#discovered it’s one of the few things that work whit that

[etwlemons]

Death of an angel

[thoughts-of-loyalty]

Plagiarism and You(Tube)

I must say, as someone who is (or was) a fan of Internet Historian and iilluminaughtii (I wasn't a huge fan of the latter, and had fallen off of the content a few months ago, but I did subscribe and have up videos as background noise while doing stuff, so I can't pretend I wasn't a fan at all), I won't deny that it stings to see them be revealed as plagiarists. I really enjoyed their content, because of the way they can really give a good voice to their work, but to see the proof of their theft up on the screen... it sucks.

hbomberguy really put it well well describing *why* people do this: that they're sure they won't caught, figure they can get a lot out of it, and have no desire to put in the effort it takes to truly make it their own original piece or do the research themselves. For instance, you can *see* the production value in place in the visual parts that Man in Cave has, and they're entertaining to watch (I won't lie, I watched Man in Cave at least three times within the first week it came out), but the fact that the words being spoken and the layout of the events described aren't his own is... well, it brings the rest down by association.

I won't pretend I was ever aware of their issues - I tend to stay in my own lane when it comes to the media I consume, I don't spend much time on Twitter, and I don't seek to involve myself on YouTuber drama - but seeing the curtain pulled back sucks to consider, it's a real breach of trust as a viewer too because you want to believe what you're being shown is earnest work that is all their own, or at least properly attributed if being borrowed. I hope they'll actually learn their lesson and improve their work, do their own research, etc etc... but I can't be fully trusting, because we see the number of examples where they get called out and don't learn a thing/spin the story to protect their reputations/deny everything and continue on. A loss of trust like that is hard to reconcile, if it ever can be.

As a closer, I do think an interesting point that wasn't touched on as much as it could've been, in the parts about James Somerton is the topic of discussion, when hbomberguy refers to how someone who was actively supporting him discovered their plagiarized work in a piece of his... it really does indicate the level of lack of consideration these people have for the content creators they steal from. Like, they think so little of what they're taking from, and only for their own success, that they wouldn't care one whit who they hurt with it - this could be someone who actively admires them, and they wouldn't think twice about treading all over that person. Just... sheesh.

[ereana]

Alhaitham/Cyno - Casually

It was a well known fact in the Akademiya that Grand Scribe Alhaitham, formerly Acting Grand Sage, did not care one whit about what other people thought of him. It was as infuriating as it was impressive, impressive in that it seemed to be true not merely a mask the man wore to keep a straight face from the various insults and gossip slung at his back like arrows on a daily basis.

The whispering had only increased when he had thrown himself into the most revolutionary event in Sumeru’s history in the past five hundred years; conspiracy, plots, a grand alliance and the discovery of long buried secrets. To many it would sound like an extremely entertaining bard song or a riveting adventure novel but as unbelievable as it was to the people of Sumeru it was the truth they found themselves living in.

A truth which put Alhaitham in the highest office of the Akademiya at the behest of the archon he had helped to rescue.

And still the man didn’t seem to care!

He completed his tasks as Acting Grand Sage with as much efficiency as he had done in his previous role. Apart from his unfortunate personality no-one could say a bad word against him. For as much fun speculation and hearsay were to indulge in it would be a serious crime to hurl accusations without proof.

Those ambitious few who had tried at the start were swiftly escorted to Matra cells in order to discover any links with the previous sages who now languished under the unforgiving eyes of the Chief Officer of the Forest Rangers.

 When he had stepped down into the role of Grand Scribe again there had been mingled sighs of relief and worry. Alhaitham had been a steady guiding hand during the chaos and several were sorry to see him go.

More were happy to see him leave so they never had to face him shredding their proposals into mulch from that imposing chair ever again.

What neither group had predicted was how Alhaitham’s sheer lack of giving a damn about what other people thought about him would translate into when he entered a romantic relationship. Apart from the fact that many had never expected to see it happen Alhaitham’s choice of partner had set the tongues of the Akademiya wagging from the greenest first year student to the new Grand Sage.

The General Mahamatra! Of all people.

Their understandable shock at the news was swiftly consumed by something even more surprising.

Alhaitham was…for lack of a better word touchy with his new partner.

An arm around Cyno’s waist as they discussed security matters with the head of the Corps of Thirty. Slipping his hand against the scarred palm of the General and interlocking their fingers as they left the House of Daena together, red eyes flicking to his face before returning to the path ahead before squeezing back.

And the hugs.

Too many had reported on it not to be true. Too many stories of Alhaitham coming out of meetings, the worst kind of meetings that stretched for hours but nothing ever got done, before immediately making a beeline for Cyno and draping himself over the General’s smaller form. Alhaitham would let out a sigh and pull Cyno close, one scholar even claimed she’d seen him nuzzle Cyno’s neck.

Scandalous!

Even worse, the General didn’t seem to mind. He would chuckle and murmur something against Alhaitham’s headphones while his arms slipped around the Scribe’s waist in a strong embrace.

 The more romantic amongst them found it very sweet. Some eagerly awaited the ‘inevitable’ crash and burn that would end the pair. Most just found it very odd and a little embarrassing.

It was a good thing that Alhaitham didn’t care what they thought about it.

The only person whose thoughts on the matter he cares about leans against him on the couch and lets out a sigh as the tension of the work day drains away.

He rubs soothing circles against Cyno’s side with the thumb of the hand that rests on his hip.

“Long day?” Alhaitham asks, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear Cyno speak.

Cyno groans and drops his head fully onto Alhaitham’s shoulder. 

“The short answer is yes. I’ll give you a longer one when I’m in a better mood to speak on it.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” If only to find out if there’s anything he can do to fix it. This is the fifth night in a row that Cyno has come home to him exhausted and Alhaitham is unwilling to let the state of affairs continue.

Cyno laughs and bumps his head against Alhaitham’s shoulder.

“I’m sure you will. There’s precious little that could actually stop you when you have your mind set on something.”

Alhaitham gives in to the urge to pull Cyno onto his lap. They spent so long withholding themselves from each other when he was still Acting Grand Sage that he doubts there will ever be enough time to make up for it. To make up for longing glances, clenched fists, treacherous heartbeats and watching the man he loved walk into danger once more without Alhaitham able to tell Cyno how much he meant to him.

Cyno goes willingly. They’ve done this enough times that he knows the exact position to wriggle into so that he fits perfectly against Alhaitham with one ear pressed against his chest. Alhaitham keeps his eyes on his book but only a quarter of his attention is spared on it.

“It’s a good thing you are both precious and little then.” He muses, earning him a huff in response. “Both qualities needed to stop me though I hope next time won’t involve aiming a spear at my jugular.”

“Don’t try to be funny, that's my job.” Cyno says with a smile that betrays his words. Alhaitham wants to kiss it.

So he does.

Because he can. Because he wants to. But most importantly because Cyno will let him.

A simple peck on the mouth that sends a frisson of warmth through his body.

Cyno rolls his eyes as they part but carries on with his biased critique of Alhaitham’s truthful observation.

The evening is off to an excellent start.

[chaosandcrimson]

no way is that WHITNEY WAINWRIGHT.. they’re a 35-year-old HUMAN notoriously known for being SELFISH  &  INSENSITIVE but there are some people who have seen them being AMBITIOUS  &  GREGARIOUS.  if you ask me, they remind me a lot of a wall full of accolades, a van full of equipment, and feeling like you’re failing if you’re not always overachieving, but that could just be because they’re considered the BROKEN ACE around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..

Rain came pouring down When I was drowning That's when I could finally breathe

OVERVIEW

Name: Whitney Venus Wainwright

Nickname(s): Whit, Tempest (by Loch)

DOB: April 1, 2089

Age: 35

FC: Lily James

Height: 5'7"

Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Pansexual

Occupation: Meteorologist / Storm Chaser

Relationship Status: Belongs to Lochlan 'Loch' O'Shea

[+] bold, ambitious, gregarious [–] selfish, superficial, insensitive

BIOGRAPHY

tw: drug addiction, death

Whitney is the third (technically fourth) child to the Wainwrights. She was not planned, with her mother discovering that she was pregnant while they were in the process of creating her synthetic older brother, Whitmore.

She was born only two months after him. Because they're the same age, and have similar names, she likes to confuse people by saying that they're twins. Bonus points if Whitmore is around to hear it and gets annoyed.

Like the rest of her siblings, she was pushed to be the best of the best. She handled the pressure the way that all rich kids who lack discipline handle things—by paying for every shortcut that she could find. In high school, it was taking Adderall and drinking energy drinks to pull all-nighters studying. At university, it was doing cocaine and other stimulants to stay awake for several days in a row.

While not opposed to doing anything that would give herself an advantage, the one thing that she would never do was outright cheat or try to pawn the work off on someone else. The point was to actually become the best. It would not have been satisfying to her to only make people believe that she was the best.

Whitney studied to become a meteorologist. After graduating, she did a brief stint at First Light News Network but quickly discovered that the arena was too small for her taste. Or at least too small to hold two Wainwrights.

She met a group of storm chasers when the station was covering a story about them. After quitting her job, she joined their crew and set her sights on one thing and one thing only—to become the best storm chaser alive.

For the next few years, she found a lot of success while still using stimulants frequently and liberally. A lifetime of having her family's creed drilled into her had made her a very high-functioning addict, and to most people, it just seemed like she liked to take the occasional recreational drug while partying.

When she was 27 years old, a combination of equipment failure and some poor judgement calls led to the death of one of her crew mates. She started spiralling afterwards, no longer using drugs in order to stay focused or awake, but rather to numb her feelings. She quit the team, started drinking heavily, and took anything that she could get her hands on. She was, to put it mildly, a fucking mess.

During the next 3 years, she tried to get clean several times only to immediately relapse. Progress was slow, but with each attempt, she managed to stay on the wagon for longer. She was motivated by the thought that if she couldn't be the best at anything else then at least she could be the best recovering addict.

Whitney spent her 30th birthday in rehab. It was her last stint in rehab, and she has now been clean and sober for the past 5 years. She is genuinely proud of this. Other than her job, her recovery is the only thing that she takes very seriously.

Since getting sober, she has joined a new crew and returned to storm chasing, getting a large, high-tech RV to use as a mobile command centre. She does have an apartment in the upper district, but she is more likely to park her RV in the middle district and live out of it whenever she's not on the road.

[mountainsandmayhem]

Blueprints of Love 1.3

(Joel Miller x f!reader)

Summary: Whitney is an architect for a luxury home builder in downtown Austin. She probably shouldn’t have favourite subcontractors but Tommy from Millers Contracting would be at the top. When Tommy has to take some time off to welcome a new baby, Whit has to work with his older brother Joel, but maybe it’s not as bad as it first seems?

a/n: slooooooow burn. Check each chapter for warnings. No outbreak. Joel is 32 and Sarah is 7. Present day, not 2003.

See Master List and other parts of the story here

So close. They were so goddamn close. Whit tries to focus on her phone call with her boss but her cheek is still warm from his touch, and when she turns around, he’s gone.

What a fucking dick!

Driving back to the city her brain is reeling, replaying every moment and word of the day. What is it about him that draws her in? She tells herself to be logical; make an actual list of things she knows and likes about him, but the second she thinks about those chocolate and whiskey eyes…good bye logic and hello familiar throb between her thighs.

As if she’s discovered some goddamn miracle, she manages to block Joel from her brain to continue the rest of her workday; but now, as she sits on her favourite patio during happy hour, she is fuming. Anna sits across from her, ready to go to war with whoever has gotten Whit to feel this way. Whitney might be her boss, but they knew that after leaving the office they could be friends. Their number one rule: the office doesn’t leave with them, and what happens outside of the office doesn’t come in with them the next day.

“I’m telling you, Anna…” Whit says as she stirs her aperol spritz, “Joel Miller is an asshole. I was right about him.”

Anna, much like many other women, can’t help but be charmed by the eldest Miller brother. As Whit walks her through her morning, it becomes obvious she’s vicariously through her every word, particularly when he reaches out to help her on the wooden walkway, and she can’t stop her smile when as they come oh so close to their first kiss.

“What did he smell like?” She says with her face resting in the hands of her propped up arms. She reminds Whitney of a dream teenager, fawning over Edward Cullen.

Whit rolls her eyes, “I don’t know. Like a coward?”

“Come on. Maybe he was nervous!” Anna might want her to kiss Joel more than she does. “You work together. Probably feels weird about it.” Anna nods at the bartender to bring another round.

“Nervous? Please.” Whit rolls her eyes, “he’s a player, and remember, I’m somewhat of an expert on the topic of players.”

Anna arches an eyebrow, “if you think he’s such a player, why does it bother you so much?”

Whit sucks back the rest of her drink, “because he’s so insanely attractive, Anna.” Both women break into laughter as their next round shows up.

“Well…” she’s grinning devilishly. “Tommy RSVP’d for 2 for that info session already, so maybe…”

“Oh god.” Whitney groans, rubbing her temples. Thankfully, the seminar isn’t for a few weeks, that should give her enough time get over whatever this is, but thought of seeing Joel again makes her both excited and uneasy. What should she say to a man that she does’t even know, but almost kissed and hasn’t been able to stop thinking about him kissing all over her naked body?

Whits phone buzzes beside her. “It’s Tommy.”

Shit, what if Joel said something and now she’s going to lose their account.

“Hi Tommy.” Her voice waivers, obviously nervous.

“Hey! How are you?” He sounds tired, but he does have a newborn.

“I’m great. How are you? How’s Maria?” She hopes to distract him from firing her by reminding him how much he likes her.

“She’s great. Amazing really.” Whit places her hand over her heart listening to Tommy gush. Her and Anna both listening in, heads pressed together. “I can’t believe she brought a human into this world. And the baby is perfect. I’m just so humbled by this whole experience.”

What happened to your brother to make him the way he is. He’d probably be inconvenienced by having to care for another human being.

“Tommy that makes me so happy. Congratulations to you both. I hope I get to meet this baby one day. What’s her name?”

“That’s actually why I’m calling.” The nerves finally settle in her stomach. Tommy isn’t calling to ask for a new architect to handle his account.

“Maria and I are having a BBQ slash pool slash baby meeting party next Saturday,” you both laugh. “Ya, it’s a mouthful, but we figured it’s a good way for our friends and family to meet little miss Daisy Miller. We would love for you and Anna to come.”

“We’re in!” Anna exclaims.

Through laughter, Tommy says he will text both of you the details for the party next weekend. Whit puts her phone down on the table, shortly followed by her forehead thumbing beside it.

“Anna,” she says into the table while stomach falls into her blue satin Manolo Blahnik shoes. “Do I have any appointments tomorrow morning?”

“Nothing until noon. Why?”

Whit peeks up from the table, “If I have to see Joel in 8 days, I need shots!”

“I’m in!” Anna is the kind of girlfriend that everyone dreams for. Blindly joining your good decisions, and being the support and comfort you need after your bad ones.

“But only if you tell me what he smells like!” She says through laughter, catching the attention of their server.

“Warm,” Whit replies breathlessly as her skin flushes and she’s squeezes her thighs together hoping for some sort of relief. “Like cedar and leather. Even though he could most definitely crush my skull with that large hand, I’ve never felt safer or more comforted.”

Anna watches Whits eyes glaze over as she talks about him. “Fuck,” she replies, “you need tequila.”

- -

When she answered that call, Joel knew he had to get out of there. He would walk through fire if it meant being near Whitney, but that’s a perilous path to head down.

“Small emergency,” he said, as he rushed past the site supervisor. “Just get the blueprints, I’ll be back later.”

He hopped into his truck and drove a few blocks away, parking in a quiet neighborhood, both hands gripping the top of steering wheel, knuckles almost white.

He hears her words again, ‘Maybe we got off on the wrong foot.’

God fuckin dammit.

He squeezes his eyes shut, resting his forehead on his hands. Joel was going to have to find a way to put space between them. Tommy wants him to start designing more, but will he be able to be near Whitney? Her soft skin all glowy and smelling like coconut, the way those blue grey eyes make his stomach jump.

The soul crushing way she bites her lip when she’s concentrating.

Joel went back to site, using his long to do list as a distraction. After work, he picks Sarah up from her swimming lesson; she practically bounces to the car.

“Can we pleaaaase go see Uncle Tommy and Auntie Maria?” Joel would kill to have half the amount of energy as his perfect little girl.

“Seatbelt, sweet pea.” He says across the front seat of his. Nothing in his life is more important than her. It’s been just the two of them since he was 25.

From 21 to 23 he was reckless; doing what he wanted, when he wanted. He was playing college and semi pro baseball, with a very good chance of going pro, and he knew exactly how to use that to his advantage with the ladies. All of that changed on his 23rd birthday when he met her, Sarah’s mom. She was 21, usually an easy age group for him, but she didn’t fall for his usual tricks. She challenged him, made him want to be a better man.

Finally his chance came, he’d been scouted and he was on the radar for the MLB draft. This moment was everything he had worked for. He was so damn confident about being drafted that he threw a huge party, invited all his family and friends, along with his perfect new girlfriend. Unfortunately, his name was never called, and he was a lost man; but she never stopped loving him. Instead, she made him realize that his summer job building homes could be something bigger and he shifted his focus on doing just that.

Shortly after he turned 25 they welcomed Sarah. Joel was instantly in love with this little being. She was so tiny and innocent. He knew he’d do anything to protect her. A few days after Sarah was born, her mom took off without a word, and then it was just them; Sarah and Joel against the world.

Joel didn’t date. Occasionally, when Sarah would stay with Tommy and Maria, or one of his many cousins, he would go out and get what he needed. Never a second date and never ever a mention of Sarah. Sarah might not remember her mom, but he still remembers the pain and loneliness of it. He’s not interested in putting himself, and especially Sarah, through that again.

When they get to Tommy’s, Sarah cuddles up beside Maria on the couch to hold the baby. He might have a tough outer shell, but seeing his little girl holding his newborn niece breaks Joel’s heart a little. She looks so grown up and he realizes that he doesn’t have many years left before she’s a teenager with her own life.

Maybe it’s time to let down this wall, let someone in.

If only he could explain why Whitney’s face flashed before his eyes at that moment.

“You alright there, Joel?” Tommy claps his hand on his shoulder handing him a beer.

“Ya, just seein’ Sarah holdin’ a baby. Makes me realize she ain’t a baby anymore.”

Tommy uses this soft nostalgia to his benefit. “That reminds me. Do you think you could host a little gathering next weekend? So family and a few friends could meet Daisy?”

Joel raises an eyebrow at Tommy. “What friends?”

“You want to approve the guest list for my baby shower?” Tommy says jokingly.

“No…yes.” Joel sighs.

“What’s going on?” Tommy can tell something besides Sarah has him rattled.

“Nothin’, I don’t want to approve a guest list - and yes I will host for you.” He says waving Tommy off. He knows that there’s no saying no. Tommy and Maria have done so much to help Joel, with Sarah and now their business.

Anything for them.

“Maria,” Tommy calls over. “He said yes.”

“Thanks, Joel!” She says while giving a tired but enthusiastic thumbs up. “Tommy, don’t forget to invite that architect and her assistant.”

Fuck me.

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

[legendary-raptor-trainer]

Chris Pratt positivity post

Guardians of the galaxy vol 3 is out, I watched it aosta week ago on may 3, then on may 5 and since then I haven't recovered. Because, once again, after Iron man, I have to say goodbye to one of my most beloved hero team. The Guardians meant so much to me since I watched the movie in 2014. I entered that theater thinking the same like anyone else:This was going to be the first MCU failure. Who the hell would watch a movie with a talking raccoon and a talking tree?

I left that movie theater in awe. I discovered one of my other SI, my new obsession alongside Tony Syark: Peter Quill. Then I started having a crush on Pratt after watching him in Jurassic World the following year.

On May 3... I left the theater with that same awe but also bouncing in happiness because (SPOILER ALERT)...

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Marvel told us the Legendary Star Lord will return.

At first I was just so excited because moments before that I saw one of my heroes leave the best MCU found family to make amends whit his past. He came back to death to love a normal life for a while. The team dissolved. I was in denial and heartbroken but then those words appeared on screen.

The following day the weight of what happened hit me. This was the last time I will see them in a movie theater, together, being direct by the genius of James Gunn. Who know, maybe one day another franchise surprise me and make me feel the same thing I felt while watching the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. But for now, this was the last time we see this actors under Gunn's direction for the MCU.

And man, I've been depressed, grieving a phase of my life, I save in my heart with fond memories of burying myself in fan fictions of the Guardians, of me reading and learning everything I could about Pratt and Peter Quill, and the following rolls he took in several movies.

I want to cry, want to hit my head because the feeling are overwhelming because I don't know what the future will be for Peter. Marvel confirmed us he is coming back but... Who will direct him? Who else aside from Gunn and Pratt, will honor and continue the work they have done with Quill? Haters gonna hate and will call me a fan boy but objectively, only few characters in the MCU are well written and have and amazing character arc. Tony Stark, Steve, Bucky, T Challa, and of course the Guardians. The rest, you can empathize with them but they don't feel evolved, I don't feel emotionally connected or understand their reasoning.

So someone else continuing the story of Peter Quill it's a big risk. And it makes me anxious, makes me feel overwhelmed with all my thoughts, makes me want to cry, scream or hit myself because I can't shut my mind and stop thinking about it.

Anyways, I'm talking gibberish right now and lost the point I wanted to make here.

Even if I feel a overwhelming amount of emotions, what makes me happy is that finally, after years of mostly finding post about people hating Christ or a small amount of content for the Guardians or Peter, now that the movie came out and it had moved everyone's heart and made us fall in love with this team again... I'm happy more people is posting and talking great things about the character, about the actor, the Guardians. Yeah, found a few Chris haters but I'm actually surprised some of them have actively admitted they're falling for him because of his hair and beard in the movie. Which I need to say is one of the cutest and hottest look Chris has ever have.

[twittercomfrnklin2001-blog]

The Naked Street

One pleasure I get out of watching old movies is catching a particularly strong performance from an uncredited actor and then discovering it’s someone whose work I’ve always enjoyed. In Maxwell Shane’s THE NAKED STREET (1955, TCM, YouTube), there’s a very good performance by a woman cast as the girlfriend who convinces small-time hood Jerry Paris to do the right thing. It turns out that was Jeanne Cooper, who did lots of good work in film and television before becoming the grand dame and one of the few interesting actors on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. Fortunately, the leads are mostly on her level. Anthony Quinn is a gangster who’s done a good job keeping ahead of the law until his sister (Anne Bancroft) gets knocked up by a punk (Farley Granger) slated for execution. He threatens and bribes witnesses into clearing the kid so the two can be married, and you know that’s not going to turn out well. Quinn is very good, and Granger surprisingly so. The former brings a lot of dimension and nuance to his performance. According to Eddie Muller, Granger imitated the film’s dialog director, Mickey Knox, and if he did, he did it well. He’s much tougher and more assertive than in many of his earlier films. Bancroft is wasted, but she’s not embarrassing. She never indicates or jumps at effects the way other actresses in similar roles often did. Granger made one more film before leaving Hollywood to study and work on stage in New York. Bancroft held out a few more years before making the same move and coming into her own as an actress. Shane’s direction is serviceable, though he stages one effective scene in which a reporter (Peter Graves) is beaten up by Quinn’s underlings. They pull him behind a billboard for safe driving, “The life you save may be your own,” and the whole thing is seen through the lattice work beneath the sign. The cast also includes Austrian actress Else Back as Quinn and Bancroft’s mother, animation star Sara Brenner as a crooked candy shop owner, Whit Bissell as the D.A., Joe Turkel as a minor hood named Shimmy and Lee Van Cleef as a fence.

[elliepassmore]

What the River Knows review

4/5 stars Recommended if you like: Egypt, Death on the Nile, archeology, adventure Thank you to Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I really wanted this to be 5 stars. The premise is so intriguing and Egypt has so much interesting history, both on its own and in relation to archeology. Unfortunately, this is a book where I'm not really sure how I feel about it, so it's 4 stars right now but might drop down later. The first half of the book lives up to expectations. We get Inez traveling to Egypt and using her wits to tag along on her uncle's excavation. I loved the descriptions of Cairo and the Nile and Phillae. There's so much culture and lush imagery, it's easy to become engrossed in the setting and story. Unfortunately, after that the plot doesn't focus as much on archeology and Egypt as it should. We do get multiple excavation/temple/tomb scenes, but I wanted more of them. I wanted a true exploration of being on an archeological site and discovering these big things and worrying over tomb raiders. Instead, we get more focus on personal relationships (or lack thereof). The story was also fairly predictable. I wasn't entirely sure at first, but once Inez got to Cairo I felt more certain of what I suspected. Then, later on when the first half of my theory was revealed, it was also immediately obvious that the rest of it was too and I got to sit with a feeling of utter dread while Inez just went with things despite the signs pointing to a bad conclusion. That being said, I can actually understand why Inez didn't question things as much as she should've, and why when she did question things, she dismissed her own instincts. Like, honestly, I think anyone probably would in that situation. This is one of the few cases where I think things being predictable for the reader and not for the character actually makes sense...I just wish the predictability was less subtle so I didn't have to spend 30% of the book waiting for the other shoe to drop. One thing that really bothered me was that the whole mess with the grave goods was framed as being wholly Inez's fault. Like, was she being extremely dumb? Absolutely. Is it understandable? Also yes. And is it especially understandable because her uncle kept lying to her and hiding the truth? 100%. Half of the mess would've been avoided if Tío Ricardo had simply told Inez what he'd suspected and dealt with the potential fallout of that. Instead, he kept secrets and lied (and it was fairly obvious this was setting up to be a miscommunication trope) and then got angry with Inez when she didn't magically know who their enemies were. Not just him, Abdullah also got upset with her, though not as much as Tío Ricardo....but Abdullah also wasn't telling her shit. Like, a single conversation in Cairo, as upsetting as it would've been, would've literally circumvented this whole thing and instead everyone blames Inez. As for the characters. Inez is great in the first half of the story. She's got a lot of spunk and a desire for the truth. She's fairly good at getting herself in and out of any situation, which comes in handy. But for someone so interested in Egypt, she doesn't really seem to know that much about it. I actually liked Isadora, and I'm not really sure what Whit's problem with her is (though I'm sure it will get revealed in book 2). She and Inez make a formidable team and I would've liked to see them interact more. Her dad can be awful and kind of gruff, but Isadora seems to manage him fairly well. Whit is...mainly annoying, imo. Inez wants the two of them to be friends, and while they're in Cairo he seems fairly normal, but so much of the story involves him being secretive or lying or just being annoying and pushing Inez away. It gets frustrating after a while. We also get to see things from his POV, but they're mostly small snippets and single scenes. I think it would've worked better if we'd gotten chapters or half-chapters from his POV or if it had been excluded altogether. Some of his POV scenes provide helpful information, but the way it's written now it mostly just seems like he has a POV because Ibañez couldn't figure out how to provide the information any other way. Tío Ricardo had the potential to be a fantastic character. The first scene where they're all at dinner makes him seem really promising, and it definitely appears as though he cares about Egyptian history and the injustices being wrought by the British and French. However, a lot of that is overshadowed by how secretive he is and just downright awful he can be to Inez. He sort of redeems himself toward the end and shows that he truly cares about her, but it still doesn't make up for the rest of the book. I didn't realize that this book was part of a duology. I thought it was a standalone like her previous book. This book really didn't need a sequel. The way it stands now, there's obviously things left unfinished that require a sequel, but if the book had been cleaned up a little, I really think a full story and arc could've been told within the one book. Certain parts of the book are dragged out and probably could've been cut in favor of finishing the story satisfactorily. And honestly, what's left of the plot doesn't really feel like it could fill a whole second book. Also, what was that ending? Things were already fine without that INEZ FELL FOR IT note. It adds a layer to the story that it absolutely does not need. There are already so many complicated relationships and crossing and double-crossing, the book doesn't need more. I was actually somewhat interested in a sequel before reading the epilogue, but once I read it just kind of felt 'meh.' It's too much going on and I'm not really interested in seeing more of Inez getting lied to and then falling flat on her face when everyone else's lying is revealed.

[myafterlifeisbetterthenyours]

I loved your vampire headcanons ,may I ask the same but whit Alastor?

Alastor with Vampire S/O

As cliché as it may sound, in hell your either the predator, or your the prey.

And never in all his time in hell, had Alastor felt to be prey.

That was until he met you.

It was a simple afternoon, the sun having just set as Alastor strolling the streets, looking for something fun, or new.

And of course he'd heard the delectable rumours of some monster that was leaving a trail of bloodless bodies in your wake.

And so it was as he walked the streets he heard the distinct sound of blood hitting the pavement.

Now, you might ask, "Why Alastor, how do you know the specific sound of blood hitting pavement?"

Well, Alastor would probably give you some sort of criticism answer, and then maybe kill you. But only if he felt like it.

And so going to find the source of the sound, found two figures.

From this distance he couldn't quite make them out.

So moving closer, he witnessed you pulling your now bloody face from the corpse.

Dropping the now empty corpse, you wiped your mouth, an unnatural glow from your eyes as you turned to him.

Looking at him, you raised your nose, "You smell delightful." You told him.

Before he could respond, you disappeared, "Would you mind if I had a taste." He suddenly heard behind him.

Whipping around he found you standing rather happily behind him.

Now Alastor could respect a smile. And while he'd usually appreciate the delight in your face, the blood covering your face seemed to make him feel like a cornered animal.

So with a smile of his own, he politely refused, telling you he much preferred keeping it within his body.

You had a surprisingly witty back and forth, although the more you spoke, the more it became clear he was on the Back foot.

Although, the more you spoke, the less it became predator talking to prey. And more like you playfully getting to know him.

It was a strange but subtle shift, with you asking him more questions past just things involving the red liquids flowing through his veins.

After some more back and forth you agreed to let him live, something Alastor only took half seriously.

In a almost paranoia inducing moment, you disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Youd have a few meetings like this, Alastor finding you just after sunset, always feeding.

The two of you having a similar conversation, beginning with you politely asking for his blood and eventually ending with you having a just as polite conversation.

It got to a point where youd see him and not even really try to drink his blood.

I mean youd try to persuade him, but it was more so just playful banter at this point. And honestly you were mostly just doing it out of tradition.

Once you discovered his want for stimulus. The demon just wanting something exciting, you invite him along for one of your little feedings.

The radio demon found a morbid curiosity in watching you hunt and toy with your prey.

It was like something from one of those nature shows, the demon usually choosing a high perch to watch the hunt.

Occasionally playing a part, but only if he thought it'd be interesting.

He found something so... exhilarating in seeing you act as a preditor, the sight sending a foreign sensation through his body.

There was a particular moment, the two of you in were walking the street, when Alastor mentioned how nothing interesting had happened as of late.

Acknowledging his statement you told him to hold that though. And then you promptly stepped in front of a giant semi truck, being pancaked in an instant.

It was all so sudden, so shocking Alastor couldn't help but burst into a laugh. The moment so sudden he couldn't even explain why he found it funny.

So after draining the semi-drivers, you strolled back, your clothes bloody and in tatters. All the while acting like nothing had happened, something that amused him to no end.

Your relationship became... unique.

You quickly become surprisingly close, so much so, you were one of the few being he could say he genuinely liked being around.

And much to his confusion, he found himself craving your attention, wishing to be with you even while doing something he'd normally find entertaining.

It came to a head when you showed up infront of his house one night.

Alastor asking why you were here, you just wondering if he'd invite you in.

Alastor again asked you why you were there, you again, asking to be invited in.

This is when the gears in Alastors head turned, him openly wondering why you were so insistent on being Invited in.

You played it off, telling him you weren't rude enough to just barge into someone's home. A total lie.

But Alastor knew enough to be smart about it, and quickly figured out you needed to be invited in, a rule that only seemed to work some of the time.

So, inviting you in, you had a little look about his home, giving the occasional compliment.

However as he asked why you were really there, you turned to him, a glint in your eye.

A predatory glint, much like the one youd had upon your first meeting.

You stalked him like an animal, pinning him to the wall, pressing your body against his own.

Alastor probably could have escaped, used some of his immense demonic powers to get you off of him.

But he didn't. There was a part of him, a primal, instinctual part of him, that liked having you so close.

So when you openly told him you found him intoxicating, and you knew he wanted to be with you, even if he hadn't fully realised it.

The usually chatty demon found himself utterly tongue tied, completely unable to think of what to say.

So he just nodded, silently agreeing to your point.

With his admittance, you leaned forwards, locking him in a rather chast kiss, but one still filled with passion.

Alastor felt like prey, not in the way a cat looks at a mouse, but in the way a preditor would look at its mate.

He was yours, and frankly he didnt care to change that.

[robininthelabyrinth]

Prompt: someone of the (good-ish) mdzs cast is a serial killer. Why? Who else knows? Could be modern au, could be canon verse

Serial Killer - ao3

“So what are you going to do about it, Xichen?” Jin Guangyao heard Nie Mingjue demanding, and paused, tilting his head to the side to listen rather than proceeding to enter the room.

Nie Mingjue had gotten increasingly irascible as of late, no doubt in large part to the growing influence of the Song of Turmoil that he’d been playing for him, and much of his ire was (correctly, although unknowingly) aimed at Jin Guangyao. Most of the time, given Nie Mingjue’s straightforward nature, it was directly aimed at him, rather than through an indirect method, such as trying to convince Lan Xichen to turn away from him – and yet that was a method that Jin Guangyao was far more concerned about, given that Nie Mingjue had the benefit of a very old friendship with Lan Xichen that could be used to his benefit, if only he were a little less blockheaded about manipulating people.

Jin Guangyao absolutely refused to lose Lan Xichen, delighting as he did in the man’s faith and trust and benefiting from his influence and repeated interventions on his behalf; as a result, he would treat any such attempts by Nie Mingjue to drive a wedge between them very seriously. It therefore would be better to stay outside and listen, to figure out what argument Nie Mingjue was using and design appropriate countermeasures – to convince Lan Xichen that Nie Mingjue was, as usual, making a fuss when there was no reason, and that it was safe to simply ignore him or downplay his concerns.

Lan Xichen would believe him, as he always did, and never realize that he was helping push Nie Mingjue along the road to ruin – or indeed realize that he was pivotal to Jin Guangyao’s plan. Without Lan Xichen to support Jin Guangyao and make Nie Mingjue mistrust his own instincts, it would be much harder to isolate him from the few people he was willing to turn to for help, subtly influencing him not to believe his own symptoms, to doubt himself…to not realize what Jin Guangyao was doing to him.

“Da-ge…”

“Don’t da-ge me! He’s killing people!”

Jin Guangyao tensed.

How had Nie Mingjue discovered that?

Jin Guangyao had taken every precaution, going to great lengths to misdirect attention and cover up those deaths, whether it be the clans he’d fed into Xue Yang’s noxious experiments or else the ones he’d just had quietly executed somewhere no one would notice because they represented a threat to the rising power of the Jin sect. He’d known, of course, that he’d be held responsible for those deaths if anyone ever found out, there was no doubt that he would scapegoated by his father in that case, but he knew that it was especially dangerous to him if the person who discovered the truth was Nie Mingjue. Sure, he had his excuses ready in the event that Lan Xichen ever heard about it and found some evidence – he had a plan: to first deny convincingly, and then if that didn’t work, deny increasingly unconvincingly, and finally ‘give in’ and confess that he’d been driven to it by his father, that he’d been under duress, the sort of thing that Lan Xichen would happily swallow rather than believe that he’d been so fundamentally mistaken about Jin Guangyao.

Nie Mingjue, though – he’d been concerned that if Nie Mingjue ever found out about it, even the rumor of it without any evidence, he wouldn’t bother waiting for Jin Guangyao to explain or to blame his father. No, that brute would rather just take his saber and come and execute him on the steps of Jinlin Tower, if that was what it took to satisfy justice in his own mind, and never mind the consequences or costs. That Nie Mingjue would likely commit an honorable suicide thereafter for having misjudged and then executed his sworn brother was not, in fact, anywhere near as comforting as Nie Mingjue might think it was.

If anything, Nie Mingjue going to Lan Xichen with his concerns first was highly unexpected.

Jin Guangyao hated the unexpected.

“Da-ge, please, calm down,” Lan Xichen said, and his voice was – oddly calm, really. Jin Guangyao would have expected him to be a little more agitated, a little more demanding for details…was Lan Xichen’s faith in him really so strong? “Think this through before you do anything rash.”

“Rash!” Nie Mingjue fumed. “Rash..! Xichen, really.”

“You know he’s a good person,” Lan Xichen insisted, and Jin Guangyao smiled. “He has always meant well, strived to do good, regardless of whether it was commonly accepted – even you have to admit it.”

“I don’t have to admit anything,” Nie Mingjue grumbled, but Jin Guangyao could hear the rage dying down to something more of a simmer, rather than a roaring boil. Truly only Lan Xichen had such remarkable abilities, soothing the fierce beast with nothing but his presence and voice, no magic songs required – even Jin Guangyao found himself soothed by his presence.

There was a reason he wouldn’t give him up.

“You’ve known him for years, da-ge,” Lan Xichen said, voice soft, convincing, persuasive. Jin Guangyao didn’t have to be inside the room to imagine the scene he would see: Lan Xichen would be leaning forward, the slightest curve adding softness to the rigid posture required of Lan sect disciples, his eyes curved in a smile, his head a little dropped so that he could look up at Nie Mingjue with an expression of cheerfulness livened by a touch of mischief – full of charm, the way the women in the brothel practiced all day to do, but superior to any of their petty tricks. Lan Xichen was pure as a breath of fresh air in the lonely mountaintop, a benevolent god above the concerns of the world and yet determined to reach out his hands down to the needy – truly it was no wonder that Jin Guangyao was determined to take all that benevolence and joy and keep it all to himself. “For years, da-ge. And more than that, you know how hard he’s had it – how hard things have been, how much he’s suffered, all those things that other people don’t understand. You know that even when he’s strayed and been confused, he’s always returned back to the right way of doing things in the end.”

Nie Mingjue sighed, a great exhalation of breath.

“I suppose you’re right,” he conceded, and Jin Guangyao felt the sharp taste of joy on his tongue – there were few feelings in the world so great as this, to have started with nothing and risen so far, to have so thoroughly deceived these men, even Nie Mingjue who ought to know better after having seen him. “And yet, I can’t help but worry – this doesn’t seem like the rest of it. Isn’t he going too far this time?”

“Da-ge, if you have concerns, why not raise them with him directly?” Lan Xichen suggested, and Jin Guangyao nodded in approval. If Nie Mingjue came to him first with any concerns, he would be able to devise the appropriate response to those concerns – whether it was through coming up with some method of assuaging the concerns or in preemptively eliminated whoever had raised them, that was his business. Either way, it would be much easier to take action when he had prior warning, whereas some sort of unexpected public confrontation would be much more difficult to deal with.

“I don’t know, Xichen. You know he doesn’t listen to me.”

“That’s not true! Your opinion means so much to him – he’s always admired you, looked up to you. He wants you to approve of him.”

That was nonsense, of course. Jin Guangyao hadn’t cared one whit for Nie Mingjue’s opinion of him since the day the man had lost his usefulness – the Nie sect had been a necessary hurdle for him, the only Great Sect that allowed for promotion purely on the basis of merit without a thousand and one other rules, and Nie Mingjue himself was known to promote men quickly if they had skills he could use. Jin Guangyao had needed that back then, when he’d had nothing, and he’d been able to parlay it into additional use in the future: first, by getting Nie Mingjue’s recommendation letter to enter the Jin sect troops, although that hadn’t ended up working out, and then later, by using it to leverage himself a position with the Wen sect, courtesy of Wen Ruohan’s strange fixation on the Nie sect leader.

Would he like Nie Mingjue’s good opinion? Certainly, especially after he’d traded his somewhat dubious claim to a life-debt for Nie Mingjue swearing brotherhood with him; it would be extremely helpful if Nie Mingjue would support him the way Lan Xichen did. But since it didn’t seem likely that he’d be able to get on Nie Mingjue’s good side again, there was no point in expecting anything further from the man.

Well, no, that was wrong. He also expected great things from Nie Mingjue’s upcoming death, which would tally in quite nicely with many of his plans for domination in the cultivation world.

“I’d like to approve of him,” Nie Mingjue said. “I really would, Xichen, you know that. He’s smart and he’s capable and he has so much potential for goodness – I greatly admire him, really, I do. I would even go so far as to say that there are things for which I would trust his word over the evidence of my own eyes.”

Jin Guangyao couldn’t help but preen a little.

What an idiot, he thought, smiling. Truly there was nothing in that man’s brain but saber, and everything else had long ago rotted away – the Song of Turmoil boiling him alive until he was pickled with rage, leaving nothing else behind. Certainly not any critical thinking skills.

That final qi deviation must not be far away, now.

“But at the same time,” Nie Mingjue continued, presumably that last bit of self-preservation instinct trying to ring the alarms. “At the same time, I really do think that this is different in kind. It’s literally murder, Xichen. He’s murdering people. Not just killing, the way you do in wartime – actual murder. Premeditated, pre-planned murder. How can you just look away from that?”

Lan Xichen was quiet for a long moment, and Jin Guangyao tensed a little, his head tilting towards the door, awaiting the answer with both anticipation and fear.

“I think it’s a little more complicated than that,” he finally said, and Jin Guangyao’s eyebrows arched a little in surprise and wholly unanticipated pleasure. “It’s not just his actions that I look at, but those that died, too – we killed many people during the war, da-ge, didn’t we? Not all of whom had done evil against us, but who had to go because of the evil they represented…”

“Xichen!” Nie Mingjue cried, and for once Jin Guangyao couldn’t help but side with his reaction, his shock. “Are you suggesting that the victims deserved it?”

“Is that really so hard to believe?” Lan Xichen asked. Jin Guangyao had to admit that he was deeply impressed – he wouldn’t have thought Lan Xichen, the perfect gentleman, would have had it in him to side with him quite so deeply as that. “I’m with you, Mingjue-xiong. I’d believe him over even myself in just about every case – every time I’ve questioned what he was doing, he explained, and when he explained, I understood. It isn’t as black and white as all that.”

“I mean…I guess,” Nie Mingjue said, still sounding shocked and a little appalled. “But murder – so many murders…Xichen, are you sure it’s not some sort of qi deviation, something that gives him pleasure in taking lives? Are you sure each one is justified?”

“Those are two separate questions,” Lan Xichen said delicately. “I do think he takes pleasure in the act, and although I don’t understand it myself, I can understand that it helps him deal with…everything, really. Everything that’s happened to him. The tragedy, the senselessness of it…maybe it helps him feel better about it, helps comfort him. Maybe it’s some sort of sense that he’s evening the scales, perhaps? Some overall karmic balance?”

Jin Guangyao nodded along. He could certainly see Lan Xichen talking himself into believing something like that, and who knew? Maybe it was even a little true. He certainly enjoyed taking out the trash that had seen itself as above him, enjoyed stamping their lives into the mud – he wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t a necessity, a part of his power play, and he wouldn’t have described himself as taking pleasure in it, but at the same time, he certainly didn’t regret any of it. If it made Lan Xichen feel better to think that he had some sort of complex psychology driving his actions, well, so be it.

As long as he continued to support him.

“But as for whether it’s justified…” Lan Xichen sighed. “I’m not perfect at telling good from evil, Mingjue-xiong, and neither are you. No one is. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Nie Mingjue grunted. It almost sounded as if he really were agreeing.

Was Lan Xichen really convincing Nie Mingjue that Jin Guangyao ought to be allowed to murder people with impunity as long as he came up with a good enough reason for it in advance? How delightful.

Jin Guangyao couldn’t help but wonder – although he’d never actually take the risk of it – whether he could convince Lan Xichen that Nie Mingjue’s death, too, had been justified. It was an amusing enough thought to make him genuinely smile, a smile full of all the bloodthirstiness he normally kept hidden deep down: truly, if he had his choice in the matter, he’d love to see Nie Mingjue’s expression if he ever found out what Jin Guangyao was doing to him, ideally once it was too late for him to do anything about it or alert anyone to what was happening.

Maybe, if Jin Guangyao could arrange to be there to push him over the edge, he might even get to see it.

Maybe he’d even remind him of this little conversation, and ask if he found his own murder justified.

“All right, then,” Nie Mingjue finally said, exhaling slowly, and Jin Guangyao bit his lips to keep from laughing out loud. “I see what you mean, and…yes, I suppose you’re right, Xichen. I may not understand all the motives behind the murders, and I may not like the idea of just – trusting that he knows what he’s doing in killing them, but at the same time…”

He sighed.

“At the same time, I can’t disagree that if there’s one person I trust to have a good reason to kill someone in some deserted place for their undiscovered wrongdoings, it would be Wangji.”

Jin Guangyao’s smile faded away.

Lan Wangji?

What in the world were they talking about? How had Lan Wangji entered into it?

It wasn’t as if Lan Wangji were going around randomly killing people for, what, sport – killing them, and then justifying their deaths as having been deserved because they had supposedly done bad things –

A hand fell on Jin Guangyao’s shoulder, and he jumped a little, surprised: he hadn’t realized that anyone else was there with him in the deserted hallway or seen them come up behind him, much less close enough to touch.

He turned around: it was Lan Wangji himself, pale-faced and miserable the way he’d looked since the Massacre at the Nightless City, since he’d missed the Siege of the Burial Mounds on account of being confined – miserable, but upright, hale and hearty and righteous as always, his eyes bright with passion that verged on obsession.

He had his sword in his hand.

It was unsheathed.

“Wait,” Jin Guangyao said, taking a step back, his eyes going wide as he realized something. Surely he didn’t mean to – surely they hadn’t really meant – surely not – “Wait, Wangji, don’t..!”

[nnightskiess]

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐤 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞

₊° - 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐳𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐤 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

₊° - 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭: Hiya :D I saw you are accepting sob requests, so if I may, may I request a Nina Zenik one where yn makes breakfast in bed for her for the first time (having researched how to make waffles since yn can't bake/cook) but while shes eating she finds a cat hair and yn thinks because she owns a cat the hair situation might be a proplem but nina teaes that its just a small price to pay for dating yn, with said cat laying on her feet. Hope this isn't too much or too specific, please and thank you :) yeah as a cat owner cat hair ends up in all sorts of places which is annoying lol

i made this sort of as a female!matthias version. hope you love it!

☾ ⋆*·ﾟ:⋆*·ﾟ:⠀ *⋆.*:·ﾟ .: ⋆*·ﾟ: .⋆

please do not copy, republish, translate or reproduce this imagine on wattpad or on other platforms. respect the author's work <3

Waffles. A weird food creation, at least to Y/N, who had never heard of it or eaten it, let alone made it before Nina came along. But Nina Zenik had been a breath of fresh air from the start, introducing her to new things here and there, surprising her a bit more every day.

"You Fjerdans need to learn how to have fun." she had playfully complained when she pulled Y/N into the circus that was stationed at the outskirts of Ketterdam.

"I know how to have fun." She had replied, albeit slightly hurt, but Y/N had enjoyed her time at the circus. However, she loved the ecstatic grin on Nina's face even more, especially whenever she applauded an act or gave her honest, playful opinion on whatever was happening in front of them.

Y/N failed to keep up with all that was going on in that beautiful but chaotic brain of Nina, but was always left amused or impressed. Wanting to impress her in return, Y/N had brought a stack of warm waffles to the Slat. Confused about how to properly eat it, she decided it looked way too boring and dry to be served like that and coated it with a spoonful of gravy that had been prepared for the hutspot. With a content and proud smile, she waltzed up to Nina's room.

Nina jumped up from her spot on the bed at the sight of the waffles but made a face when she saw them drenched in the brown sauce.

"Is that gravy?"

Y/N nodded and offered Nina cutlery, which she waved away. She shruged, "Eh, I'll eat it anyway." She grinned and took a big bite out of one.

"Is this... not right?"

The worry in Y/N's voice made Nina look up immediately, knowing the girl needed reassurance. Kerch was so different from her home country Fjerda and the girl still had a hard time adjusting to the new city.

"It's not the way I usually eat them, but I must say, this weird combination isn't that bad."

"I'm sorry." The Fjerdan girl shuffled on her feet, her head down.

"Hey! None of that!" Nina pulled the girl next to her on the bed, took another bite herself before pushing the waffle up to Y/N's mouth.

That had been a few weeks ago. They no longer resided in the Slat and the time spent in Nina's company had warmed Y/N up. Slowly but surely, the girl had let go of her Fjerdan cultural beliefs and found joy in every little thing that was new to her. Nina loved it, ate it up and encouraged it, but was quite surprised when Y/N walked in-- drenched from the rain, holding something underneath her coat.

"What did you bring this time?" She laughed and inspected the bump underneath the girl's wet coat. Y/N loved to bring stuff she had discovered and even though they weren't new to Nina, she pretended to be just as excited. Nina loved to see the Fjerdan's eyes shine or for her to crack a smile, even if it was about something as simple as marzipan, something they didn't have in the North.

A meek smile appeared on Y/N's features as she pulled a shivering ball of fur out of her coat. The tiny kitten meowed in protest at the lack of warmth but quieted down when Y/N put her pinky against his mouth.

"He's hungry, do we have milk?"

Nina had a surprised look on her face as she looked at the white kitten clinging to her girlfriend, "You brought a... cat."

"Found him under the bridge of one of the canals. There were more but..." Nina noticed the pained look on the girl's face, the same one she'd have whenever she realised she would never be able to go back home again. "They were too cold."

Y/N shook her head and draped her coat over the chair close to the fireplace and gently tucked the kitten between the cushions, "His white fur reminds me of the snow at home."

Home. It still pained Nina that the girl had to give up her home to stay with her, but Y/N didn't want to go back if that meant being separated from the girl she had started to call her girlfriend. Nina had opened her eyes and given her things she was certain she would have never found in Fjerda-- hope, love and warmth.

Y/N realised Nina hadn't said a word and was still looking at the kitten, an unreadable expression on her face. "It'll only be temporary." She reassured. Nina nodded but saw the look in Y/N's eyes-- hope, love and warmth, the same way she would look at her.

The permanent glee on Y/N's face in the following weeks made Nina crack a grin of her own every time she saw it. She had never expected to have to share Y/N's love and affection, let alone with a ball of fur that would shed too much hair to be normal. Nina wasn't too keen at first. It's as if the cat knew, because he tried so hard. He continued to approach her, rub against her ankles or jump on her lap for a scratch. Nina rolled her eyes every time and patted its head awkwardly before softly pushing him away again. Then she'd watch how the cat curled against Y/N's thigh after giving the girl some head bumps.

Every night she'd wake up, unable to move her limbs because the cat was sleeping on them, or she'd wake up with him in between them. She'd curse under her breath, unable to cuddle up to Y/N without disturbing the animal so she'd roll over, feeling the cat stretch and curl up against her back instead.

Nina sighed as she felt something sniff her face which was followed by a head bump against her forehead. The loud purring made her open her eyes and next to her on the pillow, the sat cat looking at her with his big eyes, practically begging her for her attention.

"Saints." She sighed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. The cat lunged his head forward, thinking Nina was going to give him a pat instead. He started kneading and kept staring at her with those big, adorable eyes.

Nina rolled her eyes and decided to give in for once. The purring intensified and he immediately curled up against her chest, half being buried underneath the messy bundle of blankets. She smiled tiredly when he looked up once more as he looked at her through half-lidded eyes. This wasn't so bad, it replaced Y/N's warmth for the time being.

She let her head rest back against the pillow and sighed. She stroked his fur every few seconds, the purring an indication he liked it. She felt herself relax.

"Nina?" Y/N's voice whispered from somewhere in the room. Nina had fallen back into a deep slumber and slowly woke up. The white cat immediately perked its ears at Y/N's voice. "Nina, love, I made you breakfast."

Nina opened one eye and peeked at the plate in Y/N's hands before sitting up in an instant. The room smelled of waffles.

"Without gravy this time?" she teased.

Y/N's cheeks turned a soft pink, "Just the way you like it."

Nina gestured her girlfriend closer but felt the warmth against her side and smiled down at the cat.

"Did you finally warm up to him?" Y/N grinned and watched Nina let out a pleasant groan after the first bite.

"Hm yeah, he isn't half as bad," Nina spoke with a mouthful, but Y/N didn't care anymore. That was exactly why she liked Nina, "I can get used to waking up like this."

"With the cat or the waffles?" Y/N had an adorable smile on her face, but she couldn't help it, it came naturally whenever she would look at her girlfriend.

"Both."

Nina stopped and made a face before pulling something off the waffle in front of her.

"O-Oh, I'm... sorry- it must've-"

Nina put a hand on Y/N's arm, who had climbed onto the bed to cuddle up next to Nina.

"Don't fret," She smiled softly, "It's a price I'm willing to pay for your happiness and company." She then looked down at her chest, where the cat had curled up to her before, and noticed her dark shirt was filled with his white hairs,

"This...however...will take some getting used to."

[cafedanslanuit]

for Aoife ― a dive into your relationship, your love language, your astrology compatibility, romantic headcanons, your playlist, a small story and more [+ info on self-ships scrapbooks, here]

Zen and Aoife have a beautiful ability to make each other better. By learning more and more about each other, they also start slowly transforming into their best version of themselves. Zen feels his heart full of pride when he remembers how he slowly crept his way into their heart and now, after all this time, he gets to hold their hand when they walk down the street.

QUALITY TIME. With a hectic work schedule like his, Zen understands the importance of spending time together. That’s why, no matter how much he adores acting, he knows nothing is more important than spending time together. At first, when he didn’t have that much agency to change his rehearsing schedule, he tried his best to make sure he was spending time with you as well, letting you choose the activity every time. When he got more and more famous and was able to have a vote on his rehearsing schedule, he always made sure he kept you in mind when making any decision.

♡ At first, your friends couldn’t believe who you were with. Casual annoyed sighs had turned into shy smiles whenever this guy, Zen was mentioned. “That was definitely not the type of guy you used to swoon for, you know,” one of your friends mentioned. You sighed at their words. “God, you’re right. Do you think I made a mistake?” At this, your friend laughed. “A mistake? Please, not at all. Don’t you see you liked him so much you even forgot what your type was supposed to be?”

♡ Once Zen discovered how much you liked drawing, he made sure to snap some photos of his favourite pieces. Then, he shoot Saeyoung a text message, asking him if it was possible to change his phone home screen to one of your drawings. Knowing zen isn’t the most advanced in tech, Saeyoung guided him, not missing the opportunity to make fun of him for his incompetence. A few weeks later, you were gladly surprised when, after Zen asked you to check something on his phone for him, you saw one of your drawings staring back at you.

♡ Zen was the first one to pine. Being used to having people ogle at him and find him a dream come true, it was a bit of a shock to meet someone who didn’t fall for his charms. Intrigued, he kept on talking to you whenever you gave him the chance, and his curiosity quickly became yearning. His eyes would light up every time he saw you were online, and he couldn’t wipe off the small smile on his lips even after you had already logged off.

♡ One of Zen’s favourite ideas for a date is to go sightseeing around town until it’s late enough to go to the karaoke. He reserves a room in advance and you notice a small hop in his steps as you walk towards the building. He starts with a show tune or two and then pulls you closer when he chooses a song he knows you know by heart so you can sing along with it. Even if he adores your duets, there’s something he likes even more: to sit back on the couch and listen to you sing. He’s reminded how truly lucky he is not only to know you but to be given the chance to love you each and every day.

Your Sun signs, both Libra and Aries, understand each other’s emotions easily. While you may not be one to show them without thinking it through, Zen’s Aries Sun may help you be more open about them. On the other hand, your Libra Sun helps you understand Zen on a deeper level, rather than just looking at his exterior. You understand him better than most people do. While sometimes you may not understand completely each other’s emotions, both your sensitive personalities may help you finally get each other’s perspectives.

Regarding your Moon signs, his Cancer moon, forever emotional, can help you get more in touch with your feelings as you may sometimes tend to repress them. You, with your Aquarius Moon, can help Zen get more perspective and clarity, as we know he is one to see things black and white and struggle with making decisions.

♡ A Lovely Night (from La La Land) - Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone

This could never be / You're not the type for me / And there's not a spark in sight / What a waste of a lovely night

A good classic for the enemies to lovers storyline. Not enemies per se, but two people who were so different they never thought they would end up falling for the other. Some light-hearted jokes about neither of you feeling sparks, when suddenly― you’re staring a bit too long in the other’s eyes, you start understanding their train of thought and maybe agreeing on some points… and a love story is born.

♡ All I’ve Ever Known (from Hadestown) - Reeve Carney & Eva Noblezada

All I've ever known is how to hold my own / But now I wanna hold you / Now I wanna hold you, hold you close / I don't ever wanna have to let you go

Maybe you aren’t as extroverted or over-the-top as Zen, but once you fall for him, everything changes. At first, it’s small― joining him for a morning run once in a while, or letting him rest his head on your lap and playing with his hair while he’s on his phone. Little by little, you start discovering more and more sides of Zen and falling even more for him.

♡ One Hand One Heart (from West Side Story) - Ansel Elgort & Rachel Zegler

Make of our lives, one life / Day after day, one life / Now it begins, now it starts

And what is love without a vow? Time seems to fly when you’re sharing your life with the one you’re in love with. Especially when that someone is a hopeless romantic like Zen. He’s serious about his relationships and never sees them as something that may once end. He’s in for the long haul, and he’s gonna try his best to make you happy.

“You know I’m in love with you, right?”

You raise your eyes to Zen’s ruby ones. Your hands still for a moment over his tie, but then quickly resume their work.

“Right.”

This wasn’t his original idea, Zen thinks. To begin with, he had planned for both of you to be already at the RFA party before he confessed his feelings. He would ask you for a dance and after two of three songs, he’d escort you to the balcony to get some air. The balcony would offer him the semi-private and romantic space he needed to finally confess his feelings and, if he had luck, you would reciprocate them.

He didn’t plan to confess when you were still at his apartment, with a good thirty-minute wait before the limo Jumin had sent out for all the members was meant to arrive. But seeing you fix his tie made him blurt out his feelings sooner than expected.

“Right? What do you mean ‘right’?”

“It means 'stop joking around when I’m fixing your tie.'”

Zen holds your wrists, stopping their moves. Your eyes shoot back up to Zen’s, like a deer caught in headlights.

“Is it nonsense to say I fallen for you?” The way your eyes widen tell Zen you truly didn’t believe he was being serious at first. “Of course I have. And I know you haven’t exactly been my biggest… fan,” he grimaces. “But you need to know I truly do. Love you, that is. I love the sound of your laugh. That you call me out on my shit. That face you make when you draw and― look, I even have the last one you made saved.”

Zen fumbles with his phone as he takes it out of his back pocket and searches through his Gallery app until he finds the photo he took of your latest drawing and shows it to you.

“See? I do like you, Aoife. I really do. And I was supposed to wait until later to say this but… shit, the face you made as you were fixing my tie? God, it made me remember how much I’m head over heels for you,” he said with a soft chuckle. “I know we didn’t start on a good foot. But I also know the past few weeks have been… they felt different, you know? I’m just― I want to know if they felt different for you too.”

“You had my drawings saved?” you muse quietly, still shocked. Zen’s tense face breaks into a sweet smile.

“Yeah. I really like them, you know?” He releases the grip on your wrists and watches as you slowly put your arms down. You keep looking at his phone screen and he’s never seen you so flustered before, at a loss for words and all thanks to him. “Would you like to be my date for tonight?”

You nod, feeling heat rising to your cheeks. You feel a little light-headed when you look away from Zen’s phone and lock eyes with him once more.

“I’d love that.”

[practicalmagicintuitions]

Quick reading on HC

I’ve done a short reading one day before HC posted about his new girlfriend. It was a 3-month forecast reading. 

I typed it now and it’s indeed very short but now or never because I won’t have time in the next few weeks. I will post only pre-typed readings. 

All information and statements made in this reading or any other post of mine is all alleged until proven to be fact and for entertainment purposes & usage only. All information stated is based of my intuition and my tarot cards.

What will their relationship be like in the next 3 months? 

April: The Hanged man rx

I think he’s eventually started to play Hollywood. He has this new perspective but at the same time, he is not getting the memo. Not learning from past mistakes. Hanging on a relationship that isn’t really working but whatever, I will stay. 

Whit the May card together ( 5 of Cups rx) I think he has a new perspective on love itself. He tried to find partners in a certain way in the past and it didn’t work. And instead of thinking or realising maybe the fault is in him, he changed the way of finding love.

What do I mean? I think this is his first relationship which is started as PR or has more PR elements than real. I think they were set up to be a couple for whatever reason. I think there are certain emotions and has the potential to be something more… but at the moment this is only a potential.

In May he is starting to open up slowly. Starting to let go his past pains and maybe forgives her mistakes too. What is done is done. Cannot be changed. He also has to keep his family and loved ones close, for safety and emotional stability. Maybe one of them will have some problem with an inheritance this month. 

June: 5 of Wands rx

I get this intuitively: I sense some family fraud or disagreement but they are trying to work through it. This card is tension but not an open one, they are not the Kardashians.  Maybe an inner conflict or a conflict they push aside. Avoiding conflict for any cost. It’s also discovering something new information which could change many things..  I have to point out that card could mean postponing plans and an abortion. 

Bottom of the deck card. Justice rx 

The bottom of the deck card is the basis of the whole reading, gives you a very deep insight.

Henry knows deep, deep down what he is doing with this relationship is morally not right. And trying everything to hide his mistake but can fool no one. And whatever option he chooses he has to live with the consequences. Problem is…. this card suggests you are not taking responsibility and constantly blaming others for your failures. It also means he is dishonest with himself. Maybe lying to himself about this relationship. Justice card obviously suggests some contract, legal matter with not the preferred outcome. 

All in all… emotionally I think it’s lukewarm. The sex is very good ( 5of W is a typical sex card) but I haven’t got any real love card. I haven’t got breakup cards either. It’s just meh… 

And… We don’t have swords cards so we can eliminate the intellectual aspect of this relationship because it has none. No matter how many chess pictures they upload. We don’t have pentacles cards either so I think in the next 3 months they won’t benefit financially from this relationship. 

I do not think they will break up in the next 3 months. 

I don’t like predict to the exact time with tarot but Justice means 23 September - 22 October. I would say they won’t break up before that. 

 It was short and quick, I am so sorry. If nothing happens I will check on them later, maybe around the end of May.  I also have to mention I did a karmic reading on him like a month ago, it turned out very heavy. I am not sure I will have the strength to type it, but I will let you know. 

[honeypirate]

Hello hello~! I was hoping to request an Imagine or headcannons of Hinawa with a shy and/or easily flustered S/O? I love him so much and the man deserves more fluff, thank you!

I hope you like this! I enjoyed writing it but I didn’t take the writing as like an established SO like the hc part. I went more how reader and Hinawa get together.

Hinawa would be hooked on the way your cheeks flush just by making eye contact with him

He found himself trying to make you blush whenever he could

It was easy for him

It’s how he realized he had feelings for you

The way your every emotion shone on the surface

He thinks its the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen

And mans knew every way to make you flustered

A wink here

A smile there

A note left on your desk saying how pretty you looked

Or how he loves the way your eyes shine fiercely when you’re protecting the city

Or just that he loves you

You love collecting and saving those notes

Doesn’t do PDA at work, he almost always keeps it professional

But the moment work is over

Simp mode

Always holding your hand

Or brushing his fingers through your hair

Loves to have his arm around you while you sit together at dinner

Makes sure you get the first plate when he cooks

There’s this thing he does that you love. Where he’ll cup your cheek and press his forehead against yours, your eyes closed as you just take the moment

He does this so often because one of his favorite looks you give him

when he pulls back and brushes his thumb on your cheek bone, smiling at you softly

Your small smile and eyes full of adoration for him, he can physically see you swooning for him

A moment of calm love that is worth everything to him

♡´･ᴗ･`♡♡´･ᴗ･`♡♡´･ᴗ･`♡♡´･ᴗ･`♡♡´･ᴗ･`♡♡´･ᴗ･`♡

You’ve never been able to hide how you were feeling, any thought was shown on your face, your emotions on the surface. Which made it extremely hard when you discovered a crush on your superior. For a week you were constantly asked if you were feeling well because every time you looked at him your cheeks flushed, any time he made eye contact your cheeks would turn red and you would look away, not noticing how he would smile softly at you.

You didn’t quite know the rules on office dating but you couldn’t ask because the person who would know is Hinawa and you know if you were to stand in front of him thinking about relationships you wouldn’t be able to speak, you would be a blubbering blushy mess, so you decided to do the only option. Avoid. avoid. avoid.

For the next week or so you avoided looking at him, if you had to be in the same room you forced yourself to look at your paperwork or talk to Maki, making every excuse to leave as soon as you could. After seven days you weren't any better off and you know he noticed your strange attitude only when he’s around, trying to catch your eye or get you to talk to him but he doesn’t want to force you. after the 9th day he can’t let it go, if you hate him then he’ll help you transfer to a different company but first he needs to talk to you to know what’s going on. He goes to Obi with his thoughts.

“Y/L/N get in here” you felt your stomach drop as Obi calls your name, a string of ‘fuck’ is the only thing in your head as you scoot your chair out and walk into his office.

You salute and stand at attention, your gaze frozen on the back wall “sir.” he gives you a nod and you move your hands behind your back, you can feel sweat start to roll down your spine under your shirt. “y/l/n” Hinawa says from his spot leaning against the wall to your right, you held your breath as he spoke, watching him from your periphery. “You’ve been avoiding me for a while now, and the most important thing in a company is trust, if you don't like me, can’t trust me,” you expect the worst but you let out your breath when he finishes “then we will help you transfer companies”

You notice that his voice sounded sad, a feeling you haven’t whitnessed many times on him. “But what i want to know if what made you hate the Lieutenant” Obi says and you frown, you feel your cheeks start to warm as they continue to question you, the anxiety and tension you feel building “did he do something or say something and you're just too nice to confront him?” Obi asks and you feel your heart racing, Hinawa pushes off the wall and comes over, standing in front of you, standing so you have to look him in the eye “Y/L/N if I did anything to offend you I am truly sorry. If i made you hate me, just tell me so I can make it right” you feel your cheeks flush full force, dark red, he looks so kind, that’s something you always liked since you met him, he has always had kind eyes.

The kindness in his eyes and the way he was talking to you broke all the walls you were trying to build, everything crumples as you feel the panic starting to bubble over “I don't hate you! Okay?” you say in a panicked huff, your eyes show how much you have been hiding, your eyes widening as you regret your outburst but you can’t look away from his eyes. “Captain, can I speak with them alone?” Hinawa says, not looking away from your eyes. “Yeahhhh that might be a good idea” Obi says and he awkwardly hurries out of his own office, closing the door behind him.

Hinawa doesn't say anything right away, he just waits for you to relax a little, watches as your eyes calm down and your posture gets less tense before he says “why have you been avoiding me Y/F/N?”

you sigh “I’ve been avoiding you because being around you is hard. It’s hard because all of my feelings for you come rushing to my face. I get so flustered around you. I thought it would be easier if I just took myself out of the equation” your voice was quiet, your cheeks were cooling off, a pink now instead of red, and your eyebrows are furrowed. Your heart was racing as you watched him put the pieces together in his mind, your palms sweating as you hope and pray this moment ends quickly, at least you could always count on Hinawa being blunt and to the point, just reject you quickly so you can leave.

What you don't expect is the way the corners of his mouth turn up and the smile that spreads “you like me?” you let out a breathy laugh, your words coming out quickly “sodamnmuch” you feel the weight fall from your bones, the brick in your stomach dissipates as the truth is finally said. No going back now.

He pulls off his hat and tosses it on the desk next to him, running his hand through his hair as he chuckles “I’ve been wracking my head for days wondering why you hated me, thought that maybe i flirted too much and made you uncomfortable”

you gasp “wait wait wait go back” you say and raise your hands, he looks into your eyes again “what?” he asks and you take a small step towards him “you.. You’ve been flirting with me?” you ask, your hands frozen in the air “yes. I thought you knew. I thought it was obvious” you think back the past couple months, the way he would smile at you sometimes, his hand lingering when you would hand him something, the time he complimented your hair.

“I’m an idiot” you say with a laugh “i just thought you were being nice. I never thought someone such as you would go for me” he takes your hands from the air and holds them in his own “what? A plain man falling for a beautiful, smart, kind wonderful person such as yourself?” you shake your head with a laugh “no, a strong, hardworking, caring, sexy man going for a shy timid simpleton who isn’t as brave as they act” he cups your cheek with one of his large calloused hands “you are one of the bravest people I know, you don’t give yourself enough credit”

When you left the captain's office, you were greeted by Obi leaning up against the desk right outside the door “well?” He asks and Hinawa sighs “well what?” Obi stands up with his arms out “amazing! I expect the proper paperwork on my desk tomorrow” you blush and look at the ground, your heart seems like it won’t catch a break today. “Yes sir” Hinawa says and then tucks your hair behind your ear “dinner, after work. Okay?” You nod with a smile “sounds great”

—

As much as Hinawa didn’t approve of many PDAs at work, he couldn’t help but love the way you would blush when he would whisper something sweet in your ear or when he would leave you notes to find that say how proud he is of you or how beautiful you look. He knew you were shy and loved to take every chance to see the way you would beautifully get flustered because of him. Always looking for new ways to make your eyes light up and your cheeks flush. Now that you were together he made it his mission to find out every way he could show you he loved you and every way he could make you blush.

It’s been a few weeks since you got a note, you weren’t even thinking about it as you finished filling out your paperwork at the end of the day, your stack just a little bit bigger than normal after losing a bet with Arthur. You had to finish his along with yours, which didn’t bother you, it was fair since you chose to bet.

You sighed in relief as you picked up the last few pages of the stack, your lips turning up into a smile when you saw the little folded piece of paper underneath them. You pick it up, your thumb brushing over your name in ink on the front before looking up to where Hinawa was. When you catch his eye you raise your eyebrows and he tries to hide his smile but fails miserably as he turns his attention on you, waiting to watch you read it.

Your heart hammers against your ribs, your cheeks already flushed as you open the note. You scan over the few words and smile bigger, the urge to raise your shoulders in the way you always do when you get flustered and hide your face in your shoulder was strong but you took a breath, reading over the words one more time “you can always bet on my love for you” it was signed with a small heart. You chuckled at how cheesy it was.

You folded the note again and placed it over your heart, looking up to Hinawa again, you can feel your racing heart under your palm, ‘I love you’ you mouth back to him and he nods once, the tips of his ears turning pink as he goes back to his work. You fold the paper and stick it in your chest pocket on your jumpsuit already excited to add it to your collection.

[killerqueenishere]

The ball | Draco Malfoy x Slytherin! Reader

Warning: Maybe some swear words and fluff and this is kinf of long

Description: You are in Slytherin and friends with golden trio and Draco and here is coming a Yule Ball, will Draco ask you to go with him? (AU where Voldemort is defeated in the first war and Slytherin and Gryffindor are on good tearms and Malfoy and golden trio are friends)

A/N: sorry for any spelling mistakes English is not my first language

Enjoy

You were sitting with Hermione on transfiguration when professor McGonagall announce that there will be a ball, through class room was mixed emotions, some of the students groaned at the idea of going to the ball and dancing all night, while some was very excited for the upcoming event.

When class was dismissed you walked with Hermione towards great hall "We need to get dresses" she said "Well there is Hogsmade trip tomorrow, we can go and buy dresses" you smiled at the girl next to you.

"Hey why didn't you waited on us" said Ron a bit angry behind you two "Well you know way to great hall yourself" you said walking inside the big room, waving to Hermione you walked to Slytherin table with Draco.

Hogsmade

Hermione and you left boys at the very beginning of Hogsmade, you two headed towards Gladrags Wizardwear to look for night gowns.

"Wow" you mumbled under your breath "How are we going to decide what to wear whit so many beautiful dresses" you looked around "Well we need to try, besides we will know the right dress when we see it" she said walking further in the shop "Like this one, it is mesmerising" she said while touching the soft material of the pink dress "it is beautiful, you should try it" you said looking up at her.

While you waited for her you wandered around thw shop looking at dresses that was there, they were all beautiful but you just didn't thought that they were for you.

"Y/n" you turned around, when your eyes layed on the nervous girl in front of you, you immediately smiled "You look beautiful" gou said making her a bit more relaxed "Really?" She asked "Really, it looks beautiful on you, you should buy it" she nodded her head looking at herself in the mirror "You are right, I will buy it"

You were back to looking at the dresses, sighing slowly when you didn't found anything "Have you found something" Hermione said walking towards you "Nope" you said popping the p "let me help you"

She was looking for dress, you kind of lose hope that you will find good dress "What about this one?" She said holding baby blue silk dress "It is beautiful, but" she nodded "Okey" she said turning to look through dresses again, but before she could show you next dress you started walking away from her, towards the grey dress that catched your eye.

You walked towards it like enchanted, touching the soft fabric of the dress and following the flowers that were on her, you were in awe "Hermione" you said that so low that you were sure that she didn't heard it "Wow, it is beautiful" she said from beside you "Yeah it is" you said smiling "That then means that you find the right one"

Walking towards tree broomstick with big smiles on your faces and bags in hands, Harry, Ron and Draco were already in pub waiting on you two, they had butterbear in front of them while talking about Quidditch

"Hey guys" you said sitting next to Draco, tree boys gave you two a bright smile "Have you heard who is coming to the ball?" You asked expectedly "No" Deaco said looking at you with furrowed eyebrows "The Weird Sisters!" You cheerfully said "I cannot wait to see them live, especially the drummer" Ron groaned "Ginny is obsessed with them" Harry looked confused "Who are they?"

"They are the best rock band ever! They are amazing" low sigh left your lips "I hope that they will play my favourite song 'Magic works' such a beautiful slow song"

Hogwarts

You were currently walking towards the secret sport near Grear lake, you discovered that place in your second year with Draco, you two would often come there to just talk or sit in silence, you two fould comfort in each other, that is one of milion reasons that you feel for him.

Just as you got out from castle Hermione run up to you "You won't believe who asked me to go with him" she said "So Ron finally got some balls" you said laughing "Well actually no" hearing that you stopped laughing to look at her "Actually Krum asked me to go with him and I said yes" she said "Since Ron will not ask me than I will go with Krum" you nodded "What about you? Did Draco asked you" you shook your head "Nope" Hermione groaned "Boys" she shook her head "Yeah well if someone ask me than I will say yes"

One week until Yule Ball

"Hey Y/n" you turned to your left to see who that is and you saw Cedric, an older Hufflepuff who was in the tournament "Hello" you politely smiled at taller boy "Can I ask you something" he said while one if his hands filed to his wavy hair "Sure" he cleared his voice "Do you want to maybe go with me to the ball" he askrd "Sure" even if you didn't want to go with him but since the guy who you want did asked you you accepted "Cool" he smiled before he started walking away.

The Yule Ball

You did Hermione's hair and make up before doing yours, in the middle of you applying your lipstick Hermione walked out od bathroom "Hermione you look beautiful, Krum will love it" she smiled "Thank you so much" you hugged her "you are welcome" you said "Go and change or we will be late" you nodded while going to bathroom

(Your look)

You walked down the stairs with Hermione by your side, in front of great hall was Harry and his date, Krum was looking lovely in Hermione but your eyes landed on platinum haired boy talking with one Slytherin girl, she was beautiful, she had black silk dress amd hair hair feel down her shoulders in waves, you turned your gaze to Cedric, you weren't able to look at Draco and her it pained you.

Cedric took your hand in his while smiling at you "You look beautiful" blushing a little you thanked him.

You were in awe, the great hall was beautiful and soft piano piece was played in the background, turning to face Cedric, taking his hand in one hand while you placed other on his shoulder, you began the first dance.

You felt guilty for thinking about Draco while talking or dancing with Cedric but you couldn't help yourself, you catched yourself looking occasionally at platinum boy

"Why didn't you go with him?" Turning your head to look at Cedric you asked "with who?" He smiled "With Deaco, you've been looking at him almost all night" you looked down "I'm sorry" he placed his finger underneath your chin so he coulf make you look up at him "Don't be sorry, we cannot help who whe like, I was planning on asking Cho but she already had a date" he tried to smile but he failed "Well Draco never asked me to go with him" you admitted "I'm sorry" he said "For what? It is not your fault"

"What is wrong with Cho?" You asked turning away from Cedric "it looks like they are talking her to hospital wing" you looked at Cedric only to see sad and worried expression "You should go to her" you said "What about you?" You smiled at him "I will be fine, now go and be with her" Cedric hugged you while mumbling thanks.

You were leaning on a wall watching everyone having fun, this was supposed to be fun night, you were supposed to go with Draco, you were supposed to dance now but instead you were left alone, you didn't blame Cedric for leaving to go to Cho, you would do the same thing if you were on his place.

"What are you doing here alone" turning away to look who that is you said "I could ask you the same thing Draco" he moved to lean on the wall next to you "Well my date left early" you nodded "Well Cedric is in hospital wing with Cho" you answer to his previous question "Ah yes I saw her going to the hospital wing, I think that she is allergic to something that was in punch" he laughed softly "Hey that is not funny at all!" You said while playfully hitting his arm "Sorry, you are tight"

"Poor Cho" You said while looking around "Yeah" Deaco agreed, than you heard all too familiar tune of your favourite song from The Weird Sisters and smiled a bit.

"May I have this dance with you" Draco asked as he extended his hand to you, you looked at his soft hand and than at his icy blue eyes "Yes you may" you said while talking his hand in yours.

You two danced softly and in the middle of a song you placed your head on his chest listening to his heartbeat, you wanted to stay like this forever, you wanted to always be this close to him

"You know, I actually wanted to ask you to go with me" you pushed your head away from his chest to look at him "Why didn't you" you asked "Well I honestly wanted to think of a special way to ask you and than one day I saw Cedric asking you and you said yes to him and well and my heart broke a bit so I asked the first person that came my way" he said looking away "Wait, I thought that you didn't want to go with me amd I said that next person who asks me that I will go with him, I didn't had Idea that you wanted to go with me, I was so disappointed and sad because I am not going with you" Draco now looked at you "God this whole thing was a bit messed up" he laughed softly and you could listen to that sound your whole life "I really like you and when I saw you tonight I wished so much that you are going with me" you two stopped dancing and his hands were now on your neck "I really, really like you too" you smiled at him "Good, now I can finally do this" and his lips met yours in a soft kiss, he tasted like green apples and mint, his lips were softer than cotton, you pulled away after few moments smiling at each other.

This night ended better than you expected it to.

[octupus-on-the-moon]

A visitor

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Third part of a nightmare

Word count: 1123

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Warnings: Mental health issues

“… because I need to face my fear” y/n regretted saying that immediately. She was anxious. That often caused her to say things mindlessly and that is why she actually did not even want to be here. But her therapist said it would be an important part to become herself again. After thinking it through at least a hundred times. Making up all the worst-case scenarios. Y/n decided to get over whit it. She anticipated that after all he had been through, he would become some kind of lowlife or worse. Now Mr. Barnes was standing in front of her, in a middle-class apartment building in Brooklyn, looking as if he just had been woken up by his worst nightmare.

“You” His eyes filled with tears, rage and sadness “You are not real” Bucky´s voice was steady, but his whole body was screaming in terror. “You are dead” He stumbled back, tried to shut the door.

“No. Wait.” Y/n stopped the door with her foot, putting gently a hand on his shoulder. “I´m real. I survived” Barnes glassy eyes looked at her and cleared.

Y/n entered the apartment carefully. Trying to not upset Mr. Barnes more, then she already did with her presence. Another wave of empathy rolled over her. The room was so empty, only the blanket and the cushion on the floor gave a hint that somebody lived there. “I´m sorry. It´s a little messy” he apologized, rushing past her to pick up the bedding. While he was trying to tidy up, y/n noticed Barnes research mess on the counter. She started to read. “I almost forgot. Do you want something to drink?” He was trying to stuff the blanket in a cabinet inside the bedroom. “I only have water and coffee…” Bucky interrupted himself, as he came in the kitchen. Y/n was immersed in the report of that night. She was really trying to control herself, only her eyes and a trembling hand revealed her fear.

“I am so sorry. I am. That wasn´t me. I`m not the Winter Soldier anymore, I´m James…”

With a brisk move she put the file on the counter and wiped the tears of her eyes, putting on a brave smile. “It´s fine. I know. A coffee would be good”

Barnes was sitting near the kitchen bar, starring at the wall, trying to avoiding her face. Y/n was sitting on the opposite side of him, fixating a point on the floor. Both were sipping slowly their coffee in silent embracement. Both of them were not used to show so much vulnerability in front of strangers. And both weren´t used to talk much. Then she took a deep breath, looking straight at him

“So, how does it feel to be 100 years old?” a little smile appeared on her face, relieving the uncomfortable atmosphere. Barnes responded with a thankful expression

“Better than you can imagine. I feel like being in my twenties”. The conversation carried on, in the same lightly mood. Y/n found out that James, did not like to be called Mr. Barnes, that he hated his therapy sessions and that he was working on doing amendments, while catching Hydra supporters. Barnes discovered that y/n, lived alone with her father, that she avoided therapy till a few months ago and that she was making her last semester in college, after having disappearing in the blip. Y/n felt weird talking so open with him. As soon as he calmed down, James radiated a comfortable feeling in her, that made it easy to talk. Barnes decided for himself to like her, she was the first person, since the people of Wakanda, who did not annoy, stress or boss him around.

“Did you also skip a few years with the blip?” she asked jokingly, but regretting it, as soon as James´s pleased face dropped.

“Yes” he replied coldly while getting up, to put his mug in the sink.

“Why did you not kill me that night?” An agonizing look appeared in his eyes when she pronounced the word ‘kill’

“I don´t know. I can´t remember. I thought you were dead”

“You have the report laying right there. How can you not know?”

“You are not mentioned in the report” Bucky looked up from the sink, as she stood up trying to grab the document. He stopped y/n, putting his vibranium hand on the papers first. After seeing her smile and making jokes; Bucky did not want to see her cry again. He tortured himself through that report enough times.

“Believe me” Bucky searched for her eyes. “I´ve been looking for you, since I´ve been pardoned. That`s why I was so” he was seeking for the right expression “Shocked, when I saw you” She took a step back, intimidate by the sudden vicinity.

“That doesn’t make sense. I was there when all the agents came in and…”

“Wait a minute. Agents? I was alone there. I always worked alone. Tell me everything that happened that night”

Y/n was a case of wrong, place wrong time. The weekend of the nightmare. She accompanied her father to one of his business trips. That night she was actually going to explore the nightlife of the city, but decided not to, because she had a though college week before her. Y/n was about to enter her room, as well as the other man. Then the Winter Soldier attacked. At the moment he aimed the gun at y/n. Her father and a man entered the corridor.

“The other man shouted something. I didn´t understand what he said. You just froze. Then you looked around completely lost and put the gun away. My father came to me, the room filled with people in uniform. After that everything is kind of blurry. I knew they were agents, because my dad said that ’the agents would take care of it’”

Silence. Barnes seemed far away. Clenching his teeth, eyes fixing a point outside of the window.

“My father tried to convince me that I never saw you. He told me that some psychopath run amok. I never believed him. I was mad. Scared. I wanted to know who you are and how you could just kill recklessly so many people. I even planned revenge. Then the S.H.I.E.L.D. fiasco happened; the whole Winter Soldier thing came out. I made a little research about you. Trying to understand everything. Now I want you to know that it wasn´t your fault. I forgive you”

Barnes snapped out of his catatonic state. The heaviness inside his chest lifted, along with the tension in his body. His face lightened up a little and between all the sadness she had seen in his eyes before. A little shine of hope appeared.

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