#either way they r definitely not straight and i will uphold that to the end of the earth

[orcelito]

OK listen I'm still not quite sold on them being a pairing But

Kisara and Dohalim r killing me anytime they r next to each other. Making me feel very bisexual

[blu-joons]

DATING NCT A⇴Z HEADCANON ⇴ Lee Taeyong

A ⇴ AFFECTION

Taeyong loves to give you as much affection as possible, he cares a lot and can tell straight away what you need from him. He’ll hold you all night long if that’s what it takes some days to make sure that you’re smiling.

B ⇴ BEFORE DATING

You caught his eye when you walked into the local coffee shop with a friend, and he soon found himself staring across at you. Taeyong was scared to approach you and say hello, which definitely took you by surprise to begin with. But, when he asked for your number to take you out sometime, somehow you found yourself giving it over.

C ⇴ CONFESSION

He knew what he wanted, and he wasn’t afraid of taking that next step with you. After getting to know you better, he knew that you liked him, and he knew that he liked you too. He wasn’t nervous to confess to you, he more excited than anything else to take that next step and start dating you properly. You loved how confident he was when it came to his confession, making sure he convinced you well enough that you were the one he wanted.

D ⇴ DATES

Taeyong loved to cook for you, he would often invite you round to the dorm so that he could show off the new recipes that he was trying out. He’d often end up having to shove the boys away as they were big fans of Taeyong’s cooking too. Your dates always had to be perfect as far as Taeyong was concerned, if any of the other members ever interrupted you, he’d make sure to scold them the following day at the studio when you weren’t around. Even though you’d assure him it was fine, he’d never let them get away with getting in the way.

E ⇴ EXPERIENCE

Being the leader, Taeyong knew that if he was going to start dating, he had to do it right. A lot of the other members looked up to him, so he wanted to make sure that he set the perfect example of how to handle a relationship as an idol. It was definitely a learning curve for him at the beginning, he didn’t want to ask anyone for help, but as things became more serious, he turned to his seniors for a bit of advice to make sure that he didn’t risk hurting you, or the group too, as that was the last thing that he wanted.

F ⇴ FIGHTING

As the leader, Taeyong was usually the one that ended up diffusing a situation if things were getting a bit heated between anyone. So, when it felt like the two of you were beginning to butt heads, then he would definitely stand up and quickly try and bring a halt to things before either of you let them escalate. He didn’t care how much you wanted to argue with him sometimes, when he knew that it wasn’t a good thing for either of you, he’d stop you straight away, usually hugging you tightly or pressing his lips to yours until you eventually admitted that it was pointless for the two of you to argue with each other.

G ⇴ GETTING TO KNOW HIS FAMILY

Taeyong was more nervous for you to meet the members than his family, he couldn’t wait to introduce you to his family, and proudly show off the girl that had stolen his heart. He knew that his family would love you, as all they wanted was for him to be happy, so he made sure to comfort you before you got too nervous.

H ⇴ HOME

Having his own room in the dorm was definitely a huge advantage for you both. Taeyong saw no rush in moving out when the two of you were lucky enough to have your own space. Eventually, he knew he’d have to leave, but you were more than happy staying at the dorm with him and being around the boys too.

I ⇴ “I LOVE YOU”

Taeyong was the first one to say, ‘I love you,’ at the end of a promotion. He never understood how you managed to remain so supportive of him and his career, but at the end of it, he was desperate to show you just how thankful he was. At times, he didn’t know why you stuck around, but because of it, he knew that he loved you.

J ⇴ JEALOUSY

He was confident enough in himself that he didn’t really feel the need to ever really get jealous of anyone else. Taeyong knew that he was yours, and if anyone ever wanted to challenge him on that, he’d definitely stand his ground. He loved that you got on so well with all the other members too, others would wonder if he really was as comfortable as he suggested with your friendship with the group, but he was more relieved than anything else that you all got along. He never saw any reason to start getting jealous.

K ⇴ KIDS

Taeyong was already the mum of the group, he did a great job of taking care of the boys, which often got you wondering about the future. Taeyong loved to joke that he’d had five years of practice with all of them for whenever the two of you had a family of your own, but as you loved to remind him, caring for grown adults was very different to caring for a needy baby. But he definitely was ready for whenever that time would be.

L ⇴ LAUGHTER

The two of you could be heard laughing from the other side of the dorm most nights, the two of you shared a very similar sense of humour which tended to spell out trouble for everyone else. They all knew how cheeky the two of you were when you were together, but they loved seeing how much Taeyong let go whenever he was around you. Hearing your laughter would always put a smile on his face, it was infectious, and was the key to brightening up his day, no matter just how hard it might have been.

M ⇴ MISSING

Taeyong felt a duty as the leader to keep a straight face whenever he was on the road, even if he was missing you. It was only ever Taeil and Johnny who he would really open up to as they were the two that were elder than him, so he felt less of a need to protect the two of them. Even around you, he’d always make sure to keep a straight face and try and assure you that he was doing alright, but the second he hung up the phone or read through your texts, he’d definitely need a few moments to recompose himself before returning to the group, trying to push any thought of you to the back of his mind for a while.

N ⇴ NICKNAMES

You tended to just call Taeyong, ‘tae,’ it would often just roll off your tongue whenever you were talking to him, it wasn’t even something you ended up thinking about after a while, it was just a habit for you.

O ⇴ OBSESSION

Taeyong was obsessed with your hands, he loved to feel you holding onto him, or he loved to hold onto you by intertwining his hands in with your own.

P ⇴ PDA

He wasn’t afraid to be affectionate with you in public, but when he was, it would usually only be with subtle gestures. He knew as the leader he had a reputation to uphold, but he was also in love, and he didn’t care who knew about it. He could be a leader and a boyfriend in public without upsetting you or the fans.

Q ⇴ QUESTIONS

When he was planning your date nights, Taeyong would often ask you if there was a food you were particularly craving so that your date night could be perfect. Whatever you wanted, he always made sure to give it to you.

R ⇴ RANDOM FACTS

In the back cupboard in his room, Taeyong actually ended up creating his own recipe book of all the things he knew that you enjoyed, so that he could always refer back to what you liked. If he was struggling for an idea to cook for you, his book of recipes was the perfect tool to remind himself of all the things that you liked so that date night could still go by perfectly without any hiccups or dodgy recipes.

S ⇴ SEX

Taeyong was definitely one to dominant when it came to intimacy, he was confident with his words and his actions, he knew that he could make you feel good, and of course, you trusted him always. At times, he could get a little rougher with you if his ego allowed it, but he’d always take the best care of you afterwards, giving you plenty of hugs and reassuring you that he loved you and always was going to look after you.

T ⇴ TEXTS

If he hadn’t from you in a while, Taeyong would usually text you just to check in and make sure you were alright. He’d often nag at you to keep in contact and make sure you gave him regular updates so he could ease his mind.

U ⇴ UNIVERSE

He’d spent so much of his time caring for others, he enjoyed being the one that was cared for, for a change, with you. Whilst he also took the best care of you, knowing that he was your priority was incredibly comforting for him.

V ⇴ VACATION

When he had time away, Taeyong tended to prefer to just stay in Seoul, and the dorm, and just relax. He was logical and knew that in just a few days he didn’t have the time to be able to take you away so instead he’d create a little holiday for the two of you at the dorm so you could still feel like you were escaping.

W ⇴ WHINING

Taeyong didn’t usually whine, too many people whined around him when they needed something for him to do it back to you.

X ⇴ XXXXX

His kisses were very common, he loved to be able to kiss you whenever he had you in his arms or if you were moving around him. You’d often be able to hear groans around the dorm from the other boys as they watched Taeyong kiss you, usually making sure that it was nice and loud so that he knew everyone else could hear the two of you. He didn’t care what they had to say, he just loved being able to kiss you.

Y ⇴ YOU

You were the one take took care of him, which was all that he ever wanted.

Z ⇴ ZZZ

The two of you would fall asleep spooning every night, without fail. Taeyong loved the routine of falling asleep beside you, if you so much as moved, he’d always put you back in position and keep you there.

---

Masterlist

[hermit-pistol]

Bruno Bucciarati Fluff Alphabet:

Here’s my first full alphabet for the 600 follower special! It was so fun to write. Enjoy and click under the cut! 

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

Bruno loves taking you around the town in your free time. This includes walks in the park and dining at the best restaurants. When it's a lazy day at home he'll either lounge around with you or do some paperwork. A capo's job is never done.

B eauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

Physically? He loves your eyes and how expressive they are. No matter what you say your eyes will always tell him how you're truly feeling. Another trait he really loves is your sense of humor, complete with a never-ending supply of inside jokes! 

C omfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

Bruno will take you into a quiet space, rubbing small circles on your back as you take short, shallow breaths. No matter what you were going through at the time you know that he will be there to console and take care of you.

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

Even though he shouldn't be getting ahead of himself, Bruno is always thinking in the long term since his future with being in the mafia is uncertain. If all goes well he would love to build a life with you and would hope for marriage and children. He wants to teach his kids how to fish 🥺

E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

He considers your relationship to be completely equal. In order for the relationship to work there has to be an equal amount of give and take. All decisions are taken on as a team.

F ight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?

With the information given in B, fights with his s/o can be dissolved rather quickly. While you may say hurtful things your eyes tell him that you don't truly mean what you say whether the conflict was minor or not so much. He hates confrontation, which he deals with enough given his line of work, therefore fights are few and far between.

G ratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

Bruno clearly sees when you're putting forth the extra effort. If he was telling you about a rough day at work, he would be surprised with breakfast in bed the following morning. He’ll shower you with kisses and lets you know how grateful he is to have you in his life.

H onesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

Being in the mafia requires keeping many secrets, and being good at it too. He's very upfront at the beginning of the relationship that there are just some things he won't be allowed to tell you. You understand. Other than that, he tells you everything.

I nspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

If anything, being with you has taught Bruno how to care and be emotionally available for another person. He's spent most of his life fending for himself, so when you came into his life it was a very eye-opening experience. It was something he never thought that he would get to experience, and he's so thankful that you're his inspiration everyday!

J ealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

Bruno will get a little handsy when jealous, in a 'Hey, back off buddy.' kinda way. On the rare occasion that you see his jealousy getting the best of him you're rather amused. You're not used to seeing this side of your otherwise calm, cool, and collected boyfriend.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

Bruno is such a romantic that kissing comes naturally to him. They're soft, unless you specify otherwise hehehe.... Your first kiss was a little awkward given the circumstances and nervous atmosphere, but once you jumped that small hurdle he was a natural.

L ove Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

It would be after a particularly fun date, and Bruno, being the gentleman he was, was driving you back to your place. There's a comfortable silence between you until his car pulls into your driveway. Just as you're about to open the door, he just blurts out a simple "I love you-" and you smile. You still make jokes about it to this day, and he gets soo embarrassed when you bring it up.

M arriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

Bruno is getting married, there is no question about it. Even though you could see the proposal coming from a mile away, of course you accepted! The wedding itself is on a boat, and is a rather small ceremony with his gang and a couple of your family members. He just wishes his father could see him on his special day, but he knows he's there in spirit. Also, marriage with Bruno would be the best. He cooks, cleans, and can give massages~ This man is the whole package.

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

Hmm, Bruno would call you "dear" whether in public or private change my mind, along with your name of course. When in private he'll get more creative and sappy, with pet names such as baby and the like.

O n Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

He may act composed, but when he's got a certain someone on his mind he gets a little sloppy. This could include losing his train of thought and needing Giorno to snap in his fingers a couple times for him to snap back to reality. Yep, he was thinking about you again.

P DA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

This one is similar to the letter X, but basically he has to be careful since he's a capo of Passione. As for bragging, he's very prideful of his relationship with you but would never flaunt it in front of his team or others. Humble king. 😤

Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.

Not sure if this counts as a quirk but he’s very personable, and he can use that quality to his advantage. His charisma on top of his status as capo can get you some pretty sweet deals. This includes the best seats at the movie theater and extra bread at the restaurant. True story. 

R omance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

Bruno is a very romantic man, and knows how to treat his partner. We're talking roses and chocolate and all that good stuff. He really has a way with words and can make you swoon with only a sentence. It's his gift. ;)

S upport - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

He believes in you 100%! If you're feeling unsure about pursuing a goal or dream he'll give you a pep talk to set you straight. You sometimes joke that he should become an emotional speaker.

T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice up your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

He doesn't really feel the need to change things because he never really gets bored of you/ being with you. He is habitual with meetings and such, but most spontaneous he'll get is the occasional surprise date where he doesn't tell you the location. He’s a “close your eyes until we get there” type of guy.

U nderstanding - How well do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

Bruno is very intuitive and is also very detail-oriented. In the same vein, he will be empathetic when you're grieving or feeling down.

V alue - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?

Bruno's relationship with you is very important, and he values it more than anything else. Other than his gang and you, he doesn't have anyone left. Therefore, he treasures the few relationships that he does have.

W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

Every morning when he leaves for work he asks you to braid his hair for him. He could obviously do it himself, but he lives for the intimacy that comes with having you play with his hair. Bonus points if you brush it.

X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

Since he has a reputation to uphold, he's conscious of what the public eye can see. The most he'll do is a quick kiss or holding hands in public. In private though, you better watch out. The man's a cuddling fiend, and when you have days off you won't leave the bed.

Y earning - How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?

Bruno has to go away for missions and meetings all of the time, so phone calls are a must! He loves hearing your voice at the end of a long day, and sometimes keeps you on the line for hours. Before he leaves you also make sure to leave him a little handwritten note. He keeps them all in a desk drawer to look at later. :)

Z eal - Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

I can see Bruno eventually wanting to buy big things for his s/o, and he definitely has the monetary means to do so. Surprising you with jewelry just because, or a piece of clothing. He doesn't have to do these things though, they're just some perks of being the capo's partner!

[dylan-o-yumm]

ABC's - Nero (DMC)

ABC’s of Nero (these have been done for Nero a few times I think but I wanted to have a go lol)

To the people who sent in request, I'm in the middle of writing them out! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you!

A = Aftercare (What they're like after sex)

Nero will help clean you up nice and softly before wrapping you up in his arms and pressing delicate kisses on your head and shoulder… probably a fan of pillow talk.

B = Body part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partners)

He isn't very self conscious when it comes to his looks (besides his arm) he is very confident with his chest and abs. He loves your thighs and hands, loving to either pinch your thighs or hold your hands while being intimate.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I'm a disgusting person)

Nero is a smart boy. He'll make sure to use protection therefore always cumming inside a condom. However, if you're on the pill and he's comfortable enough with you, he'll cum inside you. Not a fan of cumming on your face but will release all over your butt and stomach depending on the position.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory,a dirty secret of theirs)

If Nero is away from you, he won't shy away from masturbation. He'll even go as far as humping his pillow while thinking of you. Also likes having his hair pulled but will never admit it out loud.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they're doing?)

He might be a little awkward when it comes to romance (dates, first kiss, holding hands, etc) but when it comes to sex, his confidence comes out and his cockiness makes him seem like he knows what he's doing, even if he doesn't. He is actually very skillful and will have you a moaning mess within seconds

F = Favorite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably exclude a visual)

Missionary. Likes to be able to see your face and hold your hand while pounding you. He likes a little romance in bed so these little things make him feel warm and safe. Also likes pinning you against walls with your legs wrapped around his waist and his hands gripping your thighs...

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment or are they humorous, etc)

More serious than goofy but won't shy away from tickling you and getting you to laugh. When he hasn't shaved in a while, he'll rub his prickly face against your neck when kissing you, loving how you giggle and attempt to tickle him back.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc?)

For some reason I like to imagine he's very smooth… maybe a little hair on his chest and maybe a little happy trail that will tease you anytime he's walking around shirtless, as if drawing your eyes towards his crotch… but other than that he is pretty much hairless everywhere else

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)

He will shower you with compliments and maybe give you a little massage to get you in the mood. He wants you to be very comfortable with him, more than anything. Not really a fan of flower petals and music though, much preferring to get you in the mood himself.

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcannon)

Nero prefers to be comfortable in his bed when he jerks off, but somehow always ends up in the shower instead. He'll lean against the wall and let the water clean up his mess afterwards. He will surprisingly do this a lot when you're not around...

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Loves having his hair pulled, praise kink (both giving and receiving), little bit of roleplay but not too much… and secretly loves being dominated, so that includes being blindfolded, teased and doesn't like to be restrained but also does???

L = Location (Favorite places to do the do)

Bed… and that's about it. He isn't one for any kind of public places cause if someone else sees you naked he'll get pissed off cause you're for his eyes only. He'll shower with you some times though… So yeah, bed and shower.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

When you wear anything that shows off your thighs. If you wear his clothes. If you rub your hands over his shoulders and/or waist. If you kiss his neck. If you are in charge and tell him what to do/what not to do (specifically in the bedroom) A lot of things get him going…

N = NO (Something they wouldn't do, turn offs)

Anything that hurts you, is a BIG no no. He doesn't mind a little bit of pain on his end, but he can't stand the thought of anything hurting you, let alone himself. The only time he gets a little too rough is with his thrusts when he can't control himself (probably from you teasing him for three days straight). He also isn't into inviting other people into the bedroom, so threesomes, foursomes and all that are off limits for him. Also isn't a fan of humiliation.

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

Prefers to be the one giving rather than receiving. He knows how much you love it so he won't do it too often, making it feel a thousand times better when he finally does. He's very skillful with his mouth and knows it, so if you're in a bad mood he'll cockily say something about how his tongue can help you feel better.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

I mean… he always starts out slow and sensual. But if you've been teasing him for a while or if he's just feeling really needy then he'll let loose a little and accidentally get a little rough. He will apologize for being so rough with you afterwards but you have to remind him that you're not made of glass. And if you happened to like it a little rough, then you should definitely let him know…

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

He isn't against quickies but definitely much prefers to be more intimate in a bed rather than quickly catching a release in the back of Nico’s van while she's out. However, if he hasn't had alone time with you for a while he will definitely pull you into the small shower inside the van and have his way with you there. Anywhere that isn't the van or in his own home is a big no no for him though.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Literally only okay with taking the risk of getting caught inside the van. He knows Nico would never let him hear the end of it, but if it's a chance to piss her off while having a little fun with you… then he'll take it.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they last for, how long do they last...)

Okay this depends on who's in charge. If it's him, then he can go about 4-5 maybe even 6 rounds before he is struggling to keep himself on top of you without crushing you. If you're in charge (that includes teasing him constantly and maybe having denied his orgasms previously) he'll only last about 3 before he's almost in tears from over stimulation. But he secretly loves that…

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

I feel like Nero wouldn't have toys, but he'd find things around the house the use instead. You wanna blindfold him? He's handing you one of your scarfs with a cheeky grin on his face. He wants to be gagged? Why not use your panties? So yeah, things like that… Among other things ; )

U = Unfair (How much do they like to tease)

Not a very patient guy, so he knows that if he wants to tease you, he's also teasing himself because he has to wait. That doesn't mean he doesn't like to tease you constantly. He loves when you tease him though, thinks you're very rude whilst you're doing it but afterwards he realises just how good you are at it.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make)

He is pretty quiet, biting his lip to stop himself from being too loud otherwise he'll get all flustered if he moans too loudly. But, if you're riding him with him pinned under you, exactly where you want him… he'll be very loud, unable to keep quiet. Make sure to fulfill his praise kink by telling him how much you love the sounds he makes.

W = Wildcard (Get a random headcannon for the character of your choice)

Teared up the first time you had sex with him because it felt so good. Which he pretends was just allergies because he's got a reputation to uphold. Heaven forbid Dante or Nico ever find out about that fun little fact…

X = X-ray (Let's see what's going on in those pants, picture or words)

He is pretty average in length but makes up for it in girth. Pink tip, veins along underside of his shaft with a slight upward curve.

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Wants to have sex with you at least once a day, maybe more. He'd go as many times as you want because he wants to please you, no matter who's in charge.

Z = ZZZ (...how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

No matter how tired Nero is, he'll always make sure to clean you both up with a wet towel before he even let's himself lie down to relax. He will talk with you while you cuddle up to him and it isn't until he's sure you're sound asleep that he will let himself doze off.

Should I do one of these for Leon?

[savnofilter]

Todoroki Shouto x Reader A-Z (NSFW)

Todoroki x Reader

warnings: smut, referenced/hinted slight bdsm elements, fluff if you squint

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Todoroki will make sure to clean up and just snuggle you until you fall asleep if you’re tired. But if you’re not you guys just relax and watch TV.

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Since Todoroki doesn’t really think about himself that much, he doesn’t really have a favourite body part. But he’d probably just go with his left side because of his mum.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person)

He prefers to come in you because it’s less mess to cleanup and he feels selfish but it makes him feel like you're his.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

There was a time you sent him a friendly cute picture of you in your bathing suit and he couldn't help but get so aroused at you in such clothing he couldn't help but touch himself too it. Of course he'd never say it too you, he'd never say it to anyone.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Let's just say that Todoroki isn't experienced at all. Of course he knows the basics but he just doesn't know where everything happens. He was more skilled in adapting to what you really like in a fast time frame though, so it wasn't too bad.

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual)

Favourite position will have to be missionary because he can see your face and how well he's doing. It's like watching your body twitch and squirm gets him even more and excited, proud to be the one making you squirm.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc)

He's very serious during sex. This is very intimate and loving for him so he likes to relish every moment. He rarely does crack a joke unless you do, much like he is normally in everyday life.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

LOL HALF AND HALF HAIR COLOUR. But other than that he mostly shaves it because it's less work to maintain he length and etc.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)

Very open. Shouto is always open to try new things with you, and normally he doesn't really say any words to initiate intercourse. You guys just look at each and baam. It happens.

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

He's experimented a few times in his free time but never got around to it most times. Since now he has you here, he doesn't need to do it anyways.

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Temperature play definitely. He didn't even know he had it until he accidentally got a little too cold or hot and had you squirming in a very delicious way. Now he can't stop. Along with this he also likes the bdsm play and role-playing. He doesn't really any favourites but he's down for anything you want to do, as long as it's not crazy.

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)

He prefers the bedroom everywhere else. But if you seem to need to get a release really bad, he doesn't mind unless the chances of getting caught are super low.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

Since he really never noticed anyone before and thought everything looked so simple to him, you just breathing just gets him hard. But he has years of self control so he tries not to ravish you're in your own element. Most times.

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Threesomes and things that’ll really hurt you.

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

Shouto is a edgy-teen of esteem and will always prefer giving you oral because he loves to pleasure you and will do almost everything you want without  hesitation.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

Slow and sensual. He likes to keep it intimate most times. Sometimes he can’t control himself but always keep it sensual.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

Shouto doesn’t really mind them, but likes to keep it in private. But if you really do need a release he’s there too help your needs. (i just believe he’s soft boy)

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

As said before, he’ll do anything for you. Just now anything too risky. Or dangerous he’s got to uphold his title. 

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

He lasts about 2 rounds, since he can last long it doesn’t take that much to have him cum really fast. Unless you tease, then he’s more likely to go more rounds.

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

He doesn’t think that toys are necessary in pleasure and doesn’t really see the need for them anyways.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Shouto doesn’t tease very much, and he’s very good at it either. Since he’s so straight forward, he just gets to the point, and that’s completely fine with you.

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

He let’s a few moans out since he’s not afraid of what you think he sounds like. Plus you’d think it wouldn’t do you justice if you couldn’t hear his sweet voice bless your ears.

W = Wild Card (Get a random head-canon for the character of your choice)

He likes it when you praise for the simplest things because it makes him feel good about himself.

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

He’s average length but it looks bigger than it actually is. Still mouth watering when he’s in you though. ; )

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

A little higher average. He was always use to focusing on training and school he sometimes forgets he his needs and it ends up building up.

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

It stays up for sometime after since he doesn’t fall asleep that fast. So he just holds you and watches you sleep until he gets tired and holds you close for more comfort.

[feynites]

do omegaverse solas and lavellan ever get to get it on? or will they long for each other impotently forever?

They do! Though I haven’t written it out yet. But this finally got me writing more of this au anyway, so I hope it will suffice! Warnings for a/b/o tropes, as usual.

Two days after her meeting with Mythal, Uthvir is sent outon an urgent assignment.

They are uneasy with the implications of that. Whatevermeasures they have taken did not include sudden and express orders from Mythalfor them to be elsewhere, it seems. They discuss the matter in the evening. Themission does seem to legitimately pertain to matters with the Nameless, but thetiming can’t exactly be brushed off as a coincidence.

Uthvir doesn’t have a lot of recourse to refuse dutiesstraight from the top, though. It’s pretty apparent that the choice is betweenall of them going rogue, now, or letting Uthvir leave and still trying tohandle the situation themselves.

Lavellan doesn’t really take a long time to make a decision.She would leave if it was just about herself, but she won’t ruin Uthvir andThenvunin’s lives. Thenvunin still seems convinced that he can settle matters,at least, and while she’s growing more and more certain that he can’t, everyoption in front of her seems as bad as the next.

In the end, she supposes that if someone has to suffer, shewould rather it be her.

She can tell her parents are making their own plans, evenso. Holding out their own hopes, or coming up with their own contingencies. Themore she considers it, though, the more she thinks that she’s going to havebeat the shit out of this alpha.

Not kill him; more bodies would make more problems, and shedoubts she could cover up a murder as easily in Arlathan. But Elvhenan’s alphasare, by and large, a proud bunch with reputations to uphold. This alchemist probably isn’t going to be in a hurry totell their peers that their new omega apprentice mopped the floor with them,and, luck willing, that could work to her advantage. The man doesn’t sound likea trained fighter, at least.

Uthvir goes.

Thenvunin heads out to more vague meetings and‘discussions’. Four days after Mythal’s conversation with her, he goes toArlathan, with the intention of meeting ‘this alchemist’ in person. But hecomes back empty-handed, and that evening he confesses to her that he’s runninginto something of an unexpected brick wall.

“Renathel seems to be reclusive,” he admits. “From what Ihave gathered, when they were younger they were too unruly and mediocre to makemuch of a name for themselves. They spent most of their accumulated credits onventures in the Pleasure District, and were nearly bonded to one of the omegasworking there, before the match was denied by one of the city managers on thegrounds of Renathel’s lacklustre prospects. Reputedly, Renathel became more withdrawnafter that. Depressed, I suppose. For a few centuries now they have mostlyshied away from the public, and events, and anything other than their requiredduties. Clearly, they are a most unsuitable match for you, but… it is difficultto use social pressures against someone who has apparently disdained them forthe better part of three hundred years. How this person has managed to even maintain their position in Arlathan is…well. If I have anything to say about it, they shall not hold it for much longer.”

Something in her sinks, definitively, at his admission. Butafter a few minutes, she manages to muster herself again.

“Do not worry, Papa,” she tells him.

She doesn’t really have a lot of assurances to offer beyond that, but telling each other notto worry seems to have become habitual between them.

Not long after that, Mythal has her meeting with Mirena. AndMirena…

Mirena doesn’t do what Uthvir has done, or what Thenvuninhas done, or even what Pride has done. Pride, who has steered very clear of hersince they spent an evening together. Who has been even busier than usual, itseems, to the point where she’s worried about what kind of deals he might be trying to make. And whatkind of limitations he also might be discovering, even know, after theirthorough cataloguing of the restrictions on omegas.

Mirena comes to her, and has Thenvunin leave the room.

“Your apprenticeship with me is currently concluded,” shesays, in an inscrutable tone.

Lavellan feels a rush of dread.

Mirena moves in close, and wraps her arms around her. Shesmells like incense and spices, and the subtle cues of an alpha who isperfectly happy with her unbonded state. Her grip is tight, as she leans in abit.

“Do not be afraid, my dear. Change is hard. But, sometimesit comes with unexpected opportunities. You will be alright. And I will makeglowing commendations of your apprenticeship, which you have completed in anexemplary fashion.”

She swallows, and thinks of running. Of fighting. Of hiding.

Her transfer to the service of a new alpha should onlyhappen when Uthvir and Mirena are both present. But she’s not entirelysurprised when, the next morning, Thenvunin is called away early to see to someissue in the gardens, and a messenger comes, and takes her to the palace’seluvian chamber. Where one of Mythal’s other attendants – Tarensa, it seems –is waiting to do the honours of escorting her to the city. In light of herparents ‘indisposal’, and her grandmother’s sudden and unexpected need to beelsewhere.

Tarensa manages a sympathetic look. But she’s Mythal’s,through and through, and her hand is firm as she threads Lavellan’s arm throughher own, and escorts her through the crossroads.

“Working in Arlathan will be an important experience foryou,” she reasons. “And it will be very stable. Much less travel than with yourgrandmother. You will be able to see your parents more often as well.”

Lavellan doesn’t respond.

“Renathel is not to mistreat you,” Tarensa continues. “Thisis not a punishment, and Mythal does not tolerate disgraceful alphas.”

She almost snorts, at that. Mythal more than toleratesdisgraceful alphas. She is one herself.

But that kind of talk would only make things worse, at thispoint. She bites her tongue, and lets herself worry more about her parents thanherself. Uthvir can generally be trusted to keep their composure even in theface of unexpected issues, but she’s often the exception to that rule. AndThenvunin will probably be distraught when he realizes that she’s gone.

Don’t be rash, shethinks. Don’t be, don’t be.

It’s easier to worry about that then to think about what’swaiting for her in the city.

They exit the crossroads near to the Market District. Thebanners flying over the market square are golden today, which means that thereare trade renegotiations afoot. Spirits of Greed and Cleverness, Fortune andGuile all flit through the air. Most of the market stalls are closed, though,and the majority of street activity is centered around the crafters’ shops andrequisition offices instead. The windows of the Trade Centre are shut tight, asthe merchants and managers deal amongst themselves.

The lack of the usual bustle makes it rather easy to noticethe elf waiting by the eluvian.

Average height, Lavellan notes, and golden hair, and browneyes that squint a lot in the daylight. They have a pallor to them that makesher thinks of scribes and researchers, and other types of people who spend dayson end either indoors or mostly up at night. Their clothes are an eclectic mix.A nice jacket thrown over a shirt with odd stains on it. Gloves tucked into thepocket of some poorly tailored pants.

Lavellan assesses the alpha the way she might assess adragon she knows she’s going to have to fight.

The alpha, in turn, wrinkles their nose at her, beforelooking at Tarensa.

“I thought I was getting an omega for my apprentice,” theysay. “I specifically requested that, on the paperwork. I wrote myself, so Iknow it was on there. Manager Gilith told me I could specify, that it mightmean a longer wait but I have no need of some foul smelling beta cluttering upmy shop.”

Well, she thinks. At least they’re not salivating or something.

Tarensa looks unimpressed.

“Lavellan is an omega,” she says. “She meets all yourrequested qualifications and requirements. Her father is one of Mythal’s owntreasured attendants. She finished her last apprenticeship with resoundingcommendations, and Our Lady is being mostgenerous in entrusting you with her care and assistance.” Letting go ofLavellan’s arm for a moment, Tarensa strides over to Renathel, and looks downher nose at them.

“A word of advice, Alchemist. Mind your manners. If youforget them, I would hate to have to wait at the back of the line of alphaseager to re-educate you on the consequences of overstepping respectableboundaries.”

Lavellan thinks she might appreciate the threats on herbehalf a bit more if she didn’t know that Tarensa was going to leave her withthis alpha all the same.

Renathel does not quite meet the tall woman’s gaze. Theyraise a hand, and grimace, just a little.

“I… apologize,” they offer, glancing towards Lavellan. “Theomega is acceptable, of course. I only could not scent her. A misunderstandingon my part. I am only too grateful for Mythal’s consideration, in accommodatingmy request.”

Tarensa regards them for a moment longer, and then stepsback.

“See that you do not forget it,” she declares. “I am here inlieu of Lavellan’s nanae and grandmother, but do not mistake their absence fora lack of concern over this transition.”

And yet, there is definitely an implication, she thinks, insending her here without her family, that she is being at least somewhat discarded. Of course, Mythalwas probably not ready to trust Uthvir with this particular task, all thingsconsidered.

Renathel inclines their head.

A tense and awkward moment ensues. Lavellan uses it toseriously contemplate just bolting. The eluvian is right there, but that wouldbe the obvious choice. There is a bridge nearby. She thinks she could make itbelow the archway before anyone realized what she was doing, and by the timethey gave chase, she could be dashing through the lower city.

But there will probably be better opportunities to justplain run. Tarensa is very fast, when she wants to be, and Lavellan would havetroubles hurting her if it came to a fight.

Renathel steps forward, and stiffly offers her their arm.

“Well, we should go, then,” they decide. “There is work tobe done.”

Their jacket crinkles, as Lavellan takes their elbow, andgrips it.

Hard.

“Of course,” she says, placidly.

Tarensa gives her a look, as if she means to say somethingmore. There is something oddly close to an apology in her gaze. But then shecloses her mouth, and only nods in approval, before turning and heading back tothe eluvian herself.

Then Renathel is walking briskly down the city street. Overthe bridge with Lavellan had contemplated moments before. They place a handover the one she has on their elbow. Their palm feels clammy, and they wince ather grip.

“A little more gently, if you please,” they say, in a voicealtogether less snide than the one they had employed in front of Tarensa.

Lavellan is surprised at it. Enough so that, reflexively,she accommodates their request.

Renathel lets out a breath, and gives the back of her hand apat that seems almost absent-minded. Not a gesture she would have expected.Uncertainty comes into her, a strange misgiving that she doesn’t know quite howto place as they carry on. They make their way past a few of the more prominentworkshops, heading down in the general direction of the Pleasure District.After a while they turn off of the main street, and onto a winding side one,with buildings painted a steely almost-blue. Signs for stylists, alchemists,perfumers and even a few butchers dot the doorways they pass, marked with thesymbol for the services they provide, and an annotation identifying whichEvanuris they serve, and what the rank of the craftsperson who runs the shop is.Most are mid-ranking and Mythal’s, here, though she also sees the symbolsdenoting Sylaise and Ghilan’nain.

At last, they come to a narrow shop, sandwiched between a perfumerof Sylaise and a stylist of Mythal’s. The sign denotes alchemy, high rank, andhas Mythal’s tree beneath it. But there are no goods in the windows. Most ofthem are shuttered, and there is another sign on the door stating that walk-incustomers are not welcome, and commissions should arrange for meetings by wayof consultation.

How anyone is supposed to get a consultation seems to be something of a mystery.

“This is your shop?” she checks.

Renathel deactivates the lock, and pushes the door open.

“Yes,” they confirm. Lavellan hesitates only a moment on thethreshold. The building is narrow. Close-quarters. But it’s also dark andhidden and private. Perfect for if she needs to make a point with violence,just so long as the alchemist alpha does not prove to be unexpectedly gifted inhand-to-hand combat.

Still.

It feels like a trap, as she walks inside.

More and more, when she actually sees the interior of the ‘shop’.There are shelves in the front, lined with bottles and vials, but none of themlook fresh. The stale scent in theair makes her think that, somehow, no one has even been inside of this placefor a long while. Months, at least. From the front door she can see a backroom –the work room – but the equipment is silent. Nothing brewing, steaming,frothing, or cooking. No scents beyond the must in the air.

Incongruously, though, the narrow set of steps leading tothe second floor look as though they have been recently cleaned.

Lavellan does not bother to disguise her tension, as shelooks over at Renathel.

The alchemist smiles.

“I am terribly sorry for all of this,” they say. “It wasquite a production, I know. And you have probably spent the past while feelingvery alarmed. But, we could not afford to raise any suspicions. There was toomuch risk that simply trying to orchestrate things would raise suspicion in andof itself, and if Mythal had so much as an inkling of what was going on, youwould probably be banished to some village in the middle of her territories,and shackled to the most martially proficient alpha there.”

She blinks. Renathel’s voice sounds notably different, andshe thinks…

The alpha gives the room around them a careful look over,and then their features shift.

Golden hair gives way to black, and their frame changes. Theoutfit remains the same, but the fit on everything save for the trousersworsens. Long, dark nails stretch from fingers that are a different sort ofpale, and brown eyes lighten and shift colour. Magic whirls for a moment, inshifting motes of light. Not unlike the dust in the room.

It only takes an instant, and then Lavellan finds herselfface to face with Melarue.

No ‘Renathel’ at all.

“…Uh,” she manages, intelligently.

Melarue reaches over to one side, and pulls a chair awayfrom a small table by one of the windows.

“Not to be presumptuous, of course, but all thingsconsidered, I think it may be best if you took a seat and caught your breath,”they say.

...Yeah, maybe.

Still wary – but also with a building relief – Lavellan takesthe offered chair.

“So… where is Renathel?” she asks. That seems like animportant question, right now. Though with the evidence all around them, shehas her suspicions.

“Alas, they managed to outlive my patience for them,”Melarue admits, taking the seat opposite from hers. “It might ease you to knowthat they were never what one might call a respectablesort. They had a bad habit of fixating upon, stalking, and harassing myworkers. I managed to put a stop to it once I had accumulated a fair amount ofblackmail on them, and they served some uses as a private supplier of sorts.But, they were redirecting their impulses onto some of the omegas in the lowerdistricts, and of course, your own circumstances conspired to create anopportunity to put a permanent stop to that.”

Her gaze drifts back towards the stairs.

“So they are dead,” she concludes, plainly.

Melarue gives her an assessing look, and then inclines theirhead.

“I sent in the petition,” they admit. “Several of mycontacts conspired to suggest this as a convenient means for Mythal to ridherself of you, in light of her… disapproval, over your companionship with herwhite wolf. There were no guarantees, of course, but it lined up nicely enoughfor her that it was not an unreasonable bet. However, too much pushing or toolittle resistance would have made her suspicious.”

“And then she might have investigated, and found Renatheldead,” Lavellan surmises.

Melarue shrugs, though.

“Oh, I would have figured out a solution for that,” they assure her. “One reclusiveand little-loved alchemist would not have interested her so much as theapparent desire to get you into the city. But, that is idle speculation, now.The plan has worked, and here you are.”

“Here I am,” she agrees. “Please, do not take this the wrongway – I was not eager to get to know Renathel, and your description has made meglad that is not even an option now – but… is there a plan from here on out? Iam supposed to be apprenticed to an alpha who is dead now.”

“Exactly!” Melarue says, with a satisfied nod. “A reclusivealpha, not known for being seen around the city much as it is. It would hardlydraw suspicion for you to take over the daily, ‘pithy’ tasks of your master,such as delivering orders, accepting shipments, requisitioning goods, filingpaperwork with the city… this shop is entirely functional, and if ‘Renathel’ isever required to make an appearance, having to dig them out of my districtwould surprise precisely no one.”

Ah.

She sees where this is going, now.

The relief settles over her more firmly.

“So I am to take over as your alchemist?” she guesses.

Melarue smirks, just a bit.

“The arrangement is not purely selflessness on my part,”they confirm. “Though, as Mirena’s grandchild, I would have done what I couldfor you anyway. But now we have a mutual requirement for one another. I am inneed of your skills, and have confessed a terrible crime to you. And you are inneed of a post that seems to get you out of Mythal’s way, and would not wouldbe… very easy to frame for Renathel’sdeath, at this point in time.”

Lavellan meets their gaze for a moment.

And then inclines her own head.

“Well, I suppose-” she begins, but is cut off by a veryurgent-sounding knock at the door.

Melarue purses their lips, and then sighs.

“Thenvunin,” they tsk.

“Papa?” Lavellan blurts. What is he doing here? Well, no,she can guess. Oh, no. She hopes hedidn’t do anything to get himself into trouble back at the palace.

When she glances back at Melarue, they are wearing Renathel’sform again.

“I suspect he will batter down the door if we leave him,”they say, and a moment later, Lavellan hears him shouting for her. Onlyfaintly; the sound-proofing is apparently good, but not impenetrable. Orpossibly just one-sided.

“We should tell him,” she thinks. He must be incrediblyupset. A rush of guilt runs through her, even though she doesn’t really knowwhat she has to feel guilty about.

Melarue shakes their head, though.

“Ah, no. I loveyour father very much, and secrets like these are of the sort that, on a badday, will get anyone who knows them executed. He is much, much safer, in hisown right, if he does not know. If things go horribly awry, then he will not belying if he pleads ignorance. Where Mythal is concerned, that may well matter.”

Lavellan frowns, conflicted. He is going to worry so much.But…

Murder is a steep charge, and she has already tempted fateon that front. Not that she regrets it.

Thenvunin shouts again, and she relents.

“For now,” she permits. “If he is going to do somethingterrible over this, it will be much more dangerous than him knowing a secret.”

Melarue nods in a manner that conveys ‘fair enough’ quiteably, and then finally heads over to the door. They unlock it again, and innearly the same motion move out of the way, as Thenvunin bursts into theworkshop. His fear is a palpable wave which follows him in, but it calms quitea bit when his gaze lands on her.

Lavellan has barely finished standing up when she findsherself crushed to his chest, his arms sweeping fiercely around her. She canfeel him crying even before he moves back again, and looks her over. Obviouslychecking for damage.

“Are you alright?” he asks. “Are you hurt? Did the fiendtouch you?”

“Papa, I am fine,” she assures him, patting him as well asshe can manage to with the grip he has on her. She barely gets the words outbefore he is hugging her again, squeezing her as though she is child-shapedagain. After a few minutes of this, more of his tumultuous cloud of emotionsbegins to calm down.

Melarue clears their throat. All at once, then, Thenvuninseems to recall that ‘Renathel’ exists.

He moves just enough so that Lavellan is tucked under one ofhis arms, and levels them with a look of pure venom.

“You! How dareyou?” he snaps. “Accepting such a transfer without the proper alphas present isan unbelievable insult, you – you reprehensible cur! And just look at thisplace. Do you mean to keep my daughter here?! In this filth? While you show her nothing but disrespect? Absolutely not!There is no excuse for this level of insult, you knew full well that you were gettingan apprentice, and yet you could not even be bothered to maintain a simpleworkspace. Disgraceful. There is no chance I am permitting Lavellan to remainhere, under the circumstances it is clear that another situation must be found,and I am certain Mythal will agree with me when I present her with the facts-”

Melarue shuts the door to the shop.

Thenvunin’s grip tightens around her shoulders, as they aresealed into the room.

“Open that door!” he demands. “Do not think you canintimidate me, my alpha is the mostskilled hunter left in the empire, and if you so much as raise a hand to us,they will make certain you regret it for a century at least!”

Melarue spreads their hands in a placating gesture.

“Pease, Thenvunin,” they say, in their regular voice.

Lavellan lets out a breath of relief. They aren’t lying.Good. She wasn’t at all convinced that she could manage it, if Melarue hadinsisted. But instead they shift their features again, and some of Thenvunin’stense outrage and enduring fear manage to melt away into confusion instead.

“Wha…?”

Melarue’s smile is distinctly rueful, this time. They foldtheir hands in front of themselves.

“I had almost forgotten how much you take after Mirena,”they say. “My mistake.”

Thenvunin still isn’t loosening his hold on her. Lavellanreaches up, and closes one of her hands over top of his. When he looks down ather, she offers him a reassuring smile.

“Papa, it is alright,” she says. “Grandmother arranged somethings with Melarue, to try and help me. Renathel was a ruse.”

He looks at her for a long moment. Longer and sharper thanshe expects, as he seems to take in as much of the situation as he can. But atlength, he sags, and when he hugs her again, there is more relief than panic inhis arms.

“Oh, thank goodness,”he says, tearfully. “Thank goodness, thank goodness. I was so frightened, ohyou must have been so frightened, too, my poor child…”

She was, truthfully. And it is impossible not to concede it,not with Thenvunin holding her and confessing his own fear like that. She rubsat his back and manages a nod, throat suddenly thick. Stomach still just slowlyuntying itself from all of its knots. She’s thankful twice over, now, forMirena and Melarue’s scheme. If Thenvunin had tried to take her back to thepalace with the actual Renathel present, she has no idea what would havehappened. But she has the ugly feeling that it would not have gone well forhim.

Melarue waits, politely, as the two of them take a moment torecover. Lavellan gets Thenvunin settled into one of the chairs, and offers togo and try to find him a glass of water. But he waves the prospect off, andkeeps hold of her hand as if he is loathe to let her out of his sight for now.

When he is looking more like his usual self, and less like aman on the verge of blasting the workshop to splinters, Melarue explains thesituation to him. Their approach, Lavellan wryly notes, is far less business-like,with Thenvunin still sporting tearstains on his cheek. She doesn’t actually see any guilt in their aura, but shethinks she detects some in their expression, just the same.

Once that is finished, Thenvunin looks around the workshopagain.

“But… Lavellan cannot possibly stay here,” he insists. “Itis horrid.”

“It is a ruse,” Melarue counters. “Renathel is reclusive andnotoriously unconcerned with aesthetics, and we are not aiming to imply that aspring romance has worked some wonders on their disposition. People will expectthem to be more present, in that case.”

Thenvunin frowns.

“Well, I may not be an expert on ruses, but I can tell youthat I would never let my childremain in such deplorable conditions,” he insists.

He has a point, too, Lavellan supposes. Melarue taps afinger against the back of their own hand, and seems to consider that.

“So what would youdo, Thenvunin, in the event that you could not extricate your daughter from herunfortunate circumstances?” they ask.

Thenvunin seems caught off-guard by the question for amoment. He looks at her, and then at the workshop again. Lavellan keeps hold ofhis hand; it seems to be steadying for him, and she’s maybe getting a littlebit of support from it, too. In her books, of course, the musty little shop isreally not so bad. Cleaning would probably not be unexpected of her. Opening awindow or two would probably also fall within the realms of reasonablebehaviour.

“I… I suppose,” Thenvunin says, as he looks back at Melarue.“I suppose I would petition Mythal to let me stay in her city holdings. I sometimesdo work here, so it would hardly be an inconvenience. And I would try to makethis place more livable, and keep my daughter company, and make certain thatthis Renathel was not mistreating her. Insofar as I could.”

Melarue considers it a moment, and then nods.

“Then, that is what you will do,” they decide.

Thenvunin lets out a breath, brows furrowed, and nods alittle. But then he glances towards her again.

“Uthvir,” he says. “We must tell them. I am certain thatthey have picked up on my distress through our bond, by now. They would not letthis stand, not at all.”

Before Lavellan can respond, Melarue interjects.

“The fewer people who know, the better,” they say. “This ismy secret as well, now, and I do not trust your Uthvir.”

Thenvunin straightens at that.

“Well I trust themvery much,” he counters. “And they are much better at deception than I am. Ifyou want this to work, they will have to know, or else they will simply whiskLavellan off to the wilderness to save her.”

Melarue does not look thrilled about it. But after a moment,they concede the point.

“Mirena says your Uthvir reminds her of me,” they admit,with a sigh. “If that is remotely true, then I suppose they might do as yousay.”

“Pride,” Lavellan interjects, her own mind turning towardshim. Does he know, yet? He had worked so hard to prevent this. Had promised hewould, even though she had known entirely that his actions would be limited;and had seen the definitive signs of failure beginning to wear on him already.She doesn’t blame him. Apparently, he not only had Mythal working against him,but Melarue, too.

He isn’t going to like this. And she’s not thrilled aboutthe prospect of deceiving him, either.

“The wolf? Absolutely not,” Melarue says, with far morefinality than they had offered at the prospect of Uthvir. “I can trust a parent’sdevotion, under the right conditions. But your paramour is Mythal’s. If youtell him, then we are done here. I will devise a suitable death for youralchemist and let Mythal place you where she pleases, next.”

Thenvunin looks affronted at their assertions. But notenough to argue with their sentiments towards Pride, Lavellan notes.

She feels inclined to argue herself. She trusts Pride.Against her better judgement, sometimes. And in this life, at least, he has notlet her down. It would cruel to let him think that he had failed her, whenthings had more or less turned out in the end.

But she’s not a fool.

Melarue wasn’t wrong to say that ignorance can be safer, inits own, strange way. Particularly here, where the truth can be wrested frompeople if there is sufficient means of doing it. She cannot assume that Melarueis bluffing with their threat. And…

And she knows that are circumstances where Pride would puthis concepts of duty and obligation above all else.

“…Alright,” she concedes. “I will think of something else totell him, so that he does not worry as much.”

“Renathel would not have been terribly pleased with you,”Melarue offers, as if in consolation. “You are not their type, I must say. Luckily, Tarensa did an unexpectedly fine job ofestablishing why they should put up with you anyway. But it would not be far-fetchedto presume that they would use you for drudge work, and little else.”

“I can work with that,” she agrees, with some relief. Just ajob, then. She need not feign being a ‘claimed’ omega. And if her parents come tostay in the city… she will not be particularly vulnerable on that front,either.

Though, that would leave Pride to fend for himself along, atthe palace.

She will have to think of something to help with that. Thenotion twists in her gut, unpleasant in its possibilities.

What would Mythal do, she wonders, if she were to simplycontinue visiting Pride and the palace in her free time? Would she take further‘measures’? It seems doubtful that she’d simply throw her hands up into the airand admit defeat.

She puts the problem aside, for the moment. Pride is not –to her knowledge – in imminent danger, and Thenvunin is straightening up andlooking very determined, now.

“I must go and tell Uthvir what has happened,” he says. “Iimagine they will be heading back, now. And I should lodge a complaint overthese living conditions with Mythal, along with a request to be transferred tothe city, to better attend the issue. But… I would not leave Lavellan with thelikes of Renathel, not so quickly or easily.”

“Renathel will be heading off to the Pleasure District,fortunately,” Melarue declares, shifting shape yet again. “He is quitedispleased with the state of his unruly omega – my apologies, dear. There issimply no accounting for taste sometimes.”

“No offense taken,” Lavellan assures them. “I suppose I willstay and start organizing the shop. If I am to be doing Renathel’s job, I willneed working equipment and supplies.”

“Just so,” Melarue agrees. “They have several commissionsongoing at the moment. The relevant information is in the upstairs desk. If youneed help with anything, come and find me.”

Lavellan wonders how complex those orders might prove. She’sdeveloped skills in this field, no doubt, but she’s not a master by any means. One problem at a time, she thinks. Someawkward stares are exchanged, and then finally Melarue bids the first farewell,and ‘Renathel’ heads off to his questionable pursuits and likelyrumour-mongering. Thenvunin delays a bit longer, despite his insistence that heshould go before Uthvir gets ‘over-alarmed’. He hugs her several more times,and then takes a brief tour of the workshop with her – tsk’ing over the spaceand looking horrified when they get upstairs, and he realizes that thebedchamber has no cleaning spellwork on it. Only the exterior seems to, in fact– Lavellan finds herself explaining that cleaning spells tend to not combinevery well with the craft.

“I am getting you a new bed,” he insists, nevertheless. “Donot touch that one. We will burn it.”

A rush of fondness runs through her, fervent enough that itspills outwards, and gets her another hug.

But, finally, she gets him out of the door, and is leftalone in this strange little slice of space within the city. Somehow,unexpectedly, and essentially, her workshop. A thing practically unheard of foran omega in Arlathan.

Everything is a mess,she finds herself thinking, looking around at the dirt-stained corners anddusty surfaces, the odd grime that has accumulated in neglected places.

And yet, it is still a terrible relief.

[libertariantaoist]

Today [Sunday] marks the one-hundredth  anniversary of Woodrow Wilson’s message to Congress asking for a declaration  of war against the Central Powers. Thus the Great War began – a conflict that  destroyed European civilization and set the stage for the rise of Bolshevism,  Nazism, and the death of millions in World War II.

Wilson was the embodiment of the dominant ideological theme of the twentieth  century: State-worship. In both the foreign and domestic realms, the great “progressive”  President represented the twin aspects of statist ideology: war and the centralization  of political authority. And his presidency was emblematic of the key link between  these two aspects of the progressive ideology, as Murray Rothbard explained  in a 1973 interview with  Reason magazine. Every war in American history has been the occasion  for a great leap forward in the power of the State to interfere in and regulate  every aspect of our lives, he said, and a “huge increase in [government] power  came out of World War I,” one that set the pattern up to the present day:

“World War I set both the foreign and the  domestic policies for the twentieth century. Woodrow Wilson set the entire pattern  for foreign policy from 1917 to the present. There is a total continuity between  Wilson, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Johnson and Nixon – the same thing all the  way down the line.

“Q: You’d include Kennedy in that?

“A: Yes Kennedy, right.  I don’t want to miss anybody. Every president has been inspired by Woodrow Wilson.  It was reported that Richard Nixon’s first act when he came into the White House  was to hang a picture of Woodrow Wilson in front of his desk. The same influence  has held on domestic affairs. As a matter of fact if I had to single out – this  is one of my favorites pastimes – the biggest SOB in American history in the  sense of evil impact – I think Woodrow Wilson is way, way at the head of the  list for many reasons. The permanent direction which Woodrow Wilson set for  foreign policy included the permanent collective security concept, which means  America has some sort of God-given role to push everybody around everywhere  and set up little democratic governments all over the world, and to suppress  any kind of revolution against the status quo – that means any kind of change  in the status quo either domestic or foreign. In the domestic sphere the corollary  was the shift from a relatively laissez-faire economy – corrupted as it was  by the Civil War subsidies it was still and all a relatively laissez-faire capitalism  – a deliberate shift to in essence a so-called corporate state.”

For a comprehensive analysis of how the triumph of progressivism led to the  death and destruction of the Great War, read Rothbard’s “World  War I as Fulfillment: Power and the Intellectuals.” Rothbard’s point about  the perniciousness of the “collective security” concept – the very basis of  US foreign policy in the modern era – is more relevant today than ever. Because  the victory of Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election has ignited a  great debate in the foreign policy community, pitting a platoon of “experts”  who uphold the “liberal international order” against the “America first” policy  favored by the Trumpians.

Well before Trump arose, the geopolitical picture prefigured the conditions  that led to the Great War. The Western victory in the cold war, far from occasioning  the abandonment of NATO, motivated the Western powers to expand the alliance  to include the former Warsaw Pact nations. The Russians reacted as George Kennan,  the author of the anti-Soviet “containment” strategy, predicted  they would: with open hostility and an effort to create a buffer zone – Belarus,  Ukraine, Hungary, Moldova – between the aggressive West and the Russian heartland.  The second cold war was upon us.

This system of rival alliances limns the rivalries that led to the Great War  – and the similarities are geographical as well as abstractly geopolitical.  The site of this rivalry is in the Balkans, where the Great War broke out when  Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated  by a Serbian ultra-nationalist. Now with the admittance of tiny Montenegro  to NATO, we are living in a world where the internal  turmoil of that country with a population equal to Albuquerque’s could lead  to a confrontation between two nuclear-armed adversaries. Neighboring Ukraine,  where a US-sponsored “color  revolution” overthrew a pro-Russian government by force, has long been a  flashpoint.

The Trump administration came into office vowing to “get along with Russia”  – and this is the real issue behind the “Russia-gate” “investigation.” The entire  national security bureaucracy, which has a material interest in maintaining  our Russophobic foreign policy, reacted like a snake confronted in its lair,  lashing out at the President and leaking information from their clandestine  surveillance of the President and his advisors.

The entire focus of Trump’s foreign policy – analyzing what is in America’s  (alleged) interests, rather than privileging the collective interests of “the  West” as if they were identical to our own – is a dire threat to the old Wilsonian  internationalist legacy that has dominated US foreign policy in modern times.  Trump’s contention that NATO is “obsolete” sent them into paroxysms of fury.  And while the Trumpian foreign policy vision, such  as it is, doesn’t reject NATO outright, its definition of the “liberal international  order” is much narrower than both the progressive internationalists and their  neoconservative brethren find acceptable.

Despite considerable opposition from both parties, the Trump administration  has already made the first moves to defuse rising tensions with Russia and forestall  a 1914-like conflict. Trump has instructed the US military to focus on defeating  ISIS rather than overthrowing Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad, reversing  US policy under the Obama administration: both Secretary of State Rex Tillerson  and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley have made public statements affirming this new  stance. Assad, backed by Russia, has been in Washington’s crosshairs since George  W. Bush’s presidency: here is yet another flashpoint where conflict with Russia  has been avoided.

Furthermore, Tillerson is scheduled  to travel to Russia for meetings with Putin and other top officials in what  could be the prelude to a comprehensive agreement with Moscow over such contentious  issues as Ukraine, nuclear arms, and US sanctions. The meeting will take place  some time this month.

Prior to Trump taking office, the US was headed straight for a conflict with  Russia. The NATO alliance, moving steadily eastward to the very gates of Moscow,  had been conducting a two-pronged war: conducting provocative military “exercises”  mimicking a a frontal assault on Russian territory while also launching a propaganda  war targeting Russia and its allies for “regime change.” The stage was set  for another 1914, in which a single small spark somewhere in the Balkans or  Eastern Europe could have set off a global conflagration. And America’s “progressives”  were – and are – the main agitators for war.

Indeed, Hillary Clinton – assumed by many to be the next President  –  campaigned  on an explicitly anti-Russian platform, calling for a “military response” to the  Kremlin’s alleged “interference” in the 2016 election. In the wake of her defeat,  her supporters have continued and escalated these hysterics, calling the unproven  assertion that Russia intervened in the election in Trump’s favor an “act  of war.”

While the US continues to be bogged down in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, the  Trump administration’s greatest achievement may be avoiding a conflict that  didn’t happen – a feat they are unlikely to get any credit for, but one that  is, nevertheless, notable. The issue of our relations with Russia continues  to dominate both the domestic and the international arenas, and there’s a good  reason for that. The end of the cold war did not eliminate the prospect of a  conflict between these two nuclear-armed powers – indeed, in retrospect, it  may have increased the chances of a catastrophic collision. If the Trump administration  succeeds in eliminating or lessening this possibility – over the loud protests  of the War Party – then that is a cause for celebration.

The victory of the West in the cold war put an end to a world divided between  two ideologically opposed superpowers – and inaugurated a new global reality,  albeit not the one our ruling elites expected and hoped for. The neoconservatives  and their liberal internationalist allies assumed we would inherit a unipolar  world, in which the US would predominate, but that hasn’t come to pass. Instead,  we live in a multi-polar world, where not only Russia but also China, India,  Iran, and others yet to emerge are contending for the advancement of their own  interests.

In order to defend our legitimate interests while avoiding unnecessary conflicts,  America must return to the foreign policy of the Founders, rejecting entangling  alliances, abjuring the export of “democracy,” and pursuing a policy of nonintervention  in the internal affairs of other nations. This is the path to peace – all others  lead to perpetual war.

This is the lesson of World War I – a war that dragged in multiple combatants  due to the system of rival alliances. Let’s hope the Trump administration has  learned it – because our warlike “progressives” clearly have not.