#her favourite is a butterfly shaped one

[picklewednesday]

transfem donatello

[jgracie]

GRAPEJUICE — PERCY + DAUGHTER OF DIONYSUS

masterlist | rules

❝ Hii, do you think you could write a Percy x daughter of Dionysus reader headcannons? Where reader is close with her dad and is an all-year camper ❞ — anon

in which percy dates a daughter of dionysus

pairing percy jackson x dionysus!reader

warnings you have a bad relationship w ur mortal parent sorry (briefly mentioned)

on the radio . . . grapejuice (harry styles)

an in pollux we trust 🫡 also beckengard are alive in this (the crowd cheers 🥳), they have phones

Since you’re Dionysus’ favourite daughter, it was only natural you and Percy would meet at a party

You’d heard a lot about the boy from the amount of complaining your father would do. Whenever Dionysus entered his children’s cabin in a bad mood, you knew he was about to yap about the bane of his existence, Perry Jameson

You, however, had nothing against Percy. You’d spoken to each other a few times and from what you could gather, he was really friendly, just awfully sarcastic

You wanted to get to know him more, though. You couldn’t help it, you were curious. And he’s really hot, especially when he’s on lifeguard duty at the beach and when he’s helping the younger kids train

So when your half-brother Pollux pitches the idea of throwing a party, simply because life was getting pretty dry at the time, you made sure Percy was the first on the list of invitees. This had earned you a teasing glance from Pollux, but you brushed it off. You didn’t like Percy, he was just super cute and nice so you wanted to be his friend, duh!

However, unbeknownst to you, the gears in your brother’s head were turning. He knew Percy at least thought you were really pretty (as he should), since he’d overheard one of his friends talking about it a while back. He also knew you thought Percy’s really handsome. Finally, he is his father’s son, which means he loves nothing more than to have a little fun

Pollux saved Percy’s invite for last. He made his way over to Poseidon’s cabin, a grin on his face as he knocked on the door

“Hey Pollux, is everything okay?” Percy asked, drying his wet hair as he looked down at the boy, who simply handed him an envelope sealed shut with burgundy wax in the shape of a cluster of grapes

Confused, Percy opened it, reading through the card, which was designed by you. While Percy was distracted, Pollux pulled his ultimate move, “y’know, Y/N requested for me to invite you herself. I don’t know why, but you must be pretty important to her!”

His words had their desired result. You see, Pollux decided to use the element of surprise to his advantage - so he could see Percy’s unveiled reactions and, from there, be able to confirm his feelings about you

Immediately, Percy’s head shot up, his face turning a bright shade of pink as he said, “I’ll be there! 11PM, right?”

“Yep! I’ll tell Y/N you’re coming, she’ll be so delighted! You should try speaking to her alone at the party, I think she wants to tell you something.”

Gods, he was such a genius

For the rest of the day, you noticed your brother was acting awfully strange. When confronted, he simply started talking about how excited he was for this party and how he thinks it’ll be the best one yet

So you brushed his behaviour off. You weren’t going to shame him for that, especially because you were excited too. You loved a good party, but this would be the first time Percy attended one

Butterflies fluttered around in your stomach as you decorated your cabin, really hoping he’d like it. Okay, maybe you lied about not liking Percy like that. Truth is, you’d been harbouring a crush on him for a couple months now, the only thing stopping you from doing anything about it being your father

It wasn’t even because he’s a literal God. You genuinely love and have a lot of respect for the guy. Sure, he tended to be a little grumpy and rude with other kids at camp, but he was the best parent you could ask for

Your mortal parent wasn’t the nicest, so after two years of only spending the summer at camp, you began staying year-round, not wanting to deal with them anymore. It was hard at first, especially because they hadn’t cared to wonder where you were, but your father was there for you through it all

He’d had a soft spot for you ever since you were a baby, and was absolutely crushed when Zeus told him to keep his distance or else he’d regret it. When you showed up at camp all those years later, Dionysus felt complete. His sweet girl came back to him

Of course, he wouldn’t voice those thoughts, but you knew how he felt

He loved you so much, how could you go and date the one demigod he couldn’t stand?

Still, the heart wants what it wants, and you couldn't help but feel yourself gravitate towards Percy whenever he happened to be around

Soon enough, it was night time and while your father and Chiron were asleep in the big house, demigods from all cabins snuck out to attend your party.

Thanks to the Hecate kids, there was a sound muffling charm on your cabin, preventing anyone from hearing the loud music and other happenstances of the party

Every time you greeted someone, you prayed the next would be Percy. Pollux said he was coming, and while your brother liked to have fun, he wasn’t one to lie. Did Percy change his mind? Did he think your cabin was the lamest of the lame and therefore unworthy of his presence?

While you spiralled from inside your cabin, Percy spiralled from outside it (power couple in the making). He tried very hard to look handsome but at the same time like he didn’t put that much effort into his appearance, despite having spent hours picking out the right outfit and ruffling his hair just right

Just as he was about to knock on your cabin door, you burst out of it, bumping right into him

“I’m sorry, party’s ins–” you mumbled, the words dying in your throat once you noticed who you bumped into, “oh… hi Percy!” You greeted the boy, flattening your clothes and hoping you didn’t look awful (you looked MAJESTIC trust)

At the mere sight of you, Percy felt his ears turn red and struggled to get his words out, but in the end managed to say, “hi Y/N, what’re you doing out here?”

You sighed and sat on the steps leading up to cabin 12, and Percy sat next to you, giving you a tender smile. Smiling back, you said, “I just needed a little bit of air. More people showed up than I thought would,” that was true - you didn’t expect that many people to leave their cabins past curfew, but you didn’t care about that. However, you weren’t about to tell Percy you left the party because you were a little disappointed he didn’t show up

“Well, you guys do throw the best parties. Sometimes I can’t believe Mr D has this side hidden somewhere in him too,” Percy said, looking up at the night sky with you. Then, after a moment of silence passed between you, “your brother said you wanted to talk to me?”

Your head shot down at this, surprised, “he did?” You fought the urge to roll your eyes, knowing you should’ve expected this from Pollux

“Yeah… he said you invited me personally, and that there’s something you wanted to tell me?” He asked, his voice going up an octave around the end when he realised you had no idea what he was talking about, making his statement sound more like a question

You couldn’t hate your brother for this. You knew he had good intentions, and in the end, you did get some alone time with Percy, so it wasn’t too bad

Your eyes darted all over the place as you said, “oh! Well, I just think you’re really cool and kinda really want to be your friend. I know dad doesn’t like you that much, but I don’t share his opinion.”

After that, the tension between the two of you ebbed away, and a beautiful friendship began

To say your father was disappointed in your choice of company was an understatement. When he saw you and Percy together for the first time, he spoke to you as soon as he got the chance, ranting about how ‘Pierre Johnson’ is a no-good loser and how you should have higher standards

However, he tolerated it once he realised you weren’t going to stop being friends with Percy. He loved you more than he hated Percy, and besides, it's not like you were dating him, right?

Unfortunately, you really wished you were. Before befriending Percy, your crush on him was just because you thought he was nice and cute, you weren’t fully in love with him just yet

But now you knew more, like how he always slept with four pillows (two on each side, one under his head, one to hug) or how he had a small tattoo of a trident on his left ankle (which his mom lost her mind over when he showed her) or how contrary to popular belief amongst other people at camp, he hated the Little Mermaid (it was too unrealistic, especially in its depiction of his half-brother Triton)

You were absolutely infatuated with him

Percy really liked you too. Every day he spent with you made him feel as if he were on cloud nine, but he wanted more than games of Uno (Pollux would join because you need 3 people and also because he’s waiting for the day you let go of the cards and just kiss already) and late afternoon swims. He wanted to be able to hold your hand in public, declaring his love for you to the world

Honestly, you both could tell you felt the same about each other. You also could tell you had the exact same reason for not doing anything about said feelings - Dionysus

You considered yourselves grateful he didn’t send Percy straight to Tartarus just for being your friend, and knew that eventually becoming best friends was pushing it. Dating definitely wouldn’t slide

It wasn’t until Percy was hanging out with a certain friend of his from the Hermes cabin that he realised he didn’t care what your father decreed

Sighing, Percy lay on his old bed in the Hermes cabin, Travis Stoll sitting on the bed across him. After spending his first couple days at camp in cabin 11, Percy quickly befriended the Stoll brothers, who were always hospitable towards him back when he was new

Even after he moved out of the Hermes cabin, they remained friends, Travis and Connor telling Percy he could stay at their cabin again whenever he needed

“Look, I get it, Mr D’s super scary, but you’re also super in love with Y/N, which I think outweighs his scariness,” Travis told a moping Percy. You see, earlier that day, some guy from the Apollo cabin had come up to the two of you with the intention of taking you out on a date. Luckily, you politely declined, but he was just one of many potential suitors

What if eventually you found the perfect guy? One not only that you’d love, but that Dionysus would approve of?

The thought of that alone was what brought Percy to cabin 11, humbly asking Travis for some advice

“It does! But she wouldn’t wanna disappoint her dad, and I wouldn’t want her to lose him over me, y’know? Her relationship with her mortal parent’s already not the best, she can’t lose her immortal one too.”

The two sat in silence as Travis played with the whiteboard marker in his hand, which he was using to write a pros and cons list of Percy asking you out. He added ‘Mr D might hate her’ to the cons side, making the two equal

Just as they were about to continue their discussion, Travis’ girlfriend Katie walked in, a basket of freshly picked apples in her hand

“Trav, you’ve got to try these!” She exclaimed, her eyes glittering as she gave Travis an apple. The boy bit into it, his eyes widening in excitement once he realised what his girlfriend had done

“Oh my Gods Katie you did it!” He said once he’d finished chewing, littering her face with kisses, which made flowers bloom in her auburn hair. Percy simply sat in confusion, considering leaving and continuing this another day

Just as he was about to get up, Travis said something which stopped him. With Katie on his lap, he said, “see, Percy? There’s no way I could let Demeter stop me from dating my sweet girl.” (clawing at the bars of my enclosure as I write this)

Travis was right. No punishment Dionysus could possibly think of would make dating you not worth it

While Percy was with Travis, you were with the cabin counsellors of cabins 9 and 10, iconic couple Charlie Beckendorf and Silena Beauregard

Silena has been a very good friend of yours for years, seeing as she was the one who was there for you the most when you first came to camp, treating you like a little sister

So, naturally, when you have an issue in the love department, you go to her. This was one of those times

Being asked out by that Apollo kid made you realise something very important - you’d never fall for anyone the way you fell for Percy. Even a God would pale in comparison to his beauty and charm

That left you with two options: date Percy (and suffer your father’s wrath in the process) or live the rest of your life knowing he felt the same but doing nothing about it, simply settling for some other guy

You decided to settle this once and for all. You had to make a choice, and it would be right here, with Silena and Charlie

“I mean… you seem to really love Percy, babe. You don’t even have to say anything, I can tell,” Silena told you, running her fingers through her hair and giving you a kind smile

“He really likes you too,” Charlie piped in, “tells me about it all the time. Please date him, I’ve gotten sick of hearing about your twinkling eyes and magnetic aura.” His girlfriend laughed at this, leaning her head on his shoulder

You knew they were right. There was no way you could live the rest of your life with Percy being just your friend. But were you willing to lose your dad in the process?

Noticing the serious look on your face, Silena got up and came to sit next to you, wrapping her arm around your shoulder, “this is really hard, Y/N, trust me, we get it. When I was the first not to complete the rite of passage, I was really scared mom would punish me in one way or another - but she didn’t, and we’re happy now. The Gods rarely ever show it, but deep down, they do love their kids. We can all see how Mr D loves you, he’ll be able to deal with Percy as his son-in-law for your sake.”

You couldn’t believe you didn’t realise it sooner. Your father loves you. Why would he make your life miserable over dating Percy?

Thanking the couple, you ran to cabin 3, knowing what you had to do

Meanwhile, Percy was heading to your cabin. He would’ve missed you sitting at the steps of his if you hadn’t yelled his name, your hair all over the place as you ran towards him

“Percy I have to–”

“Y/N there’s something you should–”

The two of you spoke at the same time. Looking into each other’s eyes, you knew you were thinking the same thing. Immediately, Percy pulled you into his cabin, not waiting for a second before slamming his lips onto yours

And that’s how you began dating. Well, secretly. Only Travis and Katie, Silena and Charlie and Pollux knew about your relationship. You two were still too nervous to break it to your dad, and the others were all sworn to secrecy

Even though you couldn’t be too affectionate in front of others, being in a relationship with Percy was the best thing you ever experienced. He was so sweet and doting, always keeping an eye on you public and being physically incapable of letting go of you in private

Out of everyone who knew, your brother was the most excited about your relationship, always yapping about how if it weren’t for him you two wouldn’t even have become friends, let alone lovers

He was also the one to bring your little secret to an end

You see, Dionysus liked to check on his kids often. If it were up to him, you’d be living in the big house with him, but the other Gods saw that as unfair, so you were stuck in cabin 12

After being gone on Godly duties for a week, he’d come back to camp with you at the forefront of his mind. He couldn’t help but have a feeling you were hiding something important from him. He was sure it wasn’t anything, since you’re his pride and joy, but he decided to check anyway

When the door to his cabin opened, Dionysus was greeted by none other than his son, Pollux, who was very happy to see him. They sat and made small talk for a little bit - mostly about school and other mortal things Dionysus couldn’t keep up with - before he asked about your whereabouts

“Y/N? Oh, she’s in her room!” Pollux said, quickly slapping a hand over his mouth once he realised what he said. Yes, you were in your bedroom, but you weren’t alone. Percy also happened to be in your bedroom, and Pollux knew all too well what you and Percy liked to do in your bedroom (SAFE FOR WORK THINGS ONLY!!!!!)

He was about to take it all back, but it was too late. Immediately, Dionysus teleported into your room, where you were making out with Percy

By the time Pollux had gotten there, Percy was glued to the wall by a bunch of vines that were sprouting from the ground

“Let him go, dad!” You yelled, tears welling in your eyes as you clawed at said vines, “I’m sorry, I’ll break up with him if you want me to, just please don’t hurt him!” When Dionysus saw the pain in your eyes, he knew he’d made a terrible mistake. Taking a deep breath, he released Percy from the vines

Dionysus watched as you hugged Percy tightly, sobbing into his chest. His heart ached as he thought about your words: you’d break with him if he wanted you to. He never wanted his daughter to feel like she couldn’t love who she wanted because of him

“I’m… sorry, Y/N. I acted rashly,” he began, hesitant as he wiped the tears off of your face, “I don’t want you to love someone just to please me, I want you to love someone you love, and if that happens to be Pietro… then so be it.”

Ok now this is fr the longest backstory I’ve ever written sorry ab that

You guys dethrone Beckengard sorry… Y/N and Percy new CHB iconic couple

Percy loves dating you because you never fail to be fun and interesting!! His cabin used to be so boring and lonely but it erupts with life now that you stay there half the time

Dionysus tries to get to know Percy. He’s the bane of his existence but he’s also his precious girl’s boyfriend so he has to learn more about him. Percy walks into his cabin one day to find a cluster of red grapes and a cluster of green grapes sitting on his bed with a note that says “which do you like more?”

Secretly though Dionysus LOVES Percy. He’s your #1 fan and won’t hesitate to defend you against anyone who dares to utter an insult about you

Sally loves you so much too. She adopts you immediately and showers you with affection whenever she can. She also gives Percy gifts to give you whenever he goes back to camp LOL

Percy walks in with four suitcases and you’re like “why did you pack so much you know you can keep some clothes with me if you want” and he goes “no actually these three are for you from mom”

He’s surprisingly good at planning parties. Always thinks of the most creative themes and the cutest colour schemes!!!

You feel a little insulted because how is a son of Poseidon almost better than you at your own thing ?!?! But it’s okay because you love him :)

As a child of Dionysus, you are also a theatre kid, so naturally you make Percy watch all your favourite musicals

He didn’t care for Hamilton before but he watched it once with you and now you hear him belting Non-stop in the shower

You guys always recreate the “Alexander? “Aaron Burr, sir” part from that song 😭 and tons of other cute scenes from other musicals (I’m not a huge musical girlie sorry)

Percy’s so dedicated to getting them all right!!! You’re always re-filming parts because they aren’t good enough (his voice cracked a little at one point)

He chooses romantic scenes to recreate on purpose thinking he’s being slick but you’re not an idiot LOL

Also yes Pollux is the cameraman

OMG you totally do the part in Take a Break with Phillip’s poem with Pollux as Phillip

(All these videos get saved for your future kids by the way in case you were wondering)

Speaking of your brother dearest, he and Percy get along SO well. A little too well for your liking. They’re always ganging up on you when you play Uno or Just Dance or something like that

Pollux is obsessed with Percy. He loves you, but he’s always wanted an older male figure to look up to and that’s Percy to him!! They always have bro days together or whatever <3

One time you walked into Percy’s cabin only to find them asleep together on the couch and it was the cutest thing ever. You immediately took a picture, sending it to Sally and Dionysus (please don’t ask me to elaborate on how or why Dionysus has a phone) and then setting it as your phone wallpaper

Also Percy loves saying corny stuff like “you make me drunk in love” and other alcohol-based pickup lines just because of who your dad is LOL

You can’t even cringe because your love for him is so strong it cancelled out cringe culture (as it should!)

Overall you are all one big happy family and it’s the cutest thing EVER. The Aphrodite cabin are always making edits of the two of you because somehow they have pictures and videos from when you were still just pining?!?

You guys watch them late at night and laugh until you come across an angsty one with the “from strangers to friends… friends into lovers… and strangers again” audio and all of a sudden you’re crying and swearing on the river Styx to never break up

[loveisanimaginarydagger3000]

Kinkmas (1) Tis The Season For...Love?

Natasha X Reader 18+

Summary- After stressing out over a gift you were giving to your long term crush, it seems that it really is the season for miracles to happen.

Word Count- 5.5K

Warnings/Tags: Friends to lovers, Fluff, Secret Santa, Mistletoe, 18+ Smut, Soft Smut, Fingering (R receiving), Multiple Orgasms, Tribbing, Confessions, Implied Dom Natasha/Sub Reader

Kinkmas Masterlist

---

Christmas music softly spilled from the speakers placed around the living area in the compound, the festive spirit wrapping around the room like a warm, cosy blanket, a joyful and carefree atmosphere taking over everyone despite celebrating the event ridiculously early. It was only December fifth yet it was Christmas in the Avenger's household to accommodate everyone at once; Thor having to leave earth soon, Clint wanting to spend the festive season with his family along with Tony who was planning an extravagant Christmas for Morgan, resulting in everyone to revel in the season of joy earlier than usual. Well, almost everyone.

Your body practically buzzed with nerves and anxiety as your body refused to melt against the impossibly soft cushion behind you, Wanda's body relaxed next to your tense one as she sent you a soft, reassuring smile, able to feel the sheer worry inside your mind.

"Relax," she whispers teasingly, your best friend knowing of your current predicament. "I'm sure she's going to love it, don't worry about it," she adds with a softer tone, her arm wrapping around your tense shoulders, pulling you against her body and under the the festive blanket she managed to find, the fluffy and welcoming fabric helping you attempt to try and get snug on the sofa, but how could you possibly relax with what was about to happen?

Secret Santa was officially your least favourite thing about Christmas.

It all started when you pulled out the small slip of paper out of Tony's helmet, your eyes widening at the name you pulled out.

Natasha Romanoff

You just had to get the woman who was notorious for being impossible to buy gifts for, not a single person in the team able to get her a present that she was amazed at. It wasn't that she was rude about what others got her, no, she was always polite and accepting of the gift but you always saw that glint in her eye of wanting a present that was truly heartfelt, something that screamed, 'I got this because it reminded me of you', not something bought off the shelf that she might like.

You also just had to get the woman who you may or not have had the smallest, most miniscule, microscopic crush on. It wasn't like your entire body yearned to feel her arms wrapped around your torso in a gentle, caring embrace, hear the angelic sound of her laughter, body shaking against yours as she tried to stifle the noise, to see her eyes light up in a way that shows she knows she's loved by someone, by you.

Seemingly able to feel your gaze on her, Natasha's head turned to look at you, a soft, carefree smile playing on her lips as she met your brief gaze, your eyes naturally flickering away, cheeks tinting pink in embarrassment and nerves. You could feel your heart beating wildly in your chest at the fleeting look, butterflies swarming in your stomach so much you thought that you would just combust in the festive blanket next to Wanda, the witch next to you shaking her head playfully at your awkward and shy manner.

"She's about to open it," Wanda murmurs, your head instantly raising from away the blanket, watching attentively as Steve carefully handed the neatly wrapped present to the redhead, her fingers wrapping around the item and pulling it towards her, that gentle but teasing smirk written across her face. Her eyes looked at the shape of the present, a small warmth filling her chest at the handwriting on the label, the spy already able to figure out who it was from as she looked up at the rest of the room, eyes meeting yours.

"This better not be another box of chocolates," Natasha teases, a slight rasp to her voice as her gaze reluctantly leaves you, searching for Tony who's slumped over a seat, a smile taking over his lips as he chuckles.

"It was gourmet chocolate," he argues in defence, "And it was in the shape of us all, what wasn't there to love?" His usual sarcasm comes out, Natasha rolling her eyes at him, remembering the Avenger chocolate box he somehow managed to find somewhere for her present last year, the redhead not even that big a fan of chocolate.

She merely hums in response, her fingers deftly unwrapping the gift, your eyes trained on her as she peeled away the festive paper, the action seemingly lasting forever. The thirty seconds felt like thirty minutes, your fingers anxiously playing with one another as you gauged her reaction, wanting to impress her and get her something she loved. She deserved it.

Emerald green softened as she revealed the present underneath, her smile stretching that little bit wider as she recognised what the gift was, eyes flickering up to meet yours. It was as if time stopped when she held your gaze, a glint of appreciation and gratefulness swirling in the pools of enchanting green, a hidden glint of love in them unknown to you along with a flood of warmth consuming the redhead's chest at the care and effort you put into the gift.

"It's beautiful," she murmurs in response, looking back down at the framed piece of artwork you had drawn for her, your cheeks tinting a darker shade at her praise.

The piece was of Russian scenery the two of you had encountered on a mission together, your mind replaying the moment with the redhead as you paused in your journey to gaze over the picturesque setting, Natasha confessing to you that she loved little areas like this: little spectacles hidden away for people to stumble across.

"It's just so... so peaceful," she whispered in awe as the two of you admired the endless stretch of mountain terrain, various plants and animals thriving in the distance, the nature lower down contrastingly vibrant to the snow-capped mountains, the gentle rays of the sun illuminating the view perfectly while the moment brought the two of you closer together.

You were snapped out of the brief memory by Wanda nudging your shoulder, smile wide and teasing as Natasha thanked you once again before Tony interrupted, making another sarcastic comment about how a miniature Black widow chocolate would have been a far better gift, a soft laugh leaving you as Clint threw a candy cane at the billionaire to shut him up, wanting to open his present next.

Unbeknown to you, as you focussed on Clint, Natasha kept her gaze on you, smile tender and soft, fingers tracing over the frame that had 'peaceful' engraved on it, her heart fluttering a little in her chest as she couldn't deny her feelings anymore.

She'd fallen for you.

***

After the secret Santa event had finished, you found yourself alone in the kitchen, attempting to steal one of Wanda's freshly baked cookies without her noticing as they were just so delicious, a soft chuckle making you freeze, cookie half in your mouth.

Sheepishly, you turned around to see who had caught you in the act, cheeks tinting pink once again at the sight of Natasha smiling endearingly at you, slowly strolling towards you as you bit into the cookie, hoping she wouldn't tell on you to Wanda.

"So you're the cookie thief," she whispers in a playful tone, smile widening at the shy laugh that left you as you shrugged your shoulders nonchalantly, trying to play it off.

"I don't know what you mean," you faux innocence in your voice as you watch how she moves to lean against the countertop opposite you, her arms bracing her body upright, your eyes naturally going towards her arms as they flexed slightly, a brief wave of arousal flowing through you at the sight before you flicker your gaze back to the humoured green.

"Mhmm, sure you don't," she murmurs sarcastically, pushing herself off the countertop and stopping right in front of you, her arm brushing yours as she reaches past you for a cookie, the proximity of you both making your breath hitch, her sweet perfume invading your senses, mind trying to process what was happening as all you could currently focus on was her.

"I won't tell if you don't either," her tone amused as she noticed how you smiled at her action, chuckling at her words and nodding in agreement, not wanting Wanda to threaten you with no more sweet treats, her baking skills just far too superior to give up.

"I won't tell," you whisper back, a comfortable and peaceful atmosphere filling the kitchen as you both finish off the heavenly snack before the witch could catch you in the act, Natasha then speaking up, gaining all of your attention as usual.

"Thank you for the present," her tone is nothing but soft and gentle, your smile widening at her expression, "I love it."

"I'm glad you like it. You deserved something special," you confess shyly, the gaze lingering as you both seemingly get lost in each other's eyes, the enticing green naturally drawing you in, the various shades luring you to keep gazing softly at her.

"I-" she pauses in her words when the both of you notice an object wrapped in red tendrils floating towards you, your cheeks a similar colour to Wanda's magic as you notice the piece of mistletoe that was now hanging above the two of you.

Panic and excitement seemed to fill you while relief flooded through the redhead as it was the perfect time to show how she felt towards you, already confident on how you'd react based on your not so subtle crush on her.

"You don't have to, I'm sure Wanda's just-" you ramble in case she was uncomfortable but the feeling of her hands softly cupping your cheeks makes you stop, her teeth biting down on her lower lip subtly at how adorable she found you.

"Is this ok?" she murmurs, her lips mere inches from yours as she looks into your eyes for an answer, thumbs brushing your cheeks softly.

"Yes," you sigh out, having dreamed of this moment, before tilting your head up slightly to meet her lips for the soft kiss, eyes fluttering shut as you savoured the moment. Her lips slotted perfectly against yours, her body moving closer as her hands remained cupping your cheeks, the brief kiss nothing but soft and intimate as you both pulled back from it, her lips tugging up into a smile as you eventually opened your eyes to meet hers.

Your whole body yearned to experience that again, a buzz of excitement flowing through you while joy consumed your entire body, lips stretching into a wide smile as Natasha remained close to your body, not having moved away completely.

The mistletoe above your head seems to explode into a small bundle of red tendrils in celebration, sparks of Wanda's magic gently floating around the two of you as you shake your head at your best friend's antics, thanking her in your head for her playing cupid.

"I've been wanting to do that for a while," Natasha murmurs, her fingers delicately brushing a strand of your hair behind your ear, amused at how flustered the action made you as your eyes flicker between her lips and eyes.

"Really?" you ask, almost surprised by her confession as the redhead nods in response, unable to stop the smile that creeps back onto her face.

"Really," she reassures you, your hands hesitantly going to her waist, holding her close.

"Me too," you whisper back, her arms leaving your face and mirroring your action, holding onto your waist as her face lowered once again.

"Yeah? I think we should have another one then," you softly chuckled at her words, obliging and giving into them, claiming her lips once again in a tender manner, a smile engraved on your lips as you lost yourself in the feeling of her body pressed up against yours.

"Good idea," you murmur after the two of you reluctantly pull back from the intimate kiss, her eyes gazing softly into yours before flickering back down to your lips, already addicted to you.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?" Her voice a soft whisper with how close you were, not wanting to speak any louder and disrupt the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere wrapped around the two of you. You didn't think it was possible to smile any wider, breaking out into a toothy grin as the butterflies in your stomach returned, excitement coursing through your body at what was actually happening, mind slowly catching up. Natasha Romanoff, the woman you'd been crushing on forever for just kissed you and asked you out for dinner, emotions and thoughts swarming through your mind.

"I'd love to," you say, not hiding how excited you were, her lips pressing a soft kiss to your cheek as relief floods through her at your response, her mind imagining various different plans on where to take you and how to make the night special before the sound of the rest of the team caught your attention, your moment being interrupted.

"I'll meet you outside your room at six?" she asks, stealing one more cookie and breaking it in half for you, your heart melting at the action, her already able to seemingly read your mind and what you wanted.

"Six," you confirm, reaching out for her hand tentatively, the redhead squeezing it back in response before walking back into the main room with you, smiles plastered on your faces.

***

Sticking true to her words, Natasha made your night perfect, in fact, she made the next couple of weeks perfect. The redhead planned the date to the last detail, even in the short amount of time she had to prepare, taking you to a small local Italian restaurant that was nice and quiet, the food one of your favourites and the place extremely cosy and welcoming which you absolutely adored. After the delicious meal that was followed by a rich desert shared between the two of you, she took you for a casual stroll through the snow that started to fall gracefully from the darkening sky, offering you her scarf in the bitter wind and helping you wrap it around your neck, cheeks the same colour as her hair as she smirked at you all wrapped up and flustered. The smell of her sweet perfume adorned the scarf, your nose buried in the fabric to fight off the cold that didn't affect her as she was 'Russian and could handle it', despite the tip of her nose tinting red, the smell of her resulting in a sense of safety and joy to bubble in your chest as she continued to walk you till you reached a small local park already decorated for Christmas.

The two of you strolled like a couple in a romantic film through the beautifully light park, various Christmas lights wrapped around tree trunks and branches, illuminating the park in a gentle glow, the snowflakes glistening in the light, your eyes amazed by the beautiful scenery. You smiled a little under her scarf as you glanced at her by your side, arms brushing as you walked, a little surprised at how romantic the woman seemed to be, the thought of her thinking carefully about the date making your heart beat wildly in your chest at how perfect she was. To make your chest fill with more warmth and affection, her hand eventually took a hold of yours, almost shyly as she made sure you were ok with it before interlocking your fingers, squeezing gently and continuing to walk with you through the park, hand in hand.

To top it all off, she stopped in an empty area of the park and whispered sweet words to you, eyes softening at the caring expression written across your face as she asked you if she could kiss you, your head nodding instantly, her hands moving to unwrap your scarf momentarily so she could press her lips to yours, cold fingertips resting against your cheeks, both of your eyes fluttering close to savour the moment, love bubbling within both of you. This was the start of something special.

After that night, the two of you seemed to be inseparable most of the time, you especially wanting to be clingy with the redhead as the array of emotions you felt in her presence were just so addictive, your body constantly craving for her. The two of you easily slipped into a natural relationship, small acts meaning a lot to the both of you.

Natasha loved it when you simply just accompanied her while she finished off mission reports, her back against the headboard, laptop in her lap as your body leaned slightly against her, occupied with something else but still with her. Your favourite thing with her was when you'd show her your favourite films, dragging her into bed with you and cuddling into her body, teasing her about how soft she secretly was as she grumbled she wasn't 'soft', despite it being abundantly clear she was with you, your body eventually falling asleep snuggled against her with the film still playing.

However, a joint favourite were the moments you'd spend together in bed, lips moving against one another's in a sensual manner, the two of you going slow with this aspect of your relationship until now.

It was Christmas Eve and after having persuaded the redhead to leave her work alone for a bit, enticing her with the promise of kisses, she joined you on the bed, effortlessly straddling your waist, fingers threading through your hair and playing with the loose strands at the back of your neck, eyes gradually flickering over all of your features, admiring them before lowering her face marginally.

It feels like you're waiting an eternity until she lowers her face even more, her lips barely putting any pressure on yours as they briefly brush over them. Your eyes flutter close when you feel her hands cup your jaw, waiting for her to kiss you, to crash her lips to yours, to do anything at this point as you just wait, wait and wait.

When she feels like she's savoured the moment enough, she kisses you. She kisses you like she's been starved of your lips forever; it's hot, it's desperate, it's passionate. It's everything you wanted it to be. You can't do anything but melt into her touch, hand clutching at her waist to ground yourself as all you can think of is her lips moving against yours, her body pressed up against yours, her soft fingers threading through your hair, just her.

A soft moan leaves you at the intensity of the kiss, heat immediately taking over your body, her touch burning into your skin as arousal pools between your legs at the feeling of her lips moving against yours, a sensual sigh escaping her as you pull back from the kiss, eyes darkening with desire as you peer up into the green.

Your lips peck hers in between laboured breaths, her hands moving to your shoulders, gliding them down your back, her mouth taking control of the kiss as she slides her tongue into yours, earning another sinful noise out of you.

You're lost for words as her hands gently push your body down, hers pressing into yours as you lay flat on the soft mattress, her mouth persistent against yours while her hands venture across your body, driving you delirious with desire.

"Nat," you pant out when she lets her kisses move to your jaw, making her way along your jawline and down your neck, smirking against the skin at your affected tone, teeth scraping the column of your throat making your hips buck against her knee that's moved in between your legs. "Fuck, please," you groan out, fingers threading through her hair, ruffling her red locks slightly by pulling her head back up for another intimate but desperate kiss, passion and love being poured into it from both of you, mouths moving slower against each other to savour the intimacy of it.

While your mouths move together in a perfect rhythm, her hands slide down your body, reaching the hoodie you've stolen from her and slip under it, her mouth parting from yours briefly.

"Is this ok Detka?" she murmurs affectionately, eyes gazing into yours tenderly as she waits for your permission, your lips stretching into a smile as you loved how caring she was, your head tilting up to reach her lips, pressing them against hers with a smile which she reciprocates.

"Yes," you sigh out, her hands deftly sliding her item of clothing off you, eyes raking over the exposed skin, your hands going to her shirt, pulling on the bottom of it and asking the same question.

Her body moves so she's back to straddling you briefly, her hands reaching down to the hem of her shirt, pulling the shirt off teasingly slow, amused by how entranced you were, hands reaching out for her soft, smooth skin.

"You're so..." you trail off, her body lowering to be pressed against yours, her eyebrow raising in expectation as she waits for you to finish your sentence, too busy focussing on the feeling of her warm body touching yours.

"So?" she pushes, one of her fingers trailing down your neck and lower, just hovering above your breasts, the action causing you to lose track of your thoughts as lust swirls in your eyes.

"Perfect. Beautiful. Mesmerising-" she cuts you off when you finally figure out the words to describe her sheer beauty, her cheeks slightly tinted red at your adoring tone, the compliments making her smile into the kiss as she lets her hands roam around your body, reaching the clasp of your bra and waiting for you to nod once again.

"Flirt," she chuckles out, unclasping your bra and tossing it onto the floor, your hands sliding up her body and mirroring the action, unclasping her bra and gaze instantly flickering down to her breasts that press into you as her body moves against yours. "You're divine Detka," she purrs, mouth at the shell of your ear, voice low and raspy sending a wave of arousal straight to your core, the heat intolerable.

"Nat, I need you, please," you whisper out, the redhead pulling back slightly so she could see your eyes, searching them to see if you truly meant it. Your hands interlock with hers, guiding one of them down your body to where the waistband of your joggers were to emphasise your point.

"Are you sure?" she asks softly, fingers sliding under the fabric briefly, not venturing any further as she wants you to be sure. She wants this moment to be special and intimate.

"I'm sure," you murmur back, face softening at her caring manner. "Now kiss me," you sigh out playfully, the redhead obliging in your demand and kissing you sensually, hands sliding your joggers off before returning to your clothed core, groaning at how wet you already were.

"You've been waiting so long for this, haven't you?" she whispers against your lips, the pad of her index finger slowly circling your clit through your drenched panties, a soft moan escaping you at the pleasure that slowly builds at her actions.

"So long," you reply honestly, her eyes gazing into your lust-filled ones, memorising your face as your mouth parts slightly as she trails a finger along your core, your hips bucking against her hand softly, "Please, I need you to touch me."

"I'll take care of you Detka, don't worry" her tone loving as she slides her fingers under the waistband of the lace you were wearing, pulling it down your legs at a torturous pace, mouth placing hot, open-mouthed kisses along your jaw as your head lolls back. "Tell me to stop and I will," she softly mumbles against your skin, one of her fingers sliding through your folds, gathering some of the abundance of arousal pooled between your legs, a soft, desperate noise leaving you at the feeling of finally being touched. Her free hand interlocks with one of yours, pinning it above your head gently as her lips mould against yours, stealing your breath away.

When her finger moves to circle your clit, pleasure sparks through your body, the intimacy of the moment adding to the arousal clouding your mind as a broken moan escapes you, the noise being swallowed by her mouth, Natasha smirking into the messy kiss.

"Does that feel good, Detka?" she teases in a soft murmur, repeating the action and earning another sinful sound, a gasp leaving you as another finger ghosts your entrance, the redhead leaning back in for another kiss, wanting more of you, needing more of you.

"Yes, Fuck, Nat," you groan when she slowly thrusts her finger into you, purposely taking her time with you as she intends to drive you mad with her touch, your eyes fluttering open, meeting enamoured green as she curls her digit inside you, mouth parting at the feeling. "Shit, just like that, please do that again," you practically beg her as she thrusts her finger back in, hitting your sweet spot perfectly while her thumb moves to circle your clit, lips moving to the shell of your ear.

"Do you need more, Detka?" her tone still teasing, wanting to hear how desperate you were, her finger persisting with her deliberately slow pace, gradually building the pleasure within you as your hips gently rock against her hands, your free hand moving to tangle in her red locks, wanting to keep her close.

"Please," is all you moan back in response, her hand parting from yours and moving down your body to cup one of your breasts, fingers ghosting over your sensitive nipple, sending more heat to build between your thighs.

"Tell me what you what," she murmurs, still at the shell of your ear, her tone making your mind fog with the thought of her.

"Faster, please move your fingers faster," you whimper out, her slow pace having your body beg for more, her smirking against your skin once again.

"Good girl for telling me," she praises and you can't help the groan that leaves you at the praise, her obeying your command and thrusting her finger into you a little faster, allowing more waves of pleasure to flood through you, fingers grasping the sheets as she reads your body perfectly, giving you exactly what you want.

"I'm so close," you pant against her, hips moving a little more frantically against her hand as she slides in another finger, stretching you beautifully. Another lewd noise is ripped out of the back of your throat as she curls both of them against your sweet spot, your hips bucking against her, hands moving to her face, guiding her back to your lips and moaning into her mouth when her fingers at your breast softly pinch your nipple, more pleasure shooting through you as you feel your orgasm about to crash through you.

"Come for me," she murmurs ever so softly into your mouth, a broken moan leaving you at her words, body obeying and crashing straight into your release, pleasure and euphoria crashing through your entire body. You clench around her fingers, hands tightening their grip momentarily on her red locks as she swallows the string of moans that spill gracefully from your lips, your hips grinding against her hand as you ride out the aftershocks of your orgasm.

Soft kisses around your face encourage you to gradually flutter your eyes open, meeting the gentle green you were falling so deeply in love with, her smile widening at your blissed out state, her fingers slowly pulling out of you.

You tilt your head to meet her plump, kiss swollen lips, hands delicately brushing against the skin of her hips, gradually building in pressure until you are gripping them softly, intent in your actions that doesn't go unnoticed by the redhead.

"You don't have to," she whispers in between lazy kisses, eyes meeting yours before she lets her gaze flicker across your features, admiring the slope of your nose, tinted cheeks and lips pulling into a tender smile.

"I want to, if that's ok?" you murmur back, searching her eyes as one of your fingers slips under the waistband of her joggers, softly caressing the skin there while you wait for her response.

"You wanna make me come, Detka?" she purrs out, a small gasp leaving you at her words as she ghosts her lips against yours, her tone making your head spin as arousal swarms through your body once again. When you nod back in response, heart beating wildly in your chest at the way she was looking at you, she chuckles at your submissive form, claiming your lips softly. "I've got a better idea," she whispers back, your brows furrowing in confusion until she effortlessly and swiftly pulls her remaining clothes off, your eyes widening in shock at how beautiful she was, devouring the soft, creamy skin that was on display before she manoeuvres your bodies so that your cores are pressed against one another.

A broken moan leaves your lips while a low sigh escapes her, emerald eyes fluttering close in pleasure as you peer up at her face, admiring how her mouth parted slightly at the feeling of her body pressing into yours.

"Fuck," she curses, voice low and raspy as she gives a small grind of her hips against yours, a soft moan escaping you at her voice. God that was the hottest thing you've ever heard.

"You feel so good, so good," she murmurs, leaning down to press her lips to yours, swallowing another sinful sound from you before sliding her tongue into your mouth, the kiss turning messy as your hips roll against each other.

"Nat," you whimper out and it's pathetic how desperate you sound, her hands finding yours and interlocking your fingers, pinning them above your head and grinding her hips down harder against you, your back arching and pushing your body closer to hers.

"Y/n," she sighs back, tone almost as affected as she moves her mouth to the shell of your ear, a groan leaving you as you hear all the soft, sensual sighs that escape her, the small pants of breath as your clits brush perfectly, pleasure consuming you both.

Your fingers tighten their grip on her hand, hips bucking up a little frantically against hers as your second orgasm swiftly builds, her body on top of yours restricting your movement and denying you the friction you so desperately needed to send you over the edge. Upon sensing how close you were, her hips grind down harder, mouth letting out a soft moan by your ear to make arousal spike through your body along with pleasure.

"Please," you beg, voice laced with desperation as your body teeters on the edge of your release, Natasha losing her own composure at your tone, thrusting her hips against you with less rhythm as they start to stutter against yours.

"Come with me," she groans against your lips, kissing you with passion as you both fall over the edge, pleasure, euphoria and love consuming your bodies as you rock against one another, hands holding onto each other as you ride out your orgasms.

The room fills with the sound of soft sighs and laboured breaths, your body trembling a little under hers, hands releasing one another prompting you to hold onto her waist, face hiding at the crook of your neck as you seek comfort against her warm skin, your breath tickling her slightly. A few moments later, the feeling of soft fingers brushing along your jawline and pushing your hair back coaxes you out of the safety of her neck, Natasha wanting to look at you.

The redhead smiles at you affectionately, pressing one last gentle kiss against your lips, both of you practically grinning into it at the overwhelming feeling of joy taking over you, her body sliding off yours and pulling you into her arms to cuddle, her warm skin and soft body perfect for you to melt against.

You keep her gaze for a moment, the soft, tender look lingering as you build up the courage to confess to her, Natasha waiting patiently as she senses you're about to say something.

"Natasha I... I love you," you murmur, the quietness of the room making you hear your own pounding heart as you wait for her reaction, her lips pulling into a genuine, wide smile, arms snaking further around your body and pulling you closer.

"I love you too," she whispers back in a loving tone, pressing a kiss to your temple and letting her forehead rest against yours, her eyes flickering over to the clock on the nightstand briefly, noting the time. "Merry Christmas Detka," her tone affectionate as your leg slides between hers, tangling your limbs together as you cuddle into each other, her words eliciting a smile from you.

"Merry Christmas Nat," you say back in a similar tone, eyes meeting hers, love and joy engraved onto your faces as you kiss once more before eventually drifting off to sleep in each other's arms, locked in a lovers embrace. 

[colourstreakgryffin]

If we saw how Charlie and Alastor reacted to Rarity like!reader and Pinkie Pie like!reader,maybe a Fluttershy like!reader x Husk??

Idk I think they would be cute together

Haha. Awww, I can just imagine Husk carrying us away whilst we’re crying in fear over Charlie borrowing our little animal friends for the Hotel briefly! Needless to say, this is actually the cutest and one of my favourite MLP-Hazbin mix-couples/duos so far! And again, kinda short!

Husk- Glass Barfly

As I stated previously, Husk is a sweetheart of a lover and his patience is quite high so trust me. He can handle his precious timid helpless little girlfriend better than anybody else. Somebody who is so shy yet kind that she hides behind him for support, he is quite good

Of course, Husk can’t help but instinctively treat you like glass. The most beautiful glass figure he’s ever found. He knows what to do with you

Husk is emotionally intelligent and able to recognise problems very well. So, he can recognise your antisociality and your fear over coming off as a fool, for that, he’ll slowly and carefully push you into pushing your own boundaries for your own good

Husk is getting better and better with your animal friends. He isn’t perfect but he doesn’t ever harm them… well, not on purpose. He’s growing to handle how many they are and how often you carry around your hot-tempered bratty bunny, Devil

Husk finds you precious and he’d beat the shit out of Alastor with the bar itself to protect you. You’re a little fragile butterfly, a charming doll of kindness that loves her animals. It’s natural that he adores every fibre of your being. Others may get annoyed with your shyness, he doesn’t

You can fly like Husk and have wings like him. He is lazy and dislikes flying but he will fly to encourage you to use your wings more. They are soft and beautiful, you deserve to be able to rely on them. He wants you feel comfortable so he will make it that you are. Luckily, he always succeeds

Husk is quite proud everytime you stand up for yourself or you do something you’d never normally do without his push. You’re learning, you’re growing! He can’t help but feel his heart swell at it and he showers you with praise and pride as soon as he can

Husk is learning to be a good person whilst you’re learning to be more confident. You’re helping each other and for that, you’re both quite dedicated to each other. Husk is your armour but you’re his heart

Husk knows you like the functions of a roulette game. He knows when your patience has been pushed too far and when you’re willing to be firm, if not cruel and harsh, and when that happens. He doesn’t even try sway you, he steps back and waits for you to cool down before calming you even more

Husk is always covered in your animal friends. And always means always! He has birds, squirrels, bunnies, butterflies, all kinds of Hell animals following him about the Hotel and he knows that they like him as much as they like you

Husk enjoys snuggling you in bed after work hours. Wings perked overs yours and laid over your back. You’re warm, you’re safe and you’re covered in soft fur. Both you and him like this so every night. You hop into the bed you share with Husk and he hops on top of you

Husk is the only one who can and will hear you in your whole singing glory. You’re way too insecure to sing around anybody else and it took some time for you to be comfortable with him but now that you are, you feel confident and safe singing around him

Yep. Husk got you a cute ring with a pink butterfly-shaped gemstone in the middle. It’s, to you, a sign that he is your safe spot and always is your safe spot. The one you can not be so frightened of embarrassing yourself with, somebody you can lean on and feel supported with

Husk knows about your crippling fear of social situations and how easy it is to embarrass you so you two regularly just spend time together and not ever go out, not until you actually feel okay with it. But of course, you’ll always do stuff for him too. You both give and take from one another

If it is my choice, y’all are engaged

“Leitora, butterfly. Don’t worry, the little buds will be okay. Do you want to go back to our bedroom, we don’t have to watch anything Charlie does with ‘em”

[alonetimelover]

Love on BRITs Awards

Pairings: Harry Styles x Slavic!fem!reader

Summary: After years of being together, six months of being engaged YN and Harry are letting people know they're in love - it just happens to be BRITs 2023 award show.

Warnings: swearing, little Slavic stereotype, some sexual tension (Harry's horny) - nothing explicit, alcohol use

Word count: ~7,2k

“My love, my flower, my baby, my my my! I am home!” 

YN could argue with a lot of people on what is the best sound at six a.m. but knew she would win. What’s better than your loving fiancé coming home after a month apart? Even not being a morning person herself, YN smiled in the pillow (Harry’s pillow that she always slept on whenever he was away) only waiting for Harry to jump on the bed right next to her. 

“You know, one would think after a month apart you’d be waitin’ for me near the front door,” he whispered in her ear, after gently laying down (surprisingly) on his side of bed, and kissing her cheek over and over. 

“One would think after years of knowing me, you’d be aware of me loving our bed very, very much,” she whispered, not being able to hold her smile back. “Especially in the morning, when it’s all just for me.”

“You tease!” Harry laughed while starting to tickle YN wherever she was the most ticklish, earning one of the most beautiful sounds he could think of, her laugh. “Liar, saying you didn’t miss me one bit!”

“Okay, okay! Stop, baby! Hey, stop, please!” 

“Tell me you love me more.” He stopped ticking her. Now on top of her, with her hands pinned above her head with his left hand and the right one on her hip, daring to tickle again. Curls falling onto his forehead, too short to be held back by their (yes, they shared it) butterfly hair clip. 

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?” He challenged.

“I love you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Very, very much.” Her voice an octave lower than usual, almost tempting.

And when his grip on her hands loosened she added, “almost as much as our bed.” But Harry was too late to catch on, she was already out of bed and running down the hall, laughing like crazy. With a sigh, he got up and ran after her, passing all the decorations she had been preparing for the whole night, and not catching them. Only thing he was focused on was her. 

He loved all of their banter every single time it had taken place. Didn’t matter if it was too silly or too childish like a lot of people would say, he adored every single one of them. 

“Stop right where you are.” He pointed a finger at her, after running around the whole house and finally stopping in the dining room.

“Because?” She asked with her eyebrows raised, stopping in her tracks, a smirk on her beautiful face.

“Because.”

He didn’t need to say more. The way he was looking at her, eyes big, almost sparkling. He was admiring her in a baggy shirt, his or hers, he couldn’t say anymore. They got used to sharing their clothes with each other early in the relationship. She was standing right beside the dining table, he only now noticed, was set with a variety of his favourite breakfast food. Flowers from their garden in the big glass vase. A bottle of champagne cooling in a bucket full of ice. And three balloons in the shape of Grammy awards flowing above the chairs. 

“My love -” he tried speaking, but words died in his mouth. 

“No need to say anything,” she calmed him immediately, making her way towards him. “I am so proud of you,” YN said, standing right in front of Harry. “You are the most delicate and sensible person I’ve ever met. Your work is an epiphany, an ode to all people that inspired you, and a gorgeous testament of your feelings. I am so proud of you, Harry. You did it.” 

Speechless. He wanted to thank her, scream to the world about how much he thanked her, and how without her there would be no Harry’s House, no Harry Styles some people admired. Without her there was no Harry. But the overwhelming feeling of love and appreciation for her overtook his whole body. He loved her so much.

“Can I get a kiss from my amazing fiancé?” She asked after a few minutes of silent embrace, head on his chest, hands caressing his back. 

And when no words left his lips, and one hand reached for her chin, she knew the answer. The way he held and kissed her said more than enough. ‘I missed you’. ‘I love you.’ ‘Thank you.’

“Take me to bed?”

“What about this breakfast?” he gestured towards the full table. 

“You want to eat breakfast or let me show you how much I love you and how proud I am of you?”

“Considering that you prepared breakfast at five in the morning is saying all kinds of love,” Harry whispered to her lips, not wanting to part. 

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

And then he took her to bed, just like she asked. He found his voice and could thank her in all the best ways he knew, she’d appreciate. 

~~~~~~

11.02.2023

“Nervous?”

“Not really, no. Last time was a total blast. They have an unhealthy amount of booze available, stress reliefs,” Harry responded to his fiancee, smiling at her.

They both were getting ready to attend BRIT Awards in London - their first official event as an engaged pair, couple even. People speculated about them for years, few photos taken here and there, some slip ups of Harry’s in interviews and just rumours that gossip magazines just loved to spread. Years after dating and no more than six months of being engaged, they felt ready. 

They were aware of the hate they’d get. There was no way everyone would be happy. The World was a cruel place, and being in the public eye didn’t help feeling secure. YN not being famous, not being from an english-spoken country, not being from the overall rich family, nor having a job that payed her in millions were things that people would analyse. Her accent would be a problem for them, her loud laughter, her dress she chose to wear tonight, the statement she wanted to present with herself. But she felt ready. Harry was next to her and they knew whoever hated them, her, wasn’t Harry’s fan. 

“You’re not holding your alcohol well, baby. Need to be careful with it, or you gonna crawl to the stage to accept all those awards,” she laughed, smoothing his suit jacket. 

“Mhmmm, I do not have your alcohol tolerance. Those Slavic genes are helpful, aren’t they?”

“I could smack you really hard for that stereotypical remark, you know that?”

“Absolutely. I would let you, but -”

“...but it’s true in this case. I hate when those stereotypes are.”

“You know another stereotype about Slavic people?” he smiled cheekily at her, brushing her hair behind her ears. He wanted to see her whole face, glowing. 

“Be careful.” She warned him, but knowing that he wouldn’t say anything hurtful or insensitive.

“Yeah, Slavic women have the most beautiful eyes on the planet.”

Trying to cover her blushing and amazement of his flirting even after all those years together, she asked “how many Slavic women have you seen in your life, hmm?”

“Quite a few, I’d say. I played in a lot of European countries where Slavic people live, baby. I saw your mum and grandma. But most importantly, I see your eyes.” He stopped to just stare into them, waiting for the right words to come. “No word to describe them. First thing about you that I fell in love with.”

Flirt. Absolute flirt, thought YN, leaning to kiss his smirk away. 

“You’re too good at this,” she whispered after pulling away from his lips.

“What? Honesty?”

Shaking her head with a laugh, she moved away from Harry. There could be no foundation that could cover her blush. And applying more of it would just look too unnatural. There was no place for mistakes on her part. She did one and it was going to be a very different story. 

“When are you going to dress up? Harry said when he comes over, we should be already dressed. He wants to just do some touch ups,” Harry, her Harry, asked while following her to the bathroom, where she was preheating the hair straightener. 

“I need help with buttons, it has a lower back and -” 

“Lower back you say?”

Deciding to play along with him, she added, “yeah, and the cleavage is deep. Oh, and also it’s see through. Lots of lace, too.” She smirked at the end, seeing how enamoured Harry was, almost drooling. 

After no words were spoken by him, he ran in the direction of their shared closet, with YN rapidly leaving her comb and following him.

“Don’t look into the garment bag! Harry!” She screamed, wanting to surprise him with the dress she had spent weeks choosing with Harry Lambert. 

Slipping towards the bag, Harry caught himself before falling down flat on his face. With a hand on his heart, he tried to slow its beating. 

“That was a close one.”

“That was a sign not to do it. No peeking inside, Harry. ”

“Just a little one,” he pouted, eyes big. 

“No way. It’s a surprise.”

“If all you said about the dress is true, I’m not going to make it to the show. We won’t make it,” Harry stalked towards her. “Little look inside, two seconds.” He held his two fingers up. “Promise, scout’s honour.” He stole a little kiss from her.

“Bullshit, you weren’t a Scout.” She needed to stop, accepting yet another kiss from her fiance. “It doesn’t count.” 

“What if I -”

The doorbell interrupted his persuasion tactics, making him sigh. “You’re lucky. What I wanted to say would make you open this bag within seconds.”

“Yeah?” She challenged, knowing well it would be true, if he’d said it like that. 

“Mhm.” 

And with one last long kiss to her lips, Harry left to open the door for his overexcited friends. 

~~~~

YN was questioning their decision to officially appear together on that award show. Nerves were slowly eating her away, making her palms sweaty, fingers trembling. The realisation of what was to come kindly emerged early enough for her to alternatively chicken out. She wasn’t as ready as she had thought so. The dress Harry L. helped her put on, now embracing her body perfectly was an imminent sign of reality she was about to endure. 

“He’s going to faint, YNN. There’s no way he'll be able to contain himself even with us in the room,” Harry said, smirking, smoothing any wrinkles that his careful eye could catch. 

“Stop it.” YN laughed dryly. “He needs to. We have, what? Twenty minutes till the car is here to take us to the venue?” 

“Something like that. But really, YN. You look absolutely breathtaking. The makeup, hair, this dress? If I say so myself you look like you have been taken out of the most beautiful painting.”

“What’s going on with you all buttering me up, hmm? Is it Harry’s request?” 

Lambert sighed, “you need to believe when people appreciate your beauty, inside and outside.” He bettered the front of the dress, laying her necklace right in the middle of her chest. “Absolutely gorgeous, ready to stun anyone in front of you,” he said, now looking into her eyes. Encouraging smile on his face. 

She knew to love herself. She taught herself that after years of being overshadowed by lots of people around her. She learned her worth and decided to nurture it. And it only got better when she met Harry. The way he appreciated her, always telling how beautiful she looked, how smart she was, how funny she was. Her confidence only skyrocketed from that moment. 

Now, however, the nerves took over. Little YN, from her small town, was looking at her from the mirror. Too big of a dress on her body, tangled hair and dirty knees from kneeling on the ground. But her eyes looking in awe back at her older form. If there was someone she was going to overcome this feeling for, it was her younger self. 

“Ready to see your man?” Harry asked with heels in his hand. “He’s fidgeting in the living room.”

“I won’t be more ready, so the best moment is now.”

She put on her classic black Louboutin heels and carefully, with help of Harry L. made her way down the stairs to the living room. The chatter that was heard from upstairs suddenly died, when the clicking of the heels got noticed by her Harry. His eyes shot from his drink, mouth already half open, after taking a look at her legs. Then he could see her whole but wasn’t sure if he actually did till she was standing in front of him. 

“You can close your mouth, mate,” said Jeff, laughing at his best friend. 

“Shut up,” answered Harry, glancing at him for a split second. “Get out, please.” He added the last word after being gently hit in the chest by YN. 

“Just remember you have ten minutes tops.”

When everyone left the room, Harry hid his face in his hands, smiling widely. “Oh my God. Is it possible to fall in love all over?”

“I’m asking myself the same question every day,” YN whispered back, trying to see his face. “Let me see you, please.” 

“I’m going to cry,” he laughed. “Oh God, really. I’m gonna cry, baby.”

“What are you gonna do when you see me walking down the aisle?” 

“Don’t. That’s going to be very embarrassing. Gemma already knows to be ready with ten packets of tissues,” Harry stated with a smile, showing his flushed face. 

“Hi.”

“Hi. You - you look absolutely perfect. Woah, really. I have no words to describe how astonishingly beautiful you look. Spin around, let me take a good look at you, baby.” 

YN spinned slowly, a dress flowing around her legs, showing even more of them. The lace complimenting her body in the best ways, adoring her features. The heavy necklace that he could recognise as an engagement gift from his mother to YN, and matching earrings from his sister. Seeing it he could only ask himself: how was it possible to love someone as much as he did YN? 

“What d’you think? It’s not too revealing, is it?”

“The most important thing is, do you feel comfortable? Is it too revealing to you?”

“I don’t think so. I wear that nude underwear so as not to accidentally flash anyone. Dress is very comfortable, the lace is actually so soft, look.” YN took his hand in hers and placed it on her waist. “See?”

With a hand on her waist, and a thumb daring its way a little higher, he smiled at her lovingly, “feels very nice, baby. Show me those shoes, now. I only got a glimpse when you were walking down the stairs.”

“I’m gonna fall over trying to show them,” she laughed, knowing that those tiny little heels were going to be the death of her. The balance they required was more than what she was used to. 

“Okay, here.” And just like that Harry fell to his knees, not caring about the one of a kind suit he was wearing. “Place your foot on my thigh, baby, and hold onto my shoulders, yeah?”

After nodding her head in agreement, YN gently placed her left heel on Harry’s thigh. Right hand holding his shoulder, slightly leaning forward. Harry moved the dress out of the way, above her knees, and took a good look at those black shoes that were going to absolutely make him feral. 

“Well,” he started, “it’s - they’re very, very nice.” His hand was now massaging YN’s calf. 

“And quite comfy for being 12 centimetres,” YN said excitedly, not catching on Harry’s mood change. 

“Mhmm, you know what?” He was now looking up at her, trying really hard to focus. “Maybe we could -”

“It’s an open living room for fuck’s sake, guys! Have some decency!” Yelled Jeff after having walked on rather compromised position YN and Harry were in. 

YN tried to put her foot down on the floor, but Harry was still holding it. “Harry, we’re gonna be late. Let’s move.”

“Listen to your girl, man. People are waiting for you two.”

Harry eventually helped YN balance herself again on two legs and fixed the dress for her. He dusted his knees after having earned a remark from Jeff about ‘everybody knowing you were on your knees for her before the carpet’. Following YN out of the house, passing Jeff he just whispered ‘cockblock’ and caught up with his date. 

There was no turning back. 

~~~~

“Are there any interviews on the carpet or just photos?” 

“Just photos, if they changed the schedule then we just move past them. I’ll send an apology to them, saying we weren’t prepared for them,” Harry answered his fiancee, doing circles on her hand that he was holding. “I’ll be with you for the whole time, yeah? And if you changed your mind, and you don’t wanna take those photos, then it’s okay. You’ll just be with Jeff waiting for me at the end of the carpet.”

“No, I - I promised you to do it. I’m going to.”

“Screw it. If you aren’t 100% sure then don’t. Don’t make yourself do it. I won’t love you less, I won’t be disappointed. I want you to be comfortable and ready. Okay?” 

YN nodded her head, a tiny smile on her lips, “I’m ready, as long as you’re with me.”

“Always, baby. Always.” He kissed her hands and they fell into a light conversation with the rest of the people in the SUV. 

The venue was crazy. There were people running around, shouting at each other trying to communicate over the loud screams of fans and paparazzi. It was a mayhem, YN had never seen anything like it in comparison to Harry being so used to it, it didn’t make him flinch. 

Red carpet just in front of her, with yet another star walking flawlessly on it, having taken photos of them. YN already spotted Lizzo, Lewis Capaldi and girls from Wet Leg sporting their newest, extravagant looks. Now it all was real, she was there ready to commit one of the biggest steps in her life. 

“You’re up after Leigh-Anne, love birds. About 30 seconds," Jeff informed them, making his way to the other side of the carpet, where the ‘finishing line’ - as YN called it - was. 

“Okay, three deep breaths, baby,” Harry whispered to YN’s ear, not wanting to draw any more attention to them. “Follow my lead, yeah?”

“Always.” 

Looking into each other’s eyes, they did the exercise Harry’s therapist taught him years ago. Breathe in for five seconds, hold it for three, exhale for seven. Repeat three times and your blood flow is lower, heart beating less rapid and you’re actually calmer. It always worked on him, some times better than the others. 

“Let’s go,” Harry told her, after seeing her calming down enough to deal with all those people behind him. 

“Kiss?” 

He smiled and pecked her lips lovingly and while holding her hand moved to the centre of the chaos. 

If those people were loud before, YN wouldn’t be able to describe how they were when together with Harry she stepped on that carpet. 

‘Harry Styles, who is your date?’

‘Who is a pretty lady?’

‘Give me a smile honey!’

‘Change the pose!’

‘Over the shoulder, lady!’

‘Move on, please!’

Eyes were hurting YN from looking at all those flashes. The ringing in her ears from all the shouts, making her uncomfortable. Harry with a hand on her waist was doing a good job and reminding her she wasn’t alone, he was just next to her. Hand on her waist, caressing the skin right above it with his thumb. 

“You’re doing great, baby.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear, earning even more screams and flashes. “I love you.” 

YN turned her head towards him, “I love you, thank you.” 

Oh, how much she wanted to kiss him. How much she wanted to just show him how much she appreciated his support right now. But they agreed to limit the PDA to a minimum, at least on the red carpet. There was going to be enough spotlight on them for appearing together. 

But Harry had different plans. 

“I’m gonna kiss you.”

And he did. It didn’t last more than three seconds but photographers around them behaved like it was a full on hour lasting make out session in the middle of the award show. Just a quick loving kiss, saying more than anybody else than them wouldn’t understand. 

“Take some alone photos,” she said after changing their poses two times. “You’re the star.” 

Not wanting to let her go, Harry was holding her hand to the last moment it was possible for them to reach each other. His eyes following after her, making sure she made it safely to Jeff without any troubles on the way. Those pictures with a lovesick look in his eyes would break the internet, together with the ones of them together. 

“What an armageddon you two caused out there. I knew it would be huge but woah,” exclaimed Jeff after being joined by the couple, Harry having finished his solo photos and immediately being next to YN. 

“My ears are ringing and my eyes are all dry. How can you do it so often?” YN asked Harry, fighting the urge to just bury her eyes in her palms. 

“Jeff, give me YN’s bag.” Harry turned to his manager, getting the little black bag. “I packed you some eye drops, baby. They do wonders. Let me,” he said smoothly, moving her head so she was looking up. “Don’t blink.”

He put drops into both of her eyes slowly, wiping away the ones that run down her cheeks carefully not to damage her makeup. Looking into her eyes, he couldn’t help himself but smile widely. 

“Thank you for being here with me.”

“Thank you for making me feel comfortable.”

At the table that one kind lady - Maria - had shown them to, YN could finally take off her shoes. As comfortable as they were, having not practised enough walking in them, YN could already feel the pain she would have the next morning. Massaging her left foot quietly, not wanting to draw attention to what she was doing, she tried not to lean too low under the table. 

“What are you doin’, baby?” Harry laughed at his fiancee. 

“My feet are starting to ache and it’s only been two hours of wearing them,” YN pouted, putting the shoes back on after being shamelessly caught in the act. 

“Didn’t you say they were comfortable?”

Harry’s hand already reached down to massage her foot. 

“They were, when I was wearing them for ten minutes. And stop, someone’s gonna look and have a wrong idea about what you’re doin’ under the table.” YN swatted his hand away, earring a scoff from Harry. She wasn’t the one to refuse the massage. 

“You want to switch?”

“My heels for your boots?”

“Yeah, I think I can manage them.” He took a quick look at the suddenly very high heels. “My legs might not look as good as yours but, who knows?” He smirked at the end, remembering their last interaction at home. 

“Not happening. I can just have them under the table, I’m not going to move from here anyway, so it’s all good.”

“You sure? I can make Jeff find you something to change,” Harry said, already turning to his friend. 

“Yes, I’m sure. Look at me -” she waited for him to face her, “ - thank you. I love you.”

“Mhm, I love you.” 

Even though they kissed for the nth time that day it still felt special. Even though it might have been the billionth time they did during their relationship, nothing changed. Same love and appreciation were exchanged. 

“Alright, mate. Move on, you need to change and open the show. Harry’s waiting for you in the dressing room,” said Jeff, patting Harry’s back, catching his attention. 

With one last kiss and questioning if she was going to be okay by herself (not really, she had Kid and Tyler next to her) Harry ran off backstage to prepare as quickly as possible. He had about ten minutes to be back out there and open the BRITs.

YN sipped on her juice waiting for Harry till starting drinking  something stronger. She was admiring the whole arena, looking at fans that were impatiently waiting for their favourite artist to take over the stage. All of the celebrities were sitting at their designed tables, looking much more collected than YN. But who she was kidding, they were in their element. She was very much out of her comfort zone. 

“YN?” 

She heard from behind her, a lovely voice that could only belong to one person. 

“Lizzo, uhm - hi!” YN responded, standing up from her chair and turning to properly greet her fiance’s friend.

“That man wasn’t lying when he said you’re the prettiest woman on earth, girl. Let me give you a hug!”

YN had never met Lizzo before, her relationship with Harry being very private but also them only talking about it with their families and closest friends. She didn’t know Harry said anything about her to Lizzo but wasn’t mad. She seemed like a lovely person and she was according to all the stories that she shared with Harry. 

“He slipped about you both after the Grammys. I don’t know how he hid you so well for years,” Lizzo whispered to YN’s ear while still hugging her closely. 

“Believe it, we weren’t as careful as you may think.” YN pulled away from Lizzo, but still stood close to her, feeling very comfortable.

“Good for you. Let me tell you something,” Lizzo laughed. “You’re stealing the show looking like this.”

“Says you! You look gorgeous! Can’t wait for your performance, I’ll be up and dancing.”

Slowly moving away to her table, Lizzo shouted pointing a finger at YN, “you better!” 

“Please, everyone, move to your assigned places. First performance is to start in two minutes, together with the broadcast. Enjoy your evening.” 

YN sat back down, abruptly feeling nervous. She knew Harry would put out his best, but after the Grammys sound problems and Harry’s frustration about it, she feared he might have got that too deep in his head. He was in his element while on stage but that inevitable twinge made her pick on her cuticles. 

“O2 arena, please welcome Harry Styles!” 

There he was, standing in that red jacket and black trousers, smirking to himself. No worry visible on his face or in his body language. He was home. 

YN at the same moment as Kid, Tyler and Jeff got up and started to sway to the music, singing loudly. She was going to have some fun tonight. 

“BRIT awards sing it out!” Shouted Harry pointing the mic in the air. His eyes were trying to find his fiancée, just to check if she was okay. 

YN and Kid, hugging, screamed the words at Harry, starting to dance around each other, copying Harry’s movements, laughing from time to time. If she was going to enjoy the night, she needed to bury the fear of people judging her. They were going to do it no matter what. 

Harry was running on stage, just like on his concerts, feeling the love that was flowing out of the crowd. It was feeding his ego, artistic ego, and YN loved that for him. The confidence he clothed looked damn good on him. 

“Thank you, BRITs!” He screamed in the microphone, bowed down and thanked a few more times, grin on his face. 

“He’s gonna be back in a minute. He just needs to change,” Jeff informed YN after they all sat down. 

“Again? How many clothes does he have for tonight?”

“Red carpet one, performance, accepting awards, later for photos with the awards and probably one for the after party. So about five. You didn't know?”

“He showed me just the two he already wore, bastard,” she giggled at the end. 

“Who’s a bastard?” 

YN snapped her head so quickly to where she heard her favourite voice from. There he stood in a green suit, silver silk shirt that was mostly unbuttoned that buttoned up and that smug look saying ‘I know it was me’. The cross necklace was diggling on his chest, making YN stop her eyes right there. 

“Eyes up here, my love.”

“I’m doing what you’re doing. We’re even.” YN smirked. She caught Harry countless times looking incredibly not-so-careful at her chest and legs tonight. “I’m appreciating the view, just for your information.”

“I do too.”

Harry bent over to place a quick kiss on her lips, “hello again.”

“You did great on stage. We danced for the whole song with Kid,” she whispered to his lips, glancing into his eyes. 

“Thank you. How did you get him to move his ass?”

“Not cool man!” Kid scolded Harry from YN’s right. 

“He’s a good dancer.”

“Sure. I saw you both. You looked great. Gonna dance with me tonight?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows, now sitting next to her on his designed chair. 

“I promised Lizzo to dance during her whole performance. She said that I’m the prettiest girl in the world. Apparently your words, huh?” YN smirked, looking at Harry’s lightly flushed face. 

“I might have said that,” he cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. We didn’t consult on that.”

“It’s okay,” she calmed him, reassuringly squeezing his hands. “She is very lovely, just like you said she’d be. I can’t wait for her performance.”

The next performances of Wet Leg and Lewis Capaldi they both sat through and sang along, Only when the host introduced Lizzo, YN shot up from her chair, cheering for her new friend. Before meeting her YN was a big fan of her music but also her as a person. 

“In case nobody told you today, you’re special!” YN sang to Harry, who got up right after her ready to dance. 

“In case nobody made you believe, you’re special!” he sang back, stunning YN. 

“You know the words?”

“Of course I do!” 

YN moved a little away from their table to more open space, doing a ‘come here’ movement with her finger towards Harry, smirk on her beautiful face. Harry cupped her hands in his, just looking at her dancing, swaying perfectly to the music, feeling it with her whole body. 

Just when Lizzo hit the second verse, he spinned her to his chest, embracing her. Right hand on her lower back, left one holding her right. 

“Feeling bold?”

“You’re special,” Harry just sang to her, not feeling like answering such an easy question. He’d been and was going to be bold the whole evening. 

When the melody changed to 2 be loved, YN moved in front of Harry, pointing one finger in the air, screaming the lyrics. For a split second she wanted to mimic Lizzo’s amazing dancers but remembered the dress she was wearing. Harry put hands on her waist, singing right into her ear. 

Soon the next song started and Lizzo started walking towards the side of the stage where YN and Harry were dancing. 

“I see you, YN!” She shouted pointing a finger at the woman, smiling widely. “Get it, Harry!” 

YN laughed out loud, throwing her head on Harry’s shoulder who was laughing as well.

“She’s fucking amazing!” 

~~~~

“Here are the nominees for Best POP/R&B Artist!” announced Mo and the video played, displaying all of the people. 

YN squeezed Harry’s hand, reminding him she was right next to him, no matter what was going to be said next. Salma Hayek walked on stage, giving YN a weird feeling of certainty. 

“And the winner of the POP/R&B act is the one and only,” Salma deadpanned with a smirk. “Harry Styles.”

In the middle of taking their fifth shots of the night, YN and Harry smiled into the caulks. Putting them down Harry grinned and screamed ‘that’s right!’ giving high fives to people all over their table. Then he turned towards YN hiding in her neck. 

“Be right back,” he promised, kissing her neck quickly. 

The way to the stage was a bumpy ride because of all the people that wanted to congratulate him. When he finally made it, bowed towards Salma Hayek in appreciation and looked at the screens that were showing him. 

“Uhhh, thank you so so much for this. Uhm… first of all thank you,” he paused letting people scream for him as much as they wanted. “Uhh, first of all I know it’s a fan voted award, so to all my fans who voted - thank you, thank you, thank you so so much. I have so many wonderful memories at the BRITs, with these ones being very special to me.” He stole a quick glance towards YN that was standing up amongst all seated people, with hands clasped together near her face. Smile so big adoring her features.

“So thank you for adding to the memories from this night. It is so good to be home. Thank you so so much. Thank you.” And just like that he was off the stage, trying to move as quickly as possible to YN and kiss her properly. 

YN didn’t sit down yet, waiting for him to return and give him the biggest hug of his life. She was so proud of him. 

“One down!” Jeff exclaimed when Harry finally made it back. 

“Don’t jinx it!! Harry responded, not even giving Jeff a look, his eyes glued to his fiancee. 

“Celebratory shot?” he asked her, putting the BRIT award on the table. 

“One moment.” She took him in her arms and hugged him tightly. “I’m so so proud of you, my love. You deserve it so much,” YN whispered in his ear. 

“Thank you, baby. We wouldn’t be here without you, my inspiration.” 

Harry leaned down, capturing her lips in his, not caring if any cameras were pointed at them. The alcohol in his system was making him bolder, evoking YN’s words in his mind ‘you’re not holding your alcohol well’. Of course she was right. She knew him better than anyone. 

They cheered together for Wet Leg when they accepted the Best New Artist award. And then drank even more shots. They were absolutely going to get wasted. Harry was for sure. 

“Harry Styles!” screamed Lucien announcing British Artist Of The Year. 

Harry put his head down, chuckling to himself. 

“You did it again, baby!” YN said to him, while leaning towards his face. 

“Another.” He smirked at YN, making her laugh even more. He kissed her lips swiftly and ran on stage once more. 

“Uhm, thank you again. I wanna start by being a little more personal than usual. I wanna thank my family for being the most supportive, understanding, patient, loving family I could ever ask for. I wanna thank my mum for signing me for X-Factor without telling me. I wanna thank Niall, Louis, Liam and Zayn, I wouldn’t be without you here either.” He needed to pause because the scream that those four names caused were out of this world.  

“Thank you so much. My fiancée, who’s here with me, I -” 

If the noise in the O2 arena could get any louder, it was now. 

“I wouldn’t be on this stage, if not because of you, thank you. I am really, really grateful of this and am very aware of my privilege up here tonight, so this award is for Rina, Charlie, Florence, Mabel and Becky. Thank you so much!” He finished his speech, moving on backstage. 

~~~~

“Man, you’re wasted,” Jeff said to Harry after God knows how many shots he had had. 

“You didn’t see me wasted. Baby, remember me on your Grandfather’s name day? That was drunk, I couldn’t move the next morning,” Harry laughed, throwing his arm over YN’s shoulders, pulling her closer. 

They’d already moved their chairs, so they were touching their legs, but it wasn’t enough. Harry needed her as close as possible. 

“It wasn’t your best moment, I admit. But grandpa had a field day.”

“How was he sober after all day drinking?”

“It wasn’t as much as you think, you’re a lightweight, baby. Compared to him, you’re extremely inexperienced in this field.”

“True.”

“But you, YN, you’re doing just fine,” Kid joined the conversation. 

“Slavic girl!” Harry shouted, earning a slap to his thigh from YN. “Ow!”

“Told you to be careful with words around this topic,” she scolded him playfully, understanding exactly what he had meant. “Good genes, let’s say.”

Harry wanted to say more, but Shania Twain walking on stage made him silent. 

“Song Of The Year BRIT award goes to… Harry Styles ‘As It Was’.”

“Go there instead of me,” Harry said to YN. 

“Shut up.” She smiled, hugging him. “It’s your night, love.”

“Hello,” Harry started while on stage for the third time. “This album and song was the most fun I ever had making music. Uh, I wanna thank lots of people, Rob, Tom and Tyler. YN. Thank you to anyone who listened and,” he paused searching for someone in the crowd, YN already knowing what was to come. “Thank you, Lewis,” he faced Lewis Capaldi, already walking from the stage towards his Scottish friend. 

“What is he doing?” Jeff asked into the void. 

“He’s gonna kiss Lewis.”

Jeff opened his mouth in disbelief but soonly, closed it, nodding his head, “it sounds like something he’d do after drinking. You’re not mad?”

“Why would I be? He’d planned it for hours, wanted to thank Lewis for support and congratulate on the album. He sent it to Harry and we listened to it earlier this week. The Grammys are waiting for that man,” YN answered with a smile. Somewhere in the background Harry was pecking Lewis’ lips. 

“You never cease to amaze me.” He laughed, sipping on his colourful drink.

Before YN could respond in any way, Harry swept her from her feet, spinning them around. 

“Lewis says ‘thank you for listening to the album’ and says he’s gonna kiss you next. He’s collecting them like - what do people on the internet say? Like stones?”

“Infinity stones, yeah. Close enough, Harry. Show me the way,” YN challenged him, earning a tight squeeze to her waist. 

“Nope. My kisses.” He leaned towards her, but she pulled away. 

“You’re gonna kiss me right after kissing another man?”

“Anyone got a napkin?” He turned to the table. 

~~~~

“Baby, look! Stanley Tucci!” Harry exclaimed looking at the stage. 

Album Of The Year was the last award for tonight’s BRITs but also the last one that Harry was nominated for. Deep down YN hoped for it to be four out of four for Harry. It would be a confidence boost after the Grammy awards and all the hate people unnecessarily pour on him for other people’s decisions. She just wanted to see him happy. 

“And the winner is - Harry Styles!” 

Harry screamed, smashing his fists on the table in celebration. YN stood up, waiting to congratulate her fiance for the absolute win he gathered tonight. 

“I’m so proud of you!” 

“I love you so much. Gimme a kiss, I’m gonna hug Stanley Tucci and tell him I also love him,” he mumbled in her chest. He lifted his head enough to smash their lips together, taking much longer than sober Harry would. But it was his night, he was going to flood his fiancee in kisses even if the whole of the UK was watching him. What vodka could do to the person was beyond him. 

“There’s literally no one I love more in the World than Stanley Tucci!” Was the way Harry started his acceptance speech, making everybody laugh. “Wait, besides my beautiful fiancée, YN. I love you, baby, as much as Stanley Tucci, I promise!” He looked at YN, his eyes telling her everything she needed to know. 

“Thank you very much. This - uh - this night has been really really special to me and I’ll never forget it. Thank you so much for the welcome home, I appreciate it so much. There’s no place like home. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m so proud to be a British artist out there, celebrating British music. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m gonna celebrate now with my lovely fiancée. Have a good night!” 

YN after holding up pretty strongly for the whole night, now was in tears. Experiencing Harry’s success with him, being right next to him was so special and magical that tears sprang to her eyes, slowly making their way down her cheeks. If anyone asked her what she felt at the moment, she wouldn’t be able to pick suitable words. Nothing could explain her absolute pride, love, adoration and respect. 

“I have invitations to the Box, you both going?” Jeff interrupted YN’s crying session while admiring her fiance, giggling with Stanley Tucci. 

“Harry’s probably gonna sprint there,” she laughed, knowing him well enough. “For sure for a little while, don’t know how long he can last.” 

“I wouldn’t bet my money on it.”

“My love! Stanley Tucci said he loved me too!” Harry yelled, while strolling towards their table. “And you too. He said you’re a very beautiful young woman. I think he’s jealous of me. What do you say?”

“I say you are absolutely wasted.”

“Nah, I can handle more shots. Let’s do another round!” he moved to pour more vodka into their glasses. “Wait, did you see? I won the fourth one!” he expressed, showing her yet another BRIT award. 

“I saw it. I’m very proud of you. And I love you, too.”

“Thank you!” The smile on his face couldn’t get any bigger. “Can we celebrate now?”

“What have we been doing for the last four hours?”

“I mean -” Harry stood chest to chest with YN, smirking, suddenly looking all sobered up. “I mean I want to -” His face now next to her right ear whispering every dirty thought he had about her during those last four hours. “And then I would run you a bath with bubbles and - and that lavender oil, lit the candles, wash your back and hair. Then I’d give you a massage in bed and -” 

YN widened her eyes at all the naughty words Harry was spilling in her ear, his hand doing little circles on her lower back, daring its way even lower. Heat shot through her body, frustration taking over all other emotions. 

“So I think four for every award would be perfect, hmm? What do you think?” He took a brief look at her flushed face, feeling proud of himself. “And then I’d help you after all this, read you some Bronte and maybe I’d do the thing you like so much.”

“Thee thing?”

“Exactly that one. So, what do you say? You want to go home?”

Not trusting her speech to come out clear, YN nodded her head timidly. 

“Words, baby?” Harry licked his lips, stroking her cheek.

“Yes. Wanna go home.”

[akazzzaa]

Summary-You get isekai but you miss your old life

Genre- Angst/ very little fluff

Warnings- Racism// Overthinking // Mentions of death and blood

It happened all to soon.

It was just another typical evening, filled with the monotony of everyday tasks. You had just finished washing the dishes, the warm soapy water still clinging to your hands as you wiped them dry on a kitchen towel. The humdrum of life had become a comforting rhythm: work, home, chores, eat, sleep, repeat.

There was solace in the predictability, a sense of security in the familiar.

You settled into the worn-out couch, a cup of tea in hand and your favourite show up on the television. Outside, the city buzzed with its usual night-time symphony – car horns, distant sirens, the occasional bark of a dog. Your phone buzzed with a notification, a reminder of an upcoming meeting. You sighed, mentally preparing.

Without warning, a wave of dizziness washed over. The room spun, and you clutched the edge of the couch, heart racing. You tried to steady yourself, but your vision blurred, and your body felt unnaturally heavy. Panic set in as you realized you was losing consciousness. The cup slipped from your fingers, shattering on the floor as everything went dark.

When you awoke, the world was different. Instead of the familiar comfort of your living room, you found yourself lying on a futon in a brightly lit room. The walls were adorned with delicate paintings of butterflies, and the air was filled with the soothing scent of medicinal herbs. Your head pounded as you tried to sit up, only to be gently pushed back down by a soft yet firm hand.

"Easy now," a gentle voice said. You looked up to see a woman with dark hair tied back in a butterfly-shaped hairpin. She wore a haori decorated with a butterfly motif and had a serene, almost amused expression on her face. It was Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps.

You're awake," she said, her smile widening slightly. "That's good. You had us worried for a moment."

You blinked, trying to process the impossible. "Where am I?" I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy.

"You're at the Butterfly Mansion," Shinobu explained. "A safe place where we tend to the wounded and train new Demon Slayers."

You struggled to sit up again, this time with her assistance. As you looked around, you noticed a few other familiar faces – Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Aoi, all watching with a mix of curiosity and concern.

Shinobu's eyes twinkled with curiosity as she took in your appearance. "You certainly have an unusual look," she commented. "Your clothing is unlike anything I've seen and you look foreign. Are you from the West?"

I hesitated, my mind racing. "Yes, but, I'm... I'm also from the future," You admitted, voice barely above a whisper.

Shinobu raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "The future, you say? How interesting. Tell me, do you know how all of this will end?"

Your heart skipped a beat. Of course, you knew the general outline of the story, but revealing too much could change everything. Moreover, the thought of being thrust into battles with demons terrified you. you are weak, untrained, and utterly unprepared for this brutal world.

"I... I can't say," You stammered. "If I tell you everything, it might change things in ways we can't predict. And I'm not a fighter. I'm scared."

Shinobu's expression softened, and she placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "It's alright. Fear is natural, especially in a world as dangerous as this one. But you don't have to face it alone. We will help you find your place here, whether it's fighting or something else."

Her words were comforting, yet the weight of the situation pressed heavily on your shoulders. You are an ordinary person thrust into an extraordinary world, and the path ahead is full off danger.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite the kindness of some, not everyone in this world was as welcoming. As days turned into weeks, You began to notice the stares and whispers behind your back. Your Western appearance and strange mannerisms made an easy target.

One afternoon, as you walked through a nearby village with Tanjiro and Zenitsu, You felt the weight of countless eyes on you. The villagers, their faces a mixture of fear and curiosity, muttered among themselves.

"Who is she? Why does she look like that?"

"She doesn't belong here. She's different."

Zenitsu and Tanjiro heard everything.

Their words stung, each one a dagger to your already fragile sense of belonging. You tried to ignore them, focusing on the path ahead, but it was impossible to shut out their disdain.

In the market, a vendor outright refused to sell you anything. "We don't serve your kind here," he spat, his eyes cold and unyielding.

Tanjiro stepped in, his voice firm yet polite. "She's with us, and she's a friend. Please treat her with respect."

The vendor grumbled but eventually relented, though the hostility in his gaze never wavered. You clutched the small pouch of goods Tanjiro had purchased for you, hands trembling with a mix of anger and shame.

Later that night, back at the Butterfly Mansion, you found yourself sitting alone in the garden, tears streaming down your face. The beauty of the blooming flowers and the gentle glow of the lanterns did little to soothe the ache in your heart.

Mitsuri found you there, her presence as calming as always. "I heard what happened in the village," she said softly, sitting beside you. "I'm sorry you had to experience that."

"It's not your fault," You replied, wiping away the tears. "I just... I never expected to feel so out of place. I thought I could adapt, but..."

Mitsuri placed a comforting hand on yours. "Change takes time, and prejudice is a difficult beast to tame. But remember, you have friends here who care about you. You're not alone. I also know how you feel. I always get looks because of my hair. I even tried to dye it black so I could fit in. I was told no one would love me, no one would want kids with me, but that means they don't deserve me! "

Her words were a small comfort, but the pain of feeling like a perpetual outsider lingered. Despite the kindness of those around, the sting of rejection and the weight of your fears made you feel defeated. Every night, you longed for the comfort of your old life, for the familiar faces and routines that had once seemed so mundane.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

A few days had passed, and you had seen more fighting than you ever thought possible. The bravery of the Demon Slayers was awe-inspiring, but it was also a stark reminder of the perilous world you now inhabited. Each night, the memories of battles and the cries of demons haunted your dreams, making sleep an elusive comfort. Watching it in 'real life' was so different from watching just an animation.

Tonight was no different. You lay in your futon, staring at the ceiling, unable to silence the turmoil in your mind. The faces of new friends flashed before me – Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Nezuko, Shinobu, Rengoku, basically everyone.

They had become dear to you, yet the longing for your old life gnawed at your heart.

Unable to bear the restlessness any longer, you slipped out of bed and quietly made your way outside. The night was cool, the air filled with a soft hum and the gentle rustling of leaves. You walked aimlessly, seeking solace in the tranquillity of the night, yet finding none.

As you wandered, thoughts drifted to all the people you had met. Tengen Uzui had been particularly kind, taking the time to help me improve my Japanese. The other Hahira's, each with their unique personalities and strengths, had welcomed you despite my strangeness and foreignness. Even Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the master of the Demon Slayer Corps, had shown me kindness and understanding.

A tear slipped down your cheek, followed by another. The weight of your reality was crushing. You had made friends here, but this world was not yours. You missed your family, home, the safety of ordinary life. You felt like an outsider, an imposter in a story that wasn’t yours to live.

"Hey," a gentle voice broke through my sorrow. You turned to see Tanjiro and Rengoku standing a few feet away, concern etched on their faces.

"What's wrong?" Tanjiro asked softly, his eyes filled with empathy.

You tried to speak, but the words caught in your throat. The dam of emotions you had been holding back burst forth, and you began to sob uncontrollably. "I don't belong in this world," You cried, my voice trembling with the weight of my despair. "I'm scared, and I miss my home. I don't know how to fight, and I'm so afraid."

Rengoku stepped forward, his usually fiery demeanour tempered with a surprising gentleness. "It's alright to feel that way," he said, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. "You've been thrown into a difficult situation, but you're not alone. We're here with you."

Tanjiro nodded, his expression earnest. "You don't have to fight if you don't want to. There are many ways to help and support us. We'll find a place for you here."

Yet, no matter how much you wished to return home, you was stuck here. The reality of the situation was unyielding, a constant reminder that you was trapped in a world where you didn’t belong. The battles, the bloodshed, the ever-present danger – it was all too much.

You wlaked back to your room after your conversation.

As you lay down, staring at the ceiling, a deep sense of hopelessness washed over you. You missed your family and friends, hell you had your whole life planned. Do they miss you? Are you in the news? Has anyone even noticed?. The fear of what lay ahead in this brutal world paralyzed you. Despite the friends you had made, the sense of community you was slowly beginning to feel, you couldn't shake the feeling of being an imposter in someone else's story.

"I don't belong here," You whispered to the darkness, your heart aching with a longing that seemed impossible to fulfill. "I just want to go home."

But home was a world away, a distant memory you could no longer reach. And as you closed your eyes, the weight of a new reality pressed down on you, a constant reminder that no matter how much you wished for it, You was stuck in this world, struggling to find a place in a story that was never meant to be yours.

[angelbunny-arts]

Behold,,,,. Every hermit design I’ve created over the past year and a bit: with heights and chibi versions of wings included>:D

Species, fun Details and height sorted version under the cut !!

- Grian

A parrot avian in some universes, a shapeshifted watcher in others, it’s a 50/50 which one I decided to go with

Avians in my mind take on the wing patterns of a bird they connect with, which usually happens at around 18-23. Instead of facial hair they grow feathers around their cheeks and in their hair.

His earring is a present from mumbo ^^

The gold detailing on his wings have the watcher symbol and suns on it, and his shoes have suns too! (why suns you may ask? “Grian” is the Irish word for sun, and according to my myth/history nerd friend there was an Irish sun goddess named Grian)

-Mumbo jumbo

An albino enderman

He dyes his hair because it looks cool, you can see a bit of his natural roots

A feather keychain on his belt from Grian

- GtwScar

A half-allay

He’s got heterochromia with the HOTGUY colours>:)

His ears and canine teeth are rounded! In contrast to half-vexes who’s features are sharper

Him and cub have matching vex magic earrings

His design is probably the one that keeps to the original skin the least, but it also happens to be one of my favourites to draw so

- Cubfan

A half-vex

I don’t have much to say here, he’s just kinda silly? I suppose there’s the fact that I decided that convex gets a diamond as their shape, so he’s got some of that detailing

He was originally supposed to have glasses however I am terrible at remembering glasses even though I wear them so they just kinda vanished

His hair is probably one of the most fun to colour too:D

- Geminitay

An elf (the antlers are accessories)

She’s got a whole bunch of little leaves everywhere:DD and some cute gold detailing too, otherwise a pretty simple design with not much to say on it

-impulse

Just a regular dude tbh he’s just a guy/pos

He’s got five visible places where I’ve snuck an “i” on him (but there’s one more on the bottom of his shoes)

The yellow In his hair also matches with my skizz, who has blue in his hair

- Pearl

Either a human or an avian, it’s another 50/50 and depends on what I went for with Grian as well if I have him included

If I go the avian route, her wings are small and usually kept under her jacket.

The moon detailing changes with the moon phase! Her hair also gets more floaty depending on how full the moon is

The knot on her shirt is in the shape of a moth

- Tango

A soot fairy, they’re known for working with and manipulating fire and creating machinery.

He’s got heels and he’s absolutely slaying. That’s really it I can’t pick my favourite detail it’s all fantastic. Look at it

I looked at fire/firemen vests for his jacket? That’s a fun fact

- Docm77

A creeper/goat hybrid

There’s like.. so many butterfly motifs on this man it’s fantastic. I also love the horizontal pupil

He looks like a mix between a tired dad and a mad scientist, which was initially not what I was going for but I’m keeping it

————

And, as promised, the height check (for people that are the same height I put whoever looked taller first)

(also disclaimer I made most of these heights up and are not accurate to the ccs)

[beababoobies]

I don't know if you're still taking requests, but if you are, could I request a Sal x reader where the reader has really long curly hair. Like down to her waist long, and they do little stuff like braiding her hair and decorating it with accessories. Just cute little stuff like that as Sal kinda wonders how she manages that much hair (If you dont want to write it, it's okay and have a nice day 💗🫶)

hello lovely gal! I’d love to do that for you. I am still taking requests and you’re welcome to do multiple! As a long curly haired girly meself, this was fun to write. (Unrelated, but I love your username.) Enjoy!

Roots - Sal Fisher x Fem!Reader

words: 0.6k

Sal loved your hair. Loved was perhaps an understatement. He’d play with it when you were cuddling, running his fingers through it mindlessly as you ranted about your day, school or work. He loved helping you wash it when you showered together, scrubbing your hair products from the roots into the very ends. But his absolute favourite was when you let him have fun with it, style it.

After you let him braid it for the first time, he had practically become obsessed. You brought your accessory collection over to his place whenever you were around, and would sit there talking and giggling together for hours while he did your hair up nice and pretty. You would sit in front of the TV, watching your favourite shows on rerun mindlessly and let him play with your hair.

And that’s exactly where you were today; sitting on his bed while petting a very sleepy Gizmo in your lap, belly up and purring softly at you while Sal worked on your hair, humming softly along with the music you had put on in the background. Today he had gone with two long braids, and he was spending his time clipping all your little plastic butterflies and flowers into them.

“You almost done, love?” You asked as you pet Gizmo across his tummy, another low grumbling purr emanating deep from the felines throat. Sal gave a soft hum in response, and you felt him begin to pin up the braids to your head. “Gonna make me look real pretty, hmm?” And he responds with a simple “mhm.” Gizmo gives a protesting mew when you stop petting him for a couple seconds. “Sorry.” You half-whisper with a small giggle, going back to petting him.

“How do you even manage with all this hair?” he asks softly as he starts pining up the second braid to your scalp, and you just shrug, going to scratch Gizmos chin, one hand going back to feel how he had styled your hair, running your hands along the skillfully pinned up braids. “I have this handsome man who comes in and makes it look pretty.” You hum back teasingly, and Gizmo yawns, stretching out before rolling over and landing on the floor, walking out the door to the living room

“Mm, he sounds cool. I’ll have to meet him some day.” He teases back, using your biggest butter cult clip to clip the braids together at the back of your head, leaning back and admiring his work with a smile. “It’s done, my love.” He hums out quietly, turning you over by your shoulders to the mirror. You were in absolutely awe.

He has smoothed out your curls on the top of your head, going in and braiding your hair tightly on both sides pining it up in beautiful swirls that met at the back of your head, all put together with your baby blue butterfly clips. You smiled wide and leaned back, kissing him as a small thank you.

“Thank you love, I look absolutely stunning.” You Mutter quietly, bringing your hand up to carefully run over the beautiful way your hair had been shaped. He wrapped his arms around your waist from the back, nuzzling his head in your shoulder appreciatively, before placing a soft kiss on your cheek.

“Beautiful hair for my beautiful girl.” He hummed softly before sighing contently, carefully kissing the top of your head, before looking back at your hair accessories, before looking back at you with a small smile on his face. “Is it too much to ask you to take it out already? I have more ideas.”

[abellarts]

Filipiniana inspired by the Entities (the Eye, the Vast, the Dark)

[ID: Three drawings of three modelled Filipinianas against a shared background which looks like aged paper. Each one is labelled a different entity which goes, from left to right, the Eye, the Vast, and the Dark. All the models are faceless. Three close ups follow the main image.

The Eye Filipiniana is an 1890s traje de mestiza featuring a brown panuelo with green embroidered trimming resembling ink pen tips and green strips resembling eyelashes at the opening, a translucent wide-sleeved striped baro in alternating off-white and green with green embroidered eyes for trimming, a dark cyan tapis with rows of books patterned on, and a silky striped saya in alternating yellow and green with an eye where the saya and the tapis meet and embroidery of people walking at the hem. Finished with accessories of a silky green necklace with a hanging realistic eye and a dark blue folding fan with an eye pattern. The model has brown skin and straight black hair up in a bun.

The Vast Filipiniana is a Commonwealth Era Style Baro’t Saya featuring a violet umbrella with a bright galaxy on the inside that the model holds on her shoulder, a magenta panuelo with yellow and orange stripes held together with a bright yellow star-shaped medallion, wide translucent butterfly-sleeved baro with a sunset to sky blue gradient from top to bottom with embroidered white clouds on the sleeves, a tapis with different shades of blue going from a light blue to dark blue top to bottom with embroidered silver fish of differing sizes, and a silky dark-blue-to-deep-blue saya with a long saya de cola with dark silhouettes resembling tentacles creeping up the sides. The model has pale tan skin and wavy hair held up in a loose lower bun.

The Dark Filipiniana is an 1840s Baro’t Saya styled for church-wear featuring a translucent plaid-patterned magenta panuelo, a striped straight-sleeved camisa in alternating dark magenta and off-white, a dark purple tapis embroidered with hands in alternating red and blue gripping each other by the wrist, a plaid-patterned magenta saya, and dark purple sandals. The models holds a dark purple hood over her head, the outside is a dark purple trimmed with white embroidery meant to look like closed eyes, the inside is a dark mass filled with open white eyes in strange positions, the dark mass drips down the edges of the hood, some eyes following. The model has ashy tan skin and combed back brown hair. 

./.End ID]

Finally finished it! I’ve wanted to do this for a while but pushed it off until now. The Entities as a couple versions of the Filipiniana. I don’t have plans rn to make the others since I suspect I will soon be busy again. Still, I have some ideas, particularly for the Web. Have a favourite?

My inspiration+info under the cut! :D

1) The Eye

I based the Eye’s Filipiniana off of the “traje de mestiza”, an aristocratic ensemble popular during the 1890s near the end of Spanish colonial rule. It’s also known as the “Maria Clara” gown due to association with the main heroine of Jose Rizal’s novel “Noli me Tangere.” 

Ngl I struggled to add more motifs than just “Eye” but I tried to be creative with it. The panuelo (the cloth around the shoulders) is supposed to look like eyelids which is why there are eyelashes. The embroidered trim is supposed to be the tips of ink pens. The trim of her sleeves are eyes. The tapis (the dark cloth around the lower area) features shelves of books. The bottom of the dress is supposed to be the Eye Watching people suffering at the hem. I got extremely lazy though and just got a “people walking” brush from the csp asset store and stamped them on. Didn’t get me the effect I intended but I was too tired to change it.

[ID: A sepia photograph of a woman looking to the left while wearing a traje de mestiza and holding a closed fan. /.End ID]

[ID: An image of the original front cover of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere manuscript./.End ID]

2) The Vast

The Vast’s Filipiniana I based off of the style popular during the 1930s-1940s Commonwealth Era. Honestly I only chose it because those sleeves are the very definition of vast. 

The design has a simple concept but I ended up liking the end result a lot! It’s supposed to be a top to bottom gradient of aspects of the vast. Starting from space, going into sky blue, then ending in the deep abyss of the ocean.

[ID: A sepia photograph of a seated woman wearing a Commonwealth Era Filipiniana. /.End ID]

[ID: A black-and-white photograph of three young women wearing Baro’t Saya in the Commonwealth Era style in a forest setting. All three have their panuelo wrapped around their heads. The girl farthest in the back carries an open umbrella./.End ID]

3) The Dark

Lastly, the Dark’s Filipiniana is based off of 1840s church-wear. I thought I could do something with the hood and the church theme suited the Dark well.

I’ll admit the Dark gave me trouble. Dark is a very vague theme. The hood is the main focus of the dress I think as everything else is pretty standard/I ripped off from the original whoops. The trim is supposed to look like a bunch of closed eyes. The inner hood is a dripping black mass with eyes from who-knows-where. The tapis has a pattern of several hands grasping each other by the wrist because something unknown gripping you from the dark is terrifying. “The blanket never did anything” anyone? 

[ID:  "A damsel going to early mass," by Justiniano Asuncion, 1841. The painting features a woman looking to the left, wearing darkly coloured 1840s church-wear with a hood, she holds a white cloth in her right hand./.End ID]

[ID: "A señorita walking to church in the daytime," by Justiniano Asuncion, 1841. The painting features a woman looking to the left, wearing brightly coloured 1840s church-wear with a thin gauzy white hood. She holds a small book, presumably a bible. ./.End ID]

[darkurgetrash]

Help! I’m the Main Character!

Read series on AO3 | #HITMC

“They both looked at her like she was off her rocker, and she had to concede that they were probably right. No sane person would truly believe that they’d been isekai’d into a fantasy video game. Certainly not in their pyjamas.”

When Lo found herself suddenly teleported into the world of her favourite game, Baldur’s Gate 3, it seemed that the only solution would be to follow the story she knew so well. / However, with every attempt made to follow canon, Lo finds herself only derailing the game even further. It certainly doesn’t help matters either that Rolan, the Wizard tiefling she’d not bothered to talk to in her playthrough, seems entirely set on thwarting her every decision. / Needless to say… this adventure certainly isn’t giving the ‘main-character energy’ Lo had hoped for.

Rated: E

Read for: romantic comedy, sort-of enemies-to-lovers, chaos incarnated, romantic slow burn, eventual smut

First chapter under the cut.

Chapter One: What is this? An Isekai?

Wordcount: 2324

Lo was no stranger to lucid dreaming, especially when it came to ones about her newest hyperfixations, yet this one felt even more vivid than usual.

Normally, whenever her one-track mind plummeted her into the universe of her current favourite game, ‘Baldur's Gate 3’, it at least had enough decency to make her ‘Tav’ — Strong, magical, athletic… blessed with impossibly voluminous and shiny hair as if Withers was her own personal stylist. Oh, and tits that didn’t bow to the laws of gravity.

But tonight, her brain obviously had… different ideas. Tonight, it had thrust her right at the beginning, straight onto the crashing Nautiloid, but as herself, no less; Not as a seven-foot baddie tiefling with bright pink skin and a mysterious glint in her eye, but as basic bitch, paler than a ghost Charlotte Polly Berry, with weak joints and low muscle mass, a resting heart-rate of 91 BPM, and chronic back pain.

…And she was low-key here for it.

With a big yawn, Lo clambered out of her smashed mind-flayer pod like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon — albeit, a little bit fatigued — and opened her senses to the world around her.

A rancid stench filled the air, so revolting and putrid that she gagged, and even the taste of bile rising in her throat felt incredibly realistic. Shit, even as her shoeless feet squelched across the ridged, gore-filled floor, she couldn’t help but feel proud of the power of her mind. If only she could have that much mental power in daily life, she’d have already girlbossed her way into a pay rise without even breaking a sweat.

Though, as she looked down at herself, she found herself again wishing it had been a bit more creative than to mould her in the same pyjamas she wore that night: an old t-shirt with a faded Hello Kitty on the front, grey sweatpants, stripy socks, and an oversized hot-pink teddy-bear cardigan.

Couldn’t it at least have conjured her some badass armour? Or given her elf ears? Aasimar wings? She jumped in the air experimentally, wondering if she might start flying, yet gravity pulled her heavily back down with an unceremonious thunk.

Ugh. Not that lucid, then.

With a huff, she ran her fingers through the length of her messy ponytail, the grease unmistakable. If that was the case, she thought, then she probably also… mm, yep. She still had star-shaped blemish stickers dotting her face too.

She couldn’t help but laugh, thinking of how ridiculously she stood out against the Nautiloid. At least where that was concerned, her brain had conjured every detail to perfection, from the bubbling acid pool in the centre of the room to the dead mind flayer sprawled on the ground, and even the scorching heat radiating from the flames pouring through the cracks in the floor.

She wondered if plunging her hand into the acid would hurt, considering how realistic it all felt, though decided that she didn’t want to risk it. It might wake her up, and she rather enjoyed the idea of exploring the Nautiloid in such a lucid state, even as uncomfortable and high-key over-stimulating as it all was. Besides, she had to physically go back to the office the next day, and anything felt preferable to that — even an icky alien ship plummeting through literal hell. Actually, come to think of it, even that didn’t seem all that different to the London Underground’s Central Line at rush hour.

The more she thought about the ship as an extension of her subconscious’ feelings about London, the more it all made sense. Take the dead mind flayer, for example… Was it really all that different to a seafood vendor with hanging squids in its window?… if those squids were around seven feet tall and dressed in purple armour?

Uh-huh, she thought not!

With the illithid body calling to her — the loot goblin that she was — she walked towards it and knelt down, grinning at how detailed it was as she rifled through its armour, picking up the onyx that she remembered was there. It glistened with reflections of the surrounding flames as she held it up, twirling it this way and that.

Impressive, she thought. Like playing the game on real world graphics.

“…Poggers.” She ironically chuckled aloud to herself, slipping the gem into the pocket of her sweatpants before running a finger over the mind flayer’s brow. Mm. Slimy.

Well, she thought, striding confidently forwards. If her mind was insistent on being so vivid, she planned to take full advantage! Starting, of course, with venturing across the ship and meeting the first two companions of the game. What would they think of her? Would it just be the same reaction as they’d had to her Tav, or would her dream allow her to… spice things up a bit?

Yet, as she reached where her favourite green goblin’s cutscene usually triggered… nothing happened. She frowned, looking around expectantly, but it seemed to be that her would-be ambusher had failed to load.

“Wow, thanks brain,” she sighed, folding her arms. “Why have a hot githyanki girlfriend when I could just revel in alien juices—”

The ship violently shook and Lo suddenly fell to her knees, grimacing as she felt the sting of where the jagged floor cut her, a red patch quickly spreading across the knee of her trackies.

“Ow, Jesus Christ!—” she swore, sitting back and rolling up the legs of her sweats, eyes widening at the sight of blood beginning to gush from her kneecap.

So her subconscious mind had decided to remember her anaemia too?!

It hurt. Like, really hurt! Though, she supposed it made sense. If things were going to be realistic, it was only right that she’d have injured herself falling over in this universe. She’d always joked that any self-insert into the game wouldn’t have made it out of the tutorial, after all. Either that, or she’d have been part of the goblin camp. Or a dog.

Then, just as suddenly as before, the ship convulsed again, and her surroundings changed in an instant — No longer the stormy red fires of Avernus, but now the starry skies of Faerûn, and the ship was plummeting; crashing!

Her heart raced, pounding inside of her like a jackhammer, the threat of imminent death suddenly all too real, and she’d had enough, she wanted to wake up!

“Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up!” She urged herself, shaking her head, just before her body involuntarily lurched forward, the floor disappearing beneath her, and she was falling, fast — the air wrapping around her so violently that she couldn’t even scream, could barely even breathe! It all felt so real, so horribly real, yet it was impossible, wasn’t it? She didn’t believe in magic, didn’t know if she believed in alternative universes, and she didn’t even like those stupid shows and films like ‘Sword Art Online’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, or ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Christ, even that BBC TV series from the 2000’s about the woman who swapped places with Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice was only worth being considered a guilty pleasure…

A sharp pain suddenly erupted in the side of her head, her vision darkening as debris fell all around her…

And then all was black.

── *(¬_¬)* ──

“Hells, are you alright?!”

Ugh… five more minutes…

“Leave her, Lia. She’s a lost cause.”

“Oh shut up and use your eyes — look, her chest is moving.”

“Zurgan! We don’t have time for this! Cal is waiting for us.”

I don’t want to work today. Or any day… Can’t I just sleep?…

“Give me a healing potion.”

“I am not wasting a precious resource on some human we don’t even know, especially not one who is clearly mentally disturbed — look at what she’s wearing—”

“Now, Rolan!”

Christ on a bike. Who is shouting outside?! Honestly, some people have no respect, it’s too early. Wait, is it bin day? Ah crap, but she’d forgotten to take the recycling out…

“You’re insufferable.”

In the next moment, a boiling sensation suddenly filled Lo’s stomach, a thick syrup-like liquid pouring down her throat. Then, with a gasp, she opened her eyes.

“The fuck?—” She exclaimed, as a horrible and tight tingle reverberated through her body like the flu jab on steroids. Above her, orange glowing eyes against black sclera investigated her face, and she recognised them — a tiefling, one of the refugees in the Grove…

“Don’t move,” the tiefling instructed, moving her finger across her face so that Lo’s eyes followed it. She had a throbbing pain in her head, aches all over her body like she’d been in the centre of a mosh pit. Mothertrucker dude, it hurt like a buttcheek on a stick.

“What’s going on….” She murmured, clarity beginning to settle over her and, with it, a panicked recollection. She’d been falling from the Nautiloid, but it had been a dream, a nightmare — was she still asleep? But there was no way; birds chirped too loudly, the pain of her body too present, the air all too cold…

“She’s alright,” the tiefling said, standing up and offering a hand out. Behind her, another tiefling stood with a sour face and folded arms — that tall one… he was her brother, wasn’t he? Yes, that was right. They were the siblings she had advised to leave the Grove and head to Baldur’s Gate… What were their names, again?

“Honestly,” he said, his voice a low lisp. “We’ll never make it to Baldur’s Gate if you insist on helping every wounded person we come across.”

He glared at Lo, his yellow eyes boring into her with obvious irritation.

“You owe me a healing potion.”

“I owe you what?!” Lo spat, sitting up so quickly that she felt dizzy, her hand raising to her head to steady herself, and — shit, it was bloody… And her clothes were bloody. And her body groaned with ache. And she felt tired, really bloody tired. And…

Oh… oh no…

“Don’t be an idiot, Rolan. She’s obviously just been through something horrible, we have to help her back to the Grove! The Druids will know what to do.”

This… was real.

“Oh yes, because the Druid’s have been so helpful and welcoming—”

“OK, NOBODY PANIC!” Lo blurted, harshly taking the sister’s hand and stumbling to her feet. Her joints creaked, her muscles throbbed, and her heart pounded inside of her chest like the worst drum and bass song she’d ever heard. But, then again, a five-minute walk on the treadmill usually yielded the same results. She needed to chill, just… just gooo with the flooow…

“Druids, right, yes, the druids,” she said, hitting her fist against her palm as began pacing. “That’s a good idea. I’ll talk to … to…”

Shit. If this was like the game, Halsin wouldn’t be there, and it’s probably not like he would have been able to help anyway. And, oh yes, another matter! If this all was for real real, where were her companions? They needed her. Or… that is, they needed Tav. Was Tav in the game?! Was she Tav?! Did she have a tadpole inside of her brain?!

Her mind was reeling, trying to come up with some semblance of a plan or explanation, but it failed at every hurdle. She could feel the tiefling’s eyes on her, and she knew she had to act cool or risk being stabbed, probably.

Yeah… It would be fiiineee. She knew what to do, she knew how to progress! She just needed to take things one step at a time…

“Hey…” the sister said, softly. She tentatively reached out, placing her hand on Lo’s shoulder. “Come on, we’ll take you to a proper healer.”

“Ahaha, bet, a healer. I’m sure that will definitely help, I’m sure she won’t try to poison me or anything sus like that.” Lo babbled, taking an unsteady step forward past the tieflings, ready to move toward the Grove when she realised…

Real life doesn’t have a mini map.

She took a deep breath and turned back to the siblings, forcing a friendly and most definitely trustworthy smile. They both looked at her like she was off her rocker, and she had to concede that they were probably right. No sane person would truly believe that they’d been isekai’d into a fantasy video game. Certainly not in their pyjamas.

“Lead the way, then…” she said, readjusting her ponytail, trying not to think of the gore and viscera that probably stained her light brown hair, the fact that she was a gremlin girl with no survival skills thrust into the most dangerous world she could imagine, or the fact that Faerûn lacked modern plumbing.

“Of— of course!” The sister mumbled, glancing at her brother almost apologetically, though definitely with some slight amusement. “I’m Lia, by the way, and this is Rolan.”

“Lo,” she said, her voice forcefully bright. “I like naps, piña coladas, and getting caught in the rain.”

“Oh, ha, cool…” Lia replied, her amusement definitely growing in fervour. “I like cheese, hitting things with my sword, and not dying.”

“Zurgan—” Rolan snarled exasperatedly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He groaned even further as he walked past the giggling women, granting them a wide berth as if they carried the plague.

“Don’t encourage the lunatic!” He grumbled, just as Lia caught up to his side, Lo following behind. “You do realise, I hope, that we now have an insane person under our responsibility? All because you wanted to play the hero.”

“Better than playing the arsehole, you should try it some time.” His sister smirked back.

“You know just as well as I do that she’d probably have been better off dead.”

As Lo grew pink, her breath ragged as she struggled to keep pace… she couldn’t help but slightly agree.

Oh well, she shrugged.

It is what it is…

[laurasimonsdaughter]

I got a copy of Erdoes and Ortiz's American Indian Myths and Legends (1984) for Christmas and it is fascinating to me how various Native American tales portray romance between humans and non-humans. Especially compared to the European takes on that motif, which usually center on the relationship being doomed from the start, because humans belong only with humans. But this does not seem to be the default in the Native American tales in this collection!

There was one story which did portray the relationship as doomed (Tolowim woman and butterfly man, Maidu) and one where a human woman was taken against her will and gladly rescued by her husband (The stolen wife, Tewa). But there is also a tale where a wife is willingly taken by a great buffalo and when her human husband steals her back and kills White Buffalo Chief, she mourns him so that her jealous husband kills her (Apache chief punishes his wife, Tiwa).

That last tale, while tragic, already goes out of its way to show that the woman was happy with the powerful buffalo, and there are four stories in the collection that make a point of ending in happiness:

The industrious daughter who wouldn't marry (Cochiti)

A beautiful young woman who is a master at making beautiful garments spurns all her human suitors, until it is widely known that she doesn't care for young men. Coyote hears of this and goes to court her, dressed in his finest clothes. He does not offer her any gifts, but he dances very well and he brings a branch of blackcurrants, which are her favourite. She is pleased with him, so she takes him home, sleeps with him, and gives birth to two little coyotes. Her parents are dismayed and the other people turn away from her, but Coyote brings her to his home under the ground. There he has all kinds of clothes just as fine as the ones she makes, and she lives there happily with him ever after.

The Serpent of the Sea (Zuni)

The beautiful daughter of the priest-chief of the village Home of the Eagles cannot abide dust or dirt. Every day she spends almost all her time bathing in the sacred spring of the Serpent of the Sea and this angers him. He changes himself into a beautiful baby boy and she finds him and takes him home to care for him. As soon as she falls asleep the Serpent takes his true form again, coiling himself all around the maiden and all around the room. In the morning the whole household panics, but the girl’s father understands what happened and begs the Serpent to let his daughter return to her family once more, even though she now belongs to him. The Serpent moves enough to release her, finally waking her. She is very frightened, but after four days of ceremonies she bids her family goodbye and goes with the Serpent. As they travel the Serpent takes the shape of a beautiful young man, and speaks in a kinder and kinder voice, until she dares to look at him. Startled she asks him where the terrifying creature has gone. He explains that he is the serpent, but that he loves her, and that if she will consent to come and stay with him they will live and love each other forever in the Waters of the World. The maiden goes with him, forgetting her sadness and forgetting her family, and lived with him ever after.

The man who married the moon (Isleta Pueblo)

The great leader, weaver, and medicine man Nah-chu-rú-chu (the bluish light of dawn) got tired of all the young women trying to win his affection. He proclaimed that he would marry the girl who could grind corn meal so fine that it would stick to his pearl water dipper. The only woman who could do it was the Moon, who was an Isleta maiden before she went to live into the sky. He marries her and loves his moon-wife above all things. Two sisters, the Yellow Corn Maiden, are so jealous that they persuade the moon to admire her reflection in the water of the well, and push her in to drown her. The chief mourns so deeply that it no longer rains and all the crops begin dying, until they bring him a mysterious flower from a mound in the forest where his wife disappeared. He performs a sacred ritual and the moon is brought back to life. The corn maidens are changed into helpful, gentle snakes as punishment, and the moon lives happily with her husband.

The woman who married a merman (Coos)

A girl who refuses all her suitors and goes swimming in the creek every day becomes pregnant without understanding how. She gives birth to a baby that always cries unless it is left outside, where someone brings it seal meat to eat. The young mother watches over her baby and at night is approached by a man who says he is her husband and promises she will be safe if she goes with him. The merman takes his wife and child to the bottom of the sea, where many people lived. Her husband was one of the five sons of the village chief and the couple lived there happy and satisfied. She goes to her relatives once to get arrows for her little boy to play with, and once to visit her brothers. The second time they see her shoulders are turning dark and scaly like those of a sea serpent. She never returned again, but sea serpents came into their harbour, and every summer and winter they would send a whale ashore, a gift to their kinsmen above the sea.

Erdoes and Ortiz even draw a parallel between the tale of the Serpent of the Sea and Beauty and the Beast, but I rather love the girl running off with the Coyote and "the woman who married a merman" is such a lovely counterpoint to the selkie and mermaid stories I grew up with. I'm really happy with this book~

[abbysleftbicepp]

The Thief And The Fairy

An Ellie Williams x Maleficent!Reader au. Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5

an: again, this is a strangers to lovers to enemies so if u don’t fw that then don’t read!! there will be angst coming soon. Enjoy!

|~~~|~~~|~~~|~~~|~~~|~~~|~~~|~~~|~~~|~~~|

The day had gone by faster than the girls had hoped, they spent it together doing what Y/N considered fun.

The winged girl told Ellie to hold onto her foot, and once she did, Y/N took flight over a shallow river, leaving Ellie splashing with her legs in the water. The human was laughing so much she thought her lungs would burst, she couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’s had this much fun.

Once Ellie had dried, Y/N noticed how fascinated the girl was of her wings. So she decided to allow the human to touch them.

Ellie’s eyes widened and made sure it was definitely okay with Y/N, as she didn’t want to cross boundaries. The fairy smiled and nodded, stretching a wing out towards the girl.

Slowly, Ellie reached her hand out to touch the feathered wing. She didn’t even notice how much she was smiling, and Y/N thought that seeing Ellie in awe was the most beautiful thing in the world.

“They’re a lot softer than i thought they’d be.” Ellie spoke softly. Y/N chuckled in return.

The two girls grew a bond stronger than they’d imagined. And for a time it seemed, or in them at least, the old hatred between men and fairies had been forgotten.

As months passed, Ellie was sure to visit the moors to see Y/N at least three times a week. It became a routine for the two girls.

One day, Ellie decided to collect bits and bobs that were laying around in the farm, and created a necklace for the girl whom she was so drawn to.

“what’re you doin lass?” the farmer asked impatiently.

“I’m making a necklace for my friend, sir!” Ellie responded with excitement.

“Well could you take yur brick-brackering elsewhere. I’m tryna clean out the stables wee lamb.” He finished, hurrying Ellie outside.

Once the necklace was complete, she ran as fast as she could towards the Moors. She was worried that Y/N would have left already, as Ellie was later than usual.

“Y/N?” She called out, her heart racing. She never understood why her heart would race whenever she saw the girl, that never happened a while ago.

“I almost thought you wouldn’t show up. Is everything okay?” Ellie heard her favourite voice behind her.

Quickly turning around with a smile, Ellie responded. “Everything is okay! I was making something and i lost track of time.”

“Oh i see. Well i’m glad you’re here now. The Pixies are asking if you’d like to-“ Y/N spoke as Ellie cut her off,

“I was actually wondering if we could go to your tree again. I have a surprise for you.” She beamed. Y/N was shocked, She’d never had surprises or gifts from anyone, so she was curious as to what it could be.

“Of course! Remember to hold on tight.” She spoke as Ellie jumped into the girls arms, wrapping her own around her neck. Y/N held Ellie under her legs so she wouldn’t fall. Once she felt that she was holding her correctly, she took flight.

“Ahhhh!!!” Ellie screamed. “I don’t think i’ll ever get used to that!!” She giggled, holding onto her friend tighter. Y/N felt a strange feeling in her stomach, as if a family of butterflies had just been set loose inside of her. Was this normal?

When they arrived at the top of the mountain, Y/N stood still, allowing Ellie to stop clinging at her own time. Ellie jumped off of the fairy, and walked over to the mountain edge, sitting down. Y/N followed suit.

“I made this for you.” Ellie said, taking the necklace out of her pocket. it was made of wood that’s she’d shaped into beads, and was threaded through yarn that she found under her bed. No metal or Iron was used as she did not want to hurt her dear friend.

And as it were, friendship slowly grew into something else.

The routine continued for two years, and they enjoyed every moment of it. Ellie had gotten to know the people of the Moors, as Y/N had introduced her to them, and she felt like family around everyone.

A few more months passed, and it was finally Y/N’s sixteenth birthday. She was so excited as Ellie told her that she had something special planned for her. She sat by the edge of the Moors ever since the sun peaked over the mountain, waiting for her human.

As soon as she spotted the girl, she flew over to her at haste, hugging her tight. “Aghh i’ve missed you so much!!” Y/N spoke into the girls hair. Ellie giggled, hugging her back.

“It’s only been three days my love. But i’ve missed you too” She responded before parting from the hug.

“So, what do you have planned?” Y/N asked curiously, barely able to keep her excitement at bay.

“You’ll have to wait and see sweetheart.” She responded with a smirk, holding onto her fairy’s hand.

Ellie lead Y/N through the Forrest, towards the heart of the Moors where the pixie trio were waiting for them.

Fittle was a pixie who wore a dress made from blue flowers, and butterflies surrounded her and a blue flower as a hat. Knotgrass was a pixie who wore a dress made from pink flowers and wore a pink flower upon her head. And finally, Thistlewit was a fairy who wore green and yellow flowers as a dress, and a green flower upon her head just like her sisters.

“It’s Ellie and Y/N!!” Thistlewit yelled, clapping her hands in excitement.

“Shhh! you’ll ruin the surprise!” Knotgrass disciplined her sister, whacking her on the arm.

“Ow! What was that for?!” She yelled, holding her arm where her sisters hand was mere seconds ago.

“Hello Pixies, you’re all dressed nice. How are you today?” Y/N smiled at the trio, still holding Ellie’s hand.

“We’re okay thank you.” Fittle spoke up. The trio, being the size of Y/N’s hand, flew closer to the girl so she could see them better.

“Happy birthday!!!” They all said in union, throwing flower petals at the birthday girl. She gasped and started giggling, smiling ear to ear. “Thank you so much!” she spoke.

“Okay now hurry along! Or Ellie will chicken out from ki-“ Thistlewit spoke before Knotgrass quickly interrupted her. “SHHH!!” You’ll spoil Ellie’s gift to her!!” She yelled, sighing at her sisters ignorance.

“Oh! Yes, sorry.” Thistlewit apologised.

Y/N thanked the trio again before Ellie dragged her through the forrest once more, reaching a cliff side that had a stunning view of the sunset over a lake. Ellie instructed for Y/N to keep her eyes closed a few minutes prior to arriving.

“Okay you can open your eyes now.” Ellie spoke softly near her ear. The fairy did as told and her eyes widened at the view. How had she never come here before?

“It’s beautiful..” She was at a loss for words.

“That’s not your final gift my love.” Ellie giggled.

“it’s not?” She asked confused, her eyebrows knit together. Ellie chuckled, shaking her head. She turned the girl to face her fully, and held both of her hands.

“My gift to you is a true loves kiss.” She whispered shyly, her cheeks quite red.

“A what?” Y/N laughed. Ellie was shocked, had she never heard of true loves kiss?

“A true loves kiss?” Ellie spoke as if to say duh.

“What’s a kiss?” Y/N corrected herself. Ellie’s eyes widened. How did she not know what a kiss was? That was bizarre to her. She smiled softly at the fairy as her eyes flickered between Y/N’s eyes and lips.

“Shall i show you?” She asked, stepping slightly closer. Y/N nodded, her heart beat picking up and that family of butterflies returning in her stomach yet again.

Upon gaining the girls consent, Ellie leaned closer, finally connecting their lips. Y/N’s eyes widened and a smile broke on her face before she closed them, and kissed her back. She wasn’t too sure what she needed to do so she just followed Ellie’s lead.

Their love only grew stronger from that day forward, But it was not to be.

taglist: @seraphicsentences

let me know if you want to be notified for the next part! 💗🌸🌿

[thesilliestrovingalive]

Updated: September 20, 2024

Reworked Character #6: Nadia Cassel

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death, neglect, abuse, kidnapping, stalking, and SA.

Real name: Nadège Véronique Comtois

Alias: Ravenous Chatterbox and Boffin That Flies High

Occupation: Private of the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. and a tactical scientist for the Amadeus Syndicate (formerly)

Retirement plans: Become a professional forensic scientist, acquire a private jet, and establish an art studio and an ethical science lab

Special skills: Marksmanship, piloting, forensic science, knowledge of biological agents and toxins, and creating detailed, observational drawings of enemy positions and terrain

Imperfect clone abilities: At her own will, she can rapidly regenerate missing limbs and organs, minimising blood loss and restoring her body to its original form without the need for medical aid. Her blood possesses extraordinary healing properties, capable of instantly curing non-lethal ailments, skin punctures, and all manner of burns. When Nadia opens her mouth wide and flexibly shifts her upper and lower front teeth, she reveals four syringe-like fangs, which are neatly concealed within the hard palate. These fangs enable her to consume the blood of other living beings and replenish her own lost vital fluid.

Her body is resistant to all lethal toxins and pathogens. Moreover, she possesses incredible agility and can move at hyperspeeds. Notably, her pancreas, shielded by a thick layer of blubber, has the unique ability to produce a bile-infused silk. She utilises this silk to puke up robust, ensnaring nets that capture her victims and slowly burn them with its corrosive properties. Nadia’s hands feature reseda chartreuse eyes with feline pupils, granting her night vision, and her fingernails are entirely fleshy, concealing retractable claws made of an adamantine greenish-yellow material.

Hobbies: Painting landscapes, going on shopping sprees (she often buys gifts for her comrades and friends), reading books on anatomy, messing around with flight simulation software, and eating large quantities of food after each mission

Likes: Trevor, sweet and spicy foods, giving everyone nicknames, maintaining her figure, and the one time she accidentally ate a butterfly

Dislikes: Starvation, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), getting unnecessarily dirty, people telling her to “shut up”, and individuals that she views as scary and incapable of having fun (such as Tequila and Eri)

Favourite food: Coq au vin, phaal curry, and candy

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Gender: Female

Age: 12 (in 2022), 18 (in 2028), 20 (in 2030), 22 (in 2032), 24 (in 2034), 31 (in 2041), 33 (in 2043), 34 (in 2044), and 37 (in 2047)

Blood type: B+

Weight: 120 lbs. (54 kg)

Design: She’s a 5’ 4” (162.56 cm) French ectomorph with a gracefully thin body, small breasts, curvaceous hips, sloping shoulders, and a serpentine tongue covered in microscopic spikes. She has limestone skin and possesses feline-like pupils that transform into vertical slits only when she opens her mouth wide enough to reveal her concealed fangs. Her eyes are heterochromatic with her right eye being a warm amber, while her left eye is grey-green with brown flecks. Nadia has a few moles: one on the right side of her chin; one near the corner of her left eye; two above her left breast; one on the back of her right hand; and one slightly below her right knee.

She has raspberry hair with voluminous curls that reach her waist, but she often ties them into pigtails with stretchy reseda green hair bands. She has a silvery-pink birthmark on her left shoulder, almost shaped like a crescent moon with three protruding spikes. A large circular patch on her upper back is stripped of skin, exposing crimson muscles and purplish veins, and her greenish-yellow spine is partially protruding.

Her military gear consists of a metal dog tag necklace with her name, an avocado green tank top, and mid-calf socks with black and white zebra stripes. She wears Argentine blue neoprene gloves, reseda green leather belt, and a champagne-hued vest with the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. insignia on the back. She wears navy blue army cargo pants tucked into twilight lavender combat boots with spiked soles. She also wears a dirty white lab coat, black knee pads, a case for her stun gun, and a gun holster for a handgun. Her vest has two hidden strapped compartments to hold up to two firearms when needed, but they’re often accompanied by a bonesaw and a 7.62mm AR-10 Autorifle.

The pockets of Nadia’s vest carry around a pocket knife, a sticky note pad, a red pin, a black cellphone with a metallic green case, a blue pin, and a bag of macadamia nuts. In the pockets of her lab coat, she carries an orange-and-white cat plushie with blue eyes and an emerald green tie named Melekhai (used for stress relief), along with a small box of frosted sugar cookies. She wears a forest green waist pack containing a bottle of laxatives and two blood packs for snacking. Attached to the left side of her belt is a square-shaped pouch with a clear plastic window, showcasing balls of bubblegum and lollipops in different colours inside. The pouch features an amaranth pink outline, feline ears with bluish-white fur, a pistachio-hued strap with a black button clasp, and a metallic silver zipper.

Over her tank top, she dons a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) with a MultiCam pattern, which carries around her walkie-talkie and ammo for other firearms. She wears two dark brown bandoliers that cross over her body in an X-shape, each holding grenades. Nadia carries around a navy blue load-bearing backpack that contains camping equipment, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, greenish-black gas masks for her teammates in need of one, a medical kit, and liquid and pill bottles of cures and deadly chemicals. She also carries around a painting kit, her mint green sketchbook with bubblegum pink polka dots, and a set of drawing pencils with two erasers and a sharpener.

She also wields a specialised rifle that fires needles containing transformative liquids, capable of altering humans into simian or mantis creatures. Additionally, she carries purplish rolling bombs that contain mummifying breath and throwable canisters filled with a zombie-inducing orangish phlegm that explodes upon impact. She wears safety goggles, star-shaped lavender spinel earrings that dangle from her ears, and a non-dangling peridot belly ring piercing.

Personality: She boasts swift wit and inventive verbal humour, often outsmarting her foes with clever sabotage tactics. Despite being a childish, happy-go-lucky, and sassy goofball, she has a surprisingly intelligent and cynical side, but she loves to indulge her silly and jubilant nature. Due to her fondness for her exceptional intellect, she sometimes perceives other people as “intellectually inferior” to herself. She conceals her bitterness and wariness of strangers behind a facade of playful teasing, mischievous pranks, sarcastic remarks, and a charming smile. She cherishes her friendship with Trevor, who is her first true best friend. She appreciates his laid-back nature and ability to understand her effortlessly. Over time, she has developed subtle romantic feelings for him, largely due to his hacking expertise and the enjoyable quality time they share. However, she has become adept at concealing these emotions.

She demonstrates her loyalty to her friends by nurturing their relationships and showing platonic affection, often showering them with hugs and kisses. She's a fearless advocate for herself and others, refusing to tolerate bullying or any form of mistreatment, and will boldly speak out against it. She has a fondness for assigning nicknames to those around her, including friends and foes alike. For instance, she has nicknamed Marco as "Markie", Tarma as "Tarms", Eri as "Rie", Fio as "Fifi", Trevor as "Trevie", Ralf as "Ralfeezy", Clark as "Clarkster", Hyakutaro as "Hyaro", Tequila as "Tequi", Gimlet as "Gimbo", Red Eye as "Dey-Dey", Walter as “Walty”, Tyra as “Rara”, Madoka as “Doka”, General Morden as "Mordy", Allen O'Neil as "Allio", and Ptolemaios as "Ptolema".

She's a friendly, humorous, and talkative busybody with a passion for creative expression and thrill-seeking adventures, which give her a taste of what it truly means to live. Despite efforts to maintain her supermodel figure, she has developed mild bulimia nervosa; while trying to resist the urge, she sometimes purges after eating. Additionally, she struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder, manifesting as a fear of contamination, anxiety about misplacing valuable items, and a need for order and balance. She also experiences distressing thoughts, including fears of losing control, harming loved ones, and intrusive thoughts about sexual subjects. Whenever she hears about child abuse or unethical experiments, she becomes visibly shaken, her mind goes numb, and she withdraws socially for a few hours, succumbing to a melancholic state.

She takes a disturbing pleasure in obliterating her enemies, often letting out a maniacal laugh as she does so. Outside of military work, she often dodges unwanted tasks by concocting elaborate schemes (frequently with Trevor's help) to avoid them. However, her plans often backfire, resulting in trouble for neglecting her duties. Moreover, she has a tendency to slack off during missions, especially when she becomes bored and her attention wanders to more exciting things. When she gets into trouble, especially when it involves people she has convinced to join her antics, she often tries to deflect responsibility by feigning innocence and shifting the blame onto others.

She possesses a fairly compassionate, laid-back disposition, which she only reveals to those closest to her. She's overconfident about her looks and seems unfazed by how people react to her inhuman features, yet she draws the line at absurd and unattainable beauty standards. She's deadly serious when needed and isn't afraid to intimidate people or berate individuals for doing something irrational or dangerous. She has a strong disdain for individuals who exhibit predatory behaviour, such as perverts and stalkers, and is unafraid to call them out and mock their actions mercilessly. She despises unnecessary secrecy and eugenics, opposing the lack of transparency and the racist underpinnings of genetic manipulation aimed at "improving" human populations.

She's quite gluttonous and becomes quickly hangry when she's extremely hungry and there's nothing to eat at the moment. She's an eavesdropper with a curious habit of inspecting, poking, probing, and even biting anything that piques her interest. She grapples with touch starvation, feeling emotionally isolated from others, and deeply dislikes being overlooked or ignored by those around her. She harbours intense resentment towards her mother due to her neglectful behaviour and excessive focus on satisfying scientific curiosity, which comes at the expense of considering others' needs and forming meaningful connections with them. She’s appalled by her mother's callous disregard for the pain she inflicts on others as well as the secrecy surrounding their family's lineage and her status as an imperfect clone.

Backstory: Nadège Véronique Comtois was born on August 6, 2010 in Quimper, France. She was created in a test tube through advanced Martian cloning technology and the DNA of Ghyslaine Laëtitia Comtois, her clone mother and founder of the Amadeus Syndicate, in an underground laboratory. Initially, Ghyslaine's interest in Nadège was rooted in scientific curiosity. She conducted psychological and sociological experiments to explore the similarities and differences between them. Ghyslaine would overfeed Nadège, only to discover that her daughter had an abnormal metabolism, making it challenging for her to gain weight. Unintentionally, Ghyslaine fueled Nadège's affection for junk food. At age 7, Ghyslaine subjected Nadège to a disturbing and unethical experiment, forcibly inducing puberty and sterilising her daughter as part of a eugenics test. During this period, Nadège longed to experience the outside world and connect with her clone mother. Unfortunately, Ghyslaine's focus on research led her to neglect Nadège’s emotional needs. She treated her more like a guinea pig than a human being, providing minimal motherly comfort and attention.

At the age of 9, Ghyslaine decided it was time for Nadège to explore the outside world, which filled her clone daughter with excitement. Together, Nadège experienced her first-ever outing to a shopping district and explored several notable attractions in Quimper, including the Breton County Museum, the Fine Arts Museum, and the Faience Museum. She received Melekhai as a reward for being well-behaved, and she still holds onto the plushie very dearly since it was the first heartfelt gift her clone mother gave her. Her experience with the outside world sparked Nadège’s curiosity in modelling and the creative arts.

However, her mother had other plans. Ghyslaine envisioned Nadège following in her footsteps as a renowned scientist and eventual heir to the Amadeus Syndicate. To nurture this ambition, Ghyslaine frequently presented Nadège with books on biology and chemistry, encouraging her to delve into the sciences. She encouraged Nadège to cover the unusual features on her palms and upper back by wearing neoprene gloves and modest clothing in order to avoid drawing unnecessary attention or judgement from others.

By the age of 11, Nadège had become proficient in biology and chemistry, thanks to her mother's guidance. She began attending school after being previously homeschooled by Ghyslaine and other Amadeus Syndicate scientists. Although her school years were uneventful, Nadia occasionally faced bullying due to her intense interests in science, modelling, and the creative arts, as well as her unusual habit of wearing neoprene gloves to conceal her hand-eyes.

However, the bullying ceased after rumours circulated that she had intimidated and bitten a school bully by revealing her hidden snake fangs—a claim that was surprisingly true. Nadège’s clone mother was indifferent to her academic pursuits but drew a firm line at harming others and divulging confidential information about the Amadeus Syndicate. When Ghyslaine learned about this incident, she smacked her in the face, then confined her to a padded room with two blood bags and a fresh corpse for three hours. As dinnertime approached, Nadège's hunger grew, leading her to make the desperate decision to consume the contents of the blood bags and feed on the fresh corpse.

During her high school years, Nadège frequently skipped classes to go shopping, feeling that she already possessed a strong grasp of the material being taught in her courses. To avoid arousing suspicion about her exceptional intelligence, she intentionally performed poorly on a few tests. During this time, she experienced significant weight gain, which unfortunately led to bullying and negative comments about her appearance. However, she handled the situation with confidence and resilience, effectively standing up for herself and dismissing the hurtful remarks. After completing high school, she promptly enrolled in a two-year college art program, specialising in landscape drawing for animation studios, before pursuing forensic science at the university level.

During her forensic studies at university, Nadège unexpectedly became an e-celeb supermodel who goes by the name of Nadia Cassel, doing so for the sheer enjoyment of it. Although her rise to fame was modest at best, she didn't mind, as she revelled in the opportunity to be herself and try something new. She formed a close bond with a fan from Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, Ophelia Clementine Rourke (whom she affectionately calls Ophie), who would later become a fighter plane pilot in the Regular Army.

However, as her fame as an e-celeb supermodel grew, she started to attract unwanted attention from predatory individuals, which caused her significant distress. Her situation intensified when she inadvertently revealed her hand-eyes during a livestream, leading to an escalation of online harassment. After a deranged fan attempted to kidnap and sexually assault her, she empowered herself by obtaining a gun licence and rigorously training to use a firearm, becoming a skilled markswoman.

The stress of her forensic studies and the pressures of being a supermodel took a toll on Nadia's mental health, leading to the development of OCD and bulimia nervosa. Her struggles with maintaining a strict diet, keeping her model-worthy figure, and need for control became overwhelming. Eventually, Nadège made the decision to quit modelling, as her mental health issues began to impact her studies. However, she kept the name of her e-celeb persona because she liked it. In a disturbing incident, she recalls defending herself against a stalker who attempted to assault and cannibalise her in her own home. The attack led to her involuntarily consuming the stalker's blood, unleashing a sadistic streak she never knew she had.

Once her forensic studies were completed, Nadia decided to pursue her pilot's licence, convinced by Ophie to join the tactical efforts of the Regular Army. After obtaining her licence and receiving military training, Ghyslaine permitted Nadia to join the Amadeus Syndicate as a tactical scientist. She proved to be highly successful, making a name for herself as she pushed the boundaries of scientific understanding in biology and chemistry. Nadia supplied the Regular Army with stable bioweapons, gas masks, and advocated for training recruits on the dangers of biological hazards. During a joint tactical mission with the Amadeus Syndicate and Regular Army against a bioterrorist attack, Nadia met Trevor and quickly formed a friendship with him. 

While searching Ghyslaine's office for documents for a chemical experiment, she stumbled upon classified test results revealing her true nature: an imperfect clone. The discovery shook her to her core. Further investigation led her to her clone mother's journal, exposing a dark family legacy of illicit collaborations with government agencies, inhumane wildlife experimentation, and development of devastating bioweapons and malicious computer viruses. Most alarming, however, was Ghyslaine's megalomaniacal plan for global domination and self-deification. Horrified, she contemplated abandoning the Syndicate, yet for mysterious reasons, she chose to stay.

During her work on a disease cure in South Africa, Nadia uncovered disturbing information: Ghyslaine sexually assaulted Marco, who was injured at the time. This traumatic event had far-reaching consequences, severely straining relations between the Regular Army and the Amadeus Syndicate. Horrified by Ghyslaine's actions, she defected to the Regular Army, dedicating herself to defending Earth against global threats. She vaguely recalls attempting to poison Ghyslaine by lacing her bitter coffee with powdered cyanide, but the plan backfired when another scientist accidentally drank from the cup instead.

She eventually joined the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. after befriending Fio and earning a sliver of respect from Eri. This was due to her impressive performance as a prospective agent, where she swiftly identified the chemical composition of a new illicit drug that had been baffling the Intelligence Agency. She achieved this by obtaining crucial documents and conducting rigorous, ethical experiments. Following the Survival Island Occupation, she provided crucial assistance to the hostages and kidnapped cadets who had been transformed into grotesque simian and mantis creatures, administering cures that successfully restored them to their human form.

[fandrawsart]

Do I know you?

So I have been experimenting with art styles, and when I was making this piece I wasn't all that happy with how it looked in my usual colouring style. I was like- I really really want it to look like it was plucked straight out of a comic. So I thought might as well hit two birds with one stone, and make this piece a Style study as well. The artist whose style I tried to study is one of my favourite One Piece artists. Their Shuggy art just gives me the butterflies. Shoutout to @huyandere

I have fallen in love with the fem Naruto design that I made for @bugbeee 's 'In Sound Judgement' and I adore creating fanart of her.

So here is a continuation of the Mission disaster - wherein Kakashi and Nana get separated from the rest of the team 7 and are attacked. In my mind, they were hit by a stray jutsu and were blasted to the past. The scenario was also influenced by that one Boruto episode, where he and Sasuke go back in time and meet 12-year-old Naruto. And I know we already have the Lost Tower and Road to Ninja, but that’s different. In them, Minato was older and there was a criminal lack of Kushina. I was like damn, what if Naruto/ Nana were to meet their parents when they were 12? Before they got together, and Kushina still had a major chip on her shoulder, and Minato and his team were- according to my timeline calculations- freshly abandoned by Jiraiya in favour of the Ame trio in the middle of a war.

I included both Kakashi and Nana because they are both Minakushi’s kids and deserve to know more about them. Kushina is this shining beacon of wonder in Nana’s mind. Someone whom she admires and who can do no wrong. She is the parent whom Nana has yearned to meet and make proud. Vs Minato who, she wants nothing to do with and ignores so much that she doesn’t even see him as her father, much less process the messy feelings she has regarding him.  

Nana knows when she meets Minato he will find her lacking and doesn’t bother, but she fears what Kushina will think. Because Nana knows without a doubt that Kushina loves her child, and that means a lot to a kid who keeps getting abandoned by the people around her. Kushina is a part of Nana which she selfishly guards, but if Kushina were to reject her then it would kill Nana.

This experience would make Nana realise that she is a lot more like both her mum and her dad than she realises. It would also make Nana get to actually know who Minato was before he was shaped to be the co-dependent martyr he was by the major traumas he suffered.

Same for Kakashi who thinks, he is the only unlucky bastard who got screwed over by a benign village, and much like Nana and Minato refuses to process the trauma.

I must emphasise- that this is a hypothetical scenario and is not canon to the actual fic- In Sound Judgement.

[myfanficfrenzy]

Arshi FF : A River Runs Through It

Author : Meera

Status : Completed and available on Meera’s blog

Genre: Romance, Angst, Fluff

“Keep Reading” to read my two cents on the fic. Contains a few spoilers

My two cents :

If you’re looking for a story that took the names of your favourite characters from IPK, moulded them into something golden and weaved a gorgeous tale surrounding them, look no further. This is a story that will break your heart and heal it just as amazingly.

A river runs through it, mirrors exactly what the name suggests; Journey of a river as it gushes towards its last destination- the ocean. Kaveri Khushi Gupta and Arnav Varun are here to make you realise just how much beauty resides in the ordinary.

This is what made me fall immensely with this FF. There are no exaggerated dramas and yet you will feel every emotion just as intensely. The magic of this tale is rooted in its simplicity. From a simple crush on a cute college senior to battling with much relatable insecurities, you will go on a compelling journey with Kaveri Khushi Gupta as she makes her way to her Ocean, her Arnav. From the campus and banks of Ganges in Varanasi to the scenic beauty of Rishikesh Riverside and to the corporate jungle of United States, you will follow Khushi and Arnav on a decade long journey and you will be left craving another decade with them.

Meera’s writing is surreal and she is hands down one of the best writers we have in the Arshi world. And would you believe me when I say Arnav and Khushi aren’t the only stars of the story? Meera’s love of 90s Bollywood music shines throughout the story and you will be hit with nostalgia and butterflies in equal measure, in every single chapter! The music itself is an important character in the tale, and shapes the story as both our protagonists hum their way through life. You’re gonna end this story with a riveting Bollywood playlist in your repertoire. Trust me!

If the above summary has still not convinced you to give this story a go here are the four words that should - Arnav with a guitar! Go read it now.

Ps and spoiler - Arnav singing ‘Janam Dekh lo’ and ‘Batein Ankahi’ has forever altered my brain chemistry. Now those two songs belong to him and this story. Coming from an SRK fan that’s saying something 😉

- I

[psychic-waffles]

Top 5...................?

Cookies?

Redheads (Dyed is acceptable)?

Costumes from tv or movies?

COSTUMES FROM MOVIES LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOO

i am gonna keep it just to movies or i'll be sitting here all day just trying to decide, this is something i am EXTREMELY passionate about (sorry)

Edith's Nightdress (Crimson Peak - Kate Hawley):

I'm a HUGE fan of all of the costumes in crimson peak, especially how edith and lucille's costumes run with the butterfly/moth motif in the movie, but my absolute favourite is edith's nightgown (sorry yellow dress, you were a close second)

as with all of edith's dresses, THE SLEEVES!! THE DETAIL!! THE DRAPE OF THE FABRIC!!! the amount of hours that must have gone into each of these costumes jut blows my mind. like jsut look closely at the stitching holding all of the pleating in place!!! the size of the buttons!! it's just utterly beautiful

but the nightdress just makes her look so young, and so fragile, especially when she's wearing the dressing gown as well she's just swamped in fabric.

and then the visual storytelling of the red of the clay and the blood creeping up from the hem when she's running around at the end, it's BEAUTIFUL.

Elizabeth Swann's 'Pirate King' outfit (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Penny Rose)

if i had to name one film that got me interested in how films were made more than any other it would be at world's end, i watched the behind the scenes features HUNDREDS of times. every single costume told a story, and the amount of thought gone into aging and weathering them just blew me away. it was so hard to pick just one costume, even just one of elizabeth's costumes (sorry black pearl nightgown) but honestly i wish i had a deeper reason for picking this one specifically but mostly i just think she looks cool as hell during the final battle.

and also i just will forever be heart eyes over the goldwork

Evelyn's wedding gown (The Fall - Eiko Ishioka)

Eiko Ishioka is a genius, the fall is quite honestly a visual masterpiece, and the costumes are a HUGE part of that. if you haven't seen it, half of the film is a little girl being told a story, and how she's picturing it in her imagination.

Because of this each costume is a totally unique look, and the fact that they're all so different to each other makes them pop even more. Everything is in bold shapes and colours, with distinct silhouettes, but the details are just as beautiful.

The costume I've actually picked is a evelyn's wedding gown, just because i think of all of them it's (by a narrow margin) the most visually striking. mostly due to that headpiece.

It's a moment in the film where all eyes are supposed to be focussed on evelyn (to distract from other things going on), so if they were going to put her in a showstopping costume this was the moment.

It's obviouslly just stunning all round, and such a genuinely interesting design, like no one else could have EVER come up with this other than eiko ishioka. I don't know how else to explain that other than go and look at the costumes for the fall (2006) and bram stoker's dracula (1992) next to each other and you'll get what i mean.

but it's the little details as well, that seem so unneccesary to the overall look but are still beautiful, like the change in bead on the end of the veil, the trim around the neck and on the headpiece, the slight pattern on the fabric. and then there's just the overall construction of it, which is just flawless!!

Truly i would sell my soul to see the design process behind any single costume in this film.

Queen Ravenna's 'Beetle' dress (Snow White and the Huntsman - Colleen Atwood)

i'm not going to try to defend it, this was a bad movie, HOWEVER the costumes were absolutely stunning, and ESPECIALLY the costumes they gave to charlize theron.

And despite being in the film for only a moment i will never ever be able to stop thinking about this dress.

the structured shoulders!! the colours!! the trailing layers!! the contrasting textures!! the way they've shredded the fabric to give it EVEN MORE texture!! and of course, most importantly, the hundreds of individually attached beetle shells

i just think it's a work of art

Aragorn's 'Strider' outfit (The Fellowship of the Ring - Ngila Dickson):

So i've always adored the lord of the rings costuming, it all feels very believable and cohesive as a world, whilst also having distinct looks for each race/location, and has set a bit of a blueprint that not a lot of high fantasy has strayed very far from since (which is a shame, but also speaks to how effective it is).

However my absolute favourite costume is Aragorn's first costume, or rather the version of this costume that he arrives at by the end of the Fellowship of the Ring. It's both an incredibly practical costume, whilst also having hints that Aragorn is more than just some random ranger. My favourite of which being the beautiful smocking detail on the sleeves.

I also am a HUGE fan of the fact that nothing on his costume is actually black - it's greens and blues and browns, and then it's all beautifully aged over the top of that, and there are parts that are ripped and sewn back together, it looks like something actually lived in (cue aragorn never showers joke). i just think it does a brilliant job of telling aragorns story visually. and of course it's kind of ""completed"" when he adds boromir's bracers to it 😭