get tattoos but also had to play the bad cop and make sure Satan understood how permanent they were and if he really wanted them.

Satan more or less just hangs out at the shop all the time, that he might as well work there too. He interested in Art and is hoping to attend college for it. Diavolo said if Satan wants to intern at RAD and be a tattoo artist all he had to do is say the word and Diavolo is willing to make it happen.

The second oldest of the “brothers” is Mammon. Mammon was more or less a pity case went it comes to getting his job at RAD. He got in and out of trouble and found himself in jail for a bit, gambling and tax fraud isn’t a good mix. During his time Mammon found himself getting prison tattoos and even taught himself how to tattoo. Something that honestly was encouraged because if it allowed him to have a skill he could use once he was out then it was a skill worth him learning.

Once Mammon was released, he found he still had a gambling problem. Lucifer allowed him to crash on his couch and Diavolo put him through the wringer but told Mammon if he could prove himself he earned himself a spot at RAD and Mammon passed with flying colors.

Mammon’s tattoos are old school and traditional but have a uniqueness to them because of where he learned his skill set. It’s also evident in how Mammon moves around the piece and even how he holds his equipment. Mammon isn’t a fan of piercings, “they hurt too much!” “You have tattoos on YOUR FACE!” He does have his tongue and septum pierced though.

Third is Leviathan, an otaku but has beautiful Japanese-style tattoos. Even went abroad to Japan to learn about tattooing. In between appointments you can find him either watching anime or playing some game on his phone. Levi had his tongue pierced for a bit but went ahead and committed to having his tongue split. Definitely talked Diavolo into having a fish tank and Levi own reptiles (Is this important to the story? Not really but good to know)

The fourth is Asmodeus. He is the head piercer at RAD and it shows. Asmodeus only has tattoos on his fingers and they are small dots, very minimalist. He also helps Barbatos with receptionist duties. Loves wearing crop tops to show off his belly ring. And flirts with everyone, mainly because it hard to be nervous when you have such a gorgeous person flirting with you.

Finally, the last two “brothers” are the only ones that are related. The twins, Beelzebub and Belphegor. Their style of tattoos are the complete opposite. While Beelzebub focuses on lots of colors, Belphegor works in black and white with maybe one or two colors. Beelzebub is really fit and has full sleeves on both arms and one leg. Belphegor has both hands tattooed and one-half sleeve. He has a hard time finding and committing to a tattoo design, so he waits until it’s perfect. He also is one of the only people Diavolo knows that can fall asleep while being tattooed, it’s quite impressive.

Then you have the current interns Solomon and Simeon (and MC if you want to include them) The application process was intense and it means something to be an intern at RAD because you are honestly learning from the best and learning multiple different styles and perspectives.

Solomon is learning how to pierce too if it’s because of the attraction to the head piercer well no one needs to know about that. While Simeon is strictly doing tattoos and focuses on traditional styles, nothing too modern and not too many colors/ complex colors; “You can’t use the color straight from the tube Simeon, that’s just not right!”

Simeon is the legal guardian to his godson Luke, who is constantly found at the shop too. Energetic and loves to draw then show it off to everyone. Simeon is a little old to be an intern but Diavolo took the chance with him. Something Lucifer disagrees with.

“Wasn’t he apart of your family at one point?” Diavolo asked at some point

“Yes, but he was adopted. We are brothers no more”. was Lucifer’s only response, and didn’t talk any further on the topic.

That’s all I have at this point, but it’s a lot and I just need it in my life. Someone help me do punk edits of the boys. Like maybe I’ll write a small piece on it eventually, but this could easily turn into a huge work that I don’t currently have the time to plan or write. Because tbh I would make DiaLuci a thing for sure, but add Simbarb and Solodeus just for fun or have them as a side relationship.

#obey me #yuki speaks #yuki rambles #Yuki Writes!#yuki writes #tattoo shop AU!#Please someone indulge me in something #im sorry how much I wrote #but you don't understand #I planned this all out at work #and that 6 hours of world building

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writeblrfantasy · 4 years

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a king and his knight 2 | part 2

the knight of the tower, as she told him she was, explained the problem with the tower. it had been cursed to make her fight it at every turn, though she and her family had owned it for generations. the man who’d laid the curse had free reign of the tower thanks to it, she couldn’t force him out. thankfully he left her alone most of the time, disappearing to a corner of the tower she couldn’t fit into.

the knight needed to help her get rid of the man and lift the curse in order to win his tournament. “i’ll give you a portion of my riches if you help me,” the knight of the tower promised, and the knight vowed not to leave until he’d helped her. she’d attacked him because she was now wary of strangers and angry at everything, and she didn’t have time to waste with travelers or those who needed her help. the knight, though, was happy to provide his.

however, he sensed that there was something more to this than just the tower. if his tower was stolen from him, he’d be annoyed and a bit more coherent, but his fellow knight seemed almost scared. she wouldn’t stop gnawing on her lip, closing her eyes and sucking breath in, ducking her head to pray. she removed her helmet to reveal greasy and knotted blonde hair and dirt streaked across her face, bags under her eyes. the knight tried unsubtly to guide her to the nearby river to wash. he asked her outright what was wrong, why this meant so much to her, to get her distracted as they both washed. at least they didn’t have to worry about a water source.

she told him that the man who’d cursed the tower had kidnapped the woman she loved most in the world, a queen whom the knight had heard of. no one had heard anything about it because the woman’s domain was significantly smaller than all those around, and this had just happened in the past month, when the queen and this knight had gone away for a bit. no one expected them back for another few weeks, and it was too far to travel to ask for help. besides, this knight didn’t want to leave her queen alone. the knight would’ve felt the same in her place.

he also suspected that she had a sense of responsibility for her queen, that it should be her and only her to rescue the queen should things come to that. not every knight was in love with a monarch, but those that were were strict to themselves about protection and earning the gift of their monarch’s love.

“if you are a knight, why the crown?” the knight asked.

“she gave it to me when she was taken,” the woman said sadly, staring blankly at the water. “i wasn’t fast enough to take her back, but she tossed that to me and made me promise to keep it safe. her safe. i failed, but she still believes in me.” her eyes went dull and sad again, and the knight forced himself to wonder how it would feel to fail his own king. the heaviness and panic in his chest were enough to guess.

“we’ll get her back,” the knight said, touching her wrist to get her to look at him. she blinked back shining tears and nodded.

“do you have someone back home?” the other knight asked, probably to take her mind off of her misery.

“the king, actually,” the knight chuckled. his thoughts wandered, as they did every day, to his beloved. what was he doing right now? how much was he missing the knight? was he thinking about him nearly as often as the knight was about him? just picturing his face, closing his eyes and imagining the weight of him in his arms, sleeping on his chest, felt like a soothing balm to every hurt in and out.

the other knight’s eyebrows lifted and a ghost of a smile graced her face. the knight wondered how this could be the same fierce woman he’d fought. perhaps fighting was her way of distracting herself from her troubles. “really? tell me about him.”

the king was the easiest thing to talk about in the world. the knight didn’t realize how long he’d been rambling until the sun flashed into his eyes and he saw that it was sunset. he smiled, embarrassed, and helped the other knight to her feet. they’d been sitting with their feet in the river this whole time. it’d given him time to rest his leg, at least. she didn’t have bandages, but he tore a piece off his trousers and tied it tightly around the cut as a makeshift bandage.

“thank you,” she said, wiping her clean hair off her face. the knight had shared his soap. “i didn’t realize that i needed someone to talk to. i’ve been going out of my mind here, alone, with this stress. i didn’t know what i was going to do.”

the knight smiled. “you’re welcome.” they pulled their washed clothes back on and the female knight led him to the tower. she could go in it and occupy it, but it didn’t trust her like it had before. it could do anything to her. that was why having control of it was so important.

she provided him a meager meal of old bread and jerky, saying that the tower usually provided its own meals but those had been lost to her as well. they sat on the hard cold stone floor and ate, and the knight was too ravenous to care about the quality. “tell me about your queen,” he said. the woman was more reserved with her stories, but she clearly loved her queen just as much. though the queen hadn’t returned her feelings yet.

she described the queen’s beauty, dark skin that supposedly glowed in the sunlight and a smile that reached her warm brown eyes and welcomed anyone. she wore the grandest of gowns, beautiful flowing yellow silks, and the handsomest trousers and tunics in greens and reds and browns.

she turned the queen’s crown over and over in her hands, a silver circlet of leaves. her queen was fair and just to all, and the knight remembered the exact moment she’d fallen in love with her.

she’d come to the queen’s court from the tower years ago without a penny, seeking pity, any help at all, and the queen had smiled and taken her hand and promised that she wouldn’t let anything happen to her. this knight had known she’d do anything to keep the queen and her fair legacy alive, and she’d been sworn in as a knight that same day, earning money with the skills she’d developed as a young girl.

the knight couldn’t remember ever meeting this queen himself, though he knew his king had for trade and diplomatic visits. “she sounds lovely,” he said. “and you are devoted to her?”

“yes,” the woman said without hesitation. “utterly.”

the knight smiled at the familiar tone.

“you, however, sound more than devoted,” the woman said with a larger smile. “you sound utterly whipped.”

the knight laughed, happy to see the woman in a good mood. “so what if i am? for him, i’m happy to be.”

the woman gave him a spot on the floor to lay his bedroll, close to hers so that they could protect each other. the knight couldn’t sleep, expecting this mysterious curser to jump out at any moment, but with his sword clutched in his hand, he could eventually sleep. the woman appeared to have no problem falling asleep.

she probably stole any moment she could to sleep. this was her tower, and she would die defying the curse and defending it. she slept with that monster of a sword in her hand also. even though he’d beaten her, the knight would be scared of the woman sleeping with that in her hand and stay the hell away. not to mention her thick, chiseled arms and legs, her height, everything about her at first glance was scary.

they made it till morning with the only evidence of the man being some food stores missing, they began outlining an idea for getting the tower and the queen back. the woman had a fair idea where he was hiding out when not invading her tower, where he was keeping the queen. “there’s a series of underground tunnels a mile or so out,” she said. “you can easily get lost there, but if you can find your way around, you’ll be fine.”

“a ball of string,” the knight suggested instantly. the woman nodded and said they could buy some on the way.

the two knights packed their packs, trying to stow their nerves. the woman didn’t have a horse, so they shared the knight’s. the feel of her arms around his waist made him think of his king, and he forced back a pang of want. he asked the woman to talk about some of her favorite moments with the queen, funny stories, anything to distract him from his pining. god, he missed the king. he missed him so much.

think of those rewards. that loot. his smile when he sees them. his kiss.

and he did, of course, want to save the queen for her knight. would he be a chivalrous knight if he didn’t?

shorts taglist: @magic-is-something-we-create @missingpeace @lunarmoment

i am very tempted to draw some art of these two knights kicking ass they’re so cool

i am also DEFINITELY going to write a spinoff about these ladies

also shoutout to pax for giving me the idea to give this lovely lady a queen love interest

part 3 coming soon!! thanks everybody for reading!!

#writing #writing shorts #lgbt writing shorts #writeblr #fantasy writeblr #fantasy writing #lila's short stories #lgbt writing #lgbt character

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glowinggator · 4 years

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Hi there! First of all thank you for the short haired reader Headcanons, it was so sweet !

I’d like a matchup please! She/they, INFP, curly short hair+ freckles, rosy checks, chubby/curvy hufflepuff, 5’9, shy but friendly, Loud w friends, nerdy, like memes, books, animated movies, painting, n’ artist stuff. My friends says I’m very funny but also very naive, I have one of those obnoxious funny laughs you don’t see it coming from a mile away ( bc im usually kinda quiet ) but those that it makes others laugh from just hearing it? So yeah abbrjgkdkdn, a softie not gonna lie, hopeless romantic, affectionate, but I hide my love side out of fear for being rejected, I’m very good with kids and animals, I get flustered SO easily ( it’s a pain. In the ass bfbgjdksks) got depression and anxiety, but I love hanging out with friends, I’m always down to comfort ppl, listen, give advice if they need to, extremely supportive and kind. I sometimes need my space but at the same time I think I kinda need someone who reassures me I’m not a bother or that they still like me, ( friendships and relationships ) otherwise I will crate conspiracy theories against myself and slowly drift away shbfngjdkd also understand non verbal language cuz it’s hard for me to open up, I Hope this is enough? thank you!

I match you with...

Leonardo!!

Your caring and loving nature is a huge factor in drawing him in! Kind to kids, kind to animals, nerdy, a lil shy... he’s SO in. He realizes he’s in love with you the first time he really makes you laugh. Dorky & infectious laughter... his weakness <3

He’s the best reader of nonverbal cues, hands down. He picks up on that shit so quickly, sometimes before you even realize what you’re feeling. He’ll give you a little bit of time, to see if you want to bring it up, but he’s not afraid of bridging that gap if you’re unable to. He’s also the KING of reassurance. He’ll kiss your forehead, hold your hands, and tell you all the things he loves about you. Sweetest motherfucker on earth tbh

He’s a bit taller than you! You already know he’s gonna do the thing of holding something above your head so you have to get on your tiptoes and lean into him to grab it.

Send him your memes... he always has like, a billion saved on his phone to respond with. (He’s also started saying “___.....my beloved...” out loud recently about the most mundane stuff. he’s so dumb <3 also most of his texts read like shitposts its so funny. he’s your boyfriend, but it’s obvious that you two were very good friends before you started going out together. It’s really cute.)

At least once a month, he sends you a video of him trying to get Splinter to say Ratatouille quotes. “Dad, dad! I need you to say something for me.” “What is it?” “Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great.” “No.” It never works :( He’s not gonna stop trying though.

ADORES how flustered you get... he plays into it so much. He loves to pepper you with kisses and watch how flustered you get. He’s also done the Gomez & Morticia kiss up the arm hundreds of times.

He’s a hopeless romantic and proud of it! He’ll do it all. Flowers, candlelit dinner dates, watching the sunrise & sunset, making dinner together, everything.

He likes to lay his head in your lap while you read. Oftentimes he’ll fall asleep, especially if you trace patterns on his shell with your free hand.

He loves crystals a lot! He could spend hours inside of gem shops, to be quite frank. His favorite is Blue Tourmaline, and he’ll buy little bags of it in the Hidden City so he can make necklaces & bracelets for you out of it. Every time you look down at your wrist or at your necklace, it makes you think of him :)

One way to make him really flustered? Trace his stripes! He practically melts into your hands, and he gets the sweetest smile on his face. His eyes close as he leans into your touch and it’s just... MUAH.

He tries so hard to make you laugh!! Your laughter is his favorite sound in the world, and he’ll do damn-near anything to hear it. If you’re ticklish... godspeed </3

Fellow lover of animated movies!! He’s always down to watch them with you, and chances are, they’re a pretty common pick on movie night. (He also FREQUENTLY sends you the “I wish all american animation studios a very make 2D movies again or else” meme. If he has to watch one more CGI remake again he’s gonna DIE.)

If you have freckles on your shoulders/arms, you already know he’s gonna trace them. He thinks they’re so pretty! He likes to connect them with markers to make little constellations.

He has your hair products MEMORIZED. If you ever run out of something, he’s the first to track it down for you. He also likes to draw cat ears and whiskers on the products in your bathroom <3

On your first year anniversary, he wrote you a really sweet song. He ran across the rooftops of New York with an acoustic guitar slung over his shoulder to get to your apartment, and you still remember the way he smiled as you grabbed his hands to pull him through the window. (He’s a good singer, too! It was the sweetest thing in the world <3)

He’s SUCH a nerd... talk to him about your latest interest, do it!! He gets just as passionate as you do, even if he had no idea what it was beforehand! He loves passion.

He has Houdini’s history memorized forwards and backwards: both his personal life and his performances! He gets so excited when he talks about Houdini, it’s cute. He’ll lay his head in your lap and ramble for ages, if you let him. His eyes light up like supernovas, it’s adorable. He talks with his hands, too.

Super supportive of your art!! He frames/hangs up anything you give to him. And if it’s too small, you bet its going in his treasure box. (He keeps it under his bed, and it’s full of little things that remind him of you.)

Speaking of which, he’s cool if you ever need a bit of space! It doesn’t hurt his feelings, I promise. Everyone needs a little bit of space sometimes, and that’s okay! So long as you know you’re loved, he’s cool with it.

He’s a huge fan of personality tests!! Both serious ones like Myers-Briggs and the silly ones that you find on like. Buzzfeed. He’ll stay up for HOURS taking them to avoid going to bed. (He’s an ENFP & Gryffindor, for reference! He barely skirts into ENFP-T, [Around a 55-45, maybe 60-40 split] if you wanna be specific.) He loves sending them to you, too!

Literally the sticky note KING. He’ll stick them everywhere. Having a depressive episode? Sticky note reminders to eat & shower if he’s not there. Loving little stickies with encouragement! Declarations of how much he loves you, and how proud of you he is! He’ll also do it when you’re feeling a-okay, but you can bet that he increases them when you’re not feeling well. It’s a nice way for him to tell you that he loves you and is proud of you when he isn’t there. You keep all of them in a box of your own :) You guys also have a giant sticky note trail on your fridge. You both keep stacking responses on top of one another.

#not writing #I hope this was okay!!! <3 i had a lot of fun with this one aaaaaaaa #matchups #matchup monday #whygz

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p-and-p-admin · 4 years

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Interview given to The Severus Snape and Hermione Granger Shipping Fan Group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/199718373383293/

Hello DeepShadows2 and welcome to Behind the Quill, I am pleased to have this chance to chat with you.

Many of our group’s members will know you as part of our Mod team but they might also know you as the author of Peculiar and of Good Night, Sweet Prince (written for our last Prompt Week of 2020!)

Okay, let’s jump right in. What's the story behind your pen name?

I grew up in the martial arts and my 'warrior name' was 'kage urufu' or Shadow Wolf. When I was in Creative Writing in high school, someone else was writing under that pen name, and they were more popular, and I was told I 'wasn't allowed to copy her name' by our teacher. So I went back and forth between some names and finally came up with DeepShadows. It is because during karate Kamp's ninja night games I would find the darkest spots in the camp and wait to sneak attack my enemies to steal their flags. The 2 comes from the fact that my first ever FF.net account got deleted because I put up lemons there instead of AFF.net.

Which Harry Potter character do you identify with the most?

Honestly, it is a mix between Severus, Draco, and Minerva. Each in their own way was in positions they would have rather not been in at one point in time, but made the best of those situations. Do you have a favourite genre to read? (not in fic, just in general) Strangely enough, I am really into my 70s Feminist Sci-Fi. Like Darkover and Tanith Lee's 'Don't Bite the Sun' Series. As for Fic, I am into many scenarios and it changes according to my mood. Recently I've been into fluff slice of life.

Do you have a favourite "classic" novel?

Oof. Asking me to pick solely one is a crime. I have always loved Gone with the Wind. If I had to point at one, it would have to be it. But I honestly went over 15 titles in my head trying to decide which one would be the winner.

At what age did you start writing?

I have been telling stories and writing them since I was young. I could read and write at age 4 because my grandmother wanted me to be ready for school. My first written story was at 5 ish and I still have my Crayola blue five-line story about a Unicorn named Pepper.

How did you get into writing fanfiction?

I got into fanfiction when I discovered that ff.net existed. My first fanfic is still up there under this pen name, but it is miles and leagues from my current quality. Spelling is still atrocious though.

What's the best theme you've ever come across in a fic? Is it a theme represented in your own works?

Honestly, hard to say. I love post-war fics. I love when the narrative is close to canon, but uniquely not, so it handles like it is an extension of the world and not a separate world.

Theme wise, I am a sucker for hard-hitting drama.

What fandoms are you involved in other than Harry Potter?

I was into Kingsman, but not as a fic writer, but a Tumblr role-player. It's been a while, so mostly now I'm just back to being a Potterhead. It's where I began and where I always come back to.

If you could make one change to canon, what would it be? Do you have a favourite piece of fanon?

Snape lives! You cannot tell me that a POTIONS MASTER who spends ALL DAY every day keeping students from POISONING themselves and who personally makes BLOOD REPLENISHERS for the infirmary would not have been prepared for an attack from Nagini. It is not secret knowledge that Drama King Voldy likes to have her do his dirty work and Severus would have been prepared for the off chance he was discovered and attacked. He lived.

My favourite piece of Fanon.... hmm... I like a lot of Fanon. It's hard to put my finger on just one piece that I enjoy.

Do you listen to music when you write or do you prefer quiet?

Music! Nearly all of Peculiar was written to Folklore by Taylor Swift.

What are your favourite fanfictions of all time?

Cake and a Cup of Tea by Cybelle Somewhere I belong by .... I can't remember Not Only a Granger by my friend Ferporcel

Are you a plotter or a pantser? How does that affect your writing process?

I am a Pantser. I have beats and thematic key points I know I want to hit, but the characters sort of fill out the story as I go. Sometimes I surprise myself with where I end up and I love that. Example: Draco/Krum was a total accident in Peculiar, but I love everything about it.

What is your writing genre of choice?

Hurt/Comfort and Drama/Angst

Which of your stories are you most proud of? Why?

Peculiar and Good Night, Sweet Prince.

Did it unfold as you imagined it or did you find the unexpected cropped up as you wrote? What did you learn from writing it?

Oh, my goodness, the unexpected cropped up. Peculiar was only supposed to be a 25 chapter post-war, post-divorce AU that turned into this beautiful beast. Characters were created as I went, and some side characters became major plot devices or turning points. I learned that sometimes my brain knows what it is doing before I know what it is doing. There were hints and notes of what was going on that I wasn't even aware.

How personal is the story to you, and do you think that made it harder or easier to write?

There are points that are special to me. It made it easier and harder to write. Having experience with some subjects Hermione goes through makes it easier to translate the emotions into words, but simultaneously, some of those factors are trauma-based and I had to navigate myself through.

What books or authors have influenced you? How do you think that shows in your writing?

I draw influence from everything I read. That is a key reason I don't read anything similar to my current work while writing because I don't want to accidentally lift from someone else.

Do people in your everyday life know you write fanfiction?

Two of my roommates are readers and I get people barging into my room after a post a chapter yelling 'OH MY GOD'. I also have a typed and printed review handed in person to me by my roommate that is on my inspiration board where she says 'Fuck you, but with love'. My entire friend group knows I write fanfiction and I get some of them to read it from time to time. My mom won't read peculiar until it is finished because she doesn't want to nag me for chapters.

How true for you is the notion of "writing for yourself"?

YES! I started Peculiar because I couldn't find what I was looking for. I wanted a high emotion, high stakes, drama and background rich fanfiction in which Hermione has completely broken and has given up on herself. Where she has nothing and no one and has lost that spark in her. I wanted Ron bashing where he is a villain and yet isn't the same time. I wanted Severus to be indifferent to her at first and slowly discover her suffering and set out to help her for the sake of the school, and it develops into more through feelings severed early on just after the war. I wanted her to have to overcome trauma and recover for herself, not for Severus, but instead with him and that they heal from their past together while facing continuous challenges that attempt to tear them apart. Along with other factors that haven't come to be yet, so I won't want to spoil.

How important is it for you to interact with your audience? How do you engage with them? Just at the point of publishing? Through social media?

I love my audience. It actually brought me here. Shout out to Geek and Tattoo for bringing me to this group’s Discord server. I answer every comment, I respond to any statements or comments I notice on social media. I'm an open person with my audience, which is why when I had to go on hiatus, I told them exactly what was going on.

What is the best advice you've received about writing?

Write what feels best. If you don't like what you are writing, no one else is going to. If you don't want to write a certain scene but you need it, write an article or a letter about it.

What do you do when you hit writer's block?

I cry. Then I put on the music that inspired the story/scene and I pace my room, going over the potential dialogue and basically acting out what I think should happen until it sounds right.

Has anything in real life trickled down into your writing?

Yes. Many of my OC characters are modelled after some of my real-life friends. And some other events have easily transitioned into events that Hermione and Severus have gone through.

Do you have any stories in the works? Can you give us a teaser?

I am currently writing the next chapter for Peculiar. I won't give a teaser, but I will say that Hermione and Severus give Rita Skeeter a delicious taste of revenge.

Any words of encouragement to other writers?

Don't stop, but also be kind to yourself. Not every writing session is going to be your best, but you won't have better days if you give up. Also, if someone doesn't like what you write, forget them, as long as you are happy with it, that is what matters.

Thanks so much for giving us your time.

#fanfiction #fanfic #snamione #writing #ss/hg

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dotzines · 5 years

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Artist Spotlights!

🎤 _creativert_ 🥁 AbelDraws 🎷 Amaari

🎺 andiavang 🎸 Antonia

Interview below the cut!

Introduce yourself

🎤 HI! I'm a geeky, introverted artist who likes to explore many artistic mediums, but really only posts digital art. I kinda like to draw anything and everything, but recently I've been trying to focus more on my OC's! Besides art, I love reading, playing video games (despite the fact that I haven't played many recently) and I like writing stories too. In the future, I plan to create a webcomic story with my OC's. I hope you enjoy my work! Here's where you can find my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_creativert_/

🥁 Hi! I'm Abel. I'm a Design and Mech engineering student, but my passion is art. I love drawing and currently I'm working on my dream project, a comic named FIVE. This takes most of my free time, but besides that I'll be either rping, watching a movie with my friends, reading (usually webcomics) or listening to some tunes while charging my energy up. I preffer digital art over traditional, you can fix mistakes so very easily... I also get more freedom with a program than with the limited tools I own (and it looks way cleaner and nicer when I upload a digital pic than a traditional, but my photography skills are to blame there lmao)If you want to read my comic, it's up on tapas! https://tapas.io/series/FlVE But if you'd rather see some illustrations and doodles you should check my tumblr: https://abel-draws.tumblr.com/ 🎷 Hi! I'm an avid 3-d and 2-d idol fan as well as a bee fanatic!! Drawing/painting is mostly a hobby for me, but in the future, if time ever allows it, I'd like to sell every so often. My default medium is digital using program SAI but sometimes I'll pick up a pencil/watercolors for traditional pieces. If you'd like to take a look at some of my other works/doodles, my art twitter is here @ https://twitter.com/hiwamaari . 🎺 I’m predominantly a digital artist! But I also crochet, sew, and embroider! I’m Andiavang across all platforms! 🎸 Hi, my name is Antonia, I'm an artist who does traditional hand drawn art. I love to draw and listen to music, often in tandem with each other. You can find me on tumblr @chibiranmaruchan

Do you do commissions post? Where can we find the info?

🎤

🥁 https://abel-draws.tumblr.com/post/184015135166/commissions-are-open-i-renewed-my-commissions 🎺 https://andiavang.tumblr.com/post/186764888718/commissions-are-open-all-payment-through-paypal

Do you listen to music (or tv shows/films/anything else) when drawing?

🎤 Yes! I actually create a new playlist every month filled with songs that have recently come out, or new songs I found that I really like! Generally, I'll listen to music when sketching but once I get to the lineart and colors, I'll listen to podcasts. For podcasts, I really like story podcasts and true crime podcasts. A couple of my favorites are Crime Junkies, Myths and Legends, The Bright Sessions and The Edge of Sleep.

🥁 *Yes*. All the time. I don't usually watch shows while drawing because my atention is all focused on the piece at hand, so... I miss most of it x'D so I preffer listening to music by a mile. It also helps me get myself in a nice mood for drawing <3 🎷 I mostly listen to music, generally one song or album of whatever artist I'm vibing to at the time. Constant repeat lately has been Blackbear's Anonymous album and Mesemoas. 6th single, Crossing Threads. Solid 12/10 🎺 I mostly listen to music! Sometimes I listen to a Podcast instead 🎸 I do listen to music while I draw, if I'm on a tight deadline where I need to focus, I listen to the Pokémon mystery dungeon red and blue recuse team OST. If I have plenty of time to draw, then what I listen to depends on what I'm drawing. it may be where I am getting inspiration from or connected to the aesthetic of the drawing or directly connected to it.

What’s your favorite music artist/band? If you could ask your favorite band/music artist one question, what would it be?

🎤 Oohhh, this is pretty hard honestly. I don't really think I can choose a favorite, but no matter who I'd choose, I'd probably ask them who or what encouraged them to keep going along the path they chose.

🥁 Currently it's panic! At the disco, I'm listening to all their songs on loop constantly lmao. They have such great songs, they inspire me a *lot*. I even created a character based on one of their songs, he's the one I'll be drawing for this zine!:DI'd ask them about the meaning behing lots of their songs <3 The interviews at hand do not satisfy my curiosity enough lmao.I also love Halsey (her first album is my fave), Set it off, Maldita Nerea (a Spanish group) and plenty of musicals (Hamilton, Be more chill...) 🎷 I've so many favorite music artists its so hard to choose, but if I had to pick one, the male J-idol group ARASHI. And if I had to ask them a question, I'd ask them if they're happy and enjoying life well. 🎺 My fave band is Placebo! If hav to ask them what their inspiration would be for their early songs 🎸 My favourite artist is Hikaru Utada and I would ask her if she likes her pre-existing songs, some being based on her life, being used for kingdom hearts or if she would prefer to make songs specifically for the game, about the game itself?

Do you play an instrument? If not would you like to play one? Which one?

🎤 I have a guitar, but I'm still learning how to play that, and definitely want to dedicate more time to that in the future. I'm also kind of interested in learning the piano or violin!

🥁 Nope, but I *wish*, I have such admiration for people who do, seriously. Live music is the best. I'd love to learn how to play the piano, the guitar or maybe the ukelele... But I doubt I will, at least for now, my hands are pretty full with college and comic making. 🎷 I wish I could play the piano and any string instrument. Maybe violin or the harp. 🎺 I used to play the drums 🎸 I can play basic piano. I used to play a recorder when I was much younger.

Which song(s) are you going to draw?

🎤 Magic Island by TXT and Audio by Sia, Diplo and Labrinth

🥁 King of the clouds, by panic! At the disco. 🎷 To the Me of Those Days - KOKIA 🎺 Special K by Placebo 🎸 Sanctuary by Hikaru Utada & Slow dancing in the dark by Joji

What do you expect from this zine?

🎤 To see everyone create a work they're proud of based off of a song they like!

🥁 I just really liked the theme, I have all kinds of imagery and videos in my head about several songs I'm obsessed with. It's a nice excuse to draw a pretty, fleshed out illustration and to learn some new songs in the way from the others' pieces<3 🎷 To be introduced to many different genre's of music and to hopefully find a song/genre I didn't expect to like! 🎺 Mostly just to interact with different people and artists! Make same new friends! 🎸 I expect to see a wide range of music presented, of different genres and both lyrical and instrumental. I hope the music resonates with the individual, something they're proud to share with the other participants and the eventual readers. I would like to have a journey through the zine, experiencing different emotions from everyone's art pieces.

Anything else you want to add?

🎤 Everyone has been super nice so far, and I really look forward to seeing everyone's pieces!

🥁 Best of lucks to everyone participating! I can't wait to see everyone's pieces together :D 🎷 Thank you for taking interest in this zine! All the artists have put in so much love into each of their pieces. It's been a pleasure to see so many different styles, their works-in-progress and I'm equally excited to see everyone's final product. I hope everyone is able to enjoy all the wonderful artworks being created and produced for all the songs being represented here when the zine releases. ^^

#AbelDraws #Amaari #andiavang #Antonia #artist spotlight #loop #loop artists #creativert

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stories-mostly · 6 years

Text

Stark's bug

Tony Stark x Son!reader

A day late it is here! Chapter 8 has arrived. For anyone wanting to read from the start I tag all the chapters #starks bug chapter 1;2;etc or just #chapter 1;2;3; etc. Since I solely post from mobile. Maybe one day I will link them but until now it's done this way. Have a nice read.

Words: 2067

Chapter 8

Easter was this weekend. You never celebrated in a religious sense but liked the preparation for it in school, like the crafting of egg baskets or drawing on eggshells. Still, you didn't like the thought of it passing without your dad by your side. The thought of him not hiding a few sweets around the house was saddening.

It's been almost three months without him, and while you weren't losing hope, clinging to the thought of him being alive, you really wanted him to be home for Easter so you could give him the egg you had colored in art class. It had the easter bunny on it. Or rather your best impression of it. You really didn't know what a humanoid rabbit had to do with jesus coming back from the dead, but you liked to think it had some connection. And now you had no smart ass dad who would answer your question with an outrageous and funny story exactly why the Easter-bunny and Jesus were connected before telling you the real truth an hour or so later. It bummed you out. And researching it yourself didn't have the same feeling to it.

Tuesday evening you were unaware what was just happening on a continent miles and miles from home. While you were falling asleep in his bed that was barely holding his scent anymore, a certain someone had just escaped his captors. Miles and miles away from home. And was now lost in a seemingly endless desert.

So you fell asleep feeling secure surrounded by the faint smell of your father still lingering deep within his unchanged sheets.

The dream you were having was hectic. It had slides, fireworks, a gameshow with ghosts and much more seemingly senseless themes that made complete sense within the dream.

Around 3am, maybe later, you were woken up by your uncle. He was shaking you a bit. Gently whispering for you to wake up, that he had good news and such.

You, half asleep, sat up yawning and were handed a phone by an ecstatic looking uncle Happy.

"Hello?" You mumbled as you rubbed the sleep out of your eyes. Still exhausted from the early wake up.

"Hey, Stark Jr. Good morning. I have someone here who desperately wants to talk to you. He said it can't wait. Should I let him?" Rhodey's voice came through the speaker sounding as if he was speaking through a smile.

In your tired confusion you just said "Yeah?" not really thinking about anything but how tired you were.

"Hey Bug. How are you?" The tired familiar voice sounded through the phone and awoke you suddenly.

You paused for a second, your still half sleeping brain processing the voice that was ringing through the phones speaker. Your stomach had reacted before you and was giving you a ton of happy little kicks.

"Daddy?" You asked in a shushed tone almost afraid it wasn't true. That your mind was just playing a cruel trick on you. But smiling nonetheless.

"Yeah Bug, how've you been?" A voice that clearly belonged to your father said softly with a smile you wouldn't be able to see.

"Daddy!" you said as your grin grew.

"Yeah I think we went over that."

"I'm great! Are you okay? When are you coming home?" you said basically bouncing up and down in his bed.

"I'm fine now. We're boarding the plane in a few minutes so about, a handful of hours? I'll be home soon don't worry. What's the time over there? Did Happy wake you up?"

"I don't know, yes. Come home soon daddy. Can I pick you up at the airport?"

"Of course, you and Pepper and Happy will all come to the airport later okay?"

"Okay!"

There was a short pause.

"I have to hang up now sweetie, see you soon. I love you."

"I love you too daddy. See you later."

And with that the call ended and your cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so brightly, happy tears were rolling down your cheeks. You sniffles as you said the next words.

"Uncle Happy, Daddy's coming home!" You jumped around the bed full of energy you didn't know what to do with before engulfing you uncle in a hug. Happy smiled and returned the bear hug.

"I have to show daddy what I've done while he was gone! Where is my diary? I need to check it." Happy handed you your diary together with your pen knowing full well you wouldn't go back to sleep now. You began flipping through it perfecting everything so your dad would know in full detail what you did the last three months. Happy left you to it and began making breakfast. Really early breakfast.

You ate and went to school like normal but today you were telling everyone about why you were so happy. The fatigue from being woken up so early hadn't set in at all.

Back home you prepared your diary some more and put the timeline you had crafted in school with your pictures in the back.

"Daddy will like this." you said to yourself and put it in your backpack ready to go pick him up. Though you were gonna have to wait one more hour for that.

You just bounced around the mansion making sure all your craftsmanship was still intact so your dad would be able to see them and be proud. Knowing that if you sit down for too long you'll fall asleep.

You also couldn't wait to show him the egg you had painted in school. You couldn't wait for all the things you had planned with him to happen.

When Happy had called you to get going you basically sprinted into the car. Your legs where bouncing up and down so fast that your didn't see them clearly.

On your way to pick up your dad you picked up Pepper too. She seemed like she had been crying so you gave her a hug, hers always made you feel better. So you returned the favour basically.

You talked the whole drive there about all the things you were going to do together. The amusement park being highest on your list, followed by going camping, and the zoo and playing together. And not to forget showing him all the progress you had made with the force.

As soon as the car was parked you jumped out and looked around yourself only to see nobody. That was a bit of a downer but you could live through a few more minutes of wait. You passed your time by talking to the strangers present at the site. Some paramedics gave you a lollipop. So you stuck with them for almost 20 minutes just talking about everything and nothing.

A plane soon landed and rolled up to you all. When the ramp opened you were basically vibrating with excitement. As soon as it touched the ground you said screw waiting and ran up to your dad. The impact of your hug almost sending him backwards if Rhodes hadn't been there to grab onto his arm.

"Good to see you again Bug. I hope you didn't miss me too much." You just held onto him for a few minutes until you were certain that this was your father and that he was actually back. When you looked up at him you were crying.

"Come here buddy." Rhodey said and stretched out his arms. As you went to him he picked you up and carried you down the ramp.

"I missed you too, you know? It's not like I have seen you either in the past months." Rhodey commented and tickled you.

"Where's my hug huh? Where's my hug?" He said grinning as you squirmed and laughed from being tickled.

Rhodey sat you down while your dad was talking to Pepper. You gave him a quick hug and ran away, not wanting to get tickled again.

Once you all were in the car Pepper was in the front seat first making phone calls, after bickering with your dad, while you were ranting to your dad about all the things you had done and learned while he was away.

"I can crush a spoon now!"

"Oh really? Show me ."

"But I dont have one."

"You can show me once we're home alright?"

You nodded and continued your rambling and how you had some gifts for him so he would know what you did while he was away.

When you stopped at Burger king you got some chicken nuggets from them, then it was off to the press conference Pepper had organized short term. She seemed really stressed.

You walked into the building walking next to your father, still eating your nuggets while the press people took pictures. You smiled and waved at some of them but didn't answer them as your mouth was full. It was bad to talk with your mouth full, you could choke and it was rude.

Inside a man named AGENT Coulson grabbed your attention and you decided to stick with Pepper and him instead of your dad and Obie. You still had a clear view of your father so all was fine.

"Is your name really Agent?" You asked him before he could even say hello.

"...No, uh my name is Phil Coulson, agent is like a title. Cool shirt by the way." he answered pointing at your Captain Magic shirt.

"That's sad, agent would be a cool name. And thank you Daddy bought it." You said, Phil just nodded.

You were about to ask another question when your father started talking. You listened a bit but decided to just look at the agent instead trying to figure him out. That seemed much more interesting.

You stayed standing since you weren't paying attention and a few people chuckled when your father was telling you directly to sit down. Embarrassed you did as told.

Once your dad was done with his announcement all hell broke lose, people were taking pictures and asking questions but your dad just went off the stage and out of the room with Obie.

You were confused about the ruckus so you stayed with Phil, he seemed nice and Pepper and Rhodes were close by so you felt safe. Also it looked like they were going to argue and you really didn't like it when they did.

"So, are you like a spy?" You asked him picking the crumbs out of you chicken nuggets box.

"No, I mean kind of? I'm an Agent, I'm working with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division."

"Thats a long name. What are you doing here? Spying?"

"No," he chuckled "We need to ask your father about the circumstances of his escape. I already made out a date with miss Potts. So I think I will see you again soon," Escape? So he was kidnapped? You shrugged off the thought.

"Cool... So do you have a gun then, like in the movies?"

"I do have a gun from time to time but not currently."

"What do you do with it? Kill people?"

"I try not to."

You were stunned, there was a person who claimed that he was an agent for a Division you had never heard of and he was telling you how he had probably killed a few people. Your mouth was hanging open.

Before you could ask any other questions he was gone and so was everybody else besides Pepper who was waiting for you.

At home, once you two were alone, you told Tony all about what you've been up to while he read your diary. You talked and talked and talked until you were finally tired. You fell asleep on the couch with a piece of Pizza still in your hand.

Tony smiled down fondly at you, despite you being torn away from him for almost three months you didn't treat him much differently than before.

You were still the rambling mess of a little boy he remembered. And very inquisitive about the arc reactor in his chest.

He put down your diary, took the pizza piece, and covered your body with a blanket.

Well you might have become a bit more clingy. He thought while stroking your hair softly. He had been so afraid of what might happen to you if he doesn't come back. He didn't want you to end up like him. He wants you to grow up knowing that you can rely on him, that you always have his support. And he cant do that when he's dead.

He shuddered out a sigh and put you to bed.

Tags: @shannonr2003 @art-estrange @nicholasbich @tater-thottie @tonystanktheirondad @gaylemonshark @emilaa2001

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amuseoffyre · 5 years

Text

Crossing Paths - Dunbar & Samarkand

Okay. I am a nerd. I am also firmly of the opinion that Crowley is a nerd who gets excited about humans being spiffy. Also, about space because he helped build it and loves when humans love it.

1437 – Dunbar

Of all the places to meet, the new Royal court was a useful one. There were so many people milling around, so many layers upon layers of spies, that no one was ever going to notice a couple of people standing near the cobbled roadside, watching the informal procession of the new child-king to the castle.

“You know I hate to be a bother…”

Crowley waved away Aziraphale’s words. “You know the deal, angel. What’s up?”

The angel’s face twisted in the familiar mess of anxiety, guilt and puzzlement. Centuries of the Arrangement now, and still, he acted like it was a moral conundrum every time. “Ah… I have a particular place…”

“Mm?” Crowley scratched at his nose.

“And it’s nothing… unpleasant like Rouen…” The angel twisted his hands in front of him. “Only, the last time I was there, I ran into the fellow’s grandfather and...” He shrugged, a little helplessly. “I’d rather not see if his grandson is anything like him.”

That made Crowley look at him, curious. Aziraphale had a habit of wandering into situations that were dangerous without even realising, but it was rare for him to try to avoid anyone. Or the descendant of anyone. “Who’s that, then? The grandfather?”

Aziraphale’s features twitched. “Timur.”

“Ohhhhhh…” Crowley winced in sympathy. “Yeah. I remember him. Grumpy chap. Gammy leg. He’s the one who made his men stampede their horses over–”

“The children, yes.”

“And what he did in Baghdad with the walls–”

“Mm.”

“And those pyramids of–”

“Skulls.” Aziraphale looked surprisingly pale for an ethereal being. “Mm hm.”

Crowley had briefly passed through the empire from time to time. He didn’t need to do much. It was hard to tempt people to do evil when said people had a very enthusiastic boss who would wipe out a whole city just to make his point and then make pyramid-shaped art installations of the severed heads just in case anyone missed the memo.

Still, it was a nice black mark against Crowley’s records when he technically sort of maybe kind of implied to Head Office that his presence in the empire was instrumental to the bloodshed.

“And you’re meant to be dealing with his grandson?”

“And heir.” Aziraphale nodded stiffly. “I’m sure he isn’t as bad, but I’d… I’d rather not check.”

Crowley wasn’t surprised. “Shouldn’t be a problem,” he said, stepping back – and only a little bit deliberately – onto some daft peasant’s toes. The swearing was like music to his ears. “You go and harangue the Douglases and I’ll consider us even.”

“The Douglases?” The angel’s eyes flicked back to the castle. “Oh, Crowley. Not more discord in Scotland.”

The demon shrugged. “Don’t look at me,” he said, grinning as he spun away to let the crowd swallow him. “They’re the ones who like a fight.”

_________________________________

1437 – Samarkand

It was safe to say, Crowley thought, that Timur’s grandson was nothing like him.

Aziraphale was going to pitch a fit when he found out that he’d put himself onto temptation duty instead of coming to meet a fellow swot. They would get on like a house on fire as well, all art and literature and poetry and everything that made Aziraphale go daft and soft.

And if Crowley was to be completely honest with himself, he was a bit impressed.

It wasn’t often that he got a chance to wander about an observatory. The kind of scientists that were prone to temptation weren’t the ones who looked at the heavens.

The building was massive, three levels above ground, every inch of the exterior decorated in enamel and tile. It was a glittering blue gem sitting on top of a hillside, visible for miles around. The inside was as impressive, with more levels below the ground, a huge sextant curving up from the lowest level to the upper ones with steps lining either side, the biggest quadrant Crowley had ever seen, shelves everywhere, metal tools and devices and things Crowley couldn’t identify but that went ding when he tapped them.

And there, the man himself was taking measurements and writing notes, his bamboo pen scratching rapidly across already crowded sheets of pulped paper. He didn’t look like much. Middle-aged, angular face, dark, almond-shaped eyes, but Crowley recognised the expression on his face as he worked. He’d seen it on the angel’s face a thousand times.

Especially, that annoyed frown that was furrowing his brow.

“Problem?” he inquired, peering down at the paper in Ulugh Beg’s hand. Nah. Not Ulugh Beg. This wasn’t the great ruler. This was the scientist and the man. Mirza Muhammed Taraghay.

The man blinked as if he hadn’t even noticed he wasn’t alone. For a split-second, a puzzled look ghosted over his face, as if he couldn’t quite place Crowley then he bowed his head in greeting. “The model is incorrect.”

“The model?”

Mirza waved one hand towards a low table, scattered with notes and drawings. A book – a translation of one Crowley remember well from the good old days – was lying open: Ptolemy’s observations and mapping of the heavens.

“He was the master of his craft,” Mirza sighed, frowning and writing another note, “and yet we find that things are not as fixed as he stated.”

Crowley crouched down by the table, his robes spreading around him, and propped one arm on the surface. It only took him a few seconds to see what they were doing, as if he couldn’t guess from the huge sextant and all the other gadgets the man had lying around.

“Yeah,” he said, glancing up at the man. “And?”

Mirza looked at him, puzzled. “What is your meaning?”

Crowley shrugged, rocking back on his heels. “Times change, don’t they?” He pulled another book closer, flipping it closed to look at the cover. This one was al-Sufi’s Book of Fixed Stars. Credit to the man, Ulugh Beg was thorough in his research. “I mean, Ptolemy and al-Sufi weren’t wrong, but think about it. How long ago were they looking at the sky? Centuries back? Millennia? This city wasn’t even here then. Little village in the middle of nowhere and now look at it. You think the heavens are any different?” He shook his head, dropping it back on the table. “Harder to see it because it’s so far away, but times change everywhere, not just on earth.”

Mirza stared at him. “The stars have advanced from the points at which they observed them…”

Crowley nodded. “S’bound to happen,” he said, pushing himself back to his feet. “Everything’s kind of… mutable, isn’t it? Changes depending on where and when you look at it. It’d be a bit arrogant to think that everything stays fixed just because some human in Egypt or Persia said so.”

“Yes!” Mirza’s face broke into a brilliant smile. He shook his head, laughing, as if he couldn’t believe the thought hadn’t occurred to him before. “So simple!” He hastily scratched some more notes down on his papers. “Thank you, my friend. Fresh eyes grant clearer sight.”

Crowley shrugged with a crooked smile. “You’d already figured it out,” he said. “You just hadn’t realised it yet. Just needed a bit of perspective.”

The man nodded. “It is often so,” he agreed happily. “Come, I will show you the model.”

Well, okay maybe it wasn’t work, but how was he meant to resist when a human wanted to show him how well they were doing? And it was about the stars as well. He’d always had a bit of a soft spot for those.

And anyway, maybe if he hung around a bit longer, he could work out some way to give Mirza the blessing or whatever the Hell he was meant to be sending him from Aziraphale.

_____________________________

1442 – Zurich

“Psst!”

Crowley looked around.

In the dark, it was hard to see who had made the sound Puzzled humans looked back at him until he spotted someone who definitely wasn’t wearing the uniform of the Swiss Confederacy waving urgently between some tents. Said person was wearing a long cloak which didn’t in any way hide the round belly and the Habsburg uniform.

“Ang–” he began, then took stock. The daft angel had come into the enemy’s camp in his own side’s uniform. Drawing even more attention to him was a bad idea. He grinned at the soldiers on either side of him. “Scuse me. Call of nature.”

He hurried over between the tents, hoping over guidelines and ducking under ropes. “What the Heaven are you playing at?” he demanded as soon as he was close enough.

Aziraphale beamed at him. He had a small glowing ball of light cupped in his hand. “I wanted to say thank you.”

“Er… okay.” Crowley frowned. “For what?”

“Ulugh Beg!”

A memory surfaced of Samarkand. Five years ago. When he was meant to be there, doing the angel’s job for him. What had he done…

Oh. Shit.

He hadn’t done anything. They’d ended up arguing about constellations for six hours instead. It was a pretty good night all things considered. Apart from the fact he had apparently forgotten to do the thing he’d been there for in the first place.

“Er…” he began. There were yells from the other side of the camp and Crowley hastily snapped his fingers, hiding them from sight, just in case. “Refresh my memory?”

Aziraphale gave him a fondly exasperated look and dug about under his cloak, then produced a book with a flourish. “Look!”

Crowley gingerly took the book as if it might explode. The script on the front was in Persian. “Zij-i Sultani?”

Aziraphale tapped a scrap of fabric sticking out from between the early pages. “I found it in a library when I was in Baghdad and had to show you,” he said eagerly. “Look!”

Crowley leafed through the pages, blinking. The author was none other than Mirza – Ulugh Beg – himself. It was an astronomical study, charting the stars and their courses and so much more. He flicked to the page that Aziraphale had marked.

“There!” Aziraphale pointed.

Crowley tilted the book, squinting by Aziraphale’s light and read the paragraph he was pointing to.

“This motivated us to observe them ourselves, with the assistance of Divine Providence, and we have found that they were advanced from the epoch…” he trailed off, remembering the start of their conversation. “Oh no.”

“Divine providence!” Aziraphale looked like a doting parent. “You did a marvellous job!”

“But divine providence?” Crowley screwed up his face. “No, no, no. Eurgh. I’m not divine.” He shuddered. “Yuck. Makes me feel all dirty.”

Aziraphale’s cheeks were dimpled and his eyes were dancing. “Well, he certainly thought you were.”

“He’s a bloody idiot,” Crowley grumbled, leafing through the book, every word of it belying his description of the author. One side of his mouth crooked up. “Can I borrow this?”

The angel blinked at him in surprise. “Why– of course you can!”

Crowley ran his thumb along the edge of the page. Mirza wasn’t bad as humans went and they’d had a lot of fun that night. It’d be interesting to see if any of their… heated discussion had made it onto the pages.

Somewhere in the distance, a cannon fired.

“Oh dear…” Aziraphale murmured.

“Eh.” Crowley waved a hand, sitting down on a stool beside the tent, eyes on the book. “Let them get on with it.”

“Crowley!”

Crowley didn’t even notice if the angel stayed or left, lost in the book.

[Note: I’m well aware I’m being random and obscure. I’mma teach you a history, gdi! Even if I have to make it in fic form :D]

#fic: crossing paths #good omens #good omens fic #crowley #aziraphale

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ask-the-phan-site · 5 years

Text

Phan Cam: The Festival of Our Dreams

WARNING: This post may be a bit long. Also, there’s a chance some posts may not show on time.

>The stage for the Dream Festival was all set up and ready. The idols were doing some last minute rehearsals before the first concert. Dream FES will last six days from Monday to Saturday this year. The first event takes place tonight on Monday which will be like any other concert. The second event takes place on Wednesday where it’s Open Mike Nite and anyone can perform on stage, even with the idols. The finale takes place on Saturday where the competition to see which Rookie Idols, Skull included, will get to become True Idols and possibly record a CD takes place with the idols finishing it with a huge show stopper.

Okay, so I stand here and I announce the groups when they come out. I think I got it.

Good. Now when you announce them, don’t hold back, give it as much energy as you can so the audience can feel it.

MC: I’ll do just that.

Worker: Hey, they stylist is calling for one last check!

MC: Coming!

>The MC leaves. Haruto also goes back stage.

>The dressing room. KUROFUNE was getting ready for that night.

God, this is just so great! We’re gonna blow this place tonight!

Calm down, Ryuji, I’m just as excited as you are.

Skull: I know. But this isn’t like all the other times I performed with you guys. This is the big time.

The real big time.

I’m glad to see you’re hyped for this. Now we know the songs we’ll be performing?

Yuto: First, we perform OVER THE SEVEN SEAS. Then, Treasured Hearts. And we finish off with Whole New World.

Skull: I like that choice. Though I wish I coulda written another song before all this.

Keigo: This year’s Dream FES is a week long to correspond with the End of Summer. You’ll have another chance soon.

??????: I hope so.

>They turn to see DearDream and Haruto come in.

Keigo: What brings you here?

We wanted to wish you luck... Or is it “break a leg”?

Either way, we hope you’ll do well.

Keigo: Thanks.

Yuto: What songs are you performing for Dream FES?

We’re starting with Dream Pulse. Next, we’ll do Up to speed!. And finally, GO TOMORROW!!!!!

I’ve added something new to our finale.

Skull: Really? You added something new to that last song?

Actually, he’s talking about the finale where both our groups perform.

Haruto: Actually. it’ll be three this year.

For real!? There’s more this year!?

Haruto: (smiling) You’re Ryuji Sakamoto, am I right? KUROFUNE’s newest member.

Skull: It’s a part-time job, actually. But I hope to work full if I can.

Haruto: I see. Well, this year, ANSwer will be joining you.

Kanade: So Asuma san, Chikage san, and Eiji san will be singing with us?

Haruto: That’s what the producers said. Letting one of the newer idol groups perform with two of the legendary idol groups, especially with KUROFUNE’s newest idol would gather more people.

Shin: That sounds a little... Big.

Haruto: That’s business. But don’t worry. I know you can do it. I’ve seen you do more impossible things than I can count.

Kanade: No doubt.

Haruto: So, can I count on you to do this?

KUROFUNE and DearDream: Yes!

Haruto: That’s the spirit. Well, see you tonight.

>With that, he leaves... And we come in.

Sounds like a big job.

Skull: I’m sure we can pull it off. With all of us here.

Keigo: That’s right. By the way, I like your concert outfits.

Thanks, my mom helped me put them together.

Keigo: God bless you, Katherine sama.

Wait until the Wednesday event, will have something really great on.

Chizuru: I’m already looking forward to it. By the way, how’s Suzui san? I hear she’s taking part in the Stride Tournament.

Panther: She’s doing fine. I’ll tell her you wish her luck.

Chizuru: And don’t forget to tell her that we love her.

That’s a little too much for her to take, but okay.

But thanks for wishing her luck, though.

>Then, Peter, Harry, Gwen, Miles, Anya, Aleksei, Randy, and Liz arrive. Also with them are John Jameson, Flash Thompson, even Alistaire Smythe, and three new faces: A young man with glasses, a chubby boy in a school uniform, and a young woman in a sweater.

You made it!

It wasn’t easy, we almost lost our luggage.

Only because one of us didn’t exactly packed light.

Well excuse me if this is my first trip overseas!

You should have just taken my advice and only packed what you really needed. Me? My football’s all I need.

So, you didn’t pack anything else? No clothes, just your ball and the clothes you already have on?

Flash: ... Okay, maybe there’s more than a ball that I need.

If he’s stayin’ with me and Harry, I draw the line at lendin’ my clothes to him.

Relax, Ryuji, I made arrangements at the Wilton Hotel.

Good. I don’t think any of the places our Japanese friends stay are wheelchair accessible.

Actually, my apartment has an elevator.

Yeah, we saw it the last time we were here.

So, how excited are you that you’ll be doing this?

Skull: I’m a little nervous, but everyone’s here, so I’m okay.

Speaking of everyone, aren’t you going to introduce us?

Peter: Right. Everyone, these are some of the friends I talked about. This is Kamala Khan.

Kamala: It’s nice to meet you.

(outfit altered to avoid being flagged) It’s nice to meet you, too, Kamala chan.

Harry: Ollie Osnick, he was a student at Oz Academy.

Actually, I’m already acquainted with Ryuji san.

Skull: Really? How so?

Ollie: ... It’s complicated.

Peter: And last, but far from least, Grady Scraps.

It’s nice to meet you. お会いできて光栄です。

名誉は私たちのものです。

Grady: Sorry about the uniform. It was in such a hurry, this was the only thing I could get on.

It’s alright, Grady, we’re here until the 24. We have plenty of time to shop for new threads.

Grady: That’s good to hear.

Chizuru: Then might I suggest Peace Parade. Sheep Heavenly is good, too.

For real!? Idol Brands can be bought as well?

Keigo: Normally, it isn’t. But remember, even though they are used in the Dream FES System, the clothes are still made by designers and they use our concert to promote their clothes.

Panther: It’s true. Mom does it sometimes, too.

Fox: I see... I wonder if I should feature my art in a concert.

Maybe on Wednesday. I know they'll love it, Yusuke.

And that’s why I love you, Ren.

>We both smile.

They’re the same as always. Even though we just saw them not that long ago.

Queen: Anyway, now to introduce ourselves.

>We introduce ourselves. Even Yuto, Keigo, and even DearDream introduced themselves.

Ollie: Nice to meet you all. But it seems you’re missing a couple of people.

Queen: Diego and Mishima are already in the crowd. We’ll be meeting up with them soon.

Skull: I just wish Axel and the others could be here, but they went back to Landmark City. I’m sure we’ll see ‘em again soon.

Oracle: Me, too. I’ve heard of this guy called Garrett and I really hope I’d meet him.

Worker: (coming in) Hey, the concert starts in a few minuets. You guys better get ready. (leaves)

Joker: Well, we’ll see on later on. Have a great show.

Enjoy the show!

>We leave.

>In the crowd, we meet up with Diego, Admin, Shiho Suzui, Boss, Sae, Mrs. Sakamoto, and even our councilor, Takuto Maruki.

About time you got here. This place is getting hyped up and packed.

(sorry if she’s still wearing her old uniform) He’s right, a lot of people showed up this year. Look over there.

>She pointed and we saw that Japanese fencer, Kagami Tsurugi, was here with French teen model, Adrien Agreste.

Panther: Are they here as a couple?

Shiho: I doubt it. They brought their friends.

>She is right, there are seven more teenagers with them... Two of which I recognized, but I won’t say more on it.

Not just them. Look there.

>He pointed to who is unmistakable the “Super High Schooler”, Moyuru Koda, and his teammate/boyfriend, Junichi Kotoba. They’re holding each other really tight.

It looks like we have some royal visitors, too.

>She was right. Not too far from where we were are the Royal Family of Attilan with their fellow Inhumans, Inferno, Iso, Haechi, and Flint Jaycen. (We’ll just call him Jaycen because we already know a Flint.) Not too far from them is King T’Challa of Wakanda, aka Black Panther. And next to him is Thor Odinson of Asgard.

I see a few other celebrities, too.

>I look around. I also see Hifumi is here. I also spot Rise, Yu, Yosuke Nanako, a man who I can assume is her father, and Teddie. I don’t think they notice me. With them is model/actress, Yukari Takeba. Not too far from them is the American author, Phoebe Halliwell and her husband, Coop. They were in deep conversation with... A young dark-skin man with pink dread locks who was accompanied by another dark-skin young man with brown cornrows, a young man with facial hair and glasses, a young man with long blonde hair, and, was was unmistakably, a brown and blue mecha.

This is getting too much. How’d I get dragged into this, anyway?

Oracle: (smirking) Because you just can’t say no to a face like this.

Boss: Heh! Maybe.

?????: Maybe you’re just getting soft.

>We turn to the newcomer... We were shocked.

What the hell are you doing here?

Are you saying it’s wrong to visit family once in a while?

Crow: Says the man who abandoned me and my mother in our hour of need.

Shido: That’s all water under the bridge now. Let bygones be bygones...

Besides, I happened to be a fan of Sankishi. Is that alright with you?

Crow: ... Just behave yourself, alright?

Shido: Like a church mouse. (sits quietly on his seat... Next to Crow)

This is going to be a long week.

?????: No kidding.

>Then, another comes in... You’ve got to be kidding.

I never pegged you to be someone who like theses events.

Now do we have to be such a downer? ... By the way, how do you like my anime look?

Seriously? What is it with older men and anime?

Stark: Just dressing for the occasion.

???: Actually, I kind of agree with her.

>Then, four new faces join in.

But at least your beard looks good.

Stark: That’s something, I guess.

Still, I guess it’s a slight improvement from your last two anime forms.

I’ve never seen that, so I can’t judge.

Eh, he’s still the same, either way.

Stark: (in defeat) Let’s just enjoy the show.

Mrs. Sakamoto: (whisper) It’s nice of you to come, by the way.

Energetic boy: (also whispering) Thanks.

>Then, the lights dimmed and the crowd starts cheering louder. The lights on the stage come on. The MC comes on stage.

MC: HELLO, TOKYO! WELCOME TO THE DREAM FESTIVAL 2019!

>The audience was hyped.

MC: Now before we begin, I first would like you all to give a big warm welcome to some famous people in the crowd tonight. Let’s give them a hand!

>The crowd cheered for all the people the others mentioned. Although, I’ve noticed that the Inhumans got little while Black Panther and Thor got a lot... Man, they’re cruel to them, they’re just like us... Only with power and slightly different appearances. Koda mostly got cheers from the girls while Rise and Yukari got cheers from the guys.

MC: And now, with out further ado, let’s welcome our first act for the night. The legendary idol group with a million cheers in one night, our very own Sankishi!

>The crowd cheered loud for the first idol group.

Haruto: Good evening, everyone! How are you?

>The crowd cheered.

Susa: That’s music to our ears. And we know that we’ll be music to your ears.

Ichika: Let our voices reach to you, tonight. Your hearts will glow for us.

Haruto: And we will glow for you. Let’s soar to our future.

Sankishi: TOGETHER!

Dorika Time!

Shido: I believe this one should suffice.

Crow: How... Fitting for you.

>We load our wands and launch the cards into the stage.

Catch Your Cheers!

Haruto: I shall wear your cheers with honor!

Catch Your Cheers!

Susa: My heart goes out to all of you!

Catch Your Cheers!

Ichika: The songs we sing shall be the pride of tonight!

(sorry for the chop job)

White Orchid Series! Complete!

>Sankishi begin their performance. The audience and us really enjoyed... But we know what we’re really looking forward to, but Sankishi is good, too.

>After some time, Sankishi finished their songs.

Haruto: Thank you all! I hope you enjoy the next group as much as you enjoyed us!

>They leave and the MC comes back.

MC: I’m so sure they will, Haruto san. Now for your next group. They were practically born for this show. Heck, they’re basically named after it. Give up for the idol group that puts the Dream back in Dream FES! DearDream!

>Everyone cheered.

Kanade: Before we begin, we would like to give a big thank you to Moyuru Koda, who is a big fan of ours, for coming here.

If you can really live up to your group’s name, I’ll really be hyped for the finale on Friday.

Junya: Then I guess we shouldn’t disappoint now, should we?

>The crow gave a little laugh. Then, I notice Koda is holding his arms and chest. I use my Third Eye to take a closer look at what he’ saying to Junichi.

It’s alright. We took all the precautions. I don’t think it’s going to happen here.

Koda: I know... I’m just worried. After what happened at that party... What I almost did to you.

Junichi: It wasn’t your fault. No one could predict that would happen.

Koda: Oh yeah? ... Tell that to your missing leg. You nearly lost your place on the team.

Junichi: But I didn’t give up... And you shouldn’t either.

Koda: Normally I would side with the winning team. I always saw you as that... But I realize, it never really was about winning or losing.

Junichi: And what’s that?

Koda: ... If I knew that, I would own the world.

>The two young men smiled in joy.

DearDream: Alright then, let’s being our show!

Dorika Time!

Junichi: If their first song is Dream Pulse, I think this one will work.

Koda: (smiling) Yeah, I think so, too.

>They loaded their cards and launched away.

Catch Your Cheers!

Kanade: Thank you so much!

Catch Your Cheers!

Shin: Thank you for your support!

Catch Your Cheers!

Junya: Your cheers will light up!

Catch Your Cheers!

Itsuki: Thank you, we’ll do our best for you!

Catch Your Cheers!

Chizuru: Your cheers will strengthen my love for you!

(Reminder: The following images are not in violation of the Tumblr policy as they do not actually contain sensitive or adult contain. They only show the upper half. Please do not flag.)

Candy Block R Series! Complete!

>DearDream performs their song, Dream Pulse. The audience really applauded when they finished.

>Meanwhile, with T’Challa and Thor.

I am still unfamiliar with this. Do all Japanese idols transform like that?

According to Stark, only those who work for this production company. Though I still wish I knew how.

(who couldn’t help but overhear) No one really knows. It’s one of Japan’s greatest mysteries. Although, I’ve heard the System works on the dreams of the idols and the people who go watch them... But that’s just one theory.

Thor: I see... I think.

King T’Challa: (looking through the Dorika) Let’s see. I was told when they first performed Up to speed!, they used this.

Iso: The original Candy Block Coord. That should be good.

Thor: Yes. Very elder school.

Iso: That’s old school.

Thor: What’s the difference?

Can you hurry up, Iso? They’re about to start up again.

Iso: Right.

Dorika Time!

Catch Your Cheers!

Kanade: Let’s get things up to speed! ... Okay, not a good job, but still.

>DearDream change their clothes.

Candy Block Series! Complete!

>DearDream performs their song, Up to speed!.

>Meanwhile, with the Investigation Team.

I brought the snacks!

Thanks, Yosuke senpai.

Yes, thank you.

I don’t think you need to copy that.

Just be careful, Yosuke, that looks like more than you can carry.

Yosuke: Sorry, Dojima san, I guess I didn’t expect a certain bear to order so many.

Teddie: (shocked) Now that’s just rude!

Yosuke: But you’re the one who- WHOA!

>Yosuke tripped.

Koda: (who noticed) Hold it!

>As if he were as fast as the wind, Koda quickly catches Yosuke and all the snacks before they hit the ground.

Koda: Your friend is right, you have way too many snacks here.

Yosuke: (a bit surprised) R- Right!

Teddie: (pouting) So mean.

Rise: (also surprised) Wow, you caught my senpai so quickly. No wonder you’re the Super High Schooler.

Koda: (helping Yosuke back on his feet) Thanks.

Nanako: (amazed) You’re the Super High Schooler? Wow. Actually, my big bro is a bit of a super high schooler himself.

Koda: ... (laughs) I doubt it. I have something he probably will never have.

Yu: And what’s that?

Koda: ... If I told you, they would kick me out of the tack team.

>The Investigation Team just stares in wonder. Koda begins to make his way back to Junichi when he suddenly felt like he was being watched. He turns... Phoebe Halliwell and the young man she was talking to were watching him. he quickly turns, pretending not to notice, and returns to Junichi.

>With them.

(using comic appearances to avoid getting in trouble) You saw it, too, didn’t you?

No doubt. So he’s really... That sucks. He’s boyfriend will probably be disappointed.

Hold on, Kaz, I don’t think we should act just yet. He hasn’t done anything, so I think we’re safe for now.

Kaz: Hope you’re right.

(sorry, this is the only picture I could find) Be patient, sir. We’ll have our chance.

Kaz: Right.

Yo, Kaz, they’re about to start.

We thought it over and we thought this should be used for GO TOMORROW!!!!!

It’s no Gucci, but I think this is just as fabulous.

Kaz: Right.

Dorika Time!

Catch Your Cheers!

Kanade: Let’s go on to our future together!

Rose Bullet Series! Complete!

>They being their song, GO TOMORROW!!!!!. The crowd really cheered, even us and the Royal Family joined in.

Looks like you guys have a favorite group.

Maybe.

Just a little.

...

Fine, a lot. But only because we can sense the heart in their songs.

As can I. If they were like us, we would definitely wish to bring them back with us.

*bark*

Iso: It’s one of the few things that makes us no different... Music.

Haechi: You might get your chance.

Kanade: Thank you for tonight’s cheers! Be sure to give that same love to KUROFUNE!

>With that, DearDream leaves and the MC arrives.

MC: For our next group, they have sailed through the trail and hardships, but have made it all they here tonight. They even recently picked up a new member. Ladies and gentlemen, weigh anchor and raise your colors for the Gold, Silver, and Bronze: KUROFUNE!

>As KUROFUNE gets on stage, the crowd cheered a lot. Me and my friends were cheering the loudest. I also notice the Investigation Team cheering really loud, too... I hope Skull gets the win on Saturday.

Yuto: The time has come to set sail to dreams ahead!

Keigo: The stars shall guide us to your hearts and your souls!

So join us on our adventure to find our passion!

KUROFUNE: Let KUROFUNE be your captain tonight!

Dorika Time!

Catch Your Cheers!

Yuto: The great seas are calling us!

Catch Your Cheers!

Keigo: Your cheers will be our map to you!

Catch Your Cheers!

New Sailing ver. Ryuji

Skull: Alright! The wind is blowin’ our way!

(Reminder: The following images are not in violation of the Tumblr policy as they do not actually contain sensitive or adult contain. They only show the upper half. Please do not flag.)

>Skull was wearing the same thing, but with a more Bronze color.

New Sailing Series! Complete!

>KUROFUNE begin their song, OVER THE SEVEN SEAS. We were cheering loudly for them.

Skull: (after finishing the song) This next song is a song I wrote. I would like to dedicate to my friends and family who supported me all this time. Especially, Ren Amamiya, Goro Akechi, Peter Parker, and Harry Osborn.

Thanks so much for everything you’ve done! I love you all!

We love you, too, brother!

We know you can do it, Ryuji!

Peter: You and KUROFUNE can do it! Together!

Harry: This is your dream! Go for it!

>Suddenly, the boy known as Makoto, leaped up from his seat.

Makoto: THAT’S RIGHT! JUST TAKE FLIGHT AND YOU CAN DO IT!

(whisper) Thanks, little bro.

Dorika Time!

Catch Your Cheers!

Innocent Pirates ver. Ryuji

Skull: I’m gonna enjoy this!

Catch Your Cheers!

Yuto: Now we shall sing to your hearts!

Catch Your Cheers!

Keigo: Your cheers shall brighten the stage tonight!

(Imagine Skull wearing the same outfit, but Bronze in comparison to Gold and Silver.)

Innocent Pirates Series! Complete!

>They being to sing Treasured Hearts.

>After they finished, a Wakandan guard comes to us.

Wakandan guard: My king and his fellow Avenger wish to speak to those Ryuji Sakamoto spoke of.

Really? They wishes to speak to us?

Wakandan guard: I also have been asked by Lady Crystal that Chloe, Kamala, and Makoto of the Future Avengers come as well.

Makoto: Only Bruno comes.

Bruno: (in defeat) Please don’t drag me into this.

Peter: Well, we should at least see what they have to say.

>We make our way to the VIP Seats where the royals were waiting for us.

Hello, Future Avengers and Web Warriors and friends.

Chloe: Hey, Triton.

Triton: We will be speaking with Chloe, Kamala, Makoto, and Bruno. King T’Challa and Thor will speak with the rest of you.

Peter: Alright.

Chloe: Tell them I’ll speak to them later.

>Me, Crow, Peter, and Harry go over to King T’Challa and Thor.

Thor: You are friends of Ryuji Sakamoto?

Joker: Yes, we are.

Peter: We support him in his dreams and what he does.

Thor: Yes. I know you two as Spider-Man and Stealth Spider, so I can say that you have made many great friends.

King T’Challa: That is true.

Crow: Is that all you just wanted to do?

King T’Challa: Maybe. I have heard a great deal about you, Goro Akechi, the Detective Prince. And your father.

Crow: What about him?

Thor: We know that Inhuman reside here in Japan as well. But they mysteriously disappeared... After the sudden appearances of psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns.

...

King T’Challa: But now that’s passed thanks to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. After some time, Japan’s Inhumans are slowly resurfacing.

Joker: Yes, we know. Some of them are even at our school. But we have no problems with that. They’re not doing anything wrong.

They make Japan feel like we’re part of something bigger.

Thor: That is true... However, there is one thing that troubles us.

Crow: What’s that?

King T’Challa: ... Actually, it can wait until after the show.

Harry: You’re right. This is Ryuji’s show. Let’s not spoil it. We’ll talk later.

>We return to our seats. Chloe stays behind to talk to King T’Challa and Thor.

Stark: So what did they have to say?

Bruno: We’ll tell you later. Right now, KUROFUNE is about to sing their last song for the evening.

Adi: (nods) I searched the deck and I think I know just the cards to use for this song.

Crow: I think that will be just perfect.

Dorika Time!

Catch Your Cheers!

Yuto: Now for our finale for tonight!

Catch Your Cheers!

Keigo: Thank you! This will keep me going!

Catch Your Cheers!

Skull: Nothin’ is between me and your Cheers!

(Skull’s has bronze colored feathers on both shoulders.)

Infinite Voyage Series! Complete!

>KUROFUNE performs their last song of the night, Whole New World. (Not the song from Aladdin, in case you were wondering.)

>With the Investigation Team.

(Can’t believe I didn’t get to talk when we came to the scene with Kida.) That song was great. It’s definitely nothing like the Disney one... Actually, they’re both good.

Nanako: I want to vote them to win the competition.

Rise: Well technically, KUROFUNE already won in a previous Dream FES. They’re not Rookie Idols anymore. Except for Ryuji, so I guess we can vote for him.

Nanako: Then I’ll vote for him.

Yu: That’s good of you, Nanako.

Teddie: Yes. Beary good.

Rise: If he ever makes it, I so want to help him with his CD. Yosuke senpai, you help, too.

Yosuke: (a little confused) Why me?

Rise: Well, you always have headphones on. Maybe you can lend a hand.

Yosuke: (groans) As if I have nothing better to do. And I have a relative who’s an idol, too.

>With us.

Way to go, KUROFUNE!

Adi: I agree!

Mrs. Sakamoto: I love you, Ryu kun!

(Does she have to shout out my pet name?)

Keigo: Thank you! And we hope you will share that love with Ryuji san and vote for him for the competition!

>The whole audience really cheered as the MC comes back on.

MC: I’m sure they will, Keigo san. And good luck to you... Ryu kun.

(trying to walk off stage quietly) (Keep it together. Keep it together.)

MC: And now, for our last group of the evening. They help with the most difficult questions in your life No matter what, they are the ones you are searching for. (Mostly because they were voted for that name.) Ladies and gentlemen, give a big hand for ANSwer!

Akiomi Inamasu: Good evening, Tokyo!

Nanao Hidaka: We may be last, but we’re really not the last!

Souji Kibino: Yes.

ANSwer: Now let’s get to it!

(Since they’re a minor group in Dream Festival, we’ll be skipping their song. Sorry, guys. Maybe if they make a third series.)

MC: Weren’t they spectacular? Make you wish they really were the answer, then every student would pass their test.

>Everyone laughs a little and the joke as they applauded.

MC: Well, that’s it for tonight. When we come back on Wednesday, we’ll be having our Open Mike Nite. Anyone wishing to perform doing whatever show they wish to put on, good luck to you all! And remember... If you wish to use the System, you have to sign in and pay the fee in advance before Wednesday. If you haven’t, you have to pay double.

>All the idols join the MC on stage.

Haruto: The Open Mike Nite is here to remind us that you are just as important to us as we are important to you.

Kanade: You have just as much talent as we do. If not in singing or dancing, then in other ways. No matter what.

Yuto: We wish only good luck to you for showing us just how well you do what you do. Not in competition, just for fun.

Akiomi Inamasu: So let’s see what you can do that night. So until then...

Idols: Our goal is the Dream Festival! Dream FES is about to start!

>Everyone in the audience, including us, cheer happily.

>In the dressing room, we, including, the Investigation Team, Tony Stark, and the Future Avengers, came back to congratulate KUROFUNE for their performance.

Flash: That! Was! AWESOME! ... Though it will never be as cool as Spidey.

Peter: Aw, thanks, Flash.

Flash: (unimpressed) Don’t push it, Parker.

What Mr. Thompson is trying to say is, you guys did well tonight.

Keigo: Thank you, Makoto chan.

Makoto: That’s gonna be tough. My name is like hers.

Queen: I don’t mind being called Mako chan if that’s alright with Haru.

Noir: It should be fine.

Mrs. Sakamoto: Ryu kun, I’m so proud of your performance.

Skull: Thanks, Mom. (And enough with the Ryu kun, already.)

Rise: Just keep it up and might win that CD debut.

Skull: Yeah. I’m lookin’ forward to it.

Yu: We’ll be supporting you all the way.

Yuto You have good friends, Ryuji san. Be happy with that.

You know it.

Oracle: This calls for a celebration!

After-party at Leblanc! Sojiro, let’s get a turkey.

Now hold it! I don’t think it’s big enough to fit us all.

Oracle: In that case...

Let’s pull our funds and get some sushi!

Diego: (really happy) I can get on board with that.

Fox: That could be hard. I’m low on cash at the moment.

Skull: Let me guess, art supplies?

Pretty much.

Harry: I’m rich. I can get the sushi.

Stark: I better pitch in, too. I still remember from what happened the last time I had some.

Bruno: I doubt you’ll be attacked this time.

I’m not going to ask what that means.

>We begin to make our way to the exit. I notice that the dressing room used by Sankishi. I hear voices in there. I couldn’t help buy listen.

Randy: Hey, Ren, you coming?

Joker: ... My shoelace came undone. You go, I’ll catch up.

Flash: Alright, but hurry up. I really want to taste that sushi.

Diego: I want some sushi, too... But I’ll stay behind and help.

>With that, the rest of the groups leaves while me and Diego stay.

Diego: What’s up, Joker?

Joker: I thought I heard something in Sankishi’s dressing room. I’m very suspicious.

Diego: Alright. I’ll see what I can do.

>Diego changes back to Morgana form and sneaks into the room. I access his collar cam with my phone... I was a little shocked.

Shido: Is that any way to talk to an old friend? Or even a fan?

Haruto: We’re not friends. But we still accept you as a fan.

Susa: And after knowing your secret, I doubt we’ll be friends now.

Ichika: Sorry. Guess stuff like this just happens.

Shido: I merely come here to congratulate you, and this is how you treat me? ... After everything I’ve done for D-Four?

Haruto: Tch! Don’t remind us. I’m surprised we’re still going after what happened with the Phantom Thieves... And what you did to your son?

>Shido, his face full of fury, bashes his fist against a mirror, shattering it.

Listen and listen well, you fucking, ungrateful fools! If it weren’t for me, D-Four Productions and you would have lost everything. The three of you would be out of a job. Your little proteges would be out of a job...

So I suggest you be a little more nicer.

Haruto: (looking down) ...

>Morgana returns to me and changes back to Diego. Just then, Shido walks out and notices us.

Can I help you two?

Well...

Shido: (staring at me) You look... familiar.

?????: I see you’ve met my new intern.

>I look up to see Tony Stark and Yuto coming up.

Shido: (unconvinced) Really? I don’t see someone like you hiring someone like him, Stark. What is this about?

Stark: (firm) It’s exactly as I said. Now if you don’t mind, I was about to treat my intern and his friend to sushi. So if you’re not too busy, you’re welcome to join us.

Shido: ... I’m due back at the Wilton. See you on Wednesday.

>With that, he leaves.

Yuto: We better go. Everyone’s waiting.

>So, we leave.

>The sushi restaurant in Ginza. While everyone partied, Stark and Yuto spirited me and Diego to a stall.

Yuto: How much did you hear?

Joker: A lot. What was that about?

Yuto: As most people probably don’t know, but there was a time D-Four Productions almost ceased to exist.

Diego: (a bit surprised) Really? What happened?

Yuto: ... Calystegia.

Joker: The song by Kanamin Kitchen originally written by deceased idol, Yuko Osada?

Yuto: Yes.When they sang it at the Love Meets Bonds Festival, their popularity skyrocketed... And they totally forgot about the Dream Festival. Only about 250 people showed up.

Diego: That’s harsh.

Yuto: With everyone so focused on Kanamin Kitchen, who works for Takura Productions, sales for D-Four were dropping. If that kept going on, many idol groups would have to be let go. Sankishi included. Even Amuse, Lantis and Bandai Namco, the companies that birthed D-Four, would have severed their ties with them to avoid being dragged down. Then, they would have filed for bankruptcy and their only salvation is to be bought out. Mostly likely their competitor, Takura Productions, or an overseas company, like Apollon Media.

Joker: Why would Apollon be interested in the Dream Festival?

Yuto: I don’t know. And I don’t care to find out. Anyway, Masayoshi Shido, who was already a major and well believed politician and a big fan of Sankishi, bailed them out by raising their popularity back up by showing his support. As a result, the next Dream Festival... The same Dream Festival KUROFUNE and DearDream first appeared, was a huge success.

Diego: So you owe him?

Yuto: Well, that’s what Shido thought. After his heart was changed by yo- The Phantom Thieves, our deal with him was over... But D-Four itself wasn’t.

Stark: Yeah, you’re welcome.

You helped them, Mr. Stark?

Stark: I got curious about why Shido loved Sankishi. So I listened to their songs... And I truly understood why they are famous for the night of a million cheers... That, and I was curious how the Dream FES System worked. Or even where it came from. So, I bought D-Four Productions. Now they’re members of the Stark International Family and those other companies didn’t have to sever their ties.

Diego: That’s quite generous of you, Mr. Stark.

Stark: Yeah, well, I still want to know more about the System... Maybe another time. Anyway, I wouldn’t worry about Shido now. But just to be sure, we’ll keep an eye on him.

Yuto: And Ren, Diego, about what we just told you...

Diego: It’s our little secret.

Yuto: (happy) Thank you.

Joker: And than you for keeping D-Four open, Mr. Stark. It means a lot to Ryuji.

Stark: You can thank me by not calling me Mr. Stark. Just call me Tony.

Joker: I don’t think we can do that.

Stark: Why not?

For starters, we already know a CEO named Tony.

Stark: I see... But for the record, I’m a way better Tony than that skate punk.

>I smile a bit. And we rejoin the others.

#phantom thieves cam #dream festival #dream fes

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mimixis · 6 years

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Towards the sun - Part 10: Kiss

Pairing: Ivar x OC

Word Count: 4932

Summary: Pia just wanted to go to work, but oh well, shit happens.

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7) (Part 8) (Part 9)

Pia returned to the tent.

Rage flew through her, her body trembled. She didn't know whether it was because of emotions or cold. Halfdan rose when she came in and opened his mouth to say something, but he gave up after seeing annoyance written on her face. He knew then it was not possible for them to went back to the events from before her departure. Hvitserk's appearance ruined everything, and Halfdan didn't discover the taste of her lips, he didn't savour her warmth or touch. Now, they couldn't resume their activities for three reasons.

The first one was what occurred with Ivar. Halfdan wasn't aware of what exactly had transpired or informed of what had upset her. It could have been Ivar, it could have been Sigurd or perhaps the situation she happened upon. According to Harald, who returned shortly after Pia had left, Ivar attacked his brother in a fit of anger. Halfdan was only slightly surprised. He knew Ivar was emotionally unstable, and no one could predict his next step. He could notice it at feasts in the great hall. He often argued with his brothers, especially with Sigurd.

And his brother was already with them. He sat on the bed next to him and observed their interactions. Halfdan ignored him and continued to watch Pia. She was muttering something under her breath and wiping her feet with a piece of cloth. There was a raven on her shoulder, which moved uneasily as if it was irritated that it could no longer see the trees and sky. Pia didn't sit down. She grabbed Blaeja's arm to keep her balance while cleaning her feet.

And there was the third reason. Blaeja woke up with Hvitserk's arrival. The noise woke her from a deep slumber. She watched horrified as Pia ran out of the tent. She nearly chased after her, but Harald's figure appeared in the entrance. Blaeja curled up in blankets and furs, following each movement of the brothers with her eyes. She no longer felt confident without Pia there.

Halfdan watched as Pia, without saying a word in his direction, sat next to the younger girl and stroked her cheek to calm her down. Blaeja put her head on Pia's lap, and the older brushed the younger girl hair.

Halfdan loved women like her. Those that had many layers. Delicate as a flower, subtle like a butterfly's touch on the skin. On the other hand, brave like a Valkyrie, as strong as a tree. Pia had those traits. He sensed it when he saw her for the first time. Then, in the great hall, when she came in with Ivar, hidden in her strange clothing. Later, after the ritual, the way she danced, the way she moved, the way she smiled... She was stunning. Every part of his body twitched with the desire to touch her. Pia was so close, at his fingerprints, but so far away.

Pia combed Blaeja's hair with her fingers as she laid on her lap. Her breathing was slowly stabilised. She fell asleep. Pia was aware that the brothers were watching her, but only when she laid down, she looked at them. Her eyes, for a split of a second, met Halfdan's gaze. She held it, trying to give him her most sincere apologies. For not finishing their conversation because she left; for not being sure what she felt.

;:;

Ubbe told her at breakfast they wouldn't leave until a few days later, but they won't return home yet. Pia dismissed his term of Kattegat. Their home wasn't her home. She asked where Ivar was, and Hvitserk laughed and pointed to the forest. Pia initiated the subject of Blaeja's wedding with Sigurd, and Ubbe called some women he was familiar with. They took Blaeja to let her try on dresses for the wedding she was supposed to have — as she and Pia had just learnt — today.

She had to admit; they acted quickly. She didn't believe Ragnar's sons would listen to her. That the wedding would eventually take place was not the result of her speech or demand. The Vikings didn't trust her. She could be considered Odin's pet — especially now, with a raven on her shoulder which wouldn't fly away — but it made her higher in the hierarchy than the ordinary commoner. Generals, princes and kings were still more powerful, and their opinion mattered more. Pia's proposal was put into practice because it was good and suited them. They saw benefits in it. And Pia couldn't guess what benefits they were. Not yet, anyway.

When Pia and Halfdan got up together and went in the same direction, Ubbe and Hvitserk followed them without hiding it. Pia rolled her eyes and shouted out asking about Sigurd who was absent at the table. She found out that he felt better, but not enough to get up, so they had a maid take food to him. Pia ignored Hvitserk's lewd joke about how a slave girl would definitely help him feel better.

They stopped in an unoccupied meadow where no one was around, and no one could see them.

"So what are we doing here?" Hvitserk asked, examining their surroundings.

“You? I have no idea. Halfdan and I are here to train.”

“Train?” Ubbe raised his eyebrows sceptically. “You?”

“What's peculiar about that? Your women are skilled in the arts of war, so why I cannot learn to defend myself?”

“And who you think we are? You don't have to be afraid of anything with us!” Hvitserk grinned. “We'll protect you.”

Pia changed her position. She no longer was facing away, and she ceased looking around the clearing. She aimed her whole attention at them. She put her hands on her hips and slightly leaned forward. Her body language implied that she was about to scold them.

“That's what I want to avoid! I don't want to depend on you all the time. I don't want to worry whether someone comes to my rescue when I'm in a dangerous situation or not. I want to take care of myself. I want to defend myself, I want to be able to defend others.”

Ubbe looked at her for a long time. He crept into her mind, requiring to know what was lurking in there, what she was thinking about. Pia didn't look away. She looked straight into his eyes without showing fear and doubt. Ubbe smiled, apparently pleased.

“Who would have thought you would change like that in only one day. You are full of surprises. Where is that flustered lass who went into the great hall and wrapped her face with a scarf?” he asked in a gentle voice, messing her hair with his hand as if she was his younger sibling.

Pia knocked his hand with a pout. Ubbe chuckled.

“But why are you doing this with Halfdan?” Hvitserk whined. “You should have come to us.”

“First of all, I don't see a reason why I should have gone to you. Secondly, Halfdan was already available. Thirdly, I should have other friends and not limit myself only to you. In addition, Halfdan is older and more experienced. He can teach me more, can't he?”

Hvitserk made another vulgar joke about the experience Halfdan had at his disposal and this time Pia laughed. Exactly this she suggested in a playful manner to lighten the mood and divert their attention from her decision. She didn't want them to know she had mixed feelings about Halfdan, and she almost demanded them to leave Halfdan and her alone, so she could slowly discover — layer after layer — what kind of feelings buzzed between them.

Their presence complicated everything. Not because she thought they would interfere with anything — though they probably would — but because of Ivar. They would have told him something; something they could have misinterpreted or something they should not have seen. It sounded wrong, very wrong. Pia tried to convince herself that she was doing nothing wrong, that she was not with any of them. But on the other hand, she promised Ivar that she would return to him, after Sigurd and Blaeja's marriage. But this sudden rapprochement with Halfdan made her doubt her feelings.

She had never felt this way before. She had never been this torn before. In her whole life, she had truly loved only one man, and he hurt her. Pia deceived none of them, but she felt like she did. In the end, there was a man other than Ivar, that made her heart beat faster. She hated her ex-boyfriend for what he had done to her, but she also knew how different their situation was. She was in a relationship with him for three years, and then he started two-timing, among other things. Pia intended to spend time with both men to find out, who meant more to her, and to whom she felt only lust.

"Let's start with something easy," Halfdan said after brothers and Pia stopped fooling around. Halfdan brushed her arms, stomach and thighs. His touch was not sexually related, it was an examination. “You are tiny, and you have no muscle from what I can see. How about your stamina?”

Pia blinked several times. She expected them to push a sword into her hand to start practice immediately.

“I won't get a sword...?” she stuttered.

“Of course not! You couldn't hold the axe or sword, not to mention drawing the arrows or aiming. First, I will teach you how to fight without a weapon. Thanks to this you will gain muscle, and then we will work with weapons. In the meantime, we will work on your strength and aim. So, your stamina?”

“Not bad, I think. I can dance all night and run two miles.”

Halfdan nodded. Pia looked at Ubbe and Hvitserk, who walked away from them and laid down on the grass. Their eyes were closed, their postures relaxed. Perhaps they were still exhausted after the battle, and Pia was not surprised. A lot happened during these two days, and probably only now they had a moment to rest. Especially when a lot would transpire tonight. Wedding and a feast in honour of winning the battle on the same night.

“Attack me.”

Halfdan repeated the sentence again when Pia looked at him in bewilderment. Pia stared at his muscular arms, wide shoulders and legs that held him firmly to the ground. She knew she would not beat him with brute force - in truth, she doubted she would be able to defeat him at the first, second or third time - so she had to be cunning or use the element of surprise.

A simple attack certainly wouldn't work. He would block her immediately. She also had no intention of seducing him. Such tactics worked only in certain conditions and circumstances. He expected a blow, possibly a kick. Pia decided to do something completely different. She curled up, pressed her elbows close to her ribs, her fists clenched against her chest. She set herself slightly to one side and, like a bull seeing a red cloth in the hand of a toreador, she pushed forward with everything she had. That tactic worked, at least in part. Pia's shoulder hit the man's chest, knocking him down. Pia did not predict, however, that Halfdan would take her down with him.

Halfdan fell to the ground and Pia on him. She felt his hard chest under her. Her fingers found their way to it, aching to feel his muscles more precisely. The smell of sweat and earth reached her. Pia wrinkled her nose. Something in this scent was wrong, something didn't suit her. Their eyes met, and Pia noticed Halfdan's eyes were going down. To her lips, to her neck, to her breasts pressing against him. The corner of her mouth rose up. She began to slowly get up, trying to disentangle herself from his limbs. Before she could do it, she heard a wolf-whistle.

She groaned lamentably and moved to be at a proper distance from him. She didn't like their smirks and the tight knot that emerged in her abdomen, she hated even more. After this incident, everything went smoothly. Halfdan showed her how she should stand, how to arrange hands to hit properly. Pia didn't notice that the brothers left, and came back with food and water for Halfdan and her. Time flew so fast.

They stopped training when it was time to get ready for the ceremony. As soon as she put her foot in the camp, one of the servants took her to the tent, in her hands the dress Pia was wearing on Margrethe and Ubbe's wedding. There were three other women in the tent who were trying to soothe the weeping Blaeja. The girl, when she saw Pia, threw herself in her arms with tears. Pia stroked her back and when the girl finally calmed down, spoke.

“Where were you? Why did you leave me with them? You were supposed to look after me!”

“You were and still are safe with them, Blaeja. I told you at breakfast that some of their traditions don't allow me to spend those few hours with you.”

“They told me to sit on hot stones! And they let my hair down! And I had no idea what they were talking about! Why does the wedding have to occur so soon and why do we have to follow their customs? I am a Christian, and this wedding will not be valid without a priest!”

Pia moved her attention to the girl who brought her here for a moment. She let Pia know they did not have much time, so she had to talk and bathe at the same time. Pia undressed, ignoring the red spots on Blaeja's cheeks. She went into the tub, answering her questions.

“It's their tradition. This bath and stones mean parting with your previous life and willingness to enter a new one. They let your hair down because they want to show that they're long. The wedding takes place so quickly because next battles await us, the war is on, and there is less and less time, and tomorrow, Friday, is perfect. The Vikings vow on Fridays, wanting a blessing from their goddess of marriage. You were a Christian. After this wedding, you won't be one anymore. You will accept Sigurd's religion and tradition so your marriage will be lawful.”

“Are you... did it happen to you? Did you get to know their traditions after marriage? Is that why you know so much? You aren't one of them, are you?”

“No, I'm not one of them. And no, I'm not a wife of any of them. If I was, I could be with you during a ritual bath. My knowledge comes from asking questions. When I was not there I did exactly that, among other things.”

“Is there something more awful awaiting me?” she asked quietly.

“That's what every female virgin in an arranged marriage fears,” she said while coming out from bathtub clean and fragrant. “Wedding night.”

Blaeja paled. She was being taught how to become the perfect wife of a lord all her life. Nobody, however, explained to her what to do tonight. How to behave, what not to do, what is suitable and what is not. Fear of the unknown quickly turned into shame after she imagined herself in Sigurd's embrace. She waited until Pia stopped talking with a servant, and then she spoke.

“Could... could you advise me how to behave?”

Pia moved her gaze from the slave girl who was now coming out of the tent, to Blaeja. With the help of women, she put on a dress, then she dried her hair with a cloth, so they could focus on Blaeja again. They put her into an ivory dress that swirled around her ankles and uncovered her collarbone. Her old dress covered every scrap of her skin, except her hands.

“It's your first time, and you don't know each other well, so it will be awkward. At least at the beginning. Don't be afraid or ashamed of your reactions. Show him what gives you pleasure without hesitation and bravely tell him what is not for you. Funny sounds will also come into being, but it's completely normal. I will speak with Sigurd to make sure you're well treated.”

Blaeja nodded, relief visible on her face. Pia smiled subtly, glad she comforted her a little. At the same time, the girl with her backpack came back. Pia took out her toilet bag, in which she had some of the most necessary products. Blaeja watched carefully as Pia powdered her face, used mascara on her eyelashes and lipstick on her lips. Pia asked Blaeja if she wanted to go through the procedure too, but the younger girl refused, shaking her head.

“But maybe balsam? It will make your lips soft, and taste and smell like blueberries.”

Blaeja nodded, delighted with the idea. She loved blueberries, but she rarely ate them, knowing this temptation could lead to sin. Pia dipped her finger in a small jar after opening the lid and then began gently rubbing the balm into the girl's chapped lips.

"Done," she said, hiding her toilet bag. “You can handle it, right? I need to talk to Sigurd before the ceremony begins.”

Blaeja replied quietly that she would manage and Pia left the tent. As soon as she appeared outside, the raven returned to her shoulder right away. He flew off somewhere during the training, and Pia and three men were shocked, that the bird could withstand following one human for such a long time. She joked, that he was flying away to hunt or that he returned to Odin to report to him what happened. Hvitserk and Ubbe preferred the second variant.

Pia felt horrible about her quick acclimatisation. She should look for the way to go back home, she shouldn't give up so quickly. She shouldn't try to make a life here. She shouldn't fall in love or try to fit into their culture. And yet she did. She didn't know the way back, she didn't know if she would ever find it or if someone could help her. She gave up because she saw no other option. All she could do was assimilate and hope that everything would be fine.

She entered the tent of Ragnar's sons without announcing her presence. She used their unawareness to look at them. There was no Bjorn among them, and Pia didn't speculate why he wasn't with them. Ubbe and Hvitserk were laughing at Sigurd and Pia guessed that it was related to his anxiety. She hid a giggle in her hand but knew she had been heard.

Ivar looked at her, the features of his face softened. Pia curtsied, grabbing the dress to make it look wider. A light blue dress that once belonged to his mother. Ivar looked with admiration at the changes that took place on her face. She was no longer deadly pale and had no dark circles under her eyes. She looked well rested and full of energy. She no longer looked like a lost child but like a confident woman. Ivar, on the one hand, detested this change, and on the other he adored it. Negative feelings came from the conviction that now when she was strong she wouldn't need his care or support.

But she looked at him as if he was the centre of her world. The fire in her eyes. And the way her breath sped up when he saw him. Her chest was waving, pushing against the top of her dress, her breasts ready to pop out. Her eyes suddenly seemed larger, more innocent and suggestive at the same time. Her lips were coloured like blood, and Ivar only dreamed of smearing the red on her face with his lips.

Pia smiled promisingly and turned her eyes away reluctantly.

“I see that not only Blaeja feels nervousness.”

It caught their attention. Ubbe and Hvitserk looked at her in confusion at the fact they had not noticed her before. Whereas Sigurd was horrified that she saw him in such a state and that later she would mock him. He had such concerns about Ivar, and that was enough for him. His younger brother apologised yesterday evening, but he did it so quietly and insincerely that Sigurd ignored him completely. He knew he only did so that Pia would come back and forgive him.

“I won't take much of your time. I would just like to discuss the consumption of your marriage.”

Sigurd quickly had some assumptions.

“Do you think I cannot please a woman?” he growled.

"Your words, not mine," she laughed. "But seriously now. Your experience is now very useful. Blaeja is a virgin, and it is your duty to prepare her properly. Take care of her. Worship her body. You can't just take whatever you want. You have to give something from yourself too.”

"I know it," he murmured.

"You'll have a chance to see that." Pia looked questioningly at Ubbe. He instantly explained his comment. “There must be six witnesses to the consumption.”

“What?!” she screamed. Her neck almost snapped with the violence in which she turned her head towards him. “Six people have to watch how...”

“No, all we have to do is go with them. They will enter the tent, we will sit in front of the entrance for some time, and after we can leave and have more fun.”

Pia understood the tradition and knew it could always be worse. She just didn't think the Vikings had to do so as well.

“Well... Who is going?”

“You, Hvitserk, Floki, Ivar, me and one of Sigurd's friends.”

Pia looked at them for the last time, her eyes lingering longer on Ivar, and then she left.

;:;

The marriage of Sigurd and Blaeja differed from Ubbe and Margrethe's union only to a small degree. The first difference was replacing the blood of a goat with the blood of a hare. The second one, Sigurd didn't give Blaeja a sword, but a short knife and an ordinary looking ring without runes. The third one, there was no race. Everyone immediately went to the feast. Pia was standing next to Blaeja all the time and explaining what to do and say. She was by her side now too and watched what was happening.

"You didn't warm me they would splash me with blood," she grumbled.

“I didn't think it was important,” she whispered and then added. “I know that you probably don't want to do it, but the custom requires that the bride and groom dance, so others can do it too.”

Sigurd was looking at his wife expectantly, and she flushed under his gaze. She accepted his offer and left the table. Other couples followed, and the celebration began. Pia loved dancing, she loved to enjoy life. Many asked her to dance, but she refused. She refused because the person with whom she wanted to dance the most couldn't do it. She looked to the right where the Sigurd's brothers were located. Hvitserk and Ubbe, after her refusal, found other partners and disappeared among the crowd of whirling pairs. Only she and Ivar sat on this side of the table.

Pia moved from her seat and sat down at Hvitserk's place next to Ivar. He looked at her, his expression unreadable. Pia grabbed his hand, squeezed it in hers, and her thumb formed circles on his palm. She moved closer to him, their knees almost touching, and their arms in contact.

“Why won't you dance?” he asked, breaking the silence.

Pia sighed dramatically.

“Everyone is dancing, so nobody would pay attention to me.”

Ivar, however, did not laugh, and the muscles of his jaw tightened. Pia also stiffened, not knowing what to expect. Ivar wasn't looking at her but at dancing people. His eyes were full of anger, regret and jealousy. Pia promised herself that if Ivar couldn't dance with her, she wouldn't dance with anyone else.

“I do not need your pity. You don't have to sit here with me and pretend you are happy.”

Pia blinked.

“It's not pity, Ivar. And I know I don't have to, I want to be here. And I don't understand how can you say that. You insisted yesterday that I stay with you, and today you want me to leave. I don't know what you want me to do. You must talk to me, Ivar.”

Ivar said nothing, and his jaw tightened, showing his annoyance. Pia felt like touching his face. Touch it until it becomes soft again. She desired to put its features into a smile. Nothing happened, because they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Pia looked into Halfdan's grey eyes.

“Dance with me?” he asked, ignoring the presence of the youngest of Ragnar's sons.

Pia looked at Ivar, hoping that he would react in any way. He would have protested because they were busy talking. But he only put his lips into a thin line as if he refrained from telling an unpleasant comment. Feel free, she screamed in her mind, do it! Stop me!

He did not do it. Pia smiled sadly.

“My whole body is still sore after training. I don't have the strength to dance. Next time, all right?”

After several moments of unfruitful persuasion, Halfdan returned to his table. Pia toyed with the thought of returning to her old place, but changed her mind, when Ivar's forefinger caressed the skin of her hand. She hid a smile behind the waterfall of hair and sat in silence.

Pia played with her tongue piercing and came to the conclusion that if she wanted to keep her teeth and have healthy gums, she had to take it out. She didn't have the right products to take care of her oral hygiene.

Pia talked to Blaeja this evening only a few times. Two times, when Blaeja had to drink, later when she wanted to eat something and finally when she needed to rest. She didn't understand what people were saying to or about her, but someone asked her constantly to dance, and she felt dizzy because of twirling and mead. There were red spots on her face and sweat. She didn't look like a lady at all. Her tousled hair, shiny eyes and a huge grin on her face made her look like a madwoman.

Pia stopped her from drinking another cup of alcohol and gave her water. She knew Blaeja must be half-sober during her wedding night. Fifteen minutes later, Ubbe came and said it was time to go to the tent. Pia helped Blaeja to walk without falling over her face, and when they reached their destination, she gave her more water, wiped sweat from her face, neck and cleavage. Blaeja slowly sobered, and Pia could let Sigurd in. However, he pulled her away a few meters from the tent and shifted from leg to leg.

"I will be good to her, really," he murmured. “But could you tell me how... How do you say 'you're beautiful' in her language?”

Pia told him what he wanted to know and repeated it a few times with a smile on her face, so he could remember it and then sat down with the other witnesses. For a few minutes they joked with each other and had a loose conversation, but they fell silent when they heard woman’s moan. The men laughed, but Pia felt a little embarrassed and... and excited.

Ivar sat so close she could feel the warmth and smell of his skin vibrating from him. Wood, leather and honey. Pia moaned in pleasure. She moved closer to him and leaned her head against his shoulder. He didn't reject her, and that meant something. She didn't want such closeness they had fulfilled before. She didn't want drunken kisses. She didn't want kisses that only would make his brothers jealous. She wanted a kiss full of passion and adoration.

She understood why Ivar had said what he had said and done what he had done. He was afraid of her refusal because of his legs because of his paralysis from the waist down. He was afraid that Pia would be like everyone else, that she would make fun of him, that she would give up.

"I love your eyes," she whispered in his ear. She felt him shudder. “They have the colour of the coldest ice. Though, this ice would melt on the fire of my skin, when you are with me. I love your arms that are as strong as steel. They could break me in half. I love your rough hands that make wet pool between my legs. I love your long and thick fingers that appear inside me in my wildest dreams.”

The last sentence she purred with her lips against his cheek. His facial hair was pleasingly irritating her mouth, and Pia had to move her legs to somehow stop the throb in the lower areas of her body. When the men turned to the bonfire and were no longer in front of them, Pia quickly pulled up her dress and sat on Ivar's thighs. She pressed her aching breasts to his chest, her abdomen against his, and her fingers clutched his thick hair. She drew his lips to hers in the kiss she longed for.

From that moment, nothing was the same anymore.

______________________

@unicornbaby741 @caitsymichelle13 @mulders-xfile @jamierdr @ivarandersen

@huffelpuffers @slut4hazeleyes @wehahein

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theyearoftheking · 4 years

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Book Forty-Seven: On Writing

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs...”

My career path was pretty clear from a young age... I wanted to write. I wanted people to find my books at the library, I wanted people to recognize me on the street, and I practiced my loopy scrawl for those autograph opportunities.

The people around me encouraged my writing; but no one (except for the esteemed Danielle Steel) taught me HOW to write until I got to high school. My first formal writing class was actually a journalism class, and that was the best start I could have had. I was taught crisp, concise writing, absent of flowery prose, excessive words, and unnecessary details. So, I basically un-learned everything Ms. Steele had taught me (flowing locks, cornflower blue eyes, shockingly beautiful... you get the idea). So, thanks to Rod Vick, my journalism teacher, for teaching me the WHAT and the HOW of writing. And thanks to my Grandma, for keeping all those romance novels around the house.

If you weren’t lucky enough to have Mr. Vick teach you how to write, and if your grandma didn’t keep shelves full of bodice-rippers, the next best thing is On Writing. Steve is clear; he considers The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White the bible for writers. And he’s not re-writing the bible. Instead, he just gives some fun insight into his stories, some biographical nuggets, and some clear, concise rules for writers. Here are a few of those rules in no particular order:

1. “Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open...Once you know what the story is and get it right... it belongs to anyone who wants to read it.” This is far better than Hemingway's advice to write drunk and edit sober. Your liver will thank you for this later.

2. The best advice ever: “...put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn’t in the middle of the room. Life isn’t a support system for art. It’s the other way around.”

This is my little corner of the dining room where I write. When I need to “close the door” I pop my headphones in and focus. When I’m rewriting, I can use my husband and daughter as a sounding board. As I type this, my daughter is grilling herself some Asian-marinated tofu, and chattering about her first day of virtual middle school. It’s perfect, I much prefer it to having a big desk in the middle of a lonely room.

3. Adverbs. Avoid them like the lovely, deadly, horribly common plague they are.

4. “The best form of dialogue attribution is said, as in he said, she said.” I had a dear friend tell me she had learned this in a writing class, and applied it to her manuscript. Her writing professor informed her most people breeze right past the attribution, and pay more attention to the dialogue itself. When writing my own manuscript, I rejected this piece of advice and instead used lots of “grunted,” “sighed” “considered” “pondered” instead. Seeing as how I’ve now head this advice from two different people, I suppose it’s time I start listening.

5. If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write. So. Damn. True. Early in the book, Steve talked about how most writers have a moment where they read a book and decide, “Yeah, I could do better than this. So I’m going to!” Writers also have moments when we’re so blown away by the beauty of a turn of phrase or an image, and we know we’ll never be that damn good. Both are worthwhile experiences, but you need to pick up a damn book and read in order to have them. Steve also talks about how one can read in sips and swallows. Quick reading done in a waiting room or on a bus can be a sip. Reading done under the comfort of several quilts with a cup of tea on a cold night is a swallow. Both types of reading get the job done.

6. The difference between a novel being plot driven, or character driven. Steve claims most of his novels are character driven. The only plot driven novels he has written are Insomnia and Rose Madder, which he doesn’t find particularly inspiring. I agree about Insomnia and the damn Oompa Loompas, but Rose Madder is still an og favorite. Sorry, not sorry.

7. Maybe the most cardinal rule of all... “Never tell us a thing you can show us instead.”

Interspersed with these nuggets of wisdom are stories about Steve’s life. He talks about his start as a writer, how a paycheck managed to appear just when his family needed it the most, and his recovery after his horrific accident. And perhaps the greatest mystery of all was solved! Steve talks about a year or two of his childhood spent living in West De Pere, Wisconsin!!! Yaaaas! The most important of ALL Wisconsin references.

In case you can’t tell, I love this book. I have a well-thumbed copy I come back to for inspiration and direction. Many regard it as one of the most important how-to books for writers. Even non-writers will enjoy the biographic details as well. It’s a lovely book. <- intentional and ironic adverb use

Total Wisconsin Mentions: 30

Total Dark Tower References: 45

Book Grade: A+

Rebecca’s Definitive Ranking of Stephen King Books

The Talisman: A+

Wizard and Glass: A+

Needful Things: A+

On Writing: A+

The Green Mile: A+

Hearts in Atlantis: A+

Rose Madder: A+

Misery: A+

Different Seasons: A+

It: A+

Four Past Midnight: A+

The Shining: A-

The Stand: A-

Bag of Bones: A-

The Wastelands: A-

The Drawing of the Three: A-

Dolores Claiborne: A-

Nightmares in the Sky: B+

The Dark Half: B+

Skeleton Crew: B+

The Dead Zone: B+

Nightmares & Dreamscapes: B+

‘Salem’s Lot: B+

Carrie: B+

Creepshow: B+

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon: B

Storm of the Century: B-

Cycle of the Werewolf: B-

Danse Macabre: B-

The Running Man: C+

Thinner: C+

Dark Visions: C+

The Eyes of the Dragon: C+

The Long Walk: C+

The Gunslinger: C+

Pet Sematary: C+

Firestarter: C+

Rage: C

Desperation: C-

Insomnia: C-

Cujo: C-

Nightshift: C-

Gerald’s Game: D

Roadwork: D

Christine: D

The Regulators: D

The Tommyknockers: D-

At the moment, I’m currently deep inside Dreamcatcher, which is just as miserable as I remember it being. Must...keep...reading... Dark House is waiting for me on the other side.

Until next time, Long Days & Pleasant Nights,

Rebecca

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loveinpanem-blog · 7 years

Text

Love in Dark Places

@mega-aulover gets a the credit for this title and some ideas that made there way here. Thank you @chele20035 for being my bata last minute! This is rated E for smut.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everlarkers! ❤ @savvylark

Something about you makes me feel like a dangerous woman.

This should feel wrong but it feels so right. His hot kisses have become more intense and more delicious. His lips make a trail down my neck, leaving a fire in their wake. He bites and sucks my pulse point and I lose my breath. I trail my hands up and down his broad chiseled chest and mural of beautiful body art, tattooed in his skin to camouflage the painful childhood scar his mother left. I shove him down to the bed and make a point to kiss every single scar. We don’t talk about it, but we know they’re there, and where they came from.

He moans and draws a need deep within me for more. He finds the clasp from my bra and frees me. His talented fingers trace my spine. I sigh in his touch.

We don’t talk about how we once knew each other years ago. We pretend we were strangers, attracted to one another, who met and flirted at a bar thousands of miles from where we grew up.

As his luscious lips trail down my chest I can’t help but hum in anticipation. My heart is pounding wildly, and I’m nearly breathless as I watch this perfect man slowly unravel me. Fulfilling all my teenage fantasies.

He lifts his gaze to meet mine, deep blue eyes meet silvery gray and I could almost pretend that he’s thinking the same thing, that he’s fantasized about this. He bites that sexy lower lip and can’t help but gawk at his near perfection.

I’ve never wanted anyone like I wanted Peeta, but he was off limits, which only fueled my growing and frustrating desire for him. Some of these feelings I chalked up to physical attraction and teenage hormones. The dangerous desire of forbidden love. Yet, I could never ever shake this innate connected feeling with this guy. Clearly, nothing in this room has anything to do with hormones, the chemistry and heat has been mind blowing.

How many times had I tried to pretend I didn’t get lost in these very deep blue pools of his eyes that speak depths of wonder, beauty, and pain?

How distracted I would get with those impossibly long eyelashes! They should get tangled up, but somehow never did.

How I would daydream about his plump lips wrapped around my bottom lip, wondering what he would taste like. My heart seems to do a double take in disbelief.

I reach up to capture his lips again just to confirm this is real and not a daydream I’ve imaged since high school. My lips are greedy as I pull and nip and suck his. Our tongues meet and dance, stroking and exploring. Like kindling, building the heat and fanning the fire inside me.

His hands crawl up my ribs and brush the sides of my breasts teasingly a few times. I twitch a little in anticipation. When his hands finally cup my breasts I make a low noise I didn’t know I was capable of. I try to remember to breathe as his lips travel down my neck again. I feel a smile from his face on my collarbone.

He’s remembering the time I tried to land that jump and fell off Madge Undersee’s bike, breaking my collarbone. The first real instances we got close without his step-sister around. He felt responsible because it was definitely his fault. You don’t dare Katniss Everdeen to do something, even if I was only an 11 year old and he was 13, I refused to back out of the challenge. He knew it too, and he used that slick tongue of his to convince me. That slick tongue is traveling down my shoulder.

I’m brought back to the present as he bite my shoulder, while his fingers brush and squeeze my nipples. I moan and wiggle my hips, shifting my thighs, attempt to find any kind of friction.

I was entirely awkward about anything remotely romantic or sexual for the longest time as an early teen. While other girls were fantasizing about prince charming I was prancing around with Gale in the woods, probably full of mud. My mother assured me that I was just a late bloomer. I had even wondered if I had any sexual preferences at all because I wasn’t attracted to anyone in that way.

Until one day, wrestling champ and golden boy Peeta Mellark and I were seated on the porch of the house his mom and the major call home drinking lemonade. Nothing out of the ordinary, but usually we have his step-sister Madge as an optimistic buffer.

I can’t even remember what lead to such a dark turn in our conversation but we accidentally started to talk about painful memories of our past. Instead of the conversation being awkward, it was amazingly cathartic. It felt like releasing the pressure of a painful festering injury.

Everyone saw this picture perfect boy, when the truly painful things he continued to struggle with had a way of digging in and eating away inside. He hid it all with a kind smile and quick humor.

There was a moment where we stood gaping at each other. Suddenly I saw him in entirely new light, but what truly scared me was, I saw something I identified with. I recognized his soul being just like mine, battered and bruised, but resilient and courageous.

That Emily Brontë quote runs through my mind once again, “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

I tried, but I’ll never forget how my heart leapt out of my chest upon the recognition, the awakening within me. I was captivated by this man.

I started having dreams about him, innocent at first, just he and I against the world in various settings, hand in hand. I started to find myself more attracted to Peeta Mellark with each time I saw him. The dreams took on a more physical and eventually explicit nature.

My attention is drawn back as Peeta’s searing lips reach my nipples and I arch into him. His hands run down my back and start to play with the waist of my jeans. My fingers sink into his wavy blond hair. I love it longer and unruly like this.

It may have been my imagination, but it seemed from that day, the way I saw Peeta changed, he started to go through his own metamorphosis. He dropped out of wrestling, “One championship title was enough,” he said. He spent more time concentrated on artwork, dropped the debate team, in favor of drama club.

He was also able to stand up for what he wanted, despite what his mother pressured on him. Insead of his neatly styled Ivy League haircut he grew it a little longer on the top. His preppy attire shifted to reflect a more creative and darker Peeta. It fit him better and people took notice.

In my naive mind, I used to think that I was the catalyst for Peeta taking his life back and,not being a piece in his mom’s calculating chess game. I let go of that idea a long time ago.

My hands grip his back slip down the plains of his muscular back, I trail my hands around and down his abs, follow the happy trail and ever so quietly lessen his belt and lower his zipper ever so slightly. I have admired his infamous backside and appreciated how nicely he fills out a pair of jeans. I dip my hands past the band of his boxer briefs and cup each cheek while he lavishes the other breast with strokes of his tongue. I’m writhing under his ministrations.

He still has the same familiar scent of herbs and a specific peeta sent that brings to mind memories of happier times. Of innocence, but also the thrill of desire for him that courses through me. The familiarity alone is starting to drive me wild. I smooth my hands around his hips and down each let as I start to ease his pants down.

He’s momentarily startled, as I hear a sharp intake of breath. I wriggle and use my feet to push the pants down further. I tangle my legs with his and a line our hit centers and move my hips in slow figure eights. The guttural deep moan I’m rewarded with shoots spark to my very core.

Peeta looks up at me with an intense look I only recognize because I might be giving him the same one. I don’t understand how this can be the most intensely hot encounter to date and yet this connection feels like coming home all at once.

Peeta was so hot in high school, it was no secret. He dated the most gorgeous girls to walk those halls. His artistic endeavors didn’t put a damper on his popularity, he was still crowned homecoming king. His artwork was displayed all over the school. He seemed more mysterious Peeta and that much more alluring. The more artist dark Peeta challenged text book popularity, his depth and commitment to being true to himself started tidal wave of change in people all around him. Cliques didn’t matter, race and sexual orientation seemed to fade as a division. Peeta boldly accepted everyone and cause others to question their prejudice.

It meant a lot to me that he still chose to walk with me, a lowly sophomore and his little (step)sister’s sullen and surly friend to choir on his way to the drama department his entire senior year. I always tried to keep my heart from pounding out of my chest, but once he started our conversation I was always put at ease. I kept thinking he would get side tracked by a friend more worthy of his attention, but he was unwavering.

Still unwavering, and so much sexier in present day, Peeta is hovering over me. His eyes, hazy with lust make my stomach flip, I tremble under his touch. His hand smooths over my hip, and get the strong urge to kiss him again.

Oh lordy, I might actually be addicted to his lips. I grab his head and pull it down to mind. Our lips smash together not as aggressively this time. Our tongues meet and dart and chase. His hand now cups the front of my pelvis and I moan into his mouth. Instinctively I reach for his length, I don’t know what I was expecting but it’s impressive, I gasp.

“Oooh Katniss!” I hear his low voice groan my name in my ear.

This is the first time either of us has acknowledged that we know each other beyond tonight. I think it’s been 6 years since either of us has set foot in our shitty hometown, and just about the same that we’ve seen one other. I wonder what this means for the evening, for our little game?

I run my hand up and down his manhood a few times teasingly. His ragged breath against my throat is doing things to me. His fingers wonder and tease until he rubbing me with more pressure and more purpose. I release him as he scoots his body further down to kiss my stomach and dip his tongue in my belly button, his kisses trail lower. I pant in anticipation as he continues to stroke with just the right amount of pressure on my core.

I think of all the times I admonished myself for these dirty thoughts. The pep talks I had in my head about how he was off limits, and how dangerous it was to fantasize about such things with Peeta of all people, most wanted man of Panem High. After Madge’s falling out with her former friend and brother’s ex, we made a pact, brothers and step-brothers are off limits, until further discussion.

There were a few times when we had Show Choir performances at the All School Assembly. I could have sworn I saw Peeta’s eyes locked with mine as I sang, in some sort of trance. Like he knew I was singing for him. Like he was aware that he gave me courage to do so, with every day that he existed. With every fiber of his being. I had to brushed it off the thoughts. Just my imagination playing tricks on me.

But the look he was giving me earlier, eyes boring into my very soul, recognizing it's… no, don’t go there, just enjoy this.

My underwear is flung across the room and he pins my legs down and draws them further apart as if a man on a mission. I blush at the vulnerable feelings I have, drape my arm over my eyes and sigh. His hands travel up my thighs and I desperately try not to growl.

I’m a girl on fire, a raging inferno is building inside me, only be quenched by a man that doesn’t know he possesses my heart. This tattooed tortured artist with mesmerizing eyes, and the kindest heart despite this cruel world.

His strong tongue and slender fingers reaching where I had been waiting years for him. Elicits in me things I didn’t know were possible. I’m dazed and lost in wave after wave of pleasure. I’m flying and its glorious. Fantasy and daydreams be damn. As the euphoric energy sends my head buzzing I am awakened some how. I feel like a new woman. I feel dangerous. Aggressive. Desired.

I shove Peeta down and straddle him with a wicked grin. His eyes meet mine. Predator and prey. I roll my hips and a deep moan reverberates through him. I bite my lip in attempt to hold in the smile and satisfaction I feel from his primal reaction. I gave him that reaction.

He sits up reaching for his wallet on the nights stand to retrieve a condom, I keep my body flush to his and trail kisses along his jawline. I hear the foil packet crinkle. The anticipation does weird flowery things to my heart. I should feel lucid with lust, instead I’m giddy, like I’m about to get away with tasting forbidden fruit I’ve wanted for eons.

He takes the lead, he wraps me in his strong arms and whispers the most poetic filthy things about my body. I growl and murmer my appreciation as his hands travel and explore.

I gasp as he teases my cavern with the tip. He lifts my left leg and drapes my ankle above his shoulder.

“Please Peeta, I need you. Ruin me.” I repeat some of his desires he whispered in my ear.

We share a moan as he slides deep inside me. My slick walls welcome him and the safety and confidence I feel in him, in this moment of vulnerability are not lost on me. I open my eyes search his face. Awe and wonder, probably read in my face as well. His blue eyes seem to dance with emotions. I’m so swept up in this moment I don’t try to understand it. I just grip it for dear life with my very being.

Somehow, I don’t have words, but it feels as if being reunited, being pieces together. To recognize my own heart entwined with someone else’s in an other worldly sense.

We move as one colliding and giratung, a slow and sensual dance. We are one and I am whole.

I can’t look away, I’m locked in place with his gaze and I feel like I’m soaring high above this world. “Ooooh, Katnisss you feel incredible.” Peeta groans as his low baritone vibrates into my chest where his face is buried between my breasts.

I never pretended to understand love, but the depths of affection I’m pouring out as waves of pleasure wash over me forces me to recognize that this might be similar.

I should be scared. I should hide and escape the intensity, but I’m not strong enough. I can’t escape how deeply he’s rooted himself in me. Someone who became a very part of my being a long time ago.

The tension in the air and friction our bodies create hurl us forward, we dive and dip, faster and harder. He murmurs filthy things in my ear as he pulls me on top of him. His expression euphoric, jaw dropped, eyes nearly rolling back in his head and filled with emotion. I ride him until we’re tumbling into oblivion. I collapse on top of him as he mutters broken obscenities into my neck, sputters and grunts that indicate his release. I continue to squeeze and milk him deep within me until I know he’s finally sated. I catch my breath and let out a light chuckle, relief and happiness revealed. Peeta wipes away the tears that escaped my eyes mid-orgasm.

I sigh. My hands lazily roam over his shoulders and the plains and dips of his chest. He holds my gaze and flashes a shy crooked smile, wraps me in his warm embrace and pulls me tight. He smooths a lock of hair out of my eyesight and studies my eyes and face for ages. I wish I could read his expression, or the look he’s giving me but I can’t place it. I also haven’t seen him in a very long time.

There’s so much I want to say to him but words elude me.

You’re the one I’m on fire for.

You left a mark on my heart and memory forever.

I don’t believe in soulmates but this is making me rethink everything I thought I knew.

Don’t ever let you me go.

Peeta holds tighter to me as if I am something precious he could lose. My heart melts, I’m putty in his hands.

The fear of parting ways grows heavy on my heart. I don’t know how to fight it, but if we don’t talk it may strangle me from the inside.

“Do you–”

“Where do–” we speak at the same time then laugh nervously.

“Where do you call home Katniss? I know you’re here on a business trip like I am.”

#LiP 2018 #vday 2018 #fanfiction #submission

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