#sharing prompts with vi>>>>>>

[soul-engraver]

Inspired by October's prompt, I made a malfested version of my Conduit, because turning into one was her biggest fear for a good portion of Libra of Soul.

Prior to the events of LoS, Elfreid never faced malfested or any enemies of that caliber, so her first fight against these creatures made her terrified of them. Glowing red eyes and patterns, grey skin, distorted voices, screams that make blood run cold, sheer speed and strength of their attacks combined with all-consuming bloodlust made for an intimidating impression.

However, berserkers have all these traits too, and yet she fears malfested more for one reason - the former are phantoms of already dead warriors, while the latter are living humans that have been transformed into bloodthirsty monsters. Because of this, malfested registered as more of a real threat in her mind.

With this knowledge and the fact that she's been affected by the Evil Seed, Elfried wondered if she could still become one of them. Yes, she remembers Zasalamel's words, but after her encounters with them, especially witnessing someone she knew turn from a kind-hearted person into a crazed ruthless creature (talking about Haoran here), she just wasn't sure anymore. And so this fear manifested itself in the form of nightmares.

In these dreams, she would either fight (or run from) a malfested version of herself or become one, and every time it would a horrible experience. These nightmares were happening regardless of the Astral Chaos related ones, and so they still occurred in chapter 4 (when the Conduit didn't need the astral fissures anymore), although less often than before. Thankfully, her travels with Grøh, Natalie and Dion gave her a lot of fighting experience, so facing malfested in combat is not as terrifying anymore. As to her fear of turning into one... well, it's more complicated, and I might elaborate another time (bc I'm too tired to do it at the moment, and this post has been sitting in the drafts long enough).

[starwilliams]

Hi it's me again, thxx for making req rules. Ok so I have like a rlly smutty prompt so it's totes cool if ur not on board but I was thinking like a crossover? Like imo Abby is my fav but I was thinking like a sub being passed around like a blunt between Ellie, Abby, and Vi. X reader ofc, dom!Ellie, dom!Abby, and dom!vi? Thx again!

being passed around by ellie, abby and vi.

it started off as a simple evening with some friends. after meeting at that stingy lesbian bar, the one with sticky carpets and burning liquor. after a night of drunken karaoke and sloppy dancing, it was abby’s idea to hang out after being kicked out.

‘we can go back to my place. my roommate’s out at some girls house.’ she said, a smile on her face. you all nodded along, the girl with pink hair, and the face tattoo grinned while ellie, the auburn haired girl smiled softly, the more quiet of the four of you. you all drove after abby desperately, abby and ellie both in trucks, vi at the end in a motorcycle.

after arriving at abby’s apartment, you all got settled in the living area, you somehow ended up sat inbetween all of them. sipping beers turned into ellie rolling up a blunt for everyone to share. stingy? sure. hot? absolutely. she handed it to you to light first, her eyes looking you over as you lit the blunt, handing her the lighter back, her tattooed arm putting it back into her flannel pocket.

you inhaled the smoke, the smooth crackling of the blunt, you passed it onto vi, who smirked taking it from you, lulling her head back onto the couch as she breathed it out.

the records started playing, conversations rolling, all of you in a spacy giggly high. god. making new friends is fun! it seemed everyone was into one another, but that’s what you get for going to a lesbian bar on a friday night. you don’t remember exactly how abby’s hand ended up on your thigh, vi’s muscled arm around your shoulder, the way ellie was sat on the floor infront of the couch, her back against the coffee table, as you all giggled at a bra that was laid across the floor, by an ajar door. ‘that’s from a girl my roommate brought over, manny. i swear!’ abby says. ‘he never cleans up around here.’

you also aren’t sure exactly how you and vi ended up kissing, you had your eyes closed, losing yourself in the moment, until you felt abby’s breath on your neck, as she watched closely, the strings of saliva being passed between you and vi, ‘hey. our turn.’ you hear abby says, you furrow your eyebrows, but when vi pulls away her lips from yours and holds your jaw, turning it to give abby access to your lips you let out a soft moan, you didn’t know what was going on, but when you opened your eyes slightly, and saw ellie’s needy and curious gaze over you and abby, you felt the warmth and wetness between your legs. ‘so pretty.’ abby murmurs, when you felt vis hands behind you, on the small of your back as she gently tugged up your top, you knew it was wrong. god what were you doing? but soon enough, your arms were raised above your head, lips disconnected from abby’s.

you heard abby giggling softly as she watched vi undress you, vi smirked, and you felt a snap on your hip, after showing off your little thong string to the others, she snapped it back onto you. ‘this okay, cupcake?’ vi asked, and you nodded, resting your head back against her shoulder.

soon enough your little shorts were being taken off by abby, vis hands massaging your breasts the whole time. ellie stayed stationary and curious on the other end of the sofa, her thighs clenched together.

‘fuck it.’ abby said, looking up into your eyes for consent, and when you nodded, she pulled your panties to the side, gently pushing her finger through your folds, exploring. ‘she’s wet already.’ vi said, you covered your face in embarrassment, but as she held you in her arms from behind, you didn’t do anything to stop them. of course. you felt a strong pressure, abby pushing in her thick fingers, your walls clenching around her as you rolled your hips in a circle. abby smirked, as she pumped her finger in and out, slipping in another one ‘oh abs’!!’ you moaned, turning your head behind to ground yourself by kissing vis lips. vi then adjusted to sit by your side, her fingers moving down to your clit, toying with it while abby pumped in and out of you relentlessly. your breath quickened, you couldn’t help but look down. two people pleasuring you at once, when you heard via soft murmur to ellie- ‘wanna get over here, el?’ she asks. and ellie nods. a curious nod, you could see her thighs clenched together and her gaze darting all over you, the way your hips rolled into abby’s pumps, and the way your eyebrows furrowed together.

she moved to sit beside you, while the other girls fuck you. she looks into your eyes, while her fingers lay hesitant over your mouth. you take her long fingers in your mouth, licking them which guides her to push them in gently, she’s in awe at the way you suck her fingers, the way you stop when abby’s biceps clench when she curls her fingers inside you and you just have to gasp. vi smirked at ellie. nodding at watch she was doing. all of the girls paying attention to the way you sucked ellies fingers.

after you came, they looked at you in pure awe. ‘jeez cupcake. good job.’ vi says, as she pats your cheek gently, moving herself off the couch, kneeling between your legs as abby lets vi take her spot, you felt vis warm tongue and powder blue eyes laser gaze staring up at you as the licked you clean with her tongue. ‘ellie. you wanna help?’ she asks, and ellie nods, looking to you for approval with her eyes, and when you nod she scrambles to the floor beside vi, licking a stripe up your slit, gently sucking the folds, wanting every drop. she sucked your slit until you sighed, pushing her head away gently, and you laugh, collapsing onto the back of the couch.

god. yall would never see eachother again.

[vvifeys]

This is my first time ordering here. AAAAAHHH It took me a while to gather up the courage.

I want one from the time Violet was in prison. I totally imagine Vi having her first experiences with the woman who did her tattoos (tattoo artist), with her being the only person Vi trusts in prison and more experienced then our fighter. 🫦👀

OOOHH I'm embarrassed now 🙈🙈 Me feel a teenager again

new to this.

sub!vi x dom!reader. tw: smut. fingering. vi is inexperienced. light degradation. praise. men dni! a/n: AWW HI THERE!! i'm glad that you got the courage to ask me for this, because i love this idea so much!! fair warning, i have a kindergarteners level knowledge about prisons, but i know that prisoners typically have cellmates so you guys are cellmates! i'm following a more real life logic rather than arcane 😅 i apologize if this is inaccurate in any way, thank you for this again, anon~

vi was laying on her side in her bed– if you could even call it that. the mattress was so thin it barely covered the wood it was laying on. uncomfortable, but she'd gotten used to it. used to laying on her side staring at your pretty face. you were the thing that made this prison bearable.

you were the resident tattoo artist. most of the inmates in stillwater that had tattoos (vi included) had gone under your steady hand to get them. your work was incredible, and it earned you lots of favors. intel, extra food, cigars even– but you always declined. you had given up on keeping score long ago, not too long after being thrown in here.

thrown in here with... the prettiest girl you'd ever seen. honestly, you didn't understand how such a sweet girl could commit a crime heinous enough to be tossed into a place as horrid as this. you very quickly learned, however, that it was false imprisonment. it wasn't easy, but you'd managed to grow close to your pink haired cellmate, and you'd become quite fond of her. she came to you for all three tattoos she wanted, and thanked you endlessly for the incredible work.

being fond of her was a crime in itself, though. you found yourself staring at her more often than you should've, and you caught her staring back at you more often than not. your gaze often traveled down to her arms, her hands, those thighs... you'd fallen asleep many times with thoughts of her in your head. her constantly getting into fights didn't help– she'd be returned to your shared cell with a bloody nose or a black eye, and you'd take care of her, as always.

tending to her wounds just led to more longing. you hadn't realized how badly you'd been yearning for her until she'd gotten a particularly nasty fork wound on her thigh. she was sitting there in boxers while you made sure to clean the bleeding holes to the best of your abilities. that was months ago, but you still remember the feeling of her eyes on you, the way your stomach flipped at every little gasp or twitch from her, and the way your eyes kept drifting just a little further upward.

months later, here you are in your current predicament. you're staring at her from across the room, both of you holding eye contact. your heart is beating faster than usual. you'd both just gotten done eating, and now it was lights out. there were a couple dim lights on in the hallway, the shadows making vi's face look even softer than it usually did. there was an unspoken tension, and you knew she felt it too if the way she was looking at you like she wanted to kiss you was any indication.

"violet, you want something. i know that look." you state, propping yourself up on your elbow.

"i- hey! i don't like how you know me that well. i just... i've been thinking." vi sighs, you can immediately tell something is wrong. she sat up, but she's not looking you in the face anymore.

"about?" you prompted after a few minutes of silence. vi was obviously contemplating something, and it was making you anxious.

"you? us? i don't know. just... there's something between us, and i know you feel it too." her eyes flicked up to yours, then down to the bedsheet a couple times.

you didn't even speak. you got up, walking over to sit down beside her and grab her hand. vi turned to look at your entwined hands, giving a light squeeze before meeting your eyes. you leaned in, mouth close to her ear.

"do you want this?" you ask, voice hardly louder than a whisper. your free hand moved to rest on her thigh.

"want w- oh. i've never... i'm new to this." vi hesitated, nervous to say it out loud. she swallowed so hard, you swore you could hear it.

"hey, hey, that's okay. let me show you, yeah? we can stop at any time if you want to." you pull back enough to look her in her soft, grey eyes. you bring your hands up to cup her cheeks, making sure she's focused and listening.

"yeah... i'll let you." vi nodded in your hands, eyes closing with a soft sigh.

you kept your hold on her face, but leaned in to kiss her. her lips were softer than you expected them to be, your own eyes closing as you relaxed at the feeling. you pulled back, but before you could even open your mouth to check on her, she presses her lips on yours again.

vi was a little messy with her kisses, but the more you kissed, the more she got the hang of it. your hands started to wander, one moving back to her thigh, and the other coming to hold her waist. your hands on her gave her the confidence to start to touch you. you felt one of her hands slide up your back, while the other held the side of your face. you smile into the kiss, both hands moving to her hips to gently tug her into your lap.

soon enough, you had vi straddling your thighs– knees on either side of your hips as you kissed. you pulled back, trailing your mouth down her jawline and to her neck. you nipped a little just above her collarbone to test her reaction. vi's soft gasp drew a wicked smile from you as you bit harder. you sucked a couple hickeys into her neck, giggling at her soft whimpers.

"can i take this off, pretty girl?" you ask, hands coming up to the hem of vi's shirt. she nods immediately, leaning back to help you pull the shirt over her head.

your eyes widened once her shirt was off. she was toned, you'd watched her work out before but you'd never seen her shirtless like this. you traced the contours of her torso with a hungry gaze, eyes coming to rest on her tits. her nipples were hard, chest flushed a light red from the blush that had taken over her face.

"stop staring! it's embarrassing." vi protested, crossing her arms over her chest.

"ah, ah. don't cover yourself up, vi, you're so gorgeous." you tell her, hands coming up to pull her arms away from her chest.

you used one hand to pull her body closer to you, your mouth latching on to one of her nipples. your free hand came up to twist the other one, drawing a moan from vi's pretty lips. you pulled back, your hand stopping it's movements.

"sshh, don't be so loud. do you wanna wake the whole hall?" you whispered, purposefully squeezing her breast to pull another noise from her. she quickly shook her head, resting her forehead on your shoulder.

"yeah, that's what i thought. c'mon, baby, can i lay you down?" you speak softly, feeling the vulnerability radiating off of the girl in your lap. you feel vi nod against you, and slowly move her onto her back. she's looking up at you through pink locks of hair, her lips parted as she breathes a bit heavier than usual.

you crawl between her legs, leaning over her to plant a couple kisses on her lips. her head tilts back as you kiss down her neck, breath quickening. her hands fist the sheets as you trail down her collarbone, to the valley between her breasts, down her stomach, and finally to the waistband of her pants. you look up, eyes meeting hers and hands coming to rest on her hips.

"can... is this okay? can i take these off?" you slowly rub her hips, keeping your voice soft. you're trying to make her feel as comfortable as you can.

"y-yeah, uh," vi clears her throat, taking a deep breath. "go for it."

you nod, beginning to slowly slide her pants down, and eventually off her ankles. you run your hands up and down her thighs, trying to soothe her.

"you're so pretty, vi. so, so gorgeous. are you okay?" you query, resting your head on her inner thigh as you stare up at her. your breath hits dangerously close to where she wants you, causing her to try and squeeze her thighs together.

"mmh- yeah, fine. want you so bad." she pants, voice taking on a higher pitch than usual. she's doing her best to keep quiet, you can tell.

"yeah? i'm sure you do, baby. let's get these off." you smile at the neediness in her voice, moving to slowly pull her boxers off. it takes everything in you not to let out a moan at how pretty she looked.

vi's pussy was already soaked. she was practically dripping onto her sheets already, you hadn't realized how long you'd been staring until she closed her legs. you immediately pushed them back open, earning a gasp from her. you reached one hand up, running your index finger through her folds to see how she'd react. she almost jumped out of her skin, hips jerking with a sharp gasp.

"fuck! baby-" she whined, immediately covering her mouth with her hands. you smiled, giggling at how desperate she was already.

"aww, what is it? you need me that bad, huh?" you ask, voice falsely saccharine. you ran your finger through her heat again, dragging it more firmly over her clit.

"uh huh! mmf, please, please! i need it." vi begs, turning her head to bury her face in the thin pillow. it wasn't doing much to hide her, but you wouldn't tell her that. you did, however, warn her.

"okay, baby, okay. i'm gonna put one finger in, alright? is that okay?" you continue rubbing her outer thigh with your free hand. you kept a close eye on her face, half of it still visible, for any signs of discomfort or pain.

that's the question that made vi look up at you, her expression already looking fucked out despite you having not even done anything. she nods, a string of quiet begs coming from her. that's all you need to push your finger in, watching as vi's hips twitch slightly. she brings her hand to her mouth, eyes squeezing shut as you push your finger in and out. you do that for awhile, trying to get her used to the feeling.

it doesn't take her long before she's already begging for a second, and of course you oblige. who are you to decline a pretty girl whos asking so nicely? a second finger being pushed in draws a low groan from her, back arching.

"that feel good, sweetheart?" you scissor your fingers, pace gentle as you let her adjust. she doesn't properly answer, just whines and pushes her hips down on your hand faster.

"aww... such a slut for me, huh? so greedy." you tease, voice slightly condescending. your words draw a high pitched whine from her. you watch as her hands move to fist the sheets, eyes looking down between her thighs.

"please? more, i need more- oh god!" vi's words quickly cut off whenever you hit a gummy spot inside her after hooking your fingers. her hips jerk into your hand, moans more freely spilling from her lips.

"ah, there we go. you sound so pretty, baby." you smile, happy she was enjoying herself so much. you angled your fingers to keep hitting that bundle of nerves in her, drawing moan after moan and whine after whine. vi had given up on muffling herself, she knew she was probably waking up the whole block but she couldn't care less.

she felt way too good, feeling the electricity run through her body. the muscles in her stomach tightened, back arching further off the bed as she panted. vi couldn't help it, her hand reached to grab the hand you had on her outer thigh. she squeezed it, and almost immediately, all of the tension in her body released. pleasure washed over her like a wave in the ocean, and her body went lax. she was breathing heavy, eyes closed, hand death gripping yours.

you pull your fingers out of her, licking them clean before trailing kisses up her thighs, over her stomach, all the way up to her face. you take a second to dip down and lick the rest of her clean, not bothering trying to clean the sheets knowing laundry day was tomorrow. once she lets your hand go, you both sit up and face each other.

vi is still panting, but she's breathing easier now. "oh my god. does that always feel that good?"

"yeah, pretty much. god, you looked so pretty." you praise, moving her hair out of her face and gently cupping her cheek.

she blushes bright red, looking down instead of making eye contact. "h-hey! you can't just say that. you were doing all the work." she argues.

"hush, you did good too. i'm proud of you for going out of your comfort zone for me." you smile softly at her, thumb caressing her cheek. "let's get your clothes back on, yeah? you can sleep in my bed tonight." you offer.

vi looks up at you and nods immediately. "sounds good to me! lucky we did this before laundry day..." she shakes her head playfully, standing up and stretching before bending to pick up her clothes.

"i'm tempted to hide your clothes from you so i can see your body for longer." you tease, watching as she slides her boxers and pants back on.

she giggles, turning around to look at you as she puts her shirt on. "you hide my clothes, i'll never get another tattoo." she jokes back, knowing how much you'd been begging her to get another tattoo from you. she looked so pretty inked up, how could you not?

"hey! okay okay, no hiding clothes!" you stand up, grabbing her hands. "you truly are gorgeous, though." you say, sighing as you stare into her eyes with adoration. vi leans to kiss you, pulling you over to your bed.

"whatever you say, babe." she lays down, gesturing for you to lay beside her. you do, resting your head on her chest and closing your eyes.

"i love you, violet."

"i love you too."

a/n: i am SO sorry this took me so long, i was dealing with a lot of shit this week and part of last, on top of going through a big period of feeling more ace so 😅 working on this was difficult, but i'm finally done!! i'm very inexperienced at writing smut, so i apologize if any of this sounds cringy or bad. thank you for the request, anon, and i hope you request again !! i loved this idea <3

[hederasgarden]

Gladiator II Masterlist

Lucius Verus

Lucius and the Fisherman's Wife Series

Thank you @seitmai for this lovely banner.

Ab Initio (2K | Mature)

Terrified and alone, you find comfort in an unlikely place - Rome’s mightiest Gladiator.

Protego te (2.1K | Mature)

Macrinus’s ambition brings you and Lucius to the Colosseum, introducing another level of complexity into your dynamic (sequel to Ab Initio). 

Memorias (1.1K | Mature)

Late at night you and Lucius share memories of the lives you once lived.

Post tenebras lux (5.9K | Mature)

You are gifted to Lucius as a reward for his prowess in the arena (sequel to Ab Initio).

Docendo discimus (1K | Mature)

Lucius teaches you to defend yourself.

Finis (7.8K | Mature)

Lucius comes for you (Epilogue to Post tenebras lux).

Vi et animo (Mature | 1.2K)

When one of Rome's senators insults you, Lucius makes an example of him.

Nunc scio quid sit amor (1.7K | Mature)

Lucius tells your son the story of how he fell in love with you (takes place after drabble 1).

Drabbles

Drabble 1 - The birth of Lucius and the readers first child.

Other Series

The Price of Survival (Mature | 2.6K)

Modern AU. Rescued by a stranger from a dangerous situation, you quickly find yourself thrust into an even more perilous one, forced to depend on him for protection in a world where survival means trusting no one.

One Shots

Desire (Mature | 770)

Prompt - Werewolf Lucius + breeding. +feral +possessive + bite-kink.

Headcanons

Valentine's Day with Modern Lucius

[xetlynn]

ekko x reader?? any prompt is fine! (I just want more ekko fanfics 😒)

(Same I feel it) I hope this does you justice!!!

Arcane Imagines- Ekko

Quicker

[arcane] [main page]

Prompt: Ekko has a whole plan and date set up to say I love you.

“[Name], come with me.” Your boyfriend grasps your hand, taking you away from whatever you were just doing. “What- Ekko!” You laugh out, trying to keep up with his pace. “I need to show you something.” Is all he responds with, pulling you forward. “Okay, okay, my legs are starting to hurt.” You pant, squeezing his hand for dear life. 

“Just a little longer, I’m sorry.” He squeezes back, jumping over a large pipe in the alleyway, you barely get over it yourself, tripping. He lifts you up by your armpits, keeping you moving. “Shit, Ekko, I need a second!” You squeal out, now going down hill. “Almost there, pretty.” He shakes his head, he shakes his arm around your waist. “Here, here.” He makes a sharp turn, you almost cause the both of you to fall when he does an abrupt halt. “Oh my gosh.” You murmur. 

You hunch over, grabbing your knees and coughing so you can catch your breath. “Was that necessary?” You huff, looking up at him from your side view. He laughs, crouching down with his hand on your back. “Sorry, just look up.” He pinches your chin in between his index and thumb, forcing your head to look forward. You tiredly lift your body back up, leaning on Ekko. 

“What am I- Oh…” You suddenly perk up, letting go of your partner, walking forward. “You make all this?” You twirl around the room full of paintings, lights set up with a miniature table, two pillows on either side. “I had a little help.” He scratches the back of his head, footsteps come towards the both of you. Your eyes widened in fear, going straight to Ekko  with a defensive stance who chuckled. “Don’t worry, it's a friend.” He whispers. 

“Heyy, [Name] wasn’t it?” A pink-haired girl comes into view and your jaw slacks. It was Vi. When you met her you were very impressed. Admiring her even. Immediately wanting to be her friend even though Ekko was quite pissed with her at the time. You kept making jokes with her the entire time. “Vi!” You go over to her and you guys give each other a side hug. “You helped him with all this?” You do a little finger motion. She chuckles. “I practically set everything up. He made all the paintings though.” She slings her arm over your shoulders as you admire their shared work. 

“What’s this for?” You question. “Oh, you know…” Ekko nervously chuckles. “He’s so whipped, that’s why.” Vi whispers. Ekko glares at her. “I know right, his mind is quite literally plagued by me.” You mutter back to the older girl who bursts out laughing.

“He talks about you every time I see him. So I can confirm.” Vi goes over to Ekko, punching his shoulder. His eyebrows furrowed angrily. “You can leave now.” He shoves the pink-haired girl away from him. She only snickers in response. “I think he wants me to leave.” 

“You think so?” He sarcastically asks, hands on his hips dramatically. “Alright, alright. If he’s too annoying just call out for me.” Vi winks your way and you excitedly nod your head while giggling. “Bye! It was nice seeing you again!” You wave her off, her figure going back into the shadows. 

Ekko just stands there, lips pressed together. Embarrassed by his old friend who just made fun of him with his girlfriend. “Oh my gosh! This is so cute!!!” You squeal, running over to a painting of the both of you pressing foreheads. “I love this one.” You mutter, picking it up to admire it better. 

“It’s a favorite for sure.” Ekko comes up behind you, kissing your shoulder. 

“I’m stealing this. It’s going in my room.” You place it back down so you can turn around and attack him into a bunch of face kisses. He holds your waist, letting you do as you pleased with his face. “You ready to eat?” He asks once you stop kissing him. “Oh, right. Yes!” 

He leads you over to the little dining area, you sit down and then he takes the top off of the dish before sitting down himself. It uncovers your favorite food. You let out a gasp. “You’re amazing!” You grin ear to ear, lifting your fork automatically at the sight of the wonderful grub in front of you. 

He watches your mouth water, digging into it. He admires you sweetly, not picking up the fork for himself. As you stuff the food in your mouth you notice that. “Wha ar you thoin?” You speak with some of the food dripping out of your mouth. He winces but smiles at you. “Staring at you.” He points to his eyes before widening them, leaning closer to you. You swallow your food. “Creep.” 

He places a hand on his heart. “Yeowch.” He pouts his lips out. “I’m just kidding, give me your hand I want to be romantic.” You stick your hand out over the table and he just snorts at you. Giving you his hand and you clamp down on it. “You are so perfect.” You tell him with a straight face, his cheeks heat up at your words. “And I love you.” You breathe out.

You guys haven’t said it to one another yet. His face falls from your confession. That was literally the whole point of tonight because he wanted to say it first. His silence scares you so you go to let go of his hand but he doesn’t let you. His face seemingly in shock. 

“You… okay?” You wave your other hand in his face. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. “Babe.” He sighs, head falling down. 

“Should I not have said it?” You worriedly ask. “No, no.” He shakes his head. “I mean maybe? No, the answer is yes you should have but no because that’s the whole point of this set up! I had a whole speech prepared!” He exclaims, throwing his empty hand in the air, expressing his distress. 

Your mouth goes into the shape of an ‘o’ as he groans. “I can’t believe you beat me to it.” He frowns. “I can pretend I didn’t say it. Go ahead. Say your speech.” You sit up straighter going to eat your food and act like you didn’t say you loved him. “You can’t go back in time now! You already said it.” He snickers. 

“Sorwy, I weally din’t knoow!” You express regret with the food in your mouth once again while you talk. 

“It’s okay, I promise. I’ll still say the speech if you want to hear it.” He gives you a small smile. 

You nod your head eagerly. Gripping his hand tighter. 

He pulls out a wrinkled piece of paper. Straightening it out on the table, and clearing his throat before he begins.

“[Name], it’s been 6 months of dating you, but not 6 months of loving you.” He glances up at me with a smirk as I lean in closer when he continues talking. “I’ve loved you since you accidentally ran into that pole, distracted by us staring at one another.” You flinch at the memory, feeling the pain in your forehead and nose. “I’ve loved you since you told me all about your passionate love for helping others and wanting to join me and the fireflies. I’ve loved you since you confessed to me. That’s why I wanted to say I love you first.” He coughs at the end of that, playfully scowling at me. You put your hand up in defense. “So, I love you.” He crumples the letter, throwing it beside you as tears well in your eyes. “Awe, Ekko.” You take the piece of paper, stuffing it in your pocket. 

“I beat you once again.” You maneuver around the table and sit in his lap. “Yeah, yeah.” He rolls his eyes. “Gotta be quicker.” You simply shrug, leaning against his chest, playing with his hand. 

[queers-gambit]

Blue Moon Wreckage

prompt: your husband can often lose his temper and resort to the man he was before you. you grow tired of lashing your tongue, and learn your husband responds better to silence.

pairing: Daemon Targaryen x female!wife!reader

fandom masterlist: House of the Dragon

word count: 4.3k+

note: another stand alone, no sequel

warnings: cursing, talk of child abandonment, vulgar dialogue, old-fashioned views on marriage (maybe idk), not edited. small angst, small comfort. author probably missed some warnings.

The entire city cleaned up in preparation for Princess Rhaenyra's nuptials to the heir of Driftmark, Lord Laenor Velaryon. It was refreshing to see citizens rejoicing in a common theme and going around to hang different decorations; chandeliers of strung florals, wreaths woven and hung, lanterns set all around to create an ambiance in the street.

Romance was in the air.

It put people in jolly spirits, brought them elation, and gave the ability to decompress from the woes of life. Wine tasted sweeter, the food saltier, and many merchants came into town for the week-long celebration of Rhaenyra and Laenor in the hopes of selling enough wares to pay for three of their month's expenses. Every room at the inn was filled, brothels hosting the leftover stragglers; money was simply made in an abundance after taking advantage of the citizens come to celebrate.

And yet, deep within the halls of the Red Keep, not all were so at peace with the state of things.

Maids and servants all skidded around the corridor that housed your bedchambers shared with your husband. The walls almost vibrated with the sheer force of the yelling that took place, and while the sun shone on the rest of the Kingdom, there was a dark shadow over the Red Keep.

Rarely, and it was the truth, rarely did you and Daemon ever fight. He was your best friend, he was the love of your life, you've known him for years, and had long since developed an effective way to communicate. Daemon wasn't easy to deal with, in fact, even to those who knew how to handle him, he sometimes pushed past boundaries and threw curveballs into the mix. You were not immune to his sharp tongue and wicked-fast wit, but in reality, Daemon never actively sought conflict with you, so fighting was incredibly rare - though, not totally unheard of.

Like a blue moon - not totally unheard of, but still considered rare. And in pale moonlight, the ship you and Daemon found yourselves sailing on seemed to crash into a set of cliffside jagged rocks, all but imploding the balance you had found yourselves in.

A shipwreck during a blue moon.

Before you, Daemon was violent and volatile. He was irresponsible, impulsive, stubborn, hotheaded, and blood thirty. Many Ladies all vied for the Prince's attention, but as he grew older, he became more and more reckless and more Ladies started keeping their distance. Expect you. You heard rumor his grandmother, the Queen Alysanne, meant to marry him off to Rhea Royce but your father was almost too smart for his own good. He devised a tantalizing offer that the Crown would've been foolish to refuse - thus binding you and Daemon to fate.

Before you, Daemon wasn't a man. He was just a second son trapped in a shell of his body, full of anger with nowhere to expel himself. A boy with a temper. A lad with attitude. He was knighted at 16, an impressive feat, and not a full moon cycle later, you and Daemon wed. He wasn't easy to love, but that was because he was so defensive in his life living in his older brother's shadow.

Before you, Daemon never believed in love or acceptance. Yet everyday he spent with you, he was reminded of his value and worth as a person - not just a Prince, or a Targaryen. You worked every day for his trust and confidence, and once you had it, it was an unshakeable foundation. Daemon was everything to you, and before him, you were shy and awkward and overwhelmed in the glaring eyes of court. Now, you were confident, humble, and weeping with power.

You kept Daemon balanced in his head and heart.

Before you, he was like a wild dog. Now, he was domesticated for you and you alone. He realized how much his recklessness hurt you and never wanted to be the cause of your pain, so, Daemon cleaned himself up. Most days, he was perfectly content in life, and others, he was still as stubborn as ever, but every so often, Daemon loses sight of himself and resorts back to who he was before you.

Fighting with Daemon was always difficult. He wasn't accustomed to losing, so, when you two went toe-to-toe, he was out for blood. He loses himself in his anger, fueled only by the need to cause the most harm with his sharpest words. Daemon jumped to conclusions faster than a grasshopper hops from blades of grass because he was vastly insecure, and it took most of your will to restrain your anger enough to soothe him of his worries.

Daemon hated fighting with you, and you hated fighting with him. There was never a true victor because you both hated it so much. Perhaps that was why your once-in-a-blue-moon fights turned so gruesome and emotional; you both hated fighting that it made you fight even harder.

How you came to this, you didn't remember. One moment, you were enjoying a morning feast with your husband, and the next, you were locked in your chambers, lashing at each other's throats with hateful words.

"I do not understand!" You sobbed. "You agreed to this - "

"No! No, I did not! You did not consult me on this matter, you just accepted responsibility. For the both of us!"

"He is my little brother, Daemon!"

"He is not our responsibility!"

"He is now!"

"Because you took action without a word to me!"

"I did not need to consult you; he is my blood."

"But not mine."

You scoffed, "For fuck's sake, Daemon, do you hear yourself? You are whinging over a child - you're bloody jealous of a child! Where is the man I married?"

"I have done all I am expected and required as a husband, it is you who refuses my seed. Who refuses to grow our family!"

"Oh, for fuck's sake! Now you want a baby!? Married ten years, we are, and NOW you want to whinge about babies!? I am busy in case you've not bothered to look around every once in a while," you snapped, "and I understand having a baby is not ideal right now!"

"So, you will not take my seed because you are busy raising another man's?"

"He was my father - oh, Gods be good, why're we fighting over this?"

"You need to understand, he is not mine," Daemon seethed. "He will never be mine and I do not wish to treat him as such. The life and luxury we live in are not meant for a child that is neither of ours."

"What would you have me do!?"

"Send him to your brother."

"Oh, spare me this notion, Daemon! I will not hear of it! No! We are not discussing this again and again!"

"You mean to disobey me then, wife?" He snapped, making your mouth snap shut. "Huh? Think you're immune to the duties you must uphold as a woman? Think that allows you free rein? You are luckier than most that I allow you to have a fucking opinion; do not abuse my generosity. You want the child to stay, fine, I hear you, but I say he goes. Guess who's want will triumph?"

You blinked several times, unable to find words.

"Nothing to say?" He taunted. "That is a first, wife, you surprise me. In your moment of silence, do well to listen to me now: the child goes, or I do. You either get rid of the child or I will remove myself from this sham of a marriage."

"I do not recognize you, you are not my husband," you finally sighed. "Do me a favor and figure you may speak to me again once you're ready to apologize. If not, I assume by week's end, we will be celebrating both Rhaenyra's wedding and our annulment."

"Too much time has passed for such - "

"I know a Septon that will forge documents. Now," you eyed him up and down, "once more, do not think to speak to me unless to grovel for my forgiveness."

"You will die before that happens."

You nodded slowly, then shrugged and dodged around him to exit the room. You could not bear to be around him any longer, storming away to where your small brother was being looked after by a Septa. You did not speak to Daemon the rest of the day, feeling yourself brimming with anger as you replayed his words.

How dare he find insult in your desire to do "the right thing" by caring for your brother after your parents met their untimely demise? How dare he cite "wifely duties" to you? Just how dare he!

The day was supposed to be merry. It was supposed to be lighthearted and fun and romantic and exciting and gossip worthy. Yet now, you were feeling annoyed, frustrated, weighed down, and plain stupid. You felt alone. You felt tired and worn thin. Your little brother, Jamie, always put a smile on your face, but now, you were simply ready to cry just by looking at him. This planted the seed of resentment towards Daemon, and through the day, only festered.

"My Lady?" You glanced in the mirror to see your hand maiden, who was doing your hair, humming in question. "Alyria has arrived, she will watch young Lord Jamie for the evening."

"Good, thank you," you sighed. "Has Daemon come around?"

"No, my Lady."

"Hmm."

Not 30 minutes later, you were walking towards the decorated throne room with your hair braided back, make-up laid perfectly, and your dress a dark grey, black, and Targaryen red.

However, before you could walk in, someone called your name. You paused, letting Daemon approach you, his eyes raking you in as he realized you dressed to match him. "You look beautiful," he complimented, but you just stared; then sighed through your nose and straightened up. "What? You're not speaking to me?"

"I told you the terms in which you should find it acceptable to speak to me again."

Daemon scoffed, "You're still on that?" You did not answer, just stared forward. "Fine, be that way. Come," he offered his arm, but you brushed past him to finally enter the throne room. Your names were announced, albeit begrudgingly because most in the castle harbored ill-will towards Daemon. They just felt bad for you, not knowing of the man you had grown to know and love unconditionally.

You took long strides to shorten your journey, but behind you, your husband just sauntered in as if the center of attention. However, no matter where he was, Daemon was always the main character, and he was quite the peacock in flaunting himself. You bowed to the King and his daughter, heir to the Iron Throne, Princess Rhaenyra. You took your seat beside the Hand of the King, Ser Strong, as Daemon climbed the stone stairs with a smug expression before taking the seat beside you at the very end.

Needless to say, Daemon was not accustomed to being ignored. You did not look at him, did not speak to him, ignored his direct questions, even went as far as to slapping his hand away when he reached for your thigh. When your hand rested on the table and he laid his over yours, you pulled it back.

It drove Daemon absolutely up the wall.

"And how fairs your brother, my Lady?" Ser Strong asked gently. "How does he like life in the Capital?"

"He adores it," you hummed with a nod. "He is learning so much and loves watching the boats in the harbor."

"How old is he now?"

"Just shy of 4, my Lord."

"Well, what would the little Prince like for his nameday?"

"Oh, uh, no, he's not a Prince," you spoke gently.

"No? Well, I suppose until Viserys recognizes him."

"Well, Daemon's made it clear that if I do not give custody of my brother up, this marriage is null and void, so," you clicked your tongue cheekily, sipping your wine, "no use in titles."

You knew others heard you and smirked to yourself. Another gulp of wine and you were standing, excusing yourself, and moving onto the dance floor. Rhaenyra giggled when you gave her a playful twirl before taking your place with a partner, falling into rhythm with those around you. The entire time, you felt Daemon's eyes burning into you.

You didn't care. You carried on as if there wasn't a ring on your wedding finger weighing like a full fish net, like you weren't burdened by your marriage.

You danced with a Tully, Stark, Frey, and Lannister boy, all who looked at you like a delectable treat but were being effectively ignored, just like your handsome, white-haired husband. It was a lively time, twisting and turning and leaping and being lifted in ture with the instruments playing. Rhaenyra caught your eye a few times, grinning and giggling as she, too, let herself destress in the glee of the festivities. However, when the Frey lad spun you around, you had thought of the devil so much, there he bloody was.

Your husband smirked down at you, "You look startled, little bird."

You scoffed and moved to go around him, but Daemon's hand was darting out to grab your upper arm. He pulled you further into the crowd to use them as a layer of protection, turning sharply to leer over you. He snapped in High Valyrian, "What're you playing at? Hmm? You mean to embarrass my entire family by being so cold and shrewish?"

You scoffed, glaring at him for a moment before he reached forward to grab your neck and cheek in a possessive hold. "I dare you to raise a sharp word at me," he sneered quietly, keeping you in place. "You have ignored me all fucking day, these games are at an end. I have always known your voice to be a sweet remedy, do not deprive me of it longer."

"Then apologize," You snapped.

"For what? Speaking the truth? That you refuse to sire my children because you are too occupied with your wee brother? For taking in a child without so much as asking me? Tell me, what am I apologizing for?"

You scoffed, rolling your eyes, and swatting his hand from you. However, just as you meant to walk away from him, someone gasped and yelped from the people around you. Daemon brought you into his chest as a sudden crowd thickened, two bodies hitting the floor in a gruesome fight. This encouraged others to get rowdy, and before you could comprehend his actions, Daemon was stooping low to hoist you over his shoulder and stride away.

When out of the fray, Daemon slowed himself enough to set you down at the base of the stairs leading to the Royal banquet table, both his hands going to your cheeks. He panted lightly, looking you over, "All right? You hurt? They touch you?"

"No, I'm okay," you sighed gently, reaching up to hold his wrists in a brief show of affection. However, the crowd only grew in size and aggression; the Royals all taking refuge on the elevated landing to take a headcount. Not a moment later, Ser Harwin Strong, the Hand's eldest son, was emerging from the crowd with Rhaenyra hoisted up his shoulder.

But your attention was drawn elsewhere. You parted Daemon's side to get under Viserys' arm, lifting him up slightly as he coughed into a handkerchief. You frowned when you saw the blood, his eyes meeting your wide ones. You asked the only question you could think of, "Does Daemon know?"

"No," he matched your tone in a whisper.

You nodded and assisted him into the closest chair. After the death of Ser Laenor Velayron's paramour (Ser Joffrey, was it?) the hall was cleared of everyone to only leave the immediate family. In hopes of avoiding future turmoil, it was decided that the Realm's Delight, Rhaenyra, was to wed the Sea Snake's son, Laenor, now instead of at week's end. Viserys asked his brother to stay but you were quick to bow out, promising it was a family affair and you should get ready for bed anyways.

Daemon looked close to protesting your departure but was unable to utter a single word, only watching you scamper out of the throne room as the High Septon finally arrived.

Rhaenyra and Laenor married in front of his mother and father, Rhaenys and Corlys, and his sister, Laena. King Viserys was there with his brother Daemon and wife Alicent, leaving only the Hand present to pose as "unbiased witness".

Further into the castle, you collected your brother, Jamie, and quickly got him ready for bed. Your heart felt heavy with guilt as you looked at him, understanding on a deeper level that if it came down to it, you'd do anything to keep Daemon in your life... And if he said your brother had to go or he did, well, you feared to find out if he was serious.

Jamie fell asleep on the long bench at the base of your bed with a fire crackling in front of his face. He had fallen asleep listening to you read, your emotions catching up to you to let you finally sob quietly while preparing for bed. You hated the idea of losing either Daemon or Jamie, and the fact that you had to choose? It felt impossible. So, once ready for bed, you tied on your dressing robe and bent at the waist to kiss Jamie's forehead. You then found yourself standing at the floor-to-ceiling window, wine in hand, staring out into nothing as you were wrecked emotionally from considering Daemon's ultimatum.

You were overwhelmed.

The door opened behind you and your eyes screwed shut. You took an even breath in, heard the door shut quietly, and then turned to spy your husband already staring at you. His face was neutral, passive, and you knew he was sizing you up just as you were him; both waiting for the other to make the first move.

Your resolve crumbled.

As if your minds were connected by a string, you surged forward as Daemon took a few steps toward you, meeting in the middle, and wrapping your arms around one another. Daemon held your waist tightly as yours tied around his neck in a vice grip, breathing in his scent that seemed to mingle permanently with the smell of dragon. He felt gentle trembling from contained sobs, soothing you with hushed cooing; hand petting the back of your head.

When you pulled back, it was only just enough to find his lips; drenching yourself in sheer relief at the familiar taste and feel of your husband. Just before you could whimper you were sorry, truly being unsure what you were actually apologizing for, when he beat you to it.

The space between your lips was filled with Daemon's rushed words, both his hands cradling your cheeks as he spoke, "I'm so sorry, my love. I am. I am truly so sorry. I hate fighting, I hate us fighting, it just feels so fucking wrong, I'm so sorry."

"No, it is I who am sorry, husband."

"Nothing to apologize for," he rushed, forehead glued to yours as he moved you backwards to the bed. "You do not apologize to me; you have done no wrong. It's me, I am the one who should grovel. I do deserve your kindness; I am so sorry for what I've said." He took a long breath, just holding you carefully, "I was out of line."

"No, you were right. I did not consult you; I should have. It is not just you or I in this, but the two of us together. I shouldn't have acted without so much as a word."

"It is okay," he assured softly, "it is more than all right by me now. I just," he sighed, "I needed to think, process a little. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did, I should've listened to you and been a supportive husband, but instead, I just fought with you." He frowned, petting down your face with a dainty finger. "We fight because we care, but Gods do I hate it."

"I do, too," you whispered. "Can we just," you sighed, "go to bed or something? I'm exhausted."

He nodded, glancing at the foot of the bed before looking back at you, "One more thing."

"Hmm?"

"We will talk to Viserys in the morning about recognizing Jamie."

You frowned, "Well, hang on, I think I understand your point, too, Daemon. Listen, yes, I want us charged with Jamie's care, but I do not wish to replace his parents."

"He should still have a title, a place at court. Access to tutors and such."

You smiled fondly, whispering, "That is the man I married."

Daemon prepared for bed as you check Jamie, finding him fast asleep still. Your husband came to bed after blowing out all candles, leaving the fire simmering and you both under a single linen sheet. He laid on his back with you flush against his side, both hands holding your form and tracing idle patterns.

Every so often, he'd squeeze you tightly and kiss your forehead, but otherwise, you both just laid in peace. However, Daemon broke the silence, "I did not mean to cause you harm. I just felt panicked, I think, after the war."

You nodded with understanding, "Our time is on the horizon, Daemon, I promise, I just needed to find balance with Jamie. I've never been a mother before, 's very odd."

"Perhaps we can learn together, I've never been a father," Daemon offered softly. "I fear I have not been entirely welcoming."

"You've time to remedy it," you urged softly. "But you are not obligated."

"He will be our shared responsibility."

You smiled against his chest. "So, tell me of the wedding."

"Nothing special," he sighed. "Viserys fell ill. And I do mean literally fell."

"What? Is he all right?"

"Yes, he's being seen to... But I was thinking..."

"Of?"

"Us. Our family."

"Hm, and what of them, my love?"

Daemon sighed, reaching for your cheek in order to find your lips in the dark. "We will leave," he whispered, licking another kiss to your lips. "We'll go across the Narrow Sea together, raise a family away from the politics and chaos."

"You would miss your family."

"I would rue staying in this city. Away from here, we'd have liberties and freedoms Kings Landing does not offer us, nor our kids."

"I will think on it."

When morning broke through the window of consciousness, Daemon realized you were still sound and dead asleep, but there was something or someone poking his arm in an annoying repetition. When he blinked awake and looked to the culprit, he smiled slightly at Jamie. "What's wrong, little lad?" He asked quietly, voice heavy and hazy with sleep, seeing tears fill the kid's eyes.

"I-I didn't mean to."

"Mean to what?"

"I wet the bed," he frowned, looking at the lounge he slept on all night. "I didn't mean to. It was a scary dream."

"It's okay," he whispered, glancing at you before standing from bed. "C'mon, it's all right, we can clean it."

He nodded and let Daemon sit him at the bottom of the mattress, some two full feet from touching you. Jamie watched Daemon work, gathering any linens to set aside to be washed before plucking the child into his arms. He took his to the washroom and got him cleaned up before redressing him for the day, Daemon quickly doing the same, and then the two left for the day.

You slept while Daemon took Jaime to breakfast. You slept while the two ate and made merry; getting to know each other. You slept while Daemon answered little Jamie's questions. You slept while Daemon offered to introduce him to Caraxes, his dragon.

By the time you were awake, dressed, and approaching the mess hall, Daemon and Jamie were leaving to head for the Dragon Pit. When they saw you, Jamie grinned and squealed, "Sissy!"

You grinned when he rushed for your legs, greeting him with enthusiasm. You hoisted him onto your hip as Daemon approached you, pausing to lean in and kiss you. "Where are you two lads off to?"

"Dragons!"

You chuckled, "Yeah? Uncle's taking you to see the dragons? You're very lucky, not many people get to see them up close."

"Would you care to join us?" Daemon offered.

"No, no, that's quite all right. Thank you, my love, but perhaps this is best kept to a boy’s trip," you quipped, pecking Daemon's lips. "Bring him back in one piece, please."

"Of course," Daemon agreed, taking Jamie's hand when you set him on the ground. He stole one last kiss before leading Jamie away; where you watched them walk away and felt something stirring in your gut; suddenly come alive with tingling electricity. Instead of venturing into the mess hall, you instead continued your way to where you could meet the Grand Maester for a series of tests.

Learning you were pregnant was surreal, but incredibly elating. You were humored by the fact that, just hours ago, you and Daemon feuded for this very reason. However, after simply seeing your husband and little brother get along so effortlessly, you had no doubt in your mind you could handle this. Worrying about having Jamie and a newborn so close together was valid, of course - but it wasn't something you actually needed to worry about now.

Plenty of families had children with shorter age ranges, but none of that matters now - not when you were so explicably happy. All that was left to do now was tell Daemon and Jamie.

requesting rules and masterlist

HOTD masterlist

[mostlysignssomeportents]

A media literacy handbook for Israel-Gaza

Next Tuesday (Oct 31) at 10hPT, the Internet Archive is livestreaming my presentation on my recent book, The Internet Con.

Media explainers are a cheap way to become an instant expert on everything from billionaire submarine excursions to hellaciously complex geopolitical conflicts, but On The Media's "Breaking News Consumers' Handbooks" are explainers that help you understand other explainers:

https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/breaking-news-consumers-handbook-israel-and-gaza-edition-on-the-media

The latest handbook is an Israel-Gaza edition. It doesn't aim to parse fine distinctions over the definition of "occupation" or identify the source of shell fragments. Rather, it offers seven bullet points' worth of advice on weighing all the other news you hear about the war:

https://media.wnyc.org/media/resources/2023/Oct/27/BNCH_ISRAEL_GAZA_EDITION_1.pdf

I. "Headlines are obscured by the fog of war"

Headline writers have a hard job under the best of circumstances – trying to snag your interest in a few words. Headlines can't encompass all the nuance of a story, and they are often written by editors, not the writers who produced the story. Between the imperatives for speed and brevity and the broken telephone between editors and writers, it's easy for headlines to go wrong, even when no one is attempting to mislead you. Even reliable outlets will screw up headlines sometimes – and that likelihood goes way up in times like these. You gotta read the story, not just the headline.

II. Know red flags for bullshit

The factually untrue information that spreads furthest tends to originate with a handful of superspreader accounts. Whether these people are Just Wrong or malicious disinfo peddlers, they share a few characteristics that should trip your BS meter and prompt extra scrutiny:

High-frequency posting

Emotionally charged framing

Posts that purport to be summaries or excerpts from news outlets, but do not include links to the original

The phrase "breaking news" (no one has that many scoops)

III. Don't trust screenshots

Screenshots of news stories, tweets, and other social media should come with links to the original. It's just too damned easy to fake a screenshot.

IV. "Know your platform"

It used to be that Twitter got a lot of first-person accounts from people in the thick of crises, while Facebook and Reddit contained commentary and reposts. Today, Twitter is just another aggregator. This time around, there's lots of first-person, real-time reporting coming off Telegram (it runs well on old phones and doesn't chew up batteries). Instagram is widely used in both Israel and the West Bank.

V. "Crisis actors" aren't a thing

People who attribute war images to "crisis actors" are either deluded or lying. There's plenty of ways to distort war news, but paying people to pretend to be grieving family members is essentially unheard of. Any explanation that involves crisis actors is a solid reason to permanently block that source.

VI. There's plenty of ways to verify stuff that smells fishy

TinEye, Yandex and Google Image Search are all good tools for checking "breaking" images and seeing if they're old copypasta ganked from earlier conflicts (or, you know, video-games). The fact that an image doesn't show up in one of these searches doesn't guarantee its authenticity, of course.

VII. Think before you post

Israel-Gaza is the most polluted media pool yet. Don't make it worse.

There's plenty more detail on this (especially on the use of verification tools) in Brooke Gladstone's radio segment:

https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/episodes/on-the-media-breaking-news-consumers-handbook-israel-gaza-edition

The media environment sucks, and warrants skepticism and caution. But we also need to be skeptical of skepticism itself! As danah boyd started saying all the way back in 2018, weaponized media literacy leads to conspiratorialism:

https://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2018/03/09/you-think-you-want-media-literacy-do-you.html

Remember, the biggest peddlers of "fake news" are also the most prolific users of the term. For a lot of these information warriors, the point isn't to get you to believe them – they'll settle for you believing nothing. "Flood the zone with bullshit" is Steve Bannon's go-to tactic, and it's one that his acolytes have picked up and multiplied.

It's important to be a critical thinker, but there's plenty of people who've figured out how to weaponize a critical viewpoint and turn it into nihilism. Remember, the guy who wrote How To Lie With Statistics was a tobacco industry shill who made his living obfuscating the link between smoking and cancer. It's absolutely possible to lie with statistics, but it's also possible to use statistics to know the truth, as Tim Harford explains in his 2021 must-read book The Data Detective:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/04/how-to-truth/#harford

There's a world of difference between being misled and being brainwashed. A lot of today's worry about "disinformation" and "misinformation" has the whiff of a moral panic:

https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2023/10/are-we-having-a-moral-panic-over-misinformation.html

It's possible to have a nuanced view of this subject – to take steps to enure you're not being tricked without equating crude tricks like sticking a fake BBC chyron on a 10-year-old image with unstoppable mind-control:

https://sts-news.medium.com/youre-doing-it-wrong-notes-on-criticism-and-technology-hype-18b08b4307e5

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/28/fog-o-war/#breaking-news

[stealthkragen]

was briefly possessed to draw some wembley art again, featuring hastily redesigned freight! notes under cut

i tried to keep the futuristic vibe and make their designs more individualized. i also kept with slade's design prompt—no train resemblance, and little/no napier design language

why is lumber green? because trees are green and he's into sustainable logging. i was aiming for a casual park ranger/forestry outfit. he wears his suspenders properly when he's working, but they're otherwise down. he has climbing gaffs (insp by @/honey-dont) and wears high top skates w/ the tongue down for ankle mobility

porter is a woman because when i first heard of her i thought she'd be female. so my version of porter has transitioned (she/her)! i intended her outfit to suggest welder or mechanic. she has lots of minor burn scars! she also wears low-cut derby skates because she likes to be FAST. she zips up her jumpsuit when working

slick is relatively unchanged because i think the bulky athletic costume fits her quite well. it's slightly modified to more resemble a hazmat suit or oil rig uniform. she & hydra are both tankers, so they share some outfit similarities

hydra is blue because 1) they swapped colors w/ lumber, and 2) they're a cryogenic tanker, and cryogenic aprons are blue. also blue just works better because he's cold. he has the tail for balance and because he thinks it looks cool. they're hi-vis because they want to show off, and for safety, because you would NOT want to crash into a hydrogen tanker. also he's nonbinary (they/he)

thank you stex artists & writers discord because thats where i got the idea for green lumber & blue hydra from!!!! it is genius!

also idk if they still have their backpacks. probably only when they're working?

[notthesoup]

got a few ideas for your writers block

stoner vi and what she’s like when she’s high

athlete vi au and her reaction to you going to her games

what vi is like when she has a crush on reader like a massive one

PAIRING vi x fem!reader

TYPE headcanons

GENRE fluff

SYNOPSIS what vi is like when she has a major crush on reader (friends to lovers)

NOTES i will complete the other two prompts on a seperate post. not beta read!

© notthesoup — all rights reserved. even when credited, these works are prohibited to be reposted, translated or modified

She loves the way you laugh, and though she may not admit it in the early stages of tour friendship, she’ll often do things to try to make you laugh.

In group settings she is often seen by your side. You both are inseparable in times of happiness, preferring to share it with one another.

Vi is a big listener, and loves to hear you talk. Though, sometimes she finds her mind adrift as she gazes at your face as you speak animatedly about a subject. In these moments, her mind is blank, but there is an overwhelming feeling of affection and appreciation towards you.

When she focuses back on the conversation after you’ve asked her a direct question, she quickly flounders. She thinks that her excuse as to why she wasn’t listening is enough to tide you over, but there’s a certain glint in your eyes when you contemplate why she started spluttering. Your fixed stare at her is almost enough to make this cycle repeat again.

Vi is a very physical person, always having a hand on your shoulder or arm, holding your hand in hers, or absentmindedly playing with your fingers.

She sometimes feels guilty/anxious about this physical aspect of herself though; throughout her life, fighting has been at the forefront of her mind, so to finally be at peace is a strange headspace to be in. Sometimes you’ll walk too quietly or turn a corner to quickly and she flinches, her fists clenched in instilled preparation. It’ll take a while, but she eventually unlearns these habits and exists in a more serene state, where she doesn’t have to be constantly vigilant.

Vi loves that she’s able to talk about stupid shit with you; what qualifies as a soup, what a hypothetical second winter would look like, whether cherry tomatoes are inherently evil, etc. The both of you could discuss for hours without tiring, even though you’d eventually talk in circles. It’s never a dull moment with you.

Vi’s love language is acts of service. She realizes her feelings towards you are more than just a crush when you surprise her with something seemingly small, be it a cute note or an offer to help her with errands.

Although she has a reputation of being a smug cocky bastard (affectionate), it’s mostly a bluff. When it comes down to it, she’s a very gentle and careful lover. After realizing the extent of her feelings towards you, she tries gauging your reaction by “subtly” being more affectionate.

In the end though, it’s actually you who initiates the romance between you two. Months down the line, she’ll ask you how you knew she liked you. You’ll then laugh, a very boisterous and happy sound, and she’ll store that memory with her like a picture in a wallet.

ARCANE MASTERLIST !

ADDITIONAL NOTE! if you like my work, please consider reblogging and/or commenting! thank you if you do 🤍

[faithisyours]

Blanket Fort

Vi X Fem!Reader

Ch 3 of The List

Other chapters: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 4

Summary: you and Vi build a blanket fort

cw: pure, unadulterated fluff

word count: 1.4k

an: Howdy y'all! I humbly present chapter 3. Hope you enjoy it. Next chapter I'm gonna keep a surprise, but it includes some familiar faces ;) It also might take me a wee bit longer to write, but I’ll try to get it out within the week. And a big thanks again to my beta reader @mythsretriever, check her out, she’s pretty cool. Also, I’ve been requested to start a tag list, so let me know if you want to be added! And finally, if you have any requests for fics or ideas for this one, or just want to chat, I’m all ears! (Please, I want more friends on this app). Men & minors dni

The apartment windows rattled against the heavy rain and rolling thunder raging outside. Lightning lit up the stormy evening sky, casting flashes of light into the apartment. You and Vi were hauled up because of this, but it didn’t matter much to you. You were happy to be home with the love of your life for a night off.

You were in the kitchen making dinner (it was your turn), Vi sat watching you from the kitchen island. You were making soup, one of your specialties, because Vi was feeling a bit under the weather, having been fighting a small cold for the past couple days (more than likely caused by the fact that she had just been naked in a lake on a chilly fall night with you a little less than a week ago). You felt slightly guilty, considering you were the one that had taken her to go skinny dipping, as well as the fact that you had not gotten sick at all. You resolved to make her soup; it was the least you could do.

Vi was still keeping the list close, although she had shared some of her ideas and asked you for some more recently. It was a good thing, too, because you had started to think she was instead just writing a novel.

You were adding the last of the spices to the pot of soup in front of you when Vi asked, “Have you ever made a blanket fort?”

Caught slightly off guard, but recovering quickly you answered, “I have…”

“I know it’s not a very teenager thing to do, but I’ve never made one and I added it to the list a while ago,” she said, eying you hesitantly.

“... so you want to make a blanket fort?” you asked, a small smile creeping onto your lips.

“Ya, and I thought maybe today, since the weath-”

“Sold!” You cut her off.

“Dinner first, of course,” Vi reassured.

You shot her a smile over your shoulder. “Of course.”

You ate at the kitchen table, the soup being accompanied by garlic bread. Vi practically moaned around her fist bite, which made your insides feel fuzzy. You talked about upcoming plans, errands you both needed to run, shows you wanted to watch together; just mundane, domestic things. When you both were done eating, Vi helped you clean up the kitchen, growing more and more antsy by the second. She was practically jumping off the walls by the time you finished wiping the counter down.

“Hmm,” you looked around the kitchen, tapping your chin with your finger, “I feel like I forgot to do something.” Of course, you had forgotten nothing, and instead were prolonging Vi’s anticipation for your own enjoyment. She caught on when you couldn’t keep your sly smile contained.

“You forgot nothing, it’s blanket fort time!” she practically screamed. She grabbed you by the arm, pulling you towards the living room, but eventually stopped, realizing she didn’t actually know what she was doing. She looked around, looking a little hopeless, then turned her eyes on you. “Okay, tell me what we need,” she prompted, her hands open in front of her, ready to grab the first thing you say.

“Well, we’re gonna need blankets, sheets probably, the kitchen chairs, pillows, maybe some books, and the broom, probably.” She stared at you blankly for a second, processing, then leapt into action. Vi ran in the direction of the linen closet, so you went over to the kitchen to collect the chairs.

You were arranging the chairs in front of the couch, two on each side facing away from the space in the middle, when Vi came back with more than an armful of blankets and sheets. It looked as though she had ransacked the entire apartment, taking blankets from anywhere including your bed. You giggled at her overzealousness, and moved quickly to help take some of the blankets she had gathered.

“Looks like you found every blanket and sheet we own,” you said, amused. “That's good, though. We’ll probably need them all.” You set them down in a pile in front of the area you had designated to be the floor of the fort, which was in front of the couch and directly in line with the TV. Vi surveyed the space, nodding, then looked towards you for the next step. “Okay, first we should cover these chairs with sheets to make our walls. And we might need something heavy like books to keep them in place,” you said. It had been quite some time since you built a blanket fort, but it was all starting to come back to you now.

Vi got right to it, pulling one of the sheets from the pile and draping it over each pair of chairs. You went over to the coffee table (which you had earlier pushed against the wall to make enough space for the fort) and grabbed the books that sat atop it. You put a book on each seat, which held the sheets in place and prevented them from slipping. It was all coming together nicely.

Catching on, Vi asked, “Should we put some blankets down on the floor to make it comfy?” you nodded, happy she was starting to get it. Arranging a sheet down first over top of the area rug, you then layed down two comforters and lined the makeshift walls with pillows, making sure the biggest and comfiest went against the foot of the couch. You both added some extra blankets to snuggle up with once you were settled in the fort later. And then it came time for the roof. Working together, you pulled sheets across the chairs, using multiple to make sure there were no gaps and to ensure the fort was dark inside. Adding some finishing touches, like some electric candles and a small camping lantern, as well as a couple more pillows and blankets, the fort was complete. It wasn’t by any means the best blanket fort ever made, but it got the job done, and by the grin on Vi’s face, you'd say it was basically perfect.

“Ready to get in?” you asked Vi, who didn’t even give you an answer before launching herself into the fort. You couldn’t contain your giggle as you followed her in, albeit more calmly. It was a tight fit, but curling yourself up around Vi created some wiggle room. Vi threw a couple blankets across your tangled legs and settled into the pillows, pulling you closer by the waist.

The top of the sheet roof plus the angle you were positioned made for a perfect view of the TV, which was exactly what you had hoped for.

“Want to watch a movie?” you both asked simultaneously, which then made you laugh. So predictable.

“I chose last time, so it’s your turn,” Vi offered.

You thought for a second. “Pride and Prejudice (2005),” you said. Vi had already thumbed through and pulled it up on the screen.

“So predictable,” she whispered, shaking her head as a crooked smile appeared.

You gave her a playful shove in the side. “You know I like the classics. And anyway, Mr. Darcy reminds me of you.”

She scoffed. “How so?”

“Well, he’s proud, loyal, charming in a goofy way, and I find him rather pretty, especially when he smiles. And you share all of those traits,” you said. “But I will say your hands are much hotter than his.”

Vi attempted to play off your words, but a small blush crept across her cheeks. “Alright, let’s just start the movie,” she said, nodding towards the TV.

You kissed Vi’s shoulder, smiling up at her. “This was a great idea.” you said, and then proceeded to sneeze.

“Oh no, I gave you my sickness, didn’t I?” Vi looked at you apologetically. You just shook your head, snuggling back into her and turning your attention to the movie. It didn’t matter to you if Vi got you sick. You’d happily get her germs if it meant getting to also snuggle up with her to watch a movie while it stormed outside.

Eventually, though, and rather predictably, the combination of the movie, the storm, Vi’s warm body beneath you, and the comfort of the fort all lulled you into sleep. It looked like you’d be sleeping in the living room tonight. And there was nowhere you’d rather be.

Ko-fi

Tag list✨: @usuck @saqqarasdissent

[magicalbuttertarts]

#37 from this list https://www.tumblr.com/magicalbuttertarts/771173992396685312/smut-prompt-list-2-main-masterlist-pick-a-number?source=share

And @magicalbuttertarts you shouldn't be shocked I chose Papi. 😂

WWE Masterlist

Smut Prompt List 2

This has not been proofread. Please enjoy though.

Warnings: Smut under the cut. Unprotected sex. Oral (f receiving). Mentjon of fingering. Missionary. Cowgirl.

Requested by @terrortwinunicorn

WC: 766

©️ magicalbuttertarts 2025: do not repost or translate my work. Do not use AI on my work.This is the only place I post my work.

#37: “Want me to serenade you while you strip?”

I was laying on our bed, my back against the headboard, with our many pillows laid out around me, as I watched her finally get undressed for the night.

She just got in, and usually she goes straight into pj's, but not tonight.

No, she came home late from work, and when she came home, she took off her shoes and just ate the dinner I made her.

I could tell she was stressed still, with a huge project looming over her head. I have mentioned it to her multiple times to quit her job, and travel the world with me, but all she says is she likes her job.

I stood up and walked to where she was, sitting at her vanity, taking off her makeup and her earrings.

I got on my knees behind her, the two of us making eye contact in the mirror.

“Want me to serenade you while you strip?” I brazenly asked her, but knowing me singing to her seems to have a calming effect on her.

"Please Damian." She turned her body around so she is facing me now as I started to softly sing our song, Te Amo by Franco De Vita.

I helped her take off her clothes as I sang to her. I kissed every bit of her skin as her clothes came off, singing in between each kiss.

Te amo

Desde el primer momento en que te vi

Y hace tiempo te buscaba

Y ya te imaginaba as��

Te amo

We weren't even close to being done before she grabbed the sides of my head, and kissed me, hard.

Muttering against my lips, "Make love to me, Damian."

Now how could I refuse that?

I placed my hands under her ass and lifted her.

She squealed against my mouth as I walked us back to our bed, me gently placing her in the middle of the bed.

Kissing down her body, making sure to pay close attention to her breasts.

I couldn't help myself as I took a nipple on my mouth and started to suck, while groping her other tits with my hand, making her sigh.

I kissed down her body some more, until my mouth was exactly where it should be.

Making her cry out my name as I ate her out. Letting her grind her pussy against my face as I inserted two fingers into her pussy, quickly bringing her to her first orgasm of the evening.

"Don't stop Damian, please." She gasped as her back arched off the bed. Like I was going too.

I ate her out like she was my last meal and I was on death row.

I didn't stop until she begged me to fuck her.

To make love to her.

I kissed up her body until I captured her lips in mine. Her moaning at the taste of me upon my lips

I gripped my cock as I settled between her spread thighs, tapping her pussy with my overly sensitive cock.

I pushed in, the two of us groaning.

I wrapped her legs around my waist, as I finally bottomed out.

She was gasping for air, as I pulled my hips back and thrust back in, keeping an leisurely pace.

Not wanting this to end.

I caged her head in between my arms as I loomed over her.

Our lips barely touching as I made love to her.

"Need more." She whined, and I knew what she needed.

I rolled us over, so I am now laying flat against the mattress. She placed her hands on my chest and started to ride me.

"That's it baby. Use me. Get all your frustrations out." I moaned as I let her use me.

She rode me like only she could, going through perfect pace. Her nails digging into my chest as she fucked herself upon me.

She grabbed my hand, and pulled it between our two bodies, placing it where we are connected.

I knew what she needed.

I started to rub her clit, giving her encouraging words to help get her there.

I was so close, but needed her to finish before me.

"Damian, Damian, oh shit." Her head flung back, her back arched as she squealed above me.

I couldn't help but follow her shortly after.

Feeling her pussy walls fluttering around my cock just before she squeezed it, as she came, had me coming along with her.

She collapsed against my chest, her hips barely moving as I came inside of her.

"Thank you." She muttered as she kissed my chest.

"Anything for you love."

Tag list: @lghockey @nicoleveno14 @legit9thlunaticwarrior @hooks-martin @madhatterbri @wwenhlimagines @melissahausen @blackwingedmisanthrope @chantelaustingunn @sunshinevirus

[fourraccoonsinacoat]

The first time Visenya heard Heinrix laugh (actually laugh, not a sardonic chuckle)

The first time either of them saw each other sleeping

Answering these asks.

Anon, I had entirely too much fun writing this little one-shot about the first time Vis saw Heinrix actually laugh. This whole thing got a bit unhinged, but it's so Heinrix x Visenya and their 'idiots in love' trope. Will go up on Ao3 at some point after I do another read over.

I'll have to answer the first time one of them saw the other sleeping in a different prompt.

•·················•·················•

Heinrix walked swiftly down the corridor, a man with a purpose. A knot of anxiety was winding itself tighter and tighter behind his ribcage as he thought about the implications of the Lord Captain’s message. It had been sent via a private vox link to only a select few of her retinue, cryptically reading:

Help required in Lord Captain’s chambers. Do NOT be weird about it, but please come quick!

‘Not being weird about it’ was Visenya-speak for don’t cause alarm. Which was why Heinrix was walking. Fast.

The Janus palace was a work of beautiful construction, with large arching open-air windows and breezeways that allowed sunlight and air currents to filter in. Truth be told, it was one of the more picturesque worlds Heinrix had visited during his career – and unfortunately it was infested with xenos.

During their time on-world, Visenya had managed to uncover a cultist plot orchestrated by the former planetary governor, Vistenza Vyatt. And yet, in dealing with one threat, the Lord Captain had foolishly overlooked another and brokered a deal that would allow Aeldari to continue living on Janus, unperturbed by Imperium forces.

Heinrix had shared his opinion with the Lord Captain, and it had gone over about as well as those conversations usually did. Visenya took his concerns in stride, then diverted the conversation elsewhere – usually making some lighthearted comment in an attempt to veer away from what was an uncomfortable disagreement. Heinrix, however, was finding it more and more difficult to keep his misgivings at bay.

The choices she was making, the risks she was taking, consorting with xenos – bringing one into her retinue while allowing them to live freely on a von Valancius world – it was dangerous. These were the kinds of sins that allowed chaos to seep in, that allowed corruption into one’s heart and steered you down a path without return.

His worries mounting, Heinrix began running. Damn her instructions! If Visenya was in trouble…if she was in danger, if she needed him, then Heinrix wasn’t going to waste time with pretense. The doors to the Lord Captain’s quarters were open, the guards nowhere to be seen. He unsheathed his sword, mind running tactics for various situations depending on what he was about to find. Whether it be cultists, Aeldari, daemons or whatever else, Heinrix was a dutiful servant of the Imperium sworn to oppose the Enemies of Humanity.

Rushing through the entryway, sword poised to cut down whatever threat stood between himself and Visenya, Heinrix took stock of the room – and chaos erupted around him.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

In Visenya’s defense, she knew absolutely fuck-all about birds.

She’d grown up underground and on the streets of a port asteroid, before the void itself became her primary place of residence – living in the belly of ships and in the bowels of orbital stations. Visenya had seen caged birds at ports and on transports, but they were a rare sight, and she’d only ever seen small ones with dull feathers.

Thus, when Visenya made planetfall on Janus, one of the very first things to grab her attention were the flocks of vibrantly colored birds that made the agri-world their home. And that was before she knew they could talk.

Jae had dangled that little detail in front of the Lord Captain yesterday evening as they sat on the balcony with Idira – drinking, smoking and watching a radiant sunset over shadow-dappled woodland. The first of its kind Visenya had ever seen.

The birds had been attracted by the cheese.

The women had already gone through two bottles of wine.

So, when Heinrix van Calox gallantly burst into the Lord Captain’s chambers, ready to fight whatever horror waited within, what he found was a flock of – suddenly very startled – parrots. They scattered into the air – taking wing from the floor, the desk and the backs of chairs as papers and feathers swirled in the updraft.

“Holy shit!”

“Duck, shereen!”

Heinrix threw his arms up, startled by the sudden assault of screaming, chattering birds and instinctively trying to protect his face. He glanced quickly around the room, spotting Visenya backed up against a wall and Jae hunkered down on the floor with her arms covering her head.

“What are you going to do with a sword!?” Visenya yelled through the feathery din.

“You said you needed help!” Heinrix shouted back, dodging out of the way as two of the parrots swooped past him and out into the hallway.

“I said not to be weird about it! You’re doing the opposite!”

∘₊✧──────✧₊���

It took roughly an hour to clear the parrots from the Rogue Trader’s quarters and adjoining palace wing. The chamber guards had already been dispatched to find cheese and/or fruit – several different varieties in case the birds proved to have fastidious palettes. Once they’d all been – humanely and politely – lured, and then finally shooed, out of the estate Visenya shut the doors to her balcony and turned to find a bewildered Heinrix looking back at her.

“It was Jae’s fault,” she said, immediately deflecting with all the self-respect of a toddler.

“Wrong. It was Idira who brought the blissweed!” Jae called, before immediately exiting Visenya’s chambers, shutting the door before the Lord Captain could respond.

Now the only people in the room, Heinrix crossed his arms, tilted his head and did something he found to be effective in these situations with Visenya. He silently waited her out.

“Look,” Visenya began, walking to her desk and sitting down in the high-backed chair behind it – after brushing a few downy feathers off the seat. “I was trying to teach a few of the birds to talk, and Jae suggested we use food. Like training them.”

Heinrix, still quiet, sat in one of the guest chairs across the desk from her. He nodded for the Lord Captain to continue recounting the chain of events that led to the incident earlier that day.

“Problem was, they then wouldn’t go away. Probably hoping for more snacks,” Visenya said, shrugging as if she could sympathize. “So, I shut the balcony doors, go to bed, and this morning I’m interviewing one of the Governor candidates and…”

She trailed off, looking sideways for a moment as she considered whether to repeat the phrase or let Heinrix find his way to the conclusion on his own terms. Heinrix, however, apparently wasn’t going to let Visenya respectfully bow out of the conversation unscathed.

“What did you teach the birds to say, Lord Captain?” he asked, the corner of Heinrix’s mouth turning up as he stressed her title in a tone not unlike snark.

He was enjoying this.

“God-Emperor’s immortal ballsack,” Visenya muttered, pointedly not looking at the Interrogator as she repeated the common – though rather vulgar – curse.

Hearing a strangled sort of snort, she glanced at Heinrix who had an elbow propped on an armrest and his fist pressed against his mouth. He looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh. And was failing.

“This is what you laugh at!?” she exclaimed, honestly a tiny bit insulted. “Out of all the shit I’ve done, this is what breaks you?”

Heinrix was well and truly laughing now, not his usual smirk or the bark of a laugh he used when trying to keep himself composed. It was genuine and candid, eyes closed and a hand over his face while he leaned forward in his chair – the kind of laugh that shakes the cobwebs from your bones and revives the spirit after a long period of dormancy.

Visenya couldn’t help herself, and soon the both of them were caught up in the absolute ridiculousness of it all. Laughing until tears threatened at the corners of their eyes and they had to take a moment just to breathe.

“Sorry,” Heinrix finally said, clearing his throat as he worked to regain his composure – seemingly hesitant to look her in the eye, as if he were embarrassed about his outburst. “I don’t mean to make light of your…” he hesitated, pondering his wording. “Political setbacks.”

“Political setbacks?” Visenya chuckled, her tone drawing his gaze back to her. “Heinrix, I taught a flock of parrots how to blaspheme. At the very least, that should qualify as a scandal.”

Heinrix gave one of his rarer, real smiles – the one that reached and softened his eyes – and Visenya felt her heart skip.

“How did they get into the room?” Heinrix asked suddenly, brows furrowed curiously.

“I paused the interview to try and chase them off, but they had other plans,” Visenya replied, glancing back at the balcony doors – the chattering of several parrots still chirruping from behind them. “Specifically, raiding the refreshments that were laid out for said interview.”

“Hold on,” the Interrogator said, frowning. “So, the interview wasn’t finished? Is the candidate still here?”

“Let’s go find out!” the Lord Captain said, hoping up from her chair and nodding for Heinrix to accompany her as she started for the exit. “If he’s hung around after all this and still wants the job, I admit I’m tempted to give it to him on the spot.”

Heinrix tried to hold back another chuckle and only half-succeeded as he rose and walked with Visenya out into the hallway.

[thereyoflights]

29 for the caitvi ficlet pls

29. sweat

cw for implied sex

—

When Caitlyn wakes up, Vi is gone, her side of the bed long gone cold.

Darkness hangs over Piltover past Caitlyn’s window, so she figures it’s the early hours of the morning. Her bare feet meet cold tile as she rises out of bed, and she wraps a robe around herself as she slips into the hall. Her father is never up this time of day, but she’d rather not risk being seen half-naked when he knows she’s been sharing a bed with her girlfriend.

There aren't many places for Vi to disappear to in the Kiramman mansion.

Caitlyn settles on her best guess.

She finds Vi in the doorway of the gym room, using her arms to lift her head over the pull-up bar secured in the frame. She’d broken the header off and fallen on her ass twice before Caitlyn was able to get it installed, much to her dismay, but she can appreciate it now. Especially the view.

Vi is only wearing a pair of sweatpants and a sports bra, leaving the majority of her tattoo on display. The defined lines of her arms deepen as she pulls herself up over the bar once, then again and again. Sweat glistens across her skin, beaded in some places and streaking down paths of moisture in others.

Caitlyn’s mouth waters at the sight.

Vi seems to notice her presence then, stormy gray eyes falling to meet hers. Her arms go slack on the bar before she lets go and lands on her feet. “Cait,” she says, “hi.”

“Hi,” Caitlyn greets. “You weren’t in bed.”

“Sorry,” Vi says. “Just had to get my mind off things.”

Caitlyn nods with a hum. She’d figured as much. Vi never leaves bed without her unless she’s tossing and turning, unless she’s thinking too much for her own good. Working her body to its limit was the only thing that seemed to help — well, that and… other equally physically demanding things. The thought tugs at Caitlyn’s gut, desire thrumming deep in her veins.

Caitlyn hides her blush in Vi’s neck. She smells like sweat and leather and chalk, and it’s all so undeniably Vi that she feels intoxicated with it. But Vi’s body feels tense against hers, and it tells Caitlyn everything she needs to know: her mind has been on overdrive.

“Did it help?” she asks, anyway.

Vi shakes her head. “Not really.”

Next best thing, then, Caitlyn decides.

She flicks her tongue out along Vi’s sweat-slicked neck, salt bursting on her tastebuds, and Vi gasps. Vi’s body shudders against hers, then loosens, and Caitlyn smiles against her skin, victorious. “Maybe I can help, then?” she prompts, voice low.

“Yeah,” Vi says, already breathless. “Maybe you can.”

Send me a number

[futabapunk]

In Powder's anguish, Silco sees a younger, mirroring self, prompting a sense of understanding and connection. Aware that his unwavering love for Powder is contributing to her self-destructive patterns, Silco chooses to disregard this, comforted by their shared struggles.

He attempts to deny it, but Silco ultimately acknowledges that he is leading her down the wrong path. The similarities between Silco and Powder create a bond. With her loved ones gone, he takes on the role of her father. Vi's presence notwithstanding, Powder and Silco's fates were inextricably linked. The memory of his past self stops him from hurting her. Silco tries to make amends by caring for Powder, but he still slips up; however, he understands in the end that she's irreplaceable.

[mrs5sn0w]

Serenade of Shadows

I : A Dance of Shadows -> II : Whisper of Deceit -> A Symphony of Heartbreak-> IV : Fractured Reflections -> V : Shadows of Allegiance -> VI : Echoes of Decent

Series Masterlist

Young!Coriolanus Snow x Fem!reader

warnings: Arranged marriage, MILD ANGST, unrequited love, friends to enemies, enemies to lovers

Reader's surname : Flare

Time frame : Before, during and after tbosbas

synopsis: In the events of Panem's political dynamics and the 10th annual Hunger Games, Coriolanus Snow and her find themselves entwined. Standing at the brink of an enforced union, 6 years later, their mutual trust unravels amidst a damaging misinterpretation, prompting Coriolanus to believe the wrong. As the glacial barriers guarding his emotions begin to melt, a revelation of profound feelings unfolds, initiating a sprint against time for redemption.

The grandeur of the Capitol unfolded like a tapestry of opulence on the day Coriolanus Snow and her were bound in matrimony. The air was heavy with the scent of roses, and the opulent venue shimmered in the soft glow of chandeliers. The Capitol's elite had gathered to witness the union of the President of Panem and the Flare family, one of the most prestigious families in the whole Panem, their wedding was a spectacle that rivaled the most extravagant of royal weddings.

As she walked down the aisle in her resplendent gown, a vision of ethereal beauty, the weight of the ornate veil seemed to mirror the heavy burden on her heart. Coriolanus, standing at the altar in a meticulously tailored suit, wore a mask of composure that hid the turbulent emotions within.

He did not want to be there. He does not want to marry her.

The ceremony unfolded like a symphony of obligations, the vows echoing through the grand hall as if scripted by Capitol decree. Her eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, met with his cold and indifferent eyes. The congregation, unaware of the loveless undertones, erupted in applause as the Capitol celebrated the union of the two.

As the reception commenced, Snow and her navigated the intricate dance of social formalities. In front of the Capitol's watchful eyes, they exchanged pleasantries and smiled for the cameras, their every move orchestrated like pieces on a strategic board.

In a quiet corner, away from the prying eyes, she summoned a smile that barely concealed the turmoil within.

"Corio-"

"It's Snow." He reminded her not to call him by what she called him years ago.

"Snow, we are the talk of the Capitol today," she remarked, her voice carrying a hint of wistfulness.

He nodded curtly, his gaze fixed on the swirling dancers. "It's expected. our union of significance, a merging of legacies."

A fragile smile played on her lips while Coriolanus' eyes remained impassive, a fortress against the vulnerability she tried to breach.

"Sentimentality has no place in our world. Our duty is to uphold the Capitol's ideals. I'm just doing my duty by marrying you."

He then continued

"Don't get ahead of yourself if you think you can have a chance. Everyone may have forgotten what you did, but not me."

"Cor- Snow, I did what I had to do, to protect you-"

"protect me ?" He scoffed

"The only protection you did was throw my future away"

"But you're here now" she argued

"You still did it to me. It will never change." he demanded

He still believes that she did it.

but until this very day, he did not know the whole truth of what she did.

As the night wore on, the facade of marital bliss cracked in the shadows. She resplendent in her gown, felt the weight of isolation. She approached Coriolanus with a delicate grace, her eyes seeking a connection amidst the artifice.

The reception continued, a lavish display of decadence, but in the hidden recesses of their shared existence, the echoes of unspoken pain reverberated. She was once Coriolanus Snow's closest classmates, and she found herself as a stranger in his indifferent world.

"Snow," she began, her voice tinged with both sadness and defiance,

"do you ever wonder what our lives could have been if things were different?"

He looked at her, the coldness in his eyes softened by the moon's gentle caress. "Wondering is a futile endeavor. Our reality is the only truth we know."

"The only thing i wished to be different is that I didn't have to marry someone like you"

"Anyone but you"

Before she could respond, the distant strains of music heralded their return to the festivities. The grandeur of their wedding, an illusion of splendor, concealed the fractured emotions beneath the surface.

As the night waned and the Capitol reveled in the spectacle, Coriolanus Snow and his wife danced through the shadows of their union, a poignant duet of obligation and unspoken regret.

Snow's wife would always remember this day as the day she gave her life up to be stuck in a loveless marriage.

It didn't matter to her, as long as she was married to the person she loves even when he hates her with every beat of his heart.

[tkpuke]

I saw your post about prompts soo

14 X Jinx & Vi (when they are grown up)(any lee/ler)

29 and/or 27 X lee!Ekko ler!Jinx

30 X lee!Victor ler!Jayce

12 X lee!Jayce ler!Mel

just some ideas🙏

Jinx + Vi - 14. “What are we, five years old now?”

author’s note: ooo thanks for giving me some ideas to choose one from!! This takes place when they were in that cave trying to find Vander together, and cue that sisterly fight they had lol

“You wouldn’t last one second without all your ugly gadgets and chicken-shit tricks.”

Another insult from Vi, then another right back from Jinx. This has been going on for only a few seconds, both a natural for having useless arguments with each other over nothing. It’s a big part of being a sister, one might say. Jinx commented about Vi’s own personal gadget on her hands, calling them ‘bitch mittens.’

Vi quickly took them off, unamused. “You think I need these to—“ a sharp slap cut her off, one she was very much not expecting. All Vi did was blink, how the hell did Jinx get so close that fast?

Jinx shrugged. “There. One second.” She turns, which was a mistake on her part. Vi grabbed onto both of her pigtails, pulling them hard to sweep her off her feet. This should be a mental reminder for Jinx that she should probably get a haircut soon, or everyone will start using this cheap trick in a fight with her.

From there, a fight that sort of looked like wrestling took place. They tussled, tossed and turned, pushing each other’s faces away while sneaking in punches that weren’t even used with full strength. To anyone watching, it just looked like your average sibling fight, because that what it was truly.

“Last chance to surrender!” Vi yelled, dodging another punch from Jinx. “Go right ahead, fat hands!” From the corner, Isha started running over to help Jinx get the upper hand, but stopped in her tracks when she no longer heard grunts but giggling instead.

Vi started reliving memories from when they were younger and had similar fights like these, using every move she once did to claim victory and have her sister call out quits. One of them, which Jinx will forever argue how it’s unfair and completely cheating, was tickling. Vi wasn’t even sure if her sister, who she felt her spirit wasn’t within Jinx anymore, was still ridiculously ticklish when she was twelve. All Vi had to do was send ticklish skittering on Powder’s stomach and she would immediately yield and say her sorry’s.

To much of Vi’s surprise, Jinx started giggling as if she was a kid again, pushing against Vi’s arms but mainly to just hold onto something like that would relieve some of the ticklish feeling. Vi starts chuckling herself. “Are you kidding me? This still works on you?” She doesn’t stop, going over the spots that she vividly remembers that had Powder straight up snorting.

“Whahat are we, fihihive years old!?” A crack in her voice shows while laughing, cannot believing herself how a few wiggles to her body has got her hysterical, feeling twelve again. Vi slowly stops, already seeing Jinx’s body go weak so she gladly took that as a win. “You use to love this when you were five.”

After catching multiple breaths, Jinx shoved Vi off all the while giving her a little glare. “Well, clearly not anymore.” Vi poked her stomach, a teasing smile on her face. “Are you sure?”

Jinx softly slapped her hand away. “Don’t touch me.” But it wasn’t said with hostility, more like warning her sister to not bug her. Although that will always be Vi’s job as an older sister, to bug the hell out of Jinx. She may not be Powder anymore, but that doesn’t change the same blood they both share. Their connection is still within each other. One of these days, as much as Vi does not like the person her younger sister has become, it will come back and maybe things could go back the way it use to be. Maybe.

They both get up, brushing off some dust. Vi looks over at Isha, who has been watching the entire thing with curious eyes. “Now that was a very good tactic I just showed you on how to win a fight against her, kid.” She leans down a little to more her level, covering her mouth to whisper but still loud enough for Jinx to purposefully hear. “I can teach you more, if you’d like.”

Jinx stops walking, slowly turning to face the both of them. “Last time I checked, this so-called ‘tactic’ also worked on you.” Jinx gets closer, absolutely loving how silent Vi got.

“Want to see if that’s still true?”