#so when they finally do bring them to a company party or something its like 'heres my 6'4 brick wall of a husband.'

[drop-pop-cola]

Ofc the "I love my spouse I will always talk about my spouse" trope is good, but I'm also partial to the

"Doesn't bring up their spouse (in a 'it's not your business/you never asked' way, not a keeping it secret/ashamed way) and they just suddenly say "my spouse" and everyone goes "your WHAT"*

[azrielbrainrot]

Mind Over Matter

Pairing: Eris x Reader

Description: Eris sees you at your lowest and you get a glimpse behind the mask.

Warnings: Angst, Domestic Violence, Injury

Word Count: 3550

Notes: In case it's confusing this is set before Fire on Fire. Hope you enjoy!

Fire on Fire Masterlist

The forest looked beautiful today. The red and orange leaves cast shadows over the whole clearing, and from the tree branch you were sitting at, you could see the birds flying and even some bunnies hopping around the bushes. It had been raining all week but it finally let up this morning, the sun was now shining high in the sky making it a perfect day to sit and read outside.

Even if the season never changes, you can tell apart the “beginning” and “end” of autumn. The leaves are just starting to fall, meaning this would be the beginning of the season. In a few months when the leaves are mostly on the ground, it will be the “end” and then the cycle will repeat itself. You always preferred this time when the sun is still shining and the forest is alive.

It might be summertime in the solar courts from your calculations, not that you've ever stepped foot out of this one, or even out of the city. As much as you love the forests tinged in orange, you can't help but wonder what it would be like if they gave way to different sights every few months.

Perhaps it would make autumn more enjoyable if it wasn't constantly upon you. You think you wouldn't hate the spring or summer, when the sun is warmer and there isn't as much rain, when different flowers bloom making the forests turn into different shades of green and brown and so many other colors.

You haven't been this deep into the woods in a long time, your mother and father had both finally left the house for long enough at the same time after what felt like forever. With the rain, your mother hadn't been invited to any tea parties and your father always seemed to be working in his office nowadays, never even leaving to attend any meetings. Seems the High Lord had given him some important job.

You'd feel bad for whoever had the misfortune of their company today but these are the few moments of peace you can steal for yourself, and you've been praying to The Mother that something came up so your father was called to the Forest House or even further. If it was something scandalous enough it would take your mother to her friend's houses to discuss it among themselves too.

You get so lost in your thoughts and the book you're reading, in the calmness and silence the forest brings you that it's only when you look up at the sky and see it starting to turn the same orange tone as the trees that you realize the sun is almost setting, you were late. You weren't sure how long your parents would be gone for, hopefully they weren't coming before dinner or they would already be looking for you.

Gathering your skirt, you hop down from the thick branch you've been sitting on, shoving your book into the old bag you once stole from one of the many closets in your house. It took you a few tries, and reading a couple of books, but you had managed to charm it to hold a lot more than its size would lead you to believe. You've been using it to keep books, dried flowers you've turned into bookmarks, random trinkets you've found over the years and even a couple of pants. Anything your parents wouldn't approve of you having really, things you actually called your own. Picking it up, you winnow to its hiding place - an old hollowed tree close to the edge of the woods behind your house - and quickly cover it so no one comes across it.

The maids knew you weren't inside, thinking you were in the gazebo watching the flowers, or feeling sorry for yourself, whatever they told themselves you did all day, so winnowing straight to your room wasn't an option. There was also the risk of any of them lingering around and seeing you. The garden had to do then, the servants had probably all left the grounds by then, retiring to their own homes.

You winnow deep into the garden so you're surrounded by bushes, close to the crimson roses that overlooked the side entrance to the estate. You weren't usually allowed on this side of the garden, it was too close to the servants' gate, meaning any of the “lowly” males could see you and you wouldn't know how to defend yourself from their advances. Sometimes you think your father is convinced you need instructions for breathing too.

Waving a hand over yourself to clean off any obvious dirt for the moment, you almost sprint closer to the gazebo, the place the maids would come looking for you when it was time to get ready for dinner.

Your heart stalls in your chest when you turn the corner to find your father walking the grounds. His face turns into stone as soon as he lays eyes on you, making you drop your skirt immediately, smoothing it with your hands out of habit, always trying to appear as polished as you can in front of him.

By his side stood your fiancé, looking as elegant as ever in a black three piece suit, topped off with a muted red tie to match the soles of his shoes. You've never seen his hair this long, it was combed back and tied in a small knot. Your gaze moves back to your father's disappointed face when his eyes meet yours, always so intense and calculating, suffocating even.

It had been years since you'd last been caught outside by your father and, to make matters worse, Eris was here too. At least he only saw you in the garden, even if further in than you're normally allowed. You don't even want to think what would happen if he'd seen you winnow from the woods.

“What are you doing outside at nightfall?” Your father was clearly displeased with you, not only for going against his wishes but also for doing it in front of such an important person.

“I simply got distracted looking at the flowers,” you try to sound as demure as possible, thinking maybe you could fix this by playing dumb since your father probably didn't want to make a scene in front of Eris, “They're blooming so beautifully.”

“You must have been really distracted,” he says as he turns his head menacingly, “since you know you're not allowed to wander around unattended.”

His tone almost makes you flinch, your face dropping. It had been foolish of you to think you could talk yourself out of the situation. Eris' presence wouldn't make your father less volatile, it only made things worse. He wanted to show the other male he was capable of handling his family, not wanting to appear weak in front of the heir.

You hadn't stopped to think that this could also make you less viable for marriage. His daughter being personally chosen by the High Lord as his eldest son's fiancé was your father's greatest accomplishment, and he knew better than you that Beron's mind was easily changed, he wouldn't want Eris to think you might not be the best option after all.

In this moment you ponder tarnishing your reputation as much as you could to get out of this marriage. If only it wouldn't cost you your life with it. Your father always hated the fact that you were born female. A male would bring the family name glory but a female could only hope to wed into a noble family. If you were to lose the High Lord's favor your father would likely lock you away from the world or even dispose of you altogether.

Your father lets out what you think he means as a disapproving sigh, but you can hear the excitement behind it, can see it on his face. He's grown to enjoy the moments when he can put you or your mother in your place, it makes him feel important. He approaches you, moving away from a slightly confused looking Eris.

You knew what was coming as soon as you saw your father pull his hand back, you've been here before many times after all. You close your eyes, feeling the heat approach your face, trying not to let your instincts take over and try to avoid it, that only makes it worse. The force of the slap makes your head turn to the side, your body almost following, but the worst part is the flames, you have to bite your lip not to let out any sound as you feel the burn eating at your skin. You faintly smell burning and try not to think about it, knowing it's the smell of your own flesh.

He holds your chin with a still too warm hand, even if already rid of the flames, and looks into your eyes closely, wanting to revel in your pain. “I've taught you better than this.” He adds another light slap to your face for good measure before letting you go completely. It almost hurts more than the first one, the skin was so tender even just moving your face hurt.

Taking a weak breath in, you try to calm your mind, ignore the pain and rage warring inside you. Clutching tightly onto your dress to keep your hands occupied, in case your mind slips and you burn his face in rage the same way he keeps doing to yours. You feel the flames wanting to rise up to your skin but firmly snuff them out, making sure they stay safely hidden deep inside you until it's the right time.

The pain has gotten easier to bear over the years, now you close your eyes not from fear but to calm yourself. You don't have the strength to go against him yet or a plan for a safe escape, you refuse to lose your life so easily after enduring this for so long. One day you will make him pay for everything he has put you through but first you need a plan and you need to be stronger.

This time it was different though, Eris was watching, you could feel his gaze burning into your skin deeper than your father's fiery palm ever could. There had been witnesses to his cruelty before, even outside your family and servants, you had seen pity, satisfaction and even trained blankness in their faces, had learned to ignore them and not ask for help under any circumstance - it took you too long to realize that the ones showing pity know your pain or are as powerless as you.

But, for some reason, knowing Eris, your future husband, the heir to the throne, is watching makes you want to cry for the first time since you were a child. You bite your lip and clench your fists as hard as you can, opening your eyes only enough to look to the ground, hoping your face isn't giving away too much or the burn was at least enough to hide it.

Suddenly interested in studying the cobbled stones you've walked on for decades, you notice your earring fell off, the ruby glinting in one of the little nooks in between stones, suffocated with no place to escape to just like you felt. You briefly wondered if it had simply gotten loose with the force or if it was ripped off your earlobe, but the pain on the side of your face was too intense to be able to pinpoint a specific area. A ripped earlobe was the least of your concerns anyway.

“What do you think you're doing?” All your thoughts evaporate when you hear his voice. He sounds uncharacteristically angry, you've never seen him lose the teasing lilt to his words or crafted nonchalant tone. You can't help but look up at him with wide eyes, not even remembering the shame you had felt before.

“Not to worry. Her face will be healed by tomorrow morning,” your father barely hesitates, assuming the anger wasn't directed at him hitting you, “I wouldn't give you damaged goods, my lord.”

Sometimes you wonder how your father had lived for so long, how he managed to become important enough that he not only worked for Beron but the High Lord would also want his heir to marry you, when he could be this dense. It was clear Eris wasn't worried about your face, his anger was almost palpable.

You know he wears a mask like no one else, you've seen it in action, but, if your father hadn't been so self-absorbed, if it was Beron standing in front of him, this would end very differently. Because the mask had fallen at the same time your stupid earring did. What was staring at you was Eris' true face. Your father was too thick to notice but you could gamble your life on it.

It showed his unrestrained fury and power rumbling just beneath his skin, you're not sure how your father didn't notice the way the temperature rose around them, the air suddenly resembling the summer you had just been longing for. His gaze burned hotter than lava and the planes of his face carved out the perfect personification of fury. His face was the perfect picture of the new High Lord of the Autumn Court. It was all fire, beautifully and all consuming.

He was making a bigger effort of not hurting your father than you were. When your eyes met you could almost see him forcefully pushing his feelings away, stuffing himself down with them, burying them deep inside him to keep the plot he's been writing for centuries intact. Still, his gaze lingered on your marred cheek too long, you think you even see his fingers spasm, as if wanting to reach out, if it was to console you or to snap your father's neck you couldn't be sure but the sentiment behind it was the same.

You almost gasp as the realization comes to you. The look on his face isn't all anger but what's underlining it isn't pity, it's the face of someone who understands. He's been in your same place. It shouldn't be a surprise to you, Beron's cruelty will far outlive his name, but it's hard to imagine Eris, inarguably the second most powerful fae in this court, in your place.

Your stomach twists at the implications. If even he can't fight Beron, what hope do you have of escaping your father? Especially now that he's aligned himself with the High Lord? It's in this moment that you know Eris' warnings were correct, there's no use running, you wouldn't make it but a couple steps.

“She needs a healer to fix her face,” you can almost see him choosing his words, playing into your father's narrative enough while trying to help you as much as he can. You're starting to think you have Eris figured out. Is this how he has survived this long? “See that it gets done quickly.”

He leaves without another word, turning away from you father and letting his eyes linger on your burnt flesh one more time before winnowing out of your estate. You don't look away from where he'd just been even when your father grabs your arm and pulls you along on his way inside the house, cursing you with every step. You wouldn't be able to leave your room and escape into the forest for a while.

Later that night, when you're returning to your room, after a healer treated your wounds as usual, and made sure Eris' goods wouldn't be permanently damaged as your father had so lovingly put it, you find a vaguely familiar, faint scent lingering in the air, it makes your heart stop.

Thankfully, the maids didn't accompany you to your room, they didn't like treating you cruelly but helping you could get them in trouble with your father so they'd rather just watch in silence, or, even better, turn their face whenever it was possible.

If they had followed you, they would have noticed the scent, would run and tell your father. You're not sure if they'd recognize it as his, he doesn't visit your house often after all, but the spicy scent was unmistakably male. It's better not to think of the amount of trouble you would be in if they smelled it.

You walk to the window first, opening it as wide as you can so the chilly night air fills the room instead, making sure there would be no residuals in the morning when they came to wake you. Looking up at the full moon in the cloudy sky, feeling the wind turn to ice against the side of your face still covered in a thick cooling salve and wrapped in bandages, you hesitate one more time before moving to the foreign items sitting at your vanity table, undoubtedly left behind by your dear fiancé.

Eris left you a tiny bottle with some strange bluish liquid inside accompanied by a small red velvet box tied off with a golden ribbon. You know he won't poison you, the bargain won't allow it, but you weren't sure what else he could do if he let his imagination run wild. You decide reading the note set on top of the box might give you an idea.

He has no right to treat you like this. I'm sorry I can't do more to help you for now but I promise there will come a day when he won't be able to hurt you anymore.

The note wasn't signed but you knew it was his. Even after your agreement, you didn't think he would try to make you feel better, even going as far as risking getting caught while dropping this off, since this fragile alliance of yours had been neither of your first choices.

You pick up the bottle and uncork it, immediately recognizing the calming scent of a sleeping draught. It would help with your nightmares. This is a generous amount too, it can last you a while. You set it back down and untie the ribbon, opening the box to find some chocolate and sugar cookies.

A sleeping draught and cookies. Never in your life had you received anything like this. You can't even admit it to yourself but this is by far the most thoughtful gift you've ever gotten from anyone.

He had to have an idea of how awful your father was to you, you told him as much when you made the bargain, but he might not have realized he went as far as physically hurting you. Eris knows the pain of an abusive father, of being haunted by their cruelty even in your dreams. So, he gave you the draught to help you even a little and the cookies to console you, something sweet to fend off the pain.

Just when you were starting to feel thankful for Eris, thinking you might have been too harsh on him before, you notice something else written on the other side of the note. Turning it around and reading it as well.

I wasn't aware you could winnow so well. Just how much are you hiding from your family, doll?

Your entire body tenses at the words, turning the paper into flames lest anyone reads it. He knows. You've managed to hide this ability from everyone for decades, but now Eris, of all people, knows. You're not sure how he noticed when your father didn't. He could have arrived before him, could have wandered around the grounds without anyone knowing. Is it possible that he knew where you went? No, he couldn't have come from the forest in time to talk to your father and see you.

You hold your hand up to rub over your chest, simultaneously trying to calm your racing heart and feeling the mark of the bargain woven into your soul, trying to reassure yourself. He's your ally. He won't tell anyone, the bargain won't allow it. But what could he do with this information? You had the upper hand when you made the bargain but it feels like he just stepped ahead.

After a few moments of breathing in the cold air still seeping into the room and settling your mind, you sit down on the chair by the vanity unceremoniously, letting your head drop into your hands for a moment. A heavy sigh escapes you as you open the cookie box again. What kind of person sends you gifts and includes a mildly threatening message with them. Must he always push your buttons like this?

You take a bite out of a chocolate cookie and let the delicious taste melt in your mouth, eyeing the small bottle. It seems you'll need to use it tonight, you definitely need a good dreamless sleep after the rollercoaster of emotions you've been through the whole day.

What you fail to notice is that, between the chocolate and sugar cookies you keep munching on and the annoyance now targeted towards Eris, your face barely even hurts anymore and you weren't left thinking of the deep rooted ache in your soul after your father hurt you yet another time.

[running-with-kn1ves]

What do you think about a yandere male that only turns yandere during the full moon?

Doesn't necessarily have to turn into a werewolf, but every full moon, it brings out the possesiveness and psychotic urges.

Like, I imagine that he's the sweetest and fluffiest and softest bf ever. A gentle giant. Couldn't harm a fly. Then as the full moon gets closer, they start to slowly change. Maybe, they start being more aggressive around others? Idk go crazy 🤣

(Maybe add some pervertedness/nsfw if ur up to it? no pressure ofc)

I really like the idea of yanderes being almost like a different breed of creature, gradually getting worse as each full moon draws near, going practically mental once it finally occurs and nearly mauling their darling.

It's worse if he's a so-called gentle giant-- that gentleness is ripped away, only to leave an empty husk of a man that has the power to crush you. He's normally the sweetest thing, kind to all those that you pass, and acts completely enamored with you-- he's so soft, you almost think that if he weren't his current intimidating size, he would be bullied for his passiveness.

He's not very verbal in expressing clinginess or needs during his stages of normal self, and may hesitate to bring up something he's upset with, whether it be seeing you with someone he finds threatening or if you reject his advances of physical comfort. He's able to tolerate such things in everyday life.

but once the moon's nearly at its routinely wholeness, there's a change in his behavior; he's become... temperamental, irked with every move you make that he doesn't like. Whether you forget to kiss him goodbye in the morning, or you tell him that you're going out for drinks after work with some overly friendly coworkers, he's become agitated and upset, getting jealous that you'd choose them over him.

Once the full moon finally reaches its completeness, getting out of the house will be a struggle within itself. He's not letting you go anywhere-- the emotional manipulation is drawn up to the max, and he can't help but use fake tears or past injustices to keep you with him. He can't help but ramble on how much he loves you-- how its because he loves you so much; he can't take it.

All he wants is for you to kiss him and make it better, to let him keep you suffocatingly close, to pay attention only to him. And if anyone dares get in his way, then he'll make them pay hell.

NSFW under the cut

For our yan boyf its not if, but when he pounces on you. He's so easily prone to getting too handsy with you in public, no matter the company kept near. You've made the mistake of bringing him to a party, and had to make some lame excuse to bring him home early, your boyfriend undoing your pants buttons moments in from the front door.

The deep bitemarks on your shoulders were painful, but there was a certain lull to the way he loved you when he was like this. He always gripped you so tightly, like he was afraid you'd slip away if he didn't keep you close enough. Whether it was an arm wrapped around your waist as he pounded inside you from behind, or two hands gripping your thighs as he kept you bouncing atop of him, he was always leaving bruises, most of which were unintentional.

You're truly lucky his sex drive isn't utterly relentless, though its definitely far higher than you ever expected. Usually, it was averagely persistent, never so much that you felt used. But during these episodes lately, he was consistent-- and insatiable, it seemed. You refused to go out on a date with him during these times, knowing he'd always need to find a place to fuck you midway, too entranced by your sex appeal, and too ticked off by those who decided to stare at you.

But the deeper he gets in taking a hold of you, the more regretful he becomes. He mutters "I'm sorry's" over and over, though keeping his relentless thrusts in play. He has little patience for foreplay, and understands how rough he can be when these episodes occur; he doesn't always remember how much strength he has, leaving him to mumble sorrowful apologies the rough morning after.

[bts-hyperfixation]

Outside of the Fox

Chapter 36 of????

1830 words

Y/N longs for a new life when the one she’d been living comes to an abrupt stop. Without much thought to those she is leaving behind, the little fox packs a backpack and disappears. She stumbles across the shelter and makes an interim home for herself while she works out exactly what she wants from her second chance.

Last

You seethe for the entire drive home. Furious at Taehyung's father for forcing him into an arranged marriage, furious at Taehyung for not standing up for himself, and furious at yourself for not trying harder to fight for Taehyung. You know better than anyone how difficult it can be to go against your family's wishes for you. But at least your family thought they were doing what was best for you, Taehyung's family only wanted to save themselves.

It takes all of your energy to try and calm down before you reach home, knowing the moment any of them scented you they would smell your anger and Taehyung's sorrow.  You contemplate heading into the main house first to shower, knowing that the builders finished one of the bathrooms last week, but you'd still be stuck in the same clothes so it'd only be dampening the smell, not removing it. 

You walk through the side gate to find Yoongi sitting out on the steps to the annexe. He looks up the moment he hears the wrought iron creak. He looks like he hasn't slept the entire night.

"Did something happen?" You ask.

"Yeah, a man I've come to care quite a lot about has suddenly become absent in my life for no discernable reason and on top of that, for some unknown reason, the woman I love stole my car and then stayed out all night without more than a brief text as an explanation," 

He looks at you expectantly, waiting. But you don't have an answer to give him. The news of Taehyung's impending nuptials isn't yours to share, and you can't tell him anything about last night without including that detail. You sit on the step below him and lean your head against his lap.

His hand finds its way into your hair easily. He gently tugs out the tangles you didn't have a chance to brush that morning.

"You don't want to talk about it? Or you can't?" He asks softly.

"It's not my story to tell," You confirm.

The two of you stay there silently for a while, watching the wind blow through the grass. You can tell he wants to push for more information, but he knows better.

Jin finally moves the two of you when he comes home from the night shift. He brings breakfast with him and gives it to Yoongi to set up, insisting that you go and shower before eating. What he didn't clarify before sending you into the bathroom was that he intended to shower with you, insisting on saving the water. 

He steps into the basin behind you and wraps his arms around your waist, kissing along your shoulder up to the pulse point under your ear.

"Is there anything I can do to remove that rotting flower undertone to your scent?" He asks before nibbling at your earlobe.

"I don't think so, Jinnie," You admit, leaning back into his touch.

He reaches to the side and takes the soap from the shelf, using it to lather up the both of you. He offers compliments as he goes, making you blush with every word. It does little to soothe the memories of your fight, but it reminds you of the love your partners have for you and one another. If anyone can figure out how to fix Taehyung's problem it's your family. 

_____________________

Taehyung sits on his sister's bedroom floor as she dangles with her head off the side of the bed like they would when they were younger. They spent a lot of their formative years here, putting the world to rights. It seemed fitting that they be here again if Eun Jin did in fact have a plan that would save Taehyung from his parent's plan. 

"When we were younger, we went to a birthday party for a girl we had never met. Mum and Dad insisted that we attend as it was for the daughter of a very wealthy shareholder within one of their companies. Now, I don't particularly expect you to remember, it was around the time you were permanently drunk. However, that party was for Y/N L/N." Eun Jin explained. 

Taehyung listens with rapped attention. His sister is right, he has absolutely no memory of this party. His teen years all blend into one drunken blur when he tries to focus on them. Eun Jin goes on to explain that his father had always intended for their youngest brother to marry into this family, at the time Taehyung had been too much of a screw-up to consider, but Jong Gyu would've been perfect.

However, they had realised that plan wouldn't work as your parents had seemed pretty set on having you marry Romero, despite him being so many years your senior. In fact, after a brief conversation with your parents, it seemed like the idea of setting you up with another hybrid had been laughable to them anyway, so Taehyung's family abandoned that plan completely. 

Now, with her parents no longer a factor in her decisions, Eun Jin is under the impression that their family would be willing to accept you as his bride. 

Taehyung looks at his sister in shock, struggling to digest all the information he's been given. It seems too simple. Too easy. 

To escape his forced marriage all he needs to do is propose to the woman he loves instead? Nothing in his life is ever that simple... Unless it could be. 

"Do you really think Father would let me out of the arrangement that easily?" Taehyung asks in disbelief.

"I think it's your best shot." Eun Jin shrugs. 

"Then I guess it's a shot I'll have to take."

"Just make sure Mom is also in the room so you can play on the little sympathy she might have for love." Eun Jin reminds him, "Also you should perhaps get your pack onboard first..."

_____________________

For the remainder of his day, Taehyung sits through tedious meetings about wedding details with a fiance who seems roughly as enthused as him. It would seem she would also rather be anywhere else, which would at least make it easier when it came down to telling her the wedding was off. The families must've known neither of them wanted to truly be there as they never gave them even a second to be alone in the same room together

The Hirelys refused to leave until gone 9:00 pm. By that time everyone in Taehyung's family was exhausted. It turned out that while the bride may not have been ecstatic about the wedding, her family was insufferably chipper. They chattered nonstop and couldn't quite tell when they had outstayed their welcome even though the wedding planner had left hours prior.

"See Taehyung-ah... she isn't so bad." His mother commented as they all sat down for their evening tea.

"It doesn't matter either way. Our deal has been struck." His father states.

They all sip their tea silently, shuffling awkwardly in their seats. Eun Jin's gaze darts from Taehyung to their father, urging him to speak. Taehyung pretends not to notice, the tea leaves at the bottom of his cup seeming far more fascinating than anything else in the room. 

In theory, Taehyung has spent most of his life standing up to his father. The only problem is that he has ultimately lost every fight, and he isn't sure whether he is prepared to finally lose the battle if his father doesn't agree with the plan they have cooked up. 

It seems that Eun Jin doesn't harbour the same fears as she rolls her eyes and takes matters into her own hands.

"Daddy?" She starts, as she always does when she wants something "What if Taehyung-ah found himself a better bride, someone who would boost his reputation just as much, if not more than the girl you found?"

"Oh don't be silly dear." Their Father chastises, "No one of that high a calibre would be stupid enough to go for Taehyung, we are fortunate enough that the Hirelys agreed to this."

"I'm right here," Taehyung grumbles at the put-down, although no one takes any notice of him.

"What if he could marry Y/N L/N?" Eun Jin pushes.

His father audibly snorts into his tea presuming Eun Jin to be joking.

"No one has seen Y/N in months Eun Jin," Taehyung's brother chimes in "You'd never find her, and why would she want to marry Tae any way?"

Taehyung shoots evils at his brother who holds his hands up in defence. 

"We've seen her, In fact, we all saw her last night sneaking into Taehyung's bedroom, and this morning when Father yelled at her for being here..."

Their father pales.

"That can't have been her, don't be silly. The girl is a recluse. Her parents told me that after her husband's untimely accident, she moved home, she's been in mourning ever since and refusing to come out, they say she isn't well in the head."

"Her parents are lying!" Taehyung bursts out.

He jumps from his seat and slams a fist on the table. He realises he may have made a mistake when his father matches his actions, a standoff taking place over the table as the two men stare each other down. Taehyung does his best not to flinch away from his father's glare.

"It has been decided Taehyung, you will marry the Hirely girl and you will like it, no more of this hypothetical nonsense. You are a grown man and you will honour the commitment you made."

"No father, you want me to honour the commitment you made not me," Taehyung's voice cracks as he finishes the sentence.

"Taehyung you need to marry, and she really is a lovely girl. You should just accept this match," His mother says trying to comfort him.

"If this is just about me marrying then why can't I choose the partner?" He turns to his mother pleading in his eyes.

"You can't be trusted to pick a suitable match." His father sighs, rubbing his brow in frustration,

"Wouldn't you consider Y/N a suitable match?" Eun Jin asks.

"I might, but there is no way that girl this morning was the real Y/N. And even if she was I'm certain she wouldn't marry Taehyung." Their father scoffed.

"So if we can prove that she is the real Y/N and she says yes you'll consider it?" Taehyung's sister pushes.

"I'll consider it, only because I'm certain this won't work out the way you want it to," Their father agrees.

Taehyung reaches out his hand to shake his father's, knowing that no deal is complete in his father's eyes without it. Begrudgingly the older man meets Taehyung's grasp.

Immediately after they let go, Taehyung reaches for his keys and sprints for the door.

"Where do you think you're going, young man?" His father shouts.

"I'm going home, I have a proposal to figure out!" He shouts back before slamming the door closed behind him."

Next

Masterlist

[silkjade]

Hi can I get Genshin men as +1 to worker (*cough*) company party as they aren’t dating or just starting to date s/o? HCs like to be wedding date ones?

genshin men at a work party

Featuring— Diluc, Childe, Zhongli, Kazuha, Kaeya

⤀ established relationships, friends to lovers, pining, enemies to lovers ⤀ gn! reader, modern au, mentions of alcohol use, slight angst in zhongli's, suggestive but still sfw

a/n— this was fun to write lol also i’m gonna be limiting future requests to max 5 characters 🙇🏻‍♀️

DILUC

there is no way in hell you’re telling your coworkers that you’re dating the ceo of your company

that’s basically asking to be the most hated person in the office; you’ve worked way too hard for anyone to accredit your achievements as just sleeping with your boss

besides, you two have only just made it official. it's still way too soon to make your relationship public, especially with such a high profile figure

diluc is ceo of avoiding parties so everyone is surprised when it’s announced that the big launch event is going to be held at the ragnvindr estate

oh how he hates parties; you convinced him it’d be fun plus, it’s normal for a boss to be chatting with an employee at a social event right? it could give you guys a chance to soft soft launch your relationship. instead, he’s being pulled into every conversation, mingling with everyone except you

ah but how could you forget that everyone would want to jump at the chance to introduce themselves to the big boss himself

the night is filled with quick, stolen glances and it really doesn’t help that the longest he’s held your hand was the few seconds where you both reached for the bowl of grape juice

he quietly slips away and shoots you text

“ haven’t seen you all night, i’m in my study if you’d like to join me? : ) ”

of course you go. it’s a big party...you’d hardly be missed

as soon as you’re close enough, diluc pulls you into his lap and rests his head in the crook of your neck. please pepper him with kisses and play with his hair— his social battery is drained

you’re interrupted by a bang, followed by an aggressive twist on the knob before finally hearing someone hurl outside the study. it’s a good thing you locked the door

CHILDE

the firm you work at is throwing its annual holiday party and who better to bring as your fake date

great arm candy and he’s confident enough for the theatrics required to get your annoying coworker off your back

seriously your coworker isn’t taking any hints and they definitely don’t believe you when you say you have a boyfriend (which to be fair was a lie so…)

childe doesn’t do anything half-assed so he’s going full out as your ‘boyfriend.’ go big or go home!!

you arrive together, with his arm is around your waist. your coworker comes up to talk to you and he’s like

“who’s this babe?” with the most passive aggressive smile because he knows full well who that is. he pulls you closer; you feel his grip on your waist tighten

his hand is on your thigh every time you two sit down and he does this while making direct eye contact with your coworker

dangles a mistletoe above the two of you to steal a kiss. it’s not just a show anymore, it’s a whole production. his excuse? you want it to be believable right?

he’s pretty well liked among the rest of your coworkers; very amiable guy. completely ignores the fake backstory you guys prepped though and is spinning his own tale of how you two met (he definitely went the meet cute route)

which leaves everyone confused because you’ve been telling them something entirely different the few weeks prior

you drag him into the break room ready to scold him for going off script but your annoying coworker beats you to it and calls bullshit on your relationship. no matter how much he wants to, childe’s not going to physically fight him because the last thing he’d want to do is get you in trouble at your job

“oh yeah? would a fake boyfriend do this?” and now he’s full on making out with you in your office’s break room, which has floor-length glass windows btw

i mean yes childe’s your friend, but you also have an ongoing flirtation, but it also never leads anywhere? you two have a long talk that night

come monday morning you actually have a real boyfriend now but you also get a warning from HR. you win some, you lose some

ZHONGLI

zhongli’s your average salaryman with above average looks and an above average skillset so needless to say, he’s pretty popular in the office, especially with his single coworkers

the only thing is, he’s so painfully unaware of their flirtations and advances that they’re beginning to think he’s doing it on purpose (he is). nevertheless, they persist

which is how you end up going to his office party as his plus one and… who the hell is this bitch pulling you aside and introducing herself as his ‘work wife’

she says she wasn’t aware zhongli had an s/o; granted, your relationship was pretty new and zhongli is private in regards to his personal life so, fine, you’ll let it slide. but then she has the audacity to say you can feel free to ask her if you need any advice in regards to your own boyfriend because

“hehe i’m his work wife after all, not work girlfriend”

zhongli comes back from the bathroom and oh my god he can feel the animosity from across the room. he leads you away to somewhere private the two of you can talk

honestly you’re not sure how to feel. angry, yes. upset, definitely. because if she can be so bold as to say these things to your face, what is she doing everyday in the office when you aren’t there

he pulls you into a tight hug before your thoughts can get any more intrusive

“darling i’m so sorry for whatever she said. i’ve warned her of her behavior before but it seems i’ll have to visit HR again”

he doesn't leave your side for the rest of the night

KAZUHA

the interns; you’re both out of college hoping to land a permanent position in this company

of course you aren't the only two interns in the office but you are the duo ™. whether it's the way you cover each other’s work so well, or the way you throw paper balls at each other on slow days— you just fall so naturally in sync

the whole office ships you two

the company’s celebrating a huge merger so they’re throwing a party and since you’re both single…you guys decide to go together (his idea, he insisted!)

wow this apple cider is so good. oops it seems both of you missed the memo that it’s hard apple cider, and when you realize…well, you’re already buzzed

he’s not drunk, but kazuha is a lot more loose-lipped when under the influence of alcohol; he’s entertaining the other interns and you drag him away before he says something embarrassing about either of you (because god, he knows and remembers everything about you)

you take him up to the roof of your office building; the cool night air feels good against the heat of your skin. you’re leaning over the ledge watching the city lights but you feel his gaze on you

“you’re really pretty tonight, y/n. well you always are but tonight….”

you’ve never been in such an intimate setting together before and something about tonight makes him want to abandon his 14-step plan to win your heart

you guys leave the party early and the intern gc is blowing up because someone spotted you two getting in the same cab

KAEYA

okay so what if you’re the only one in your branch who showed up to the company party without a plus one

well there’s kaeya too but he’s annoying so you don’t count him. to further prove your point, he doesn’t really care anyway; loves the bachelor life he says

so why is he, your work rival, standing in front of you right now, offering to be your date for the night? is he making fun if you? if this is his idea of a joke it’s not funny! admittedly some of his jokes are, but you’d never tell him that

“I don’t know y/n, maybe because I actually like you?” there’s more truth to his words than you realize

for the sake of your single person’s ego, you accept his proposal…but you warn him that it doesn’t change anything about your current relationship

“You realize our little rivalry is completely one-sided?” he says as he hands you a flute of champagne

…..

“because there really isn’t any competition on my end”

omg you want to strangle him. he laughs at the way your eye twitches and you down the entirety of your champagne. it’s too late to back out now; maybe if you’re drunk enough you can get through the night

he matches you drink for drink and at the height of the party, you forget that you hate him because he’s..actually kind of cool and fun?

the way he beats your quarterly sales by just a little, scores just a little higher on performance reviews, receives a promotion just a few months before you…all out the window

you guys are making fun of your boss and gossiping about coworkers and giggling together?? who are you two and what have you done to kaeya and y/n

monday morning back at the office and everyone knows you and kaeya drunkenly hooked up because the sexual tension is gone but you also find out there’s been an office betting pool??

© silkjade — do not steal, plagiarize, translate or repost any content onto any other platform

[parkkiablah]

theres a lot of zevlor fics out there with an age gap btwn him and tav, but i'd like to see your take with him being in a relationship with tav who is around his age (or even older lmao).

maybe the both of them have given up on finding the person they want to settle down with. tav's party members act was wingmen to get a more pessimistic and grumpy tav to finally shoot their shot. (they all have seen they way the two of them look at eachother, its almost worse than watching two teenagers trying to confess to each other.)

(Thank you so much for your request!! 🧡 I loved the idea and just had to write this at work rn 😂 (don't tell anyone)

I hope you enjoy reading!)

'You feel like home.' (Zevlor x Tav)

When you arrived at the grove and you saw Zevlor knock out Aradin with a single punch, you knew you would like him.

He had worry and anger written on his face, mad about Aradin getting his people in danger and you could perfectly understand him.

Talking to him felt easy, both understanding each other perfectly. You weren't sure if it is due to you being around the same age than him or not, but you both understood life. The troubles it brings, the worries for the people you wanted to protect and the anger at anyone bringing danger to it.

You often found yourself in conversation with him, feeling comfortable whenever you heard his voice.

After defeating the goblins and bringing back Halsin you were sad you had to leave the tieflings company.

You made it your goal to meet them again when you arrived to Baldur's Gate but you weren't aware what to expect on your way there. The shadow cursed lands were worse than you expected and when you noticed the familiar tieflings on the ground, only imagining the fight that happened, you were alarmed. The few people at Last Light Inn told you what happened and you were shattered. Your goal for now was to find and save Zevlor and the other refugees from Moonrise Towers, which was a task you knew would be a challenge.

You rescued Rolan, being as reckless as he could be, found his siblings and a few others at the prison in Moonrise towers, yet Zevlor being nowhere to be found. The other tieflings told you he was imprisoned somewhere else and your worries made you feel sick.

When you did find him, you couldn't help but feel relieved, the fight against the few mindflayers a short one as you both fought side by side like you had never done something else.

Zevlor's face showing how shattered he was to have failed to protect his people.

Your hand landing on his shoulder, trying to offer some comfort.

"I know how you feel, but it's not your fault. The Absolute is dangerously convincing, you shouldn't blame yourself."

"I have no right to ask, but the others.. what happened to them?", he asked quietly, like he had no strength left in his voice.

"I saved as many as I could find, they are at Last Light."

"Thank you, again."

After the fight with Ketheric you convinced Zevlor to join your camp. Of course you had to basically force him as he saw himself as a burden for you and your party, but after some more reassuring he agreed.

It made you feel excited to get back to camp whenever you were done with a mission and you honestly hadn't felt that way for a long time.

Your friends were getting tired of the way you two obviously had feelings for each other but never talked about it. They saw you both basically act like a couple, talking and laughing, doing tasks together without saying anything and still understanding each other without words. The only thing you both weren't aware of was the glances between you, when the other wasn't looking.

You were sitting next to Zevlor at the campfire, you leaning against him reading the book in your hands. His eyes were on you more than on the book in his hand, his tail curling around you, casually laying on your lap.

To everyone else it would probably be a simple gesture, but out of all of them Karlach knew his bodylanguage told a different story.

"Tav? Can we talk for a second?", she shouted over to you, startling you.

She was standing a few steps away, talking to Shadowheart.

When you stood up, Zevlor reached for the book in your hands before you could even start to look for a spot to put it and you smiled at him, before walking over to Karlach and Shadowheart.

"Are you two going to kiss soon or do we have to lock you in a room together until you do?", Shadowheart asked once you were standing with them.

"What?", you asked, not quite understanding her question.

"You know what I mean, you two are acting like a couple that had been married for years and you can't tell me you aren't aware."

"And his tail is very much telling he likes you, too.", Karlach added.

"It's not like that, we are just friends.", you said.

"Oh come on, you can't-"

"Listen, it's cute that you care, but I assure you it's not like that, we are friends." And with that being said you walked back to Zevlor, sitting next to him again, when he wordlessly handed you your book back. Leaning against him you sighed, confused by what the others were saying.

"Are you okay? You seem tense.", he asked, noticing your mood had changed.

"Yea, I'm fine, no worries.", you assured him and he didn't push you to talk any further. His tail found its way around you again and you couldn't help but wonder if they were actually right about it.

The next days you started feeling more nervous around Zevlor. It wasn't like you were uncomfortable, just that the others had made you aware of feelings you hadn't felt in years. You felt your heart beating faster when you were close to him, your hands hesitant to just touch him like you did before your conversation with Shadowheart and Karlach and your gaze suddenly avoiding his.

He noticed the changes with your behavior, asking himself if he did something wrong, not aware of any situation that could have caused the sudden difference.

"Would you join me on a walk?", he asked you one evening at camp, when he noticed you avoiding him even more.

"Uhm-.. Sure.", you seemed hesitant, gaze on the floor while you both walked away from camp.

"Did I do anything to upset you?", he asked and stopped walking, when you were a good distance away from camp. He was looking for some privacy, hoping for you to be honest with him.

"No, why do you think so?", you asked confused.

"You are avoiding me, today specifically, but you've been different the last few days and I was wondering if I did anything wrong."

"Oh...", you said, pausing and looking at him. "You didn't do anything wrong, don't worry."

"What happened then? If I didn't upset you, what-"

"I like you. And I didn't notice before Karlach and Shadowheart basically told me it was obvious. Honestly I had given up on love years ago and I guess it just felt strange being aware of it suddenly, while it had been so easy to be comfortable with you around.", you confessed, leaving him speachless for a good moment.

"Gods and I thought I made you uncomfortable with getting too close or something.", he sighed relieved. "I feel the same. And I just realized when you took some distance lately. It just feels like home when I am around you and I started losing my mind thinking I did something wrong."

He smiled at you and you noticed all the feelings behind it; relieve, that he didn't do anything wrong, happiness, that your feelings are the same and especially how grateful he felt for finding someone to feel at home with.

He took your hand to pull you closer to him, only letting go of it to let both of his hands rest on your waist.

"I think I should thank the others for making me aware of the feelings we had been dancing around.", you said when your hands rested on his shoulders, smiling at him.

"Thank them for me, too.", he said, before his lips finally found yours.

Your knees were suddenly feeling weak and you were glad for him holding you, lips moving against his gently.

You broke the kiss suddenly, when you heard the others cheering from behind a tree. Of course they were watching you and you felt your face heat up.

"FINALLY!!", you heard Karlach shout.

Zevlor and you both laughing at the situation when you felt his fingers on your chin, turning your face back to him.

"I wasn't done yet.", he said with a smile and his lips were on yours again the next moment.

[sillymercury]

Stolen Lullabies

Summary: When war returns to Pyrthian the inner circle finds themselves on the losing side. In a desperate attempt to turn the tides three brother perform a forgotten spell to call forth a great power through time and space. What happens when that ‘great power’ is a human girl who knows nothing of magic? Will she be of use or has destiny abandoned them?

Word count: 4.5k

Part i (Prythian Version)

Part i

New York ver.

Este let out a deep breath as she analyzed her outfit for what felt like the millionth time, observing her pieces over and over again. One minute she hated everything and the next she thought she was God’s gift to earth. Being a perfectionist has its downsides, especially when running behind schedule. She could probably add and take away accessories, try on different shoes, or switch out the jacket over and over again for hours.

The leather mini skirt she had on was her favorite of the night and the studded belt and silver chain that hung off her hips were the perfect add-ons. The top was a beige mesh corset that made Este’s modest chest more boisterous, she also had a long leather jacket that cleared her skirt and landed at her mid-thigh. With her neck and wrists layered in silver jewelry, she threw on some suede calf boots that matched her corset. Her hair was falling to her mid back in tight black curls. With her outfit out of the way she began to play around with her hair: up, down, half up-half down.

The sound of the phone ringing pulled her attention away from her reflection and had her diving into her bed to grab the cell phone that lay atop. It was her manager, no doubt asking where she was. She swiped across her screen to answer the FaceTime call.

“There’s my favorite pop star!” Shayla’s voice rang loudly out of the iPhone speakers. Shayla, the aforementioned manager and team leader, had been taking care of Este for the past couple of months since she signed with her Music company. Signing with the company was a dream come true for Este, after 2 of her songs went massively viral on nearly every platform she was offered a 15 million dollar deal that she immediately accepted. The company was most indulgent with artistic freedom, whether her demos were rock, hip-hop, or alternative, they accepted it all with open arms. After spending the last couple of months perfecting her first EP it’s finally dropping tonight at midnight. All of the effort put into her outfit was for the release party, Shayla tried to offer up a stylist but Este declined and ranted about being ‘authentic.’ “Are you ready for me to pick you up?”

Este shook her head, “I’m still figuring out my hair and I need to do my makeup. I’ll be ready soon Shay-Shay La-La”

“Uggghhhh, I swear to god you were born late,” Shayla exaggerated, “but seriously you don’t need makeup, and just leave your hair down it’s literally gorgeous.” Shayla was always dishing out compliments so Este just shook her head with a small laugh and pushed her single blond curl behind her ear before nodding. “I’m coming now to get you.”

“No!” Este responded slightly too quickly, earning a confused face from Shay. “I just mean it’s only a couple blocks… I want to walk.” Este’s stomach had been doing flips all evening and she blamed it on nerves but some primal part of her told her this anxiety was different. Like it was warning her of something that was on its way… something big. She wanted to be alone for as long as she could to ground herself before mingling with artists, executives, influencers, and whoever else may be at her party.

“Oh… everything all right?” Though they hadn't known each other too long, Shay knew that when Este insisted on going for a walk it meant her soul was feeling heavy.

“Yea… Yea! Just nerves you know,” Este did her best to make herself sound perky and excited even though she felt like her stomach was about to fall out of her ass. “I need the walk to bring myself back down to earth and I'm actually about to leave now!”

“I thought you-” Shay narrowed her eyes and brought her phone closer to her face, Este just smiled as she was being observed. “Okay, okay.” Shayla saw right through her but decided to leave it, Este thanked a metaphorical god for this. “I’ll see you there princessa!”

Este kept from breathing out a relieved sigh and responded cheerily, “Perfect see you there!” She went to hang up but a nagging question lingered in the back of her head and stopped her from pressing that big red button. “Actually um,” she paused, not knowing how to ask casually, “Did my mother ever get back to you? Do you know if she’ll be there?”

Shay took a minute before responding, the hard line that her mouth was set in gave Este her answer. “She read the message but she didn't RSVP… I'm sorry Este.” Este just shook her head as Shay went on, “But hey! There is going to be like a million and one people there who are excited for you and proud of all the work you've put into this.” Shay was nodding, trying to get Este to agree with her, “Let’s have fun, yeah?”

“Yes! Lots of fun,” Este’s enthusiasm was too over the top to be natural and they both knew it. “I'll see you there,” was the only other thing she said before quickly hanging up. The sigh Este was holding in finally shoved out of her mouth as she shoved herself off the bed and out the door, into the street. The wretched smells of the city attacked Este the moment she stepped outside earning a scowl.

New York was the perfect place for an upcoming artist but having been raised in the country side- Este had a natural distaste for the city. The sounds kept her up at night, the smells nauseated her, and the trash was…everywhere. While she loved walks through the city it seemed she never had an enjoyable one; always getting catcalled or stepping in something she didn’t want to identify. The worse part of it all was every single experience, whether she liked it or not, was locked away in her mind and kept in mint condition.

Though today Este’s mind was too busy to think of all the things she hated, she had that horrible nagging feeling eating away at her gut. Maybe that nagging feeling was her mother’s fault, she pondered.

Este had always been the apple of her mother’s eye, the perfect, gifted genius. Her mother would refer to her as “The mind of a generation” and tell her that she was going to revolutionize science and bring the world into a new era. No one ever attested to that notion, Este had an eidetic memory that much more resembles hyperthymesia and an IQ of 186. She was indeed amongst the greatest minds of her generation.

Everything changed when Este started making music. It became an obsession that consumed every waking moment. She had always loved music, having a taste for every genre, but her intense studies never allowed her indulgence. Her world changed when she met an unimportant boy who taught her how to hold drum sticks. He was totally useless other than the few free lessons she got out of him. After she dumped him where she found him, she began learning multiple instruments and how to produce music in a matter of weeks. It soon became all she did, she even began to neglect her schoolwork. Her mother reprimanded her many times, at the time she was 19 and a 3rd-year doctoral candidate, telling her that she worked too hard for too long to throw everything away for a “silly hobby.”

She tried to tell her mother that the silly hobby was her passion but was shot down every time. She insisted that Este had a duty to her gifts and it was her job to make the world a “better place” somehow. It was then she realized pursuing the scientific field was her mother’s dream for her and not her own. Everything came to a head when Este announced she was dropping out of college to focus on her music. If her mother ever was going to give birth to a cow, it would've been that day. The reaction consisted of screaming, crying, a couple of broken household items, and words that could never be taken back. One explosive fight later and she hasn't talked to her mother in 8 months, not when she got signed, not when she was featured on a top-charting song, and not even on her birthday.

Her mother had made it known how disappointed she was, claiming that she was throwing her life away and she wanted nothing to do with it. She said she would only talk to Este if and when she “came to her senses.” Her father didn't take her side either but he had given up on her when she made it clear she wasn't using her genius to further the American military-industrial complex. Her older brother… well after being compared to Este for the entirety of their life she couldn’t blame him for walking out and rejecting the entire family completely. The only one who stood behind her was her younger sister but May had idolized her ever since she was old enough to understand the term “greatness.”

Este shook her head hoping the thoughts of her familial drama would dissipate. She shoved her hands in her pocket and commended the version of herself from an hour ago that threw a lighter and spliff in there. She put the joint between her lips and as she lit it she scoffed thinking about how her mother would react to her newfound habit. The world would gain another cow.

Her pace slowed to a leisurely walk as she enjoyed the burning sensation from the marijuana and how it numbed her brain and body as well as mask the smells of the city. Her brain felt uncontrollable at times but the effects of the drug slowed down her cognitive function enough to feel normal.

The hotel where the party was being hosted was less than 4 blocks away but Este decided not to take the straight shot. She still had 45 minutes before people would be showing up and figured that was enough time to take a spill around the plaza so she did exactly that. As she walked around she focused on the bustling crowd, the wind that pushed and pulled the foliage, and the many sounds of the city. The weed now infiltrating her system had mellowed her out enough to actually be able to enjoy her city and not have a cynical response to everything in her path. So the walk did what it was meant to, she felt lighter and less stressed as she sat on the edge of the fountain to finish off her spliff before heading to the hotel.

She opened her phone and was faced with the paper she had made it halfway through, even though she wasn’t studying it anymore she still loved science. When you spend years of your life completely devoted to something it’s hard to leave completely in the past. The paper was published by the DOE detailing their breakthrough in nuclear fusion ignition, this controlled reaction was the future of clean energy on this planet.

She read the details of the intricate lasers, they contained 2.05 MJ of energy and when shot at a nucleus made up of two light nuclei the fusion reaction produced 3.15 MJ of clean energy. She had a particular interest in the experimental design, reading up on the diagnostics, target fabrication, and the computer simulations that were used. As she read the back of her mind was coming up with ways to apply this breakthrough to day-to-day life, the cynical part saying the US military would probably be the first to apply the concept to some unnecessary war machine.

“That one seems to like you,” a gentle voice came from her left. Reluctantly dragging her attention from her phone, she lifted her head to see an older, stout man. He was probably in his late sixties and based on the bag of nuts he was throwing around for squirrels she assumed he was enjoying his retirement. He had a crooked finger pointed at Este’s feet and when she looked down she noticed a single squirrel circling her her. There was a plethora of squirrels around the old man but this particular one did seem to like her.

“Hmm, looks like he does,” Este chuckled in response. She stood up and took a few steps and the squirrel seemed to follow her, she was laughing now. The influence she was under had her laughing a little harder than she should but she didn't care, the squirrel was adorable.

“Here,” was all the old man said as he handed her a small handful of nuts, Este took the nuts in her hand and thanked the old man before sprinkling some on the ground. The squirrel ran around greedily gobbling up every single nut. She placed a small pile on the lip of the fountain where she was just sitting and her new little friend jumped right up and went to town.

“Oh my gosh,” Este gushed as the joint hung lazily off her lips and she pulled out her phone for a photo. She giggled as she snapped away, getting plenty of angles to show off to whoever would pretend to care at the party later. With the phone mere inches from her face she noticed through the screen some abnormal movement in the fountain behind the squirrel. “Woah,” she let out as she dropped her hands and focused fully on the fountain, cursing the laziness that kept her from putting in her contacts as she had to squint. “Does it usually do that?”

“Well, most squirrels only come up to people they know have food but-” the old man was in the middle of answering before Este shook her head wildly. She stepped closer to the fountain and the sight became more clear.

“No, not the squirrel. The fountain,” Este grabbed the joint and used that same hand to point at the water that was moving rapidly now.

“Oh- Huh?” The old man glanced over his shoulder at the water before shaking his head, “Do what?”

Este looked at the man incredulously, the water was glowing now. It looked like someone had melted gold, added about 50 pounds of glitter, and was now mixing it about the fountain. “That!” Este exclaimed, pointing again, “Swirl and glow.” She moved closer still until she was leaning over the lip looking at the wild water.

The man stood up this time before turning to look again, “What are you getting at!” The old man threw his arms in the air as he exclaimed but Este was barely even listening. A harsh wind was coming from the water and blowing her hair about wildly, the wind seemed to wrap around her and pull her in closer. The water was humming, a melody that felt familiar but she knew she has never heard. It was inviting, and comforting, the sensation felt perfectly safe as she reached a hand out to touch the top of the liquid gold. She could vaguely hear the old man raving about smoking too many funny cigarettes when all of it was drowned out the moment her finger came in contact with the water.

The sounds of the city turned to warbling as she was yanked into the fountain, but she never hit the bottom, she just kept falling. The warbling turned to whooshing as she fell faster and faster. The water felt thick and warm as it encompassed every inch of her being, All of the exposed skin had the sensation of pins and needles, she tried to reach her hands out to grab something, anything but the dense substance made any voluntary movement nearly impossible. She couldn't do anything except let herself fall, so that's what she did.

The end was closing in as she seemed to slow and the warbling sound came back, Este was fully expecting to fall next to the fountain but when she fell on her ass it wasn’t onto concrete.

Este groaned after she hit the ground, it wasn't a hard impact but enough to hurt. She rolled to her knees and as she was pushing herself up she noticed the cold wet floor. It was covered in jagged rocks and puddles. She pushed herself up and looked around. It was hard to see, but she made out that she was… in a cave? There was cold wind blowing off the rocks, water dripping from the ceiling, and a damp earthy smell all around.

Este felt her heart rate rise as she looked around, it was incredibly dark and stuffy. The smell caught her off guard and the breeze had her clutching her body. The light from the swirling water she just appeared from was above her head on the ceiling of the cave and the glow was fading. The only thought in Estes' brain was confusion. She looked down at the joint that was somehow still lit in her hand and noticed she was completely dry. The fountain and the old man were nowhere to be seen.

Okay, she thought, hallucinations?

She looked at the joint again before aggressively throwing it down and stomping it out. “Jesus Christ,”she muttered as she stomped. When she turned around she realized she wasn't alone, her body reacted instinctively and she jumped back, letting out a yelp at the sight. There were three men in front of her, three very large men. Este herself was tall, standing at 5’8, she was still a good foot shorter than the shortest one. With the glow gone, she could barely make out rippling muscles and… wings?

Her eyes bulged before squinting, the only light now was barely glowing red and blue LEDs that were strapped to two of the men’s chests. She couldn't make out anything other than the outline of their body, not their facial features or whatever those huge things on their back were.

“It’s a girl,” echoed off the wall. It was a deep and rough voice, an intimidating voice that held a hint of confusion. Este instinctively took a step back. “A tiny girl.” The voice now had a slightly mocking tone and Este’s blood ran cold. Her head filled with terrible and violent visions of what three strange men might do with “a tiny girl” like her.

Stumbling backward her back hit the wall of the cave and she felt trapped, the part of her brain that hadn’t switched to fight or flight was grappling for an explanation. The majority of her brain was trying to come up with a next move, if she ran their long legs would catch up to her in a near instant, but if she stayed…

She clocked the silhouettes once again and decided fighting was off the table. She tried to control the shaking that had taken over her body as she pushed her brain to come up with something, anything. She contemplated screaming, throwing rocks, and biting sensitive body parts when the middle one spoke.

“Don’t worry,” this voice was smooth and silky, it sounded comforting but Este’s logical brain wouldn’t fall for it. She could vaguely make out hands that were held up in front of him as he took a step forward. “We brought you here… to help us.”

Este didn’t bother to try and understand what the man was saying, her a-million-miles-an-hour thoughts were halted. Something else had caught her attention. A black mass had begun moving behind the men. It looked like it was seeping out of the cave walls, twisting and swirling in an unnatural way. Her eyes would have caught it if its darkness wasn’t so potent.

The mass was darker than dark, so black that it stood out against the rest of the inky environment. Este’s shaking became more violent as she watched the mass, it seemed to grow and was now surrounding the men and pooling unnoticed at their feet. Whatever comfort was in the second man’s voice was stolen by the eeriness of the creature.

“We won’t hurt you,” he stepped forward again and Este didn’t care, her focus stayed behind him. She saw something in the mass, she squinted harder trying to understand what she was seeing. It looked like the mass was producing sharp blades, tens of them layered on top of each other. No. Not blades. Teeth.

She meant to speak, to ask about the ominous mass but her voice betrayed her. She was only able to point, to gesture to the thing moving around them. She made out three heads turning over their shoulders and took the opening.

Este ran. She didn’t know if she was running deeper into the cave or towards an exit but she didn’t care. She just cared to put distance between her and that thing, getting away from those men was a plus. Behind her, she heard a low “Shit,” that matched the first voice. There was also the unmistakable sound of swords unsheathing.

“What the hell? What the hell? What in the hell!?” was what she screamed in her head as she was taking off. She had weird dreams but swords and monsters? She hadn’t conjured anything like that since her juvenile years.

Ester cursed the heels on her feet, not only were they slowing her down but they were loud. That thing or those guys could easily just follow the sound of her steps. She didn’t let up though, she pushed herself as hard as she could, thanking Shay for buying her that gym membership.

She glanced over her shoulder to see how much distance she had gained but upon glancing she saw the man with the blue LEDs was a few paces away from grabbing her.

The shock of seeing him so close made Este stumble and trip over her own frantic feet. A second yelp fell from her lips but she never hit the ground. Strong arms wrapped around her torso and she was pressed into a steely warm body.

A terrible scream tore through her throat, and flailing began “Help! Help m-“

Este was cut off when a large hand firmly covered half of her face. The action was so rough it restricted her airflow from her nose and mouth. Knowing it was futile she still tried to break free anyway. Nails digging into the foreign skin and legs kicking about wildly. She tried to drop her weight and fall out of his arms but he held firm.

She felt a warm breath on her ear that covered her neck and shoulders in goosebumps as it carried a harsh shh. “Screaming like that is going to get us killed.” This voice was a new one, rich and heavy. It was the kind of voice that conveyed an intuitive pensivity. The kind of voice that would stop people in their tracks and drag their attention to whatever was being said.

The coolness of the cave was lost on Este as her body raised many a degree. Her rational brain told her it was the lack of oxygen and the energy she was exerting in her struggle.

She had two options: give in or pass out. She was sure the man knew this too. Deciding not to be unconscious in the company of a strange man she started smacking his arm ferociously. The man uncovered Este’s nose but not her mouth. She jerked her head about trying to get him to uncover her mouth too but he responded simply, “Sorry, I can’t take that chance.”

Este took greedy breaths through her nose and the mildew smell was long gone. It had been replaced with a plentiful teakwood scent, a sweet honey-like undertone, and an uncured resemblance to a freshwater stream. The relaxation was involuntary, her tense muscles relaxed and this time she was dead weight against the chest instead of trying to fall away from it. The man let out a low hum that reverberated through her body and eased her soul. She closed her eyes and took a few more deep breaths before pensively grabbing the hand on her mouth. The man must’ve clocked the change in Este’s demeanor because he let his hand fall away.

She turned and was faced with a chest, craning her neck she couldn't make out any details of his face. He was encompassed in darkness with only the faint flickering blue light to illuminate the bottom of his face. She could see strong cheekbones, full lips, and a sharp jaw but the rest was just shadows.

“Where am I?” Her voice came out as a faint whisper. His body heat was rolling onto her in waves and she had to physically hold herself back from sinking back into the stranger’s warmth.

“We’re-“ he started but then his lips fell into a thin line as he assessed her, “It’s a long story.”

A man of few words. Normally Este would appreciate that but now she was in a strange dark cave with a strange dark man and any story is better than the one she was concocting in her head. She thought up a schizophrenic break, a weird new drug that was slipped to her without noticing, or maybe a bizarre and realistic dream.

“I’m sure I can keep up,” Este spoke firmly. No nice smell or body heat was going to keep her from rationality. She wouldn’t go with him, at least not willing, without an explanation that made sense.

“We need to get out of here,” he pushed past her, clasping a large hand around her wrist, essentially dragging her behind him.

“What? No! I’m not going anywhere with you.” Estes' volume had increased so showed her sincerity. She tried to rip her hand away but alas his grip was strong. Although she was sure wherever she was being led was better than here her stubbornness wouldn’t let up. She dug her heels into the ground in an attempt to keep from being dragged any further.

He turned around and she didn’t need to see his face to know he was annoyed, it was dripping in his voice. “Either you can come with me or I can throw you over my shoulder and you can come with me. How do you want to do this?” His grip on her wrist tightened and he yanked her arm pulling her close to him again.

She pushed back against his chest and he let her step back, ‘how courteous’ she thought sarcastically. “I’m not going anywhere with you! I don’t know you, or where the hell this is, or what the hell is going on. And if you’re not going to tell me tha-“

He cut her off with his hand again, grabbing her and turning her back to his chest again as he assessed the cave. “Shh! Don’t make a sound. Don’t even breathe.” His voice was so low she wasn’t even sure it could be considered a whisper. It was quieter than the dripping sound coming from somewhere deeper in the cave and she’s sure she wouldn’t have heard it if he wasn’t so close. His demeanor had shifted and that scared Este, not necessarily of him but of whatever caused the shift.

She tried to assess their surroundings as well but her eyes couldn’t make much of anything out. The man took a step forward, the action forced Este to step too, and when she did her heel clacked against the floor. They both froze at the sound and Este looked down at her boots, cursing them. Este wasn’t sure why but she knew she just fucked up. It was confirmed by the stranger's sharp breath and newly rigid body.

When Este looked up she saw the mass, the creature from before. Or maybe it was a second one. The teeth, the swirling darkness, it was all much closer than the previous one. This time without a wall of men in between, this time she was the wall. A primordial fear seeped into her bones she couldn’t help the shaking. She had premonitions of what that thing would do to her, and she was sure the stranger would throw her into it for a chance to save himself.

His grip loosened and she took that as confirmation of her fear, a soft sob stole from her lips as she felt the hot tears of fear prickling her eyes. That thing must be attracted to sound because the sob was enough for the mass to start rushing forward. It was swirling in on itself as the dark mist cleared the the short stretch between them.

The man did indeed shove her but not into the mass. He shoved her out of the way into the cave wall. He must’ve underestimated his own strength because she hit the wall- hard. Her head made contact first and the last thing she heard was a sword unsheathing as unconsciousness engulfed her.

A/N: Here we gooo, part i(New York version) from Este’s perspective. I’m excited to write this multi part fic and if one person enjoys it I’m happy😭

If you got this far I love you and if you want to check out part i(Prythian version) you can find it here

Also to all my NYC homies I’m so sorry, i really do love your city but it’s important for Ms. Este to dislike it, pls forgive meeee

Masterlist

[madame-wilsonn]

The Sweetest Escape

MASTERLIST

Summary: as you’re spending your night on a balcony, a certain someone keeps you company

A/N: helloooo i know i know i haven’t posted in a while but my darling friend @zablife hit 1k and organized a fantastic celebration so I had to participate!! this pretty short and not proofread but i really wanted to post it! I hope you enjoy!! 💗

Warnings: none i can think of

Word count: 640 words

The ballroom boomed with chatters and music, champagne spilling and golden hues dazzling the guests.

You watched them from afar, well hidden on the quiet balcony. It was a splendid night, stars shining bright above you, a light breeze caressing your cheeks. You wondered why everyone seemed so interested in the party inside. With the fakes laughters and gossips when the moon stood so graceful in the sky.

Shivers covered your naked shoulders but you welcomed the contrast of your warm skin with the ambient cold. You could’ve ran back inside but you knew your body would get used to it eventually.

You wouldn’t get used to the snakes lurking in the corners of the ballroom. You never really did.

“You’re going to catch a terrible cold, Miss Y/N” a deep voice tore you from your thoughts.

You turned around, facing your interlocutor.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Shelby. I’m tougher than I look like.”

A soft smile lightened his stern features and you observed him a little longer than necessary. He was a handsome man, rough on the edges but there was a gentleness about him...Something you couldn’t pinpoint. Maybe it was the freckles adorning his cheeks…Or maybe the shade of light blue, hiding behind the steel of his look.

But he was above all your father’s colleague. And twice your age.

The man grabbed his cigarette holder from the inside of his blazer then took it off to wrap it around your shoulders. It smelled like him. Tobacco and whiskey. Long sleepless nights and freedom.

“Mr. Shelby, you don’t have to—” he waved as if to say it was no problem.

A cigarette found its place between his lips and again, you found yourself staring at him, a pleasant warmth making its way to your cheeks.

Feeling your gaze on him, Thomas looked up, repressing the smirk forming on his lips. He nonchalantly handed you a cigarette as well, your manicured fingers grazing his rough hand.

You brought your face closer to him so he could light up the cigarette for you.

“Thank you, Mr. Shelby.”

“You can call me, Tommy, love,” he almost whispered and you felt your heart miss a beat.

“T-thank you, Tommy,” you nervously passed a hand in your hair, pretending to fix your pin.

“What are you doing here all by yourself, eh?” Tommy finally asked, blowing a cloud of smoke into the night. “D’you hate these parties as well?”

“Oh, but I like large parties,” Tommy raised his eyebrows, almost reminding you you had just ran out of said party. “They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy,” you shrugged, answering as if it was the most logical explanation in the world.

A soft chuckle escaped his lips and you swore you had never heard a sweetest sound. He didn’t seem like the man who laughed a lot. No, he looked like the kind of person who laughed only for people who deserved it. The kind of people who had such a precious laugh they couldn’t waste it on anyone.

“But you don’t like parties, Tommy?”

The way his name sounded, rolling on your tongue, Tommy almost asked you to say it again. Beg you to repeat his name over and over. No one had ever said it this way. So sweetly, so gently. As if it was the most beautiful thing in the world. As if it wouldn’t bring the devil to your front door.

“Is it because you can’t dance?” you asked playfully after a minute of silence.

Tommy scoffed. “I only dance with ladies who love parties to escape from them”

You chuckled, shaking your head. Feeling a sudden rush of confidence skipping through your veins, you closed the distance between you and whispered in his ear

“Well what do you say we escape from here…for real?”

[sahine-chan]

"I'll still love you "

Summary: The reader is childhood friends with Riddle and they attended the same school. However, there is a growing distance between them that makes the Reader's heart ache so they will try to keep close to him as possible.

A/N: The reader is gender neutral and English is not my first language so apologies for grammatical mistakes. Enjoy!

CW: Riddle x GN!reader, angst

You've always enjoyed Riddle's company and you hope he enjoy yours too, you really do. That is why you would always try to make it and visit him to spend some time. Though, you weren't able to do this anymore when you witnessed the event that happened in the Clover's pastry shop.

That look in his eyes as he cry beside his mother while the parents of your other friend bows their heads apologetically, even tho you can't hear anything from inside you could still hear the strong sounds of rain and the loud beating of your heart as if its breaking. Ever since then, you could only peak in his window, not even seeing him properly but you could see and feel the pressure as his mother stands next to him.

...

After sometime, you made to be in the same school as him so you try to keep close to him again by following him and assisting him around, when he needs it of course!! Not in a creepy way. Maybe, that would at least help to break the walls between the two of you. Hopefully..

You would help in preparations of unbirthday parties, help feeding the flamingos and hedgehogs around Heartslabyul, and even try to memorize and follow some rules of the Queen of hearts!! He would make remarks about your efforts for participating and invite you in unbirthday parties, maybe you're finally earning his trust once again.

...

There was once an unbirthday party that you attended at Heartslabyul dorm that lasted longer than usual but Riddle and the other members of the dorm did not complain at all since everyone had enjoyed their time. You and Riddle spent the time talking over tea and slice of strawberry tarts that Trey serves while the two of you talk. You can't help but feel like you're melting everytime that he puts his hand on his chin as he close his eyes and smile to each words that leaves your mouth as you tell him the story of how troublesome a certain two first years are. The beautiful expressions his eyes make everytime he smiles and giggles is enough to make your heart content. It's as if you're children again and how you used to talk to him about the funny things that happens everyday. If only you could stop time and keep him smiling like this.

...

Everything seems so right. But it was until one day that you and Riddle had a little argument. You decided to talk to him in some hallway. The two of you standing infront of each other as the sound of pouring rain could be heard and your heart is beating. Just like that day..

You just wanted to ask him to spend time together before you leave but why does it feel like.. he's so far away? You think that it's probably just the atmosphere around you both so you should brush it off and tried to talk but he spoke before you could say something. " (Name), if you need something, go ahead. Speak."

You've always liked Riddle and you wanted to tell him this now before you leave and seems like Riddle is not aware about your plan to leave. " Riddle, I just want to tell you that.. when we separated that day," Riddle seem to have sensed what you are about to bring up. " I feel like I lost you forever." You feel nervous with silence and how Riddle feel far from you but you continue. "Riddle, I just wanted to tell you that I..-" "(Name), why bring that up when it's already done? We can't really do anything about it now, do we?" Riddle is not the type to interrupt people when they talk but this time he did. You feel shocked of how Riddle reacted but you try to explain your self. "N-no, Riddle, I mean- I just wanted to let you know how I feel.." you tried to explain, hoping he understands. "(Name), would you like to know what I think?" He asked. Curious, you just nodded to him. "I actually would like to be with you more often." Your heart fluttered. But only for a bit when he says, "But do you think it would be okay for me to do that..? When I'm still not right enough for my mother, for my self, for the others and.. for you." You swear the sound of the raindrops are starting to sound like glasses shattering. He turns his back at you, looking like he is ready to walk away. "So (name), forgive me if no matter what I do, I could never bring back how we used to be." 'you're wrong' You would say in your thoughts. Riddle starts to march away but you tried to stop him, "I think you're wrong." Riddle stopped on his tracks but refused to turn back to you. Your tears are threatening to fall. "I think you're wrong because.." you try to let out what you want say between hiccups. "For me.. you're the righteous one of all." Riddle can't help but turn to face you, only to be met with your teary face as you force out a smile not to make him worry much. Riddle's eyes grow to become even more glossy while he's looking at you, I wonder why. You continue what you were saying while you and Riddle stare at each other. This time, no one will hold you back from telling him how you feel before you leave. "I'll still love you even if it takes long." And with that, Riddles tears drop, like how your heart did.

-fin-

[marsgod]

Hello again! I’m the person who requested ‘Reader Overblots’ and I’m here to request something that is also blot-related.

May I request Riddle, Azul and Jamil who severely injured their S/O during their overblot and only find out about it after accidentally bumping into their injury either in class or on one of their dates :DD

Love your writing! I hope you’re having a good day or night!!

omg… i love this a lot<3

Also!! Tysm!! I’m having a lovely day so far, and to you as well~!

*＊✿❀【Ｈｕｒｔ　Ｄｕｒｉｎｇ　Ｔｈｅｉｒ　Ｏｖｅｒｂｌｏｔ】❀✿＊*

| Info you need! v

Riddle, Azul, + Jamil finding out they hurt their s/o during their Overblot!

Warnings; Reader Injury,

i’m trying to practice writing scenes so just skip to the “keep reading” thing after if you don’t want to read it:)

Your love and yourself are walking around, being tasked with getting some more ingredients for an upcoming party.

You nodded along to his quiet ranting, something about food, you couldn’t bring yourself to remember more than little snippets of what he was saying.

It’s been a week since his overblot, but your foot hasn’t felt any better, on account of you wanting to be there for your boyfriend and not “Taking it easy”. You had managed to escape the worst case “Maximum Damage”, but not without a close call or two, where you ended up scraping your hands and with a sprained ankle after launching yourself out of the way and tripping over your feet over one of this attacks.

“-And then they had the audacity to tell me, “It’s the same thing.” Can you believe that?” They, who was in front of you, turned around to get your input, only to stop confusedly, “Are you okay, [Name]? You look like you’re going to keel over.”

Having saw you were limping before, having brushed it off with a reminder to put your foot up when you told him that it was from Mr. Vargas’s training.

There was, in fact, no Vargas Training, only neglect for your own health.

Anyways, after you do actually keel over on the ground, He rushes to your side in a mix of panic and confusion. He ends up cast a levitation spell on you and leads you to the Infirmary but your hand to keep you near.

Once there, and explaining that they didn’t tell him what was wrong besides previous training with Mr. Vargas.

Later, after going to sit in the waiting room, is told that you needed to rest for the day and that he was dismissed if he wasn’t injured himself.

AZUL is clearly worried, he keeps smiling but it’s clearly saying “God please help me, if you even sound a bit angry even if its not at me then I’m going to have a nervous breakdown and I’m sorry-“

…Yeah, He’s still got sum issues, this is before he finds out “Oh shit this is actually my fault”

When he does find out though! he’s muttering apologies and bringing small peace offerings (cut up fruit and chocolate) even if you say that he doesn’t need to bring them to you.

He apologizes but is also confused on why the hell you went a fucking week on your injured leg, and thinks that you didn’t tell him cause you didn’t trust him which makes him feel worse

After learning you just wanted to be with him through his “recovery period”… Yeah, good luck w that because he keeps you in bed for however long your recovery period lasts so ha

JAMIL isn’t clearly worried, he practiced his rbf for years you ain’t seeing anything “clearly”

He asks the basic questions If you’re okay, do you need anything, what happened-

Oh? It was from his overblot incident from a week ago?… and, you thought you could power through it because you wanted to be with him?

He stares at you, unblinking, in silence until he finally opens his mouth and calls you dumb

and that he loves you, but god you’re so dumb

He feels bad ofc, and apologizes for it but also why would you do that? and keep it a secret?

Jamil won’t be able to keep you company a lot… Is what Jamil and you both think until Kalim learns you’re injured and floods your house with flowers and claims they’re going to stay with you to be at your beck and call.

Jamil is partially okay with it, but also “Kalim please they need to actually rest.”

Anyways, Kalim is the one that.. supports you and gets whatever Jamil tells him to and Jamil actually does the cooking, etc.

Amazing, house husband<333

RIDDLE feels so horrible and won’t leave you’re side, and is also more irritable than normal because he’s mad that he believed such a foolish lie

He doesn’t know exactly what to do but he does buy some if those herbal tea’s for you to drink and sorta relax with

After learning it was, indeed, his fault, he does also feel horrible but has a hard time with it so he just puts his head on your should and apologizes

Trey helps check up on you, and cooks because Riddle will badger you if you try to get up

the type to tie you in a bunch of blankets before he leaves to ensure nothing happens

Riddle won’t leave his dorm, but if he’s not in actual classes (with no other tasks) then he’s at your dorm, helping you with whatever until you tell him you’re okay or you fall asleep.

Riddle, at some point, probably fall asleep while in your bed but you don’t have the heart to wake him up (plus he’s a fucking heater) and yeah<333

[tobiasdrake]

We return! At long last, the present!

You and me both. At least now I understand the context for why we miss him so badly. Even if it was a very long hike to get to this point.

I hope he's doing well for himself out there. And that he isn't evil.

THE BUSHES

ARE YOU SHITTING ME RIGHT NOW

THE FUCKING BUSHES

HOW LONG. HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN. IN THOSE BUSHES.

Holy fuck the anticlimax is killing me. All this time. All this time building tension surrounding Garl and he was hiding in the bushes giggling and plotting when to reveal himself.

I want to punch him in the face, then hoist him over my shoulders and hurl him off that cliff.

I want to kiss him on the mouth.

ARE YOU SHITTING ME.

I genuinely don't know if I'm hysterical with fury or glee but it's something right now. THE BUSHES.

Ten years later Garl picks up our friendship right where we left off, like none of that time even passed. I'm sobbing.

T_T You're going to join my party and I'm never going to let you go again. I will literally trade Zale for you if I have to. How hard can his skills be to replace? It's sun magic.

My dude left after us but somehow managed to get so far ahead of us that he was able to hide in these bushes and lurk. That's skill. I don't even know when he could have--

Oh, wait. I spent like half a day fishing to get coin together to buy equipment from a merchant.

Yeah. Okay. That was probably it. I am not. Very good. At doing things urgently. I should probably take this as a learning experience and work on improving myself. But I will not.

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTHS YES HE CAN

If we send Garl away I'm going to be so fucking mad oh my god

Oh, okay, we just had to put up some token resistance so we could pretend like we did our jobs correctly. When Moraine complains we can be like, "Sorry, we did everything we could but it just wasn't meant to be. The forces of destiny wanted too badly for Garl to be with us."

Archivist said that we did something wrong and everyone died the first time around but this time we were going to do something right. I don't know if he was talking about bringing Garl along. Maybe the first time around, we really did make Garl go home and that was a terrible mistake.

But I hope it is. If Garl winds up being the Lynchpin of Destiny that means we win and save the universe or whatever, I will be a very happy person.

Probably mist, if we're being honest.

Yeah, that looks like mist. Got a whole-ass mistfall here. Who wants to bet that the Elder Mist is at the source of mistfall? If I was an Elder Mist, that's where I'd be.

...shit, maybe the mistfall is the Elder Mist.

Okay, this looks even more mystery than that other mystery door. What the hell is this even supposed to be? And why doesn't it respond to our magic when it clearly looks like it should respond to our magic.

You cut that out before I pee in your water source. I have been climbing cliffsides for hours with the sound of running water keeping me company, do not test me.

We're doing something different than other Solstice Warriors do because we're cooler than them.

You know, I was wondering what identified a mist as elder. He has to be controlling that. There's no way that giant mist moustache is anything but a personal choice.

It's working for him. I dig it. You do you, Elder Mist.

I'm going to remember that. I've already been lied to by one ancient immortal. If, later in the quest, I have to do a special something to unlock the ability to illuminate a dark dungeon, I'm going to put you on my shit list too.

Garl's already shattering cultural barriers and proving his awesomeness. There is no separating him from us now. Try it and you'll get the sternest of glares in your life. In stereo.

Okay, so we have another tutorial dungeon for the new mechanic, then? That makes sense. Here, we finally learn how to "use magic without using magic".

You know, after all the talking-up that's been done to this point about "using magic without using magic" including its vague and mysterious name, I'm kinda disappointed that it just amounts to a minor boost to attack power in battle.

Like, it's a cool mechanic, but I don't feel like it's living up to the hype. I'm sure it will be really important when it allows us to damage things that are arbitrarily immune to anything but this one mechanic, but I'm not really feeling the excitement.

[ace-oreos]

Squad Four, Coruscant Guard: Ch. 3

Kel gets an up-close-and-personal view of the Senate that leaves him with questions no one seems willing to answer, and some new faces (okay, one new face) make an appearance.

There was a certain charm to Coruscant in the early morning, before the daily hustle and bustle resumed and the shops and offices that dotted the upper levels hadn’t opened yet. Even the more disreputable alleyways appeared more palatable now that the sun was rising.

Presently, though, Kel was blind to it all; he and a trooper from Commander Stone’s company were escorting the incoming delegation from Malastare today, and he was late. 

Kel walked as quickly as he could without actually running. Bad enough that he was behind schedule; he doubted the senator and his party would have much faith in his ability as an escort if he looked like he had been rushing. 

He ducked through a door leading into the Executive Building and dashed up a set of stairs to the appropriate hangar. He threw himself out another doorway and onto landing pad H-2 in time to see the Malastare delegation disembarking. The other trooper was already waiting at the foot of their shuttle’s ramp; Kel would have to ask for his name later. 

He saluted the Senator and fell in with the other Guard at the rear of the group. Thankful that his helmet concealed his eye movements, Kel studied the party with interest. He’d never seen a Gran before. 

“If you’ll follow me, Senator,” the other trooper said politely once they entered the main building. 

The senator’s companions gazed around appreciatively. Kel understood their fascination. The Executive Building by itself was impressive, the assortment of diplomats and representatives passing through even more so. It could be overwhelming at times, but there was something grand about it all the same.

Kel was determined to make the delegation feel welcome. Hearts and minds came with the territory, after all - even if Flip liked to argue that no one in the Senate would give a clone the time of day. I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt, had been Kel’s answer when he found himself an unwilling participant in a debate over the matter between Flip and Nines. 

With that thought in mind, Kel addressed the Malastare representative closest to him. “What brings you to Coruscant?” 

The Gran seemed startled. Kel saw the other trooper’s visor angle towards him briefly, as though his brother was giving him a sharp glance. Wondering what had prompted the reaction, Kel added, “Malastare isn’t exactly nearby, so I imagine there must be a reason.”

The Gran exchanged a look with one of his colleagues. “There is,” he finally said. “Malastare recently signed a treaty with the Republic. Now that we have put its terms into action, there are certain revisions we would like to make.”

Kel, trying to remember what negotiations had taken place between the Republic and Malastare, ventured, “Revisions, sir?” 

“The terms of the treaty were sufficient given the circumstances,” the Gran said. “The Republic was granted full access to our fuel reserves. Recently, however, we have felt that Malastare should be compensated for its contributions to the war effort.”

I’ll never understand politics, Kel decided. If the Republic’s presence isn’t putting them at a disadvantage in some way, why do they need to be compensated?

“I thought Malastare was aligned with the Republic,” he said aloud.

The Gran tilted his head. “It is.”

“The Republic uses your fuel, and you receive protection in return. What other compensation do you need? That’s more than fair,” Kel said, reasonable. 

He was met with resounding silence. The Gran drew to a halt, mouth set in a thin line, while his fellows cast Kel disapproving glances. Best behavior, Relay had warned him.

So much for that. Kel regretted disappointing his sergeant, but he couldn’t muster up much guilt despite the displeased looks being sent his way. I meant what I said. 

“I didn’t realize clones had an interest in politics,” the Gran said at last. “Kindly keep your opinions to yourself.”

“Yes, sir,” Kel said blandly. He resisted the urge to point out that there was probably a lot the representative didn’t know about clones. He was going to be in enough trouble as it was. Instead he dipped his chin in what could pass as a respectful nod and fell back to his earlier position, where he wondered if there was some truth to what Nines said about senators.

His disquiet hadn’t abated by the time they left the delegation in the care of the Senate Guard. Given his earlier anticipation, Kel was surprised to find he was none too sorry to see them go. The idea of leaders that felt they were owed something for doing the right thing didn’t sit right with him, and he wanted time alone to mull it over.

“So,” the other trooper said, breaking him from his reverie, “this your first escort assignment?”

Kel nodded.

“I figured.” He sounded amused. “Guts, but no sense.”

“What do you mean?”

“Anyone who’s been around for a while knows better than to get into it with senators.” His brother tilted his head toward a nearby alcove. Kel followed obediently. “You usually wind up hearing things you don’t want to hear.” 

“My ori’vod says most senators couldn’t care less about clones,” Kel admitted. 

“Smart man.” The trooper eased off his helmet. “I’m Olli. Got a name, shiny?”

“Kel,” he said, removing his own helmet after a second’s hesitation. 

“Well, Kel, what do you make of the Senate?”

“I haven’t really talked to any senators before today,” Kel said honestly. He couldn’t help wrinkling his nose. “But I was hoping they wouldn’t be two-faced.”

For a moment he was afraid he’d been too forward. But to his surprise, a slow smile was spreading across Olli’s face. “Relay told me he picked up a shiny a few weeks ago. He didn’t tell me you stand on principle.”

Startled, Kel said, “You know Relay?”

Olli laughed. “Relay is my batchmate - and he hasn’t changed since the day we were decanted,” he added, correctly interpreting the look on Kel’s face. “Don’t let it bother you. He’s happiest when he’s grumping at some poor di’kut who put his belt on backwards.”

As Kel liked Relay just fine, he didn’t say anything to this. Instead he asked, “Are senators always… like that?” 

“Some are,” Olli said with a shrug. “Some aren’t. Politics is complicated. That’s why I stay out of it.”

“Seems like it’s hard to avoid it entirely, seeing as we're the Coruscant Guard and all,” Kel remarked. “Is it really that bad?” 

Olli’s face grew serious. “You don’t want to be caught up in the kinds of games the Senate plays, vod’ika. Some of them are too busy to think about anything other than negotiations and whatnot, but others… long memory, some of them. A long memory and power isn’t a good combination.”

Kel digested this in silence. He didn’t like the picture his brother was painting one bit. In a perfect situation, he thought, representatives would serve the people who elected them. The reality, it would seem, was far more convoluted. And where does that leave the GAR? 

“What about the Chancellor?” Kel wanted to know. 

“What about him?” Olli asked slowly. 

“He oversees the Senate. So why…?” Kel lapsed into silence. Olli was shaking his head. 

“Don’t ask too many questions, Kel.” His brother glanced around warily. “Relay should have taught you that. You don’t want the wrong person overhearing. Some things we don’t talk about - ever.” 

Surely the Chancellor is hardly the wrong person? Kel bit back the question and the half-dozen others whirling through his head. He thought back to the day he reported in. It’s a wonder we’ve managed to stay afloat this long, Flip had said, before Nines swiftly redirected the conversation. At the time, Kel hadn’t given it a second thought. Now, though…

“We should get moving,” Olli said, cutting through Kel’s thoughts. He slid his helmet back into place. “Remember what I said, Kel.”

“I will,” he promised. 

“I know it isn’t easy.” The older trooper’s voice softened. “But it’s for your own good.” 

So I’ve heard, Kel thought. 

***

“How did it go?” Nines demanded. 

Kel placed his helmet on his bunk and set about removing his armor. “It was memorable, that’s for sure,” he said, thinking hard. According to Flip, the Guard was struggling. But how? And why? Was it connected to the Senate somehow? What made Olli so quick to end any talk of Chancellor Palpatine? 

“Oh, dear.” Nines shoved himself up and swung his legs over the edge of his bunk. “Our shiny is getting broken in.”

“I’m not broken,” Kel said. “Just thinking.”

Nines groaned. “That’s even worse.”

Kel made a face at his brother, then returned to unfastening his boots. If the Guard really was in trouble, wisecracks were hardly going to help. 

“Who were you babysitting today?” Nines pressed.

“The senator from Malastare,” Kel replied. He wasn’t keen to answer any questions; he didn’t want Relay or anyone else finding out that he’d mouthed off to a Senate official. “I guess there’s some treaty that needs amending.”

Nines snorted. “There always is, if you ask them.”

Kel hummed in agreement as he neatly stacked his armor plates under his bunk. Now he understood why his brothers always seemed to be less than thrilled about escort assignments - although I guess some senators are decent, he thought. He smiled despite himself. Maybe I’ll get lucky next time. 

“Lost your enthusiasm for a career in the Guard yet?” Flip teased. “You could request a transfer to the infantry.”

“I can’t let you lot have fun without me,” Kel said, deadpan. “Besides, you would miss me.”

“We keep losing shinies faster than we can get ‘em,” Nines put in. “We’d like to hang on to you for a little while.”

Kel rolled his eyes. “I’m going to get something to eat.”

[johaerys-writes]

WIP Wednesday

I was tagged in recent memory by @noire-pandora @hexcore-juggler @inquisitoracorn @zuendwinkel, thank you so much! Always a treat to see what you've been working on <3

I've finally got around to working on the next chapter of A World With You, and I'm so excited for the Winter Palace! Especially for all the different ways everyone's freaking out about it, lol. So have some Dorian doing what he does best: causing a scene 😌

Dorian’s jaw fell slack. His ears buzzed with white noise, and he had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn’t caught in some horrific nightmare. “Excuse me, Madame de Fer,” he said, “could you repeat what you just said, if you don’t mind?”

“Which part, darling?”

“The part where 'we won’t be choosing our own outfits.' I think my ears may have deceived me.”

“Haven’t you heard?” Vivienne tilted her head ever so slightly to the side, watching every shift in his expression with increasing interest. “Every Inquisition member attending the Masquerade will be required to wear a uniform. The exact same uniform. Even the buttons will be identical, from what I’ve been told.”

“The— what?” Dorian let the armful of books he was holding fall on Varric’s desk with a clatter. Varric’s pen rattled in its fountain when the whole desk shook with the force of it, and the dwarf jolted from his seat to hold it in place before it toppled over. The throngs of visiting nobles closest to them abruptly stopped their conversations to gawk at them, but Dorian couldn’t exactly bring himself to care right then.

“Vivienne, my dear,” he said tightly, “if you’re joking, this is the time to say it.”

“Oh, I’m being perfectly serious.” The edges of Vivienne’s full lips curled in a knowing smirk as she folded her arms before her with practised leisure. “I’m surprised you didn’t know of it, Dorian. Seeing as you spend so much of your time in the Inquisitor’s company. Didn’t he tell you?”

Dorian gnashed his teeth. “No,” he growled under his breath, “he did not.” For which Dorian would absolutely be murdering him in a minute from now. Uniforms? Uniforms? Dorian hadn’t worn a uniform since he was in the Order of Argent, and he’d been forced to wear that stiff, scratchy, black and white monstrosity they’d given them back then. He would be lying if that wasn’t one of the reasons he had run away in the first place— Dorian wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something that hideous. And now to be told that he’d be wearing such a thing to the party of the year? Oh, Dorian had some choice words for whoever came up with the idea, and they weren’t at all pleasant. 

Tagging forth to: @in-arlathan @elveny @mogwaei @pikapeppa @serial-chillr @faerieavalon @pinkfadespirit @dafan7711 @tessa1972 @aymayzing @tevivinter @juliafied and anyone else who'd like to share their work!

[niemernuet]

another (small small) gift for @startgate13. Tbh I'm glad Manuel was so succesful in Engelberg because the first few days I was agonising what I should do because the story I was trying to bring onto the paper just would. Not. Come. It's just a short one-shot, a meeting between Marcel and Marco after the last race in Alta Badia, and without any plot. I still hope you like it. And, again, merry christmas.😁🎄

Reality

rating: T pairing: none characters: Marco Odermatt, Marcel Hirscher length: 800 words

He had sounded cheerful earlier during the countless interviews, still his usual stand-up self. Yes, it had been a long week, and he felt a little bit tired now, and yes, he was happy about the set of medals he had won in these four races, and indeed, he was looking forward to the Christmas-break. Away from the cameras and the photographers and the spectators though, somewhere in a narrow alley between the hotel and the parking lot, his mask slipped and revealed the truth: he was not tired, he was exhausted, and he was not looking forward to Christmas but crawling towards it with his last strength, the final thread of hope that let him keep up the jovial façade. He was leaning against the wall of the building like the dozen pairs of skis and sticks next to him, just another tool to be used and put away when done. Marcel had been staring at him without shame for quite some time, and finally he realised it. For a second it looked as if he would try to readjust the mask, put the happy-go-lucky Marco back into the showcase but decided against it eventually. He stayed put when Marcel crossed the road in front of the hotel in Alta Badia, and joined him in the abandoned alley. The sun did not reach the ground there, and he took his sunglasses off.

“Waiting for the afterparty?” Marcel asked, and kept smiling even though Marco did not retort it. In the gloomy twilight, his suntanned skin had an unhealthy tinge, and his hair that had almost glistened in the sunlight on the podium looked positively grey.

“No party,” Marco answered. “At least not for me.”

“I get it,” Marcel said. “It was a long week.”

Marco still did not move one muscle in his face.

“And I guess you still have to buy Christmas presents,” Marcel added.

Marco had his hands stuffed into the pockets of his fiery-red jacket with the countless logos of the Swiss’ sponsors, and Marcel realised that he balled his fists.

“I usually hand out gift cards,” he continued unperturbed. “I’m really not great at giving presents, and with these everybody can go buy whatever their hearts desire.”

Marco took a deep breath, and put all his impatience and strain into the long exhale. “What do you want?”

Marcel picked up one of the skis, and looked it up and down. Again Marco’s fists moved inside his jacket.

“Can I invite you to a drink?”

“And get walloped by Henrik the next time we meet?” It was the first time something approximating a smile washed over Marco’s face.

Marcel grinned. “Don’t flatter yourself.” He kept looking at him, and eventually, Marco shook his head.

“I’m waiting for Chris. He had to go to the gas station down the road but we’re leaving in the next minutes.”

Marcel shrugged. “Okay.” He lifted the skis with both hands, and turned them upside down, taking in the sharp rim that could cut through fabric and skin with ease, the sheet that carried the binding, the curve of the rounded tip.

“Can you stop?”

He tore his eyes off the red skis, and looked back at Marco.

“Please put them back!” Marco said through gritted teeth.

Marcel smiled. “Afraid I’m going to steal company secrets?”

Marco did not answer but his jaw kept grinding. With a soft sigh, Marcel put the skis back against the wall to its brethren.

“I know what you feel.”

Marco snorted. His eyes kept darting towards the street but there still was no bus approaching. “I should think you do,” he muttered. “You’ve won a few times in your day.”

Marcel laughed, and Marco frowned. “My day…” he chuckled. “That sounds like it was decades ago.”

Marco shrugged, and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “In a way…” He looked at the screen, and pushed a few buttons before holding it against his ear. They waited a few moments until Marco softly swore, and put the phone back into his pocket.

“I should go check up on Chris…”

“It’s getting bigger.”

Marco paused, and finally, for the first time, looked directly at Marcel. “Excuse me?”

“It’s getting bigger,” Marcel reiterated. “Reality, I mean. Your reality. Whatever you dreamt about as a little boy, everything is starting to get bigger than that.”

Marco’s mouth was slightly open as he stared at Marcel with a look of dawning realisation. Whatever he was thinking, Marcel was sure it was wrong.

“No, it’s not,” he spat, and Marcel needed all his media training not to burst out laughing. “We’re not the same!”

“Did I suggest that?”

The rising anger brought the life back in Marco’s cheeks. He glared at Marcel. “Whatever you’re trying, it’s not going to work.”

Marcel balled a fist, and exaggerated a punch into the air. “Damn it!” he said before he turned serious again.

“I’m not trying anything,” he said to Marco, knowing full well he did not believe him. “I’m just saying that I’m one of the few people in this world who knows how you’re feeling.”

One of the cars rolling down the main street, a white van with logos from Marco’s jacket on its side, turned into the parking lot.

Marco turned away from him, and started to pick the skis from the wall while his service man jumped out of the car, and opened the hatch.

“So, if you ever do want to talk…”

Marco, his hands full with skis and sticks, looked over his shoulder. Marcel smiled at him, and put his glasses back on.

“Merry Christmas,” he said, and sauntered back into the sunlight.

[agentldiddy]

The Leviathan Company: Session 6

This was an eventful session, to say the least

The party gets to a new city. It's on fire and being attacked by angels. Why are angels attacking? One of them just kept telling people "You are impure, you must be cleansed" so they may just be genocidal.

After killing two of them (with the third one escaping), Dar uses an axe of extinguishing to put out the fires, and planned to meet the rest of the party in the town square afterwards. Once that happens, the rest of the angels peace out, and the party is now in a lifeless city. So, they go searching for ANY signs of life. Then, they did.

They found an aasimar with a shop who is sheltering citizens from the attack. We chatted with him, bought 6 sending stones, and asked if he knew why the attack happened. He had no clue. So, Ivan started communing directly to Emotep in the Grand Brunch Table in the sky, and he had no clue either. Before they hung up on eachother, Emotep gave one last command: "Don't forget to kill some angels for me, those guys are assholes."

Among the survivors they found, there was a cleric of Emotep named Doctor Ned, who had dreams of creating a hospital. They recruited Doc for his healing skills, promising 1/6 of their profits so he could fulfill his dream one day. They also gave him the 6th sending stone.

Later, they set up camp for the night, and Zeta accidentally reads Dar's diary, and think Dar is just an upcoming writer. Anakiir, meanwhile, takes the diary while Dar was completely drunk and reads it.

At the camp, Lily brings up mention of reviving the slave girl she bought, but Doc regretfully informs her that he cannot do that with his current power. So, they give her a proper Emotepean funeral. Afterwards, Lily secretly reburies her with the magic stone that I forgot to mention they got after the Tree Mech fight.

Come morning, Dar confronts Anakiir for reading his diary. They kerfuffle for a bit, but the fight is eventually broken up.

We then continued following the Helm of Commune, reaching a small island in a lake that had a giant pillar on it. The pillar had a slot, perfectly shaped to hold something like the stone (which Lily buried) in it. Luckily, they had another one that was green. I forgot where we got this one, tbh. When they slotted in the stone, a staircase suddenly appeared, which they started descending into they reached a large chamber with 3 corridors.

They made a plan of travel. Lily, as the rogue, would go down the middle hallway. Ivan and Dar go down the left. Anakiir and Zeta go down the right. They would keep their sending stones primed and ready to discuss what they see.

Lily found a map in her room and everyone regrouped, entering a room full of vraks. After surviving that room, they entered the SKELETON ROOM. Dar killed the first skelly, then Lily noticed a Naga lurking around. After a long fight, Anakiir electrocuted the Naga as Zeta finished the skeletons, then Ivan finished the naga with a burst of tri-colored holy light from his smite. Once done, the group pondered about turning the whole dungeon into an emotepean temple after they finish exploring.

Then a few things happened. We got to spell scrolls, solved a puzzle, found 5 magic staves, killed a mimic, then proceeded into a large room. When they got into a side room, there was a gelatinous cube that they fed to Marvin. After picking up a spellscroll, they got to the final room, and touched a lizard pillar. This caused a young green dragon to emerge, and he said "You are impure. you must be cleansed." After a long fight with the dragon (including Zeta using a cool infinite javelin he got and Anakiir using lightning bolt) The dragon was reduced to dust by Dar.

Then the second pillar brought in a monkey. Just a monkey. Its immediate first action was to break Anakiir's nose with a rock. Then he and lily shocked the monkey, Ivan and Dar attacked it, Zeta tried to hit it with his greatsword, got his mother insulted by the monkey, then the monkey accidentally killed itself with the rock.

The party then went to the last pillar, and Dar pressed it. Activating it opened a door, releasing a vampire lady. Then a chest came out and the party got a few magic items, including a Giant Shield and Peace Keeper's gate. We left, hoping the vampire lady wouldn't become a problem. What fools we were.

[theluckyr]

So! As Isaid I am OBSESSED with your idea, and I was wondering. What if the reader was taking care of them? Like yk, really good a cooking, checking up on them, etc. Like how would they react? If its not too much, which it probably is, it would be nice with everyone :) but if it is, which it probably is, just Yoru, Sage, Fade, Jett and Sova.

(Also please dont make it too romantic, just kinda like nice siblings :))

Sorry if its too long lol 💀

My very first request?! What a joy!

Comfort

Yoru

When y/n found out that his diet consisted of instant spicy ramen and energy drinks, they immediately hopped on the net searching for some recipe ideas.

So right when he enjoyed his usual meal, they quickly swapped his meal with their home cooked meal.

He was about to get angry until he noticed some piles of pots and pans on the kitchen sink (so you did make this yourself) , he decide to calmed down and grabbed the spoon to take a few bites.

His stoic expression doesn’t tell much but (y/n) was anxious for a feedback.

“So, how is it?”

“It’s good. You can have my ramen”

As you took a bite of the ramen that he made, you immediately went on a coughing fit. Turns out he put more chillies in his ramen. He had a good laugh for a few minutes before handing (y/n) some water.

Jett

Found herself bored all day, no work. Just stay in HQ all day. As she laying on the couch, y/n while take their apron off asks.

“What’s up with you, Jett?”

“Just bored, nothing else to do y’know. Ugh…..”

“I know something that could cheer you up”

“What?”

(y/n) head back to the kitchen and bring a plate of fresh hand rolled kimbap for her. Jett was surprised, she didn’t know that (y/n) could make some Korean food.

"It's not much, but i hope you like it" then (y/n) handed her a pair of chopsticks. When she tasted the kimbap, she quickly pulled (y/n) for a hug.

"It's fucking good, i want more!"

"I put the rest of them on a fridge and there’s kimchi as well"

“THERE’S KIMCHI TOO?!?!!??”

She thanked the universe for letting her not to work on that day.

Fade

Prowler is a manifestation from her own mind and not a lot of people greeted her other than to talk about work. It was no brainer that she needs a company.

So game night it is!

Or manicure

Or watching some movies while bundled up in a blankets

Or making a henna designs for (y/n)'s hands.

Basically every night is a fun night for these two

At first, she was very skeptical with (y/n)’s sudden attention and only to find out that one of their nightmares was seeing fade as a mere tool. To witness it first hand really made her realize that (y/n) genuinely cares about her.

So there are times that Fade would give her own ideas as well. It would be no surprise to see (y/n) and her playing a lot of card games or teaching (y/n) how to make people lose their composure in poker games.

On the good side, you have a coffee buddy every morning.

Sova

Sometimes he really missed having dinner with his family and some light conversations instead of having his casual dinner in solitude.

But right after he got back from practice, he heard some noise in the kitchen. He saw everyone were hand in hand helping (y/n) with dinner.

“Can somebody pass the salt?”

“Got you, Y/n”

“Brim, We need more bowls”

“Do we have enough utensils for this?”

“Is it too much seasoning?”

“It’s pretty balanced to me”

“Where’s the bread? You said it’s in the oven”

“Um…..I'm scraping the burnt parts on the bread?”

“What’s the perfect wine to pair with the food? Red or white?”

“Red and Get out of the kitchen, Chamber!”

When Sova asked what’s going, Sage while untying her apron she explained when (y/n) was trying some recipe but turns out the recipe is for 20 people. So Brim decided to hold a dinner party. Forced everyone to help (y/n) or no bonus pay. Sova was delighted and chimed in to help out as well.

After a few minutes of chaos, all of them finally sat down including (y/n). Brim thanked everyoe for making this happen and enjoyed the feast. Everyone really enjoyed the food that (y/n) made including Sova. To enjoy this warm atmosphere once again, was something he held dear to his heart and he really thanked (y/n) for this to happen.

Even someone warned (y/n) to be more careful next time which they replied "At least there's enough for everyone right?" Which made everyone laugh in glee. That night was beautiful.