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saphirered · 3 years

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The Wizard and the Warrior

Boy it’s been busy. Double shifts whenever I’ve been free and uni starting again have really been a hassle but I managed to get in some writing so I hope you enjoy this final instalment of the Eldritch Knight series! Was going to split this one in two parts but didn’t work out so sorry for that. Hope you like it! 😘

You didn’t know what to expect when you were pulled through the world away from the homey Xhorhaus but you definitely didn’t expect the sound of waves in the distance and seagulls, the subtile smell of salt water and sand and an ocean breeze to hit you when you reappeared. Upon your vision taking in the new surroundings you find yourself standing under one of the opal archways looking out over a covered market selling all sorts of goods from street foods and drinks to knickknacks and jewellery, merchants calling for the attention of the people strolling about, negotiating prices or shouting their latest discount to pull in new customers. You’re in Nicodranas.

Essek knew he made the right decision when he sees the joy and excitement on your face. His feet tap the ground and he walks instead of floating, not wanting to draw any more attention that necessary and instead just enjoy these moments with you without the possibility of people finding out who you really are. Today you’d just be normal people without the weight of the world balanced on your shoulders. Today you got to be ordinary tourists exploring a city you otherwise never could. Nobody knows you’d be here.

You stroll about the market arm in arm moving from shop to shop and stand to stand inspecting wares, admiring them and listening to the stories the merchants tried to sell you. Both of you knew better and were able to easily distinguish truth from lies but that didn’t mean you didn’t like playing along every so often.

When you reached near the end of the market square the canopies started leaving gaps and eventually disappeared. Essek did his best to hide his winces whenever the sunlight was particularly bright. The sun was setting but it would still be another hour or so until it was fully set and he might have underestimated the brightness of the light. He didn’t let it bother him and pulled through. The slight discomfort is one-hundred percent worth looking upon your face as you bartered with another merchant.

Essek was partially blinded from where he stood while you browsed the wares of a man selling all sorts of curiosities but he couldn’t really move elsewhere without leaving your side or stepping into the path of walking people so he stuck and stayed relying on his hearing instead. You were bartering with the man as he put prices to the things you showed interest in and you tried to get a better price because you were fully aware you could get something similar if not the same for much cheaper. Essek couldn’t do anything but admire your skill and careful navigation of this encounter showing you had not left your wits with your armour back in Rosohna.

Once you got a good deal you bought your findings; a wide sheer shawl more like a thin blanket to wrap around your shoulders as you knew upon nightfall the breeze could bring a chill, a decorated silver bracelet with an inset purple gem that showed silver specks like stars whenever it caught the light just right and something else… Once done you pulled Essek aside into the full cover of one of the canopies and Essek was thankful for the break.

You’d expected Essek to have broken or admitted to his discomfort before when you noticed him wince every time the canopy lifted upon the wind and allowed the sun to bleed through right where he stood. You knew drow senses are attuned to darker spaces and in turn therefor experience a sensitivity to daylight.

“Will you stop being stubborn and just admit when something bothers you?” You say sternly as Essek rubs his eyes to get rid of the dark spots clouding his vision. When he sees the look you give him he bites his lip in shame. Apparently he hadn’t done such a good job of hiding it after all.

“I may not be able to do anything about the sunlight but I can do this.” You take out a parasol of a dark grey almost black colour with ornate lace designs added to it. It does enough to shield those under from the light and should prevent Essek from experiencing downsides of his drow heritage. Before he can protest you link your arm with his again holding the parasol above the two of you and shield yourselves from the light.

“Don’t worry. You can thank me by providing your company over a meal with me until the sun sets and we can go outside again without you burning off your retinas. I know just the place.” You smile as you begin leading Essek away to a different part of the city. You may not be the most familiar with Nicodranas but you know how to get to most places you’ve been before. You know your way from this market square to the Lavish Chateau so you begin leading Essek in that direction.

“There’s a great fish and chips shop on the way near Tidepeak I don’t think that kind of street food is really your style.” You say as the Tidepeak comes into view.

—————

Meanwhile the Nein and Verin stumble out into the teleportation circle room at the Tidepeak. They cracked the code and figured it out based on the list of places Verin had found among Essek’s notes. They knew exactly where Essek was going so it wouldn’t be much effort to find you two right? What harm has a little spying ever done to anyone? Maybe don’t answer that question. They had come for their own reasons be that to watch an epic romance unravel, dig up some dirt to tease or blackmail either of you with, or simply to keep the others in check.

“Shit. Should we have send a message?” Jester panics looking around for the goblin that usually helps them on their way and informs Yussa of their arrival.

“Not again.” Beau exclaims in exasperation. Yes again. And again they explain to Wensforth this is a matter of the utmost importance and expediency and they couldn’t have sent a message beforehand or lost too much time. Wensforth luckily for them didn’t have it within him to question their strange reasonings as he escorted them out of the tower and left the to their business.

—————

Within the Lavish Chateau you found out Essek had made a reservation and the guards and servers seemed to be extremely welcoming and attentive to the both of you for some reason you raised an eyebrow when a top shelf bottle of wine was brought out and left at your table once your glasses were poured and you awaited your food.

“Do I want to ask how you did all this?” You swirl your finger around gesturing to your surroundings. “Because last I was here, not even the daughter of the Ruby of the Sea and her friends get this kind of attendance.”

“Then perhaps it’s best you don’t ask.” Essek smiles proudly.

“How many of the Nicodranian nobility have cleared their debt with the Dynasty or reminded of their indiscretions then?” You ask giving him a look over your glass as you take a sip of delicious wine. Top shelf really is worth it.

“I thought you weren’t going to ask.” You hook your ankle around his from under the table and pull your leg back, Essek briefly loses balance but not enough to throw him off and fall from his seat. He gives you a disapproving and teasing look as you laugh. Food is served and just like everything, it’s perfect. Essek really put in the work to make this all happen and if the sunlight hadn’t thrown you off his schedule you can’t even fantom what else he had planed for your date. Though, he didn’t seem to mind the change of plans a single bit.

Pleasant conversation about everything and nothing all the same, asking questions so trivial you didn’t think Essek would ever even have been capable of being so relaxed and free of responsibility. When it falls silent for a second and Essek catches you staring at him in thought he studies you closer.

“What?” Essek asks as you hum.

“Just thinking?”

“A copper for your thoughts then?” Essek puts his glass down. He doesn’t want to pry or ask out of turn but he is curious as of what got that dreamy expression on your face when you retreated within your own mind for that moment.

“All of them?” You grin.

“If you are willing to reveal them.” Essek returns to your surprise, fully aware of the meaning behind your words and yet he still plays along. These kind of moments are rare with Essek unless you are completely alone so you’ll revel in the fact that he lets go like he does right now and hope you’d be able to see this side more often.

“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want you to get all flustered upon my voicing certain thoughts.” You tease, mischievous look in his eyes as he leans in on his elbows on the table and tilts his head amused.

“Then perhaps keep it limited to your most recent ones? For now at least.” You snort and almost choke on the sip of wine you took bur recover quickly. You definitely didn’t see that one coming.

“Oh so he does play the game in public without shame. You are full of surprises today, aren’t you?” You drop the teasing and turn to your observation. “I was just thinking I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so carefree. I’d love to see this side of you more often if you’ll let me.” The teasing drops from Essek’s face and his expression turns into one of genuine affection.

“I’d love nothing more.” Your glasses are refilled as the crowd begins gathering for the performance of the Ruby of the Sea.

—————

The Mighty Nein and Verin follow Jester leading them from place to place on the list but no matter how much they search they can’t find you. Last they heard you were seen buying some stuff from a merchant and then nothing so they had resorted to going down the list until they’d found you but still nothing. Over an hour had passed and the sun long since set, lanterns lit to lead the ways.

They search high and low following the list Verin had found but don’t find you and Essek anywhere. Nicordanas is a big city and turns out finding a buff pretty person and a hot boi drow are a lot harder to find than they initially thought. So, having given up the search they instead turn to a place to drink and wallow in self pity for not spying on the date. Jester knows just the place… No better place than the Lavish Chateau. Maybe her mom will even perform tonight!

When they reach the Lavish Chateau the crowd’s already gathering but with sheer determination and the threatening of some they make it through and find a table, their drinks served as Jester goes off to say hi to her mom before the performance. Then of course Verin and Beau ask about a couple, describing you and Essek having come through here. Instead they’re pointed to a private table out of the direct sight of the entrance but in full view of what is to be the Ruby’s performance space, and if Beau knows anything, a really really expensive bottle of wine shared between the two of you as you sit around laughing and engaging in happy conversation.

As they watch, Essek and you suddenly being the most interesting thing in the entire room they notice a blush creeping up your face as you twirl one of the flowers in your hair returning an equally daring comment of your own, your fingers dancing over the back of Essek’s hand outstretched towards you until he closes his hand and grasps them. You gasp and giggle as he intwines your fingers with his and you making a comment that sends a deep purple crawling up the wizard’s cheeks. The Nein watch, some swooning at the cuteness, the others in surprise and a hint of disgust akin to that of watching your sibling be sugary sweet romantic with their partner you do not want to witness, and the rest like encouraging friends glad their friends have found happiness within each other.

The performance is about to begin and you spot a blue tiefling running down the stairs as quick as she can darting to one of the tables. You already had the feeling you were being watched for the past fifteen minutes but thought nothing of it as since no action was taken yet and the crowd grew, if it were assassins or the likes again, they’d have come for you before as to not make a scene. Getting confirmation your friends had tracked you to Nicodranas and found you here. You’re not surprised but rather impressed and the addition of what clearly looks like a drow soldier of some repute with features similar to Essek lead you to believe this must be his infamous brother he’d been complaining about plenty of times. You move your chair as if to get a better view of the performance to come and sit right next to Essek. You weren’t the only one who noticed them.

“Do you think they know we know they’re here.” Essek leans into your shoulder as he speaks.

“No. Not this time but if you weren’t so caught up in admiring me you’d have noticed them first.” You lean in closer, whispering into his ear as you speak.

“You are quite distracting.” Essek defends with a laugh.

“I’ve seen Beau and your brother gag and complain twice now. Is this the point where we return the favour and give them a show to remember?” You suggest with a glint of mischief within your eyes.

“How could I refuse?” Essek’s word are enough for you to further provoke the Nein and take it up a notch, or several.

“Tell me if something makes you uncomfortable and I’ll stop.” You halt your teasing and allow your tone to turn more serious. Essek does the same when you do.

“Only if you promise to do the same.” Essek doesn’t know if it’s the wine or your shared desire to make them suffer for interrupting your date like they did. Probably the latter. Most definitely the latter. Let them squirm.

The Ruby comes down the stairs singing and everyone hangs onto her every word, her entire being like she’s a siren from the depths ready to lure in hopeless sailors. As her performance continues you move yourself closer to Essek until your sides are pressed together. Essek’s arm wraps around you pulling you close into his side and to your surprise, onto his lap. You lean your head against his shoulder and whisper sweet nothings, as you play with the fingers of his free hand lovingly. You pay attention to the performance, little attention needed for this display of affection as it comes surprisingly natural and unrestrained to the both of you.

You lift your head and lean towards Essek, but an inch away from his lips, making eye contact as you whisper something to him but the Nein can’t hear over the singing and you’re too far away to lip read for anyone. It’s so frustrating but holy hells, they never knew Essek had a romantic bone in his body, let alone the guts to drop his composed and emotionally constipated side completely around you. They definitely didn’t see this coming and even Beau could relate to Jester’s possible ideas of turning this into some kind of smutty romance novel because that’s what it looked like.

When you leaned back, always teasing and never close enough to actually kiss, you watched the performance more. Both you and Essek admired the show the Ruby was putting on. Her song as beautiful as she is but you might have connected with her a little more than anyone else in the room because when she passed your table and saw you and Essek she gave you a knowing smile. A knowing smile that showed she knew exactly when a performance was being put on, the courtesan’s ability to read people shining through once more when she winked at you before she turned around and found her way to the table of the Nein, distracting them from you and pulling the attention to herself.

Essek was surprised and didn’t really know what to make of what just happened but next he knows he’s being pulled away from his seat by you and dragged to a side exit, abandoning the table mid performance. Out in the street you take off running and then it hits him; a moment of privacy. You played everyone, even him in the end when you appeared to have your attention fully on the Ruby of the Sea but instead you had a nonverbal agreement with the woman. Regardless of his thoughts you kept running towards the eastern edge of the city, through the gates and to the beach. Freedom.

The moon and stars and city lights within the walls as your light source you pulled Essek along to the shoreline, laughing your asses off. You’ll have to remember to give Marion a big thanks next time you see her. Once safely away from the city sure you’re far enough away from the city you slow your pace and walk side by side along the beach.

“As clever as ever.” Essek compliments as you bump your shoulder into his with a grin. You offer Essek a hand as you climb over some rocks blocking your path. Essek takes it but instead of climbing he just hoovers over without any difficulty.

“While, I’d gladly take credit I think you deserve at least half. Did you see the looks on their faces?” Your laughter rings like chimes in reminisce of your friends. It’s music to Essek’s ears.

“I could never forget.” You stop and lower yourself onto the sand, gently pulling Essek’s arm inviting him to join. He does and sits down next to you as stare at him.

“Today was a good day. We should do this more often.” You sigh in content. There’s just something about the drow and the starry night sky behind him that makes him look so ethereal, you could look at him for ages and never get bored.

“Being run out of a city by our friends for a moment of privacy?” Essek deadpans and you playfully shove him.

“While it was certainly eventful I think I could do without uninvited company next time.” In comfortable silence you both watch the view. Moon reflecting on the ocean, sound of gentle push and pull of the water against the shore and the thousands of stars scattered throughout the sky giving the both of you a sense of warmth and comfort.

“You certainly found your courage tonight. I never thought you capable of such intimate displays of affection.” You comment and Essek turns his gaze to you. Despite the low light you notice the slight darkening of his cheeks a he takes in a breath.

“I partially blame the determination to push my brother’s buttons.” You snort.

“And the other part?” Essek decides to humour you with and answer even though you hadn’t expected one.

“You, as my partner in crime as some might say, made it easy to put on such a display. Though, I will admit to not being so open and frivolous in my affection with an audience, I did enjoy them nonetheless.”

“Well then, I’m glad my frivolous affection brings you joy.” You say and Essek is about to correct himself for his words but stops when he notices you holding back your smile. You know exactly what he meant and when Essek notices it’s his turn to gently shove you. You gasp even though you’re physically unmoved.

“Aren’y you all courage tonight? Careful now or I’ll toss you into the ocean.” You jest.

“It seems both of us have not been lacking any courage this night.” Essek comments and he’s right. With the antics of the day, and your grand escape, you might never have had it been any other situation. You really did enjoy it and wouldn’t change a single thing. Well, maybe add something but there’s no time like the present so maybe you’ll just ask.

“Then, in a bout of courage, I will ask you this. May I kiss you?” Essek does a double take in case he heard your words wrong but the expression written all over you confirms he has in fact heard you loud and clear. Still he doesn’t miss a beat in his answer. He’s already made up his min.

“You certainly may.” With that you close your eyes and lean in placing your lips onto Essek’s in a gentle kiss. No pretend, no faked lust or intimacy but honest, clear and unrestrained emotion. When you pull away you’re both smiling like fools.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” You whisper as Essek leans in carefully to kiss you this time, lips moving together in a slightly deeper kiss. His hand finds your cheek holding your face lightly caressing a thumb over your cheekbone.

“I could say the same.” Essek speaks when you pull apart for a moment, foreheads leaning against each other. Many more kisses follow, varying from gentle and sweet to passionate and deep, whatever suits your needs. You have no intention of getting off this beach near Nicodranas any time soon nor do you have anywhere to be so here you’ll stay enjoying each other’s company until the sun rises.

From behind the rocks not too far away, eight people watch the wizard and the warrior finally do what some of them had hoped they would in the months they’ve gotten closer. Others are turning away while maybe peaking through at times, solely to see their friends happy with each other despite the chaos of the world but not without going right back to quieting their gagging noises of ‘not wanting to see the people who they consider their family making out’.

“Oh my god! This is going to be so good, you guys. They’re so cute!” Jester whispers already taking notes and working out the story in her head. It’s going to be an epic love tale of two star-crossed lovers for sure. Maybe she can question you on the more spicier details later, get this book to sell at the Chastity's Nook some day?

“Ugh. Let’s go. I can’t watch this any longer. Drinks?” Verin doesn’t resist and follows Beau, Yasha and Fjord back to Nicodranas. Caduceus has a bit more difficult of a time to drag the cleric and rogue away as the latter enabling her actions instead of giving you some much deserved privacy. He succeeds eventually leaving you and Essek behind to enjoy the rest of your night with a smile. Nothing better than people finding their own happiness.

#critical role x reader #critrole x reader #mighty nein x reader #essek x reader #essek thelyss x reader

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andrea-lyn · 3 years

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The Recs (Less Travelled)

I’m excited to bring you the first installment of my ‘roads less travelled’ recs! I will be doing another round of this, probably once the Ted Lasso fic tag hits about 25 pages, and then I’ll also grab a couple more fandoms to collect in there!

The Rules:

Each fandom/pairing was sorted on Archive of Our Own by completed works. Anything recced here was not in the first ten pages when sorted by kudos at the time of reccing. There may be some more well-known authors on this list, but the specific fics I’ve picked are ones that didn’t crack that top ten or just didn’t get much traction and I think deserve it, so hopefully I have also balanced it out with other under the radar (and still great!) works. As ever, I have a pinned post of my other recs (none have been duplicated from there), so you can also check those out! Under the cut you’ll find 10 recs in each fandom for:

Raven Cycle

Roswell New Mexico

The Old Guard

Inception

Star Trek (mainly Kirk/McCoy)

The Raven Cycle

savor all the little pieces by littlelionvanz

“Since when do you garden?”

Ronan snorted, “Since I grew up on a fucking farm, genius. Jesus who gave you permission to pursue higher education.”

the old grip of the familiar by littleseal

"There is a single black feather and a printed out picture of Gansey, Blue and Cheng standing in front of some fucking monument Ronan didn’t care enough to remember the name of. Gansey sent it to Ronan’s phone some time ago, but it sat in his messages until Adam picked it up and grinned at it so hard that, one afternoon later, Ronan cursed and kicked and glared his old printer back to life in order to print it out.

Fuck, he thinks, I’m in love with a hoarder."

Adam collects things. Ronan is in love with him.

No Sweeter Innocence Than Our Gentle Sin by gansey_is_our_king

Ronan Lynch has wanted to kiss Adam Parrish for a long time.

(alternately titled: four times that Ronan could have kissed Adam)

Cheers to Another Seven Years! by skyermirth

Adam left Henrietta for Harvard and never returned. Now, seven years has passed, and an unexpected work assignment has brought him back to a place and people he hardly recognizes.

Row, row, row your boat by emmerrr

“What. Why are you smiling at me,” he says suspiciously.

Adam shrugs. “You’re cute.”

“I’m not cute, I’m terrifying.”

“Terrifyingly cute,” Adam says.

and now the world is ours to take / and every single move is ours to make by thatlittleblackcat

"Adam was the scientist, Ronan was the data, and Orphan Girl was the key that explained the strange outliers that Ronan presented, his previously unexplainable actions."

Adam sorts out his feelings, Ronan helps him, Gansey is the number one dad friend, Blue is the number one mom friend and Henry tries to make Ronan smile. Otherwise known as the story of how Orphan Girl became Opal.

All These Things You Make Me Feel by SilverOpals394

It was late. Adam could feel the long day catching up to him as he left Boyd’s, all his energy exhausted. When he started his car, the tape deck whirred to life once more. He sighed and raised his hand to turn it off, but before he did a soft melody began to play.

AU in which the mixtape Ronan made for Adam only plays the murder squash song until Adam realizes he's in love with Ronan, too.

Ways to Communicate by Jalules

Blue Sargent reflects on an early memory (and gets busy with her boyfriends.)

(The two things are related, trust me.)

Hold Me Closer, I'm Safe in Your Arms by actuallyronanlynch

“You wanna tell me why I had to hear from Henry Cheng that my boyfriend was at the hospital?” Adam hissed, though his voice wasn’t as acidic as it could’ve been. Ronan took small victories where he could.

“You don’t have a cellphone,” Ronan pointed out flatly. “It’s not like I could’ve gotten a hold of you.”

arts and crafts and the inevitability of death by sunshineinthestorm

Adam comes to the public library in search of a study spot, not a boyfriend.

But it must be his lucky day—because he ends up with a bit of both.

Roswell New Mexico

a conversation between insignificant others by Bellakitse

“Hey…have you noticed that our boyfriends are madly in love with each other?"

“You noticed that too, huh,” she answers dryly, letting out a huff of reluctant amusement.

***

Forrest and Maria share a drink and a conversation and start a friendship.

Own Personal Hell by BeStillMySlashyHeart

Now that Isobel's getting the hang of her telekinesis, Michael decides to test out his telepathic abilities. It backfires. Badly. Now Michael's trapped inside his own mind and only one person can break him out.

Drop the Hammer by brightloveee

Max makes a new friend at the shooting range, who turns out to be even more bad-ass than he expected.

(Takes place mid-S1)

Boys Like You by forgadgetsandgizmos

Curly, dirty blond hair (the mere description ‘curly’ felt like an injustice) twisted in every direction off his head, a sharp contrast with the scruff darkening his strong jawline and scowl-ridden face.

Alex made a mental note to compliment Maria on her excellent taste in men.

—

Or, Alex has coffee with Maria's one-night stand, a man who he definitely does not have a crush on.

let's exchange the experience by lostin_space

Michael decides they need to quarantine.

Michael floods Alex with love and care over and over and over.

This Is Hardcore by Anonymous

Michael makes a proposal. Alex accepts. Michael wonders what the hell he’s gotten himself into.

i don't know what to think (but i think of supernovas) by Milzilla

michael discovers that the console can talk. then, he discovers it can do far more than that.

iridescence on skin by Lire_Casander

In a world where (almost) everyone has a tattoo on their right wrist with one set of coordinates that point to the place where their soulmate is born, Alex thought he wouldn't be any different. He couldn't be more mistaken.

He has two.

The Real Thing by elliebird

Max checks on Michael the morning after Michael saves Max’s ass from Wyatt Long and his dumbass buddies. He sees more than he’s supposed to.

Written for a Tumblr anon who one of their friends walking in on them or anyone of them finding out about Michael and Alex in an interesting way

Sundering by romancandles

“You know it was just an Air Force balloon, right?” says Alex.

Michael smirks. “That’s what they want you to think,” he says, with a wink.

The Old Guard

Peer Reviewed by ishandahalf

[From:] Journal of Medieval Studies ([email protected])

[Subject:] Ad-hoc note from the editor

I have noticed an uncommon level of animosity in your responses to your reviewers (or rather, one reviewer in particular). I am writing to ask if you would please do your best to keep your interactions civil. In fairness, I have also sent a similar request to the reviewer you seem to have this friction with. I trust you will both try and remain more professional in the future.

Again, thank you for submitting your work to this journal.

Sincerely,

James Copley, PhD

Editor-in-Chief

Journal of Medieval Studies

An (accidental) academic epistolary romance as (inadvertently) documented via a (theoretically) rigorously blinded peer review process.[citation needed]

third for a word and the song keeps going Macremae

It was honestly shaping up to be a pretty uneventful year before the Vatican got on Nicky’s bad side.

Or: three times in 2008 that the team genuinely thought about killing Nicky if only to get him to shut up about the changes to the Catholic English Mass and his unrelenting opinions on them, and one time Nile did.

Apex Predators In Island Ecosystems (Freeman et al., in press) by Sixthlight

Palaeobotany PhD student Nile Freeman and her supervisor Joe al-Kaysani are invited to billionaire Stephen Merrick’s new project – a theme park full of cloned dinosaurs. What could possibly go wrong?

This Rough Magic by Marivan

When Joe came to Scotland to study the sea, he did not expect to also encounter a beautiful man claiming that A. he’s a selkie and B. they’re married because Joe picked up his scarf.

It sounds like a fairy tale and that’s a problem. Because Joe’s a scientist. And selkies don’t exist.

Wars for the broken by Yuliares

Five years into his exile, Booker is joined by a companion he never expected to meet. Together, they try to work on healing.

Sometimes they go down to the sewers just so she can scream and scream. “I like to hear it echo,” she explains. “Underwater, you can’t hear anything. Here, at least I can be heard.”

“I don’t feel like a warrior anymore,” she tells him, throwing bread crumbs at pigeons. “I feel broken.”

“You’re still a warrior,” he says roughly. “This is still fighting.”

a good (eighth) impression by deanniker

Over the next few months, Joe runs into Nicky every so often at the farmer’s market. Some weekends Nicky doesn’t make it, because of his work schedule - Joe doesn’t understand it because he doesn’t ask, though he does start to recognize when one of those missing weekends is coming up because Nicky will stock up on things with longer shelf-life. When they do run into each other, they make small talk and move through the stalls together.

Joe doesn’t mention it to Lykon when he stops by, because it is kind of weird, that Lykon’s ex-boyfriend texts Joe things like - If you’re here, the apples look particularly good this week and thank you for that recipe, I did not know what I was going to do with that much couscous

Or,

Joe wouldn't usually consider starting anything with his best friend's ex, but as long as they keep it casual, it shouldn't be weird... right?

get back to where you once belonged by tenderjock

Nile takes a sip of her cappuccino and closes her eyes.

(Booker and Nile get that coffee. Life happens, along the way.)

a house; a home by mehm

“Is this a kidnapping?” Joe asks as Nicky checks both their seat belts. “Like, I don’t mind. It’s just not quite what I expected for my birthday.”

In which Joe gets a birthday surprise, because that’s the stuff you have time for when you and the love of your life become mortal at the same time.

the ties that bind by damaskrose

“There’s a story I heard many times,” Andy begins, “in the Mediterranean. Threads of fate and three sisters. One to spin, one to measure, and one to cut.”

Clutter And Croutons by flawedamythyst

Joe and Nicky have an argument, and then Nicky talks to Nile about what it really means to be in a relationship for 900 years.

Inception

My Big Fat Slightly Annoying Wedding by jibrailis

Arthur and Eames elope for ~tax reasons. Certain people in their lives are not happy at the lack of a wedding.

Remember Sydney by pathera

When Eames shambles into the safe house outside of London, he finds a red light blinking on the phone.

For the inception_kink prompt:

Arthur is on a plane which is about to crash. No way anyone is going to survive. Instead of panicking he calmly calls the team's office and gets the answering machine. He hangs up before the plane crashes.

Give me Arthur's last message to the team.

(TW: Character Death / Angst)

Of Such Deceitfulness and Suavity by delires

In which emotions manifest themselves in unusual ways.

YO, K2tog (it's like a code) by lazulisong

“Oh my God,” moans Arthur. “I’ve paid less for Somnacin. Good Somnacin.” A horrible thought strikes him. “How much is the yarn --”

“I want you to have an unguarded reaction,” Eames tells him, and pulls him up from the floor.

(They run an extraction on a knitter.)

hit the ground running by orphan_account

"I travelled halfway around the world for you. I dealt with the French for you."

Valley by wldnst

It's an old story: a knight, a prince, a kingdom in peril.

If This Is Rain Let It Fall On Me and Drown Me by Brangwen

We used to be so brave, Eames thought. Of the two of them, Arthur had always been the more fearless.

a gentle familiarity by jollypuppet

Two weeks later, Eames is on his doorstep with bad Italian takeout and a grin, and Arthur tells him he can sleep on the couch.

Your Crisis Cannot Be Completed As Dialed by sevenimpossiblethings

Arthur doesn't do snow, Ariadne is determined to be as Midwestern as possible, and blizzards make cell phone service unreliable.

Let’s Say I Do (I Do) by xsilverdreamsx

There were, perhaps some things worse that this, Arthur thinks, as he glares at the letter in his hand with his name printed clearly in bold ink, indicating his presence in two weeks for his esteemed marriage to one William H. Eames, III, at St. Catherine's Church in London, England.

Star Trek (predominantly Kirk/McCoy)

Show the World That Something Good Can Work by knune

Leonard McCoy is a doctor, not a personal assistant, and maybe that's why he can't stand working for Jim Kirk.

It's in the little things by winterover

Bones is bemused by a persistent secret admirer.

"Wedding" Away with It by pendrogon

One morning, Bones wakes up and he's single. By the same afternoon, he's married to Jim Kirk for Arbitrary Fic Reasons(TM).

How Long Will You Stay (For Your Whole Life) by withthepilot

Jim Kirk, deputy director of the Enterprise parks and recreation department, sees all of his hard work fall to pieces when budget specialist Leonard McCoy arrives from the state capital to cut Jim's budget and threaten the livelihoods of his colleagues. But thanks to a major parks project, Leonard finds a place in the department, as well as in Jim's life—and when all is said and done, Jim doesn't want him to leave.

All-Time Favorite by mardia

What to do when your best friend suddenly starts making new friends.

Joy Ride by Cards_Slash

While running for their lives from an alien species Kirk had accidentally enraged, they come across a car. And well, if you were to come across a car while being chased by aliens that wanted you dead, and you possessed some lingering knowledge of how to drive a car similar to said car, you would have decided to drive it toward the nearest cliff too.

Also a gunfight.

Syncytia by epistolic

He’d signed up for Starfleet on an impulse, but Starfleet meant James Tiberius Kirk: the first – and second, and third, and fourth – big mistake of Leonard McCoy’s life.

Renovation by canistakahari

Jim has a whammy put on him by an alien death ray and he suddenly craves domesticity. He's crazy with longing to shop at space!Ikea and get potted bamboo and he starts looking into adopting AND HE HATES HIMSELF AND CANNOT CONTROL THE SHIT. Luckily, McCoy is drunk all the time and plays house.

17:08 by butterflycell

She'd watched the news holos with a sick feeling, searching for information that was completely obvious in its absence. Amidst the reports of the the Enterprise's miraculous recovery and the damages sustained, there had been next to nothing about the crew or her captain. Jim had been mentioned only in passing, his name shied away from as his first officer limited interaction to the bare essentials.

The Honey of Hybla by shrift

"Bones, prepare to be my date."

#recs #fic recs #recs project #star trek recs #inception recs #the raven cycle recs #the old guard recs #roswell new mexico recs

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inkofamethyst · 2 years

Text

June 17, 2022

I’ve got nothing to say right now so I’ll clear out the draft of this almost year-old post in honor of the new Calamity-based miniseries that Critical Role’s finishing up, I guess. I sort of just wrote this all out and then never continued it because I never actually finished the original EXU miniseries. Honestly? I still kind of feel bad about that.

[August 15, 2021]

I just read through a long, long reddit post/thread thingy about EXU and like,,, I have thoughts, I think.

Aabria was very different from Matt in her GM style. I thought it was fun and funky, you know, more... approachable? Less... corporate? Doesn’t mean there weren’t some times when I wasn’t feeling it (there are times when I’m not super engaged when Matt’s DMing either, mind you).

The thing I liked least about EXU wasn’t Aabria’s style (and I mean there are valid critiques of how she disregarded rules, I think, but I rarely rarely ever found it grossly distracting). Honestly it was the storyline. I was so down for a miniseries. I adored Undeadwood. I didn’t know that Undeadwood was partially scripted until today. I think that approach is effective for a miniseries that incorporates improv. I imagine that it’s similar to how I imagine the DSMP was scripted, in that certain plot points had to happen and certain character interactions had to take place (but, of course, I don’t actually know how these partially scripted series, whether long or short form, are done, so). But we all know of Exandria as a literal open world. A sandbox game. Aabria gave them a storyline from the start, but the players noped their way out of it which was totally within their right. And Aabria couldn’t do much about it without coming off as wrangling their free choice. So then we enter Tal’dore and the party just sort of goes about traveling and meeting people and conversing with gods (which, my dnd-friend and I both noted, was very different from the standard Matt had set for how the divine interacted with mortals, especially level three nobody mortals lol). The plot was just, like, not there. I like open-world games. I like wanderings and encounters with new people. I just felt like, as far as a completed arc goes,,, I didn’t get that.

I liked the characters! I liked the encounters! I liked the open-world! I liked how each character had a full, legit backstory! I liked the threads! I didn’t like the loose ends. Aabria presented a number of potential storyline paths (and like, good on her for that). She (obviously, I think) had a preference, but the characters subverted all of them which, honestly, was a little wild to watch/listen to. I remember in episode 6 I think where Dorian was like “well what if we went south to help the tetrarch” and the tetrarch was like “I hadn’t considered that as an option” and even though I was only listening I knew that was not the GM’s intention for the party at all. But it’s improv! “Yes, and!” At that point, what can you do but give the party the choice? Like, even from the first episode or two, Aabria would be like “roll a perception check” and the player would be like “three! :D” and this would happen like, five times in a row and Aabria would just kinda be stuck, unable to give them threads no matter how hard she tried because they just couldn’t pass perception checks. I felt bad for her tbh.

Those wouldn’t’ve been issues if EXU (s1?) hadn’t been limited to eight episodes.

I also heard that some people didn’t like Opal like, a lot. It reminds me of how people didn’t like Keyleth (I mean, I mostly thought Keyleth was cute if perhaps a little naive for her wisdom score) and Matt had to say on stream that negative things about Marisha would not be tolerated. I thought Opal’s character was fun and very I-may-be-a-teenager-but-I-know-more-than-you. An argumentative popular girl from high school. Sometimes over the top, perhaps, but within character bounds, I’d say.

I don’t necessarily want to pull a misogyny/racism card here, I really don’t. But I mean, hey, if we as a society that went through the social justice movement of 2020 learned anything, well, one of those things is that unconscious biases affect almost everything we do. I’ve admitted to having them to; everyone does. They do affect the lens with which we view media and how/whether we’re able to relate to it.

I think the conversation on Reddit was pretty tame (I did learn that apparently C1 + C2 is like 900 hours of content which is crazy (and that person also noted that it wouldn’t be unreasonable for individuals who’ve followed both to have developed a sort of parasocial relationship with the cast (I can confidently say that I most certainly have not, but it is a valid thought, I’d say))), though I didn’t read through it all and the mods did turn off comments to keep the conversation from veering too far away from civility. Apparently Twitter was pretty vapid. Twitch subs went down pretty drastically these past two months, I read. According to some redditors, ig and tumblr tend to have more of a toxically positive view of CR in which the main cast/crew can do no wrong (an interesting observation).

[Today]

I don’t really have anything more to add. I’m thinking of downloading the available Calamity episodes (I don’t actually know what the series is called lol) and having them for when I travel. I also still need to finish the very end of that last Ursula K LeGuin book. More urgently, I need to finish packing and also clean my room.

Today I’m thankful for patient parents. So, so thankful.

[edit: oh also I’m thankful that making two hunned a week this summer for doing ~almost nothing~ for a prof last semester... like this is quite literally the best deal ever]

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whitefoxed · 3 years

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Le Bien Qui Fait Mal

Thread with @algrimthestrong | Written to this [x]

Svartalfheim. One of the Nine, enemy of Asgard- well all the other realms too if one considered it- and Thor from the Avengers. Lise idly flicked his tongue against the smooth ivory of his fang, arms folded as he checked out the large banquet hall following the rumbling crowd rolling in. Dressed in all white, with only a sleeveless denim vest, leather belt, skinny jeans and pair of silver scaled leather dress shoes, the fox with his white combed back hair, ears and lush tails was a jarring spot of white among the other colleagues - though he was not the only one in such an eye-catching colour. After all, a suit of such taunting purity is too tempting to resist.

Cold silver eyes slowly swept past the already seated elves, noting their differences from the servants leading the group he followed to one of the many seats arranged. Lise dropped down into it without ceremony, a foot raised on the seat with his arm draped atop that knee. It was a graceless position, but like with so many others of the same nature, the wild arrogance it exuded overwhelmed its flaws. While there were those as careless as him, most maintained a semblance of etiquette and a number even scoffed and condemned such lack of courtesy.

Lise rolled his eyes. Despite having spent less than a handful of Midgardian years in the underground society, he had seen enough to know that such niceties barely sufficed as foreplay for their lot. To him, it was a waste of time to pretend being on a high horse when everyone around were smeared in the same mud. His thoughts brushed past distasteful memories, ‘realities’ made by humans which he had long left. What use was therapy when he could stop playing those mortals’ games all together?

Loud music then ushered in their host in glamorous introduction, launching into a welcome speech actually appreciated by the audience before the revelry began. As soon as liquid gold flowed, the beasts emerged from behind their well mannered muzzles and clashes of weapons, fists and genitals replaced the cordial banquet before.

The fox was no exception. What caught his eye the most were the sword dancers, almost nude elves with fine musculature swerving their hips and blades among the crowd. It was thrilling to see that not many were their match. So he went forth, engaging one of them with his opal claws.

Faint lines of red decorated his body as his claws caressed their blades, adding a devilish allure to match his intoxicated expression. His vest had been cut open, baring his chest and his belt too was lost. But his partner was no better off, what shreds of cloth they had on long gone, dark skin gleaming with more and more blood the closer and closer Lise tightened their battle.

Just as he spun to the dancer’s back, a claw hooking a blade along and the other hand taking opportunity to tease their hips with all five sharp tips, his eyes caught sight of a pair of dark eyes steadily gazing at himself. They belonged to a high ranking elf, seemingly more matured than the few he had come in contact with dancing, sitting calmly like an oasis among all the debauchery around him. So high and aloof, as if an unobtainable treasure just for him. Unable to take his eyes off the elf, he fought distractedly, earning himself a few new cuts while depending on his other senses, going round and round, trying to get closer.

His partner naturally noticed. But as if in favour of the elf staring at him, the dancer gave way to find some other fun instead, leaving Lise to take that final step to the table of those black eyes. Clawed hands and a knee braced themselves, clacking on the wood as Lise lowered to bring his face a mere breath away from the elf’s. Silver eyes traced those fine features to those lips, feeling his heart beat strongly and painfully in his chest. His ear flicked at the sounds of lust nearby, sending a thrill different from battle down to his groin. Parting his own pink lips, a whisper slipped free. “Kiss me?”

The banquet was a grand and lavish affair, an opulent event staged to showcase the realm’s wealth and power, to attract the powerful and the ambitious. Many had answered the summons of the Accursed, some driven by greed, others by fear, yet all were possessed of the desire to join sides with Svartalfheim’s king, for the choices available were limited - to align with Malekith’s forces or to fall before his army as the dark elves continued to set Yggdrasil ablaze with war. It was a colourful potpourri of beings gathered in the feasting hall, deadly and exotic as they mingled with the natives, flaunting weapons and natural assets alike, each of them trying to catch the eye of their host, to find favour with the Accursed in hopes of joining his ranks.

Seated at the far end of a long, sumptuously set table, Algrim watched the goings-on around him with impassive eyes, the expression of a man long since accustomed to such events to feel much of a response. On Svartalfheim, war, bloodshed, and torture were as commonplace as the people revelling in it; the banquet, however, added a sensual twist to it that catered to his kinsfolk’s taste for depravity.

It was rare for the stoic counsellor to indulge himself in anything, be it a moment of leisure or a treat for the senses. Since the death of his wife, physical companionship had had no place in Algrim’s life. Too vast was the void left by his slaughtered lover, too great his loss, and though the widowed elf was not wholly immune to the occasional pull of physical desire, such needs were taken care of quietly and discreetly in the privacy of his chamber. His brethren’s lust for public excess he did not share.

As soon as the official part of the evening had ended, the atmosphere shifted, and with the shedding of formalities it was the clash of weapons and the groans of pleasure that took the place of solemn ceremony and disciplined conversation as the festivities rapidly turned into a cesspool of violence and decadence.

Calm and dignified, Algrim sat amidst the wild gathering, an island of virtue in a sea of vices. It was then that his wandering gaze caught that of a man – a fox – pale as snow, lithe and agile, his tails billowing behind him as he engaged his opponent in a graceful dance of blades and claws. Intrigued, he looked on, pleased to discover that the fox held his ground fairly well against his elven combatant.

Sweat glistened on ivory skin, mingling with the blood that seeped from various cuts crisscrossing his arms and torso. The pair’s battle was almost hypnotic to watch, the sleek ripple of muscles, the gleam of elven steel and opal claws captivating his attention, leaving him unable to pry his gaze away from the sensual spectacle. It was almost as if the magnificent creature had intended the performance only for him…

Soon enough, the stranger abandoned his opponent and, to Algrim’s great surprise – or rather, shock – turned towards him with obvious intent. Algrim swallowed, the movement visible in the slender column of his throat as he peered up into those silver eyes. He frowned to himself for a moment, his brow bunching in confusion before smoothing again as he seemed to come to a decision. For the blink of an eye, he had felt strangely tempted to yield to the younger’s bold request, to succumb to the fox’s allure and let his lips close the distance between them, but the impulse had been fleeting and was quashed by reason before it could simmer for too long.

Shaking his head, Algrim’s lips curved into a thin, tight smile. “The majority of my people may find it acceptable to abandon decency and dignity to unrestrained fornication, but I have no desire to engage in such… libertine acts, shall we say?”

The fox had not even started using his own charms when he caught that moment of desire from the other. Heat still danced upon his skin and fickle breaths through his lips from the exercise he got earlier, as Lise watched the swift withdrawal in those eyes and thin, tight lips. Having previously lowered himself both to meet the elf eye to eye as well as to appeal with submissiveness, his shoulders now rose and straightened himself on his arms for a better view. Boldly noting once more that restrained appearance from head to where the table covered the other, Lise gave his lips a quick lick to still his lust.

“Certainly you don’t look like the licentious lot, but to speak of morals and decency here…” Arching his body flauntingly whilst he gestured at the crowd around them with one of his hands, Lise continued his persuasion, swaying his tails slowly from side to side behind him. Pearls of blood continued their trail down the soft indent of his abdomen, bringing focus to the teasing red lines crossing his torso. Already healing, their scarlet hues were visibly turning deep crimson.

Meeting those eyes, his lips curved into a sensual smirk as his elbow bent and he dipped back down once more. “Besides, I am only… asking for a kiss?” Batting his white lashes at the elf, Lise lowered his tails to a deep swish instead and turned his pricked ears downward, eyes falling once more on those pursed lips.

It was as if he only cared for the other’s response, entering that bubble of ‘virtue’ and cutting out the debauchery around them. Their little encounter did not go unnoticed by the others nearby, though the lack of action only brought a few curious glances.

“What better place is there to speak of morals than in the pit of depravity?” Algrim countered. If anything, the other’s casual teasing only served to stir his competitive spirit. His eyes followed the direction of the younger’s arm. There was Malekith, seated on his throne in a lazy sprawl, a woman kneeling between his legs, her head buried in his lap; there was Senator Scumtongue, his chest bowed over a woman’s back, another man kneeling behind him, their hips working in unison; there was Terrana of the Smoke, straddling another woman’s face, her war paint smudged, her breasts heaving. There were countless others indulging their collective lust, abandoning what scarce restraints of morality existed at the court of the Accursed to sensual revelry.

“Why me?” Algrim asked, returning his attention to the nine-tailed stranger. “Why me when there are dozens who would gladly indulge you?” He studied the other in silent appraisal, taking in the lazy swish of snow-white tails, the pointed tips of canine teeth flashing between pale pink lips, his body language communicating seducation as clearly as if written on his skin. Why the fox had picked him out among the carousing crowds Algrim could not fathom, but there was no denying the flutter of nerves in his stomach that came with the unexpected attention.

A kiss. The request seemed so simple, so harmless, so endearingly innocent when compared to the debauchery that was unfolding all around them. Surely the fox had not approached him to engage in spirited conversation, not when entertainment of the more titillating kind was readily accessible. Algrim’s fingers closed around the stem of his goblet as he lifted the glass to his lips to take a slow, thoughtful sip. Again, he considered the fox. As he studied the younger, his previously closed-off expression softened into one of timid curiosity, his interest roused by the unabashed boldness of the stranger’s approach.

And then he did something he very seldom did; he acted on impulse.

Leaning forward in his seat, Algrim pressed his lips to the younger man’s. The kiss was slow, questing, chaste. His eyes drifted closed, his lips moving tentatively against his partner’s as if gently re-familiarizing himself with the mechanics of the act, overcome by a host of sensations he had not experienced in years; the softness of another’s lips, the warmth of their skin, the tightening in his own belly.

A shiver scurried down his spine as he pulled back again. “What is your name?”

Why me? Don’t tell me a dark elf like you doesn’t understand the lure of violating something… sacred. Silver orbs darkened along with Lise’s thoughts, but the fox simply kept his silence and expression still, waiting with the patience of a hunter. Perhaps… if the elf really did not understand… he could show him the sweet taste of that forbidden fruit. After all, those dripping red beads on his own body makes a good garnish for what is to come.

Letting the dark elf appraise him and take his time to consider, Lise’s confidence rose with every inkling of cautious curiosity that emerged in those obsidian eyes. Then, with delighted surprise - caught off guard by the suddenness of those lips on his own - the fox’s gaze softened to the gentle exploration, that is so unexpectedly perfect and sweet. Really… how was this elf seducing him without even trying?

Sparks tingled down his abdomen by the time the other pulled back, leaving Lise with an amorous gaze and satisfied little smile. “Lise Vuhs… Most people address me by the latter, but… you can call me Lise.” Recalling the kiss just mere moments ago, Lise’s tongue flicked lightly over his lips, reminiscing that tantalisingly chaste taste. “And yours, my dear sir?”

The rest of the world far abandoned behind him, the fox only had eyes for the man before him. For all that sensual revelry could not compare, to the temptation of undoing that veil of restraint from this handsome stranger… well, soon-to-be-not-stranger.

“Lise. An unusual name.” Short and sweet. Its bearer, though, was anything but. Lurking beneath that sweet, playful exterior Algrim sensed a deadly predator, an underlying love for corruption and all things wicked - or else the Accursed would not have invited the fox to feast with the fae. Only the most cunning and ruthless were afforded that privilege. Once more, he let his gaze run over the young man before him, taking in his appearence with one long, measuring glance that missed no detail. Lise was dressed in white – the colour that had always represented all that was good and pure in the worlds, providing a stark contrast to the drops of crimson painting his skin. There was a veiled elegance, an easy grace in Lise’s demeanour that belied his lethal capability - as attested by the casual aplomb with which he had engaged the sword dancers, courting danger for sport - and revelling in it.

“Algrim,” he introduced himself in turn, then nodded to where the Accursed was being attended to by a skillful mouth. “Advisor to King Malekith.” The encounter could now go in one of two directions: Algrim’s station at court could either act as a potent deterrent, with the other opting for a quick retreat, or serve as an incentive for Lise.

All around them, the festivities were gaining momentum. Next to him, the slick strokes of what sounded like a fist over flesh beckoned to him, trying to persuade him into joining the wild bacchanalia. “Lise,” Algrim repeated, the nervous flicker in his eyes betraying just so much interest as one would expect from a man who had abstained from physical relations for longer than he could remember, and was now presented with an opportunity which should not be allowed to slip away.

Outside, the crescent moon was slicing its way across the night sky, bathing the great hall in floods of silver light.

Again, Algrim reached for his drink, washing down his lingering doubts with another swallow of wine. The kiss had sparked something inside him, an illicit longing demanding to be sated. He offered his goblet to Lise. “Wine?”

It was nice hearing his name on the elf’s lips, making him long to hear it in a more heated tone. Glancing at where the elven king was, Lise raised his brow impressed to hear the other’s occupation. He knew the elf was of high rank, but didn’t expect it to be so… well… close to the top. Enough to have the king’s ear. Purring, he saw it more as a challenge… and a worthwhile investment, if along with pleasures, he could gain favour with one… so high. Certainly, having connections would make his stay in this realm more comfortable and well-informed.

All that aside, the calling of his name drew him out of his brief contemplation and back to the delicious elf before him. Lifting the angle of his nose a little, conveniently baring his throat at the same time, the fox caught that scent of both interest and slight fear from the elf. “Algrim.” He purred back, rolling that name on his tongue like he was tasting it, again licking his lip and fangs with just that little bit of tongue visible.

Moonlight shone just so, covering him half in glow and half in silhouetted shadow. And there was nothing better than alcohol to raise the spirits on such a night.

Lise leaned forward, fangs casually catching onto the goblet’s rim and tilting it down. Every move was slow and deliberate, turning the offer to one of hand-feeding, drinking the sweet nectar that way. Lise’s tails flicked behind him, as he slowly climbed onto the table instead, ‘crossing the threshold’ between them. Releasing the goblet which rose from his movement, the fox gazed down from his height with lowered lashes. “Then dear Advisor, what would you like in return for this gift of wine?” He said as he sat on the table, legs folded to each side, ready to raise back on all fours anytime. His leather pants were tight, filled in the front to the sounds around them - being what he was, he was not immune to lewd sounds that spurred his own lust.

The sound of his name sliding off the fox’s lips stirred Algrim’s blood in a way no one had in a very long time. Lise’s every movement and every gesture exuded sensuality that seemed to come as naturally to him as breathing. No doubt, a creature as gorgeous and gifted as this one knew only too well how difficult it was to resist his allure. It was easy to imagine him using his charms to sway others to his will. Lise’s telltale glance in Malekith’s direction, at least, heavily implied such a thing. Still, Algrim wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. If Lise viewed him as a means to work his way into the good graces of the king, the fox would run into a dead end.

When Lise took him up on his offer, it was in a different way than Algrim had expected. Quelling the impulse to take flight, the elf forced himself to stay and watch. The empty goblet nearly slipped from his fingers and he was quick to gloss over his lapse by waving the younger’s offer away. “It was only wine. There is plenty of it.” He knew what Lise had been hinting at. The fact that the fox had managed to weave past his defences so easily both disturbed and excited Algrim as desire grappled with uncertainty.

Stalling for time, he refilled his goblet. He drank deeply, his throat bobbing as he emptied the glass in several long swallows.

Algrim shifted in his chair, his gaze dipping briefly to where Lise’s trousers stretched taut over his erection before jerking back up to his face. “You are beautiful and I appreciate your interest. In fact, I would not mind getting to know you a little better, but you may want to look elsewhere for companionship tonight.” All around them, knots of bodies seemed to beckon him to cast off the moral fetters in which he had bound himself for so long and join the fray of revellers.

The rational part of him insisted he rein himself in, but there was another smaller, darker part that had been roused from its sleep and was steadily gaining traction, hoping that Lise would stay – that the fox would think him worth the effort. There was one thing Lise needed to know, though, the one thing that might drive him away and spare Algrim the ordeal of making a decision. “It has been some time—” His gaze dropped to his lap, where his fingers lay curled in fists, “—a rather long time, truth be told, since I last enjoyed another’s company. You may find yourself disappointed.”

To say the fox was not disappointed when the adviser suddenly threw a curveball and dismissed his offer to please, would be a lie. Confused because he could sense the elf’s interest in him, a light furrow of brows marred his previously seductive expression. Lips parted from unsaid and uncertain words, the fox briefly sat speechless on the high elf’s table.

Only when Algrim began to explain himself did he raise a brow, the sultry expression laced with blank confusion swiftly turning into one of interested amusement. A purr rumbled from his throat, watching… and appreciating how sincerely serious the elf was replying him, despite his high rank and his own status as a mere guest. And all of it, the explanation and reasons— were all making him lust after the elf even more. He had not been mistaken- Algrim was indeed an island of virtue among vices. A heavy laden tree ripe for the plucking.

“There is… always a ‘first’ time for everything.” The fox slunk forward once more, this time slipping right onto the elf’s lap where that gaze was. On those shoulders laid his hands, already starting to knead and massage those tensed muscles to help him relax. It was a risk, being the first to initiate touching someone who could have him thrown out of the halls or worse. But he wanted Algrim, as honest as the tent in his trousers showed. And he could tell the elf wasn’t lying. Not about his long abstinence… nor his interest in furthering their encounter. “Including a new time in a long time~”

Tails swishing lazily behind him, their interaction was gradually gaining more attention from those around them. Elves which had been expecting the fox to be rejected were first amazed that the interaction has lasted so long, and were now watching in suspense if the Valgoth would toss this insolent creature aside or actually do something. What, they could not even begin to fathom, the mere idea too incredible to imagine. After all, they had known the elf for his restraint for so long.

Was that faithfulness to his long past wife finally due?

Lise leaned forward to give the smallest nip on Algrim’s ear. “Please, honour me the chance to please you.” He whispered, moving his legs to slide off the elder’s lap and kneel between those thighs instead, his intentions obvious.

Ah, there went his chance to end his self-imposed abstinence. Algrim could see it on Lise’s face, the look of baffled surprise in his eyes as he realised that his powers of seduction were wasted on the elder. Maybe it was for the best. Better to be upfront about his recent lack of practice than to risk public embarrassment. Besides, the fox was such a charming creature, he would easily find a willing partner.

Algrim was just about to bid Lise goodnight when the younger surprised him by staying put, his interest seeming to grow keener rather than to flag after Algrim’s confession. Whether Lise saw him as a challenge to conquer or a novelty to sample Algrim did not know, but when the fox slid into his lap with all the easy nonchalance of a pet claiming its favourite seat on its master’s thighs, the elf knew that what lay ahead of him would be an experience he’d not soon forget.

His hands found a comfortable resting place on Lise’s hips, keeping the younger steady instead of pushing him off his lap as the reasonable part of him knew he should have done, only that reason was fighting a losing battle with passion. There was no ignoring the part of Lise’s anatomy that was currently tenting the front of his trousers and pressing against Algrim’s hip, which in turn spurred the elder’s own arousal.

Algrim winced ever so slightly in pain when Lise started kneading his shoulders, but he gradually relaxed under the younger’s skillful massage as dexterous fingers worked out the kinks in his muscles to help relieve his tension.

Algrim was not quite there yet, his arousal tempered by nervousness and the many pairs of eyes trained on him, eager to see him let go of his inhibitions. Still struggling to reduce his reservations to fit the circumstances, the decision as to how they should continue was taken from Algrim when Lise slid off his lap to kneel between his legs.

Looking down at Lise, Algrim reached out to stroke his fingers through the younger’s hair and down the side of his face, skimming his fingertips over his cheek in a light caress before laying his hand on Lise’s shoulder. After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded his approval. “You may proceed.”

Holding Algrim’s gaze with his own, the fox smiled with satisfaction at the permission given. With many curious eyes upon them - even the King who have noticed - Lise carefully parted the elf’s robes. Leaning forward he gave a nuzzle against Algrim’s groin, breathing in his scent and massaging over the cloth with a hand. Quickly, he undid those pants and long smooth fingers grasped around the growing length. Holding it, he gave the tip a kiss as he looked up to meet Algrim’s eyes, reminded of the chaste kiss they had earlier.

Then he licked, around the rounded head, before delving lower to lick up from the beneath the base of that shaft and up along his under vein, making a delicacy out of it. Learning that he liked the high elf’s taste - and hygiene too - he parted his lips and took him in, rubbing the insides of his cheeks and sucking as he made his way down with each bob of his head. He was honoured and proud, as could be seen with his lifted and swishing tails, as he knelt between the high elf’s legs and served him as the woman did the Accursed.

He took Algrim down his throat, flexing and moaning around him to heighten his pleasure, obviously well versed in the arts of karma sultra. Keeping his hunter’s patience, as well as not knowing the endurance of an elf yet, the fox patiently worked on pleasing the advisor, ears pricked up in keen attention to the other’s pleasure. His hands were not idle either, massaging along those thighs and the elf’s testicles, rubbing them gently as if coaxing the most delicious seed. And every so often he got used to the motion between changes in posture, he would glance up to see the high elf’s face for his expressions, as well as showcasing his own enjoyment of their act. His own pants were unzipped in between, drawing out that ivory length that was not held back by any underwear to stand alone in the air. Lise needed it free from the aching restraint of his own pants and the cool air to keep his already hot erection from distracting him from his task. Likewise, to show his sincerity in pleasing the elder, he left his own rod alone, focusing on milking the high elf for his seed.

Focused as he was, the fox ceased paying attention to the curiosity around them, missing the compliment and encouragement from the Accursed to the advisor.

#algrimthestrong #t.algrimthestrong #t.algrim.le bien qui fait mal #t #t.nsfw #t.tw.exhibitionism #t.tw.public sex #'check out the new video hun! it looks like the svartalfheim court!#'malekith is proud of ally muahahaha

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ambvrs · 4 years

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𝐉𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐀𝐘𝐃𝐈𝐍 / 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬.

𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒔 — @opalsmedia !

𝒊. 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 ; open to anyone .

( ♫ ) — josephine’s life between scotland and strathmore is vague at best, other than she moved into her own place after graduation and spent a year working in london before her first year at strathmore began ( a time frame that puts her in line with the opals first year / immediately pre - strathmore prodigies ). a bond formed from a chance encounter by the river’s edge one summer or fall evening, two strangers simply sharing company and conversation before strathmore or the society or life had the chance to intervene. one meeting turned into several, someone she might consider one of her first friends in the city and they became more of a rock in her life than she would ever admit to them, letting her forget the darkness of the world for even a short while. perhaps time, and strathmore and society duties, have created distance between them that they’re not sure how to close. not in a bad way, of course, but in the way that life always seems to.

aesthetics : the warm glow of the street lamps as blue skies blossom into shades of flame, shoulders brushing against one another as steps fall in tandem, quiet laughter that melts into clamoring of the crowd, the same sense of ease that accompanies picking up long - forgotten novel, secrets shared the same as clandestine smiles, cobblestone paths that lead to nowhere in particular, the twinkle of an excited gaze, the comforting press of fingertips into the crook of an elbow, a collection of polaroids tucked away like perfect memories.

𝒊𝒊. 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 ; open to anyone .

( ❤ + ❤ + ❤ ) — two people that, under any other ( or relatively normal ) circumstances, would certainly not have considered themselves friends. but recent circumstances have brought them closer and they’ve found a sort of solace in one another. separately, they’ve seemed to function just fine on their own, or they’ve simply done everything they can to keep it all to themselves. perhaps it’s a slow - burn friendship, they didn’t like each other all too much starting out or simply butt heads over the most trivial of things, but they slowly grow to lean on each other for small things, figuring there are worse people to rely on. or perhaps it’s been a friendship that’s been blossoming slowly, both caring a great deal about the other ( even if they never really talk about it ) & who they trust to talk about secrets, feelings, the society, you name it without worrying about repercussions or what they may think of them. two people that come to rely on each other, one way or another, and will do anything to help them succeed. platonic twin flames who know each other almost as well as, if not better, than they know themselves.

aesthetics : pinky promises shared in an empty room, waiting with baited breath as quiet confessions are offered, hesitant smiles, hours of long conversation that slip into comfortable silence, trusting someone to keep a secret you would’ve taken to the grave, arms embraced in a hug that borders on almost too tight, a knock on your bedroom door at two am, long night drives with no destination in mind, shared blankets under a starry sky.

𝒊𝒊𝒊. 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 ; open to anyone .

( ✧ / reversed ) — josephine is truly soft - hearted, down to her very core, and is often far too kind and compassionate for her own good. she chooses to see the best in people, even if it’s not always there. that being said, they aren’t being friendly just for the sake of being friendly and whatever sort of ‘ friendship ‘ they have is formed for the sake this person’s own gain, be it academically, as a bit of romantic payback, or even because they feel she can benefit their growth in the society. there’s a lot of room for creative liberties here ( and plenty of angst, if we wanted ), but i think it would do her some good to face the truth behind typical rose - colored glasses, even if she’s completely oblivious to it for now, for a while ? forever ? perhaps she knows but will simply pretend she does not see because she’d rather live in the illusion than face the truth.

aesthetics : smiles that do not quite reach the eyes, lies veiled beneath honeyed tones, the steady rapping of raindrops on window panes, gifted roses already on the verge of wilting, bribes offered in the way of i - owe - you’s, rain check texts one hour after a read message, the slip of smoke through outstretched fingers, large sunglasses shielding disinterested gaze, company offered out of convenience rather than genuine desire, the dying embers of a flickering flame.

𝒊𝒗. 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 ; taken .

( ♫ + ❤ ) — two people that dance a fine line together, and perhaps they’ve been dancing it since the beginning of her first year up to joining the society ( or maybe they still are ). push and pull, always like two moths to a flame, this connection is the prime example of what could be if life wasn’t in the way. the two have obvious chemistry, but there’s something that’s keeping them from being together - could be the society, their parents or friends, or some other outside influence. physical or emotional boundaries aside, they are the epitome of the right place at the wrong time and perhaps they’d be together if they could but instead they fight against it, flirting the line of you could be mine and it’s just not the time. perhaps they’ve already put it behind them, but they both just have that knowledge that in another life.

aesthetics : fleeting glances shared across a crowded room, grazing fingertips in a fleeting touch, the lingering tendrils of darkness in the break of dawn, the way the moon controls the tides, harmless invitations for coffee that grows cold in conversation lapses, knowing coffee orders like the back of your hand, shared smiles hidden in the crooks of necks, faded photographs of a simpler time, handwritten notes tucked neatly between book pages.

𝒗. 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 ; open to anyone / one - two people .

josephine tends to her friendships like a neat little garden, cares so wholly for each of them in their own special way. but in light of recent events ( and moving forward amidst a still missing society member ), it only makes sense for a couple of her close relationships to start fraying at the seams. whether they consider them friends is neither here nor there, she’s taken to applying that term to pretty much everyone in the society, truly. their friendship is well on its way to dissolving, or at least a very close breaking point, whether it be because of the stress of everything going on ( or went on or will go on ), or they feel that she’s somehow betrayed their trust in some way ( could be trivial, could be completely valid ), or perhaps they’ve come to learn that she’s played a part in previous disruptive rule breaking.

aesthetics : fraying ends of a friendship bracelet, the bitter taste of black coffee, dark bags under tired eyes ( no, they’re not prada ), the ache of a disappointed gaze, the torn pages of an old notebook, waves cresting the shore to simply retreat again, empty roads at 4am, a table for two but party of one, the crinkling static of a tv left on too long, four missed calls and a ‘ we need to talk ‘ text, curtains drawn in once familiar windows.

𝒗𝒊. 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 ; taken.

the two had dated previously, prior to either of them joining the society. whether it happened during her teen years, the lull between life and strathmore, or right up to their time in the society - it’s very much open - ended. josephine has always loved too deeply, and it could have been their downfall or what had kept them together as long as they were. i imagine they didn’t end on the best of terms, but she still cares deeply for them and their well - being, regardless of where they stand now, and perhaps there’s lingering feelings that they both simply deny.

aesthetics : tba.

𝒗𝒊𝒊. 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 ; open to anyone.

someone that josephine has history with; either they’ve kissed or hooked up a few times, or just went on a couple casual dates but there was nothing ever really there. no hard feelings at all, they mutually decided there was nothing between them and they were better off as actual just friends. they’re probably pretty close because of the fact and it’s just something that they joke about now.

aesthetics : tba.

𝒗𝒊𝒊𝒊. 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒖𝒏 ; open to anyone.

they were sleeping together out of convenience at some point, perhaps they’d turn to each other on a lonely night or they’re hanging out and they don’t mean for it to happen, but they end up tangled together in one of their rooms, gone in the early hours of the morning before the other ways. or perhaps it was a one or two time thing, a moment of weakness or split decision that they pretend didn’t happen. truly no strings attached, neither of them expecting anything from the other because it’s not supposed to mean anything, so they’re always gone by morning, before anyone can see them, because there’s nothing casual about deep conversations when you’re half - asleep, bodies pressed together and hands intertwined.

aesthetics : tba.

☆ 𝒃𝒐𝒏𝒖𝒔 ☆ ; aka a collection of six - word stories / musings that would also be fun plots but i simply did not have the brain cells to type up .

i. 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔 ; ii. 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 ; iii. 𝒊 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 ; iv. 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒅𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 ; v. 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒕 ; vi. 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊 𝒔𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒊 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔 ; vii. 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒊𝒏 ; viii. 𝒊𝒇 𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 ; ix. 𝒊 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒚 .

this + this + this + this + this .

#opalsplots #enjoy this collection of six word story plots #this is simply So Long #any of these can be added to our current plots or they can be whole new plots !!#or we can brainstorm somethin just as spicy lmk just @ me #by the end i just think i have 3am jokes #if u see typos ...... yeah me too

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pearlplusau · 4 years

Text

DISCLAIMER! (And a little blog backstory)

For those who followed me just because you recognize Tripixle’s art work and assume this is her, I’m sorry to burst your bubble but this is not the artist/animator Tripixle you were probably hoping for.

For TL;DR- just scroll to the end of the post.

For those who are in disbelief, you should know something:

1. Tripixle is a creative artist and creates many AUs like Gravity’s Fallen, Opal AU, PadpaRuby AU, she doesn’t just hyper focus on Pearlplusau alone, which is one reason this blog was created. (Think of it like a branch of a tree, Tripixle is the tree trunk and the branches are all the AUs she created, and this blog is just one of the branches on that tree). If she were to create a tumblr i would believe that she would use it as an art blog instead of focusing on one specific AU.

2. This blog was initially writing and story driven (Till now we are at chapter 5) instead it got developed to reposting of Tripixle’s and other artworks involving pearlplusau.

3. I’m honestly not sure how the post titles can be missed, the posts like “SPECIAL POST FROM TRIPIXLE” are obvious signs that this is not Tripixle, so i don’t think it can be more obvious than that, unless some perceives it as some kind of joke.

4. Honestly, do you think she would have the time to post things on Insta, youtube and Also be writing chapters and chapters of stories when she could just do comics abt them?

I don’t think i’ve gotten to the origin of how this blog is created, so heres the back story of this blog:

I first encountered her work on Instagram, seeing it and getting intrigued, like “Wow, wouldnt that be a fun AU, no one got taken away or anything”, then i found this video "The Great Divide" and got very obsessed with it.

In the video, there are things that looks complex like the relationship between Coral and Garnet, which is the main motivation for me to write the chapters after i wrote a few, i decided i need to share them somewhere, so i DMed Tripixle on Insta, sent her the stories and asked if she was ok with me starting a pearlplusau blog with the stories written

she said she was cool with it, theres a post about that involving screenshots of our conversation and her approval and then i asked her if i could repost her work at tumblr here, to which she also agreed.

The link below is the post which consists of the conversation of me and Tripixle, and her approval of story writing and reposting her certain pearlplusau artworks from her Instagram. (In case some ppl perceive this post as me trying to impersonate her)

https://pearlplusau.tumblr.com/post/189013289103/can-you-draw-pearl-and-pink-pearl-for-me-please

I’m sorry the post might come out as a bit passive aggressive, but the amount of people following and asks that directs to the creator it self led me to believe, that most of you guys don’t read the description of the blog and get confused and frustrated with the content.

I just want everyone to be clear and on the same page instead of thinking they’re following the creator of the AU, that somehow has the time to be drawing, animating and writing pages and pages of Pearlplusau instead of doing comics about them.

I would understand that you only came for the artwork, but if you’re here for the written chapters, i can assure you that the stories are very much written by me and not taken by anywhere else.

Also other writing blogs like Archiveofourown and fanfiction.net takes a lot of time to process and i don’t have the patience to wait for that long.

As for TL;DR, this is a fan writing stories of the AU but got in too deep and ended up reposting Pearlplusau content and got confused as the creator that had given permission for reposting. (Check the link above)

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drkcnry67 · 3 years

Text

break the news... (day 14)

A/N: @obxmermaid this is the 14th entry in the lives of Draco and YN as we get closer to christmas they have now been stuck in the school as their classmates have gone elsewhere for the holidays. but a fire message from YN’s parents inviting them to a gathering makes this a whole less boring.

pairing: Draco Malfoy x reader

Prompt: “come on down for the weekend, the family is gathering and we would be honored to have you both here.”

mentioning: @sweetness47

25 days of hogwarts

the message, ah yes the fire message a way for wizards and witches to communicate without the use of modern technology. also very good way to be somewhat discreet.

this is how you got a fire message that changed your weekend of a lifetime.

“dearest daughter, you and Draco are invited to come home for the weekend to enjoy our family gathering. this is the one day a year as you know that the entire family gets together under one roof, grudges and petty judgements go out the window. minus your father who is doing well, but the doctors are getting his magic up to full strength again. please reply and say you both will be in attendance for it would mean the world to us. love mom.”

you turned to draco as you both took one look at the fire message and smiled.

Draco: i guess we need to pack a weekend bag. we can share a bag right?

YN: yep. but a fair warning this weekend my family will be doing all sorts of magic. its like this every single damn year. its basically one big game of catch up that lasts the entire weekend.

just as draco was about to speak your fire place went crazy. then a figure resembling your mother appeared.

YN: mom?

Laura: ah daughter thank goodness i found the right one. so did you get the fire message...

YN: yes we were just discussing it.

Laura: oh come on down for the weekend, the family is gathering and we would be honored to have you both here. please say you will come... you know the family will want to know how you are doing and meet draco...

YN: yes thats what im afraid of, all the grilling and questions and and... oh fine.. but do us all a favor and hide the bourbon from uncle ned, you know how lushy he gets. wait which place is it at this year?

Laura: ive already done that... oh dont worry ive spoken to dumbledore by fire message he will have a port key ready.

YN: oh so you knew i would say yes.

laura: i hoped you would. now we will see you both on friday at 3pm or sooner. by the way your father is fine. i know you probably got my update note but to reaffirm he is fine. he woke up. the doctors were able to heal him all up. he wont be at the feast they are keeping him a few more days to make sure he is fully functional with his magic.

YN: we will have to find time to visit him then...

Laura: yes. now we will see you both in a few days. remember YN be nice to these people they are family but they are gonna be ruthless to anything they dont understand yet.

YN: what do you mean?

Laura: i mean some of the family is old school like they dont think open relationship policy is a good idea.

YN: well this will be a shock for them then. see you on friday mom.

the fire went back to normal as you flopped back onto the couch your head spinning, you know how your family reacts to the abnormal.

You bringing home a boy, who is not from your own house is like people who don't listen to the law.

The law is hard but it is the law. This was one thing you were desperately prepared to fight for, this was your life you werent gonna let your family determine how you get to live it.

anyway back to the story, you and draco decided to pack and you both went to dumbledore’s office on friday at noon and went through the port key landing just outside of paris at one of your family country mansions.

Draco: love, this place is incredible so why would we not come here more often.

YN: cause i want to be independent so i take only what i need and every month they transfer 10,000 into my bank account and another 10,000 into my gringotts. both of these accounts were of my parents doing, not mine. but its mostly their way of support before we go further we need to figure out how to approach this to my family.

Draco cups your cheeks and kisses you when he pulled back he spoke calmly.

Draco: we will handle this with smiles, and friendliness and happy thoughts, we are the only people who matter in this relationship, the people who support us matter as long as they support our union. at the end of it, we are the ones that matter and have final say in this relationship. that and the ministry when we tell fudge.

YN: yes that, we need to do that soon... maybe sooner than we think if this dinner doesnt go well.

Draco: well lets go inside, im sure your mom knows we are here... dear we are just prolonging the inevitable.

YN: your right. lets go... but im surprised that someone isnt here to greet me...

you let out a sharp whistle, letting your purse sit now on the ground. just as you did that, you heard a screech.

Draco: what was that love?

YN: that is my griffin...

Draco: im sorry what...

just then a griffin with golden feathers with tints of black and brown through it lands in front of you. approaching you as you bow, the griffin nuzzles your face with its own.

YN: i missed you too girl. Draco, this is Opal. Opal this is Draco my boyfriend.

Opal turns to draco, Draco bows to Opal who approaches Draco and sniffs him and waits a few seconds and then nuzzles Draco’s head. draco then began petting Opal.

YN: she likes you, its always polite etiquette to bow to a griffin or a hippogriff before approaching it. this gesture will show the griffin that you are not a threat. this is a show of good faith. of good will.

Draco: opal, I think we need a guard to get to the door.

Opal growls lightly before leading the way to the door. You both get to the door and opal nudges you before she bows letting you and Draco go inside. your mother comes round the corner from the kitchen and rushes to hug you.

Laura: im so glad you both are here... now YN your room is fully prepared for you and Draco. not to worry i pre warned most of the family that someone has a big announcement. no one questioned or said anything. not to worry though, people will begin to arrive in a few hours. go on up and un pack.

YN: its good to see you too mom. this way love.

you take draco by the hand as you both walk upstairs down the hall and too the right. into your master suite or as you call it “the tower”. this room complete with your own walk in closet, a king size canopy bed, your own bathroom. decorated in a teal color to combine yours and dracos magic essence.

YN: this is our room for the weekend.

Draco: its perfect. i love this bed and the color and you.

You turned to face him, to meet his eyes with your own.

YN: careful love thats seduction in your tones. we have 2 years to wait before we can be married. or even consider that possibility.

Draco: doesnt mean we can lay here for as long as possible and just play wizards chess or something.

you snap your fingers and you both were laying with a wizards chess board on the bed.

YN: we are gonna play this till we are called several thousand times. by everyone who wants to see me and grill me and... ugh... this is stupid.... my family is so passed screwed that its a long long time between gatherings for the reason of they dont know what they want, against every fibre of better judgement that they have, they dont know how much the world has changed.

Draco: love don't worry too much. Let's just play and not worry about anything else right now. Nothing is gonna ruin our weekend. Nothing at all. i believe white goes first love.

you have been planning your entire strategy for this game you were 6 moves ahead of draco and you planned to keep it that way.

YN: pawn to g4

draco: knight to f6

YN: pawn to g5

draco: knight to d5

YN: knight to a3

draco: pawn to e5

to this point you had counted for every angle every move that draco could possibly counter.

YN: knight to c4

Draco: queen to g5

you now had an opportunity to get rid of his queen if you did it correctly.

YN: pawn to d3

draco: queen to f6

YN: knight to a5

draco: pawn to b5

YN: knight to f3

draco: your good love, but im slightly better... bishop to b7

YN: only as a slight... but not better enough. Knight to b7

Draco: knight to c6

YN: pawn to e3

Draco: love that wasnt very smart of you... knight to e3

YN: love that also wasnt smart of you. Pawn to e3

draco: clever love, pawn to d5

YN: bishop to d2

draco: pawn to e4

You smile as you begin to make Draco think you are preparing to checkmate his king.

YN: bishop to B4

Draco: oh my dear you are not gonna win right now... bishop to b4, by the way love, check...

you were so unsure of what to do, now looking at the board you knew now that you were screwed, you were about to loose.

you had to attempt to get your king out of check.

YN: im not gonna go down without a final attempt... king to e2

draco: sorry love, queen to f3... i believe its checkmate!

Yn: how I had this all planned out, I had this all planned out... Omg congrats love you win.

You kissed Draco, his hands pushing the chess board off the bed. That started the make out session of the next 10 min. Before someone came up the stairs and knocked on your door...

You turned toward the door and snapped your fingers...

Yn: come on in

You and Draco sat on the bed in each other's embrace watching as the door opened to reveal Hermione Harry and Ron.

You both got up and embraced them. They were here but how did they know.

Hermione: didn't think I would miss family gathering weekend did you... plus i figured we could use the backup, plus these 3 are the first outsiders at this family weekend. you my dear cousin could use a little bit of extra happiness before the rest of our family arrive. besides did you show Draco the extension of the grounds. all the griffins that you have trained.

YN: he did meet opal who took to him right away. he did surprisingly well for his first encounter with a griffin. But tomorrow we will go to the griffin sanctuary. Tonight we meet the family. I've been avoiding going down, how many are here yet?

Hermione: too many, more than usually show up first. no one has fought yet so its good and pleasant so far. cuz we should put on the family crest!

though you didnt want to Hermione pulled out a bag from your closet and led you into the washroom. you both put on the knee length black dresses and did a hair check before exiting back to the guys.

Draco took one look at you, came over and kissed you...

Draco: that dress is absolutely gorgeous on you!

YN: thank you love, this is the family crest, its style takes after our hogwarts crests. but it is our family crest. i however look forward to the day when we can be married where we have the freedom to disappear under new names so we can live our lives in hiding, in peace.

no one except draco heard you say those words as your ears heard the sound of fencing swords... you and hermione took off down the stairs and watched as your uncles all have fencing swords and are fencing throughout the house/property.

YN: well the fun begins. hermione tell the guys to stay upstairs im gonna stay here and watch this wait for my chance to intervene.

hermione: i should be by your side for this...

YN: no you should wait with the guys, make sure you give them their anti tracking bracelets. make sure that they understand the rules, make sure that they know what they are and are not allowed to do while here. make the rules abundantly clear.

Hermione gives you a swift nod, realizing that you were right, she went back upstairs to the boys. You let out a ear pi3rcing whistle forcing your family present to stop in their tracks.

Yn: family, family should we not be calm, should we be merry and sheath our swords for it is supposed to be the one weekend out of the year where we gather together as one whole magical family, but today you me, you pessimistic grown ass men are acting like children on this the weekend of peace. So every man in here and on this property shall hence forth not herald another sword as long as we all exist within this property border, for today i tell you all that im the one with the announcement.

You turn to see hermione coming down the stairs, draco following behind her, harry and ron behind him. Draco comes up at your side, proudly sporting his house crest as he places his hand to your own.

YN: this man beside me is my announcement, this young man is my boyfriend of 2 and a half years, this is Draco Malfoy. yes his parents are followers of you-know-who but Draco is different, i saved him from his parents, i saved him from whatever they wanted for him, more importantly we saved each other. without draco i would not be standing before you all to declare that my parents have blessed this union and we are the start of the open house relationship policy in the wizarding world, which now states “any witch or wizard that so sees fit to love someone not of their own house shall be free to be with whoever their heart desires within or without their house crest. for eternity shall this be!” Draco and i will be the first of a long line of students to follow our hearts. if i earn not even one of your approvals this weekend just know this, my parents support us and these 3 behind us support us, the school and its professors and students support us. we are supported and loved in every single direction. but a week ago Draco gave me this necklace with our couples initials and our anniversary date which pairs perfectly with this ring i gave him, neither of us are leaving this relationship and no one can make us.

for the room was silent all eyes were on you, and neither you nor draco said anything else, you both just walked over to the kitchen to help mom with some baking and rolling of spring rolls, and mixing of drinks yet still no one said anything, they just all stared at you both.

by the end of the first day you guys had been among the people, no one said a word to either of you. the night was peaceful, you both stood out on the balcony as opal slept beside where you both stood (yes the balcony is big enough for a griffin to sleep on... odd how story telling can be warped to our standards as authors) you both went inside after an hour and a bit later and went to sleep.

the next morning when you both woke it was to the sound of drills and hammers, something was going down and from the sound of it something was happening.

you both went to the balcony and discovered that the family was building something in the yard. opal was freaking out but she was also tied to a post in the yard.

YN: either my family has decided to work together or we are in lots of trouble.

thats when you received a fire message.

YN: its from my cousin she says that the family locked her ron harry and my mother in the barn with the griffins, tied up opal and insist on crucifying us all insisting we are all under the dark lords influence unless you and draco renounce your relationship and never see each other again.

Draco: what are we going to do... i cant live without you, and im never going to renounce our love.

YN: i have an idea but im gonna need you to do a fire message as well, send one to hermione in the barn tell her that she needs to comfort my mother, help is on the way... i have 1 message to send myself, to hogwarts.

you prepared your message as draco did his, you both sent them off, you knew hermione couldnt reply but she could receive, the one going to hogwarts however arrived in the hands of who you addressed it.

dumbledore received the message, he summoned minerva and snape to his office...

Dumbledore: im afraid this is not a social call, this is quite urgent in fact, a literal matter of life or death. YN and Draco had left yesterday to YN’s parents place, but i just received an urgent fire message... this reads, “Headmaster, this message is Urgent! we need help my family didnt take the news of me and Draco being together very well, they plan to crucify us, to crucify mine, hermiones, dracos, harrys, rons and my moms magical and physical forms. we need assistance, they have me and draco locked in the tower, and the others in the barn. please bring help, we need to get out of here. but they boarded the room we have a balcony but we wouldnt survive the jump. help us, get us out of here, by any means necessary and headmaster thank you for letting me and Draco live our lives together. help us asap!”

minerva: what do we have to do albus, how do we save the children and YN’s mother...

Dumbledore: quite easily, we 3 are going to YN’s family property where i will tqalk to the courtyard, one of you goes to the barn, the other goes to the tower, we meet back in the courtyard hopefully with everyone safe and sound. hopefully in that time frame i will have calmed down the courtyard and come up with a plan. now lets go...

the 3 professors by port key traveled and arrived outside the gate to your family estate. with 3 wands this would surely work better than expected.

snape, minerva & dumbledore: bombarda maxima

with that the gate, and half the wall on either side of the gate blew up, shattered into a thousand pieces. the explosion was loud enough to shake the entire estate. you and draco stood up slightly knowing that help had arrived.

your family on the other hand saw snape, minerva and dumbledore walk through the debris and they parted like the red sea, going completely silent, dropping whatever they were holding. for they all knew that this was not gonna be an easy task.

snape went toward the barn in which he found Harry, Ron, Hermione & of course your mom in the corner tied up like animals. he used his wand to untie them all and then waited for the signal to start emerging from the barn.

minerva went inside the house and up the stairs, where she found and broke down your tower door.

Minerva: time to go grab what you need lets go.

YN: thank you so much professor for coming.

Minerva: i am just glad im not too late... now lets see what dumbledore is saying to your family.

Dumbledore was now on a platform speaking to your family. or at least those that were in the courtyard.

Dumbledore: these children have done no harm, these people have made nothing wrong, why do you all believe they should be crucified, they have done nothing wrong except learn to love.

one person exclaimed: they are working for the dark lord

another person exclaimed: their relationship is toxic and needs to be purified by crucifixion

another person screamed: cause its not right, this is not how the rules dictate...

dumbledore was fed up with all the same types of answers...

Dumbledore: i albus dumbledore have seen the love that these 2 children share, ive seen it projected through their school work and through their vocals, its as pure and good as any in house relationships that have happened. ive decreed this to the school and am waiting for my meeting with the ministry to tell them about this. it will be a few weeks for that but i state this to you all: whoever goes from here to another soul and speaks ill of what has happened here shall henceforth no more have the ability to speak anything bad, and further more i decree that as long as there are good people running hogwarts, the houses can be free to love whosoever they desire! this began with Draco and YN, this decree is sealed by the signing of this parchment by me, professor mcgonigal, professor snape, YN and Draco. these 2 and the rest of their friends and family are not to come to any harm... now commence with the signing... YN and Draco first, then minerva and severus, i will sign last.

you and draco walked up to the parchment, you signed it first then handed the pen to draco who followed in signing the parchment. then minerva and severus signed next, then dumbledore before he spoke again.

Dumbledore: now all of you clean this yard up, none of you will be able to speak of this day, none of you will remember the horrors that were unleashed today. now go back to cleaning this yard and repairing this wall, YN didnt come back for family weekend and you guys do not remember anything.

the spoken words echo on the property as your mom gave you, hermione, draco, harry and ron a longing look that seemed to say ill see you soon. like that you all ended up back at hogwarts in dumbledores office.

Dumbledore: i wonder if i could speak with YN and Draco alone a moment.

Minerva: of course Albus, i will make sure these children make it back to the dorms. come along children.

the 5 people left the room leaving you and Draco alone in the office.

dumbledore: now children lets speak a bit about what happened...

YN: its my fault headmaster, i was so looking forward to telling my family, i didnt know it would go that wrong... i thought the old laws were no longer in effect, that crucifixions were illegal in the muggle and wizarding worlds.

Dumbledore: unfortunately the old laws are the laws that were drilled deeply into lots of witches and wizards and mostly in pureblood families such as both of yours. but unfortunatly we can not change their minds or their ways for that matter, the only thing we can do about this is move forward starting with my meeting with the ministry. now i expect you both to take the day, relax, take a load off and just relax its best not to speak of what happened to anyone its better that not very many people know yet. now be off, spend as much time as needed to push this days events from your minds.

you and draco walk out of the room, down the hall, through the changing stair cases to the shared dorm, where your room was.

He walked through the door with you, you both fell back on the bed. Just exhausted mentally.

Draco: are you OK love?

Yn: no I'm not... My family rejected me, rejected our relationship. for that they will have to learn the hard way with the decree, hopefully they will listen to that and hopefully when and or if fudge decides to make the announcement in the daily prophet. i know every single member of my family makes the effort to read the daily prophet... So we are gonna make sure it's front page worthy...

You turned over to face him and watched his eyes search your own. He was concerned about you, about your feelings, about your well being.

Draco brushed his hand gently against your cheek and smiled.

Draco: just lean into me and close your eyes. Don't dwell on what happened, dwell on our future think about that.. I love you YN, I love you so much! Just relax my love, just relax.

You leaned into the arms of your love, and happily lulled off to a state of peace and relaxation. You were not sure what tomorrow would hold but as long as nothing else bad happened you would be fine.

~to be continued~

#obxmermaidholiday #plot twist

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mattoyaki · 4 years

Text

⚔️ Pokemon Sword Nuzlocke (Part 4) ⚔️

Parts One, Two, and Three are here

My roommate tested positive for Covid, still waiting on my results...what a life. Let’s get our 5th gym badge shall we?

Gym Challenge 5 - Opal

This gym challenge is really dumb imo. It asks very easy questions with a few not so trick questions and it gives you boost in battle just for getting them right? I guess they tried to make it creative...

The battle itself was easy, BeardBro handled it all himself. Very easy....so uh...yeah. I got the Fairy Badge with minimal efffort. Let’s move forward!

Hammerlocke

The scene with Opal and Bede is probably the only interesting cutscene in the entire game...

More dialogue with Sonia and Leon with an explosion but don’t worry just continue your gym challenge that’s the most important thing!

Before moving forward I’m gonna head back to the wild area to catch some more Pokémon! I box BeardBro now that GurrenLagann knows heavy slam and bring Stuff’n back to the team.

Wild Area - Dusty Bowl

I run into the grass and encounter...an Applin?Definitely wasn’t expecting that but I’ll take it!

Turns out Applin is basically useless until it evolves, which isn’t exactly easy. According to google the only guaranteed to way to get a Tart Apple is to give your Applin away to an NPC...and the odds of me catching another one are slim. I’ll check out the Battle Cafes in Motostoke and Hammerlocke to see if I can’t get one as a reward.

Hammerlocke is a dud. Let’s try Motostoke...

No luck at Motostoke either, sorry Wormy, looks like it wasn’t meant to be. 😭 Apparently I can farm for one in Axew’s Eye after getting the bike upgrade so maybe it’ll work out later Wormy! Boxing him for now.

Continuing on my catching/training montage...

Wild Area - Giants Mirror

I catch a Dottler here which just doesn’t hit the same as Applin...

Dotty (Dottler) Lv 29

Rash Nature; It’s very finnicky

As I train Stuff’n evolves into Bewear.

A little more training and now onto Route 7 to contribute to Hop’s depression!

Route 7

Once again I demolish Hop and GurrenLagann evolves from the battle.

Side note: I feel like Galarian Golurk was a huge missed opportunity....but that’s just me.

Liepard immediately attacked me upon reaching the grassy area, welcome to the team Pusé

Pusé - (Liepard) Lv. 37

Lax Nature; Proud of it’s power

Route 7 isn’t nearly long enough to be considered a route imo.

Route 8

Route 8 kinda makes up for how short 7 was..

Togedemaru is my first encounter here, but Sombra lands a critical hit and knocks it out. I’m not too tore up about it.

Lots of Gurdurr here and too tight of corners to evade them. I had a close call when one landed a Dynamic Punch on Sombra.

Oooof, I lost my first Pokémon....to sandstorm no less. In a double battle Perrserker managed to get off 5 fury swipes leaving TootieFruity with 4 HP, leaving her in sandstorm range before I had a chance to heal her. RIP TootieFruity, you served me well!

I’ll be replacing TootieFruity with Microdose for the time being.

Part two of Route 8...does this count as a new area?? I’m gonna say no and continue onto Circhester.

Circhester

The music in this town is a vibe. After chilling for a while listening I head to the gym!

Gym Challenge 6 - Gordie

I love this gym design, gives me Sootopolis vibes and Toph Beifong would appreciate it.

Gordie didn’t stand a chance against Microdose and Sombra. Microdose took care of Barbacle and put Shuckle to sleep with Spore, allowing Sombra to come in for the sweep. And with that, I now own the Rock badge. Meaning I can now evolve my pokemon a second time!

After the gym there’s some more dialogue with Sonia, yay.

Ya know the story of this game has a lot of potential but the narrative style that’s always like “oh but don’t worry, just finish your gym challenge!” really gets in the way of it. With the lore of the Galar region I feel an evil team like Team Plasma could’ve helped a lot. But no...let’s focus on the gym challenge and make the villains a group of fan boys 🤷‍♂️

Hop challenges me to a battle cause he’s a secret masochist and we’re teleported to Route 8 cause making a city background on the switch is hard :/

Stuff’n and GurrenLagann have great synergy together, though Corviknight did pose a bit of a problem cause the threat of Drill Peck wouldn’t allow a safe switch into SpicyNoodle.

Sorry Hop, not today.

Now on to my absolute least favorite part of the game....Spikemuth.

Route 9

My first encounter here is one of my favorite Pokémon, Mareanie! I named him Spike and boxed him for now.

Spike - ( Mareanie ) Lv. 41

Sassy Nature; It’s very finicky!

Sombra evolves into Inteleon, finally at level 52!

More team yell shenanigans....did gamefreak really not make enough models they had to make the guy that fixes your bike a Doctor? Wack.

Now that I have the bike upgrade I’m returning to the wild area to check out a few areas i haven’t had access to.

Wild Area - Lake of Outrage

Learned the hard way this area is still too high level, but I managed to take down a Turtonator with GurrenLagann.

Did more training and Witch Bitch evolved into Hatterene!

Wild Area - Axew’s Eye

I checked the tree in the Axew’s Eye for Tart Apple and wouldn’t you know, there is one! Swapping out Microdose for Wormy and evolving him!

Gonna train up my new team a bit and call it a night!

Part 4 Recap

Current Team:

Sombra (Inteleon) Lv. 53, SpicyNoodle (Centiskorch) Lv. 50, Wormy (Flapple) Lv. 49, Stuff’n (Bewear) Lv. 47, Witch Bitch (Hatterene) GurrenLagann (Golurk) Lv. 48

Boxed:

Graveyard:

TootieFruity (Steenee) Lv. 41

Final Note:

One casualty but still feel pretty mehh about the difficulty. Even with the restrictions and challenges I placed on myself like gym badges and evolving ive found this game is still very easy. The shared experience is definitely an undermine to the classic Nuzlocke run. Either way I’m enjoying the run and it’s getting down to the nitty gritty. I’ll pick it back up tomorrow, and possibly finish?

#pokemon #pokemon swsh #pokemon sword #pokemon sword nuzlocke #nuzlocke #long post

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winchester-with-wings · 4 years

Text

Thief at Sea

Pairing: Newt Scamander x Witch!Reader

@yaviel-writes requested (a long time ago lol): Niffler steals stuff from the reader, who is also a witch

A/N: This is an older request that I finished a long time ago but never posted. You might notice a Titanic reference here or there hehehe Hope ya'll like it!

Word Count: 2700ish

This was posted a long time ago on my Patreon! Wanna get previews, early access and make exclusive requests? Become a Patron! You can follow my Patreon for free too! Can’t become a patron? please consider a donation to my Ko-Fi (Tips are appreciated, especially in this uncertain time)

Mobile Masterlist / Ko-Fi

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*gif found on google*

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Newt Scamander figured the likelihood of there being other witches and wizards on a ship bound for New York City was quite possible. Statistically, there must’ve been at least a few wizards amongst the hundreds of muggles aboard. But just as he kept to himself, so must they.

Three to four people were bunked in some of the boat’s rooms. Newt had been fortunate enough to afford a small but private room for him and his suitcase. He wasn’t about to risk the chance of a curious muggle opening his case when he wasn’t looking. Some wizards might not have been so lucky.

Still...Newt found the middle of the North Atlantic ocean to be quite a lonely place. He explored as much of the ship as was permitted, all the while carrying his suitcase with him. His creatures were restless as well. Though they had plenty of living space, they must’ve sensed the change in geography.

Newt visited them when he could, daring to enter his suitcase only when he was in his quarters with the door locked. His longing for land and sun was satiated by Frank’s enclosure. Caring for his young Occamys kept him busy and the Mooncalves needed feeding. And one morning, he checked on the Bowtruckles and found that Pickett had a cold. The small creature was now tucked into his coat pocket for body heat.

The niffler seemed especially susceptible to the world outside the suitcase. He could sense all of the worldly treasures people were travelling with. And if Newt had to guess, it was his niffler who kept popping the latch on his case and attempting to escape. Newt would just have to remain vigilant.

There was a multitude of fascinating people aboard this boat. You filled your days observing them all and basking on the sundeck. As a novelist, you had been looking forward to your ride to America, as much as the trip itself. The crowds and the opportunities for isolation were the perfect conditions to work on your characters and stories.

There were a few people you'd become quite infatuated with too.

A small girl with a pretty dress, large sun hat, and a doll. You'd imagined her to being an energetic little thing, an only child, perhaps a bit spoiled, the kind of girl who had tugged on her mum's hand until she'd relented and bought the hat.

A hearty bloke, rough around the edges, well-worn clothes and a scar here or there on his exposed arms. You would write him as a working man, a former soldier perhaps, in search of a woman and a better life in America.

A young couple with extravagant taste in clothing. The dark haired man looked happier than the red haired woman. You wrote them as arranged, betrothed for wealth and only one of them was happy about it. You imagined her to have a strong spirit and wandering eye. She'd exchanged looks with with a strapping lad, below her class. You hoped they fell in love and defied all the odds.

Another man who caught your attention seemed quite preoccupied with a suitcase. He was lovely to look at with tousled fiery hair and fair skin that had been speckled by sun exposure. He dressed well but they were worn. He looked like a traveller and the way he clutched that suitcase, he must live out of it.

What would drive a man to be so protective of his personal items? Wealth? Perhaps, but you had trusted your cabin to store all of your items. What could he possibly have to protect?

However, you had charmed your personal effects. No muggle...or wizard...could access them. Perhaps this man was a muggle? It was hard to tell. But surely there were other witches and wizards aboard.

The man with the suitcase took a stroll around the ship at the same time every day. At some point, he'd sit at a bench and rest the case on his lap. One of the latches popped open now and then but you never saw what was inside.

What if it was treasure? That was an intriguing thought. You wore your treasures (a locket and an opal ring) around your neck and on your finger, except for your grandmother's ruby ring. That was locked away, with a charm for good measure. No one would get their hands on it.

At least that's what you thought.

You were sharing cabin with a few other women. They seemed pleasant enough. Private yet hopeful for what awaited them in New York.

One of them called New York home and you revelled in every detail and recommendation she could offer you. Another was travelling with her family but they couldn't all fit in one cabin. She enjoyed the company of you and the other young ladies. The third was a girl with a sweet voice and tightly curled hair. She longed for the life of a New York girl; couldn't wait to attend parties wearing glitter and lipstick. She aspired to be an actress and you found her to be quite talented.

They didn't ask too much about you, which you preferred. You didn't want to elaborate on “Grew up outside of London and went to boarding school.” These girls were definitely muggles and they had no business knowing about Hogwarts.

One night, as the ship embarked ever closer to New York, there was a rustling in the cabin. One girl squealed and awoke you and the others.

“Rat!! Don't you hear it? Scurrying about?!”

The cabin remained dark as no one risked touching the floor and encountering the animal. You could hear it and if it was a rat, you weren't too concerned. Rats were common pets at Hogwarts. Yet you played the part of a frightened girl, sitting up in bed and curling your knees to your chest. One of the girls on the top bunk, tossed a shoe at the floor in an attempt to scare off the animal and she must've succeeded because the animal left the room, leaving you all wondering how it got in in the first place.

It was fortunate that you were the one who learned of the creature's true identity the next day. A muggle would've reacted differently.

The sun was bright today, beating down upon you in your several layers of clothing, which had served you well in London.

You took a respite in your cabin around noon. No one else was there as you changed outfits. But as you rifled through your own suitcase, you came to realize something was missing. Try as you might, your grandmother's ring was gone!

You searched the cabin high and low for the ring. It couldn't have left the room! And still you couldn’t find it. Hopeless and upset, you laid upon your bed, burying your face in your pillow.

At some point, you fell asleep. You’re not sure when you did but when you woke, there was a weight on your chest. It reminded you of your cat from Hogwarts and how he used to sleep on you. You thought it was just a dream but there was a tugging sensation at your neck that awoke you.

It happened so quickly, the way you startled as you realized that there was, in fact, something on top of you. You have the chance to either flail or freeze. You chose the latter. You opened your eyes slowly, straining your eyes to look down. It’s not as large as a cat but it’s alarming no matter what. At first glance, you’ve never seen anything like it.

You figured that the creature sitting on your chest--tugging at the locket around your neck--is not from the Muggle world. However, he did slightly resemble a platypus. He didn’t seem malicious but how were you to really know? Why did he have his little webbed paws clasped around your necklace? You tried to sit up slowly, a test to see if he could be scared off or if he’d stay in place. While he did slide down your body, the creature stayed put as best he could. The expression in his sparkling eyes was defiant as he yanked at your necklace.

“Give it to me!” he seemed to be communicating with each tug. You pried his little paws off of the gold pendant and chain and when that tether had been released, you set him down and jumped to your feet.

“You’re the little blighter that was in here last night, aren’t you?” you accused him--not that you expected him to answer. He only looked ashamed for half a second before something shiny caught his eye from across the room. He scurried off the bed towards your cabin mates’ belongings. “Bloody hell! Oh no you don’t!”

Like an uncoordinated cat after a mouse, you chased the creature around the cabin, not once coming close. As he stole a piece of jewelry and some money from one girl’s trunk, you pulled out your wand. He scurried across the room and before you could mutter a single word, the creature squeezed himself through the miniscule crack under the door.

If you doubted whether the creature was magical or not, that certainly answered your question.

“No!” You ran after him, throwing the door open and hoping for an empty hallway. He couldn’t go far on a ship in the middle of the ocean but still you couldn’t have him wandering around and stealing from people. How did he even get here?

As you rounded the corner of the narrow hallway, you risked whipping out your wand once more.

“Accio!” you hissed, exasperated. The creature was caught in your line of sight, susceptible to your charm. He surged into the air and then floated over to you where you suspended him for inspection. You watched as he slipped a coin into an invisible belly pouch. It was then that you realized what this creature was. “Ohhh, you…” you squinted at him, “where did you come from? Of all places to find you…”

The niffler tilted his head and just blinked at you. The corner of your mouth tilted up. He was rather cute, in an odd sort of way. With a flick of your wand, you pulled him closer to you, taking him into your embrace.

“Let’s get you back to my cabin, shall we? Don’t want any muggles to see you.” The niffler nuzzled into you, once again taking hold of your necklace. “If you stole my ring, I’m going to need that back,” you warned him.

The sound of shoes scuffing the floors brought you to the realization that someone else was in the corridor near your cabin. You glanced up to see the red-haired man you’d observed on the upper decks. He was on his hands and knees peeking around other cabin doors. He pulled that brown suitcase along with him as if he needed it nearby when he found what he’s looking for.

You’re about to turn around and hide the niffler when the man’s face lifted to look at you. Your back is to him.

“Oh um...excuse me…” he muttered quietly, getting to his feet. “I must be in your way. I’m terribly sorry. I was just…” He swatted at his coat and finally his gaze met yours as you turned around. “...looking for something…” his voice trailed off. His green eyes trained on the niffler.

“Does this little bugger belong to you?” You approached the man, coming closer to your own cabin.

“Erm, yes that’s my niff--”

“A niffler, yes.” The wizard breathed a sigh of relief at discovering you were a witch. “Were you smuggling this creature into the country?” you accused him, holding fast to the animal. The red-haired man, who’d yet to introduce himself, seemed shifty and unwilling to make eye contact.

“N--no no, absolutely not. I mean, technically, yes. But he was to accompany me on my travels. Never for sale,” he reassured you. “My name is Newt Scamander.” He introduced himself, extending a hand. You took it but not as a handshake.

“We should leave the corridor in case any muggles come by,” you suggested. You pulled Newt towards your cabin and checked to make sure that it was still empty before pushing him into the small space. You locked the door behind you. “Does he have a name?” you asked, holding up the creature that was snuggling into your neck.

“Erm...no...he’s--uh--just niffler.”

“Oh, well that’s boring,” you giggled. “Do you have several nifflers?” Mr. Scamander shook his head. “Well then, if he’s one of a kind in your collection, I should think he should have a name.”

“Y-yes, one of kind indeed,” he scowled at the creature. “And what about you? Surely someone like you must have a one of a kind name, as well?” Newt ventured to say and you thought it almost sounded like a compliment.

“Y/N, Y/N Y/L/N. Nice to meet you.” You shook his hand for real this time. “I was starting to think that if he was just a stowaway and no one was to claim him that I would take on the honor of naming your niffler.”

“What would you call him?”

“I’m thinking...Richard.”

Newt seemed to snort and scoff at the same time. His smile was a crooked one, tilting up on one side when he looked at you with those green eyes.

“I’m--I’m sorry. Richard? Why, might I ask?”

“Well, for several reasons. One: Richard is a very dignified name. Second: Richie the Pickpocket has a nice ring to it and third...well stealing priceless heirlooms from people is a bit of a dick move. Don’t ya think?” you asked as you tried to hold up the niffler and put him on display. Newt grinned.

“I suppose. Though, I see he hasn’t taken your necklace. Not for lack of trying,” he admitted. He started to detach the animal from your necklace and take him into his own arms. The platypus looking creature squirmed.

“Yes, well he did take my grandmother's ruby ring and that’s a problem. Do you know how to get it back?”

“Yes, unfortunately I have too much experience with that.” Newt took the niffler but the foot and hung him upside down. You squeaked, out of concern, but Newt smiled at you for reassurance. With his deft fingers, he started to tickle the creature’s tummy.

Countless items started to fall out of his invisible pouch! All things shiny! Jewelry and coin currency mostly. You imagined he’d be quite the desired tool for criminals looking to make money. Newt didn’t seem surprised, nor interested in the money. Still holding onto his creature under his arm, Newt searched through the pile of treasures until he found the only ruby ring.

“I’ve found it!” he boasts, kneeling before you on one knee. He presents the ring to you and for a moment, the scene before you is eerily similar to a proposal.

You accept your heirloom.

“Thank you so much! I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d lost it forever.”

Newt put the niffler on the ground but still had a hold of him by the tail. He kept control of the animal while the niffler cleaned up the mess of shiny objects which had spilled like a golden waterfall. He stashed it all away in that pouch again and you couldn't think of an unethical reason for why he couldn’t do so. The little thief probably always had a stash.

Once Richie, the pickpocketing niffler, had cleaned up his mess, Newt brandished his large, old, leather suitcase. He opened it up and shoved the niffler inside, locking it quickly.

“What do you do for a living, Mr. Scamander?” you asked as the two of you left your cabin for the main deck.

“Oh, well uh, I study magical creatures. I’m writing a guide on how to care for them.” There’s a twinkle of passion in his eyes.

“Of course you are,” you grin. “I imagine there’s to be an entire chapter on your niffler?” you teased.

“Yes, you are quite right.”

“I’d love to learn more. If you’d happen to be available during our passage to New York, perhaps we could further discuss it?”

“Oh, yes. There’s much I can tell you. And maybe even show you?”

Your eyes drifted to his suitcase. There must’ve been more than one magical creature stowed away on this trip to America.

#newt scamander #newt scamander x reader #newt x reader #newt scamander imagine #newt scamander fanfiction #newt scamander fluff #fbawtft #fantastic beasts and where to find them #my writing #eddie redmayne #harry potter #wizarding world #niffler

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eilonwiiy · 4 years

Text

Bookends ; a Witchlands AU

Chapter 5

Iseult is distracted from her encounter with Aeduan by a distressing phone call from home. Meanwhile, Owl leads Aeduan to the best coffee in Veñaza City. The only problem is the girl behind the counter doesn’t like him very much...

Summary: Iseult det Midenzi never expected to go to a top university, so when her mother falls ill and she is forced to drop out to make ends meet, life has never seemed so unfair. But when she starts working at the local library and is unexpectedly assigned in the Children’s Room, a certain monosyllabic man and his thrice-damned demon child start showing up and Iseult begins to wonder if the threads of fate have a plan for her after all.

Previous chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4

Ships: Iseult/Aeduan, Safi/Merik, and more… stay tuned!

Tags: modern AU, college setting, family, friendship, humor, fluff, slow-burn, romance, eventual smut

Read on AO3: here

Tag list: (please let me know if you’d like to be added!) @lseultdetmidenzi @twilightlegacy13

* . * . * . * .

Aeduan.

Iseult rolled the name over in her mind. When she’d heard someone approaching the Children’s Room, she never expected it to be him. She’d nearly forgotten about the bizarre interaction she’d seen him have with Evrane. Now, after seeing him up close, he was about the last person she ever would have imagined running into in the Children’s Room.

He was young. Couldn’t be more than a few years older than her. He kept his dark hair cut short and well-groomed. Skin almost as pale as hers outlined the hard angles of his face, clean-shaven and cutting a striking look. Despite his casual choice of wardrobe, he looked immaculate in dark fitted jeans, lace strapped books, and a worn burgundy leather jacket over a grey t-shirt haphazardly tucked into his jeans. It was only when he’d approached her desk was she able to fully appreciate the blue of his eyes. Where Safi’s were plundered from the depths of the sea, Aeduan’s were cut from ice. Yet, Iseult felt none of the chill.

And of course, there in his left ear was the peculiar opal earring. Iseult would hardly forget it.

Nor could she forget the look in the child’s eyes as he carried her out of the room. She’d never seen anything like it. Not from a child. They burned with a loathing uncharacteristic for a girl her age. There was something very unsettling about her.

Owl, that’s what Aeduan had called her. Another strange name. Maybe it ran in the family. If they were family, that is. They certainly seemed close. And who could she possibly be if she wasn’t his daughter? He was so young. Maybe she was his sister?

Iseult hadn’t actually overheard much from his conversation with Evrane. She was curious, but eavesdropping on a stranger was one thing. Eavesdropping on Evrane was another. Safi would have egged her on, just as she had the other day. But Evrane’s business was Evrane’s business and Iseult would never want to intrude. Instead, she’d distracted herself with trying to translate the storm of emotions she was feeling in a word document. She felt a little pathetic for it, but if she wasn’t able to talk to Safi, she’d have to settle for the responseless desktop.

Now that she was alone though…

Iseult looked down at the phone tucked away in her lap. She picked it up and saw there were several new notifications on the lock screen. Her heart stuttered at the name at the top.

Leopold.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Iseult still hadn’t called him. Or texted him. Or done anything that would demonstrate that she had some basic awareness of his existence.

Iseult swiped open the message and braced for the worst.

It was a picture of a cat.

Iseult blinked at it. Her heart relaxed, but after bottling up all her uncertainty surrounding Leopold for a week, it was a very small consolation. All she felt was… sad.

Why had she been avoiding him for so long? It wasn’t fair to him, and more than that, it wasn’t like her to be so careless. What was wrong with her? If she truly believed the drink he’d ordered her meant nothing, then there was nothing to be anxious about...

Unless...

Licking her lips, she typed a short response.

Iseult – 10:48 AM >> :) >> Sorry I’ve been MIA. I started working in the Children’s Room today…

OK. It was done. Granted, it was a pretty uninspired attempt at an explanation, but she had at least taken the plunge - that alone was helping to alleviate her anxiety. It was out of her hands now.

She was just about to exit out of the conversation to check her other missed messages when she was interrupted by an almost immediate response from Leopold.

Leopold – 10:49 AM >> It’s ok… for a second I thought you AND Safi were freezing me out. It’s cold enough out there - winter doesn’t need any help from you two. Not until I get my fur coat back from the dry cleaners, that is. >> Really? How’s that going?

For the first time all morning, Iseult smiled. His charm was infectious even in text. She hadn’t realized how much she missed him. And that ridiculous coat.

Still grinning, she swiped out of their message thread. She’d save that for her walk home. Something to look forward to.

The next message was a text from Ryber thanking her again for ordering the books she needed. After typing a quick reply, Iseult clicked the red exclamation point indicating a missed call.

It was from Alma.

Iseult’s smile instantly fell away. Everything inside her went quiet. She stared at the name for a long time.

If something had happened, if her mom was in trouble, Alma would have left a message. But even so…

Iseult swiveled out of her chair, walked over to Hilga’s office, and without a moment’s hesitation, knocked on the door. A gentle “Come in” answered her and Iseult opened door and poked her head in.

“Sorry to bother you, Hilga, but I just noticed a missed call from my mom’s friend. Would you mind if I give her a quick call back? It’s probably nothing, but-”

Hilga smiled in understanding and Iseult wondered if Evrane had told her about her family situation. “Go, go. You’re overdue for your break anyway.”

“Thanks Hilga. It’ll only take a minute.”

Hilga waved her off, rising from her desk and bustling around it to meet Iseult at the door. “Take all the time you need. How’s everything been out here? Did I miss any fireworks?” she added with a hint of humor.

Iseult was already halfway across the room, one arm in her coat sleeve, when the little black cat on the cover of the picture book Aeduan wanted to check out caught Iseult’s eye. Even though she was in a hurry to call Alma, she paused at its shelf and picked it up.

“No,” she said, shaking her head absently. “You haven’t missed anything at all.”

* . * . * . * .

Despite Owl in his arms, Aeduan was feeling lighter and lighter with every step he took. He was glad to be away from the library, though the distance was giving him the space to fully go over his conversation with Evrane.

His apartment wasn’t particularly close to the library, but he found that he needed the walk and was glad that he decided not to take the car. Like Owl, the car - a used Honda civic - was a new addition to his life. He couldn’t exactly attach a basket to his motorcycle and expect Owl to sit in it whenever they needed to go somewhere. And since he didn’t have his squad car anymore, well… it was an adjustment.

Yes, that’s what he’d call with agreement with Evrane, Aeduan thought to himself, kicking a chunk of snow on the sidewalk out of his path. Another adjustment. He’d handled every new thing that had come his way so far. He could handle this.

Of course, a car never fought back. Evrane was a different story.

Owl fidgeted in Aeduan’s arms. He held her closer; her fuzzy winter hat brushed up against his cheek.

“What would you like to do when we get home?” he asked her. “It’s almost 12 so we should probably have some lunch. What do you think? Strawberry or grape jelly?”

“Blueberry,” Owl replied.

“We don’t have Blueberry jelly,” said Aeduan, pretending that she wasn’t referring to that thrice-damned cat, or worse, about to cycle back to the Halloween book and rethink having a meltdown. A pale face curtained with black hair came to mind, and Aeduan’s dark brows pinched together. All that fuss just to get a library card. Ridiculous.

Now that they were out of the library and away from Evrane, Owl’s voice rang loud and clear. “Blueberry.”

Aeduan repressed a sigh. Time to change tactics. “I doubt Blueberry would like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It wouldn’t be good for his stomach. Remember when you ate too much chocolate and you were very, very sick afterward? It would be like that.”

This time Owl started tapping on his shoulder and, sounding a bit more fretful, insisted, “Blueberry.”

Aeduan halted his steps and twisted Owl in his arms so that he could see her face. His patience was already worn to the breaking point from the morning, and suddenly, it felt like his life depended on Owl not bursting into tears. “Owl, I’m sorry, I don’t-”

But Owl wasn’t paying attention to him. Her eyes were fixed somewhere behind him. Confused, Aeduan turned around to see what it was that had caught her interest.

On the sidewalk outside one of the storefronts was a chalkboard sign. Drawn on it in colorful chalk was a cartoon of a blueberry and lemon in a passionate embrace saying, “You’re my main squeeze!” Underneath it written in big bubble letters was an announcement: “Today’s pastry special: Blueberry Lemon Muffins!”

Aeduan’s head turned back to Owl. “Is that what you want? A muffin?”

Owl nodded emphatically and the comically oversized pom pom on top her head nodded along with her with the gesture. For the first time all day a small smile broke across Aeduan’s face.

“That,” he said, bopping her on the nose with his finger, “I can get you.”

Owl made a noise close to a squeal and curled herself back in on Aeduan’s chest. Excited. She was excited.

Triumph reigned over Aeduan as he walked them back to the coffee shop. He’d done it. He’d figured out what she was trying to say. Without Evrane’s help. The day was far from over, but as far as Aeduan was concerned, him and Owl had earned themselves a long afternoon nap when they got home, and possibly, nothing else.

A bell jangled overhead as he swung open the door and stepped into the coffee shop. Such an overly cutesy name like Jitters normally would have turned him off, but he had no problem buying an overpriced muffin if it meant keeping Owl happy.

It certainly wasn’t Starbucks. It had the kind of incohesive bullshit style of decorating that gave Aeduan a headache. None of the furniture matched. It was as if the owner hit every yard sale he could find, shelled out thirty bucks for what he no doubt thought were priceless treasures, and regurgitated all of it into the compact space. Aeduan eyed the shabby green couch sitting by the working fireplace distastefully; he could have sworn he’d seen something just like it out on a sidewalk recently.

Owl reached up to touch the bells hanging from the door, jostling Aeduan from his private thoughts and he realized that he was just standing in the doorway staring. He made his way over to the counter and the floorboards creaked under his boots. No one was at the register so he set Owl down by the pastry display and crouched next to her so they could look at the selection together.

“There’s the blueberry lemon muffin,” Aeduan said, pointing to a full tray of yellow-golden muffins so moist they were practically glistening. His stomach gave a hungry growl. When was the last time he ate? Did he have breakfast that morning? He vaguely remembered picking off a couple of Owl’s leftover Cheerios.

“Why don’t we pick out a few? Then we can have some for breakfast this week.”

Owl’s face pressed up against the glass was confirmation enough that this was a sound plan. He stood up, leaving her to salivate while he ordered.

Soft music filtered from a dingy radio next to the row of coffee machines. Aeduan looked around the near empty cafe. He didn’t see anyone that looked like they worked there - though, if the mismatched furniture was any indication, this probably wasn’t the type of place that forced their workers into uniforms.

Not seeing much of a choice, Aeduan knocked on the counter and called out, “Hello? Does anyone work here?”

There was a scuffle of movement, and a moment later, a tousled blonde head poked out from behind a sheet of fabric acting as a door off to the right of the counter. She looked surprised by his presence at the counter, which would have confused Aeduan, had it not been for the frown of displeasure it morphed into a second after. She made no move to come out from behind the curtain and continued to eye him suspiciously.

Aeduan cleared his throat.

“I’d like to order.”

“Alright,” the girl replied slowly, finally leaving her hiding spot and approaching the counter. “What do you want?”

Some better customer service, that’s what.

“Muffins,” Aeduan grunted. “Two blueberry lemon, a cranberry, a pumpkin, two chocolate chip-” Aeduan stopped and eyed the girl sharply. “Aren’t you going to write this down?”

Her eyes fluttered impatiently. “Don’t need to. Continue.”

But Aeduan didn’t continue. He stared at her, and for the longest time, that’s all he did. Just like he would any low-life perp.

That’s what he’d been known for back in his days at the Academy. Intimidation. Sure, he was formidable with a gun and anyone stupid enough to challenge him to hand-to-hand combat learned quite violently that Aeduan was the top of their class for reasons that had nothing to do with his father being the commissioner. But it was his presence, his overall being, that set him apart from everyone else. His sargent once chuckled after Aeduan had busted a long-time drug dealer in his first year that the perp in question had called him inhuman.

It wouldn’t be long before the barista cracked. Aeduan had yet to meet anyone who could stand to look him directly for more than a couple seconds - criminal or not.

Sure enough, the girl lifted her chin, her only act of defiance as she pulled a pad of paper from her apron pocket and plucked a pen from a chipped mug next to the register. With a mild expression, she clicked it’s retractable head and rested the tip on top of the pad, waiting.

Aeduan started from the beginning. “Two blueberry lemon muffins, a cranberry, a pumpkin, two chocolate chip, a corn, an apple cinnamon, and a black coffee to-go.”

“Size?” the girl prompted, not looking up while she wrote.

“Large.”

She jotted down his answer and was just about to turn around and get started when he caught her eye. He cocked his head to the side.

There was no misunderstanding his intent, and for a second, she looked like she was about to argue, but like a suspect resigning them to arrest, obediently rotated to face him and looked down at her notepad.

Aeduan smirked.

Just like a perp. They’re all the same.

Her speech was robotic and forced: “Two blueberry lemon muffins, a cranberry, a pumpkin, two chocolate chip, a corn, an apple cinnamon, and one large black coffee to-go.”

Aeduan tucked his amusement away just as the girl finished and looked up at him. He didn’t say anything, but nodded his approval for her to get on with the order.

Well. If there had been any mystery as to why she didn’t like him before, there certainly wasn’t one now.

It was with bitter satisfaction that Aeduan watched her scramble to collect the muffins he ordered. He couldn’t care less whether or not she liked him. She was a complete stranger. A barista. Certainly not worth the effort. But that didn’t stop the familiar sting of being treated less than human he’d encountered under worse circumstances than now.

When the muffins were boxed and the lid was closed upon the coffee cup, the girl rang up the items on the register. “That will be $18.72.”

Aeduan dug his wallet out of his back pocket and handed her a twenty. She punched a couple keys on the register, scooped out the change and handed it to him without looking at him.

As Aeduan tucked his wallet in his back pocket, it occurred to him that he wouldn’t be able to carry Owl with the muffins and coffee. “Can I have a bag for that?” he asked pointing to the pastry box.

This was a catastrophic inconvenience judging the eye roll the girl wasn’t quite able to hide as she ducked down beneath the counter and pulled out a paper bag. She placed the box into the bag. “There, how’s that?” she asked in such a falsely concerned tone that Aeduan almost said something he most definitely would not have done her the courtesy of hiding its true intent from.

Instead, Aeduan only grunted a confirmation. He could be passive aggressive too. If she didn’t want to talk to him, then he wouldn’t burden her with speech.

“Fabulous,” she heaved, and without another word, she spun around and escaped behind the curtain with a dramatic flourish.

Aeduan gave the tapestry a withering look before turning to Owl. She had moved on from the muffins and was now inspecting a row of decorated cupcakes.

“All set,” Aeduan announced. Better to put an end to this excursion before she got any ideas. Owl tore her gaze away for the cakes to look at Aeduan, slightly dazed. Then her eyes dropped to the big bag hanging from the crook of his elbow. Her face lit up and she quickly scurried onto her feet and climbed into Aeduan’s waiting arms.

Aeduan hefted Owl up, trying to make his hold on her comfortable as he could for himself with the addition of the bag on his arm. Once he felt like everything and everyone was secure, he reached for the cup of coffee on the counter with his free hand.

The bell tinkled goodbye to them as they left the shop. Snow had started to fall, harmless little flakes that disappeared the moment they touched the wet pavement. Hopefully it wouldn’t get worse before they got home. Aeduan paused outside the store to blow across the open hole in the cover of his coffee and took a tentative sip. Owl tried to catch snowflakes as he mulled over its taste, then he grudgingly took another, more generous, drink. He would have loved nothing more than to have hated it, just to get in one more shot at the barista, but hell-gates. It was good.

* . * . * . * .

The one problem with the library was that there were very few places to have a private conversation. While phone calls in the library were frowned upon for obvious reasons, the staff room didn’t offer much privacy either, as the kitchen where most people took their lunches was connected to the offices. So Iseult resolved to take her phone call out in the cold on the stone steps of the library. It had started to snow and Iseult wiped off the wetness on her phone screen. She’d been standing there for several minutes, mustering up the courage to call Alma back, and there was already a starscape of snowflakes on Iseult’s wool coat.

The universe was really letting her have it today. Bad enough that her morning had gone just as disastrously as she predicted: one angry man and a child she wouldn’t be surprised had already summoned a hex to curse her with. Now, this.

Iseult pressed the call button and lifted the phone to her ear. After a couple rings, Alma’s voice sang sweetly in her ear.

“Iseult,” she answered, sounding perfectly pleasant. “You got my call.”

“Yes,” Iseult responded stiffly. “Sorry I didn’t pick up. I’m at work. Is-is everything alright?”

“Oh, everything’s fine!” Alma chirped, and even though that was good news, Iseult still felt uneasy. If nothing was wrong, then something else was up, and that was never good.

“Ok… does my mom need anything?”

“No, not really.” And then, Alma, who was always so composed and never stumbled over her words like Iseult did, flustered a little. “But well, I was thinking - hoping - that you’d like to come visit sometime. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen you...”

Alma trailed off, leaving Iseult to grapple with her conscious in the uncomfortable silence. She kicked her heel into the stone step.

That hadn’t exactly been an accident - her not visiting. Saldonica was far, and since Safi’s car was about as trustworthy as Chiseled Cheater, Iseult took the long train ride to get there. It was a convenient excuse to have on hand, what with it being a whole day affair, and a costly one at that.

Iseult must have taken too long to respond because Alma started talking again.

“I know it’s hard with you working all the time, of course,” she said. The understanding in her voice was so genuine that it made Iseult hate her a little more. “But Gretchya’s had some really good days in the last few weeks, and I just thought it’d be good for both of you to spend some time with each other. I know she’d love to see you.”

Iseult nearly laughed at that last part. Of course, this was all coming from Alma. Gretchya hadn’t asked for Iseult at all. She would have been stupid to have thought that to begin with.

Gretchya didn’t need Iseult for anything. Except for her money. Aside from that, she got everything she needed from the neat little package that was Alma. Before she became her caretaker, she had been more of a daughter to her than Iseult ever was. She was everything Iseult wasn’t. Every facet of her being was sewn together with a steady needle. Sharp in its precision and effortless in its design. There were no bumps to smooth out. No runs, no frays. Alma was flawlessly put together. Perfect.

“I- will try,” Iseult croaked.

“Of course,” Alma’s melodic voice flowed through the speaker, so at odds with Iseult’s. Then, she laughed lightly, “Scruff misses you too.”

If it had been anyone but Alma, Iseult would have thought she was trying to manipulate her into visiting. But Alma was above such tactics. Scruffs, her childhood dog, was the one thing she did miss in Saldonica. She’d give just about anything to see him. Before Safi came along, he had been the closest thing to a best friend she’d ever had. In fact, he’d been her only friend. The thought of Alma giving him all of his belly rubs and ear scratches caused Iseult’s heart to clench painfully.

“I’ll let Gretchya know that you’re going to look over your work schedule and get back to us, ok?” said Alma. She sounded happy.

Iseult nodded even though Alma couldn’t see it. “Ok.”

“Is there anything else you want me to tell your mom? How’s work?”

“Work is fine.” Iseult paused. Then, said, “I got offered a position in the Children’s Room. I just started today.”

A surprised gasp followed. “That’s wonderful, Iseult!” Alma exclaimed. “Gretchya will be thrilled.”

Doubt it. “Yeah. Listen, Alma, I should go. My break is almost over and I don’t want to be late getting back, it being my first day and all.”

“Oh yes, of course,” Alma hastened to agree. She sighed happily as though they had just shared the most splendid conversation together. “Well, let us know when a good time to visit is. We’ll be here. Take care, Iseult.”

“Right. You too.” And not knowing what else to say, Iseult hung up.

There were still a few minutes left in her break, so Iseult stood on the steps of the library, watching the snow coming down more steadily than it had before. Across the rooftops and the city horizon, grey clouds hung ominously, the promise of a storm in the air. Iseult tipped her head back so that all she could see was the white abyss of the sky. For a moment, it felt like she was suspended in the air. Nothing else existing. All there was was stasis.

Stasis in your fingertips and in your toes.

Iseult blinked, open-mouthed, against the snow falling into her eyes. Ice melted on her cheeks, running rivers down her jaw.

After, when she marched up the steps, she wiped them away.

She was Iseult det Midenzi, daughter of Gretchya det Midenzi, and she did not cry.

#the witchlands #witchlands #baeseult #iseult det midenzi #aeduan #safiya fon hasstrel #owl #aeduan x iseult #truthwitch #bookends #my fics #mine

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currentlymovingaccounts · 5 years

Text

🌷 Tulips 🌷

Scientific Name: Tulipa

Care: 🌷 Tulips prefer a site with full or afternoon sun. In Zones 7 and 8, choose a shady site or one with morning sun only. 🌷 Soil must be well-draining, neutral to slightly acidic, fertile, and dry or sandy. All tulips dislike areas with excessive moisture. 🌷 Tall varieties should be sheltered from strong winds.

🌷 You’ll want to space bulbs 4 to 6 inches apart, so choose a large enough planting site. 🌷 Plant tulip bulbs in the fall, 6 to 8 weeks before a hard frost is expected and when soils are below 60 degrees F. This is usually during September or October in the north, and November or December in the south. 🌷 Nature never intended for bulbs to loll about above ground, so don’t delay planting the bulbs after purchase. 🌷 In southern climates with mild winters, plant bulbs in late November or December. The bulbs will need to be chilled in the refrigerator for about 12 weeks before planting. (Bulb suppliers often offer pre-chilled bulbs for sale, too.) 🌷 Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. 🌷 Plant bulbs deep—at least 8 inches, measuring from the base of the bulb. And that means digging even deeper, to loosen the soil and allow for drainage, or creating raised beds. Remember, the bigger the bulb, the deeper the hole it needs.

🌷 Set the bulb in the hole with the pointy end up. Cover with soil and press soil firmly. 🌷 Water bulbs right after planting. Although they can’t bear wet feet, bulbs need water to trigger growth. 🌷 If you’re planning to raise perennial tulips, feed them a balanced fertilizer when you plant them in the fall. Bulbs are their own complete storage system and contain all of the nutrients they need for one year. Use organic material, compost, or a balanced time-release bulb food. 🌷 To deter mice and moles—if they have been a problem—put holly or any other thorny leaves in the planting holes. Some gardeners use kitty litter or crushed gravel. If ravenous voles and rodents are a real problem, you may need to take stronger measures, such as planting bulbs in buried wire cages. 🌷 If it rains weekly, do not water. However, if there is a dry spell and it does not rain, you must water the bulbs weekly until the ground freezes. 🌷 Rainy summers, irrigation systems, and wet soil are death to tulips. Never deliberately water a bulb bed unless in a drought. Wet soil leads to fungus and disease and can rot bulbs. Add shredded pine bark, sand, or any other rough material to the soil to foster swift drainage. 🌷 Apply compost annually to provide nutrients needed for future blooms. 🌷 In the spring, when leaves emerge, feed your tulip the same bulb food or bone meal which you used at planting time. Water well. 🌷 Deadhead tulips as soon as they go by, but do not remove the leaves! 🌷 Allow the leaves to remain on the plants for about 6 weeks after flowering. The tulips need their foliage to gather energy for next year’s blooms. After the foliage turns yellow and dies back, it can be pruned off. 🌷 Large varieties may need replanting every few years; small types usually multiply and spread on their own.

Magickal Properties: Protection, love, happiness, prosperity, abundance Correspondences: Venus (planet), Earth (element), Feminine (gender) 🌷 Love is one of the strongest properties of tulips. They can be used to increase desire, build relationships, and open the heart. 🌷 Can be used in magic regarding gratitude, simplicity, happiness, beauty, and prosperity. 🌷 Different colored variations of tulips can aid in different types of magick. 🌷 Sometimes associated with dream work and fame. 🌷 Use as a centerpiece to increase the sensory appreciation of a meal or gathering. 🌷 Sweep your aura with a few stems to shroud yourself in a veil of magnetism and desirability. 🌷 Use to assist with grounding- if you're feeling anxious, plant tulips, spend time with them, or take a few drops of tulip flower essence under your tongue. (I very quickly tried to double check if this is safe or could have any health side effects, but I couldn't find anything. I'll have to take time to look into it further. If anyone here knows, feel free to share your knowledge!) The tulip's substantial bulb and alignment with the physical world helps with that grounding energy. 🌷 A poultice made of tulip flowers can treat and soothe rashes, stings, scratches, and minor burns. 🌷 Tulip oil can be used as a house freshener or added to baths and massage oils to uplift vibrations. 🌷 A tulip bulb on your altar will help you attract as well as keep a lover. 🌷 Helps with connecting with love intentions and letting go of fear. 🌷 Because they regrow every year, tulips can be associated with renewal/rebirth and a new perspective. 🌷 Because tulips rise as the sun rises and go down as the sun sets, they are believed to be very in tune with it, making them perfect for any association with the sun. 🌷 Resonates with the heart chakra. If your heart, physical or emotional, could use strengthening, add a few drops of the flower essence to your drinking water or bath. (Again, is this stuff safe to drink or not?) 🌷 As tulips share qualities with love goddesses, they're great additions to love goddess altars or rituals (goddesses like Hathor, Aphrodite, Venus, or Parvati). 🌷 Because they vary in color, some crystals that go best as a duo with tulips are aura quartz, fluorite, opal, and rainbow quartz. 🌷 Solar Charm: At dawn, gather a tulip that's just opening as you recite this incantation, "At sunrise let my mind be keen, alert, and wise; at sunset, put the spell to rest." Carry the flower with you until sunset, then bury the petals in the earth for a good night's sleep. 🌷 Prosperity Spell: Gather a handful of tulips seeds and scatter all but two to a southerly wind saying, "Silver and gold, silver and gold, one to have and one to hold. To the winds fly, fall, and free, bring to me prosperity!". Put the last two seeds in your wallet or purse to attract money. 🌷 Carry tulips or having them on you brings good luck. 🌷 Growing tulips brings peace to a home. 🌷 Can be worn for protection and prosperity. 🌷 It is said that pixies and fae love to live in them.

Other Info: 🌷 Tulips are probably one of the first flowers cultivated solely for their beauty and designs of these flowers can be found on pottery jars dated from 2200 to 1600 B.C. Tulips were also found on the border of a 19th century Byzantine fabric. Though they must have been known to them, tulips were not mentioned at all by Greek or Roman writers. 🌷 European explorers and traders first encountered tulips in the gardens of Turkish sultans in the early 1500's. In 1554 the Austrian ambassador, Ghislain de Busbecq, bought some of the bulbs for a great price and brought them back to Vienna. They were given to Charles de Lecluse, a Flemish botanist, which lead to the beginning of the love of tulips in Holland. After about 20 years, de Lecluse started teaching in the Netherlands and took some of the seeds and bulbs of tulips there. Though he had been meaning to sell them to make a little extra money, the bulbs were stolen and soon tulips were growing throughout the country. 🌷 By 1634 Holland was hit with tulipmania and the price per pound was often more than that of precious metal. When interested in the solid-colored flowers began to wane, breeders began producing unusual blossoms because striped, feathered, and marbled varieties brought higher prices. 🌷 Stripes and some other color variations are actually caused by a virus and not a mutation, making it impossible to get the same coloration from seed. These must be bred from an offshoot of the parent bulb. 🌷 In 1637 traders and dealers began to realize that bulb prices were artificially high and did not reflect the actual value of the bulbs. As the tulip market toppled, the result was economic depression and true hunger and poverty in many areas. Especially hard hit were the many farmers who, hoping for a quick fortune, had begun to grow tulips instead of food. 🌷 Learning from mistakes made by the Dutch, the Turkish government passed strict laws during the "Age of Tulips" in Turkey between 1703 and 1730. Bulbs could be bought and sold only in the capital city, and punishment for breaking this law was exile. 🌷 The government also kept careful records, and at one time these records indicated that the Turks had over 1,5550 varieties of tulips. 🌷 One story is told of an English trader who received a shipment of cloth from Turkey. Along with the cloth was what he thought were onions. He ate some of them and enjoyed them so much he asked his gardener to plant them in the vegetable garden. Imagine his surprise when he found the glorious tulip blossoms growing among the vegetables the next spring. 🌷 Tulip bulbs are quite edible and some even call then tasty. They can be substituted in any recipe for onions. One recipe for tulip-tomato sauce calls for sauteing two minced tulip bulbs with parsley and garlic, then adding four cups of chopped tomatoes and simmering for one hour. The stamens and ovaries, sauteed in butter, are supposedly quite good, tasting something like asparagus. 🌷 Tulips were first brought to America by the Dutch colonists who settled in the northeastern part of the country. The popularity of these flowers in those communities is obvious from the prevalence of the tulip in Pennsylvania Dutch designs from that period. 🌷 The name tulip is derived from the name for the Turkish hat, turban. When traders and visitors came to Turkey to see the famous gardens, the gardeners kept pointing out that tulip blossoms resembles upside-down turbans, or tulibands, as the Turkish called them. Soon visitors began to refer to these flowers as tulibamds, and this was eventually changed to tulip. 🌷 A Persian legend tells of the origin of tulips. A young man, Farhad, was in love with a beautiful woman, Sharin. One day Farhad received news that his lover was dead. In his grief, he jumped off a high cliff, and where his body landed, there the tulips began to grow. The saddest part was that the message was sent by a jealous rival, and Sharin was actually still alive. 🌷 Tulips are indigenous to the northern temperate zones from the Mediterranean coast east to Japan. T. sharonensis, or the Sharon tulip, is thought to be the "rose of Sharon" mentioned in the Song of Solomon in the Bible. The Sharon tulip grows on the Plain of Sharon, found between Carmel and Jaffa. 🌷 Tulips are considered the symbol of perfect love, and the Turks used them as a love potion. If a tulip was given to a girl, the color of the petals determined the meaning of the flower. Red petals meant a declaration of love. Yellow petals meant hopeless love, and variegated petals meant beautiful eyes. A black center meant a heart burned with love.

Tulip Varieties and Uses

Queen of the Night: - A deep purple, so dark it can be mistaken for black. - Good for moon rituals, power and ambition spells, and banishing spells.

Princess Irene: - Standard variety comes in shades of orange and red. - Red flowers are good for love magick. - Orange flowers are good for attraction and encouragement.

Leen Van Der Mark: - Comes in yellows and reds. - Plant yellow ones near your front door and under windowsills to protect your home and its inhabitants from those who would cause harm.

Pim Fortuyn Triumph: - White in color. - Good for any rituals having to do with purity or cleansing. - Place cut Pims in vases around your house each spring to bring a fresh and clean feeling to your entire home.

Tulip Poultice

To treat and soothe rashes, stings, scratches, and minor burns.

To create a poultice, warm 2-4 flowers in hot water. Dip a towel into hot water and place the petals within the towel. Lightly crush the petals and apply them to the affected area. Hold in place for 10 minutes using the warm towel. Petals can also be combined with castor oil, especially when treating burns and insect bites.

#witchcraft #witch #wicca #green witch #flowers #floral witch #tulips #reference #witchblr #eclectic witch

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aro-aizawa · 5 years

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alright so i finished up playing all of pokemon shield including the post-game mini plot, so here’s a quick fire list of all the things i liked about it and disliked about it before i go on to explain it in more depth (also spoiler warning). here we go.

what i liked:

the graphics, a little weaker in handheld form but largely unnoticeable unless you were looking for it. GREAT graphics when playing on tv mode.

the new pokemon. they were all really cute, and i especially loved the alternate forms and new evolutions of older gen pokemon.

opal, she’s hands down one of my favourite gym leaders so far only shortly followed by bede.

bede is a nonbinary icon as proven by the fact that they didn’t use any pronouns to refer to them until after the fourth gym, and the fact that when they’re in their gym uniform its trans flag colour. it may not be canon, but its canon in my heart.

gym battles are treated as they should be -- huge spectacles that gets people amped the hell up.

dynamaxing. its so goddamn satisfying to finish off a gym battle with your best pokemon as a fucking giant behind you, no matter their actual size. tiny pyukumuku behind you? badass. huge ass wailord? bad. ass. an actual baby pokemon? bad. ASS.

the wild area. introducing camping was a good system, it definitely helped a lot when you couldn’t exactly jump back to a pokemon center so you cook your pokemon some curry to revive and heal them. i imagine they took some inspiration from breath of the wild, tho i haven’t played it to really confirm.

what i didn’t like:

they cut so many corners in the game, you can definitely tell it was made in a hurry.

a minor note here, but for me i have this annoying bug that makes it so some pokemon have the exact same cry. its a sort of whooshing noise that you’d expect for a flying type pokemon, but it frequently appeared instead of well known and familiar cries. i can’t pin down exactly what the cause of this is, or if i’m hearing things wrong, but it was infuriating.

the towns are empty and barely even give you flavor text anymore. you might as well not speak to any npcs except shop keepers and named characters.

there is exactly three cute outfits and three cute hairstyles and that’s about it. i know a lot of this point is mostly about personal taste but please nintendo, we had such a good range in the previous game.

don’t explore. there is literally no point in looking in all the nooks and crannies of this game, because i guarantee that if the game doesn’t tell you to go there, then there’s nothing there.

it’s too easy. it’s....actually crazy that i’m even putting this as a point, because i’m a strict believer in making games playable for everyone. but it’s just....too much.

the cut down pokedex will forever inject salt right into my veins. especially when they had the audacity to include one of the first starter pokemon, but not the other two. charizard is an okay pokemon but its overrated, nintendo please accept that.

the plot didn’t exist until suddenly it did and then it made no sense.

i hate the fact that the team in this game were just delegated to fans. i understand the whole “fake out” thing they might have been going for by getting the player to think that they’d turn out to be bad, but no. it just sucks.

fucking. swordward and shieldbert. i???? literally. have no. words. (i do but they’re super long so hmmm down below)

a game worth about £20 ($25) less than i paid for it. its a decent quality game, but not nearly nintendo quality.

wow this post is longer than i expected it to be already. but anyways, the rest is super long and under the cut further going into depth about the points i raised.

to start with, i’ll talk about the good points because honestly?? i really wanted to love this game. i really really did. maybe it was just the fact that at first i didn’t like sun and moon because they changed the formula so much, but it turned out to become my favourite game in the series. or maybe it was just that i don’t like being hypercritical of things i spent fifty fucking pounds on. either way, i wanted to like the game, and overall i sort of did but i sort of didn’t. lots of mixed feelings. anyways. onto explaining the good stuff. (or you can skip to “now on w the bad junk” for the bad stuff)

1. the graphics, a little weaker in handheld form but largely unnoticeable unless you were looking for it. GREAT graphics when playing on tv mode.

one of my favourite things about the pokemon series in recent times is seeing the process from 2d undetailed sprites to 3d incredibly detailed models. the most ambitious thing about gen 5 was the way the camera moved with your movements as you crossed the bridge, and now i just sometimes sit back and thing “wow 13 year old me would FLIP if she could see how good they got”. bc i kept just....admiring all the graphics and the quality of them.

2. the new pokemon. they were all really cute, and i especially loved the alternate forms and new evolutions of older gen pokemon.

definitely one of my favourite things about the game was seeing the new forms of pokemon we already knew and the alternate forms they’d take when dynamaxed. i love seeing pokemon with new types that completely flip the script, like darumaka becoming an ice type instead of a fire type. or the fact that they gave mr mime a galaran form and it actually doesn’t look bad.

i really loved that some of the galaran forms had unique evolutions, such as linoone evolving into obstagoon. or meowth into perrserker. it makes sense and i’m always super happy to see new evolutions for old pokemon, it keeps things interesting when pokemon other than eevee get new evolutions.

(tho that being said, still disappointed there’s still not another eeveelution. still holding out hope for that ghost type.)

3. opal, she’s hands down one of my favourite gym leaders so far only shortly followed by bede.

i’m not super well versed in the pokemon universe besides from gen 1 and gen 5 onwards (if you couldn’t tell), but its really refreshing to have an old gym leader that’s visibly elderly rather that just grey haired maybe retiree man. her personality was also really fun, it sort of felt like she literally had the most personality of all the gym leaders, which kind of sucked but it made me really love her character.

and bede i didn’t wholly expect to really like as much as i did? i mayhaps might have spoiled myself a little on their gym leader status by dipping into the swsh tag here on tumblr before i fully completed the game. but still, they seemed just generally really annoyingly stuck up? but something endeared me to the darl and i just think it mostly had to do w the fact that opal took one look at them and declared they was her grandchild now.

4. bede is a nonbinary icon as proven by the fact that they didn’t use any pronouns to refer to them until after the fourth gym, and the fact that when they’re in their gym uniform its trans flag colour. it may not be canon, but its canon in my heart.

argue with me on this point all you like, but you can’t deny the fact that in CANON they literally did not use any pronouns to refer to bede until after the fourth gym. the only mention of pronouns before that was their trainer card, which i did not check because good character development should be shown not told through an impersonal medium such as character cards.

5. gym battles are treated as they should be -- huge spectacles that gets people amped the hell up.

i’ve always loved the way the league is set up, because it makes sense. the pokemon formula works and its interesting, but in previous games most people only vaguely acknowledge it as something every kid tries but doesn’t really complete. it’s already set up people love pokemon battles, there just wasn’t a spectator sport about it unless in the anime or movies. they’re just a thing that happens that none of the npcs care about.

finally its treated like the spectator sport that it should be. like,,, hell yeah,,,

(also do you think that in the pokemon universe there’s various stories/tv shows about made up kids completing the league and becoming champions? because i definitely do.)

6. dynamaxing. its so goddamn satisfying to finish off a gym battle with your best pokemon as a fucking giant behind you, no matter their actual size. tiny pyukumuku behind you? badass. huge ass wailord? bad. ass. an actual baby pokemon? bad. ASS.

i p much summed up most of my thoughts in this point well. but i love when pokemon are so visibly powerful. like these creatures have powers that we’d equate to actual gods like summoning whole storms, creating giant waves, create earthquakes and so much more. pokemon are so powerful and to see them become giant and have so much weight and power? its so satisfying controlling that and bringing down other giant pokemon.

7. the wild area. introducing camping was a good system, it definitely helped a lot when you couldn’t exactly jump back to a pokemon center so you cook your pokemon some curry to revive and heal them. i imagine they took some inspiration from breath of the wild, tho i haven’t played it to really confirm.

i really appreciated the change that started in pokemon let’s go with some pokemon being visible and easy to encounter wandering through the grass. it makes it so much easier to search for the one pokemon that you don’t have in your pokedex yet, or if you’re looking for a specific pokemon to join your team.

i love how large and expansive the wild area is, and with the camping system you can just explore and fill out your pokedex without ever leaving if you’re fully stocked up on supplies. it makes you really believe the whole “yep this kid isn’t just blasting through the whole thing in one day”. kids sleep in tents on their journey with their pokemon and cook curry for them all. adds a nice level of immersion and convenience.

jesus fuck this is so long and i haven’t even gotten to my criticisms yet, is anybody actually reading this chunk of text??? well rip to you my friend and thank you. but now on w the bad junk.

1. they cut so many corners in the game, you can definitely tell it was made in a hurry.

they did a decent job considering it was in development for only two years w one only for the concept and the second actually making it. but they cut so many corners it doesn’t quite feel like a true installment into the pokemon universe. it feels like it was made by another dev studio rather than gamefreak. like how fallout new vegas and fallout 3 barely feel like the two installments in the same franchise.

this point sort of leads into many different points that i raised, so i’ll explain those a little bit more in depth there. but to sum it up, the easiest way to see it is just how...flat things are. if you only pay attention to the things the game directs you to, then you will not miss a single thing. flavor text is less about adding depth to the world and more just...pointless. it adds. nothing.

and in the post game when sonia gets a new assistant, even though she plays a fairly important part in the post-game plot, she doesn’t get a name nor a unique character model. she get’s a generic doctor model yet it’s treated like we should feel betrayed that nameless npc 234 went behind sonia’s back and stole from her.

OH! and i almost forgot!!!! but that one part where rose is trying to talk leon into something “mysterious”??? they straight up just used images!!!! like,,,, what???? you didn’t have time to program the minimal animations for that?? who’s fault is that for pushing the release!!! give your employees time to work at a decent pace and not crunch them to reach an impossible goal. game freak, you don’t have to release a game every november.

2. a minor note here, but for me i have this annoying bug that makes it so some pokemon have the exact same cry. its a sort of whooshing noise that you’d expect for a flying type pokemon, but it frequently appeared instead of well known and familiar cries. i can’t pin down exactly what the cause of this is, or if i’m hearing things wrong, but it was infuriating.

also p much just explain this in the point. BUT it happened all. the. time. the only pokemon i know for sure was effected by the bug was gyarados, because instead of the roaring cry i heard the whooshing sound that was probably meant to be another pokemon’s cry. it sounds wack when im saying it rn bc im not 100% convinced i wasn’t making this up, but it was the sole reason i turned the pokemon cries to get drowned out by the music and sound effects.

3. the towns are empty and barely even give you flavor text anymore. you might as well not speak to any npcs except shop keepers and named characters.

i touched on this previously in 1 but basically walking around a town and talking to npcs will not get you any interesting dialog. going into the houses/rooms, and you’ll only get one npc who’s all like “i’m brushing my hair!” and that’s about it. there aren’t any items tucked away in houses or corners of buildings for you to explore or battle people. when you acknowledge that there’s no flavor text from npcs all the towns feel practically empty whereas in the previous games it actually alive.

not to mention how little the diaglog changes? like it may just be my faulty memory at play but im pretty sure that the npcs in the previous games had more dynamic dialog in which they’d change what they said depending on your action in the town or for the plot. after a major event just happened, if you walked around and talked to everyone in that area they’d talk about it. but that happened like....once.

4. there is exactly three cute outfits and three cute hairstyles and that’s about it. i know a lot of this point is mostly about personal taste but please nintendo, we had such a good range in the previous game.

one thing i loved about the series was the increasing freedom in customisation of trainers. fashion kept getting wider and with more variety, clothes that were still cute and i’d frequently have about 2k because i just kept buying them. by the end of my playthrough of swsh i had almost a million saved up because i didn’t like most of the clothing options. i found one outfit and hairstyle i liked a quarter of the way through the game and stuck with it until the end. they drastically cut down on the options, and that sucked.

5. don’t explore. there is literally no point in looking in all the nooks and crannies of this game, because i guarantee that if the game doesn’t tell you to go there, then there’s nothing there.

again, already touched on this point but one example i know is this. when you go to the energy plant to battle rose, or go to the roof to battle eternus, i expected to go back to it when the event was over to see if something was left behind or because i’d been locked in a cutscene and unable to explore before, that meant there would be something now. but nope. don’t bother. even when you think you might be able to do something fun, don’t try until the game points you in that direction itself. if something interesting is going to happen in the game, i assure you they will point it out for you.

6. it’s too easy. it’s....actually crazy that i’m even putting this as a point, because i’m a strict believer in making games playable for everyone. but it’s just....too much.

hard games disinterest me. if a game is renowned for it’s difficulty, then i will avoid it. i don’t care if defeating dark souls is a badge of honor for your stubbornness or skill. i simply don’t enjoy playing a game that makes me want to quit in frustration because i am not good at video games. i appreciated how easy the games have been in recent years because it makes it a lot easier for me to actually complete them and enjoy them, it’s why i have trouble getting into the earlier gens of pokemon.

but when it got to the point where after only about an hour or two of dynamax farming, by the time that i got round to the championships i was literally one shotting every single pokemon. even when i didn’t have super effective moves. i was almost 20 levels ahead of the competition, and blasted through the whole thing in a total of 10 minutes battle time and 30 minutes dialog and cutscene time, with a 20 minute pause for a phone call.

i defeated leon with only very minimal struggle. i couldn’t one shot all his pokemon, i will admit. i two shotted them. i went into the championship fully stocked up on potions and revival items and left with all of them. none of my pokemon fainted or even sustained major damage.

while satisfying feeling that you’re op enough to utterly annihilate your opponents, there comes a point where it’s just “why bother i know i’ll win” which kind of sucks.

7. the cut down pokedex will forever inject salt right into my veins. especially when they had the audacity to include one of the first starter pokemon, but not the other two. charizard is an okay pokemon but its overrated, nintendo please accept that.

sorry to charizard fans, but please acknowledge that it’s overrated. its design is basic, and already has multiple different forms. the fact that they passed over the opportunity for the creativity that dynamax venusaur or blastoise could give, for another basic dragon design is so annoying.

not to even mention the fact that they didn’t even bother to keep the rest of the starter pokemon either. i vaguely remember one time some nintendo employee or big shot saying that the best thing about it is that every pokemon is at least one person’s favourite. the underused or underloved pokemon will always be ONE person’s favourite, and that’s why you can get the whole pokedex. but y’know fuck that philosophy in the name of getting the game out on time. when they could have very easily pushed the release date back. i’m lucky that most of my faves got included but i know that a fair amount did not. and i’m pissed.

8. the plot didn’t exist until suddenly it did and then it made no sense.

9. i hate the fact that the team in this game were just delegated to fans. i understand the whole “fake out” thing they might have been going for by getting the player to think that they’d turn out to be bad, but no. it just sucks.

these two go so hand in hand, that i’m taking the time to address them together considering in every single previous game so far the team has had some HEAVY influence on the plot in one way or another. they’re always linked to the legendary pokemon of the game and they’re always included in the overarching plot, either by driving the player to act or subtly there.

i kept seeing team yell show up and trying to work out how they were going to join the plot. were they a cult doing Science Shit in the background trying to revive the legendaries? was marnie the leader of this cult and going through the league to distract people from her totally devious going-ons? or would it turn out that marnie though the team harmless but really it was a front for her relative’s secret cult?

nope!!! they were annoying roadblocks who added literally nothing to the plot.

and when i realised that, it was the seventh gym battle and so far the only plot i’d glimpsed at was the mysterious explosions in hammerlocke city and the overarching tale of the sword and shield that had been obvious since literally the first time sonia started to talk about it. there had been no plot. there was literally no plot other than the gym battles which sonia and leon specifically called out to “leave this to the grownups, you two just focus on the gym challenge”.

and when i got my eighth badge and was completing the equivalent of the elite four, i was still confused as FUCK because where the hell was the plot???? and then the whole weird ass “we have to save leon” from a meeting with.....a chairman? how about you wait just an hour jfc it’s not that bad? he’s not being held against his will? the chairman wasn’t doing anything obviously evil or even hinted at?

the whole thing was vague and rose’s motivation was just ??????? i don’t know???? i still don’t exactly know what the whole deal was. it came out of nowhere and made. no. sense. it had completely lost me. along with the fact that they were suddenly introducing dynamax raids like we hadn’t already been doing that so many times in the wild area????

which leads me to my next point.....sigh.

10. fucking. swordward and shieldbert. i???? literally. have no. words. (i do but they’re super long so hmmm down below)

first things first, is that i hate everything about these characters. from their names, to their designs, to their motivations, to how they’re handled in canon. it was shitty and while i had fun playing with the whole “this is what a champion does after they beat the previous one” thing, it was just in general really bad.

like, i cannot get over how shitty their designs were. their hair was literally a sword and a shield. i kept thinking “wow swordward has a penis head that wiggles when he moves” and couldn’t take a single thing he said seriously. i literally wanted to weep at the horrible character design.

not to mention the suddenness of their whole schtick. “yeah we’re royalty and we’re “”””CELEBRITIES”””” even if none of you have heard of us”. like what????? the fuck????

it just sort of pisses me off to an astronomical degree that this low quality shit was jammed into a pokemon game when they were getting so good at storytelling. it felt like game freak were hammering me with a club while singing “YOU PAID 50 WHOLE POUNDS FOR THIS IN PARTICULAR!!!” like,,,, thanks. thank you. thank you for waiting until after i’d finished the game to really hammer home that point.

which somewhat leads me to my last point that really just sums up the majority of my thoughts on the whole game:

11. a game worth about £20 ($25) less than i paid for it. its a decent quality game, but not nearly nintendo quality.

if i knew what i knew about the game know, i wouldn’t pay fifty fucking pounds for it. it physically pains me to spend more than £30 in one sitting, that i actually winced while i was buying it even though i was being 100% optimistic that i was going to love it. at most i’d pay £30 for it, but only then. it’s a good game to really distract you and power through but other than that, i don’t see it as a game i’m going to come back to so i can complete the pokedex and i certainly am not going to buy the other game so i can play it again unlike how i’ve done in the past with my favourite installments.

maybe i’m just picky, or i don’t buy games often enough, but i really would not classify this as a quality installment in the pokemon franchise. if you get a free copy, or just the opportunity to play it for a few hours then fine it’s a great game. but not quite something you should want to spend your money on. but don’t pirate it. that’s a fast way to get bugs.

to sum this whole mess of a post up: immediately after finishing the game i said to myself “now time to go play a REAL pokemon game” before booting up pokemon moon.

#long post #pokemon sword and shield #pokemon swsh #pokemon #shut up danni #wow this got LONG its literally 4k words #i got a little salty #ooooppps #i really wanted to like this game #i really really did because i hate being negative about pokemon #its one of the few series that i love with barely any faults #but this......this is just painful #i should be thankful on some level because it distracted me from the fact that i was in the process of rehoming my dog #but still there's just....so many things wrong with it.....#sigh #(pls give this post attention it took me an hour and a half to write)

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tisfan · 5 years

Text

Normal Everyday Asshole Aliens

86 Tony/Eddie/Venom @journeythroughtherain & Anonymous “Damn, you’re strong for a little thing.”

The last time Tony had been in San Francisco, he and Eddie had gone on a pub crawl, sampling not beer or whiskey, but onion rings. Tony had been determined to find the best god damned pub rings in the city, and Eddie had laughingly tagged along.

Some five hours later, groaning from too much grease and fried dough, they’d gone back to Eddie’s apartment and made out until they’d fallen asleep in the middle of necking. Tony had woken up with a stomach ache, a horrible crick in his neck from sleeping slumped over on top of Eddie on the couch, the worst morning breath of his entire life, and absolutely no regrets.

He knew why Eddie’d had to leave New York, and he understood, but he kind of wished it hadn’t been necessary. Eddie was fun, challenged Tony’s assumptions about things, and understood completely about the kind of schedule Tony had to keep and the reasons he couldn’t commit to being a boyfriend. What they had was good. It was enough.

It had been more than half a year since Tony’d had an excuse to go to San Francisco, and he was looking forward to meeting up with Eddie. Maybe hooking up, if they could make their schedules match up.

He wasn’t expecting Eddie to meet him at the airport, but there he was, leaning against the wall as Tony’s private jet touched down. Tony wasn’t sure how he’d gotten past TSA or security, but he didn’t ask, either.

“You… uh, you look good, Tony,” Eddie said. “Came on my bike, thought you might want a ride?”

Eddie paused, tipping his head to one side, his eyes glazing a little bit, as if he was listening to a phone conversation, before he shook it off and gave Tony a wide grin. Eddie was nothing like most of Tony’s partners, scruffy and wearing a shlubby hoodie. He had a bike helmet in one hand, but pulled Tony in for a quick embrace with the other.

Tony grinned back and swung his leg over the bike, snuggling up against Eddie’s back suggestively. “Got a bitch helmet for me?”

“This one is for you, I don’t, uh… I don’t wear one anymore,” Eddie said. He handed over the brain bucket to Tony and then kicked the bike to life. The motor roared and the whole thing buzzed like an overgrown vibrator between Tony’s thighs.

(more below the cut)

Tony pulled on the helmet. “Your funeral,” he said, raising his voice a little to be heard over the growl of the bike. “I heard they were cracking down on helmetless riders, though. How are you not swimming in tickets?”

“Gotta get caught to get a ticket,” Eddie said, and with that, he gunned the motor and they peeled out of the airport, leaving a very angry Happy behind waving Tony’s suitcase at them. “Long story, lemme take you-- uh, someplace special. And I’ll… I got some stuff to tell you that you won’t believe.”

Tony laughed. “I was fighting off shapechanging aliens in Chicago last week; what’ve you got to top that?”

“Challenge accepted,” Eddie said. He was pushing the bike well past the original engine’s capabilities, and not at all safe for the hilly roads and narrow pavement of the city, but Eddie never faltered. It was like flying in the armor, only… more. And lower to the ground. It was all but impossible to stifle a whoop of excitement.

Eddie took them out of the city and up through a suburban neighborhood, still topping well over ninety, and then skidded to a sudden stop at the very edge of a cliff that overlooked San Francisco's famous bridge.

“Pretty up here,” Eddie said, casually, slinging himself off the bike.

Tony was still thrumming from the ride as he joined Eddie at the edge of the cliff, the helmet dangling casually from his fingertips. He looked out over the water. “Nice,” he agreed. He cast a sidelong look at Eddie, who was shuffling around a little, which usually heralded a case of nerves. Tony looked back out at the view, willing to wait for it, whatever it was.

“So, you were dealing with shapeshifting aliens, huh?” Eddie asked. “You ever… deal with any that aren’t bad guys? I mean, not benevolent, or nothing, but maybe, just normal everyday asshole aliens?”

“Oh, sure,” Tony said. “I mean, Thor just for starters, and the rest of the Asgardians. And there’s the Guardians of the Galaxy, they’re an okay bunch, most of the time.”

“So, uh, if I mighta had, well, a close encounter, that’s… it’s not a deal-breaker, you know? With us?” Eddie was wringing his knuckles together hard enough that his skin was white. White, and perfect. Hadn’t… hadn’t Eddie had scars on his hands, from where he’d gotten into a fist-fight with a plate glass window and lost?

“I... wouldn’t think so,” Tony said cautiously. “Who did you run into? The Kree?” They had weird healing abilities, Tony thought.

“They call themselves Klyntar,” Eddie said. “They’re… um. A little difficult to describe, and unfortunately -- oh, would you just--” Eddie’s eyes did something weird, and they were suddenly jet black, sclera, iris, pupil and all. We want to say hello.

Tony didn’t hear that so much with his ears as sort of feel it in his skull, loud and aggressive and eager.

“Oh, shit!” Tony took a step back, startled, then paused and leaned in again, looking closely. “That’s... It’s... In you?”

We are together. One of Eddie’s eyes went back to normal, rich sapphire blue. “Will you let me do th’ talking, Vee, come on, man, we had a plan, can we not just stick to the plan?”

He is very small. That black, almost oily color oozed out from Eddie’s eyes until it covered most of his face, and then-- Eddie grew, tall, taller, impossibly… not quite as tall as the Hulk, but certainly huge, with gnarled, massive limbs and… fucking claws, and goddamn teeth--

Tony flicked his hand to the side and a gauntlet formed. He aimed it at the... thing. Klyntar. Vee. Whatever it was called. “What the fuck-- What did you do to Eddie?”

The enormous clawed hand reached for Tony’s gauntlet. What is it? This-- he? It? Whatever. Grabbed Tony’s wrist and pulled the gauntlet (and Tony practically up onto his toes) up to examine it closely. Is this a weapon?

“Buddy, you’re going to find out just how much of a weapon it is if you don’t let Eddie go,” Tony snapped. He wrenched his arm around until he was aiming right into those dagger-like teeth.

“Woah, woah,” and the face, that monstrous thing, fucking unzipped and Eddie pushed his way out. “No shooting, no… Vee, love, come on, let’s all calm down and talk about this--” Eddie’s shoulders came out of the Klyntar and he balled it up until he was cuddling a little fanged oil slick about the size of a cat. “Let’s just all take a few deep breaths and calm down.”

Eddie demonstrated the calming breaths, sounding like some sort of bad victorian heroine who was about to need a fainting couch.

Tony looked at him dubiously. “You’re okay?” He looked at the thing in Eddie’s arms, and then back at Eddie’s face, suppressing the urge to pat him down and check for injuries. “Jesus Christ, I thought it ate you.”

We wouldn’t eat Eddie, the goo confided. Eddie is ours.

“Tony, this is Venom. Venom, Tony,” Eddie said. “I’d say not to worry, that his bark is worse than his bite, but it’s really, really not.”

“You’re... friends,” Tony said. Venom (and there was a name that didn’t inspire trust) oozed up Eddie’s arm and draped around his neck like a scarf with slitted opal eyes at one end.

The whole thing suddenly seemed utterly absurd, and Tony let out a bark of not-quite-hysterical laughter. “Only you, Eddie. Only you.”

“Unfortunately, not only me,” Eddie said, stroking the little alien gently, and it purred/rumbled under Eddie’s caress. “And, uh, they’re not all as, uh--”

Protective. We will protect Eddie. From Carnage. From Riot. From anyone!

The little alien stretched and snapped like a rubber band, lifting up Eddie’s bike with arms that formed out of nothingness, apparently planning to chuck it in the bay to express its anger.

“Not the bike, Vee!”

Venom hesitated, holding the bike aloft over their heads. Sorry. Venom gently lowered the bike back to the ground and then patted it for good measure.

“...Damn, you’re strong for a little thing,” Tony said.

“So, if… uh, you and Venom are good with getting along, I thought we might do another pub crawl? Venom’s quite the connoisseur of tater tots and french fries?”

“Well. I guess any alien that eats fried potatoes can’t be all bad.”

#starsymbrock #tony/eddie/venom #tony stark #eddie brock #venom #introductions #sarcasm prompts #journeythroughtherain

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