#the marketing made me want to stay far away from it but it just reminds me of XII

[scrompsautobotsrchives]

The grand race

Alright, first Mirage fic !! *Cracks knuckles* Lets do this. Word count:1K

Mirage lived for adventure even back on cybertron. He would always get up to antics which would have pissed off the prime leader back then. Now on earth, it was his personal playground, He would always toy around with the police in chases, Doing the best stunts he could do. But he always wanted to do more.

One day as he was cruising around the city, He parked nearby just to watch the city go by. He then saw two friends walk up to each other and have a quick chat before one said. "You still down for the race tonight ??"

"Yep, I also heard that they jackpoted the prize to a $1000" The other said enthusiastically.

"Woah..." That was all he needed when he started to zoom back to the makeshift HQ, You were busy helping Optimus and Bumblebee setting everything up when you heard the familiar revving.

"Hey y/n !!" He transformed and kneeled to your height, eager to tell you the news. "Guess what I heard today ?? Your gonna love it"

'What's up ??' You stopped what you were doing and gave him your full attention.

"I heard these guys in the city talking about a race that's happening tonight"

"Oh yeah, They do those almost every year now"

"Really ?? We should go !!"

But before you could give your answer, a familiar prime's voice boomed. "Absolutely not Mirage, We need to remain undercover and away from prying eyes, Drawing attention to yourself will only cause more damage then good" He said, bee whirred in laughter and soon the radio flicked to an audio of the Nelson Muntz... "HA HA !!"

"You must promise me to stay away from that race" Optimus said firmly.

"Yeah yeah sure, I'll stay very well away so far away... Dude don't leave me with these tightasses bro, We'd make a great team" Mirage whispered to you pleadingly.

"Mirage you heard what Optimus said, I'm not doing a race just so you can get kick out of it" You frowned to him.

"But what about for friendship ??" He said, making you raise an eyebrow in dissapointment.

"Ah or or or what about for cash ??"

You looked up at him. "How much are we talking ??"

"$1000, I can get that to you easy"

Now what you could do with $1000, ooooooh you could buy that new games console that just went on a market. You looked at Optimus who was helping Bee before back at Mirage.

"Ok, I'm in" You nodded.

So later in the night, the two of you went out. Heading to the start of the course where all the racer's would line up. You got out as you heard rap music playing on full blast, People catching up and taking selfies. You saw a dude with a clipboard standing nearby, Taking down the names of another person who arrived before you.

"Guess that's our ticket in" You closed the door and went up to him. "Hey, I wanna enter the race"

"Awesome, What car are we racing with ??"

"The Porsche behind me" You nodded to Mirage.

He nodded and took down your name as well. "Alright, your in kid"

"Thanks" You headed back to Mirage and got inside. "Ok remember, we need to make this look natural so nobody notices something's off ok ??" You reminded him of the rules.

"Don't worry, your boy's got this" Even in car form, you could tell Mirage had a huge smirk on his face.

You lined up, Eyeing the competition. some had modified cars ranging from old to new. They took this seriously.

"This'll be easy" Mirage chimed in, revving his engine as he got into place. "Relax"

You nodded as you gripped the steering wheel, Watching someone walk to the middle with the chequered flag, signalling the race was about to start. The contestants around you started to rev up their cars as the flag was raised, and then with the swish downwards, Tires skidded on the road and soon everyone was off.

"Come on Mirage !!" You cheered as you made pretend movements on the drivers seat.

"'scuse me 'scuse me'" He chuckled softly as he passed some contestants with breeze.

But some were proving to be a little bit of a challenge, like we said, some were modified specifically for this race. Mirage grumbled as he attempted to pass some of them. "Move over !!"

The driver in one car could only chuckle and pressed the nitro, picking up speed.

"Damn it !!" You pushed the pedal to the medal, and Mirage began to speed up, pushing a little more and sped past the guy, blowing dust in his face.

"WOOHOO !!!"

The first lap was done, Just gotta keep up the momentum. "Let's kick some aft !!" Mirage cheered.

You cleaned up the second lap, But on the third, one of the contestants began to kick it up a notch. Mirage was cruising along when he felt that he wasn't ahead anymore. "Huh ??"

You watched as one of the contestants sped past you, This car looked like it went through hell and back on the performance.

"Shit !! Come on we got this !!" You reminded.

Mirage was determined, as determined as ever to win this. He tried to speed up as best as he could, Tires burning every drift. The other driver wasn't giving up as well, Both of you pushing the pedal to the medal as the finish line was nearing. The crowd cheered as the two of you crossed, Mirage made a total stop. "Did we win ??"

"I'm not sure ??" You got out of the car, asking the racer. "Yo what's going on ??"

"Beats me" He shrugged.

Because it was such a close call, Some people had to review the footage on their phones just to see who touched the finish line first, You waited for almost 5 minutes before one nodded and shouted. "It was the Porsche !!" Making everyone cheer.

"YEAH !!" You were so goddamn happy, Mirage was so goddamn happy, Oh screw it you were both so goddamn happy.

Others watched as you showed off from mirage and as promised, you were awarded the $1000. You drove off soon after.

"Holy shit that was incredible !! Did you see the guys face !!??"

"Oh, he was so mad !!" Mirage was so happy. "We gotta do that again sometime.

"Maybe... Just maybe" You smirked. You made your debut, a race or two never hurt anyone.

Taglist: @callofdudes

[generatedreflection]

Finally playing FFXVI and the thought that I cannot get out of my head is "why are you all so obsessed with fighting each other and being mean when your world is SO FUCKING PRETTY"

[leaentries]

NEVER MEANT FOREVER - QUINN HUGHES

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SYNOPSIS: there was no way quinn would ever have feelings for his best friend, never.

WARNINGS: angst w/ happy ending, misunderstanding, alcohol, drinking, getting drunk, loser guy harassing reader in a bar, reader breaks a bottle over a loser guys head, reader gets punched, quinn pulling a colin bridgerton (iykyk), swearing, reader gets into an accident, non-life threatening injuries, protective quinn, not proofread

[4.39k+]

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“You know, the longer you stare at her the more pathetic you look.”

“I’m not staring.” 

“Really? Cause I don’t think you’ve blinked in the past ten minutes.” 

With rolling eyes, Quinn finally tore his gaze away from where you stood, enticed in an animated conversation with a random guy. He looked to Jack with an unamused face, hands twirling the straw that danced with the ice of his empty rum and coke. Irritation stirred at the back of his neck, causing him to grunt as he stretched out the muscle. As annoying as Jack could be, he wasn’t necessarily wrong in this situation. 

“Can you blame me?” Quinn barked, “She’s over there smiling with some jackass she’s never met before.” 

Jack just let out a cackle that, to Quinn, reminded him far too much of their father, “It’s called mingling, Quinny.” He slapped a hand firmly onto the older boy’s shoulder, “We came here to have fun and that’s exactly what she’s doing.”

“Well, she could at least be smart about it and not talk to strangers.” He placed the tip of his straw into his mouth, blowing into the empty cup. Quinn knew he sounded like a whiney toddler, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to care. Not when it came to you. You had been by Quinn’s side since he got drafted, recently having been hired onto the Canuck’s marketing team. It was all too easy for the boy to immediately cling to your side since both of you were new to living in a new country by yourselves. The both of you found a special solace with each other that could only be described as “home.” At least, that’s what it felt like to Quinn. 

You had become a rock, a symbol of strength and perseverance through his rookie year, and that only seemed to grow stronger with each passing season. He found himself falling reliant on you and your presence, through the little things you would do, such as bringing him lunch when he had been going overtime on the ice or simply helping him clean up the mess of his apartment. Whatever it may be, Quinn couldn’t push away the feelings he had associated with you and your relationship. However, all he could chalk it up to was that you were his best friend, nothing more. 

“Said the world’s biggest introvert,” Jack remarked, “Dude, if you don’t want her to flirt with other people then grow a pair and ask her out.” 

This statement had Quinn’s eyes bulging and shards of ice shooting through the straw he had placed in his mouth. He turned his head, partially to cover his cough, but mostly to hide the red that bloomed on the skin under his stubble. Quinn felt a twang of panic surge through his stomach, nerves spiking. 

Now if you ask Jack, he’d say Quinn was stupid, which could be the only reason the eldest brother let the phrase fall from his lips. 

“Ask her out?” He asked with disbelief, “We’re just friends, I could never be into Y/N like that. Never.” 

Jack felt his own eyes widen at Quinn’s words, coughing awkwardly as his gaze fell behind the brother’s right shoulder. Quinn’s brows formed a deep ‘v’ as he turned around. He swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling his mouth run dry. His throat felt as if it was closing, a gate to the words that wanted to chase after you. He watched the way your eyes filled with an unknown emotion, your shoulders slumping as you made a b-line past him. Quinn’s body was screaming and fighting against his skin to run after you, yet he stayed put. He sat firmly in that chair and watched you run out of that god-forsaken bar. 

He felt as if he was watching his heart rip from his chest and walk away. And in some ways, he was.

-

You felt stupid. 

Stupid for letting yourself feel things for him, stupid for getting close to him, but most of all, for thinking you actually had a chance.

You had been excited to go to the bar that night, having gotten the invitation from Quinn that morning. Admittedly, a sparkle of hope glimmered in your chest every time he invited you somewhere. What started as a casual outing between friends, developed into something far more. His hand would often find home on the small of your back, guiding you and keeping you close if it was crowded. Always taking the liberty of ordering your drinks and food because he somehow managed to remember them all. Beyond all of that, he cared for you. He put in the effort to hang out with you, to check up on you, something that many others lacked in doing. However, all of this seemed pointless now. Empty promises and misread signals now resided where the longing and hoping used to live. 

You could feel your resolve break the second you heard Quinn say those words to Jack. Embarrassment consumed you, and an uncomfortable burning painted your skin red. You felt your heart fall to your ass the second he turned back to look at you.

The worst part? He didn’t even care. 

Quinn made no moves to check up on you later that night after you’d found a ride home, nor did he the following day. Two days eventually turned into a week, and you’d officially gone without speaking to Quinn longer than before the two of you had met. Your heart ached every time your phone lit up, hoping his name would appear under your notifications. You grew tired of waiting, tired of the itch that seemed to cover your fingertips every time you hovered over his contact. 

After the seventh night, your girlfriends decided you needed to quit sulking and go out. And, as if scripted, the familiar knocks at your apartment door announced their arrival. You opened the heavy door, as your two closest friends barged their way in, practically pushing you over. The searing squeak of the metal hinges were begging for help as the door heaved open so quickly. You smiled as they ran to your kitchen, grabbing the tequila bottle, which just so happened to already be on the counter and a few shot glasses. 

“Get your ass over here, y/n/n, we are pregaming this shit.” Demanded Willa, one of your close work friends. She had been there the night everything went down at the bar and didn’t hesitate to get you the hell outta dodge the second she saw tears welling up in your eyes. 

“Do we have to?” You droned, “I want to at least be able to walk to the bar without falling over, Wills.” 

She just rolled her eyes, swatting her hand through the air as if it were your words, “Just one, pretty please?” Her wide brown orbs were rimmed with amusement, clearly getting a kick out of your hesitance. Unfortunately for you, the shit-talking brunette also knew that you were very easily peer-pressured, at least when it came to her. 

“Aren’t you gonna try to convince me to drink too?” You questioned the ginger sitting to the right of Willa. 

Duke just grinned, her freckled cheeks rising to meet her sapphire eyes, “Don’t need to, Will’s already got you covered.” 

You sucked in a harsh breath, giving in to the liquid temptation sitting on the cool granite countertop, “Fine,” You waltz over, snatching the shot glass out of Willa’s hand, “Bottom’s up, bitches.” You guzzle down the shot, the burn almost mute at this point. The situation with Quinn, paired with the off week the Canuck’s had, it was horrible timing for you. But proved to be great timing for the local liquor store. 

Managing to take another shot, you all quickly go to your room to finish the final touchups for your nightly escapades. Duke hooked her phone to the speaker, playing the shared playlist the three of you had, specifically for nights like these. You could feel the tension from the past week melt from your body as you jumped around with your two best friends. 

After the first few songs, you settled down into a comfortable chatter, talking about nonsense as you curled your hair on the ground by your floor-length mirror. Willa sat on the bed, legs crossed as she did her eyeshadow in the camera of her phone and Duke somehow wriggled her way onto your dresser, feet dangling as she sat back against the tan walls. She had never been one to overly dress for clubbing, but her style suited her. 

“...and then he told me that I had a pretty voice,” Willa giggled as she rambled about her newest boy toy. As much as you loved the girl, there was no denying that she got around, but you’d never judge her for that. In all honesty, it was almost refreshing to hear about her many rendezvous, giving you insight into a life you could never live. Not that you wanted to, the thought of jumping from guy to guy made your skin crawl and dread fill your throat. You were more of a one-stop-shop kind of girl. 

“Which one is this again?” Duke’s voice slurred slightly, a tell-tale sign she was already tipsy. 

Willa rolled her eyes, “Duke, have you not been listening this whole time?” 

Duke slumped over to her side, “Sorry,” She snarked, “I’m sure this guy is fantastic and will be the one to get you to walk down the aisle.” 

The brunette scrunched her nose up in disgust, “Ew, not a chance.” 

You just laughed at their banter, finally curling the last few pieces of your hair. Duke turned her attention to you, eyeing you up suspiciously. “You seem rather quiet, y/n/n. Is everything okay?” At her words, Willa looks up from her phone, brows furrowing as she waits for your answer. 

You manage a nod and a half-assed smile that wouldn’t fool them from a mile away, “Yeah, I’m all good. Don’t worry about me.” 

Duke gave you her “don’t lie to me” look, which almost had you spouting yout guts out to them about Quinn, but Willa managed to beat you to the punch.

“Is it Quinn?” She asked, voice uncharacteristically serious. 

You just sighed, giving them the answer they needed. Willa moved off the bed, sinking onto the floor beside you, “Look, I know we are normally supposed to gang up on the guys that hurt us, but coming from someone who watches the two of you interact on a daily basis,” She paused, thinking of the right words, “I think you should text him.” 

Your eyes widened at her statement. Usually, Willa was very anti-man, in the sense that she would smite anyone who looked at you wrong, so hearing her tell you to reach out to him was shocking, to say the least. 

“Why would I do that? You heard what he said about me at the bar. He made it very clear he would never have feelings for me.” 

“All I’m saying is, you never even gave the guy a chance to explain himself, that’s all.” Willa’s voice was resolute. You just nodded, taking her words into consideration. Maybe you’d text him, but not tonight. Tonight was your time to let loose, to have fun. The calm before the storm that surely awaited the second you clicked the call button under Quinn’s name.

-

Getting out of the Uber, Duke grabbed your and Willa’s hands, leading you to the front of the line. 

“Duke? The line starts back there,” Willa said, pointing back to the line that wrapped around the brick exterior of the bar. 

With no reply, Willa just huffed and continued to let Duke lead the way. The redhead turned sharply on her heel, “Stay right here a second, I’ll be right back.” 

“Du-” You cut yourself off. She was gone before you even had the time to call out her name. You looked around, leaning up against the wall. You let your head fall back, blowing out a deep breath into the night air. Despite it being warm outside, your skin erupted in goosebumps, no doubt due to your outfit, which didn't serve as much insulation. Willa groaned, slumping back next to you. She took this moment to bring up the one guy you were trying to avoid thinking about for the night. 

“Do you wanna know why I think you should text him?”

“Depends,” You snapped, “Are you gonna give me an actual answer?”

She nodded, not at all phased by your attitude. Having worked with you for 6 years, she had gotten used to the front you put up when you were frustrated. 

“I think you should text him because I think he was lying.” 

Your eyes snapped to her, and you shook your head in confusion, “Why would he have any reason to lie?” 

Willa shrugged her deep-brown shoulders, “Because I can see the way he looks at you. Y/N if you actually paid attention to the way he treats you, you’d understand where I’m coming from. That boy doesn’t just see you as a friend.” 

Your body tenses, scared to ignite that flame of hope again, “That still doesn’t explain why he would have lied about it and made it seem that dating me was a fate worse than death. You didn’t hear him, Wills,” Your voice dropped, “He was being serious.” 

She turned her body to face you completely, her arm now fully rested against the copper-toned brick, “Maybe not, but you didn’t see his face when you ran out of there. He looked like someone just killed his dog.” 

You huffed, annoyed at the whole ordeal, “Then why didn’t he just come and tell me himself?” Your teeth bared down, sending an almost painful tick through your jaw. 

“Now that, I don’t know. I just said he wasn’t being honest, not that he wasn’t a coward.” 

You couldn’t help the puff of amusement that escaped your nose, Willa now sounding more like her usual ball-busting self. Just as you began to grow impatient, Duke emerged through a side door, ushering you two inside the building. 

“What the hell, D?” You asked, very concerned and slightly worried about the fact that you were sneaking into a very infamous bar in downtown Vancouver. She just rolled her eyes and continued down the long hall until you reached the end. A dark metal door with a keypad served as the only barrier between you and the dance floor just beyond. Duke quickly typed in a code, the door making a dull ‘click’ signifying that it was unlocked. 

Before the three of you made into the main floor, Willa grabbed Duke’s arm, “What the actual fuck is going on?” 

Duke laughed at your faces, her husky voice echoing through the, otherwise, empty hallway, “Remember how I mentioned I was seeing someone new?” You and Willa nodded simultaneously, “Well, he happens to own this place and gave me the code for whenever I wanted to bring some friends.” 

You felt all your worry ease from your bones, no longer nervous about getting kicked out, “You know you could have just told us that.”

Duke chuckled as she opened the door for you all to walk in, “I know, but where is the fun in that?” 

Walking into the crowded room, you could already feel the smile forming on your face. Maybe your friends were right about getting out of the house. The DJ on the big stand played some early 2000’s songs and you fought the urge to scream along. You laughed as Willa immediately dragged you to the floor, Duke running off to find her mystery man. You threw your hands up, swaying your hips to the beat of the music. It was intoxicating, being able to let loose and not feel the pressure of everyday weighing down on your shoulders. For once in the past week, you could confidently say, you weren’t thinking about Quinn Hughes. 

After an hour or so, you and Willa managed to push your way through the crowd, desperately needing a drink to soothe your sore throats after all of the screaming and singing. On your way to the bar, a large frame steps in between you and Willa, her body quickly blending in with the sea of people around you. You look up to the man who all but blocked you, noting the devious glint in his eyes. His light hair was cut short, not complimenting his crooked nose or the way his lips turned up. There was something about this man that made your hair stand straight and your gut clench. 

“I saw you dancing with your friend, you looked really good out there.” His rough voice almost made you cringe. You looked over his shoulder, eagerly trying the find Willa or Duke. 

“Uh, thanks,” Your hands picked at the fabric of your dress, nerves now on edge. 

“Wanna show me some more moves?” He bent down next to your ear, “Maybe something a little more personal?” 

His words shot panic through your body, a shiver of fear running up your spine, “I’m actually trying to find my friends right now,” You say curtly, hoping he’d catch on and leave you be. “So if you’ll just excu-” However, he proved to be more stubborn. The man quickly grabbed your wrist, stopping you from going anywhere. Your eyes widened in terror, breath picking up as you rapidly searched for someone to help you. As you tried to pry your arm from his grip, the man let out a sound that was borderline animalistic. 

“You’re not going anywhere, sweet cheeks.” He smiled wickedly at you, his perfect teeth almost sickeningly white. The nickname made bile rise in your throat, stopping any screams or pleased for help from coming out. Seeing a nearby table with empty glasses, you quickly reach to snatch one, not missing to smash the bottle down onto the man’s head. His hand loosened around your wrist and you took the opportunity to tear away from his grip. 

“You little bitch!” He snarled, starting after your retreating form. 

You turn back, noticing the man growing closer on your heels, you try your best to escape him but he grabs your shoulders roughly. As he swivels you around and you reach a hand up to scratch down at his face, aiming for anything to get you the hell away from him. Tears shook through your ribs as a fist came hurling at you. Blinded by the anxious sobs, your head flew back at the impact of the punch. Everything around you went blurry, sounds mixing. A high-pitched ringing echoed through your head, all of your senses seemingly disappearing. At first, you don’t register what happened, but the searing pain on the left side of your face has your mind crashing back into reality. Fresh tears well in your eyes as you stumble away, the man having appeared to run off. 

You manage to get to the bar top, Willa sprinting over the second she notices your bruised and bloody face. 

“What the fuck happened?” She thundered, anger plastered all over her delicate features. 

You couldn’t answer over the deep sobs that racked through your entire body, the pain in your face growing worse by the second. 

“Shh, shh, it’s okay. We’re gonna get out of here,” She soothed as she pulled you into her body. She quickly took her phone out, presumably to call someone, but you were too focused on getting the hell out to notice. Once you got out of the building, Willa guided you to sit on a nearby curb, letting you lean onto her body as you stared blankly into the black asphalt of the road. You somehow managed a breif recap of what happened, Willa beyond furious, her brown eyes dark with anger. You were so caught up in your head, that every echo or screech sent your muscles tightening and body flinching in response. You whined at any subtle movement in your face, the pain had you hoping to the universe nothing was broken. 

“I called Duke to let her know what happened, she said she’s gonna have her boyfriend look through the cameras to see if they caught anything.” You could only break out a weak nod, not wanting to aggravate your injury any more than it already was, “I also called Quinn.” 

Your head shot up, but only earned a deep whimper out of you as the pain shot through your face and down your neck. Willa just gently guided your head back down to her shoulder, running a hand through your hair.

“FIghting or not, Quinn is still one of your best friends. Are you seriously gonna tell me you don’t want him here?” 

If you had the energy to argue, would you? Probably not. Willa always managed to see right into you, and blame it on the injury, but you wanted nothing more than to feel Quinn’s arms wrapped around your body. You remained in that positon until you heard heavy footsteps hurrying towards you. Picking up your head, you couldn’t fight off the rush of relief you felt when Quinn came up beside you. 

“Who did this to you, baby?” He rasped breathlessly. The boy inspected your face closely, not even noticing the nickname rolling off of his tongue and maybe if you weren’t so uncomfortable, you would have acknowledged it. 

You shrug, swallowing the fresh batch of tear that threatened to fall, “Some random guy,” Your voice cracked, laced with emotion and pain, “I was just trying to get a drink.” 

Quinn pulled your body into his, making sure to be careful with your head and face, “Oh, baby,” He cooed, trying his best to keep his voice soft through the anger that coursed in his veins. He stroked your hair soothingly, letting you grip tightly onto his hoodie, “It’s okay, pretty girl. I’m here now, no ones gonna touch you.” Quinn’s words grew sharp with venom at the end of his sentence. He couldn’t describe the feeling he got when Willa had called him. All he knew was he needed to get to you, and he needed to get to you fast. Did Elias give him a weird look for bursting out of the room at record speed? Yes, but Quinn didn’t give a fuck, not when you were hurting. He would gladly burn down the city if it meant protecting you from the vile monsters like the man who put his hands on you. However, Quinn knew that wasn’t possible, so he settled for what he could do, and that was keep you close to him for as long as he could.

You’re not sure how long the both of you stood there, but the night began to grow colder and a chill ran up your neck. 

“You cold, pretty girl?” His voice asked softly, placing a kiss on your forehead. You nodded, not quite ready to try and speak again. “Okay, come on, I’ll take you home.” 

Bidding quick goodbyes to your friends, you let the comfort of Quinn’s body and hands guide you to his car. Luckily he hadn’t parked very far. In all honesty, he hadn’t really parked at all, far too busy rushing to get you. He helped you in, turning on the heat to the exact temperature you would always pick when in his car. The engine hummed to life as he gripped the steering wheel in one hand and intertwined your fingers with the other. 

The ride back to your apartment was silent, but the unspoken words hung heavy in the air. Neither of you spoke until he walked you up to your place, helping you inside and locking your doors. The both of you stood awkwardly, not knowing how to address the tension. Biting back the pain, you decide to break the ice.

“Why did you say it?”

Quinn let out a shaky breath, “I don’t know.”

“That’s not good enough, Quinn.” You quipped, shaking your head in annoyance. 

“I-I don’t know why I said it,” He replied desperately, “I guess I’m a coward,”

You scoffed.

“But what I do know,” Quinn looked deep into your eyes, “Is that I didn’t mean it.” He grabbed your hands, his warm palms encasing the bitter cold that nipped at your fingertips, “Jack caught me off guard and I didn’t want to admit to myself that I’m in love with my best friend.” 

Your eyes widened at his confession, but before you could speak, Quinn continued, “So here I am, because I don’t want to be a coward anymore and I can’t live without at least telling you how I feel. Because even if there is a sliver of a chance you might love me back, then I have to take it.” 

You were speechless. For the first time in your life, Quinn Hughes had left you speechless. When he got no response, he nodded glumly, taking that as his que to leave. Your mouth gaped as you screamed at your mind to say something, anything. Whatever it took to stop your boy from leaving for good. 

“I love you too,” You squeaked. 

He stopped in his tracks, body turing back to face you, “You what?” He whispered, not believing his own ears. 

This time, your voice came back full force and even the pain in your cheeks wasn’t gonna stop you from saying those five words, “I love you, Quinn Hughes.” 

It took three stride for Quinn to make it back in front of you, his hand gently cupped your non-injured cheek, eyes darting down to your lips. 

“Can I kiss you?” Quinn’s voice was timid, as if he was scared you’d break if he talked normally. 

The only answer you gave was colliding your lips with his. The kiss wasn’t exploding fireworks, but rather a ‘welcome home’. The taste of morning dew and the comfort of a freshly made bed. He tasted like the honey you’d put in your tea and felt like the warmest fire on a winter’s day.

Quinn Hughes was a man of many talents, a man of many things, but home was definitely number one. 

[marshmallowprotection]

I’d actually like to hear your thoughts on that Unknown birthday cg

I actually love the composition of this artwork. It'd be wrong to share it without sharing the other half to it, though. Saeyoung and Saeran are a package deal. But, as it stands, these images stand in contrast to each other for a reason. Saeyoung's at a party that his friends put together for him, and Unknown's at a party Rika made for him. There are undeniable facts about these images.

Unknown's staring into a mirror, his eyes in a trance as he watches his reflection, and to me, it's always read like a dissociative episode. He's spaced out for a reason. He was trained to hate his face because it was his brother's face. He avoids looking into mirrors for a reason... and yet, on his birthday of all days, he's staring into a large mirror at his reflection.

A reflection that's known to spark feelings of contempt, sickness, and anger in his heart.

Why?

Why is looking into a mirror when mirrors are known to make him feel sick? Unknown wouldn't choose to do that on the day that sets him off. He wouldn't! I think, one could argue that maybe he would if he thought it might remind him of why he's upset to begin with. But, he doesn't purposefully go out of his way to trigger himself throughout the game, if it happens, it's far from happening on purpose.

Which is what led me to believe Rika hung the mirror from the wall OR choose that spot purposefully—to hurt Unknown. That much I can say for certain.

Even on his birthday, he's not ALLOWED to forget what she's trained for. He's not allowed to be happy. He's only allowed to think about the brother who STOLE EVERYTHING from him while he rots away with nothing to his name in the walls of a Paradise that will never a sincere Paradise. He has to think about the brother who MADE HIM feel bad. He can't escape it. Rika won't let him escape it because he's a simply a weapon for revenge now, no longer does she see him as a son.

His birthday cake is made of chocolate and his pint of ice cream is chocolate, too. There aren't many things he talks about enjoying in the game, but he does make it clear that he enjoys mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Ray revealed that fact in 2019. I mean, could that be his favorite flavor and not Unknown’s favorite? That's always possible, after all, they're not the same person. But, I have always operated under the suspicion that they share favorite ice cream flavors. They like how it stays on your tongue, cold, sweet, and just a little bit chewy. It's nice on a hot day.

I don't think he's super picky about ice cream since you probably can't go wrong with ice cream in his eyes, but the fact that he's able to establish a favorite kind of ice cream shows me that he does care about what he gets if he's allowed to have a choice. Like, I would love vanilla ice cream if it's offered, but if you had an assortment, I'd want chocolate or mint chocolate chip!

This is a character who has been repeatedly robbed of his autonomy time and time again, both with contempt and with a naive thought to protect them without thinking of his choice, and if he was asked what kind of ice cream he wanted for his birthday here, I think he'd pick his favorite if he could.

He clearly didn't pick here. I mean, you can check out the seasonal chats if you want to for 2020. Unknown tells Yoosung and Zen that he loves ice cream and even if they think he's some kind of program and not a real person, he still wants them to leave out the ice cream because, hey, what kind of person wouldn't want an ice cream if it was offered to them? I don't know people who would turn down the ice cream.

But, again, if you can choose the ice cream you're given, won't you pick your favorite flavor?

If you buy the folders from the market, you'll be treated to Unknown and Seven enjoying each other's ice cream, but while Saeyoung looks content with his ice cream, Unknown isn't enthused by Superman ice cream. My boy isn't picky about ice cream but he probably wouldn't want to consume his twin brother's favorite flavor... especially not at a time wherein anything related to Saeyoung makes him want to gag.

If the only ice cream he had to eat was that of his brother's favorite flavor, I think he'd do it, but I don't think he'd be happy about it in the end. It would take the ice cream experience, but he's not going to say no to something that makes him happy in a world that already has caused him to feel apathetic about most things. Yeah, it might not make him happy to have something that reminds me of his brother, but most things remind him of his brother and it's an inescapable tragedy. 

I don't think I need to talk about the representation of black roses in this game when it comes to this character, either. He is given this particular flower whenever he is in a timeline that doesn't bode well for him. It is a representation of the fact that he no longer has hope for a brighter tomorrow. All he sees on the horizon for his life is death and apathy.

Death can also be transformative, but that is not the reference we are meant to take away when we see it represented like this. GE Saeran's got a black rose around his throat during the RAE when you team up with Rika to turn him into a product of consumption to "survive" in a world that lets Saejoong get away with everything. But, anytime I see those flowers with him, I associate it with a loss of autonomy.

I associate it with Rika's control.

The one thing that's bothered me ever since I've seen the image is that bottle of alcohol sitting in the background. I mean, it doesn't have to be alcohol in that fancy sparkling glass, but there aren't too many drinks that are placed inside of those containers and the more I think about it, the more uncomfortable I become. I try not to think about it, and I often tell myself that the only reason why it's there is because the artist might not have been told about the character's trauma.

After all, if the artist was made aware of this fact, it means the choice was intentional to place the bottle of alcohol within the image. I have no idea if the artist was made aware of that fact. The only reason why I tell myself that the artist might not have known is because Rika was also represented with alcohol in one of her birthday pictures, and she does not consume alcohol frequently or at all, either. 

In fact, Rika canonically scolds Jihyun and Jumin often for their poor drinking habits and reminds them to be responsible. There's a chat in Another Story where Jumin and Jihyun turn silent when you echo the words Rika once told them about alcohol.

The alternative in this situation if we don't believe the artist made a mistake without being aware of the lore is for me to believe that she specifically chose to put alcohol on the table knowing that it would trigger him. 

Because, unfortunately, since the artist made that decision, it leads the player to interpret that she purposefully put that bottle there to hurt him. I recognize that most people aren't going to think that hard about this and for the most part, it might fly over your head without a second thought, but it bothers me. I am a stickler for fine details and if you're a person who loves to speculate and dig into some media for everything you can find, this is one of those things that’ll haunt you. 

At the end of the day, it comes down to how you want to interpret the image, if you want to take it at face value for what it is and recognize that the artist likely didn’t know, that’s okay. If you would prefer to read into it as something that makes your stomach turn into knots knowing that Rika might’ve hit him where it hurts most, that's alright, too. 

I try to suspend my disbelief as much as I possibly can to ignore that bottle, but the bottle is there, and I can’t avoid it no matter how much I want to unsee it.

I have a hard enough time in the fandom when it comes to people representing the twins and alcohol as it is. These two are never going to drink a drop in their life, and if they do—There is a situation where Saeyoung drinks champagne in V Route, but it’s when he’s hit rock bottom and he thinks his brother is dead and it’s been two and a half years since then.

The last time his brother was alive, there was going to be a party. The trauma is going to come back to life as soon as the party is brought up again, and that is the only reason why I think he decided to drink that day. He was at the end of his rope, and he decided he would do the one thing he promised never to do because he thought it would numb his emotions enough to survive the way he saw his wretched mother tried to numb every miserable moment of her existence. 

I don't think he enjoyed it, though. I think he took a sip of it, and then he immediately wanted to throw up. He gets rid of the rest of the tiny glass and he never touches alcohol ever again. 

I've seen far too many people represent these two as characters that will drink without a second thought. There is no mention of their trauma, there is no regard for what they've been through, and there is not a second in the narration that even remotely points to the fact that they have trauma that stems from their mother's alcoholism. 

I can't tell you not to write something you want to write, just as much as someone can't tell me not to write what I want to write, but when you have no regard for this specific trauma, it makes me wonder how much compassion you have for somebody who has the same kind of trauma in real life. 

Because, this may be a huge stretch, I know, but if you can't respect a character who said they don't want to drink anything that contains alcohol and you write them doing it anyway, who’s to say that you’ll respect a real person telling you the same thing? 

Far too many countries have socialized drinking to the point that anybody who doesn't want to drink, regardless of the reason, will be shamed or ostracized for it by others in the room. I can't tell you how many people have tried to tell me to take a small sip of alcohol since becoming an adult, and I’ve refused. It's fine and dandy if that's what you want to do, as long as you're doing it safely!

But, why am I the one who is asked questions for saying no?

I don't shame anybody for enjoying and consuming alcohol, so why is it that I hear, "Well, just take a sip! How can you know if you've never had it? Here, let me shove this in your face and keep pushing you to do something you're clearly not okay with!" I don't want it.

This is also the case for many people my age who aren't interested, because I've heard the same thing from others who have been poked and prodded at like me. None of us owe you an explanation as to why we don't want to consume alcohol for whatever reason. No means no. That should be respected at the end of the day, point blank. 

Saeran hasn't said it as bluntly as Saeyoung, but you should be able to infer quite easily.

[m00nlight-ramblings]

Sun Up

I love me a domestic-ish Gale one-shot. Just a quickie about waking up with Gale on a morning where there's nothing to do.

Warnings: the beginnings of some NSFW, but not explicit

REMINDER: my inbox and requests are open! Shoot me a line and I'll write a little ditty up for ya!

You wouldn't have woken up so early if it weren't for the sudden breeze that entered through the open window next to the bed. The sound of windchimes from somewhere close in the city filled your ears as you groaned, you eyes refusing to open.

Suddenly you felt a pair of strong arms wrap you around your waist from behind. Hot breath tickled your ear as Gale spoke, his morning voice octaves lower than his normal.

"Windchimes should be outlawed on a Sunday in Waterdeep." He grumbled, pressing a kiss on whatever bodily surface was closest to him (aka your ear).

You smiled, finding it hard to speak so close to waking up. Instead, you sighed happily and lazily flipped yourself around so you were facing your boyfriend, drawing him closer to you. He kissed the top of your forehead and remained silent, both of you staying in the space between "sleep" and "awake".

Finally, after a few minutes (between 5 and 30, you couldn't really be sure), you spoke: "I don't want to do anything today."

Gale grumbled in agreement, "Neither do I, my love. At some point we do need to head to the market for the onions for dinner tonight-" I instantly began to protest and Gale chuckled, "I said at some point. As in, maybe four hours from now, darling."

"Fine." I finally grumbled, my eyes still closed and voice still foggy. I lazily drew circles on Gale's chest, running my fingers through his chest hair. The sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting early morning shadows through the room. The room, which was messy from scattered books and various academic papers strewn about, was supposed to have been cleaned within the past few days, a promise you and Gale had made to each other.

Eh...you'd get around to it.

The waves from the water in the distances lulled a sense of peace for the morning. You sighed happily again, running your hands up and down Gale's back. He mimicked your actions, peppering your head with kisses.

"Something on your mind, my dear?" He asked trailing his finger over your jawline. This action sent shivers down your spine as you looked up to him, immediately getting lost in his soulful, brown eyes.

"Just...content," You said, stretching you legs by pushing downward with them. "I could rest like this forever."

And it was true. The previous "adventure" of ridding the tadpoles and saving Faerun (and everything that came along with it), though brought you and Gale together, wasn't necessarily a fun one. You remembered the nights when you'd lay awake in your tent, anxiety spilling out of you with thoughts of what was to come and what you were to experience soon. You longed for the days where you could lazily lounge in bed...and once something started stirring between you and Gale, you longed for the days where you could lazily lounge in bed.

With him. Naked.

It often never seemed like those days would come, but now that this was your life, and you had gotten everything you ever wanted, you couldn't help but relish in the splendors. Some mornings you'd wake with a start, your body being tricked that the domesticated bliss you shared with Gale wasn't real - that you were still somewhere deep on the trail, anticipating your next battle. But when you'd turn and see Gale sleeping peacefully, snoring lightly, sometimes Tara at your feet...your heart would calm. The adrenaline pulsing through your body would soften, and you'd slip back under the sheets, immediately wrapping and arm around Gale not only for comfort, but also for grounding.

You both were safe, and far away from the past of battle and trials. The most vicious thing you had to deal with was whether or not you wanted chicken or lamb for dinner that evening.

"Ah," Gale said in agreement, wrapping himself closer to you, "As could I. How lucky are we, my love?" He smiled and started to kiss down your jawline, mimicking the pattern he had created with his finger just moments before.

You breathed his name as he continued, trailing down your neck to your collarbone. You felt a heat rising within you that doubled in sensation when Gale's hand found itself on the outside of your thigh, and with one swift motion, gripped your skin possessively. You gasped, one of your hands finding itself in Gale's hair, giving it a hard tug. He growled lightly in response and with the same hand that was on your thigh a moment earlier, he gently pushed your leg open, moving himself closer so you could feel his hardening anticipation.

"I thought you said you didn't want to do anything today..." You spoke, your voice barely above a whisper. You felt your heart start to beat faster as Gale's hand explored the lower half of your body and his lips started to suck on the spots his was kissing. How easily you lost yourself with him.

He chuckled and pulled back slightly, looking at you. "Well...you drive such a hard bargain. Who am I to say no to...doing something today, when that something happens to be the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on, lying in bed next to me?" His eyes were twinkling and it caused you to giggle.

"Well, who am I to object?" You spoke, your voice growing husky again. Immediately, your lips found his and you both started to moan, bodies moving together. You giggled and pulled the blankets up to your chins.

So...it wasn't a day of doing completely nothing.

[hyuganejiswife]

A’Lil Bit Tipsy | Shikamaru Nara X GNReader

Masterlist

| REQUESTED BY @shikamarunaraaa, drinking, alcohol, a drunk shika confessing to you, you should also thank Ino and Choji

Word Count: 1029

Note: THANK YOU FOR REQUESTING. it made me so happy🥹 don’t be afraid to request again. I hope you like it!

Your whole group of friends had gathered at Ino’s house for a small get together. The whole goal was just to kick back and relax, have a few drinks and have fun without the pressure of training or missions looming over you.

You’re lounging on the sofa with your feet in Shikamaru’s lap, the man being your closest friend of the bunch, taking everyone by surprise as he allows you to use him as a cushion.

While not on your team, the two of you often find ways to spend every possible waking moment together. You’ve been practically inseparable since birth. Similar to how his father, Choji’s father, and Ino’s own were so close, his mother was just as close with your mother.

Over time as you grew up, lazing around with the boy in fields or while attempting to do homework, even when the two of you entered the academy, you were often not far behind each other. Shikamaru would go as far to even admit that you were possibly as smart as he was… Sometimes.

When it came to his feelings for you, you were quite possibly the absolute dumbest person he’d ever met. Of course, he would never tell you this. He still had some respect for you. Yet, it was quite amusing to him to watch how you tried to decipher the meaning behind some of his behavior… As well as you trying to hide your own feelings for him. He wasn’t dumb, obviously. He knew you had some major feelings for him, he was just waiting for you to realize you did in order for him to act on it. But he could only wait so long as you grappled with your own heart.

From the point that he realized his feelings for you, Shikamaru hadn’t been shy. He didn’t go above and beyond of course, that wasn’t him, but he didn’t shy away from how he seemed a bit more okay with your PDA than he normally was, or even how he’d walk through the village market with Ino and Choji, often picking up trinkets to gift to you or window shopping for you so he could show you later just because the item reminded him of you. The two of his teammates would simply sigh, the question coming up of when would you finally confess your feelings for one another. Shikamaru would simply brush them off, mentioning that the topic was such a drag and they shouldn’t be sticking their noses where they didn’t even belong.

And as he sits sipping on his seventh or eighth drink, he’d lost count, his free hand tracing pattern on your thigh as you and Naruto argued across the room at each other over something he was unsure about, he finds himself humming. He tugs you a little closer by your legs, seeking for your attention to be on him once more, but you remain unshaded, bringing up statistics he knew you were pulling out of your ass in order to shut Naruto’s absolute nonsense down. He chuckles softly, shaking his head when you give him a pointed look in a meek attempt to silence him before he outed your nonsense.

“Guys! Let's play spin the bottle!”

You laugh brightly at Ino’s announcement, noticing how Shikamaru tightens his hold on your legs. “That may not be a bad idea, but I’m good where I’m at. I don't want to play!” Shikamaru lets out a breath of relief, only to frown when Ino attempts to pull you onto the floor, her and Choji having come up with this little plan to play the game in order to spur either you or Shikamaru into a jealous confession.

Within seconds, Shikamaru has tugged you further away from Ino and into his lap, an arm around your waist as he growls at her. “They can stay right here. They don’t even want to play.” His cheeks are flushed but it could easily be put off as a side effect from the amount of alcohol he’s consumed.

You hear snickering but shake your head, prying his arms from around you and standing clumsily, the effects of your own drinking getting to you. You take his hand in yours, “Alright. Time to get you some fresh air, Mister Protective.”

Shikamaru groans loudly, calling you a drag and shuffles out of the room after you, the two of you stepping out into the balcony alone, much to Ino and Choji’s pleasure and amusement. He stands with his hands behind his head, letting out a breath. You could smell the alcohol coming from his breath, your eyes traveling over him.

“What’s gotten into you?”

He rolls his eyes at this question, tilting his head as he looks down at you. “You really don’t get it, do you? So much for being the second smartest person in our class.” He tsks at you, causing you to frown. His hand comes up to tap below your chin once he sees the confusion on your face. Once your eyes are in his again, he leans closer and you try to take a step back, thoroughly confused by what was going on, your back hitting the rail. He smirks at you, shaking his head.

“You’re drunk, Shika,” you whisper, your eyes flirting to his lips as he only steps closer to you again, intent on closing the gap between you.

“A little bit tipsy,” he mumbles in return, nudging his nose to yours as he slowly closes the gap between the two of you. “And absolutely tired of you waiting to realize how you feel and that you feel the same way I do. It’s such a drag watching you be so clueless and confused when I say something sweet to you or buy you a cute little stuffed animal. Or how you don’t get why you always come running to me when you’re upset or think I’m hurt.”

He takes your stunned silence as a perfect opportunity to close the gap, giving you just the right amount of encouragement to reciprocate, no longer trying to argue that he was too drunk to understand what he was saying.

[snailythefan]

posting art that isn't dr sometimes makes me anxious bcus u know, i know most people only follow me for that but i said it on twt so I'll say it here too: it's always Snaily Variety Hour!! I'm just some guy making art of things I love!! it has always been that way and it'll always stay that way!!

and i say this just to remind myself that even though I'm genuinely happy my art is finally being acknowledged after years of posting to the void, i don't do art to get more followers (i tried it for a while and it made me sad actually!).

I just do art because I like it, and I like to participate in fandoms even if from far away!!! I just love the process!!!

Ehem, anyway. I wanted to talk a bit more about it in length so there you go.

It's a bit stressful to be an artist in the modern landscape because I feel like you're treated like a brand nowadays? But I'm not. I'm some guy. And i might never get to make a living out of art but it's the one thing I can't seem to give up on.

I love drawing, and i love making silly comics, and i love learning new ways in which to make my art better. It's a slow process for me, but hey we do our best.

I do still have um Art Dreams? Art Goals?

- I wanna sell art at a convention!! That would be super cool!! Mostly I wanna hang out with other artists at cons haha

- I want to collab on a comic with someone else (something original or not! It's just about sharing the creative process with a friend)

- I want to get into more zines!! (this one is eternal i guess, i just adore being part of larger projects with other extremely talented people)

And yeah. Yeah.

Being some guy posting art on the internet is a bit stressful sometimes, makes you overthink these things as if you needed a PR team? You gotta Market To Your Audience or whatever. But i cant seem to do that because i don't want to and also it makes me feel fake. And truly I'm just some neurodivergent guy trying to show off my cute art. U know what I'm saying? Lol.

Sigh! This turned into a rant! Anyway! That's all!!

[thenightling]

So I'm watching the Spirit Halloween movie on Tubi and it's cute so far, a bit predictable, and yes, a shameless advertisement for the store. But I love all things Halloween so I couldn't resist. It was made in 2022 but it has a sort of 90s Disney channel movie feel to it. I'm liking it so far. And it reminded me that we're just over a month away from the opening of the actual Spirit Halloween stores that tend to open at the end of July and run until the first week of November.

I jokingly think of them as real Goblin Markets. They pop up out of no where, and disappear just as quickly. And they have what you want... for a price. Something I noticed while watching this movie and realized is most Spirit Halloween stores are set up in warehouses with plain or tiled floors. But the one I went to every year until two years ago (in Amsterdam New York) had a blood red carpet. It was a shop that was right next to Walmart and no one else ever uses it, it would stay empty until Spirit Halloween came back every year. It was delightfully eerie. I wonder if many other Spirit Halloween store has blood red wall-to-wall carpeting. It was also dimly lit, not bright like the others I've seen that resemble Walmart lighting. Every autumn my grandfather and I would go to Spirit Halloween about once a week until it closed. He had no interest so he'd wait in the car while I went in. And then we'd go to his favorite Asian buffet next to Big Lots. And for taking me to the store he had no interest in I'd always buy Grampa a pocket watch. Spirit Halloween (which is also a Horror collectables and Gothic clothing store, besides Halloween decorations and costumes) has a great Steam Punk section, which includes real, battery powered, pocket watches. And my grandfather loved them so I bought him several from Spirit Halloween. They weren't expensive. The Spirit Halloween pocket watches were only about ten to fifteen dollars each. About a year before my grandfather passed away, one day he went out without his favorite Spirit Halloween pocket watch (as I said, they were real, functional, Steampunk pocket watches with a fob chain) and when he came back inside, he told me, off-handedly, that he felt naked without it. He hadn't meant to mean anything significant but it really touched me. It made me realize how much he loved and appreciated those watches I bought him. I bought him several more expensive pocket watches over the years for his Birthday and other occasions but he always seemed to prefer those Spirit Halloween one for some reason.

[lace1026]

Lost Sister in Kiev

Astrid’s POV

My name is Astrid Ragnarsdottir. My city was attacked when we were at our weakest point. My city, you ask, is Kattegat. We were attacked by Egil “the bastard” when my brothers were away finding the men who killed our father. However, during the attack I fled as I was afraid we would fail, and I didn’t want to die. So I packed before and took my horse to help me with the trip until I got to Paris, where my Uncle Rollo is King. He let me rest until I wanted to leave and had a boat made for me to sail far away. I had gotten very far, but when winter came I was unable to survive it, until I was rescued by King Oleg. I still remember it as if it were yesterday. 

Flashback

I was walking slowly in the woods with fur covering me up, until I heard laughter nearby. I looked around in search for the direction of the laughter and then walked towards it. As I was heading to the hill, I saw a group of soldiers perimetering the area. 

“​​Вон там” a soldier says. (Translation: Over there)

All the other soldiers become on guard and point their weapons at me. I raised my hands slowly and then collapsed on the ground. The next thing I saw, I was in a tent with a very rich man. I looked around me and noticed I was next to a fire and felt warm. I felt fur around me and then looked up at the man in front of me. 

“Напиток.” he says, pointing to the cup in front of me. (Translation: Drink)

I pick it up and start drinking the water. I then place it down and ask “Who are you?”. He looks at me and asks “You speak old norse?” and I nod my head ‘yes’ then he says “So you’re a viking”. I nod my head again and then ask “How do you know my language?” “It was my people’s old language. But now, we are Rus Vikings…What is your name?” he says. “Astrid.” I say. “Nice to meet you Astrid, I am King Oleg. I must say, you are far away from home.” he says. “I escaped just when my city was attacked. It was unexpected and I thought we would lose, so…I left. Without leaving a note.” I say. “So you have nowhere to go.” he says. I shook my head ‘no’ and then looked down at my hands. “Well then, you shall come with me back to my kingdom, and we will see what you can help with.” he says. “But why? You don’t know me that well. For all I could be a killer.” I say. “I don’t think you are. Your dress says you were treated respectfully back in your city. You must have been a queen?” he says. “I was a princess.” I say. “Well, you will keep your rightful name, Princess Astrid.” he says. I smile at him and say “thank you…very much”. 

Flashback over

Astrid’s POV

Since then, Oleg and I have grown a friendship and he has provided me with so many things for my stay, like my own personal guard. I have also learnt their language so I can communicate with everyone. Once in a while, Oleg and I will speak in old norse so I can still be connected to my old life. I’ve told Oleg about my life, like my brothers and how I miss them. 

“Принцесса Астрид” someone says, interrupting my daydream. (Translation: Princess Astrid)

I turn around and see Micha, my guard, standing at my door, and then I say “Да”. (Translation: Yes)

“Князь Олег попросил вас выйти на балкон.” he says. (Translation: Prince Oleg asked you to go out onto the balcony)

“Спасибо, Миша” I say (Translation: Thank you, Micha) 

I put down the dog statue I got as a gift, and head to the balcony that overlooks the market. “Oleg, you said you wanted to see me?” I say. “Yes, I have a surprise for you. You see that man walking with a crutch.” he says, pointing the man out to me. The man was a cripple, and it reminded me so much of my brother Ivar. “Yes, he is a cripple. But what about him?” I say. “His name is Ivar the Boneless. Your brother.” he says. I look at him with wide eyes and say “Do not play with me Oleg.” angry that he would bring my brother up. “I am not. Go see for yourself.” he says. I look at that man once again and walk to the gates so I can go outside. I walk up to the man from behind and wait for him to turn around. As soon as I saw the side of his face, I knew it was Ivar. “Ivar?” I ask. The man turns and faces me, and his once bored looking face becomes shocked. “A-Astrid?” he says. I run up to him and hug my brother, as he hugs me back with one arm. “You’re here. How? W-What are you d-doing here?” he says. “Come inside and I shall tell you.” I say. He holds my hand as we go inside and sit in my room. 

I tell him the story and he is shocked. “Our brothers and I believed you were dead. We couldn’t find your body,” he says, with tears in his eyes. I put both of my hands on his face, wiping his tears away and then I said “I am very well alive, brother”, and hugged him once again. 

This is my first story ever, so please go easy. And no copying please.

[ladyxskywalker]

I know this is a topic discussed often, but what do you think? 🌚 Is Obi Wan still a virgin, or did he eventually find someone in the past?

I feel like he might’ve had a few experiences on Coruscant, probably without proper dates just hookups because he was ashamed? And maybe nowadays in the late night hours of the night he’s in his room in the temple and reads spicy books… 🥹

🌸 I always like to imagine that obi wan would have found someone, even if time & other things surrounding himself would have made that more difficult for him. 💫

like, a situation similar to aotc!anakin & padmè, but maybe he never truly allowed himself to let things get too far - at least not right away, because he's loved & lost before...

the ultimate 'master' of flirtation pulling them in just by the glimmer of warmth in his eyes, & the hopeless way he tends to talk, eventually leading up to something more 👀 !

maybe he had a few secret *late night dinners* or *come to my quarters for tea* type of things with someone special of his own, showing off his playful wit and charm while maybe sneaking around...

slipping away every now and then, but never staying long.

& he wants those same kinds of breathless scenarios he's read about in all of them, selfishly & with his entire heart. disappering far off into nature where the wildflowers call him while he so often finds himself alone; in the meditation gardens or on the shore of some planet offworld - in the back of a cantina where the stairs leading to the room upstairs, just might have been insufferably too far...

If he indulges in being with anyone, he would take them back to their quarters, or the empty confines of an idle ship; in the library after hours behind the stacks - where yes, absolutely, he is reading those steamy novels ! (maybe you even read parts of them together ! his soothing voice whispering things into your ear from some of his books)

the ones buried all the way in the back of a forgotten datapad drawer; the titles all disguised as maps, or training guides, or even engineering manuals. all it takes is one wave of his hand & the force to reveal his favorite fictional couple who loves to love so hard, that it goes far beyond anything he's ever gotten to have himself...

and he lays them down gently because he's a man of honor, taking patient care to savor stolen moments like these, no matter him being so wound with emotion & eager.

slotted hands & limbs, rolling against the other’s in fits of desperation & pleasure; a chance for him to wrap himself around another person in the dark where it's safest for him to do so; shadows embracing a lonely pair of sated figures, when letting go is just as easy as it is to come further undone...

the scent of their memory, woven still throughout the ripple of his sheets when by dawn they've already left - at times choosing to do that hard part for him, so that no one's feelings get hurt; his skin, & his heartbeat, always serving as a tender reminder...

and he has to be strong, even if he doesn't want to. even if he sees them again in passing somewhere, brushing the tips of all his fingers to their hand in secret, or maybe even gifting them with little handwritten notes along the winding feel of some corridor...

where the last thing he is able to let slip all away, is an aching look just over his shoulder there...

...

'carry me with you always, no matter where we go from here'

In another time, maybe he would have had some kind of quick, & hurried kind of romance amidst the war, maybe falling unexpectedly for someone he's seen on the battlefield when he was general 👀 ! one of his commanders *wink wink* or a person they saved together - or both.

'If all is lost tomorrow, let us have this; you and I alone, for however long, until eventually I must go...'

& soon he will see that all it takes is that one person just to show him that he deserves everything & more - whether it be some coy & intriguing market place thief, or a former royal living as someone else; that he never was a failure & did all that he could, because what could have really been so wrong about love & possessing it, if ultimately it had been true, after all?

& he knows that between gasps of air & stray pieces of hardened armor falling to the floor, that he has to let things end, that the fight is far from over, extending way beyond the more indelicate parts of himself. because of his duty to the Jedi & to the people & worlds they swore protect, or having to stay hidden somewhere in the desert much later on when all comes crashing down...

& because of this heavy weight of loss carried on his back, guilt, & even shame, he feels as if maybe he isn't truly worthy of pursuing love anymore, that he thinks in every way he's only failed...

scolding himself for such past indulgences & hurting himself by leading his mind there to believe that all of it perhaps was only a distraction...

but none of it was, because 'luminous beings are we' & that light exists in all of us; that need to be wanted & to be held - to find comfort in someone else's arms...

xo 🌼💫

[infiinitys]

 GEMMA CHAN. SHE/HER / have you ever heard of COMPLEX by katie gregson-macleod, well, it describes DR. AURELIA ZHANG to a tee! the thirty-eight year old, and THERAPIST was spotted browsing through the stalls at portobello road market last sunday, do you know them? would you say SHE is more withdrawn or more CONSIDERATE instead? anyway, they remind me of a sturdy shoulder to cry on, professionalism in their dna, an internalized sadness & a closet full of business wear, maybe you’ll bump into them soon!  

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙶𝙶𝙴𝚁 𝚆𝙰𝚁𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 : infidelity, divorce, pregnancy

Aurelia was born a twin, alongside her brother Kian in Manhattan, New York. The two appeared to be attached at the hip from the very moment that they came into the world and have remained that way ever since.

Aurelia was born a twin, alongside her brother Kian in Manhattan, New York. The two appeared to be attached at the hip from the very moment that they came into the world and have remained that way ever since.

Aurelia always admired her brother's confidence as a child, for her true self was someone she felt like she could never be, someone she truly didn't know.

She was always on the more studious side, very gifted when it comes to various ranges of academics. She was also a three sport athlete all throughout high school, a star on the women's soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams respectively.

At first Aurelia had every intention to become a profiler, planning to go to the FBI academy. Once she realized just how gruesome some of the cases were, she realized her interest in behavior might be better suited in a different field.

She was the valedictorian of her high school, armed with an acceptance letter to Harvard University's undergraduate psychology program.

Perhaps it seemed like common sense to not start a relationship with your academic rival, but even geniuses can have their faults. Aurelia found herself constantly butting heads with another member of her program. However, Aurelia continued to noticeably come out on top. The two began dating in their Junior year before an eventual proposal came the year after they graduated.

Aurelia had always made it very clear that she wanted to be near her brother, her best friend and confidant. The newlyweds made the decision to return to her hometown of New York City as they studied for their respective graduate programs.

Things changed again for her when the first positive pregnancy test came into view. The pregnancy had not been planned, but this did not mean that the parents to be were not excited. When Aurelia told her husband he was overjoyed. At that time, she truly believed that her life could not have gotten better.

Stella Lorelai Norton was born just a couple weeks shy of Aurelia's thirtieth birthday. She was taking an exam to gain her doctorate the moment her water broke.

Stella's first few years were quite blissful. It seemed that Aurelia and her husband were able to find a balance between work, raising their daughter and keeping their own marriage healthy and happy. At least, that was what Aurelia believed.

Aurelia and her husband had opened up a practice together in Brooklyn, living in a home not too far away due to their love for art and culture being just outside their doorstep.

However, everything changed when Aurelia received a call from their receptionist on the landline when she was home with Stella. It turns out, she had been sleeping with Aurelia's husband since shortly after Stella was born. The child was three at the time. And she had intended for Aurelia to hear every word of the phone call.

When her husband returned home, he was met with a shaking wife. Afraid that her daughter would hear, she quietly announced that she was leaving him and taking Stella with her.

Her now ex-husband pleaded with her to stay, pleaded with her to not break up their perfect family, even it had been his actions that caused the shattering of their marriage.

Her ex had turned downright deceitful by the time the fight for custody began, trying to throw every wrench he could into her happiness. However, Aurelia received full custody of Stella.

The woman ached for a chance to start over, so much so that she did so more than she likes to admit. Thus came a need to see the world, the restlessness consuming her more than she cares to admit. During this time she and Stella move on several different locations.

During this time she moved around she wrote two separate books, both that have been acclaimed sources for psychology research.

After the realization she was keeping her child from putting down roots, Aurelia made the decision to make a permanent decision when it came to her residence. She bought a rustic property in Notting Hill that she takes continues to nurture to this day.

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

While Aurelia often felt restless, the property she lives in now puts her at ease. She lives on a property with a sprawling fields for her daughter and her friends to run and play. One of her favorite places is the back porch overlooking her backyard, seated on her porch swing.

She currently owns and operates her own practice that is about a five minute drive from her home and is seeing a good amount of success due to her book sales.

Stella is on the verge of turning nine years old and is a joy to be around. She is bright, humorous and intelligent beyond belief.

Aurelia has a very professional sense of dressing, but her casual wear is often made up of long dresses, well-loved jeans and sweaters.

Also moved to Notting Hill because she believed that she and Stella would benefit from being close to her brother.

more to come.

𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒

TBD.

[umbralsound-xiv]

Finally, after long last, the boat had docked in Kugane. The vivid city crawled into view, and... Although the boat trip had been far more pleasant than the last we had taken together, we were still eager to leave it. Our feet one the docks, our things packed away... All that was left was to wander.

Sayuri quietly stepped out onto the docks, a long breath being drawn as her eyes settled upon Kugane. Her gaze followed the buildings in front of her, and slowly moved to the area to their right - where the ground was covered with red planks. She draws her lips into a thin line before averting her gaze elsewhere. “.. It feels.. strange. Being back..” She mumbled.

Eir remained at her side; hand entwined with hers as they stepped off and away from the vessel that carried them here. Wide-eyed wonder takes his features as he drinks in the sights; towering buildings and bridges that reached almost dizzying heights. The colours, the way the air felt... Eir was speechless for a few long moments, before Sayuri's words bring his attention back. "...It is... Beautiful..." He quietly gasps, turning his attention back to her.

"Strange... But not in a bad way, i hope?" He asks, shifting the bulging satchel that held their posessions beneath his free arm. "I am eager to see the sights!"

Sayuri smiled, squeezing his hand gently. “Not in a bad way.. It’s just been.. around three cycles or so since I was here last, maybe a little longer.” She leaned her head over to press her forehead against his shoulder in a light nudge.

He rocks his head to nudge against her own, before moving more upright to look back around. "...Three cycles is a long enough time. Even for me." He regards her with a warm smile, returning the gentle squeeze of his hand alongside her own. "...Shall we?" He asks, flashing a small grin. "...I hope you do not mind operating as a guide? Unless you wish for me to lead and find us both hopelessly lost?" He laughs.

“.. I’m sure I could untangle us from wherever you brought us.” Sayuri flashed a small grin, following it up with a faint snicker. “So.. If you want to wander around without me guiding.. I’m up for that, as well. If not, I can be the guide.”

"Well, then. Let us see where my feet take us, hm?" He beams, beginning to lead onwards. "...And if there is any place in particular you think i should see, feel free! Although i wager we will be here long enough to see all the sights, eventually." His excitement gets the better of him, and he finally begins moving. "...It is so colourful... Almost as so much as Radz-at-Han. It feels passingly familiar, in a way."

Sayuri snickered quietly as she followed along, letting her gaze reacquaint itself with the city. “.. Hmm.. I need to remind myself what exists..” She tilts her head, peering towards Eir. “..Radz-at-Han is.. -more- colourful?”

It is, but only by a hair. Kugane certainly is beautiful, mind, and i look forward to spending time here.

...I do wonder how long we will end up staying...?

"...Yes?" He responds, flashing another wide grin. "...You will find nothing plain, from the clothing, to the food, to the very walls of the buildings they are made in." He reaches a crossroads; one path leading to a short bridge, and the other to a staircase that vanishes at the foot of a gate. "...Left, or right?" He asks, curious for her input.

“..I.. see. I will keep that in mind.” She smiled, and paused. “Well..” She pointed towards the bridge. “That leads directly to Kogane Dori, which is.. The market district. It also has a theatre called the Mujikoza, and leads further into the city.” Her hand then slowly motions up the stairs. “That.. is the Ijin-gai. A district designated for where foreigners reside..” She paused, her lips drawing into a bit of a thinner line before peering up at Eir. “.. It has a very pretty garden with a koi pond.. And is the home to the Thavnairian and Garlean consulates.. And an Ul’dahn trading company..”

"...Thavnairian and Garlean?" Eir asks with a note of surprise. "...I knew Kugane was a neutral party to the conflict, and Thavnair holds much the same stance, but..." He opts for the bridge, instead. "...The koi pond sounds lovely. Perhaps we can have something to eat there when we have had our fill exploring, for a sun?" He makes his way across the bridge, eager to see around the next corner.

Sayuri sank her head into a nod. “Kugane is.. Hingashi’s only port open to foreigners. Last I checked, they allow pretty much everyone.. Although the they’re.. very strict with enforcing their laws.” She follows along, smiling faintly. “I’d like that.”

"...Are there any laws i should know of that might be unexpected? I know we spoke of it some, on the boat... But i would like to be certain." He ascends the small staircase, being the more inviting path. "...So many lanterns...!"

“.. Well.. I don’t think you’re the one who’s likely to cause a ruckus but.. Lets just say they aren’t big on.. Gentle punishments for breaches of peace.” She paused ominously. “..The lucky outcome is a permanent exile for a single violation, however.. It’s not the common outcome. And it’s not.. overly rare for foreigners to be arrested under some questionable excuse.” Her gaze settles on Eir at his excited callout, her smile warming. “.. You should see the Rakuza district if you like the lanterns.”

"Well, i will be on my very best behaviour." He nods affirmingly, before the knit of worry passes his brows at any potential repercussion should he decide anything otherwise. "...There are more lanterns there? This street--- They are selling things?" He asks, as though he were to wander on. "...Though we should not perhaps purchase anything too heavy..." He shifts the bag further up his shoulder, the weight having sagged down somewhat. "...At least, not until we have a place to put the rest of our belongings."

Sayuri nodded, gaze shifting out across the various stalls and people. Her grip of Eir’s hand tightens a touch and she steps a little closer to him. “.. Yes, and yes. The Rakuza district has lanterns on rope connected between the buildings, plenty of them. Or at least it did, last time I was there.” She tilts her head, peering up at Eir. “There’s still some light things we could get, if you’d like. I can carry things too, you know.” She snickered quietly.

Eir turns to nudge his head against hers for comfort, having spied a more imposing figure calling out for a play of sorts. "...I should like to go there, too. I am fond of lanterns, i think." He considers the stalls, and takes a few steps forth. "...I do not smell food... I am assuming this is the less edible merchandise?" He half-chuckles, wandering further down the street.

Sayuri returned a gentle nudge of her own head. Her hand tightens further as they pass the figure, yet she eases up the further away they get. “Mostly.. They sell some produce in that stall..” She motions behind them. “.. But there are teahouses, if you want food.”

Eir allows his gaze to wander the stalls, finding it difficult to focus on any one thing, until Sayuri's mention of the other stalls drags his attention away. "---Produce? Fruit?" He asks, immediately drawn in the direction of said stall. "...A teahouse would be a nice place to stop by at some point, too."

"-- Yes. Fruit." She snickers quietly as she follows along in the direction of the stall. "It would. And if you'd like some more proper other than the tea and dango of the teahouses.. The hostelry has nice food."

"We will have no shortage of places to eat and drink, it would seem. I look forward to trying everything i can." He laughs, "I will have to be a good bit more active than i have been on the boat, if i am to stay in shape."

Sayuri gave a small smirk. “.. Set up a little street performance for you to dance.” She snickered, it was unclear whether or not she was joking.

...The idea was appealing. I am not quite sure on the rules and regulations of doing so, however. But... If i could...

"I... Could..." He says, contemplatively. "...It was how i started and made something of a name for myself in Eorzea. And i would not want to get too out of practise..."

“.. I wouldn’t mind watching it.” She smiled. “.. Do keep in mind, though..” She turns herself to face Eir better, raising her free hand up to very lightly poke at one of his ears. “.. It’s the year of the rabbit.” Her smile turned more innocent.

"...You know, if you ever wanted to have me dance, you need only ask, hm?" He grins, watching as she turned with a puzzled look, ear flicking only slightly as it was poked. "...So? What should that have to do with anything? I am as much a rabbit as you are a cat." He replies, a pout threatening his smile.

I am a Viera.

Not a rabbit.

...I will not deny that there are similarities, but i am hardly a small, fluffy little thing more suited to fleeing from danger and all the other things they are associated with.

I...

...I am not going to think about that too much.

“I do know that.” She snickered, her head tilting. “To us, that is how it is.. But to others, who doesn’t share our visual traits? We may as well be a rabbit and a cat.”

He purses his lips for only a moment, with a sigh. "...Suppose it is not meant in a bad way... I should hope?" He lofts a brow that slowly knits. "...They mean only to... I do not know? Admire me? And not take me away for nefarious means for my appearance, yes?"

“It’s all in good nature.” Sayuri reassured, a soft smile on her lips. “.. And even if there is anyone who dares attempt to meddle with you with nefarious intent, they’ll have to get through me first.” The second part of her sentence was spoken much more quietly, but her smile did not fade.

"Well, that is a comfort. On both ends." He beams, which hides a smirk at words he'd swallowed rather than spoken. "...We can have a better look at things when we set some time aside for shopping, yes? We have only just arrived, and there is still so much to see." He wanders further up the path, to the far end of the street.

Sayuri sank her head into a nod and followed along, offering Eir’s hand a gentle squeeze as they walked. “Indeed.”

Eir stalls at the end of the street, gazing upon the building that lay at the far side of it. "...That architecture is... Familiar." He murmurs quietly, gaze settled on the steely black spires and thin windows that let through little light. "...The Garlean consulate, i assume?"

Sayuri glanced in the direction Eir's gaze had wandered, before returning to him and letting her head sink into a nod. "It is." She turns herself a touch to face the faraway structure, then motioned towards her right. "The Thavnairian one is to the right once you have walked up those steps.. As is the garden." She then motions to the left. ".. And a little further up there is the Ul'dahn one."

"I would like to see them closer, but..." He turns away, to ascend the stone steps nearer to them. "It need not be now. Asides, any rules that apply to us, surely apply for the rest of them, yes?" A short huff of a laugh. "...If one did cause trouble, perhaps they might reconsider if they learned i might outrank them."

...A fun jest, but not a wise idea in truth. The likely consider me dead; lost in the battle of Castrum Lacus Litore with the rest of them.

...It...

...It is for the best.

“.. Well, I need no longer hide from them so I wouldn’t mind getting closer later.” She smiled. “.. And they do. Some surely think themselves above the law but.. That goes for everyone, and not just the Garleans.” Her smile turned into a smirk. “.. It’d be amusing to see.”

Eir responds to her smile with his own, opting to give her another gentle squeeze of his hand. "I doubt much that they will bother us, in that case." He looks over to find benches beneath willow trees; a sight that fills his expression with a sweeter sort of smile. "...It might be nice to sit here, one sun, too. Perhaps watch a sunset together. I hear the sky almost matches the bridges, on a clear evening..."

Sayuri leaned her head forwards to nudge it against his shoulder again, a soft snicker leaving her. “It would be.” She mused. “We have plenty of time to do everything we’d like to.”

Eir gives a contented hum, opting to shift the bag further up his shoulder when she had retreated again. "...Plenty of time, yes." He half-whispers, looking back to her. "...Is there anything you would wish to do, on the sun of our arrival?"

".. Perhaps figure out where to stay.. So that you don't have to haul a bag with you the entire sun?"

"...Perhaps?" Eir laughs. "I do not know, i was enjoying the workout, in preperation for all the things i might eat." He retorts facetiously, snickering. "...Have you a place in mind?"

Sayuri smirked, head tilting. ".. The inn is still an option.. But I did get word back that there's still a building in my name we could stay in, if you'd prefer.."

He lofts a brow at that, glancing to her. "...Which would you prefer? I am happy for either. But i wish not for our trip to be tarnished with bad memories, if you think... Staying there might bring them forth." His free hand briefly releases hers, to brush her hair from her face. "I am happy for wherever is most comfortable for you, my moon."

“.. It’s my old office. I gave it to a woman who worked for me but.. I know not what she has done with it, but she did return with words that we were free to stay there if we wished. I.. don’t know how going back there will feel.” She paused, gaze lifting to settle it on Eir’s features as he brushed her hair aside. Her ears swivelled and a faint, red tint took to her cheeks - lips forming into a small pout.

Eir curls a smirk at her reddening expression, before he subdues it to regard her with a little more calm. "Your... Office?" He knew what she had done, cycles ago, but it was difficult for him to believe, still. "...The decision is ultimately yours. If you wish to go see, we can. And we are not beholden to a single place; we can always stay somewhere else if you feel uncomfortable."

...I know she used to be a much different woman before i met her. That she... Did things she was not proud of. That she was crueler. Colder.

...But i did not know her, then. We do what we must to survive. I certainly did in the military, and i am fairly certain she would be unhappy to learn of the things i once did in the name of self preservation.

...I cannot imagine her being anything other than the woman she is now. And perhaps... That is a testament to the differences between those times.

Sayuri hummed, ears lowering the faintest bit. “.. I have to admit, I’m curious about the state of it.. But I’m uncertain..”

"...Is it far?" Eir asks, curiosity of his own settling in his tone. "...It need not be this sun, if you do not wish. But we should probably secure a place to stay before the evening draws close."

".. Not overly, but far enough to be less likely to be stumbled upon by people who have no business being there. And it's apparently no longer connected to the courtyard it used to be after that we tore the branch down and that area has been rebuilt and repurposed, as far as the letter said." She tilts her head, humming in thought. "I guess.. it wouldn't hurt to check out..?"

"Only if you are sure." He returns his hand to her own, seeking to furnish the back of it with a kiss before letting them hang. "...You lead, and i will follow, for wherever we may end up next?"

We made for the inn rooms; it did not take so long. I saw more of the city, but we would have much more time for exploring in depth when i was not carrying all the worldy belongings we had taken with us on my shoulder.

Everyone is a... Strange sort of pleasant. It is always a little imposing for me, being a Viera, going to a new place. We are not common, although i see more and more of us with every passing sun. Here, though...

I was given every pleasantry. Even one of the fanciest rooms, at no extra charge...

Eir Fellfrost wanders through the corridor to the appointed room; satchel still hoisted high on his shoulder. A good many stairs had been ascended before they had reached it, before the key is set into the lock and the door pushed open. "---Are rooms always so inexpensive? I had wagered the ones with a better view would be a little pricier." He takes in the entry hallway, looking around.

Sayuri Aoki paused, sending Eir a prolonged look...

Sayuri Aoki: "... Year of the rabbit."

You make a straight face at Sayuri Aoki.

Eir Fellfrost: "...Perhaps." Eir remarks, quietly. "...That... Is a significant bookcase. And... Is that wine?" He edges in a little closer, curious. "...I am excited to see the rest of the room. Shall we?"

Sayuri Aoki peered at the bookcase, snickering quietly. "Oh noo.. The books will come in the way of our vacation.." She hummed dramatically, a grin returning to her lips. ".. It is. and yes."

Eir Fellfrost: "...I plan to be outside for the majority of it, and nothing is stopping me from cosying up in bed with a book when i am not..." His gaze trails, and moves sharply back to her features. "...Otherwise occupied." He quietly clears his throat. "...Perhaps we can even purchase some nice things at the market, and share them over something nice to drink. A lovely time away together is cause to be celebrated, no?"

Sayuri Aoki flashed a devilish smirk his way at the sharp gaze, a low chuckle emitting. “Indeed, it is.”

Eir Fellfrost inclines his head at her smirk, exhaling a small breath through his nose as he gave a flat stare; not an unkind one by any means, but an unspoken comment to her expression. He moves to the larger room. "...Well, i know very little about alcohol and do not drink it often, so that choice is perhaps better left to you, when the time comes. Let us see the rest of our accomodation, hm?"

...I drink only in celebration. In joy. I have seen what drinking in misery does to people, and it is...

...If i let myself wallow, i...

...No. Only the kindest, most pleasant of moments make for a time where i might imbibe. And even then... Never much.

Eir Fellfrost: "...This is..."

Eir Fellfrost: "...We are very high up. And the size of the bathtub is..."

Eir Fellfrost: "...I could go for a swim in it, almost."

Sayuri Aoki: ".. I didn't know I struck you as a drinker." She offered a faint snort, following behind. ".. Oh."

Sayuri Aoki: "... This is an inn room?"

Eir Fellfrost: "...Well, i wager you might drink more than me, but that is only because most do. And... Yes, apparently."

Sayuri Aoki: "... Not since unhappier things I don't need to think about." She huffed and stepped over to Eir, seeking to drape her arms around him from behind. "... Are they expecting actual royalty here?"

Eir Fellfrost turns his head over his shoulder to smile fondly to her. "...I do not know. Perhaps it is because of you we got this room, mm?"

You smirk confidently at Sayuri Aoki.

Eir Fellfrost: "...Royalty, and all that..."

Sayuri Aoki: ".. I will bite you if you call me a princess, Eir."

I could not resist teasing her, even if it was nothing so serious. We laughed and bickered as we more properly explored our accomodation; so high up above the city. We could see the comings and goings of people going about their sun, and most of the districts besides.

It was... Elaborate.

Eir Fellfrost: "...I cannot even imagine many places fancier, save for royalty. The place you stayed before... You came to Kugane? In Doma? It was even more grand than this?"

Sayuri Aoki: ".. A bit. Mind, my adoptive father was nobility. While he usually opted on spending coin on things that that held more import to him than material items, our home was still rather fancy."

Eir Fellfrost: "...The only homes i have ever had have been much more... Modest. Even my room at the company house is much more elaborate than any other place i have lived. We lived... Comfortably, in Dalmasca and Thavnair. Not beyond our means, but... It was home." He smiles, reminsicing. "...Garlemald was much less pleasant. But the company i kept made it bearable."

Sayuri Aoki smiles weakly at you.

Sayuri Aoki: "Living in a home like that I had in Doma was.. shocking, initially.. I've never quite had anything that fancy since, nor have I truly desired it.. Even if I could afford it." She paused, tilting her head slightly. "I.. find it hard imagining anything fancy in Garlean standards, but.. I'm not sure I'd recognise it even if I saw it." She leaned herself against the ledge, resting an elbow upon it. "...I'm glad, that it wasn't all bad for you."

Eir Fellfrost: "...You... You could afford to live like that? I... I knew you were wealthy-- Not that it matters so much, but..." He blinks, as the information settled in. "...Why... Do you choose not to?" He hesitates, a pause in his words before he slowly continues. "...The people in my unit were... Dear friends. Some more than others, but we all watched out for eachother..." Another pause. "...As best we could, anyway."

Sayuri Aoki: “.. I had nothing, before Kazan took me to Doma. Suddenly, anything I could’ve possibly wanted was in my reach. While Yasu would’ve been happy spoiling me, Kazan wanted to teach me to value what I had and to not take it for granted. It got me into the habit of not asking for more than I needed, and I’m fine with that. Of course, it’s okay to treat yourself and others occasionally.” She paused. “.. Kazan was very adamant in teaching me that there is no better or lesser in terms of the worth of people, too.” She managed a small smile, peering up at Eir and offering a nod. “We always have those we get along with better than others, but it doesn’t mean we won’t look out for them too. I’d imagine your unit was of a similar mind.”

Eir Fellfrost: "...We were. We bickered and argued, but if it came to it we would fight for eachother. We were... Close." He opts to finish on the subject there, moving to her side before he spoke again. "...He... Must have been a kind and wise man. He certainly sounds it. What you value and hold dearest and how you treat others... It makes much sense."

Sayuri Aoki nodded gently. “.. He was. He knew what I had been through.. How I landed in that situation in the first place.. And how my look of not only myself, but the world, had.. no positive aspects. I believe he was so determined to teach me about people’s worth to make me see that just because I had lived among those who saw me as less than nothing, didn’t mean it was true.” She lingered in a brief pause, her smile turning almost a little saddened. “.. He and Yasu taught me that family doesn’t necessarily mean those I share bloodties with, too.”

Eir Fellfrost closes the gap between them, to set his arms around her back, hanging loosely at her waist. "I am glad he showed you. Gave you such kindness... And hope that you believe his words as much as my own, if not more so. The bonds of blood mean as much or as little as you want them to."

...I have seen only kindness in these lands, though i know cruelty surely exists. I have heard of it; seen it in her face when certain subjects are recalled.

...But our time here is not for that, no. Only for making memories. The city is beautiful, this much is true, but...

Nothing compares to seeing her smile.

[dicmondskies]

☆ & * .   ♡   I N T R O D U C T I O N  …

[          ◟  KAY. ◝           ]     ⸻     have  you  ever  heard  20 something  by sza ,  well  it  is PARIS SAZUKI  to  a  tee  .  the tarot reader and metaphysical store owner at the black cat has  been  spotted  wandering  down  portobello  road  markets  just  last  sunday  ,  do  you  know  them  ?  would  you  say  they  are more  emotionally intelligent  or  more  sensitive  ?anyway  ,  they  remind  me  of  lavender fields, an ancestral altar full of crystals from around the world, herbal teas when sick, essential oil diffusers in every room, incense to keep bad energy away  ,  maybe  you’ll  catch  them  around  yeah ?     ⸻     [          ◟  KAYLEE BRYANT. ◝           ]  

PARIS SUZUKI is the first born in the suzuki family. being the eldest girl has always had a much deeper and heavier meaning to her life. as the first born, she realized from a young age that she wasn’t the same as the family that surrounded her. naturally she’s always had a gift for seeing the truth of things, being able to observe a situation, family dynamic, environment, etc. and knowing exactly what needs to be brought to light for improvement. she was shown grim truths about her toxic family dynamics as she matured over the years. older adults called her an empath, she’d line all of her stuffed animals up, convinced they were alive and had feelings, talked to imaginary friends, and knew when bad things were about to happen, she even started having prophetic dreams as her link to the spiritual world strengthened with age. sometimes, she’d just KNOW things, and didn’t know why. with a strict cultural upbringing, these feelings and ‘knowings’ were highly discouraged, so much so that her parents nearly scared her of herself, of the feelings she was experiencing that were so confusing and making others seem afraid of her. she eventually learned to block it out, ignore it, only talk about it to trusted peers which were few, even the kids in school sensed something special about her, in return she was sort of a timid, isolated child who wanted nothing more than the opposite. her younger brothers were always popular and well liked, which made her feel more like something was wrong with her.

☆ &*— high school

when she was 15, p’s parents went through a really rough patch, there were rumors that got back to paris that her dad was having an affair, and when she asked her mom about the rumors she was told to stay out of adult business. she witnessed a lot of her dad doing whatever he wanted and watching her mom tolerate it and look the other way due to the fact he was the sole bread winner,  as she aged into her teenage years, paris became more rebellious. she was still the same kind, genuine, lover girl she’d always been but at home she was cold and distant, she’d rack up after school activities and clubs to keep herself away from home, she started making more friends and coming out of her shell, suddenly people payed her more attention and that’s when she met her first girl crush. when she was 16 she fell in love with her high school best friend, the girl who lived across the street, she had just moved to the neighborhood and sat next to paris on the bus her first morning. this was the moment paris’s repressed “hey, maybe i’m into girls.” feelings bubbled back into the forefront of her mind. she identifies as pansexual in current time.

paris was way too shy and way too unsure of herself to ever tell her best friend how she really felt about her, though the two were inseparable and never left each others side, if you saw paris you saw her and vice versa. it didn’t take long for her father to catch on and he was nothing short of unhappy. paris was sent to a private school across town just to keep the two apart, it was a real life romeo and Juliette situation going on, and it got so bad that paris’s father went as far as to move to a new city, just to keep her daughter away from the girl she loved. eventually, paris’s first love couldn’t take the rejection from paris’s parents any longer, she just couldn’t handle the drama, the intensity of their forbiden love, it was when they were 17 that it all ended and the two slowly drifted apart and stopped speaking all together. this was her first heartbreak, and fueled her anger towards her parents, especially her father.

paris turned her villain era up a notch, she did a huge 180 on her aesthetics, slashed fishnets, berry red vamp lipstick, and a septum piercing were the first major turn arounds in her appearance, she started to love being her most authentic self regardless of how her parents reacted, she dug deep into her psyche and healed some of the darkest parts of her that were still hurt and traumatized, her inner child. suddenly, it felt good to piss her parents off, she stopped craving the validation and acceptance and realized everything she could ever need was already within herself, and if her parents or anyone didn’t like who she was, then it was their loss and not her responsibility to change their minds.

☆ &*— young adult life

slowly but surely she started to find herself and explore her 20′s with nothing but self love in mind. it was on her self love journey that she stumbled into crystals, tarot, spirituality, herbs, etc. and most importantly when history came back around to repeat itself. she met her current best friend through her spiritual journey and surprise, surprise, she’s found herself having feelings for her but she’s afraid that the past will repeat itself, so she hasn’t come clean about it yet. when she started getting into being spiritual instead of religious, she started to tap back into the psychic gifts she had when she was younger. she started trusting her intuition and meditating and learned to connect with her intuition out of love instead of fear. while in college for marine biology, she slowly started doing tarot readings for people anywhere she could on campus, and eventually she started doing lives on tik tok, the more her talent and clientele grew, the more she realized this was her path, she dropped out right before she was about to get her masters and started an online tarot & crystal business. she can tell you all about crystals and makes handmade crystal jewelry like rings, necklaces, and bracelets and knows what each crystal means and how it functions. she has an ancestral altar set up in her apartment in her spare room that serves as her safe space, decorated with crystals, her altar, bean bags, bongs, live plants, a mini library, a diy cloud wall and a galaxy sky light, it’s the vibes room and resembles what the inside of a fairy cottage might look like, usually where she goes to be alone or release her negative thoughts and feelings.

from 2020-2022 her crystal business online grew extremely popular at a fast rate, she started doing readings and selling crystals at festivals and other vendor events and that helped spread her business and connected her to networking opportunities to keep growing bigger, after working hard and building her reputation and business from the ground up, she opened up her first physical store front on the oceanfront january 2021, so it’s been almost two years that it’s up and running and you can find things like incense, dried herbs, tarot decks, crystals, crystal jewelry, handmade soaps & bath products, aura photo booths, aromatherapy, handmade candles, teas, and herbal pre-rolls, you can also get tarot readings from her there as well as from other tarot readers, psychics, and astrologers who rent the space to do personal readings!

her fathers dirt has come back to haunt her as his child of an affair has surfaced and set off the beginning stages of her parents divorce. her new sibling is interested in getting to know her but they are very skeptical and stressed about the entire thing, basically she’s been avoiding it but trying to be polite as possible.

☆ &*— random facts & tidbits

[ i actually read astrology charts for a living so some of these fun facts will be based on her astrological chart, yes sorry i am THEE astrology whore unfortunately ]

she is a libra sun, cancer moon, scorpio rising. having the sun in libra gives her a mediator touch to almost every situation. she can see things from all sides and angles. this has given her a bit of a people pleaser personality but over time she has learned about setting boundaries with others and putting herself and wellbeing first. she is all about harmony, beauty, and love. she prefers to be in a relationship rather than to be single and sometimes that can turn into a co-dependency problem, something she’s self aware of so she is in the process of trying to heal that wound and be more mindful of the kinds of relationships and people she lets into her life. venus is the ruler of the sign libra, this makes people born under this sun sign perceived as charming, sociable, but sometimes perceived as fake because they are usually always trying to keep the peace in situations, they find a way to make everyone in the room happy but sometimes they end up compromising themselves. libra is an air sign and therefore communication is key in their lives, they communicate in a diplomatic way and are often thought as mediators or advocates, air signs are sociable and this combination of air and venus influence is why libra’s usually have to come to terms at some point in their lives that they can’t and won’t be liked by everybody, they have a bad habit of letting someone not like them send them into a spiral. libra is also a sign connected to justice and the justice card in tarot, they are great human rights advocates or advocates for the underdog.

her venus sign is in the sign of scorpio. this makes her a very intense, passionate, and loyal lover. people born while venus is in scorpio have no interest in superficial or shallow kinds of relationships, they want deep, intimate, and meaningful connections with the people they allow in their life but often end up feeling very lonely due to the fact that people are disappointing and are bound to let you down sometime. scorpio venus finds the beauty in the darkness, and they have many transformations through love, they aren’t afraid of people who have a rough past or have been through trauma, on the con side, this can attract dark partners who can be obsessive, controlling, manipulative, on the pro side this can attract partners who have a respect for the darker things in life, are passionate, intimate, and worthy of merging souls. scorpio venus learn lessons about trust, loyalty, and letting go, often times they have to let go of many people who are not healthy for them, and spark change in that persons life for the better, leaving them to pick up the pieces and rise from the ashes.

her rising sign is in the sign of scorpio as well, the rising sign represents your appearance, personality, and overall theme of your life, this means she lives a very scorpio themed life full of death and rebirth cycles, learning lessons about letting go, control, and transformation. scorpio risings are constantly evolving, they are said to be truth seers and often shine light on the darkness that others don’t see so obviously, they can see through situations and pick up on hidden things, the unsaid, the unseen, they read in between the lines, and are the kinds of people you would want to hire as a private investigator, nothing slips past a scorpio rising, they have incredible skill of diving to the depths of the human psyche and they often have a rough life impacted by some sort of life changing trauma or themes of trauma that they are meant to overcome and evolve and transform from, this makes them very deep people, they feel at an extreme intensity level, everything is 20x more deep to a scorpio placement

her cancer moon gives her a very nurturing and motherly energy, she loves to care for her loved ones and is the ‘mom friend’ in her friend group. cancer is a sign that is ruled by the moon, therefore it is connected to femininity (in energetic terms not m/f) the mother, intuition, the womb, and cycles. this gives her a very sharp and strong intuition and even sometimes prophetic dreams, things she dreams about will happen in real life, even if it’s something minor or seemingly unimportant. cancer is sign about family and she’s been dreaming and planning out her wedding future children names since she was seven, she was totally the ‘i want a prince to sweep me off my feet’ kind of girl growing up. cancer placements especially cancer moons are also very emotionally intelligent as well, she is very good at tending to the emotional needs of others but has to be careful and set boundaries or else she gets drained and will take on the emotions and problems of others in a way that isn’t good for her mental health. she is a total crier, she doesn’t care where she is, if she has to cry she will shed tears and not care if it makes other people uncomfortable, she’s the kind of girl to cry over a romantic gum commercial or a minor sad scene in a film. she loves to stay home and take a warm bubble bath, crawl under her blankets and binge watch her favorite tv series, she’s more of a stay in at home kind of girl than a go out to parties or clubs. she loves comfort and food, especially baking!

[royalelusts]

I posted 3,891 times in 2022

1,264 posts created (32%)

2,627 posts reblogged (68%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@inthetags

@reblogging-corner

@sscarchiyo

@upperranktwo

@royalelusts

I tagged 2,437 of my posts in 2022

Only 37% of my posts had no tags

#royal.talks - 828 posts

#royal.moots - 298 posts

#royal.responses - 292 posts

#✰—rambles!!! - 113 posts

#royal.games - 50 posts

#✰—recs!!! - 35 posts

#✰—writes!!! - 27 posts

#✰—moots!!! - 18 posts

#yes <3 - 13 posts

#✰—mail!!! - 12 posts

Longest Tag: 132 characters

#okay okay so i was in 6th grade (i was allowed onto the internet way to early im aware) and i was absolutely obsessed with this ship

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

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221 notes - Posted March 13, 2022

#4

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232 notes - Posted February 14, 2022

#3

I’m here to rank rindou haitani’s hairstyles even though no one asked me to do this. Let’s begin.

first off i had to hunt for these panels cause they were just nowhere to be found?? anyway…this is the ugliest shit. it makes me angry to look at. please don’t ever bring this back. it reminds of kisaki and no one wants that :(

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263 notes - Posted August 8, 2022

#2

Hii I need. Angst. MUHAHAHAHHAAH

anyways Tanjiro cheating on s/o with kanao

I know that girls likes him, I JUST KNOW SHE DOES

and s/o does have his child and he regrets everything’s. s/o dies or she get together with another hashira

BUT YOUR CONTENT IS SO GOOD. DO I NEED TO EXPLAIN MY SELF ??? 💞💞💞 anyways have a good day <33

anon you have me smiling at my screen <;33

Tanjiro loved you. You were his pride and joy. The reason he looked forward to coming home after each mission. So why did he do it? To be quite honest he doesn’t know the answer himself. If he loved you would he have done what he did? Would he have broken the trust you had given him? It ate away at him day after day. Each smile and kiss just made him feel worse. In his defense, it wasn’t supposed to happen. Kanao had always been a close friend to Tanjiro. Hell, she was the godmother of your two sons. Meaning it was only natural for him to help her in a time of need.

When Tanjiro told you about her being injured, you urged him to visit her on both of your behalfs since you had just received a mission. Packing a bag, Tanjiro and your sons set off to Kanao’s home. He went to help around the house or just doing tasks that she oh so desperately needed his help with. He wonders how it all started. When touches began to linger, eyes wondering, imagination flying. Everything escalated the last night of their stay. The boys were fast asleep leaving Tanjiro and Kanao alone. It might’ve been the alcohol they consumed that night that really set everything off. It was as if time slowed when their lips touched for the first time. The next morning he hurriedly got himself and the boys together before leaving hoping that the events that happened the night prior would just become a distant memory.

If only that were true. Then he wouldn’t have had to see the painful tears that ran down your face when you found out. “We got married. We have two amazing sons and you do this? Did we really mean so little for you to throw it away all in one night?” No, that wasn’t the truth. Far from the truth really but could he really say that? Could he sit there and argue you mean everything to him when he did such a disdaining act? Instead, he stared at the floor, his own tears hitting the ground mumbling apologies.

Three years have passed since then. Tanjiro had respected your wishes and kept his distance no matter how much it hurt. This is why it surprised him when he saw you at a market in a village. You looked absolutely ethereal as ever. The smile he would��ve fought to see graced your lips. At your side were your sons. They had grown so much since the last time he saw them. Tanjiro almost forgot all about the events and was about to head straight toward you but something stopped him. More specifically someone. The water hashira kissed your lips softly before your sons jumped on him. “Dad! We missed you!” That’s right. How could Tanjiro forget why it was like this in the first place?

Feeling someone’s eyes on you, you turned around catching a small glimpse of Tanjiro. The grip on your basket tightened as a sigh asked you. “Is something the matter, love?” Giyuu asked with worry written all over his face. Shaking your head you smiled. “Nope. Just thought I saw someone I recognized.”

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596 notes - Posted January 31, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

The brothers where (they aren't dating yet) but they are at a fair and they win a bear or a prize and mc gives them a kiss kn the cheek for how many they win and mc says if they win 10 or more they will give them a kiss on the lips and spend a whole week with them (maybe show like if some did get the kiss and how they would react?) I thought this was cute lol

I wrote this at like 1am so there might be a few spelling and grammar mistakes :)

⇢ Lucifer

who do you think you are?

he’s the avatar of pride

there’s no way he’s about to indulge in a silly bet like that

however he wants those kisses

he gets to show off to not only you but any other demon that’s there to witness

and you get all the prizes you want

so it’s a win-win for him

when the time comes for him to receive his kiss he acts composed yet smug

however the emotions you feel through the pact tells you a different story

under all the pride he’s nervous

you decide to spare him of the embarrassment and finally give him his reward

“Perhaps we should do this more often.”

⇢ Mammon

his soul left his body upon first hearing the idea

I feel like he’s better at some games than others

For instance the one where you have to throw the dart at the balloon to pop it

Mammon could get a bullseye with his eyes closed so he nails it every single time

Others like the one where you have to climb the ladder…not so much

This might as well be considered gambling due to how much money he’s invested in the games

Way to go MC you made it worst

Tbh he forgot all about the kiss since he was having the time of his life

So when you called his name to get his attention and kissed him?

Mfer died for a solid 30 seconds

“O-Of course ya want a kiss from The Great Mammon!”

⇢ Leviathan

dead

deceased

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704 notes - Posted March 6, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

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[jeysbvck]

freedom (is standing next to you) - part 1

A/N: pirate!eddie is something so special to me, and i finally decided to write it, so welcome to another multi-chapter fic. it's a little short, but the next parts should be longer! title is a lyric from fleetwood mac - freedom. if you'd like to be added/taken off the taglist, just let me know :)

warnings: none that i can think of, piracy?

word count: 3k

taglist: @valeriiecameron @oeuryale @myguiltypleasures21 @aprilfire18 @mallgothmunson @tinalbion

summary: To avoid being sold into marriage, you decide to run away, and you meet Pirate Captain Eddie Munson, who shows you a life you never knew was possible. But with your husband to be unhappy about being jilted and determined to get you down the aisle, is a life of happiness and freedom possible?

It was now or never. Tonight was your only chance to escape the life that had been forced upon you. You were under no illusions, you knew this happened; you'd watched your friends over the years be forced into marriages, some were sold, and some had been arranged since before they were born. You had, however, always thought this would never happen to you. Your mother had spent her life promising you that you'd experience marriage the right way, by falling in love, and if you chose it, and your father had always seemed to be in agreement.

But when you were fifteen, your mother died, cruelly, without any explanation or warning. One day she was alive, the next she wasn't. At first, your father did the best he could. He worked hard, but always made time to come home and cook dinner. He'd tell you about his day, you'd tell him about yours, and as you helped clear up, he'd tell you stories about your mother, ones you'd never heard before. But a few months later, things changed. He started going to the pub more often, drinking a lot more, staying out late before coming home to pass out in his chair, if he ever came home at all. You got used to the distance your father put between you both, even if it did break your heart, it was awkward when he was home, he could barely look at you, let alone say three words to you.

So it was unnerving when you came home from spending the day at the market with Nancy, to find your father, not only relatively sober but also cooking dinner - something he hadn't done in years - and you naively thought that maybe things were looking up, that he wasn't going to let his grief ruin his relationship with you. But you were wrong, he was ready to let his grief completely eviscerate any relationship you two had. He told you he was selling you into marriage, that he'd had an offer he just couldn't refuse. He tried to soften the blow with the news it would be to the Prince, but you didn't care.

You argued, cried, and begged, but his mind was made up. You screamed at him that you'd never forgive him, that you hated him, that your mother would hate him too, but he didn't flinch, he didn't waver. And so you and Nancy made an escape plan. While Nancy came up with the intricate details, you tried to make sense of your father's decision. You didn't think he needed the money, but you also had no idea what your father got up to anymore. Maybe he could no longer stand the sight of you, unable to live with the constant reminder of the love of his life, and how she was cruelly snatched away from him.

You didn't want to leave your home, the place where you grew up, that held the memories of your mother, memories that were slowly fading with time; but you knew that you'd rather leave and possibly die on the run with your best friend than live a life imprisoned in a marriage you never wanted. You just needed to get as far away from this town as possible, somewhere you could change your name and be free. So you grabbed a duffel bag, stuffed as many clothes as you could inside it - which wasn't many - begrudgingly leaving all of your mother's mementos, apart from a charcoal picture of her that you and drawn, her necklace, and your favorite ring of hers. Then after one last look around your bedroom, you slipped out of the window and shimmied down the makeshift blanket rope, where Nancy was waiting for you.

"Are you ready?" Nancy asked, wiping the tears from your cheeks with her thumbs. "We've got this. You've got this." She whispered repeatedly, as she led you away from life as you knew it.

***

You pulled your hood over your face a little further and followed Nancy into the pub. You couldn't be too careful, you had no idea if this was a pub your dad frequented, and with your mother's death having been the talk of the town, you were worried you'd be recognized.

The small pub was dingy and dim, but it was still busy and loud, everyone too invested in their own business to pay attention to you, and you managed to find an empty table near the back. You sat with your head low as Nancy ordered two bowls of soup and two small glasses of wine. "You'll be thanking me later," she said, "we'll need our strength, we can't be running away on empty stomachs!"

As you tucked into the soup, which was swiftly brought over, Nancy told you the first phase of the plan.

"The best way out of town, and the easiest way, is on a ship."

"Okay, and how do we acquire a ship?" You asked, between spoonfuls of soup.

"I have a contact," Nancy replied, tilting her head towards the rowdiest table. It didn't take a genius to know that the table was occupied by pirates, it was pretty obvious who they were from the way they were dressed, and how they acted like they owned the place. The men were singing loudly, shouting above each other and laughing, as they groped the women sat on their laps. "See the guy in the middle? That's Steve Harrington."

"Wait, Nancy...Steve "The King" Harrington? First Mate of The Freaks? Nance, you can't be serious!"

"Oh, I'm completely serious. This is our only option. In a few hours, the streets are going to be crawling with royal guards searching for you, we need to do this." Nancy said as she stood up and brushed down the front of her coat.

"I thought you said this would be easy." You mumbled, and she laughed.

"I said it was the easiest way, not that it would be easy." She smiled at your worried expression and leaned on the table as she asked, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do." You replied, without missing a beat.

"Then I'll be back soon." She turned away, just as you shot up.

"Nance, wait!" You managed to grab her hand and pulled her back, making her groan. "You can't just go over there and ask him for a favor!"

"Why? Because he's a pirate?"

"Yes! You know what they say about him and his crew."

Nancy pulled her arm from your grip and took your hands in hers. "I know, okay? This whole thing is a risk, but your freedom is worth it, right? It is to me." You nodded, and she carried on. "Look, I know Steve, okay? He's a pirate, so he has access to a ship, and I know he'll help us."

"You know Steve Harrington?" You couldn't help but smirk, and Nancy rolled her eyes.

"We have a...history, okay? He wasn't always a pirate, you know?"

You stared at Nancy, your mouth open slightly, making her laugh as she put two fingers under your chin, closing your mouth for you. "Okay fine," you replied, "but you're not going over there alone. He's still a risk, right?"

"Of course he is, he's a pirate. But if plan A doesn't work- Nancy dropped one of your hands and opened her coat slightly, showing off a revolver in a holster attached to her skirt. "- I have a plan B."

You masked the revolver with her coat again and sighed, before nodding. "Okay fine, let's do this. But promise me, one way or another, we're getting out of here."

"On my life." Nancy promised, giving your hand a squeeze before she pulled you towards the table of pirates.

***

You had heard all the tales about Steve "The King" Harrington, First Mate of The Freaks, and about how he grew up right here in town, his family wealthy, but not very present. Steve got into trouble around town, but with his family name and his charismatic nature, he got away with most of it before things escalated. He left it all behind for a life of piracy, though, and joined The Freaks, where he became infamous, the crew's status almost hitting mythological heights, where the line between truth and storytelling became blurred, until one day, they were the most fearsome crew on the seas.

You used to hear the rumors that Steve Harrington had died almost instantly after leaving home. People used to say "there was no way this pirate could possibly be little Steve Harrington, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and who couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag" and laugh as if the thought of someone dying was funny. Then one day, Steve Harrington rocked up in town, squashing the rumors that he'd died once and for all, and he proved he and his newfound family were a force to be reckoned with by claiming this very pub as The Freaks' new hangout whenever they were in town.

Not only was Steve a fierce pirate, but he was a handsome one at that. You weren't sure how much of what you had heard was exaggerated, but his attractiveness certainly hadn't been. Your heart battered against your rib cage, you'd never been around someone this attractive before, and on top of that, he was a pirate too. You had no idea what was about to happen, or what to even expect, yet Nancy looked calm, completely unfazed by what you were walking into. It was just another reminder that - although she was your best friend, and you knew more about her than anyone else did - there was still so much you didn't know about her.

"Nancy Wheeler!" Steve shouted, slamming his tankard down on the wooden table as he stood up, kicking his chair over. He jumped on the table, walking over everything before he jumped off in front of her. "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, embracing her. From over her shoulder, his eyes found you, and he raised his eyebrow. "Whose this?"

You felt scrutinized as he stared at you with narrow eyes, and you prayed he didn't know you or your father. "This is my friend, we need your help." Nancy replied, and Steve's eyes darted back to her.

"Does your friend have a name?"

"Her name isn't important, we just need to get out of town. Tonight." Nancy said. "You owe me, Harrington, remember?"

Steve laughed loudly, making everyone in the pub stop and stare for a second. "I should've known you'd not forget that!"

"Been holding onto it for six years." Nancy grinned. "So, is that a yes?"

Steve glanced at you both, before he clapped his hand on her shoulder, his large rings catching your eye. "I owe you, remember? I need to talk to Cap though, so meet me at the dock in an hour, can you keep out of trouble for that long?"

"I think we'll manage," Nancy said. "Thanks, Steve." They hugged again before Nancy pulled away and linked her arm around yours.

"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" She grinned as you walked away, and you laughed.

"Why was it so easy, Nance?" You asked, and she patted your arm as she tutted.

"Don't worry about it."

***

When you and Nancy arrived at the dock, Steve was already waiting for you. He was smoking a cigarette, leaning against the wooden shed, illuminated from above by the one dim light attached to the building.

"Ladies," He greeted, taking one last drag of the cigarette before flicking it into the ocean. "Are you ready to become pirates?"

Your heart began to beat faster again, the nerves almost becoming too much for you. The tiny voice of doubt in the back of your head became louder as you started to question whether life on the run, forever looking over your shoulder was worth it.  Nancy grabbed your hand and squeezed it three times, almost as if she was reading your mind, knowing what you were thinking.

"We've got this. You've got this." Nancy repeated the affirmations she had said back at your father's house, and you smiled. "Let's go be free."

"Thank you." You mouthed, as Steve led you towards the large ship that loomed in the distance.

"Okay so, the Cap's a little...eccentric, chaotic, he's a little bit of a mess, to be honest with you, but he's alright if you stay on his good side," Steve explained. "So just do what he says, and everything will be fine."

You weren't sure what you were expecting, but the ship was stunning. The wood was dark, almost black, with the words Corroded Coffin etched in gold on the side. There were a few circular windows dotted along the side of the ship, red cloth hanging inside the rooms, acting like curtains, and two large white sails loomed above you. You followed Steve up the large plank, taking his hand when he offered to help you hop over the edge onto the deck.

The ship was huge, the deck bustling with members of the crew running around getting the ship ready. There were people mopping the wooden floor, setting the sails, rolling barrels, and carrying boxes down into the cabins under the deck. It was so chaotic and you were shocked by how busy the ship was. It was overwhelming, and judging from the way Nancy's nails were digging into the palm of your hand, she was feeling the same way, which was slightly comforting.

"So, these are the runaways! The damsels in distress!" A loud voice came from behind you, and you and Nancy whirled around.

You didn't need anyone to tell you that this was the Captain. Everyone on the ship was staring up at the curly-haired man in admiration; he was clad in black leather trousers, and a billowing white shirt as he balanced on the edge of the ship, holding only a rope with one hand for support. You were mesmerized by him; just like everyone else, you couldn't take your eyes off him. He jumped from the edge, onto the balcony, crossing it like he was a tightrope walker, his brown eyes never leaving yours. He was completely captivating, you had never seen anyone act this way before, and it was hard to tear your eyes away from him.

"We're not damsels in distress." Nancy said, the Captain's eyes finally leaving yours to look at her. You exhaled, you didn't realize you were even holding your breath, and you watched as the Captain jumped off the balcony, landing in front of you and Nancy. He looked you both up and down, his eyebrow raised, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Please, who are you trying to fool? You're damsels- probably from royalty, judging from the way you're dressed- who are so desperate to get out of town, that you're trusting pirates, of all people. Not just any pirate crew, but The Freaks!" He, and the crew, all laughed loudly and Nancy rolled her eyes.

"We're not royalty, just because we're dressed nicely, nor are we in distress, just because we need help." Nancy scowled, crossing her arms across her chest, and staring the Captain down. Nancy never failed to amaze you, she was always so fearless, no matter what she faced. She was the only person you could count on, the only person that had never let you down, and the only person you trusted with your life.

"I take it you're not the one running away." The Captain replied, turning his attention back to you. You took a leaf out of Nancy's book and held his gaze, although you were pretty sure Nancy didn't find it this hard to not drown in his beautiful eyeliner-covered eyes. If the First Mate was handsome, the Captain was beautiful, the most beautiful person you'd ever seen, if you were being honest. Luckily, before you made a fool of yourself, Nancy spoke for you.

"We're a package deal. If one's running, we both are."

He smirked, as he twisted the rings on his fingers. He was clearly amused by the two of you, and your doubts about your plan were growing. Trusting pirates was the worst decision you could make, and yet, here you were, trusting the worst pirates of all. It was so crazy, that even the Captain was in disbelief. You knew he thought you were both naive, and he could use that to his advantage if he wanted to. You had to make sure you were ready for anything. Before Nancy or the Captain could trade more jibes at each other, Steve clasped his hand on the Captain's shoulder and chuckled.

"Come on, Eddie, leave them alone. We need to go, now." Steve interjected, and Eddie winked at you before clapping.

"Alright, fine," Eddie said, his eyes slowly trailing up and down your body once again. "Robin!" He yelled, and you saw a brunette, freckled-faced woman scurry across the deck from next to the ship's wheel. "Would you be so kind as to take these two to your chamber, they need to change."

"Change?" You squeaked, and Eddie's head whipped around to you. A toothy grin spread across his face and you cursed yourself for being so awkward.

"Oh, she speaks!" He said, loudly and dramatically, the ship erupting with laughter again and a hot wave of embarrassment washed over you. "Yes, Princess, you need to change. You're on the run and you don't look like you belong on my ship, you do see how that might end up being a bit of a problem, don't you?"

You nodded, and Eddie smirked once again. "Make them look like pirates, Robin!" He said, and as Robin ushered you down some stairs, you couldn't help but wonder what the fuck you had gotten yourselves into.