#some of the results so far surprise me 👀

[natalchartnurtures]

So tell me Taylor, Who am I gonna take to be my ~Lover~?

Want a sneak peak into who YOU'RE gonna take to be your significant-long-term partner?

(pile 1 to 3- left to right)

~~~~~~~~~~~

Pile 1:

Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close forever and ever? And ah, take me out, and take me home You're my, my, my, my Lover..

Let me say this. You're opening card is the ten of cups, right of the bat.. there's this beautiful love I feel between the two of you. Their presence in your life would either happen as a consequence of you resolving some of your deep subconscious beliefs that kept you limited in terms of love or.. some of you beautiful folks I feel your person will help prove your limiting beliefs around love wrong. This part of your relationship may feel a lil scary and intense but your love for them will end up helping you all the way through.

Oh wow.. I'm getting that you and your person will take on life together, almost with this feeling of being comrades. Especially during your more difficult and uncertain times, your relationship with them will only get stronger. Its giving Bestie energy ✨️ Don't we love that around here? Hehe

They really help you calm down if you're prone to anxiety and/or overthinking. Their energy has a really calming effect on you. Which is probably one of your favorite things about them 😊

I'm getting a strong message of this person being radically different from your previous partners. Maybe you are used to partners who are possessive, lack emotional intelligence and always gave you a reason to worry but I feel your person is a FAR cry from this kinda energy which will surprise you at first I'm ngl 😅 but once you get on board with the newness they bring, you'll have a beautiful relationship with them :')

"Equal give and take" I hear. Aw.

I feel like before you did the inner work with your subconscious mind, you attracted partners that weren't all that healthy but I see that as soon as you put away your wounds and old unhelpful beliefs that you might have picked up from childhood, that may have kept your energy stagnant, to rest they will show up into your life. You won't be able to miss it!

Side note: Ya'll reeeeeally remind me of Zendaya and Tom Holland. I kept having visions of them in my mind while I was channeling for your pile.. Isn't that something 👀

That was your reading, pile 1. Hope you enjoyed it!

Love and light, sweet souls ✨️

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

pile 2:

And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you dear Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?

Ooh.. I feel your person being highly intelligent and just really smart overall. They seem quite deep to me.. their energy is direct and doesn't really play around. They definitely come off strong to you when you first meet them. They don't seem to enjoy small talk or socializing "just for fun" they seem to take their social life really seriously which is why they might keep to themselves mostly having a very TIGHT group they let themselves mingle with.

I have to say this.. your person has developed an incredible relationship with their mind. A quite healthy one after years of suffering mental agony they have figured out how to master their own mind and as a result they seem quite mature and come off quite stable. They're giving off a strong regal vibe, like, they have a lot of self respect and/or a lot of people seem to respect your person. Your person strikes me like the kind that not everybody necessarily likes but somebody who is respected and revered (in some cases) nonetheless. Wow. Strong vibes. They could be quite an intense person too ngl. They might like to dip their toes into psychology or simply put, the Scorpionic arts or.. just be interested in the occult from time to time 👀

They may not believe in love before they meet you tbh.

They like to believe in what they have evidence for and seems like before meeting you they simply hadn't find evidence of real love.. aw, that's low-key so cute!

Your person comes off quite practical and earthy. They may move in a very strategic way, keeping their plans (and their life in general) mostly to themselves.. which is giving PRIVATE energy. They seem hella private 👀 haha

So you know they're gonna keep your relationship to themselves like it's a scared, precious thing that they gotta safeguard :')

Meeting you will POSITIVELY flip their world upside down. If there's one thing they don't understand, its love and romance. When you walk into their life, being your cute ass self, they won't know what to do with themselves and despite them being successful in their lives prior to meeting you, they'd feel lost with you. You make them feel.. dumb haha. Or they perceive it that way. You might think it to be ridiculously cute lmao.

They're definitely gonna feel A BURNING passion for you right from the get go and that's how they'll know that you're their person!

That was your reading, pile 2. Hope you enjoyed it!

Love and light, sweet souls ✨️

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

pile 3:

My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue All's well that ends well to end up with you Swear to be over-dramatic and true to my lover

So.. you guy's person and you come together in an interesting way. This is immediately telling me that your person is someone you don't expect to fall in love with. Ya'll might know each other for a while (depending on each person for how long exactly) and the feelings develop overtime. For some this person might reveal their feelings on accident while being drunk one night or something along those lines lmao (very specific, so take that with a grain of salt) lol but yea it's gonna be one of those really cute friends-to-lovers type situation with you and your person or enemies-to-lovers too maybe? 👀 Some KANTHONY vibes coming through #Bridgerton <3

Haha anyway.

You won't foresee a relationship between you and your person before it happens :p

Your person.. seems to have endured a partner before you (or many partners) who didn't really care for them. This may even be a feminine friend/family member as well. They broke your person's heart in a significant way and may even have manipulated you person into staying in the relationship (be it romantic or otherwise) which they eventually stood up to. Seems like a Karmic situation too btw. This Karmic situation, really helped your person grow and evolve into the person who was truly meant for you tho 😊 yay. They've healed from this previous heartbreak and somehow this road of healing brings them to you. Ah.. The reason why this previous relationship is coming into picture is because- they probably meet you while healing from this old situation.. they'd be hard at work trying to resolve the pain the went through and their reward for doing that is.. your love. AW. STOP IT! THAT'S CUTE <3

Ya'll remind me of that song "You Belong With Me" by our queen Taylor Swift. The lyrics are playing through my head now as I channel your person's energy. You could have additional messages in that song 😊

That was your reading, pile 3. Hope you enjoyed it!

Love and light, sweet souls ✨️

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

[lexsssu]

NGL, you mentioning Leon Kennedy is now making me think he's clingy af to everyone who loves him, 'cause I've been getting the urge to replay RE2R/RE4 recently just because of him.

To, uh, gaze at him respectfully. Very respectfully. 👀👀👀

Bro yesssssssssssss

I swear that bby boi is so affection-starved after everything that happened to him that the moment he finds real love, there's no way he's holding back <3

And with that, here's what I came up for Leon so far because he decided to invade my dreams-- HAHAHAHA

TAGS: Older!Leon (late 30s-early 40s)/F!reader(early-mid 20s), age gap, pervy thoughts, affection-starved!Leon, headcanons Ko-fi | Commissions (OPEN)

Older!Leon who'd all but given up any semblance of a normal relationship after everything he's gone through. He lazes about in the coach of the cheap apartment he sentenced himself into living in (despite the swanky and secure government housing freely provided as one of the top agents) with a cold beer while some random series was playing on low volume on the TV

Older!Leon who hears knocking on his door and begrudgingly answers it only to be met with the prettiestcutestmostgorgeousmouthwatering person he'd ever seen in his life

Older!Leon gets a full whiff of your strawberries & cream scent even before you opened your mouth and has him thinking of everything that is innocent, good, and worth protecting in this world. He then realizes that you'd already introduced yourself and that he'd been staring at you like a creep this whole time

“Kennedy…Uhhh…Leon S. Kennedy,” he half mumbles and states as he tries not to look too deeply into your eyes lest he finds himself lost in their depths. He doesn’t need to look more of a creep than you might have already thought he was

 And when you don’t immediately run for the hills, he internally sighs in relief. It’s a foreign feeling to him, because after all the horrors he’d witnessed and experienced, the last thing he ever worried about was how other people perceived him

That he was actually worried about what you thought about him despite having only met is both alarming and yet somehow…comforting? It tells him that despite how broken he thinks he is, he’s not so broken as to no longer care at all about anything

…It also helps that you’re such a cutie that it’s impossible for him not to care about you. Especially when you keep bringing him your homemade food all the time

The animal part of his brain rumbles with pleasure at how you were already being such a good mate by making sure he’s well-fed when he’d yet to properly bond you to him. It reinforces the idea that some part of you unconsciously knew that he was the one for you

“It’s the first time I’ve lived on my own, and I guess I’m just not used to making only food for one. I don’t like letting food go to waste either, so I thought maybe one of the neighbors might appreciate it. Safe to say that I never get to any of the other neighbors since you’re always gratefully accepting my cooking, Mr. Kennedy”

Had he been a lesser man, your playful teasing would have resulted in you pinned to the floor as he loomed over you, covering your naughty little mouth with his. He could already imagine the tiny squeak you’d let out in surprise or the delicious whimpers he’d coax from your plush lips that he’d only swallow up

“I think we’re more than acquainted enough to get past our surnames, don’t you think? Just Leon is fine with me, doll.” 

The first time he hears his given name spoken from your lips, his traitorous brain conjures up an image of you with your eyes practically rolling to the back of your head as he fucks your pretty pussy open with his cock 

Was he getting too attached because you were the first person outside of the dangerous world he lived in who showed genuine care without expecting anything in return?

…Perhaps

But did he really care? 

Honestly, no

If anything, it’s only a matter of time until he no longer had to imagine waking up next to you in the morning or getting back home from a mission or the office and having you wrapped in a pretty little apron without anything underneath waiting patiently for him

[kassiekole22]

Joy Ride

𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐

𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐

Pairing: Brian O'Conner X Fem!Reader

Description: Brian finds you walking home late one night and offers you a ride, which turns into a night-long joy ride around Miami.

Warnings: Fluff, Speeding, Friends Or Future Lovers? (You Decide)

Word Count: 2.2k

A/N: Sooooo, I watched 2 Fast 2 Furious for the first time a around a month ago and this guy has been on my mind ever since. I have always really loved Paul Walker so this was bound to happen eventually. 😂 I don't know if I plan to write more for him or if this will just be a one time thing, but I have been working on this fic for quite some time now and I'm happy to finally be posting it. More to come from other beloved characters soon! Enjoy the fic and if you want more Brian O'Conner fics in the future, let me know in the comments or inbox! 🖤 (Also did any of you get the reference in the name? 👀)

Main MasterList: 🖤

Kassie's Angels: @mornandil, @lorebite.

(If you want to be added to the taglist, let me know in the comments! 🖤)

𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐

2002

The air is pretty cool for a night in Miami, but I don't mind. I walk with my hands in the pockets of my hoodie, protecting them from the slight chill. It's nothing too intense, but I haven't been used to being in cooler temperatures for awhile now.

I walk quickly down the sidewalk as a few cars pass from time to time. The sounds of their engines make my fingers and feet tingle a little, my body missing the feeling of the steering wheel gripped in my fingers and the gas pedal under my foot.

I wrecked pretty badly during my last race, resulting in my car becoming too banged up to drive. Most street racers have other cars to fall back on. Unfortunately for me, my girl was all I had. Now I'm left to walk on foot until I can get enough money to fix her.

The ambiance in the street is pretty calm until I hear the familiar rumble of a very specific engine approaching my side. To my surprise, that iconic silver and blue Nissan Skyline pulls up, slowing down to drive at my walking speed. But the slick paint job or glowing underbody isn't what makes it difficult to look away. The driver is none other than the man who beat me in my last race, Brian O'Conner.

I'm met with a kind smile as he rolls down his windows, his bright blue eyes glancing up at me from the shadows of the interior. There is just something about that man that draws me in. I could never tell what exactly it was, but it pulled me in his direction like a bee to a flower every time I was in the same location as him.

"Ey, need a ride?" He queries in a rasied voice, nearly shouting over the Skyline's growl.

Though it's tempting, I don't want to throw a wrench in any plans he may have. Knowing him, he has another street race or date to get to at this hour. So, despite the aching pain in my feet that is screaming in protest, I respond casually, "Nah, man. I'm good. Home's not too far away anyway, y'know?"

Even though it wouldn't take him too long, it would be pretty pointless to drive only a couple blocks anyway. He takes a mere second to let my words sink in and find an answer, his eyes hopeful as they are taken off the road and landing on me once more.

"We don't gotta take you home. The night's still—" He checks his watch, and his eyes widen slightly as he realizes the time. "—Well, middle-aged, but that don't gotta stop the fun."

I can't contain a faint chuckle at his dumb joke, rolling my eyes as I do so. The next thing I know, my feet are subconsciously coming to a stop, and he gently lays on the brakes. His car is also stopping right beside where I now stand, but the engine still purrs softly to alert all of its consciousness.

"Ah, c'mon, girl. Let's live a little, eh?" He flashes me that dangerous half-smirk that beckons me forward into mischief. It now dawns on me that he might not have the intention of taking me home, which is intriguing in a way.

I contemplate my options for a moment. The only thing waiting for me at home is a couple bottles of beer and some cold pizza left in the fridge from the night prior. It seems like I've been spending most of my time alone lately. Maybe it would be good to spend some time in good company.

"Alright," I give in with a subtle but still noticeable sigh, backing down in my mental debate.

He reaches across and opens the passenger door for me as I round the car, its headlights illuminating me for a brief moment as I cross in front of the bumper before hoping into the seat offered to me. It felt weird being in the left seat and not having a steering wheel before me. I could never get used to those foreign imported cars. 

But regardless, it sure is a beauty. The leather interior smells oddly fresh and calming, with a faint hint of exhaust filtering through the open windows. It's clear he just cleaned her up. Brian was always the type to take care of his rides.

I pull the seatbelt across my chest and lock it in securely, mentally preparing myself for the wild ride I know damn well he is about to take me on. He looks at me and flashes me that cocky yet proud smile as he revvs the engine for only a moment before taking off into the night.

With windows down and speed carrying us, I feel like I'm floating on air. The soft breeze I felt only moments ago is now a fast wind in my hair, and the soft ambiance of the nightlife in Miami is now disturbed by a machine growl.

I glance over at him, and it's as if time slows for just a minute as I take in how happy he is. He's a simple man. He doesn't need the fancy things in life, just a fast car to make the corners of his lips part into that iconic grin I have grown to love.

"Wanna get fuckin' nuts?" He asks me, his voice taking me out of my thoughts and putting me back into reality. That's when I notice that mischievous look in his ocean blue eyes, their pupils blown wide with adrenaline.

Hm... Blue and full of adrenaline, like the blood pumping in our veins.

"What?" I blurt out, not fully comprehending what he is asking, until my gaze wanders down to where his thumbs hovers over the nitro buttons.

I look at the road ahead, seeing that it is completely barren of all life, and I can't help but smirk at the thought of what he is suggesting. It's a dangerous game—playing with speed in such a way—but a thrilling one, for sure.

Taking my eyes off the road ahead to look back at him, I notice the hopeful glint once again in his eyes, only pushing my thought process toward wanting to comply. So without a second breath, I cheer, "Fuck yeah!"

With a simple click of two buttons at once, we are off like a rocket in space. Suddenly, the street lights look like comets, and the lines on the road are just blurs of colors. It's oddly beautiful in a way, and I marvel at how it ignites my soul with such a unique feeling, which I can't possibly seek from anything else. My fingers dig into the sides of my seat as my heart pounds against my ribcage like thunder, both overwhelmed but thirsty for more of this intoxicating rush.

Though Brian only lets this last for a moment, just seconds passed that will remain with me for an eternity. We laugh as the car slows to a semi-normal speed again. My smile is so wide, I can feel my face begin to hurt.

But I don't care. I am just so high on the thrill that my mind is lost in a cloudy space of euphoria. It's crazy how the night went from a quiet walk home to taking a joy ride with one of my rivals, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Once our laughter dies down, the soft purr of the engine is the only thing heard yet again as we both seemingly get lost in our own thoughts. What is he thinking? I wish I knew. The only thing on my mind is how happy I am. It isn't until a couple minutes later that he speaks his mind, taking a deep breath before his lips finally form the words he has been pondering.

"We should do this more often," he suggests in that nonchalant tone he carries quite regularly for someone with such excitement in his life. "Y'know, hang out outside the racing world? You're a cool girl."

I can't repress how my smile softens for a moment at his words as my eyes flick over in his direction while a million responses filter through my mind. This guy is a legend—a local celebrity, if you will. To have this opportunity is an honor. However, I don't necessarily get the vibe of entitlement from him. Instead, his atmosphere reflects something else—something friendly and inviting.

"And you're a cool guy. I'd love to hang with you more often." I reply, trying to sound chill but coming off way more sincere than intended. Though he doesn't seem to mind, in fact, he seems to be pleased with my response.

The next thing I know, he is pulling into a public beach. Its sands are abandoned by any human life due to the lateness of time, though the footprints of the visitors that day still remain like ghosts of the past, their memories carved in the sand until they get washed away by the waves.

He locks the car in park, unhooks his seatbelt, and gets out. I watch through the windshield as he rounds the side of it to rest back on the hood. My eyes study him as he lifts himself to sit on the hood, not once looking back to see if I leave the car as well. It's almost as if he expects me to.

So to fulfill his silent expectations, I swing my door open and hop out after freeing myself from my seatbelt, nearly stumbling as the ground is unexpectedly unsteady where I stand. My feet sink into the sand, and I'm grateful I chose to wear boots tonight over anything else.

Once out of my sticky situation, I take a moment to appreciate the freshness in the air—the sweet smell of the ocean before me for just a second. After approaching him, I rest beside him on the hood, watching the waves crash before us. It reminds me that life is quite like the sea. It's unpredictable, a little scary at times, but beautiful in many unique ways. I release a soft breath, my body relaxing in this calming moment.

"I remember the first time I saw you pull up in that black Trans Am to the race. Fuckin' engine and bass on your stereo roaring over the sound of the crowd." He chuckles while he reminisces about old memories.

"Buni," I correct him as I smile fondly, thinking about the beauty that's currently under a tarp in my garage, just waiting to be repaired and set free on the road once again.

"Yeah, Buni." He parrots me in an almost teasing way. I know he finds the fact that I named my car ridiculous, but I can see it in his eyes that it amuses him all the same. "You're something else, (L/N). A damn good racer, though."

My heart flutters at the compliment, and I feel my cheeks heat up with this familiar warmth that only he ignites in me best. The soft breeze blows through my hair as I think of a reply, running through my strains like an angel's fingertips. But it's not the breeze nor the location that has me in such a calm and joyful state.

I continue to study him—the way his blonde curls blow in the breeze, the corners of his lips turning up ever so slightly to show his contentment, his biceps flexing ever so slightly as he crosses his arms over his chest. It amazes me how all the different shades of blue in his iris reflect the scene before us. It's like I could literally drown in them each time I gaze into them to admire their beauty.

"Yeah? You and your Skyline ain't so bad either." I finally quip with a small bit of sarcasm dripping from my tone after forcing myself out of where my mind has disappeared to for a short time. He smiles softly at my words, because it's evident how I really feel about him. He knows, and I know that, but I don't really care anymore.

We talk until sunrise and watch as the black sky fades into orange and pink, blending with the stars to make them barely visible. Though they are out of sight, I know they still shine brightly above us, like angels waiting for us in heaven. It's quite special—maybe even magical.

The sea reflects the morning sun as it rises from the horizon, its golden rays shining upon us as we remain on the hood of the car. It's just us out here in our own little world. If I learned anything from last night, it's not the place that makes a moment special, but the person you share it with.

I don't know where this road will take us. I know it will be a long one—with plenty of traffic and bumps ahead—but the ride will be an enjoyable one with a new friend in the seat next to me as we speed through it all. And if we happen to get separated some point along the way, I know in my heart that I'll see him again.

𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐⭒𖤐

[devilkittydeckbuilding]

HELLO ALL

today i will be talking to you about one of my more recent decks that has very quickly become one of my favorites!!

it is...

GANDALF THE WHITE POLYARMORY

now, this deck name might sound confusing. but its really quite simple. this is a mono white grouphug deck with the sole purpose of copying the etb of wedding ring to give one to the whole table and marry every player. the goal of the deck is to put everyone in the game into a polyamorous relationship!!

the rest of the deck is a mixture of typical group hug elements, such as shared card draw (secret rendezvous, howling mine, font of mythos) and general etb abuse (elesh norn mother of machines, panharmonicon) and when you combine these two aspects the deck helps out all players but can also effectively control the board by triple copying a meteor golem or loran of the third path!!

i havent had the chance to play this deck all that often but when i have played it it has some real killing power surprisingly. the main thing i realized playing this deck is that doubling or tripling your etbs gets out of hand fast. like obviously it does, but youll be surprised if you decide to play with it.

this deck is rather weighted on the artifact side. i couldnt find a large amount of legendary creatures that copy with gandalf so artifacts were the obvious choice. most of them draw cards on etb or add mana, while the rest copy etbs and are just general group hug cards. this deck could easily be changed to be much more competitive if you removed some of the group hug elements and added more interaction (most of my decks have an emphasis on fun and therefore the interaction might be lacking in some of them).

there are a few cards in this deck id like to talk about as overperformers. this deck does some silly things and these cards felt especially strong from my games with the deck-

eriette's charmed apple: this card when doubled with a panharmonicon type effect (aka your commander 👀) is disgusting. nobody expects the mono white deck to untap and steal their creatures for a turn, which results in turns where you steal the biggest creatures on board and swing for lethal on someone. i nearly killed my girlfriend this way out of nowhere in her life gain deck and it doesn't seem far fetched to do that most games. there is also some graveyard artifact recursion in this deck which allows you to loop this which, in the late game, really adds up.

master of ceremonies: this one is probably obvious to anyone who has played the card before, but this was my first time. if you stick this and no one kills it (which they aren't initially inclined to do) it just spits out so much value. you get three things every one of your upkeeps, whether that be three treasures (broken), three cards (broken) or three creature tokens (yay blockers!!) or some combination of the three. this adds up so fast and gives you a huge advantage for the small price of helping your opponents a bit.

tenuous truce: this card single handedly kept me in the gane by enchanting the player with the biggest board. its crazy what people will do when they get an extra card every turn. obviously gets worse the more people know about your deck cause one card a turn wont stop your average player from swinging at who they deem a threat, but still. its still really good and much better then it seems!!

as for how to play the the deck, its mostly stay alive till its you and one other player. you can do this by killing key targets with your etbs (this deck deals with artifacts and enchantments especially well) or getting people to believe you are not a threat cause you are feeding their card draw. this deck can very easily be ran over if you don't pull a board wipe for the creature decks or if you lose to something that you couldnt interact with cause you are mono white. thats just kinda the brakes. but this deck has more staying power then i ever gave it credit for when i built it.

in closing, this deck is probably around a 6 or so in power level and i wouldnt play this at a high power table but if you and your friends want to have fun then you should give it a try!! i got to marry most of the table in my first game with the deck and it was so satisfying, plus when everyone has a wedding ring the amount of card draw and life gain going around gets out of hand fast. especially if you have extra card draw effects out everyone can be drawing upwards of two cards every single turn lmao

(also dont tell anyone but this deck has another thing in it thats fun to do with your transfem friends, and that is jinxed choker. this is an artifact that is in the deck purely to joke about how whoever has control of it at any given time is collared up. you can marry and collar your friends with this deck and both will make your gay friends go nuts at the edh table lmao)

[lesbianlotties]

Avatrice and 08. “I look at you and I think, ‘sunshine. Literal sunshine.’ It’s annoying.”

Enemies to lovers??? 👀

08.  “I look at you and I think, ‘sunshine. Literal sunshine.’ It’s annoying.”

Somewhere along the road between death and running away from killer nuns, Ava Silva made the questionable decision of joining a team of mercenaries of sorts that had a sworn rivalry with the OCS. It wasn’t exactly the life she envisioned following when she came back to life but, so far, it seemed so much more fun than whatever that group of very aggressive, very intimidating nuns had to offer. Plus, it meant that she got to see Sister Beatrice huff and scoff and even, shockingly, roll her eyes at Ava whenever they crossed paths during a battle. It wasn’t that she hated Beatrice. In fact, Ava would always remember her as the kindest of all of those nuns that tried to claim her as a weapon when Ava had just wanted to live. Okay, and also the most beautiful of them. So if Ava went out of her way to be the one to fight Sister Beatrice every time their two groups collided, she could say it was just out of sheer curiosity, just to see how much it would take to make the most polite and professional nun show some sort of recklessness, some real emotion, anything.

Meanwhile, Beatrice wasn’t doing much better. The OCS wasn’t struggling without a halo bearer and she was juggling more responsibilities than ever before. She should have been stressed and hyper-focused on her job and her mission, not on Ava Silva’s smug yet adorable smile when they clashed during a battle. Someday the OCS would recover the halo but, until then, Ava was the enemy. It could’ve been simple impulsivity and convenience at first, but after months, she had to admit that Ava worked with the mercenaries willingly and knowingly. She was outwardly sabotaging the work of the church and having the time of her life in the process, judging by her smiles and laughs and the glow in her eyes and the blush in her cheeks and…  Whatever. If Beatrice was going out of her way to orchestrate encounters between the OCS and the mercenaries, it was only because she firmly believed Ava would eventually choose the right thing and join them, join her.

Funnily enough, neither of them really planned to have one of the mercenaries’ bombs go off before their latest battle could really come to a close. The result? The only exit of an old building’s basement blew up, crumbling into pieces, and leaving only Ava and Beatrice locked down there.

Ava was tense, prepared to run or fight back, but when she turned to Beatrice, she found the nun was standing still, in perfect pose and perfectly calm, not looking to attack her at all. Ava relaxed, slightly.

“I suppose you’re going to phase through the walls and the rubble and leave me here, aren’t you?” Beatrice asked, barely even glancing at Ava’s face.

“Oh please!” Ava scoffed as loudly as she knew how to. “I’m a gentleman, I would leave a lady in this place…” Just when Beatrice’s skeptical eyes started to soften, Ava added, “And the halo is kind of done of the day.”

Ava shrugged, chuckled and, to highlight her point, she tried to make the halo light up, and barely got it to flicker weakly for a second or two. It had been a long battle after all.

“You’re impossible,” Beatrice said. Her voice was the closest thing to a petulant scoff that Ava had ever heard from her. It was addictive.

“Uh, excuse me?” Ava laughed bitterly. “Last time I checked, you were the one trying to kill me a minute ago, sister.”

“I would never kill you,” Beatrice snapped right back.

Ava was taken a little by surprise by the conviction in Beatrice’s tone, but she had to be strong and keep up her defenses.

“Oh? Because I’m the halo bearer?” Ava said the words with as much venom as she could manage.

“No. It’s because you’re you,” Beatrice said. It was truly impressive, the way she managed to sound offended and gentle at the same time. “You’re Ava. You’re talented, infuriating, kind… beautiful.”

Before Beatrice had time to regret her words, Ava said, “Yeah? And what else?” She tried to sound still angry, still taunting her, as if she could really hate Beatrice, as if a crucial piece of the puzzle of her heart hadn’t suddenly snapped into place the moment that Beatrice called her beautiful.

“You’re stubborn, impulsive, exasperating, impatient,” Beatrice said, and yet there was a small smile threatening to take over her lips. “You have a badly timed sense of humor. You are a fantastic fighter that could be better with proper training and… And when I look at you I think, ‘sunshine. Literal sunshine.’ It’s deeply annoying.”

“I’m sunshine? You’re sunshine!” Ava exclaimed.

“That… that doesn’t make sense.”

“I know,” Ava sighed, “But you’re saying all these nice or painfully true things about me and I think I really you but I also think you want me out of your life and I don’t know what to do about it.”

It was Beatrice’s turn to sigh, but she always walked slowly closer to Ava. 

“I don’t want you out of my life, Ava. Quite the opposite, really,” Beatrice explained with a nervous smile and earnest eyes that showed every bit of emotion Ava had been dying to see in her. “I want… All this time I’ve wanted… I don’t think I can say it. I’m not sure what it is that I want, really.”

Ava took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and used every bit of courage she had in her to reach out and gently take one of Beatrice’s hands in hers. 

“Well, looks like we’ll be here a while. Why don’t we figure it out together?”

[ratasum]

Mmm so what are the main bullet points + some smaller things you changed that you particularly like? 👀

LUCKY FOR YOU I WAS JUST TYPING THIS UP. SO the main bullet points are as follows (cuts for minor spoilers):

Interestingly, there's a surprising lot more that I like about SotO than people might think, so it's actually really fun to play with the bones that could make a much more interesting story to me.

Since we had been rping for YEARS like Zojja was still present in the story (if anet wasn't going to write her we might as well), we opted to keep that the same. She'd been in contact with Vezz, and still mentoring (at a much lower level) Taimi and Qirri for a while.

She does still opt to leave Rata Sum, but instead of frustration at being ignored (asuran society is canonically a meritocracy and Particularly Important Geniuses would not get a chance to breathe) it's frustration that no one will leave her the fuck alone. And the council is trying to put her under a stewardship. She ends up reuniting with Leyya and the two head to Lion's Arch together.

Instead of Zojja in Wizlandia, it's Caithe. She gets recruited right after the epilogue (we switched the timeframe so Gyala happens AFTER the epilogue), so it's been a year or two since anyone's heard from her.

Odetta gets the Wayfinder title, but Leyya gets referred to as the Hunter, since her demonic possession allows her to sense and locate kryptis rifts when they're forming. They still require the Heart to open them, but she has an uncanny ability to sniff them out. And that's because...

...Rift Hunters take on a small amount of kryptis possession in order to be able to do the same thing! It's willing, as opposed to Leyya's, but she's now in the ranks of Rift Hunters now. The only difference is she doesn't know that eventually, Rift Hunters will have to be put down. This will change with time.

Mabon surviving! He becomes Zojja's mentor early on, initially at Isgarren's behest but they hit it off pretty quickly, after their arrival as a result of her wanting to help Odetta and Leyya but the chronic fatigue and pain she endures from lasting injuries as a result of what happened in Maguuma keep her from participating directly. She eventually learns to Astral Project so that she can help in Convergences.

Galrath isn't who he seems. That one's complicated but we were both bothered by the fact that a big plot in GW1 was keeping him OUT of the Wizard Tower. Anyway he's mesmer'd to look different; @wall-legion came up with the idea last night.

Other things will LARGELY depend on how the final drop plays out but this is most of what we have so far. A lot of other things largely play out very similarly to how they do already with some small exceptions here and there.

As for smaller things we've changed that I really enjoy:

Leaning WAY more heavily into the Ward being sus as hell. There's something not right there, and everyone can feel it.

Caithe and Zojja both being extremely hesitant about ascension.

The existing wizards being pretty... fucked up by it. Less of the "ohoho I was just joshing it was good" and more wondering WHY they've been feeling this way.

I plan to flesh out Irja. c:

[footballffbarbiex]

Thank you 😭 I request for so many but I’ll limit it to Virgil Trent and Leon.

oh boy this took a while. ANYWAY

here are your chosen ones. lemme know your thoughts. I'm pretty sure there are some more too but this will give you a little idea of things to come.

Baring in mind, these are REQUESTS only, and not any of my own ideas 👀

Fluff:

Leon Goretzka - she’s determined to leave a good impression with his teammates but the only problem is, she doesn’t speak German. How wrong could this go?

Leon Goretzka - she’s not a German native and Leon quickly becomes her new found home.

Leon Goretzka - Leon takes his children trick or treating to some of his teammates houses

Leon Goretzka - Leon’s sense of direction is awful and it results in you both getting lost in a pumpkin patch. 

Leon Goretzka - Leon cannot believe his luck that he should be paired to tackle the corn maze with someone that he absolutely detests - or does he?

Leon Goretzka - He’s not scared of scary movies or ghost stories. But this one gets under his skin

Leon Goretzka - he tries to do a good thing to prove that he is capable but it all goes disasterously wrong. LINKED WITH AN ANGST PIECE. 

Virgil van Dijk - it’s time for him to meet her family and if there’s one thing that Virgil can do, it’s be the perfect partner. 

Virgil van Dijk - it’s almost christmas and Virg has a rare day off which doesn’t include training, there’s only one thing for it. 

Virgil van Dijk - with the last of the orchard’s offerings available, Virg and his girlfriend make the most of it…little does he know he’s in for a surprise.

Virgil van Dijk - Virgil usually hates being used by women, but a small cute female who is desperately needing his assistance? He can’t say no to this one. 

Virgil van Dijk - he’d always insisted he wouldn’t do fancy dress with her, but she does have a way of sweet talking him into things…

Trent Alexander Arnold - she was a single mum when she met Trent and as much as she always hoped that Trent could possibly see her as his own, she didn’t realise she really needed to hope that her daughter would see Trent as her dad. A real dad. (might include this in the single parent series)

Trent Alexander Arnold - Trent takes her to Abu Dhabi for a little holiday and goes immediately into tourist guide mode. Little does he know, he’s the tourist here. 

Trent Alexander Arnold - he wants the baby to be scoring goals before he can even crawl and walk. 

Angst:

Leon Goretzka - “You deserve someone and a relationship better than both me and what I can give you”.

Leon Goretzka - She’s fed up of working and coming home to continue working when Leon isn’t pulling his weight. Things get said in anger and though home truths (and they are truths) are spewed, will Leon accept them? LINKED WITH A FLUFF PIECE. 

Trent Alexander Arnold - he’s wanted nothing more since that first date to lock her down and shout to the world that she’s his. But she has reservations about making it official and Trent realises that an ultimatum is needed. 

Smut:

Leon Goretzka - she makes comments in public that are meant for in private and Leon makes sure that she doesn’t do it again. 

Leon Goretzka - Leon’s bulked up frame has given him more confidence than ever and a rekindled romance from the past shows just how far his confidence has come. 

Leon Goretzka - Leon sneaks into her room and she has to be quiet. 

Leon Goretzka - the warm weather usually brings out a horny side of Leon at the best of times, but a blossoming pregnant wife and small bikinis aren’t helping. 

Leon Goretzka - PATREON ONLY REQUEST (not coming to tumblr) a CL match results in Leon’s girlfriend’s team eliminating his from the competition and only one of them is happy. Virgil van Dijk - He can’t help but take his girlfriend when others are nearby. One little noise will give them away but can they stay silent?

Virgil van Dijk - she promised that she wouldn’t play while he was away. She couldn’t keep that promise. But if she wants to cum, he’ll make sure she gets her wish. 

Virgil van Dijk - he’s given up his control and she’s taken away some of his senses, but can Virg prove to be a good submissive for the night?

Virgil van Dijk - light smut - heavy on the aftercare. 

Virgil van Dijk - Virgil is one of your dad’s closest friends. You promised that you’d help keep this a secret but it’s too much fun to flaunt yourself when he cannot touch. Or rather…shouldn’t because oh will Virg touch you. 

Virgil van Dijk - virgil is broody and he’s desperate for some unprotected sex

Virgil van Dijk - she hates flying and Virgil knows that. What he didn’t realise is that she wore that skirt for a reason. 

Trent Alexander Arnold - a little comparison of how Dom!Trent would act and how sub!Trent would act

Trent Alexander Arnold - sometimes a little sexting which leads to a quickie is all it takes

Trent Alexander Arnold - why sleep with one man when you can have two? (please let me know if you’d like to read this threesome with Trent / oc / AND Leon Goretzka, Dominic Calvert Lewin, Mason Mount, Hector Bellerin, John Stones, Marco Rose, Serge Gnabry or Roman Burki)

Trent Alexander Arnold - everything’s fine 🙂 It’s not as though Trent scored the winning goal against your team 🙂 it’s not as though he’s a happy boy while you’re suffering 🙂

[moonluringfrost]

Okay I have to ask bc I'm curious 👀 For Scorpion Grass, do you write/plan parts of the story ahead of time based on the choices you give the readers whenever you post an update? Or do you just write it after the votes come in? What happens when the readers vote in a way you weren't expecting or don't choose an option you were excited to write? Feel free to give as much detail as you'd like! I'm always really curious how interactive story authors balance the quirks of their process and the story itself!

Hello Nopal :D Thank you for asking~

putting it under a cut because i got a little carried away, haha

I do have a plan on the overall arc to how things go, but scorpion grass is this big branching story and if I wrote all the choices before hand i'd never get an update out 😅

Which is to say that when it comes to choices I have an idea of what Path it sets the characters on depending on what wins, but the concrete details only come in after i know which is the winner. Or if one option pulls far enough ahead early on, I'll get started on it right away, depending on how much energy I have.

Not all of the choices expressly effect the immediate plot, some of them effect what kind of person Sylv is (honest or not, for example), which will effect things towards the end of the story, but maybe the two choices' chapters wouldn't have looked that different. It's the chapters that follow afterwards that get changed, if that makes any sense.

I got surprised a lot by readers at the beginning with how people voted, actually. Over time i've gotten a better idea of like, what my reader's preferences are for choices and such, though. It seems like the majority of readers don't want to put Sylv in any undue danger, and don't want to make Sylv be rude or tell lies very often. The first one is interesting to me, because I did promise there would be no dead/bad ends in this version of scorpion grass. though perhaps that was before most of the readers started so they don't know that... this just occurred to me actually as I was typing :o

but what happens when i'm sure i know how people will vote/what the winner will be and then they don't pick that result I very dramatically whine to my non-writeblr friends about it, then write the chapter anyway because the show must go on!

i also don't hold myself to my plan super seriously, because sometimes i have better ideas for things as I go. The grave chapters were something that popped into my head at work and i was like. well. i can't Not do that now, even though i'll need to rearrange some things... and sometimes I'll have Sylv made an important choice and then go. 'wait that would be more satisfying to leave up to reader choice actually' so i put up a poll instead.

that's all i can think of at the moment, thank you again for asking <3

[timidloner]

Hey! It’s fangirl back again, not dead from work yet. And I hope you’ve been getting some rest and staying hydrated! So, the whole thing going on between Moon and Sun keeps playing in my mind. I know we’ll get answers throughout the story. And it would be an endless cycle of Sun taking Moon’s creations for their own and Moon destroying Sun’s creation or converting them, if Moon didn’t already do something about Sun seeing that he’s missing in action. It’s like a constant conflict of choice between the two. I doubt that they will ever reach a compromise or anything. And I think in an old post, you mentioned something about that hinting at Sun’s chance to even try to do it again. And I got the magic and souls thing, which makes sense now, never really thought of a context like that.

Now that that thought is out, I love the other options rambling gave for MC planning to kill Joren. I’d love to see a good mindbreak option as a result for trying to kill him (both the “happy” and “blank-eyed”). Ahem, now as my hidden demons have awakened, I remembered about being able to fuck Joren in his *cough* monster form *cough*. How would one persuade him to do that? Considering he’s a towering murdering machine in that form. And I remember something about MC being able to change physically too 👀.

Hey!! Nice to see you again! I think it's time for me to give you a special tag!!

I've been well, today I had a particularly nice breakfast. And I hope work treats you better this week!

You've been solving the puzzle very well. These siblings will never reach a compromise, they're too far gone for that. Someone has to win this conflict or they'll be forever stuck on a cycle of destruction, that's Moon final goal, not winning a battle, but the war.

And Sun is alive, but things are complicated for him!!

Did you translate my post? Aww, I'm actually super happy that you like my story enough to do that :((!!! And if you didn't, that line I just wrote will be a bit embarrassing, haha!

Sometimes crazy ideas come to me, I just mix them together and I get my lore! I left that post in Spanish since I wanted to keep it a secret from the majority of my followers, kinda like an open secret.

And yes! MC will change but only on certain endings.

Also...

Haha! Sorry! And yes, Ram writes great ideas, the mindbreak ending wasn't something I'd have thought about, even if I'm into it!

And about your inner demons (hehe)...

Joren expects MC to freak out when they see him in his monster form for the first time, he considers that moment like a trial of fire. If MC can accept him after that, then he has won.

I don't think anyone in their right mind could act nonchalant after seeing something like that, and while you'll choose how MC feels about it, I plan to make it a bit realistic. It will take MC three or four interactions (more off screen) with Joren in his monster form (cuddle scenes, scratching his belly/ears, maybe even riding him??) before they become used to it.

After that, you'll get the option to push it further.

It's not like Joren will be against it, he simply would never have thought about it! This is because:

The last time he had sex was when he still "worked" for that noble family, and he was fully human at that time.

He just wants MC to accept that side of him, desiring him while in that form seems to be asking too much.

If MC expresses any interest in that, he's going to be really pleasantly surprised! And I have various ways planned on how this can happen:

MC asks directly to do it.

MC just... starts touching him (monster) without even talking about it beforehand (lmao, now the victim of dubcon is Joren).

MC asks him if he has ever done it while in his monster form, they can be direct or shy.

During one of those cuddle scenes, MC starts getting horny, and since Joren (monster) already knows when they are turned on by now, he'll test the water.

The first scene won't have penetration, though. That's something will have to train themselves for with the help of Joren (human), and with a lot of phallic objects, haha

I realized too late that we can't have Joren fucking MC with his monster tongue, that would be torture since we're talking about a rough cat tongue!! And I'm too attached to the werejaguar concept to change it.

I'm also giving him a weird monster cock (only in his monster form, the man has a normal dick) since felines don't have knots and I'm not into barbed dicks. I haven't decided yet how it will look, though.

[missnobodymadness]

Feeling sick and very bored tonight so I decided to have some fun with Select Smart's "Which character are you" quizzes and the results were very interesting. Did a few anime ones:

Jujutsu Kaisen

I feel like this one is actually very on point? Especially for Geto and Junpei, they are the JJK characters I relate to the most. I haven't seen much of Kiyotaka so I can't really say much about him.

The only character that came as 0% was actually Itadori, so interesting. xD

Attack On Titan

This one was such a surprise to me, I mean, I know I have some things in common with Ymir, but 100% was a very big surprise, of course these tests are just for fun but still wasn't expecting Ymir there. xD

I remember Annie to be the first character I felt some connection with, I can indeed relate to her a lot if I stop to think about it. Now, Floch...I feel a bit offended here, not gonna lie. :'D I can't see where we are alike...at all.

Berth, Mikasa and Eren were the only ones at 0%.

Naruto

Not surprised at all, I always felt a very deep connection with Shikamaru, we have a lot in common (well, machism is not one of them but let's forget about that :'D).

As for Sasuke...I always knew that we were very much alike, I just never wanted to accept it because back then I really really disliked the guy and only a decade and a half later I came to understand his character and why he was and acted the way he does, now I can say I enjoy his character.

0% on Naruto...I can agree with this one. xD

Demon Slayer

I don't think I've ever talked about this anime here, it's not one of my favorites but it is one of the animes I've been following so I decided to give it a try.

I haven't read the manga so all I know is what has been shown in the anime so far... from what we've seen already I am guessing I have a lot in common with Obanai, yes.

I also felt a very strong connection with Gyutaro, mostly because of his backstory, to which I can relate a lot as well.

Apparently I have 0% similiarities with Inosuke which may be why he gets on my nerves so much. xD

Chainsaw Man

I don't know much about the Angel Devil yet so I can't really tell much about this one, however, I can totally see why Kobeni is second...as for Makima...🚩☠️ I guess?

0% for Power this time, I can see why.

Bleach

I haven't finished Bleach yet but why not? LMAO

Not much to say about this one, I don't see the similarities this time, at all. xD

0% for Unohana Retsu for this one.

Tried a few One Piece ones but the questions were just meh so I gave up. :(

Feel free to do these and tell me your results because I am very curious to know. 👀

[melis-writes]

someone tells the media, something personal about Michael and Victoria, like a fight

Oooooooo a scandal in the media type of prompt I see?! Here we get a little bit more of a pissed/frustrated Victoria too! 👀😳

‘MAKING HEADLINES FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS: MICHAEL AND VICTORIA CORLEONE—WHEN MONEY CAN’T BUY LOVE AND RESPECT IN A FAILING MARRIAGE!’ Hot off the press and selling like hotcakes, tens of thousands of newspapers were printed with the bold headlines above a photograph of you taken last week with your arms crossed and eyes avoiding cameras—walking alone in Reno.

Unbeknownst to you from your busy work schedule and hectic trial day in court, you didn’t pay much attention to the strange looks much of the jury gave you while you were presenting your opening statement, but the attention expecting you outside the courthouse is about to hit tenfold.

From the moment you push open the courthouse doors, you gasp out in surprise and immediately squeeze your eyes shut from the dozens of cameras flashing in your face all of a sudden.

You would have lost your balance by the steps had you tried to move as quickly as you were walking down the hallways of the courthouse but with the number of reporters and paparazzi in your face leaving you no room to move or breathe, you may as well have fallen into the sudden crowd’s own arms.

“Mrs. Corleone! Mrs. Corleone!” Several news reporters holler, trying to photograph your face.

‘What the hell is going on?’ You cover your face with the palms of both your hands, attempting to avoid getting the flash of photography camera’s directly onto your eyes.

“Over here, Victoria!” Another reporter waves his hands wildly in their air to grab your attention.

“Mrs. Corleone.” You hear a familiar, deep voice as a gentle hand is placed over your shoulder just when it seemed you were cornered by paparazzi alone. “It’s alright, you’re with me.”

“Have you seen the headlines, Mrs. Corleone?! The front page?!”

‘The what?’ You weakly open your eyes, shielding your face from the bright flashing lights of cameras in front of you at every given angle. “Ritchie—”

“Victoria, is it true you and Michael Corleone are getting a divorce?!” One ridiculous question after another rings out into your ears.

Wearing sunglasses, Ritchie smiles at you momentarily as you recognize him, but his smile is quick to fade into a scowl as he gestures to the bodyguard next. “Clear out the steps of the courthouse and under no circumstances let Mrs. Corleone be touched or questioned directly!”

“Mrs. Corleone, tell us about the fight! Did Michael leave you out in Reno?!”

‘Did Michael what?’ You can’t even raise your head to listen clearly to the questions for one moment as every move you make results in another dozen photographs being taken of you from every side and angle the cameras can capture.

“Yes, sir.” Your bodyguard doesn’t need to be told twice, immediately raising his voice to a bellowing tone. “HEY! YOU HEARD IT! MOVE IT! GIVE HER SOME SPACE! MOVE BACK, NOW!”

“Will you be returning to New York now with your children?!”

“MOVE IT!” Both Ritchie and your bodyguard easily push past the crowd, going as far as to shove reporters off balance and even swat at their cameras like flies if they dare raise their microphones or cameras close to your face. “Mrs. Corleone is not answering any questions, give her space!”

“How much will Michael Corleone pay to have the headlines erased, Mrs. Corleone?!”

“What the hell is going on?!” You hiss back to Ritchie, shielding your face with the back of your hand as you struggle to walk down the steps of the courthouse. “What is all of this?! There’s paparazzi everywhere!”

“Mrs. Corleone, please! Some questions! Over here! Is it true Michael Corleone was bought out of his share in the press?!”

“The media got a hold of some bullshit story they turned into a scandal regarding you and Don Corleone.” Ritchie tells you in your ear, hovering his arm around your body so you don’t bump into anyone. “Fabricated and entirely fake but that photograph taken of you in Reno immediately sells it.”

“Victoria, Victoria! Will you be the one filing divorce proceedings or have they already been served?!”

“What photograph?!” You try to keep your irritated tone down so only Ritchie can hear you as he shoves away another photographer coming to your side.

“How long has the fighting been going on for, Mrs. Corleone?! What does this mean for the children?”

“That’s the thing, it was said to be taken last week by an unknown photographer while you were alone, shopping.” Ritchie raises his hand to mimic hitting another camera out of the paparazzi’s hand. “It’s completely irrelevant, don’t answer any of their questions, Mrs. Corleone—”

“Victoria, sources tell us you only married Michael Corleone for his family’s money! Do you have any comment to add to that?!”

“And yet here we are, all over some photograph they needed a ‘story’ for?!” You can hardly keep your eyes open from constant cameras snapping a photograph all around you every few seconds. “What the hell is all of this?! That was for today’s paper? Does Michael know—”

“Hey Mrs. Corleone, it looks like money can’t solve all your problems now!” One reporter clutches onto his camera, smirking at you just as you come close to walking by him. “All your dirty laundry is aired out! Just how long has your marriage with Michael Corleone been this miserable and why do you keep pretending otherwise?”

You cut yourself off, slowing your steps down the stairs and turning your head to face the reporter with the nastiest scowl on your face—narrowing your eyes at him. “I beg your pardon?”

The bickering of paparazzi only doubles at the sound of your voice speaking out to a reporter and the crowd grows wild, pushing one another and squirming to get any kind of response back from you too.

“Mrs. Corleone! MRS. CORLEONE! Please, over here! We have some questions!”

“Bingo.” The reporter chuckles to himself quietly, raising his camera up in a split second and taking a perfect image on your irritated expression.

“Mrs. Corleone, are you still happy in your marriage?!”

“MOVE IT!” Your bodyguard’s deep voice echoes around the courthouse and it’s only a matter of moments before his fist comes crashing down onto the reporter’s camera from above—smashing it to smithereens over the pavement.

“Mrs. Corleone, will your husband have custody of all the children in case of a divorce?!”

‘That’s what you get, you piece of shit.’ You neither flinch at the camera breaking nor give an additional reaction to seeing the smug look wiped off the reporter’s face—insistent on getting the hell out of the premises of the courtyard as soon as possible.

“Mrs. Corleone, a photograph please?! Just one!”

‘Walk. Faster. Just keeping walking faster. Don’t bother.’You keep your head held up high with an unreadable expression on your face, making straight for your chauffeur parked across the street.

“Mrs. Corleone, we just want to ask a few questions about the headlines! Please!”

‘Faster. Almost there, keep moving.’ Ignoring the entirety of your surroundings and focusing on getting into your car home, Ritchie and your bodyguard have no issue picking up their pace and continuing to protect you from any sort of contact from the paparazzi and news reporters.

“Is the love story with you and Michael Corleone over for good?!”

‘What manner of ridiculousness is this?’ You force yourself not to roll your eyes back lest a photograph of that be taken as well, getting closer to your car. ‘One stupid, bullshit question after another.’

“Not a single damn question answered with over fifty news reporters right here, are you kidding me?!” You hear one reporter whine out behind you as you approach the driver’s seat of your Alfa Romeo.

Your chauffer turns his head to see you storming right towards you and instantly springs out of driver seat—not having to be told you’re going to be the one driving today, no exceptions.

Ritchie and your bodyguard exchange a glance with one another as your chauffeur gets in the left hand side of the back passenger seat as quickly as he can.

Seeming like you’re about to drive off without giving a damn whose able to get into your car or not, your bodyguard takes the other back passenger seat but Ritchie remains towards the front, threatening off the oncoming swarm of paparazzi.

“Victoria, is it true you and Michael Corleone are getting a divorce?!”

The endless amount of questions that went back and forth in your ears continues to buzz in your mind, even with the voices of the relentless crowd muffled out by the windows of your vehicle as you start up your car.

“Did Michael leave you out in Reno?!”

‘Where the hell did any of these come from to begin with?’ You grit your teeth, clutching onto the steering wheel so harshly that your knuckles strain white.

“Mrs. Corleone, is it because there’s another woman for Mr. Corleone?!” You make out another voice from afar—the last question you’d ever allow yourself to hear as you slam your foot down on the gas pedal.

Ritchie just about gets into the passenger seat, keeping his steady balance as you begin to speed off down the road and past the incessant snapping and clicking of photography cameras around your car.

“Will you be returning to New York now with your children?!”

“Mrs. Corleone.” Ritchie clears his throat, catching his breath. “I know what you’re thinking.”

“Do you?” You keep your glare affixed to the road. “Enlighten me.”

“Paying off the newspapers so the headline is—”

“Don’t even bother with that, first of all.” You raise one hand off the steering wheel to brush off the thought. “I’m not doing a damn thing until I see that headline for myself. You want to make yourself useful, Nobilio?”

“Yes, Mrs. Corleone.” Ritchie smoothens out his suit jacket. “Of course I do.”

“Then start off by clearing this up for me. What did those headlines say word for word?” Feeling even more on edge as if you wish you didn’t have to know the answer to your own question, you speed up even further towards the highway.

Ritchie clears his throat, not in any position to delay the answer to you. “It said: ‘making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Michael and Victoria Corleone; when money can’t buy love and respect in a failing marriage.”

“That’s it?” You raise both of your brows, having expected that exact kind of wording. “What’s the use of a story if they put all of it in the fucking headline?”

Your rare use of cursing surprises not only your chauffeur and bodyguard sitting quietly in the back but Ritchie as well—whose no stranger to using unnecessarily copious amounts of cuss words himself.

“The story was not much different, no.” Ritchie shakes his head, beginning to grow concerned from your almost reckless driving. “Mrs. Corleone, please if I could advise you to slow down a bit, we’re past the speeding limit—”

“We’re getting home one way or another, aren’t we?” You ignore Ritchie’s advice, driving forty kilometers over the speed limit.

“Don Corleone wouldn’t advise it, Mrs—”

“I don’t give a shit.” You roll your eyes, taking a sharp right turn. “I know how to drive a car, Ritchie. I don’t need either of you giving me lessons, now tell me what that goddamn story said before I make you walk over to the nearest newspaper stand and buy a copy.”

Keeping his eyes focused on the road as well for your own safety, Ritchie frowns as he begins to explain. “It repeated the headline mostly, Mrs. Corleone, especially by explaining the photograph of you in Reno. It simply said an unknown source has—in their words, not mine—has said that they’ve ‘brought to light’ the ‘reality’ of your relationship with Don Corleone. That it’s been nothing but separate visits to New York and Nevada, not seen together in public at all lately, photographs showing you’re constantly frowning or sulking alone and so forth. The ‘unknown source’ claims Don Corleone has bought out most of the press, therefore ‘eliminating’ other photographs that would show these outlandish claims written in the story. Because it’s public knowledge Don Corleone owns some shares in media stocks and investments, the story here has also twisted that out of proportion with the mentioned ‘eliminated’ photographs and that if the headlines are wiped, it’ll only prove the story true.”

“You keep saying ‘unknown source’.” You can practically hear your own frustration breaking through your voice. “Give me the name of the newspaper, it’s not going to be ‘unknown’ for long.”

“It’s the Nevada Daily—”

“Okay, okay.” You gesture off with your hand, “then I don’t need to know anything else, and Michael?”

“Don Corleone is aware, hence why he sent us immediately to pick you up from the courthouse.” Ritchie nods. “He expected the media attention.”

“But he didn’t get any himself, did he?” You sigh out loudly in frustration. “If he’s still up in the compound, there’s not going to be a single camera or reporter in there—”

“It’s fine, Mrs. Corleone. Don Corleone will discuss it further with Mr. Hagen as well who has colleagues working at the Daily Nevada—Mrs. Corleone, please slow down, we’re almost at the—”

“Ritchie, I don’t like repeating myself.” You sharply raise your voice above his, beginning to approach the outskirts of the Lake Tahoe compound. “Stop telling me how to drive before I hit another ten kilometers just from you complaining.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Corleone.” Ritchie can barely sit comfortably in the passenger seat with every sharp, last minute turn you make—having never seen you this furious and frustrated before. “It’s my job to look out for your safety.”

“There’s no bombs strapped to the bottom of my car yet.” You scoff, quickly brushing aside a curtain of your hair behind your ear. “I’m fine, but what I’m not fine about is this sudden bullshit ‘coming to light’ without a hint of truth to it. I don’t have anything against what the newspapers publish about me or my family to an appropriate extent, but proclaiming I’m ‘miserable’ in my relationship, in my marriage ‘for Michael’s money’, and that we’re going to ‘divorce’ all over some photograph taken of me walking outside of a store alone in Reno, not having to pose for a hidden camera?”

“That’s…” Ritchie pauses for a moment, nodding at you. “That’s exactly what we’re all thinking, Mrs. Corleone. But as I said, Mr. Hagen—”

“What the fuck is Tom Hagen going to do about an ‘unknown source’ in the Daily Nevada?!” You shout, slamming the side of your fist down on the centre of your steering wheel and honking loudly at Michael’s men by the gates of the compound.

Michael’s security turns back to look at you immediately, only taking a split second look before gesturing for the gates to open but in no particular rush for obvious reasons; you’re not in danger nor are you hurt, but your unprovoked anger hasn’t just alarmed Michael’s men.

“What the hell is that?” Michael mutters, setting down his copy of the newspaper onto the coffee table before him—in the boathouse with Tom and Al Neri.

“That—” Tom’s head peeks up to hear the screeching of your car tires entering the compound.

Furrowing his brows, Michael pulls open the doors leading out of the boathouse—getting a perfect view of the front of the compound where you speed up to where you’d normally slow down, park, and get one of Michael’s men to park your vehicle by the gated parking section.

“That would be Victoria.” Tom cringes, already noticing the gravely disappointed, bitter look over Michael’s face at your driving.

“Give me this—” You reach your arm out the window of your car, snatching a copy of today’s newspaper from one of the guards who scrambled to hand one to you.

“Don Corleone.” Ritchie attempts to fix a polite smile over his face as he steps out of your car, still on but it’s not Ritchie, your bodyguard in the back or even your chauffer Michael’s concerned with as he begins to approach your Alfa Romeo.

“Victoria.” Michael’s voice is stern and demanding, but he’s more concerned about your safety speeding off much faster than you’ve ever driven out of anger than anything else—including the newspaper in your hands.

“Huh.” You scoff, ignoring Michael calling out to you as you turn off your vehicle while keeping your eyes on the newspaper headline, tossing the keys out the window carelessly to Ritchie.

‘MAKING HEADLINES FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS: MICHAEL AND VICTORIA CORLEONE—WHEN MONEY CAN’T BUY LOVE AND RESPECT IN A FAILING MARRIAGE!’

“Victoria!” Michael’s voice is much louder and sharper this time as he’s only a short distance away from the front of your car.

You eyes dart up to your husband, a momentary yet sexy distraction to your eyes; your heels digging into the cobblestone pathway as you step out of your car.

As soon as you’re let your hand push your car’s door shut, Michael gestures to Ritchie immediately to get in and park the vehicle out of his sight before Michael’s own frustration mounts up.

“Tom.” You call out, waving the newspaper wildly in the air and spotting your brother-in-law back towards the boathouse looking just as confused and shocked as your chauffeur and bodyguard.

Just as you’re about to walk past Michael and directly to Tom with a million questions demanding a million answers, Michael grabs you by your wrist and narrows his eyes, pulling you back towards him.

“If you think you’re just going to walk past and ignore me after dangerously driving like a lunatic, think again.” Michael hisses.

“Lunatic?” You repeat; challenge arising in your gaze. “That’s exactly what I am so that’s how I was acting, Michael. Haven’t you seen the headlines?!” You raise the half-wrinkled newspaper in your hand as Ritchie begins to slowly drive your car out of the compound.

“Yes, I have.” Michael lowers your wrist, scolding you by gesturing with his finger. “Lower your tone.”

“I don’t want to talk to you right now, Michael, and you can keep this.” You tear off the front page of the newspaper, pushing the other pages into Michael’s arms before pulling away from his grip and continuing right towards Tom. “I want to talk to Tom Hagen, who has some so called friends with the Nevada Daily!”

“Victoria, please.” Tom chuckles nervously, coming up to you. “It’s obviously nothing like that, I just have contacts.”

“Contacts who can’t have this headline wiped from history because the wonderful story on the front page says Michael Corleone loves to buy off any news article he doesn’t like?!” You scowl down at the black and white printed photograph of you under the headline.

“It’s been dealt with.” You hear Michael’s voice behind you—not the least bit pleased. “Your reaction is a little too delayed.”

“What?” You furrow your brows in confusion. “My reaction? What about the paparazzi and photographers hounding me at my own work place—”

“Most of them will be arrested.” Tom interrupts, smiling at you. “They can’t be loitering at a courthouse, of course.”

“And the print—”

“It doesn’t matter, Victoria.” Michael takes the newspaper page out of your hands, tearing it into two in front of your face. “They wanted a scandalous fake story, they got one. It won’t even matter by tomorrow.”

“Because we paid them off, didn’t we?” Your eyes begin to sting with tears out of pure frustration. “And it doesn’t even matter if everything they wrote is untrue, are either of us ever going to hear the end of these stupid questions about divorce, a-and—” your voice shakes, “questions about who gets custody of the children—”

“Darling.” Michael lets out a soft sigh, gesturing for Tom to give the two of you some privacy as he pulls you into his arms.

Tom smiles sadly at both of you, making his way back into the boathouse waiting for Michael as you burst out into tears over his chest.

“Listen to me. Hey, hey.” Michael murmurs quietly, tilting your chin up to face him as tears stream down your rosy cheeks. “It’s more than rare I ever see you this upset or angry with something.”

“D-don’t I have the right to?” You hiccup, unable to hold back your tears.

“Yes, you do.” Michael plants a soft kiss on your forehead. “You have all the reason in the world to feel upset and angry right now, that was the reaction they wanted out of you.”

“They can say and do whatever they want.” You sniffle, “I just want them to leave our children out of this. They get paid to talk and snap photographs anyways.”

“They won’t even dream to get near the children, darling. We’ll personally make sure of that as we always have.” Michael shakes his head at you. “Tom got into contact with the Daily Nevada privately the moment the headlines were published.”

“A-and?” You swallow hard, trying to wipe the tears pooling up in the corner of your eyes.

“A counterstory.” Michael runs his hand through your hair, softening his tone. “Tom has sent a photograph we took with the family that day in Reno last week. Once it’s published tomorrow morning, he’ll file for a lawsuit and with both of those out on the table, they’ll withdraw the headline on their own discretion.”

“And if they d-don’t?” You let out a shaky breath.

“Baby,” Michael cups your face gently with both hands. “They will, trust me.”

“But if they don’t?” You insist, your weakened voice cracking.

“Then I’ll buy it off.” Michael locks eyes with you. “I will. Do you think I care what the media publishes about me? Saying I buy off headlines and bribe the media? Whether it’s true or not—applies to us both or not—it doesn’t matter at all to me. It doesn’t affect me in the slightest. I’ll do it for you.”

“For me?” You gaze up at Michael; your eyes still glassy with fresh tears.

“Starting to think I should by tonight anyways.” Michael’s eyes dart from your eyes down to your trembling lips. “If they’ve got you this upset, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t have this ‘unknown source’ exposed either.”

“Michael,” you shake your head, about to lean in for another tight hug but Michael grips onto both of your arms, stopping you.

“I will, Victoria.” Michael’s eyes read nothing but that he’s already made a decision. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, and anyone whose caused you to cry like this isn’t getting away without severe consequences. Let go and let me, darling. I’ll have this handled for you—for us—I promise.”

[fizzydrink698]

kinktober 2022 | voting update

with voting closing in a month, i figured it would be fun to give an update about the results so far!

without spoiling everything, i’ll just give some brief thoughts as i’ve been keeping track of the results:

you’re all so soft and i adore it 🥺

you have immaculate taste in third-gen bg members. yes, that’s a very specific statement, but it’s true

now, i didn’t want to give away all the results so far because spoilers. instead, i wanted to give you guys a look at who was hovering around the cut-off point of 31, in case there was anyone or anything you really want to see for kinktober 😊

behold!

(an explanation of this atrocious-looking spreadsheet. from left-to-right: group, member, number of votes, ranking in bold, kink, number of votes)

(also, the kink next to the member is not automatically the kink they’ll have written about. that will be entirely up to me to assign, once i know the top 31 😈)

let me know if these results have surprised you in anyway. i very, very badly want to share this data for mass-analysis. some interesting stuff 👀

[fractualized]

Could we see some bits and pieces of your Dark Telltale Fics?? 👀

Those two are more obviously darkfic, so I won't set off the surprise confetti. ;) There aren't really excerpts I can share, but I will talk about them!

Though I feel compelled to preface this with: when I started writing Telltale, I was rolling with fluffier instincts, but I also got the sense that there was a lot of distaste in Telltale fandom for putting Bruce and John in objectionable scenarios. At this point, however, I want to explore some of those scenarios. So if anyone prefers that Telltale batjokes never crosses certain lines, I recommend you get outta here.

Heed the warnings before the cut!

(CW: discussions of noncon, alcohol, drugging, somnophilia, institutional abuse, consensual nonconsent, coping mechanisms that many people would find upsetting)

Dark Telltale

Look, I have written a lot of earnest, doing-his-best John. I love him! I think he's great! But he's an amnesiac and the most of the life he does remember happened in a poorly run mental institution. His canon behavior is clearly influenced by that, and I have to wonder what other inappropriate things he might do because he doesn't know how to judge normal boundaries and is still developing a moral compass. Combine that with his stalkery behavior toward Bruce and his loneliness, and you can easily get John not doing his best but committing terrible crimes of opportunity.

Such as in a scenario where Bruce's efforts to blend in with the Pact has resulted in him being drunk in Old Five Points (and possibly drugged), and when he goes to sleep it off in John's house, John takes advantage. He keeps crossing lines because Bruce is unable to tell him no, and John justifies it because he doesn't think anyone is getting hurt. After all, Bruce is such a big strong guy, and John is a nobody! No blood is drawn and no injuries happen! John's just sneaking some fun! Worse happened to him at Arkham! But he's not so oblivious that he's going to tell Bruce what he did in the morning.

Dark Telltale 2

In this one, John is in a sympathetic role, exploring sexual abuse he experienced while in Arkham. This is another unfortunately realistic aspect of his character that is not touched on in canon.

The story recounts John undergoing a medical evaluation by an asylum doctor whose clinical examination turns into rape. But as the scene continues, it becomes clear that John's memories of that experience are blending with the present, and he's actually having sex with Bruce. He's asked Bruce to recreate the rape in roleplay to help him recontextualize the confusion and shame he felt back then.

Years ago, I read an article written by a woman who asked her boyfriend to recreate her rape and explained that she found it cathartic, and it stuck with me given the subject matter and how it was so seemingly contradictory. I was aware that rape is a common fantasy people act out, but the idea of someone reliving a specific experience they personally had hit me differently. Obviously this is not a universal method of processing trauma (and I'm far from a psychologist so I'm not taking a stance on it), but it seems like one John would try. So many of his memories were already erased; I think overwriting memories (or rather, manipulating them to tie them to something better) would appeal to him.

As I've conceptualized it, the story skips John proposing and negotiating this with Bruce, but it'll need to incorporate a sense of how Bruce felt in the lead-up to this. I'm sure he'd be repelled by the idea of assuming the role of a real person who violated John. It would take a long time for Bruce to understand why John wants this, and in that time he'd track down the doctor and get him arrested, and he'd say, "See, I fixed it!" And then he'd be angry and frustrated when John says it doesn't erase what happened, and they'd argue, argue, argue. But with enough time, I think John could find the right words, and Bruce could find the strength to do this for him. Maybe I will write more on this in an interlude in the story, but I don't know.

In any case, this WIP is a lot! So it may never get done given all the emotions that need to be addressed, but I find the idea compelling.

[airi-p4]

Would you tell me about the Lukanette Figure Skating Au and Missing Multimouse? 👀

kandlasndljasndlg LAUREL-- I WON'T SHUT UP ABOUT THESE 2 XD

Firts: what can I tell you about Lukanette figure skating that you all don't know already? 😆 

This story has 2 chapters posted so far. It's called 'Ice dreams' but the title could change in the future. You can read it HERE:

The story is about Marinette, a talented figure skater who is considering retirement after the bullying she suffers, along with the lack of good results and money struggles; and Luka, who is forced to retire from pairs skating the moment Juleka's eating disorder comes to light. Not wanting either of them to retire, Juleka suggest they should team up as a pair in 'pairs skating' and continue skating towards their dreams, their final goal being GOLD medal at winter Olympics. They'll go through competitions, misunderstandings, meet new people (both friends and rivals) and... could love spark between them...? I think you know the answer, but it's slow burn sorry 🙈

I'd say my brain may be not big enough for this one... WHY? Because I have 60+ chapters planned... And I keep thinking about it very often, but it mostly stays in my head. I really want to work on it tho!! And draw a few pics for it too!! I've already written Alya and Lila chapters and I'm excited to share them. I just need to finish the previous chapters... And bring out some confidence and develop better writing skills... ^^;;;;

I've also sketched a mini comic about them, but I'm planing to share yet? We'll see :P

_____

And about Missing multimouse.... (Should be called 'Missing Multimice', actually) I haven't written it yet but I LOVE the idea:

Luka lives alone, far away from the village and his family and, one day, he meets a little Multimouse. She has no memories but she's very creative and starts helping Luka out with crafting instruments (what he does for a living). Some time passes until, to their surprise, they meet with another Multimouse. This 2nd Multimouse, has no memories either, but she knows there's more Multimouse out there and that they are actually the same person, and can reverse the multiplying spell if they meet again. They keep meeting more of them, and every Multimouse has her own skill and piece of memory. Together, they are a whole. Knowing that, Luka and Multimice go on a journey in order to find the rest of Multimice, recover her memories and help her go back to her original self.

You know? I'm loving these ideas but I'm not confident in my writing skills lately... So idk, I'm considering turning everything into sketch comics. It's frustrating but I'm not giving up! I'll do it!! 😤

Thank you for your ask, Laurel 💙💙💙

[the-timeless-founder]

I just discovered your blog and I really love all your OCs! ♥️ My favourite so far is Claire! I definitely need to know more about her and her relationship with Carla. 👀

Hhhh \;u;/ thank you, it makes me so happy to know you liked my babies <3 as for more Claire and Carla content <w< coming right up... sorry this took so long, I wanted it to be enjoyable and good enough.

She'll Accompany Me

The ballroom was filled with nobles from all across the land. The King was generous after all, or so had he said. The man who'd made her life misery ever since she'd obtained the body, and beauty, of a woman.

As a result, she trusted those words very little. Or not at all.

When told about the party, she had little reason to decline the offer. The worst that could happen would be another noblewoman commenting on her mother. The last one sure hadn't held back.

'A whore, like the mother' she'd called her. Too bad with that red stain of wine and the poor mix of it's scent with her perfume, she was the one looking like a whore on her way back home, shouting insults and further plummetting whatever dignity she once possessed.

The memory still brings a smile to her face. Young as she is, Lucrecia is anything but naive. She knows what people view her as, so instead of cowering in fear of them because of that, she'll use it to her advantage. Even wear it like armor.

Though there are moments when she wishes for a more refined status, and a less debated birth. Moments such as now - as the Crown Prince, Carla, and his brother Shin enter the ball.

Her eyes remained on the Princes - curious and sharp, even if she wasn't meant to be staring directly into Roylaty's eyes - and she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have a title like that. Or a loving mother. Or any claim to anything and anyone.

It must be nice, she thought, being somebody's someone.

Her eyes then wandered to where her 'caretaker' should be, chatting away with old generals and pretty ladies. Typical of him - disgusting in how vain and shallow he is. "Old fool. He's beyond all hopes of mercy or grace."

Though when she'd turned to look at the Crown Prince, she did not expect to find his gaze right back on her. For what felt like an eternity, she held his gaze - confused and somewhat flattered. That is, until she remembered that it's 'insolent' to gaze back at a Royal without direct permission.

Cursing her own wit, she looked away - right, down, anywhere else - and instead tried to busy herself with getting another glass of wine. In a quick sip, she had emptied her current glass - feeling a little tipsy as a result - and walked off to the nearby table.

Right before her hand could touch the cold solace of the crystal, another one - gloved with long, slender fingers - took a hold of it. Her narrowed eyes looked up to glare, but froze with surprise when they met those same golden irises from before. Some strands of long white hair, the ends of which were bloody red, fell over his shoulder pads, and there was no mistaking the striking resemblance to the Queen.

It was him. The Crown Prince.

Quickly, she lowered her gaze as she lowered her head, and then bent her knees - placing one foot back, using her hands to pull up the sides of her long gown's skirt. She spoke in a hushed tone now, as even in her frizzly state of mind, she knew that he wasn't to be messed with. "Your Highness."

He only nodded in mild acknowledgement, allowing her to stand back at her full height. "I don't suppose you've introduced yourself to me before. What is your name?"

Straight to the point. He didn't offer flattery, and hated it when it was offered to him. No beating around the bush, no pretending to be nice and different. A small smile formed on her lips with no intention of going away.

"My name is Lucrecia Etrama, Your Highness."

"Are you with your family, Lady Lucrecia?"

"My father is here with me. He is socializing with other Ladies now." The words left a bitter taste in her mouth as she spoke them. What father, what socializing- it was all similar to a cruel joke.

"I see." He didn't seem to buy that, but he probably didn't care enough to pry more. The glass was still in his hand, the liquid within untouched. Did he only reach for it so he'd have an excuse to speak with her?

No. That was ridiculous. He is the Prince, she is the bastard. If anything, she should be the one hunting an opportunity to speak to him. And it all angered her greatly. Why couldn't she look up to his face, keep his gaze, and talk to him the way she wanted to?

"Lucrecia, step back." He was the last thing she needed right now, but her eyes turned to him nonetheless, the look in them of a cold hatred. Her face all but spoke 'get lost', and this wasn't lost on the observant young man he'd been speaking to before.

"Ah, Your Highness!" He quickly bowed upon taking notice of the pale haired male, and he spared him even less of a nod than he had to her. "I apologize for any tactless behavior she might have shown! Recia is new to high society, she has much to learn." Blatant lie, the fakeness of it nauseating her. Just like everything else about him.

"There's no need. She behaved as she should have." Carla's voice didn't shake or waver, nor did he take long to speak back those words. He put the glass away then, not even sipping a little from it.

"Surely not!" Gosh, she wished he would just shut up now. "If she had, she wouldn't be so close to the center of the ballroom."

"She's here because I willed it. She'll accompany me for the first dance."

Her head almost snapped back in shock, and yet... Instead, she let her lips curl further as she gave her 'father' a quietly mocking smile, feigning sweet innocence. He didn't fall for it, but he couldn't do anything either. "A-ah, I see. Then excuse me for halting your path sir, I simply didn't-"

"You are excused." He didn't waste any time in between those words and reaching for Lucrecia's hand, leading her further into the center and away from that man, not even letting him finish his sentence. She didn't seem even mildly bothered, if anything she was pleased.

Serves him right, that creep deserves no respect.

Besides that, her slightly tipsy self, and the fact that she was dancing with the most beautiful man in the room, you could visibly see that Lucrecia was in her best mood and on her best beahvior.

The first minute passed silently, allowing for whispers to spring up about them. Some complimented their dance, others looked to find a fault to no avail, and some remarked on how scandalous it was that the Crown Prince chose to dance with the adopted daughter of a low ranking Viscount.

"Pay them no mind." He finally said, commanding all of Lucrecia's attention back to himself. "You should only focus on me."

"I am, Your Highness, you aren't someone who can be ignored." She didn't lie nor force the words out, under the light of the chandeliers, with small shadows cast over his face and his eyes illuminated, Carla looked breathtaking enough to break all of the women's hearts.

"That wasn't the tone you used with your father."

"Is the difference so apparent? I'm ashamed if so, I supposed I was a good actress."

His brow went up slightly at that, his eyes holding a hint of amusement in them. "You won't deny it?"

She smiled again, fully this time, with all hints of the facade washing from her face for barely a moment. And for that time, she let him see something in her. Something that would haunt him, even if he tried to forget.

"It's best to be sincere with clever men, Your Highness."

[sunlight-ships]

F/O Tournament Results

And the results are in! Quick thank you to everyone for putting up with me for this lol it was very fun. Everything is under the cut 👀

In fourth place, we have Oil Man!

Still very surprised he made it this far!

Third place is Claude!

He kept tying with whoever he was against in various rounds which I thought was hilarious

Second place is Ignatz!

My boy. The man. The myth. The legend. Almost always destroyed anyone he was put up against.

AND THE WINNER…

BIG! #BIGSWEEP

I also didn’t entirely expect him to get very far, but I am also glad he did because I don’t think he would win anything anywhere else but in this house I love and appreciate him and I’m glad he won!

Once again thank you for participating, I didn’t think I would get ANY at first so the fact that some people did means a lot to me. Have a nice day ^^