#but i choose to ignore that and instead imagine them nice and happy and in love. as they should be.

[nikoisme]

Okay, okay, okay, this is just for the silly but it made me giggle so I hope it makes you giggle too. :D

With your River Wives and with them cleaning trash, I had the idea of Fisherwoman trying to be cute and place a present amongst the trash to be sorted or whatever, and if Naiad has a collection of stuff she's found, maybe putting a little present in there.

Naiad: Oh! What's this? How'd this get here? Thought we cleaned this out. Fisherwoman: I don't know~ Maybe we missed something. What do you think of it? Naiad: It's pretty! ...Feel bad for whoever tossed it out. *yeets it to the trash pile* Fisherwoman: No! It's a gift! Naiad: Then why didn't you just give it to me??? You know how many of these get tossed into the river?? Fisherwoman: ...Well, do you like it? Naiad: Yeah :D *smooch*

Sometimes Riverwives have some miscommunication like everyone else :D

It's very silly but made me giggle so I hope it makes you giggle too.

YESSS YES THIS IS SO IN CHARACTER FOR THEM!!! THIS IS CANON. Fisherwoman would definitely place little gifts and trinkets among the trash to cheer her up, since she knows naiad gets really upset and is in a bad mood when she sees all that trash. But she just loves seeing her wife's smile - both of them do. They are stupidly in love with each other 🥹 However naiad just doesn't pick up on things sometimes - since she's a naiad and just doesn't understand human things at first. So fisherwoman also teaches her stuff like that! (I have a whole bit where fisherwoman teaches her how to swear which results in naiad swearing in almost EVERY sentence. She almost regrets it). There are so many silly drawings i want to make that PERFECTLY describe their dynamic.

Seeing you talk about the river wives made me stupidly happy thank you mads 🥺 i barely post anything about them but they are IN MY MIND and i love them so much. Past me, who came up with the story, would be so delighted to know that they finally get to kiss. Istg there was so much yearning and obvious "i am in love with you"s, i was like "now KISS. pLEASE KISS" the entire time i was writing. Now they can finally kiss <33

[blackpilljesus]

I saw this from the female separatism subreddit & the responses are some of the biggest reasons for separatism et al (or extinction if I'm being candid here). Moids cant be reformed they are fully aware of the hell they force women to live in. MaIe achievement & happiness is rooted in female exploitation & life. Their glory days are based on our horrific days. No amount of love, kindness or facts will change maIes and we cannot happily or even neutrally coexist with them.

Main points across answers:

Many want to experiment but not permanently be women

They dont want to be in constant danger or lose their autonomy at the hands of maIes for merely existing

They dont want to deal with childbirth (& periods)

They dont want to have to share spaces with species much stronger than them with ulterior motives

It makes me go crazy seeing people give moids benefit of doubt for their evil like "maIes just dont understand", "we need to teach maIes", or claiming that maIe violence is a result of maIes struggling with (expressing) their feelings. I get that women love maIes and it can be hard to imagine that people can intentionally be so evil but it is what it is. MaIes have no problems expressing themselves, abusing women is what maIes choose to do because they enjoy & benefit from it - that is their expression.

MaIes see the same news of women being abused, raped, and killed like we do except rather than be disheartened or alarmed they're either apathetic or satisfied. It isn't aliens that's committing GBV it's maIes & maIes have no problem reminding women of this when women anger them (such as rape threats & threatening women they'll end up on the news/true crime). The victim blaming, denial, and derailment of misogyny is part of the game to keep the system alive, they know the events occured & are a systemic occurence they just dont care. Hell not only do they not care, they rejoice in it or get off on it.

MaIes set up environments that work in their favour which simultaneously ensures that women will lose. They know women are set up to live in damn near impossible conditions for us. It's normalised for women to defenselessly share personal & private spaces with beings much more stronger than them with ulterior motives for us, it's trap. It's interesting how these moids aren't saying that they'll just cover up and *poof* harrassment gone, or they'll just pick a nice guy & they'll be okay. MaIes know the net negative they are towards women.

MaIes know that childbirth is a painful process & what do they do? Demand it happens and make it even MORE painful for women. MaIes that impregnate women do not love or care for them. Pregnancy itself is dangerous & sometimes lethal, often comes with a range of health issues, to cause someone to be in that condition especially in a environment where abortions are illegal is reckless & unloving. Now imagine how sinister & full of hatred one has to be to impregnate someone and abuse them on top of that. Many women risk their health & lives to reproduce with a Y and they get abused by said Y instead of being taken care of. Deranged.

Realising that maIes are aware of the evil they inflict is one of the things that radicalised me. It isn't a miscommunication or ignorance issue, their violence is intended. They want control. The cruelty is the point. Instead of wasting time & energy trying to change maIes or hope that they "understand" one day, focus on yourself & other women (who prioritise women). Moids aren't oblivious to female pain they enjoy it. A lot of women treat maIe evil like it's a mistake on maIes part but it's calculated terrorism. I know that this will go over many womens heads as they refuse to hold strong negative sentiments about moids as a collective so if you're not a woman like that, take this post as a sanity check. You aren't crazy, it isn't all in your head.

[burnthoneydrops]

Paper Flowers (b.b. x fem!reader)

pairing: benedict bridgerton x fem!reader

word count: 2k

warnings: classism, anxious/slightly insecure reader, use of "young lady" and feminine descriptors

a/n: the second part of Language of Flowers is here! Thank you so much for all the love on the first part and I hope you enjoy the second one just as much! I set it up to have more parts in the future so if anyone is interested in that, let me know!!

The eyes of the ton were as insufferable as ever. One would have thought that a lady in simpler attire would attract less attention than those in large adornments or hair pieces, but today appeared the opposite indeed. Sure, when you were personally delivering large floral orders to people’s estates, you had eyes on you, but you could ignore them then. Then, you knew you would not be in their line of vision for long and you could rest assured with the guarantee that no one would remember past that moment. Now, however, now you were out walking in your simple attire with a lord. A lord of one of the most illustrious families no less. You had tried to convince Benedict to take the less occupied back roads, but he insisted that his desired destination would be faster reached should you take the main road. Not wanting to make a scene in public, you were left to be made a spectacle. 

The looks you were receiving were not lost on Benedict, but he chose to keep his head up high, nodding and smiling when someone was about to pull an ugly face. Perhaps the ton were weary as to why someone of his status was walking with a working class young lady, but frankly, he was too happy that he had gotten you on this walk in the first place to even consider how wild it might appear on the surface. He nearly reached out to grab your hand when he saw the Cowpers were approaching from the modiste, but realised just in time how much worse the physical affection might be and refrained, choosing to wipe some imaginary dust off of his trousers instead. 

“Something else will catch their attention by morning, do not fret,” he whispered with his head tilted in your direction but looking over your head rather than at you in an effort to look less obvious. 

You had been so caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that were entrapped in him appearing at the shop and your parents sending you away that you had not had the time to think about presentation at all. You had heard girls lamenting to each other about their lacklustre presentations to the Queen and you could imagine that it felt something similar to this. All eyes on you, no one truly seeing you, yet everyone so quick to make a passing judgement. 

“Had I cared about the opinions of others, I would not have asked for your time. But I am here because I care not about them, but about you. Keep your head high, we are almost there,” Benedict whispered once again. While his words were nice, they did little to soothe your anxiety. Nonetheless, you raised your chin up higher, realising you had been staring at the cobblestone more than what was in front of you. You soon found yourself quickly approaching a luscious green field that left you wondering how Benedict had ever found it. It was much closer to the shops than his estate, and with the ton spending most of their months in the country, you questioned how his discovery of this place might have come about. “We have arrived,” Benedict commented with a small smile on his face, waving his arm out to the side in demonstration. 

“However did you find this place?” You questioned. 

“Being a child in a clan of eight means a lot of time to make daring escapes during family shopping trips,” he smiles, mischievous as you ever saw. The smile gives the impression that he looked back on those memories fondly, as you did with memories of you and your sisters. Maybe you had never had big family shopping trips into town, but the moral of the story lies in the bonds strengthened with those you were with. You started to believe you might have more in common than you previously imagined. 

“I figured we could sit and admire the view. Talk for a little, if it suits you,” Benedict looked over at you, gesturing to a place clear of any wandering eyes where you could lean against the sturdy tree trunk and watch the breeze create waves over the pond. 

“It suits me very well,” you nodded, a small smile etching its way onto your face as he sat down first, offering his hand as to assist you in doing the same. 

“I’d say the way the sun hits suits you very nicely as well,” he complimented, “you’re practically glowing”. 

“A fan of flattery are we Mr. Bridgerton?” you asked, teasingly but trying not to show it. 

“Only when I feel it necessary”. 

Though you were promised conversation, Benedict did not want to force it, so the two of you sat in silence, taking in the sights and sounds of this hidden paradise. The silence was not uncomfortable, mind you, but rather a space in which the two of you could gather all of your thoughts. The grass waved to and fro in the light breeze, catching glimmers of sunlight in every direction. It looked as though someone had sprinkled fairy dust and every sparkle was destined to catch your eye. The tree you were leaning on had a small hole in the trunk, and you quickly caught two squirrels dashing in and out of it, dancing on the tree branches above you. 

“This place is-” “I wanted to ask-” you realised you had started speaking at the same time. You nodded at Benedict, silently urging him to continue first. 

“I wanted to ask why you were so adamant about disliking me upon our first visit”. 

You paused. You knew this question was going to appear sooner or later and yet you did not have a precise answer. Not one that felt worthy enough of your anger anyway. It was not unlike you to get an idea stuck in your head and run with it, so unchanging that you had to apologise many a time to family members for such unwavering anger. It always felt silly a few days later, as it did now, to have held onto an unsupported emotion for so long, but you liked admitting your faults just as much as you liked giving Benedict the time of day when you first met. Surely your idea was not so drastic this time, as you had met many men of the ton and of the working class who held women in low regard, instantly annoying you, but you also knew that this time you were angered more because of his brother than because of him. You had just happened to meet him first. 

You decided it would be easier to just tell Benedict as such, and he sat there quietly during your entire speech. He did not interrupt, did not interject, did not even look away while you were explaining. It made you feel even sillier that he was listening so attentively to a situation you grew more and more embarrassed about. Ending your spiel, you placed your head in your hands, leaning your elbows against your knees as to become as small as possible. Benedict was quick to remedy this, gently grabbing your wrist and pulling your arm away from your face. He looked at you with a goofy smile before reaching for an inner pocket in his jacket. 

“So your problem lies not with me, but with my brother?” 

“I do not believe I actually have a problem with any of you. Not a reasonable one anyway; I was merely already agitated and the situation you laid before me sounded so similar to ones I had heard before that I clumped you all together. This is not to dismiss the derogatory nature that men in the ton and of the working class have I just-” 

“I believe I understand,” Benedict cut you off, but only so you would not have to repeat your feelings in order to feel that you had explained them properly. “Now that we are at least a little on the same page, I did not want you to think that I had left you out of my gifting endeavours entirely,” he pulled something out of his inner pocket and you immediately noticed a delicate pale pink ribbon tying little cards together. “I couldn’t entirely fight the urge  to gift flowers, even though you work with them constantly, so I figured some longer lasting ones might be nicer”. He handed you the stack of cards and you gingerly unwrapped the bow from the front in order to get a better look. Now it was Benedict’s turn to become embarrassed, as he feared you may not like or appreciate them. You came from a family of florists, of course it was a low blow to gift you something related to your trade. This was a terrible idea and he should have never- 

“These are…beautiful,” you sighed, shifting through the cards with soft eyes. He had painted multiple flowers with their meanings listed under them in the fashion of miniatures. They were incredibly detailed and gorgeous that you could not imagine the amount of effort it took not only for him to create each flower but find their meaning as well. “You are an artist, I take it”. 

“I…dabble”. 

“Do not be modest Mr. Bridgerton. If this is dabbling I would love to see what your proper art looks like,” you smiled up at him and felt all worry about his gift choices melt away. You liked them and that is all that mattered. 

“My mother is quite well versed in the language of flowers, so I figured I would use what talent I have for you”. 

“My little sister, Abigail, keeps our flower book on her shelf so it is quite nice that now I can have one of my own. No matter how versed one might be, there is always the fear that one might forget, so these will prove quite useful I think.” 

Everything was going perfectly in Benedict’s mind. You liked his gift, you enjoyed the space you were in, you were smiling. You carefully tied the cards back together with the pale ribbon, turning them over and over again in your hand as if you couldn’t believe someone had taken the time to gift you such a thing. In truth you couldn’t; your family were certainly not the wealthiest in England, so gifts were small or hard to come by. They only really happened during holidays and birthdays, but half the time you ended up sharing with your sisters. Not that you were complaining, you loved your sisters dearly and were grateful for anything you received, but being able to have something to call your own was magical. 

A quick glance at Benedict’s pocket watch caused the whole scene to come crashing down, however, as he jumped up and informed you that he was late for a family event. You urged him to go, thanking him for the gift and the time, assuming this would be the end of your time together indefinitely. Benedict seemed to have other ideas. 

“There is a party. Two nights from now and I would love if you would come with me”. 

“Should you not be worried about bringing me?” 

“Whatever for?” Your question seemed lost on him. 

“Bringing someone of a lower status to a ton party would surely cause scandal, would it not?” 

“No, see, this is a party where everyone is invited. All types of people mingling together for an evening, doing whatever the night calls them to do. It is truly wonderful and it would be even more wonderful if you would attend. It would be after shop hours, so you would not have to worry about leaving your family to fend for themselves,” he teased and you laughed, “and I could come pick you up, make sure you arrive safely and all”. 

“If you are sure,” to which Benedict nodded enthusiastically, “then I suppose I shall”. 

His smile grew wide as he lightly grabbed your hand and kissed the back of it before starting the walk in the opposite direction back towards Mayfair. You were still wary of what had taken place, and the promise you just made, but you supposed if one of you was certain enough about it that it would be fine. Or at least you hoped.

people who asked to be tagged: @easybrainrot34, @imgondeletedis, @sublimepenguinpeach-blog

[darknight3904]

Hi! I don’t know if you take requests but I had an idea for one if you do? Aemond X reader where Aegon insults reader infront of Aemond and he stands up for reader because he has feelings for them

Thank you for the request! I hope you enjoy this one. I tried to make Aegon as gross as possible.

Reader is from House Stark in this but feel free to imagine it differently if you so choose.

Warnings: Aegon Targaryen

Insults

Aegon had never been Aemond's favorite sibling. If he had to choose, that position would've gone to Daeron who had been off in Oldtown for years now. After all, the best sibling is one that just simply doesn't bother others. Of course, Heleana was nice too, she was quiet usually in her own head. Aemond never minded sitting in silence with her while she poured over her needle work and he a good book. All he knew was that Aegon was his least favorite sibling, that was for sure.

You had been an unexpected variable in Aemond's life. His betrothal to you was unexpected and initially not welcome. Aemond hadn't been interested in marrying so young, let alone to some northern girl he'd never met. He knew what Starks were, they were stubborn and annoying, much like that Direwolf they so proudly wore. He found the sigil to be rather boring compared to his families, a dragon would always be the more impressive sigil.

He had kept his negative thoughts his entire flight to Winterfell. Vhagar had let out multiple grumbles of disapproval as the temperature dropped, she seemed to dislike snow as much as he did. His negative thoughts hung over him like a cloud as he stood in Winterfell's Great Hall. Cregan Stark had treated him with kindness and said his cousin was a "Winter Beauty." Aemond found himself rather uninterested until supper that night. In his mind what good was beauty if a person lacked brains. Aegon was proof of that. Silver hair and violet eyes only got his brother so far.

"My Prince, I hope your flight to Winterfell was easy."

Your first words to him had him entranced. He was not to be married to you for another three years yet he found himself petitioning your father to take you back to Kings Landing. A guest of the King, after all he wanted to get to know you better.

Your father had relented after you had begged him to go to the capital. Aemond had a feeling you were entranced by his looks, he could not blame you though, Targaryens were closer to gods rather than men.

He spent many moons by your side, laughing and reading. Your favorite spot turned out to be the Godswood where he ended up spending countless hours threading his thin fingers through your hair. As the days passed and bled together, Aemond found himself more and more wrapped around your finger. His eye sought you out at every formal feast his father threw, hoping you'd honor him with a dance instead of sitting beside his sister or pushing the food on your plate around.

Aemond believed every man was entitled to enjoy his nameday, that is why he was doing this. He wanted his older brother to be happy, that is why he is sitting at a huge table, piled with food for Aegon and his friends rather than at the library with you. It is for Aegon, is what his mind chants as his brother and the rest of their party become drunker as the night wears on. The feast his father had thrown was still in full swing as Aegon downed his seventh cup of wine. His father and mother departed the party early, King Viserys health was troublesome.

"Little brother, you seem rather drawn tonight," Aegon says, suddenly pointing the conversation to Aemond despite ignoring him all night.

He turns his gaze to his brother who is practically drowning in the pitcher of wine before him

"I have other matters to attend to. I don't wish to drink myself into stupor, brother." Aemond says

"Oh yes, right." Aegon smiles, " Are those other matters the Stark girl here? She does not matter. Marriage is so...droll. I only visit Heleana when I am drunk."

"I do not plan to be like that to Lady Stark," Aemond says looking at you, your mouth is pressed into a firm line and your brows furr in displeasure

Aegon lets out a mocking laugh and takes another sip of his drink. Aemond watches as his brother's hand snakes its way back to his cup.

"Why ever not? She's nothing but a walking womb for you brother, a place to carry on the Targaryen line while securing a good relationship with that Cregan fellow."

Aegon's drunken laughter fills Aemond's ears while his mind fills with rage. How dare he? He glances at you who shoots him a look of "Stay put, he's drunk,".

Aemond slams his own cup down on the table. The drink he has been nursing all night splashes out and onto the wood below. His brother's laughs fall silent as Aemond approaches him. Aegon lets out a small hiccup when his Aemond lowers himself so he's level with his pig-headed brother.

Aemond takes his brother's shirt in his hands. The material is soft in his fingers, only the best for a Targaryen Prince. He leans in so he's close enough to smell the drunkenness on his older brother's breath.

"You will never speak another word of her, do you understand?" He says, his voice dangerously low.

Aegon's friends have fallen silent as they watch the two princes stare at each other. Aegon is standing on the tips of his toes as Aemond lifts him so they're closer to eye level.

"Why? She is nothing to us. We are dragons." Aegon lets out another drunk giggle, "She is nothing but a whore."

Aemond cannot control himself anymore, red flashes before his remaining eye as he takes his arms and slams his much weaker older brother face-first into the table. He uses one arm to hold Aegon's head against the wood and the other to pull Aegon's left arm up behind his back, pinning him down.

"Aemond!"

Your voice falls on deaf ears as Aegon struggles below him. It feels good to do this to him, he has poked and teased Aemond for so many years. Aemond might've been able to let it go but bringing his betrothed, whom he had just recently come to accept his feelings for, into their feud was unacceptable.

"Prince Aemond, let him go!" A guard yells as they run towards them.

The party has fallen into a lull as the guests turn to see the two Princes fighting.

"All eyes are on us, brother," Aemond says, leaning down to speak directly into Aegon's ear

"Let me go." Aegon demands, trying to push himself up

"If you ever insult her again, I'll feed you to Vhagar."

"You wouldn't," Aegon says, still struggling under Aemond's arms

"I would. I'd even laugh when your eyes melt from their sockets as you scream for our mother." Aemond pulls his thin dagger from its sheath that stays strapped around him at all times "Do not insult her, ever."

Aegon's eyes widen when Aemond lets the dagger rest on his cheek.

"Fine! Let me up!"

Aemond relents and unhands him. The guards relax when they see Aegon unharmed.

"What are you doing?"

You are at his side immediately, grabbing his arm, ready to scold him for his actions.

"Defending your honor, my love." Aemond smiles "No one, not even my brother, will insult you when I am here."

Requests are open, you can place them in my inbox or message directly.

Main Masterlist

Want more of my writings for Aemond? Check out my Aemond series The Race.

[roseghoul26]

Chapter 3: I Can't Stop You Putting Roots In My Dreamland

Arthur Morgan x fem!Reader

Synopsis: A fic based off the song “ivy” by Taylor Swift. After a startling introduction to the man, Arthur Morgan became the most important part of your life. Married at a young age to an older, wealthy man to help your family, you were trapped in a loveless marriage, your only sense of escape with the rugged cowboy. Will you be able to keep your affair hidden, or will your husband find out, and destroy the last thing that made you happy? Tags: Fluff, Angst, Smut, Strangers To Lovers, Infidelity, Fem!Reader, She/Her Pronouns Used For Reader, Period Typical Misogyny, Emotional Manipulative Relationship (not with Arthur), Mostly Follows Timeline of Game, High Honor Arthur Morgan Author's Note: this chapter does talk about sex with the husband, which isn’t non consensual, but it also isn’t something the reader actually wants, doing it more out of obligation than anything. also chapters will probably start to be longer and therefore take longer to write <3 Taglist: @lokiofasgard12 @ultraporcelainpig @that-one-beannnn @morethantheycansay Chapter List

You rarely smoked. 

The only time you did was after you and Hans were intimate. He would roll over onto his side, asleep, and you would get up from the bed, wrapping your robe around you and heading outside to the front porch, sitting right on the top stair. 

It was comforting to you, because you imagined the flame and smoke from the cigarette would burn the remnants of him from your body. 

You felt them in your pocket, the promise of temporary relief calling to you like a siren. You ignored them, choosing to listen to the sounds of the woods around you. The crickets sang, the frogs croaked, and you heard the chattering of nocturnal animals as they found food for the night. Everything was so peaceful, so why couldn’t you stop yourself from feeling so tense?

It had been two days since the trip into Rhodes. Hans had stayed in his office for most of that time, only coming out to eat and sleep. But as was typical before leaving on trips, Hans wanted you, so you obliged him. 

Sex with Hans felt like a task, no passion between the two of you. He treated it like he treated his business: efficiently. There was no foreplay, no lingering touches, nothing. It was just straight to the point, and done as soon as it started, which came as a relief to you. The less time you had to spend doing it with him, the better. 

However, as much as it shamed you to admit it, your thoughts had not been of Hans during the moment. Instead of cold gray eyes traveling down your body, you imagined they were a certain shade of blue. Instead of pallid skin, you imagined it was tanned, roughened from years in the suns. And when Hans’ hands did touch you, you imagined they were strong and broad, calloused yet gentle. You’d be a liar if you said it didn’t make it easier. 

Disgusted with yourself, you ran a hand down your face, slumping forward where you sat on the stair. Cold air dug into your skin, and you tightened your robe further around your body. The silk felt nice against your skin, but it did nothing to protect against the elements. 

You were about to fish the pack out of your pocket, but the sound of hoofbeats had you perking your head up, eyes focusing on the small path in front of you. Emerging from the shadows was a man on horseback, lantern in one hand that lit up the side of his face. It took you a second to register who it was, not quite believing your eyes at first. 

“Arthur?” You called out. Not only could you not escape from him in your thoughts, but here he was in reality. Not that you minded, but of course the timing had to be terrible. 

He responded with a noise of affirmation, and you couldn’t help the smile that tugged at your lips. “What’re you doin’ here? It’s very late.” You knew it was somewhere between nine and ten at night, which is a little late for visitors. “Don’t tell me you’re here to try and rob me again.”

Arthur audibly sighed, shaking his head as he dismounted his horse. “You ain’t ever gonna let that go, are you?” You watched as he secured the reins around a nearby tree before making his way over to you.

“Never,” you laughed, and despite your better judgment, you scooted over to the side to give Arthur room to sit. You patted the stair when he got to the porch, and he sat down next to you. The scent of tobacco and gunpowder wafted over you, and you felt his jacket covered arm brush yours, causing you to shiver.

It was at that point you remembered you were only wearing your undergarments underneath, and you tightened the robe even more around your body, both because of self awareness and the temperature. 

Wordlessly, you felt Arthur shift, taking his jacket and draping it across your shoulders. The outside material of the jacket had been rough, but the inside was lined with a soft pelt, warmed by Arthur’s body. The addicting scent was even stronger now, causing your head to spin, and you resisted the urge to bury your face into it. “You’ll catch your death out here,” he said disapprovingly. You just chuckled in response. 

“What’re you doin’ out here, anyway?” You heard him ask, and you shrugged. 

“I could ask you the same question.” You watched him out of the corner of your eye, and he sighed. 

“Leigh was worried ‘bout the ‘issue’ you’d been having, with the break-ins. He wanted me to come out ‘ere and make sure everythin’ is good.” He laughed lightly, and you felt his eyes on you. “Now will you answer me?”

Finally, you pulled out the pack, holding it gently in your hands. Glancing up at Arthur, he seemed surprised. “Didn’t strike me as the type who smoked,” he commented.

“I rarely do.” You pulled out one of the cigarettes from the pack, placing it gently between your lips. Pulling out your lighter, it took a few too many tries before the spark caught, and you lit the end of it. Taking a long drag, you wordlessly offered Arthur one from the pack.

He accepted it, placing it between his own plush lips, and you shifted closer to light it. Except this time, no matter how many times you tried, the spark wouldn’t catch, and you could hear Arthur chuckle as you grew more and more frustrated. “Piece of shit,” you grumbled, “I keep forgettin’ to buy a new one.”

You tried it a few more times before giving up, shoving it angrily back into your robe. “Sorry,” you grumbled, guilty eying the unlit cigarette that hung from his mouth.

“Can I try somethin’?” Arthur asked, and it piqued your curiosity, so you nodded. “C’mere.” Arthur gestured for you to move closer to him, which you did. The man practically radiated heat, you noticed, and your cold body wanted nothing more than to wrap around him. 

Your brain stopped functioning when you felt him gently grasp your chin with gloved fingers, keeping your head still, but not tight enough to keep you locked there. He leaned forward like he was going to kiss you, but he instead pressed the end of his cigarette against yours. “Inhale,” he instructed, and you watched the end of yours glow with red embers as you did, which ignited his.

He pulled away then, his touch lingering a little longer than necessary, and you were certain he could feel the way your heart hammered. “Resourceful,” you muttered, and Athur laughed, smoke spilling from his open mouth. You couldn’t tell if it was a trick of the light, but his cheeks were a shade darker than they were moments ago.

“Somethin’ like that. I think ‘desperate’ is the right word, though.” Arthur leaned back on one of his arms, the other moving the cigarette to and from his lips. “Haven’t had a good cigarette in a while.” 

Without even thinking about it, you extended the pack of them for him to take, and you watched him switch his attention from the pack to you. “Take it,” you demanded, shaking it gently when he didn’t budge. “I got plenty of them.”

“I appreciate it, but-”

“Just take the damn thing!” You giggled, practically pressing it against his chest, yet he still made no move to grab it. With a quirk of your brow that said really?, you tucked the pack into one of the various pockets of the coat around your shoulders. 

Arthur shook his head with a mix of defeat and amusement, and even in the low light you could see that smile that made you weak. “You’re stubborn.”

“First I’m strange, and now I’m stubborn. Got any other s words you wanna call me?” 

“I can think of a few.” Arthur had begun to lean near you as you spoke, but you watched his eyes flick down to where a ring sat on your hand and he pulled away. “But none of which I should say to a married woman.”

Right. Holding back a sigh of disappointment, you felt the jacket begin to slip from your shoulders, and you swore you saw Arthur’s arm move to fix it before stopping himself. Securing it back around, you took a final drag from your cigarette before stomping it out with your shoe, then kicking the butt under the porch once it had cooled some.

“Are you busy the next couple of weeks?” You asked, not really knowing what you were saying. 

“I’ve got some things. Why?”

“Oh, nevermind.” You immediately felt silly for even bringing it up.

“You sure?”

“Well…” you took a breath. “Hans is gonna be gone for the next week or two, and you especially know how easy it is to get in here,” you gestured to the house, and Arthur shook his head again. “I guess what I’m tryin’ to ask is if you’d swing by every couple of days? Just to make sure nothin’ has happened? I’ll sleep better knowing there's someone out there who keepin’ an eye on things. And I’ll pay,” you tagged on, and Arthur brought the cigarette back up to his lips, almost contemplative. 

You totally weren’t trying to come up with a reason to see him more. 

“Just every couple of days?”

You nodded. “You don’t even gotta talk to me or anythin’. I’ll leave the money somewhere secure and you can just grab it.”

“And if I wanna talk to you?” Arthur’s voice was surprisingly faint, like someone would if they didn’t have complete confidence in what they were saying. 

Cherishing the knowledge that he didn’t dislike your presence, you couldn’t help the small smile as you responded. “Well, I’ll be around.”

Arthur hummed in response, and he took one final drag until he was stomping it out, kicking it under the porch like you did. The two of you sat in silence after that, simply taking in the serenity of the nighttime forest. Arthur titled his head back, eyes locked on to the forest, and the moonlight graced his features. Why did he look even more gorgeous at night? Pale white light highlighted the angles of his face, his high cheeks, the crook of his nose. You were able to make out a scar along the bridge of his nose, and another on his chin. You wondered if the rest of his body was marked that way.

You hadn’t realized you’d been staring at him until he turned his attention on you, and you couldn’t tell if he was amused or concerned. “You alright there?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah,” you quickly responded. “Just tired.” Whether Arthur believed you, you’d never know. 

“Let’s get you inside, then,” Arthur replied, slowly standing up from the step. You almost wanted to grab his hand and pull him back down, not wanting this little moment to end. But that familiar feeling of guilt returned, and so you let the moment go, dissipating in the air like the smoke of your cigarettes. 

Arthur helped you up, escorting you to your front door with a hand barely not touching your back. You slid the jacket off your body, giving it back to him with a soft thank you. After draping it around one of his arms, he held the door open for you. You were about to step in when you heard him murmur your name. “Have a good night, darlin’.”

“Because of you, it is.” You beamed at him, before ducking into the dimly-lit house. A few seconds later, you heard the door latch shut, and the sound of receding hoofbeats a few minutes after. 

You gave yourself a moment to calm your racing heart, fanning your face to try and alleviate the heat in your cheeks. You were giddy and felt lighter than a feather. Like the last time, you felt like your real self had broken free, if not for a moment. That taste of freedom was delicious, and it was addicting. 

But with that freedom came guilt, and you were screaming at yourself in your head, every nasty word under the sun aimed directly at you in your mind. Married or not, you shouldn’t be letting an almost stranger sit that close to you, let him drape his jacket over you, let him hold your face so gently.

You shouldn’t be reacting this way. 

You shouldn’t be torturing yourself by getting close to him. 

You shouldn’t be getting close to him.

There were so many things you shouldn’t be doing, but you knew you couldn’t stop now. You needed more.

Sighing, you slowly began to make your way upstairs, the stairs creaking with each step. You headed into the washroom that wasn’t attached to your bedroom, this one located across the hall a ways down from where Hans was currently asleep. Washing the remnants of smoke from your body, you dared to glance at yourself in the mirror.

Sure, nothing has changed too drastically since you got married, your face still practically the same. But a deep weariness had made itself at home in your eyes. Your eyes, once filled with wonder and joy at the world, had turned dull, much like Hans’. They seemed to have sunken in more, like the life from your body was being sucked from your body. 

Anger boiled your blood, tears threatening to flow as you stared at the husk of yourself in the mirror. You were angry at your family for marrying you off. You were angry at Hans for agreeing to marry you. You were angry at the world for thinking it was okay.

And you were angry at Arthur for breaking into your house and setting off this chain of events in your mind. 

Taking a deep breath, you composed yourself. This marriage needed to happen, you told yourself, and it provided some small comfort, but it didn’t ease the sense of betrayal. And you shouldn’t be mad at Arthur, because it wasn’t his fault. You just wanted someone to blame for your treachery. Wiping down your hands, you were sure to avoid looking at yourself in the mirror again as you left.

Before you knew it, you were back in the bedroom, the familiar sight of Hans’ form beneath the covers causing a lump to form in your throat. Quickly slipping off the robe, you replaced it with a nightgown before joining him under the covers. 

The comforting smell of Arthur still clung to your skin, lulling you to sleep, your dreams interrupted with visions of him. It was the best sleep you’d gotten in a long time.

─•~❉᯽❉~•─

The sunlight woke you up, beams interrupting your slumber instead of the voice of your husband. 

Sitting up, you placed your hand on the other side of your bed, and you felt it was cold. A smile grew across your face, an almost child-like giddiness bubbling inside of you. He was gone.

You quickly got out of bed, immediately heading to the closet to get dressed, not wanting to waste any of the precious time you had alone. You had no idea what you were going to do, but you were going to savor every moment. You had glanced at the clock on the way over, and you were surprised to see that you’d slept in until ten.

You decided on a thin, flowy skirt and a light blouse, something that would let you move with ease. As you got dressed, a familiar piece of paper caught your eye, tucked in the drawer containing your socks hastily. You picked up the little thank you note that Arthur had given to you, looking over it fondly. It was such a small gesture, but it meant everything to you. 

Tucking it back, you left your closet, heading down the stairs. Even the house seemed happier, sunlight streaming into the windows, and you opened some of them, letting wind clear away the stagnant air. You made yourself a quick breakfast, an assortment of fruits and some bread, cleaning the dishes once you were done. 

You now sat at the dining table, contemplating what you were going to do. Your options were quite limited, as the only way to travel from the house was the carriage, but that was gone. Hans didn’t keep horses, finding the creatures disgusting, leaving you stranded at the house. 

That wasn’t to say you didn't have a way of getting to places. If you really needed to, the main road wasn’t far, about a five minute walk on foot. If you waited long enough, someone would come by with a carriage, and you could ask to hop on. More often than not, they would accept, and you were always sure to hand them a couple of bills for their troubles. It was dangerous, and probably quite stupid, but you enjoyed the thrill of it all. 

But you weren’t in the mood to travel in the city, especially this early, where everyone would be able to clearly see who you were. You slumped back in the chair. Now that the novelty of being alone had worn off, the persistent loneliness was no longer covered up, making you slump even further into your chair.

It was then you finally remembered your little project you’d been working on for some time: your garden. You quickly left the house, a newfound energy in your step as you traveled along the makeshift path you’d made with your steps.Your skirts caught on various plants and sticks, but it didn’t deter you, and you made it to your garden in no time. 

It wasn’t much of a garden, to be completely honest with yourself. Fallen trees stacked up against one side, blocking it from view from the house. You hadn't tended to it for some time, and it showed. All six of your planters were handmade, made from various sticks and planks you’d found scattered about, and you noticed that they were all spilling out their precious dirt, the wood long since rotted. Also, weeds and vines and overgrowth covered over the delicate plants you’d raised, and you made a sad noise. You hoped they weren’t all dead. 

Digging through the thick growth, your fears were confirmed when instead of bright green, you were met with wilted brown. They weren’t anything special, just a few herbs and small vegetables that you’d grown from the remnants of produce you’d used for supper. Still, it was something you’d poured yourself into, and you couldn’t help the way your shoulders sagged, energy wilted just like the plants. 

You were about to move the weeds back over, when from the pile of dead plants, a sliver of fresh green caught your eye. Investigating further, you found a cluster of small growth of thyme and mint, baby sprouts, but still able to become something greater. A victorious laugh left you, and you eagerly began tearing away the invasive greenery, your energy returned.

It took a while, but eventually you’d uncovered everything, the dead plants pulled out, leaving the few remaining live ones in the unstable dirt. Before you could move them, though. you’d have to make new planters. The rest of the day you spent gathering various sticks, planks, and pieces of bark, creating a substantial pile in the garden.

By the time night came around, you were exhausted, covered in dirt and sweat, but surprisingly content. You bathed and, no matter how much you wanted to stay up and wait to see if Arthur would stop by, you went to bed. You said every couple of days, not every night, for God’s sake. 

The next day was spent working on the planters, taking many breaks inside. It took too many tires for you to make one that would stay together, but by the end of the night you’d made one. 

The third day arrived, and you worked again on the planters. It was the end of the third night when you heard hoofbeats come down your road, and you felt your heart beat excitedly. You were still close to the house, so you were able to hear Arthur call out your name. “Over here!” You responded, but you doubted he could see you because your back was pressed against the stack of fallen logs, blocking you from view from the house. “In the woods!”

It took a few moments, but you eventually heard branches crack and leaves rustle, as well as the light noise of his spurs. “Hello, Arthur,” you turned your head back to greet the man as he approached your side. “I’ll get your payment in a moment, just let me finish this.”

You turned back to the planter in your lap, and you saw out of the corner of your eye as Arthur crouched down next to you, watching what you were doing with an unreadable expression. “What’s all this?” He asked as you tied a knot of the rope, testing the stability of the planter with a tug. When it held, you smiled proudly. Another one done. 

“This,” you gestured around you, “is my garden. And this,” you pointed to the now finished planter, “is one of the last planters I need to make before I replace all the old ones.”

“Odd place for a garden,” Arthur noted, standing up again. Again, he helped you up, and you smiled gratefully at him. He wasn’t wearing gloves this time, and you were able to feel the rough skin on yours. 

“I know,” you replied, wiping dirt from your hands on your skirt. “But it ain’t like I got any other place for it.”

“Whaddya mean? You’ve got a whole empty lawn,” he said with disbelief, and you shook your head.

“I guess I mean I can’t. I ain’t even supposed to have this.”

“You… can’t?”

“It ain’t ‘ladylike or proper’ to keep a garden, apparently,” you scoffed, and began to make your way back to the house. “C’mon, let’s get you your money.”

A part of you hoped that he wouldn’t just take the money and leave as you walked back toward the house, but you wouldn’t blame him if he did. The two of you idly chatted, you leading the way back, Arthur not far behind. 

Looking back as you talked, you were able to appreciate him visually as you kept eye contact. He had the same red button up on  from earlier in the week, sleeves rolled up at the elbow, and the top two buttons undone. He had forgone the bandana around his neck entirely today, and you were thankful for it. He kept his hands on his gunbelt as he walked, the act far more enticing than it should be. You had to move your eyes before you could begin to stare. 

Reaching the house, Arthur held the door open for you, hesitantly following in after you. It was strange, seeing Arthur in your house properly. He looked very out of place, the antiquated decorations of high society a harsh contrast of the rugged outdoorsman. 

“I’m gonna go grab the money, so make yourself at home. And,” you pointed to his boots, “take those off. You tracked mud in my kitchen last time.”

He held his hands up defensively. “My apologies,” he chuckled, but he complied, setting his boots next to your shoes. It was almost familiar, seeing your shoes next to his, and a pang of longing for a life you’d never had or will have tore through your chest. 

Heading upstairs, you pushed those feelings away as you entered your bedroom. Reaching under the bed, you grabbed the lockbox you kept stashed, hidden between the mattress and the frame, setting it on your bed. Opening it, you grabbed a few bills from it, totalling to about five dollars. You pulled from your own personal money, not wanting Hans to question why he was suddenly down a bit of money when he returned. Tucking it back under, you hurriedly made your way back downstairs to Arthur.  

He hadn’t sat down yet. Instead, you watched as he traveled around the living room, examining the various photographs that decorated the shelves and the mantle of the fireplace. He was frowning as he looked over your and Hans’ wedding photo, but he broke his gaze from them as you stood next to him. “Here,” you handed him the money. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” he murmured, taking the bills gently, putting them away in one of his pockets. 

The two of you stood in silence after that. You weren’t quite sure what to say. A part of you wanted to invite him to stay for a drink, but that was risky, pushing to something less than proper. He took the framed wedding photo into his hands, and the both of you observed it.

You looked like a spooked deer in the photo, your eyes wide and staring into the camera. Hans had his arm linked in yours, and it was the only time you’d seen him smile, even though it was forced. The dress you were wearing was a poofy mess of fabric and ribbon, and you remembered how much it itched your skin.

“The dress is ugly, I know,” you joke, getting a chuckle from the man. “I’d never choose to wear somethin’ like that.”

“It seems like you don’t got a choice in a lot of things,” you heard him mutter, more to himself than anything. You couldn’t bring yourself to disagree with him; it was obvious you’d be lying. 

Arthur set the frame back on the fireplace mantle, and when his hand returned to his side, you felt it brush against yours, but a little too hard to be accidental. It was a simple yet comforting touch, and for a moment that loneliness tormenting you eased. 

But just as it came, it left, Arthur taking a few steps away from you. Turning your head to watch him, you felt disappointment overwhelm you. “I-” he cleared his throat. “I have to go.” 

“Okay,” you whispered as he got his boots back on. 

His mouth opened and shut as he struggled to formulate words, and he ended up just sighing. “I’ll see you later, darlin’.”

Nodding, you turned your attention back to the photo, not wanting him to see the sadness in your eyes. You heard the door latch shut, and like your shoes by the door, you were now alone.

You stayed inside for the rest of the night.

─•~❉᯽❉~•─

The next day arrived, and with it came rain. Lots of it.

It pounded against the roof of your house, and you found the sound of it comforting, distracting you from your miserable thoughts. Because of that, you spent most of the day in the attic cleaning, where you could feel the rain if you pressed your hand against the roof.

The following day was a clear one, not a single cloud in the sky. You finished up the planters, arranging them how you liked. You rewarded yourself with a long soak in the bath, spending nearly an hour in the tub. 

For both of those days, your mind kept wandering to Arthur, but not on the reason you thought it would. You kept going back to his comment about how you didn’t have a choice in a lot of things. In the back of your mind, you always knew that, but to hear it out loud, it had been staggering. 

You didn’t let yourself think about it for too long, however. The sacrifice of your own choice in life was a necessary one, you told yourself, and itIt was selfish of you to want otherwise. Your family would be out on the street if it wasn’t for you, and besides, you should be grateful for the life Hans has provided for you.

So why was it so hard to convince yourself to believe your thoughts?

You dreamed that night, for the first time in a while. It wasn’t anything crazy, but it still had you gasping when you woke. It was a domestic scene, and you were in the kitchen making breakfast. A sleep-laden Arthur came into the scene, brown hair tousled and in his face. He wrapped his arms around your body, bare chest pressing into your back, and he burrowed his face into the crook of your neck. It felt so real, and you swore you could feel the scratch of his beard on your neck when you woke. 

Getting out of bed the next day had been a struggle. You angrily grumbled at the birds as they taunted you with their lighthearted music, and you debated rolling over a smashing a pillow over your head and going back to sleep. 

Eventually, you managed to leave the bed, getting dressed and eating breakfast like you’d done in all the previous days. The monotony was getting boring, but there wasn’t anything you could do about that. 

Today you worked on filling the planters with dirt, and it took a surprising amount of time to find some that wasn’t too rocky or too muddy, and of course it had to be a significant walk from the planters. All you had to transport the dirt was a small shovel that you stored in a hollow trunk nearby, and you spent the day carrying each precious shovelful across the forest

By the time early evening rolled around, you were exhausted, your hands cramping and shoulders aching from the shovel, but you now had six planters filled with dirt, and the baby sprouts placed in each one. The dirt was still damp enough from the rainfall earlier, so you didn’t have to worry about watering today.

Leaning your back against the fallen trunks, you closed your eyes, savoring the feeling of the warm sun rays against your skin. The birds sounded less taunting than they did in the morning, and you let yourself get lost in their songs.

So lost, in fact, that you failed to notice when they stopped, spooked by the sound of a voice and footfalls. You jumped when your name was said rather loudly beside you, your eyes snapping open and staring at the creator of the sound. 

A concerned Arthur stood above you, hand extended like he was about to shake your shoulder. “Oh, hello Arthur,” you grinned up at him.

“You scared me there,” he half-laughed, pulling you to your feet. “I’ve been callin’ your name for a while now.”

“Well, as you can see,” you brushed your hands on your skirt, “I’m still very much alive.” You were afraid that the tense ending of your last interaction would’ve carried over to today, but you’re glad it didn’t. “So, whaddya think?” You gestured to your garden. 

“It’s… cute.”

“Cute?” You scoffed. “You mean to tell me I’ve been working all day for the last week just for it to be cute? You insult me, Arthur.”

Arthur laughed, and that damn smile adorned his lips. Looking away, you felt your cheeks warm.

“I left the money at the house again. C’mon.” 

The walk back to the house was short, like always, and Arthur asked you about the plants you were growing. You explained to him the way you’d found them earlier in the week, recalling the small little sprouts you’d found. 

“Plants are incredible in that way. No matter what the world throws at them, no matter what conditions they’re met with, they always seem to just… come back. Their resilience is incredible!” Looking back at Arthur, he was watching you with an indiscernible expression. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get all poetic there.”

“Don’t apologize,” Arthur shook his head. “I like that, though. Reminds me of someone I know.”

“Oh? Who?” You were genuinely curious, wanting to know more about Arthur and the people he associated with. 

“There’s this amazin’ woman, who, no matter what anyone tells her or what society deems is right, does what she wants, does what makes her happy. And when she gets dragged down, I’ve seen her bounce right back up, ready to take on the world.”

“Maybe you’re the poetic one,” you teased. “She sounds like someone I want to meet.”

You missed the look that Arthur gave you, like he couldn’t believe you weren’t catching on. “I’m sure she’d love to meet you.”

Eventually the two of you came into the house, and Arthur lingered in the doorway. “I’ll be right back, then you’ll be good to go.” You turned to head up the stairs, but you halted. “Unless…” Don’t you dare. “Unless you want to stay for dinner?” 

When he didn’t respond, you panicked a little. “You don’t have to, I just figured cause it’s almost dinnertime, you’d like somethin’ to eat.” Silence. “You know what, forget I said anythin’,” you looked away, embarrassed, and resumed entering the house. 

“You’re spoilin’ me, darlin’,” Arthur laughed breathlessly with a smile. 

“Is that a yes?”

He nodded, and a relieved but genuine smile fell on your lips. “You know where the living room is,” you laughed, toeing off your shoes. Arthur did the same, setting his boot next to yours again, and he made his way to the living room as you went upstairs. 

The process of grabbing the money was no different this time, and you were about to head back downstairs when you caught a glimpse of yourself in one of the mirrors in the bedroom.

Dirt streaked across your face from where you had wiped away sweat, and your clothes were in no better shape. Embarrassment once again overcame you, the ideals that had been ingrained into your brain for years making you feel so. No woman of your standing should be playing in the dirt, then inviting people into her home while covered in it. 

You quickly changed clothes, then headed into the en suite bathroom to wash down your face and body, even go so far as to fix up your hair, pulling out any debris that got caught in it. Satisfied, you headed back downstairs to Arthur, who sat on one of the various couches. He had taken his hat off, setting it next to him, and you watched him run his hands through it. 

“It wasn’t very nice of you to not tell me I was covered in dirt,” was what you said as you approached him, holding out the bills for him. “Sorry that it took so long.”

Arthur just chuckled, standing up in front of you, leaving his hat behind. He took the bills from you with a thankful nod of his head, tucking them into his pocket. “You missed a spot,” he said as he tucked the money away.

“Really?” You began to wipe at your face, frowning when Arthur began to laugh. “Where?”

“Here,” he muttered, and you felt two hands gently wrap around your wrists, tugging them away from your face. Releasing one, he used the pad of his thumb to wipe at your cheek, the rest of his hand resting on your jaw. His cerulean eyes flicked across your face, like he was trying to memorize the details of it, the curve of your cheek, the slope of your nose, the shape of your lips. “There,” he whispered, running the thumb across again for good measure before dropping his hand. 

Arthur stared at you for a moment, like even he couldn’t quite believe what he’d done. All thoughts went out the window, your mind and legs jelly. He took a step back, giving an appropriate amount of room between the two of you. Don’t leave, you were pleading in your head. “I-I’ll get started on dinner,” you stammer out. “If you’d like to get washed up, the bathroom’s upstairs, first door on the left.”

He nodded, taking a few more steps back. “I’ll be right back, then.” And with that, he turned up the stairs, leaving you stunned, alone, in the living room. You ran your fingers over where his hand had just been, and you laughed with shock and delight. You expected to feel guilt, and you did, but it was heavily muffled by the sheer joy radiating in your chest. 

The sound of water rushing through the pipes of the house broke you out of your daze, your hand returning to your side. Right. Dinner. 

Despite the tiredness you felt from hauling dirt everywhere the entire day, you felt energized as you entered the kitchen. You weren’t going to make anything elaborate, mainly because you were starting to run low on supplies. You’d have to run to Rhodes sometime during the next week, using your own money, of course. 

Dinner was going to be two small steaks, with diced potatoes and grilled green beans. The smell of the food quickly permeated the kitchen, making your stomach grumble hungrily. Arthur emerged from the bathroom when dinner was over halfway done, startling you because you had your back to him, and because your mind was constantly distracted with thoughts of him. 

“That smells amazin’,” he commented, causing you to nearly drop the utensil you were using to flip the food. Turning, he held up his hands apologetically. 

“I should’ve had you keep your boots on. Your spurs are loud,” you grumbled lightheartedly. “How are you so quiet?” You kept having to turn your head to talk to him, so he walked up next to you at the stove.

“Years of practice,” Arthur responded, which didn’t clear anything up.

“Practice for what?” 

Arthur hesitated to speak, and you rolled your eyes. “Arthur, I caught you breakin’ into my house. If you’re a thief, just say it.”

“I ain’t a thief.” He replied defensively. 

“Sure, whatever you say. I just sure as hell know you ain’t a deputy.”

Arthur laughed. “Ain’t that the truth.”

“So why are you pretendin’ to be one?”

The man beside you sighed. “It’s a long story… and one I ain’t so sure I can tell yet.”

Silence fell over the two of you, the only sound the sizzling of food as it cooked. It was you who spoke first. “So who are you then, Arthur Morgan?”

Arthur didn’t respond at first, and you watched his struggle to come up with an answer. “I ain’t quite sure,” he finally said, uncertainty lacing his voice.

“You’re… not sure?”

He shrugged. “I’m a lot of things, I suppose. I guess I can’t just put it into one word."

“Alright, how ‘bout this then. Whenever you’re not here, what’re you doin’?”

“I… I’m workin’. Odd jobs and stuff like that.”

“Do those odd jobs include thievin’?”

Exasperated, Arthur  made a noise between a scoff and a chuckle. “I suppose it does. Houses, banks, trains. Whatever gets me money, I guess.”

Grinning at your small victory at his admission, you poked him lightly in the chest. “So you’re an outlaw then.”

“And if I am?”

It was your turn to shrug. “Doesn’t change anythin’, really.”

Arthur noticeably relaxed at your answer. “Good.”

“I’m assumin’ Dutch and Bill are outlaws too, then.”

“Jesus, woman, is this an interrogation?” You heard Arthur mutter, and you laughed. 

“Sorry, sorry, just curious.” Your gaze went back to the food, and you noticed that everything was almost done cooking. “Was I right though?”

“I… Yes.”

You hummed in response. Bill you were expecting, but the other man you weren’t. He looked like he belonged in high society with you, not living a life from the reaches of the law. Maybe appearances aren't always to be believed, then. “Thank you.”

Arthur raised a brow. “For?”

“Answering my questions. And not just brushing them off. Thank you.”

“Yeah,” Arthur responded, not expecting thanks for such a simple thing. “You need any help with this?” He gestured to the food on the stove. “I ain’t much of a cook, but if you need help…”

Never once in your marriage had Hans offered to help you as you cooked, even when you had to make large amounts for dinner parties or guests. A warm smile found its way on your face, and you shook your head. “I think I got it. It’s almost done, anyway. You wanna grab some plates for me?” You pointed to a nearby cupboard. 

“‘Course.” Arthur stepped away from you, fulfilling your request, and your eyes followed him as he moved across the kitchen. Just like the shoes by the door, something about this just felt right, even though everything in your brain was screaming that this was wrong. This domesticity, this familiarity, everything was wrong.

But damn if it didn’t feel good, like something you didn't know was missing inside of you had been returned. 

Arthur returned a few moments later with two plates in his hand, setting them on the counter beside you. You spoke as you began to lead the food onto it. “Go ahead and take a seat. I’ll bring the plates out shortly. Utensils are in the drawer there” You ended with a point. 

“You sure?”

You nodded. “Want anythin’ to drink?”

“Whatever you’re havin’.” Arthur’s voice was distant as he moved away toward the dining room. 

Wine, then. The plates were hot in your hands as you brought them out. Arthur sat at one end of the table, where Hans would sit, and you set it down in front of him. You faltered for a second as you debated where to set yours. Normally, you’d sit on the other end of the table, with four chairs of space between you and Hans, but you figured it would be rude to do that right now. Besides, the selfish part of you wanted to be as close to Arthur as you could.

Leaving a chair’s space, you set your plate down before returning to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of wine, which you opened, and two glasses. Arthur stood when you returned, pulling your chair out, pushing you in when you sat. “You sure you’re an outlaw?” You joked, pouring out two glasses of the red liquid.

“I’m certain.” He took the glass of wine from you once you offered it. “Thank you, darlin’.”

“Of course.” Picking up the utensils that Arthur had grabbed for the both of you, you both dug in. You kept an eye on Arthur as he took the first bite, feeling self conscious of your cooking. He stilled, mid-chew, and you immediately thought the worst. 

“Holy shit,” he muttered under his breath. You took a bite, and you thought it didn’t taste bad, but you were partial to your own cooking. “That’s really good.”

Oh. “I’m glad.” You tried to not sound overly relieved. 

Arthur took another bite, groaning appreciatively. You really did try not to memorize the sound of it. “This is the best thing I’ve tasted in a while.”

“Do I even want to know what you possibly could’ve been eating that makes this taste incredible.”

“Probably not,” Arthur admitted. 

The rest of dinner was filled with idle chat, until Arthur asked a question that had you stopping mid-bite, fork handing in the air. “This ain’t poisoned, right?” He asked it as a joke, but there was a hint of genuine worry in his eyes.

“I sure hope not,” you responded, finishing the bite. Arthur didn’t elaborate further, only responding with a small noise. “Well, you can’t just ask that and then not explain. Is… is that something that’s happened before?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Arthur chuckled humorlessly. “There’s a pig farm north of here I stopped by two weeks ago. Friendly couple invited me in, we shared a drink, and before I knew it I was wakin’ up in a muddy pit with my money gone.” 

You had stared at him, shocked, as he recounted his story. “You’re kiddin’?”

“I wish I was. Wasn’t the first person they’d done it to, either. You wanna know the worst thing?” Arthur asked, leaning into you. You nodded, leaning in as well. “The couple? They were brother and sister, and their mother was their first victim.”

You were horrified and intrigued all at the same time. “Brother and sister? Oh my God,” you shuddered. “Did you get your money back?” Arthur nodded. “There are some weird folks out there.”

“You meet plenty of ‘em when you’re on the road. I don’t think there’s enough time in the world to tell you ‘bout them.” 

At the mention of time, you glanced out one of the nearby windows, finding it nearly pitch black outside. Arthur glanced outside as well, an apologetic look on his face when his eyes went back on you. “You have to go, don’t you?”

“I’m ‘fraid so,” Arthur sighed. You were happy to see that his plate had been entirely cleared, and he finished off the last of the wine in his glass. Standing, you cleared the table, bringing the items over and setting them in the sink. Arthur followed in behind you, carrying the half-full bottle of wine.

“Thank you, again,” you heard Arthur say, and you waved him off.

“You don’t gotta keep thankin’ me, Arthur. It was truly my pleasure.”

“Do you need help cleain’-”

“Arthur! Go!” You laughed, shooing him away. “I got this.”

Conceding, he headed to the doorway, putting his shoes on. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw his hat on the couch, about to be left behind. Quickly grabbing it, you set it on his head as he was leaning forward, securing his shoes. He let out a confused noise, but he smiled when he realized what you’d done. Standing up back at full height, he secured it on, flashing you a smile. “How’d I look?” He jested, a playful glint in his eye.

Like the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. “Like an outlaw,” you responded. “You just need a cigar or somethin’ and you’d really look like one.”

“That reminds me…” Arthur dug into a sachet strapped across his body. Once he found what he was looking for he presented it to you. It was a small silver lighter, which looked hilariously small in his hands. “Since your last one was a ‘piece of shit’, I figured you’d want a new one.”

“For me?” You asked and Arthur responded with a look that read uh, yeah?

“It ain’t much, I know-”

“Thank you!” You cut him off, beaming brightly at him. “It means a lot that you remembered.”

“Alright, well…” you watched as he rubbed the back of neck, not knowing how to respond to the praise, “have a good night, darlin’.”

“Stay safe, Arthur.”

With a final nod, Arthur left. You couldn’t decide if you wanted to laugh or cry, so you did neither, simply heading upstairs to your bedroom. Dishes could be done in the morning, you decided. 

Your mind raced as you got ready for the night. You knew he didn’t mean anything besides being nice with getting you the lighter, but it left your heart happy that someone not only listened to your grievances, small or large, and did something to fix them. 

Slipping under the sheets, you fiddled with it in your hands. You struck it, the spark catching almost immediately, creating a steady flame. Setting in on the nightstand beside you, you held on to the happiness you’d felt the entire night, and you fell asleep with a smile on your face.

You pretended to not feel a new sensation growing in your heart, something you wouldn’t dare name.

[dadsbongos]

Hi! I was wondering if u write fic requests on minor characters? Holm from Dungeon Meshi is my fave character and it's saddening that there are only a few contents about him T^T (tho its understandable since he's, well, a minor character)

If it's okay w you, I wanna request a Holm x reader scenario where Holm introduces reader to his party as his partner, and everyone is suprised because they didn't expect a laid-back guy like him to be in a serious relationship with someone!

aaaa sorry if it's a bit short and bland I just want some fluffy imagines with the cute lil gnome ;-;

as long as i feel confident enough in my characterization of a character i'm more than happy to tackle minor characters!

holm is a lil cutie patootie so i get it anon

586 words / warnings - not super proofread ~~~

“Congratulations, big guy!” Mickbell claps Holm on the back, earning a startled flinch from the gnome.

“Thank you…” Holm sighs, choosing to ignore the rough jostling, “So as I saying, I finally bought a house. I’d really appreciate it if you all could come to dinner to celebrate.”

Daya scratches the back of her neck, lips pursing thoughtfully, “Can I bring my fiance?”

“Sure! It’ll be a great time for you all to finally meet my spouse as well.”

Kabru is first to respond, a despondent, broken, “wh-what…?” croaking out.

“You’re married?” Rin mutters, covering her twitchy mouth with a gloved hand and brows furrowing. If none of them knew her, they might think she was disgusted by the information.

Holm nods, “I never found the right time to bring it up, but now is perfect!”

“Married…” Kabru’s horrified, he had zero idea Holm was a taken man -- and he’d been meeting with the gnome’s sister often! Did she have no clue either? They weren’t the closest siblings, after all…

“See you all for dinner then?” Holm bypasses the man’s internal struggle completely.

Rin, still with elation masked as indignation, nods rapidly, “We’ll be there!”

… 

“Married,” Kabru’s still pouting by the time he and Rin arrive at Holm’s new residence, “And I had no clue…”

“He hardly minds,” Rin rolls her eyes, a kinder lilt overtaking her tone, “Besides, nobody else knew.”

Sighing wistfully, Kabru doesn’t expect her to understand, only continuing to mope.

“You’re probably the only one who brought a gift, so at least take that as a win,” Rin grumbles, annoyed by his angst, and knocks on the door.

Holm is not who greets them at the door, but rather a total stranger who already knows their names, “You must be Rin and Kabru! Welcome in, I’m glad you both could make it!”

Kabru’s terror only increases at the realization you know him by description, and he cannot even guess as to what your name is.

“I should die…” he whispers.

“Huh?” your eyes widen.

“Kabru! Rin!” Holm saddles up beside you, a hand finding the base of your spine while the other outstretches to accept his leader’s cradled gift, “You didn’t have to bring anything!”

“I would’ve felt terrible,” Kabru shakes his head, smile soft yet disarming.

You take it that you must’ve just misheard the nice man, then…

“You know,” Mickbell calls from where he’s lounging in Kuro’s lap on your couch, “I never would’ve taken you as the type for a serious relationship.”

Daya has half a mind to whack the man, and she probably would have if her own fiance hadn’t barked a laugh in approval. Instead, she swats him in the chest with a quiet grumble to be nice.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” if it weren’t for his gentle face, one could take the question as offended.

“You’re too laid-back…” Kuro huffs agreement to Mickbell’s point, “I would’ve thought a married man is more intense.”

“I don’t think that’s necessarily true,” Holm thankfully takes the jab with humor, “I’m seventy-six, not forty.”

“Imagine if you were?” you laugh.

“Nightmare, I’d be about you,” Holm chuckles.

“Oh, but it’d be flattering!”

“I was too immature.”

Mickbell scoffs, “Stupid long-living gnome and his stupid happy marriage.”

This time, Daya does smack the half-foot.

Meanwhile, Kabru is viciously examining yours and Holm’s body language and Rin is trying to psychically tell him to be normal.

“Your party’s very interesting…” you murmur to your husband.

“They’re just excited to be here.”

[randoimago]

Hi! I saw some of your imagines in the Mitsuru tag and I quite like them, they're very enjoyable reads :D

If you're still taking requests rn, could I get some headcanons for Mitsuru Kirijo with an S/O who joins SEES (probably like, relatively early on, you can start at whatever exact point you think would work best tho) and they fall in love and start dating over the course of working and fighting together? (If requests are closed feel free to ignore this, that'd be my bad lol)

Tysm, I'd rly appreciate it! (Also ngl this is my first time asking for an imagine so pls lmk if I need to elaborate on anything or smth!)

Fandom: Persona 3

Character(s): Mitsuru

Note(s): You did good! I hope you enjoy what I wrote!!

Mitsuru

Things do feel a lot easier with four of you in SEES. She also likes how close you and her are as friends. It's obvious Akihiko and Shinjiro are close friends but sometimes she feels left out from them so she's happy to have you.

Mitsuru has sat with you and talked late in the night about different strategies to use your powers. She's also been the one to help you study too since she believes you should all still strive for good grades too.

She was close to you originally but after Shinjiro left, you became like an anchor to her. It was a horrible night and she needed someone to cry with since Akihiko wanted to go on a jog or punch some punching bags to get his feelings out.

She doesn't even know when her feelings towards you go from friendly to crushing. She has read magazines and books with that sort of thing and found it silly. When she realizes her feelings, she finds it silly too. Mitsuru doesn't say anything though, thinking it will be just a crush and fade.

Except it doesn't and only grows stronger. It's only after she's at school and a classmate asks her about her relationship status that her eyes drift over to you to see if you're listening. Mitsuru does ask if you could join her in her dorm after school.

It goes a lot smoother than she thought. She was prepared for it to be nerve-wracking or lead to heartbreak like the books and magazines list out. Instead, it feels nice and comfortable to rest her head on your shoulder and lean on you after you both agree to begin dating.

Akihiko is the first to learn of your relationship and he is happy for you two. He was worried he'd need to be a protective older brother for when you both did seek a partner, so it's a relief that you choose each other. (he later fills Shinjiro in and Shinji is also happy for you both).

Taglist:

@reo-the-leo @abellaheart-blog

[slowlydifferentbluebird]

Okay bestie listen, I've been into exes to lovers lately and I had an idea just sitting in my brain. Imagine G!P Yuqi breaking up with her girlfriend and months later they meet at the party of their mutual friend and they avoid each other but then she sees G!P Minnie or G!P Shuhua (you can choose) just hitting shamelessly on reader and she gets mad and drags her ex girlfriend away just to completely ruin her because of how jealous she got (Female reader if it's alright)

Have a nice day/night❤

Hello bestie, sorry for making you wait so long for this request. This period I wasn't feeling like writing, but trying again is the best way to start again, right? And then this blog has a special connection with G!P Idles at this point 🙈

~~~

Make up for my mistakes

G!P Yuqi X Fem!Reader (feat. G!P Shuhua)

Genre: smut, maybe slightly angst.

It's funny how the person you consider the most important in your life can disappear out of nowhere. Well, that isn't completely right, the heartbreak and the end of your relationship was in the air since months. The reason? Always the same. Yuqi couldn't give you the time and the attention you needed and deserved. But how could she? The comeback, the promotion and the tour sucked her life away from her body, and even sending a simple goodmorning text was too difficult for her schedule.

So one day, you just called her. "It's over", that's what you said to her. A five minute call and your years-long relationship ended "out of nowhere". And after? What happened? Nothing, to be honest. Both of you went ahead with your life. Even when she returned in the city, you simply ignored each other. You were still too angry at her and she knew she fucked up so bad.

But certain things can't really end without a proper talk, especially when fate has its own plan. In fact in the last month you met Yuqi really often, at the cafè, at the market, at the club, everywhere you go, you always meet her. For a moment you also thought about her stalking you, but honestly everytime she was surprised as much as you. "Fine, I'll simply ignore her", you said to yourself, but, once again, fate had other plans for you two.

You were at one party, Miyeon invited you there and you couldn't simply say no to her, because, despite the break-up with Yuqi, Miyeon was too precious as friend and she really missed you. Obviously also the other members were there and they were all super kind with you, especially one: Shuhua. Now, the maknae was living her fuckboy era and you were happy about her renewed confidence, but you didn't expect her to hit on you.

Like, you knew her since she was a shy little bean and you look her grow up and become a stunning woman, but for some reason(maybe the alcohol, maybe her very revealing dress) you were alright with her trying to bring you to her bed. You two flirted all night, you two danced together, she even grinded her bulge on your ass in various occasions. And when you decided to go all-in, you closed your eyes, catched your breath, ready to meet her lips from a moment to another...

...but the kiss never arrived. Instead you just heard an heavy noise and someone screaming. You opened your eyes again and what you saw made you gasp: Yuqi was towering over Shu, that was now on the floor. Her eyes had no more lust on them, but only fear, because Yuqi was absolutely furious.

"What do you think you're doing?", you asked to Yuqi, pushing her shoulder, trying to defend the maknae. "Shut up, I'm not talking with you", she answered without looking in your direction. "Of course, you never talked to me, even when we were together", your anger speak out for you. This time Yuqi looked at you and you could see all the emotions switching up on her face: surprise, sadness, anger, decision.

"Let's talk then", she said grabbing your wrist and dragging you to the first empty room she found. "Stop, let me go, now!", you tried to order but Yuqi was having none of it after what she saw. "No, I won't let you fuck my members", she screamed in your face. "At least someone fucks me", you shouted back, but you immediately regretted your choice, seeing the smirk on the girl face.

"Ohhhh~, so this is the problem, uh? I'm gonna solve it soon", her smirk was almost sadic at this point. "Song Yuqi, don't you daaaaa~", your warning was never finished due to the moans that the kiss of Yuqi on your neck provoked. "Stop, stop... don't stop~", the way you changed idea the moment her hands started wondering around your body seemed proper of a sitcom, but anyone watching could tell that this was for sure another genre.

"These were the attention you were lacking, my bad for not understanding, sweetie", she said groping your ass. That made you at the same time weak and crazy, so crazy that you put your tongue in her mouth. You two were making out as teenagers, but you were so needy at that point that your clothes down there were soaked, but you were not the only one excited: you could feel the hard cock of the girl through the texture of her trousers.

You knew that making out session really hit the right button for Yuqi, because she pushed you on the floor and unbuckled her pants, taking out her giant cock. You knew what was going to happen...the moment you got on your knees, she was slapping your face with it. "How you dare break up with me? You're my bitch", she said between her teeth, before slipping her dick inside your mouth.

If you were expecting her to contain herself...well, you were hella wrong. You were not sucking her cock, she was fucking your face. And she was thrusting so hard with her hips that your head would have probably hit the wall if it hadn't been for Yuqi hands keeping you glued to her crotch. "I can't believe your slut lips were about to kiss another member", now she was fully unhinged, keeping to move without caring about you lacking oxygen. But you resisted until eventually she sprayed the biggest load of cum directly down your throat.

Now you we're coughing on the floor, finally breathing again, even if you were lacking energies to move. Yuqi instead was a force of nature, still far from being satisfied, so she roughly took your pants away, probably ruining them in the meanwhile, leaving you half-naked on the floor.

And still on the floor the action continued because she took advantage of your booty in the air to get behind you and putting her hard dick inside of you. It was raw, animalistic sex and...you were loving it so bad. Being used as an object by your ex was so wrong...but it felt so good and you wouldn't change this moment for nothing in the world.

The flow of your thoughts was interrupted by a slap of Yuqi. "Moan for me, whore, make everybody know you're my property", she groawled in your ear, before pulling your hair from behind. "Ahhhh~, yes yes, I'm Yuqi slut, all my holes are hers", you moaned and screamed so loudly that probably everyone at party heard it, despite the loud music.

Yuqi kept going until, for the second time in a couple of minutes, she emptied her balls inside you, making your pussy leak, for the quantity she released. "Don't even think I'm finished with you", she said, streching, before turning your body that was laying with the face on the floor.

Now you were facing her that unexpectedly kissed you with love and not with lust. "I'm going to make you mine again", she whispered in your ear, before returning to ruin you, putting her cock once again inside you. You were already full of her cum but that didn't stopped the girl from Beijing to keep fucking you until she creampied you while looking directly in your eyes.

You didn't know if you were back together officially after the party, but you knew was for sure that hadn't been the last night you two spent together.

~~~

I hope you like it, bestie. I probably went a bit crazy, but it was my first smut in a long time 😅💙

Zazá

[rougedragoonreaper]

A doe

Marilyn Thornhill X Female Teacher!Reader (legal age)

Summary: You knew things between you and your boyfriend/girlfriend changed when you stopped feeling that you loved them or that they loved you. Yet, you'd never imagined feeling comfortable enough to turn as you slept in your co-worker's arms.

Characters: Larissa Weems, Marilyn Thornhill, NPC (Lyida), Y/N

Warning(s): You can turn into a doe (shrugs). No cheating, just falling out of love. Darkish thoughts. Y/n has depression.

A/N: This story is based on a dream I had during my before-work nap. I changed things and left them out because they are irrelevant to this story. Consecutive criticism is appreciated. Thank you for reading.

A/N2: sorry for the shitty title. I dk what to call it.

It's been a long week for you, between working and trying to see your boyfriend/girlfriend. But you were happy. Nothing was wrong; you were overthinking things. Like you always do. Shaking your head as you gather your supplies, ready to start the weekend.

Initially, you had plans with your boyfriend/girlfriend. You would spend the night watching movies and cuddling on the couch. But they canceled on you. You squeezed the strap on your bag, trying to ignore the twinge of pain in your heart. That was the fifth time they canceled on you. It would be best if you didn't have to keep track of who canceled date nights. You were just as guilty of canceling on them, too. You couldn't help but feel that you two were drifting apart. The dark part of your mind told you it was your feet that they could do better and find someone that doesn't turn into a mini-doe. They deserved someone who could turn into a predator instead of prey like they could.

"Stop thinking like that, y/n. You are fine, just the way you are. And if no one likes that, you can leave or give them a hoof or two in the shins." You chuckle, remembering your older brother making fun of your doe form. You got so mad you nailed him in the shin with your hidden hoofs.

Thinking you were going to be in trouble for hurting him. But your dad said he missed around and found out. And that one should never make fun of someone's animal form. It chooses us, and we don't pick it.

Signing as you open the door to your room, knowing that you should try harder to remember your dad's words. Yet it's hard to ignore when the dark part of your mind starts whispering. And it doesn't help that some have the ability to choose which animal form they can turn into. Most of the students and staff understand this. Some can't comprehend that concept. Like a few of your exes… and your current boyfriend/girlfriend. However, they are trying to be understanding. You'll have to talk to them sooner rather than later. All you wanted to know was where you stood in their future if you were even a part of them.

But for now, you need to get ready for ladies' night. Once your best friend Lyida heard that your plans with your boyfriend/girlfriend got canceled, she told Principal Weems and Ms. Thornhill. They both agreed to have a ladies' night in. A little wine, a corny movie, and food would brighten your mood.

After a quick shower changed into comfortable clothing, you headed to your best friend's room. Both of you were heading to Larissa's place.

"So… how are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm alright, just a little tired. It's been a long week. My head is spinning a little between Wednesday, Enid, and Bianca." You laugh, "But I think the entire school would agree with me."

"You're telling me. I feel like I'm part of a teen sitcom sometimes." Lydia replied.

You look at your friend, "For the record… I need to speak with them. I can't talk about it. Not yet." You say, knowing that Lydia was asking about your relationship.

"For the record, I'll be here for you when you are ready. Same with Larissa and Marilyn." She said, giving you a side hug just as you arrived at Larissa's place.

Lydia knocked on Larissa's door. "Ladies, it's nice to see you. Come in; Marilyn is already here." Larissa said as she ushered the both of you inside.

Marilyn was sitting on a vast, comfortable-looking couch. She waved at you and Lydia. "Hello, Lydia and Y/n."

You smiled at her, "Hello, Ms. Thornhill."

Marilyn held up her hand to stop you. "Y/n, how long have we been working together? You can call me Marilyn." She said, her smile lighting up the room.

You could feel Lydia roll her eyes at you as she pushed you to sit next to Marilyn.

"So, what movie should we watch?" Larissa asked.

"Let y/n decide," Marilyn said.

"ME… are you sure?" you asked.

"Yeah, YOU… We are here because of you," Lydia replied as she sat on your right. "I mean, we younglings would be having a movie night anyway," Lydia said with a shrug before Larissa gave her a look. She was making Lydia cough a little.

Marilyn laughed at their behavior before saying, "We wouldn't have a lady's night if your plans didn't fall through."

Marilyn placed a hand on your thigh, squeezing it gently. "I'm sorry your boyfriend/girlfriend canceled."

You felt your heart stopped when she squeezed your thigh, or maybe your brain was freezing, or you forgot how to breathe?

"Okay, just don't make fun of me. But how about we watch Hocus Pocus." You said. Lydia chuckled, "Even though the movie knows nothing about real witchcraft. It has it's charm."

"Yeah, for you, it's in the form of Sarah Jessica Parker." You said with a smirk. Lydia rolled her eyes as Larissa raised her eyebrow. Marilyn played with her glasses, shaking her head.

"So, are we all alright with Hocus Pocus being the first movie tonight?" Lydia asked. Marilyn and Larissa agreed.

Once the movie started, a comfortable silence filled the room. You didn't realize how tired you were, not even when you felt your body slowly leaning toward Marilyn.

"Y/n, you can lean on me. I don't mind." Marilyn whispered as she adjusted her position on the couch.

She was making it so her body was facing yours. Marilyn wrapped an arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer to her. With your head resting on her shoulder, you started to drift off. You couldn't make out what the others were saying, and you didn't notice Larissa move from the couch to a chair that was close by. You only saw that you felt genuinely safe in Marilyn's arms and that her heart bet was lulling you into a more profound slumber. You never truly felt this way, not with your exes or current boyfriend/girlfriend.

At that realization, you woke up. Noticing that you were now entirely lying in Marilyn's arms. Your legs were on Lydia's lap. No one seemed to mind that you passed out for most of the movie. You looked up at Marilyn, worried about things to come. Lyrics popped into your head, 'Let your arms be a place she feels safe in.'

You felt sad knowing you didn't have a future with your boyfriend/girlfriend. You were not in love with them anymore, and they probably (you hoped) felt the same way. You also hoped that maybe Marilyn felt something for you, too. Even if you both don't know what it is at this time. You can figure it out together. But for now, you'd worry about those conversations for another time. You just wanted to hold on to that feeling of safety. Marilyn squeezed you as she tucked your head under her chin.

You drifted off to sleep again. Not realizing you felt safe enough to turn into your mini-dose form while you slept in Marilyn's arms. You only realize that you change when you wake up. But you didn't feel like it was a big deal. Marilyn was fine with cuddling with you even when you became a doe. It must have helped that this happened while you all were at Larissa's place and that Lydia was around. You made a mental note to ask your dad if this typically happens. Because it's never happened to you before, nor have you read or heard about it.

"You two are awake. Lydia should be back with some food." Larissa said, smiling at Marilyn and you.

Looking at Marilyn, you tilt your head to the side. "You fell asleep too?"

Marilyn figged with her glasses, "I couldn't help it. I think anyone would have fallen asleep cuddling with a mini-doe."

"Oh… sorry about that." You replied, ducking your head down, trying to hide your blush.

"Oy My God!!!! Finally!!! We should eat this food before they fall asleep again." Lydia said as she came back into the living room. She was making everyone jump a little.

Larissa glared at Lydia. Lydia shrugged it off as she set the takeout on the coffee table. "You know I'm right."

You rolled your eyes at your friend but knew she was probably right. "Okay, we'll eat… and sorry for you know. Passing out on you guys."

"It's alright. You must have been tired." Larissa said as Marilyn nodded in agreement.

"This is your first year of teaching here, and you have a lot on your mind. Try not to worry about it." Marilyn added.

"Says the woman that passed out too." Lydia teased. She was making Larissa shake her head.

"Okay… how about we feed the witch before she curses us with a horrible music number." You say, teasing Lydia.

Soon, the room was filled with a familiar silence. Only small conversations, powers, and planets were made. All of you avoided talking about work and family, which could be for another day. You enjoyed the night even though you passed out and realized you fell out of love with your boyfriend/girlfriend.

When it got late, Marilyn left first, saying her goodnights to the group; you left shortly after saying goodnight to Larissa and Lydia before heading to your dorm. You thought of Marilyn, wondering when you started feeling for her, shaking your head, and realizing Lydia would let you know when. She would have been the one to notice that.

Stopping as it dawned on you that this could have been a set-up by Larissa and Lydia. Mostly Lydia. She was not happy with most of your exes. You'd make sure to speak with her later. But right now, you want to get back to your dorm and sleep before making a phone call that no one likes making. The rest can wait. You entered your dorm room with mixed emotions, good and bad. It was knowing that this was the beginning of something new made you feel confident. You just hoped you could hold on to that confidence when the time came. Laying on your bed, you remember how it felt to be in Marilyn's arms and start to drift off for the final time that night.

[journeyintofiction]

hi can u do an overprotective Shuri x reader? Like one of Shuri lab members have been bother the reader verbally then they get physical.

A/N: Hello there! It took me a few days because I was with my family and enjoying the holiday season ;). Look at me posting twice in one day 😏. This request was really interesting to write because I could vividly imagine this whole thing playing out in my head.Hope you enjoy it!

Word count: 1.2k

As always, Happy reading :)

“Griot, is Shuri in the lab?”

Griot immediately replied, “No Ms.Y/N, should I request for her to meet you in the lab?”

I hum and respond, “No, that's alright, I’m sure she will be down here soon.”

I walk down the stairs leading to the lab and when I look through the glass I see one of the lab assistants named Malia. She, for some reason, doesn’t like me and tends to respond to any questions I ask with a very clipped and short tone. I have tried to be diplomatic for the sake of her job because if Shuri ever found out… let's just say Malia would be searching for work elsewhere. In fact, she would be lucky if she wasn’t blacklisted and never able to find work if Shuri had her way. But, I pride myself on not being petty and childish so I have actively chosen to take the high road instead of calling her out.

Once I enter the lab I realize that the two of us will be alone until Shuri gets there. I internally sigh and pray that she gets there quickly before Malia and I get into it. I clear my throat, politely say hello, and walk over to my workspace which is right next to Shuri’s and begin working. As I start messing with my current project Malia walks over and waves to get my attention. I looked at her confused as to why she came over to me when we had nothing to discuss and we were working separately.

Malia crossed her arms, “What are you doing here?”

I raise my eyebrow, “I’m working on a project… is that a problem for you?” and she goes silent for a moment as if she’s stunned I would respond to her with the same energy she gave me.

Instead of walking away and saving any ounce of self-respect she had, she placed her hands on my table, looked me dead in the face, and responded. “You don’t deserve her and you most certainly don’t deserve a space in this lab.”

I glare daggers at her but before I can respond the door to the lab swings open and Shuri walks in looking at Malia and me suspiciously. Based on the acidic looks that we were throwing at one another it was obvious we had an exchange but Shuri just walked up to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek before dragging me away from the lab. On the way out Malia gave me a dirty look again and I gave her the finger in response.

A few days after this incident Malia was back to her shit of treating me like I was an inferior being. Only this time she had another lab assistant that was older than her by the looks of it but just as bitter and close-minded.

They approached my work area and once again started taunting me, “When will you learn you are no match for the princess, huh? What will it take for you to see what everyone else sees and leave?”

I took a deep breath because I know for a fact that they caught me on the right day. I don’t have the patience nor the fucks to give about what I say to them right now because they have been harassing me every time I’m in the lab. I have tried everything from being overly nice, to not talking, to even flat-out ignoring them and they keep bothering me. I’m done playing nice.

I push my chair back and get up, “When will YOU two learn that your work is sloppy, half-assed, and needs improvement, huh, when will you get that?”

Obviously, they didn’t take kindly to my words because Malia steps up to me and stares me in the face. I look her up and down because what does she think that she could possibly do to me that would result in anything but her getting fired. What she chooses to do surprises both of us, and she shoved me.

I look at her menacingly, “Don’t. Touch. Me.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Okoye and Aneka silently making their way down the stairs of the lab. They must have been alerted by Griot and I knew if they had been alerted, that Shuri was definitely on her way to us right now.

The other lab assistant that Malia ganged up on me with was pissed and started to walk over to me like she was gonna do something. I started to step backward, not because I was scared, but because I knew if I retaliated they would be seriously injured. The lab assistant grabbed my wrist to stop me from moving away and as I’m about to rip my wrist from her grip I hear the lab's glass door slam closed.

“What's going on here?”, Shuri asked with a hard edge in her voice.

Okoye and Aneka flank her as she walks over to my workspace and Malia looks at Shuri like she shit a brick. The other lab assistant quickly let go of my wrist as if it makes her look less guilty of putting her hands on me.

I look between the two of them and say “go ahead, tell her what you told me. I’m sure she would love to hear your thoughtful discourse about me and my work.”

The two of them glared daggers at me and Malia spoke up first, “we were trying to correct her work.”

“And that requires putting your hands on my partner?” Shuri asks with a disgusted look on her face.

“No your highness, we just-”

“YOU two are jealous and insecure then decided to act like immature children by getting physical with MY partner in MY lab.”

At that, the two of them have the decency to look down with shame and don’t attempt to refute what Shuri was saying to them. She motions for Okoye and Aneka to take them from the lab to deal with them later and Shuri walks over to me and looks me over. She gently lifts my wrist to inspect it to make sure there won’t be any bruises.

“Babe I will be fine don’t worry”

“No. This is not ok and I am disappointed that they thought they could do this to you and get away with it. How long has this been happening?”

I wince knowing she would be pissed with the answer, “ three or four months.”

She paused massaging my arm and looked at me before resuming and sighing. “ Why didn’t you say anything until now? I could have helped you and stopped this early on.”

I nod and hesitate before asking, “What are you going to do to them?”

“They are getting fired for one, and two they will be arrested for assaulting you.”

I nod and yawn despite trying to hide it.

“Are you tired my love, we can go lay down?”

“I think I want to take a nap but … don't you want to go to work?”

Shuri looked at me and deadpanned, “ Babe you just got assaulted, I think I can snuggle with you for a few hours.”

I snort and drag her out the lab doors, "god I love you.”

[musicalmoritz]

Akigure from Akito’s pov except it was supposed to be a joke and I got carried away so now it’s half-serious and half-cracked tf up

Akigure from Akito’s pov is so weird because imagine you’re basically god and you have a crush on this guy. But he’s a bit older than you and he’s very distant and on top of that, your toxic mother is raising you as a boy so you’re pretty sure you don’t have a chance, even though you believe he should love you for your status. You’re kinda convinced he doesn’t fw you because everyone else dotes on you except for him. Still, you want him to like you so one day you build up the courage to ask him if he loves you. You’re probably bracing yourself for disappointment, he’s all aloof and mysterious so at best you don’t expect him to be direct. But this guy picks a flower, takes your hands, and tells you that you are the most important thing to him. And then after that he goes back to ignoring you

Years pass and nothing happens, you start hooking up with this other dude but he’s really only doing it out of pity so it’s kinda sad. Since nothing came of the flower situation, you assume the original guy has forgotten about it. Then, out of nowhere, he fucks your mom. The one person in your life who freely treats you like shit and is always in competition with you. The woman who constantly tells you that no one really loves you and that everyone is going to leave you someday. So you’re like “damn I guess he really goes hate me” and you banish him from your property. He takes your best friend/cousin (?) that you’ve been taking out your pain on and basically holding captive with him but you don’t really care because you just want him gone. You’re angry and hurt, and you decide to leave him before he can leave you. But you can’t bring yourself to stay away from him entirely, you crave human connection, you crave him, and so you let him visit every once in awhile

Anyways shortly after that you learn that he’s taken in some random homeless girl and your other cousin who you hate and refuse to associate with. They’re all living together with your ex-bestie like a happy little family and it’s hella annoying. But he asks you nicely if he can keep them around and, well, you decide to be a generous god for once

A lot of shit happens, you don’t vibe with the homeless girl at all because she’s a reminder that there are good and selfless people in this world who are easily loved and you are so far from that. The guy gives you a paper flower for Valentine’s Day just like the real one he gave you all those years ago, and you’re taken aback because you were so sure he’d forgotten about that. He’s hard to talk to though so you guys don’t really discuss it. Plus he fucked your mom so there’s that

The big confrontation happens at a dinner party, you invite him and his family and he chooses to ignore you all night. Of course he does, that’s all he’s ever done. You request that he meet you alone so you can lecture him, and all the pent-up anger comes out. You tell him that you’ve always known he’s hated you, that he’s always been the farthest from you and you knew he would someday leave you. You ask him to admit that he likes your mother better than you, because it’s pathetically easy to believe. No one is obligated to love her the way they are you, and the one person you’ve never felt stable with chose her over you in a heartbeat. You tell him to say he likes her better to your face, but he does no such thing. Instead, he reaffirms that promise he made all those years ago. You are the most important thing to him, and he loves you more than anything

Then you guys finally [redacted], and it’s probably the best either of you have ever had because for him it’s always been you and you’re highkey fine af; and lbr that other dude was NOT taking you to the finish line. Frustratingly, he leaves before you wake up the next morning because once a bitch always a bitch. That only makes you more mad because this dude could not be more confusing

More shit happens, you stab your pity boyfriend and spiral into your redemption arc. Then the homeless girl falls off a cliff after telling you it’s okay to start over, which is kinda sad because you showed up to kill her but she’s lowkey an Empath. You run to the guy in a fit of panic and he calms you down and tells you to explain what happened. While you wait for Scorned Cousin and Ex-Bestie to save Homeless Girl, he gives you his jacket (gotta break the pov for this one- omg this scene is so cute and no one ever talks abt it)

*clears throat*

So you’ve fully decided to apologize to the people you hurt and turn your life around. No more of this god business, which means you have to face the terrifying possibility that people may leave you. You may not be loved, in fact that is something you’re going to have to work for after all you’ve done. Not with this man though. In the very end, he stays by your side. Now that you’ve given up your power and found your humanity, he is there to welcome you with open arms. And it’s very jarring at first, you think he’s going to leave you so you lash out because you always knew he hated you. At least, you thought you did. You were wrong, because then he’s giving you a gift and reaffirming that he loves you, that you’re the only one he wants. He tells you he’ll stay by your side forever, that he’ll help you run your clan and do whatever it takes you have a happy life with you. Only if you want it though. He gives you the day to think it over, stubbornly promising to leave forever if you don’t meet him by the end of the day

You wear his gift, your first feminine outfit, as you go to apologize to your family. You set everyone free and vow to spend the rest of your life repenting for all you’ve done. Some forgive you, some don’t. When it’s over, you return to him. You realize that his vagueness lowkey does smth for you and give a weird yandere-ish thirst monologue about it. Then, you take your place alongside him. He has chosen to stay with you after everything, and you are coming to understand that it is because you are all he’s ever wanted. He’s a dick about it but you suppose his tough love approach did kinda humble you in the way you needed. Now if only someone would humble him

Somehow, you guys make it work. It takes some time, but you end up getting married and raising a cute little son together. You’d be mad at all the shit he pulled but ehhhh you’re actually kind of worse so you guys match each other’s freaks. And then you live happily ever afterrrrr <3

[kingdoms-and-empires]

Heey, sorry if this kind of question is not very related with your if and you can ignore it if you want, but i’d like to start writing and im not sure if CoG is a good place for it (considering all the drama going on lol) or it’s better doing it with Twine on Itch.io, i mean i love the community of CoG in comparison on Itch.io (cause the way people can interact its very limited) and the people there usually tried to help, but I think Twine can be used in a more imaginative way, the saves you can keep in your desktop etc (and you dont need to put up with some people with power on CoG) sorry, you are a writer I admire a lot so I thought i could ask you about it, if its not a bother, so my questions are:

why did you choose dashingdon over twine? And what do you think is better for amateurs?

Oh nice If you are starting to write, you'll probably be heading towards Hosted Games. Contrary to what people may think due to recent activities lol https://www.reddit.com/r/IFHub/

I actually think that Hosted Games is a great way to put your foot in the door. It'll look good in a resume if you really wanna get into writing as a career.

The idea is, Choice of Games wantes to let amateur writers create small stories that the company would host (ie Hosted Games), most times at a loss, so they could get experience writing. In the literary world, it's straight up demoralizing to try and get published, but Hosted Games makes it easy.

Even with all the recent drama surrounding the company, Hosted Games offers a market, a forums that can get you beta testers, an easy engine to code with, and brand recognition. If you want experience, want to do it as a hobby, or just see if you got the chops for writing Interactive Fiction, Hosted Games is a great place to do it.

If you want monetary gain, you're gonna be disappointed. The contract with Hosted Games is 75% to the company, 25% to you for earnings. You get limited to no help from the company while you make it, since the expectation is that you'll use the forums to beta test and polish your product. Because we have to remember...Hosted Games was made for lil titles that were usually 50k-250k words in length. The behemoths like Fallen Hero, Zombie Exodus, The Golden Rose, and Lords of Infinity that are over 1 million in terms of word count, was not in the mind of the company when creating Hosted Games.

Are they happy about it? Why of course! So are the readers. The quality of writing and length of titles are becoming better and longer as time goes on. More and more titles raise the bar, and more and more titles try to meet that bar and hopefully surpass it.

So if you want to succeed monetarily, ya gotta make bigger titles that honestly would be award winners if this were a contest of Interactive Fiction in the past. But, Hosted Games also has an interesting "partner" in all this.

Patreon.

If you create a popular title that people like, they may choose to support you financially to help you keep writing! There are multiple authors who work with Hosted Games that make very good money from Patreon and KoFi. Hosted Games asks (demands) that you publicly release your patreon demo after a certain amount of time. I dont remember if its 2 weeks or 4. I usually do 1 week cause i have an ego and like to see people talking about my game lol. They also have another deal that lets you keep the demo behind a paywall, but you have to give 25% of all your patreon earnings to them in exchange. You asked me if either Twine or Hosted Games was better for amateurs. I say Hosted Games. Build yourself a reputation, maybe even publish a game to get experience with that side of the business, and if you do well enough and have a following, go to Twine for a game and try to self publish and cash in. You may even be invited to Choice of Games instead of Hosted Games if you prove yourself to be a good writer.

I really hope this helps you and anyone else!

[himemeiya]

Stumbled upon your blog yesterday and realised you were the one behind the Utena Bet On it AMV, plus all the other videos on that channel! I had a friend who had already watched RGU reccomend the show to me and when I finished the finale she sent me a bunch of videos, essays, meta, memes she really liked about Utena. Out of the videos your vine videos, your bet on it amv and your tiktok sounds utena videos all featured as Things U Gotta Watch. Top Tier. And they are! I cannot stress how good they are. I've got a friend I'm trying to get to watch utena and I'm already prepared to send your whole channel her way.

Like, your Bet On It amv is just crazy - to the point I associate the whole song with utena instead of high school musical. High School Musical Who? I have driven home from work with the song blasting and in my head I'm thinking of the corrosponding imagery in my head. listened to the song a LOT just thinking of the amv. 'blame the world but never blame you' and it focusing on anthy. the start 'everybodys tryna get in my head' with everyone who manipluates utena? the bridge speeding up through all their utena/anthys relationship until utena gets up again at the climax of the song? This video is a masterpiece.

The vines and the tiktok sounds are soooo spot on and hilarious. every onee. and seeing an upbeat version of 'empty chairs at empty tables' to the end of utena emotionally altered something in me oh my lordie. I got introduced to the song The Draw from your other amv, which is SO PERFECT for the black rose arc?

And as a Lizzy McApline fan the ceilings youtube short took me OUT! the way the details about the car, the lines about 'you dont exist' being applied to utena's prince/akio, 'story ive seen before' being the prince/princess/witch ohturi mythology and ending with anthy at the end....... !!!!

All this to say I love all your utena edits on youtube and will be watching them many times over, as well as showing them to other people. Great work. ╰⁠(⁠*⁠´⁠︶⁠`⁠*⁠)⁠╯

🥺 This message is so damn nice and I have reread it multiple times cause oh my god your appreciation of my videos just makes me so happy and I'm so glad you watched and enjoyed them!! 😭 The support I've gotten from the fandom is very heartwarming, I just love it!!!

Yes hehe I'm the one behind all those videos! The Bet On It video specifically was one that lived in my head for YEARS until I finally sat down and decided to make it everyone else's problem too 😂 I would just listen to the song on repeat while geting overly emotional imagining Utena's journey and the fact I was tearing up to a Troy mf Bolton song was so unhinged 💀 yet now look at me, I have spread my vision like a plague amongst the fandom and everyone else gets to be just as unhinged over the golf course disney movie meme song as I am ⛳️ I would have it no other way. My favorite comments on that video are the ones along the lines of "I clicked this thinking it was gonna be funny but now I'm crying" cause if that doesn't just sum up the experience of Revolutionary Girl Utena itself then idk what does 😂

RGU's tonal conflict is one of my favorite things so choosing goofy audios for the end of the show was such a treat lmfao. And ugh The Draw is just such a good and ominous song. I rlly love how the Black Rose arc is all about radicalizing character's emotions to the point where they'll do anything to get what they think will fix their lives. Reverse therapy with Mikage is a hell of a drug. 🦋☞

I rlly feel like Ceilings captures that self-sacrificial "first love" feeling so many girls go through (especially with men) where they're uncomfortable and can't be open but ignore all those red flags until it gets to a point where things crumble and they realize the relationship never existed how they were imagining it. GAH THE FEELINGSSSS.

Sheesh thank you so much again for this message, it really brightened my week and was so touching to read. 😭💜 If I may humbly offer some video suggestions (if you haven't already watched them) I really love the For Your Love amv by Mari F and the Utena in 7 Minutes amv by Akilice. The first rlly captures that melancholic yet hopeful tone of Utena & Anthy and the latter has the audacity to make me emotional over a goddamn acapella Hamilton mashup of all things 💀 (the It's Quiet Uptown part literally destroys me every time.....). Digi Story has an Utena Deep Dive Analysis that I really enjoy, he talks about how RGU is "prismatic" in it's storytelling where there's no singular interpretation because there's just so much to look at and analyze. And finally, the Therefore You and Me animatic by edsartfactory literally changed my life it's ridiculously good!!

AHH thanks once again and I hope you have a great weekend!! 💞

[kresnikcest]

Was sorting through my Zestiria merch and remembered I own the ufotable lineart books for TOZX and yeah there are still nice things in a vacuum to like about TOZX tbh. It fails as an adaptation and it fails as a standalone story, but it is still quite interesting for what it chooses to create anew.

Even though I don't think the anime used it very well (and it does have like way too much of a "suffering for humanity's sins" vibe) I liked that Sorey purifying malevolence basically puts him through what caused that person to become malevolent, and I definitely preferred that method of exposition to the Earthen Historia (which, yes, I know Berseria also did it and made it more streamlined, but in an anime adaptation that sort of fetch quest would not work).

If Alisha had to leave the party because of Sorey's blindness I definitely prefer the manga's take on it where she has more agency in doing so, but ultimately I still prefer Rose and Alisha's storylines in TOZX to what they get in the game because the focus is better placed on them having conflicts to deal with, especially actually treating Rose's murder thing as murder.

(Sure, we know she vets targets and has good intentions, but why should the party believe her when it's been established you can think you're 100% right about something and not generate malevolence.)

And I like that Alisha takes part in the final battle. I ~know~ there's a point to her staying gone in the game/manga but I'll take my silly power of friendship cheesiness in non-canon adaptation.

Like don't get me wrong, TOZX is a disappointing adaptation for sure, but TOZX wasn't a prequel or a sequel so if I wanted more of Sorey and Mikleo, game/manga canon was still there... Whereas we didn't really get much of Rose and Alisha interacting that way outside of the DLC.

Honestly I was just kind of "filling in the blanks" during most of TOZX imagining that the party were doing their usual party things while the focus was on Rose or Alisha, and you kind of have to when very little in TOZX feels "earned" through the continuity of that adaptation, you basically need to care about the characters via what you know about them from the game, but it's still nice to me to be able to see in some sense "what could have been".

(Hence, TOZX didn't have to be a faithful adaptation of Zestiria, but it was also not a good story as a standalone experience, so I imagine first-time audiences were very confused and existing fans were. well.)

But even if Eizen going back to normal was sudden (in an ending that was already over-the-top happy with everything neatly resolved), even if dragons can't be purified and they do it anyway, it's still a heartwarming thing in a vacuum, like how the Epileo and Sorey hug is still sweet even in TOZX continuity it's actually pretty fucking depressing confirming that Sorey is still human.

Like yeah, TOZX is a bad adaptation and it doesn't work as a story on its own either, but there are still small details I really like. I would have preferred an adaptation that was more faithful to the game lore, and I feel like they wasted a lot of money on it and probably should have just adapted Berseria instead since interest in Zestiria was dying already with Berseria's release, but for what we got it wasn't completely worthless.

Or maybe it's just because, to me, any adaptation is just free fanfic inspo to me and I just take the parts I like and ignore the rest.

[ingravinoveritas]

He looks so exhausted. He’s at ComicCon today and sorry to say, but it’s like watching someone close to burnout being paraded around.

Hope he’ll get some time off and someone to take care of him.

(Grouping these together because I don’t have the strength to answer separately and and keep trying to answer other Anons but then have more Anons coming in instead...)

Anon #1: I have seen a bunch of pictures from LCC today, and David looks super cute (as always), but most definitely also exhausted:

The second picture in particular got me, because the caption on the tweet that posted it just said how hot he looks. And of course, David’s hotness is always worth acknowledging, but to do what I just talked about in my previous response (ignore something that could actually be worrying) is just mind-boggling to me.

Again, this is not to take away any of David’s agency or to say he didn’t choose to be at LCC today, because he obviously did. But seeing things like a continuation of that “joke” with Peter Davison with Ty now involved again gives me that feeling of David being used as a prop for photo ops. I’m sure he was happy to do it, but again this is a man who we know puts the needs of others ahead of himself and never wants to not make people happy, so of course he wouldn’t refuse to do it, either (especially for Georgia, if she was the one who engineered it).

That dovetails nicely with what you have mentioned, Anon #2. Yes, Michael’s anecdote at MCM was about David being non-confrontational and needing Michael to speak on his behalf when it comes to voicing their mutual displeasure about something. And I do believe Michael himself needs the things I mentioned from time to time, absolutely--the two are not mutually exclusive--which is part of what makes their relationship so special.

The reason I believe Michael is that presence for David is because they have been that for each other in the past. One of the most vivid examples is from the GO season 1 press tour, which Michael and David talked about on David’s podcast: The excruciating photo shoots that they both hated. I expanded on this a bit more here, but the crux is that the only reason Michael didn’t full-on throttle the photographer was because of David. And when you hear them talk about it at length on David’s podcast and in other places since then, it becomes clear that Michael and David rely and lean on each other emotionally, and have been there for each other in every conceivable way.

So yes, I do hope David gets some time off soon and has someone to take care of him, who will allow him to rest and not feel the need to give any of himself to anyone, even for a short while. That’s something I also feel Michael does for him, but I imagine is difficult at the moment with Michael being abroad.

But hopefully David will be able to take it easy for a time after LCC is over. Fingers crossed...

[zilabee]

A meme about my recent fic 'Kissing the Blarney'

(I know the modern way is to post just the questions and make people ask you for the answers, but I just don't understand. In the olden days we just used to answer memes whenever we wanted! A dangerous world full of delight. So that's what this is. I think I did the same one for wild and windy night, so it's to match.)

1: What inspired you to write the fic this way?

As anyone who left a comment will know, I was not inspired to write this fic this way. I set out to write a nice quick porny thing where they started kissing paul for luck and then started fucking paul for luck and then everyone was happy forever. But Stuart died, and instead of ignoring that, I let them be weird about it.

2: What scene did you first put down?

The first one. Eventually I'll start a fic in the middle, but not yet.

3: What’s your favourite line of narration?

The bit about writing the white album as a tidal wave:

They didn't tidy it up too much, they left it wild, and set it free to ravage the earth.

4: What’s your favourite line of dialogue?

"I don't think we should," he said carefully. "I think it's over now." He waited in silence for a minute, and then John hung up on him. Paul walked through to the kitchen and vomited in the sink.

Yes, I'm counting a minute's silence and vomiting as dialogue.

5: What part was hardest to write?

None of it was super hard if you ignore that it wasn't the fic I was trying to write. I wrote it in my most natural tone. The last chapter was definitely the hardest to edit. I had to take so much of it out to maintain any semblance of rhythm, and I'm not sure I got it right.

6: What makes this fic special or different from all your other fics?

absolutely nothing

7: Where did the title come from?

a terrible laziness

8: Did any real people or events inspire any part of it?

I suppose the beatles are real people and I suppose they inspired it, specifically the magical essence of them and their connection to each other, and imagining what it would have been like if that was something slightly more concrete, that they actually found a way to acknowledge.

9: Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

There was definitely an imagined version where India went very happily indeed and nothing bad happened and they swanned through life. There was also a half written version of the final chapter where nothing got fixed and everything disintegrated canonically.

10: Why did you choose this pairing for this particular story?

Because they love each other, meme.

11: What do you like best about this fic?

I like that it mostly flows from one thing to another thing. I like that everyone kisses paul mccartney a lot. I like how softly Brian has to explain to both Paul and John that religions will always tell you gay love is filthy and you don't have to believe them.

12: What do you like least about this fic?

I genuinely don't know. I mostly like it. I think because I wasn't really trying to write this particular fic, there wasn't anything I really wanted from it. I just didn't mind where it went, I just went with it.

13: What music did you listen to, if any, to get in the mood for writing this story? Or if you didn’t listen to anything, what do you think readers should listen to to accompany us while reading?

okay this is ridiculous, but in comments of an early chapter, a really kind person said that the rhythm of the whole fic reminded them of the bolero, and I did start reading it back with the bolero in the background, and it did genuinely kind of help me keep time with it sometimes so that is very much the music it reminds me of now.

14: What happens after the end of this fic?

Everybody dies, I guess

15: Is there anything you wanted readers to learn from reading this fic?

It's kind of my 'what I think happened in india' fic, although obviously fictionalised and overblown, and only partly and don't hold me to it. But I do think a big part of what happened in india might be that the maharishi put some really weird ideas into John Lennon when he was way too vulnerable to be messing with meditation at all, much less in 8 hour stints.

16: What did you learn from writing this fic?

I learned to use scrivener better than I have before. I learned that commenters on ao3 are fandom at their best. I learned that you shouldn't post fic with a terrible synopsis just because it amuses you.