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seeingivy · 1 year

Text

lacy, oh lacy

actor!eren x f!reader

**part of my method acting series

content: oopsie. mentions of blood/injury. I think drinking is like briefly mentioned at one point.

an: ok. ok. the song line up in this one is so random i swear.

songs mentioned: peace by taylor swift, city of stars by ryan gosling and emma stone, promiscuous by nelly, lacy by olivia rodrigo

previous part linked here

You return home and stay there for an entire month, despite protests from Danny and Sareen. But anytime they try to push back, you remind them.

Your older brother split his head open because someone threw a brick through his window. Because of a situation they got you involved in.

Granted, they’re not fully to blame since you did agree to it, but Levi and Hange vehemently disagree. The two of them were very passionate about the fact that managers have a responsibility to protect their artists and the fact that Danny and Sareen even asked you to do something like this has them fuming. And by them, you mean Levi. He yelled at them on the phone after the pictures dropped.

Regardless, your contract with them won’t be over until the end of the year. The only way you can terminate is if you break the deal with the record company, but then you have to promise them majority royalties that you make with any other songs you release until the two years are up.

Which isn’t bad. You could just not write music for two years. But there’s some sense of loyalty, a need to maintain face so someone else does sign with you later on, you’ve proved you’ll be loyal. And that your records won’t suffer because of internal politics.

But for now, all you’re focused on is Colt and Falco.

Falco, who is quite literally a human cat (in the cute way, not the Catoru Gojo way), is currently nestled up in your lap and fast asleep. After two hours of playing Rocket League, which you actually suck at, and then another two hours of arguing about how stupid the game is (cars playing soccer???), he finally passed out.

Colt knocks, the scar along his hairline bright red, as he hands you a bowl of cereal and settles onto your bed with his laptop. Which he’s been doing often lately - lingering around in your room, never leaving you alone. Hovering.

He’s applying for summer internships, because apparently that’s a thing that normal people and not celebrities do. Not that you would know anything about that.

“Thanks Colt.”

He gives you a hum as he types away on his laptop, his jaw clenched in concentration. But all you can do is stare at that bright red line near his golden blonde hair and how angry it looks. There’s four sets of stitches in place, the area around the entire mark so pink and swollen. And he’s blinking too hard, eyes squinting at the laptop even though the brightness is all the way down. Meaning, his head is still hurting. You make a mental note to call the doctor again tomorrow.

“Y/N.”

“What?”

“Quit staring.”

“I’m not staring. And stop being so loud, Coco is sleeping.” you whisper.

“Were you born yesterday? He’d sleep through the apocalypse if he had to.”

You bring your hand down to Falco’s hair, soft under your touch, as he snores into your legs.

“Not lately. Y-yesterday, he came into my room crying in the middle of the night. Said he had a nightmare of glass shattering but it was just someone parking across the street.”

Colt looks over, his glasses resting against his nose, and gives Falco a worried look.

“He just- he was there when it happened, that’s all.” Colt murmurs, voice all quiet.

“You never told me what did happen.”

Colt closes the screen of his laptop and sets the computer in between you, as he readjusts on his side. His hand is now in Falco’s hair, making a mess of his already matted hair.

“I-I was sitting in your room.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I do that when I miss you. Just sit in here, with Chelsea and all these god awful posters you have.”

You smile, reaching forward to squeeze his hand which he rolls his eyes at.

“You’re cute. You miss me?”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Okay, Jesus.”

“Falco came to sit with me too. Also, he totally ate chocolate on your bed and spilled some on the carpet.”

“Remind me to kill him when he wakes up. Is that what’s under that god awful rug you guys put in here?” you respond, grating your teeth.

He ignores the comment all together and keeps going.

“I kept getting a lot of texts from my classmates and stuff like that, like a few hours after. About the pictures of you and the rumors and all that. And I called you and Eren picked up and he told me about how you came to him, all bloody and cold. He told me that you were finally sleeping so he didn’t wake you. Said to call him back if I needed something.”

Sweet, sweet Eren.

“And then I heard it. This rustling, by the side doors. Now, I know that Sandra putting the trash cans back is really loud from your room, but it was Friday. Trash day is on Tuesday. So I peeked my head out the window to see what the noise was and that’s when they threw the brick. It went through the glass and hit me.”

You clench his hand, which he shakes his head at. He’s rubbing small circles into your skin as he keeps going, his voice so hollow it bothers you.

“I fell over. Started bleeding onto your carpet and Falco finally noticed. And, and he was holding my head trying to stop the bleeding. He figured it was the right thing to do after how much Grey’s Anatomy you’ve forced him to watch. Mom and Dad came in and I told them to call Eren and not you, because you were probably still asleep. Eren sent us a security detail super fast, he said it’s the one he’s been using since he was a kid so we can trust them. They got here in like twenty minutes and did the stitches on me.”

You look at him and he wraps his arms around you, Falco meshed in between the two of you. And you stay that way for a while, in each other's embrace, as the guilt sits with you. And when Colt falls asleep too, you reach for your notebook and scribble the lyrics down.

As long as danger is near And it's just around the corner, darling 'Cause it lives in me No, I could never give you peace

You slide out of their embrace, leaving the two of them tangled on your bed as you hike your knees to your chest and sit on the floor to write properly. And when you lift the rug on the ground out of curiosity and piece it all together - that they’re covering up the dark, brown mark of Colt’s blood on your carpet, you keep writing.

I’ll give you my sunshine, give you my best But the rain is always going to come if you’re standing with me Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?

Your phone buzzes three times and you reach for it, sliding it open to read the notification.

eren: attachment, two images

eren: saw you earlier today. ur face card is insane.

You open up the picture, one of him and Lana in Los Angeles with a billboard of you in the back. You had seen them on Twitter, Spotify putting up big pictures of the Ribbons album cover, with Multi-Platinum in shiny letters right next to it.

The first picture is of Eren and Lana blowing kisses towards the billboard of you and the second is Eren choking Lana a few seconds after. The photos are live, so you hold down and watch Eren and Lana move in the picture, Eren’s laugh coming through.

you: please don’t choke my wife. she’s too hot to die young.

eren: i hate you guys. i really do.

you: are you jealous?

eren: you were mine first >:P

eren: how’s falco? he hasn’t responded to my text since yday :/

you: please stop texting my thirteen year old brother. you’re such a loser.

you: idk. he had a nightmare last night about what happened. i don’t think he’s taking it too well.

eren: it’s hard. he’s still so little. how’s colt?

you: his cut looks like it hurts and he keeps squinting at his computer still. i feel like he’s trying to put on a brave face for me or something.

eren: he’s older than you and he’s always taken care of you. he’s going to do that still, and you should just let him. how are you?

You pause.

You’re sick to your stomach. Because all you’ve been able to do is read what people say about you online. And what gets you, is that everyone thinks you’re so fake. And you think so hard, read so much into what they’re saying, that you almost start thinking it’s true.

Is the “I’m a small town Canadian girl an act?” You haven’t lived here in years. And you can’t say you’re not famous anymore - because you’ve literally broken records before, multiple times over. And you’re not really a fraud anymore, despite the fact that you still feel like one. You fake relationships, your friends don’t like you, and…and…..

You’re fake. Your mistakes are on display and some people think you deserve to die for it.

eren: where’d you go?

you: sorry. im trying my best to hold on. i was just writing a song.

eren: LEMME SEE.

you: no.

eren: LET ME SEE.

You take a picture of the lyrics, messily scribbled in your book and send him a picture. And then nearly a minute later, Eren’s name is flashing across your screen and he’s calling you. You quickly walk into Falco’s room and take a seat by his little balcony, sliding the call open.

“Hi Eren.”

“Oh, Y/N. Sweetheart.”

And at the sound of him calling you that, of him calling you sweetheart still, has tears burning down your face and tiny sobs leaving your mouth.

“If the rain is always going to come if I’m standing with you, I’ll just hold an umbrella.”

“Eren.”

“That’s how they feel about it too. Both of them. I know it’s different when it’s me because I understand, because we’re used to this, but they love you. You are enough for them, even if you come with this thing behind you. That you can’t control, mind you.”

“I know that, Eren. But I want them to have that, I want their lives to be peaceful and I want Falco to sleep through the night without waking up. I don’t want to give Colt to get hurt because of me-”

“Every time I call them, all I hear is them worried about you. That you’re going to pull away from them, because you’re scared of hurting them. And-and I told you how much it sucks when you’re on the other side of that. Granted, Zeke’s a sick fuck who did it to mess with me but…please don’t do that to Colt or Falco. You’re going to actually hurt them if you do that. Pull away.”

You pause, taking in Eren’s words. Eren and Zeke. Zeke got canceled and stopped talking to Eren all together. Insulted him, made fun of him, and didn’t say anything at all. And, and it hurt him so bad that when Eren told you, that he was crying.

No. You’re not doing that to Falco or to Colt. God forbid they feel like they’re unlovable because you can’t let them in.

“You-you’re right, Eren. Thanks. That-that actually helps.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I-I didn’t even realize. I forgot that this has happened to you. Are-are you okay? I know this type of thing can be triggering, I should have asked before.” you respond.

He’s quiet.

“Eren?”

“Yeah. It-it wasn’t easy.”

“I’m sorry. I should’ve-”

“No, no. I don’t mean like, it wasn’t easy and you shouldn’t have come to me. It was more…eye-opening I guess. It hadn’t happened in so long that I forgot about it. It was a harsh reality check when it was you of all people knocking on my door. I hate that I can’t protect you from these types of things.”

“I’m sorry, Eren. You-”

You pause. What do you say? What do you say to him when this is all he’s known? All he’ll ever know? And when you know all too well that there really is nothing he can do?

“You don’t have to say anything, Y/N. Knowing you’re here with me is enough.”

Fucking mind reader. You hate it when he does this.

“God. Quit reading my mind.”

“Can’t help it. I know you like the back of my hand. And I am saying that in earnest. This shit sucks, I’ve dealt with it forever. But you make things easy. Your presence is enough comfort, okay?”

There’s a beat on the phone call. He doesn’t speak and you don’t either. And you can feel your cheeks burning.

“Eren?”

“Hm?”

“Since when do you call my brothers?” you ask, sniffling.

“Ah, you know. Since it happened. But in all fairness, Falco calls me first most of the time.”

“How many times have you talked to him?”

“Like every day or every other day at least. Kid is so ridiculous.”

“Eren. You don’t even call me that much.”

“Do you want me to?”

“No, it’s not the same if I have to ask you to do it. And plus, your new best friend is probably going to get all mad at me.” you tease, trying not to laugh.

“Oh, don’t be like that, sweetheart. I’ll call you more, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t say yeah like that.”

“Like what?”

“God, Y/N. Quit flirting with me or I’m going to fall in love with you.”

Your heart does a somersault, a cartwheel, a back handspring, and everything in between. Eren throws blankets over your barbed wire and shamelessly flirts with you after like it’s nothing.

The song comes out in the middle of your preliminary press tour for Ten Things I Hate About You and instantly becomes a hot topic the interviewees focus on. You’ve been stuck working all day. You can’t even comment on whether or not the song is about you if you wanted to.

Historia released her latest single, for her new and upcoming album, called Lacy. And everyone thinks the song is about you, that it’s a response to dorothea. And when you get home from the warm lights nearly cooking you on the stage, you immediately run and pull up the video on your computer, Yuuta and Rika taking residence in your room while you do.

The music video is simple, a black and white video of Historia and Eren in a recording studio, singing the song. Eren’s nimble hands are plucking the strings of the guitar and Historia’s sweet, soft voice is carrying the vocals.

Ooh, I care, I care, I care Like perfume that you wear, I linger all the time Watching, hidden in plain sight And ooh, I try, I try, I try But it takes over my life, I see you everywhere The sweetest torture one could bear

You keep listening, focusing intently on how anyone could even connect the song to you. Granted, from what you’re gathering, the song is about someone Historia knows that she idolizes, focuses on so much that it makes her feel bad about herself. Like an obsession.

You are put into constant competition with each other, down to the time your records come out. People make it a point to comment on who would become a triple threat first - her or you - or pigeon hole the tiniest details into some big feud between the two of you. The only time your song leaves the #1 spot on the top of the charts is when Historia releases a new one, the only time her movie falls in popularity is because yours comes out.

But that doesn’t mean it’s about you.

Ooh, I care, I care, I care Like ribbons in your hair, my stomach's all in knots You got the one thing that I want Ooh, I try, I try, I try Try to rationalize, people are people But it's like you're made of angel dust

You freeze. That’s where the connection comes in. The ribbons in your hair. Not only is your record literally called Ribbons, but the entire tour, press, even the cover of the album is you with varying colors of ribbons in your hair.

If that’s true, then…Historia stopped talking to you because of it? Because people pit her against you one too many times and it makes her feel bad about herself? You reach for your phone.

you: eren.

eren: y/n. what can i do you for?

you: is lacy about me?

eren: just saw ur lip sync battle with sukuna. i’m inconsolable.

He’s changing the subject. Though, you were waiting for him to bring that up. Your final stop on the press tour before finishing and returning to filming was doing the infamous lip sync battle - with you and Sukuna against Yuuta and Rika. And in true Yuuta and Rika fashion, they did a super lovey dovey rendition of City of Stars, from La La Land. Which only made it funnier that you and Sukuna just sang Promiscuous and made it rain dollar bills on each other.

you: i’m sure your heart is very broken. but quit changing the subject.

eren: it is. i’ll never love again.

you: eren. answer the question. you know how much this entire hisu thing has bothered me.

eren: i’m sorry, sweetheart. you know i can’t talk about things historia told me in confidence, as much as i want to.

you: eren. are you seriously telling me that historia stopped being my friend because OTHER PEOPLE were comparing us? that’s so stupid.

eren: don’t pigeon hole the lyrics. you don’t even know if it’s about you. and even if it is, give historia some slack. this entire thing we do is complicated. and she’s always felt things so deeply.

you: you’re a traitor. you’re supposed to be on my side.

eren: sometimes being the devil's advocate is being on your side.

you: don’t quote me back to me. being annoying isn’t a good look on you.

You throw your phone back and replay the song. Four times, each time doing exactly what Eren told you not to do and pigeonholing the lyrics. But you keep going over it in your head. That if it really is about you, then the way you are, the success you have is so obsessive for Historia that it made her start hating herself. That she feels like she can’t compare, so much so, that she’d avoid you all together.

It stings. You were girls together.

The last time you talked to Historia was months ago, when you were still taking your month off and staying with Colt and Falco. And even that was an exception to her normal radio silence and the miles she put between you two.

The call came in the middle of the night, right after you made sure Falco and Colt were both asleep. What you were expecting was Eren - who was too overprotective and kept calling to check if you were okay. But instead, Historia’s name and the picture of the two of you - fast asleep on the couch on the Attack on Titan set - was flashing across the screen.

“Y/N?”

“Hisu? Is it really you.”

She awkwardly laughs.

“Yeah. Hi. I was just calling to check up on you. I would take time off to come see you like everyone else but I’m stuck on set.”

“No problem. I-I’m staying home anyways. With Coco and Colt.”

“That’s nice. I’m glad, you-you never were one to take a break.”

You pause.

“So. Um-”

“You’re okay, right? I-I saw the pictures. The entire thing is really shitty and I’m sorry it happened to you.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay. How are you?”

“I’m about to go on release my album in a few months. Then go on tour. ”

“Yeah, I’ve been watching all the press. You’re amazing, I-I’m really excited to listen, yeah? I’ve always been your number one fan.”

There’s a beat. She doesn’t respond right away and the silence sticks in your mind, even if it’s only for a few seconds.

“Thanks, Y/N. You’ve always been really sweet.”

“You too, yeah?”

“Listen. I have to go. But take it easy, yeah?”

“Okay. Bye Hisu.”

It’s static.

You reach for your phone and pull up the chat between you and her and text.

you: just listened to lacy, hisu. another hit, once again.

And after you can’t help but think about it. Are these the compliments that hit like bullets on skin? She never responds. You take that as a yes.

You stare at the screen, eyes focused on the texts. That have been bothering you for a few days. Five texts, all left unanswered by Eren.

Your novelty is wearing off. Eren’s done talking to you.

You’re making it up. You’re making it up and it’s only because you’re so used to his quick witted responses that it’s bothering you. That he hasn’t responded yet. You read them over again, double, triple checking what you said.

you: saw this ugly toad ceramic at the store. reminded me of you.

you: i’ll buy it for you.

you: i think jean is going to propose to mika. and i know they’ve literally been together since we were fifteen but we are ONLY TWENTY TWO.

you: it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other!!!

you: armin and i were thinking of coming down for your birthday! meet all ur lil set friends and see connie again and stuff :’)

It sits with you in a weird way. Because you know that he responded to Armin an hour ago, about his birthday. And said that it was best that you both didn’t come just because of how busy it was, that he’d probably only get to spend an hour with you guys.

Armin is insistent on going anyway. And you just miss Eren. Sukuna pads into the room and finds you like this, with your phone flat on your bed and the way you’re leaning over the covers and staring intently at it.

“Just climb in, why don’t you?” he mutters, falling flat on your bed.

“Hello to you too. Why are you in my trailer?”

“Bored. Lonely. Horny. Take your pick.”

You roll your eyes and side shuffle to make room for him, his stupid musky smell enveloping the air. What you were expecting to be an unpleasant co-star was anything but, because you and Sukuna have slowly been sweeping hearts.

From the way you guys argue during press, how Sukuna shamelessly flirts with you, to your shared need to fight with each other - you’re quickly ramping up the popularity around the rom-com you aren’t even done filming.

“So. What the fuck are you staring at?”

“Nothing.”

“Talk.” he says sternly, lifting his hand to knock on your head.

Absolute caveman.

“Can I ask you a weird question?”

“Sure.”

“How are you so blunt?”

He turns over, a look of confusion spread on his face. You follow suit and turn over too, eyes focused on the tattoos that litter his skin. All the way around his neck and his arms and on instinct, you nervously reach for your own.

“Are you tired of being a pushover, Y/N?”

“What? I’m not a pushover, I’m just-”

You stop. Maybe not the word you would use, people pleaser seems more like the explanation for it. Maybe if you cared less about Eren, about what he thought of you, it would be easier. Maybe if you wanted him less it would be easier to be his friend.

“I’m going to tell you something and you can’t repeat it to anyone, doll. I’m trusting you here, okay?”

“Okay. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“I learned quickly that you can’t let anyone have a pull on you. Because when you do, you’ll do anything. Believe anything. And it’ll be your downfall if you let it.”

You take in his words. And he doesn’t talk for a while, eyes focused on the brown ceiling of your trailer.

“I went a long time without doing what I felt was right. What people were pulling me to do this and that, what I had to do. And when I reached a certain point, I didn’t even know who I was anymore. Hundreds, thousands of people loved me and I didn’t even know who I was looking at in the mirror.” he says.

“Well, I hardly doubt it was thousands, Sukuna. You’re quite irritating.”

He brings his hand down on your face, laughing. His face is uncharacteristically soft and he resembles Yuuji too much. Granted, they are fucking twins but the expression - it’s one you’ve only seen reflected on his face and never Sukuna’s.

“You’re tolerable when you’re like this, Y/N. You’re always such a pain in the fucking ass.”

“You’re normal like this. It’s nice. You should do it more often.”

There’s a beat. And he’s thinking.

“Being blunt is the only way I’m sure. That I’m being myself, because that’s what’s coming to mind. And in a place where almost everyone is lying, trying to pit everyone else against each other and bring them down for entertainment, honesty is the only way I make it out.”

You nod, sinking in his words. Thinking back to Sukuna, when you met him. When he was on again and off again with Hyla, how he said that he would just get pulled so deeply into things that he didn’t even realize what was going on till he was out of it. That it was blinding.

“So what was bothering you?”

“Ah. You know, the whole Historia thing.”

He laughs.

“Lacy, oh lacy. Skin like puff pastry.”

You snort.

“I can’t even tell if that’s a compliment or not. Aren’t puff pastries really dry and crumbly?”

“I think she meant to say pasty. Like a ghost.” he responds.

“I don’t know, Sukuna. I guess I feel bad. That we’re always in competition and that it seems like my mere existence just makes it hard for her.”

“Y/N.”

“Hm?”

“You know what Historia does when she puts you on a pedestal?”

“What?”

“Gives herself no room to stand next to you. And leaves you up there alone.” he says, the tone in his voice definitive.

You pause.

“When the fuck did you become so wise?”

“Beauty and brains, Y/N. There isn’t a thing I can’t do.” he responds, giving you a stupid smirk.

The pictures drop on Twitter three weeks later, on your last week of filming, and give you a bittersweet reaction. The first one, when you see it, makes your heart drop. Maybe even break a little.

Eren and Hyla, all curled up on a yacht kissing each other. Eren looks great, phenomenal even, and people make no point to keep that information to themselves. He’s getting more and more fit as time goes on, the stupid sunglasses he’s wearing, and his hair long again - people are going feral for Eren Jaeger. And Hyla is Hyla - gorgeous, brilliant, and beautiful.

Granted, this entire feeling is on you for making the assumption. That Eren taking care of you after the Ricky thing, that you guys constantly text again like you used to, is any inclination that he likes you. Especially when he started slipping away.

It’s simple. Eren’s your best friend. Nothing more, nothing less. You dropped the ball and let him go and now he’s someone else’s.

You’re fish together because you’re friends, because you get each other. And that alone is a testament to your relationship. That it can’t be replaced.

But it doesn’t make it sting any less. Especially when he gives you no warning beforehand.

But in a nice, karmic way, the second picture makes it all better. It’s Eren throwing up over the side of the boat. Right after kissing Hyla.

Eren and his sensitive stomach save the day. He’s trending for both how great he looks and for how ridiculous it is that he literally vomited after kissing his girlfriend.

“Sukuna. Come here.”

“Hm? What do you want?”

“Let’s send him a picture.” you say, pointing at the pictures.

Sukuna, in true Sukuna fashion, has printed out both pictures and framed them for the trailer.

For Sukuna, the entire ordeal is priceless. Because Eren and Hyla being together is funny, but Hyla being so atrocious that Eren throws up after they kiss is even funnier. He’s already tweeted so much about it that everyone’s dying over Sukuna and how petty he is. Truly, the only person who could get away with this.

You debate addressing the elephant in the room with Eren. Granted, calling a model like Hyla an elephant is almost ironic but, you digress.

If it was a big deal, he would give you a warning. So you shouldn't. But maybe you should tell him you don't care and that it's okay that he's with her.

What are you saying? He doesn't need your permission. Ignore, ignore, ignore.

You put the frame against the mirror, making sure Eren can see you and Sukuna laughing in the reflection as you take a picture of the frame. And the fact that Sukuna’s not wearing a shirt, that he’s leaning all over you, should trigger some type of reaction. Or you at least hope it will.

“Give him hell, doll. Stupid prick.” he says, shuffling away back to the other side of his trailer.

You give him a smile as you slide open your phone, sending him the picture. And then you follow and plop onto Sukuna’s bed, which has him nearly trying to cut off your circulation by smothering a pillow in your face.

A gentleman.

you: eren jaeger, the man that you are

eren: FUCKING STOP. JEAN IS ALREADY DOGGING ME ON TWITTER.

you: an instant classic. you are never living this down, my friend.

you: the fact that connie has said nothing yet is almost concerning. this has him written all over it.

eren: tell sukuna i will kill him. he’s got his dirty paws ALL OVER YOU TOO

you: possessive much?

eren: i am a simple man. and you two together has been a sore spot for me since i was sixteen. there’s only so much i can stomach.

you: protect your peace, king. this movie is not going to be easy for you.

eren: WHY?????

you: has a lot of smooching. and you KNOW sukuna gets carried away.

eren: blocked. I hate you.

eren: never talk to me again. i refuse to come to the premiere.

you: hehe.

eren: do NOT hehe me. im going to cry myself to sleep. do you relish in my pain?

you: a little bit. sweet dreams!!!

eren disliked a message.

Sukuna leans over and reads the messages as Yuuji and Rika walk in, with Yuuta and Annie in tow. You give them all a smile as they fall onto the bed with you two, stuck in their own conversations. Annie and Rika are talking about Rika’s birthday that’s coming up and Yuuji’s too busy trying to swipe Annie’s phone, for god knows what reason.

“This is insane. He’s all but fucking another girl on a yacht but talking to you like this? After ignoring you too?” Sukuna mutters, glaring at you.

“It’s not like that. We-we’re just friends. And it’s funny to joke about it.”

“You’re just friends. Yeah, and I’m the Thirteenth Disciple of Jesus, Y/N.” he responds, bitingly sarcastic.

“You and Judas would get along.” you respond.

“You’re being stupid. I’m not buying you ice cream when you come to me crying when he stops texting you.”

“You would. Begrudgingly, probably while hurling a bunch of insults at me, but you would.”

He reaches forward and flicks your forehead. A telltale sign that even he knows he would, because he isn’t rejecting the notion. Yuuta scoots over and flicks Sukuna’s hand off, giving you a smile.

“What are you arguing about over here?” he asks, giving you a warm smile.

“Eren.”

“Oh, I just saw the pictures. Poor guy.” Yuuta says, an awkward hand rubbing the back of his neck.

“Yuuta. Got a question.” you say, propping up on your elbows.

You explain the whole situation to Yuuta. That you and Eren dated. And then you didn’t. And then he saved you from Ricky, that you guys were texting again, but he’s dating Hyla now, full on and out in the open. And then let him read the texts and ask him.

“Now tell me, Yuu. Who is in the wrong?”

“Sukuna.”

You give Yuuta a glimmering smile as Sukuna rolls his eyes, reaching forward to headbutt both of you down into the mattress. You both protest and smack him off, giving him the finger.

“The only person on this Earth who is more goo goo ga ga and down horrendous than you is Yuuta. You picked a biased person to intervene.” he says, seething.

“Did not. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, quit playing dumb, doll. Yuuta and Maki are worse than you and Eren. Break up, make up, argue loud as fuck in the middle of the street, just to be kissing in the park the next day.”

“You just don’t get it. You can’t relate to the situation, Sukuna. Sometimes you just can’t stay away. Have you ever been in love?”

“Every time I look at you, doll.”

“Ugh. You’re disgusting.”

“You love it.”

The bell rings outside the trailer, signaling the call time for set, and Sukuna makes it a point to give you his warning.

“You’re treading on thin ice, doll. And when you fall, it’s going to be no one’s fault but your own.”

“For someone who claims he’s not a disciple of Jesus, you sure like to act self righteous as fuck all the time.” you respond, pushing him into the food cart near the directors chair.

Sukuna rolls his eyes as he drags you by the arm to your chairs, propped up, as you watch Yuuta and Rika take their marks, with Annie and Yuuji in the back. Sukuna’s glaring at you, bloody murder, unable to drop what he’s talking about.

“Look. Even for normal people, it’s never a good sign to be friends with your exes. And I bet he’s already being suspicious as fuck, despite the fact that he puts this whole goofy best friend persona on and flirts with you once in a while.”

“He does not. He-he’s not like that, all calculated and manipulative. You know him, he’s like a walking cheeseball.”

“He was a walking cheese ball. But at some point, you become the people you surround yourself with.”

“Okay, Sukuna. I fucking hate it when you’re all cryptic as fuck. You go on and on about how fucked up the people Eren’s around are. But you never once say what they actually do.”

He frowns, glaring at you.

“Why do you think Connie and Eren are fighting?”

You pause, thrown off by the question.

“Connie and Eren aren’t fighting. They’re like best friends. Connie’s even going to be in his next movie, Sukuna.”

“You said it yourself. It’s weird that Connie hasn’t commented on Eren’s whole vomit-gate moment. They’re filming a movie together, but they haven’t taken any pictures. And I can bet you ten bucks that Eren hasn’t said shit about him being there.”

You don’t respond. Because he’s right. Eren hasn’t said anything about being there. And Connie hasn’t even talked to you in weeks.

“It bothers you, doesn’t it? That he’s pulling away?”

“Eren isn’t pulling away, Sukuna. He just has a girlfriend, it’s obviously not going to be the same between us as before.”

“Bullshit. You know he’s pulling away. What does he do? Forget to text back once in a while but then flirt to make it better? Tell you you’re pretty when pictures of him and Hyla drop? You’re ignoring every gut feeling you have about him because you want to keep him around.”

“Fuck you, Sukuna.” you respond, warm tears filling your eyes.

This is what you hate about Sukuna. His persistent need to point out things you so blatantly choose to ignore. That he pokes holes in what you and Eren have, valid holes that bother you at night, that only validate what you think is true.

You need Eren more than he needs you. You like Eren more than he likes you. And he’s going to leave you far behind, at the end of all of this.

Sukuna reaches forward, fingers swiping the tears off your cheeks as he rolls his eyes.

“Stop fucking crying.”

“You’re so rude.”

“I’m not rude. You’re just a bitch.”

You smack his face out of your space.

“When you’re ready for it, I’m here to help you. There’s nothing I do better than revenge, doll.”

You scoff.

“Save your unadulterated rage for the camera. And don’t get too excited when I lean in to kiss you.” he responds, tucking your hair behind your ear and giving you a wink as he slides over to his mark.

You’re going to kill him.

Six weeks of freedom from Sukuna and you’re hiding in the bushes with Armin, Annie, Connie, Sasha, and Marco next to you. Hands locked together as you watch Jean and Mikasa in the distance. And you make your best efforts not to cry, to not fully sob at the second time you’ve been able to witness a love so warm.

It’s all so soft. So warm, so sweet, so much like Levi and Hange’s vow renewal that it makes your heart swell, to the biggest of shapes, for the two of them.

Mikasa is getting engaged. Engaged to Jean, who has always been so sure of her. So quick to run to her defense, to love her like it’s his second nature. They’re going to be together, by each other's side, drunk at award shows and holding hands in taxis for the rest of their lives.

Mikasa is wearing a white dress, soft and willowy, with her low cut Doc Martens. You convinced her that you just wanted to take her out for brunch, drive by the ocean a little bit before you leave town again. Because Jean had approached you, all squirrel like and antsy, and showed you the beautifully ornate ring he had gotten her and asked you to help her.

And Jean. Sweet Jean, he’s fumbling with the box in the pocket as he talks to her. You can’t hear what they’re saying, but you can quickly tell that Mikasa is comforting Jean. That he’s stumbling over his words, his feelings, but she’s standing there and holding his hand. Walking him through them.

And then Jean’s on one knee. Smiling up at her so hard he’s squinting, soft tears falling out of his eyes and her surprised expression. And she brings her hand up to her chest, right over her heart and falls to her knees to meet him, the two of them hugging each other so hard that it makes your chest squelch.

“Crybaby.” Marco mutters, reaching over to swipe your tears.

“Shut up.”

You look back at them, at Jean and Mikasa lying down in the grass tangled in each other's arms, and can’t wait any longer. The five of you - Marco, Annie, Armin, Sasha, and you - run up and pile on, the six of you crying in each other's arms, pink faces. Armin snaps a polaroid picture of Jean and Mikasa - her hands wrapped around his face and the softest look on his face when he smiles back at her. And then one of you and Marco crying, holding each other for good measure.

You reach for Mikasa’s hands the second Jean finally lets her go to hug Armin and Marco and your eyes are positively burning.

“Oh, Mika. I’m so, so happy for you.”

She’s crying. Her cheeks are pink, her eyes are red, and she has the full marks of love on her face. The softest kind of love.

“Thank you, Y/N. You-you’re a treasure. I love you. Thank you for not letting me wear that ugly green dress earlier.”

You laugh, wrapping your arms around her, and press a kiss to the side of her face.

Your heart aches. For green eyes, brown hair, and a soft smirk that no one else gets to see. For snarky comments, for shameless flirting, for every hurt feeling in your chest being smoothed over like it was nothing.

Jean and Mikasa make you long, long so ruefully for this feeling. The way they look at each other, the way he keeps tissues in all his pockets because she gets sniffly outside, how Mikasa is the only person who can handle him. The feeling you used to have.

You’ve decided then and there. You’re going to get him back. And luckily for you, you’re flying to Seattle and in nine hours you’ll be there with him. On his birthday, with all this love you’re going to share again.

You’re fish together. You’re not swimming forward without him.

“Hey. Where’s Con? We should get ready to leave soon.” Armin asks, pointing at his watch.

You look around at the crowd of you, Marco holding Mikasa’s hand in his as he admires the ring and gives Jean a smile.

Where is Connie?

You shrug as you tell Armin to stay, to keep taking pictures of the two of them, as you march around the garden, looking around for him. And you find him, knees hiked to his chest, crouched over with red eyes and a pink nose. You immediately reach for him and place your hand on his shoulder, which he immediately flinches at and then releases.

“Connie?” you ask, caught off guard.

He relaxes when he realizes it’s just you and aggressively wipes the back of his hand against his nose and smiles.

“Hey. My bad, they just got me too emotional in there. Fucking saps they are, I just love them so much.”

“Okay. Con, are you okay? You-you don’t look so good.”

He smiles again and it doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s sweating and…green. He places his hands against your cheeks and squeezes, his voice soft when he talks.

“Always the type to worry, aren't you? I promise I’m fine, Y/N. Help me finish packing because I actually didn’t start.”

“Huh? We leave in like an hour.”

“Exactly why I need your help!”

He stands up and pulls you along with him, your arms linked together, as you recruit Armin and Marco to help you pack. And you ignore the feeling, as you climb on the plane, nestled in between Armin and Connie, and focus on the important thing.

Brown hair, green eyes, and the soft smile.

You’re getting him back.

next part linked here

an, again: guess who is getting blocked on his birthday. eren no middle name jaeger.

taglist:

@k0z3me @kayleegomez @yihona-san06 @bsenpai @sweetenertea @mykyoon @violetmatcha @rebeccawinters @cutiejg @bokutosthings @bookwrmm @mblrrr @wheredidmycrowngo @somethinginyoureyes7 @chilichopsticks @okaystopwhore @you-always-made-me-blush @itzmeme @firelordazulaaaa @whoami-72 @g-ghostly @intimacywithceline @erensmoodygf @cocomellxn @princess-ackerman @jaegerfiles @cacapeepee @squirrelspoetry @rui-0836 @moonmalice @invisible-mori @sofiasber @bbybeeb @timetobegone @tee4str @ttokki2 @leave-rae-alone @ec3lipsy @officialsimpp. @gojojang @yookayyo @lordbugs @multiplefandomthings @iobeyfandoms @camilo-uwu @justanotherkpopstanlol @mel-star636

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whore-era · 2 years

Note

college!Ellie comforting anxious fem GF with lots of kisses and back rubs?

a/n: i feel like this headcanon was so bad but i did my best <3 hope u enjoy <3333

college!ellie headcanon: comforting anxious gf

you were swamped. final exams were approaching, a 10 page research essay was due in 3 days, internships to apply to in time for the summer, laundry barely started — everything was piling up.

you felt as if the weight of the world was on your shoulders, and you had to keep yourself afloat. but you could feel it, you were about to crash.

the tab was still open, your research paper halfway done, and you were overwhelmed with anxiety. failing to hold back the immense emotion, you burst into tears, sobbing into the sleeves of your hoodie.

you just weren't sure if you had the power to keep pushing through these last couple weeks, you were drained out dry. weeping into your hoodie, you hear your phone ring.

sliding the button to answer, you press your phone to your ear. "h-hello?" you attempt to dry your face, concealing any evidence that you were just crying minutes before. "babe, i'm on my way over. just wanted to see if you wanted me to pick something up for you," ellie's voice come through the speaker, still unaware of your current state.

"uhhhh, i'm fine, els," you croak, "you don't h-have to come over right now. you must be busy and stuff and i don't wanna get in the way." there's a shakiness in your voice, and you hope to god ellie doesn't notice. she goes quiet for a second, "hmm. okay. fine." you let out a breath of relief, "call you later then, sweet girl," she coos, "i love you." "i love you, ellie." click

putting your phone down and burying your face in your hands, you let out a breath, allowing a few tears to fall down your face. it made you feel bad burdening ellie with your issues — she had her own stuff going on. the last thing she needed to worry about was you.

it wasn't long before you heard a couple knocks on your door. you furrowed your brows, knowing you weren't expecting anyone. still, you walked over and opened the door of your dorm, face-to-face with a big, brown teddy bear. ellie's face poked out from the corner of the bear's head. "we could tell you were bear-y sad, so we wanted to check in on you." you threw your arms around her, squishing the bear in the process. she let out a chuckle, pulling away to see your face, surprised to see your eyes filling with tears.

"hey, hey, hey," she whispers, "c'mon, let's get inside first." gently guiding you inside your dorm, she closes the door behind her. "what's been goin' on, sweet girl? talk to me."

"jus-just been feelin' so— overwhelmed," you breathe out, "f-finals, my p-paper, freaking i-internships—" tears begin to spill, "i don't k-know i-if i can h-han-handle it." you weep into her jacket, and she soothingly rubbed your back, letting you cry.

once you calm down a bit, ellie pulls away a little and cups your face in her hands. "what do you need from me, baby?" she asks, "anything at all, you name it. i'll get it."

"i just— i just want you to hold me."

you both climb into your tiny, twin bed. with her arm wrapped around you, you nestled into her side, inhaling her scent — cedar and mahogany teakwood. she rubbed slow and small circles on your back, calming your nerves.

"i don't know if i'm stuck out for this," you murmur, "college is jus' a lot. don't know if this is what i'm meant to do." you look up at her with big and glossy eyes. "hey," she whispers, "you are one of the smartest people i know, and you are so fucking hard working, always putting in 100 into everything you do."

a tear trails down your face and ellie continues. "you can do anything you out your pretty mind to do, anything, baby," she coos, "you're meant to do this." ellie leans down to press a kiss on your forehead, "and if you're still unsure about school and all, then that's okay too. you can choose something else you wanna do, and i'll be here, rooting for you every step of the way."

you heart warms up in your chest, feeling fuzzy. "thank you," you dote, "i'm so lucky to have you, els." ellie smiles down at you, leaning in to kiss you tenderly.

"always, sweet girl," ellie wraps her arm tighter around you, "now, come here. relax a lil' more, yeah?" you nod and cuddle back into her warmth, and she presses another reassuring kiss on top of your head.

#ellie williams #ellie tlou #ellie williams tlou #the last of us #the last of us ellie #ellie williams x reader #ellie x reader #tlou #ellie x fem reader #ellie williams x female reader #ellie williams fluff #ellie williams angst #ellie x reader hc

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aemondslefteyeball · 1 year

Text

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (1)

[Modern! Aemond x fem!reader. Yellowjackets inspired.]

[Warnings: Substance use, violence, plane crash, Aemond is such a dickhead y'all, allusion to eating disorders, eventual smut, eventual cannibalism, more warnings to come as we go on, shit's getting dark babies]

[Summary: Loving husband sends wife on fun happy vacation with 19 of her whackiest friends! What Artemisian cult antics will they get into? Let's find out!]

(I haven't written any fanfiction in like 8 years so if this blows my bad lol. Also does anybody have a link to a guide explaining how to format fics to look all pretty? Either way let me know what you think lmk if you guys also want to throttle Aemond ily all)

Word Count: 4k

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1:

You pulled your hoodie as low over your face as it could go, eyes downcast. Lowering your shaking hand, panic gripped your senses at a foreign touch. White-hot terror struck through you and in a second you reacted, shoving the reporter as hard as you could before retreating closer into the safety of the group. Dozens of simultaneous questions and journalists battered the haggard group as they boarded onto the plane. You kept your eyes low to the ground as your friends disappeared into the vehicle. Despite your overwhelming anxiety, you were glad for the first taste of civilization you had in nineteen months. As your hands seemed to shake beyond control and your throat clenched, you turned around. Your mind began to float somewhere safer. Having stepped up to board the plane, you got a clear view of the press gathered around. Flashes of vultures picking at the carcass of a bear overwhelmed you. The rot. The smell. The crowd. Everything burst forth at once in a scream that didn’t register as having come from your body. Disoriented, you came to when Sabitha pulled you in, muttering something about fucking harpies and guiding you to sit. A dark shade was cast over the plane, and the uncomfortable silence never broke. Curling into the seat, your body pulled your legs to your chest while your mind drifted off somewhere else.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The house was as cold and dead as it always felt whenever you came home. You didn’t want to let the austere environment get you down though. The semester was finally over, and your backbreaking work had culminated in graduating Summa Cum Laude at Barth University in King’s Landing. You had a few weeks off before your summer internship started. Thousands of hours in the labs finally culminated in Professor Gerardys recommending you for a summer research internship studying extremophiles in Antarcticos before you started at King’s University in the fall. You couldn’t wait until you were gone, and you knew your husband would feel the same. If you could truly call him that. The only reason the two of you married was so you could become a Westerosi citizen. Aemond as awful as he was would be the key to your future. His closest concept to a love language was sending some expensive gift as an afterthought. No sentiment, of course. This time in particular was strange though. He offered to send you and 19 of your friends to one of his family’s estates in the Vale. The estate itself was stunning, nestled into the Mountains of the Moon overlooking green valleys. Something about all of it just didn’t sit right with you. Some nagging voice whispering about a danger you couldn’t quantify. You weren’t naive, you knew that he only wanted you out of the house so he could have his girlfriend over the entire time you were gone. At this point, you just could not bring yourself to care. You led your life, and he his. A notification pulled you out of your thoughts, and you set your stuff down to go greet your girlfriend. You met Emerson a few weeks before your arrangement with Aemond was put in place. You didn’t pursue anything with her at first, wanting to give your marriage a genuine shot. After it became clear Aemond barely recognized you as a person, you two got involved. Wrapping your arms around her willowy frame, you nuzzled your head into the soft curve of Em’s neck. “I’m going to miss you.” you mumbled, coming up on your tiptoes to press your body further into hers.

“I know lovey, ‘m going to miss you too. I’m sorry I couldn’t get the time off.” Emerson said, drawing a small circle on your shoulder blade with her thumb, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“Don’t be.” you murmured. “You tried.” The two of you lingered in each other’s grip for a few moments more, basking in the familiarity before you headed to your room to pack for the trip.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aemond poured out a finger of hundred year-old bourbon. He casually sipped on it, silently musing about his upcoming vacation. He was still working as per usual, but you would finally be out of his fucking hair for once. It wasn’t enough for you to marry him for citizenship or live in his house, it seemed you also wanted to be his best friend and have fucking pillow fights. Though you stopped intentionally bothering him you still just couldn’t help but annoy him. From making your stupid little coffees every morning, to obnoxiously loud facetimes to friends back home, incessant piano playing, purposely walking around the house in a t-shirt and panties like it was the most casual thing in the world. Even his cranky old cat loved you, sleeping in your bed as soon as he left his. At least with you gone he could have some peace of mind to finally get all the employee reports in before the bonuses were decided. Aemond finished his bourbon, still sober but a little less tense. He locked up his office for the night, nodding a goodbye at his secretary before heading to his car. The drive home was long, and he bristled as his phone connected to the bluetooth. My Chemical Romance blasted over the boosted speakers and he switched the song as quickly as he could. He only listened to it because you couldn’t stop blasting Middle Schoolcore in the shower. He finally came to settle on Paranoid by Black Sabbath. Pulling into the driveway, Aemond grimaced. Emerson’s car. No doubt the two of you would be cloying and obnoxious, oblivious to how irritating your little Hallmark act was. He turned his car off, but sat for a few minutes longer. Worries about work pressed on him until he noticed a twinge in his hand. A cramp from gripping the steering wheel as hard as humanly possible. He relaxed his grip and stepped out of the car, his teeth clenched as he walked in. He followed his routine to a T, pausing in his office when he heard the two lovebirds warbling at each other.

“I don’t know Em. I was excited earlier but I’ve just been getting a really bad feeling you know? Like something really bad is going to happen. And you know the last time I-” Y/N’s voice cracked and he stepped closer to the door. His blood pressure rose as he stalked closer, trying to catch as much as he could through the distance.

“Y/N, it’s okay. If you want to cancel the trip then just tell Aemond.” Emerson’s voice rang out confidently. Aemond’s blood boiled. Of course your stupid fucking girlfriend was telling you to blow off the trip like she paid for the bookings.

“Yeah but you know how he is. Any time there’s a problem the world just stops spinning on its axis.” came the soft reply from Y/N. A sharp chuckle came a second later from his wife’s girlfriend. Aemond could practically see the wry grin splitting her face. Clenching his fist, he burst out of the office into the kitchen where the two of them were talking over a bowl of pineapple. He glanced over Emerson– the taller of the two women– disinterestedly to focus his singular gaze on his wife.

“What were you two talking about?” His voice cracked out sharply, he wanted to feign indifference but that ship sailed. He watched the panicked look spread across Y’N’s face, something predatory curling deep in his gut at the doe eyed look. Her mouth moved as if she was thinking of multiple different answers all at the same time. He watched expectantly as she blinked for a second. The silence weighed heavily until she softly spoke.

“I don’t think I want to go to the Eyrie anymore.” Her tone wavered slightly at the end, clearly stumbling to find her nerve. Before he could interject her girlfriend piped up.

“Trip’s off.” Emerson’s tone was far more sure, and she locked her hazel eyes onto Aemond’s and set her jaw stubbornly. Y/N fidgeted with her hands lightly, looking not at all surprised when a low laugh erupts from Aemond.

“Everything is booked, and we can’t get our deposit back. You’re going.” The words hung in the air with a finality he thought was clear. Apparently the tone kicked something into gear, amusement bubbled up at the sneer pulling across your cute little face. This was going to be adorable.

“You could cancel and pay for this trip five times over and still not noti-” He refused to let you finish, putting up a hand as if shushing a noisy toddler.

“Why exactly?” He questioned, pulling his hands to clasp each other behind his back. He took half a step towards Y/N, relishing in the way she took half a step back. He watched Y/N’s face stiffen, before she lowered her gaze.

“I just have a really bad feel-” Again cutting her off, Aemond laughed. Relishing how small she looked after he started, he put up his hand again.

“So you want to cancel a trip I have spent thousands on because of a bad feeling.” He spat each word out with more venom than the last, before he spared a second glance to his wife, watching resignation fall over her face.

“Good talk.” You mumbled, keeping your head down and quickly exiting the kitchen. Aemond went to the bowl of pineapple and popped a piece in his mouth, chewing it while maintaining eye contact with Emerson who stood there a second longer. He didn’t need the last word, he had already won. Eventually she rolled her eyes and walked off too, muttering something to herself. Aemond simply grabbed the pineapple and returned to his office. He had work to do.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Three years after her disappearance, two fishermen spotted her body floating on Lake Crescent. What they found was horrific. When taken to the medical examiner her flesh sloughed off in the same way Ivory soap woul-’

“Okay I know it’s literally in the name but this is getting pretty morbid.” You chimed, loading the last of your toiletries into your bag. Flipping the lid over, Emerson followed your silent cue and pressed down on the top of it while you zipped it shut.

“What’s morbid is you packing enough clothes for a month.” Emerson teased, tracing her fingers up your waist lightly enough to almost tickle. “Seriously, are you planning on pissing yourself repeatedly every day you’re there?” Digging her fingers into your flesh lightly, she pulled you in. You relished the feeling of her slender arms around you, and the cascade of her chestnut hair over them. “I know you’re nervous about this, but try to have as much fun as you can. If nothing else to spite Prince Zuko.” You couldn’t contain the laugh that rang out of you at that, you knew it was below the belt but you couldn’t help but lean into it just a little.

Covering your left eye you summoned the most grave expression you could muster. “I must capture the CEO position of Targaryen Tech to restore my honor.” You grumbled out as best you could, quickly giving way to giggles. “God how did we never see that until now?” You questioned, leaning your head back against Em as she kissed your forehead.

“Well, inspiration only strikes around my muse I guess.” She quipped, pulling you in tighter before you sighed. You wanted to stay in her arms like this, softly rocking back and forth to a rhythm that wasn’t playing in your bedroom forever. The pit of dread in your stomach only grew, and you squeezed the arm she held across your chest gently. Picking up on the cue, Emerson dropped her hand and turned to face you full on. Grasping your face in both her hands, she pressed a quick kiss to the tip of your nose. “I love you.” She whispered quietly, pressing her lips to yours for a sweet few seconds. “I found a website that lets me track your flight as it's happening. I know you probably won’t have wifi..” She trailed off. You smiled softly, leaning your cheek into her right hand.

“You’re the prettiest stalker I could ever hope to have.” You teased, watching Emerson fluster for a second before the realization that you were fucking with her dawned. You two finally split apart. The ride to the airport was quiet. The two of you kissed in the car before she helped take your suitcase and carry on out of the trunk. “Bringing bricks along to your mountain getaway.” She grumbled as the suitcase landed with a heavy thud. The tech who took your bags at the gate didn’t flinch at the weight. You took that as a silent victory over Emerson and boarded the plane, the gnawing fear taking deeper root in your gut. You sat near the middle of the plane at an aisle seat, you couldn’t explain why but something told you that you had to sit there. Suddenly aware that you probably look weird, you lock eyes with Sara and let out a relieved sigh. Before you could greet her, the blonde piped up.

“Your husband set all of this up?” She asked, gesturing to the rest of the cabin with a bewildered expression. When you nodded she whistled and let out a teasing “Thank you Mr. Targaryen.” She was quick to follow it up with “Does he have any brothers?” you held back a laugh at that. She and Aegon had been dating on and off for a few years now.

“It’s pretty much the only nice thing he’s done since we got married. I can definitely hook you up with his brother though.” Venting about Aemond felt freeing. Venting about Aemond on a plane that he was paying for was fucking cathartic.

“Strictly dickly, no dice.” Sara replied teasingly, her face contorting in an exaggerated frown.

“I’m sorry to hear about your condition.” You shot back, knowing that Sara wasn’t the type to take it to heart. She laughed again before awareness slowly crept across her face, by now she had to feel the anxiety radiating off of you. The others in the group had already started to pour into the plane. Most of your friends were already there, along with Baela’s creepy little sister and your in-laws. Jacaerys and Lucerys were both nice enough, Jace a bit reactive but not unkind. When they heard of the trip they had asked if they could join, and Aemond looked furious at the thought of them coming so naturally you extended an invitation.

“Nervous flier?” She asked, her brow softening as you paused for a second. “Here.” she said, grabbing your hand and dropping a small white tablet into it before you could give her an answer. “I swiped it from my Mom’s medicine cabinet. She has like a million,” Sara paused to shake her head, shifting her gaze from yours. “She won’t even notice it.” You nodded at her, understanding the full implication.

“My Mom is the same way.” You reassured her. Grabbing a water bottle and downing the pill you grimaced for a moment at the bitter taste.

“Almond mom?” You laughed sharply, nodding heartily as you passed her the water bottle. Sara popped the pill in her mouth before unscrewing the lid and downing some water with the pill.

“Oh my god yeah, always announcing to the world that she only sniffed half of a string cheese for breakfast.” Your eyes involuntarily rolled at the memory. Sara was one of few people who could make anything better with a little smalltalk. The valium certainly didn’t hurt either. Eventually the chatter dies down between the two of you, and you both sleep deeply in your respective aisle seats.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the chat bubble popped up in the upper-right corner of his computer for the third time, Aemond started to grind his teeth.

‘this is important jackass’

‘its emerson’

‘theres something wrong with the flight’

Aemond exhaled sharply, taking a sip of black coffee and failing to hide his annoyance at the messages. He kept working, it was just like her to be dramatic about nothing. He didn’t have time to deal with her theatrics. Aemond left his phone on his desk and went to his morning meetings. They droned on, and the more his half-sister spouted off business terms she didn’t fully understand the more his mind wandered to Y/N. Had he been too harsh in his dismissal? Did it even matter? You weren’t actually his wife. The only thing that connected the two of you was a legal agreement. Why should he spare your feelings when you weren’t even his? You didn’t even acknowledge him these days. His knuckles ached as he released a fist he kept clenched under the table. Flexing his hand he chimed in when appropriate, relaying the quarterly metrics. After the meetings finished he returned to his office, placing his fresh cup of coffee on his desk and grimacing at the notifications on his phone. As if she could sense his avoidance, that was the exact moment the call bubble popped up. Pressing accept, Aemond couldn’t even get his one-liner out before he heard Emerson’s panicked voice.

“They’re too far north!” Aemond paused in place for a second, awkwardly hovering over his desk, he never heard Emerson use anything less than a disdainful tone with him. He felt genuinely taken aback. “Did you hear me?” She demanded impatiently. There it is.

“They’re too far north.” He repeated dispassionately, taking a purposely loud slurp of coffee.

“Gods you’re so fucking.” Aemond smirked, practically hearing Emerson grind her teeth. If nothing else could be accomplished with this phone call at least he could make her day that much worse. You were fine, and that she was just pushing her drama off onto you again. He would wager she was the culprit behind your bad feeling at the very last moment. You needed somebody who wasn’t so tightly wound. Not like her. “200 fucking miles too far north Aemond!” The worry in her voice started to seep into him, before he shut it back out promptly. Now she was pushing her drama onto him.

“I’m sure it’s just a refueling issue or something.” He mused, his tone flat. This was apparently not good enough of an answer since Emerson let out an exasperated huff.

“So why would they be flying over fucking White Harbor when there’s a massive fucking airport in the Eyrie?? Seven hells use your fucking head something is wrong here.” Aemond found himself taking another sip of coffee, this one more of an act of discomfort than mockery. “You chartered the plane. Just call the fucking airline and see if they can get in touch with the pilots or something. If I turn out to be wrong you can make fun of me for it until the end of time. Just fucking call.” Aemond exhaled heavily, trying his best to convey annoyance. Suddenly glad for the barrier created by the cell phone, he kept his tone disinterested.

“If I get around to it.” Aemond clicked the end call button before Emerson could debate further. His hands ached, and he reached into his desk to grab a small remote. Pressing a button, a few of the windows in his office glided open. Placing the remote back and grabbing his pack of cigarettes and a lighter, Aemond leaned against the windowsill. Inhaling and savoring the sweet sweet taste of future cancer, he breathed it all out into the streets of King’s Landing. The cigarette helped let off some of the tension, but he mentally cursed Emerson for the worry she instilled in him. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he texted Alys.

‘1845. My place.’

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

You dreamt of Aemond. You hated it, but you did. Ignoring him gave you a sense of control, but it also stoked the lingering worry that you did it because you didn’t want him to leave you alone. He was yelling again, while you cried tears that grew into little bundles of holly. Aemond grew angrier, shaking you half feral. Suddenly his body pressed upon you so hard you wheezed, an aching in your head as you felt your eyeballs press into your skull. You felt like bricks were being piled atop you for a few more agonizing moments before you inhaled sharply, your mind starting to waver in and out of consciousness. His eye locked onto yours, and he lifted the eyepatch above his missing left eye to reveal a triangular symbol. You started to register a rattling noise, and Aemond shook you harder, yelling about how you no longer belonged. You wavered between your conversation and bleary eyesight. Displeased at this, your husband gripped you as tightly as he could, his arms placing a crushing weight on your waist.

“If you won’t listen.” He said, his violet eye blazing as he moved to grab your face. In his other hand he held a gag, and you resisted as much as you could. Finding yourself unable to speak or move, you mumbled “Get off.” weak as a kitten. Aemond didn’t relent, placing the muzzle on you.

When the cold plastic finally sat against your face you came to. The rattling noise from your dream grew to a deafening roar, and the warning bells started to flare in your drug-addled brain. Your father was a test pilot for the Lysene Navy and had taken you flying in his Cessna whenever he was stateside. The rocking of loose baggage against the overhead containers was too hard, and the dips of the plane too steep. Klaxons sounded and you foggily tried to recall what the individual sounds meant. The nose. As if on cue, your blurry line of sight dipped about 20 degrees and up even more. Somebody behind you screamed at the last dip. You watched as the figure you hazily recognized as Laenor Velaryon held on to the seat ahead of him as best he could. He snapped a mask over the sleeping Floris, grabbed ahold of the armrest and tried to propel himself back into the aisle. That was the exact moment that your line of sight tips back up, before dipping back down again at a steep enough angle that it sent your eyes painfully digging into the sockets again. Your eyesight blurred once more, only to clear just in time to see the drink cart slam against the emergency exit. A grinding noise soon echoed in your ears as the upper left wall of the plane tore open and off. The wind howled and tore at any exposed skin it could. You could only watch in dazed horror as Laenor was sucked out of the plane to wherever he would land. Your senses started to return to you as adrenaline kicked in. Making a conscious move to control your breath, you tried to remember everything your father had told you. When the pressure weighing on your chest abated enough that you could move, you raised the shade of the window to look out. Your throat dried instantly as you saw the tops of pine trees scraping against the wings of the plane. The terror at the realization that you had slept through most of this crash was quickly dawning on you, as was the realization that the plane was still coming down too fast. As the screeching engine rocked you to the point of vertigo, you remembered your father’s words.

‘Put your mask on. Stay calm. Cover your head and lean forward.’ You obeyed his commands, trying to fight off the last of the valium lingering in your mind. You knew you needed to remember everything he had told you. Your fingers dug into the nape of your neck hard enough to break the skin. You shut out the panicked sounds of screams around you. As the sensation of pain registered, one last thought came before blackness enveloped you.

It’s been waiting for us.

#aemond targaryen x reader #aemond x you #hotd x reader #aemond fic #hotd imagine #aemond x reader

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justreadertings · 2 years

Text

Hi, hello, is this Sweet Understanding? No. It is not. My deepest apologizes. However, I was inspired and wrote a baby oneshot that may turn into a couple of oneshots in this AU. Anyway, I super adore this one and only have one more scene to finish for SU so I hope that will be out soon! All my love- Magee

TW: implied miscarriage, mentions of cheating, talks of pregnancy and labor complications

WC: 2324

Eire

Aelin’s whole body ached, and yet, she’d never been happier. She’d been a mother for a whole three days now, and it was the greatest thing the gods could have given her. Her sweet Eire lay sleeping against her chest, breathing softly. Aelin made sure to settle into the pillows as best as she could without disturbing her daughter. She could watch her child sleep for hours and never bore it. Only the soft rapping at her open bedroom door took her out of it.

“Fireheart, do you need anything?”

Aelin’s heart glowed more than it ever had. Her boyfriend’s face was nearly as exhausted as she was, but he never missed a beat. He was so good to her, to their Eire.

“I’m ok,” she said. Rowan’s green eyes swept over her, as they had constantly since she’d gone into labor. “I’m ok, you buzzard, now stop worrying so much. It’s bad for the baby,” she quipped.

“Is it?” He lifted a brow.

“Ummhmm,” she hummed.

Rowan came around to her side of the bed, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll make sure to keep it in mind.”

Aelin patted the bed beside her. “Come here, come lay with me.”

Rowan obliged, instantly. She nestled into him, and a wave of contentment wafted over her. She hadn’t exactly had the easiest labor- hadn’t exactly had an easy pregnancy for that matter. Her entire body felt sore and tense. She was unfamiliar with it, if she had to admit, and the only time she felt truly at home in it was in the familiarity of her boyfriend’s arms.

“You’re so beautiful,” Rowan whispered against her forehead. “Eire gets it from you.”

Aelin smiled softly. She’d never really had a family before this, and the comfort of it had her more at peace than she’d ever been. Aelin’s eyes began to close, her breathing turning soft.

But their peace only lasted a few minutes, as a knock on the door jolted her awake. Both she and Rowan were quick to make sure their newborn wasn’t disturbed.

“What time is it?” she asked, dread filling her.

Rowan looked at the clock, and let out a sigh. Aelin knew what that meant. “It’s noon.”

Her head fell backwards. “Wyrd save me,” she whispered.

Rowan pressed a kiss to both her head and then their daughter’s before getting up to get the door. Aelin pressed a million kisses to the top of Eire’s unfairly soft head, and breathed her in.

Just a few moments later, brown hair and eyes were standing in her bedroom doorway.

“There’s my munchkin,” Sam said.

Aelin forced a painful smile. She knew this would be hard… but she’d never expected it to be this hard. The whole situation was complicated.

Rowan came into her life when they were teenagers, and they’d fallen in love instantly. They had this… soul connection. But circumstances with Aelin’s foster care never really worked in her favor, and after three years of dating she was shipped away the summer before her senior year. Rowan had promised that when they graduated, he’d go to wherever she was and they would be together.

But then he’d gotten an internship all the way in Dornelle, and Aelin could not give up the opportunity to go to college. The money she’d saved up and the constant moving meant she could only afford to go to in-state schooling. But now, seven years later, they were living together with their baby.

Well… Aelin, Rowan and Sam’s baby. Aelin had met Sam in her third year of college, and they had dated, gotten engaged, and then promptly broke up two months before Aelin found out she was pregnant. Which was right around the time Rowan Whitethorn walked into her favorite coffee shop and back into her life forever.

And he wasn’t going away this time. Aelin planned to keep him forever. She liked to say he was “baby trapped”, but he didn’t think that was too funny. Aelin knew their story was strange, that most men wouldn’t fall in love with a woman who was carrying someone else’s child. But she was Rowan’s and Rowan was her’s. Rowan told her Eire was her, and anything that was her was something he loved.

Rowan had already lost one child. He’d told Aelin that she and Eire were his second chance at happiness. That they were the family he always feared he’d never get.

But that family also, sadly, included Sam.

Sam had come to the hospital the day she was born, and had made plans to see her today. When Aelin asked when, Sam had just said he’d “stop by.” At two this morning, when Aelin was up feeding Eire, she’d received a text that Sam would “stop by” around noon. Rowan was doing a very good job of not strangling him.

Sam came over and looked down at Eire.

Aelin smiled. “Gods, isn’t she beautiful?” To his credit, Sam did agree. “You want to hold her?”

Sam nodded, and Aelin pressed another hundred kisses to her baby before passing her to Sam. When she was sure he had her, Aelin looked over to Rowan for assistance. He was by her side in an instant, and took her by the elbow to help her stand. Pain laced down her sides, down her back. All of her insides were mush, and sweat beaded on her brow.

She was finally standing, albeit leaning into Rowan slightly.

“Gods,” Sam said behind her. “You look awful.”

Both she and Rowan turned to look at the man. Aelin’s fingers dug into Rowan’s forearm. “Push a baby out of your vagina and we’ll talk.”

Rowan snorted.

“Can you help me?” she gestured to their bathroom. Aelin had actually moved her side of the bed- even though she hated it- to be closer to their on-suite. Rowan slid his arm around her, and pain again sliced through her. Her doctor said she’d have to accept that her own healing would take time. Her pregnancy had had its fair share of complications, and she’d had several surgeries in the aftermath, all while dealing with the intense fear that her child was not ok. Eire had gotten stuck on her pelvic bone during labor, and Aelin was sure that her life was flashing before her eyes when her doctor began pushing and prying to get her out.

But they were here, they were ok, they were healthy and above all else- alive. But Aelin really, really, really didn’t need to be mocked about it.

“You don’t want me to help?” Sam asked.

Aelin just kept on her way to the bathroom. Sam hadn’t exactly been thrilled about Rowan being in Aelin’s life. He’d been difficult through the whole thing, complaining that Rowan was at every event with her, that he was there for the birth, even though Aelin had invited Sam and he hadn’t shown up. Sam arrived an hour later, and met Eire when Aelin was in surgery, so neither she, nor Rowan was there to give the ok.

But Eire was Sam’s too, and she just had to accept that. Sam, however, had to accept Eire was also Rowan’s.

Once Aelin had cursed at Rowan to let her pee in peace, she could hear the men sit in uncomfortable silence on the other side of the door. Despite them now being in each other’s lives for nearly a year, they hadn’t exactly warmed up to each other. Rowan was adamant that Sam hadn’t treated her right, and wasn’t a huge fan. He only played nice because he knew how difficult life could be for both her and Eire if they outwardly hated each other.

Sam had bitched about Rowan since the day they met, claiming that Rowan was just a “rebound”. He’d actually ruined her baby shower by giving a far too detailed toast about how, despite them being broken up, the baby had to have gotten there “somehow” in front of all of her closest friends. Rowan had nearly killed him until his best friends took care of the tipsy baby-daddy so he could be there for her.

Aelin’s emotions had been so up and down then, she’d cried for hours after the party before marching over to Sam’s apartment to cuss him out. Ever since then, they’d all been very stiff around each other. Nearly everything they spoke about was baby-related. Aelin thought that was for the best.

After she was done, her body was furious that she’d done anything out of the norm, and cramps began to invade her lower half. She called out for Rowan who was there in seconds.

“Is something wrong?”

She shook her head, hands braced on the counter. “It’s like last night,” she told him.

He ran a soothing hand down her back, and of course, Eire began to cry again. Aelin hung her head for a moment, before moving back to the bedroom. She sat on the end of her bed, and gestured for Sam to give her the baby.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

Aelin’s finger lightly caressed Eire’s tiny cheek. “I don’t know, I just fed her.”

“Did you do it right?”

She looked up at him to see if he was joking. He wasn’t. “Yes, Sam. I fed her right.”

He leaned back to rest against the wall. “I just didn’t know. Big guy over here made me leave when that boob expert came in.”

“The lactation consultant?” Rowan asked, and Aelin could hear the frustration in his voice.

“Whatever.”

Eire still fussed, so Aelin rocked and cooed at her, and even smelled her, but she didn’t need to be changed. After a few minutes, Aelin looked at Rowan and offered up a smile.

Her boyfriend sighed. “It’s not going to work every time,” he told her, reaching for the baby.

Aelin pursed her lips. “You’ll see.”

Rowan rolled his eyes, but, just as Aelin implied, he began to hum to their daughter. He hummed and held her right to his chest, where she settled and promptly fell back asleep.

“Hate to say I told you so, but…” Aelin mused.

“Quiet,” he warned, playfully.

Sam was watching them with narrowed eyes. Aelin turned to him. “I hate that she’s so fussy right now. I really wanted you to get a chance to be with her.”

Despite how complicated everything was, she would never deny someone as important as Eire’s father the chance to love her. Aelin knew one day, everyone Eire ever met would love her, but that should start with the people who were to raise her.

“You don’t find it weird that you took her out of my hands to give to him?”

Aelin frowned. “I don’t find anything weird about one of her parents holding her, no.”

Sam huffed. “Maybe you’re just too hormonal to see how fucked up this is, but maybe in a few days you’ll come to your senses.”

“Excuse me?” Aelin asked. “If you’re implying that I’m not doing what’s best for my child you’ve got a whole lot coming.”

Sam shook his head. “I just think that maybe you’re trying to punish me.”

Aelin narrowed her brows, and Rowan watched with careful eyes while still rocking Eire. “Trying to punish you?”

“Yeah. You, doing all this, messing with everything… I already apologized for what happened with Lysandra-”

Aelin stood- which hurt like hell, but was necessary to get her point across. “What ‘happened with Lysandra’ was that you asked her to sleep with you, and when she said no, you called her crazy and messaged her boyfriend to flip the story. And when she told me, you gaslit me and tried to make me think I made it up.” Aelin could nearly see red. “And after a fifteen hour labor, three surgeries, and two days with no sleep, do you really think this is a fight you want to start with me? Because I survived all that, and let me tell you, Sam Courtland, I can survive you too.”

Sam shook his head at her. “You know what, I’ll just be absent from our daughter's life, just like you want.”

“What I want is a cherry soda, and about six bowls of Fruit Loops. What I need is for you to look at every single invitation I’ve sent to you about our daughter’s checkups, and how included I’ve made you in all this. What I need is for you to grow up and be a father. If not, there’s the door!”

With that, Aelin sat back down on the bed, and stuck out her arms so she could hold her baby. Rowan gently placed Eire back in her arms, and all of her pent up anger melted away. Rowan pressed his lips to her head, and she was very confident that she desperately needed that.

Sam left about two minutes later with an annoyed, “call you tomorrow.”

Aelin only waved a dramatic goodbye, promising that she’d have a real talk about arguing in front of their daughter on another day.

Rowan braced his hand around her waist as they sat on the edge of their bed. “I’m proud of you, Fireheart.”

All of her fight gave out to exhaustion, and she leaned against him. “Eire is three days old and I’ve already yelled in front of her.”

Rowan shook his head. “You weren’t yelling. And besides, I’m sure she’ll want to see how fierce her mama is.”

Aelin smiled against his shoulder. “Thank you. You’re so calm.” She glanced up at him. “I might need some of that.”

“All in due time, my love.”

Aelin leaned in and Rowan bent down to place a kiss on her lips. With the puppy snores of the baby in her arms, and the soft kiss from the love of her life, Aelin knew despite the chaos and the exhaustion- her life was looking pretty great.

Yeah, how am I NOT gonna write more of them? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! mwah!!

Taglist:

@leiawritesstories

@tomtenadia

@fireheart-violet

@backtobl4ck

@morganofthewildfire

@rowaelinismyotp

@aelinchocolatelover

@thegreyj

@foughtconquered

@swankii-art-teacher

@booklover242

@stardelia

@numbers-colors-fashion

@bookcide

@viajandosinalas

@rowanaelinn

@elentiyawhitethorn

@emily-gsh

@athena127

@captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship

#Eire #rowaelin #throne of glass #tog #sjm #tog fanfiction #sjm fanfiction #rowaelin fanfiction #baby fic

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thiswasinevitableid · 2 years

Note

20 Sternclay?

20. We’re best friends who love watching Hallmark movies together and you always talk about finding your true love at Christmastime but the only true love I can imagine for myself is you

The heater is on, the snow is drifting down outside, and the neon sign for Bigfoot Bites and Books casts a blue glow onto the pavement. Joseph couldn’t ask for a better December 4th.

“You got one picked out?” Barclay calls from the chocolate scented kitchen.

“Yes.” He clicks Peppermint Christmas into full-screen and sets coasters down on the coffee table.

Barclay comes into the room bearing two glass mugs of hot cocoa heaped with homemade whipped cream. It’s the third constant of this tradition, after Hallmark Christmas movies and the pair of them sharing a couch.

It began their freshman year of college; they were dormmates, Barclay shy and Joseph so focused on his studies that they barely said more than “hello” or “hold the door” to each other. Then winter break arrived and they were the only two people in their unit who didn’t go home for the holidays–Joseph had an internship and Barclay had to work–and sought each other out for company.

Flipping channels in the living room and keeping close to the heater, they stumbled on a movie titled Christmas Calling and kept it on due to morbid curiosity. Joseph usually hated things that were saccharine and predictable, but Barclay got so invested in it that he couldn’t help but enjoy himself. When the commercials announced Winter Hearts was coming up next, Barclay hopped up with a “be right back” and returned with two little mugs of Swiss Miss.

Joseph will remember that night until he dies and, if there’s any justice in the world, after that too.

They made time for each other after that, Barclay crashing on Joseph’s bed to rest after a night shift while Joseph furiously typed out essays or Barclay bodily dragging Joseph out of the room to go for a damn walk (which he did actually need).

At the end of their Freshman year, they signed the lease on an apartment together. They’ve lived with each other ever since. Through two moves, multiple break-ups, the terrifying process of getting a small business loan, and one summer spent renovating the building that would become their business, and a thousand other changes, they’ve been each other's constants and roommates.

Five or six winters into their tradition, Barclay admitted that he thought finding true love at Christmas would be a dream come true. Every year, he gets misty-eyed at kisses under the mistletoe and proposals in the snow. And every year, January finds him uncoupled and blue.

Joseph doesn’t understand why; he may be a real-life version of the work-obsessed, urban dwelling boyfriend that always ends up single, but Barclay, six foot three of flannel clad gentleness who can bake cinnamon rolls so good they’d make a nun orgasm, should be fending off career obsessed women and men who run dog groomers or flower shops with a stick.

In the glow of the screen, Barclay rests his head on Joseph’s shoulder, sighing wistfully as the heroine glances out the window of her private plane to see the hero has written “I love you” in the snow.

Barclay deserves someone who will do that for him. But–as Joseph finally admitted to himself this Halloween–there’s no escaping the fact that Barclay finding his True Love would mean Joseph losing his.

In theory, this is an easily solvable situation. All Joseph has to do is open his mouth and confess the feelings mounded in his chest like shoveled snow. But if he’s wrong, he could blow up his longest friendship and fuck up their business on top if that.

Worse still is the thought that however he confesses won’t be enough. That it will seem so natural, so unremarkable, that it will blend into the background noise of their lives together and Barclay won’t notice Joseph bearing his heart because instead of bleeding on the table it’s nestled in among the dishes.

That’s why Joseph has created The Plan

Step one: Locate the perfect time and place for a grand, romantic gesture.

Step two: Go to that location with Barclay

Step three: Confess his feelings to Barclay

Step four, version A start dating the man he’s lived with since he was nineteen and loves more than any speech, chart, or bulleted list can express.

Step four, version B: ask best friend to please forget he ever said anything and swear they can go on as normal ->hate self forever for making it weird.

Even if it goes horribly, he’ll have given Barclay spectacular, seasonal declaration of love that he deserves.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

“I’m not loving those clouds.” Barclay swaps out the ABBA C.D for Ragtime Christmas as Joseph merges onto the freeway.

“I checked this morning, the storm is supposed to miss this area.” He can’t deny the grey-black snowclouds are getting closer than he’d like, but he’s not ready to abandon his plan just yet. Barclay wants to get a tree from a genuine tree farm an hour from the city. Tucked in Joseph’s pocket is a folded up banner reading, “You’re the one I’m Pining for.” When they find the perfect tree, he’s going to get to it first and hang the banner around it.

If Barclay shares his feelings, Joseph will ask him to drive so he can get them a table at the Badger Den, Barclay’s favorite cafe on this route, for a cozy dinner for two.

Three tracks into the C.D, snow sticks to the windshield. Five tracks in, it’s coming down so hard Joseph is struggling to see the road. Barclay switches to the radio, scanning around until he finds the weather broadcast.

“...winds at 25 mph, visibility low, residents are advised to stay indoors.”

“Christmas tree can wait.” Barclay says as Joseph is already signaling for the offramp.

He gets them headed for home, but the storm is faster than his CR-V and they soon come to silent, white knuckled agreement to pull off at the next possible spot and find somewhere to wait out the worst of it.

The sign at the offramp has one gas station and one restaurant, and as they creep down the dark road the snow turns orange. Blinking before them is a sign for The Slice is Right.

“Guess we’re having pizza.” Barclay hops out of the car, excited at the prospect of a new restaurant, and Joseph follows him into a space whose walls are more movie poster than concrete at this point.

Since they’re in no hurry, they order a Chicago style and contemplate their drinks as the howling wind competes with the 80s pop eking through the speakers.

“I tell you about the idea I had for some extra sales?”

“I don’t think so.”

Barclay grins, “Okay, it’s hella cheesy, but you know those blind date with a book things? We can do some of those, but in addition to, like, the vibes we write what drink from the cafe pairs with it on the cover. And then the person gets a free one of those drinks if they buy it.”

“That’d work for both the holidays and Valentines Day.” Joseph taps his finger on his mug.

“I see you making a list of what books to include.” A booted foot nudges his ankle under the table, “c’mon, share with the class.”

“Well, Agent X: TNT would be an obvious pair for the Mothman Mocha. Maybe something non-fiction for the matcha latte…”

“That new one about the ten plants that shaped human history?”

“Good thinking. I’d certainly read The Sweetheart Killer with a caramel latte but that might just be me….”

By the time the pizza arrives they’ve come up with a dozen pairings and are more than ready to shove molten cheese in their mouths. As they’re polishing off the last two slices, Barclay peers past him.

“Is that Pac Man? Over there, through that door.”

Joseph turns, following his gaze and then spotting a sign reading “arcade” above a yellow door frame.

“I think it is. Let’s go see.”

He’s expecting an alcove with one or two games, but the door leads to an entire room of them, including the Creature from the Black Lagoon pinball. The change machine accepts his dollar with ease, so he slides in a few more and then searches for Barclay.

He finds him by one of two air hockey tables, the kind they used to play in the campus rec center.

The cook pats one side of it, “This has gotta be older than both of us and I fully intend to kick your ass on it.”

Joseph grins, rolling up the sleeves of his sweater, “Don’t be too sure about that, big guy.”

By the time he’s won eleven out of twenty rounds, the sun is actually peeking out from the clouds, giving them an opening to head home. As they walk the few, icy steps to the car, Barclay shoos him over to the passenger seat.

“You got us out here. Seems only fair I get us home.”

They pull onto the freeway and come immediately to a stop in the midst of storm-related traffic. As they inch towards the city, Barclay’s right hand rests on the center console and Joseph wonders for about the five hundredth time how it would feel to hold it.

—-----------------------------------------------------------

Since his first plan was derailed by weather, he makes damn sure his second can’t be. There’s a Christmas market in the (enclosed) stadium where the two of them always do some final gift shopping. Stacked among the stalls selling alpaca wool and fresh cheese curds is Hole She-Bang doughnuts, AKA Barclay’s favorite doughnuts in the whole wide world.

The bakers are based an hour and half north, so Barclay only gets them once or twice a year. His favorite are the apple cider ones, filled with either apple cinnamon jelly or cream cheese custard.

A week ago, Joseph called in a special order; those exact doughnuts, shaped into letters that spell “You+Me= Date?”

He even knows exactly where in the market the stall will be and the route that will allow them to hit all their favorite stops on the way.

They’re one row of booths away when a white pitbull in an orange and black sweater comes barreling through the crowd. It’s tail is wagging and it mostly seems interested in sniffing the air, but Barclay is still the only person to kneel down and wave it towards him

“Hey buddy, hey, there we go” he rubs a round face, “where are your people, huh? I didn’t think they were allowed to have you in here.”

“They’re not.” Joseph crouches down, examining the frayed, orange fabric clipped to it’s collar, “He must have snapped his leash. Christ, the nearest place you can really walk is the bike trail and that’s at least a quarter mile away.”

Barclay peers at the heart shaped tag, “His name is B.B and….yep, here, there’s a phone number.”

B.B flops onto his side and Barclay rubs his belly while Joseph calls. He gets a message machine, leaves his name and contact information, and turns back to Barclay.

“We might want to get him outside. If they’re out looking for him it might not occur to them that he went through the automatic doors here.”

Barclay nods and undoes his belt. It makes for a short leash once it’s wrapped around the collar, but it’s enough to coax B.B outside. Joseph tries the number again and gets the same result, so they settle onto a bench to wait. He supposes they could call animal control or someone to take B.B and hold onto him, but he keenly remembers when Sass ran away when he was twelve and how miserable he was for the 48 hours it took for a good samaritan to lure him into their truck with their McDonalds order and bring him home.

After a half hour, his phone buzzes with an unfamiliar number and he picks up to a man's anxious voice on the other end

“Uh, hi, the message from this number said you found my dog?”

“We did. He’s okay, we’ve got him out in front of the Caps stadium?”

“The what? Fuck, no wonder we couldn’t find him, he bolted so fast we were just guessing where to look and went the wrong way” his voice grows farther away, “yeah, yeah they still have him, toss me my keys? We’ll be there ASAP.” The man hangs up.

Twenty minutes later, a sleek, orange car pulls into the parking lot a tad too fast. When two good looking men bound up the steps, the one with dark, wavy hair quickly out pacing his companion, B.B wags his whole body and nearly yanks Barclay off his feet.

“Yeah, that’s about what he did to me. Usually I can hold him but the leash gave.” The man from the phone kneels, bear hugging the dog, “don’t ever do that again.”

The other man bends, kissing the first on the head and rubbing B.Bs ear, then turns a dazzling smile on them, “Thank you guys so much for wrangling him. We only had my phone with us and it’s his number on the tag.”

“No big” Barclay smiles, “ just glad we could help.”

They shake hands and say goodbyes, B.B giving Barclay a final, parting lick. As they head back inside to finish their shopping, Joseph finds a new text on his phone telling him that the folks at Hole She-Bang had an emergency and had to pack up and go and would he like a refund?

Barclay brushes white fur from his shirt with the small, pleased smile that means he’s feeling pretty damn good.

Joseph texts back “no, thank you” and then asks if Barclay would like to get lunch.

—-----------------------------------------

His third plan can’t miss: it can’t be stormed on or rained out, and since it’s confined to their apartment no one and nothing can interrupt it.

He has two hours before Barclay gets back from the pottery class he takes with his friend, Indrid. Which gives Joseph two hours to make the apartment into a Hallmark scene come to life. Decorations, mistletoe, candles, fancy hot chocolate, romantic Christmas carols, he’s picked them all to match Barclay’s favorites, including some decor from Christmas Cake, Barclay’s favorite.

They decorated the tree three days ago, so he focuses on the rest of the apartment, with each room getting strings of lights and the living room and kitchen getting extra silver and gold garlands. Finally, he hangs mistletoe from the ceiling and tacks green, metallic letters on the wall to read “I’d like you for Christmas.”

The power goes out five minutes before Barclay is supposed to get home.

As Joseph curses both his luck and the power grid, the door to the silent, dark, apartment opens behind him.

“Guess it’s out here, too. That’s…Joseph? Is everything okay?”

Joseph runs a hand through his hair, “No, it’s not. I wanted the whole apartment to look like a Christmas movie when you got home.”

“I can kinda tell.” Barclay murmurs, taking in the new lights and the unlit candles on the table. Then he pauses, looking past Joseph’s shoulder to the letters on the wall.

“Is that for me, too?”

“Yes. It’s the latest in a series of attempted confessions.” He explains the whole, pathetic situation, Barclay coming closer as he does.

Joseph sighs, “I know I could have just told you. But I know what a romantic you are, I know how long you’ve wanted someone to show their love like they’re in the movies. I was trying to give you these wonderful days as a lead up to telling you how I feel not only because it’s what you want but because that’s what you deserve.”

Barclay glances down, rubbing his arm, “But those were wonderful days. Because I was with you.”

“Really?”

His friend gives a disbelieving chuckle, “Joseph, some days I wake up and I can’t believe how much I fucking lucked out to have a home and a job and a life that I get to share with you. That’s why I never did some of the things I really, really wanted to do. I was afraid I’d fuck the whole thing up and lose you forever.”

Barclay cups his face, hands still chilly from his walk home, and kisses him. Delighted surprise overtakes him and Joseph laughs into the kiss, throwing his arms around the best thing to ever happen to him. Barclay correctly takes this as a sign to pull him closer, his touches so full of affection and sheer, unbridled want that it takes Joseph a moment to realize the lights are back on.

Barclay glances up and breaks into a grin warmer than an armchair by a fire, “Hey, looks like you did manage to give me something from a movie.” He points at the sprig of green hanging above them, “gotta say, kissing under the mistletoe definitely lives up to the hype.”

“Glad to hear it, big guy.” Joseph strokes Barclay’s beard, “but you really shouldn’t draw conclusions without additional evidence. Like how it feels to kiss other places in the house.”

“Good point. And we’ve got a lot of lost time to make up for. So tell me, babe” he takes Joseph into his arms, dipping him before bringing them face to face, “where do you want to start?”

#agent stern/barclay #sternclay #winter fills #taz amnesty

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mbabtechadmissionexpert · 2 days

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SIBM Pune – A Premier Institute for Management Excellence

Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM) Pune is a renowned business school in India, consistently ranked among the top management institutes in the country. Established in 1978, SIBM Pune has carved a niche in delivering quality education, fostering leadership, and shaping future business leaders. This 600-word article will delve into the various facets of SIBM Pune, highlighting its courses, campus facilities, placement opportunities, and unique aspects that make it a preferred choice for MBA aspirants.

1. Introduction to SIBM Pune: SIBM Pune is one of the flagship institutes under the prestigious Symbiosis International (Deemed University). With its rich history and reputation, it offers an ideal platform for students aiming for a bright future in the corporate world. The institute is known for its rigorous academic programs, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and a holistic learning environment that focuses on both theoretical knowledge and practical exposure.

2. Programs Offered: SIBM Pune offers a wide array of programs catering to different specializations in management. The flagship program is the two-year full-time MBA, which is offered with specializations in Marketing, Finance, Human Resource Management, and Operations Management. Additionally, SIBM Pune offers an Executive MBA program for working professionals and various management development programs (MDPs) that are designed for senior executives looking to enhance their skills.

3. Campus and Facilities: Nestled in the picturesque Lavale hills, the sibm pune fees campus provides a serene and conducive environment for learning. The institute boasts modern classrooms, a fully-equipped library, and various recreational facilities. The hostel accommodations, gymnasium, cafeteria, and health services ensure students have all the necessary amenities for a comfortable stay. The campus is designed to foster an interactive and collaborative learning atmosphere.

4. Faculty and Pedagogy: SIBM Pune prides itself on its experienced faculty members, many of whom have a rich academic background and industry experience. The teaching methodology emphasizes case-based learning, industry interactions, live projects, and internships, ensuring that students are well-prepared to face real-world business challenges. The institute also invites guest lectures from industry leaders, adding an extra dimension of learning.

5. Placement and Industry Connection: SIBM Pune has an excellent track record when it comes to placements. Top-tier companies from diverse sectors, including FMCG, IT, Manufacturing, Consulting, and Banking, regularly recruit from the campus. The placement process is a well-organized event that sees participation from over 100 companies each year. In addition to final placements, the institute also facilitates summer internships, giving students practical exposure to their respective fields of interest.

6. Student Life and Extracurricular Activities: Apart from academics, SIBM Pune encourages students to participate in various extracurricular activities. There are numerous student-driven clubs and committees focused on different areas such as marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, and sports. These clubs provide an excellent platform for students to hone their skills, network with peers, and stay updated on the latest industry trends.

7. Why Choose SIBM Pune? SIBM Pune’s robust curriculum, experienced faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and a strong industry connection make it one of the best B-schools in India. The institute’s focus on holistic development through academics, extracurricular activities, and placements makes it an ideal destination for aspiring business leaders.

Conclusion: SIBM Pune stands as a premier institution for management education in India, offering a blend of academic rigor and practical exposure. With its strong reputation, excellent faculty, and vibrant campus life, SIBM Pune is a top choice for students aspiring to build successful careers in business management. Whether you aim to specialize in marketing, finance, HR, or operations, SIBM Pune provides the resources and opportunities to help you achieve your career goals.

#SIBM Pune #sibm pune fees

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umichenginabroad · 6 months

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Abhi in Paris

Week 11: Ein Spasser Woche in Deutschland!

Hey everyone! Welcome back to my blog. I’m super excited to be writing about this past week – it was action packed & incredibly fulfilling. After a few classes at the beginning of the week, I spent the rest of the week & Easter weekend in Deutschland (Germany)! Honestly, this is a dream trip for me. I took German for 7 years in Middle & High School, and although, I’m not the greatest I can still have basic conversations. So, I was super excited to explore everything I’d read about Germany in high school & hopefully speak some German.

Monday, March 25th - As you know by now, my week’s often start with the usual classes. This week it was a Communication Systems lab on Monday and a French class on Tuesday. Communication Systems was super interesting. We did a lab on FM Waves, as well as how to create them, and how to “read” them – otherwise known as modulation & demodulation. The really cool part is after the lab, we used our demodulator circuit to demodulate an actual FM signal from a nearby radio station in Cergy! Honestly, I’ve been learning so much about Electrical Engineering, and it’s so different to Aerospace Engineering, which I’m used to!

Tuesday, March 26th – As I mentioned, today I had French in the evening. But before that, I grabbed some flowers from the local boutique shop and met my girlfriend as she returned from her trip back to the US. I’ve mentioned her on here a lot before, but she’s studying with me in Paris! She was back in the US this past week for some internship related stuff, but now she’s back and we’re gearing up for our next trip. Anyway, after saying hi, I made my way back to Cergy for French class. And our homework for next week is to make a speech in French about our travels and present it to the class. I’m so nervous!! After French, I was able to get into the gym and start packing for my Deutschland trip!

Wednesday, March 27th – My trip to Deutschland began as most of my trips begin, an early morning train. After a TGV train to Karlsruhe Hbf, the first border city train station from Paris to Germany, I hopped on some local trains and made it to Stuttgart, my first stop of the trip.

I was particularly excited for this first stop – back in the 90s, my mom lived in Stuttgart for a few years working for a large Engineering firm Bosch that is headquarter here and has a presence in every corner of the city. I’ve spent a summer interning for Bosch in their US headquarters near Ann Arbor, so this has even more significance. They are famous for supplying car manufacturers with almost everything, being the primary Engineering firm behind Mercedes F1, and for their amazing appliances. Anyway, my first stop was a quick visit to my mom’s old office just because she was nostalgic :)

After that, I explored the Porsche Museum, seeing everything from their first cars to their famous Le Man cars and modern roadsters and SUVs. Then, I visited the Stuttgart Fernsehstrum – a 200+ meter TV tower with an elevator that gets you to the top in under a minute. From there, I had some incredible views of the city. Finally, I capped the day with some amazing food and a few drinks.

Thursday, March 28th – The thing about this trip is – I’m going somewhere new almost every day! And today was no exception. Today, I was going deeper into the German state of Baden-Wuertenburg down into the Schwarzwald or Black Forest. There’s an amazing town in this quaint forest called Titisee on the banks of Lake Titisee. The town is world renowned for Cuckoo Clocks from local Schwarzwald wood.

After 3 early morning trains, I arrived in Titisee right around noon. Truly an incredible quaint town nestled in the forest. I got to walk around Lake Titisee, visit local watch and cuckoo clock dealerships and even see one of the worlds largest cuckoo clocks – the size of a 2 story building. It was an action packed day that ended with a night’s rest at a charming guest house in the town run by a sweet German couple.

Friday, March 29th – Yet again, today was no exception to the rule. I got up early in the morning for a train ride to München in Bayern! The trains were so confusing with all the connecting. I got to the station and got onto my train only to realize an hour later that there was two halves to the same train each splitting to go in different directions, and I got on the wrong half :( After taking the next train back to Titisee, I started on my commute again, first from Titisee to another small town Donnaulingen, then to Ulm, then on to München.

After arriving in the afternoon, I enjoyed a few local beers from a 500+ year old brewery by the river side. Then, I got to explore the main city plaza and adjacent cathedral. Finally, I capped things off with a relaxing dinner and an early night to catch up on sleep.

Saturday, March 30th – Today was a special day – ever seen the Disney Cinderella’s Castle? Well, I was about to see the real castle that it was heavily inspired from, Neuschwanstein.

It was built by Ludwig II, the king of Bavaria in the late 1800s. He revered the medieval kings of France, especially Louis XIV, so he built a beautiful Cinderella style medieval castle nestled in the Ammergau mountains right above his father’s own castle, Hoehenschwangau. After an early morning bus for a few hours, I visited the Marienbrucke, a bridge located between two peaks of the Ammergau mountains from which the views of Neuschwanstein are absolutely spectacular. It truly does look like a real Disney movie, look at the photo yourself! I also go to visit another castle of Ludwig, the Linderhof Castle.

Finally, I capped off the day by visiting the village of Oberammergau, a village situated just north of the Ammergau mountain. This trip was especially significant to me because back in the day in my German class in high school, we used to sing a song called “Oberammergau/Unterammergau,” a local Bavarian folk song.

Sunday, March 31st – Once again, an early morning super speed ICE Deutsche Bahn train led me to Berlin. After an afternoon arrival, I explored an art market and then join a “rude bastards” tour, where the tour guide “kept it real” and was “mean” to everyone on the tour.

It was the best thing ever. This tour guide told us real facts, kept us laughing the whole time, and knew so much about the city. We saw all the main attractions from the Berlin Wall to the Luftwaffe Building, the Welt Balloon, Potsdamer Platz, Tiergarten, and so much more. After grabbing a few Berlin based beers with the tour guide, I grabbed some dinner, and crashed after a super long day.

Tomorrow is Easter Monday, and I’ve got one last day in Berlin, which I’ll talk about in my blog next week! I’m looking forward to an overnight train back Monday night arriving Tuesday morning, before hitting class again Tuesday afternoon.

This week has been a dream – seeing all the things I spent so many years learning about and immersing myself in the language too! Thanks so much for reading and look out next week where I finish out this trip.

Auf Weidersehen,

Abhi Athreya

University of Michigan, Aerospace Engineering 2025

ENSEA in Cergy, France

#ipewinter24 #umichenginabroad #ipeensea #france #AbhinavAthreya

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iimspunepgdmcolleges · 9 months

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PGDM Course Unleashed: IIMS Pune's Promise of Career Transformation

Are you ready to embark on a journey that goes beyond textbooks and classrooms, leading to a career that stands out in the competitive landscape? Look no further than IIMS Pune and its trailblazing PGDM course. In this article, we'll dive into the heart of what makes IIMS Pune a standout PGDM college in Pune, exploring the fees, placements, and the transformative promises of its PGDM program.

IIMS Pune: Preferred Choice for PGDM Course IN PUNE

Nestled in Pune's dynamic educational landscape, IIMS stands tall as a symbol of academic distinction. Its Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) course isn't just about acquiring a degree; it's about transforming aspirations into career triumphs.

The Allure of PGDM: A Career Catapult

PGDM Course Unleashed

IIMS Pune's PGDM course is a gateway to a future where career aspirations are not just met but exceeded. The program is designed to go beyond traditional learning, offering a curriculum that aligns with industry needs and sets the stage for a dynamic career.

The IIMS Advantage: A PGDM College Like No Other

Why IIMS Pune Stands Out as a PGDM College in Pune

What sets IIMS Pune apart in the realm of PGDM colleges in Pune? It's not just about the tagline; it's about a commitment to excellence. Accredited by AICTE and the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India, IIMS Pune ensures a curriculum that not only meets but exceeds national standards. This recognition is not just a stamp; it's a testament to the quality of education offered.

The Numbers That Matter: PGDM Course Fees

Breaking Down PGDM Course Fees at IIMS Pune

Concerned about the investment? Let's break it down. The PGDM course at IIMS Pune is not just an expense; it's an investment in your future. The fees are a reflection of the comprehensive learning experience, specialized certifications, and the personalized attention that defines IIMS Pune.

Transformative Learning: A Peek into the PGDM Curriculum

PGDM Course at IIMS Pune: A Comprehensive Dive

The PGDM course at IIMS Pune isn't a conventional two-year program. It's a transformative journey that includes a 45-day winter internship, a 90-day summer internship, and a whopping 200 hours of live projects. The emphasis is not just on theoretical knowledge; it's on practical exposure that bridges the gap between academia and the real-world challenges of management.

Specialized Certifications for a Competitive Edge

In a world that values specialization, IIMS Pune offers a range of certifications in high-demand areas like SAP R3, Digital Marketing, Six Sigma, Foreign Language, and Business Analytics. These certifications aren't just badges; they're tickets to standing out in the competitive job market.

A Niche for Every Aspiration: PGDM in Retail Management

PGDM in Retail Management: Catering to Growing Demands

IIMS Pune recognizes the evolving dynamics of the retail sector. That's why it offers a specialized PGDM in Retail Management, providing students with a focused pathway to success in this dynamic industry.

Beyond the Classroom: PGDM Placements at IIMS Pune

PGDM Placements: Turning Dreams into Reality

Worried about what comes after the program? IIMS Pune has a stellar track record of placements with renowned companies like Ernst & Young, Deloitte, Mondelez, PwC, BVG, Bajaj Allianz, Federal Bank, Zydus, Asian Paints, and Kotak Mahindra. The highest package offered is an impressive 26.10 LPA, a testament to the trust that leading companies place in IIMS Pune graduates.

The ROI of Your Investment: PGDM Course Insights

IIMS Pune 2024 Admissions: A PGDM Program with Proven ROI

When considering the ROI of a PGDM program, IIMS Pune stands out with its proven track record of catapulting graduates into successful careers. The curriculum, intricately designed to align with industry demands, not only prepares students for the job market but also positions them as future industry leaders. Highlighting the program's exceptional ROI, IIMS Pune boasts an impressive highest package of 26.10 LPA, demonstrating the tangible financial benefits of its PGDM course. This significant figure is a testament to the institute's commitment to ensuring that graduates are not merely job-ready but are equipped for high-achieving, lucrative careers.

The Pune Advantage: A Thriving Hub for Opportunities

Pune PGDM Colleges: Why IIMS Pune Leads in Career-Ready Education

Situated in Pune, a thriving educational and IT hub, IIMS Pune provides students with a unique advantage. The city's dynamic environment offers a plethora of opportunities for internships, live projects, and eventual placements. Choosing IIMS Pune isn't just about the course; it's about tapping into the pulse of opportunities that Pune offers.

Your Journey Starts Here: Apply Now for PGDM 2024

From Admissions to Placement: Your Guide to PGDM 2024 at IIMS Pune

Ready to transform your career? From admissions to placements, IIMS Pune is your guide to a future where success isn't just a possibility; it's a promise. The PGDM course at IIMS Pune is your key to unlocking a career that goes beyond the ordinary.

Conclusion: Your Future, Your Choice

In conclusion, IIMS Pune's PGDM course isn't just an academic pursuit; it's a strategic investment in a transformative journey. Accredited and recognized, it offers a dynamic curriculum, specialized certifications, and hands-on exposure, ensuring graduates emerge not just educated but career-ready. With a proven track record in placements and a focus on industry relevance, IIMS Pune stands out as a compelling choice for those seeking a meaningful career transformation. Your journey towards a future of professional success begins here. Apply now for PGDM 2024 and let IIMS Pune guide you from admissions to placements, shaping a career that surpasses the ordinary.

#top pgdm college in pune #pgdm program #pgdm course #iims pune #pgdm admission 2024 #pgdm course in pune #pgdm course fees #pgdm placements #Pune 2024 Admissions

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tianjsnnn · 1 year

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Day 3 healing

Once upon a time, in the bustling city of New York, there lived a young boy named Alexis. From a young age, Alexis had experienced trauma that left a lasting impact on his life. His parents had divorced when he was just five years old, and the subsequent years were filled with custody battles and emotional turmoil. This left him feeling lost and trapped in the concrete jungle.

However, as Alexis grew older, he discovered a passion for nature and the outdoors. He found solace in books about faraway places, dreaming of escaping the noise and chaos of the city. His dreams were filled with visions of wide-open spaces, rolling hills, and the soothing sounds of birdsong.

One day, during his high school years, Alexis English teacher announced an opportunity for a summer internship at a wildlife sanctuary located in a small, picturesque town called Serenity Springs. The sanctuary was nestled in the heart of the countryside, far away from the city's frenetic pace. Without hesitation, Alexis applied, hoping that this would be his chance to break free from the trauma that haunted him.

To his delight, Alexis was selected for the internship. The news filled him with a mix of excitement and nervousness. It meant leaving behind his familiar surroundings and venturing into the unknown. But deep down, he knew it was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

As the summer arrived, Alexis packed his bags and bid farewell to the city he had known all his life. He traveled to Serenity Springs, his heart pounding with anticipation. When he arrived at the wildlife sanctuary, he was greeted by the gentle whispers of nature—a symphony of chirping birds and rustling leaves.

Alexis days at the sanctuary were filled with hard work, but each moment was also a step toward healing. He immersed himself in the care of injured animals, learning to nurture and rehabilitate them. The staff at the sanctuary became his mentors and friends, guiding him on his journey to recovery.

In the evenings, Alexis would explore the town, savoring the simplicity of small-town life. He found himself forging connections with the locals, who were warm and welcoming. They shared stories around campfires, teaching him about resilience, community, and the beauty of embracing life's imperfections.

As the summer drew to a close, Alexis realized that he was no longer defined by his past. He had found a new sense of purpose and a renewed love for life. The trauma that once weighed him down had given way to hope and resilience. Serenity Springs had become his sanctuary, not just for the animals he cared for but also for his own soul.

When the time came to return to the city, Alexis felt a mix of gratitude and sadness. But he knew that the lessons he learned and the connections he made would stay with him forever. Armed with newfound strength, he faced the city's challenges with a fresh perspective, embracing the beauty that could be found even in the midst of chaos.

Years later, Alexis realized his dream of becoming a wildlife conservationist, dedicating his life to protecting the natural world and sharing his story of transformation. Through his work, he inspired others who had experienced trauma to find solace in nature, reminding them that healing was possible even in the unlikeliest of places.

And so, the city boy who had once felt trapped and haunted by his past became a symbol of resilience, showing the world that no matter how dark the journey, there was always hope for a brighter future.

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dukearchive · 1 year

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Wordle #248 Thorn

by Henry Stevens

My grandma had a farm with blackberries growing in the back fields, and every year when I was a kid, I’d get sent there with my cousins around mid-June, when the blackberry season was just starting. We hated her. My grandmother never missed a chance to say a cruel word, and she had a talent for finding what hurt the most. One time she mistook me for the neighbor’s kid and screamed at me to get out of her property. Only when she had snatched me up for a beating did she realize I lived with her.

Baking blackberry cobbler from scratch is the only sweet memory I have of those summers with her, at least the only sweet memory with her in it. We would all go out in muck boots and straw hats carrying plastic buckets to pick as many blackberries as we could find. My younger cousins would squirm under the thorns. My older cousins would reach up over them. My grandma would step on them with her boots and pull them back with her hands, and I would lean in to pick the secret berries she revealed. The berries were lustrous black, so ripe they oozed purplish juice if I squeezed them, but we left the red berries to ripen for us later. My grandmother would tell me what clever hands I had and how beautiful my berries were. Her words were as sweet as the juice.

Back at home, she was stern again. She would set us each to tasks, my younger cousins washing the blackberries in a plastic colander, my older cousins whisking by hand the sugar and flour and milk and butter, and me to sprinkle the blackberries over the batter. If we didn’t do it exactly the way she taught us, she would snap at us, asking if we were stupid and calling us lazy. She wouldn’t let any of us touch the oven. While we were preparing the cobbler, she would go out to the woodpile and split some rails to bring back and stoke the fire with. We cooked the cobbler in a cast iron dutch oven she nestled in the coals. It sat dusty grey and glowed with vines of orange, and I was terrified when she reached in and snatched it up, but the cobbler she served was golden and sweet.

My cousins slowly stopped coming with me on those summers. They started doing camps and internships, then college and jobs. When it was my turn, I cherished the freedom to escape from my grandma’s farm, and not even the cobbler could make me miss her. The year before I stopped coming, she had refused to let me eat it. She said I was getting fat. I didn’t talk to her again when I got to college.

In my junior year, when I was very lonely, I got an email telling me I had received a letter in the mailroom. It was a white envelope with her curling cursive scrawl across it. I took it back to my dorm and considered throwing it in the trash, but I decided to open it. She had never struck me as a writer, but her prose was beautiful and witty. She told me about being old and missing me and inquired about my life at college. Enclosed in the envelope was a $100 bill. She said that it was to treat myself to a nice dinner, but I spent it on library fines. I wrote back to her even though I had trouble finding an envelope and a stamp until the campus post office helped. I didn’t miss her, so I told her I missed her blackberry cobbler. She sent me another letter a week later. She enclosed a notecard with the recipe.

#archive2022 #archiveprose

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cbd-college · 2 years

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Faculty Spotlight – Natalie Davis, General Education Instructor

This was originally published on our website. To check out more of our content, visit [https://www.cbd.edu/2023/01/27/faculty-spotlight-natalie-davis/]

Have you always worked in Education? Yes, mostly, though I was not always teaching! I’ve held Director and Compliance positions within educational organizations in addition to my teaching career. These jobs were great for expanding my understanding of education policy and the inner workings of both public and private education. However, I was never completely satisfied with that work! Once I nestled into a Physics teaching position, I knew that was what I was meant to do because I get much fulfillment working directly with students.

What specifically is your role here at CBD College? I am a GE instructor for the MRI, DMS, and ST programs. I teach Physics for MRI and DMS, and Math for ST in the online setting. More generally, I like to think my role is to help provide that science and math foundation. Our students need that foundation in order to understand and feel confident with the technology that they will be working with every day in their new medical careers.

When did you start working at CBD College? I’m a CBD College newbie! I started working in June of 2022 after I moved from California to Bellingham, Washington.

Before working at CBD College, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had? I had an internship at Intel Corporation during a summer in college. At the time, I was studying Computer Science before I switched my major to Physics. I had a neat job that had me create graphics testing procedures for PC video games. It was a fun gig to play all the newest video games at work and get paid for it!

Who is your greatest inspiration or mentor?

I was lucky to have some amazing teachers and professors in my time as a student. I credit them for sparking my interest in science and math. Today, I am inspired by my CBD College students and colleagues. I look forward to our Live sessions when I get to interact with our students. I learn as much from them as they do from me. Our students keep me on my toes and it’s just fun work! We also have an incredible GE team of caring, hard-working instructors and it’s no doubt an inspiration to work with this team!

What do you find most inspiring or fulfilling about your job? What I love is being able to work with such a diverse group of driven students. Some of my students are just starting their first career, while others are pursuing a career change. It’s so cool to be part of everyone’s journey. I have the upmost respect for anyone already in or pursuing a career in healthcare. It’s an honor to work with my students.

Do you have any advice for potential students interested in pursuing a career as a healthcare professional? Though I have not been a healthcare professional myself, I can relate to seeking work that helps others. There is so much fulfillment and purpose to gain! It might be hard, but hard things are often worth doing. If you’re unhappy with your current job or career, you can absolutely change it, and my advice is to nudge yourself in that direction! One nudge is the first step to new beginnings.

This was originally published on our website. To check out more of our content, visit [https://www.cbd.edu/2023/01/27/faculty-spotlight-natalie-davis/]

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smaartdevelopers · 3 years

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Nestle Internship Program 2021 | Paid Internship – Apply Now

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miraculousgemscc · 3 years

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Sims 4: World Legacy Challenge

(UPDATED FOR SAN SEQOUIA/CHESTNUT RIDGE 11-2-23)

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, I should really play in this world more”?

Well now you can have the perfect excuse to do so with the World Legacy Challenge!

Welcome all to the World Legacy Challenge, a generational challenge that will get you to explore each of The Sims 4 worlds and packs. Each world will give you a new experience as you go about playing 10+ generations (if you have all of the packs of course), with new careers, skills and more!

Basic Rules:

You cannot move worlds until you complete a Generation. Moving neighborhoods is OK (unless specified), but not worlds.

It’s ok if you don’t have all of the packs. If you don’t have City Living for example, just move onto the next world that you do have!

Money cheats can only be used in the first Gen. when picking out your first home. No cheating afterwards!

Every generation must complete all of their tasks before they die!

Keep lifespan on normal!

Have fun!

Gen. 1: Willow Creek

“A verdant, sprawling region of lush bayous and rolling plantation land that is home to aristocratic farmers, southern gentry, and swamp-dwellers.”

You always dreamt of living in a town that had a sense of community and family. The “white-picket fence” kind of dreams per say; the stereotypical American dream. During your young adult life, you end up marrying your best friend and love of your life that you’ve dated in high school. You’ve got it all, but will your Materialistic ways perhaps get in the way of your “all-American dreams”?

Traits: Ambitious, Family Oriented, Materialistic

Career: Business

Aspiration: Big Happy Family

Master the Business career

Complete the Big Happy Family aspiration

Max out the Charisma and Logic skill

Must have 3 children

Must marry the opposite sex midway into your Young Adult life.

Must be high school sweetheart

(Seasons!) Must have a BBQ during the Summer and/or a BBQ every weekend

Become friends with 2 Couples w/ children

Gen. 2: Oasis Springs

“An oasis nestled in the austere beauty of the western desert, this haven of eclectic culture is fringed by countless soaring palms, and lent vibrant color through impossibly lush landscaping.”

Growing up in Willow Creek was nice and all. You lived a good childhood but you always wanted more out of what seemed to become a “boring, bland life.” Atlas, you found Oasis Springs and even better, an internship at a Space Center! You applied and got hired! Through the course of your internship you discovered your passion for space and reading. This caused a rift towards you and your parents as you also discovered more about yourself...

Traits: Bookworm, Genius, Clumsy

Career: Manuel Laborer, Astronaut

Aspiration: Nerd Brain

Join the Manuel Laborer career as a teen, then quit as a Young Adult

Master the Astronaut career

Max out Logic, Fitness and Handiness

Complete the Nerd Brain aspiration

Must date the opposite sex in high school but later break up with them before you become a Young Adult; later date someone of LGBT+

Must have a rift with your parents but later rekindle with your parents when your parents are both elders

(Get Together!) Must create/join a book club when your a Young Adult and meet with them once a week

Must build a rocket ship

Have a one night stand with an Alien

Gen. 3: Newcrest

“Don't let the abundance of space fool you. Take a look around, admire the wonderful scenery, and explore the endless possibilities. Do you see it? This is your whole new world!”

A world that was newly constructed and has yet to be fully developed! You decided to take a chance like your parent and move to Newcrest. Sure, rags to riches is rough indeed. But what’s life without a few challenges?? $2,500 can take you far indeed! A life full of creativity is a life you’d love to live.

Traits: Loves the Outdoors, Creative, Loner

Career: Painter

Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire

Master the Painter career

Complete the Painter Extraordinaire career

Max out the Painting skill

Must live in Bridgeview

Must move to each Bridgeview lot and build a fully furnished house on each lot

By this, it must be functional and have all of your basic required objects (bathroom, kitchen, couch, dining table, bed, dresser, etc.)

Don’t bring the furniture with you everytime you move! (Unless if it’s personal items such as photos)

Each lot must be different from one another (ex. different layouts, number of rooms, etc.)

For everytime you move, always set your money to $2500

Must leave at least 3 paintings in each of your homes

By the end of the generation, Newcrest must be filled up completely (fill up Newcrest over time, not after completing Gen. 3)

if your playing in a Save File and Newcrest is filled up, then just remove only the lots from the Bridgeview neighborhood

Must visit a museum and/or Art Gallery once a week

Gen. 4: Windenburg/Magnola Promenade

“Take ye olde deep breath and enjoy the mountain air. This green, expansive playground has got it all; lush countryside, serene and rocky cliffs, a quaint village with remnants of the old world all nestled around the modern shore side business center.”

You always wanted to live in the midst of community like Windenburg. Drinking, partying, and more can always be found in the midst of Windenburg. You also loved the idea of opening your own shop in Magnolia Promenade and Windenburg! One week you stay in Magnolia, the next Windenburg. Oh, there’s also your love for comedy too. Screw it let’s do it all!

Traits: Goofball, Insider, Outgoing

Career: Fast food, Business owner/Entertainer

Aspiration: Party Animal

Complete Party Animal aspiration

Max out Comedy, Dancing and Mixology skill

Work in Fast Food as a teen, Entertainer and Business owner as a Young Adult

Reach level 5 as an Entertainer, Max out Fast Food career

Must reach 3 stars at both businesses

When you have both businesses, you must live in Magnolia Promenade one week and the next Windenburg

Must accept every Outing Invite

Must create a Party Club and have it be at Nightclubs (can be in general or specific)

Must join two premade Clubs and leave them

Must have a Best Friend, 5 Good Friends, and an Enemy

Gen. 5: San Myshuno

“Welcome to San Myshuno! Every day is an adventure on the streets of San Myshuno. From the wild personalities you might run into on the streets to the element of surprise of stumbling across a festival in action, there's something new to discover!”

Welcome indeed! You always wanted to move to the city and escape the countryside. You always believed that less is more so the thought of a small, cramped apartment never bothered you. When you moved to San Myshuno, you learned about the city’s elections and cuisines and decided to dip your toes into Politics. Politics weren’t really a thing in Windenburg and your pretty much a noob when it comes to that and love. Growing up, you never really found yourself looking for love in school like your ancestors. Instead, you’ve seen yourself being a single pringle and instead helping children in need of a loving home and adopting!

Traits: Unflirty, Foodie, Good

Career: Politician

Aspiration: City Native

Master the Politician career

Max out Charisma, Cooking and Gourmet Cooking skills

Must discover every unlockable meal in San Myshuno

Must move into a TLC Apartment for Young Adult life, another apartment for Adult life and Penthouse when your an elder

Must adopt at least 1 child

Must not ever get married or fall in love (hook ups are ok!)

Attend every festival in San Myshuno

Become enemies with 1 of your neighbors whilst in a TLC Apartment

Gen. 6: Forgotten Hollow

“The fog dampens what little sunlight filters through during the short days in Forgotten Hollow. Uncover the secrets this sleepy village has for you.”

For years, you’ve always loved anything Supernatural. Whether it be in books, the media. Everything! While on the Internet, you came across a website talking about the world of Forgotten Hollow. Even though you were loved, you always felt like there was a piece of you that was missing. Off you went to this strange world. When you arrived, the townspeople noticed something was off with you and without a second thought, they turned you into a vampire! Although you were upset by this, you felt like that missing piece you felt for years was found. And with new powers came a whole new look on life and not for the greater good.....

Traits: Kleptomaniac, Erratic, Music Lover

Career: Criminal

Aspiration: Master Vampire

Master the Criminal career

Complete Master Vampire aspiration

Max out Mischief, Vampire Lore and Pipe Organ skills

Must marry and Move-In with Vampire Sim that bites you

Must become a Master Vampire

Must defeat Vladdy Daddy and five other vampires in a Vampiric Duel

Must have a Sim held hostage (this will be your “Blood Bag”)

Must make a Vampire Cure but DON’T drink it (Save this for the Next Gen.)

Optional: Walk out into the sunlight after completing this Gen.

Gen. 7: Brindleton Bay

“Tucked away on the eastern seaboard. Brindleton Bay has acquired a reputation for its citizens’ absolute obsession with all things feline and canine. Enjoy the coastal views, the rich maritime history, and all your new four-legged neighbors!”

Ah, the fresh ocean breeze and the calm clashes of the ocean hitting against the rocks. The wind in your hair as you go on a run with your furry companion. What more could you want? After drinking that oddly disgusting whilst also somewhat appetizing drink you found lying about, you found yourself feeling like you’ve been given a second chance of life. So you decided to move to Brindleton Bay and become a Fisherman! You yearned to explore what you couldn’t before of the great outdoors with a fur baby by your side. Though, fishing got a bit tiring so you decided to become a Lifeguard out of the blue! Then after a few days of work you thought, “Hey! I love animals. Let’s open a Vet Clinic!” Your indecisiveness may be your downfall but your living your new life to the fullest!

Traits: Dog/Cat Lover (your choice), Child of the Ocean, Noncommittal

Career: Fisherman, Lifeguard, Vet Owner

Aspiration: Angling Ace

(Island Living!) Master the Fisherman career

(Island Living!) Join the Lifeguard career for a few Sim days then quit and open a Vet Clinic

Get at least 3 stars at your Clinic

Complete Angling Ace aspiration

Complete the Frog collection

Max out the Fishing skill, Pet Training skill

Must date 3 Sims before finding “The One”

Must drink the Vampiric Cure before moving to Brindleton Bay

Must have a Pet after moving to Brindleton Bay

Gen. 8: Del Sol Valley

“A densely populated city brimming with opportunities to make it big! If you can make it in Del Sol Valley you can make it anywhere.”

That’s what your parents always told you. You always wanted to get up on stage and perform for a huge audience. Where else to go but Del Sol Valley? You moved into a huge flat with tons of roommates as you pursued your dreams of becoming a famous Actor. Whilst living with your roommates, you tended to take notice to one of them. One thing led to another and now your left with a child and struggling to make ends meet with your Acting career!

Traits: Self-Absorbed, Perfectionist, Neat

Career: Actor/Actress

Aspiration: Master Actor/Actress

Master Actor/Actress career

Complete the Master Actor/Actress aspiration

(City Living!) Max out the Acting and Singing skill

Must join Drama club as a child into teenhood

Must get 3/5 stars for becoming famous

Must have a child with one of your roommates (Marriage/Dating is optional)

Must marry a famous co-worker then divorce them

Gen. 8: StrangerVille

“Welcome to StrangerVille: "The only thing stranger than the people is the flora!" StrangerVille is a quiet little town with a strange problem. The residence are very friendly, but at night things start to get more interesting.”

You always loved a good mystery. Whilst with your parents at one of their Award Shows, you overheard a conversation about a place called StrangerVille. Which kind of worked out perfectly as you always wanted to join the Military! So when you got accepted into the Military and heard where the Base would be, you were stoked! You packed up your things and moved to the depths of StrangerVille, not knowing the truth about its town....

Traits: Genius, Active, Paranoid

Career: Military

Aspiration: StrangerVille Mystery

Master Military career

Complete the StrangerVille Mystery aspiration

Max out Fitness and Charisma skill

reach Level 8 in two Adult skills plus Logic

Make 3 Good Friends and have them aid you to defeat The Mother

Don’t marry one of your 3 Good Friends

Dating/Hook-Ups are ok

Earn every medal from the Military career

(Get Famous!) Earn at least 1/5 stars and become famous

have a Positive Reputation

Gen. 8: Sulani/Selvadorada

“The gorgeous Sulani island chain welcomes all to a life of blue oceans and friendly neighbors. The main islands show off the many walks of life from the community centered Ohan'ali Town, to the more lavish upscale Lani St. Taz, and even down to the seemingly vancant Mua Pel'am. All around is the beauty of nature no matter where you look.”

Sure, the hot desert was nice and all but you craved to be near the water. So off to Sulani you went! There, you found its beaches covered in trash and its oceans dying. So you decided to become the next Mr. Beast and help Sulani return to what it once was! There, you met your spouse but niceness can only get you so far... perhaps a bit of traveling as well can get things off of your mind.

Traits: Child of the Island, Cheerful, Squeamish

Career: Conservationist

Aspiration: Beach Life

Master the Conservationist career

Complete the Beach Life aspiration

(Jungle Adventure!) Max out the Archeology and Selvadoradian Culture skills

complete the required skills for the Conservationist career

Must marry someone who will later cheat on you consistently

It’s your choice whether you divorce or stay with them

Must have 2 children

Must make Sulani’s beaches clean

(Jungle Adventure!) Must gather at least 2 of the Jungle Relics

Gen. 9: Glimmerbrook

“The quiet town of Glimmerbrook may have more to it than meets the eye...”

That’s what everyone says but you always saw Glimmerbrook differently. With your parents relationship being a failed one, you saw Glimmerbrook as an opportunity to start anew. Just as you got there you noticed a particular arch and decided to investigate it. As you got closer it sucked you into a whole new world! The folks in this skeptical world said to you that in order to leave, you must become one of them and have your memory wiped as if you’ve always been one of them. You complied and did what they asked and after a lengthy introduction to your new life, you kinda liked the idea of becoming a Spellcaster.

Traits: High Maintenance, Good, Bookworm

Career: Yoga Instructor

Aspiration: Spellcraft & Sorcery

Become a Virtuoso (Rank 6)

Max out Wellness and Photography skill

Have a Magical baby with a Spellcaster (optional if you want to marry)

(Spa Day!) Teach Yoga classes everyday

Once you become a Spellcaster, you must not talk to your family and friends ever again (even if they call you)

if they come to your house, you must immediately send them away

you can make new friends after you become a Spellcaster but you can only speak to your new friends

Gen. 10: Britechester

“Begin a new chapter in the historical University of Britechester or modern Foxbury Institute. Live in a dorm room or off-campus in the welcoming town of Gibbs Hill. Explore Britechester on a bicycle, spend time in the student commons, and have a study session at the library. Cheer on the student body at a school spirit event and wear school colors to show your Sim’s pride.”

You’ve always been used to only having your parent in your life. No other family whatsoever. Your high school had a College Day and you decided to apply to two of the universities: Foxbury Institutes and Britechester University. You didn’t think that you’d be accepted to either of them but you did! Not knowing what you wanted to do with your life, you moved out into one of the dorms anyways. The amount of sleepless nights and coffee-filled days will be ahead of you as you planned on always being single and alone. Boy will all of that change when you become an Adult...

Traits: Hates Children, Genius, Romantic

Career: Education / Law (depends on your Degree)

Aspiration: Academic

Master the Education / Law career (depends on your Degree)

Max out Robotics and Research and Debate skills

complete skills needed for your choice in career as well

Never get married

you can only date someone in High School and when your an elder

Hook-Ups are ok!

Have only 1 child as an Adult

if you have more than one child, give the other one/two up for adoption

Throw a College Party once per semester

Optional: Reunite with your grandparents/aunts/uncles/etc.

Gen. 11: Evergreen Harbor

“Sandwiched between rolling hills of evergreen forest on one side and the waters of the Willupette Sound on the other, Evergreen Harbor used to be the industrial hub of the region. However, as the world changed around it, the region has struggled to keep up.”

Growing up your parent never really paid much attention to you. They were always sticking their nose into a book working constantly. So much so they didn’t even notice when you moved out as a teenager to Evergreen Harbor. Sure, it wasn’t the best place to live with the polluted air but it was better than living with someone who didn’t really care about you. When you moved to Evergreen Harbor you said to yourself that you’d one day turn things around and make this a place for people to come back to for years to come!

Traits: Loner, Green-Fiend, Bro

Career: Babysitter, Civil Designer

Aspiration: Eco Innovator

Master the Civil Designer career

Must become a Babysitter as a Teen then quit

Max the Fabrication, Logic and Handiness skills

Must live on a lot with the Off-the-Grid, Reduce and Recycle and Eco Lot lot traits

Must move out as a teenager with $3000 (we’ll say that you stole this from your parent)

Make your Neighborhood a Green Neighborhood

Always vote on the NAP Board

Gen. 12: Mt. Komorebi

“Locals have enjoyed the healing hot springs of Mt. Komorebi for centuries. Now, thanks to the modern snow sports resort in Yukimatsu, everyone else can, too! The region has become a hotspot for tourists looking for a vacation that's equal parts relaxing and adventurous.”

The cold seemed to always be your thing. You loved anything and everything that was related to the cold ever since you visited Mt. Komorebi as a kid. When you were old enough, you moved to your second home and decided to become a Professional Snowboarder/Skiier. Not everyone seemed to like the idea, even your own parent! So you decided to become a Salaryperson to please everyone around you. Deep down, you always had you passion of Winter Sports so when you became an Adult you quit being a Salaryperson and followed your passions.

Traits: Adventureous, Hot-Headed, Proper

Aspiration: Extreme Sports Enthusiast

Career: Salaryperson, Ski/Snowboarding YouTuber

Must stay in the Salaryperson career until you become an Adult

In order to do Skiing/Snowboarding videos you must reach Level 10 in said skill

Max out the Snowboarding/Skiing skill (depends on what you want to do)

Complete the Extreme Sports Enthusiast aspiration

Marry a co-worker

Go to an Onsen once a week

Always attend the Mt. Komorebi festivals

Become Close Friends with your neighbors

Gen. 13: Henford-on-Bagley/Granite Falls

“From the natural beauty of Cordelia Falls to the clear, brisk currents of the River Bagley, the mingling of earth and water makes Henford-on-Bagley a lovely place to visit, but perhaps and even lovelier place to live.”

You always wanted to be self-sufficient. Henford-on-Bagley was truly the place where you could do just that! Off you moved, barely any cash to your name to start off a life for yourself. The more you lived in this new town, the more the locals’ personalities rubbed off on you. You became one of them in no time!

Traits: Vegetarian (CL)/Lactose Intolerant (you choose), Animal Enthusiast, Snob

Aspiration: Country Caretaker

Career: Gardener

Master the Gardener career

Max out the Gardening, Cross Stitching, Flower Arranging and Knitting skills

Complete the Country Caretaker aspiration

Lot must have the Simple Living and Wild Foxes lot challenges

Become friends with every townie/household living in Henford-on-Bagley

Marry a Henford-on-Bagley resident

Go to Granite Falls once a week

Complete the insect collection

Gen. 14: Tartosa

“Romantic sites and scenery have long graced the seaside region of Tartosa, creating the perfect setting for love and matrimonial pursuits. It isn't uncommon for vacationers and honeymooners alike to return year after year, seeking to re-experience the intimacy of visits past. They say there's a love story in the making for everyone. Just ask Tartosa's residents, and they'll excitedly gossip about local Wedding Industry shenanigans or the area's love-laced, historical past. But even if a Sim doesn't find their soulmate here, one thing is for certain... they're fated to fall in love with the land.”

You grew up living a humble life, not knowing much about the outside worlds and the truth behind it. Henford-on-Bagley was one of those places where everyone knew everyone. Some kept to themselves and if a truth came out, then everyone would know. Some even being shunned for such truths. Even with the entire town consisting of snobby, narcissistic folks you decided that you wanted more out of life. Immediately after graduating high school, you moved out from Henford-on-Bagley with only a suitcase and moved to Tartosa. On your travels to Tartosa, you met three men and one thing led to another… With a baby on the way and not knowing who the baby daddy is, will your dreams crumble beneath the surface?

Traits: Gloomy, Family Oriented, Child of the Island (Loves the Outdoors if you don’t have Island Living)

Aspiration: Neighborhood Confidante

Career: Interior Design (Requires DHD!)

Master the Interior Design career (Requires DHD!)

Complete the Neighborhood Confidante aspiration

Reach Level 8 of Charisma, Level 5 of Writing skill

Max Photography and Painting skills

Have two best friends in Henford-on-Bagley

can still have contact with them after you move to Tartosa but they cannot live with you

after you move to Tartosa, you can only hangout with them during the Summertime (requires Seasons!)

Have 5 Good Friends from Tartosa

Must hook-up with three men within 24 Sim hours

you cannot know who the father of your child(ren) is

you cannot speak to the three men after you’ve hooked up with them until you reunite with them later in life

this will be your only child(ren)

Must complete the Message in a Bottle collection

Must reunite with your “baby daddies” when your child(ren) is a Young Adult

marry one of the “baby daddies”

cannot get married until your an Adult/Elder

Have your dream wedding in Tartosa

Gen. 15: Copperdale (Out of Order on Purpose)

“Once renowned for its booming mining industry, the town of Copperdale, quaint and historic, lay nestled on the banks of Lake LaSuli. Founder Jasper Prescott had foraged this land for its treasured crystals, hoping Copperdale would one day blossom into a prosperous community for families and travellers alike. And though the mine carts reached an eternal halt, the townspeople continued to flourish. With academics and adventures abound, Copperdale is now home to many families seeking a small-town life with big-city dreams for themselves and their teens. Together they've unearthed a gem far more precious than before - beloved high school memories.”

You grew up with your mother and the folks of Tartosa. Sure, life was never boring as you always jumped around the many households and explored the beaches. Yet, something was missing. You couldn’t quite put a finger on it at your young age. Once you became a teenager however, you knew exactly what you wanted: true love. You were craving for a romantic attraction, one like your mother never had. To find out the truth once and for all about why your life was so different from others. You decided to join the Computer Club at your school to do some research on your family. There, you met the love of your life and instantly fell in love. After graduating high school with your high school sweetheart and pursuing college, what will come with your life?

Traits: Overachiever (HSY), Child of the Ocean (IL), Genius

Aspiration: Goal Oriented (Teen), Renaissance Sim (Young Adult)

Career: Tech Guru

Master the Tech Guru career

Complete the Renaissance Sim and Goal Oriented aspirations

Max Programming, Entrepreneur and Video Game skills

Reach Level 5 of Charisma, Logic skills

Get at least two Positive Character Value traits and one Negative (Parenthood required!)

Get a part time job as a Video Game Streamer

Use the funds from that for when you move out to Copperdale with your high school sweetheart

Quit when you complete college and get your new job

Go to College and get a Degree in Computer Science

Meet your father when you’re a Young Adult

you can choose what relationship you wish to have with him

Have a friend group and go get boba twice a week, go to the Carnival on Friday nights

Only go to Prom before becoming a Young Adult w/ your high school sweetheart

Gen. 16: Moonwood Mill

“Once upon a time, Moonwood Mill was filled with the bustle and sound of the nearby lumber mill. Today, the town is transformed. The rusted shells of its former industry provide cover for a handful of mysterious denizens who've sought out this wilderness-shrouded community, basking in its remote and anonymous nature. It's a place with a hidden history, and those who live here know that if you dig deep enough, you're bound to discover some fascinating secrets.”

Growing up in Copperdale, there were always tales going around about the mysterious woods neighboring nearby. Tales where once you enter, you never returned, for there were nearby cries similar to a dog. Your parent has always told you to never go near those woods. But stupid you didn’t listen, and one day wandered off into the woods where your fate would be sealed. Unable to return home, you stayed in this world those called Moonwood Mill and had to fight for survival.

Traits: Hot-Headed, Active, Dog Lover (CAD)

Aspiration: Live Fast (Teen), Werewolf Initiate, Emissary of the Collective

Career: Odd Jobs/Freelance

Complete Live Fast and Werewolves aspirations (whichever you choose)

Max Mischief, Pet Training skills

Collect all of the Moonwood Relics

Have as many kids as possible before you’ve reached halfway through your Adulthood

Must be bitten by a werewolf and move out of household when this happens

Cannot speak to anyone from previous life after this

Have a bad relationship with the Principal and teachers of Copperdale High

Create a Club similar to the Renegades (GT required!)

the people you add to this group will be your friend group in high school

Terrorize Copperdale at least one a week (vandalism, etc.) with your friends

Have one Wolf enemy, get along with the rest of the Wolves

Must own a telescope at some point after moving to Moonwood Mill

Gen. 17: San Sequoia

“San Sequoia began as a small fishing town, then became a hub of the fishing and canning industry due to the influence of local fisherman-turned-entrepreneur, Bayani Robles. The Robles family is still very much entrenched in the area even as it has expanded over time thanks to Gilbert Gilberts. Today, San Sequoia is home to cozy streets, a beautiful park with gardens, and quiet suburban neighborhoods. It's the perfect place to raise a family!”

You were one of many children, and lived a fairly decent life in the depths of Moonwood Mill. Your parents taught you the ways of being a werewolf, like hunting for your meals, brawling against other wolves, etc. Despite your territorial parents’ telling you and your siblings to never steer away from your home, you yearned for more. After following a small creek, you found yourself in the lively and domesticated San Sequoia. You didn’t know much about how humans acted, and had some of your skills from Moonwood Mills to aid you in this new adventure.

Traits: Self-Assured, Loves the Outdoors, Glutton

Extra Trait(s): Family Oriented, Slob, Hot-Headed

Aspiration: Neighborhood Confidante

Career: Fisherman (requires Island Living) (If you don’t have the pack, then be a “Stay-At-Home” Fisherman)

Complete the Neighborhood Confidante aspiration

Complete the Fisherman career

Max out Fishing skill, Photography skill, Parenting skill

Complete the Treehouse

Have at least 1 Infant max out all milestones

Have a minimum of 3 kids in your lifetime

Must have Homey, On Ley Line (requires CL!), and Dog Hangout (requires CAD!) lot traits

If you don’t have City Living and/or Cats and Dogs, then have: Natural Light, Bracing Breezes

Must throw a Baby Shower for every kid you have

Visit the Splash Pad and Rec. Center at least once a week

Have a Difficult Dynamic with Parents after leaving Moonwood Mill

Mending this relationship is up to you

Calm your emotions and try not to undergo a Wolf Transformation around your new family

Have your child get at least 5 milestones in each category before aging up into a Young Adult

Note: I don’t have Growing Together, so if this is inaccurate then I apologize.

Gen. 18: Chestnut Ridge

“This community formed when several groups embraced their mutual connection to Horses and the land. The area soon became known as a hub for all things Equestrian: a town steeped in expertise with raising and training Horses, set against a beautiful and expansive landscape. Over time, the area became famous for another endeavor, as the rich soil brought in the new enterprise of Nectar Making. Thanks to the hard work of everyone involved, the region flourished and became the Chestnut Ridge it is today.”

There’s always been a part of you that has had a special bond with animals. You couldn’t put your finger on it, but you’ve had a special bond with horses since you were an Infant. As the years progressed, you’ve found yourself owning and raising your own horse! You loved it so much, and began to participate in competitions. Now as a Young Adult, you decided to move to Chestnut Ridge to pursue a career with animals and own your very own Ranch.

Traits: Horse Lover, Overachiever (HSY), Adventurous (SE)

Extra Trait(s): Rancher, Paranoid (SV)

Aspiration: Championship Rider, Friend of the Animals (CAD)

Career: At-Home Rancher

Must max out the Nectar Making and Riding skills, Gardening skill

Complete the Championship Rider aspiration

If you complete the aspiration, then try and complete the Friend of the Animals aspiration (requires Cats and Dogs!)

Must enter competitions whenever they appear and win 1st at least 3 times

Must make your living off of crops and animals (selling the animals, milk, wool, etc.) only

You may hire a Rancher for help if needed

Have an on-again, off-again relationship with your High School sweetheart

Can only start dating them seriously midway through your Young Adulthood, and can only marry them when you’re almost an Adult

Have a close relationship with every horse you have

If you have Cottage Living, the same applies with your other animals

This will be updated for future worlds (if we get any)! Thank you for checking out my Challenge!

#miraculousgemscc #misc.#sims 4 #sims 4 challenge #the sims 4 #the sims 4 challenge #sims 4 challenges #thesims4 #sims4 #sims4challenges #sims4challenge #ts4

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spiltscribbles · 3 years

Note

Ahh I've always wanted to send a prompt. How about “Whoa. Easy, easy. I’ve got you.” with some sleep intimacy. Can I just say I love you and your writing.

~Notes: 😭😭 OH KY GOD SUGAR!!! You are so beyond adorable! I love you to pieces! And I do not deserve such kindness💜😘😘 So I at first read this as sleek Becs i am an idiot... so honestly this is 4700 words of pure smut😳😌😌 but uts early morning so it’s stilly sleepy intimacy kvdjhj Thank you for the prompt! But if smut isn’t your jam plz lmk and I’ll write you something else😣😣😘💜

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If asked to choose his favorite feature of Remus’s, Sirius reckons he’d have a difficult time with it, like to a ridiculous degree. It could easily be the dimple that shows up right on the apple of his cheek when he sports that glowing, reluctantly amused smile that only appears after Sirius or James have hexed a Slytherin prat right in front of him, and not even his Prefect sensibilities prove strong enough to scold them for it. Or maybe it’s the splatter of freckles that dance on the tops of his shoulders and the bridge of his nose right after summer hols, and he looks gloriously golden and it’s all Sirius can do not to kiss each one right in front of all the wizards congregated in nine and three quarters. Or maybe it’s simply the way he gnaws on his bottom lip whenever he’s thinking particularly hard on a subject— a habit usually reserved for potions lessons and when it’s a late night in the library and they’re both tucked away in a dark nook and Sirius has pushed Remus up against a bookshelf while stroking him in his trousers with intense precision. One corner of his mouth curled in challenge, dipping down to lick at that hollow on Remus’s long neck, tacitly reminding him that he best keep quiet lest Madam Pince has their heads on a couple of stakes she surely keeps beneath her desk for opportunities just like this.

Alright, if Sirius is being at all honest, it’s a frequently alternating list of all of Remus’s most splendid attributes, but at the moment, Sirius thinks there’s no question that in fact it’s Remus’s eyes that can ruin him with just a glance. His eyes that are a deep, vibrant green with flecks of amber that dance in their depths. Eyes that look like September, like the very start of their school term. Eyes that make Sirius think of the forest where Padfoot and Moony roam. Eyes that make Sirius think of fire lit common rooms and the taste of butterscotch on Remus’s lips, and such an overwhelming sensation of adoration that it could very well suffocate him if Sirius isn’t careful. It’s such a contrary color from the crisp and cool shades of emerald that accent the regality of 12 Grimmauld Place. Remus’s eyes are something warm and wonderful and where Sirius would gladly choose to get lost inside of for the next eon to come— Most especially if it’s a moment like this, with one of his hands knotted in Remus’s hair while the other one is busy thumbing small circles into his bare stomach. Where Remus is enthusiastically kissing Sirius back— fervent and famished and so fucking gorgeous— His arms loosely tangled around Sirius’s neck from where he’s lying beneath him, long legs bracketed on either side of Sirius’s narrow waist, and yeah, Sirius has always had three inches and two stone on Remus, but he often forgets that Remus’s lithe stature isn’t just for show— he’s got discrete strength beyond a normal wizard, and he chooses to fall under Sirius. Chooses Sirius who’s all hard edges and marble planes. He chooses Sirius simply on the merit that he’s him, and they’ve always been at least somewhat drawn to one another, even before either one of them really knew what it meant.

Sirius inwardly preens, presses more forcefully down against Remus and revels in the slight whimper Remus lets out just then, hands grappling Sirius’s broad shoulders just that bit tighter, keeping him close just that bit more desperately.

It’s remarkable.

The dormitory’s blessedly quiet this Saturday morning— James is off being a ponce on the quidditch field in preparations for their match against Slytherin in a couple weeks— the final one before they graduate and leave Hogwarts’ hallowed halls for the final time— And Peter had kindly buggered off after some not particularly well veiled threats waged by Sirius so he could get some alone time with his sodding boyfriend for Merlin’s sake. They have all morning to stay like this. Sirius can spend hours on end watching as the early light unspools in Remus’s hair— lacing into his curls and turning them a lovely tawny color— and he gets to revel in how Remus’s breath quickens every time Sirius bucks down and rubs their barely clad, already hard cocks against one another. And Sirius can whisper sweet nothings into Remus’s still sleep supple skin— sometimes filthy, and occasionally wicked, and always exultant— letting himself drown into the sounds that Remus moans out in turn, poetry if anyone were to ask him. And they don’t have to worry about nosey roommates or trying to keep quiet or staying inconspicuous from prying eyes that threaten to snatch this snapshot of bliss away from him.

If Sirius could stay in the slice of eternity for the rest of their days and beyond, he’d choose it every single time. And maybe that could be their future, their life after Hogwarts— far away from this looming war beginning to ravage their world as they know it, and divorced from the whispers of the Order that Dumbledore has created to fight against those barmy, blood crazed lunatics.

A future that’s normal and safe and glittering like the silvery film around their patronuses.

Remus would probably get a Muggle job, maybe in a University of some sort. Sirius always thought he’d make such a brilliant professor, make all the school kids mad with how he’s so brilliant and beautiful and compassionate. Sirius and James already know that they’ll both end up in the Ministry as Aurors, because of course that’s the job for a couple of dashing young lads such as themselves. He supposes by then Evans will have been convinced to stop the on again, off again nature of her relationship with dear Prongsie, but he knows that even if not she and Remus are as thick s thieves, she’ll never just let him get away from her friendship after graduation. So maybe she’ll come visit in their flat after her internship at St Mungo’s, and of course Pete is always terrified that if he doesn’t spend every waking minute with at least one of them that he’ll be forgotten, so he’d be there too. The five of them, bombastic and bright and babbling on a lazy weeknight with glasses of fire-whiskey and plates of take out and Remus perched securely into Sirius’s embrace, and everything being just as it should be. Something golden, something wonderful, something splendid.

But as he begins to nip at that point against Remus’s sharp collarbone that’s become his favorite through the duration of their nearly year and a half of dating, he wonders not for the first time if Remus has the same prospects— if he wants to spend countless mornings just like this and endless nights in a similar way, if he wants to pick up Sirius’s discarded socks and eat the dinners Sirius makes for them, if he wants to tumble so thoroughly with Sirius that they don’t even know where one begins and the other ends anymore. Sirius wonders if he wants any of that, or if Remus is planning to go back to Wales with his parents instead of taking up Sirius’s casually thrown around offers for him to stay in the London flat that Alphard had left Sirius along with the gold and the watch and all the expectations of doing better than the Black name has always meant.

And the possibility of that— the possibility of Remus not dreaming of the same forever as him— cuts Sirius to the quick, and he doesn’t let himself think about it, instead sits up on his forearms, so that he’s peering down at Remus now, and he cups the length of him over the cotton, squeezing to hear the melody of Remus’s gasp and grounds himself into the moment once more.

“You’re in a mood this morning,” Remus intones, more than a bit breathily while Sirius moves his hand to push beneath Remus’s pants from behind, cupping one of his cheeks for a good and proper squeeze.

“Mmm, careful, or else I’d think you don’t like this method of being woken up,” Sirius counters, feels himself preen at how Remus’s face dusts scarlet, though it doesn’t last long when Remus retaliates by tugging at his hair, beyond mulish looking at Sirius’s glee.

“You know, I do have to do some more research on that final paper for charms that Flitwick gave us,” he muses— the unrepentant tease.

“Are you sure of that,” Sirius asks, dipping back down to worry the skin of Remus’s earlobe between his teeth, while the pads of his fingers make a pedal soft trail to the cress of his arse, lighter than breath while he circles the small, tight entrance of him— just grazing around the hole with languid intent, occasionally dragging over the opening with a dry finger, never delving any deeper than that. And it gets it’s intended effect— namely, the balls of Remus’s heels pressing up against Sirius’s back, and him gasping out these guttural, maddening mewls as he tries to buck down, tries to finally get some penetration.

“Merlin, are you going to just tease me till those wankers get back, or will you finally fucking do something, Black.”

“I think I like keeping you on the edge, sweetheart.” Sirius retorts, punctuating the point with a small wiggle of the top of his pointer finger, the one now comfortably nestled inside of him.

“Absolute prat,” Remus fumes, though when he begins to try moving once more, Sirius stunts the action by lying his forearm against hiss lightly muscled stomach, pressing most of his weight there while he gives one final, goading push with his finger and drags his hand to instead rub against the expanse of Remus’s pale, thin thigh, wants to lap at the skin there but also doesn’t want Remus to win this little battle he’s waged— not yet at least.

“Well Maybe if you ask nicely?”

The twist of Remus’s features tells Sirius that he’s absolutely fuming, but also he won’t leave because he’s gagging for it just as much as him. “You’re the dog, if you don’t recall. Maybe I should make you beg to hump even my leg.”

“No need for such a wicked tongue, Moons,” Sirius sneers, hitches Remus’s legs higher on his waistline so that the head of his cock can graze at the concealed hole. “Just a please would suffice.”

Remus scoffs. “You’re mad.”

“I’m also very patient,” Sirius leers, begins thrusting only slightly, nudging at him and delighting in the flicker of emotions that flashes over Remus’s face— going from indignant to wanting to abashed and landing on a cool sort of resolve.

“Oi, if you’re all talk, I’m sure I can poke around in the library, see if Leon is still—“ The rest of Remus’s sentence is swallowed up by the frenzy of movement that clashes inharmoniously from one moment to the next. And suddenly Remus is lying flat on his front, with one of Sirius’s legs pressed unswervingly between his legs, an accioed bottle of lube in one of his hands while the other nearly tears Remus’s pants trying to drag them off.

“You’re such a little arse, Lupin.” He hisses, tossing the garnet to the side along with his own before he begins palming his prick with the Muggle lotion type substance Remus had brought along from after easter hols, when they had visited that brilliant little shop in Soho— and Sirius isn’t sure if he should be proud or simply smug at how it’s already emptied by half.

“You like how little my arse is, Black,” Remus retorts from where his head is now squeezed partially onto his pillow, punctuating the point with a small shake of his bum.

“Right, so that means I’d rather not think of the other plonkers who’ve seen it before I got my hands all over you,” Sirius snaps, not actually irritated— even if he hates the sight of Leon sodding Bennett more than anything else.

“It was just a joke,” Remus tells him, soft and sincere and away from that playful tone he was using from before.

“Yeah, you better have been,” Sirius says, but then dips down to kiss between Remus’s shoulder blades— to the left of where he’s got a hand spread across his back— just to assure him that he’s not actually upset.

“You’re brilliant you know. The best in every way, I hope you understand that,” Remus tells him, a bit quieter and a bit more reserved, in a voice that wavers only slightly with the nerves of the admission. “I’ve only ever been in love with you— And I know that it’s probably not the same, I know that you’ve had others and we’re only eighteen and—“

Sirius cuts him off with one single, quick smack against the width of his arse— an arse he can probably write a thousand sonnets and a million more odes about— and he returns to kneading at the muscle there. “Don’t be an idiot, Remus. You know I love you like mad, more than anything— you’re everything.”

“Oh. Oh, that’s good— Erm, I mean—“ Sirius can only see half of Remus’s face from this angle, and most of it is obscured by his curly fringe, but he can detect the pinkish flush feathering over his sharp cheekbone and the way he’s begun to gnaw on the end of his mouth, eyes half lit and hooded. And God, sometimes Sirius thinks that it’s the blind leading the blind with them as they dance along this precipice of the most precious thing either of them has ever held in their quivering grasps.

“Right convenient if you ask me,” Sirius says instead of something from the stream of soppy poetry he’s thinking about— the love sick lyrics dedicated to Remus and Remus alone. He doesn’t want to potentially fracture this single understanding that they’ve finally revealed to one another. Rather, Sirius scrapes another chunk of the slick, Muggle substance into his hand and cloaks himself completely before taking a bit of it against Remus’s arsehole, his insides melting like molasses once he feels the warmth of Remus cloaking him, the way Remus’s entrance is practically fluttering, practically trying to swallow Sirius whole.

“Oh, yeah— Just a bit more.”

“Shh, let me take care of you, Moony,” Sirius reproves with absolutely no heat, instead sounding more than a little horse as he adds another digit and watches as Remus expands beneath his touch, watches his long fingers being devoured by him— the bronze tan Sirius always sports during the warmer months melding into the pale patches of Remus that rarely sees sunlight— watches their jagged edges piecing together like a sacred tomb, and Sirius knows right then and there that he’d want to be lost in every facet of Remus for every eon to come, even when they’re nothing but cinders and ashes and wisps of starlight. He’d want this, he’d crave this. He’d always need this, need Remus in any way he’d take him.

“Oh— Sirius, please, right there.” Remus suddenly squawks, jolting forwards and grappling for either end of his fourposter’s wooden bars. “Pl— Please.”

Always beyond eager to watch his lover come undone, Sirius adds one final finger before crooking them inside of Remus, skimming the little nest of nerves found there, and repeating the action twice more before he hears Remus’s choked off demand, “Bloody hell, Sirius! Will you just give me what I want!”

“I thought you’d never ask, sweetheart.” Sirius absolutely beams, gingerly pulling out from his gaping and empty entrance so to lather himself one final time, kisses the freckle behind Remus’s left ear as he snakes a hand beneath his stomach to raise him up slightly. “Can you stay like this, baby.”

His arms still slightly shaking from when Sirius had been teasing his prostate, Remus nods resolutely, shuffling around so that he’s resting his chin on his forearms, and his back is arched so beautifully with his pert arse stretched back in an inviting fashion. “You just worry about making this last hour worth my time.”

Sirius sniffs, pats Remus’s behind with a tad bit more intensity than strictly needed. “You and that lip is gonna get the best of you one of these days, Moony.”

“Mmm, I’ll believe it when you actually begin proving as much,” Remus barbs, and God Sirius loves him so fucking much— feels his chest absolutely contract with the ferocity of it.

“Right, well, you just sit there, looking pretty. All right?” Sirius intones, cards a hand through Remus’s hair and tugs just slightly before letting go completely to adjust his position from behind him— both hands on either end of Remus’s waistline and his dick poking at his hole— and God the throbbing is becoming painful with how badly Sirius just wants to plunge inside, to fuck and pound and thrust into Remus until he hears his boyfriend— his partner— absolutely sing with pleasure. “You are beautiful, Remus, you know that, right? Know that I think you’re the most bloody gorgeous creature I’ve ever seen, that the scars just show how otherworldly you are?” Sirius emphasizes that final point by thumbing across the one skirting across the the side of his neck, stretching from the bottom of his ear and ending at the point of his collarbone. It’s the most prominent one, the only scar besides a scratch on his pinky that can’t be covered up by a trusty jumper or pair of corduroys. The one Remus is most sensitive about, and the one he probably hates nearly as much as the bite marring his inner thigh.

“Sirius, please. Just not now,” Remus implores, sounding like a blown out candle all of a sudden, and Sirius can’t have that. Doesn’t want him to feel anything close to shitty while they’re doing this, while he has him this way. So with an obedience he only has if Remus asks him for as much in his more cautious of cadences, Sirius clenches his jaw, and keeps the adoring words stuck to his teeth, and he distracts himself by finally moving forwards, and it’s like a blink of the eye wen suddenly everything around him goes hazy, feeling like a disillusionment charm has been cast with how everything feels intangible, floaty, feels unsubstantial in comparison to the hot, tight pressure of Remus wrapped around him, made all the more etherial by the sounds of Remus’s melodic moans and gorgeous gasps and the way he moves in tandem with Sirius, how he cants back to meet the electrical current of Sirius fucking into him.

And he isn’t sure who says what in the gargle of words being spilt between them, is pretty sure he’s saying something about how beautiful Remus always is for him and then Remus replying with something about Sirius giving more to him, giving him something harder, deeper, quicker, and then, somehow, Sirius has got both of remus’s wrists in his hand and he’s pressing them against the small of Remus’s back, and he’s slowing down, suddenly wants this to last so much longer, wants to keep Remus this pliant and open and uninhibited for him for just that bit more.

“Merlin, I love you,” he says, focussing on the sweat collecting into the divot of Remus’s pinched shoulder blades and leans down to lick over the spot. “So fucking much.”

“Me too, Sirius! Sirius, I love you too! Please don’t stop, please.” Remus begs, canting back and twitching his fingers, obviously needing some sort of friction, though Sirius doesn’t think he’ll give it to him quite yet.

“What if I do though?” He asks, affecting an innocent tone while he slowly pulls out of Remus, pushing inside with shallow thrusts now, giving him hardly more than his tip. “What if I keep you like this, wait to see how long it takes you to come off of this alone, untouched. Just by my cock teasing you like this?” Remus makes another, strangled sort of noise deep in his throat, and he shutters in a way that convinces Sirius he’s not completely opposed to the offer. “You’d like that, yeah? You’d like me holding you down like this and watching you absolutely go feral? Go unraveled beneath me? Hell, I bet you wouldn’t even mind if I kept you like this for the rest of the morning. If I fucked you stupid and didn’t let you come even then. Just plug you up with that naughty toy we got from that Muggle shop when you visited me over Easter in London. Trap my spunk inside and just keep you nice and open until I decide to give it to you once again— drag you to a bathroom stall or an empty cupboard and fuck you senseless. Bloody hell, Remus, you probably wouldn’t even last a minute, hmm?”

Remus stays quiet, doesn’t unclench that taught muscle in his jaw, but his pupils are blown and he’s completely flushed, and Sirius is so thankful he can read the smallest nuances of him, loves knowing how absolutely wrecked just the idea of that has gotten his beautiful Moony, the side of him that no one else could ever see. The side of him hidden by his aloof exterior and measured words when around others. No one else gets to see this hauntingly beautiful, desperate little thing he becomes under Sirius’s hand, how he’s strung to vivid colors by Sirius mumbling such wicked contemplations into the expanse of his warm, golden skin.

“Are you going to answer, love,” he asks, with a lecherous sort of grin, pounding into him with a lack of delicateness from before, only twice, only enough to get Remus writhing again. “Do you not want that?”

Remus squeaks as the top of his head grazes against the headboard from the impact, and he has to squeeze his eyes shut while his thin lips fall open. “I reckon— Erm, I reckon that would be all right. Just to try.”

“My lovely academic, has to give everything a go,” Sirius crows, returns to thrusting measuredly in and out of him, kisses the nape of his neck with soft reverence. “But you know, we wouldn’t have to sneak around like that in only a couple weeks. We’ll be graduated,” he twists his hips slightly and presses down a bit more viciously than the slow paces probably would’ve entailed, and Remus quite literally groans at the feeling of it. “I’ll have that bloody huge flat, and you could be there too. We could spend every morning like this, Moony my love. We could christen every sodding room on the first day alone, and then I’d make you some of that veggie curry you like and you can sit there with an ice pack on your bum after I’m done with you.”

“Oh— Hah, you think you’ve got that sort of stamina,” is all Remus manages out in response, his features going tight with hunger when Sirius retorts with a staccato of uneven thrusts inside of him, stopping only when he feels the release willing up his own body, doesn’t think he’s ready to end this conversation quite yet.

“With you in one of my T-shirts and nothing else?” Sirius asks, watches the way Remus’s toes quite literally curl when he slides inside his used hole once more, shaking Remus slightly with how he moves and thrusts and squeezes his wrists hard enough to bruise. “I bet I could get it up an infinite amount of times! THere will be studies invoked for the phenomena of my cock, Moony. Potions inspired that’d never work, because they could never get it right when I tell them it’s the sight of you waiting for me looking wide eyed and teasing— waiting to be debauched— that’s got me so erect. I’ll be a household name, you watch.”

“You— Oh, oh. Yes like that please Sirius just a little more— Hah, you’re a madman.”

Sirius leers, does as told and grabs forcefully against Remus’s biceps and pounds him flat on the mattress, fucking into him and thrills with all the different noises he’s dragging out of Remus, the way he can’t even form words amidst his groan. “Then you best stay with me, who knows what a madman could do all on his lonesome.”

Just because he’s always been a bit sadistic, Sirius stops his graceless rutting, lies nearly entirely against Remus instead, tugging on the back of his curls so that he’s got a better view of Remus’s gaze. “Wha— Oh, yes, fuck yes you plonker. Of course I want to move in with you, just wanted you to ask properly instead of beating round the bloody bush!”

Sirius feels his brows hike up, absolutely gleeful. “You wanton little slag, you just wanted me to use my manners, eh?”

Remus huffs, looking beyond grouchy. “Yes, yes, and obviously, like the contrary bastard you are, you decide to actually do as much when I’d rather you be beating inside of me., but thus is my fate being stuck in love with such a wanker.”

Sirius can’t help but cackle at the incredibly cross expression Remus has got painted over his features, and he pecks a path down his temple and down to the dip of his shoulder muscles in apology. “You know I’m not one for subtleties, Moony.”

“Humph, well how’s this for subtle. Will you just ruddy fuck me and keep this discussion on the back burner for afterwards?”

Always eager to please his boyfriend, Sirius gently presses him back down on the sheets and rises only enough so to continue the easy rhythm between them, only increased by one of his hands circling Remus’s blazingly scarlet cock, pushing him through the loop of his fingers every time Sirius rocks harshly into him, going speedier and speedier with every choked out plea coming from Remus.

“What about this for a wanker?” He asks snidely, snapping forwards especially roughly, and twisting remus’s prick only slightly in turn, knows how much he enjoys the contrast of that.

“Yes— Yes, yes, yes Sirius! Just keep going, please, love, please. God, I love you. Holy fuck.”

And it’s not another thrust inside before Remus is spilling into Sirius’s palm and the contracted muscle pumps the orgasm out of Sirius himself.

“Fuck, you’re amazing,” Sirius groans in a voice that’s nearly completely faded, and totally pious, careful to move outside Remus’s overly sensitive hole, and still panting while he absentmindedly grabs for a spare vest. He mutters a labored aguamenti before he brings it to Remus’s behind and begins to dab gently at the skin there, smattered with lube and Sirius’s come and a good amount of wetness from his sweat.

“Oh,” Remus shakes, sucking in a breath and tensing at the sensation of the intrusion.

“Whoa. Easy, easy. I’ve got you,” Sirius assures him gingerly, tossing it to the corner when he’s finished, and can’t help but kiss the small dimples found right against the skin that cups over his arse.

“The, mmm. The house elves, Sirius. They don’t deserve that to deal with.”

Sirius only barely manages to hold back the roll of his eyes at Remus’s tendency not to understand how much those buggers enjoy any and all cleaning. Merlin, leave it too Moony to feel bad about something that someone wants to do for him. “I’ll grab it later, promise. Bin it o whatever.”

Remus only replies with a soft sound of consent, letting himself be gathered into Sirius’s arms properly, his head cradled against Sirius’s chest and Sirius’s arms wrapped around him while he kisses the crown of his tawny curls.

“You want a kip then?” Sirius asks amusedly, feeling his own eyelids beginning to droop.

“Hmm, yeah. That’d be nice. Then we can talk about that hideously orange breakfast table you’ve got in the flat. I bloody well won’t be living in any proximity of that monstrosity, Padfoot.”

Sirius can’t help the laughter that spills out, and he agrees to the conversation but demands that Remus call Winifred by name, lest she gets her feelings hurt.

“Madman,” Remus reiterates, completely fond as he dozes off, and when Sirius feels the breaths falling out of Remus’s lips even out, he thinks that them nestled into one another like this might be the only salvation he ever wants to know, the only sensation he could ever crave— The only sunlit snapshot he ever needs for the rest of his days.

#wolfstar #remus lupin #sirius black #siriusxremus #wolfstar fluff #remusxsirius #wolfstar smut #SPILT INK #You are such a sweetheart Nonny #ILU #!!!

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