#coordinating it with other people's busy schedules?

[mirananananan]

little life update/rant below :)

i feel like i've been so inactive lately which makes me big sad, but when i say i have not had the time, i'm being so serious. yesterday i literally woke up, went into work an hour early, stayed after for almost 2 hours, went home, made dinner, and immediately sat down to work on a grad school assignment and then had to work for another hour before i went to bed. then i woke up this morning and did it all again. it just feels like that's how my days look more and more recently, and it's been really hard tbh. it's demoralizing and just sad to work all day and still wake up the next day wishing i had done more, still with a mile long to do list, and knowing that it's just going to keep being this way for at least the next couple weeks.

anyways all of this is to say that i'm just both really grateful for and sorry to all my mutuals who have continued to tag me in things and stuff in the past couple weeks :) it may sound weird or dumb, but if i'm being honest i have SERIOUS fandom fomo right now, and, even though i haven't really had time recently, it's been nice to not feel like lost in the shuffle or forgotten (i told u it was going to sound weird).

being on tumblr/in fandom has truly been the most incredible escape and been such a stress relief and source of happiness for me. i'm still very much here, just lurking and liking more because i'm conserving brain bandwidth as much as possible during the week!!!!

[doublesidedgemini]

Part of the reason I started crying more was bc I was trying to plan a hang out with my bf but he texted me back and said he has to do this and that and this today

And then he sent another text and said I can text him when I’m ready and he’ll let me know what he’s up to and then I can decide if I want to come over

Yesterday he said something similar, “I’m welcome to come over if i want…”

At least today he texted me that he’s sorry he’s been so short on time BUT then he followed it up with “but I HAVE to do these things”

Which like I get it he’s extremely busy rn. But I texted him at the beginning of the weekend I had a lot of work to do as well if he wanted to be work buddies this weekend — didn’t acknowledge that. Then never texted me beforehand trying to set up time for us to work together, it’s always been a “I’m doing xyz and you can tag along if you want”

I told him he can just do what he needs to do today, which is what I told him yesterday. I haven’t seen him since last Saturday. This is the first week since we’ve started dating where I haven’t seen him and it feels really terribly bad :(

[cordeliawhohung]

i'm thinking about soap as a professor.

he teaches chemistry, and all his students are fighting to get his class on their schedule for the semester because he's the only one who is competent enough to teach it understandably and make it fun. there's a rumor that floats around campus every now and then that he was in the SAS; how else would he get those scars? most people ignore it and consider it an experiment gone wrong, that's why he's got that mark on his chin.

and then there's you, the sweet grade school teacher who's bringing in the little tykes on a field trip. the university science department has put together a whole program for them, teaching them to create fake volcanoes and making elephant toothpaste. as for Professor MacTavish, he finds himself tripping over his words in front of the group of kids. it's hard not to when he sees the sheen of your legs peeking out from the skirt of your sun dress.

he's always trying to coordinate projects with you after that. don't worry about getting the whole department involved, he can figure something out on his own. cancel one of his friday classes and drop by your classroom to build bottle rockets and set them off on the playground. then he starts insisting that the two of you meet in person to talk about the next presentation. his office should be plenty fine. bit more private that way; no annoying parents to interrupt his alone time with you.

nothing gets done. he's too busy lifting your skirt past your hips and devouring your cunt for you to say anything other than his name. you taste just as sweet as you look.

he makes sure the kids are calling you Mrs. MacTavish by the start of the next school year.

[b0r3dtod3ath]

hi!!! could i pls req alex x reader,, where the reader is a model and dating alex but the other drivers (besides george&logan) don’t know. so when she comes to a race and is in the williams garage,, all the drivers are hitting on her and trying to get w her but when they try to get alex’s help, he tells them she’s his gf but they don’t believe him until someone walks in on them or smth idk take whatever creative liberties u want!! thankuu <3

warnings: fem!reader; mention of a razor (shaving); 

a/n: omg i love this request! i had so much fun writing it. i also included a kinda vice-versa situation where the reader brings alex to work. i hope you like it!

word count: 1.5k

You and Alex have been dating for a few months now and with your hectic schedules you made most out of your time together. That often involves spending time even if one person is busy and the other is free. One time he accompanied you during a fashion week. Not only to spend time with you but also to truly understand your work and the world you live in.

One thing Alex hadn’t expected was that the week was packed with an enormous amount of events. He didn’t mind it as you took him everywhere and he got to see you backstage as well as on the runway. He loved to see you interact with your friends and co-workers and he was more than happy each time you introduced him as your boyfriend. 

As he exited the bathroom of your hotel room his eyes witnessed a heart squeezing scene. You were sprawled out on the bed with your eyes closed, tired after a particularly harsh day of fittings, rehearsals and shows. You weren’t sleeping, he could see it. "Hey, you okay?" he asked softly, kneeling beside you. You nodded weakly, "Just tired. I need to shave my legs for tomorrow. Give me a moment and I will stand up”. Alex hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath "I'll do it”. You quickly opened your eyes, looking at him with a surprised face "You don't have to, just give me a moment”. “I want to,” he said and carried you to the bathroom where he sat you at the edge of the bathtub. He grabbed your razor and a can of shaving cream. You admired him as he focused-working slowly, with his hands steady, ensuring he didn't miss a spot or hurt you. As he rinsed the razor under the warm water, Alex felt an appreciation for the small, often overlooked tasks that were a part of your job. "You're amazing, you know that?" he said, looking up at you with eyes full of affection. You smiled back with gratitude. "Thank you, Alex. It means a lot”.

“Okay, we are going to the Versace show. When we get there, I immediately need to go to the restroom and wash all of this hair gel off.” you said looking at your calendar. You two sat at the backseat of a cab. “You know, If they put something like this on you they should also bother to take it off.” he said and gently knocked on the hard shell on your head, causing you to giggle. 

The small restroom was crowded, but you managed to find a spot by the sink. You rolled up your sleeves and turned on the faucet, testing the temperature with your fingers. Just as you bent over to wet your hair, Alex appeared next to you after dropping off your things and letting the coordinator know where you were. He helped you get the shampoo in more hard to reach spots, his fingers massaging your scalp with a tenderness that made your heart swell. Rinsing out the shampoo, Alex made sure every bit of gel was gone. He then squeezed out the excess water and grabbed a towel he had found earlier. “Thank you” you kissed him on the cheek, grabbed his hand and headed towards the makeup station. You loved how he was trying to make a conversation with people that worked around you. He was asking various questions and cracking jokes with the makeup artists. “You have to stop. You're making her giggle, her concealer will crease” one of them said laughing at something he had said. 

After the show, just as you were about to leave, your friend Airdropped you a few pictures. You and Alex washing your hair in the sink, Alex making everyone around laugh and him admiring you as you walked down the runway. The message had a little note as well: Don’t worry. I won’t send it anywhere. I thought you two would like these : )

On the plane on your way back, you two were exhausted but happy. Alex looked at you, his heart swelling with pride. “You know,” he began, his serious tone capturing your attention. “I have always respected what you do, but seeing it up close, every detail, the good and the bad… I have a whole new level of admiration for you”. You leaned against him, feeling the warmth of his body in contrast to the cold, dry air. “It’s not always glamorous,” you admitted “But having you here, helping me through it... it means everything”. He wrapped his arm around you, pulling you even closer. “You’re incredible, Love. And I’ll always be here to support you”. You let out a satisfied hum. “So.. When will you take me to your work?” you asked, smiling from ear to ear. 

The sun shone brightly over the Silverstone Circuit, where the roar of engines and the smell of burning rubber filled the air. You arrived early, your presence immediately turning heads. You had a simple but nice outfit styled with a pair of sunglasses and some jewelry. Entering through the gates you see a text from Alex saying that he is busy with a meeting for a few minutes longer than expected and asking if you are fine walking by yourself. Don’t worry, I’m gonna manage. If I need help I will text you, you replied and headed towards him. You took your time walking there, you looked around a bit and observed the preparations for the race. As you made your way to the Williams garage, the other drivers couldn't help but notice you. Lando and Carlos were the first to approach you, their curiosity piqued. “Hey there, I’m Lando” they appeared out of nowhere, causing you to chuckle. “Nice to meet you, I’m Y/N” you introduced yourself. "Are you new here?" Carlos asked, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Sort of," you replied with a playful smile. "I'm here to support a friend”. "Well, if you need a tour or anything, feel free to ask us," Lando offered, his smile genuine. As the two of them tried to impress you with their charm, you couldn't help but to find it incredibly funny. They had no idea you were already taken. You excused herself politely, heading towards the Williams garage where Alex was busy with pre-race preparations. 

As you were entering you noticed two familiar faces. “Hi! Great to finally see you here!” said George and offered you a greeting hug. “Hi, boys. Haven’t seen you in a while” you say as you pull Logan into a hug "Alex will be thrilled you're here” he says. As the three of you chatted, the two other drivers continued to hover around the garage, trying to piece together who were you here for. 

Finally, you made eye contact with Alex from across the garage. A wide grin spread across his face as he made his way over to you, wrapping his arms around you in a tight embrace. "Hey, you," he murmured. "Hey, yourself," you replied, smiling up at him. Lando and Carlos exchanged glances, feeling even more confused than before and walked up to you. "Ah, Alex! We were just looking for your lovely friend” Carlos said, grinning. Alex chuckled, slipping a hand around your waist in an almost possessive way “Well, I hope you didn’t scare my girlfriend because you two look suspicious”. The drivers looked stunned, their eyes widening. “Wait, girlfriend?” Carlos glanced between you and Alex as if he couldn’t believe it. Lando laughed “Nice one, mate. You almost had us there”. Alex shrugged, unbothered "Believe what you want," he said before heading off to continue his preparations.

The drivers resumed their attempts to impress you, completely ignoring Alex's statement. You found the whole situation hilarious, but you knew it was only a matter of time before they realized the truth.

Later, as the beginning of the race was getting closer and closer, you slipped away to find Alex. You wanted to wish him good luck. "Hey, beautiful," he said, pulling you into an affectionate kiss that you returned with even more passion as your hands found his hair and gently tugged on it. His hands made their way down your back. Just as you were about to break the kiss, Carlos walked in, catching the sight of the intimate moment. He froze, his eyes widening in surprise, and he quickly turned on his heel, desperate to find Lando. 

"Guys, you won't believe this," Carlos said, fully convinced "Alex wasn’t joking. She is really his girlfriend! They're definitely together.". “No shit, genius,” George whispered. Lando barely believed it but with a dose of details from his friends he erupted in laughter, finally accepting the truth. 

After the race Lando made his way to Alex. “Congrats”. He thought he was referring to him finishing in points. “She’s way out of your league, I don’t know how you managed to convince her”. The Brit patted his friend’s back and walked away. “Hey! What was that supposed to mean?”. 

June 17, 2024

[zyonsay]

Js came back from a mental health break to see ZYON REQS OPEN !!! How about a Loscar x male reader smut? I don't know if you write for Logan Sargeant since you don't have him in your list so— 😭 if not you can change the driver to Lando I don't mind, but the three of them are drunk and playing drunk truth or dare and things take a turn - 🔥

I dare you LN4&OP81

Fem aligned people may read but not f3tishize my work!!

Summary: A game of truth or dare between you, Lando and Oscar takes a turn...

Reader: Male

Warnings: Suggestive, NSFW, Dude-bro language, Horsegirl-ified reader because i said so

Now playing: 'Runway Walk' by Demrick

AN: Hey there! i FINALLY finished this and icl, not my best work. BUT i hope y'all can still enjoy this!

Loud chants echoed through the dimly lit bar. Your team members had picked you up and were now parading you around. The bar only had limited access to your equipe of elite show riders, a few close associates along with other familiar faces. Apparently, it was your lucky day, because your best friend finally had time to celebrate one of your many wins with you. Lando and yourself had been friends since diaper times and stuck together ever since. Even though you both were inseparable, your careers were demanding and didn’t offer you much time to hang out. He was now a rising F1 star, and you fought your way into prestigious show arenas, your schedules were now filled with training, media appointments and various other events. But, whenever you did find time to catch up, you always had a good time together. Not so recently he had introduced you to his teammate, and “friend”, Oscar. He’s a sweet guy, his smile felt like a little piece of sunshine and the swoop in his hair reminded you of gentle waves in the ocean. The chemistry between Lando and Oscar was kind of obvious, but you didn’t want to assume anything. That was until Lando had drunkenly admitted to his situationship.

The loud music boomed trough the doors as you stumbled out into the cold night air. Coordinating your wobbly legs while giggling uncontrollably was difficult. Very difficult. Lando had noticed your struggles and wrapped an arm around your waist while dragging you to the nearest bench. Maybe if you were sat, you wouldn’t fall on your face. A soft breeze blew trough the city and a slight shiver ran down your spine. It wasn’t actually cold, just refreshing enough. Lando had also sat down by now and leaned his head back while closing his eyes. Your gaze flickered to him, the street lanterns painted the contours of his face in orange hues. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the poetic mood you’ve found yourself in, but now felt like the right time to tell him how you feel. You’ve always loved him, but you were also scared of telling him, or anyone for that matter. Besides. You two had very busy lives and barely got to see each other, so how would a relationship work out? But now wasn’t the time to worry about that. Not when he was looking so beautiful. How do you say this? How do you confess your feelings without sounding like an absolute idiot. Gathering all your courage, your lips parted, and the first word was ready to leave them. “Y/n. I gotta tell you something.”, his eyes were still closed, and his head was still leant back. A frustrated sigh fell from his figure, and he shifted his seat. Now he was looking at you, God, those beautiful eyes. They were so sincere and looked like a fresh margarita at the beach. “I- “, his gaze avoided your own for a second before his eyes darted up to yours again. “I think I might be into men. Like in a gay way.” That was the most bro-dude way to say that, but it sure suits him. A small smile crept onto your face. “Thanks for trusting me.”, you grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Coming out to anyone is difficult, especially when you can’t predict how they’ll react. This was worth a lot to you.

“…and I sort of have a thing going right now,” Shit. SHIT. What? If it is some random dude, you swore to yourself that- “with Oscar.” Your brain must’ve short circuited right then and there. Your expression must’ve given your shock away, because Lando looked really worried all of a sudden. “…you okay mate?”, his eyebrows knit together in confusion. Quickly, you need to react, otherwise he’ll think you’re a weirdo. “Yeah, totally.”, you gulped, “I just didn’t expect you to start something with your teammate.” Absently, he scratched his arm. “Yeah, i gotta be careful. You know, with PR and stuff.”

Obviously, Oscar is also attending the afterparty. As much as you wanted to dislike him for getting together with your crush, he was so nice that you’d feel like an asshole. As sour as the taste in your mouth was, you were happy for them. They seem to fit together really well, and you couldn’t be mad because your best friend’s relationship is working out, that’s just rude. Nevertheless, the little touches they shared filled you with jealousy. Suddenly, you felt a hand on your shoulder. “Just so you know, I have your favorite white with me. In case you wanna celebrate some more later.”, you could basically hear the smug smile in Lando’s voice. Tempting. Maybe you weren’t feeling so sour after all.

Without much care, you left your shoes somewhere in the hallway, while leading Oscar and Lando towards the balcony. Usually when you were travelling around for competitons, you’d rent a hotel room, since there wasn’t really any point in staying longer than you had to. But for the finale of your season, you wanted to enjoy the beautiful city, before departing again. While your Horse was being flown back to your home country, you decided to rent a holiday home. It was relatively close to the coast, so you’d hear the lively waves when opening the windows. Your thoughts were cut short by the sound of shuffling cards. More specifically, a deck of UNO cards. Wait what. Why was he shuffling an UNO deck? Where did he even get that from?

“Nah dude, put that back down.” Lando slurred while lazily swatting Oscars hands away. Disgruntled, but indifferent enough, Oscar put the deck of cards back down. “Wild idea: lets revert back to seventh grade and play truth or dare.”, Lando’s face lit up at that. In his mind, he was already going trough all the evil dares he could make you guys do. “We’re literal adults.”, Oscar deadpanned. For a moment, it looked like Lando was thinking about something. “Well, let’s make things more interesting. Every time you pick truth or won’t do the dare, you take off one clothing piece.” He held up one finger, so it was clear that you wouldn’t be stripping completely naked in seconds. That’s an awfully odd request, but with the taste of wine still lingering on your tongue, you could care less. And so, it begun.

“Y/n, truth or dare?”, his intentions were pretty clear, but you wanted to toy with him for a little. “Dare.”, you took another sip of the fourth or fifth Bottle of white wine, that you three have been passing around like biscuits. “An easy one to start with, do a handstand.” Hah, that was a piece of cake. Scrambling off the rattan lounge, you readied yourself to do a handstand against the wall. A free-standing one might be a bit too confident in your current state. With a swift motion you hurled your legs into the air and banged them against the wall, while you did your best to not flop onto the floor. Considering how dizzy you were, you did a good job. “Impressive!”, Oscar giggled. There was nothing to laugh about, the bastard was up next. “Truth or Dare, Os?”, he was quick to answer. “Dare.” Bingo. As rarely as you and Lando got to catch up, he does talk about Oscar often. This man doesn’t even know hoe much you know about him. “I dare you to whistle.”, his smile faded. He was ninety percent sure you were aware of the elephant in the room. He sighed before pulling his shirt off. “I can’t whistle.”

Admittedly, this was much more fun than you initially thought it’d be. It must’ve already been something past midnight, but you guys were chatting away on the balcony. By now, your and Oscar’s shirts and socks had gone, while Lando was barely left in his briefs. “Truth or Dare?”, Lando intently looked at you. “Dare.” Now you’ve gotten yourself stuck in his trap. “I dare you to kiss me.”, now that made you stop in your tracks. “Dude, I’m not a homewrecker.” Oscar’s hickory eyes had a playful glint in them. “I’ll allow it.”, he leant against the backing of the lounge, readjusting his seat. Your heart pounded loudly in your chest. This is what you wanted for so long, but this feels taboo. Nevertheless, you leant forward and slid a hand behind your friend’s neck. Pulling him closer your lips met his and a contempt sigh left Lando. You felt Oscars eyes on you, they were burning holes into your skull. After all you were kissing his fling right now. The world seemed as if it was melting apart into a big mess of colors, but that all stopped when Lando gently pulled away. With slightly shaky hands, you settled back into a comfortable sitting position. “Oscar.”, he hummed, “Truth or dare?” He exaggeratedly tapped his finger against his chin. “Truth.” He now looked directly into your eyes. “Why didn’t you have a problem with me kissing Lando.”, his eyes widened at your question. For a moment he seemed to think for a good answer, but instead of speaking up, he glanced over at Lando. The brit loudly gulped, it sounded almost comical, before speaking up. “So, the thing is…” His, whatever Oscar was to him, tapped him on the knee, encouraging Lando to speak up. “I like you. Like in a gay way.” Dumbfounded, you shifted your gaze from Oscar to Lando and then back again at the pale Aussie. “And you’re ok with that?!”, you pointed your finger towards Oscar. “You see, we actually wanted you to... join our relationship.” His tone was unsure, and he kept searching Lando’s gaze.

Now you were officially flabbergasted. This must be a fever dream, right? There was no way this was real right now.

Obviously, it was, because now you were sat here with Lando kissing down your neck and Oscar pressed up behind you, squeezing your thighs, hips and waist. You leant your head backwards against Oscar’s shoulder, whining quietly. You whispered sharply, “I dare you to take those damn pants off.”, while fiddling with the buckle of his belt. Oscar chuckled lightly before slipping his pants off and propping himself up behind you again. Carefully, you reached behind you and felt his hard member in your hand. With gentle motions, you began palming him as best as possible. Lando smiled against your neck, his eyes darting up to meet Oscar’s gaze. His tanned hand tugged on your underwear before swiftly slipping underneath it. You gasped at the tight feeling of his hand around your dick. Slowly but surely, he started pumping up and down, meanwhile he continued his artwork of hickeys along your neck and chest bone. Not wanting to neglect his hard cock, you wrapped your hand around it and pressed your thumb over the tip. He exhaled sharply. Oscar leaned in close to your ear. “You wanna suck them?” Stuck in an endless loop of pleasure and torture, you could only whine as a pathetic attempt at an answer.

[neptuneiris]

sparks (04/04)

But I promise you this I'll always look out for you

pairing: business-boyfriend!aemond x fem!reader

summary: at the beginning your relationship with aemond is perfect and there were no worries. until he becomes the Heir of his father's company, the most important in the whole country and certain events and certain people start to interfere in the relationship.

word count: 9.0k

previous part • next part • series masterlist

now yes, the epilogue is officially coming soon haha

hello loves! hope you are having a wonderful day!

I made an announcement about the change in the story so if for some reason you didn't read it, don't worry, here I will explain again what happened:)

the reason why I decided to add a part 4 to the fic is very simple: the chapter was too long for the epilogue and when I say too long I mean really long. and I didn't want to bore you or fill you with too much, believe me that the epilogue was exaggeratedly long:(

I'm sorry if it wasn't what you expected, but I decided the best and I really hope you like it a lot, after all it's not the end yet😚

that's all, I won't keep you any longer, enjoy!

Aemond Targaryen had never felt so miserable in his life.

The trip to Casterly Rock was one of the most important in his entire working career and yet it was the worst trip he had ever attended in his life.

His mind would not leave him alone and the urge to cry along with the anxiety and desperation he felt was too much. And it was so much that he couldn't control it.

But outside of that, he didn't care too much about the event, socializing and having conversations with other important businessmen, as if it wasn't something he did every day, nor did he attend to the press which was what he avoided the most nor did he care about Larys Strong and Alys Rivers.

He honestly didn't care about anything.

At least nothing outside of the important thing that was his meeting with his partner Jason Lannister and attending his conference with the board of directors.

He didn't care that this would later lead to 'serious consequences,' if you could call it that, with his grandsire.

Even after he caught up again with Jason Lannister and properly attended the conference with the board of directors, as soon as it was all over, he took his flight back to King's Landing in a needy and desperate manner.

And the first thing he did after landing was to look for you and try to talk to you. Although he must have known that you would not let him find you.

Your university is extremely large and although he tried to find you by asking the administration and coordination of your university for your varied schedule, they did not give him anything, as they cannot give out their students' personal and private information so openly to strangers.

They only do so on occasions that require it and are extremely necessary with hard evidence, such as to a family member of the student for an emergency or something like that.

And Aemond honestly didn't blame them, as he looked extremely desperate and like a madman, especially when they told him they couldn't give him that information.

So he went to your work, where he knew it would be easier to find you, but again… he was unsuccessful because you wouldn't let him.

"Uhm… I'm sorry, but she's not here."

Your coworker told him and judging by her face, he knew instantly that she was lying, especially by the pitiful face she was giving him amidst the assurance she wants to create by saying her words.

"Please, just tell her I need to talk to her," he tells her pleadingly, feeling like he will burst into tears at any second.

She lets out a long breath, as she looks away from his gaze for a moment, looking hesitant, nervous and even watching him with pity.

"I'm really sorry but… she hasn't presented for days now and I haven't really seen her."

"But I need to talk to her as soon as possible," he insists, sad and still with a hint of hope that he can fix this, "Do you know where I could find her after her classes and work?"

"I-I…" she starts to say nervously, biting her lips, then completely avoiding eye contact with him "I'm sorry but I don't know. Like I said, I haven't seen her, so I'm not aware of her plans after work."

He takes a deep breath, as he runs a hand through his hair and also over his face, feeling his heart beating too fast, losing patience, losing hope, feeling completely desperate and frustrated.

"Please," he begs, not knowing what else to do, "Please tell me. I really need to see her and talk to her. I'm worried."

Sophia, not knowing what else to say, can't help but feel uncomfortable and again averts her gaze from his.

"I'm sorry but I haven't seen her and I really don't know where she might be."

Aemond watches her for a few seconds without saying anything else even with his sad and desperate face, understanding perfectly that he wouldn't get anything from her about you.

He sees how she is more than willing to keep lying for you and even though he feels completely desperate and frustrated, he knows it's not her fault, so he decides not to push her too hard.

So he took a deep breath and tried to sound calmer.

"Okay, I understand, thank you," he says resignedly, "But if you see her, please tell her that I came looking for her and needed to talk to her," he tells her one last time, "Tell her to please consider it."

And Sophie nods with a sympathetic nod, still watching him with that pity.

"Sure, I will."

And he nods back.

"Thank you."

That time Aemond came out of the coffee shop completely disappointed, having the foolish hope that you would come out of hiding and stop him after the little show he gave to your coworker completely sad and desperate.

But of course, that didn't happen.

Upon returning to the apartment, nothing felt the same anymore. Aemond now all he feels now is a deep loneliness and sadness that eats him alive inside as he finds himself alone in that place, a place that was once home to him and you, where you both started a little life together as a couple.

With loneliness in his chest and in the middle of the apartment, he sees everything around him with his melancholic eye and face.

Everything now felt like a painful reminder of what he had lost.

The place is completely permeated with memories where every room and corner tells a story of his relationship with you.

The cushions on the couch where you used to cuddle and watch movies together, the kitchen island where you shared with each other your day to day separately and the kitchen where you made food or washed dishes together, laughing and talking about anything.

Aemond then goes to the bedroom, where he now sees your empty desk where there is no longer your laptop, your lamp and all those pens and markers with which you used to make notes for your classes, nor the various sheets and folders with which you used to do your projects and research.

So he understands why you decided to leave him, because even though it was never intentional and the least he wanted to do was hurt you, he still did.

Your vanity is also completely empty, where so many times you spent hours doing your makeup happy and energetic singing your favorite songs.

And other nights you would remove your makeup crying for him and because he never put a serious stop to his work by standing you up.

And as he looks at the bed, only the memories invade him more, beginning to feel his eye watering.

The two of you cuddling, him taking refuge in your arms after a stressful day at his job or you taking refuge in his arms after a stressful day at college. Also before bedtime, the two of you would talk about anything silly until you fell asleep, where the moment felt more intimate than anywhere else.

And Aemond loved those moments, as did you, where you both shared space on the comfort of your bed.

Aemond then wanting to return to the living room, he stops in the middle of the hallway looking at the door with a serious and at the same time pained expression, where he also remembers that day when you were here and he was at the entrance waiting for Cole, where everything happened.

But it's also where you both made love and showed that love to each other with that passion, with that affection and with that deep intimacy of just the two of you that was nothing ordinary or common.

You were just two people in love loving and enjoying each other with that complicity and that unique union that characterized them.

Letting out a huge breath, he then plops down on the couch, staring at a spot in the living room in silence, feeling completely alone and hopeless.

And he hates it.

He absolutely hates the feeling.

Just as he hates the feeling of emptiness in his heart that seems impossible to fill. Because he knows it can never be filled by anyone else. Only you.

And that's when Aemond starts to really break down, realization and acceptance slowly creeping into his mind, eating him alive, destroying him, leaving him with nothing.

Until it happens and in the midst of his silence and loneliness, he starts to cry without being able to help it anymore.

He hates everything, his job, his grandsire, the association with Alys Rivers, the press, absolutely everything and also himself, for letting you slip through his fingers and not doing anything more efficient from the beginning to avoid the breakup.

Because if he had, you would still be with him.

It's only until Aemond really feels miserable and like he can't breathe that he decides to call the only person who can get to him sooner, really not wanting to be alone, needing someone to be able to reassure him.

So he calls the one person he thinks might be able to help him and reassure him.

He would have called you, of that there is no doubt, you would be his first choice, but you have blocked him from everywhere, from every social media, calls and messages.

He would have called Hel too, but she's in Highgarden, Hells, he would have even called Aegon, but he's in Storm Ends.

"Yes, Aemond?"

Rhaenyra Targaryen answers on the other end of the call, and Aemond really can't formulate coherent sentences for every sob.

He tells her your name, that he can't find you, that you've blocked him from everywhere, he mentions his grandsire, the company, loneliness, sadness and that it all happened too fast, that he needs her and doesn't know what to do.

And soon after that Aemond says he doesn't want to be there anymore, so they both leave the apartment and with every step he takes away from the place that used to be a home for him, he feels an increasingly heavier weight than before in his heart.

Soon Rhaenyra arrives at the apartment to help her half brother, not asking him anything about what has him like this while he continues to cry and holds her hand tightly.

Rather Rhaenyra tries to reassure him by telling him that she is there for him.

It is only a matter of time before his entire family knows of his breakup with you, instantly Hel calling him, as does Aegon, Hel being the more surprised and incredulous of the two, wanting to know what has happened.

Since Aemond has no vacation and can't afford to miss work with a few extremely important and one hundred percent justifiable exceptions, he soon finds himself setting foot inside the building.

Though they both know, as does their whole family, that it was because of their grandsire and everything to do with the company, also because of Alys Rivers.

And they are not surprised when Aemond implies he had something to do with it, not saying anything else, clearly because he doesn't want to talk about it.

All his workers notice the down and serious mood of the next boss, as it is also noticeable that he doesn't want to talk to anyone and doesn't want anyone to talk to him more than necessary, so he just locks himself in his office to continue with his work.

But as soon as he starts his work day, inevitably having that hope by looking at his phone screen from time to time that you will call or text him, Eleanor calls him and warns him that he has a meeting in ten minutes with his grandsire.

This makes his mood worse, even though he knew it would only be a matter of time, but he reluctantly gets up and heads for the conference room.

And the moment Otto enters the room, clearly with his annoyed and frustrated face, the whole place fills with tension. And when Otto makes it clear to him that he is not happy at all, still Aemond maintains an emotionless and indifferent face.

"I can't believe how irresponsible you're being, truly."

Otto begins to say with incredulous surprise and a frown on his face, watching him completely annoyed.

"I asked you for one, just one thing on your trip to Casterly Rock."

"The only important thing on that trip was to attend my meeting with Jason Lannister and also the conference with the board of directors, in both of which I did perfectly well," Aemond says still completely indifferent.

"Don't you want to play dumb with me, Aemond," he warns him through his teeth, "You know perfectly well what I'm talking about."

"Look, I'm not in the mood for this right now—

"And you think I am?" he inquires instantly, "You think I'm not tired of telling you the same old thing over and over again?" he says annoyed, "Wasn't I clear with you when I told you I didn't want Rivers to cause a scene for me again because of you and what's the first thing she does when she comes back from that trip?"

"For fuck's sake, you close your fucking contract with her!"

Explodes Aemond annoyed against him without being able to control himself anymore, tired and annoyed of him, but of course Otto also responds in the same way.

"No, this is your job! She wants you, not me! And now that you're finally done with Y/N, you can do something about it, something more than necessary, but you do nothing!"

Then again something inside Aemond snaps at the mention of your name and the breakup, leaving him completely silent and watching his grandsire with his parted lips.

Everything in his mind is still fresh, his emotions are still running high and that he has mentioned the breakup as a good thing so that he can finally whore himself out to Alys without any guilt and restraint, as his grandsire has asked him to do, only makes his gaze turn dark and one of complete anger towards him.

And Otto, as he is looking him straight in the eye, notices that change within him and in his gaze, but he doesn't move, doesn't flinch, and continues firm.

"So you know."

Aemond says in a low but firm tone, watching him intently and without even blinking, even with that dark and determined look, making Otto watch him silently for a moment, then swallowing hard and finally speaking.

"Of course I know. Just because I'm not home much, doesn't mean I'm not informed of what's going on with my family."

"And you're happy now?"

He inquires him really without much emotion, with an incredibly calm and soft tone of voice that surprises Otto, while now Aemond's gaze reflects the slight pain, watching him completely attentively, being strong and as much as he can in front of him, clenching his jaw.

And Otto says nothing, just watches him, which Aemond considers him a coward, as what he wanted so badly has finally happened and he says nothing.

"I bet you do," he answers her question for him, watching him bitterly.

Otto lets out a long breath.

"Look, I know you cared about her, and I feel sorry for you, but the company—

"No, that's not true, you don't feel the slightest bit sorry for me," he interrupts him with a disinterested tone, "She broke up with me because of you, but also because of me. And I'm sure when you found out, you were so pleased and had more hope that I would finally do something about Rivers and the association," he says dispassionately.

"Aemond, I'm just asking you to be professional and fulfill your obligations as heir to this company. I'm asking you because I care about you and because you can't get stuck thinking about a girl, instead of your job, your company."

"Don't mention her," he tells her instantly serious and with a threatening tone and look, "I don't want you to talk about her, ever again."

Otto lets out a long breath.

"Rivers has given us a warning and a deadline for you to convince her to sign those papers. She's already upset and unpleasant enough thanks to you," he tells him seriously, "This whole process has gone on long enough, so either you act now or we lose her forever. And we're not going to have the conversation again about why it's important to partner with her company, are we?"

Aemond looks away from him, completely pissed off and annoyed, and then gets up from the swivel chair, intending to finally get the fuck out of here.

"I'm talking to you."

Otto tells him in a higher tone of voice, watching him seriously.

"Yes and I've heard enough."

"You will do as I have told you and you will do it now," he warns him.

Aemond scowls at him, then puts on an annoyed and more threatening face than before, placing his hands on the very expensive refined wooden table then leaning towards him as well with his threatening posture.

"You're not going to order me around anymore."

"Aemond, do you really want to force me to do something I don't really want to?"

"Don't worry, I know you really do want to and I honestly don't care. But believe me it wouldn't be good for you, after all… I remind you that you're forgetting your place."

The fight and silence builds the tension further, as Otto and Aemond stare menacingly and defiantly at each other, each with their differences being more than clear, when suddenly the door to the conferences bursts open.

This breaks all the tension and also draws the attention of both of them, who look towards the door and under the doorway stands Rhaenyra, whom Otto observes slightly surprised and completely confused.

"Sorry to interrupt," she says as she places a soft smile, "I hope it's not something important."

Aemond turns his gaze back to his grandsire for a moment with his jaw clenched, who continues to stare at Rhaenyra confused and this time with a questioning look, showing his annoyance at the sight of her.

"No, we were done," Aemond makes clear, his voice in a serious and low tone, to turn his gaze back to her.

"And what are you doing here?"

Otto inquires Rhaenyra, who is not surprised by his attitude towards her, as she is used to it and doesn't really care.

"I came to speak with Aemond," she says then turns her gaze to her half-brother, "Your secretary told me you were here and I thought maybe you could talk to me, if you're not busy."

He nods in her direction.

"Sure," and she nods back, waiting for him as well.

But Aemond turns his gaze to his grandsire, who also looks back at him, confused and questioning to see that in his gaze he still intends to fight him with his threatening posture.

Again they both stare at each other, where Otto stares at him completely serious without saying anything and Aemond continues threatening, completely serious.

"If you pay someone to notify all the press and all the media anonymously of my breakup with Y/N or tell only Rivers to take advantage of me, believe me I will publicly announce and tarnish your image about how you tried to whore me out to Rivers with proof."

He threatens and Otto gasps for a moment.

"And i will tell worse, that she was also seeking an intimate relationship with me, a woman who has almost my twenty years on me."

And without saying anything else, Aemond leaves the room together with Rhaenyra without waiting and without hearing any answer back from his grandsire, for the first time in a long time having won the fight and leaving him completely speechless.

"What? You thought I didn't know?" he asks, "She doesn't say her age and she doesn't look nearly forty, but she is, so we don't want any of that, do we?"

He observes him expectantly,

"It will be a disastrous scandal. And it won't be good for her, nor for you and the company. I also know it won't be good for me, my mother, my siblings or my entire family. But I will do it if you leave me no choice and I won't give a fuck, because it will all have been your fault," he makes it clear.

At that moment he feels liberated and empowered, as he has finally left him in his place and has not done what he always ordered her to do, while he experiences a sense of relief and renewed self-confidence.

But unfortunately, that feeling doesn't last forever. Or at least it doesn't last once he's outside the company walls.

And that's because he's still thinking and longing for you.

He tried a few more times to try to find you, asking all the people he and you have in common where you might be or where you live now saying he needed to talk to you, but no one would give him an answer, making him miserable.

Even at work, he couldn't concentrate, because all the time he was thinking about you and if he could do his work, it was all thanks to Eleonor, who would notice his tired face and the bags under his eyes, as well as notice how hard he was trying.

She would see him drinking coffee more than usual and it worried her, but knowing how stubborn he is, she knew there was nothing she could do.

And once he got home, no one knew the sadness and loneliness that consumed him completely.

Even sometimes when he couldn't sleep, he kept looking at the selfie of you and him on his phone screen that he hasn't taken down, both of you smiling and more than happy, instantly feeling the pain in his chest and the tears about to run down his cheek.

It's going on a month since you decided to end the relationship but Aemond is still haunted by the moments you both shared and the 'what ifs' that haunt his mind.

Every day, the pain of the breakup seems to increase rather than decrease. At every moment of distraction, also at work or doing the most ordinary thing in life, like making a coffee, Aemond gets lost in his thoughts, remembering you.

And in every memory, he blames himself for what had gone wrong, thinking of all the ways he could have acted differently and done more for both of you, for you.

And he couldn't accept that he would simply never see you again, that it was all over, he needs you and he needs you so badly every time he starts crying and blaming himself at the same time.

He feels completely trapped in the memory of what the relationship was and feels unable to get over you, the woman who had and still means everything to him.

It is not until Rhaenyra and her mother began to notice Aemond's instability and begin to worry about him that even Helaena decides to fly to King's Landing to be there for him, reporting everything to Aegon.

And fortunately Aemond doesn't push her away when she visits him by surprise, telling him that she has come to stay with him as long as necessary.

And he hugs her tightly and cries on her shoulder, asking her not to leave him alone, to please help him recover you, that he needs you, that he understands that everything was his fault but that he deserves at least one more conversation with you.

The people Aemond cares about are there for him, even Rhaenyra, but Helaena is the one who is almost all the time with him at home and also at the company, running the Highgarden company from there, helping him heal at the same time.

Unfortunately you never responded to Helaena's messages, neither to Baela's.

So even though it hurts Helaena to see her brother like this, she knows that you are hurt too, she knows your reasons why you did what you did and she doesn't blame you for it.

But Aemond can't.

And though he doesn't know it and doesn't even think about it, you are just as or worse off than he is, trying just as hard as he is to cope with the breakup, barely being functional in your day to day life and in having enough energy, being completely broken inside.

He is still immensely in love with you and every day that goes by and he doesn't see you or hear from you, it's complete torture.

He even stopped being seen in public and stopped attending events, focusing entirely on the company and nothing else.

It's not until another full month passes that one day, when Aemond wakes up to find Helaena in the kitchen with her face completely pale, her eyes wide open and her lips parted with her phone in hand, she gives him the news that he knew would happen someday but still takes him by surprise.

His father has died.

And he knows what that means, everyone knows.

He is the successor and literally overnight, he is now the boss, officially. And with that begins the real chaos for Aemond Targaryen.

It was a moment he was looking forward to but at the same time not because of the great responsibility that would fall on him, all the great weight.

But first of all, the whole Targaryen family is busy with a funeral and taking an indefinite rest, all of them and him especially hiding from the press and everyone.

1 month later

"So…

Speaks the calculated voice of Alys Rivers with a condescending tone, looking expectantly at Otto Hightower in front of her as she slowly turns in the swivel chair she is sitting in, having her uncle Larys Strong next to her, who in comparison to her is calmer.

"He won't show up?"

She inquires as she fiddles with the pen in her hand, twirling it between her fingers with her perfectly painted dark scarlet fingernails, raising an eyebrow in Otto's direction.

"Of course he will, he knows how important this is to us," he tells her immediately, "It's just that with the death of his father, he and his siblings still need a little more time. It's been very recent still."

"We still mourn the death of Viserys Targaryen," Larys Strong says in a soft tone and Otto nods in his direction.

But Alys is not at all pleased, for months now.

"We've been waiting for almost fifteen minutes."

"Yes, I know, I'm sorry, honestly—

The door suddenly opens, interrupting Otto and drawing the attention of the three in the conference room who turn their heads and see Aemond entering the room unhurriedly and calmly.

"Sorry for the delay," he says as he approaches his place, "I was taking an important call."

Rivers instantly looks at him in a penetrating manner as she continues to fiddle with the pen in her fingers, while his grandsire watches him seriously.

"More important than this?" hisses Otto quietly through his teeth.

And still not caring, he takes a seat to adopt an equally nonchalant posture, looking even annoyed that he has to be in this room with these people, causing Rivers stress and frustration, as well as his grandsire for his attitude and lack of interest.

"Yes."

Aemond replies to him without dissimulation and without caring.

"I don't think you have understood the gravity of the matter, Mrs. Targaryen," Alys Rivers speaks, catching the attention of the three, looking directly at him, "I gave you a deadline to sign the association papers and you still haven't given me one good reason why my company should be associated with yours."

Aemond shrugs, observing her indifferently.

"That my company is the most important, innovative and efficient in the entire country is not reason enough for you?"

"That's not what I meant."

"We're talking about business and what's in the best interest of our companies, aren't we?"

Rivers clenches her jaw.

"I think you know perfectly well that a partnership requires more than that, it's also about building interpersonal relationships."

"As far as I know, you are a co-owner of Riverlands Group and the one who actually founded the company was you, Larys Strong," he observes the man, "You shouldn't decide if you want to sign these papers or not?"

Otto throws daggers at him with his eyes and an utterly deadly stare, but Aemond doesn't even notice, as well as Rivers starts to get annoyed. So before Larys Strong can speak, she speaks first.

"We both work as a team and make decisions together," she tells him instantly, wanting to make it clear.

"You seem to make all the decisions."

"Aemond—

"As far as I know, it's not in your best interest to lose this opportunity to be able to partner with my company," Rivers speaks with a firmer, more serious and determined tone, "And I've been very patient and accessible for months now."

"Also as far as I know, months ago we attended an event together and it was you who announced how proud you were to have a partnership between us in process to everyone, yet you are the one who hasn't signed the papers, so what exactly is it that you need or want from me or the company for you to sign them?"

He dares in asking with a challenging tone and look, watching her completely intently, wanting to know how bold she is, pushing her a little to say or not to say what she really wants from him.

As Otto hides in his chair and holds a hand to his face, not being able to believe this is really happening.

And Rivers looks completely serious and annoyed at Aemond, who starts to look amused by his lack of response. So the next thing he does is point to the contracts on the table in front of him, extending them to both of them.

"So… do we have a deal or not?"

He inquires, not wanting to waste any more time and wanting to get this over with once and for all, watching them expectantly.

Strong and Rivers exchange a glance, where Rivers still has his serious and annoyed look, but also has something else on his mind after fully analyzing this new Aemond now that he is he boss.

So he silently nods in his uncle's direction, making Strong extend his hand to place the papers in front of him to sign them.

But just as his fingertips touch the paper, Aemond abruptly puts them back in front of him, leaving them out of his reach, drawing the attention of all three instantly and more so of his grandsire who already feels completely relieved after so much.

But Aemond's attitude is alarming just then.

"Before you sign, I need to tell you something important."

All three of them frown, especially his grandsire.

"And it can't be after the two finally sign?" he inquires without having the patience for any more of this.

Aemond lets out a long breath, looking at his grandfather and then Rivers directly, wanting to be completely clear with his words.

"I want you to know that in another occasion I would have really appreciated having the opportunity to work with you and partner with your company, I really would," he tells her honestly, "But you never acted the right way, neither did you," he turns to his grandsire to focus back on Rivers, pausing slightly, "So I don't need this association anymore."

Surprise and disbelief completely takes over the three of them, but more so on Rivers and Otto, who exchange confused and puzzled looks.

"Aemond, what are you saying?" his grandsire inquires.

"I'm saying that I don't care and I'm not going to do what you tell me anymore nor am I going to let people like you intrude into my personal life," he then tells Rivers with determination.

Rivers looks at him completely offended.

"Me intruding in your personal life? What are you talking about?"

"I think you know perfectly well what i'm talking about, so since you have nothing more to do here, I'm sorry for wasting too much of your time, but you can go now."

His grandsire looks at him in complete surprise and disbelief.

"Aemond—

"If you think I'm going to sit here and allow this treatment of me by you, you are very wrong, I will not tolerate it for another second," Rivers says, getting up from her chair, annoyed and offended, "You need me but this is your loss. Let's see how long it takes before your company goes bankrupt and you lose everything."

Aemond lets out a bitter laugh.

"No, in fact I don't need you," he makes it clear, amused, "And if I needed you, believe me I wouldn't have partnered with you even as my last option," he tells him decisively, "Do you think you're the only company that has partnerships with Essos? Not only you, but also Rodrik Greyjoy, the owner of the Pike company in the Iron Islands, my new partner".

He says and Otto Hightower looks on in complete surprise, not expecting that at all. And this only causes more anger and indignation in Alys Rivers.

"You're going to regret this," Rivers tells him humiliated and annoyed as she grabs her purse and then heads for the exit with big strides, "And my company is never going to be associated with yours, ever!"

"Have a nice day."

Aemond tells her not forgetting his manners and the doors slam shut with a loud slam that still doesn't completely flinch, then looks at his grandfather who looks like he's going to explode at any moment.

"You can leave too," he tells her nonchalantly, rising from his seat, "I've had enough of this shit. I expect your resignation by tomorrow at the latest."

"My resignation?" he repeats, completely bewildered and surprised.

"Yes, your resignation," he affirms him" "Rhaenyra will now take your place while Daemon is left running Dragonstone."

"W-what…? Aemond, you can't do this! I helped you, I supported you, I broke my back for you, I made you what you are now and I put you where you are!"

"Actually yes I can and in fact I already have," he says dispassionately, heading for the exit, "I'm the boss now."

And even hearing their protests and shouts, he leaves the room with him following, causing a huge scene, but once he makes his way to his office, he slams the door in his face and asks Cole to take him out of here immediately and he instantly complies with his order.

And when Aemond sits in his chair, he lets out a long sigh and closes his eye as he drops his head completely on the backrest, no longer feeling that weight on his shoulders and that tension he felt every day all over his body, finally feeling free, relieved and at peace.

It honestly feels good, after so long.

And he sees the positives of him finally being the boss, as he can now do these kinds of things, things he couldn't do before and finally give him that needed balance to his life and work.

But as soon as he leaves his work space and gets home, he again feels that emptiness in his chest and that sadness, not feeling full and like him, knowing full well that you are missing for his life to finally be perfect.

He wishes he could have done all this with you by his side. He still wants to fix everything between him and you, but you being off his radar, it's just impossible.

And he still loves you too much to use money to try to find out where you are, knowing he couldn't do that to you, the woman he still loves with every fiber of his body and heart.

He still misses you, very much. He wants to have one more reason to be this new person he has become, a better person really.

But he respects your decision, even though he still thinks he deserved more.

That same day he sends a message to Helaena asking her when she will come to King's Landing and if she wants to stay with him at his house and that same day at night he receives a message from Floris Baratheon, a friend he and you have in common, finally things being in his favor.

The moment he so deserved arrives when Floris invites him to a pub in the center of the city to celebrate his birthday. And since he knows you and Floris are close friends, he knows you'll be there.

You thank the driver for dropping you off at your destination after paying him, then you get out of the car, close the door and head towards the entrance of the pub that Floris has chosen to celebrate his birthday.

Today you don't know what's wrong with you, as you suddenly have a very positive mood and attitude that hasn't been seen in you for months, clearly since what happened that day.

But today you have all the willingness to have fun, celebrate with Floris, have a couple of drinks and see what else the night takes you to, you really need it.

So you open the door of the pub to enter, instantly ringing that typical bell that announces a new customer, which draws the attention of some people already inside the place, but you focus on finding Floris and his friends at all the scattered tables.

"Y/N!"

Suddenly someone shouts your name and you turn your head, seeing that it's Floris, calling you from the table they are at and you start to smile, about to head towards all of them, when suddenly, your gaze crosses with a blue eye that you know all too well among all the people at the table.

A blue eye you haven't seen for months.

And your whole world around you fades away.

You freeze completely and a shiver runs down your entire back as you stare at him in shock, attentively and with your lips parted, definitely not expecting to see him, at all.

Your heart starts pounding, your legs turn to jelly and your throat goes dry. You don't know what to do, let alone what to say, you just can't speak or react, nothing.

You don't feel any more that mood of before, that disposition and that attitude, you simply feel like a little girl who wants to hide behind her mother's legs.

The memories of the relationship, the happy moments, the painful moments, everything you went through together comes back to you in an instant. Just as you remember that day, when it all ended, feeling sick to your stomach, suddenly no longer feeling strength in your whole body.

You feel completely trapped in a sea of emotions flooding your mind. The feelings that you had tried to suppress for months, now overwhelm you.

But not only does your whole history with him come back to you, you are also affected by seeing him again physically after so many months because you had not even seen him through a photo on the social media after the breakup.

And to see him now after the passing of his father and that he is now the owner of the most important company in the country, is just more of a surprise for you.

You try not to let the surprise be so noticeable on your face, although you probably already failed at it, seeing now his gorgeous short platinum hair, giving him a completely different air and look, although not in a bad way.

So you assume that those are the reasons why now he has changed. You can't say the same for yourself as he has really changed, physically.

You had never imagined an Aemond with his hair cut short, you never thought about it and now seeing it… it makes you feel a sensation all over your body that you really can't explain.

He looks more… mature and like… an expert in business, which is what he really is. He looks even younger for his age, also more handsome. He looks like a big businessman.

Unable to help yourself, you still can't move, just standing there, clearly affected after seeing your ex-boyfriend again, who Floris immediately jumps to your rescue, while at the same time you see how Aemond says something under his breath to Liam, a friend of his and also yours, to then get up and head towards the bathroom without looking any further in your direction.

You follow him with your gaze, swallowing hard and starting to tremble, while Floris stops in front of you with a small reassuring smile.

"Hey, I'm so happy you came."

She hugs you and you let her, as you really need it and she knows you need it too.

"Easy," she murmurs comfortingly in your ear, "You've got this, take a deep breath."

You blink, as if to clear your thoughts that way, then drop your head defeatedly on her shoulder, inhaling deeply, as she has told you to.

"I'm sorry," she tells you with some pity, feeling your body tense, "The guys mentioned it to him but he said I still wouldn't tell him anything, so in order not to make him feel bad, I decided to invite him too," she tells you sadly.

"No, no, it's okay."

You tell her instantly, turning away to watch her, seeing Floris as your eyes are full of emotions and with effort, you try to nod and understand her, although you really do, since after all, Floris is not only your friend, she is also his friend and you can't blame her, you would never do that.

"I-I… I… I know, I just… I didn't expect it," you confess, trying to compose yourself.

At least he's out of your sight now and that helps a little but still, you know he'll be back soon.

Floris takes your hands gently, offering you his physical support that she hoped would be enough for you in comforting you.

"I know it's all still very fresh in your mind, so if you need to leave, that's fine with me, I'll understand perfectly, don't worry."

"No, no, I mean, yes, it all still feels very fresh but…" you let out a long breath, "Sooner or later it was bound to happen, you know? And it's your birthday!" you exclaim out of nerves, "I-I can't just leave, I-I…" you bite your lips, "Happy birthday, by the way."

Floris smiles.

"Thank you bestie."

You smile back as best you can, still feeling your mind working at full speed, your body feels it more tense than usual and you unconsciously keep on the lookout for him, because he might come back at any second.

You give her the gift you bought for her, then she gives a few words of motivation and finally she leads you with almost everyone to the table.

You greet old friends and also meet other friends of Floris, trying to look calm and relaxed at all times, when in reality, inside you are a bundle of nerves and not calm at all, not at all.

You can see that all your friends… and Aemond's friends too, know that he and you are no longer together, which causes you some discomfort, but for Floris, you decide to face it, him too.

"At any point in the evening you can leave if you need to, really," she reassures you again before you take a seat and you nod in her direction, understanding.

Meanwhile Aemond in the bathroom leans fully into the sink as he breathes through his mouth and closes his eye for a moment, trying to calm himself, letting a sigh escape his lips.

He honestly doesn't understand what has happened to him.

He thought he could, that this is all he's ever wanted so he could have you back with him, but… when he barely laid his eye on you the moment you walked into the place with five meters in front of him, he felt like he was going back to the past.

For all these months, even yesterday, I was waiting for this moment. He was waiting to see you again, to try to talk to you, to try to get you back and now?

He just felt like a scared little boy.

His heart broke into pieces again as he remembered that day, when you decided to break up with him.

And how he felt at that moment, besides the weeks after when he tried to look for you and you wouldn't let him and blocked him from everywhere, he relived it again, feeling every emotion, remembering every tear he shed and all the other pressures he had on him because of his grandsire.

Not to mention the death of his father and his promotion in the company, all in a matter of days, making everything worse.

And although everything is totally different now, he still recognizes that he did not prepare for this moment.

Everything still hurts him, he no longer feels capable, he feels that you will break his heart again, although no more than he broke yours, where he did nothing about it, he only asked for forgiveness, as if that was enough.

Aemond looks at his reflection and tells himself that he must keep calm, keep his posture and not make this any more uncomfortable than it already will be.

But at all times he has this longing in his heart to be able to get you back.

While you now find yourself sitting, having a place at the big table, basically at the other end, away from where he is sitting, trying to calm yourself down from now on, although it is costing you a lot.

And not a moment too soon, Floris places a beer in your hand, murmuring in your ear that your mind needs to stop thinking and worrying too much.

And just as you take a sip, Aemond returns.

You try not to look at him too much, just the same way he tries not to look at you too much as he takes a seat next to Liam again, but unconsciously it's impossible.

The table by the others is full of laughter, while the pub is full of music, with a party atmosphere that really contrasts with your whirlwind of emotions and also with his.

Even though you don't want to, yet when he doesn't notice, you watch him. And this frustrates you. You want to enjoy Floris' birthday, but you can't help the tension you emanate along with him even though they are extreme to extreme.

Every time his gaze meets yours, you avert yours to the other side, nervous and alert, telling yourself that you can't let this disturb you for the entire time you'll be here.

"We're just here to celebrate Floris."

You repeat to yourself in your mind constantly.

On the other side, Aemond's mind doesn't stop spinning. Every time his eye meets yours, he feels a knot in his stomach and in order not to feel too much, he takes a sip of his beer as well and tries to appear unconcerned.

You both feel completely vulnerable, you don't want to make the atmosphere more tense and uncomfortable, so you make an effort to think about Floris and his friends.

You try to distract yourself by talking to other friends, talking to Floris and observing the whole place, but Aemond is always on your mind.

And even though you shouldn't, you ask yourself inevitable questions, unable to control it.

How is he doing?

How is he coping with the fact that he is now the boss?

Did he suffer a lot because of his father's death?

Must he hate me for ending things with him like that?

Did the association with Alys Rivers' company happen?

You let out a long breath, hating your mind at that moment, but you also inevitably begin to answer those questions with assumptions.

You assume he must be fine, since he's here, which surprises you since he didn't have time for almost anything before, so his new position at the company must give him a little more free time, although you don't really know.

You think about whether he must hate you for breaking his heart in such a cruel way, taking advantage of the fact that he had to leave to get on his plane and you guess he must still be seeing Rivers, even the breakup probably made things easier.

You bite the inside of your cheek and scold yourself, since you don't really know anything and take a long swig from your beer bottle, having had enough of you.

Aemond, on his own, in his mind was trying to find a reason or a good excuse to approach you, but he couldn't find the right moment. He wished the words would flow naturally, but every time he imagined a conversation, he felt blocked and unable to utter a word.

As the night progresses, the tension between the two persists, but fortunately it also becomes a little more bearable.

Although you have not spoken and have only exchanged glances, you had taken an important step in facing the past in that same place. But although the purpose was to have fun, neither he nor you did, it was impossible and you just sat in your places for Floris, nothing else.

Luckily everyone else didn't feel uncomfortable or tense because of you two, as little by little the table fills up with more drinks, the guys and he also smoke, the music helps and most of them are getting drunk, except him and you.

Until the hours go by, it's a little past midnight and already some people are starting to leave, Floris' night of celebration slowly coming to an end.

When only Floris, Liam, Sarah, Jenna, him and you are left, therefore, Floris considers the night over. And that's your cue to leave, so you say goodbye to her and everyone except him, taking the opportunity to leave the pub as you see him busy asking for a cigarette.

As you leave the pub, you lean against the wall with your phone in hand and the Uber app on the screen, waiting for a driver to accept your ride, but it keeps asking you to wait every long minute, making you feel desperate and worried.

You know it's only a matter of time before they and he come out and see you here and that's what you don't want.

But luck in that regard is not in your favor.

After continuing to wait for five more long minutes, you grunt under your breath in frustration as the application doesn't tell you anything, besides it's too much to ask for but you don't blame that either as you recognize that your dorm is far from here and you also take the time into consideration.

When then, Floris and all of them leave the pub, instantly her and also him noticing you.

Floris instantly turns to you and you give her a tired and distressed look.

"What's wrong?" she asks you in a low voice.

You bite your lips as you stare at your phone in frustration and answer her in a low voice as well.

"No driver accepts my ride. I don't know what to do."

"Well, Aemond has offered to drive us," she tells you with some caution and even in a low voice, "I'm sure he'll have no problem driving you too."

And here's just what you didn't want.

"No, I-I…" you let out a long breath, "Maybe I should try another app or walk a little further."

"Have you lost your mind?" she reproaches you in a whisper.

"I'm not going to ask him to drive me too," you clarify, frustrated and sad, "I've had enough."

"Come on, Y/N. I'll ask him."

Aemond, actually hears everything from a distance and realizes the situation, so he notices how Floris watches him and also how you try to watch him from the corner of your eye, noticing how you move your fingers across the screen of your phone in a desperate way.

And just then Liam speaks in his direction.

"I don't think we're all going to fit," he tells him as he points to his car.

He lets out a long breath as he pulls his keys out of his pocket, unlocking the doors.

"Get in, everyone."

He says in his voice loud enough for everyone and especially you to hear, without even looking at you, he also says it with a nonchalant tone, then starts across the street, heading to his car, which is big and spacious enough for everyone.

He listens as you and Floris speak again, but it's not so audible to him anymore, with the others following him to the car as well.

Tonight hasn't been the best, neither was the way you both ended it, but he still cares about you and your well-being, as there was no way he was going to leave you here alone, at almost two in the morning.

And when he gets in the car, he thought he would have to stand still, waiting for you, to the point of having to tell you himself that he will drop you off at home, but in the end he sees you following Floris with a look that he can't really describe.

Liam gets in as co-pilot and all the girls settle in the back seats, you too.

And pretty soon he's driving through the city, watching you in the rearview mirror from time to time, unable to help himself, while you watch him too when he doesn't notice, biting the inside of your cheek and feeling completely nervous.

And you don't know if it was intentional, but it really wasn't, Aemond just started asking for directions and those who had their houses closest to them spoke, leaving Sarah first, then Floris, Liam and at the end there's Jenna and you.

"My dorm is in Walden Residence, it's on the first block of the university," she indicates to Aemond and then she looks at you, "You live in a dorm too?"

You nod, feeling unable to speak.

"In which residence?"

You swallow hard, as you lick your lips.

"Westbridge."

"Oh! Then you'll drop me off first, her dorm is further in the back," she says to Aemond, who starts the car again.

Oh fuck.

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[lieutenantfloyd]

This is purely self indulgent but I can't stop thinking about Konig x modest! Reader.

Like he truthfully wouldn't think much of your appearance or anything at first. Because of his scars and such, he thinks it’s unfair to base his attractions to people based on their appearance. Konig truly only cares about his partners personally and how they treat him.

It's as you start to grow closer that he actually begins to notice the ways in which you’re different from others. It’s starts with him seeing how you you go out of your way to treat people with kindness. Then he notices how you avoid revealing and form fitting clothes when you take him shopping with you one afternoon. He admires how naturally these things come to you and how truthful you are to yourself despite what other people could think of you.

And if you veil (for religious reasons or otherwise) he thinks it's the absolute cutest thing in the world! His adoration towards you would also slowly change the way he thought about himself. Overtime he'd begin to see wearing his own mask as a sign of pride because it reminds him of you :)

At some point he’d complain about how hot he gets under his mask when he’s deployed in warmer climates. Because you have compiled a seperate modest wardrobe just for the summer time, you’d suggesting he try making a mask out of breathable fabrics like cotton or jersey.

This is how Konig becomes so interested in everything that goes into your outward appearance. If you’re getting ready for a outing together he’ll sit on your bed and watch you intently. He’ll have so many questions but he asks them with only the purest intentions. When he asks if you do a certain step in your routine for a specific purpose he expects a fully detailed response.

After doing some research on his own, he'll shyly ask you about your specific definition of modesty, and then confess how much he admires you and that he’d like you to help him become more modest too. He’d be overjoyed when you agree, and wants to begin everything immediately.

Due to your own experience with the male gaze/general public you're naturally very understanding of his privacy which means a lot to him. Ironically, he loves to take pictures of and with you, so long as his face is mostly obscured.

With his trauma from being bullied, he’ll grow really protective of you. Good luck to anyone who comments on your appearance/beliefs/morals, especially if they’re also in KORTAC. Because he’s travels all around the world, he always keeps his eyes peeled for clothing and accessories that you'd like. Due to his busy schedule you won’t hear from his often when he’s away on missions, but you will get random texts like "Look, Schatz! I found the perfect summer dress for you! I made sure it has perfect sleeves for you!!".

Speaking of which, Konig absolutely loves to coordinate outfits. He thinks it’s cute how put together you both look, with the added bonus of no one questioning if you’re single/who you’re with. Because of this he also comes to love dressing you up. He’ll raid your ever growing closet and meticulously plan outfits for you. Over time you you practically become his living doll.

He has major hang ups around social media, but he’ll create a Instagram/pinterest account (that he leaves blank) solely to find outfit inspiration for you both.

Takes up sewing, at first to help you mend any broken items you have but soon starts making his own garments because it’s hard to find clothes he likes to wear in his size. Oh, and If you get a new veil/head covering, he’ll insist that you buy two so he can turn one into his "everyday" mask :)

He also learns how modesty is so much more than just how you dress, and he commits himself to being a better, kinder person when he’s not in the field. He asks you to guide him through this while also (gently) holding him accountable when he messes up.

Overall Konig wants to become the man he thinks you deserve, and while he knows he’ll never be perfect he’s committed to trying his best. He'd be so soft with you and always wants you to feel very cared for :)

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

hihi!! i wanted to know your opinion on what the students at nrc do for meals beside lunch. we see lunch be served in the cafeteria, but i don't recal breakfast and dinner being served to the students at all.

in epel's ceremonial robes vignette, we see the students eating their food at a dining table as part of the welcoming party. do you think that's a regular thing? them just having their meals at a dining table. the same could be said for heartslaybul with the table they use for unbirthday parties. does each dorm have a dining table for students? a designate are for them to eat without spilling their food? i can't imagine riddle letting his students eat in their dorm rooms.

we know each dorm has a kitchen, so its not impossible for the students to make their own meals, but what's getting stocked in the kitchen? how many times are people putting out grease fires and taking out the trash? does the housewarden get to decide what kind of food is allowed in the dorm? who is in charge of cleaning out the fridge and pantry for anything that's expired? this would also mean that the mc would only have one free meal each day, they wouldn't have the money to be buying snacks and ingredients to make food. anyways, hope you have a good day/night:D

I’m actually not sure if the food in the NRC cafeteria is entirely free? Meals may be free for public school students, but NRC is a private boarding school which, irl, often charge for meals as part of the tuition or have some kind of paid meal plan. (Exceptions are made for students with financial concerns, but generally food is paid for.) Edit: the light novel confirms that lunches at NRC are free.

At least some items have to be paid for before you’re allowed to walk out with it. For example, both Ace and Deuce have various voice lines where they promise to buy Yuu “something from the cafeteria later”. There is also a bakery that visits NRC once a month to sell sandwiches. Maybe these are just add-on items or snacks that carry their own out-of-pocket fees, but it’s still worth noting here. So the students all get a free lunch every day, with extra items being paid for.

I don’t believe we have enough information to determine one way or another how the other meals are covered, if at all. If NRC is anything like a college campus though, the cafeteria probably operates for breakfast and dinner services as well as lunch. (It, like many things, may not be mentioned because those meals are not as relevant to one’s school life.) This probably extends to weekends too, since I don’t think NRC would provide no food at all on weekends; that’d be counterproductive to academic productivity. Other options seem to be getting permission to go into the local town and eat there or to prepare food in your own dorm’s kitchen. I’m not totally sure if the groceries would be paid for by the individual students or from a predetermined pantry. We’ve seen students like Ruggie and Trey find or grow their own ingredients, but we’ve also seen situations where group meals or events (Port Fest, Halloween, birthdays, etc.) are held and would obviously have to pull money from a budget or some kind of pooled source. I’d assume that kitchen safety and cleaning is a shared responsibility by anyone who uses it; there may also be a rotating schedule for who cleans up (scrubs the tables, takes out the trash, etc.) for the week. Washing your dishes and cutlery after use and tossing out your own bad food, by contrast, feel like individual chores.

I don’t think students typically have mandated “sit down and eat a meal with your dorm” times. Firstly, NRC just doesn’t have that kind of a fuzzy, “let’s be friends” community. It would also just be difficult to coordinate a time that works for all members of the dorm, since they also have to account for times when students would be busy with homework, jobs, or club activities. Secondly, the group meals we do see, such as unbirthday parties, the Halloween dinner, and the Pomefiore welcome meal are all associated with timely events; they are not the everyday. More likely these group meals are formalities reserved for special occasions or holidays. I think students are probably free to figure out their own meals outside of the school-provided lunch in the middle of the typical academic hours. For example, we see that Floyd hoards snacks in his bedroom and Idia implies he eats in his room too, and especially while gaming. Ace has said that there’s a burger joint in the town he likes to go to. Jamil is known to prepare banquets seemingly on the regular for his dorm and the parties Kalim holds. Each dorm is also shown to have a lounge or common room area, so I’d imagine that can seat students who want a place to sit down and eat. The design of these lounges also better reflects NRC’s general attitude towards forming friendships; the tables and chairs/sofas are comparatively small or can only seat a few at the same table.

As for what gets stocked in every dorm’s kitchen, I don’t think dorm leaders would get to hand pick those items. This is mainly for pragmatic reasons, since I can easily see characters like Leona misusing the privilege to like... have all meat and no veggies on hand 😂 More likely there’s a budget they need to stick to and some essentials in every kitchen. This would then be supplemented by whatever else they produce on the dorm grounds (we’ve gone to all 7 dorms to collect various ingredients for Master Chef/Culinary Crucibles) or whatever they purchase on top of the pantry (stares at Kalim). I’d also like to point out that NRC has many locations on campus where you can grab additional ingredients, such as the Botanical Garden, an actual ranch, a windmill, the forest behind the school (where we gathered chestnuts!), the Mystery Shop, etc. Some of what’s in the pantry is probably based on ease of access, such as Octavinelle having easy access to seafood and fish. Back to the dorm leaders, I feel like they set a precedent for the rest of the dorm rather than actually strictly determining what foods are and aren’t allowed in them. For example, Vil has very strict expectations about table manners and eating healthily, while Riddle wants his dorm members to adhere to rules (inclusive of food-related ones) and Azul tries to promote a “gentleman’s club” energy at his own in-dorm eating establishment. The Mostro Lounge, however, likely runs on its own budget and acquires its own ingredients as business expenses.

Yuu is attending NRC under special circumstances, so I assume they’ve worked something out with Crowley to ensure they can be fed 3 square meals a day. It’d be pretty unfair to demand full payment from someone who has zero of this world’s money or even ID to work. That alone would probably make 5em eligible for financial support, at least when it comes to food. I don’t think Yuu would get a ton of flexibility for snacks, ingredients, and other bells and whistles; Crowley’s not running a complete charity here. He’d probably allow for the basic 3 meals plus maybe (a very strong maybe) a little bit extra for indulging every now and again on a cookie or something.

[artificialmoth]

Pointing at you

Gimmie Phantom/Ifrit propaganda. Right neow. NnEEOWOWOOWOWOW!!!! IN MY HAND!!!!!!!!!!!

YEAAA im always ready for phantom/ifrit propaganda :3

Phantom's the pretty new ghoul & Ifrit's been round for a while. He's part of the unofficial welcoming committee, he takes a LOT of pride in being the one to welcome new ghouls into the Abbey. He loves his job in welcoming any new ghouls, be it new summons or transfers.

but he ESPECIALLY liked welcoming Phantom. Phantom hadn't been summoned before, and as the most eager ghoul, Ifrit was tasked with showing Phantom the ropes of living up-top. He oversaw anything Aether couldn't do - stepped in if Aether was pulled away, or wasn't able to clear his busy schedule.

They got close, and fast. Ifrit's less of a mentor and more of a friend, he loves sneaking Phantom out to go to the nearest town, as Ifrit's one of few ghouls trusted with a fake license and unrestricted car access.

They're SO close you'd think they knew each other in the Pits or something, but really its bc of how good Ifrit is at disarming people. He's insanely charming, and already plenty kind. Its beyond easy to trust him!

He helps Phantom with guitar, and his blocking and overall stage presence. Likewise, Phantom shows him the easier ways to break into Mounty's stash without him knowing, and they spend PLENTY of nights tangled together, high as all hell.

When Phantom leaves for tour, its a bit emotional. Not only are they leaving his formal mentor, Aether, but he's gotten SO close with Ifrit. Dancing around some deeper feelings - Phantom wasn't sure how to make a move on a ghoul like Ifrit, part of him doesnt feel like hes deserving of Ifrit's love, and Ifrit not wanting to make a move on Phantom bc he doesn't want to start anything before Phantom has to leave.

Ultimately, mid-tour, Ifrit and Aether sneak to attend a show bc Dew wasn't doing so hot and Ifrit could tell Phantom was starting to really feel it, too. Nothing Ifrit and Aether did could've ever prepared Phantom for tour, frankly.

They got to watch rather than play, admiring their ghouls on stage. It was all coordinated, so they'd be backstage when the ghouls + papa would be finishing up the encore.

Everyone expected Dew's reaction - very much angry-happy, tackling Aether and practically climbing him in his excitement.

NO ONE expected Phantom to do the same. Dropped everything and RAN to Ifrit. And, naturally, Ifrit caught him. Twirled him around and squeezed him nice and close. Phantom started crying right away, mask still on. Ifrit had to help him get it and his balaclava off so he could breathe, and Phantom didn't even hesitate when he grabbed Ifrit and pulled him into a kiss.

Everyone teases them for their first kiss, just lightly. Its perfect, and they both like to talk about it. Ifrits a bit more dramatic about it, acting like Phantom dipped him low and kissed him. But really, Ifrit was holding Phantom up and didn't expect it.

theres definitely a picture of how ifrit looked after. naturally.

[bekolxeram]

Another day, another spin around the Great Cycle of Fandom Discourse™. Today we seem to be at the bachelor party costume debate for like, the 7th time. Let's just go all out and read too much into all of the characters' attires.

Buck and Eddie, they're the only ones dressed correctly for the theme, it was Buck's idea to throw a 80s themed party and Eddie's idea to dress up as Crockett and Tubbs after all. Although, as I've mentioned a while ago, they didn't coordinate with each other beforehand, so they both showed up dressing up as Crockett.

It's Crockett who usually wears pastel, Tubbs seems to prefer darker colors.

Now, Hen is wearing some kind of a retro costume, it's not exactly her usual style, but judging by the high waist flair jeans, it's more of a late 60s-70s outfit. Karen, on the other hand, dresses like uh..... Karen, aka goddess among men. It's probably Henren's normal going out attire.

I'm convinced this man has a closet full of Henleys in each pantone color. Tommy is in his usual Henley and jeans, and he explains it on a technicality: people did wear Henleys in the 80s. We don't actually know how much time passed between the coffee apology-not-date and the wedding, but it can't be too long. We also don't know when Buck invites Tommy to the bachelor party, he seems to be still scouring for venue 2 weeks before. There's likely not enough time for Tommy to shuffle his schedule around or throw together a specific costume. The best he can do is put on whatever he has and try his best to show up while on standby, Buck is glad that he can make it though.

I have no idea what Ravi is wearing. It's a regular button up with some subtle pattern on it and black pants? I don't think he's dressed up as anyone or anything in particular, I'll just put it in the same category as Tommy, there were people who dressed like this in the 80s.

Although Chimney got encephalitis-blocked, we learn from Maddie that he was on his way to the party. This is very possibly what he chose to wear for the occasion, it's not even casual, it's more business casual. In fact, this is the same shirt he wore to the Lee's a couple days ago, but this time he loses the jacket and puts on more informal pants.

We know he's not too stoke about going to a bachelor party and he's getting progressively sicker at that point, so it's understandable he would be the last person to wear a costume for the party.

In short, outside of Buck and Eddie, no one wear costumes to the bachelor party except for Hen, who wears the wrong one. I believe this scene is meant to be a silly little set up for Chimney's disappearance, but if we decide to read too much into, the only person who comes out looking less than positive is, unfortunately, Buck (and a bit Eddie for encouraging him).

Buck insists on throwing the party despite the continuous disapproval and refusal of the groom himself, whom the whole wedding is supposed to be about. But everyone understands Buck is doing it out of love, he just wants to celebrate Madney's epic love story, so they all show up the best they can even though they are mildly annoyed. They take time out of their busy lives, stay for a bit, then return to their obligations when it becomes clear that the night isn't going anywhere without Chimney's presence. At the end of the day, Buck didn't know Chimney was sick, his excessive enthusiasm also isn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, but if you really want to read this scene by itself as the writers painting one of the characters in less than favorable light, it would be Buck.

Ravi is totally in it for the free food though.

[laricht]

Disaster | Kakashi Hatake

Synopsis | This was getting out of both of their hands and it was time to talk about it. Content | fem!reader, nonsense, smooth talk, established relationship, engagement, wedding planning, mention of sex. Words | 1,847. Author's note | I hope you like it!

It was a wonderful morning, and both of their days off after various missions and busy schedules. Stretching your muscles on your bed first thing in the morning was essential, it usually let Kakashi know you were awake when he wasn't possessively surrounding you from behind and with her face in the crook of your neck, which was almost never.

After the rubbing of bodies in which each one readjusted themselves against the other, the greeting of good morning came, either by saying it or with a kiss, and then moving on to their routine, which consisted directly of morning sex.

But that morning wasn't like that, there was spectacular weather, and you had also stretched, but the night before you and Kakashi had been planning your wedding, staying up until the wee hours of the morning, at some point, you had gone to the shared bed, believing he had followed shortly after, but that was not the case. Now you wanted to know where your dear future husband was.

When you left the room you got the answer, he had fallen asleep on the couch, probably choosing something from one of all the things on the long list that rather than helping to organize, only overwhelmed them.

You poured coffee into one of those mugs with a motivational quote. Kakashi, already awake and watching from the couch, let out a laugh at the contrast between the message 'live, laugh, love' and your expression, which warned of committing a hate crime against anyone who pushed you over the edge.

He tasted the caffeine on your lips with a kiss after standing up and walking towards you, and he took the cup with him.

Overwhelmed you looked at the dining table, which they had occupied as their planning area. Everything was in chaos; neither of them had had time, and what little time they had was spent on wedding-related matters.

Kakashi snapped up the board with the list of tasks and other papers, ran his fingers over some before stopping at a section.

–Have we already gone over the coordination of the wedding procession? –He read that with difficulty, without knowing that there was a concept with all those words together.

–What about what? –You asked, approaching from behind and looking where his eyes did as well. You let out another long sigh.

You didn't know when everything had escalated into piles of things to do, or maybe you did?

They had both agreed that it would be something small, simple, and without too many people, quiet and without the need to invite people they didn't want out of obligation.

One afternoon, gathering as they had done before, Kurenai, at a sensitive moment that evening, had mentioned that she and Asuma had briefly discussed their ceremony. He wanted something grand, a celebration that included everyone they cared about. The Sarutobi said that it was not every day that one met the love of one's life, and that it deserved to be shared with those who have accompanied them on the journey.

Kakashi, who generally preferred quiet and privacy, couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to share that moment with more of his friends and loved ones. The idea of seeing all those who had been a part of his life, gathered together in a celebration of love and joy, began to seem less intrusive and more… comforting.

When he mentioned it you couldn't help but look at him with tenderness on your face, having reached the point with Kakashi that he confessed that to you with complete confidence made your heart skip a beat. You weren't going to say no, not when he looked at you with those eyes for which you would do anything. After what Kurenai had said, a slightly larger celebration, with laughter, hugs, and old friends, felt strangely right.

The problem came later when somehow everyone began to give their opinion on what a wedding, their wedding, should be like.  Soon, they started to lose sight of what they really wanted, morphing the initial concept from something simple to something that was now out of their hands.

–You definitely need a live band! –Guy exclaimed, with his usual enthusiasm. –Something that makes everyone get up and dance. And don't forget to include some friendly competition to liven up the night!

–Competition? –Sakura replied, amused. –I think it is more important to focus on decoration. Imagine a garden full of white flowers and hanging lights. It would be so beautiful and romantic.

Naruto, ever cheerful, quickly intervened. –But there also has to be ramen! You can´t miss! It would be great to have a ramen cart so everyone can eat as much as they want.

Ino, who had been listening attentively, added: –And the dress, of course. It has to be something spectacular. Make Kakashi-Sensei himself wonder if it's true that you're getting married!

You had only gone to leave a couple of reports from the academy at the Hokage tower, so the intervention of the group of shinobi startled you as you turned around and found them in the doorway.

You agreed to his requests and mentioned them to Kakashi, who accepted without question. The problem was that they started adopting other people's ideas, assuming the other would also want them but never expressing it to avoid overwhelming each other.

After the close circle gave their opinion, outsiders, who they didn't even know, also began to do so.

–Congratulations on the engagement. –a Sand ninja whom Kakashi had met on a mission said. Kakashi gave a strange look but thanked him nonetheless, with his usual kindness. –In Suna, there's a traditional dance. It's a beautiful way to unite everyone present. Have you thought about including some type of dance or performance?

–We had´t thought about that detail. –He confessed, placing a hand on the back of his neck guiltily, feeling like a bad future husband. –We will consider it.

Similar encounters happened with you. A merchant from a nearby village, familiar with both of you from various missions over the years, noticed the engagement ring on your finger and couldn't resist asking if the 'silver-haired boy' had finally taken the plunge.

When responding, he mentioned that if they wanted something truly unique during the ceremony, they should consider a bonding ritual with colored ribbons.

Your first thought was “What the fuck is that?” but you didn't say it aloud, nor did your face betray your confusion. You didn't ask about it, yet somehow it ended up on your lists.

Although the most difficult thing to choose was a date, now that was also at stake due to everything that remained to be organized and quoted, with little time left. You bit the inside of your cheek looking at the almanac with dates written down by you and Kakashi, and with notable exhaustion you rested your chin on the top of Kakashi's head, who was still sitting in the dining room with the papers in his hands.

«This is a disaster.» They both thought without mentioning it. Neither wanted to ruin what the other wanted, but it was being too much, so in unison they let out a –What if...?

Their eyes met, laughing at the compatibility. You sat next to Kakashi who told you to speak first, you took his hands in yours, being about to do something that had been lost little by little since they started planning the wedding: Be honest.

–I think that with all this about the ceremony, the things that we had in mind at the beginning are simply… They are not there. And yes, I don't know... –You hesitated for a moment. –... do we return to the simplicity that we wanted from the beginning?

Kakashi sighed with relief, a goofy smile on his lips. –I thought you were going to say you didn't want to marry me anymore.

-What? No, for God's sake! You're not going to get rid of me that easily. –you joke, finding calm in his eyes.

–I had also started to feel like things were getting out of hand. –Kakashi looked at you tenderly, his expression softening. His fingers gently caressed yours, giving you a sense of comfort. –The truth is that I have felt overwhelmed with all the plans and expectations. I don't need this – he turned briefly to look at the stack of brochures and documents. –, all I want is to be with you.

You smiled, feeling warmth in your chest. –We have always been good at simplifying things, right? –You said, remembering the times when you both found joy in the simple.

Kakashi nodded, his eyes shining with affection. –It's what I like most about us.

You leaned towards him, resting your head on his shoulder. He was right, from the beginning of your relationship as just friends things had always developed naturally, it was true that they never asked for anything but the other always gave everything, you were sorry that things became a little complicated due to the lack of communication, but you were good that they were back to normal.

Kakashi hugged you, the warmth of him enveloping you. –Although I think that what we like most about us is you. –He lightened the atmosphere once you saw him again, as if you hadn't known each other for a lifetime, going from best friends to a couple and now to a future husband, he placed a lock of hair behind your ear, looking at your face sweetly.

You felt a surge of love and gratitude towards him. –Thank you for being my partner in all of this. I don't know what I would do without you.

Kakashi smiled, kissing your forehead softly. –I love you too. –He responded with a smile, that while you hadn't said those exact words, it was implicit.

They both stayed silent for a moment, enjoying the closeness and tranquility of being together. In that instant, you knew they had made the right decision. It didn't matter how big or small the wedding was; What mattered was that they were together, ready to face the future as they always had: as soulmates who complemented each other perfectly.

Finally, Kakashi broke the silence with a spark of humor in his eyes. –Well, at least now we can focus on what's really important.

–And what would that be? –You asked, curious.

Kakashi smiled widely, his tone full of mischief. –Organize the honeymoon, of course.

You laughed, feeling relief and heat rising to your cheeks. -That sounds perfect to me.

At those words they were enough to gently pull you to her body, he let out a soft laugh as he held you firmly by the waist, and began to plant several cloying and loud kisses on your cheek.

–Now if you also agree, I would like to start our favorite routine. –Without waiting he lifted you from the waist and spoke again after leaving a kiss on your lips. –Do you prefer it this way or in a more wedding-like style?

[hellohellowelcome]

I've seen people honestly convincing themselves that Class A deliberately started hating Izuku and did not speak or reach out to him for 8 whole years because he became quirkless again.....well, no!

They are no longer classmates who see each other everyday nor was Izuku working as a pro during those years; there would naturally be less overlap in their schedules. It's very much a normal part of life to remain deeply close with people you can only catch up with a few times a year. Class A adores Izuku, you absolutely cannot convince me they don't catch up with him as much as they can, even if that doesn't end up being often. Especially with how much hero society has changed post-time skip (e.g. the quirk counseling program Ochako started up, Shoji's work on heteromorph prejudice, etc.), it makes perfect sense that most of the class just got busy. A different kind of busy than Izuku might be as a teacher. I also think that he still meets up with people, just probably not the majority all at once (seriously, try coordinating a meetup with twenty people's schedules in mind).

As for Izuku feeling lonely, again, it's a hard transition to go from classmates who lived together in the same dorms, who fought a war together, to maybe rarely catching up. I'm sure there's also a special kind of loneliness that comes with watching your closest friends pursue a dream you cannot live with them anymore. Seeing them on the TV, seeing their class statue. The loneliness of feeling separated from the you that's a hero when you still have all of the scars. None of it means that the Class A alum are horrible people who could possibly ever stop caring about Izuku

[a-dumb-sarcastic-bisexual]

These Nimona headcanons are dedicated to the people who keep asking me how I come up with them (short answer: I have no fucking clue)

While Ambrosius is the one to keep the house clean Bal is the only reason their schedules are even somewhat put together 

This man has multiple calendars one physical calendar in their living room

A digital one for just him that’s dedicated to things that he knows the duo would be bored by 

And a digital calendar for the trio themselves which is his pride and fucking joy 

His baby a digital miracle and what he genuinely considers to be his magnum opus 

Because Ambrosius and Nimona are the hardest people to organize schedules with

Every conversation with them would go something like this “Hey what are you doing next week” “Oh I’m going to work” “Okay do you know what time you have to head in” *shrugs* “Do you know if you have days off” *shrugs again* “do you even know what days you’re going in” *shrugs one last time*

And then Bal would have to walk away because he was really to commit a crime 

No one knows how he actually got their schedules 

Nimona doesn’t know how Bal scheduled plans for them when he didn’t have their friend's contact info

It scares Ambrosius how Bal’s able to fit is incredibly hectic days in nice neat color coordinated boxes 

The duo doesn’t ask questions and they don’t fuck with the schedule 

They just follow it cause it’s always right 

Which is kind of horrifying 

There is one chore in the house that not even the resident clean freak (my baby golden boy) likes 

And that’s washing the dishes 

Not a singular person in that house will ever do the dishes without complaining even a little bit 

They always take turns and it’s always a lose-lose situation 

Because even though there’s this feeling of “dodged that bullet today” they’re also a little guilty because they know the person doing it hates it just as much 

They bought dish gloves because that slightly helped the problem 

But those things tear like it’s no one’s business which is the fucking worst 

One time Bal walked into the kitchen to see Ambrosius crying over the dishes 

He asked what’s wrong and all he had to say was “glove” 

And Bal knew what he meant because Ambrosius swears that having wet rubber rub up against your skin is almost as bad as touching the bare dishes 

Every time Ambrosius or Bal have to leave for more than a couple of days the other will joke that they're a single father 

Anytime someone checks in on them they’ll say something like “The life of a single parent is hard but fulfilling” 

This basically just translates to them missing their spouse so could someone please bring them back as soon as possible 

Nimona always jokes they’re a child of divorce when the boys make that joke 

The jokes range from “Being a child of divorce is so stressful” to “Good riddance I never liked him anyway” 

Mind you those remarks come after Nimona hung off their legs as they walked out the door 

One time when Bal went on a solo trip Nimona asked Ambrosius to go to the park with him 

He didn’t question it just packed up the car and drove them to the nearest park

And he swears he only took his eyes off Nimona for a minute and when he turned back around he saw a group of sad-looking kids and adults crowding around a kid 

And he instantly knew where he went 

He watched in horror as Nimona pointed up to the sky and said “Dad!” a mom asked with a sad voice “Is your dad a pilot sweety?” to which Nimona responded with “No but Papa says he’s in the sky somewhere which is why he never visits” 

He just scooped her up apologizing while making a run for the car 

A lot of parents were very concerned about why the kingdom’s golden boy just snatched a random child they’d never seen before and will never see again

And they genuinely debate on calling the knights while Ambrosius fireman carries this cackling child away

They do and Ambrosius has to have a very awkward conversation with his old coworkers

[investmentassistant]

Discovering and developing your hidden talents

Everyone has hidden talents waiting to be discovered and developed. Often, these talents lie dormant, overshadowed by the demands of daily life or by a lack of confidence. However, uncovering and nurturing these abilities can lead to personal fulfillment and even career success. This article will guide you through the process of identifying your hidden talents and offer strategies for developing them.

Identifying your hidden talents

The first step in discovering your hidden talents is self-reflection. Take some time to think about activities that you enjoy and excel at, even if they seem trivial. Talents often manifest in the things we find ourselves naturally drawn to. For example, if you find joy in organizing events or gatherings, you may have a talent for planning and coordination. Similarly, if you often help friends solve problems, you might have a knack for critical thinking or mediation.

Another way to identify your hidden talents is to seek feedback from others. Sometimes, the people around us can see our strengths more clearly than we can. Ask friends, family, or colleagues what they think you’re good at. They might point out talents you’ve overlooked, like your ability to stay calm under pressure or your talent for storytelling. Often, these insights can reveal hidden abilities that you may not have recognized in yourself.

Exploring new interests and activities

Once you’ve identified potential hidden talents, it’s important to explore and develop them further. This can be done by engaging in new activities or revisiting old hobbies. For instance, if you suspect you have a talent for writing, try keeping a journal, starting a blog, or even taking a creative writing class. By diving into these activities, you’ll be able to gauge your skills and see how they develop over time.

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Trying new things is an essential part of discovering talents you didn’t know you had. If you’ve never painted before, sign up for a painting class. If you’ve always wanted to learn a musical instrument, now might be the perfect time to start. The key is to experiment and keep an open mind—you might surprise yourself with what you can do.

Developing your talents

Once you’ve identified and begun exploring your hidden talents, the next step is to actively develop them. This requires dedication and a willingness to improve. Set aside time each day or week to practice your talent. For example, if you’ve discovered a talent for cooking, make it a habit to try new recipes or techniques regularly. Practice not only hones your skills but also builds confidence in your abilities.

Additionally, consider seeking out resources to help you grow. Books, online courses, and workshops can provide valuable knowledge and techniques to refine your talents. For example, if you’re working on developing a talent for public speaking, you might take a course on communication skills or join a group like Toastmasters. These resources can offer structured learning and opportunities for feedback, which are crucial for growth.

Overcoming challenges in talent development

As you work on developing your hidden talents, you may encounter challenges or setbacks. It’s important to remember that talent development is a journey, and it’s normal to face obstacles along the way. One common challenge is self-doubt—wondering if you’re really good enough to pursue a particular talent. When these thoughts arise, remind yourself that everyone starts somewhere, and improvement comes with time and practice.

Another challenge might be finding the time to nurture your talents, especially if you have a busy schedule. In this case, it’s essential to prioritize your talents and make time for them, even if it’s just a few minutes each day. You can also look for ways to integrate your talents into your daily routine. For example, if you’re developing a talent for photography, you could carry your camera with you and take photos during your lunch break or while commuting.

Celebrating progress and setting new goals

As you develop your hidden talents, it’s important to celebrate your progress. Recognizing your achievements, no matter how small, can boost your motivation and encourage you to keep going. Take time to reflect on how far you’ve come and the skills you’ve gained. This will not only increase your confidence but also help you identify areas for further growth.

Once you’ve reached a certain level of proficiency, set new goals for yourself. These goals could involve mastering a specific technique, creating a project, or even turning your talent into a side hustle. For instance, if you’ve developed a talent for graphic design, you might aim to create a portfolio or start freelancing. Setting new goals ensures that you continue to challenge yourself and keep your talents sharp.

[jingwei]

Class A Event Cafe Business Model

Analyzing Gakushu's school festival business plan from a comprehensive finance and psychological perspective reveals several key strengths and potential risks. I'll delve into the intricacies of the revenue model, cost structure, operational efficiency, and psychological tactics for a nuanced understanding of his business strategy and its implications. (This may get wordy.)

The event cafe's primary revenue source is the 500 yen entrance fee, which provides attendees with free food, drinks, and access to performances. This model banks on repeat visits, assuming high engagement levels. The psychological underpinning here is the ‘fear of missing out’ (FOMO), as events are scheduled at one-hour intervals, creating urgency and encouraging multiple payments.

Examining the cost structure, Gakushu’s reliance on free performances by pop stars pals and comedian buddies significantly cuts entertainment expenses. This cost-saving measure, however, hinges on personal relationships, posing sustainability risks. If these relationships wane or if performers seek compensation in the future, it could disrupt the cost structure. Since this is a fictional case scenario, I'm going with the possibility that Gakushu's network can be relied on.

The endorsement deal with Suzume Izakaya food services provides substantial financial support and in-kind contributions. This sponsorship not only reduces operational costs but also enhances the festival’s credibility, as Suzume Izakaya’s brand reputation can attract more visitors who trust the quality of the food and beverages.

Offering free food and drinks is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it is an attractive feature that can draw a large number of attendees, enhancing perceived value and satisfaction. On the other hand, it presents a significant cost burden. Effective inventory management and supplier negotiations are crucial to balance cost and supply. There is also a risk of overconsumption, which must be managed to avoid resource depletion.

Operational efficiency is another critical component of Gakushu's plan. Organizing events at one-hour intervals on different stages maximizes space and time utilization, keeping the audience engaged and minimizing downtime. This continuous engagement strategy ensures that attendees are constantly entertained, increasing the likelihood of repeat entrance fee payments. The immediate start of subsequent events also helps maintain a steady flow of visitors, reducing congestion and enhancing the overall customer experience.

Psychologically, the one-hour event intervals create a sense of urgency and scarcity, compelling attendees to make quick decisions to attend multiple events. This tactic leverages the psychological principle that limited availability increases perceived value, driving higher engagement and repeat visits.

The use of celebrity performances taps into social proof and authority. Featuring well-known pop stars and comedians draws their fan bases and generates buzz, enhancing the festival’s attractiveness. This social influence can significantly boost attendance, as people tend to follow the actions of those they admire. The endorsement by Suzume Izakaya also adds an element of authority and trust, reassuring attendees about the quality and safety of the festival’s offerings.

The all-inclusive 500 yen entrance fee creates a high perceived value, making attendees feel they are getting a good deal. This pricing strategy increases their willingness to pay, especially when considering the continuous entertainment and free provisions. The plan also aims to foster customer loyalty by ensuring a captivating experience that encourages repeat visits.

Quoting what the Virtuosos said, such a complex and multifaceted plan is particularly challenging for a third-year junior high student. The management skills required to coordinate performances, manage resources, negotiate partnerships, and ensure operational efficiency are significant. Gakushu’s ability to pull off this plan and win the school festival showcases exceptional organizational and leadership skills. This ability to leverage personal networks and psychological principles to drive engagement and revenue are commendable. Successfully managing such a demanding project at 15 could be foreshadowing of his future as an executive when he started a business in Silicon Valley after receiving an MBA at MIT.

[nightbunnysong]

The benefits of jumping rope for 10 minutes every day

Jumping rope, a simple yet effective exercise, has garnered attention as a potent cardiovascular and full-body workout. While often associated with children's play, this activity is increasingly recognized by fitness enthusiasts and health professionals alike for its numerous health benefits. Engaging in just 10 minutes of daily rope jumping can yield significant improvements in cardiovascular health, muscular strength, coordination, and overall physical fitness.

Cardiovascular health

Jumping rope is a highly effective cardiovascular exercise. A study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine found that 10 minutes of daily rope jumping for six weeks improved participants' cardiovascular endurance as effectively as 30 minutes of jogging. The rhythmic, repetitive nature of rope jumping raises the heart rate, strengthening the heart muscle and improving circulation. This enhancement in cardiovascular efficiency reduces the risk of heart diseases, including hypertension and stroke.

Caloric burn and weight management

Jumping rope is also an efficient way to burn calories. According to research published in the Harvard Medical School Health Publication, a person weighing 155 pounds (70 kg) can burn approximately 124 calories in just 10 minutes of moderate-intensity rope jumping. This calorie expenditure is comparable to more extended sessions of other aerobic activities, making it an excellent option for those looking to manage or reduce their weight. Consistent daily practice can contribute to a caloric deficit, which is essential for weight loss.

Improved coordination and balance

Rope jumping requires synchronization of hand and foot movements, enhancing coordination and balance. A study demonstrated in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science that jumping rope improves proprioception and body awareness, which are crucial for preventing falls, particularly in older adults. This enhanced coordination also benefits athletes by improving their agility and reaction times in various sports.

Muscular strength and endurance

Although primarily known as a cardiovascular exercise, jumping rope also engages several muscle groups. The calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes are activated with each jump, while the upper body, including the shoulders, arms and core, works to maintain rhythm and stability. Over time, daily rope jumping can lead to increased muscular endurance and strength. A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that athletes who included rope jumping in their training regimen experienced significant improvements in leg strength and overall muscle tone.

Mental Health Benefits

Physical exercise, including jumping rope, has well-documented mental health benefits. The American Psychological Association highlights that regular physical activity can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. The repetitive nature of jumping rope can have a meditative effect, helping to reduce stress levels. Additionally, the endorphins released during exercise enhance mood and promote a sense of well-being.

Time efficiency

One of the most significant advantages of jumping rope is its time efficiency. In today's fast-paced world, finding time for exercise can be challenging. However, with just 10 minutes a day, individuals can achieve substantial health benefits without the need for extended workouts. This makes rope jumping an accessible and practical option for people with busy schedules.

[photos from Pinterest]