#definitely don’t like the harmonic

[brittlebutch]

realizing that it sounds kind of mean for me to be referring to this fic as the “cringe loser” fic if you don’t have the extensive lexicon i’ve created in my head for the lengthy opinion essay i haven’t written about how most people don’t actually want “good” autist-rep, they want “cool” rep even at the expense of ‘accuracy’. just believe me i say “cringe loser” with the highest degree of absolute affection

[claudiaeparvier]

Unpopular opinion: i actually enjoyed season 5 of the magicians

[couldbebetterforsure]

You know Jack Jeanne….you can joke about Suzu being a weak singer all you want….

Doesn’t really work when you have Yuma Uchida playing him as if he has the voice of an angel 😂

[pitchsidestories]

Jealousy II Patri Guijarro x León!Reader

masterlist I moodboard I word count: 2985

a/n: Hi, we hope it's not too confusing to read, the oneshot is a bit darker and more dramatic than our usual fanfics. The inspiration for the oneshot was this request here.

Carefully you applied the glamorous eye makeup you had in mind to your eye lids; you were getting ready for your older sister’s birthday party. Looking in the mirror you remembered a quote from a book you read for your English class in school beautiful little fool. According to Daisy in The Great Gatsby, it was the best thing a girl could be in this world.

You didn’t want to be a beautiful fool and didn’t yearn to be perceived as one. Another glance at your reflection and you realized you were done. Time to go to the party.

“Mapi, feliz cumpleanos, hermana!”, you greeted her grinning. Their home was almost a second home to you, you felt more at ease here than in your own appartement. You noticed Bagheera at his usual hiding space behind the window curtains, but for you he came up to get a few cuddles, before returning to it.

“Thanks, glad you could make it.”, she replied smiling, giving you a hug at the same time, pressing a grateful kiss to your cheek.

“Yes, I mean you’re getting old now, so..” ,you teased her, the grin on your face deepened.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get old soon enough, too.”, the defender promised you, laughing.

“Ugh, don’t remind me, Maria.”, you groaned playfully.

“Is that a gey hair?!”, she gasped dramatically while holding up a string of your hair to the light of the lamp.

“Girls.”, Ingrid shook amused her head. She was used to your lively banter now.

“Sorry. Is Patri here?”, you asked her curiously.

“Of course, she’s somewhere around.”, your sister waved it off.

“You can’t miss her.”, the Norwegian added winking.

“Nope, definitely nod.”, Mapi smirked.

To watch the couple, harmonize so well as they did was always a little heart wrenching to you. There was a deep fear inside you that you would never be able to find a love like they had. On the other hand, you were incredibly happy for your older sister.

“I’ve not seen her in ages, I need to say hi, I’ll come back to you soon.”, you told them excitedly.

“Sure.”, the defender answered doubtfully.

“We won’t see er again until the morning, right?”, Ingrid asked.

“Probably not.”, her girlfriend responded in an honest tone.

The truth was you were undoubtedly, terribly, madly in love with one of your siblings’ closest friends. So, you couldn’t wait to see her again. She was the guest at this party you were the most thrilled to meet again.

“Oh, hi, gorgeous.”, a flirty tone of the stranger held you back.  

“Hi, nice to meet you.”, you muttered, while your eyes searched around the living room for the face you yearned to find.

 “Very pleased to meet you. You must be Mapis sister.”, the woman purred. Her voice irritated you, she almost sounded like Bagheera.

“I’m, from where do you know my sister?”, you questioned her, only half-interested.

“Oh, we’re friends.”, she shrugged.

“I see.”, you nodded.

She held out her hand. “But we haven’t met yet.“

A bit too formal in your opinion but you still shook her hand. Why not play along for a while?

“That’s true.“, you replied politely.

“Can I get you a drink?“, the stranger asked, the corners of her mouth quirking upwards.

“Sure.“

To your surprise, she immediately grabbed your upper arm as she led you to the bar.

You frowned, the grip was too tight, too desperate.

And then you saw her.

“Y/n?“ Patri appeared right in front of you, eyeing you closely.

“Patri.“

You wished this girl would finally let go of your arm.

“Hi.“, Patri said blankly.

She was in suit pants and a half unbuttoned shirt.

“Hey, you look beautiful tonight.“, you complimented her and you meant it.

Before the midfielder could reply, the stranger tightened her grip around your arm. You sucked in a breath, this might leave a bruise.

“Let’s go outside for a bit.“, the girl said, her voice sickeningly sweet. It was less of a suggestion and more of an order.

“Okay.“, you agreed.

While the stranger led you outside to smoke, you struggled to tear your gaze away from Patri.

You watched her watching you leave until she disappeared in the crowd.

You failed to see how Claudia appeared on her teammates side, shaking her head: “You’re a fool, Patri.“

“What?“

“She so clearly has feelings for you.“, Alexia rolled her eyes, sipping on her drink.

“Y/n has asked her on dates multiple times in the past few years.“, Claudia agreed.

Patri released a sigh: “I can’t go out with her.“

“Why not?“, Lucy now joined the conversation.

“She’s Mapis sister!“, Patri pointed out the obvious.

Alexia shrugged: “Yes, and?“

Her younger teammate looked at her in exasperation: “Did you not hear what I just said?“

“Remember that Mapi dated Alba back in the day?“, Alexia countered unimpressed.

Now it was Patri who rolled her eyes: “Don’t start with this again. You can’t compare that.“

“Of course I can.“

Patri held up her hands, abandoning this conversation: “Whatever. I don’t want to talk about her.“

“Okay. Another drink?“, Claudia blinked innocently at her.

Relieved, Patri nodded: “Please!“

You had no idea when your sisters birthday party had ended. In fact, you did not remember most of the early morning hours.

When and how had you gotten home? What was that beautiful strangers name again? Where even was she?

All those questions popped into your head when a ringing on your door woke you up.

Groaning, you looked around your bedroom. You were alone, that was good.

You got up and quickly glanced into the mirror, realizing that you still wore last nights dress. There were mascara stains on your cheeks, a bruise on your arm and a slightly purpling hickey on your neck.

No time to take care of this mess, you decided. You walked through your apartment and opened the door.

Relief flooded through you as you found yourself opposite your sister and her girlfriend.

The ease you felt for a minute was erased in the next when you saw their concerned faces scanning your bruised and shambled body.

“Hi Y/n, you need to stop. We worry about you.”, Ingrid begun, sounding deeply worried.

“What do you mean?”, you asked confused while the two women made their way through your appartement.

“You know exactly what we mean.”, Mapi answered frustrated.

“A little party never killed nobody.”, you defended yourself half-heartedly. Meanwhile, your sister and her girlfriend were taking place on your sofa, you were sitting in between them.

“That’s not a little party.”, the defender disagreed.

“And y/n you deserve to be loved for you as a person not only because of your looks.”, Ingrid softly strokes your hair.

“I’m fine.”, you protested.

“Y/n it’s okay. Ingrid is right.”, Mapi told you compassionately.

“But.”, you started, your lips trembling. Memories from last night came back in pieces.

The way the beautiful stranger only used you like a piece of furniture to satisfy her needs and ignored your thoughts and feelings behind your pretty façade. How she couldn’t wait to leave once you showed your longing for more than just touches but a real connection. The scary thought you had when you heard the door slammed shut, maybe you deserved the way you were treated. Maybe love was something that only happened to people who were worthy of it.

“Come here.”, Ingrids warm voice brought you back to the present moment.

“My girls.”, your older sister whispered gratefully, while she and the Norwegian pulled you into a tight, long hug, hoping that one day you realized that you were worthy of love for the person you were even with your faults who sometimes led to self-destructive behaviour.

“Can you let me go now?”, you questioned smiling lightly.

“Yes, before this gets too cute.”, Mapi laughed, releasing you from her hug.

In the passing weeks you tried to break the pattern you were in, meeting more of your friends for a cup of coffee, going to less parties, seeing a psychologist. The changes you made didn’t get unrecognized by Patri who watched you doing this from a comfortable distance.

It was at the end of a media day, the league would start soon again,  that Patri announced: “I think I’ll accept y/n’s date offer, girls.”

“What?!”, Claudia yelled excitedly.

“Yes.”, she confirmed it seriously.

“But why now?”, the smaller woman raised an eyebrow at her.

 “Yeah, what changed?”, Keira wanted to know.

“I don’t know.”, Patri responded truthfully.

“That’s okay.”, Lucy reassured her.

The midfielder’s heartbeat faster as she spotted you hugging your sister. Her heart sank when  the brunette heard the next words coming from your mouth.

 “Girls, I’ve a date, I think she’s serious.”, you cheered.

“You do?”, Mapi glanced at you happily.

“Yes, we’ll go out tomorrow. Fancy dinner and when a bar.”, you went on delighted.

“Sounds great.”, she admitted.

“We’re happy for you, y/n.”, Ingrid beamed at you.

“Thanks.”, you couldn’t help, but to smile at the possibility to have found the one.

You ignored as the other half of the team got quiet, listening to your conversation.

“Fuck.“, Patri cursed under her breath.

“Wow… you have really horrible timing.“, Claudia sighed, her gaze still fixed on you.

Patri nodded slowly: “We do..“

“Maybe you shouldn’t tell her then.“, Keira suggested the obvious which Patri rewarded with an eye roll.

“I won’t.“

“Maybe it’s better that way.“, Claudia said.

“Yes, maybe.“, Patri sighed.

However, she was not ready to give up yet.

She and Mapi met on the next day for some coffee, unbeknownst to you.

“What do you mean the date went horrible?“, Patri asked, slowly stirring milk into her coffee to avoid seeming too eager about what Mapi just told her.

Mapi shrugged: “Oh, apparently she only talked about her ex during the date.“

“In front of her?“

Nodding, the defender took a sip from her cup: “Y/n got bored after thirty minutes and left.“

“Understandable.“, Patri said quietly.

“It’s sad. I had hoped she would have finally found someone for a serious relationship.“, Mapi continued.

The midfielder could read the genuine worry in her teammates face.

She decided to lay it all bare.

“I was so close to accepting her offer but then this new girl came…“

Mapi choked on her coffee.

“Wait, what?“, she asked between two coughs.

Patris gazed was trained on the small wooden table between the two football players: “Yes, I know…“

“Why?“, was the defenders only question.

“I didn’t want to give in because you’re her sister and we are friends…“, she admitted.

Mapis eyes softened as she studied the younger player: “Patri… if you love her, go out with her.“

Patri looked up in surprise: “That would be okay for you?“

“Of course. If you really love her.“

“I do…“

“Then ask her out. She deserves someone who doesn’t just see her looks.“

“She’s not perfect but no one is…“, Patri said more to herself than to her teammate.

“Patri.“

“Yeah?“

“That’s not what a person wants to hear after she told you that you could be the one for her sister.“, Mapi laughed.

Blushing, the midfielder grinned innocently: “Sorry.“

“You still have my blessing.“, the defender chuckled.

“Thanks.“

You walked through Barcelona, Alexia next to you. You had not felt like talking to your sister about the date but you knew you could trust Alexia with the details. And she was more than willing to listen.

You were in the middle of explaining of what you did after you left the restaurant when a familiar face appeared in front of you.

You stopped yourself mid-sentence: “Patri? Hi…“

“Hey, do you have a second?“

You stalled. She was out of breath, had seemingly been looking for you.

You looked at Alexia, then back at Patri: “I do…“

“Good.”, she sighed relieved.

“So?”, you rose an eyebrow expectantly.

“Would you go out on a date with me y/n?”, the Mallorquin woman asked, licking her lips nervously.

“Wait, are you serious?”, you gasped. Almost couldn’t believe that this question came from her mouth.

“I was never more serious.”, you could see the determination in the midfielder’s pretty brown eyes.

“I’m asking because whenever I asked you.. you said no.”, you tried to put the hesitation you felt into words.

“I thought Mapi wouldn’t approve of this. And Mapi means a lot to me as a friend.”, Patri explained.

“But she did?”

Something like hope flattered inside your chest. Was this just a dream, you hoped it wasn’t and if it was it hopefully would never end. This being realer and better when whatever you’ve imagined in so many sleepless nights when sleep couldn’t find you and the yearning for her overcame you.

 “Mapi did.”, the friend of your older sister confirmed earnestly.

“I really liked you for a long time.”, you confessed.

“I know but I was scared. And I wasn’t sure if you meant it because you’re always with someone else.”, the brunette admitted.

“Yes, I guess I’m not good at this kind of stuff.”, you guiltily bit your lip.

“Maybe we can figure it out together.”, she suggested carefully.

“Okay, but I’m warning you I’m not easy.”, you told her.

“I never cared for easy anyway.”, Patri reassured you.

“So, we give it a try?”, you glanced at her, waiting eagerly for her reply.

“If you’re willing to. Because you haven’t answered if you want to go on a date or not.”, she remarked.

“I want to go on a date with you.”, you smiled at her, meaning every word you said.

“Okay, but first we need to finish gossiping y/n.”, Alexia threw in grinning. The Barcelona captain has been watching everything from a safe distance until now.

“Ugh, Ale.”, Patri groaned.

“No, I’m just joking go ahead.”, she laughed.

“Can I take you on a date right now?”, the younger midfielder laid her eyes on you, it was clear from the look of her face that she couldn’t wait any longer.

“Yes, you can!”, Alexia answered for you winking.

“I didn’t ask you.”, Patri shook her head amused.

“I think it’s time for us to go.”, you decided smirking.

“Yes, please.”, she nodded happily.

“Bye, Ale.”, you waved at the older woman.

“Enjoy.”, the blonde responded cheerfully.

While you made your way through the buzzing city, the sun was about to set, the night never seemed more promising to you, as you walked hand in hand with the woman you had feelings for since forever. You always liked the city your sister chose to play for, but this evening you fell in love with it. The beauty of the architecture and everything else was almost too overwhelming. Before the mass of people made you feel lonely but now you were a part of it.

“Well, were do you want to go y/n?”, Patri whispered into your ears as you passed the neighbourhood of Gracia.

“You pick. You asked me out.”, you mouthed back.

“Good, I already know a place.”

And that’s where your story begun, the first date ended with a kiss on your doorstep, but you came back for another, because it left you even hungrier. But for the first time in forever you felt safe, knowing that you’d see her again and Patri wouldn’t walk away.

The summer break came. For most of the players it was only a short period of time between the end of the season and the next games with their national team.

You and your girlfriend wanted to make the most out of your free days, enjoying the pure bliss of having no responsibilities.

That was how you found yourself on yacht with a group of people, most of which you did not know. But they seemed to know your sister which meant that some stranger always came up to you, wanting to talk when all you wanted to do was lay in the sun and sip on some cocktails.

Even the woman in charge of preparing the drinks wanted to engage you in a conversation but your replies remained monosyllabic. Once she was done pouring, you flashed her a smile and disappeared with a cup in each hand.

Patri had been watching from where she was tanning herself in the afternoon sun. As you approached her, she moved her sunglasses to the top of her head: “Y/n?“

“Yes?“, you asked, sitting down next to her.

“What are you doing?“

You shrugged, handing her one of the cups: “Just got us some drinks.“

“Why was the barkeeper staring at your tits?“

You suddenly felt uncomfortable in your bikini top and jeans cut-offs. “She has? I didn’t even notice, Patri. Everyone stares at me… always.“

You relaxed a little when Patri looked you up and down with a smirk: “I mean I get that they look at you. You’re gorgeous.“

“Can’t help it.“, you assured her again.

“But the flirting… not a big fan.“

You took a sip from your drink: “Relax, I’m yours.“

Your girlfriends eyes sparkled, challenging you: “Prove it.“

You put your drink down, pushed your girlfriend back on her towel to straddle her and kissed her passionately.

“Again?“, Patri asked, innocently blinking up to you.

“Maybe with less people to see?“, you suggested. You had the sudden urge to get away from everyone, to do more than just kiss her. You only wanted to be Patris.

You both got up. Patri took your hand in hers, leading you towards the inside of the boat.

She winked at you: “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure everyone knows that you belong to me. I’ll leave my handprints all over you.“

You smiled quietly about how right this felt. She would never get mad or freak out. If she was jealous, she made sure that everyone knew that you were her girlfriend.

You always knew that Patri could handle it.

[sugarnspice630]

Radio Head - Hongjoong

"Your voice is like a siren. You’re just so smart and beautiful. You drive me insane with how talented you are.”

•pairing: hongjoong x afab!reader

•word count: 1.6k

•tags: mdni, smut, reader is a vocalist, Hongjoong is definitely a Simp for reader, cunnilingus, praise kink, oral (f receiving), producer hongjoong, recording booth sex, Hongjoong asks for consent (💕), moaning sample for music (👀), cum eating, aftercare

Summary: Helping Hongjoong produce a song by providing some backing vocals and he gets desperate so he meets you in the recording booth and services you, and surprises you at the end with something unexpected.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆───

Hongjoong was working late in the studio one night and you decided to tag along with him. One, so he wouldn’t be lonely and two, because you wanted to hang out with him and help him if needed. You were chilling on the little couch that was in the corner of the studio, playing on your phone, listening to Hongjoong working away at the new songs he was producing. He would occasionally mutter a curse word under his breath, a sign that he was getting irritated by the song not sounding the way he wanted.

“Fuck…this just isn’t working.” he sighed out. You placed your phone down and walked over to him to reassure him. Placing your hands softly on his shoulders and rubbing them gently as his head rested on the desk in between his arms.

“There there love. I’m sure you’ll get it eventually. You always do.”

“It just sounds empty! Here..take a listen.” He shoots his head up and drags the song back to the beginning and presses play. You listen to the song closely, trying to figure out what Hongjoong thinks is missing from the song. The members have already come in and did rough vocal guides so there were melodies to also pay attention to. After a few more seconds, Hongjoong pauses the track.

“See what I mean? It’s just empty! There is nothing in this that screams original! It sounds like every other song under the sun.” He throws his hands towards the screen before resting his left arm on the desk and placing his head on his hand.

“I’m not quite the producer like you baby, but I think I might have a suggestion, if you wouldn’t mind me sharing.”

“Please do. I’m all ears at this point.” You take the mouse and drag it back to the part of the song you think needs some work.

“I feel like at this part here, it should have something subtle in the background, like *laaa la la laaaa*. Just to fill this part where Yunho and Wooyoung are harmonizing, and that melody could repeat throughout the bridge.” You watch as Hongjoong’s eyes light up at your suggestion.

“Y-yes! Y/N that’s perfect!” He takes the mouse back from you and goes back to the start of the part you are fixing. “Um, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to record this part.” his hand motions towards the recording booth,

“Joongie, a-are you sure? I don’t think that would be right.” you shake your hands in front of you, signaling that you would feel bad for recording lines when you are not a member of the group.

“Yes I’m sure. You have a similar vocal tone to Jongho, so the fans will never know. I promise.” he reassures you with a smile and you softly nod your head before making your way to the recording booth. You open the door, close it softly, and pick up the headphones hanging from the mic stand. You put your hair behind your ears and rest the headphones over top. Hongjoong begins to talk to you through the headphones.

“You ready love?” You look over to him through the glass window and give him a thumbs up. He looks down at the mixing table and presses a button. You begin to hear the couple seconds before the spot you are recording for playing through the headphones. You take a deep breath and put your heart into singing the notes perfectly for him. You try a couple different takes to the beat of the song to give him some different options to play with. After a bit, the song changed parts and you stopped vocalizing for him. You side eyed over to the window to see his reaction and noticed Hongjoong wasn’t sitting at the desk anymore. Your eyebrows contorted as you were puzzled on where he went. Your eyes lead back to the microphone and you see Hongjoong standing directly in front of you, his eyes meeting yours and there is a certain glint in his eye. Before you could say anything, he ripped the headphones off of your head and pressed his lips into your’s. You whimpered softly at the impact and he wrapped his arms around you, pushing you into the wall that was behind you. His hands caressing all over you and his lips grazing across your skin.

“H-Hongjoong?” you breathe out confused.

“I just couldn’t help myself love, Your voice is like a siren. You’re just so smart and beautiful. You drive me insane with how talented you are.” he purred against your skin.

“I-I don’t understand what I did” 

“Shh, relax baby, just let me treat you right now. I need you so badly. You’ll be a good girl and do that for me, right~?” he softly placed his finger over your lips and traced it down to your chin, tilting your head up softly to look him in the eyes.

“Y-yes.” is all you can manage to get out. You’re at a loss for words right now. This emotion came out of nowhere and your heart is racing like crazy. He traces his hands down your body as he slowly squats down to the floor in front of you. His hands stop at the top of your pants and he looks up at you softly.

“May I~?” he questions with a slight smirk on his face. You look down at him and nod, resting your head on the wall you’re pressed against. You feel Hongjoong tug at your waistband and pull your pants down to your ankles, allowing him full access to your lower body.

“You’re so good for me baby, you know that~?” he whispers against the skin on your legs and gently kisses the area below your womanhood. He reaches his hand back up and pulls your underwear down to where your pants are. You feel the cold air blow across your exposed area and you shudder lightly.

“My my~ so wet for me already and I haven’t even done anything yet. How adorable~.” he teases as he runs one of his fingers across your slit. You let out a breathy moan and tilt your head back into the wall more. “I want you to be as vocal as you can darling. Show me how good I make you feel, yeah~?”

“Y-yes Joongie~.”

“Spread ‘em.” He demands and you quickly place your legs further apart so he has full access to your dripping area. He softly kisses the area around your crotch before gripping your hips and diving straight in to licking you up.

“F-fuck! H-Hongjoong!” Your hands reach down and grip onto his hair. His tongue slowly drags across your slit, almost like he is teasing you. His nose presses perfectly onto your clit. A loud moan gets caught in your throat for a moment and it releases when Hongjoong pushes his tongue into your opening.

“Mmm~ F-fuck yes baby~!” You secretly bite your lip to try and suppress your moans, even though you are in a soundproof room and no one could hear what’s happening. Hongjoong takes notice of your lack of noise and slaps the side of your hip harshly, causing you to whimper.

“I told you to be vocal.” He growled and rubbed your hip where he hit it.

“S-sorry!” You stutter out. Hongjoong continues to lick and suck, showing that he accepts your apology. His hands gripping onto your sides and he pushes his face further into you. You moan out softly at the new sensation. You call out his name as his fingers claw deep into your skin. You’re panting and moaning like crazy and you can tell you’re close to your release.

“You gonna cum for me baby?” he whispers softly from underneath you as he gently licks your pussy lips.

“Y-yeah~. J-just a bit more please~.” you beg out, so close to your release. Tilting your head against the wall again as you try to hold on a bit longer. Hongjoong takes one of his hands from your side and begins to rub your clit while pushing his tongue into you. The sensation of his finger rubbing you and his warm delicate tongue lapping your dripping hole. It’s almost too much to bear. 

“H-Hongjoong, I’m gonna-!”

“Cum for me sweetheart~, I wanna hear you.” He continues to rub your clit and within a few seconds the knot in your stomach comes undone. Your legs become weak, but Hongjoong holds you up while you continue to cum on his fingers. You let out the loudest moan you have ever heard from yourself. Hongjoong glides his fingers through your slit while you ride out your high.

“Oh-oh my god.” You pant out. You open your eyes slightly and you see Hongjoong looking at your fucked out face as he lifts his fingers to his mouth and licks the cum off of them.

“You taste delicious darling~.” He says lowly and then he smirks at you. You whimper and softly smile. “Let me help you out here baby.” He grabs your underwear and pants from the floor and lifts them up for you. After that, he caresses your face and looks at you lovingly. You smile at him and he smiles back. “You feel okay?” He looks at you concerned as you haven’t said anything since you came.

“Yeah, I’m okay baby.” You pause for a moment. “Thank you~.” He leans in and gently kisses you.

“Good~.” He goes to your side and puts your arm over his shoulder, helping to carry you out of the recording booth. “Oh…and thanks for the samples by the way~.” He says and you can tell there is a smirk on his face. You feel your body temperature rise out of embarrassment.

“Wait what?”

[myuni-moon]

SAGAU: Reboot (part 2)

cw: violence

You’re not exactly sure where you went wrong, but you find yourself detained in the Knights of Favonius Headquarters. Perhaps it was the fact that you had no self-identification to show the guards that stopped you on your way in, or maybe it was your suspicious-looking behavior as you blurted out you had memory loss and stumbled into Mondstadt– which is not entirely untrue. Either way, the ending is getting chained to a chair in a dimly lit office with no way of explaining or protecting yourself.

You sigh, leaning back into your chair. The manacle around your wrist rubs against your skin, its chains clanging with your movement. Your current location is devoid of any windows, and you wouldn’t be able to tell if you were above or underground. The door is most definitely locked because you’d heard it click after you were left here. Furniture is also sparse; other than the one you’re currently occupying, only a metal table and another chair sit in front of you.

A candle is perched on the surface, illuminating your space enough for you to get the general idea that you are most probably in some kind of interrogation room. If you were to look under the table you are tied to, you’re sure you would see its legs bolted or nailed into the ground. Very characteristic of the cop movie you once stayed up to watch a few months back. Now that you think about it, you never really got to finish it. You passed out halfway in.

Just before the existential crisis of being locked up in the dark permeates your system, the door creaks open. The sound reminds you of the front door of your grandparents’ house– rickety yet unnerving. Your head snaps up in response. The silhouette of a man enters, and you silence a gasp threatening to escape your parted mouth.

The voice that accompanies it is mellow, deep and harmonic despite the annoyance in tone. “Look, it’s too early in the day for this. So do me a favor and just cooperate.”

Blue hair. Eyepatch. Pupils in the shape of a four-pointed star. Fluffy scarf.

You don’t know if you want to laugh or cry because Kaeya Alberich is standing in front of you with a scowl and irritation apparent in his voice. On one hand, this could very well be your salvation if you played your cards right. On another, Kaeya may just be one of the many characters you wish to never be with in this circumstance.

He doesn’t even bother to look at you, gaze scanning through a folder poised in his grasp. Kaeya just sits across from you in the once vacant seat, and you feel queasiness dance in your stomach.

“I am the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius. You are currently detained for suspicious behavior, according to reports.”

He sounds so monotone– uninterested and exasperated. It’s not at all like the Kaeya you’re used to seeing. Typically, he’s playful and sly which leans into the trickster role most players know him for. Just like everything you’ve experienced thus far, you’re stuck in a state of liminality. You’re teetering between the recognizable and the unknown.

It fills you with dread because you’re acutely aware that you have no understanding of the Kaeya before you.

“It says you entered Mondstadt this morning. When questioned for identification, you were unable to procure any documentation.” He raises a brow pointedly. “You claimed you had memory loss and came to the city for answers after seeing it from the forest you woke up in the northeast of the city– which would be the Whispering Woods. Is that all?”

You nervously blink, “Uh, yes?”

He throws the folder haphazardly onto the table. His actions are very unlike him. This Kaeya doesn’t seem to hide behind any carefree or cunning façade. He’s supposed to be somewhat refined, not at all openly aggressive. You expect him to play you like a fiddle, manipulate you into giving him the answers he wants behind coy smiles and faked enthusiasm. But he isn’t, and it’s making your skin crawl.

“I’m surprised they even put you up for interrogation,” he scoffs, “if it were me, you would’ve been killed on the spot.”

You freeze. “Excuse me?”

This is definitely not Kaeya. You tell yourself he mustn’t be. If he were, he wouldn’t actually hurt someone so suddenly. He didn’t even attack the traveler the first time they appeared, so why would he kill you out of the blue?

He clicks his tongue. “Don’t play dumb.”

Except you aren’t. You’re busy trying to reason out Kaeya’s shift in behavior.

He’s not supposed to be hostile– to a powerless civilian, at least. You have no way of protecting yourself, and you don’t have a vision or weapon. You pose no major threat, given you were easily detained; you don’t possess any valuable information that he could want either.

His earlier statement seemed personal, however. If it were up to him, you would’ve already been dead. He hasn’t done anything yet because something is stopping him, and he’s pissed about it.

You take a deep breath and decide to weigh your options. Your first option is to tell the entire truth about your understanding of the world you’ve found yourself in, and you’re not so sure what benefits that could give you. What you do know is that he could possibly take it as an excuse and send you to a worse fate than being sent to a video game.

The second option is, well, to play dumb. Answer all his questions while concealing the fact that you’re not from Teyvat. Truthful but not completely honest. Honestly, it’s your best bet. It’s the only choice you have that has an opportunity for a brighter outcome. You bite your lip, carefully picking the words about to come out of your mouth.

“I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”

You meet his sharp gaze, and a fury burns behind his pupil. It takes a lot in you not to quiver when the chair from under him squeaks against the floor as he abruptly stands. Kaeya’s strides are slow, his heels clicking against the stone floor. He rounds the corner over to you; your heart drums with his every step.

When you look up at him, you find the devil standing in front of you. The space between you two is only an arm’s length. A bitter laugh escapes his lips. “Who do you think you’re kidding, huh?

“First, the traveler disappears without a trace. No one can contact them, not even that damn dragon.” What? “Then you show up within our walls, wearing their face. You have to know what you’re doing. Just what are you pests planning?” Whose face is he talking about? What does he mean by “pests?”

A burning pain spreads across your scalp, causing you to cry out. His hand has come to pull at your hair, forcing your head into an uncomfortable bend. Fear twists its way to your neck in the form of Kaeya’s palm pressing against your throat. Just a little more pressure and he could restrict your airflow completely.

“I don’t care if you’re involved with them or mocking us, I don’t think you’re leaving this room alive.”

[calicoheartz]

Could you write something about Caitlin based off so high school by Taylor swift?

Soooo Highschool ; Caitlin Clark ﹒ᐢᗜᐢ

summary : just a little fic based on the song so highschool by Taylor swift !

wc ; 593

warnings : just romance and fluff

disclaimer : i don’t typically listen to Taylor swift , so i tried my best to interpret her lyrics

my master list ㇀♡

a/n : highschool Caitlin x reader core ?!?!? 👀 all jokes aside this was soooo fun to write tysm for requesting ! enjoy ◡̈

The sound of sneakers squeaking against the shiny basketball court filled the gymnasium as Caitlin dribbled the ball, with her eyes locked on the hoop. The crowd cheered, but her focus was solely on the game. She swiftly dribbled against the defenders with ease, her move was almost as smooth as silk.

You carefully observed from the bleachers, your heart pounding with both anxiety and anticipation. Your girlfriend was definitely a force to be reckoned with, and you couldn’t help but feel a wash of pride wash over you knowing she was yours.

As the final buzzer rung through your ears, signaling the end of the game, Cait’s team emerged victorious. The crowd began to cheer, as her teammates quickly surrounded her, congratulating her on a well played game.

You made your way done for the bleachers and onto the court, eager to congratulate your girlfriend. As you approached her, she turned to face you, with her gaze softening as she gave you a sweet but loving look.

“Hey, you played amazing out there,” you said, pulling her into a warm but gentle embrace.

“Thanks,” she replied, a small pink hue tinting her cheeks, returning the hug. “I couldn’t have done it without having you here by my side, supporting me.”

After this sweet exchange, you and Caitlin walked hand-in-hand to the locker room. As you waited for her to change, you couldn’t help but feel a huge sense of nostalgia wash over you. This was just like highschool, always sneaking into the locker room to congratulate her after an important win, then wandering off elsewhere to have a simple but passionate makeout session.

As Cait emerged from the locker room, you noticed a mischievous glint in her eye. “What are you up to?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Shh” she said, swiftly putting a finger to your lips. Before you could protest you heard a simple “Follow me,” from the brunette. Grabbing your hand and interlocking your fingers with hers as she led you out of the gymnasium .

She soon led you to a secluded area behind the bleachers, before pulling you into a passionate kiss, her lips tasting like strawberry, and your lips moved together, harmonizing. “Ive been wanting to do that all game,” she said, a playful smile spread across her face.

You laughed, the feeling of her lips against yours making you nervous, and sending a shiver down your spine. “Youre sooo highschool” you chirped at her, teasing slightly.

Caitlin grinned down at you, “Ill take that as a compliment,” she said confidently, pulling you into yet another passionate kiss.

As you stood there, her arms wrapped around your waist, you couldnt help but feel grateful for the memories you were recreating from highschool, as she was more than just your girlfriend. She was your best friend, your confidante, your entire world. And you wouldnt want to have it any other way.

As the night drew to a close, you and Cait cuddled up against eachother on the bleachers, simply enjoying each other’s company through the deafening silence. “This feels like a scene out a cheesy movie,” you said, resting your head on the point guards shoulder.

Caitlin chuckled. “I guess we’re just like two highschoolers in love. Just like how it used to be,” she said, wrapping an arm around you.

You smiled softly, feeling an unwavering sense of contentment and happiness. As long as you had Caitlin by your side, you knew that your life would always be a reminder of all the adventures that awaited you.

[bright-side20]

Koschei's Sleeping Beauty retelling 🌹

I've found Koschei's sleeping beauty details so here it is

_In the tale, it is said that once Koschei focuses his gaze on the chosen princess, he is capable of exerting a powerful influence over her. He recites ancient, arcane words, and the maiden collapses gracefully, falling into a deep, unbreakable sleep, immune to the passage of time.

_ Koschei was described to be surrounded by shadows and swirling mist. He then takes the princess to his grand hall with a bone throne, where she waits for the hero who can break the spell.

*In SF:

The being that stood atop the lake was a shadow. It must be a reflection, Cassian thought. Smoke and mirrors. "Where is Briallyn?" Azriel demanded, Siphons flaring like cobalt flame. “I spend so many months preparing for you,” Koschei crooned, “and you don’t even wish to speak to me?”

*Koschei in the book is described as a shadow being as in the tale. Plus he could be trying to lure Azriel to the lake because once he can fix his gaze on him he'll be able to manipulate him with his power and enchant him with unbreakable sleep.

What I think is that Koschei could have been trapped in the lake using the Starsword, so he needs the TT to undo it. That's why he wants Az because he owns the dagger, so he could curse him with eternal sleep and try to make Elain free him from the lake in exchange for breaking Azriel's curse.

_In the tale, the only way to break the enchantment is through an instrument called the gusli which is very similar to the harp.

Gusli. Harp.

_The strings of the gusli are made of pure silver and inbued with encient magic, when played correctly they emit a powerful, harmonic resonance that can break the spell and awaken the princess.

*In SF, the harp has ancient magic in its strings, and they are also made of silver:

The golden Harp, covered in intricate embossing, set with silver strings.

The small strings are for games—light movement and leaping—but the longer, the final ones … Such deep wonders and horrors we could strum into being.

_In the tale, for the Gusli's magic to work, it should be played by a hero who is pure of heart and noble intent.

*We know that Elain can use the harp because she's a cauldron made, and we also know that she has a different kind of strength:

“Elain had always been gentle and sweet—and I had considered it a different kind of strength. A better strength. To look at the hardness of the world and choose, over and over, to love, to be kind. She had always been so full of light.”

She is someone pure of heart, and her love for Azriel will definitely be strong and pure, so I think that could be another reason why she's the one who can break his curse 🥰

My theory about the harp is that, since in Hofas it was said that it can transfer one's power to the soul of another. Therefore, Elain may be able to give a portion of her life power to Az's soul through the harp to awaken him.

[milswrites]

Can I have this dance?

~ Azriel X Fem!Reader

Summary: Lovingly trapped in a moment on a roof in the Rainbow, you and Azriel take advantage of the little time you get alone, enjoying your evening together until dawn makes her appearance.

Warnings: Just cuteness!

Notes: Don’t know why this made me feel homesick for a place that isn’t real. (I definitely didn’t base this off the song from High School Musical 3 👀🫣)

Life couldn’t get any better than this. You had just shared in the most magical evening with Azriel. The delectable meal at his favourite restaurant , secretly hidden down one of the narrow, twisting streets of the illuminated city. The blissful walk along the Sidra, hands entwined and swinging between you as you spoke about everything and nothing all at once. Then finally to end your evening the perfect view of the rainbow, enjoyed only by you and the shadowsinger, hiding away on the roof of Feyre’s studio, not yet wanting the most wonderful of nights to come to an end.

So here you were, sat together on a blanket Azriel had materialised from his shadows, your head resting against his shoulder as you admired the scene. Eyes closed softly as you appreciated the humid kiss of the evening breeze against your cheeks, ears perked as you listened to the bustling streets below. Friends laughing with friends as they crawl out from the rustic bars, ready for an exciting night ahead in the clubs of Velaris. Artists calling out enticingly, attempting to squeeze in a few more sales from the interested public before they packed up for the night. Velaris was a city full of life. The rising of the moon, and the dotting of twinkling stars appearing in the inky sky, called its people from their homes like a sirens song.

You and Azriel had always been wallflowers, preferring to sit back and absorb the moments you were in. So being here, sat only with each other for company on the silent roof, heightened senses taking in the sights, smells and sounds from the streets below, was your idea of heaven. You mainly sat in comforting silence, though Azriel occasionally released a low rumbling laugh from his chest, pointing out a poor fae who had drank a little too much and was struggling as they stumbled wildly down the cobbled streets. Or you would gasp in adoration each time a dog ran by, tongue hanging out as its tail wagged happily. You were watchers and this was the perfect place to observe.

Hypnotised, you were unsure just how long you had been sat there entwined together, the night sky being your only guide as to what the time was, hundreds of stars now shining in the night sky. The vendors had all taken their leave, wheeling their lightened carts away as their places were taken by musicians and performers seeking to make a few coins and share their passion with the keen citizens of Velaris, who were all too willing to stop and watch as if they had all the time in the world.

Which it felt like you did, you and Azriel sat here on the roof trapped in your little moment with no concept of time. It was almost as if you were merely figures in a painting. Too enticed by the transfixing tug of the city that was Velaris. The only thing that could ruin your enjoyment would be the rude interruption of dawn breaking, and so until then you would absorb this picture in its entirety.

The wind carried a melodic tune from the streets which you overlooked. The airy whistling of a flute accompanied by the harmonic pull of a harps strings. It was the type of music you liked to imagine the gods would listen to, the skilled musicians drawing all kinds of emotions from you through their beautiful symphony.

Azriel, who had always been appreciative of good music, softly hummed along to the tune, his voice beautifully harmonising with the notes from the instruments below. Captivated, the song made you sway softly, continuously brushing against the shadowsinger’s shoulder as you did so.

Gleeful giggles joined the orchestration, you could almost feel the vibrations of the joyful sounds as the wind gently blew them towards you. Curious, you moved from your comfortable position to lean over the edge. Still humming contentedly, Azriel absentmindedly shot out a reassuring arm to hold onto your own, ensuring that you wouldn’t topple over the ledge, interrupting the magic that was being produced below.

You peered over, merriness filling your eyes as you watched couples, both young and old, joined together in an enchanting dance. Arms embracing their lovers as they swayed to the mesmerising tune.

You squealed at the sight, hopping excitedly to your feet as you wanted nothing more than to do the same, Azriel lurching forwards in fear at your sudden movement. The male stilled as he saw you were alright, eyes glancing in confusion to the open hand you were holding out for him to take.

You chuckled at his furrowed brows marring his handsome face, his thoughts still lost to hypnotising rhythm of the music. “Dance with me” you grinned, waving your arm about energetically as impatience flooded your system, wanting to start the dance before the melody came to an end.

A matching smile crossed his face as he placed his hand in yours, “I’m not much of a dancer” he nervously mumbled, afraid to disappoint you with his skills, or lack thereof. Mustering all the strength you could you pulled the male up from the floor, “it doesn’t matter Az, all that matters is you, this. Right now.”

You raise your entwined hands just as you saw the elder couples doing below, resting your head on Azriel’s chest as you wrapped your other arm round his muscular back, the male following suit and doing the same to you.

Taking the lead you began to sway in time with the tune, taking small steps which Azriel copied, his eyes locked onto your feet to ensure he didn’t step on them. Briefly, you removed your hand from his back just to take him by the chin and move his face to meet yours before returning it to its original position, his golden-amber eyes which were fogged by lust meeting your own.

Gaining confidence as his eyes bore into yours, Azriel began to guide you, steps widening as the two of you began to move around the roof, spinning together in broad circles, allowing the moment to take over and let your bodies do all the work. He raised your joined hands, allowing you to twirl under his arm, being mindful not to bump into his wings which were slightly curled around you both in your embrace.

You moved fluidly, two shadows dancing together under the moonlight, the powerful music controlling your movement. It was an elegant mess of unplanned yet coordinated spins and dips, Azriel doing whatever felt right at the time, allowing his instincts to work for him. He drew you into a deep dip, your back arching over his supportive arm as he did so before lifting you back up and spinning you in a circle once more, pulling you close to his chest after you were steadied on your feet.

Beginning to run out of moves, both your arms drifted up his body until they locked around his neck, his own hands coming to rest at your waist. You resumed the gentle swaying, head pressed against him feeling the vibrations in his chest as he once again began to hum the melody as you moved.

You continued this dance until the music began to fade, still making the small steps even after the last note rang out through the wind, too enthralled by this perfect little scene shared between you. Enjoying the rare time you get alone when you are both off work and aren’t joined by your family - as much as you loved them.

And so the dance didn’t end with the song. The sound of your steady steps against the roof echoed until dawn finally made its appearance. The two of you still tangled in your enveloping embrace until the sun had long since risen. Allowing your perfect night to carry through into a beautiful new day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes: literally had this idea and wrote it in an hour as I was just too excited

[kittyball23]

Intrusion (a Trolls fanfic)

Summary: Poppy and Branch are out, seeking peace, quiet, and each other. Though, with four not-so-discreet snoopers around, that may not be so much of a possibility

A/N: Welcome to the next oneshot collection I've planned for TBT, "Brodacious!" (Also found on AO3, Wattpad, and Fanfiction.net under the same name) Can't wait to write for the Main 7, but of course, going to kick things off with a little Broppy ;) Think of this first one as a new edition (haha) of my oneshot from Trolls 3.0 "Setting the Mood" (ch 11) Rated G!

_________________________________________

Being a queen was a lot of work.

Branch knew this about Poppy, even before she had officially placed the crown on her head and received the title. Seeing King Peppy run Pop village, and then Poppy succeeding him, he could tell that the duties eventually took their toll on the two Trolls.

But, in turn, that’s what made quiet moments more appreciated. The times where she’d have a break to share alongside Branch for just the two of them to do as they pleased were always cherished, even if it was something simple like staying in his bunker, cuddled on the couch,eating cupcakes and other sweets while whispering silly but sweet things to one another. Or whether it was something a little more planned, like the picnic date he’d taken her out for that evening.

Twilight had fallen, and the sky was painted a beautiful gradient shade of orange and purple. Stars began to dot the sky, and the glow bugs began to flutter out, adding beauty to the scene around them. Though to Branch, nothing was more beautiful than the sight of the pretty pink-haired Troll that he was proud to call his girlfriend, even if she had a little bit of frosting stuck to her cheek from the cupcake she was eating. But it was not to worry. That’s why she had him. He was her partner, the metaphorical king to her queen, and the cupcake-frosting-wiper to her cupcake-frosting-mess.

He chuckled, scooting a little closer and setting his own cupcake down on the picnic blanket so that he could reach up and dab at her cheek with a napkin. She giggled in spite of herself and not being more cautious to not make such a mess eating, and then looked up gratefully into his deep, blue eyes. Branch felt himself entranced by her fuchsia gaze as well, and his hand lingered on her cheek, using his thumb to caress the skin where her cute freckles were. The moment was so perfect – why, it even sounded like there was sweet music going off in his head just from looking at her so.

But… maybe it wasn’t just in his head. Poppy blinked, coming out of her trance, and perked an ear. Branch did too, glancing around but not seeing anyone around just yet. Then he heard the voices a little more clearly – four very distinct and recognizable voices - and some rustling in the nearby bushes as an indicator of where it was coming from.

“Oh, oh-oh-oh, yeaheahah, come on, come on

Oh, oh-oh-oh, Sha-la-lala-la, la-lala, mmm-hmmm…”

Not making a whole lot of effort to hide themselves much, Branch and Poppy could see the heads of John Dory, Clay, and Floyd peeking out from behind the bushes, harmonizing a melody, while Bruce took on the main vocals.

“There, you see her,

Sitting there across the way,

She don’t got a lot to say, but there’s something about her...

And you don’t know why but you’re dying to try

You wanna, kiss the girl…”

Branch rolled his eyes as his other brothers added their own voices.

“Yeah, you want her,

Look at her you know you do,

It’s possible she wants you to,

But there’s one way to ask her

One way to ask her

One way to ask her…

Boy, you better do it soon,

No time would be better,

And it don't take a word, not a single word,

Go on, and kiss the girl, kiss the girl…”

Poppy giggled a little at their antics, but then grimaced a little upon seeing the rather annoyed look on Branch’s face. She knew that Branch definitely didn’t like this. She gently patted his hand. “Hey,” she said softly, “we can move somewhere else, you know.”

Branch glanced at her a bit deadpanned, but then a slight smirk tugged the corner of his lip. “Actually, I’d rather take the advice.”

And before Poppy could question what was going on, she was promptly tugged towards his face, his lips enveloping hers. Poppy sighed gratefully and returned the kiss as an eruption of wolf-whistles and jeering came from the other side of the bush.

“Woo-hoo! Way to go Branch the Heartthrob 2.0!” Bruce called out.

“Cool as ice but with all the spice!” John Dory riffed.

Clay in the meantime elbowed his brothers and gestured out wildly towards the pair. “See? SEE? Serious Boy Clay still has a couple of old tricks up his sleeve!”

“Way to go, Bromeo!” Floyd shouted to Branch encouragingly, clapping his hands.

But Poppy and Branch remained deaf to the brothers, their only focus being on the passion that they ignited between each other.

__________________________________________

A/N: I don't know about you, but when I watched 2023 Little Mermaid earlier this year, my brain kept distracting me by saying "Yo, Sebastian is just Spruce with a Jamaican accent" lmaooo

(also this version of Kiss the Girl is from Descendants 2, it's my fav version :3)

[goldencuffs]

afterglow

inspired by the spectral files series by s.e. harmon!!

The ghost appears in his office after Damen comes back from his lunch break. 

Damen’s had a rough week already. The free pad thai in his belly right now is literally the best thing that’s happened to him in months. That’s not even an exaggeration.

The ghost in his office has been around before. He showed up a few weeks ago, at the start of summer, his expression boyish, sunny, hands in his pockets as he’d surveyed Damen’s office with visible interest. Then he had followed Damen to the kitchen and watched him make tea. And then he had pulled faces last Tuesday, during their morning briefings, gagging at the photos of Victor Reynold’s dismembered body. 

“I smell Thai,” the ghost says now. He’s pouting. “I want Thai. I love Thai food.” 

Damen ignores him, sitting behind his desk and logging into his computer. It’s only twelve in the afternoon. Damen wants to throw himself off the ledge of the building. 

The ghost struts about his office, still talking, listing off the other cuisines he loves (Mexican, Indian, Lebanese, Italian) as Damen pretends to read his latest case notes.

“Not going to lie though, definitely shat myself when I had that. I’m talking blocked pipes and everything.” The ghost shakes his head. “Man, that was a rough weekend.”

Damen sighs. 

The ghost perks up. “I know you can see me, man. You always get that face when I’m talking to you.”

Damen picks up a pen, just so he has something to do. So he can school his face into something more neutral. 

Of course Damen can see the ghost. He sees ghosts all the time. He’s seen them since he was seven years old. As a kid, he didn’t know the children he would play with were dead until Nikandros’ foot had gone through the football they were kicking around. 

Since then, Damen’s seen them everywhere. There was a widow who used to hang around Kastor’s old place, shrilly telling him off for painting the kitchen the wrong colour. Kastor had moved out three weeks after Damen had told him that. 

Most of the time, ghosts leave him alone. Sometimes they get excited when they realise he can see them. Sometimes they just want to talk. Some of them have harmless requests, like messages they want to pass on to a loved one.

And sometimes there are ghosts like the ones in his office, who don’t seem to have anywhere to go, who only seem to be attached to him.

The last ghost like that had been Aimeric Gaul, this skinny, baby-faced kid who had sad, wide eyes. He could only go where Damen could, and kept mentioning how much he missed his mother. 

Three months into watching Aimeric cry in the corner of his office, Damen had driven down to Fortaine to see his mother. Aimeric had sat in the front seat, wide-eyed as he watched the rolling landscape.

When Damen had told Aimeric’s mother that he had a message from her dead son, her husband had pointed a gun to his forehead and said, Get the fuck off my property.

Damen was placed on suspension after that.

So, yeah. He’s wary of the ghosts like this—the ones that are, inevitably, drawn to him. They’re the ones that cause trouble. 

Damen’s been through enough, thanks. He’s only just back from his suspended time off, and Jokaste has cleared the last of her things from their place, and sometimes he still panics when he can’t find the ring on his left hand, until he remembers that it’s shoved in a drawer in his closet. 

The ghost is still talking. “You know what I really miss though? Dumplings. Highly underrated, man. When’s the last time you had one? Take it from me—have as many dumplings as you can while you’re still alive. ‘Cause, one day you’re gonna be dead, and there’s no fucking dumplings here. Which is shit if you think about it, the least—”

Damen’s phone rings. He picks it up, glad for the distraction. 

Makedon’s voice is no-nonsense. “My office, now. Bring coffee.” And then he hangs up. 

Damen deliberately doesn’t bring the coffee. Makedon frowns at him, but doesn’t say anything else. 

He pushes a file towards him. “Welcome back, kid. Latest cold case is all yours.”

Damen groans. “Seriously? You’re assigning me to cold cases? What about Reynold’s murder? I hear they need more manpower.”

“Nah.” Makedon shakes his head. “Don’t think you’re in the right headspace for all that shit.” 

“That shit?” Damen repeats, frowning. “You mean, my job?”

Makedon stares at him for a few beats. “This is part of your job too, detective. Everyone gets assigned cold cases every now and then.”

“Bullshit,” Damen snaps. “You haven’t assigned me a real case in months, even before—” And here, he falters, too ashamed to bring up Aimeric. 

Makedon isn’t a soft man. Everything about him is rigid and unmoveable. But he does relax his shoulders a little. 

“This isn’t just about what happened in Fortaine. When’s the last time you slept, kid?”

Damen frowns.

“Yeah, exactly. Divorce ain’t easy, and it’s clearly been affecting you more than you realise. You’re so… angry all the time. You clocked the new intern so badly last week, he had to go home early.”

Damen sighs, heart twisting a little. Yeah, okay, yelling at Erasmus in front of everyone hadn’t been a good move, but Damen had his reasons.

…He just can’t remember them right now. 

“Work the case with Huet,” Makedon continues, “He’s good company, and isn’t afraid to step up.” 

Damen snatches the file. “Whatever,” he mutters darkly. “What’s the case?”

Makedon sighs. “Some kid drove himself into a lake about a decade ago. Was conclusively claimed as a suicide at the time, but his brother’s statement is pretty interesting, suggests foul play.”

Damen’s eyebrows raise. “Murder?”

Makedon shrugs. “The brother was thirteen at the time, and very close with the victim. So it could be an emotional thing. But…”

“But?”

“He pointed fingers at their uncle. Claimed he had strong evidence it could be a murder, but no one really looked into it too closely.”

“Hmm,” Damen says. “So, what, we’re supposed to go on the word of a teenager?”

“A very persistent teenager. Have a look—he’s called at least several times a year to see if the case has been reopened.”

“No shit,” Damen says in surprise. “He actually share any of this evidence, though? Or tell us why the uncle could be the perpetrator?” 

“That’s your job to find out.” Makedon yawns. “Where’s my fucking coffee?”

But Damen doesn’t pay attention to him. The first page of the case file is a headshot of the victim. 

Damen knows that face. He just left him in his office.

***

Auguste Henri Revere is—was—twenty-five when he died. 

He was incredibly popular, well-liked, and good at pretty much everything he did. Damen reads everything in his file: football captain, scholarship student at Arles University, part-time volunteer at the children’s hospital…

He doesn’t seem like the guy who would kill himself. Then again, the worst part about this job has always been that people can surprise you—in the worst ways possible. 

Nothing about his death is suspicious. It happened close to midnight, near a popular stretch of road in the city centre. There were several witnesses that saw a cream 1972 Ford Mustang veer off the road, straight into the lake. Police found a suicide note typed on Auguste’s laptop. He had cleaned his room the night before, donated things like clothes, jewellery, and sneakers. 

Damen reads what Laurent Gabriel Revere said. Now that statement is strange. Laurent was thirteen when Auguste died. Sources say they were close, that Auguste doted on him, especially since they were orphans, living with their uncle. Two years after Auguste died, Laurent showed up at the police station and accused their uncle of killing Auguste. He claimed he had evidence, but failed to elaborate. Witnesses said they had heard Laurent and his uncle fighting at the Revere home just half an hour before Laurent showed up at the police station. 

Police issued a search warrant at the Revere house. His uncle had readily complied. Nothing had been found. Nothing had been found in Auguste’s recovered car either. And there was never an autopsy done on his body. 

“Huh,” Damen says. 

He looks up at Auguste, who’s staring at the view outside his floor-to-ceiling windows. For the first time since he showed up in his office, Damen feels sorry for him. Auguste is twelve years older than him, but now here he is, forever twenty-five. Damen’s older than him now, and it’s strange to think about. What makes him more deserving of life? He isn’t even a good person—not the way Auguste is. Was. 

It’s not the most conventional way to start an investigation, but hey, he might as well. “How’d you die?” Damen asks.

Auguste turns to him blinking. His eyebrows raise. “That’s the first thing you say to me after all this time? Jesus, that’s cold, man.”

Damen bites his bottom lip. “Do you remember the day you died? Did you… er.” He can’t bring himself to say kill yourself. 

“The day I died? Hmm.” Auguste’s golden eyebrows furrow. “Let me see… I took Laurent out that day. We went to the fair, and he kept pretending he was too old to go on the rides.” His smile turns fond. “Then we… I dropped him home. I went to meet some friends but I don’t think I made it.”

“Fuck!” Damen scrambles up from his seat, and he’s grateful that his office door is closed. He doesn’t think he could explain to anyone why he’s so horrified. 

Blood streaks down from Auguste’s mouth, the corner of his eyes. His clothes are soaked through, turning transparent. His golden hair is matted and wet against his scalp.

Auguste moans. “I don’t feel so good. I don’t… I can’t talk about this anymore.” 

The blood starts pouring out of his ears. 

Damen stands, paralysed, unable to move. 

And then in a blink, Auguste disappears.

***

“Damn,” Huet says. “How much do you think this place will sell for? Three mill right? I mean, at least.” 

“Shut up,” Damen says. Huet is a new recruit and he is far too peppy and talks far too much. He is definitely not good company. 

Privately, Damen agrees about the house. It’s huge, a sprawling mansion adorned with steep, gabled peaks and chimneys, topped with slate tiles that glisten in the sunlight.  Ivy and climbing roses cling to the walls. As well as being Superman, Auguste was also apparently incredibly rich. 

The man who opens the door is undoubtedly related to Auguste. It’s the eyes—Damen has been staring at those blue eyes in photos and in his office for weeks now.

Richard Revere is in his mid-fifties. His hair is dark, coiled, and his beard is trimmed and peppered with white. There are rings on each of his fingers—giant gemstones that glisten as he shakes Damen and Huet’s hands as they introduce themselves.

He has no qualms about being questioned and invites them in. 

Damen’s eyebrows raise. They’re greeted by a grand foyer with a sweeping marble staircase, its balustrade intricately wrought iron, leading to the upper floors. The interior is a blend of opulence and warmth, with high ceilings, ornate moldings, and crystal chandeliers casting a soft glow over the richly decorated rooms. Antique furniture, plush draperies, and elegant tapestries fill the spaces, each room telling its own story of centuries past.

Richard has no issues with them being in his house. Damen has done this for long enough to go by his gut—and so far this man doesn’t seem like a murderer. He just seems like a rich man from an affluent society. 

Richard makes them tea, and then says, “So. You’ve opened my nephew’s case again?”

“We have,” Damen says. They’re sitting on the most comfortable armchairs he’s ever been, in a room with far too many books and far too many globes. 

“Interesting.” Richard sips his tea. For the first time, his tone is cold, disapproving. “May I ask why? I believe the last set of detectives were incredibly thorough.”

Damen nods. “I’m sure they were. But you understand we’re in a delicate position. We can’t brush off… certain statements.”

“Ah.” Richard’s mouth quirks in amusement. “So this is about Laurent, then.” 

It’s Huet who nods this time. He says, “He called the last leading detective just six months ago, sir. He’s still adamant about…” He awkwardly trails off. 

Now Richard looks very amused. “Oh, I see. Of course. Did you know Laurent happens to make those calls to the police station every time we have a fight?” 

“Well,” Damen says, as Huet makes a note of that. “We’d like to talk to him too. Is he around?”

“He is.” Richard nods. “Upstairs, sleeping.”

Damen doesn’t react when Auguste appears in the living room. He looks like his usual self, dry and golden, free of blood. 

“You need to go upstairs,” Auguste says, and for the first time, there’s a note of frustration in his voice. “I can only go where you go. I want to go upstairs. I want to see my room. I want to see Laurent.” 

“We’ll come back later then,” Damen says. He ignores Auguste’s No! 

Richard leads them back out into the sunlight. Auguste trails after them, eyes flicking over every inch of the house, his gaze wondrous. It fills Damen with pity. 

They make their goodbyes out on the porch. Damen can see some of the neighbours take interest in their police car, but Richard seems unfazed. 

A portly woman at the end of the driveway asks them, “Laurent again? He’s a shame to the Revere name.”

Huet raises both eyebrows. Damen makes a mental note of that.

As they walk to the car, they hear a frantic, whispered. “Hey!”

Auguste gasps. “Laurent.” 

Damen follows his eyes. There’s a window at the side of the house on the second level. Someone’s opened it up enough to wave at them. 

Damen steps closer. Auguste rushes up to the window. “Laurent!” 

Laurent doesn’t hear his brother. But he does notice Damen approaching and beckons him over. 

Damen stands under the window, shoulder to shoulder with a dead man, and looks up at the most beautiful person he’s ever seen. 

Laurent’s hair is golden, falling across those same stunning, blue eyes, his lashes long and dark. His skin is luminous and sweetly pink. 

“Damn,” Huet says under his breath. 

“He’s so grown up,” Auguste whispers. 

“You’re here for Auguste’s case?” Laurent says. 

Damen has to strain to hear him. Laurent’s voice is low, anxious, like he’s worried about being caught. 

“Yeah, we are.” Damen clears his throat, which is suddenly scratchy.

Something bright sparks in Laurent’s eyes. He’s still whispering. “Great. You think you can meet me at the diner down the road in an hour? I can’t get away until he leaves the house.”

That instantly sets alarm bells in Damen’s head. He frowns. 

“God, he looks so different,” Auguste says.

Damen nods at Laurent, who’s still anxious, still waiting for a response. 

“Okay, we’ll see you.”

Laurent nods and shuts the window, disappearing from view. After a moment, Auguste does too. 

[hypnoneghoul]

when you listen to the rhrn album can you please give your thoughts about like the mixing? Live albums typically don’t always have the greatest mixing but this one like confuses me

alright anon, I'm using your ask to make my official HYP TALKS RHRN SOUNDTRACK post

tag list: @devilsandstarlight @jazz-bazz @skele-bunny @azureseacloud @lilhoechlinsbae @delusionalbitchinthehouse @fallen-iii-ghost

A disclaimer, any negative-leaning take is not hate or "I would've done a better job" (because I would not), it's only my opinion that I was asked for multiple times due to what I do here on tumblr

Okay so I can divide the tracks in two categories when it comes to mixing and all that stuff:

1. Awesome mixing – more depth, better instrumental and vocal balance – Spillways – Cirice – Call Me Little Sunshine – Twenties – Marry On A Cross – Kiss The Go-Goat – Dance Macabre – Square Hammer

2. Less fortunate mixing – some flatness and chunkiness, less balance – Kaisarion – Rats – Faith – Absolution – Watcher In The Sky – Rats – Miasma – Respite On The Spitalfields

I’m not putting If You Have Ghosts into any of these categories because it’s a different world entirely. It’s actually just brilliant, but it’s not as hard to find balance with so few and such instruments as with the other songs on the album. I think Copia is a little too sharp for this vibe and I'm pretty sure they tried to help with reverb. It was a nice touch, but I think it could’ve been more smoothed out. But also I kinda hear Terzo in the second half of it, not Copia, SORRY. The vocal ghoulette could’ve been put either fully on the middle or all stretched all around to surround Copia and the instrumental and fill the space, if that makes sense

In general the mixing is strange in some places, even in the better made songs, it’s just like they lose the plot sometimes. It's possible (and very likely) that it was prepared with vinyls or CDs in mind, not headphones, but that doesn't explain why sometimes it's better and sometimes worse. Some general stuff about mixing I picked out:

1. Dew isn't really on the right, he's more to the middle than Aeon who's totally to the left. Dew could be louder actually in some places, Aeon could be stretched more to the middle 2. Bass has a great definition, we can finally hear how nice some fillers are and how good Rain actually is 3. The girls got some very much deserved highlights, but they did Swiss dirty. I’m outraged for my bbg, but not only because I love him. It would be a genuinely better technical decision if he was louder and/or placed somewhere else. The entire thing is very off balance. It's lead guitar and strong female vocals on the right, and rhythm and basically nothing (Swiss) on the left. It just doesn't make any sense!!!

Now some stuff about specific songs:

1. Rats – So dirty, the mixing failed a little here, the audience just sounds like noise instead of actual good background – DEW DID A PINCH HARMONIC (I manifested it) – Cirrus!!! It’s hard to hear her most of the time and she rocks here – Aeon and Dew had a very good harmony, they work so good together wtf (sorry Aether but they win here)

2. Faith – Aurora and Cumulus completely slay – I adore Dewdrop’s little addition to the 1st solo – But he missed a note in the 2nd solo heh

3. Spillways – FINALLY Swiss in Spillways – It’s the best mixed song in general and I’m not only saying that because of Swiss (who I love), all the instruments and voices are balanced so much better and so much more fluid – There’s less tone definition on bass though

4. Cirice – Dew does some fancy lil harmonic tricks in Cirice, I LIKE – It’s also very well balanced when it comes to instrument, SWISS IS AUDIBLE – Something went WRONG with Cirrus’ synth here, like omfg they did my girl dirty

5. Absolution – I talked about Absolution extensively here

6. Watcher In The Sky – Love the synth on it, why not do that setup for Cirice pls – But also Swiss is always the loudest at the beginning, why not here!? – It’s on the worse list, but it’s not horrible, the backing synths fill it nicely so it’s not as chunky as Rats for example – I think someone forgor Dew is lead, not Aeon, but at least we can appreciate the bug’s skill some more like that – Mounty slamming those bitches at the end, go baby!

7. Twenties – Very glad they highlighted the drums and the bass so much in this one, it’s what Twenties is FOR – Both Dew and Aeon’s palm muting game is so yummy here – Oh, Swiss how I love you – But what are they doing with the solo mixing, why is the bitch moving at the beginning? It’s like someone was late to press some buttons (It might have been on purpose but trying to do some fancy effects doesn’t always work)

8. Miasma – Miasma lands somewhere between the worse and better mixing category but that might be the lack of vocals which takes away some of the needed balance, but it is rather chunky – I don’t like the synths shoved totally into my left ear but that’s just me, not an actual flaw – But then what are they doing at c. 3 minutes??? Again, more fancy doesn’t always mean better and Miasma is fancy and full enough as it is – I think the mixing in Miasma changes from worse to better along the way because the ending is so much better and smoother, around when the sax comes in so they might’ve adjusted some things just to fit it – OMG RAINY GO FANCY AT THE END (the tiniest solo ever <3)

9. Mary On A Cross – Cumulus oh my fuckckk – The vocals before the chorus is such a good touch, nice ascend into the change in melody, love it – Same with Aurora’s solo part the next time, it’s so good that they put her on the middle for that, it’s perfect – The girls do slay the end but Swiss could balance it nicely if only he were just a tiny bit loudeeeeer – And again what are wed doing with these weirdly sustained layered synths??? That’s just slightly unnecessary

10. Respite On The Spitalfields – Swiss should be louder here, too – Respite is in the slightly worse category because this one sounds very flat to me for most part, it’s like only the drums and bass give any depth (or rather force some depth into it) – Once again Aeon’s palm muting is top tier – Girls slaying as usual – I’m not sure why the strings are just forcefully shoved behind Dew but okay… – The mixing here is a crime!!! It’s so flat and this is a song that deserves to be all around and fully immerse you. I’m actually sad about that one – And where are the solo vocal parts???

11. Kiss The Go-Goat – Now why is KTGG deeper and more melodic than Respite??? We’ll never know ig, but yeah, it’s on the better category – Did Nihil fucking mix this album or what??? – Cirrus’ solo in KTGG should be as loud as Dew’s, period

12. Dance Macabre – Dance Macabre is on the better category too, you can even hear Swiss – Glorious bass here

13. Square Hammer – Now Squammer, very good mixing for the finish but I still think that the girls should be more to the middle and wider, especially in backing vocal heavy tracks like this one – YES Dew bestie go ham on it at the end, slay, make your tech angry – OHHHH AEON’S THING UGHGFHNGHGHHG (he was probably wobbling his pickup switch with one of them turned off so it was basically sound on–off–on–off)

Also not really from the technical side but they cut out some strong tracks and it's honestly a big shame :(

Some gear stuff nobody will hear but me (/hj): 1. Rain definitely still has steel strings ‘cause COME ON, the TONE!!! 2. Aeon’s palm muting skills rock 3. The difference between Aeon’s ceramic humbuckers on the Fantomen and Dewdrop’s Hot Rail single coils is on the Strat so prominent AHHH 4. Aeon missed on the CMLS solo a little but Dew covered him up hjfgsdh 5. Slightly funny addition, but I love that Aurora’s voice and Dewdrop’s guitar can be mistaken for one another sometimes because of the tone and pitch lmfao

And that's it heh I'll gladly elaborate on some aspects or answer any questions that might come up so you know, my askbox and dms are open :3

[sweetsweetjellybean]

May I ask what present day torn Eddie is doing right now? (If you can share without spoiling anything, of course)

I just miss him so much, okay? 😭🥹

Well, let’s see….

There have been lots of new songs dropping since the beginning of the summer, translating into a very busy time for Eddie. He’s taken on a couple of employees over the last few years and some interns as well. Managing people isn’t Eddie’s strong suit, so the stress of that, combined with handling demanding artists eager to cash in on the warm weather vibes and get singles out quickly, has led to many late nights in the studio. Exhausted, he drops into bed as the sun casts pinks and golds through the window, planting sloppy kisses on the cheek before his eyes close tight.

But it’s not all work. After all, that would make Eddie a very dull boy. Bands and artists have been playing shows all over the city, and the two of you have definitely been indulging. Despite his complaints of being an old man, he drags you into a bathroom at the Salt Shed, ignoring the groans of those still waiting in line.

He's quick to have you up against the wall, kissing like he's making up for every missed opportunity. He spins you around, taking both wrists and pressing your hands against the wall before grabbing at your hips, pulling them back towards him until your ass is sticking out at just the right angle. He works the buttons of your shorts open, letting them slip down your legs to the floor without care. After all these years, he knows your body just about as well as you do. He knows how to make you cum when he takes you quick and dirty.

“You like everyone out there knowing you're about to get fucked, doll?” he asks, spitting into his palm and rubbing it through your folds.

You're already panting, resisting the urge to rest your face against the bathroom wall. He circles your clit before sliding his fingers inside. “Jesus, already so wet for me.”

“Just for you, Eddie.” You bounce your ass riding his fingers. “Don’t make me wait.”

“Missed my cock that bad?” His breath is hot in your ear as the clink of his belt fills the small space. His leaking tip is teasing your entrance when your hips surge backward taking him all the way inside. Your satisfied groans harmonize as the bass pumps against the walls.

A fist banging against the door has the two of you freezing. “Hurry the fuck up in there.”

Your head turns to find Eddie's smug grin. He leans forward, capturing your giggling mouth with his. "You heard the man." His thrusts come hard and fast. Your elbows lock to brace yourself as the fire licks through you, building to an inferno.

“Yes. God. Please, Eddie,” you babble on your exhales spurring him on. Your fingers find your clit, adding to the intensity.

"That's it, doll. Christ, you're so fucking hot." The tempo of his thrusts changes again as his hips slam into your ass. His full length slides deep and wet, sending stars bursting in your vision.

“Eddie, I'm so close.” Heavy breaths increase to full moans that echo off the black painted walls.

"I'm with you. Gonna fill this pussy. Gonna keep going 'til you scream." The sharp sting of his hand coming down on your ass pushes you over the edge. Detonating, your whole body shakes. His arm snakes around your waist, supporting your weight as he holds you in place for his final thrust, his warmth flooding inside you.

Both of you have the good sense to look contrite when you exit the bathroom to find security waiting

"Not again, Ed." The brawny man crosses his arms over his chest. "Aren't you two a little old for this?"

"Sorry about that," Eddie says, reaching out for a handshake with folded bills in his palm. "I'd like to promise it won't happen again, but I can't seem to keep my hands off my wife.”

*Sorry this took so long, Anon. I, too, am very busy, but Eddie has been running rampant in my brain. A meance, as always.*

[chiyuuchu]

Kazuha meets his match <3 (31st July 2024)

Kadehara Kazuha x Reader

Prompt! Accompanying Aether to Liyue, Kazuha takes an interest in the traveler’s peer.

Aether and Kazuha had just arrived in Liyue, marveling at the bustling cityscape and its rich cultural vibrancy. The sun dipped low, casting golden hues over the rooftops and streets, as they wandered in search of a place to eat.

Aether suggested they visit a quaint diner he’d heard about, known for its traditional Liyue cuisine and warm atmosphere. As they entered, the scent of sizzling dishes and fragrant spices greeted them.

Seated at a cozy corner table, they were served a variety of delectable dishes. Amidst their meal, Aether’s eyes fell on a familiar figure just a few tables away. Y/N, a local dancer renowned for her traditional performances, was enjoying a meal with her friends—Hutao, Yanfei, Yunjin, Xiangling, and Xingqiu.

With a smile, Aether nudged Kazuha. “That’s Y/N. She’s a local dancer and knows all about Liyue’s traditions. She might be able to give us some insights into what i’m trying to figure out.”

Kazuha, intrigued, watched as Aether approached Y/N’s table with a friendly wave. “Y/N! Over here!”

Y/N looked up, her eyes sparkling with recognition as she saw Aether. “Aether! It’s so good to see you! And you must be...?”

Kazuha stepped forward with a charming grin. “Kazuha, at your service. It’s a pleasure to meet you, lady Y/N.”

“It’s very nice to meet you Kazuha. Say, aren’t you that wanted criminal at Inazuma? I’m sure Aether has told me about that before.” Y/n tilts her head with curiosity.

“I must admit, I’ve been told I have a knack for getting into trouble,” he said with a playful glint in his eye. “So, tell me, Y/N, do you think you’re into bad guys?”

Y/N laughed, a warm and melodic sound that seemed to harmonize with the ambient music. “Well, that’s certainly an intriguing introduction. But I do suppose it depends on how you define trouble.”

“Maybe I could show you sometime.” Kazuha said in his soft spoken voice.

Aether thought to himself: ‘He is definitely downbad.’

“Hey Y/n! Do you think we can join your dinner table tonight? I have not been in Liyue for quite some time.” Aether interrupted, clearly trying to get out of the sudden third wheeling position he was in.

“I suppose that I don’t see why not.” Y/n smiles.

As Kazuha and Aether joined Y/N and her friends, the table was filled with lively conversation and laughter. Hutao, ever the playful spirit, greeted Kazuha with a mischievous smile.

“Ah, another traveler! What brings you to our humble gathering?” she asked, her eyes twinkling.

Aether chimed in, “Kazuha here is just tagging along with me. We’re exploring Liyue and thought we’d drop by. Y/N has been gracious enough to let us join in.”

Yanfei, ever the legal expert and mediator, added, “It’s always nice to meet new people. And if Aether says you’re interesting, I’m sure you are.”

Kazuha’s eyes sparkled with interest. “I hope I can live up to the expectations. It seems like I’m in excellent company.”

Yunjin, with her grace and poise, nodded. “Now where were we? Oh! Y/N, tell us about your dance performances. I’ve heard they’re quite spectacular.”

Y/N’s face lit up as she spoke. “Oh, I’m very fortunate to perform traditional dances that celebrate Liyue’s heritage. It’s a blend of storytelling and art that connects us with our history.”

Xiangling, her eyes bright with curiosity, leaned forward. “I’ve heard you’re also gotten even more skilled with your polearm and Pyro vision. That’s a fascinating combination! How does that blend with your performances?” she quickly rambles with her enthusiasm.

Y/N nodded, clearly proud. “Yes, I sometimes do try to apply my abilities to add a dramatic flair to my dances. The fire especially help me to convey the message of the stories I perform.”

Kazuha, intrigued by this revelation, leaned in slightly. “Pyro wielding and a polearm applied into an artistic dance, you say? That sounds like a truly impressive combination. I must admit, I’m quite fascinated by it.”

Hutao raised an eyebrow, teasingly. “Careful, Kazuha. You might end up wanting to join one of Y/N’s performances yourself.”

Kazuha chuckled, his attention fixed on Y/N. “If it means I get to see such a talented performer in action, I just might take you up on that offer.”

As the evening progressed and the wine flowed, Kazuha's flirtatious nature became more evident. With a slightly tipsy grin, he turned to Y/N. “I must say, your talents and beauty are truly mesmerizing. I can’t help but be enchanted.”

Y/N laughed softly, clearly enjoying the company. “And what about you, Kazuha? What makes you such an intriguing person?”

Kazuha’s gaze softened as he took a sip of his drink. “Well, besides my charming self, I suppose it’s the sense of adventure and the appreciation for poetry that drives me. And tonight, I find myself captivated by someone who has stolen my attention so seamlessly.”

With a tipsy grin, Kazuha leaned in closer to Y/N, his words slightly slurred. “You know, Y/N, I have to say, your presence here makes this meal all the more delightful. I can’t help but feel that fate has a funny way of bringing people together.”

Y/N’s cheeks flushed slightly as she smiled, clearly enjoying Kazuha’s attention. “And what do you think fate has in store for us tonight?”

Kazuha’s gaze softened as he looked at her, his flirtation taking on a more genuine tone. “Perhaps it’s simply a chance to enjoy each other’s company. But if you’re open to it, I’d love to hear more about your life in Liyue. I’m sure there’s much I can learn from someone as captivating as you.”

“If you insist Kazuha.” Y/n can’t help but smile.

The evening continued with laughter, stories, and more wine. Kazuha’s charm and Y/N’s warmth created a delightful atmosphere, making the night unforgettable for everyone involved. As they parted ways, Kazuha made sure to express his appreciation.

“This has been a delightful evening. I’m grateful to have met such fascinating individuals. And Y/N, your company has made the most of my night.”

Y/N’s cheeks flushed slightly as she smiled. “I’m glad you enjoyed it, Kazuha. It was a pleasure getting to know you. If you’re ever free, you know where to find me.”

With a final wave, Kazuha bid farewell, leaving Y/N with a memorable impression and a sense of anticipation for what future encounters might bring.

The next week, Aether, having wrapped up his business in Liyue, went out in attempt to find Kazuha so they could sail back to Inazuma. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the city. He decided to check in with Beidou at her dock, hoping she might have seen his friend.

“Beidou, have you seen Kazuha around?” Aether asked as he approached the ship captain, who was overseeing the final preparations for departure.

Beidou looked up with a knowing smile. “Ah, Kazuha? He’s been out and about with that dancer girl—Y/N, right? They seemed pretty interested in each other’s company. I got to give it to him, I never took Kazuha as a guy interested romance.”

Aether’s curiosity was piqued. “A dancer girl? Where might I find them?”

Beidou pointed towards a nearby park. “They were headed towards the fountain area. You should find them there.”

Aether thanked her and made his way to the park. As he approached the fountain, he noticed Kazuha and Y/N sitting on the edge, laughing together. The fountain’s soft splashes and the twilight cast a romantic glow over the scene.

Kazuha was holding a small, wrapped bundle and, with a playful grin, presented it to Y/N. “I made this for you. I hope you like it.”

Y/N’s eyes sparkled as she unwrapped the gift, revealing a delicate handmade bracelet. “It’s beautiful, Kazuha. Thank you so much.”

As they continued to exchange laughter and warm words, Aether decided to make his presence known. He cleared his throat, walking up with a friendly smile. “Kazuha, we’re about to set sail. Time to come back to Inazuma.”

Kazuha looked up, slightly startled but still smiling. “Ah, Aether. I guess our time here has come to an end. But I’m glad we had this moment.”

Y/N gave them both a warm smile. “It was lovely meeting you, Aether. I hope you both have a safe journey and do let me know when you both will visit again.”

Kazuha rose. “I’ll make an effort to make that soon, my lady.” Giving Y/N one last, lingering glance before following Aether. As they walked away, Aether couldn’t help but ask, “So, how was your little date?”

Kazuha chuckled, his gaze still drifting back towards Y/N. “It was quite delightful. I believe we made some.. rather interesting memories.”

The two headed back towards the docks.

“I’d definitely come back just to see her dances again and perhaps maybe more.” Kazuha smiled mischievously.

[kiirotoao]

Season 3 rewatch notes

Wait a minute, I just realized that Mike and Will are the only ones in The Party who’ve canonically been dungeon masters. Idk what that means for them, but, yeah. Another exclusive detail of theirs

Oh, lord. Mike’s arm being torn off in the D&D game better not be a prophecy. If those s5 notes are accurate about Mike being seriously injured… I’m scared.

GOD I’ve never noticed how hard Will breathes in the rain scene. Poor baby he was so stunned 😭😭😭😭

The thing that I love most about Jonathan and Nancy is that they’ve been through the real shit. Arguments and hardship through the supernatural and the struggles of discrimination and privilege.

I love how Max is usually the one who speaks after Will. It’s like she’s the only one brave enough to answer after he says something profound or important. I need more of Max and Will’s friendship and them having well-thought out arguments I swear

Omg I love Erica’s little green star on her cheek. It’s so cute 😭🩷

After watching The Princess Bride, I am fangirling so much over Cary Elwes - it’s so crazy to me that he got him to play such a character! I wonder if they thought of him because of all the physical stunts lmao

As much as Karen isn’t in the know of much of anything in the supernatural story, I love how she’s a picture of raw strength in the Wheeler family, the true head of the household. She takes charge. Stops at nothing to help. Not even in the face of temptation. Go Karen.

DAMN I forgot that Billy dropped an f bomb! I thought that the closest that the show got was when Max got cut off in the hospital, but nope. There it was

Shit, I’m tearing up at that scene when El collapses into Mike’s arms because I know that that was real exhaustion. Poor Millie 🩷🩷🩷. She did such a phenomenal job there.

I LOVE whenever Joyce is angry this season. Now that’s how you demand. Straight to the point, justified in her worry, and cutting past any unnecessary bs while still including the cherry on top “please” or “good day” of politeness out of basic decency. I want to be her when I’m upset.

I’m always so blown away by Maya’s performance when she comes out to Steve. Straight (haha) through the heart, so good. And I always, always smile at Steve’s reaction. So in character, so accepting. No questioning if she’s being honest, just immediately questioning her type and believing that she’s into girls. So, so important.

Oh, no. Holly saw the trees moving in the woods. Thus far, she’s noticed the demogorgon coming out of the wall, and now this. She’s definitely a target next season.

When El tells Billy the memory of his mom, I teared up a little! Something about the way that El says, “you were happy” breaks me, dude. Millie and Dacre did so well.

Also, thinking in foresight of s4, Max’s letter is so heartbreaking. The Mind Flayer made a huge show of killing Billy slowly and painfully. I don’t blame her for being too horrified to move. It really wasn’t her fault. That was traumatic. Sadie did amazing there, too. Ouch.

I’m never getting over the helicopter lights being blue, yellow, and red. Were starboard and port always blue and red? And isn’t starboard supposed to be green? It’s all intentional, I’m telling you

I love how Max and Lucas are supposed to be “butchering” Never Ending Story but those two theater kids actually sound amazing. I just wish they harmonized 😆

Oh my gosh Jonathan did the Byers hold to Nancy 😭😭😭😭 I am not okay 😭😭 I never noticed that

Okay wait. This is kinda horrible. I feel bad for saying this. But y’know how Mike has a Will voice? Well I just noticed that Mike definitely does not have a soft voice for El. I swear, he’s always so loud around her like nothing’s different about her 😂😭 Any time he’s sweet with her he’s just like YEAH. COOL. and it’s kinda hilarious.

Jancy is WRECKING me this season wtf. Charlie and Natalia are so cute 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Oh my gosh David’s voice kinda breaks at “doze off.” Fuck.

Erica has blue, yellow, and pink balloons plus a rainbow drawing on her door. I now headcanon Erica as pansexual/panromantic, thank you.

AHHHGHH I can’t wait for the original version of Heroes to play next season over Byler kissing when everyone thinks that they might be dead but they’re just surviving in the Upside Down, clinging to each other and having the highest moment of their lives!!!!!!!

This has been my s3 thoughts for the 6-8th time watching? I forget? And I missed a number of moments because I got too absorbed so, oops. Anyway, I love Jancy, I love Jopper, I love the Scoops Troop, I love Suzie, I miss Alexi, Byler is endgame, and this season was way more fun than I remembered and it always makes me laugh. My list of favorite seasons has been shaken expertly.

[bullet-prooflove]

This is sort of a request but I was thinking about Beau and Ally and wondering if they ever came close to calling it quits. I know after Syria things were tough but they pulled through. But it made me curious…would it have been a mission or case that almost pulled them apart? I don’t see it being another person simply because of how devoted they are to each other but work could definitely be “the other person”

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Featuring JAG's Harmon Rabb

When you break up with Beau, he’s four months into a deployment in Osaka and you’re in a JAG posting in Washington.  It’s his second deployment in as many years.

“I’m sorry, I’ve met someone else.” You tell him over the phone and his heart shatters into a thousand pieces. You refuse to tell him who but he has a couple of guesses.

You won’t pick up the phone to him after that and you don’t return his messages. For two months it’s radio silence.

When he returns home to San Diego he considers catching a flight out to Washington, to confront you, to try to change your mind but what’s the point? You’ve made it very clear it’s not him you want.

He’s been home less than three hours when your supervisor Lieutenant Colonel Commander Harmon Rabb turns up at his door. He’s dressed in civvies with a black leather jacket slung over his broad shoulders. Beau wants nothing more than to punch the smug son of a bitch in the face.

“My money was on Brumby.” He tells the other man, the muscle in his jaw twitching. “I never thought she’d leave me for you.”

“She didn’t leave you for anybody else.” Rabb tells him, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “She left you because she’s being court martialled.”

The news hits Beau like a brick because he can’t imagine what charges you could be facing. You’re diligent in your work, you obey orders, you have a calm and even temperament. He can’t imagine you ever crossing a line. The words that are coming out of Rabb’s mouth, they just don’t make sense.

He pulls open the door and tips his head towards the interior of the apartment indicating for Rabb to enter.  

“I think you best come in.”

***

The story Rabb tells, it isn’t a pretty one, it make Beau’s blood boil as it unfolds over a couple of bottles of beer.

The charges are assault on a superior officer.

You’re looking at up to ten years confinement, a deduction in pay and a dishonourable discharge for punching General Micheal Klein in the face.

He suddenly understands why you broke things off with him. Beau’s on the promotional track, he’s on his way to becoming a Captain. His affiliation with you could derail that completely. This way he’s safe, his career untainted by what you’ve done.

“She gave him a broken nose.” Rabb tells him as he takes a sip from his beer. “The problem is she won’t tell me what happened. All I’ve got are witnesses statements, she’s refusing to tell us her version of events. It’s like she’s completely shut down.”

“What do the witnesses statements say?” Beau asks, dreading the other man’s answer.

“Torn blouse, broken buttons.” Rabb says quietly.

There’s a fury in Beau, it’s a vengeful beast that rises up inside of him as he thinks of the circumstances that have led to this. He can’t imagine how frightened you must have felt, how terrified you must feel now.

“I suspect the General decided to get her before she got him.” Rabb tells Beau, his thumb picking at the label on the beer bottle. “He says she came onto him, got angry when he rejected her.”

“And what do you believe?” Beau asks the other man, his voice  barely more than a rasp.

“I think he attacked her.” Rabb tells him, his eyes reflecting the same quiet fury that simmers inside Beau’s chest. “And I think that she defended herself.”

“Can you prove it?” Beau asks him and Rabb shakes his head.

“Not without her statement and like I said, she won’t talk about it. I’ve tried everything I can think of but…”

He trails off and Beau looks away because psychologically he understands what you’re doing, why you’re doing it.

“Her father…” He says, feeling the emotion raise up in his throat. “His father used to hurt her, the response she’s having it’s trauma based. It must take her back…”

He can’t bear to say anything else. His heart is breaking all over again, for you, for what you’ve endured, both now and back then.

“I need you to come back to Washington with me.” Rabb says quietly. “I know what this could do to your career, your life…”

“It doesn’t matter.” Beau says, his voice raw as he rubs the back of his hand across his eyes. “Without Ally, none of it matters.”

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