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thestarkerisobvious · 3 years

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Kidnapped

tw: kidnapping, off screen violence, mentions of self-harm

spoiler alert: Angst With A Happy Ending

Chapter 1: The Mona Lisa

Peter looked out through the heavy white curtains, over the walls of the courtyard to the street below. He had a very good view of the world from this window, and as long as he sat still, no one would see him. He didn’t want anyone to see him. If someone saw, he would be punished.

The thought of Tony punishing him gave him a shiver in the warm room. He

didn’t want Tony’s punishments. Tony’s punishments could be cruel.

But there wasn’t much to see of the world, good view or not, so Peter went back to pacing.

He had three rooms to pace through – four if you included the luxurious bathroom Tony had made for him. There was nothing else to do but pace. He thought about doing more pushups or chin-ups on the bar Tony had installed for him, but he had done all his reps for the day. It felt petty, pacing back and forth passed the large piles of video games stacked up next to the huge monitor or the massive stacks of books opposite them, but Peter didn’t feel like addressing either pile (although he might dust them again. His rooms were all immaculate. No mess here.) He groaned in frustration. It was the only sound in the silent room. He gave his gaming chair a petulant kick. He wanted his computer back.

He didn’t know why Tony had taken his computer. He hadn’t broken any rules or earned any punishment. Tony told him it wasn’t a punishment… but it certainly felt like one. He had been right in the middle of a project and he was dying to get back to it. He knew he should be grateful that Tony had piled his rooms full of the newest video games and every book he had ever asked for, but that’s not what he wanted.

Maybe he should take Tony’s advice and write it all down – he glanced over the lovely antique writing desk that Tony had bought him, filled with expensive kinds of notebooks and journals sitting next to expensive pens. That seemed ridiculous to Peter, the idea of expensive pens, but it seemed to mean something to Tony, so he tried to be appreciative.

But dammit, he didn’t write things down like that. Well, not those kinds of things. Not his grandiose plans, not his clever internet schemes. Those weren’t things you wrote, those were things you did. He had tried, for Tony’s sake, to do more writing, but usually it came to nothing. He didn’t even bother sitting down at the desk now. He went back to pacing.

But pacing was boring too. Maybe he would go back to sitting at his view-of-the-world window. It was deliberately kept dirty on the outside, so that no one looking at the grand house (if anyone would) would see Peter’s face through the grime, and the bars on the windows, and the curtains. Problem was, the street in this mansion-filled-neighborhood just wasn’t very interesting at all. Once again, Peter longed for his computer. Of all the luxurious things Tony had stocked his hidden rooms with, that was the one thing he couldn’t live without. He didn’t know why it was gone, and he didn’t know for how long. He sighed, then growled in frustration. At least Tony would be back soon. Tony would bring information – explain why he wasn’t being punished even though it felt like he was being punished.

As he walked passed his exercise bar and leapt up to grab it, doing a few more chin-ups before resuming his pacing. He glared at it as he walked away. It was good for exercise, but it wasn’t good enough. It was just too boring. He couldn’t say why. When he was living in Quentin Beck’s mansion he had exercise equipment and a swimming pool and a private basketball court. It had been ages since he had played basketball. He wondered if he’d still be any good at it.

He paced by the large mirror that stood behind the huge dresser. He stopped for a moment and regarded himself. He was wearing an old t-shirt and saggy sweats, like he always was. He never saw the point in getting dressed when he wasn’t allowed outside these 3 rooms (four rooms. 3 rooms and a bathroom. The bathroom counted as a room. It was huge – as big, if not bigger, than his childhood bedroom. He wanted to remember that.)

Seized by sudden inspiration, Peter peeled off the shirt.

Turning to put his back to the mirror, he turned around and tried to see himself from behind. It didn’t work too well, so he backed up until he was practically sitting on the dresser. Then he could see.

Then he could see the bruises.

Mostly bite-marks, although those were fading. Thought they were bright and angry red just a few days ago. There were finger-bruises around his waist, too. Those made his breath catch… made his eyes well up with tears. There were three straight lines still visible across his back, but he was expecting those. Problem was, the worst of the bruises were very difficult to see from this position. He needed a second mirror – one he could look into so he could see the mirror behind him. That was the only way to see the ones right on the back of his neck.

For a moment, he turned around and looked at his own face.

There were no bruises there, and there never would be. Tony said Peter’s face was like a work of art… like the Mona Lisa. Too precious, to beautiful to bruise.

Peter smiled ruefully. He was the Mona Lisa, if you thought about it. Beautiful, like a picture. Beautiful, and locked away. Locked up tight and safe where no one, no matter how clever or how powerful, could steal him. But unlike the Mona Lisa, he had been hidden away as well. Hidden away so carefully that no one, not even the man who loved him the most, had the slightest clue where he was.

His rueful smile didn’t look good on his face, so he struggled to hide it. His pretty face. The only argument he had ever had with his kidnapper – the only time he had ever spoken up or raised his voice to Tony Stark – was when they argued about his face. But Peter didn’t argue too long. If he argued too long then he might get into trouble. If he got into trouble, he might get punished. Tony might take away his computer, and he didn’t want that…

(Of course he had been good, he had been very good, and lost his computer anyway...)

Peter leaned in and looked at his face closely in the mirror. It wasn’t a very good mirror, that was for certain. It wasn’t very good because it wasn’t really standing on the huge dresser (half of which was full of Balmain jeans and Dolce trousers and socks that cost more than his first bicycle.) The mirror wasn’t in the room at all. It was inside the wall, on the other side of a glass pane. The glass was unbreakable. Peter knew. He had tried. At least, it wasn’t breakable by any object Peter could find in his three (four) rooms.

Peter frowned as he looked at his chin. Tomorrow, or maybe the next day, Tony would have to shave him again. Peter wasn’t allowed to have razors, for the same reason he wasn’t allowed to have things that could be broken and turned into sharp objects. He had no one to blame for that except himself – at least he hadn’t been punished for that little slipup, not really. His only punishment was the removal of the sharp things and the installation of the mirror.

He looked closely at his face, still frowning. He hoped Tony would have time to shave him, otherwise… Peter shuddered. As much as he hated looking at his “beautiful” face, he hated that pale show of stubble even more.

Sighing, Peter put his shirt back on. As he did, he noted the faintest hint of bruises on his wrists. Faint, and fading fast. Barely visible. In a day, maybe two, and they’d be gone completely.

Not that it mattered. Tony would be back, and soon.

Tony would put the bruises back. All of them.

Sighing, then groaning, in frustration, Peter started pacing again. The silence of the rooms was really getting to him. He went to the window, and then back through the three rooms to the writing desk. Sometimes including the bathroom in the circuit. Then back to the window again. He would drive himself crazy if he kept pacing – but sitting behind the curtain looking down at the boring world would just be worse. He began to wonder if he should try to take a long luxurious bubble-bath in the huge bathtub… Tony certainly seemed to think that was a thing that people liked… maybe he could even do that and read a book at the same time. That was a thing that people did. But by that logic he could just take a nap. Or maybe…

Walking back to the writing desk, Peter sat in the chair and reached for a pen. He had considered keeping a diary (or a journal – girls kept diaries, boy’s kept journals) about the life he was living here. Behind all the locked doors. In the hidden rooms on the third floor of Tony’s secret house. It wouldn’t exactly be a private account – Tony would read it for certain – but it might pass the time at least. Give him something to do. Give him a place to complain, without complaining, about how unfair it was for Tony to take away his computer when he hadn’t even broken any rules.

He was actually reaching for one of the unused leather journals when he heard something that made his heart skip a beat.

He could sound of the key in the lock, even from where he sat. It was because of the dead silence in the room – he could never abide to have music playing when he was alone, no matter how nice a stereo system Tony had bought him, no matter how much music he had provided. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t abide to take a bath or play a video game while he was alone. He needed the silence.

He needed the silence so he would know when someone was coming.

And someone was coming.

Tony was home early.

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

chapter 2 coming tomorrow

ask to be tagged

warning: Not Really A Dead Dove (I try to do dark and always fail)

#Possessive!Tony #Starker #TheWitchwayWritesStuff #TheWitchway writes stuff #Peter Parker/Tony Stark

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authenticcadence18 · 3 years

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“Ice Cream and Dances Pt. 2: Electric Boogaloo” Ch. 2

…

HELLO I AM POSTING A FIC UPDATE!!!!!!!! :DD

(Also a disclaimer! This fic uses the phrase “more than friends” a lot, and I wrote the first chapter before I realized that phrase can imply that friendships are lesser than romantic relationships. I want to make it clear that I do not see romantic relationships as inherently more valuable than friendships. Friendship is equally as important!!!! In the context of Phineas and Isabella, starting a romantic relationship would literally be them becoming “more than friends” because they would then be romantic partners AND friends. So, when I use that phrase in this fic moving forward, this is the meaning I’m choosing to interpret it as!)

…

“Ice Cream and Dances” by FrsdGirl

AO3

Previous Chapter

…

Isabella did her best to focus on inhaling and exhaling as Phineas led her back onto the dance floor.

“THIS IS A FRIEND THING.”

Once they found an empty spot, Phineas let go of Isabella’s hand and turned to face her, eyes wide and face flushed and GOODNESS HE LOOKED CUTE—

“HYPOTHETICAL. PLATONIC.”

Somehow, Isabella’s hands found their way to Phineas’s shoulders, though she wasn’t consciously aware of it until she felt him gently place his hands on her waist and oh goodness, friend thing or not, Phineas still wanted to dance with her and be close to her even though they’d already danced earlier aND—

“NO. STOP IT. KEEP IT TOGETHER, GARCIA-SHAPIRO.”

For about half a minute, they swayed platonically (or, well, somewhat platonically), neither saying a word.

Isabella just kept on focusing on breathing, on making sure she didn’t lean too close to Phineas, on keeping the desire to admit she’d actually love to be here with him on a real date at bay.

(She couldn’t have known Phineas was focusing on very similar things.)

Sure, she’d been nervous when they danced like this earlier. But those nerves were nothing compared to the nerves she was experiencing now because NOW, she had much more to worry about.

This was still strictly a friend thing, but it was also now a hypothetical more-than-friends-who-were-on-a-date thing. Except it WASN’T actually hypothetical in Isabella’s case, and she couldn’t help but hope that it might be more than hypothetical for Phineas as well but NO, she couldn’t give in to that hope, that was dangerous, so she needed to maintain a good balance between honesty and nonchalance about all this but that was difficult to do when he was so close and holding her and good grief , why’d she ever taken Buford up on his dare, and—

“Isabella? Are you okay?”

Isabella started and blinked, clearing her head of myriad worries with a shake to find Phineas staring at her with concern in his eyes.

“You kinda spaced out there for a second…” he continued. “And you looked a little worried. Is something wrong? Would you rather do something else?”

“NO!!!!!” Isabella shot back. A few nearby couples darted their heads in their direction, and she winced (the LAST thing she wanted to do was draw more attention to her and Phineas after their “grand entrance”).

“I...I just mean… I’m fine. Really.” She did her best to muster a smile for Phineas’s sake. “Just got lost in thought for a bit, you know?”

Phineas grinned, seemingly relieved to know that she was okay (though that could’ve just been Isabella reading into things). “Been there, done that!” he said.

Isabella chuckled a little, the image of Phineas hunched over his phone flickering in her memory. “I bet! You looked pretty lost in thought while Buford and I were dancing earlier. Who were you texting? Or were you testing out a new app?”

She felt a little more at ease now that she was talking with Phineas (as opposed to drowning in her own thoughts.)

“Huh??” Phineas blinked and bit his lip, shoulders briefly tensing up beneath Isabella’s hands. “...UH, I was just...texting Candace!”

“Really? It must have been an intense conversation, you looked so focused. Did she ask you for advice on a case assignment or something?”

“Oh, no, it wasn’t that… I just….uh” Phineas stared at her for a second and then up at the sky before continuing, “...I talk with her a lot these days. She’s got good advice.”

Isabella smiled and nodded in agreement in response.

(Perhaps she was a little curious to know what exactly Phineas had been discussing with Candace. But she knew he’d tell her if he wanted to, and she didn’t want to press him in case he didn’t.)

In the meantime, she could change the subject.

“So...have you been brainstorming any new projects lately?” she asked. “Other than the Stargazer 3000 of course, though if you want to talk about that I’m all ears!”

Phineas’s eyes practically ignited with excitement, making something flutter and glow in Isabella’s chest.

“Yeah!!!” he exclaimed. “Yesterday Ferb and I started experimenting with levitating carpets, like we did when we were kids! We want to see if we can replicate the effects over a smaller surface. But the technology isn’t quite ready yet…..”

…

“And THAT’S how we plan to modify our pre-existing anti-gravity quantum state lift disk technology to function effectively over a smaller surface area!! We’re planning on finishing up a prototype tomorrow and using it for a project.”

“Cool!! Can I come over and help out?”

“Of course! You never have to ask to come over, Isabella. I’ll—er, we’ll always be glad to have you around.”

“Thanks!”

Sometimes, it was easy to take living across the street from Phineas for granted. Because of that, Isabella was used to his boundless creativity and ideas, used to his uncanny ability to make the impossible possible...but she never wanted to lose sight of how extraordinary just being able to be used to those things was.

Moments like this reminded her that Phineas was brilliant .

And handsome.

….brilliantly handsome.

She cracked a smile at that last thought.

Phineas, fortunately, didn’t ask why she was smiling. He just smiled back...and then tilted his head, his expression morphing from fond to thoughtful.

“.....I just realized something,” he said. “We danced earlier.”

Isabella nodded, unsure where he was going with this.

“I guess, I just realized…. This—you know, us , dancing together—it doesn’t feel much different from how it felt before, when we were dancing but like...strictly as friends. ….uH! Not that we aren’t dancing strictly as friends right now! But...the hypothetical more-than-friends thing you were wondering about...you’d think it would make things feel more different….but if it’s us, it doesn’t. Not really.”

A blush sprawled across Isabella’s face. She’d been so wrapped up in listening to Phineas’s ideas, she’d almost forgotten about the hypothetical more-than-friends thing.

But Phineas apparently hadn’t forgotten.

“Uh—is that still a thing we’re doing?” he asked. “Pretending this is, like…a date? Or thinking about what it would be like if it were? Because I thought we were, but maybe I misunderstood, and if so that’s my bad—”

“No, you didn’t misunderstand!!!” Isabella replied quickly. “And, we can keep pretending this is a date. If you want.”

Phineas exhaled with a smile. “Cool!”

“Yup! Cool!” Isabella agreed.

Whew.

“And, you’re right,” she continued. “It doesn’t feel much different from how it did before...but it feels right. Talking with you feels better than just dancing in silence and staring at each other. I guess other couples might do that, but not us.”

“Yeah!!” Phineas let out a gentle chuckle. “I guess this means, if we were a couple, we wouldn’t act much differently from how we do now.”

“That’s what happens when you fall for your best friend, huh?” Isabella gave Phineas a knowing grin (she was basically a world-renowned expert on this subject). “Since there’s already a great foundation of friendship in place, romantic feelings can just develop naturally from what’s already there.”

….wait a second.

“….uH!!!” she choked, jerking back and clutching her hands to her chest on instinct. “Not that I’d know that personally!! Just, uh! In movies and stuff! That’s how it always goes. Yup. And we’re best friends, so! In this hypothetical scenario, we’d be best friends who fell for each other. Hypothetically.”

“Okaaayyyy time to divert the subject, Garcia-Shapiro.”

“People in movies have it easy….” she continued, trying her best to sound light and casual. “They meet and then, less than two hours later, BOOM! They’re together, true love for life!! Or...at least, they’re together until a sequel comes out and they’ve broken up offscreen just to get back together again….”

(The older Isabella got, the less patience she had for subpar romance movies and subplots.)

“Yeah….it’s a lot harder in real life...” Phineas agreed quietly. “Though, we’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about how it is hard for couples in TV shows. Like, Candace used to watch this show where the two main characters were in love but they didn’t realize it, and they kept on ALMOST confessing or getting together but didn’t actually get together until the very end. She’d get so frustrated with them, called them the ‘token will they/won’t they couple.’ There were a few steady side-couples though, Candace always used to say they made watching the show a little easier.”

He leaned in, a conspiratorial twinkle in his eye, and whispered, “She always used to compare herself and Jeremy to the main couple, but between you and me, the two of them are definitely more the ‘steady side-couple’ type.”

Isabella snickered. “ Oh yeah. They had it easy! They liked each other from the beginning, went on dates, started officially dating and then just...stayed that way.”

“If only it were always that simple….” Phineas sighed.

“If Candace and Jeremy are a steady side couple, what would that make us?” Isabella asked.

She flinched and quickly added, “uH!!! In a hypothetical sense!!!!”

Phineas blinked. “UM!!! That’s a great question!!!”

...was he blushing? Or was it a trick of the light?

“I guess, uh….we’d be the token ‘will they/won’t they’ couple?”

he rubbed the back of his neck and chucked slightly. “I mean, uh...in your hypothetical scenario, I’m not sure if we’d already be together or if this would be our first time doing something together. Together -together, I mean. On a date, you know. But, uh…….. Okay, let’s say I had feelings for you. Hypothetically. I’d have no reason to believe you returned those feelings.”

Isabella bit her lip and resisted the urge to roll her eyes into the nearest adjacent galaxy.

That was Phineas, alright. Oblivious as always.

“...BUT!!” he continued, “if you returned them without knowing about MY feelings, that would be a classic ‘will they/won’t they’ scenario. At least, according to Candace, anyway….yup….”

He suddenly seemed quite interested in staring at the grass beneath their feet.

Isabella followed his gaze and studied the ground for a bit, both to avoid pondering their hypothetical couple status any longer AND because, if Phineas was staring at the grass, it likely meant something interesting was happening down there.

...except nothing interesting was happening.

“.....okay, there’s no way the grass is interesting enough to warrant us staring at it for this long,” she mused. “You didn’t get hit with a dull and boring ray, did you?”

(She was mostly joking, but one could never be too careful in Danville.)

Phineas glanced back up at her and just stared at a moment before cracking a smile.

“Funny you should mention that….i was JUST thinking about the color beige….”

A moment passed.

And then he started to giggle. Quietly at first…and then not so quietly. His amusement was contagious, and soon Isabella was caught up in it too, the two of them grinning and laughing and as carefree as could be, all the awkwardness momentarily gone.

(The ruckus garnered some more stares, as the music playing was still pretty soft….but Isabella didn’t really care about that anymore. Having fun with Phineas was way more important than worrying about what others thought.)

Gradually, their laughter died down, with Phineas giving one final giggle and wiping a tear from his cheek before placing his hand back on Isabella’s waist, eyes shining with mirth.

Isabella gazed at him with a beaming smile.

There was just something about Phineas’s laughter, something about the way he smiled so brightly and expressed such genuine positivity so effortlessly, that had fascinated her and made her head spin since they were kids....and right now, it was hard to feel scared of expressing her true feelings for him.

(In other words, she was sooo in love with him right now.)

“You know….” she whispered with a flirtatious grin, “...if WE were dating—uh, on a date, within the parameters of the hypothetical more-than-friends thing!!!”

Good save, Garcia-Shapiro.

“...I’d have told you how handsome you look by now.”

“Huh?” Phineas blinked and glanced down at his outfit. “...Oh! Thanks! ...but, I’m not really dressed for a date….I wear this shirt at least once a week, and I haven't brushed my hair since this morning.”

“Aw, Phineas, you ALWAYS look handsome,” Isabella assured him. “No matter what. I mean, between the red hair and all your freckles and your acute nose and your SMILE, I’m not sure how anyone could NOT see how handsome you are…. And it’s not just your looks either, it’s your laugh and the way you can light up anyone and anything around you just by being you, it all makes you handsome, and……”

A bit of the happy fog in Isabella’s brain evaporated, allowing her to realize she’d been rambling to Phineas about how handsome he was for the past 20 seconds.

Oops.

“uH!!!! That is! That’s what I would say if this wasn’t a friend thing! But it is! So! Uh. You can just forget I said all that, if you want….”

She winced and clenched her eyes shut. That had been too much, she’d totally taken things too far, and now Phineas would probably be super weirded out...

Except.

One glance at Phineas revealed he wasn’t weirded out at all. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes soft, mouth slightly agape with what might have been astonishment.

He looked flustered, but in a good way.

And then...he smiled again. He smiled at her.

And it was a warm smile, a gentle smile, perhaps the most adoration-filled smile Isabella had ever seen and it was directed at her and doing funny things to her heart.

“Well….” he whispered softly, “...if this weren’t a friend thing, I’d have already told you you look as beautiful as ever…. But, since this is a friend thing and I haven’t told you yet….I’ll just tell you now. Isabella, you look as beautiful as ever.”

He grinned before continuing on in a manner similar to how Isabella had spoken a bit ago.

“I mean, between your eyes, and your hair, and the way your entire face seems to light up when you smile, and your adorable laughter, and the way you’re brave enough to say whatever’s on your mind…..I don’t think anyone else is as beautiful as you, Isabella. In every sense of the word.”

Isabella’s heart was going to pound right out of her chest. Or perhaps her knees would give out and she’d collapse right here, sprawled across the grass, running Phineas’s words and tender looks over and over again in her head for the foreseeable future.

It wouldn’t be a bad way to spend the rest of the evening.

But Phineas wasn’t done yet. He drew a hand back and then reached out for Isabella’s face...only to flinch and freeze in place.

“...uH!!” he breathed, hand still suspended in mid-air. “....if this were a date, I think I’d unconsciously reach out to brush a lock of hair behind your ear after saying all those things, just to see you better! ...would you be alright with that?”

Isabella didn’t trust herself to piece a coherent sentence together at the moment, but she knew she’d definitely be alright with that, so she nodded her head.

Phineas inhaled and tentatively reached out until his fingers were gracing Isabella’s cheek and then ever-so-gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

And once again, Isabella did her best to focus on inhaling and exhaling, on staying present in the moment…but this time, she wasn’t constantly reminding herself this was just pretend.

Because….what if it wasn’t?

Phineas was one of the most authentic people Isabella knew. Authentic to a fault, almost.

And that trademark authenticity, which she’d come to recognize in all of his inventions and actions and words in the years they’d been friends…..she recognized it now. In the hand cradling her face and the eyes gazing at her softly and the tender smile that hovered a mere foot or two from her own.

…perhaps Phineas had tried to ask her here on a date earlier.

Perhaps Buford had been right.

…

Thanks for reading!! And thanks as always to the lovely FrsdGirl for inspiring this fic and allowing me to write it and also for being just, the best ever, I adore you my friend🥺💕.

This isn’t the end btw, I know how this is gonna end, just haven’t written it properly yet!

#surprise it is a late night fic!#phineas and ferb #cadence writes #pnf fic #phinabella #phinbella #isabella garcia shapiro #phineas flynn

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crazy4dragons · 4 years

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Valentine

A collection of fluffy Hiccstrid Valentine’s Day scenes through the years. Like Heaven AU!

“What’s this?” Astrid narrowed her eyes as she noticed a small gift bag sitting on her desk, accompanied by a big bouquet of white roses.

“It’s my Valentine’s gift to you,” grinned Hiccup. “I don’t have a girlfriend yet, so I figured I might as well buy something special for my best friend.”

A light blush spread across the blonde’s cheeks as she peeked inside the gift bag. Biting her lip, she pulled out a heart-shaped box of chocolates and a handmade card that read:

Astrid,

Seeing your face always brightens my day and you never fail to make me smile. You’re one of my favorite people to hang out with and I’m glad we’re friends.

Be my valentine?

Love,

Hiccup

“Aww.” Astrid smiled. “Of course I’ll be your valentine.” She turned around and tackled her friend with a bear hug.

Returning the embrace, Hiccup pressed a chaste kiss against her cheek. “Thanks, Astrid.”

“No, thank you,” she corrected, pulling apart from him and burying her nose in the roses.

…

“Do you think I should get Astrid a Valentine’s Day gift?” Hiccup asked while studying in his dorm with Fishlegs and Snotlout.

Fishlegs glanced up from his textbook. “I don’t know, Hiccup. What’s the status with you two?”

“What do you mean?” Hiccup raised an eyebrow. “We’re friends.”

“Just friends?” interjected Snotlout. “You don’t like her? Like, like her, like her?”

“Astrid’s been my best friend since we were thirteen,” Hiccup said, avoiding the question. “We practically grew up together. But now she’s kinda seeing someone and I don’t know if giving her a Valentine’s gift will be overstepping.” He let out an exasperated sigh.

“Why don’t you get her a nice card?” suggested Fishlegs. “They make Valentine’s Day cards for friends.”

“Just a card? Don’t you think that feels sort of…well…lame?”

“I’ll tell you what’s lame,” said Snotlout. “Always going over-the-top and trying to make everything a grand gesture. No wonder you’re still single, Hiccup. Everything’s always a production with you.”

“Not helping, Snotlout,” groaned Hiccup. “And for the record, you’re single, too, so do you really have the right to come after me?”

“Shut up, Hiccup.”

Turning to Fishlegs, Hiccup asked, “Do you really think a card is sufficient?”

“Of course. Cards can be very powerful, especially if you write a note inside.”

“If you say so,” concluded Hiccup.

Following Fishlegs’ advice, Hiccup went out in the morning and purchased a card. Inside, he wrote:

Astrid,

I know you have a “real” Valentine this year, but I didn’t want to let Valentine’s Day go by without telling you how amazing you are. Whether we’re in relationships, or single, or just in that awkward in-between phase, you’ll always be my best friend.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love you,

Hiccup

…

Hiccup let out a sigh as he looked at all the open tabs on his internet browser. It was his first Valentine’s Day with Astrid — with her, with her — and he was blanking on gift ideas. It had to be big — bigger than anything he’d done before. After all, she was his girlfriend now.

He’d thought about dinner at a fancy restaurant, but dinner for two at even the third-nicest restaurant in town was well over his budget. He’d thought about chocolate and roses, but he’d gotten her chocolate and roses when they were just friends. He’d thought about concert tickets, but there weren’t any good concerts coming up. He’d even thought about a parakeet, since Astrid had wanted a bird for years, but their apartment didn’t allow pets.

“What are you up to, babe?”

At the sound of Astrid’s voice, Hiccup slammed his laptop shut. “Uh…nothing…just…you know…research.”

“Research?” Crossing her arms over her chest, Astrid raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly is this research for?”

“It’s not what you think,” Hiccup insisted. “I swear, I’d never cheat on you, Astrid.”

“Relax, I know you wouldn’t cheat on me,” laughed Astrid. “Not after waiting years to make me your girlfriend.” She came up behind him and rubbed his shoulders. “Now, if you could take a break from your secret research project for a minute, what kind of lingerie would you like to see me in? For Valentine’s Day.”

Hiccup froze. Here was Astrid, planning to not-so-subtly surprise him in bed, and he couldn’t even come up with a suitable gift for her.

“What?” The blonde wound her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss against his cheek.

“I can’t expect you to wear something sexy for me if I don’t take you on a date first,” Hiccup grinned.

“It’ll be my treat.” Smirked Astrid. “For both of us, because you know I want to get laid just as much as you do.”

Hiccup chuckled. “Then allow me to treat both of us, too. With a surprise. A surprise for you, not me.”

“Is this surprise part of your secret research project?”

“Maybe.” He sighed. “If I can finish it on time.”

“Babe,” Astrid’s voice was gentle, yet firm. “Don’t stress yourself out. I know you’re a go-big-or-go-home kinda guy, but I’m okay with going home. Home to a nice dinner and a back rub after a long day at work.” She leaned down and rested her chin on his shoulder.

“What do you want me to cook?”

“I’ll let you decide,” she smiled, giving him one last kiss on the cheek before leaving him to brainstorm.

After looking over his shoulder to make sure Astrid was gone, Hiccup grabbed a sheet of paper from his sketchbook and began writing a love note:

Astrid,

I’d ask you to be my Valentine, but I think you’ve already said yes. So instead, let me just tell you how much you mean to me. You’re my best friend, my girlfriend, and my first and last love. I can’t imagine a world without you and I thank the gods for that night we got tipsy enough to hook up. I’m looking forward to a lifetime of making new memories and having more great sex;)

I love you to pieces,

Hiccup❤️

P.S. I’m making BBQ ribs.

…

“Hiccup, what are you doing? You’ve had me standing out in the cold for fifteen minutes now!” Astrid called as she knocked on the door. She thought she would surprise her husband by coming home from work early to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but evidentially, her presence wasn’t welcome.

“You could’ve sat in the car,” Hiccup shouted, sprinkling rose petals onto the bed before rushing to the door and letting Astrid inside. “Gods, you’re freezing!” he exclaimed, pressing a kiss against her lips while helping her out of her coat.

Astrid rolled her eyes. “No kidding,” she muttered. “This surprise better be worth it.”

“It will be. You’ll see.” Grabbing her hand, Hiccup led her to the table, which was set with candles, wine, and a steak and shrimp platter for two. “What do you smell?” he asked.

“Dinner,” Astrid replied.

“Can you be more specific?” chuckled Hiccup.

“For gods sakes, can you just take this blindfold off?”

Hiccup untied the blindfold, allowing his wife to gaze at the freshly prepared table.

Astrid’s heart softened at the sight before her. “Hiccup, how did you find time to do all this?” she asked.

“I took the day off work.”

“You took the whole day off?”

“I’m just a TA. I’m sure no one missed me too much,” he chuckled.

“Don’t say that, babe. I’m sure everyone missed you.” She wound her arms around his neck and pressed a quick kiss against his lips before eying the note beside her glass of wine. “Is that one of your annual love letters?” she asked, kissing him again.

Hiccup grinned. “Why don’t you look at it and find out?”

The blonde picked up the note and read:

Astrid,

Happy Valentine’s Day to my smart, sexy wife who’s finally an official member of the Haddock family! I’m so glad you married me and while not much has changed since the wedding (except your last name), I’m loving every minute of this new chapter in our lives. I can’t wait to grow old with you and celebrate more milestones together.

Forever yours (with love),

Hiccup

As Astrid finished the note, a broad smile crawled over her lips. Putting it back in its original place, she caught Hiccup in a tight embrace and pressed her lips hungrily against his.

“Damn, milady,” he mumbled, gasping for breath as they pulled apart. “Who knew love letters were such a turn-on for you?”

“Only when they come from my husband,” smirked Astrid, leaning in for another kiss.

#hiccstrid #like heaven au #like heaven universe #httyd #fanfic #my writing #valentine’s day #hiccstrid fluff

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clansayeed · 4 years

Text

Bound by Destiny II, part 2 ― Chapter 9: The Arrival

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny II, part 2 ⥽

They fled New York with one purpose. Find, hunt down, and return with a way to kill a vampire god. They abandoned their loved ones and survived the City of Shadows; had their trust broken and darkest secrets brought to light. All that... and Gaius still won anyway. But now that they have nothing to lose, Nadya and her friends are finally ready to do whatever it takes to see the King of Vampires overthrown.

They just have to avoid a vampire population eager to gain favor with their new monarch, the ruthless Order of the Dawn, and whatever plans Gaius has that involve Nadya captured and brought to him alive. So... easy-peasy, right? The worlds of both dark and light hang in the balance. The time has come for the Bloodkeeper to embrace her destiny. So if anyone wants to clue her in on whatever that means, now would be great!

Bound by Destiny II and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing reimagining project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

TAG LIST: @googlesentmehere, @cess02, @hellyeah90sbaby, @tayab12, @saratustra4, @imnotdonewiththeelementalists, @thepotatobleh,

*join the Tag List here!

⥼ Summary ⥽

It's the night of Vlad's masquerade ball, the most prestigious social event a vampire can attend. An entire ballroom full of faces and names every vampire in Europe knows... and apparently Nadya is going to upstage them all.

content warnings: language

[READ IT ON AO3]

A pretty big chunk of their plan relies on the staff of the Tepes Estate being just as snobbish and uppity as the man they serve.

So thankfully at least something is both easily predictable and surprisingly convenient.

Staff all around, and none of them pay the pair of them much mind. Beyond the fact that they get told by more than one footman that “guests really shouldn’t be back in the staff corridors” and receive multiple warnings about how “the Count has ensured all guests for the evening, (said while looking down the biggest snooty nose in all of Prague no less) no matter their prestige, will receive adequate time to sup on the serving staff,” and that they “really shouldn’t be allowing an undisclosed human on the premises but will look the other way this time,” Nadya and Cadence are pretty much left to their own devices.

Which means scurrying out of sight before any lone particularly loyal member of the Tepes household decides to go narc and everything ends up exploding in their faces anyway.

Because there’s no way on earth these full-face masques of theirs are providing any damage cover should their plans go KABOOM!

Nadya casts another look up at Cadence as they come across their umpteenth fork in the road. Watching him decide between right or left is starting to feel as nerve-wracking as actually choosing which direction they ought to go.

“You’re sure you know where we are?” You’re sure you know we’re going the right way?

“I’m starting to feel like you have less than zero faith in me, Nadya.” He probably thinks the glance down her way is a reassuring one. But the masque over his face is almost too neutral. It’s just a mask but it feels like it’s trying too hard, you know?

“That’s not it at all. This place is just…” A lot.

He barely remembers to reach back and take her by the hand before he chooses left in a hurry. Who knows how much time they’ve wasted just trying to find their way through this seemingly endless castle.

“It takes me a moment to recall the map Serafine showed me before we left, but I’m… ninety percent sure I know exactly where we are.”

“And the other ten percent?”

“Is trying to keep an ear out for party noises. So if you’ll zip it, thank you.”

Admittedly Nadya would have a lot more faith in this plan if it wasn’t just the pair of them, proven stumbling disasters that they are, relying on the apparently flawless memory of a man who literally introduces himself as ‘the one with amnesia.’ She understands the rationale behind it, just as she understands the rationale behind everybody else going through the front door like an entourage of normal party-goers. They have three prestigious faces and what Jax and Lily lack in clout they make up for in being practically invisible as nobodies to this upper echelon of attendees.

But shoving the two bigwigs of their gang — well, the most recognizable face in any room of vampires and the obviously human girl losing her freakin’ mind amid a cluster of the heartbeat-less undead — through the staff entrance with nothing more than simple masks to disguise them and trusting them not to mess up finding their way among the rest in time for some famed big reveal they still don’t know the full-on details of…?

Well if they live through this long enough to chronicle this part of their journey, nobody is ever allowed to even so much as imply via metaphor that Nadya never trusted her friends wholly and completely.

Actually if they’re talking about chronicling stuff, better they leave these more vague and improvised parts of their master quest to the footnotes. That way they can pretend they knew what they were doing the whole time.

For example Nadya isn’t gonna let anyone write down that she got so wrapped up in her thoughts about what may or may not get written down that she walked face-first into a brick wall.

OW.

Not a brick wall, actually.

Cadence turns around and catches Nadya’s mask just before it falls and shatters on the ground. Thank you vampire super-speed.

“Are you okay?” He asks, wide-eyed and worried, hesitant to give her back her disguise to take stock of how she really looks.

That’s such a loaded question though, so Nadya ignores it and rubs the redness on her forehead instead.

“Why’d you stop?”

The vampire takes a moment to look up and down either end of the corridor and even around the next corner. When he’s satisfied they’re alone he pries his own mask off with a groan; practically peeling his flattened hair from where its been stuck to his forehead the moment he put the darn thing on.

“Because,” with pursed lips he blows his fringe out of his eyes, “I’ve been talking this entire time… and even when I ramble you usually have some two cents or other to pitch in.”

That’s fair. Nadya takes back her mask with a sheepish shrug. “Sorry, got distracted.”

“That much is obvious. Care to share?”

“Not really. Care to keep going?” Not like they’re exactly full of free time, here.

He sweeps his arm in an after you motion, but keeps pace with Nadya’s shorter stride. “I can hear the string quartet by now. We’re close, but they haven’t begun the announcements Serafine told me to wait for.” So maybe they have a bit of free time. Got it.

Only now she can’t stop thinking about what will be on the other side of the big grand ballroom doors.

And Nadya without her set of note cards to at least help her through her dumb speech all because her dumb dress has no dumb pockets.

“You know I still don’t get why they wouldn’t budge about you not being discovered.”

“You don’t see me complaining,” Cadence says with a shrug; and actually now that he points it out…

“No, I don’t.”

He doesn’t need to look at her to know exactly why she says it that way, either. It’s not the first time they’ve had this talk. Probably won’t be the last either.

His sigh sags from his shoulders to his fingertips. “‘Surprise warmonger back from the dead’ might accidentally eclipse ‘reincarnation of the vampire Goddess.’ Can’t have that, now can we.”

“Cadence.”

“Nadya.”

They turn another corner in complete silence. Nadya’s ears strain to hear this quartet of his but nope, not close enough for her poor human ears quite yet.

Finally Cadence seems to decide on something. Gathering himself up all the way to his full height while fiddling with the porcelain in his grasp. “Actually… Serafine and Kamilah gave me the option. When they talked about prestige all this week it was largely assuming I might be able to pretend just enough to add to their collective fame. But they gave me the choice as to whether or not I wanted to try.”

“And you said no.”

“Of course I said no. I don’t envy you, Nadya. You have to do this regardless of whether or not you want to. But for the first time it feels like I’m not in that position, and I want to take full advantage of it.”

His face falls, voice going somber. “Surely you can see why.”

She can. She did, in the flesh, and while he’d been useful at the time she can still close her eyes and remember how easily Cynbel had threatened Jax, hurt Adrian and Serafine; how callous he’d been with her life even though she’d agreed with him at the time… Not to mention all the implied things that come with Serafine, always calm and cool and collected, losing her freakin’ marbles every time he ended up a part of the conversation.

He continues. “I don’t think I could have pretended to be him if my life depended on it. And if you think about it, your life does depend on it in a way. I couldn’t risk you like that. Not after how kind you’ve been to me.”

Her fingers brush over his arm. Cadence either takes it the wrong way or chooses to give a purpose to something so small; he bends his elbow and lets her arm slide into his like a proper escort to a proper ball.

“A lot of people’s lives depend on me pretending to…” Nadya can’t quite say it though, so she swallows it down. “I just have no idea what I’m supposed to do when we get there.”

“Understandably.”

“Seriously,” offering him a wry and dry smile, “that’s all the advice you’ve got?”

He mulls it over for a good and proper think. The effort is more than appreciated even if it doesn’t actually yield results. At least this way she gets to vent it out before messing up royally when the time comes.

Cadence stops first — their linked arms jerk her back and to turn and face him. “I wouldn’t call it advice, per se,” gee—great, “but maybe we both suck at pretending because we ought to be accepting, instead. Accepting who we… were. Possibly, in your case. That way we still have the chance to move on.”

It’s a sweet sentiment, but Nadya can’t help the way her nose scrunches up slightly.

“I don’t think that applies to this case, Cade.”

“Fair enough. Can’t say I didn’t try.” And that makes the pair of them laugh, no matter how weakly. Something neither of them knew they needed, nor how badly they needed it.

It doesn’t last long… but it doesn’t need to.

“You’ll figure it out when the time comes Nadya. You usually do.”

Usually.

In wordless agreement she and Cadence don their pretend masques with mutual reluctance. At least he doesn’t have to breathe in his. But it’s easier this time to see what his face really says beneath that neutral doll-like expression.

She smiles at him in return. Like many things these days they can’t quite see it, but the feeling is there.

When they get close enough that Nadya’s ears no longer strain to catch the occasional tittering laughter or melodramatic voice, Cadence diverts them yet again. This time for a staircase he just so happens to catch sight of out of the corner of his eye.

He keeps her close; closer than before. Practically hovering over her like a shadow less than a step behind her the whole way up. She pauses when he pauses, she waits when he waits, and trusts him enough to know her faith isn’t misplaced but some explanation would be swell any time he’s feeling his usual chatty self.

Crouched close to the ground (which is a feat for him, for her not so much) Cadence crooks a finger at Nadya to join him in inching steps along the carpet towards the railing overlooking the main foyer below.

Nadya is, understandably, hesitant. “What if someone sees us?” What if someone smells me, hears me, all-of-the-aboves me?

“Same principle as before.”

“Keep close and your blood will cover me up?”

He nods. Not like she really has any other choice. Well, that and the more snatches of conversation she plucks from thin air the more curious she is.

And when has her curiosity ever not won out?

Cadence’s cloak comes heavy around her other shoulder and all but smothers her. She grabs the edge and pulls it tight while making sure not to jostle it from his shoulders. For some reason she can’t shake the feeling like she’s hiding behind a curtain with her feet sticking out underneath.

But they’re here, so they might as well take advantage of it. So Nadya joins him in peering through the stone balusters to the hustle and bustle happening below.

The foyer had been beautiful already during her visit with Serafine and Jax the other night — Nadya would even go so far as to assume it was nearly completed. That assumption would have been vastly incorrect.

It’s not her contacts; she’s not seeing double. Every bauble and ribbon and glittering glassy gem brought along the entire family. There’s practically no surface without something shiny added in some form or another, and in many cases that shiny thing has a shiny thing has a shiny thing of its own on top.

On their own the decorations probably look gaudy and too-much. But when you fill the room with graceful vampires all dolled up in unique fashions and splendors everything else is lost in the background. Tasteful would probably have ended up the equivalent of a fifty-buck Party Town Supply budget. So at least the Count knows his audience.

She should be looking for their friends… and she is. But Nadya tells herself it’s being a good and thorough secret agent to observe all the other guests along the way. Two birds and all that. But it’s not easy to just sweep her eyes over the assembled masses in search of a few key faces. Not when each masque is a face all its own.

You’d think there are only so many combinations of colors, designs, and styles to make before they start getting repetitive. But that couldn’t be farther from the case. She gets it now, seeing everything and everyone from way up high and afar like this. The importance of not just the masque itself, but having the right kind of masque above everything else.

Masquerade balls are about hiding and blending in; being just another face in the crowd.

Les Visages de la Gloire is the exact opposite. And even that feels like the most watered-down way to put it she can think of.

A gentle weight falls on Nadya’s back and she shudders a gasp. When had she stopped breathing? Not for fear of being caught, but at the beauty of it all that could only be described as—literally—breathtaking.

Faceless in their full face-coverings and headdresses each more ostentatious than the last; not important enough to show who they are but still in competition with each other — still with deeds to announce and reputations to uphold. Half-masks covering the left side, the right side, the top of one and the bottom of another and all of them made uniquely for a single soul and nobody else.

Some vampires have masques that match their costumes. Others clash in a way that can’t be anything other than on purpose. Even from a distance Nadya can see the difference between carefully crafted metalwork and porcelain painted with glossy lacquer; can compare wood carvings with rich varnish and contrast that with the vast rainbow of matte colors on terracotta. Most are adorned with embellishments and jewels heavy enough to make her neck hurt just by looking at them.

Nearly all take full advantage of the fact their wearers won’t end up suffocating on the other side.

And I’m supposed to show them all up without so much as a sheer ribbon over my eyes? Yeah, Nadya’s confidence takes a knife to the gut just thinking about it.

“Over there.”

Not like Cadence’s finger isn’t pointing down to a massive crowd or anything, but that’s exactly the point — forgive the pun.

Though they can’t quite see double doors leading inside the castle from the exterior from their hiding spot, the sudden hush that falls over the idle crowd offers up an equally dramatic entrance.

It’s the kind of arrival that would be filmed in slow-motion. The kind that pans up from the purposeful echo of each expensive step; dragging over the exquisite details of their costumes in one long smooth glide all the way to the big reveal. And what a reveal it is.

Kamilah’s spindly masque may be made of steel but it curls over her sharp features with all the grace of a silken thread. It’s a face covering by only the thinnest margin of definition, with too many gaps in the framework to even pretend to conceal her identity. But after taking in the rest of the crowd… it’s obvious she’s the kind of face — the kind of presence — that simply can’t go unrecognized.

Everything about Kamilah, from her posture to her raised chin to her not-at-all-faked aura of superiority, demands recognition.

On the surface she’s the woman that Nadya knows; that she trusts and cares about so so much. But look beneath, something all too easy to do — like sweeping aside a mist, it’s impossible to miss how she’s so much more.

The Bloodqueen has arrived. And the entire foyer is speechless before her.

Without even moving a muscle the closest groups stagger back several more steps. Dozens of them nearly tripping over themselves and each other in their haste.

It’s no surprise that the space is quickly taken up by the two figures flanking Kamilah’s sides.

Serafine’s masque isn’t so much a mask as it is a scrap of lace just wide enough to earn the collective approval. As if anyone here doesn’t already know who she is regardless. But that’s how she can pull the look off if Nadya is remembering her explanation right.

No one would dare partake in Les Visages without knowing—without introduction—the woman who started it all.

Some final vestiges of their psychic connection tugs Nadya towards her; not physically so much as emotionally. Even without seeing Serafine’s features up close there’s a bittersweet ache in her chest that’s definitely not Nadya’s own.

The vampiress can offer up all the scarlet-lipped smiles she wishes. They are all hollow and fake. The simple act of being here causes Serafine nothing but distress.

And then there was Adrian.

Who, in comparison to Kamilah and Serafine, makes the women nearest him seem positively giddy and gleeful to be here tonight.

He wears his tailored costume perfectly; that wasn’t in doubt. It’s the masque that leaves him stony-faced. Gold rich and dark that catches every little flame on the chandelier over his head that covers his eyes but can’t hide the tension wracking his jaw.

He and Kamilah both wear near-identical rich crimson garnets inlaid just beneath their masque’s right eye. Shared stones for a shared Maker. But along his edges are thin metal spires, short but wicked sharp, that vary from the same gold, to steel, to a coppery hue.

A second glance confirms Nadya’s suspicions; Adrian isn’t the only one with those kinds of embellishments along the edges of their masques. Scouring a few of them from the crowd, the way they carry themselves and mirror Adrian’s ramrod-straight posture answers a question she didn’t know she needed to ask.

If the garnet labels him and Kamilah both as Turned by Gaius, then the spikes are the mark of the soldier. Any soldier; but one worth recognition for their service.

Which is everything Adrian doesn’t want. Everything he had worried over, and was working now towards overcoming in the wake of his past.

Nadya ducks her head hastily to catch her tear before it falls. Thankfully she’s quick enough. If only she could wipe away the reason for it just as easily.

Pull yourself together, girl, she scolds, and it’s just enough to do the trick and pull Nadya’s focus back to everything around them. All the stillness and nothingness and the way a room full of the undead hold their collective unnecessary breath waiting for what will happen next.

Which is exactly the kind of attention-grabbing showstopper the three of them are supposed to be. All eyes turned on the prestigious trio they are together, and away from Nadya and Cadence one floor above.

All focus on who they are, why they’ve come, what they will do; and away from the practically invisible dynamic duo that slips through the crowd towards the closed ballroom doors.

Behind her, Cadence lets out an impressed little “hah” when he finally manages to pick Lily and Jax out of the crowd. “I completely missed them. Did you see them sneak in?”

“No,” answers Nadya, but that’s actually a good thing. That was the whole point.

Without a word Kamilah takes one step forward. Her aura of command acts like an invisible shield that parts the rest; holding them at a respectable distance.

But the sudden shifting of the mass of faces and their masques gets dangerous when it turns right in their direction. If even one wandering eye looks up, they’re done for!

Without a word the vampire pulls Nadya backwards, letting the force of his bulk pull them out of eyesight in the nick of time. That was a little close, huh.

Nadya doesn’t get the chance to thank him though.

The moment she opens her mouth a loud echoing clang rings out below them, followed by the distinct shuffle of something heavy being dragged achingly close to the foyer’s marble floors.

Neither of them needs to risk sneaking a look.

Right on time. The ballroom doors have finally opened, allowing the first wave of prestige to spill forth out to the grand dance floor.

And though the shuffling of boots and sharp tapping of heels fills the vacuum of stunned silence as the attendees start to move, it’s not nearly enough noise to drown out the sudden and familiar exuberant laughter of delight that echoes across every polished surface below. The kind of laughter designed to be projected across adoring crowds; and carefully rehearsed to always seem full of intriguing promise.

What Nadya wouldn’t give to borrow a little of Vlad Tepes’ seemingly endless confidence for her own performance… looming ever-closer and starting to pick up real steam.

“Remember my lovelies! Faceless and no-names, see yourselves inside. New blood and the lucky virginal attendees right beside them!”

Her full-body shiver of discomfort is more than warranted. But Nadya only wishes she could be surprised at his… unsettling word choice.

“I’m suddenly very glad to be up here.”

She snorts at the wide-eyed stare looking out from Cadence’s mask. “You and me both.”

“Yes yes darling, oh you look a treat. And you there — you must tell me the story behind that engraving later, you simply must.” It’s really to their luck and benefit that the Count likes hearing himself talk so much. They can stay far away from the railing and still keep tabs on what gauge of prestige is next to be welcomed into the bal masqué proper.

They just have to wait until everyone—Vlad included—is inside. Everyone but the most prestigious of the lot of them. And when all eyes are (once again) on the Bloodqueen herself… they’ll have no choice but to witness Nadya’s arrival.

Having Kamilah by her side might just give her the kick in the metaphorical pants to do this thing. Not the literal though. There’s no way this practically bleach-white linen getup will survive a boot print, and especially not to the rear end.

Down below there’s a momentary lull; all but shattered by Vlad’s returning laughter now pitched higher than before.

“Why there you are, Serafine! Here I worried I had somehow lost track of your arrival in the excitement.”

His words are followed by two unmistakably wet noises; which Nadya prays are just over-dramatic kisses to her cheeks.

“Surely you jest,” she teases good-naturedly; said with all the humor of someone whose smile can’t possibly reach her eyes, “I see before me you follow the old traditions quite well. Showing the prestigious their due, their arrival witnessed by all who look to them in admiration.”

“Well of course! It makes for the grandest of entrances.”

“Ah, yes,” the elder vampiress croons, “and as the illustrious host yours would be the last, non?”

“Don’t worry darling — I would never claim credit for your centuries of contribution to our dwindling community.”

“Meaning?”

Somehow Nadya just knows Vlad throws his hair back unnecessarily as he laughs again.

“You can enter just before me, of course.”

“Then when, may I ask, might you suggest my blood-kin Adrian and I make our entrance known, old friend?”

Unlike Serafine, who at least pretends to smile while enduring the torture of his conversation, Kamilah’s question is cold and clipped. It rings with all the disinterest of the Kamilah that Nadya had met so long ago — and she’d place good money on the single raised eyebrow hiked high enough to be seen over her masque, too.

But if anyone could render Vlad speechless…

Nadya struggles to hear something, anything, until she catches the faint rustle of stiff and expensive fabric moving with haste. Vlad’s gesture of greeting, no doubt.

Just like she has no doubt that Kamilah and Adrian don’t humor him as long as Serafine has. It certainly explains the flustered, hasty way his next words tumble from his tongue with practically no filter.

“All the best surprises are the ones that sweep one off his feet. My humble gathering of our kind—nay, our family—from the nearest branch to the farthest root is made absolutely resplendent by the honor of your presence!

“Your Majesty, mon cherie —” —a beat, his attention likely shifting to Adrian— “— and Sergeant Adrian Raines, just when I had resigned myself to an evening of only the old and antiquated in renown. Here you stand before me, as handsome as the day we first met.”

Nadya quickly schools her bewildered expression — too long and it might get stuck that way. But that is flirtation if she’s ever heard it. Not good flirtation, but nevertheless.

“Vlad, as… lively… as ever.” Adrian just barely recovers, but now she’s dying to know what he had almost said instead. “Hard to believe it’s been nearly seventy-five years since last we met. Time… flies so quickly.”

“Oh pish posh,” replies the Count, “you wouldn’t know it but for the calendars. My memory of those chiseled features of yours obviously needed a refresh.”

He’s barely finished speaking when he gasps, clapping his hands together delightedly. “Speaking of memory! You’ll have to forgive my fright. As you all know surely, my recollection skills are of world-renown. Yet the sight of you all almost thrust me spiraling into self-doubt.

“And not without good reason! As I could have sworn you — the both of you, that is to say — had… cast aside your former titles.”

It’s just like before. Everything that pops into his head said without a filter all the way up until what he’s saying isn’t as vapid as it was at the start.

It must be so easy to write Vlad Tepes off at first glance. Just look at the public opinion of the guy. Nadya had, she’s humble enough to admit it. But the hard truth is that he is Vlad Tepes; he is Count Dracula.

But whether he’s all the things the myths and legends claim or not it can’t go ignored that he knows what he’s doing (even if it doesn’t seem like it). He knows how to play a crowd, how to stroke an ego. He’s a master of misdirection.

Has nobody pitched a Vegas residency to this guy yet? Seriously?

But if he thinks he’s going to out-wit someone like Kamilah he must have those leather pants on just a little too tight.

She doesn’t address his comment. Brushing it aside proves a much more important point.

“Shall Adrian and I wait patiently here while you and Serafine follow through, then?”

Vlad must be used to playing the ‘host with the most’ card, because he hesitates. But Kamilah wasn’t asking — she was just being polite.

“Yes,” he finally agrees, though surprisingly less strained than Nadya would have expected. “I would not dare nor dream of presuming your prestige. Nor would I separate the grand entrance of the progeny of our King.

“The three of you will have a most celebratory announcement, I give you my word.”

Did she hear that right?

Serafine offers a gentle tittering laugh. “I see no reason why you and I should not enter together, ma puce.”

“We shall.”

Vlad’s words die to the sound of heavy heels across the foyer floor. Too many steps to be one of her friends; but certainly more than enough for them to bring a person across the length of the room to where they are gathered.

Of course something is going wrong. They should have anticipated something going wrong. They had, her brain reminds her, and probably thinks its being helpful by doing so.

She dares to inch just close enough to catch a glimpse down below and spoiler alert — it isn’t helpful at all.

With his head held high, Marc Antony makes a bold statement in taking Kamilah’s hand without it being offered. Then he goes a step further with a half-bow and a kiss pressed to the back — or the ghost of one. He barely manages it before she yanks it from his grasp — in surprise, in anger, that’s not the part that matters.

With everyone fixated on the two oldest vampires in the room, Adrian dares to steal a glance of warning up to the railing. Wide-eyed and with pursed lips, the message when he gives the tiniest shake of his head is clear.

Nadya retreats, practically crab-walking backwards.

Cadence tries to help her sudden shaking panic with an arm over her shoulders. It’s the thought that counts.

“What,” he asks worriedly, “who is it?”

“Antony,” Nadya exhales, and the man goes rigid beside her. “It’s Marc Antony.”

#bloodbound #playchoices fanfiction #playchoices #kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed #bloodbound mc #mc: nadya al jamil #adrian raines #serafine dupont #jax matsuo #lily spencer #marc antony #oc: cadence smith #vlad tepes #fic: oblivion bound #oblv: new chapter #oblv: bound by destiny ii #; my fics

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rosesloveletters · 3 years

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I know I'm a little late, but if you still want to answer some of the questions:

💋🌹🌻 🗺️ 💎

I'm sending you lots of love!! I'm thinking of you and I hope you're doing well♡♡

Sue!!💗 Hi, darling! Oh, don't worry, that is perfectly fine. I am a little late with answering, so there's no trouble at all! I would be happy to answer your questions, dear! I hope you're doing well and I always look forward to hearing from you! I've been thinking of you too and sending you love and hugs!!

💋 - Give us a kiss headcanon!

Jakob: Jakob's kisses are always tender and sweet, tentative and shy, like he is perhaps afraid to kiss me too hard. His lips are sensitive and he kisses as though he wants more, but he never pushes. Jakob's kisses feel like raindrops that kiss your skin and burn through you to your very core on a hot day; his gentility is like that of calm waters that lap at the shores.

Will: Will is splendidly passionate and isn't afraid to sweep me off my feet in a grand kiss that would make any other woman jealous and long to take my place. His lips are rougher than Jakobs, though still tender and sweet; his mouth always tastes sugary-sweet (Will has a bit of a sweet-tooth😂) He gently parts my lips with his tongue to deepen our every kiss, desiring a closeness I've not shared with almost anyone else.

🌹 - Does your f/o believe in “love at first sight?” Do you?

Jakob: Of course! Jakob only believes in love at first sight and, fortunately, that is exactly how we fell in love (I'm not joking, within less than two minutes of him onscreen I knew I loved him.) Jakob would not enter a relationship with someone who did not immediately feel the way that he does. When Jakob loves, he loves fiercely and wholeheartedly.

Will: Will is a bit more complicated that Jakob is, but perhaps this is because he has had relationships before or has known other women before me; just because Will has been with other women doesn't mean that I think he has loved them, as harsh as that sounds. I think Will would rather protect his heart and save his love for someone who truly matters to him. He loves Jakob because his brother is important to him and there is good reason for that. Will is practical and I don't think that love at first sight is something he would consider necessary or believable, except when relating it to how Jakob feels about his own relationships.

As for me, I don't know if I do. I do in the sense that Jakob and I loved each other, but more importantly than love at first sight, I think that we all just simply know when we are meant to love another. Love is extremely complicated and can mean different things to different people and it can be felt in different ways as well. Sometimes, we just know what we need and who we are meant to love.

🌻 - How does your f/o cheer you up?

Jakob: Jakob believes that happiness comes from the heart, as well as one's health of mind, body and spirit. He likes to cheer me up by reading to me. I will lie against his chest while he strokes my hair, his soft voice in my ear as he regales me with one of his tales of old. He likes to read them aloud after he has completed one because he likes my opinions on them. He is also adamant about treating our bodies well and will make sure I am getting proper nutrition, fluids and the like. He loves to go for long, ambling walks to give us a chance to clear our minds and perhaps bounce ideas off of one another for our creative projects.

Will: Will likes to comfort me by offering to let me vent to him and offer advice where he sees fit. Will understands the anger I have at things sometimes, because his insecurities translate into anger whenever they come out; if I hold in my emotions for too long, they spill over and sometimes that can have very negative and detrimental effects. Will makes sure I have a private space to voice all of my concerns, air my grievances and vent to my heart's content until all of the 'bad emotions' are out in the open where they can't hurt anyone, including myself. He likes to ask me questions about my creative projects to get me talking about happier things so that I am less focused on negativity or things that upset me.

🗺️ - If you could go anywhere with your f/o, where would you go?

(Obviously Germany, since that's where they are from💗 Most of my family members, at least on my mom's side, were German immigrants, so it just feels right to want to go there.) Though more than that, I'd love to have a quite shared space with them in the forest somewhere, just the three of us in a little wood cabin where we are left alone to keep ourselves occupied with our day to day living and where we can work on our projects as long as we like. Spending quiet time alone with them away from the world is my dream and I'd give anything to have this personal space to relax with them. The brothers are used to traveling and therefore they've got no real space which they can call their own; I'd like to give that to them.

💎 - What does your f/o value in life?

Jakob: Creativity, honesty (with yourself, not just others), love, devotion, sacrifice, freedom and bravery.

Will: A strong spirit, rationality, bravery, resourcefulness, fearlessness and intelligence.

questions from: rainbow emoji self ship asks

#self-shipping #🌹grimmrose

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cardboardedison · 3 years

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A Chat With Phase Shift Games' Jason Miceli

This interview was sponsored by Phase Shift Games as part of its support for the 2021 Cardboard Edison Award.

Tell us about Phase Shift Games and your role in the board game industry.

Hey there! I’m Jason Miceli, “Grand Geek Admiral” of Phase Shift Games! My partner Darrin and I have been super proud and fortunate to have hit the ground running with our first release, Dungeon Drop (40k+ copies in circulation), and we are now working on our next three titles.

We consider our place in the board game industry is one of extreme innovation. Phase Shift Games focuses on games that “shift a dimension” or otherwise push a dimensional envelope, in such a way as to create truly unique gaming experiences.

Tell us about the upcoming projects you have in the works.

We could not be more excited to be working on Dungeon Drop’s spiritual successor, Drop Drive! Set in a vibrant science-fiction universe, Drop Drive shares the core “drop-style” mechanic first introduced by Dungeon Drop, but following that initial “big bang” setup, the two games diverge entirely.

Drop Drive offers a full sandbox game experience, playable in under 30 minutes. Mine asteroids, shuttle strange passengers, collect alien specimens, and battle pirates... all within an infinitely randomized solar system!

What advice would you give a designer who wants to have a game published by Phase Shift Games?

As mentioned earlier, we focus on games that shift a dimension in some way. So many board games are relatively flat: boards are flat, cards are flat, tokens are flat, etc. The most dimensionality you typically see from many board games is cubes, pawns, or miniatures that pop up from the table a bit. But what about all that empty 3D space above the table that’s relatively untapped? Dungeon Drop, and soon Drop Drive, play with that space quite a bit.

Then there’s the dimension of time (and space)… most board games are meant to be played in one sitting, while all players are in the same room. How can those dimensions be shifted? Can a game be played in two separate rooms simultaneously? Can a game be played while some people aren’t even in the same building? Can a game be played over a much longer period of time, say weeks or months (yes, legacy games ended up filling this dimensional goal, in an awesome and innovative way!)? Can a game be played asynchronously, but still bring the same (or better!) gaming experience?

What about environmental shifts? Perhaps games that are designed to be played outdoors, or while at the supermarket? What about games that are best played while sitting on your couch in a living room, rather than the dining room table, but don’t devolve into simple “party games”? Is there a viable way to better blend technology with tabletop gaming? Thus far this has been a fairly difficult space to play in, but we are keenly looking out for innovative ideas here too!

And so on. We really push to think outside the normal boundaries, to find games with super unusual hooks.

What is something that designers and publishers should be thinking about more?

I think the bar keeps raising higher and higher in terms of expectations for production quality and experience uniqueness. With the abundance of new games hitting the market every day, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. There are so many derivative games that just feel “samey.” Designers and publishers should set their sights higher than simply repeating a popular game model or mechanic, such as deck building or area control. Of course, this is no easy task—with the magnitude of games that are out there, it’s super difficult to think up something TRULY new and different! Still, that must be the ultimate goal.

What is one thing you think we'll see more of in the games industry in the coming year?

Well, Covid hit us all pretty hard, especially smaller publishers, and that will have lasting impacts. I think there was a big shift to solo and two-player games, as well as roll & write games that can often be played over Zoom.

Then manufacturing costs and the cost of raw materials rose significantly… and then the global shipping crisis hit us. This will likely result in us seeing more or less of certain types of game components, and critically I suspect the standard size of boxes will start to change. I think we’ll see fewer game boxes with tons of wasted space inside (even though U.S. consumerism generally prefers bigger boxes on the shelves—because, of course, a bigger box means it’s worth a higher price, right? <eyeroll>).

It’s hard to predict right now, since we still have yet to see what the “new normal” will be, but one way or the other our world will continue to change in fundamental ways.

For us at Phase Shift Games, we had already established an adorable, cubical box for our current line of games, which allows us to absorb some of these shipping implications. That said, we also have dreams of putting out “big box” games too… but now is not the time for us to make that particular shift.

It also stands to reason that the landscape of gaming conventions will change significantly. While we’re all glad in-person cons are starting back up again, I suspect we’ll see fewer vendors offering hands-on demos. Mask mandates will make some game explanations harder. Distance requirements between booths and the size of walkways will mean less vendors. Capacity limitations will mean less attendees. At least for the next year or so, conventions will likely feel very different.

Regardless, Phase Shift Games, like many others, is super eager to get back out into the community and share our passion and love for gaming! If everything goes according to plan, we will be exhibiting at Essen and Pax Unplugged this year, so please do stop by our booth and check out the latest on Dungeon Drop, Tavern Tales, and Drop Drive!!!

#sponsored

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ask-the-clergy-bc · 4 years

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What would you think about headcanons for the papas realizing they're falling in love with someone close to them (i.e. an assistant, close friend, etc.)? Super specific, I know, but it was an idea I got super interested in on the fly lmao

I love this so much, it’s actually one of my favorite ways to look into their characters romantically!! Hope you enjoy this!

Also, I feel like it’s a given but I always want to point out that there will be very blatant power imbalances when it comes to the Assistant Reader and the Papas- simply from their place of power and titles. I can go back and add a tag to this if anyone needs!

Papas/Copia realizing they are falling for a reader who is close to them!

Papa Nihil:

Nihil has only experienced love like this only a handful of times (Don’t tell Sister!) Imperator was one of the strongest connections he ever felt, and the first time he was hit by true love. But over the decades their relationship was put in a strain. Especially when you came into his life. Originally you were part of a small group of Siblings who attended Nihil. But, eventually it became just you who turned to his personal assistant. Not just from his favor but you were the only one who could handle the workload and challenges of the job. Others just fell out of it and were dismissed. Plus, Sister Imperator saw great potential in you. Nihil started noticing his change in feelings toward you some time into your position as Grand Papa’s personal assistant. It was more comforting and easy going with you around.

Nihil wasn’t sure to laugh at himself or shake his head when you took your first vacation, leaving him with a sub par substitute. You being gone made him sad, lonely, and aching for your return. That’s when he knew he had it bad for you. You always made his day and you both communicated well. Not to mention that you shared so much in common. Papa Nihil felt he bonded with you in a way he hadn’t felt in years. And, he wasn’t about to let you get away! When you came back he did usher you away to a private place and confess his feelings to you. Being blunt and straight admitting that he couldn’t picture his life without you. Nihil gives you the chance to accept or decline of course, seeing as this could turn your professional life in the clergy upside down. You have no idea how pleased he is when you accept!

Papa I:

You had worked with Papa for years now. You wouldn’t call yourself one of his students, nor one of his personal secretaries. But you were always one of his go to Siblings of sin for rituals, under work, and various projects the Papa would assign. You had been there for everything between helping the man research, to gathering ritual supplies, and even attending his gardens. To Papa, you were a valued member of the flock and one of the hardest workers he had met in the Ministry. Honestly, it was no wonder to the man why he felt so fondly of you. Papa knew immediately he was attracted to you. At first it was a casual attraction, yes he found you attractive but he was more intrigued by your point of view and your mind. He longed to get to know you more. Papa is not one to beat around the bush, and quite bluntly asked if you wished to pursue anything more.

You accepted, even though you wanted to take things very slow. And Papa was happy to respect you. Your relationship was very platonic for a long time, and Papa valued your company more than anything. The more time spent together the stronger your relationship. For Papa, it was a welcome change to have a more friendly and deep companion than one that served to warm his bed. It didn’t surprise him the day he watched you work with his personal garden did he realize you meant the world to him. That no other person understood and loved him the way that you did. Papa smiled to himself and continued to work. When you asked him why he looked so content Papa was quick to say, “I believe you have stolen my heart.” It nearly made your own heart stop. This fierce, all powerful Antipope before you was humbled and proclaiming his love in the sweetest way. You couldn’t help but do the same for him!

Papa II:

Takes the longest to come to terms with his feelings and is the most stubborn about it. Namely because Papa is scared to death at the idea of truly catching feelings for someone. He’s had his days of endless lusting, infatuations- nothing more than casual flings or short term affairs. But to realize he’s falling for you? It’s not possible! You weren’t even in his inner circle… not at first. You were one of his older brother’s students. A promising user of witch craft that longed to master your dark arts with the eldest Emeritus brother. He met you when you assisted in a ritual that took place with all the Papas. At first he didn’t notice you, but seeing you talk to Papa I changed that… you were articulate, polite, thoughtful, intelligent, and best of all you were pleasing to look at. Papa thought highly of your potential, and you two slowly talked more and more.

He made his casual interest known and you reciprocated. What started as another casual affair turned into more than just the physical. Soon you both were having more dinners, more conversations. Hell there were times he summoned you just to have company and some wine. You were a delight to talk to, so much more deeper than some of his other lovers. Actually, you weren’t just another lover. To him you were like a very close friend with benefits- something he didn’t allow often. Papa did not open up to you at first, but the longer you spent time together the more he considered it. He found himself losing his guard with you and he despised the idea of being vulnerable. Papa denied himself of WANTING you to know him so intimately… but eventually had to confess. He wanted you for himself, as a real partner. A real lover in all senses of the word. Someone he could grow to give his whole self to. It took him a while to work the nerve up to inform you this, and you were all too happy to accept!

Papa III:

It took him a long time to realize how deep his feelings are for you- because you two have been close friends for years. Granted, you’ve rejected all of his casual advances for bedtime shenanigans, and he’s always respected that. Instead you two have gotten very close emotionally- something Papa genuinely doesn’t have with a lot of people. Besides Omega, and a few of his ghouls and brothers, Papa does not have a lot of genuine and true friends he can be himself around. His position of authority makes it hard in both rivalry and people wanting to use him. Not that he has a lack of bedmates or casual partying acquaintances. So he’s never thought to even think of you as anything more than one of his best friends and confidants…That is until he saw you flirt with someone for the first time. Now, Papa HAS been there to give you romantic advice and an ear when it comes to your personal life.

What person in the Clergy doesn’t have their bouts in romance? But he’s never actually SEEN you with anyone… and that just doesn’t feel right to him. He finds himself, dare he think, jealous? But why would he be- you’re his friend, he should be happy for you! After all you’ve made it clear that you didn’t want any casual one nights with him… but did he ever think to commit more? Papa broods on it for a long time of why he would suddenly feel so awful about the idea of you actually BEING with someone else- like having a serious commitment with someone. Why was he so JEALOUS? Then it hits him… he actually has feelings for you. The reason he didn’t understand before is that Papa rarely has deeper, intimate feelings for someone beyond lust or infatuation. And now, he’s understanding that maybe the reason he’s so eager for your company is more than mere friendship.

Papa IV/Cardinal Copia:

Copia had known for a very long time that he had fallen in love with you. You were one of the few people he trusted with his life- as true loyalty beyond his ghouls was genuine and rare. The Ministry is a cut throat and very dangerous place to be in the higher ranks, especially with him trying to start the new Bloodline. But you’ve been his personal assistant for years and the two of you had bonded immensely. He loved all your mannerisms, your kindness, your loyalty and duty to the Clergy. But Copia never made a move on you. Even though there is nothing saying he CAN’T have unprofessional relations with you (who in the Clergy DIDN’T regularly bed their co workers and assistants?) Copia never felt right about it. Mainly because he was afraid you didn’t see him that way and that, if you did get physical, it might ruin the bond you two had. So he stayed quiet about it for years and just admired you from his desk.

It’s not until he’s FINALLY Papa does he try to make a move and confess. Mainly because now he doesn’t have to worry about him being in such a precarious position. Copia can finally relax a little and enjoy his newfound position. You haven’t left this entire time, you’ve been there for him- Hell’s Gates, you’re STILL his assistant! Copia, even in his Papa paint, still seems so shy like a school boy about it. But he confesses his feelings to you without faltering. At first his heart sinks with rejection when he hears you bust out laughing. But this changes when you smile back sweetly and shake your head. “Finally- it took you long enough!” For you both, it was a new start to an already solid and unshakable relationship. You just had to be the patient one and let him come to you!

#the band ghost #ghost headcanons #ghost band #Ghost headcanon #reader insert #papa nihil #papa emeritus i #Papa Emeritus II #papa emeritus iii #papa emeritus iv #cardinal copia

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funkymbtifiction · 4 years

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hello:) it’s the same person from the 9w1 946 submission and i have some uncertainties when you typed me as isfp after reading into it. and thank you for your advice on using Se more :)

I have an isfp 874 sister and while i see the low Ni you pointed out in me, isfp feels off, not quite right because compared to my sister I don’t have strong fixed feelings and views on matters. It may just be a difference in enneagram but when we debate I do love hearing her views because its fascinating to know how different people absorb differently and so where different sides of the argument comes from, whereas my sister just power throughs people and is not particularly interested or receptive to what others have to say. Naturally, I’m conflict avoidant and when she attacks a person in a very black and white manner (sometimes for no good reason at all really, besides ’ugh she’s annoying I don’t like her face’), I’m left confused because that’s not a valid point, she’s so attached to her biases sometimes I can’t stand it...

Indicates a perceiving dominant function, so ENFP or IXFJ. Wanting to collect information before passing judgment on it rules out Fi-dom; they pass judgment before they collect information, even as core 9s, since everything is filtered through how much they care about or what they think of it.

most times i already have a plan in my head of where i’m headed, what i want to eat or do and if i do this it’ll interfere and so on, but i wouldn’t say it’s in the “grand scheme of things” way.

Could be tert-Te, or J influence.

...Im not confident of how strong or valid my Ni is (if I have it at all). Interpreting symbolism does come relatively easy to me (but who am I to say when I don’t know any INJs in real life) and I do to an extent think about the future, a specific course and break it down to what I need to do in order to get there but my laser-focus and drive is only half-there and it isn’t my primary way to approaching things (although yeah, i’ll have a vague idea of the end product before i start or finish but this image isn’t a do-or-die and i can adjust or make do to change the image im working towards to—more often though, i rarely initiate projects)

Sounds like Ne in your stack.

... lower Si because i have terrible memory—me doing something then realising i don’t have my phone with me and trying to find it in where i thought i left it but not being able to find it for the next 20 minutes even with help from my sister: a common occurrence in my own house!!!! exhibit B: not sure if this applies to most low Si users but not remembering plot developments in movies or books and i cant tell if it’s my damaged attention span but i can read a page then forget what the earlier half of the page was about (one thing i’m confident that i register and retain is character development and just the characters and how they are in general). other than that, my eye for aesthetics, other than clothes, for anything else is, well it’s not non-existent but i don’t give much care for it (like how people like to up keep their homes and decorate). the same goes for bodily upkeep, what to do to make my hair shine or curl a certain way, etc ...

Most of this is 9ish. They tend to be somewhat forgetful and ‘fluid,’ but overall sounds more NFP than IFJ. There’s also a noticeable lack of emotionalism in what you are saying, which indicates Fi isn’t your highest function. You seem rather vague and scattered, so ENFP 9 might be right. They have the hardest time holding onto anything tangible and being accurate with evidence for their typing.

#question #enfp #mbti #submission

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precuredaily · 4 years

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Precure Day 204

Episode: Yes! Precure 5 Go Go! 06 - “King Donuts Awakens!” Date watched: 8 January 2021 Original air date: 9 March 2008 Screenshots Transformation Gallery Project info and master list of posts

mood

The character re-introduction arc reaches its epic conclusion and shows us where Rin has wound up after her moment of self-realization in the Y5 finale. It turns out, she wound up constantly tired. Relatable. Let’s dig in!

The Plot

Nozomi and Rin are on their way to Natts House to prepare for the grand re-opening. Rin is visibly very tired and confesses that she was up late the previous night.

images with sleepy auras

As they arrive at the store, they run into Syrup.... or more accurately, he runs into them, carrying an urgent letter from Milk. (Remember this, because Syrup sure doesn’t) However, just then, a brilliant light erupts from inside of Natts House, so they all rush in to see what’s happening. They find everyone gathered around a table with the Rose Pact in the middle, glowing, and then it opens up and King Donuts emerges, fully awake. Then he yells at everyone to stop staring at him.

blinded by the light...... how does that song go again?

After the opening, the gang tries to introduce themselves to King Donuts, but he assumes it’s another Eternal trap until Coco and Nuts reveal themselves. Instead of being relieved, however, he just pivots his anger onto them for being incompetent and letting him get attacked by Eternal. So yeah, not off to a great start here. While they watch the goings-on, Rin yawns, and this further annoys the already irate king. Growing frustrated, he tries to leave, but finds that there’s a barrier around the Rose Pact that’s trapping him until he fully recovers. As you may imagine, this does wonders for his good mood.

I’m not yawning because I’m bored, I’m yawning because I’m bored AND tired.

Cut to Eternal’s headquarters and a very fatigued Scorp drops a huge report on Anacondy’s desk, mentioning he hasn’t slept for six days while writing it. However, she dings him on numerous minor errors, deeming it unusable, and tells him to combine it with the previous report and redo it. Exhausted and holding a stack of paper half his height, Scorp collapses and the pages fly everywhere. I have to say, Koyasu acting tired is a fun change of pace for him.

these are the eyes of a man who has lost all hope

Back at Natts House, everyone is still trying to appease King Donuts. He insists he’s fine already but in attempting to demonstrate this, he wears himself out quickly. Karen offers him the apple she snapped a few episodes ago, but he refuses to eat it because he doesn’t trust them. The girls give up on him for now, because they need to get to work opening up the store, but they notice Rin has fallen asleep.

Nozomi advises them to just leave her be, trying to get Syrup to help them pass out fliers instead. He refuses and wants to know why they don’t wake Rin. Nozomi explains that Rin was busy all day with sports clubs, tending to the family shop, and watching her siblings, so she stayed up all night designing accessories because it was the only free time she had. (I am very familiar with this concept.) She also admits that Rin didn’t tell her this, she deduced it because she knows Rin and how she works.

With that settled, the remaining girls, as well as Coco and Nuts, get to work handing out fliers. Syrup, however, stays behind to look over Rin, because he refused to help any other way. He muses over his situation.

At that moment, Rin wakes up, and Syrup asks if she really was up all night designing jewelry. She realizes her old friend Nozomi has read her like a book. She admits to feeling guilty that she not only stayed up late working, but she couldn’t come up with any ideas, and now she’s missed out on handing out fliers as well. She feels useless (big oof) and contrasts herself with Syrup, who she says is working hard to get to the Cure Rose Garden. Syrup disagrees and insists she works way harder than him. At this point, King Donuts, who has been listening in, interjects and commends Rin for being critical and analytical of herself, saying it’s the key to self growth. I feel like there’s a missing line in here about not slipping too far into self-doubt, but regardless, Rin remembers she’s supposed to be at futsal practice and runs off before the end of the King’s speech.

“Gah!” - Natsuki Rin, 2008

After she’s gone, the king and Syrup discuss how hardworking she is, along with the other girls. Also there’s a gag where King Donuts didn’t recognize Syrup until he turned back into his fairy form which further establishes that Syrup has a bit of a negative reputation far and wide.

Meanwhile, at the practice field, Rin isn’t doing a whole lot better at futsal than she was at jewelry design. As a result of staying up late, she’s still tired, so she’s missing passes or overshooting goals. She even accidentally kicks the ball over the fence and into the woods, so she goes to retrieve it while yawning some more.

It’s here that she is confronted by an equally sleepy Scorp, who asks her to hand over the Rose Pact so he won’t have to write up his report, and he can sleep. It’s kind of pathetic, kind of comical.

Scorp turns the futsal ball into a hoshiina, so Rin transforms as well. Syrup swoops in to save her from Scorp but drops the Rose Pact, so King Donuts tries to talk down the villain. However, Scorp is undeterred and even sees more value in having one of the monarchs inside the Rose Pact. The other girls show up and transform, temporarily distracting Scorp (as well as the king, who is surprised that they’re the legendary warriors) but he then continues his advance until Rouge punches him away. Then she hears Lemonade screaming as the Hoshiina tries to fling her off, so Rouge rushes in to kick it and rescue her friend. Scorp once again tries to capture the Rose Pact, so Rouge separates from the team again to protect the fairies, but Scorp captures her instead and taunts her about trying too hard to do too much by herself and says she’ll only ever be halfway finished. This hits Rin at her core and she is unable to resist an attack from the Hoshiina, but at the last moment her teammates jump in front of her to defend her. They remind her that she’s not alone, they’re there to help her, and then Dream gives an inspiring speech about how Rin always challenges her situation and works harder than others, so they’ll always support her. Scorp is unimpressed, but Dream rushes him with a Shooting Star. Feeling newly motivated, Rin also performs her new finisher on the Hoshiina: Fire Strike! She summons a fireball at her feet and then kicks it into the monster, which of course dissolves back into a normal futsal ball. Scorp flees, muttering about how he’ll have to include this in his report as well.

As the dust settles, King Donuts admires the Precures, and then has a seemingly random realization about the Rose Pact and the Red and Blue roses, or rather, the lack of blue rose. In case you had forgotten that plot point.

the answer will surprise you

Back at Natts House, King Donuts opens up a bit more to the girls and they chat back. However, he quickly reiterates that he doesn’t acknowledge Coco and Nuts as rulers yet. When they ask Syrup to help them with the shop, he reminds them that he’s only here to deliver a letter from Milk, and he finally hands it over to Coco. (took him long enough) It turns out the letter says there’s an emergency in Palmier Kingdom and everyone needs to come there quickly! They want to go but aren’t certain how.... until they remember Syrup has the convenient ability to travel between worlds. He initially refuses, but King Donuts cleverly appeals to both his pride and his kind-heartedness, causing him to think about the conviction all the girls have shown in their solo outings thus far, and he agrees to take them. So just as quickly as it opened, Natts House is closed again and the gang boards Syrup to fly to the Palmier Kingdom. As they rise into the air, they soar forwards into a watercolor warphole, surrounded by floating lights. They fade to white and the credits start.

The Analysis

Something I truly appreciate about this episode is that it picks up from the first series finale, and shows that Rin hasn’t magically become a top tier accessory designer, she still has moments of artist’s block, and she really struggles with just finding time to create, which impacts her social responsibilities. (sounds familiar) Rin’s struggle is a recurring theme, and I'm always glad that unlike certain later shows, they don’t glamorize her sacrificing sleep, they just portray it as something people sometimes do even if it’s not in their best interests. Contrast with that episode of Go Princess, you know the one. It’s a straightforward cause and effect: Rin stays up late designing, so she’s tired the next day, and that influences her interactions.

It has some positive responses, such as getting King Donuts to recognize how hardworking she is and swaying his opinion on the girls; and some negative impacts, like kicking the futsal ball too hard and over the fence. With all that said, I must once again remind you all not to sacrifice your well-being for your goals, even if I’m bad at following my own advice.

King Donuts (or Doughnuts if you prefer) is an interesting character. At first he’s paranoid that he’s in another Nightmare trap, but as he grows to accept his circumstances he warms up a bit, especially when he hears about how hard Rin is working. He remains critical of Coco and Nuts, understandably so, since their negligence led to him being attacked previously. However, he doesn’t dislike them, he is sharp-tongued because he wants to make them better kings. Physically he resembles a diminutive dragon. It’s not the most apparent visual but when all four Rulers are together the pattern begins to become obvious. More on that ~eventually~.

although they’re all in the OP so, ya know, clues

A secondary theme throughout this arc has been to show Syrup starting to acclimate to the girls and begin appreciating their hard work and way of doing things. He’s still stubborn and wants to do his own thing, but it takes less arm twisting to get him to go along with the girls’ requests. Usually. As he admits to King Donuts, he respects their work ethic and their devotion to the causes they love. He entered the picture as a loner delivery boy who just wanted to do his job, but getting roped in with the Precures’ misadventures has opened his eyes somewhat. He’s going to be fun to watch as the show continues. However, he has a reputation, as we’ve seen. We don’t know exactly what the details are but several characters seem to have a low opinion of him, and we’ll find out more about that in coming episodes.

The fight in this episode is interesting in how..... not interesting it is. It kind of fools you into thinking more is happening than actually is. There’s a lot of talking and not as much action as you would expect. The Cures and Scorp or the Hoshiina will exchange a few blows and get thrown around, then one of them starts lecturing the other side about their beliefs. Sure, all Precure shows have elements of this, I can remember a few other fights that were more talk than combat, but it seems particularly egregious this episode. I do like how Scorp’s mocking has an effect on Rouge though. She’s already feeling really unaccomplished and then he goes and tells her she’s useless without her friends. It starts to weigh on her heart, but her friends quickly step in and say hey, we love Rin, she has us to support her, it’s okay if she can’t do it all by herself. As a result of this quick pep talk, she unleashes Fire Strike, her new finisher, and boy does THAT shine. It’s the first soccer-themed Precure attack in the series, and more will follow in subsequent years.

Compared to some of the other finishers, Fire Strike is more straightforward. Rouge creates a ball of fire and kicks it directly into the Hoshiina. It’s less over the top than her teammates attacks (flying into the enemy, twin whips, flying discs, or an arrow made of water) but the animators manage to punch it up a bit with some suitably dramatic effects that sell how fast, hard, and powerful this kick is. Also I have to say, the shot of Rouge bringing her leg all the way back to ready the kick is really cool.

Her leg is cocked and extends past her head. If you’ve ever tried this you know it’s hard, so even if you can make a drawing do anything, it still looks impressive, and the next shot where she’s kicked it is gorgeous. The flame walls, the way she’s lifted slightly off the ground, the way the ball is warped, all convey a sense of power and motion. Yeah, she’s just kicking it straight ahead, but you get the sense she could kick it through a brick wall.

I do have to say, on the negative side, the framing device of the episode feels a little forced. If this letter from Milk was so important, Syrup probably should have pushed it on the girls a little sooner. Maybe just dropped it off with Nozomi when he first met her in the morning. They still could have seen King Donuts awakening but they would have made moves to go straight to the Palmier Kingdom instead of doing all that work advertising and opening the shop only to have to close it again right away, and skipping Rin’s moral quandary. Since those are at the root of the episode, it might be hard to cut them, so alternatively, to keep them, the episode could have been written such that Syrup could have received the letter at the end, so he wasn’t holding onto such an important and urgent letter all episode long. It’s the little things. And on that topic, I find the third act (fourth act?) after the fight to be a little too goofy. Syrup finally hands over the letter, then they all hem and haw about how they’re going to get to Palmier Kingdom and they beg and plead Syrup to do it until he finally agrees. The only truly funny part to me is Nuts lamenting that he has to close Natts House after he just opened it.

Also there’s this ending sequence.

vimeo

This is the single worst thing I have ever made in the name of this project.

It’s overall a well-thought out episode and it smartly moves between story elements, smoothly concluding the character reintroductions and setting up the Blue Rose arc that follows. I appreciate how seemingly unconnected events flow into each other and they lead to the King seeing that the girls are legitimately good people. It’s probably the most cohesive episode of this arc, although I still think the character reintroductions peaked with Urara’s. The others have been good in different ways, but there’s a deeper bit of heartfelt emotion that episodes 2, 3, 5, and 6 just haven’t been able to match.

Next time, Milk’s emergency turns out to be largely imagined, and we meet a new villain. Look forward to it!

Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: 1 kettei!

#Precure #Pretty Cure #Yes! Precure 5 Go Go!#YPC5GG06 #PCD204

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dweetwise · 4 years

Note

Felix and Ace having met before. Ace won a grand prize at the table and got an executive suite. Though his next door neighbor was Felix who was here on a business meeting to design a similar casino. (I am sorry I love imagining people meeting people before the fog)

this isn’t exactly what you asked for buuuut i needed to write something for waiter ace and you blessed me with this ask uwu also if you didn’t want a ship i’m sorry but that’s what i assumed! warning for closeted felix and mentions of the s3x but nothing nsfw actually happens

word count: 1860

Felix X Ace: Strictly Business

Felix wasn’t exactly prepared for the fog to transport him into another dimension. He'd read some theories, sure, and he'd seen his father disappear into thin air all those years ago, but to experience it first-hand was another thing entirely.

He also didn't expect the world in question to be controlled by an eldritch being that forced its captured victims into a gruesome game of hide and seek, killing and resurrecting him and others at will.

But he sure as hell didn't expect to come face to face with the biggest mistake of his life.

It takes Felix a minute to recognize the man, the small camp having so many new faces and names to memorize and they’re all speaking over each other—it's a lot to take in. But then he spots a familiar face, and everything the ginger woman is trying to explain to him becomes white noise as the man he focuses on laughs at something a boy in a beanie says.

Felix’s thoughts drift back to what feels like a lifetime ago, when he was on a business trip in Austria, staying at a luxurious casino.

Him and a couple of other junior architects were invited to design an expansion to the building, and the best idea would be hired. Felix hated competition, he hated having to work on the field, and he hated the lavish, over-the-top style of the casino. But he was only starting to get his name out there, and couldn't afford to turn down any opportunities—if he played his cards right, this could be his stepping stone into more high-profile projects. Maybe he'd get to design an entire casino next time, without the twenty fake fountains and fuck-awful gold trims.

They were waited on like VIP:s while attending meetings in lavish conference rooms and bullshit marketing presentations about the brand. It was basically an all-inclusive stay, but Felix still despised it. He would have given anything to skip the unnecessary pleasantries and stay at home to draw the designs in peace.

He hated it right up until one of the waiters serving their mid-presentation coffees caught him suppressing a yawn and gave him a cheeky wink and a smirk. Felix had blinked, thinking he imagined it, but the more he kept staring, the more the waiter's smile seemed to widen.

Felix wasn't gay, but being an architect, he could appreciate aesthetically pleasing things in life. Like the waiter's symmetrical face, high cheekbones and good hairline. And eyes that sparkled with mischief even while he was outwardly completely professional.

And the way his work pants clung to his perky ass.

The waiter was suddenly a hundred times more interesting to him than the entire project. The project was predictable, and Felix once again found himself drawn to the unknown.

It wasn't a challenge to get the man's attention. He only had to linger behind after a dinner, and soon enough, there was a gloved hand brushing fleetingly against his neck as the man collected his plate. With the rest of the group having moved on, and Felix having had more than a few drinks, he'd asked if there was any possibility for room service. He was rewarded a lopsided grin and warm eyes shimmering with promise.

He always was much smoother when drunk off his ass.

He doesn't even remember what he'd designed by the end of his five-day-stay in the casino. He only remembers fucking the cute waiter against the tacky gold-trimmed headboard of the king-sized bed in his suite. And in the hot tub. And in a supply closet. It was a long week, okay?

His companion was named Luca. He'd only been working in the casino for a few months and was thinking of moving back to Italy, not being a fan of gambling or the over-the-top establishment. He had a charming accent and only spoke a couple of words of German, forcing Felix to use his own shaky English.

It was a shallow thing. Felix tried to keep his personal life private, and he definitely left out the part where he had a girlfriend back home. He'd ended up exaggerating his professional success, but wasn’t that what people did? He was just trying to make a good impression,

After the week, Felix never talked to the other man again. He got home, unpacked his bags, and freaked out. He didn't even want to think about how unprofessional he'd been and how risky it was.

And definitely not about how much he'd enjoyed it.

The more he tried suppressing the thoughts, the more insistent they got. His brain was periodically invaded by images of warm brown eyes, expressive lips twisting into a hundred different smiles, and a laugh resonating in his ear, rich like his favorite double-roast coffee. The memories had haunted him for close to a decade, and he thought he'd finally gotten past them, ready to be a good father that had his shit together.

But here he is, seeing the same brown eyes light up with the same carefree smile and the sound of the same damn laugh echoing through the air and all the memories come flooding back.

The woman next to him hollers something to the group, and the familiar face looks his way. Even with the now grey hair and added wrinkles, Felix still finds himself just as transfixed as he'd been ten years ago.

He's introduced to the group, but he only really remembers one name and the overwhelming sense of wrongness that follows it; Ace. The revelation isn’t made any easier when he notices there isn't even a flicker of recognition in the eyes he remembers so fondly.

In the following couple of trials, Felix is only disappointed further. “Ace” doesn’t have an Italian accent anymore, in fact Felix catches him instead saying something in Spanish to the woman in a blazer. He’s also very keen on gambling, and the shiny satin smoker jacket he wears in one trial could have been straight from the tacky casino they met in. Was anything he told Felix about himself true?

It takes him a while to confront the man, debating back and forth inside his head. All of his focus should be on finding his father, and he needs to keep these people at arm’s length. Ace not remembering him is the best possible outcome of their brief past together, he tries to rationalize.

But in the end, curiosity wins over rationality, and when the opportunity presents itself, Felix is unable to resist.

“You really don't remember me, do you?” Felix asks, alone in the camp until Ace returns from a trial. The man pauses, eyebrows pinching together in confusion “I didn't leave you to die on hook, did I?” Ace asks. “That happens sometimes.” “No, I mean back in the other world,” Felix explains. “We've… met?” Ace asks.

Well. If that's what you want to call it.

“Yes,” Felix simply says and immediately, Ace cringes. “I'm sorry?” he offers. “Excuse me?” “I can count on one hand the people I've encountered who remember me fondly. There's a 99% chance you hate my guts, so I figured I'd get it over with quickly," Ace explains, seeming a little wary. “I don't hate you, I just can't believe you'd forget and… lie.” “Oh, I… I do that. Did—whatever. Nothing personal,” Ace shrugs. “I really don’t remember you, sorry.” “Casino in Vienna. 2011. I stayed at the hotel for a week. You were a waiter. You said your name was Luca. We—” Felix hesitates. “…'met'.”

Multiple times on multiple surfaces.

“Vienna, huh? Hmm... Oh!” Ace's face suddenly lights up. “You were one of the suits, right? Some kind of… lawyer?” "Architect,” Felix corrects, a little miffed. “Same deal,” Ace dismisses with a wave of his hand. “So, are you still neck-deep in the closet?” “What?” Felix recoils. “That's—I'm not gay. It was a one-time-thing.” “That would be a yes,” Ace muses, almost as to himself. “So you do remember? All of it?” Felix prods. “Guess so. What, you want a repeat performance?” Ace asks, raising an eyebrow. “No! I just…” Felix falters.

‘Wanted to make sure you didn't forget me because I’ve been thinking about you for the past ten years’? No way he’s admitting to any of that, so he puts on his business face.

“Wanted to come clean. So we're on the same page. To avoid any awkwardness,” Felix says instead, and it’s definitely not as smooth as he would have liked. “Right…” Ace says, regarding him skeptically.

There's a few seconds of extremely awkward silence while Ace just stares at him and Felix looks into the fire, trying to keep his face neutral and not sweat bullets. Eventually Ace sighs.

“Look, can I give you some friendly advice?” he asks. “I… I guess so," Felix says, a little confused. “Drop the act,” Ace says, looking him dead in the eye. “The manly man, excited father, respectable lawyer—” “Architect,” Felix, again, corrects in annoyance. “—suit guy thing, whatever. It's not going to serve you any purpose in here. These people see right through any bullshit, trust me on that one,” Ace adds with a knowing smile that Felix has never seen before.

He doesn't have any time to think of a reply before they're interrupted, the girl with a beanie cussing up a storm while a young guy in a sailor uniform sits down in front of Ace expectantly and the man cracks a joke and immediately starts tending to the bloody gash in the kid's shoulder.

The wound is bleeding heavily but the duo keeps chatting without a care in the world. Felix remembers he got a gauze roll from the… blood web?—and he rifles through his meager belongings before approaching the two.

“You… um,” Felix stammers, holding out the item to Ace. “Would this help?” “Cool!" the teen chirps while Ace takes the offered item silently, regarding Felix with an unreadable expression. "Thanks—uhh, what was your name again?" the kid grins sheepishly. “Felix,” he says. “And… yours?” he asks, swallowing his pride and now hesitantly curious to learn more about his companions. “I'm Steve! This is Ace, and the moping bitch over there is Nea!” Steve exclaims with a bright smile that shows his bloodied teeth. “Dude, fuck off!" the girl, Nea, calls. “Hey Felix, anyone teach you how to use a flashlight yet?" “No, not really," Felix confesses, cautiously approaching the girl. “I understand the need for tools and medical supplies, but… what would you use a torch for?” ------------------ “So how's the new guy holding up?” Steve asks. Ace looks over to where Felix is sitting with Nea. “Allvarligt—förstår du mig inte?” Nea has apparently moved on from flashlight training to Swedish lessons. “For the last time, your Swedish sounds like gibberish to me," Felix explains. "Just because the languages are related—" “Sheiße,” Nea interrupts with a grin, moving to swear in German. “A multilingual genius, I see,” Felix deadpans. “He's learning,” Ace says, hiding his own hopeful smile behind the fluffy hair of the boy he's patching up.

(nea’s line: “seriously, you don’t understand me?”) i’m not 100% happy w this fic, esp since it’s about a new character but it’s a start at least! i also really wanted to throw in a “sure you’re hot but you were so boring i forgot all about you” line but it didn’t fit and now you just have to imagine that’s what ace was thinking

#felix richter #ace visconti #felix richter x ace visconti #dbd fanfic #dbd #dead by daylight #dweetwrites #request

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gaming · 5 years

Photo

Indie Game Spotlight: Slime Rancher

Grab your all-purpose vacpack and get ready for this week’s Indie Game Spotlight! Slime Rancher is a game about Beatrix LeBeau: a plucky, young rancher who sets out for a life a thousand light years away from Earth on the ‘Far, Far Range’ where she tries her hand at making a living wrangling slimes. Collect colorful slimes, grow crops, harvest resources, and explore the untamed wilds through the mastery of your all-purpose vacpack.

We chatted with some folks at Monomi Games including Kara Holmes, Communications Manager, and Chris Lum, whose role covers everything from turning high-level concepts and design pitches into final game implementation as well as world building down to the placement of individual blades of grass, all about their game, Slime Rancher.

Slime Rancher is available on PC (Steam, Humble, GOG, etc.), Xbox One, and PlayStation 4!

First of all, congratulations on selling over 2 million copies! How has the journey been since Early Access to now?

Chris: Thank you! Honestly the journey from Early Access has been surprisingly smooth, all things considered. We leaned hard on our past experiences as MMO and live game developers, making sure we had our big beats planned out in our roadmap as well as regular engagement and updates for our community. I think this has helped us continue to be a top selling, overwhelmingly positive-rated game years after our initial release into Early Access. Also since then we’ve managed to cultivate a bunch of exciting partnerships that’s allowed us to explore other platforms as well as adorable merch options. It’s not something we ever could have imagined taking off back in the Early Access days and we’re so incredibly thankful for the opportunities!

Where did the idea behind Slime Rancher originate from?

Kara: When Nick and Mike first started working on Slime Rancher, the goal was to make something weird, colorful, and happy. Nick likes to say that the original kernel of the idea for Slime Rancher came from a bug in Elder Scrolls (where you could create a ball pit by tossing hundreds of watermelons or cheese wheels into a room), but there is a lot more to Slime Rancher than just that. (I encourage you to watch Nick’s GDC talks!)

A big part of Slime Rancher’s charm comes from the way you interact with the world. It was important to us to make a creature that could be in any situation, bump into something, roll around, get stuck in a tree, etc., and it would look like everything was working as intended. The best thing about slimes is that they look totally correct even if they’re not.

Any tips for others looking to start making games and how to pace themselves?

Chris: For those looking to start making games there are a number of high quality, freely available tools to use such as Unity or Unreal. Start very small and practical; don’t try and make your dream game right off the bat and use a small, attainable project to get used to the tools and the development process. It’s more important to plan and execute on a complete idea than it is to make a game with a grand vision or scope.

All developers can talk at length about what worked for them to break into the industry and each is valid and different so it’s harder to give advice here. One thing that I know I look for is experience with working on a team and executing on a complete idea. Whether that is building a game-ready character model, creating an environment, or designing a gameplay system, I like to see how people break down a problem, demonstrate their process for solving it, and work with others to make a final product.

What is personally your favorite Slime?

Chris: I really like phosphor slimes. They make exploring at night a lot more pleasant since they have that wonderful glow to them and they’re harmless, unlike mosaic slimes. From a purely practical design standpoint, they also make nice visual highlights to draw the player’s eye at night where it can be sometimes very dark and hard to tell where pockets of action are.

Ready to become a Slime Rancher? Make sure to follow their Tumblr and stay updated on their regular, free content updates. Slime Rancher is available on PC (Steam, Humble, GOG, etc.), Xbox One, and PlayStation 4!

#Slime Rancher #Indie Game Spotlight #Monomi Games #Monomi Park

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lunarr-rrose · 4 years

Video

Brandon Moulton, Hard Money with Fernando Angelucci

https://u109893.h.reiblackbook.com/generic11/the-storage-stud/brandon-moulton-hard-money-with-fernando-angelucci/

On this episode of What is the Deal, the real estate podcast that gives answers, we’ll be covering what is the deal with hard money lending. One of the most common finance tools in fix and flip real estate is hard money.

Joining me to lend some knowledge on hard money is my good friend and colleague, Brandon Moulton

Who are you and what do you do?

For the people that don’t know, what is “hard money”?

What does a day in the life of a Senior Vice President of Lending in a hard money lending firm look like?

Why should a real estate investor use hard money?

What are the decisions someone will be faced when choosing a hard money lender?

How would you advise someone to choose the right hard money lender? What is the most common mistake you see real estate investors make when it comes to utilizing hard money?

On the flip side, what is the most common mistake you see lenders make?

What advice would you give a real estate investor looking to utilize hard money for the first time?

What advice would you give someone considering starting a hard money lending company?

What can a real estate investor do to make themselves the most attractive borrower possible to a hard money lender?

As a facilitator of wealth growth, Titan Wealth Group believes that success is not limited to the sum of our efforts and is infinite with what can be accomplished through partnership.

Facebook:

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Listen to our Podcast:

https://thestoragestud.podbean.com/e/brandon-moulton-hard-money-with-fernando-angelucci/

#TheStorageStud #RealEstateInvesting #SelfStorage

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

Fernando Angelucci (00:04): All right. Hello everyone. Welcome on this episode of What's The Deal, the real estate podcast that gives answers. We'll be covering What's The Deal with Hard Money Lending. One of the most common finance tools in fix and flip and buy and hold real estate is hard money. And joining me today to lend some knowledge on hard money lending is my friend and colleague Brandon Moulton.

Brandon Moulton (00:30): Thanks Fernando. Excited to be here. Was that pun intentional?

Fernando Angelucci (00:36): It was intentional.

Brandon Moulton (00:40): Love it. So yeah, excited to be here crazy times election is hanging in the balance right now as we speak on the fourth year, but you know, excited to talk deals.

Fernando Angelucci (00:53): Cool. So to start it off, why don't you tell the people watching, you know, who are you and what do you do?

Brandon Moulton (01:02): My name is Brandon Moulton senior vice president of lending here at Renovo Financial. What I do is I work with residential real estate investors to help them execute on their business plan, whether it's flips or buy and holds. And then are the asset classes we focus on are anything from a single family up to a 50 unit apartment building and everything in between.

Fernando Angelucci (01:32): Awesome. Okay. So you said that you guys help people out, both on the buy and hold side and on the fix and flip side. Can you go into that, explain to people maybe that might not know what hard money is, what is hard money and how's it different from other say traditional financing sources?

Brandon Moulton (01:52): Sure. So hard money is really just private money for the purposes of the acquisition of real estate. It's tends to be more focused on the asset. And there's more of an understanding we'll say that comes along with each borrower and each age project that maybe doesn't fit into the box that the traditional outlets like conventional lenders would like to see. So and then typically it's, short-term usually 9 to 18 months is the term that you're looking to turn the money in, and either re-fight or sell the property.

Fernando Angelucci (02:38): Okay. And during that nine to 18 months, is it amortize? Is it interest only?

Brandon Moulton (02:44): Typically interest only, but that can depend on each deal and what you cut with that group. Some guys like to see pay downs after, you know, some period of time, but typically interest only.

Fernando Angelucci (03:01): Okay. you said that hard money is usually utilize more when conventional financing sources aren't viable. What are some of those? Give me one or two situations where using hard money would be preferred over, say using a bank.

Brandon Moulton (03:18): Sure. So you know, for, from a hard money perspective, it's typically an asset that is in some state of disrepair. Meaning it needs to be turned around value add whether it's re-zoning or just construction. When it got out the building banks are, you know, and conventional outlets are lukewarm on it. Especially depending on the size of the dollars, they all love the million, million plus that's what gets them out of bed. But for those dollar amounts, less than a million it's a lot of work. It's not something they really gravitate towards. They want the deal with the bow on it at the end where it's stabilized, but the the heavy lifting within the construction period is something that can be a little bit challenging within the conventional world.

Fernando Angelucci (04:12): Yeah. Now with hard money, you said that it's a more of an asset based loan. When you say it's an asset based loan, what does that mean? As opposed to what?

Brandon Moulton (04:24): So asset-based meaning looking at the collateral, focus is initially on the project plan. And then there's, I would say there's some understanding around the personal background and maybe there's some bumps in credit in the past, but really the focus is on the actual hard asset.

Fernando Angelucci (04:45): Gotcha. Okay. Now, so you said that you're the senior vice president of lending at Renovo. What does a day in your life look like? What are you doing on a day to day basis? Maybe it changes a lot. Why don't you give us a little bit of detail into that

Brandon Moulton (05:01): You make it sound so grand, it just means I have more phone calls and text messages. But you know, it's a lot of conversations kind of like what we're discussing now in terms of, you know, how the loan works what the cost is loan to value, but that's kind of the initial onboarding conversations. And then once you know, we've got a history, it starts to become more about what your business plan is and how we can go to the next level. Right. and then also how we can potentially leverage my network of other professionals to help you get there.

Fernando Angelucci (05:43): Gotcha. So it's a lot of business development. You're talking to investors day in, day out, maybe it's helping them source contractors, attorneys, wholesalers. I know you've connected us with a lot of your clients in the past, and we've been able to help them out with sourcing properties as well. When it came to Renovo, give us kind of your history. How did you get there? How long have you been there?

Brandon Moulton (06:09): Yeah, so I initially started my career in finance with a bank, a local bank doing underwriting for construction deals and different real estate opportunities. I did that for about seven years and then I was doing some light rehabs myself and got my brokers license and really kind of saw this as maybe a potential path that I wanted to go on and as a developer, but I was introduced to the guys here at Lenovo and you know, really haven't looked back since I started as a loan officer and kind of worked my way up the totem pole here. So but yeah, I mean, it's been a great run. You know, the economy has been phenomenal and then there's also just been more confidence in the idea of private money or hard money lending here recently.

Fernando Angelucci (07:05): Yeah. One of the things that I've noticed is, you guys are very quick to close deals. I've heard from multiple of my buyers that when they use you guys, you guys can usually close in, you know, usually 14 to 21 days. In some cases you've done it even faster than that. I'm not not saying that every deal is like that, but usually when when a borrower has all their information buttoned up, they already are in your system. It seems like you guys can close pretty quickly. When should a real estate investor decide to use hard money. One of the reasons I'm alluded to right now is obviously speed. What might be another reason to use hard money?

Brandon Moulton (07:47): Yeah. So I would say there's really three primary reasons. One you just touch on, which was speed. Two is a dilution of partners. So within private money, we're willing to go higher advancing, advance higher into the capital stack so that you have to take on less partners. I think we talked to a lot of folks and it gets pretty old pretty quick. When you're the one finding the deal running around, chasing the contractors and then selling it and maybe your rich uncle put up all the money, but you split it half at the end that it kind of gets old after you do it a couple of times, given the amount of work and how hard it is to find these projects and then bring them to completion. And then the third I would say is real-world underwriting. So there's a more understanding around kind of maybe, some lumps in your credit or maybe your tax return you're self employed. So it doesn't look, you know as the way a bank would like it. So just having that general understanding and the ability to have the conversation, I think, is a big driver of why folks like to use private money.

Fernando Angelucci (09:00): Yeah. I know when we were flipping properties, one of the things that was always tough, especially in the beginning was when we went to a local bank, they wanted 25 to 35% down of the purchase price. And then anywhere from 50% or more of the rehab, we had to fund ourselves in some banks even quoting me that I had to put all the rehab dollars. And so that's a lot of cash out of pocket. Say, you have a prime plus borrower, everything looks good. He has decent credit, you know, good experience, you know, what can they usually look to be putting down on both the purchase side and on the rehab side?

Brandon Moulton (09:38): Yeah. So we look at the deal on a total cost scenario of what your acquisition cost is, and what your rehab cost is. And then we would be funding somewhere between 80 to 85% of that total cost. Meaning you'd have to come in with a 20 to 15% down now, pre COVID, we were going up to even 90. I'm sure we'll get back to those days at some point, but we're not there right now. So 15 to 20% of the total costs is what you can expect for somebody that's got some experience and some, a good track record.

Fernando Angelucci (10:18): And then as far as ratio to let's say total ARV, what's kind of your guys as stop limits as far as how far you'll go up on a deal?

Brandon Moulton (10:28): Yeah. It's a pretty straightforward between 60 to 70%.

Brandon Moulton (10:32): Okay. And that's.

Brandon Moulton (10:34): Make sure there's on the back end so that you can get out of it and move forward.

Fernando Angelucci (10:42): Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, a lot of people that are watching this video and a lot of people that we work with, they always like to utilize hard money lenders and there's, you know, the space has been getting crowded recently with the amount of cheap money out there, funding these hard money lenders, someone's going to select a hard money lender. What are the decisions they are going to be facing? What type of things should they be looking for from the hard money lender to just almost like verify or vet that lender?

Brandon Moulton (11:13): Yeah. So about five years ago, you touched on a point here that it's become a pretty crowded space. Goldman Sachs bought a group out of California Genesis, and that really legitimized kind of the industry, so to speak. And since then it's been like you said, a pretty crowded space and competitive, but you know, when choosing a hard money lender you really got the option of kind of national versus local, right? So the national guys are all backed by wall street. They're typically going to be a lower cost or lowest cost provider typically, but it's still very much check the box even for hard money. And you know, you're still gonna have to kind of meet their ratios and kind of check the boxes. I said and then you've got local guys that can provide some more flexibility, speed, know how due to their local knowledge expertise and probably just being a little bit more nimble and not as bureaucratic. And then you've probably got another kind of layer of it. That is probably just, you know, a guy that's got a few million bucks that can kind of write a check on site and take a mortgage on the property. So those are the kind of the three options I would say. So you've got to kind of balance out how your deal fits in into each bucket and what makes sense. And that timing also plays a role into it as well.

Fernando Angelucci (12:55): Yeah. And I want to touch on a few points you had there. So the first thing is with those national guys, what I've noticed is the underwriting is very similar to if you were to go to a bank. So the speed is not usually there compared to say a local guy. And the underwriting is pretty onerous compared to say somebody that knows a local market. The second thing I wanna to touch on is, again, the importance of going with a local lender that knows the investment areas here in Chicago, in the areas that are primarily sought after for investment purposes. A lot of those areas are almost block by block and someone that is not headquartered in the area that you're investing in may not know that, Hey, if you cross the street, all of a sudden the after-repaired values jump up a hundred thousand, or if you go on the other side of this park then all of a sudden you're in a completely different area, even though on a map, it looks like it's right next to it.

Fernando Angelucci (13:53): But if you actually know the local area, you'll start to see those changes. And that's huge for us investors because we're always trying to invest kind of on the borderlines, right? Where a class A area bleeds into a class B areas that you can buy at class B prices, rehab it, and then sell it at class A prices or C to B, what have you. So those are the two things that I noticed. And then the third thing is you touched on these what I call these mom and pop hard money lenders, right? It may be just some high net worth individual. It's just him sitting behind a desk and he's just turning his money over and over again. What I've noticed with those types of guys is they usually get tapped out pretty quick, and they could only have a couple loans going at any given time. So if you were relying on someone like that, you can get caught holding the bag with a contract that you're not gonna be able to fund. So talk to me about Renovo, give me an idea of like how you guys are funded and how much available funds you have. Every time I've talked to you, you've never had any issues with funding deals. You've never had any issues w with finding the money for a property.

Brandon Moulton (15:04): Yeah. We've taken a little bit of different approach to kind of the game here. And it's really taking the blend of local expertise and kind of having that community banker understanding and know-how, but kind of cross-pollinating it with an institutional platform and the capital structure behind it. So definitely a little bit unique in that regard that we have the flexibility and of the, of the local guys, but with the the backing of the institutional guys.

Fernando Angelucci (15:40): Yeah. So yeah, I'm glad you kind of covered some of those things. So let's switch gears here and now let's talk about the borrower themselves or the insurance themselves. So, you know, hard money is a great tool if you know how to use it well, but it can be a pretty disastrous tool, if you don't know what you're doing, you know, what are some of the most common mistakes you see real estate investors making when it comes to utilizing hard money?

Brandon Moulton (16:12): So there's a few I'll touch on here. I would say, starting very big and in terms of construction budgets, and then maybe municipalities that they're not familiar with. I mean, here in Chicago you go to Berwyn some of the other local municipalities, they have different requirements, and they can really jam you up on inspections and stop work orders, et cetera. And if you're not playing by the rules of the game you can really find yourself you know, tied up with a hard money loan or private money loan. That'll just really chew away your profits. So know your municipalities inside and out, I would say start with a smaller budget, especially out of the gates. And you know, those bigger budgets and those luxury class A stuff could be very dangerous. Cause if you don't make the market time, you could be sitting on that for quite some time and really just getting chewed up like I said, so. Budgets and municipalities are the two biggest pitfalls I see.

Fernando Angelucci (17:28): Yeah, absolutely. And one of the things that I've noticed especially on the municipality side is when investors are trying to game the system. So I've seen some pretty nasty deals where the investor tried to avoid pulling permits, the municipality found out, and then all of a sudden they get a stop work order. Now they can't do construction for, you know, six to nine months until they remedy this. And that's, you know, six to nine months of hard money. That's a lot of interest to be paying. Another thing that I've also seen is the timing of the market like you alluded too, you know, in Chicago, we have pretty severe winters and the real estate activity from buyers from end buyers, homeowners drop significantly during the wintertime. And so does prices usually see a 5 to a 10% drop in prices across the board during those times.

Fernando Angelucci (18:18): And I've seen some larger projects that the scope kind of exploded a little bit. The construction took a lot longer and all of a sudden now they're listing in winter as opposed to trying to list early fall, late summer, that has caused a lot of issues. So yeah, very, very important things to watch out for one of the nice things I like about working with you, Brandon, is you're not only a lender, but you're almost like a third-party advisor. You come and you help them with their scope. You tell them, Hey, I don't know if this timeline's really making sense. How can we tweak this to make sure that you're geared, you know, cause you're always looking to have your clients perform well, the last thing you want to do is take a property because Renovo's not in the business of owning property Renovo's in the business of lending capital to successful real estate investors. Right?

Brandon Moulton (19:06): Yeah.

Fernando Angelucci (19:07): So.

Brandon Moulton (19:07): So yeah, I mean, I work you know, having, you know, writing hundreds of these deals over my career kind of seeing, you know, how these these deals go and what to expect and you know, what budgets are appropriate given what their plan is. And also asking if they've rehabbed and places these different municipalities to make sure they're aware of all the requirements and which ones are particularly tough. So, like you said, we're looking to get in and out of these deals, want to have a successful track record with our guys and, and continue to turn the money and help them hit their goals, plain and simple.

Fernando Angelucci (19:50): Yeah. So one of the things that I've also noticed just because we have buyers that always ask for referrals and a lot of these buyers already coming from a previous hard money lender that made some kind of mistake and then have gone over to work with you guys and stayed with you. What are some of those common mistakes you've seen your competitors make, which has caused business to migrate from them over to you guys?

Brandon Moulton (20:18): I would say the, you know, the biggest one, you know, they can lend folks into a problem when they're really they don't have those conversations and if they fit the box, so to speak on paper you know, maybe it doesn't actually makes total sense and then they can get guys into a couple more projects than they should. And then that creates friction long term, and then an opportunity for us. I would say other piece is over promising and under delivering especially on timelines, that's a big one thinking they can get it done and they can't actually get it done and for any variety of reasons. And then the third is there's, you know, with the national guys, there's just things that happen on wall street or from these institutional players that back them that they might just say, Hey you know, if your budget is more than 50% of your ARV, we can't do it. Or if your purchase price is 50% less than your budget, that's just a hard no. So they start to run into those kind of hard no's in the box type lending scenarios.

Fernando Angelucci (21:36): Yeah. So we've seen you know, the market's been really great for real estate, especially even going into COVID. And I think the main reason for that is there's just low inventory. There's just no deals out there. Same thing on the flip side for the homeowners are I'm seeing ARV is going up because of the low inventory. I don't think that's going to last very long. But because of that, I have you know, a lot of newer investors jump into the space, start to look to leverage their money and start looking at utilizing hard money. So what's some advice you'd give to say a newer real estate investor looking to utilize hard money for the first time.

Brandon Moulton (22:19): Let's talk, let's have a conversation about why we're doing this, And really make sure we're in it for the right reasons. And it's not just a good thing to discuss at a cocktail party. But that you're actually really ready to live in breathe. You know, what this takes to get done, because fighting with contractors, finding properties, passing inspections, isn't for the faint of heart, by any stretch of the imagination. So you really gotta have a good team around you to get through it initially. And I think it starts with you know, a good real estate broker, a good contractor in particular that can make or break you. And then you know, from there, if you're willing to, you know, continue to take the next steps you know, we've got some to talk about, but a real solid team is what it takes to get you off the ground here.

Fernando Angelucci (23:15): Okay. So real solid team, that sounds like it's super important. What type of pre-work can an investor start doing to make themselves more attractive as a borrower to say, Renovo what things can they be doing with, you know, reserves with credit, with finances, those types of things.

Brandon Moulton (23:40): Well, for the new guys, know your numbers, it's a really disappointing conversation when somebody tells me, Hey, I want to get into real estate. And then you start to ask them, you know, what do you look like on paper? What, you know, what do you make annually? And they say, well, I don't know, what do you have in the bank? It depends on the day. Those types of answers are just not going to fly well. It really makes a call short in my opinion, because if you don't know your numbers, I'm not going to know them either. And you should be looking at us as the lender, as your biggest investor. We're going to be putting up over 80% of the money in some instances. So come prepared and have a good business plan.

Brandon Moulton (24:27): And you should also be seeking out mentors and folks in the industry that are actually doing these types of deals. And maybe you can start, you know, as an equity investor putting into their deals so you can shadow them and, and kind of see how things work. And then the second piece, I would say to start to you know, run a lot of the different scenarios on different deals and track your neighborhoods and what your business path could look like. And then start to talk with maybe friends and family on the first deal. So there's a little bit less pressure going into it. And your first deal. So friends and family is a good way to get started. I've also seen people, you know, buy a property and use a two or three K loan to get started as their first flip or buy conventionally and then fund the construction out of pocket. That's how I did my first flip. So there's a lot of ways to do this. If you've got the grit and really wanna kinda make it happen.

Fernando Angelucci (25:33): Yeah. So, okay. So it sounds like to summarize, get a good team around you.

Brandon Moulton (25:39): Yep.

Fernando Angelucci (25:39): Make sure you have a solid business plan and, you know, your markets have a little bit of experience before you come to a hard money lender and then make sure that your numbers are buttoned up on the financial side. What do you usually like to see as far as reserves? What do you like to see as far as, you know, tax returns, the adjusted gross income? What are those types of things look like?

Brandon Moulton (26:00): Yeah. So from a liquidity standpoint in cash or cash reserves, that's going to weigh pretty heavily in the conversation. Because inevitably during the process of rehabs and construction, there's always something that happens or comes up and, you know, you're going to be expected to step up and, and typically fund that difference. So we want to see a minimum on post after your down payment of a minimum of six months of reserves or 50 grand.

Fernando Angelucci (26:33): Is that interest reserves only, or is that what types of reserves?

Brandon Moulton (26:37): So when I say reserves six months of your like what shows up on your credit report as far as your monthly obligations.

Fernando Angelucci (26:45): Okay.

Brandon Moulton (26:48): So your house, your car, credit cards, whatever it might be, we want to see six months of that and minimum.

Fernando Angelucci (26:54): Okay. And then at least maybe $50,000.

Brandon Moulton (26:57): Yeah. You're going to need it. The worst thing I can do is lend you into a problem that you can't get out of. And then you're scrambling mid project to be able to cover any shortfalls, et cetera.

Fernando Angelucci (27:12): And these are a lot of the things that you cover when somebody first reaches out to you and starts getting started with the process with Renovo. Right?

Brandon Moulton (27:20): Absolutely.

Fernando Angelucci (27:22): Tell people then, you know, how can they reach you? And is there anything they should know before they try to contact you

Brandon Moulton (27:30): Pretty straight forward. I got my phone with me you know, 24/7.

Fernando Angelucci (27:36): I know it.

Brandon Moulton (27:38): You know it. But I can be reached at [email protected] or my cell phone, which I can give Fernando to post later and feel free to either shoot me an email or a text, and we'd be happy to get a call scheduled with you. And see how we can make it work.

Fernando Angelucci (27:58): Great. So [email protected] and they can also go to www.RenovoFinancial.com, Is there a way if they go to the website that they can say, Hey, I want to talk to Brandon.

Brandon Moulton (28:09): Yeah. So there's a, if you call in to our the phone number provided online. Jess would be the one that takes the calls in and she'd be able to direct you guys to me.

Fernando Angelucci (28:25): All right. Perfect. Well Hey, Brandon, I really appreciate you coming on, taking time out of your busy schedule.

Brandon Moulton (28:31): Same to you.

Fernando Angelucci (28:33): I know you have a little baby at home to taken a lot of your time, so I'm glad you had time.

Brandon Moulton (28:36): Oh yeah.

Fernando Angelucci (28:36): To make time here. So I appreciate everybody tuning in for this week's episode of What's The Deal, where we covered Hard Money Lending and got you the answers you need. Thank you very much, and I'll see you next week.

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