#sons. and most of them r out of my control

[nomaishuttle]

SIGH. SRY THOUGHT ABT MY IMAGINARY LIFE AS A MOTHER AGAIN. GD IF ONLY

[long-live-astronerd-ghost-king]

DPXDC prompt. Granny al Ghul

Ra's al Ghul believed that there were no former members of the League of Assassins. Maddie understood that perfectly, but it didn’t make her any more prepared when she saw her father.

"Hey, are you my favorite sweet grandpa?" Danny, who noticed his mother freezing in fear after opening the door, immediately stood in front of her. "Want to hug?"

"It was you again! I know for sure." The head of the league hissed in anger. ''Get out!"

"But this is my house." Her son shrugged his shoulders and smiled in a strange snide way. "Do you want me to show you my room or do you want me to chew a cookie for you? You look totally senile. Even your feet can’t hold you."

Ra's Al Ghul was shaking with rage. "Don’t play dumb, I know you’ve been tinkering with water in my Lazarus pits." "They are part of the nature reserve of the Ghost Zone." Danny was rightly outraged. "Write your name on them even a hundred times, they will not be yours."

"But you’ll get a fine for vandalism. You’re lucky I didn’t report you to the authorities." Danny threatens grandpa with his finger. "But it’s only because we’re family, you know?" Ra's frowns but stops arguing. "Would you like a cup of tea?" Danny’s offering a truce. Ra's sighs. "Well, I wouldn't say no."

~~~~~

"Do you like your drink?" Danny asks, pouring grandpa more green tea with milk. "Disgusting." The head of the League of Assassins answers sincerely. "Good." Danny’s smiling like a gremlin. "Hey, do you want to see an album with photos of baby Danny, Ra's?" asks Jack, who doesn’t notice the tension around. "No." Maddie was sitting there with her eye twitching for the last 40 minutes. "I would like to see a family photo album, Madeline." Ra's, who saw an opportunity to embarrass his insolent grandson, did not want to lose it.

~~~~~

"For the last time, why should I participate in this abomination?" Ra's stared angrily at his grandson pushing him into the classroom.

"Come on, grandpa, you saw my photo from kindergarten with a piss on my pants." Danny looked at him, batting his eyelashes.

Ra's rolled his eyes."And why does it mean I have to join this circus?"

"We’re definitely family now! And I promised Mr. Lancer I will take on Career Day this year anyone but not mom or dad. I’m definitely not gonna call Vlad. So that leaves you." Danny pushed him again.

The guard at the Demon's Head got nervous, but Ra’s hand stopped him. "I did not agree."Grandpa moved one of the swords to Danny’s neck.

Fenton just brushed it off with a frown. "Come on, tell everyone a little bit about your plans for immortality and world domination. Maybe I’ll be interested in being your heir then. I promise to listen carefully!"

~~~~

"The most important thing in educating your minions is control. They must feel an absolute fear of your authority." The inspired Ra's continued his speech after the bell. Lancer was taking notes. Tucker looked at it.

"I don’t like it, guys. I stick to the good old-fashioned disciplinary measures, you know?" Techno geek whispered.

"Well, I’m totally fine with it." Danny, who had noticed that after a fascinating lecture about the most effective tortures Dash was sitting two desks further away from him, showed his grandfather fist with the thumb up.

~~~~

"I changed my mind, I’ll kill him." Danny roared, running around the stadium after his thirtieth lap. What idiot from the school board took his crazy grandfather’s advice about organizing extra fitness classes? Next to him Wes fell to the ground. "Do it, Phantom. Avenge us." The boy wheezed at the last breath. "No distractions, five more laps!" Ra's stood on the field with the hand fan. "This bastar-r-rd." Danny roared furiously. "What? My favorite grandson wants to run another ten? Well, I can’t say no, right, coach?" Demon's Head yelled.

~~~~

"You know, it is really nice to take a vacation sometimes. I feel an unprecedented surge of strength." Ra’s reached out to Mr. Lancer standing next to him. "Would you like to meet for coffee sometime?"

"How about Friday, around 7:00 p.m.?" Mr Lancer looked at his schedule. "No, I’m busy at this time." Ra's sighed with regret. "We have a ritual sacrifice scheduled for six p.m." "You have a great sense of humor, my friend." Mr. Lancer laughed. "Who knew Mr. Fenton had such an intriguing and well-read grandfather. You’re full of surprises, Mr al Ghul." ~~~~ Damian, sitting on the roof of Casper High, lays down his binoculars and sighs. "Yes, mother is right, grandfather finally lost his mind." "Well, I’m glad you noticed too." A voice filled with relief rang very close. "Who’s here?" Damian took out the katana. "Um, boo?" Void’s voice answered.

[arguablysomaya]

Nightwing's weird fem-coding

! LONG POST !

Finally got around to jotting down my thoughts on the weird way that Dick Grayson (Nightwing) often occupies female-coded roles without being a particularly feminine guy. This is entirely due to me procrastinating on my finals. Okay!

Dick has often been cited as the hero who plays into the "female gaze", and he takes up some key roles that are typically reserved for women characters.

A large portion of Dick's fem-coding is contingent on his being with his family, and when he's not with them, this fem-coding kinda drops away, such as when he's with his various teams or acting solo.

His most prominent (and imo, complex) femme-coded role is:

-> Eldest Daughter + Widow

Eldest daughter syndrome means " frequently feeling like you’re not doing enough, like you’re struggling to maintain a veneer of control, like the entire household relies on your diligence." It's born out of the unique way that first-born girls are expected to take on adult roles around the household before they've had an opportunity to fully experience childhood (an opportunity their younger siblings will have, in part due to this sacrifice). It creates a strong sense of independence and a desire to be a good role model, but also leads to undue pressure and perfectionism.

Dick acts as a central emotional pillar for those in his family. To the point that when he fakes his death, it breaks something fundamental in the family dynamic:

Not only is it repeatedly made clear that Bruce depends on Dick to act as a lifeline for his own mental struggles, but moreover, his siblings do as well. In a very literal sense, the maintenance of the batfamily rests on Dick's shoulders. Bruce is so rarely available for emotional support that these children turn to the next best thing, which, to be fair, is better than what Dick had growing up. He has to clean up so many breakdowns, it's honestly pretty staggering.

As the OG sidekick, Dick receives quite a bit of hero worship, particularly from younger heroes/sidekicks, who look toward him for guidance. As a naturally upbeat and welcoming person, Dick ends up in the position of bringing light to everyone, not just Bruce. For example, here's Cassandra:

This balancing effect is unique to Dick's skill set. However, this can (and does) backfire very easily. The same pragmatism Bruce engages in hurts extra bad when coming from Dick: like when Dick had to take Robin away from Tim. Not to mention just how intimidating Dick's legacy is, which can create resentment when his successors aren't able to play this role so easily. For example, Jason both before and after his death expressed insecurity that he felt he was constantly being compared to Dick, and falling short.

As the original character that people think of when they think "sidekick", DG Robin (and his successors) had the advantage of not losing prominence even as his contemporaries (Kid Flash, Aqualad, Wonder Girl, etc.) were de-prioritized in favor of independent teenaged heroes (like Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire). But that means Robin as a concept now has to deal with questions that weren't so prominent in the earlier decades, such as: "How do we justify a grown-ass man using a child (and in fact, children) as emotional crutches?"

It's icky to think about, but there's no denying that early Batman and Robin got side eyes for homosexual subtext. I mean, they literally call each other "partners". So while that "subtext" was, and remains, just audience speculation, given Dick is literally Bruce's adopted son, there is room, I believe, to call into question how healthy it is for Bruce's oldest kid to be taking on a nearly-parental role and be a core pillar of Bruce's emotional regulation.

Hot take here, but I think Dick's relationship with Bruce was/has been pretty emotionally incestuous for a long time.

-> Emotional incest

"Emotional incest[...] is a type of emotional abuse performed by a parent. In cases of emotional incest, parents rely on their children for significant emotional support, which is a reversal of roles. Emotional incest is more than just relying on your kids on occasion—rather, it is an extreme dependence on them." (There's a pretty good argument to be made that Bruce has been emotionally incestuous with all his Robins, especially Dick and DEFINITELY Tim, but y'know. Small steps.)

Emotional incest is a semi-common consequence of eldest daughter syndrome; the natural conclusion of deputizing a child to manage the other children combining with an inability to see the child as a child, still in need of emotional guidance, but more like an adult capable of shouldering the burdens of grown-ups dumping their traumas on them.

To be clear here, while emotional incest may not be incest in the most traditional, taboo sense, it is still abuse. It's putting a burden on a child they shouldn't have to carry, even for children that aren't dealing with such extreme burdens as "grown-ass man running around in a fursuit needs me to keep him from getting himself killed". It's a perversion of a healthy parent-child relationship, where the child is treated more like a partner than a child. In Dick's case, it further exacerbates the parentification he already experiences. This is made more explicit when Bruce "dies" and Dick is cast into a sort of "Widow" role.

Dick reluctantly dons the cowl in an attempt to bring order to his family members. He's also left to parent Damian, alone. He has to make the decision to take Robin from Tim, and try to deal with the fallout from that decision. He has to put a stop to Jason's fratricidal rampage. He's made into the de-facto head of the family.

And the thing about this is: Dick's not even bad at it. In comparison to Bruce's litany of disasters-in-parenting, Dick does a pretty bang-up job of managing his siblings, heading the Justice League, and being Batman. But the crucial point is that he does this at the expense of his own mental health, which is the crux of eldest daughter syndrome. There's no denying that at the time, Dick was most certainly the best choice for New Father Figure, but it was a choice he was pushed into, and a sacrifice he had to make. When this sense of responsibility to the point of self-sacrifice is pushed to its logical conclusion, it has the effect of making Dick a Martyr-type figure.

-> Protector/Mama Bear/Avenger

Dick has shown repeatedly that his hot button is his family. From Tony Zucco to allowing Blockbuster to be killed after the villain targeted Haley's Circus, going after Nightwing's family is a pretty good way to earn yourself an asskicking. Probably the most infamous example of this is when Dick thought the Joker had killed Tim, beating the clown to death to avenge both Tim and Jason.

And while this role isn't particularly feminine, I do think it's interesting that Dick protects his family members from each other with almost the same frequency that he protects them from outside threats. He's pretty notorious for wrangling Damian and Tim, foiling Jason's murder plans, and most importantly, beating the shit out of Bruce whenever he crosses a line, such as when Bruce asks Dick to conceal being alive from their family to join Spyral or when Bruce wanted to abandon the Bruce Wayne persona after the murder of Vesper Fairchild. Or of course, more recently after Bruce's latest MK-ULTRA shenanigans.

This basically puts Dick in the position of being the glue that holds the family together, at basically all times, but especially in times of conflict. This also means he's put in the dangerous position of bodily defending his younger siblings from Bruce's wrath or irresponsibility, a position made even more awkward given the whole emotional incest thing.

That's not to say that Dick's relationship with his family is 100% unhealthy. Dick and his family members (including Bruce!) feel legitimate affection and care for each other. There are times when the dynamics here are indeed healthy. And like most people with eldest daughter syndrome, the unhealthy nature of this dynamic is usually understated. Oldest sibling syndrome is often just an unavoidable consequence of how parenting works. So while I am of the opinion that this dynamic is often unhealthy, hot take: I'm fine with that.

Now, though I've just listed some tropes that he only falls into around family, Dick also falls into some fem-coding all the time, regardless of who he's with, and these have to do mostly with his sexuality.

-> Sexual Assault & Harassment

Yeah, so nobody is surprised that this is a factor. Look up any list of the top ten hottest/sexiest/most attractive male superheroes, I guarantee 9/10 times Nightwing is number 1. However, unlike his father, whose attractiveness is usually played as a part of the male wish-fulfillment fantasy, something people aspire to be, Dick's attractiveness more often makes him an object of desire- very similar to how most attractive female characters are perceived.

And as an object of desire, Dick Grayson is constantly having to deal with being objectified.

Now, Dick Grayson being an attractive character is not the problem. Dick Grayson being sexually assaulted isn't even the problem. the problem is that he keeps being harassed, assaulted, and raped in ways that are flagrantly nonconsensual, and yet it's not treated with the seriousness it deserves. In fact, it took a full decade for Devin Grayson to retract her previous statement and admit that yes, the rooftop scene with Catalina Flores was in fact rape, and it's never been acknowledged in-universe (though, comics have always been atrocious at calling out sexual abuse of all kinds, let alone that which targets men).

Hell, even when he in-universe calls it out, he's dismissed immediately and the story continues like nothing happened.

Like???

Dick's adult sexcapades (which were consensual and enthusiastic) have long contrasted with the numerous times he's been harassed; times in which he comes across as bored, exasperated, and even frustrated with his own attractiveness and the vulnerable position it often leaves him in.

This puts him in the rare (in comics) position of being a male character who consistently and near-exclusively has his sexual agency and boundaries violated by women - a position that authors uniformly refuse to examine despite writing him into it all the fucking time.

Other characters around him frequently make comments passing off this harassment and assault as a natural consequence of Dick's own attractiveness, making "jokes" that essentially amount to "I understand why someone would want to assault him". Which- UH?

There is also, of course, the unavoidable reality that as an acrobat and an aerialist, he receives a very specific type of sexual harassment

the nature of nightwing's fight style necessitates a type of tight-fitting suit that male heroes typically don't go for: an extremely slick suit with bare-minimum armour that again, makes him vulnerable in a way most male heroes aren't, but a style female heroes wear all the time, whether it makes sense for them or not. This of course then allows artists to draw attention to this fact by posing Nightwing in poses usually reserved for femme fatales:

And unlike the Hawkeye Initiative, these poses are (largely) unironic, and not played for jokes. Dick isn't arching his back or looking over his shoulder to poke fun at how female heroes are treated; he does so because the artist (clearly correctly) sincerely believed these poses would play into the unironic gaze of the audience, and also probably thought it was hot. It's the same line of thought artists use when posing femme fatales.

He's even been known to use his sexuality as a bargaining chip, much like more traditional Femme Fatales. In Batman and Harley Quinn (2017), he refers to sleeping with Harley Quinn after being kidnapped by her as one of "the things I do for Gotham", to which she responds "I'm taking that as a 'yes'." And that's uh- not how consent works.

And this particularly sucks because- HELLO? The opportunity to explore the very real and tragically underacknowledged phenomenon of sexual violence against men is literally invaluable, especially with such a prominent character. It's one thing to ignore that men face sexual violence, it's another, entirely more unforgivable thing to continuously and explicitly depict such scenarios and play them off as jokes or not as serious as they clearly are. But what did I expect from an industry that has never had a good track record on sexual violence anyway.

-> Queercoding?

There's also of course the fact that DC has been, as of late, dropping hints that Dick might be bisexual.

That on it's own doesn't mean anything, but when paired with the fact that DC has been angling toward giving Dick a similar playboy persona that Bruce has, just with men included, it's just very interesting.

(BTW: The likelihood DC actually commits to making Dick bi is, uh, not a lot, but if they're gonna stick with this weird closet stuff for a while, let's hope they do so in a way that doesn't make him sound like a cross between Donald Trump and Harry Styles next time? Please?)

Anyway, all of this is basically to say I am forever fascinated by the gender dynamics of Dick Grayson, likely due to the fact that I'm projecting all my eldest daughter traumas onto him, and that someone who's background is in Gender Studies needs to get on this shit if they haven't already. I just love this character sm.

[zhaliacain]

I have acquired this!

Well this is now my new favourite book. It essentially tells the story of season one with some outtakes and adaptions. Unfortunately some of my favourite episodes and scenes have been redacted but to be fair they had a lot to cover

So far I’ve only read it through google translate (using the camera to read the pages which my brother thinks is witchcraft) so I don’t have an accurate read yet but at some point I’ll sit down and translate it properly so I can read the whole thing at once rather than in batches (curse the shaky hands)

Here’s some of may favourite features I’ve found in my rough reading, I’ll put it under read more because there’s some stuff that either doesn’t line up with the canon or I suppose is a spoiler for some headcanons

A) Otto (Addo) is alive! During the final party after defeating the Professor it’s revealed that Guggenheim managed to get him back from the organisation and he is also there at the party. Zhalia is very relieved to see him and they catch up

B) Zhalia got a leg injury in the final battle, hence leaning on Dante

C) Defoe. During Dante and Griers fight on Sutos, Dante brings up Defoe and is told “the organisation got rid of him” take that as you will

D) you know that conversation Dante and Zhalia are having in the background of Lok and Sophie’s chat after defeating Madea? They’re arguing because Zhalia wants to bond with Madea and Dante won’t let her. I just found that interesting because I thought Zhalia wouldn’t want the Titan that brought up all her past trauma

D.1) little side note, to speed things up, Zhalia defeats Madea all by herself

E) after finding out Dante was NOT mind controlled and her thoughtspectre had worked, Zhalia wanted to hug Dante but didn’t

F) Sophie has keys to Dante’s house (kind of obvious considering they’re there alone all the time but it’s a nice feature)

G) tersely and Montehue give Lok a rare book of Norse mythology as a gift after defeating the professor

H) Montehue hugs everyone during the party and hugs Lok so hard, Dante has to step in

I) Dante describes Zhalia as beautiful

J) I need to check my translation but I think Zhalia’s parents were killed

K) Zhalia: tell me you aren’t lying to save yourself

Dante: I have never lied to you and I never will

Zhalia: klaus is like a father to me, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it

Dante: I’ll take care of it

L) “a meal worthy of metagolem” is how I’ll be complimenting food from now on

M) rather than all of them touching the crystals to see if they’re pure of heart, just Lok does it and he gets an electric sensation go through his chest

N) to celebrate the whole Thor and mjolnjr thing, Guggenheim takes everyone out to dinner

O) lok was sleeping on Dante’s sofa without permission, he just kind of moved in and Dante gave up

P) Defoe was meant to take the sword of St George to Klaus, who would study it and take it to the professor

Q) oh that whole speech about going to Vienna where Dante changes his mind and takes the team? Nope he just says no and walks out and Leblanche spends the next few days baking treats to cheer them up

R) Loks cover story for his mum and sister was going to be: Sophie is a classmate on the same intensive archeology summer course as him and Dante and Zhalia are assistants to their elderly professor who is sick which is why they’re getting a holiday (the book then skips that episode and it’s unclear whether they didn’t go or whether it’s just not mentioned)

S) Lok asks why Sutos is not under the Greek government and the holotome tells them that it’s a regent based government which is inherited to the first born son

T: Zhalia: klaus taught me everything

Dante: except honesty

(Slightly paraphrased but it just cracks me up)

U) much like most fanfiction, Cherit is forgotten throughout most of it and occasionally gets mentioned

V) Lok: how did you do it?

Sophie: magic.

[crookedkryptonitebeliever]

Yves seeing Yan Bro like a son and friend, how wholesome, on its own twisted way, the only 'child' he would not only stand but even enjoy the company and Bro being understood, I'm leaving for it

Best friend I feel will also be a 'good' relationship too

(granted I imagine Yves would prefer Bro because he CAN be in a relationship with his darling)

Tw: AFAB reader/ fem reader, violence

Original part

It's a slow day at the milk tea shop. You're grateful for that because you're working alone, you wouldn't want to get caught in a rush hour.

"My baby!" Your ears perked up at the sound of your older brother squealing. You tensed up and went to guard the staff door, he has a habit of entering places where he should not.

Your older brother excitedly waved at you through the kiosk window. You shook your head and told him to stay there, do not enter through the back door.

It either seems like he's deaf or ignoring. But regardless, before he could move an inch further, a manicured hand shot out to grab your brother by the forearm. He winced at how tight the grip was and from the pain of those almond-shaped nails digging into his flesh.

You heard those familiar heels clack against the ground. Soon, your boyfriend emerged into view with a nasty glare directed towards your brother.

"You shouldn't enter places that aren't meant for you." Scolded Yves.

Your brother muttered an apology and hung his head low. The long-haired male sternly stared at him for a few seconds before letting him go. You wonder how strong his hold on your brother was because he was hissing in pain as he cradled the site of injury.

He turned to you and smiled. "Hello, my dear. I hope you had a wonderful day so far." Yves adjusted the handles of his handbag on his shoulder.

You beamed and greeted them back. You asked them what brings them here.

"I just- we just wanted to visit our most favorite girl in the world!" Your brother tried hopping over the counter to give you a kiss- you instinctively brought your hands up to shield yourself and took a few steps back, but Yves grabbed him by the scruff and pulled him away.

"Manners." Spat your boyfriend. Your brother sighed and composed himself. "Do not embarrass us."

Your brother cowered and whimpered like a kicked puppy, apologizing to his idol and to his beloved little sister.

Yves frowned. "You will have to forgive him, (name). He has been extremely agitated since this morning."

Yves turned to face you with a sympathetic look. "He misses you. And so do I."

You told them you could go on break right now since there aren't any other customers. This earned an excited shrill from your animated brother, it caused a few heads to turn. Yves shot him a dour lour in response.

You took your apron off and hung it on a hook, you then left through the side exit, taking a deep breath and fully expecting to be glomped by your gyrating brother.

"Oh, my darling, come here!" You saw him making a mad dash towards you. You closed your eyes and braced yourself. Except the impact never came, you did hear him choke, though.

You opened your eyes to see that Yves was covering his face out of shame as he restrained your brother by the collar. Your brother whined and complained, trying to pry Yves off him so he could love on you.

"Control yourself. Do not overwhelm her." Reprimanded Yves. Silence draped over the three of you like a blanket as he slowly lets go of the fabric, leaving wrinkles in your brother's once-ironed shirt.

Your brother looked at you and then at Yves. To which, your boyfriend gave him an expectant tilt of the head while narrowing his eyes.

"R-right." Your brother coughed into his hand. He then opened his arms wide and gave you the most inviting smile.

You saw this as an invitation to hug, so you went forward and snuggled right into his chest. He lets out a gleeful laugh as he rocks you side to side, ruffling your hair and showering you with multiple kisses on your head.

You wonder if Yves trained him to do that, this is what Yves would normally do, allowing you to choose if you want to be in the hug or not.

You thought that it was enough for him, so you tried pushing your brother away to greet Yves similarly. But your brother held on tightly, making you uncomfortable.

"Ahem."

You and your brother turned heads to Yves. He's crossing his arms while shooting the other man a disapproving look. He received the message and let you go.

You immediately went to give your boyfriend an embrace. He is too tall to be standing straight, so he had to crouch down to your level. His hold is not suffocatingly unbearable nor is it too loose. It was just right.

He held you by the chin and pressed a soft kiss onto your lips. You smiled and returned it while Yves stroked your hair with his slender fingers.

Yves lets you go at an appropriate time, it was perfect because it didn't leave you yearning nor did it leave you relieved.

But what you didn't see, was Yves telling your brother with his eyes to "Pay attention."

They lead you to the seats in front of the shop. Yves sat next to your brother while you sat directly opposite to both of them.

"How are you, dear?" Yves asked calmly.

You were about to speak but were interrupted by your brother.

"Is there anyone bothering you? Do you want more customers? Are you bored? I could call my coworkers over to buy a couple of drinks. Are you hungry? Yves and I got you something to eat, we got you--"

"How are you, (name)?" Yves cuts in, side-eyeing your brother. He gets the message and shuts up.

You told them that you're fine. Your brother opened his mouth to say something but suddenly jolted before sealing his lips again. If you were to look under the table, Yves is driving his sharp stiletto heel into his leather shoe. The two men know that it's probably bruising your older brother's foot.

The quietness prompted you to say something more, detailing what went on. From your annoyance regarding the opening sign not being aligned, to meeting a customer with a very interesting sense of fashion. This astonished your brother. You never willingly revealed that much information about your day to him.

Yves donned a soft smile as he listened on, nodding at appropriate times, occasionally glancing at your brother from the corner of his eyes.

Your brother is staring a bit too much without blinking at you. He isn't visibly confirming that he is mentally present in this conversation. If this goes on, you would inevitably be spooked. Yves had to rectify it.

What a coincidence, a customer came by and waited at the counter. You told the two men you will be right back.

Once you're out of earshot, Yves continued glowering at your brother.

Your brother was upset that your time with them was cut short by this pesky stranger, but upon further inspection, this is one of Yves's hired help. As the customer crossed her fingers behind her back, a sign that Yves told him to look out for earlier.

He whipped his head to your boyfriend, if he had to do something like this to take your attention away elsewhere, that means your brother did something wrong. He sighed, he's going to get lectured again.

Yves pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. It's like all his instructions went in one ear and out of the other.

"I know, I know. I just... love her so much. It's really hard for me not to just..." Your brother mumbled incoherently.

Yves stood up and sat in front of him, so that he could examine his body language better.

There really aren't any words that Yves could say to make a meaningful change in your brother. All he could do is lead by example.

"Stand up." Commanded Yves. Your boyfriend did the same and queued behind the customer. Hie emerald eyes were constantly trained on your face and skin.

"(Name) is mildly dehydrated. How would you approach this?" He asked, your brother knew Yves isn't looking for a verbal answer. But he wants to see what he would do.

You gave her the drink, she thanked you and left.

Yves gestured to your brother to take her place, to order a drink for himself.

"What was your favourite again, baby? Was it..." He listed all the beverages that you drank more than once.

You told your brother he should get what he likes. Which made him pout.

"Aww. I like whatever you like. Plus, you're dehydrated and I'm getting this for you too. You haven't been drinking enough water, have you? I told you that you should set an hourly reminder on your phone!"

You rolled your eyes at his incessant nagging. Yet, he kept going.

Yves watched with a blank face, but deep down, he is horrified at your brother's lack of tact. He has seen it before through cameras, but never in person. It's so much worse witnessing it in real life.

If he doesn't step in soon, you would snap at your brother and put a huge damper on his mood.

"-and dad never took good care of you--"

"Are you finished?" Yves asked when your brother is obviously in the middle of ranting. His face went pale, realizing that he derailed from his original goal.

He shrunk away and let Yves take the spotlight.

You sighed in relief when a much calmer presence replaced your brother's.

Yves skimmed through the menu.

"You must have had to memorize how to prepare all of these." Yves appeared impressed as he scanned through all forty different drinks.

You chuckled and scratched the back of your head, you told him that you do have to refer to the recipe book from time to time. Yves still praised you for working hard.

"What would you recommend, dear?" He brought his head back up and looked you in the eyes.

You thought about what Yves likes. Definitely nothing too artificial or sweet, something healthy and refreshing you think he would appreciate.

So you pointed at a fruit smoothie. It has almost all the fruits blended in it, you promoted it by telling him that it is full of essential vitamins and electrolytes.

"That sounds lovely. I would like to try it, please." You nodded, Yves paid for it. He said he would pay for your brother's order as well, whatever that may be.

Once the receipt is printed out, you go straight to work.

He turned around to see your brother watching you like a hawk. Yves shook his head disappointingly, he then walked to him and grabbed your brother by the forearm. Leading him away from your sight.

"Why did you do that?" Asked your brother with a tone that suggested he wasn't at all happy.

"Would you appreciate it if I watched your every move?" Replied Yves.

"No, but..." he struggled to find the right words. "You do! You're watching me and (name)." Your brother countered.

"Have I ever revealed myself doing so?" He snipped back.

No. Not openly. Yves would only give him painfully clear insinuations that he is stalking you and him, but it's just speculation and it's never proven. In your eyes, Yves is a normal person who is just more attentive than the average man. You suspected nothing from Yves.

Yves pointed in a direction. Your brother turned his head and caught a glimpse of you working hard.

"She can't see you from this angle. Stay here until (name) calls you."

The two men watched you blend their drinks in secret.

Finally, you poured them into their respective cups and called out for your brother and Yves.

They emerged from their hiding spot and collected their drinks. You took off your apron to join them at the tables.

As expected, your brother tried to make you drink his beverage. You refused, most likely due to his pushiness that puts you off. No matter how hard he tries to bring the straw to your lips, you would move away and push the cup back to your brother.

Yves was in agony over how bad your brother is at his job.

"(name)." Yves once again stole the limelight. He unwrapped the straw and poked into the drink. He then sipped on it.

"This is delicious. Thank you for making this." You smiled at the compliment.

"As you were saying about the fascinating demeanor of someone you served earlier today?" He propped his head up by an elbow.

You went back to becoming a chatterbox as your two favourite men listened on. Finally, your brother learned to mirror his senior's movement to create a more natural environment for you.

You talk, on and on and on. Each time when your brother tried to say something, he dug his heels deeper into his shoe to shut him up.

"I see, that's quite the personality." Yves commented. Which prompted you to tell him about another customer you found eccentric.

While you're occupied with yapping, Yves gently pushes his fruit smoothie towards you. And to your brother's bafflement, you subconsciously picked it up and began drinking it as you speak.

It made sense. You would get parched after rambling for so long, you wouldn't realize what you're putting in your mouth. It's as if your body is acting without the influence of your brain.

You went on and on, not paying attention to how empty the cup is becoming. Your brother gawked at how Yves managed to hydrate you without a hitch, without even explicitly telling you to drink.

There was a subtle cocky smirk on his face that can only be identified by your brother's keen eye.

Yves used his eyes to gesture to your brother to give his method a try.

And so, he did. He didn't say a word as he passed his untouched drink to you.

You absentmindedly took it and began drinking from it too, leaving Yves's empty cup alone. Your boyfriend retrieved the plastic and pretended to drink from it. His two large hands conceal the fact you finished everything, because you might snap out of this trance once you realize what you had done.

You would have felt guilty and stopped talking, he wouldn't want that.

Your brother may be lovesick, but not stupid. He quickly caught onto Yves's logic.

But sometimes, his mouth works faster than his brain. While you're in mid-sentence, he blurted out:

"Have you gone to the toilet today? You know it's not good to hold your pee in, you could get kidney stones!"

Yves froze and so did you. The spell has been broken and you were brought back to earth. You felt your cheeks heat up at your brother's embarrassing comment and the fact that you drank out of both cups.

You mumbled your apologies for finishing Yves's drink, excusing yourself to make a new one for him. Your brother tried to stop you while Yves sat still, it would have only made you feel worse if they were to restrain you.

You disappeared into the kiosk again.

Your brother let his shoulder sag. But he made a wrong move by turning to the side to face Yves.

As he struck the back of his hand across your brother's face, the sharp slap was muffled by the sounds of the blender.

Your brother rubbed the sore spot on his cheek and looked downwards.

"What is wrong with you? She's not a child anymore, did you know how humiliating that was to her?" Snapped Yves. He was angry, he was fuming that your idiotic sibling had to ruin a good thing today.

"I'm sorry, I- it's a habit of mine." He mumbled.

"Well, you better break it." Yves snarled. "You keep sabotaging yourself. If you can't get something as simple as... all this, straightened out, then, my teachings will be futile. You will not retain anything I demonstrated." He berated your brother.

He muttered an apology again, avoiding Yves's harsh gaze.

Your boyfriend lets out a breath of annoyance, he pulled out a hair brush and fixed his silky, dark hair.

The two of them sat in silence until you came out with two new cups. Yves and your brother were all smiles and affection towards you as usual, pretending that your boyfriend didn't backhand your brother a few minutes earlier.

Yves gladly accepted the new drink, but he stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"(name), I enjoyed our little chat today. But your brother and I have somewhere to be. You didn't have to go through the trouble of making new ones for us. But I appreciate the consideration, my love." Yves brushed stray strands of your hair away from your face.

Your brother looked at him puzzled. Why is he cutting the meeting short? He didn't want to leave you alone! He didn't dare to say anything though, as Yves's sharp stiletto heel is still threatening to pierce his shoe.

You smiled and bid them goodbye. Yves kissed you on the forehead and gestured for your brother to kiss you farewell too.

Yves jabbed his ribs when he saw your brother hogging you too much, by being too touchy and kissing you too much.

Your boyfriend led your brother away by the forearm. He waved as they walked past your workplace.

Once out of sight, Yves dropped his smile and scowled at your brother. "You missed it."

"Missed what?" Your brother eyed the hand that is chaining him to Yves, looks like your boyfriend knows your brother too much. If he were to let go within a certain radius, he would inevitably run back to you.

"We overstayed our welcome." Yves sighed, handing his drink to the younger man to hold. Now your brother is in charge of two tasty beverages, it's, unfortunately, freezing his fingers.

"How can you tell?" This question earned a look of disbelief, followed by a look of irritation from Yves.

"Were you not paying attention to what I taught you over the year? Is that thing up here," Yves poked his head. "...merely for decor?"

"Instead of calling me stupid, why don't you tell me what I fucking missed?" Your brother felt his blood boil, sometimes Yves can be an impossible teacher and he didn't like being belittled like this.

"Everything! You are unbelievable!" Yves finally lets go of him. He let out a frustrated sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. As much as Yves wants to get rid of your brother at this very moment for being so stupid and blind, he couldn't. You love him and Yves worked so hard to build a rapport with him. But it's so hard not to just throw it all away.

He has to remind himself that he was young and inexperienced before, it's only fair for Yves to be patient and kind since that is the most effective way to teach someone. But it is hard because it relates to you. He couldn't easily accept mistakes or errors when it comes to caring for the love of his life.

The two men walked in tense silence. Your brother looked elsewhere to distract himself from the injustice of it all while Yves buried his head in his hand, trying to quell the throbbing headache the moron next to him caused.

"Please... be more mindful next time." Yves broke the quietness.

Your brother only grunted in response.

Despite it all, neither man would give up on the other. They would still work together to give you the happiest life possible.

[starkskeep]

Oh, all I used to do was pray (r. stark)

Oh, all I used to do was pray r. stark imagine

Pairings - Robb Stark x female!Reader

Summary: Robb Stark is the King of the North and the Riverlands after defeating the Lannisters. He was persuaded to keep his promise to Lord Frey and marry one of his daughters on the march back from King's Landing. No one except Walder Frey is happy with this arrangement. Robb Stark's new wife is forced to bear the weight of his hatred and the North's indifference to the new queen.

Word Count: 1,790 words

Warnings - Angst, violence, arranged marriage, mention of infidelity

Songs I listened to while writing: Would've, Could've Should've, Bigger Than the Whole Sky, The Great War, mad woman, Right Where You Left Me (Taylor Swift)

You were one of the many daughters of the Late Lord Walder Frey and an unnamed noblewoman who lost her battle on the birthing bed. Just one of the faces to be lost in the background. Not the most beautiful, not the most outspoken, not the best at singing, dancing, or embroidery. Just ok. Enough not to be ridiculed but not enough to be praised. Maybe that is why Catelyn Stark chose you to be the wife of her son. You were not incompetent but you would not overpower him. You would not be able to control the King of the North in order to advance the standing of House Frey. Walder Frey was surprised when you were the one chosen to marry Robb Stark but a man with as many children as he couldn’t bring himself to actually care. The wedding ceremony was a quick event performed in the faith of the Seven. The celebration was hurried. Your new husband wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. The sooner he was married, the sooner he would leave The Twins, and the sooner he and his men would be back in the North. There was much to be done with rebuilding Winterfell and establishing the reign of the Starks as the kings of the North for the first time since Aegon’s Conquest.

Disappointed was not the word you would use to describe your feelings. Dreaming of a wedding and a husband was something you had not done as a young girl. You never expected to be forced into a marriage as there were so many daughters born before you. This was not how you imagined your life to be like. Traveling east was your dream. A daughter not paid attention to by anyone in her household would have had an easy time sneaking away. Now you were the wife of a king and traveling North. You had to do your duty, even though you felt your heartbreak and your dreams die a little more each time you caught Robb staring at you with pure, unadulterated disdain. His family and his people were not much more welcoming. It seemed as if the Northerners had ice in their hearts when it came to outsiders. 

You stood in the courtyard of Winterfell unsure of what to do and feeling completely out of place. The Starks were being welcomed back into Winterfell with open arms yet you knew that this did not extend to you.It was clear to you from the moment you were married into this family that you were unwelcome and unwanted. Thankfully, you were given an excuse to leave the courtyard when a servant came up to you. “If you would follow me, my lady. I will show you to your new chambers.” You accepted the servant’s offer and followed them to your new sanctuary. Though the rooms were large, warm, and filled with everything you could possibly need to be comfortable, you could not help but notice that they were located as far away from your husband’s chambers as possible. “Maybe this is a blessing in disguise.” You thought to yourself, “At least I do not need to be overwhelmed by the tension being near him, of always having my guard up.”

Days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months. You have tried to become closer to the Starks but are rebuffed each time. Instead of wallowing in pity, you devoted yourself to the reconstruction of Winterfell. You learned how to heal minor injuries and sicknesses from the Maester of Winterfell. You spent your time at the orphanage in Winter Town, caring for the children who lost their parents in the war. If you weren’t going to be accepted by your new family, you were at least going to prove that you were not useless. Despite this, no kindness was shown to you so you found your own peace and refuge where you could. More often than not, you were able to be located in the Godswood. It is there during your sixth moon at Winterfell that you were interrupted by Jon Snow. You smiled at him. Despite Jon being Robb’s brother, Jon is the only one who has been kind to you rather than being cold and detached. He had admitted to you during one of your many conversations that he knew what it felt like to be brushed aside. He wanted to make sure that you weren’t completely isolated.

This time, however, you do not give Jon a smile as he approaches you. You are focused on nothing, just staring blankly ad picking the grass by your sides. Jon is quite concerned for you so he decides to speak up. “My lady. Is everything alright?” He says as he clears his throat. It draws your attention so you flash him a weak smile. “I’m sorry Jon. I didn’t notice you there. You must have thought me quite rude for not greeting you.” “No, not rude… I was just concerned for you.” Jon looks down into your eyes. He looks like he wants to say more but is trying to stop himself. “Are you ok? You just seem… not like yourself. I can leave if you would prefer. If I'm bothering you…” You can see in his eyes that Jon truly wants to help you so you open up to him. You don’t know if he already knows or not, since he is Robb’s brother. “Talisa Maegyr is pregnant. My husband’s mistress is pregnant. I can hear the whispers from the people in Winterfell. I expect to receive a letter from my father soon, bemoaning my inability to become with child and cement my place as the Queen of the North.” Judging from Jon’s shocked expression, his brother had not told him. You hate yourself a little more for putting him in such an awkward position with Robb. Unable to distract yourself from the guilt that is clawing at your throat, you leave Jon in the Godswood, giving the excuse that you wish to be alone on a walk. Jon sadly watches you go.

Your good brother thanks the Gods that you already had left the Godswood. Not a few minutes after your departure Sansa and Robb arrive. Jon knew that if you couldn’t face him, you would definitely not be able to face your husband at that moment. “Jon,” he says with a deep breath. Robb’s face is solemn and he seems tense. “Have you seen my wife?”Jon is absolutely furious that Robb has the nerve to ask about you, now knowing that he has fathered a bastard. He looks at his brother with a frown. “She knows, Robb. She knows that you got your mistress pregnant. Leave her alone for the time being. She doesn’t need more of your disapproval.” Jon says tiredly. The fact that his brother would get another woman pregnant knowing how it felt for Catelyn when Jon was brought home by Ned and how Jon was then treated eats away at Jon.

Robb is silent, the pain on his face plain. He looks down at John, seeming to take in his words, processing them. He sighs and sits down, looking up at Jon. “You're right, Jon. I'm sorry.” Robb shakes his head and looks down at his feet. He's clearly in a lot of turmoil, though he takes Jon's words without argument. Maybe there were other things on his mind as well. Sansa steps forward and ends the silence between her two brothers. “Is...is she ok? Is she upset? Jon speaks again, “She was devastated, so devastated, but she wasn’t angry. This family has pushed her away so much since her wedding to Robb but she is still so eager to prove herself to us that she isn’t even angry that her husband got another woman pregnant.”Robb began to tense up, his face darkening and his fists clenching. Robb tenses up, his face darkening as he clenches his fists. “Jon.” Robb's voice is low, and Jon can tell he's on the verge of snapping. “I know, alright? You don't need to rub it in.” His voice is pained. Robb doesn’t know if he is angry at Jon or if he is angry at himself. His reaction makes Jon angrier. “No. You don’t know.” Jon looks at Sansa as well, “None of our siblings know. Everyone has been cold to Robb’s wife, our good sister, and resented her for the entire seven months that she has been in Winterfell. She was forced into the marriage as well, or did you conveniently forget that? So much time has been spent blaming her for the actions of Walder Frey that no one has stopped to consider that she is just as much a victim of circumstance in this marriage as Robb is.” Jon is so upset that he can’t be around them anymore.

After you left the Godswood, you went to the stables and requested that a horse be saddled As soon as it was brought to you, you took off through the gates of Winterfell, intent on getting as far away from everything as you could. It briefly crossed your mind not to go too far lest a search party be sent out after you, but you dismissed the thought. It would take a while of being away from Winterfell before anyone actually noticed the absence of their queen. You urge your horse to ride faster and faster toward the forest.

The Wolfswood is beautiful. Its trees stand tall and a stark contrast against the white landscape, giving the surroundings a majestic quality. The snow is thick on the ground. Suddenly, you can hear a sound in the distance. It's muffled at first, getting louder and louder. Soon the source seems to be obvious: A pack of wolves, howling. As you get closer to the sound, you realize that you were gravely mistaken. A pack of wolves would have been preferable to the sight that is in front of you now. It is a group of men laughing. A banner of a flayed man hangs behind them and is replicated upon their clothing. Even worse, they are holding Arya and Rickon. Likely just having fun in the woods that they were kept away from for so long yet now likely feeling as if their return home has been cut short. You decide that you need to do something immediately. Picking up a rock, you throw it to distract the men. This allowed Arya and Rickon to escape the hold on them. In the commotion, you to your good sister and good brother. “Run! Take my horse! Ride back to Winterfell! Quickly!”

Next Part

[wambsgansshoelaces]

Turmoil; Chapter 7

Roman Roy x Reader

a/n: catch the easter egg hehe

Word Count: 2.60k

Just one day, you tell yourself. One day to forget about all the bullshit in your life and just enjoy yourself. It is a party in your name, after all.

After some moaning and groaning from Roman, you manage to drag him out of bed and get him ready. You stand, hips touching, as he messes with his cologne and you put in your earrings.

“You know some shit is going to happen today,” he mutters.

“Why would you say that?” you chide. “We should be relaxed. It’s our last night here.”

“Murphy’s Law, Y/N.”

“I didn’t know you were smart enough to know what that is.” He smacks your shoulder lightly. “What? I’m being honest,” you tease, smoothing out the wrinkles in the dress you’d picked out a few days before.

“I’m extremely intelligent, just so you know.”

“Sure, Roman.” You laugh.

“I’m the one who got Connor’s watch. And…,” he says conspiratorially, winding an arm around your waist and pulling you flush against him. “I got someone’s personal bank records.”

“I love it when a man commits federal crimes for me,” you say faux-dreamily, smiling at him.

“Y/N, it’s not illegal, if I, er, found them.”

“We’ll talk about it later. I want a stress-free night.”

“Murphy’s Law,” he repeats. “What can go wrong will go wrong.”

“Is it too much to ask of your father to keep his opinions to himself for one night?” you ask, sighing. You perfect your look in the mirror before stepping away form Roman.

He follows you out the door, his fingers subtly intertwined with yours. He’s warmed up to your touch- not that he’s ever not liked it. Kissing, apparently, is still out of the question. You’d realized when you tried giving him a peck good night before bed the other day.

You can’t even begin to count all the people in attendance tonight. You don’t know most of them, as you’d expected, which makes your job more difficult. You have to make yourself look good- and Logan.

You mill about, doing what Roman refers to as ‘standing there and looking so damn pretty’, watching the crowd. He’d scuttled off in the name of finding desserts, leaving you to yourself and your thoughts. Logan had spared no expense for his son- chandeliers were lit, servers were flitting here and there, tables upon tables of food were laid out.

While your situation is less than ideal, you’re able to appreciate nice things when they come.

You idly sip from your glass, letting your gaze rake over the crowd. Logan is sitting by himself off to a corner, seemingly trying to gather his strength to even get up. You wonder where Marcia is, and you briefly feel a pang of sympathy. Only briefly.

Shiv is more than likely flirting with some random guy, you tell yourself, Kendall probably asleep in a separate room. Connor is entertaining his own circle of guests, in his element. He makes weird flapping motions with his arms, and you’re thankful you weren’t pulled into that conversation. Greg is happily munching on an assortment of treats. You’re delighted he’s gotten a break. He’s a good man; he deserves it.

Your gaze snags on a strangely already-balding young man. Before you’d left for this party, Roman had shown you a headshot of the accountant Connor was working with. He seemed freshly out of college, but both his face and certain records you’re sure you’ll be able to dig up say otherwise. If anything, he was suspicious.

To your dismay, he makes his way over to you. You hope this won’t be a repeat of the charity gala- you don’t think you’ll be able to control yourself this time. This guy has a punchable face, anyway.

“The future Mrs. Roy,” he says heartily. You lazily raise your glass to him. “I’ve been keen to meet you.” He talks like an old man, too. “I’m the one who directed my client to you when his things got stolen at the hotel.”

You straighten slightly. “Were you, now? I thought it just came with our… familial ties.” You flash your engagement ring at him.

“I mean, of course that’d be the natural course of thought. Regardless, I had to make sure he went with the best, and you’re the best.”

You’re certain he’s trying to kiss your ass. The question is why. You fold one of your arms over your torso and regard him. “Who are you, again?”

He straightens his blazer and extends his hand out to the one you currently have holding your glass. Jerkily, he puts it back down by his side and says, “Peirce Thompson. Thompson & Thompson Accounting and Banking.”

“What a firm name,” you say blandly.

“My brother and I started the thing up from our bedroom way back when, and the name’s just stuck.”

“So you’ve been around a while, then?”

“Oh, ages, absolute ages.” He dusts off an imaginary bit of lint from his shoulder. You press your lips together.

“Why haven’t I heard of you, then?” you ask carefully.

“Psh, your type of law and my finance rarely collide,” he says condescendingly. “We’re in two different worlds, sweetheart.”

Trying not to recede into yourself, you give him a strange look. What he’s saying is bullshit- you know your way around economics, and you run your own firm. Clearly, you have a handle on finance. “If you say so.”

As if Connor’s shenanigans couldn’t get more confusing. This accountant banker bitch reeks of fish- both figuratively and literally, unfortunately.

“I’ve been meaning to ask. Have you ever personally taken care of many fraud cases?”

“Depends on the kind of fraud we’re talking about.” You manage to catch Kendall’s eyes over Peirce’s shoulder. You subtly widen and release your eyelids, trying to get him to come over.

“Er, tax fraud.”

”Sure I have. Why do you ask?” You turn your gaze back to his.

“Only wondering. Some issues are arising with… clients.”

“Clients, huh?”

Thankfully, before he can say anything, Kendall claps his hand over Peirce’s shoulder. “I didn’t think you’d be here today,” Kendall says stiffly. “Funny you’d show your face after raking up the interest for my dad by ‘forgetting’ to pay his taxes.” You have to keep yourself from laughing. Kendall continues. “You’ve met my sister? Trying to weasel your way into her finances, too?” He shifts to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Your heart warms when he refers to you as family.

Peirce grits his teeth. “Lies don’t look good on you, Mr. Roy.”

Kendall snorts before pressing a hand to your back and guiding you away. “Thanks,” you murmur to him as you both slip away.

“He makes me want to rip my hair out. I’ve got you.”

You both make your way to a table, taking seats. You’d been standing for so long your feet were aching. Roman finds you and pulls a chair up right next to yours, and when he sits, he makes sure his leg is touching yours.

Kendall takes note, his eyes flickering from you to Roman. “What happened to ‘I’m going to kill her before I let her near me?’”

You laugh. “You said that?”

“I say lots of things I don’t remember.” Roman pushes a plate piled high with sweets towards you. “I didn’t know what you’d like, so I got you everything.”

You give his knee a pat. “I appreciate you trying, Roman, but that’s way too much.”

“We’ll all share,” he insists. Kendall smiles, taking the miniature slice of German chocolate cake and setting it on his place.

“My wife catered,” he says simply. “She owns that bakery you like, Y/N. The one always open on the holidays.”

You smile softly at him. You’re happy that he’s happy. You and Roman pig out on the sweets, chattering comfortably until his eyes catch someone as they cross the room.

He somehow manages to smack Kendall’s chest from across the table and stares back into the crowd.

You and Kendall both follow Roman’s gaze. You just barely catch Marcia as she slips out of the main atrium, a man in tow.

Kendall must see something you don’t. “Give me your fucking phone,” he says quickly. Without thinking, you hand it to him and he power walks after her. You and Roman follow, albeit much slower because Kendall already looks crazy.

Kendall’s leagues ahead of you at this point, but he’s slow enough that you and Roman can tail him. You wind through the corridors until the three of you have stopped in an eerily empty hallway. Kendall is peeping into the sitting area that dead-ends the hall, and almost immediately doubles back, seemingly sick. He steels himself, then takes your phone and sticks it through the doorway and starts filming.

Peeking over his shoulder, you wince.

Marcia has a fuck buddy, and it isn’t Logan Roy.

As desperately as you want to get rid of the image of Marcia having sex from your brain, you can’t. It simultaneously makes you want to puke but also, disgustingly, elated that you now have something over her- and by proxy, Logan.

After an excruciating five minutes, the three of you had gone back to the party. You and Roman had danced a bit, and he’d admittedly embarrassed you with his extremely out-of-date moves. Despite it all, you’d found yourself laughing and having more fun than you’d had in ages.

Now, you’re struggling to unzip the back of your dress. Roman’s stooped over the sink, aggressively washing his face.

“Rome, you’re going to rip it off. Calm down,” you manage, tongue between your teeth as you continue to attempt to pull down the zipper.

He pats his face dry with a towel. “I’m being thorough.” Without being asked,he comes over to you and tugs the zipper open. “You should wear that more often.”

“I literally just got it.”

“Yeah. Keep wearing it.” His hands go to sit on your hips, gently rubbing.

“What’s with the affection all of the sudden?” He settles his face into your shoulder as you move to put your hair up. “Not that I’m complaining.”

He’s quiet for a moment. “Getting more comfortable,” he says into your skin. “I don’t… I’ve never had a relationship like this. Where we genuinely liked each other.” You stay silent, letting him gather his thoughts. “I’m just scared. But we’ve been over that before.”

”You can always tell me how you’re feeling,” you say softly.

“I don’t want to get hurt. I don’t think I’ll physically be able to handle it.” Roman pulls away from you, padding into the bedroom. You quickly change into your pajamas before following him, slipping under the covers by his side. “I also don’t want to hurt you,” he says quietly.

“What makes you think you’ll hurt me?”

“I don’t exactly have the greatest track record with relationships, do I? Behind all that hoity toity lawyer stuff, you’re so horribly kind. It makes me sick, honestly.” He’s facing you, pain flickering across his face. “People have never really liked me for me, you know? It’s always just for my money, or my brother, or Dad. It’s like… it’s like I’m not even here.”

You take a moment before responding. “I see you. You work hard, Roman. I should express my appreciation more.”

You’re right. Despite your consistent bickering in the beginning, Roman was dedicated to what you were trying to do together. Like clockwork, he’d have paperwork on your desk or news articles sent or even a mug of coffee. Recently, too- he’d helped you confirm Connor was lying, and now he apparently has dirt on his finances- and financier.

“Even though you’re honestly a jerk, I think deep down under all of that clownery you’re a good guy,” you murmur.

“You’re so backhanded,” he complains, reaching across you to pull you into him. His arm wraps around your back, the other sitting on the back of your thigh as he shifts you on top of him. You set your cheek on his chest.

“Really, Roman. I think you’re too hard on yourself.” His fingers trace circles into your skin.

“I don’t even know what I’m talking about.” You catch your eyes drooping as he speaks. “I want to try this. Seriously. Actually.”

“You can,” you murmur back. “We can.”

“I want to start acting like a real couple. I want you to trust me, to feel safe with me.”

You sigh happily as his fingers continue their ministrations. “I already do.”

“That makes you kind of stupid, really.” Roman presses a hesitant kiss to your head. “Like you said, I’m a jerk, and on top of that, I’m vain, self absorbed, wickedly good looking…”

“Oh, shut up.” You laugh lightly into his chest.

He does, for a few moments. “Y/N?”

“Hm?”

He gently takes your chin, tilting it up enough so he can look at you. You can tell he’s fighting with himself in his mind. Shakily, he presses his lips to yours.

It’s a stiff, awkward kiss, and he pulls away quickly.

“Good night, Y/N.”

☾𖤓

The next morning, you’re leaning against the wall, fighting off sleep. Your flight is bright and early, and therefore so are you. Roman insisted to carry all of your luggage out to the car, so you stand in the foyer, avoiding the outside chill of the morning. You and Greg talk about nothing while Kendall stares into his empty coffee cup, Shiv on his other side, teeth chattering.

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to tell you- I’ve gotten a few bank statements I want you to take a look at. Don’t worry about them now, though. I don’t want you stressing until we get back. I mean, I don’t want you stressing at all, and I’m just trying to preserve the peace until we get back to the States. I mean- I don’t know what I mean.”

You give his arm an affectionate squeeze, and he rubs the grogginess from his eyes.

Roman shuffles back in, his breath clouding out in front of him before he steps back into the heat. “Santa took a fat shit outside.”

“How poetic,” you mutter in response. “You have such a way with words.”

He waits for the other three to file out of the foyer before pressing a kiss to your cheek. “Just for you.”

The flight back is lethargic. Nobody wants to get back to work, least of all you. Roman’s sprawled across your lap, and you idly scratch at his scalp. Kendall sits on your other side, slumped against you with his blanket pulled over his head. Shiv once again sits across from you, her legs once again propped up on the side of your lap Roman isn’t occupying. Greg has a sofa all to himself, his legs sticking off the end as he snores lightly.

Logan, again, had elected to take a different flight. It’s for the better, anyway.

“You think I can hire a hit man without getting arrested?” Shiv asks you nonchalantly.

“I want to see you try.” You give her ankle a pat. “You’ll do great,” you tell her sarcastically. “I’ll be so excited to come see you during prison visiting hours. If you get any.”

“Oh, be quiet. I’d execute it perfectly.”

“I really do hope you’re joking. Do you know how stupid people who hire ‘hit men’ are?” you ask, making air quotes with your free hand.

“What? It’d be fun, I think.”

“Stop thinking, then, Shiv.”

The rest of the long flight goes by slowly. When you step off the stairway and onto the asphalt, you take a breath of the smoke-infused air. It’s disgusting compared to the crisp, Norwegian air. Your nose scrunches.

“Fuckin’ gross…,” Kendall mutters as he gently pushes past you, his face mirroring yours. After everyone goes their separate ways, you and Roman are left to each other in the backseat of the car taking you back to your apartment.

The rest of the day is lazy. You spend it curled together on the couch.

[rottenpumpkin13]

Can we have Young Sephiroth and Young Rufus meeting

• Rufus never considered himself a disobedient child. He does as told, and goes above and beyond to make sure his father knows how good and eager to make him happy he is. That being said, he is a curious child who lives in a building with enough "restricted" areas to keep his wondering mind busy.

• The people in white lab coats are what spark his interest the most. He knows they work in the R&D department, where the oh-so-great Sephiroth is kept. Rufus also knows that he and Sephiroth are the same age, and can't help but wonder what it is that makes the mysterious boy so special.

• So he ventures into the labs one day. He's surprised how far a stolen access card can get him, and even more surprised to learn how no one bats an eye at the president's son when he has one in hand.

• Rufus sees Sephiroth through a glass window getting tended to by many people in white lab coats. While Sephiroth has brilliant silver hair and peculiar eyes, he's remarkably small for his age. Rufus is pleased when he realizes that he's taller than the great Sephiroth.

• The two boys briefly make eye contact. Before Rufus can do so much as wave at him, a security guard finds him and ushers him out of the labs and back to his living quarters.

• So Rufus tries again the next day. This time, he waits until a good portion of the employees are on their lunch break before slipping out of his living quarters and venturing back to the labs.

• The department is emptier now, but Rufus can't take too long. He's looking around, peering into empty offices, when finally, he's caught by the very person he's been looking for.

• Sephiroth asks him what he's doing, and who he is. Rufus is speechless. Sephiroth's eyes are much weirder up close.

• "Why are your eyes like that?" Rufus asks, with as little filter as a spoiled, sheltered eight-year-old has.

• Sephiroth is sheepish. He's not used to being around children his age, and this one was quick to point out something he doesn't particularly like about himself.

• Sephiroth opens his mouth to tell Rufus that it's just the way his eyes are, when he's interrupted.

• "I think they're cool," Rufus says with a grin.

• Sephiroth is taken aback, and very much perplexed.

• Rufus then asks Sephiroth if he wants to play. Sephiroth confesses that he's unfamiliar with games and playing with another person. Rufus tells him not to worry, that he too isn't used to having friends either. So the boys settle on drawing and coloring.

• They're laughing as Rufus has Sephiroth color outside the lines for once, and teaches him how to draw a robot. When Rufus draws his robot eating jelly beans, Sephiroth asks what the colorful blobs are. Rufus is shocked. "You've never had jelly beans?"

• Sephiroth shrugs. "I know what they are, but professor Hojo isn't very lenient to sweets in my diet."

• Rufus comes back the next day with jelly beans and a bag full of candy. He sneaks into Sephiroth's room when professor Hojo and Gast are busy, and dumps the loot on Sephiroth's bed. Sephiroth has never seen this much candy in one place.

• They spend the hours they have together eating sweets, talking, and folding paper airplanes to have a race. "How come you don't have any cool toys?" Rufus asks, referring to Sephiroth's limited selection of educational toys.

• Sephiroth doesn't understand what Rufus means at all.

• So Rufus comes back the next day with a backpack full of his most prized toys. This time, he's caught by professor Gast before he can reach Sephiroth's room, who wants to know how he was even let in that part of the labs. After some explaining, Gast smiles and takes Rufus to Sephiroth's room. He tells the two that Hojo will be back in two hours, so Rufus should be gone by then.

• The boys play with remote control cars and battle it out with the action figures Rufus brought. Rufus has so many marbles, Sephiroth is in awe. Rufus let's Sephiroth keep a handful of them, including a bright green one with silver stripes that reminds Rufus of Sephiroth.

• Rufus comes back almost every day for two months straight, with the help of professor Gast, who's elated to see how much happier Sephiroth has gotten. They've become fast friends, and share details from their lives that they bond over. Rufus lost his mother young, and doesn't remember her much. Sephiroth has a father figure who leaves much to be desired.

• They talk of "one day" when the pair are much older. Rufus says that once he's president, when Sephiroth will be a general in the army, the two will have more freedom than they do now. Sephiroth questions whether they'll still be friends by then, and Rufus promises that they will.

• And then one day, they decide to play tag. Sephiroth doesn't know his full strength. He pushes Rufus too hard. He hits his head on a table and is badly injured, with thick rivulets of blood spilling from his forehead.

• The boys aren't allowed to see each other after that. It doesn't matter how much Rufus insists that he's fine, that it was just an accident. It doesn't matter how sorry Sephiroth is, or how he claims that he never meant to hurt his friend. Both the president and Hojo agree that this "friendship" should not have happened in the first place.

• Sephiroth never got the chance to apologize. Rufus never told Sephiroth that he wasn't mad at him.

• Years pass. Sephiroth is a First Class SOLDIER now, who found two other like-minded boys to call his friends. The trio are together at an event one night, one of those over-the-top, pristine parties held by Shinra.

• Rufus is also there. He sees Sephiroth from across the room laughing with Genesis and Angeal. He briefly remembers the time they spent as friends. But it doesn't matter now. They've grown up, and Sephiroth probably doesn't even remember him. Besides, he's found other friends now who are just as strong as he is.

• Sephiroth also sees Rufus from across the room talking to a few of the Turks. Sephiroth continues to stare, hoping Rufus will catch his eye just once. Maybe a wave, a nod, a smile, any silent acknowledgment will do in Sephiroth's mind. But Rufus turns his back. Of course, Sephiroth thinks, he still dislikes me for what I did to him.

• Both men will never know that they still cared about each other, even after all those years.

[lilapplesheadcannons]

r/AmITheAsshole: u/throwaway478wwx

AITA if I tell my "husband" I love him?

Throw away because my siblings and friends are here. Don't roll your eyes, please. It's very complicated. So I (34M) have been married to my incredible husband Z (34M) for the last 8 years. We went to the same high school but actually ran into different circles. Z, who was a straightA student, didn't like me and my friend circle. Things worsened after I accidentally ruined his science fair project. High school ended with bad blood between us. His older brother, who was a few years senior to us, was my sister's classmate, and he tried to mediate between us, but Z really hated me and would get huffy every time we met.

We met again in Uni. Z seemed more open to the idea of a civil relationship, and things improved tremendously once I gifted him 2 rabbits for his birthday. Z had the cutest crush on our classmate M and would get so flustered when I asked him about M.

In our final year, all of us got very drunk in a party, and I lost the drinking game. As a punishment, I was tasked with safely escorting Z back to our dorm. Just my luck, for such a calm and self-controlled person, Z is an agent of chaos when drunk. We broke into the nearby aquarium to look at the sting-rays, went into a Mcdonald where Z proceeded to buy all the chicken wings as a gift for me and tried to fight a mirror for 'staring at the love of his life'. I somehow managed to calm him down and took him back to the dorm.

Fast forward a year, M suddenly announced her relationship with someone else. I was extremely surprised, but not only Z stoically bore the news, the rest of my friends were very chill about it too. In fact, they seemed more annoyed at me for making a fuss. My angel of a sister, who never spoke a harsh word in her life, told me I was lucky I was so stinking cute.

I tried my best to support Z in this difficult time. We spent most of our free time together. In fact, I invited Z to my sister's wedding to cheer him up. Incidentally, we kinda discovered a big conspiracy to harm Z's brother and his boyfriend, and Z's family was very taken with me. His mom started to joke that she'll steal me to be her own son. Even Z's very stern uncle seemed to soften up.

Finally, M announced her wedding when we were 26. I hastily planned a trip as a means to distract Z. We backpacked and hiked. One night, we got roaring drunk and woke up the next day in bed with each other. Even worse, drunk us thought it was a good idea to apply for a marriage certificate online and make an announcement on Facebook that we were getting married. Our families were blowing up our phones. They asked us how could we do this? How could we exclude them from the happiest day of our life and not give them the chance to celebrate? Before our hungover brains could explain anything, Z's brother was dispatched to retrieve us, and our parents were looking at the wedding venue and cakes.

Our mothers combined are a force to reckon with. I tried to explain things, but mom said she thought she raised me better, and Z's otherwise very kind brother told me he'd feed me into a woodchipper if I backed out of the wedding.

Long story short, we got married that spring. We planned to let things settle a bit, but disaster struck. A friend of ours had a baby cousin whose parents suddenly passed away in an accident. The baby's nearest kin was his grandma, who was very frail and terminal, and my friend didn't have the means to support the baby. Z and I promptly applied to adopt the baby.

Our little radish is almost 9 this year. Z is not only a great dad, but he's an incredibly good husband, too. He's kind, warm, sweet, and patient. He's a wonderful cook. We are compatible in every way, and I mean every possible way. My parents love him. And I think I have fallen in love with him too. But would I be an asshole if I told him that I loved him? We have a good thing going on here. I don't want to rock the boat.

Update 1: Thank you so much for your kind words. I have decided to confess to my husband. Wish me luck.

Update 2: To the person who DMed me calling me "so dumb that light can enter through one ear and exit via another," JC, I know your writing style. Push your luck, and the whole of reddit will know what happened in our third year.

Update 3: So, I told Z that I loved him. He was reading our baby boy's half yearly report. Have I told you guys how handsome he looks with his glasses on? He raised his eyes and said, " And I love 'my name' too. Always have." So I guess that's settled? We have been in love for the last decade? That's good. Thank you for all your support. And I love you too, Jie.

[drenix004]

𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘━━━ 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐙𝐀

-> part 1

❝𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲︙It was the candy she needed to cope with the life of danger and death she had willingly gotten herself into.❞

❛Her sweet, natural attitude reminded him of honey, and her peculiar amber eyes reaffirmed this❜

warnings: mention of alcohol, drugs, death, obsession, swear words, curses, among others, if you are not comfortable, don't read it !

rating: 18+

pairings: Valeria Garza x female Oc

WC: 1,2k

¡English is not my first language, so there may be mistakes, don’t hesitate to correct me.!

¡para las personas que hablan español, actualizo primero la historia en wattpad :) (for spanish speakers, I update the story on wattpad first!)

Link de wattpad-> Honey

━━━━━━━━》❈《 ━━━━━━━

Her screams and unrestrained pounding on the door echoed throughout the room. She had been doing the same thing for three days, she hadn't even taken off her bloodstained dress, her makeup was smeared and her hair was tangled.

-Let me out, dammit! -she shouted again as she kicked the door. But, again her screams had been ignored-they'll kill them all if I don't come back, please. -she whispered at the door before breaking away.

He walked over to the bed in the room and used it as a support as he sat down on the floor, and laid his back on one of the sides.

The room was a mess, everything was destroyed due to the fits of anger and irritability she was having due to withdrawal.

Jérémie controlled her with sedatives and other drugs in combination, which is why she was never able to escape. Now she only suffered the consequences of her system not receiving these substances; excessive sweating made her feel clammy, nausea and anxiety had only increased since the second day.

She had slight cuts on her hands when she broke the glass things in the room, the insomnia and the muscle and joint pains made her tired, she just wished it would be over.

-They're going to kill them," she whispered again, looking at her hands almost on the verge of collapse. Despite her state, she kept thinking about the women who were still trapped in that place.

They would kill them like cattle to erase all evidence, if she was alive they would kill the others.

Her energy was running out, maybe, and only maybe, she could sleep without feeling the Frenchman's hands on her body, she could rest for a moment, even if only.

-Ese vestido se te ve de la verga-She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear the door open, she didn't hear anyone come in.

-Valeria? -Her tired eyes fell on her person; the woman with short black hair had blood splattered on her face, as well as on her hands.

Valeria gave the room a general glance before looking back at her.

-Disaster will cost me dearly-the contratia thought he was going to approach her, but walked past her toward the bathroom. He heard there would be a faucet, surely he was going to wash off the blood. -But, it's a small thing really. -He came out of the bathroom with a clean face and hands. She walked over and knelt down in front of her. -I have to get all the crap off you-he carefully touched her face, being careful with her split lip. -Lace doesn't even go with you, Laurie.

Valeria hated the appearance of the female from the first moment she saw her in that church, that was not her Laurie.

But she would take it upon herself to fix everything the French son of a bitch had changed.

-What's going on? -the contrarian barely asks -you were missing, how come…?

-The questions will come later, sweetie,- he interrupts her as he caresses her cheeks, -Let's give you a bath.

Valeria helps her up carefully, putting a hand around her waist to get a better grip as he helps her walk.

She sits her on the toilet and turns off the faucet she had left on to fill the tub.

Laurie lets herself be undressed by Valeria's delicate hands, she had missed her touch for a long time.

She felt her pause; most likely at the sight of the bruises and needle scars on her body, heard her curse under her breath as she resumed the action.

she did not look at her out of embarrassment, and Valeria didn't ask anything about it either, which she was grateful for, it wasn't necessary to know what had happened for her to have such marks on her skin.

Carefully she was put into the bathtub, and for the first time in 5 years, she relaxed at the feel of warm water and not cold as she had been made to get used to. Valeria's hands were soft and light as she bathed her and toweled off her smudged makeup.

-Lo haces bien, Dulce-The short-haired girl carefully untangled his hair, as it had knots in it, and she knew how much it hurt to remove those knots, especially if it was in curly hair.

-They'll kill them, Valeria- Laurie says after a long time, Valeria stops momentarily before continuing- they're going to kill them for me- guilt escapes in her tone of voice, her conscience blames her for what's going to happen to those poor women. -I have to go back, if I do they won't do anything to them.

-You're not going back, Laurie,-Valeria's voice becomes cold, authoritative. Contrary to the one a moment ago. Laurie looked at her on the verge of tears.

-I can't leave them, I can't abandon them. -Her trembling hand grabbed one of the Mexican woman's wrists, -Please.

Valeria stared at her before sighing, the woman had plans to destroy everything that belonged to the Frenchman, the man had dared to touch something that was rightfully hers, and she never let things go.

she didn't answer him, but Laurie knew he would think about it, he knew her so well. They were forty-five minutes in the bathroom, they took Laurie out and changed her into new, comfortable clothes, clothes they had brought while they were both in the bathroom .

The bed had even been made up and Valeria had not hesitated to put her in the middle as she snuggled her to her chest, not without first taking off her vest.

Laurie, on the verge of falling asleep said something to her that would unconsciously grow the business Valeria had illegally.

-In the laptop I have information about that place-Valeria frowns as she watches her fall asleep.

Place? had she saved information, and what kind?

Valeria barely had her in her arms after several years and she already had more work to do, including the idiot she had been torturing for hours.

Careful not to wake the woman, Valeria took her cell phone out of her back pants pocket and dialed the first number she had registered; it was only enough to ring once for them to answer.

-I am not going to repeat what I am going to say, you better listen well; look for the laptop that is in room 503 of the surgical residency dormitories in the south wing of the Sorbonne University. I don't want any mistakes, mas les vale no estar chingando.

He hung up the call and settled better on the bed, his head was scheming new plans for everything to go smoothly, plus they had to keep a low profile after the massacre he had committed a few days ago, the authorities were already getting involved, he had to end everything quickly and return to Mexico.

He had business to finish regarding his territory, and the constant problems with the Vaqueros was a loose end he could not leave loose, at least not for long. They were a plague that he had to at least get under control.

It would be a long week; full of stress and tension, plus there would be bloodshed… maybe it was good that he made himself known to the French.

It could stir up a hornet's nest.

Chapters: teaser, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...

[reqxxyt]

distance does nothing g.r

pairings: george r. x f!reader

warnings: some angst

masterlist requests open!

[unedited]

_________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

I met George when I was only 5 seeking friends in a new neighborhood not expecting to find the one person I wouldn’t be able to say goodbye to. He was 6, with bright blue eyes and a cheeky smile that extended to his eyes when he offered me a game of tag. I lost. I never was much of an athlete, only willing to when forced. 

Around the age of 14 and 15, we grew closer as I cheered for him during races already being able to tell this would lead to something great. I was his #1 supporter and he was my best friend. I only got into relationships at the age of 17, having my first kiss with my first boyfriend that I met during one of my classes but separated due to not communicating much. 

During university, George had taken racing more serious while I stayed studying in our hometown preparing for my own future still cheering for him while staying in touch with George. It was only the last year of University where George would start to ignore my messages, declining my calls, and cutting off our weekly facetime. 

Strange. I wondered, not wanting to ask too much of our friendship only being able to imagine how difficult it must be to live the grand life of an F1 race car driver. But either way, I anticipated his next break, knowing it aligned with my own winter break and we could finally talk. Just like when we were younger. 

But that didn’t happen. I tried calling him, it would send me straight to voicemail. My heart tugged, feeling it ache as tears started free falling wondering if I did anything wrong that would cause this to ever happen. I went over our whole friendship that entire day, not being able to focus on my classes that were nearing the end of the semester. 

I only finally gathered the courage to go to his old home, having not seen his parents in a while. They were like a second family to me but it seemed like loosing connection to George had made me lose all connection with his family. I knocked on the door, softly but loud enough to heard feeling my own heart pound against my chest as I waited for anyone to open the door. Wishing there would be a chance that it was George on the other side. 

“Sweetheart, it’s been so long” the hug only lasted a second with a bright smile being exchanged on each others end. 

“It really has” I agreed, not sure if I should ask about their youngest son. “Have you seen George? I tried contacting him but he has’t been responding” 

The older women frowned not knowing what had happened between the two, always loving the little girl and the constant blabbing about her from her son. “No, I’m sorry. Did he tell you?”

“Tell me what” now I grew more worried. Did something happen that he didn’t tell me? 

“He’s moving to Monaco” she said upset at the thought that the two who seemed like soulmates would suddenly stop talking right before George moved. Clear sadness flowed over my face trying to control my emotions from spreading to harshly. 

“Oh” was all I could let out. He didn’t tell me he was leaving. The boy I had met when I was 5 and knew practically everything about me was leaving. I said my farewells, wishing her the best while she carried a pitiful smile. 

The minute I entered my car, tears flowed down my face not able to control them no longer. My heart felt ripped, the boy I had known for nearly 20 years is leaving. The boy I had just started to grow feelings for, had my heart set on, is leaving. 

Right after the sadness flowed, anger rose as memories passed by as if reliving them. I pounded against the wheel, not caring if it let out a honk or two. I wanted to scream but nothing was let out, only quiet sobs where heard, my hands fell to my lap and after almost half an hour I left. 

I left to where I thought I felt the most comfortable. But being alone in my apartment somehow made it worse. The realization that I would be able to do nothing to prevent his distance, thinking he no longer cared about me. 

The next morning I tried to make myself feel better by going out for coffee before realizing I had taken the wrong path, being entertained by my own thoughts that led me to the first place we met. The park filled with dandelions. 

“Make a wish” I giggled, handing the strange looking flower to George. He looked at me with a strange look as I waited before he finally caved in and blew the the small petals (or whatever their called). I wanted to ask what he wished for, so desperately, but I knew if he told me it wouldn’t come true. 

“Can I finally tell you what I wished for?” an all too familiar voice was heard behind me.

I stood frozen, thinking I had to have been hallucinating. Too much wine can do something to a person the morning after. But then I felt his presence beside me, the same cologne I gave him for christmas last year. My eyes started to water again but I suppressed them not wanting to humiliate myself further. 

“I wished to be with you” he said after not earning a response. I looked beside me, having to look up. After a couple of silent moments, he finally looked beside him, making direct eye contact. “That was all I wanted growing up” 

“So why leave?” I didn’t want to sound selfish. It was the best career option for him. But what I mean was; why leave me hanging? He frowned, turning his body to fully face me but I stood still. “Why completely distance yourself George?”

“I was scared. A coward” he shrugged wishing he could get a full view of the girls face. The girl he had been in love with since 17. But never realized until now. He wasn’t even sure how to tell her now, that all he wanted was her with him still. “I regret everytime you called and I washed as it rang but didn’t answer”

A single tear dropped from my eye but I quickly swiped it, not wanting to showcase my emotions but failing miserably. I took in a deep breath before turning, putting my hands in my pockets. But looking at him made it all the more worse. I wanted to ask why but he beat me to it.

“I would make the same wish again” he bent down, picking up a single dandelion but handing it to me. “What do you wish for?”

I couldn’t say anything just accepting the dandelion being handed before finally, while twirling the dandelion whispering “stay”.

He knew what I meant when hearing those words, not intending them to sound selfish. “I only distanced myself because I was scared. Scared that I loved you in a way I didn’t think was possible. I fell in love with you the past years, I was scared you didn’t feel the same way so i closed myself off but that didn’t work, I just couldn’t get mind off of you” 

“Well I do” I shrugged, feeling my own body walk a step closer. “You can go to Monaco. Just never leave me”

“I would never make the same mistake” 

[ye-olde-sodor]

Dream Canon Mallard Headcanons!

Mallard is an LNER Class A4 built in 1938, making him one of the youngest members of the Gresley Family. (Aged 62 in this au)

He holds the world record for the Fastest Steam Locomotive in the world. On July 3rd, 1938, he reached 126 mph at just a few months old!

Mallard can be arrogant and mean, but he’s generally well mannered and generous with humans and engines alike…unless an engine dares to defy the hierarchy, then it’s an entirely different case. He's also quite the Optimist, which plays into how he views serious situations.

No one tell him that Henry "Stanier" was built with stolen Gresley blueprints, he'll have a stroke. A merge of the two families would create a nation wide scandal!

He’s in charge of his own Engine Correctional Facility on the Mainland, and has 17 other facilities just like it across the UK!

This idea of correctional facilities came to him sometime after he learned of the scrapping of most of his siblings (save for Spencer and a few others). He was grief stricken, and clung to the first thing that brought him any feelings that weren’t grief and dread.

He noticed that him and a select few of his siblings were preserved because they either performed better than the rest, broke a record, had some major historic significance, or were purchased by foreign railways. It’s the first example that became Mallard’s obsession.

He wanted to give all engines another chance at life. He wanted to see if he could mold an engine to be better than their other siblings, and have them preserved. When the trial of this idea succeeded with Ryan (who was unaware of the trial and assumed he was preserved due to his ties with the other Gresleys), Mallard found his new purpose in life, his spiritual awakening one might say. He’s been operating his correctional facilities ever since.

While he has the best intentions in mind, he’s oblivious to the harm his methods of teaching may cause. He can also be full of himself when he’s convicted he’s right.

His main goal is to expand his facilities to Sodor, the bane of British Rail and to the Engine Hierarchy. He wishes to purchase it and reshape it in his own image. Mallard won’t modernize it, but he wants to bring order and essentially remove what makes Sodor stand out from other heritage lines…it’s numerous accidents and ties to the Reverend Awdry.

He's extremely close to Ryan, who he views as a son. Spencer is a close second, however. While he cares for Scott and Gordon as well, he can't let Scott's "death" get in the way of progress. He'll mourn in secret, not in public. It's the professional way to do it.

As one can probably tell, Mallard sees opportunity in everything, even in death and depression. He's an optimist by nature, and always tries to see the good in everything. Case in point, now that Mallard has part of Scott's inheritance and Gordon doesn't want to work anymore, Mallard has the perfect opportunity to go through with his Sodor Renovation plan!

When Mallard learned that Gordon was struggling to cope with the loss, he offered to take him to the Mainland to get him closer to professionals who can help him.

Spencer became roped into Mallard's scheme, but Spencer isn't too keen on the idea just like everyone else.

Thomas quickly became Mallard's "moral enemy" due to his Anti-hierarchy views. Once Mallard has control over the island's engines, Thomas will be the first one admitted to Mallard's Correctional facility. He's hoping that Ryan can whip him into shape, as he plans to have Ryan run the Sodor facility in the future.

Quotes:

Mallard: "Gordon, my dear brother-"

Gordon: "We're cousins."

Mallard: "Gordon, my dear cousin-" ____________________________________________

Mallard: "So Spencer, how's the island?"

Spencer: "Depressed, demoralized...on the brink of collapse now that Gordon got replaced by those three diesels!"

Mallard: "Oh is it now?~"

Spencer: "Please don't talk like that again-"

Mallard: "Do tell me more about Sodor's, eh...run of bad luck."

____________________________________________

Mallard: “Well look on the bright side…once you feel ready, we can return to Sodor and I get to introduce you to all the new changes I’ve made! :)”

Gordon, half listening: I suppose you’re right-wait WHAT ALL DID YOU CHANGE???”

Mallard: “Secret :3”

____________________________________________

Mallard: "So we're going to put the new Correction Facility over...Oh I don't know where to place it! Spencer, you know the island well, where would be the most optimal location for it?"

Spencer: "I wouldn't say I know it well...but if you're serious about this facility of yours, I'd place it somewhere along the Express route. There's some land near Vicarstown that's unoccupied. It'll be right next to a large yard and station for engines to train. Plus it'll be in close proximity to the Dieselworks."

Mallard: "There's a Dieselworks?! On Sodor?"

Spencer: "Calling it a Works is a bit of a stretch but yes, there is one. It's in complete disrepair though. It's any wonder those diesels despise Topham and our fellow steam engines"

Mallard: "Hmm. Good to know..."

____________________________________________

Mallard: "Y'know, I've been digging into your class lately in order to-"

Thomas: "The Hell?! What are you doing that for, you creep!"

Mallard: "...To better accommodate my courses and lessons to your class, since I've been told you're quite the water hog."

Thomas: "Oh you miserable-"

Mallard: "I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU, YOU TWIT."

____________________________________________

Edward: "We'll lose everything! Sodor's culture, it's heritage, and it's railways. You'll destroy everything that Sodor stands for if you go through with your plan!"

Mallard: "Ah, so my plan will work! What wonderful news! Now we can get started on making a new Sodor!"

Edward: ಠ_ಠ

Mallard: "One with our beloved hierarchy, no confusion or delay, and more attention to the poor and neglected diesels!"

Diesel 10: "Hell yeah! Finally, a Steamer who gets it!"

Edward: "He's using you to push his own agenda you twit! He'll forget about you once he-"

Mallard: "Step right up then, my fellow machine! Show me around the Diesel Works so I can make arrangements to give it a complete overhaul!"

Diesel 10: "Gladly Mr. eh...Mallard was it?"

Edward, under his breath: "Oh you can fuck right off..."

[anonymouswarriorhumanist]

We Need to Talk About RC and South Asian Representation in its Stories

Hey beautiful people, this is going to be a long post yet a very important one. From a Desi (A South Asian) to my fellow Desis and non-Desis (who especially need to hear me out).

I know the popularity of Romance Club as an interactive game. And being a South Asian makes me wanna pick literally any story that represents us. So, I went into RC's stories promising South Asian representation: Kali: Call of Darkness and Kali: Flames of Samsara. Apart from the poor research done on Indian culture which is too niche and trivial to be understood by everyone (relating to Indian languages and North-South differences), there is yet another aspect of Indian society that the game not only completely misrepresents but even whitewashes and this is very harmful to people, especially those with no knowledge of Indian culture, picking up the game to learn smth and that is: CASTE.

While playing the game, I am sure many of u may have come across such terms as 'Brahmin' or 'Kshatriya', 'Vaishya', or even 'Shudra'. And I am sure many of u may even have a rudimentary understanding of the same. This is the caste/ varna (Sanskrit term) that has plagued Indian society for thousands of years. And these terms basically divide desis even today. I especially want non-South Asians to understand that these terms carry a history of violence and discrimation. This was the chaturvarna or the 4 varna/caste sys wherein groups were ranked on their superiority to each other.

1.Brahmin-Priestly class

2.Kshatriya-Soldiers/ warriors/kings

3.Vaishya-merchants and traders

4.Shudras-Servants/slaves, (the lowest rung on the caste ladder and the most miserable)

Do keep in mind that this is not some class sys similar to feudal Europe or France, but this is CASTE which is very diff from what a non-South Asian may imagine. Notions of purity and pollution guide the caste sys (which may not influence class). A Shudra person was considered impure and hence an 'untouchable' and their mere shadows were considered polluting on the other 3 castes, so much so that they were ghettoized. In South Asia, servile work is generally considered 'polluting' and a complex history of multiple factors relegated this strict division of labourers, In simple lang, a Brahmin priest's son could only be a priest (which was a divine occupation and revered) and a Shudra's son could only do work considered appropriate of his caste which usually translated to things such as manual scavenging (still in India) and servile work considered 'polluting' from which they had no respite. This system was horrible towards Shudras in general as their labour was appropriated by the upper castes for their own gain very similar to how African slave labourers worked at white plantations if I hv to draw a rough comparison. Shudras/Dalits (the term 'Dalit' means broken/oppressed and was given by a Dalit leader and Indian legend Dr. Ambedkar to help uplift this community in Indian society) are subject to not only physical but structural violence. They were barred entry in schools, wells, tanks, roads and literally everywhere since their presence of 'polluting'. Now I have 2 more points:

In RC, I know everyone loves the male leads, and rightly so. But u need to understand that Ratan Vaish and Amrit Doobay won't give a fuck if a Dalit person died in front of them no matter how caring they might be. Since Brahmins were the priestly class, they hegemonized control over Hindu deities and mythology and only they could 'talk' to Gods (according to them ofc and their superiority complex). Amala is a Basu (a Bengali Brahmin surname) and hence both Doobay (again Brahmin) and Vaish (def upper-caste surname) r after her. If Amala was a Dalit, Amrit would hv raped and even killed her (Dalit women and the sexual violence enacted upon them by upper-caste men....again to draw a comparison similar to black women being raped by white men during slavery and jim crow eras: Google Hathras Rape case) and Ratan would have ignored her. ( Notice how Amrit was having an affair with that temple lady. She is most likely a Shudra as most Shudra women were forced into sexual slavery in temples by Brahmins like Amrit. Therefore, he treats her like an object and throws her away once Amala i.e. a woman of his caste falls in love with him. A Dalit woman's body is disposable and objectified here. Look at the complete whitewahing of power dynamics in that sexual encounter with Amrit and the temple dancer).We all need to understand that a similar fate would hv befallen Deviya Sharma (again a Brahmin woman) as even she would have been raped and ignored by other Brahmins and upper caste men in the story such as Ram/or Kamal etc. Arhat is likely a Shudra and Deviya will never bat an eyelash at him since his only job is to be in service to her tiger which Deviya probably treats with more respect than she does Arhat. My point is RC is mass producing these stories for the hyper-privileged White people of India i.e. the upper castes and that is Brahmins and Kshatriyas and Vaishyas. Dalits have rarely been entertained in representation much less in India than in abroad. But that is not what I am pissed abt. What I am pissed abt is that an American sitting in their home will check this story and see terms such as Brahmin or Kshatriya thrown abt without understanding them and then even internalize the harmful notions about these terms and caste in general in both stories abt a bunch of upper-castes freaking out over some goddess ritual.

Be very careful people in what u accept and what u don't bcoz even if it is a game, many non-Desi people may not have the relevant positionality (and that is completely fine!) to understand how the insidious caste sys is being shown and represented by RC. It is being glorified even (ik in the earlier chapters of KCD where Brahmins r shown as saviors of society and keeping Indian society stable when in reality they have done nothing but dehumanize and alienate Dalits for generations) and downplayed and even whitewashed as some trivial division. If RC wanted to publish a story about upper-caste people then pls go ahead but don't you dare whitewash it and glorify the caste sys. When impressionable audiences see all this, it is in their best interest to know the ugly truth about Indian society and not some cheap exotisation of the same. BE BETTER, especially for the Dalits who have suffered so much in South Asia. I am also attaching some material as I would greatly appreciate it if more people knew about the horrors of the caste system and how it plagues Desi society even today.

Discrimination (all types) r shitty and needs to kicked in the balls. Many times, it is subtle and while we may not know much, it is our responsibility to know more and try our best to stop it in whatever way we can.

Thank you for staying and take care y'all.

[ghost-bxrd]

Really cool analysis on the Robin Jason meets Red Hood Jason prompt!! :D Loved that you called it his 'worst nightmare! It's so apt that it made my brain juices tingle a bit. So just for brainstorming I think... Robin Jason would be much much more understanding towards Red Hood Jason. Yes, he's the kid that with his dying breath sheilded Sheila Haywood no matter what.

Thinking about "Elmore’s Lady" in #421 and "Just Deserts" in #422 (Jason is just in the second half!). Robin Jason is the only male character here who agrees and empathizes with Judy for luring and killing the "Dumpster Slasher" (Guy has murdered and implied to have r-worded 10 women) because her sister was the second victim. Jason in the same comic also beats up a pimp to the point Batman has to interfere.

Plus our famous #424, "The Diplomat’s Son" for another example.

Jason Todd imo is someone that has a heart of gold and bleeds empathy. So much of it. And that doesn't change when he becomes Red Hood. Crime in Crime Alley is completely different from that of the rest of Gotham. While their biggest issue is the Rouges and such crime, Crime alley's worst parts are the rampant crime, poverty, the lack of proper structure and governance, and the literal impossibility of getting out of that cycle of crime one is born with.

Jason knows this. Crime alley can't be taken care of with just some charity when half the orphanages are so utterly fucked that kids prefer the streets. It can't be saved by just beating up some folks and calling it a day. Nor does prison adequately help anyone. Do those henchmen have money to even get treatment for a broken bone? For those ribs that got smashed? What happens to the kids they have when they're in prison (Aka same thing that happened with Jason. Willis is in prison? Becomes a street kid. Cycle continues.)

I like that Red Hood Jason targets the upper folks that manage crime. UTRH? 8 heads in a duffle bag. But not one low rank henchman. To control crime is his current 'solution.' Is it 100% correct? Maybe not. But this way most 'innocent' folks don't get hurt. He can clear out orphanages. Give a safe space for the 'working women'.

I think Robin Jason will be horrified at first because wtf. But he has that same bleeding heart. And he's smart. He knows crime alley, he shares that empathy towards victims old or young. I think they might get along a bit :) maybe.

Red Hood Jason gives second chances, definitely 3rd too, multiple. But not infinite like Batman. He's isolated from all his family (as he always is. Catherine, Willis, Sheila) and he still bleeds love and protectiveness. Jaybin would see a angry hurt victim who is so so kind. And so so hurting. He should just give him a hug honestly.

(Also your fics are cool and I wish I could print them on edible paper and nom)

Perfectly put my thoughts in words, honestly.

“Bleeding heart” applies to Jason a little too well and it’s heartbreaking. 😔 especially because most people don’t look further than the whole “he kills people” thing.

Yes, he does, but he goes for the ones who truly deserve it. Some that are arguably worse than the whole rogue gallery combined.

And even so, he certainly doesn’t have fun doing it.

It’s a necessity.

[ophelieverse]

Can you write something where reader parents wants her to marry Jace but she doesn’t want to marry to end up miserable like her mother?But in the and she is surprised about how well he treats her?

۵To be his.

Jacaerys Velaryon x fem!reader.

Mommy issues anyone?Reader has my heart and Jace is a total sweetheart.I got a little carried away,sorry.Thanks for requesting and i hope you’ll like it💕💕(sorry for the errors).

•••••••••••••••••••••••

House Celtigar of Claw Isle was a ancient and proud house,with the blood of old Valyria in its veins,they were not dragon lords but men of honor and who kept their word.They had ruled over Claw Isle,an island in the narrow sea off the coast of Crackclaw point,since the Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms.

As a family sworn to Dragon Stone and to the Crownlands,Lord Bartimos Celtigar was a member of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen Black council as her majesty’s Maester of Coin.He was unrelenting,incorruptible,ingenious,and very wealthy,an old man who,like his ancestors,kept all his promises.

«May i speak to Lord Celtigar alone?»the Queen had ordered,shortly after her coronation.

The war room in the Dragon Stone Castle was full with people,allies,knights,the royal family,who were roaming around the wooden carved table,placing down signals,and discussing about the next move.

King Viserys I the peaceful was dead and two of his children,his first daughter,the rightful and named heir,and his first born son,the usurper,were both crowned and declared Queen and King of the Seven Kingdoms.The realm was divided in two and a war was coming closer any day.

«Of course,your grace.»Lord Celtigar answered immediately,bowing his head.

As soon as the room was empty,the Queen spoke again«Your family has served the crown for years»she started with a firm voice,even though her beautiful features seemed worried«And you have served my father for all his reign,doing a wonderful job»she stated.

Lord Celtigar nodded his head«You honor me,your grace.»

The Queen smiled forcefully,fidgeting with the long sleeve of her dark dress«Alicent will ask your alliance,to have at least a possibility to gain control over the narrow sea.»she spoke all her worries without blinking.

Lord Celtigar already suspected it,Rhaenyra had already put her hands to the naval fleet of the sea snake but to have the complete domain of the narrow sea she also had to have the Celtigar one.His House had sworn it loyalty to the royal one,but now that it was divided it wasn’t so obvious anymore.

«The Queen mother had already sent her raven,this morning.»Lord Celtigar explained«She had an interesting offer.»he continued,with a low voice and looking straight in her purple eyes.

Lord Celtigar was no fool,he knew that the Black Queen and the Rogue Prince could had his tongue or his head for treason for this,for just thinking about betraying them in their home.But in a delicate time like that,in a time where history had it’s eyes on them and all the most important names would’ve been remembered,he couldn’t let himself escape an opportunity like that one.Before Aegon I Conquest his family was considered a joke for the Valyrian ancestry,they were not dragon lords,their banners were silver with crabs on it and when they first took Claw Isle their people refused to accept them as their rulers.

Lord Celtigar always kept his word,he had swore his loyalty to King Viserys,but he was also ambitious and a smart men who was graced by the gods with a beautiful and more intelligent daughter,to move on the board like a piece of chess.

The Queen looked uneasy,she could had killed him there,in a blink of an eye,but she didn’t wanted to be the first one to spill blood and she didn’t wanted to bring on herself the chance to loose the complete control by sea«Which it was?»she wasn’t asking,she was demanding it to know.

«She wanted to marry my daughter to her son,the King.»Lord Celtigar said,taking out from his pocket a piece of paper and handing it to her.

Rhaenyra eyes darted to on the small page,reading the black ink that her once best friend wrote personally«Aegon has a wife already.»she reminded him immediately,her pupils were shiny and her heart was beating fast.

Fear and betrayal consuming her,leaving her powerless with an incoming war at her doorstep and allies to find as soon as possible.

«Your ancestors,the first King,had married both of his sisters.»Lord Celtigar started to talk quietly,moving around the table and tracing with his fingers Claw Isle«Maegor the Cruel was known for having a peculiar taste and likeness in different women.»he noticed,remembering the history.

Rhaenyra breathed deeply,crumpling the traitors letter in her fist where it was written that the hand of the king would’ve come to take Lord Celtigar and bring him back to the capital in a few hours«I can make you another offer.»she told him with a firm tone.

Lord Celtigar tiled his head«I’m listening,your grace.»he said.

«Swore your loyalty to me and fight on my side,and i promise you that your daughter will become the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.»Rhaenyra told him.

But Lord Celtigar seemed unsure,pondering out loud«Is this not the same offer that your friend made me?»he asked.

The Queen shook her head forcefully,a shiver running down her body at the thought that her and Alicent were indeed friends once«She made you a promise that she couldn’t keep,Aegon will be dead before your daughter could marry him.»now she was waking towards him,stopping only when they were only few meters apart«If you betrothed your daughter to my eldest son,her name will be remembered in history.»she promised him with a sincere expression on her face.

«What a generous promise»Lord Celtigar hummed to himself«or a very desperate and full of itself.»he murmured,high enough for her to hear.

«Does it really matter?»Rhaenyra asked,running out of patience.

The man in front of her took his time to think about it and he shook his head,she let out a breath of relief«I suppose it do not.»he let her know«I accept your offer,your grace.»he confirmed,bowing his head.

Words flew fast as ravens,a white letter with the royal seal had arrived to the Claw Isle Castle with the last lights of the sun,when the sky was painted with bright pink and warm orange and the salty breeze of the sea lulled in the air.

In the twilight,in those hours were she was suppose to go to her mother,such a grief overwhelmed her.Y/n was in her chambers,sitting on her comfy duvet right by the window with a book in her hands,when her Septa came in her room declaring that Lady Celtigar asked for her presence in the Grand Hall.

For a girl,a daughter of sixteen years of age,she should be pleased and happy to spent time with her mother.But this was not the case,her mother may be the person who gave birth to her but she refused to see her.

Lady Celtigar,one of the most beautiful women that ever walked on Westeros,coming from a rich and noble house,had Y/n and her older brother from their father,a man way older than her and that didn’t knew how to love her correctly.

Her mother was young,maybe too young,so she wasn’t ready to be a mother and Y/n had always missed her because most of the time she disappeared.In those long and empty days she was never there,both physically and mentally:instead she painted blue walls out of nowhere,she spent hours or days closed in her chambers,she danced under the rain,other times she wouldn’t eat or sleep for days.

Other days she transformed herself completely:teaching Y/n how to stitch and how to clean a fresh cut,being present during her lessons and reminding her how to be a proper lady,she wanted her daughter to be ready for anything,she wanted her to be able to survive the hell they'd been forced to live in.

In that everyday life she had created,severity and rules were often overwhelmed by fragility, screams and unspoken words.Her mother disappeared and did not want to be found and Y/n was only six years old when he saw her lost completely and forever.Her mothers steps were so quiet,that she had barely heard her leave.

At least she was there,even if she was a ghost and didn’t speak to her,she was there.

Mothers are humans who sometimes gives birth to their pain,instead of children.From the moment she was born,Y/n knew that her mother was going to be the one to bury her.Like a God,her mother created her in her own likeness and said unto her wet cheeks:

”Darling,i shall make you more miserable than me.”

And so it was,burying her heart deep in her chest,she was a servant to her mother unhappiness.She had sensed the pain that her mother carried.And she was suspicious to some degree that her and her brother,were partially to blame for their mother pain.Therein lies the guilt.

Y/n hadn’t spoken with her mothers in years,they lived under the same roof,walked in the same hallways but her mother always seat in her own table never with her.

All that she wanted at the end of her life was to understand her mother.Has she been victim of an injustice or was it she the responsible of her own unhappiness?Y/n was quiete familiar with her unhappiness,she could even claim it was hers too.

It was both,Lady Celtigar was a young victim of the patriarchal life and her children only made her golden cage tighter around her.

Her mother’s mother,who she also hadn’t spoke with since years,had hands like barded wire.Everywhere she touched,it bleed.Every word she spoke wounded.Her mother,still a open sore by the time Clement and Y/n had arrived,had inherited those hands and that tongue like a bonding knife.It was difficult,loving someone that couldn’t help by hurting you.How much harm is forgivable when she knew it was done to her first?Clement was old enough to understand and lucky enough to be born a son,so that he had an excuse to stay away.Y/n didn’t had this luck,for a small child,a daughter who only ever wished for her mother love,forgiveness was involuntary.Two mothers existed in her memories,the one that she preserved as a child and the one she was living as a grown girl.They bleed and blur together,like snow in the sun.

«She loves us.»Y/n told one day to her older brother,two weeks had passed since they last saw their mother who’s retired herself in her chambers.

«And we are still living with the consequences.»Clement made her notice,with an angry tone and sad eyes.

She had searched for her mother love in all the corners of the house and she didn’t find it anywhere.But,the thing about mothers love is that it’s not that different from a mother hate.Her mother didn’t mean to hate her,she didn’t even knew that she hated her daughter,yet Y/n was hated.And she carried that hate through all her life with more pride than it perhaps deserved.A bruise of honor.

Now years later,she was walking through the empties and cold hallways of her castle.Her head was high,her legs were shaking and every step further was a step back that she wished she could take.

Build the gold.When Y/n was thinking about her mother,she was always wearing gold.When she thinks of her mother,she is the Grand hall,the heart of the house,and hers was always bleeding.When she thinks about her she is alone,free,careless and without her children.It was the happiest she ever seen her.

It made her laugh,to not cry,that she almost couldn’t remember the sound of her mother voice,the little sparkle in her bright eyes or the dimples on her face when she smiled.There was a ghost roaming around the castle,an empty shell that hunted the rooms with her sadness,with broken promises and stolen dreams and Y/n started to believe that when she called her name,when she called her “mama”she just didn’t wanted to hear her anymore.

Taking a deep breath and smothering her sweaty hands down her dress,Y/n knocked softly,afraid to disturb her, at the wooden door«Come in.»the calm voice of her mother made her heart tremble and her eyes shine with warm tears.

«Mother?»she called quietly,the term felt foreign on her tongue but she missed the felling to pronunce it.

Lady Celtigar was sitting on a chair in a corner of the room,a beautiful golden dress wrapped her delicate figure and shined with the light flames of the fireplace.Her hair,the same color that her daughter inherited,were styled up her head,bright gems braided in them like the ones that he swore around her neck and fingers.

She had the appearance,the royal and elegant facade of the most noble woman and the coldness of a bloke of ice.It Y/n ache,having her mother so close to her,so close that she could almost touch her with her fingertips,but with her mind and soul so far way that not even in a million of years she would’ve been able to catch her.

«Ah,Y/n.»she beamed when she noticed her coming in«Come sit,my darling.»she called her,she seemed more a friend that she didn’t see in a while more than a mother that closed her daughter out her life without explaining why.

Y/n swallowed hard,she had to pinch her wrist to prevent herself to not cry or run in her mother arms.Instead she walked slowly,taking a place on the carpet,sitting by her mother feet and keeping her eyes on the ground.

«Oh my,haven’t you grown»her mother said surprised,taking a look at her up and down«How old are you now?»she asked then.

Y/n had indeed grown,she wasn’t the little child that cried and screamed for her mother,who pleaded for her love and attention,something that should’ve been free for her and something that she shouldn’t beg for.Now she was a young woman,she was taller,her breast grew,her waist was more defined and her beauty was talked in all the continent.

«My seventeenth Name Day will be in two weeks,mother.»Y/n murmured out.

She shouldn’t be surprised that her mother didn’t remember how old she was,it was s miracle that she remembered her name.Every year her Septa brought her gifts,for her Name Day,saying that they were from Lady Celtigar.But she wasn’t stupid and knew that her mother didn’t wanted or cared to make her gifts.

Her mother nodded«That’s perfect,you are suitable.»she said with a velvety voice that made her shiver.

«Suitable for what,if i can ask?»Y/n asked confused,sitting more comfortably on the floor and for the first time looking up and close to her mother face.

It was like time never passed in that room,as Clement and Y/n grew up together,alone in big rooms surrounded by the servitude,their mother remained the same.With the beautiful face carved by the gods,being away from her children kept her young and gorgeous proving that they were the problem.

Only now she had noticed the letter that was resting in her lap«For marrige,of course!»she exclaimed.

Everything in her mother seemed an illusion,from the way she was smiling to the way she was waving the letter in the air.Y/n felt her heart rising to her throat,the air in her lungs stuck and ready to explode in her chest.

Marrige had been her mother biggest problem,tragedy and greatest hell.She had witnessed they way her eyes were always empty whenever she looked with pure hatred,the figure of her husband,the repulsive feeling she had towards her own children that came from the man the ruined her life.

«But mother…»Y/n whimpered«i’m still young.Can i dream for few months more?»she pleaded with desperate eyes.

«We were all young»her mother stated,a bittersweet tone in her words«You should be happy and grateful that you were betrothed to the next in line to the throne.»it was clear that what she was saying wasn’t coming from her,but from her own mother who told her the same years ago.

«But i don’t want to be a-»Y/n started,her eyes were watery,her hands shook with the desire to be held by the woman in front of her.

«A wife?A mother?»her mother laughed,making her winch«We don’t have the luxury to chose for ourselves.From the moment that we are born,everything it’s already planned for us.»she spit it out like a snake with its poison.

«I don’t want to be like you..»Y/n finished her sentence with a low whisper.

Y/n was afraid of her mother,of her harness,her coldness,her piercing gaze.But ultimately,she was just afraid to become like her.To just collapse,fade out on herself,never getting up from her bed,shutting all their world outside.She feared the idea that one day she could’ve become,look and act like her,if marrige was a trap and her mother was the result,why would her mother sell her into it?Because they were the same,just like her mother’s mother was with her,her mother never knew anything different beside this.

Mothers and daughters existing as wretched mirrors of each other:”I am all that you could have been and you are all i might be.”Her mother probably couldn’t remember her name,she heard it from the mouths of strangers but when she looked at her daughter she only saw herself and hated what she was witnessing.

Y/n also thought that her mother feared her,she patronized her,she was scared of her daughter.Whenever she looked at her,she could’ve seen everything that she ever wanted to be,young,beautiful and free but then she remembered that she also was like this once and it wasn’t destined to last.If her mother could she would carve a new path,to start a new adventure.Tho change her name,her looks,her personality.To forget.To go somewhere where no one knows her.To start all over again,to never look back and leave everything else behind.

Y/n didn’t wanted to feel like this,she didn’t wanted to make other people to feel like this.She wanted to be happy with her husband and take good care of their children.But she wasn’t use to being loved,she wouldn’t know what to do.

«Do you think i wanted to have this life?To live in this horrible place or to be your mother?»she asked,every word peeled a layer of her heart,bleeding out her chest.

«No.»her daughter answered,shaking her head and drying the tears in the corner of her eyes.

«If i could choose,I’ll serving the realm with a sword as a knight.But they made me a woman»her mother started«Women are born with pain built in.Monthly blood pain,sore breast,childbirth you know.We carry it within ourselves throughout our lives.Men don’t.They have to seek it out.They invented gods,fought wars,so they can feel guilty about things.Which is something we do really well on our own.They kill each other,so they can feel things while we all feel it right here,inside.»she explained placing a hand on her chest,her face was all red for anger but she remained composed like a porcelain doll.

Trying to understand and forgive her mother was starting to get really tiring,but she was all that she really had.Her brother was lucky,he was a man now,the heir of Claw Isle and the future Lorde of the island,he could choose who to marry or could had as many mistresses as he wanted and no one would’ve blinked their eyes or told him something.Her father,as the Maester of the Coin for the Queen,was always away and the mind behind that betrothal.

«Also,he won’t love you.»her mother said again like she was certain of it«And you don’t have to love him.This marrige is only for political purposes,so try to not ruin things again.»her voice was stern and her face annoyed.

«I…i understand.»Y/n was able to say.

Her mother gave an insufficient look«I must think that you are ready then?»she asked.

«I don’t think i’am.»she was being honest,she was silently begging for her to reassure her,to stroke her face with gentle hands and telling her that everything will be alright.

But she didn’t«I wasn’t either,when it was me. You’ll get used to it.»she brushed it off,adjusting a few strands of her hair.

Y/n was exhausted,she wanted to curl up against her mother legs,laying her head on her lap and falling asleep while she stroked her hair gently,lovingly.But what was really exhausting was always having to empathise with her mother.Even when she don't want to. Because she thought it was her fault that she is feeling the way she is,that her daughter should be the one fixing whatever is wrong in her life even when she warned her before she went ahead and screwed it up for herself,having to hear that she feels guilty for all that she puts her daughter through but not actually doing anything to change it,but still thinking she has too many expectations from her mother cause she has been through so much.

Bringing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on it,she looked up once again.Y/n cringed to become smaller,to hide more of herself on floor so that she couldn’t appear threatening to her mother eyes.

«What’s with that look?You will get wrinkles and a queen shouldn’t have them.»her mother scolding her was the closest thing to being a mother that she ever did in that moment.

Y/n sniffled,her eyelashes were wet,her cheeks redder thanks to warmth of the fire next to her«It’s just…i wished that you spoke to me more often,that you held me with tenderness.I wished that you liked me.»she confessed,looking up at her with a quivering voice.

Her mother seemed taken aback,like she didn’t listened the crude and hurtful way she was talking to her daughter after years of silence«Of course i love you,i’m your mother.»she stated offended,like it was obvious.

But it wasn’t«But do you like me?»Y/n asked,her heart already breaking for the answer she was waiting.

«I want you to be the very best version of yourself you can be.»she avoided the question,wearing on her face a sweet smile that her daughter hadn’t seen in years.

«What if this is the best version?»Y/n asked again,a bit unsure.

The smile on her mother face went off with the same velocity she had put in on«Then i hope that you’ll be able to do great things when your grow up and be Queen,to make up to the curse you put on me by being born.»now her eyes were slippery and cold,distant and her words hurtful stabs in her chest.

What a horrible thing is to look into her mother eyes and see her love for her daughter vanish.She felt sorry that her mother had to raise a child that she didn’t wanted.

«Mother»she called then with a thin voice,and when the woman turned toward her«Can you wash my hair and my back tonight?»she asked,her lover lip was trembling just like her shoulders.

«Of course,my darling.»her mother said,faking a tenderness that was more than enough credible for her in that moment.

Jacaerys Velaryon,nominated prince of Dragon Stone,first son of the Black Queen and future heir to the Iron Throne.A name bigger that him,to heavy to carry on his shoulders at such a young age,it was also the name of her betrothed,her future husband and King that would’ve reign by her side.

Y/n didn’t knew anything about him,never saw him in her life before,only heard of his name and read about the proposal in her majesty’s letter.She didn’t know what to expect,he could be a real dragon or a sea snake or something worse.In those two weeks everyone were to busy to answer her questions about the prince,all running around the halls to have everything ready and telling her to worry only about to find the perfect dress and to look happy.

It had been a week since she saw her mother,since they talked to each other,since she had shared an intimate moment with her.After they encounter,her mother prepared her a warm bath that had the room smelling like roses and cinnamon,she washed her hair and back to forgot about everything that happened.

There is was nothing generous and delicate in her mothers hands,iron fingernails,brimstone knuckles,animal grasp.She held an hammer in her hands wielding it in her back,to make her a better girl,telling her with her sharp tongue that she had to look impeccable for when the young prince would’ve arrived next week.

It was a sunny day,the light of the sun warmed everything around the island,little birds were chirping,flying with each other,right outside the windows.Another morning had started and everyone in the castle were moving and running through the halls,preparing and adjusting every small details for the awaited prince arrival.

Y/n was still sleeping in her comfort bed,the covers were on the scattered all around the floor,her right leg was dangling out the soft mattress,her mouth was open and droll was all over her silky pillow when her Septa bursted in her room.

Her Septa,Mirtha,was an old woman,old enough to be considered her grandmother but so loving and caring that Y/n had considered her like a mother.In fact she was the one who had raised the young Lady,from the breast feeding,the lessons,the kind way and the soft voice she always had with her,all the caressing and loving eyes,she felt like a warm blanket that sheltered her from her real mother rage and negligence.

«Sweetheart,are you still in your bed?»her Septa asked,walking into the room and observing all the mess.

On the floor,beside the covers,papers and paint cans were scattered,some of it,the red one spilled on the stones making it look like a murder scene.Different paint brush and books filled with imagines of flowers,stars and the ocean were stacked on the table next to the door.And of course on the bed at the center of the room,young Lady Celtigar was sleeping like an animal,with the sound of a wild bear and a rat nest instead of her hair.

«Mirtha.»Y/n grunted,her eyes were still closed,her face still pressed on the pillow«What time is it?»she asked with a sleepy voice.

Her Septa rolled her eyes«It’s nine.»she answered,picking up the paint and starting to clean up noisily.

«With the sun or with the moon?»she grunted,rolling around the mattress.

The window in her room,the one that went open on the terrace was open,the curtains dancing around with the salty sea breeze that made her legs shiver«For the Mother’s sake»the old woman swore«Are you trying to ruin me?»she asked,immediately closing the window.

«I certainly do not.»Y/n yawned,sitting up on her bed.

The light in the room made her eyes waters,trying to adjust at the sun rays that were warming her.Mirtha was at the feet of her bed,in her old gray attire,her hair under the veil and the little wrinkles around her bright eyes and thin lips,outstretched in a scolding expression«Did you sneak out again?»she already knew the answer by noticing the cloak and the boots hidden under the bed.

«Maybe.»she muttered still sleepy.

Mirtha gave her a knowing look«It’s time to get dressed,you have lunch at noon.»her Septa informed her,walking in the other room of the young Lady chambers.

«Why did you woke me up so early then?»Y/n feet felt cold on the floor,stretching her arms above her head she went to sit in front of the little mirror on her desk.

«Because your mother wants you to wear this monstrous thing.»in her hands,the old woman was holding a golden dress with pink flowers embroidered on it,with too many layers of cloth,it was heavy and required time to tie all the strings on her back and on her arms.

That dress belonged to her mother in her youth years,it special,only dedicated to important events.Y/n didn’t liked that dress,all the laces,the frills,if it was for her she would’ve wear a simple pastel dress like she did everyday.She couldn’t tell her mother that she was into blue and silver,since her mother preferred pink and gold.She would be heart broken if she suddenly announced that she switched her favorite colors into ones that are not hers.It was a honor that her mother cared so much about her,to lend her that dress,that something like her daughter having her own favorite colors would devastated her.

«What’s the special occasion?»Y/n wondered out loud,her fingers tracing down the long sleeve like she could feel her mother touch on her skin.

The expression on the Septa face turned in horror one,her eyes widened«Now you are really trying to ruin me!Today prince Jacaerys will come here to know you.»she exclaimed with red cheeks,swatting away the soft hands of the young Lady.

Y/n felt the ground beneath her bare feet shook,a chasm opening in her chest ready to swallow her entirely as her body froze.She was still but her mind was racing around.

Her dress was itching her skin,suffocating her as she walked fast fast through the corridors,the servitude eyes were all on her as they paced around under her brother orders.Their mother didn’t left her chambers as always,not even the prince presence was enough important for her,so her brother took care of every small detail.Maybe with him it would’ve be easier to convince him to change plans,and annulling all of this.

«My sister,Inara!Where is my sister?»her brother was shouting to one of her handmaiden,in his hands he was holding a porcelain vase with fresh flowers.

Y/n walked fast towards him,carefully looking around to try to not bump into someone«Clement.»she called for him.

Her brother turned around and his stressed expression changed with a relieved one,his sister was finally there,all dressed up«Look at you.»her brother started with a genuine smile«You are stunning,graced with the pure elegance and beauty of a Queen.»he complimented her.

Both her mother and her brother called for a grace that she didn’t have,the word “Queen” coming out from their mouths made her want to rip her ears off.

«Send a raven to our father and the Black Queen and tell them that i can’t do it.»she pleaded to her brother.

Clement,glanced around making sure that no one didn’t heard them«It’s normal to be a little nervous,but i can assure you that everything will be fine.»he breathed out,trying to reassure her.

Y/n shook her head«I’m not nervous,i’m not suited for this union.»

«You said this for all the previous ones.»her brother remembered,with a scolding look.

«And i was right all the time.»she made him notice,walking closer to him.

«What do you want me to tell to the Queen?She could have our heads for treason.»he sounded exasperated,trying to find a perfect place for the flowers and ignoring his sister nonsense.

«Tell her that i have the shivers and i’m about to die.»Y/n knew what it could happen to them and their father,but she was too desperate to escape.

Clement stopped dead in his truck«I absolutely will not do that!»looking at her as she was out her mind.

«Why?»she whimpered out.

«You can’t live in this house forever.»Clement informed her,trying to make her understand as he placed down the vase of roses.

Y/n circled the table,following her older brother that was now walking into another room«Why not?You do.»she observed the way everyone was running around,ignoring their conversation.

Clement let out a sigh of exasperation«We already talked about this,my situation is different.Don’t all the girls dreams to be Queens when they grow up?»he cracked a joke to light up her mood a little.

But it didn’t worked,she wanted to be free.She wanted to to be six years old again,sitting by the window and painting a wall blue with her mother all over again,she wanted to live in a world where nothing bad had happened to her,where she had a normal relationship with her parents not the future Queen.

«I’m still too young!»she protested,stomping her foot,now she really looked like a spoiled child.

Her brother stopped walking,turning around he saw a beautiful young woman that was held down by the deadly grip of a scared little girl«At your age,our mother was already expecting you and i know that what happened to her wasn’t fair.»he had a loving voice,a parenting figure that was forced on his shoulders when he was too young but that his sister needed.

Y/n shook her head«I just…»

Her brother arms engulfed her in a thigh hug,his safe embrace lulling away all her fears while he stroked her hair.«But don’t let yourself become what she did to you.Prince Jacaerys is not our father,I’m sure that he will treat you well.Just try to not scare him away and try to look happy to meet him.»he murmured into her hair,placing a loving kiss on her forehead.

«Do i really have to do this?»she pleaded again,her eyes sparkling wet.

«I’m afraid so.This is our occasion and no one better than you is suitable for this.»her brother,caressed her cheek drying a little tear.

«Do you think i will make a good Queen,one day?»she joked,suppressing the urge to cry with a forced laugh.

Her brother had a sad smile on his face«You already are for me.»

A quietness overcame that early morning in the castle halls and Y/n went out in the gardens to breathe the blossomy air.The air in her lungs feels foreign,as if she finally breathing in whatever the betrothal is composed of and she didn’t wanted any of this.

There was a desire that resides deep in her souls to run away.To escape to a unknown future.To wander around eternally,without destination,without home in sight.It had always been there beneath her skin,humming in her veins,vibrating in her bones,just barely on the back off her mind.

Walking through the gardens had always gave her a sense of calmness,no one was around as she caressed the petals of the flowers in the bushes while her mind raced and her breathe was heavy in her chest.

She stretched her arms out,stare up at the sky wishing for wings.That could teach her to fly,but she’s trapped on earth there.Feet tied on the ground,the force of gravity keep pushing her down.She was just a girl,even though she was a life puppet,she’ll break all the strings one day.For now she’s just a dreamer,of earning her wings.

Turning the corner,the walls of the castle were covered with a beautiful plant of wisteria.The branches writhed into abstract shapes on the maroon bricks,the little lilac flowers covered the atmosphere with a velvety and sweet smell.Her great great grandfather had planted that and Clement and Y/n used to play,using the branches as a ladder,trying to climb it.All the time,Mirtha or one of the servants had to scream at them or to grab them in order to not make them fall.

But in that moment,Y/n was all alone and an idea blossomed in her mind like a little flower.If they wanted to sell her off to the prince,they had to find her first and if her calculations were right,by the end of the day she would’ve been on a ship sailing to the free cities.

Lifting up her dress,she took of her shoes,her socks now on the dump cold ground,as she reached for the plant.It was difficult,different from when she was a small thinner child without all this layers trapping her body.

As she tried to lift herself up,the quiete sound of footsteps startled a bit,a kind and new voice breaking her racing thoughts.It was a masculine and warm one.She didn’t hear it before,maybe it belonged to one of her brother friends that he made in his traveling,or perhaps to one of his guards or a new servant since he spoke so politely.

«Hello my Lady.»it was a male voice,but it wasn’t rough like her brother one or cold like her father,it was firm,somehow gentle and made her hands tremble«Are you in need of any assistance?»the voice asked.

Y/n fought the urge to turn around,her feet remained stuck on the ground and her hand on the tangled branches of the wisteria«I am quite fine,thank you.»she answered shortly,tasting the wood to find a safe place to climb«Go back inside with all the other gawkers.»she ordered then,when she didn’t heard the sound of footsteps.

«I will.»the voice reassured her,it sounded like he was looking around the garden«But first,i’m curios.What are you doing?»whoever he was,he was entertained and confused at the same time.

«Nothing.»she dismissed him quickly,taking off her golden shoes and putting one feet on a branch.

«You are doing something.»he made her notice,flinching when he heard the crack sound of the branch under her weight.

Y/n let out a frustrated grunt,picking up her heavy gown,just now she thought how stupid her idea was.With that dress it would’ve been impossible to climb up the wall without being drag back to the cold floor or without it being stuck in the plant.But in that moment her mind was to clouded with the desperate desire of escaping,that it was the first plan that came into her mind.

«I’m not.»she said,pure irritation growing on her beautiful features and in her voice as she tried to climb a different spot.

«You are.»the voice insisted.

The lilac flowers were tickling her cheeks and her hands,her feet were cold and her socks wet from the light rain that came the night before,that still lingered on the ground«If you must know and if it wasn’t obvious,»she started with a rude tone«i’m trying to ascertain the best way to climb the over garden wall.»she explained,taking a few step back and looking everywhere in front of her.

There was a moment of silence,the sweet rustle of the wind,the burn chirping on the trees and the quick pulse in her ears were the only noise that filled the garden«Climb…?Whatever for?»the voice behind her asked,in her mind she could picture the face of the owner with furrowed brows and confused expression.

Y/n cleaned her hands,taking a deep breathe she closed her eyes for a brief moment«Because i think he may be a real dragon.»she let out.

«A real dragon?»the voice echoed,he sounded closer this time and his tone was velvety,hiding in it the wish to giggle at her confession.

«Or a sea snake.»the young Lady added,clearly not caring about speaking her mind to a stranger.

«Who are we discussing about,my Lady?»he wondered,even though in his mind he had already an idea.

«This is certainly none of your business-»she turned around to take a quick glance,but her voice faded and her eyes remained frozen on him.

In front of her,only few step away,there was a young man with his hands behind his back and an amusing expression on his face.He was handsome,from the depth of his dark brown eyes to the gentle expressions of his voice.His hair were of the same color,short and messy from the wind,his lips,rosy and plump,that seemed to be drawn,carved on his face,were curved in a curios and genuine smile.He looked only a few years older then her,maybe two or three,he was tall,his shoulders well defined and wrapped in a dark cloak.He was indeed the most beautiful man that she had aver the pleasure to see in all her life.

«The Prince.»Y/n admitted,feeling almost ashamed under his gaze«Every one refused to talk to me about him.He’s clearly a dragon or a sea snake.»she thought,turning around again to hide the blush on her cheeks and brushing off the warm sensation irradiating her chest.

«Understood.»the young man said with a chuckle.

Her eyes scrutinized the wisteria plant once again,her orbs darted everywhere,her brain was scheming,her barefoot tapping nervously on the stone floor«You know,if grab there…yes!»she exclaimed,finding the right place«Perhaps you can assist me and lift me up.»she stumbled forward,lifting her dress with one hand.

The boy behind her walked closer«One question though»his voice was serious this time«Do you not like dragons or snakes?Is his look all that really matters?»he asked,like he was talking about a personal topic.

Y/n managed to to lift herself up on the plant,but the laces of cloth immediately got stuck in between the leaves«I do not care what he looks like.»she answered sincerity«Now can you come here and lift me?.»she grunted out annoyed,freeing herself from the flowers grasp.

«You want me lift you over the garden wall so that you can escape?»he stated the obvious.

She nodded«That’s it what i said,so yes.»starting to get impatient.

«People will notice your missing,would they not?»he was trying to make her become reasonable,making her see the real situation.

Y/n held in a dry laugh,maybe her brother would’ve noticed the next day,Mirtha only a few hours later and her mother wouldn’t even notice the difference if the house was empty or if she was still there,not that she cared about her presence in the first place.

«I shall worry about that once i’ll be on the other side.»she murmured out,placing her fit down again,waiting to feel his hands on her waist to help her get out of there.«So,can you please help me?Come,make haste.»she ordered,moving her arms around to show him what to do.

He chuckled again,licking his lips and shaking his head«I have absolutely no intention of helping you.»he informed her politely.

Y/n felt offended,turning around immediately with a scoffed face and pout on her lips«I’m a lady in distress and you don’t want to help me in my home?»she asked,puffing her rosy cheeks.

The boy looked straight into her eyes,he smelled of smoke with a sweet contrast«I refuse to help a lady in distress when she is trying to get over a wall,so that she doesn’t have to marry me.»the little,simple smile on his beautiful face made her heart jump along the words that came out of his mouth.

That was him,prince Jacaerys Velaryon,heir to Iron Throne,the boy she was betrothed to was standing right in front of her and he wasn’t a dragon or a snake but far from them.

He had the kind of face that stopped her in her tracks.Y/n guessed he must get used to that,the sudden pause in a person's natural expression when they looked his way followed by overcompensating with a nonchalant gaze and a weak smile.Of course the blush that accompanied it was a dead give-away.It didn't help that he was so modest with it,it must made the girls fall for him all the more.But,what she didn’t knew was that,despite all the opportunity that came his way he was a one-woman-man who prized genuineness and thoughtful conversation above frilly dresses and pretty faces.He was handsome alright,but inside he was beautiful.

«I…I’m-»before she could form a proper sentence,her tongue tied on itself,not really knowing what she could say to escape that embarrassing situation,her brother came in saving the day.

«Y/n!»she heard him calling out her name,a moment latere she saw him walking fast,troughs the gardens,coming towards them.

Clement hair were messy,his breathe short and on his face a nervous expression that he masked perfectly with a confident one«My prince.»he greeted immediately,bowing politely.

«Lord Celtigar.»Jacaerys answered with the same courtesy,his gaze shifting quickly between the two siblings.

Her brother smiled,taking place next to her«Lord Celtigar is my father,you may call me Clement.»he informed the young prince«I see that you have already met my sister,Lady Y/n.»he said then,placing a hand on her back to reassure her.

«Indeed.»Jacaerys spoke,his eyes never leaving her face,taking in every inch,every detail of her beauty«Such a lovely creature,just like the songs tell.»he ascertained.

Y/n felt her cheeks heat up,her soft skin becoming warm as her heart started to beat furiously in her chest«Thank you for your compliments,my prince.»she remembered to answer when her brother had pinched her side«I find you quiete handsome too.»and it was the truth,he was really beautiful,so much that it made her want to punch him in that pretty face.

She had always had many suitors during the years,as soon as her white mattress was founded painted in red one morning,the burning pain churning her lower belly,she became a woman and for her father that meant only one thing:marrige.In the years,her brother and her Septa had hosted different meetings,lunches,parties to find for her the best options,the perfect suitable husband that would’ve brought to her and her family money and power.Needless to say,the young Lady had made everyone run out of the door in less that an hour.Creepy,old and with touching hands,she was capable to refuse any of those men,but Jacaerys felt already different,difficult to get rid of.

«Even though i’m a dragon and a snake?»he teased her,his smile showing the perfect pearl white teeth.

Y/n clenched her fists,only letting out a little laugh,while her brother looked at them confused«Where are your shoes?»Clement whispered then,noticing her bare feet.

«Oh.»she murmured to herself,she had almost forgot about the cold floor,warming up with just the prince presence.

Turning around and stumbling on the gown of the dress,she tried to kneel down to put them on when«Please,my Lady,allow me.»Jacaerys said.

Taking the golden shoes in his hands,his fingertips brushing against her skin,he kneel in front of her«What are you doing?»she breathed out,caught by surprised.

Looking up at her,with his warm brown eyes«Helping a lady in distress.»he simply explained«Can you lift this up for me?»he asked,pointing at her gown.

Calming herself,with a firm grip,she lifted the heavy cloth of the dress giving him free access to her ankles.Jacaerys hands were rough,but his movements were delicate,kind and soft,as he was afraid to hurt or broke her.His hands were also warm,the tender feeling passing through her socks as his fingers had put the shoes on for her,that made her want to take them off to feel his touch on her again.

«Thank you,my prince.»she thanked him,seeing rising up on his feet.

«My pleasure,Lady Y/n.»he nodded his head.

Clement cleared his throat,sensing the tension in the air«I think it’s best if we move in for lunch,then my sister can show you the gardens later.»he stated,guiding them back in the castle.

The lunch was a noon and it was to be consummated in the dining room,the long wooden table was in front the large window that overlooked the calm sea,very different from Y/n tumultuous head.

The room was decorated with the flowers of the garden,beautiful peonies,daisies,tulips adorning and scenting the place with such a delicate and creamy perfume.It really looked like the inside of a fairy tale,the table set up with the most delicious food and the wedding that everyone were praying for sitting on it.

Y/n was quiet,her eyes looking down on the plate in front of her,playing with her fork.She had a knot in her stomach that made her for her impossible to try to eat something.She had lied to herself,she did it many times before,but none of them weighted like this one.Indeed she did cared about Jacaerys looks,but also,in a certain of way she didn’t at the same time.

He was beautiful,yes,but he what made him different from the other horrible men that tried to court her,was the he was really interested in her.It didn’t bother him that she had a mind,a brain on her own,thoughts and dreams,in fact he wanted to hear about all of them.

«Your father told me that you like to paint.»the prince said,trying to start a polite conversation and wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

She kept her eyes down,a sarcastic smile on her face,of course her father would’ve told him every good aspect about her like he was selling a cow«Yes.»she answered dryly,taking a sip of her wine.

Jacaerys nodded«Maybe one day you can teach me.Your father also told me that you are very good at that.»he smiled sweetly.

She wasn’t used to someone,let alone a prince,to be this interested in her and her hobby.She couldn’t remember a time when someone asked her about her art,why she painted the small details the way she did,why she choose that particular color or subject to paint.

She had to stop him right there,she knew where he was going.It all roses and flowers in the begging,all beautiful and magical,but then came the fights,the screams,the children that no one cared for,the different bedrooms,words left unspoken and hearts to heals.She couldn’t risk it,to be miserable,an empty shell that vomited all the hatred rage of her mother on her new family.She had to save him,herself and what could’ve come out from their union.

«Since my father told you quiete a lot about me,my prince,you must know about Lissy.»she said to him,placing her elbows on the table with a smirk.

Lissy was the names of her imaginary friend,Y/n had made her up in her head when she was just a small child and drawn her on her bedroom wall the same night that her mother disappeared from her life.It wasn’t a coincidence that her imaginary friend looked exactly like her mother did,from the hair color,the shape of her eyes and the clothing,but she was entirely different.She was affectionate,sweet,loving,everything that she needed her mother to be.

Jacaerys raised a brown«Lissy?»he repeated confused,he was pretty sure that he didn’t heard that name never before.

Y/n nodded«Yes,she accompanies me everywhere i go.»she informed him.

The young Lady had put on that little theatrical play years ago,following the same script with the same exact words each time.To scare off the Lords the came from all across Westeros,she had pretended to be a demented girl with hallucinations and it worked every single time.

The prince hummed,not knowing her real intentions,it wasn’t a problem to bright with them on Dragon Stone another person if that meant having her hand«I understand,when can i met this Lissy then?»he asked her naively.

Y/n smile widened,it was time to put on her favorite part of the play«What do you mean “when”?»she acted surprised«She is sitting right there.»pointing at the empty chair next to him.

Jacaerys followed her gaze,his dark eyes positioning themselves on the invisible figure that his betrothed affirmed to be sitting beside him.Lord Bartimos had warned him,the same morning before he had announced his leaving to fly to the Claw Isle,that his daughter was indeed beautiful like people whispered about,but she was also one of a kind.

Her father didn’t used the term “weird” like the Rogue Prince had said,but “rare”.Jacaerys had heard stories,whispers about how she preferred to keep herself lock un in her tower,scaring away all her potential suitors.He wouldn’t let her do that,he had promised to his mother,to the Queen that he would’ve came back in two weeks with his wife-to-be and with the total control of the sea.

«She may look like a tender flower that you can trample upon,but she is a wildfire.Do not let her devour you whole.»he remembered Lord Bartimos wise words.

Jacaerys smiled,a smirk lit up his face.If she wanted to play he could do it too,turning to his side«It’s a pleasure to meet you,Lady Lissy.»he spoke politely,to the empty chair.

He had to contain in the small laugh that was tickling his lungs,when he saw the way Y/n face fell.A surprised expression that soon had transformed in an irritated one,made her eyes twitch«She doesn’t share your same happiness,my prince.She doesn’t like strangers.»the young Lady,spit out taking a bite of bread.

«Good thing that we are here to know each other.»he stated confidentially.

Y/n nodded forcefully,usually other men would’ve run through the door without looking back as soon as she mentioned her imaginary friend.But he didn’t,quite the contrary,he had followed her immediately in her nonsenses without blinking an eye.

«What did you say,my Lady?»Jacaerys cupped his ear,scooting closer to the empty chair,he wasn’t talking with Y/n«I have to agree with you.»he smiled like an idiot,if someone passed through the corridors outside the room they would’ve think that he was crazy.

«What did she said?»Y/n felt stupid,for the way she perched herself up,curiosity all over her face and because she was really interested of what he was agreeing with a person that came out from her mind.

The slight breeze from the window opening softly caressed her hair from where it lay framing her face«That you are so beautiful that my heart could burst.»his voice was so sincere,his words so fair that made her chest ache.

She was used to people telling her similar things,compliments about how radiant she was,there were two lights on the island and Y/n was the sun,so effortlessly herself,glowing even in the darkness.

Rolling her eyes,she huffed«That’s was so original,next thing you are going to tell me is that I’m different from the other ladies?»she sarcastically asked.

That didn’t seemed to put the young prince down«You sure are,my Lady.I’ve never met someone like you before.»he confessed.

«You are just like everyone else.»her face was stoic and her words cold and distant,but her eyes were begging him.

«Have you met other princes before?»he asked,he was really starting to get on her nerves.

Y/n forced a smile on her lips«No,but i guess that you are no different from all the men that came here,complimenting me for my beauty and expecting me to fall on their feet.»she stated,remembering all the afternoons that she had to spend in their presence.

«I didn’t mean to offend you or to make any assumptions,my Lady»he kindly said

«Then why are trying so hard to make me like you?Nothing would change the fact that we are going to be wed for political reasons,you don’t have to pretend.»she bursted out,her words hard as the look on her face.

She knew the rules,she saw them before her eyes for years,the agony and empty game of the arranged marrige.She knew that one day she would’ve bare children for him,princes and princesses,heirs were the only matter between the two of them.Y/n knew nothing about what being a Queen or being a mother meant,and surely she didn’t knew what being loved and love were.so why don’t keep everything as it was supposed to be?

«I know that you don’t want this,you’ve made it very clear.»the young prince started,placing his cup on the table«And please understand that i didn’t had any say in this.Our parents had spoke about marrige,but it’s doesn’t have to be only political.»he sounded so sincere,his voice was so warm that made her hands itch to touch his lips while he spoke to her so tenderly.

«Of course it have be,for people like us»she stated,busying her hands with the strings of her sleeves.

«Maybe.»he hummed«We often don’t have the fortune to spend the rest of our lives with the person that we chose,but it’s only because we refuse to try and make it work.»he explained,tracing his fingers on the golden cup mimicking her actions.

He remembered his parents,Queen Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor,two different people that didn’t wanted to be bound to each other,but that in the end made it work.Creating a beautiful and loving family,a safe place for them and their children,coming to care and protect each other.In his mind they could had it too,working for it together every day.

«Make it work?»Y/n repeated his words«Why?Because my family will give you the money and the fleet and yours will give me a crown?»she asked,raising a brow.

He smiled,but his eyes remained serious as his next words«Because if you give me your heart,i promise that i will take care of it.And if you will give some time,i will love you with everything that i am.In this life and in all those to came.I will be yours and you will be mine,in this moment and forever.»it made her feel things that she didn’t knew she could feel.

Was he really devoting himself to her,promising to love her and to find her afterlife?Could it really be possible for them to love each other so dearly?Her parents promised the same thing,before the Gods,the day of their wedding and they both failed.Love can vanish,all the empty words remain there with a sad solitude.

«You don’t even know me,my prince-»Y/n whispered out,shaking her head.

«Please,call me Jacaerys.»he told her with affection.

«Don’t make such promises,Jacaerys.»she stated,casting her eyes down,her chest was hurting.

«You are right,i do not know you and you do not know me.»Jacaerys said,agreeing with her for the first time«But in time we could and we could have a happy life and a long reign,together.»he continued,outstretching his arm on the table,his hand towards her waiting to feel her skin on his.

She looked at his empty palm,the rough texture of the skin for all the years of training and she wished that she could let herself go.But if it wasn’t true,her mother words still poisoning her head,she couldn’t survived it.

«If anyone could’ve persuaded me into marrige,it would’ve be you.»she said with a dry chuckle«But i can’t be the person you need me to be.»she told him,getting up from her seat and walking away.

Jacaerys hadn’t seen her in two days,after their conversation during lunch,the young Lady had closed herself in her room and didn’t came out till that afternoon.

He was afraid that he had,in some ways,offended her with his words but he meant all of them.His mother had raised him right,like a proper and educated prince,but most importantly like a kind and gentle soul.He knew that he couldn’t force on her and on himself love,that the beautiful feeling required time and both of them had to work on it first,but he was more than willing to commit and devote himself to her.For as much as he loved his mother and understood the situation,without Ser Harwin neither him or his two younger brothers would’ve be there,he didn’t wanted for his future wife to find what he could have to her in someone else and he certainly would’ve wanted it for himself either.

Lady Y/n was an interesting creature,she hides herself behind stolen glances and mean words.Not because she wanted to,but simply because that was what she had learned was the safest thing to do when she doesn’t feel safe.Few people realized the trust and faith that she must feel for her to show herself at all,so shy and fragile are her hopes and dreams,too many times has she be ignored and abandoned.When emotions start to enrolling in her mind and her fears starts to allow the darkness to consume her,the little girl hides away and the stoic,strong woman protects her with reality and logic.Fiercely she would protect that little heart and he wanted to help her with that,taking care of it as it was his own.

The sun was shining lovely,the green bushes of the gardens framed the idyllic scenario with beautiful,colorful flowers.But nothing couldn’t compare to what he had set his dark eyes on.

Y/n was sitting on the edge of the fountain located in the center of the garden.Her hands moved fast,schematically,like a natural thing on the white paper of what looked like to be a sketch book.Her long hair were tied up messily on her head,not perfectly styled like two days before,her body wrapped in a simple peach pastel dress that made her look so ethereal.

He liked her more like this,in her natural state and habits,without being forced to be another version of herself.

«Good evening,my Lady.»he greeted her with a kind smile.

«It was.»Y/n grumbled out,she didn’t lifted her face to look at him,but he saw the way her cheeks turned red and the way she rolled her eyes.

Jacaerys always liked his people a bit damaged.A bit rough around the edges.A bit difficult to stereotype.A bit stranger than a normal crowd.He liked people whose eyes tell stories and whose smiles have fought wars.If someone was perfect,there was a chance,that they weren’t going to get on.What he wanted to see was her purity,the way she was wearing her scars,he wanted to see how brave she was with her vulnerability,how emotionally naked she let the world see her.Her damage may not be beautiful,but it has made her exquisite.It made original,different from all the ladies he had met,and one of his kind of people because people like her are one of the most incredible things in the world.

He took a place next to her,sitting down in his dark vest but also keeping a distance to not frightening her«Oh,come on.You’re starting to make me feel unwelcome.»he teased her with a little laugh,to make her understand that he wasn’t mad at her for this.

Y/n hands were dirty with with colors,pencils and chalks were scattered around the stone floor along her shoes as she climbed the book to her chest«I’m also starting to think you’ll never get the hint.»her words were rude as always.

Jacaerys took a deep breathe,calming his nerves«Your brother told that next week you will be seventeen.»he started the conversation«Perhaps is there anything that you wish for?»he asked,taking a look of how small she seemed all curled up on herself.

«For you to leave.»she let out immediately.

He chuckled,shaking his head as he was expecting to hear a similar answer«I will,my Lady.But i’m afraid that you’ll have to come with me.»he stated with an apologetic expression that mirrored hers.

Y/n looked around,to the small plants,the dark fronds of the trees,the beautiful flowers.She always thought that in the garden she would’ve had died.The roses would’ve killed her,the bushes suffocated her.All her life she had draw boundaries,invisible walls between herself and other people.No matter what she was dealing with.She maintained a set distance.

«Is there something else that you want?»Jacaerys tried again.

«I don’t know.No one ever asked me what i wanted before.»she murmured quietly.

«I’m doing it right now.»he made her notice gently«So feel free to tell me wha you truly desire.»he continued.

She thought about it for a few moments. She wanted to live simply.She wanted to sit by the window when it rains and read books that she’ll never did before.She wanted to paint because she felt like it,not because she had something to prove.She wanted to listen to her body,fell asleep when the moon was high in the sky,wake up slowly with no place to rush off.She just wanted to live boundless and infinite.

«A dress.»she answered timidly,feeling almost stupid.

But Jacaerys didn’t laughed,he was taking her seriously«Any particular dress?»he was curious.

He wanted to know why and which dress had her like that,with a shy smile on her face and a light he never saw before in her eyes.

«When i was little i had this beautiful azure dress,the same color of the spring sky,with little birds embroidered on it.»she had a nostalgic tone in her voice«I wore it everyday till i grew out of it and my mother had to thrown it away.»the glow in her eyes flickered but it was still there as she explained.

Y/n got that dress when she was just a small child.When her mother was at her grandmother house,she was herself.She was free,or so it felt.Y/n thought that for once,she got to see her real self.She saw her as a daughter,as a strong woman,as a real mother,her mother.Y/n was so happy she wanted to have a piece of her mother with her.Her grandmother gave her the dress she sewed herself that was her mother's. She was so happy to have it.She took it and wore it with pride.She went running to her mother to show her how she looked just like her.Y/n looked at her and wanted her to see her as her old self,she thought that maybe then she would love her a little.But she still looked at her with emptiness and a ghost of a smile.Y/n ignored it and continued living in her dream. But her mother once said that life isn't a dream and it doesn’t go like we want it to.She realized then that everything was a delusion.

«I bet that you looked very pretty.»Jacaerys whispered.

«That’s what i want,but i don’t need you to buy it for me.»she ignored his compliments,again with her rudeness.

«Then i won’t.»he stated peacefully,not wanting to cause another fight«Thankfully,i came prepared.»he slipped a hand inside his pocket and took out a little velvety box.

Handing it to her,Y/n opened it with shaky fingers.A beautiful iron colored ring with a red ruby set in the mouth of a dragon«Valyrian steel won’t impress me.»but it did,even though in her home there were plenty of objects made with the same steel,none of them were this perfect.

«Is not to impress you.»Jacaerys immediately said«Is a symbol.»he placed his hand over hers,the one which were still holding the box.

Y/n was right,his hands were warm and held hers with delicacy to not hurt her«A symbol?»she sounded confused.

Jacaerys nodded,he was so close to her that he could smell her sweet scent and the fabric of his clothes never annoyed him more then in that moment,deprived him of her bare touch«My father gave it to my mother the same night they agreed to make their marriage work.»he said,how warm brown eyes were shining under the sunlight«I intend to do the same.With this ring i will give you my promise»he said,his gaze leaving a million words left unsaid.

«Jacaerys-»she started with lump in her throat.

«Don’t push me away.»he interrupted her,with a strained voice.

But she did it,closing the box with the ring still in it,she freed herself from his grasp and got up with trembly legs«Listen»she paused«I need you to understand that when i push you away,is because is the only thing that i know how to do anymore.»she sounded like she was about to cry.

He opened his mouth to say something,but she stopped him holding her palm up like a white flag«You need to understand that everyone else had left.So now i don’t believe people are going to stay.»

A week had passed,Y/n was now laying in her bed,the soft fabric of her pillow and the nightgown wrapping her body made her feel dizzy.

«Sweetheart,is the night of your Name Day.»Mirtha tender voice sounded like a lullaby in her ears«Shouldn’t you spend it with the prince?»she asked sweetly,sitting at the end of the bed and caressing her back.

Y/n shook her head«Everything is just fine like it is right now.»she lied.

Her Septa let out a sigh«And knowing you,that’s a bare minimum at best.So what’s wrong?»she asked again.

Him,Jacaerys was wrong.Y/n was very often full of rage and despair.She was always lonely.In spite of all that she was and in love with life,she made up stories and forgot about the cold and the dark.She knew these are ways of surviving, but maybe a refusal,any refusal,to be broken lets in enough light and air to keep believing in the world – the dream of escape.

She was living inside a tower.Trapped in,she locked herself up and lost the key.The darkness that creeps at night was her only company.No one ever tried to save her there,since they can’t hear her cries.She passed her days in solitude,watching the world move on outside.Jacaerys was different and she knew it by the way she would feel whenever he spoke to her,she felt warm and almost drunk.

She was drawn to him in way she didn’t understand.His eyes ran through her soul,chasing her,wanting to know what she was so scared of and protecting her from it.

«He wants me to love him.»Y/n answered with a quite whisper.«And even worst,he wants to love me.»her throat felt dry,saying that bitter words.

How can come someone make up all the love that she missed as a child?

Her Septa let out a surprised laugh«Is this what had been bothering you?»she said.

Y/n rolled on her back«Letting some love you is so cruel.It’s like giving them you heart,waiting for them to crash it under your eyes.»she explained.

Mirtha nodded«I understand.»she hummed.

«Do you?»Y/n sarcastically said.

«When i was young i had a nice pair of shoes.»she started,getting up from the bed«I was afraid to wreck them,so I kept them in a box.Do you know what happened?I outgrew them.I never wore them outside.Only in my room a few times.»she told her,with a soothing tone,like a mother who was helping her daughter with boys problems.

«A person's heart and feelings are very different than shoes.»Y/n made her notice.

«They're kind of the same thing.If you won't use your heart,who cares if it gets broken?If you just keep it to yourself,maybe it'll be like my shoes»Mirtha objected«When you do decide to try it,it won't be any good.You should take a chance.You are still young and got nothing to lose.»she tried to made her understand.

She was young,beautiful and alive,graced by the gods to have someone like him by her side.Someone who promised to treat her right,to cherish her and to love her.The tower wasn’t so tall and it wasn’t even real,only inside her head like the sick thought that she could be loved.

«You are only saying this to get rid of me.»she joked with a little smile.

«Who says that i’m not coming with you?»Mirtha sounded serious.

«Uh?»she muttered out confused.

«The young prince asked your brother to make me leave with the two of you.»Mirtha said.

So many tender and painful,sweet and bitter emotions,crowded her heart and plunged her mind«Where is him?»Y/n asked getting up from the bed.

«In his room.»Mirtha answered with a knowing smile.

The young Lady ran barefoot through the hallways,her chest was going to explode from the way her heart was beating so fast .She had told him,one evening how important her Septa was for her and how much it pained her to leave her behind.Once again Jacaerys had proved her his devotion to her and his will to make sure that she was happy.

Knocking at his door,her heart sank in her chest when she realized how much she wanted him,all the love he could give her,the peace,the calmness that she desperately needed for all her life was waiting for her behind that door.

Opening up,Jacaerys seemed surprised,with his messy brown hair and tired face,but a smile was present as soon as he saw his beautiful girl standing there fidgeting nervously with her hands.He found her adorable,to the point that he wanted to close his arms around her and never letting her go away from him.

«Good evening-»he tried to say with a sleepy voice but she interrupted him.

She didn’t knew how to call it,what was happening between them,but she liked it.It felt silly and fragile and good,all at the same time.She didn’t thought that was capable of being loved,but the way he was looking at her made her think otherwise.

«Where is my present?»she was so nervous that she was word vomiting all the wrong things.

«You said you didn’t wanted one.»he stated,surprised by her outburst.

Jacaerys had the power to make her lose control and to calm her at the same time«All girls wants a present on their Name Day,even when they say they don’t.»she said,trying to be polite but her first sentence it was too late.

He let her in,opening the door fully to let her enter in his room«On the bed.»he said then,tilting his head to the side.

On the soft mattress there was a rectangular box with a blue flake on it.The dress she had her heart attached to since she was a child,laid in there in all it beauty.

«Is it beautiful as the first one?»he asked with a hopeful tone.

She didn’t answered,words weren’t forming in her head and her mouth felt dry.She just nodded and turned around.It was really this?The feeling that the searched all her life?Jacaerys was the piece that she waited for so long.Her heart was beating so fast,it threatens to pop up from her chest in any moment.She rest her shaky fingers in his hands,his embrace warm and comforting,tears coming out her eyes the more he was holding her.Was that moment even real?

«Are you alright,my love?»he was caressing her hair so lovingly that made her bones hake with it,the name felt so strange but so familiar at the same time.

«I’m tough.»she remainded him,licking her dry lips and calming her shaky hands

He nodded«I know you are.»

«I can take care of myself.»she continued.

«You have.»he said«You still do.You always will.I’ve just joined in,too.Now we will take care of each other.»and it was a promise that he would’ve kept till his last day on this earth,till he would’ve found her in another life.

She wrapped her shaky hands around his waist,keeping him close,breathing in his scent«Stay.»she whispered in his ear.

That was his cue to kiss her.Wrapping his fingers around her hair,enclosing them around her neck.Hard.Just hard enough to feel her pulse,the quiet beating of her heart under his palm.

She won’t always be this vulnerable,this open to him.Right now all her trust was in his hands

This was his cue to pull her closer.

Placing a gentle thumb to her bottom lip,caressing the soft and rosy texture,he breathed close to her,hovering his lips to hers so agonizingly slow«I will.»he said«I will be yours and you will be mine.»then he cut the distance between them,pledging their blooming love with a hungry kiss.

[manda-kat]

Look at my superhero characters and tell me which one you think sounds cooler:

Emerald Fox. She was a famous R&B music artist with many adoring fans. She was thought of as a perfect role model, but still approachable and down-to-earth. A similarly famous hero was tragically killed in battle and the public was shocked to discover that she was none other than Emerald Fox. This tragic loss, combined with the whiplash of the revelation stunned the world and reframed how many saw the heroes and their identities.

Emilio McKellen. Son of Vitos, a magician with life-related powers. Emilio has the power to control animals and his twin sister Florence controls plants. The McKellen family tries to avoid public heroism, so the twins are discouraged from taking up super identities of their own. Emilio would like to fight crime, but often acts without thinking and has gotten both of them in trouble multiple times.

Fireball. A flame-themed hero. Fireball is cocky and overconfident for the most part, which contrasts to his relaxed, surfer-like brother, Tidal Wave. Fireball can sometimes cause more damage in his attempts to stop a villain than the villain would have caused on his own.

Florence McKellen. The daughter of Vitos and twin sister of Emilio. Florence has plant powers and, unlike her brother, she is thoughtful and careful- hesitant to take risks or put her life on the line. Florence is just as willing to be a hero as Emilio, but she wants to do it in a way that will make her father proud, not go behind his back or get them killed.

Foresight. The fourth brother in a magical family. Foresight is completely blind, but he has the power to see the future. He helps superheroes often with his visions, but he very rarely involved in combat. When he is a part of the action, he is surprisingly capable, able to tell what is about to happen and moving accordingly. He prefers to stay out of harms way, however, knowing that his visions are not fully reliable.