#if i keep giving you sneak peeks i'll never finish this

[woso-dreamzzz]

Christmas

Hardersson x Child!Reader

Part of The Big Adventures Universe

Summary: It's Christmas

Christmas in your house is a fun mish-mash of Momma and Morsa's childhoods.

In the days leading up to it, you sit at the dining room table with Momma, who helps you make Julehjerter (Christmas hearts) and Julestjerner (Christmas stars) to put on the tree.

It gets a little tricky sometimes with all of the folding but once they're done, Momma gives you big kisses and helps you put them up on the tree.

Decorating the tree is usually left up to Momma and she keeps the colours fairly traditional with reds, golds and greens but this year you manage to convince her to extend it to white and silver when you come back from Coach Emma's office with a little Julestjerner made out of silver wrapping paper because that's all she had.

But your absolute most favourite part is lighting all of the Christmas candles on the days running up to Christmas. Momma lets you hold the long match she buys carefully and guides you to catching the candle wicks on fire.

She and Morsa take you out to see the big lights in town and they bundle you up nice and warm and Morsa even gets you a proper hot chocolate made with milk while you're out.

Your Christmas is a little different from other people's Christmas in England because they wait until Christmas Day to open presents while you only have to wait until it gets dark on Christmas Eve.

You help Morsa make a julbord as you wait for everybody else to arrive.

Not many people have gone back to Sweden to celebrate this year so they're all coming over to your house to celebrate.

"Wash your hands, princesse," Momma says from where she's finishing wrapping everybody else's presents. She's not allowed to help cook because Morsa says she might muck something up so she's been put on wrapping duty.

You help Morsa season the ribs and make the special Christmas ham look nice on the plate before you dutifully go to put it on the table. She makes her special pickled herring too (you never get to eat it unless it's during Christmas) and she lets you sneak one of the spicy sausages early.

The doorbell rings as she takes the potatoes out of the oven and you eagerly try to peek out the front window.

"It's Auntie Stina!" You announce, bouncing on your feet as you wait for Momma to heave herself up from the sofa to open the door.

"Hey!" Aunt Stina says as you crash into her, smiling. "You should leave the door open," She says to your Momma as she picks you up," I saw Zećira and Johanna trying to find a parking space."

She takes you back inside with her and takes a deep inhale through her nose. "Smells good. Pernille didn't make any of this, did she?"

"No," You say," Morsa's in charge. She's the cooking boss! I helped!"

"Did you?" Stina asks," Well, I'll make sure to enjoy everything." She passes you the bag she's been carrying. "Can you put these under the tree?"

Zećira and Johanna arrive soon after, followed closely by Auntie Lina. They each give you presents to put under the tree and Morsa makes you give them all drinks before you can fill your plate with what's on the julbord.

You do a happy little wiggle as you finally tuck in. The adults are all sitting on the furniture but you're happy on the floor, legs crossed and back pressed up against Morsa's feet.

There's a Christmas movie on to keep you occupied as the adults talk around you and you gorge yourself on second and third helpings.

"Is the sun down yet?" You ask, knowing that as soon as it properly sets, you can open your presents.

"Not just yet, princesse," Momma says fondly, handing you the bottle of fancy adult drink that you're not allowed to have," Still a few more hours. Can you fill up Johanna and Lina's cups for me?"

You move over to do as you're told and are immediately tugged into Auntie Lina's lap and tickled savagely by Johanna now that you're trapped.

You nearly spill the bottle as they jostle you but keep a firm hold on it just as Morsa announces that it's time for dessert and your captors release you to eat more.

You're semi-distracted through dessert, tracking the sun as it begins its slow descent.

"Sun's gone!" You report from your spot by the front windows. You look at Momma. "Presents now?"

She pretends to think for a moment before nodding. "Go and hand out everybody's presents," She says," And then you can open your own."

You speed around the tree to make little piles for everybody before settling between Momma and Morsa to open your gifts.

A lot of them are books you read at bedtime or new games and toys. There's a set of paints from Momma and Morsa after you came out of Coach Emma's office one day having spent the whole day painting a picture of the two of them with you at the park (complete with Morsa wearing her Not-Wolfsburg shirt and Momma wearing her Wolfsburg one).

Johanna gifts you a new torch for your room that you can put special things over to make shapes of dinosaurs with the light on the wall. Stina gets you glow-in-the-dark stars to stick on your ceiling and Lina gets you a new ball.

"Gloves!" You exclaim," Thank you, Zećira!" You shove your new keeper gloves onto your hands and clap a few times, turning your beaming smile to look at Momma and Morsa. "New keeper gloves!"

"Thank Zećira properly," Momma reminds you and you give Zećira a big hug and a kiss.

Everyone stays for a few hours after presents have been opened and you get to go to sleep in the Big Bed because Christmas day is tomorrow and Morsa's feeling more lenient.

Christmas Day isn't as exciting as Christmas Eve but it means you get to karrysild on rye bread and æbleflæsk (one of the few things Momma can make) and then play with your new gifts before Momma and Morsa bundle you up nice and warm for your little walk in the park.

"Alright," Momma says in the backyard with you," Do you remember what Zećira told you?"

You nod. "Doesn't matter if it goes in, just as long as I try."

"And?"

"And to roll if it hits me because of the force."

"Good. Okay, ready?"

You nod, excitedly bouncing on your feet as Momma readies her shot.

"Ready!"

[meowmeowriley]

@sergeantwoods Sorry for the long wait, but here's the mer!AU

Think I'll call it Fish Out of the Sea

Ghost x Soap, blacktip reef shark mer!Soap, human Ghost, fluff, getting together (kinda)

Ficlet after the cut 😘

"No."

John sighed, he didn't seem surprised by Shepherd's hard rejection, but he kept trying. Simon had to give props to the fishing boat Captain. "You have the best mer rehabilitation facility in the country. It'd be a shame not to use it."

"You said you had a mermaid. That's not a fucking mermaid, John."

"I said I had an injured mer." He repeated himself from their earlier conversation.

"I'm not taking that thing into my facility."

"He needs help-"

"He's hideous, and aggressive." Shepherd barked. "That thing keeps lashing out, it'll scare patrons, attack my staff, and if that *thing* touches my mermaids, tries to mate with them, I'll have it put down."

"Mers are actually matriarchal, sir." The mer expert, Kyle, finally spoke up. "I've never worked with a shark mer before, but I do know he won't mess with Kate or Rosa, because they won't want him. Since they're together."

"Kyle. For the last time, the mermaids aren't lesbians. They're just fish." Shepherd was one of those who thought of mers as lesser than humans. Obviously.

Simon was standing near the door. No one had noticed him sneak in, but when he'd overheard that the mer was a shark variant, he'd needed to see it. Now, seeing the poor thing huddled in the corner of it's transport tank, curled in on itself, he felt so bad for it. He watched, any time someone went near it it flared out it's dorsal and pectoral fins. It would gnash it's teeth and charge the glass. All signs of aggression in a shark but... as soon as it finished its display it was right back to the furthest corner from the humans. It kept peeking at them over it's own shoulder when it thought they weren't looking. He quietly crept closer.

He took in it's markings, gray on it's back, white on its belly, black tips to it's fins. Claspers on its pelvic fins. A male blacktip reef shark then. His inferior end was all shark, something Simon was very familiar with, as he took care of all of the sharks here at the aquarium, several of them blacktips. His superior end, or top half, he supposed a visitor would (incorrectly) consider it, was new and interesting to him. Though he was vaguely humanoid, his skin was all two tones white and gray, like his tail. He had a wedge shaped snout in place of a human nose, a wider mouth with jagged teeth. Slitted eyes, and a black tipped fin atop his head that reminded Simon of a mohawk. Webbed gray and white hands with black claws rubbed up and down it's own arms in a self soothing gesture. One forearm had an odd angle to it, probably the injury that landed him here.

He retreated from the tank quietly before speaking, interrupting the squabbling of the other men. "He looks like a reef shark to me." Everyone else jumped. "Blacktip reef sharks aren't aggressive. Sure they can get a little iffy during feeding, but they're more curious than anything."

"He's been charging the glass, Ghost." Simon managed to suppress his eye roll at Shepherd's nickname for him. They all called him that here. "Fuck you mean 'not aggressive', you don't know mers."

"No, but I know sharks. He's injured, and defensive. You ever think he doesn't like us because it was something shaped like us that broke his arm?" John winced, he obviously felt bad about it. Not like he could've know he'd caught the mer in his net, but it was nice to see some accountability from a fisherman for once.

"Well we can't communicate with him, so he'll stay scared and defensive." If Simon didn't love the sharks, he would've left this place a long time ago because Shepherd was an absolutely abrasive cunt.

"Kate and Rosa can. And their English is excellent." Kyle spoke up again. "We have them pass on the message of our intentions, and Ghost and I tag team his rehabilitation." Of course he uses the dumb nickname too. "It's the perfect plan! And an incredible opportunity to be one of two aquariums to actually work with a shark mer. The novelty of something so rare will bring in patrons." Kyle was really leaning into Shepherd's true interests here, bringing up money.

Shepherd was quiet for a moment and then, "If anything happens, you're both fired." He then stormed out of the room.

"Thanks, Gaz."

"Of course, Cap."

Now the three of them had to get the shark mer into an appropriate tank.

***

They had initially tried to put him in with the other mers, but he'd seen the sharks in the tank across the hall and told Kate he wanted to be with his own kind. That would make Simon's job easier, anyway. Kate had explained that they needed to put a cast on his arm, and Rosa had wrestled it onto him, since the humans couldn't get too close. They decided to name him John, after Captain Price, calling him Johnny affectionately. Gaz explained to Ghost that part of rehabbing Johnny would be gaining his trust, teach him to communicate. To release him without a way to communicate could lead to him attacking humans and being a problem down the road.

Simon had a plan: ignore him. He was a reef shark, his own curiosity would get him to open up. It took a week.

Simon would feed his sharks from a catwalk above their tank, for safety reasons, dropping their food in in the mornings before they opened their doors. No need to scare any children. For the first week, any time he passed by, Johnny would posture aggressively and gnash his teeth, before snatching up his food and swimming off. When Ghost would gear up and go in the water for his evening shows, Johnny stayed far away. At night, Gaz and his mers would move over and Ghost would mostly just observe as the girls tried to teach Johnny how to speak, and he petulantly ignored them, with a little pout on his face as he refused to even make eye contact with them. It was cute.

The first time he tried to speak was also the first time Simon saw him raise his head above the surface. He seemed frantic. "HAAAH!" He startled a bit at what was most likely the first time he ever used his lungs to breath air. "HAAAAH! AH! YAAH!" he was waving with his good arm. Stretching it out towards the platform between his tank and that of the other mers, thrashing his tail with his fins tucked in. Very distressed. Simon went to check, to see what could possibly be bothering him so much, when he found their elusive fourth mer. Simon had only seen Gary once. Gaz called him Roach, because he hid in the tiniest cracks in the reef in their enclosure, why on earth the isopod mer was on the platform, and not in the water, was beyond him, but he couldn't let the poor thing suffer. He had several of his little legs caught in a grate. Simon spent some time disentangle him. He tossed the infant sized mer into the nearest tank, which happened to be the shark tank, with Johnny. The larger mer immediately dove to catch him. He stroked Roach's antennae back like one would the hair of a small child, a soothing motion. Clearly not as much of a loner as he pretended to be. From then on the little isopod mer could be found clinging to Johnny's sides or fins with his many little periopods more often than not. After that, it seemed that Gary encouraged Johnny's more curious side. The mer's language was mostly outside of the human range of hearing, but Simon occasionally caught clicks, whistles or hums shared between the two.

Simon had left a bucket with soap close to the edge once, the two mers were clearly curious about it, but he didn't think anything would come of it. Which is why it was such a surprise when Johnny stuck a webbed hand in and scooped some out, popping it immediately into his mouth. Simon knew it wasn't enough to harm him, which is why he couldn't help but laugh at the poor creatures misfortune as it sputtered and writhed, making bubbles. While laughing he let his guard down, and was surprised when something struck him, knocking him off the catwalk and into the tank. He opened his eyes and looked around, seeing only Roach, floating downward, listing side to side, tiny head in his tiny hands. He surfaced to see Johnny. "Did you just throw him at me?!" Johnny sunk down so only his eyes and cranial fin were above the water. The little shit. "Not cool, Soap!" He forced his palm out towards the mer, sending a spray of water its way. That seemed to really break down the mer's walls.

Johnny started approaching while Simon would try and clean the tank. At first, darting away if Simon caught sight of him. Eventually however, he would get closer and simply observe. He'd watch Simon work at cleaning the glass or vacuuming the sand at the bottom. It was fun to see shark behavior and mer behavior collide. If Simon sat something down, Johnny would pick it up, and without a doubt if he could get it in his hands, it would end up in his mouth.

There was a small crowd, a child's birthday party had been held over by Gaz's mer tank, the girls were always a hit with the kids, and the little show they put on with Gaz was actually pretty funny. They'd harass him as he pretended to try and do his chores. Slapstick comedy was good for all ages.

Simon had his own show with his sharks, but it wasn't for a few more hours. He was actually just trying to clean. Apparently his cleaning sponge had caught Johnny's attention, as the mer had swam up and was watching him intently. He kept inching forward, eventually crowding Simon against the glass while reaching for his sponge. "Oi!" He said into his respirator, not that anyone could hear him. He shoved Johnny away and kept trying to cleaning, but the persistent bastard just kept coming back. He could vaguely see the crowd observing them through the glass. They were probably laughing. When he'd had enough, he got an idea. He turned when Johnny got close again and placed one hand on his dorsal fin and the other on the underside of his snout. He began to rub at the sensitive underside of the mer's snout, and just like his sharks, the mer entered a state of tonic immobility. He repositioned Johnny, nose down tail to the surface, Johnny's arms hung limply down past his head. Simon quickly withdrew his hands and watched as the mer continued to float for a bit, before blinking vigorously. He shook his head before righting himself, and slapped his tail into Simon's chest as he practically fled to his little cave at the other end of the tank. When he surfaced later, Gaz informed him that the kids were raving about how cool the 'shark guys' were.

Simon had to admit that Johnny was growing on him. He looked forward to seeing him each day. Johnny began trying to get Simon to swim with him. He'd grab Simon's arms and try to pull him into the water when he was on land, or he'd push Simon away from the glass and his cleaning supplies, towards the open water. Sometimes Simon would indulge him, and the two of them would make laps around the tank.

Simon realized, when Johnny began posturing towards the sharks and getting territorial about him towards them, that Johnny was attempting to court him. Worse, he couldn't bring himself to try and put an end to the behavior either. Johnny was getting touchy, he'd run his hands along Simon's sides or chest, in much the same way Simon would to per his sharks, but it felt different. He would push Simon until he floated horizontally in the water, then drape himself across the man.

Simon knew he was getting himself into some deep shit, but he couldn't help the small voice in the back of his head that urged him to reach out, to cradle the mer's rubbery cheeks in his hands. He wanted to kiss him. He was fucked.

***

I hope you liked it! Ngl, I really liked this one. If you don't mind, I might expand on this and make it a multi-chapter fic over on AO3? I wanna explore more of society's reaction to mers, specifically interspersed relationships and where this could go. Let me know what you think, and thanks for the idea!

[viridwns]

Do you know when you'll be able to finish Miscommunication, part 3 with Yan!Douma, Yan!Akaza, Yan!Kokushibo, Yan!Muzan x FEM!Reader?

I have a draft saved rn. It still needs loads of editing and I still need to write the ending. In the meantime, I'll give you a small sneak peek as a reward for being so patient with me ;)

THIS WILL BE EDITED IN THE FINISHED PIECE! IT IS BUT A ROUGH DRAFT

-

Shut up shut up shut up—

Your fingers clench around the fabric that was covering your chest.

It was soaking wet; having absorbed most of the water that was percolating down your hair and skin.

Your heart, it was beating too fast. It was loud in your ears, and by the gods, it hurts.

You pushed yourself even deeper into the hollow trunk of a rotten tree. Your breaths were shallow and uneven.

Calm yourself. Otherwise, they will find you.

You tried to scare yourself into absolute silence, but you were already frightened enough.

You knew everything you did was too loud. With their inhuman sense of hearing and smell, this wouldn't cut it.

You hoped the deer blood that coated your body would suffice as a scent blocker. The still moist substance mixed with your sweat, tears, and even blood if you were unlucky enough to have cut yourself while running.

You begged that the dead of the innocent prey wouldn't be in vain.

Splinters dug into your abused flesh. You bit your lips and squeezed your eyes shut. All to keep a sob from spilling over your lips. You just had to wait for first daylight, the first few rays of sun. Then you would be free.

No,

Not even then.

You had to escape this hell bound country. Maybe then you could find peace.

It's mid summer already—it was still early autumn when I visited Japan.

Has it really been that long? You felt your hands starting to shake at the thought of having disappeared from the face of the earth for so long.

This was the first time you were successful in avoiding their grasp. All it took was pretending to play house with them and gain enough trust.

You had to hold yourself back when they allowed you to go outside the first time. It was hard not trying to leg it the first few times, but it got easier over time when you were carefully working out your escape plan.

Muzan should be recovered by now.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity and feeling miserable, you stopped fighting them. They had been suspicious, which you expected them to be. It took you months to break the armor around Muzan and take his trust in your hands. You had twisted it, played with it, and made him think that you loved him. You felt yourself leaving your body whenever you sweet talked him, fed him delusions; it pained you too much to be mentally present.

You knew how keen Muzan was on having a routine. You gently merged your outside time in his regular schedule, so instead of having to beg to go outside, he almost forced you. It was routine, was it not?

It would be at dead of night when you walked through deserted woods. Taking in every path, every misplaced branch, anything that could make you recognize where you were. The number of monsters walking with you variated every night. Usually, it was all four of them. Sometimes, it started with just you and Muzan, and the rest joining mid walk.

The minute you saw the lake, your plan was set in stone. You subtly suggested cooling down in the water, already loosening your kimono a little. Douma answered with throwing you over his shoulder and almost teleporting to the lake.

The rest didn't really know the intent behind it. You were never this bold with them, certainly not bold enough to suggest skinny dipping.

Your lips started to twitch due to having strained a smile for too long, but you had to pull through. Even when Douma started to undress you, his fingertips adressing every curve with care, you pulled through.

This went on for weeks. It would have been suspicious if you wanted to go swimming every night—you just waited for Douma to suggest it again, which he did, a lot. Even Kokushibo made a subtle comment about it once.

But you knew tonight was the night to make all gears turn.

Muzan had been the one wanting to go for a swim. You had purposely riled him up the whole day long just so he would make this suggestion. A calculated action turning into a wanted outcome.

The other three were out on a mission, just like you had planned.

It was just him and you.

Your legs were wrapped around him, your lips on his, your mind out of your body.

Muzan was in a state of delirium when you cried his name, begged him for more. You knew what he liked, what he expected, and like no other night, you gave it all. You defiled yourself, made your body an object he could own.

Just for this one chance.

When he was at the peak of his high, when you knew his senses were jumbled and overloaded, you pushed a mouthful of wisteria into his mouth—death's kiss.

-

Hihi

[presidentlokis-hornyhelmet]

Cockroach!

Pavitr Prabhakar x f!reader

Summary: Reader is scared of roaches and accidentally finds one in the bathroom. Pavitr saves her + fluff <3 [used Google translate for Hindi words, sorry if it's wrong 😅] My boi has so less fics so i decided to do one myself '^_^ A/N: "N/n" means nickname

"Paviiiiiii beta!", Maya auntie calls from the kitchen. "Can you please get the door? I'm busy." 

"I got it, aunite!" 

Pavitr opens the door to none other than his best friend and partner-in-crime, Y/n. 

"Hey, N/n!", he pulls you into an embrace. You smile and return the sentiment, nuzzling his cheek before pulling away. 

You remove your shoes outside and step in, as is custom in India, greeted with a playful pinch to your cheek by Maya auntie herself. You giggle. She was like a mother to you and you loved her as such. 

"My beti, I haven't seen you in a week! How was your vacation?" 

"It wasn't great without you, auntie. We just got home and I came to see you right away!" 

"Suck up, suck up", mutters Pavitr in the background, gaining a playful slap to his head -courtesy of you. 

"Did you do your exams well? I didn't have a chance to ask you before you left." 

"I think I'll get an 'A', thanks to Pavitr's tutoring." 

You watch him perk up out of the corner of your eyes as your praise.

The boy in question puffs out his chest, showing off his biceps from where he's leaning on the kitchen door frame. "Have no fear, Pavitr is here!"

You cup your mouth, laughing at his antics as Maya auntie playfully shakes her head in exasperation. 

"Pavu can be like that sometimes", she chuckles, leaning into your ear in a stage whisper, "He missed you a lot, you know. Never shuts up about you. And, you know, beti, I keep asking him to already tell you but-" 

"AUNTIE!" 

You both blush as Pavitr hushes the old woman. She just winks at you. Of course, she knows. 

The awkwardness is too much and Pavitr takes your hand, leading you into his room. 

"Okay okay, enough talk, ladies. Y/n and I have some work to do -for a project!", he adds quickly when Maya auntie smirks at him. "I.. that-..auntie!" 

She just giggles and ruffles his hair before walking back to the kitchen, leaving you both standing awkwardly next to each other, flustered. 

Pavitr clears his throat. "She.. she was just kidding, I didn't-" 

"It's okay", you say shyly. 

You have feelings for him too but both of you are just too timid and would rather take it to your grave than admit it out loud. 

He falls onto his bed and crosses one leg over the other, resting his head on his elbows as you sit next to him. 

"So, what has my favourite person been upto in the meantime, leaving me all alone in this big, big city?" 

You playfully roll your eyes. Dramatic little shit. 

"You? Alone? Liar, the whole city is your friend." 

He pouts, trying to look offended, but gives in and laughs. 

You discuss about your project and he shows you some beta models of his brilliant ideas. You stare in awe at the young genius before you, playing with his "toys" as he explains them patiently. 

"Hey, can I use your bathroom for a sec?", you ask when he finishes. 

"Sure. Make yourself at home, N/n! I'll go sneak us some snacks", he winks, peeking from outside his door. 

You shake your head, smiling. It's not that Maya auntie would refuse you snacks, but Pavitr convinced you there was a thrill in food-stealing and you couldn't deny it. 

You shut the door, switch on the light and turn to the sink to wash your face when there it is -the thing that you most fear, the monster of your nightmares -a cockroach! 

You scream bloody murder and run out of the bathroom, colliding into a hard wall. You look up realising it's actually Pavitr. 

"You okay, N/n?" 

"R-roach! Roach!", you point at the bathroom door frantically. 

You stay in the corner as he goes in and stomps it dead, washing his hands before he comes to hug you. 

"Deep breaths, deep breaths.. now exhale.. that's it.." 

You cling onto him and follow his orders, grip loosing as your breathing slows down. His hand circle your waist, holding you firm and secure. You rest your head on his chest, calming down at the rhythmic beat of his heart. 

You only belatedly realize it: you're hugging him, your chests touching each other's. 

He seems to realizes it at the same time too, but instead of letting you go -like every other time- his hands tighten around your waist. 

Pavitr catches your eyes with his own mesmerizing brown eyes; yours unable to leave him, entranced by his orbs as he slowly, gently leans in. Without noticing, you lean in too. 

The gentle touch of soft lips spark fireworks in your body, your nerves tingling with the new feeling of his lips on yours. You could get used to this. 

You panick a little it registers what you're doing, but Pavitr chases your lips, pressing against them firmly and you instantly calm down. He cups your face, cradling your neck as he brings your lips closer. It's his way of reassuring that you have nothing to fear. 

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything." 

You guys jump back as if burned when the door suddenly flies open. Maya auntie is standing there with a guiless face and a bright smile. 

"I brought chai for you kids!", she says cheerfully and sets down the cups. "Did you hear that scream earlier? Where did it come from?" 

"It, uh, it was me, auntie", you say, quite embarresed, running a hand through your matted up hair. "There was a cockroach in the bathroom and I got scared." 

"Aww, poor child." 

Pavitr looks away, blush blooming on his cheeks yet not obvious due to his skin tone. He rocks on his heels, running a hand through his hair. You know he too can still feel your lips on his from the way his eyes never leave you. 

Maya auntie's eyes sparkle mischievously as she smiles and goes into the bathroom, finding the toy roach and throwing it into the trash can.

She smirks under her breath and washes her hands, sighing as she mutters in amusement. 

"Oh, the things an old lady gotta do.."

_________

Reblogs and comments feed my fic dragon <3

[geeky-politics-46]

Naughty Or Nice?

Smut - Explicit content - NSFW - 18+ only!

Pairing: Stephen Strange x Reader

Summary: Stephen gets into the holiday mood & you give him his present early

Warnings: Naughty but not really smut, language, lingerie, Stephen being adorable, suggestions of Christmas roleplay

Not necessarily my favorite work, but I wanted to do something festive. If you like what I've done here, leave a comment & maybe I'll expand it to its full smutty potential.

Stephen had complex feelings towards most holidays, but especially Christmas. It was easier when he worked at the hospital. He could keep himself busy and keep his thoughts away from the lack of family and friends in his life.

Then, after the accident and becoming a sorcerer, he found it hard to ignore the holes in his life that became bigger around this time of year. He had acquaintances. He even had a few actual friends now, despite what he would tell Wong, but they pretty much all had their own families they would celebrate with. So Stephen had still found himself alone.

He had developed a reputation of being a bit of a Grinch, to be honest.

Until this year, anyway. Suddenly, now everything felt different. He had family. One major reason was you. He actually has someone to spend the holiday with. Someone that he loved and who loved him back. Even when his Grinch side would peek out.

This year he had you and his entire outlook on the holiday felt different. America also added to the feeling of having a real family to celebrate with. Sometimes he liked to imagine that America really was your daughter. Although he would never admit it out loud.

So when you recruited Wong and America to help decorate the Sanctum's Christmas tree, Stephen was actually really bummed he had work to finish. He actually really wanted to be a part of the holiday fun this time.

It took longer than he had hoped to complete all the papers and reports that the Avengers insisted he complete to keep them updated on any magical incidents or missions he had joined them on. By the time he started down the grand staircase, he was sad to hear only the faintest sounds coming from where you had been working on the tree. He had missed it.

As he rounded the corner into the room he saw the tree glittering, beautifully adorned with a variety of colorful ornaments. You were busy rearranging various branches and making sure the spacing of the sparkling baubles was correct. Stephen couldn't help but smile and chuckle at your perfectionism. It was one of the things about you he found utterly adorable.

America and Wong were both peacefully fast asleep on the sofa. Whatever Christmas movie they had put on was still playing. America was burrowed under a blanket with her head on Wong's shoulder. You carefully picked up the box with the remaining ornaments from next to Wong, where he had been unwrapping them. Smiling softly at your two helpers who were out cold.

You could easily finish the remainder by yourself. Plus, they were too cute to disturb. So you turned off the lamp on the side table before heading back over to the tree. The soft glimmering lights of the tree and the flicker from the television was plenty of light to work with.

You were completely absorbed in placing the last few ornaments when you felt a presence sneak up behind you. A soft smile finding its way to your lips as a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around your waist. You fought the urge to giggle when Stephen nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck and tickled you with his goatee.

He softly purred as he inhaled the scent of your skin and left a soft, sweet kiss just below your ear.

“You know, as pretty as the tree looks, it pales in comparison to you, darling.”

He kept his voice low so he wouldn't disturb your tired elves on the sofa. You could also tell from the little bit of gravel in his voice and the way he was holding you so firm against him that he was feeling a little frisky.

“Thank you Stephen, but if you are worried about not getting any presents then I should tell you there's already a special one upstairs in our bedroom that you're getting whether you have been naughty or nice.”

He dug his fingers into the soft flesh of your abdomen and nuzzled into your neck even further. You could feel how wide his grin was now, and you could practically see the dirty thoughts starting to swirl in his mind.

“Is that so? Is the present better if I'm nice? Or if I'm naughty?”

You slowly moved to turn yourself around in his arms. Letting your fingers drift from his chest up to play with the bottom of his hair. Your eyes sparkling as they found Stephen's bright blue ones.

“Well since I'm all finished here, and I don't think those two are waking up anytime soon, why don't we go find out?”

Without another word, you took him by the hand and led him to your shared bedroom. Pushing him to sit down on the bench at the foot of the large bed and leaving a passionate kiss on his lips before disappearing into the adjoining bathroom. Peaking your head out and winking at your lover, telling him to get comfy while you prepared his present.

He took the opportunity to light the fireplace with just the flick of his fingers and a few tendrils of his golden magic. Deciding to light the candles on the mantle, too. He enjoyed making things a little bit extra romantic when he could. A sly smirk coming to his lips as he had a sudden idea.

Turning to face the bed, he quickly used his magic to create a small bundle of mistletoe hanging from the center of the headboard. Perfect. Pleased with his work, he reclined on the bed, making sure he had positioned himself directly under the mistletoe, and tried his best to wait patiently for you to reappear with his present. A present that he had a sneaking suspicion was you.

Without fail, just as he was starting to get impatient, the bathroom door opened. Out you stepped dressed in nothing but sexy Christmas themed lingerie and bright red heels. A red babydoll that tied in the front with white marabou fluff around the edges and a matching red g-string.

You knew it was a little silly, but as you sashayed over to where Stephen sat with a mesmerized look on his face, you knew it was well worth the purchase. You carefully climbed up on the bed to straddle his lap, looping your arms around his neck and leaving several teasing kisses on his lips.

“So Stephen, have you been naughty or nice this year?”

He gripped the cheeks of your ass tight and pulled you down harder into his lap. Grinding you into him. Letting you feel his erection growing beneath your cunt.

“Oh I've been very naughty, sweetheart. Very naughty. What luck that I happen to find myself underneath some mistletoe with an incredibly sexy half-naked woman in my lap.”

He suddenly moved to roll both of you over and positioned himself on top of you and between your legs.

“Good thing there are lots of places on you that I want to kiss.”

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

Back to main masterlist

Stephen Strange Taglist: @starkiller-queen @glitterylokislut @verycollectivecreator @chatampr @maskmare931 @lovecleastrange @wheredafandomat @mkixx @evelynrosestuff @katefullerrr @littlepinknightmare @foofarny @stygianoir @saturnsbabe69 @blaxdet @blackrose-92 @ironstrange1991 @rindulacre @nancy-thompsons @wolfatheartandsoul @dangerouslittlefairy @n0obmaster-69 @oliveoilthoughts @onebatch--twobatch @yourmajesty13 @blondekel77 @lil-sweater-slut @gwephen @taramaria @sinceimetyou @slashersrus @coeurgrenaty @cc13723things @just--a-magpie @supervengerslock @strangelockd @dont-feel-so-good-peter @kingsmanperfecthartwin @ghost-lantern @inlovewithloki16 @thefalconandthewinterwidowshield @itssmaugtheterrible @katherinemaximoff @veryfancydoilies @cute-angi @mochacake2016 @prix19 @alexfanficnook @anotheroddfish @namor-is-the-way @xourownsidee @baes-x @dreamingsmile @negar77rd @imaginesfreetotake @ppatricia34me @rougepetale @tis-vereon @divinearchangel @sherlux @hiddlechive @ginnykate @thatesqcrush @friendofplenti @yuugenmomo @holdmyowos @the-royal-petals @lokislov3 @captaincarmel164 @lucimorningst4r @mydearalmira @petalcranberry @singhfae @emotionsareforuglypeople @trappedinlimbo15 @veryladyqueen @icytrickster17 @kentucky-criedfricken @briefhandsstudenttoad @calamityismyspecialtty @sinisterstrange616 @patbrdac @trojanaurora @azu21 @massivehahaao3tree @strangesgirl @rmoonstoner @aphroditesdilemma @asgards-princess-of-mischief

[gurugirl]

The Man Next Door - A Sneak Peek

Note: I don't know when I'll be posting this short series but I do keep getting asks about it. This was an idea sent to me by @jdfan4life and while I do intend to finish it, I clearly have a bunch of other stuff I'm currently writing so it's not a priority. BUT I WILL FINISH IT! So, to tide you over here is a bit of a sneak peek below the pic. Enjoy! xoxo

Summary: Harry's your father's friend but he's also your best friend's dad so things are complicated.

Sorry guys, I don't even know if this is good. I wasn't sure what to pull for a sneak peek but this seems to tell a bit of the story without giving too much away. And as I've said before, I've only written about 10k words of the whole series so there's not a lot to share. Your feedback is welcome as always.

"Stop the elderly abuse. I'm fragile," Harry scoffs, his dimples making an appearance.

You both laugh as Harry keeps his hand over your wrist, holding your arm down by your side. Soon, your laughter dies down and you're both just sitting and staring at one another. This has happened before with you two but it's only happened a handful of times. And like every other time it's happened, you are interrupted.

"Morning..." you hear Robby's voice as he enters the kitchen. Harry releases your hand immediately and stands up to get a mug from the cupboard for his son.

Robby looks at you with squinty eyes and then at his dad. You shrug and continue to eat the last bit off your plate. Robby saw you two. He knew something was happening. He saw how you two were facing one another in silence. He saw how Harry was holding your arm down. He'd heard laughter as he left his bedroom so he knew that just before he saw the scene that there was something to laugh about. But by the time he got to you, you were both silent and staring at one another.

"How'd you sleep?" Harry asked Robby as he started the stove back up to make eggs for Robby.

"Fine. I'm not the one who drank too much last night. Surprised you're already awake in fact." Robby looked at you and sat down on the stool on the other side of you.

"I fell asleep as soon as I hit the bed. You on the other hand were up late flirting with Raul through text message." You laughed as you spoke.

Robby rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Just because you're not getting any doesn't mean you need to be jealous of me. I think we're gonna go out tonight actually."

You and Harry both stopped what you were doing and looked at Robby, speaking nearly simultaneously, "Really!?"

Robby looked at you and then at his dad with a furrowed brow, "What's with you two? I just saw you flirting and now you're speaking in synch with one another? Yes. I'm going on a date."

You looked at Harry and he gazed at you for a moment before clearing his throat, "Think you're seeing things, kid. I'm glad you're going on a date, though. It's good for you."

Robby sipped his coffee and shook his head, "I know. You should probably think about going on a date too, dad. You too." He looked at you and raised his brows.

"Why do I need to go on a date?" Harry turned around and brought a plate of eggs to Robby.

Robby sighed and looked at you before looking at his dad, "Cause I've literally never seen you go on a date, Dad. Her neither to be honest. You both should get out there, and find someone."

You breathe a laugh through your nose, "Oh, now you get one date, that you haven’t even gone on might I add, and you suddenly are the guru on love and relationships?"

"So?! Yeah, I haven't gone on the date yet, but it's still not bad advice, for you to go on a date. You and my dad should probably go together. It's obvious you both have the hots for each other. At least I know you like my dad and you’re fun to be around."

Tags: @michellekstyles @ssaama @sombrioinvernoemveneza @golden-hoax @a-strange-familiar @reveriehs @yousunshineyoutempter @the-gardener-31 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @swiftmendeshoran @luvonstyles @dancinsunflowerkiwi @tiaamberxx @lukesaprince @harrys-foxy @dirtytissuebox @closureesny @lhharrylilpumpkin @evelynlarue @chaptersleftunwritten @justlemmeadoreyou @harrysmimi @itsgigikay @angelbabyyy99 @lllukulele @lanadelharry @novasblogofstuff @gills-lounge @damnasstyles @malwtilda @theroosterswife24 @0oolookitsme

[sopebubbles]

Lone Wolf: Chapter Three sneak peek

I considered trying to make a mood board for about .7 seconds, but im the least aesthetic person on the face of the planet, so im just gonna give it to you straight.

Warnings: this chapter contains explicit depictions of child ab*se, including physical violence and abusive language, please take care.

This time Hoseok didn't knock before entering your room and found you sitting in the same protective position he had left you in. He set the bowl down on the table beside your bed and moved away. You looked between the bowl and him but did not move to grab it until he turned his back to you. He heard you sniff it and hum softly to yourself before the spoon began to clink against the porcelain. You began to take greedy spoonfuls of the hot stew while he walked back into the hallway. From the linen closet in the hallway Hoseok gathered several beloved blankets and fresh sheets. When he returned to the room you were slurping up the thick broth from the bottom of the bowl and set it aside with sheepish eyes, as if he would take such behavior as anything but a compliment.

"Do you want some more?" He asked, but you shook your head. He had a whole pack to feed and you shouldn't take too much. "If you get up for a minute I'll change the sheets."

"You don't have to do that!" Something in your belly felt deep shame knowing how they smelled of your heat and the mess you had made.

"Don't be silly. There's no point in staying in messy sheets. And you don't need to feel embarrassed about it. We all do it. That's why I always keep a lot of clean sheets." You lowered your face at how easily he had seen through you, but got off the bed when he waved a hand at you. "And I brought lots of blankets. Unless you're more of a pillows kind of girl. I'm sure I can find a few spare ones."

"Pillows for what?" You stared at him blankly as he began to strip everything from the bed.

"For your nest, pup."

"Oh. That's okay. I don't nest."

"Jimin said you're not allowed at the shelter, but you are here!" Hoseok said cheerfully, the mere thought of building a cozy nest to sink into filling him with joy.

"No, I mean I don't at all," you replied, and he paused to turn to you.

"Never?" You shook your head. "Why not?"

You scratched your nails up and down your arm, squirmy under his scrutiny and shaky on your legs. Hoseok dropped the spoiled sheets on the floor and when it seemed like you wouldn't answer while he watched you, he picked up a clean sheet and began to stretch it over the mattress.

"It's bad for you, isn't it? I mean, they say it's unhygienic. And it makes omegas lazy."

Hoseok scoffed and turned to give you an incredulous look. "Who told you that?"

You shrugged. You'd heard it at home and probably at school more than once. The few times you had tried to nest they had told you they didn't want it or a lazy omega.

Hoseok was speechless. Who would have told you something so plainly untrue? Nesting was an important part of emotional well being for omegas. It was harder not to do than to do. It was important for the pack, too, making sure that all members had a comfortable place to rest. Making sure that all scents were present was important to maintaining bonds and bringing comfort. How could you deny yourself such a basic need?

Not knowing what to say, he simply finished putting the sheets on the bed. When he was finished he took the old sheets under one arm and grabbed the empty bowl with his free hand. He stopped to look at the pile of blankets and then at you with troubled eyes.

"I'll just leave these here in case you want to give it a try." Maybe your omega instincts would kick in during your frenzy when you couldn't meet your other needs.

May 4th 6am CDT/8pm KST

[psychedelic-ink]

The Seed || Sneak Peek

pairing: joel miller x tess servopoulos

word count: 360

summary: To put it simply, Tess did not want to exist but did so anyway. She stared blankly at everyone and everything. Her mind and heart urged her to make the smart choices. She was quick to eliminate the possibilities that might cause her death. She assessed the weak links of the group. Stayed clear away from them. 

Smart choices. She blamed that part of herself for wanting to approach the Millers.

a/n: I'm very excited for this one, I've been in love with these two since I watched the gameplay, and with the show that love only grew. it's been haunting me for about a week and hopefully, I'll be finishing it soon-ish? We shall see, I'm taking my time and enjoying the process. Writing in third person still makes me nervous so I hope you enjoy this little sneak peek! 💜 (this takes before tess and joel reach the Boston QZ)

“I know you’ve been sniffin’ around for information,” he said in a firm tone, leveling her with a stern gaze. He felt his cheeks burning but couldn’t quite understand why. It was a cold night. “I ain’t gonna give you anythin’. This ain’t a get-together. We’ll travel to Boston with our skin still in place, if lucky, and that’ll be it.” 

“I agree.” 

Joel raised an eyebrow, his fingers tightening around the long muzzle of the rifle. “See you say you agree,” he grunted. “But you’re still sittin’ there, eager for a conversation.” 

“I never said I wanted a conversation,” Tess answers, her brows inching closer as she assessed him with a humorful smile. It made him feel stupid. Like she was in on some kind of joke that he wasn’t aware of. “I don’t care about you, Joel.” 

He blinked, confusion etching into the growing lines of his face. His lips parted, the air between them tense for multiple reasons. Tess sighed and leaned back as she arched her back, her spine craving from the pressure. She looked like a cat in a sunbeam. 

“I don’t care about your brother either,” she confirmed something that Joel already knew. “And if I’m being honest, I don’t really care about myself either but here I am, trying to survive. Get to Boston, hope FEDRA is better there.” 

“It won’t be.” 

“Well,” she answered, her voice growing soft along with the green of her eyes, slightly brighter compared to that swamp color. “A girl can always dream.” 

Unlike her, Joel did not soften. In fact, he hardened. He moved his jaw, locking it tight. His shoulders stayed firm, and his gaze, devoid of any color, looked directly into her own. 

“Was there a reason for you you tellin’ me you don’t give to shit about my brother and I or did I miss it?” 

“I’m just keeping everything out in the open,” the light faded in her eyes and Joel relaxed upon seeing it return. “I don’t care about you two, you don’t care about me. So how about we make this trip a useful one for the three of us.” 

[justdillydally]

Will You Still Love Me? (Gwayne Hightower x OFC) 4

Chapter Summary: Rhaella received an unexpected invitation from none other the Queen herself.

Chapter Rating/Trigger Warning for the chapter:  Teen and up audiences

Note: This chapter is shorter compared to the previous one and I thought I should post this because it will take much longer I stick with the original plan. The song I posted in here is originally from ASOIAF and take no credit to it. We have Queen Alicent and a sneak peek of Otto scheming hehe. Let me know your thoughts! Thank you for the likes from the previous chapter. Hope you enjoy this one.

@deniixlovezelda @loverslikeghosts

“Ser.” She bowed to Gwayne, her voice steady despite the tumultuous emotions churning within her, before she walked toward the King who had called for her to perform. As she moved away, she felt the lingering sensation of Gwayne’s gaze on her back, a reminder that their dance was far from over.

A lump formed on her throat with each step she took towards the king. Rhaella held her head high, ignoring Gwayne’s piercing gaze. Taking the space just beside the royal table, she had her hands clasped tightly together. Once the familiar melody was played, she took a deep breath and began to sing.

“Look how the light of the town,

Tlights of the town are shining now,

Tonight I'll be dancing around,

I'm off on the road to Galway now.

Look how she's off on the town,

She's off on a search for sailors though,

There's fine fellas here to be found,

She's never been one to stay at home.

Home you'll go and it's there you'll stay,

And you've work to do in the morning.

Give up your dream of going away,

Forget your sailors in Galway.

Come now and follow me down,

Down to the lights of Galway where,

There's fine sailors walking the town,

And waiting to meet the ladies there.

Watch now he'll soon be along,

He's finer than any sailor so,

Come on now pick up your spoons,

He's waiting to hear you play them.

Here today and she's gone tomorrow,

And next she's going to Galway,

Jiggin' around and off to town,

And won't be back until morning.”

Her voice smooth and melodious capturing all the eyes in the crowd. She bowed once the song was finished; the crowd cheered and gave her a round of applause.

“Thank you Rhaella.”King Viserys clasped a hand on her shoulder.

“ It’s my pleasure, your Grace.” She beamed a smile at him. “The tourney is a success. I’m pleased to be part of it although I’m afraid, I must head to my chambers. I might have drunk more wine than my stomach can carry.”

Viserys laughed merrily. “I bid you good night, niece.”

“Enjoy the rest of the festivities, Your Grace.” She curtsied to the King then to Queen Alicent whose eyes seemed like ready to bore a hole in her head.

She rushed to Qarl’s side, not wasting any second. Walking in haste with her escort to her chamber, she deliberately avoided the crowd, not giving Gwayne a chance to continue their dance.

=x=x=x=x=x=x==x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x==x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=

My Dearest Daughter,

After receiving the news particularly your brother and Rhaella, I commend you for raising this concern to me. Gwayne crowning Rhaella as Queen of Love and Beauty may be born of admiration and I shall be surprised if it has not reached Daemon’s ears. You are aware of Gwayne’s lack of interest with politics but with his actions, he is placing himself at the very center of it.

Targaryens are not completely immune to affection and should Gwayne pursue his feelings to Rhaella, it could be turned to our advantage. It is essential to keep Rhaella close keep her away from undue influence that could ruin her. Should she develop fondness to your brother, her allegiance may shift, and we may find an ally to her. She will be better off with his influence than her own father.

Your brother is stubborn and will refuse to play the games in the court of King’s Landing. Do not bid him against his will. You may help foster their relationship in the shadows, mend ways for them to spend time with one another without them realizing they are guided by us.

Though I am far from King’s Landing, know that I am with you in spirit, and I will continue to provide counsel as best I can.

With all my love,

Your father

Alicent threw the parchment onto the fireplace. The fire engulfed the letter, joining the pieces of darkened wood. “Has Lady Rhaella arrived from her morning ride?” She asked her ladies-in-waiting, eyes laid on the parchment that was turning into ash.

 “Yes, your Grace.” A reply came from one of her servants.

Once the Queen was certain that the letter was beyond recovery, she turned around to face her servants. “Have some tea prepared in the gardens and tell Lady Rhaella that I wish to have tea with her this afternoon.”

=x=x=x=x==x=x=x==x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x==x=x=x=x=x=x==x=

After dedicating the entire morning to her training, Rhaella was more than ready for a moment of rest. Her pillows and sheets were neatly arranged, and without hesitation, she threw herself onto the bed. Exhaustion was beginning to take over, but she knew she couldn't stay long. Soon, she would have to leave her chamber to visit Princess Rhaenyra, whose babe was due any day now.

Her eyes had just closed when a knock on the door jolted her awake. A frustrated groan escaped her as she forced herself to sit up. “Who is it?” she called, rubbing her temples.

“Lady Genna, my lady. I serve as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen,” a familiar voice replied from behind the door.

Standing up, Rhaella quickly straightened her clothes and ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to tame the mess. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror but sighed in defeat; her efforts barely made a difference. "Please come in," she called, resigned.

The door creaked open, and a blonde woman in a blue dress entered. Lady Genna, who looked about the same age as Queen Alicent, curtsied. “Lady Rhaella,” she greeted formally.

Rhaella mirrored the gesture. “Lady Genna.”

“The Queen wishes to have tea with you in the gardens,” Genna announced.

Wishes? Rhaella knew better than to believe it was merely a request. Ser Qarl, who stood near the door, gave Lady Genna a wary glance before turning his gaze to Rhaella. “Tea we shall have, then,” Rhaella said, smiling faintly. “But I will need a moment to prepare. I doubt the Queen would appreciate me arriving in such a state.”

Genna’s lips curled into a polite, tight-lipped smile. “I shall inform Her Majesty.”

“Thank you, Lady Genna,” Rhaella replied, watching as the woman departed. She exchanged a brief, concerned look with Qarl. No words were necessary—they both knew this sudden invitation was more than it seemed.

“Fetch my ladies, Ser Qarl. I’ll need some assistance,” Rhaella instructed with a grimace.

Without a word, Qarl left to fulfill her command. Alone, Rhaella stared at her reflection in the mirror, her brow furrowed in thought. What could the Queen want? What did she know? When her ladies arrived, they helped her dress, braiding her hair and ensuring she looked presentable in the Queen’s presence, knowing full well how much Alicent valued decorum.

When she entered the gardens in her red and black gown, Rhaella carried herself with poise and elegance. A small table and chairs were set up in the corner, and Queen Alicent was already seated, nibbling on a piece of cheese, her green dress blending with the garden’s lush surroundings. Lemon cakes and cheese adorned the table, alongside a teapot and two empty cups.

“Your Grace, thank you for the invitation,” Rhaella said, bending her knee in a respectful curtsy.

Alicent rose, her smile practiced but cordial. “Lady Rhaella, thank you for joining me. I thought it might be pleasant to enjoy the gardens, especially with the weather so fair.”

A servant poured tea as the two women sat. Rhaella clasped her hands together tightly, unsure of how to begin the conversation. Did Gwayne say something to her? Had Rhaella unwittingly angered him? Was she about to be punished?

The Queen broke the silence, to Rhaella’s relief. “It must have been quite the surprise yesterday—my brother crowning you the Queen of Love and Beauty.” Her tone was soft, gentle.

“It was, Your Grace. I am honored that Ser Gwayne bestowed the title upon me,” Rhaella replied, a polite smile matching the Queen’s.

She stirred her tea, avoiding Alicent’s gaze. “I grew up far from Gwayne, but I know he does not play false courtesy like many at court. His actions have garnered attention, along with your name. I hope the attention isn’t overwhelming,” the Queen added, her words seemingly kind, but with an undertone of curiosity.

Does the Queen worry about her brother's attachment? Rhaella chose her words carefully. “Rumors and whispers are part of court life. I appreciate your concern, Your Grace, and I understand if you are worried for Ser Gwayne.” Her violet eyes met the Queen’s, unblinking.

Alicent’s expression softened. “I know how difficult it is to have eyes on your every move, to have people judge your every action.” She sipped her tea, eyeing Rhaella over the rim. “I care for my brother deeply, as I care for you, Rhaella. Navigating the Red Keep without proper guidance can be dangerous, and I would hate for either of you to be caught in rumors that do neither of you justice.”

Rhaella took a slow sip of tea, buying herself time. Her spine straightened as she considered her response. “I assure you, Your Grace, Ser Gwayne and I… we are merely acquaintances. There is nothing more between us.” There could be nothing between us, she thought, forcing the idea away.

Silence lingered again as Rhaella picked up a piece of lemon cake, while the Queen finished her tea. Rhaella knew it would be difficult for Alicent to trust her. After all, she was the daughter of the Rogue Prince, and many at court believed she would follow in his footsteps.

Alicent set her cup down with a gentle clink, breaking the quiet. “I hope you do not find my words too overscrupulous. You are still young, Rhaella, and you have many challenges ahead. I can only imagine what it must be like to be Prince Daemon’s daughter.”

Rhaella smiled, this time more genuinely. “My father is often away, fighting wars or in exile. He may not always be at my side, but he cares for me in his own way. His letters give me strength.” She couldn’t help but notice how Alicent’s eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of her father’s letters.

“I understand the importance of fathers, even from afar,” Alicent replied, her tone softer now. “My own father is in Oldtown, but we remain in close contact despite the distance.”

The Queen’s words struck a chord. “Daughters often bear a heavy burden, don’t we?” Rhaella said, her shoulders relaxing a bit. It was something her mother had always told her—that daughters were expected to appear strong, especially those in positions of power. Alicent’s father had moved mountains to place her as Queen, while Rhaella’s mother had always instilled in her the importance of duty as Runestone’s heir.

Alicent nodded, a touch of sadness in her smile. “I speak only from experience. Our duties are paramount, and we must tread carefully.”

For the first time since her arrival in King’s Landing, Rhaella glimpsed the woman behind the Queen’s mask. She finished the last of her now-cold tea and set her cup down. “I will take your words to heart, Your Grace.”

Alicent reached out, gently placing her hand over Rhaella’s. “That is all I ask.”

Rhaella met her gaze, unsure whether the Queen’s concern had truly reached her or if this was a subtle warning to stay away from Gwayne. Either way, the message was clear. “Thank you, Your Grace.

=x=x=x==x=x=x=x=x==x=x==x=x=x==x=x=x=x=x=x=x==x=x=x=x

Walking briskly through the corridors of the Red Keep, Rhaella had no time to waste. Word had just reached her that Princess Rhaenyra was in labor. Yet, her thoughts lingered on the Queen’s sudden interest in her, concern clouding her mind. Did the Queen view her as a threat to her brother?

“Lady Rhaella.” If not for the auburn-haired knight blocking her path, she might have missed him.

“S-Ser Gwayne,” she stammered, her eyes flicking to his, drawn to the familiar blue.

“Is something troubling you?” he asked, his voice laced with worry as he bowed his head slightly.

“I—no.” Rhaella shook her head, unwilling to disclose her unsettling conversation with his sister.

Gwayne raised an eyebrow, studying her closely. “Your body is here, but your mind seems elsewhere. Either that, or you’ve been ignoring me.”

Had he been calling for her? Rhaella averted her gaze, scrambling for a response. “You need not worry, Ser. I’m merely concerned for the Princess’ wellbeing. She’s about to give birth.”

The knight sighed, stepping aside to lean against the stone wall. “I didn’t have the chance to bid you farewell last night. You left the festivities in such a rush, I wasn’t able to say goodbye.”

She clasped her hands tightly, summoning the courage to meet his eyes. “My apologies, Ser Gwayne. I had too much wine and couldn’t stay.”

Gwayne scoffed lightly, shaking his head. “You danced quite well for someone claiming to be drunk.”

Biting her tongue, Rhaella resisted the urge to retort, mindful of the secret Gwayne still held over her. She forced a polite smile. “My apologies if I caused any offense.”

“Lady Rhaella—” Gwayne began, but both turned toward the sound of boisterous laughter coming from around the corner. Rhaella’s brow furrowed at the noise.

“You should’ve heard her sing,” a deep voice said. “Doesn’t matter if she doesn’t have silver hair, she’s pretty enough.”

“Don’t forget, dragonless,” added another voice, higher-pitched than the first.

“A Targaryen without a dragon is like a cat without claws. Might be easier to tame her. But who knows?” More laughter followed, and Rhaella’s fists clenched at her sides. They didn’t need to name her; it was obvious who they were talking about.

Gwayne tensed, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword’s pommel.

“No.” Rhaella gently placed a hand on his arm.

“They are—” Gwayne started, his voice tight with restrained anger.

“They’re only speaking the truth,” she cut him off, her voice soft and tinged with sorrow. “I am a Targaryen without a dragon.” Tears welled in her violet eyes.

Gwayne’s posture slackened, his anger giving way to concern. “Lady Rhaella…”

She released his arm, quickly wiping away the tears. “I must go. The Princess needs me,” she whispered, her voice trembling as she hurried toward Maegor’s Keep.

Without another word, they parted in silence.

[kwanisms]

How do you have the motivation or the time to write these heavenly fics of yours?

I struggle to write up to 500 words a lot of the time, you're here writing novels and I'm inspired-

How do you keep the mental endurance up for so long?

Hi! Hello! ((And thank you :> ))

So I'll be honest, sometimes I struggle to write a lot. I've only recently gotten out of a mental brain fog and I have the ateez concert to thank for that. The massive bursts of inspiration I've had lately are due entirely to that concert because that was an ✨️ experience ✨️. I'm gonna put everything under a read more so the post isn't too long cause sometimes I be yappin lol

The main way I'm able to write longer fics is by establishing a detailed setting. Worldbuilding is one of my favorite parts for longer fics and series. I spend a lot of time early on in the planning period doing research, making sketches, floorplans, and finding inspiration pics for my fictional towns, cities, and worlds.

I also make character profiles for all series to establish their likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, fears, goals, etc. It helps with my worldbuilding. The more detailed a fic, the more details in the character profile!

Another major thing I do is sit down and decide what my main conflict is in the story and how do I want to resolve it? I then write down major plot points and keep a note of all of these in a Google doc. Then I can start outlining around these plot points. Outlining sometimes takes the most time for me because I tend to change my mind sometimes. For chapters, I like to establish a climax for each but nothing that would overshadow the main conflict. I also write above the outline for each scene so I don't stray too far from it but still have room to wiggle. I also tend to let the story do what it wants and add things or change them around a bit as I write. I also implement rough, second, third, and even final drafts for stories.

I also sometimes share what I have done so far with my close friends/mutuals on here to get their opinions and that also helps motivate me to keep going! @yoonguurt @anyamaris and @nebulousbrainsoup see a lot of my sneak peeks or get access to docs to read, give feedback, and help with grammatical errors. I also take a lot of screenshots of some parts and send those to them on discord without any context and when they scream, it motivates me to keep it up lol I like to torture my friends with content about their faves. It fuels me (:<

For some series, I like to make playlists to listen to when working on them. I pick songs I feel embody the characters and plot as well as some that just sound like they fit the vibe. And sometimes one song really gets my brain going and I play it on repeat until I'm sick of it (Halazia has been my saving grace with these Library of Illusion prequels. I put it on and my brain just does the thing. It's like magic).

I also have a plethora of visual content to help me when I'm feeling like I don't know where to go. It's silly but I make a ton of moodboards for stories that never get shared on here because they're just to motivate me.

I also use tools like sprint bots in discord to force me to get something down. I'm competitive by nature so I like to use sprinto which tells you your wpm at the end and if you sprint with others, it ranks you by who has the fastest wpm. Sometimes I get up to 80 wpm with that thing.

I also like to make goals for my wips, in the form of word counts, plot devices, etc and when I reach those goals, I can either close out the fic or set a new goal. Most of my goals are word counts. I take into consideration how long the outline is and pick a reasonable word count that I think I could hit. And sometimes, I don't hit that goal and that's okay because if I finish writing and I'm happy with it, that's all that matters really.

Most of the time, I churn out anywhere from 5 to 10k because I've been doing this for 6 years now. And sometimes I sit down and accidentally write 40k and edit down to 30 because I can't seem to stop yappin lol

I highly enjoy reading stories with intricate plots and lots of worldbuilding so that's what I like to put out ((:

It's not easy for sure and sometimes I do lose inspiration but when that happens, I always change gears and work on something else for a while. I do this often within one story. If a scene I'm working on just isn't flowing, I'll move to another scene. For oneshots, I often write the smut first and then write around it. I never write from start to finish unless it's something under like 5k. I'm always bouncing around from scene to scene lol

And as far as time, I work a job where I'm able to pick my own hours and shifts. I was also sick with covid for half of August so I had a LOT of time to sit at my laptop and just write lol as football season in America picks up, I'll have less time than I did while I was sick lol

But that's basically it. And if you have any questions about specific processes like outlining or worldbuilding, I'm happy to answer them! You can send in asks or DM me! This goes for anyone reading this, too!

[keyh0use]

also the rest of the pogues reaction n toppers

okay wait so I actually wrote out a whole big thing for the Sarah one (and I had intended to put the pogues reactions there too) and it just won't let me finish it. or post it as is, which is super annoying so I'll give the rundown here Sarah definitely knew something was up with Rafe as soon he started sorta kinda dating Barry, she just didn't know what. Her and Wheezie teamed up to try and sneak a peek at his phone or weasel information out of Kelce and Topper but came out empty-handed. After ending her relationship with Topper and joining the pogues, her relationship with Rafe grew tense and they stopped hanging out at all, every interaction ending in argument. She came across him and Barry by a stroke of luck, I would think like while at a bookstore she tagged along with Pope to and catches Rafe carrying around a stack of books for the guy he's trailing after. Sarah watches them from behind a bookshelf and Rafe is laughing at something the man leaned over to whisper and they're bumping shoulders like they've been friends forever. Rafe pays for the books <3 (its a tiny little store, they probably cost like $2 altogether but it makes Barry giddy and turn away to smile) Sarah is left feeling so confused because since when did Rafe have a friend on the cut? Since when did Rafe make new friends at all? They even seemed more buddy-buddy than he is with Topper. After bringing up her weird discovery with the pogues they come to a collective agreement that there's no way Rafe isn't scheming to hurt them or something So they make a plan to hunt down Rafe and stalk him, ending up at a pub where he sits across from the stranger Sarah saw him with at the library. From where the group is hiding it looks like Rafe is blushing, unable to hold eye contact with the man leaning over the table and grinning at him. Then JJ is like wait, seriously, guys? I thought you said Rafe was hanging out with some strange man? That's just Barry. And when he gets a bunch of confused looks in response, he says in disbelief, you know, Rafe's boyfriend? Local drug dealer? Anybody? No? Once the protesting dies down, JJ tells them about how Barry made this new rule that clients weren't allowed coming over after 7 and how his father was pissed and complained about it all the time. And then one day his dad drove over there right at the cutoff to beg and from the truck JJ could see the two cuddled up by a bonfire. Rafe was in Barry's lap and they definitely kissed and the dealer looked beyond annoyed at the interruption but he ran in and got the stuff anyway just to get rid of Maybank Sr. Personally, JJ didn't care and he wasn't all that surprised either. Customer falling for their dealer? Classic. They're all staring through the window then, watching Barry take Rafe's hand as he sips beer. Kiara makes a joke about being sick to her stomach, that dating a drug dealer is low even for someone like Rafe. That the two together are going to tear up the whole damn island and cause havoc. That someone (Sarah) should step in and say something Pope definitely disagrees. He's been on Rafe's shit-list for a long time and he'd love for the kook to be too busy hanging off Barry's arm rather than swinging a golf club at innocent people. John B. doesn't think Rafe deserves to be happy. I mean, a few of them don't but he agrees that they should just leave the two alone to destroy each other. And makes a statement that hopefully being busy with someone else will keep the focus off them Sarah is really upset. There's no way after the events of the show (even season 1) Rafe is too possessive of this one thing that gets to be only his. Of course Sarah doesn't know that. She just knows her big brother who has never been on a date or taken anyone to midsummers is suddenly in a serious relationship and JJ knew before her.

Rafe and Sarah used to gossip and cover for each other and now he's been spending who knows how long down on the cut messing around with someone who makes his addictions worse. And Sarah didn't know.

She definitely cries about the downfall of their once close relationship and isn't sure if it's mendable.

[dalekaiken]

how did u come up with the initial ideas for ur fics ?? :3

I'll reply with my current multichapter fics bc my oneshots are mostly... Sudden ideas I get, such as Keeping Promises being a fic I wrote in one sitting after finishing Unleashed bc I was inspired. XD (Or I wrote the first draft in one sitting but you know-)

DNA Collision: I absolutely adore when people draw Shadow with more alien-like features, such as giving him yellow scleras, tiny scales, or a third eye! But the fanart made me think... What if there was a reason Shadow looked like that/more alien, especially considering that he didn't originally even know he's half alien. My original idea was that Eggman would do something that would make him mutate, but then I thought it might be a bit of a lazy choice, plus then fixing it would be a lot easier because they'd already know the cause. My bestie came up with the idea that it would happen suddenly while Shadow was racing/using Chaos Control, and I liked that idea. (I can't tell how/why it happens since that's a spoiler, but you'll find out eventually ehehe). I like aliens, sci-fi, and body horror (although I don't wanna make the body horror parts too graphic in the fic but still. It's a part of it), but there's also metaphors etc. in it. I'll probably talk more about those once I finish the fic, because for now I want readers to make their own interpretations and speculations >:3

Prophecy of Chaos: The ship I was super obsessed with before Sonadow was Catradora, and since I tend to like certain types of dynamics, I kinda noticed lots of similarities between them XDD (I mean, they're a snarky hero with a heart of gold and their former enemy with a traumatic backstory) I think I also saw a tumblr post where someone pointed out that the way Boom!Shadow acts is like a bitter ex/former childhood best friend, and that made me think... What would Sonic and Shadow be like if they had been childhood best friends who had a falling out? I think I jokingly told my friends like "what if I made an AU that's kinda like the premise of She-Ra but with Sonadow" but then I actually got invested in it. It just works so well with Sonic characters and Sonic lore, with the whole chosen one thing and friendship being a big theme in both series. My bestie @tillytilli had lots of suggestions for the AU, and then I asked if they'd like to be a co-creator. Plus with two people working on it made it possible for us to make several illustrations for each chapter; usually three art pieces for each chapter, one by me, one by Tilli and one being a collab between us. So yeah, the premise and some elements are inspired by She-Ra, but the plot will differ a lot since we didn't want it to just be a retelling of that story, we wanted to also make it our own story. Plus we haven't really assigned the characters certain roles (except the obvious ones, like Sonic having Adora's role, Shadow Catra's, Infinite Shadow Weaver's, and Eggman Hordak's. But even some of those are a bit mixed, especially between Sonic and Shadow) because we felt like it would limit the characters too much, and we wanted them to be themselves first and foremost if that makes sense? (So like. You don't need any knowledge of She-Ra to read the fic. Sonic knowledge is more important since there's lore and references XD)

Impactful Skip: I came up with the idea around the time the sneak peek of Sonic and Nine in Sonic Prime came out. Since Nine was a traumatized child because he never met Sonic, it made me think... How would Tails turn out if he had had Sonic, and then lost him? Because he would know what he was missing. Sonic and Tails are so close that I feel like neither of them would be the same if they lost each other. I think I was also subconsciously inspired by that one episode of Futurama where Fry has to test the time machine with Bender and the Professor so he's late from his date with Leela, but the time travel goes wrong and Leela thinks he's dead. (This scene especially always BREAKS me) I didn't like... Actively think about that episode while thinking about the premise, but then I remembered it after a while and was like OH. Another inspiration for it was that one tumblr post I can't find sadly but it was like... "Why would you tell a post-apocalyptic story if not to show the kindness of humanity?" And it's a big part of Impactful Skip, because while Tails has turned against all his friends, his friends still stick together and try to find hope and kindness towards one another even in a world with barely any hope left.

Thank you for asking! I'm really enthusiactic about these stories so I'm always happy to explain about them! ✨✨

[amorelray]

I'm Writing a Fanfic 😅

"Bakugou Katsuki isn't weak and he surely isn't going deaf either. At least, that's what he tells himself when he discovers that his amazing quirk has been slowly backfiring on the hot-headed blond. Navigating UA against other competent (not that he'd admit it) heroes, honing his quirk, making friends, and doing his best to be top of the class, Bakugou misses the tell-tale signs of the one thing that would create an obstacle for him later on in life.

When he's finally delivered the news of his hearing, Bakugou hides this new "weakness" from everyone he can - including his best friend, Kirishima. Over the years, Bakugou tries to keep a "handle" on this new obstacle without giving it away to anyone in his class. During this time, a budding pining develops for Kirishima and he has no idea what to do about it. They've talked about almost everything under the sun, sparred together, and even shared a bed - but Bakugou still can't confess this "weakness."

It's in their 3rd year when an accident happens, and Kirishima is hurt, that Bakugou finally accepts his diagnosis and makes a decision.

But what will happen for the pining two 5 years after graduation?"

For New Years I set a goal to write something that is (at minimum) 50k words.

Back in 2020, I had an idea for a KiriBaku fic and began brainstorming. Over the course of the last 2 years, I had started the fic, but never had the drive/inspiration to finish it. However, this year, I'd like to continue working on it (& maybe even complete it).

I'm going to be writing roughly 4k words a month (which might be 1-2 chapters, depending) if you'd like to follow along with the story.

I'll do my best to update on this blog whenever a new chapter is up & maybe even some sneak peeks about coming chapters.

Anyways, I'm hoping to have a new chapter posted at the end of every month!🎉

Thank you in advance for your support!💖

~ Ray😊

[rquerdo]

I finished Saints Row (2022) and I have some thoughts...

If you guys know, I'm a fan of the Saints Row series ever since I can remember. I remember watching the a few game plays of Saints Row 2 and immediately was intrigued. So intrigued that I remember getting hyped up for the 3rd game and watched any leaks Volition and Deepsilver threw at us. Well, it's hard to say for the games after the 4th and reboot. I just want to discuss the Saints Row (2022) but if I mention the other games, I'll try my best to make sure it pertains to the reboot.

Keep in mind: These are just my opinions and by no means am I a professional reviewer or critic. Also possible spoilers.

First off, let's talk about the name they gave the game....Saints Row. Not to get mixed up with...Saints Row. But I thought that was such a poor move on branding. Little moments where I would stream Saints Row (2022 not the original), Twitch would mix the two up. Not only that, searching for guides and walk throughs were a bit messy as well. My suggestion: Give it a name that has Saints Row, but change it up. Example: Full House (the OG), Fuller House (the series). Maybe name it "The 3rd Street Saints". Just. Something. Else...

Graphics:

.... Yikes :)

Everyone's skin is so gross and THAT HAIR TEXTURE! You can literally see every pore as if it was marked with a highlighter-it was bad. Their skin looked so bumpy and it made the characters look more alien-like than realistic. I get it, we all don't have clear skin, but that skin's not human. As for the hair, it's stiff as a board and every time you wear an accessory, the hair goes right through it so sorry if you wanted to give your character longer hair.

The Outfits:

So my biggest issue with the outfits is this huge glitch. I'll talk about the glitches in a bit (because trust me, there's a lot) but I just want to talk about the overall, outfits that are available for the characters.

Overall, not the worst selection-but not the best. I was a bit annoyed where there are so many smaller stores with few items to choose from around the city compared to having 3 or 4 big stores with a bigger category to choose (like how they did in all the other games). Personally, I thought this was quite cheap of them to do that. Not sure how much they showed off the stores when doing their sneak peek game plays, but if they bragged about a "wide variety of clothing", then there's nothing to brag about, really-probably about the same as 3 and 4.

Story line:

Remember in Middle/high school where you have that one teacher or faculty member that tries too hard to make you or your peers laugh but instead, makes you cringe? Well, that was this game. To me, it felt as if the writers were trying to hard to appeal to the Gen Z audience.

Hear me out:

In the beginning of the game, you and your friends are struggling to make ends due, so each of you guys join separate gangs (Which if that was realistic, all of them would've been killed since they have some sort of affiliation with their gang's enemies; each other). Until, you and friends decide on creating The Saints (they never said 3rd Street Saints), your character would not shut up about how they can't pay rent or how they don't have medical insurance. Regardless or not if you find that funny, after the 3rd or 4th time hearing them on repeat, it makes them sound whiny and annoying.

The ending was alright. But leading to the ending was baffling. Something that I like about the 2nd and 1st game is how you can progress each story line one gang member at a time and when the gang member's story finishes, you move on to the next until you eventually get the prologue and ending. This game's like: We work for other gangs, we made our gang, party!, end of game.

Side story line/ non-main game play:

I actually enjoyed it. I'm happy with the things to do throughout the city and I often catch myself sidetracked with a few hitman missions or being an evil "yelp" reviewer on stores. I found it a bit annoying with the lack of fast travels, but I think that's a personal preference than anything. Overall, I do see myself going back to finish all the side missions and challenges

I will say, I've been working so hard to get the Let's Pretend store available to use, I was quite underwhelmed with the selections but I've already mentioned that complaint.

Your Character:

I would say from the 2nd game to this game, they all have the same generic personality. Granted, from the original Saints Row to the 4th, it's all the same boss. The reboot has no connection to the previous games which honestly lacks character development (or just a personality at all). The character is that same "I'm a bad ass-ready to kill" vibe where if there's a moment the other characters say something statistical, they get all "I don't care-I'm just gonna threaten them with a gun!" Again, no character development. Where's the weakness? Where's...basically anything else. I know nothing about this character and I played them for 20+ hours.

Glitches:

Another yikes...

Keep in mind that not all glitches are consistent with the player. These are the one's that I've received so keep that in mind...

During the end of my game play, I've been more-and-more nervous on my game crashing or finishing a task but the game doesn't register that you finished the task so you're stuck until you restart from checkpoint. I don't know if this is a PC glitch, but I've been getting that a lot with open world games; another notorious game that's prone to do that is Cyberpunk 2077. Only difference with that game and this one, I can actually restart from checkpoint; Saints Row 2022, I can't- I have to restart the game and start over.

Going back to the Character outfits, there's a huge glitch where you would put your character in an outfit, and it doesn't show. This was more towards the Jackets. When you boot up your game, you may also notice that your character may be missing a few accessories as well. Also, when shopping for pants, some stores never show the pants selection on your character; I find that weird.

Other than that, there were some funny, harmless glitches like an npc stretched out and is flying all over the place or when your character is giving a serious dialogue and their mouths are not moving.

Gameplay and Controls:

I'm very iffy on this one. Usually when I play games on the computer, I like to use my PS4 controller (sue me-I come from a Console only, gaming family). But I've noticed that I was not able to do quite a few functions. Granted, I should've changed the controls in the settings, but I can't remember why I got impatient and decided to go keyboard instead. The keyboard controls weren't too bad. Auto aim helps a lot and it's not too "deadlocked" on one enemy; I picked up real fast.

I will say, I don't know what the point of the emotes are in the game, I don't even know how to toggle them. (no hate for that, just a random thought).

Directions were pretty much to the point but the GPS arrow thing tends to throw me off a lot. I often find myself ignoring it since it's too wishy-washy on directions.

I played this game on the Hard Difficulty. I found Normal too easy but to be fair, I have a tendency to jump straight to Hard mode on any game (unless if I know it's a strategic game)

~~~Overall Thoughts~~~

I mean, I think you can tell what I think of this game; I'm disappointed in it. Gameplay wasn't the worst, but graphics, glitches, and the story line killed it for me. If I had to give an overall grade, it would receive a "D" or a 4/10. If you're debating on if you should get it or not, best recommendation is to wait for it to go on sale-this is definitely not worth $60, heck even $40. I'd pay maybe $15 for this game and that's not on sale. Hopefully the game ends up with some cool DLC's and patches (which I would not be surprised if they discontinued Saints Row 2022 because of the bad reviews).

It was a shame too because I was really rooting for this game. I let my love for the other games allow me to have a positive mindset when playing, but the more I played, the more I end up disappointed. I see The Saints Row series one roller coaster. 1st was the rising game, 2nd was the peak, 3rd was a slight fall 4th and Saints Row 2022 was the falling.

Thanks for reading and let me know if you'd be interested in more reviews!

Socials:

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I also have an art shop and accepting commissions!

Kofi

Etsy

[elrianarseid]

New Year, New Resolution

Harmony's cast and how they enjoy New Year, alongside some difficulties.

Michael runs back to the cabin, overjoyed like little kid after getting balloon, decorative tape and many more to put the cabin in a festive mood. Since he— and every other person there never celebrate new year for reasons unknown, he's determined to make everyone happy.

"Um... Since the storage room is barely used, I'll prepare everything there. This will make a great surprise!" He exclaimed to himself.

At the other side of the cabin unseen by him however, Elrian heard the whole thing and only smiles. *Too bad I know of this already, but I'll also do my best to surprise you, Mike.* He thought to himself. He quietly move out before anyone sees him, and started on his own plan.

"Hey, Vi, don't you think El and Mike is acting strange these days? They seems to avoid us, you know?" A girl asked to Vi, or her actual name Victoria because their partner is barely seen by both of them. Victoria only shook her head, uninterested with the topic. She then said that it's the boys own businesses and they shouldn't intervene. The girl pout at that answer before giving up and decided to clean the cabin.

Aurora watches over the frozen lake, still as clear as its regular state. She chose to stay outside because she's used to the cold, and also because she's the only one to be able to communicate to nature. She lets a bird to stay on her shoulder and even wrap it in her palm to keep it warm. She has her suspicion regarding the boys action past few days, but keep quiet about it because it doesn't threaten anyone. She kinda hoped that they'll do something fun for everyone.

Elrian is lurking in and out from and to the kitchen, making sure no one seen or caught him preparing for special dishes he thought of. He feels anxious because Sylvia is nowhere to be seen, and he can't feel her aura if she decided to conceal herself. He decided to stop for the day and peek at Michael regarding his progression.

"Hm-mm! Everything is done! Now, I have to find a way to send them off unsuspiciously, so I can put all these at the room. But how... Ah! We're really running out on firewood and training dummies, so I can told them to get some for me. Yep, perfect!" Michael exclaimed loudly inside the storage room. Elrian smiled gently at that sight, thinking that Michael can be cute at times. He slowly sneaks away to let him be.

"Okay, then. He's done with everything, so we should give everything we got!" Elrian yelled inside the kitchen to pump himself up. He nimbly move around the cabinet full of food material, and quickly took them out one by one. Sylvia suddenly knock on the kitchen door, startling him.

"El, We're going out to buy supplies! Are you joining us?" She then proceed to open the door slowly, scaring him even more.

"It's okay! You can go, just have fun with everyone!" He quickly respond to try to hide his nervousness, but Sylvia catched up to it. She decided to let him be, hoping that he'll tell her what's going on before finally leaving the cabin. Elrian lets out sigh of relief and started to work again on the dish. His movement were elegant yet practical, and he shows his true extent to work on the best meals he will make for the occasion.

"And done! It's almost time, so I'll just hide it for now until Mike done with decorations. Let's pretend to sleep." He talk to himself once every foods is finished. He quietly snuck up to the bedroom and before long, he heard a familiar footstep moving nimbly to decorate the cabin. Elrian quietly smiles and went to bed.

The sun has almost set when Michael done with the decorations, and just in time for everyone to come back from restocking. Before the girls enter, Michael already turned off the lights. This gave Elrian time to put all the food at the table without him noticing.

"Guys... it's not funny. You better come out now or else." threaten Victoria, thinking that this is another one of unfunny prank Michael pulls. Suddenly, the lights got turned on and Michael exclaimed loudly at the center of the room.

"Surprise! Are you scared? Then sorry, I didn't think that far, hehe~" He said it playfully hoping for an opening to escape Victoria's lecture. What he got is a hard slap at the back though. Aurora only laughs at how harsh Victoria on Michael. Sylvia is confused however, because she didn't see Elrian anywhere until she found out a lot of food, still fresh at the table.

"Mike... Are you cooking?" She asked him.

"What? No, I don't have time for that... Whoa! Who made all of this?!" Michael look visibly confused, did not remember that he also cook or order the foods on the table. He suddenly heard a laugh from upstairs and he found Elrian, still giggling because he managed to surprise Michael.

"You look dumbfounded, you know? Anyway, that's my surprise, and sorry because I know your plans in advance~" he said it in the calmest voice possible, still holding his laugh. They only laughed it together at the end.

Aurora seems to enjoy the merry atmosphere, while Victoria focused on how Michael made all the decorations himself. From wreath, ribbon, and even the glittering wall. Sylvia decided to scold Elrian for keeping everything secret, but forgaves him at the end because he offers her her favorite raspberry cake. And Michael scarf down the whole menu at the table without hesitation. At the end, everyone is happy, so there's no need for the others to be mad forever.

They mightn't have the time for such a festive in the future, but they promised each of themselves so they will enjoy this world a bit more.

[alliterative-albatross]

“But you didn’t want that,” you find yourself saying, knowing. 

Javi whips around, wide eyed, his lips parted in an expression of gentle shock. “No,” he breathes, astonished. It’s like he’s surprised that you know it and relieved that he doesn’t have to say it, and in that moment, you bleed for him. For the little boy who was — gentle, discerning, and far more sensitive than anybody ever bothered to realize; and equally, for the young man who that boy grew into — alive and thriving, but alone, alone and desperate for somebody (somebody, please, anybody; know me, see me) to understand. “I didn’t.” 

~ After the Rain