#in almost every province | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mostlysignssomeportents · 1 year

Text

Netflix wants to chop down your family tree

Netflix has unveiled the details of its new anti-password-sharing policy, detailing a suite of complex gymnastics that customers will be expected to undergo if their living arrangements trigger Netflix’s automated enforcement mechanisms:

https://thestreamable.com/news/confirmed-netflix-unveils-first-details-of-new-anti-password-sharing-measures

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/02/nonbinary-families/#red-envelopes

Netflix says that its new policy allows members of the same “household” to share an account. This policy comes with an assumption: that there is a commonly understood, universal meaning of “household,” and that software can determine who is and is not a member of your household.

This is a very old corporate delusion in the world of technology. In the early 2000s, I spent years trying to bring some balance to an effort at DVB, whose digital television standards are used in most of the world (but not the USA) when they rolled out CPCM, a DRM system that was supposed to limit video-sharing to a single household.

Their term of art for this was the “authorized domain”: a software-defined family unit whose borders were privately negotiated by corporate executives from media companies, broadcasters, tech and consumer electronics companies in closed-door sessions all around the world, with no public minutes or proceedings.

https://onezero.medium.com/the-internet-heist-part-iii-8561f6d5a4dc

These guys (they were nearly all guys) were proud of how much “flexibility” they’d built into their definition of “household.” For example, if you owned a houseboat, or a luxury car with seatback displays, or a summer villa in another country, the Authorized Domain would be able to figure out how to get the video onto all those screens.

But what about other kinds of families? I suggested that one of our test cases should be a family based in Manila: where the dad travels to remote provinces to do agricultural labor; the daughter is a nanny in California; and the son is doing construction work in the UAE. This suggestion was roundly rejected as an “edge case.”

Of course, this isn’t an edge case. There are orders of magnitude more people whose family looks like this than there are people whose family owns a villa in another country. Owning a houseboat or a luxury car makes you an outlier. Having an itinerant agricultural breadwinner in your family does not.

But everyone who is in the room when a cartel draws up a standard definition of what constitutes a household is almost certainly drawn from a pool that is more likely to have a summer villa than a child doing domestic work or construction labor half a world away. These weirdos, so dissimilar from the global majority, get to define the boxes that computers will shove the rest of the world into. If your family doesn’t look like their family, that’s tough: “Computer says no.”

One day at a CPCM meeting, we got to talking about the problem of “content laundering” and how the way to prevent it would be to put limits on how often someone could leave a household and join another one. No one, they argued, would ever have to change households every week.

I put my hand up and said, “What about a child whose divorced parents share custody of her? She’s absolutely going to change households every week.” They thought about it for a moment, then the rep from a giant IT company that had recently been convicted of criminal antitrust violations said, “Oh, we can solve that: we’ll give her a toll-free number to call when she gets locked out of her account.”

That was the solution they went with. If you are a child coping with the dissolution of your parents’ marriage, you will have the obligation to call up a media company every month — or more often — and explain that Mummy and Daddy don’t love each other any more, but can I please have my TV back?

I never forgot that day. I even wrote a science fiction story about it called (what else?) “Authorized Domain”:

https://craphound.com/news/2011/10/31/authorised-domain/

I think everyone understood that this was an absurd “solution,” but they had already decided that they were going to complete the seemingly straightforward business of defining a category like “household” using software, and once that train left the station, nothing was going to stop it.

This is a recurring form of techno-hubris: the idea that baseline concepts like “family” have crisp definitions and that any exceptions are outliers that would never swallow the rule. It’s such a common misstep that there’s a whole enre* called “Falsehoods Programmers Believe About ______”:

https://github.com/kdeldycke/awesome-falsehood

In that list: names, time, currency, birthdays, timezones, email addresses, national borders, nations, biometrics, gender, language, alphabets, phone numbers, addresses, systems of measurement, and, of course, families. These categories are touchstones in our everyday life, and we think we know what they mean — but then we try to define them, and the list of exceptions spirals out into a hairy, fractal infinity.

Historically, these fuzzy categorical edges didn’t matter so much, because they were usually interpreted by humans using common sense. My grandfather was born “Avrom Doctorovitch” (or at least, that’s one way to transliterate his name, which was spelled in a different alphabet, but which was also transliterating his first name from yet another alphabet). When he came to Canada as a refugee, his surname was anglicized to “Doctorow.” Other cousins are “Doctorov,” “Doctoroff,” and “Doktorovitch.”

Naturally, his first name could have been “Abraham” or “Abe,” but his first employer (a fellow Eastern European emigre) decided that was too ethnic and in sincere effort to help him fit in, he called my grandfather “Bill.” When my grandfather attained citizenship, his papers read “Abraham William Doctorow.” He went by “Abe,” “Billy,” “Bill,” “William,” “Abraham” and “Avrom.”

Practically, it didn’t matter that variations on all of these appeared on various forms of ID, contracts, and paperwork. His reparations check from the German government had a different variation from the name on the papers he used to open his bank account, but the bank still let him deposit it.

All of my relatives from his generation have more than one name. Another grandfather of mine was born “Aleksander,” and called “Sasha” by friends, but had his name changed to “Seymour” when he got to Canada. His ID was also a mismatched grab-bag of variations on that theme.

None of this mattered to him, either. Airlines would sell him tickets and border guards would stamp his passport and rental agencies would let him drive away in cars despite the minor variations on all his ID.

But after 9/11, all that changed, for everyone who had blithely trundled along with semi-matching names across their official papers and database entries. Suddenly, it was “computer says no” everywhere you turned, unless everything matched perfectly. There was a global rush for legal name-changes after 9/11 — not because people changed their names, but because people needed to perform the bureaucratic ritual necessary to have the name they’d used all along be recognized in these new, brittle, ambiguity-incinerating machines.

For important categories, ambiguity is a feature, not a bug. The fact that you can write anything on an envelope (including a direction to deliver the letter to the granny flat over the garage, not the front door) means that we don’t have to define “address” — we can leave it usefully hairy around the edges.

Once the database schema is formalized, then “address” gets defined too — the number of lines it can have, the number of characters each line can have, the kinds of characters and even words (woe betide anyone who lives in Scunthorpe).

If you have a “real” address, a “real” name, a “real” date of birth, all of this might seem distant to you. These “edge” cases — seasonal agricultural workers, refugees with randomly assigned “English” names — are very far from your experience.

That’s true — for now (but not forever). The “Shitty Technology Adoption Curve” describes the process by which abusive technologies work their way up the privilege gradient. Every bad technological idea is first rolled out on poor people, refugees, prisoners, kids, mental patients and other people who can’t push back.

Their bodies are used to sand the rough edges and sharp corners off the technology, to normalize it so that it can climb up through the social ranks, imposed on people with more and more power and influence. 20 years ago, if you ate your dinner under an always-on #CCTV, it was because you were in a supermax prison. Today, it’s because you bought a premium home surveillance system from Google, Amazon or Apple.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/07/29/impunity-corrodes/#arise-ye-prisoners

The Netflix anti-sharing tools are designed for rich people. If you travel for business and stay in the kind of hotel where the TV has its own Netflix client that you can plug your username and password into, Netflix will give you a seven-day temporary code to use.

But for the most hardcore road-warriors, Netflix has thin gruel. Unless you connect to your home wifi network every 31 days and stream a show, Netflix will lock out your devices. Once blocked, you have to “contact Netflix” (laughs in Big Tech customer service).

Why is Netflix putting the screws to its customers? It’s part of the enshittification cycle, where platform companies first allocate surpluses to their customers, luring them in and using them as bait for business customers. Once they turn up, the companies reallocate surpluses to businesses, lavishing them with low commissions and lots of revenue opportunities. And once they’re locked in, the company starts to claw back the surpluses for itself.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/21/potemkin-ai/#hey-guys

Remember when Netflix was in the business of mailing red envelopes full of DVDs around the country? That was allocating surpluses to users. The movie companies hated this, viewed it as theft — a proposition that was at least as valid as Netflix’s complaints about password sharing, but every pirate wants to be an admiral, and when Netflix did it to the studios, that was “progress,” but when you do it to Netflix, that’s theft.

Then, once Netflix had users locked in and migrated to the web (and later, apps), it shifted surpluses to studios, paying fat licensing fees to stream their movies and connect them to a huge audience.

Finally, once the studios were locked in, Netflix started to harvest the surplus for its shareholders: raising prices, lowering streaming rates, knocking off other studios’ best performing shows with in-house clones, etc. Users’ surpluses are also on the menu: the password “sharing” that let you define a household according to your family’s own idiosyncratic contours is unilaterally abolished in a quest to punish feckless Gen Z kids for buying avocado toast instead of their own Netflix subscriptions.

Netflix was able to ignore the studios’ outraged howls when it built a business by nonconsenually distributing their products in red envelopes. But now that Netflix has come for your family, don’t even think about giving Netfix some of what it gave to the MPAA.

As a technical matter, it’s not really that hard to modify Netflix’s app so that every stream you pull seems to come from your house, no matter where you are. But doing so would require reverse-engineering Netflix’s app, and that would violate Section 1201 of the DMCA, the CFAA, and eleventy-seven other horrible laws. Netflix’s lawyers would nuke you until the rubble bounced.

When Netflix was getting started, it could freely interoperate with the DVDs that the studios had put on the market. It could repurpose those DVDs in ways that the studios strenuously objected to. In other words, Netfix used adversarial interoperability (AKA Competitive Compatibility or ComCom) to launch its business:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability

Today, Netflix is on the vanguard of the war to abolish adversarial interop. They helped lead the charge to pervert W3C web-standards, creating a DRM video standard called EME that made it a crime to build a full-featured browser without getting permission from media companies and restricting its functionality to their specifications:

https://blog.samuelmaddock.com/posts/the-end-of-indie-web-browsers/

When they used adversarial interoperability to build a multi-billion-dollar global company using the movie studios’ products in ways the studios hated, that was progress. When you define “family” in ways that makes Netflix less money, that’s felony contempt of business model.

[Image ID: A Victorian family tree template populated by tintypes of old-timey people. In the foreground stands a menacing, chainsaw-wielding figure, his face obscured by a hoodie. The blade of the chainsaw is poised to chop down the family tree. A Netflix 'N' logo has been superimposed over the man's face.]

#pluralistic #enshittification #shitty technology adoption curve #cpcm #interoperabiltiy #comcom #adversarial interoperability #interop #netflix #family #ambiguity #digitizatio #nym wars #authorized domain #dvb #dvds #password sharing

7K notes · View notes

angelltheninth · 6 months

Note

Can you plz plz write a smut where Mike takes readers virginity and they are kind of innocent

Sure thing, my Mike brainrot is still going strong.

Pairing: Michael Afton/Mike Schmidt x Fem!Reader

Tags: nsfw, smut, virginity loss, kissing, body worship, praise, gentle sex, soft!Michael Afton

Word count: 1.1k

A/N: He would be the softest lover in the world, have you seen this man?!

Michael sat right across from you on the bed, his boner prominent despite his nervous glances at your equally naked body. Tonight was supposed to be perfect, at least according to him, perfect date, perfect drive home, perfect ambiance for the first time you'd have sex with him, or anyone really.

"The candles are too much aren't they?"

"Mike."

"Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have gotten them!"

"Mike."

"I wanted it to be all romantic for you, it's your first-"

"Michael!" You cupped his face in your hands, cutting off the rant he was bout to go on. He looked so cute like that, eyes big and wide and lips pressed together. "It's fine, I think it's very romantic. Very movie cliché of you, but I like that side of you."

Michael couldn't help but blush at your compliments of him, taking your hands in his and rubbing his thumbs over them. "That's good, cause I gotta be honest, I only did it cause I saw it in a movie and it looked pretty." He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you closer, "I only want the best for my gorgeous girlfriend." His cock pulsed when it met your wet pussy which pressed it against his abs more and more the closer you got.

"And that's why I love you." Your lips meet in a deep kiss as your arms fell over his broad shoulders. You kept rocking your hips against his cock, your clit constantly rubbing against the length, "Second drawer, I wanna come on your cock first."

"Do you baby? You want it?" He asked between each kiss as he moved you both backwards, his hand blindly moving to get the box of condoms, "Wanna put this on me?" Of course that meant you needed to move way from him but it was worth it to see him tear the package open with his mouth. "Lubed up on the outside."

You rolled your eyes as you took the rubber, "I know, I've had the same health class as you Mike."

"Yeah, that's what I worry about. I've had to learn from practice." And based on the stories he told you there was a lot of mishaps in his previous relationships. Although not from his lack of sexual province, rather from the lack of time he could dedicate to his girlfriend. But now he finally had a stable job, one that allowed him to spend more nights with you and actually afford a babysitter for his sister.

"You don't have to flaunt your experience at me. Besides I'm a very fast learner."

"I'm not- I just don't want you to feel pressured here. You can lean back and le-et me-!" Michael's eyes fluttered open and closed as you held his cock still with one hand and pulled the condom on it with the other. There was no way you were gonna look him in the eyes right now. "You... that's fine."

It was almost a shame to let him go, even through the rubber you could still feel every vein on his cock, pulsing at your touch, "This fees very different than toys." It was a lot better, seeing him almost shaking with excitement as he pushed you down and lined up but didn't put it in, instead he ran his hands up to your breasts and took one nipple into his mouth.

You could see all the muscles in his taunt back working as he moved little by little, "I want to make you feel good. This pretty body of yours, I want to know all the places that will make your eyes roll back, get you to make all the sexy noises for me." He released your stiff nipple with a wet pop, moving to the other, "Thank you for trusting me enough to be your first. I'm gonna try not to hurt you, so tell me if it feels bad and I can pull out okay? This is all on you."

"Mike... okay, I'm ready, I want to be one with you, please make me feel good." Mike gave your breasts a few more kisses before kissing you right as he pushed forward, sheathing himself inside you in one go, bodies and mouth pressed against each other, it was the only thing you could do to keep your voice down as you felt yourself get stretched and filled up by a real cock for the first time.

"Are you hurt? You're not saying anything..."

"Only stings a little. But I think I'm okay. Hold on... let me try to- oh!" Your forehead fell against his when you felt his cock react to your pussy fluttering around him, "Oh my god. Okay... maybe... pull out a little?" His hands moved down, holding you just above your waist, his eyebrows furrowed with worry as he pulled back. "Not all the way!"

"Ah! Sorry. It's okay, take all the time you need, I'm here." He couldn't do anything but stare at you, feeling his cock enveloped in your warmth again as you pushed him closer with your legs, once again taking all of him.

The clenching of your pussy pulled him deeper, letting him sink in all the way, fully bottomed out inside you. You kept pulling him close every time he pulled out too much for your liking, now that you knew what it felt like to have Michael's cock inside you it was hard to imagine you could every feel as good without it. He got the message, keeping most of it in with fast, but shallow thrusts, focused on the way you mewled past your tight lips, how your nailed raked down his back and pulled him even closer.

"Feels good to have you this deep." You kissed his cheek, his stubble scratching your lips but you didn't care, he could shave a little after. Besides the stubble made him look hotter in your opinion. "Can you... thrust a little faster, I'm getting close."

"What ever you need babygirl." He picked up the pace as he intertwined his fingers with yours and kissed your ring finger gently, almost dreamily as your pussy came with his cock deep inside you. "You feel amazing, that's it, keep that pussy tight for me." Michael wasn't far behind you, and while you could feel his cock pulse and his hips stutter, you were deprived of the feeling of his cum, caught by the condom instead. "Ahaha, don't be disappointed sweetheart, we gotta be careful with this stuff."

"I know." You almost whined but calmed down when he nuzzled the tip of his nose to yours, "I wonder what it feels like though, to have your cum inside me."

"You'll find out some day." As quickly as those words left his mouth he hid his blushing face in the pillow, "I-If you want that of course."

That sounded a lot like he just asked you if you wanted to have kids one day. "That'd be nice."

#fnaf x reader #fnaf smut #five nights at freddy's #fnaf #michael afton x reader #mike schmidt x reader #michael afton #mike schmidt #micheal afton x reader #fnaf headcanon #fnaf imagine #fnaf x you #mike schmidt x you #michael afton smut #mike schmidt smut #x female reader

2K notes · View notes

bbanghiitomi · 1 month

Text

THE SAME PLACE AND DIFFERENT TIME

pairing: kim minji x fem reader

trope: fish out of water! childhood friends! first love! little bit of angst! fluff!

waking up feels weird for y/n again, inside the body of a first year college student, her little young soul is stuck somewhere she doesn't want to be. peeking on the window of her colorless room, it's an ordinary sunday, clear skies with no clouds and her view is blocked by buildings. it's so boring sitting here inside her room, a bed with no presence of a certain person she longs for. there's almost no time for her, the world is too fast and there's always something to look forward for.

but lately, her days have become more boring, it feels like she's starting to lose the meaning of a secret world she used to have as a child. consumed by sadness and boredom, y/n doesn't really know what to do, she's stuck inside her dorm maybe for a few more years?

"no, i shouldn't sulk like this..." y/n mentally sighs as she stands up from her bed and walks towards her study table. she hasn't changed one bit, at least that's what she thinks, she's the same old kid who hates sitting around looking sad, someone who persists through every conflict and is spontaneous.

if minji were to see her again, would she think the same?

y/n have always wondered about that, when she thinks of minji, she starts to miss the tall girl again, like always since she left to study far from her home. y/n at first liked to believe it hasn't been that long, until maybe a few more years passed because she hopes when she comes back, minji would remember her again.

but in reality, it's been more than 2 years, 5 years to be exact... in that amount of time, how many memories did minji make without y/n? how many people did she meet?

how long did she ever think about y/n? when every hour felt like another day without warmth for y/n.

does she care for y/n anymore? the thought is extremely scary, thinking about being forgotten is scary...

y/n sits on her chair, grabbing her laptop as she opens it and looks at an email from her school, after her test, the school announces a break for the students and it's 4 weeks.

enough time to go back to gangwon province and maybe see minji again.

"no!" y/n shakes her head as she buries her face on her palms, the warmth of embarrassment spreads around her face. will she even remember me? y/n thinks to herself as she sighs, stretching her arms to her table and leaning over to it, her fingers touching the small and fuzzy bear figurine that minji have gifted her before, there's a smaller version of it, the baby bear.

back then, there really wasn't a lot to worry about, just when y/n's piano practice starts or when minji needs to go back home. back then, these feelings she had for minji were all just something to laugh about and forget tomorrow, but it turned into something bigger the longer she looks for minji.

times used to be more simple and minji used to be enough for her to reach, maybe she have wished for too much and that dream she had since she was little came true, but now y/n feels lonely.

the girl also comes across her last messages to minji, before everything went radio silent.

"sorry!" as if she have caused minji some trouble again.

"it's okay. message me again when you're free." minji sent her.

"okay!" y/n's reply and she hasn't gotten any free time ever since.

should she really come back? is the biggest question she wants to know right now, before she spends her break rotting on her bed all day long.

luckily, y/n's parents came to the rescue, they've been planning on building a small house in a small town in the province and they wanted to hear her thoughts. that means y/n can have an actual reason to go back...

on her way home in the car, y/n sits behind and listens as her parents converse. "what have our daughter been doing? we missed you so much." y/n's mother pipes in, the girl gives her mother a smile before leaning towards her mother's seat. "a lot actually, i didn't know there's a lot to do in college."

her father's laughs, shaking her head. "you'll get used to it kid, we've been living in the city for 5 years... things will get more rocky in the future." he says, y/n nods and smiles at her father. "i understand." she mutters.

her mother smiles endearingly at the interaction before looking behind her daughter who immediately meets her gaze, "don't you want to see minji?" she asks, y/n raises her brows and purses her lips before leaning back to the backseat and shrugging.

"i actually don't know if i want to..." she admits, sighing before laughing and shaking her head. "it's just that, it's been 5 years." she adds, y/n's father takes a peek at his daughter and looks at his wife before back at the road.

"didn't we talk to her family last week?" he asks, y/n's mother perks up and nods, looking at their daughter, who then gives them both a confused look.

"oh right! we missed the town so much, we decided to build a home again in the same neighborhood." y/n looks at her parents and squints her eyes at them before speaking. "okay? and what did you guys talk about?" the parents look at each other before laughing.

"a lot, about the house, the town, the city, university and you! minji said she misses you." y/n's father say and y/n cannot help the way her eyes widens. "o-oh... really?" she mutters.

her mother nods with a bright smile. "she said, you seem very busy and she was wondering why you weren't with us." y/n fixes her hair and the way she sits, before raising her index finger. "so, what do you guys plan to do there?" she asks.

her father looks straight to the road, occasionally peeking at his daughter from time to time. "well, minji's family owns a small inn, right? we can stay there for a while, talk about what we want our house to look like." he shrugs, y/n nods and gives her parents a small smile.

"i won't mind that. i wish it would look like our old house though." the girl receives nods from her parents and it didn't take them any longer until they finally arrived their old town.

standing in the middle of the street, y/n looks rather... lost? or maybe she is, the day is about to end and y/n starts to hear crickets all over the place. it's as if she's never been in this town, there's so many turns, left and right and it's making her head dizzy.

there weren't that much people too, it's like she's in a ghost town! it's not like this in the city, so bustling and loud, full of life.

and y/n starts to wonder whether she was really from this place, did she really grow up here? why does this place look so unfamiliar? just a few moments ago, y/n walked away from the inn before she could even see minji, wanting to gain enough courage to talk to the tall girl again.

and now here she is, lost in the town, not sure where to go. this moment made y/n realize she's changed, a lot... that maybe she really wasn't the same person she was before. the small y/n would never be lost like this...

still, y/n wants to find her way back home, even if she doesn't know where.

"do you still know this way?" y/n hears someone behind her and she immediately turns her body around to look at the familiar face of her childhood friend.

"m-minji..." she can only mutter, minji laughs and walks towards the girl. "why did you leave? when i went to welcome your family to the inn, you were nowhere." y/n shakes her head and puts a hand on her face and she sighs.

"i just wanted to walk around..." though, it was clearly a lie. minji nods and raises her hand as if to gesture y/n to follow. "let's go back to the inn." minji tells the girl, a very endearing and totally not charming smile on her face.

the girl nods and tucking in lost strands of her hair behind her ear before watching minji walk past her and the girl follows immediately.

minji doesn't look back but she's smiling, it's nerve-wracking, y/n doesn't know what to really say as if the words are stuck in her throat. no motivation to fight for her feelings.

"so, how's the city? i heard many great things come from there." minji starts, looking behind. the girl looks at minji and sees the smile on minji's face, her round eyes and very recognizable lips. y/n looks down with a blush on her cheeks and then back up at minji again as she laughs. "oh it's fine, i grew kind of tired of the noise and how boring the city could be." y/n answers, minji blinks twice before turning to the road again.

as they walk, they see kids frolic around the area, to the park and around some corners of the village. seeing that makes y/n reminisce about the past again, how fun and simple it was, what did change? she wonders.

"wasn't it your dream? you told me before." minji remembers that, but remembering it reminded you that you wanted that dream for your parents, because it's a big thing.

"my parents' actually, but then again, their dreams are mine." y/n sees minji nod, her back turned to y/n again as they walk and finally reach the inn. surprisingly, your parents weren't that upset, very understanding too. "thank god minji was there earlier, we knew she'd pick you up right away." y/n's father walks over to minji and pats her shoulder.

"so happy to see you again kid! i'm sure my daughter is too." minji smiles at y/n's father, nodding her head before looking at y/n, who cannot find a way to avoid the other girl. "that's great to know. have you brought your things up inside your inn already, sir?" she asks, and y/n's parents nod.

"we did! don't worry, by the way we should get going for now. we haven't gotten dinner." y/n's mother waves her hand towards minji and leaves with her husband, y/n stops walking in front of minji and looks at her parents before back at minji.

"thanks... i hope i didn't bother you." she smiles apologetically and fixes her hair, minji feels her heart beating as she looks at the girl. minji shrugs and shakes her palms that are starting to get wet. "nope, it's okay. you should get some rest now."

"okay, see you tomorrow." they stare at each other for a good 3 minutes before y/n looks away and starts walking unusually faster to their inn.

"you left the construction site?" minji asks the girl, who looks up from where she was sitting and stands up, fixing her skirt. minji's eyes went to look at y/n's skirt and immediately, like nothing happened up at y/n's eyes.

"uh huh." she says, nodding her head before laughing sheepishly. "i got bored and yeah, i want to do something else." y/n says, minji nods and puts her hands on the pocket of her pants.

"you haven't changed a bit." minji says, letting out a small chuckle. y/n look up back at her, raising an eyebrow at the tall girl. "what?" she whispers, minji walks behind a bit. "i mean, i don't think you changed at all. you're still the same girl from before." y/n feels her cheeks blaze as she nods, humming.

the playground is empty in the middle of the day, when kids are at school, just like it was before. it's almost as if it was the same place, and yes it was but... it also feels like the same time, y/n doesn't feel like she's grown any older.

yes, minji looked more mature, looked prettier, taller and her hair grew longer and more silky.

"really? i always thought i've changed a lot." y/n tells minji, she receives a smile from the other girl. "well, you looked prettier now. but other than that, you wear the same type of clothes." y/n blinks when minji says that she turned prettier... y/n blinks again and laughs sheepishly, looking down on her skirt.

"ah yeah, i feel more like myself in these." truth to be told, it's more on projection. thinking about how much she's changed mentally is tiring, it's like the life in city left her caged with nothing to do but the same thing. the only way she can relived her past self is by wearing the same clothes she used to wear.

minji looks at y/n's clothes and back the the girl's face. "it's nice. living in the city, i'm surprised you're still hesitant about your looks." minji chuckles and scratches the back of her head, y/n blinks her eyes twice and then away. "i just feel like sometimes i don't feel right in my own clothes."

"you look right, amazing even." minji shrugs before offering her hand to y/n. "it's been so long since i last saw you." minji adds, y/n stretches her arm and opens her hand to hold minji's, the texture of minji's palm never changes, despite all the work she does in their house it's still soft.

"i'm sorry if i couldn't even message you..." y/n says, recalling the times she couldn't make any time to reply or even hit minji up. minji shrugs and caress y/n's hand. "i understand, it's not easy being in college. i hope you're fine though..." y/n smiles at minji and puts another hand on their hands.

"i'm so glad to see you again, it feels so weird..." y/n purses her lips before sighing and speaking again. "it's like i'm going around chasing a bunny, then again i'm lost." minji nods, tilting her head to get a better look of your face.

"some people really don't understand the secret this world has." there's so much to do, so much to eat, so much to say, so many to love and care for. there's not enough time to do everything but the most. y/n looks up at minji as the tall girl speaks. "you told me before right? that happiness are those small things."

at the end of the day, y/n is just a crybaby.

in this bright world full of fantastic things, there's no time to feel bored.

"yeah... and we used to eat cookies, and almost i don't know what i was doing before." y/n laughs, minji looks away. there's a blooming, ticklish, funny feeling inside minji when she's here holding your hands, it's the same giddy feeling while playing stupid games before, the same feeling looking at your face but this feeling was never there for anyone else.

"you used to never think twice, no matter how crucial it is. you also used to get lost a lot too, then i'd look for you." minji says, y/n giggles and brings their hands closer to her chest. "thinking about those stuff, feels like looking at a picture book right?" y/n says, minji nods.

the skies are turning orange, and kids are running towards the playground. maybe the reason the little kid y/n was before didn't get lost because she had minji.

"you used to always get in trouble..." minji laughs and y/n shakes her head, whining. "i was just really annoying!"

it's such a ridiculous story, feels like no one will believe. seeing minji's face again, the patch of mud on the sidewalk and the kids frolicking around in their own world.

"i missed you a lot." minji speaks again, this time her voice sounded more delicate as if she meant every one of her word. it's been so long, days, weeks, months and years have passed but minji still remembers y/n.

the girl looks at minji as if she's about to cry, because those words mean a lot to her. y/n nods, letting go of minji's hand before she steps and wraps her arms around minji. "i missed you too!" y/n sobs, causing minji to laugh.

"come on, are you really just gonna weep like that?" minji teases, y/n buries her head on minji's shoulder, wiping her tears on the taller girl's shirt. "seriously..." y/n whispers.

minji pats y/n's back, an arm around the girl's waist. "ah, it's getting darker." minji mutters, y/n ignores her and sobs again. "i really think of you a lot, when i look at my last message to you... i wish i can do something about it." y/n whispers, her voice cracking every syllable.

"you know i'm not going anywhere, right?" minji whispers back, putting her hand on top of y/n's head. y/n nods, it's not about that. the girl hates the idea of being away from minji again, she's hated that idea but seeing minji again, like this... makes her hate it even more.

minji isn't leaving but minji is also not going to be there always, it's not about whether she's going to leave or not... after all those years, her little silly feelings for minji, turned into something bigger and more serious, when she yearns for minji's warmth that space inside her heart turns more shallow.

maybe, y/n is scared minji might find someone else...

"don't look for anyone else other than me..." y/n whispers, minji widens her eyes as she hears what was said. minji turns her head to take a peek of y/n's face, but all the girl did was bury her face deeper on minji's neck.

"what do you mean?" this is it. this must be really it.

y/n may feel guilty for sounding selfish admitting that she hates the idea that minji will find someone who'll love her too.

"i... i want to be honest, ever since i left i started to miss you more everyday, it feels like it was never gonna end." y/n takes a sharp breath. feeling the way her heart squeezes as if pouring out all the feelings she's harbored for minji on those years they were away from each other.

it feels like she's inside a woods, lost inside the forest with nowhere to go except the only path she can see.

"it was so long... everything feels like it's the same everyday. people around me moved on, went past and never looked back. i couldn't because i feel it too deeply, and i love too much..." y/n pulls away from minji, letting go of the tall girl... that also forced minji to let her hands off of y/n.

"i didn't want to be left alone, i didn't want to think of you with someone else!" y/n sees the way minji looks at her, the tall girl looks at the playground, the kids are all going home.

y/n puts her hand on her face, wiping her stupid tears away.

"i never looked for anyone else but you... i see you on and off on your account, it gives me hope that you're still there. we're stuck on the same memory, i think of you too a lot." minji shrugs as she speaks and reaches for y/n's hand, minji hears y/n trying to suppress her tears.

"y/n? are you serious?" minji chuckles and holds y/n's hand tighter. the girl looked confused, she tucks in strands of stray hair behind her ear. minji sighs. "i take my time to let you know i'm just here for you to lean on to, stupid messages, so short but it's alright because i know you're okay." minji continues, her other hand reaches for y/n's shoulder.

y/n was silent, she looks like she's hesitating but in reality, there's nothing but minji inside her head.

"it's because i like you!" y/n opens her mouth and stares at minji, surprised about what she had said. minji leans her head closer, seeing y/n blink her eyes and lifting her hands to cover her face.

minji hears y/n whine and she holds the girl's shoulders. "hey..."

"i don't why? we only talk through messages and they're not even that long! i've tried to hard to get rid of these feelings but it's not working! you're really the only one i want..." y/n grumbles, her voice is muffled but still audible that it makes minji smile to see how intense the girl's feelings are for her.

"i understand." minji states as she moves her hand to hold y/n's nape, pulling her closer and making the girl take her hands off of her face until their foreheads touch. minji holds y/n's waist with her other hand. "don't ever change, okay? you and your feelings, don't change." minji whispers.

y/n hears the crickets and then maybe her own heartbeat, distracted by the way minji looks at her eyes... it could be the street lamps but minji's eyes looks like she has the whole milky way galaxy in them.

minji laughs as she feels how warm y/n has gotten.

out of nowhere, the tall girl leans to kiss y/n on the lips, not that long but enough for y/n to feel it linger all over her.

the wind blows, but suddenly it's not so cold here anymore.

minji doesn't give y/n any time to react and immediately pulls her in a hug. "dummy. i love you too, okay? you're not alone." minji mutters.

y/n lowers her head, leaning on minji's shoulder and she finds herself diving in deeper in their hug. "gosh, this feels like it's not real..." y/n mutters, minji laughs again and places a kiss on y/n's cheek.

"but it is real, wanna go back to the inn?" minji asks, gently lifting y/n from the ground, causing the girl to shriek and laugh.

and it's fun like that, exploring new feelings and diving in it without thinking much. it's fun basking on its wonderful effects, how amazing love can be or just how unpredictable circumstances are sometimes.

it's another day, y/n feels like she dreams a lot now. she doesn't want to forget her dreams.

when the girl sits up, she opens her eyes and sees how blurry her vision was. the girl rubs her eyes for a few seconds, before opening them again.

she was greeted by the pink walls of her room, exactly the same copy of her childhood room but without the stains of time.

was she dreaming? y/n peeks on her window, a very sunny day with bright skies and clouds all over the blue horizon.

just an ordinary day.

y/n looks on the floor of her room, her shoes with a patch of mud on it.

thankfully, she wasn't dreaming at all.

the door of her room opens, from the shoes, y/n looks up to see minji smiling at her. "hey, it's 11am already." the girl says, y/n smiles and jumps off of her bed, running towards minji and embracing the tall girl in a hug.

"ah! thank you!" y/n rubs her cheek on minji's shoulder, humming. the tall girl looks at her girlfriend, confused. "what happened?" she asks.

y/n shakes her head and laughs. thinking that what if everything was a dream? y/n was scared that once she opens her eyes, minji will be out of reach again. but she's wrong, minji is here.

"nothing, i'm so happy you're here again! and that you wake me up before it gets late." y/n says, minji nods and pats y/n's head, sighing. "ah yeah, come on we have somewhere to go." minji pulls y/n out of her room, their laughter is heard across the corridor as they walk to the dining room.

y/n might have been lost on her way home, maybe it took her too long to find her way back... but she's back! that's all that matters, minji is with her to guide her wherever she goes, just like when they were younger.

#newjeans #kpop #female reader #kpop imagines #newjeans imagines #girl group #girlgroup imagines #kim minji #newjeans minji #kim minji x reader #minji x reader #kpop x female reader #fluff #newjeans fanfic #fanficiton #kpop gg #girlgroup #Spotify

238 notes · View notes

fayes-fics · 3 months

Text

When The World Is Free: Chapter 2 - La Valse de Paris

MASTERPOST PREV | NEXT

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader, WW2 AU.

Warnings: none

Word Count: 1.7k

AuthorsNote: Chapter 2 of new multi-chapter fic based on a request by the lovely @amillcitygirl! Please see the masterpost for a synopsis of this story. This details our reader settling into Paris and the outbreak of war. Benedict turns up next chapter. Thanks to @colettebronte for beta reading. Enjoy! <3

Paris, September 1939

Your first few weeks in Paris are a delightful blur.

Spending late summer exploring the city - with Solène as your occasional guide and Eloise when she is not at work. You soak up every moment, from the windswept magnificence of standing atop the Eiffel Tower, your words being stolen by the wind, to the monastic silence of the Louvre on a quiet Monday morning. And everything in between - from Notre Dame's atmospheric incense-laden gothic darkness to the airy, resplendent glass dome of Galeries Lafayette that glitters like a prismatic jewel even on cloudy days.

But perhaps your favourites are the little slices of city life: sitting watching the world go by at a corner cafe, the crunch and warm, pillowy softness of the first bite of freshly baked baguette as you wander back from the boulangerie, the lingering fragrance of the rose garden at the Château de Bagatelle in Bois de Boulogne... It's all pieces of a puzzle that fill your heart in ways that make your life before now seem drab, almost in black and white, like a photograph.

You have written to Stanley once since you arrived, effusive in your praise, a homily to your new home, however temporary. While proclaiming his happiness for you, his response tempered, a touch dismissive of your wonderment. I can scarcely believe any city could truly live up to the praise you so readily heap upon Paris, my love, he wrote back. That was a week ago, and your urge to reply has been muted.

It's during an idle lunchtime by the Seine, eating a sandwich as you dangle your feet over the river wall, that you genuinely feel a local. An elderly French couple, likely visiting from the provinces, approaches you and asks you for directions to the Musée de l'Homme. Part of you aglow they think you sophisticated enough to look Parisian, and French. And you are able to help them, giving them the information in French, not fluent but sufficient that they are surprised when you confess “je suis américaine”.

In your third week, you secure the art gallery job Eloise had seen posted. An opportunity to meet many new people, primarily British and American, who share your love of art of all persuasions. You spend many a happy hour answering questions and building your knowledge of art, not just in your gallery but across the city. Part of you is wistful to study the subject in even greater depth than the books you borrow in copious quantities from the library where Eloise works.

You grow so close to Eloise so quickly that it’s as if you have known her your whole life. A sense of kinship, a near familial bond. You know, on some instinctive level, she will always be a part of your life somehow. Your evenings are often spent in lounge bars together—venues awash with art deco splendour as you listen to jazz through a cigarette haze and flirt aimlessly with a carousel of handsome men. Life seems so full of potential, a hum in your very being.

“What do you think the purpose of life is, y/n?” Eloise sighs as she flops onto your bed after returning from one such decadent night out.

“Aaaand we are done with the brandy…” you declare, taking the bottle of Martell cognac from her grip and placing it pointedly on the dresser, your high-handed point only mildly undermined by your own unsteady gait.

You collapse down next to her, the intricate ceiling rose around your light fixture swirling slightly before your very eyes.

“Love?” you hazard in answer to her question.

“Boo! Cliché!” she jeers, elbowing you good-naturedly.

“I don’t just mean romantic love,” you protest, “the love of family… friends…”

“Ah, yes, family. Endlessly large family. Don’t suppose you want an extra sibling or two, do you? I could be persuaded to let a couple go,” she squints comically.

“Depends… can I have the artist?” you jest.

“You have to stop staring at that painting; it's getting weird,” she opines with her typical bluntness, “and no, you can’t. You know he’s my favourite,” she pouts.

“I think he’s my favourite too,” you opine over a stifled yawn, any embarrassment about being called out for your unbridled admiration overridden by the sleepy state your comfortable bed lulls you into.

“If you end up being attracted to my brother, I will have to disown you, you know,” she pats your hand drowsily.

“Hmm, good thing he’s so far away…” you trail off with a lazy giggle, eyes drooping heavily.

It’s the last words you exchange before you both fall asleep on your bed.

–

Perhaps, as with all things that are too good, the idyll is temporary. It's the news you wake up to that following morning, September 4th, which throws everything into uncertainty. Solène knocks on your door early with an uncharacteristically sombre expression, wordlessly handing you the morning paper and flicking on the wireless on your mantelpiece, the fine lines on her face deeper etched, furrowed with worry.

‘La Guerre!’ the headline screams from the newspaper. And the voice on the airwaves, your ear more attuned to the language now, details how Britain and France have jointly declared war against Germany for their invasion of Poland a few days prior.

At the sound of the radio, Eloise emerges from your room, blinking and hair asunder, a little delicate from your previous night's revelry. You sip coffee at a loss for what to think or do. It’s an odd cognitive dissonance when life at once seems identical but also changed by an invisible shape - an undercurrent of fear, of the unknown, a punch to the pit of your stomach that you don’t know how to acknowledge - even as you go through the motions of your daily routine and head to work.

By the evening you are more phlegmatic about the situation. Your spirit dampened, yes, but not crushed. You feel an immense sense of privilege that conflict is not yet at your doorstep, but equally knowing being in the capital city of a nation that just declared war against a neighbouring country is not exactly safe.

You and Eloise splash out on dinner at an upscale brassiere that night, one you have both passed and commented you’d love to dine in some time. Both of you seized by the unspoken “what if”, the previous reluctance to treat yourselves entirely absent.

Talk on all the tables around you as you dine - on heavenly butter-soft steak - is about the war. What it could mean for Paris, fear of another major European conflict so soon after the last, the economic concerns - the bite of the early 30s depression just relinquishing its hostile grip on the somewhat bruised denizens.

Afterwards, you wander the cobbled streets back to your apartment, arms looped, bellies full, occasionally staring up at the starry night sky in mostly contemplative, sober silence. It’s a beautiful evening, but something in the warm breeze feels melancholic.

When you open the door to your building, Solène is waiting, rocking on her heels.

“Eloise, a telegram has come for you!” she announces, shoving a piece of paper into her hand. “And a telephone call from England earlier,” she adds, gesturing to the black rotary phone outside her place—the only one in the building.

Eloise gives you a brief glance and then opens the message. You watch her eyes ping across the text before her shoulders slump.

“My mother,” she sighs in explanation, “it appears she is summoning me back home.”

“What?!” the selfish reflex of not wanting to be left alone is the first thing flaring in you.

“It’s not fair!” she whines in a flash of child-like defiance before continuing in a more subdued tone. “She is sending my brother to come get me. She doesn’t specify which, but seeing as Anthony is a Lieutenant General in the Army and has likely been called to Churchill’s side, I'm presuming Benedict,” Eloise surmises.

Your thoughts instantly fly to that painting hanging in your apartment upstairs. A strange flutter under your ribs at the idea you could be about to meet its creator. Quickly followed by a wash of guilt that you could even focus on such a frivolous thing.

“What will I do without you?’’ You fret aloud, grasping her arm tighter.

“There was a call for you too, y/n,” Solène pipes up. “Your father wants you to exchange your return ticket for a sailing home as soon as possible,” she relays.

“But.. I just got here!” your lament as defiant as Eloise’s. A frustrating sense you are losing a fleeting opportunity you already hold so precious - like a new toy being ripped from the meaty fist of a truculent toddler.

“Mes amis, what can I say?” that trademark Gallic shrug seizing Solène’s shoulders. “While Paris is safe for now, we do not know how much longer that will hold true… it is likely best you return home. Perhaps this will be over in weeks, and you can return?”

You know your parents have paid your rent upfront for a whole year, likely similar for Eloise, your landlady not impacted financially by your leaving, merely a wish for you to enjoy your Parisian adventures.

As you unlock the door to your apartment and wander in, both of you sigh; the illumination from the Eiffel Tower that refracts upon your window pane just adds to your melancholia, a sight that before had never failed to warm your heart.

“When will your brother get here?” your inflection dull.

“Tomorrow, most likely. It only takes a couple of hours to cross the Channel, and as you know, the train ride from the coast is just a few more. I expect he’ll be waiting for me right here when I return from work,” her tone is just as flat as yours.

You want to ask if she will pack tonight, but you stop yourself, seeing the flame that usually burns so bright behind her blue eyes dimmed. Wordlessly, you draw closer and pull her into a firm hug.

“I will miss you like a sister,” she whispers into your hair, returning the embrace just as fiercely, “maybe moreso.”

You nod and band your arms tighter briefly before letting go, bone-deep exhaustion overtaking anything else you see in her mirrored stance.

The last thing that captures your eye as Eloise turns to her room is that painting of her childhood home and, strangely, how it feels closer now than ever before.

Benedict taglist: @foreverlonginguniverse @aintnuthinbutahounddog @severewobblerlightdragon @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @nikaprincessofkattegat @baebee35 @crowleysqueenofhell @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @broooookiecrisp @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84 @benedictspaintbrush @miindfucked @sorryallonsy @cayt0123 @hottytoddyhistory @truly-dionysus @fictionalmenloversblog @zinzysstuff @malpalgalz @panhoeofmanyfandoms @kinokomoonshine @causeimissu @delehosies @m-rae23 @last-sheep @kmc1989 @desert-fern @starkeylover @corpseoftrees-queen @magical-spit @bunnyweasley23 @how-many-stars-in-the-sky @amygdtjhddzvb @sya-skies @balladynaaa

#benedict bridgerton fanfiction #benedict bridgerton #benedict bridgerton imagine #bridgerton fanfiction #bridgerton #bridgerton imagine #benedict bridgerton x reader #benedict bridgerton x female reader #benedict bridgerton x you #benedict bridgerton x y/n #bridgerton x reader #bridgerton x female reader #bridgerton x you #bridgerton x y/n

199 notes · View notes

yynumaki · 8 months

Text

Happy Ever After

Sum: After you got horribly injured on a mission with a loose special grade curse, Geto reaches his breaking point

Tw: Angst

(idk if I should make a part 2 with the happy ending)

He was doing so well. Everything was starting to turn back to what it was back then; that was before the incident.

After the whole vessel thing, Geto wasn't the same as he was before; and not long after that incident with Toji, Haibaras life was taken from a mission him and Nanami went on. Depression was clawing its way inside of him, slowly destroying his faith in humanity day after day.

Thankfully though, you were there for him trying to be bright enough to guide him out of the darkness that was slowly consuming his mind.

You were his anchor, the only thing left that he was holding onto, hoping to pull him up and out of the darkness of the abyss that he'd fallen into.

"Its alright, its alright" you hushed, "I'm right here, just breath.."

He had another nightmare, another one where it wasn't only Haibara and Riko who passed, but everyone he holds dear to his heart. The image of a bloodied Gojo, Shoko, Nanami and Yaga was all running through his mind, though the worst part of it— was you.

A few moments before opening his eyes, his incubus was already right infront of him. Your eyes were lifeless as he stared through them, body covered in a sticky mess of your own blood, your skin slowly getting paler and paler as you lost more of it.

"I lost you" he whispered with a shaky breath, "Y— you were...."

His eyes were blood red from crying in his sleep, breathing heavy and body shaking.

"Im right here Suguru" you whispered trying to calm him as you cradled the broken man, "I'm right here next to you"

Feeling your warmth, he calmed. He closed his eyes and held you tighter, almost suffocating, but you didnt seem to care, knowing that he needed to know that you don't plan on going anywhere any time soon.

Months after that, everything was shattered. Every progress, every effort, as well as every last bit of hope he had left in humanity slipped right through him.

For as long as it took for him to progress, you were there. You were picking up the broken pieces and putting them all together one by one; it didn't matter if it cut you one too many times, you still stayed, and you still kept on going, not giving up on the man you truly loved, and he couldn't be more thankful.

He cherishes the moments he had with you, he held onto them and considered them as treasure more valuable than any amount of gold or gems, he couldn't think of any other reality where he hadn't met you, he didn't even want to think of that.

Instead, you both have already pictured your life together. On a small but comfortable home in the province where there were only minimal curses, barely even any, raising a child or two, and having a peaceful and normal life away from the jujutsu world when the time was right.

You both even convinced yourselves that you would be able to drag Shoko and Satoru along with you, considering that Shoko could easily work as a doctor with her technique, and well, Geto was sure that he'd be able to bribe Satoru with a few sweets and praises.

Geto said that maybe he could work as a detective someday since it seemed pretty interesting to him, and honestly, imagining that, you couldn't think of anything else to better fit him.

But since you both were still so young, and still lacked a bit of financial support, you promised eachother to keep on going with your position of employment until the time was right, and Geto had no problem in waiting since he knew he already found the right person.

When Shoko was suddenly called when the both of them had the day to themselves, something felt off with Geto. He had this deep feeling in his stomach that something was wrong, and he couldn't shake the fact that, that something could have involved you.

It was unusual since Shoko has Satoru's number muted except for the one for actual life or death emergencies which, surprisingly Gojo only uses for actual emergencies knowing the stakes in the jujutsu world, and Nanami only ever texts, preferring it to a call though barely even does so, so Yaga was the first one that came to mind when he saw Shoko answering the call with furrowed brows.

He knew you were about to come back from a mission today. He thought that it was something that he shouldn't have worried about since you've already requested Yaga to only put you through low grade curses, something you could handle with a blink of an eye to be able to ease Geto since he wasn't fully healed yet mentally.

He was the one who asked Shoko to accompany him to buy a gift for you; when asked what was the occasion by his short haired friend, he simply said that he didn't need a reason to treat you nothing less of a queen.

Upon paying for a bouquet of jasmines and tulips, as well as some spicy noodles you oh so loved, Shoko received the call.

With one look from Shoko, he knew.

He had never ran so fast in his life with one hand pulling his friend out the door of the shop. Geto quickly conjured up a curse to be able to get to the school as fast as possible.

When he entered the building where injured sorceres were usually brought to, he finally saw you; and when he did, he felt his worst nightmare come to a horrid reality.

Your uniform was much darker color, seeing that it was covered in your blood, eyes closed, and face scratched and bruised everywhere.

He hadn't even realised that he started screaming, calling for you. He didn't realise that Gojo already appeared behind him, and was told to pull him out of the room by Yaga for Shoko to be able to help you.

His ears started ringing, not understanding that Yaga was explaining to him how a special grade curse suddenly appeared there. He didn't care.

That was his breaking point.

Now he stood a few feet away from your crying and shaking form, you were on your knees, quietly begging for him to comeback to you knowing that he was still able to hear your words, the moon illuminating his form slowly walking away.

He informed you that he was leaving for good with a letter, which caused you to run to him before it was too late, without you knowing that it already was.

There was no point in begging anymore. It all fell out of his ears anyway, because in his mind, hes making this world safer for you, hes trying to secure the future you planned together, he was trying to protect you.

"One day my love" he said while walking away, "When we rid of these horrid monkeys, I'll come back to you, and we shall live the life we always dreamt about"

"You and I shall soon have our 'happy ever after'"

#geto suguru x reader #geto x reader #getou suguru x reader #geto suguru #jjk geto #jujutsu geto #geto angst #suguru x reader #jjk suguru #jujutsu kaisen suguru #suguru x you #suguru x y/n #geto x you #geto x y/n #geto x oc

241 notes · View notes

cellythefloshie · 1 year

Text

;; Daddy Dunn

Summary: You, Dunn's fiance, travel with Vince to Lindsay, Ontario to celebrate the St Louis' 2019 Stanley Cup victory. It is in his hometown, after seeing Dunn's sweet interaction with children that - after years of thinking you would never have kids - you decide you want to have a baby. After telling Dunn, he assures that the two of you take a night to sleep on it, but not without a little practice.

Set in the summer of 2019.

Kinks & TW: Breeding/Desire to Become Pregnant, Oral Contraceptives, Unprotected Sex, Vince likes to Moan, Have to Stay Quiet, Hand Around Throat - Not Quite Choking, Hand Over Mouth, Woman on Top, Sundress Sex.

Notes: Apparently Vince had 4-5 surgeries during this off-season after sustaining a broken jaw in the series against SJS. This is touched on very briefly but nothing in detail.

Inspired By: This video and this anon.

Word Count: 2448

Taglist: @mp0625 @starshine-hockey-girl

For as long as you could remember you hadn’t wanted kids. Whether it be the responsibility that came with having a child or the pregnancy itself that scared you away from the idea of being a mother, it was something you have been comfortable with accepting. You would be the cool, wealthy, aunt that spoiled your nieces and nephews but that all changed in a single moment and it was all thanks to Vince.

It was summertime, which often meant a relaxing postseason, but this off-season was different since St Louis had won the cup. Since Sanford scored the 4th goal in game seven, your life had been a whirlwind of festivities but it was all meant to wind down after Vince’s day with the cup. You had travelled with him all the way to Lindsay, Ontario, his hometown, and quickly faded into the background of the festivities. You followed him in his parade in the quaint community.

With the population less than a tenth of St Louis, it almost left you feeling lost, but the crowds that flocked to Lindsay were far from underwhelming. Blues fans travelled from all across the Province - and even the country - for their opportunity to see Vince and Cup. You watched them all, the young and the old flock to him. Their hockey hero, the pride and joy of an entire community, had brought Lord Stanley home to them.

He was met with smiles, with fondness, and some were even brought to tears. They had known him since he was a boy, and now he was a man. A humble man who had not forgotten his roots, and who spent his time with every single one of them who had come to celebrate his success with him.

While it all had warmed your heart, there was one moment that left your heart fluttering and seemed to alter your brain chemistry in all of a single second. A woman that you hadn’t had the opportunity to meet yourself since you were watching the day unfold from the sidelines had brought her 8-month-old to meet with Vince and the cup. And while you would have admitted that the baby was cute, you didn’t fully appreciate the sight in front of you until Vince had taken the baby in his arms. He was kind, and sweet with zero hesitation or fear when it came to cradling such a young, sweet child. It was that moment that changed it all.

Seeing him with the child in his arms. Hearing the soft voice he used and the ease at which he handled the child as they grew finicky as they sat in the Stanley Cup had ignited something deep inside you. You wanted a baby.

It was something that weighed heavily over you the rest of the day. It left you fidgeting at the dinner table, your fingers twisting the delicate engagement ring on your finger. Vince had only proposed over the holiday season and you weren’t set to wed until the next summer, which should have been enough to have you biting your tongue - but the moment you had him alone in his childhood bedroom that had been given a bit of a facelift to be more suited for guests, you couldn’t hold yourself back from him.

The moment the bedroom door had been shut behind you, your hands had found Vince’s chest. He was still wearing the same polo shirt, black with a thin white detail along his collar and sleeves, and you wanted it off of him. Fingers dragged down the buttons of his polo drawing his gaze down, and soon you were subject to a slack-jawed breath and his bedroom eyes. Your name left his lips in a slow hum. A hum that was laced with the little restraint he could muster. Before your trip, the two of you had agreed to not have sex if there was a chance his parents could overhear. Yet, you were undressing him with the very risk of his parents hearing everything from the next room.

“I’ll be quiet, promise,” you whispered up at him, your lips curling into a faint smile that coaxed one up onto his own lips.

“But I don’t have anything-”

You almost laughed as you pulled his shirt up and over his head and tossed it aside. You watched as your gleeful expression perplexed him. You had always insisted on using a condom, until now. “I don’t want to use one,” you told him in a soft whisper, your hands finding your bare chest to push him back towards the bed.

Once you had him seated, the skirts of your sundress pulled up just enough for you to straddle his lap, you spoke again, “and, with your permission, I want to stop taking the pill.”

His face softened at your words, his full lips parting with a heavy breath. His hands quickly settled on your hips, caressing over your soft silhouette slowly as he spoke your name, “Are you sure? I mean, I’m not saying no - I just - you’ve - this is a big surprise.”

“I know, I know,” you sighed, your hands coming to rest on the strength of his shoulders, “but seeing you with all the kids today,” you looked away as you felt your heart begin to race in your chest, “and seeing how you were with the baby…”

Vince wore a cocky smile as he lay back against the bed, his arms reaching up to stretch out and flex the toned muscles of his body before they came to rest behind his head. “Oh, you liked that, huh?” he raised a brow, his words coy before he let his tongue run over his bottom lip slowly, “Daddy Dunn,” he said the words as if to taste how they would feel in his mouth, and they left him grinning ever wider when he saw the reaction it got out of you.

Your skin had flushed with color, your jaw slacking for a moment before you found your composure and gave him a playful shove. “Stunner, don’t,” You had tried to be firm, but your words were laced with a nervous laugh, “don’t tease me like that and make me regret telling you.”

“Hey, hey,” Vince hummed and reached out a single hand to stroke over your cheek slowly. He used the touch to draw you in. He greeted your lips with a soft and gentle kiss before he eased back just enough to mutter out to you; “no teasing,” his hand reached up to brush your hair back gently, “but I do want you to sleep on it. You took your pill this morning, yeah?”

“Yeah,” you breathed out gently before biting down on your lower lip.

“Good girl,” he hummed, his head shaking slightly as his thumb dragged down over your jaw to coax your lip from the bite of your teeth. He stroked it carefully with the pad of his thumb when he spoke again, “In the morning, if you feel the same way we’ll throw them away, but until then I don’t see there being anything wrong with a little practice.”

Your head cocked to the side, your lips speaking into the touch of his thumb, “Practice?”

Vince let out a hum of confirmation as he leaned in, cast his thumb aside and placed a lingering kiss against your lips. It was slow and careful, a little cautious even as both were mindful of the tenderness that still lingered after his jaw had been broken during the playoff run. If anything, it forced the two of you to slow things down. Desperate hungry fucks, became tender, deliberate touches - and that didn’t change with the proposition of starting a family.

His touch was gentle as a single hand brushed down the length of your body. It caressed over every curve as it sought out the bottom hem of your sundress. He pushed up the skirt of your dress slowly, his hand coasting over the flesh of your thigh as he let out a groan, “I’ve been wanting to fuck you in this dress all day.”

“Oh, have you?” you raised a brow at him, your breath heavy as you pressed back into his touch.

“All fucking day,” he reiterated with a groan as his hand found the waist of your panties and hooked onto them with a single finger before drawing them down the length of your legs. With every inch it travelled, you could feel your own arousal as it became a cool trail down the inside of your leg. When he pulled the panties from your legs, Vince balled them up in his hand, feeling the arousal that had pooled there, “you thinking about me too, Princess?”

You nodded slowly, your hands dragging down the length of his chest only to come to rest at the waist of his dark denim jeans. Fingers toyed with the thin hair of his treasure trail as you smiled down at Vince, who smiled in return, as he waited for you to indulge him in the fantasies in your mind.

“Thinking about you,” you spoke slowly, your hands pulling the button free before toying with the zipper of his fly, “your cock…” you trailed off slowly, hesitant on letting the next words fall from your lips, “and your cum.”

His eyes ignited as he lifted his hips for you to rid him of his pants and his boxers with ease before returning to your lace in his lap. “Tell me about it, Princess.”

You spoke slowly as you took his cock in your hand. You stroked him slowly as you spoke, your words soft and just above a whisper, “I was thinking about your cock,” you licked your lips slowly as he twitched his cock in the hold of your hands, “and how it would spread my desperate cunt, and fuck me. You always fuck me so good baby, but to feel you, to really feel you,” you let out an exasperated breath, “and how you would fill me up. Leave me dripping-”

“You want a baby, Princess. All you’ll be feeling inside you until your round with my baby is my cum,” Vince grinned up at you, his cock hard in your hand, “and we can start right now. You nice and wet for me, Princess?”

And you were. You had been all day.

Lifting up the skirt of your dress, you guided him to your slick core. You dragged the head of his cock along your entrance, your stomach jumping up into your throat as you felt him. You could feel every bit of him. From the head of his cock leading away to the thick vein along the underside of his cock. You quivered at the feeling, and at the realization that you were working him so deep inside you with nothing but the oral contraceptive you had taken that morning to keep him from getting you pregnant.

You weren’t the only one who relished in it as you began to ride him, the pleasure coaxing a satisfied hum from his lips, “Ah fuck.”

There was nothing more you liked than Vince getting vocal with you, but with his parents sleeping down the hall, it was the last thing you needed them overhearing.

“Vinny,” you sighed to him in a low whisper as your cunt flexed around his cock, “you’ve gotta be quiet-” Your cautions were lost on him as his head lulled back into the bed with his lips parted. He was on the verge of ecstasy, and there would be no holding him back from letting the entire household know how good you rode his cock - that was unless you intervened.

Your hands left the strength of his chest and slid up over his shoulders until one hand settled carefully around his throat. You gasped at it, anchoring yourself to him before your left hand came to rest over his mouth so that he could feel the warmth of your engagement ring against his flesh and every single attempt at a moan would be muffled by your palm.

It was enough to silence him, but his pleasure wasn’t lost on you. You could feel it in the throbbing of his cock inside your walls, and it could be seen in the emotion in his eyes. They had always betrayed him, even now as they threatened to roll back in ecstasy but instead, he held your gaze as you continued to ride him. With each role of your hips, you took him into your cunt, feeling all of him from the tip of his cock buried deep inside you to his balls as they smacked up against your flesh and you didn’t stop - not until Vince had let his hands slide free from where they rest behind his head to grip at your hips. With his heels pressed down firmly into the mattress and your hand still firm over his mouth Vince plowed into you in a series of forceful thrusts that left your cunt and legs weak.

Then, on the final thrust, you felt him. All of him. Every inch of his cock, and every drop of his cum as it consumed your core. It heated the blossomed through you, rendering your body still with the very exception of your walls that vice gripped him with your own pleasure. Your hands eased from his mouth and his neck, easing down onto a mattress as your lips parted in a ghost of a moan.

“You like that, Princess?” Vince whispered against the shell of your ear as your body collapsed down on top of the strength of his body. You could only manage a feeble nod in return, “Good, you’ll be feeling me well into the morning after that one.”

The thought painted a soft smile across your features, one that was met with the exhaustion of the day and the fall of your pleasure. It left your eyes heavy, and your body calm as Vince eased out of you and moved your carefully to rest against the pillows. It was there, still in your sundress and with his cum coating the inside of your thighs, that sleep took you quickly, quicker than it had ever before.

Come morning you moved straight for your bag and took your pills into your hand. You held them in against your palm for a moment, hearing their soft rattle in the packaging before you gripped them firmly in your hand. Taking a steady, confident breath, you walked across the room and straight to the trash bin. You showed no hesitation as you opened your hand and let them fall.

#vince dunn #nhl rpf #nhl imagine #hockey rpf #hockey smut #nhl smut #rpf #hockey imagines #vince dunn fanfic

770 notes · View notes

allthecanadianpolitics · 10 months

Text

Canada surpassed the record for area burned by wildfires in a single year Monday as hundreds of fires continued to blaze in almost every province and territory.

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported Monday afternoon that 76,129 square kilometres of forest and other land has burned since Jan. 1. That exceeds the previous record set in 1989 of 75,596 square kilometres, according to the National Forestry Database.

Last week federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said he wasn’t "looking to break any records" but acknowledged it was likely coming. "Unfortunately the fire season this year started earlier and has been more widespread across the country than in recent memory," he said.

It took less than six months to surpass the previous record for an entire year. And in 1989, more than 11,000 different fires combined to create the total, with an average size of about seven square kilometres. This year, there have been less than 3,000 fires so far, but they have averaged about 26 square kilometres in size. [...]

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

#cdnpol #fires tw #natural disasters #climate change #environment

375 notes · View notes

tim-shii · 1 year

Text

the stakes are high, the water's rough.

pairing: nagi seishiro x reader

tags: office au, office worker!nagi, he is not a football player in this, established relationship, fluff, introvert office worker nagi my beloved 😓

a/n: i love love love the ours mv by taylor swift so i was like ykw why not nagi office worker ,, makes u wonder what would happen if nagi didnt play football and became a pro hmm HAHHAHA my irls also helped w what do people even do in an office so ty to them theyre the best 🫶 enjoy this mwa also thank u nie babe (@fuyuluvr) for beta reading may kith ka sakin 😚

the morning air is definitely not good for the lungs. in a busy city, long gone were the fresh and cool winds of the province. instead, fog and vehicle smoke fill the atmosphere, smothering people on their way to work.

what a dull world to live in, nagi thinks. making his way towards the elevator after mindlessly showing his identification card to the probably half asleep desk attendant and high-fiving the friendly janitor who never fails to greet him every morning.

ding! as the doors slid open, nagi could feel himself melting to the ground. it’s 7:54 am, office hours start at seven. he’s late but so what? it’s not like his boss cares enough for attendance. because of this, he gets an extra 10 minutes to sleep in. so why? why is the elevator so full of people that he has to squish his 190 cm build who’s carrying a briefcase? sighing dejectedly, nagi thinks he should’ve just taken the stairs.

it was silent. other than the constant whirs of the elevator going up, no one dares speak a word. it makes nagi cringe, to be honest. he feels like he’s in a room with a bunch of npc’s just trying to do their role. as soon as the lift stops at the thirteenth floor, nagi is pushed left and right as his fellow employees rush to their desks.

nagi walks over to his desk sluggishly. each step just adds to his growing boredom. the office is still the same as ever. the coffee that toppled over yesterday is still left unclean and the corner plant who has seen better days.

dragging his feet to his assigned cubicle, nagi sat down with a huff. looking around, he notices mr. takahashi, his senior who has worked here for more than ten years, standing in front of the water dispenser just staring into space. yep. this will be a long seven hours.

throughout the day, nagi felt nothing but exhaustion and endless boredom. his boss was nowhere to be found, as usual. he went to three different printers in the office and not a single one of them worked. he couldn't even concentrate on the report he was working on because the beeping from his co-worker's game almost made him pull out his own console and neglect his duty. during lunch, two people whose names nagi didn't even care to know about kept snickering while looking back at him eating his melon bread. how bothersome, indeed.

as soon as the clock strikes four, nagi wasted no time in tidying up his things. rushing towards the exit, nagi even ditches the elevator and ran down the stairs instead, he high fived the janitor for the second time of the day.

while on the bus, nagi decided to play games to pass time. taking in his homescreen wallpaper. a picture of you two at a park, his arms around you from behind, his cheek squished against your own. you beaming at the camera and him having the most miniscule smile ever known to man.

two years ago, you got an offer to study abroad in an exchange student program. at first, you refused, not wanting to leave nagi behind and came along were the doubts if you're even gonna survive in a foreign place all on your own. but nagi talked to you about it and urged you to just go, he'll be fine. he was not fine. during the first week, nagi couldn't sleep. he felt homesick in his own home. at some point, he's even thankful his job is everyday and keeps him away from home, nagi can't believe he ever thought that.

and now, nagi's on his way to the airport. to pick you up. because finally, after two whole long torturous years, you're coming home. to him.

nagi waits at the doors, anxiously tapping his feet. looking ahead, his eyes met yours and all of a sudden, the world doesn't seem so dull anymore. he watches as you run towards him, dropping your baggage at your wake and throwing yourself at him. arms around his neck and legs around his waist, nagi holds you tightly as if he's afraid to let you go again. he pulls your face back, his palm feels warm on your cheek.

"hi, sei. did you miss me?" you whispered, oh so delicately. nagi didn't utter anything back, only staring at you. eyes wandering around your features, rememorizing the face he's only been seeing inside a tiny box for the last two years. nagi leans in slowly, taking your lips in his. he kisses you with longing and fervor.

"missed you. i missed you so much." you heard him mumble into the kiss. pulling back only to hide his face in your neck, nipping at the skin before putting you down.

"let's go home?" you ask him, hands cupping his face. he nods.

home. nagi thinks it's a nice word when you say it.

likes and reblogs are appreciated! masterlist

#blue lock x reader #blue lock #bllk x reader #bllk #blue lock imagines #bllk imagines #nagi seishiro x reader #nagi seishiro #nagi x reader #blue lock nagi #seishiro nagi #blue lock fluff #bllk fluff #tim writes.

446 notes · View notes

growinguparo · 4 months

Text

Thinking once again about the intersection of being aro / perpetually single and the Housing Issue. It is without a doubt the biggest issue I face as an aro person, particularly in fucking Canada.

In my province we have rent control on almost all rental units by default. Annual rent increases are capped at 2.5%, and though I have had landlords in the past try to break that law, they back down when you say "that's literally not legal lmao try again".

In my province we also have a type of lease called a group lease, where multiple people sign on as a group. This is the standard type of lease used in properties with more than one bedroom.

If one person wishes to remove themself from a group lease, that terminates the lease for all of the other tenants in the group. Therefore, in order to continue living in the unit they are already in and may have been in for years, the landlord can choose to force the remaining tenants to reapply, and upon signing a "new lease" they can increase the rent by however much they want. Forget 2.5%, they could double rent with no consequences and still get tenants because that's how desperate people are in Canada.

Seeing as that's fucking insane, I talked to multiple lawyers about it the last time this happened to me, and they all said yeah no, if someone wants to be removed from the lease then the landlord can choose to deny a takeover and force a new lease. You can prevent the issues that come with a new lease if everyone remains on the old lease even if they no longer live there, but that is rather precarious for everyone involved and also makes your landlord hate your guts.

Anytime a new lease is signed, landlords can increase by whatever they want, so renovictions are very common (I've been renovicted as well). With all these easy-to-access loopholes, "rent control" is a joke.

It is New Year's Day and I have received yet another email informing me that since one of my roommates decided to leave at the end of the lease period, our lease will be terminating and showings will begin next week. If any one of us wants to stay, we have to reapply at market rates with a replacement person already in the group ready to sign a new lease, or we have to all remain on the old lease.

I left my parents' home in 2016, and since then I have moved 15-17 times, depending what you count as a move, and lived in 12-13 different places. That's due to a bunch of forced circumstances, including co-op placements and illegal evictions, but many of those moves were because the roommates I was living with decided to move on with their lives, and I had no choice but to move as well.

When I tell people I've moved 15 times in 7 years, they are always shocked. I'm like, how have you NOT though? Having had this conversation many times, I start to ponder what makes me vulnerable to this type of exploitation, and what makes my friends able to avoid some of it.

#1. As a low-income disabled person, I am unable to afford "market rates". This means I'm always tryna get units that are below market rate, and those landlords are invariably very interested in removing their tenants to bring their busted-ass units up to market rate.

#2. I am SINGLE bro. No one is planning their life around living with me. Every time a roommate leaves, I get forced out too. I did have a long-term roommate for a couple years who bounced around 4 places with me, but eventually she moved city - as is her right - and I was forced out again.

Couples also have more options when it comes to affordable housing, particularly if they are willing to share a room. Sharing a room cuts your rent in half. It’s pretty rare to see just one person living in a 1bed because it’s just ludicrously expensive, but for couples it’s a decent option. During the searching stage as well, if you already have someone to live with it’s a lot easier to find places than if you also have to find new roommates (this part is especially brutal for me as a trans person). It is certainly still difficult for couples in the market, I know couples who have ended up homeless as well, but being alone makes you more vulnerable.

The housing crisis is a broad issue affecting literally everyone, but single people are one of the groups that is systematically disadvantaged, making it a significant issue for aros imo. It is the combination of being single and low-income that has made me so vulnerable to housing instability.

Edited with minor corrections

#yo sorry i remade this post cuz there was a bit of an error on it regarding the legality of evictions #hardly matters but i don't like spreading any misinformation #it's hard to evict but easy for the landlord to make your life hell for choosing to stay #and if the people who leave truly want to no longer be responsible for the unit then there is no choice the lease must be broken #which breaks it for all parties #insane #bonkers insane laws

103 notes · View notes

darkdevasofdestruction · 9 months

Text

My Most Cherished Friend - Lu Bu Fengxian x Reader

Life in the Wu Commandery was a tough one, especially for frail women, but the people of the village were united and kind, like the members of one big family, protective over their own, especially the younger generation - The children. Though, even the little ones had to grow up fast and pull their weight in any way they could, be it seaming clothes, carrying fire wood, help with the buildings and maybe hunting also.

Y/N had the privilege of being born in a happy, loving family, and though none were rich, they were content with each other and the kindness they spread around. There was one boy who wasn't as fortunate however, though Y/N couldn't understand why -

Lu Shang, the kindest man in the province, the protector of all children, had adopted a child born under the blood moon - A demon child, as they say. Y/N asked her parents why the village shuns a child, he did nothing wrong! Even the other children strayed away from him, in case they'd also get afflicted with his misfortunate curse.

"Papa, why are they so mean to Lu Bu?" Y/N asked one evening, during dinner. "He just wants to play. He always looks so sad." "Well, darling, what do you want to do?" her father smiled kindly. "I... I want to be his friend!" the two parents looked at each other proudly, before patting her hair. "Then do as you wish." Y/N looked up at her mum and dad before dashing out of their little hut, all the way to Lu Shang's home. She smiled widely at the two. "Do you two want to join us for dinner?" her brilliant smile full of tenderness and kindness shocked the young boy, but more than that, made the father throw his arms around the girl and hug her tightly, thanking her for being his child's only friend.

Y/N guided the two back to her cottage where the adults had a merry time, and the two children, well - Y/N tried to make conversation, hoping to ease Lu Bu into their fresh new friendship. Thankfully, by the end of the night, Y/N spotted the cutest, smallest smile on his face, and the faintest of blushes on his cheeks.

He is so cute.

Since then on, Y/N accepted the rejection of her other so-called friends, and the whole village, just to spend time in Lu Bu's company. Somehow, despite being so quiet and supposedly dangerous, he was a far better friend than any other one she had before.

Y/N would cook for the two men, and would tailor them clothes of all kinds - But what Y/N loved the most was to play with Lu Bu's gorgeous hair, though somehow, no matter how much she tried to brush it or braid it in all sorts of ways, it would break any tie, and would get spiked up like a porcupine or a hedgehog.

He really was so adorable.

Y/N was fawning over him shamelessly, complimenting him, kissing him, hugging him - Lu Bu almost felt the need to pull away from her, as she's behaving just like his father - But somehow, he also... Liked it?

"You have such beautiful eyes, Lu Bu! They always look so tender and kind - But also so sad and lonely." she would cup his face and kiss his forehead dearly. "I know I may never be able to erase your sadness, but I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will always be here for you, okay? You will always be my most precious and dearest friend." Lu Bu looked at her, his eyes gleaming with surprise and sparkles of hope. He offered a toothy grin and pulled the girl in a strong embrace. "My precious friend."

Every time Lu Bu would go out to hunt and get large game, he would share it with Y/N's family also, and every time he'd see her being bullied by the other kids, he would stand in front of her, defending her. He needn't actually do anything - They all feared his mere presence, let alone even try to confront him. Weaklings. They were all weaklings. How come a small and frail girl like Y/N can brave him, but grown up adults cannot? Ha. Ridiculous playthings.

Y/N continued being his best friend through all of his sadness and hardships, being his only friend and supporting him and his dad. Funny enough, their parents kept talking weird shit about marrying one day and what not - How strange, how peculiar. He didn't need any of that. Y/N was his precious person and he never wanted to part from her. He needn't some silly marriage pact to define their bond - They were inseparable, in life and death, and Y/N was going to protect her at the cost of his life - Though he doubts there's ever going to be anyone to best him in combat. He was born a warrior, will live as a warrior, and will die as the strongest warrior that China ever had and ever will.

Though the years passed, Y/N's misfortunes began to grow - Once, with the death of her mother, due to an unknown disease, and later on, with father's death, out of sheer grief. Y/N was all alone, refusing to exit her tent and crying the day and night out, starving to death.

"Where is Y/N? I haven't seen her in a few days." Lu Bu asked his father, who offered a sad smile. "I think she is in dire need of a friend." Lu Shang explained, patting his head. "What do you mean?" he asked, confused. "She lost both her mum and dad in a short amount of time. I bet she feels alone and scared right now." the father-figure watched the gears of his son's mind rotating. "But she's not alone - She has us, right?" the innocent boy answered quickly. "Sometimes, when stricken with grief, we tend to forget that. We just need a gentle reminder that we have someone out there, still caring for us, even if life feels heavy on our shoulders and we can't see the light of hope through the thick darkness."

Lu Bu was a little confused, but had a good idea on what to do. He rushed out of his tent and into the forest, where he got a bunch of pretty flowers and made a flower crown for Y/N. She always loved flowers, and liked braiding them in his hair - But he wasn't good at braiding her hair, so he settled for a pretty crown. Hopefully, she'll like it.

With afternoon coming quickly, Lu Bu ran into the silent tent of Y/N and watched as she kept herself into a little ball, continuing to weep even after a few days since her father's funeral. She was outright distraught.

"H-Hey, Y/N?" she hadn't answered. The boy stepped by her side, placing the crown on her head. "I-... Uh... I'm your friend!" he boldly declared as he wrapped his arms around the girl. "So, uh... So I want to see you smile again."

Y/N looked up at him - For Lu Bu, she was still so pretty, even with her face pale from her unhealthy habits, the dark bags under her eyes from lack of sleep, and the puffy pink face from excessive crying. She looked at him, deeply shocked that he did all this, just for her. Suddenly, the boy picked her up in his arms and ran outside, and to the flower field on the edge of a cliff. "You can put flowers in my hair if you want!" he declared with a large smile on his face. It seemed that such simple gestures brought some pink hues in her cheeks, and she even had the faintest smile.

They didn't really speak the entire time, instead, Y/N found comfort and peace simply from his presence next to her. Together, they watched the Sun go down, painting the sky in numerous gorgeous colours, before it got dark and the stars started twinkling. "Do you think they are up there? Sparkling brightly and watching over me?" Lu Bu looked at the girl, before looking up - A star was shining very brightly, right in front of them - He smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah, I think so. I think they are right there. Happy." he pointed at that star. Y/N smiled. "That's reassuring." she said as she threw her arm around his body. "Thank you. Friend." Lu Bu said no words - Instead, he mimicked a gesture she'd often do for him. He kissed her forehead.

When Fengxian was around nine years old, he experienced sickness - Or rather, his father's, and nothing that Y/N did, nor even the elder medics, could save him without the aid of expensive medicine that wasn't available within their district.

"All of this is the country magistrate, Li Tang's, fault!" Lu Bu heard Y/N's father mumble as he tried to care of Lu Shang. "It's become nothing but heavy tax and tributes since that fucker came." he growled lowly. "Did you hear that he wants young girls as tributes now? What if he wants our sweet Y/N next?" her mother was evidently in distress. "That fucker is ruling as if he's the king of the country. He doesn't even consider us humans. At this rate, he'll make us commit suicide. We have no choice but to leave these lands soon, if it continues this way." Lu Bu and Y/N remained by Lu Shang's side as he rested, never once moving, though the worries of the adults weren't ignored by him. "Don't worry, Fengxian." despite his delirious and weakened state, Lu Shang mustered the strength to ruffle his boy's hair. "If I get some sleep... I'll get better." they both knew he wouldn't. But that's a parent's duty, isn't it? To care for his children and their happiness?

That night, Lu Bu went to the magistrate's mansion to 'ask' for some medicine - Y/N knew he was going to get in trouble, so she followed stealthily behind him. She watched as he easily killed the guards and forced his way within the mansion, taking just about all the important medicine in a huge sack. Silly boy. With such a noticeable bounty, he was bound to get noticed.

Before she left, Y/N left a handmade jewellery, evidently a girly one, and left it at the crime scene, as evidence. The guards will surely blame her instead. As so it happened, though the massacre and destruction was far larger than she ever anticipated. Li Tang's guards burnt the village to the ground, captured Lu Shang and all the children while all the other adults had to watch as they cut off the man's entire arm. They were surrounded by the magistrate's army, but the only happiness Y/N and Lu Shang had was that Fengxian wasn't there - They didn't want him to get killed because of his kindness.

A tall man garben in regal armor and a sun-like mask walked in front of them, wearing a nasty grin. "I am the magistrate of the Han Empire. There is a child who committed robbery in my mansion, and apparently, she is a child of this village. Her name is Y/N." the disgusting man held up the tassel in his hand. "If the girl steps forward willingly, I may have a little mercy on these filthy slaves."

The elder of the village stepped forward and kowtowed to the ground, his forehead glued onto the ground. "Master Li Tang, we offer you the criminal Y/N without hesitation. These children don't deserve punishment for anything. I beg you... I beg you...! Please spare their lives!" the elder got stepped on harshly with the heel of his boot, getting kicked and hit by the flickering magistrate. "There's NOTHING you can say - Why I would need to punish some dirty nomads - I will give them a painful death, one that you all will find unforgettable! If you keep provoking me, I'll spill their filthy nomad blood everywhere!" "It was me." Y/N stepped forward, her head held high and with the dignity of an Empress. "You gave us no choice. We are people also, and have every right to live. If you are going to oppress us, then we must retort to crimes to survive." she spoke bravely, allowing the elder to return to his people. "I don't regret raiding your expensive house for medicine to save a worthy man." The magistrate looked down at the small girl, a sadistic grin twisting his face. "A little whore like you dares speak so bravely?" he took out a huge scissors-like weapon, and slashed at her, ripping at her clothes and slicing her skin. You could see blood pouring through the ripped material. "I will give you an easy death, if you kneel to the ground and lick my boots - Repeat this phrase - You will say - We, Nomads, are the whores of Li Tang, the county magistrate in Jiuyuan district of the Han Empire." he opened the blunt-edged scissors, taller than her, and pointed the tip to her nether regions. "I'm going to fuck you with it if you don't obey." "I will not soil the name of my people for a cruel imbecile like yourself!" Y/N pride was met with a demonic expression from the magistrate, who rose his arms up in the air. "Kill them all." he growled like a rabid dog as his army rose their bows up to aim.

Quickly, Y/N extended her arms to the side and stood tall in front of the kneeling Lu Shang, ready to protect him with her life. But death never came.

Instead, Lu Shang, with his remaining arm, grabbed Y/N by the back of her outfit and pulled her down to safety as he tanked all the many arrows, shielding the children of the village.

"Are all of you okay?" Lu Shang asked the children, barely standing up from the over twenty arrows stuck in his body. "No! Why did you do this?! I was supposed to protect you! When Fengxian finds out you died, he's going to be upset!" Y/N yelled at the man, sobbing as she fell to her knees in front of him. "Why...?" he smiled gently as he fell to the ground. "Protecting the smiles of children is the duty of an adult." "THEN WHO WILL PROTECT FENGXIAN'S SMILE?!" Y/N cried out at him, desperate and frustrated with him. "You."

A psychopathic laugh, followed by the magistrate grabbing Lu Shang by the hair, and pinning Y/N on the ground, strangling her with a single hand, sent terror through everyone's heart. "It's useless - Useless! From the very beginning, I decided to massacre all the nomads." "LET HIM GO, YOU SICK FUCK!" Y/N tried to claw at his hand and struggle away, only to get a punch in the diaphragm, knocking her breath away.

A sea of gasps and curses attracted the attention of the nomads, as Lu Bu appeared out of nowhere. "Fengxian..." Lu Shang felt tears in his eyes as his own child had to witness such a horrific sight. "FENGXIAN, RUN! HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU!" Y/N yelled at him - The Magistrate quickly realised the demon child wasn't important only to his father, but to this wench also. To taunt Lu Bu, Li Tang threw the father away before grabbing the little girl, his perverted hands crawling all over her skin, despite her futile struggling.

The poor child watched the decrepit state of his father - His arm cut off and still bleeding, his body torn apart by countless arrows buried deep inside his flesh. His only friend was bruised and bloody, her clothes ripped to shreds and body defiled in front of him. Lu Bu felt like crying from a myriad of emotions overwhelming him to the core. He was ready to rip everyone to shreds.

"Ahh, what a scary face! Lu Bu, was it? I was playing with your father and girlfriend because you were taking so long!" the whole army surrounded the feral child. "Kill him! It's your turn to be punished!" "REMOVE YOUR HAND!!!" Lu Bu screamed loudly, his voice echoing through the entire plains.

Everyone watched with awe and wonder as a mere child of nine massacred an entire army, weaponless, right in front of their eyes. Lu Bu Fengxian was truly a monster demon child. Seeing his useless soldiers getting killed, Li Tang threw the girl away and readied his famous weapon to kill the child - But it was futile. Lu Bu needn't a weapon to defeat trash. In a single punch, the magistrate was mauled. "You who brings misfortunes is a child of evil." were his last words before his head was kicked off his body.

With the fight over, Lu Bu watched as Y/N dragged his father to lean back on a tree, his arrows already taken off, but the bleeding was insane. Her outfit was ripped to shreds in a failed attempt to stop the bleeding - But with such injuries... Not even the Gods could save him.

"N-No... No, you can't! Can't we stop the bleeding in some way?!" the poor boy panicked wildly, only for his face to be cupped tenderly by the man's remaining hand. "Fengxian... Fengxian... S-Show me a good face... Please..." his father looked the boy in the eyes, encouraging him to go search far and wide for the man whose strength will rival his - A man he would be able to call a friend. "Just don't forget... Myself and Y/N will always be with you. You are not alone." Lu Shang touched his forehead to that of his child. "Y-Yes... Yes... I-I understand...D-Dad..." it was the first time Lu Shang got called 'dad' by his child. He was the happiest he's ever been in his life. "It's the first time... You've called me that. Haha... I am the luckiest man..." he smiled gently. "Fengxian. You are my proudest treasure." he died in his child's embrace, with an accomplished smile on his face.

It was the first and only time when Lu Bu would wail to the skies, his heart broken irreversibly from grief and mourning - A cry resounding through heavens, as if it were coming from a dragon.

Throughout the day, Lu Bu wailed, and as the Sun began to set, he had to bury his father. "Fengxian..." Y/N held him the whole day, hoping to ease his pain in some way, though she was well aware that there was nothing to mend a shattered heart.

Everyone mourned, but Lu Bu was the most stricken with grief - He wore his black outfit, unable to look away from the grave. Behind him, he heard the villagers mention a future attack of retaliation from the empire, and how they needed to start fighting. They asked for guidance from Lu Bu, to teach them how to fight like him.

Instead, the boy ate away his own mourning and whistled for his mount, a large warg, jumping on it. "I don't need weaklings. I will devour all the troops." he said, his determination infinite. He was going to find that friend his father spoke of. "Afterwards, I will go west. If the Han army comes, pass that on to them." "Fengxian, wait!" Y/N ran to him, looking up into his empty eyes. "I don't want to lose you." He gave a small smile, offering his hand to her. "Come with me, then." he said. Y/N grinned, not hesitating as she slapped her hand over his own, letting him drag her up on his mount, right in front of him as to not fall over from the speed. "I will follow you to the ends of the world, Fengxian. In life, or in death. How's that sound?" "Sounds fun." he smirked.

Following that, believing in the words of his father, the boy continued to travel decisively, all to find someone worth his time.

Years passed, and Lu Bu never knew the taste of defeat. Him and Y/N would grow together, with him protecting her from anything that might threaten her, whilst Y/N would take care of him - Only he knew, he never did bother changing his clothes, cooking anything tasty or caring for his hair. He was a man, after all. A traveler, a warrior - Why should he care about trivial things? That's how women are, always worrying over little things - Though he couldn't deny, he was enjoying her care over him, to the point that he was purposely getting himself in situations to earn her spoiling treatment, like a sly little cat seeking affection.

He relished in her sweet kisses, loving the feel of her lips all over his face - The most beautiful woman in China was his best friend, his companion, his lover, his family, his most trusted and cherished person. Y/N was his everything. She was the only being he ever loved - And through that, he allowed her to abuse his love for her - Whenever she wanted to kiss, he would kiss her. Whenever he wanted his embrace, he would let her sleep cuddle in his arms. Whenever she wanted his love, he would give it.

For as long as this life keeps him, he will seek strong men to fight, a friend to understand him, and keep Y/N happy.

One day, in Luoyang, they brought one of the Three Jewels of China, the strongest horse to ever exist - Red Hare - The most sinister horse in history, that could run 500 km in one single day. A horse that was never ridden before.

Y/N tugged on Lu Bu's hand as he was munching on a carrot, as she excitedly wanted to see the fierce mount. Without any fear, she walked ignorantly past all the screaming people, and the mangled merchant, and stepped in front of the horse. "Hello, beautiful!" she smiled sweetly, raising her hand up to caress his snout. "You truly are China's most treasured jewel. Red Hare. You are fantastic." the woman's gentle compassion seemed to calm the steed's ferocious hostility. "I have brought you a friend. I am sure you will get along well."

In that moment, human caught the attention of the monstrous horse - It instantly turned to the human because of his odor, the smell of someone strong. "Wanna go?" Lu Bu smirked as he challenged the horse to a race. For the first time in a million years, mankind witnessed a race between a horse and a human. "I'll wait you here, darling!" Y/N cheerfully waved to her childish darling as she went to have her meal at some restaurant.

The man and the horse just kept running as far as they could, until they ran into the merchant and his army who arrowed the animal down - Still, he wasn't about to fall down so easily, and he trampled over the evil man a second time to continue his race, followed by Lu Bu who slapped the man dead to get out of his way.

Fengxian watched with sad eyes as the animal was unable to keep standing anymore. "You can't run anymore, Red Hare?" he picked the large steed on his back, walking him back home, for Y/N to treat. "Let's go home together. Y/N's gonna get worried if we don't return for dinner." seeing the human walking, carrying him on his back; with his body completely exhausted, Red Hare observed his own defeat. "Hey. Can I ride you till your death?" and so, he got his war partner, running together for life. Red Hare's back is made for Lu Bu Fengxian.

Over the course of time, Lu Bu would kill all the people standing in his way, claiming the title of the Strongest Man in China - He destroyed Dong Zhou,and the Seven Grails of Uruk who protected him, and massacred so many who dared attempt to cross him at Hulao Pass, only for Sun Jian Wentai to defeat him by forcing him to cross the self-imposed line he made in the sand.

And so, Lu Bu had found an admirer who looked very similar to his father - And they continued to fight together throughout his life. He simply asked for a friend who could understand him.

The God of War, the Strongest Man in China, the Raging Dragon, the Flying General Lu Bu Fengxian was entirely undefeated.

His greatest distress of all times. Eventually, nothing would stand before him any longer, and in exchange, the number of those following him gradually increased - And so, after 30 years of life, Lu Bu had come to his journey's end; In that moment he realised that under all heavens, there was no longer anything stronger than he.

"I'm done with life." Lu Bu told Y/N one night as they sat by the edge of a cliff. "I can't take it any longer. Disappointment after disappointment. There is no one left to fight. I have reached the pinnacle of strength." "Then, you wish for death in hopes of finding a worthy foe amongst the Gods?" Y/N hummed, looking up at the stars. "Yes. I will let Cao Cao capture me." he spoke bluntly. "Will you let me follow you?" Lu Bu looked down at the calm woman dangling her feet from the edge. "I haven't forgotten your promise to me - But you are still young. Are you sure you wish to forsake your life, just to be with me in heavens?" his voice was as gruff as always. Y/N looked up at him with a sweet smile. "Of course. What's the meaning of life without the one you cherish?" Fengxian let out an amused huff. "I have a single request from you, though." "What is it?" "I want you to be the one to take my life and deliver me into the next." Lu Bu rose a questioning eyebrow. "I don't want to end up as Cao Cao's slave or plaything. They won't just kill me. That's the life of a woman. So - Will you offer me this kindness? Will you let me wait for you in the skies? I promise I'll tell Lu Shang you've been a good boy." she giggled sweetly. The man huffed, looking up at the sky with a smile. "I won't let you wait too long. Take care of Red Hare until I come." "Of course I will."

Fengxian got up to leave for a few minutes, only to return with a beautiful flower crown, which he placed on her head. "As beautiful as always." he knelt down in front of her, pulling her into a strong embrace. "Forgive me, Y/N. For everything." he whispered in her ear. "There is nothing to forgive, Fengxian." her sweet voice shattered his heart. "I love you, Fengxian." "I love you, Y/N."

Lu Bu pulled her into a deep kiss, keeping her mind away as he drove the dagger into her heart, and he deepened the bittersweet kiss tainted by the metallic taste of blood as she died in his arms with a smile on her face. Just like his dad. "Wait for me, Y/N. I'll be there soon." he cried once again, for the second time in his life, as he buried his dearest friend at the base of a flowering magnolia tree.

Thus, Lu Bu allowed himself to get captures, and as he looked at the noose, he yawned loudly. "Oi, just hurry up and end it, will ya? What's takin' so long? You're borin' me to death here. Y/N's waiting for me."

As promised, Y/N was there, waiting for Lu Bu to come to her, followed by Gong Chen and his faithful army. For a while, the afterlife was an eternal peace - A boring one - Until a woman called Brunhilde came over with a most exciting proposal - Fight a God, for the sake of humanity. Of course, Fengxian couldn't care less about mankind's fate - He cared to fight a most fearsome opponent like he experienced nowhere else on earth.

And thus, he became the first human to fight the Mighty Thor, using the spear made from a Valkyrie's body and soul morphing into the soulbound weapon.

For the first time in his entire life, Lu Bu was truly happy, excited, thrilled ever, to be fighting a man equal in strength, or perhaps even stronger than him. A God of War, just like himself. He was beyond a shadow of doubt so enthusiastic to fight Thor at his strongest, without his gloves on, and with that large hammer pulsating with life - Thor considered him a worthy foe, a friend even. He wasn't just a 'human' anymore in his eyes. He was Lu Bu, Thor's friend and his mightiest opponent he's ever faced, with both of them smiling truly for the first time, facing each other.

In this battle, Thor would display his finest smile, and Lu Bu would meet it with his worst.

Though he would manage to injure Thor himself, he blocked his strongest hit yet - Though at the cost of his own tibia bones breaking, causing him to fall on the ground. Whilst Gong Chen and his army were weeping loudly, Y/N ran to the stables where Red Hare was being kept, and rode him into the arena. She smiled down at him, extending her hand to him.

"My dearest friend, we vowed to live and die together, didn't we? Red Hare and i haven't changed our hearts about you. So - Will you allow us to accompany you for the last time?"

With incredibly strength, Lu Bu used his halbert to get back up and slapped his hand over Y/N's much smaller one as she helped him get up on Red Hare's back.

"Y/N. Red Hare. In this moment, I ask you - Would you entrust your life to me?" the man asked, readying his weapon, happy to be allowed to use his most perfected technique against a worthy foe - The Sky Eater. After thousands of years, Lu Bu finally met the man who could take the brunt of this strike. "Always."

Lu Bu instinctively knew that the next swing would be the strongest in his entire life - And indeed, Thor also felt the exact same way. Thor's Hammer against Sky Eater.

In this exchange, Fengxian's left arm was ripped off, while the left was half torn. "Fengxian." Y/N called out as the man bit off his dangling arm. "Red Hare became your legs. Allow me to become your arms." Y/N said, holding the halbert clumsily. "Silly woman, you never held a weapon in your entire life." the man grinned widely at her. "About time, huh?" she said. "Are you happy, my love?" "I gave it everything I had. This... This right here - This is what true joy is, huh?" he chuckled lightly, kicking Red Hare's side. "What would I know? My joy is seeing you happy for the first time."

As Thor struck his hammer, both Y/N and Fengxian were killed at the exact same time, their bodies destroyed and toppling over to the ground in a pool of blood.

Thor looked down at his opponent, smiling - Those 16 minutes of their fight were the happiest he's ever been in his long existence. What a worthy man - Truly the strongest humanity ever had.

The Gods celebrated their victory, while the humans toasted in honor of the greatest general to ever live - But Red Hare and Gong Chen were griefing. "Red Hare, I feel your pain. Heaven or Earth, a land without Milord already holds no value to us. We shall follow him!" Lu Bu's entire army was right behind the strategist and the Jewel Steed. "We're coming, Milord!" the soldiers wept as they rushed into their last, honorary battle. "We are the army of Lu Bu! We follow our general, no matter how many deaths we face! Prepare thyself!" the army attacked, knowing very well the outcome. Thor smiled, his heart trembling with emotion and thrill. "Very well. I'll send you as offerings in his name - To Lu Bu." "To hear Milord's name resonating alongside Thunder...!" Gong Chen, Red Hare, and everyone else experienced the greatest honour of their life, following Lu Bu and Y/N in death, forever, with smiles on their faces.

Though their souls were shattered and reduced to dust in the vacuum of space, unable to return to the cycle of reincarnation, none regretted their actions. Their greatest joy finally appeared in front of them - Seeing their most beloved person truly happy.

For Fengxian and Y/N death was not a cruel end, but the happiest outcome that could befall them. With smiles on their faces and hearts filled with love and bliss - Together, forever, be it life, death, samsara or nothingness - No matter what form their bodies take, or even if their souls are no more - Somehow, Fengxian and Y/N's happiness rang eternal over all realms, like a gentle, warm breeze in Spring.

The strong bond of a most cherished friend.

#record of ragnarok imagine #record of ragnarok x reader #record of ragnarok #record of ragnarok lu bu #lu bu fengxian #ror #ror lu bu #lu bu ror #lu bu x reader #lu bu imagine

206 notes · View notes

tastesoftamriel · 6 months

Note

You know those cheesy pasta dishes with all the fancy add-ins like heavy cream and garlic so we can all pretend to ourselves that we aren't just eating mac and cheese like overgrown children? What sort of equivalent dishes do the people of Tamriel enjoy, that are basically just dressed-up "kid food" dishes?

Who doesn't love a cheeky meal that brings back memories of childhood? Across Tamriel, you'll find all manner of simple, hearty foods that will make you feel like a kid again!

Altmer

In Summerset, young and old alike enjoy mochi, a tasty sweet snack made from chewy glutinous rice flour. Mochi comes in many varieties, with fillings like sweet peanut or black sesame paste. However, almost everyone's favourite is a cold mochi filled with soft gelato of various flavours. My favourite combination is matcha mochi wrapped around a moreish azuki bean ice cream centre.

Argonians

Is there anything that makes you feel more like a kid than some snacking? Argonians are huge fans of anything that packs a crunch, both sweet and savoury. Whether it's spicy and sweet crickets, dark saltrice sauce-coated mealworms, or just good old prawn crackers with some dipping sambal, be prepared to snack your way all day long in Black Marsh.

Bosmer

If you're one of those people who stands in the kitchen gnawing a block of cheese at midnight, you're in good company in Valenwood. A popular late-night treat served at street food vendors across the Province is a simple cup of grilled witchetty grubs slathered in timber mammoth cheese sauce and topped with pulled pork. The grubs are meaty in flavour, and the pungent timber mammoth cheese complements the pulled pork when mixed all together, as the locals enjoy it.

Bretons

Pain au chocolat? Yes please! These deliciously buttery puffed pastries are essentially rectangular croissants enveloping delicious dark chocolate. Served warm, they're sure to make any breakfast or teatime a happy one! To really satisfy those chocolate cravings, pair with a classic Breton hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows and whipped cream.

Dunmer

Marshmerrow cake is the ubiquitous Dunmeri dessert that has gained popularity far beyond the borders of Morrowind due to its mild flavour and unique candy aroma. A soft sponge cake, which is sometimes soaked in comberry brandy, is layered with sweet marshmerrow crème patissiere, caramelised marshmerrow crumble, and maraschino comberries. Sure to knock some years off your age and put a couple more holes in your belt (it's impossible to stop at one slice. Source: me).

Imperials

There's nothing quite like homemade gnocchi with ragout for Imperials when it comes to comfort food. While this homey dish is prevalent across Cyrodiil, every household cooks the dish differently. In mine, my mother pan-fries the gnocchi in an obnoxious amount of butter, and tops it with her top-secret slow-cooked lamb and red wine ragout. While I cannot give away the secrets to her ragout, I highly recommend trying this delicious dish a try when you need to warm yourself, body and soul.

Khajiit

If you think you can turn away cinnamon and cardamom churros with a cup of moon sugar caramel dip, you're deluding yourself. This delicious treat can be found across Elsweyr and is considered one of the Province's most famous foods. Khajiiti churros, which are made from a mix of rice and tapioca flour, have a moist and chewy texture beneath a crisp, golden brown outer layer. They're served hot from the wok, with a cup of moon sugar caramel syrup. A truly divine pairing!

Nords

Spätzle is something I've written about in the past, and it's one of the best things I know (ask any resident of Skyrim and they'd tell you the same). These chunky egg noodles may look unrefined compared to Khajiiti vermicelli, but make up for it when liberally doused in a creamy cheese sauce and topped with fried onions. I like spicing mine up, quite literally, with some chili powder I purchased at a Sentinel bazaar.

Orcs

Nothing screams comfort food (and mess) quite like a good old echatere sausage hot dog. The echatere sausage, rather akin to Blackwood chorizo in flavour, is grilled over hot coals and served in a sourdough bun, served Wrothgar style with a good amount of horseradish mayo, fried radish chips, caramelised onions, pickles, and crispy dried baby shrimp topping. I'd say you can't stop at just one, but it's a hefty meal you can eat with one hand!

Redguards

I have probably written about gulab jamun in the past, a delicious, albeit cloying dessert popular throughout Hammerfell. An iconic dish at festivals and parties, gulab jamun is prized by dessert-lovers for its velvety, syrupy texture. These fluffy balls of cardamom-scented cottage cheese are fried and soaked in a fragrant saffron and rose water syrup, and topped with crushed pistachios. So simple, so good, and so moreish. Just be sure to stop at three, because any more and the sugar rush will send you to Aetherius!

#the elder scrolls #tes #Asks #food #cooking #worldbuilding #world building

96 notes · View notes

between-the-realms · 10 months

Text

Past times

@the-mysticandmodern-world

The holy wars had been brutal for Abaddon. He had enlisted five years prior and almost immediately was thrust into a war to secure land for nation of Sunray Province. They needed more space for their wheat production... more space to build a grand cathedral to their goddess... more space for the goddess to bless. Abaddon was still young. Still impressionable. He believed whatever the arch bishop told their troops.

Now it was the final battle of the holywar, Abaddon had proved himself throughout it, surviving every battle... killing hundreds of men at this point. But now? Now... he laid on the scarred earth. Blood leaked out of a wound as he stared up at blue sky... at the sun that stared back at his tanned skin. The fighting had died down long ago, but Abaddon was still alive. Gravely wounded with no ability to move, but alive.

250 notes · View notes

thebroccolination · 1 year

Text

Win had a rough week. He tried to arrange a family meal that went sour, got a frantic call from the man he loves that convinced him to drive two hours by motorcycle in the rain to a completely different province, found that man almost delirious in a cemetery before an unknown child’s grave, heard that man sob into his shoulder that life would be better if he were dead, met that man’s parents for the first time early the next morning, drove two hours back to Bangkok with a fever, and then had an emotionally turbulent build-up with Team that left them both in tears.

He had a rough week.

They both have.

And because of that, I think it makes sense that Win had no idea how to answer Team’s question of what they are to each other. Their relationship status has always been nebulous, but as @nejineeee and I were just discussing, Win also kind of had his confidence torn down piece by piece throughout this episode.

First when Team told Win to leave his room. As far as Win knows, he hasn’t done anything to be kicked out for. He doesn’t know Team just had an emotionally raw conversation with his friends that’s put him on his back foot. He just knows he had a fever the night before, he was allowed to stay then, and now Team’s telling him to go to his own room seemingly for no reason.

Win looks genuinely confused and hurt, and it probably wouldn’t occur to him to think so, but there’s an imbalance here. Win’s allowed Team to use his room as if it were his: he sleeps there, showers there, even borrows Win’s clothes freely. But Team’s room is still only Team’s. And that’s Team’s right, of course, but it gives us an idea of how Win could be interpreting Team’s side of things.

We know Team loves Win, and so does the alphabet gang and now the traffic light gang, but he can’t say it to Win himself. Team is terrified of losing the most important person in his life—someone he didn’t even know a year ago!—who’s become so significant to Team that he introduced him to his parents and wants to be significant to him, too. He can’t imagine life without him anymore.

But when Win makes up an excuse to stay in Team’s room for the night, that his fever is still lingering, Team argues back. Maybe because he wants some degree of control back, to keep for himself some small part of his life that Win hasn’t totally absorbed yet.

Win doesn’t know that’s what’s going on, though.

He just looks genuinely vulnerable and almost nervous that Team really does want him gone. When he’s done nothing wrong—in fact, when he’s only done things right. All he did was rely on Team while sick, so is that where his mind goes? This is what happens when you’re a burden to others? They get bored of you and kick you out?

And in terms of character growth, I was so proud of Win here. This scene is the first and only time so far that he’s genuinely gone against what Team claims to want. Every time before, Win’s ultimately backed off and respected Team’s space (King of Consent TM), but now, he finally pushes back, and purely because he wants to be near Team.

He’s worried about Team. He’s saved this kid from nearly drowning, and then only the night before he was sobbing into Win’s shoulder that life would be better if he were dead.

What Team said to Manaow and Pharm about Win is also true of Win: he can’t imagine himself without Team anymore. And given Win’s fear of being alone, being left, could there be anything scarier for him than realizing Team is that important to him?

And yet, despite pushing back and ignoring Team’s protests, when Team does join him in bed, Win gives Team this searching look below. I interpreted it as Win checking whether Team is actually uncomfortable. If Team really does want Win to leave. Because I think he would have, if Team had said just one more annoyed hia here.

Yet, when Team says nothing more…

Win loves him so much, and honestly, what he’s been doing for Team would probably work for a lot of people. Team just needs more stability and a level of bluntness than Win can offer him at this stage.

Then they arrive at the resort, and Team claims that he doesn’t want to room with Win. To the point where he’s literally screaming “HELP ME” to his best friend.

And sure, that’s How Team Is, and he doesn’t mean it really, but that’s also the second time in less than twelve hours that Team has expressed displeasure at the suggestion of sharing a bed with someone he’s spent months actively seeking out for exactly that purpose.

Incremental damage to your defenses is still damage.

Then, there’s the bottle game where Team (correctly) tells Dean he isn’t dating anyone. And he isn’t, and there are ways to change that, but oh, how that must sting for Win to hear aloud after everything they’ve been through in the past week.

It’s entirely possible that Win just doesn’t understand what Team needs from him. He’s waiting for Team, but that’s not what Team needs.

After that, Team ends their kiss on the dock without explanation and leaves Win alone there.

I think it’s easy to see Team’s side throughout the series because we’ve seen him seek help from his friends and heard what he’s thinking and feeling.

Win’s less forthcoming, and I think that’s why he’s so broken by this whole episode. He’s always faster to care for others than he is to seek counsel for himself. But during the scene where he’s sick, Win doesn’t object to Team taking care of him. On the contrary, he seems quietly undone by it.

Win is just so young himself. He’s only two years older than Team, and this whole situation is just as new to him. He doesn’t know what he’s doing or what he should say. He just wants to feel wanted by the person he loves to a degree that scares him, and he’s trying to communicate in the ways that feel safe to him.

In the next episode, he’ll make it right. They’ll finally talk, and there’ll be tears and catharsis.

But I think this episode did a strong job of showing why Win hesitated when Team asked him what they are to each other. For all we know, Win might’ve hesitated because he’s stuck between two answers: what they are and what Win wishes they were.

#between us the series #between us ep 10 #winteam #win x team #buts spoilers #he’s a good good good boy #he’s doing his best <3

469 notes · View notes