#these are all just initial ideas so everything is subject to change

[if-seal]

dear seal, starting with: i hope you have a nice day/ night and everything in between! you don't have to help us nor give advice and for that i am grateful you choose to.

do you have any suggestions as to how to name IFs? (so sorry if you've already answered this) i have a title in mind but when i asked my friend for her opinion, she didn't think it fit. when i searched online, they talked about finding one to encompass the general theme of the story or name it after an important thing in the story but i've been trying that for years with other projects and it never turns out well.

Dear Naming Friend,

Thank you so very much for your kind comments and well wishes! Naming can be a tricky and weighty business, and I am very happy to give you some thoughts on it!

I think if you love your current title and feel like it fits your game, do feel free to use it with my blessing! Or share it with other friends and see what they think - it might be that it just wasn't the first friend's thing.

And you can change your title if you want to, even after you've initially revealed your project to the world. Better to do that rather than stick with one you don't love.

Whether you are thinking of changing the title or of reassessing your current one, I absolutely recommend searching for your chosen title or similar ones to check that you're not duplicating something that already exists by accident. Read it out plenty of times to see how it feels to say. Sometimes a title will look lovely on the page but feels stumbling when you say it out loud.

I believe themes or in-universe elements can be nice starting points for figuring out a title, or perhaps the shape of your title, but if those aren't grabbing you or you've had tricky experiences figuring that out, here are some suggestions that may be useful to you beyond themes or in-universe elements:

-You may find it useful to consider what "shape" you'd like the title to have: a single word, a phrase, an in-game element, and so on. I would generally suggest caution when it comes to very long titles with a lot of elements in them, such as the imaginary SELKIE'S HEART: LIGHTHOUSE FURY BENEATH THE STARS or such... but on the other hand plenty of people adore those kinds of titles so if it works for you, embrace it!

-Try making a document of lots of name ideas, adding to the list whenever a word or phrase sounds interesting or could be related, even tangentially, to your game or plot. This could be as simple as a notes app on your phone

-It is useful to write down many ideas without really thinking about them, good and bad, with no pressure on whether you're going to use them - just dipping into your brain to see what comes out

-Come up with a lot of deliberately bad titles that sound too generic, boring, or misleading but that someone might conceivably use for your game. This can help clear out the cobwebs of your brain.

-Relatedly, assign your game a placeholder while you wait for inspiration to strike. Do not use a placeholder that could be at all usable! It should be truly horrid. When my roommate @hpowellsmith was searching for a title for what became THE EARTH HAS TEETH, a friend suggested - apologies for the coarse language - Stormfucker 2099: Choice Choicington Investigates for a dreadful placeholder to avoid getting attached to a temporary title. Now personal taste is subjective, but I think most of us will agree that no one would want to use that one!

-Another friend provided a link to wordhippo.com which is a remarkably handy thesaurus site that I've found more useful than some of the other sites. Besides which it is also a helpful aquatic mammal, just like me! Less mammalian helpful sites include relatedwords.org and powerthesaurus.org.

-You might also try having an aim of listing 20 titles and rereading them, focusing not on the first ones you think of, nor of the ones where you're scraping for ideas, but the middle ones which may feel more interesting than the initial burst of ideas

As you see, this approach tends towards a scattershot one. Sometimes a title will come as a first flash of inspiration and nothing else will feel right, but that's rather rare. Best of luck, author friend!

[mint-fixates]

Going more in depth with my many, very long thoughts on the AU concept I discussed in a previous post, which I'm calling "Domesticated Bill AU" based on a suggestion from the replies (TL;DR it's just a "What if Bill wasn't evil" AU)

First major difference: No Euclydian massacre. Bill doesn't destroy his home dimension, he just gets sick of them trying to suppress his gift and leaves. Something something he still ends up getting trapped in the Nightmare Realm while looking for a more exciting and accepting world

He spends a lot of time partying and getting up to mischief while hanging out with the Henchmaniacs (who still look up to him as a leader, but have more of an equals/genuine friends relationship with him rather than a boss/minion relationship), but after a billion years or so that starts to get boring. When they realize the Nightmare Dimension is unraveling, Bill has the idea to get someone to make a portal for him, like in canon, BUT Weirdmageddon is never part of the plan. He just needs a way to safely get himself and his friends out of the Nightmare Realm before it unravels, no apocalypse required

Bill still has a series of failed partnerships because no one has the technology to build the portal or because they can't match his freak and get fed up with him and call the deal off. But there's no evil retribution on anyone who fails to make it. He's chaotic neutral at worst, so most of his impact on history is similar to canon!Bill helping the Salem witches free themselves- but because of Earth's societal standards and expectations, he still gets painted as evil for these sorts of acts.

Bill meets Stanford under the same circumstances- Ford finds out about him and summons him to help when he hits a roadblock in his research (though he finds him through different means since there's no shaman warning/prophecy). The only initial difference is that Bill is fully honest about the intention of the portal, because he has nothing to hide.

Bill is still a bit emotionally immature and jealous of Fiddleford but generally their relationship is much healthier. Ford still worships and puts Bill on a pedestal at first, but as they get closer over time he realizes that they're equals, kindred spirits. Bill delights in having someone and who finds his weirdness intriguing and endearing rather than being put off by it. They both love having someone they can relate to, someone on a similar level of intelligence, someone they never have to filter themselves around, and with all that in mind it's really inevitable that they fall for each other.

The portal is a success, and Ford makes a ton of money and earns his place in scientific history for his brilliant discovery, but credits Bill with half the workload since he can now prove Bill is, y'know, real and not a hallucination. People are still a bit weirded out by Bill and prefer the idea of a human success story, so as far as the press is concerned, it was 99% Stanford. Fiddleford is not credited at his own request, preferring to live a quiet life while knowing he helped make the world a bit better.

Fiddleford is still crushing hard on an oblivious Ford throughout the portal-building process like canon implies, but once the portal finished and Ford can introduce him to/explain his relationship with Bill, Fidds gracefully bows out and goes back to working on making personal computers and on focusing on his family. He and Ford are still good friends and regularly email and call each other which Bill hates but begrudgingly tolerates

Bill and his friends take a tour of the multiverse to decide where they want to settle, but Bill's thoughts keep drifting back to Stanford. Ford is also touring the multiverse for research purposes, which has disrupted their ability to communicate mentally, and Bill realizes how much he misses him. They both eventually go back to Dimension 46'\ and get married. Bill finds Earth a bit boring sometimes and occasionally goes on vacations to other dimensions with Ford and/or the Henchmaniacs, but "home" for him and Ford is always Gravity Falls.

Stanley calls Ford to congratulate him on his success and they reconnect, both apologizing for their fight. Ford finds out that Stanley is homeless and immediately hires him as his publicist since he's constantly being bombarded with interview requests and the like. Stanley ends up getting his own place in Gravity Falls to be closer to work and his brother.

Dipper and Mabel's parents are going through some Things™ and decide to send the twins off to live it up with their rich, successful Grunkle Ford for the summer. Gravity Falls is still weird but the twins now have a great uncle who actively encourages and assists them on all their weird supernatural and conspiratorial adventures. And, of course, their weird extradimensional triangle great-uncle-in-law is more than happy to help them cause some trouble and solve some mysteries too (Bill 10000% helped Mabel kidnap Sev'ral Timez and hide them from Ford, suggested using the Lilliputtians to cheat in her mini-golf game against Pacifica, etc.)

Stanley and his personal assistant Soos still make frequent appearances at Ford's house, and Wendy is also there (haven't quite figured out how she fits into this yet), so Dipper and Mabel are still close with all of them like in canon

Mabel still meets and becomes besties with Candy and Grenda, just under different circumstances.

Pacifica's parents initially contact Stanford to hire him to dispose of their ghost problem, but he passes it off to Dipper because he and Bill are going to visit Bill's parents in Euclydia. So NWMM/Pacifica's character development plays out mostly the same way as canon

Gideon still meets and becomes obsessed with Mabel, but without the journals as a source of power and motivation, he has no ambition to steal the Shack or means to almost kill Dipper. He's still kind of a stalker towards Mabel but a mostly harmless one- especially after Ford, Bill, and Stanley find out he's been bothering her and have a Friendly Chat with him.

The journals still exist, but they're not hidden, they're just chilling on Ford's bookshelf. He originally intended to publish them but forgot about it with all the hype around the portal. Ford gives them to Dipper to help out with the twins' adventures for when he's busy and can't go help them personally.

[iamnotlookingidonotseeit]

day one million and one of the struggle of whether to come out to my parents or not

[rmview]

accidentally leaking their relationship, SKZ.

featuring — stray kids members x gn!reader  ( masterlist )

summary — a reaction of how the stray kids boys end up leaking their relationship accidentally!

contents — crack, fluff, no warnings.

bang ♡ chan

bang chan was always meticulous about keeping your relationship under wraps. as the leader of stray kids, he knew how quickly rumors could spiral and wanted to protect you from unnecessary scrutiny. but even someone as careful as him could make a mistake.

it happened during one of his famous live broadcasts. chan was sitting in his studio, casually chatting with fans as he fiddled with some tracks on his computer. he was explaining his latest project when a notification popped up on his screen. without thinking, he clicked it, and for a brief second, a picture of the two of you appeared.

it wasn’t anything scandalous — just a selfie of you leaning against his shoulder, both of you smiling softly. but it was enough. the comments exploded almost instantly.

who was that??? is chan dating someone??? did i just see a girl??? that girl was me guys, chill

bang chan’s eyes widened as he realized what had happened. “oh, uh…” he scratched the back of his neck, trying to think fast. “that was… an old picture! a friend sent it to me earlier. sorry about that, everyone!”

he quickly ended the broadcast, his heart racing as he leaned back in his chair. a million thoughts ran through his head — had anyone managed to screenshot it? what would the company say? more importantly, what would you think?

when he called you later to explain, you laughed softly, though he could hear the worry in your voice. “it’s okay, chan. it was bound to happen at some point.”

“no, it’s not okay,” he insisted. “i promised to keep this private for your sake, and i slipped up.”

“you’re human,” you reassured him. “and besides, we’ll handle whatever happens together, right?”

hearing your calm voice eased some of his guilt. “yeah, together,” he said softly. “but i’m still going to be extra careful from now on.”

felix ♡

felix adored you, and while he was determined to keep your relationship private, he sometimes let his excitement get the best of him.

the leak happened when felix was baking cookies during a live broadcast. fans loved his warm, cozy streams, and he often shared stories and tips while he worked. as he was mixing dough, his phone lit up with a message from you. without thinking, he glanced at it and smiled.

“sorry, guys,” he said, holding up the phone. “just got a cute message from…” he froze, realizing what he’d just said, gaze falling to the chat that erupted with curiosity.

from who??? felix, are you hiding something??? who’s the cute message from???

felix’s face turned beet red as he stammered, “uh, from my… my friend! yeah, just a good friend.” he laughed nervously, quickly changing the subject to the cookies.

after the stream, he called you in a panic. “i think i messed up,” he admitted, pacing his room. “i almost said too much!”

you couldn’t help but laugh. “relax, lix. it’s not the end of the world.”

“but i want to protect you from all this,” he said, his voice laced with guilt. “i don’t want you dragged into the spotlight because of me.”

“felix,” you said softly, “i know you’ll do your best. and no matter what happens, i’m not going anywhere.”

his heart melted at your reassurance. “you’re too good to me,” he murmured. “but i’ll be more careful. promise.”

lee ♡ know

lee know was famously private, so the idea of accidentally exposing your relationship was something he had nightmares about. he was cautious, always double-checking everything he posted and keeping personal moments strictly offline.

the slip-up came during a group photoshoot. the boys were filming behind-the-scenes content for fans, and lee know had forgotten that he’d left your bracelet on his wrist. it was subtle — a simple silver band engraved with your initials — but eagle-eyed fans didn’t miss a thing. as the content was uploaded online, surprised comments flooded in.

is that… a couple bracelet??? whose initials are those? lee know, explain yourself!!!!

when he saw the comments later, lee know’s heart sank. he immediately called his manager, working out a way to downplay the situation. “it’s just a gift from a close friend,” he said during a live broadcast, keeping his tone neutral.

later that night, he came over to your place, still visibly upset. “i’m sorry,” he said as soon as you opened the door.

you tilted your head, confused. “for what?”

“for being careless,” he said, holding up his wrist. “i should’ve taken it off before the shoot.”

you smiled, reaching out to take his hand. “minho, it’s okay. it’s just a bracelet. and honestly, i’m kind of proud they noticed — i like seeing you wear it.”

his lips twitched into a small smile. “you’re too understanding.”

“i trust you,” you said simply. “and no matter what happens, i’m not worried.”

lee know wrapped his arms around you, resting his chin on your head. “i’ll be more careful next time. but i’m glad you’re not mad.”

“i could never be mad at you,” you teased, making him chuckle softly.

hyun ♡ jin

hyunjin was a hopeless romantic, and his love for you was something he carried with him everywhere. he was cautious about keeping your relationship private but couldn’t help tiny, subtle slips — moments where his affection for you shone through.

the leak happened during a spontaneous live broadcast. hyunjin was lounging on the couch, answering fans’ questions, when someone asked about the small ring on his pinky finger. without thinking, he smiled.

“oh, this?” he held it up, admiring the simple band. “it’s, uh… special to me.”

the chat exploded:

special? like… how??? hyunjin, tell us the truth!!! guys chill that was my anniversary present to him

realizing what he’d done, his eyes widened slightly, and he quickly tried to play it off. “it’s just a good luck charm,” he said with a nervous laugh, switching topics to his latest dance project.

after the live ended, hyunjin flopped onto the couch, groaning into a cushion. he called you immediately, his voice full of guilt. “i messed up. they noticed the ring, and i think they know it’s from you.”

you laughed softly on the other end of the line. “hyunjin, it’s not a big deal. they don’t know for sure.”

“but i feel like i betrayed your trust,” he said, sitting up. “i promised to be careful, and now people might start guessing things.”

“hyunjin,” you said gently, “you don’t have to carry all of this by yourself. we’ll handle it together, okay?”

hearing your reassurance made him feel a little better. “i’m so lucky to have you,” he murmured. “but i’ll be more careful — i don’t want anything to put you in a tough spot.”

jeong ♡ in

jeongin was naturally shy, and dating you was something he kept close to his heart. he wanted to protect your privacy, knowing how overwhelming things could get if the public found out. but even he wasn’t immune to slip-ups.

it happened during a group photoshoot. as the members joked around, jeongin absentmindedly pulled out his phone to check a message from you. a staff member teasingly asked, “who’s got your attention so much, innie?”

without thinking, jeongin blushed and muttered, “just my —” he caught himself, but the damage was done. his hyungs immediately caught on, and a few snickered. “your what, jeongin?”

the teasing moment was captured on camera and uploaded to a behind-the-scenes video. fans were quick to pick up on his slip, speculating about who he might be texting.

jeongin panicked when he saw the comments later. “they’re going to figure it out,” he fretted, pacing his room as he called you.

you tried to calm him down. “jeongin, it’s fine. people speculate all the time — it doesn’t mean they know anything for sure.”

“but what if they do?” he asked, his voice small. “i don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

you smiled softly, even though he couldn’t see it. “i trust you, and i’m not worried. just be yourself, okay? you don’t have to carry this alone.”

his heart swelled at your words. “you’re too good to me,” he said quietly. “i’ll do better — i promise.”

han ♡

han tried to keep your relationship private, but his naturally playful and forgetful nature meant he occasionally slipped up. one of those moments came when he was recording behind-the-scenes content for a vlog.

as he was showing off his desk setup in the dorm, the camera accidentally panned over a sticky note on the wall that read, “love you, idiot - y/n.” fans immediately paused and zoomed in, and the comment section blew up.

who’s y/n??? han has a girlfriend??? explain yourself to our kids, han jisung!!!

han didn’t notice the uproar until much later, when staff informed him about the growing buzz online. his first reaction was pure panic. “what? how did they see that?!”

he went back to the dorm and immediately called you. “i think i messed up big time,” he admitted, pacing nervously. “your name showed up in the vlog, and people are already talking about it.”

you chuckled softly, though you could tell he was freaking out. “jisung, it’s okay. it’s not like they know anything else.”

“but they’ll start digging,” he groaned. “what if they find out more? i hate the thought of you being dragged into this.”

“hey,” you said gently, “we’ll figure it out. i’m not mad, and i trust you to handle it.”

he sighed, sitting down on his bed. “you’re way too understanding, you know that? i’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again. you deserve better than this kind of stress.”

hearing the guilt in his voice, you reassured him once more. “i’m not worried, jisung. just promise me you’ll stop beating yourself up about it.”

he smiled, feeling a little better. “promise. i’ll be more careful — for you.”

seung ♡ min

seungmin was always composed and cautious, but even he wasn’t immune to the occasional slip-up. he valued your privacy deeply and did his best to ensure your relationship stayed out of the public eye. however, the unthinkable happened during a live broadcast with the group.

the members were joking around when a fan asked who among them was most romantic. changbin teasingly pointed to seungmin, and someone else chimed in, “yeah, seungmin’s probably the type to write love letters.”

seungmin, caught off guard, laughed and muttered, “well, y/n likes —” he froze mid-sentence, realizing what he’d just said. the room fell silent for a beat before the other members burst out laughing to cover for him.

“who’s y/n, seungmin?” hyunjin teased, but seungmin waved it off, cheeks flushed. “no one! i meant, uh, someone i know…” he mumbled, quickly redirecting the conversation.

after the broadcast ended, seungmin rushed to call you. “i slipped up,” he said, his voice laced with frustration. “i said your name. people might connect the dots.”

you chuckled, trying to calm him down. “seungmin, it’s okay. it was an honest mistake.”

“but i promised to protect your privacy,” he argued, guilt evident in his tone. “i don’t want this to affect you.”

“seungmin,” you reassured him, “you’re overthinking it. it’s not like they have any proof. let’s not stress over something we can’t change.”

he let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. “you’re always so calm about these things. i don’t deserve you.”

“you’re doing your best,” you said softly. “and that’s more than enough for me.”

seungmin smiled, feeling the tension in his chest ease. “i’ll be more careful from now on. you mean too much to me to let this happen again.”

chang ♡ bin

changbin had always been an affectionate boyfriend, often expressing his love through sweet words and gestures. however, his bubbly personality and tendency to speak without thinking occasionally got him into trouble.

the slip happened during a studio vlog. changbin was casually showing off his recording setup when his phone lit up with a notification. the camera caught the preview of your text, which read: “don’t work too hard today, okay? love you 💕”

he didn’t realize it at first, but eagle-eyed fans did. within minutes of the vlog’s release, screenshots flooded social media, sparking speculation about who the message was from.

when changbin finally saw the comments, his heart sank. “oh no,” he muttered, replaying the clip and realizing what had happened.

he immediately called you, his voice a mix of guilt and worry. “i messed up, babe. your message showed up in the vlog, and fans are already talking about it.”

you were silent for a moment before laughing softly. “changbin, it’s okay. these things happen.”

“but i should’ve been more careful,” he argued, pacing his studio. “i don’t want you to deal with any negativity because of me.”

“hey,” you interrupted gently, “i’m not upset, and i’m not worried. if anything, it’s kind of sweet — they saw how much you care about me.”

her words made his chest tighten with affection. “you’re way too understanding,” he said, his voice softening. “but i’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again. you don’t deserve to deal with any stress because of me.”

“you’re overthinking it,” you teased. “but if it makes you feel better, i trust you to be careful next time.”

changbin smiled, his heart feeling lighter. “thank you for being so amazing. i’ll make it up to you — i promise.”

notes: hope you guys enjoyed reading this because i enjoyed writing it a little too much xD

[theeartuaist]

The App

It started with the app.

You never downloaded it. You never saw it download. It just appeared on your phone one grey Tuesday afternoon nestled between your weather app and your calendar like it had always belonged there. It wasn't sleek or modern but oddly anachronistic, with an interface that reminded you of Windows 95 and an icon that seemed to shift slightly when you weren't looking directly at it.

"TrueMate" it was called, in soft pink font, glowing gently, innocuous. You told yourself it must’ve come from an ad you accidentally clicked. Maybe during that 3 a.m. scroll through horror subreddits or that article on cursed love letters.

You should have deleted it immediately. Instead, you shrugged. Curiosity is always the first thread pulled. You opened it. You swiped once and that was all it took.

"Match found," the screen declared without requiring a profile, photo, or even your name.

Just one match: Raye.

Just Raye, no last name, new to the area. Picture: pale skin, high cheekbones, lips too red, eyes too dark. His profile picture had an uncanny quality to it, as if several photographs had been mercilessly stitched together by an algorithm with unusual ideas about human faces.

Then, a message pinged from Raye:

Hello. I would like to meet you.

Yoy should have closed the app. Instead, you found yourself typing back:

That's a bit forward. You don't even know me.

I know you are the one I want to meet. Tomorrow? Coffee? I have researched the proper courtship ritual. I will arrive with flowers. You will be impressed.

The oddness of his phrasing made you smile. A foreigner, perhaps, or someone on the spectrum with an endearing directness?

He picked the café. It was one of those cosy tucked-away places with mismatched mugs and a chalkboard menu filled with ironic puns.

Raye greeted you the next day. You weren’t catfished at least - he was tall and almost aggressively ordinary, with a face you'd forget while still looking at it. His suit was impeccable but somehow wrong—like it had been chosen by carefully studying magazine ads without understanding context. He clutched a bouquet of flowers that still had the price tag attached.

"These are for you," he announced at a volume slightly too loud for the quiet café. "I have purchased the traditional courtship flora."

You accepted them with murmured thanks, noticing how his fingers seemed to bend at odd angles when he released the stems.

"I have secured beverages and circular sweet bread items. Please sit so we may progress to the next stage," he said, watching you with unblinking eyes.

You chatted. It was normal. Almost. Raye had opinions about everything that seemed quoted directly from somewhere else—movie reviews, political commentaries, song lyrics—all delivered with the same intense sincerity. He laughed exactly three seconds after you made jokes, his head tilting at precisely the same angle each time. When he reached for his coffee, his movements were fluid but somehow rehearsed, as if he'd practised in front of a mirror.

"Your species fascinates me," he said after you mentioned your job.

"My species of [your job]?" You replied with a laugh.

"Yes. That." He leaned forward suddenly. "I have observed that after the initial meeting comes the small talk, then the revealing of childhood traumas, then the physical connection. We have completed two stages. Tell me about your childhood disappointments."

Something in his expression made you change the subject to movies instead. His knowledge was encyclopedic yet strangely hollow, as if he'd memorized IMDB entries without watching the films.

"You enjoy stories where humans overcome obstacles and form mating bonds," he observed.

"That's one way to describe romantic comedies, I suppose."

His eyes seemed to recalculate something. "Yes. Human romantic comedies. I enjoy them as well, as a human."

The conversation continued like that for an hour—moments of almost-normality interrupted by statements just odd enough to make you wonder if you was being pranked. But there was something compelling about Raye's attention, the way he absorbed your words as if they were precious.

You were halfway through your drink when, with the abruptness of someone following a script to the letter, he placed his hand on yours and said:

"Let's get married."

You choked. Tea went up your nose. “Sorry, what!?” you said, coughing and wiping your mouth.

Confusion flickered across his face, and his eyes had gone completely flat. "What do you mean? I'm not a stranger anymore," he said, his voice modulating into something softer. "I'm your fiancé. I just proposed."

The café seemed to grow quieter, the background noise fading. You pulse quickened as you pulled your hand away.

"There must be some misunderstanding - that's not how anything works - this is our first date. We literally met like an hour ago. People date for months, years even, before getting engaged."

"Incorrect," Raye replied, producing a small notebook from his pocket. He flipped through pages filled with what looked like screenshots. "In 'The Proposal,' Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds become engaged after knowing each other for 3 years, 2 months as work colleagues. But in 'Leap Year,' Amy Adams decides to propose after 4 years of dating. In 'Sweet Home Alabama,' they were married in childhood. And in 'The Bachelor,' multiple women compete for one marriage proposal in a matter of weeks." He looked up triumphantly. "The data is inconsistent. I have chosen the most efficient option."

Something cold slithered down your spine. "Are you... quoting movies to me?"

"I have conducted extensive research on human mating rituals," he said, tilting his head at that familiar angle. "I have watched 247 romantic comedies, 183 dramas involving romance, and 62 reality television shows about finding mates. I have identified the pattern. First meeting, then coffee, then proposal. We are proceeding correctly."

"That's not real life. Those are stories, fantasies."

His expression shifted again, this time to something you couldn't quite place—disappointment mixed with the concentration of someone recalibrating complex calculations.

"I see. I have misunderstood." He blinked rapidly. "Then we must proceed to the next step where one of us runs through an airport to prevent the other from leaving, or perhaps stands outside with a music-playing device held overhead, or perhaps, we should wait for it to rain and exchange a kiss-”

That's when you noticed his reflection in the window behind him—or rather, the place where his reflection should have been. Instead, there was a shimmer in the air, vaguely human-shaped but rippling like heat waves off summer asphalt.

"What are you?" You whispered.

"I am Raye," he said with a smile that showed too many teeth. "I selected this name because it contains 50% of the same letters as 'mate.' I have been studying humans for what you would measure as 3.2 Earth years. You are the first specimen I have selected for my personal research."

He reached across the table again, his fingers elongating slightly as they approached mine. "The app was merely a formality. I have been observing you for 76 days. You are perfectly ordinary, which makes you extraordinarily perfect."

You stood up so quickly your chair clattered to the floor. "I need to go."

"Are you…rejecting me?” He tilted his head, frowning. "I have proposed marriage. You are supposed to say yes after initial reluctance. That is how the story proceeds."

"This isn't a movie, Raye."

"No," he agreed, "Movies end. What I propose is much more permanent."

As you backed away, heading for the door, Raye remained seated, watching you with those unblinking eyes. Just before you reached the exit, your phone chimed with a notification.

A new message in the app that shouldn't exist: The courtship ritual is not complete. We will try again with the correct sequence. I have much to learn, and you are the perfect teacher.

You deleted the app the moment you got home. It reappeared the next morning—nestled between weather and calendar, as if it had always belonged there. Because of course it did!

(Because for some beings, a story doesn't end until they understand the proper way to tell it. And Raye seemed determined to get this story right. However, many revisions it might take.)

next chapter

[pitlanepeach]

Radio Silence | Chapter Five

Lando Norris x Amelia Brown (OFC)

Series Masterlist

Summary — Order is everything. Her habits aren't quirks, they're survival techniques. And only three people in the world have permission to touch her: Mom, Dad, Fernando.

Then Lando Norris happens.

One moment. One line crossed. No going back.

Warnings — Autistic!OFC, detailed meltdown on-page, angst.

Notes — Another double update, go me! PSA: Our Amelia has a bit of a difficult time in this one. Take care of yourselves x

Want to be added to the taglist? Let me know! - Peach x

2019

WhatsApp Groupchat — The 2019 F1 Grid

Charles L. I have found an iPad in Ferrari hospitality. It is engraved with the initials A.B. Any ideas?

Lewis H. Does it have a bunny sticker on it?

Charles L. Yes!

Lewis H. That’s Amelia’s, then.

Lando N. lol I’ll come get it just gimme 10 mins im in a debrief rn 

Charles L. Sure no problem Amelia is Zak Brown’s daughter, yes?

George R. Yeah mate The smart one.

Sebastian V. Haha. She is the one Binotto wants? Brown hair, pretty smile?

Lando N. Bro.

Lewis H. @Sebastian — Mattia has tried to get her to Ferrari?

Sebastian V. Yes. He’s offered her some very lucrative opportunities. She has so far turned all of them down.

Carlos S. She’s loyal to McLaren. Leave her to us, yes?

Valtteri B. But if she ever decided to go elsewhere, Mercedes would make sense.

Lewis H. Yeah obviously 👍🏻

Lando N. ????????????

Lance S. If she was offered a million dollars to fix the Racing Point car, do you think she’d take it? Not a hypothetical. My dad wants to know.

Max V. Money won’t work. You forget she’s already the child of a millionaire.

Lance S. Damn it.

Kimi R. Is this the child always in Norris’ garage?

Lando N. Don’t call her a child we are literally the same age

Kimi R. That does not change the fact

Daniel R. But seriously, why was she even in Ferrari hospitality in the first place?

Max V. Ice cream.

Lando N. Ice cream 

Lewis H. Ice cream.

Sebastian V. I can confirm she was here for ice cream. Pistachio, specifically.

Charles L. I cannot believe I’ve still never met her. Is she really so smart?

Lando N. Yes.

Pierre G. Absolutely.

Max V. Smarter than you are capable of comprehending, Charles.

Charles L. Then I suppose I will just have to charm her into accepting Mattia’s offer 😌

Lando N. I will put in the wall, Leclerc.

Charles L. Oh! You are together with her, Lando? I didn’t know!

Lando N. No, we’re not together.

Charles L. Then I am confused.

Max V. Her father has practically forbade them from dating. Total nonsense if you ask me.

Carlos S. They are dating.

Daniel R. @Carlos 😳😳😳

Lando N. @Carlos NO WE ARE NOT STOP SAYING THAT

Sergio P. Mucho defensive…

Carlos S. He wrote his race number on her shoes.

Lando N. So what? That means nothing.

Daniel R. Oh brother….

Max V. Yeah, sorry, I can’t even back you on that one Lando. That’s a lot.

Kimi R. My wife had my number stitched into her shoes. We got married six months later.

George R. So Kimi is saying you’re basically engaged, bro.

Lewis H. Let’s stop talking about this. Before Lando has a full on meltdown.

Charles L. Too late. He has arrived for the iPad with a terrible attitude. 

Lando N. I hate all of you.

— 

Subject: Workplace Conduct Reminder – Inclusivity & Respect at McLaren

From: HR Department To: All McLaren Racing Staff Date: [Sunday, post-race, 10:42 PM]

Dear Team,

As the season continues and tensions rise both on and off the track, we’d like to take a moment to remind everyone of McLaren’s core values — collaboration, respect, and inclusion.

We are incredibly proud of the diversity across our team, from engineering to strategy, operations to communications. Every person is here because they bring something exceptional to the table — and that includes our colleagues who may experience or perceive the world differently than others.

We ask that all team members remain mindful of the following:

Neurodiversity is not a barrier — it is an asset. Please be conscious of language and behaviour that may unintentionally alienate or diminish the contributions of individuals who may process things differently. This includes members of our extended team, trusted advisors, and collaborators who work closely with us — regardless of job title or official role.

“Vibes” are not a metric — Judging someone’s energy, personality, or communication style is not only unprofessional but also unfair. Everyone representing or contributing to McLaren, formally or informally, deserves respect.

Support one another — Whether someone wears McLaren orange full-time or contributes behind the scenes, everyone here plays a part in our collective success.

Rumours are not culture — Let’s keep paddock gossip out of professional spaces. If you have concerns, we encourage you to speak directly to your manager or HR.

This message is not in response to any one incident but rather a gentle pit stop reminder: our team functions best when everyone feels seen, heard, and safe.

If you have any questions or want to speak to someone in confidence, please feel free to reach out to HR directly. We’re here to help.

Kind regards, The McLaren Racing HR Team [hr@mclarenracing.co.uk]

— 

iMessage — 11:40pm

Lando Yo, did you see the email?

Carlos Sí.

Lando Kinda hardcore. Glad Zak did something 

Carlos Somebody said something to Amelia?

Lando Yeah someone in PR idk I feel like I should know more about her stuff I feel stupid tho. Like I don’t know anything. Just that she’s Amelia yano 

Carlos I did some reading. Come to my hotel room. We eat pizza. I will teach you what I know and we can google the rest.

Lando Legend. Thanks, mate.

— 

The course he took her to wasn’t flashy — quiet, tucked away, the kind of place her dad’s friends would never be caught dead in. That was intentional. They weren’t exactly hiding their… friendship, but they weren’t trying to advertise it either.

Amelia stared down at the club he’d handed her like it was a piece of martian debris.

“This is very stupid,” she muttered. “Pointless, really.”

“It is,” Lando agreed, his lips twitching. “Just hit the ball.”

She squinted at the tiny white ball he’d settled on the grass in front of her. “Is it supposed to just… go?”

“Yes.”

“Like in a line?” she clarified, glancing at him.

He shrugged. “In theory.”

She swung. Missed.

Lando clapped anyway. “Incredible form. I’ve never seen such calculated failure.”

“It was bad,” she said seriously. “I didn’t hit the ball. I made a hole in the grass, Lando.” She stared down at the muddy crater with quiet horror.

He just gave her an encouraging nod, gesturing for her to try again.

She sighed, feeling the beginning of a stress rash creep along her neck. But she tried again. And that time, she hit it — not far, just a lazy roll across the grass — but enough to surprise herself. Lando caught the way her eyes widened, saw the exact moment the thrill overtook her frustration.

He didn’t say anything. Just handed her another ball.

They kept going like that for a while — her slowly getting the hang of it, him slipping in dumb jokes and patient explanations between swings. She never asked for help, but he noticed how closely she watched every move he made. Her eyes, always sharp, always calculating.

Eventually, she dropped to the grass with a dramatic sigh and said, “Why do people think this is relaxing? I’m hot and my legs are tired.”

Lando chuckled and sat beside her, kicking his legs out long. “I think it’s relaxing. Your dad likes it.”

“I don’t want to talk about my dad. It makes me stressed.”

“Yeah?” He asked.

She pulled at a blade of grass, rolled it between her fingers. “He told me again that it would be better if I stayed away from you. He said it would make things easier. For me. For you. For the team.” She continued. 

Lando let the silence sit for a moment before asking, his voice quiet and slightly unsure. “What do you want?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “I want him to not worry. I want him to trust me. I want…” She hesitated, frowning at the grass. “I want to feel like I can make my own choices without feeling like I might wreck everything.” 

“You’re not wrecking anything,” Lando said. He tapped the ground next to her leg and she glanced at him, blinking. “I like hanging out with you.” He told her. 

She didn’t say anything, just flicked the blade of grass from her fingers and looked at the trees that surrounded the course. “I don’t know what I feel yet,” she said finally. “Toward you, I mean. But I know that I have liked this. Today. Not the golf. Being with you.”

Lando grinned — couldn’t help himself. Probably looked like a right knob, but he didn’t care. “Want to keep playing?” He asked. 

She gave him a look. “I might get fined for ruining so much of their grass.”

He handed her another ball. Shrugged. Smirked. “It’s fine. I make a lot of money.” 

She rolled her eyes.

— 

Amelia shut her bedroom door with more force than she meant to and leaned against it, breath caught high in her chest like she’d just ran a marathon. Her bag hit the floor. Her hands were shaking.

She didn’t know why. Except; she did.

Her body was full of something too big. Too much. A knot of heat and noise and confusion that had no exit. It felt like all the inside parts of her were pressing outward, like she might split open if she didn't stay still.

She pressed her palms hard into her eyes like she could push it all back in. But it was already too late. The thoughts were everywhere; spilled oil, tangled cords, static static static. Her brain wouldn’t quiet down. Wouldn’t give her space to think.

She’d had a good day. That was the worst part. 

Lando had been good.

He never looked at her like she was difficult. He didn’t act like she was hard work. When she didn’t catch onto something the first time, he just explained again. No sighing. No staring. No pretending. Things weren’t easy with him, not exactly, but they were lighter. Easier.

She sat hard on her bed and the tears came without warning; fast, silent, relentless.

She didn’t cry often. Usually she just shut down. Usually the wall slammed down before anything could spill out. But this time everything had slipped past it, and now she was sobbing, but it didn’t even feel like crying. It felt like her whole nervous system had shattered.

A knock at the door.

“Amelia?” her mum’s voice, soft. “We just got back. Can I come in?”

She didn’t answer. Just turned her face away and wiped at it, even though the tears kept falling. Her skin was already stinging. Her chest was tight.

The door creaked open.

“I’m not upset,” Amelia said fast, panicked. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t know why I feel like this. No. I do. I do. I just don’t know what to do with it. And I don’t want to talk about it—except I do. I do, I just—” She broke off, swallowing hard.

Her mum sat on the edge of the bed, calm. Grounding.

“I went out with Lando today,” Amelia said, too fast. “To play golf. His idea. He said we should do something fun. So I did. And it was fun. I didn’t freak out or embarrass myself. I didn’t ruin it. I didn’t ruin it.”

She dug her nails into her palms. Her face was blotchy and sore.

“He makes me feel normal,” she whispered. “Not small. Not like a problem. Just… me. And now I don’t know what I feel. I think I want him to be my friend. Or maybe something else. I don’t know. And I don’t want to know, because it doesn’t matter.”

“Why doesn’t it matter?” Her mum asked calmly.

Amelia blinked at her, and then, like someone flicked a switch, the anger surged. Hot and fast, like a fever.

“Because of Dad,” she spat. “Because he thinks that it would be a distraction. Because he thinks I’ll screw everything up just by being around. Like I’m some walking disease that’s gonna infect Lando’s entire career. I know that’s what he’s worried about the most.”

She was breathing too fast. Her limbs were twitching now, hands clenching and unclenching.

“I don’t have friends,” she said. “You know that. I’ve never had friends. Not ones that stay. I get too intense. Too blunt. Too weird. Too tired. And people always stop trying.”Her voice cracked. Her throat burned. “But Lando didn’t stop. He hasn’t stopped. And it’s still not enough. I still don’t get to have this one good thing without it turning into a problem.”

The sobs came back, messy and loud this time. She stood up too fast, swaying. Her hands started moving uncontrollably at her sides; jerky, uncoordinated. A warning sign. The meltdown was building and she couldn’t stop it, could never stop it. 

Her mum stood too, moving slow, blocking her path without touching her.

“Okay, sweetheart. You don’t have to think about any of that right now.” Her mom’s attempts to comfort her were useless against the onslaught of emotions she was feeling. 

“I’m so angry,” Amelia choked out. “I finally feel calm, I finally feel seen, and it’s not allowed. I’m not allowed to want something or feel something if it’s inconvenient for anyone else!”

She was trembling now. Her skin felt wrong. Her body wasn’t hers anymore. She wanted to rip it off. She wanted to scream and break things. Instead, she clenched her fists and shook and shook and shook.

“Do you want me to get your things?” her mum asked, voice calm, anchoring.

Amelia nodded hard. “Yes. My weighted blanket. And the golf ball. It’s in my bag. Lando bought it for me and I want to hold it. It’s yellow.”

“I’ll get everything,” her mum said gently.

“I’m not doing this on purpose,” Amelia shouted, the volume jarring even to herself. “I’m trying so hard. All the time. I’m always trying.”

“I know,” her mum said. “And I’m proud of you. Every day.”

Amelia slid to the floor. Her body folded in on itself, hands clawed into her sleeves, breathing uneven.

The noise in her head kept rising.

Usually, this was when she wanted her dad. Wanted him to sit next to her. Watch a race in silence. Be there without asking anything of her.

But not now.

Now, all she wanted was for him to stay far, far away.

— 

It was almost midnight.

Her room was quiet now; weighted blanket pulled up to her chest, lights off, only the soft blue glow of her phone screen lighting her face. The golf ball sat in her right hand, warm from where she’d been holding it for hours. She kept rolling it between her fingers, feeling the small ridges, the smoothness. Grounding.

She had stopped shaking, but her body was aching like one big bruised muscle. 

She stared at the message thread with Lando, her thumb hovering, retreating, hovering again.

She didn’t know what to say.

Everything in her head still felt too big. Too messy. But the quiet between them was worse. Not bad, not uncomfortable, just... unfamiliar. She wanted to talk to him. 

Finally, she started typing. 

— 

iMessage — 10:11pm

Amelia I didn’t enjoy golf very much. But I liked being with you. Thank you for inviting me.

Lando Norris I’m glad you came anyway We had fun though, right? I had fun :)

Amelia Yes, I had fun. It was confusing. But in a good way. I liked learning something new.

Lando Norris I liked today too You were kind of great We should do more new things together. Just us

Amelia Maybe. I feel strange tonight. My head is a bit loud.

Lando Norris That’s alright

Amelia Do you think if I asked you questions about your Formula Three races… you would answer them?

Lando Norris Absolutely I’d love that Haven’t talked about F3 in ages Might be nice to remember

Amelia Okay. What did it feel like the first time you won?

Lando Norris Like my hands knew before I did Like the whole world stopped for one second so I could catch up It felt… right. Like I was exactly where I was supposed to be ya know 

Amelia Oh

Lando Norris: You okay?

Amelia: I forgot all the questions I had for you. Sorry.

Lando Norris That’s okay. Don’t worry. Your brain’s probably sleepy. It’s late Are you tired?

Amelia Yes. I got upset earlier for no reason and it’s made me tired I’ll go to sleep now. Thank you for texting me back. Goodnight.

Lando Norris You don’t have to thank me for that I like talking to you Feel better soon, yeah? Goodnight x

— 

The house was still, the kind of stillness that only came after a storm.

Tracy sat on the couch in the dark, legs curled beneath her, a half-cold mug of tea resting in her hands. She hadn’t moved since she’d come downstairs after leaving Amelia. The couch blanket was draped over her shoulders, but she still shivered slightly, not from the cold, but from the heavy weight of witnessing her daughter’s pain. 

Zak entered quietly, the door clicking shut behind him. He didn’t speak at first. Just stood in the doorway, tie loose, shoulders slumped, guilt etched deep into the lines around his eyes. After a long moment, he crossed the room and sat down beside her.

Tracy didn’t look at him. Just murmured, “She’s asleep now. I checked a minute ago.”

Zak nodded slowly. “She didn’t ask for me.”

“She didn’t want to be touched. Didn’t want help. Just needed space.” Tracy’s voice cracked, but she kept it steady. “She was barely holding on, Zak. I haven’t seen her like that in a long time.”

“I didn’t mean to make it worse,” he said too quickly. “I just… I thought I was protecting her.”

“I know you did,” Tracy replied gently.

Zak stared at the floor. “I didn’t think it would hurt her like this. I thought—” He faltered. “I thought keeping her away from Lando would keep things simple. Keep her safe. From getting hurt. Or confused. Or from people talking. From getting her hopes up.”

“You didn’t trust her,” Tracy said. Not accusing, just honest.

Zak exhaled hard. “No. I didn’t trust him.”

Tracy finally turned to look at him. “But he’s been good to her. You’ve seen that, surely.” 

“I have,” Zak admitted, tersely. 

“But it wasn’t on your terms,” Tracy said. “So you didn’t like it.”

Zak didn’t argue.

“She’s not a problem to solve, Zak. She’s our daughter. And she’s doing something incredibly brave. She’s opening up. She’s connecting. That’s huge for her.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “God, I know. I just…” He broke off, ran a hand through his hair. “Why did it have to be him? Why couldn’t it have been someone safer?”

“Because love isn’t safe,” Tracy said. “And friendship isn’t simple. And if you’re lucky enough to find someone who makes you feel okay in your skin, even just for a little while, that’s not a risk for someone like her. That’s a lifeline.”

Zak leaned back, scrubbing a hand over his face. He looked hollowed out. “I feel like I’ve completely blown it.”

“You haven’t,” Tracy said gently. “But you will if you keep pushing like this. If you keep trying to prevent something that is starting to seem pretty much inevitable.” 

Zak was quiet.

“She loves you,” Tracy added. “But she can’t keep fighting you on this. Not when she’s also fighting herself. That kind of pressure… it’ll break her.”

That landed like a stone. He blinked against the sting in his eyes and nodded, slow and tired. “Okay,” he whispered. “Yeah. Okay. Fine.”

Tracy leaned into him and kissed the rough edge of his jaw. “You’re a good father, Zak. She knows that. She’ll forgive you.”

Zak didn’t answer right away. Just stared at the dark hallway.

“She didn’t ask for me,” he said again, softer this time. Raw. Frayed.

Tracy sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. “I know, honey.”

— 

The flat was quiet, except for the hum of the fridge and the occasional thump of bass through the wall from the upstairs neighbours. Lando sat cross-legged on the sofa, eyes unfocused on the muted Rally Car stream playing on the TV. Max was in the kitchen, one sock on, microwaving some disastrous smelling leftover curry.

“You ever liked someone,” Lando said suddenly, not looking up, “so much that even the idea of them ruining your life doesn’t sound that bad?”

Max made a noise that landed somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. “Christ, mate. What brought that on?”

Lando shrugged. “Dunno. I’ve just been thinking.”

“About Amelia?” Max asked, already knowing. He padded over and dropped into the armchair opposite, bowl in his lap.

Lando exhaled slowly. “I really fucking like her. It doesn’t make sense. She’s, I mean— Jesus, I don’t know. Feels like I can breathe right around her, you know?”

Max didn’t answer right away. Just stirred the curry and watched the screen for a second. Then, gently: “Yeah. I get that. But... Come on, mate. You sure this isn’t a bit too much, too fast?”

Lando looked over. Frowned. “What do you mean?”

Max shifted, trying to find words. “It’s not just about liking someone. It’s about who she is. Like, she’s your boss’s daughter. That’s... not insignificant here.”

“I know that.” Lando bit back. 

“Okay. But do you really know what it means? If something goes wrong, if it ends, and ends messy, it’s not like you can just walk away. There’s no possibility of a clean break with her.” 

Lando was quiet, but his jaw tightened.

“I’m not trying to scare you off,” Max added quickly. “I just... I know how much you’ve worked for this. Since you were, what, six? Your whole life’s been about driving. Being the best. And now you’re closer than ever.”

“I’m not giving up racing,” Lando snapped, defensive before Max even finished.

“I didn’t say you were,” Max snapped right back at him. “I just don’t want you to stop being Lando Norris: F1 driver and become Lando Norris: the guy who fucked around with his boss’ daughter, you know?”

Lando stared down at his hands. He felt like a piece of shit as he said, “Zak’s basically said the same thing. So has my dad.”

Max nodded. “‘Cause we’re all thinking the same thing, mate.” 

Lando rubbed his hands over his face and pulled his hood up. “Maybe you’re right,” he mumbled. “Maybe this isn’t... good timing.”

Max didn’t say anything. He just went back to eating, quiet again.

And Lando hated that suddenly it felt like all of their reasons made sense.

— 

The air was different now. Cooler. Thinner. The sun still came through her window in the morning, but it didn’t cling to the walls the same way. The trees had started to shift, just barely, into that pre-autumn colour. And Amelia felt like she was holding her breath all the time. For something. For nothing.

She hadn’t spoken to Lando for days. Not since she'd sent him a photo of the coffee shop in town that had spelled her name wrong again, and all she got back was a laughing emoji. No reply. No question. Just that.

It felt like a door closing very slowly. 

She was sitting in the bay window of her bedroom, blanket around her shoulders, golf ball in one hand and her phone in the other. It was the fourth time she'd opened their chat and closed it again. The most recent messages sat there like ghosts. 

—

iMessage — 9:04am

Amelia Hope you’re not too tired from training. 

—

Read. Two days ago. No response.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, unsure what to write that wouldn’t sound… needy. Or hurt. Or desperate. God, she hated the idea of being too much. It made her skin itch. She didn’t want to become exactly what people were always assuming that she’d be.

She pressed her palms to her eyes, trying to steady her breathing, her thoughts, her everything. But it hurt in a way she didn’t understand; this slow, quiet loss. It hurt in a way she didn’t have a name for. It felt a lot like emptiness.

“Don’t spiral,” she whispered to herself, rocking gently, rhythmically. “Don’t spiral. Don’t spiral.”

But it felt like she already was.

— 

Both McLaren cars DNF’d in Belgium; the first race back after the Summer break.

She’d written it down two hours before lights out — in the margin of an old notebook, under a page of technical notes she hadn’t meant to be looking at anymore. The exact reason. The probable lap. A strange little instinct that curled in her gut and told her today’s not going to go the way they want it to.

She closed the notebook and put it back in the drawer, and told herself it didn’t matter.

Nobody would ever know. Nobody would ever ask. Because she wasn’t in the garage. Wasn’t in the paddock. Wasn’t even watching from the hospitality suite like she always did, like clockwork.

She was in Woking. In her bedroom. As far from Lando’s garage, from the paddock, as she could possibly be.

And on the TV, when the Sky Sports commentator mentioned her absence like it was some small anomaly (“No sign of Amelia Brown in Norris’ McLaren garage today. Odd, considering she rarely misses a weekend”) she didn’t feel flattered or seen or missed.

She felt sick.

Like the air got thinner the second they said her name.

So she turned it off.

Just like that.

The screen went dark. The sound cut out. And for the first time in ten years, she didn’t watch the entire race.

Not because she didn’t want to. 

But because it hurt too much.

NEXT CHAPTER

[yandere-daze]

I promised I would do it and now that I've finished reading Death Note, here are some of my thought on Yandere Light ^^

While writing this, it moreso turned into a scenario told in bulletpoints rather than headcanons. I hope you have fun reading! I'm more than happy to talk about it or answer any questions you might have after reading!

gn reader

2.6k words

cw yandere, manipulation, isolation, stalking but not exactly by Light himself?, kidnapping (mentioned)

Yandere! Light Yagami Headcanons / Scenario

I believe Light would be a very fascinating case of a yandere as he would both be very intense and controlling while still keeping that side of himself very well hidden from you and the general public. You wouldn't notice anything off about him until it is already too late (if you would ever notice it at all)

When Light first fell in love with you it came as a complete surprise to him. Never in his life has he ever loved anyone before so these strange warm feelings he got whenever he looked at you caught him off-guard and made him feel a bit uneasy.

He was obviously intelligent enough to quickly figure out just what exactly these feelings meant and at first, he wasn't very pleased with these new circumstances. To him, romance was simply a distraction from his greater goals for the world, an unnecessary nuisance, and something that was quite frankly beneath him.

He convinced himself that he had no time or real desire for a relationship so for the next few days and even weeks, he tried his best to suppress these pesky feelings he has developed for you. He tried to keep his distance from you and if you were somehow forced to interact he would do the bare minimum of keeping up appearances. Polite smiles and meaningless small talk were all you were getting from him. Everything was perfectly normal.

At first, Light had thought that staying away from you like this was a smart idea. Feelings were supposed to fade away into nothingness if you never interacted with your object of affection and he was counting on that. If he only let go of this silly delusion of a loving relationship with you, everything would go back to normal soon enough.

But quickly Light found that his approach was starting to backfire pretty spectacularly. The more he forced himself to stay away from you, the more he found himself lying awake at night, his thoughts drifting off to images of you smiling at him or laying down right beside him as he wrapped his arms around you. Instead of regaining focus, he was getting even more easily distracted than before, his mind constantly wandering.

Staying away, watching you talk to and laugh with other people was slowly starting to drive him insane and so he decided that he would need to change tactics. If his love for you wasn't dwindling then he must do everything in his power to grow closer to you and finally satisfy his longing for you.

After his initial denial phase, Light would slowly worm his way into your daily life without you even noticing. Every time you saw each other somewhere, he would greet you with a charming smile and start a short conversation with you, hoping to build some rapport between the two of you. He would offer to carry your bags for you, insisting it wasn't a big deal, or invite you for a tutoring session if you were both still students. Light was at the top of his class, the brightest boy in the entire school. What reason could you possibly have to refuse?

At first, you would meet at a public place like a library or a cafe to meet up. Spending one-on-one time with you like this, even if you were only studying was strangely exhilarating for Light. Sitting across from you and watching your face scrunch up in confusion whenever you got stuck on a subject or the way your expression would brighten up with understanding after he explained a particularly difficult problem to you... These were moments he would find himself looking forward to every single time.

Slowly over time, the frequency of these study sessions would increase under the guise of needing to properly prepare for upcoming tests or exams. The location, too, would change once Light suggests studying at his home where you wouldn't be disturbed by anyone else.

Sometimes he would even pick you up at home and smirk internally whenever he heard your parents comment about what a nice, handsome young man he was. He didn't miss the way they would nudge you toward him while shooting you a knowing look and waving you off.

Of course, to grow even closer to you, he would integrate himself into your friend group. Though he didn't care for any of your friends in the slightest, it was very easy for him to connect with them due to his popularity and good looks. He was good at pretending to care for these fools if it meant he could spend even more time with you.

Naturally, he would also use his connections with your friends to learn more things about you that he could then purposefully include in a conversation during your study sessions. Light made sure to study up on any of your interests whether it was a certain band, movie, book, or anything else, just to be able to impress you with his knowledge on the matter. It was truly remarkable how many things you had in common, wasn't it?

Slowly but surely, Light became a constant presence in your life when you had been mere acquaintances a few months ago. Light picks you up in the morning, he's a permanent member of your friend group, he sits beside you in class, he invites you over to his house three times a week now to study ( though your study sessions have evolved into regular hangouts now instead of really getting any coursework done) and he's a constant conversation topic at home. ("And you two really aren't dating? What a shame, Light is such a sweet boy. I'm sure he would treat you right.")

In such a short amount of time, Light has clawed his way into your life and yet he's still not satisfied. He won't be content until he finally has you all for himself, until you're finally in his arms. And once he has you, he won't ever let go.

After growing closer to you as a friend, Light would quickly work on isolating you and becoming the sole person you rely on. These so-called friends of yours are all imbeciles, people unworthy of being in your presence.

At this point, I might as well mention that I think Yandere Light would rever and idolize you to a point but he would still want to be the one in control ultimately. You are pure of heart, someone who should be protected, and are so far above the ignorant masses. They don't deserve you. Only a god like him is worthy of owning you and he really wishes you would realize this soon. He knows what is best for you.

I actually think he wouldn't use the Death Note to isolate you and get rid of any obstacles in his path to claiming you as his, at least not yet. Early on in the story of Death Note, while the world is still largely against Kira and he is actively being investigated by the police and L, Light can't risk getting his hands dirty for something trivial like this, no matter how much he would love an efficient way to rid himself of these friends of yours, let alone the people he deems an active threat to your future relationship.

No matter how much he might yearn for you, he can't risk his greater mission of ridding the world of all criminals.

So, Light will take the subtle manipulation route. Manipulation is something he is very good at and he will not hesitate to guide your thoughts and feelings in a direction that benefits him.

He acts as a concerned friend when he tells you about the things he heard about fellow classmates. Did you know that one of your friends used to be a member of a gang? He heard that they were slipping into old habits and getting in trouble again and so he couldn't help but feel worried about you. He doesn't like you associating with someone so dangerous. He's just looking out for you, okay?

He's even worse when it comes to people he deems a romantic rival. He never runs out of negative things to say about people you show an interest in. It angers him greatly whenever he has to listen to you swoon over someone else but he knows you're just too blind to see that he's the one for you at the moment.

But no matter, Light will make sure you don't do anything stupid like going on a date with someone else. Oh, he heard that one was a total player, they would only break your heart. Your date didn't show up at all? Oh, he's so sorry to hear that. Look why don't you make the most of this evening and spend it together instead then? They were a fool to stand you up and he's going to make sure you'll forget all about them soon enough.

Never mind the fact that he had sent your date an anonymous letter threatening them to not show up or the dark secret he had found out about them would soon be exposed to everyone.

You're none the wiser about Light's secret manipulations, simply grateful for what a nice and supportive friend you have.

But being friends with you isn't enough for Light anymore. He needs to be more than that. He's already managed to isolate you from all your other friends but you just aren't falling for him fast enough. So he hatches a plan to force you to seek him out, to make you come running into his arms.

Having waited for such a long time, Light is nearing his wit's end at the fact that you aren't his yet. So just this once, he is willing to use the Death Note to get you to fully rely on him.

Quickly, he finds the name of a petty criminal who has already been released from prison and writes an entry in his notebook.

Suddenly, you start receiving strange letters at home. Twisted declarations of love sent by an unknown sender. They claimed to have been watching you for a while, waiting for you to truly notice them and fall for them as well. They describe your daily routine in great detail, indicating that they must have been following you. They promise that you won't have to wait long, that you will soon finally be together without any obstacles in the way.

The contents of the letter make a chill go down your spine and soon enough, you don't feel safe in your own home anymore. You feel watched, as if someone was just around the corner, staring at you. It was highly unnerving and soon, you would tell your best (and at this point only) friend Light about the creepy letters you've been receiving and that you had the sinking feeling that you were being watched.

Light of course showed great concern and offered to stay at your side for the entire day. He would make sure no creep would get to you as long as he was around. And sure enough, with Light around you felt safer, as if nothing could harm you anymore. You could spend the rest of your day at ease, knowing that your friend would protect you if anything were to happen.

But as soon as Light would bid you farewell after escorting you back to your home, you would feel an unsettling chill going down your spine once more as the feeling of being watched returned. You were scared again, fearing that your stalker might climb through your window and kidnap you at any moment. You barely got any sleep in the night, practically jumping out of your skin anytime you heard a loud noise outside.

Morning couldn't come soon enough, when you would see Light again and this nightmare would stop, at least until you would once more return home.

Soon enough, your mind would start associating Light's presence with the feeling of being safe and his absence with intense fear and discomfort. Parting from him would grow more difficult every single day and he was counting on that.

The same routine would continue for a few days until one day, you couldn't take it anymore. As Light moves to say goodbye to you once more in front of your house you yell in protest and hold on to his arm, making him stop in his tracks.

You explain to him that you just don't feel safe anymore at home and that his presence is the only thing that can put you at ease. You tell him that only he makes you feel safe anymore and by the end of it, you're practically pleading with him to not go, to not leave you alone. You can't handle another night being alone, without him. You needed him by his side.

It was everything Light could have hoped for and the knowledge that this was his doing fills him with smug satisfaction that he masks with a genuine smile. He's quick to agree to your request and offers you to spend the night at his home instead. You could stay in his room even and maybe you would feel more at ease, knowing that he is there with you.

Of course, you agree and true enough, sleeping in his room was the most peaceful night you had in a while. With him next to you, you could feel like you could finally relax.

"I'm here for you. Don't worry, nothing will happen to you as long as I'm here."

From then on, your life became even more impossibly intertwined with Light's. Instead of just spending the entire day with him, you would now wake up next to him, eat breakfast in his home, walk to and from school alongside him, and fall asleep curled up next to him. And you felt happy like this.

The next time your parents would ask you about your relationship with Light, you would answer that he made you feel like no one else ever has and they would congratulate you, all while saying that they always knew you two would start dating one day.

And Light? He couldn't be happier that his plan worked out. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder but forced proximity under the stress of possible death works just as fine in his opinion.

A few days later, a petty criminal would be found dead outside your old home, in their hand another twisted love letter addressed to you, clear evidence of their crime.

" My love, the wait is finally over. Finally, I get to hold you in my arms as I have always longed to. Finally, you're all mine, forever and always."

It was quickly deduced that this person must have been the one stalking you for the past few days. You were relieved that it was finally all over, that you no longer had to fear for your life. But at the same time, you were glad that it had happened for otherwise, you might have never come to realize just how much you loved Light, the person who had been your best friend for the longest time and always stood by your side when things got difficult. When others would leave you, you knew that Light would always stay.

Being led away from the crime scene by your boyfriend, walking hand-in-hand, you can't help but wonder if maybe someone else had been watching over you all this time as well. You take a last glance at the motionless body lying in front of your door, then turn back around to whisper a silent thank you towards the heavens.

Your stalker's cause of death? Why, a heart attack of course.

[xjulixred45x]

Platonic! Yandere! Posiedon (RoR) and the Child of Adamas: Trophy

This turn out so long, it's kind of a One Shot at this level. Just platonic.

Some warnings: Neutral Reader, unhealty mindset, YANDERE, heavy possesive behaviors, slight violence, objetivisation, Stockholm syndrome, heavy Angst(some comfort? But not really). The Bad Guy won.

It is no secret to anyone that Poseidon was a strange case even for the gods themselves, even for his own family.

Aside from Hades, Poseidon didn't really have any interest in forming a good relationship with his brothers growing up, and the more he developed his aggressive and volatile personality, the less initiative there was to change that on the part of Zeus and Adamas. Poseidon did not even try to change this himself, with any relationship within his family, with his nephews or nieces, for example. However, on one occasion, just one occasion, this changed.

It was quite a surprise that Adamas, of all his brothers, had finally produced an heir, Poseidon knew that he had married a Gorgon, but had treated the subject with the same indifference as always. He probably would not have attended the creature's ceremony if Hades himself had not convinced him to do so. Poseidon believed it was a waste of time. However, there was also the morbid curiosity of what kind of creature would emerge from such a…particular union.

There were two ceremonies, one for the people of Adamas, where he showed his child to everyone, proudly holding up his first offspring. And another for the family, much smaller and more private. Being that they (forced) MADE Poseidon go.

He just wanted to show up and leave, but curiosity reappeared, this time more persistently when he saw everyone crowded around the new member of the family. A look won't hurt after all.

Poseidon was prepared to see the most abominable creature possible, or a kind of mix between the Gorgon and his brother, but what he ended up encountering was much more...pleasant? And that was what surprised him the most.

The child of Adamas and his wife had brought out the best aspects of each other, he could even say that they looked a little like their grandmother, Rhea, and although they had clear signs of being their parents' child (some scales here and there, over there, birthmarks), they exuded something that no one else in the family did: innocence.

Poseidon, for the first time in thousands of years, felt interest in another living being, in protecting it, in maintaining it. A loving, harmful feeling that contaminated everything around him.

So this was love.

___________________________

reader was named by Adamas as successor to Nike, the Entity that symbolized victory, inherently linking them to their father.

Reader grew up being nurtured and loved by their family! They had good memories of it, about learning to fight with their mother, learning to use their weapons, going on expeditions with their father, and of course, visits from their uncle.

No one expected that Poseidon of all the gods would become a recurring figure in the creature's life. He put Adamas on alert and his wife was distrustful, while the reader innocently awaited his visits.

Every time Poseidon came to visit “the family of Adamas” (reader only), he brought a gift for the creature, a weapon, a pet, accessories, etc. All with his serious face, but always staring at the reader's expressions, looking into their young and curious eyes.

Adamas realized this.

A part of him was incredibly offended, after all, he was showing his child, from the moment they were born, the respect he never received. However, as the years went by, this anger turned into suspicion, and from suspicion...to concern.

There would be times when Poseidon would take the creature out of Adamas's palace (despite his denials in this regard), either to show them the ocean, to take them to Hades, or even to his castle. which was very fun for the reader! They really had no idea about the world outside of their family, so having these kinds of escapades seemed like a lot of fun, even if it bothered their father.

It was almost as if he wanted to… separate them from reader, keep them away, as if they were unworthy. And there was really no way to stop Poseidon's visits, not only because of the fights this would bring, but because he simply wouldn't allow it.

Adamas could see a strange gleam in his eyes, the gleam of a persistent predator, stalking steadily after its prey. And that worried him.

He was concerned to see how Poseidon took his baby away from their family, from what they enjoyed doing together, and tried to replicate it in a souless way. It worried him how Poseidon acted with people who even interacted with his child, it wasn't his normal aggressiveness, it was something worse, it was possessiveness, as if he were defending what he thought was his property.

And at the same time, it was the happiest Poseidon had ever seen in his entire life. He never thought se would see him smile, or that he would allow his wild 2-year-old child to play with his hair and clothes, PLAY with them, go to the beach, collect shells... When did a relationship so... sweet and sincere become so creepy, uncomfortable and undesirable?

However, there was something that Adamas and his partner had over him that Poseidon did not have, a much closer bond that he could not understand. The pride, the admiration.

Reader, even with all the time they spent with Poseidon, they couldn't stop talking about how great their father was to them, as a warrior, as a god, as a father in general. Which made the twisted feeling in Poseidon only intensify, grow darker, because for the first time, Adamas had something he wanted. And he wasn't going to get it while he was still alive.

__________________________

The reader began to take some interest in watching his father's battles around this time, it was so exciting! Seeing his father kicking the minor gods' asses, giving honor to Olympus, and the best? reader always came down to leave him the crown of laurels, declaring him the winner.

Poseidon used to just stare into the distance before, not even bothering to come many times, but now it was strange. Being able to see how Adamas and the reader laughed, they looked happy... Poseidon wanted that, he wanted to be the winner, but not in the eyes of the gods, he already had their approval and fear. He wanted to be the winner in the eyes of the reader, who would see him with the same affection and admiration as their father... who would see him as their father.

Maybe that's why he was so angry with Adamas when he stopped allowing him even in his palace... Maybe that's why he was so willing to do what he did when the time came...

________________________

To say that the reader didn't know about their father's plans would be naive, even if they didn't totally agree with his methods or what he was going to do, they believed in his philosophy, they believed in him, they understood him, and they supported him. Even if it wasn't the best decision.

They were calmer seeing that so many gods were joining their father, it gave the illusion that they were right. Of course, until they arrived with Poseidon.

It was a bittersweet feeling, reader remembered most of their best childhood moments in that palace, and now, the only reason they came was precisely to cause a war. The things one does for love...

Anyway, what the reader did not expect was what happened when they arrived...

In less than a blink…

A single attack.

And Adamas. Their teacher. Their father.

Died.

reader couldn't move, they didn't even realize when they fell to their knees at the sight of their dead, severed father, and let out a scream of pure agony. They were so engulfed in pain that they didn't even notice when Poseidon started walking towards them.

There he was, even with the blood of their father, his brother, the tyrant of the seas bowed to their level, patting them with his bloody hand on the head, staring at them again, there was not even a sign of guilt, regret or sympathy in his eyes.

Only satisfaction, because after all, he had finally won. He got what he wanted. He won his own laurel crown, His own Trophy.

_____________

The reader didn't know how much time had passed since then, they was too numb to think about it, too hurt to care.

After Adamas' attempted revolt, his elimination from history, and the subjugation of his army, the only thing left to know was what they would do with the reader. They couldn't just let them go as if nothing had happened, but they didn't want to punish them for something their father did.

So Poseidon, as expected, declared that he would be in charge of monitoring them and ensuring that they did nothing in the name of avenging Adamas (as much as they wanted to, it was not on their priority list now). Just what they needed.

Life in Poseidon's palace was silent, still, heartless really... it didn't help that Reader was so depressed at first that they wouldn't even leave their designated room for several weeks at a time.

Although Poseidon's function was to "hold" the reader, he acted more like a sincere caretaker, which made the reader feel sick every time he tried to approach them, for absolutely any reason, no matter if it was to wake them up, to talk to them or feed them, the reader could still see the blood on his hands. Feel it on their skin...

Obviously it wasn't long until Poseidon got fed up with this and started blatantly ignoring the reader's discomfort. If he said they were going to eat together, they would do it, if he said they were going to train, they would do it, he was the one who made the rules. Period.

With time, and enough submission, Poseidon began to make more demands. Have their room close to him, have the same type of clothes, that they will begin to stand out in certain areas of his interest, etc. reader could handle things up to that point, but what really broke their heart was when Poseidon demanded that they start calling him “father.”

It was like forcing broken glass down their throat.

No amount of luxuries, privileges, affection or fear could make it all worth it.

However... so many years had already passed, eons perhaps. And reader was so tired.

Tired of arguing, tired of fighting, tired of feeling drained and sad, they knew the hole they was getting into, but at this point they didn't care. Nothing mattered. Not anymore.

______________________

Poseidon was sitting, watching the fish through his window, not really thinking anything in particular until the door opened.

He honestly didn't expect to see reader, but he didn't get to say anything before they excused themselves saying that they couldn't sleep well, so he let them be. This used to happen from time to time. The reader always liked to be where the fish were. They gave them security.

Poseidon just returned to what he was doing, waiting to hear how the reader leaned back in one of the armchairs they had brought for them years ago. But he was surprised when reader addressed him instead. they didn't even say a word as they sat next to him, leaning their head on his shoulder.

Poseidon just stared at them, trying to hide his astonishment. This might be the first time since…the incident…that the reader was giving him any sort of genuine affection. It wasn't forced. It wasn't fake. Genuine. they was looking for comfort in HIM.

Poseidon only moved the reader slightly so that they were more comfortable while they watched the fish, in a comfortable silence. Poseidon was rejoicing so much that he didn't initially notice when the reader fell asleep, clinging to him. Maybe they should go to sleep...

Or better yet, maybe they can stay like this a little longer.

Shares, reblogs and comments are very welcome!

[ladyoftheflowers-witch]

Pick a pile : How can I change my World/Reality? 🌌

Pile 1: 2 of wands, The Empress.

All you need to change your world is to work backwards pile 1, it seems like you have been putting your energy into something but now you doubt yourself, it is something which binds all forms of nature together, it is also something that could lead to light or darkness. The cards are showing that you need to reconcile your contradictions, you know that light can't exist without darkness and viceversa, maybe this involves working through your shadows, fears and wishes for the future, but I feel stronger that you are stuck in something and the solution is the first idea that you had but you need to put all your imagination and productivity to it and not abondon it.

You need to start again or destroy something to create something better, try to concentrate in the whole picture insted of each and every part. Take a close look to your goals and activities, make sure you are using your energy in a wise manner. You will dominate your circunstances dispite your fears pile 1. Take the initiative, follow your heart, where does it leads you? Love it's always the answer, so if you fear failure, try to mitigate it by having more faith and confidence in yourself, don't seek for inmediate results, find useful and just causes to fight for and everything else will fall together later on.

If you follow this mindset, new ideas and opportunities are going to show to you. You will feel more eager to start your abandoned projects and actually feel happy to complete them. I feel like you are working in something that implies to reveal against the power abuse in some way, to have a strong will, and at the same time it involves art and beauty. But anything that you are working on it has the approval of Aphrodite and it assures you success as long you have the courage to initiate it.

Pile 2: 8 of pentacles, Ace of spades.

This pile it's centered in business and carrers, I think that in order for you to change your world, you need to let others help you, a collaboration or commission will benefit you, possibly with a young man that has relation with you in some way, maybe you have similar interests but you complement each other. I don't think this collaboration will be forever, but it will help you in the correct and perfect moment for you.

You have a skill that you are improving, it requires patience, deeply care and attention to the details. It has more chances to have success if you can learn everything that you can about it, so maybe you are assisting courses or studing the subject in depth. It's a hand made skill that will receive good recognition when you can finally exhibit it. With time you will gain new customers and contacts, trust in yourself because you have very good ideas and you have the discipline to achieve your desired outcomes from this.

The cards are giving two advices, one it's that you should catch up on new technologies and technologic divices and the other is that you need to concentrate in one activity, maybe you are dividing your energy in too many tasks or you have many interests and this doesn't allow you to commit to anything in depth, be carefull with that, you might loose time in vain if you don't know what you want.

This is specific, but some of you want to learn sewing and others already are fortune tellers.

Pile 3: 2 of swords, 9 of wands.

In order to change your world you must change your point of view pile 3, you are paralized, hesitating between following the dictates of your head and the impulses of your heart. You are mantaining a passive posture, but you can't avoid making a decision forever. Because of this your manifestations are not succeding, your ideas are disordered because you don't want to face reality.

Make yourself this questions: what am I feeling? Am I avoiding accepting my feelings for fear of the suffering that this may cause me? You feel like an enemy is awaiting you in every corner, but you fail to realize that you are strong, you have strenght in opposition. If you were to be attacked as you fear , the person that dares to do that will meet an onslaught boldly from your side, you are a formidable antagonist.

Don't let appearances fool you, with courage you can win and victory will surely be yours. Don't let discouragement or circumstances make you lose your inner strength. I'm wondering why you feel this way tho, maybe your worst enemy it's yourself and your fears and this is creating unnecessary delays in your manifestations. Try to see reality as a child might see it, you will find new experiences and events but only when you understand reality beyond what the senses offer you would be able to enjoy them.

Pile 4: 8 of wands, 10 of pentacles.

Before I can tell you how to change your world, tarot wants me to let you know that you are blessed by the faery realm pile 4, either literally by faerys or by an ancient ancestor, but they were watching over you since the day that you were born. I'm telling you this, because all your problems derive from not realizing how much support you have. Maybe you know by now that despite every hardship you have endured, things always seems to work in your favor; but you didn't realized why.

Maybe that is the way to change your world and reality pile 4, by realizing you have the support you need even if you don't see it with your fisical senses. This realization will encourage you to dare to take on the most unusual projects. You already have a few ideas in your head of what you want to do with your life, start acting on those, don't let negativity and confusion to take over you.

If you put all your energy, effort and constance into your goals, the cards are showing that you have all the chances to succed and you will feel at peace and happy with your results. Just make sure to take time to celebrate with your loved ones. Make that phone call, visit your family, show your love to your friends, they also love you very much, they believe in you, they also support you and feel happiness when they see you happy.

I hope you enjoyed this reading as I enjoyed writing it for you, sending love and light, yan 💫

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

After reading your post on Maleonor opinions on humans I've been wondering if she would have approved of Lilia adopting Silver had she survived. The idea of her left-hand man and childhood friend adopting the child of her worst enemy would be absolutely disgusting to her. I wouldn't be surprised if she were to use her status to get rid of Silver. If so do you think Lilia would go through with? Or would he have defied her. How would that affect their relationship? How would that have affected Silver's childhood growing up? Or his relationship with others (Malleus in particular)?

[Referencing this post!]

Assuming that everything else is changed (so Raverne is still missing, Lilia still departed on his travels to find a way to hatch a dragon’s egg, etc.) aside from Maleanor being alive… I don’t think she would be very approving of Lilia, a childhood friend and general, making the sudden decision to adopt a human infant—and not just any infant, but the son of that accursed Dawn Knight, who struck a devastating blow to her country and people. The betrayal!! The temerity!!

I’d see them having a stubborn shouting match on the subject, trying to get the other to see reason. Maleanor raining down her furious lightning while Lilia tucks and rolls, dodging each bolt. “Humans stole everything from us. Bled our land of resources, claimed countless lives… yet you dare to stand before me and defend the spawn of our greatest enemy?! As your princess, I order you to return it to where you discovered it.”

Lilia tries to tell her he understands why she feels this way, that he knows just how much Briarland has suffered at the hands of humans…! But the longer he talks, the more confused and frustrated with himself he becomes. Why is he trying so hard to protect this child he doesn’t know? What has changed these past several decades? Traveling Twisted Wonderland, experiencing new people and cultures… all the love and happiness a unified world bring. And finally, Lilia realizes. Raverne, my friend. Is this what you felt all those times? Telling me of the humans and the importance of understanding them, safeguarding that enrollment letter for that school. It was all for this future you hoped for and dreamed of.

“Maleanor!!” he’d yell over her thunder. “You know as well as I do that Raverne would have wanted the relationship between fae and humans to heal. He wouldn’t… he wouldn’t abandon this child, deny it the chance to live with love. To do so would make us no better than Heinrick, who sought to part you and Malleus. Please, Maleanor.”

“You would use my own husband’s name against me?!” But, deep down, she knows he speaks the truth. Maleanor has always known her beloved to be a kind, peaceful man. Water to temper her fire. And she falters. “… Tell me, Lilia. For what reason do you fight so stringently for a creature so pathetic so weak, as to require your protection at its age?”

“Hard to say. I don’t fully understand it myself. Parenthood isn’t my forte, you know that. I guess… people are just willing to do crazy things in the name of love.”

So I think Maleanor could begrudgingly be convinced to allow Lilia to adopt + raise Silver, but she won’t exactly be happy about it. I see her eyeing baby!Silver with suspicion or even expecting “it” to grow up into another killing machine like its biological father. Maybe initially her relationship with Lilia is strained too, as he now has to devote more time to raising the kid. (A little jealousy??) As Silver grows up… I see them adopting more of an Aurora-Maleficent dynamic from the Maleficent films. In other words, Silver becomes fond of the visiting Maleanor and treats her like an auntie or family friend. Running up to her, grabbing her robes, giving her things he picked up on the forest floor. She frowns and tries to shoo him away—she just wanted to enjoy the shade of this tree while observing him from a comfortable distance away, not PLAY!! It would be cute if Silver called Maleanor his fairy godmother too 😭

Omg, what if??? Malleus comes out with his mom to visit Lilia and he’s able to meet Silver (while Sebek happens to be over)?? Then the kids get curious and start chatting. They could all be childhood friends!! Maleanor of course protests at first and gets too heated when reminding Malleus to exert his nobility as a Draconia and future ruler or Briar Valley… With enough time and whittling, I’m sure she can be turned back around on his matter too—it just may take a while.

cbjsbsjejkwe This ended up very much sounding like how Baur interacts with his mixed grandchildren.

[magnus-marmot]

Transmutations in TMAGP

Since most of the incidents deal with change and transformation, I'd like to collect my thoughts on their nature in one post. So I'll be explaining some ideas on the alchemical processes taking place. First I'll explain a (relatively) simple Tria Prima model, and then I'll try to break down some processes and symbolism we see in the show. This will be really long, like excessively long. Look, I'll throw in some nice alchemy pictures to make it more palatable. Feel free to skip the Tria Prima part if you've been reading my previous theories, I'm not really covering anything new in that.

Transmutations broken down with the Tria Prima

I think the most simple way to view it would be with the Tria Prima. Many of you are probably aware of the Body/Mind/Soul division, and while it's extremely simplistic, it actually works for us here.

From Alchymia complementum (1630)

We have the Body, or the Salt 🜔, which is the core, the physical shell, the metaphorical earth that the change is inflicted upon. In an alchemical transmutation, Salt must first be separated from the volatile components by burning or decomposition, and in the end they are brought back together. In TMAGP, Salt would be the physical, grounded part, such as a human body, a Bonzo suit or a creepy toy. You can think of it as a vessel.

Then we have the Mind, or the Mercury ☿. This is trickier to break down because the alchemists saw it as so many different things, but you can think of it as the essence. Not just the essence of the subject, but of everything. It's the malleable and volatile part of the subject, but it's also the intangible thoughts, concepts and archetypes in the collective unconscious, the metaphorical water or air that flows through everything. It's both the prima materia and the dissolving principle. In TMAGP, this would be the the changing ideas and beliefs around a concept, most recently demonstrated in how Henrich Unheimlich came to be, but you can see it in a lot of the cases. It's why all the supernatural phenomena reflect not only fears but also expectations and other strong feelings. Why the lack of clocks and purpose creates timeless liminal spaces, why the fear and reverence given to Bonzo made him what he is. It's what the Archivist uses as a fuel for its human transmutations and what the Magnus Institute tried to tap into for their Magnum Opus.

And finally we have the Soul, or the Sulphur 🜍, which seems to confuse people the most because of what we usually think of as the "soul". It's not the entirety of a human psyche, just the active, conscious and feeling part. But it's also the soul of all matter, in that it gives them life and allows active change. It's the metaphorical fire. Alchemists thought that Sulphur can be used to coagulate Mercury, to give it form. In TMAGP, Sulphur would be the catalyst that initiates the transmutation. It can be literal fire (like what possibly created Heinrich Unheimlich), or just a metaphorical fire, such as the violent act that gave birth to Bonzo.

From Hermaphroditic Child

There are also clearly two types of transmutations in the show. First we have the active ones, caused by fire or intent. Then we have the passive ones, caused by slow dissolution and characterised by coldness. These mirror the active (Celestial Nitre or Sol) and passive (Celestial Salt or Luna) principles of alchemy. It also evokes solve et coagula, where all matter is constantly dissolved and coagulated. As alluded to before, Mercury is what dissolves and Sulphur is what coagulates, and their purified counterparts in Luna and Sol form a harmonious unity when brought together. Which brings them back to their Salt.

A lot of the cases can be broken down into Salt/Mecury/Sulphur, but it's not an entirely clean model because many of the transmutations go wrong or are incomplete. Next I'll try to break down the actual processes based on some common symbolism and what we're given in the show.

Transmutation stages and common symbolism

For this I'll assume the most basic version of the Great Work, which consists of three stages: nigredo, albedo and rubedo. There are loads of different stages and processes, but they generally fall under these three. The cases in TMAGP rarely involve the entire process, and some are clearer than others.

From Pretiosissimum Donum Dei (1475)

Sealed vessels

First of all, I've noticed that a lot of these transmutations take place in a sealed vessel of some kind, much like they do in alchemy. This can be anything from a Bonzo suit to a closed Victorian carriage, a coffin, a locked room (such as a prison cell, a lock museum, a room in a reptile emporium, a virtually made zoom call room, the Archivist's office), a closed off liminal space (like a secret garden with no exit, a pier enveloped in fog, a brutalist building trapped in a void), or even a human body (like in Alice's dream, like alnewman's thigh, or like Herr Schmidt's brain).

Nigredo (blackening)

The stage where matter is broken down, burned or decomposed. Transformation can only occur once the old has been reduced to ashes so that something new can be born from it. Spiritually it involves ego death, stripping down the conscious thought and dissolving into the unconscious. Common symbolism/imagery include death, corpses, skeletons, dismemberment, rot, toads (ie. the decomposing prima materia), crows, ravens, Saturn/lead, darkness/night, indistinguishable black mass (massa confusa), flooding, drowning (especially of the king), eclipse, the green lion (=mercury) swallowing the sun.

From Philosophia Reformata (1622), coloured by Adam McLean

Here are some examples I've found in TMAGP:

Calcination or decomposing matter with heat (either open fire or a more subdued, natural heat). While there are cases with proper fire, heat seems to be the important factor here. In her dream, Alice describes the unbearable heat that envelops her when she's stuck inside her heart. We also get the exterminator at the reptile shop complaining about the heat when she's stuck in the room with an infection (=decomposing flesh), Lady Mowbray's caterer is cooking with high heat when his experience begins, Magnus mentions the unreasonably warm weather when he encounters the carriage, Menke was "sweating buckets" in the Bonzo suit, Mrs. Locke keeps forgetting to get someone to turn the heater off, and so on. Heat is what begins the transmutation process in these cases.

Dissolution into the mercurial waters. This is usually what drowning signifies in the alchemical imagery, and also what I think it signifies in TMAGP. Especially the drowning of the old king, which we're straight up given in the lock museum. Bonus points to the pest control lady who was about to be drowned in snakes, an extremely common symbol for Mercury. We also have the tech review guy speaking about the screen dissolving, and one of the transcripts has an instance of the Archivist dissolving into the wind. (No one can convince me that these word choices are coincidental.) And then we get some dissolving egos. The guy with his cursed dice seems to be losing his identity and starts seeing himself only as an archetype of a stranger who tricks people into rolling the dice, and poor Kyla's ego was dissolved into the emergent mind of Liverpool. We also have several cases of people who get lost in liminal spaces (such as the pier or the service station, even the custodian at Hilltop) and then get their identities dissolved. I don't think it's a coincidence that this happens at liminal locations, which are very aligned with the concept of Mercury. Especially if there's an element of water present. These themes are also usually accompanied by mentions of coldness, which tracks with Mercury's properties being wet and cold.

From Splendor solis, coloured by Adam McLean

Descending or entering a dark space, both of which align with the idea of descending into the collective unconscious or the "dark night of the soul". The darkness is pretty straight-forward. It's the violinist getting lost in the dark woods, Doctor Webber entering the dark garden, Patricia repeatedly talking about being in a dark space/world with her baby. The descent is more incidental, but I'm keeping an eye out for patterns. For example, the old couple had to descend to enter the lock museum, the food critic descended the alleyway to Hungry Man's Grill, a lot of descending into basements. It's a recurring theme but could be meaningless.

Infections or putrefaction, or the literal decomposition of living matter. We've got our fair share on the account of this being a horror podcast, but this should be seen as a transitory stage in a transformation. Some good examples include Dr. Webber's body breaking down and decomposing to give way to his new plant self, or Alesis's body becoming paralysed and moldy to allow the coral to grow. Magnus's colleague being ingested in the carriage, Bonzo's victims putrefying inside the suit, Alice/Sam's rotting corpse in her dream, the rotting food in Hungry Man's Grill (this one seems interesting, because the restaurant seems to be stuck in the putrefaction stage and the food refuses to decompose even when the guy leaves).

Sunset as a manifestation of the green lion devouring the sun (gold dissolving into mercury), which symbolises the onset of ego death or the beginning of the blackening (or the night). This has been emphasised in two cases. Firstly, the crypto bro from ep. 13 looks at the sun setting behind the sea (=Mercury) twice when making decisions on the trading app, and secondly, Lady Mowbray's hunt begins when the sunset colours everything crimson. Both of which are pivotal moments for these characters' personal transformation.

From the Rosarium Philosophorum

Albedo (whitening)

This stage marks the purification of matter through repeated washing, distillation and the like. It's where we begin to see the true essence of the prima materia and will be able to separate it from the rest. This stage is often associated with Luna, silver, or the White Elixir/Tincture. In psychology, it's where you discover and reconcile with your Shadow (or Animus/Anima) in the unconscious. Common symbolism includes doves, swans, lilies, whiteness, vibrant colours and eyes (known as the peacock's tail stage, though it's technically the transitional stage between nigredo and albedo), water of life, bathing, dawn (as in "always darkest before"), light emerging from the darkness, the queen, the moon (Luna), Anima (in the Jungian sense).

From the Mellon Collection

Some examples in TMAGP:

Purification or washing as an intentional attempt at removing impurities. Daria making adjustments to her painting in an attempt to perfect her own body. The violinist washing his hungry violin with blood in order to purify the music it produces. Alesis attempting to rid herself of her own impurities by growing a new self out of a coral (a lot of water and moonlight in that one, which fortifies the connection for me). Since purification is also often attributed to mercurial water, a lot of the water symbolism fits here too.

Colours, as seen in Daria's vibrant tattoo. Also the colours rushing into the liminal service station and the odd colours seen in the fog surrounding the pier. It's fitting, but not a very prevalent theme. Unless you count all ink, in which case it's very prevalent.

Encountering one's Shadow, which is a big theme in both TMA and here. Coming to terms with your inner darkness, fears and desires is what purification is about in spiritual alchemy. I think this is what the Archivist is doing. It's an embodiment of the Shadow, covered in eyes, here to distill and purify your fear and then project it back to you (killing you in the process). Although it's up to debate whether it feeds on the purified, distilled fear or the impurities left behind, it does leave something to be coagulated into the physical manifestation. (It's also worth noting that the compulsion has a lot of water imagery attached to it in the transcripts, things like "the dam breaks", "words gush out", "pouring out of her unstoppably like a river". And just to be extra clear, rain, dew, seas and rivers are all common symbols for Mercury.) Other than that, there are plenty of doubles or reflections in the show. We've got Darrien and his alternate darker self, the Millenium Dome construction worker's clone, Herr Schmidt's actual Anima crying to be let out of his brain, the horror blogger seeing his traumatic memories projected onto the big screen, Dr. Webber encountering his late wife in the garden, Alesis meeting her Piece in a dream, the list goes on. The important part for purification is the acceptance or healthy integration of the Shadow, which usually takes a twisted turn in TMAGP.

Dreams are often attributed to Luna, and they function as a link to the subconscious. In TMAGP, many of the dreams are linked to an epiphany, though it's not always a purifying one. Especially on the TMA side. Though I think the tech reviewer's meditation in the locked room could be seen as a form of purification. I think dreams and meditation have a wider metaphysical effect that I won't go into here.

The queen or the mother would go more into discussions on characters than processes, but I'll mention it here anyway since the albedo stage is most often equated with Luna and the emergence of the queen. We've got a couple of mothers, most notably Patricia (probably not Rupey's real mother but anyway) who's feeding her baby with her own blood (this is often symbolised by a pelican which were believed to bite their own chests to feed their young). Alesis is also very nurturing, and her entire case screams lunar symbolism. And the most obvious queen would be Lady Mowbray, who's described as a matriarch. But the most interesting one of all is our very own Celia, who fits the lunar archetypes of motherhood, secrets and deception to a T.

From the Ulrich Ruosch Manuscript

Light in the dark is pretty straightforward. Patricia describes Rupey as bringing light to her dark world, in the Hilltop custodian's memories there's a sudden light coming from one of the shops in the dark shopping centre, the computer monitor sheds light into the dark zoom room, the ritual Sam witnessed radiates yellow light into the dark. (Though the yellow makes it more in line with the citrinitas or yellowing stage, which is specifically the solar light shining through instead of the lunar reflection. It's a frequently forgotten stage with little direct symbolism so I thought it would make more sense to omit it, but just know that depictions of sunrise or yellow light might lean towards the citrinitas stage between albedo and rubedo.)

Rubedo (reddening)

The final stage marks the completion of the Work and the emergence of the Philosopher's Stone. It includes the conjunction of the opposites and the coagulation of the ultima materia. In psychology, it involves the integration of the unconscious and the ego into a singular self. Common symbolism for the reddening includes a phoenix, the king, a crown, the sun (Sol), gold, red or purple dye, red roses or poppies, blood, trees (specifically the Philosopher's tree) and lions. The union of the opposites (Sulphur and Mercury, silver and gold, Animus and Anima etc.) is symbolised by a marriage of the king and queen, sun and moon, red and white flower, two lions fighting, a lion (sun) devouring a serpent (moon), procreation, and so on.

From The Twelve Keys of Basil Valentine

Examples in TMAGP:

The union of opposites is a continuation of encountering one's Shadow, and sometimes this part is counted into albedo (or citrinitas) as well. But the conjunction can only happen once you've separated and purified the components, or made peace with them. Dr. Webber is unified with his late wife (queen) in the garden, and the two are coagulated into one tree. In Alice's dream, she's also unified with her late husband (king) into the same body, though the process is incomplete and has to begin again (probably because she's not able to perform the separation, which is thematically fitting and painful for my soul). The conjunction is also present in the union of Sulphur and Mercury (or their purified versions Sol and Luna), which I discussed in the Tria Prima section. And I currently think it's also what Fr3-d1 or the entity inhabiting it is trying to do with the data it's collecting.

Blood and dye, which are symbolic of the liquids that give the Stone its crimson color. Lots of blood to go around, but the most relevant case would once again be the violin and the blood that purifies it. Purple dye reminds me of one case alone, and it's notable that the more purple paint there was on Bonzo's cards, the more present he became. It's not entirely clear to me when Bonzo actualised into what he is now, so it's difficult to say whether that was intentional. Though the episode was written by Alex, which means I'm much more willing to read intentional alchemy symbolism into it.

Devouring is big in alchemical iconography, and it's big in TMAGP too. We've got masses of people biting into each other (the violinist's audience and the hungry non-people in the service station), obviously Bonzo eating people (and letters), Lady Mowbray's cannibal party, little German kid eating a mum sandwich, demon baby eating his "mum" just cause (bringing us back to purification with blood), and Hungry Man's Grill which we can't prove isn't serving human meat. Either way, it's often used as a metaphor for the conjunction.

Trees have also only popped up twice (as far as I recall), but in compelling cases. First is Dr. Webber, who by now has gone through all the stages. Second is Newton's Arbor Philosophorum, which is usually formed with Mercury or Silver. He feeds its fruit to his dog (another act of devouring and union), who begins to grow into a tree itself. Newton truly was on the precipice of something.

From the Twelve Keys of Basil Valentine

Conclusion

Whew, I'm never writing something like this again [bzzt]. If you read this far, wow. I'm impressed, and I appreciate you. Did the pictures help? Or make it worse? Let me know.

PS. I recognise that I might be drawing parallels where there are none, but that's what I do. I hope you got something out of it. Also do not ask me what's up with Needles. I have no idea what to make of him.

[seonghrtz]

𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐉𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐘.

synopsis: gojo accidentally hurts megumi.

The last thing Fushiguro Megumi wanted was to spend the weekend with Gojo Satoru.

Since he and Tsumiki had not only been taken in by the strongest wizard of the generation, but also by you, Megumi believed that he would somehow see you more than Gojo. However, his wish was never fulfilled when he had to stay in Tokyo with Gojo. But even so, he still had his weekends away from Satoru's craziness, basking in the comfort of your simple life ⸻ the complete opposite of Gojo's extravagance.

These were moments he cherished, not least because the peace you radiated was so much more comforting than the chaos that was Gojo Satoru. The afternoons he spent quietly reading his favorite books, most of which were gifts from you, or even watching documentaries on animal life by your side were the only routine Megumi had during the weekends. Were the only routine Megumi wanted during the weekends.

However, due to recent events, Gojo seemed to be drawn to you and was always trying to be near you ⸻ which certainly didn't please Megumi at all, since what he wanted was distance from Gojo.

But as long as you were there, Megumi would at least try to enjoy the time he had in the midst of all the chaos.

Only Megumi had never imagined that he would have to spend so much time with Gojo when the sorcerer suggested that he start training to control his cursed energy.

Gojo was not good at teaching, he had no experience as a teacher and his explanations were always confusing and lacked any line of reasoning, he would easily get lost in his own words. Megumi had to decipher what Gojo meant if you didn't intervene with a clear and coherent explanation.

You were sitting on the floor in front of a small table between the sofa and the TV in Gojo's apartment, helping Tsumiki with a school assignment while Gojo and Megumi used the rest of the space in the living room to "train". Initially, they had suggested that they train outside, but the uncertain weather (and Megumi's reluctance to leave the penthouse alone with Gojo) didn't seem to help. So Gojo thought this would be a good idea.

Key words: Thought.

It turns out that not everything works out the way we imagine. And sometimes the universe throws us a curveball so that our original plans don't work out, no matter how hard we try.

And that's how Gojo ended up accidentally hurting Megumi during that "training" session.

When you least expected it, you heard a small moan of pain and looked in the direction of Gojo and Megumi to see little Fushiguro lying on the floor, writhing in pain and Satoru desperately trying to help the boy.

"Megumi!" You quickly got up from where you were with Tsumiki and ran towards Megumi, trying to help him "What happened, Gojo?"

"Aah, well... I tried to teach him how to defend himself and then I thought he would actually defend himself but that wasn't the case..."

"Why are you teaching Megumi to fight, I thought you only wanted to help him with his cursed energy." You took Megumi on your lap, protecting him from a non-existent threat.

“Megumi can see curses, I just thought it might be useful to teach him how to fight first."

"He's only six.”

"But he was the one who said he wanted to learn to fight. And it was you who told me to encourage him!" Gojo said in his defense.

"But Gojo, you're a little... too strong."

"You think I'm strong?" Gojo smiled sideways as he stared at you through the dark lenses of his sunglasses.

"Don't change the subject!" You quickly rebuked him, "What I mean is that you have a much deeper knowledge of the Jujutsu Society and you understand their cursed technique, and that's one of the factors that makes you strong."

"I think you're the one changing the subject!" Gojo laughed.

"I was explaining myself." You rolled your eyes, "You don't need to rush into training him yet." You held Megumi and carried him on your lap.

"Where are you going?" Gojo asked as he watched you leave the room.

"Megumi's room.”

Megumi had never thought that he would (mentally) thank Gojo for hurting him.

The longed-for peace of his weekend had returned. Now, you sat next to him on the bed and read his favorite book while Gojo helped Tsumiki with her schoolwork.

"I think I better go and prepare lunch..." You said and looked at the clock on Megumi's bedside table.

"Can I watch TV?" Megumi asked.

"Of course you can, you don't have to ask permission." You ran your hand through Megumi's hair, messing up the unruly strands even more. Megumi hated it when Gojo did that, but with you it was different, he kinda liked it.

Megumi went into the living room and sat down next to Tsumiki who was watching a cartoon on the TV, apparently she had already finished her work.

After a while, when the smell of your food began to invade Gojo's apartment, Megumi got up from the sofa and went into the kitchen to watch you and Gojo cooking.

"Megumi!" You called, startled by the boy's sudden presence in the kitchen. "Is something wrong? Do you need something?" You bent down to his height and put your hand on his shoulder, looking for any sign that he might be hurt.

Megumi looked at you with bored eyes and just nodded, but at a glance, he noticed Gojo standing behind you with an indecipherable expression.

Megumi had noticed for a while that Gojo's behavior around you was completely different. He was still the same idiot as always, but he became even more idiotic when he tried to do things to get your attention. Not to mention that he always got annoyed when you didn't give a damn about the things he was doing ⸻ which was quite common.

It was quite clear that Gojo admired you and apparently always sought your approval. In a way, Megumi didn't judge him so much because that would have been hypocritical of him. Even as a child, he understood that you were cool and he admired you and sought your approval. It was great to get a compliment from you.

But Megumi thought it was more than admiration and seeking approval that Gojo wanted from you. He just couldn't say what it was.

"Oh, are you hungry?" You asked Megumi who nodded, "Lunch is ready, I'll just put it on the table." Your lips lifted slightly at the corner of your mouth and you stood up to get the plates and cutlery "Gojo, go tell Tsumiki that lunch is ready.

Gojo nodded and walked past Megumi, staring at him.

You set the lunch table and sat down in your usual chair. However, Megumi, who usually sat opposite you and next to Tsumiki, surprised you by sitting next to you. You looked at the boy, who just looked back at you and shrugged.

When Gojo returned with Tsumiki, he stared at Megumi under his sunglasses and took a deep breath.

Gojo sat down in the chair where Megumi used to sit and ate his lunch in silence, something that was not in his nature.

After lunch, when you and Satoru were clearing the table, you felt something tugging at your blouse and when you turned around, you saw Megumi and Tsumiki looking at you expectantly.

"What happened?"

"We wanted to watch a movie!" Tsumiki smiled.

"Ah..." You looked at the children and then at Gojo, "You don't have to ask permission to do things..." You said confused.

"We wanted to watch a movie with everyone, like when we watched Barbie," Tsumiki said, clarifying the situation.

"Got it..." You mumbled understandingly, "Well, when we finish cleaning up the kitchen, we'll watch the movie. Why don't you choose the movie in the meantime? It would be nice if Megumi chooses it this time, since you did it last time..."

"Good idea!" Tsumiki said excitedly and pulled her brother into the living room.

"So... are you staying the night again like last time?" Gojo asked with a touch of hope.

"Probably not, I have unfinished business in Kyoto."

After tidying up the kitchen, you went into the living room and sat down on the edge of the sofa, feeling your muscles relax into the softness of the seat.

Just as Gojo was about to sit down next to you, Megumi outwitted him and sat down in the empty spot, looking at Gojo with bored eyes but a glint of conquest.

Gojo bit his lower lip hard and sat down at the other end of the sofa, bitterly accepting his defeat.

So that was it. They fought a silent battle for your attention.

A fight in which Megumi had all the advantages. And that infuriated Gojo, who certainly wouldn't let it go. Gojo Satoru was not a loser and would not lose a fight, even against a six-year-old child.

memory garden masterlist !

☆! tag list: @arminswifee . @khaleesihavilliard . @chieeeeeee . @manooffline . @shybananabagellover . @r0ckst4rjk . @sad-darksoul . @chuluoyi . @stormflysaysstuff . @arminsarlerts

© seonghrtz, 2024. all rights reserved, please do not copy / steal / translate / modify any of my works !

[juletheghoul]

Hey there! Not sure if you're still taking submissions to expand your creativity, but I'd love to see what you come up with for everyone's favorite murder daddy, Dave. You have some great Dave stories, just curious if you still vibe with him. I love the look on his face when he gets caught in a lie, how he just lets the act drop.

Ouuu I DEFINITELY still vibe with Dave, I’ve been kicking around this idea of Dave and the surrogate him and Carol hire. Thank you for this ask!

Please enjoy the (possibly first part if I am inspired enough to continue🫣)

Dave (Murder Daddy) York x F!Reader 

Pairing: David York x F!Reader

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings: **TRIGGER WARNING** NSFW 18+ INFIDELITY! (reader is a surrogate, David is married) language, Smut, PIV sex (wrap it up), dirty talk, Dave has a pregnancy kink 👀- let me know if I missed any!

(please note this is not beta'd and barely proofread)

Masterlist

-

He’s not exactly sure how to feel about the situation. Carol, his wife, is set on it though, and everything just feels easier to accept than to fight. There’s no real reason to deny her request, not unless you count the glaring fact that Dave York didn’t technically love his wife. 

He respected her, he appreciated what she brought to his life, he valued her as the perfect cover, but he never loved her. Not really. He’d made the commitment though, he’d said the words, he’d done all of the things that were expected of him as a man and husband and he’d committed. He’d even stayed faithful, he was in it for the long haul despite his lukewarm sentiments for her in the emotional department. 

When she broached the subject of children, part of him–the part that hated being tied to someone he felt nothing romantic for–rebelled. It set off warning bells and alarms about the finality of the whole thing. If they went through with this it would signify the complete intertwining of their lives. Even if in the future, for whatever reason they separated, a child would be the bonding element. The zip tie around his ankles. 

These fears, and a million more flooded his brain within seconds of her bringing up the subject, spiking his blood pressure and widening his eyes before he reigned it all in. He’d gotten his shit together though, and shifted the deer in headlights expression to a benign smile. He’d agreed with her, ignoring the cold sweat trickling down his spine. She’d gone to bed happy that night, excited to embark on the journey while he stayed up, terrified and apprehensive in the dark cavern of their room. 

He’d expected their sex-life to have a dramatic increase, he’d expected her to keep track of her cycle, to schedule their trysts according to her fertile periods and ovulation windows but she’d shocked him by suggesting a surrogate a few days after the initial talk. He’d always known her career was a priority for her, it was one of the main reasons he’d committed to her in the first place. The one characteristic they shared for real, their devotion and commitment to their respective jobs but he’d been a little taken aback at her not wanting to carry the child herself. 

“It’ll be so much easier for me, I won’t have to give birth, I won’t have to quit my job and with childcare I’ll barely be away from the office at all.” She’d said it with a toothy smile, so proud of herself for having thought of it, it had rubbed him the wrong way. Not for any of the archaic, sexist reasons you’d imagine, but he expected them both to take time off once the baby was born. He was all for her hiring someone to help should she want it but with the way she spoke, it sort of seemed like she expected their lives to continue without interruption after the baby was born. 

Despite his reluctance, despite his concerns and his general disagreement with her in how their lives would change with children, he said nothing. 

“Whatever you think is best, honey.” He’d smiled his agreeable smile and she’d accepted it happily. 

-

You almost didn’t answer the phone call, the name of the agency flashing meant another potential pregnancy and while the money was great, the emotional toll was a little more than you’d expected. You answered anyway, cursing yourself but smiling through the conversation all the same. 

With nails chewed down to the bone, and the raw edge of your t-shirt pulled until light blue strings hung like tinsel at your hip, you agreed to meet with the new couple and see how it went. 

-

The Yorks meet up with you at the coffee-shop down the street from your house. 

Carol is a lovely woman, a little manic maybe but there hasn’t been one potential mother you’ve met up with that hasn’t been. There is grace in you by the mile for her. 

Her husband, David, is another story, and it isn’t a new one–different flavour maybe. The men usually puttered around, awkward and detached while their wives took the lead. It wasn’t always a malicious, uninterested thing, you just found that sometimes it took them a little longer to connect to the idea. Once that baby was born though, they were usually just as emotional, just as invested in the whole thing. 

David isn’t so much detached, as clinical. His questions are concise, practical and intelligent. He supports his wife, even if he seems a little cold. His looks are…something to be impartial to on your part. Tall, broad, clean-cut and handsome–completely your type. Completely gorgeous in that, ‘you could be sort of dangerous’, ‘tell me what to do’ sort of way. 

You do your best to ignore the initial attraction, ignore the heavy way his eyes seem to bore into you and focus on the objective. This couple wants a baby, and you’re open for business. 

The agency called a few days after the initial meeting, congratulating you on being chosen, and a whole host of appointments lined up for check-ups, blood work and for insemination. There’s a request from the wife, Carol, though, for a private phone call before everything is to begin and you accept. 

When she calls you a few days after that, you’re taken aback by what she wants to discuss. 

“Okay, so I know this is a lot to spring on you but I was wondering if you’d be open to donating your own eggs, I know it’s usually just the surrogacy–my fertilized egg implanted and done, but I wanted to know if you’d be up for it. I would pay of course, the agency has given us the fee for the surrogacy and then I would add the fee for egg donation. You don’t have to agree right this second, and if you find you aren’t comfortable with that then I understand. Let me know once you’ve thought it through.” You can hear the smile in her voice, when she hangs up, you’re shocked. The idea of the extra money is appealing, that can't be denied but something about it gives you pause. 

You sit with it for a few days, weighing the pros and cons. The money is the biggest pro. It would be enough to finally buy the little house you’ve been dreaming of, enough for a down payment and to have a few months worth of mortgage payments. On the other hand though, there would be a child out there that is partly yours, a little girl or boy with your hands or eyes or your quirks living with another family. It’s all a little dramatic, but you always thought your children would be yours, with the love of your life. 

Your future ends up winning, and after a brief call to confirm that yes, you would be willing to donate your egg for the surrogacy, the process begins. 

-

The regiment of vitamins is insane, the shots and the fertility clinic visits are just as overwhelming as they’ve always been, despite there being no monetary aspect to worry about. You go through with it though, sometimes Carol is there with you, but mostly you go it alone. When the time comes to harvest the eggs, they end up with five. David makes his own contribution and all are fertilized. 

Carol smiles as the doctor explains the process, that there are two boys and three girls and something inside you wilts a little. She is happy, and the whole thing snowballs, what keeps you going is the thought that by this time next year you’ll be happy and living in your own home. 

They implant the first embryo, the sex of which is left to the doctor's discretion. Carol doesn’t want to know until it’s born and part of you thinks that might be for the best. It would help keep the emotional aspect of the whole thing separate. Might help to keep you objective through this whole ordeal, remember that it’s just like the other times.

This is Carol and David’s baby, not yours. 

-

The morning sickness hits a couple of weeks after the procedure and you know it took. You can feel it in your bones. You wait though, do things the right way and test at home, call for a follow up at the clinic to test thoroughly there and when the time comes they tell you what you already know. 

Carol and David send a massive gift basket to your apartment, so big you can barely lug it over to the sofa. It’s full of prenatal vitamins, treats to satisfy every craving. There’s a giftcard to a maternity store, one for a fancy local cafe, and then another one for the expensive grocery store. There’s a pregnancy pillow and soft pajamas, it’s very thoughtful and you genuinely appreciate the thought. 

Communication between you and the couple–well, Carol–is pretty consistent, David joins in on the random facetime call but you’ve accepted that he’s one of those men that only connects with the child once it's born. You push away that constant little thorn in your brain, the one that reminds you that he’s the father, and that the egg is yours.

-

Their house is a lot nicer than you’d imagined, it had to be for the amount they’re paying. 

Carol holds your arm as you walk through, even though there’s really no need. Although at twenty weeks and showing quite a bit, the baby isn’t a hindrance yet. Not in terms of getting around anyway. Hormonally however, that’s an altogether different story.

She prattles on while you eat, chattering happily about studies she’s read and the food and its beneficial properties. She speaks about nutrition and the size of the baby while you smile around your bites. 

David stares.

He barely speaks at all, a complete contrast to his wife and instead studies you as you sit there, in his house. It's a bit unnerving, intimidating and the heaviness of his gaze makes your hands tremble. There's something in his eyes that sets off those hormones you’d been battling, the ones that begged for a partner, for a man to rip your clothes off and give you the business.

Your mind gives your libido a serious talking to, all but dragging your imagination by the ear while smiling at them both. 

When the meal is over, David blessedly excuses himself, clearing the table while Carol ushers you to the sitting room sparing you from your unsavoury thoughts about a married man, about the father of the child you were carrying for them. About her husband.

“Okay tell me what you’re feeling, has the sickness gone away now?” It’s the first question she’s asked all night.

“Yes, thankfully the nausea has relaxed, I’m not throwing up as much. I’m feeling pretty good actually, despite being alone.” You smile, huffing a frustrated laugh. She tilts her head in confusion.

“Despite? Is there something you need help with? I could hire a nurse to come check in on you—“

“No no, it’s nothing like that. It’s more to do with the hormones.” You wave it away, dismissing her worries.

“Is it more supplemental? Should I get more prenatal vitamins for you?” You sigh, maybe you aren’t being clear enough.

“No, nothing like that, I have everything I need, believe me. It’s just, being single, and hormonal sucks. This is probably too much information but I’m just incredibly horny.” You laugh, half embarrassed and half amused by the expression on her face, it’s replaced with an empathetic smile.

“Oh! Oh gosh I’m sorry, yeah I can imagine that must be frustrating.” 

“It is, incredibly so. I am five months pregnant and all I want is to be fucked into my mattress you know? I’m sorry that sounds horrible—“ you cover your mouth but she waves away your concerns.

“Not at all, in the books I’ve read it’s completely normal. I’m sorry you’re going through it alone.” She pats your hand, kind above everything else.

David walks in then, broad shoulders filling out his white shirt so nicely.  There’s a tightness in his frame that gives you pause, an intensity that wasn’t there at dinner and it only highlights the loneliness, highlights the absence of a man like him in your life. There is no David waiting for you at home. 

“Would you ladies care for a coffee? Or maybe a tea for you? I’m not sure if coffee is okay–”

“I would love a coffee.” You smile, in your previous pregnancy coffee had been a no-go but luckily, this time it was something you still enjoyed. 

“How do you want it?” The question is simple, and appropriate in context, but your body can’t tell the difference, and the desire to say ‘hard’ is on the tip of your tongue. You blame the baby, and the tornado of hormones flooding your system, as well as your panties. 

“Um. Just–uh–” You flounder for a moment, mouth watering at the thought of him asking you the same question in bed, “Um.” 

“Just bring the tray with the cream and sugar, honey.” Carol smiles, oblivious to the torment. 

“Can I use the restroom?” You rise quickly, body warming, nipples hardening at the barrage of images flicking through your mind. 

“Sure, it’s just through here.” He points you in the right direction and once you close that door behind you, you let out the sigh trapped in your throat. You wipe away the arousal, annoyed with the sticky damp seat of your underwear, and splash some cold water on your face before rejoining them. The rest of the evening goes by smoothly, and once you’re home again you vow to put it out of your mind. 

-

Another basket arrives at your door a week later.

With a smile, you open the card, curious as to what Carol has sent this time since it’s wrapped up in brown paper. 

Just between you and I, 

Wish I could help. 

Enjoy, xoxo

David

His writing is neat, block letters so different from Carol's loopy script and for a moment you’re lost as to what he means. The paper rips under your fingers and what you find shocks you into frozen silence. It’s a collection of sex toys, different sizes, things that vibrate and thrust and alongside them are bottles and vials of arousal serums and lubricants. A whole menu selection of self-exploration. Your cunt clenched at the thought of using them, at the thought of him thinking about you using them. 

Your conscience chimes in, knocking down the door your libido had barricaded yourself behind and picked up your phone. WIth a shaky hand, you look through your emails and finally find his number.

“David York speaking.” He answers and his voice sends a thrill through your body, you push it away, focus on the anger that should be there.

“David, It’s-”

“I know who it is,” he sounds amused, and it only fuels the fire inside, whether it's in anger or arousal you cannot be sure, “I’m assuming you received my gift.” 

“Yes. I–I think you should come by and pick it up.” The wobble in your voice betrays you but you push through, “I am guessing by your note that Carol has no idea you’ve done this.”

“No. She doesn’t.” there is no wobble in his voice, and that only annoys you. 

“Then why?” 

“Because I heard what you said about how you’ve been feeling, the hormones, how horny you are and since I cannot fuck you myself, despite how badly I’d like to, I want you to be satisfied.” Your cunt clenches at the thought, at the knowledge that despite the way your body is changing, he still finds you attractive. Your hormones rage, they cloud the sense that screams that this is wrong, that he should not be saying these things to you. 

“It’s, um. David, this is so–inappropriate. I need you to come pick these things up, Carol wouldn’t be happy to know you’re speaking to me this way.” You take a deep breath, gathering your good sense. He’s silent on the other end, the sounds of people milling about in the background coming through and then he hums softly. 

“Understood, I’ll stop by after work.” 

“Thank you.” You hang up, and bask in the rightness of putting him in his place, even though your body screams and rebels at the loss of everything.

When your doorbell rings just before four-thirty, your heart races. He’s smiling when you open the door, the basket waiting on your table. He says nothing when you step aside for him to come in but the mistake becomes obvious when he fills your space. His eyes bore into yours and the smell of him, the crisp lines of his suit, the breadth of him clouds your brain. 

“There’s really none of this you’d like to keep?” He opens the package, pulling a little bullet out of the package, testing it against his palm before turning to you. Your heart races, your nipples harden, your cunt leaks. 

“Um. No–no I shouldn’t–”

“Shouldn’t?” He smiles, “Sort of sounds like you want to.”

“What I want makes no difference, you’re married, and I’m carrying a baby for your wife.”

“My baby. You’re carrying my baby.” He takes a step forward, “and you’re suffering, and to be honest, hearing what you said made me harder than I’ve ever been in my life.” He towers over you, stepping close enough that you have to tilt your head to keep eye contact. 

“It did?” Your conscience screams, begs you to see reason and to back away, to shove the basket at him and shut the door in his face. 

“Oh yes.” His fingertips brush against your shoulder, sliding up to curve around the column of your neck, “You just need someone to give it to you, don’t you baby?” He tightens his hold and a moan slips out, something filthy and his smile is sharp. When he presses his mouth to yours the dam breaks and you clutch at him like your life depends on it. 

He groans when he pulls your clothes off, his mouth engulfing your nipple, the gentle scrape of his teeth turning your cunt to liquid on your couch. With shaking hands you loosen his tie, shoving his shirt off as he rips your leggings down. 

“Turn around, I want you on your knees.” He moves away, leaving your nipples puffy and shiny with this spit. You swallow thickly before getting on your knees on your couch, your heart races at the sounds of him taking his clothes off, all of you a raw nerve when he presses up behind you. 

When he slips inside, the world makes sense.

His cock is perfect, thick enough to make you gasp, that tiny edge of pain amping up the pleasure. Your face dips down, pressing against your forearm on your sofa but he pulls you up, your back hitting his chest, his hips snap roughly, pulling you apart with every thrust. 

“That’s it baby, just take it–” He talks into your ear, one hand holding onto your belly possessively, and the other slipping around and when he touches you your body tightens up. The bullet is on and he presses it against your clit, shoving you into an intense orgasm. 

“That’s so good huh? Fuck you’re squeezing me so fucking tight–” He doesn’t stop his rhythm, his cock kisses your cervix as he fucks you through your peak, the vibrator making your legs shake. Your hands reach back to hold onto his hair, clutching. 

Tears slip out, his hand moves from your belly up to your breast, he pants his exertion into your ear and the pleasure builds again, ramping up until you reach down to pull his hand away, it’s too intense. 

“David–” The voice that comes out of your mouth isn’t yours, it’s some wounded, desperate animal and he laughs, swirling the bullet quicker until you scream, clenching around him hard enough that he groans and spills his own passion deep inside. 

He kisses your shoulder as you float back into your body, thumb strumming at your oversensitive nipple while the other lets the bullet go and cradles the swell of your belly. 

You feel his come when he pulls out, part of you gets horny all over again, part of you feels incredibly ashamed but it's hard to focus on it, especially when he sits back on your couch and pulls you into his lap. Wordlessly you straddle him, pressing yourself close. 

“We shouldn’t have…” You speak mostly to yourself before giving into the urge to kiss him, his tongue licks into your mouth, his hands sweep from your shoulders to your back, down to the swell of your ass, kissing you like he’s done it a million times. 

“No, we shouldn’t have, but we did, and if you give me like twenty minutes we’ll do it again.” He skims his nose against your throat, and you hate that it excites you so much you feel both your arousal and his come drip out of you. 

He stays another hour, fucks you in your bed, and again in your shower before getting dressed and leaving you sore, and more satisfied than you’ve been in years.

The basket stays. 

-

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[narislvr]

── simp!abby drabbles pt 3 ₊˚ෆ

,, cws? mention of an ankle injury but otherwise domestic fluff ౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ ──

,, abby anderson x fem!reader ♡

ᝰ.ᐟ requested by @cerise-on-top !! pt i + pt ii

₊˚ෆsimp!abby who brings you on a run with her because you wanted to show interest in her hobbies the way she did yours.

──

"y'know... I didn't really think you actually meant it when you said you'd come with me today.

but I think it's really sweet that you did."

──

The idea had come up during one of your rambles as you sat on the passenger seat of your girlfriends truck. Her hands were on the steering wheel, calloused fingers tapping away quietly to the rhythm of the song playing softly on the radio as she listened to you talk. Despite you not being much of a morning person, she always smiled as she listened to you talk about everything and anything that came to mind. Sure, it was hard to keep up with your constant changing of subjects, but she liked hearing your voice. She liked the way there were still remnants of sleepy haze in your voice as you stiffled a yawn, and the way you would drag out certain words with a gentle lilt on mornings where you would much rather be curled up in bed rather than covering an early opening shift for your hung over coworker. In general, abby found comfort in hearing your voice even if she wasn't always entirely tuned in on what you were saying.

"So.. I was thinking earlier and was wondering if I could possibly join you on your next run?"

There's a second of silence before she glances at you, brow raised slightly as she gives you a weary smile, "Babe, if this is about the thing we were talking about last time then remember that-"

"It's not about that, abbs," you reassured with a shake of your head, "I just wanted to join you, that's all. Besides, I want to partake in some of your hobbies too y'know? You're always trying out new things with me so why not I do the same for you?"

If she wasn't focused on ensuring you arrived to work safely, she would have pulled you in for a gentle kiss right then and there, her heart fluttering at your words as she instead settled for placing her right hand on your thigh and giving it a light squeeze. "You're so cute, you know that?" Is all she mumbles as she chuckles and pulls in to one of the parking spaces infront of your job. "I'd like that though. It could be fun, but you sure you're really up for that? You're not exactly much of a morning person."

You scoff, feign offense in your voice as you put your hand over hers. "You think I can't handle it or something?"

"Perhaps a bit," She quips, a sly grin on her face as she moves her hand to interwine it with yours to which you give her a playful shove with your free hand, earning playful laughter from the dirty blond haired girl.

"Jerk!"

"Loser."

Your laughter dies down after a few moments, a comforting silence enveloping you both as you sit there in the parking lot, debating whether you really wanted to go in or if you you should stay in the comfortable seat of abbys truck that had slowly began to have traces of you littered inside it.

"I should go," you finally sigh, leaning over the center console and pressing a kiss to her lips. "Think about it, alright? I'll text you when I get home. Love you," you say against her lips, smiling softly as she hums and presses yet another kiss to your lips before letting go.

──

Come saturday morning, three days after the initial conversation, abby found herself looking behind her reflection in the mirror and finding you sitting on the edge of her bed tying your shoelaces. Her hands worked away at braiding her hair, the pattern being muscle memory as she continued to watch you try and hide a yawn while you stretched your arms out.

" 's not a long run. we can walk the way to the trail and then actually start the run, how's that sound?" she asks, tying the end of the braid before turning back to face you and drapping one of her sweaters over your shoulders.

"Sounds good. Don't let me stop you from your usual stuff though, okay? I promise I'm not as unathletic as I seem," You respond, hands instantly coming up to pull the sweater over your head before making their way into abbys hands. Abby nods, taking a second to admire the sight of you in her clothes before leading the two of you out hand in hand.

Knowing your girlfriend, you kept your chatiness to a minimum as you knew that she enjoyed the quiet morning ambience that came with her morning runs.

The morning was still rather gloomy, a light fog giving an almost mystical charm to the empty campus as you walked side by side. As you neared the beginning of the trail, abby gives you a light warning, "The terrain gets a little uneven after a bit so be careful, okay? And try not to slip. Still can't believe you chose converse to run with out of anything."

You offer her a thumbs up, earning a hint of a smile as she slowly begins to set the pace. You catch up to her rather quickly as the two of you settle into a good rhythm, slower than her usual, but fast enough for the two of you to still feel a slight burn from it.

It was nice actually, not something you could see yourself doing daily like abby, but it was nice.

The cool air hit your skin, and something about the earthy smell and the sounds of quiet pants from your girlfriend was comforting. You could understand why abby enjoyed it so much, and you were glad you were able to join her for it as well.

As you neared the end of your first round, your pace gradually slowed to a halt and you found yourself leaning against your girlfriends taller frame as you caught your breath. "It wasn't so bad," you mumbled between breaths as you felt abbys body rumble with a teasing chuckle.

"Baby, if you don't think you can go another round then we can just call it a day," she suggests, wrapping one of her arms around your shoulders as you catch your breath.

"I'll be fine. Besides, I think the runners high is kicking in so we could probably go a little faster," You argue, looking up at your girlfriend and admiring the baby hairs that stuck to the sides of her face as she looked down at you. She was so effortlessly pretty no matter what she did, and you were sure you didn't look as well put together in your own out of breath and sweaty state.

"You sure?"

"Positive."

It was you who started the run this time, and you could hear a quiet laugh leave your girlfriend as she ran behind you calling out for you to 'wait up' for her. She caught up to you, tapping your shoulder with a playful grin before passing you and earning a 'hey!' from you in response as you ran faster to catch up. It was playful, strings of laughter filling the silence as you chased after eachother, and really nothing could ruin the little moment the two of you were having.

Or so you thought until your foot caught in one of the holes in the gravel trail.

Abby was still running ahead of you when it happened, so the silent hiss as you heard the small sound of a crack from your ankle went unnoticed by her until she heard the thud of you falling to your knees.

"Fuck- Babe, are you alright?" Worry etched onto her features as she quickly came to your side and inspected the ankle you were currently adding pressure too. "I should've payed more attention.. does it hurt? Curse these damn hightops your wearing.." she mumbles, tenderly untying your laces before you could respond.

"I'm okay, Abbs. I probably just rolled it or something.." you wince, causing for her to stop trying to take the shoe off. "I can walk it off, promise. We can still continue, we're so close to finishing this round!"

She knew you were just being stubborn, not wanting to seem weak or bring down abbys mood despite the visible pain in your eyes causing for her to shake her head and slowly stand up, offering her hand to you. "I'm taking you to the doctor. What? Don't look at me like that, babe. I'm just making sure it's not a fracture or anything of that sort."

against your protests, you find yourself on her back, arms wrapped around her neck as your legs wrapped loosely around her torso. "Abby, I'm heavy, I can walk the rest of the wa-"

"nope. You're out of your mind if you think I'm letting you walk. You have a jacked girlfriend for a reason, just let me do this okay? Besides, you're anything but heavy so quit saying that," She interrupts, giving you an earnest look from the corner of her eyes as she continues making her way back.

You sigh at her response and nod, feeling your heart flutter for a second before guilt begins eating at you. Of course you had to ruin such a nice moment. Sure, it wasn't entirely your fault but you couldn't help but feel bad regardless.

"What are you thinking about, pretty girl?"

Abby could sense you worrying about something so she gave your calf a gentle pat, her voice as soft as her touch as she awaited your response.

"I just feel bad. I didn't mean to ruin this. I knew you were already slowing stuff down for me, and now you have to carry me back and waste time taking me to the doctor and.. I'm just sorry," you respond, a frown on your face as you lay it on your arm.

a second of silence.

"y'know... I didn't really think you actually meant it when you said you'd come with me today."

You sink into yourself further, "I-" She hushed you again before continuing.

"but I think it's really sweet that you did. Really. I mean, you didn't have to do it but you did, and you did it because you wanted me to feel appreciated by you. No one's done that for me before. And God, you don't understand the way you showing up and even just suggesting that in the first place made me feel," She smiles to herself, a loving tone in her voice as she continued to speak. "You kept your word and tried your best. So what if we cut it off early? Sure, I hate that it was because you got hurt, but I'm genuinely just happy to be here with you. Is that making sense or is this just a sappy ramble?"

Your heart swells with adoration for your girlfriend, the pain in your ankle going unnoticed for a second as you instead relish in the warmth abbys words provide for you. You kiss the crown of her head, a lighter sigh leaving your lips as you respond. "You sappy giant..." she giggles, "I love you abby. Really.. You're too good to me, seriously."

"I could say the same about you. I love you more though."

"nu-uh."

"Does everything have to be a competition with you?" She quips looking up at you with a warm smile.

"Yep." You chirp in reaponse..

She chuckles, fishing her keys out from her jacket as they reached the parking lot with her familiar gray vehicle.

"Just wait till your ankles better, I'll show you just how much more I do."

──

[mysticinsightstarot]

♧PAC : 🔞 NSFW THOUGHTS OF YOUR FS♧

🔥 Welcome to Our Spicy Pick-A-Card NSFW Reading! 🔥

Hello, beautiful souls! 🌟 Today, we’re diving deep into the steamy and sensual thoughts your future spouse has about you. This pick-a-card reading is designed to give you a glimpse into their most intimate fantasies and desires—so, get ready to feel the heat 🔥💋.

✨ How to Pick Your Pile:

Take a deep breath and clear your mind.

Focus on your energy and intentions.

Look at the three piles below, represented by different images.

Trust your intuition to guide you to the pile that calls out the most.

Once you've chosen, click on your pile and dive into the details of your future spouse’s fantasies 😏.

Pile 1: (Image of a Softly Lit Candlelit Room 🕯️)

Pile 2: (Image of a Dimly Lit Room with Shadows 🌑)

Pile 3: (Image of a Couple Silhouetted in the Moonlight 🌙)

👉 Special Offer: Bring in 3 Paid Clients and Get a FREE Reading!

Refer 3 clients who book paid readings with us, and you’ll receive any one of our paid readings FREE! 🎉

Your referral code is SunSera3_(your name)—make sure your referred clients mention this code at checkout for the offer to be valid.

Spread the word and enjoy a complimentary reading on us once your referrals are confirmed!

Visit our website for more details and readings: https://sunseratarotcommunity.wordpress.com

⚠️ Disclaimer: This reading is for entertainment purposes only. It’s meant to give you insight and guidance, but remember, the future is fluid and subject to change. We encourage you to use these readings as a tool for reflection and self-awareness, but always trust your own judgment and intuition in all matters. Must be 18 or older to engage with NSFW content.

Happy picking, and we hope your pile reveals everything you're curious about 😉💖!

Pile 1

Pile 2 > Pile 3

💋 Pile 1: NSFW Thoughts of Your Future Spouse 💋

Card 1 – Initial Attraction (6 of Swords): When they first saw you, babe, it wasn’t just your looks—it was your aura. You’re like this mysterious, calming presence that they can’t get out of their head 🌊🖤. They love that you seem chill on the surface, but they know there's something darker and deeper underneath. They fantasize about those private, sensual moments where they get to break through that calm exterior and find out exactly what gets you wild. They want to take you from that peaceful state to one where you’re both completely consumed by each other 💫. It’s that vibe of “I’ll take you away from your everyday life and into a world where it’s just us, and nothing else matters.”

Card 2 – Secret Desires (3 of Pentacles + The Tower): 👀 Listen, their secret desires? Let’s just say they need to shake things up with you. The 3 of Pentacles? Oh, honey, they’ve been thinking about putting in some serious work with you, but it’s not your usual "teamwork" stuff 🛠️🔥. It’s more like, they want to take control of every move, every touch, guiding you and collaborating with you in the most intense ways. And The Tower? Whew! 😈 Their ultimate fantasy is a sudden, explosive moment—where neither of you holds back. They want it to be rough, unexpected, and passionate, where things get a little chaotic in the best way possible. They crave that feeling of you both losing control, tearing down all boundaries (maybe even some clothes 😏), and just… going at it without thinking twice. They want you completely undone.

Card 3 – How They Want to Please You (Ace of Swords + 6 of Wands + The World): Let’s get one thing straight—your future spouse is OBSESSED with the idea of being the BEST you’ve ever had 💥🗡️. The Ace of Swords shows they fantasize about being the person who gets inside your head first. It’s not just physical—they want to turn you on with words, their voice, and their intelligence. They dream of whispering in your ear exactly what they’re about to do to you, watching as you react. And when the time comes? The 6 of Wands means they want to be your ultimate victory 🏆. They fantasize about you screaming their name, making them feel like they’re on top of the world as you reach your peak. With The World card, they’re thinking about completeness. They don’t just want to please you once—they dream about giving you everything: body, mind, and soul, over and over again until you both can’t take it anymore 🌍💦.

Card 4 – Emotional Connection (The Emperor): Don’t get it twisted—this is about more than just heat. The Emperor shows that in their fantasies, they’re not just thinking about passion, they’re thinking about control—but in a way that makes you feel safe and desired 👑🔥. They want to be the one you look up to, the one who takes charge and guides you, not just in the bedroom but in life. In their fantasies, they’re the one holding you together emotionally and physically. They want to take care of you, but they also want to dominate you 😏. That mixture of love and power? Yeah, they fantasize about owning every part of you, in the most seductive way possible.

Card 5 – Fantasy Scenario (7 of Cups + Ace of Cups): Your spouse has got quite the imagination, babe 😈🌈. They fantasize about all kinds of different settings with you—from classy, romantic dinners that end with heated kisses under the stars, to late-night rendezvous where they can’t keep their hands off you the moment the door closes. The 7 of Cups shows that their mind runs wild with options. Maybe it’s in the shower with water dripping down both of your bodies 💦, maybe it’s outside in a secluded spot where no one’s around 🌲🔥. And the Ace of Cups? Oh, baby, it’s not just about lust—they fantasize about filling you with love and pleasure at the same time. They dream of those slow, sensual moments where it’s just about the two of you and how deeply connected you feel when your bodies finally meet. They want that sweet mix of passion and overflowing emotion, where every touch means something 💖🥰.

Card 6 – After Intimacy (10 of Wands + 6 of Pentacles + Queen of Swords + 10 of Pentacles): After they’re done with you (if they’re ever really “done” 😏), they feel exhausted but in the best way possible. The 10 of Wands shows they fantasize about carrying the weight of your pleasure, leaving them spent but satisfied. It’s like they’ve given you EVERYTHING, every bit of energy, every ounce of passion 🔥💼. The 6 of Pentacles? They dream about giving and receiving in equal measure—they want you to feel as fulfilled as they do, so they imagine you both laying there, completely satisfied but still wanting more 🤲💋. And with the Queen of Swords? Oh, honey, they see you as this strong, powerful person who they’ve totally impressed. They fantasize about you giving them that look of approval, like, “Yeah, you handled that well.” Finally, the 10 of Pentacles means they want to build something lasting. Their fantasies aren’t just about one night—they dream of a future where you’re both still wrapped up in each other years from now, building a life together that’s just as passionate as day one 💍🏠.

Bottom of the Deck – The Hermit: Their spicy thoughts are locked away in their mind, babe 🔒🕯️. The Hermit shows that they keep these fantasies to themselves, dreaming of the day when they can make them come true. It’s like their little secret, only shared in the quiet moments when they’re alone… and thinking about you. They’re waiting for the right moment to turn all those fantasies into reality, and when they do? You better believe it’s gonna be explosive 🌙💥.

💌 So there you have it, hun! Your future spouse is dreaming of moments with you that are intense, passionate, and full of desire. They want to completely blow your mind, while also building something lasting and deeply emotional. It’s the perfect mix of heat and heart, and when they finally get you? Let’s just say… you’re both gonna be left breathless 🔥💖. Let me know if this got you all heated up 🔥💌!

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

Here’s your Pile 2: NSFW "Thoughts of Your Future Spouse" reading, set in a dimly lit room, dripping with sensual energy and mystery. 🔥💫 The lighting is low, but their desires are burning bright—let's see what their deepest fantasies are about you.

💋 Pile 2: NSFW Thoughts of Your Future Spouse 💋

Card 1 – Initial Attraction (5 of Swords + Queen of Wands + King of Cups + 2 of Swords): Your future spouse is intoxicated by your bold, confident energy 🔥. The Queen of Wands tells me that they’re immediately drawn to how you command the room. You have this magnetic charm, and it drives them crazy. In their fantasies, they love the idea of trying to break through your strong, confident exterior. The 5 of Swords shows they want to dominate you in a way that leaves you speechless, like a battle of wills, but they want to be the one to come out on top 😏. Yet, with the King of Cups, they’re deeply emotional about you. It’s like they’re thinking about getting you to surrender—not just physically but emotionally, too. And the 2 of Swords? Oh, they imagine you teasing them, like you’re indecisive, playing hard to get… which only makes them want you more. It’s that push-pull dynamic that drives them wild 🌪️.

Card 2 – Secret Desires (The World + 6 of Wands + 7 of Swords): Oh, baby, their secret desires? They want to win you in every way possible 🌍🏆. With The World, they’re fantasizing about making you theirs completely, like they’re the only one who gets to experience all of you—mind, body, and soul. They’re picturing themselves undressing you slowly, savoring every moment of your submission to their touch, until they’ve got you exactly where they want you. The 6 of Wands says they fantasize about being your ultimate victory—they want you to feel like they’re the best you’ve ever had, like no one else even comes close. But the 7 of Swords? That’s where it gets spicy—they love the idea of a secret encounter, something forbidden, where you both can’t keep your hands off each other. They want you sneaking around, meeting in dimly lit places where the risk of getting caught adds to the thrill. They’re thinking about breaking all the rules with you 😈.

Card 3 – How They Want to Please You (6 of Cups + 10 of Cups): Your spouse is a romantic, babe, and in their fantasies, they’re all about pleasing you both physically and emotionally 🥰. The 6 of Cups shows they imagine you in sweet, intimate moments where they’re doing little things to make you feel special—soft kisses, touches, and making you feel like the most cherished person in the world. But the 10 of Cups? Oh honey, it’s all about the endgame. They dream of ultimate satisfaction—emotional fulfillment mixed with pleasure. They want to take you to that place where you’re both feeling everything—the intensity of the moment, but also the deep love and connection behind it. They want to make you feel like you’re living in a perfect world when you’re together, where every touch and every moan is part of something bigger—something that feels like home 💖🏠.

Card 4 – Emotional Connection (King of Pentacles + Page of Pentacles + Page of Cups): Let’s get one thing straight—this isn’t just about heat. The King of Pentacles shows they fantasize about being your provider and protector. They want to be that stable force in your life, someone you can rely on no matter what 🏆🌳. In their fantasies, it’s not just about lust—they imagine taking care of you, spoiling you, and making sure you feel safe. The Page of Pentacles adds that they’re eager to learn everything about what pleases you. They’re curious, excited, and more than willing to put in the work to keep you satisfied. And with the Page of Cups? They fantasize about sharing their softer side with you—those tender, quiet moments after the heat, when you’re both wrapped up in each other. They’re daydreaming about whispering sweet things in your ear, and watching you smile, knowing they’ve won your heart as much as your body 💞.

Card 5 – Fantasy Scenario (Knight of Cups + 8 of Pentacles + 3 of Wands + Judgment + 2 of Cups): Okay, so this fantasy is next-level 😍. The Knight of Cups is all about sweeping you off your feet in the most romantic way possible. They fantasize about taking you on an adventure—somewhere new and exciting, where the anticipation builds. The 8 of Pentacles shows that they’re ready to put in the work, literally—they imagine every touch, every kiss being just right, as if they’ve mastered the art of your pleasure. The 3 of Wands suggests they dream of taking you somewhere with a view, maybe overlooking the city at night or a place by the sea, where it’s just you two. And with Judgment, they imagine that moment of release, when everything comes together and you both experience something almost spiritual. It’s like they fantasize about you both reaching a place of pure bliss, where nothing else matters except the connection between you. And with the 2 of Cups? It’s not just about physical satisfaction—they’re dreaming of a love so deep it feels like destiny 💫.

Card 6 – How They See You (The Empress): Babe, in their fantasies, you are the ultimate goddess 🌸👑. The Empress means they see you as this stunning, nurturing, powerful person who is irresistible. You’re everything they’ve ever wanted, and in their daydreams, they can’t get enough of your beauty, your softness, and your strength. They imagine worshiping your body, making you feel like the most desired person on Earth. They want to indulge in every part of you—treating you like the queen you are, while also craving the way you make them feel alive. Their fantasies are all about giving you pleasure, watching you lose yourself in the moment as they take care of your every need 💋.

Bottom of the Deck – 6 of Pentacles: Your spouse is a giver and they fantasize about reciprocity in the bedroom 💞. The 6 of Pentacles shows that in their fantasies, it’s all about balance—they want to give you as much pleasure as they get. It’s a give-and-take situation where both of you are left completely satisfied. They imagine those moments where you both can’t get enough of each other, where the passion is mutual, and the connection feels perfectly balanced 💫. They want you to know that it’s not just about their satisfaction—they’re here to please you in every way imaginable 🔥.

💌 So there you have it, babe! Your future spouse is dreaming of moments with you that are filled with passion, romance, and deep emotional connection. They want to sweep you off your feet, leave you breathless, and make sure you know just how much they cherish every part of you. The dimly lit room? Oh, it’s just the setting for something dangerous and unforgettable to unfold 😈💖.

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💋 Pile 3: NSFW Thoughts of Your Future Spouse 💋

Card 1 – First Impressions & Their Deep Desires (The High Priestess + Death): Your future spouse is spellbound by your mystery 🖤✨. With The High Priestess, they see you as an enigma—a quiet power that turns them on beyond belief. They fantasize about peeling back your layers, finding out what lies beneath your cool exterior, and unlocking the hidden passions you keep buried. In their dreams, they imagine your quiet confidence giving way to something wild and uncontrollable. Death here? Oh, babe, that means they fantasize about a total transformation between you—crossing that line from casual attraction to something intense and all-consuming 🔥. They imagine you both evolving, crossing the point of no return, where everything changes. They want to ignite that spark in you and burn it down until there's nothing left but pure, raw desire.

Card 2 – The Heat of the Moment (Wheel of Fortune + 7 of Wands + 2 of Cups): Things take a spicy turn when they think of your chemistry—it’s explosive ⚡. The Wheel of Fortune tells me they fantasize about things happening unexpectedly, like fate brings you together in a sudden and intense encounter. They imagine it being like a game of chance, where neither of you can resist the pull anymore. And with the 7 of Wands, they dream of the tension—they love the idea of fighting it off, resisting the urge until it boils over. It’s the ultimate power struggle. They imagine you both pushing and pulling until the heat is unbearable 😏. But with the 2 of Cups? The fantasies end in sweet surrender, where you finally give in, and the connection between you is nothing short of magical. It’s more than just lust—they see it as an inevitable connection, like you two are meant to come together in this heated moment 💫.

Card 3 – What They Want to Do to You (8 of Wands + Queen of Wands): When it comes to what they want to do? It’s fast, passionate, and intense 😈. The 8 of Wands shows they imagine things happening at lightning speed—they want to sweep you off your feet and leave you breathless. Their fantasies involve sudden bursts of passion, where they can't keep their hands off you. They want to move fast, like once they get started, there’s no stopping them. The Queen of Wands shows how much they admire your fiery, confident energy—they fantasize about your assertiveness and love that you can match their intensity. You’re their equal, and they imagine you taking control, showing them what you want. In their mind, you're a queen who knows exactly how to please them, and that dominates their thoughts 🔥👑.

Card 4 – Emotional Depth (9 of Wands + King of Cups + Lovers): They fantasize not just about the passion, but about the emotional intensity of being with you 🌊💖. The 9 of Wands shows they’re imagining holding out for you, guarding their heart until the right moment. In their fantasies, there’s this buildup of emotional tension—they’ve been waiting for you, craving this connection. And with the King of Cups, their thoughts run deep. They dream of being the one to finally break through your emotional walls and claim your heart. It’s not just about the physical—they want to love you completely. The Lovers confirms it—they fantasize about you as their perfect match, their soulmate, both in and out of the bedroom. They crave the emotional highs, not just the physical ones, and imagine every moment with you being steeped in passion and love 🔥💏.

Card 5 – Their Fantasy Scenario (3 of Cups + 2 of Pentacles): In their fantasies, they dream of celebration and indulgence 🥂💃. The 3 of Cups shows they want to enjoy you in a relaxed, carefree setting—they imagine playful encounters, where you’re both laughing and teasing each other. Maybe it’s a party, or a night out, where things escalate quickly from innocent flirting to something more heated. The 2 of Pentacles suggests that in their fantasies, they love the back-and-forth between you two. They dream of balancing that playful energy with serious passion, taking you from light-hearted teasing to deep, intense moments in the blink of an eye. They want to keep things fun but electrifying, always keeping you on your toes.

Card 6 – How They See You (Temperance + The Star + Queen of Swords + Page of Wands): You, babe, are their dream come true 🌟. Temperance and The Star together show that they fantasize about you being the perfect balance in their life—you’re calm and collected but with a fire that ignites them from the inside out. They see you as their guiding star, someone who brings them peace and passion all at once. The Queen of Swords says they admire your sharp mind and independent nature, which makes you all the more irresistible to them. In their fantasies, they’re just as attracted to your intellect as they are to your body. And the Page of Wands? They dream of exploring new, exciting things with you. You make them feel alive, like they’re on an adventure. They fantasize about you two exploring each other’s desires with enthusiasm and curiosity, discovering every secret pleasure together 🔥.

Bottom of the Deck – The Hierophant: Your future spouse fantasizes about commitment—they want something deeper than just a physical connection 👰🤵. The Hierophant shows that, at their core, they dream of something sacred with you, a bond that goes beyond passion. They imagine being with you in a way that’s traditional yet intimate, where you both share not just your bodies, but your souls. They fantasize about making you theirs in every sense—body, heart, and spirit. It’s not just about the heat—it’s about the future they see with you, where you both belong to each other, forever 💍.

💌 So there you go, babe! Your future spouse has some deep, intense, and downright electrifying thoughts about you. They’re dreaming of the perfect balance—wild passion mixed with deep emotional connection, where you both challenge and complete each other in ways no one else could. From playful encounters to soul-shaking love, they’re ready to give it all to you, wrapped up in commitment and desire 💋🔥.

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✨ Conclusion: Your Journey Awaits! ✨

Thank you for joining us on this steamy journey into the thoughts and fantasies of your future spouse! We hope your chosen pile has revealed some tantalizing insights that spark your curiosity and deepen your connection. Remember, the universe is full of possibilities, and your love story is just beginning! 💖

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Thank you for being part of our journey! We can’t wait to see where the cards lead you next. Until next time! 🔮💫

[justallihere]

opened my document of sitq scrapped scenes for reasons i've now forgotten, but there's a couple things there i really liked that never fit in what i published, and it's been a while since i've shared any of these, so here you go! these are all entirely unedited and cut off in weird places, so don't take it too seriously. enjoy!

a deleted scene between vi, ridoc, and sawyer from the planning stages of the journal heist (also, proof that the idea of malek and his consort was in my head for a long time before i ever wrote it):

“He’s fucking useless,” Violet muttered to herself, channeling her restless energy into straightening the papers and books on her desk until everything sat in neat piles. 

“No, he’s terrified of your husband carving him up into tiny pieces,” Ridoc corrected. 

“I still can’t believe you broke into your mom’s office without me,” Sawyer said for the third time. He’d been understandably upset when he found out about the late-night adventure he’d missed out on the week prior, but Violet hadn’t apologized. 

Neither had Ridoc, who’d quickly grown bored with Sawyer’s complaints. He scoffed. “You would rather knock out infantry and sneak into the admin building because Violet got that look on her face than go down on your girlfriend?” 

Sawyer blushed. “Okay, look—“

“No one’s blaming you,” Violet said, flipping open the front cover of The Unabridged History of the First Six. Jesinia had found her this morning to pass the book off after her unproductive conversation with Cam yesterday. She’d skimmed most of it already and hadn’t found anything particularly useful. “Jesinia gave a glowing review. Good for you.” 

Despite the color in his cheeks, Sawyer persisted. “I’m just saying, if you’re going to pull off a fucking heist, you could warn me. Or at least not wait almost a week to tell me.” 

“I’m just saying,” Ridoc retorted, “that if you want to be included then you could try celibacy like the rest of us.“ 

“You spent the night with that third-year from First Wing two nights ago,” Sawyer pointed out. “And Rhiannon and Tara aren’t quiet. Violet’s the only celibate person in this squad.” 

“Let’s not talk about my sex life,” Violet interrupted. 

“You don’t have one,” Ridoc said with a charming grin. “But when you do, I expect to hear all about it.” 

She glared and changed the subject back to their initial discussion. “We’ll try to make our breaking and entering schedules align better next time.” Because there would almost certainly be a next time. 

“That’s all I ask,” Sawyer said with a pointed look at Ridoc. 

The three of them were alone in Violet’s room. Rhiannon was in a leadership meeting, and Liam was taking a shower and likely to join them at any moment. Violet hid the book on the First Six beneath another history text and tucked them both into the bottom drawer of her desk. It was where she kept Brennan’s journal and The Fables of the Barren. With the conversation from this past weekend and Brennan’s request still fresh on her mind, she pulled out the Fables and set the book on her desk. 

“There’s nothing useful in the book Jesinia gave you, Vi?” Ridoc asked. 

“It’s a very abridged version to be unabridged,” she said dryly, flipping open the worn leather cover. “I don’t know what to try next. Jesinia says there isn’t much else in the Archives, about the Six or the wards in general. Nothing useful, at least—it’s all about expanding, not creating.” 

“It’d be nice if we had their journals,” he said. “Maybe that’s one of the things your dad was after.” 

The first several fables were about the gods—the very first one was about Malek and his consort, and Violet had always liked that one best. She ran her hands over the illustrations of the god of the dead and the shadowy figure at his side. “Whose journals?” she said absently. 

“Warrick and Lyra.” 

Violet paused, let the words settle, and finally turned slowly to look at Ridoc after a beat too long. “Warrick and Lyra,” she echoed dumbly. 

“Two of the First Six riders,” he confirmed. 

“I know who Warrick and Lyra are,” Violet said, too sharply. “Why do you think they have personal journals?” 

“Because they’re in the Archives.” Ridoc was staring at her like she’d lost her head. Sawyer looked between the two of them, openly curious. Violet’s jaw dropped open. “When we broke into your mom’s office last year for Squad Battle, she had a ledger that listed them as being stored in a sublevel vault. I flipped through it while you were stealing the map.” 

It was an effort to close her mouth. “We don’t have sublevel vaults.” But even as she said it, it felt wrong. Why wouldn’t they? Why wouldn’t the scribes store information in spaces even more secure than the general Archives, spaces that the average cadet or citizen had no idea about? 

History changes depending on who’s writing it, Cam had said. Did he know about the journals? Was that why he was here—looking for actual first-hand accounts of the history he seemed to be so interested in? 

Ridoc shrugged. “According to the paperwork in General Sorrengail’s office, we do,” was all he said. 

“Markham would have told me. My dad would have told me,” Violet whispered, pulling her desk chair out to sit down heavily. 

His expression slipped into something a bit more sympathetic. “You already know he was keeping secrets about his work before he died,” he reminded her gently. “I’m not saying he did it to hurt you, but it’s likely he was keeping a lot of things from you. If your mom knows, doesn’t it make sense that he would have known, too? He was the scribe, after all. He spent a lot of time in the Archives, didn’t he?” 

Violet only shook her head. Not in a real form of disagreement—she just didn’t want to believe it. Didn’t want there to be even more secrets to uncover. 

“Maybe he didn’t know,” Sawyer offered gently. 

She shook her head again. “He probably did,” she said, and it hurt to admit, but it felt like the truth. She turned back to the book still open, the only piece of her father she had left. She flipped through the pages again, unseeing, and made herself shake off the crushing feeling of disappointment and hurt. “What are we missing?” she asked Sawyer and Ridoc. 

“Clearance,” Ridoc said dryly. 

She threw him a glare over her shoulder. “In terms of information.” 

“Clearance,” Sawyer said, and earned the same dark look. He held up his hands. “Look, Vi, I know you want to know everything, but whatever this is, we don’t have the rank to find out, and I don’t think this is something you can stubborn your way into if Riorson isn’t going to just tell you himself. How do you expect to get in a sublevel vault of the Archives? Your mom’s apartment where you grew up is one thing, but breaking into probably the most secure place in Basgiath that we didn’t even know existed five minutes ago? That’s extreme, even for you.” 

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, scrubbing her hands over her face. “If it’s something so bad that Navarre has hidden it or erased it from their history entirely—“ Then what? She didn’t know. She didn’t have a plan for that. But that was what Cam had implied inadvertently, and it seemed to be what they were doing with her father—erasing him and his work. What could he have possibly known that was so dangerous Navarre didn’t even want a reference to it existing after his death? 

“We might never figure it out,” Sawyer said. 

“No,” Violet said firmly. She didn’t believe that; she couldn’t.

“Even if it’s not written down, people know. We just have to find the right one to tell us the truth.” 

“If not Riorson, then who?” Ridoc asked. 

That was the part Violet was still deciding. Cam was the most obvious choice, and he seemed to want her to know whatever it was—unlike Xaden and Brennan and her mother, who were actively hiding things and not dropping so much as a cryptic hint. Liam was a possibility, but she was fairly certain his loyalty to Xaden and his desire to keep her safe would win out over any desire to tell Violet the truth. 

“I don’t know,” she admitted. 

“Helpful,” Ridoc drawled. 

She rubbed her eyes again. “Xaden will be here tomorrow. Maybe I can—“ 

She cut herself off when a knock came on the door. Violet was closest, and when she opened it, Liam was waiting, damp-haired and holding a physics textbook. “Please help me,” he said, holding up a half finished assignment, and Violet waved him in. 

She nudged The Fables of the Barren out of the way as he took a seat at her desk, her perusal of it forgotten in favor of his homework.

***

a funny little moment between sloane and violet about dain:

“Enjoying the view?” 

Sloane jumped at Violet’s approach. “I’m not staring,” she said quickly. 

“What do you call it, then?” Violet asked, amused. 

“Watching for technique.” 

Violet laughed. Dain and Ridoc were sparring, both of them shirtless and sweaty. On the mat next to them, Rhiannon was working with Tessa, patiently walking her through several offensive moves. She was much better than she had been three months ago; she looked stronger, had better posture, moved more smoothly. 

“Which one are you watching?” Violet asked. 

“Both,” said Sloane imperiously, lifting her chin. 

“Well, they’re both trouble, so good luck.” 

“I thought Aetos was all straight-laced.” Sloane rolled her eyes. “That’s what Liam says, at least. Told me to avoid him.” 

“Dain has a strict sense of morals,” Violet said carefully. “But he’s a good man, or he wouldn’t be here.” 

Sloane turned a critical eye her way. “Were you two ever. . .” 

“No,” Violet said. Sloane raised an eyebrow, and Violet smiled indulgently. “He kissed me once. It was nothing.” 

Sloane’s mouth dropped open. “You’re lying,” she hissed. 

“I am not.” 

“Does Xaden know?” she whispered, like it was some sort of dirty secret. 

“I’m sure he’s guessed.” 

***

and finally, an alternate take on xaden and violet's first kiss, taking place at athebyne immediately after xaden woke up from his injuries during the fight:

“Violet—“

She lurched forward, cutting off whatever else he might be about to say by covering his mouth with her own. He caught her, his hands bracketing her waist, but he was otherwise still beneath her touch. She waited, pressing closer, and finally he responded, his mouth slackening as he parted his lips to kiss her back. 

“Violet.” It was a groan this time, and he pulled her closer, hungry, urgent, impatient. Wanting. She kissed him again, again, tasting blood on his tongue. He lifted a hand to cup her face, his thumb pressing into her chin beneath her lower lip, and he drew back. “Violet.” Now it was cautious. 

“Xaden.” She waited for the rest of the sentence. 

“You never answered my question earlier.” He paused, and the silence stretched for a beat too long. 

She brushed their lips together again. “You technically never asked me a question,” she pointed out. “But in case it wasn’t clear, this is my answer.” 

“I want you to say it,” Xaden whispered.

Violet tipped forward until their foreheads touched, and she stayed there for a moment, sharing air. “I love you.” 

He swore, low like he couldn’t quite believe it, and kissed her like he’d never get to do it again. His hands tightened on her, one hand sliding from her waist to her hip, the other tilting her face so he could kiss her deeper, nipping at her lower lip. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt, but she felt the sensation all over her body. She wound her hands into his hair and shuffled closer. His hands slid down from her hips, gripping her ass to pull her body flush against his. He broke the kiss, tugging her lip between his teeth as he drew back. “Say it again,” he ordered in a rough voice, and she shuddered. 

“I love you.” She found his mouth again, unsure how to be separate from him now that they’d started this. Between gasps for air, she murmured, “I love you. Tell me you love me.” 

He groaned. “I love you.” He gripped her thigh, pulling her knee up and over so it was braced on the bed against his hip, straddling his thighs. “More than anything.” She pushed forward until Xaden leaned back against the bed and she was half-kneeling above him, still trying to memorize the taste of him. “More than everything.” 

She licked into his mouth, shivering when he dug his fingers hard into her skin and pulled her up higher so she sat atop his stomach to reach his mouth easier. Her hands roamed, sliding from his hair, down across his neck and shoulders and broad chest. She reached the hem of his shirt and was sliding her hands beneath the material to touch his bare skin when the door opened. 

Violet jerked back, startled, but Xaden only followed her, levering himself upright to try to kiss her again—until he looked over her shoulder and glowered. 

“Go the fuck away,” he ordered, wrapping both arms around her waist to pull her close, like whoever had entered might try to steal her away from him. He kissed the curve of her jaw, and Violet tried again to squirm away, but he held her too tightly. 

The person at the door made a low sound of disgust. “I wanted to check on you, but I see you’re doing fine,” Brennan said. 

Violet jolted again. It would have been bad enough if it was Bodhi or Garrick, but for her big brother to see her plastered against Xaden like this—she’d never hear the end of it. 

Xaden didn’t seem to agree, or to care. “You’re going to see a lot more that you don’t want to see if you don’t leave now.” 

“Xaden,” Violet hissed. 

He only tipped her chin up and brushed his lips over hers. “You tell him to go away,” he murmured. 

“Brennan,” Violet said firmly. “Leave.”