#woo-lia

[iron-sparrow]

Don't be a bitch, come take it to the floor now, And I'll be damned if I can't slow-dance with you Come pour some liquor on me, ⸺ honey, too ♪

Don't be a bitch, come take it to the floor now ♫

[liabegins]

STOP THE COUNT. NO ONE MOVES

[the-gray-maiden]

...

[wheresurboytonighthelookslikeenj]

im sad about george and dr grace fighting though :( i thought they were really sweet

:((( they were very cute together

[crownshattered]

|| One of the few good things about my class is that it taught me about this woman with such severe damage to the amygdala that she is literally incapable of feeling fear. So, of course that got me thinking about my two New Babylon girls. Here are my thoughts on their inability to feel fear, as well as the "devils" that exist there. (this of course will change once canon releases more info~)

Patient S.M. (the woman who has no concept of fear) has severe damage to the amygdala, so I think that's what sets the humans of New Babylon apart from other humans. They naturally have a significant decrease in activity in their amygdala which prevents them from being able to understand fear. I think the "devils" of New Babylon aren't actually devils at all, they're still humans but they have developed psychopathy from their inability to feel fear.

In New Babylon, life is constantly a slippery slope. There is nothing keeping someone from becoming a "devil" other than their own sense of morals. The moment someone stops and realizes that they could give it all up for desire and pleasure, that nothing would actually stop them, and if they give in to that idea...they've become a devil, and there's nothing that will stop them. It isn't some physiological change. It's purely psychological. They're still very much human in every sense, it's just that they realize they can do whatever they want without the fear of consequences. Because who cares about the consequences of your actions when you have no fear?

Lia's father (Kafka's teacher) succumbed to that ideology when Lia's mother died. He trained Lia and Kafka as a devil, but both of them saw that this wasn't something they wanted. So, Kafka left and became a Devil Hunter. And Lia killed her father and fled the planet.

The only thing keeping people from New Babylon from becoming demons is themselves. If they have a strong sense of self, they'll be able to push away the feelings of greed and prevent from becoming a devil. Their brain won't naturally do it for them, so it must be a conscious decision. It's very difficult.

[adascore]

Have I Not Given Enough

pairings: arsenal wfc x young!reader

warnings: crying. self-blaming. teen!reader reacting to losing against wolfsburg.

author's note: oh to be comforted by the arsenal girlies...

masterlist

•••••••

''We'll come back stronger, kid. Only the start for you.'' Caitlin patted her back before making her way to congratulate the Wolfsburg players.

The Arsenal striker stood on her own now, bathing in the misery of defeat. The worn pitch beneath Y/N's boots felt colder, a stark contrast to the warmth of anticipation that had filled the air just hours ago.

This wasn't how it was supposed to end. The set-up was perfect; Arsenal making it into the Champions League finals for the first time in over 15 years at a sold-out Emirates Stadium.

Bremer's extra time goal had ruined it all. The cheers had been replaced by a haunting silence, broken only by distant celebrations from the victorious Wolfsburg team.

The teenager was a sad sight as she tried not to burst out in tears, standing all on her own by the opposition's goalposts. The gravity of the loss weighed on her shoulders

Somehow she managed to move her feet towards the other players, going through the post-match routine: congratulating the Wolfsburg players, who in return offered their solace.

It was nice to have players like Popp express their admiration for the youngster, but in the moment she couldn't bring herself to care one bit.

''Nice goal, kid.'' Ewa Pajor patted her head, praising her opening goal of the match, the one that had kickstarted the long, grueling fight between the German and English team.

Y/N managed a weak smile, grateful for the acknowledgment.

''Hey, hey, Boneca!'' Rafaelle approached her. ''You should be proud of yourself, okay? Remember the noise in the stadium when you made that goal? Savor that feeling.'' Her Brazilian teammate told her, holding her close.

Katie noticed the interaction and decided to join them, leaving Teyah and Lia behind. ''Hey, girlie. Why the sad face? You've just made yourself a legend.'' The Irishwoman managed to genuinely laugh.

''We lost, Macca.'' A few tears escaped, but they were immediately wiped away by Katie and Rafa.

''Yeah, and it hurts. But you, baby goat, just scored in a Champions League semifinal against a club that has won this thing 2 times.'' She grinned, the pride she felt beaming off of her face as she used the playful nickname.

Y/N was pulled into a supportive hug by Katie, providing much comfort. Rafa affectionately pinched her cheek before making her way towards their other teammates.

As the huddle expanded, more teammates joined them, forming a circle of support around the young player who felt this loss harder than anyone else.

Jen held her close to her body, as if shielding her from the harsh reality of the defeat. The Scott wasn't telling her anything, just holding her as their teammates tried getting a smile out of her.

''I was like ''Yeah! Woo!'' The atmosphere was insane!'' Manu did an impression of her reaction to Y/N's opening goal.

''It's like the stadium came alive, it was so fucking crazy!'' Kaylan exclaimed, with animated hand gestures.

Y/N appreciated her teammates and their consolations. However, she couldn't escape the weight of disappointment that she felt within her. Despite their genuine efforts to coax a smile, the young player found herself unable to entertain them.

''Oh my god, you did so well, Y/N. You were amazing.'' Victoria hugged her as Jen let her go.

''Thanks, Vic.'' She mumbled on the Dutchwoman's shoulder.

The midfielder swung her from side to side. ''Don't cry, it's okay.'' She tried to comfort her younger friend.

Y/N felt another pair of hands on her back, hands that belonged to another Dutchwoman, although, this time it was not a teammate.

''Hey, meid.'' Jill greeted her, and Y/N pulled away from Vic, who said something in Dutch to her patriot.

''There's gonna come a day where you're gonna lift that trophy, okay? You've grown so much.'' Her former teammate praised her.

The teenager nodded. ''Thanks, Jilly.''

Jill planted a kiss on her head, bidding goodbye as she joined her teammates again in their celebrations.

As Victoria pulled Y/N back into her embrace, the teenager's gaze caught sight of the approaching figures of Kim, Leah, Beth, and Vivianne.

The teenager skillfully transitioned from hugging Victoria, gently slipping away as the crowd dispersed. She made her way to the bench, where the atmosphere was more peaceful as most people were scattered around the pitch.

As she settled on the bench, Y/N took a deep breath, her emotions threatening to surface. Before she could fully let herself go, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

''Hey, what's going on?'' Steph, observant as ever, approached with concern etched on her face.

The striker tried to mask her emotions with a forced smile. ''Just disappointed.''

Steph nodded understandingly. ''I get it. But you got us through this match, and I'm very proud of you.''

''Thanks, Stephy- you were amazing too.'' Y/N quickly reciprocated the compliment, her eyes darting around.

The Australian noticed a frown on her face. ''Hey… you okay? You look like you're having panic attack.''

At her words, Y/N looked her straight in the eyes. ''No, no! I just wanna go home, to be honest.'' It wasn't a lie. All she wanted to do was to get in the car, and lie in her bed until it was time for the next match.

Steph nodded. ''Take your time, sweetie.'' The defender joined the squad on the pitch again, leaving the young one alone.

In the distance, Beth approached Jen, her expression reflecting concern. ''Hey, Jen, have you seen Y/N?''

Jen furrowed her brow, scanning the surroundings. ''Uh, she was with Vic like a minute ago.''

''Oh, alright. How was she doing?''

The Scott pouted. ''Looked pretty torn up, as you'd expect. Some of us were trying to cheer her up, but you know the kid…'' She made some sort of gesture that indicated she was not taking it well.

''Poor thing.'' The Brit sighed.

Back on the bench, Y/N remained in solitude, staring mindlessly at nothing.

''Hiding?'' The sudden voice of Rose, their physiotherapist, made the youngster flinch.

''Jesus, Rose!'' Y/N exclaimed, her hand on her heart.

Rose chuckled, unfazed by the reaction. ''Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. You looked like you needed a moment.''

''Yeah…''

The older woman nodded at her lack of words. ''It's okay. Take all the time you need. We're doing the huddle in a minute, though, so you might want to join that.''

''Yeah, I will.'' Y/N replied.

Contemplating the upcoming huddle, Y/N's unease heightened when her eyes locked with Kim's on the pitch. The captain started walking over to her with an unreadable expression.

Unable to face the captain she respected so much, she rose from the bench, pretending she hadn't noticed Kim's approach.

Rose watched as Y/N escaped from the interaction with Kim, giving the captain a sad smile.

The teenager's eyes scanned the pitch, Gio's friendly wave caught Y/N's attention, and she decided to make her way towards her friend.

''Tough match, huh?'' She said, trying to offer some solace.

''To say the least.'' The Brit sighed, glancing down at the ground.

''You okay?'' The Brazilian asked, Y/N's darting eyes were anything but subtle.

''Yeah, I just… yeah, I'm fine.'' She stuttered, not having the heart to actually say what she was doing.

Gio could sense Y/N's unease. ''Should I get Beth or Viv?''

''No, no! Just… I don't wanna face them right now.'' She admitted.

''Why?'' The forward didn't understand, knowing how close she was with the couple.

''I just… I- I can't do it.''

Gio nodded anyway. ''Okay, stay with me then. We'll hang back a bit.''

Kathrine joined them as well, the three youngsters keeping each other company while waiting for the entire squad.

In the huddle, Y/N strategically averted her gaze, fixating on the ground beneath her feet.

As Jonas addressed the team, the weight of disappointment pressed heavily on her shoulders, and she struggled to engage fully in the moment.

''I'm proud of this team. We're standing here in a sold-out stadium, and we gave them a fight. We didn't give up and we gave our everything until the end.''

The Swede's words were a mere distant hum. Her mind replayed all the crucial moments of the match, each missed opportunity being screened in her mind.

While the team absorbed Jonas's encouragement, Y/N continued to bear the weight of her perceived failure, the applause and cheers around her a muffled backdrop to the cacophony of self-critical thoughts.

Afterwards, Lotte pulled her in an embrace. Her England teammate's presence being a source of comfort.

The Arsenal homegrowns' moment was interjected by someone grabbing Y/N's arm.

''A goal against Wolfsburg or what?'' The England captain said.

The attempt at light banter didn't quite reach her heavy heart, the teenager simply shrugging her shoulders.

Leah, perceptive as ever, sensed her teammate's unease and tried to give a sense of perspective. ''Hey, you have so much to be proud of. Look at this stadium! This is only the beginning.''

Despite the skipper's encouraging words, tears welled up in Y/N's eyes once again. The disappointment was cemented in her mind.

In the midst of her emotional turmoil, Vivianne and Beth approached, their expressions reflecting heavy concern.

Beth's eyes softened as she pulled Y/N into a gentle hug, aware of the unspoken pain lingering in the air. Vivianne placed a reassuring hand on her back, silently offering support.

''Hey, kiddo, you were absolutely brilliant.'' The elder of the two said, caressing the back of her head.

At the lack of response, she continued. ''It's okay to be upset, sweetheart. You're feeling a lot, aren't you?''

Y/N nodded, her voice catching as she struggled to articulate her feelings. The couple exchanged worried glances, realizing the impact the loss had on their young teammate.

''I'm so proud of you, you gave it your all.'' As Vivianne expressed her pride, Y/N's emotions reached a breaking point.

Sobs escaped her, and she clung tightly to her mentor, seeking refuge in the strength she had always admired.

The Dutchwoman took over from Beth, pulling the youngster even closer to her.

''I'm so sorry, Viv.'' Y/N apologized, full of guilt for not bringing the team to the Champions League final.

As she continued to apologize, Vivianne gently cupped her face and whispered reassuring words. ''Don't apologize. It's not about the result on the scoreboard. You played with your heart, and that's the most important thing.''

Y/N, overwhelmed by emotions, couldn't shake the feeling of letting down those she admired the most. ''I wanted us to win, especially for all of you who couldn't play.'' She mumbled.

''You've made all of us super proud, lieverd. It's a journey, remember? You still have a long way.'' She whispered, her own tears betraying the depth of her emotions.

Leah reached out to rest a hand on the teenager's shoulder. ''Darling, you were without a doubt one of the best players on the pitch.''

''I missed so many shots.'' Y/N stated through a sob.

''And so did the others. Don't carry this on your own, my girl.'' Leah retorted.

Beth and Lotte, recognizing the rawness of Y/N's emotions, instinctively moved to shield her from the intrusive gaze of the cameraman. ''Can you not?'' The defender furrowed her eyebrows.

The players didn't want their teammate's vulnerable moment to be exploited. Fortunately, the crew listened and moved further onto the pitch.

''I made so many mistakes.'' She continued crying. The floodgates had opened and closing them would be a difficult task.

''You didn't, darling. Like Beth said, you were brilliant.'' Leah's own eyes were now being filled with tears, Y/N's self-blame making her emotional.

Y/N shook her head at the skipper's words, hiding her face in Vivianne's neck. ''You were, listen to Leah.'' The Dutchwoman muttered, caressing her back.

''Hey, Y/N. Hey.'' Kim's voice sounded out of, seemingly, nowhere. Leah moved out of the way so the captain could get closer to the teenager. ''You've got nothing to be sad about. You played a fantastic match. Yeah, we didn't get the win, but you've made the club so proud.''

Her voice was stern, but it was a loving sternness. ''Let's go and thank the fans now. They deserve a proper thanks.'' She urged the entire group to do a lap of the pitch.

As the squad gathered together and walked around, the players waved and applauded the fans. The defeat stung, but the bond, not just between the players, but also between the players and the supporters is something special and unbreakable.

Regardless of the result, they're celebrating the players as if they did win and Y/N felt herself smile as she looked into the crowd, and seeing the Gooners experience this with them, with her.

In a quiet moment, Kim approached her again. ''You're creating something special here, Y/N. The way you've got the fans behind you… you're like their own personal star girl. Please, enjoy it,'' the midfielder patted her back, ''because this is what I want you to remember from this match.''

A teary-eyed Y/N, managed to nod her head in appreciation. ''Thanks, Kimmy.''

The pair found themselves holding hands as they continued thanking the fans. It was a beautiful image as it represented the older and new generation of Arsenal; Kim, a captain with years of experience, comforting Y/N, someone who undoubtedly was the future of the Gunners, and could potentially become a skipper in the distant future.

[mapiforpresident]

Prompt no 4 with laura wienroither where reader is lia walti's younger sister. She is newly signed to arsenal. Laura has a crush on her and tries to flirt with her but the reader is the most dense person and the team helps laura to woo the reader. Thanks

"Are you asking me out?"

Laura Wienroither x reader

warnings: none

Laura Wienroither couldn't help but feel a flutter of nerves as she glanced across the training ground at arsenal's newest signing Lia Wälti's younger sister, y/n. Ever since she had joined the team, Laura had found herself inexplicably drawn to her charm and infectious laughter.

However, much to Laura's frustration, the younger Wälti seemed completely oblivious to her attempts at flirting. Whether it was a subtle compliment or a playful tease, y/n's reactions ranged from polite smiles to confused nods, leaving Laura feeling disheartened but determined.

Determined not to give up, Laura enlisted the help of some of her teammates. Together, they came up with a plan and devised clever strategies to help Laura capture y/n's attention.

From strategic seating arrangements during team dinners where Katie randomly felt the need to shove y/n into the seat next to Laura claiming it had the best view, to orchestrated coincidences on the training pitch, where Laura kept randomly getting chosen to be y/n's drill partner. Laura's teammates spared no effort in their mission to make y/n see what was right in front of her.

Despite their best efforts, y/n remained blissfully unaware of Laura's intentions, much to the amusement of the rest of the team. But Laura refused to be discouraged, determined to find a way to break through y/n's obliviousness and win her affection.

Finally, on a crisp autumn afternoon, as the team gathered for a post-training cool down, Laura mustered up the courage to make her feelings known. Taking a deep breath, she approached y/n, her heart pounding with nervous anticipation.

"y/n/n, can I talk to you for a moment?" Laura asked, her voice trembling slightly with nerves.

Y/n looked up, her eyes bright with curiosity. "Of course, Laura. What's on your mind?" she replied, her smile warm and inviting.

With a shaky exhale, Laura took y/n's hand in hers, her gaze steady as she met her eyes. "I... I've been trying to tell you something for weeks now," she admitted, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I... I really like you."

Y/n's eyes widened in surprise, her lips parting in realization. "Wait, are you asking me out?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

A soft chuckle escaped Laura's lips as she nodded, relief flooding her heart at y/n's sudden clarity. "Yes, I've been trying to ask you out and hint that I like you for weeks now," she confessed, her smile growing wider with each passing moment.

"I was wondering why you were acting so weird, and Katie come to think of it," y/n replied as she thought back over the last couple of weeks. She then said, "I would love to go on a date with you."

The entire team decided to make their presence known as they cheered them on. Y/n leaned in and kissed Laura on the cheek as Laura blushed.

Y/n then said, "was I really that oblivious" and the whole team replied yes in a variety of ways.

Lia came and wrapped an arm around her sister as she also replied, "it was the most painful thing I ever watched."

[thelightsandtheroses]

7. i don't mind falling in love with you

Frankie Morales x female reader | let's get lost chapter 7 [the last one!]

Summary: You and Frankie aren’t together anymore but you’re in a good place.However, spending a week together for your mutual friends’ wedding on a luxury resort might challenge that slightly and realising you’re still in love with your ex is a sure-fire recipe for disaster … Tropes: it was always you, getting back with the ex, beach!Frankie (you know *that* photoshoot) miscommunication, only one bed, good parent Frankie Chapter Warnings: 18+ MDNI, minor mentions of alcohol and food but reader's drink is not specified, weddings, good dad!frankie, truly terrible excel jokes. Word Count: 4.8k Notes - Oh wow, I can't believe we've made it to the end of Frankie and reader's story. Thank you so much to everyone who's commented, shared or engaged with this fic - your support means a lot. I started this fic in the midst of a stressful period of my life, and things have changed a lot since then (in a better way) but this fic has been a constant. While their journey is now over, I am excited to share my next Frankie fic soon which has many of my favourite tropes and perhaps a career move for Frankie that I cannot stop thinking about .... 🔥 For now, though, here's Let Get Lost... the chapter title is from the milk. song of the same name (this band featured a lot in my fic playlist)

Previous | Series |

You wake up in Frankie’s arms; the pillow barrier between fully discarded. After the rehearsal dinner, after sobbing at the beach and everything that happened, you felt so drained. By the time the two of you had got back to the hotel room, you were exhausted in your bones and you needed to focus on Clara so neither of you had a chance to talk about it further.

He asked you not to give up on the two of you though. He told you he wanted to woo you.

He wants to woo you.

Woo you.

The thought sends a thrill down your spine, makes your heart race just a little more. You want that too. You really, really want that.

You can see it too; dinners out together back in Florida, hands entwined as you make your way back to the car, the picture of domesticity. There’s fire in that vision too though; heated kisses in the hallway just because, tangled together in sheets, savouring every touch, every sensation.

It feels like a future.

Sophie’s words have haunted you though. They pulled you out of slumber one too many times, floating in and out of your mind like the nagging anxiety you’ve left an iron on.

You feel more in control now though. Maybe it was a blessing after all, at least you have a plan now. A real plan.

It’s finally light outside, finally an acceptable time to get out of bed and start on with your day. It’s Lia’s wedding, it’s almost the end of your vacation.

You don’t want to go back. You want to stay here, with Frankie and all-inclusive catering and no work emails or worries about trivial things that seem larger than life - like font sizes. You want to wake up in his arms time and time again, live with travel sized bottles of shower gel and fresh white towels every day.

Exploring this though back home, back in Florida, is a little exciting. You can’t deny that you want to bring Frankie back into the mundane moments of your life; your new coffee maker, the diner that opened around the corner from your place where Clara loves the pancakes. Hell, even your bed’s new to him.

You ease Frankie’s arm from you delicately as you carefully and silently get out of bed.

Clara’s still snoring softly as you tiptoe past her, wrapping a robe around you as you open the terrace door carefully.

There’s less than forty hours left of your vacation. Soon you’ll be on a flight home, back to Florida and everything you’ve avoided thinking of since you stepped on this island.

You want this feeling, you want this peace. You want him.

Getting ready for a wedding has always felt stressful. You don’t want to wear the wrong colour, to not match the dress code in some way or to not fit in with everybody else. In a way, Lia’s wedding is easier because you’re part of her party and so as soon as you were dressed and your presentation to Frankie finished, you had made your way over to Lia’s room.

You feel nervous about seeing Sophia. Her words from the night before still sting and have wrapped themselves around your neck like barbed wire, nicking your skin and making your heart race.

You can prove her wrong. You will prove her wrong.

His lips are against your neck, hands skimming down the side of your body, up your back where his fingers lightly meet your skin.

“You’re supposed to be zipping this dress up, Frankie.”

“Mmhmm, but it’d look even prettier on the floor, right?”

You laugh. “That is so cheesy.”

“Made you laugh though.” He kisses you again, hands on your hips and drawing you closer against him before moving his hands higher so they graze against your breasts. Almost involuntarily, you moan as he knowingly distracts you from your task.

“Careful, Clara is in the next room. We’re supposed to be getting ready.”

“Okay, but I can’t do this when we go outside, so I need to make the most of it. Besides, you’ve got to agree, this is kinda fun, right? Like being teenagers again.”

“Is it wrong if I say that I really cannot imagine teenage Frankie?”

“That’s a good thing, baby, he was a menace.”

“Oh, really?”

“Mmhmm, he would not believe this is his life right now though,” Frankie says, a slight smirk on his face.

He pauses and looks at your reflection in the mirror carefully, clearly picking up on the worried expression, the nerves you cannot hide. “It’s going to be fine.”

“Promise?” you ask, even though you know he can’t assure of that, not really.

He kisses the side of head. “Promise.”

“Oh,” you say, “I’ve just remembered, I want to show you something.”

The two of you walk out of the bathroom where Clara is sitting on her bed and ensconced with her toys. She looks up briefly and waves, a bright smile on her face that mirrors her father’s smile perfectly, before turning attention back to her toys.

“What do you -"

Frankie starts as you root through your bag and pull out your tablet.

“Right,” you say, unlocking the screen and taking a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking about how this can work, how we make it work when we get home.”

“Me too.”

“Good,” you say with a smile, “so I started building a plan.”

Frankie raises his eyebrow and looks over at the file you’ve opened as you wave the tablet in his direction. He takes the tablet and scrolls for a moment. “Baby, this is a spreadsheet.”

“I’m aware.”

“You built a spreadsheet?”

“I want us to be prepared. I built it for us.” Perhaps you should have opted for the business case template, or even powerpoint, instead. You were tempted, but you remembered after your break up the spreadsheet that had become your custody arrangements. You wanted a spreadsheet designed to rebuild instead, a response to that time, a demonstration of what’s changed. It felt right.

Now you wonder if perhaps your efforts were misguided, governed by a foolish desire to prove this was well thought through, that it made simple statistical sense.

“We’re on vacation and you built a spreadsheet?” Frankie looks astonished. “On your tablet?”

“I feel more … I think it’s better if we have a clear plan from the start.”

“Why do you have Excel on your tablet?”

“I … I thought it might come in handy. It clearly did.”

“You’ve colour coded each of our friends. Is this why you asked me when my lease ended when I woke up in the middle of the night?”

“Well, yes.” You pause, you’re never usually like this. Organisation is something you aspire to, with shining new diaries and planners each year that are always forgotten by February. You thought being a parent would help, but it turns out that Clara has just ended up fitting into your chaos, simultaneously draining any residual energy you might have had for planning. Your nerves have worked overtime this holiday though and the spreadsheet, well it seemed like a good idea at midnight.

“I - I think it’s great,” Frankie says carefully, “but did you sleep at all?”

“It really didn’t take that long.”

“There are formulas in there. Hey, are those formulas the magic ones that change?”

“Conditional formulas and formatting? Yes?”

“Fuck, if Will saw this …”

“He’d be annoyed there’s no pivot table.”

“I’m going to pretend I know what a pivot table is. Okay, okay, so walk me through the plan.”

“We’ll start with the gantt chart.”

“Right, so purely out of curiosity, how many charts are there in this thing?”

You pause and think for a moment. “Less than five.”

“Fuck me.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Well, listen to my presentation and then we’ll see.”

“At least you agree it’s a presentation.”

Lia wraps her arms around you tightly when you walk into the suite she’s getting ready in. She’s wrapped in a fluffy robe and she looks both radiant and nervous.

“How are you feeling, babe?”

“I’m good, I’m ready. I just - what if my dress suddenly doesn’t fit?”

“It will, and if it doesn’t, we’ll adapt.”

“Right.”

“We’ve got you.”

Lia takes a glug of her drink and smiles. “I’m getting married.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Okay, okay. This is going to be great.”

You can’t help but look over at Sophia before you say, “It is. It’s going to be perfect.”

Minutes turn quickly into hours. There’s all too much preparation, music playing, the smell of perfume and hairspray permeating the room. You focus on Lia, on her day, on helping it be as perfect as possible.

You don’t speak to Sophia, not even when she tries to catch your eye. She overstepped, and you can understand her pain, her own difficult memories coming to the forefront in this setting, but surely you can be petty just a little longer. Surely you can harmlessly sink into the hurt for just a little longer.

It does hurt. Not because of Sophia’s words, not just because of that.

It’s the way it’s made you feel since then. It’s the reason you spent the night formulating a business case of all things to justify Frankie and you reuniting. You want to prove her wrong, you want to show her she’s wrong, but it’s not out of spite. It’s out of that desperate, clawing need for her buy-in, for her approval. It’s fucked up.

It should just be you, Frankie and Clare, you know that. You shouldn’t feel this urge to turn everything up to 110% to prove Sophia wrong. You do though.

You’ll be the best bridesmaid today.

You’ll be the very best friend today.

You’ll bottle it all up, because you need her to know she was wrong, to come to your side instead. You’ll prove to her that you and Frankie can get it right this time

Sophia will eat her words.

It’s shifted slightly into something about her in your head now, not Lia, not even Frankie. You care too much and hate it. You’re furious with yourself for caring what she thinks, for not just being your own person.

Frankie crosses your mind in a welcome distraction from your spiral. A moment with him earlier, in your hotel room, you watched him laugh softly as he helped Clara with her shoes, his eyes full of love and when he met your gaze you noticed the way he shook his head, looking down and his shoulders moving with silent laughter once more. When he looked up, he looked right at you and it wasn’t that it reminded you of how things were before, of those heady days of new love. it was something different. Changed because of how you both have changed, but there was love, there was something real behind his expression. A promise of something in the future. Of a chance.

You’re ready for that chance too.

You take a sip of your drink, smiling at Lia as she delicately eyes her dress.

You’re not thinking about wedding. You’re thinking about what comes next.

The beach looks perfect. The sky is cloudless, radiating a comforting warmth that envelops you as you watch Lia and Benny exchanging vows.

She looks stunning. Her dress is covered in delicate embroidered flowers, in a way that’s not too fussy, that just fits her. It’s her smile though - incandescent with happiness, face glowing with a love that matches Benny’s gaze to her.

You could spend hours ruminating on the tragedy of you and Frankie falling apart. The pain it caused everyone, including yourself. For months, you wrapped yourself in the hurt, wore it like spiked armour, and rued the day you’d fallen for him. Despite all that, Benny and Lia found something, carving some hope and joy out of a time when you and Frankie couldn’t even look at one another.

Last night you were thinking about what it all meant if you fell back together with Frankie and now you realise it. It gave Benny and Lia something. It gave you and Frankie room to remould yourselves separately and know you two still have something.

It’s not about the hate or the pain, or the wedding you wrecked along the way.

It’s about love. Raw and painful but full of hope.

Frankie’s dressed in a crisp shirt, the top few buttons unbuttoned which makes you stifle a giggle when you realise. Is that man allergic to a fully buttoned shirt? He catches your eye for just a second and winks.

You feel your cheeks heat and you fixate on the bouquet you’re holding instead, on being a good bridesmaid.

Clara is next to you, holding her own mini bouquet and looking so excited to be here. She tugs no the edge of your dress, looking up at your expectantly as you shift yourself as subtly as you can so you can pick her up and let her wrap her arms around you.

The vows finish, the bride and groom kiss to cheers and everything just feels hopeful for a moment.

You notice Sophia wiping away a tear when she thinks no one is watching and as her words come back to the forefront of your mind, somehow they feel dampened.

Frankie walks over to you both.

“Hey Clara,” he says cheerfully, arms outstretched to take her.

“Daddy,” she cries happily, eagerly moving from one parent to the other.

Frankie doesn’t say anything to you. He doesn’t need to. His eyes are glowing with mischief, with the secrets between the two of you, with hope.

“It was lovely, wasn’t it?” you say idly.

“Yeah, it was,” he says softly, squeezing Clara for a second. “It really was.”

“Want to get down now,” Clara says.

Frankie laughs as he gently helps her down and the two of you watch her run through the sand toward where Santi and one of Lia’s cousins are talking.

People are starting to move away now, the hum of chatter growing quieter as people walk towards where the lunch will be served and reception held.

You both watch the ocean for just a moment, listening to the rhythmic ebb and flow of the waves reaching the shore and retreating.

Frankie slips his fingers into yours, entwining your fingers together. You lean fractionally, enough to feel the heat of his body, drink in the scent of his cologne. It’s different paired with the hotel shower gel, but it’s still Frankie.

“We should head back with the others,” he says softly, squeezing your hand slightly.

“Okay, just - just one more minute like this.”

Clara has been spending the meal running between you and Frankie, even though her chair is next to you. Frankie’s sat on Benny’s side of the table, while you’re closer to Lia and next to her cousin, another bridesmaid, who has been so bubbly and kind to you throughout the day. You can’t help but notice how carefully planned and choreographed this has all been - the consideration, and risk avoidance, of yours and Frankie’s separation is an unspoken theme in the wedding arrangements.

Lia’s cousin is nice though - what is her name? It’s something floral you’re sure. She has an infectious energy and you feel only slightly terrible that you’re glad you’re next to her and not Sofia. From the way she keeps glancing at Santi though , you have a feeling that both of them have specific plans for the evening. Good for both of them, you think.

Clara bounds over, almost tripping on her dress as she makes her way to you. You scoop her onto your lap, letting her hug you.

“Okay, I need to eat now,” she says confidently, letting you place her in her chair and immediately reaching for leftover bread.

“You two seem to really have it sorted,” she says.

“Oh yeah?”

“If I didn’t know, I’d have thought …” she trails off.

“So you and Santi, huh”

“What?” Her voice goes up an entire octave which makes you stifle a laugh.

“Santi’s a good guy.”

“I mean, I’m not looking for anything … that’s sounds terrible, doesn’t it?”

You shake your head. “Neither is he, so go for it. For what it’s worth, he’s been looking your way?”

“Really?”

You nod.

“Wow. Well, that’s uh, good to know. So, do you fly back tomorrow?”

“Sadly. I wish I could just stay.”

“Do you have far to fly?”

“Wisconsin.”

“That is um, very different to here.”

“I know, right? It’s been so good to have some sun and all of this around me. I think I’m designed for the warm.”

“You’d love Florida then.”

“I know Lia loves it there, but it’s funny because when she was little, we always talked about moving to New York and for her to have moved to Florida instead, and to be so happy, I guess it’s just funny how things work out.”

“Tell me about it,” you say, thinking for a second of your own journey. Of the job you’re never sure if you love, but you enjoy the freedoms it gives you. You think of the man you thought would be forever and then never, only to fall back together again. You think about the life you’ve built yourself which feels so different to the one you thought you’d have.

You wouldn’t change it though.

Not here. Not right now.

The sky is streaked with pink and yellow hues reflecting the warmth of the day and making everything feel softer. There’s still enough heat for you to kick off your heels and luxuriate in the last rays of the day.

The dancing has started early. Lia and Benny had picked a song that worked for them for their first dance. So often first dances feel too saccharine for you, your least favourite part of a wedding - you joke it’s trauma from a deluge of Ed Sheeran or too practiced harmonies. Instead, this was them to a tee: joyful, fun, alive.

You watch as Clara dances with Santi, her tiny hands reaching up and pure glee on her face. She loves dancing - you won’t be able to get her off the floor until it’s time to drop her off with the sitter.

Sophia sits next to her, placing her glass down and looking at you with a mixture of wariness and worry.

“I want to clear the air,” she says after a moment. “I was - I meant well but I didn’t think, I didn’t think about it might hurt you. I think this wedding has bought up a lot for me.”

“It’s understandable,” you say gently. “And I appreciate the gesture now.”

Sophia sighs. “I really can’t watch you both fall apart again.” She twists her hands together. “It was scary, it was so awful to watch.”

For a moment the presentation you prepared, the spreadsheets of scenario analysis and careful planning come to your mind. You’re ready to defend yourself this time though. To prove to Sophia you and Frankie are right together.

She made you cry, you have to prove her wrong.

Why? A voice in your head asks. Why does her opinion matter so much?

“I don’t think we will,” you say, looking out at the sea, “Not this time. And don’t worry, I wont bother you if we do.”

Sophia whispers your name, taken aback by your matter of fact tone.

“We’re still friends, Sophia, but too much has happened between us, right?” Some wounds take longer to heal, perhaps one day it will feel more like it used to, but after last night it became clear that neither of you have truly healed from her wedding and she seems to have only just realised that herself.

You’re trying though. You have to try.

You can’t choose a life of bitterness, you can only move forward and get lost in hope instead.

“No, I -” There’s abject horror on Sophia’s face as she meets your gaze. “We -”

“I’m right. I understand why you resent what happened at your wedding, but the blame equally lies on Frankie and it was one short moment in a beautiful day. Such a beautiful day. Perhaps - perhaps it hurt everyone so much at the time because you’d couldn’t pretend he hadn’t relapsed anymore, that things weren’t normal. I don’t know. I don’t actually fucking care any more. It’s the past. I realised something watching Benny and Lia.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I don’t want to focus on the hurt anymore.”

“I don’t either,” she admits finally.

“Okay then.” You place your empty glass down. “I’m going to check on Clara. I think she’s tiring out her Tio Santi with her dance moves.”

The evening has set in now. Candles and warm lights illuminate paths and tables. You can hear the band still playing in the distance as you let Frankie guide you against the white washed wall and you melt into his kiss.

His hands cupping your jaw, moving down to your collarbone, your waist. His lips on yours, confident and enrapturing as you pull him tighter against you.

You can taste the sweetness of the soda he’s been drinking on his tongue, smell the hint of cigar smoke on his clothes - a tradition he assured you he decided not to partake in, not this time.

Your heart is racing, the sound of blood pumping in your ears. This is so right. So natural.

Your bodies, your minds, everything about you and Frankie feels right together, feels whole.

You don’t hear the footsteps, don’t hear the sound of anything but the moment.

“Holy fuck."

You hear that, immediately breaking apart. Frankie’s standing a little away from you, worry creasing his brow.

“Hi Benny,” he says casually.

“What are you doing here?”

Frankie looks at Benny and Lia, hand in hand and then at you. “Probably the same thing you wanted to.”

“What about - oh my god, oh wow, it’s - wow!” Lia says, noticing that Frankie is with you, that you’re loitering in the shadows, gaze transfixed to the floor.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to ruin your wedding,” you say quickly. Not another one. Not again.

You feel Frankie’s arm around your waist, gentle motions of his hand to calm you, to bring you back and ground you.

“Why do you think you’re ruining my wedding?” Lia asks, her hands on her hip.

You stumble on your words, stuttering out nonsensical syllables and stop, mouth agape and feeling lost. “Why wouldn’t I be ruining your wedding?” you ask in a small voice.

Frankie mutters under his breath, you think you catch a couple of curse words but you’re not show.

“Oh sweetie,” Lia says, moving towards you, disentangling you from Frankie and bringing you into a gentle embrace. “You’re not ruining my wedding. God, I’ve been thinking this’ll happen all week - I just had a sense you two weren’t over yet.”

“You did?”

“Benny and I have a bet on it. I win.”

“A bet?” Frankie asks, raising his eyes at Benny who holds his hands up.

“Yeah, thanks for that one, guys. Seriously, Lia and I just both picked up there was some unresolved - stuff between you two.”

“You don’t think it’s a mistake, that we’re … a storm or in a vacation bubble?” you ask nervously.

You notice how Frankie closes his eyes just for a second at your question, how the worry radiates for just a moment.

“I think we’re all in a vacation bubble, right?” Benny says. “We’re in a wedding bubble too, but it’s all -” ”Bubbles,” Lia interjects.

“it doesn’t mean it’s not real though. Doesn’t mean you two can’t work at home again. I mean, you’re going to take things slow right?”

“Right. We have a plan.”

Frankie laughs. “There’s a spreadsheet, with formulas and a pant chart.”

“Gantt chart,” you correct automatically.

“It’s terrifying actually.”

“That is … something,” Benny says with a low whistle.

“So you have a plan and you’re taking it slow and you’re happy. That’s good, that’s great. Can you just give me today for me to be a little selfish,” she adds lightly. “Please?”

“Absolutely,” you say. “Trust me, I don’t want any more attention at this wedding.”

Lia laughs, pulls you in tighter for a second and whispers, “When we get back from honeymoon, I want to hear everything.”

The airport is crowded. This time, your flight wasn’t the one that was delayed however it’s unfortunately landed at the same time as another delayed flight and the baggage hall is heaving. Throngs of people, desperate to get home or start their own vacation swarm the hall.

Santi, Will and Sophia’s cases have already arrived. You watch as they awkwardly shift, waiting for yours and Frankie’s luggage to arrive so the group of you can start your goodbyes.

The flight was such a different experience to the journey out.

“Do you need to share our uber?” Santi asks Frankie.

“Nope, we travelled together with Clara. Split the car parking.”

“Very practical. Your idea?” Santi asks you.

“Nope, that was all Frankie.”

He shrugs, a fake modest smirk growing on his face. “Do you guys want to head on then?”

“Probably.” Santi smiles at you both. “back to reality, huh?”

It doesn’t feel with you dread though. Not at this moment.

“it had to happen sometime,” you say placidly, noticing that Clara’s now tugging at your leg. You lift her up, let her wrap her arms around Santi for a moment.

“Bye tio Santi,” she says.

“Bye sweetheart.” Santi says with a soft smile. “Good to see you too.”

You grin. “Yeah, it was. Actually, things worked pretty well.”

He looks at Frankie and then you knowingly. “I bet.” He raises his eyebrows, making no comment or judgement but his eyes are alight with mischief, with something close to happiness for you both.

You feel steadier with each moment like this.

Santi waves as he joins Sophia and Will, who you’d already exchanged goodbyes with, and the three of them head out.

You watch the suitcases whir around the conveyor belt. “Our luggage is coming, right?”

“Absolutely. It’s going to be the last bags though, pretty sure of that."

“Just our luck.”

Frankie smirks, gently moving a twisted strap around your handbag before whispering, “If Clara couldn’t see, I’d be kissing you now.”

“Oof, don’t make promises you can’t keep,” you tease, before pointing at a familiar case. “Frankie, it’s finally here."

You watch Frankie grab your suitcase as Clara rests her head on your shoulder.

“Home soon?” she asks.

“Absolutely.”

“Okay."

There are so many conversations for you and Frankie, so many hurdles to overcome. You don’t need to worry about those now though.

You’re noticing the way Frankie’s eyes seem brighter than before, the way his smile is so broad as he joins you again.

His hand is right next to yours and your fingers brush against each other. You take his hand, letting him entwine fingers with you as Clara rests on your other side

Maybe this week wasn’t such a bad idea after all?

“Let me drive you both home,” he says gently.

“Only if you stay tonight,” you say.

“Is that in the spreadsheet?”

“Would you let that go? I just meant, it is late and the roads can be dangerous and as far as Clara knows, you can sleep on the sofa. Or in the bath.”

He shakes his head at the memory of the debate on the first night of the vacation. “Well, that does sounds enticing, doesn’t it? It seems like it would be irresponsible for me not to stay.”

“Exactly.”

“Okay, don’t want be setting a bad example for this munchkin, do we? Let’s head home then.”

Home, that sounds like a good idea right now.

Tag List

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[lina-linny]

summary: You were pregnant a few months ago. What will your boyfriend say if you stand in front of him again with a positive pregnancy test?

words: 1.5k

genre: fluff, comfort

Shivering, I sat next to the toilet as I felt the all too familiar feeling of morning sickness. What was that all about? I had just been pregnant and yet I was 5 weeks overdue. I had ignored it, blaming it on the previous pregnancy but now worries were slowly creeping up inside me. What if I was pregnant again? I groaned. I didn't really want to go through this unpleasant time again. But it didn't help. Staggering, I got up to go and get a pregnancy test.

~☆~

Positive. I clutched the edge of the sink. Silent, hot tears ran down my cheek. I was simply exhausted and tired. My hormones were going crazy, I'd just had a break down and still had to be quiet because my few-month-old daughter was asleep in the next room.

Shakily, I breathed in and out to calm myself down again. I had to talk to San. We were going to have a second child at some point anyway, so in theory it wasn't so bad. But I didn't want to go through all that shit again. Especially so close together.

I had hated pregnancy. Abysmally. I knew that many women were positively glowing during pregnancy, permanently happy and just looking forward to the birth.

I was the opposite. I was constantly in a bad mood, could hardly move with this huge belly and cried all the time. Depending on my mood, I either needed my boyfriend san's undivided attention (which he was more than happy to give me) or I pushed him completely away and isolated myself. Normally he was always offended if I didn't give him 100% of my attention. But during the pregnancy he hadn't complained once.

But I was so sorry. I knew that this time had been almost as draining for him as it had been for me. But he had never complained. He had always brought me everything I needed, even without me saying anything. He looked after me so well. I loved him and was so grateful for that. I didn't want to be a burden on him for another 9 damn months.

I was also incredibly scared about the birth. I mean hello? I had to push a human being out of my abdomen. The thought was immediately disgusting and painful, just thinking about the agony I had gone through during my last birth made me dread the next one, which obviously wasn't that far away.

I had to tell San. As quickly as possible. I had to talk to him. I just wanted to be in his arms. I quickly texted my boyfriend that me and our daughter Lia would pick him up from work later and he sent back a "Yay I've missed my two girls all day." back.

This was followed by several messages in which he asked how I was, whether I'd had enough to eat or drink. But I didn't have the strength to answer them.

I just sighed and crawled into bed to feel sorry for myself. But all in all, the prospect of a second child wasn't so bad. I'd just like to skip the pregnancy part.

~☆~

I hesitantly entered the KQ building. My daughter pressed against my chest. I sighed. Soon there wouldn't be two of us visiting San at his work. Soon there would be four of us.

Reluctantly, I knocked on the door of the training room and after a moment stepped through the door that separated me from the 8 Ateez members.

When I entered, we were greeted enthusiastically by everyone. Wooyoung came shooting towards me with a grin. He was about to open his mouth (probably to tease me) when Lia reached out from my arm in his direction. It was obvious that she wanted to go to him.

Wooyoung was her favorite uncle. That's why San and I had made him her godfather. Lia idolized Wooyoung and that didn't do his ego any good. He kept teasing us that our daughter would like him much more than us.

Sighing, I handed Lia over to Woo. I knew that she was always in good hands with him. He treated her like a little princess and even if the two of them would cause a lot of trouble in the future, Wooyoung would never let anything happen to her.

San looked at me worriedly. Of course my boyfriend knew that something was bothering me. He saw through my façade. He always did. No matter how well I hid my worries, he always saw that I wasn't well.

He came to me. His hands wrapped around my waist and he buried his face in the crook of my neck.

San was always touchie. As soon as I turned up, his hands were somewhere on me. Whether he took my hand, hugged me or kissed me. But his favorite thing was to hug me. He could spend hours with me cuddled up on the couch and I loved it almost as much as he did.

"I bought you flowers sweetheart... on my lunch break. They're over by my other things." He pulled me a little tighter against him and I felt my heart soar. He was so sweet and thoughtful. I didn't know what I'd done to deserve him. I smiled and pressed a kiss to his hairline.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Can we talk for a minute?" I added and San just nodded. He grabbed my hand and led me into a small side room.

He trusted Wooyoung and the other members enough to leave Lia with them. He didn't leave his little princess unattended with most other people.

Since we had our daughter, his protective instinct had become even greater. In the past, too, he had sometimes shown flashes of jealousy towards me, but since Lia was born, this had risen to another level.

~☆~

I dropped onto the chair in the room. San looked at me worriedly. I ran a hand over my face. I was very sure that I had to look really bad and tired.

I didn't know what to say. How could I tell him that I was pregnant again? How was I supposed to tell him that we had to go through all the drama again?

San gave me all the time I needed. He waited patiently and I knew he would never complain that I was taking too long or anything like that.

But I couldn't find the words. I didn't know what to say. So I pulled the positive test out of my bag. Thank goodness I had put it in my bag earlier. San looked at me in confusion until he saw what I was holding.

"Ohhh baby...." he sighed and rushed forward to wrap me in his arms. Tears streamed down my cheek.

"San, I don't want to be pregnant again. I don't want to put you through so much again. I'm so sorry I'm always so moody."

"Oh sweetheart. It's okay." He gently stroked my head. A small tear rolled down his face too. But not because he was scared, tired or stressed, but because he was happy. He was happy that his family would grow by onother member.

Since the day he met you, he knew that one day he wanted to have a family with you and now the time had come. Now you would have two children, just like you both had always dreamed of.

He didn't usually like to cry in front of others but crying in front of you was natural.

"You don't have to apologize for it. I know you're not well and I'm trying to make it as easy as possible for you. We can do this all together, ok? I promise I'll take care of you, ok baby? I'm also looking forward to our second child. I'm sure we and the members will adore it just as much as Lia."

I sobbed into his T-shirt and San pressed me against his body while he stroked my back reassuringly.

San would do anything to make my life easier and so he would do everything he could to make this pregnancy as easy as possible for me. This thought reassured me. I knew that I could rely on him.

"We can do this together..." san pressed a light kiss to the top of my head and my tears slowly dried up."

Thank you... I love you San" I clung to his muscles and San giggled.

"I love you too baby." I slowly pulled away from him, whereupon San protested and pulled me back into his arms. I laughed and he grinned too, but just kept hugging me.

We both knew it wouldn't be easy but we would make it together.

[twice-inamillion]

Potential Idols for “The Company”

BlackPink: Jisoo Jennie Rose Lisa

Twice: Nayeon Jeongyeon Momo Sana Jihyo Mina Dahyun Chaeyoung Tzuyu

Haeum Lee (Jihyo’s Sister)

Itzy: Yeji Lia Chaeryoung Yuna Ruyjin

Eunbi

Le sserafim: Sakura Chaewon, Yujin, Kazuha

IVE: Yujin, Wonyoung, Rei, Gaeul, Liz

Nmixx: Sullyoon, Haewon, Bae

Natty

Somi

Chungha

Hyuna (I know you said 3rd and 4th gen but she’s still relevant)

Jessi

Gong Seungyeon (Jeongyeons sister)

Hirai Hana (Momo’s sister is a member of a prominent dance team in Japan so she could be part of the Japanese branch and a group choreographer and backup dancer)

G-idle: Shuha Miyeon, Minnie, Yuqi

Seohyun (shes still a prominent actress)

Sejeong

Aespa: Karina, Winter, Ningning, Giselle

New jeans: Minji, Danielle, Hanni

Kepler: Bahiyyih Chaehyun and the rest

Momoland: Nancy Yeonwoo

Cignature: Jewon

mamamoo: hwasa solar moonbyul wheein 

Alice- Sohee

Ex-izone: hyewon minju yena Chaeyeon

Red velvet: Irene joy Wendy yeri seulgi 

Jini

IU

Dreamcatcher

ExLoona

Fromis 9 in particular Saerom Chaeyoung and Jisun

Seol in-ah (Business proposal)

Go Youn Jung (Alchemy of Souls)

Arin

Kim ji-eun ( could be fun because her and ryujin look like sisters)

No:ze

Bae Suzy

exCLC Seungyeon Yeeun and Sorn

WJSN Yeoreum

WOO!AH! Nana

StayC

H1-Key

Sunmi and Tayeon as senior for younger idols and trusted associates of the CEO

[glimmersea]

Post about sad men pining, this is a THREAT

On it, boss 🫡

So the other night I made this post about tieflings cutting their nails to finger their partners and these tags someone added to it are making me feel things (disgusting).

Just like.

Okay, if it were Rolan cutting his nails while he tries to woo Tav, Cal and Lia would be dunking on him about it constantly.

But does Zevlor... have anybody who knows him well enough to guess at what's going on? Or does somebody notice one day that Zevlor's started cutting his nails, and soon the whole camp is quietly speculating about who he is seeing, because there's only like twenty of them so it's got to be an outsider, right? Unless it's one of the druids, but even so. Small community. Gossip spreads.

And of course Zevlor isn't seeing anybody, he's pining over Tav and he doesn't even have anybody to playfully heckle him about it. Maybe this is me retroactively assigning characterization based on Act II onto Act I but I feel like Zevlor is slowly building a wall between himself and the rest of the tieflings so that by the time he decides he can't go back to them after Tav breaks him out of the mindflayer colony that seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Nobody knows what he is going through because he doesn't let them, he keeps it all to himself. He cuts his nails and touches himself thinking about Tav and doesn't do anything else about the crush he's carrying, because he's carrying everything else already anyway.

[commander-krios]

A Divine Dream

Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3 Pairing: Rolan/Dammon Rating: Teen Summary: An invitation to a Grand Ball. A returning hero. And the man who'd gotten away. Words: 5798 Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Slow Dancing, Ballroom Dancing, Banter, Happy Ending, Love and Hope, Second Chances, Mild Language, Background Wyll/Karlach

Read on AO3

This fic was written for @Cozy_Bossi to go along with a piece of art they made a few months ago of Dammon and Rolan. I've attached the picture and their twitter on AO3 so that you can follow them for more wonderful art!

Also, I hit 200k words posted for 2023!

Your presence is requested at a Grand Ball in honour of the rebuilding of Baldur’s Gate by his eminence, Duke Ulder Ravengard.

The invitation was written in elegant script, looped letters in golden ink that glittered in the light. He knew he should attend. Most likely, his absence would be noticed and considered rude among the upper circles of the city. He was the master of Ramazith’s Tower and Baldur’s Gate’s newest archmage, yet he had much to still do, even a year after the destruction of the Absolute. With a sigh, Rolan tossed the parchment on his desk amidst mountains of scrolls and books. 

The movement caught Cal’s eye. His brother glanced up from his book, scrunching his face in concern. “Another solicitor?”

“If only.” Untying his hair from the elaborate braid he’d started to wear recently, he brushed his fingers through the strands, combing the knots out. “There is a party for the Duke in a tenday. I’m expected to attend.”

“A party sounds fun.” Cal reached for the paper, glancing it over quickly before a grin appeared on his face. A grin that Rolan didn’t like the look of. “And Ravengard is fair and honorable. You might actually enjoy yourself.”

“The horror.” Rolan muttered, the sarcasm not lost on his younger brother. “I can think of a hundred other things I’d rather be doing than getting dressed up like a prized peacock and prancing around a dance floor.”

“Is it because you don’t have a date?” Cal teased, setting the invitation face up in front of Rolan again, the golden script mocking him.

“A date? Have you seen the type of person that tries to woo me? Hardly any of them are worth the time or effort.”

“So you’re saying that some of them are worth it?” 

“Please spare me.” The invitation sat open, a temptation despite his objections. How long had it been since he’d left the Tower to merely socialize? His work as archmage brought him to many drawing rooms in Baldur’s Gate, not to mention his travels across Faerun visiting with other archwizards. He wasn’t locked away in Ramazith’s Tower like his predecessor had been. No, he frequently took on apprentices, delved into research with other wizards in the Realms.

But his patience for frivolous things, for frivolous people, had waned in the last months. What use was making connections, social or otherwise, when the one person he wished to see had left for Avernus nearly a full year ago?

Cal shifted in his seat, bringing his book closer as if he planned to continue reading, but his eyes were fixed on a singular spot on the page. He knew what this was. Cal craved life outside of the tower walls. Lia was well established with the Flaming Fist. She had friends and dates and hobbies that kept her away for days at a time. Cal had put his life on hold to stay behind and help Rolan with the organization of the Tower, of everything Lorroakan had left behind. He worked in Sorcerous Sundries most days, only going out on the occasion when Lia insisted.

After everything they’d been through to get to this point, Rolan knew he owed his brother this.

With a sigh, Rolan rested his elbow on the desk, cupping his chin in his hands, his eyes fixed on his brother. “Cal.”

Cal glanced up curiously, the shadow of a grin twitching at his lips. “Yes, Rolan?”

“Did you want to go to the ball with me?”

In his excitement, Cal slammed the book shut hard enough that the entire table shook. Rolan cast a spell to stop the ink pot from tumbling to the floor. It floated, suspended in mid-air before he snatched it and returned it to the safety of the desk. 

“I know you’re excited, but please be careful.”

“Sorry.” Cal said with a sheepish grin. “Should we invite Lia?”

“I suspect she’ll be there.” Rolan cleared away the texts, standing and replacing them to their spots on the bookshelf. He didn’t want to discuss the ball, or the Flaming Fist, or anything when he knew how easily it could lead to places and people he wasn’t ready to talk about yet. Friends that were long gone and most likely would never return.

“Right. Flaming Fist and all.” Cal stood as well, stretching to relieve his muscles from sitting in one place so long. “Should I check in on Tolna before bed?”

“No.” He said, realizing his voice was sharper than was necessary. Forcing himself to be gentler, he turned to his brother, putting on his best smile. The frown on Cal’s face only proved he was still terrible at it. “I’ll do it. I should secure the vault and check in on a few things anyway. Go. Get some rest.”

Cal hesitated, as if he wanted to say something, but decided better of it. “Alright. You’ll let me know if you need help, right?”

Rolan nodded, but he knew no matter how much help he needed, he wouldn’t bother his brother’s well deserved rest. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he gathered up his loose hair, tying it back like he used to do when they traveled the dangerous roads of the Storm Coast. If Cal noticed, he didn’t comment on it. “Of course. Now off with you. I have work to do.”

Cal knew better than to argue with him, it wasn’t worth the trouble. Even if Rolan was in the wrong, it took practically pulling teeth for him to admit it. When his brother finally exited through the portal, the wizard of Ramazith’s Tower was left in the echoey silence.

~~~~

Duke Ulder Ravengard’s estate was lavishly decorated with red and gold hangings, perfectly shined silverware, the glow of hundreds of candles creating the perfect romantic atmosphere for the couples that had already taken to the dancefloor. Gowns made of delicate fabrics in colors of indigo and crimson, lavender and silver, each one more beautiful than the last, billowed and swayed with each movement. Elaborate beading, expensive jewelry, fashionably coiffed hair…

Rolan still couldn’t believe he was here with the nobility as an equal. All of his ambition and dreaming never prepared him for this new life: the opulence, the respect, the wealth of knowledge at his hands. He knew how lucky he was for such a chance, he’ll always be grateful to Wyll and his friends for helping him acquire it. 

With a wave of his hand and a quiet recitation of a well-known spell, stars sparkled across the ceiling, falling in wide arcs of light and color, and a smattering of applause went through the room at the sight.

Cal inhaled sharply beside him, eyes fixed on the magic until it disappeared, wonder and appreciation  on his face. “Wow. That never gets old, does it?”

Rolan smiled softly, clapping a hand to his brother’s shoulder, enjoying the way his eyes lit up at the light show. Almost like old times. “I’m glad you convinced me to come. Now, go. Enjoy yourself. I am going to see if Lia is here yet.”

Cal met his eyes, hesitating. “Are you sure you want me to leave you?”

“I can handle some nobles, Cal.” Rolan held back a laugh at the incredulous look on his brother’s face. “I’m not that insufferable, am I?”

“Well…”

Pushing gently against Cal’s shoulder, he wasn’t surprised when he burst into laughter. “Get out of here, you menace.”

Cal was still chuckling as he melted into the crowd, in search of whoever he knew among the guests. The Flaming Fist was here in force, silent watchers in the corners of the room, although most threats to the Duke or the city had long disappeared with the destruction of the Elder Brain and the deaths of the Chosen Three. Baldur’s Gate, like much of the Storm Coast, hadn’t experienced peace such as this in years. He hoped it lasted.

Rolan had no difficulty finding Duke Ravengard in the crowd, he and Counsellor Florrick speaking to nobility and common folk alike, neither being barred from the Upper City as was once the norm. Now, everyone had a voice in the rebuilding, in the life that was going to bloom here, and Rolan was grateful to be part of it.

Perhaps there was hope, after all. Hope for a better future, for a happier one. A future where he didn’t have to regret or question the choices he’d made.

A future where he finally made a life for himself.

His sister was at her post near the back of the room, the refreshment table not far from where she stood. When Lia noticed his approach, a smile spread across her face, waving in the direction he’d come from.

“I knew you had to be here when the magic show lit up the room. Can’t stop showing off, can you?”

“I did it for Cal, if you must know.” He replied flippantly, reaching immediately for the Arabellan Dry and pouring a large glass full. “He is here, somewhere.”

“Probably searching for Lord Guthmere’s daughter.” She teased, pretending to be at attention when he glanced at her. “They’ve taken a liking to one another.”

“Please, Lia. Let’s not make enemies of the patriars of the city already. I don’t want to be chased out by a mob because you and Cal cannot be discrete.”

She was silent as he sipped the wine, watching the people of Baldur’s Gate flirt, dance, and stand a world apart from them. Even if he was considered among them, Rolan doubted he would ever feel as comfortable among the glitter and gold than he was in the Sundries library, discussing spells and history with other wizards, most notably Elminster and Gale, both of whom visited him frequently over the last year. It’d been quiet, informative, and immensely enjoyable.

“You look weird.” Lia said, barely concealed mischief flirting across her face. She wore her Flaming Fist uniform, the crimson fabric and silver iron looking right on her. He would never admit it aloud, but he was proud of the woman she’d become.

But that didn’t mean she didn’t still irritate him.

“What is that supposed to mean?” He brushed a hand over the rich blue robes he wore, enjoying how the golden threads shone in the light. Rolan had spent days searching for the perfect set of robes for the Duke’s ball, only to end up in Facemaker’s at the last moment to find something worthy of an archmage. “This was an expensive purchase.”

“You might want to ask for your money back.” She teased him, motioning to the ensemble. His frown deepened. “Half of it is missing.”

Rolan sniffed in irritation, lifting the goblet to his mouth again.“I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

“Hells, you’re sensitive tonight.” Lia rolled her eyes so hard he was surprised they didn’t roll all the way into her skull. “I was joking, you idiot.”

“It’s difficult to tell when everything you say is a joke.”

She stared at him until his lips twitched, a smile curling his lips without his permission. Lia snorted a laugh, shaking her head but the expression on her face was approving. Figured.

“Why are you over here sulking, anyway? I’m sure there are plenty of people who would love to get to know the fabulous Master Rolan.”

He gazed into the wine glass, the dark burgundy liquid holding no answers to what plagued him. Only he knew and like hell would he explain any of it to his sister. 

He diverted her attention instead.

“Shouldn’t you be worrying less about me and more about protecting the Duke instead?”

Lia rolled her eyes, nodding to the Duke in question. “As if anyone is going to get past his entourage. Most of the Fist are here for the appearance of protection. Absolutely no one is going to hurt the Duke with a wizard prodigy, a Harper, and a damned vampire spawn protecting him.”

There was no doubt about that. The Duke’s son had left Baldur’s Gate to his father’s benevolent rule, but hadn’t left him alone. Many of his companions had either stayed in the city or visited frequently, to the point that they were welcomed guests at Ravengard’s.

“I suppose you have a point.” Rolan conceded before taking another sip of wine, refusing to meet his sister’s gaze. The last thing he wanted was to see her smug grin. She may have won this argument, but there would be plenty of those tonight and he wasn’t going to concede victory so early. “But then again, I am also here to protect our beloved Duke. Lest you forgot.”

“Could never forget a head that big.”

Rolan held his tongue when there was movement ahead, a gathering of the patriars and their guests as the familiar visage of Duke Ravengard appeared, calling for their attention as if his very presence didn’t immediately call for it. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed even Lia had snapped to attention, her chin held high and her focus entirely on the man she worked for. He’d never seen her so disciplined before. 

Perhaps he wasn’t the only one to truly benefit from the time they’d spent in Baldur’s Gate.

“Now that everyone has gathered, it’s time I explained why I asked you here.” Ulder Ravengard stood slightly raised above the crowd, a goblet of wine in his hand, Florrick and a few of his closest council standing a few feet off, watching with much less anxiety than the rest.

Whispers broke out, speculation running rampant. Ravengard raised his hands in supplication, a genuine happiness on his face that Rolan hadn’t seen much of since Wyll left for Avernus, and the guests fell silent, waiting with bated breath for his announcement. Rolan sighed quietly, trying to still the anxious flutter of his hands. He folded his arms over his chest, tucking his hands against his body, trying to ignore the foreboding that tickled at the back of his mind. 

“It’s been nearly a year and yet, I never gave up hope that my son would return home to Baldur’s Gate. To us.” Rolan didn’t miss the whispered ‘to me’ that Ravengard spoke under his breath. “And for the first time since that day against the Netherbrain, he isn’t alone. Please aid me in welcoming back the Pride of the Gate, your hero, and my son. Wyll.”

Applause and cheers mixed among the patriars, all turning as one as the enormous ornate doors opened once more to admit their heroes. Wyll Ravengard stood at the front, looking as much the hero as the Blade of Frontiers ever had, dressed in an impeccable doublet of black and gold, a prince among patriars.

The tiefling barbarian, Karlach, stood beside him with their arms linked, a radiant force with her wide smile and affectionate laugh, eyes sparkling with a fire that always burned within her.

Rolan hadn’t heard a single scrap of news regarding the tiefling with the infernal engine until now. Her return to Avernus was kept quiet among the companions and the few people who knew of her affliction. Duke Ravengard’s mood had soured considerably after Wyll left with her, refusing to let the woman he loved suffer alone, but tonight, there was a new light within the Duke… within them all. A happiness that Rolan hadn’t seen in so long. 

Wyll’s infectious laughter and wit immediately drew people to his side as it always did. He was surrounded by his usual friends, those that had helped him end the Absolute plot. The silver-haired cleric held a goblet of wine and a rather beautiful smile on her face. The wizard of Waterdeep with his jovial laughter and light hearted, yet silly jokes. The pale vampire who was the life of the party, taking in the attention with the air of a man who’d done this sort of thing his entire life. The High Harper and the former First Druid stood side by side farther back, discussing something at length with the Githyanki, supplied with all manner of drink and entertainment, preferring to shield themselves from the golden light that radiated from the savior of Baldur’s Gate instead of basking in it.

But none of them held the allure of the one who stood within the confines of their circle, out of place among heroes but never far from Rolan’s thoughts.

A tiefling blacksmith with a heart of gold and a smile to match it.

Dammon’s radiant smile was all the more blinding with the joy reflected in his dazzling blue eyes. He watched Karlach and Wyll with the pride of a friend, the affection of a brother. They had been his constant companions for nearly a year and yet, Rolan was jealous of the bond he’d so clearly built with them. 

It was then that Rolan realized what their return meant. Karlach was no longer burning up, the fire of the infernal engine stifled in her chest. 

They’d done it.

“It sounds like father has been telling tall tales about our exploits.”

“If anyone deserves to be a hero, it’s you, darling.” Astarion cooed at him, lifting a glass of wine to his lips. “Just take it before he decides to build a statue or something. The man is relentless.”

Karlach laughed, a harsh loud bark that was full of so much love and joy that it nearly broke Rolan’s heart. How he missed her vibrant personality, despite how loud and perhaps a tad bit boisterous she could be. Wyll took her hand in his, pressing a soft kiss against her knuckles, a gesture that felt too intimate for the setting.

He ignored his friend’s teasing and instead, tugged Karlach closer, slipping his free arm around her waist, their combined hands coming up in the imitation of a dancer’s pose. “Let’s lead this dance, shall we, my love?”

Karlach responded, but Rolan didn’t care what it was she said, what any of them said, not when Dammon had noticed him staring. Realizing his mouth was hanging open, he snapped it shut, blush crawling up his neck and cheeks to the tips of his ears. Dammon smiled at him kindly and approached as the heroes of Baldur’s Gate continued to the dance floor, ignoring the two of them completely.

Rolan’s gaze swept Dammon’s body, taking in the new piercing hanging from his pointed ear, the dark blue doublet with fancy cloak, gold clasps glittering in the light of a thousand candles.

“I didn’t realize you’d returned. This is quite the surprise.” Rolan said, trying to keep his voice as casual as possible, but knowing he immediately failed when Dammon glanced at him, curiosity winning out over anything else. He swallowed with some difficulty, a lump sitting painfully in his throat. Might as well have been his foot.

“Yes. It was… recent. Very recent.” Dammon cleared his own throat, suddenly captivated by the sight of the dancers. Avoiding his gaze, most likely. “Karlach is doing much better than I expected. Better than I had hoped. I’m proud of how far she’s come. She deserves a happy ending.”

And what of us?

Rolan’s shoulders stiffened as his gaze sought out the subject of their conversation. She was laughing loudly, her voice carrying over the music and the chatter. Rolan could acknowledge that she deserved this, both she and Wyll did, but he was still angry that Dammon of all people took that responsibility on to himself. To leave for the Hells, the very place they’d escaped from such a short time ago, to put himself in danger for a woman he barely knew. Only because of the infernal engine she carried. 

He took advantage of Dammon’s distraction to study him. The doublet he wore was a rich ocean blue, only highlighting the azure of his pretty eyes. His blond hair brushed his shoulders when he turned, watching a particularly handsome couple spin across the dance floor. The corners of his mouth tipped up, his expression gentle, softening his features. Longing thrummed beneath Rolan’s skin, the desire to reach out and comb some of that blond hair from his face, to tuck it behind an ear, if only to trail one of his claws across Dammon’s jaw.

“I suppose they all do. They did save us, after all.” Rolan forced the words out, trying to bridge the gap between them, the one that he had created when they’d last spoken. Because despite Dammon deciding to help Karlach’s mission in the Hells, Rolan was the one who’d taken a step back, reexamined things. He decided to leave the fleeting touches and longing looks behind him.

Rolan didn’t want to be left alone picking up the pieces of his heart when Dammon didn’t return. For a year, he’d been right. Dammon was gone, he wasn’t coming back, the Hells had torn him apart or had broken him. And if he did come back, what would be left? Would the man he cared for even still be in there, somewhere?

Rolan knew he wouldn’t survive that. Not after everything they’d fought against, fought for.

Dammon played with the edge of his cloak, the fine fabric shimmering with each movement. He was lost in his mind again, the revelry echoing in a sea of sound and color, a kaleidoscope of chaos. “Everyone here is a hero, in their own way. Even you, Rolan.”

He snorted, resisting an eye roll at the almost compliment. “Of course I am. My greatest achievements being almost getting killed by goblins and shadow creatures only to end up abused at the hands of a megalomaniac. You have a strange definition of hero.”

Dammon glanced up at his confession and Rolan realized too late what he’d admitted. He couldn’t meet the blacksmith’s gaze, this time he was the one to stare out into the crowd. “Lorroakan did what?”

Shit.

“I… Karlach told me about the aasimar, but not-”

Rolan waved the concern away, trying not to feel embarrassed at how easy it was to talk to Dammon. Like old times, indeed. “It’s fine. I’m fine. If it makes it easier to swallow, I helped to throw him from the Tower.”

“It does not.” Dammon sighed, closing his eyes and breathing slowly as if to calm himself. “If I had known, if you’d told me-”

“It changes nothing. Lorroakan is dead and I’m the new Master of the Tower. It’s taken a lot of work but it is mine now. And the Realms’. Knowledge shouldn’t be hoarded.” 

Dammon made a noise low in his throat. A strangled laugh. At least, that’s what he thought it was.

“Is something funny?”

“I didn’t expect you to see the silver lining in such an awful situation. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve always had confidence in excess.”

“Confidence or not, I’ve had plenty of practice surviving. We both have, it seems.”

Dammon bit his lip, concentrating on the words for what they were, a truth that was impossible for him to refute. They’d both done quite a bit of surviving over the last few years. Together and not.

And that was the problem, Rolan realized. Despite everything he’d gained, the safety and security of his position, the wealth and knowledge at his fingertips, the wonderful lives that he always swore he’d provide for his siblings, he was still in survival mode. A difficult habit to break, for sure.

“Rolan, I-”

Clearing his throat, Rolan cut Dammon off before he could get anything else out. The last thing he wanted was a heart to heart in such a public place, with the man who he, once upon a time, wanted something more with. “I apologize, but I really must return to the tower. It’s excellent that you’re well, Dammon. Truly. Perhaps, in the future, you can regale me with tales of your fight in Avernus.”

A brief flash of uncertainty crossed Dammon’s face before he hid it behind a smile. The blacksmith was always levelheaded, more so than Rolan ever was.

Rolan turned away, intending to disappear into the crowd without another word, when a hand clamped down on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks before he could take a single step. “Ah, here you are. The man I was looking for. Where are you off in such a rush?”

Wyll. Of all the people who could’ve caught his escape, it had to be the one whose disappointment would hurt most.

“I’m terribly sorry for leaving so soon… there are things I forgot that must be done, tonight-”

Wyll tsked, shaking his head with a frown on his face. For a brief moment, Rolan felt like a child again, being scolded by the matron of the orphanage he’d been abandoned at. The expression always rankled and this was no exception.

“The Archmage of Baldur’s Gate must stay for one dance. Come, I haven’t seen you in nearly a year and you’ve been standing here stiff as the statue my father said Lia had commissioned of you.”

“She did what?”

“I must insist that you enjoy yourself.” Wyll smiled kindly, nodding towards the dance floor. Rolan’s heart thudded dangerously fast in his chest at the thought of twirling among the other guests. Dancing wasn’t one of his strengths. He couldn’t recall ever having to do so. “Please. Think of it as a favor to an old friend.”

Damn him.

“I’m sure I can enjoy myself quite well with another glass of wine.” 

Dammon coughed, covering his mouth with a hand, eyes staring at his feet. Rolan easily saw the smirk he attempted but completely failed to hide. So this was an ambush, was it?

“You mustn’t leave us so soon, Rolan.” Wyll continued as Karlach joined them, the fitted ebony gown looking even more stunning up close. She slipped her hand into Wyll’s, the joy of being to touch her love clear on her face. “There is plenty of fun left to be had.”

“But, I don’t have a partner.” Rolan responded, a smug grin aimed in the direction of the blacksmith. Dammon’s eyes widened slightly, as if he realized where Rolan’s thoughts had gone. If I have to suffer this madness, then so do you.

“Crazy idea!” Karlach interrupted, a grin breaking out across her lips, excitement sparkling in those glowing golden eyes. “You and Dammon could dance. Together. Because if it’s one thing I know after all of this crazy shit, it’s that everyone needs a chance to find that special person that makes them better. And Dammon here,” Karlach nudged him with an elbow, a grin that could light the Hells on her face. “Well, let’s just say he hasn’t stopped thinking about you since we left for Avernus.”

A blush colored Dammon’s cheeks at the revelation. “Karlach!”

“Was it a secret?” She asked, seeming genuinely confused and Rolan might’ve laughed if he wasn’t so embarrassed. “Come on, the two of you are irritatingly obvious and if I have to throw you into a wardrobe until you finally just f-”

“What Karlach means to say is-” Wyll cut her off, tugging her away from the two of them with a laugh. But not before throwing one last look at them. “Enjoy yourselves.”

Karlach’s laughter faded into the murmurs of the crowd, the son of an Archduke and the tiefling barbarian he loved finding the time to enjoy their lives now that the latest crisis had passed. Rolan released a breath, feeling the tightness in his chest ease only a little, a new fear warring inside of him. With a quick glance in Dammon’s direction, he wasn’t surprised to see the blacksmith studying him. 

“I think that was the most polite threat I’ve ever had aimed at me.” 

Rolan laughed, feeling breathless, and perhaps a little dizzy. It was definitely a threat, but one he might actually not be afraid of the consequences of. “I guess we have only one option then. That is, if you’re amenable to a dance.”

Hells, was he really doing this? He didn’t even really know how to dance a proper waltz.

Dammon raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him. “Is that what you want?”

The man was so annoyingly handsome, with his light hair cascading around his face and striking blue eyes that haunted Rolan so many nights since their first meeting in Elturel. And here they were, both alive and settled in Baldur’s Gate, surrounded by friends, living the future they’d only dreamed about. Dammon was watching him intently, a soft grin curling his lips in a way that left Rolan’s insides feeling like pudding.

Holding his arm out in invitation, he tried to quell the erratic beat of his heart when Dammon linked their arms together, fingers brushing softly against his forearm.

Dammon was alive. After all of this time. The Hells hadn’t destroyed him, hadn’t changed him. His eyes were still kind, soft, beautiful. And to touch him after everything...

The room was too warm, too crowded, too bright, but when Dammon turned to face him in the midst of it all, everything faded to background noise. The only thing Rolan could see was the hypnotic azure of his eyes, a golden ring around his irises that was the same color as a noonday sun. There was a pink flush to his cheeks, the candles in the chandelier above highlighting the gold in his blond hair. Dammon was ethereal, dazzling, and too good for him.

The orchestra began its song, the music swelling around them as Dammon took the lead, free hand sliding to Rolan’s waist while the other gripped his hand gently. Then, without warning, they were moving, no, gliding, across the dance floor, their feet barely touching the ground as they went. Rolan knew there were eyes on them, he felt them burning into the back of his head, but the look of unadulterated bliss on Dammon’s face kept his attention.

There was nothing more beautiful to him than the sight of Dammon’s smile as they spun in the complicated dance, his face flushed in exhilaration, a laugh on his lips that came out awed, delighted. 

“You’re good at this.” Rolan said, forgetting himself in the moment. He felt weightless as Dammon changed direction, stepping even closer. Blush creeped up his neck at the soft brush of their chests and his breath caught in his throat. “Uh, dancing, that is.”

Dammon chuckled, barely able to hide the smile on his face. “You are kind to say that. I admit, it’s been a while.”

The music picked up speed, a tempo that had the rest of the dancers spinning madly around them. Dammon’s gloved fingers tightened on his hip, digging into his waist and if his hands weren’t protected by the thick gloves he wore, his claws would’ve drawn blood. Rolan clenched his hand against Dammon’s shoulder, letting the music distract him from the sudden uncomfortable feeling flooding through him. Closing his eyes, he let Dammon lead him through the dance, each twirl and sway of their bodies, each tap of their feet to the rhythm, each brush against the other’s body nothing short of intoxicating.

Rolan wanted to stay in this moment indefinitely, free of responsibility for the first time in months, with the air rushing by as he realized how much he truly did enjoy dancing. At least, he did in the arms of a man who clearly knew what he was doing. 

“Can I be honest with you?”

Dammon’s question pulled Rolan from his mind. He opened his eyes to find his friend watching him intently. His eyes begged for understanding, for a chance to be vulnerable. Rolan, at least, owed him that much. “

After a beat, Dammon realized his breath, tilting his head slightly to watch out for other revelers, focusing on everything but Rolan’s face. Almost as if he couldn’t bear to see his expression at his revelation. “I didn’t believe I would survive the trip to Avernus. I’d accepted that the Hells would be my tomb. That I would never see the sky again. Never see my friends from Elturel again. But whenever Karlach or I started to doubt, the Blade of Frontiers was there filling our heads with hope.”

“That does sound like him. Irritatingly so.”

Dammon laughed, a soft sound that loosened the butterflies in his stomach and he nearly felt as if he’d be sick. “If there is one word to describe Wyll Ravengard, it is hero.”

“A hero, yes, that’s for certain.” Rolan snorted, leaning forward to glance around them. Guests were still coming and going, and would be well into the night, and for a moment he contented himself with watching the glittering jewelry and fabric, the gilded gold and gemstones, the dancing lights above. It was lovely to behold, this moment of peaceful bliss.

“Do you have an issue with heroic types, Rolan?”

The question brought his gaze back to Dammon and the smile that greeted him there. He was teasing, eyes hooded and sparkling with laughter, and they twirled again, in their own world where no one else but them existed. “Depends on the hero we’re talking about. But to answer your question. No, I don’t have an issue with them. Not anymore.”

With a shake of his head, a breathless laugh escaped his lips, but he didn’t once take his eyes from Rolan’s. “Well, that’s excellent news because I’m dancing with my hero. To be fair, I almost feel like I'm dreaming.”

Rolan might’ve scoffed if the admission didn’t shock him. “Me? A hero? I think the Hells scrambled your brain.”

Dammon rolled his eyes, but sidled closer, their bodies touching again as they danced. “You saved us in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. I wouldn’t be here if not for you so… thank you.”

Rolan broke eye contact, staring at where their hands were entwined. Maybe… this was a second chance. Maybe there was more here than either of them expected. Perhaps, together, they could figure out what that was.

With a smile, he returned his gaze to Dammon, thoughts of a divine dream dancing in his head. A dream that he refused to imagine for so long that he craved it as much as he did the wine in his goblet. His hand tangled into the golden locks that brushed Dammon’s shoulders, enjoying the shiver that ran down his spine at the silkiness. 

“If you’re staying in the city, I’m certain I’ll need your heroics to save me. From a stuck cork in a wine bottle, perhaps?”

Dammon laughed, the sound a balm for the soul but did little for the erratic beating of his heart in his chest. “I’m sure I can handle that.”

Yes, quite the divine dream.

[fillinforlater]

2Kim must have heard your announcement 🤭

"Hey you! Remember us? Here's something to keep you going" *Casually drops selfies*

Chaewon calling Minju "mindyurang" , what a cute nickname

She also put these behind the Weverse membership paywall lol 😂

Okay fuck it, I couldm't find the ask where an Anon (?) asked for what my "best girl Tier-List" is and I finally came up with something... just for Tumblr to maybe delete the ask?

Anyways, here you all go!

(Disclaimer: this only includes 92 idols, but I like waaaay more. Just focused on this and narrowed it down because. Enjoy!)

A-Tier

(15 idols; all ranked on the same level)

Tsuki of Billlie ; Jeewon of cignature ; Sihyeon of Everglow ; Hayoung + Saerom of fromis_9 ; Sooyoung of SNSD ; Chaeyeon + Somi of I.O.I ; Jinsoul + Olivia Hye + Chuu of LOONA ; Minji of NewJeans ; YooA of Oh My Girl ; Goeun of Purple Kiss ; Soodam of Secret Number

A+-Tier

(34 idols; all ranked on the same level)

Giselle of aespa ; Seungyeon of CLC ; JiU + Yoohyeon of Dreamcatcher ; Yiren of Everglow ; Nagyung + Jiheon + Chaeyoung of fromis_9 ; SinB + Eunha + Yerin of GFRIEND ; Shuhua + Yuqi of (G)I-DLE ; Taeyeon of SNSD ; Nayoung of I.O.I/PRISTIN ; Yuna of ITZY ; Hikaru of Kep1er ; Choerry + Heejin of LOONA ; Danielle + Hanni of NewJeans ; Lily of NMIXX ; Arin of Oh My Girl ; Swan of Purple Kiss ; Irene + Seulgi + Yeri + Joy of Red Velvet ; Seeun of STAYC ; Chaeyeon + Nakyung of tripleS ; Jaehee of Weeekly ; Luda + Exy of WJSN

S-Tier

(again, 34 idols, again, same level)

NingNing of aespa ; Yeeun of CLC ; Sua + Gahyeon of Dreamcatcher ; Miyeon of (G)I-DLE ; Yoojung + Doyeon + Mina of I.O.I ; Yeji + Chaeryeong of ITZY ; Yena + Hyewon + Hitomi + Wonyoung + Sakura + Nako of IZ*ONE ; Dayeon + Xiaoting + Chaehyun + Yujin + Mashiro of Kep1er ; Yunjin + Kazuha of LE SSERAFIM ; Haewon + Sullyoon of NMIXX ; Yeonhee of Rocket Punch ; Isa of STAYC ; Nien of tripleS ; Nayeon + Mina + Tzuyu of TWICE ; Monday + Jihan of Weeekly ; Nana of woo!ah!

SS-Tier

(6 idols; ranked (left > right), but it's close enough that I all put them in the same tier)

Chaewon of IZ*ONE/LE SSERAFIM ; Eunbi of IZ*ONE ; Rei of IVE ; Seoyeon of tripleS ; Lia of ITZY ; Kotone of tripleS

SSS-Tier

(2 idols; too close to call, I can't decide ffs)

Yujin + Gaeul of IVE

M-Tier

(1 idol, no doubt)

Minju bestest girl, prettiest girl, still No. 1!

...

Group representation:

IZ*ONE = 11

Kep1er = 6

I.O.I = 6

tripleS = 5

fromis_9 = 5

LOONA = 5

Dreamcatcher = 4

ITZY = 4

Red Velvet = 4

TWICE = 4

GFRIEND = 3

(G)I-DLE = 3

NewJeans = 3

NMIXX = 3

Weeekly = 3

[jihyoruri]

okkkkk i made solo albums for the yns , i asked lia for concepts that the yns would have also i decided to just do the main yns bc the other yns were stressing me out soooo yea ill probably do the other yns later😁!!

wow!yn —

STONE COLD 1. 4. PUT IT STRAIGHT NIGHTMARE VER. - GIDLE 2. [TT] 28 REASONS - SEULGI 3. LION - GIDLE 4. HWAA - GIDLE 5. DEAD MAN RUNNING - SEULGI 6. CRY FOR ME - TWICE 7. BITE ME - ENHYPEN 8. WOO - RIHANNA 9. DAHLIA - GIDLE 10. OH MY GOD - GIDLE

cib!yn —

XOXO 1. GENIE - SNSD 2. [TT] ABCD - NAYEON 3. MA BOY - SISTAR19 4. MISTER - KARA 5. MINISKIRT - AOA 6. BUBBLE POP - HYUNA 7. SO HOT - WONDER GIRLS 8. GOOD TIME - SISTAR 9. ONLY YOU - MISS A 10. PRETTY GIRL - KARA

aespa!yn —

ATMOSPHERE 1. JAPANESE DENIM - DANIEL CAESAR 2. PRETTY GIRL - CLAIRO 3. MOTION SICKNESS - PHOEBE BRIDGERS 4. [TT] GLUE - BEABADOOBEE 5. COFFEE - BEABADOOBEE 6. SOFIA - CLAIRO 7. WE FELL IN LOVE IN OCTOBER - GIRL IN RED 8. A PEARL - MITSKI 9. TIRED - BEABADOOBEE 10. LOVE SONG - BEABADOOBEE

-🎀kira

OMG THIS IS SO GOOD

[asianhaven4u]

KPOP ALPHABET IDOLS

Starting with L

Asianhaven4u pick is Leeseo (IVE)

[kissthehearth]

lake monster.

paring. ➾ tentacle monster!lia x (f) reader.

warnings. ➾ aphrodisiac, non/dub-con (reader gets tricked into getting fucked by lia), face fucking, double penatration, a lil nipple play, breeding, swallowing cum, monsterfucking, tentacles, stripping, begging but that’s cus reader is desperate, reader is kinda dumb, readers an explorer (?), kinda fluffy ending?

synopsis. ➾ while encountering a enchanting lake in the forest after getting lost, you meet its beautiful guardian.

notes… woo first ever fic! also this is for @writers-gf cause i got this idea from one of her anons :) also not proofread so you BETTER ignore these mistakes. + this is bad don’t have high expectations.

“damn it.” was all you could say when you realized you lost the group. again. this is what you get for getting distracted all the time.

well there’s a really pretty lake over there… perfect for pics! when you finally get there and start taking pics of the beautiful flowers and colorful creatures, tentacles jump out the water and grab you. turn you upside down actually! when you see a woman’s head pop out from the water it all makes sense….this is the magical lake you heard so many tales about when you were little! and the lakes guardian is currently attacking you.

“who….who are you.” says the brunette woman in the water, her glare sharp like a knife. “i’m not a threat..i promise! please don’t kill me.” you respond to her. she looks at you weird…as if she’s contemplating something. “well…if you say so.” she says slowly as her hair like tentacles finally let you go.

“thank you, i just came to admire the beauty here. do you mind?” you ask timidly while picking your camera back up. “well no….but can’t we talk a little?” she says before she mutters something under her breath and the flowers let out a sickly pink smoke. “what was that?” you ask while feeling fuzzy-headed. “oh just something to help you relax, you seem so scared of me.” the pale woman says then giggles a bit. you cant respond, your body feels so hot, everything is dizzy, and all you can think about is how wet you are right now.

why is this happening? what is going on? did it have something to do with the guardian?

“im sorry it’s just so hot…” you say while taking your shirt off, getting ready to skinny dip in the lake to aleast relive some of the heat between your legs. but even when your body touches the water it won’t go away. when your getting ready to slip your hand between your legs a tentacle grabs your wrist and stops you.

“maybe i can help…i know how it feels.” she says with a small smirk on her lips. “oh. you do?” you ask with a desperate tone, really needing help with this. “i can i really can, i’ll make you feel so much better. don’t you want that?” she says in a much darker tone, looking at you like she’s a lion and your her prey.

“i do, please help me i need it.”

“ok.” she says as tentacles start grabbing you all over your body, one teasing your clit until it enters you. then she immediately shoves one in your mouth. roughly fucking you while you gag and moan on the tentacle down your throat. “i’m helping right?” she says in a teasing tone, looking at you as if you could answer. when you giver her a loud moan in response she looks at you with a little pout. “aww it’s not enough, i know what your saying baby. just keep gagging on my tentacle and i’ll fix it.”

what is she talking about?

your confused, but don’t think much of it until you feel you feel a tentacle circling your ass.

oh. that’s what she meant.

while slowly going in, she plays with your nipples to calm you. “it’s ok baby, just take it. it’s so you can feel better. it’s making you feel good right?” she whispers in your ear quietly. she gives you a moment to adjust until she starts moving. it feels so good, too good. you’ve never felt so full before.

you felt that warm feeling in your core getting tighter, your vision getting fuzzy, and not being able to think anymore. “baby are you about to cum? i feel you getting tighter by the second.” she asked you, and you replied with a desperate moan in response.

“it’s ok baby, you can cum. cant you do that for me?” she said while looking at you with a pleading expression. you told her you were about to cum by moaning even louder, feeling yourself about to release. a few more thrust and your cumming while moaning and gagging all over the tentacle in your mouth. cumming so hard your vision gets fuzzy and you start shaking.

until you feel her filling you with…cum. all of your holes get stuffed. your mouth becoming full, your ass and pussy leaking with the substance as she pulls out. when you feel the tentacles let go of you, your body immediately gives out, feeling so tired and spent. “that was great, thank you…but i need to sleep. can i stay here?” you ask her, your eyes fighting to stay open. “oh that’s fine, i’ll protect you.” she says calmly while stroking your hair with one of her tentacles. barley saying “thank you..” to her before dozing off to sleep.

“i’ll protect you forever, i promise.”

omg this is sooo long and took so much longer that i expected😭 it’s still horrible but still!