#i love a happy and carefree luke

[ahhrenata]

the farmboy fit ✨

[indecisivemuch]

Look at me

Pairing: Luke Castellan x Reader

Summary: Being oblivious to Luke’s feelings, you tried to get over him by getting a boyfriend, who just does not know how to treat you right. Inspired by the song ‘Boyfriend’ by Dove Cameron ~ “I could be a better boyfriend than him.” (jealous luke, friends-to-lovers, fluff, angst, pining, happy ending.)

Warning: Just the boyfriend being an asshole and unwanted physical touch for a split second, but nothing serious. Sorry if your name is Cole. Violence (physical fighting)

Note: I’m sorry if there are a lot of errors, I haven’t had the chance to edit this thoroughly so if it feels like a train wreck, then I'm sorry. I just needed to write this out, get it out there, so I can go back to revising for my exams in peace lol, cause this plot/idea has been at the back of my head, I could not stop thinking about it or study properly. Lowkey hated how this one turned out, but whoops.

Word count: 4.8k

“People say that eyes are the windows to one's soul,” you once told him. You two have been best friends for a very long time: five years of being attached to the hip. Yet, you were completely oblivious to the way he looked at you. Even everybody at camp noticed and thought it was bound to happen. They were so sure that Luke and you would end up together. So imagine everybody’s surprise when something else occurred.

It happened right in front of Luke: Cole - a boy from Cabin 5 and son of Ares - asked you out, and you said yes.

It has been two months since that day. All Luke could do was sulk as he watched his best friend slip away. Of course, you still tried to spend as much time as possible with him. But even then, things have changed. There were no more of those content silences between the two of you. There were no more carefree laughs that made Luke feel like you two were the only ones that existed in this place. He used to walk you back to your cabin every night, hugging you good night or kissing your forehead close to your hairline if he felt brave enough. Moments like those convinced him you two would be like that forever. But his solace was taken in a split second. Now, you were so near, yet so out of reach. 

It didn’t help that he saw you every day, like right now, as you sat in the middle of a gathering hosted by your cabin. Gods, even the wind seems to be in love with you, judging by the way it was blowing through your hair as if it was trying to twirl itself around those lovely locks that Luke himself used to always tug behind your ears. The sight of you always bathed him in this warm feeling, like the morning sun. Hence his nickname for you: sunshine. 

Then his brown eyes landed on the figure next to you, and they hardened. He has witnessed it all: Cole’s backhanded compliments, ignoring you on your birthday, leaving you alone to talk to his friends, occasionally flirting back with girls who batted an eyelash at him, and then blatantly telling you that you were overthinking it. Luke knew he could treat you so much better. 

You were sitting with your boyfriend and his group of friends, who often gave you weird looks or snickers. Gods, if it was him you were with, he’d never make you feel excluded. He would have his arms around you and defend you if his friends ever made snarky remarks. Not that that would ever happen anyway; you were well-loved at camp, and all his friends loved you. But he would treat you well, nevertheless, not like that dumbass sitting next to you.

One of your favorite songs started playing, and Luke watched as you genuinely smiled for once tonight. You touched your boyfriend’s arm, muttering something to him. Luke knew exactly what you were saying to Cole because you and Luke used to do this together. Except, you never had to ask Luke. 

Whenever your favorite tunes were on, Luke would immediately pull you out of your seat and dance with you, laughing as if nothing mattered at all. Nights like those, he liked to imagine that the stars above envied them and what the two of you had. Now? He felt like one of them, watching from the outside. 

Luke’s jaw clenched as he saw Cole shrugging off your hand on his arm. Gods, Luke felt like that idiot was taking you for granted, and his blood boiled. Before Cole, Luke used to always orchestrated some excuse to have you touch him - getting injured on purpose sometimes just to watch you frantically panic over his wounds and take care of him, volunteering to help you out with swords training just to touch your hand and pretend to adjust the way you were holding it, hugging you every time he greeted you and so on.

For a second, your mask slipped, and you had that look on your face, like something had left you emotionally wounded. It was the kind of look Luke would kill to never see again, and oh, the things he would do to get rid of Cole. Luke had to wrestle with the thought of marching up to Cole and beating him to a pulp. However, he did stand up to approach you.

You felt a hand touch your shoulder. When you peered at the person standing, your eyes immediately glimmered as they caught Luke’s. However, something foreign was gleaming in his eyes. The Hermes boy has always looked at you sweetly. But the way he was looking at you right now was filled with something much more intense - borderline fervent, like an obsession. 

Cole finally glanced over at you for the first time the entire night. Unlike you, he instantly recognized the look in Luke’s eyes: hunger and longing. It was clear as day to everybody but you.

Luke extended his hand out for you to take and you understood right away. For the first time in two months, your hand touched his. Luke’s chest sunk and his breathing lost its usual rhythm for a second as your skin made contact with his. The Hermes boy finally looked over to Cole, and the Ares boy saw an immediate shift in his eyes. Now, they were filled with animosity and - the most obvious of all - heated jealousy. 

Luke led you away from Cole and started twirling you around. You let out a laugh - the kind that was infectious and has always brought a smile to Luke’s lips. You both sang along to the lyrics. For once, your relationship felt restored, just like the good old days. Was it wrong that this was the happiest you have felt since you got together with Cole? You shrugged away the thought as the song slowly ended. Luke settled with both hands on your waist while yours were around his neck. Usually, you would put your head on his chest as you both slightly swayed around. But now that you were in a relationship, you kept a bit of distance between the two of you. You gaze up at Luke, who was already staring at you sweetly. The moment was perfect. Gods, you almost wished to stay in it forever.

Meanwhile, Luke hoped he could convey his thoughts through his eyes - the unspoken words he wished he had told you sooner. Could you not see the infatuation coursing through his veins whenever he was with you? Could you not see that you got him at your beck and call? 

The look you gave him almost convinced him that you heard his thoughts. You leaned your head on his chest, caught off-guard by the speed of his heartbeat as it soothed you along with the music in the background. Feeling a heated look over his way, Luke glanced around and locked eyes with your boyfriend. Cole narrowed his eyes while Luke gave Cole a look of resentment and immense loathing. 

Gods, he could be a much better boyfriend than Cole.

“Hey, man,” when you heard your boyfriend’s voice, you lifted your head from Luke’s chest and withdrew your hands around his neck. “I’ll take over from here,” Cole practically pulled you away from Luke and started swaying with you. Instead of feeling happy that Cole finally danced with you after two months of dating, you felt wrong. Cole's hands were on your waist, but they felt sluggish like his heart was not in it at all. Your ear was against Cole’s chest, so you caught the sound of his heartbeat. It sounded…too calm, almost cold and shallow, causing you to twist your lips into a frown.

You glanced up at your boyfriend but saw him staring behind you instead. So you glanced back and caught a glimpse of Luke before getting pulled around by Cole, who roughly yanked your face towards him. He kissed you almost aggressively. There was something cynical and bitter about the way he was kissing you. 

Cole opened his eyes and conceitedly made eye contact with Luke. The Hermes boy glared at the sight of Cole handling you so roughly, claiming your lips so smugly. If it was him, he would be kissing you for you; he would be kissing you to show you how much he worshiped you and the ground you walk on, not to prove an empty point.

You finally managed to pull away when Cole let go of your chin. “All right, we’re done for the night, don’t you think?” your boyfriend muttered, quickly leaving you to return to his friends as if nothing had happened. Despite feeling slightly aggravated at Cole, you hated that you couldn't care less of his words at that moment, and the first thing you did was look in the direction Luke had been before. 

Yet, he was not there anymore.

~~~

Your cabin was not on the same side as Luke’s cabin for this match of capture the flag. You were fighting off some people who were on the blue team. Years of training with Luke paid off because you managed to point your sword at the person’s neck and grinned when they put their hands up in surrender. You continued perusing through the area, trying to regroup with your team or take down another blue team member. However, you almost tripped as you witnessed Cole on the ground with Luke on top of him, repeatedly punching his face..

“Luke!” you called out, watching as Luke’s action faltered, and his eyes darted around frantically around like a lost wild animal. However, Cole took advantage of Luke’s momentary distraction to land a hit on Luke’s face. The Ares boy got off the ground as Luke stumbled and went for another punch. However, Luke dodged it effortlessly and rammed Cole against a tree instead.

“Hey, knock it off,” you yelled, standing between the boys to stop their flight. Luke immediately backed off, afraid he would accidentally hurt you if he didn’t. But Cole, in the middle of his blind rage, still swung for Luke and ended up striking you across the face instead. Right when that happened, Luke pushed Cole again and rushed to your side to assess your injury. At that very moment, Chiron approached the scene with one of Cole’s friends next to him, who promptly told the man:

“It was him. Luke initiated the fight.” 

~~~

Luke wished for somebody to put him out of this misery as he stared at you from afar helplessly. He was so dotted that it hurt. Somebody must have answered his prayers because your eyes met his from across the field. There was a bit of sadness behind them, perhaps regret from how things ended yesterday. You whispered something to your boyfriend, but Cole did not even spare you a glance and waved his hand as if dismissing you from the discussion. Luke’s hand once again curled into a fist. He bit the inside of his cheek from the pain induced by his injury. The Hermes cabin counselor felt no bit of guilt in his body about his physical altercation with Cole. He felt smug at the sight of Cole with one black eye, busted lip, swollen cheek and a body sporting way more bruises than him. 

You deserved better. 

“Hey, stranger,” you greeted, sitting beside Luke. Almost immediately, he hooked one finger under your chin, tilting your head lightly as if he was afraid he might break you. The boy scanned over your injury, sighing at the sight of purple forming under your skin, indicating an emerging bruise. Even so, under the moonlight, you still looked heavenly to him.

“Devon said you initiated the fight. Is that true, Luke?” Luke frowned at the mention of Cole’s friend. Great, now he knew another idiot’s name. Meanwhile, you have asked this because you knew him. There was no way the boy you knew would lose control like this and swing his hands first. 

“No, but what’s the point of telling Chiron that? It’s two against one,” he breathed out.

“Luke, you’re literally the friendliest and nicest counselor here. Of course, he would believe you,” you reasoned. You sighed disappointingly as Luke only shook his head in response as if asking you to drop it.

Now, you two sat in silence. It felt the same as the comforting ones you have had with him before - the ones that made you feel like you were at home in front of your fireplace, curled up with a book. 

“Why are you with him?” and with that, the comfort evaporated as the air thickened. You and Luke rarely argued or even disagreed, so it felt like an unfamiliar territory every time it felt relatively tense between you two. 

“I know you, which is why I know that you’re absolutely miserable with him, so I don’t understand why you’re still with Cole,” Luke commented, though his voice was quiet because he was considerate of drawing this type of attention to you. He had seen it before - Cole causing public altercations and storming off and you running after him with tears emerging from your eyes. He did not want to put you in the same position.

“Y/N, please, as your best friend…” there it was again, the word that used to make you smile brightly, was now the same one that brought you pain. You wanted more. “...You deserve better,” he uttered, his eyebrows slightly scrunched as he looked at you with those eyes. There it was again, the look so intense that you were convinced they could swallow you whole. Yet, you could not interpret them. So, you looked away.

“Luke…” you said his name almost like a warning sign. The boy sighed at this. 

His fingers gently tilted your chin towards him, urging you to face him. There was so much contrast in the way he touches you and the way Cole does. You knew precisely why Luke wanted you to look at him: your eyes were your tell for him. Years ago, after you told him that eyes were the windows to one's soul, he told you that he knew this already because he had learned that your eyes will always tell the truth for you. That’s how, in so many instances, he would be the first to notice whenever you're upset. 

“Y/N, does he make you happy?” you stiffened at the question. Words choked up in your throat as your mouth opened to answer. You wanted to say yes so you both could get over this conversation. But you knew he would be able to tell you were lying. The way he looked at you right now, as if you were the only thing that mattered. He seemed so vulnerable. Little did you right at this moment, Luke was willing to surrender and let you go if you said yes.

“Oh, this is who you left me to talk to?” Cole's voice broke you both out of the trance. “The person who beat your boyfriend?” Cole passive-aggressively spat, sneering from above as he looked down at the two of you. You called out to your boyfriend, but he quickly cut you off with a quick “Unbelievable,” before walking away. But Cole did this on purpose. He liked the attention he drew, even if they were at your expense, especially because he knew you would chase after him.

“I’m so sorry,” you muttered to Luke on your boyfriend's behalf as you stood up to run after him. Luke frowned as he shook his head. If you were his, he would never allow you to apologize on his behalf, nor would he give a reason for you to ever do that.

“Uhm, what are you waiting for?” Annabeth’s voice broke Luke from his irritated state. “Go after her,” the young girl nudged.

“I doubt I should do that, Annabeth. Last time I was with him, he ended up in the infirmary.”

“Yes, but you need to go after her before it’s too late.”

“It’s already too late.”

“No, it’s not,” the girl stated sternly, and when Luke peered over at her, he recognized the look on her face. From experience, he knew better than to doubt when Annabeth was right. So, he stood up and walked in the direction where you disappeared after your boyfriend.

“Stop it, Cole. I don’t want to…” Your voice grabbed Luke’s attention as he started walking in that direction, eyebrows furrowed.

“Come on, this is the least you could do to make it up to me,” Cole replied. 

When Luke reached the scene, he almost went into an uncontrollable wrath when he saw Cole trying to take off your shirt as you objected and struggled out of his grip. 

“I said ‘let go,’ Cole,” you yelled this time, pushing him back. Upon finally doing so successfully, a figure stormed past you and immediately flung at Cole’s cheek, right at the spot that was already bruising. The impact knocked Cole to the ground as he wailed from the pain. Averting your gaze to the person, you saw Luke. Like a deranged bull, Luke grabbed Cole by the collar and lifted him up, going in for another hit, but you quickly stopped him, calling out his name.

Cole, who did not learn his lesson, spoke again, “Gods, of course! He runs to your aid again. You must be a good fuck for him to get this attached. How many times have you fucked him, huh? Gods, you’re such a whore, you know that?” If it were not for your hands stopping Luke and removing his grip from Cole’ shirt, Luke would have ensured Cole no longer had a face. 

“Cole, stay the fuck away from me. We are over.” Your words seemed to affect Luke more than Cole. It was as if Luke could feel an immense weight being lifted from his shoulders. “Let’s go, this is not worth it,” you told Luke. Cole barked a laugh at this.

“Man, you’re more trouble than it's worth. Do you know why no guys ever asked you out? You’re fucking difficult and clingy, that’s why. If it was not for that fucking bet, I would not have either.” Luke was about to launch at Cole but was caught off guard because you had already done it yourself. You punched him, aiming for his nose and teeth, making sure to break a few.

“You fucking bitch!” Cole spoke after he howled in agony. He spat out blood as his nose started bleeding, “Gods, you’re gonna pay for this.”

“Oh yeah? Come on!” you challenged him, motioning him to come over. Any sense of calm or restraint you had was long gone. “I’ll be the one sending you to the fucking infirmary this time,” right when you started approaching Cole again, you were quickly stopped by Luke. He stood behind you, one of his hands soothingly rubbing your back in an attempt to calm you down. Luke averted his gaze to Cole.

“If you know any better, then leave, Cole. And don’t come near any of us again, or I promise you…” Luke trailed off, shaking his head as his eyes bore the weight of the promise he left unsaid, leaving it to Cole’s imagination as to what Luke would ever do to him if he ever saw the boy again. Something seemed to dawn on Cole as he saw the dark look on Luke’s face. Cole finally decided to leave the scene, limping away from the area as he muttered some insults under his breath.

You turned around and inspected Luke’s hand, which started bleeding again through the bandage. Taking his non-injured hand in yours, you wordlessly dragged the boy to the infirmary. Despite the excruciating pain spreading through his injured hand, Luke blushed at your action and followed you like a lost puppy.

The Apollo person on shift was someone you knew, so you managed to convince them to let you do the work on the Hermes boy. You observed his hand again, peeling off the dirty bandage from it. As you went to grab disinfectant, Luke softly held you back by flipped over his hand that was in yours so that he could take a look at your hand instead.

“Are you okay?” His words made you swiftly look over at him instead. There was a sad look on his face as he sat on the infirmary bed. You haven’t seen him this hurt and dejected in a long time.

“Am I okay? You’re the one with the bleeding hand.”

“You punched him quite hard.”

“He deserved it,” you settled on answering, hesitantly pulling your hand out of his so you could grab the things you needed. 

“You know I had that handled, right?” you asked mindlessly, trying to fill the silence as you disinfected his hand and wrapped a new bandage over it. “I don’t need you to defend my honor or anything, Luke. I can hold my own ground,” you tried joking.

“No, I know you can hold your own ground. Besides, I wasn’t defending your honor,” he spoke softly, watching as you delicately held his hand with so much care. He wished you could hold him like that as well. A quivering sigh escaped his soft lips, his voice much less firm than he wanted it to be: 

“I was defending the girl I’m in love with.”

You immediately looked at him, only to see him already gazing up at you. It was as if a blindfold had been taken off, you finally understood what your other friends were referring to when they said that Luke had always “looked” at you. His eyes were filled with adoration. However, this time, they were also decorated with pain.

“I could be a better boyfriend than him,” he stated, almost like it was a fact, and your gut knew it was true, too. 

“So….Why not me? I watched you give Cole - a complete asshole - a chance with you. I watched him give you so much less than what you deserve. It pains me, but I still sit here and wait for you to look in my direction for even one second in the way I have always looked at you. I could be so good to you, Y/N. I waited for you to realize I could be the one who loves you so endlessly and treats you way better than all these guys combined. So…why? Please tell me why and put me out of my misery. Why is it not me?”

“Luke…” you rasped out his name. Despite the pain he was in, his heart could not help but throb for a second as it yearned for the sound of your voice calling out to him again. He almost scowled at himself for the way he was reacting to you. Gods, you managed to unravel him through the sound of his name from your lips. He hesitated for a second, wondering if he would even be able to take it at all - if he was given a chance with you. Would he be able to handle the way your skin felt against his, or would his heart burst into unstoppable flames? Would he ever be able to move on if you ended up breaking his heart, or would it remain in scattered pieces of you?

“I love you,” he uttered so effortlessly, which almost convinced you he had said it a thousand times before. In a way, he did, but only in his mind after every time he bid you goodnight. Gods, never did you think he’d say it out loud and put it out there. You almost said it before as well - out loud to the universe, but never brave enough.

“Luke, I never knew,” Luke wanted to sigh as he looked away from you. For the first time ever, he did not want to be vulnerable and let you see his eyes. The same ones that had been looking longingly at you for the past five years, and you were too blinded to see.

He could have sworn that he had been laying it on thick for the past years - all the touches, the looks, his actions. Luke would always linger near you and select you first every time he had to go on a quest. And if he ever were selected to go on one without you, the first thing he would do after returning is wrap his arms around your waist as he pulled you into a hug, breathing in your presence like it would bring him back to life from the gruesome battles he had to go through while out of camp. Did all those actions throughout five years not show you enough that he was infatuated with you? He wanted to reassure you that what Cole said previously was not true. Many guys wanted you but never asked you out because they knew he would be first in line no matter what. 

"Luke, please, look at me," Of course he obeyed. His eyes met yours - the ones he always tried to find in a crowd of demigods.

“I never knew that you were an option. I did not know that I could choose you. I thought that even attempting to tell you about my feelings would break our friendship forever. I didn’t know you felt this way, too. In fact,” you dryly chuckled. “I was giving Cole a chance because I was trying to move on from you.” Luke tugged you closer to him, his fingers lingering on your hips. Thousands of thoughts speared through him as he tried to collect himself. A glimmer of hope presented itself as his mind toyed with the idea of you wanting him too.There was no way he was letting you move on now, not when you both have mutual feelings. 

“I thought I was deep in the friend zone. Did you not see all the moves I pulled on you?” he asked.

“What moves?”

“Uhm—the physical contact?”

“I thought you were just touchy.”

“I walked you back to your cabin every night!”

“Well, I thought it was just a best friend thing?”

“The first thing I do after every quest is search for you, you’re always the first one I want to see.”

“I really, really thought it was because you were my best friend.” He groaned at all of your responses.

“But do know, Luke. You have always been my first option in everything. And I would have chosen you again and again, the first pick every round…if I knew you were up for it.” He groaned again, but this time out of temptation and satisfaction. He didn’t think the metaphorical butterflies were real. He slowly but surely stood up from the infirmary’s bed and wrapped his arms around your waist. You reciprocated, your hands around his neck. He leaned closer to you and gulped. He wanted to say the right words, do the right things and not mess this up. He took a deep breath and finally settled on what to say next.

“Can I kiss you?” He muttered in a low, raspy voice with a restrained manner, as if he was holding himself back. Five years of pining led him to this point. You almost melted at the sound of his voice.

“Kiss me, Luke.”

And he did. He pulled you up and arched down, connecting your lips together. He dove in as if he had been waiting for this day his whole life. He felt every breath knocked out of his lungs. He sunk himself into this moment like he was living for it rather than in it. He kissed you as if it was the only time he could and as if you would evaporate if he stopped. His hands moved to your face to embrace your cheeks in his palm.

You started moving your hands up his head and played with his curly hair. You tugged it slightly, and the action drew a moan from Luke. The sound caused you to break away. It made you flustered that you had evoked such an alluring sound from the Hermes boy. 

“I wanna go slow for you, I really do. But it feels like I’ve been waiting for so long. I want to be a gentleman and not skip steps. But I can’t wait anymore,” he whispered before whimpering against your lips, “please be mine.”

He went in for another kiss again, but you pulled away. His heart clenched at this. The boy bit his lip and wanted to scowl at himself for attempting to speed things up. He was too greedy and wanted things too quickly for you. He almost whined at the thought of losing the chance he barely had.

“That was not a question, Luke. Ask me, and I’ll give you an answer,” he stared into your eyes, and it almost set him on fire. He never saw that much passion in them before. It almost matched his, and that made his heart fasten again.

“Will you be mine, sunshine?”

“Yes, Luke. As long as you’re mine too.”

“I have always been yours.”

——————————

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pairing: jack hughes x fem!reader

warning(s): cursing, angst(??), not sure what else, not edited

word count: 2.5k

author’s note: not super happy with this, it feels a bit underdeveloped, but i can’t watch it sit in my drafts any longer. i didn’t write this with a part ll in mind, by the way. this was supposed to turn into something else, but that didn’t work out + i lost inspiration so it is what it is. sidenote, if you have any angsty/sad prompts/requests, pls send ‘em in, it’s my favourite thing to write! sending love, —mari

You couldn't help but feel like a creep, huddled in the corner of the dimly lit booth, your gaze fixated on them from across the bar. In front of you, a nearly forgotten gin and tonic sat, its ice cubes melting as you absentmindedly swirl them around with a small black straw. If anyone were to inquire, you'd insist that your attention was solely on the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall behind them, broadcasting a wrestling match you had zero interest in.

You wondered if He was somehow aware of your unwavering gaze fixed upon him from across the room. It crossed your mind that perhaps he was deliberately flirting with the stunning redhead as a sly ploy to put on a spectacle, fully cognizant of your watchful eyes. Did He hope to incite jealousy within you? You nearly chuckled at the absurdity of the idea. The notion of feeling envious over a girl with her hands lightly grazing his arm seemed laughable. After all, just a few days ago, he had been lying naked between the sheets in your bed. So, no, you weren't jealous, and you certainly weren't about to let jealousy rear its head.

Yet, there was a gnawing irritation within you. He had, after all, extended a personal invitation your way, urging you to join him and his teammates for what he touted as their "one last hurrah" before the start of the new season. It irked you that he was lavishing so much attention on someone else, given this context. The annoyance was unmistakably etched across your features. Your poker face had long deserted you, and you didn't care to conceal your disdain. Several drinks deep, with a pleasant buzz now enveloping you, you found yourself in a carefree state where your demeanor wasn't a primary concern.

You eventually shift your gaze from him, an uneasy feeling retreating in your stomach. You instead direct your attention to Baby Hughes, who is engrossed in a game of darts with John. A small smile graces your lips as the younger boy, with his earnest enthusiasm, throws a dart that sails far wide of the board, disappearing into some unseen corner. John throws his head back in laughter, and it's evident that he's playfully ribbing Luke, who responds with a melodramatic explanation for his errant throw, punctuating with wild hand gestures. You contemplate joining them, when a towering figure looms over you, casting a shadow that demands your immediate notice.

"Is this seat taken?" You find yourself under the scrutiny of a tall, attractive blonde who's looking down at you. A hopeful smile adorns his lips, revealing dimples that only add to his charm. His right hand holds a beer, while the other rests casually at the nape of his neck, lightly tugging the hair. Your eyes travel appreciatively from his warm gaze, down his well-dressed figure. Blondie sported black slacks that complement a maroon long-sleeve dress shirt neatly tucked in, with the top buttons lazily undone, revealing a small, glimmering gold cross. The choice of attire piqued your curiosity; he seemed a bit overdressed for a local, family owned bar.

Your minds flickers back to Him, and you contemplate stealing a quick glance in his direction to see if he's still in conversation that girl. However, you are somewhat physically trapped behind the man standing in front of you, preventing any discreet surveillance without making your intentions obvious. Opting for a polite smile instead, you gesture with a welcoming hand for the handsome stranger to take the seat in front of you.

You observe the visible sigh of relief escaping him, his eyes momentarily betraying his unease. With a sheepish smile, he gently places his drink on the table and eases himself into the booth.

His voice, raspy and honestly deeper than you expected, breaks the silence. "I'm Anthony, by the way." He extends his hand toward you, but halts for a moment, perhaps feeling slightly awkward at the formality.

You respond with a light chuckle, reaching out to meet his hand with yours for a firm handshake. "I'm Y/N, nice to meet you."

The conversation with Anthony flows effortlessly, each word weaving a tapestry of connection that unravels the initial awkwardness. You discover that he's in town for a friend's wedding, which explains the formal attire, and that he's a native Rhode Islander. He confesses his nervousness about approaching you, and when you jest about whether it's due to your so-called "resting bitch face," he denies it vehemently.

He smiles, his eyes sincere as he offers, "It's always a bit nerve-wracking to approach the most beautiful girl in the room."

You can't help but snort at his compliment, your hand quickly covering your mouth in embarrassment.

Unbeknownst to you, your surprised snort captures His attention, and his head snaps in your direction, drawn by the sound of your voice cutting through the bar's lively atmosphere. His gaze lowers at the sight of a guy in front of you, and the smile on your lips as you laugh again at something he's said. He watches, as the guy's hand moves to rest on yours, and his jaw tightens, his mind racing with questions about what could possibly be so amusing in your conversation.

"Jack, are you listening to me?" A manicured hand slides into his view, weaving through the air in a bid to recapture his attention. Clearing his throat, he absentmindedly runs a hand through his unruly brown locks before reluctantly refocusing his eyes on the redhead before him. She beams at him, her lips quickly resuming what she had been saying before his lost concentration. The truth was, he hadn't been listening to her at all.

He can't focus on her words, not with the image of you and that guy now engraved into his mind. The mere thought consumes his every breath, causing him to bite at his bottom lip out of agitation. He racks his brain for a way to gracefully escape the everlasting conversation with the redhead, and as if on cue, the universe seems to answer his silent plea, when the girl in front of him glances at the clock. Her eyes widen in alarm as she realizes the time.

"Shit, I didn't realize it was this late. I've got to get going," she apologized, her lips forming a slight pout. Jack sends her a reassuring smile, nodding his head in understanding.

"It's cool, it was fun while it lasted," He replies plainly, standing up from his barstool with a nod.

She frowns, mirroring his actions. "Did you want to maybe exchange numbers, or something?" Her voice holds a glimmer of hope.

He pauses, pretending to think for a moment, even though he doesn't really need to as the answer was always going to be the same. "No, sorry. Have a good night, Isla."

You don't even notice Him walking over to you, too consumed in the vibrant conversation that you shared with the man in front of you. It's only when Anthony's gaze travels past your head, his lips pausing mid sentence, that you finally catch sight of him. You follow Anthony's gaze, angling your body around in the small booth.

You open your mouth to speak, but His cold palms cup your cheeks, drawing you into a passionate, yet utterly unexpected and somewhat unwelcome kiss. Your eyes widen, caught off guard, and your lips don't have time to react before he gently pulls away. His fingers tenderly brush aside a stray strand of hair that had fallen across your face, and he looks down at you with an innocent smile. "Hi, my love. Is everything okay?"

You're too dumbfounded to formulate a response, still struggling to register what just transpired as Jack gently nudges you aside and smoothly settles into the booth next to you. As you lock eyes with Anthony, it's evident he feels extremely uncomfortable, his gaze darting uneasily between you and Jack.

"Hey, man. How's it goin'?" Jack asks with a casual grin, his tone laid-back as he eases into the booth. His arm naturally drapes around your shoulders, as if it's a habitual gesture that's been repeated countless times. You go to shrug him off, but his grasp tightens, pulling you even closer against his side.

"Hey... hi," Anthony's gaze leaves Jack, focusing solely on you as he speaks again. "You didn't say you had a..."

Jack interjects, cutting off Anthony before he can finish his sentence. "Boyfriend? Yeah, she does."

Your elbow makes sharp contact with Jack's side, prompting a quick release of his arm from around your shoulder. He winces, but swiftly regains his composure, though not without a slight scoff escaping his lips. "He's not my boyfriend."

"You weren't saying that last night?" Jack didn't come to yours last night, and even if he had, he was the one requesting that whatever was happening between the two of you to remain casual.

I don't have time for a full blown relationship, he said.

All of my focus needs to be on hockey, he said.

Things are fine as they are, let's not ruin it, he said.

And what? He gets to flirt and fuck around with as many puck bunnies as he wants, but the minute you try and do the same, it's suddenly a problem? Not only was he not your boyfriend, but he didn't even want to be, he had no right to get jealous. And he especially had no right to rush over here and kiss you the way he did.

You pivot towards Jack, your fury emanating from every pore. His T-zone area has a faint reddish tint, and his breaths come fast and heavy. "Aren't you busy entertaining Jessica Rabbit?"

He tilts his head back in laughter at your nickname for the redhead he's been conversing with all night. Clearing his throat to regain composure, he gazes at you with a grin, teeth lightly grazing his lower lip as he tries to suppress a smirk that manages to break free regardless. "Jealous?"

You scoff, an incredulous look overtaking your face as you stumble over your words at his accusation. "Me? Jealous? Jealous of what? Listening to you talk about yourself for an hour? God, you're so full of it."

"Wouldn't you like to be?" He mumbles under his breath.

His perverted insinuation prompts a gasp to escape your lips, and your face ignites with embarrassment. Anthony's eyes are locked on the awkward exchange, his expression a mixture of horror and discomfort. You hurriedly bring your hands to your face, rubbing your eyes intensely, yearning for this nightmarish moment to come to an end.

"I don't... I don't know what's happening," he stammers, slipping out of the booth to rise to his feet. Anthony takes a final sip of his beer, his head shaking in disbelief. "But clearly, there's... something between the two of you."

You find yourself at a loss for words because, in a way, he isn't entirely wrong. You and Jack weren't in a defined relationship, but there was undoubtedly something brewing between the two of you, despite both of you attempting to ignore it. It wouldn't be right to involve Anthony in the midst of your complicated situation, no matter how appealing and genuine he seems.

"I'm sorry." You apologize.

He shakes his head. "It's alright. It was nice to meet you, Y/N. Maybe I'll see you around." With those words, he walks away from your table, heading toward the exit.

Jack shifts next to you, a content sigh escaping his lips. "He seemed nice."

"What's your problem?!" You hiss, jabbing your finger into his chest. "You invite me out with you and then completely ignore me the whole night? What the fuck, Jack!"

He meets your intensity head-on, responding in self-defense. "You started it!"

"How, Jack, how? How did I start it?"

"You were flirting with Dawson!"

A scoff escapes your lips, followed by an incredulous laugh. "I was not flirting with Dawson!"

You needed to escape the bar. The conversation had spiraled into a heated exchange, and the air in the crowded space felt increasingly suffocating. You were determined not to create a scene, but it was clear that staying any longer would only escalate tensions.

Without hesitation, you start pushing Jack, who reluctantly lets his body be forced out of the booth. He struggles to regain his footing as you forcefully move past him, heading straight for the exit.

As you pass through the door and step outside, the brisk New Jersey air envelopes you, offering a welcome contrast to the heated atmosphere inside. The chill grazes your exposed skin, providing a refreshing respite from the intense emotions swirling within. Jack hastily follows you, his fingers gripping your arm in an attempt to halt your departure, but you had no intention of walking away this time.

You pivot to confront him, your gaze unwavering and filled with a determination that mirrored the intensity in his own eyes, which held an enigmatic spark you couldn't quite decipher.

"It's not fair," you assert, your hands gently settling on his chest, seeking the warmth of his presence. He remains silent, leaving you to fill the void with your thoughts and emotions, or leave, and say nothing.

You stand there, torn between two choices. The option to say nothing and simply walk away, leaving behind all the headaches, the arguments, and the pettiness, but also bidding farewell to the good days, the shared laughs, and the nights spent wrapped up in each other. It's a choice to say goodbye to Jack Hughes, the one who has become the only constant in your life for the past three months.

Or the second choice, the most daunting path to take. It's the option where you stand in front of him, your heart pounding in your chest, and confess everything you've been holding in. To leave it all on the floor, a vulnerable offering for him to accept or decline. It's the scariest option of all, baring your heart to the boy on the hockey team, even after he's made it clear many times that he isn't looking for anything serious.

"We're not exclusive, Jack." You begin. "You can't keep swooping in and acting like you have some sort of ownership over me when you don't even want to be my boyfriend."

He waits, the stillness between you heavy with unspoken words, expectancy etched across his features. When your silence lingers, he takes the initiative. "Let me take you home," he offers.

"Either you want me, only me, or I'm done."

He pressures. "Let me take you home."

"Give me an answer!"

He sighs, a deep and exasperated sound, his fingers instinctively tangling in the roots of his hair as he grapples with the complexity of the situation. "I can't give you the answer you want."

[endless-ineffabilities]

Maroon (part two)

modern!Aemond Targaryen x f!reader

And I wake with your memory over me

That's a real fucking legacy to leave

A series loosely based on the song Maroon of off Midnights by Taylor Swift ▪︎ read more Daemon & Aemond midnights imagines here: masterlist

series list: part one - part two - part three -

themes/warnings: fluff, angst, slow burn, mutual pining, slight love triangle, language, accident/severe injury (towards the end)

word count: 7.3k

a/n: just a little explanation on their ages, since they are aged up for this series. Jace, the reader, Helaena and Aemond are in their mid-twenties. Alys is in her mid-thirties. Luke is around 21/22. Feel free to adjust if you wish.

Also, the photo I used is of Tom Bennett, as I felt the need to use a modernized look for Aemond, but nevertheless, he is still Aemond - silver haired, sullen, and soon enough, sapphire-eyed. If my photo editing skills are up to par, then I would have edited shoulder-length (yup, for this story) silver hair and modern clothes on our Aemond, but alas...

happy reading, beautiful people. 🖤

The morning after their interrupted kiss, the reader learns more about Aemond's apparent lover. She grows discouraged with striking up a romance with him, but he is determined to change her mind.

There is a curious knot in your stomach when you wake, remembering the night before. Aemond had leaned in close, so close, that you feel as if his scent still surrounds you.

The deep green walls of his bedroom are still burned into your eyes. From then on, there is no way that this particular shade of green won’t bring you back to that night. With him.

With Aemond. The one who has flooded your thoughts for almost a year now. The object of your desire.

Although, it seems… that he might already have his own object of desire.

Why did Alys visit him so late last night? You want to feign innocence, and remain oblivious to any and all lewd possibilities. Maybe she’s just a dear friend, who needed some company. Perhaps to have a drink, or to borrow a book? Or perhaps she has had some romantic trouble earlier last evening, and needed to vent her heart out to Aemond, who is nothing if not an attentive listener.

Well, shit. You slam your palm to your forehead as you allow reality to set in. You can continue to hope, but deep down, you know that Alys is not just a friend to Aemond.

This might be one of the very few instances wherein tabloid fodder has some truth to it. Dragonstone heir and model socialite spotted leaving Claridge’s Hotel in London after a wild night out.

That was just one of the several headlines that caught your eye, and immediately chose to ignore. You don’t even remember how long ago that was, but it seems as if their story is yet to reach its end.

If, indeed, it ever will.

But why was he going to kiss me? I mean, he was, wasn’t he?

You turn to the side, and notice that you’re all alone in bed. Helaena always wakes up much earlier, preferring to be awake as the sun rises, which leaves her ample time to go about her extensive morning routine.

Before you allow your rampant thoughts to get the better of you, you finally get up, wiping sleep from your eyes, and stumble to her bathroom. As you study your reflection is the mirror, one thing springs to your mind. What is going to happen if you meet Aemond downstairs? Granted, it is rare for the whole family to convene early during weekdays, but he did say he will meet you in the morning.

You take your sweet time getting ready, delaying the inevitable, before finally heading downstairs.

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

The clock above an alcove in the kitchen reads 8:17. The smell of pancakes waft through the air, calming your senses. Breakfast food is always a good idea.

Helaena comes into view, stacking the last pancakes on a plate.

“Hey, sleepyhead. Nice face.” She jokes, smiling in her carefree way.

“What about it?” You scrunch your nose in response, picking off a blueberry from a glass bowl on the kitchen counter.

“Rough night?” She turns off the induction stove, having finished, and you help her carry the dishes to the dining table.

Talia, their housekeeper, walks in the kitchen. A worried look is etched on her face. “Ma’am, are you sure there isn’t anything I can do for you? I can cook you something else, or fetch something from the store? Your mother says - ”

“Everything’s fine, Talia.” Helaena assures her. She has never really indulged having a maid to clean up after her. One thing about Helaena, she’s very likely the most simple one out of the family, not bothering with the usual trappings of luxury, and that includes having a maid at her every beck and call. Helaena only asks for help when she needs it, and as it stands, she’s perfectly capable of cooking up a damn good breakfast. “Why don’t you attend to yourself this morning?”

“A-attend to myself, ma’am?” Talia asks.

“Yes,” Helaena shoots a smile at you conspiratorially, “Talia, go out and take a walk, or watch a movie, or get a massage. Whatever you want, it’s on us. The rest of the family are either busy working, hungover somewhere, or out of town, anyway. We’ll be fine for today.”

Talia smiles brightly in appreciation. “Very well then. Thank you, ma’am. Please do call me if you need anything at all.”

Helaena nods her head once. Talia makes a move to leave, but she seems to recall something.

“Oh, uh, Miss Y/n?” She addresses you this time. “Sir Aemond did say that he’s very sorry that he isn’t able to see you this morning. He left very early, quite in a rush. There must have been something very pressing at work.”

“Oh.” You could not hide the disappointment in your voice. Or was it relief? “Aemond’s not here?”

“He did say he would call you, though, as soon as he can.”

Aemond isn’t here. “Right. Well, thanks for letting me know, Talia.”You smile at her genuinely, while feeling slightly empty inside from the notion of Aemond’s absence. There was no reason to be excited or nervous, after all. A shame, really. “And please, call me Y/n.”

“Of course, Y/n. And, it’s not a problem. Sir Aemond did seem quite distressed about having to leave. I’m sure he’d be annoyed with me if I don’t let you know.”

“Oh, that’s for sure.” Helaena rolls her eyes, smiling at you. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that my brother’s kinda infatuated with you.”

Before a warmth can develop in your chest from what Helaena claims, another person walks in the kitchen. A long-legged, impossibly unblemished figure that is Alys Rivers.

Talia straightens, not as comfortable around Alys as she is with you and Helaena. She takes that as her cue to leave. She politely addresses each of you in turn. “Have a lovely morning, Ma’am. Y/n. Miss Alys.” Her tone bristles at the last name.

“Sooo,” Alys saunters over to the table, and daintily plops down on the seat opposite you and Helaena, “good morning, girls. You don’t mind if I join you for breakfast, do you?” She pops a piece of fruit in her mouth before you could respond.

“Not at all, Alys.” Helaena sighs. “It would be nice to finally speak to my brother’s…” She trails off, one eyebrow raising slyly. “…friend.”

Alys simply laughs it off, unfazed. “That’s nice of you, Helaena, but you don’t need to watch your words around me. I know that Aemond has never clearly stated what we are yet. But we are something, that much I’m sure of.” Her gaze trails over to you. “Nice sweater. You know, it looks a lot like my Aemond’s.”

My Aemond’s. God help me. “Oh, uhm,” you balk, not wanting to overstep the line with something that is completely none of your business, as far as you’re concerned, “he lent it to me last night. Clumsy ol’ me apparently can’t handle too much red wine. Literally and figuratively.”

You smile at Alys placatingly, but you’re not sure what for. Nothing happened last night, right? Nothing at all.

“Well, it looks good on you, darling.” She winks at you. The more she speaks, the more you realize how self-assured she is. Your first meeting, you’re wearing her… boyfriend’s…. sweater, and she’s only quick to accept your explanation. It’s as if she’s truly certain that no one can steal Aemond away from her.

“Thank you.” You awkwardly say, taking a sip of your coffee.

“So, Alys,” Helaena says, “tell us more about yourself. Surely we cannot just believe everything the gossip blogs say about you.”

“Right, well. I’m aware that I do have a certain image, but that’s all it is. An image. A kind of persona. It makes it easier to draw a line between my job and my personal life. I do enjoy the luxurious and fast-paced lifestyle that modelling brings, but that’s not everything. I am… more than that.”

Her statements catch you by surprise, slightly. You knew more than just to take her reputation at face value, but it’s different now. Aemond’s attraction to her might run deeper than you had hoped.

“I think it’s right that you do whatever you feel is best for you.” You find yourself genuinely saying, empathizing with how she feels. “I can’t claim to know exactly what it’s like, being in the public eye like that, but it must be hard. You should protect yourself, and if keeping up a kind of mask is something that works, then…” You purse your lips, and tilt your head, a show of your approval.

“Solidarity, sister.” Alys smiles at you, one which you return. “I mean, thanks for not judging me right away. Most people do.”

The rest of the morning is spent in a way you never would have expected to enjoy, but you do. Alys turns out to be more friendly than she seems, and it’s plain to see that she truly cares for Aemond. She did share her insecurities when it comes to him, and how he has set implicit boundaries between them.

Whenever she gets too close, he’s only quick to pull away. Aemond has predictably not made it clear what they are, and has never protested when Alys goes on dates with other people. Although she wishes that he would.

Each time Alys hints at how Aemond means to her makes you feel guilty. You know you want him, but she has been in the picture much longer than you. Do you even have a chance? Do you want one?

Eventually, Alys receives a call, which she explains is from her disgruntled manager, telling her that the call time for her photoshoot is nearing. She excuses herself, sashaying confidently out of the apartment. You can’t help but feel small, and the fact that you find her a tad intimidating is the least of your worries.

Aemond seems farther away from you, if he ever was close. Helaena notices your lowered spirits, and she spends the rest of the morning helping you get your mind off things.

But no movie, series, or copious amount of baked goods proves effective.

Despite your best efforts, Aemond Targaryen has taken refuge in your mind. And perhaps, your heart. But you would never admit that too soon.

Especially not now.

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

The weekend is a welcome respite from your busy university schedule. Although you have to work a full shift at a local bookstore, you wouldn’t complain about it. It’s a calm and decent enough part-time job, and while it doesn’t pay much, you’re more than happy to be surrounded by books all day.

You rush into the bookstore, already half an hour late. Your bus was delayed for too long, and you did not even get to pick up your usual coffee on the way.

“Mel?” You call out to the owner. She’s always the first to come in, and open up shop. You rub your boots on the welcome mat, and make your way around the tall bookshelves. You spot her at the counter, arranging yesterday’s receipts into a folder.

“Good morning.” She greets you with her usual warm smile. “Don’t even worry about it, y/n.” She reassures you in time, already knowing you would apologize profusely for being late.

You breathe a sigh of relief, dropping your bag behind the counter. “I’ll just stay a bit later after closing. Help clean up everything.”

“No need.” She places a hand on your shoulder, and whispers close. “By the way, you have a visitor.”

“A visitor?”

“A handsome one, might I add. He’s sitting in the corner desk by the Classics section. I found him waiting outside so early. Poor kid said he wanted to be here as soon as the shop opened, and I don’t know about you, but I hardly believe it is because of his raging love for literature.”

“Oh, I see.” You stand dumbfounded, a new sense of nervousness settling over you. That handsome visitor can only be Aemond, can it?

“Go on, honey. Take your time. It’s not like the shop gets particularly busy this early.”

You slowly walk deeper into the shop, past the new releases, the sci-fi section, and then the romance.

And sure enough, there he sits.

His shoulder-length silver hair is in its usual half-up style, and his expensive black coat is draped on the back of his seat. His left hand holds a book on the table, while the other props up his face, his index finger absentmindedly running over his lips, deep in thought.

Your footsteps carry no sound, so he does not notice as you walk closer. You almost don’t want to bother him, as he looks so serene. Faint sunlight from an awning window warms the scene, casting a glow over him. Beautiful.

You find yourself leaning against a bookshelf, studying him, flashes of that night running through your head. He did leave you a message, explaining why he had to leave the morning after. You were not sure what to respond with, apart from “No problem. See you soon.”

Impersonal. Direct. Safe. Getting to know his lover that morning was a sort of wake-up call. You aren’t sure whether you’re ready to dive in deeper into the enigma that he poses. So you decided to leave it at that.

But it clearly was not enough for him, as evidenced by numerous subsequent missed calls.

His head turns, languidly, finally sensing your presence. When your eyes meet, a soft smile forms on his lips.

“Hello, darling.”

Shit. Two simple words and you’re all but ready to let go of any uncertainty you might have about him, then and there.

“Aemond,” you can’t help but smile in return, “to what do I owe this visit?”

He closes his book and sets it down on the table. He turns his body towards you, still seated, leaning back to take you in.

“Would you believe me if I said that I missed you?” He says smoothly, so sure of himself. He stresses, “I miss you.”

“It’s only been days since I last saw you, Aemond.” You roll your eyes in a poor attempt to hide the way you grow flustered.

“Feels like forever.” He stands, walking over to the bookshelf you’re leaning on, making a show of perusing the titles. “You have not answered my calls, darling. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you’re ignoring me.” He steps closer to you, mirroring your position.

“I was busy.” You respond quickly with a defensive tone. And you were, but not busy enough to avoid staring at your phone every time his name blinks on the screen, waiting for his call to drop.

“Hmm. I was hoping we could have a moment alone. To… talk,” His eyes rake your face, landing on your lips, “or perhaps, more?”

“More? Getting ahead of yourself, Aemond?” You look down, unable to meet his heated gaze.

“I really enjoyed our night together, and I was hoping we could have some more time to ourselves.”

“I’m sure we will. The next time Hel invites me over, or you guys throw a party…” You trail off, raising your head to look at him again, and sure enough, he continues to watch every change in your expression.

“How about now? Could I steal you away for an hour or two? I’m sure Melanie wouldn’t mind.”

“Already on first-name basis with my boss. Fast work, Aemond.”

“She’s a sweet woman. Nurturing. I’m glad you have someone like her as your supervisor.” His lips quirk in amusement.

“Really…” you raise your eyebrows.

“Mhmm. If she was unfair or unpleasant to you in any way, I would not hesitate to have someone better appointed in her stead.” He explains smugly.

“It’s an independent bookstore, Aemond, and not one of the hundred businesses your great empire owns. You wouldn’t have the jurisdiction.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised.” He lowers his face nearer to yours, his breath fanning your face. He continues, “I don’t believe you understand how much I would be willing to do for you.”

His proximity makes you short of breath, so you take a step back, wanting to clear your head. A frown materializes on his face, but it disappears just as quick as it arrived. He is determined to make himself heard.

“I have known you for a good part of a year now, y/n. And… my admiration for you has only blossomed as time passed. When we had a moment to ourselves that night, it just felt… right.”

“Aemond… ”

“I’m inclined to assume that you feel the same way. At least, I hope.”

Your throat feels dry all of a sudden, and you struggle to match his unabashed sincerity. “I’m not sure where this will lead. What you expect this to be. You already have… someone… ”

“Someone?” Props to him for seeming genuinely clueless as to who you’re referring to.

“I met her the morning after. Alys. She’s actually quite lovely.”

“It’s not what you think.” He finally looks away, his mood changed with the mention of Alys.

You sigh flatly, "That is exactly what someone involved would say. Look, I have no interest in ruining anyone's relationship - "

"I am not in a relationship - "

"But there is something between you and Alys, isn't there?"

"We aren't together. I have made this clear to her, time and again." He paces at the aisle, running his hand over the books. "Though I admit, in the times when I need... company... she's the one I have become accustomed to calling."

"Company." You almost roll your eyes at his casual implication.

"Hmm." His lips curl in distaste. "It does not come easy for me to connect with anyone. Even for a purpose as unseemly as that."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"I know, I just... hope that you don't think any less of me."

"Aemond," you take a step forward, "you're free to want... company with whomever you want. So is Alys. But I can't get into this, whatever this is, with you if I will have to share you with anyone else."

"You won't. That already is far from the truth, darling. I have not even considered anyone else for a while now."

"But Alys - "

"I did not invite her over that night. I hadn't even seen her in weeks. Nothing happened after you left my bedroom."

"She cares about you. A lot."

"I know," he shakes his head slightly, "and I care about her, too. But it never became..." He bows his head, almost sheepishly. "... it's not... I don't love her."

Your gaze softens as you watch the torment in his expression. It becomes clear that Aemond does not throw around the word love without care. He sounds cautious. Nervous, almost.

His eyes find yours suddenly, the intensity behind them catching you by surprise.

"But you..." His brows furrow in frustration. He takes a deep breath, before repeating, almost accusingly, "You."

Suddenly, he pulls you close by the waist. His violet eyes keep you in place, holding you dear.

You take each other in with hungry eyes. His every little movement, every twitch, catches your attention. The way his lips purse, the way he swallows nervously. A stray strand of silver hair has fallen in front of his face, and you unconsciously reach up for it, your hand freezing mid-air when you realize what you're doing.

His hand comes up to caress yours, and slowly, he presses a soft kiss to your palm.

A soft moan nearly escapes your lips at how soft the gesture is. How gentle it feels. How right.

"I want you." He says, still holding your hand.

The two of you stand, mere inches away from one another.

Until a startled voice pierces the atmosphere, destroying the mood. "Shit, excuse me."

A boy stands in the middle of the aisle, a book in his hand. The day's first customer. He smiles sheepishly, pointing to the section you and Aemond have conveniently blocked, "Sorry, uh, I need to check out some of those."

You quickly step away from the shelf, and from Aemond. "Oh, excuse us. Please go right ahead." You wave him through.

Aemond does not move, his eyes irately landing on the boy. He is plainly displeased at the intrusion, not bothering to hide it. Spoiled, rich baby.

"Aemond, move over here." You address him, pulling at his hand. That gets his attention.

He does not let go of your hand, and directs you to the next aisle. But the haze has subsided for you. Or at least, it has to, for now.

"I have to work." You mumble. The words sound so dull after everything that has been said.

"Alright. I'll wait here."

"Pardon?"

"I'll wait here until you can leave with me for a little while."

Your mouth parts in frustration, confusion, or is it awe? You no longer know for sure. This day is certainly shaping up to be more eventful than you are prepared for.

"Aemond," you try to implore gently, "my first break is in four hours. Surely, you won't just wait here until then."

"Why ever not?" He looks amused at your growing incredulity. "I've got time to kill. Besides, I've got all these books to keep me busy."

"You would wait for me for four hours, and then what?"

"Then, I suppose, I'll take you out for lunch." His thumb continues to draw circles on the back of your hand, which almost escapes your notice. It felt so normal, just as if he has held your hand a thousand times before.

His hand reaches up to stroke your cheekbone, before tilting your head up at him. "Please say yes, darling."

Your heart races, even without its usual helping of caffeine. Looking at Aemond, you think that your break cannot come soon enough.

"Okay."

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

For the next four hours, Aemond keeps his word and waits.

He moves to a table within eyeshot of the counter where you're working. It is clear that he is watching you, glancing at you from time to time and throwing a smirk your way.

You struggle to keep up appearances, cordially greeting customers and ringing in their purchases. You fight the temptation to walk over to Aemond, nudge his face towards his book, and tell him to quit staring at you like that.

His presence makes you infinitely more self-aware, and you try not to watch your every move, but you do anyway.

Aemond seems content to wait in silence, poring over the pages of his novel, until someone in particular walks in the store.

“I’m sorry, miss, I must be in the wrong place. My good friend Y/n promised that this would be the best bookstore in the city.” A familiar voice says. “Seems cozy, sure, but far from the best, wouldn’t you say?”

You look up at the new arrival, whom you immediately recognize. Aemond visibly straightens in his corner, noticing him as well.

“Jace!” You exclaim brightly, reaching over the counter to give him a hug.

Jacaerys chuckles deeply, and you can't help but feel warm at the sound. The sound of his laughter is something you love about him, genuine and free.

"Somebody missed me." His voice is muffled against your hair, and his arms wrap around you tightly.

"Course I did." You move to stand in front of him. "Back from Pentos so soon?"

"Yes, I finished my course early. I'm just that smart, as you well know." He taps the side of his head smugly.

"Ha-ha." You playfully punch his shoulder.

"Nephew." Aemond greets, interrupting your little reunion. "It's been a while."

"Aemond," Jace turns around to face him, "I didn't notice you, dear uncle. You look well."

"As do you." Aemond replies stoically. His hands are neatly kept behind his back, and he watches you and Jacaerys with keen eyes. "I was not aware that you and Y/n are so close."

You know that Aemond does not have the best relationship with his half-sister Rhaenyra's children. At first, you could not understand why. Jace and his siblings are among the kindest boys you've met. Luke is a bit roguish, but that is part of his charm.

But that was before Helaena explained to you how Aemond must have felt neglected growing up, always in the shadow of his nephews, who are much favoured by his own father Viserys. Helaena learned not to mind, telling you how she has found peace with her own self and her passions. She is aware that Viserys loves Rhaenyra above everyone else, and by extension, Rhaenyra's children. His marriage to their mother Alicent was borne out of necessity, not love.

And she only hinted at it, but apparently, Aemond was also bullied by the younger boys when they were children. Of course, that was long ago, but some scars never fully heal.

"We're good friends, Aemond." Jace responds, putting one arm over your shoulders, a movement that makes Aemond's lips curl in distaste. "Met her through Hel, of course, and I just couldn't get enough of this little rascal." He squeezes your shoulders, pulling you closer, making you wrap an arm around his waist.

"You're the rascal, leaving me for nearly half a year like that." You jest, matching his smile.

"Well, I'm back now, aren't I?" He says, then he turns back to his uncle, "What are you doing here, by the way? Just browsing for a new read?"

"No," Aemond loosens his stance a bit, looking at you, "I'm actually waiting to take Y/n out on a date."

A date? Is that what I agreed to?

"To lunch." You clarify, meeting his gaze.

"A lunch date." Aemond simply shrugs, deeming the matter settled.

"Uh-huh." Jace looks between the two of you, growing amused. "Listen, uncle, could you give me just a few minutes with Y/n. Then, I promise, she's all yours."

Aemond stands still for a few seconds, deliberating whether he should leave you with Jace. The silence is utterly deafening, so you say, "Aemond. I'll be with you in a bit. We can head out soon."

"Hmm." He relents, then stalks back to his table, his silver hair gently flowing behind his neck.

Jace watches Aemond walk away with a weird look on his face, and you already know what's coming next.

"Y/n?" Jace smirks at you. "What is going on?"

"He's... here for me."

"Worked your magic on him, I see? I remember you having a crush on him and all..."

"Alright, pipe down about it." Your face becomes flushed, and you catch Aemond's eye in the corner. "I didn't even do anything. He sought me out."

"Riiiight," Jace says, "and this is what you want?"

You shrug, "I do like him. You know this."

Jace studies your expression, seeing sincerity but also a tinge of something else. Doubt, perhaps? "Just be careful, alright? My uncle can be a little... unpredictable."

"He's... I mean, he actually seems a lot better than I expected. It's a shame you two aren't close."

"Yes, well, some things can't be helped." Jace's eyebrows furrow in thought. "What about that model that he's rumoured to be seeing? He can't keep messing around with her, if he wants you, y/n."

"Oh, I even met her, actually. She's nice. But Aemond says that they're apparently... over. Or... not working out. You know, I'm not sure." You shake your head, not wanting to think about it any further. It isn't really a matter that's been resolved yet.

"Okay, just be careful, alright? You're too good for him, y/n."

"Don't worry about me, Jace." You smile, looping your arm with his as you lean against the counter. "How's the family? How are Luke and Joffrey?"

"Well, Luke is Luke. You know. Gets into a fair share of trouble, what with his penchant for racing cars and all. Bloody well gives mum a heart attack each time he has to do a competition. I think he's coming back tomorrow from some race in Casterly Rock."

"That's our Luke." You sigh fondly.

"And Joff's as sweet as ever. Nearly done with middle school, that one. You're invited to his finishing ceremony, of course."

You smirk at his assurance, "I think Joff should be the one to invite me, no?"

Jace moves to stand in front of you again. "Doesn't matter. I'm the big brother, I say you're in."

He cages you in, with each of his hands on the counter. You then press your forehead against his chest, and he rests his chin atop your head. A position that the two of you have gotten so used to doing. Jace is truly like a brother to you, and he loves you like his actual sister in turn.

"Mmm, I did miss this." You breathe.

Aemond's fist bunches on the table, his book long-forgotten. You and Jacaerys were only friends, right? So why did he have to feel so uneasy?

He stands, not able to watch the scene any longer, and walks over to claim what he thinks should be his.

"Let's go." Aemond's voice pierces the silence, catching you by surprise. You move away from Jace, and throw him a sheepish smile, as if to apologize for Aemond's behaviour.

“I guess that’s my cue to leave.” Jace’s arm drops from your sides, and he takes a step back to keep Aemond’s envy from worsening.

“Won’t you join us for lunch?” You ask Jace. One glance at Aemond, and it’s plain to see that he’s not particularly fond of that idea.

“Nah, you two go ahead. I’ve got some matters to attend to.” Jace is quick to respond. Whether he’s telling the truth, or he just wants to appease Aemond, you remind yourself to ask him about it later.

“Nice seeing you, uncle.” Jace says to Aemond, as he heads for the door.

His hand is already at the doorknob, when he recalls something. He calls out to you, “Y/n, you will be coming to the Dragonstone ball, right?”

“Oh, I don’t know yet.” You reply. The annual Dragonstone ball is a grand event held by the Targaryens, and almost anyone of repute is sure to be invited. Celebrities, philanthropists, academics. You vaguely recall seeing last year’s ball everywhere in the news. That must have been around the time you first met Helaena, your friendship quickly developing soon after.

“Well if you are, would you - ” Jace begins to say, but he is immediately interrupted by Aemond.

“She’ll be coming with me.” Aemond declares.

“I am?” You say, startled, as you pick up your bag from behind the counter.

“Mmm. You are, darling.”

What the hell?

“See you around, y/n.” Jace relents, taking note of the heightened tension in the room.  

As soon as he’s gone, you address the silver-haired scoundrel who was quick to make a decision for you, much to your annoyance. “Listen, sweetheart,” you pat him on the chest, and head for the door, expecting him to follow suit, “it’s not going to be that easy.”

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

The two of you sit in the secluded veranda of a Valyrian restaurant that, unsurprisingly, is owned by the Targaryens. Beautifully gilded tables are nestled in a garden, and Aemond had led you to their best section under an archway. The restaurant had been empty when you arrived, with all the staff standing ready to usher you inside. You suspect that Aemond went ahead and purposefully reserved the entire place for this very afternoon, but you let it slide.

“When is the Dragonstone ball?” you ask, after finishing most of your meal.

“I’d say in around two months. My mother is overseeing everything, as usual, so it’s really all up to her.”

“And,” you lean back, smiling wryly, “apparently, I am going with you?”

Aemond smirks, “Why wouldn’t you?”

You scoff. The ‘Prince of the city’ sure has a pair on him. “I don’t know, Aemond. Maybe because you did not really ask me to come with you.”

His smirk does not fade. He leans forward, taking your hand from across the table, his fingers tracing your skin. Your prideful facade is at risk of breaking, and you wish to simply hold his hand back lovingly.

But you keep a hold of yourself, waiting.

“Darling,” the corner of his lips turn up in amusement, most likely at your rapidly changing expression, “would you do me the honour of being my partner…” He deliberately pauses, taking delight in how your eyes widen, “… to the Dragonstone ball?”

Oh, you little shit. “Mmm,” you swallow, attempting to steel your nerves. Aemond patiently waits for your response, the damage already done. For a split second, he gets the urge to reach for your knee underneath the table.

Perhaps to comfort you. Or solely for his pleasure, adding to your already fluttering heartbeat. Or both.

“Okay,” you clear your throat, “I will go with you. Thank you for asking.”

Aemond smiles brightly, the dimples on his cheeks deepening. “I’m glad, darling.”

Something crosses your mind, and before you can push it down, curiosity gets the better of you. You find yourself asking, “By the way, who did you go with last year?”

His face falls, “You probably already know. Alys.”

“Of course,” you nod, “and the year before that? Her as well?”

“Y/n,” he says sternly, “that’s not of any importance.”

“Won’t she be expecting to go with you again this year?” You ask.

He simply shrugs, “She may have mentioned something recently to that effect.”

“Aemond - ”

“Look, the main reason why I brought her to previous balls was because I’ve always been expected to take a date. It’s just the proper thing to do, to keep up appearances, though I don’t really agree with it. If I were to bring someone, I don’t want to do it out of obligation. And I can finally do that now, with you. I want to be with you, and take you as my partner for the ball.”

How can I argue with that? It’s almost impossible, when his violet eyes blaze at me in the way that they always do.

“I just,” you look away, choosing to admire the way the vines wrap themselves around the archway, to distract yourself from Aemond’s heated gaze, “I don’t want her to feel like she’s being slighted in any way. I don't want her to feel like I’m… stealing you away… or something.”

Aemond smiles, “By all means, steal me away, darling.”

“I’m being serious.” You attempt a stern tone, but it falls flat as soon as you see his smile.

“I was never hers to keep. You, however…”

“What?”

“You’re more than welcome to call me yours, if you wish.”

“Aemond.” You want to scold him for being so forward, not when there are some things that still need to be resolved. But you also want to trust him, to trust in whatever it is the two of you are becoming.

You realize you are already in too deep. How? The possibility of ever losing him is enough to fill your stomach with dread. If Aemond will be yours, then he will also be yours to lose.

And you don’t know what you will do if that happens.

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

The next two weeks pass by in relative bliss. Aemond makes an effort to see you almost every day, visiting you in the bookstore or meeting you after your lectures. You learn more about him in this time, than in the past year you’ve known him. The two of you have always admired each other from afar, but now that Aemond has begun to completely open up to you, it’s as if you’ve known him your whole life.

It's as if he’s one of the pillars holding everything together around you. A comfortable constant. As well as a conflagration, casting his radiance over everything. Aemond is like a magnet, a desirable paradox drawing everyone to him. The amount of looks you get from your fellow students whenever Aemond picks you up from university made you uneasy at first, but you’ve learned to find the humour in it.

Aemond’s smug smirk at their reaction each time he takes your hand, stealing you away, is surely enough to make you feel giddy inside.

Everything seemed too good to be true, and perhaps it was.

The abrupt end to this brief golden period began one evening, as you and Helaena are in her bedroom, perusing through countless gown designs online to wear for the Dragonstone ball.

Aemond had been away on business to a nearby city, and you eagerly await his return. Then a sharp ringing echoes throughout the room, coming from Helaena’s phone, a sound that makes you anxious though you cannot pinpoint why in the moment.

She glances at the screen, before quickly turning to you. “It’s my father.”

“Oh, answer it then.”

“That’s strange,” her face contorts in confusion, “he almost never calls.”

Helaena excuses herself, walking over to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her reflection on the glass is only faintly visible to you, and you struggle to make anything out of the muffled conversation.

A long, torturous minute passes before the call finishes. When Helaena turns to face you, her face is white as a sheet.

You stand, and rush over to her side. “Hel? What is it?”

At your touch, something snaps in her, and she becomes frantic. “It’s… it’s my brother… it’s Aemond… ” She quickly scrambles around the room, putting on her coat and shoes.

“Aemond?” You feel nauseous with worry. “What happened, Hel?”

“I have to get to the hospital. Aemond and Luke got into an accident.”

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

An entire week passes before you hear from any of them. Helaena had rushed off alone to the hospital that night, and while you were desperate to come along and see Aemond, she explained that her parents preferred that only family came to visit.

You understood. Or at least, you tried to. You went home feeling weak all over, and it only worsened when you saw that the accident was already plastered all over the news.

It was reported that Aemond and Lucerys were each driving their cars at dangerous speeds, when one of them must have collided with the other, crashing onto the freeway. It was alleged that Aemond’s car had flipped over multiple times before finally landing down a hill. The extent of their injuries are not made public, probably at the authority of Viserys himself, but the masses have been quick to speculate.

Jace calls you while you are staying home one afternoon, having opted out of attending all your lectures for the day. For the past few days, actually.

“Hey, you,” He greets softly, knowing how you must already be reeling with stress. “Holding up okay?”

“Me? What about you, Jace? How is everyone? How is Luke? Aemond? Fuck, I haven’t heard from anyone.”

He breathes, “We’re fine, y/n. Luke just has a broken leg, but it should heal fine. He does have to put up with a cast for several weeks, though.”

Okay. Luke is alright. But you still can’t let out a sigh of relief, not until…

“What about Aemond?” You ask nervously.

“That’s… another thing.”

“Please just tell me, Jace.”

“Are you home? I’m actually nearby. We should maybe discuss this in person.” He offers.

And only half an hour later, he is standing at your door. You quickly envelop him in a tight hug, and he breathes deeply, feeling comforted by your presence.

Once the two of you are settled on your couch, cups of warm tea held between each of your hands, you begin talking.

“Aemond is fine. For the most part.” He says. “He’s alive and well, but he’s suffered an injury.”

“What injury?”

“He doesn’t want anyone to know, Y/n. At least, not just yet.”

You pause, unsure if you want to press further. You do want to know, but you also want to respect Aemond’s privacy. Besides, if he wanted you to know, he would tell you himself, wouldn’t he?

“I understand,” you relent, sinking into the couch, “I’m just glad they’re okay.”

Jace notices your distress, and reaches for you, “Come here.”

The embrace offers a momentary respite. Your head drops down on his shoulder, and you both enjoy the silence that follows.

“One thing’s for sure,” Jace says after a while, “There’s no way in hell that mum is letting Luke drive again. At least not for a long, long fucking time.”

You smile at that, feeling light for the first time in a while.

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

The Dragonstone ball is once again making its rounds in the media, and this year, it is reported to have been delayed for two more months, allowing the dust to settle over the terrible accident that befell two of the Targaryen heirs.

Just a week after you learn about this piece of news, you finally hear from Aemond.

Your heart skips a beat when his name flashes on the screen, and you pick up your phone with a slightly trembling hand. You press the green button, and lift the phone to one ear.

Nothing. But then, you hear soft breathing at the other end. It’s a silly notion, but you think you recognize those breaths to be his. It can only be him.

“Aemond, I know you’re there.” You say, biting your lip in anticipation.

“Dar…” he cuts himself off, “Y/n. I’m alright, I apologize for only calling you now.”

Coldness seeps in your bones when you notice how he corrected himself. Why?

“It’s alright, Aemond. I’m just relieved that you’re fine. I was so worried, you have no idea.”

The sound of your voice tugs at his heart, one which he sorely missed. He swallows, struggling to bring himself to say what he means to. “I need to tell you something. About the ball… I’ve decided that I should take Alys instead. She was already expecting that she is to be my date, and I just think that it’s rude if I…”

“That’s fine.” You say, far too quickly, not believing your own words. “I… I did consider that. You should take her.”

“Darling,” Aemond finally says, unable to hold back, “I…”

“It’s okay,” you attempt to comfort him, but it’s mostly for your own sake, “I completely understand.”

He takes a deep breath. As he envisions how you must look on the other line, he instantly feels a pang of regret.

“I’ll… I’ll see you around, yeah?” You say, wanting to be done with this damned call.

“Hmm. I’ll see you, darling.”

You throw your phone down on your desk. Feeling numb all over, you make your way to the kitchen, and quickly take a bottle of red bottle from the cabinet. You make quick work of the cork, and pour yourself a hefty amount.

You slosh the liquid around your glass, staring at that familiar shade of maroon.

And sure enough, it brings you back to that night on their balcony.

“For fuck’s sake.” You whisper to yourself. Closing your eyes, you see him.

What happened, Aemond? Have I already lost you?

“How could I?” You say bitterly. “When he was never mine?”

The part two preview that I posted, has been relegated to part three, after much editing. It's meant to be a steamy, little scene that unfolds in the Dragonstone ball.

And I had to work in the tragic injury that Aemond suffers in a way that might be suited to this modern setting. It's just hard for me to picture child on child violence happening here, with one of them taking a brutal dagger to the eye. At least not in this world, which is meant to resemble ours 😂

Oohh and thoughts on Jace? I actually don't intend him to be a love interest for the reader, and more so a genuine friend. But Aemond doesn't need to know that, does he? He surely won't believe it in the events at follow... 😏

Taglist for this series is still open (for now) so comment below if you wish to be added. 🤍

Series taglist: @caught-in-the-afterglow @aemondtargaryensrider @punggo66 @dollfaceyourfear @candypurplebutterfly @moonmaiden1996 @bdpst-massacre @mxrgodsstuff @lolitaisreal @blue-serendipity @depressedperson88 @melsunshine @thejanecampaign @fxngsfxgxrty @padfooteyes @msmarvel-19 @noxytopy @louschan @aemondssuit @virginslut08 @tempo-rary-fix @lauraneedstochill @julczimozart @booknerd2004 @sarcasticfangirl @witchyvik @julieeba @pyjama-shorts @bellaisasleep @account3168 @this-is-a-bad-idea @zillahvathek @thincrusttheworks @krispold @yougotthatlove @raging-panda @fleetingly-artistic @its-hopes-world @ririrare @throughgoeshamilton @polireader @katsav17 @minttea07

[prettyboywoll]

Introducing Ella Hughes | Maveric Lamoureux x Hughes sister AU

A/n: All credits to go 🐧anon. Thank you so much lovey for helping me come up with ideas for this Au. Couldn’t have done without you. I appreciate you so much<3 ( feel free to correct me if anyone is wrong. Don’t much about tennis but did my best)

❁ born September 9th, 2003 (Luke’s older by 5 minutes)

❁ height 5’5

❁ favorite music artist are Taylor Swift, Luke combs, Harry Styles and Gracie Abrams.

❁ loves to read books

❁ always brings them out on the boat to help her relax

❁ her family nickname is daisy because ever since she was little she had became obsessed with collecting anything that has daisies on them

❁ every year for her birthday the theme is always daisies

❁ doesn’t like hockey but still supports her brothers

❁ Quinn is her favorite

❁ out of all her brother’s friends she’s very close to Cole

❁ she’s introverted, a sunny person. always happy and carefree, very soft in general

❁ she loves the spring/ summer, because that's when everyone's together and her brothers are at the lake house to enjoy the summer with her.

❁ instead of going to the University of Michigan, she signed with the Sun Devil Women’s Tennis team.

❁ Luke cried the night she told him. He would not leave her side and made sure to spend all summer with her before she left. Jack cried happy tears and told her he was very proud of her.

❁ Quinn wanted to hold his little sister in his arms forever. He couldn’t believe how grown up she was. It didn’t feel real to him until the last box was in your dorm room.

❁ He kept a smile on for her but on the plane back to Vancouver, he couldn’t hold it in anymore

❁ all three brother promised to call her at least 3 times a week

❁ when she is on the court she’s a different person. Shows no mercy, is very competitive and likes to trash talk.

❁ Ranked as high as #18 in the women’s world rankings

❁ also ranked as #1113 WTA singles ranking and #850 WTA Double ranking

❁ started playing at the age of 5

❁ also played soccer for a few months before she was kicked of the team for scoring on the wrong side

❁ is very into scrapbooking

❁ in high school she took photography classes and fell in love with it

❁ had a tiny crush on Tyler Duke in high school

❁ dated for about 5 months until she lost feelings

❁ met Maveric at a coffee shop when he came to train in Arizona for development camp.

❁ talked for about 6 months before he asked her out on a date

❁ January 3rd, 2023 he asked her to be his girlfriend by setting up a picnic, having a heart shaped daisy with a sign in the middle that said “can I be your boyfriend?”

[giggle-bee]

Triple Threat (Squealing Santa 2023!)

Hi, @hakurei-k, I'm your Santa for this year! Sorry this is a little late, but I hope you still enjoy it! It was a challenging prompt since I don't typically write intense stuff with multiple lers, but it was a fun fic to do, and I'm so happy I got you!! I also want to thank @squealing-santa, Hypah, for being such an amazing host!! Couldn't have done it without you, thank you for keeping the tradition alive!

(Ler!Barbatos, Ler!Solomon, Ler!Simeon, Lee!MC)

Warnings: pranks, suprise tickles

Summary: Barbatos has a day off but doesn't know how to spend it. How better to than with you? Mediating a prank war wasn't in the plans, though.

Word Count: 1.8k

When Diavolo had first approached Barbatos about taking the day off, he was against the idea. “My Lord, the New Year’s celebration is not far away. The castle must be prepared for guests, there is much work to be done-” “Exactly my thoughts! You’ve been working tirelessly, my friend, you deserve some time to yourself. It’s my castle, I want to have part in the decorating! Besides, I know you’ve been keeping an eye on that new tea house. Take the day and relax, Barbatos.”

Diavolo patted him on the back and left Barbatos standing in his office, lost for words and with a blank mind for the first time in a while. For anyone else, the opportunity would be a blessing, to leave your duties behind and pay attention to the parts of your life neglected. All Barbatos could think about was the castle in a state of disarray, clashing colors, decorations strewn haphazardly about the place, anything less than perfect was not acceptable.

However, Diavolo’s pout if he figured out Barbatos was still working during his break was too heartbreaking to think about. Barbatos sighed, pulling out his DDD and pulling up his messages with you.

Barbatos MC, would you like to join me at Witch’s Brew this afternoon? My schedule has been cleared. 

MC Oh? Is that the new tea place across from Majolish? I would love to!

Barbatos Alright. See you at noon. 

Witch’s Brew was a quaint shop that sold both loose leaf teas, tea sets, and delicious desserts. To a demon like Barbatos, it was heaven. The aroma of dried flowers and warmth tickled his nose as he opened the door, sitting down at a small table with a candle in the middle. It was peaceful here, soft music playing over the speakers and setting a light ambience to the space. Ordering some tea for the both of you would be his first order of business. The fragrant notes of hibiscus and lemon called to him from behind the counter, he would bring it back to the table piping hot and waiting. 

A smile came across his lips as he imagined you taking the first sip, your eyes lighting up at the sweet flavor- rich and floral with a hint of tart to balance it. The thought was almost as sweet as you were. The tinkling of the doorbell made Barbatos glance up hopefully from his cup, eyes alight when he saw you. But you weren’t carefree and jubilant as usual. He picked up on the nervous glances you were sending around the room, your hesitant steps towards the table, and most of all, you hadn’t greeted him with so much as a smile yet. Quite unusual. 

“Ah, hello Barbatos! Sorry I’m late,” you whispered, smoothing your clothes and sitting in the chair he pulled out for you. The demon cocked an eyebrow at your behavior, instantly analyzing your expression. He knew something was up.

“Would you like to tell me what is obviously bothering you? You look like someone is out to get you.”

“Ahaha… well…” You scratched your arm, averting your gaze and peering down into the teacup. “You could say that.” You chose to elaborate on the prank war currently going on in Purgatory Hall, the one you had started a week ago. Luke had voted on staying out of things, which meant you, Solomon, and Simeon would have to prank amongst yourselves.

Pulling out all the stops this morning, you had set up several pillows to fall onto Simeon’s head, covering him in feathers. You had swiped one of Solomon’s singing potions earlier in the week and mixed it into a batch of cookies, which had him singing curses for the next hour. You had found these harmless pranks extremely funny, but both Solomon and Simeon were sure to get you back. 

“So that’s why I have to stay vigilant! They could be anywhere, Barbatos, I have to keep a lookout,” you explained, taking a sip of your tea. The flavor was complex and delicate, a nice reprieve from the chaos going on with your friends. You melted into the warm drink, nodding at the teapot, “This was a good pick, thank you for letting me try it!”

Barbatos shook his head with a fond smile. He knew you were “I believe tea is better when shared in good company, so it’s my pleasure.” Pouring you two another cup, he thought on your predicament. If Solomon and Simeon were working together, it could spell disaster for everyone in Purgatory Hall.

Humming in thought, Barbatos finished his tea and set the cup down gently onto a saucer. “Can I escort you back? Like I said, my schedule is clear for the day, so it would be no trouble. That way, you won’t have to worry about anything on your way,” he offered. Barbatos knew they would never do anything to harm you, but if it would make you feel better, it was worth it.

You perked up, relief washing over your face. “I would appreciate it, those two like to scare me as much as it is.”

Taking a dessert to go, you and Barbatos left the teahouse and started the journey back to the House of Lamentation. On the way, you talked about everything from next year’s classes to Satan’s newest cat adoption antics. Barbatos felt at ease talking to you, as he always did. His worries for the celebration faded with every step as he let you take the wheel of the conversation. Before you knew it, you two were on the doorstep. 

“Thank you for walking me here, Barbs. We need to do this again sometime!” You opened the door and were about to wave goodbye when two arms pulled you into the foyer. Barbatos quickly moved inside, surprised by the sight that greeted him. 

Solomon and Simeon had trapped you in their arms, encircling you like twin felines playing a game of cat and mouse. Solomon’s deadly smirk was something you knew all too well, paired with Simeon’s laughing eyes, they had been out to get you from the start. “You fell right into our trap, MC~” Simeon purred in your ear, watching your eyes flit between the trio of people in the room. Well, one human, one angel, and one demon. The mischievous fire in Solomon’s eyes appeared anything *but* human to you in this moment. 

Solomon looked to the demon at the door, “What do you think is a fitting punishment for our friend here, Barbatos?” 

Barbatos slowly stepped forward until he was in front of you three, assessing the situation. “Seeing as they’ve confessed their transgressions to me already, I believe something… like this will suffice,” Barbatos reasoned, grinning at your shocked face.

“Barbatos! You’re supposed to be on my side- HEY!” Barbatos wormed his hand between you and Simeon to give your side a squeeze, making you curl into Solomon. Simeon started to snicker at the idea, using his free hand to scribble around your neck while Solomon’s smile grew wolfish. “I think that’s a great idea, don’t you think so, MC?” 

You were trying not to react to Simeon’s gentle scribbles, your cheeks puffing out and your lips pouting to hide your smile. “N-no! Not a great idea! Barbatos- help me!”

Raising an eyebrow, the demon tilted his head to the side, “You want me to help? Alright, I can manage that. After all, I have no obligations today, I can spend as much time as I want here.”

Barbatos latched onto your sides, kneading into them with sudden speed and vigor that you weren’t prepared for. Your straight faced facade went flying out the window as you tried to wiggle away from the tickles to no avail. Solomon and Simeon seemed to have the same idea, the angel’s fingers finding a home in your armpits and Solomon’s squeezing at your hipbones. “WHAHAHAIT! NOhOHoO!” 

You had endured tickle attacks from all three of them separately, but together, the trio was insufferably good at reducing you to a laughing fit. They continued to scribble and poke all over your worst spots, Simeon finding a good spot on your lower tummy that almost sent you backwards. Every time you got used to something, one of them would move, sending you into giggles all over again. 

“I almost forgot how ticklish they are! Solomon, keep that up,” Simeon laughed with delight at how you squirmed away from Solomon’s evil hands that were currently chasing your ribs. “If I were you, I would stay still- it would be done a looooot faster!” Solomon chirped from your left, tazing your ribs and making you fall into Barbatos’s waiting arms.

“Your laugh is almost as sweet as the tea, you know,” Barbatos whispered quietly, kneading into your lower back and sides, chuckling when you tried to pull away with a blush. Simeon gasped and excitedly pulled you away, hugging you tight against his chest. 

“Theres this thing I used to do to Luci when he would misbehave, let me show you!” He closed his eyes and you felt invisible feathers gliding across your ears and neck, making you scrunch up. The feathers seemed to reach all of your worst spots, soft but they tickled like hell. When you felt one graze the bottom of your foot, you squeaked in surprise, how was this even possible? Simeon’s laugh sounded like bells, contrasting with your loud and squealy one. “I cAhAHaAHaN’t! PlEHehAHeaSe!” 

He slowed down the feathers of his wings to softly stroke up and down your arms, letting you collapse into him. Solomon ruffled your hair, “You all tired out? I think it’s payback for making me sing through all of breakfast. Simeon looked like a fancy chicken this morning,” he laughed. Simeon rolled his eyes, “Did you learn your lesson, MC? Never mess with Purgatory Hall, or you’ll awaken the tickle monsters that live there!” He tapped your nose, taking note of your lingering smile and flushed cheeks. He grinned and gave you a hug, releasing you. 

Barbatos had his hands behind his back, almost like he hadn’t contributed to your ticklish demise. “The cake is still outside, would you like me to bring it in?” His sly smirk didn’t go unnoticed, you nodded, rolling your eyes. “You were supposed to help me!”

“I never said I would help you. Besides, I think you deserved a little prank back for the ones you performed,” he noted, bringing the slice of matcha cake inside. 

With a sigh, you took the bag, holding out the delectable sweet. “How about a truce? Do you guys wanna split this?” All three of them nodded, causing you to smile. As you made your way towards the den, Barbatos concluded that his day off was a day well spent.

[groversimp]

I was wondering if you we're planning on doing anymore Christian!reader fanfics? You're one of the first people I've seen actually do them, and I really enjoy them as a Christian, fanfic enjoyer, no issue if you don't make another one but if you do can it be a Percy, Grover or Luke one you can make it to your imagination🩷

Was a Full Sun, And I Knew

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!! God bless, He is risen!

I decided to write for Percy, but I plan on having a Grover one coming out soon

warnings: female!reader, you wear a dress, you and Percy are implied to be Catholic but it’s not specified so, don’t be late to mass kids.

“We’re gonna be late,” you called as you put on your earrings in the mirror. You were currently standing in you and Percy’s small apartment dining room, adjusting yourself in the mirror hung on the wall.

“No, we’re not.” He calls back, with a carefree laugh. You roll your eyes, mutter a bitter “yes, we will” under your breath. But, you can’t fight the smile as he struts out- giving a playful turn as he shows off the suit matching your dress.

He approaches, pulling you in by the waist as your hands comes around his shoulders. Percy holds you so delicately, so softly. As he presses his forehead to yours, you can almost hear the silent praises running through his mind.

“You look perfect,” he whispers to you. The words almost missed, but how could you miss them when you’re always yearning to hear him?

“You look perfect.” You whisper back. Connecting your lips in a chaste kiss, you take a step back to start walking towards the door but Percy follows, pressing quick kisses to your lips.

You push him off of you, but take his hand with a soft grin. “Now we’re definitely gonna be late.” You say, huffing as you check the time.

You two weren’t late, barely there by a minute. Sally rolled her eyes as she scooted over on the pew, allowing you and Percy to sit next to her.

As the smell of incense took over, and you felt the ghost of holy water just barely gracing your forehead- you smiled softly.

You were safe, you were happy. Surrounded by what you loved most: your Savior, your Percy, and your people.

[rotpoetrygone]

looking for more stuff with my ocs in particular, like this and i will write u a thing! ♡ featured verses in per.cy jackson, avatar the last air.bender, teen wo.lf, tv.du + their catch all "main" verses.

blurbs under the cut, basic information found on carrd:

supernatural:

daphne kim (30s, lesbian, current matriarch to a family of cursed witches. constantly laboring under said family curse, god complex that's occasionally beaten down by her hubris. fc: bae joohyun or lim jiyeon)

luke kim (30s, bisexual, gentleman asshole thief responsible for half the rare artwork in different collections going missing. really mad about his family curse and blames everyone else for it. fc: kim bum)

althea miranda (20s, lesbian, forensic analyst and babaylan. very in touch with her powers, very much psychic. fc: kathryn bernardo)

pippa bennett (20s, bisexual, podcaster and aspiring writer who somehow gained or awakened psychic abilities after opening herself up to the "other side." anxious mess of a single mom. fc: khadhija red thunder)

elaina chairat (20s to 30s, bisexual. carefree witch whose family is supposedly cursed to be the demise of their true loves, doesn't really care? accidentally k worded a man anyway. fc: mookda narinrak)

rian satyavati (30s, greysexual. reluctant alpha to a pack that functions more or less as a chaotic found family. gentle but willing to throw hands for kids both his and not his own. fc: rahul kohli)

bora sun (20s, lesbian. older sister to byeol, rian's right hand. more likely to throw people instead of trusting them off the bat. confident gay until there's another confident gay in the room. fc: han sohee)

byeol sun (20s, gay. younger brother to bora. likes tea but suffers from anxiety instead. loyal to a fault and desperately touch starved, probably way too trusting for comfort. fc: choi beomgyu)

kaori (100+, bisexual with a preference for women and the nonbinary. vampire council elder who functions more or less as the bad cop in most scenarios. stickler for rules, but more than happy to break a few limbs for their own amusement. fc: myoui mina)

non supernatural

naomi pyo (20s, bisexual, sister to nicholas. olivia rodrigo-esque upcoming pop star and model who writes songs about every single inconvenience in her life. petty is her whole personality trait. fc: park chaeyoung)

nicholas pyo (20s, bisexual, brother to naomi. seemingly snobby nepo baby who doesn't really know what to do with his life. comes off as uptight but is more or less afraid of emotional vulnerability. fc: park jimin)

dean kwon (20s, bisexual. bassist and one of the vocalists for velveteen, an up and coming punk rock band. lost his partner and cosinger in an unfortunate accident, has been dealing with this grief privately with as many illegal substances and scandals he can get his hands on. fc: kim taehyung)

rowan lee (20s, greysexual. drummer for velveteen, technically dean's best friend but at his limit. generally pretty happy go lucky but quick to throw shade at anyone who bashes his band mates. if golden retrievers had a human form, it would be rowan. fc: johnny suh)

penny st. clair (20s, bisexual. new vocalist and keyboardist for velveteen. scouted after posting a cover of one of their songs, now dealing with adjusting their sound to fit the band's image. laufey style indie singer outside of their velveteen gig. romantic at heart who has yet to experience romance. fc: samantha logan)

margaux ramos (20s, lesbian. guitarist and songwriter and unofficial babysitter for velveteen. lost their best friend to an accident, now dealing with said best friend's unruly ex and keeping their bandmates in check. nosy as hell, kind of awkward under their "touch me and you will lose a limb" exterior. weakness for pretty girls. fc: lizeth selene)

[edge-oftheworld]

thinking about the way when i interact with fellow aussies on here I see so much disappointment about how they didn't come here on their last tour. how sydney 5sos fans are a different brand of human i'm not really sure how to describe (we all freaked out when we went to the same concert lauren was at for example). thinking about how the australian leg of take my hand tour felt like it was almost its own thing, sandwiched between the gap after the bulk of the tour before it and that short gap before they announced the most recent tour after it--almost as if it was meant to bridge both of those tours. how they played in newcastle and on the gold coast and it wasn't quite cairns or coffs but it was a bit more than your state capitals headline tour. how, with the exception of the big four, we often don't realise how small our cities are on a global scale. there are only 27 million of us on this desert island.

thinking about how they wrote easy for you to say and had to perform it on tour six months before its actual release, it was so important to this setlist, to the vibe, and how it's about nostalgia and missing sydney and they finished the tour in sydney and it makes me wonder, i can kind of guess when the song means the same thing to me, how much it hurts to be able to perform here and yet not be able to stay for longer than a holiday. and yet they do do that for us, put on shows about as regularly as any other artist does. even if they didn't play splendour in the grass. or falls festival. even if it's been four years since fire fight australia, it was only months ago sierra was promoting beyond blue as a charity to donate to. friends of friends did some fundraiser for a youth centre in blacktown: maybe I have to look to see it, but I can see the impact they've left.

and then I see how happy they all seem to look when they've gotten a chance to hang out in australia. ashton covering songs in the heat. calum obviously having a blast. luke dropping sydney pics that were assumedly from before it got really hot, looking carefree, a familiar skyline and familiar urban graffiti. the way when michael arrived in perth for the first time after lockdown he simply had to tell us all right away. and i've always kind of seen them coming back here for good? heck, joel madden even assumed right on his podcast some of them might have already. the way ashton doesn't have a dog in the states, and how i've always seen him with an aussie. the way luke integrates seamlessly into the life and culture of the inner west area; and calum carries blue mountains vibes with him wherever he goes, as michael does with the sydney pop punk scene. we know brandy and sierra at least love australia--i was actually fangirling about sierra in their comments with the veronicas just the other day (bless them for deciding my comment was something that needed to replying to). while crystal does have a massive group of usamerican friends and family I can see her enjoying the vegan places in melbourne and brisbane (they're coming to sydney too. the inner west and parts of the north side are almost there) and maybe being a little more hopeful about politics. I can also see it being a really healthy place to raise lua.

maybe it's the hopefulness of an urban designer who sees the impact of art and culture and having people around who create for a living on our cities, but maybe I see myself in 20 years bringing my kids to see them play and being able to tell the story of a series of songs (red desert, efyts, whatever is next in the theme in the works for 5sos6 as well as the solo stuff like a lot of wfttwtaf and boy) and how they figured out what we all have to, how to find and create a place that's home to you--because it's actually a pretty likely event. and i love seeing the evolution from the 'let's get out' / 'worked every weekend just to get out of town' vibe of self titled and sgfg to now. I really do want them all to feel like they can relax now after so many years of working and depriving themselves of the love that comes from belonging (I do feel like we've heard more about it from luke and ash specifically) and I also get the subtle vibes of where that might happen. and how much it might hurt when they don't get to have that. what did they do for aussies? gave us hope that we could make it, in whatever we want to do and whatever success means for us. maybe it's just me though. for now. maybe i've got the expectations of someone who grew up unable to afford things like concerts mixed with the anticipation for this june. I hope i'm not projecting, but also, the empathy I feel when I see myself in someone is usually spot on.

so idk. one day i'm gonna design some really classy public housing made to unfuck the status quo and i'm gonna raise money to build it and sierra will write a song and say she's doing a donation to this charity in australia doing things about homelessness and the class divide and it's gonna help me fund it. that's just one option of something i can see going down that's not completely unrealistic if very very optimistic but it's how i live my life. but i'll go to a 5sos concert eventually. i'll play their songs i've arranged with an orchestra one day too and we'll do it impressively, noticeably. i don't really know what else i'm supposed to expect? I know my experience is worlds away from many people's. but these guys inspire me to create and I don't really need anything else to do that.

[wowthatsextra]

how would you rank the seasons of the oc?

(oh and btw i'm working on your ask, i just love so many of ryan' scenes, so it's hard to find specific ones)

Well I adore all the seasons but my ranking goes a little weird. There are first and second halves bc I can't decide full seasons lol

Season 1 is the best obviously. The classic class dynamics, the characters being babies and just starting off their development, the Cohens accepting Ryan and the beginning of Ryissa and Sethmer/the core four. I remember watching the first two episodes being like- yeah they always fight and burn shit down, this show seems like my thing. Thank you @closetfascination for recommending it xD. The Oliver storyline was so intense and all of the conflicts in that season is so entertaining and dramatic, even though there were ones that didn’t age well- like Luke's gay dad or Hailey's stripping.

Then I'd say Season 2B. Mostly because Seth and Summer and Ryan and Marissa coming back together as couples and as the core four. The Mallpisode was great! The whole "save Trey" drug bust storyline was cool too- I basically gasped when Seth and Ryan are talking in the kitchen and Seth is like, are you disappointed Trey is selling drugs after everything you did for him? And Ryan is like he isn’t, he only confessed to the police to protect Marissa. Seth asks how do you know? Ryan says, because I was about to do the same. It was painful to see the SA storyline and how it impacted Ryissa. Loved Marissa and Alex's relationship in the beginning but didn’t like how they treated them later on- I get that they were getting homophobic backlash but they didn’t have to casually homophobic too :( Julie and the revenge porn situation was so icky although I did like that she was about to kill Caleb for money but saved herself from doing it but he died anyways lol. The comic book storyline was so ridiculous it was funny. And of course, Kirsten's deterioration was the hardest but it made so much sense.

Season 3A. I love how the season starts off them facing external battles (expulsion, scrutiny) but internally going strong. The core four was ride and die for each other! Sethmer planning to go to college together was so cute, and I like that despite being horrible to Ryan, Julie stayed loyal to Kirsten and protected her and the town from Charlotte's scam. It ends with the core four successfully getting Marissa back into Harbour which is very sweet! I didn’t like the Taylor/Dean Hess storyline but him getting kicked out was satisfying and even though Taylor started out annoying, I grew to like her when she started befriending and helping them. I even liked Marissa's public school storyline until the Johnny thing became too depressing.

Season 2A. Loved Seth and Ryan being back but the whole season is Kirsten and Sandy slowly facing issues and it was so painful to watch :( Marissa had it rough with her mom and Ryan leaving and DJ, but her dynamic with Alex started off really fun. I liked Lindsay's character and her relationship with Ryan and the reveal that she was Caleb's daughter but the aftermath was painful as expected. Sethmer started off kinda flaky and shaky but they got better eventually.

Then 4. It starts off dark but I'm glad they took the time to honour Marissa. It feels like a different show but I loved it. Ryan and Taylor's entire relationship is so funny and sweet and I love that Ryan got to be a little lighter this season. Sethmer getting engaged was funny but also a little frustrating. This season would've been higher because I was mostly happy and carefree watching it but it's so low because Frank's introduction was so suspenseful and fun but they ruined it for me by making it another "let's forgive abusive parents for doing the bare minimum". I loved the ending though- Julie getting her degree, Sandy and Kirsten having another baby, independent Summer, Sethmer married and Ryan helping that kid. It was also funny when Chris Pratt was in love with Seth for two seconds lol

Season 3B. It's the last one because it is the most painful lol (Ryissa breakup, everything about Johnny, them being in random relationships especially Marissa and Volchok ew and her eventual death) but I really love it too. Summer and Marissa officially becoming sisters was cute. The post-breakup friendship between Ryan and Marissa came naturally to them without the romantic expectations. Ryan's jealousy arc with MV was so fun- I always howl in the scene where Ryan and Sadie are hooking up in the poolhouse and Seth yells from outside that Marissa is hooking up with Volchok and the scene cuts to Ryan letting Sadie out because "the mood is ruined"- and ofc the prom and the aftermath. Ryan learning about Theresa's baby and putting up boundaries with Jess was cool to watch. Sethmer breaking up over college was frustrating and sad but glad they got back together and Seth smoking weed and burning down Sandy's office was so funny. Kirsten almost relapsing was sad and I'm glad Sandy finally prioritized family over the hospital.

Finally ugh 😭 sorry for keeping this hanging for so long! I'd respond to the other asks soon <3 best wishes!

[madrone33]

So I read the first book in the Percy Jackson series ‘The Lightning Thief’ a few months ago, and then I realised there was a musical after randomly coming across ‘The Campfire Song’ in a Greek Mythology song playlist on yt. So I finally listened to 'The Lightning Thief' musical! Yay! And now I have way too much in my head, and now I’m shoving it all onto the internet! Be warned, this isn’t really ordered or even coherent :)

I'm too used to Hamilton and Epic lol, I kept getting surprised when there were time skips between songs. Only 19 songs instead of 40? Skipping or compacting battle scenes? Actual spoken lines most of the time? Wow.

I really like 'Prologue/The Day I Got Expelled', 'Another Terrible Day', Percy's part in 'Their Sign', 'Put You In Your Place', 'The Campfire Song', 'Good Kid', 'Lost!', 'Drive,' 'The Tree on the Hill', 'The Last Day of Summer', 'Bring on the Monsters'. So most of them lol.

Tho my favs 5 are probs 'Prologue/The Day I Got Expelled', 'The Campfire Song', 'Good Kid', 'The Tree on the Hill', 'The Last Day of Summer'.

I love Percy. He's so sassy bitter exasperated done with all this shit XD. I almost like him better than in the book lol.

Also Luke. I actually sympathised with him a lot. Probably because the resigned bitterness all the half-bloods feel about their parents is emphasised a lot more in the songs, at least to me.

Kinda a play by play of my reactions?:

L: The gods are real. Like the Greek gods.

A: Like the ones you learned about but weren't paying attention to.

L, A: Well, they don't pay attention to you, either.

All: Especially if you're their kid.

[… that’s rough buddy]

All: *bitterly carefree* Yeah, the gods are real. And they have kids. And those kids have ISSUES!

[mood]

P: Look! … I didn't wanna be a half-blood.

[Yesss! It’s actually happening omg. Also his VA is amazing]

P: And, honestly, I'd be totally be fine if I could make it to the next grade!

[someone give this kid a hug plz]

P: It wasn't dirty socks or my stepdad. It was danger that I smelled.

[pffft he really just did Gabe like that lmao]

P: *sarcastic* Maybe you don't know what a half-blood is because your life is normal and happy and not constantly in danger-

P: That's when this story should probably start. We were geeking out on ancient Greek at the New York Metropolitan Museum Of Art.

[honestly just impressed they managed to make this long ass title rhyme and fit the beat]

Ch: Anyone? Any student?

[lol, yeah no kid wants to bring attention to themselves like that]

P: My best friend was acting strange, at which he so excelled.

[damn Percy’s kinda savage]

P: Grover, you're a good friend.

G: Awww… *amused pity* Dude. I'm your only friend.

[bro Grover is even more savage!]

All: The day it all went down!

P: I saw something odd in Mrs Dodds’ frown.

All: The day it all got weird.

P: The day I got expelled!

[the sudden switch to just saying ‘yeah shit got weird’ is hilarious]

MD: I have heard much about you, Percy Jackson.

P: *vaguely impressed, dry* Really? That's very dedicated for a substitute.

[lmao]

MD: Kicked out of five schools in six years. One might question your parentage.

P: *mutter, protective* Hey, don't talk about my mom-

MD: *smug* And your father? That's right… You don't know who he is! *starts laughing maniacally*

P: *defensive, wary, demand* What's this about anyway?

[I just love his vocal delivery on those lines. He’s a total mama’s boy, for good reason, Sally’s awesome. But also, yeah, I’d be freaked out too if my teacher isolated my from the group and then started talking this shit]

P: *tentative, freaked out* Um… I didn't know what just had happened. Was that all a creepy, crazy dream? *incredulous, questioning his own sanity* My teacher was a creature, then she vanished in the ether with a demon scream.

P: The day I got- Expelled?!

[oof.]

P: *bitter, hurt, resigned* You think I’m trouble, just like everyone else.

[oof the way his voice is just so resigned, like he’s used to this, which he is. And Chiron, you’re not helping. God, this kid needs competent adults in his life]

S: He warned me that things might be hard if… you were like him.​

P: *sarcastic, harsh, bitter* Was he a screw up too? *tired, shame, resigned* Sorry, mom. If I was only- normal.​

[no Percy that’s not what she means! Don’t call yourself a screw-up :( ]

P: *vacant, pleasant* This is weird. *bland* Oh look, a strange man in a Hawaiian shirt.

Poseidon: *in THE goofiest voice ever* "What belongs to the sea can always return to the sea." It's a seashell.

P: *mild, moving on* … Like I said. Weird.

[HAHAHA]

D: *sarcastic, grimace* Oh, you're alive. I suppose that's good news for you, but it means a lot more paperwork for me. So don't expect me to be happy to see you.

D: *grumble, pissed, sarcastic* Great! You haven't been debriefed. This is way out of my pay grade. Which is saying a lot, 'cause I don't get paid!

[average teacher’s salary smh]

D: *snarl, irritable* Someone find Professor Hay-For-Breath and tell him Peter Johnson is awake, so he better clip-clop over here!

P: *unimpressed* It's Percy Jackson.

D: *can’t care in the least, snaps* Whatever!

D: *throws up hands, done* Does no one watch the orientation film?

D: To tell you the truth? The best thing is to *aggressive table banging* BREAK UP WITH THE GUY!

[I am cackling rn]

D: *loudly and musically complaining about how much his job sucks*

P: *in complete confusion* Mr. Brunner! You’re a horse?! WHAT IS HAPPENING??

P: *bitter, pissed* My mom raised me all on her lonesome. When I would reach out, no one else would be there! *incensed* Well I want my birthday cards and fishing trips! Child support and homework tips!

[Poseidon! Pay 👏 your 👏 child support 👏]

P: *gritted teeth, holding back tears* So- So who is he?

[SOMEONE GIVE HIM A HUG RIGHT NOW-]

L: *dry, bitter jazz hands* Welcome to the dysfunctional family.

[I know Luke’s technically the bad guy, but let’s be real. He’s cool]

C: You're gonna drown, you ain't gonna float!

|

C: Don't mean to boast, don’t mean to brag!

[I adore those high notes on ‘drown’ and ‘don’t’. Actually. Just- all of Clarisse and Annabeth’s high notes and slides are incredible]

[yo, 'Put You In Your Place' kinda sounds like 'Do What you Gotta Do' from Descendants 3. And I love that.]

A: *bright* Go to the boys bathroom!

P: *raised eyebrow* And…?

A: *questioning Percy’s intelligence* Stay there? *the ‘duh’ is implied* It’s your first day. We don’t want you messing this up.

P: *rocks on his heels, mild* Okay. Just stay here. Just stay in the bathroom, and stay out of-

C: *teleports behind him, smug sneer* Trouble? Ha!

C: Maybe the minotaur died from a case of laughing too hard from seeing your stupid face!

[that burn tho]

L: *wry* Offering to the gods. *rolls eyes, sardonic* It's not enough that they're omnipotent and all-powerful, they need to feel appreciated. *raises glass, dry* To the gods.

All: *lacklustre, cynical* To the gods!

P: *curious, cheery* Chiron! Who’s your dad?

Ch: *delicate* Oh! Well. My father is Kronos. *pause* Remember my lecture. He ate his children.

*awkward silence*

L: *winces* … Chiron wins.

*unanimous agreement*

P: Oh, no no no! If I try to sing, it’ll probably cause an avalanche.

[haha get it? ‘Cause Poseidon’s the Earthshaker? Anyone?]

P: *soft* My mum was named Sally. She loved scary movies.

[was. WAS. I’m crying]

P: Did he not want me? Or not want the stress? Too bad he's the worst, and my life is a mess! Oh no… *grins sharply, starts getting into it* I hope he shows even a trace, ‘CAUSE I’VE GOT SOME CHOICE WORDS to throw in his face!

All: *cheer*

[hell yes! Tell him Percy!]

P: *frustrated, bitter* I try, I try to be a good kid! A good kid! *tired, resigned* A good son.

[noooo 😭]

P: *pleading, defensive* I swear, I swear that I'm a good kid! (Scoff) *dismissive, resigned* Yeah, Percy, that's a good one.

[Nooo Percy! You are a good kid!! Stop talking down on yourself like this-]

P: *furious, bitter* And no friends! And no hope! And no mom- *broken* She's taken away.

[whyyyyy]

P: Yeah, I'll do it. Not 'cause my dad needs me - he's been less a dad and more absentee.

[preach Percy!]

P: *triumphant* We're gonna march straight down to the gates of hell!

L: *interjects, nerd emoji* Underworld.

P: *waves off* Close enough.

P: *serious wtf energy* Guys. We just exploded a bus.

A: *casual* Yep.

P: *nah yall don’t get it* That was being attacked by demon triplet math teachers!

A: *unconcerned* Oh yeah.

P: *disbelief, dead eyed* Is the whole trip going to be like this??

G: *vacant, panicking* All our food was in there. All our clothes were in there. All our food was in there!

A: *umm…* Take that bus to Los Angeles.

P: *deadpan* We're not on the bus.

A: *rolls eyes* I know.

G: *blank* To Los Angeles.

P: *sarcastic, incredulous* We blew up the bus.

A: *exasperated* I know!

G: *having a minor breakdown* To Los Angeles.

P: So what are we supposed to do??

A: *shrugs* Wait for another bus?

P: *throws up hands* What if we blow up that one too?!

G: *anxious* It’s not safe to stay out here in the open, when Monsters are trying to eat us alive!

P: *sardonic, exasperated* How do they know where we are, when we don’t even know?

P: *sarcastic* Fantastic, gang. Well, I don’t wanna die in the Garden State!

[Grover talking to the squirrel like Aang talking to Momo is killing me.]

Squirrel: *helpfully* You’re all screwed.

G: *brightly* Thanks, buddy!

S: *cheery* Welcome!

*ominous thunder*

P: *strained* I think the gods are trying to tell me they hate me!

A: *dry* I’m getting that too.

P: *quiet, tense* Hungry monsters on the ground.

A: *soft, scared* Angry gods are in the sky.

G: *despairing* No safe places to be found.

P, A, G: *helpless* Wanna run. Wanna cry.

P: *exhausted, grieving* Can't go back to any home.

A: *anxious* Camp is way too far away.

G: *hopeless* Can't protect my only friends.

P, A, G: No place to go. No place to stay!

[no bbys it’s gonna be ok! Just wait a few more, uhhh, books?]

P, A, G: We're lost in the world, and the world is freaking awful!

[truths]

P, A, G: *wild eyed* Who put the fate of the world in the hands of three unprepared scared half-bloods? It's crazy!

[^ this. Someone get an actual responsible adult on the phone]

A: *fierce, stubborn* But I promise you, I'll never be invisible again! Someone will notice! *quiet, longing* … Me.

[come on. Get these kids someone who loves them already!]

[Grover just being the best optimistic hype man in ‘Drive’]

G: *warm* ‘Cause people are counting on us, and I'm counting on you!

[awww]

P: If you hadn't bought all those dam snacks–

G: Uh, it was the Hoover Dam, and I was hungry!

[that dam joke lmfao]

A: *gives him a Look, once again questioning his intelligence* You're joking, right? In The Odyssey, if you went to sleep in a lotus bed, one night could last one hundred years!

P: *waves Annabeth off* I'm sure that's irrelevant. Um, excuse me miss, how long have you been at this hotel?

B: *cheery* Why, my brother and I arrived just yesterday: May 1st… 1939!

P: *pasted on smile* Uh, we can sleep on the road.

P: *bright* Oh look, a bus to Los Angeles!

A: *sceptical* Are you sure that's a good idea?

P: *reasonable* This one we just won't blow up!

G: Ha!

G: Ask Annabeth, she knows.

[Grover proceeds to tell the whole story himself]

P: *thrown* But- I thought I was the only kid of the Big Three gods.​

G: *ominous, tired* You are now.

G: *grieving, raging* And maybe if I’d been a little bit braver! Maybe if I’d stayed behind to fight! But ‘maybe’ doesn't let me go back and save her… ‘Maybe’ doesn't make it alright.

|

G: *quiet* And it’s there reminding me of all I failed to be…

[crying]

[y’know, Charon being voiced by a woman kinda reminds me of Hades in ‘Ulysses Dies at Dawn’]

Charon: Who has two turntables and three sick heads? Everybody give it up for D.J. Cerberus!

[omg this is so funny for some reason]

Charon: *to Percy* You ain't ever gonna save what matters! *to Grover* You ain't gonna protect your friends! *to Annabeth* You ain't ever gonna be remembered!

[The callbacks are so good!!]

P: *resigned* Seems my good intentions, always crash and burn. *helplessly frustrated* Everything I try to do will fail! Never once will I prevail! Going wrong at every turn…

[the way it’s set to the melody in ‘Good Kid’ is heartbreaking]

Hades: *throws up hands* Oh, come on!

[lol]

P: So this could be the end, but I ain't sad. 'Cause you're the two best friends this screw-up ever had.

[happy crying because he has friends, and sad crying because he’s still calling himself a screw-up]

Ares: I’ll put you in your place!

[like daughter, like father]

P: *firm, eyes blazing* I'm the Son of Poseidon. I never asked to be. But I'm the son of Poseidon! Now face the tide inside me!

[screaming yes Percy kick his ass!!]

P: *quiet* Stay or go. Pick one.

[I just love how he sings that sm]

D: *growl, done with life* Attention, campers. It's the last day of summer. If you intend to make me miserable year-round, please inform us by sundown. Otherwise, the cleaning harpies will eat anyone who remains! Perry Johanssen, this means you.

P: *rolls eyes* It's Percy. Jackson.

D: *snap* Whatever!

A: *bitter, casual* My dad couldn't deal with the monster attacks, and my stepmom couldn't deal with me.

[nooo someone give her a hug]

[the way the music becomes discordant and not quite right, with minor chords and dark piano when Luke pulls Percy aside is such cool foreshadowing]

L: *bitter, dark, disillusioned* My quest was supposed to be the biggest thing in my life. I came back changed. But the rest of camp was exactly the same.

P: *numb realisation* … You’re the Lightning thief.

L: *simple, apologetic* The Oracle warned you. "Betrayed by a friend."

P: *horrified, disbelief, hoarse* … You set me up. *furious, disgust* You were trying to free Kronos! WHY?

L: *strained, earnest* He promised me the power to defeat our parents!

P: *furious, disbelief, bared teeth* Yeah? He's using you! To get back at the gods!

L: *honestly can’t care anymore, running on anxiety and spite* Good.

L: *empty, helplessly raging, hopeless* I’ve been here since I was a kid! I did everything they ever asked, yeah I did. And for what?

[bro why does everyone in this thing need a hug? They’re all just traumatised kids whyyyy]

L: *quiet, desperate, resolved* So I’ll do anything. I don’t care if I hurt anyone.

[the way you can hear in his voice how much he does care, because that’s exactly why he’s doing all this. AHHH-]

L: *bitter, broken, ragged* It doesn't pay to be a good kid. A good kid. A good son.

[screaming, crying, throwing up]

G: *longsuffering* Are we ever gonna once have it easy?

P: *bright* Nope!

P: Don't feel bad 'cause we're usually about to die :D

[ah yes, gallows humour]

S: They’re breaking your heart? Then try to hear it pound!

[I love her VA. She’s beautiful]

C: They'll put us in a box, but we won't be contained!

[yess Clarisse!]

P: 'Cause the sea doesn't like to be restrained!

[he said the thing!]

All: I'll make mistakes, but my own, and it frees me!

[for some reason, I just really love this line]

[that whole last part where they’re all overlapping is godly]

Damn that got long, but uh. That’s... probably all for now. So. Yeah.

[floralcyanide]

The Extra || Austin Butler x OC

Chapter Thirteen (nsfw)

Pairing: Austin Butler x OC

Warnings: smut (minors dni please!), choking, unprotected sex, that's it really.

Word Count: 1508

>> ahhhhh it's been like 3 weeks since the last update. I've had most of this chapter written but then I added the last bit this morning because I know I need to update. I've been busy with kinktober and have lowkey neglected this story lol but only two more chapters and then the epilogue left! please let me know if you all enjoy this chapter. I know it's short but a lot is going to happen in the last chapters.

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist | Add yourself to the taglist HERE

Looking back, there were instances when I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I never thought acting would bring me so much joy. I thought being an extra was good enough for me and that it made me happy. But I have never known happiness like getting to become someone else and portray someone’s story, whether they’re real or not. Becoming Priscilla Presley has been an honor and a privilege I never thought I’d ever experience. And getting to know Austin on a deeper level because of our roles has changed everything. Simply being in the movie itself has changed everything because now I have a possible career in acting, and I’ve reconnected with the love of my life. I realized that being an extra has caused issues, but it has also caused opportunities I could’ve never dreamed of. 

Austin and I are closer than ever now that we work and live together more constantly. It can be challenging to do so- and it very much is- but I wouldn’t change a thing. Even if we get frustrated with each other or sometimes go home and go straight to bed without a word. However, after filming a particularly vigorous performance or an emotionally charged scene, uneventful nights are made up for. We’ve almost gotten caught a few times in one of our dressing rooms and even the unassuming janitor’s closet, but it was worth it every time. Austin is worth anything and everything to me.

The awkwardness with Luke has subsided, thankfully, and I can now look him in the eye when we speak to each other. We’re still the good friends we were before he addressed that he liked me. Dacre and I are still close, and we crack jokes and pull the occasional harmless pranks on our co-stars when possible. Tom and I speak to each other daily at the coffee stand and often complain about how stale the coffee is, but we drink it anyway. Olivia visits the set when she can and gives me pointers on how to position myself in a specific scene. Sometimes she reminds me to relax my shoulders. I’ve even warmed up to Xavier Samuel, who plays Scotty, one of Elvis’ band members from The Blue Moon Boys. He’s a chill guy and reminds me to smile every once in a while. At first, I was a little weirded out by that, but now I know that’s just how he is. He brings a lively vibe to the set and ensures everyone is in a good mood. If you aren’t, Xavier will go out of his way to ensure you are.

I’m so grateful to have met everyone I’ve worked with, from fellow extras like Tyler all the way to legendary Tom Hanks. All the people in Elvis are talented, and I couldn’t have asked for better people to be surrounded by. The scenes I’ve filmed so far have gone very well, and I managed to remember my lines when I needed to. I’m excited to see how everything turns out when the movie finishes. On another note, Austin has been doing better emotionally. I think he spoke with Baz about how he felt about the method acting, and they resolved it. He no longer comes home with puffy eyes and doesn’t ignore me after tough days of filming.

There have been so many times throughout filming where I had realizations. The moment I realized that acting is what I want to do permanently, if possible, was when I was filming the scene where Elvis and Priscilla were in Elvis’ bedroom overseas. The way the lines felt so carefree and easy to articulate and how simple it was to be Priscilla made me come to the conclusion. Even though Baz thought our kiss wasn’t passionate enough every few takes, every time I kissed Austin, I became more and more relaxed in my role. The final take was flawless, and I was so proud of how it came out.

We’re currently filming the last moments of the first Vegas performance and are about to begin another take of the whole sequence. Jerry accidentally misstepped and nearly tripped in the shot, so we had to go again. But if I’m honest, I don’t think this scene will need any retakes, not right now, at least. Austin has been putting every bit of energy he has into this performance, and with it being so high-octane, we can only film it a handful of times today. For the second time, Baz calls for action. I watch in awe as Austin sings I Can’t Help Falling in Love, thrusting out his arms toward the crowd of extras along to the beat of the orchestra. The amount of love and pride I have for him is untouchable. He has peaked in his life and career, and I couldn’t be happier for him. We have so much history, chemistry, and love between us, and I hope that after filming ends, those things don’t end either. Austin tells the audience goodbye and is crouched on the floor of the stage, panting and sweating profusely as he drops the curtain. I wait for him to take a few scripted moments before he walks over to me. I feel I’m almost breaking character when complimenting and expressing how amazing he was. Because in real life, the take we just did was phenomenal. I’ve never seen Austin work so passionately and so hard before. When he grabs my chin and looks me in the eyes lovingly, I realize I want to spend the rest of my life with him. Not because he is incredibly hot while sweaty and high on adrenaline, but because he puts his all into everything he does. Including our relationship, even if it jump started again in a rocky fashion. 

At the beginning of filming Elvis, if you had told me I’d be dating my ex again and were going to become a main character instead of an extra, I would’ve laughed in your face. A good, wholehearted, genuine laugh. I was always an extra, nothing more, nothing less. I would never give Austin another chance. But I’ve grown so much since then. I no longer naively believe I don’t need to advance in my career, and I’m no longer lying about my feelings for Austin, both negative and positive. Not only is Austin at the peak of his life, but I’m at the peak of mine. I hope we can share that glowing high together. 

And we do, but the high is off the success of the Vegas scene. We share it in a way that we probably shouldn’t while on set, but all caution is thrown to the wind right now as Austin, carefully and as quickly as possible, removes my dress. I silently thank my stylist for being so good at gluing wigs down because this is going to be quick and rough. We’re in Austin’s dressing room, and I’m shoved onto the vanity in nothing but my underwear. Austin manages to peel off his jumpsuit from the shoulders to the waist, allowing him to spring free. He doesn’t give it a second thought before he pulls off my underwear and plunges into me, his fingers pressing into the underside of my thighs for leverage. My arms wrap around Austin’s neck, pulling him as close to me as possible. We don’t tear our eyes away from each other as he thrusts into me quickly. I have to bite my lip to keep quiet so no one outside the room can hear us.

Austin wraps a hand around my throat, and I grip his wrist, trying not to cum just yet. His hips pound into my thighs, and his hand sneaks between us to circle my clit. My eyes roll into the back of my head at the feeling, the dizzying effect of the choking mixing with it. Austin swivels his hips in a particular direction, causing him to hit deeper inside me. I feel him twitch, and he quickens his pace on my clit. Austin finally cums with a low grunt, and the warmth of him spilling into me sends me into overdrive. I take him for all he has as I come down from my high, his hand releasing my throat.

“That was so good,” I breathed out with a laugh, running a hand over my wig to ensure it was still in place.

“You’re so good, babe,” Austin teases with a smile, and I shake my head as I hop off the vanity.

I retrieve my clothing and put it back on as Austin pulls his jumpsuit back onto his body. There’s a knock on the door, and a producer yells to Austin that he’s needed back on set. We share a look before giggling at each other.

“I guess that’s our cue,” Austin says, smoothing out his outfit and ensuring his hairpiece is also in place.

It’s days on set like this that I’m going to miss.

taglist:

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[actualbird]

okay but the Luke in the evolved pic of the snow card looks so happy!! So carefree!! absolutely zero (0) sad thoughts or guilt in his brain!! and I love that they still kept his lil fang too!!

// cn server spoilers, christmas event Snowy Sweetness

HES SOSOOSOSOOO HAPPYYYYY!!! and mc is too!! once her Fear passes, HAHA. it makes me emotional cuz it's so Them to go out and do something active and wild and indulge in an almost childlike kind of glee, it reminds me of how that lovely scene where they went to the ballpit in luke's personal story 2, it's delightful and lively maybe a little childish and it's fun as hell.......like, with all the worries and fears luke and mc have gone through together, it makes me happy to see them both have an awesome nice time...in conclusion:

[bad4amficideas]

Bat!Reader Childhood HCs

I'm posting random drafts. incomplete. And so. English with translator. I suppect this maybe even double posted. Uhm. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Note: English is not my language, so I hope you will be understanding of any flaws you find.

🦇Look. You wanted the robins (you already called them all robins even if there was more bats than birds) to become such. You wanted Dick, Tim and Duke with their parents alive and well. To Jason, Stephanie and Harper with the best family circumstances they could muster. Barbara, Luke, Carrie being carefree in their lives, Cassandra adopted in a happy place, maybe with Steph who was not her best friend in the comics for nothing. You wish you could have helped Kate (you were working on Helena and Azrael but were working in his legal name in this moment). Mother of God, you wanted to kill Batman for what it cost you to track down all these people, and even so you know you were missing people but you did pretty well and hell, you were working on it as you could.

Spoilers: Duke, Carrie, Harper, Helena, Azrael (Jean Paul & Michael), Luke Fox, and his predecessor Zavimbe. Batwoman's partner, all "saved" (because I don't know them well enough to write about them and part because the Joker died, the rage is over). Most of them now works or gonna work for WE or the GCPD (it's getting competent) anyway.

🦇But. You walked through your home, looking at empty rooms and fantasized about which one would be filling with each batfam. With how they would be in the mornings, growling, sticking their heads out or snorting at each other.

🦇 Having managed to get Alfred, your father in many ways, to move to a room closer to yours; (and you didn't know the peace of mind that gave you until he did it) a part of you longed for more.

🦇As Y/N Wayne you have a special relationship with Oswald since in your childhood circle he was the one who least infantilized you and you could go with him to do silly things and perhaps some "little savagery"

🦇This is important because with your onset of poison resistance your overall status and appearance as a child was always, regardless of your build, "fragile" looking, and most people tended to overprotect you. Someone from the Gotham paper even turned "Wayne's Treasure" into "Wayne's Gem" into "Wayne's Diamond" (more accurate than they think, hard, but brittle).

🦇Even Roman and Thomas were careful not to go too far in their abuse so people wouldn't say anything to them, which is what started the “they do that to you because they like you"- crap. It also doesn't help that you cousin (who was in her own traumatic moment) was one punch away from letting both of their noses loose. Like, minefield.

🦇Bats met Harvey Dent in high school. And Bats it's very surprised how easy it's to surround oneself with vips (villains-in-progress) in their city. In this AU, Harvey met "the gang" at Gotham Academy for a scholarship since he comes from a middle-class background here. So, to him find the golden child of Gotham being kind and humble and always treating him as an equal and taking his ideas into account. That touches the ego of any adolescent.

🦇Not that Bats didn't know a lot of other people, but Harvey was the only one who put up with the bullshit and bullying of Bats "friends" (putting him further on the road to district attorney ironically). Bats is sure they recognized the names of some Batman's love interests, or at least one female journalist, but they couldn't get close enough to find out.

🦇Their -Harley's- friendship quickly gelled. Both idealists with similar political positions and true desire to do good for Gotham. A breath of fresh air for Bats, surrounded by two cynicals and a girl in a conflicting phase. Despite the fate that hung at the end of the Dent line Bats couldn't help but think how good it would be to have someone like Dent on their side, especially with the owls swarming and all the normal villains that would have to be put forever behind bars first, if they wanted to even think about the ones in colored costumes.

🦇Anyway, shortly after that year/s there was a disconnect with the world as Bats was abducted by the League of Assassins and then trained for 2 years until they was 18 when they ran away, comes back to Gotham and became Bats (and almost at the same time the tragedy of the circus happened but you're still catching up and you don't know that)

🦇I just realized, mathematically, I've made Dick a terrifying murderous prodigy. Fear, enemies of the Court, now the rhyme is legitimately scary.

🦇Continuing with LoA, Reader, you were there for two years and apart from apparently they trying getting you married and being a worthy possible successor, you left –run away- without having a clue what those people wanted with you. Problem. that's exactly what they wanted, the same thing they wanted in another world with Batman, you weren't going to get anything else no matter how much you snoop, but you refused to assimilate that idea, because “why me?” (If you wanna know, among others, they had noticed your private training and how you had been moving to "take Gotham" and other key points on the planet, as if it were your chessboard)

🦇At that time you really didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Or whether to be deeply indignant. This SURE didn't happen to Batman. Wasn't he volunteer to train in the League? Or after 18 anyway? You were already mixing things by stress. Or maybe were the multiverses in your head. What the hell were they doing kidnapping you to train you and shit about weddings? Okay, a couple thing happened to Bruce, but, You were a teenager. What was the word, grooming? Didn't these people have better things to do, like take over the world? to kill people? Also, what's the point of wanting a successor, IF YOU'RE FUCKING IMMORTAL, let's explain.

🦇And then. After you come back, you, Reader, have a lot of people to catch up with and a lot, LOT of explaining to do. And the damn entry into high society and active involvement in Wayne business... But hey, no one appreciates that you escaped from a cult group of super assassins ninjas who btw were still discussing who will you marry when you left. In order not to let women inherit, they are very progressive in everything else.

🦇 At least Alfred believes you. At least you can tell him the truth. On the other hand, it's the truth, imagine if he didn't believe you, having spent two years with a family that has been grooming you at the same time that training you to kill in 50 forms with a spoon. And luckily the batcave was almost set up, you only needed the suit and put together a coherent story of your two years of disappearance (because there is no way you will go through the high school for the third time, being that the League had homeschooled you those years, again). Oh, but some villains were teachers in college. And maybe that could delay your entry into the world of work. Maybe that was worth the try?

🦇The worst is that. Two years and your careful planning went almost all to the fret. Your straps, broken. Dent, thank God, is an attorney and there is nothing unusual about him. But the other two according to the intel you're starting to gather go already for Hush and Black Mask and have the underworld criminal city terrified, Oswald has some dirty things going, you know nothing about Kate but your guess is in the Military Academy, you will inquire, all doctors of their specialties are loaded in their guns (as who says) and, dammit two years and you weren't even in vacations! not fair!

🦇 Aggg, all hurry up and running now. Luckily you had years of planning, but you were afraid of making a mistake. And as soon as you got dressed, the clown would appear because that’s how Murphy works. Some things had been sped up, some had changed, you should start tracking all the robins for their safety...

🦇And you would throw some money and ideas at the Justice League and have them manage without you. They had a forensic and a demigoddess of war and truth, by all deities, they would manage.

Moar spoilers: Villains who did not pass the look of Bats or have been permanently "secured" in Gotham before do actual -big- damage: Falcone, Maroni, Zucco, Professor Pyg, Man-Bat (Ally, it never get to go through that crap), Jeremiah Arkham (diagnosed by out burn before it out of hands), King Tut (who the hell is this??), Clayface, Calendar Man, Condiment King, Deacon Blackfire, Dollmaker, Flamingo, James Gordon Jr., Jane Doe, King Snake (Bane did this), Prometheus (Green arrow doing), Sewer King (no kids in Jason watch), Solomon Grundy. And not just kill anyone who recreates in the pain of others.

🦇: Damn it, I'm one (1) Bat. I'm. NOT. Batman.

[emmaofnormandy]

Imagine you are convicted for treason for something you didn’t do by Henry VIII, King of England. You walk to the block, heart breaking because you are innocent of your accusations and no one seems to believe in you.

In fact, the Sith know how important you are to Anakin. So they want you dead: you are the key of why the best Jedi remains in the good graces. But then… you hope he’d save you.

Where is Anakin when you need him? You swallow hard and accept your fate. You make your speech, hating to see the mix of pity and judgement in people’s face. But it’s time.

You prepare to embrace death gracefully. You kneel, you grant the executioner forgiveness and put the fold on your eyes. But as you wait for the emptiness, for the pain, nothing comes. In fact you think you hear something in the crowd…

Anakin is angry because he is this close to lose you. Whilst Obi-Wan discovered the Sith conspiracy, he went all the way to pursue you. And now he looks desperated because in a matter of seconds you’ll be no more. His heart races desperately as his eyes fill with water. He will not lose you.

“Y/N! Y/N!” He makes sure you hear his name, that you were not forgotten, abandoned to your luck.

You weep when recognizing his voice but as you do not dare to remove the fold in the current circumstance you are in, there’s still fear he might not get in time and some part of your mind accepts the fact that hey, he at least tried to get to you.

But you hear the sound of his lightsaber and then suddenly you are in his arms and the fold is removed from your eyes. You shake and cry violently in his arms, sobbing because oh Maker, you are alive.

“I’m here, I’m here.” He holds you close, trying to calm his nerves as well because you need protection and security in spite of his fears. “You are safe with me. I love you.”

“I love you, Ani.”

You hold on tight against him and he feels your heartbeat slowly back to the rhythm, even though he also senses your fear. He wants to make you feel safe. Everything is better now.

Eventually, Anakin takes you away from London, the court and all that life once meant for you, and you both settle at the countryside far from politics and gossip and scandals, even though your marriage made public became one.

But who cares? Anakin is more than happy to seeing you living so carefree a life that he wanted to provide you. His reassurance gives you the energy you need after such a traumatic experience.

In return, you love him with all your soul. And you give him children in three years in a roll: first came a pair of twins whom you name Leia and Luke; then came a girl named Ahsoka and last came another boy, named after Obi-Wan, who wept when being told of the homage made in his honor.

In such a quiet but very full of life, Anakin and you could have not lived a better life. He is the prince you’ve been looking for, never tiring of feeding you with the love you were hungry.

[unohanabbygirl]

I can’t tell you how much I ship Lucemond in FMN, but for some reason I want Aemond to hurt so bad because of the unfairness of it all. It may sound messed up but I feel like coming back and watching the person you’ve loved for thousands of years fall apart before your eyes is possibly one of the worst things one can experience, knowing that they were the last person in the world to deserve that fate. Reminds me of the scene in butterfly effect when Evan keeps jumping from one alternate time line to another and he jumps into one timeline where he is watching the love of his life Kay fall apart to addiction, it tears him apart to know he had some cause in that. I wish Luke didn’t suffer but in some ways his addiction to milk of the poppy is partly because he keeps reliving the nightmare of Storms End. He took it to calm his anxieties and to sleep. So while I don’t Luke to hurt I feel like Luke falling apart is ample punishment for Aemond.

I understand where your coming from.

Aemond getting a front row seat to how his actions caused a butterfly effect leading to his love’s pain and addiction is the ultimate punishment.

Knowing that while he and the others (i.e Daemon and Aegon ii) caused so much suffering and bloodshed but ultimately ended up living happy carefree lives surrounded by loved ones while an innocent such as Luke has been through hell and back will fuck him up big time.

Thats what really hurts when you think about it, the sheer unfairness of it all. How people who’ve killed and maimed got be happy while a boy whose only crime was protecting his brother had been sentenced to a life of abuse and mental torment. Reliving his death on a loop he seemingly can’t escape.

So the truth will crush Aemond, and the distance that’ll likely happen once Luke’s memories resurface will hurt worse than death.