#this is much easier said than done though

[ktgoodmorning]

The Hangover

Patri x reader

You take care of Patri after her post-win partyting.

Warning for alcohol and brief mentions of throwing up.

Masterlist

As soon as the whistle blew, and Barcelona had officially won the Champions League, you knew exactly what your role would be for the next few days- taking care of your girlfriend to make sure she survived all the celebrations. You surely wouldn’t be holding her back at all, you wanted her to go out and let loose as much as she wanted to, you’d just be there at the end of the night to make sure she got home safely and hopefully drank some water in the process. Ideally if you did your job well, her celebrations and partying would be able to last as long as she wanted. 

Patri was known to have some fun when the time was right. She wasn’t quite as irresponsible as her friend’s sometimes were (especially Cata), but after a win like this, she’d definitely be ready to party, and you’d be there to make sure she could. 

You had already had your time to celebrate on the field with the team before heading back to the hotel with the other WAGs for you to change clothes and meet them at the after party. When the team finally arrived, you lit up at the site of your girl. She was practically glowing, overjoyed over the win, deservedly so. Her head was bobbing up and down above the crowd, jumping alongside Cata while everyone sang. Somehow her smile widened even further when she made eye contact with you, instantly starting to weave her way through the crowd to meet you. 

“Babyyy!!!” She flung her arms around your neck in greeting and it was obvious that she’d already had a few drinks in her, both from the smell of alcohol on her and the way she leaned into you so heavily. 

“Hola,” you giggled at her and the way she was hanging on you. 

“Baby, I’m gonna be honest, I’m already reallllly drunk.” 

“I know, Pats,” you laughed at her stumbling in front of you. “That’s okay, you have as much fun as you want, I’m not drinking tonight so I’ll look after you. 

She pulled you in for a sloppy kiss on the cheek, “And that’s why I love you!” Your girlfriend immediately started pulling you towards the rest of the group, barely managing not to trip and fall as she did so. 

That was about how the night continued on, Patri stumbling around while you followed and made sure to look after her. You didn’t mind, not one bit. You loved nothing more than seeing her so happy and carefree. She was so stressed leading up to big games like this so the change of pace was perfect. You could watch her like this forever if you had to. 

The entire night was a mix of dancing, yelling, and drinking. At one point you found yourself sitting on your girlfriend’s shoulders, barely staying upright with the way she was moving all over the place. You tried to protest every time you almost fell but she’d always insist on keeping you there so you could see everything that was going on. 

Eventually when it became the early hours of the morning, you and the other WAGs were tasked with trying to get your girls to the hotel for a couple hours of sleep before they had to be up for your flight. It was easier said than done though as most of the team were near blackout drunk, still running on adrenaline from the game, and not planning on slowing down anytime soon if they had any say in it. At the very least, you all had the advantage of having the best girlfriends imaginable who would do literally anything you all asked of them. 

After you and Olga had confirmed your plans to call it a night and get them out, you made an attempt to find your girlfriend. It wasn’t a surprise when you found her in the middle of the dance floor, chugging a drink while Pina and Cata cheered her on. You shook your head at the site. She was going to be a handful to get home and get to sleep tonight, but you knew she needed this, no matter how terrible she’d feel in the morning. When she finished her drink, it seemed like she had half of it on her face, using the back of her arm to wipe the extra off her face before she looked up to meet your eyes. 

“Baby, you’re here!” she instantly pulled you into her for a hug. 

“Patri, I’ve been here,” you giggled at her some more as you saw Cata’s girlfriend starting to pull her off the dance floor out of the corner of your eye. “I think it’s time to get you home though, yeah?” 

“But baby! Don y’wanna do some shots with me?” You were shocked her English was still as understandable as it was considering she could hardly stay upright. 

“No, we need to get you back to the hotel, we fly out in the morning, remember? I don't want you to feel quite so bad in the morning.” 

“Bad!? Why would I feel bad!? I feel soooo good!” she was yelling in your ear to be heard over the music. 

“I know baby but I really think you should let me take you home!” 

“Ooooooh taking me home? I like th’sound uh’that.” She finally let you start pulling her towards the door, albeit somewhat misguided, you’d handle her disappointment later. The midfielder was all but dragging you to the floor as she stumbled into you. 

“Here, Patri, just put your arm around my- or just fall on me, okay, that works too I guess.” Instead of just throwing an arm around your shoulders like you expected, she had completely flopped onto your upper half, both arms holding on tightly to you. You basically had to use your entire body weight to drag her out to the taxi that was waiting for you out front, but somehow you managed to get her there without her completely falling to the ground. 

You pushed her into the taxi first, you following closely behind. The second you sat down, her head was on your shoulder with her arms hugging your waist. Patri’s instant contact made it hard to buckle your seatbelt or get comfortable but you didn’t have the heart to try to move her off of you. “Y’know I love you, amor.” You could hardly hear her half-coherent mumbling but the words were unmistakable. Before you could even respond, you felt her go limp against your shoulder, sleeping the entire ride back to the hotel. 

You weren’t quite sure how you did it, but somehow you managed to get her up to your hotel room, still only half awake. As soon as you got her inside, you got her onto the bed where she immediately flopped across it. “No, Patri don’t lay down yet we need to get you changed.”

The only response you got was a halfhearted groan into the sheets. While she continued to lay there, you grabbed her shorts and a t-shirt along with makeup wipe to try to get her ready for bed. Suddenly you were interrupted by her mumbling again, “baby, I don’t feel good.” 

If there was anything that could get your attention, that was it. You instantly ran to pull her towards the bathroom.“No, no, no, don’t throw up on anything!” You pushed her towards the toilet as fast as you could and got her there just in time as she instantly emptied her stomach into the toilet in front of you. As she continued to cough up everything she had drank throughout the night, you pulled her hair into a low ponytail and rubbed her back lightly until she seemed to be done. 

 Your girlfriend looked at you with a face that could break your heart, so helpless and so exhausted. It was as if everything from the day before had just hit her, all at once, like a truck. “You’re alright, love, let's get you cleaned up and into bed.” You wiped her tears from her cheeks with your thumbs and let her fall into your shoulder for a hug before you pulled her up. 

She continued to cling onto you as you wiped off her makeup and got her clothes changed, making it much more difficult than it needed to be. Just as you passed her her toothbrush, there was a knock on your door. “Can you please brush your teeth while I see who that is?” 

Patri scowled at you but took the toothbrush which you assumed was her way of agreeing. You made your way to the door and checked the peephole before opening it to see Olga standing in front of you with a mug in each hand. 

“I made some tea for Alexia in hopes she’ll have any sort of a voice in the morning. I figured you could probably use some for Patri too?” Her thoughtfulness made you smile. You assumed she must have already gotten Alexia asleep but the fact that she thought of you at all made you appreciate the offer even more. 

“Olga, you’re amazing, thank you so much, I-”

“Babbbyyyyyy.” Your sentence was cut off by Patri whining for you in the bathroom.

Olga laughed, probably having experienced the same thing just a few minutes ago in her own room. “I’ll let you go deal with her, but text me if you need any help with her.” She passed you the mug and pulled you in for a brief side hug before heading back to her room, leaving you to go back to taking care of Patri. 

“Pats, did you brush your teeth?” 

“Noooo, it’s too hard.” 

“Well all kisses are revoked until you brush your teeth, you smell like a hot mess.” She looked like a toddler the way that she was pouting at you with her bottom lip jutting out. 

“Emphasis on hot?” You rolled your eyes.

“No, emphasis on mess. You need to brush your teeth before you can go to bed, come on.”

You shoved the toothbrush towards her again which she met with some angry incoherent mumbling. It was hard to be annoyed with her behavior though when she started to finally brush her teeth and listen a bit better. As difficult as she was when she was this drunk, you had no problem taking care of her. 

“Puedes darme un beso ahora?” 

“Si, ven aqui.” You pulled her back towards the bed before giving her a short peck on the lips. How she was still functioning at all, you’d never know. Once you got her in bed, you propped her up against the headboard and shoved the mug of tea in her hands. “Here, drink this and don’t argue with me.”

“But babyyyy,” as soon as she started whining again, you shook your head at her and forced it into her hands again. 

“Patri no, your voice is already destroyed and you have to be up to fly home. You need it if you have any prayer of surviving everything tomorrow. Please just drink it, then you can go to sleep and snuggle with me as much as you want.”

Your girlfriend seemed to recognize the desperation in your voice, easily giving in after that. You weren’t sure what Olga had put in the tea but you trusted her like your life depended on it. Whatever it was, you knew it’d slightly improve her situation for her in the  morning. Patri grimaced slightly as she drank it but still did as you asked before slumping back onto your shoulder. 

“Lay down, baby, let’s get you some sleep. I have my alarm set so I’ll get you up for the flight, just see if you can sleep for a while.” 

“M’not even that tired.”

 “you’re falling asleep on me. Please let’s lay down?”

Whatever her response was, you couldn’t quite understand it, clearly already half asleep on your shoulder. You pulled her down into bed next to you and pulled up some of the covers around her. Leaving a gentle kiss on her forehead, you told her you loved her before laying down yourself, Patri instantly curling into your side. You’d never get tired of her lying like that, holding on to you as if her life depended on it. 

…

You were woken up the next morning by your alarm going off next to you. While the sound was annoying to you, clearly it had a much greater effect on your girlfriend, instantly groaning loudly into her pillow. You remained silent next to her and just rolled to face her while running your hand down her back softly. “How are you feeling baby?”

“I’m never *hic* drinking again.” you chuckled lightly at her words but your concern grew at the sound of how rough her voice was. 

“I know, love, I know. Unfortunately, we fly out soon so we really need to get up.” Her arm was draped across her eyes even though they weren’t even open yet. “Let me grab you something for your head, then we need to get ready to go. Drink some water though first.” You shoved your water bottle into her hands before getting up to grab her some medication for her headache. You got yourself up and ready for the day while she slowly drank the water and took what you gave her.

 By the time you were ready, she appeared to be slightly more alive, although still looking (and sounding) much rougher than usual. “How are you doing now, love? Are the meds starting to help at all?”

Patri squinted up at you, still sitting on the bed, struggling to actually move. “I’m so tired it’s not even funny. I don’t know how I’m gonna survive today.” She winced as she spoke, clearly her throat was really bothering her along with all the other symptoms of her hangover. 

“Well, I’ll do what I can to help you out. I got your clothes and everything out so all you should have to do is get dressed and I can brush your hair for you if you want. Plus I’m sure the drinks will be flowing again once you’re at the event, so some of it will become tomorrow’s problem.”

“You didn’t have to do all of this, love. You’re incredible. I love you so much.” It was as if she just realized that you had been taking care of her throughout all the celebrating. Even though you could barely understand her, it instantly made you soften as she looked up at you with eyes full of sincerity.

“I’m happy to do it, Pats. I’m so proud of you. And you’ve worked so hard to get here. I will gladly watch after you while you celebrate all this, you deserve it.” You had gotten closer, now standing between her legs while she remained seated on the bed. Your fingers ran through her hair gently while she just looked up at you in admiration. 

“I’m so grateful for you, you know that?” she leaned her face into your body in a weird attempt at a hug. Her words just made you chuckle lightly. She was constantly telling you how grateful she was and how much she loved you, it was borderline impossible for you to not know that. 

“I know, baby,” you leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “Now let's get you ready to go and we’ll see if we can get any more of that tea from Olga for your voice.” Patri nodded against you and started to comply. 

You knew you’d be doing the same thing the next day after they had their home celebration, but you couldn’t complain as she would often do the same for you when you needed it. The two of you would always be willing to take care of each other, even if it meant you spent your morning making sure she had extra sunglasses on hand at all times and didn’t throw up again on the plane ride home.

Requests and feedback always welcome and encouraged! Hope yall enjoy! Can't believe it took me over a week to finally get out any content on the CL win

Masterlist

[amostimprobabledream]

A Pale Jewel (Astarion x Reader)

AU also available on Ao3! https://archiveofourown.org/works/56341306 It was too damn hot. You learned against a pillar, the fan in your hand working frantically to bring even a fraction of relief to your overly warm skin.

Really, it would be more practical to move across the ballroom to the open doors that lead out onto the huge balcony that lead out onto the gardens, with the white curtains fluttering flirtatiously in the night breeze. But that was easier said than done with how crowded and stuffy the room is. It seems as though every square inch of the elaborate marble flooring is taken up by rustling taffeta, silk, velvet and all other manner of fabrics in jewel tones, topped with glittering diamonds or lustrous strings of pearls. The fancy dresses some of the ladies were wearing took up so much room, like an overcrowded dock full of pretty boats bobbing on their own waves. The men, too, had gone all out for this ball, and while their sharp suits didn't take up as much space as skirts fluffed up with petticoats, but they were still flamboyant enough that it almost hurt your eyes to try and take in so much at once. You couldn't help but feel intimidated by being here, like any moment someone would spot something about you - a slip of the tongue, some small breach of etiquette like putting the wrong liquor in the wrong kind of glass, and all heads would snap in your direction, before cries of 'intruder!' would ring out. And then…what? They'd cast you out like a beggar? Form a circle around you to laugh and point? You knew these options conjured up by your fevered imagination were highly unlikely, but not impossible, and the uncertainty spread in the pit of your stomach like a blooming mould. You hoped your uneasiness wasn't obvious on your face - or if it was, it would simply translate into being uncomfortable in the stifling heat of the ballroom. You're not surprised that the friends you came with dispersed about the room to catch up with friends who were also in attendance. Your invitation had been extended genuinely, but it was something of a fluke, a last-minute cancellation that was instead extended to you. You tried not to take the others going off to talk to their acquaintances personally, though you did feel awkward and unguarded, standing here alone watching the people dancing.

As you intercepted a passing waiter to grab a glass of wine - not necessarily because you liked the taste, but because it would hopefully be chilled and give you a more obvious reason for why you're not dancing with anyone, you accidentally raised your eyes as you picked it up. Across the ballroom were three figures, also lounging beside a pillar. They're as finely dressed as everyone else here was, but there was something different about them, something that set them apart from the giddy revellers. The figure in the middle is the one that drew in your gaze, though. His suit was one of the more ostentatious ones you've seen, pitch black velvet with silver embroidery that seemed to shimmer with even the smallest movement, putting you in mind of the scales of a fish. The silver thread complements his hair, elaborately coiffed silver curls that must have taken quite a bit of time to get so perfect. There's something about his posture too, a subtle grace in his movements, back straight and an aristocratic, almost haughty, tilt to his head. And then, as you were observing the stranger, watching him gesticulating as he talked, he looked over. At you. You weren’t close enough to see his eyes properly, especially with the masquerade mask on his face that looks like liquid mercury, but there's no mistaking the prickle on your skin that comes from being watched. You stiffened, raising your wineglass to your lips in an effort to look casual. Mental images of the man pointing at you, the two beside him turning and laughing flooded your brain, but that isn't what happened. Instead, he smiled.

It was a slow, sensuous quirk of his lips, like watching honey being drizzled over fresh pastry. It would be sweet – perhaps overly so – but the heat of his stare and the slight unevenness of his smile, one side of his mouth rising higher than the other, adds a roguish, sultry flare that left you unable to look away.

Your fingers tightened around your wineglass, feeling your face growing warmer and it had nothing to do with the room’s overall stuffy humidity. Funny that something as simple as a smile and a look could have such a profound effect on you, especially when people doing so much more – a lustful up-down stare, compliments, resting a hand on your body, often left you indifferent at best or disgusted at worst.

Curiously, by the time you lowered your glass, he was gone. A potent, contradictory feeling of both disappointment and relief flooded through your body at the space where he was just standing. Perhaps it’s for the best – if a handsome stranger was capable of getting you so worked up just from a mere glance, you dread to think how big of a fool you could possibly make of yourself if you actually spoke to him, or even was just in his line of vision for too long.

“Ah, there you are!” a voice said.

You turned to see Lorna, who was the one who had invited you here, approaching you, slightly out of breath. She shot you a rueful little smile, fanning herself ineffectively with her hand.

“I’ve been looking for you, but it is so hard to see anything with all these masks and fancy clothes on display.” she said, apologetically. “Are you all right? You look a little flushed.”

“Oh, it’s just…so unbearably warm in here.” You replied quickly, with a little laugh that was just a bit too fast to be authentic, but fortunately for you, Lorna wasn’t the kind of person to pick up on little nuances like that. “Where are the others?”

“Oh, Demerius is over there, I think he danced with Melody before. Demerius!” Slowly, you turned.

Lorna’s group had mostly been welcoming when you joined them for tonight – you knew a couple of them already, and for those you didn’t know, you could tell one or two of them who were strangers to you were a little confused by the sudden change, but nobody had outright objected. And there was one of Lorna’s friends who had caught your eye, which was a little ridiculous since he’d barely spoken to you all evening. Lorna told you he was always a little standoffish with strangers, and that had made you hopeful that perhaps he might open up to you as the evening went on. The quality of being unknowable was an attractive one to you, there was a perverse sort of pleasure in trying to peer beneath the surface into whatever lay beneath. You’d always liked that over someone who wore their thoughts and feelings so obviously.

“How was dancing with Melody?” Lorna teased as he approached, brow faintly shiny with perspiration.

“Enthusiastic,” came his response, his eyes cutting between you and Lorna. “She found another rakish young noble to be swept away by when the song changed, so I thought I’d find a replacement.”

He was looking at you, the butterfly mask on his face doing a good job of concealing his emotions, but your insides give a peculiar kind of lurch as the implications of what he’s saying sunk in. You swallowed, wishing you had another glass of wine in your hand for courage.

“I’d love to-" you began.

“Lorna, will you dance with me?” he said at the same time as you.

Oh.

Oh, shit.

Lorna’s face flushed, and you knew she’d heard you. You could only cling onto the desperate hope that Demerius’s voice had drowned out yours to his ears, you didn’t think you could stand the embarrassment. Shame tinged you everywhere – your cheeks, your neck, your ears.

“-go. Outside! I think I’ll go outside!” you said loudly, smiling widely as though this would convince anyone that you were just fine, thanks. “You two have fun.”

You thought Lorna said your name, but you ignored her, almost shoving your way through the crowd. Shame had proven to have an unexpected benefit – now you were so driven by your urgent need to get away from Lorna and Demerius that you no longer cared if you knocked into someone or looked ungainly – getting out of here was the only thing that mattered. The other dancers swirling around almost seemed to mock you as you plunged past them, giddy laughter ringing in your ears.

Outside, it was dark and blessedly quiet. You weren’t entirely alone, several people had slipped out to get some reprieve from the activity inside, but nearly all of them were either in groups or couples. You could hear people giggling and whispering to each other in the shadows, the rustling of skirts or soft crunching of gravel as several partygoers wandered about the gardens – apparently there was a large maze near the back and some of the most daring guests wanted to try their hand at navigating it.

You weren’t interested in mazes, and approached the stone wall that wrapped around the balcony, leaning your elbow on it and taking in a couple of deep breaths of night air, the scent of the blossoms carried on the gentle wind helping to calm you down.

They probably won’t even remember that. You reassured yourself. They’ll dance, drink and forget all about it.

But that didn’t do much to make you feel less stupid, or less like you’re an outsider. You didn’t really belong there and for a second, you’d let yourself forget that, and the universe quickly corrected that mistake. You’re almost tempted to slip away right here and now, to get away from this gaudy place of masks and other such illusions, but you swallowed down the urge. Instead, you expelled a loud sigh and leaned forwards, listening to the sloshing of the fountain below you.

Vaguely, you couldn’t help wondering what dancing with the handsome stranger in the silver mask would be like, but dismiss that thought before it can take root. It would probably be utterly nerve-wracking – his posture alone made you think he was probably a decent dancer, and you barely knew the steps. You’d be more likely to step on his foot and offend him irreparably than dazzle him with any witty banter. Coming up with any while being whirled around would be a challenge, for one thing.

…But the thought of him putting a hand on your waist made your heart pick up the pace like a pony going from a walk to a trot.

Get a grip on yourself. You scolded yourself, folding your fan away. You’re acting like a teenager. “My, and here I thought all that glamour inside was impressive. It seems there is more beauty to behold out here.”

You nearly plummeted headfirst off the balcony in your shock, turning around at the sound of a smooth, amused voice.

It’s him. The stranger from before. Though he was backlit by the ballroom behind him, it’s not so dark that you couldn’t make out his face. He wasn’t handsome – he was gorgeous. Up close you could see that his skin looked smooth and flawless as marble, and behind that mask his eyes were a pretty shade of red, like a garnet.

You tried hard not to gawk at him like a slack jawed idiot, even though seeing him so close was even more intimidating then having him smirking at you from across the dancefloor.

“Oh, I just…wanted to get away from it all for a minute.” You said, inwardly congratulating yourself for managing to sound fairly casual. “I’m assuming it’s the same for you?”

“Oh, yes. It is wonderful to be admired by so many others, of course, but even I need a little reprieve from it now and then.” The man confirmed in his posh tones, though there was a subtly teasing, sarcastic edge to his voice that prevented him from sounding like those humourless prigs you sometimes got in high society. He strolled over and leaned against the wall in a pose that looked a little too polished to be natural. “And who might you be, darling?”

Your mouth twitched at being called ‘darling’ in that tone, and you told him your name. He hummed and repeated it like he was savouring it in his mouth like a fancy chocolate.

“I am Astarion,” he said, tilting his head. “A pleasure.”

Was it your imagination, or did he put an unnecessary amount of emphasis on that word?

You nodded and it was odd but you felt almost like you were drunk, trying hard to focus on the words he was saying and smile and nod in all the correct places instead of letting your imagination run away with you, but your errant thoughts that didn’t want to be tightly contained kept thinking that the moonlight made him look even better than he did indoors.

“I couldn’t help but overhear that little…exchange in there.” Astarion said abruptly, and you hated how easily your embarrassment came flooding back to you.

“Oh, that.” You said, as if you hadn’t been agonising over it since it happened. “Just got our wires crossed, that’s all- “

“It truly is shocking to know there can be people who are so stupid and uncouth.” Astarion said, steamrolling over your breezy attempt to downplay the moment.

“Wh- you think so?” you said, hoping he meant Demerius and not you.

“Oh, yes.” Astarion answered, turning to you with a sly smile on his face. “Were I to offer to dance with a lady, I would not do so by insulting her friend in the same breath. Especially not one as lovely as you.”

“You’re laying on the flattery a little thick there, aren’t you?” you snickered, pretending like you weren’t loving it.

Astarion knew – he always knew when his honeyed words were getting to someone, and the smile you were trying to hide, tugging at the corners of your lips, only encouraged him to keep going. He lowered his voice to a sultry purr.

“Indeed, my dear. For instance, I would take her hand like this…”

His hand fastened around your wrist, and he pulled you to him, his other hand settled on your waist like it was why you had one in the first place. A soft gasp left your mouth as you were suddenly pressed flush against him, though his grip wasn’t tight or painful and you could wriggle away if you so chose.

You did not.

“Please tell me you’re not going to start up a waltz.” You said, jokingly, your heart now thumping so loudly you felt like he’d hear it. “I’m a terrible dancer.”

“Oh, you can’t be worse than some people I’ve had the misfortune to encounter in a ballroom.” Astarion replied, with a laugh that you couldn’t help but find charming, it invited you to laugh as well. “But this is much more pleasant than sweating alongside some drunken patriar who doesn’t know his ass from his elbow.”

He wasn’t wrong – it’s more private, and cooler. His hands were pleasingly cool to the touch, and you’re struck with a powerful urge to put your palm on his cheek to see if it applies to everywhere on him. Astarion’s eyes swept over your body as he held you to him. He’d seen you across the room – you looked so adorably alone, like a fawn abandoned by its mother. A pretty, tempting thing for a natural-born hunter such as himself to follow, to track down…

But holding you here like this, he found himself rather enjoying the quiet intimacy of the moment. Oh, it’s one thing to swoon people in a bawdy, crowded engagement while they’ve drunk far too much champagne, perhaps engage in some naughty fun behind a pillar or in an adjacent room, the thrill of getting caught a delicious accompaniment to physical delights…but this is a different kind of fun.

His hand left your hand and instead floated up, a finger tilting up your chin. Your eyes were huge and dark behind your simple, but stylish, mask, and he smiled.

“Of course,” he said, in a soft, lilting voice that required you to lean in some more to hear better. Oh grandma, what big teeth you have… “There are other things to do besides dance…”

And he kissed you.

Except, like Astarion’s smile, calling it a simple “kiss” didn’t do it justice.

His mouth was smooth against your own, and the moment his mouth even slightly made contact with yours, a surge of tingles erupted at the point of contact. Your lips were easy to part, so shocked were you by the suddenness of what was going on. Astarion was masterful at getting access to your mouth and the thought of refusing didn’t once across your mind. Instead, you sank into it, a blissful sigh muffled against his lips. He chuckled fondly, the hand on your waist tugging in closer, and the rest of the world, the revellers around you clustered on the balcony or wandering down into the gardens and maze beyond, vanished from your awareness. Your waist felt hot where his hand was touching it, like a brand, and when his tongue slipped into your mouth it sent a shiver skittering over your body.

He bit your lip, gently, not hard enough to draw blood, it was just a little jolt that made the sweetness of the kiss all the better. His free hand slid over your body with an intent that could only be called lascivious, squeezing your body as if he was testing its firmness. Heat engulfed you, a very different beast from the mugginess you’d been suffering from before. When his hand slid over your breasts, held by the corset of your dress as they were, you didn’t protest.

“Darling…” he purred as he broke away to let you breathe, and you gulped in a lungful of evening air like someone thirsty will gulp down water.

You murmured something unintelligible – it was probably his name – and Astarion decided to up the ante. His hands latched around your waist and in one smooth, practiced movement, you were suddenly sitting on the stone wall. The stone was much colder than everything else and the chill bit into the undersides of your thighs through your dress, but you barely noticed. Not with Astarion insinuating himself between your thighs to keep kissing you, enjoying this newfound angle. He didn’t leave it at just your mouth, either – he nipped a line of playful little bites down your neck, on your collarbone, sending small fissions of pleasure with each one, like the aftershocks of an earthquake. Propriety flying out of the window, you responded by wrapping your legs around his trim hips, kissing him back with fervour until your lips started to feel numb, wrapping your arms around him and carding your fingers through his gleaming silvery hair.

You couldn’t even blame it on the wine – you’d only drunk two glasses of it since you got here. No, this was lust. Lust and the exhilaration of being seen. Of something you’d never have presumed for yourself being practically handed to you, and you seizing it with both hands. Literally, in fact.

It was hard to say how things might have gone. If Astarion had taken your hand and led you into a dark corner, you had no doubt you would have followed. He would have taken a lot more, and you weren’t sure if you could or would have refused. Not when you felt so good, not when he took notice of you when it seemed like nobody else bothered.

But then, when he had his lips pressed to your neck, Astarion paused, like he was listening to something. You thought maybe he heard a clock chiming and wondered what time it was now, and he suddenly stopped what he was doing, almost freezing like a deer hearing the snap of a branch.

Slowly, gently almost, he pulled back, away from you. Some of your lipstick was smudged across his mouth, though in a way that somehow looked Avant Garde instead of messy, and he ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it back into place.

“Astarion?” you asked, slightly confused, quickly closing your legs and sitting up straight.

He stared at you for a moment, and you couldn’t read his expression. It wasn’t the sultry come-hither smile he’d been giving you across the room, nor was it the playful half-smirk he wore when he was joking. It wasn’t angry or disappointed, either, which was something. If you had to name it, it was more contemplative.

“You are sweet,” he eventually said, but far from that being a seductive or patronising statement, there was something in his voice that was almost…rueful.

“I…did I do something wrong?” you asked, feeling silly and slightly helpless, like you’ve failed at grabbing a rope you were meant to use to climb out of a pit.

“No, dear, you haven’t done anything,” Astarion said, and his tone was assuring enough that it eased some of the sting out of the sudden withdrawal. He reached out and gently ran his fingers through your hair, a thoughtful expression on his face. “But duty calls, I’m afraid. I must go.”

You nodded, not wanting to seem childish or desperate in your desire for him to stay. You opted not to ask what possible ‘duty’ he could have at a masquerade ball, either. You decided it was none of your business and you didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeming too curious. And Lorna was probably wondering where you were by now, no doubt she felt equally as embarrassed as you at Demerius and his faux pas.

“Alright,” you said, giving a quick lick of your lips, still feeling a tingling sensation from where his mouth had been.

“But rest assured,” Astarion hummed, drawing so close to you that you were barely inches apart. “Our paths will no doubt cross again, darling. Until then…”

He pressed a swift kiss to your knuckles, and you’d normally hate that, you’d find it cheesy and horribly presumptuous, but when Astarion does it, it’s somehow charming and made your stupid heart (and other places) clench in response.

With a last smirk, he left, disappearing back into the ballroom and being swallowed up by the light and drunken laughter. It felt like a mirage, like you came out here, passed out, and imagined the whole encounter.

…But your lips are still kiss-swollen and bitten, and your lipstick was smudged too, you could tell it was without needing a mirror to confirm it. You definitely didn’t do that to yourself, and you hugged the knowledge of it to your chest like a comforting pillow.

A figure appeared on the balcony, and you relaxed. Lorna.

“Oh, there you are! I was worried you’d gone!” Lorna said, making her way over to you. Her skin is shiny with sweat and her hair is starting to fall out of its elegant style. It seemed that Demetrius might not have been as graceful as he might have looked at first glance. “Why are you sitting out here alone?”

“I wasn’t alone. I was just talking with someone, actually.” You replied, slightly defensively. “But he had to leave.”

Lorna examined your face and a sly smile crept across it. You touched at your mouth self-consciously and pink came off at your fingertips.

“It looks like you had plenty to say,” Lorna said in a teasing voice, her eyes alighting on the love bites that now littered your neck.

“Shut up…” you said without heat, a smirk pulling at your lips.

“Come on – I think I’ve had enough dancing for one evening, and there’s a terrible argument going on inside.” Lorna said, holding her hand out for to you take. “What say we get something to eat, and you can tell me all about your mystery man? Do you think you’ll see him again?”

You accepted her hand and jumped down from the wall. You glanced up at the bright, full moon above you and thought of Astarion’s words, his voice teasing – promising? – he’d see you again. Your hand ghosted across the necklace you wore, the pendant hanging just over your loudly beating heart.

“I hope so.”

[neon-lights-and-glitter]

Fight The Feeling Part 17- Babies & Puppies

Summary- You and Jack have some downtime after you gave birth to your daughter, and Jack ends up coming home with a puppy even though you have a three week old.

The next couple of weeks were a whirlwind, everyone wanted to meet Madelyn, everyday you and Jack had family and friends coming over to meet her. Luckily, you had amazing friends and family who would help you out every time they came over. You and Jack did decide to introduce her to people slowly, more for your sake than hers.

Both you and Jack were slowly figuring out how to be parents, you were overwhelmed and stressed, plus you were recovering from a c-section which didn’t make anything easier. You were both exhausted, waking up several times a night to take care of Madelyn. After a few days of her being home, you and Jack, well Jack, moved her crib into your room to make it at least a little bit easier on the two of you. 

Jack had not been back to his apartment since you two came home from the hospital, so essentially he was living with you. Madelyn was now three weeks old, you and Jack were finally getting into somewhat of a routine.

You had just got done feeding Madelyn, you were sitting on the couch, gently patting her back to burp her. Jack had just got done taking a quick shower before he joined you on the couch.

“How has she been?” Jack asked.

“Good, she ate, that’s all we’ve been up to out here, super exciting I know,” You joked and Jack laughed softly.

“Is she getting better at latching?” Jack asked, and you nodded. Madelyn had troubles breastfeeding and Jack wanted nothing else than to be able to help you, but there wasn’t much he could do.

“Yeah, she did really good this time,” You said as Madelyn started whining.

“Oh, I know, being a newborn is so difficult, isn’t it?” Jack asked Madelyn, reaching over to rub her back.

“I think it’s time for her nap,” You said, yawning. “Maybe mine too.”

“I’ll go put her down for her nap,” Jack took Madelyn out of your arms.

“Thank you,” You smiled tiredly.

“You don’t have to thank me, she’s mine, and you’re still recovering from your c-section, I’d be an asshole if I didn’t help you as much as I could.” Jack walked her into her nursery, getting her ready for her nap. Jack made sure she was asleep before he laid her in her crib and walked out of the room, back into the living room. While Madelyn slept in your room at night, you wanted to get her used to sleeping in her nursery, so if you weren’t holding her, then she napped in her crib.

“Do we have more diapers?” Jack asked, and you shook your head.

“Not in that size. Did she go through them already?” Jack nodded.

“Almost, I’ll go get some so we don’t run out. Are you okay if I leave? I’ll be quick, I can order them if not.”

“Jack, I’ll be fine, I’m just going to hang out on the couch, and she just got put down for a nap, I’ll probably end up falling asleep too.” Jack handed you the baby monitor before leaning down to kiss the top of your head.

“I’ll be quick, text me if you need anything. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Jack got back to your apartment about 30 minutes later, a little longer than it should have taken, but you had fallen asleep so you didn’t notice. You were woken up to the sound of barking and Jack shushing the barking.

“You have got to be quiet, we discussed this in the car,” Jack said, and as confused as you were, you couldn’t help but laugh to yourself.

“Jack?” You called out, getting up from the couch.

“Shit.” You heard Jack scrambling in the entryway.

“Last time I checked, diapers don’t bark,” You said as Jack walked around the corner, a box of diapers in one hand, and a puppy in the other.

“Uhh, let me explain.” Jack set the diapers down. “There were someone selling puppies and I felt bad that she was the last one left, and I wanted to make sure she went to a good home. I know we have a newborn, and the last thing we need is a puppy on top of that, but I figured if we don’t keep her, we can at least make sure she gets a good home with one of our friends or families.” You watched as the puppy tried to wiggle out of Jack’s arms as he held her. “I’ll take complete care of her.”

“We’ll see how it goes. I can’t be upset when she’s this cute. Plus, I would have done the same thing. You can’t take her back, and honestly I think I’m too tired to be upset right now,” You laughed softly. The only reason you didn’t already have a dog was because of all the traveling, and you were going to be doing a lot less traveling for the time being.

“Thank god, I had already called Urban and told him he might have a dog tonight.” The dog finally wiggled free from Jack’s arms, running towards you on the couch. She put her front paws on your leg, giving you kisses and smelling you. Once she got bored, she got curious and started to explore the couch, running between you and Jack.

“Did you get any information about her?”

“She’s nine weeks old, she’s a poodle mix, she doesn’t have a name yet. I didn’t get much information. I’ll schedule her a vet appointment and have someone take her.” She whined, wanting to jump off the couch, but she was scared.

“Let me go close Madelyn’s door, then she can explore,” You said, and Jack immediately stood up. 

“I got it.” Jack went into the nursery, checking on Madelyn before closing the door, the caramel colored dog wanting to follow Jack, whining at the edge of the couch.

“Oh, you’re already his little shadow, aren’t you?” You asked, and the dog looked at you, tilting her head. You gently petted her, and she calmed down, until Jack walked back into the room, then she was right back to the edge of the couch. “She already loves you.” Jack walked over to the couch and helped her down.

“Did she tell you that?” Jack joked.

“Maybe she did,” You and Jack both laughed. “I should probably order her some food, maybe a bed? Some toys? I haven’t taken care of a dog since my families dog, and my parents did most of the work.”

“Jack, have you ever taken care of a baby before three weeks ago?” Jack shook his head. “And we’re doing a good job now, so we can do this, I can almost guarantee a dog is going to be easier than a baby.” You looked over at the dog, who was now running around your apartment, smelling anything she could reach.

“Okay, you have a point.” Jack said, sitting down on the couch next to you. You both sat in silence for a moment before he looked over at you. “Are we absolutely crazy for having a puppy and a baby at the same time?”

“Maybe,” You said, looking over at Jack, “But we’re crazy together.” 

Nothing had ever been easy for you and Jack, but at least this time your lives were becoming more difficult with babies and puppies.

Tag list @jackharloww @harlowcomehome @nattinatalia @hoodharlow @itsyagirljaz @heavyhitterheaux @harlowsbby @awhore4moree @harlowslefttoe @twerkforambrose @jackmans-poison @ilovenudy @taniapri @killatravtramp @easternparkway @macey234 @toocriticalharlow @lightsoutstyles @rachxc13 @iknowdatsrightbih @idktbh101 @blossomluvv @middlechild404 @hufflewhore128 @christinabae @lafavoritaangel

[opinated-user]

Like a lot of Lily supporters, there is this hatoheart person on here that doesn't believe that the things Lily did, despite years of multiple posts, witnesses, etc. , because ' there's no evidence and nothing to show.'

...While failing to point out how Lily's side if things have even less to show, despite admitting to side with her.

The funniest thing is that they even admit in their original post that they understand Courtney can't actually provide any solid proof.

They literally say, ' I don't believe them because no evidence, but also, I understand that SA victims can't always provide proof. '

And again... Where's Lily's proof, hmm? Why are so willing to believe someone who arguably provides less proof than the other person??

Also, them agreeing with someone who commented on their post who says saying that ' Courtney is an obsessive stalker while Lily is just trying to live her life.'

LOL, apparently, just speaking your truth and talking about your trauma is just being a ' stalker'. Very Lily fan club language.

It's additionally rich, considering how Lily herself talks about her exes and former friends.

Sorry, I needed to rant. I can't stand seeing people who say this sort of crap.

mmm, i think a thing that we all need to remember about LO's fans/supporters is that they're in a parasocial relationship with LO. this is not entirely the fault of LO (although she certainly does not help matter by constantly bringing up her trauma on unrelated videos out of nowhere), but it's a reality of how people interact with the people they follow. when that happens, the youtuber they like becomes part of their identity. it's already hard when you have a friend you suspect to have done horrible things, or at least are aware of that is what they're being accused of, and most people would prefer to believe that their friends are good people because, for sure, they consider themselves good people. likewise with many of her fans. to admit that LO is the horrible abuser and bigot we say she is, is to admit that they enjoyed for years the content of a bigot without ever seeing the red flags that are sprinkled around. it's humilliating. you feel like an idiot, like you did something wrong even though you didn't. especially when LO also goes out of her way to keep adding traumas to keep relying on that basic human compassion that her viewers are going to have. oh, she was raped by a girlfriend, oh wait it was her sister, and also had a heart attack and also was raped by the police and also had cancer and also also also. so it's easier to keep believing the Ben Shapiro's style voice of LO before any of her accuser, because they don't have that parasocial relationship with them. those accusers being right or wrong is no matter to them because that says nothing about their own identities. it's all about how LO has to be right because if they believe that someone they like, they enjoyed, they invested money/time/art/whatever else into, is as bad of a person as claimed, then would that mean that they're bad people too. it's also the fact that many of those people? are survivors and younger people (note that i said younger people and not minors, although LO admits those do exist among her audience) who are much less likely to question someone's story of horrific abuse because, truly, nobody wants to believe that anyone could just lie about those things. i understand the frustrating when people refuse to see the evidence, i do. like i said, i have no sympathy for people who do go out of their way to get "both sides of the story", only to turn around and call everyone else liars. but most people aren't like that. most of those "supporters" literally only saw LO's version of the story and that is the only one they're going to stick with, because LO said so.

[svenituse]

are you happy?

something i jotted down earlier on twitter because i had sudden thoughts about cale thinking choi han was a compelling and relatable character when reading tboah, and then cale fell a little bit in love before they even met

Roksu doesn't know why he borrowed so many books.  Maybe he wanted something to occupy his mind, and the many volumes of The Birth of a Hero would suffice as a distraction.  So he starts to read. 

He reads slowly, even though he could read much faster if he tried.  But it's nice to take things slowly when it's not related to work.  And so Roksu slowly reads about Choi Han, the hero of this multi-volume series—a young teenager suddenly thrown into a terrifying world. 

Roksu thinks of how his own world suddenly fell into chaos years ago when the monsters first appeared in Korea.  He feels sorry for Choi Han who had to struggle to survive.  Admires him too, for not giving up even though he was alone for so, so long in the Dark Forest.

Roksu feels happiness when Choi Han finds family in Harris Village; then Roksu feels despair when Choi Han loses that family all too soon.  Roksu deeply understands this type of unfair loneliness, this grief that never really goes away, and finds himself beginning to wonder:

How does Choi Han live after this? 

It's something Roksu wants to know after years of living alone.  He wants to know if someone else could find happiness after losing everything.  

So Roksu keeps reading slowly.  He reads about Choi Han's anger and sadness and growing darkness.  The future hero is no longer cheerful or gentle—not after everything he has gone through, not after everything he has done himself.  But he still treats others well and finds more companions as the story goes on.  

Roksu thinks Choi Han is a good person.  Good, and achingly kind.

Despite the author's propensity for excessive detail and plot deviations, Roksu can't stop reading book after book of The Birth of a Hero.  He wants (needs) to know how Choi Han's story ends.

When Roksu drifts to sleep, he thinks: I hope Choi Han finds happiness again.

When Roksu wakes up, he becomes someone else: Cale Henituse, a drunken lout that said some very cruel things to Choi Han in Volume 1, and deservedly got hit for talking shit. 

This is bad. Roksu (er, Cale) would prefer not to get beaten up by a novel character that he likes.

Clearly, Cale must become reasonably inoffensive so he can have a slacker life, and also not traumatize poor Choi Han.  Cale appears too late to save Choi Han's family in Harris Village, but he is determined to help the hero have an easier life in this version of the story.  He introduces Choi Han to allies sooner and is pleased to see the hero make friends.  

Cale isn't sure why there's much less… brooding… than initially expected, but he has no complaints about the positive change.  If he keeps helping Choi Han, maybe things will turn out better.

(One thing leads to another… and another… and another…) 

Years later, Cale is shocked to remember that his initial plan was to chase Choi Han away from him and then slack off without being injured.  Cale wonders how the fuck he got here.  His slacker life…!  Where has it gone…?

Well, at least one of Cale's wishes came true.  "Choi Han," he says, feeling foolish but wanting to confirm something, "are you… happy?" 

Choi Han blinks before smiling brightly.  "Of course, Cale-nim!" 

"That's good."  Cale looks away, embarrassed.  "I am too."

[theballadofthesunandthestars]

Character Analysis from my fic that I promised while I try and finish Chapter 16 today!

In the world of The Ballad of the Sun and the Star, Percy represents everything that the Capitol fears. There are of course several reasons for this.

1. The Hunger Games are meant to be the ultimate punishment. At this point, they’ve received no volunteers, and why would anyone volunteer? It’s essentially a glorified execution with no real purpose outside of punishing the Districts.

A big part of the Games is that they’re supposed to be a “reminder” about just how cruel the Districts are. The Tributes are portrayed as animalistic, murdering each other in cold blood to stay alive. Percy and Will are the first Tributes we see start to break this mold, Will by winning over the audience, and Percy by volunteering.

Percy didn’t volunteer for glory or the praise of the Capitol; he did so to ensure Annabeth’s safety, and help her feel less alone in the Games. Percy contradicts the narrative the Capitol tries to tell its citizens that District people are selfish, monstrous people incapable of complex human emotions or acting selflessly. Percy’s volunteering, though he didn’t mean it to be, was an act of rebellion, just as much as Will’s singing during the Reaping. The difference is that the Capitol knows they can manipulate Will’s rebellious streak to their advantage, while with Percy, it exists only as a threat.

2. Percy is rebellious like Will, but in a way that’s hard to control.

Unlike Will, he doesn’t care about winning over the Capitol’s affections. He’s volunteered to die in Annabeth’s place, and as such, his focus is on her, not the Capitol. The Capitol has created someone with nothing to lose, so he’s free from blackmail. He’s already in the Games, deemed the worst punishment, and planning to die.

Will is rebellious as well, but he’s younger than Percy, making him easier to be manipulated and groomed by the Capitol into what they need him to be. Percy is “too far gone.” He’s better to the Capitol’s cause dead.

3. Perhaps most dangerous, he’s a reminder of the good that can come from Districts working together.

The Games are meant to turn the Districts against each other, making them forget about the real enemy. Will broke this first when he chose to care for Percy, but this was done out of the public eye. Percy, seemingly without any reason, allied himself with another District, protecting Will. This protection was what eventually led to Will’s victory; if Percy and Annabeth hadn’t saved him and protected him, he would have died in the initial bloodbath.

Alliances are common in the Games, but always with the understanding that it’s not a true alliance; they’ll turn on each other eventually. Percy, Annabeth, and Will’s alliance was a direct contrast to this. They were an alliance in order to protect each other. It’s safe to say that even if they were the last ones in the Arena, they wouldn’t have turned on each other, unlike the alliance between Luke, Travis, and Clarisse. The Capitol knew this, and so the alliance became a danger. It was a reminder that if the Districts unified, they could easily take down the Capitol.

It’s been foreshadowed by Bianca and a few others that Percy’s death was no freak accident. It’s notable that the alliance was forced apart, and that Percy was infected with a disease that made him publicly turn against Will. They turned Percy into an animal, the very image of what Districts are said to be, and he died having chased Will into the stands with the intention to kill him.

Now, the Capitol is working to rewrite Percy’s narrative; he was an animalistic killer, who turned against a young, innocent boy. This is how the Districts and Capitol will remember him, if at all. The Capitol succeeded in eliminating Percy as a threat, turning him into something he wasn’t. He’s now despised by the few Capitol people that remember him.

In the eyes of the Capitol, the Victor was either going to be Percy or Will. They chose which one could benefit their cause, then got rid of the other.

[partialveil]

i need to worry less and live more, but that's very difficult for me. however, i think it's on its way to getting easier now that i'm realizing all the overanalyzing, overthinking and excessive worrying hasn't helped me, not even once. it's just getting exhausting. my brain loves to think deeply and analyze every single detail which i don't necessarily mind, but i need to remember to just allow myself to live also.

[species-dysphoria-culture-is]

SDC is having your species dysphoria reflect your experience with gender. youre kind of an animal but only in secret. its not strong enough to warrant being open about to anyone other than close friends. you feel like you cant get too attached in case youre found out and have to give it up.

.

[usodeshou]

My School Prince President - Ten Minutes Ago Music from Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997)

My brain attacked me this morning yesterday (uploading this was an odyssey 🙈) with the revelation that the music in the dancing scene gives me similar vibes as this song and I kept wondering what would happen if the two were put together.

Shockingly, this is how I ended up spending the rest of the day listening to the movie soundtrack and editing this into a thing lol The deed is done now, I may finally rest 😌

[13eyond13]

.

[arashi-no-saxlphone]

I have to tell you, I've been hit with Heavy Mob maybe 3 times in 3 years of play (one of those times was today) and I truly, honestly believe you can hit it more and you guys are just using it wrong - and that EXACT thought is how I figured out why they made that super so bad: it's a psyop by Daisuke to get people to get on Sol. He made it bad on purpose so we'd look at people whiff it and go "Psh, I could land that" and then you get on Sol and go "Hey this guy's easy and he's good..." and then you stay on Sol. I'm onto you Daisuke I see the vision I'm smelling the game I'm considering playing Sol Badguy after 600 hours of mostly Axl. You sly (junkyard) dog you...

[rosesradio]

🛩️

[xhatake]

LOVE LANGUAGE

a knife called grief

You have left your house, you have left those people behind, but what are you going to do about the memories which have taken root in you? You can run but not without them. You want someone to sit with you on this cool marble floor while the sun burns everything. You want them to cut your rotten heart and theirs too. You want to sit with it in front of you, let them see you with all your flaws, which haven’t been your fault but you have been made to believe so, and you want them to love you anyways. Because you know you’d do that for them.

tagged by: @s4ints ( thank you i would fight a small army of kindergarteners for u ) tagging: @writelives \\ @rewrittn || @kanashimitohiai || @thatsneakymedic || @konantenshi || @allgather

[finalrestingplace]

logged in to fb to do my yearly "deactivate in time for my birthday so that i don't get the attention", didn't get sweats and heart racing palpitations from logging in to fb.

i still have a phobia of that site and of talking to my friends online. they've been worrying. i don't want them to worry. i want them back. i'm just relieved they've still stuck around and not deserted me for my poor choices (not communicating online because of my phobia)

i'm going to tell them soon where else to get a hold of me it's the right time

[munamania]

boooooo film boyfriend sucks regardless of any endearing traits and attributes he may or may not possess

(but if i’m being honest film girl kind of does too, if she really is leading you on. you deserve requited love!! don’t torture yourself by settling for less than that!!)

thank u for your support and dedication in these trying times 🤧 but no you’re right. i really don’t know. like i don’t know if i’m so swayed by my own feelings or what i like to think i’m perceptive but i literally don’t… know. and i don’t know their dynamic i just don’t know. it’s the worst

[maipareshaan]

Idk much about the Isreal and Palestine conflict and war is war but like yes my only commentary about this is going to be foodie beauty is so hilariously ridiculous for saying destroyisreal on her tiktok like this woman is so insane she honestly impresses me with how outrageous she is