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petri808 · 3 years

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If you're open for nalu requests, can you write a smut fic where nalu goes to a lingerie store because lucy wants to try on some lingerie and natsu ends up getting aroused? But if you can't it's fine just ignore this ask😊

Hi Nony, this is the last request I’ll do. Decided to save this for @thenaluarchive Sinfully Nalu event Mirror prompt. What did Lucy expect by dragging Natsu lingerie shopping?

“I’ve just got one more stop to make.” Lucy pointed towards the other side of the mall.

“Ugh…” Natsu’s shoulders dropped, “but we’ve been here for 2 hours already, Lucy, and I’m getting hungry.”

“I’ll spring for lunch. Anything you want.”

“I’m holding you to it,” he grumbled, but allowed her to pull him forward.

Natsu knew the mall well enough to know that the section they were heading towards were mostly women’s clothing stores— definitely not where he wanted to be. All these fancy clothes, and accessories, and… stuff that his girlfriend loved to wear. Sure, he didn’t complain cause it made her happy, he just didn’t wanna shop for it. Forever twenty something, Cache or Channel— whatever, “oh, uh-uh, no way,” he jerked them to a halt. “I ain’t going in there.”

“It’s just Victoria’s Secret.”

“Well Victoria can keep her secret. Lucy you’re crazy if you think I’m going in a women’s lingerie store!”

Lucy turned to face, then grabbed both of Natsu’s hands, holding them together close to her chest. “Please,” her eyes begged. “I need you to tell me what you think will be nice on me.”

Thinking about his girl, in lingerie, while standing in a mall was *not* the image Natsu wanted conjuring in his mind. But between the soft, puppy-dog expression, and her whimpering pleading— he was powerless to turn Lucy down. He sighed with a whine. “Fine. I’ll go.”

“Yay!” She giggled, kissed his cheek, and took his hand again, entwining their fingers together. “I’ll make it as painless as possible.”

Yeah, uh-huh, right… Painless.

As they walked down the rows and racks of lingerie, Natsu hummed in his head as a distraction. Bras, panties. Low cut, high cut, thongs, g-strings. Sets, individual pieces. Lace, satin, cotton. So many choices! He let the colors blend in his vision, the scents of brand-new clothing mixed with perfumes sold, or miscellaneous accessories. How do women pick anything when there’s so many options? Give him a t-shirt and jeans and he was good to go.

Every so many picks, Lucy would ask his opinion. ‘Yeah, that’s nice. No, that looks itchy. I like that color. Eww, it doesn’t match you.’ Finding her size in the styles she wanted wasn’t always easy, but after 30 minutes, Lucy had half a dozen or so items to try on. So, they head towards the fitting rooms.

Natsu stopped in front of the doors, and readied himself to stand around and wait—

“You’re coming in with me.” Lucy tugged on his hand. “I need your final opinion.”

Up until now, Natsu had managed to avoid thinking about anything even remotely related to sex, but now?! “Uh-uh, no way!”

“Please…” Lucy turned on the pouty lip-action and puppy-dog eyes again. “It’s not like you won’t see me in them later.”

Natsu gulped hard as the naughty images were unlocked. “Are you trying to kill me in public?”

“Pfft, no,” she giggled. “Stop exaggerating this.”

‘You have no idea, woman…’ “Alright, fine. But don’t blame me if anything happens in there.” Because if the twitch in his pants and slight bulge growing was any indication, it wouldn’t be what she’d be expecting.

“Tch.” Lucy rolled her eyes. “It’ll be fine, Natsu, you’ll see.”

The dressing room was a lot more spacious than he was used to seeing. Men’s fitting rooms, at least the ones he’s been in are like closets with just one full length mirror, and maybe a small bench inside. This one could easily fit them both, with wrap around mirrors to catch every angle. It had a small, cushioned bench along one wall, and a couple of hooks on the inside of the door. But most noteworthy was the fact it was a fully enclosed room— not those partial-length doors at lower-quality stores. It was very, very private.

Natsu sat down on the bench and closed his eyes while Lucy fiddled with her options. He could hear the plastic and metal hangers going up on the hooks, as well as the sounds of his girlfriend shedding her clothing. His mouth suddenly felt dry… Lucy’s voluptuous body bared for him to see with only her regular panties left on— he squeezed his eyes tighter shut. ‘Don’t think about it! Don’t think about it!’

“Ready— Natsu, silly,” Lucy giggled. “How are you gonna tell me if it’s good or not if you can’t see?”

“No.”

Lucy threaded her fingers gingerly through his hair. “Just one peak…”

‘Fuck…’ he groaned as the tightening in his shorts grew uncomfortable. “One peak.”

Natsu opened his eyes and immediately slammed them shut again from the screaming bra and panties glued to her frame. A sheer red with solid fabric only over the nipples and a strip covering her crotch. So much flesh revealed in these outfits, was there even a point to wearing anything at all?

“Great!” His voice squeaked out. “Looks fine.”

Her giggles only added to his demise. The sounds of more fabric rustling, and the twitch in his shorts… Natsu shifted in his seat trying to get comfortable, but he couldn’t. Lucy had grabbed about six of seven different pieces to try, and this was only the beginning. She was too damn sexy, and he swore, derived pleasure out of torturing him like this! Ugh, his cock was so hard right now…

“Okay, next piece,” Natsu heard her say. “I’m not sure about it, cause the color doesn’t seem to look good on me.”

Tch, it could be multi-colored polka dots and Lucy would still be a man’s wet dream. He cracked open one eye. It was a dark green, combo with frilled lace along the waistband. Natsu gulped hard as she did a turn around to reveal a thong and curvy swell of her backside.

“You do realize I’m biased, right?” Natsu blurted out. “Everything looks good on you to me.”

“Awww,” Lucy bent down and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. “I still think I’ll add this to the maybe pile,” she spoke as she started removing the pieces. “I think you’ll really like the next one I found; it has these cute flames on them.”

“You know what I’d prefer to see?” Natsu questioned, for he was done holding back.

Lucy stopped mid-way, bent slightly over with the thong down to her thighs. “What?”

Without answering her, Natsu got off the bench and started helping her take the thong off.

“Natsu, what are you—”

Once off, he moved onto her regular panties down.

“Nat— s-stop!” Lucy grabbed for his hands, but she couldn’t do much without twisting or tripping. “What are you do—”

“Keep your voice down.” He tugged those off too leaving her exposed from the waist down.

“Natsu this isn’t funny!” She seethed in an exasperated whisper.

“Neither is this,” he gestured at the bulge in his shorts. Guiding her against the mirrored wall as he spoke. “You said I could choose whatever I wanted for lunch, and I’ve decided to put you on the menu.”

Lucy whimpered when she felt the cold mirror against her bare skin. “But we’re in public.”

“I warned you didn’t I…” Natsu leaned in with a whisper, cheek to cheek. “Then I suggest you not make any noise,” his words wisp out, warm breath fanning down the barren skin as his lips burn a trail over her neck. Lucy dug her fingers into his hair, holding on but not stopping him as he moved lower.

His stops were brief, lips ghosting burning marks along her chest, a mountainous journey over the pillowy bosoms, a few licks against the pert nipples, and lower… down … snaking over her torso to what he was truly after. “Breathe, baby,” Natsu teased at her halted, bated breathing. “Just look forward and watch.”

She sucked in a gulp of air and stared forward at the mirrored image of Natsu going down on her. It was strange to literally watch every move he made like a voyeur living through another’s body. Lucy’s fingers tightened their grip on his hair in anticipation as he spread her legs a little wider…

“Mmm,” he mused in thought on how to get the best angle. “Hold to me,” Natsu suggested, and before she could reply, lifted Lucy’s left leg, and rested it on his shoulder. “Perfect…”

Natsu dove right in, latching his mouth onto the moist folds he knew so well, humming at the quick squeak his girl couldn’t catch in time. But he knew from the pull on his scalp exactly what she was experiencing. He kept one hand on her raised hip, while the fingers of his other toyed around the edge of her wet opening. His tongue pressed and circled around her clit, sucking, palpating, interspersed with soothing flicks and long strokes to lap up the growing sap gathering in the area. He closed his eyes as he relished in the warmth oozing over his face from her beautiful sex.

Heaven help her, Lucy couldn’t stop staring at that mirror… her gripped fingers to his hair and nails digging into his shoulder for dear life from the seasoned oral ministrations that slowly undid her sanity. Just his tongue alone… but the teasing fingers… Oh! Oh— Her thighs clenched to the sides of Natsu’s head as she felt one, then two fingers slipped through her walls. Lucy’s body arched slightly, and head tilted back as those fingers began swiftly pumping.

“Natsu…” Lucy moaned softly through sealed lips. She could feel his grin against her flesh, hear the squishing sounds, and smell the light scent of her extreme arousal. Damn him…

In a race against time, Natsu pumped fast and hard while his mouth and tongue devoured Lucy’s sex and sanity with an intensity to rival any known battle for supremacy. Each passing second, drawing the heated coil at her core closer to snapping. Her legs trembled, yet clenched and stiffened as his fingers pummeled, bumping the swollen sex being driven to his knuckles reach. He could feel Lucy start unraveling and held firmly to her hip bone as the jerky spasms rocked her body in orgasmic euphoria.

“Stop, stop, stop—” Lucy clawed at his back and neck as she whimpered from the immense pressure boiling in her body, and radiant moisture pooled in her eyes. “Please… enough, Natsu my legs are gonna give out.”

After giving her pussy a few more licks to clean up the excess juices, Natsu finally obliged and put down Lucy’s leg, then stood up while still supporting her as she caught her breath. He licked around his lips and cleaned off his fingers. “Best lunch in the world,” he grinned.

“Oof!” Lucy playfully slapped his chest with a short laugh. “Not what I’d meant. And now I don’t have time to try on the rest.”

“Why not?”

Lucy started putting on her regular clothes. “We’ve been in here for too long, it’ll be suspicious.”

“Tch, then just buy all of it if you like them, cause I’m telling you they’ll all look great on you.”

She glared at him. “Fine, but after pulling that stunt, now you owe me lunch!”

Natsu shrugged and grabbed all the hangers of clothing. “Okay, since you’ll need your strength later.”

“Later?”

The widest seedy grin bloomed on Natsu’s face. “You’ll see…”

#nalu #sinfully nalu #prompt mirrors #nalu smut #nalu au #natsu dragneel #lucy heartfilia #nalu fan fiction #nalu fan fic #smut fic #fairy tail

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wildlyglittering · 3 years

Text

A Love for all Seasons Part 1 (Winter)

I said that I would write a piece for Nessian Month to be posted each Sunday so here is the first!

I’d hoped to have this up earlier but hey ho. I ended up scrapping 8,000 words of something that I’d previously done and re-wrote this in a day. It’s barely edited so I can only apologise for dubious quality and numerous spelling errors.

I asked for prompt requests and this one is based on ‘modern au, Nesta as a ballerina.’ You’ll probably see that it’s not entirely modern au because I just can’t write modern au - sorry!

I’ve decided to link all 4 prompts received together as a 4 part series. Not all other sections will be as long as this one. Probably. I mean, I’ve not written them yet so....

***

Velaris at Solmas was a magical time and Nesta wasn’t thinking metaphorically – Solmas was literally a magical time.

Solmas was a blend of both fae and human traditions and, as a time for celebration, this meant spirits were up and magical shields were down. Active magic rippled through the air as did the leakage from those who had magic but never used it.

No one truly remembered when the lines between fae and human’s merged and there was the possibility the fae had decided to adjust the truth in collective memory to make it seem like they had always been part of the city.

Perhaps they had. Perhaps they hadn’t. Not a human amongst them could tell and not a fae amongst them would.

As centuries passed, or decades - no one was quite sure after all, the fae evolved to blend in. They shed talons, claws and teeth, and moulted wings and shimmering skin.

That wasn’t to say a good deal of them didn’t have remnants of their previous lineage; there were still those who had wings and those who were always followed by a mist. Some slipped from human form like their flesh was a dress.

There wasn’t a fae who didn’t have some magic, however small. But then, so did Nesta and her sisters, Feyre and Elain.

At some point in their collective past, the fae decided they liked the humans and vice versa and so romantic liaisons were not an uncommon occurrence. Despite a few differences, both species were compatible and that was how magic managed to bleed into some human veins. As Feyre said, they were human but with ‘added spice’.

Sometimes all that magic, especially at this heightened time of year, was damned irritating.

That morning Nesta had been in a café, reading her book when a lady biting into a gingerbread man had to stop on account of her baked good starting to scream.

Then, when she’d left to make her way to the ballet, she’d been caught in a snow flurry where the snowflakes took the form of small fairies and danced around her. She’d slapped them away, ignoring their outraged cries.

The walk which should have been ten minutes from her favourite café down into the theatre district ended up taking forty after some enchanted horses pulling sleighs decided to protest and caused a blockage across three streets, causing numerous detours.

When she finally reached the theatre, the peace of her day shattered, Nesta stormed into her dressing room and slammed the door. “Fucking fae.”

Nesta didn’t hate the fae. Technically, you couldn’t. Anytime anyone had a negative thought there was a haze which descended over people’s minds to remind them how much they loved the fae and how pleased they were to live beside them.

The magic in her blood meant the haze was a pithy little thing which Nesta mentally told to shove its pleasantries up its non-existent asshole leading it to drift away, pretending it wasn’t offended.

No, she didn’t hate them but she found them so inconvenient.

Nesta had settled at her dressing table when her door opened following a knock. A head peeked round, long ruby-red hair streaming downwards. One of the fae Nesta did like.

“Nesta?”

“I’m here.”

“Viviane said she’s going to turn a portion of the Sidra into an ice rink later, fancy coming? I might also take an ice-dive. Good for the pores!”

Gwyn, the production assistant at the Velaris City Ballet Company was fae but was classified as a water nymph. Nesta had only discovered this when they took a trip to Adriata the beach city the previous year for a ‘hot girl summer’ and she realised Gwyn had a set of gills accompanying her lungs.

Nesta met Gwyn’s eyes in the mirror and raised an eyebrow.

“What? I can’t help myself; you know that. I take it the ice-rink is a no?”

Nesta shook her head in response as she began on her hair but smiled. Despite herself she really did like Gwyn and Viviane, and a lot of the production company too even though the company was riddled with nepotism and bias.

Few humans managed to win a place in the ballet. Arts and creative pursuits were hard to break into when you were auditioning against fae. The only reason Nesta was as successful as she had been was because of that drop of magical blood.

She reached for the headdress resting next to her make-up. The Solmas production was The Nutcracker which their performance director, Eris had choreographed and screamed over for weeks.

“Tchaikovsky was a close, personal friend of mine,” he’d bragged. “He was fae of course, well – half-fae, but then no one can be perfect.”

Nesta had rolled her eyes and ignored Eris’ glare, not at all intimidated since they both discovered she immune to glamours and spells.

Nesta hadn’t been able to score the prima ballerina role for the production but then she hadn’t for years. How can a human compete with fae who spun in the air and flew on invisible, gossamer wings?

She’d auditioned for the role of Sugar Plum Fairy and wasn’t offered the position on account of the actual fairies also auditioning. If Nesta had managed to win the role then she wouldn’t have lasted a week before a surprise accident befell her, regardless of the amount of protection charms she wore.

The role she had won suited her fine, the dance being one of her favourites – the Illyrian dance. The steps weren’t complex but the performance was all about attitude and frankly, Nesta had that in spades.

When she’d been offered the dance, Gwyn took her aside in the corridor, a frown on her face. “Are you sure you want to perform this Nesta?”

“I know what you’re going to say, the dance should have gone to an Illyrian and you’re right – it should have. I’ve been trying to petition Eris for years now about Illyrian ballerinas but he’s always up to his typical high-fae purist bullshit.”

Gwyn had given a nervous laugh and looked around them, making sure Eris wouldn’t somehow leap out of the wall at the comment. It was a fair suspicion; he’d done it to performers before if they had any critique of him to say.

“Just do the dance cultural justice.”

Nesta swore she would.

On the scale of species hierarchy, full humans remained at the bottom. They were aging mortals with no magic and poor immune systems. The fae laughed themselves silly at the concept of chicken pox and the common cold. However, it didn’t mean every fae species was revered.

High fae like Eris were basically royalty while lesser fae were their middle-class cousins. Nymphs were considered useful and the majority of other fae fell someplace in between.

Illyrians were almost a side step from the hierarchy.

As a species they were immortal, eternally youthful and ripe with magic as powerful as some of the high fae. Some of their bodies were like machines with what they did with them and they would have been able to perform ballet for days on end without breaking.

They also had those vast jet-black wings which were terrifying and enthralling at the same time. It was a shame Illyrian Air didn’t do well, but then there were far too many customer service issues.

The only reason they weren’t on par with the high-fae (in the eyes of the high-fae) was that they weren’t elegant enough. They moved with a violence underneath the surface of their flesh like their blood was fire.

They also had complex histories which no one understood because Illyrians refused to discuss anything about Illyria and their heritage with anyone who wasn’t an Illyrian.

She once asked Feyre about them to be told Illyrians had spent their entire lifetimes being looked down upon by other fae so when those same fae demanded Illyrian secrets, they refused to comply.

Feyre had said, “Cassian told me, ‘Why should we give them anything when we have to fight for everything,’” and Nesta conceded he had a point. Possibly the only point Cassian had ever had but a point nonetheless.

Why was she thinking all this now? Why was she thinking of her baby sister’s stupid friends? She knew very well why.

Gwyn had stepped into Nesta’s dressing room. “Isn’t tonight when your sister and her friends are coming to the show?”

Yes, that was why.

Gwyn leant against the wall, in Nesta’s line of sight in the mirror and Nesta shrugged keeping her voice nonchalant. “Yes, unfortunately.”

It wasn’t unfortunate Feyre was coming, Feyre who loved anything to do with art and ballet but Nesta wasn’t looking forward to the rest. Rhys, Feyre’s half high-fae, half Illyrian boyfriend had all the arrogant superiority of the high-fae and the volatility of the Illyrians with none of the manners.

Nesta was painfully aware Rhys didn’t like her.

The rest of the group were also non-human with Feyre seemingly abandoning humans completely, preferring the exclusive company of Rhys circle of fae friends. Elain was the opposite, living outside the walls of the city in her cottage, wanting nothing to do with fae at all.

Feyre had told Rhys a bunch of stories from their childhood and Rhys didn’t quite comprehend how human sisters worked, didn’t quite comprehend how complex their relationship had been.

The spit of magic in their blood had made things all the more difficult as humans were not the best containers for magic. In Nesta’s eyes what made it worse were all the tattoos Feyre had inked into her skin; amplifiers mostly.

Anger had been born from Nesta’s worry and her worry was from her love.

Feyre understood the root cause of Nesta’s peevishness even if she didn’t like it but Rhys saw disapproval and returned it in kind.

At the thought of some of the attendees Nesta’s heart started doing something change, fluttering away like it was a bird trapped in a cage. She remembered when Ianthe, one of the ensemble, had shown them the pet bird she’d brought.

“Isn’t it lovely?” she’d said, her eyes glittering as her fingernails grew sharp. “Such a pretty pet for me to love.”

Nesta remembered the poor thing desperately trying to fly out of its cage, smashing its wings and beak against the bars.

Ianthe ended up eating it. She’d sobbed she hadn’t meant to but she hadn’t grabbed her protein bar that morning when she’d left her apartment and she was starving.

They couldn’t help it; it was in their nature to consume. The fae were like locusts that way, consuming land, lives, birds. Hearts.

Gwyn’s smile at Nesta’s response stretched into one which took up most of her face and Nesta refrained from shuddering. Nymph embodied the gentle and the harsh of their element. Water nymphs had the ability to be as tranquil and soft as summer rain or as vicious and deadly as a shark in deep water.

“Uh-huh. Will Cassian be attending?”

“I don’t know, probably.”

“Are you nervous about doing the Illyrian dance in front of Illyrians?”

Yes. Terrified.

“No,” she said, “I’ve done my research.”

Eris’ choreography for the dance was lazy and aggressive, rooted in his high-fae misperceptions of Illyrian culture. Nesta convinced Eris to let her put together her own steps and when he let her, not giving a damn about the dance, Nesta sought out the sole Illyrian choreographer in Velaris - a woman named Emerie.

At least the dance would contain authentic steps, she’d just never performed it in front of any Illyrians who weren’t Emerie before.

Gwyn’s grin was still wide.

“Oh, go away would you,” Nesta said with a scowl. “I need to focus before the matinee.”

Gwyn laughed at Nesta’s scowl and Nesta knew Gwyn understood Nesta’s words were harsh but her meaning wasn’t.

“Fine, fine. I’ll see you later, my little witchy dancer.”

Nesta glared at her friends departing back. I’m not a witch, she wanted to say, just a human whose great grandma caught the eye of a high-fae and had at it.

The matinee performance went well. Performances at the Velaris City Ballet Company always went well. The city made it so, drawing in an audience like moths to lamplight.

For all its splendour, Velaris was ancient and small. What was once a human village at the base of the mountains with the Sidra River running wild aside it, grew in population and glamour once the fae came pushing through the veil.

Human technology and fae magic combined to turn the place into something unique which rippled out to other human towns and dwellings but Velaris remained the first and the original.

While other cities grew, Velaris kept its quaintness. Old buildings built from red stone were covered with trailing ivy which bloomed with different flowers depending on the inhabitants’ moods. Rooms would change their size and shape according to the number of people within and wallpapers would shift when required to become something new. A piece of furniture could be a chaise longue in the morning and a mahogany dresser by nightfall.

Outside was no different. The cobbled side streets were slightly off kilter and you could look back, having walked up a steep street only to realise the path you’d walked was now heading a different direction and upwards, not down.

The ballet house was one of the oldest buildings and contained concentrated magic the way a bottle contained liquid. It also meant, much like liquid, if the bottle was shaken then there would be spillage.

Truth told; they’d had some difficulties with previous performances.

The first performance of Sleeping Beauty had left the majority of the audience passed out in their red velvet chairs while thickets of thorns grew up from the stage floor, encompassing the dancers. Nesta had to hack through several vines to reach her dressing room to grab her apartment keys.

The Snow Queen last Solmas followed suit. Viviane had been their prima ballerina that year and was in her utmost element. That had been the worst winter Velaris had ever experienced with uncharacteristic heavy snowfalls and biting frosts. The less said about the temporary missing children and ominous women in sleighs, the better.

Aside from when Eris turned actual rats into human sized dancers and the whole city was put into a three-day long lockdown while fae exterminators went to work, The Nutcracker was going fairly well.

Magic whirled the audience through each act and they heard and tasted and smelt everything being shown to them. Music would drift into their ears as performers danced fluidly across the stage. Some of the audience sobbed, overcome by the magic which sank into their skin.

The experience took some time to get used to if you were human. The first time Nesta had performed ballet in Velaris she was dizzy with nausea and slick with sweat. Now she even managed to use some of her own dormant abilities to counter the effects, or even to add in some of her own.

Before the evening performance began, her phone beeped with a message from Feyre.

Can’t wait to see you dance! Catch up with you afterwards!

Nesta groaned. She’d agreed to go for a drink at the in-house bar with Feyre and the rest but now she wished she was going straight home.

The stage melted away from the dance before hers into Nesta’s scenery as she waited in the wings for her cue. She eyed up the boxes, knowing Rhys had sponsored one for Feyre but didn’t have a clue which one.

The Illyrian dance had a sparse stage, to demonstrate the Illyrian steppes but the painted backdrop was one of Ramiel, the revered Illyrian mountain. Despite the sparsity, the set pulsed with a dry heat; the scent of crackling wood fire and spice filling the air, the sensation of warm winds tickling her skin.

When the music started, she danced on, determined to prove to Illyrian eyes in the audience she would do it justice.

Nesta drew on the same magic which ran in Feyre and Elain’s bones, the same magic Feyre had permanently etched on the surface of her skin. When Nesta leapt, she cast imaginary wings on her back which carried her further forward and higher. When she pirouetted, she was spinning on ice. Her arms were graceful and her legs sharp.

Nesta formed herself into a blade of dance as she undulated her hips and curved her spine. She swore the heat under her skin caused the air to burn around her.

She finished to rapturous applause and resisted eyeing up the boxes again although she wanted to know if any particular hands were clapping.

In the wings Gwyn was waiting and handed her a towel and Nesta realised she was glistening with sweat, droplets highlighting her cleavage.

“Very nice,” Gwyn said, clapping. “A small fire broke out in one of the stalls.”

Before Nesta said anything, Eris walked by with a low whistle. “Great performance, Nesta. I now have a raging boner.”

The women shrieked in disgust and Nesta threw her towel at him. “Animal.”

Eris grinned, “You know it” and his eyes shone as he caught the towel. Nesta made a mental note to ask Elain for more rowan to put around her dressing room door.

Nesta watched the rest of the performances from the wings until curtain close. Usually she never dawdled, always wanting to remove her costume and dress into civilian clothes as quick as possible but tonight she took her time, idly drawing out each minute until she couldn’t avoid her fate forever.

Audience members with children, fae or human often left first, clearing the way for those who wanted to remain behind in the theatre bar. When the fae discovered alcohol a new set of problems arose. Regardless of what species you were, once you were drunk you did stupid things.

The bar was below ground level and took up a vast amount of space. Overstuffed seating was positioned around tables in compartments, each draped with their own set of thick, crimson red curtains with gold tassels. If the occupants wanted privacy, then they had it.

Nesta shimmied past groups; fae, human and mixed, who laughed and clinked their champagne flutes, none recognising her as a dancer they’d watched earlier.

Feyre was likely to have a private booth booked along with the theatre box as Rhys had so much gold he likely melted it down and bathed in it. The last time Nesta met up with Feyre, her little sister had been wearing a diamond encrusted corset top.

Ahead of her stood two figures, both leaning against the open fronted bar and deep in conversation. Cassian and Azriel. No one was able to miss them even if they tried to blend in. Illyrians were known for their size and their wings and not exactly known for their love of ballet.

Almost as though he sensed her arrival, Cassian stopped talking and turned, strands of his black hair falling from his messy bun. Her eyes met his and she felt how she always did whenever they glanced at each other – a little bit anxious, a little bit horny and a little bit excited.

Nesta was worried if she opened her mouth, a thousand butterflies would float upwards from her stomach.

The look on his face, one she couldn’t place, slipped into something familiar as she drew nearer. Cassian smirked at her and followed it up with a slow, obvious glance from head to toe.

“Hello, Nesta.” He drawled his words, husky and deep. His voice was a baritone which always had her itching to dance across his words. Illyrian magic wasn’t the strongest but those who wielded it were.

What Illyrians wielded their magic for was anyone’s guess but if she had to, Nesta would have guessed it was for making panties drop if the turning heads of the crowd and little sighs was any indication.

There had been occasions where she too was driven with the need to show him more skin of hers then he deserved, to beg him to lay her down and cover her body in honey before licking it off with rasps of his tongue.

Must have been magic.

“Cassian,” she said with barely a nod and turned to his companion. “Azriel.”

Azriel nodded back a polite hello while Cassian leant against the bar directly facing her, wearing a grin as sharkish as Gwyn’s. She was like a lamb on the ground being circled by a taloned beast.

“Interesting performance.”

Azriel coughed at Cassian’s words, spluttering on the beer he was drinking and Nesta frowned, heat flooding her cheeks. Was he mocking her?

If he was, she wouldn’t give his smugly handsome self the satisfaction of getting to her and instead she ignored his words asking who else was here and where her sister was.

“Feyre, Rhys, Az and me. Amren came to watch the ballet but didn’t stay for drinks.”

“And where’s my sister and Rhys now?”

Cassian jerked his head over to the direction of the compartments. “They’re having a private ‘conversation’ behind closed curtains.”

Nesta’s face twisted in disgust. Fucking fae. Always fucking.

“Why didn’t Amren stay?”

“She never sticks around after The Nutcracker. Says it’s derogatory and insulting and she only comes to refill her well of rage.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, what was it she said Az? That the performances were brimming with cultural appropriation?”

The heat on Nesta’s cheeks turned into furnace. It wasn’t as though Cassian explicitly referred to Nesta’s performance but his words had to crawled under her skin. Feyre’s fae friends weren’t fans of Nesta’s, not after Rhys had spilled to them everything Feyre had told him.

For a group so ancient, they acted like spoilt human teenagers. Nesta would take the high road and try and find dignity in silence.

The bartender brought out another beer for Azriel and a glass of dark liquor for Cassian. A glass of wine from the Rosehall vineyard was handed to her and she was surprised someone had the foresight to order for her before she arrived, and with her favourite drink.

“Did you not like it then?” Nesta asked after taking a sip, her voice light. Azriel coughed again and this time Cassian shot him a glare, his rough-hewn face growing solemn before sliding into his more casual expression.

“There were some authentic Illyrian steps involved which is impressive. Didn’t realise old Eris had it in him.”

“It wasn’t Eris,” Nesta said, “It was me. I found an Illyrian choreographer in the city and she taught me some steps.”

Cassian’s face stilled for a moment, motionless like stone before letting out a roaring laugh which reverberated around the bar. The lesser fae behind him jumped and splashed his drink on the counter, quivering in fright.

“Well, that explains it!”

Nesta’s flesh prickled, her skin chilling in the overly warm bar. Goodness knows what she’d been dancing. Some dance of self-mockery probably. Her throat was burning and she didn’t understand whether she was upset because she thought Emerie liked her or upset because Cassian had seen.

Nesta’s fingers clenched the stem of the wine glass and she took a gulp of her drink, downing almost half as her hand wavered and her eyes watered. Cassian immediately stopped grinning.

“It was a beautiful dance,” Azriel said from her right and she turned to him, his face serious. “Other performances of The Nutcracker have the Illyrian dance as the violent, hostile war dance. Yours was the best one I’ve seen. Cassian liked it very much.”

Nesta whispered her thanks, looking between the Illyrians standing at either side of her who were now glaring at each other. She was out-flanked next to their bulk and she wished her sister was done doing whatever the hell she was doing so Nesta could say her hellos and goodbyes and get out of there.

“There’s only one Illyrian choreographer in this city,” Cassian said, his voice softer as his fingers trailed around his glass rim. “No other Illyrian would ever bother with this place.”

Nesta looked around the theatre at its gilded gold décor and red curtains but somehow knew Cassian was referring to Velaris as a whole. Illyrians never came to the city to visit, let alone live.

She glanced at him and found his smile was gentler and his hazel eyes, which always bordered on lascivious, were kinder somehow. Perhaps he hadn’t meant to mock her, perhaps he realised his raucous laughter had hurt.

He had no reason to care if he’d hurt her feelings and she shouldn’t have cared either but there had been a sting to his words which sunk deeper than she’d liked. She wasn’t opposed if he wanted to soothe over his words.

But she wasn’t about to let him know that. Instead, she fixed a bored expression onto her face. “Oh,” she said, looking into her glass as she swirled her wine around, “and who would that be?”

Cassian, still leaning against the bar, mirrored her by looking into his own glass before taking a sip.

“A friend of mine from the old country moved here a couple of years ago because her attempt at bringing ballet into the township was less than successful. You know her human name as Emerie.”

Cassian was still leaning against the bar, now looking into his own deep amber coloured liquid before taking a sip.

Nesta’s head snapped up to find Cassian now looking intently at her. “Yes, that’s her.”

“Figured,” Cassian said with a chuckle and took another long sip.

His mood seemed less jovial than before, more pensive and Nesta glanced around to discover Azriel had gone from her side. She looked around the crowds but didn’t see sight of him. How she lost an Illyrian of his stature she didn’t know but when she whipped her head around to the booth Cassian gestured towards earlier, the curtains were still closed.

She didn’t even have it in her to be irritated. The whole night was a wash-out and because of the stupid enchanted horse incident earlier closing streets, she was now adding additional time to her walk home.

“Well, then,” she said. “It’s been a long day and I’m tired; I have another two performances tomorrow and I want to head out and avoid any festive idiots.”

Cassian stood upright, alert and facing her, his glass sloshing the liquid violently as he placed it back onto the bar a little too hard. His wings flexed. “You haven’t seen Feyre yet.”

“If Feyre wanted to catch up with me then she wouldn’t be playing hide the fae penis with her boyfriend right now.” Her tone was sharp and she glared at Cassian. “It doesn’t take much to say a quick hello to your sister.”

Did Nesta care if Cassian thought her rude? Not a fucking bit. Despite Elain living an hour outside the city and Feyre only living on the other side, a journey which took less than a minute travelling by Winnow Express, Feyre was the sister Nesta saw the least.

“If she comes out at any point,” Nesta continued, “tell her I’ll call her.”

It wasn’t a lie when she said she was tired. Two performances a day took it out of her let alone when magic clung in the air at Solmas and let alone the fact that Nesta had used a tiny amount of her own as some kind of performance enhancer.

Whatever energy reserves she had was depleted, the glass of wine making her feel like she’d drank the entire bottle.

Nesta didn’t bother saying goodbye to Cassian, just left her empty glass on the counter and spun around.

Being a ballerina was on her side as she wove through the crowd and up into the foyer which was blissfully empty. Sadly, the world outside the doors was not so much and Nesta took a breath before wrapping herself in her stole.

The statues guarding the entrance waved her a goodbye, one with a human Santa hat adorning its head and the other with a fae garland wrapped around its waist. Nesta rolled her eyes. Human and fae decorations were put on everything so management could say they’d met their Equal Opportunities criteria.

Nesta stepped onto the pavement and looked down the street of the theatre district.

She couldn’t deny Velaris at night was beautiful.

History books stated the first fae who settled in the city were night dwellers and while they were able to survive in the sun, it was under the starlit sky where they thrived. So, the stories went that they made the night spectacular.

The ink black sky was painted with whorls of galaxies and splashed with stars. At first glance everything appeared white but when Nesta looked closer it was clear they were silver and gold and the purest, palest blue.

Feyre had once told her fae eyes saw more colours than humans and the stars were a multitude of colours – the rainbow and beyond. One of Feyre’s tattoos was designed to allow her to see what the fae saw.

The theatre district was still buzzing with humans and fae alike. Because of the nature of the city, it was usual for the streets to be filled until the early hours of the morning and after any performance in the theatre district there was no time for relaxing.

There was always residual magic left over from the ballet. The ballet theatre was the largest of the theatre buildings and so the magic started strongest at the end Nesta now stood before dissipating the further away you walked.

Snowflakes and flowers alike drifted down from the empty, cloudless sky. The Waltz of the Snowflakes and the Waltz of the Flowers often combatted against each other for prominence in their audience’s minds and refused to give in to each even after the show was done.

Thankfully, the Land of the Sweets didn’t involve themselves in this battle. They had done one performance many weeks ago and when chocolate rained from the sky it was delightful. Boiling hot coffee? Not so much.

Nesta navigated her way though the cobbles and crowds as petals landed in her hair and snowflakes melted on her eyelashes. She heaved a sigh of relief when she made it to the end past the gathered individuals who spilled out of the smaller theatres and theatre bars.

She turned left to go into a side street and stopped, almost tripping over her own feet.

Leaning against the wall, silhouetted against the streetlamps and fae lights was the hulking shape of an Illyrian.

“What are you-? How did you-?”

Cassian laughed as he used his elbow to propel himself from the wall and stride towards her. “What am I doing here and how did I get here so fast?”

“Well... yeah.”

“Wings,” he said, jabbing his thumbs in the direction behind him. “They come in useful from time to time. I thought I would fly you home.”

Nesta eyed up the wings behind him, remembering all the news reports of Illyrian Air. “No thank you, I like the walk.”

“Ok, then I’ll walk with you. Make sure you get home safe.”

She frowned. Nesta had lived in this city all her life and despite the occasional fae related incident which was brought on by personal vendetta, unavoidable prophecy from birth or magic spell gone wrong, Velaris was a safe place.

It also helped that Nesta had that splash of fae blood herself and a glare which froze bones. Literally. There had been an incident with an ex-boyfriend but she’d filed an explanation with the police and it was never brought up again.

“I’m fine,” she said. “I don’t need babysitting.”

“I know you don’t but I’d still like to walk you. Please.” The last word was said so softly she almost didn’t hear it but she caught the imploration.

Cassian stepped further into the light of a streetlamp, a few pale pink petals falling from his shoulders, desperation in his eyes.

Nesta sighed. “Fine, but I’m on the other side of the Sidra. The quickest route is over Mermaid Bridge.”

Cassian paused for a moment, “Mermaid Bridge? There won’t be any actual mermaids on it right?”

“Not at this time of year, the water’s too cold and they travel south.”

“Thank god, one of my ex’s was a mermaid. They are terrifying.”

Nesta shook her head, not able to imagine a creature of his size being scared of anything. They started walking in companionable silence. The further away from the city centre they strode, the more the crowds thinned.

Some shops remained open, including the café Nesta sat in earlier and groups had gathered around tables to laugh over mugs of frothy hot chocolate which overflowed with cream. Cinnamon, gingerbread, and candy cane scented the air.

As they walked, humans and fae alike paled when they crossed paths with Cassian and many darted out of his way. One lesser fae flattened himself against the red brick wall while another gave a quiet yelp and ran down an alley.

Nesta glanced up at Cassian but either he was pretending he didn’t notice the running onlookers or he didn’t care.

“What do you do?” she asked. She knew nothing about any of Feyre’s friends in any detail. “For that matter what do any of you do?”

Cassian laughed. “Rhys has a lot of inherited wealth, Amren trades precious stones – we think from the old dragon mines, and no one has a clue what Azriel does. I’m a bounty hunter.”

Oh.

“Caught anyone I’d have heard of?”

“Heard of the Tooth Fairy?”

Nesta grimaced, quickly swooping her tongue over her teeth. “Yes.”

“He was one of mine. So was the Bone Carver, the Weaver and Lanthys.”

Nesta’s eyebrows shot up. “Lanthys? The gold miner? What did he do? Wait, I don’t want to know. He asked me out once.”

Cassian glanced over at her; his own eyebrows raised. “Yeah? Did you say yes?”

Nesta pulled a face. “Good grief, no. He kept sending me telepathic dick pics. It’s bad enough being sent dick pics across dating apps.”

They approached Mermaid Bridge, which was, as Nesta said, devoid of the creature it was named for. Lights twinkled on the other side of the city, the residential side where Nesta lived. There were shrieks of delight further up the river in the dark and Nesta wondered if Gwyn was ice-diving next to Viviane’s ice rink.

Cassian coughed. “You’re on dating apps?”

“Not many, I thought I’d give them a go. My sisters are busy, I only have a few friends and I need something other than work in my life.”

“Yeah, I understand. ‘All work and no play’ make Cassian a dull boy too. The play part of life is fun,” he looked at her from the side of his eye and winked.

Nesta felt the blush spread across her cheeks and she willed it down with whatever force she had left. She wasn’t a virgin so she wasn’t about to start blushing like one.

They climbed the steps to the bridge and walked across. Of all the bridges which connected the two halves of the city, this was Gwyn’s favourite. Nesta’s human eyes couldn’t pick out the colours at night but in the day the railings glittered gold and shimmered with turquoise gems.

“Do you date?” The words slipped out before she stopped them. “You mentioned a mermaid ex so....”

Cassian’s laugh was more a breath and he started to smooth down non-existent knots in his hair. “Yes. Well...no. I did but work is busy and I’m sort of interested in someone and I guess until I purge them from my system, I’m not interested in anyone else.”

“How long have you been interested in them?”

“A while.”

“Why don’t you ask them out rather than eradicate them from your options?”

Nesta wanted to slap herself in the face. Or pitch herself off the bridge into the black, ice-cold water. Even as she was speaking, she wanted to not be but it was as though her mouth and mind had fallen out and no longer wanted anything to do with each other.

Cassian shrugged, “I guess. They just never struck me as someone interested in dating fae.”

They came to the end of the bridge and Nesta looked upwards at the sky. On this side of the river without the city lights, the stars were clearer to her eyes, more defined. One shot across the sky.

“You should go for it,” Nesta said, “you might be surprised.”

“Maybe,” Cassian sighed. “She’s kind of intimidating though.”

“You’re over six foot tall with massive wings and can use magic. I’m sure you’re more intimidating.”

“Me? Nah, I’m sure she thinks I’m an oversized bat.”

Nesta cringed. Those had been her words once a couple of years ago when she was first introduced to Feyre’s new friendship group and the Illyrian’s within. She didn’t think they’d heard her say it but then again, fae hearing was something exceptional along with fae sight.

The streets they walked were now quieter, the hustle and bustle of the inner-city gone. The chill settled in easier on this side of the river and Nesta knew she’d wake to frost across her window panes in the morning.

They were silent until they reached her apartment building, halfway up one of the steepest lanes. It was a small four storey which wasn’t spacious or modern but it gave her brilliant view across the river and Velaris and most importantly, it was hers.

“This is me,” she said, stopping outside the steps leading to the red entrance door. “Thank you for walking me back.” It was on the tip of her tongue to invite Cassian in for coffee but she held back.

He smiled, his eyes warm and shining. “Honestly it was my pleasure.” He leant forward, the sheer bulk of him covering Nesta and for a moment she thought he would kiss her but instead he took her slim fingered hand in his larger one and brought it up to his mouth, kissing the back of her hand.

“Goodnight,” he said, “I hope you have a good Solmas Day when it comes.”

Cassian was no ballet dancer but he sure moved like one, letting go of her hand and swivelling to face the direction they’d walked in from, marching down the slope of her street while Nesta stared at his retreating back.

He was clad in black and would have easily blended into his surroundings if not for the red jewels he wore at his wrists.

Nesta gaped down at the back of her hand, her mouth open. She still felt his lips, warm and soft, on her skin.

“Wait!”

Cassian turned back to face her, tilting his head.

“I’m sorry if my performance in the ballet was offensive. I know Azriel said it was beautiful and that you liked it but if that was a lie to save my feelings, it’s ok. I went to Emerie because I wanted to make it authentic. I should have left it alone.”

Cassian smiled but it wasn’t mocking. He took a few steps back up the street towards her. “You know I said Emerie was a friend from the old country?”

Nesta nodded.

“She’s a really good friend. I like her a lot. She’s no nonsense with a great heart. I was trying to set her up with Rhys’ cousin Mor and in the process we got talking about dating and relationships and she asked if there was anyone, I was interested in. As it happens, I discovered this evening that she knows the person I was talking about. I’m sure she saw this as her opportunity to do some matchmaking of her own.”

“Oh,” Nesta said, her throat dry.

“Yeah. I also happened to tell her in one conversation I would be watching The Nutcracker this year on account of it being Solmas. So, there you go.”

The butterflies were flittering in Nesta’s stomach again and Cassian’s words were taking shape in her mind and building a story. “The steps Emerie taught me for the Illyrian dance – was that an invitation?”

Cassian’s smile stretched wide and he tilted his head back and laughed, the dark column of his throat shining in the starlight. “Oh yes, a very specific invitation. Emerie must have had the day of her life when she pieced everything together.”

The flittering in her stomach was now pooling in her chest. This type of conversation should have her fleeing up the steps and racing through the foyer until she threw herself into her cold bed to hide under the covers.

Nesta wanted to know what she’d inadvertently done without meaning to. Not that she minded whatever it was she’d done.

“What did I dance then, Cassian?” Her voice was lower than usual and rich like the overflowing cream in the café.

Cassian’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, his hazel eyes were almost black. “The dance you performed half naked on a heated stage was most definitely an invitation, Nesta.” He smiled at her again, soft like before but there was something behind it. Suddenly he was a wolf and she the lamb again. He was all claws and teeth and animal.

A shiver of anticipation ran through her. Her pulse beating in her throat, drawing Cassian’s eye.

“Oh, Nesta,” Cassian said, his voice almost a growl. “You performed an Illyrian dance of seduction.”

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universallychaoticpan · 3 years

Text

For gold and sweet slumber

Hange x fem!reader

There were few things Hange loved more than all nighters in their lab, the silence only broken by the soft sputtering of the candlelight in the lamps that painted the room in honey-colored light. Especially when they'd recently made a new discovery, had had a breakthrough, or simply got lost in the scientific texts that covered their office wall to wall and back again. Truly, they'd probably have spent the rest of their life alone in that room had it not been for that damn teacup. One morning, far to early to be awake and still be sane, Hange had been tearing through the scouts' latest base, their footsteps echoing through the drafty stone halls. Pounding on Levi's door, it opened to reveal a very tired looking Erwin and behind him, Levi's glowering, eyes looking ready to kill. Rushing past him, Hange started talking excitedly about their latest findings, pretending not to see the way the captain was practically begging her to go back to their office and let them sleep.

Back and forth they paced, almost tripping over their feet several times before-

CRASH

They'd bumped into the wall, sending Levi's teacup collection rattling and shaking along the shelf before one fell, as if in slow motion, before shattering on the cold ground, with shards of carefully decorated porcelain landing at their feet.

Hange wished she had been exagerating when she said that the moment the shops in town opened, Levi had dragged them inside to buy a replacement. And thank the walls he had

Because there, behind the counter, eyes still bleary from sleep, was you, the young owner of the shop that Levi had so often frequented. Smiling at the sight of the familiar man before you, you quickly launched into an explanation of all the newest blends you'd stocked up on since his last visit. And Hange was being honest when they said they'd never been so excited to hear about a new herb blend from inside wall Sina. Levi nodded politely before he and Hange stepped away to find the newest addition to his collection.

And thank the walls they were walking away. Which was good for you, because it meant you could hide the blush quickly spreading across your cheeks, immediately waking you up. Part of you wanted to yell at Levi for not bringing his companion with him sooner. After some time, they gathered their things and left, the woman you now knew as Zoe Hange leaving with a small wave to you that only made your smile grow wider.

Oh, pull yourself together, you chided silently, you've only just seen them and already you're gigling like a lovesick school girl. Brushing off your skirts, you resigned yourself to readying your shop even further for the day ahead.

But the thought of them stuck with you, not helped at all by the fact that they were now with Levi whenever he wandered in. And eventually, after a few weeks, they began coming on their own just to talk to you. You learned that they were a section commander for the sruvey corps, and one of the leading researchers when it came to knowledge about the titans. She learned that you had owned the tea shop since you were 18 years old, when your mother had passed away and left the business to you. Sometimes, when they just needed to get out of their makeshift lab, something they never thought they'd want to do in favor of spending time with another person, they'd walk the short way over to town, and knock on your door before you let them inside with a smile, just like always. They would work while you cleaned up after the day, a comfortable silence filling the room as you both stole glances at one another before looking away bashfully. You'd end the night by falling into easy conversations, laughing and sharing stories as the candles danced, burning lower and lower while the hours passed. More than once, you'd found yourself frantically opening up after waking minutes before to the brunette snoring across the table from you.

You found yourself worrying for them when they left on expeditions, even though you knew they'd come back. You'd still remind yourself that she was a seasoned soldier who could take care of herself, and that within a week, she'd be back talking animatedly with you over midnight tea.

And unbeknownst to you, they were thinking about returning to the interior out in the field, just because it meant being with you again. In your shop that was quiet and felt like safety, making you laugh with that voice clearer than the cathedral bells that rang over the walls, sweeter than the sugar and honey you sold day by day.

Thinking of your kind eyes and bright smile, they almost didn't notice the abnormal titan charging towards them until Moblit dragged them out of the way, slaying the titan a few moments later with another warning of 'that was far to close, section commander.'

That was it. They needed to do something about their constant pinning, their need to tell you exactly how they felt consuming their every waking moment, memories of you permeating their mind. For once in her life, she wanted more than anything to get away from the giant brutes that roamed the land and go home.

They'd found the best things of their solitude with you, and everything they'd ever yearned for. The quiet they loved to sit in while they worked was just as comforting in your presence, but the way your eyes lit up with fascination as they told you their ideas was just as invigorating. They'd be lying if they said they hadn't felt their heart rise in their throat and a blush creep across their skin when you cleaned and bandaged a cut they'd obtained while taking a sample, when they'd woken up to your features relaxed as you slept across the table from them.

So as soon as they rode back through the gates, they tore through the city on their own, weaving throngs of people on the same route they had traveled for months now. Going to your shop was so familiar to them that they probably could have done it with their eyes closed. However this was not the time to run that particular experiment.

With a pleasant jingle, the door swung open, causing you to look up in surprise at the commander how standing in your doorway, panting heavily. Your smile brightened, then fell a bit when they simply stood in the door, looking fearful.

Moving towards them slowly, you gently took their hands in yours, causing them to meet you eyes so full of concern, so full of care, as if the only thing on your mind was how to help them. The thought filled them with saccharine warmth as they brought their hands up to gently cradle your face, your line of sight completely obscured by the brunette looking into your eyes so intensely you felt you'd melt, and yet full of gentle uncertainty as you leaned into their touch. In one final second, you both seemed to understand every emotion, intention, and action of the person across from you, understanding becoming undeniable as your lips brushed theirs ever so softly.

You leaned into each other as the kiss deepened, one hand traveling to the back of your neck while the other wrapped around your waist, your hands curling into their hair while their tongue swept across your bottom lip in feather light strokes.

One thing was clear to the both of you now:

This was complete and pure bliss, the kind of tentative joy people spent their lives searching for.

And it had all come about because of an all-nighter, a very annoyed captain, and a broken tea cup.

////

Another day, another mildly self indulgent piece about one of my favorites. Hope you enjoyed this, I might make a part two so tell me if you'd be interested in reading that. (I'll probably do it anyway lmao.) Likes, comments and reblogs are always welcome, and so are requests and asks. <3

#aot x reader #snk x reader #attack on titan #shingeki no kyoujin x reader #hange zoë #hange x you #hange x reader #aot fluff #friends to lovers #mutual pining #hange supremacy #hange x y/n #hange zöe #snk hange

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chibicalzones · 4 years

Text

𝐚𝐨𝐛𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐬𝐚𝐢 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦

⋆° where you transfer schools and join your new high school’s dance team!

...these are also just my personal headcannons if the volleyboys were a dance team instead in which some may or may not be from personal experiences :D

i was gonna do a fukurodani one first cuz @myhaikyuudump ‘s post triggered smth in me but i’ll probs make this into a series!

warning: mentions of bullying but it’s not explicit

post made by: alex 🍒

— oikawa

he’s been part of the school’s dance team ever since he was a freshman, which not many can do, and now since it’s his last year, the coach granted him the role as dance team captain

he loves being captain if that means he can boast about his team that much more, plus he takes his duties pretty seriously

is literally the type to put “aoba johsai dance team” “ajdt 2020” “dt for life” in every single one of his socials - instagram, twitter, facebook, etc. everyone needs to knows he’s on dance team

as much as he loves his team, they’re more known for and primarily train in hip hop, and he’s part of the handful that is classically trained in ballet

so when competition season rolls around, everyone would be part of the large hip hop dance category that they’re a shoo-in to win, but oikawa and a few others would have to compete in the small categories with 3-5 people in jazz, contemporary, and lyrical. which are usually extremely competitive!

so he’s over the moon to have you part of the team! not only do you blend in with the team so perfectly, he believes that you’re what the team needs to finally win in a category besides hip hop since you’re hands down so talented!

that way, he can spend his time at nationals actually dancing and not just watching almost the entire time

out of all the members, you probably spend the most time with oikawa

you expect just as much because you’re both the in the same dances, which is practically every dance. but you honestly do enjoy his company since you and him have a lot more in common, have a similar childhood, than the rest of the members

oikawa used to dread summer practices and camps but you makes it so much more bearable

would drive you to and from dance practices every day

all the time that he spends with you, he secretly lets you in on the “behind the scenes” action on being an officer and what he does all year long

because he’s 100% sure you’ll be captain your third year as well

is secretly anticipating the national dance pageant so you and him can win Mr. and Ms. Dance together

— iwaizumi

he’s co-captain of the entire team but he’s like the unofficial hip hop team captain because oikawa sometimes can’t handle the energy during hip hop practice and iwai just knows the counts better

he only joined dance team because oikawa dragged him into it but he needed up really liking it by the end

has casually danced and took some classes over summer to fill his time before auditioning and the odds were in his favor

absolutely loves the friends that he’s made through dance team and is definitely the type to still keep in touch with the alumni after they graduate

he always gets a center moment in every single hip hop dance they do through the years whether it be for competition, concerts, rallies, events - people go wild whenever he’s center!

when you did some research on the school and it’s dance program, you did some snooping on the members page and after watching countless dance videos, he’s the first one that you notice

but meeting him in person was quite intimidating the first time. it took you a couple of weeks before you could actually have a conversation with him with just the two of you

since you hang out with oikawa during dance practices and oikawa hangs out with iwaizumi, you end up hanging out with him a lot too. so you eventually ease up to him

you may be comfortable with oikawa more, but iwaizumi is the one that constantly checks up on you

all these years, he’s seen what oikawa has been through and he sees that in you. he really worries for you because he knows how exhausting it is to be a new member and constantly having to work your way up so you can eventually fill the holes once the third years leave

always takes you off campus to eat lunch or go somewhere to eat after school so you’re energized for practice later that day

he’s the first to give you his number and makes it clear that you can text or call him if you ever need anything

— matsukawa

didn’t expect people to know him for dance team but he’s surprised he’s pretty famous around school

known for the tricks and flips that he does during all their routines

actually has really good musicality but whenever he choreographs a piece for the group, he doesn’t know the counts

talks so causally to the coaches as if they were friends but isn’t a kiss up

thinks summer practices are too tiring and offers everyone to go to his place after to cool off

strangely enough, you got along with mattsun faster than you did iwaizumi

when the team started to learn their large hip hop routine for competition back in the summer, you were having such a hard time learning the dance because your body just wasn’t used to moving your body that way

and you didn’t want to bother iwaizumi or oikawa because you knew they’d be too busy looking after the whole team

so during the group’s free time, he would play the music over and over again and practice the dance with you, carefully going through everything section by section

even gives you an extra key to the dance room so you can practice before school

you can always count on him for help on any of the dances you’re in together

yells the loudest whenever you’re on the floor / stage. even when he’s watching from the wings

always tries to make each moment of his last year fun!

— hanamaki

joined the dance team his second year but turns out to be an awesome dancer and makes friends oddly quick

one of the few that auditioned to be part of the smaller group pieces for compeitions and got in

gets a killer turn section and always squeezes in a triple to transition into the floor during improv

despite only dancing for such a short time, agencies have come in contact with him to see if he was interested in signing under their talent agency but he always resigns because that just isn’t for him

all the third years have a solo except for him because he didn’t feel like it was fair that he wasn’t a “third year senior” and that someone else deserves it more

like you!

is amazed at how gorgeous you dance and knows you’ll be gracing the floor with your talent, getting all those gold metals, plaques, and trophies!

he might be a little jealous over you but seeing you being so passionate over the sport makes him work even harder to make himself — and the team — better

absolutely does not and cannot tolerate other people’s bullying towards you. he just doesn’t understand how or why people felt the need to be rude towards you. and have the audacity to voice it out.

one time when he caught a group of dancers from another school talk bad about you, saying nasty things that obviously weren’t true, he snuck behind their back and said in a low voice, “you know those aren’t very nice thing to say” and looks down on them until they run away scared

also deletes any hate comments on the team’s official social pages before you could read any

the very first time you perform your solo, he buys you a bouquet of flowers to give to you afterwards

and then during the end of the year dance concert, he watches you from the wings performing your solo for the last time and he starts to tear up because he’ll definitely never forget this year where he was able to watch you grow

— kindaichi, kunimi, and kyotani

your #1 support group

and fan club!

absolutely loves watching you dance

they all joined the same year you did and they’re all slightly jealous of you because damn, how can someone be good at literally everything

it’s almost upsetting >:( but they love you too much to actually be mad

they just have such a deep appreciation for you and what you bring to the team as a whole even though they don’t show it that often

learns a lot from you

when they first watched you dance contemporary and ballet, that inspired them to practice extra after hours so they could be ready for when they have to audition for dances later on the year

the goal is that the trio will be good enough by the time their third year hits and they’ll be the ones on the floor with you performing all the small dances

ever since you guys first met at orientation, you were all attached to the hip in and outside of dance. basically on the same playing field for next three years in terms of fitting in with the team

you’re not in the same classes but you guys all study together at the library on sundays because that’s your only day off

one time, the team was at a competition the same day as your birthday and they paid the announcer to say something like, “happy birthday to our best friend, dance your heart out!” right before they played the music for your solo

and during their last year, they’ll all gather around in the wings as they watch you perform your senior solo for the last time and silently cry together because they’ll really miss you

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enerday · 3 years

Text

So I don't usually write here about any series and stuff, but I wanted to share some thoughts on final space season 3. It's been released 12 episodes out of 13 and the last one hit me really bad.

I love final space with all my heart for its comedy and I love it much more for its dramatic moments. Season 2 has this perfect blend of golden comedy (well, except the piss battle) and heartbreaking drama. I mean I liked season 1, I thought that avocato was amazing character and his death in the middle of season was brilliant move, but season 2? I fell in love with it. I managed to get through first episodes without caring much, yes, even episode 3 with ash and her sister. But episodes 4 and 5? They rip your heart out. (It's the one where little Cato gets stuck in time anomaly and the one where Gary's mom appears). They made me fall in love with themes of loneliness and family that the show invests so well, with so damn good animation and the perfect amount of comedy in drama and drama in comedy. So I rewatched those like 3 or 4 times.

So what about season 3?

I'm not gonna say it's bad or even that it's worse that previous seasons. Don't get me wrong - it's still great. I enjoyed every minute of watching it. Yes, I thought that episodes were a little less memorable as episodes in season 2. But that may or may not be because I rewatched season 2 for numerous times and I watched most part of season 3 within 3 hours (I tend to remember a little bit less stuff then usual when watching it in one shot).

So season 3 I liked a little bit less than season 2. And here's some thoughts about it - I tried to make them as little biased as possible.

Of course there are spoilers.

1. Opening

Why is it just Gary falling down? The story has never been just about Gary and it is shown in openings 1 and 2. My guess is that they didn't want to spoil who's gonna stay in team-squad and who's not. But in my personal opinion it wouldn't matter if they showed all members of team-squad from the beginning of s3 and then Fox died and so on.

Opening 1 was all of them standing together in nearly static fight scene and well it wasn't that interesting but the viewer was getting the ambiance of the show. Opening 2 was so good - it was well-animated, it showed characters' personalities and basically was fun to watch every episode without struggling or fast-forwarding (my personal favorite is when Gary throws KVN - it says so much about both of them). And I guess it wasn't so fun for me to watch Gary failing down alone for 12 times.

2. Comedy and drama

Like I said season 2 has perfect amount of comedy and drama mixed together. And for me it just didn't feel that way in s3. Drama is on a whole new level - Quinn episode or death of Fox, and don't even get me started on little Cato and his real parents. And while dramatic episodes still hit so damn hard, there's an episode with kinda new atmosphere for the show - the one with ash and her new (girl)friend evra. It's kinda melancholic but not in a sad way, more like in a reflective dreamy and wistful way. I'm really glad they're not getting stuck on the one and only way of doing things.

But sometimes it feels like they don't mix comedy and drama anymore. Like I can't really remember fun part of sad episodes, maybe just a couple of jokes but as for me they're not the same. For example, said 4 and 5 episodes of season 2. There's funny bonding moment in the ep.4 and hilarious loggins dancing scene, then little Cato stuck in this time zone and it's sad but also fun with Clarence, and Tribore others stuff and KVN becoming murderous crazy. And then it turns out that they had never been here, and the amount of loneliness little Cato had to face just tears your heart apart. Unforgettable, and it works so well because of the comedy and fun parts of the episode. Because you can only feel that devastated if you don't expect this while laughing. Same with ep.5 - you laugh on fun part with Gary not wanting save his mother from jail and pretty cliche (still funny though) moments of Sheryl befriending everyone except for Gary. And then it's not the betrayal that hits you with sadness, it's the realization during that heartbreaking flashback that Gary still had hope that he can be family with her. And the moment of him losing that hope.

What I'm saying that in these episodes comedy and drama coexist in the same space and inseparable from each other.

There's still funny parts in season 3 which are mostly hilarious (personal favorite - "I finally found him - father of beelzebub") but it feels like there's a little bit less of them and that they carry less weight for the story-telling and building the atmosphere purposes. And as an aftermath you can separate fun parts from sad parts without losing something. They don't support each other and the story feels less holistic.

Again, it could be that creators were trying to show that the stuff became so much more serious than it used to be, but personally I wish they mixed drama and comedy a little bit more.

3. Themes

So I don't actually know if I think of it as a good or bad thing. It's different for sure, though.

I think themes this season were much less obvious and straight shown as before. For example there's still loneliness theme - but sometimes it's so subtle you might not notice it right away. Like this last episode little Cato tries to spend some time with Gary or Sheryl but everyone shooshes him because they have stuff to do. And you know that they're still family but that feels kinda sad and a little bit familiar. (Also in the beginning of ep.12 there's this kinda sad intonation which with he asks Gary in which team he was).

There's a lot more moments with different themes which you maybe don't notice but feel I can't really recall what are they specifically.

So yeah while season 2 serves themes of the show on big plate and put them right under your nose, season 3 sprays them in the air and makes sure you feel rather then see them.

(Maybe I'm overthinking it but still).

4. Characters and stuff

I'm not really gonna say too much in this section because everyone has pretty much different opinion on each of them.

But some things have to be said.

I saw a lot of people hating ash arc this season and saying that it's artificial. But I find it quite natural. Like, yeah, she makes bad decisions and jumps to wrong conclusions but it's not like it's not in her character. She's always been proactive type and now more than ever she wants to take action, not to sit and wait. And it doesn't mean that if character does something you don't like it makes a plot poorly written or her arc artificial.

I like how Quinn's decision to stay in final space raises debates. There is no clear answer whether her decision was right or wrong, and it's amazing that the show can ask the audience this type of question. And again there's much more to discuss with no clear morally right answer than it was in season 2.

Every father-son bonding moment between Gary and little Cato is precious. Period.

Gary himself feels much more mature and this is amazing job with his arc and character development. Avocato has this inner (soon to be external) conflict with him killing little Cato's real parents and sometimes it feels like it's all that he got in this season, but it's fine, I guess. Tribore is simply the best as always.

Not sure I have something unique or smart to say about everyone else that is not obvious itself and I don't want to extend this so freaking long post for things that have already been said.

Except for that it's been 12 episodes and I still have no idea why it was story-wise necessary to add Biskit to team squad. He's not plot relevant. For me personally he's not even that funny.

So, I guess that's all for now. Definitely gonna update this when season finale is released. Just to talk things out.

Sorry, there are probably ton of mistakes. English is not my first language but I try my best to be better, so feel free to correct me.

#final space #ash #little Cato #gary goodspeed #final space season 3 #final space review #opinion #review #correct me if im wrong #i mean it #final space season 3 spoilers #final space spoilers

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master-sass-blast · 4 years

Text

Gifted.

*tosses escapism fic into the void* yeet.

Summary: You and Piotr go Christmas shopping and enjoy the holiday season.

That's it. That's all that's happening. You're welcome.

Pairing(s): Piotr Rasputin x Reader and mentioned Illyana Rasputin x Kitty Pryde.

Rating: G.

Word Count: 2k precisely.

Set after “It’s Truly Magical.”

A/N: On the off-chance someone asks or is worried, yes, there are no mentions of masks or social distancing in this fic. That's because, in this fic, there is no COVID (ergo, no need for masks and such). I'm just not dealing with it in my fanfic as well. I won't. You can't make me.

Wear your fucking masks irl pls and thank u.

Taglist: @marvel-is-perfection, @chromecutie, @girl-obsessed-with-things, @super-darkcloudstudent, @dandyqueen, @leo-writer

“What a bright time, it's the right time/ To rock the night away/ Jingle bell time is a swell time/ To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh…”

You inhale deeply, then smile. The smells of fresh pretzels and pine –the latter is likely a fake scent that the stores use, but it’s still good—tantalize your nose. You tuck your hat and gloves in your purse, then look over at your husband. “Where all are we going?”

“Ah…” Piotr scans his list –which has notes on which stores to check and what order the stores are laid out in the mall, so as to streamline things. “Kitty said she did not want gifts because she does not celebrate Christmas, so we are just shopping for… my family and Russell. You said you already bought gifts for your dad and Wade?”

“Yup,” you say with a grin. Nate’s easy to shop for –ammo, clothes, and the odd book or two are usually all he want—and for Wade you just find the weirdest stuff listed on Amazon. “And I already sent my uncle a gift from us, so we don’t have to worry about him.”

Piotr nods, ‘hmm-ing’ as he makes a note on his list. “Okay.” He mumbles in Russian under his breath, then says, “Mama had no list this year; I think we start with her first since figuring out gift will take longer.”

“That’s fine. Where should we start?”

“I think bookstore is best bet. From there, we can stop by Hot Topic and candle shop for snezhinka, then Game Stop for Mikhail.”

“Sounds good.” You link your arm through his and smile up at him. “Lead the way, babe.”

***

You glance between the piles of books on the table, then at your husband, who looks like he’s about to pull his hair out. “Do you think that, just maybe, you’re overthinking this? Just a little?”

“This is important,” Piotr insists as he skims through books from various areas of Barnes and Noble –cooking, history, fiction; he’d grabbed at least one book from nearly every section. “She has specific tastes. Cannot be just any old book.”

You purse your lips together. You don’t doubt that Alexandra has particular tastes in reading material –as a woman from her walk in life is bound to have—but you’re also certain that she wouldn’t want her son driving himself insane just to pick a present for her. You sit down next to Piotr and gently put your hand on his arm. “Sweetheart. She’s going to like whatever you get her.”

“Not necessarily. I have seen her toss many books aside with scoff and never pick them up again.”

“Okay, why?”

He shrugs. “Realism. She thinks some authors are ‘too indulgent’ or ‘too unrealistic.’”

“Alright, so maybe we leave out the crime and romance stuff,” you suggest, setting the few books he’d grabbed from those areas aside. “What does she like to do?”

Piotr goes quiet. His expression grows ashen as he contemplates the question. “I… don’t know.”

“Does she like to cook? Or draw? Or watch certain types of shows or movies?”

“I don’t know,” he repeats, more insistent. “She…” He sighs. “She never sits still. I don’t think any shows or movies interest her. When I was child, she always worked. On farm, taking care of animals, helping workers, making food, balancing accounts, translating letters and schoolwork… I never saw her rest. Do something for herself.”

You let out a soft snort. “Maybe a book on meditation.”

Piotr rolls his eyes, grinning. “Perhaps not.”

“Who does she like to be around, then?”

“Otets.” Piotr smiles when the answer comes easily. “She and my father” –he holds up two crossed fingers—“are like this. Aside from siblings and me, I think he is only person she is really close to.”

“Alright, maybe a cookbook, then. That’d give them something to do together.”

Piotr nods, then starts looking through the cookbooks he’d picked. “Question is, which one?”

“Well, we know she likes to stay busy and keep moving. Maybe something that’d challenge their skills? Something they haven’t tried?” You hold up a book boasting ‘rich and authentic Middle Eastern recipes.’ “This could be good. I think they’d have access to most of the ingredients, here in New York.”

He nods again, then sets the aforementioned book aside before checking over the other ones. “I think…” He lifts a hardcover thriller novel off the table. “She likes mysteries. This one has good reviews… maybe…”

You gently take the book from his hands and set it atop the Middle Eastern cookbook. “I think it’s a great choice.”

He smiles, then kisses your cheek. “Spasibo, myshka.”

***

“Bozhe moi.”

You giggle as the two of you step over the threshold of the Yankee Candle store, only for Piotr to recoil and take a step back. “You good there, baby?”

He presses his fingers against the sides of his nose. “Is like… assault of smells.”

“I know.” You inhale deeply, them flash him an impish smile. “Isn’t it great?”

Piotr groans, still rubbing his sinuses. “Do you mind—”

“I’ll find a candle for Illyana. Wanna meet up in Gamestop?”

“Spasibo, dorogoy.”

You blow him a kiss, then head into the candle store. You take a couple minutes to peruse the holiday display at the front of the store –and grab a couple votives for you and Piotr to enjoy—before heading towards the back of the store, where all the shelves of their regular candles are. You pause to smell your favorites –seriously, the McIntosh apple one never fails to make your mouth water—before taking a step back to survey your options. Alright, what to get for a mildly angsty, queer Russian goth?

It’s not as straightforward as it sounds (har har). Illyana’s an enigma, much like her mother. She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn’t usually bother with convention.

Do I go for aesthetic? You pick up a pitch black candle labeled “Midnight Forest” and give it a cursory sniff. Ugh, smells like ass. No, thank you.

You also have to consider that whatever you get is likely going to be smelled by Kitty, too. As much as Illyana marches to the beat of her own drum, she’s surprisingly conscientious of her bubbly, energetic girlfriend.

Maybe something natural? Like the farm? You try a few options, wrinkling your nose after each sniff. God, what is it with the fresh scents and smelling heinous? You debate texting Piotr and dragging him back in here, if only so you’re certain you’ll get something Illyana would like—

And then it hits you over the head like a brick.

She’s gonna use these for meditation. You head down the rows of shelves, grab a jar labeled “Vanilla,” and give it a smell. Perfect. Not too strong, not too bland. You grab a lavender scented tumbler (for relaxation), then snag a pink one that smells like the perfume Kitty favors on a hunch it’ll be a hit.

By the time you pay for yours and Illyana’s candles, Piotr’s already waiting outside the Gamestop for you, bag in hand.

He eyes your bulging bags, eyebrow raising in trepidation. “Why…”

“Look, it’s your fault for abandoning me,” you say before he can point out your lack of self-control. “You know I’m weak for candles.”

Piotr snorts, then sighs. “Fair enough.” He nods and makes approving noises when you show him the picks you made for Illyana, then shows you what he grabbed for Mikhail.

“‘Mister Mosquito?’” You nearly double over laughing. “What even is this?”

“He wanted ‘weird video game,’” Piotr says, shrugging one shoulder. “I figure this should do.”

“He’s gonna love it,” you reassure your husband. “That’s weird as shit.” You start strolling along the main hall of the mall –and then your stomach rumbles. “Can we get pretzels?”

“Da, myshka,” Piotr chuckles, “we can get pretzels.”

***

“There'll be parties for hosting/ marshmallows for toasting/ and caroling out in the snow/ there'll be scary ghost stories/ and tales of the glories of/ Christmases long, long ago…”

“It’s the most! Wonderful time! Of the year!” you sing along as you rip another chunk off your pretzel. You smile to yourself as you admire the glittering, twinkling decorations decking the food court. “How’s your pretzel?”

“Very tasty.” Piotr dips a bite of his pretzel in some mustard, pops it in his mouth, then swallows before wiping his fingers on a napkin. “I think we only have handful of stops left.”

“Couple of sweaters for your dad… weird socks and-or scarves for Mikhail…” You lean over, reading off the list in his hand (which is written in a mixture of Russian and English). You take another bite of pretzel, then tap on a portion of blended “Russi-nglish” that you can’t decipher. “What’s that?” you ask once your mouth is clear.

“Random gift options,” he translates. “For filling out presents, stockings, that sort of thing.” He touches the tip of his index finger to the page, moving down the list in order. “Chocolate, books, gift cards. Guaranteed hits, essentially.”

“Ooh, I could go for some chocolate.”

Piotr snorts. “You just had pretzel. And this is for others, myshka.”

“If it’s in the car with me, I make no promises.”

He laughs, then makes an extra note on his list. “Safety chocolate… for myshka. Got it.”

***

“Here, dorogoy.”

“Oh, thank you!” You smile as Piotr takes some of the excess bags from your hands, shifting them so he can carry them (which, with his strength and the size of his hands, is no problem at all). You amble along next to him, admiring the various pop-up stands boasting games, calendars, and Christmas-themed treats. “Is there anywhere else we need to stop?”

“I believe we have everything.”

“And I’m guessing we need to head home so we can make dinner?”

“That would be best, da.” Piotr looks down at you, expression curious. “Why? There is somewhere you wish to stop?”

“Eh, not really,” you say with a shrug. “I just like coming to the mall during this time of year. The decorations, the music, the extra stands and seasonal gifts… It just makes me happy.”

“Aah, khorosho. I understand. We can come back later for date, if you like. Take time to walk around and admire stores.”

You grin up at him. “I’d like that.”

The two of you make to head out of the mall, back to the parking lot—

And then Piotr veers towards the right.

“Where are we going?” you ask, giggling as he leads you towards the bookstore. “I thought we already got everything we needed from here?”

He winks at you. “Trip is not complete yet. Not with hot chocolate, anyway.”

You grin and let him guide you over to the café in the bookstore.

Piotr gets you situated at a table near the expanse of windows at the front of the shop. He leaves your bags with you, then leads up at the counter to order your drinks.

You smile, lovestruck as you gaze over at him. How did I get so lucky? You lean back in your seat, taking a moment to admire the snow falling outside before checking out the decorations throughout the store…

Which is when you realize that there’s mistletoe hanging over your table.

You chuckle to yourself. Perfect.

“You are in good mood,” Piotr comments as he returns with two cups of hot chocolate.

“Of course, I am,” you admit with a broad grin. “I’ve got you. And tradition’s on our side.”

Piotr’s smile turns quizzical. He cocks his head to the side, staring at you for a moment, then looks up when you point towards the ceiling. “Ah,” he chuckles, “yes. That is good reason to be happy.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” You hook your finger under the collar of his shirt and gently tug him towards you. “Come here, handsome.”

He lets out a soft, happy giggle and bends down to kiss you.

#sass writes #piotr rasputin x reader #colossus x reader #holiday fluff #i miss going outside #which never happens so like #fml #don't mind the sounds of despair coming from my general direction #just use the fluff to drown it out #just like how i am #also kitty is jewish and thus doesn't observe christmas #i will die on this fucking hill :)#x men fanfiction #deadpool fanfiction

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bubblyani · 4 years

Text

Amends

(Bruce Wayne x Reader)

A Bruce Wayne One Shot

Genre: Fluff

Request by: @tealaquinn. Thank you so much.

Author’s Note: This was quite an interesting request. Truthfully it was kinda challenging for me but I hope I did it enough justice. Enjoy!

Soundtrack: “Tongue” by Maribou State (lyrics in italics, and between the **xx**)

“Master Wayne!”

The elderly, yet controlled voice of Alfred Pennyworth echoed from the brick walls, to their rocky counterparts, ringing against the running waterfall that was set against the cavern beside the underground section of Wayne Manor. Taking a few steps further, the seasoned Butler of the Wayne family finally laid eyes on the one he was searching for. The one who perched beside his computers in his simple t-shirt and shorts, while his eyes remained glued on to the screen.

“Master Wayne…” Alfred repeated, in a softer voice. “Not now Alfred…” Bruce Wayne replied with urgency, giving no consideration to pass a glance. “He’s right, Alfred. He seems very busy right now”

Eyes, hands parted from the keyboard in lightning speed, anyone would have assumed they caught on fire. Turning his head, Bruce got up from his chair, in the style akin to a child’s upon seeing Christmas presents early. For only one voice managed to do that to him: Yours.

Standing next to Alfred, you leaned against one of the brick walls with your arms folded and your lips curled up into a smile.

“Y/N!” Bruce breathed. Your smile grew bigger. “Hey Bruce…” you said affectionately.

A part of you badly wished you knew him longer, just so you could proudly shout out, “Yes, we were friends since childhood” or “Yes, I’ve known this man since University”. But it was truly unfortunate that you could not. You were simply “someone he was seeing…” , and that was the actual truth. Running into each other one fateful day at a Yacht party wouldn’t necessarily be the perfect meet cute but, the both of you were equally grateful to be there, for he managed to save you from a night of boredom, and you were relieved to hear that you did the same for him as well. Intellectually and empathetically compatible in an instant, it did not take that long for the eccentric billionaire to ask you out. Typically, you wouldn’t care to be seen with people like him. But he was different for sure. And you did not regret saying yes, for every date you was simply a window of opportunity for real conversation, to actually dig into each other’s lives with genuine curiosity and care. If anyone ever looked at the two of you, hoping to see an eager gold digger trying to tame his heart with her body, they would embarrassingly look away, for they were sourly mistaken. For it seemed like two friends, passionately conversing with occasional flirts every now and then.

“May I… take your coat, Ms. Y/L/N?” Alfred finally inquired, making you look down at your long trench coat.

“Oh…” you chuckled, nodding “..Thank you” allowing him to peel it off your frame, revealing the Silver Spaghetti strapped dress that reached up to your knees. Paired with silver high heels and simple, classy jewelry adorning your wrists necklace and ears, your long shiny hair was pulled into a high ponytail. Given Bruce’s reaction, you knew you’ve done a good job. Walking away with a knowing smile on his face, Alfred left the two of you alone.

“As much as I appreciate the impromptu visit, what brings you here?” Bruce asked, eyes never leaving you as you took steps towards him. With eyes widened and hands on your hips, you scoffed. “You’re kidding, right?” You said, “Kathleen Gray’s fundraiser was tonight. I just came from that” you said, showing your outfit as you did so. “Wait! That was tonight?…” Bruce asked, to which you nodded in acknowledgement, “Huh…” he said to himself in realization.,“You know, for some reason I assumed you wouldn’t come…” he said, while offering you his own seat by the computer.

 “Well, since Wayne Enterprises donated a ton of money, I assumed you would…” you replied in an instant, taking the seat nodding in thanks. The moment you sat down, the moment you stared at the computer screen, you could figure out the reason for his absence tonight, “But… that’s all done now…” you said quietly. You wondered if he could sense the remorse in your tone. You felt guilt in the tip of your tongue.

“You look beautiful, you know” You smiled, turning in your seat upon hearing Bruce’s comment. Every time he’d see you, he would never fail to say that. But every time he did, it felt like the first time, for it was different every time. As if he saw something differently beautiful every single time. It was never obligatory. He really meant it and you appreciated it.

“Yeah well…” you began, looking down at your outfit, “ it looked much better with the whole pretentious lighting” you said, as both of you chuckled together.

“Trust me, it looks great here too” Bruce quickly added for it escaped his lips so fast, making you slightly blush. Clearing his throat, he continued “How was the event?”

“Oh you know the usual…a whole load of ass kissing and then dinner and dancing” you said, getting up and sitting on the side of the table, offering him the seat, “Would have been less sufferable with you around…” gesturing him to sit again, “So thats why I’m here…to be a little cross with you for not coming” you added with a mocked British accent. Sitting down, Bruce chuckled again.

“Well please accept my apologies…” he said, to which you shook your head playfully.

“Nuh huh…that won’t do Wayne, I rejected to dance with at least dozen gentlemen tonight cause I wanted to dance with you first…” you pouted teasingly.

“You didn’t have to…” “Oh…But I did…”

“In that case, what can I do to make it up to you?” He surprised you by taking your hand. You didn’t know why but, for some reason, the way he looked at you, and the way he held your hand, made you feel at peace for a moment. A kind of peace you never felt before. Blinking it away, you chuckled.

“Well…maybe your powerful friend can help” you said, with a mischievous smile. “And how exactly?…”

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

Bruce Wayne was never hesitant to make amends with a grand gesture, be it an expensive dinner or an expensive gift. All expensive.

But letting you ride the Bat-pod? Certainly unexpected.

The impressively stylized two wheeled machine darted from the secret exit of Wayne Manor, just making it on the suburban road nearby in the late hours past midnight.

“I still insist you change” Bruce said loudly, as he sat behind you. Sporting leather jacket and jeans, he looked worriedly at you, especially when you literally had taken the wheel in your evening attire. With your dress hiked up high enough, your entire legs and thighs were exposed to the midnight air.

“It’s fine…” You replied casually, with your eyes on the road, “Why? Are you distracted?” You asked, adding a smug tone, for he could not see your face. “Best if I don’t say anything” He replied, making you laugh, “Are you okay with the controls-Whoa!” He exclaimed as you increased the speed for a second, making it jerk. “I’m good, Wayne!” You replied in assurance. “Yes, clearly”

Taking in a deep breath, you soaked in what you indulged. The tall, majestic trees, embellishing the sides of the lonely road, passed within seconds as the cool wind blew through you. It was chilly, yes. But the heat caused by your excitement within was enough to protect you.

“Ah…this is perfect” you yelled out, “You know what we should have? Some-” “-music?” Bruce finished the sentence for you, “Way ahead of you” he said, taking your phone out from his jacket. You smiled to yourself. Clearly this man knew you just as you knew him. “Just put it on shuffle…”

As soon as the music began to play, you knew what it was, and it never felt more perfect.

The way the electronica melody started off slow, blending in with the pluck of the cello strings as the melody naturally picked up speed to it’s original rhythm. The way the haunting voices harmonized and paired with the rhythmic bass. Filling both pairs of your ears, before the female lead vocal made her entrance:

**No light when I ask you, that's a shame**

Smiles were all that you had, as the song continued:

**No high better than you, easy**

Did not matter how many times you’ve listened to this song, you simply could never get enough of it.

**I'm tripping over my own tongue, Lie! Desire, like an illness, chokes me You lit me up so smoke me oh

You made it so obvious ….that you’re not in love You never gave a damn bout us… 'cause you're not in love**

“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?” Bruce’s voice landed on your ears, suddenly interrupting the hypnotic musical chorus. Your eyes widened. “You kidding me? Hell yes!” You said excitedly, “I mean…why should you have all the fun?” You added teasingly, making him chuckle. “Someone’s been jealous!” “Guilty…”

**No time to regret this, what we've done**

Your sight was suddenly disrupted slightly by a huge strand of hair that landed on your face. Shaking your head frantically, you attempted your hardest to toss it back.

**Still I second guess it, cold feet**

You felt like a downright idiot doing so, until Bruce came into your air, lightly brushing it away from your face.

**I'm tripping over my own tongue Lie! **

His fingers, they tickled your skin, awakening it as they brushed against it. “Thanks…” you said, looking at him involuntarily. “Eyes on the Road, kid…” he said, quickly putting both his hands over yours as he took control. “Right…” red in the face, you looked straight ahead.

**Love has been and gone and now I'm numb**

For a man who found it hard to put his trust on others except a very few, he placed his trust in you faster than expected. And you did not exploit it. You were patient with him, even those moments when he suddenly ‘had to leave’ for ‘an emergency’, you were certain you’ll find out the reason why in due time. And surely enough, you clutched your chest in surprise when Bruce Wayne showed up at your window one night, except he was The Dark Knight, thus revealing his secret. Shocked you were yes, yet the only way you could think of responding was to embrace him, interrupting his apology for concealing all this time. And tonight, when you stared into that computer screen, when your eyes wandered over those scars he bore in secret, you were reminded again of that guilt you felt in your tongue.

“Bruce I…” you began, taking a deep breath, “I’m sorry about earlier…” you said, as you felt him look at you confusingly.

You continued, “I should know better…You’re out there…here…doing something more important…than going to a stupid black tie event. I mean, you’re literally trying to save this city. I guess I was being selfish… just wanted a reason to…spent some quality time with you”

**You made it so obvious ….that you’re not in love You never gave a damn bout us… 'cause you're not in love**

The volume you spoke in was soft, yet you wished he heard you.

“Well…” you finally heard him reply, “I’m glad you did” Sighing with relief, your eyes widened once again.

“Whoa! Look at that!”

Jaw dropped, you gazed at the view of Gotham that was finally was within your sights. An entirely daring side to you emerged when the roads changed from country suburban to the metropolitan. Empty streets awaited Bat-pod, welcoming it to ride freely and wipe the night time solitude away. The interlude played right on time as the bass took a rest, and those haunting voices returned:

**Rolling… down… into the wildest dream**

It was so quiet all the sudden, with just a beautiful vocalise floating over your ears. Like a calm before a storm, something brewed inside you. Your eyes were illuminated by the lights that shone ahead. And then the repeated melody grew louder, syncopating with the lights that shone from the buildings down to the street, increasing the adrenaline within you, giving you a rush. They kept alit as the voices kept singing:

**Rolling…. down… into the wildest dream**

You felt invincibility coursing through you.

**You sent my soul… downstream**

Taking a chance, you slowly increased the speed of the bike, making the lights that passed increase in speed alongside you. Funny how it perfectly paired up with the hypnotic musical chorus that began once again. The rhythm syncopated with your sense of excitement and increase of your heartbeat. Laughing with pure ecstasy, you screamed victoriously in celebration of a freedom you never knew you could posses.

Sneakily, you stole a glance of Bruce across your shoulder, giving him a smile. A smile that could be translated in a million ways. And that’s when he saw it.

A woman of capability, pure bad assery, shining from exterior to a degree she shone from within as well. All from pure euphoria.

“Wow…” he muttered under his breath, “Holy Shit…”

The moment he said it, the moment those words caressed your ears, you suddenly felt his heart beating evidently faster against your back. And you swore your own rhythm changed into matching his.

**You made it so obvious...**

You felt the presence of his hand a little bit more than usual. And how you liked the fact it still stayed on top of yours. It made you feel warm, warmer than the excitement that brewed within you.

**You made it so obvious ….that you’re not in love**

Funny, you would have never imagined an evening filled with an adrenaline high could finally convince the both of you to come to terms with what really brewed between the two of you.

**You never gave a damn bout us… 'cause you're not in love**

And just like that, you couldn’t really relate to the words you just heard, for they were quite ironic.

For the feelings were quite the opposite, and most definitely mutual.

——————————————————

@erika92pu @christianbalefanatic

Check my MASTERLIST for More :)

#christian bale #bruce wayne #bruce wayne x reader #bale! bruce wayne #Nolan Batman trilogy #bruce wayne imagines #bruce wayne fluff #batman begins #the dark knight #the dark knight rises

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amphtaminedreams · 4 years

Text

The Women of Euphoria and Personal Style: Lookbook no.8

Hi to anyone reading,

I hope you’re well considering everything going on! It feels weird to want to talk about fashion or TV shows or red carpets or whatever when 90% of my Google searches are COVID-19 related but there you go. It’s all about trying to power through as normal (minus the social interaction) and pretend the world isn’t ending, right? Queue nervous laughter.

And as if things aren't shitty enough, production of season 2 of Euphoria has been postponed until further notice.

Okay, in the grand scheme of things, having to wait a bit longer for a TV show isn’t catastrophic but it does just about sum up the transition from 2019 to 2020 thus far that after HBO redeemed itself by broadcasting Euphoria in the summer following an ending to Game of Thrones that has made the whole series unrewatchable, the glimmer of hope in me reignited by the prospect of series 2 this year has been quickly dashed. 2021, I’m rooting for you, because it doesn’t seem like things are getting better any time soon, and in all seriousness, I think everyone needs a break from the collective suffering of the last few months.

For me (and undoubtedly for many others if the hundreds of makeup looks and styling videos are anything to go by), Euphoria’s effect on the world of fashion and beauty is unprecedented. I really can’t recall a TV show in living memory that has had as much of an impact on the way young people dress. I mean, this might partially be because the style of the characters already kind of caters to and draws from the target audience but also, aside from Blair Waldorf did anybody really give THAT much of a fuck about what anybody in Gossip Girl wore?

The draw of the styling on Euphoria is that it has something for everyone. The style of each of the main girls, Rue, Kat, Maddy, Jules and Cassie, all of whom I’ve attempted (emphasis on attempted!) to base (emphasis on base!) outfits around, is varied and distinctive but still so current and realistic at the same time. It’s also consistent; even if you don’t own the specific pieces worn by any of them, similar shapes and details reoccur enough in different looks throughout the series that it’s not hard to create an outfit which matches your favourite character’s overall vibe without buying anything new. That’s kinda what I have attempted to do here and without further ado, I’m gonna get on with it! First up:

Jules (Played by Hunter Schafer)

When it comes to whose style is the most experimental, Jules is the obvious answer. A lot of her outfits are what I imagine a cartoonist in the near-distant future will envision their cool girl protagonist wearing. Whilst her ensembles are generally whimsical and girly for the most part, there’s usually a few slightly punk-ish finishing touches thrown in there too be it through chunky shoes or bold makeup or that incredible mesh trench coat she wears in the series finale with the trans symbol on the back which, honestly, deserves a moment of silence.

There are definitely nods to current fashion trends sprinkled throughout her wardrobe too. I'm not going to lie, despite someone at work seemingly thinking it was an insult to tell me I look like someone who does (I still don’t know but this person has a Rick and Morty keyring so I don’t give it too much weight), I’ve never watched any anime. BUT, that being said, given the abundance of anime screenshots posted by all these aesthetic oriented Instagram and Tumblr moodboard accounts, I have a vague idea of what some of the more iconic characters look like and a lot of Jules’ looks seem to be very much modelled after or at least inspired by them. In a way, I see a lot of her looks as a blend between modern “e-girl”, Y2K skater chick (yes, I’m thinking early Avril Lavigne), and 2013 Tumblr “hipster” a la 2014 Joanna Kutcha and Charlie Barker, and though on paper that sounds like a nightmare combination, it works. I know-if that sentence were a Depop description I would’ve just gained 30 followers.

When it comes to my own interpretation of Jules’ style, it’s definitely something I like to channel when I’m putting together a proper OUTFIT outfit. Meaning an outfit I actually put effort into and thus will most likely want to get a good photo in, lol. The way her character dresses is almost quite Christopher Kane in that it’s fresh and unusual but still understated enough that I wouldn’t walk into a room wearing any of these feeling like I’m doing a Rick Owens runway.

I’m not TOO far out of my comfort zone but still at the same time, I’d be trying something new and maybe a little bit more zany than I'm used to. As for noting where any of these pieces are from, only a few have been bought in the last 6 months, but from left to right clockwise I have marked out those that have in case they’re still available (though be wary of the fact that it seems a lot of online clothes stores are still forcing warehouse employees to work in close confines at the moment and so perhaps aren’t operating the most ethically):

LOOK 1

Corset-Jaded London

Shoes-TK Maxx

LOOK 2

Dress-Motel Rocks

Boots-Koi Vegan Footwear

LOOK 3

Dress-Jaded London

LOOK 4

Dress-Jaded London

Beret-Ebay

LOOK 5

Beret-Ebay

LOOK 6

Mesh Top-Depop

Hair Clips-Urban Outfitters

Kat (Played by Barbie Ferreira)

Eurgh, Kat.

I LOVE THIS BITCH.

If I had to choose my favourite character in the show, it would be a very close toss-up between her and Rue, and though I think Rue might just about nab the top spot for her relatability factor, Kat is the girl I want to be or wish that I had been when I was at school. I mean, there’s definitely an argument to be made in that a lot of what she’s doing with her cam work could be seen as a means of validation (Sam Levinson has basically said everyone on the show has some kind of an unhealthy coping mechanism and I would guess due to the circumstances in which her cam girl career was borne and the fact she’s underage, this would be hers) but I do think in other ways we really see Kat reclaim her power and recognise herself for the smart, capable, gorgeous woman that she is. Honestly, the definition of divine feminine energy, and I would completely let Barbie Ferreira/basically Kat if she was also actually 23 dominate me.

Plus! Her! Style! Is! The! Bomb! Definitely the easiest character to base looks around because if I’m totally honest Kat’s energy is pretty much just what I want to emulate in every day life.

It’s either pieces that are typically feminine, cutesy, and even slightly preppy at times drenched in everything grunge OR vice versa where you have something semi-gothic and then add a colourful, more playful touch in there that harks back to the beginning of the series before Kat had began to explore her identity and sexuality and dressed slightly more Forever 21.

I’d say, not yet with my whole chest, that on a good day the outfits I put together when making an effort aren’t too far off something Kat would wear, minus the more overtly BDSM touches; if wearing a ring choker in London is enough to get me a creepy comment from a gross middle aged shopkeeper (because I apparently forfeited my right not to be perved on when I decided to buy a bottle of Oasis summer fruits), then you can only imagine the kind of looks wearing a full-on harness would get in my conservative OAP dominated hometown. Not the most doable right now, especially considering the only time I get out is to work and to go for a run. The chafing I could deal with but the horrified glares of pensioners whose M&S prawn mayo sandwiches I’ve ruined by simply being in their eyesight not so much.

LOOK 1-

Corset-Urban Outfitters

LOOK 2-

Bodysuit-Depop

Skirt-Zara

Harness-Ebay

LOOK 3-

Co-ord-Depop

Lace-up Corset-Missguided

LOOK 4-

Dress-Vintage

LOOK 5-

Belt-Ebay

LOOK 6-

Coat-Topshop

Dress-Jaded London

LOOK 7-

Fishnet Top-Ebay

Skirt-Urban Outfitters

Maddy (Played by Alexa Demie)

Not gonna lie, I was kind of scared to do Maddy. I’m scared to be posting this, lol! Alexa Demie has played this character for a single season and she’s already one of the most iconic women to grace our screens in years. This is a huge undertaking and I don’t have the bank balance or the body confidence (lmao) to raid IAmGia.

And this is where I want to stress: THESE ARE NOT OUTFIT RECREATIONS. THESE ARE INSPIRED BY. I HAVE ADDED ELEMENTS OF MY OWN STYLE INTO THEM. PLEASE DON’T DRAG ME. I KNOW, I’M NOT ALEXA DEMIE. I WOULD NEVER ASSUME TO BE ALEXA DEMIE. I’M NOT ABOUT TO TAKE THE LORD’S NAME IN VAIN LIKE THAT. So now we’ve got that out the way (wipes bead of sweat off forehead), let’s continue.

Everything about Maddy Perez is extra. She has very much been established as a centre of attention character, and her outfits are a key part of that. They’re daring, they’re hyper-feminine, and they are always glamorous. We’re told that she competed in beauty pageants when she was younger and it’s clear that level of excess and coordination and glitz and all-round-boujeeness wormed its way into her DNA during that time. Even the “depression” outfit she wears to school following Nate becoming violent at the fair is costume-like, a 2019 Bratz doll Off-White street style collaboration.

Do you know how HARD I had to try to be HOT!? For these photos. Alexa Demie is one of those blessed women who doesn’t have to try at all, and that translates into the character completely. At any given moment, Maddy could add or remove one item or clothing and be let straight into the VIP section of a club, and that, honestly, is inspiring to us all in these dark times.

One thing I tried to keep in mind is that she always looks polished and coordinated, I.E the kind of look I would prepare for a night out is something Maddy would wear on an average day. Co-ords and delicate prints seem to be more subtle wardrobe staples along with mesh and PVC and glitter and feathers and fur and basically anything that toes the line between expensive looking and tacky. Yes, I am aware we may toe different sides of that line but please let me stay delusional and believe that’s not the case for 5 minutes. Much appreciated xoxo

LOOK 1-

Bodysuit-Jaded London

LOOK 2-

Bralette-Depop

LOOK 3-

Co-ord Suit-Boohoo

Bodysuit-Boohoo

LOOK 4-

Dress-Motel Rocks

Shoes-Schuh

LOOK 5-

Bodysuit-Zaful

Trousers-Depop

Coat-Topshop

LOOK 6-

Dress-Zaful

Belt-Zaful

LOOK 7-

Top-Jaded London

Hair Clips-H&M

Rue (Played by Zendaya Coleman)

I have a complicated relationship with Rue as a character. When I started season 1 of Euphoria, I was like “Oh my god, this girl is the worst. Jesus, she’s so negative and draining and willingly self-destructive and-”

Then, oh my god is this what it’s like to live with me!?

I will say, to my own credit, that I don’t think I've ever been quite as hard to deal with as Rue (a lot less smashing stuff up and a lot more moping), and to HER credit, by the end of the season we come to realise she’s been through a fucking lot and so it makes sense, but wow. I don’t think I have ever seen a teen show handle drug abuse and mental illness in such a brutal way. It’s quite a talent to be able to show a character cause so much pain to those closest to them and yet do so through a sympathetic lens. And issues aside, whether it’s her occasional social awkwardness or her relationship with her family or watching bloody Love Island (still quite surreal to see Zendaya Coleman witnessing the Amy/Curtis drama unfold), Rue is just my favourite character to follow.

Her style, though. AH. The thing is, I can hardly drag it, because it’s pretty much what I wear when I’m moping about the house-or just any time I can get away with it to be honest-to a T. I want to stay true to character, but that being said, creating a “Seth Rogen”-esque outfit that’s worth posting on here is difficult. So, with the same kind of artistic license that had me wearing berets whilst cosplaying Maddy Perez, here is the best I could do:

I know, I know, it’s probably too much colour and jewellery for Rue but this is as toned down as I could do and I tried to stick with the key silhouettes we see from her throughout the season; I mean, I can’t see her wearing leopard print but the structure of the coat in outfit 1 is very similar to the one seen in Shook Ones pt.II. I think the bottom line when it comes to her character is keeping things effortless and not overly-feminine; you want to mix street style, athleisure and your dad’s wardrobe favourites like your life depends on it. Plus messy hair and smudged makeup, both of which I’ve already got down according to the completely inappropriate number of customers who’ve asked if I'm tired at work so thanks for that guys, and glitter tears. Lots and lots of glitter tears.

OUTFIT 1-

Dungarees-Vintage

OUTFIT 2-

Trousers-Depop

Cardigan-Urban Outfitters

OUTFIT 5-

Beanie-Depop

OUTFIT 6-

Shirt-Boohoo Man

Sports Bra-TK Maxx

Trousers-Urban Outfitters

OUTFIT 7-

Shirt-Jaded London

Cassie (Played by Sydney Sweeney)

Style-wise, Cassie is a hard one. When putting outfits for her character together, I found myself gravitating towards a direction that’s probably a bit too bohemian for her character, under the guidance of loose terms like “girl-next-door”, “floaty”, “delicate”, you get the idea. She definitely feels the least fully-realised in terms of all the main girls and I think it’s fair to say she’s probably got a bit of self-discovery to do. Most of her storylines in the season are dictated by her relationships to other people: McKay, Maddy, Lexie, her parents and so on.

Nevertheless, I tried to stick to the airier, more traditionally “pretty” pieces whilst still channelling the confidence and ease with which Cassie pulls them off. Sydney Sweeney has the most incredible figure and I feel like whilst the clothes the on-set stylists put her in flatter that and don’t hide anything, they’re still the focus. It doesn’t feel like there’s anything more inherently sexual about her character than any of the other main female characters despite the way the men within the narrative view her, and I think it’s a testament to the the wardrobe department that to me she still gives off big modern Disney princess energy and a certain innocence even whilst we hear her being continuously sexualised by her male peers.

If anything, Cassie probably dresses the most like an actual teenage girl, and her style, whilst less distinctive than the other girls, still does a good job of capturing the youth and romanticism of her character.

The colour palette of her wardrobe tends to be quite neutral, with a couple of pastels thrown in there, and if there are any details, they’re usually quite dainty. Similarly, Cassie is probably the least experimental when it comes to her makeup; we don’t really see her wearing the bold eyeshadows or liners or gems like the other girls at any point.

OUTFIT 1-

Bodysuit-Motel Rocks

Hair Clips-Bershka

OUTFIT 2-

Dress-Jaded London

OUTFIT 3-

Trousers-Urban Outfitters

OUTFIT 4-

Top-Urban Outfitters

Hairband-H&M

`OUTFIT 5-

Top-Urban Outfitters

Jeans-Zaful

Headband-Primark

OUTFIT 6-

Top-Urban Outfitters

OUTFIT 7-

Dress-Urban Outfitters

Hair Clips-Boohoo

SO, I guess that’s it for my Euphoria lookbook! As always, let me know what you think (nicely pls, my ego is fragile lol) and I’d love to hear your opinions on the show too! I really haven’t got this excited over a new TV show in ages and I just think that it does everything so excellently-from the writing to the cinematography to the soundtrack, you can tell each element is so carefully and purposefully constructed. It immerses you into the dramatic highs and lows of being a teenager in a way I haven’t seen since UK Skins and I never thought I’d watch a show which held a candle to that.

In terms of what I’m doing next, I’ve got a very delayed fashion week masterpost in the works as well as something to fill the Met Gala shaped hole in our lives, which I hope to get up over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, if you read to the end, THANK YOU! And I hope you’re staying safe and AT HOME where possible. I know this self-isolation feels never-ending and if I’m honest, it is having a hugely negative effect on my mental health, but NHS staff are doing their very best with the shitty recourses they have and whilst it seems that our government have thrown workers under the bus once again, we can all do our bit to combat that by slowing the spread of the virus. Also thank you to anybody who’s out working now in such a scary and uncertain time! I work at a grocery store and can say from experience that the best way to show this thanks is just through kindness and following employee’s instructions without giving them grief for it. Everyone’s scared right now and the best we can do is pull together and look out for each other, as difficult as that might seem at times.

Anyway, sorry for the ramble, and like I said, stay safe! Thanks once again if you read til the end or even if you’re just here for the photos. Appreciate it more than you know either way!

Lauren x

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rotzaprachim · 4 years

Note

If you feel so inclined I would LOVE to hear more about your thoughts on heist movies (my favourite genre too!). Do you have a favourite?

why thank you! long story short the heist is the BEST genre and has the potential for a lot of fun and also if the story decides to go there, social commentary, but the heist is also a trick to pull off and takes a certain degree of skill!

on a craft level, a heist is interesting because it’s pure, contained narrative. i’m sure there are literary fiction type heists out there, but on the whole the heist is the genre that strips all pretensions bare and reveals the bare bones of the story. plotting is KEY. the heist pushes all the elements of techniquie- plot, timing, rising tension, information and its release- straight to the center, often in extremely practical ways I.E we’re all in this One Building together and need to get this One THings. we’ve all seen bad heist movies before, and we’ve enjoyed them, but we’ve also Known they were bad or at least unfeasible, because it was pushed right into the open. (doesn’t stop them from Fun)

leigh bardugo aka MASTER of this genre said in an interview once i think that a heist is all about the timed release of information, which. yes. heists are ALL ABOUT tension and reveals, and a good heist writer is good at tightly controlling the rise and fall of tension based on their manipulation of the situation

i LOVE genre fiction and am a massive Genre Fiction Defender, because i think sometimes authors can do their best work within the conventions and general plot outlines that a genre can provide. and a heist is both a fairly set and adaptable genre that can be outwardly applied to others, as well. a heist too can sit anywhere on the goofy to grimdark, and is also often blended the crime movie or organised crime movie (often the Set Up/antagonist). finally i think there’s a bit of a distinction within a heist movie- between a Heist (aka an organised plan to steal something in secret, generally) and a Con (a plan specifically revolving around Playing people). arguably the best of the genre Combine the two to maximise different kinds of storytelling and tension. the problems facing the heist tend to be physical, scientific or practical - an uncrackable safe, guard dogs, lazer-eyed alligators, etc, whereas the problems of the COn are human- finding the mark, the mark’s soft spots, and of course, the internality of the grifter(s) trying to work the mark. the COn aspect can be a really fascinating insight into human psychology.

there’s also just an endless amount you can do with having people pretending to be other people to Get Something DOne and how that can be used to explore themes like class and privilidge....

which segues into my next point that a heist DOESN’T have to be subversive or NECESSARILY interested in wealth redistrubution and rob-the-rich-give-to-the-poor (although some of the best written ones are the ones where this is the case IMHO). BUT. the writer has to be aware those tensions exist, even subliminally! they have to underpin the structure of the novel. arguably, along with the organised crime genre, a heist is interesting for the extreme economic cross section of society it often contains - characters who have been struggling or down on their luck their whole lives in some ways engaging with or pretending to be the nobility or wealthy. a good visual heist often exploits this visually.

the final point is that a multi-person heist often needs a good sense of interpersonal dynamics between the heist crew who you know, like all human being under pressure ESPECIALLY human beings who might not know each other and have prison/lives on the line, may not get along all that well

so. it’s a pile up here. good plotting. good timing. PRESSURe. class. human psychology. very few heists have ALL these elements, but i’d argue that to tick, a good heist needs at least some of them.

a lot of my favorites aren’t movies at all!

- six of crows duology leigh bardugo - this series really got popular on tumblr, and it’s very simple as to why- it’s fucking great. seriously. like the hunger games, it’s one of those ya series i reread this summer and was reminded how well it stands up. (i wouldn’t read the grisha trilogy it intersects with until after, it is not NEARLY as good.) SOC works due to how well bardugo understands her characters, both in terms of internality and the wider political/social/cultural trends of the early industrial fake!amsterdam world they life in and importantly how the external and internal interact, and manages five and then six distinctive POV’s of a heist team MASTERFULLY. (no one in it is like vaguely a teenager is my only serious criticism). takes a while to get going but a knockout of a series.

(they’re making a tv series of it which mixes it in with a bunch of other content LOOSING the tight “nothing including but the plot-necessary and yet richly detailed” writing that made it in the first place. but. whatever

- leverage

the heartwarming series about a team of crooks becoming a Family and dealing with individual trauma while starting to To Good and rob the rich to give to the poor in the aftermath of the 2009 financial crisis! genuinely one of the best shows i’ve ever seen, the plot of the week was always really entertaining and fun but the show did an admirable job of running a good course and finishing in a good place with serious character development in a satisfying way! i especially love the female characters in this one (hats off to inej and nina of six of crows too tho!!! love them) including a very well-written woman in her 40′s and an autistic woman coming into herself while being a baddass thief. and alec hardison is just. the best EVER

- “time heist” - season 8 of doctor who

this is just one episode and it’s very classic goofy WHO BUT! i think it manages in 45 minutes to be both a goofy fun alien time and a genuine homage to the genre that has some good reveals

- timeless is NOT a heist show blatantly but in the way they used time travel there was often examples of Good Heist Writing

- arguably, though not as a WHOLE, parts Rogue One

the locke lamora series, by scott lynch-

these are LONG but they are FUN

ocean’s 8 is also FUN

#heists #the heist genre #if i THINk of any i will ADD

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dreamingyouth · 4 years

Text

[Darth Maul x Bookworm!Reader] Part 4 - Little things

Hello ! Are you new here ? Be sure to check the other parts below :

- Part 1

- Part 2

- Part 3

- Part 4 : You're here !

- Part 5

Words count : 2200

Warnings : none

Inspired by this lovely ask, thank you again anon ! ❤

You were never great with goodbyes.

The sky was clear, two fluffy clouds taking bets on which would be the fastest to reach the horizon under the warm autumn sun. The blue infinity above your head appeared to you like a never-ending sea. Would you ever be able to sail and explore the unknown lands? You couldn't know. At least, it left you dreamy; you found magic in how it changed color, azure blending gradually with soft shades of pink and orange as the day came to an end. The sight was incredibly beautiful and yet was only an introduction, waiting for the night to take over with its countless shining stars illuminating a dark blue, almost black canvas.

The trees around you seemed to be inspired by it, the bright green of their leaves slowly changing to a set of warm colors- yellow, orange, red, brown, every one of them pleasing the eye as if it was looking at a master's painting. They were full of life, though: the wind was playing with the branches and inviting the leaves in a joyful dance, some of them slowly falling to the ground in a last curtsey.

This was a setting you could admire forever without getting bored. You were lucky enough to live on a planet blessed with seasons, each of them lovely in their own way; but what you were most grateful for was the male in front of you, his hands gently holding yours while you kept your forehead against his. It became a little habit of yours to do this before parting every night: you would close your eyes and enjoy the silence around you, faces close enough to touch softly and let you appreciate each other's presence one last time.

At times you would exchange the sweetest kiss, at times a longing gaze would be enough; not once was it easy to part and leave, even though you both knew you would see each other again the following day. Sometimes you wanted to tell him how you desired to keep him by your side, not having to be separated even for just one night. Would he think of you as a clingy person? Would it bother him? He probably needed his space just like you did, maybe even had secrets you never knew of.

"Maul...

- Yes, angel?"

You smiled. Hushed whispers murmured against your lover's lips was something you treasured preciously, just as much as the charming nicknames he came up with from time to time. The intimacy you both shared bloomed from the smallest things: it was all in quiet words and little touches, thoughtful gifts, the warmth of a loving embrace. You felt lucky, not only to have this but to have this with him: to many, he might look scary or threatening, his appearance more the one of a devil than one of an angel. And yet... You somehow managed to bring out the softest side of him, one you guessed no one has ever seen before you. Probably no one would even think of him having such gentleness and care in his heart. His vulnerability was a secret you kept dearly, and it made you feel special.

"There's... this book that will be out tomorrow, and I wondered if you would accompany me to the bookstore. Maybe we could meet in front of it? And spend the day together?"

Your innocent request and your soft voice made him smile fondly, though you noticed a hint of playfulness in his eyes as he spoke.

"So, you're asking me out on dates now, hm?

- What? I- No, I just- I just thought it could be nice to spend time together-"

He chuckled. His question made you embarrassed, your face heating up a little as you tried to justify yourself, looking to the side. This caused you to involuntarily expose your neck to him, which he obviously noticed; and to cut your rambling, he placed a long, tender kiss on your skin, his strong arms wrapping around your waist to hold you close. It caught you by surprise and you stopped rambling, your fingers getting a hold of his dark clothes while he murmured in your ear.

"I never said it bothered me."

He was playing with you, and you both knew it. You didn't mind, though: it was a part of him you loved, after all, and you wouldn't exchange it for anything else in the galaxy.

"Oh..."

Your lips stretched with a smile, embarrassment leaving your face with every second passing by as it was replaced with nothing but affection for the Dathomirian. He lifted his head up to lock his intense gaze with yours, which you probably enjoyed for a little too long before moving again. Your digits slowly traveled up, leaving the soft fabric of his tunic to brush against the tattooed skin on his neck, tracing the intricate designs on their way up to his sharp jaw. You could feel him slightly shivering under your touch and imagined such a gentle contact was something he wasn't used to. Maybe he never experienced it at all- yet he allowed you, blindly trusting you as you explored higher, palms finally cupping his cheeks before pulling him into a sweet kiss.

"Meet me there, then... and don't be late!

- You're one to talk."

His words made you laugh. He never forgot.

After exchanging a few words over the last details, you reluctantly let go of him, hands sliding down his arms to his hands and holding them as long as you could before you had to part and go home. This would be the first time meeting him anywhere else than under your tree or at home. Not to mention, this was your first real date, too. This was new, and it would feel a bit scary if you went with anyone but him; but you trusted him as he trusted you, and quite honestly, it felt like you could face anything coming your way if Maul was by your side.

***

You had been expecting this moment since the second you woke up. You made sure you looked your absolute best: your favorite clothes on, your face washed and fresh, you checked once more your bag and found that, for the third time, everything you've been planning to take with you was there.

You were going on a date.

You were going on a date with Maul.

Your excitement and slight nervousness met as you glanced at the clock on your wall, begging the hands to move faster until they indicated the time you were waiting for to leave your home. You didn't waste more time, your bag thrown over your shoulder as you rushed to your front door; you locked in a heartbeat before running on the path leading to the nearest city, each of your steps leading you closer to the one you loved.

As you approached the street where you were supposed to meet, you stopped. Your chest rose and fell in a quick pace, betraying your excited rush; he couldn't see you like this. He would mock you again, wouldn't he?

After catching your breath, you finally turned the corner of the street and walked to the bookstore. You could see him waiting in front of it. As usual, he was there before you, which you noticed was something he liked; after all, not once did you have to wait for him to appear, except this one time when he returned with the sun setting.

"Looks like my date arrived."

He welcomed you with a little smirk, his playful remark bringing a smile to your face. His hood was up, covering his horns and toning down the red tattoos on his face; it didn't hide them though, and you were grateful you could still admire the symmetrical designs they traced on his skin. They fascinated you from day one.

"Sorry I kept you waiting!

- I arrived merely minutes ago. You don't have to apologize for anything."

His arms, previously crossed, moved as he took off one of his black gloves to reach for your face. Slowly caressing your cheek, he took a good look at you; and as much as you were embarrassed about him touching you so tenderly in public, you loved feeling his fingers on your skin and allowed yourself to get lost in his flaming eyes for a moment.

"You look lovely today."

The truth was, he wasn't used to giving compliments. He barely got any from his master, and never got the opportunity to do so himself; learning about the enemy -the Jedi- and training hard day after day left little time to socialize. Not that there was anyone to socialize with in the first place. It came almost naturally with you, however, and your happiness was enough of an excuse for him to try.

His hand slid down your arm to hold your hand, his grasp a little more possessive than usual now that there were people around. You both made your way into the bookstore; you knew it by heart now, and it wasn't long before you were standing in front of the right section. Your gaze moved along the spines of the numerous books available, looking for the one you wanted before spotting it on the highest shelf. Letting go of the Dathomirian's hand for a second, you stood on tip-toe, eager digits reaching out to try and catch the copy above your head; yet it was too high, and you were struggling.

"It seems like someone needs help, hm?

- Maul !"

You turned around, only to find your lover looking at you with an amused expression, his strong arms crossed over his chest. You couldn't come up with anything more to say. How could you? He was right.

He took some steps forward as his soft chuckle reached your ears, his warm hand settling on your waist before he pressed a kiss to your temple.

"It's alright to be short, love. It's cute on you."

You could tell these weren't words he used often, and it only made them more precious. Focused on the sweet encouragements he offered you, you didn't notice him reaching up to grab the book you were longing for until he gave it to you, another kiss landing on your forehead; only then you went to pay, Maul's arm still around your waist and holding you close. You sure were a strange pair: he was dark and intimidating, but you were happy and full of life. It seemed like the two of you weren't meant to get along at all, yet you did, and more closely than you would've ever expected.

"You were waiting for this for a long time."

It was an affirmation, not a question; given how he knew you by now, you weren't surprised in the slightest by him being so confident.

"Yes... I feel lucky we're able to get it here. I was afraid it would only be available on other planets, if I'm honest.

- You know I would've gotten it for you if you asked.

- I know... but I didn't want to bother you."

You looked up with a small smile, your gaze lingering on his red and black skin before meeting with his eyes. You were grateful to have him. You were aware of how some people changed their path not to cross his, aware of the wary looks he would get from others. But you... you knew. You knew there was more to him than scary appearances and threatening glares, you knew there was a well-hidden vulnerability waiting for the right person to come and reveal it.

And you were so glad to be this person.

"Let's go home."

His words brought you back to reality. Without saying anything, he paid for your book, adding a beautiful bookmark to it before leading you out. Not once did he let go of your hand, his steps fast but adjusted to your own speed.

"You didn't have to. I feel like you're spoiling me more than I deserve."

He stopped. You were out of the city by now and on your way back to your house, the comfort of being alone with your loved one enough to bring you warmth on this autumn afternoon. He turned to you, his fingers lacing with yours gently as he brought his free hand to your face.

"I don't. I'd give you the galaxy if you asked me to."

Your gaze softened, and a fond smile spread on your lips. There was no way you could deny how sincere he was, given how it was perfectly conveyed by his tender words; you moved closer, your own free hand mirroring his as it rested on his cheek- not before pushing his hood down, revealing his majestic crown of horns to you.

"I know."

Your voice down to a murmur, you tilted your head up to press your lips against his, the taste intoxicating and getting you more addicted as days went by. But how could this be wrong? He was yours.

"I love you, Maul."

And you were his.

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

I don’t know what to feel about this one. Some parts I like, others not so much... I was very busy this week and I’m visiting family this weekend, but I still wanted you to have this new part ❤ I hope you’ll still like it ! As always, if you like this series and want to be tagged for part 5, please let me know !

Tags : @maulieber, @gooseyhouse, @gczanetti1, @noiralei, @catsnkooks, @brilliantbutbatty, @mother-0f-monsters, @farmelcarmel

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authenticcadence18 · 4 years

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in the spirit of the other anon: what are some of your favorite pnf songs?? 👀

AHHH MADDY PLS YOU KNOW I LOVE MUSIC AND PHINEAS AND FERB THANK YOUUUU FOR THIS ASK.

ok so! favorite songs! I’ve got a ton so let’s just jump right to it (see what i did there? lol)

What Might Have Been

This is my FAVORITE Phineas and Ferb song, I remember when whispers about a “Phinbella duet” first started circulating mid-2012 and being SO HYPED (I was so hyped I wrote my own Phinbella duet, lollllll. maybe I’ll post it sometime). I waited literal YEARS for this song and it was VERY WORTH THE WAIT. I love the instrumentation (the strings? the guitar? the drums? the hint of Isabella’s theme at the beginning of the third verse? a A H), the lyrics are just so heartfelt and sweet and poignant (with just a hint of trademark PnF humor thrown in, lol), and the vOCALS GOOD LORD, ALYSON AND VINCENT KILLED IT. And the harmonies at the end. Bless. AYA isn’t perfect but I ADORE “What Might Have Been.” Like, they really gave us a 3 1/2 minute long song of Isabella and Phineas singing about being in love. They did that for us. Sometimes, I listen to it on a loop when I need to focus...or just because I want to listen to it. It’s truly just. The best. Ah. My heart. This song deserves more mainstream attention dANG IT.

Summer Belongs To You

This song is so uplifting and positive and the beginning is a Phinabella duet of COURSE I love it (i deeefinitely made a lil’ reference to it in a certain simile in chapter 9 of CHFIL, not sure if anyone caught that but writing it made me smile!). It always puts me in a good mood and makes me feel like I can accomplish anything. And it gets bonus points because it features Candace singing about loving her brothers!! SBTY is also one of the episodes that got me interested in the show, so this song holds a special place in my heart.

City of Love

This song ALSO holds a special place in my heart. Like, it’s so sad but it’s so good. I love Isabella, and I feel for her (and when I first heard this song I could 100% relate to her plight, LOL). This is also the first PnF song I ever downloaded! So it’s very nostalgic and special to me.

Us Against the Universe

I ADORE THIS SONGGG I ADORE IT SO MUCH OK IT’S JUST EVERYTHINGGG. It makes me feel ALL THE THINGS. It’s very similar to “Summer Belongs To You,” but rather than being rooted in nostalgia, it’s like a reminder that the characters are still as present and united as ever. A couple years ago, I never would’ve thought we’d get to hear the entire cast sing together ever again, so like....this song means the world to me. It’s a great song for 2020.

The Universe is Against Me

This is ALSO the perfect song for 2020, but in a venting way as opposed to an uplifting way like the previous song. I love the imagery in the lyrics (and like...they’re surprisingly real and raw for Phineas and Ferb) Singing along to it is so cathartic, I could listen to this one on a loop and not get tired of it.

Happy New Year

THIS SONG DESERVES TO BE ON AN ALBUM. I listen to it every new year; it really captures the feeling of New Year’s Eve and the celebration of starting over (and also. uh. I will forever associate it with Phinabella and lovely Phinabella vibes because of that scene of them dancing together).

Busted

Busted is iconic. Plain and simple. I adore it. Love the harmonies, love the vibe, I’m pretty sure this was the most listened to song on my old iPod, lol.

Somebody Gimme a Grade

I was (and am...lol) 100% the kid who had to have the best grades they could, so this song speaks to me on an emotional level. I also love the clever wordplay--like, “you wasted all my time learning how to rhyme then left me hangin’ from a treble clef!” is sUCH A GOOD LINE LIKE WHO THOUGHT OF THAT IT’S BRILLIANT. I also love getting to see Baljeet come out of his shell a bit and express himself!

Happy Evil Love Song

This is one of my go-to songs to play on the ukulele! It’s just so funny and sweet (as long as you don’t think about what happens after it, lol).

I Really Don’t Hate Christmas

THIS SONG. I LOVE IT. I love that it pokes fun at the “villains hating Christmas” trope while also subverting it! It’s just, so soooooo so great. I have a great time trying to sing it each Christmas season, LOLLLL. (because those are some FAST lyrics. how did Dan do it????)

That Christmas Feelin’

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs ever!!! It really captures the vibe and joy of the season, and I always go out of my way to play it when hanging out with people who might not know it’s from Phineas and Ferb! lol

In The Empire

One of my biggest flexes is being able to sing the entire “It’s sO NOT FAIR....” section of this song, LOLLLL. It’s just such a fun one to sing!!! (or attempt to sing....hah. Ashley has SKILLS.)

Ferb Latin

Ok, this one might seem a little random, but as a musician, I am OBSESSED with how the three melodies intersect and blend together at the end of the song!!! It sounds SO GOOD. (Plus. Phinabella duet. Yes. Are y’all detecting a pattern?)

Aerial Area Rug

So I’ll just go ahead and say PHINABELLA first because this song has MASSIVE Phinabella vibes (I mean it begins with a homage to the “do you trust me?” scene with Phineas and Isabella, that’s like pure-seratonin right there). And this song is also genuinely just so beautiful. It’s sung so well and the instrumentation is gorgeous and the lyrics are so literal but like, they work very well. (and that key change baby, I love a good key change!)

Gitchee Gitchee Goo

Gitchee Gitchee Goo means that I love you! It’s a classic, and super catchy, and totally reminds me of Phinabella even though in the context of canon that isn’t what it’s about at all😅. Also! Candace and Phineas singing and having fun together will always make me smile. I crave wholesome sibling interactions.

Thank You For Coming Along

THIS SONG MAKES ME FEEL THINGS....I really can’t think of a better send off the show could’ve had. I love how genuine it is, like a love letter to the fans, with all the references and such (I’m a sucker for fourth wall breaks, lol)! And I mean, that Phinabella moment near the end is just MAGNIFIQUE, YES, FOURTH WALL BREAK, PHINABELLA KISS REFERENCES, AND PHINEAS FLIRTING WITH ISABELLA??? WE LOVE TO SEE IT.

We’re Back

and THIS SONG. THIS SONG RIGHT HERE. I can’t think of a better re-introduction to these characters after saying goodbye to them years ago. This song really feels like a warm hug, a welcome home. The music video Disney released for it is especially wonderful because it incorporates scenes from the show!!! I always rock out to this one whenever it comes on. It’s a gift, truly. I love it. I needed this song this year!!!

Ok I could go on and on and on but this post is getting really long so I think I’d better just post it, LOL. Maybe I can make a pt. 2 sometime, LOL. Because there are plenty of other songs I love!!!

THANKS FOR THE ASK MADDY I HAD SO MUCH FUN WITH THIS!!!!!!

#sorry this post is so long #typed it out on my computer😅#long post #phineas and ferb #phineas and ferb music #cadence rambles

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n7punk · 4 years

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I would kill for that playlist. Maybe you could share a handful of songs. 🥺 Also, your writing is so good it gives me heart palpitations. Not sure if that was ever your intention when writing but your succeed either way.

aaa ty so much! that’s absolutely wild that it affects you so much ty!!

okay my playlist is kind of roughly divided into sections (they blend a bit) and long (ive added more since that last ask lmao), so ill do some highlights from each section below the cut. i have a separate playlist for adora and a separate catradora playlist but my catra playlist is by far the longest and has some catradora sections on it too. sorry if any of these are locked to people without youtube red but you can just search the song if so.

some of these I’m going to highlight lyrics for because I just have Thoughts ok but ill mostly do it for the lesser known artists. EDIT: added a few more songs 2/8/21

Horde days:

White Lies - To lose my life (It’s just..... Catra/SW about Adora ok)

He said to lose my life or lose my love/That's the nightmare I've been running from/So let me hold you in my arms a while/I was always careless as a child

Adora leaving:

How - The Neighbourhood

All You Had To Do Was Stay - Taylor Swift (I think I’m funny)

Good For You - Dear Evan Hanson

The Tech Thieves - On My Own

Enough - The Tech Thieves (I MEAN HOLY SHIT it’s the thaymor song!!)

Guess you found my heart wasn't enough?/Throw another of your right hooks/Never thought you'd leave me in the dust

Beth Crowley - Gone (oh it’s how She-ra took Adora from her Cool)

XYLØ - I Don't Want To See You Anymore

Don’t Blame Me - Taylor Swift (I mean COME ON)

How to Start a War - Simon Curtis (OK OK OK ITS THE SEASON ONE CATRADORA SONG OK)

I thought we were meant to be/Thought it'd be you and me/Standing together at the end of the world/I guess that's not what you want

This is not how you make love/This is not what we signed up for/This is not how it's meant to be/This how you start a war

Nothing More - Go To War (Another season one catradora song)

I don't know what you had in mind/But here we stand on opposing sides/Let's go to war/We arm ourselves with the wrongs we've done/Name them off one by one/Let's go to war

True Friends - Bring Me the Horizon

No one’s here to sleep - Naughty Boy ft. Bastille

Rising the ranks:

Krewella - Calm Down

Anna Akana - Pick A Fight

Just One Yesterday - Fall Out Boy

Halsey - Castle (Oh it’s the SW fight, oh it’s sitting on Hordak’s throne, oh it’s being “favoured” by Prime, it just fits so often so well)

Halsey - Control (Season four Catra.... you go bby)

Runaway - Felix Cartel

Alpha - Little Destroyer

Born Without A Heart - Faouzia

I Did Something Bad - Taylor Swift

Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

KSHMR - Do Bad Well (Replace “daddy” with SW as “mom” and oop)

Icon for Hire - Blindside

Halsey - Nightmare (I mean I could highlight like the entire song but I won’t)

Spiraling out:

Curse or Cure - Icon For Hire

DeathByRomy; Sleep At Night (the DT takedown at the end of season four in song form)

Beth Crowley- Too Late for Me

I wanna be a hero/But the villain's having more fun/Which one of us will wear the bigger bruises/When the war's done/There is no wrong or right/When you're fighting for your life

PVRIS - Gimme a Minute (if ur a lesbian and not listening to pvris then what are you doing. lesbian-fronted band that fucking kills it. this is mostly here because i love them so much and they have a bunch of catradora songs)

Meg Myers - I Really Want You To Hate Me

Heaven - PVRIS (OKAY I MEAN COME ON “You took my heaven away”? It’s so Catra)

Tegan and Sara - Don’t Believe The Things They Tell You (They Lie) (This song and Catra makes me fuckin cry alright I could highlight ummm every line)

Claire Wyndham - Kingdom Fall

Seeing the light/Regret:

Gabrielle Aplin - My Mistake

Sir sly - Too far gone

Taylor Swift – this is me trying

Afterglow - Taylor Swift (I don’t know why there’s so much Taylor Swift on this playlist okay she just has a lot of catra/catradora songs)

Arrested Youth - The Kid I Used to Know

Relient K | Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

K.Flay - Giver (oh its THE season five catra song cool!!!)

I'm learning to live/I'm trying to be better/I'm learning to give/But I don't know if I'm a giver

Ghosts - PVRIS (I exactly why there’s so much PVRIS they’re incredible and have a ton of good Catra/Catradora songs).

Finding Adora again:

St. Patrick - PVRIS

Fall Out Boy - The Last Of The Real Ones

Delicate - Taylor Swift

sorry this is so long but i have a lot of fucking feelings about catra songs alright. i have a “classic hits” playlist i save every song ive ever liked to and whenever a new character possesses me i go trolling through it for songs that fit them and make a playlist lol

#catra #she ra #catradora #long post #anon #ask

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ourplaceinthecosmosphff · 4 years

Text

Chapter 6. Meet Cute

‘You're the only person I've ever met who seems to have the faintest conception of what I mean when I say a thing.’

Virginia Woolf

Harry had a bottle of Champagne on one hand, which he’d grabbed from a waiter waiting in the hall. I had two fistfulls of my dress in mine, trying to keep up with his fast, slightly giddy pace, as we made our way towards emptier parts of the palace, passing by bored security officers on our way.

We continued playing as we did.

“Truth or dare?” I asked.

“Truth.”‌‌

“Have you ever killed anyone? Be honest.”‌ I asked, seriously, and he immediately started laughing. “Even by accident.”

“No! Have you?”

“Not yet. I’m saving my youth.‌‌ We’ll see what happens in the future.”

“If you knew you would never be caught, which crime would you commit?”

“Who’s to say I‌ would commit any crime?” He gave me a teasing look. “Fine. I‌ want to drive at a really ridiculously high speed.”

“Boring.”‌ He said, right before grabbing my hand and quickly pulling me into a hard right through big golden doors that led us into a beautiful, green drawing room. “Okay, protocol. Which really wild thing you wish you could do, but can’t because the press would never forgive you?”

“Hm.”‌ I thought on it for a while, distracted by the pretty painting near the window. “Wear a crop top.” I‌ confessed, to his amazement.

“Really?”

“You have no idea how hard it is to be a woman in this position.‌ Anything I‌ do is scrutinized a lot more than anything my brother does. So yes, there’s a lot of fashion options that are simply not open to me.”

He held open the door for me, “Okay, I’ll allow it. I would also like to see you in a crop top.”‌ He added, quickly, in a low tone. “Now, what’s the wildest thing you have done that the media doesn’t know about?”

This was trickier; I‌ looked around at the high ceilings and spotted the black, round glass fixtures at strategic positions.

“Go on, there ought to be something!”

“Oh, I‌ have an answer… I‌ just can’t answer here. Is there a room around with less, or hopefully none, cameras?”

His smile grew, as he started pacing a little more determinedly. “...I’m intrigued.”

“While we wait, truth or dare?”

He sighed. “I can’t focus now!”

“Tough. Choose.”

“Truth.”

“If you had to choose between going naked or having your thoughts appear in thought bubbles above your head for everyone to read, which would you choose?”

He grinned. “Hm, well, most people have already seen me naked, it was a pretty popular tabloid front page, not to brag, so... I suppose I would rather you didn't know the extent of what you do to my thoughts… yet.”

My first instinct was to blush, fast. He added that yet with such vigor, such promise, it was hard not to wonder, it was hard not to immediately ask what I did to his thoughts. Tell me everything, my heart begged; I want to know all the dirty details.

But something wasn’t right. The more I thought about it, the more his lighthearted, casual, overtly nonchalant tone seemed like a cover. The essence of what he was saying, after all, didn't feel like a laughing matter.

I remembered what he was talking about, albeit faintly. Something about a wild night in Vegas, an untrusted, unchecked female guest, and a nude picture snapped in secret and sold to the highest bidder.

“I'm sorry that happened to you.” I told him as he guided me into a room.

He looked at me, surprised, and shrugged. “...I should have known better.”

“Your security sure should have.”

He sighed; a small, resolute, forced smile hadn’t left his lips yet. I hadn’t thought I was able to dislike a smile on him, but I didn’t love that one.

“What can you do?”

“Still. I'm sorry.”

He nodded, looking at the carpet. I walked in, hearing the door close. Once inside, I realized this smaller than average palace room was mostly a deposit area with well organized boxes along some shelves.

I walked to the end of the room, so the lights streaming in from outside would help him see it, as I reached to the zipper on my side.

“So, what have you done?” He asked. When I looked back at him, his smile was a little more sincere. “I can’t wait to find out. I do have a few guesses-What, what are you doing?!”

I was unzipping my dress. I smiled at him and approached, sustaining his look as I‌ did. Then I turned to the side, holding the fabric to my chest, but allowing the back of my dress to fall open slightly.

“Oh.”‌ He let out, softly; almost in slow motion, automatically as it didn’t seem like he had even noticed this, his hand reached over to me.

He touched the back of his delicate, cold two fingers to the skin over my ribcage, under my right arm, where a tattoo of one tiny daisy, barely as thick as two of my fingers, laid just below my arm, a little under the direction of my breasts. I moved my bra so he could see it, green stem and white petals and all. I felt his fingers draw them out softly, agonizingly slowly, making it feel bigger than it was, making chills erupt over my entire body; something I hoped he wouldn’t be able to see.

“Any particular meaning?”‌ He wondered, whispery.

I shrugged, slightly. When I answered, it was in a tone that matched his, making the moment feel all the more fragile.

“Margueritte means daisy in French. They can symbolize innocence, purity, or new beginnings. I like the new beginnings meaning. There's also the Roman myth of Vertumnus, god of seasons and gardens, who fell for Belides, a nymph. He pursued her, who in order to escape his affections, turned herself into a daisy.”

He looked up at me, the corner of his lips curving up slightly, one brow reaching up.

“A metaphor?”

“Ha-ha.” I said, monotone, making him smile. "You know, daisies are actually two flowers combined into one. The inner part and the outer petal section, and because they blend together so well, some people also say they symbolize true love."

“I like that meaning more.”

I rolled my eyes, but my smile was sincere.

“They also mean the person who gifts them can keep a secret, so I appreciate the irony.”

“Nice.”

His touch was so delicate I was barely aware of it; it rested there for a few seconds before he seemed to shake out of a trance, and removed it quickly, coughing a timid laugh.

“Sorry.”

I shook my head, smiling. “I don’t mind.”

“I wish I could have one.” He told me, as I closed my dress again, with some difficulty.

He approached, offering me his hands with a questioning look; I nodded, and he closed my zipper smoothly, barely touching my skin again.

“How have they never seen it?”

“No crop tops, remember? And one-piece bathing suits.” I told him. “And a healthy disregard by the media for any monarchies other than yours.”

He laughed. “You don‘t know your luck.”

“Oh, I do.” I assured. “Anyway, that’s me. Wild, I know.”

“Yes, your tiny flower tattoo is very wild, Mary.”

We exchanged an amused smile.

“So, where to next?.”

He looked around, raising his hands to showcase the boxes. “What, are you not entertained?”

Laughing, we made our way out of the room and continued walking.

He walked us out of the room and through the majestic halls of Buckingham Palace we went, me always stopping by the beautiful artwork or vases to try and commit them to memory, and him always telling me I could google that later, he wanted to show me the spaces not everyone got to see, which was a pretty great pitch.

Eventually, I had to sit down in a red velvet sofa.

“You try walking through an entire palace in these shoes!” I told him when he rushed me again.

He replied by coming over, picking my shoes in one hand, and offering me the other. “I’ll carry them for you, let’s go.”

“Harry,” I started, laughing, taking his hand and reaching over for my shoes, “I’m not going to walk around Buckingham Palace barefoot!”

“Why? Everyone is across the palace in the state room.”

“Yes, but if we run into anyone, it’ll be a scandal! This is the type of thing people leak! I will bring shame to my country!”

“Dramatic.” He rolled his eyes. “But alright, how about this?” He kicked off his own dress shoes, carrying them in the same hand as mine. “Now we’re both bringing shame to our countries.”

And so we continued.

He pointed out the rooms where famous, important people had been hosted through the years, dared me to touch a fancy, expensive looking statue and when I got very close slowly, he said ‘boo!’ and I jumped three feet back. Eventually, he grandly opened the double doors that led into a wide, white room filled with gold fixtures in every crevice.

“Oh. Wow.”

The first thing I did was to walk right to the center of the room, spin around slowly trying to look at everything at once, and then carefully sit down and lay on the floor, one hand to my tiara to make sure it wouldn’t fall.

“Uhm. What are you doing? You can’t be that tired!”

“First of all, rude. You clearly have no idea how easily I get tired. And secondly,” I offered him my free hand, “come here.”

Smiling, he left our shoes on one corner of the room and approached, holding my hand with his and laying by my side carefully. “Now what?”

“Look.” I told him, looking up at the ceiling.

It was high, wide, and with white and gold in a beautiful round, geometric pattern. Even from a distance, it… gleamed.

“Oh... Huh.” He said, slowly. “I had never noticed that before. It’s… kind of nice, isn’t it?”

My only response was to smile. We allowed the silence to reign for a while, our breaths filling in the space it left out. Our hands were still clasped together lightly, but it didn’t feel weird. It felt… just right.

“Sometimes it’s really easy to forget how awful it is being royal, isn’t it?”

From the corner of my eyes, which I kept fixed above, I noticed him turn his head to watch me.

“Yes.” He replied. “It is.”

The ceiling was really just part one of the amazing things in this room; there was a marble statue of Sappho, a classic painting of Queen Alexandra, crystal chandeliers, and a 1775 french roll-top desk.

Harry was looking at me, expectantly, as I examined each little thing.

There were two mirrors on each of the side walls, another atop a fireplace, and three sets of mirror double doors.

“Why were our ancestors so obsessed with their own image? There’s a whole mirror hall at the Palace in Wolhounn, done as a replica to the one in Versailles.”

“They didn’t have TVs.” He replied, with a shrug. “Mirrors were like magic.”

He pushed open the double doors to the far end of the room and guided me through a few other magnific rooms until we were in what he called, ‘the center one’. He left our shoes in the floor, then pulled me to the center glass doors and pulled open the curtain covering it, only a tiny bit, to allow me to locate myself within the view. We were exactly in front of the mall, the front of the palace, right before the balcony where his family walked out regularly on formal occasions.

I was already impressed, but he wasn’t done. He crouched down and asked me to follow him, opening the door carefully and sneaking out on his knees. Realizing what he was doing, I followed, careful with my dress. If we stayed down, even the reporters waiting to see us leaving the palace after the dinner wouldn’t be able to spot us.

“This is usually covered when we come up here,” he told me, gesturing to the holes in the front of the balcony wall.

We sat down next to it, peaking over under the moonlight, at the view ahead. I could see the black and golden gate of Buckingham, the big fountain ahead, with Queen Victoria's monument in gold atop it. Far beyond, the mall's long, straight street, surrounded by the Hyde Park trees, and the lights of the city of London ahead.

“This is… just amazing.”

He smiled. “My mother taught me this trick.”

There are no fairytales about honest conversations. We never got Cinderella’s heartfelt conversation with the prince, explaining what she’d been through at the hands of her family; if the prince ever asked Snow White what did it feel like to die, we didn’t get to hear about it. Did Rapunzel ever get nightmares about being back in the tower? What was that therapy session like? I suppose, at the end of the day, there’s no right time to have a difficult conversation.

I don’t remember what made me decide it was now or never; was it the way the gleam of the moon and lights of the outside shone in Harry’s eyes, and only I could see it at that very moment, when the whole world had no idea we were there? All I remember in hindsight is taking in a deep breath as I watched him, and turning around to stare back at the closed glass doors, as I told him:

“We met when I was eight.”

He looked at me, confused.

“I’m sorry. I… I didn’t intend to make a thing out of it. It sort of just… happened. And now I feel bad. And I feel that if I don’t tell you now, it might be worse later. Because it’s not actually a fun story.”

His brows furrowed, betraying the worry as much as his gulp did. He nodded.

“Hm, Okay? So, you… You were eight?” He seemed to do the math in his head.

I‌ nodded. “You were twelve.”

He blinked, once. Looked back outside through the hole in the balcony wall, and then nodded as he turned around to sit next to me. “Oh.”

I held in a deep, bracing, breath for two seconds, and began, at last, to speak.

“My aunt Marilou was living in Britain at the time. Her husband is Irish-Scottish, they lived in London, so my father and I came to visit and we met them for a holiday in Scotland. It was meant to be a family trip, but my brother had the flu so my mother stayed home with him. Eventually, after we were in Scotland for a few days, he sat me down to talk.”

I ventured a look at Harry, who was still stoically looking ahead.

“My great-grandfather had passed away only a year before, and even though I was too young to fully grasp the gravity of the situation, I remembered how… somber the whole house was for the whole following month. Well, my father asked me to remember that, and then told me that a friend of his had passed away only that week. Her family was staying nearby, and he wanted to stop by to offer his condolences on our way back home. He wouldn’t normally bring me to something like this, but we were already on schedule to leave, and it just made sense. He told me to be quiet, and respectful, like when grandpa died, and dressed me in my most serious dress, a green one, and we rode into this beautiful, big stone house with ivy covering the walls.”

Harry fidgeted with his hands in his lap, and laid his head back.

“I remember now.”‌ He said. “In the garden… It was you?”

I‌ smiled, sadly. “I‌ walked over to you, and sat down beside you where you were sitting behind a stone wall nearby the fountain. You looked like… like you were hiding.”

“I‌ was.”‌ He confessed.

“I’d met her, just a couple of years before. I remember like it was yesterday. She was wearing this white flowy dress, with shoulder pads. She was just so pretty. She looked like one of my Barbies. I was completely blown away… It was a royal tour to Savoy that she did with your father, I must have been six. After she said hello to my parents, she… she lowered down and said hello to me, but I just looked down, I‌ was so shy... She brushed my hair with her hand, and said I‌ looked really pretty in my bow. My mom had tied this black ribbon around my head as a headband, and had made a bow in the top. Very nineties.”

He smiled, slightly. But it was enough to make me feel better. Slightly.

“I‌ managed to say thank you, and she asked if she could borrow it, so I‌ nodded, and she smiled. It made me feel… grown up, you know? Seen. She was just so nice… I spent the rest of the trip waiting for the right time to give her my bow, but ended up not seeing her anymore, so every time I looked at it, I thought of her. And when I‌ realized that was the friend my father was there about, in that beautiful stone house-”

“Balmoral.”‌

“Yes, Balmoral. I‌ felt heartbroken. So I found my black ribbon in my suitcase, before we got there, and kept carrying it around in my hands as my father had tea with your father and grandparents. He told me I could go see the garden if I wanted, so I did. That’s when‌‌ I found you.”

“You didn’t speak English.” He smiled.

“No, you didn’t speak French.” I returned, making his smile grow a little bigger. “But I think we got on alright.”

“I’m going to be honest,”‌ he started, “I just wanted you to leave me alone.”

“Oh, I’m sure! Now. Back then, I‌ was just happy to find another kid. You helped me sit up on the wall with you. And you asked who I was. I did understand a little bit of english, so I said I was Princess Margueritte, of course, but in French, so you just stared ahead and pretended to understand. And I said, in French, we were there about the nice Princess who’d died… and then you said your mother was dead... I understood that too.‌”

“How come I barely remember this?”‌ He wondered, more to himself than to me.

“It was a difficult time. Memories are… fragile.” He nodded.

He looked at me, eyes wide, brows still furrowed. “You gave me a ribbon.”

I‌ smiled. “‌I did. The one I had in my hand, the one your mother said I‌ looked pretty in, and asked if she could borrow.‌”

“You said it was hers.”

I‌ grimaced. “I’m sorry. I was eight. I meant, I‌ wanted to have given it to her, I didn’t mean to lie.”

“No, it’s okay. I‌ just…” He sighed, heavily, running a hand down his face. “I still have it. I‌ saved it. I‌ have it in my drawer. I‌… I don’t know how I‌ forgot about it until now, but I‌ always just kept it because it was… hers.”

“Sorry I basically lied about it.”

He smiled. “Let’s chalk it up to a mistranslation.”

I‌ nodded. “So, anyway. That’s how we met.‌ Soon after, my father’s aide came to get me and we left back home to Savoy. A few days later my parents attended the funeral.”

A few seconds went by, then a few minutes, as we breathed peacefully watching the reflection of the moon and stars on the glass of the double doors, with our backs to the street. I couldn’t know what he was thinking about, but I was thinking of the irony of all our privilege being almost relative to the unfairness that came with it. I wondered if that was what he was thinking of, and if this was weird enough for him to take his distance now.

Instead, I felt his hand reach for mine, which he held firmly, warmly, in his.

“Thank you.”

“For… for what?”

“I don’t know… For telling me.”

“…I should have just said that three days ago.‌ I’m sorry. It’s weird, isn’t it?”

He shook his head, and looked at me. “Thank you for giving me a piece of her, all those years ago, at the time when‌ I‌ needed it most. I‌ was…”‌ he shrugged, “devastated. And then I had that piece of fabric in my hand that was hers. Every day afterwards, I‌ held it in my hand, thinking of her. I still do, sometimes. And it was because of you.”

We sat there, holding hands, for a long while. Passing champagne back and forth, drinking straight from the bottle, trying to find a way back to ourselves.

“Truth or dare?” he asked, and I smiled.

“Truth.”

“Why did you and Christopher break up?”

He’d talked about something awfully personal, so I figured it was only fair I did the same.

“He… We weren’t... There just wasn’t a way to make it work.”

He looked at me with his piercing blue eyes for a long while, and I sighed, knowing deep down that wasn’t the truth.

“I’ve known him my whole life. He was my first crush, kiss… everything. We started dating officially just out of school, he also went to college in America, he’s a year older than me, so he was already there when I moved. We were only about one hour away from each other. But then he graduated and got a job in Chicago and we broke up because it was just too far away. We got back together a few months later, he got a job in New York, and we moved in together after I graduated while I did a one year internship there.”

“I didn’t realize you lived in America that long.”

“It was four years in University, Harvard offers a special degree where I could get a bachelor’s and master’s at the same time, so I graduated from Law School at the same time as undergrad.”

“Nerd.” He teased, making me laugh.

“He got an offer in Savoy, and I had to come back because, well… I’m me. But my job is in Tallmound, which is a big city about two hours away from the capital. It’s sort of the business center of Savoy. And Chris’ job was in the capital. So we went from living together to doing sort of long distance again.”

“That isn’t that far, though, right?”

“No, and I wasn’t worried. But… with our long hours, it was just… hard. Still, he was my only serious relationship for the past… eight years. My family has known him forever, they love him. And the press has known of us for that long, too. I guess they assumed as soon as we were back home, with our degrees, there was nothing stopping us from getting married. And eventually, they started… asking.”

I heard him let out a long sigh, which more than anything he could have said, let me know he understood.

“Suddenly, there was this… understanding that we were supposed to be planning on getting engaged soon. And Chris, I think, started to realize what marrying me would really mean.”

“Would he be expected to work?”

I sighed. “Yes, I think. As a spare, I’ve been allowed to have a private career so far, and I’ve been able to plan for a future career, as well. There are limitations, of course. I can’t work criminal cases, for example. So I think he would have been able to do his own thing, too, with limitations, maybe, which I told him. But, eventually, I think we would both be expected to help my family full time. And, honestly, I don’t mind. I like working, I like the royal work, and I think I’ve found a good balance, I think with some talking we could find something that worked for us. But… Well, he never gave me the chance. I guess, maybe, he didn’t think it was worth the hassle.”

There was a silent pause as my words hung in the air.

Then, he sighed. “What an idiot.”

I held down a smile for as long as I could, but then I looked at him, and we started laughing. And then we laughed so hard it was a little too loud, so we thought it was safer to crawl back inside.

I adjusted my dress; Harry put the empty bottle on a center table as I walked around the room once more, noticing the gleaming details in the matching Chinese vases by the doors, pretending I didn’t know he was watching me from afar.

“Do you-” I started, “Do you ever think of just… walking away? From all of this, I mean?”

I didn’t know why I asked, but I think maybe I wanted to know if his answer would match mine.

“Every day since my mother died.” He shrugged. “It’s sad, isn’t it? We were born into some of the most beautiful places on Earth, and all we want to do is leave.”

I smiled, not daring to look at him. Those were the words inside of me I had never dared utter.

“Wait.” He said. “So, when you got here, three days ago, and you were sexily mad at me-”

“Sexily?” I asked, in a shocked chuckle.

“Were you mad because I didn’t remember meeting you when we were kids?”

My smile froze on my lips; “Not… exactly.”

“Okay?”

Sighing, I adjusted my posture, and looked back at the vase, which was almost as tall as I was.

“So… when I was about eighteen,”

“Ten years after we met.”

“Yes, I had recently graduated from boarding school and finished my military training-”

“Your what?!”

I rolled my eyes, impatient. “Six months military training is mandatory for all the men in Savoy, and optional for the women. As members of the royal family, we are encouraged to opt in to promote our country’s military.”

“Oh. So, you… you have a uniform and stuff?”

I tried to emulate his best dirty grin, which I had grown to memorize, “Why? Are you into women in uniforms?”

He smile, wide. “I’m into you in a uniform.”

I laughed loudly. “God…”

“You asked!”

“Okay, so, moving on… I was about to move to America for University, but a friend from boarding school who is British was having a big party for her 18th birthday, so I took the train to go to her party and see my friends before moving across the Atlantic…” I turned to look at him, trying to ignore the red still in his cheeks, “Do you know a Clara Clearmont?” He seemed confused. “Big house in West Brompton-”

“As in Timothy Clearmont?”

“Yes, that’s her brother.”

“Oh! Yes, I know Tim. Well, we have friends in common.”

“Do you remember being invited to his sister’s birthday party?”

His eyes became unfocused, and then he squinted. “Yes, he would usually invite everyone, their house is huge… It was a cool, wild part- Oh.” He looked down. “Oh, I’m not going to come out well in this story, am I?”

I smiled, ignoring his question. “So, I was having a grand old time, hanging out with my friends, trying to avoid these really loud, drunk British boys who’d just arrived-”

“Oh, God…” He murmured.

“I went to the bathroom, and right before I opened the door to leave, I overheard some people just outside, talking about the birthday girl… Apparently now she was 18, Clara was, and I quote, fair game.”

“Okay-” He tried to interrupt, but I wasn’t done.

“One of the boys talking mentioned her friends from boarding school were hot too, and one of them, can you believe it, is a princess as well!”

He sighed, longingly, avoiding my eyes.

“And then a voice, now familiar to me, responded, in a slur, oh I saw that one, she has a weird face!”

“Marie…” He started, now using the exactly right pronunciation to my name.

“I opened the door, because I wasn’t about to just stand there and listen to how wrong my face was, but before I could even get past them, the same voice pointed to one of my closest friends and said, and I quote, that one I could just bury myself into all night.”

He used both his hands to cover his eyes, and brushed them up to grab two fistfulls of his hair, eyes still closed. I gave him his time.

In truth, it was hard even for me to conciliate the boy I’d heard say such ridiculous things in a drunk haze years before with the smiley, flirty guy I’d spent the last three days being increasingly charmed by. Sure, he was a flirt, but 29 year-old Harry did not come off as rude, or drunk. Especially not after tonight.

He let out a long breath. “I am so sorry.” I smiled. “Really, I am. I… I was in such a- no, no… no excuses. I’m, I’m just really sorry.”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

“In my defense,” he started, and I tried to prepare for whatever came next, “I was an arse at that age.”

I laughed. “Yes, I know.”

“No, really, I was just… a dick.”

“Yes, I believe you.” I nodded still, teasingly.

“I was… I was just all over the place, I… I had no idea what I was doing… And I promise you, I soon realized just how much of a dick I was and started… trying to be better. I still am, actually. But… god, I’m sorry, Mary.”

“...I know.”

I wasn’t sure how, or if I was right at all. But I did believe him. No one was perfect at twenty-two. Particularly people who went through what he did at such a young age. Royalty screws most of us up, some more than others, and he had it particularly bad.

“Honestly, now that I say it aloud, it does feel… stupid to have held it against you all these years when I didn’t even know you.”

“I don’t know, I think you were right to.”

“Well, I guess. But still, people change. I have. I believe you have, too.”

He smiled, and let out another long breath. “God, Jane Austen would be disgusted at us.”

We laughed. “Yes, resolving the main conflict in three days with a simple, honest conversation? She’d be out of business.”

He smiled.

“Truth or dare?” I asked.

“Truth.”‌

I‌ turned to look at him, hands clasped behind my back. “Do you find a girl to flirt with on every state dinner you attend?”

He laughed, blushing. “No, actually. In fact, this is my first state dinner.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I must say, 10/10. Would definitely recommend state dinners to a friend. The company is particularly interesting.”

“Wow, how momentous. I‌ didn’t know I was witnessing history tonight. Did you also think there would be dancing like in a Disney movie ball? It’s what my sister thinks.”

He smiled, offering me his hand. “Why not? Let’s do it.”

I‌ twirled in my dress towards him, making him laugh, and took his hand with a grandiose gesture.

“This way I can tell her that there was actually dancing this time!”

“Exactly.” He nodded, pulling me close, passing an arm around my waist faster than I could understand. I wasn’t sure if I was dizzy because of the champagne, the smell of citrus on him I could smell again, or the way his blue eyes felt so invasive from up close.

“What shall we dance to?”‌ I asked, in a whisper.

He reached into his pocket, clicked away in his phone, and then returned it to his pocket. We waited as the song started, and he put a delicate, questioning hand on my waist. I was just starting to appreciate his citrus smell when a strong, beat, following a male voice started on a song that was definitely a lot more upbeat than he had intended. I knew this because his eyes widened and he hurriedly found the phone to change the song, but I‌ was already dancing to the beat, still holding on to his hand as I did, laughing at the shock in his face.

“I‌ clicked on a random playlist.” He justified. “It was supposed to be romantic songs…”

“Well, it is!”‌ I‌ returned, “It’s just a happy, romantic song!‌ Come on,‌ Harry”

The song went on to the chorus, now even dancier, ‘Now my feet don't stop movin', and my eyes won't stop lookin', and my mind won't stop racin' with the thought of you’.

He finally surrendered, and started dancing with me, moving his hips in a way no British person should be allowed to. And when the singer said, ‘If you could come one step closer, and just hold me a bit longer’, he pulled me closer in a quick, smooth motion, and passed an arm around my waist so we could dance up close; we swayed to the rhythm, twirling around to the sound of this song that was unknown to us, and the swish of my dress as we moved, ignited by champagne and starlight, and the utterly energetic feeling of being alone with each other in the very symbol of what we both wanted to escape from one way or another: a palace.

I wasn’t sure how it happened, but we were soon breathing the same air, our feet moving fast, his arm around me tight, and his breath along with mine; I joined my arms around his neck, and he laid his forehead in mine, with his eyes closed. His hand caressed my back, my hips, slowly hovering over where he knew my tattoo was as he reached higher to caress my shoulder and follow along my arm, feeling my skin with his palm as we danced; as the room felt warmer, smaller, brighter and darker all at once, as only us existed, no past, no overwhelming future, no lines of succession.

Just Harry and Mary.

And then we heard a noise at the door, and I almost tripped on my own feet stepping back from him too quickly.

“I’m sorry, so sorry, ma’am.” Joyce, my security officer, apologized as she popped her heard in. “Your party is ready to leave, only waiting on you, ma’am.”

“Yes, thank you, I’ll… I’ll be right with you!” I said, a little hoarse.

I cleared my throat when she closed the door, taking in a deep, calming breath. I was glad to see Harry was a little awkward himself. He picked up my shoes, and returned them to me with a sad smile, so I sat down in a velvet green sofa in the corner, and put them on as he did the same with his.

He held the door open for me, and we made our silent way back the same way we had come, with Joyce following a few steps behind. I wasn’t sure I was imagining it, but maybe we were walking a little closer than strictly necessary in such a wide hall, with our hands brushing against each other often, and my lower lip almost swollen at how much I was biting it to keep from smiling.

Once we were back at the gallery where guests were congregating, we tried to act normal, and not many people seemed to have noticed we were gone. But it was hard pretending I couldn’t see the almost too casual smiles on my brother’s face, matching the one in his brother’s and sister-on-law’s.

Auguste came to tell us it was time to make our formal goodbyes, so I gave Catherine a light, quick hug, wishing her the best and thanking her for the lovely three days, which she shakily returned.

“I hope we’ll be seeing you again soon.” William said, with a cheeky smile it was hard not to mimic.

Finally, I curtsied once more to the Queen, thanked her for her hospitality, and stepped back so my father and her could walk out together, as they talked.

Before I could step out of the room, however, I felt a delicate hand hold on to my elbow.

“Truth or dare?” Harry asked, in a whisper.

I looked back at my father, far enough not to hear, but walking slowly enough that I had some time.

“Dare.” I picked, looking at him with, well, hope.

He smiled. “I dare you to go on a date with me.”

I grinned at the floor, brushing one strand of my hair behind my ear.

“Next weekend. I’ll take the train to Savoy. I have a friend who’s got a place there, so I think I can make it without being seen. I can pick you up at… seven, or whenever you leave work.”

“Yes.” I said, nodding.

I think it was the ‘whenever you leave work’ that did it. The willingness to make it work, whatever it took. That’s what made me say yes.

“Okay.” He nodded, offering me his hand.

When I took it, I felt a folded piece of paper, which made my smile grow bigger as I assumed it must have been his phone number.

He raised my hand to his lips, laying a delicate kiss on my knuckles, as his eyes never left mine.

“Your Royal Highness.” He said, bowing his head.

I curtsied, “Sir.”

Then I bit down my smile, quickly hid the piece of paper in my handbag, and followed my grinning brother out of the palace; the future gleamed with possibility.

--- ---- ---

[A/N: Thank you SO MUCH for reading!!! I’d love to know your thoughts! What do you think? What can I improve? What would you like to see?? Drop a message! Thanks <3]

#phff #prince harry fanfic #prince harry fanfiction #princeharryfanfiction #princeharryfanfic #prince harry #brf #chapters #Modern Royalty AU #modern royalty fanfic #modern royalty fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #NEXT WEEK #a glimpse into Maries life in savoy #and she and harry develop an interesting texting relationship

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love-takes-work · 5 years

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The Art of Steven Universe the Movie: Outline & Review

The Art of Steven Universe The Movie was released March 3, 2020. It's a wonderful journey through the concept art, character development, and experience of fashioning these ideas into the movie we all love.

Nuts and bolts: The book is published by Dark Horse, and it was designed by Ryan Sands (a zine specialist), with commentary by Takafumi Hori, Kat Morris, and Rebecca Sugar. It includes art by Rebecca Sugar, Kat Morris, Takafumi Hori, Alonso Ramirez Ramos, Angie Wang, Ashley Fisher, Becky Dreistadt, Chromosphere, Danny Cragg, Elle Michalka, Hilary Florido, Ian Jones-Quartey, Jasmin Lai, Jeff Liu, Joe Johnston, Julian De Perio, Katie Mitroff, Leonard Hung, Miki Brewster, Patrick Bryson, and Paul Villeco.

Full review below with low-quality images.

[SU Book and Comic Reviews]

An introduction explains the same origin story that Rebecca Sugar told us in the movie DVD's commentary: that she accidentally restored her phone to factory settings and lost years of important stuff, and she ended up applying that devastating premise to her movie. That combined with the concept of "breaking" the main premise of a TV show to make a movie was how she got started developing the story. The opening of the movie styled like a storybook is blocked out with some great drawings and breakdowns of which narration would go to what storybook pages. This is combined with some partial sheet music for "The Tale of Steven." Rebecca writes about how she felt having to wrap pre-production on Season 5 only to take on this even bigger movie challenge. The biggest challenge was writing all these songs in such a short time--six weeks--and having to deal with the stress, being crushed under all that pressure while still wanting to do this story so badly, and it was humbling to still have to work so hard to sell the idea. The feeling of relief to finally be done that Steven expresses in "Happily Ever After" is very similar to what Rebecca went through feeling like she wanted to be finally done but still knowing what she had to do to climb an even bigger mountain. Some very cute Steven-at-age-16 and Connie in Space Camp clothes follow. Notes indicate that Steven and Connie are the same height now, but his poofy hair is just slightly higher than her head.

Notes from 2017 also give us the "Neckstravaganza": design notes on Steven's new form, with a neck and a jacket. It's very cool.

Some beautiful Joe Johnston boards follow, with sequences from the "Happily Ever After" song. We also get Angie Wang's final design (with Ashley Fisher's color) of the injector, including some sketchy concept art for it from Rebecca Sugar and Hilary Florido. In the rough concept notes, they call this the "Mega Injector," with notes for Takafumi Hori to use for scale. It looks beyond huge in a Leonard Hung drawing.

Spinel concepts are next. Some notes explain that aivi & surasshu (the usual composers) were involved very early since it was a musical, and Rebecca included them when pitching the story to the Crew so they could organically develop the sound. The heart shape was central to Spinel from the beginning, and early versions of her had an entire heart shape to her head.

(There's a doodle of what looks like a cartoon dog in the pile of drawings shown in this section. It's not clear what that was.)

Spinel was given the heart imagery partly because Rebecca had learned early on about the importance of symbols, and when it came time to assign one to Steven, the star was chosen because it's so positive and is read as gender-neutral. Rebecca still hadn't used hearts for anything, so it was time. They also incorporated really old, dated character design ideas to make Spinel feel like an outdated cartoon from the rubber hose era.

The aspect of her design with the running mascara versus cute eyelashes predated the rotation of her Gem. Rebecca likes to start with more realistic sketches when she's figuring out a character, and then she'll move to making it more cartoony. A quote from Miki Brewster is shared: "Spinel can do anything, as long as it's entertaining!" Her "best friend" form is described as "a doll for friendship fun & games! Of a different era--hokey, charming, weird...super gullible and trusting. Incredibly loyal, constant entertainment machine!"

When it comes to developing her "worst enemy" form, Rebecca explains a bit that she has a really complicated relationship with old cartoons because nostalgia is not compelling to her--the animation from the 1930s is so neat, but considering the social limits and the way the industry was at the time, Rebecca doesn't think she could have participated. Especially considering nowadays she even had to struggle to be allowed to tell the stories she needed to tell and it would have been impossible five years ago. The norms of the time aren't entirely extricable from the art itself.

Takafumi Hori weighs in with commentary on how fun it was to animate a scary but fun character on top of Miki Brewster's boards for the "Other Friends" fight sequence.

Next, moving on from the central new character, they also spend some time discussing Steg. Rebecca first explains "Steg Multiverse" as a character so uplifting he can make you fly, combining Greg's unending support and Steven's positive power. She makes reference to the early "stegosaurus" concepts they had for his look, but they didn't want to lose the opportunity to have his hair flow. Rebecca confirms that the pompadour idea was established in "Steven and the Stevens" so they wanted to give it to Steg, and she credits Paul Villeco for really finalizing his design and bringing him to life.

And of course the poofy hair from Steven and the double-necked guitar was essential for Steg.

Next, the book gives us a whole page of handwritten notes about "Drift Away." Kat Morris explains the intentional duality of the scene--how Spinel should be shown seeing her own past with new perspective, being embarrassed, blending together who she was with who she is. The partial lyrics to the song and some sketchy boards are offered.

Rebecca shares her personal connection with the subject matter--how she once left a stuffed animal in her garden and the side facing the sun faded. It really made a mark on her as a child that things changed without her, because of her actions, and that she'd left this treasured toy alone without thinking about it all that time, letting it be affected by the elements without her interference. She wrote "Everything Stays" for Adventure Time based on that plushie, and realized that she was writing about it again for the Steven Universe movie.

Many beautiful miniature boards are shown in this section.

Partial sheet music for "Drift Away" is also offered here. It's credited to Rebecca Sugar and Aimee Mann. The music sheet is followed by some lovely images of the garden by Julian De Perio, Patrick Bryson, and Leonard Hung.

Takafumi Hori returns for a discussion of the final fight sequence during "Change," which he animated from Jeff Liu's boards. He discusses trying to keep the fight feeling dramatic and serious even though Spinel's fighting style is funny. He wanted to keep her tension. Hori-san throws in a word of thanks for being allowed to work on his favorite show again, praises Jeff and Miki, and compliments Rebecca Sugar's demos. He hoped we'd get a soundtrack album. (Of course, we did.)

Some final boards by Rebecca Sugar and Becky Dreistadt of the characters in their show gear descending the steps close out the book. There are also some cute little doodles at the end on the credits page, like a head of lettuce with caption "lettuce adore you" and Spinel in a drifting go-kart laughing, captioned "drift away."

The back cover pictures Steven with his arm around a heartbroken Spinel, comforting her.

Overall, the book is wonderful--the accompanying information is generally not new to anyone who watched the DVD's documentary and commentary, and many of the sketches have been released one way or another directly by the artists through Instagram, Twitter, or Tumblr blogs. There was still plenty of wonderful new concept art that wasn't already out there, and looking at some of the iterations Spinel and Steg went through was particularly captivating. There was no new insight into the development of the plot beyond the premise and the Spinel-related conflict, though; nothing about how they decided to focus the Garnet storyline, the Pearl storyline, and the Amethyst storyline for how they would each get their memories back, and there was no spotlight on their movie versions--modern Cotton Candy Garnet, copycat baby Amethyst, and factory settings uncustomized Pearl. I was hoping especially for some Amethyst stuff because the movie was the first place we got to see her with the simple default outfit and segmented limbs. It was primarily an art book with commentary on some of the most definitive movie aspects--it didn't reach the depth that Art and Origins gave us. It has a start-to-finish feeling in a sense, but it's mostly just splashes of information that are fun to know. It's a great companion and definitely should not be missed by any fan of the movie. I recommend it heartily!

[SU Book and Comic Reviews]

#steven universe #steven universe the movie #the art of steven universe the movie #movie art book #myblog

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