#and entered it in the library system <3

[missmonsters2]

Mirror, Mirror | Five

Please do not copy, repost, or translate my work anywhere else.

PART FOUR

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Summary: Deleting the video evidence of Wanda's embarrassing confession only goes slightly awry, and in the end, she can't tell if she's relieved or disappointed with herself. Perhaps she can get advice from someone who was once in her position.

Warnings: best friends to lovers. shenanigans. jealousy, jealousy. sexual tension. pining. yearning. sexual thoughts. spicy (tumblr's version). stupid steve. neurotic nat. brat & stinky. bug as in shutterbug.

*explicit version will only be available on Ao3 & will be posted there after series is completed*

Note: There's still an epilogue after this!! But after that, it's done </3

Reminder there's no taglist but you can follow my library blog for notifications 💘

Series Masterlist || Library Blog || AO3

Count: ~4,6k

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Wanda jiggles her key through the door with a renewed rush. Her hands are shaky, and she should really just take her time. This wasn't making it go any faster.

Darcy had just dropped her off after they ate their McDonald's meal in the parking lot and was on her way back to get access to her laptop to help Wanda. 

Finally unlocking the door, Wanda took her shoes off haphazardly and took off towards your room. Your laptop sits innocently at your desk, unaware of all the havoc Wanda will reap upon it if it doesn't give her access to your email. 

She pulls out the chair and sits down before she opens it up. The first thing that greets her is the password page. Wanda pulls out the USB that Darcy gave her and plugs it in. All she can do now is wait since Darcy said she'd text Wanda once she made it home. 

The next 15 minutes feel like a bottomless pit of hell. Wanda checks her watch every couple of minutes, tapping her foot impatiently. 

"Come on, come on, come on," Wanda huffs quietly. She's extremely paranoid about what you might be doing. It's unlikely you'd be returning home tonight, and even if you were, it'd be a couple of hours from now.

Yet, the unhinged part of Wanda wants to pull out her phone and text you, "Hey, what's up? You're still busy sexing up Raye, right? Definitely not ideal, but you're not checking your emails or on your way home, right?

Wanda wishes she made Natasha go stakeout Raye's house to alert her when you were leaving the place. Before she can think more insane thoughts, her phone vibrates in her hand, and Wanda checks it with speed. It was from Darcy confirming she'd made it home and it'd be any minute now. 

Wanda looks up at your laptop screen, pushing her finger against the mousepad to ensure the screen doesn't time out. The USB must give Darcy some kind of access because, true to her word, something does start happening. 

Wanda watches the screen with mild interest as a separate window pops up. The background is black, but it's clearly some kind of coding as random words begin running. It takes a few minutes, but then asterisks fill your password box. It only takes 3 times before the right password is entered and Wanda's gained access.

"Yes!" She celebrates before she sends Darcy a quick text. 

Wanda pulls up your email and finds the latest one sent to you is a link to a Google Drive. There are many videos and some photos, but Wanda recognizes herself in one of the thumbnails and clicks on it.

"I don't see what's so great about Raye—"

Wanda immediately stops playing it, unable to bear the embarrassment of hearing herself. She quickly deletes the clip, also going to the trash bin to make sure it's permanently deleted. Wanda checks everything several times to ensure there are no other clips and any trace of her confession is gone. 

Mission completed. 

Relief floods her system, knowing that the clip has been deleted. 

Wanda closed everything she opened, making sure she changed the status of the email to unread. Once everything is as it was, Wanda closes your laptop and unplugs the USB.  

Stuffing the USB into her pocket, she's about to send another text to Darcy when Wanda hears the front door open, and you call out her name. You must've seen her shoes at the door, but Wanda still doesn't answer. She hears you walking back down the hallway toward your room and panics. 

Oh, god, she couldn't walk back out that door without bumping into you, and she couldn't jump out the window either with them living on the 10th floor. 

Oh, fuck, what does she do? Wanda's panicking as she shakes her hands in hysteria and looks around frantically. 

Shit, shit, shit, shit!

Wanda carefully makes her way to your closet, but it's filled wall to wall with your clothes, and the floor is filled with your shoes and other boxes. There was no room to hide in there.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!

Wanda's walking around your room and has no idea where to hide. She looks at your bed and internally groans. Dropping to her knees, she scoots herself until she's fully underneath, flat on her stomach, but her head is kept off the floor. She quickly opens her phone and turns it from vibration mode to silence—Wanda refuses to be caught. She would rather die than even try and explain all of this.

The door opens, and Wanda only gets a few of your slippers as you make your way back to your desk. She hears a soft clank on the desk, and Wanda can only assume it's the mug of tea you have every night. 

Wanda hears you sigh quietly as you seem to settle in for the night. This is not good. This is fucking terrible. 

Wanda can't tell how long she's been stuck under your bed. She's too worried about moving and accidentally making a noise. All she hears is the soft music playing and your mouse and keyboard clicking. 

Suddenly, her phone lights up with a notification. It's a text from you.

Wanda bites her lip, trying to decide if she should answer. Ultimately, she decides she should because it's possible you might try to call her if she doesn't, and she definitely can't answer it if you do. Wanda would also feel bad about not answering you if you're worried. 

But, god fucking dammit, she's going to have to lie. Again. 

Wanda hears a breathy chuckle from you and tries not to smile. 

Fuck. 

Wanda doesn't know if she should say yes or no. If she says yes, will you wait until she gets home? Wanda can only dread how long she might be stuck under your bed.

The chair you're sitting scrapes against the floor a little. A reply doesn't come for a few minutes, and Wanda wishes she could see what you were doing. 

Wanda stares at the text, trying to see if she can decipher your tone from just the words alone. It's something you've told her countless times when she told you she'd be staying at Vision's place. Yet, somehow, this feels different. 

You stop replying to her after that. It's both a relief that Wanda could stop digging herself into another hole and a torture she's left without much to do again. 

Wanda checks some of her other texts and replies to them, but her battery life is getting exceedingly low, and she doesn't want it to die on her accidentally if you do decide to text her again. 

The last time she opened the phone to check the time, an hour and a half had passed. There's almost a desperation to give herself up and come clean to relinquish herself from the sheer boredom, but Wanda holds strong since she reasons she'd already made it this far. 

"Hmm," Wanda hears you let out a deep hum. The mouse clicks a few times, and Wanda wishes she could see what you were staring at. 

Definitely not her confession video; that much comforts Wanda. 

God, she's bored. She's so bored that the fear has long left her body. 

It's a miracle when Wanda hears you get up and stretch, a few cricks released from your back. You leave the room, and Wanda hears the bathroom door shut. 

Wanda scrambles to get out from under the bed, nearly hitting her head 5 times. She quickly tiptoes out of your room, heading for the front door and opening it. Just as you're coming out of the bathroom, Wanda shuts the door as if she's just gotten in. 

"Wanda, is that you?" You call from the hallway.

"Yep! You're still up?" Wanda calls back, laughing nervously to herself about how stupid this all was, but relief she was clearly getting away with it. 

"Yeah, just thought I'd get a start on the editing stuff for Tony," you say as Wanda walks towards you. 

"Oh, cool," Wanda doesn't inquire further but says, "I thought you were staying at Raye's tonight?"

"Oh, uh," you seem surprised that Wanda asks. "I was having a hard time falling asleep on her bed. The mattress is too soft and gives me the worst cricks."

"Oh," Wanda nods, knowing that your mattress is memory foam but on the firmer side. 

"What about you?" You ask back. "Didn't go home with Darcy?"

"Uh, no," Wanda fumbles slightly. "Uh, it was good, but I, uh, was getting a slight stomachache from the McDonald's so I decided to go home."

You frown. "Do you want some tea? Maybe some Tums?"

"Maybe some ginger and honey tea?"

You nod. "Alright, I'll get some ready for you. Why don't you go take your makeup off and whatnot? We could watch some TV before we sleep."

"Oo," Wanda grins. "I think I saw some things come out on Disney+, let's see what they have!"

The rollercoaster of the night comes to a satisfying end for Wanda. 

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The next three weeks are odd for Wanda. During the first and second weeks, she was so busy with her clients and a whole PR mess that she barely had time to see you. 

She spends more time collaborating with her team about how they will dig one of their clients out of the mess they'd made or if they should just drop the client. She's barely been able to think about her feelings for you and what to do about it. 

By the time the third week arrives, everything at work finally slows down, and she has time to herself like a regular person again. Wanda reflects back on her position and the entire video-deleting debacle. 

With the fear and adrenaline long gone, Wanda can't actually tell if she's disappointed that you haven't discovered her feelings. Would things have just been easier if you had watched the video?

At the very least, it might be better in the sense Wanda wouldn't be stuck in the same place. 

Wanda's sitting on the couch, lazily trying to focus on her book but can't with her mind continuously drifting. You haven't been home as of late—Wanda only realized you've been out a lot for a week and a half now. 

Sighing, Wanda closes her book. She was getting bored again. You wouldn't be home until later, and she already spent an hour on the phone with Natasha earlier. 

Just as Wanda was about to text you to ask if there was any possibility you'd be home earlier, the front doorknob jiggled, signaling someone was putting in their key.

Wanda smiles, hoping she'll see you walk through the door, but smiles even wider when she sees who walks through it. 

Getting up from the couch, Wanda runs and jumps, latching onto the person. 

"Oof," the voice was gruff.

"Bucky!" Wanda yells excitedly as Bucky catches her, wrapping his arm around her to ensure she doesn't fall, even though her legs are around him. 

"Hi, nutball," Bucky says, but his mouth is muffled by Wanda's shoulder and some of her hair. 

Wanda slowly slides back down onto the floor, taking a good look at Bucky. Of all the people she adores besides you, Bucky is at the top of her list, along with Natasha, which is why they both have key fobs to the apartment. 

Bucky kind of reminds her of Pietro in certain ways, if Pietro would ever grow up and get a little serious. Bucky seems to know that and has cared for Wanda in Pietro's stead now that the guy has left for Europe since they turned 18. 

"When did you get back?" Wanda asks. "Why didn't you call? I would've arranged to pick you up from the airport."

"It's fine. Steve picked me up from the airport and we relaxed a little bit before he had to leave to the station to do some kind of sketch for a case," Bucky says as he takes off his shoes.

They wander back into the living room space and take a seat. Bucky had brought her some coffee and pastries that Wanda delighted over.

"So," Wanda says after a sip of her coffee. "How was California?"

"Hot," Bucky smiles. 

"You said you were going to train an upcoming actor in a movie, right?"

Bucky nods, sipping his own coffee. "Yeah, some new superhero movie. Pretty young; I think he just turned 18. Definitely now super ripped for an 18 year old," Bucky laughs.

"Does he need a PR agent?" Wanda grins. 

Bucky rolls his eyes with mirth. "Probably not since he has his manager handling everything, but I did pass your card along."

"You're good people."

Bucky snorts, and they spend another half hour catching up before he finally comes to the topic he's been waiting to discuss. "You know, Steve brought up something interesting."

"Oh, yeah?" Wanda raises her brow.

"Steve was bringing up how Bug seems to be seeing someone," Bucky says slowly. "And she looks a lot like you...like everyone else Bug has dated."

Wanda lets out a huge groan. "Steve should eat rocks and jump into the ocean."

Bucky laughs, leaning back onto the couch, and smiles. "So? What do you think?" 

"About what?"

Bucky gives her a side-eye, and she groans quietly this time.

"Fine," she grumbles. "It was strange to realize, but like, a good strange. I don't know. I want...I want her to look at me."

Wanda's blushing at the admittance to Bucky. It makes her feel shy, but also good that someone else close to her knows and will be on her side. 

"Have you confessed?"

"Not exactly."

"Ah, so you haven't done shit except probably rope people into your weird schemes that turn out poorly."

Wanda's jaw drops. "I have not—okay, well, I mean, I wouldn't say they turned out poorly." She would never tell Bucky about the videotaping incident. She was taking that to her grave. 

Bucky eyes Wanda, taking in the small expressions on her face and the muted longing in her eyes as she picks at her nails. "You're so much like me, sometimes I'm convinced that you're actually my little sister," Bucky grins, and Wanda mirrors him. "Don't tell Pietro that, though. He's gets so jealous."

Wanda just gives him an, 'obviously,' look.

"When I started realizing my feelings for Steve, I didn't say anything for a long, long time, and I've known I've liked Steve since we were boys making mudpies," Bucky leans his head back against the couch, the coffee resting between his hands on his stomach. "I kept thinking about what if Steve didn't feel the same? And then there was the whole Peggy situation, and I didn't want to break that up."

"You're better than me," Wanda sighs. "I would break them up in a heartbeat if I knew how she felt about me."

Bucky can't hold his laugh in for that but continues on. "I think a lot of those fears I had paralyzed me. I kept thinking I'd have more time and there was a right moment, or if I did certain things, Steve would feel the same. I just had to wait it out."

"So, what happened?"

Bucky gave her a wan smile. "Steve and Peggy, even though they'd be on and off, were getting more serious. One night, Steve told me he was thinking about proposing."

"What?" Wanda's jaw drops. She's never heard of this. "But obviously he didn't because you guys are together now."

"Yeah," Bucky laughs, "because I totally freaked out. I started saying he couldn't and then kissed him, and then started crying. It was a mess."

"Oh, god," Wanda rests her hand against her mouth. She could totally see herself doing that to you if you said the same thing. Now, she's starting to freak out if you're getting serious with Raye. 

"I think you know what I'm getting at," Bucky says, turning his head to look over at Wanda, and she feels vaguely uncomfortable. "You need to say something—now. There's no perfect timing. There's nothing extra you can do to magically know, and you're not gonna always have more time."

Wanda lets her head fall back against the couch, closing her eyes. They start to sting with tears, and she feels that same fear creep into her belly. Yet, Bucky's words resonate with her, and she suppresses that fear until it settles into a muted nervousness. 

"Fuck, I swear you and Steve planned this."

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Despite Wanda's talk with Bucky, she says absolutely nothing to you when you arrive home late in the evening. Wanda's eyes are glued to the TV, watching How I Met Your Mother absently. 

You seemed to have a long day yourself as you carefully sat next to her on the couch. 

The air feels weird, and there's a tension in your shoulders. It starts to make Wanda tense until you suddenly relax with a deep breath. You shuffle in your seat before scooting until you're pressed against Wanda's side, resting your head against her shoulder. 

The smell of clean laundry and leaves fills Wanda's nose, and she relaxes against you. 

"Wanna order in?" You say.

"Yeah," Wanda replies, pulling out her phone to see what she was in the mood for. The two of you quickly place an order and continue to sit in silence, watching the TV.

You seem deep in thought, but you grab Wanda's hand at some point, holding it with keen interest.

Wanda doesn't say anything. Her cheeks and the tips of her ears are warm as you stroke the back of her hand with your thumb. Her heart doesn't speed up, but it begins to thud noticeably harder in her chest. 

It continues like that until the food arrives, and it's also eaten in silence with the background noise of the TV. Yet, whenever Wanda looks up, she finds you staring at her, and you don't break eye contact. 

It's strange, and it's making Wanda feel somewhat nauseous. 

When the food is done and put away, the two of you settle back onto the couch, but Wanda doesn't think she can handle the silence anymore. 

"How was your day?"

You turn your head, staring at Wanda, and reply softly. "Okay...how was yours? Bucky told me he stopped by to see you."

Wanda tenses. "Yeah," she mumbles. "It was good seeing him again."

"It's nice that he's home," you nod. "I'm sure Steve is happy."

Steve doesn't deserve to be happy, Wanda pettily thinks. It was his fault that Wanda felt so nervous that she felt like she would puke. 

Wanda needs to say something.

She knows she needs to say something now like Bucky told her to. 

All those same fears and anxiety creep up, but frustration has also lingered in her since the day she realized her feelings for you. 

Wanda's tired, she realizes. She's also sick of saying nothing and watching you be with someone else. She's scared but would rather say something and be put out of her misery than continue saying nothing. 

Just as Wanda is about to say something else, you say something first. 

"I broke up with Raye."

Just like that, the wind is blown out of her sails, and Wanda's brain stalls. "What?"

"I," you clear your throat, "broke up with Raye."

"When?"

"A week and a half ago."

"And you're just telling me now?"

Your brow scrunches, and you turn in your seat to fully face Wanda as you cross your legs on the couch. You're fidgeting with your fingers in your lap. "Yes...I needed to think."

"Think about what?"

You wet your lips. "If...if it was worth it potentially ruining our friendship for something more."

Wanda's heart drops like an amusement park ride. Her stomach feels the same way it does when an airplane is ascending. 

She had all these things she was going to say to you just a minute ago, and now her head was empty, and all she could think about was what you were trying to say.

"I think it is...if you feel the same, which I know you do unless something's changed in the last three weeks."

"How do you know?" Wanda frowns. Then again, she wasn't trying to be sly about it the last few months. Maybe you've finally caught on. 

Wait, Wanda pauses. Three weeks? That was when—

You pull out an SD card from your pocket. Wanda's around you enough to know what that is, and her stomach sinks. 

"You know," you give her a small smile. "I was trying to edit the video together for Tony the night after the party, but as I was going through the footage, a third of the photos or videos were corrupted."

Wanda thinks back to the USB she returned to Darcy. Dammit, Darcy! That lying, sneaking, betraying—

"I didn't think much of it, but I had to meet up with the videographer to get the original files. You'd never guess what was on there," you smile wryly. "Or maybe you do since you've somehow deleted it from my Google Drive...and corrupted the other files, so I'd have to get the originals. Very conflicting motives I was getting."

"I didn't mean to corrupt the other files," Wanda mumbles. "But you should probably get your laptop professionally cleaned..."

You give her a weird look but chuckle with a shake of your head. "You're super kooky, you know."

"I do know," Wanda rolls her eyes. "I think you know as well."

"I thought I might've seen you on my first date with Raye. That rock that hit that car wouldn't happen to be something you know about, do you?"

"Not at all," Wanda replies quickly. "But if I did, I'm sure the person would want to say she wasn't aiming for the car or your head."

"So, just Raye's head?"

"Once again, not a clue what the intention was as it wasn't me."

You laugh, and Wanda joins in until it fades, and you bite your bottom lip. "I don't know how any of this works, Wanda. I've never dated anyone I consider my best friend."

"I would hope not," Wanda raises her brow at you. "That means someone else was your best friend and you've committed the ultimate betrayal."

You roll your eyes with a mirth and a smile. 

"I haven't either," Wanda says softly, slowly turning fully toward you, grabbing your hand, and lacing your fingers together. "But I want to. And no matter what happens, we're gonna be okay. I don't think I'll ever love anyone the way I love you. I think I've loved you for a really, really long time."

"Me too," you mumble, squeezing Wanda's hand, feeling shy. "I don't think I ever really thought about it. I just love you. You're my best friend and I love you."

"Now I'm your girlfriend," Wanda grins, leaning closer and closing her eyes.

"Whoa, okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves now. What if we're not even sexually compatible?" 

Wanda pulls back and looks at your face, shocked. It's stony and serious until your lip twitches and Wanda smacks you.

"Ugh, you're such a brat!"

"No, that's you. I'm stinky."

"Stinky."

"Brat."

"Bug."

"Witch."

"Oh, we're bringing back middle school nicknames, are we?" Wanda narrows her eyes at you. You're about to say something else, but Wanda's had enough.

Didn't she think something earlier about being sick of saying nothing? What was she thinking? Saying nothing sounds ideal.

Wanda launches herself across the seat into you, hearing you grunt as she topples you over onto the couch and presses her lips against yours. 

It's not a dream this time, Wanda's very sure. 

This was much, much better than any dream could give her. It feels better. 

Your lips are soft, and you taste faintly like the cookie you split with her earlier. 

Oh god, oh god, oh god, Wanda's mind is racing. She's finally kissing you.

Oh my god, she was kissing you!

You were kissing her back!

Wanda kisses you, pressing her lips over yours over and over as your fingers trail over the outside of her thighs and stroke up to her back. You're bolder than her as your fingers dip under her shirt, pressing her against bare skin. 

It's thrilling; Wanda almost can't lie still on top of you. Goosebumps are forming, and it's forming everywhere. 

You break the kiss, lips caressing her jaw, and scatter light kisses as they trail down her throat. 

Your hand moves higher up Wanda's back and pauses. 

"No bra?" You raise an eyebrow at her. 

"I didn't leave the house today," Wanda mumbles, pressing a chaste kiss to your temple. 

You hum. "No complaints here," you resume your caresses of her bare skin but pause again. "Wanna move to the bedroom?"

No, Wanda thinks. She doesn't want to detach herself from this position. She doesn't want your touch or your kisses to stop. 

You can tell that Wanda's debating the pros and cons, and you try to persuade her. "A bed will give us more room to do things...and I want to do a lot of things..." You nibble on her collarbone. 

Wanda lets out a soft moan, and her toes curl. 

"Okay, fine," Wanda acquiesces, getting up and pulling you along with her. "Move quickly, though. No dallying."

"Dallying? I would never," you smile as Wanda pulls you down the hall. "I'll mirror you perfectly."

"I think you always have," Wanda says softly, turning to look at you. "That's why it's taken us so long to get here. We're stupid."

You laugh. "Seems like one of us deviated from our mirror, mirror dance."

The two of you enter Wanda's bedroom, and she falls back onto it, pulling you on top of her. 

Your body heat spreads across hers, and Wanda thinks she's dizzy again. 

"Good," Wanda mumbles, cupping your face, her thumb stroking your cheek. "I'm tired of us being chickens."

You press a kiss to her, smiling against her lips. One arm wraps around Wanda while the other trails under the front of Wanda's shirt. 

"Speak for yourself," your fingers trail higher and higher. "Maybe I'm just stupid." You press another kiss, lingering a moment longer, and then pull away. "Chicken."

"Stupid," Wanda smiles, her lips grazing yours when she does. 

"Witch."

"Bug."

"Brat."

"Stinky."

"I love you."

"I love you more."

Wanda feels something so peaceful settle over her. The butterflies in her stomach flutter around from your touch, but she's so happy. She thinks she might cry if she thinks about it too much because this was all she ever wanted. 

Wanda focuses on the feel of your hands on her skin instead and how you're making her feel hot. She focuses on the feel of your lips against her skin, the sound of her breaths, and your soft moans. 

There's no way the two of you aren't sexually compatible, but Wanda's eager to find out exactly how compatible they are...over and over. 

As your lips trail lower and more clothes are removed, Wanda idly thinks that maybe Steve doesn't need to eat rocks and jump into the ocean. 

EPILOGUE

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x you #wanda maximoff imagine #wanda maximoff fluff #wanda maximoff x y/n #avengers imagine #scarlet witch imagine #scarlet witch x reader #wanda maximoff fanfiction #modern avengers au #Elizabeth olsen x reader #mm: my fics

[likethelightfromorionabove]

Busy Archduke?

Pairing: Raphael/ Unnamed Fem!Tav/Haarlep

SPICE Rating: 3/5 Content

Warnings: Inappropriate Use of Tails, Biting

Smut below the cut dolls! Enter at your own risk!

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 “How much longer do you think it will be this time?” The thief and the incubus were crouched in the doorway to the library, not making much effort to really be hidden as they watched the cambion working at his desk. There had been several rounds of “Just another moment” and “After I finish this contract”, leaving them both on pins and needles.

 Tav felt Haarlep’s tail snake around her waist, drawing her back to press against their chest. “Perhaps we should begin without him…” they purred into her ear, giving it a small nip. She tried to suppress a giggle as their tongue traced down her neck before they latched onto her shoulder. 

“I hear you both, you know.” the cambion called over his shoulder without looking up from his desk, “Your little tricks won’t work today.” Haarlep snickered as they bit down a touch harder on Tav’s shoulder, drawing a high mewling whine from her throat. She could feel the slight bruising forming under the incubus’ mouth. Raphael wouldn’t like that. Haarlep didn’t give her time to worry about it. The incubus caught her chin in their clawed hand, bringing her lips to theirs. The taste of cinnamon and ash filled her mouth as the familiar heat flooded her stomach. Her hips involuntarily rocked back into them with a small moan.

They deepened the kiss, clawed hands gripping her thighs, spreading her legs and leaving small indents in her flesh. Their tail had unwound from her waist and had begun to trace a path down across her stomach. The very tip gently flicked across her clit, causing her to lean her head back against Haarlep’s shoulder, biting her lip. “None of that now, little thief.” Haarlep murmured, “We want him to hear us.” 

They replaced the tip of their tail with a clawed thumb, rubbing small circles against the sensitive bundle of nerves. Tav began to whimper from the combined effects of the increasing pressure and the incubus’ aphrodisiac settling into their system. Haarlep, however, was unsatisfied with her performance. 

Their tail wandered lower, teasing her entrance lightly. The soft moan the teasing earned was all the encouragement they needed. Tav groaned loudly as Haarlep’s tail entered her and began to thrust. “Fuck…” she hissed as Haarlep hooked one of their legs around her leg, keeping her spread wide as they pumped their tail into her. 

She was no longer trying to keep quiet as the incubus fucked her with their tail. Her moaning echoed off the library walls, reaching a fever pitch as Haarlep drew an orgasm from her body. “Haarlep…” she whined desperately as they slowed their pace. Tav could feel them grinning against her shoulder, still holding her taught and spread. As she came down from her high, she realized why.

Raphael was standing over the both of them, glaring down at their tangled form. Haarlep could hardly hide their glee as they kissed Tav’s shoulder. “I’ve warned you not to mark her.” Raphael growled, eyes fixed on the glowing bruise on Tav’s shoulder. 

“I thought you might make an exception to hear your little mouse squeak, master.” Haarlep replied, squeezing Tav’s thigh and eliciting another moan. 

“I would expect as much from a Harlot such as yourself…” the cambion snarled, “But you my mouse? I would have expected better.” He knelt between their legs, catching Tav’s chin in his hand.

 “Clearly I was wrong. So…how might we teach you to do better in the future?”

#raphael the cambion #raphael bg3 #raphael x haarlep #raphael x tav #haarlep #haarlep x tav #raphael smut

[queerponcho]

Transfixed | part 2

part 3

moonknight!system x female!reader

a/n: Thank you, for all the lovely interactions I got with my first chapter! I'm glad you like it as much as I do and I hope this 2nd chapter meets your expectations&lt;;33

Warnings: fluff, NOT beta read, gushing about the moonboys, flustered awkward dorks, plot-twists, Jake being a menace, (eventual smut, the chapters will be marked individually), inaccurate depictions of DID, egyptian mythology and religion (although I did extensive research I took liberty in changing some things to adhere to my plot...), if I missed anything or made any spelling mistakes pls don't hesitate to tell me!

Summary: You haven't seen Jake for a while and are sure you won't ever meet him again. In fact you've convinced yourself to be unbothered by that theory and are planning to live with it. In typical Jake fashion, those plans are to be disrupted with a surprise visit to his new, favourite part of town...

2,700 words

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Two weeks later

You continue working on your latest hyperfixated studies in the library and try your best to forget about him. You knew it was probable that you weren't going to see him again. So you quickly went back to drawing the library kitten, when you weren't working at the shelter or studying. You tried your best to stick to the cat and really focus on her cute paws and the green spots in her honey coloured eyes…but even those somehow remind you of him. This of course brings back the feeling of you pressed between the bookshelf and his front. His thumb on your chin and his crooked nose so close to brushing yours…how in the hell were you supposed to forget? Him and his advances rivalled many good romances you had read about. The library was starting to feel stuffy so you decided to take a break from sketching and to go get a coffee in the cute place next door. 

Giving the kitty one last treat before stepping out the door, you turn around to wave the cat goodbye ‘byeee barry! See you again soo-’ you stumble backwards over the sidewalk landing on someone. You’re about to apologise when-

‘we really gotta stop meetin’ like this, nena’ Like in any bad romance you meet him again by literally falling into Jake's lap. You look over your shoulder and see him smirking while resting his chin on your shoulder, making his face be much closer than you had expected. You scramble to your feet and dust off your sweater. Leaving him sitting on the floor. ‘Not even gonna help me up?? ay…que mala’ he tutted. He stands up swiftly, looking very pleased with himself. 

‘Hello to you too Jake, i-if you could excuse me I really need to go get my coffee’ you say while you push past him, walking two steps but stopping when he stands in your way looking almost panicked.

‘W-wait wait darling, let me buy you a coffee…please?’ 

You almost make a comment about the very british nickname but are taken aback by his uncharacteristic pleading eyes. It seemed very unlike him but you weren't about to refuse the pretty man you’ve been pining over. ‘Alright- Sure Jake, let's get coffee’ you say smiling but feeling like something's off. You walk slightly ahead, leading him to the nearby cafe. You can see Jake in your peripheral vision, he looked really nervous, seemed to be twitching weirdly and muttering some intelligible things. Maybe he was just in his head about something...you didnt wanna pay it any mind. You entered the „Moonbean “ café. It was this cute and cosy place with lots of natural light and many plants. After you get your ice coffee and Jake (to your surprise) buys himself a black tea with oat milk and honey, you sit down at a corner booth.

‘Ssso, ahem Jake. Is there anything you wanted to tell me or..?’ you ask, trying to make this situation seem like a normal sircumstance. ‘um yes! Or well no…it's kinda hard to explain but I need to know how you know…well- me..?’ he says while glancing into your eyes intently. ‘...okay, Jake I don't follow..’ you laugh awkwardly. ‘Okay so here's the deal' he rubs his hand over his face distressedly, 'I have DID, also known as dissociative identity disorder a-and we are two people in this system. Marc and Steven- well me! Steven' he takes a deep breath and keeps going. 'So, I wanted to have a coffee with you because we have been feeling like there might be a third consciousness, sharing our body that we don't know about...’ Steven says just a smidge too fast ‘...okay…Steven…what makes you think I have got any information on this third consciousness?’ you ask genuinely curious. You have read about DID but you have never actually talked to anybody that lived with it. 

‘Well…you did call me Jake about five times which leads me to think that erm- you might know a thing or two about him.’ just now you noticed how his entire presence was completely different from Jakes. Jake led with his chest and had a confident smirk practically glued on his face. Steven on the other hand looked tired and like he wanted to hide from any discomfort around him. His shoulders were rounded and his eyes looked like those of a lost puppy in need of a hug, which you were very inclined to give him. Unfortunately for you, his lack of confidence did not make him any less attractive. Which meant you still couldn't tear your eyes away from his features and had to work hard on not embarrassing yourself like last time. Remembering you had to answer him you perked up ‘right, well- I only know him in passing. How come you knew he was at the library?’ you say trying to redirect his attention away from your potentially…strange connection to Jake, don’t really wanna out yourself as a stalker…‘Funny story actually- erm I found this wood-panel in my floor that had a burner phone, gloves, a flat-cap and a small notebook with a folded piece of paper hidden inside. These items confirmed mine and Marc's belief that there might be a third. What surprised us more tho, is what we saw when we unfolded the paper…let me..’ he clears his throat and reaches into his satchel, he hands you the paper but looks to the side, avoiding eye-contact. You unfold it…and immediately want to die. ’oh fuck me- so um- w-what made you think it had anything todo with the- um, library?’ You try to keep your composure but it's very hard when the drawing was of course the sketch he’d taken from your collection two weeks ago. Naturally, he’d gotten his hands on one of the more "racey" drawings you’d drawn of him, you weren't entirely surprised that stalking a handsome stranger could ever come back to haunt you. 

‘So the paper has a footnote printed on it with an address…see? Right here a-above my- well Jakes bound wrists- ahem well yes so then w-we came here and bumped into you…’ his sentence died out and he shyly looked away while blushing. Steven was an adorable man, you were finding it hard to really focus on this serious conversation when all you could think about was how his hair was so unruly this time and his curls were bouncing above his eyebrows, making him look even prettier. How he wears his clothes two sizes too big, hiding his broad shoulders beneath 4 different layers of fabric. You snap out of it ‘so um- any idea who drew it?’ you ask while feeling a warm sensation crawl up your back and your heart-beat increasing ever so slightly. ‘Well- since it’s more…intimate in nature we assume he is perhaps seeing someone..?’ Inhaling sharply you try to stay calm. You really didn't want to tell them that you, a stranger, drew this but seeing Steven so exhausted and distressed convinced you to do the right thing. ‘ um- so..ahhh well…I drew that…’ You closed your eyes and squinted, opening one eye to see Stevens reaction. He was frozen, you swallow strenuously ‘um- Steven..? Everything okay…?’ you ask reluctantly.

 He stares into your eyes and is blushing intensely, looking like a red traffic-light. He's so cute. ‘Yes! I am fine- sorry love, I-I just did not exp-’

 ‘not expect that a total stranger would draw a lewd picture of you? Well, yes I definitely understand that notion’ you laugh. Funnily enough, Steven's nervousness was helping you calm down a bit and not feel as awkward. But something tells you that having this conversation with Jake would've absolutely killed you. ‘Yeah, I also did not expect to immediately run into the artist behind our one and only clue about…Jake, is his name?’

 ‘Y-yes his name is Jake..’ even just saying his name made you feel flustered. Steven noticed your change of demeanour and found it pretty interesting, choosing to interrogate a bit further. ‘Darling- you were saying you know Jake in passing. Would you mind telling us more about the times you saw him? ’

 Were all of this man's personalities into giving you heart-melting nicknames? Maybe someday you’d get to meet Marc well enough to find out… you can’t stop your mind from conjuring up a rom-com-like sequence with them…baking together and going grocery shopping, getting caught making out in your paradise library and going home to keep climbing him like- a hand waving in front of your face interrupts your intriguing daydream. 'Are you okay, love? I know this is a lot to process- if you need a break just tell me, yeah?’

 ‘oh! Yes! I mean no- I am fine. Sure Steven, I'll tell you about Jake.’ You sit up in your chair and begin to tell him about seeing Jake for the first time. He puts his elbows on the table leaning in, not wanting to miss a single detail of your story. 

‘-so yeah then he walked out with this thick leather bound book. It had some Moons carved onto it's cover, that's all I can remember. Then I didn't see him for about a month, until he came back last week to return the book.’ You notice Steven's eyes light up at your mention of the moon-details.

‘he didn't buy the book?’ 

‘he couldn't, the book is a unique scripture and can only be loaned for a maximum of 30 days.’  

‘okay…but something still confuses me. When did you meet him, if he only came back to return the book- and how did he even get the drawing you made of him?’  God, you really didnt wanna talk about this. Maybe you could find a way around actually telling him about what happened, to avoid the embarrassment. ‘Well- he came in and gave back the book. Then he went to look around …and we accidentally bumped into each other. I dropped all my things and he picked up the drawing and kept it without me knowing. We introduced ourselves to each other aand…that's it! Then he left!’ 

‘huh…are you sure that's all that happened?’ He says, his eyes turning darker. you were starting to sweat. You never were a very good liar, especially if attractive people were the ones asking the questions. ‘Mhm! Yeah. That's all’ you haven’t been looking him in the eyes. Jake might have intense and hooded eyes but Steven had impossibly earnest and rounded eyes. You could never lie while looking into such an adorable face. only you hadn’t noticed that the man before you wasn't Steven anymore- ‘hola hermosa. You miss me?’ your head whips back towards him at the familiar nickname. In the short amount of time he had somehow, slid over to your side of the booth. ‘Chiquita…why don't you wanna tell him the truth, ah? You scared he might leave when you tell him about your...stalkerish tendencies? Steven is a smart man, he won't leave such a gorgeous woman behind...’ he winks at you moving closer so your thighs touch.

‘Jake- what is going on. Why aren't you talking to Steven? He’s saying he doesn't know anything about you- fuck me this is all too much’ You say exasperated. You jolt up feeling his breath on your neck. ‘mmh querida i’d love too but I think this cafe might not be the best place for such…improper activities…’ by now he's long moved into your personal space and started caressing you right above your knee, still breathig over your neck. ‘Jake- i-i am being serious I-’ His hand moves up your thigh gingerly and he starts grazing his nose over the spot under your ear. You’ve already forgotten what you were even talking about and why you were even in this coffee-shop to begin with. Your eyes were fluttering and you were breathing deeply trying to stay calm, feeling his hot breath fan over your neck. Once again, trapped between his chest and wooden furniture. He smelled so good, like dark coffee and vanilla, mirroring the bitter sweet smell of Stevens black tea perfectly. If you could buy his smell as a laundry detergent you would douse your linens in it. He circles his arm around your back and waist and lets it rest on your hip. You expose your neck further to him, inviting him in to keep going. You hear him chuckle and wait for him to start kissing your neck. Just as his lips are about to touch you, you feel his hand twitch on your hip, causing your eyes to snap open. You were surprised to see a pair of round and frantic eyes staring right back at yours. 

‘Oh Jesus christ! I am SO sorry, love. I don't know what came over me! P-please I promise. I really can’t contro-’ you cut in before he could continue his panicked rambling. 

‘Steven, it's okay! Don't worry, I-I understand this isn't really something you can control. No need to panic.’ you give him a warm smile which he returns with a blush. Putting your hand on his shoulder trying to reassure him with your gentle touch. His rather dreamy expression gets interrupted by a tense and pensive one. He shakes his head, seemingly shaking off his serious expression. You let go of his shoulder, placing your hand back in your lap.

‘so- just- just based on observations I-I just feel like you might be closer to Jake than you first led us to believe…?’ It wasn't as much a question as it was a statement. You really needed to come clean, even though this would most probably leave you a blubbering, flustered mess.

‘Alright, yes. But it’s not what you think- we never actually did anything intimate…we-we just came a bit close to it like twice or something…’

‘close to what exactly? Darling, i-i don't mean to be rude but we are still talking about things that happened with my body here, so I’d really like to know what happened...?’ You understand why he is getting frustrated but this was really hard to tell someone. Especially because this someone looked exactly like the person who you were just pressed against mere moments ago-

he interrupted your train of thought by calling out your name ‘sweetheart- please. I'm begging you to just tell me what happened’ he takes your hands in his making your arms tingle ‘yes! sorry Steven- this is just a lot to process. Okay i’ll tell you…’ You finally told him about the second “meet-cute”, when you dropped your things because you bumped into Jake after being too focused on his features and had lost sight of him. How he got closer and closer to you and you were trapped between him and the bookshelf. How you, just as before, brushed noses and almost kissed before being forced out of your bubble. After relaying the past events between you and Jake, you looked up from your twiddling fingers and were greeted by a glowing red Steven. He was tugging on the loose skin around his fingernails and had his hands barely peeking out of his too-long sweater, looking right past you. He had a sheen covering his face and couldn’t stop fidgeting. 

‘Steven i am really sorry if i made you feel uncomfortable, if I’d known…I just- I- I don’t think you understand-’ 

Now he refocused his gaze on your eyes and looked even more stunned than before. ‘Sorry to be so forward but- ugh just look at you! How the hell was I not supposed to study you?! You are every artist's dream, with those angular facial features and the inky black curls adorning your head I just can't believe you are this unaware of the effect you have on a room. I know I sound like an absolute cree-’ before you can keep going he cuts you off ‘Would you like to go on a date with me?’

You stopped talking, mouth open without a sound coming out of it. Did he just ask you out?

‘I- if you don’t want too I unde-‘

‘NOno! I mean YES- yes I’d love to go on a date with you, Steven…’ you bit your lip, trying to contain your grin and saw that Steven was doing the same.

You gave him your number and left him alone in the coffee shop. After turning around to wave goodbye one last time you cross the street and walk home. ‘Oh my god’ you giggle to yourself and make your way home.

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a/n: I am so happy you guys liked the first chapter of this fic and hope you like this one aswell!! more chapters are comin' with more tension and plot-twists aaand maybe even a certain marc...

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The lovely people in my taglist: @lilladyblink14 @lemongirl5910

please notify me if you want to be added/ removed from the Taglist<3

#ponchosworks<3 #moon knight #steven grant #steven grant x reader #marc spector #jake lockley #jake lockley x reader #marc spector x reader

[torntoblivion]

Can I have some voyerist HC's for yelan, Ning, beidou, miko, and/or Lisa? Those women would just love watching you and telling you what to do

of course dear nonnie!

voyeur women

includes: yelan, ningguang, beidou, miko, lisa

cws: nsfw (mdni!), gn!reader, voyeurism (duh), alcohol consumption (beidou), bondage (yelan), edging

you wouldn't exactly call lisa lazy but there are times she's too "tired" to do anything when you approach her with that adorable look on your face, clearly wanting something. when the library is closed for the night, she'll sit back on her chair with you on the desk in front of her. lisa asks you to play with yourself for her, all because she wants to get in the mood first! not to tease you. of course, that's up to you to believe or not. lisa will lay her head on your thigh as you mercilessly fuck yourself, doing everything to tempt lisa to touch you! it won't take too long but if lisa enjoys herself a little too much, she might ask you to continue even if you cum.

acting bratty towards yelan might be the best and worst idea you ever had. depending on her mood, she will either fuck you so hard that you'll be sobbing for her or simply ignore you. just like your girlfriend, you like to gamble a little with your options. however you are not always lucky. she will tie you to the bed with her hydro ropes, only your arms are free to touch yourself. yelan will watch with a bored look on her face but don't be fooled, she's actually making a mess on her panties as you ruin your sex, apologizing between moans. make sure to make them convincing if you want to speed up the punishment.

if there's one thing the entire nation of inazuma would agree on, it's that yae miko is a tease. she enjoys watching others squirm and you are the biggest target. in the middle of sex, miko will pull away from you, right before you could cum. she tells you to play with yourself for her, knowing damn well that you could never make yourself feel as good as she does. the grin on miko's beautiful face never falters as she watches intently, suppressing the urge to pounce on you. if you cum without her permission, you will only start from the beginning.

usually, beidou has half the mind to knock on your door before she enters but after a little bit of drinks, her tipsy mind completely forgot. when she barged in, it's like the alcohol completely disappeared from her system. the beautiful sight in front of her sobered her up pretty quickly. she will shut the door and lean on it, telling you to continue what you were doing with a wide grin on her face. she does this for her own enjoyment but also to punish you for pleasuring yourself when she's right there! don't worry, beidou can only resist you for a while until she straddles your hips.

ningguang is a busy woman, you know that. you're always understanding and respectful when she lets you know that she has to work but you have needs! she can easily tell when you're in the mood by your clenching thighs and the borderline lewd expression on your face. ning will ask you to sit on her desk, just next to the paperwork and tell you to "get ready" for her. even though she continues working, ning smirks as she listens to your whines and pleas, occasionally stopping to watch you when you moan her name. don't worry, she will reward you for being patient and obeying her <3

#genshin impact #genshin impact hc #genshin impact hcs #genshin impact imagine #genshin impact imagines #genshin impact fanfics #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x you #genshin impact fanfiction #genshin impact fanfictions #genshin impact fanfic #genshin impact headcanon #genshin impact headcanons #genshin impact smut #asks #ningguang #yelan #beidou #lisa minci #yae miko #yelan smut #beidou smut #yae miko smut #lisa minci smut #ningguang smut #ningguang x reader #beidou x reader #yelan x reader #yae miko x reader #lisa minci x reader

[yutafrita]

An Angel, my Angel, and Me — PT. 3

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Navigation…. Preview // One // Two // Three

[Feat. Soyeon, Yangyang, Eunseok, and Yuqi]

Chapter Warnings: Religious imagery and lore (primary Catholic), potentially occult imagery, court room drama, mentions of angelic police force/criminal system, small allusions to depression/ suicidal ideation (it’s a very small blink and you miss it moment)

Genre: Fake married, court room drama, romcom

Word Count: 4.5k

CHAPTER THREE- 12 ANGRY ANGELS

Your local public library allowed people to rent out rooms. Some used these free spaces for book clubs, others used it for work or school projects, and as it turns out, Shotaro used them for nephilim meet and greets.

You paced in circles outside of the library, Sungchan having his arms crossed as you did so.

“You don't have to go,” he repeated this for the third time in ten minutes.

“I know, but I want to.”

“Then why have you been out here pacing for the past ten minutes?”

You groaned in frustration, stopping in your tracks. You wished you could drag Sungchan into the meeting room with you, but Shotaro made it extremely clear that you were to come alone and ready to speak to others. You couldn’t help it- Sungchan made you feel safe. He didn’t have to do anything but be around you and you could feel perfectly at ease.

“Hey,” Sungchan put both of his hands on your shoulders, “it’s going to be just fine. Plus, I’ll be out here the whole time if you need anything.”

“Thanks… I appreciate it,” you forced a nod. Your relationship with the angel at this point was a tangled ball of yarn that gave you a headache whenever you attempted to pull at the threads. You found yourselves holding hands when no one was looking, being around each other all the time despite Sungchan not needing to be around you at all hours, and have even stolen a few more touches than just the occasional kiss.

“Good luck, now go!” Sungchan lightly shoved your shoulders and pushed you towards the front door. 

You stumbled as you entered, earning a surprised look from the librarian. Standing up tall, you approached her desk.

“Hi, where is the meeting room for,” you stopped your whisper to look at the club name Shotaro had texted to you only to then say it through gritted teeth, “the Catholic Geologist club?”

“Second floor game room,” she nodded before extending her hand, “here is a pamphlet with all of the clubs offered here.”

“Thank you,” you politely took it before you followed her directions. Considering how painfully underfunded the library was, you wondered how Shotaro could even justify the space he had the group taking up. That was until you entered the room.

The space was the size of your living room and was broken up into thirds. The left hand side contained a few rectangular tables all covered with board games and card games. The right hand side was wall to wall filled with arcade machines all buzzing with life and ready for use. The center third is what surprised you. It was filled with fold out chairs and every seat was taken and facing the door.

“There she is!” Shotaro had popped out from the side of the door, slinging an arm over your shoulder in his excitement. “Welcome the newest member of the Nephilim meetup group!”

The 15 people gathering all smiled and cheered, the warm buzz in the room helping set you at ease. Shotaro pointed to the singular empty chair in the front and you scooted into the spot. 

“Welcome, I’m Yuqi,” the girl to your right introduced herself to you as hushed discussions fell amongst the group.

“Hi, nice to meet you!”

“Don’t get too close to Yuqi, she inherited her angel grandma’s ability to change memories,” the guy to your left cut in. You were nervous about being caught in a spat before you saw the smirk forming on his and Yuqi’s lips. “I’m Eunseok, I’m half angel.”

You introduced yourself and timidly added, “my… father is the angel.”

You hadn’t really admitted it to yourself. Your Mom had told you that she met your Dad in a whirlwind romance she had on a study abroad trip in Japan, and by the time she got back, she was pregnant without any way of contacting him. Your Mom, your grandparents, and the rest of her large family all leant a hand, and you never sought out more information since you didn’t think there was any. So, learning that he was an angel… it needed time to sink in.

But, saying it out loud was still a good first step.

“All right everyone!” Shotaro called everyone's attention, a clipboard waving in his hands. “You guys know the deal- first two minutes is roll call, next ten minutes are whatever y’all want to discuss, and then it’s game time,” he then met your eyes, “and our rules state that any new members have to be a part of the first fight.”

By first fight, they meant playing the first three rounds of Dance Dance revolution.

“I can’t believe the library just has these games,” you muttered as Shotaro set up the first game. He had taken it upon himself to be your first challenger. 

“Oh yeah. We’ve been coming here for years so we did a fundraiser last year and were able to fully upgrade the room,” he explained before clapping his hands, “all right, let’s go.”

You typically viewed yourself as being pretty good at rhythm games, but wow, Shotaro really made you question that notion. He wasn’t just pretty good- it was like he was a completely different person when the music came on. You completely lost the game to him but you almost couldn’t even count it because he was a complete monster in the game.

“I’ll go!” Yuqi nearly yanked Shotaro off the console after the first song.

“Are you all as good as him?” you asked, still breathing embarrassingly heavy.

“Oh god no- he’s a professional dancer. He was just trying to flex,” she exposed, causing you to look back and glare at Shotaro who could only laugh at being exposed. 

You were able to keep up a bit more with Yuqi, both of you smiling and laughing the whole time. You came out on top by only ten points, and considering your miserable defeat beforehand, you considered it a true victory.

“I’ll take this last one!” Eunseok popped forward, and that was when you noticed it. On his back was a set of small, uneven wings. A few others in the room had their own, all different sizes and different variants of shapes and colors- Eunseok’s wings were fully gray.

“You can pick this last song,” you smiled, leaning back on the machine’s bar.

“Oh? Hell yeah,” he chirped. After Eunseok beat you by a few points, you stepped off the machine, finally released from your hazing.

“Wanna play cards?” Yuqi phrased it as a question, but was already grabbing your hand and guiding you to the other end of the room. 

The night was wonderful. You were able to laugh and smile with other nephilim, and while you were certainly annoyed by Shotaro’s ominous approach to showing you everything, you were happy to finally have an understanding. 

After exchanging phone numbers with Yuqi and Eunseok, you left the club room with a few minutes remaining on the clock. Outside, you felt the soft kiss of fall approaching and you tightened your cardigan as you looked around for Sungchan. 

“Meow,” you looked down, seeing the black cat you haven’t seen in ages. You knelt down, confused until his tail angled itself to gesture to something. Following the eyeline, you noticed a set of two angels across the street, both looking down on a tablet before glancing back at the library.

“Troops,” you whispered, earning a nod from Sungchan’s cat form. Scoping him up in your arms, you pressed him close to your chest and started making your way to your apartment. With your shielding abilities and the charm that allows Sungchan to turn into a cat, you were able to breeze by the troops and make the brisk three blocks back to your apartment in one piece.

“I can’t believe they got that close,” you announced once you made it back inside and released the cat. So quickly it occurred within the blink of an eye, Sungchan returned to his normal angelic state, a layer of sweat having formed on his forehead. “I wish you had told me, I would have left sooner-.”

“You have a life,” he was kurt in his response. “I’ll be out of your hair after this trial… I’ll turn myself in as soon as Soyeon gives me the go ahead.”

“I- I’m not bothered by you being around,” you defended, moving towards him, “do… you plan to leave after your trial, though?”

“You can just tell everyone that your husband left you, you’ll gain sympathy points,” he laughed, a hint of bitterness in his tone. You went to grip his arm only for him to turn on his heel and go to the kitchen. “I’m going to make a snack, do you want anything?”

“Sungchan,” you were confused and frustrated, and approached the kitchen with a furrowed brow. “Sungchan, listen to me.”

“Hm?”

“Sungchan, I love you,” the words spilled out like a waterfall. He froze, dropping the jar of peanut butter spread onto the floor as you continued. “You are free to do whatever you want, and I’ll make sure Soyeon still helps but… I can’t pretend anymore. I want you in my life.”

His bottom lip quivered before all you heard was, “no.”

Your blood ran cold, “what?”

“You shouldn’t love me. It’s not good for humans if they do. It’s okay if I love you but-.”

“You love me?” you cut him off, inching closer and closer to him. Sungchan closed the space between the two of you, and wrapped his arms around your waist.

“You idiot, I love you so much it hurts. But… if something were to ever happen to you because of me-.”

“I love you,” you pressed your hands on both sides of his face, “I love you so much. I would do anything for you. But, that’s my choice, not yours.”

He pressed his lips to your forehead before pressing his forehead against yours, “I love you. I want to always be with you, if you’ll have me.”

Eagerly you met his lips in a soft kiss, “I love you too.”

He tucked your hair behind your ear, his fingers trailing down along your neck and leaving goosebumps before he stood up tall and swiftly picked you up. 

“What are you doing?” you laughed, now folded over his shoulder as he carried you easily from the kitchen to your room.

“We’re home alone, and we’re in love. We’re going to finally fuck.”

“Oh wow, finally.”

Be that as it was, the jar of peanut butter stayed on the floor the rest of the night.

*********

“The trial is in a week,” Soyeon repeated this sentiment to you as you laid on the couch, pouting. It had been two weeks since you and Sungchan officially began dating, and for one of the weeks he was in Angel jail awaiting trial. “Stop moping.”

“I know your defense is kick ass but what if the jury doesn’t care?” you aired your true worries then. Soyeon was viciously intelligent. On earth her degree was in Public relations, but apparently when she was training to be a guardian she went to the equivalent of angel law school. You knew she was the best defense Sungchan could get, you were terrified by the other angels not being open-minded.

Soyeon shoved your feet off the couch and sat down, sighing as she met your eyes.

“You know, this is why I begged to be your guardian angel.”

You blinked, “what?”

“Your guardian angel had like, four different people he was responsible for. I was implanted as your neighbor just to give a helping hand to any other proper guardians in the area. Anyways, he was never there to help you and you… you were so kind and you cared so much about everyone…”

“I can take care of myself,” you sat up then, before playfully punching her arm, “but thanks, for being there for me.”

“I know you can take care of yourself, but everyone needs a helping hand. Whether they’re a human or an angel.”

“I just hope the jury agrees too,” you folded your hands on your lap, nervous as you continued to spiral.

“They will, because… you’re going to do us both a favor.”

******

“These sunglasses are ridiculous,” you were irritated, but you weren’t going to do much beyond that unless you wanted to have your eyeballs melt out from their sockets and speak in tongues. The sunglasses nephilim needed to wear to be able to walk around heaven were bulky, dark, and would typically not allow any natural light enter.

Heaven did not contain any natural light.

Soyeon was holding you firmly in her hands, her wings emitting golden flecks as she maneuvered around the busy courthouse to guide you to where you would have to wait before taking the stand.

“Well, sorry they didn’t have any designer sunglasses. Next time you have to be a character witness for your boyfriend I’ll bear that in mind,” she sassed before stopping in front of a tall oak door. “This is the room you’ll be sequestered in until the court officer comes to get you. I think it’s going to be a troop member… unless they want to scare you.”

“Isn’t a troop member scary enough?” you asked, arms crossed as you looked around the hall. While most people had bright white wings, you did see the occasional pair of black wings or other people like you with a thick pair of sunglasses.

“I would say a Saint would be scarier… you’re going to be fine,” she squeezed your shoulder with one hand, realizing the absolute fear your face wore. “The judge presiding over the case on behalf of the Lord is nice, I think we have a chance.”

Soyeon breathed deeply before looking at her wrist watch, “look, just read your book or doodle or stare at the wall. I’m going to make sure your boyfriend can get out so he can pay us back by getting us dinner,” she opened the door for you before maneuvering towards the courtroom entrance and away from you.

The room was relatively bare- a small bookcase, a table with a few wooden chairs, and a floor to ceiling window that was still freakishly bright even with the special sunglasses. 

It was bold of Soyeon to assume you’d be able to do anything besides nervously pace for several hours. The trial wasn’t meant to go beyond a week, and according to Soyeon had been going a little better than she anticipated- as in the jury was paying attention and not immediately calling Sungchan a blasphemous heathen.

Thinking back to your time with Sungchan in the last few weeks, you sighed. Sungchan had been wildly nervous, and had taken up your habit of picking at his own cuticles to a point that you started carrying around bandaids in case he accidentally plucked off his skin. 

Looking at your own bag that carried your untouched book, you frowned upon seeing the Kero Kero Keroppi bandaids. All you could do was hope that he had stopped picking at them, and if not, hopefully he’d be able to heal quickly. According to Sugchan, Guardian angels were the ones that had relatively indestructible flesh and insane healing abilities. For Fallen Angels, unless they were members of the troop, their healing abilities may be a little faster than humans, but that was it.

“So, can you guys die?” you remember asking.

“Not really, we’ll just have our souls sent to hell,” Sungchan had answered this question with a shrug as if it was no big deal.

Drowning in your thoughts, the door opened. “It’s your time to take the stand.”

Time moved in a blur until you were seated in the witness stand.

“Objection.”

“On what grounds?”

“The witness is in a relationship with the accused and is being guarded by the defendant’s lawyer,” the prosecutor countered. You gulped, trying to keep a straight face as you sat frozen at the front of the courtroom.

“Seeing as there are no rules against either of those factors… you may continue with your testimony,” the judge’s voice was oddly soothing, cutting through the bright gold and white emitted throughout the courtroom. The jurors all but two had bright white wings with gaudy gold flecks, and it refracted the already searing light in the room. 

Soyeon cleared her throat and started her line of questioning. You and Soyeon had such a natural way of behaving with one another that you were both visibly struggling to not crack jokes at the other or laugh. Her line of questioning felt like eons, but after looking at the clock above the jury you widened your eyes slightly to see only two hours had passed.

“The prosecution may now approach the witness with any questions,” the judge announced. Your throat ran dry, and you took a short sip of the glass of water in front of you. 

The prosecutor sent a short wink to another person on his team before standing tall. He had an arrogant air to him. It surprised you considering that his wings indicated that he too was a guardian angel.

“Thank you, your honor. This will be quick,” he stood between you and the jury before directly meeting your eyes, “ma’am, so to confirm, Sungchan was a vagrant whom tricked you into taking him in by disguising himself as a cat?”

“Objection- leading question,” Soyeon nearly shot out from her seat. 

“Please strike that from the record and rephrase your line of questioning,” the judge sighed. You frowned, balling your hand into a fist to try and keep yourself together. You had been avoiding looking at Sungchan, terrified that seeing him would bring you to tears, but you more than anything hoped that he didn’t take what the prosecutor said to heart.

“Sungchan, the accused, disguised himself as what animal?” the prosecutor started.

“In order to keep himself safe he took on the disguise of a cat. His intentions-,” you were cut off by the prosecutor. 

“I didn’t ask about his intentions, ma’am,” you watched as he sent a glance of irritation to the jury as if wanting them to judge you, “in the two years he was there, did Sungchan reveal himself to you?”

You shook your head, “no.”

“So, he simply mooched off of you for that time?”

You chewed on the inside of your cheek before you spoke up again, “no, he didn’t. He may not have contributed to the rent, but he did contribute to where we lived, even as a cat.”

The prosecutor seemed irritated by this and cleared his throat before pressing on, “how did he contribute?”

“Well, for starters, my roommate and I aren’t the cleanest people in the world, but we’re the only people on our floor of our apartment complex to not get a roach infestation. Sungchan- or rather Eerie, what I named his cat, was the one that basically guarded us from it all.”

“Was that it?”

“No,” you bit your bottom lip before you continued, “those last two years of my academic career were some of the most emotionally taxing in my life. Having Eerie there to rely on me, be near me, and be a non-judgemental ear was frankly life saving. Sure, Sungchan needed me around to stay safe but,” that was when you finally met Sungchan’s gaze. You choked up a bit seeing a ghost of a tear run down his cheek, and you passed the back of your hand under your glasses to stop a tear from falling before you finished speaking. “He needed me around to stay safe, but I really needed him around to stay alive. He cares deeply for humans… isn’t that what you’re all supposed to do?”

Grumblings and mutters broke-out all throughout the court-room, several of the jurors discussing amongst themselves and angels in the back of the room standing up as if to have a talk with the court officers. The judge hit his gavel loudly, the noises all trickling to a silence after he hit it a second time.

“Do you have any other questions for the witness?” the judge asked, his voice much softer now after hearing you speak.

The prosecution's face was red with anger before he answered, “no, sir.”

******

Soyeon taped up her last box, and you both looked away from each other to wipe away your tears.

It had been five months since Sungchan received his verdicts and sentencing, and in that time you and your best friend/ guardian angel had a lot of conversations. One of which was her deciding to take a job promotion that required her to move to another part of the world.

“Sungchan, you better take good care of her,” Soyeon shoved the taller mans shoulder, his white wings glistening despite the light in your apartment’s kitchen needing to be replaced. You didn’t quite realize that Soyeon provided most of your kitchenware, so you added to your mental to do list that you and Sungchan needed to grab a new skillet.

“Soyeon,” you turned back around after wiping away your tears, “you don’t need to worry about me. I want you to focus on yourself.”

“You better call me… you’re still my best friend,” she was visibly fighting back her tears as she went to grip your shoulders. 

“Yes, and now she’s only your best friend,” Sungchan emphasized, placing a hand on Soyeon’s shoulder.

“I can’t believe part of your sentencing was you needing to be a guardian again,” she seethed, a small glint of pride showing itself. She should be proud of herself- Sungchan may have gotten one guilty verdict, but he did get a not guilty verdict on the most hefty charge. She was a miracle worker, no pun intended.

“It just so happens to work out that my old guardian angel was taking on a new job,” you taunted, a laugh escaping you. “What kind of amazing luck is that?”

“Oh please, like I wouldn’t make sure he ended up around you somehow.”

“Soyeon, is this box ready?” Eunseok interjected, gesturing to the box she just closed. Sniffling, she nodded before walking off to instruct another mover in her room.

“I’m gonna miss her,” you confessed, leaning your head on Sungchan’s shoulder.

“I know, I’ll miss her too,” he wrapped an arm around you before pressing a kiss on the crown of your head. 

“Hey, you’ve known her forever, I just started being her friend,” Yuqi popped back out from Soyeon’s now empty room, a thin layer of sweat across her forehead. “It’s so not fair that now is when she’s moving.”

“I’ll visit all the time,” Soyeon defended, quickly rushing and obnoxiously pinching Yuqi’s cheeks. “It’s not like I’ll need to pay for airfare or anything.”

“Another perk of having a full set of wings,” Eunseok frowned.

“I’m telling you, Yangyang said he could help out with that,” you reiterated. The weird, eclectic group you had formed over the past few months was shifting again with Soyeon leaving, but you knew it would be okay. 

“He’s gonna charge me my life savings- no thanks,” Eunseok pointed, to which Sungchan nodded in affirmation.

Sungchan’s verdicts at the time were shocking enough for news to spread rapidly from guardians, to fallen angels, down to the nephilims.

You dreaded a guilty verdict- but remember the shock of hearing the jury’s decision. Guilty from robbery from the Library of Alexandria, and not guilty for returning the items to the human community.

“The defendant did have to break sacred glass to retrieve the book, therefore we the jury find him guilty of robbery. However, seeing as the items belonged to the human community, regardless of the idolatry harbored in them, it is not considered stolen goods to us, the jury. Therefore, we find Jung Sungchan not guilty on the charge of giving or selling stolen sacred goods.”

“All right,” Soyeon looked down at her watch, “I have to go ahead and deliver my items to get shipped over before I fly out.”

“Wow,” you huffed. You were going to miss seeing her everyday, but you knew that she deserved this promotion more than any other being. You were proud of her, and excited to see where her new guardian job would take her now.

“Please stop crying,” she begged, wiping away tears from her own face. After everyone walked Soyeon off to her car and several hugs and tears were shed (and more tears from you two), your best friend drove off. 

“You know you’ll see her in a week, right?” Eunseok poked, earning an arm punch from you, Yuqi, and Sungchan. “Ouch! Sorry!”

You and Sungchan cautiously entered Soyeon’s now empty room, expecting to be stunned by the sudden echo. Instead, you raised your eyebrow at the small crate in the corner with a note on top.

“We figured you’d want an actual cat. Plus, this apartment always does better with 3 inhabitants,” you read the note aloud, looking back at Sungchan who was smiling wildly. “No way.”

“Please let her out of her crate,” he was bouncing on his toes now, eager for you to see what he and Soyeon had presumably been planning for a while. Cautiously, you knelt down, eyes widening as you saw the small black kitten nestled on a bed in the back corner of her crate. Her eyes were shut until she heard your nervous fingers undo the clasp of the crate, her yellow eyes landing on you.

“Oh, hi,” you cooed, opening the door and moving back a few steps to give her space. Sungchan knelt down next to you, your eyes meeting.

“I already scheduled a vet visit for her next week. Soyeon and I both scoured all of the local rescues and agreed that she was the one for you,” he explained before he placed a small kiss on your forehead, “are you happy?”

You nodded eagerly before leaping forward and wrapping the angel in a hug. Sungchan, even when he was the cat, was watching out for you and your roommate. As your boyfriend, he’s gone along with the lie of pretending to be your husband. Now, as being both your boyfriend and guardian angel, he was more perfect than you could even imagine and just so thoughtful.

“I love you, Sungchan,” you squeezed him tightly as he hugged you back.

“I love you, too,” his face was buried in your neck until you felt a small body press itself against your leg. Breaking apart, you looked down to see the cat rubbing its body against you in both a bid to show that it felt comfortable and also to get your attention.

“Oh, she is so cute,” you could cry, gently petting the cat.

“She is, both of my girls are very cute,” he reached forward and scratched behind the cat’s ears, its eyes closing in comfort. 

“Now, the big question is, what are we going to name her?” you asked aloud. Figuring out the name of the cat was simply another step in your relationship with Sungchan, and another one you were happy to encounter.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

More Sungchan

More of my works overall

Tags! @nini0620 @cherriruto @deonuism @90s-belladonna @lesserahyuck @hrjlvrs

Thank you so much for reading <3 please be sure to reblog and interact!

#sungchan x reader #sungchan fluff #sungchan imagines #sungchan scenarios #sungchan fic #sungchan x y/n #sungchan x you #riize x reader #riize imagines #riize fluff #riize scenarios #nct fics #nct fanfic #nct scenarios #nct imagine #nct x reader #nct x yn #nct x y/n #nct x you #kpop imagines #kpop fanfiction #text #fan fiction #mine

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Walked into my cousin’s house (he’s a firefighter) to find everyone trying to find out what it means when the firemen say, “A Collyer’s Mansion Situation.” No need to look, I knew it referred to the Collyer Brothers of New York City- the code for fire in a hoarder’s house. The picture above is of the police knocking down their door w/an axe. 

It usually means it’s not safe to enter the building. In 1947, it took police 5 hours to plow thru the junk and find the first brother’s body. It took them 3 weeks to find the 2nd brother just 10 feet away, buried under a collapsed junk tunnel.

History’s worst hoarders, the tragic but fascinating tale of the Collyer brothers can speak to anyone with a penchant for collecting or thrifting. How did 2 prominent members of society end up sealing themselves off from the outside world, fiercely reclusive and entombed by over 140 tons of collected items?

Homer and Langley were both educated at Columbia University. Homer had a degree in law and Langley studied engineering and also became an accomplished concert pianist who performed at Carnegie Hall.

They had a normal childhood. They never married or lived on their own, & chose to remain at the family’s Harlem brownstone with their mother. When their parents died, everything was left to them.. 

In 1933, Homer went blind from eye hemorrhages. His younger brother quit his job to care for him full-time, which is when their withdrawal from society began. Langley began keeping years of newspapers so his brother could read them when his sight was restored.

In the midst of the Great Depression, the brothers became increasingly fearful of their own neighborhood, which was shifting from the upper-class area they had known to an area synonymous with poverty and crime.

People became curious, local kids threw rocks at the windows, increasing their paranoia. Langley boarded up the windows, removed the doorbell and wired the doors shut.

Several people attempted to burgle the home, which prompted Langley to construct booby traps and elaborate tunnel systems made of junk all around the house.

Langley ventured out only after midnight for food runs. He would collect countless unwanted and abandoned items on the street that caught his eye along the way.

When Homer became paralyzed due to rheumatism, the brothers refused to seek medical treatment. Even though their father was a Dr., they didn’t trust them. Instead, they decided to use their fathers medical library in the house.

Langley believed his brother’s sight could be restored with a diet high in vitamin C so he fed Homer 100 oranges a week. He adapted a Model T Ford to generate electricity after their power was cut off, along with their water and gas, due to unpaid bills.

When the bank came to evict them, police found Langley in a clearing he had made in the walls of junk. Without a word, he wrote a check for the equivalent of nearly $100,000 today to pay off the mortgage and ordered everyone off the property.

The next time authorities returned, it would be to search for the bodies of the Collyers. To enter the sealed brownstone, an officer broke a window on the second floor and climbed through.

Unable to get past the solid walls of junk, a squad of men began making their way through the debris by throwing out everything blocking their way onto the street. The spectacle drew a crowd of thousands.

After several hours, they found Homer’s body. Medical examiners later determined he had died of starvation and heart disease.

When they couldn’t find Langley, they thought he fled and launched a search. Finally, a workman found his decomposing body. He was buried in one of his 2ft. wide tunnels lined with rusty bed springs and a chest of drawers. He had died of asphyxiation after he accidentally tripped one of the booby traps and was crushed. Police believe that he was bringing food to his brother. 

The house was deemed an unsafe fire hazard and was razed later that month in 1947. Some of their stuff went to museums and the rest was sold at auction.  Since the 1960s, the site of the former Collyer house has been a pocket park, named for them.

messynesschic.com

#collyer brothers #famous hoarders #hoarding #historical hoarders #long post

[dominustempori]

SPOILER ALERT FOR THE GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE TRAILER!! (long post, fyi)

Alright Ghostheads, I'm writing all this down now, so I won't forget all these thoughts and observations I'm having JUST a few hours after this awesome teaser for the "Afterlife sequel" has dropped.

I'm sure I'm missing some bits here, so comments are duly welcome, just don't go all negative energy on me =)

Definitely felt a similar vibe to when the first trailer for "Afterlife" came out like 2 years ago now. Normal summer day, good background music, then...sh*t happens. Even worse than that burst of PK energy from the mine shaft. And yeah, I saw bits of "Day After Tomorrow," I'd be lying if I didn't get JUST a little hint of that, but only because, you know, massive storm system overwhelming the south shore of Manhattan. But anyway.

2. I SWEAR that one building shot from the side is 55 Central Park West, aka Spook Central. Probably not significant plot wise this time, just a nod to the original movie. And considering I toured some of the filming sites on my trip to NYC this past summer, SURE looks like it!

3. Deadly icicles ripping up the streets? Like the earthquake tearing up the asphalt in the original movie only BETTER!

4. The discourse is already happening about details...I know some people like Ecto 1-A from GB2, and some fans are still angry about "they ignored it in Afterlife! It's so canon! WTF Jason Reitman?" Yeah...missing the point? [They're not DELIBERATELY ignoring GB2! I LIKED GB2! A lot! Not perfect but still I LIKE IT! Probably a lot more than other fans! The film only had so much time to focus on the past to keep the story moving, so only put in so much of the lore to help a new audience along. That's my theory I'm sticking to it.]

ANYWAY...yes the car IS the original Ecto 1, NOT the 1-A (which was WAY too busy for its own good, just sayin'). I saw the plate on a freeze frame, it's Ecto 1, the original.

5. Enter the exposition cut scenes. or whatever you want to call them. Swear to God that Patton Oswalt, Kumail Nanjiani, Dan, McKenna, and Logan are NOT at Ray's Occult Books...I mean come on look at those glass cases! It's GOTTA be the NY Public Library (throwback!) Patton's character is most likely a staff member, probably a librarian (related to Alice? God I hope so!) [GBs do their research yo! If that's one thing I love about the IDW comics, is how Ray and Egon and Kylie RESEARCH.]

That one bit with the frozen dude with the eyepatch? Looks like a flashback. Like, maybe Manhattan in the...late 1800s? Recurring hauntings is def a thing in the GB universe. Another secret society? Which, yeah, they did to death (sorry) with the Gozer thing, especially in the video game.

6. Liking all the concerned closeups. Paul Rudd still looking good, and I REALLY hope Carrie Coon as Callie has full on dropped the baggage about not having her Dad in her life. Well, mostly. Turned me off from her QUITE a bit in Afterlife, but that's just me. Finn's hair lookin' good short, love how McKenna still rocks the OshKosh look, and Logan with the retro vibe.

7. James Acaster HAS TO BE an adult Oscar. I WILL fight people on this =) Not Louis' kid, not Janine's... (well, maybe?) Peter and Dana are OFFICIALLY still a couple, what's to stop Peter from adopting the boy he saved in GB2? Or at least, maybe they have their own kid later on...? Damn I hope he's Oscar. I mean come on, this is still "Ghostbusters: the Next Generation" in my mind.

8. HAUNTED LION STATUE!!! (Yeah, that's right from Real Ghostbusters...kinda) It's the Library! And on another freeze frame...it's going after Ray (GASP!) That little elevator? Maybe they're going to...Special Collections? Remember the video game? Maybe? Squee?

9. DUDE, it's attacking GBHQ! Blew the freakin' doors off! It's gonna...NO NOT LUCKY! Dude she (they?) is getting the short end of the stick again...first she gets possessed by Zuul and now...please don't kill off Lucky, Gil! Also OGBs FTW!!! yeah Winston! bad ass mf as always! And man does Pete look proper scared. Go Bill Murray!

10. I'm presuming that the big bad/entity was originally trapped and stored in the ECU, hence the blinking red light in the post credits scene from Afterlife. And it's whatever's pushing out the cinder blocks this time around...and freezing Lucky in the basement of HQ? And it's the...thing pushing its demon horns in...(so far others are calling it a minotaur - totally NOT. this guy is so reaching, i mean an old obscure RGB comic reference from a wiki page? dude, just...no. a cross between a White Walker and Slenderman? yeah THOSE I get. I'm personally thinking some ancient demon from a summoning gone wrong...or maybe right in this case.) any case, DUDE with those icy blue staring eyes and 20 feet tall...f*ck yeah.

11. Also F*CK yeah Paul and Carrie in the jumpsuits! YES!!!

12. Alright, I can sort of buy a hidden room in Kumail's character's (presumably?) apartment, secret door at the back of a kitchen pantry with some pretty lead/silver tiling...but, what's with the horn? (SUMMONING HORN! Read the Bartimaeus Trilogy people!) and the shackles? the bells? well, yeah noise to drive away evil spirits...or not? again... SECRET SOCIETY! Or maybe Lucky and Trevor have their own place now? Nah, maybe not...wait and see I guess.

13. Dude...Paul Rudd is TALL, boy! Would like to see if they've actually gone and married...or, too soon? Nah, romantic/life partners is good.

14. I WANT THAT RED WINTER JACKET WITH THE PATCH! SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

15. Also, Paul's reaction...SO my own after watching this. He is still fanboy-ing out and I LOVE IT.

Holy hell that was a long post. First genuine reactions on the day. Online journaling. All good.

OK peeps, let me have it. What are y'all thinking?

Until March 29!

#ghostbusters #ghostbusters frozen empire #frozen empire #ghostbusters afterlife #carrie coon #paul rudd #mckenna grace #logan kim #kumail nanjiani #patton oswalt #james acaster #original ghostbusters #Youtube #fin wolfhard

[readyforevolution]

WHEN BLACK-MEN RULED THE WORLD

Some Things You Did Not Know About the Moors of Spain

1. The Spanish occupation by the Moors began in 711 AD when an African army, under their leader Tariq ibn-Ziyad, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar from northern Africa and invaded the Iberian peninsula ‘Andalus’.

2. A European scholar sympathetic to the Spaniards remembered the conquest in this way:

a. The reins of the Moors horses were as fire, their faces black as pitch, their eyes shone like burning candles, their horses were swift as leopards and the riders fiercer than a wolf in a sheepfold at night . . . The noble Goths [the German rulers of Spain to whom Roderick belonged] were broken in an hour, quicker than tongue can tell. Oh luckless Spain!

Quoted in Edward Scobie, The Moors and Portugal’s Global Expansion, in Golden Age of the Moor, ed Ivan Van Sertima, US, Transaction Publishers, 1992, p.336

3. The Moors, who ruled Spain for 800 years, introduced new scientific techniques to Europe, such as an astrolabe, a device for measuring the position of the stars and planets. Scientific progress in Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Geography and Philosophy flourished in Moorish Spain.

4. Basil Davidson, one of the most noted historians recognized and declared that there were no lands at that time (the eighth century) “more admired by its neighbours, or more comfortable to live in, than a rich African civilization which took shape in Spain”

5. At its height, Córdova, the heart of Moorish territory in Spain, was the most modern city in Europe and the world. The streets were well-paved, with raised sidewalks for pedestrians. During the night, ten miles of streets were well illuminated by lamps. This was hundreds of years before there was a paved street in Paris or a street lamp in London. Cordova had 900 public baths – we are told that a poor Moor would go without bread rather than soap while the then

Queen of England never had a bath!

6. The Great Mosque of Córdoba (La Mezquita) is still one of the architectural wonders of the world in spite of later Spanish disfigurements. Its low scarlet and gold roof, supported by 1,000 columns of marble, jasper and and porphyry, was lit by thousands of brass and silver lamps which burned perfumed oil.

7. Education was universal in Moorish Spain, available to all, while in Christian Europe more than ninety-nine percent of the population were illiterate, and even kings could neither read nor write. At that time, Europe had only two universities copied from Spain, the Moors had seventeen great Universities! These were located in Almeria, Cordova, Granada, Juen, Malaga, Seville, and Toledo in which the majority of the lecturers were women.

8. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, public libraries in Europe were non-existent, while Moorish Spain could boast of more than seventy, of which the one in Cordova housed six hundred thousand manuscripts.

9. Over 4,000 Arabic words and Arabic-derived phrases have been absorbed into the Spanish language. Words beginning with “al,” for example, are derived from Arabic. Arabic words such as algebra, alcohol, chemistry, nadir, alkaline, and cipher entered the language. Even words such as checkmate, influenza, typhoon, orange, and cable can be traced back to Arabic origins.

10. The most significant Moorish musician was known as Ziryab, the Blackbird who arrived in Spain in 822. The Moors introduced earliest versions of several instruments, including the Lute or el oud, the guitar or kithara and the Lyre. Ziryab changed the style of eating by breaking meals into separate courses beginning with soup and ending with desserts.

11. The Moors introduced paper to Europe and Arabic numerals, which replaced the clumsy Roman system.

12. The Moors introduced many new crops including the orange, lemon, peach, apricot, fig, sugar cane, dates, ginger and pomegranate as well as saffron, sugar cane, cotton, silk and rice which remain some of Spain’s main products today.

13. The Moorish rulers lived in sumptuous palaces, while the monarchs of Germany, France, and England dwelt in big barns, with no windows and no chimneys, and with only a hole in the roof for the exit of smoke. One such Moorish palace ‘Alhambra’ (literally “the red one”) in Granada is one of Spain’s architectural masterpieces. Alhambra was the seat of Muslim rulers from the 13th century to the end of the 15th century. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

14. It was through Africa that the new knowledge of China, India, and Arabia reached Europe. The Moors brought the Compass from China into Europe.

15. The Moors ruled and occupied Lisbon in Portugal (named “Lashbuna” by the Moors) and the rest of the country until well into the twelfth century. They were finally defeated and driven out by the forces of King Alfonso Henriques. The scene of this battle was the ‘Castle of St. George.’

Beginning in the 12th century and continuing for hundreds of years, the Inquisition was infamous for the severity of its tortures and its persecution of Jews and Muslims. Its worst manifestation was in Spain, where the Spanish Inquisition was a dominant force for more than 200 years, resulting in some 32,000 executions.

#blacktumblr #black history #african history #moors

[scotianostra]

The Anatomist and physician William Hunter died on March 30th 1783 in London.

William Hunter was born on 23rd May 1718, Long Calderwood, now a part of East Kilbride to Agnes Paul and John Hunter. He was the elder brother of surgeon, John Hunter.

At the age of 13 William Hunter entered the University of Glasgow to study theology, but after 5 years there he decided instead to study medicine and became an assistant to William Cullen, a well-known physician. Hunter spent 3 years with Cullen, attended the University of Edinburgh for a year, and in 1740 went to London, where he studied with James Douglas, who encouraged him in anatomy, and William Smellie, from whom he developed his interest in obstetrics. He has been described as perhaps the best teacher of anatomy that ever lived.

Hunter decided to teach anatomy and opened a series of private lectures on anatomy and surgery in 1746 in London. He was a popular and respected teacher. While teaching, Hunter was also engaged in obstetrical practice. In 1747 he was appointed assistant to the accoucheur at Middlesex Hospital, and in 1748 he became surgeon-accoucheur at the British Lying-in Hospital. Before Hunter, obstetrics had been the domain of the midwife, but his skill and methods helped elevate the discipline to a respected practice in medicine. In recognition of his achievements he was awarded a medical degree by the University of Glasgow in 1750. His fame led to his appointment as physician extraordinary to Queen Charlotte in 1764 and as professor of anatomy at the newly opened Royal Academy of London 5 years later. In the mid-1760 Hunter outlined a project for a museum to improve the teaching of medicine, surgery, and anatomy through illustration. This museum was opened in London in 1768 and contained natural-history specimens, medals, and a fine library of rare books as well as anatomical and pathological specimens. Hunter published on many subjects, including fossil elephants, but his most famous work is the handsomely illustrated The Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus , which includes accurate descriptions of the parts of the uterus and of the placenta. Together with his brother John Hunter, he also charted the system of the lymphatics. John was a surgeon who achieved greater fame than William, and although the brothers had studied and worked together, they became rivals and were embroiled in many disputes over priority of discovery.

He bequeathed his collections, plus a large sum to build a museum, to the University of Glasgow. The collections survive today as the nucleus of the University of Glasgow's Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, while his library and archives are now held in the University's library. Hunter's coin collection was especially fine, and the Hunter Coin Cabinet in the Hunterian Museum is one of the world's great numismatic collections.

He died in London on this day 1783, aged 64, and was buried at St James's, Piccadilly. A memorial to him lies in the church, there is also a memorial in frontof Glasgow University as seen in the pics.

#scotland #scottish #history #doctor #anatomist

[moki-dokie]

Already posted this on twitter but tumblr tends to be a better place for this sort of thing. so. just basically gonna copy-paste the qt I did for this.

so, interesting thing that i feel is a prime example of why this "problem" is utterly made up bullshit capitalist propaganda.

back in the 90s, OKC was essentially dying. downtown was one of the worst in the nation. gang infested, falling apart, roads not only in severe disrepair but very poorly planned, and utterly reliant on offices nobody wanted to work in for good reason. it was BAD. (edit: also the 1980s recession hit here especially hard so it was suffering in general from the fallout of that, too.)

enter the MAPS program. a 66 month long temp raise on sales taxes to completely revitalize, restructure, and rebuild our downtown from the ground up. nothing like this had ever been done before in the nation, not on this scale. and keep in mind OK has notoriously been very red.

this was a bipartisan project (and continues to be still) and believe it or not got some of the most support during republican rule. i don't think there's ever been a project proposal before or since that received such outstanding support by voters either. everyone wanted it.

with MAPS our downtown got a convention center, music hall, trolley system, baseball stadium, library, arena, new streets, and like 3 miles of river dammed and moved to create a canal and set the foundation for future projects on the river itself.

by the 2000s, downtown was completely transformed. MAPS was so successful that another one was proposed and passed. And then 2 more.

since the original MAPS, theres been new parks added, river sports, cultural centers, hiking/walking trails, more street upgrades, a senior wellness center, state fair improvements, public transit upgrades, and too many infrastructure improvements to name.

OKC is now a contender to other major attractive downtowns in the nation. it is now a place you WANT to go. we got our own NBA team now that shaped some of the best in the league currently. it's one of the few walkable areas in the whole state too. its honestly beautiful.

point is, we got here by adding enrichment, art, entertainment, and public spaces. not more offices. not more soulless cooperations. not more industry. those were the problem, getting rid of them and replacing them with ways to improve happiness and community was the solution.

and we did it in one of the most socialist ways possible. in one of the reddest states in the nation. if your downtown is dying bc nobody wants to return to offices, then your downtown was dead already to begin with. work should not be the reason a downtown thrives.

so don't believe the capitalist propaganda for a single second. we have 30 years of evidence right here in OKC to prove that shit wrong at every turn. and any politician who spouts that rhetoric is 100% bought and paid for by some major corp.

anyway MAPS is really cool and everyone should read up on it https://okc.gov/government/maps-3/maps-history and advocate for similar projects like it in your own metro. if one of the poorest, most conservative and oft forgotten about places in the nation can do it, any city can.

and PS: all of this was happening at the same time as the Murrah bombing recovery - at the time the largest domestic terrorist attack in the nation. so like. there really is no excuse for a city to allow their downtown to die other than politicians licking the boots of big corps.

PPS: the newest MAPS was just passed a couple of years ago and is the largest one of them yet. we'll be getting more parks, a youth center, another senior center, a mental health and addiction facility, more public transit, more upgrades to streets, a new animal shelter, additions to the state fairgrounds, a civil rights center, lots of beautification, a multipurpose stadium, and three pretty fucking amazing projects that are worth going into more detail about. A family justice center - a temporary one exists but this one will be permanent. this is a really fucking cool place that helps victims of sexual assault, human trafficking, elder abuse, domestic violence, and children who've been through traumatic situations. a diversion center - this will essentially be a way to get people out of the prison system and back into society. it's for low-level, non-violent offenders that really shouldn't have landed in prison in the first place. our prisons are fucked around here, and so extremely overcrowded. I'm sure that could be said for most around the nation. this is more like rehabilitation and its really awesome to see. and lastly, a wholeass chunk dedicated to fighting homelessness - the first time this has really, truly been addressed with logical solutions. i gotta give big fuckin kudos to everyone involved on this one - its something they discussed openly with citizens, something they asked for suggestions about, something they've wanted to solve rather than just hide and needed the public's help to figure that out. the goal is to completely eradicate it by shifting focus to a housing-first program, create truly affordable housing (of which there is an extreme lack of in the heart of OKC), and offer services at every step of the way to make sure once a person is housed, they are able to also support themselves and stay housed. with $50mil from MAPS and $400mil from outside sources, this will be the largest of any of the projects to date and I am SO thrilled about it.

#fuck capitalism #anti capitalism #infrastructure #city planning #urban life #man idk what to tag this as #but anyway disclaimer this is very specifically american

[nippon-com]

The intrigues of the Ōoku, the shōgun’s famed “inner chambers” located inside the walls of Edo Castle, have long captivated the public imagination. Containing the living quarters of women serving Tokugawa rulers, it played a vital role in ensuring stability through a system fulfilling the political need for successors.

In later interviews, servants who worked in the Ōoku described what went into a shōgun choosing to spend the night with a concubine—a rite known figuratively as “entering the bedroom.” Far from passionate affairs, these rendezvous called for careful preparations on the part of the concubine and attendants.

Step 1: Request by the shogun

The shōgun would first inform an elderly female attendant called an otogibōzu that he wished to visit the Ōoku. He would presumably also mention which of his concubines he desired to meet.

Step 2: The concubine prepares

The chosen concubine would change into a white kimono and dress her hair, holding it in place with a kushi (comb) rather than the customary hairpin, which like all potentially dangerous items were prohibited in the shogunal bedchamber.

Step 3: Entering the tsugi no ma

Dressed, a concubine would then move to the tsugi no ma, an antechamber adjacent to the bedroom, accompanied by a personal attendant of the shōgun called an ochūrō, who would search her for forbidden items. These examinations were quite thorough, including probing the hair, which the concubine would then have to reset.

Step 4: Entering the bedchamber

The shōgun would be waiting when his concubine entered the onjōdan, a narrow, raised area of his personal apartment that served as the bedchamber. Personal attendants, the otogibōzu, and otoshiyori (the elder who ran the Ōoku) remained on guard nearby even after the couple settled down to their conjugal duties. This was to head off any attempt by the concubine to secure favors of the shōgun in the heat of the moment, such as a promise to make a male offspring the heir apparent.

Step 5: Reporting to the highest authority of the Ōoku

In the morning, the elder would make her customary report of the previous evening’s activities to the head of the Ōoku. If a pregnancy resulted from the encounter, this too would be closely monitored.

Photo: A scene from the Meiji-era graphic magazine Fūzoku Gahō depicting the sitting room inside the shōgun’s Ōoku apartment. Courtesy the Kokugakuin University Library.

#Japanese history #the love life of shōguns #Ōoku #inner chambers

[anulithots]

The WRITEBLR LIBRARY

(I'm very excited about this)

BASICALLY it's a full aesthetic and organized way to find everyone's stories and you can enter in your own too!

ITS A LIBRARY

WE GOT A PLAYLIST

WE GOT STORIES

WE GOT A TAGGING SYSTEM WE DO NOT HAVE SNACKS BUT WE WISH WE DID!

Anywho, gently tagging anyone who may wish to join-

@osbob-the-existent @writeblr-of-my-own @inkskinned (hi I love all your posts <3) @elizmanderson @writeblr-of-my-own @natyune-writes @briarborealisocs @awleeofficial @batzyx @forthesanityofstorytellers @holdmyteaplease @sm-writes-chaos @the-stray-storyteller @mylee-sketches @dancinginsepia

(also sending this to anyone who would like to join would be greatly appreciated!)

#writeblr library

[mariana-oconnor]

The Three Students pt 1

Three of them? Are they medical students, because we've already discussed how disturbing that gets.

It was in the year '95 that a combination of events, into which I need not enter, caused Mr. Sherlock Holmes and myself to spend some weeks in one of our great University towns...

Is he withholding the name of the town for its protection?

It will be obvious that any details which would help the reader to exactly identify the college or the criminal would be injudicious and offensive.

Oh, he is.

Honestly Oxford and Cambridge, and probably most of the other universities, had the resources to sue him to hell and back for libel, so that might be a wise course of action. Other universities were available, but there were only about 12 universities in Britain at that time, and he specifies they were spending weeks in the town, so it won't be the University of London. That leaves (in age order): Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Durham, Belfast, Cork, Galway, Manchester, or Cardiff. The University of Wales would only have been 2 years old in 1895, so Cardiff probably wouldn't count as a 'great' university town. Honestly, I don't know if anything from Durham onwards would have been regarded as 'great' because they were all founded in the 1800s. Durham would have been over 60 years old, does that count as a 'great university town' to Watson? I don't know.

Honestly, he's probably leaving it vague so people can project their own biases onto it. The rivalries between universities are longstanding.

He's never specified leaving anything out to prevent offence before, though. Like, maybe he changes the names, but he's never specified anything, and has a few times referred to people being aware of things from the papers. I think it really shows Watson's priorities here that he's obscuring the information in this one especially when he's published other people's dirty laundry for all the world to see.

“I trust, Mr. Holmes, that you can spare me a few hours of your valuable time. We have had a very painful incident at St. Luke's, and really, but for the happy chance of your being in the town, I should have been at a loss what to do.”

The more they talk about how painful and scandalous the incident is, the more convinced I am that I will not find it particularly painful or scandalous. But I may be wrong.

Also, the fact that we're referring to colleges does narrow it down a bit. As far as I know, most universities in the UK don't have a collegiate system. Oxford and Cambridge do, St Andrews does (on a smaller scale, I believe), Aberdeen does (similarly to St Andrews, only 3, I think), and Durham does. I don't think Edinburgh and Glasgow have colleges in the same way, and I can't find any evidence that they used to in a quick bit of internet searching.

The fact that Holmes was looking into English Charters makes me think that this is probably in England, though, not Scotland, so I'm still thinking Oxford or Cambridge, or possibly Durham, but less likely as it's a newer university.

"...this is just one of those cases where, for the credit of the college, it is most essential to avoid scandal."

Oh boy, I already don't like these people. I smell cover-up all over this. I can feel the outrage already starting to brew inside me and we don't even know what's happened yet.

"My subject is Greek, and the first of the papers consists of a large passage of Greek translation which the candidate has not seen. This passage is printed on the examination paper, and it would naturally be an immense advantage if the candidate could prepare it in advance."

Is this a cheating scandal? Seriously?

Also, I assume it's taken from an extant Greek text, so surely there's always a chance that that student will have studied that text in their own time as part of their reading? They presumably have access to the university library, which presumably contains texts in Ancient Greek?

"The only duplicate which existed, so far as I knew, was that which belonged to my servant, Bannister, a man who has looked after my room for ten years, and whose honesty is absolutely above suspicion."

Nobody is above suspicion.

"I found that the key was indeed his, that he had entered my room to know if I wanted tea, and that he had very carelessly left the key in the door when he came out."

A likely story.

"The proof was in three long slips. I had left them all together. Now, I found that one of them was lying on the floor, one was on the side table near the window, and the third was where I had left it.”

That's just incompetence. You didn't even try to leave them close to where you found them, unknown interloper? Come on. You're better than this. You must have some brains.

"A large sum of money is at stake, for the scholarship is a very valuable one, and an unscrupulous man might very well run a risk in order to gain an advantage over his fellows."

So this is for a scholarship? So probably not a spoilt little rich kid. Unless it is a spoilt little rich kid who can't be bothered to do the work.

“Bannister was very much upset by the incident. He had nearly fainted when we found that the papers had undoubtedly been tampered with."

Bannister knows who did it. He's probably related to them. He let them in.

“This was not all. I have a new writing-table with a fine surface of red leather. I am prepared to swear, and so is Bannister, that it was smooth and unstained. Now I found a clean cut in it about three inches long—not a mere scratch, but a positive cut. Not only this, but on the table I found a small ball of black dough, or clay, with specks of something which looks like sawdust in it."

...This I do not understand. The cheater stopped to do some arts and crafts? They clearly were cutting something, but what's the clay for? Putty eraser? Some weird way of making a copy?

"Either I must find the man or else the examination must be postponed until fresh papers are prepared, and since this cannot be done without explanation there will ensue a hideous scandal, which will throw a cloud not only on the college, but on the University."

Yeah, I was right. I don't consider this particularly scandalous. You could totally make up an excuse why the exam needs to be changed at the last minute, and even if you didn't I still don't think 'someone peeked at the answers' is the kind of scandal that could bring an entire university into disrepute. But what do I know? I'm sitting here in the future where there's an entire industry of students paying other people to write essays for them and if they don't want to pay they can just get an AI to write it instead.

"Had anyone visited you in your room after the papers came to you?” “Yes; young Daulat Ras, an Indian student who lives on the same stair, came in to ask me some particulars about the examination.”

Fingers crossed - please don't be racist. please don't be racist. please don't be racist.

Of course, that's only one student, according to the title there are three.

“Where is Bannister now?” “He was very ill, poor fellow. I left him collapsed in the chair."

Yeah, he knows something. He's got to.

“Well,” said he, “let us go round. Not one of your cases, Watson—mental, not physical. All right; come if you want to."

This bit made me laugh. Has Watson just been sitting there watching you pore over obscure English charters for hours, Holmes? And how many times has he come with you when nothing physical needed doing? But no, this isn't one of his cases.

“Dear me!” said Holmes, and he smiled in a singular way as he glanced at our companion. “Well, if there is nothing to be learned here we had best go inside.”

Clearly there was something to be learned there and Holmes is being smug about finding it when no one else has realised.

It was a small pyramid of black, putty-like stuff, exactly like the one upon the table of the study. Holmes held it out on his open palm in the glare of the electric light. “Your visitor seems to have left traces in your bedroom as well as in your sitting-room, Mr. Soames.”

OK, now it's a scandal. You really shouldn't be having students in your bedroom, Mr Soames. Especially right before exam time, and with allegations of cheating hovering in the air. What will the ethics committee say? Now, obviously, two consenting adults, but there are some distinct questions that need to be asked about these things in the circumstances.

Not that I expect there was an ethics committee in 1895.

“What could he have wanted there?”

Mr Soames, blissfully unaware of the world.

“I will tell you, then, in a few words the character of the three men who inhabit these rooms. The lower of the three is Gilchrist, a fine scholar and athlete; plays in the Rugby team and the cricket team for the college, and got his Blue for the hurdles and the long jump. He is a fine, manly fellow. His father was the notorious Sir Jabez Gilchrist, who ruined himself on the turf. My scholar has been left very poor, but he is hard-working and industrious. He will do well."

So he really needs the scholarship then, is what I'm hearing here. Also 'fine, manly fellow'. People really did just say things like that back then, huh?

“The second floor is inhabited by Daulat Ras, the Indian. He is a quiet, inscrutable fellow, as most of those Indians are. He is well up in his work, though his Greek is his weak subject. He is steady and methodical."

Ah, yes, racism. Could be worse racism, but still. And this guy probably isn't going to do well in the exam, so wants to up his grade.

“The top floor belongs to Miles McLaren. He is a brilliant fellow when he chooses to work—one of the brightest intellects of the University, but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled. He was nearly expelled over a card scandal in his first year. He has been idling all this term, and he must look forward with dread to the examination.”

And the spoilt little rich kid, previously hypothesised, seemingly lazy and didn't bother with his lessons so now he needs to catch up. Seems to obvious from the description, though. My money is on the Fine, manly fellow at the moment, because clearly he's the one Soames doesn't suspect at all. OR all three of them are working together. I assume there are other people also taking the exam.

“That is singular, because you sat down in that chair over yonder near the corner. Why did you pass these other chairs?”

So he could be closer to the bedroom door? Though I don't know how that would help him? To see out the window?

“Oh, I would not venture to say, sir. I don't believe there is any gentleman in this University who is capable of profiting by such an action. No, sir, I'll not believe it.”

These guys really don't like cynicism, huh? Couldn't possibly be anyone who did this. It all must have just happened on its own.

Bannister might have let one or more of them in under false pretences and then realised what was going on after the fact. That would explain his excessive reaction (although, it occurs to me that since they're taking this so seriously, he might lose his job over it, which would explain a large reaction, but then sitting in the furthest seat possible is odd).

#Letters from Watson #Sherlock Holmes #The Three Students #long post

[axcel-lucci]

Secret...?

Trafalgar Law x fem!reader

Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, this is part 8, part 9

After finding where the crew and Law were, she decided to sit beside Law making him hum a smile

"Getting dragged was a good thing?" Law chuckled making her sigh.

"I'm just lucky he didn't chain me to the bed." She sighed before hearing at law with a frown, "don't even get any ideas."

It made him laugh a bit as she shuts him up with a kiss on the cheek.

Though it was very amusing to see him like a tomato.

"What do you mean? Sir Dice chains you to the bed when you're sick?" Ikkaku hums

"Truth be told, I never stay in bed for too long. So if I need to stay in bed for more than a week, he'd cuff my wrist to bed; when I learned how to escape cuffs, he chains me on the bed, literally." (Y/n) answered with a slight laugh.

"How big is this manor anyways?" Shachi asked with a curious tone

"Despite them calling this a manor, it's actually bigger than a castle. That is if you count the basement and the cellar."

"Basement and cellar? Aren't those the same places??"

"Well, they call a room underground a cellar because that's where they store all the liquor that needs fermenting or storing, it's only called a basement when it's used for stuff other than to store liquor." She shrugged, "it's a bit stupid... But hey, that's how they work."

"Have you been in the basement before? It must've been dark"

"Considering this place is built over the literal passageway of hell, I've seen worse." (Y/n) shrugged with a small hum, "though... I tried looking through the passageway of hell but father popped out of nowhere and stopped me before I could even touch the handle"

Law looked at her with a skeptical look, "Wait... Really??"

"Mhmm... The basement is really hot and you would imagine what it's like being in an oven down there. If that isn't the passageway to hell, I don't know what is. Though I did manage to steal some liquor from the cellar because no one knew there was a secret trap door under my bed that leads directly to the cellar. More specifically, the stored liquor part." She smiled with a laugh

"Wait, really...?" Ikkaku chuckled, "they probably knew and just didn't react to it. I mean... This is their manor."

"They probably do but with a man as strict as dad, I'm sure they'd freak out. Dad, at least, would." (Y/n) shrugged

"But what about Lucifer-ya?" Law hums

"Oh please, if he knew, he'd be the first to point it out to me. Even if I'm not even legally allowed to drink yet." She shrugs.

...

"My room is right around here..." (Y/n) hummed as law followed, looking around the unfamiliar halls.

It was getting dark outside yet the inside of the manor stays bright.

He noticed a lot of things while he followed (y/n) to her room...

Like a few paintings mainly just being her, a few photos of her childhood, basically all just her with maybe her parents sometimes.

'it seems they love her more than any parent would have...' Law thought with a hum

"Here it is..." She smiled as she stood in front of a door that had a sign that says "(y/n)'s room. Do not enter."

"Do not enter...?" Law chuckled, "why?"

"Father has the tendency to... You know... Break in when he's too hyped up. And also, it's kinda a thing I wanted to put ever since they gave me the idea of my own room." She shrugged and went in.

The room was big room with one side filled with tall windows, glass sliding doors leading out into a balcony overlooking the whole island, two of the walls had a built in library with a king sized bed that looked rather neat and fluffy. A single desk on a corner facing the window, a big wardrobe on the wall besides the door.

The design of the room however, it was dark with dark oak and black bedding. But if you look up...

There was a solar system by the tall ceiling revolving as if it really was one, a galaxy with twinkling stars painted on the ceiling.

"Oh wow... Is this like your ick?" Law hummed as he looked around with awe

"Yeah, my parents even bought me a rather... Expensive telescope. The stars are always pretty to look at from here." She smiled. But her smile faded once she remembers something crucial, "just a sec... I need to check something."

She walked over to the bed in a haste and welooked under the pillow and felt around for a bit before feeling what seems to be a cold strap of metal.

She pulled it out to reveal a beautiful gold locket with an overly fancied letter "F" that just stands for "Farcia" family.

Law took notice how intensly she glared at the locket and walked over, he saw the locket and marveled at how beautiful it was; "oh wow... Is that what I think it is...?" He asked

"What do you mean?" She looked at his with a curious look

"A locket... It's quite pretty..." He hummed softly

She snickered a bit, "I leave this at the house every time I go on a mission... I don't want to lose this because, well... It looks expensive and... You know, very important to me... Though..."

"You didn't get to go back and get this..." Law finished as she nodded with a hum.

(Y/n) sighed deeply and as soon as she opened it, a soft tune started playing, there was a music box mechanism inside as the other side of the locket had a picture of her and her parents on a picnic with a handwritten note, "love" it says...

She could feel herself start to break down into madness, good thing Law noticed immediately and comforted her.

"Hey... It's okay, everything is going to be alright..." He softly says as he hugged (y/n) really tight while she cried quietly

He calmed her down a bit as she wiped her tears away, "thanks... Baby... I appreciate your words to me..." She smiled

Law chuckled and wiped the remaining tears away, "heh, what kind of husband would I be if I can't comfort my wife, right?" He smirked when she blushed rather deeply

"S-stop it..." She muttered making him laugh and kiss her.

A couple of days later, Dice just finished checking (y/n) up and said that she'd be able to leave either tomorrow or the day after.

She... Kinda lingered a bit longer, but Dice didn't question it... He kinda missed such lingering.

"Oh, and by the way" Dice hummed as (y/n) looked at him curiously, "me and your father are going out before lunch to inspect some factories around the island."

"That would take you 5 hours." (Y/n) rolled her eyes, seemingly not caring what they do.

It made Dice smile softly before humming and pondering for a bit, "yeah... It would take 5 or 6 hours... Huh?" He mumbled before shaking his head, "well... I hope you and your friends get comfortable here while we're gone"

"You guys aren't going to eat lunch?" She questioned

He was about to walk away but paused when she asked, he turned back to her with a confused expression; "what? We're immortal anyway, missing one meal wouldn't kill us" he laughed a bit

"Still." She scoffed as she jumped off the bed, "don't leave before I say so." She walked out and into the kitchen.

Luckily, no one was anywhere at the time, mostly at the lounge where they only knew.

...

Law heard what she said, considering he accidentally overheard Dice tell Lucifer what happened.

Though Lucifer was skeptical on what she's planning, he decided to trust her in the end.

Law smirked as he walked into the kitchen and leaned against the door frame, "you still love them, do you?"

(Y/n) could feel herself snap at that, "what? You're delusional. We should leave this island immediately. You're getting too delusional. Are you getting infected by them, too?"

Law couldn't help but chuckle and walk up beside her as she made two separate lunch boxes, "I asked one question, you answered with four sentences. And... If you really didn't care, why are you making them a heartfelt lunch box?"

"Just-...!" She choked a bit before sighing, "they don't take care of themselves, sure they do take care but they don't take care of themselves. They'll die even if they're immortal. It's honestly so... Annoying" she groaned as she packed the lunches up in separate bags

"Then why are you writing them a note and even shaped their fruits into little hearts?" Law smiled when (y/n) caught herself doing said thing

"It's just-! It's just a force of habit, alright?!"

He hummed with a small smile, "you care about them, I know you do... They're your parents, I can't blame you for that... But please, don't kill yourself over it... You're denying the feelings you still hold towards them... I know that it would surpass any past grudges you have..." He muttered as he held her hand, "I... Don't know if I'm in the right here, however... But... It wouldn't hurt to... Hear their side, you know? Didn't they always told you that there's always two sides to everything?"

She just sighed as she grabbed the lunches, "I... I guess..."

He kissed her forehead, "come on... They're waiting."

She nods a bit.

....

(Y/n) handed them the lunch boxes, Dice was somewhat neutral about it and thanked her but Lucifer was GLEAMING when she handed him his.

"Here. Make sure you don't choke. And make sure you drink water." She "warned" them.

"Alright." Lucifer grins happily, if one looked closely however, you'd see his eyes sparkling with unshed tears; "I understand, thank you for the lunch box... Uhm... (Y/n)..."

She rolls her eyes, "well? Aren't you so 'busy'??"

"Oh... Right..." Lucifer mumbled.

Dice rolled her eyes at Lucifer but turned to (y/n), "thank you... Dear..." He smiled

________

@jadedrrose this was honestly a rollercoaster to make lol, one is because I'm debating whether or not to put the last part in or not... Lol

#random #night thoughts #trafalgar law #law x reader #trafalgar law x reader #law x y/n #one piece #trafalgar d law x reader #trafalgar d water law #trafalgar law x y/n #trafalgar law smut #trafalgar d law #trafalgar one piece #trafalgar law x reader smut #trafalgardwaterlaw #law smut #law x reader smut #law x you #one piece law #heart pirates

[halfpintpeach]

11/22/23 WIP Wednesday

It's WIP Wednesday, once more!!

Rules as always:

• In a reblog of this post (so people can find you in the notes) or new thread (w/ rules attached) if you want to play on your own, post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

• Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We're posting progress here. If you haven't made any, go make some and come back to play.

• After you've posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can't share from (for example, an event or gift fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

• That's it! You can invite others to join in, or just post.

If you're reading this, you're invited!

Remember, you can ask for each WIP that is below! (Or even the same one again!)

This weeks WIPS are:

1. Tutor Neil

2. Teacher/Musician

3. The Tunnel

Snippet from last weeks Tutor Neil below :)

As Neil entered the library, the three people behind the main desk smiled and waved. Neil lifted his cup in a substitute wave as he went by. There was anonymity on a college campus; unless you worked in the same with the same people. It had been a difficult time to warm up to the fact that people recognized Neil as Neil and not just the boy with a missing leg and scars. Amber was behind the desk at the tutoring center when Neil walked in. She smiled and waved before typing in Neil’s arrival into the system. Neil set his coffee on the desk as he wrote himself down on the sign-in list as well, a double system if you will. He put on a smile before heading back to his normal table. It was empty and most of the tables in the back of the room were as well, providing a quiet spot while it lasted.

#aftg #all for the game #andrew minyard #neil josten #andreil #andreil fanfic #pint writes #pints wips #wip wednesday game #aftg wip wednesday #the tunnel #prof neil prequel #teacher/musician

[kudriaken]

1-) What were your main cultural and historical inspirations used for the characters' design and the fashion from the empire?

2-) Did any real historical events serve as base/inspiration for the story?

3-) What is your favorite part of working on your world and characters?

4-) I might be mistaken on this one, but remember seeing only Sylvia and Asheid wearing adornments and clothing that resemble a golden bird. Is it something traditionally worn only by the women of the imperial family?

5-) Asheid, Heil and Sylvia both have white irises, while their siblings and parents (minus their grandmother) have normal black ones; is it just a character design choice or a more in-world reason?

6-) How does someone find out they are a mage? Is it more of a natural thing or must they go through some type of test/accident to find out?

7-) Are there any religions or predominant religious institutions in the Empire? If yes, is it like a pantheon with each of them representing an idea or role, having their own cult of followers or just one main deity?

8-) Is the imperial family the monarchs due to their features in conquering so much territory or do they use "divine right" as a reason?

10-) Do the Royal children have any role or job? For example; diplomat, council member, knight or even library assistant?

11-) Why does Vivian doesn't like Saphire and Asheid?

12-) Has Corvus ever felt or been treated differently from his siblings for his lack of mana?

13-) How old are the parents?

14-) How long has Edlyn and Magnus been divorced?

15-) Were any of the characters inspired/ Influenced a little by real people?

16-) Is there a difference from how the Royal children were educated from one to another? How was their education?

17-) Who are the siblings closest to in their family?

18-) Will Dayane and Oriana play a role in the politics and succession problems in the story?

19-) Before entering the palace, what was Empress Vivian doing? How she met Magnus?

20-) Does Saphire lives in the palace with her family? Does she fells any resentment towards her father?

21-) What happened to Edlyn after the divorce?

22-) Is Magnus also mage?

23-) How were Magnus illegitimate children treated compared to Help?

24-) Do Asheid, Heil and Corvus have their own supporting factions?

25-) Did the nobles and commoners from the empire and Velmont oppose Magnus and Edlyn's divorce? Did he and Vivian face any backlash for it?

26-) Are all races able to use magic?

27-) In Chinese/Korean periods pieces and real history, there are different smaller palace building for different people representing their role (emperor;empress;consorts;crown prince/ss), does the empire follow a similar system? Is it just one big palace for the whole family and court?

28-) What happens to the new emperor/ss relatives and siblings when they ascend the throne? Are they given titles and lands, married into political alliances or are them given the ottoman treatment?

29-) How are the different races treated in empire?

Wow, that took me a lot of time, sorry... Thank you so much for questions! I tried to answer all of them shortly and I am sorry for my grammar. WARNING: A lot of text!!!!! 1-) What were your main cultural and historical inspirations used for the characters' design and the fashion from the empire?

Generally everything I find suitable for the character. Which is a lot. But I want to say, I don`t usually use just one culture for my own as inspiration. It`s usually a mix of many different things, I don`t like making direct adaptation of real countries in my world.

For the Empire I took a lot from Byzantium, Ottoman Empire, Persia, Assyrian Empire even a little bit from Egypt.

2-) Did any real historical events serve as base/inspiration for the story?

Mostly general patterns of history than one exact event or historical period. However, I sometimes take some details from the real historical event. But again I don`t like when fantasy world has almost exact event that took place in our history. But parallels can be great if well done.

3-) What is your favorite part of working on your world and characters?

Probably drawing different designs for the characters or some of their interactions with each other. I also like drawing random people that could possibly live in my world, but not being included in the plot.

4-) I might be mistaken on this one, but remember seeing only Sylvia and Asheid wearing adornments and clothing that resemble a golden bird. Is it something traditionally worn only by the women of the imperial family?

Thank you for noticing! Yes, it`s the symbol of the family, so ceremonial garments usually depict it.

5-) Asheid, Heil and Sylvia both have white irises, while their siblings and parents (minus their grandmother) have normal black ones; is it just a character design choice or a more in-world reason?

Kudos for noticing! It`s in-world thing as well. They inherited it from their father. It usually signify that a person belong to this particular magical bloodline and inherited it`s magic abilities. There are cases when people inherited magic, but don`t have white irises. So some families have some specific traits that can be passed on.

6-) How does someone find out they are a mage? Is it more of a natural thing or must they go through some type of test/accident to find out?

It`s a natural thing usually, except unusual circumstances or deceases. Children expected to show signs of magic from 4 to 8, usually on accident. Since children tend to have weak underdeveloped magic it`s treated as normal and not dangerous. They can be tested though if their family have resources. However, specific testing for the type of powers is usually not very accessible across the world.

7-) Are there any religions or predominant religious institutions in the Empire? If yes, is it like a pantheon with each of them representing an idea or role, having their own cult of followers or just one main deity?

Yes, there are. Faith of the Ascended is the main faith in the Empire with quite numerous amount of priests. It has a pantheon consisting of 4 Gods. The Father God - Astaroth and his 3 children. Each one has own set of legends about them, and virtues assigned to them. People should pay respect to all Gods and their teachings, but usually choose to worship only one, that is closely aligned with their own values. Generally, figures in power tend to worship Astaroth, farmers and knights Helebor, mages and healers - Cillinei and artists and scientists - Aren. But it`s a very rough simplification.

Many other countries follow this religion, but in different interpretations of God`s roles and events. Which always cause religious disputes and sometimes even holy wars. Empire is notorious for their audacity to treating themselves as descendants of the Gods, so equating themselves to divine beings.

8-) Is the imperial family the monarchs due to their features in conquering so much territory or do they use "divine right" as a reason?

It`s a combination of both. They claim to descend from the blood of the Goddess, as some other prominent noble families. So among these currently existing families they were the one who succeeded more at suppressing the others by conquest.

10-) Do the Royal children have any role or job? For example; diplomat, council member, knight or even library assistant?

Yes, but still partly since most of them young. Saphyre is helping managing the palace finances and also occasionally checking how taxes were gathered with other clerks.

Corvus, Asheid and Heil represent themselves in the Council, because of the title as prince/princess. It allows them to vote on the matters of the Council. Corvus is generally not active in diplomacy or political discussions, so he received his place on the battlefield among the imperial generals and knights.

Heil is working as apprentice for one of the Emperor`s advisers, this way he actually participate in important closed meetings. Also since he generally very fluent with languages he act as a diplomat when it`s needed. It`s not important for the actual policy, but he also participate in artist`s evenings and sponsors some of them.

Asheid is an active Council member with membership in one of the parties. So she represents both herself and this party`s interests. She is also sent to diplomatic missions when her father orders it. She recently also received an opposition of the temporary governor for one of the cities that had political instability.

Other children are too young too anything.

11-) Why does Vivian doesn't like Saphire and Asheid?

Simply put it, they are not her own kids, so she see them as potential threat. Also Vivian generally don`t like a lot of people.

12-) Has Corvus ever felt or been treated differently from his siblings for his lack of mana?

Yes, he never was mentored or advised by his father because he is not a mage. Magnus thinks there are people more skilled with sword than him, so he just ordered them to educate his son. Corvus also had to train more physically and study skills specific skills to combat mages without using actual magic. Also he can`t bond based on mage`s daily problems.

13-) How old are the parents?

Magnus is 38, Vivian - 36, Edlyn - 38.

14-) How long has Edlyn and Magnus been divorced?

8 years

15-) Were any of the characters inspired/ Influenced a little by real people?

Yes, as well as some events in the story and character`s relationships. But I don`t want to share it because of privacy reasons. But I can safely say that some of the names were inspired by the names of people close to me.

16-) Is there a difference from how the Royal children were educated from one to another? How was their education?

Yes, they totally were.

Heil is the best educated in academical sense. His mother influenced his education a lot, focusing more on liberal arts and magic theory. He was provided with a lot of different teachers of the highest qualifications. He actually writes a lot himself and acts in academical circles. His best physical skill is horse riding, which he greatly enjoy.

Asheid had a rough start since she begun her education only after she came to palace at 8 y.o. However she worked very hard to catch up with other kids and eventually mastered her skills enough for the princess title. The hardest were her magical studies, since she could not control it.

Corvus was mostly pressured to score high with military education and physical combat. He has decent understanding of other subjects, like law, etiquette, history, administration, but his writing and speaking skills are disastrous.

Saphyre had only basic education worth of the court lady, except for managing finances. On this topic she received an amazing teachers. Also she is very passionate about theatre and poetry, so she educated herself on this subject.

Ian, contrary to his older brother - Corvus, doesn`t have any talent for physical activities. He is not good at handling any weapon and even bad at horse riding. But he is good at history and working with archives. However, he is very lazy and prefer to be seem as such.

Sylvia is very young her education is far from complete. Since many assumed she is not competing for the succession, her education is generally taken lightly. She can do whatever she likes to do. Currently she is trying to learn how to do sword fighting, sewing and study Old Almerian language.

17-) Who are the siblings closest to in their family?

Saphyre - prefers to keep to herself, but hang out more with Heil and Asheid to discuss fashion, current gossips and art occasionally.

Asheid definitely with Heil.

Heil with Asheid, his mother and his uncle(mother`s brother).

Corvus with his full-blooded siblings and mother.

Ian with Sylvia, she is the only one who is not nagging him about being lazy.

Sylvia, has good relationship with everyone, but closest to Ian and her father.

18-) Will Dayane and Oriana play a role in the politics and succession problems in the story?

Yep, especially Orianna. But that`s a spoiler.

19-) Before entering the palace, what was Empress Vivian doing? How she met Magnus?

Mostly living her best life as an heir of the rich noble family, occasionally hosting parties and participating in duels. She kinda also were on battle campaigns with her father, but she was not on the frontlines. She met Magnus once he visited Vivian`s lands for the celebration.

20-) Does Saphire lives in the palace with her family? Does she fells any resentment towards her father?

Yes, she lives in the palace. Even if she feel something, you could never tell. She is very masterful at controlling her emotions regarding this matter. She mostly act as a very grateful and behaved daughter.

21-) What happened to Edlyn after the divorce?

She is banished from the court and had to live in small mansion in the countryside under supervision.

22-) Is Magnus also mage?

Yes, an extremely strong one. None of his kids are currently on his level.

23-) How were Magnus illegitimate children treated compared to Help?

Heil had more opportunities to study and unquestionable respect that comes with the status of prince. Eventually it changed when his parents divorced. After that some nobles turned their back on him, and he became the subject on constant noble scheming. Vivian`s kids were mostly ok, having very calm and comfortable childhood with their mother`s family. Sylvia is probably the luckiest one, since her father actually paid attention to her and she was never pressured into anything. Saphyre were almost forgotten until she was summoned to the court and Asheid was a mere poor peasant before her father discovered her. Both girls were treated with negligence by the nobility at the start, but currently it`s not the case.

24-) Do Asheid, Heil and Corvus have their own supporting factions?

Yes. Heil and Corvus obviously have a privilege to be supported by their noble relatives. Asheid has admirers among commoner mages and newly made nobility, Heil has allies in the Western provinces, academical circles and old noble mages, Corvus has allies among non-magical noble families and army. There are also different Orders at play.

25-) Did the nobles and commoners from the empire and Velmont oppose Magnus and Edlyn's divorce? Did he and Vivian face any backlash for it?

Yes. It is still a point of political tensions here. That`s why the Empire mandated to have an “emperial advisor” to the regent of Valmont, to observe the situation and veto the radical decisions.

At the time, Valmont wasn`t capable to oppose the emperor successfully. However the divorce severed Emperor`s relationship with nobles in the West. And of course added new tension to the court relationships and family.

26-) Are all races able to use magic?

Most of them, yes. One of the races are only capable of Enchantment.

27-) In Chinese/Korean periods pieces and real history, there are different smaller palace building for different people representing their role (emperor;empress;consorts;crown prince/ss), does the empire follow a similar system? Is it just one big palace for the whole family and court?

Currently it`s a one big palace, but they also have smaller places spread across empire.

28-) What happens to the new emperor/ss relatives and siblings when they ascend the throne? Are they given titles and lands, married into political alliances or are them given the ottoman treatment?

There are no accepted custom or law that tell to get rid of other candidates for the throne, but there were precedents. Relatives allied with new Emperor/Empress usually tend to receive better positions and titles. The siblings of the new ruler can receive the position of the advisor or at court, or on the contrary be sent away to not cause trouble.

29-) How are the different races treated in empire?

Depends on the region. But on average, humans are at the best position and considered the dominant race. Ecier are feared and disliked. Moroks are treated as inferior and uncultured, but feared because of their strength. Shadars are respected and envied because of their affinity to magic. Varsa were slaves of Southern nobility of Empire at one point in past, so the attitude is very bad still. Dorosi were formerly enslaving humans on the West coast, but currently they relationship is more of a shaky partnership. Small image of the family in the end: