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#also ironic he chose to do this when he did
blue-dream-rhapsody · 29 days
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Apparently I absolutely obliterated my dad’s funny bone by telling him about the smooth criminal ace attorney edit, bc i had the humiliating experience today of him gleefully playing it on the big family room TV for me (who’s watched it fifty times on my own already) and my mom (who I showed it to before him bc she’s been actively watching me play the first game)
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lxkeee · 4 months
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Reader being Adam's third wife and Lucifer trying to rizz her up but she was giving him a hard time trying to rizz her
THE DEVIL HAS HIS OWN CHARMS
Notes: I know Lucifer is oozing with rizz but I liked to believe that he'll do that one meme where he just kneels and begs and keeps on saying "please, please, please" just kidding.
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Reader is a heaven born angel, one of the oldest. Same age as Lucifer.
When she met Adam, Adam wasn't as bad as the current him. Adam before was nicer and it led [y/n] to fall in love with him.
As many years passed by, Adam became a little shit.
That lead to their divorce.
She was done with him, tired of him.
You know that saying when a girl is done with her s/o they are literally done? Yeah, she was flat out done with him.
Thankfully, they didn't have any kids.
Adam was pissed at this and decided to annoy her.
She was pissed at him and cussing him out, telling him that he's a sore loser for not being able to keep any of his three wives.
And since heaven had an obvious favoritism on him, that led to [y/n] well... Falling out of grace.
After falling, she actually hid away from the king of hell himself.
She hid away from the demons by being in her animal form, she chose to take the form of a crow to blend in with the environment of hell.
That is until she heard about the hotel.
She didn't plan on redeeming herself, no, no.
She didn't want to go back up.
But she planned on helping Charlie Morningstar.
When she joined, they were surprised to see a fallen angel at their door.
Vaggie didn't trust her at first but eventually did.
[y/n] mostly hid in the hotel and barely left the building.
Since they only had Angel Dust as their first guest, she decided to help around and improve the hotel.
When Lucifer decided to visit for the first time the hotel that his daughter is working on. None of the sinners caught his eyes until he was toured around the hotel by his daughter, his daughter's girlfriend Maggie, and the damn radio demon. As they were walking through the hallway, someone appeared on the corner and talked to Charlie for something.
His jaw dropped, a little.
The woman was gorgeous.
For a brief moment he wondered if she was an angel that came from heaven to release him from his sins.
Scratch that, she's making him sin even more.
Charlie introduces her to him and him to her.
Lucifer found out her name is [y/n] and he made sure to remember that. He also found out that the woman was helping his daughter.
He's so madly in love. It's ridiculous, he just met her for his sake!
[y/n] didn't stay long as she quickly left. Which saddened him a little.
A new reason to visit the hotel more.
For the next few weeks, Lucifer visits—twice to thrice a week.
During his time at the hotel he would try to make small talk with the woman that caught his interest.
Trying to get to know her but the woman is so closed off.
He tried to be smooth with his words but she only looked at him up and down with an unamused expression.
His pride is shattered, ironic as he is the symbol of pride.
He ranted about it to Charlie and in which the girl told him that he might be developing a crush.
Jaw dropped. In disbelief.
He denies it but ended up thinking about it the whole night.
He ended up removing his wedding ring as he thought he should actually move on now.
And he actually finally agrees that he is actually coming down with a crush.
On you.
So next time he visits he discreetly flirts with you.
Always ending up with you not being interested.
He's just trying so hard okay? It felt so forced.
Anyways, Lucifer received an advice from Charlie that he should be his authentic self.
And that's where he stopped forcing to make himself sexy or flirty.
And be his usual dorky self.
Which caught you off guard but not dismissing it, in fact you preferred this over how he acted a few days ago.
You and Lucifer slowly gotten to know each other.
The way his jaw dropped when you revealed you're a fallen angel and am ex-wife of Adam.
“Wait! You're a fallen angel and also divorced too? Well, so am I!”
You just laughed at how adorable he is.
Though, Lucifer did ask what happened and you just told him about Adam and how Adam is a little shit and you're basically over him.
You two bonded over your hate for heaven.
And eventually two months later you got together and let's say, Lucifer is certainly a better lover than that piece of shit Adam.
Let's just say Lucifer made you feel the pleasure you haven't properly experienced.
Lucifer did make sure to show it off to Adam's face when he fought the man.
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queers-gambit · 7 months
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Tell Me Every Terrible Thing
[ part one of two ]
prompt: you embark on a secret but passionate affair with the Rogue Prince, and when his wife, Rhea Royce, passes away, he chooses you to wed next - a decision that angers his niece and changes history.
pairing: Daemon Targaryen x female!Hightower!reader only description given: red hair
fandom masterlist: House of the Dragon
word count: 5.6k+
note: what the fuck is this, Cherry? also two parts 'cause author gets carried away!
warnings: show spoilers, cursing, author has small bouts of feministic ideas, author also really likes the "little birds" storyline (let her live!), wonky brain is wonky, i think hurt and comfort, angst, very mild NSFW (brief female receiving oral), technically alternative timeline 'cause this goofy-ass author has an overactive imagination, #icanmakehimworse, another reader-episode-insert (this warning is for the fucking losers in my inbox).
part two: "Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, And Let Me Love You Anyway," - Edgar Allan Poe
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"How angry do you think he'll be with me?"
You offered your best friend, The Realm's Delight, Crowned Heir to the Iron Throne, Princess Rhaenyra, a unamused, stale look. Sarcastically, you replied, "Oh, come now, Nyrie, why would your father be angry? It couldn't be because you rejected every suitor His Grace put before you, or even how you abruptly ended the tour with two months remaining. What father would be angry after that?"
She groaned, "I know, I know, you don't have to be so right all the bloody time. I just... I couldn't do it anymore, you saw what it was like," her head bowed and you knew the girl was truly overwhelmed by her 'job' picking a suitor.
"This was no easy feat to arrange, Princess," you spoke diplomatically, aware of the ship's crew dotting around the royal ship. "Our fathers went through much difficulty to ensure this tour's success, Princess, and I'd imagine neither will be thrilled by our early arrival."
"But it's just - "
"I know," you soothed with a knowing, sympathetic smile. Your arm extended around her, her head dropping to your shoulder for comfort. "In an ideal world, women would have a real say in their futures. Perhaps, that is what you're meant to do, Nyrie... Perhaps you're meant to break this wheel, give the other half of humanity a fighting chance against the men who have long suppressed us. Being heir is a monumental stereotype to shatter, but most women are not born into royalty and have nobody protecting or defending them."
She picked her head up to stare at you for a single moment, then nodded slowly, "That's a lot of pressure."
"Less if you pick a respectable man to help you lead," you advised softly, reaching to caress her cheek briefly. "You're to be Queen, Nyra, which means you need a King Consort that the common folk will respect, who will play his part in the courts to come. I know it's not ideal, my friend, but it's not meant to be - it's meant to be strategic." You paused, adding, "Similar to Ali marrying your father, yes? That was a strategic move on my father's end. Now it's up to you to chose your own match, to plot your own strategy."
"Who would you see me marry?"
"In truth? I'm unsure if anyone would fit the bill perfectly, so, I don't know who I could see you with. Definitely someone smart, though."
She only hummed, sighing deeply and making you frown. Before another word could be said, there came a distant screech that sounded all too familiar - though you refused to let it show that you knew this particular dragon's sound.
Nyra moved away from the ship's railing to stare longingly up into the sky, and about a minute later, without visible sight of any threat, Ser Criston Cole was shouting, "Take cover!"
And then, like a bird swooping to snatch a fish, a crimson dragon descended from the cover of clouds - seemingly materializing from nowhere. The large, long, slithery beast with wings knocked into the ship's main mast; jolting everyone on board enough to topple over.
You tried to stabilize the Princess, but you lost balance and dropped to your knees as Cole rushed to help Rhaenyra to her feet. When able, you looked to the sky; grinning to yourself as you recognized the retreating Blood Wyrm. Seeing the distinct form of Caraxes made you giddy with anticipation, however, that was short lived as you clocked Rhaenyra's gaze of awe and wonder.
It seems she was excited for her uncle's return, too. Though, it won't be till later that you learn the extent of her adoration.
Less than an hour later, the ship was docking and you escorted Princess Rhaenyra from aboard; her guards surrounding you both as you trekked to the Red Keep. "Just... Perhaps try to stay invisible," you advised your friend, arm-in-arm. "The King won't be pleased if you interrupt court, even just by being there. With luck, we won't be noticed."
She agreed softly, continuing on. She started fiddling with her necklace, the piece of Valyrian Steel jewelry that her uncle, Daemon, had gifted her years ago before Queen Aemma passed away. Your lover had told you the Princess was owed a piece of her Valyrian history, and since he could not gift a sword to a young lady, the necklace was chosen, crafted, and gifted.
When you returned to the Red Keep, it was just in time for court to be called to session and your friend was all too eager to join. "Nyra," you warned, hand in hers.
"It's all right," she assured, "come, it must be Daemon - "
"No, I should return to my chamber. Don't piss your father off too much," you warned her with a smirk, watching her grin in response, squeeze your hand, and then file into the Throne Room with the other members of court.
You retreated to your old room, sighing in relief when you discovered nothing was disturbed. "My Lady!" A voice gasped at the open door. You glanced over, smiling at Milah, your usual handmaiden, and opening your arms when she rushed forward. "You're not supposed to be back yet! Oh!" She tutted, looking you over. "I'll get your bed made and - "
"No, it's fine - "
"Nonsense, let me do this," she insisted, already busying around the room. "I was wondering why they were bringing things into the foyer - must be all the Princess' luggage, hmm?"
"Yeah," you sighed, helping her strip the bed and change the sheets. "It was strange," you admitted, "the men, I mean, and the way they all competed for her hand in marriage."
"Did you expect anything else?"
"I did not think they'd honestly kill one another. Though it was more so their pride than the Princess they fought over."
Milah smirked, "Sounds about right. Well, what of you? Anyone catch your eye?"
"Of course not," you sighed a little sadly.
"Still hung on the Prince, aren't you, my Lady?"
"Perhaps," you mused.
You spent the better part of an hour gossiping with Milah before she had to go grab a few things, but promised she'd send your belongings up as soon as possible. You thanked her, walked her out, assuring you were just going to get a bath or something, and just as you shut and locked your chamber door, gasped when a pair of hands seized your waist.
"Daemon!" You hissed when you saw the short, white locks of your surprise guest. "The bloody fuck is wrong with you?" You demanded, turning in his grip to shove your hands into his chest. "What're you doing here? Want to get us caught?"
"Three years," he grit, gathering you in his arms to heave upward and force your legs around his waist if you wanted to keep balance, "three fucking years I've been gone - away - missing you, do not deprive me a moment more."
"Someone will come looking," you whispered, caressing his face as your forehead met his. "And perhaps I want a moment to just look at you, 's been years," you breathed. "You cut your hair," you commented, running your hands through the short strands.
"I cut my hair," he agreed softly, just holding you close and tight.
"I like it... But I'll miss braiding it."
"I will, too," he admitted. He nuzzled closer, inhaling your neck sharply, boldly licking a flat tongue up your pulse point to make you shudder lightly.
"Daemon," you whispered, pulling his head back so you could look in his eyes, beaming, "I missed you, too."
"Viserys is arranging a lunch for my return," he informed, turning so he could approach your newly-made four-poster bed; dropping you flat on your back with a grin. "Which roughly translates into only allotting a few minutes to make up for lost time."
"We will have time later - "
"I overheard Viserys saying he and Otto intend to take evening tea with you regarding the Princess' return from tour," he eased, reaching to spread your legs, bunching your skirts. "But I will call upon you tomorrow? Yes? Officially?"
"If you insist," you teased, letting him finally descend to smash his lips against yours. In truth, you were used to his empty promises of 'calling on you officially' because of his marriage to Lady Royce, but it was his way of telling you without words that he wished it was you instead of Rhea.
Daemon groaned, melting into your form; breathing heavily. "I've missed you past words," he whispered, nuzzling your nose with his. "But for now, I just need a taste - "
"We don't have time - "
"We'll be fast. Tell me, love," he nipped your pouting lips, soothing his tongue over the puckered skin, "have you taken another in my absence?"
"Of course not," you hissed in offense.
"Good," he nodded, kissing you sweetly.
"Need I ask?"
"There were no concubines," he mused, "though, they were offered, I did not accept. So, we'll be quick - faster than quick," he promised, pawing at your undergarments and exposing your dampening cunt to his sight. "I'll take my time with you later, but for now, I need this," he all but seethed before diving tongue-first into your core.
His spit mixed with your arousal, creating a slippery mess.
"Shit," you hissed, grabbing his shorter hair as his tongue flattened to lap at your entrance, dripping in your essence. One of his hands held your thighs apart for his access, the other releasing his cock from the pair of breeches he wore. Daemon groaned at the taste of you, lapping wildly like a man starved, and stroking his bare cock in rhythm with his ministrations.
It truly took no time at all once he found your clit and sucked mercilessly, the hand holding your thighs now extended up to paw roughly at your tits. Alternating his tongue around your sloppy cunt added to your heightening pleasure, swirling his tongue as he bobbed and shook his head - making an absolute mess, and causing your climax to shatter your mind and soul.
Your legs twitched, spine curled, stomach contracted as your arms quivered from the rush of adrenaline; hand slapped over your mouth to keep your moans to a minimum. You grabbed his hair so tightly, he groaned in mock pain; legs then contracting to a suffocating grip around his ears and head while Daemon met his own end, spending in his hand whilst milking you for all you had.
He panted with satisfaction when he pulled back, grinning at you in mischief when you released your hold on him. "Good fuckin' girl," he praised, standing to his feet only to slither over top of you. "Like not a day's gone by, huh?" He whispered, kissing you messily, smearing your cum on your tongue; grinding his bare cock into your recovering core to make you shudder. "Take a moment, then get ready," he whispered. "I expect to see you at the celebrations... Wear that dress I got you for your fifth-and-twentieth nameday," he smirked, adding, "if you'd so please, my darling."
You chuckled, "You magically learned manners during the war?"
"Perhaps," he mused, pecking your lips again.
"Hey, Daemon?"
"What is it, my sweet one?" He asked, seeing the sincerity in your eyes and hearing the seriousness in your voice - something in his heart jumping.
"Would you tell me about it all later? The war, I mean? Would you tell me what you've endured?"
"I do not think it's a tale befitting a lady's ears."
"Please? I wish to know..."
"Then I will tell you," he promised, "but only if you wear that dress."
Your eyes rolled in humor as Daemon stood. You watched him wipe his cum on a spare rag, tossing it away, and after one last kiss, was leaving out of the secret passageway's door. Taking another moment, you finally stood on weak legs and unlocked the main door, preparing how you could for your day before Milah returned.
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After arriving at the luncheon, you made a beeline for your father, greeting him happily before explaining your surprise reappearance. He filled you in on that day's court, explaining that Prince Daemon was back; and you felt almost guilty for the way your skin was still set ablaze from your lover's earlier visit.
For all Otto's faults, he was still your father, and you felt guilty for sneaking around with Daemon behind his back. Your father ushered you off to mingle, insisting he was only there for the King; and no, he wasn't hungry. So, you parted ways with a chaste peck to your forehead; the feeling of his scratchy beard lingering on your guilt-riddled flesh.
"Sister, what a surprise!" Alicent happily distracted by greeting you with a bright grin. You adjusted course to approach the Queen, King, and newly-returned Prince. "Oh, what a lovely dress you've chosen," she complimented with ease, reaching for your hand. "You always do have the best eye for clothes, I feel as if need you to live in my wardrobe, tell me what to wear everyday."
"Thank you, Your Grace, I'd be honored," You smiled at her, holding her hand, looking to the others. "My King," you curtsied to Viserys, glancing at Daemon and bowing your head respectfully, "my Prince, how nice to see you, again. Welcome home."
"Thank you, my Lady," he smirked. "Might I welcome you home as well? I hear you've been gone from the Capital."
You hummed with a nod, "I was on tour with the Princess, my Prince. I've only arrived home today, as well - though not by dragonback."
He eyed you up and down, offering, "I must agree with the Queen, my Lady, that is a lovely dress you've chosen."
You pet the black material, smiling genuinely, "Thank you, my Prince. It's one of my favorites."
"I can see why, given how beautiful you look," he flirted, and from behind you and Alicent, you could hear your father scoff.
"Thank you," you whispered. "What conversation did I rudely interrupt before?"
"Oh, nothing of importance," Daemon told you, looking to his brother and your sister.
"Because we spoke of how Daemon, here, was always Mother's favorite," Viserys grinned. "Do you want to know, my Lady? About how much Mother adored Daemon?" He asked you, his little brother trying to drone over him - but Viserys was determined to tell you the examples he could think of regarding his brother's favoritism.
You giggled from both Viserys' stories and Daemon's evident embarrassment.
However, almost awkwardly, on Alicent's other side, Princess Rhaenyra approached the group and stood amongst you. You knew the King must be unhappy with his daughter, but did not voice any opinion since you were not the source of disappointment at the moment. Instead, you listened to the King's complimenting words to his brother; thinking it was interesting that Daemon was so egotistical and yet, flushed under his brother's praise. Princess Rhaenyra waited until a natural lull to tell Daemon, "Congratulations on your victory."
It was awkward as Viserys just glared at her, Rhaenyra's expression falling short. Daemon covered smoothly, "Thank you, Princess."
Trying to save the tension, your sweet sister offered, "Perhaps Prince Daemon would care for a tour of the gallery? He hasn't yet seen the new tapestries gifted to you by Norvos and Qohor."
Viserys nodded and whispered, "Oh, oh," mockingly. He asked his brother, "Would you like to see the tapestries?" But by the end, he broke character and laughed with his brother; the latter who whom you knew spat on trivial things - such as tapestries and such. Through their laughter, Viserys proclaimed to his wife, "He has no interest in such things!"
"But thank you for the offer, sister," you smiled at her, trying to reassure her when her husband laughed in her face. "The tapestries are very beautiful, you've chosen a grand place to display them. I saw them on my way here."
"I'd like to see them," Rhaenyra jumped in, seemingly to Alicent's aid - something she'd not done in an age considering the tension between them. You just smiled politely, seeing the way Viserys dropped his grin when he looked at his daughter with distain while the rest of you looked away sheepishly.
"Then you should not deprive yourself."
Rhaenyra offered a pained, pursed smile, "I shall enjoy them alone."
You, Alicent, and Daemon all stared after Rhaenyra with varying degrees of pity as she walked away to sit solemnly by herself on a distant bench while Viserys went on about his and Daemon's youth; over Daemon being their mother's favorite. However, Alicent excused herself to follow the saddened Rhaenyra, perhaps to offer the Princess comfort in her father's anger. The King looked ready to protest, but instead just shook his head in disappointment.
Viserys turned you and Daemon away from the sight of the girls, showing off the Godswood in bloom; your father approaching you three stiffly. "Your Grace," he bowed to Viserys, then nodded in resepct, "my Prince. Daughter," he smiled, trying to instigate, "how was tour with Princess Rhaenyra?"
"Oh, as eventful as a Royal Tour can be," you smiled, deflecting, "though I must admit, while seemingly exciting at some parts, I'm sure it pales terribly in comparison to the Prince's adventures in the Stepstones." Viserys smirking broadly at your redirection. "I do wonder, what brought the war to an end? We've heard rumor, but surely the Prince might know for sure what brought the Triarchy down?"
"Surely," The King nodded, looking to Daemon expectedly.
The Rogue Prince smirked and readjusted his stance, deflecting, "Perhaps a conversation for later."
"Oh, come now, brother!"
"Your Grace," Otto interrupted, "I do apologize, but there are matters at hand that require your attention. The Tully's still - "
He sighed and waved your father off, "Yes, yes... Well," Viserys nodded, "I'll call upon you both later."
"Your Grace," you instantly curtsied.
"Your Grace," Daemon bowed right after. Viserys smiled and nodded back at you both, patted his brother's shoulder, turned, and when he walked away, Otto followed with a single look to you and Daemon.
"Daughter," he bid curtly - and you read between the lines. He really wanted to say, "Do not linger around the Prince."
When the King moved, his usual procession of advisors, guards, and entourage followed right after. You sighed as almost all of the Godswood cleared out, Daemon eyeing you as he readjusted his stance; subtly reaching out to pet your hand with his fingers.
"Daemon," you warned quietly.
"Nobody is watching us," he smirked. "You look beautiful, love. I'll have to buy you more dresses, you wear them so well."
"I cannot believe I will not see you tonight," you whispered with a pout.
"I will call on you tomorrow," he reminded.
You opened your mouth, but another voice answered. "Sister," Alicent called, you looking over and smiling innocently. You caught sight of Princess Rhaenyra glaring at her uncle, but didn't think much of it.
"I look forward to your tales from the Stepstones," you told him calmly, offering a curtesy.
He took your hand, pressing a soft kiss to the back, "I look forward to any time spect together, my Lady."
You hummed in contentment before stepping away, instantly taking Alicent's arm when close enough. "What was that about? Daemon looks so smitten!" She whispered with a growing grin.
"He was being polite," you whispered back, "and simply being Daemon - you know how he is. He's got three years of mischief to make up for."
"I see," she giggled. "He's quite handsome with the short hair, isn't he? It suits him well."
"I have to agree," you gossiped. "I can see why the ladies of court have missed him so."
Your younger sister giggled, smiling at you, offering, "I've missed you greatly. Come... I wish to hear of your time away."
"Oh, sister, please, I've only just returned."
"But... Wouldn't you tell me before the King?" She whispered.
You paused, then nodded, "Got me there, sister-dearest."
"We'll take tea together," she decided, leading you around the Keep until she saw a familiar face she knew. "Talya, my sister and I wish to take tea in the gardens, please. Privately, of course, so do not announce it," she directed the handmaiden. "We'll be in the gazebo in the rose gardens, bring tea, sandwiches, and my sister's always loved those peach crumbles?"
"I know the dessert," she nodded, smiling at you. "Can I interest you, Your Grace, in anything specific?"
"No, but bring enough for us both. Come, sister."
You three parted ways, Alicent leading you to the gardens as promised. She dismissed anyone in the area, even telling her guards to wait at the front hedges to give you ideal privacy while deeper in the roses at the gazebo. While sitting, you exchanged gossip about what happened while you were away, Alicent happy to catch you up because she was happy to finally have a friend, even if it were a sister, back in her corner.
You were happy, too.
While you loved Rhaenyra, the tension between her and Ali made you feel in the middle despite both parties assuring you "you weren't". Nyra was a good friend, your best, even! But it was something about your sister that was calming and assuring. She was trustworthy to a fault, but she was still your strongest pillar.
As Talya dressed your table with tea, lemon water, sandwiches, fruits, and other foods (including the peach crumbles), you giggled at Ali's retelling of whatever failed proposals occurred this past season you were away. When alone, at last, Ali turned to you in her padded chair and asked, "Tell me in truth, how was the tour? Why did you return early?"
"In truth, sister, vying men made the Princess uncomfortable. She did not need the two months more, she knew she was unhappy with the men so far presented to her."
Alicent sighed, "So, who does she intend to marry?"
"Yes," a new voice agreed, you both jumping in shock and looking up to see Viserys approaching with your father behind him. "Who does my daughter intend to wed, Lady Hightower?"
"Your Grace," you uttered, both you and Alicent standing in respect to bow your heads.
"Please, please," he permitted you both to sit, taking the lone chair across the table as your father remained standing. "I only wish for the unfiltered truth. I know what is said, I know what is reported, I know..." He sighed, "I know what my daughter might say, but please, Lady Hightower, what is the truth of it?"
"The truth, Your Grace, is that Rhaenyra was overwhelmed. Perhaps it was too long for her that she eventually, I'm not sure, shut down? She did not care towards the end which men was presented, she was overwhelmed with the options and pace at which everything moved."
"Kings and Princes before her have done the same, many Queens and Princesses embarking on their tours to find proper suitors," Otto reminded. "Why was this different, my Lady?"
"Because she is the first," you reminded. "Never before has a woman been named heir - she holds a different responsibility. Perhaps having everything thrown at her was too much, she has to filter through lesser men that would be King Consort. Nobody stood out, she became discouraged, and honestly, Your Grace?" You spoke earnestly, "I think it just made her sad. She did not want to disappoint you by choosing a man not worthy of being her King, so, she would rather face your anger in coming home early."
Alicent frowned but nodded to herself.
Otto adverted his eyes.
Viserys looked dejected, but sighed, "I see... Thank you for your words, my Lady, truly, you've always been a trustworthy advisor to the Queen, Princess, and I."
"It's the least I can do, Your Grace, since you and Queen Aemma - you - you were so kind to me when Mother passed. And Rhaenyra - to both Alicent and I - she was a true friend. I am in debt to you, Your Grace, and whatever I can do, be it just a simple different perspective, I am happy to provide."
"Well," he considered, "in the spirit of your unfiltered perspective, who would you see Rhaenyra marry?"
You blinked in shock, "Oh, Your Grace, I-I am not qualified to say."
"You serve as my Master of Whispers, do you not?" He smirked. "Speak, please."
You sighed deeply. With a small gulp, you blinked twice, then admitted, "I do not think my opinion matters, but... It would make sense to marry her to Ser Laenor Velaryon, would it not? He's a warrior who survived the Stepstones, is of Valyrian stock and blood, rides the dragon, Seasmoke. He's kind, brave, true, unmarried, heir to Driftmark. I think when it comes to filling the position of King Consort, Ser Laenor Velaryon would make a fine candidate."
Apparently, this was all Viserys needed to hear.
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You could not sleep that night. You could not explain why, but something foul was in the air and prevented you from drifting off. So, you chose to browse your private library, select a literary favorite, and stroll the deadened halls of the Red Keep; reading by flickering torch light.
Good thing you were up and out, because one of your Little Birds chirped at you from the shadows. You looked around to see nobody in the hall, but another chirp directed your attention to a darkened alcove. "Hmm, oh, Kaela," you hummed, approaching her slowly and bending at the waist. "What is it, child?"
"I came as fast as I could."
"What's wrong?"
"I've seen something - something you'll want to know," she glanced up and down the hall, "but not anyone else."
"Come," you whispered, pushing her further back into the dark and sheltering yourselves safely. Once knelt before her, you asked the child, "All right. What is it you have seen, little one?"
"Do not get angry, my Lady..."
"I promise I won't," you spoke softly, confused - you never got angry at your Little Birds... Why start now?
"I-I saw... I saw the Prince Daemon and... Princess Rhaenyra."
You nodded slowly, asking quietly, "Where?"
"In the city, in a pleasure house."
You blinked, "And what were they doing?"
"What grown-ups do."
"I see. They were coupling?"
She shrugged, "No, just kissing, but it stopped fast. He left her there."
"He left her there? In the pleasure house?"
The little girl nodded. "The Prince looked sad... When the Princess tried to kiss him again, he pulled away... Then he left."
"Where did he go? After?"
She blinked, frowning, "My brother, Grenn, said he saw him at the pubs - but he was always on the move, very drunk. I came here right away."
"Good girl," you smiled, offering her whatever Gold Dragons from the pouch you usually kept on your person under your robe for times like this. "Where will you be tomorrow evening? I will bring you and Grenn supper."
She smiled, "We can meet you at the dock!"
"The dock?"
"He likes watching the boats."
"The docks, then. By the Fisherman's Pier?"
"No, Grenn like the Harper's Pier. They're not there around supper, they're still out at sea."
"Harper's Pier for supper," you agreed. "Go on."
The little girl looked around before scampering off down a different passageway and you stood from your knelt position with a stony look of tentative contemplation on your face. With a deep breath, you did the only thing you thought you could... You went to your father.
With a rapid knock at his chamber door, it took a moment or two before he was opening it - still dressed. "What is it, daughter?" He asked gruffly. "It's late, this should wait till morning."
"The castle is about to wake - "
"I know and I've much to attend to - "
"Father," you hissed, glancing up the hall.
He sighed and let you in, "What is it?"
"I carry scandalous news," you muttered, his door's lock echoing around you. "About the Princess Rhaenyra."
He turned to you sharply, you taking a step back in surprise. "You... Know?"
"About her sneaking around in a pleasure house?"
Otto frowned, "Do you know with who?"
You could not tell him, so you answered, "No, just that she was seen in disguise."
"Who told you this?"
"One of my Birdies."
"All right," he decided, nodding to himself, "thank you, daughter, for reporting this. I will... I will figure out what to say to the King."
"Should you say anything?"
"I'll figure it out - but now we both know."
You nodded, "So you knew before I came?"
"I was awoken an hour ago to hear this news."
You nodded slowly, "Then I will leave you to it."
"Thank you," he whispered, letting you peck his cheek in parting before slipping out of his chambers. With nothing left to do or anything else to say, you went back to your chambers as to limit your exposure to the castle's tenants.
The less that could say they saw you this night, the better.
Once safe in your chambers with a locked main door, you could do nothing else but (over)think, wishing to all the Seven Gods you didn't know what you knew. Information and knowledge was vital to maintain power, this is true, but it also made you dangerous - also a target. The more you knew, the bigger the target.
It was only a few hours after dawn when the secret passage doors to your chamber opened. You were braiding your hair, ignoring the man you knew to have the only balls to use that door - especially now.
"I've always wondered, if we had children, would they have white hair or waves of fire, like you? Perhaps something between?"
"Fuck off, Daemon."
"So, you've heard," he sighed deeply. "Won't you even look at me?"
"I can't stand the very thought of you right now, nor the actual sound, I'll lose my stomach if I have to look at you."
"Let me tell you the truth," he begged, "before I have to leave the Keep, let me tell you the truth. Let Viserys and everyone have their ideas and opinions, their lies and slander, but let me tell you!"
"Excuse me?" You asked, whirling around in your seat to glare at him fully. "Viserys banished you, again?"
"He did... Back to the Vale."
You scoffed, "Good... Your Lady wife awaits you."
"Viserys thinks I've sullied Rhaenyra's virtue. I do not need you thinking the same, so, please, let me tell you what happened - no matter how uncomfortable, please, let me tell you the truth."
"What difference does it make?"
"I can't have you thinking something more occurred. Was I tempted? Yes, but I refrained. Did I touch her? A little - but not how you think."
You sighed, shaking your head, "I don't care, you're returning to your wife in the Vale, and I will be rid of you. No matter for how long this time, you will be gone - "
"For a time, yes, but I intend to return for you."
"No, I think I'll let Father make me a match. I despised the North, it was too cold, so the handsome Cregan Stark is out. I don't mind Dorne, perhaps a Martel to marry? Or even a Tully of Riverrun?"
"Do not speak such atrocities to me."
"You're one to talk! Your niece, Daemon? The girl I consider my closest friend? You couldn't just find that whore you like and be satisfied with her? Couldn't wait a single day, could you? Huh? How fucking pathetic!"
"Perhaps you are not as close with Rhaenyra as you thought," he tisked, making you feel disarmed. He spent the next hour and a half explaining to you what happened the previous night, and despite your disgust, you just listened.
Knowledge was power.
"I will return," he sighed at the end, "and in that time, you can make your own decisions if you want me or not. But I will return and I will have you, if you will have me, and this foolishness will be behind us."
"I'll give you a single year. I will not wait for you longer than that," you whispered, tears streaming down your face. "I can't stand that you've done this, but I will wait one single year for you to find a way out of your marriage and back to me. Any longer than that, and I will simply move on. I do not want to live my whole life in the Red Keep, and the truth of it is, I cannot live in the Princess' shadow any longer. One year, Daemon."
"One year," he nodded, stepping closer. "My love, please - "
"Do not assume to touch me. Not after you've touched her," you snapped, stepping away. "Get out, I need to be alone, you have been banished - you need to go, you cannot be seen here." Your eyes rolled, muttering, "Probably have to go collect your whore for this banishment, too."
"Not this time," he smirked, "this time, I leave with my promise that I will return for you, my sweet Lady Hightower."
"Fuck off, you perverted Prince Daemon," you sassed, watching him slip out the door; shutting you in an echoing silence. Your heart ripped itself apart, making you wonder what the fuck you had done to deserve getting caught in such a scandalous affair. But you knew, in your heart, you'd do anything for Daemon - the thought sickening your stomach as you pondered how far this would all go.
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requesting rules and masterlist
HOTD masterlist
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Propaganda why Tony Stark is insufferable:
>Makes weapons
>Billionaire
>Made multiple AI Surveillance Robots
>Gaslight a child into fighting a super soldier in a foreign country for him
>His fans are annoying
Portrayed as a hero because? He chose to no longer mass produce war weapons and bombs after suffering the consequences. Huge hypocrite. Doesn't care about anyone but himself. Will backstab people if they believe in human rights when it's inconvenient to him. Seen as a hero while he's the personification of privileged people saying they're not privileged
There’s the usual “he’s a war criminal who only felt bad about it when he realized his weapons were killing white Americans as well as Arab people” reason, and also he’s just super annoying. You had to be there for the original Avengers shitty dialogue a la “we have a Hulk” that had Tumblr in a vicious chokehold. Also he was supposed to FINALLY go away after destroying all his suits in Iron Man 3 but he just… didn’t! Which is bullshit.
Tony is so annoying. When they first meet he straight up bullies Peter into fighting for his personal bullshit, insults and objectifies Aunt May in front of him, spits into his trashcan and is in general being pushy af. He blackmails Peter when he doesn’t wanna come to Germany with him AND HE DOESNT EVEN EXPLAIN WHY HE WANTS HIM TO COME. Uncomfortable vibes lol.
Tony being the one to tell peter “if Captain America wanted to hurt you he would’ve” when Peter was trying to state his case, yet HE’S also the one who put Peter in harms way when he didn’t even want to go with him???
Telling Peter that he should stick to being a “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” (stealing his thing once again) when that’s what Peter _was_ doing before Tony took him out of his zone and filled his head with grander things to be apart of….bitch? Die. Ohh waaaait (jkjk) but yeah
Super long, sorry lol
Thinking about how in Homecoming when Peter accidentally caused that boat to get split in half because the Vulture’s gun exploded and Tony was acting like as if Peter was completely in the wrong for going there just because he did it without his permission. He was acting like as if Peter was out of line and “disobeyed him”, trying to act like his father. And then I remember how in CACW he’s the one who scouted Peter in the first place just because he saw he might be useful against a personal squabble between him and Captain America despite knowing that he was a kid and he’s just now acknowledging how dangerous it is because Peter “acted on his own”
Completely hijacking Peter’s superhero story and trying to control his every move (Training wheels protocol and baby monitor thing he put in the suit), acting like Peter should’ve known that Tony would send someone in despite the fact that he’d been ignoring him for 2 months since Civil War and not keeping him updated on anything!!
How the hell is peter supposed to know Tony is going to listen to him when he treats him like a kid instead of a superhero when it’s convenient for him? And when Tony loses his temper after Peter says he’s 15 not 14 like “the adult is talking” bitch he could literally flatten you without your suit!!!
I guess in a way he is acting like a father but like the absentee kind. He’s more like a sperm donor father trying to act like he has any rights over Peter’s life smh.
It’s not that reprimanding Peter for the situation is bad, but the way he makes it seem as if Peter is irredeemable as if Tony wasn't a literal weapons dealer lmfao. He could’ve said what was the truth about it without completely invalidating him saying shit like “no thanks to you” after Peter asked if everyone is okay when it’s literally thanks to Peter finding a lead on those guys in the first place that they were even noticed and it’s not like the FBI being there could’ve in no way caused a similar situation.
And then near the end of the movie when he’s getting crushed by the building rubble screaming and crying for someone to help him where the fuck is Tony?? That scene just proved that he never needed Tony’s suit in the first place to be Spider-Man since he had to use 100% his own strength to lift it off of him. I know he would’ve found the motivation even if Tony hadn’t been involved in the first place to give him the suit, take it away from him and have the words “if you’re nothing without the suit you shouldn’t have it“ echo in his head. Why did Tony even take the suit away? Like as if he expects Peter to stop being spoderman without it??? Holy fuck. This is why you don’t make it out of endgame /j /srs.
When Tony took this suit away from Peter he was like “God I sound like my dad“ shouldn’t that be a red flag to him? Wasn’t he literally just saying that he wished his dad was better than he was?? Lmfao
Propaganda why Victor Frankenstein is insufferable:
Victor Frankenstein is so pathetic not even tumblr could love him. The best parts of Frankenstein are the ones where your blessedly saved from being in his whiny, self deprecating, self centered pov. He’s so conceited that when his creation tells him directly “In revenge for killing the wife you were making for me I’m going to kill YOUR wife to see how YOU like it!”, Victor Frankenstein thinks that the creation is going to kill him and *only* him. (A decision And on top of it, he’s a shitty dad. Truly the worst.
this fucker has zero self awareness, which could maybe be fun to read about! except that 3/4 of the book consists of him constantly woe-is-me-ing about his own mistakes and how he shouldn't be responsible for any of his own actions.
He's not irredeemable, but his refusal to take accountability til it's too late is irritating
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I feel a bit silly writing this because I’m sure other people must have but I’ve not seen anything about it
(SPOILERS - I’ll also tag)
I really love how we see Coriolanus’s character descent into who he becomes through each of his kills
His first kill is Bobbin. It was self-defence, kill-or-be-killed. If he hadn’t done it, he probably would have been killed himself, but this sticks with him. Coriolanus is horrified when he realises he took someone’s life. He thinks about it for a long time.
His next kill is Mayfair Lipp, the mayor’s daughter. It’s not self-defence, but he sees it that way. In a way, he’s got a point. She would have reported him, and he would have been hanged. So would Lucy Gray, so he shot her. This time, however, he had a choice. Maybe not much choice, but it was there. He chose to shoot her, but it doesn’t affect him anywhere near as much as Bobbin’s death
The third is the hardest. He doesn’t pull the trigger or tie the noose, but he might as well have. He betrays Sejanus. Sejanus who loves him like a brother. Sejanus who he has known since they were children. He made the decision in a moment and he questions himself afterwards, but he still made that choice. He reasons to himself internally that it was necessary and Sejanus was bound to get himself in trouble, anyway, right? Right? So it’s okay. But it’s not okay. The blood is on his hands and he keeps thinking of the moments they spent together before the betrayal. He benefits from his death and is rewarded for his loyalty. How ironic
Next is Lucy Gray. Possibly. For argument’s sake, let’s say he did kill her. He calls out for her, his gun slung over his shoulder. He realises how she might be scared, the gun sending the wrong message… but he doesn’t put it back. He brings it with him, not to use it, he tells himself. He would never use it, definitely not. He just… wants to talk some sense into her. As soon as the snake bites him, he abandons all pretence. Even though he admitted moments ago he understood why she would be scared, now she’s the enemy. Now she has to pay. How dare she. Not even an hour ago, he had plans to run away with her. He claimed he loved her. They were going to be together. Now, he’s chasing her through the trees with a gun in his hands and he’s screaming for her to show herself. He shoots a lot. When he thinks he finally got her, he’s pleased. It was her own fault, he tells himself, for the snake trick. Even afterwards, when he finds out that the snake wasn’t venomous - which Lucy Gray definitely would have known and therefore was only intended to slow him down - he doesn’t have a single moment of regret. The only thing he regrets is falling for her in the first place and he swears he’ll never do it again. His heart is stone. Frozen like snow.
Finally, his last kill (before the ones that take place once this book ends) is Dean Highbottom. This is the first kill that is not made in a split-second. This is premeditated. He carefully adds just enough rat poison to the morphling, sure to wear gloves, and sets his plan in motion. He has every opportunity to change his mind, to not resort to violent means. Not only does he not regret it, he feels proud. Excited, even. He hopes Dean Highbottom will know it was him that killed him
By the epilogue, Snow has gotten over (or buried deep enough) what guilt he had over Sejanus enough to use the Plinths’ grief to his advantage without any conflicting feelings. He’s convinced himself Lucy Gray was the villain who played him, when she was just a sixteen-year-old girl who was forced into a terrible situation. As we know, he goes on to directly and indirectly kill thousands between TBOSAS and THG, too many. I doubt he remembers most of them, just nameless, faceless children. He doesn’t care anymore, not like he did the first time
The whole world is his Arena. Snow lands on top until it melts
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macfrog · 8 months
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if patrick bateman were a woman
cowboy like me [bonus chapter]
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surprise!! happy halloween!!!! may your day be spooky and your sex be filthy. here's a bonus chapter of clm to celebrate. love y'all !!! despite being cowboy joel and his reader, this is not canon. does not happen in the cowboy like me series. i wish. it's just a little bit of spooky szn fun with my two favorite star-crossed lovers. !!!
pairing: dbf!joel miller x fem!reader
summary: sarah throws a halloween party. you and joel have a little too much fun.
warnings: as pwp as a macfrog fic can get, age gap (reader is 23, joel is 48), lil bit titty appreciation, a singular daddy mention, a single slice of degradation, but also praise kink, unprotected piv sex, creampie, it's set on halloween, alcohol consumption, cursing
word count: 4k
series masterlist | main masterlist | playlist | follow @macfroglets w notifs on to be the first to hear when i post 🧡
Ice, pretzels, lime juice. Ice, pretzels, lime juice.
I’m giving you one job. Ice, pretzels, lime juice. That’s it.
That sounds like three jobs, you’d said.
Sarah ignored you. Be here at seven, alright? Ice – pretzels – lime juice!
It’s seven thirty. You’re finally on her front porch. The tiny section of bare skin between your stockings and black skirt is pimpled with goosebumps. With each inhale you suck in the sickly-sweet scent of fake blood, splattered across your face. You have a bag of ice slung over one arm, a bag of pretzels balanced on top, a bottle of juice hanging from your fingers and an axe under your elbow.
Only – it’s not lime juice. And the axe is plastic.
Sarah opens the door and spots your blunder instantly. “That’s lemon.”
“I know. They didn’t have any lime.”
“They didn’t have any lime? Where the hell did you go?”
“It’s Halloween, Sarah. Everybody and their fucking grandma is drinking tonight. Lemon tastes the exact –”
“Ah!” She holds a finger up. Her red cape flutters in the breeze. “It does not taste the same. Otherwise, why would it be two separate things?”
“Hey, Wonder Woman,” you drone, “mind letting me in? I’m fucking freezing.”
She scoffs, and steps aside. Mutters, “’s not the same thing,” as you pass.
You click down the hall, head rolling to check out her decorating. The living room and kitchen are lit by constellations of tiny tealights, flickering and blinking and casting tall, warped shadows across the walls. There’s a purple neon sign sat against the wall that reads Spooky. By the fireplace sit the two pumpkins she and her boyfriend carved last night; she’d sent you photos and asked you to pick a winner. When you chose the Iron Man head over the silhouette of Tinkerbell, she sent back a middle finger emoji.
Y: It’s cleaner cut. What do you expect? Shoddy work, Miller.
S: asshole.
Sarah’s slotting the ice into the freezer. Struggling, by the sound of it. You swing back into the kitchen to find Wonder Woman on her ass, hammering her fist against the frozen pack to fit it in.
You’re about to offer help, when someone else does it for you. Someone lower, gravellier. A voice like thunder in the distance, a storm approaching.
“You need a hand?” he asks, and when you turn, you almost drop your fucking axe.
He glances to you as he emerges from the dark hallway, the warm glow licking at his graying flicks of hair, nestling in the deep-set lines on his face. His eyes dart down to where your fingers now clutch the plastic handle, holding it against the hem of your skirt like it’ll do anything to cover your modesty.
Your modesty, meaning – the line of sexy black lace curling around your thighs, snug against the supple skin.
What the fuck are you doing here? you mouth, as Joel paces across the kitchen towards his daughter.
He shrugs, palms outstretched. It’s my house?
You roll your eyes, run your tongue like lightning across your scarlet lips. Sarah straightens up, huffs hair from her face and stares blankly at Joel.
He bends, takes the entire bag in one huge palm, and reorganizes the drawer with the other. Your eye drifts to his bicep, flexing under the tight seam of a dark tee. The bag of ice cradled in his arm leaves weak little droplets, running down the tan skin to the crook of his elbow. You want to fucking lick them up, gather the frozen beads on your tongue, hike up up up to the curve of his shoulder, the crook of his neck, the –
“Hey.” Sarah clicks her fingers in front of your face. “You hearin’ me?”
“Huh? No, yeah. No. I wasn’t lis– What did you say?”
She sighs again. Joel groans as he pushes off his knee and stands tall behind her. Wipes the water from his arm with one swipe of his palm.
“Would you put these in a bowl?” his daughter asks, shoving the bag of pretzels into your suited chest. She shuffles off, announcing she’s going to pick a playlist for the night.
Suited is perhaps giving you too much credit. You’re in a mini skirt and waistcoat, a red tie slung loose around your neck. You’ve a clear poncho draped over your shoulders, but with the heat from the million and one fucking candles – and the flush that the forty-something-year-old with his wide frame and fitted sweatpants and toned chest and his big fucking hands has cast over you – it’ll soon be discarded to the newel post.
But when you reach up for the bowl on the top shelf of the cabinet, pushing forward with a palm on the countertop, the marble digging into your pelvis and forcing your ass to jut out – you think yourself pretty fucking smug to be in a skirt that hugs your cheeks and not much else.
You turn, the lip of the bowl in your fingers, and smile sweetly at Joel, whose gaze returns north as you approach him.
“You got nothin’ better to do with your night than babysit a bunch of twenty-five-year-olds?” you murmur, spilling the bag into the blue bowl. You place a pretzel on your tongue, humming at the taste.
Joel smiles, popping the cap off his beer. He spills the amber liquid into his mouth. “I’ll be in my room.”
Your eyebrows lift. “That so? You need any company in there?”
“Nope. Rangers game is on. I’ll be busy.”
The words ghost across your lips. You’ll be busy, you breathe. Joel nods. Then looks you up and down.
“American Psycho?”
“What?”
He flicks his wrist up and down your figure. “What’s his name, again? Pat–”
“Patrick Bateman,” you say together. You nod.
“That’s the one.” Then he turns, leans his jaw nearer until his lips line with your ear. Your eyes shoot across to the empty doorway. Sarah’s skipping song after song in the living room.
Joel’s finger slips beneath the lace trim of your stockings, tugging gently. “I don’t remember ‘im in these, though,” he says, voice low.
You gulp. Swallow to push your heart back into place. “Well,” you glance down, lifting your thigh closer to him, “if he were a woman, he woulda dressed like this.”
“That’s somethin’ I’d like to see,” Joel murmurs, eyes locked on the place where lace separates from skin.
“Yeah?”
He nods. Growls, “Yeah.”
And then he’s walking away.
Within an hour, the house is jumping. Literally. Almost.
You sit at the kitchen island, sipping on a beer, staring down the hall at the sea of bodies – of nylon and polyester, of purples and oranges, of headbands and props and cloaks and hats. There are a lot more than forty people here – a lot more than Sarah intended to turn up.
A lot more than you know, too. She’s barely even four years younger than you, but most of these kids look like they just walked out of middle school. Of the handful of faces you recognize, one is sat opposite you, his arm draped over Sarah’s shoulder, her hand locked in his. She and Ty have been dating for a year now, surviving long-distance when she jets back off to school every few months.
The other you know, unfortunately for you, is swaying by your side. Leaning a little too heavily into you. Asking you questions about college, and then talking over your answers to tell you stories about his college. Asking you questions about films you like, and then interrupting to gawk at the titles you reel off. The only times he doesn’t jump in over your answer, are the times he’s asking who you think might win in a fight between prime Mike Tyson and prime Muhammad Ali. And that’s only because you don’t have an answer to give him.
Jace. Ty’s best friend. Fucking – loser.
“And who the fuck are you s’posed to be, anyways?” he asks, slinging a heavy arm over your shoulder. He reeks of beer, warm and stale. His jaw’s swinging, cheeks popping and suckling on a shriveled piece of gum.
You scowl, shrugging the uncomfortable weight from the nape of your neck. “Patrick Bateman,” you mutter.
“Who?”
“Christian Bale. You know, when he –” Sarah mimes lifting an axe over her shoulder, takes a swing through the air, across the island to Jace.
“No fucking idea,” he says, shaking his head. You’re not surprised.
“Where’s your axe?” Ty asks, as Sarah nuzzles back into his side.
You shrug. “Saw someone using it to stir the punch earlier. ‘s probably in the toilet or something.”
He laughs, flashing his dimpled cheeks. He’s got glistening eyes beneath long, black eyelashes. He’s handsome. Sharp jaw, full lips. Sarah links her fingers at his side, plants her cheek against his shoulder. She’s comfortable. She’s safe. Your chest warms at the sight.
He squeezes her arm, and they share a meaningful glance before there’s a yell from across the kitchen, and their attention is diverted.
When they turn to watch two of Sarah’s high school friends sword-fighting, wielding a plastic lightsaber and your axe, you slink off, swiping two beers from the fridge. Swift and silent, you scale the stairs and fade into the darkened hallway at the top, in pursuit of your own dark-eyed, sharp-jawed comfort.
The sliver of light at the end of the hall draws you in, footsteps silent along the soft carpet. Up here, tucked away in the corner of the house, far from the rattling music and rumble of boisterous chatter – you can hear the soft roar of a crowd, the crack of ball against bat.
Your hip nudges the door open, trickle of condensation running over your knuckles. Joel’s eyes are already on you. He’s laying on his bed, legs outstretched, knee cocked. One arm lies idly on his thigh. You get the feeling he shifted it quickly when he saw the door move.
He balances his chin on the end of the remote, purses his lips and lifts his head. “Now,” he mumbles, “you’re s’posed to be downstairs.”
You shrug, holding the bottles up. “Thought you might need a top-up.”
His eyes thin. He sits up straight, swings his legs over the edge of the bed. You come to a stop between his knees, holding the beer down to him. He hums, taking it with his eyes locked on yours.
“Thanks, darlin’,” he says, and his eyes begin to drift down.
You tilt your head back at the same time he does, lifting the lip of your own bottle. The cold drink washes over your tongue, bitter and blunt in its taste, leaving a furry feeling on your gums. When your chin lowers again, Joel’s hand is on the back of your thigh.
He’s staring at the two knolls between you – your breasts round, nipples peaking under the tight waistcoat.
“Welcome,” you reply, swirling the liquid around in the curved glass. Your voice is barely there. But he hears you, and he must hear the want laced deep through that one quiet word, because he instantly slides his beer onto his nightstand.
He curves both hands around your thighs, fingers lifting higher and higher between your legs until they’re crossing over lace and onto bare skin.
You shuffle forward, leaning your arms on his shoulders and propping your knees on the bed either side of his body. Your skirt rides up, exposing the shard of shocking red lace beneath the pinstripe material.
Joel sees it. Like it’s a rag and he’s a bull. It charges something deep inside him. Something that awakens beneath the thin line of fabric between your legs.
You can feel your pulse in your clit. Fluttering, fucking – hammering. Your cunt feels painfully empty, clenching around nothing. Joel’s palms surf across the tops of your thighs until his fingers are teetering along the hem of your skirt.
“Off,” he instructs, swatting the poncho away.
You shake it from your shoulders the same way you shook the blond downstairs off. Joel nods as the material crumples to the floor. He hooks a hand under your knee and yanks your body closer to his. You almost throw the beer bottle across his bed.
“J– fucking hell, my –”
“Shut up,” he clips, and grabs the beer from your grasp to deposit it alongside his own.
His hands find the tiny buttons of your waistcoat, fingers slip through the gaps between them where your skin peeks through. You can feel his hot breath on your chest. A wave of need washes over you, a desire from deep within your marrow to feel him everywhere. His breath, his tongue, his hands. All of him.
Your entire body weight rests on his shoulders, your fingers locking his shirt in two tight fists. Joel doesn’t seem to mind. Barely seems to notice. He pulls apart the first button, watches with a dark gaze as your breasts spill over. The second button pops open easily, and they bounce lower. When he unhooks the third, they drop into place, nipples pointed, welcoming him in between them.
“Dirty fuckin’ girl,” he whispers as he leans in, mouth flattening against the smooth skin between them. “No bra or nothin’.”
“Knew you’d be here,” you reply, head rolling back as he licks a trail across to the darker flesh of your nipple. His lips close around it and he suckles gently. Your nails dig into his scalp.
He pushes the waistcoat over your shoulders and it drops to the carpet, pooled inside the shell of poncho. As soon as it falls, his hands begin the climb up the seam of your thigh, resting on the brush of red – where he feels the quickly dampening mark on the fabric.
“Thought as much,” he says, head cocking to watch your expression warp as he rubs slow circles into your clit. His voice is as soft as his touch, innocent almost, when he asks, “She like that?”
“Ye-ah,” you choke, leaning back.
“Yeah,” he agrees, and uses his other hand to fish beneath his sweatpants. He rubs himself under the gray cotton, watches as your fingers clutch at the waistband to tug it down, releasing him.
His heavy cock springs up between your bodies, dabs precome on the pointed tail of your tie. You giggle, loosening the knot and pulling the thin silk over your head. Your hands wrap around him, twisting and pumping and dragging the milky arousal from his slit down the smooth, warm skin. Joel’s breath catches when your thumbs swipe across his head.
His fingers slip behind your knees and pull them apart, pull them wider on the mattress. You lean forward, chest brushing against his parted lips, taking your panties in one hand and guiding him along your slit with the other.
You cover him in your arousal, the veined skin soon slick and pearlescent. His wide head slips between your opening, notching against your entrance and forcing the breath from your lungs.
His hands sit firmly on your waist, pushing down on your hips, pushing and pushing until he sinks snug into your cunt. When he pauses, his mouth agape and eyes stuck on the sight of his body connecting to yours, you whine.
“More,” you mewl, voice dripping with need, drizzling all over him.
“We gotta –”
“More.”
“Baby,” Joel says, voice flat but crumbling. “We gotta go slow. I’m gonna – You’re gonna make me come, dressed like that, if we go too quick.”
But fuck, you want to feel him. Want him to buck his hips and fill you in one go – fuck the pain. Fuck the discomfort, fuck the way your walls would clamp in a vice grip around him. You want him to fuck you. Want to be fucked so good that you have to time your moaning with the bassline of the music downstairs, unable to contain the sounds in your throat. Fucked so good that you waddle out of the room, that you fling yourself back onto the couch and wince in pain, a sharp memory of the breadth of him shooting between your legs.
Your hips circle, the heat of your cunt swirling around and around on his tip. He groans, hands tightening on your waist to hold you still.
“Stop it, darlin’,” he growls, the words clawing from between his teeth.
“F-fuck me, then,” you moan, curling your back to slowly edge down on him.
“Ask nicer.”
You smile, heavy lids falling closed. “Please?”
His hands roam around the curve of your ass. He starts to push again. “Nicer.”
Your mouth opens wider the further he slides into you. The more he claims of your body, the further you open for him, the warmer your welcome. Your head tips back, eyes tighten until you see stars. When you feel a weight around your neck, you flutter your lashes open, blink the cyan-colored sparkles from your vision.
Joel pulls your jaw back down to face him. Squeezes on your pulse, holding you between his middle finger and thumb.
“Nicer,” he demands.
You lean in, small hands linking around his thick wrist. “Fuck me, please, daddy,” you whisper.
And he smiles like a fucking devil. Eyes drawn black like ink. He pulls you in until your chin brushes against the rough bristle of his own, lines his bottom lip with yours.
Into your mouth, he asks, “You think you can take it, babygirl? Think it’ll fit?”
You nod desperately, anchoring yourself on his wrist. “Know it will.”
He’s only halfway in. Your heartbeat is thudding around your body, focusing hardest on your clit. Your hips move again, and Joel allows it, sitting back to watch as you sink down further.
“Go on,” he says, watching your body slowly attach to his, “’f you think you can do it. Be a big girl ‘n take it. Slow.”
Something caught between a laugh and a whimper drags between your painted lips – something dripping in desire, built from a need to prove yourself to him, to take all of him inside your body, to feel him in the deepest parts of yourself. You push on him, loosen his grip around your neck and flatten your palms on his chest. And you curve your back, pushing him deeper.
“’s my girl,” Joel says, quietly, as if to himself. “This what you wanted? Comin’ up here, dressed like that?”
Your teeth hold onto your bottom lip. “Like what?” you purr, leaning forward until your noses brush.
Joel tips his chin up, lips flush against yours. “Like a little fuckin’ slut.”
You laugh weakly, feeling him finally in his entirety. “Fuck.”
Joel’s hands take your waist, pushing you down until the pain sends bolts of lightning across your vision. The bruising feeling of his head against your cervix. The sweet stretch of your skin opening around his.
“Beggin’ for it, weren’t ya? ‘n now look, you can’t hardly take it.”
“I can take it,” you hiss back, bracing yourself on the mattress. Your hips lift, holding onto him, bouncing up and down steadily. “I can take it,” you repeat, like a mantra, like the only thing keeping you in the room still. The only thing reminding your body to keep moving.
Joel holds a palm steady against the bottom of your stomach, rubs his thumb delicately against your skin. “So deep, baby. ‘m so fuckin’ deep inside you. That feel nice?”
The meat of your ass slaps against the tops of his thighs. You’re quickening, eyes screwing shut. He feels so good. Fills you up so fucking good. Your legs start to loosen, knees weakening the more you fuck yourself on him. Your head drops between your shoulders when his thumb lowers, circles gently at your clit.
“Keep – keep doing that. Fuck, Joel – touch me. Keep touching me.”
“’boutta come, ain’t you?”
“Sh-shut up.”
“Yeah,” he says, “she’s about to come.”
“Shut up,” you hiss, hips rolling now, losing rhythm between the split of his cock inside you and the lull of his thumb on your clit. Your back arches, vision begins to blur. Your lungs close in on themselves as you give one final gasp to the ceiling, and let go.
Your walls clamp hard around him, and in one swift movement, your bodies are flipped. When you open your eyes again, you’re on your back, Joel’s figure towering over you.
“’attagirl,” he mutters, palms flat against the underside of your thighs. He pushes them flat, folding you in two, your knees resting by your shoulders. “So close, darlin’. Ain’t gonna last.”
You’re shaking your head, holding onto his neck, thighs trembling. “I – can’t, Joel.”
“Yeah, you can. You can,” he assures, dipping his head to place his lips on yours. Your mouth opens up for him, tongue falls against his own. It’s barely a kiss – you’re licking at one another, sure, but there’s nothing tender or gentle about it. Joel pulls away only to glance down and guide himself back inside you. “Gonna be my good girl, aren’t you? Gonna make me come.”
With one seamless thrust, he’s back inside you, pressing your legs harder against your torso. You whine, a blur of pain and pleasure mixing where he fucks you.
“Good girl,” he says, tongue skimming along his top lip. “Nice ‘n wide, that’s it.”
Your back arches into him, arms tighten around his neck, lips settle curved around his own. You’re moaning, his name releasing itself from your mouth in shots of breath. Joel takes your knee and hooks it over his shoulder, letting the other fall to his hip. The angle forces him deeper. Deeper and harder.
But he’s starting to jump. Bucking randomly. He’s panting your name, teeth grazing against your neck in attempt to hold on just a little longer, feel you squeeze him a little more.
“You’re close,” you slur.
“’m close,” he says.
“Gonna come in me –?”
“Baby –”
“– ’n send me – ah – back downstairs full of you? Runnin’ outta me?”
Joel’s head shakes. His eyes tighten. “Fuck, darlin’. Dirty fuckin’ mouth.”
“C’mon,” you beg, “give it to – m-me.”
His hips hammer against yours, punching against the edge of your cunt harshly. You sob out, nails digging into his shoulders, until he halts, and you feel the warmth of him spurting deep inside your body. Feel the way he tenses, empties, and stills.
Your head falls back against the mattress. Joel’s still nuzzled against your neck, breathing labored, lips soaking wet against your skin. You sift your fingers through his hair, combing through it as he comes to.
His chest rocks against yours. Feeling starts to sharpen again, the orgasmic haze starting to bleed into the past. The walls of the house thud with the music from downstairs. You feel the weight of his body on top of yours again.
“Up,” you groan, pushing on his shoulders.
Joel scoffs, pushing against the mattress and rolling over beside you. He slips out, his spend seeping out and spilling onto your thigh.
Your fingers intertwine with his by your side, your nails scrawling into his knuckles.
“I miss you, when you ain’t around,” Joel whispers, glossy eyes blinking at the ceiling. “I’m bored up here.”
You roll onto your side, run your fingers over the halo of sweat around the collar of his shirt. “Good think I ain’t far, then. ‘m only downstairs.”
He smiles. “Downstairs is too far.”
You lean over him and place a soft kiss on his rough cheek. “Just have to keep you at my hip then, don’t I?”
His head turns and his lips find yours. He cups the globe of your head, pulls you harder against his jaw, runs his tongue along your teeth. When you pull away, you shift the damp hair from his glistening forehead.
“You ruined my tie, by the way,” you tell him. “The hell am I supposed to say that is?”
Joel shrugs. “If Patrick Bateman were a woman, ‘n all that.”
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fairiesdowntheroad · 9 months
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SHE LOVES CONTROL ; prologue.
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summary — being a woman is difficult.what about being a woman who is pursuing a career in motorsports? you would be met with pandemonium.that was the story of her life.always having to fight for a place among the big leagues ; in this case the men just to prove she belonged in the sport.
her last name didn’t help her much either.the world would continue to bark and bite away at her confidence — even more so if they knew of her family ties.that was the reason why she chose to race under a different name,everyone would respect her so called “underdog” story after all.
the drivers were….alright to say the least.she knew of their prying eyes and judging stares when she had first made her appearance on the grid.thankfully,there were a few diamonds in the rough to help her out.for now,she just needed to prove herself to everyone ; quench her hunger for victory.this was going to be a wild season..
pairing — f1 22-23 grid x fem driver!reader,love interest tbd
warnings — misogyny.
teaser | prologue | chapter 1
FROM J ⛅️ : hello everyone!! the prologue is here <3 it’s just a little teaser to Y/N and her character,also her friendship with albonoooo 😮‍💨 she’ll interact with the other drivers soon,don’t worry! please lmk your thoughts and if you want to be added to the taglist!
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“Who run the world? Girls! Y/N Y/LN to race for Formula 1 — establishing her place as the first woman to race in the big leagues since Maria Teresa de Filippis”
“Do women really belong in Motorsport? What makes Y/N Y/LN so special?”
“A recipe for disaster: Y/N Y/LN’s Formula 1 debut and what it could mean for the future of motorsport”
Headline after headline.
Articles either criticising her every move or stating their unwavering support for her.
She read each and every article published about the news — eager to know how the world would react.A part of her already made peace with the reality that there would be people reacting terribly towards the news ; let it be a man or woman.The men simply viewed her inferior to the other drivers,commenting on how her biological capabilities were “leagues away” from the other nineteen…..just because of what was between her legs.The women on the other hand were possesive…thinking she would steal away their beloved drivers because she definetly was the only female presence on the paddock.
It was humorous really,how a mere woman wanting her career to align with motorsports could cause such an uprise of reactions among everyone.
Her eyes scanned over the headlines again and again.Laughing at the things they had to say.She found the articles scrutinising her every move amusing — it was ironic how they perceived her as ‘unworthy’ of a seat.
Yet,she did beat everyone else in Formula 2 in terms of points…claiming her place as the champion.
Becoming the champion of Formula 2 was a tough fight.She had stayed there for a few years,giving it her all to stand above all with victory — and she did in the end.Did they hate her because she was victorious? Or was it because she had rightfully earned her place among the others? She would never know..not like she wanted to anyway.
“You haven’t even had your debut,yet you’re causing an uproar on the internet” he hummed in amusement standing next to her while he observed her reading the words on her phone.His british accent was hard to miss as she chuckled along with him.“I think it’s admirable” Alex added on with his voice filled with sincerity.A bashful smile made its way on her face,flattered and touched by his words.
“That makes me a little more hungry to prove to everyone I belong here” she admitted with a chuckle.She was eternally grateful for the little support she had coming from him and her family…though she was more discreet when it came to the family part.He placed a hand on her shoulder squeezing it softly.
“You will.” he nodded his head,patting her back before making his way to the car.Her nerves buzzed with excitement ; her last race as a reserve driver.A few more months,and that seat would be hers.She felt remorseful for Latifi because he lost his seat…but it would be her turn to take on the mantle now.She would take his place since he didn’t perform.
That was Formula 1.
A sport dependant on results.If you didn’t deliver, it was best to kiss your seat goodbye.She could only cross her fingers and pray the 2023 season was kind to her.She needed the team to see her results….see her effort.There was no way she worked her ass off just to quit now.Thankfully,James Vowles was there to see her worth.She had caught his eye — he was watching her races in Formula 2,undoubtedly raising his expectations with the performance she served on the track.
It was only a matter of time until she was offered a seat,he was unwilling to let such talent go to waste.
Williams.
Not her first choice for a team when it came to making her debut but — she was eternally grateful she had a seat regardless.It was also a step closer to Mercedes….even if she didn’t want aim to race with them.
Not when he would be there.
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BAHRAIN 23’ : THURSDAY.
“How do you feel about making your Formula 1 debut this Sunday?” the reporter asked curiously as he jotted down notes in his journal.The two RedBull drivers on her left and right turned their heads to observe her,eager to know what she had to say.
“It’s definitely nerve wracking — I’m feeling quite nervous to be honest” she admitted with a shy smile.Max and Checo chuckled softly at her words,the 2-time world champion nodding in understanding on how she would feel.
“But…I feel excited as well.I want to prove to everyone that I deserve to be here just as much as the others.With Williams and Alex supporting me,I hope I can do exactly that” she finished her sentence,putting down the mic as fans clapped at her answer.It was diplomatic ; she was biting her tongue and choosing not to express her true feelings.
If she had the right to be a 100% honest there would be a lot more of….colourful words being spoken.
The fans were definetly a plot twist.Hearing them cheer for her was heartwarming.She still did recieve her fair share of hate,but she would “focus on the positives” — just like dad advised.He was all the wiser when it came to motorsports anyway.
”Well Y/N,I hope the season treats you well.You’ve already made a name for yourself so I’m sure all will go smoothly”the reporter replied to her,the girl smiling bashfully and thanking him for his kind wishes.
The press conference ended after a few more questions being thrown here and there.She walked over to the managers with a pep to her step while maintaining the calm expression on her face….even if her heart felt like it was about to burst.Alex stood there as well with small smile gracing his face.Her first press conference as a Formula 1 Driver! It was a milestone to her.
“You did amazing” Thea — her newly appointed PR Manager said with a smile.She chuckled softly,taking the water bottle she was offered with for a sip.Her heart screamed with excitement,adrenaline coursing through her veins even if it was only Thursday.There were three more days for her to impress everyone.
She shaked off her train of thoughts with a smile.Opening her mouth,she answered with a cheeky response.
“I hope I can do the same on-track then”
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taglist — @eutrizbea @eugene-emt-roe @ivoryluvs @itsjustkhaos @lewisvinga @kodzuvk @roseseraj @iliyad @laura-naruto-fan1998 @l0verl4ne
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The Biggest Problem With Hazbin Hotel's Rehabilitation Mentality Is Trying To Make All Sinners Victims Instead Of Owning Up To Their Own Sins
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I think the biggest problem with Hazbin Hotel rehabilitation mentality is that they focus in on how sinners are victim of circumstances rather than owning up to their problems and changing themselves. I think the biggest thing with this series is the fact that they think the problem is society instead of someone's own issues how they got into hell.
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One of the first indications of this bs is making it out that Lucifer and Lilith were just misunderstood dreamers were against a strict ignoring that they caused sin in the world and caused help humanity's downfall. But the narrative ignores that fact and tries to treat them as victims of heaven, so we can have Lucifer as a misunderstood sad boy instead of how in the Bible he was jealous of humanity and wanted to bring it down with him due to God's love for them. A misunderstood sad boy wouldn't do this type of shit and Vivziepop selling it a load of it.
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I know this is going to be controversial but I think Angel Dust is hindered as a character but not focusing on what got him into hell. And it wasn't just the drugs and sex, because he did kill people and some of them probably didn't end up in hell. So just imagine him being sent to heaven and his former victims recognized him for his crimes and until now showed repentance. However, the narrative even then doesn't focus on that fact but the idea he's a total victim and doesn't show part of his way to redemption is get his life back together and admit he's done shit where he wasn't the victim but the victimizer. One could say he was put through that life, but then again show his sister is in heaven and that she chose a life of virtue and made it. So, he has no excuse of his dad or brother getting himself into hell except himself and he needs to work on it. Even if he's a victim to Valentino, he still is a victimizer in someone else's eyes who recognizes him decades ago.
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And I am also going to say this the Extermination is used as a way to have all of hell be turned into pitied victims that you forget a lot of them are in hell for a reason. And even more they are doing antics that got them probably into hell like murder, sex, and other types of depravity. While not all sinners are on the same level, the exterminations as a whole just i used to make you forget that they are there for a reason and erase that there is a reason they weren't given a chance into heaven. Seriously, Emily herself called them innocent souls when in any other scene they are far from innocent and the reason why Adam is depicted as a one note villain is because they can't fathom the idea that maybe the Extermination could be used to cull the worst sinners or something.
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I think the biggest problem with Hazbin Hotel's every sinner is really a victim it comes ironically counter to finding redemption. A show which Vivziepop says she inspires from but she completely misses the point is Bojack. She says she's watched it but the biggest point of the show just because you are the victim doesn't give you an excuse to act like a total jackass to others and not own up to your mistakes. The problem is Habzin Hotel never lets anyone own up because they have to play victims, especially any character favored by Vivziepop. Redemption doesn't come from seeing yourself as a victim, but recognizing your own mistakes and how to reform from them. And frankly I didn't see Angel Dust want to reform from his mistakes, but just want a home away from Val. The problem is that Hazbin Hotel is about enforcing victimhood instead of owning up that you did bad things and need to change. An excuse for your behavior is still not fully an excuse and you need to own up to your actions.
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caeqey · 2 months
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‎♡‧₊˚࿐ the little things — 엔하이픈 thoughts
or — things my suitor does, that i think en- members would do too
#wc 1k+ pairing ⟢ highschool bf!en- members x gn!reader ⸝⸝ genre : fluffㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ , angst if you squint warnings .ᐟ mentions an argument, food/ed (reader forces themself to not eat)
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이희승 : messages you after every round
early in your relationship with heeseung, you quickly caught onto the fact that he loves gaming. you didn't mind it of course, it was nice that he had his own thing. it only became a problem when it started feeling like he cared more about his games than he did you. not wanting to assume the worst, you decided to talked to him about it. heeseung was honestly upset, not because he thought you were being selfish, but because his actions made you feel that way. since then, he loves to text you in between rounds, updating you about the silliest things like —
“baby look! i ranked up 😁” , “I GOT BATTLE ROYALE BABY YIPEE” and often, you'd see notifications like “sorry baby, i was in game. can you play with me next time, please?”
박종성 : brings you food for lunch
jay was aware that you had a bad habit of not eating your food. often times, you'd give your lunch to your friends. it hurt him, seeing you not eat, forcing yourself not to. he took note of your behaviour and then had the bright idea that he should make you your lunch. he never forced you to eat his cooking though, but he did encourage you. as time passed, you grew a healthier relationship with not only food, but with jay as well. the delicious meals he made daily were truly the highlight of your day. every now and then, he also likes to slip in notes that say —
“eat well, you deserve it dear :)” . “i know this is your fav, so i hope i did it justice ( ._. )” , “ sorry if it tastes burnt, making tanghulu is harder than it seems :(“
심재윤 : asks you to go to his games
volleyball season has finally arrived at your school, and that meant only one thing for you. watching your dear boyfriend's games on the daily. being the libero of the senior volleyball team was not a light task, but jake seemed to enjoy it nonetheless. whether it was a regular game or a tournament, he would always ask you to go. you didn't really have much of a choice though, since you are part of the school's photography club. this meant that attending games was mandatory for you. but, mandated or not, you wouldn't dare miss any of his games. it's delightful to see jake in his element, it's as if his aura changes the moment he's on the court. but of course, your boyfriend being the guy he is, jake always reminds you to —
“take pictures of me please !” , “cmonn you're a photographer, you have to take pictures of me” with a pout. however he seems to always say “WOAH THESE LOOK SO GOOD!!! i knew you were amazing sweetheart” in the end.
박성훈 : likes to watch you make art
as one of the school's most prominent artists, you are very well known for the art that you create. sometimes you art would be submitted in national competitions and you'd often get complimented on your skills during your school's art shows. and sunghoon is no different from those who admired your art. in fact, your boyfriend is "your number #1 fan" (as he likes to put it). he loves to go to your house, just sitting there and watching you work with the medium you chose. one day, you asked him why he loves to watch you every time to made art. he thought about what to say for a moment before stating —
“well, i find it odd how you're constantly told that your artwork is stunning, but you're never told that it looks even better as you're working on it. it's like you're an extension of the piece, my darling, you're abeautiful work of art as well.” tearing up at his words, you engulfed him in a tight hug.
김선우 : sends you pictures of the sunset/sunrise
your boyfriend knows how fond you are of the sunset and sunrise. even before you had gotten together, you two would always stay up all night to watch it rise when morning came. ironically, the day (or night ?) you two had gotten together, was when you were once again waiting for dawn. so, whenever sunoo had the chance to, he would always try to send pictures of the lovely sun rising and setting. it became your thing, something only you two did with each other. those pictures would often come with texts like —
“goodmorning honey! isn’t the sunset so pretty?” , “i was out walking and noticed the sun was setting hehe”, “hiii are you uppp? look what i saw :)”
양정원 - loves to build legos with you
both you and jungwon have always been interested in legos, and there was no exception to that.even when you two go to the mall. often entering the lego store to browse for any sets that you liked. so it did not come to you as a surprise when your lovely boyfriend gifted you a set of lego roses for your birthday. he knows how much you’ve wanted to build these types of things with him, it was practically the best gift he could’ve ever thought of! now sitting across from each each other, crossed legged and giggling. things were going as planned until —
“love it’s the other way around!” you exclaimed, “wait, huh ???” despite his experience in lego set building, flowers were not his thing. “the petal, i mean. it’s upside” you chuckled. the night of your birthday went on smoothly as you two continued creating the plastic flower arrangement.
西村 力 — is the miles to your gwen
riki is actually the reason why you had taken an interest in the famous spider hero. he would often talk about the movies and the comics with you, which interested you the more he talked about it. you adored it when he geeked out about his interests, it was the side of him that no one really saw. soon, you were just as addicted as he was. and when the across the spiderverse movie had come out, you two did not miss the opportunity to watch it together. by the time his birthday rolled in, you thought about the perfect birthday present. matching bracelets that were impressed by miles and gwen. you were undeniably anxious though, even spending all night pondering about how he’d feel about the gift. but upon opening your gift he said —
“woah!! it's so cool, thank you!!” riki smiled, genuinely. “wait, hey, are you alright?” he asked, sensing your anxiousness. “i’m glad you like it. and uhm, i know that miles and gwen don't exactly end up on good terms by the end of the movie… but don't worry riks. we're gonna do our own thing”
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note ᝰ.ᐟ please tell me someone got the atsv reference in riki's part (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞ anyways i hope you guys enjoyed this !! please leave feedback, it would really help me out :)
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10underoot2 · 1 month
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Character Study - The chilling warmth of Haein
Haein is a really misunderstood character. She has dark humour. She cares immensely but doesn't show it very openly. She hides her feelings cause she doesn't like to be vulnerable. She's very quick to say things that protect her emotions and she bites with her words just to protect herself. But all of this assertive feistiness comes at a cost. People tend to misunderstand and write Hong Haein off as mean, rude, cold and difficult to live/work with.
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Her personality and tendency to appear uncaring has a lot to do with the lack of warmth she received by her family especially her mother. When she meets Hyunwoo she's no different, she puts on no pretences. Over time she warms up to him and shows him her softer more vulnerable side - all of which I'm sure aided in him falling for her deeply. But then that damned chasm occurs, and Hyunwoo much like the rest of the world forgets Haein's soft heart and soul that live underneath the iron clad armour she wears. It hurts me when I think about the pain she experienced realising she's misunderstood even from the man who once showered her with unyielding love and warmth.
Some incidents of Hyunwoo misunderstanding her are so interesting:
- The scene where Haein requests/orders Hyunwoo to accompany her to the hospital.
I love that it was shot from both perspectives. In her mind she sounds extremely soft and worried. It was a request meant to be delivered that way. I'm sure Haein couldn't register what her tone was because her intention were so soft. Why would he reject my request, He's free I'm just asking him to accompany me? But Hyunwoo had just heard about the will. That paired up with the continuous blows he's received the past two years were too much for him to take a moment and understand that this is how she's always spoken.
-The rain scene after their Yongduri night stay (I hold the belief that Haein did indeed often wait up for him).
Haein says: 'I really wasn't waiting for you.' to which Hyunwoo replies 'I know better than anyone, you're not the kind of person who would wait up for me.' In the scene you can see Haein slightly taken aback and offended by that. Because she is the kind of person who waits up for him. Her offence seems so justified. Because why can't Hyunwoo of all people see the real her. When did he forget to understand her? It must be so hurtful for her to think Hyunwoo's forgotten how warm she was with him. I imagine she used to wait up for him before the miscarriage but here she's listening to her husband say she's not that kind of person. (That little scene where Haein sits on the sofa waiting but Hyunwoo chose not to ask her if she was okay is my evidence! There was a post on this as well a while ago!)
It's also evident in her desire to run a hand over his shoulder to remove the dampness there. Her screaming at him to hold the umbrella properly. But he's so oblivious and deaf to her love that it hurts to witness.
- The bar after their day at the Lavender field in Germany at their honeymoon
Haein smiles and says, she wasn't angry after he told her that he had noticed no one else and that his eyes were only on her. But Hyunwoo remembers her being angry for another two hours. This scene was such a small example of it. What if Haein's anger did immediately dissipate but Hyunwoo just interpreted it as her still being angry. I can't offer any evidence as we don't see this scene but their different accounts make me think what if she was just feeling down but he assumed it was a continuation of her anger.
There are so many other examples sprinkled throughout the show as well. I started off really disliking her character but I've grown to really appreciate it. Because once you see how warm Hong Haein is in love, you'll see just how fierce, loyal and undying her conviction and mind is. She'll show and tell you in the most beautiful ways just how much she cares without ever telling you she loves you. She's not cold, she's just misunderstood.
Unfortunately though, life isn't a drama. So when people like this do exist, they tend to be written off as cold, harsh, unlovable. Humans have the potential to be infinitely complex creatures which is why it's been so interesting to see Haein's multi faceated character these past 8 weeks.
Just an additional thought: I also love the difference between Haein and Hyunwoo's business ideologies. Haein is sharp, to the point, efficiency, money and loyalty oriented. While Hyunwoo is soft, caring, warm and people oriented.
We see Hyunwoo's ideology against his father in law. When the FIL wanted to stab his long serving employee it was unfathomable for Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo's ties with the past employees of Queens got him so much information and support. His logical request to the manager of maintenance to make it snow comes after a long, good relationship - it's pretty evident in that scene. I loved how the show displayed Hyunwoo's ability to make deep and good relationships and how it ended up helping them to get Queens back. It's a hugeee contrast to how things run in the Hong Family. It was very fresh to see him show from his actions 'You can be nice and still get the job done'.
But even Hae-in's contacts, though acquired differently, are just as instrumental. The employee she took a stand for, the juice guy and Secretary Na. None of them would call her warm or soft but they would sing her praises if you ever ask them. It's such an interesting parallel between their characters. It also goes to show Haein is a good person, she just tends to show it very selectively and rarely. I do think the 1 Trillion club made her think of only money and efficiency for a while, but I still do believe she had been doing good away from public eyes, changing people's lives - it's just that no one was there to witness or publicize them.
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radioactivesweet · 1 year
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I don't know if you're still open to requests yet. But could you make a fem!reader about hurted Buddha meeting his worried beloved one after his fight and when he's beeing taken to the infirmary? A little of angst but also fluff 👉 👈
Hope you like it! Sorry for the wait!
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Buddha had always been unpredictable but you were actually starting to notice a pattern in his behaviour - doing whatever nobody was expecting. So you weren't really surprised when he switched sides and chose to fight against the gods. Just your typical Buddha. This didn't mean you were less worried about seeing him carelessly risking his life. Ragnarok was no joke and you weren't willing to see him die. Yet, you keep doing what he'd want you to: support him and cheer on him; not that there's anything else you can do. And he wins. Bleeding, barely standing, but victorious. He told you he was going to win and he did. As he is brought to the infirmary, you rush to reach him, before anyone else - Brunhilde included. Buddha smiles as soon as he sees you. "I am the honored one, ain't I?" he ironizes - holding back from coughing blood in your presence. He wants you to think that he is fine, as if hasn't been on the brink of the death just a few minutes before. You are shivering - scared, mad, upset, as he keep talking about the candies he would like to eat. You know he just wants you to feel at ease - to be proud of him, to raise a toast, because of him humanity is a step closer to its survival. "I could have lost you." Buddha laughs - and by the way he reacts, you realize how he is trying to hide the pain behind a seemingly relaxed smile. "Don't think about what could've been. I won, that's what matters." "You don't really have anything else to say?" "Actually I do. I believe I deserve a prize. A kiss or those candies I told you about could do it. Both are fine too though."
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lolita-lollipop · 1 year
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Ooooh I got an avatar request ;]
The reader has been friends with the sully kids for a while now but hasn't seen them ever since they moved to the metkayina clan. After hearing that kiri had fallen unconscious, she begs norm and max to accompany them to the islands, because she's worried about her friend. It pretty much follows the same as in the movie, they arrive, do a check up, find nothing and then get kicked out by neytiri. Reader is just chilling outside since she isn't allowed really allowed to be in the same room as kiri, but doesn't want to leave until she knows her firend is awake and healthy. The adults are talking with Jake, she's alone and that's where aonung and his gang arrive. Drama ensues. The conflict can be about literally anything and can end however you want, but there needs to be scene where the reader leaves a strong impression.
Sorry if the req I a bit long and thx <3
Protective
PROTECTIVE NETEYAM X HUMAN READER
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When you had heard of kiri fainting underwater, it took you only a few seconds to grab your things and go beg norm to let you come with him. He was against it, of course, as he knew how the metkayinan people were with humans. But, you remained adamant, being that kiri was one of the best friends you'd ever had in your life, if she was hurt, you needed to be there. You wouldnt take no for an answer. Norm knew that.
so , you ended up sitting on a helicopter that was so old and beat up you thought it might fall out of the sky. Strapped down by a seatbelt, watching the waves pass by below. It made you nervous. The water, that is. Growing up in the forests with the sullys and norm, there was a lack of large bodies of water, the biggest was the falls under the hallelujah mountains, and even those were pretty little.
Also, on a more important note, you didn't know how to swim.
You don't know why, ever since you were little, water just freaked you out. Jake and neytiri saw that, and figured that you wouldn't need the skill of swimming, as you lived in the forest. Not out at sea. How ironic is that.
So, in your anxious state, you pulled at the wires of the mask, and tapped your nails at the metal of the chair. Staring down at how the waves washed over the ocean floor, unease slowly sunk into your mind, not only because kiri was sick, possibly dying, buut because you felt so out of your element. Norm noticed, but chose not to say anything, chalking it up to the fact that your best friend was in a coma.
When you landed, it only took a few moments to be surrounded with the natives, immediately lo-ak was on top of you in a bone crushing hug, you fell to the ground, and lo-ak proceeded to blow into your neck, tickling you like an older brother bullying his sister . Tuk then piled on top, then kiri, and then neteyam. THe metkayinas around stared at the odd display between human and na-vi. Strange. So strange.
But, a particular group of boys stood front and center, taking more notice than everybody else. They all snickered with eachother, staring at the alien freaks with an actual alien. They had all known of the sully families close association with humans, but bringing them here? And showing affection. Crazy.
“Lo-ak, tuk! Get off of her, now.” Neytiri hissed, pulling the four off of you, dropping them, and then giving you a small hug herself, her touch lingered for a little bit, but you chose not to say anything, neytiri was practically your mother. Hugging was A human tendency you liked, even though they very rarely did it.
Oh god how much you missed these people, you weren't allowed to come with them, mainly because it was dangerous for you to be far away from other humans, lest your mask break and you didnt have a backup, they didn’t want to risk it. But you still loved them so very much, and jumped at the chance to see them.
It didn't take very long for norm to be lead to where kiri was, and along with him, you. The sight of her alone brought so much happiness, you wanted to go up and tackle her, and scream to her about how much you missed her. To gossip about her brothers and others in this new place. THen you remembered she was unconscious, and that someone would probably pounce on you if you tried. A woman was huddled over her, crushing some form of healing herb.
You chose to stand by the doorway, making the active decision not to approach, you were one of the only people in human form here, also the only one without any medical experience, or anything that could help, other than that you were her friend. Norm sent a short glance your way, and then proceeded to approach kiri. You gathered by the door for a little while, then chose to sit outside and watch the water.
You were wary at first, staring at the little fish dancing about, but as norm took a painstakingly long time, it let you warm up to the flowing form of ey-wa. By the time an hour passed, you were lying chest down on the dock, both of your hands in the water, swirling figure eights into the foamy sea. The small sea creatures ebbed and flowed, following your hand , you watched the glittering little white squids play your fingers, they were almost cute.
You'd never seen such creatures before, they were different from any fish you’d ever seen at home, even in the biggest bodies of water. Your eyes followed them as they perked up and down in the water, putting on a show for you. The little squids held your attention so well that you barely even noticed the heavyset footsteps behind you. Not until it was too late.
A large hand hooked around your ankle, and with a swift motion, threw you off the peer, no warning, just a harsh splash as you plunged face first into the water. Shattering your mask along the way.
You hit the water heavy, diving in head first with a bent neck to the point of pain. All of a sudden, panic filled your lungs just as fast as water did, and you forgot all of the things anybody had ever told you about swimming, which already, was very little. You hadn't realized how deep the water really was, and before you knew it, you panicked more. Oh god.
your body Is sinking.
You flung your hands around, thrashing and splashing in the deep water, the fish around you swam around in a circle, seemingly trying to help. The glass that had broken upon impact found it's way into your eyes, and you let out a scream, continuing to thrash around.
Any efforts made to rise back to the surface were beaten by your lack of oxygen, and as the last bubbles of air left your mouth, you choked on your tongue, and began to fully drown. Black spots danced around in your peripheral vision, slowly closing in on you, your throat closed up, and your thrashing began to be much less violent, instead being replaced with small, weak movements.you heard yelling, but it was too far away to understand.
And then it all went blank.
---
“Tell them! Tell them what you told me!” A voice echoed around you. when you came to your senses, and were able to open your eyes, you were sitting in your own puddle of water, wet clothes and wet hair. A salty taste in your mouth. Your head was in Tuk’s lap, and she held an oxygen mask over your mouth and nose, smiling at you goofily when you met her eyes.
Your eyes burned, and you could feel how red and puffy they were without even touching them. You took deep breaths, remembering what it felt like to have all the air in your system sucked out of you, to slowly sink down with the increasing pressure of the water. So, instead of focusing on that, you sat up, locking eyes with neteyam, who was holding anoung by his ear, yelling at tonowari and ronal.
“It was supposed to be a joke- I didn’t think the human would drown!” The teal skinned na-vi slurred out, his mouth was bleeding, and a nasty blue bruise was already beginning to form on his temple. Jake and neytiri just stared at the scene, choosing not to speak, neither of them had ever seen neteyam so… unhinged.
Usually, he was the most perfect oldest child any parent could ask for, following rules, having a kind heart, listening like a puppy. But now. He had a look, more than a look really, his entire posture had changed, he looked uncontrolled, he looked like lo-ak . Neteyam punched that metkayina boy so fast it was uncanny. He looked feral, as the boy glanced between you and anoung, there was a deep ferocity in his gaze.
Even neteyam himself didn’t understand why he was acting like this, but seeing you underwater, and seeing the little pieces of glass from your mask float to the top, seeing you struggle so hard. It brought out something in him, something that made him want to bus anoungs face in. His dad even told him to calm down, but he still punched him in the face so hard it brought stars in his vision.
Nothing they say would change a damn thing. So they stayed quiet.
“The human has a name. What if she had died? What would you have done then? Would it still have been a joke?” Neteyam continued to scream, smashing the back of his head. The Navi boy just looked down in embarrassment, people were staring now. Including You, who was staring wide eyed at neteyam, not knowing wether to be mildly afraid at the sudden change in character for him, or to be happy that he’s so keen on defending you.
“Well, she didn’t, she’s fine.” Anoung replied, shoving off neteyam, who hissed at him in return, you wanted to laugh at how strange the boy you’d known since you were just a baby was acting. He was never so harsh, and he never got into conflict unless lo-ak started it. Was he really going this far for you?
Apparently, yes he was.
“Ill fucking kill you, you fish brained fu-“ neteyam puffed his chest out, curling up his fists and making the motion to run up and sock him in the face, again. Lo-ak, bring the chaotic instigator he is, was of course, cheering his brother on, neytiri hushed him.
This wasn’t good, they had clearly worked so hard to develop their relationship with these people, and you’d crushed it down in a few seconds. So, instead of letting things get worse and making the entire sully family get kicked out, you stood up from your spot, pulling your hand away from Tuk, and slowly walked to neteyam. You seperated the space between the two idiots, and eventually grabbed neteyams hand.
“Neteyam, Stop it. I’m fine.” He scowled at you, breathing heavily, barely able to contain his anger. But he still listened to you anyway, choosing to follow you away as you walked back to kiris hut. His hand found it’s way placed firmly on your shoulder on a protective stance, and he turned around one last time to meet anoungns gaze, smirking at the blood that left his nose and mouth, daring him to say anything. He didn’t.
“If anybody ever touches you again, I’ll shoot them. I love you too much to see you hurt” He squeezed your shoulder with a smile, sending death threats with such ease. You let out a short laugh, and let him walk you away, choosing to ignore how his “I love you” felt different all of a sudden.
“I probably won’t be taking you up on that offer.”
—-
*bonus*
“Someone’s got a boyfrieeendddd” kiri teased, wiggling her fingers at you and dragging out the word for way too long. This is how you were greeted when you walked into the hut. Tuk had been gossiping with her about it, and had filled her in completely.
“What?”
“Y/n and neteyam sittin in a tree k-i-s-s-i” tuk started, and kiri giggled at how red you automatically got at the mention of him. You didn’t know what to do, you couldn’t just leave because that would be even more embarrassing, but you also didn’t want to talk tot he. About it-
“Shut up- oh my god shut up- somebody will hear you”
“oHhHhHhHh somebody like neteyam?” Kiri kept going, practically yelling out the words for anybody who was even remotely close to hear. You covered your face with your hands in embarrassment and glared daggers at the two giggling toddlers.
“I will kill both of you right now.” Your threats only seemed to spark more enthusiasm from the both of them, and even though you tried your hardest to get them to shut up, nothing worked. They went through fit after fit of giggles, until eventually kiri paused from laughter.
“Ok ok fine- you just have to promise me one thing.” Sending one of her smiles to you, the one that makes you know
“…go on.”
“Promise that my brother won’t steal you from me forever. And I mean it- I want my designated hour a day-“ she joked, still very loud, still doing anything and everything to make you as embarrassed as she could.
“Jesus Christ. Yeah, I promise
Your brother won’t steal me forever”
———————————————————————-
Ngl I’ve been reading way too many father jake x daughter reader fics and it’s rotting my brain away. But if you want to request those I’m so down.
Anyways I completely misunderstood this as a neteyam x reader request and only saw it once I was finished. And there is no way I’m deleting an entire fic now. So I hope it’s good
Thanks for requesting anon! And thanks so much for reading my lovely readers!
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circuscountdowns · 4 months
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Crude Timeline/Breakdown of my goofy Cult of the Lamb drawings if you’re interested:
The whole premise for this i guess au? Started during my first run, I already knew the game was about kill god become god, but Did Not know you could Marry the god youd betray??? Or indoctrinate him???. Like I didn't even choose the Marriage Doctrine cuz I'm like boo r u kidding me I'm choosing violent Battle Pit always. Which Lambert wouldn't know any of this in the beginning either but the big deciding factor is: 
Lamb is going into it with the mindset of Kill All Gods for what they've done to the sheep (sorry my benefactor, ur included <3) Kratos style lets go, none spared.
That being said, they have a lot of devotion towards Death, I like to think the Sheep folk prayed to The One Below for quick passings knowing they're a huge sacrificial species, and because sheep with their huge herd mentality, the worship flowed heavily which is a threat therefore that plus prophecy equals Slaughter. 
So with TOWW, they play along and genuinely mean they're serving death because they worshiped Death as a concept, a divine entity. They believe when they “kill” TOWW they'll still be “together” because Death is unkillable right (and the lamb would never have to be alone again right). Something new will be written thats the both of us as one.
So in between crusading Lamb and TOWW get closer (i am going to take your throne but that doesn't mean we can't have fun banter or that i don't really really enjoy ur compliments and attention ((because I love kittys…))) and that's when the comic about tanking happens. 
But oh no! Through their journey Lamb discovers that TOWW is actually a Bishop, chained for a petty family squabble??? Has a name and it’s Narinder???? 
The revelation kinda breaks something in their head. it upsettingly humanizes the Bishops, trivializes the death of their people, and takes TOWW off the pedestal they'd placed him on. Uh ohhhh how does this change things i mean I'm still gonna kill all the gods but what does it mean to be a god is it just a crown whats going to happen to Narinder is it actually Narinder I like ?? (And i had a comic for this time planned but idk if ill get to it)
Meanwhile Narinders opinion on the Lamb has so far just been Wow im so proud, I chose good yay I'm gonna be free (why do I feel like I could be free from their devotion alone?) (why are they just like me fr?) 
When Narinder is defeated and they have the choice, the lamb feels they betray both their people for not keeping their promise to kill all gods, but also their Faith and Narinder, v conflicting. 
After indoctrination, Narinder does his typical Isolation, depression, and Lamb mourns what they'd had. In their loneliness, they stop allowing their cultists to die for long. They do all Narinders quests, and when it comes to the resurrection he's like Haha I remember why I liked you. But also he can exploit this. That's the time of the Resurrection comic.
He tries to micromanage from there, if he can't be the god being worshiped rn he's going to control the god. Starts off with whispering insecurities of Your cultists will find a way to leave you, be firmer. Gods should do this, have this, they'll leave if you don't. Lamb knows what he's doing and mostly humors him to keep him around but over time they've just both started to build a proper relationship again. He successfully ironically becomes their right hand.
This goes on for a sec before Mystic Seller knocks on da door like Hello do your joobbbb. And thats a kick enough to get Lamb out of their misery shit to really consider their original plan of killing gods and what exactly they want Death to Mean. (Comes to a conclusion that death is a peace that has to be earned. Through living.)
Bringing Leshy back brings a rift and arguments between Narinder and Lamb. That's when the Narinder Confessional comic happens and he lets out just how hurt he was by Lambs betrayal (cuz that seems to be all anyone ever does to him lol except for his sons)
So as a sort of reconciliation! Lamb brings back Aym and Baal. Yay! That's that comic, where Narinder tries to say it doesn't affect him so Lamb forces them to be together. Aym and Ball stay in the cult for a good while as Lamb works to free Heket, but Narinder is still super giving Lamb the cold shoulder. When Heket is indoctrinated Narinder gets angry again that he has no say on the matter. 
Lamb starts sneaking off to sit in the confessional booth at night and it gets Narinders attention. He follows them in and hears them speak about essentially their motivations and beliefs described earlier. I have a half finished comic of this to partner with Narinder’s confessional, with Lamb’s being more down to earth and kinda just explanatory of the whole timeline but who knows if ill finish it tbh
Narinder reassesses his feelings for Lamb after that.
Right after Lamb's confessional would be when the Baal and AYm comic happens, and Narinder asks for his last request of going on a mission, fully committing to living a life.
Cue big ambiguous gap of time where Lamb gets the other siblings, yada yada healing and dealing. Shamura in the pillory comic happens, the bishops are Not happy about it, but Shamura's only locked up for a night.
Probably takes a hundred or two years for the siblings being comfortable enough around each other and theres a lot less venom being spat out. Idk gods grudges be lasting forever sometimes. Eventually They can start having family game nights, cue that comic. Everyones tired of the shit Lamb and Narinders got going on. 
Lamb still thinks Narinder doesnt have romantic feelings for them. Best friends til the end me and my god, never mind the tense flirting. Lamb does that with everyone. (cursed with flirty asexual disease) For Narinder its that he shouldnt have to say anything everyone should just know that the Lamb is his. Straight up if Lamb asked him, do you love me hed say yes in every sense, but though he is aware of how he feels and would be honest on approach, an immortal relationship/marriage?? It is a lot to ask of the lamb, that has to be a decision they make. Hes content as is.
but No Way could Lamb ask that without a safety net.  So when Lamb realizes Oh its like. romantic jealousy? Interesting lets see how far i can push it, announces they will be choosing a spouse (due to a wager lost they reason, depending on who asks) (the siblings who know of Shamura’s deal, watch in mild amusement at how absolutely wired this gets their brother. No one helps him.) fine for narinder If they get married thats up to them but hes gonna make sure theyre worthy of his vessel first. Marriage is just a title compared to what he and the Lamb have. 
Cue comic i have planned that is Such a funny idea to me but im not liking how its turning out so who knows. But they get married yay! 
Some years later kudaai has offered to make the lamb their own weapon. They go on a little trip to the spot they were sacrificed, now very overgrown and forgotten, and find their chains to make their weapons. 
far future comic
many many many years later Lamb death comic.
that’s it for now. I’ll add more if ideas come but this is context if you’d like. Feel free to ask questions, I’m rotating these fellas in my head
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slavicviking · 10 months
Text
Long Jump, Huge Leap
wc: 5k | Pre-Season 3 steddie
[Ao3]
Whoever said Eddie Munson doesn’t like sports is wrong.
One can dislike a candy bar, a type of soda, a likewise mundane thing that comes down to preferences. No, no. What Eddie Munson feels towards sports cannot be condensed into such a simple term. His body itself outright refuses to take part in any sport activity – sweat immediately pooling at his pits and back and ass, legs acting disjointed, arms too long and too weak to do anything of significance, except for maybe making a fool of himself. With that particular element of his P.E. experience helps his mouth which, funnily enough, is the only part of Eddie that runs quicker than anyone, especially its owner, can catch up. Not that the rest of his group feels exceptionally impressed with the skill presented.
Hawkins High doesn’t need a furry mascot for laugh-inducing entertainment when it has Eddie Munson.
“Munson, you’re in Hagan’s team.”
“Oh, for fuck’s-“
“Do not fret, little ol’ Thomas, I sincerely vouch to not dare touch the balls you play with-“
And as the usual song and dance goes, the ball is thrust directly into his stomach.
Several bruises left on his body and ego later Eddie decides it’s simply not worth it, he skips P.E. entirely – avoids it as if it were the ninth circle of Hell. It may as well be, he thinks. Uncle Wayne seems persistent to convince Eddie to try again but after a long and, frankly tiring, conversation the subject is dropped.
Until now.
Eddie stretches out his legs in front of him, the uncomfortable plastic chair digging into his spine and reshaping his already barely-there ass into a flat tire. It’s psychological warfare, it must be, because how else can one explain furniture that defies its primary function so well. Principal Higgins knew well what she did when she chose them to be placed in front of her office. Her own personal little torture chamber.
“The Principal is ready to see you now, Mr. Munson,” the secretary, a pretty blonde in her twenties, tries to smile at him but all that comes out as a result is a grimace stretched thin over her face. It dims further when Eddie stands up making the most noise he possibly could have with the chair sliding across the parquet.
“Sorry,” he says because he is actually sorry. For all his bold persona and jumping on tables, he hates the idea of bothering someone who absolutely does not deserve it. The secretary is nice, he can say that with confidence he’s gained over sitting in that damned red plastic chair too many times to bother counting. He also knows he can be a lot when seated in it – constantly twitching and shifting, mind all too self-aware of the pre-attached uncoordinated body.
Principal Higgins doesn’t look pleased to see him but when does she ever? Eddie personally believes they see each other often enough to be on first-name basis, or at least have this unspoken camaraderie between each other. He thinks the name Margaret would fit her. Tiffany? The only obstacle of their everlasting friendship he can think of is the boundless hatred she has for him. And he has for her.
“Mr. Munson, I’m glad you could join us,” she says, voice syrupy-sweet, so much so it clogs Eddie’s ears for a moment. She has a maroon sweater on today and Eddie thinks it complements the stark bags under her eyes very well. A white blouse ironed to the bone peeks out from underneath it, sleeves rolled up. It’s then that he notices Coach Collins sitting in the chair usually reserved for the culprit’s legal guardian. This is not a usual part of their – Higgins’ and Eddie’s – routine and so it throws him out of the loop a little.
“Please sit,” Higgins points to the only empty seat in her office. Eddie is glad, for what’s it worth, that the chairs here are leagues better than whatever monstrosity his ass still feels the imprint of awaits in the waiting room.
“It wasn’t me,” Eddie says what he always does as he sits down. The Principal doesn’t look any more or less impressed with the line than usual, only letting out a silent sigh.
“Mr. Munson, your attendance ratio in Mr. Collins’ class is abhorrent.”
 Ah. Rough and straight to the point, just the way he likes it.
“I might have missed… a couple of days,” Eddie admits, fiddling with the rings on his fingers. His eyes roam the intricate designs on the carpet. Surprisingly enough they look exactly the same as the last time he’s seen them.
“More like a whole semester, son,” Coach finally decides to take part in this excruciating exchange.
“Normally that amount of missed classes is enough to fail the grade but Mr. Collins was considerate enough to offer you a deal,” Higgins pointedly stares Eddie down as if wanting to force him to slide down to his knees and thank the Coach for the opportunity. As if ‘Mr. Collins’ didn’t turn his head at all the harassment Eddie has faced in his class to begin with.
“Uh-huh.”
“Sport’s Day is coming up. We’d like you to join us this year, Mr. Munson,” she adds, implying she very much would not like him to be there at all but some predestined script requires it. “I believe some teamwork could do you good.”
Yes. Because being stuck with the school’s entire jock population on the football field is somehow better than ten or so of them in a P.E. class. He’s going to die, for sure .
The thing is, he knows they are giving him an excellent out. Sport’s Day is sort-of mandatory, though he’s only attended it once himself. It’s a big event for the school that, in theory, is a great opportunity to let a bit loose and get to know each other. Except, as it often is, a certain part of the Hawkins High population deems themselves as better than others and what should be all fun and games turns puckingly nerve-wracking if you dare to not be pristinely perfect and screw up. Eddie had one attempt in 1982 and hasn’t stick in a foot or arm onto school grounds that day ever since.
“Right,” he says in the end, voice a little strangled. They both clearly take it as him agreeing and, well, he doesn’t really have a choice, does he? Unless he wants to repeat Senior Year again.
He doesn’t.
He really, really doesn’t.
So one full day of excruciating pain it is.
-&-
It’s hot as fucking balls.
The event hasn’t started yet but Eddie can already feel the sweat pooling all over his body. Students stand in small groups all around the yard and it takes him a long while before he spots the Corroded Coffin.
“Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Eddie Munson?”
“Yeah, yeah, yack it up,” he rolls his eyes at Jeff, eyes scanning the area for a semi-hidden smoking spot and finding none. It’s too risky, anyway. He lifts the hem of his shirt to fan himself. “Not like I had a choice.”
They all know about the quote unquote ‘olive branch’ handed out to him by the school but he can feel they’re surprised he decided to follow through with the spectacle anyway.
A long queue forms in the middle of the court, Coach Collins and Jenkins right at the top of it all along with Principle Higgins, each with a jar filled with differently colored strips of material in their hands. Even with no say in the matter, Eddie feels his hand sweating the closer he gets to the harbinger of his doom. Soon enough he will know who is going to make his life hell the next ten or so hours.
“Team yellow,” Collins tells him and gives him the appropriately colored ribbon. Eddie does a apathetic ‘woohoo’ with it before sliding off the side where his new team members reside. He ties the material loosely around his neck because he lives to disrupt the norm. Because fuck Collins.
“I don’t think it’s supposed to go there, dude,” Hawkins’ personal eye-candy, Steve Harrington, tells him upon arrival. Even in this horrid damp weather he keeps smiling for some unknown reason, no strand of hair out of place. He has his basketball uniform on – a simple gray shirt and, oh God, tiny shorts that expose those legs- Eddie snaps his head up so fast he’s surprised it hasn’t cracked and rolled off yet. Perhaps that would be the more merciful solution. A yellow ribbon is residing around Harrington’s sun-kissed bicep.
Great.
“Yeah, well, I’m not a great fan of rules,” he bites, hoping Harrington will just leave him be.
“I know. It’s your whole shtick.” So. That’s a no. Harrington shrugs.
“But sometimes rules are there for a reason,” he says and hooks his finger under the ribbon around Eddie’s neck to tug at it lightly. “To, like, not die.”
However eloquently phrased, Eddie begrudgingly admits – to himself, in his head, never out loud – that there might be a good point hidden somewhere underneath all that hair spray. He wonders if it were Hagan in Harrington’s place would there be a more hands-on approach to this warning. With Eddie being left strangled.
Quite possibly.
He’s not going to test that theory.
“Whatever his majesty wants,” Eddie says as he dutifully unties the yellow ribbon from his neck. And because he never knows when to shut up, he adds, “You don’t have to pretend to be nice, dude. I know me being in your team, like, disrupts your mojo, or whatever.”
Harrington is noticeably not smiling anymore. He doesn’t cross his arms though it looks like he really wants to. There’s a pinch between his eyebrows. It should not be attractive but, alas, Eddie is but a weak man.
“It’s supposed to be fun, man.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Eddie ends up mumbling, feeling out of energy all of a sudden. The queue of students doesn’t seem to be getting any shorter, not that it matters much because all his friends have been scattered throughout all the other teams. He moves to sit on the grass at the edge of their little Yellow group, legs spread out in front of him. The grass is dry under his palms as he leans back, and he wishes he could light an inconspicuous smoke. Even more so when a body slams into him.
“Jesus Christ, what the f-“
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” a girl yelps. “I was trying to tie my shoe but I have, like, no coordination so I kind of fell over you? I didn’t mean to do that, I’m so sorry. Balancing on one leg is so much harder than it looks. Like, honestly, how do cheerleaders even do that thing where they-“
“Whoa, hey, it’s fine,” Eddie jumps in before the girl – Robin Buckley, turns out – faints from lack of air. A yellow ribbon hangs limply off her wrist. Maybe it makes him a bad person but there is a sense of relief knowing he will not be the only ‘uncoordinated’ one on the team. Harrington is going to have an aneurysm for sure.
Robin blinks down at him, lips pulling down in a frown. “Oh, it’s you.”
Okay? Mean.
“Yes?” Whatever imaginary comradery Eddie hoped for seems off the table all of a sudden. Well, that’s a bummer. “Why the long face? Not happy to see a fellow nerd on the team?”
“You stepped on my sandwich last week.”
Ah. Well. That would do it, he supposes. The lunch break speeches… they sometimes get a little intense. Eddie gets a little intense, is what the rest of the Hellfire Club would probably say. Eddie’s shoes have been known to slam face – sole? – first into the best of what the Hawkins High cafeteria had to offer; which is not saying much, to be completely honest.
“My humble apologies,” he tries a little bow and hopes it comes off sincere. Buckley looks less than convinced. Tough crowd, what can he say?
“Alrighty, I think that’s all of us,” Harrington’s overly cheery voice thunders somewhere from above him and Eddie, like a moth drawn to a flame, has no other option but to look up. With his hands power-posed strategically onto his sinfully slim waist and the sun positioned perfectly behind him, Steve Harrington seems to have taken it upon himself to alter Eddie’s brain chemistry, braincells leaving left and right, leaking right through his ears, never to be seen again.
“You’re drooling,” Robin’s monotone informs him from his right and he promptly slams his mouth shut, even though he knows the claim is wildly exaggerated. Buckley may be the best or the worst person he’s ever met – he desperately needs to befriend her.
“First up is the relay-race. We need four people. Anyone up?”
Harrington is met with painful silence and that does dim the cheery smile a little bit. Eddie wonders if that is where the famous King Steve comes out of the hiding, all scary sharp teeth and disregard of basic human decency. He himself stills, for once not wanting to draw any attention to himself, feeling like a student who doesn’t know the correct answer which, not to brag, if you asked Higgins or any other teacher in Hawkins High, is something Eddie excels in. Curiosity, though, is a fickle thing and he’s fallen victim to it more times than he can count, and so when the uncomfortable silence drowns on, Eddie can’t help but take a look around to meet the Team Yellow, so to speak.
Fred Benson peers at him from his thick glasses. A group of scared freshman cower together. There’s a couple of band kids other than Robin Buckley who forgone glaring at the back of Eddie’s head in order to chew on her lip nervously and stare at the ground. Not a jock in sight.
Steve Harrington couldn’t have landed a worse team if he tried. Surprisingly he doesn’t look like he’s about to piss himself over it. Huh.
“Alright, well. I volunteer myself then,” he raises his hand. “That leaves three. Hm? Come on, it’s gonna be fun!”
Eddie can’t help it. He snorts. It’s loud and ugly.
“Well, I guess we have another volunteer,” Harrington preens and Eddie has to see who is idiotic enough to- It’s him, isn’t it? Harrington pulled out the classic teacher move and Eddie fell right into the trap.
“You do not want that, Harrington,” he tells him, trying his best not to show how much the intense eye contact from the jock affects him. It does not. It affects him even less when Steve juts out his bottom lip and tilts his head to the side like a goddamn Golden Retriever.
“Why not?”
“You’re going to lose?”
“It’s not about winning, it’s about teamwork,” Harrington trudges on stubbornly, sounding eerily sincere even while basically quoting every fake-cheery pamphlet in existence. It doesn’t matter how much Eddie tries to convince him it’s a bad idea – a terrible, awful, horrible idea – he doesn’t budge an inch like the stubborn asshole that he is.
“I’ll go last,” he informs Eddie and the other two unfortunate ‘volunteers’ once they reach the track.
“Hey, Harrington,” cuts a familiar voice and there’s Hagan suddenly all up Harrington’s business. “Ready to lose?”
To his credit, all Steve does is raise one eyebrow. “Did Hargrove tell you to come here, or what?”
Eddie appreciates balls on a man, literally and metaphorically, so this cheery but assertive combo is doing things to him that he is not proud of. There is a reason he avoided Steve Harrington for most of high school, and it wasn’t only because of the King Steve jock persona. Eddie may not have a good taste in men but he does have eyes.
“Whatever, man,” Hagan finishes off their little pissing contest in the meantime, strutting right back to Billy, both arms adored by blue ribbons. Harrington’s nostrils flare with each breath before he closes his eyes for a second.  
Eddie isn’t known to make wise choices. One would argue bad decisions run in his blood, screwing things up his very own a generational pattern.
“Uh, you okay, man?”
Harrington’s eyes snap open. Eddie should have never opened his mouth. With Harrington’s intense eyes on him, he feels like Icarus, flying too close to the sun. Steve smiles. Eddie is going to crush and burn any minute now.
“Yeah, sorry,” he keeps his voice light but there’s underlying tension that hasn’t been there before. His eyes appear almost glazed over when he looks over to Billy Hargrove. Eddie’s gut-instinct wants to pin the strange interaction on some jock-code that he is simply not familiar with but that’s not all there is to it. Eddie has fallen victim to the rumor mill many a time during his prolonged high school career and so he tries not to lean into them too much, even when the juicy news of a fight between the former and new king of Hawkins High broke out. One look at Harrington now and he knows, deep down, the impressive shiner on Steve’s face last fall has truthfully been Hargrove’s doing.
Doesn’t matter, really, because Harrington, emanating a true father-at-vacation energy, claps his hands together with too much enthusiasm. “Alright, let’s get this show on the road.”
Getting the show on the road, so to speak, is Abby, a freshman, who does not at all look very confident. Eddie cannot, for a fact, tell if the time passes too fast or too slow as the whistle toots and Abby is on the go, then Nigel, and then-
Eddie leans forward, bends his knees. Suddenly there’s a weight in his hand. Someone is screaming for him to ‘ go, go, go’ !
And Eddie does what he does best. He runs.
By the halfway point, his lungs are on fire, his legs feel like jello. His hair flies out of his bun and he can barely see but, he muses, he might as well try and actually finish something for once. And it’s not because Steve Harrington happens to be waiting on the other side. But maybe that’s a bonus. Who can tell?
The second his hand touches Harrington’s and passes on the stick, his legs give out from underneath him and he falls on his ass with a deeply unsatisfying thunk .
“Nice job, Munson,” says a blurry hand with a bottle of water.
“Thanks,” he says, or tries to, though it comes out slurred. A big swing of water helps.
“You okay?” Robin leans over him before taking a whiff of L’eau d’Eddie and promptly taking an out.
“Aw, I knew you cared, Buckley.”
“I just don’t want you to hurl all over my shoes,” she simply says.
Somehow they are not last. Eddie doesn’t know whether he helped at all or is it simply the power of Steve Harrington’s godlike legs that did all the heavy-lifting, but they finish off in second place, right after Hagan.
Eddie would never admit it out loud, not under threats of death, but it was…kind of fun. Satisfying.
“Eddie, you were amazing!” Harrington runs up to him, sweat pooling over his forehead and neck and Eddie has to stop himself from offering to lick it off.
“Hu-?”
“You never mentioned you’re this fast!”
“Because I’m not? Have you hit your head on the way here, or-?”
Something weird happens with Harrington’s face for a split second but it’s so quick Eddie doesn’t have the time to properly analyze it before he’s smiling again.  
“Not this time, no,” he forces a chuckle. “But you had fun, right?”
Eddie sighs, flops down on the ground to make it extra dramatic. Eyes closed, he reaches out with his hand to make a tiny gap between his index finger and thumb. “Maybe a little.”
A small laugh rings above him, this time genuine, and he hates how he can feel a lazy grin tug at his lips.
Eddie misses at least one round while he lays on the grass. It’s a blissful fifteen-thirty-forty minutes and he revels in it with every whiff of a colder breeze but by minute forty-two the ground doesn’t seem nearly as comfortable as it used to right after the race. The sun assaults his eyes the moment he opens them and he swiftly sits up, trying to shake off loose twigs and dry grass that have gotten entangled with his hair.
Team Yellow has seen better days. While Eddie lounged in the grass they have become a mass of sweat and red heat-swollen cheeks. Whatever disciplines he’s missed, he is glad he has. They are not last on the leaderboard, though – by what miracle, he cannot figure out.
“Eddie!” Steve Harrington, of course, has been spared the same treatment as his team. Hair slightly whipped by the wind and rosy cheeks, he looks as though he just about stepped out of a salon. A tattered yellow-white-blue volleyball sits against his hip. “Just the guy I was looking for. You willing to give it a try?”
Eddie is not.
Not under any normal-adjacent circumstances anyway but Harrington is, consciously or not, giving him his best rendition of puppy eyes. That and Eddie can feel a heated gaze located on the back of his head coming coach’s way. No matter how tempting, he cannot afford to screw this up.
So, in the driest monotone he can muster, Eddie says, “Been waitin’ for that my whole life.”
“Cool,” is all Harrington says before his achingly warm fingers wrap themselves around Eddie’s wrist and tug him towards the court. Buckley is already standing by the net, sending Eddie a miniscule smile of encouragement when he settles on her left, Harrington just behind him.
“Was worried you were a goner by now,” Gareth calls from the other side of the net, a green ribbon tied to his wrist.
“Nah, you know me, Gare-bear,” he flexes his non-existent biceps. “I'm prime material for the next super athlete.”
Someone – Harrington – chokes and coughs behind him. Eddie refuses to look, contribute to the hot and sticky flush of embarrassment that settles over his organs like slime. He has a reputation to uphold, though, so when Gareth raises his eyebrow, silently asking if he is okay – in this team, with King Steve, here and now – Eddie simply rolls his eyes and conspicuously whispers ‘Little Miss Primadonna’, their little nickname for King Steve back in the day.
He doesn’t like how instead of feeling lighter he just feels sick afterwards.
A resounding whistle starts the first set.
Eddie has forgotten how violent and competitive volleyball can get. He jumps away every time the ball comes anywhere near him, Harrington’s sweaty body miraculously appearing right there and then to save the day. It’s maybe the first time today that he can see blips of annoyance on the jock’s face but then as soon as it appears it smooths out and Steve graces him with yet another smile.
“You don’t have to be afraid of the ball,” Harrington off-handedly tells him in-between sets.
“Yeah, well, you tend to start feeling a little bit wary about it after you’ve been hit in the face a few times,” Eddie can’t help but bite back. Harrington looks sad all of a sudden, as though his friends haven’t been the ones to attempt their best at making Eddie’s face concave. He can’t help but yelp when a hairy mass – Steve’s arm – settles over his back and shoulders.
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” Harrington teases but there’s a sincere note in his voice. “I won’t let any balls come near you.”
Harrington – blessed, innocent, Harrington – is thankfully too straight to realize the innuendo he accidentally made but Eddie is most definitely not, face red as he mumbles under his breath ‘I mean, some balls are fine.”
Thankfully he does not hear that either.
Steve keeps his promise with surprising accuracy; no volleyball flies anywhere near Eddie and Harrington is always close by. Which should not bring as much comfort to him as it does. Especially considering Eddie still is unable to figure out why – why is Harrington this nice? Why does he care about Eddie at all? Part of him worries it’s all an act, a grand performance by one King Steve, with a grand finale that promises pain and humiliation right at the crescendo.
Nothing happens.
Well, they lose. Spectacularly. One game, then another, then a third one.
Amid this disaster and despite them being the singularly least athletic team possible, Steve Harrington remains an encouraging and patient captain. Not once does he yell or complain when the majority of the team scrambles away from the ball instead of towards it. Surprising, when Harrington has spent years under the wing of Coach Daniels as the Hawkins High very own basketball team captain.
“You’re good at this,” Eddie thinks out loud, promptly pursing his lips because he did not mean to actually say it. It is in particularly bad self-preservation taste to give a jock more ammo.
“I promised,” is all Steve says with a wink. And for a second, a blink-and-you-miss-it, his eyes go up and down along Eddie’s body, and- But that’s impossible. Harrington is not- He wouldn’t have-
It’s a preposterous cherry on the wild-buck cake he’s been offered today. There must have been a ball hurled his way at one point or another, punching him into another dimension that is similar enough yet decidedly feels a little bit off at every step. He’s rooted in his spot like the idiot that he is. What finally breaks him from the self-induced coma is what caused it in the first place - his ears catch the melodic tune of a Harrington laugh and, just like that, from feet above the ground he falls back to Earth, popping like a balloon with a gun.
For all Buckley piss-poor attempts at appearing done with it all, she sure looks chummy with Steve Harrington all of a sudden, and he does with her as well. It was foolish, stupidly childish, to assume the jock’s attention was for Eddie and Eddie alone.
Harrington pulling out his patented charm with Buckley the same way he did a second ago with Eddie feels like a light stab in his chest. What twists it is them looking Eddie’s way, red cheeks and mirth in their eyes, and letting out a short but audible laugh.
“I’m telling you, dingus.”
 “God, shut up,” but Harrington laughs as he says it, even when he elbows Robin right in the boob.
Dead-set on keeping his eyes on the ground, Eddie tries to move past them. He doesn’t get far.
“Hey, Eddie, I’m trying to convince Robin to go for tug of war,” Harrington tells him for some fucking reason.
“No way, dingus.”
“She’s stronger than she looks,” he adds, poking Buckley in the bicep-less arm. “From carrying that tuba around.”
“Trumpet.”
I haul up the amp at every Corroded Coffin show, Eddie wants to say – would that impress you?
He’s pathetic. He’s fallen from the high pedestal he self-appointed himself at – above the bullshit popularity contest and suffocating do’s and don’ts of small-town’s high school lore – right at the feet of the walking and breathing representation of everything he resents about how the world works, and-
“Yeah, whatever,” he mumbles.
A good smoke is exactly what Eddie needs right now. Fill his being with nothing but puffs of smoke. Students and teachers and even some parents roam around the school grounds but his trusty spot behind the gym is free of the intruders. Two cigarettes in, he refuses to feel sorry for himself any longer.
He’s not going to dwell on something that was a pipe dream to begin with. Not too long anyway. Whatever. He’s fine.
He is .
Steve seems wary of him when he gets back but he brushes it off as well as he can and gets in line behind Fred Benson instead. It’s long jump time.
“Robin’s pretty cool, right?” comes a voice behind him. Eddie yelps.
“Jesus Christ, warn a guy.”
Steve has the audacity to look a little sheepish, hand going to scratch at the back of his neck. “Sorry, man.”
Silence.
“Turns out we have some things in common,” he says, then. And stares. For a long time.
“Okay?”
What does he want Eddie to say? You have my blessing? Congrats?
Steve looks slightly discouraged from continuing his ventures but seems willing to trudge on, for whatever reason. “Maybe-“
“Munson, you’re up!”
Oh, thank God .
Eddie may not be the fastest or the strongest but he has years of avoiding bullies under his belt. That is to say, if he wants to avoid someone, he will find a way to become, well, not invisible, but unreachable at the least. It does not help that at this point he understands Harrington’s newfound obsession with him even less. Maybe for a second Eddie could have thought that – well, that doesn’t matter.  
By hour eight and with only one event left, Eddie feels pretty confident he’s going to survive the whole thing after all and not even be on the losing team somehow. That is until Coach Jenkins announces the farewell match.
“Dodgeball! Yellow against blue,” and whistles loud and clear, no room for complaints.
It all goes surprisingly well until it doesn’t. Until there’s a ball flying his way. Until he faceplants into next week.
Of course it’s Steve Harrington who insists on patching him up in the nurse’s office. “I’m the captain,” he says before anyone else can offer. Not that they were people scrambling to do so, really.
“I’m sorry,” Harrington adds when an icepack settles on the side of Eddie’s head once they arrive.
“What for? ‘Far as I can tell it wasn’t you who threw that,” Eddie narrows his eyes. “Right?”
“No, of course not, Eddie, I would never-“ Steve stops himself and Eddie wants so badly to point out that he ‘would ever’, in fact he ‘did ever’, but that would be a lie. King Steve never stooped as law as the likes of Tommy Hagan or other low-esteem high school bullies. King Steve was always above it all, too high and mighty to bother with mundane shit such as head shooting a nerd with a basketball in P.E. or offering a swirlie. Doesn’t make it right, doesn’t make him any less of an asshole for standing by and watching it happen.
But Harrington hasn’t been King Steve for a while now, has he?
It’s morally questionable. It’s confusing.
Eddie thinks he might be having a concussion.
“I promised,” Steve says instead, and Eddie is really even more convinced a visit to the ER is going to be necessary because- “That I wouldn’t let any ball come near you.”
Ah.
A strange oath to so stubbornly hang onto all things considered.
While Eddie struggles to find an appropriate response Steve decides to take it upon himself to start cleaning the scraped knee with a feather-light touch and precision that comes as a surprise. A minute stretches into five, into ten, as he works, clearing his throat at the end.
“I’ve been told that I’ve been,” he makes quotation marks in the air. “acting like a weirdo.”
“Ah. Well. Who am I to disagree with the King?” Eddie juts out his bottom lip and Steve snorts. Clamps a hand to his mouth, embarrassed, though a glint in his eyes betrays him.
“What’s so funny, Harrington?”
“Nothing. Just – I really do have a type,” Steve shrugs.
“Women that are probably too good for you?”
“Mmm, that, too, but also,” he grabs one of the loose strands that have escaped Eddie’s bun and twirls it between his fingers. Heat rushes to his ears fast and warm and he can barely make out what Steve says next. But he does and- “Cute pout. Curly hair. Beautiful brown eyes. Super smart.”
Eddie swallows. “Steve.”
“Not ‘Harrington’ anymore?”
“If this is a joke-“
“It’s not,” Steve’s hand quickly links and tugs at his. “I promise it’s not.”
“I’m a little lost, dude, not gonna lie.”
“The whole day, I couldn’t keep my eyes off you. You’re… pretty, so pretty. And Robin insisted that you like me, too,” Steve slows down, disentangles his hands from Eddie’s. “But – did I misread this? I- Don’t leave me hanging like that, man.”
Eddie can see the growing panic in Steve’s eyes, desperation in his voice. He can’t help it, his mind comes to a shattering halt.
“Wait, hold on, I- You’re being serious?” Steve nods. “Okay, shit. I-uh. Fuck.”
“This was a bad idea, wasn't it?” Steve fists his hand in his hair, making a mess of it and oh, Eddie cannot allow that, not unless he’s the one that- “I’m so sorry, Eddie-“
One hand on a grey shirt, one with rings getting tangled in-between strands of puffy hair, two pair of lips collide for just a split second. Only a quick pause follows before they are reunited again, and again, and-
“Does that mean,” Steve asks, breathless, between peppering kisses. “that you’ll go out with me?”
“Keep the kisses coming and you have yourself a deal.”
Steve leans away and smirks. Eddie can’t help the little embarrassing whine that leaves his lips. “We stopped. Why did we stop?”
“Told you it’s all about teamwork.”
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ghouljams · 12 days
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Just dropping in to tell you that I adore your Fae AUs. I have a question/request about one if you ever have the time or urge to go back to them :)
One of your later Price ones called Jealousy ends on a line like “you’d do the same for him” and I was wondering if you’d elaborate 👀👉👈
Jealous witch?
Witch tends to keep her emotions under very tight control, since her magic responds so readily to them, but she has her moments. Plus I feel like I haven't written for these two in ages. So of course you can have witch being jealous <3
It's a lovely summer day, warm and sunny. The air smells green from last night's rain and the sky is blue. It's well worth the trip into the country, even if your back aches from the train ride. OK maybe not from the train ride itself but from your plus one holding you at an odd angle to fuck you in the trains little stall bathroom. You smooth your hands over your dress and thank your quick thinking for being bringing a pair pair of panties. You glance at Price as he tucks the come soaked ones deeper into his pocket, looking perfectly content with himself.
You ignore him in favor of checking your mental list. Pagan festivals are one of the best places for you to buy harder to find ingredients, and sell more specialized potions, they're also one of the few places you feel right at home. Or can delude yourself into feeling at home. Truth be told you still feel out of your element with all the new witches. You don't speak the same language as them, don't carry yourself the same way, don't look at the world like they do. You're glad to have Price with you. At least having someone to lean on when you're drained is enough to keep you going.
Price's fingers skate over the wards you'd drawn down your arm to hold your hand. Giving it a reassuring squeeze before pulling you through the train station to the gates. The little town is positively buzzing with magic, you can see wards carved into cornerstones, rosemary by garden gates, and iron locks on front doors.
"Wild's creeping it's way in," Price hums, and you stretch your senses a little further to feel for the edge of it. You suppose it's as good a place as any for fae to mingle with humans, you doubt they'll stick around though. Here for the party and gone before they set down roots. You glance at Price, good hunting too you suppose.
You don't realize how right you are until you're counting lovage seeds, and see Price talking to another witch. You assume she's a witch. You pause, staring at her. She's rather pretty, with dark hair and blue eyes, and a black tourmaline necklace. It isn't her looks though, no it's her magic. You can feel it like an overflowing bucket. A small cup stuck under a running faucet, she can't hold all the magic she's pulling in and she's set up no guards to stop the overflow. You wonder what she did to be siphoning magic off like that, how naive she'd have to be to try to take more than she can handle. You worry your brows, no, maybe it's simpler than that: she simply has no wards set up to keep herself contained.
You tuck your newest purchase into your bag, sure that Price must be trying to make a deal. It churns something strange in your stomach that he chose someone so pretty to try and snare, but this is what he does. There are too many crones here, too many people warded against the fae, he has to take his chances with those that don't know better.
She smiles at him and you feel your blood run cold. He touches her arm and your fingers tighten on the straps of your bag. He leans closer to speak to her and she laughs. Your breath comes too quick, your eyes latched onto the pretty blush that's painting her cheeks. You hope it's the sun making her warm and not your man. It's too sudden for you to tamp it down, too aggressive an emotion to bottle. You hate her. You hate her with every fiber of your being. It's written on your bones, it's stamped on every platelet every nerve ending: you hate her. You want her gone. You want that stupid smile wiped off her face. You want those pretty blue eyes to pop out of her head and that pretty blush to bleed out of her pores. You hate, hate, hate-
Her nose starts bleeding. A small trickle of red that pools on her cupid's bow, and drips over her pink lips. She frowns, her brows twitching together. She touches her lip, then her temple. Bloodshot veins creep over her eyes, as she blinks to stop the sharp pain of tears. Price looks at you as her skin pales, and takes a step in front of her. You try to glare through him, your anger feels so palpable, feels so justified.
He grips the back of your neck, and pulls you up out of your angry hunch. You meet his raised brow with a petulant glare. "You're tainting the meat," he tells you with a smile. You blink. Your head hurts. Price releases his scruff on you to swipe his thumb over your forehead with a hum. It's like a cold towel being pressed to your brow, blissful in the heat, and tight against your quickly boiling headache. "Are you gonna curse all my meals or just this one?"
"She's pretty," you mumble, explaining yourself as best you can in the face of such an accusation. His thumb strokes your head, affectionate, calming. There's no magic to it besides the gentle affection that flows between you. You press into the feeling all the same.
"And come from so far away," Price agrees, "just another poor girl gone missing on holiday."
"Not funny," you warn, though it does stop some of that awful squirmy feeling to know he was going to eat her. You don't think you like how cavalier he is about murdering this poor girl(never mind that you were going to murder her).
"Man's gotta eat," he glances over his shoulder, "and it's not like I'm the only one eyeing her."
You glance around him, another man's taken his place, cooing over her and offering her a tissue. His eyes are too bright, his smile too wide. He has an extra finger. Price grips your arm tight before you can run to help a woman you had, not two seconds ago, been cursing.
"Chumming the water," Price mumbles. You wrap your hand around his wrist and tug him in the opposite direction. You're so cute when you're angry.
"You don't eat me enough?" You grumble, he can feel the embarrassed heat coming off of you. If he knew you'd be so jealous over him, he might have tried this sooner. She was pretty, you're right, but nothing compared to you.
"Not even close," Price says pressing close as you drag him along, "happy to get on my knees now if you need me to prove it, know quite a few people would be dying to see me do it too."
"You're incorrigible," you take a sharp turn back to your little booth.
"Two on your right, one ahead, three behind staring at you like they'd do the same." Price lists, "you think I don't want to rip their fucking eyes out?"
"I wasn't cursing her." You huff.
"If you think that's going to save you, you'd better start trying a different line," Price hums happily. He's never had someone kill for him without orders before. It's rather nice. Your table cloth would probably hide him if he crawled under there, right?
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muffin-snakes-art · 6 months
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Hi. So I’m not a Layton guy and all THAT familiar with the lore, but a close friend of mine is, and as far as I understand Layton has a dead girlfriend? Can I please know who Magolor’s dead girlfriend equivalent in this AU is? I’m legitimately so curious. /pos
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I have been thinking A LOT about which Kirby character would fit Claire's (dead gf) role. In the end I chose Taranza bc I feel he and Claire are the most similar in character. They're both really good at what they do (Claire: brilliant scientist - Taranza: immaculate mage), quick thinkers, humble, and have a lot of love to give.
I'll explain more under the cut (along with images of Claire and younger Layton for design ref), but Taranza could've also fit in as a couple other characters bc I made Sectonia as Descole. In this essay I will-
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In Kirby there's an interesting connection between Magolor and Taranza. Primarily based on that one Magolor portrait in that haunted house in Triple Deluxe (like ok huh????) and also that one Star Allies Wave 3 illustration.
With that portrait existing, to me it implies that Magolor has met Taranza and Sectonia before the events of the game somehow. This theory is further backed up with the Old Friend mask in Merry Magoland. Magolor would HAVE to have known what Joronia looked like before her transformation, and that means he would also have met Taranza too at that time. I could be completely wrong about this HAHA but those are my thoughts on that.
When Wave 3 was announced, I didn't think much on the connection of the 3 characters other than they were from the first three core games of modern Kirby. But then they posted this art piece.
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It's so cute how Magolor and Taranza combined their magic to create a shield for Kirby!! Both of their respective magic circle designs are melded together perfectly. Did they practice together on their own to perform this or was that a lucky in-the-moment occurrence? Either way, they must know and understand each other's magic abilities to a decent extent. Like how both Claire and Layton understands each other's careers and goals. Layton is a professor in archeology. Claire is a scientist researching time travel and other stuffs. Those fields go hand in hand, and the two do what they can to support and improve each other's passions.
Now onto the other characters that Taranza would've fit as and reasons why I ended up putting him as Claire.
So I put Sectonia as Descole. Descole has an extremely loyal partner/butler/henchman named Raymond. Yea Taranza would easily fit as him, but a few things made me decide not to. Descole may appear cold and not show it, but even in his madness he cares for Raymond. He does order Raymond around, but he still gives Raymond freewill to do as he pleases. Sectonia is very controlling over Taranza. If Raymond were to make mistakes, I don't see Descole punishing him for them. Sectonia would. She blasted Taranza away for mistaking Dedede as the hero of the lower world. Maybe when she was Joronia she wouldn't and wasn't as controlling but....I feel we don't have the full story on their relationship. I also focused more on Sectonia's overall in-game personality. I absolutely love seeing the two spiders enjoying each other's company and having fun, but in-game we never really got what Joronia really thought of Taranza. As Sectonia, she saw him as a disposable servant. You can say her personality was corrupted by the mirror, but I personally believe the mirror actually amplified her negative feelings and views. Negative emotions are brought up a lot in Kirby lore. I personally find that more interesting than just the mirror possessing her or something. I may be very wrong on that, but those are what I thought about.
Last reason, which is uhm, Raymond saves Descole from death FGDHSJ I don't think I need to elaborate on that. It would be so neat and ironic to have Taranza as Raymond, but I also wanna keep things in line as possible with Kirby lore canon.
Yet, who could be Raymond then? Idk fgdsj that's why I struggled so much. If Claire wasn't an option, Taranza would've been Raymond.
Now the one other character Taranza could've fit as is Descole's late wife. His wife was never mentioned by name, to my memory, and didn't have a huge role in the games. There's not enough information on who she was. I wanted to give Taranza a fitting role in personality and importance.
So in the end after all that thinking, Claire it is! I also don't know who else in the Kirby cast would fit her better and be Professor Magolor's late partner. One may think Susie would fit Claire more, but I've already decided she will be Emmy. Emmy's and Susie's personalities are very similar to me. And Emmy's lore? Fits quite well with Susie's. I'll draw that at some point.
So uh yea. Thanks for reading all that if you did! Hope you enjoyed the insanity
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