#also she is hot and knows a lot about horses which is all I really needed to know to be like ‘do whatever you want ma’am’

[hey-scully-itsme]

i know she’s a controversial figure and she deserves to be but this is a pro-diana villiers blog, i support women’s rights and women’s wrongs #feminism

#the ways she and Stephen talk past each other are SO entertaining to me #and I do genuinely sympathize with her #shes awful quite often don’t get me wrong #im not saying shes a particularly good person #but i do want to take circumstances into account here #also she is hot and knows a lot about horses which is all I really needed to know to be like ‘do whatever you want ma’am’ #aubreyad #diana villiers

[iraprince]

I love the entire concept of Cookie... the look, the fashion, the gender... Would you mind telling us a little more about him? I'm also intrigued about why she's named Cooking with Gorgeous!

HI i would LOVE to talk about george thank you so much. also this makes me realize i've never actually sat down and just made a post unabashedly infodumping at length abt an oc before and it seems silly that i haven't. i ask only for all dear readers to please temper their expectations for this post with the knowledge that i just smoked half a joint before sitting down to answer it. a small one. but still. anyway

FIRST OF ALL FOR THE UNACQUAINTED THIS IS COOKING WITH GORGEOUS, aka cookie or george for short. he uses he/him and she/her pronouns interchangeably!

hi sorry that's not cookie that's a horse in a bridal veil that i. found in my stuff while trying to scroll and find my cookie art. i just got distracted and had to show you. okay no for real here's cookie

he's the character i'm playing in a playtest campaign of the absolutely mesmerizing sapphicworld, an in-development ttrpg!!! and if i'm going to be talking about cookie i feel like i HAVE to say i think a huge amount of her charm and dazzle and charisma comes directly from the charm and dazzle and charisma of the setting i created her for. i know i am laying it on really thick right now but that is on purpose. i want, desperately and unashamedly, for this game to get really popular bc 1. it's genuinely that good. and it's not even DONE yet and 2. i want everyone to get into it so that everyone will make sapphicworld characters and then i'll get to see everyone's sapphicworld characters.

EDIT i'm scrolling back up here and adding a readmore bc this is already getting so long lol. you asked for "a little more" and apparently i have graciously decided this means "literally every fact about cookie that exists in my brain"

SO a lot of the info/tidbits i haven't shared about cookie are i guess gameplay-specific stuff... his title (which is like a class/playbook) is "The Noble Sweetheart," though in sapphicworld "nobility" no longer has anything to do with wealth or class, and is instead entirely about amassing a court purely via devotion/popularity; her subculture (which is like, Who You Hang Out With; drifters, goths, poets, debauchers, cowpokes, etc) is Babe; and her kind (which is like ancestries but in sapphicworld is really just like, a physical form, which u can change more or less at will) is Lunarthrope, which is basically a werewolf!! or more broadly a furry, since u always look like whatever were-animal you are 24/7. just MORE at night, tho i suppose i don't represent that aspect much in my cookie art... ANYWAY i am restraining myself from just sitting here and like. transcribing her entire character sheet. but basically what all this means is that cookie's role in the world (at least at the beginning of the campaign) is "Professionally — no, VOCATIONALLY Hot Person who everyone loves so so so so so so much." cookie really enjoys this role.

he's named cooking with gorgeous because he's an avid cook, and he wants to share that with you, and he's gorgeous!! though honestly the cooking hasn't ended up as important to his character as it was when i first came up with him, lol — but my initial concept was kind of like, what's the equivalent of a bouncy normie recipe blogger/lifestyle influencer but in the context of the lush horny trans deathless psychedelic universe of sapphicworld. and it's cooking with gorgeous, a doggirl dyke with big blue boobs (six of them!!) who is so devastatingly cute and darling that a bunch of people just kind of pledge their fealty to him for no real reason other than he feeds them. and is cute

also her name is def influenced by the fantastic names of many canon sapphicworld npcs! like, quick example list of some npc names off the top of my head: the booty commie, death cybernetic, princess eureka!, the culinary goof (whom cookie dislikes. btw.), pizza friday (whom cookie loves!!!)

cookie is very very determined, and she's ALMOST always very confident. even when she isn't feeling confident, she's still very good at forcing herself to keep putting one foot in front of the other — maybe just while screaming or crying or uncontrollably barking or at least very ardently complaining. he has a tendency to be spoiled and, like, tactless-via-obliviousness, so sometimes he can be grating to interact with, and he has a petty/vindictive streak; but in general he's an AGGRESSIVELY kind person and usually aims all his shrill, cheerful stubbornness directly toward the goal of refusing to accept anything but the best for everyone.

at the beginning of our campaign cookie has JUST received a brand new castle!!!! (chateau gorgeous.) which he doesn't actually "own" bc, remember, no wealth or class in sapphicworld, but he's the ENTHUSIASTIC new caretaker and is chomping at the bit to renovate it so ppl can live there and he can throw a bunch of magnificent parties and basically continue living exactly as he has been, But Even More Fabulous. obviously this is exactly when the main plot threat of the campaign shows up and spoils everything and compels cookie to go on his First Ever Adventure!!!!!! she HAS to save the world otherwise NOBODY will be able to go to the first big party at chateau gorgeous :((((

at this point to prevent myself from just like, giving you guys a play by play of the entire campaign so far i am going to just start listing every cookie fact i can think of as bullet points

🎀 he owns a magical sword in the shape of a giant microplane. it's called The Microplane. he pronounces this "mee-crow-plah-nay"

🎀 george desperately wants to resurrect The Dog-Lich, an entity that once ruled over all beasts from its palace on the moon but was murdered and torn to pieces in a cosmic war far in the past. her attitude towards this desire is 50% devoted lunar cultist, 50% parasocially obsessive twitter stan

🎀 this isn't really a cookie fact but going back to how his title is The Noble Sweetheart — just for a glimpse at party composition, his fellow party members' titles are The Intimate Scholar, The Tentacle Advocate, and The Tw*nk Controversial (the * is the canon spelling).

^ aforementioned tw*nk. its name is Mwah ("pronounced like the kiss you blow at someone you just fucked over"). mwah is played by @/squiddelyfather on twitter!

🎀 mwah and cookie used to be very, very tight, BEFORE mwah became the tw*nk controversial. now that it's so.... you know.... controversial, well. they're still very close, but it has gotten a little stilted and weird (and watching them slowly un-weird it together as the campaign goes on has been one of my fav roleplay experiences ever honestly)

🎀 cookie's other adventuremates, skarligge and delaryn, are both very indulgent towards him. delaryn acts the most grumpy/dismissive about it but is honestly sometimes the worst about spoiling cookie out of anyone in the party (skarligge's player is twt@/clown_dream and delaryn's is twt@/glaiveguisarme and hey while im at it our fantastic gm is the sapphicworld dev, twt@/ddemoneclipse. hi guys i hope u don't mind me chattering abt ur ocs here lol it's just hard to talk abt the best of cookie w/o bringing up everyone else's characters and roleplay also!!!)

🎀 cookie is very VERY sensitive and will burst into tears at the drop of a hat. the precursor to this is her eyes getting So So So Big And Wet And Round. one of my favorite bits to menace the other party members with is when something is not going cookie's way i will lean into my mic and say "cookie's eyes are getting so so so big. they're getting so big and wet and round and shiny. they're so so round and fucking big her eyes are like big wet black glass marbles" and this is like kryptonite to them. this is like getting hit with deadly radiation

🎀 oh speaking of fashion!!!! one of cookie's perks from being a Babe is that she can always change her look whenever she wants. she will ALWAYS have whatever outfit she needs and can quickchange instantly. wait this reminds me i have a bunch of seasonal holiday outfits sketched out and i don't think i've ever posted them here but it'll only let me put one more image in this post. well here have this one

🎀 okay well suddenly i have forgotten all other george facts so that's all for now!!! from now on i will try to just dump oc facts like this more often tho this is really fun. ty for getting me going lol!!!

#my ocs #my art #cooking with gorgeous #sapphicworld

[comradekatara]

an ask for u! what side of tumblr do you think each character would be on? (for your selection of characters lol)

characters who would not use tumblr: aang is too busy touching grass; katara is terminally online but primarily in a twitter way, she thinks tumblr is for deranged gays and has never ventured to confirm or deny that suspicion; sokka would probably love tumblr if he knew what it was but he thinks it’s a social media platform (which is only partially true) so he avoids it at all costs because he’s paranoid; toph occasionally tweets but is otherwise too cool for social media; azula thinks tumblr is a cesspit of liberal social marxist postmodern blue haired pronouns, she would much rather stay on reddit thank you very much; ty lee is too busy making bank off of being an influencer, and since tumblr is not a particularly lucrative platform, sees no point in exploring it.

suki would use tumblr but in the most well-adjusted way possible. she just reblogs aesthetically pleasing pictures, pictures of hot girls, music she likes, quotes from books she is reading, occasionally will post her own pictures from a hike or a concert or of something she cooked, or make brief, innocuous textposts about her life that are charmingly humorous. her tumblr presence is entirely unobjectionable.

zuko would use tumblr in the more typical, unhinged way. he gets into fights and receives anon hate constantly (but he won’t turn anon off because he secretly craves the attention). he’s constantly changing his political views, and even though it comes from a place of earnest internal struggle, everyone calls him a hypocrite for it and makes lengthy callout posts with receipts, or claim that he’s probably a russian bot. besides making contentious personal posts that are basically just lengthy monologues about how confused and frustrated he feels, he also reblogs a lot of pictures of cats, frogs, horses, rustic scenery, quotes from giovanni’s room, sad gay poetry, mitski songs, and then the occasional picture of like, a motorcycle with flame decals on it or a sexy picture of a hot girl, just to like, reaffirm his masculinity with the most blatant posturing possible. i mean who is this even for. his tumblr presence is radioactive and anyone who does make the mistake of following him often regrets it within the week.

mai has been on tumblr since puberty but she would deny even knowing what it is to anyone who asked (including zuko, but that’s mostly because she’s seen his blog and couldn’t stand to be mutuals with him out of friendly obligation). her blog has really gone through phases and grown and changed as she’s matured. she definitely went through a superwholock phase and has a lot of opinions on shows like house md and succession too. her blog is mostly a repository for her private thoughts, her favorite video games, tv shows, movies, and music, but she’s amassed a lot of followers through making many funny textposts that get tens of thousands of notes each. she’s constantly getting asks that are all like “thoughts on [X]?” but because she can’t usually be bothered to take them seriously she’ll just reply with a funny quip, which also gets a lot of notes. she used to take her blog more seriously but now it’s just a funny little website for her, and she’s thriving.

yue is putting in so many hours of backbreaking labor at the webweaving factory. her url is probably something like “[noun]motif” (probably moon, water, or angel) and her blog title is a line from louise glück. she mostly posts poetry, both reblogging others’ as well as her own, but she also talks about tv shows she’s watching and books she’s reading. she’s somehow managed to get into drama because ppl will call her out for enjoying and talking about media that supposedly “supports incest” or “supports cannibalism” or whatever but she’s too busy minding her own business to really notice. no one really knows anything about her life because her blog is exclusively centered around her artistic and poetic inclinations, but everyone assumes she’s an english major (no one would ever guess that she’s actually a #womaninstem). years after she dies her mutuals will still make posts like “i miss moonmotif i hope she’s doing okay and that she abandoned her blog for a good reason.” perhaps it’s better that they don’t know.

#sorry for making it sad #i legally cannot talk about modern au yue without making it sad #doublejoywilson #asks #modern au #the gaang and #suki #zuko #mai #yue

[teddybeartoji]

"I HUNGER TO COMMIT THE ACT OF TOUCH" HEADCANONS

here are some facts about prince!gojo and knight!reader and sugu and shoko!!!! some of these might've been mentioned in the previous parts but i just wanted to go over them anyway!! also some of these are very random but they feel right so i needed to add them hihihi enjoyy!!

+ the "i hunger to commit the act of touch" masterlist

`♡、THE PRINCE

— a sensitive, sensitive boy; cries easily.

— touch starved out of his mind; his mother kisses his forehead and his cheek and suguru's arms more often than not falls around the prince's shoulders but he needs more.

— very curious; he loves going outside, he loves people staring, he loves learning (dislikes reading though bc that can be a bit boring).

— hates staying inside the castle; has escaped into the forest behind the estate many-many times (usually suguru is the one to bring him back).

— gets cold easily.

— his eyes are also sensitive - the reason why he has to wear a blindfold; he doesn't like it though. so he often goes out into the blinding sun without it and later bares the terrible migraines because of it. he says it's worth it.

— hates his father but adores his mother.

— is actually very devoted to becoming a good king; he loves the town and the people a lot and he wants to take care of them.

— he loves all of the kids in the town aswell; they play ball and have tea-parties together.

— he loves hot cocoa.

— he has brought in a lot of stray cats; they all run around the castle freely and the king hates it (the prince doesn't care).

— the maids and the servants of the castle absolutely love him!!! he takes good care of them!!!! treats them like family and loves joking around with them.

— once fell down some stairs and just laughed it off.

— he's really good with a sword and he likes to fight!! he often spars with suguru and he just thinks it's so exciting and fun.

— he has known suguru almost all his life and he cares for him very deeply (the feeling is mutual).

— the prince has only been taught soft touches all his life so he kind of seeks out action and violence to feel something New.

— also loves shoko a lot a lot a lot. he thinks that she's just so cool and their humor is very similar which sometimes pisses suguru off. which in turn just makes them laugh even more. it's a vicious cycle.

— is absolutely enamored with the knight. they're the fresh breath of air that he's been missing from his royal life and he's determined to keep them in it forever.

— does know how to speak like a proper prince but thinks it's very funny to swear and make dirty jokes.

— despises the smell of alcohol.

— gets attached rather easily. they can't get the knight out of his head for the life of him (he isn't even trying).

— loves flowers of any and every kind; buys them regurarly for his friends and his mother.

— he, of course, has a snow white horse (his name is John?).

— is terribly terribly eager to please. he just wants to be good.

— would gladly get into a real fight just for the thrill of it.

`♡、THE KNIGHT

— rough and scarred hands.

— they used to live in the same town but moved away when they were twelve.

— they know shoko; she was their best friend until they left.

— used to get slashings and beatings from the castle guards because they were hell-bent on taking the blame for just about every other stray kid in the town. they were just trying to protect them...

— just as touch starved as the prince but unlike the latter - they're more afraid to seek it out. let me rephrase - they don't seek it out, quite the opposite - they're more likely to pull away at genuine touch than to accept it.

— but as a protector, it is part of their job to offer their hand to people. a helping hand to pull the prince back onto his feet, a helping hand to wipe the blood from his face, a helping hand to get him onto the horse, a helping hand to keep him from falling - it's just what they're supposed to do. they also need more - just like the prince.

— they're determined that they're scary and that everybody should stay away from their bloody hands and their scarred face (they're wrong).

— confused about their feelings; only being familiar with anger and bitterness - everything else comes as a complete surprise.

— a brutal fighter - blood and guts are nothing new to them. nor are beheadings and dismemberment, slit throats and bashing in faces. if that's what it takes to save a person - they'll do it without a second thought.

— very very good with a sword. they've been carrying that thing around for years now and it feels a bit weird to be without it.

— despite the way they act towards the prince - they do think he's gonna be a great king. they're mostly just jealous.

— loyal to the Cause even though they don't even exactly know what the cause it. is it protecting people? is it running away from them? is it just violence?

— they act tough as shit but inside they just want to be held. well, first they want to get over the fear of being held.

— they can't wait to see shoko again. they might be a bit nervous but ever since seeing the doctor and hearing that she's in fact well and is now living in the castle??? they can't wait to see her little smile.

— they want to hate the prince. but they can't (they're not even trying).

— a big scar running across their eye. it makes them look badass. and hot.

— the armor they wear is a bit rusted but good nonetheless. it has carvings on the front and the back.

— clearly has some sort of authority issues.

— cats really like them. they always come up to them in the town, swirling around between their legs and purring. they always smile back at the kitties.

— loves eating bread.

— picks at their scabs and wounds all the time; shoko always slapped their fingers when she saw them doing it bc that is a really fucking bad thing to do especially with dirty hands... they can't help it though.

— is surprisingly (it's not surprising at all) popular with the brothel ladies. they always seem to try and invite them in and it's one of the few things that actually manages to fluster the knight.

— thinks that the prince acts like a child, like a puppy and no matter how much they try to convince themself that they think he's annoying - it just doesn't work. the prince is the only one who's gotten a smile that big out them anyway.

`♡、SUGURU

— the prince took him in when he was just a kid; convinced the queen that suguru should stay and well who is the queen to say no to her little prince - they've been inseperable ever since.

— trained to be a knight so he can take care of his best friend.

— cares for the prince a lot A Lot (probably a little bit too much).

— the prince and suguru fooled around when they were younger and they got caught once; the prince managed to sway the king with the argument that he was the one who made suguru do it - suguru felt very bad after that incident and tried to distance himself from the prince but it didn't work. the prince was clinging to him like his life depended on it and soon after that everything was almost back to the way it was before.

— very good friends with shoko; they often sit in the tavern together after a long day.

— has a sensitive nose and the prince likes to tease him about it.

— likes sparring with the prince - he's stronger and better but he lets the prince win sometimes because he likes his smile.

— when he does decide to keep his win - straddling the prince while holding the sword to his throat - his own smile shines so bright that the prince thinks he's gonna get a migraine just from that.

— massages the prince's face whenever he has a migraine. his hands are almost magical, he's too good at it.

— all of the cats that the prince has brought in fucking love him.

— he also lives in the castle!!! he has his own room and it's very close to the prince's one. you know.. for safety reasons.

— loves drinking tea.

— sometimes shares a few smokes with shoko but he keeps glancing over his shoulder to make sure that the castle people or the other knights can't see him. the prince always sighs very dramatically when they smoke.

— knows all of the prince's hiding spots in the forest.

— the three of them have gone skinny dipping together (the prince screamed like a little girl when a piece of kelp touched his leg).

— even though he is a knight of the castle, he - just like the others, is not a fan of the king or his ways. they all think that he's a cruel old man and they're all ready to help the prince become a better king.

— he understands the knight like nobody else.

— gets along with the queen really really well and shoko constantly teases him about it by saying that she has a teeny tiny crush on him. suguru always gets flustered by that (he's just very well-mannered okay).

— accidentally once heard the king say that he should cut his hair ("it's not suitable for a knight") and is now more than ever determined to never cut it.

— has a black horse and takes really good care of it!!!!

— likes to read whenever he has a free moment. which isn't too often, so he usually reads during the night in the moonlight.

`♡、SHOKO

— childhood friends with the knight; neither of them had a home and had to take care of each other.

— a doctor took her in and began teaching her so she'd become her apprentice.

— always patched the young knight up after a fight or a beating.

— she was very upset when the knight left.

— around the age of 16/17, a prince with a bloody knee and a teary eyed little soon-to-be-knight knocked on the doctors door - they made her put bandages on his knee and they've been friends ever since.

— now lives in the castle; the prince got her her own room with a little balcony. they all often eat breakfast together there.

— learned how to use a bow just for the fun of it.

— braids the prince's hair when she's bored.

— the cats also love her. there's one that always sleeps in her room and on her bed. she named the cat Horse (suguru has never rolled his eyes so dramatically).

— she misses her childhood friend terribly; she thinks about them a lot.

— mainly lives a very quiet life and doesn't really interact with the other people in the castle. she also fucking hates the king.

— has a big scar on her lower back from her days on the streets. it was the one time where the knight had to patch her up, hence the "ugly" scar. she doesn't think it's ugly though, she quite likes it actually. she flexes it to the prince, calling herself a tougher guy than him. the prince pouts at that every time.

— the only other person she talks to in the castle is one of the maids. she has a scar across her face and shoko thinks she looks beautiful. shoko also thinks it's very funny when she cusses out the prince. shoko likes to play with her hair.

— is surprisingly bad at riding horses. she tried it twice and fucking hated it so she never did it again.

— works at the doctor's office. not full-time because she likes to just Be but she is very interested in blood and guts and wounds so she genuinely loves the job.

— used to be a regular at the brothel but ever since she met the scarred pretty little maid - she hasn't stepped a foot back in there.

#yayayay ihtctaot crumbs!!!! #i am very very sorry to keep all of you waiting for so long.. #but i am working on the next part!! #hey guys.. are my daddy issues showing by any chance btw i can't tell #ihtctaot #mickey is daydreaming #angel boy #sugu #shoko #gojo satoru #gojo satoru headcanons #jjk headcanons

[novembermorgon]

Kinda wanna know more about Ysabel’s daughter with Aemond

hi anon ... <3 sorry this one took a hot sec to get down on paper .

i mentioned already her name is aelora - she's born innnn. ...? ill say 127 ac meaning she's approximately the same age as maelor . she has a cradle egg that hatches - in typical bolton esque fashion she names it something edgy idk i didn't think this far . name that thing skinstealer . i like to think it's born with dark scales and becomes white with time kind of like a baby horse

she grows up with an extremely strained relationship to her mom because in all honesty ysabel doesn't want a daughter . after her brother is born ysabel isn't really in any state physically to care for her children so she spends most of her days doting on her son to whatever extent she can while aelora is raised mainly by her wetnurses and whoever's hanging around the castle which makes her very independent and kind of distant emotionally. girl who stares at you with her big dead eyes etc

she's definitely 'closer' to aemond in the sense that she idolizes him pretty heavily and idealizes a lot of their relationship . the timeline is a bit different here but regardless she's young when he dies so she has a few scattered memories of a dad that cared for her and in turn she grows up wanting to be like him and wanting to emulate all the things she knows about him through stories and whatever she pieces together from herself . there's that ever present thread of medieval misogyny in asoiaf that kind of carries over everywhere and i think with aelora it's that sense of being everything her parents could want in a child but it doesn't matter because she's also a girl. scratches my chin.

after the war ... after her brother dies i think she grows up and starts to really resent ysabel. understands in concept why things are the way they are but will never quite grasp why she was put aside the way she was and how she as a mother could pick and choose which of her children to love . humm. twisted family dynamics at a ruined court etc

in my mind it would make sense for a maelor marriage for her but because dot dot dot. well. there are bumps in the road so idk (scrambles my brain) i like to think she's kind of fond of jaehaera and then viserys ii when she grows older and i'll leave it at that . this is further than ive pondered properly

#taps my noggin #sapphires on her jewelry for aemond #as always ill tell myself theres gonna be more info on her one day #probably unlikely #ysabel tag #oc tag #asoiaf oc #moart #asoiaf #house targaryen #oc x canon #ocs #asks #txt

[whenlostinthedarkness]

Clarity

Pairing: Ellie x Reader

Warning: Alcohol intake

Summary: You get to know Ellie a bit more when the both of you are paired up on a patrol route. When Ellie asks you to hang out..you don’t expect what happens next. Sorta angsty, but lots of fluff too

AN: Got this AU from @dailyau and had to run with it; “I thought you asked me on a date but turns out it’s a group hang”.

Word Count: 3.4k

---

Present Day

The sun had just begun to set on Jackson as your feet moved against the paved road.

All the nerves you’d been feeling for the past two days were continuing to feel like static through your hands and legs, but you couldn’t deny the equal amount of anxiety and excitement you had for tonight.

Ellie had asked you out.

Ellie-fucking-Williams asked you out.

---

Past

You ended up having to cover for someone on patrol last minute. Thus, you ending up on a patrol route with Ellie. When the both of you weren’t shanking clickers in the head or searching through a building to ensure it was clear, the conversation was constant and flowing naturally. And even though it had only been a one day thing, you couldn’t help but feel butterflies for the auburn haired girl anytime she looked at you that day.

Ellie was someone you would consider an acquaintance. You knew of her, and let's be honest, who didn’t know who she was in Jackson, but the most you’d gotten to actually know her prior to this was quick ‘hello’s’ and friendly smilies while walking by one another.

That night, when you had both checked back into Jackson, post-route, Ellie ended up walking home with you-Insisting that you didn’t live far from her anyways and she was enjoying your company.

Watching her speak was truly a masterpiece. Her facial expressions when she was telling a story, the way her full lips moved as she spoke, her body language as she used her hands and arms to speak along with her. Masterpiece.

God, and her smile. Such a simple thing to do, yet she made it look ten times as beautiful compared to all the smiling faces you’d ever seen. The way her eyes would reflect against the street lights as her nose scrunched up, making her freckles that much more pronounced and complementing to her facial features.

As you reached the front door of your home that night, you found yourself not wanting the conversation to end; Ellie felt the same as well.

“So uh-h. Would you uh..maybe want to hang out sometime?”, Ellie asked cautiously as her eyes diverted away from you and one of her hands came up to scratch at the side of her neck in a fidgeting action.

Suddenly, the butterflies in your stomach were lurching from within, past your lungs and up into your throat until they were fluttering around you, making your face glow with a nervous smile that you were trying so very hard to not make stretch across the entire width of your cheeks.

“I’d love to Ellie.”

--

Present Day 

Two days had passed since that day with Ellie. Two days of thinking and wondering and rehearsing what you would say, how you would say it ; what you would wear and how you would wear it. 

Your mind had been busy, that was for sure.

Ellie was also finding herself daydreaming about what the night would look like...which included pestering her friends about you every conversation.

---

Past: Ellie POV

“D, you don’t understand.”

Dina rolled her eyes as Ellie and her walked side by side, “I get it Ellie! She’s hot and you like her.”

Ellie felt you like a racing horse in her veins. Her thoughts being utterly and completely consumed by your last interaction. 

“Fuck, how could one day with this girl entirely alter my brain?”, Ellie thought.

“Sorry, I know I keep going on and on and on about this chick-”

“Mhmm”, Dina hummed, looking at Jesse on her other side with a smile.

“-but I just really want to make a good impression on her so you have to be good.”

“When are we ever not good Ellie?, Jesse mused as he peaked in front of Dina to glance over at Ellie with a mischievous smile.

“I’m serious guys! I don’t wanna fuck this up.”

Dina shook her head as her and Jesse exchanged matching laughs, “Chill Ellie, we’ll be good!”

Ellie seemed satisfied with Dina’s answer as she turned to look straight ahead and continue walking down the road.

---

Present Day

You could see it in the near distance. The large wooden building adorned with its very own etched sign that twinkled against the fairy lights that swayed on the edges of the awnings. It truly acted like a lighthouse among the darkness of Jackson in the evening hours. 

The bottoms of your only non-ripped or stained combat boots kept your body moving as the lights became brighter the closer they got, until your hand was resting on the cold metal door knob of the Tipsy Bison.

Your body seemed to pause as all of the thoughts and feelings and nerves caught up to you all at once. 

What if you both didn’t vibe this time for some reason?

What if it was awkward?

What if we didn’t have anything to talk about?

What if I hyped this up too much?

“’cuse me,” a deep voice spoke behind you, making your body physically jolt.

The man towered over you with a kindness in his eye and smile on his lips. “You heading in?”

You nodded, embarrassed by your body freezing and disregarding the life around you for a moment, simply because you were nervous over some girl that you met two days ago.

“Get your shit together,” you internally yelled at yourself.

“Allow me then.”

You moved your eyes from your hand back to the stranger before you took the hint and dropped your hand from the doorknob as the man reached out his hand to pull open the door; an immediate sound of various conversations and clinking glasses overtaking the once bare quiet you had experienced walking over here.

You were left alone now as the man went his own way. Immediately, your eyes began scanning the crowd in search of a place where you belonged among all of these people. It was rush hour, as you liked to call it. A time just after dinner, when most people’s job duties of the day were over and allowed time for rest and unwinding. The majority of Jackson was in attendance it seemed as your eyes squinted, trying to differentiate between all of the bodies, until your eyes met Ellie’s green ones.

Your smile widened as the both of you made eye contact and Ellie’s hand raised up in the air to wave you over. You couldn’t move your feet faster as you bobbed and weaved through the crowd of primarily tipsy attendees.

But finally, you made it.

“Hey you”, Ellie smiled, raising her chin up in the air to greet you just before she lifted her honey colored glass to her lips, her eyes still holding themselves on you.

“Hey yourself”, you greeted with a smile as you relaxed your elbow on the edge of the bar with your body turned towards Ellie.

Ellie wore a faded grey plaid shirt that was relaxed in fit, yet didn’t shy away from her lean figure that hid underneath the fabric. The sleeves were rolled up just below her elbows, perfectly showing off the fern that adorned her fore arm as well as the slight tan that had settled in below it.

Her hair was pulled back this time, allowing full access to her facial features, unlike her messy half up style she was sporting the day you first interacted with her on patrol.

Not that you were complaining.

As you were busying your eyes by taking in Ellie, she too was mimicking your behavior; Taking in your hair, your clothes...how your body looked in the clothes. Her pupils were growing by the second as she devoured you more and more with her gaze.

Of course, neither of you noticed the other fawning after the other. Conveniently, you both were grabbing eyefuls at the exact same time, keeping the nerves warming within your stomach a secret to the other person.

“Ow,” Ellie yelped, feeling a nudge at the back of her shoulder, almost forgetting the two friends that were accompanying her tonight. 

This broke both of your trances as you looked towards Ellie with a concerned look on your face.

“Oh yeah..these are my friends Dina & Jesse.” Ellie gestured to both of them as they smiled at you, quietly analyzing the girl Ellie had hyped up to them for nearly 48 straight hours.

But what Ellie didn’t know was the way your heart instantly began to sink; a literal drop in the middle of your torso as you began to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

You weren't the only one invited to this night out at the Tipsy Bison. This wasn’t a fucking date at all, this was...just a casual night out with her friends. Ellie wanted to be your friend. Just your friend.

How could you have been so stupid?,” You thought to yourself as your lips pulled down into a frown that quickly changed into a faux smile as your manners kicked in and you looked at the two strangers stood at Ellie’s side.

“Hi”, you said timidly, with a shake of hand to each of them as you attempted your very best at ensuring nothing was wrong.

Nope. Everything was fine. You totally weren’t feeling like a complete and utter fool who had envisioned a date night perfectly crafted by a human who was perfectly sculpted in your eyes.

Though you were trying your absolute best to completely mask your true feelings to the outside world, Ellie, of course, noticed. Her eyes had been trained on your mouth after all, so when it faltered, turning from a grin that cascaded downwards into an unhappy expression, she quickly looked to your eyes to tell her the truth. But even your eyes knew how to cover up your feelings or at least leave them to be hidden behind a dark veil.

Ellie disrupted the silence with a brief introduction of her friends. Sensing the thick tension in the room, that she wasn’t sure was a figment of her imagination or the truth, but either way, this was her one shot at getting you on a good note with her closest friends and she wanted to make it as smooth as possible.

Dina and Jesse went back and forth about their lives in Jackson, all of you finding a common ground seeing as you were in the same age group, same town, and same fucked up apocalyptic world.

However, the entire time you felt your mind was blurring every word; Never fully paying attention because it wasn’t allowing you to hold concentration on small talk when you felt a massive amount of grief for the scenario you thought would happen tonight.

Ellie could tell things were off, despite your best efforts. She didn’t know how or why, but you were different somehow.

She would mentally scoff at herself for thinking such a thing when you were a new human to her mind, but then your lips would fall almost immediately after a, what appeared to be, dead smile grace your mouth. Or your eyes weren’t holding any sort of real emotion to them, almost as if you were going through a robotic set of motions that was covering the bare minimum when it came to social standards.

And that’s exactly what you were doing.

Now, it wasn’t that you were upset with having to share Ellie’s attention, it was more so the fact that you had dreamed too much about this evening and how it would go. You were mourning a night that you thought would go entirely different than it was currently.

If Ellie had just mentioned to you that her friends would also be there, it wouldn’t have made you feel this god awful. Sure, you would’ve felt a little disappointed, but at least you could’ve dreamed up thoughts that could’ve actually happened in this exact scenario. Instead, it felt like you were dreaming up a fairytale evening that had a surprise curve right smack dab in the middle of it.

At least you were able to admire Ellie in her lightly intoxicated state as all four of you emptied your third..maybe fourth drink of the night. Dina was nuzzled into her, what you assumed to be, partner, Jesse, as she rested her head on his shoulder, her back leaning onto his chest as his hand naturally rested on the side of her body.

“I think I’m going to head out,” Dina spoke drowsily as she let out a loud yawn, one that had Ellie laughing as she patted her friend on the back.

“Yeah me too..I think they close soon anyways.” As the last word gently slurred off of Ellie’s tongue, her eyes drifted from her friends to yours.

“Can I walk you home?”

All of a sudden you felt shy about having one on one time with the girl you were currently fond of, but you still nodded in agreement. “I’d like that.”

Even if you weren’t entirely sure if you did want that.

The four of you headed out the door once your tabs were paid. A harsh breeze was in the air, one that must’ve came in while you all were indoors. 

Dina & Jesse quickly said their goodbyes as they both clutched their jacket’s closer to their bodies to keep in as much of their body heat as possible.

“Fuck, it’s freezing,” Ellie mimicked her friends movements as she squeezed her body together as much as she could while her hands stuffed far down into the deep pockets of her jacket.

“Do you want my extra set of gloves”, you offered, noticing Ellie’s teeth beginning to chatter from the cold.

Immediately, Ellie closed her mouth, clenching her teeth together as hard as she could to disguise her discomfort, even though her skin felt like it was being pricked by a thousand little needles with each gust of the wind. 

No, Ellie was strong. Ellie didn’t need any help - at least that’s what she liked to tell herself. Appearing weak to you would make Ellie not strong in your view point, again, at least thats what she like to tell herself.

“’M fine.’

You laughed, reaching for the extra set of gloves in your pocket despite and grasping them in your already clothed hand, “Ya sure? You look kinda cold.”

“N-n-no, I’ve got it, thanks.” Ellie chattered as her thoughts scolded her body to just act fucking normal.

“Ellie, please.” Ellie looked up at you as you spoke, “just take them.”

Your tone was small yet stern, something Ellie didn’t mind from you as she nodded and took the extended gloves from your hand.

You watched as she unveiled her bare hands, the skin on them a burning red color that could barely grasp the material to begin with.

This made you chuckle in a quiet manner, yet still didn’t go unnoticed as Ellie slid the material over the palm of her hands.

“Something funny?”

You shook your head as you continued to watch the stubborn auburn haired girl struggle to get a simple winter essential onto her hand. “You always this stubborn?”

Ellie quirked up, noting the drastic difference in how you were acting inside the bar and now that you both were alone. Much more relaxed, silly, and not afraid to speak her mind. 

“Someones feeling better I see.” Ellie’s words dripped with a teasing nature, yet it made you feel so deeply self conscious that she was able to tell that you were not feeling like yourself.

You didn’t say anything despite Ethels prying eyes attempting to get a word out of you. Instead, the both of you simply started walking, and quickly, to your home that was just down the road.

“Did you have a good time tonight?”

Ellies voice was almost screeched as she attempted to talk over the wind and snow swirling around in the air. 

“What?!”, you yelled, getting a laugh out of Ellie as she smiled at you with thin eyes.

Suddenly, Ellie took ahold of your hand and nodded in the direction of the next building directly to the left of the walking path.

You didn’t question it, just allowed her to lead you to the front door of this mysterious location, until Ellie was twisting the key in the lock and dragging your body inside along with hers.

Ellie let your hand go so she could close and lock the door behind you before she started sifting the leather jacket off of her shoulders.

“Where are we?”, you spoke, your mouth agape with awe as you stared around at the unknown surroundings.

“My place.”

You were confused as you watched Ellie begin to shed off all of her winter gear near her front door.

“Why?”

“Why what?” Ellie questioned as she untied the laces on her boots and slid them off of her feet.

“Why am I at your place? I thought you were taking me home?”

Ellie glanced up at you, looking doe eyed. “I mean..I can if you want. I just wanted to talk to you and it’s hard with this weather.”

You didn’t nod, merely continued standing in your place with all of your winter clothing still on and your mouth slightly open. You hadn't truly moved since you’d gotten in the door and you weren’t sure if it was because you were cold, nervous, or...more nervous.

“Is this okay?”, Ellie questioned as she felt concern, regretting that she didn’t somehow scream louder above the wind in order to get consent from you about coming to her place.

“I’ll just take you home, I’m so-”

You panicked, watching Ellie anxiously and quickly begin to put her boots back on.

“No, it’s fine!”

This made Ellie pause and straighten her back out so she was back to standing tall.

“I just wasn’t expecting it is all, but this is fine.”

Ellie slightly smiled as she, once again, removed her untied shoe from her foot. “You sure?”

“Positive,” you slightly smiled, and this time it felt genuine.

With her back turned to you, Ellie smiled, having the urge to lift her fist in the air and shake it with enthusiasm, but she fought it off as she walked towards the chair at her desk.

“Help yourself to the couch.” Ellie nodded in the direction of the drearily colored piece of furniture as she watched you discard your gloves, coat, and boots.

Per Ellie’s suggestion, you made yourself at home on the couch, plopping down  with both of your knees bent and your sock clad feet comfortably resting on the same side of your body, creating a lounge position.

“So..”

“So,” Ellie chuckled in a mimicking, yet playful way.

You rolled your eyes jokingly, “So you bring me here and have nothing to say?”

“I didn’t say that.” Ellie shrugged, making you silently laugh.

“What do you want to talk about.”

Ellie shrugged again; you made a note of how she did that a lot.

“Just wanted to make sure you were okay is all,” she said with eyes settled on the floor and fingers picking at the cuticles on her hand.

You swallowed a lump of a saliva that was daring to get caught in your throat before you answered, “I’m fine”.

Ellie scoffed as she brought her eyes back up to you. “I don’t believe you.”

You found yourself following Ellie’s actions as you too shrugged and went  several seconds without saying a uttering a word to fill in the silence.

“I know..” Ellie started, but seemed to quickly retract her statement, hoping that you either didn't hear her or ignored her attempt at questioning you further.

“You know what?”

“Damn it”, Ellie thought.

Ellie took a deep breath as she began. “It just-you just seemed sort of off tonight. Wanted to make sure you were good and that if I did anything to make you feel uncomfortable I'm sorry or i-if Dina or Jesse did any-”

You smiled, watching Ellie full on word vomit, until you interrupted her.

“Ellie.”

She suddenly went quiet, eyes going wide in realization. “Sorry..I just want to make sure you're okay.”

Your lips pursed together as you wagered in your mind how to say what you were feeling or IF you should say exactly how you felt.

“Was it the bar? We can totally go somewhere else next time like tha-”

You started chuckling again; this time, Ellie got the hint and didn’t finish her sentence. Instead, her eyes watched you in observation.

“It wasn’t the bar and your friends didn’t do anything, I promise.”

Ellie felt a moment of relief for a second, until she realized you had never mentioned her. “Was it something I did?”

You began digging your top row of teeth into your bottom lip, still debating on what you wanted to say.

However, Ellie took the silence as your confirmation, “So it was something I did.”

“I mean,” you began, “Sort of.. but probably not in the way that you think.”

Ellie squinted her eyes as she hunched over, resting her elbows on the tops of her knees with her hands clasped together. “Tell me then.”

Her voice was almost pleading, something that made a tinge of guilt hit you. 

“I just thought that tonight...,” you paused in hesitation, but looked up at Ellie’s concentrated face, which instantly made you continue.

She didn’t deserve your lack of communication. She deserved the truth, especially when it was something she probably wasn’t even aware of.

“I thought that tonight was just going to be a me and you thing, but when I saw that your friends were there..”, your voice trailed off and immediately Ellie understood as she moved her face upwards, looking towards her paint chipped ceiling.

“You thought it was just going to be us”

You nodded in confirmation, “Yeah, I thought it would just be the two of us.”

Ellie felt like an asshole as she retraced yours and hers initial conversation when she had invited you out tonight. Not once did she say that her friends would be coming along; which made perfect sense that you had thought that it would just be the two of you hanging out.

“Damn it,” Ellie huffed at herself in frustration. “I’m so sorry,” she spoke in a stressed tone as her hands combed through her pinned back hair. “I totally get why you thought that it would just be me and you.”

You shook your head, “No it’s my fault too, I shouldn't have assumed it was a date.”

Ellies head suddenly quipped up at the mention, “A date?”

“Oh no,” you thought. But Ellie’s eyes were stuck on yours; you knew you couldn’t avoid conversation anymore than you already had.

“Yeah..a date.”

You watched as Ellie’s mouth turned up into an amused grin.

“So you came out tonight thinking that it would just be the two of us...and we were going on a date,” Ellie stated.

With a nod, you answered quietly. “Yeah.”

Suddenly, Ellie was standing up from her chair and walking over to you.

“Can I tell you something.” Ellie was now towering over your seated form, looking directly down at you as you nodded silently.

She sighed for a moment before continuing, “I wanted you to come hang out with me and my friends tonight so I could get the approval from them.”

“Approval?”, you thought with a crease digging deep in the middle of your forehead.

“What do you mean?”, you questioned, watching as Ellie pursed her mouth together, almost looking nervous to continue, but, just like you, she knew she couldn’t avoid this conversation any longer.

“I wanted to make sure they liked you before I properly asked you out.”

Ellie’s words came tumbling out at a faster speed than her usual speech pattern, so fast that you had to take a moment to properly take in exactly what she said.

“Wait, so you were going to ask me out?”

Ellie nodded as she watched your body stand up from it’s seated position- the both of you now standing directly in front of the other

“My friends are my family... and I wanted to make sure they got good vibes from  you before all the dating stuff.”

The small smile on your face only showed a fraction of the massive grin that you were fending off from consuming the entirety of your lips as your stomach did flips and your mind began being pumped with chemicals that were making you feel almost euphoric.

“Well?” Your tone was questioning, which made Ellie feel confused.

“Well what?”

“Did they like me?”

Ellies eyes gained a sparkle to them as she looked away from you briefly, trying to contain the smile that was now daring to spread along her mouth. 

“Yeah,” Ellie nodded, “Yeah, they really liked you.”

Your senses were flooded with the various emotions you were feeling in this very moment; relief, pride, joy, anticipation - it was as if you were able to finally breathe after going the entire night having to mask your disappointment that had now turned into every single synonym of the word ‘joy’. 

“Well..I'm free Sunday,” you said, the confidence Ellie enjoyed now pouring back out of you.

“I could come by your place after my route?”, Ellie suggested, a confident look on her face as she dared to move in even closer to you.

You nodded, your fingers absentmindedly playing with the hem of Ellie’s flannel, before you realized how close the both of you were; not to mention you were touching her as if you both had known each other for longer than 2 days.

“So, it’s a date?”

Ellie nodded, looking straight at you. “A date,” she stated in a matter-of-fact tone, ”and just the two of us, I promise.” ,she emphasized.

You chuckled, briefly peering down at your hands out of happiness and nerves all rolled into one; the energy between you both could be compared to teenagers experiencing puppy love for the first time. And whose to say you both weren’t.

“Thanks for the clarification Ellie,” you slightly taunted, but Ellie knew it was justified as she moved her tongue so it could be seen poking through the skin of her cheek.

“I’ll try to be better at that in the future,” Ellie responded with a boyish grin.

___

A/N: May do a part 2 if there is enough interest 👀

#ellie williams #Ellie the last of us #Ellie williams x reader #ellie tlou2 #tlou2 #tlou #Ellie #Ellie williams fluff #Ellie williams angst

[gothoffspring]

Previously on Living a Nightmare;

Riley received an AMAZING chance card and jumped all the way to the top of the comedy career! He quickly became an overnight sensation and is now a one star celebrity! This is definitely Riley's biggest accomplishment and it means we'll have to spend a lot less time at work as the legacy progresses which I'm happy about!

Immediately after being promoted, Riley was flown out to Del Sol Valley to film his very FIRST comedy special titled "Hot and Heavy". It was a resounding success! "Hot and Heavy" was one of the most popular comedy albums of the entire year, and Riley has the plaques and posters to prove it. His life has skyrocketed in a very short amount of time. He's got a beautiful girlfriend, a job that he loves and grand ideas for what the future holds for him.

Monica decided she was ready for more and autonomously asked Riley if she could move in! They're both so infatuated with each other and don't want to waste any more time not being together.

Under the cut you can find some a lot more info on the gameplay aspect of the legacy and my future plans for the Burns family!

First of all, I had to extend the short lifespans just a LITTLE bit. Short is TOO short y'all, I can't. I still made them shorter than the normal lifespan. Lifespans are as follows:

Baby: 2 days

Infant: 6 days

Toddler: 8 days

Child: 11 days

Teen: 14 days

Young Adult: 18 days

Adult: 25 days

Elder: 8 days

We'll play out this first generation with these lifespans and see how it goes, I may have to adjust it a bit but I'm not sure. I really did not realize how difficult this challenge was going to be, because I get attached to my gameplay sims very fast. They're all gonna DIE so quickly, pray for me. I'm honestly excited to see how much progress we can make in a short amount of time though.

As far as future plans, I'm completely over Strangerville and it's annoying NPC's. I did not beat the Strangerville story and I was using a mod to toggle the story on and off, and sometimes I would forget to toggle it and it's just so frustrating. there should ABSOLUTELY be an option in the gameplay settings to turn the story off.

We are officially going to be moving to Chestnut Ridge! I figured it would be fun to try out some horse ranch gameplay and own a huge ranch. We're going to be taking out a loan in order to afford it, and Riley is going to keep working for a while as a top comedian before he retires and dedicates all of his time to the ranch. We're going to be attempting to survive by selling nectar, breeding horses/doing competitions, and farming! Monica may also pick up crocheting or cross stitching as a side hobby. Maybe canning?! I haven't done any canning at all yet! I know it makes little to no sense for them to be moving to a huge ranch from a very rundown home, but since Riley shot to stardom so fast I like to think he realized the first thing he wanted was a nicer home.

I think it fits Riley PERFECTLY. He's always wanted to make his own nectar and being a country boy at heart, Chestnut Ridge won't feel too far from home. Monica is also an animal enthusiast and VERY excited to get some animals, so it's going to be great for both of them. They've been doing some house hunting lately and they've almost found the perfect place. I've already moved some of their friends to Chestnut Ridge and given all of the original Chestnut Ridge townies little makeovers! I also added a couple more sims to the world just to fill it up a bit more. Riley and Monica will be making TONS of friends I'm sure. There's a bunch of couples ready to have babies at the same time as them which I'm excited about, gotta make sure our kids have friends!

I think that's it for now, but I did just want to say thank you so much to anyone who shows any kind of interest in following along with my gameplay. I know I've been widlly inconsistent and have rarely been posting gameplay, but I truly believe that's about to change as I dive back into this legacy and get things rolling again!

#ts4 #the sims 4 #ts4 legacy #ts4 gameplay #ts4 edit #ts4 screenshots #nightmare legacy #living a nightmare #living a nightmare g1 #riley burns #monica burns #sims 4 legacy #HERE WE GO #i literally wrote an essay under the cut a lot is happening #posting this now so we can get to new gameplay tomorrow AHhHh

[blueberrypancakesworld]

Hello!!! Long time no ask! Lol, I've been battling sickness, and I'm and out of hospitals and specialists, and whilst I sit upon my bed, I was thinking of how I used to absolutely ADORE your stories!!! So, I come here seeking a HOTD story!!!

Would it be possible for you to write a story/one shot about an old character I had asked you to make? She was the only child between Laenor and Rhaenyra, but never wanted the throne, in this story could you write her reaction to hearing about her brother, Lucerys' demise from Rhaenys? She was close to her brothers even though they were half siblings and I can't imagine how she must have felt knowing Aemond, who she had once been betrothed too and cared for, was the cause.

Goodness I miss your works and I look forward to seeing the HOTS season 2!!!

Loss of the wrong blood

Targaryen family x daughter of Laenor and Rhaenyra!reader

warning : angst, emotional, implied war, mention of death (of lucerys), mention of war and death, very slightly implied Aemond x reader, reader is female, no use of Y/n

Summary : Once the succession to the throne seemed secure with her being the true child of Princess Rhaenyra and her first husband Laenor. But that time is over, the war is upon them, and into the storm comes the news of Lucery's death, a time when much worse was to come.

Info : OMG I am so happy to have written this my dear I wish you all the best and the best of health I really hope you enjoy this and I am always open for more. It was really nice to visit old friends again and I wish you a lot of fun…everyone else too of course ;) Season 2 will be amazing and so sad at the ame time

masterlist

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The blood of the Targaryens, Velaryons and Hightowers all older than most houses. Three families that came together under the royal family a family from Alicent and the Hand of Otto Hightower grandfather of the three children of the queen who were also the uncles of the three blood infested children of Rhaenyra a daughter of King Viserys of the kingdom of joy and a woman who would one day ascend the throne.

The three princes, as they were often called, were three children with dark brown hair and dark eyes who knew that they were not the true heirs, born out of love for their beloved mother. Three sons without a father a real father who burned to death in the flames of his castle.

But in those dark days, in the days when Aegon was crowned king, the green ones were preparing for a first strike and the black ones were sharpening their blades and dragons around Rhaenyra, there was a trueborn in the family besides Rhaenyra and her three half-siblings, it was her only daughter.

The only daughter from the marriage between Laenor and Rhaenyra was born one night when it had worked out in a circuitous way with wine and potions with slaves and under the moonshine.

A night from which Rhaenyra's only daughter, the second-born child, was born with white light hair, violet eyes and a darker skin that resembled Velaryon's.

Eyes that now showed assurance as she raised her sword and pointed at her older half-brother who had also moved into position before the two approached each other under the command of the Master of Arm.

Swords slashing against each other, the dragon Vermax looked on curiously at the older Seasomke who was looking at his horse. A battle, a training between siblings, a battle in which Jace was seen to have the strength of his father Harwin, a battle in which the skill of the Velayrons came to the fore.

It was a back and forth until it came to the point where her two brothers moved away and she shrugged off his ,,I'll see you in a minute, you lame chick" with a roll of her eyes and saw the teacher's look of approval. But she saw how tightly Jace clutched the sword, nervous about his first mission for the empire, for their mutual mother.

She knew that she and Jace should have gone, not Lucerys, who was still too young for her. But I can't go…the heiress can't go, she thought, handing her sword to her holder hanging over the fireplace as she put on her formal clothes to say goodbye. Her eyes briefly lingered on the picture of the entire family of Targaryens, Velaryons and Hightowers at the family dinner.

Where everything was still sort of okay until Aegon ruined it, ,,And you defended me Aemond," she murmured and put her finger on her uncle her real blood relative not her half uncle like Jace, Luce and Joff. Despite the fact that it was only a picture, she could see the sapphire in his eye and she felt his gaze on her, he was always with her, had been promised to her.

He was a man she had once not disliked, their interests were similar and he was gentler and more affectionate than her first uncle Aegon. Soon she hastily put the picture away and closed the golden buckle with the dragon while seahorses and dragons in silver and gold appeared on her cloak and clothes.

It was a reminder to everyone here on Dragonstone and King's Landing that she was the only legitimate child and heir to the throne besides her little hall brothers Aegon the third and Viserys the second.

,,We are the true family they say but that's not true" she mumbled as she looked at the painting of King's Landing a painting in the glory days of the city a city that knew who the true heirs were she and her two half brothers and her two uncles and her dear aunt Helaeana and her three children her cousins.

As she left her room, she remembered one thing about Lucery's hopeful sad expression-hope for no war and grief that he was walking alone, his fears threatening to hollow him out.

,,Mother, father…Harwin the house of Velaryon and I we are all so proud of you my little Luce" she reminded him and placed a hand on the brown haired man's cheek looking into his dark eyes as he pulled her into a hug and gave a soft ,,Thank you sister" before she stroked his head one last time and watched him mount Syrax.

She felt Jace's hand on her shoulder, ,,He's going to make it our little Lucerys," her older brother said as he closed her in a hug and she watched him mount his dragon Vermax and watched her brothers until they disappeared into the sky.

But things were to turn out differently - they were messengers on behalf of Queen Rhaenyra, but Jacaerys fulfilled his mission to the Arryns and the Starks in the north…but Lucerys met a bitter, gruesome end over the sea, murdered by his uncle on Vhagar.

A message that came to her late as the fire burned in the hearth and she sharpened her sword as her stepfather Daemon had always advised her to do when waiting, ,,Keep your weapons and mind sharp so you can't be surprised," she remembered his words.

She felt his hand on her shoulder as they shared the few moments they had. Daemond was not like Laenor, she barely remembered her real father, but whenever she saw the sea, the air whirring around her and the fire, she knew he was with her.

Before an almost timid knock on her wooden door made her put down her sword, ,,Come in" she said and saw that it was her grandmother. ,,What brings you to me, grandmother?" she asked, but saw that there was something like sadness in the Targayren baratheon's violet eyes. She saw Rhaenys come to her and stand beside her, her grandchild having risen from the bed and looking at her uncertainly.

She was just about to open her mouth when she heard the news, ,,Lucerys is dead, killed by your uncle Aemond," her grandmother said and wrapped her in a hug that was not returned.

Violet eyes darted around the room looking for something, looking for Lucerys, his image seemed to blur until she saw the family picture…Lucerys is supposed to be gone? Aemond? Could Aemond have done this after all?

Releasing herself from the embrace she saw her grandmother blurred tears had entered her eyes and were running down her cheek as she shook her head, ,,No-what? You're making a horrible joke, Rhaenys," she mumbled, but she could hear the distant sobs of her two brothers, the conversations and voices of her mother and stepfather. Lucerys saw the dark eyes and felt his soft hair under her hand. a few hours ago she had seen him, but he was still alive.

The older woman wanted to put her on the bed and tell her what had happened, but her granddaughter pulled away, ,,No! No, it wasn't Luce, it wasn't my little Lucerys!" she screamed, shaking her head and grabbing her sword before running out of the room.

She felt abandoned by everything, had lost her beloved brother, had lost everything, all because of an iron chair that was hers…a family that brought death. Something had to be done, something had to be done, but the point of war had been passed with his death.

Running past the sleeping chambers and rooms, she arrived in the main hall breathing heavily from crying and running. ,,Tell me it's not true, mother!" she called across the hall, seeing the queen's expression mixed with tears as she broke away from her uncle and husband and slowly, almost shakily, approached her daughter with a ,,Dear child".

But before she could embrace her just as Rhaenys wanted to do, her only daughter threw the sword on the floor in front of her. ,,You-you're the queen, you have power mother damn it he can't be dead!" she screamed in rage, anger and grief, not noticing Jace watching her with tears as he hugged his little brother Joffrey.

,,Your brother, the Lord of Driftmark, will be avenged, you can be sure of that, daughter!" Dameon, who could hardly tolerate such behavior even if the lords and ladies and servants were no longer in the room, pointed out publicly. Lord of Driftmark she thought and laughed in her emotional frenzy the title goes to Joffrey a child and Rhaena now a widow her betrothed murdered even before the wedding with her cousin.

,,You Daemon…Lord of Driftmark do you all hear yourselves? Joffrey is it now, Rhaena is a widow mine-my brothers are bastards with no claim and I'm the only damn child left to a queen without a kingdom! What do you want to avenge Dameon!" she screamed at him, pushing past her mother and giving her uncle a look that was returned by the dragon's violet eyes.

Caraxes and Seasmoke could be heard outside and the other dragons joined in. They all felt the pain and suffering.

For a moment everyone seemed to think that Dameon was going to hit his stepdaughter and great niece but he just put his hand on her shoulder for a moment before walking past her, ,,I'll get us back to bloody Westeros if it means I can avenge this family," he said audibly to everyone and put on his helmet before walking out of the hall.

The doors slammed shut and silence returned to the Targaryen Velaryon family, all of whom remained silent. Going back to her sword and picking it up, she slowly walked to her mother and hugged her for a moment, listening to her sobbing words of comfort, but in the princess, in the only princess of the realm, an idea had already formed, an idea for which she was born.

,,Don't worry mother, everything will be all right again, the war will end," she assured her, looking into the sad violet eyes before she disappeared past her family into her room and stayed there.

She lingered there with the picture of the family in her hand and looked into his eyes, gazing at the gemstone before she waited for the mode to slowly open. A thought she knew seemed to be the only thing left to fight.

She was the only legitimate child of the black she was the only legitimate child of the royal family she had to do what she was meant to do. Putting the leather bag over her shoulder, the sword hanging from her belt, she reached for the bridle for Seasmoke who was staying on Dragonstone in the pits.

The moon was covered in clouds and darkness fell on the family as a shadow flitted through the corridors. Dragons and seahorses gold and silver shells and fire could be seen on her kelding as she ran her hand over the doors of her beloved family members. ,,Forgiven me mother, Jace, Joff and Raenys…forgive me father I will put it back into order" she murmured leaving the letter on the iron table before scurrying out of dragonstone to the hells and calling out to valyrish for her dragon to come to her.

,,We'll fly back Seasmoke we have to try" she said and put the leather around the pale silver gray dragon a growl made her look up and Seasmoke grumbled as they both knew that they had to fly through the storm, that it was the storm that awaited them that Aemond promised her hope for the offer as Aegon accepted the offer of marriage for the peace of his brother with his niece and she hoped that Alicent and Otto with Larys would finally leave the strings of power alone.

Mounting her father's dragon, Seasmoke flew into the sky with a roar, his roar and fire barely visible or audible. The dragon brought his rider safely to King's Landing into the courtyard, protecting her from the guards with fire and wings until the proclaimed king with his sister queen, children, mother, grandfather and his brother Ameond were in front of her.

Only then did she step forward and kneel before them, throwing down her sword, and it is said in the books of the secured that violet tears of the dragon rolled down her cheeks in the darkness of the night as she asked her uncle Ameond to marry her as a peace offering.

A marriage that should have happened much earlier when she saw the pitying yet devoted look on Ameond's face. It was the chapel in the Dance of Dragons where the marriage took place, a marriage that was short-lived as Daemon kept his promise and his great-niece became both prisoner and wife.

It was a time when both sides fought a side that the other took more and more. A family struggle that ended in death and the throne went to the true heir after Aegon's death.

The green blood was wiped out and the only true heiress, the daughter of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon, ascended the throne and the only thing she had left of her beloved family were her two younger half-brothers full of fear of tomorrow, her grandfather Corlys a man with sorrow and yet hope in him when he looked at her and her husband's sword in her hand while her mother's necklace hung around her neck and the symbol of the dragon joined the seahorse on the banner in the throne.

It was the Peaceful Queen's reign that unified the kingdom and made the way for her younger brother when she died. But she was in the place she hated surrounded by a small part of her family that was slowly rebuilding with the memory of her beloved mother and brothers for whom she had statues built.

The peaceful queen would never let the history of her family be forgotten…and so once again a Targaryen sat on the throne full of grief, hope and a story that began with the spilling of untrue blood the death of her brother Lucerys Velaron.

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

#hotd #house of the dragon #house targaryen #house velaryon #house hightower #rhaenyra targaryen #rhaenys targaryen #jacaerys velaryon #lucerys velaryon #daemon targaryen #aemond targaryen #character x reader #reader is female

[crabbunch]

ETHUBS SLAY THE PRINCESS AU CHAPTER TWO ROUTES:

The Witch: This timeline's this au's version of Hermitcraft season 5 (the one with the NHO and the jungle). There's lots of plants. Etho is distrustful of Bdubs. There's frog and scorpion metaphors. But also if Bdubs is careful he can give Etho his knife and let her stab him. Which is basically the same thing as the jungle eating Etho, slowly driving Bdubs insane, and then also eating Bdubs. Or was that the convex. Whatever it doesn't matter. You get the vibes.

The Damsel: This one's based off of secret life. In stp, the damsel's whole deal is that your perceptions of her warp and twist her into something that is no longer a person. I kind of had a hard time thinking of something that fit but I eventually settled on secret life just because those tasks sure did weird things lmao am i right???? anyways this Etho seemingly says all the things she never said directly to Bdubs face and means none of them. Because she is only wish fulfillment. It's not satisfying to see the horse course leap up from the ground, no contribution from Bdubs necessary, anyways. He doesn't like this Etho.

The Stranger: This timeline's based off of Etho's single-player world. More specifically, it's based on episode 404. Bdubs isn't supposed to be here. There's lots of Ethos. It's a sort of warped version of the true multitudes that Etho and Bdubs hold. They don't ever know each other. Bdubs isn't supposed to be on Etho's single-player world. His voice is familiar, but he's not supposed to be here.

The Adversary: This timeline is based off of various UHCs. Etho is good at fighting, and violent, and very very hot. Most importantly, she's not really mad at Bdubs. She's just kind of bored and lonely, and when he shows up, she's READY to fight to the death with him. For like, fun. If Bdbus plays his cards right, he and Etho can fight to the death as many times as they want, respawning just to pummel each other into a bloody pulp again and again and again. Peak romance <3. His other options involve running away, not getting in the right mindset and killing Etho "permanently" or dying permanently." Grian is incredibly unimpressed by the fact that Bdubs has a crush on the VERY MURDEROUS AND BLOODTHIRSTY PRINCESS. as if he doesn't have worse taste.

The Spectre: This one's based off of double life. Etho's kind of petty and passive aggressive but doesn't really outright make any moves against Bdubs. Bdubs acts like nothing's going on between them and like everything's the same as ever. They team up in the end, but it doesn't have time to go anywhere because they die right after that. And by die I mean Etho is swallowed up into the greater consciousnesses of Etho goddess edition and Bdubs into his own god.

The Beast: this timeline is based off of Survival of the Fittest. Mostly because it's super duper dark down in the basement, and I think that it's a funny dig at Bdubs' terrible footage where you can see absolutely nothing. However if you think about it getting eaten by a creature so that both of she can escape the cabin only to get taken away by your greater self before you can really taste the fresh air is sort of like killing a guy's teammates and then handcuffing him to you so that you have to team. and then loosing.

The Prisoner: This one's last life. Etho chops off her own head and trusts Bdubs to take it outside the cabin? Trusts Bdubs to believe in her? That's only one route. They can beat each other to death. They can get locked in the basement together and watch the eons pass. Idk how to explain it but this is just so last life to me. There's a fragile trust between them. It's all fun and games. They're both deadly serious. Grian is there. Head in hands.

The Nightmare: This one's based off of Mindcrack- specifically the Death Games and a few other pranks that Etho plays on Bdubs. I think that psychological damage via seeing every single timeline ever is sort of the same thing as the obsidian coffin. Also I think that needing a guy in the back of your head to recite "heart, lung, liver, nerves" in order to stop your organs from shutting down is very early videos Bdubs.

The Razor: This one is Hermitcraft season 8. Bdubs dies over and over and over again. Nothing he does stops it. Etho is silly and goofy and doesn't really realize the weight of the situation. "I'm going to kill you now ^_^" most etho core thing ever.

#crab scribbles #ethubs #ethoslab #bdubs #grian #ethubs slay the princess au #they are everything to me. living rent free in my head #also please please feel free to ask me anything about them i have so many thoughts #and i like drawing princess etho. she's hot. who said that

[rosypenguins]

TMF Headcanons!

(Because they’re a precious little found family and I love that for them.)

🩵Hailey spends several hours scrolling through Pinterest.

💜Zander has a massive black cat plushie hidden away in his room.

🧡Luke has about 200 hours in Animal Crossing, and is emotionally attached to all his villagers.

🩷Milly shops at Hot Topic.

💙Sean tends to keep his headphones on during class, and only catches about half of what the teacher says.

🩵Hailey had a horse girl phase, while Zander’s always been terrified of horses.

💜Zander braided Hailey’s hair a lot when they were younger.

🧡Luke has an entire photo album full of pipctures he took of Zander.

🩷Milly had a dragon phase.

💙Sean’s considered the father of the group, as well as the group therapist.

🩵Hailey and Milly paint each other’s nails.

💜Zander has a habit of stealing the bathroom for hours on end just to make sure he looks his best. He’s very particular about his appearance, especially about his hair.

🧡Luke’s hair is usually pretty messy, but it’s always in an aesthetic way. None of the other club members know how he does it.

🩷Milly refuses to wear skirts.

💙Sean has a terrible sleep schedule due to balancing work, school, and club activities. His parents constantly arguing doesn’t help much either, which leads to him passing out sometimes during club meetings. Usually, the group tends to let him rest.

🩵Hailey loves blueberry lemonade.

💜Zander drinks grape juice out of wine glasses to feel sophisticated.

🧡Luke has a stash of grape juice at his house specifically for Zander.

🩷Milly’s really good at Hip-Hop styled dance. She’s tried to get Sean to do TikTok dances with her, and it usually never works out too well, considering Sean has two left feet.

💙Sean really good at both cooking and cleaning. (He’d make an amazing housewife.)

🩵Hailey’s a Swiftie, and has learned many of her songs on guitar.

💜Zander steals Luke’s clothes all the time, and Luke loves seeing Zander wear them.

🧡Luke and Zander have matching bracelets they made together.

🩷Milly listens to death metal.

💙Sean often takes walks late at night, putting his headphones on full volume and allowing himself to daydream.

🩵Hailey hasn’t seen nor read Heartstopper, yet knows several quotes from the series purely from how much Zander says them.

💜When Heartstopper came out on Netflix, Zander and Luke watched it together, and they both cried.

🧡Luke will listen to Zander ramble on and on about his interests, because he likes listening to Zander’s voice, and he likes learning about Zander’s interests so they have something to talk about.

🩷Milly’s love language is giving surprise hugs.

💙Sean’s love language is sharing his music playlists, and creating playlists for others.

🩵Hailey and Zander both drink tea a lot. Hailey tends to put sugar and cream in hers, whereas Zander drinks his without.

💜Zander can walk better in heels than Hailey can.

🧡Every year for the holidays, the Music Club plays Secret Santa. Luke was the one who started the tradition.

🩷Milly has no problem picking up bugs, and as a result, she’s usually the one to deal with them whenever they get inside the club room. (Zander’s also terrified of bugs, and Milly has chased him around while holding one multiple times.)

💙Sean gives the best hugs.

🩵Hailey and Zander host sleepovers a lot.

💜Zander has RBF.

🧡Luke tends to suppress his own feelings in favor of focusing on Zander’s.

🩷Milly’s always getting herself into dangerous situations on accident, and there have been numerous times Sean’s carried her under his arm after she tries doing something stupid.

💙Despite being the group’s therapist, Sean doesn’t like talking about his own problems in fear he’d be seen as a burden. He’s opened up to Milly a bit, but not much.

#the music freaks #tmf #freakblr #tmf headcanons #tmf hailey #tmf zander #tmf luke #tmf milly #tmf sean

[hollowfyshunsuikubo]

Personal AOT HCs

AN: My best friend started me on this anime purely because they thought I’d like Erwin. They were right of course but the lore elements are cool too. (Please take this peace offering before my very long Bleach x reader ily)

Featuring: As many as I can fit.

Contains: NSFW, Crack, fluff, a lil angst

MINORS DNI I WILL CONTACT YOUR PARENTS.

Hange can sleep anywhere. Like. Anywhere. Moblit has found her sleeping in/on: tables, roofs, a horse, a wild horse, a tree, in a hole, on the stairs, upside down from her ODM gear, and once in Levi’s office.

Onyankapon tries so hard to be a Cool Uncle but ends up coming off like a Weed Fuckboy Chill Cousin. He's also really good at chess.

Erwin liked to adopt little stray cats. HQ was always full of them- little kittens, Mama cats, grumpy old street veterans with ear nicks and scars. He loves them hard enough for them to miss him when he's gone.

Levi hated the cats but sometimes pet them. In his grief after Erwin died he sent them all away to good homes. A tiny little kitten remained hidden in Erwins old room and ate scraps for two months before Levi found it. He kept that single one. It has blue eyes.

Sasha has an incredibly high metabolism, which is why she eats so much. She needs protein and carbs constantly. If she got enough, she'd be twice as strong and Reiner and would benchpress Mike for fun.

Connie shaved his head until some girl mentioned he'd look hot with soft curls. THEN he started growing it out a little.

Jean is so devoted to Mikasa he doesn't sleep with anyone else. Well, there was that really weird night with that guy, but that doesn't count... right.

Eren is both so homophobic and so ally it's hard to tell that he's bisexual.

Armin has the biggest library. Erwin, for some random reason, left him all his books. Levi didn't contest that. In some books, Erwin even left little annotations- speaking even though he is gone. Armin flips through the pages often, wondering if the Commander he didn't know so well would have ever seen him as a son, if he had lived.

Yelena doesn't know who's right or wrong, a lot of the time. She agrees with Eren, people should pay. But the lives that will be lost... is war really worth it? She sits up at night with a drink and a cigarette glaring at the moon, wondering if her ideals are placed in the wrong people. But never once does she defect or speak out.

I'd like to think in their vulnerable moments, Mikasa and Annie sneak out together after the Rumbling. They sit under the stars and train for a little. They end up covered in bruises. Annie admits she's sorry. Mikasa admits she is too. They keep fighting, because what else is there now?

Historia cares for her child, but can't look at her daughter. She sees to much of what she wished she had, too much of a life she was denied. She loves her little daughter, but can't help but resent her too. Historia is scared she'll end up like her mother, and pushes all of it down.

Before he died, Beretoldt thought about how his life was going to save another person's life, but in the back of his mind he wished he could see his parents one last time. He was, after all, only a child.

Reiner went to therapy, once. He cried and cried and cried. He hasn't gone back, but his mind feels better. He can finally sit down and put his life into reasonable order. He misses Porco, oddly enough. He misses being told the truth and seen as just a man.

Annie misses the feeling of her Titan. If you asked her, she'd say it's like a puzzle piece is missing, a warm embrace ripped from her. Her crystal was the last thing from her Titan that felt like a home. She'd say it's like missing the skin of your back because you peeled it off. She'd say it's a longing. But she doesn't talk, not often now.

When Eren and Mikasa fucked off to Switzerland, they had a ball of a time. Mikasa got really good at cooking, Eren finally learned to chill the fuck out, and of course: geese. Lots of geese.

Floch, weirdly enough, unlike Jean, has a lot of sexual experience. The girls he sleeps with says he's a damnable bastard in person, but actually kind of sweet in bed. Sure he's rough but he makes sure they like it. He has four bastard children and he's very, very proud.

Sasha and Connie would sometimes just fight with long sticks. Hey Siri, play "Duel of The Fates" I should write for Star Wars they got really good at it.

Eren and Floch had a one night stand. Yelena walked in on them halfway through and laughed so hard they stopped. It's never happened again, but Yelana likes to hint at it.

Zeke often just fucking. Sits there. He'll just be brooding and he'll zone back in and what the fuck it's been three hours why didn't anyone tell me. He likes his beard as well, he doesn't like to shave it because he's got a bit of a baby face, and he even has a comb specifically for grooming it. He gets bitches too. He's a big fan of pussy eating btw. Really, really big.

Historia knows what a strap is. No she will not tell anyone but they KNOW it was Ymir. A bad influence even after her goddamn death.

Gabi wakes up screaming some nights, begging for it to stop, begging to be able to go back, to not do what she did. Falco tries to comfort her, but some nights, all she can say is "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry Sasha." Connie, sometimes, hears this. He gets... Angry. And sad too, knowing that Gabi was just a kid, indoctrinated and brainwashed, and that her regrets equal his own.

#attack on titan #attack on titans hc #anime #levi aot #erwin smith #levi ackerman #hange zoe #moblit berner #sasha braus #connie springer #shingeki no kyojin #mikasa ackerman #eren yeager #mikasa x eren #gabi braun #falco grice #annie leonhart #aot onyankopon #zeke yeager #porco galliard #mike zacharias #jean kirstein #armin arlert #historia reiss #yelena aot #bertolt hoover #reiner braun #floch forster #ymir

[tragedy-peanut-gallery]

do you have any headcanons for the maidenvault princesses?

I think I have a couple! Some of these might be gathered from previous headcanon posts so forgive me if I’m repeating myself again lol

Daena:

- canonically a daddy’s girl, definitely thought her father and brother were the coolest people alive as a kid though didn’t completely understand the trauma her dad was still grappling with until after his death

-loved her sisters and naerys but probably had a bit of a Not Like Other Girls goth phase when she was little, poor girl 💀

- tried to bond with the Last Dragon, but was forbidden from ever going into the dragonpit and never managed to succeed in sneaking in until after the dragon died. Probably named her horses dragon names like Meleys and Meraxes because she wanted to imagine she was riding one of them

- likely did consider running away entirely in the few times she broke out, but felt bad about abandoning her sisters and decided to stay for their sake (even tho she got kinda mad at them abt it)

- when it comes to her relationship with aegon…… okay ngl I do think she willingly slept with him, but was kinda coerced into doing so because he helped break her out and was pressured into feeling like she owed him

- Mentioned this before but she and Barba had a very horrible toxic frienemy-ship. Like, they hated each other, probably openly talked shit about one another but also shit-talked everyone else in the Maidenvault and stayed up all night talking about how much they fuckin hated it there

-She definitely loves Daemon cause he’s her baby boy but was bitter at being made pregnant to begin with. Her relationship with him was loving but really unhealthy

- Idk how she dies? I’m pretty sure she’s supposed to have died young, honestly I headcanon sometime in her late 20’s/ early 30’s but she gets a cool rad hot girl death like. Idk. Fighting a wolf. Or getting caught in a storm and getting shipwrecked

Rhaena:

- Okay so I think she might be the sister we know least about so she gets the most fanfic-y writing cause I’m getting silly with it. For starters, absolutely her mom’s favourite, probably took a lot after Daenaera in looks and was overall really cute and sweet as a kid

- That being said!! In her maidenvault era, she was absolutely deranged. Like, still a nice girl, but because she was weirdly okay with being trapped in the maidenvault to begin with I do think she started acting like a weirdo. Like, when Daena went all in refusing to admit who her baby daddy was Rhaena was saying shit like “well maybe the father should be gelded and thrown naked onto the sept to be beaten with sticks. In a holy way :)”

- Still Naerys’ favourite cousin and ngl Naerys was probably her favourite cousin too, but their views on the faith were a littleeeeee different. Because of how weird she gets I kinda like to think she was also just weird about her views and how the faith works. Thinks even a bad thought needs to be severely punished and probably did hurt herself just a littleee in the process which Naerys absolutely did not fuck with

- Developped agoraphobia post-maidenvault era. Started getting really anxious about just being outside so immediately went to be a septa just to close herself inside another holy-ish place because that’s kinda what she saw as her protection. Unhealthy coping mechanism queen <3

- Idk I don’t have much on her beyond that. Think she died pretty peacefully? Probably some flu when she was older

Elaena:

- Childhood friends with Daeron because she was a little too young to really be playmates with her sisters or brothers. I want to think they had a normal familial relationship as kids? But then again this is the Targs we’re talking about here soo…..

- When she originally cut her hair it was so bad and fucked up that she needed Daena and Rhaena both to help fix it. She ended up with a very short bowl cut that she eventually grew out a little, and learned to maintain her own hair because she got so embarrassed asking for help 😭

- Was genuinely in love with Alyn, though a bittttt too young and sheltered to really realize how fucked up it was and how their relationship might’ve probably definitely ruined his marriage to Baela. Maybeeee it’s for the best he went missing-

- As for the whole Viserys Plumm thing…. Okay, I gotta be honest I kinda doubt Aegon was really the dad here. Tbh that does lean into some fun little horror elements if he is, but let’s bfr here Eleana would neverrrr sleep with AEGON of all people willingly??? Especially by then cause there’s no doubt in my mind he was starting to look pretty gross

- Tbh I think she and Myriah initially kinda had a strained relationship because of her initial sorta weird familial relationship with Daeron when they were younger, but they slowly started to get along and respect each other as members of the government

- I also headcanon her to have been the one to suggest the Aerys/Aelinor match (as mentioned previously I think she might be Aelinor’s stepmom just cause it works better timeline-wise)

- Honestly, she lived to be so old that ngl I kinda think she might’ve straight up died from natural causes like- seventy is a legendary age in westeros girlie outlived everyoneeee in her generation! Hell she might’ve lived long enough to see Egg become king before kicking it!

#I will tag this cause it is a bunch of character headcanons lol #daena the defiant #rhaena targaryen #elaena targaryen #asoiaf asks

[purelyfiction]

Small Doses - 2

Jake “Hangman” Seresin x F!Reader | Part 1 |

Summary: After a very spontaneous weekend full of unpredicted characters, Knockout returns to work - only for the same character to greet her as well as a whole host of problems that follow him.

Word Count: 7,003 words

Content Warning: This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own discretion. || HEY THERE’S SMUT DOWN THERE SO YOU BETTER BE 18!!! (unprotected piv (don’t be hangman - use protection pals), fingering, light bondage, spanking, more really hot and reckless nonsense)

Author’s Note: um... so hey! long time no see i know, i know - life has been crazy and hard to keep up with and I haven’t been able to finish up this chapter. It’s been driving me up a wall and giving me the worst writers block. But!!! Y’all can thank @callsignthirsty because she single handedly brought it back to life for y’all. i’m getting back on the proverbial horse so to speak and will hopefully be getting more regular about my writing. I missed these two and all of y’all so I hope you’re ready for more Knockout and Hangy :)))

                                     █ ✪ █▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓█ ✪ █

You had to take a day to get your sights re-centered after the spontaneity of running into Hangman at the Hard Deck. 

In fact you’d been so distracted, even Amelia had something to say when you’d picked her up that day. 

“You’re being weird,” she instigates from the passenger seat - a spot she rarely gets to sit in since it's usually the three of you and you are always in shotgun. 

“Am not,” you retort, glancing at her before looking back to the road. 

“Your shirt is on inside out.” Frazzled, you glance down to see the seams of the shirt you’re wearing - the telltale sign of an inside out shirt. 

You nod and sigh. “So it is.” A clearing of your throat comes as the teenager tries again. 

“So what’s the deal? Is it work? You got some big secret mission you can’t tell us?” The spitting image of Penny starts tearing into you before she gasps. “It’s a boy.”

“It is not.”

“Is too.”

“Is not.”

“Is too!”

“I broke the lamp in my room,” you confess. Amelia’s face stretches, a hand covering her mouth. 

The reality was, you couldn’t give a shit about the lamp right now. Or the fact that you technically hadn’t broken it — Jake had.

Jake had done a lot of damage this weekend. 

“Mom is gonna lose her sh-”

“Finish that sentence, I dare you,” you say with a laugh, shaking your head. 

After losing fifty bucks, the lamp in an old shoebox under your bed is the furthest conversation topic you and Amelia focus on. Conversation shifts and the weekend goes on without a hitch. 

Until you’re at the base, about to enter a conference room with Cyclone and Warlock at the head of the table. Receiving word that you are sought out by both the Admiral and Rear Admiral puts you in a bit of a tailspin. The entire walk to the conference hall has you tracing your steps, wondering if you’d made a huge error. You take a centering breath before opening the door. You’re seemingly interrupting a conversation with a third-party, which makes you pause in your step, hand still on the doorknob. Warlock clears his throat before redirecting the discussion. 

“Which is why we’ve decided to bring you a second set of eyes.” You smile at the man standing at the foot of the table as you finish your step. Apparently, this was also your conversation too. As Bates begins to introduce you, you turn and direct a respectful nod to him. 

“Meet Lieutenant Commander Benjamin, callsign, Knockout. In turn, I introduce Captain Pete Mitchell, call sign: Maverick.” The brunette gives you a smile and the small glint of recognition that dots your memory begins to expand when you realize how stiff he’s become. And for good reason. Your brain starts into a montage of discussions between you and Penny while you were about to embark to TOPGUN for the first time. How she’d met a pilot that ended up teaching at Miramar shortly after his tenure there and how every now and then she’d run into him. Amelia then informed you, when she was old enough, that every time he flew into town they’d end up picking up where they left off and it was a vicious cycle. 

The same old flame that Penny kept reginiting is your co-instructor. 

You retrain your focus to hear more about the mission at hand, learning that you’ll have a month or so to get every aviator in shape. Seems like a tight timeline but you’ve learned not to argue with Simpson, seeing as he is pretty rigid. The two admirals then instruct you to meet them in the hangar in the next fifteen minutes. 

Maverick joins you as you walk towards the respective hangar. “So… Lieutenant Commander,” he speaks up. “That’s… a big deal for your age,” Pete begins as you step with his stride, sunglasses perched on your nose. 

“Yes. I’m incredibly proud of it.” You keep conversation short for now, primarily due to the fact you’re trying to get into your teaching mode. 

“As you should be.” Mitchell is quiet for a few steps before piping up again: “Benjamin. You wouldn’t happen to be related-”

“Yes. I would.” You watch from behind bronze lenses as he meets your gaze and nods. “I also know far too much about your reputation, Captain,” you warn as the contents of the hangar become clearer. Pete shuts up as you get within earshot of the group, walking into the metal skeleton of the hangar above you as Bates finishes Maverick’s introduction. The older of the two of you starts his soliloquy of sorts, leaving you to look over the faces of the group. As you do, you begin to recognize each of them by name. 

You’d met all these people at the Hard Deck on Saturday-

“It’s my pleasure to introduce my co-instructor, Lieutenant Commander Benjamin, callsign Knockout.”

In the past five months, there had only been one day you’d been nervous to take on the task of teaching at TOPGUN. That’d been day one. 

And today, as you lock eyes with unmistakable green ones.

 █ ✪ █▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓█ ✪ █ 

The dismissal of class has you nearly darting out of the hangar but not quickly enough. At least, not fast enough to avoid Hangman’s voice. 

 “Lieutenant Commander.” You keep walking. 

 “Benjamin.” Four more steps -

 “Knockout.” Finally, you fold, stopping and turning to look at him. Jake’s hands are out at his sides, a look of ‘what the hell’ on his face. 

 “Yes, Seresin?” You’re careful to keep a professional boundary between you, hoping it’s drawn clearly enough for him to catch on. It takes a moment but his expression twists as he clears his throat. 

 “When were you going to tell me you got a promotion?” It’s not the question you’re expecting out of his mouth, but once it’s there, you struggle with an answer. 

 “You… never asked.” A shrug as you look around you to make sure the coast is clear. “We… need to discuss a few things.” The reminder is clear and he nods in agreement. 

 “Yes. We do.” Jake drops to a whisper: “My place… I’ll text you the address.” A nod and he stands upright before you dismiss him, letting him move at his rushed pace back to base, his shoulder grazing your own as he swiftly departs from the airfield. You follow his pace to head home, to freshen up and regroup.

 After a quick change and a rinse off in the shower, you grab the keys to your Jeep and give some excuse to Amelia as you run out. Penny is at the bar, so you’re grateful that the young girl is finally old enough to be left at home alone. Climbing into the vintage baby blue vehicle, you turn the engine over as you enter the address Hangman sent to your phone. 

 You pause, seeing the last message in your chat history. 

 Seresin: Happy Birthday, KO. Any plans for the day?

 Benjamin: Not many, but that’s fine LOL

 Then he’d called.

 The rest of the chat was similarly structured: two or three bubbles on each of your birthdays. A rouge message for a holiday here and there. 

 Shaking the sullen feeling spreading through your chest, you shift gears. Soon after, you’re throwing the phone onto the spare seat next to you, as you pull away from the curb and head in the direction provided by the robotic voice coming from your phone. 

 As you pull into the apartment parking lot, you realize: he never called. He said he would, as he’d slipped out your window, but he didn’t. It’s only been two days, so maybe you shouldn’t hold it against him. After all: here you were, at his apartment. 

 Four flights of steps later, you’re knocking on the door of 4B, rocking on your heels. You’d changed into the first thing you’d seen in your room, which had happened to be a pair of leggings and a flowing sports top. Paired with the sneakers, you looked like you’d gotten lost on the way to the gym. When the door finally swings open, Jake has already walked away from the door and made himself at home on his couch. With a light scoff, you enter the apartment, shutting the door behind you and watching him as he leans onto his hand that’s propped on his thigh. 

 “So this teacher thing is… a new development?” he questions, meeting your eyes as you nod. 

 “No…yes? I mean I’ve been teaching since I got here…” Your answer doesn’t seem to be enough to stop the inquisition of questions from him.

 “You said you’ve been here for months. Why didn’t you tell me? First the promotion and now this? You mean to tell me you didn’t know about this? I seriously doubt that.” he gripes, leaving you standing in the entryway of his apartment, mouth gaping as you avoid his eyes. 

 “No, Hangman, I didn’t know this was a thing until this morning. They pulled me from my current assignment for this. Now would you stop asking questions for like,” a pained sigh leaves you as you take the far end of the couch, “two seconds? That’s all I need, two measly seconds.” As you fall to the couch, Jake stands and rotates in the direction of the kitchen. 

 He tugs the fridge door open, grabbing a glass bottle from the door. By the time you can even think to ask for one, he’s already got the top of it off and is drinking it. You give a less than amused glare toward him before prying it from his hands once he sits down. 

 “Thanks for the beer,” you sneer before taking a swig. Hand frozen in a drinking motion, he looks at you with a scoff. 

 “You’re welcome,” he groans as he stands back up to retrieve another. “So. Lieutenant Commander.” There’s a song-like tone to his words, leaving you to look at him with one eye as he sits in front of you on his coffee table, opening up the beer bottle with the class ring on his hand. You pause the sip you’re taking to watch as the cap falls to the cheap wood and begins to spin on an axis until it falls on its face — leaving you looking at Jake, face to face. 

 “Nice trick,” you mumble as he takes a swig of his own beer, but continues on his thought process. 

 “You gonna talk, since, that’s why we’re here?” He leans back on the table, a large hand gripping its side. You finally can take a second to notice what he’s wearing: a pair of gray heathered sweatshorts and a cotton graphic tee. The shorts are riding up ever so slightly, showing evidence of the California sun on his skin in the form of swim-trunk tan lines. A small bit of gunmetal pokes out from beneath his collar — dog tags. Can’t say he’s not consistent. The metal is a sharp contrast to the overall comfortable aesthetic. There’s something softening about seeing him like this. The last time must have been in his dorm back in Nevada…

 “Okay, okay. What are we doing about Penny’s lamp?” you try, just as you start sipping at your beverage, seeing his face twist from unamusement to a shake of his head, a small smirk on his lips as you start to giggle with the bottle on your lips.

 “This again? She must really fuckin’ love that lamp, Kody,” he snickers and you shrug. 

 “It’s vintage, I don’t know what to say.” You finally reach forward and set the glass down on the table, leaning back and crossing your arms. “Obviously, I think you know-”

 “Did your parents raise you in a damn barn?” Jake scolds, grabbing a plastic coaster at the end of the table, only to wiggle it in your face, picking up the bottle and slipping the disc under it before setting it back down. “Coasters, LC. Coasters.” 

 Your jaw drops with mock surprise as an astonished laugh leaves you. “Oh I see. IKEA street tables that you saved from the landfill get love and care but Penny’s Tiffany lamp gets shoved under my bed.” 

 “I am offended you think I would subject my apartment to street trash.” Jake tsks you before leaning forward. “Ten bucks on Craigslist. Target Exclusive table.” 

 You can’t help but roll your eyes, “Oh, of course. That makes it so much better.” 

 He smirks. “I like to think so.” 

 Finally, you begin trying to tackle the difficult conversation that’s waiting for the both of you. “In all sincerity, what happened Friday night… it can’t happen again. Not with work being the way it is now.” 

 The blonde tilts his head with a look of feigned confusion. “Really? I thought the teacher-student thing would’ve been right up your alley. We can try a nurse and doctor routine if that suits your fancy.” He’s leant on his knees now, a wild smirk on his face. You give him a disgruntled look and he sits up again. “Really, Kody, it’s not as big of a deal as you’re making it.” He lets the alcohol hit his lips as you sigh. 

 “It is Jake. This could be detrimental to my, hell, to both of our careers, which is why it can’t happen again.” 

 Jake is grabbing your drink before you finish speaking and pressing it into your hand with a shake of his head. 

 “Who’s gonna know? It’s after hours at the end of the day, so why should they care? And hey, we got through bootcamp without a problem, didn’t we?” he asks with a small cheers of his beer against yours before he sips it. 

 Your stomach drops when he asks the question, encasing you in ice.

 Jake doesn’t give you a chance to respond, let alone get too in your head about what he’s just said. He sets his own beer down — on a coaster of course — a cold hand landing on one of your thighs, a warm one on the other. “But, I get your concern.” 

 Your eyes widen slightly at his statement. 

 “Really?” You lean back further into the couch as he nods. “I guess that settles it then. Right?” 

 “Yep.” Jake simply replies, his focus no longer on the conversation, which is clear as his fingers start to run along the elastic fabric of your leggings. 

 “We agree… we can’t sleep together while this is going on,” you try again, a grip of his hand changing your tune slightly as you finish your sentence.

 “Absolutely. Couldn’t agree more.” 

 You find it hard to believe as he shifts to your side of the couch, lips pressing against your neck. 

 “Jake. I’m trying to have an adult conversation about this,” you warn, but your body is already betraying you as his grip trails up your sides, carefully pulling you closer. 

 “Oh, I know, keep going, I’m listening.” It certainly seems that way as he continues to tongue at the spots he’s been messing with along your neck. 

 “Jake,” you huff, hoping that you don’t sound as breathless as you’re beginning to feel, “come on.”

 “Come on and what?”

 “You know what.” You can feel the smirk on his lips as his breath trails along your skin — silently taunting you despite the fact you can’t see his features.

 “Come on and get on with it? Or, come on and stop?”

 “The second one.” As you answer both of his questions, his hands are moving to your hips and guiding you backwards, further and further until you’re flat on your back on his couch.

 “Then say it.” He presses a kiss to the corner of your lips and you lean into it before you can stop yourself. “Tell me to stop, Kody.” You’re following his lips as he pulls away further, dark eyes meeting yours. 

 Your jaw is slacked, your breathing heavy, chest moving at double its normal rate. Words fail you, and while you’re trying to think of something, anything, to give a solid, rational reason — he returns to the spot under your jawline. 

 “Because, you see, Kody–” the words are hard to make out with his lips latched to your skin, tongue glazing over every spot as he drifts along “–I don’t think you want me to stop.” His hands begin to roam from their spot on your waist. “No, no, I think… that you want me to touch you… to keep you under me as long as I want. To get rid of every important thought in that pretty brain of yours — forget the world… work… everything.” There’s a near hiss to the sentence, so low and sultry it sends a shiver up your spine. “But I need to hear you say it, first.”

 His fingers dip below the waist of your leggings, but they freeze there as he sits and listens. Your mind tries to work through the white noise, the consistent bah-bum bah-bum of your heart clawing up your throat until it’s reverberating in your head and making it hard to string together a coherent set of words.

 Jake’s lips curl into a smile that tells you he knows exactly what he’s doing to you. “Baby, I mean it. You just say the word and I'll do all the thinking for ‘ya. I'll be in charge of making the decisions. Make you feel good. How's that sound?” Although patronizing, it flips a switch in your mind. 

 You aren’t the lead for this assignment — Maverick is. He makes the hard decisions. He leads the lessons. If no one knew about you and Hangman… nothing would change.

 So really, what would it hurt?

 From above you, Jake retreats a hand from your torso to bring it to his mouth, mockingly holding a radio receiver, and making an intercom noise. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking. The cabin doors are closing and we're about to take off to pound town, so if you would like to get off the plane, this is your last opportunity to do so.”

 You’re not sure whether to laugh or roll your eyes, so you’re doing the former and knock your knee against his in a swift upward motion as he hovers above you. He looks down at you expectantly. “I can’t believe you used pound town in a sentence.” Your tone comes off as slightly disgusted, yet Hangman tilts his head. 

 “Gotta say something fast, because flight crew is about to close the cabin door for the taxiway.” You roll your eyes. Can’t believe he’s doubling down on the pound town thing. Then he leans in close, husks against your ear: “Do you not want me to tie you up and wrap your thighs around my ears?”

 You groan, caught between annoyance and want at the mental image he paints with those words. “Fuck yes, why didn’t you lead with that?” Finally, you reach up and pull his head down to level with yours, his lips feverishly capturing yours as you kick off your shoes. His fingers quit teasing at the waist of your leggings and tug them from your hips, carelessly tossing the fabric somewhere — out of sight, out of mind.

 His lips cascade down your neck to your collarbone, exposed by your slouchy top. Your casual outfit is making this process of getting you out of your clothes so much quicker for him and he isn’t complaining. 

 “Can you” a kiss “wear this” a nip “more” a lick “often? I’ll have you naked in seconds and it's so efficient,” he hums along your skin, kisses sneaking between words. 

 “Why are you still talking?” you lament in response. 

 Propped up on his knees with his hands caressing the exposed skin of your sides, Hangman gives you a hard look. “This coming from the woman who said this was a bad idea,” he sneers. 

 You’d roll your eyes, but it’s true. “I stand by that,” you repeat, defending your previous position even as green eyes turn mischievous and his hands come to grip your waist. 

 “Actually, you’re lying under me,” he hums, a gasp leaving you as he presses your torsos closer together. “Kinda’ defeats the statement.”  

 “What? You’ve never chased a bad idea before?” you tease. “I find that hard to believe.”

 “You keep saying this is a bad idea.”

 “Shut up, Seresin.” 

 “Can do, LC.” You watch his smirk stretch as his fingers undo the tie from his shorts. He pulls the braided string free and presents you with his palm. You raise an eyebrow in question. What does he want? A medal? “Hands,” he instructs. You lift your arms and he takes each wrist gently in his one hand. Dilated jade eyes meet yours, and you find yourself waiting on his next instruction with baited breath. “You have a word?” 

 A safe word, of course. It’s genuinely been so long since you’ve needed to have a safe word that it had completely skipped your mind. But within a split second you have one. “Nevada.”

 Hangman stops short, cord slack where he'd been trying to figure the best way to wrap your wrists. When his eyes meet yours with a nod, the smallest smile flickers over his features. “Nevada it is.” Jake returns to the task of tying the cotton string around your wrists. 

 You watch him intently, when an idea pops into your head. “Always prepared, huh?” you ask, mentally cheering as Hangman takes the bait, a prideful smirk splitting his face. 

 “Of course, gotta be ready for anything.”

 You mirror his smirk as he falls into your trap. The only thing better than Hangman in your bed — “And you call Rooster a boy scout.” — is an irritated Hangman in your bed. You watch with glee as his face falls and he pulls your restraints tighter until the braided string burns against your skin and your wrists are bound in front of you.

 “Shut up, Benjamin.” It’s grumbled under his breath as he puts the final touches on a knot against your skin. You stay quiet for a moment as he finishes, tucking the strings away before looking him dead in the eye as you test your bindings. 

 “Make me.”

 Hangman smirks and pulls his shirt from his shoulders before tossing it to the floor with your leggings. Instead of the witty repartee you’ve come to expect, he readjusts you on his sofa to give himself more room to work with. Then, without giving you a second to breathe, he crouches between your legs and pulls your underwear from your hips. You inhale sharply as his breath ghosts over your slick folds, now exposed to the cold air of his apartment, but he doesn’t make a move to close the distance. No. He lets you relax first. Then he pounces.

 Your back arches as your hips try to simultaneously jump away from and into the warm press of his tongue, your lips parting in a sultry noise that has Hangman smiling. His lips are slick with your arousal, pupils expanding to overtake the verdant green of his eyes. “I don’t think I will,” he says with another lick, this one barely brushing your clit and you jolt. “I think I like it much better when I can hear you.”

 As Hangman makes good on his promise and wraps your legs around his head, you suck your bottom lip between your teeth. It tastes like his coconut chapstick, blended with the slightly stale taste of hops from your spontaneous happy hour — but the thought barely registers, because this time, Hangman doesn’t pause before he’s on you.

 It’s almost instantaneous how your body reacts to him. Hips jolting, bound hands attempting to reach out to him — failing, of course. The thought of having your hands bound seemed so sexy while they were free, but you’re beginning to regret the makeshift bind now that your fingers itch to lock into his hair. To push and tug and encourage him with each lap of his sinful tongue. Instead, you rock against him only to whine when he shifts back and a strong hand presses your hips into the couch. It would be hot if it wasn’t so frustrating, the sudden lack of friction makes you dizzy and a light groan slips from you before you can try to bottle it up. 

 You feel like soda that’s been shaken up. You want to stretch out your arms, to dig your nails into the cushions above you and scream as the electric tingle spreads through you until you’re ready to burst. As it is, all you can do is clench your fists to secure yourself for the pending wave. With your wrists locked together it only boosts your temptation to grab something. Your inner thighs are already pressed so tightly against Jake’s sharp jawline, it doesn’t seem possible for them to squeeze even further. Inevitably, there’ll be bruising, that you’re absolutely sure of. You clamp down harder anyway, grabbing at him any way you can and your back arches, which really speeds things up. In response, Jake’s grip on you tightens and he pulls your hips towards himself as they instinctively try to jump away. 

 “Where ya goin’, darlin’?” It’s muffled by the curves of your skin but dripping in promise, dark eyes glancing up at you with a devious grin to match. “I ain’t done with you.” He licks a fat strip up your cunt and smacks his lips. “Now, be a good girl and cum on my face.” The words go straight to your gut, forcing a strangled noise out of you as Hangman doubles down on his efforts, your thighs quivering where they’re still pressed to his ears. Your shoulders rock against the couch under you, barely keeping a constant pattern in your breathing as your entire body is set ablaze. Large hands smooth over your thighs as you come down, a gentle effort to calm the jittering motion as warm strokes of his tongue work to clean you up. Finally, he’s patting one of them, trying to pry his head from your grip. “Not so tight, baby,” he keens, pulling himself up onto his knees, a hand moving up to wipe across his lips, only to caress his jaw in feigned pain. Your breath is returning to you after its jolting disappearance mere seconds before, a slight laugh leaving you. “I thought you said earmuffs?”

 He scoffs before twisting his head in an attempt to crack his neck. “Yeah, earmuffs not a fuckin’ vice grip.” A hand pushes through his hair, an attempt to reset himself, like a bird preening his feathers. ”It’ll be in the New York Times headlines tomorrow,” he cracks, before annunciating each word with a flash of his hand: “Pilot Dies Doing What He Loves Best.”

 You let a roll of your eyes follow your miffed expression. “What, sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong?” 

 You don't feel his hand as it sneaks its way between your thighs, but you know something is coming when his lips curl into that infuriating smirk. ”A finger, maybe,” he huffs, said finger sliding in with ease, before he crooks it up against a sensitive spot within you. “Besides, I thought we’d established last time that this–” his finger retreats “–is mine.” With a heavy hand, he plunges in again, forcing your hips to jolt up at the sharp movement. The waning oversensitivity. You let out a whine. “Isn’t it, darlin’?”

 “I dunno,” you hum, watching a questioning expression flit over his face, “you might have to remind me.”

 He huffs, his hand withdrawing just as quickly as it had appeared. “Well, now you’re just asking for trouble.” Hangman curls two fingers around your bindings and pulls you up until you’re almost chest to chest, only your bound wrists between you. You smirk, leaning in to close the distance between your lips, teeth clicking around air where you’d expected to find Hangman’s bottom lip.

 Fingers curl around your chin as Hangman chuckles. “Bad girls don’t get kisses, Kody,” he taunts. In the next instant, he’s got your knees on the floor and the rest of you bent over the same damn coffee table he’d been boasting about earlier. Before you can say anything smart, a hand comes down on your ass and you jump, hip bones smashing against the edge of the table. “They get spanked,” he says and you can hear the satisfaction coloring his words, feel it in the way his palm rubs over your hot skin. “So what d’you say? You ready to apologize?”

 “For what?”

 “That mouth, for one.”

 You roll your eyes even though you know Jake can’t see it. “You love my mouth.” You yelp as his hand comes down on your other cheek.

 “Oh, I do,” he agrees, “but it keeps getting you in trouble.” Your thighs tense when his hand disappears from your skin. “So what do you say?”

 You huff, giving in if only so that your ass won’t be too sore to fly the next day. “What am I apologizing for?”

 “Take your pick,” Jake drawls, hands smoothing up your spine and lips brushing over the red splotches on your asscheeks. “Calling me a bad idea.” He is. “Trying to bite my lip off. Insulting my coffee table.”

 “You want me to apologize to your street table?”

 “Target exclusive.” A sharp nip to reddened skin. “Sorry it doesn’t have a name like Penny’s ugly lamp. See, apologizin’ isn’t so hard.”

 Your forehead thunks against wood veneer. “I’m sorry I was mean to your coffee table.”

 Hangman hums. One of his hands trails over the knobs of your spine until calloused fingertips whisper around your cunt, the skin tacky with a mixture of his drying spit and your arousal. “I’m not sure I believe you.”

 “Bite me.” You regret your words instantly, but instead of biting you, Hangman merely grazes your skin with his teeth.

 “Next time,” he says, scooting closer to you until the hot line of his cock nestles along your cunt, rutting against you in a tease of what you hope is still to come. Then, absentmindedly: “I wonder if I could fuck some manners into you.”

 Your shoulders bunch in a shrug. “Worth a shot.”

 One of Hangman’s hands plants itself near your head, his other helping to guide himself into you. “That’s my girl.” But he stops with the fat head of his cock pressed to your slick folds. “Now ask me nicely.”

 “Jake,” you whine, pressing your hips back but only succeeding in driving yourself a little more insane.

 “Come on, baby. Use your words.”

 You turn your head to get a look at him over your shoulder, hot cheek pressed against the stupid coffee table. “Please fuck me stupid, Jake,” you groan, half from exasperation. “Need it. Feel so empty.”

 Hangman leans over you until his chest presses against your back and leaves a lingering kiss on your cheek. Your jaw goes slack when he finally pushes in. “That’s it, baby,” he groans against your ear before hiding his face in your neck, and you know you’ve got him right where you want him. “Taking me so well. Always so good for me.”

 “Fucking move, Jake,” you curse. A moment later, the hand by your head shifts to gather your hair at the base of your neck, only for Hangman to use it to arch your back slightly, lips to your ear. 

 “Nicely, Kody.” You outright moan at the display of domination and go slack in his grasp. “Don’t you want to be good for me?”

 “Please, Jake.” You swallow to wet your dry throat, lashes fluttering to brush against your cheeks. “I’m sorry I made fun of your street table, but I’d like it a lot more if you fucked me over it.”

 “Knew you’d come around,” Jake says as he lowers you back to the table, but you’re to the point where you just hope you cum. You don’t have to worry about that, though. Not with Jake. He may have left all of the others hanging, but never you. At least, not in this regard. “It’s a great table.”

 Hangman lets go of your hair, but that doesn’t stop you from throwing your head back when he locks onto your g-spot with an eager thrust. “So good!” And you’re hardly aware of anything except the way his body plays yours like a fiddle, but Jake can take your answer however he likes - he could take it to hell with him so long as he doesn’t stop. So long as he stays stretched over you and inside of you. His voice in your ears, and ambrosial taste on your tongue.

 “That’s right, sweetheart,” he grunts, wrapping his hand around the edge of the coffee table for more leverage to fuck into you. “Thought you could just quit this? Thought I’d let this pussy go?” Your only answer is a drawn out moan. History would say yes, but fuck you’ve never been happier to be wrong in your life. You’ll gladly be wrong more often if it means finding yourself under Jake. You rock backwards to meet him halfway, the clap of sweat-slick skin dampened by the roar of blood rushing in your ears. It’s almost as good as flying. The rush. The light, dizzy feeling. Like a high. Each moment is unique but blurring together and vaguely familiar.

 When he pulls back too far and slips out of you, you raise your ass up and give it a tempting swivel. Greedy hands capture your hips and hold you still so he can push back into you.

 This, proves to be the coffee table’s undoing.

 You yelp, only avoiding a faceful of apartment floor thanks to Jake’s quick reflexes as a loud crack echos off the walls. Broad forearms have slid under your waist, stopping your momentum as Jake’s prized possession meets its demise on the carpeted floor. Both of you are panting — both from the sudden cease in activity and in some semblance of surprise. When you finally register what’s happened, you can’t stop the terribly loud laughter that leaves you as Jake pulls you back up to your knees and eventually onto the couch, away from the scene of the crime. 

 “Shut it, Benjamin,” he mutters, haphazardly pulling sweats back up around his waist — not that they stay up since the drawstring is still digging into your skin. He looks back at you from over his shoulder, where you sit with your bottom lip between your teeth, biting back laughter. The longer he looks at you the more his own expression cracks as he joins you while you continue to laugh.

 “I guess it’s a good thing I apologized to your table,” you wheeze when you manage to get enough air back into your lungs. “You know, now that it’s no longer with us and all.” The laughter continues as Jake covers his face with a hand, both of you reeling, stomachs aching.

 “So,” you draw out. “You wanna untie me so I can help you clean this up, or…?”

 And while Hangman shakes his head no, he reaches out to untie your wrists all the same. “Leave it,” he says as he massages the red, bloodless lines crisscrossing your arms. “We’ll pick it up after.”

 “After?” You grin, eyes half-lidded as you give Jake a onceover. He’s still hard, cock tenting his loose shorts.

 “Yeah.” He tosses the drawstring to the side, intending for it to land on the coffee table, but it lands, instead, on top of its debris. “Gonna have to take this to the bedroom unless we want splint–”

 Knock! Knock! 

 “Yo, Jake! You good?” It’s Coyote. Your wide eyes meet Hangman’s.

 “What is Coyote doing here?” you hiss as quiet as humanly possible.

 “I think we were supposed to get drinks.”

 “You think?” It’s a struggle to keep quiet, but Coyote finding you in Jake’s quarters — naked in Jake’s quarters — could mean the end of both of your careers. You’re his commanding officer, dammit!

 “Jake?!” Coyote’s sounding a little more frantic and you’re worried that he’s going to try the door next. God, did Hangman remember to lock it when you got there?

 “Yeah, man!” he’s shouting a response and already wide eyes look pleadingly at green ones, silently begging him to get Coyote the fuck outta Dodge. “I’m good.”

 “Alright, so… you gonna open the door?” You’re in the middle of locating your clothes from around the room, pausing as Jake looks at you — as though he’s incapable of selecting the correct answer, which is obviously ‘no’. You shake your head frantically, leaving Hangman’s response. 

 “‘Fraid that’s not happening, Machado.” You’ve finally located your shirt on the floor but before you can grab it, Hangman’s hands grab your hips and pull you off balance and onto his lap.

 ‘What the hell are you doing?’ you mouth at him, brows drawn in a stern frown.

 “Why’s that?” Oh, you know, just a typical Monday night with his very naked commanding officer on his fucking lap in his living room. You watch as the gears turn in Jake’s head, you’re nearly about to tell him off and try your luck climbing out the window when he replies. 

 “Got a girl in here, man.”

 “Ha!” Coyote barks a laugh. “You work fast.”

 Not fast enough it seems. You try to stand but Jake’s grasp around your waist is impassible, leaving you stuck between a proverbial rock and a hard-on. Despite the situation, Jake’s lips curl into a smile against your neck. “Please,” he continues, falling into the same teasing back and forth he and Coyote have always had, “you would too with a face like this.”

 God, you want to smack that look right off of his face.

 “And that body!” Coyote laughs back.

 “Javy, please,” Jake chides, an ever growing smirk on lips that continue to tantalize your skin, trapped in his arms and the worst possible situation. “You’re making me blush.” The blonde snickers as his friend joins him from the hall. Like a cat trying to escape a child’s manhandling grasp, you continue to push from Jake, which he finally catches on to. “Alright, man, unfortunately, I’m gonna have to ask you to get goin’.”

 “What, you don’t wanna share?” the other pilot propositions from behind the incredibly thin — I mean, seriously, what kind of door allows a damn conversation like this to happen through it — door.

 You stiffen at the insinuation. The idea that Coyote could find you out. Flush your entire career in an instant.

 “Not this one.” 

 Your expression softens at Jake’s answer. In the line up of answers A through D, that was not one of the responses you’d anticipated. To be fair — the question itself was rather unpredictable to start with.

 “Ten-four. Just make sure you wrap it.”

 Jake answering grin is lecherous when he turns to you. “Ah, come on, baby. You’re not gonna make me wrap it, are ya?”

 Exaggerated heaving noises filter through the door. “I’m leaving.”

 “Good riddance,” Hangman calls after him as you breathe out a sigh.

 “Thank god.” Jake’s grip is still tight around you. Neither of you are exactly fighting to move just yet. Maybe that’s why his hands find your waist, lips trailing down the back of your neck and along your shoulder. Normally, you would’ve melted into it, but right now? Your stomach is doing somersault after somersault after the entire interaction. “Hangy,” you mumble, hearing his hum from behind you. “It’s dead.”

 He chuckles as he sits back finally. “Dead as the table?” A sad laugh leaves you as you finally slip from his fingertips, standing up and looking at the wreckage below you. 

 “Oh yeah.” You nod, finally snagging your shirt from the floor and pulling it over your head. “Ashes to ashes.” 

 “Dust to dust,” Jake continues, slumped into the depths of the couch. 

 “Street trash to street trash.”

 “Hey!” he corrects, brows furrowed, and you can’t help but giggle at your jab, relishing in your own amusement.

 When the both of you finally sort yourselves out, you offer to help Jake carry what remains of the coffee table down four flights of stairs  and out to the green dumpster in the parking lot. You set the broken pieces on the asphalt, stretching out your back slightly once it's down.

 “Did you, uh…” With one of the legs in your hand, you point to the table before your eyes rise to meet Jake’s — facial features filled with annoyance. “Did you want to say something?” You gesture to the table, slapping the leg in your hand against your free palm.

 “Shut up, Kody,” he snides, picking up the broken and disassembled parts of his table and throwing them into the dumpster. 

 “Alright, I’ll say something.” You look at the stained wood table leg in your hand, clearing your throat. “Ikea table–” 

 “Target,” Jake’s correction comes, leaving you to glance at him, nodding. 

 “Target table: Our acquaintance was short lived. Much like you were.”

 Jake lets out a low chuckle, he’s trying to hide it, but he’s not doing a very good job of it. 

 “You were mediocre at best.” 

 “Excuse me?” Jake interrogates, an eyebrow raised in silent retaliation.

 “I was talking to the table.” A scoff comes from him before he squats down to pull said table from its spot, up and into the dumpster as you hold the lid open. With a thud the lid returns to its closed position as Jake lays his table in its final resting place upon a bed of trash and brushes his hands free of dirt. He starts off in the direction of your car but even in the few feet he’s managed to get between you, you can hear him mumble under his breath. 

 “Brat.”

#jake seresin x reader #hangman x reader #jake hangman seresin x reader #seresin x reader #top gun #top gun maverick

[ladyluscinia]

Tell me if you've seen this one.

You're watching a romcom. A beautiful woman with a wealthy, city-boy fiancé goes to visit family in a small town. (Let's be honest... It's Christmas. It's basically always Christmas.) While there, she has an instant connection with the film's hot small-town love interest and starts reevaluating her city life. Does the fiancé work too much, or not like dogs? (Does he not understand the joy of Santa Claus?) At the movie's end, she makes a dramatic choice to break off her engagement, quit her job, and move back home to date the guy who was obviously the only love interest in play all movie long.

It's a very standard romcom love triangle.

It's also the kind of love triangle that OFMD is setting up, with Izzy and Stede antagonizing each other and representing two possibilities for Edward to choose... all the way down to how the final choice has been pretty obvious from the start. He's going to end up with Stede. (And hopefully have an overall better written arc than the one described above. That's a standard romcom, but not often a good one!)

Now, this works because love triangles are a narrative tool. They can be purely a source of shipping drama (especially in a drama genre) like tumblr fandoms seem to define them as, but that's only one variation, and far from the most interesting. Or even, I would argue, the most common.

So let's get into what love triangles actually are, and how this applies.

---

I would say most stories - especially character focused ones - use a love triangle as a way to take an abstract choice the protagonist needs to make, and give it some grounded symbolism in the love interests.

Hell, even in its most basic forms, there is a reason the most classic love triangles are a man choosing between Good Girl "Betty" vs Bad Girl "Veronica" or a woman choosing either the Respectable Gentleman or the Sexy Scoundrel. Which love interest the author makes endgame will correlate pretty strongly with whether the story ends on social conformity or encouraging passion, and social conformity always has the edge. This comes through even when the character differences are mostly personality, but it will get a lot more blatant if something like "finding a spouse" is a major plot point and we start getting material concerns like finances involved.

OFMD, though, is not really being basic about this - the ship for a "social conformity" option has long sailed, for one - so what are some more complex choices?

First, we can loop back to the small town Christmas romcom from the start. The men are potential lifestyles. The protagonist starts in very career / finance focused place with a partner from the same. They won't have children or be planning for them. The new guy is small town living - community, family, holidays, etc. He's got a respectable working class job. Maybe a kid. He'd be traumatized by an urban public transport map but he can probably ride a horse. These movies are targeted at small town housewives, so the "better" lifestyle is that one.

Or, another great example, the options can symbolize political or moral values. This also gives you a nice out from the love triangle when one love interest proves their unworthiness by finally crossing a line the protagonist won't. The Hunger Games had shades of this and fans definitely picked up on it (though I definitely remember being a "ditch them both" truther myself, lol).

And what about character growth? This can come into play when a story is about a protagonist fixing their life or self-improving. It's why - seemingly paradoxically - the established relationship is almost always expected to lose out to the new person in their life, despite being, well, established. They end up paired with the one who knows them as who they are becoming, not who they used to be.

...I think I've made my point about symbolism.

So. Back to OFMD! You'll probably notice all of the above could apply to BlackBonnet - Stede being the better lifestyle and values is kind of his whole thing, what with the acceptance boat culture and all (even if Stede himself needs to work on practicing as he preaches). Plus Edward is on an arc of self-improvement to fit into that culture. This is why absolutely nobody is going to be shocked that he doesn't end up with Izzy. But I do think (or at least hope 🫠) that the writing is good, and that's probably going to entail a bit of complexity in the choice.

The choice being "Stede, Stede, 100% definitely Stede, why would I even hesitate?" is rather boring. Especially since they have to make Edward hesitate so the show has a plot and stakes, and that's how you get plot contrivances and drawn out drama between two people (despite framing them as perfect for each other).

Conversely, if choosing Izzy aka his current life (the competing love interest angle is barely subtextual with the wife comparisons) actually has some appeal for Edward, then even though the endgame is obvious, it still makes sense why he's hanging back. It gives him a conflict with Stede / Stede's life that can take time to resolve, and one that will slot really nicely into the main story beats of a romcom. Edward is struggling a lot with identity, so tying the two men to different aspects he needs to choose between for himself is very compelling. (I'm just gonna drop my main Edward meta here.)

And, finally, how they handle the choice part is going to inform what they do with Izzy once Edward picks Stede. Yeah, there are the love triangles that make the bad option a horrible person, destroy their life, and skip away to the happy ending, but those can be kind of fucked up? And I think an unsympathetic ending for Izzy is unlikely for a few reasons... But that's a different meta.

(Maybe they should just OT3 for us??? 😆)

Anyway... This is why anyone starting from the stance that OFMD is not doing a love triangle because there's not actually a chance of BlackHands endgame has fundamentally misunderstood the argument being made, which unfortunately has been a common point of dispute. And with Season 2 coming I imagine it will come back with a vengeance, so I'm getting this out of my drafts now. 😘

Here's to love triangle shenanigans!!!

#our flag means death #ofmd meta #love triangle #tropes #character arcs #blackbeard ofmd #izzy hands ofmd #stede bonnet ofmd #this could be more polished but i'm not feeling it - hence the sitting in drafts for several months #ladyluscinia

[cloveroctobers]

SPEND IT / holiday edition?

A/N: haven’t done one of these pieces in awhile and I should at least do one once a year? Maybe. Idk. My ask box is still on hiatus but I felt inspired to write for this time around—also I’m sick with a sinus infection and needed a break from binge-watching shows lol. Also based on the we’re not really strangers couple or relationship edition questions? + stream coco jones 🫶🏽 + NOW EDITED and I hope you enjoy this!

OJ HAYWOOD

Black Friday’s didn’t include much planning unless you dragged OJ out from the ranch to do so. He was always up at the crack of ass anyways…so you didn’t see what the issue was when it came to being in stores to catch a deal. Nonetheless it still irritated him, that man hated being around people too long and obviously preferred hanging with his horses.

However he’d tolerate it for a hour or two just to be with you.

You’ve been together for three years—long distance but been the best of friends since middle school. A lot had changed since you came back from Alaska, learning about this new found species? that took over Agua Dulce had your mind spinning, especially as a biologist.

You missed out on all of it and couldn’t be there during the lost of Otis Sr. due to the snow storms in Alaska, lack of flights and by the time you got back home…you were there for the aftermath. Which meant getting all the details and wondering if the lab you worked for had any further information. Of course they did. Most importantly, you wanted to be there for OJ but he seemed to brush it off, as if it was just another obstacle on the Haywood ranch.

He knew he could be vulnerable with you but it’s not something he wanted to do. It’s not something OJ simply did. You couldn’t recall a time OJ ever got emotional—even when his mother passed back as a child and to learn that it didn’t change as a adult was interesting.

What did change was the amount of eyes OJ had on him now. It was Emerald’s idea to have the four of you participate in this questionnaire that would be filmed, you know like those ones you see on YouTube? Emerald and Angel would be paired while you and OJ would be together. At first everyone assumed it was some interview to get further information on Jean Jacket but Emerald convinced you all that it wasn’t. It would be like gathering around for another round of “Friendsgiving,” she threw yesterday.

Except you would all get a check at the end of the session.

“As if you need more money,” OJ muttered on the drive to the studio.

Em smacked her lips, “why wouldn’t I? No, why wouldn’t all of us? We have to catch the bag especially with the way inflation is treating us. You’re welcome, negro!” She slapped the back of his headrest while OJ just hummed.

You were only participating because you knew OJ wouldn’t do it otherwise. You even took off work to be here and to be honest, it didn’t hurt to have extra money in your pocket for the upcoming holidays. However you got what OJ was hinting at since those pictures and interviews not long after the Jean jacket incident went viral. And Emerald Haywood was all about the business; if she was eating good, so was the rest of her people, period.

Which brought you to this very moment. You could tell OJ was ready to go home after the first round of questions. He didn’t understand why it had to take over a half hour to get the both of you ready and set up. Plus those bright lights were so hot that OJ had to toss his hat onto the table fifteen minutes into shooting.

It was your turn to start the first question to the second round, “What type of social situations make you feel the most awkward?” You read off the card, watching as OJ lolled his head around to look at you.

His large round eyes gave you a look as he sat up straight in the chair now. He drummed his fingers against the table pretending to think about it, “Situations exactly like this one.”

“You guys walked right into that.” You laughed, glancing at the camera and then a few of the camera crew.

A woman added, “Can you please elaborate?”

OJ sighed pressing his elbows into the table, “I don’t care to be in social situations like that. If you haven’t noticed I’m not a big talker and this is probably the most y’all got me to talk today. I can go a whole day without saying much and be fine with it. Put me in a bar and people start conversations with me there, awkward. I used to go to bars with my late father and he had no issue chatting with anyone there. Me? I’m ready to go after one drink. Send me to the store? I don’t browse, I go there for a reason, get what I need to and I’m going back home. I don’t need all eyes on me given what I’ve just been through and ‘specially right now. It’s uncomfortable and the only reason I didn’t get up after level one and leave is because of my honey that’s sitting right across from me.”

The room went silent as OJ voiced exactly what he was feeling. Those that didn’t know him would feel like this was a outburst but you knew better as his frame visibly relaxed after he said his peace. His eyes went back to yours as you placed the card to the pile and reached out for one of his hands. OJ’s ebony calloused but warm hand gave yours a nice squeeze as you dipped your head at him.

“You okay to continue baby? Or you wanna scram? I’m sure they have enough content from us to edit.” You asked while OJ gave out a brief turn of his lips.

OJ thanked you with his eyes, “Mm. I’ll ask a question to you before we do. Cool with you?”

“Sure.”

He tilted his head with a nod before holding a card up to his eyes to read, not caring what the crew thought at this point, “what would you change about the world?”

Taking a deep inhale, your mind scrambled with multiple options. The mistreatment of the environment would be the most simplest answer.

OJ always loved watching you as your brain tried to process everything you were thinking. It was almost as if he could see the light bulbs in your eyes as they scanned for a answer from your brilliant brain.

A smile erupted on your own lips as you said, “I’d change everything it’s done to you.”

OJ immediately pulled the back of your hand up to his lips. He didn’t need you to further explain like he knew the film crew was expecting, your words attached to the genuine light in your eyes was all he needed to make his heart swell. He’d wouldn’t tell you that but he showed you with a kiss to your skin.

JESSIE “JR” RAYMOND

What started out as a light hearted segment during what this production called, “round one,” quickly shifted as you sat across your boyfriend of a few months.

You didn’t want to hear anyone call you a bad sport (since you weren’t keen on this whole idea in the first place) so you showed up. It also put you at ease because you would be doing these questions with JR which you had no knowledge of thanks to Nate. You assumed it would be you versus which ever friend production pulled out a hat or whatever Nate told them.

It was Friendsgiving after all but you weren’t complaining! You considered JR your friend who you easily fell in love with but always fell back because it wasn’t the right timing. You only just got around to being friends your senior year of high school and you never thought you’d be friends with a whole ass jock. It wasn’t really your scene not after you’ve seen plenty do your friends dirty…yes that means you were bias but JR so happened to be different.

Which meant he had shameless girls falling over and after him. You vowed not to be one of them despite your own mother, aunties, and your own “Christian,” grandmother telling you to get JR on lock as soon as you could. Like? Why couldn’t you just be friends? He had such a good heart, you knew that but it took you going to college together the first two years to want that heart full-time.

JR cleared his throat, his eyes flicking up to meet yours underneath his eyelashes. You knew from the expression on his face that this was serious or it could be him putting on a dramatic effect. However usually a smile broke as he got the question out but that face did not change as he held the card.

“Will I find your ex on your instagram/facebook feed? Why or why not?” JR flicked the card onto the table as you laughed a little.

“What’s funny?”

“I’m only on Instagram and Twitter. I deleted my Facebook after some country ass great-uncles got creepy and their girlfriends got mouthy like we’re not related so…no.” You started while JR carefully took in your words.

You reached out to run a hand up JR’s clothed sleeve as you kept smiling, “y’all got my man stressed over this and for what? I don’t nearly have as many exes as Jessie…”

“Don’t deflect, baby. Stay on track, please.” JR encouraged while you rolled your eyes.

“For Twitter no. I don’t know if they follow me or not and I don’t want to take the time to find out,” you continued, “I know for sure I don’t follow them. I had one or two request on Instagram but i didn’t feel like it was necessary to allow that. Even before JR and I decided to be official. Those relationships didn’t end bad or anything like that but that’s the past and I don’t need to know what’s they’re doing in their daily lives. I wish them well though but I’m focused on my life and what I have going on.”

“Well alright,” JR was all grins then while you shook your head at him in disbelief.

Then the film crew had to stir the pot, “what about you JR? Would they find any of your exes on your feed?”

JR stopped smiling then which made you quirk up a brow before you glanced at your gel-x nails.

“Uh—it’s kinda similar to my baby’s Twitter but with Instagram. My page isn’t on private though and anyone can follow me and I do have more relationships than them. So yeah I have exes from high school that still follow me and I follow them. I haven’t unfollowed them because I’m now in a relationship.” JR was honest with his answer.

You now toyed with JR’s initial necklace that was now on your neck as he said this.

“Does this bother you?” One of the film crew asked.

Lifting your shoulders you replied, “this wasn’t my question for JR but…not really? I’m secure in our relationship, although it’s fresh but we’ve been friends for a couple of years now and I have faith in us. I feel like I know him well enough to not think negatively about what he maybe thinking about his past encounters. That’s a closed chapter. I’m the new one. Therefore, I’m not going to demand what he does on his account. Simple.”

“We solid.” JR confirmed, holding his hand out for dap.

You did your signature handshake, “real bad but we’re not gonna ignore the double standard here. That’s a private conversation for another day.”

JR dipped his head, now looking at you a bit sheepishly, “Agreed.”

Plucking up a card you read off your question to your boyfriend, “What could you have done better in your previous relationship(s)?”

Huffing to yourself you placed it down. You wondered if these questions were instigating anything between your friends too because it definitely seemed like they were trying to start something between you two. However the both of you knew how to handle yourselves quite well.

“Communication,” JR told with furrowed brows as he said this, “most definitely. I had that issue all throughout high school when it came to disagreements and was ready to call it quits with a swiftness. The childishness was so bad at fourteen.” He laughed to himself before saying, “I even struggled with that in my last relationship freshman year in college.”

You knew of this situation and empathized with it. It was not your relationship to pass judgment on but you were there when JR broke it off and seen how hurt he had been. It pained him even further when he learned the truth and how he felt like he wasn’t a good enough boyfriend. Ultimately to know what his ex had truly been through and how she would live with that for the rest of her life, bothered him.

He shut her out because of his assumption and lack of communication.

“How’s the communication going between you two?”

JR lifted his brows, searching your eyes for this answer. He didn’t want to say something when you may not feel the same.

Keeping your eyes on JR’s you spoke, “we take the time to. I actually think Jessie’s great at it, he really listens to understand and not listen to speak since you know how there’s people like that? Not my man.” You winked making JR slowly beam at you, “He also knows how to ask open ended questions when we really need to discuss something.”

“Yes, I learned a little something something in my behavioral course.” JR smiled, “they’re a different communicator though. It’s lots of non-verbal cues I have to pick up on to get a sense if talking is what is needed at the time. We kinda just know what works after being around each other for a bit.”

You mirror his smile.

“So it’s all peaches and cream?”

JR glanced at the crew, sensing what you were feeling as the conversation shifted this round. He wasn’t sure if it was to get content or was the purpose truly trying to get the both of you to get closer. To connect. However that phrase felt…shady as you would say. Y’all were being open with complete strangers so why was it feeling like no one in the room was rooting for you when they didn’t know you?

“Yeah,” JR refrained from turning his eyes into slits at the main person that was prying, “and if it isn’t? We’ll do our damn best to figure it out because that’s what a team does.”

He turned back to you, watching as you got up to sit down in his lap, arms slipping around his neck. You two shared a slow peck solidifying that as his hands rested on your waist.

“Team work makes the dream work.” You stated staring into his eyes briefly, before looking back at the crew as JR placed a kiss along your jaw.

“Yes ma’am, you’re my dream.”

You face JR again, knowing he meant that as you caressed his brows; staring down at his lips knowing he was awaiting another kiss.

“We’re being corny.” You mumbled, knowing you were still attached to a mic but it didn’t matter.

JR lightly gripped your jaw as he shrugged, “I know but we still cute though.”

Which earned him a laugh and another kiss.

LANDO JOHNSON

“What did the people who raised you teach you about love?”

Lando let out a low whistle as you read the question. You chuckled to yourself reaching for the glass of water to cater to your growing sore throat. Just imagine being sick around turkey day? What the hell were you supposed to enjoy without your throat hurting? Cranberry sauce?

“Oh, we getting deep huh sweetheart.” Lando rubbed his hands together, before glancing upwards at the lights in thought.

“Times two.” You held up a peace sign, making Lando laugh as he watched you.

Lando fell silent, pressing his elbows into his upper thighs as he thought about his parents marriage. “I’m a military brat, my father is a marine and plans on retiring as soon as I graduate and go pro. So we’re all supposed to accept change but my mother? She wasn’t like that. She hated change and was your typical Georgia peach. Georgia is all she’s ever known so when she met my dad she wasn’t willing to go over all the place, she liked traveling but not if that meant she had to spend it alone. Once she got pregnant with me that stopped, she had seen enough and my mom was always set in her ways.”

Placing your hand on top of Lando’s for comfort you listened to what you already knew.

“My parents are complete opposites. My dad can be tough, disciplined, active, and prideful. My mother was a artist, one of her paintings is actually in the library at our university. She was quiet but stubborn, kind-hearted, and goofy at times…” Lando described the two that raised him, “They taught me that love is patient and love is not a need or a want.”

You felt like Willow at the red table talk as you listened to your boyfriend tell you this. Whenever you had conversations like these, lando can have you thinking about a lot and you admired that. He had a way with words and knew how to challenge you by looking at things from all perspectives.

In the end, not all things are one sided.

“How so?” You commented as his eyes found yours.

Lando used his free hand to caress his chin as he explained, “my dad would be off on duty in other countries while we stayed here in Georgia. To anyone on the outside it appeared as if that was what worked for them but I knew there were times that they both grew tired of this. Yet they were patient with each other, learned that together. However they taught me the difference between need and want. Need can be based around fear, and a lot of people feel like they can’t live without someone so they need them. Fear is the opposite of love, you shouldn’t be fearful in a relationship. Wanting gives them the freedom to leave but you still love them. When my mother got diagnosed…my dad and I both learned more about the need and want aspect.”

“Wow,” you breathed feeling like the two of you were the only ones in the room—which was often.

“My parents could live without each other and love with distance. I think that was the universe preparing them for my mother’s future departure. It all makes sense to me. To some it won’t but I know love can take work and isn’t always what you expect.” Lando finalized.

“Shout-out to Mr. And Mrs. Johnson.” You clapped it up for the pair while Lando just shrugged his shoulders with a grin.

Lando reached for his own card to read to you, “they’re pretty cool but I’m cooler right sweetheart?” He winked before he awaited your answer.

“You aight.” You teased while Lando shook his head and looked directly into the camera.

“We don’t rock with liars.”

“Oh, shut up.” You lightly kicked his foot underneath the table.

Lando inhaled trying to get comfortable in this ugly bamboo chair, “okay, croaky. I mean love—this is your question.”

Balling up your fist at the man you laughed, almost going into a coughing fit before he slid your water closer to you. Raising the glass you mouthed at the camera, ‘it’s not COVID.’

“So…how’s your heart today? Really?”

It was almost as if Lando had this question memorized with the way it said it with such ease. He didn’t even have to break eye-contact to ask this and seemed pretty intuitive to your response. Lando didn’t mind having chats like this and thrived on discussions, if he had something to say you were gonna hear it no matter what tone.

From the moment he started going to therapy after enduring panic attacks, he was pretty open about talking things out. He had his mother to thank for that, she didn’t allow him to bottle things up whereas his father preferred to get his frustrations out at the gun range instead. Which Lando knew wasn’t the healthiest since the military had this agenda that you had to be this stone cold person…he just accepted that was something his father wouldn’t change.

Don’t get the man wrong, his father knew when it was time to ask for help; once Lando started having panic attacks but that didn’t mean he didn’t let his pride lead the way in the beginning. And the man tried as Lando got older because Mr. Johnson also found that he needed someone to talk to too and what better person to do that than with their own son?

So yes Orlando Johnson did not mind having these conversations with someone he was spending time with.

He watched you intently, like he always did when you spoke. Just as much as your eyes shined watching him talk, his own heart felt fluttery? Whenever he looked at you.

“…somedays it’s like woooo I’m at the top of the world or a rollercoaster and then sometimes its like the drop from a rollercoaster then I’m feeling like a ogre crawling out some quicksand you know?” Your eyes were wide as you rambled, which made Lando chuckle as he zoned back in on your reply, “that’s that seasonal depression hitting but as for today? I’m a nice…I don’t know 6.5/10.”

“I receive that,” Landon said, “what can I do if anything to help make it better?”

“You’re already doing it, handsome.” You held out your glass to clink against Lando’s.

DAMON SIMS

There you two were sitting across from each other in the room with bright lights and cold air.

Damon was leaning towards you, elbows pressed into the table, while you leaned into your fist as if you were in some deep studying session and Damon was on the field ready for whatever.

“Damon, What question are you trying to answer in your life right now?”

Damon lifted his hands as he chewed on the back of his lip and then said, “how to continue moving forward in a lot of my relationships right now and what the rest of the year is gonna look like?”

You nodded your head, not shocked about this answer but felt a little worried. Did those relationships also include you? You knew most of that answer was based on Damon’s relationship with his father, although you knew he was ready to move on with his biological mom and proceeded to give the same treatment he felt his biological dad gave him when he gave him up, you knew damon still wanted answers.

“I got a lot going on although the gorgeous smile may have a lot of y’all fooled,” Damon peeked at the camera flashing a grin that you lightly shook your head at, the man couldn’t help but to let that ego out every now and then, “but I’m still human. I got shit to figure out and I know I don’t have to have it all planned but I need further direction by the end of this year. I already got my New Year’s resolution planned.”

“Will we be experiencing a New Year’s Eve kiss in the city?” You quizzed.

Damon scratched at his nose, “in cold ass New York? I might see something like a rat on skates when we’re in the moment so I dunno about all that doll.”

“See how I’m disrespected?” You tossed the card at Damon who laughed, “like I don’t cater to my man. Like I don’t have many ways to keep him warm. Damon thinks I’m gonna pull a shitty move like rose did Leo DiCaprio when I told him I’m not her.”

Damon pushed out his lips but didn’t miss a heartbeat, “let me tell y’all what she did. She made dinner for us the other night and while we were eating, her mom calls her on FaceTime right? She tells her mom that she made us Mac and cheese, asked me how I liked it and I said it was cool. Before I could even say anything further she tells her mom there’s cream cheese and onions in it. Her mom has her own successful catering business. Her mom starts to go off on her but she proceeds to tell momma that I made it and it wasn’t her! Guess who got cussed out that night? Now y’all tell me if you think she wouldn’t do me like rose?”

“Is this true?” The camera crew asked you.

Looking away over your shoulder, you curled a strand of hair behind your ear mumbling, “I’m sorry mom.”

“I need a apology too. I got the brunt of it.” Damon tried to catch your eye but you just fanned him off, “we not about to make it to New York with this stank-ness.”

“Whatever, you love me.”

“Sometimes, bro.”

You battled your eyelashes while Damon just let out a low sigh.

“When was the last time someone made you feel special on your birthday?”

“Birthdays that I remember?” You questioned.

“…we not twenty-one yet.” Damon whispered, while you mockingly covered your mouth.

“They don’t know if I got what Harriet Tubman had.”

“What?” Damon laughed, “I can’t deal with you.”

“Alright, alright,” you sighed, “I’m a winter baby but i love the summer and celebrate half birthdays yet I can’t remember nobody’s else’s—don’t quote me on that. I’d have to say I felt the most special when I celebrated my last birthday with my friends back home since we only had months left together. They wrote me letters and it all played out as a monologue at the movie theater. I thought we were going to see the new scream but nope, it was our lives played out on the big screen.”

“Dope ass friends.” Damon commented, “can’t wait to hang with them in New York in January.”

Smiling you gripped Damon’s arm to snatch the card out of his hand up to your lips while leaning on the table. “IN NEW YOOoOoOORK!”

“Here she go,” Damon pinched his brows laughing as he turned to the camera cutting his fingers against his neck, “y’all might want to stop filming, this’ll take about ten minutes since she’ll try to transition to any other song that says New York or is by a New York artist.”

Keeping the card to your mouth you gripped the sleeve of Damon’s cardigan, “these lights will expire you—

“Inspire.” He attempted to correct you.

“In New yooooooork. New York. New yooooork!” You ignored him before tapping him, “it’s your turn to rap Jay’s part.”

“No.”

“Forget you then,” you sucked your teeth before licking your lips and attempting to pull some fuckboy light skin cringe mess, “Say what up to Ty-Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais.” You started to rap what you remembered until Damon got up from his chair.

You tried your hardest to work your camera time, although you were sure this wouldn’t make the cut as Damon gripped onto your cheeks to get your attention.

And he did when he pressed his lips to yours.

“New years came early.” You breathed, smiling up at Damon who pulled you to your feet.

He tossed an arm across your shoulders before clearing his throat and began rocking you from side to side beginning to sing off-key himself, “One hand in the air for the big city…”

You wrapped both arms around Damon’s frame; grinning at both of your foolishness.

EMMETT CULLEN

“If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?” Emmett read the question off to you with a sigh.

He found this whole ordeal kinda lame until he persuaded the camera crew to provide shots, which wasn’t originally part of the plan. At this point in the game, he was taking shots after asking you questions just because. It wasn’t even a truth or drink segment but Emmett was charming and knew how to get his way.

“Ha!” Emmett laughed, golden eyes scanning over the card once more after downing his shot, “We don’t need to guess. I’ve got a sister who—

Slamming your hand on the table, you widened your eyes at your husband who sent you a dimpled grin. He held his hand out to calm you as he carried on.

“My sister Alice, what’s up if you’re watching! She’s a legit psychic and could tell us anything we need to know regarding my babe’s future.” Emmett admitted but knew the people were reluctant to believe that.

Especially since the room went quiet.

“Aw, don’t tell me you don’t believe me! I can call her up right now!”

“Emmett—

“It’s not that we don’t believe you. We get all sorts of people on this show for different things so maybe you can give us her contact info after?”

“Oh yeah,” Emmett smirked, “did you have vampires and witches too?”

“No we haven’t had any of those that I can recall.”

Emmett whipped his head around to yours, wiggling his brows while you scoffed at him. Of course he wouldn’t be on his best behavior, he wouldn’t be himself if he was.

“Put your library on shuffle. Explain the first song that comes up and why it best represents your relationship or in our case, marriage?” You moved on as Emmett couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.

He lifted his body with ease, yanking his phone out to open Apple Music. He was the Apple Music guy and you were a Spotify girl, it was a whole debate that you didn’t want to get into right now.

“Alright, here it is. Starting the countdown! In three…two…one…!” And he pressed play followed by the music.

Emmett tossed the phone on the table after turning up the volume that would most likely blow out his speakers. He then began mimicking the guitar and drums as the band began to sing.

I never believed in things that I couldn't see

I said if I can't feel it then how can it be

No, no magic could happen to me

And then I saw you

I couldn't believe it, you took my heart

I couldn't retrieve it, said to myself

What's it all about

Now I know there can be no doubt

You can do magic

You can have anything that you desire

Magic, and you know

You're the one who can put out the fire

You know darn well

When you cast your spell you will get your way

When you hypnotize with your eyes

A heart of stone can turn to clay

He paused it, “well, well, how ironic for this song to best describe our marriage, huh babe? For the too young out there or uncultured, this was released in 1982 by a band called America. It’s a feel good song and when I’m with my babe, my wife, that’s what it feels like all of the time. Good vibes. Some might even say magical.” He snorted to himself, tipping a imaginary (most likely witch) hat.

The insiders he was throwing right underneath these people’s noses was actually a little funny, stupid but funny regardless.

“She’s from a wicked place herself, Louisiana and this was actually the first song I remembered hearing when I met her at this restaurant you have to take a boat through murky water to get to. That was a sign we should be together from the music itself.” Emmett told, keeping his eyes on you before he grabbed another shot, “and I’m a big believer in the signs.”

“Not the love spells?”

“So you admit you did a love spell on me?” Emmett dipped his head as he stared over at you, a sly grin threatening to appear.

“Please, I don’t need to do much to get you falling at my feet.”

Emmett’s booming laughter was heard, “she’s not wrong,” he tilted his head then took the shot, “and I love putting in the work if that means I get to have you.” He winked.

LEAH CLEARWATER

“How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?” You blew out a breath as you could feel the heat radiating beneath your girlfriend’s dark brown eyes.

Leah chewed down on her bottom lip and you weren’t expecting her to answer this. However she wanted to be transparent and honest with you mainly, fuck the cameras.

“I love my mother,” Leah started, “she’s always been a good mother. I just always felt like there was a disconnect somewhere. I was always closer to my late father and Seth is closer to mom. It’s the usual weird dynamic, the son gravitates to the mother and the daughter with their father. We were no different.”

This you knew. It wasn’t something intentional but that was just the way it was and that did not necessarily mean that one parent loved the child any less or vice versa. You’ve seen Sue Clearwater plenty of times out of the five years you’ve been dating her daughter and she had the whole maternal vibe. She was sweet, constantly trying to get you to eat, nurturing, courageous and not to mention beautiful.

Leah sniffed, “like I said there’s this disconnect there long before my dad died but it seemed to increase afterwards? She’s currently in a relationship with this woman’s—that I don’t particularly care for father. He’s fine or whatever but it makes me feel gross that he literally helped produce someone who has caused one of my friends pain. He’s a reminder of that along with trying to take my dad’s place as if he wasn’t friends with him. It’s almost like he spit in my face being with my mom, that colonizer.”

Charlie Swan and Sue Clearwater had been in a relationship for over eleven years now. It still bothered your girlfriend to this day simply because she did not want to sit down and have a conversation about it. Leah did not want to waste her breath but it was evident that Charlie wasn’t going anywhere. Especially since him and Sue moved out to Oklahoma years ago to start a new chapter in lives together.

“So I say we’re content. There’s just things we don’t want to see eye to eye on. I have no problem voicing my opinions to my mom, that’s my mom. And she understands how I feel and that it’s not going to change. We love from a distance but if I need her she’ll be here in a heartbeat and if she needs me, I’ll be around.” Leah informed with her signature lisp and a sting in her eyes.

You knew Leah didn’t want you comfort her. She didn’t like to be seen as weak and you told her showing emotion never meant that you were weak. Leah’s been through a lot of hurt, was bitter towards certain people with every reason but was still healing after all these years.

There was no timeline for that.

“Let’s change the subject already!” Leah rubbed at one of her eyes as she continued sitting slouched, “What roles do love and affection play in your life?”

“It plays a prominent role in my life. Family is very important to me, we’re all very close. Very affectionate. I lost both of my parents at eighteen and was thankful enough to have godparents that were willing to look after me. My parents were very loving and my godparents are the same. I carry that with everyone around me, including Leah. I love giving love as much as receiving it.” You answered making Leah scowl, who bit down on her nail as she shook her head at you.

“She’s the grumpy girlfriend but a big softie at heart that just simply wants to be loved.”

“Oh god,” Leah wanted to sink into the floor, “don’t talk about me like I’m not even here.”

“Okay, Leah. Do you feel loved by me?”

“Yeah of course I do. What kinda question is that?” Leah frowned.

“Good and I’m going to keep loving you in public and behind closed doors. We’ve been together five years, I’m not going anywhere.”

“You don’t know that.”

You exhaled, “We’re not focusing on the what if’s, we live in the now remember? So shut up and let’s make out.”

“Ew, not in front of these strangers.”

“Aw come on, live a little. You know you can’t resist all this.” You ran a hand down your body making Leah snort and look away in horror.

“…Later.” She whispered, peeking back at you, although the mic was still on.

You kissed your lips at Leah who flicked the card at you, knowing you wouldn’t be stopping the love any time soon and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*

Continue along with my fall anthology prompts here

#Spotify #oj haywood #oj haywood x black! f! reader #oj haywood x reader #nope x reader #nope 2022 #nope film #nope jordan peele #all american homecoming cw #all american homecoming #AA: homecoming #jessie raymond #jessie raymond jr #jessie ‘jr’ raymond #Jessie raymond x reader #Jessie raymond jr x reader #orlando johnson #Lando Johnson #lando johnson x reader #damon sims #Damon sims x reader #Emmett Cullen #twilight #emmett cullen x black reader #Emmett Cullen x reader #leah clearwater #leah clearwater x female reader #leah Clearwater x f! reader #black love #black fiction

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Book Review: True Love and Other Impossible Odds by Christina Li

Summary: College freshman Grace Tang never meant to rewrite the rules of love. She came to college to move on from a grief-stricken senior year and to start anew. So she follows a predictable routine: Attend class, study, go home and visit her dad every weekend. She doesn’t leave any room in her life for outliers or anomalies.

Then, Grace comes up with an algorithm for her statistics class to pair students with their perfect romantic partners. Though some people are skeptical, like Julia, Grace’s prickly coworker, Grace is confident that her program will take all the drama out of relationships. That’s why she keeps trying to make things work with her match, a guy named Jamie. But as the semester goes on and she grows closer to Julia, Grace starts to question who she’s really attracted to.

In award-winning author Christina Li’s YA debut, Grace will have to make a choice between the tidy equations she knows will protect her from heartbreak or the possibility that true love doesn’t follow any formula.

My Thoughts: Can love be predicted with logic and numbers? It's an interesting question that Grace and her fellow math classmates are wrestling with for their project. Science and math can do a lot of things for us so why not finding matches for people? It's a fun topic to explore or at least watch characters attempt to do so.

Grace learns a lot about herself as she and her math partners implement their program. Why some people click and others don't has them questioning their algorithm, but also themselves. The friends and other students that Grace is interacting with have opinions about the project, but the farther they get into it, the more questions arise. 

The story bounces back and forth between her college freshman year and the time when her mother was still alive and before a rift with Grace's best friend. She's grieving both losses and is only beginning to venture into new relationships both romantic and otherwise. She stumbles around a bit, but the book feels like a hug as she finds some connections, learns about herself, and begins to heal.

Seeing her muddle her way through new relationships was a little like watching a young horse start walking. It's a lovely coming of age story as Grace really delve into her feelings and discovers more about herself. She creates new bonds and takes a good look at how she has interacted with her father and her previous best friend. 

I loved the snowy ski excursions and it made me realize I haven't seen skiing in many young adult books. Grace and Julia have that common interest which really helps them get to know each other and it adds to the cozy feeling of the book. This book would be great with a cup of hot cocoa and a blanket.  

Recommendation: Get it soon especially if you enjoy seeing characters discover more about themselves and like a sweet bit of romance. 

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Pages: 389

Review Copy: Final copy via publisher

Availability: On sale May 14, 2024

#young adult books #book review