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afternoonsociety · 2 years

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*ೃ༄ The Sound of Two Different Hearts - Part Two - Neteyam x Human!Fem!Reader

warnings: fluff, neteyam denying his feelings, so does Y/N, mentions the word blood, neytiri being a bit mean, Tuk being a „cockblock“, but not really because she is cute

please excuse any errors, English is not my first language. I hope you like part two

word count: 5k

synopsis: Y/N and Neteyam become closer during a feast for the Iknimaya of the other clan members, but both are oblivious to their hints and feelings.

— Part One — Part Two — Part Three — Part Four

Other websites: ao3 // wattpad

The group arrives with the injured Y/N at the Omatikaya clan. Neteyam helped her down and escorted her in the direction of the Tsahík's tent, but the two were stopped by his father Jake. He stood directly in front of them, put his hand on his son's chest to signal him to stop, and called to his other son who was still standing with Miles by his ikran. "What do you think you're doing? Disobeying my orders and just going to this place?" "Dad," Lo'ak tried to interrupt, but this one was of no use. "Don't even get me started Lo'ak. I expected better from my children and even more so from my eldest son" At the same time he looked at Nete with a deadly gaze. "Tuk told me where you were going and that it was your idea, Lo'ak!" turning to his youngest son. "I'm really disappointed in both of you and then for you to drag two others into this is even worse. What's actually going through your little brains?"

This time Nete tried to interrupt his father and save his little brother from his anger. "Dad, it's my fault" he hung his head low. "I should have been more persistent. I should have made them understand better that it was too dangerous and I should have taken more care of Y/N. Then she wouldn't be hurt now either."

Jake's eyes suddenly got big and his ears started to twitch. In his fury, he hadn't noticed the girl in his son's arms. He gently grabbed her shoulder and examined her. When he saw the claw wounds on her back, he immediately called Kiri over to help her to Mo'at. But before she arrived, Y/N grabbed Jake's arm. "Jake, it was my fault. Everything was going fine. Neteyam had been checking to see if there was any danger, but there was nothing. If I hadn't just run away, none of this would have happened. Please, it was my fault" He just gave her a dismissive nod before a loud shout of her name rang out. "Y/N! Are you alright?" Kiri came running up and looked at her with concern. "Just a little scratch," the young human woman tried to play it down. Kiri turned her around and looked at her back. "That's not just a little scratch, Y/N. That looks like you were attacked by a thanator!" Y/N pressed her lips together and gave her an affirmative nod. "Say, are you three nuts! How can you just stand there like that when she's hurt. You're all so stupid!" "Kiri, it's fine. Can we patch me up now, please?" Y/N reassured her and they both walked to the entrance of the hut. `Teyam wanted to follow her but his father wasn't finished with him yet.

In Mo'at's tent, Kiri set Y/N down on a wooden stool, which was placed in the center. The Tsahík, came out of the shadows and asked, "What happened to the human child?" It was not meant derogatory towards Y/N, that's just what Mo'at had always called her. She liked the human because she didn't see any bad intentions in her either. Tuk, who had followed the two chirped in, "She was attacked, by a palulukan, grandmother" Mo'at then continued to walk towards the seated Y/N and grabbed the t-shirt rags. "I see, you know child not everyone survives an attack like that. Even our warriors succumb to the injuries of such an animal. You must have been very lucky" "No luck. I had Neteyam" she replied. Neteyam the mighty warrior. Her mighty warrior. The Tsahík then gave a `hmm` and gestured Kiri over to her. "Kiri, I want you to take care of her. I'm sure you're prepared already" Kiri nodded briefly and began to gather her things. She looked for several herbs and ointments which were distributed in differently woven baskets. Suddenly the curtain, which served as a door, moved and the head of Nete came to light. "Is she well?" asked the young warrior.

Mo'at replied, "She's fine, it's just surface scratches, not too deep. Kiri will take good care of her, but you have to wait outside. She needs concentration" Kiri had tried to pull the blood soaked shirt over her head in that time and a painful moan from Y/N followed. Neteyam's head snapped in the direction of the sound.

"B-But I want to be there. She's in pain."

"I said Kiri needs concentration and the human child needs rest. You wait outside"

With that the might word was spoken and `Teyam left the tent with a sigh.

While the Na'vi girl took care of Y/N, a conversation occurred outside between Neytiri and her husband.

"Don't you see, Jake? She could have put our children in danger"

"It was an accident, Neytiri"

"Yes, an accident Eywa caused as another sign that humans don't belong here. She just wanted to keep the balance and saw her as a threat"

Jake was getting tired of listening to all of this. Of course he knew of his wife's opinion and that she was unhappy that he still kept this "monkey", as Neytiri referred to her, with him. But it was just an accident that could have happened to anyone.

"Neytiri, please. It was an accident. You saved me quite a few times too, when I was new to it all. Don't forget that I was once human too"

"That's different" Jake just shook his head. "It's nothing different. I was like a baby to you that had to be taught everything. Y/N grew up with Spider here and they've been through a lot. Just look at them then like toddlers who didn't know any better yet" `Tiri was stunned by her mate's statement, how could he yell at his own children, like that and then come to the defense of the two monkey kids. She was fed up with the conversation, but it wasn't over yet. With a slight hiss, she retreated. Jake grimaced, in reaction to her behavior. Sometimes he was really afraid of his wife.

Tuk continued to worry about Y/N and took her hand to show her that she was there for her. She was sorry to see her human sister - that's how she liked to look at her - in such a state. Of course, she had witnessed this before when her brothers were once again injured, but with Y/N it was different. Tuktirey had grown up with her. Ever since she could remember back, Y/N had always been there. And Y/N was always the only one who wanted to play with her when her brothers were annoyed with Tuk again.

The care of the wound hurt a lot and Y/N pressed Tuk Tuk's hand again and again if the burning became too strong. When Kiri finally finished applying the ointments, she made something like a bandage out of certain leaves and wrapped her upper body with it. After a short time, the herbs began to work and Y/N was able to put on her ragged t-shirt again on her own.

Nete racked his brains about how she was doing in the meantime. He was glad to have been there. He would never have been able to cope with it if something worse had happened to Y/N. His Y/N. His head rose when he noticed that Y/N came out of the tent of the Tsahík and immediately ran towards her. Kiri tried to brush him off. "She needs rest Neteyam. Let her."

"It's all good Kiri, if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be standing next to you right now. My strong warrior saved me" she said with a smirk in her tone. `Teyam's ears perked up and he felt that warmth in his body again. She had called him, her strong warrior. He wanted to grab his cheeks, as he could have sworn they were now purple from her statement.

"If you need anything, you know where to find me, Y/N" Kiri replied to her and made her way to the other Na'vi women in the clan.

But before any of them could say anything, Jake intervened again with Miles and Lo'ak in tow. "I think it's better if you go home for the day. A lot has happened and you need to rest, Y/N" Miles and Y/N nodded and went on their way. "And you two will be grounded for a week for your actions today, just so we're clear about that." he added again, pointing his finger at his two sons.

For Y/N and Miles, the day was as good as over. Y/N just wanted to go to bed and sleep and Miles just wanted to go home, that was enough action for him today too. When they entered the lab, the scientists were already waiting for them. Norm immediately ran towards the door when he saw Y/N. "What kind of stuff are you doing, Y/N?" he asked. "Do you actually know how worried I was when Jake let us know you were hurt?", Mary came to her side and took her in her arms. "I can imagine, but I'm better Kiri took good care of me. I guess the shock was worse than the actual injury" Y/N said "Let me look at it again please though. Come" She led Y/N to a doctor's room and began to examine her. There was no doubt that the Omatikaya medication would not work, but Mary's maternal instinct would not let her go and wanted to examine the her herself.

In the aftermath, there was no punishment for the two young adults, but it was stated with an cautioning tone that they shouldn't pull another stunt like that in the near future and that their adventures can wait.

It took a few days for Y/N to recover and stand on both legs again. The herbal paste had helped her very well. Nevertheless, she preferred to stay at home for a few more days to be really sure that she had recovered. Miles, on the other hand, had already decided to return to the forest after two days. He was also the messenger between the two sides, telling the Sully family every day that she was already feeling better. During the time Y/N spent at home, she was allowed to help out in the labs and she was finally able to digitize her new notes from her little book. Furthermore, there was another new achievement of the researchers. They had done several tests and invented a new type of respirator. Instead of a mask like the conventional exopack, they had now invented an oxygen nasal cannula that would deliver enough oxygen to the body without the need to place a mask on the face, tightly enclosing the nose and mouth. It was only a prototype but the researchers were sure if they worked more on it, it would come to a new breakthrough and provide more freedom of movement. This type of device consists of a lightweight tube which on one end splits into two prongs which are placed in the nostrils and from which a mixture of air and oxygen flows. The other end of the tube is connected to an oxygen supply as a portable oxygen generator, that could be placed on the hip just like the exopack.

Y/N was the first to find out about it, as Miles once again strayed somewhere. Norm came to her room one afternoon to show her the new device. She was very excited for him and his research colleagues that they had discovered a new way to provide oxygen to the body. Norm also asked her in the same moment that she be allowed to test it first, but they were not sure yet that it would work consistently, so she would have to keep her actual exopack with her at all times. She felt honored and accepted the opportunity directly. She would have loved to show it to her friends right away. The thought immediately brought Neteyam to her mind. She had missed him very much and couldn't wait to show him. It would be the first time he could see her face properly.

"Norm, can I go out today?" she asked while playing with her hands in her lap.

„Are you feeling any better?"

"Yes much better, it doesn't hurt anymore."

"Well then, nothing can stop you now. Go on, but this time come back without any injuries," he encouraged her and Y/N quickly got up to gather her things.

In the meantime, the Omatikaya clan also experienced a sense of achievement. This year, especially many young people had reached the age for the rite of passage to begin. It's a ritual phase that every young Na'vi must go through, wether it be to be an aspiring warrior to a practitioner of amor making. Once the Na'vi enter into the intermediate phase of adulthood, they will undergo training in their desired skill they wish to focus on. They are taught by a senior member of the clan. Once they completed their first kill, like Neteyam did when he killed the sturmbeest, their rite of passage begins. They must tame a banshee, the Iknimaya rite, by roping an Ikran and preforming the bond to tame it before having them fly. After this they must seek their spirit animal in the dream hunt. Once the young Na'vi has completed all of their tasks and training, they are then honored with a ceremony in which they will be inducted and considered as an adult among the Omatikaya.

For the clan members, the large number of adolescents was a sign from Eywa that the losses of the last decade were being recovered. Which is why they decided to hold an especially large feast today. After the now adult Na'vi were allowed to make their bows from the Hometree, the preparations began. At first, Neytiri was against Miles and Y/N being allowed to participate in the festivities. But after a long struggle and persuasion of her youngest daughter she had given in.

The arrangements were already in full swing and Kiri's plan to finally get Neteyam to confess his feelings to Y/N was getting closer and closer. While she had already gone through the rite and kept out of everything, she got the idea to dress Y/N like a real Na'vi at the festivities. Already a few days ago she searched together with Tuktirey for materials to make clothes for her. They came to the decision, since Y/N did not feel comfortable to show herself so freely in front of the Omatikaya - which they somehow did not understand, but Kiri then remembered that humans felt the sensation of shame - to make a top that would cover her chest best. It consisted of small green hollow rods arranged horizontally, from a shrub that was used to make most of the garments. In the middle, they decorated it with colorful beads that Tuk still had with her, from her last trip to explore with Y/N.

For the clothing for her lower area, they decided on a normal loincloth, just like they would wear. If Y/N felt too uncomfortable in it as well, she would still have the option to leave her underwear on.

They also prepared a blue color paste that resembled the blue of the Na'vi to give her the distinctive stripes as well, as Spider always wore them. For the hair, Tuk had come up with something. Since she wasn't very good at braiding yet, she wanted to only braid a few small braids in her hair, which she would then decorate with feathers.

Y/N barged right in the middle of the preparations. All the members quickly scurried from one place to another so they would be ready in time. Y/N admired the graceful movements, they almost looked like rehearsed choreography. Kiri noticed the unfamiliar contrast between all the tall blue people and quickly pulled Y/N out of the crowd to join her. "There you are, we missed you so much", she replied and pressed her human friend very tightly against her, so much that Y/N had to tap her several times on the arm, so that Kiri did not crush her. Kiri could only laugh, sometimes she forgot that she is not like her. "Come along. Tuk and I have a surprise for you".

Thus she pulled Y/N with her up a root to drag her along into a hut.

"Y/N!" exclaimed Tuktirey with excitement. "Tuk Tuk and I have thought of an idea. Since today is the feast and you're back here for the first time after your accident, we decided to dress you up like us. Look" said Kiri with full anticipation and Tuk pulled a cloth away from a stool to reveal the beautiful handmade clothes. For Y/N, it was an honor to be given this opportunity and she was thrilled. "Oh no, how great. Thank you!" and without hesitation Y/N began to undress and the two girls helped her put on the Na'vi clothes. After Y/N looked herself over she almost got tears in her eyes. It was unusual for her, but she never felt so beautiful as she did now. Next came the hair and Tuk put extra effort into it. Now it was Kiri's turn again and she started to paint the stripes on her body with the color paste. The paste was cold and Y/N started to shiver when Kiris fingers touched her body. "Now you have to hold your breath for a moment. I still have to paint your face"

"I don't have to do that now" the human said. Kiri was confused. Humans could not breathe the air on Pandora. So why shouldn't she have to hold her breath now? "What do you mean?"

"Wait I'll show you" thereupon Y/N took out of her pocket a device that reminded Kiri of the exopack Y/N had hanging on her hip, but it looked different. "This is a new device to breathe. With this the annoying mask is finally gone. Norm gave it to me to try out."

Y/N took in one last deep breath of air in the mask before taking it off her head and setting it aside. She then took the nasal cannula and placed it in her nostrils, placed the two tubes over her ears and then turned on the device. The first breath was unusual but hadn't felt any different. "Wow, how cool is that?" exclaimed Tuk, sitting down right next to Y/N. "And you can breathe normally through that? There's really nothing happening?" asked Kiri. "The way I understood Norm, yes. I'm supposed to try it out and I thought I'd show you guys first" The girls were happy to finally see their human friend's face without a mask. Tuk couldn't stop herself from touching her face and started to giggle while doing so.

Kiri continued with the painting and when she was finally finished, she let out a little comment. "Neteyam will like the outfit for sure and even more when he will see you without the mask for the first time. His eyes will probably fall out, as beautiful as you look" The girls laughed and Y/N's cheeks turned all red. Would he really like her like that? If that was true, then she would definitely wear this more often. But then the doubts came again. "Oh Kiri, Nete does only like me as a friend and no more. Please don't picture more there. Some day he will be the Olo'eyktan of you and for this he needs a strong Na'vi woman at his side and not me" Kiri was sure, however, that the two had more than just friendly feelings for each other. Even if they thought that they would be secretive about it, it was not so. It felt like everyone who was even near the two of them saw it. "Sure, haven't you seen the way he looks at you? The way he talks to you? Or the way he touches you like you're about to break?" Kiri made the signs clear to her, but deep inside she still didn't want to believe it. Kiri noticed Y/N looking down at the floor with a sad expression. "Just get out there and you'll see I'm right. He will only have eyes for you"

It was slowly becoming evening, the pandora sun was beginning to set and the festivities were starting to begin. Several fires were lit over which the food from the hunt was grilled. There was singing, there was dancing. But most of all, there was simply celebration that more than a dozen of the Omatikaya teenagers were now finally adults. Neteyam celebrated his friends, but when he saw Y/N in Na'vi clothing leaving a tent by the tree, he only had eyes for her. He could hardly have imagined that she could be more beautiful than usual. Yet it was possible. She was breathtaking. Seeing her simply embrace and respect the ways and culture of his clan only made her more beautiful. He was sure she must be a gift from Eywa herself. As if hypnotized, he walked up to her and when he suddenly stood in front of her, he suddenly became quite shy.

"Hey," he greeted her. At first he didn't even notice that she wasn't wearing a mask, but when she started to speak, he noticed that her voice was clear and understandable and wasn't muffled as usual.

„Hey, `Teyam"

"Y-you're not wearing your mask. Can you breathe normally with that thing in your nose?" She laughed. Her beautiful smile reappeared and that just for him. "Yes, it's a new invention. It's supposed to become an alternative. But that's not so important now, what do you think of my outfit?"

"You look beautiful. Let me see you" Then he took her hand and turned her once so he could see her beauty completely. At his compliment, her face became all rosy again and she felt a tingling feeling in her stomach. "Would you like to dance? Or eat something?" he asked her, still enclosing her hand with his big one.

"I'd love to celebrate, but I haven't seen you in so long and I'd rather spend some time with you. Let's go to our place, shall we?" she suggested. In this sight he couldn't deny her any wish and pulled her directly with him. They had to walk a while but soon they arrived at the meadow, which they named as their place.

At night, the meadow looked even more beautiful than during the day, even if you could see the sunrise from there, the luminous plants, which sparkled in several colors were much more dazzling. The two found a secluded corner behind a tree trunk and sat down. Y/N was magically drawn to the glimmering plants and couldn't resist tapping a leaf. Her finger twitched back for a moment, but as soon as the neon pink color spread across the leaf she couldn't help herself and had to touch it one more time. For Neteyam, each time was like watching a child discover for the first time that the plants here respond to touch. He considered for a brief moment before reaching out and touching her cheek with his finger. Like the plant, Y/N's cheek turned red and filled with warmth. She flinched from her friend's unfamiliar touch. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. But it looked too inviting" he quipped. "That's all right"

"This thing looks much better than the mask. I can touch your face with this for the first time" he gushed to himself. She could only smile sheepishly. "And does it feel like you imagined?"

"Much softer" He continued touching her. This time her other cheek, then he stroked her forehead, the bridge of her nose and then her lips. He hesitated, but after a long heavy breath, he touched those too. First her upper lip, over her cupid's bow, then to her lower lip. The moment just felt magical. Y/N got goosebumps all over her body and Neteyam pulled his hand back to touch her arm. He had never seen anything like this before. He stroked her arm and the little hairs stood up. "What's that?" he asked. "That's goose bumps. People get that when they're cold or when they're excited. Then these little bumps appear."

"Are you cold?" he continued to ask. She laughed and he was confused. "No, `Teyam. The touch of you had caused that" He made an ‚Ahh‘ sound, he understood. "Can I touch you too?" now she asked. He nodded his head slowly and she moved closer so that her knee touched his leg. If he had been a human, he would have gotten goosebumps now, too.

She was doing the same movements as he was. She stroked his marks on his forehead, on his cheek and stroked his nose. He closed his eyes and enjoyed her touch. She noticed for the first time how beautiful he looked in the light of the glowing plants. His little freckles, how they sparkled in a light white-blue. He was a beautiful. She had nothing more to add. If only there wasn't her cowardice that prevented her from kissing him now. She would do anything for a kiss, but the fear that he would not feel the same was just too great. As a result, she asked him something else. "May I touch your fangs?" He opened his eyes and hesitated for a moment, but allowed her to continue touching him. She changed her position and sat in his lap. To him, it felt strange to have someone else so close and touching his teeth, but at the same time, her warm hands felt so welcoming. Her face came closer to his and and he would have loved to kiss her as well as she looked. How she examined him with curiosity and large pupils. But the thought that they were from two different worlds became prominent again and the same depressing thought flashed through his mind again, that the two of them didn't belong together.

He rather tried to focus on something else, like the tree in the background with long vines hanging from it.

But his body betrayed him as his tail began to twitch and lightly tapped the grass beneath them. Y/N eyes averted at his movement and her gaze fell on his tail swaying from side to side. He tried to control his body, but it was just too hard when one of the most beautiful creatures was sitting on his lap.

Her hand moved in the direction of his tail and when she touched it, he only started twitching more. She let her hand slide over it until she got to the soft end. Neteyam's stomach felt strange at that moment, like there were lots of little crawlers moving around in his stomach. She lifted the tail slowly and stroked the black hair. "It feels all fluffy," she remarked. His whole body began to stiffen when she started to play with the fine hairs. He never felt this way, when he was with other girls from his clan. This was different. Not that he was often with other girls, but every now and then they came to admire him. Only for one reason, though. Because he was a great warrior. Now he only wanted to be her warrior. He would love to save her again, just to get that one sentence from her again. "My strong warrior"

He whispered her name very softly, barely audible. She let go of him and looked Nete in his eyes. His pupils were quite large, from the darkness and from the excitement of her touch. Without another word, the two took each other in their arms. They lingered for a moment, but to them it felt like an eternity. His big arms encircled her body and she snuggled against him. They both felt each other's heartbeat. At first they were fast, but over time the heartbeats became calmer and beat almost in unison with each other.

Unexpectedly, Y/N's shoulder began to tickle. She first tried to get rid of it with a movement, but then it also tickled her other shoulder, then her head. And only shortly after that, Neteyam started to squirm as well. The two interrupted their embrace and looked around.

Around them, in the time of their closeness, have gathered many small woodsprites, atokirina. Who decided to rest on the two of them. "Wow, look Neteyam," Y/N exclaimed as she raised her hand and played with the little flying seeds. Her eyes reflected the white little lights. That was the last sign Neteyam needed, if even Eywa gave them a sign and blessed them, then it must be true. Then Y/N must feel the same as he did. Now he would just have to take the last step.

He took her chin between his fingers and turned her head in his direction. He would have to do it now. He wouldn't get this chance again anytime soon. He brought her face closer to his. His lips ghosted over hers. But before he could really kiss her, a voice rang out from the bushes behind them. "Y/N, Neteyam, food is ready!" And Y/Ns eyes shifted away from him as she looked into the distance. She smiled as Tuktirey came running to get them to eat.

`Teyam winced when he heard his little sister's voice. She really knew how to destroy special moments. Y/N then jumped of his lap and came towards Tuk. "Come on, Neteyam. Otherwise Lo'ak will eat everything!"

Thus, his chance was probably gone. Still, he now had certainty that Eywa would also approve if he liked her as more than a friend.

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sylvia-forest · 3 months

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[CN] Shaw's 2024 Birthday Event — R&S

⚡ Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a R&S which hasn't released in EN yet!⚡

[Released Date: 17 June 2024]

THIS IS A MUST MUST READ BEFORE YOU PROCEED READING THE DATE!! And it would be better if you know a little about “Journey to the West” esp the main character Sun Wokong aka the Monkey king!

"Kids, we'll see you again tomorrow," as the last bite of birthday cake was finished, the host on TV, dressed in children's clothing, exaggeratedly waved goodbye to Shaw. Accompanied by a lively and pleasant melody, Shaw knew that once a lot of text appeared on the screen, it meant there were no more cartoons to watch today—just tomorrow.

At the thought of this, Shaw's mouth involuntarily turned downward. Tomorrow, he would be going back home, unsure if he could continue adventuring with his animated friends on the screen.

The images on the screen continued to change. After two or three ads, uncles and aunties in suits started appearing on TV, reading news that didn't interest him. Shaw lowered the volume with the remote control, and then fragments of his grandmother's voice from the study drifted in, overshadowing the boring news broadcast.

"I'm an old bone, no need to worry... He's been doing fine these past few days, but as for you all..."

"Ah, little Ling is still so young, why not let him..."

Upon hearing his own name, Shaw's ears perked up involuntarily, but unfortunately, he couldn't make out the rest of the words. Shaw thought for a moment, then decisively got up from his small stool and tiptoed towards the study.

Grandma was on the phone, speaking in a hushed tone, but Shaw could tell she wasn't happy. Who could she be talking to? Shaw had a faint suspicion in his heart, yet curiosity drove him to eavesdrop on the adults' conversation. Unfortunately, just as he leaned his ear closer to the door, the creaky old wooden floor beneath him betrayed him with a loud groan.

Grandma's gaze instantly turned towards him, meeting his eyes directly.

Shaw's face flushed red with embarrassment, and he turned to run away.

"Why are you running?" Grandma stopped him with a firm voice, covering the receiver of the phone.

"I'm not running," Shaw nervously scratched his nose, turning back. "I... I just felt like having green bean soup and I happened to pass by."

In reality, there was no way Shaw would pass by here on his way to the kitchen, but Grandma didn't expose his little white lie. Instead, she smiled and handed him the receiver. "Alright then. Would little Ling like to listen to the phone call?"

"No!" Shaw blurted out almost instinctively. He wasn't foolish; he knew he wouldn't hear anything good if he took the phone.

Grandma was a bit puzzled but also seemed to understand. She exchanged a few polite words with the other end of the line before hanging up the phone. The elderly woman reached out her hand towards Shaw, who slowly shuffled over. She gently ran her hand over his head, smoothing down his unruly hair from his crown to his stiff neck.

After a long silence, Shaw spoke gloomily, "I... don't want to answer the phone."

"Alright, we won't answer it," Grandma responded gently.

"... And I don't want to go back home."

“Why not?” Grandma asked softly.

"I don't like it there. It's not fun," Shaw replied.

Grandma nodded thoughtfully and asked, "Were you happy celebrating your birthday at Grandma's house?"

"I'm Happy!" Shaw answered without hesitation. "No one bothers me here. I can watch cartoons and eat delicious food. It's great."

"Oh, this child..." Grandma chuckled softly as she gently pinched Shaw's cheek. "If no one bothers you, you'll become a wild child, won't you?"

"Why would I become a wild child? I'm the Monkey King!" Shaw lifted his chin defiantly, countering with confidence. "The Monkey King doesn't need anyone to tell him what to do. He can go wherever he wants and do whatever he likes."

The Monkey King was the coolest character in all cartoons, and Shaw admired him the most. He had so many followers, and no one dared to challenge him. Whatever he wanted to do, he could do it—even if he was thrown into an alchemy furnace, he could turn disaster into blessing and come out with fiery eyes, which was just too awesome.

"Do you want to be the Monkey King?" Grandma asked, somewhat surprised.

"I don't want to be the Monkey King," Shaw corrected seriously. "I am the Monkey King."

"Oh, I see~" Grandma chuckled with a drawn-out tone, but she raised a counterpoint to Shaw. "But wasn't the Monkey King defeated by the Buddha later on? And didn't Tang Sanzang put the golden headband on him during their journey to the West?"

"Those are... uh..." Shaw stumbled, feeling indignant and warming up his argument. "Those are made up by them! Hmph, in my heart, the Monkey King has never lost!"

"Hahaha!" Grandma burst into laughter upon hearing Shaw's words, her eyes widening.

"I don't disbelieve you, Little Ling..." Grandma tried to suppress a smile, stroking Shaw's head, "But even the Monkey King can lose sometimes, it's really no big deal."

The boy immediately became flustered. "Why don't you believe me!"

"The Monkey King wanting to become stronger, wanting to break free, is a very good thing. But being suppressed for 500 years, wearing the Golden Cuffs, may not be a bad thing either." Grandma's voice was soft, blending with the summer evening's warmth, each word falling into Shaw’s ears. "Only by experiencing these things will he understand what he truly values."

Shaw nodded. While he didn't fully understand, he felt that Grandma's words made sense.

Shaw looked at Grandma. The six-year-old boy vaguely felt that Grandma might be trying to console him about something, but he didn't want to understand. He was furious about losing to the Buddha, frustrated about being suppressed for five hundred years, and annoyed about being forced to wear the golden headband.

He simply felt that none of this ever happening would be the best outcome—because, fundamentally, why?

Why couldn't he be the Monkey King? Why did he have to be manipulated by adults? Why couldn't he just be free all the time? Even if Mount Five Fingers stood in front of him, so what? I want everything in this world, nothing can obscure my vision.

I want it. Shaw firmly emphasized these three words in his heart.

—

🙉 Date (coming soon)

#this r&s leaves bittersweet feelings 🥹#we delve deeper into his childhood and also unlock a new character #little kid shaw don't worry in the near future there'll be someone special who's willing to fulfill your dreams—#and doesn't mind doing childish things with you 🥹#ugh I'm gonna cry 😭#mlqc spoilers #mlqc cn #mlqc shaw #mlqc ling xiao #mr love queen's choice #mlqc translations #mlqc #love and producer

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avengerscompound · 1 year

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The Tower - The King and I

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Avengers x OFC, Bruce Banner x Bucky Barnes x Clint Barton x Wanda Maximoff x Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff x Tony Stark x Thor x Sam Wilson x OFC (Elly Cooper)

Word Count: 3143

Warnings: smut (MF, Rimming, vaginal sex, anal sex)

Synopsis: After a long day on the throne, Thor and Elly take time to relax with each other

Author’s Note: Requested by @unnecessarypineapplesstuff on Tumblr, and KaylaCallahan & K-Destiiny on Wattpad. You can send in your requests too.

Takes place after Happily Ever After

The King and I

The day had been long and mentally exhausting. It felt like every resident of Asgard had come in wanting Thor to help adjudicate their petty squabbles. As I sat through them all with him in the afternoon, I could see how frustrated he was becoming.

Thor is a good man. Kind. Wise. Loving. Despite my feelings about monarchy, he’s a good king and does his best by his people who have multiple times rejected the idea of democracy. He always listens to his advisors and us, as well as his people when he makes a decision. The problem is, he hates it. He hates being confined to a throne when he could be out doing something physical. When it’s all little stuff, he gets very antsy, longing for the wind in his hair and something to smash.

I tried to help him be arbiter over the myriad of little grievances, such as broken windows due to children playing in the street, the ownership of certain animals, a farmer who wanted to know if he could graze his animals on royal land, and someone complaining about their neighbor hosing down the path in front of their store. If the answer was simple or could have been dealt with just some simple common sense and consideration of others, I’d take the reins, letting Thor have a moment to switch off. By the end of the day, if two women had come in arguing about which one of them was a baby’s mother, King Solomon style, I wouldn’t have been surprised.

When the last person had left the throne room Thor stood and stretched. “Come, my queen. We should return to our family.”

I stood and took his hand. “We have time before we need to get back,” I said as I looked up at him. The way he was standing was so tense, it was like every single one of his muscles was being held taut. “You need some fresh air.”

He furrowed his brow for a moment as he looked down at me and slowly his face softened. “Did you have something in mind?”

“The seed of an idea,” I said and tapped my earrings.

The armor from my suit bled out over me and I clipped Sanguine to my back. Thor’s face lit up and he unhooked Mjolnir from his belt. “Lead the way, my life.”

I took off flying out through the open doors at the end of the throne room. Thor was not far behind and I flew up and banked to the left, cruising over the edge of the city below. My head-up display took note of everything below, keeping a lookout for a store that sold beauty products.

When it alerted me that it had located one, I landed on the street just outside. Thor landed just after me as my suit was retracting. “What are we doing here?” he asked.

“Just a quick stop,” I said.

I went inside the small store. It was cluttered with shelves, each holding various bottles and jars. They ranged from ornate hand-blown glass bottles in a rainbow of iridescent colors, to tiny little brown clay pots with wooden lids. Each item had a thick piece of brown parchment tied to it with the name of the item and what it did written in runes. Dried herbs hung in the window and behind the counter was a bench covered in ingredients of all kinds. At the bench, a young woman with long blonde hair with small braids that had dried flowers weaved into it, and a floaty white gown, sat crushing something with a huge mortar and pestle. She looked up when she saw us and her eyes went wide. She nearly knocked her stool over as she rushed over to serve us. “Your majesties,” she said, bowing to us. “I am at your service.”

“I’m looking for massage oil,” I said as I glanced around the room. I had been learning Asgardanian since we moved here, but I wasn’t sure it was enough for me to be able to tell if something was safe to use as a lubricant if we needed it. I didn’t want to give Thor too many hints about what I was planning, but I either had to ask him or the shopkeeper and I didn’t know if I wanted her to know our personal business.

Of course, your majesty,” she said and led me to some shelves on the far wall. Each oil bottle was beautiful and ornate, in different colors with gold accents, and had an elaborate glass stopper. I started looking at the labels and holding them up to Thor to smell.

I leaned up to his ear and whispered. “Are these okay for sex stuff?” I whispered.

Thor laughed and put his arm around me, pulling me tight to his side. “Oh, I see what’s happening here. You do have some plans.” He took the bottle from me and looked over the label. “They will work for your nefarious plans.” I broke down into giggles and tried to hide it by holding one of the bottles to my nose and breathing in deeply.

Together we chose a bottle that smelled a little like wood and vanilla. I also grabbed a bar of soap that smelled like honey. I paid and we stepped back outside. I was about to call my armor again when I spotted a store over the road selling linens. I hurried over with Thor on my heel. We didn’t even step inside because I found exactly what I wanted hanging on a rack out the front. It was a big green rug with golden knotwork on it. It had an almost mink feel to it and I kept running my palm over it as Thor paid the middle-aged-looking man who ran the store.

“Was there anything else you were after, my queen?” Thor asked.

“Nope,” I said. “This is good.”

I pressed my earrings and my suit bled out again, this time with a case to hold the glass bottle of oil safely but I kept hold of the rug. “Let’s go,” I said and took off.

We just spent some time flying. I knew that it would help Thor to let go of his exhaustion and frustration. He liked the feel of the wind in his hair and the crackle of lightning on his skin as he was pulled along behind Mjolnir. Plus it was nice to see his country from above. It glittered like a jewel and when it was at peace, it was a good way to remember that those petty grievances he was dealing with today came out of a people who had no big worries. The city was running well and prosperous.

After a few laps of the city I banked away, sticking to the coast. Thor followed after me, occasionally calling out to me to ask where we were going or what I was looking for. I’d just all out to him to be patient, I’d know when I saw it. While I was looking for something in particular, I mostly just wanted to fly for a while.

It wasn’t too long before I spotted a small secluded bay on the coastline. It was a perfect crescent shape with a forest that grew right up to the white sands of the beach and beautiful turquoise water that got darker and darker as it moved past the bay and closer to the edge of the planet.

I landed and I grabbed my purchases as my suit retracted. Thor landed beside me, sending sand whipping down the beach. “This is a beautiful spot. Did you know of it already?” he asked.

“No. I just thought it looked nice,” I said. I set the oil and soap down and spread out the blanket on the sand. Thor set Mjolnir down on the edge of the blanket to stop it from blowing away, and I did the same with Sanguine at the opposite edge.

I started to unclasp my pauldron from my breastplate. “What are we doing here?” Thor said as he began to undress as well. I set the heavy armor down and moved onto the ties of my dress. “I thought we could swim,” I said.

“I didn’t bring a swimsuit,” he said.

I let my dress fall. I was naked underneath and I stepped out of the fabric with a smirk. “Neither did I.”

I grabbed the soap and rushed into the water. It was cold enough that as soon as I hit the water my skin broke out in goosebumps and my nipples pebbled. I had time to acclimatize as it took Thor a little while to get out of all his armor and clothes. I slowly eased myself into the water and washed myself with the soap, scrubbing my skin so that by the time he was in, I’d sunk down so only my head was above the surface of the water and I smelled like a mixture of salt and honey.

Thor approached me, hugging his large arms around himself. “How are you not cold?” he asked.

“Because I have body fat, unlike some Norse gods that I know,” I teased as I waded over to him, letting the waves push me along.

He caught me in his arms and pulled me up tight against him. “Mmm… you are warm. Maybe you can warm me up.”

I laughed and leaned up and kissed him. “Be patient,” I said and began to run the soap over his body. “You’ll get used to it.”

I washed him carefully, running the soap over his chest and arms and down his back. He gradually relaxed as he got used to the water and I caressed his skin. My fingers slipped between his ass. He hummed and tilted forward a little, pushing his ass out against me.

“You’re so eager,” I giggled.

“You bought special oil,” Thor said. “Can you blame me, lover?”

“But the oil is back on the sand,” I laughed and soaped up my hand and began to run it up and down his shaft.

He groaned and pressed his forehead against my temple. “That’s not helping,” he said in a deep rumble.

“Okay,” I said. “We can get out. Go and lie on your stomach.”

Thor laughed and hoisted me up over his shoulder. I squealed and broke down into giggles as he carried me out of the water. The initial hit of the air after being in the cold water brought on another wave of goosebumps, but the sun was warm enough that by the time he set me on the rug, they’d already passed.

I grabbed the oil as he got comfortable and straddled his waist so I was sitting on his butt with him spread out under me, pillowing his head with his arms. Even seeing Thor as much as I did, it was still easy to forget how large he was. I felt dwarfed as I sat above him. I poured the oil onto his back and his muscles all tensed, making his back ripple. I licked my lips as I watched and pushed my hands down on his back.

He quickly began to relax as I slowly and carefully massaged his back. My hands moved down his back from his shoulders, pushing out from his spine. His muscles popped as they released their tension and he let out a deep moan every time it happened. It made me wet hearing him. By the time I reached his lower back, I was sure he must have been able to feel how wet I was because my thighs were damp and sticky.

I shimmied down his thighs and began to massage his ass. He moaned and lifted his hips and spread his legs a little, wiggling his ass at me. I couldn’t help but laugh and I gave his butt a playful spank. “You are trouble,” I teased.

I didn’t keep him in suspense though. I moved between his legs and spread his ass cheeks with my hands. Thor shivered slightly and tilted his hips up and I leaned in. My tongue curled around his balls and I sucked one into my mouth. Thor groaned and shifted onto his knees more. It gave me better access and I moved from one ball to the next before swiping my tongue up his perineum to his asshole. He tasted of salt and honey thanks to the fact I washed him, but this was the beach, and with beaches came sand. Each lap of my tongue meant more grit got into my mouth and I knew I wasn’t going to want to keep this up for long. Thankfully I didn’t need to because even just prodding at his asshole with the point of my tongue seemed to send him into an animalistic need. He turned on me, no longer willing to be teased, and he pushed me down onto my stomach and pulled my hips back against him.

“Fuck,” I gasped and the sudden change. I spread my legs as he moved between them and looked back at him looming over me, his hand wrapped around his cock.

“No more games,” he said as he pressed the wide head of his cock against my entrance, and with a hard shove he thrust in. I was pushed forward as he bottomed out inside me, and I cried out at the sting of his cock hitting my cervix.

He gave me the briefest of moments to adjust, running his hand up my spine and kissing my shoulder, and then he began to thrust. He was like a man possessed. There was no gentleness or warmth to his actions, he just railed into me, shoving me forward with every snap of his hips. I tried to push myself up onto all fours, but I was immediately shoved back forward again. I ended up bracing my arms in front of me, with my back curved down, so I looked like a cat mid-stretch.

“Norns,” Thor groaned as he gripped my hips. “I will never tire of this. You always feel so good.”

I couldn’t even form the words to answer him. Every time he thrust into me, his balls would slap against my pussy and such an intense jolt would pass through me, making me cock drunk. I moaned and clenched around him, pushing back, trying to get more from him.

He wrapped his arm around me and danced a spark along my skin, it passed through my clit and I cried out, my legs kicking out behind me as pleasure surged through me. “Fuck!” I cried, my whole body clenching up at once.

His hand slid down to my pussy and he started to rub my clit in the same. I could barely hold myself together. The only thing stopping me from collapsing onto my stomach was Thor’s hand at my hip. He sent another jolt through my clit and everything seized up and my orgasm tore through me. I cried out loudly, my voice echoing through the bay as I gushed on Thor’s cock.

“Gods!” Thor groaned as he pulled out of me. I collapsed onto my stomach, breathing heavily as lights popped in front of my eyes. Thor grabbed the oil and drizzled some between my asscheeks. I moaned and clenched up as the cool liquid hit my skin. He slicked his cock with it and pressed the head of his cock against my asshole.

He pressed his entire body down on mine, completely engulfing me under him and wrapping his arms under my chest and he began to push in. This was not the first time we'd done this, not by a long shot. If it had been, Thor would have been much more careful about stretching me out first. I could take him, and yet the sting and the burn as my ring muscle stretched and he filled me, was intense. I whined pitifully under him and kicked my legs as I tried to relax and take him.

I wanted this. He knew I wanted this as soon as I had asked him what oil I could use as lube. I loved the way pleasure and pain mixed. I loved feeling stretched out and filled.

He pulled back and pushed himself up on his knees, so just the head of his cock was penetrating me. He grabbed the oil and poured more of it over his cock and my ass, shallowly thrusting in and out as he did to push the oil inside me. I moaned and arched my back. “Thank you, Thor.”

“You’re very welcome, my life,” he said, pressing himself against me and wrapping his arms around my chest. He started to roll his hips, each push forward into me went a little deeper. I felt like I was breaking apart under him. I moaned and whimpered under him, my toes curling and my fingers grasping at the blanket in front of me. My fingers closed around the handle of Mjolnir and all at once electricity flowed through me. It danced off our bodies, sparks flying out as he brought me closer and closer to the edge. “Thor! God… I can’t…” I babbled as I reached down under me with my free hand. He pulled me into a hard kiss and he thrust into me harder and faster.

I started to rub my clit and that little extra sensation to my already overstimulated senses sent me reeling over. Thor groaned as my ass clenched tight around him and he shoved in deep and came with me. There was an almighty crack as a bolt of light crashed down, passing through us to the ground below, the whole bay lighting up suddenly and then falling dark.

I lay under Thor breathing heavily as my body settled and my eyes readjusted to the light. Thor slowly slipped out of me and rolled over onto his back, and I curled into him, putting my head on his chest as it rose and fell with each breath. “Do you think we made another sex sculpture?” I asked.

He laughed and played with my hair. “I am sure of it,” he said. “And yes, I will send someone to bring it home for us.”

I smiled and leaned up and pecked his lips. He held me in place to deepen it, and when he pulled back and looked into my eyes. “Thank you for this, my life. I needed it.”

“You’re very welcome,” I replied and kissed him again. “Shall we head back?”

He hummed and shook his head. “Soon. Let’s just lie here for a little longer.”

I relaxed against him and closed my eyes, basking in my post-orgasm afterglow and the setting sun.

~ END ~

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a-world-of-whimsy-5 · 10 months

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Ficlets for @hotd-bigbang week 1 winter prompts: Fire | Furs | Forest

Pairings: Daemon/Laena | Alicent/Viserys | Rhaenyra/Harwin

Minors DNI | 18+ | You are responsible for the media you consume

Winter divider by @mikeykuns

“Little dragon”

Pairing: Daemon/Laena | Prompt: Fire

Themes: Soft

Warnings: Canon Targaryen/Velaryon marriage | Pregnancy

Word count: 203 words

Summary: Daemon and Laena talk about their soon to be born baby.

Daemon rested his hand on his wife’s belly, his smile broadening when he felt something akin to a flutter against the flat of his palm.

“This one is strong,” he murmured when he felt another kick. A third followed when he leaned in and whispered softly in Valyrian.

“Our little dragon,” Laena sighed, grateful for the cushions against her back, the stool beneath her feet, and the fire in the hearth. “Or dragons, if what the healers say is true. Twins, curse my luck.”

“I think the one who should be cursed in this instance is me, I think. I am why you are with child.”

“Yes,” she agreed tartly, and she rubbed her belly. The babe was strong, and seemed determined to give her no peace. “And I will make sure to remind you of that when I begin my labors.”

“Knowing you, each reminder would be quite colorful and inventive, to be sure.” Daemon rose and went to the hearth when Laena shivered. She watched him kneel beside an old wooden box and add more logs to the fire. “Is that better?”

The room grew warmer, and more comfortable. Laena closed her eyes in contentment and said, “Yes, husband. Much better.”

“Misery”

Pairing: Viserys /Alicent| Prompt: Furs

Themes: Angst-ish/Dark

Warnings: Illness | Self-harm | Blood

Wordcount: 274 words

Summary: Alicent reflects on what became of her life after she wed the king.

“You are cold, my lord.” Alicent brought forth another pelt. When she draped it over her husband’s withered shoulders, he startled, and turned to face her. His eyes, once a most bewitching shade of lilac, were now clouded from age and disease. Alicent bit her tongue, silently awaiting the answer her husband, the king, had been wont to give long before their youngest, Daeron, was even born.

“My thanks, Aemma.” Viserys turned his gaze toward the fire. His body—weak and buried beneath numerous furs—collapsed into his seat as he slowly lost himself to a world of dreams. His wife stood behind him, seething to herself and pinching at her fingers until she gasped in pain. Alicent looked at her hand. Her thumb was bleeding around the nail.

All these years of forfeiting mine own happiness and toiling on behalf of my father and this husk I call a husband, and for what? She thought bitterly to herself. Misery and loneliness of the acutest kind? Is this to be my reward for duty? Is this to be my reward for sacrifice?

It was wholly unfair. It made Alicent want to tear at her hair and scream and then gather her children and leave for some faraway place where they could all live out their lives in peace. And she could not, no matter how much she yearned to do so. This was the cup that was passed on to her when she acquiesced to her father’s request to befriend the freshly widowed king. And Alicent had to drink from that cup yet again. She found the vintage to be as bitter as always.

“Mulled wine”

Pairing: Rhaenyra/Harwin | Prompt: Forest

Themes: Soft/NSFW

Warnings: Canon Targaryen/Velaryon marriage | Alcohol consumption | Mention of open marriage | Blood | Animal death

Wordcount: 303 words

Summary: Harwin and Rhaenyra share mulled wine on a stormy night in Dragonstone

Harwin poured a measure of mulled wine for the princess before serving himself and moving to stand by a window. The storm that swept in from the sea was still raging. He could hear the wind howl like a living thing even as it hammered against the imposing stone towers of Dragonstone and the guards unfortunate enough to be on duty on such a wretched night.

“Is the wine pleasing to you, my lady?” He asked.

Rhaenyra had a taste. It was light and sweet, and the sigh that followed was one of absolute bliss.

“Most pleasing, ser,” she replied, and she savored another sip. There was honey in the wine, and rare spices. A nobleman’s vintage, some called it, for only a nobleman with enough coin could afford it. “And appropriate, I think, for a night such as this. I just hope the noise does not frighten the boys.”

Harwin turned to face her with a slow, brittle smile. “This storm will not trouble the boys, princess.”

For they are my sons. The words went unspoken. Harwin looked pained, and Rhaenyra felt for him, for while Laenor claimed the children born from her belly, it was Harwin who sired them. And it was Harwin who had to stand aside and watch another man raise them and call each of them "son.”

“Do you regret our arrangement?”

“No, princess. When I watched you ride out of that forest, all covered in blood and with a boar dragging behind your horse, I knew there and then no other would do. And so long as your lord husband does not object to my presence…”

“He does not,” Rhaenyra replied in an effort to soothe him. “I assure you of this. Now tell me more of that day in the Kingswood while we finish this wine.”

#hotd winter prompts 23 #HOTD #daemon targaryen #laena velaryon #daemon x laena #alicent hightower #viserys targaryen #alicent x viserys #harwin strong #rhaenyra targaryen #harwin x rhaenyra #ficlet

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helpesslywriting · 10 months

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Penelope shut the door to the small house she lived in and turned the wooden lock over so that no one could burst in. She had to change after all. She felt as if her body were possessed by a spirit who knew exactly what needed to be done without forming a coherent thought behind the why. It was simply known. A well-worn machine going about it's usual task. As if she had done this many times before. Thoughts were not scattered like papers in the wind in her mind as they would have been normally. Reaching out and grabbing the thought to cross it off her mental to do list as the task was completed. She just simply moved.

Draw the curtains so no prying eyes could see into the house. Lock the back door so no well-meaning visitor could barge in to check on her. Douse the fire in the fireplace. Change clothes into a simple brown dress and white apron. Neatly fold the Union Day froc and put it in the box her mother had placed it in before her passing and place it back above the wardrobe where it had waited for more than a decade.

More years up there will not hurt it. Penelope heard herself somewhere in her consciousness say to herself. A thought sent her soul into rolling fits as she wondered. Will I ever have a chance again to wear my mother's gown? She didn't want to think about that just now. She got down from the stepping stool and replaced it in its proper home.

And so, on she went, flitting through the house like a specter on a mission going about her chores with no real plan forward or thoughts to occupy her. It wasn't until she realized she needed to refill a water pitcher that she paused and listened to the silence of the house around her. She could hear voices from the village filtering through the walls. Shouts for children or animals to behave and get back into place, calls for others to catch attention. Greetings and exclamations of life going on around her. She tightened her grip on the mug and swayed on the spot. The idea of going to the nearby well to fetch water made her feel like throwing up onto the floors.

She would, with no uncertainty, run into some of the older women of the village there and have to answer questions of why she was doing chores on her Union Day. She walked back to the kitchen and placed the pitcher on the end of her table before pulling out the chair and flopping down hard on the wooden seat.

She sat there, staring at the table, and tried to fight the wail that was clawing its way up her throat. She wanted to cry, scream and demand answers from Tav, from Korrin, from the gods themselves. Anyone who could help her make sense of this and abandon his void in her chest that was threatening to suck everything of hers inside.

Tears flowed over her lashes and down her cheeks, her shoulders began to shake and soon she was openly sobbing at the kitchen table. She folded her arms on the table and cradled her head as she wept to herself. Her lungs felt like they were threatening to collapse on her with each sob. Like a bag turned inside out because someone was grabbing too much.

Thoughts were flying through her head like arrows with no destination. What was the next step now? What was she supposed to do? Would they outcast her? Force her to marry someone else? Did she want to marry someone else? Would she simply be left alone? Would they want her to become a teacher or help the Priest to fill her days?

The uncertainty of what her fate would be made the room seem like it was tilting and turning out of her control although she was aware she was seated. The probability of her throwing up soon became too high to ignore and pray it passed. She grabbed the pitcher and hovered over it, fearing that trying for the bucket in the storage closet would be too much of a gamble.

Just as she thought she was going to retch, there was a knock on the door.

Penelope sat the pitcher on the edge of the table and stood from her chair. She thought she might stumble on the way to the door but once she made it, she pressed her body against the door to steady herself.

"Penelope?" It was the Priest Ackerman. The Unions must be done now. "Are you in there?" She had her hand on the simple round knob to feel if he tried to open the door, but it stayed still in her hand. "I understand you must be in quite a state of shock. I'm not trying to pry, but I want to make sure you are alright."

Ackerman had his bald head pushed against the door. Surely, she would not have had the time to do something drastic in the time it took him to finish the union ceremony and inform the other temple members to finish up the event while he went to check on her? He had heard sobbing coming from inside the one story wooden home as he approached, but since he had knocked the house had gone eerily silent and an wave of cold washed over him. He could count his heartbeats things had fell so silent. That is, until he heard the locking mechanism being turned over. He pulled back from the door and put his hands together in prayer. "Oh thank the gods, I was worried about you." he told her as a puffy, red rimmed eye looked at him from under auburn bangs. "May I come in, I feel like you shouldn't be alone right now--I know that might sound pushy my dear and you probably don't want to see anyone, least of all me today, but..." His heart was hammering in his chest, and his words rushing together to the point he had forgotten to take a breath and steady himself.

He was prepared for her to slam the door in his face, to cry and shout and scream at him for not stopping Tav's and Korrin's union ceremony. He felt guilty for missing signs that Tav was unhappy in his pairing with Penelope. By all accounts, from what he had observed and had been told by both parties, they were each looking forward to today.

The golden eye blinked sadly at him, and Ackerman felt his heart break a little for her. He wasn't too much older than her, and unpaired himself. But he knew that a lot of young women, Penelope included among them, had always looked forward to this day. She wanted to have a pairing, and she had been over the moon when it had been Tav.

"Penelope...please." He held out his hands, pleading. "If nothing else, allow me to sit with you until you feel like you have your feet under you. We don't have to say anything. I can't begin to imagine how you must feel, so I won't say that I do or that I can understand. But I want to help you..."

He jumped a little in surprise as she let go of the door and it swung open on its own, the hinges had started to pull away from the frame. She was walking toward the kitchen area of the first room and Ackerman took it as a sign to follow. He stepped inside, removed his shoes and closed the door behind him.

He had been here once before, when the accident that took her parents from her had happened. So, he had already known that her father, Stephen, had built the house himself by hand and wasn't a forethought sort of man. He had simply built a semi large box of a house and put one set of windows on each side of the house. It wasn't until his pairing with Penelope's mother, Alicia that the house had gotten interior walls to separate rooms from one another and turn it from a box to a true home.

One thing that hadn't changed though, was the large kitchen and dinning room area being just to the left of the entry way. When you stepped inside, you could see the kitchen counters and pantry as well as the long wooden table set with six chairs.

#penelope #penelope x ing #Ing #fanfic #beauty and the beast reimagining #beauty and the beast #minecraft #inspired by enderblu #writing #fanfic wip #ao3 fanfic #fanfiction

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kevin--of-desert-bluffs · 1 year

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WTNV quick rundown - The Novel -

This is the post talking about randon Night Vale/King City and Man in the Tan Jacket facts!

Basic Plot of the Novel is here. Diane, Josh and Jackie random facts here. NV citizens random facts here.

The history of the town of Night Vale is long and complicated, reaching back thousands of years to the earliest indigenous people in the desert. We will cover none of this here. […] It is a friendly desert community, where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful and mysterious lights past overhead while we all pretend to sleep. Welcome to Night Vale.

In NV, pharmacists wear gas masks and hip waders.

Hearts in NV are made of straw and clay and grow at age 9 or at least that's what they're taught.

Manual transmission works like this: 1 - whisper a secret into the cup holder, 2 - grab the clutch (a splintered wooden stake driven into the dashboard), 3 - shake it till something happens whilst taping a series of code numbers into a keyboard on the steering wheel.

Not yielding to a hooded figure will cause a mandatory city-wide ennui.

Encrypted radio pulses announce the opening of 'Lenny's Bargain House of Garden Wares'. As well as the titular function the government will also be unloading failed machines, tests and dangerous substances. The shop is being built on the site where the government was previously doing said tests. If you go to the grand opening sale and find 8 government secrets you get an 'free' government kidnapping and personality reassignment.

To protect against identity theft, Cecil recommends changing your passwords often, wearing a mask in public, blacking out your door number with black spraypaint and 'never ending up on a database'.

The 'Absurd Bowl' and 'Knife Ball' are events that happen in NV.

The NV job market is apparently very scarce as the hooded figures do most of the jobs in NV.

Here is what else we know about the MITTJ. He has a belt which is a darker brown than his shoes. His hair is recently cut. His face is clean and smooth. His teeth are almost white and his left upper bicuspid is a little further forward than the others.

The Moonlite diner has mugs from different sources, some of which leave strange sounds or hum. It has cracked red stools which smell of rubber and sawdust. It's pies are described as 'ok' and some are invisible. Food is served by a grey hand which extends from under the table and should not be acknowledged.

Most people in NV have no idea what doctors do only that it's rumoured to be beneficial. The hospital in NV is built next to the abandoned mine. Hospital rooms are full of cameras and speakers asking you to ask your doctor invasive questions. It was closed years ago and is no longer run by any recognised medical professionals or beings that are or were ever alive.

There are several spy satellites scanning citizens brains and revealing their thoughts. For some reason, Cecil has access to some of these.

'No country for old men' is a kids film in NV. They also have a 'popular animated franchise' about trees with human organs inside who are being cut down until vengeful arboreal spirits eviscerate the loggers. Lee Marvin is in it.

NV is confirmed to be somewhere in SW california.

Childrens friends are assigned by City Council decree based on the numerology of each child's name.

Hot milk drawers are a thing, also all avocados in NV are fake.

Metallic trees that change size each day are considered the plants most suited for a desert climate.

The NV cinema has nightly screenings of John Frankenheimes 1973 'the Iceman Cometh'. Popcorn prices are linked to the coal market.

There is a 'Top Secret Censorship Board' run by a guy called Luis who judges each film based on the risk of being shown a forbidden idea or gesture.

Having a regular police was see as too dangerous as knowledge of them could somehow be used against NV. The previous police were renamed the 'Secret Police', driving dark red sedans with gold racing stripes, black 7-pointed stars with the words 'Secret Police' on the cars side. They also wear capes and have a blowgun belt.

When writing tickets, these officers are required to describe the nature of the sunlight at the time of the infraction in verse.

You can only petition a speeding ticket if you go to city hall, so most people just pay the ticket, even if they're given one when they're not in a car.

Some magazine articles in NV; "10 ways to redecorate your bloodstone circle", "How to lose weight without losing sight of your own mortality" and "A cake recipe that only people who hate our government will want to try so mail us your best pictures of making it and we will take you away."

Some doors in NV require you to bleed on them to open.

There is an annual Imaginary Corn Festival and Fun Fair. There is a costume contest sponsored by the NV daily journal (dress as the decline of the printed word) where winners will not be forced to sign up for a several subscriptions to the journal.

The NV version of a Greek Salad is fruit and pumice stones.

The NV tourism board has a brochure with the tagline 'A town full of hidden evils and the secretly malevolent' featuring a picture of a diverse group of townfolk smiling and looking at the camera in the windowless prison they will be kept in until enough tourists visit NV to buy their release.

Aside from known eateries, there's also apparently places called 'Shame' and 'Pieces O' Grass' and 'Missing Frog Salad Bar' (which serves orangemilk and salad' in NV.

NV knowledges says the only known book on European history was a pamphlet on Svitz which was burnt by the 'Book Cleansers' because they mistook the giraffe on the front for a handgun.

It is illegal in NV to not have some kind of tracking device on you at all times. Most people choose a mobile phone but some still wear bulky tracking collars.

Most planes in NV are private, propeller, secret military drones and government planes used to make chemtrails.

The world government all wear blue headphones and horn-rimmed glasses.

Flamingos in NV are creatures that have six legs and double beaks.

Most bath gel or greeting card stores in NV have a full staff of bleeding saleclerks.

NV city hall is topped with ancient volcanic stone towers.

There is a service called 'Lifelock' in NV where they just lock you up and destroy all records of you existing to 'protect you from identity theft, impersonation, assassination, assignations and memory removal'.

Larry Leroy finds these things out in the desert: a metallic sphere that fell from the sky and whistles softly as if bored, his double, the body of the main in the pinstripe suit and a new way of breathing. The main in the pinstripe suit btw, goes through an existential crisis during the novel, cumulating in him trying to touch the planet of awesome size and then, death.

KC is a small town of little over 10,000 people in Monterey County. It's newspaper is called the KC rustler. Citizens include Wanda Nieves and Ynez.

The post office in KC is a one-storey stucco building with no front door, a splintered parapet walls with missing letters on it's marquee and a tree that has grown through the broken sidewalk and into one of the many shattered windows.

There's a 'video store' which only contains tall shelves full of loose tapes, some labelled and some not. Some shelves are densely packed, others nearly empty. The labels are handwritten and some simply have rows of x's, j's, p's etc. The walls at the back are made of mud and are easily pulled away to reveal a different room behind it. There's a music store containing a woman on a chair who pulls a face at Jackie/Diane. A bait shop where the empty jars keep exploding and cutting the man working there. A phone shop where the salesclerk doesn't remember ever having a customer before.

The flies that the MITTJ sells form a protective cloud in front of him whenever he is threatened.

The copier in the KC city hall is endlessly printing, so that there's stacks of paper everywhere. The receptionist is typing on a computer which is actually just a carved block of wood painted to look like a computer.

KC has a Taco Bell which people would stop off at on their way to either a town called Greenfield of a state wildlife area.

Stay tuned next for the sound of a creaking spine and the soft collapse of paper onto itself.

#wtnv #wtnv quick rundown #wtnv the novel #wtnv the novel rundown

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littlewitchthatwrites · 2 years

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Cauldron (part one)

The Ordinary World (chapter one)

Somewhere in the world (though no one is sure which one) there was a special little town in the middle of nowhere full of happy people, tall trees with red and golden leaves, and sweet little houses that lined the neat sidewalks and streets.

Our story begins on one particular street. The house on the corner of a cute little neighborhood was a two story house painted white with a blue front door and a big gorgeous garden. It was three days from Halloween and this family was preparing a little late. Orange christmas lights hung from the railing on the porch, there was a plastic skeleton hanging by the porch swing, and four glowing jack o'lanterns by the door. “Hey puck,” a voice called from the kitchen, “Mom says it’s breakfast time!”

The voice traveled up the stairs and into a small room where a girl sat in the middle of the floor… well, hovering above it. She was in deep thought and concentration, the world around her had melted away from her mind. Her room was small and quiet, books lined one of her walls, stuffed animals covered her bed, pendulums, tarot decks, and loose pieces of paper covered in runes and symbols covered every surface. She had red curtains that gave a warm glow to her well decorated living space. One of Puck’s walls had a long window that opened to a little hang out spot on the roof where she had spent many nights stargazing.

Puck smelled of roses and vanilla and the world around her was still, calm, and peaceful. Puck inhaled and exhaled slowly. With every breath the room got warmer. Shadows danced the waltz with the flames of newly lit candles that were positioned in a circle underneath the little witch. With every inhale another candle lit and began the dance.

“PUCK!” The door burst open and a tall boy rushed in. Puck screamed and the second she broke concentration she felt her tailbone slam onto her floor. “Ow! Damn it Oisin!” She yelled at him. Oisin was a tall boy with light brown hair and small freckles that were lighter that his skin, much like a fawn. He was like a deer in many ways. He was a graceful boy, he had very nice reflexes, and was on the track team at his high school. “Come on! Mom made lavender waffles.” Oisin smiled at his sister and walked off. He didn't even close the door. Puck rolled her eyes and threw on some clothes. Some navy blue shorts with fishnets under them. Brown combat boots stretched up just below her knees and a white tank top clung to her honey tan shoulders, completing the look with a belt and her mother’s favorite necklace. She loved that necklace, though you’d never hear her say it out loud. Kendo The kitchen smelled like lavender and cinnamon. It was bright and colorful. Four plates of waffles were set on the counter while Puck and Oisin’s mother, Rose, hung bundles of herbs in front of the windows. She smiled at her children. “Good morning my dears. How are you feeling?” Oisin beamed at his mother. She was so bright and lovely. How could anyone wish for a better mother. Noted, she was pretty much a human Disney princess but less animals and more kids. “Sore.” Puck grumbled before shoving a fork full of waffle into her mouth. “Where's Dad?” Oisin asked. He tapped his fork on the wooden counter. “Hon, he’s never awake this early in the day. He’ll… you know…”

Puck made an explosion sound and acted it out with her hands. He nudged his sister a little too hard making her fall from the stool she was sitting on. She let out a loud ‘OUCH’ as she hit the wooden floor of the kitchen. Rose rolled her eyes and helped her daughter off the floor. “You guys need to get to school. Oisin, don't wreck my car!” She said tossing the keys to him. “Okey Doke.” He pulled Puck by her backpack towards the door. She reached for her waffles in a desperate attempt to take another bite but it was no use. They closed the door behind them and got in the car.

“I have my license too! Why do you always get to drive?”

Because, my little sister, mom loves me more.” Oisin smiled and ruffled Puck’s hair.

“You are literally one minute older than me!”

Oisin laughed, “Oh I know. Haha i know.”

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madrcams · 2 years

Photo

I kept forgetting about this but it’s time to stop that. A ref/mockup of what Mado’s house looks like in the Super Mario Bros verse!

A small, but average-looking and nice little house, composed mostly of what you’d expect from the Toads’ houses in the neighborhood: Bricks, wood and cement finish. The outside is mostly tinted a salmon rose.

It’s difficult to peer into the house because all windows and look-ins (including the front door’s) are usually covered by curtains-- which is a little unusual as most Toads are very open with their houses and sometimes don’t even mind an acquaintance just inviting themselves in, but it’s nothing considered too weird either. All of the pictures and portraits found within the house are of abstract art or generally scenery, no shots of people.

OUTSIDE

Front yard - One of the most ‘minimal’ parts of the small property. Lush trimmed grass, planted patches of flowers beneath both front windows, a little bird fountain with a wooden bird house by the corner close to the fence that surrounds the property, mail box near the fence door, and lastly, a miniature herbal garden, for things like lavender and fennel. Sometimes Mado’s bike can be seen sitting here, and the foot of the entrance is kept with a rug/mat with her trademark checkered window symbol, as a hint to foretell who this house belongs to.

Backyard - There’s more “personality” in this one. One gets here by the back door in the bathroom. Same lush grass but the trimming is just slightly more laidback, and actual patches of flowers sprout here and there, one actually right beneath the back window. There are two lifted rows meant to hang wet clothes from the laundry to dry, a sitting bench and even a wooden, cute little playhouse. Sometimes a toy or two can be seen laying here. The presence of both a ladder and a step-ladder poke at Mado’s small size and her need of a stepping boost to reach certain heights, for instance to hang her laundry clothes-- make fun of her for it though and she’ll bite your ankles, fair warning. And last but not least, the somewhat random addition of some fairylights across the wall right above the back window, which suggests Mado simply having a thing for them.

INTERIOR

Living room - A somewhat generic but very inviting and cozy, pretty room. There’s nothing particularly worthy of a deeper mention other than the phone and the TV, of which both seem to be analog/oldschool, like let’s say, 70′s or 80′s. This room connects to all other spaces in the house, with an open doorway to the kitchen and doors that lead to the bathroom and the only bedroom in the house.

Kitchen / Dining room - Space where both cooking and dining is doable. The dining area consists of a quaint round small dining table and four cushion-seated chairs, all out of wood. In the kitchen area, the most notable thing is the manual firewood/coal stove, useful not only for nice homemade meals but also to help keep the house warm during cold periods, given its advantageous location more or less by the middle of the house, and the smoke from it is let out through the pipe up past the rooftop. Worth nothing, also, is a small wooden stool left by a corner, again due to Mado’s need to a height boost.

Bathroom / Laundry - A somewhat dinky room but arranged in a convenient way where even laundry can be done here thanks to a simple but reliable washing machine and a laundry basket. The rest of the bathroom is pretty straightforward, save for the bathtub, where it’s both a bathtub and shower embedded together to save up space.

Bedroom - Finally, Mado’s room. It’s more or less what you’d expect a children’s room to be. Full of stuffed animals and cute little toys, cute little decorations and even a little gaming system which is the sole role of the second TV here. The room is composed of a children’s bed with a small nightstand, a desk, a bookcase and a wardrobe. The carpet has an aesthetic kind of unusual for a kid’s room composed of red/golden patterns of faces drawn in either Aztec or Paracas fashion, but it’s very soft and kind of fluffy making sitting or even laying on the floor pretty comfortable (hence the scattered pillows and cushions.) Worth noting is the dreamcatcher hung above the head of the bed. Since it’s Mado’s safe little place, she rarely if ever lets anyone into her room.

#;sleep patterns;; HC #v; the princess is in another dream;; SMB #long post

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bakarilennox · 3 years

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My Fearful Maiden Pt. 1

Dark & Bi!Geralt of Rivia x Black Fem!OC (Moldeva Olvenine) [pronounced Mōl-dév-āh O-vey-nine]

Note: I do NOT, nor will ever give permission to any person or persons to duplicate or repost this or any of my works on this or any other site at any given time, Thank you.

Summary: Geralt was tasked with a job that he completed, but when the pay that was agreed upon was unable to be given… The disgruntled Witcher was more than willing to take another form of payment.

Warnings: 18+ content & dialogue, mentions of blood, death, threats of violence, acts of violence, threats of sexual assault, strong language. (If I am missing something, please kindly let me know.)

Per usual, he received the cold stares. Mother’s shielding their children from gazing upon the strange new man that rode into town on his brunette horse. The hooves of the animal left a trail in the mud from the rain that poured down violently just before the brooding stranger had arrived. His hood shielded his soiled face, dried blood from his last violent encounter re-moistened from the downpour. The village cats hissed at him as he rode by, jeers from the other townsfolk. It was the same thing every time, in every town and it was boring to the monster hunter.

For as long as he has been alive, one thing he knew for certain… no matter how much disdain people had for his existence, they would always need him to slay a beast. They will always need a Witcher to solve their problems. He got off his horse and tied its reins to the wooden post outside the inn. The swords on his back remained sheathed to protect the metals from the elements as he walked through the door.

All idle conversation stopped the moment the patrons recognized who entered their midst. The Witcher walked up to the bar and sat on a stool awaiting to be served. He pulled back his hood revealing his sour countenance and his bright yellow orbs, partially shielded from his notable white hair. The innkeeper sauntered over with a furrowed brow and if he was approaching a normal human being, intimidating demeanor. The Witcher was unphased by the corpulent man standing behind the counter.

“I need a mug of ale.” The Witcher spoke.

“We don’t fucking serve your kind here Witcher.” the man crossed his arms as they stared at each other.

“I only want one drink and then I’ll be on my way. I want no trouble.” The monster hunter continued.

“Trouble came the moment you arrived, you God forsaken, soulless bastard!” one of the patrons drunkenly replied.

The other patrons cheered in agreement with the intoxicated individual. The Witcher grunted and raised from his seat knowing he wasn’t going to get his thirst quenched at this rest stop. He began to walk away then suddenly a drunken customer threw a cup and it shattered as it hit the back of the Witcher’s head. He turned around and prepared to slay his assailant, until he felt a hand gently grab onto his wrist as he reached for his sword.

“Please, not here.” A woman softly spoke. She had thick, curly brown hair, poorly hidden by her hood and rich brown skin that almost glowed in comparison to his.

“Moldeva, you know better than to consort with the likes of… him.” The innkeeper scolded.

She released the monster hunter’s hand as she faced the .

“If you all weren’t such indolent cowards, I wouldn’t have to!” she contorted.

The innkeeper and few of the other males hung their heads low in shame.

“Please come with me, it is a matter of urgency I beg of you.” she softened her tone as the Witcher turned to face her.

“Very well, lead the way.” The Witcher replied.

The two went outside as the rain softened, but still showed on them. Geralt united Roach and the three of them proceeded on their way.

“I apologize for their behavior back there. Uneducated fools the lot of them.” she continued as they walked through town.

“No need, I’m used to this sort of ‘welcome’ in any town.” he replied.

“My name is Moldeva, Moldeva Olvenine. And you sir are?” She looked up at him.

“Geralt, Geralt of Rivia” Geralt introduced himself.

“Nice to meet you, Geralt of Rivia.” the Moldeva smiled.

“There’s nothing nice about me.” Geralt grunted.

“Don’t sell yourself short, there must be a reason you do the work that you do Witcher.” she countered.

“Yeah… coin. Now where are we going?” Geralt commanded after noticing him and Moldeva were now out of town.

“My home, well… me and my father’s home. It’s a cabin right outside of town. My father is the reason I need your help Geralt.” Moldeva’s face became sullen as she mentioned her father.

“If you try anything…” Geralt growled.

“No, this is not a ploy. I know you probably had a long journey and I wanted to make sure you’re okay before you help me.” Moldeva reassured him.

“Here we are.” The woman opened the door to a larger than normal cabin and went to the kitchen to get a cup of water for him. Geralt tied Roach next to a trough so that he could get some water as well.

“I’ll be back, Roach.” Geralt tugged lightly on his reins.

Roach neighed and resumed drinking the water. Geralt enters the home and sees Moldeva with her hood down. Her hair was fuller than expected and it seemed to defy gravity.

“Here you go sir.” Moldeva brought a cup of water for both of them and placed it on the table as she sat down.

Geralt remained standing as he grabbed the cup and drank.

“Now, how can I help you?” Geralt asked.

“My father has been missing for three days, he is a fisherman and he usually leaves to gather fish for the market and I would sell it. But this time, he never came back. We are all that we have left since my mother died. I desperately need you to find him. Please bring him back home.” Moldeva was on the brink of tears as she taps nervously on her cup.

“300 ducat if I find him alive, 200 if he’s dead.” Geralt named his price.

“Dead?” Moldeva looked up at him saddened and perplexed.

“Given that he has been missing for three days and he is constantly close to water. Unfortunately, it is more likely he is dead than alive. Exposure to the elements and lack of food and supplies take out greater men quicker than any monster. I need for you to understand that he may be already gone.” Geralt explained.

Moldeva began crying profusely. “Oh goodness, I wouldn’t know what to do if he was gone. How would I survive?!” Tears flowed down her face and stained the collar of her low cut white dress. Geralt, feeling guilty for his harsh, yet factual

words, walked over and touched the distraught woman’s shoulder in an effort to console her.

“Look, I can’t promise that your father is alive, but I will do everything I can to at least figure out what happened.” Geralt’s tone softened.

“Thank you, thank you so much Geralt. He was last seen heading west of here, not too far from Old mill.” the woman placed her hand upon his and stared into his eyes.

Geralt slowly slid his hand from underneath hers. “I must go, the sooner I leave the better chance I can get my coin and reunite you with your father.” He regained his rugged composure.

“Okay, just… be safe.” Moldeva sniffled. Her brown doe eyes looking up at Geralt, he almost thought that she said that with sincerity.

“What’s your father’s name?” Geralt asked.

“His name is Yosen.” Moldeva replied. He gave her a nod and began heading out.

When he left the maiden’s home he felt a tightness as he walked. He looked down to see a prominent erection aggressively pressing against the seam of his pants.

“Ah fuck!” Geralt muttered in frustration. It has been quite some time since the Witcher has taken a woman or man to bed, and his carnal appetite was almost impossible to defer much longer. As much as he wanted a sexual release, he knew he had to collect his coin before stepping foot into any local brothel.

The sooner he gets this minuscule task completed, the sooner he can feed his appetites multiple times over if he desired. He headed into the woods while riding Roach, he could hear the sound of roaring water. He knew that he was close to the last sighting of Moldeva’s father. Suddenly, a mysterious fog quickly surrounded the Witcher and his steed without provocation.

“Fuck.” the monster hunter grumbled under his breath.

Now he no longer could see the back of his hoofed companion. Roach quickly became uneasy amongst his new surroundings and began whining as if something was in the way.

“Easy roach, easy.” Geralt attempted to coax the visibly frightened animal.

Geralt’s efforts proved futile as the horse whinnied and then locked Geralt off of him and ran off in the opposite direction, his hoof barely missing the Witcher’s head as he fell onto his back.

“Fuck!” Geralt exclaimed as he arose from the ground quicker than he fell.

He heard menacing whispers of unseen creatures attempting to surround him. Geralt unsheathed his silver sword effortlessly as the sounds grew closer. The otherworldly fog made visibility nonexistent. The animalistic sounds grew closer and louder as Geralt stood his ground, but kept moving around in preparation for a fight.

Then suddenly the sounds abruptly stopped. Geralt was still in his fighting stance. The only sound that can be heard is his boots moving about in the mud. Then a monster lunged at the Witcher and in his peripheral vision he was able to see the beast and effortlessly cut it in half with his sword. Then right after another creature attempted to pounce on his back, but Geralt ducked just in time for the unidentified beast to miss the assault.

On bended knee, Geralt was slashing the horde of creatures left and right. His trusty steed long gone to find safety. The Witcher kept slashing and hacking away as his fluid movements brought him back to his feet. It was a dance of life and death and he knew he had to take to lead, lest he end up like his fallen brethren before him.

When the last beast fell underneath his silver blade. Geralt’s breath was ragged, his stamina was nearly depleted as his chest heaved up and down. In his mind, he must’ve killed at least 100 of those wretched beings. As the fog started to clear up and he reveled at the carnage surrounding him. His blood and entrail stained hair and face served as a reminder of his purpose.

“Hmm” he smirked at the work he had done. “Needs improvement.” he critiqued himself.

He could hear the sound of Roach slowly returning to his owner as he trampled over the monster carcasses. Geralt examined one of the slain creatures and noticed that it was a Drowner Dead which is very odd because they are not known to appear during the daytime, especially in the area he was presently in. Roach gently head butted Geralt to gain his attention.

“So glad you could join me Roach.” Geralt remarked.

Roach huffed and walked beside the Witcher, Geralt heard a branch snap and he quickly arose from the ground prepared to fight. Then a young man slowly approached him from the direction of the body of water.

“Please, I mean no harm. Do not hurt me, I was stuck up in a tree for several days. Those creatures were everywhere and I couldn’t escape. My name is Yosen Olvenine of Velen. May I ask the name of my savior?” Yosen introduced himself.

“I am no savior, I’m a Witcher. Geralt, of Rivia.” Geralt replied as he cautiously lowered his sword.

“It is a blessing to meet you kind sir.” Yosen took another half step closer toward.

“That’s close enough.” Geralt warned. Yosen quickly heeded his warning.

“Knowing me is not a blessing and I am far from kind.” Geralt retorted.

“Well regardless, I owe my life to you. I know my daughter must be terribly sick with worry over my disappearance.” the disheveled man stated.

“Daughter?” The monster hunter raised a single eyebrow.

“Yes, Moldeva. She is all I have left. And I know she would be most happy to see me home.” Yosen enthusiastically nodded.

“You mean the beautiful one living just outside of town?” Geralt smirked.

“Y-yes. Her mother passed away during childbirth.” Moldeva’s father replied in a concerned tone.

“Hmm… I admit, you look quite handsome yourself. You are too young to father that young woman.” Geralt looked the young man up and down repeatedly as he briefly moistened his lips.

“Forgive me, let me explain. After Moldeva’s mother passed away her sister, a mage was so grief stricken and enraged she cursed me and my child. I haven’t aged since then and I will most likely outlive her. I dread the day very much, but at least I will be back home to be with her.” Yosen sighed in relief as he began walking with Geralt.

“All the better, you get to be with your daughter, I get my 300 ducat and we all move on with our lives.” Geralt remarked.

“300 ducat?!” Yosen blinked twice.

“Yes, that’s what I offered Moldeva in exchange for your safe return.” Geralt raised a lone brow.

“Oh my, but sir I am a simple fisherman and my daughter is quite young. She doesn’t understand how money really works. I would not be able to pay you that much money, it would make us beyond destitute. Please, is there any other way I can repay you a lesser amount?” He pleaded with the Witcher.

Geralt stopped walking and held Roach by his reins. “Well... there is actually.” Geralt swiftly turned around with a hidden blade and plunged it deep into Yosen’s chest. Yosen’s eyes bulged in shock as he felt the cold steel penetrate his heart. A startled Roach whinnied in response as Geralt held Yosen up and stared into his eyes as he was slowly dying.

“I told her 300 for your life and 200 for your death. And if she doesn’t have my 200, well I guess I’m going to have to fuck her til’ she can’t walk for her financial freedom.” A devilish grin flashed across the monster hunter’s face.

All Yosen could do was gasp as he struggled to speak what would be his last words. “Please no, don’t… you.. don’t know… what… she… is. Please.” Yosen coughed up blood in Geralt’s face as his life was slowly fading away.

“I would honestly like to have the both of you, but it would be a waste of time and opportunity for more coin. I’m sure you understand.” Geralt chuckled as he laid Yosen down on the ground. “At least you won’t see the day you outlive your daughter. That is about as much mercy you will get in this life.” Geralt hastily removed the knife from Yosen’s corpse.

He then wiped off the blood soaked blade on Roach’s hind leg and took a random article of clothing and covered it with the murdered man’s blood and put it in his satchel. “C’mon Roach, time to pay a worried young woman a visit.” Geralt continued down the road with his horse to confront an unsuspecting Moldeva.

A/N: If you made it this far I want to thank you for taking the time to read my work and if you have the time, please view my other fics here. Feel free to leave any comments and reblog, thank you for your time and stay safe out there. ^_^

#The Witcher #The Witcher Netflix #Geralt of Rivia #Geralt of Rivia x Black!Reader #Geralt of Rivia x Reader #Geralt of Rivia x Black!OC #Geralt of Rivia x OC #A Bakari Lennox Original

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mouthfulloftoothpasterry · 3 years

Text

Meet cute

summary: going through harry and Loralie's normal day... until Harry meets someone.

warnings/ disclaimers: none :)

“Daddy!” Harry hears, tearing his head up from his big metal desk where he was looking over his students' art work. He teaches art at a primary school and is lucky enough to work in a school that has care for younger kids, so his daughter Loralie attends the preschool there. “Darling, why are you out of class already? The first bell hasn't rung yet.” At this school they have a three bell system. The first is for kids who ride the bus home, then the ones who get picked up by a parent or walk home, and the third bell is for kids who live further out and take the bus- the buses come back from their first trip and come around for them to take them to their long trip back home. The teacher's assistant always escorts Loralie to Harry's classroom after the first bell.

“I'm done!” she says, waving a bye to the teachers assistant whale Harry thanks her. He pulls her up on a chair next to the wooden stool he was sitting in, pulling her paisley printed backpack off of her and unzipping it to look through her folder. He looks over his class (full of seven and eight year olds) making sure they are all doing what they should be- reading a library book while they wait for their number bell to ring. He looks through some of the work she had done, the two pockets sorted into one that had her work of colorings, trying to write her name, and crafts. The other pocket filled with papers her and Harry needed to study together, her ABC’s, her numbers up to ten, colors, and notes to parents.

Harry gasps dramatically, pulling his classes' attention away from their books. “You got two golden stars today?!” he asks Loralie, making her nod, giggling. In her class they have a reward system, if the teacher or teachers assistant catches them doing a good deed they will reward them with a golden star sticker to encourage them to keep doing it, all the teachers here do it with the younger kids. Today Loralie was caught helping a kid pick up his crayons and then sat with a lonely kid while they were on the story time rug- now Harry is having a total proud dad moment reading the note her teacher had written him.

Just then the bell rings, “have a good night everyone!” Harry calls out to the first-bellers. He turns back to his daughter seeing her cover her ears from the loud ring of the school bell. Harry laughs, pulling Loralie to sit on his lap, ignoring the art he was working on. “So, tell me all about your day, baby.” Harry says, one arm wrapped her back and the other pulled her backpack down and shoving her folder and lunchbox into it. Loralie babbles on about her day for a while, ignoring the other listening ears and telling her daddy everything that had happened. She goes on about story time and how they had read one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish by dr.seuss, how they sang some songs, and how they colored until the third bell rings leaving Harry and Loralie all alone.

“We can't go home just get, baby. I've got a few things to do before we can leave.” Harry informs his daughter, pulling his earlier classes paintings off of the drying rack and stacking them so he could hand them out easier tomorrow. Loralie has no response, instead getting in Harry's big metal desk drawers and pulling out the couple of toys she kept here for times like this when Harry kept them after school a bit longer than she wanted. Harry lets Loralie help him when he puts the watercolor paints in the back storage room.

He hears feet on the steps leading to the art room making him peek his head out, reaching out for Loralie so she would grab his hand. He hears a bit of whispering, declaring it safe while he clasps his hand with Loralie and walks out. “Hi, could I help you?” Harry asks, looking at the mother and son. The woman politely smiles, her hand resting on her toddlers back- Harry knows him, he teaches the preschoolers art every Wednesday and he just had this little boy in his class today so he must be in Loralies class.

“Um, he left his folder down here today. It's got the baby shark stuff on it and it says Milo on it in gold sharpie. Mrs. Hannah had told me that it would probably be down here.” the woman says, their children apparently knowing each other because they are already talking. Harry was right, he is in Loralies class. Harry turns back to his desk with a smile on his face, “here.” he says, walking back. “I was gonna give it to Mrs. Hannah so he could get it back first thing in the morning.”

She smiles, taking it from his hands. She notes how his hands are rather large and stained in different colors of paint, even a couple of his rings have splatters of paint over them- but they all seem to be to be only for fashion not a wedding ring. “Thank you. And Mrs. Hannah told me what Loralie did today, she's such a sweetheart.” Harry furrows his eyebrows a bit, confused, “oh! Sorry, she sat with him during story time. He's kinda shy so it was really nice of her, she seems to really get him to branch out.” she looks down at her son and smiles seeing him talk to the girl.

“Oh, yeah. Thank you.” Harry smiles, finally letting go of the folder. She smiles, turning away and pulling Milo up on her hip, bidding the both of them a good bye. “Oh, I never caught your name.” Harry says, turning his chin up. She turned her head back smiling, “Y/n.” Harry smiles at her teasing tone, his cheeks turning the lightest shade of pink. “I'm Harry.”

Eventually Harry takes Loralie home, bringing them back to their small home. Harry knows its small, it got two bedrooms- one that isn't even used because Loralie sleeps in his bed with him every night (he's a single parents and he's not taking anyone home- it's just what happens), a small cramped kitchen, only one full bathroom then just a half one in the master bedroom, a normal sized living room, then a small dining room. It's not perfect but it's perfect for them, there are only two people, one man and a mini monster running around.

“Dinner then a bath, my love. You know the drill.” Harry hollers over to Loralie who is laying in the living room and playing with her stuffed animals while paw patrol plays in the background. He pushes over the markers on the table, setting down her plate waiting for her to crawl up and eat what he had prepared for her. She joins him soon, digging into the pesto pasta and fruit he prepared. “So, what was the best part of your day, baby?” Harry asks, smiling at his daughter and setting down his own plate while she sips at her sippy cup.

“Seeing daddy!” she yells, making Harry laugh. He smiles kissing her nose, “My favorite part was seeing you*, munchkin.” He smiles, making her squeal, shoving fruit in her mouth. Harry kisses her hand looking at her in adoration, he's so happy he has his little girl.

“Bubbles, daddy.” Loralie says, collecting the bubbles from her bath into her hand and blowing them. Harry nods, smiling, continuing to lather her hair. “What do you think about Milo, baby?” He asks, not being able to get his mind off of what had happened just before him and Loralie left.

Loralie looks up at him, “Milo?” She asks, her cheeks turning blush from the bath. Harry nods, giving her a warm smile while he cups his hand in front of her forehead to prevent any shampoo getting in her eyes before he starts to wash it out. “Nice.” She says, Harry nodding his head along with her.

Harry wishes he got to know Milo's mother a bit more. She seemed like someone that he would like. She was so sweet and her teasing tone made him even more attracted to her, she was gorgeous, and not to mention he didn't see a ring on her finger. Harry continues her bath, pulling her out and changing her into her pajamas. His mind wanders off a bit, thinking about the pretty woman he met today. He hopes he will see her again and little does he know she hopes she will see him again.

“Let's go to bed, baby.”

tag list: @romionefp @iaalien @hopeyoustaythenight @evanjh if you dont want to be on the tag list for this series please let me know but if you want to be on it please let me know as well !!!

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dwellordream · 3 years

Text

“Peasant dwellings ranged from tiny one-room cottages to high-ceilinged longhouses divided into four or five sections. They were not very solidly constructed - records tell of burglars easily smashing through the flimsy walls. Village houses often had to be rebuilt every thirty to forty years.

In England each house had a yard, or toft, enclosed by a ditch or fence. A family might have storage sheds and other outbuildings in the toft. If the family had chickens, pigs, a cow, or ox, the animals would have pens in the toft and would also graze there. Stretching back from the toft was the croft, a garden of about half an acre. This was where the family raised its vegetables. Some households also grew apple, pear, or cherry trees in the croft.

Often one end of the house had a byre, or barn, attached so that the family’s livestock would be safe and sheltered during the winter. (The animals’ body heat also helped keep the human residents of the house warm.) The other end might be partitioned off to form a storeroom.

The house’s dirt floors were strewn with rushes, straw, or, on special occasions, herbs and wildflowers. Usually there were only a few windows, which had shutters but no glass. In a typical longhouse there was a central hearth, where a fire burned all day long. A pot of porridge or pottage, a thick hearty stew, usually could be found simmering over it. Since there was often no real chimney, the inside of the house was not only dim, but also smoky.

Most families had little furniture. They ate meals a trestle table - a board laid over supports - which was taken down every night. They sat on stools or benches. Instead of beds, most peasants slept on thin, straw-filled mattresses on the floor, sometimes in a loft at one end of the hall. Wooden chests were used to store blankets and clothes.

There was no bathroom, and no indoor plumbing at all. Usually one or two wells served the entire village. Women and children had to fetch water from the well every day. Like most medieval Europeans, peasants bathed very rarely. When they did, their bathtub was a barrel with the top removed. Family members washed up one after the other, all using the same water. For other bathroom needs, most people simply went ‘a bowshot away’ from the house, although some families dug a ;latrine trench in the yard.”

- Kathryn Hinds, Life in the Middle Ages: The Countryside

#medieval #history #kathryn hinds #peasants

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glazelilyy · 3 years

Note

this picture + albedo pleaseee and congrats on your 500 <3

the picture:

𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓 - 𝐚 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢

pairing - albedo x gender neutral reader (modern au!)

genre - fluff

word count - 471

a/n - hihi anon!! ty for the congrats :D this photo just...captures albedo's essence so well, i absolutely adore it :)

content under the cut!

"why the hell does victorian literature have to be so damn complicated?!" though irritation laced your fatigued voice, it only came out in a hiss of a whisper rather than an elongated groan like you'd normally do.

you tossed aside your hardcover copy of jane eyre and huffed as quietly as you could into your arms. screw the syllabus, you just wanted to sleep.

albedo gently laughed from the seat beside you, his slender fingers came to wrap around the book you'd tossed onto the dark, wooden table.

"maybe we should take a break perhaps? it seems we won't accomplish much if you're not up to working." from your place slumped over on the desk with your face buried in your folded arms, you felt the gentle, hesitant strokes of albedo's palm brush against the top of your head.

"a break sounds absolutely fantastic, if i have to read one more line i think my brain might implode."

you hadn't registered the feeling of albedo's momentary absence from the table, too absorbed in your fatigue. it wasn't until you stretched your hand out seeking his warmth that you realized he was missing.

"bedo?" you groggily whispered, trying your best to adhere to the library's rules.

"i'm right here, apologies i should've informed you that i left for a moment." his palm slipped itself to hold your burning cheek, warm from being nestled in your arms.

"s'okay, where'd you go?"

albedo perched himself on the edge of the wooden stool and held up a brightly colored, laminated book. "i was looking for this," you snorted, grabbing the book from his hands and inspecting it.

it was a typical children's book with some animals depicted on the front and the words "learning about animals!" marked on the front in big, blocky, multicolored letters. "why were you looking for this?" the edges of your lips tweaked upwards.

"i read this to klee when she's tired, it sends her right to sleep." albedo gently retrieved the book from your curious grip and scooted over to sit on your bench.

you didn't fight against the yawn that escaped your lips as you settled your head on his cotton covered shoulder, using your free arms to wrap around his bicep.

"anything's better than jane eyre." you sleepily mumbled against his shirt and watched as he opened the first page revealing a colorful flurry of animals and big, easy words.

surrounded by piles of classic novels, you let the world fall away as albedo's voice read to you about how orange a tiger was or how soft a panda bear's fur felt and fell into that steady, warm lull of sleep. he paused midway and you feel the press of a kiss against your temple just as you begin to drift off, followed by a quiet "sweet dreams".

#500 event.a photo of you and i #albedo #albedo x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact fluff #genshin impact x reader

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nestasgalpal · 3 years

Text

Dad’s birthday

Nessian month - Prompt: what did I do to deserve you?

Domestic Fluff || Words: 1,667 || A03 link

Tagging: it’s not the full life of Nessian kids, but it’s what I’ve got so far!! @imsointobooks @irenethaleia @bookstantrash @saltydreamcollector @azrielsgirl @gwynrielsupremacist @arinbelle @silvernesta @dustjacketmusings @vanserrasvalkyrie @darkshadowqueensrule

Cassian was still asleep, but they should hurry up anyway.

Nesta hated waking up early, yet she had gotten out of bed, rushed to the kids’ rooms and made sure they were all prepared to finish up every detail for Cassian’s good-morning surprise before he woke up. And Cassian loved waking up early.

“Bregan, please, make sure your sister doesn’t fall.”

Nesta didn’t look up from the cake or the chocolate ganache she was spilling over it, but through the corner of her eye she could tell her oldest son was falling asleep once again in the opposite side of the kitchen island. Nesta marked with a pinch of pride how gracefully Bregan was keeping his equilibrium on the stool while one of his hands prevented his sister from falling down.

The baby, in the other hand, was playfully shaking a stuffed animal, perfectly awake. Olympia swayed mimicking its movement, clapping her hands off-rhythm.

“Are you sure you don’t need help with that, mom?” Bregan’s eyes were only half open. Just like Nesta, he hated being awakened so early in the morning. He and his brother had spent the day before hiking with Cassian to bring their father to the point of exhaustion and buy themselves some more time today to bake the birthday cake.

Of course, the hours walking through valleys had had their toll on them as well. Her sons weren’t trained soldiers, but barely teenagers, and the promise of unlimited chocolate today was probably the only thing that made them get out of bed so early.

Nesta considered waiting until she was done with the cake to wake them up, but she needed help watching the girls while she cooked. Also, she knew Bregan good enough to anticipate he would need time to wake. They were the same in that sense.

“Yes honey, just watch Oly for me while I finish this.” They had to whisper so Cassian didn’t hear the three of them in the kitchen from their bedroom on the floor above.

Bregan’s hair was a mess of dark brown strands. Nesta frowned. He was 16 now, he should know to brush his hair or at least be a little more tidy for his father’s birthday. It didn’t matter that all of them were wearing their pajamas... on the contrary, it made the appearance of their hair all more crucial.

Stretching over the cake in dangerous balance, she tried to make it better with her hand.

“Mom!” He complained. His sleepy voice made a rooster, to which Olympia answered with a laugh. That sound was music to Nesta’s ears, and it inevitably made her go soft. Maybe Bregan’s hair was okay, and not everything had to be oh so perfect.

The babe was entertained enough to not fall back asleep. She was probably the only one in the house who could say that.

Taking her out of her cradle had been so hard. Olympia’s big hazel eyes looked back at her not understanding why her mom was making her get up so early in the morning, the sky was still pitch black. She was 4 now, so Nesta wouldn’t blame her if she burst into tears because of her tiredness. Or the cold, since they were in the middle of the winter in their small house in the Illyrian Mountains.

But her children were tough.

Nesta didn’t know what she had done to deserve such blessing, but just like Bregan when he was her age, the babe hardly ever cried. A miracle, considering how loud the other two were at that age.

Loud steps approaching halted her movements. After making sure who the two sets of feet belonged to, she resumed her last task with the spatula.

“No!” Nicolas stopped Ashra’s mouth from crashing against the bottom layer of the cake when it was barely five inches away from it. She was the perfect height for her mouth to reach just above the kitchen island, and at the same time small enough to fit under Nesta’s arms and not be seen.

Luckily, Nicolas had better reflexes than his mother did, or Cassian’s cake would be crumbling down on her blondish short hair.

Ashra only laughed and flapped her wings to force her older brother to free her from his grip. Nicholas did, growling softly when she stepped on his feet as part of her landing and run away to hide under Nesta’s skirts. Nicolas kissed his mom’s cheek and went for a stool by his brother’s side.”Mornin’ mom. How long until it’s ready?”

“Can I have some cake?” Ashra interrupted, showing her mom a broad white smile that promised trouble.

“Once dad has blown the candles and opened his presents,” she answered with patience.

Ashra wasn’t like her siblings, she had the Archeron dark blonde hair and Nesta’s blue eyes. Unfortunately for Nesta, the only child who resembled her at all had inherited her father’s tendency for chaos and didn’t care as much for ladylike interests as she did for shiny daggers and colourful siphons. She also had Cassian’s beautiful smile to brighten up her mother’s morning. And his mother’s name.

“Can I have the first slice, then?”

Nesta squat down and kissed Ashra’s forehead, stroking her unbound hair -just as tangled as Bregan’s.

“You must ask dad for that” Nesta answered, knowing Cassian would gladly give his daughter the entire cake if she simply smiled at him. She would as well, hadn’t she woken up so early to bake it. “Nico, do you have the presents with you?”

The 15 year old boy nodded. His face on his hand, elbow on the counter holding the weight of his head. The hiking sure did wear them down. Knowing this, the boys had finished their hand-made present to Cassian weeks in advance without Nesta having to tell them, eager to contribute to the birthday surprise.

That had given Nesta time with the girls to prepare everything else and explain to Ashra what exactly they were going to do.

“Can I carry the boxes?” She was asking now.

“Some of them are heavy, Ash” Bregan got up from his stool and took the cake from Nesta’s hands when she finished garnishing it, winking at her. He was perfectly awake all of a sudden and a cocky grin adorned his face, “I got this!” He went for the stairs before she had time to respond.

Usually, Nesta wouldn’t trust him with a chocolate cake, but Olympia was still sitting on the kitchen island with the stuffed animal between her hands, looking at her mom, curious eyes inspecting her surroundings and not quite getting it. Her black hair was perfectly braided. Once again, she was the only one who could say so. Nesta hadn’t had time even for her own head of hair, which had been simply brushed.

Nesta lifted Oly and made her way to the staircase passing her eldest son. “Nico, give Ash one of the packages, please.”

He rolled his eyes, but did. The blond girl run to her mom and took her hand to climb up the stairs, the box in her other side. Whilst Bregan grew more and more extroverted and adventurous as time went by, Nicolas’ new-found teenage personality consisted on pretending he was already an adult that couldn’t be bothered with childish whims. It would be a lot more believable if it also translated to the mischief he, Bregan and their friends in Illyria frequently found themselves into. That trouble-making gene run through all her kids’ veins, no matter how quiet or loud they were.

With black hair and hazel eyes, he was the one who resembled Cassian the most. Although the gesture he made when he was exasperated and rolled his eyes was purely Nesta's.

She turned to face the boys when the five of them got to the door of their bedroom and urged them to be quiet. Ashra gave little jumps of excitement, the old wooden floors crackling under her light weight. She was the one to knock on the door and open it before she could hear any answer coming from Cassian inside.

As Ashra opened the door, Nesta could tell Bregan was trying his best not to be seen dipping one finger on the ganache.

Truth was, none of the kids did what they were told as the three of them launched themselves over the sleeping figure of their father in bed.

“Bregan, the cake!” she screamed in a whisper. The oldest Archeron kid had the decency to stop his running and placing it without any care over the bedside table.

“Happy birthday, dad!” The three of them screamed.

“Happy birthday” Olympia murmured slightly behind. The poor thing could barely keep her eyelids open. She made her way to the side of the bed, placing Oly by her side.

Cassian lazily maneuvered to catch Ashra before her knee landed on his sternum, her flight needing lots of practice. His wings were spread, stopping him from noticing Nico launching himself over both of them in bed and joining the hug, quickly followed by Bregan.

Nesta couldn’t stop the broad smile that filled her face as her entire family sited up in bed, the five people she loved the most in the world showing affection to one another so freely.

A strong tattooed arm found its way to her and pulled, so Nesta’s own body was against her mate’s chest. Cassian wrapped her in his arms, kissing her deeply. “Happy birthday” she whispered, their lips stil touching.

“Good morning” he answered, pressing his forehead to hers. “Come here, monkey” Cassian took his youngest daughter from her mother’s arms with one hand, not letting Nesta go.

Feeling the warmth of his body against hers on that cold morning, the chocolate cake forgotten by everyone except hungry Ashra, Nesta heard Cassian reading her thoughts aloud “What did I do to deserve you?”, and knew she had gotten from life more than she could have ever dreamed of.

#nessian #nessian month #nessian fanfic #nessian fanfiction #nessian fic #nessian fluff #domestic nessian #nessian headcanon #nesta #nesta archeron #nesta x cassian #cassian x nesta #cassian acotar #cassian #nessian kids

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shannygoatgruff · 4 years

Text

Engendered

Genre: Pain and grief

Story Type: One-shot

Rating: M+18

Summary: Lagertha’s grief causes her to make a decision that may change things forever.

A/N: I know it’s been a minute since I’ve posted anything. Truth is, I’ve hated everything I’ve done lately. But, I had a dream about this and just decided to write it. For some reason, I find writing internal conflict to be so much easier than fluff.

As always thanks to @xbellaxcarolinax for being my beta reader.

Engendered

en·gen·dered / ənˈjendər·ed / - verb; (of a father) beget (offspring).

“Be careful, Shieldmaiden Lagertha, Once Queen of Kattegat. Wishes granted by the gods are not always what we, in Midgard, seek.”

When the Seer had spoken those words all those many years ago, she had thought the old man crazy. Truth be told, the entire village thought him crazy, but none would admit it. He, with his blackened lips, fleshed-out eyes, and collection of potions and poultices that cluttered the small hut in the side of the hill that could scarcely be called a home. This hovel, with its animal bones hanging from the scaffolding like ornaments was hardly a dwelling fit for a pig, yet they had always flocked there to see him.

She was no different from the rest of those who sought his visions. She needed him to tell her what the gods had in store, no matter the cost. The Seer’s readings were often so cryptic, they hardly could pass as law. Other than pondering the true meaning behind his words the price to pay for his company was relatively small.

What harm could come from licking his palm? Possibly the same harm that could come from enacting a ritual for the goddess many years past?

Lagertha should have known better than to be so trusting, especially when galdr was involved. Nothing good had ever come from witchcraft, even if it was blessed by Freya, herself. She hadn’t been in her right mind. She was hurting and she needed him to hurt just as much.

When the new Queen of Kattegat had her first child, a son called Ubbe, Ragnar was overjoyed, and it crushed her even more.

She remembered seeing that sparkle in his eyes when their children were born. At Bjorn’s birth, the women of Frigga who had assisted with his delivery commented how beautiful he was and was destined to be a great warrior. When Gyda arrived, Ragnar announced that the goddess, herself, would be jealous of their daughter’s beauty.

How proud both she and Ragnar had been.

Both times Lagertha had seen Ragnar’s eyes shine like the stars in Asgard. How she had looked forward to seeing that twinkle in those crystal blue eyes again with the birth of their third child.

Their son, the boy that she would call Eluf, though he would never live to hear himself be called that name, looked so much like Bjorn.

Eluf came too early.

He proved to be the one thing their union could not overcome. His death would not make Ragnar stay.

That is why she called him Eluf, if only in the confines of her heart. For he would always be her eternal heir, even if his father had forgotten the promises he made to his family.

She tried to keep their family together. Oh, how she tried. The queen of Kattegat tried to save her marriage, much like she tried to save her stillborn son. She prayed to Freya and Frigga for strength and protection. She held onto everything she loved as tightly as she possibly could, suffocating Ragnar with her love with the same strength she used to clench her thighs together to ensure her precious Eluf stayed inside of her.

But her grasp weakened and as he drew closer to Midgard, he tore her apart from the inside out.

How much like his father the boy had been.

Just as her precious son had pulled away from her, so had his father. Ragnar’s growing obsession with England made the promises of returning to the simple farm life they once shared a fantasy. How could a homestead with children ever again be enough for a man with such ambitions?

Lagertha would swear that she could feel pieces of him tearing away from her every day. It was that tenacity that forbade him from being by her side when she needed him most.

Secretly, she hated him for it.

Ragnar’s prophecy was told to him at their marriage that he would have many great sons. It was the idea of building such a home that kept them so in love and happy in their lives past. Lagertha had always assumed that she would be the bearer of those sons; the gods already blessing them with Bjorn.

Never once did she imagine that she would have to endure the heartache of seeing Ragnar’s eyes dance with such pride over his sons born to another woman.

Witnessing the birth of his first son born to a new wife was devastating, but then came another and another. With every healthy birth of Queen Aslaug, more of her died inside.

Why should this interloper take everything that was rightfully hers?

This woman, this völva, had traveled to the former queen’s home and prospered from her pain. Lagertha had loved Ragnar from the very beginning, when they had nothing, were nothing. She had encouraged him, fought with him through his rise to power - buried two of his children, all to be replaced by this ... despot?

What right did they have to be happy? What right did Aslaug’s sons have to live when her beloved Eluf did not? The gods could not possibly be this cruel.

It was her grief that made her do it - always going to the mound of earth in which her beloved Gyda and Eluf lay, desperately trying to make soft flowers grow in the frozen earth that covered their bones. No matter the strength of the frozen wind that whipped through the valley in the winter, or the smell of rotting wood from docked ships that rose from the lake in the spring, she was there, knelt at their marker whispering to her children.

Lagertha just wanted a sign - some signal that the Valkyrie had taken their souls to Odin and been permitted to enter Valhalla on the merits of their ancestors.

That’s how she knew that Freya had answered her prayers when the sedir had come to her at dusk that day. The rain had finally slowed, producing only a light drizzle and the smell of the earth was fresh. The soil that she had been running her hands over for hours, weeping and speaking to her children was soft in her hands.

The hand on her shoulder was gentle and the voice in her ear was almost a whisper. She sounded like Freya, herself. The woman told her that Gyda was safe and was now enlisted as a Valkyrie.

The witch with the voice of a goddess also told Lagertha of a way to see her son again and get revenge on those who scorned her. For so many years she had prayed for this. She had asked, no begged the gods for help in mending her broken heart and here Freya was answering her prayers.

All she had to do was open the earth and remove the blood-stained rag of Eluf’s.

She also needed to retrieve a strand of hair of Aslaug, who was again with a child, sure to be Ragnar’s fourth son with this trespasser. Once she had those items, she was to burn them in an open flame and the goddess would do the rest.

It could not have been more simple. The ground was already soft enough for digging and though it would break her heart to disturb the resting places of her babies, she would do it. If it would make the pain stop, she would do anything. Including being cordial with the queen and wishing her well on her fourth child. Sitting at the table with her and enjoying a meal, getting close enough to her to hug her and take a hair, would be easy. It would please Ragnar to see his two loves befriending each other. Lagertha could play that part.

And as the open flames grew hotter and the items were dropped inside, Lagertha closed her eyes and begged Freya to heed her prayers.

That is when Queen Aslaug doubled over in pain, knowing that this pregnancy was unlike any other she had experienced.

********

“I understand everything perfectly. I want revenge.”

She had thought she saw glimpses of familiarity in his eyes before, but it was so fleeting that she dismissed it. Since the ritual in the woods, Lagertha hardly ever thought about Ragnar and his queen or his tribe of boys. Her son, Bjorn Ironside, had proven himself a mighty warrior, and she too had grown in reputation. She had taken over Hedeby. With so much to celebrate, she hardly had time to ponder on the absent Ragnar or his drunkard wife.

Admittedly, there was a tiny bit of guilt when the youngest boy, Ivar, was born with twisted limbs. Lagertha knew how disappointed Ragnar had been knowing that he could never truly be Viking. The shame that must have put on his head. The same type of shame he should have felt for abandoning his first family.

And the pain the queen had to deal with having a child that needed so much. Lagertha was sure it hardly matched the pain that she felt at losing not one but two children by the same man that she now called husband. Let alone not having that same husband not be there for the death of either of them.

The goddess had fulfilled her promise, no matter what the Seer warned.

Yet, there was something not quite right about the fourth boy. He had a dark presence - a brooding about him. Always sheltered, but always in pain. Not just physical pain, there was a pain behind his eyes. Lagertha saw it in the few interactions she’d had with him.

It was not until that day that he slid across the floor of the Great Hall with all in attendance, while Queen Lagertha addressed her subjects, did she fully understand.

Each time his knives stabbed into the wooden floor and he slid closer to her, his eyes became clearer. She had seen those eyes before. Not Ivar’s eyes, or even Ragnar’s, but someone else’s - an acquaintanceship with something behind them.

The boy, Ivar, perched himself on a stool and glared at her with such hatred.

Eluf?

She stepped down.

Eluf?

She stepped down from her throne.

Eluf?

She stepped down from her throne and tried to speak calmly.

Eluf?

She stepped down from her throne and tried to speak calmly, placing her hand on Ivar’s shoulder as if to touch her son through him.

How was it that her son inhabited this boy’s body? Why was he speaking to her in such hateful tones? The words seeking revenge for the death of Aslaug were not Ivar’s, they were Eluf’s. She could tell by the cold, dead tone behind his eyes.

She had seen it before. The quick flashes she thought she recognized between the vibrant deep blue of Ivar’s, to the murky pools buried deep within. Had those been the eyes of Eluf staring at her all that time?

Surely, her baby boy wasn’t telling her that he wanted to kill her?

But he was. He did all the time.

Eluf, her sweet baby, who never drew his own breath, breathed deeply through Ivar Ragnarsson. He wreaked havoc wherever he went. He was masterful and spiteful. He was brilliant and cruel. He was beautiful and destructive.

Eluf brought about pain and death.

This was not what the goddess promised. This was not what was supposed to happen. Ragnar was supposed to suffer the way that she suffered, she had not meant to suffer the whole world. Never did Lagertha mean to raise her boy from his peaceful death and reanimate him into the destroyer of Kattegat.

Watching the flames lick the rooftops of the home just outside of the center of Kattegat, Lagertha could smell the rotting stench of the dead lying in the street, mixed with the burning tar and charred remains of her fellow countrymen. She thought back to how the Seer had warned her.

Was that truly Freya that had spoken to her years ago, or Loki? What right did she have to ask the gods for revenge? She should have not interfered; just let them do their work with Ragnar’s fate.

All of this was her fault. All of this death was her fault.

And to know that she would meet her death at the hands of one of his sons. But which one: Bjorn, Ubbe, Hvitserk, Ivar or Eluf?

Oh Odin, what had she done?

******

“You are a god.”

Legs dangling off of the back of the cart, Ivar watched as Kattegat grew smaller in the distance.

The inexplicable anger in him had been sated for now. That inner voice, the one that made his heart pump faster and his jaw clench seemed to be at peace. He could rest; if only for a moment, he could rest.

He knew this would not be the last time he saw his home, just like he knew no one would ever doubt him again.

Maybe this time, with the voice silenced he could find happiness. He thought he had found it with Freydis, but the voice grew louder than her most days. In the end, the voice was right. She was just like the rest, an obstacle in his way to greatness. She needed to be quieted.

She had been right about one thing, he was a god. Not in the traditional sense, he now understood that. He had been engendered by the gods. Created by the seed of his father, in the womb of his mother and fused with Hel’s knowledge provided by his brother.

He would go on to do many great things. Kattegat was just the beginning.

The world would never forget Ivar the Boneless.

His brother would always ensure that he would be ruthless.

Fin.

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