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dreamwritesimagines · 2 years

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Enamored [47] - The End

A.N: And the last chapter❤ I cannot thank you enough for your wonderful support throughout the story my loves, ILYSM ❤ And as always, thank you @theskytraveler for helping me with the chapter and the story❤

Summary: Everyone finds their home, sooner or later.

Warnings: Regency era society and social rules, mentions of sex, some gender specific language and terms, mentions of pregnancy.

Word Count: 5700

Series Masterlist

The morning of the ball was nothing if not complete chaos.

It felt as if nothing would be completely ready by the time for the ball to start, even though you had basically stayed up until dawn to make sure you hadn’t overlooked anything. You barely had any time to eat or sit down during the day and instead spent the whole time either in the ballroom or in the yard but now that you were looking at the result—

It looked absolutely amazing.

The opposites theme of the yard and the ballroom was impossible to miss. While the yard looked like it was made of chaos and fire, the ballroom seemed almost otherworldly with the waterfall in the middle, white and gold adorning the whole room. The foyer would serve as a transition point between the chaos and the peace –vices and virtues- and it was filled with pastel colors and flowers leading to the ballroom.

You and Lucie had been in your bedroom for almost two hours now. The modiste had worked her expertise yet again, as you could see from the gown you were in. Just as you wanted, it seemed to be the perfect depiction of wrath; blood red and nearly intimidating. The skirts of the gown was slightly wider than the rest, and the top of the bodice matched the thin crown placed on your head; both had sharp and pointy rubies like red shards of glass, gleaming in the candlelight. There was no doubt that your costume alone would be talked about by the ton, seeing how unusual it would appear among the sea of light colored gowns symbolizing virtues.

Well, it was the night for revenge after all.

Speaking of the night, now that you knew for sure Frederick would be captured tonight at the ball –Anthony had presented the papers and the proof to the court earlier today—, you could hardly control yourself. You had been feeling guilty for lying to everyone around you, so when Lucie was finished with your hair and gown, you had sat her down to explain to her what had been happening lately.

“So that’s why we have been fighting,” you finished your story while Lucie gawked at you, still covering her mouth. “Well…feigning fighting that is.”

“You’re jesting.”

You shook your head. “No. I’m sorry that I had to keep it from you Lucie, I couldn’t tell anyone.”

“But all those arguments…”

“It was for the ton to hear about, from the staff. You know how it is.”

“And sleeping apart?”

You nodded in the direction of the door leading to Anthony’s room from yours. “We exchanged rooms when everyone went to sleep.”

“The divorce?”

You waved a hand in the air. “Not happening of course. We’re madly in love, and the mere rumor of it was enough to lure Frederick. It worked better than I expected.”

Lucie let out a laugh and rushed to wrap her arms around you to hug you tight, making you let out a giggle.

“Oh I was so worried!” she said, pulling back. “I’ve never felt happier to be tricked.”

You clasped your hands over hers and sat down on the bed, pulling her to do the same. “Will you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” she said, shaking her head. “Except for my sleepless nights for worrying about you, that is.”

“Everything is alright,” you assured her. “And I apologize again.”

“Does anyone else know?”

“Us, Elias and Cece and my father.”

“No one else?”

“Father told Aunt Lavinia I think,” you said. “Everyone else will know tonight, thankfully. I could no longer bear this deception.”

“God, it must’ve been so hard…”

“It was,” you said. “But it’ll be over tonight. And besides; the season is ending, we’re all going back to the countryside next week so it’ll be even better. I could use a break from London and this whole thing.”

Her smile faded slightly and she stole a look at you, making you tilt your head.

“What is it?”

“My lady, there is something I must tell you,” she said. “I—I didn’t even entertain the possibility because I thought you were unhappy, and I would never leave you alone if you were but…”

You pulled your brows together. “Lucie, I’m happy beyond words. I assure you—and I happen to think this has strengthened the bond Anthony and I have.”

“Yes, and I’m so happy to hear it,” she said. “But I was wondering, since we will go to the countryside after the season is over… After we settle you down in the Aubrey Hall of course, I was wondering if I could have a change of employment?”

You pulled back slightly, your heart doing a painful flip.

“What?”

“I mean now that I know you will be in good hands…”

“Wait Lucie—is this because I had to lie to you?” you asked almost frantically, “I really do apologize and it was never my intention to hurt you, you must believe me—”

“No that’s not the reason at all, it’s a much more pleasant reason actually,” she assured you and you licked your lips.

“What?”

“I wish to have a change of employment because,” she swallowed thickly. “Because I’m in love.”

You gasped, pressing your hands over your chest. “You’re in love?” you repeated. “Oh Lucie, that’s amazing! With whom?”

She paused for a moment and took a deep breath.

“Your cousin.”

You blinked a couple of times and your stomach sank.

“Oh no…” you whispered to yourself. “Lucie, you’re the loveliest person in the entire world but I’m afraid Kenneth is—um—he has someone in mind—”

“It’s not the future Earl of Ashdown,” she cut you off. “It’s Lady Iona and…I’m glad to say that she returns my affections.”

You stared at her for a moment before it dawned on you and your jaw dropped.

“Oh my goodness!” you said before reaching out to hold her hands again, a huge smile pulling at your lips. “Isn’t it the most wonderful feeling in the world Lucie? Falling in love?”

She let out a relieved breath and nodded, blinking back the tears. “It is,” she said. “And you’re not…angry at me for not telling you?”

You shook your head fervently.

“God no!” you said. “I do apologize wholeheartedly though.”

“You apologize?” she asked. “For what?”

“For trying to matchmake you with that jeweler’s son back in Paris,” you said. “And then the chef’s apprentice. And then the—well you understand my point, had I known beforehand I would’ve tried to matchmake you with a lady, or a maid, or oh!” Your head shot up. “Or my modiste back in Paris, she was very beautiful if you ask me— but I suppose it was fate. You were meant to find love in London just like me.”

She let out a happy sob and hugged you tight again.

“Thank you my lady,” she said. “And yes. I suppose I was.”

You pressed a kiss on her cheek and pulled back to look at her better.

“So you wish to go to Scotland to be with Iona?”

“Yes my lady,” she said. “She offered multiple times and I said no but now that I know you’re going to be happy, I was wondering if it would be such a terrible thing to do.”

“It’s the best thing to do,” you said and wiped at your eyes. “I must admit it pains me to even think of being apart from you, but you must follow your heart Lucie. It would be incredibly hypocritical of me to ask for anything otherwise. You found love, so you should be with the one you love.”

She offered you a small smile, blinking back the tears and you took a deep breath.

“But you must promise me you will come to visit as much as possible,” you said. “And I will visit Scotland too, Aunt Lavinia invited me before, and—and it takes a week for the letters to arrive in England from France, and it probably takes less time between here and Scotland, so we will exchange letters all the time.”

She nodded. “I couldn’t bear not knowing what you’re doing.”

“The feeling is mutual,” you said with a smile and sat up straighter. “And now I will tell you what my father and Elias told me before I married Anthony. Before I left Avon House to move here.”

“What is it?”

“No matter who you decide to be with, or for how long,” you said. “My house will be always open to you, and you can come back whenever you wish. No questions asked. Bridgerton House and Aubrey Hall will always be your home, and it will always welcome you whenever you wish it to.”

A sob climbed up her throat and you cupped her cheek.

“And I’m afraid I must put my foot down because it is not up to negotiation,” you said. “You may be employed there and such, but in addition to your salary from there, your salary from me will keep coming to Scotland—”

“My lady, I can’t possibly—”

“I’m not going to hear it Lucie, my decision is final,” you said and offered her a small smile. “My father made sure I was protected in every way before letting me marry, you must simply let me do the same even though it’s in unofficial ways.”

She smiled back at you and sniffled. “Thank you.”

You wiped at your eyes and let out a small laugh.

“Well now I’m afraid no one will see me as wrath because I cried,” you joked and she chuckled.

“No no, I’d say you still look intimidating.”

A knock on the door made you turn your head.

“Come in?”

The door opened to reveal Anthony and he paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on you, a look of surprise crossing his face.

“I will leave you be,” Lucie rushed to her feet. “My lady. My lord.”

With that, she left the room and you got up from the bed to drop an exaggerated curtsy.

“So what do you think?”

Anthony closed the door behind him and strode to you to pull you into a kiss, making you giggle.

“Darling you look divine,” he muttered to your lips and you ran your fingertips over the lapels of his jacket that were lined with gold threads, gleaming against black fabric.

“And you look very handsome as always,” you said. “Are the guests here?”

“Most of them. They’re by the yard for the fireworks, and your fire breathers are gathering quite the attention.”

You gave him a proud smile and he tilted your chin up to look at you better.

“Were you crying?”

“Oh I was just…emotional.”

“What happened?”

“I will tell you later,” you said. “Shall we go then?”

He grinned and stole another kiss from you, then offered you his arm. You let out a laugh and took it, and walked out of the room with him.

When you got to the yard, you were nearly pulled away from Anthony. Not that you could say anything, considering you two were still pretending to be on bad terms, but almost all the guests seemed to have something to say to you. After greeting all the Bridgertons and Lady Danbury— and managing to dodge their questions— you caught the sight of your family entering the yard so you quickly excused yourself to make your way to them.

“Hello everyone!”

“Wow,” Kenneth commented. “I knew you would wear something scandalous but not this,”

You shot him a grin and pressed a kiss on your father’s cheek.

“Father,” you said before kissing Aunt Lavinia’s cheek as well. “And welcome!”

“Y/N, this is amazing.” Aunt Lavinia said and your father nodded.

“You look so lovely my dearest.”

“Thank you!” you said. “Let me guess, Aunt Lavinia you are wisdom and father, you are…”

“Temperance.”

“Y/N guess what I am!” Iona said excitedly and you tilted your head.

“Give me a clue?”

“Me and Ken decided to come as Aristotle’s virtues!” Iona said, motioning at herself. “I am friendliness and Ken is truthfulness.”

“I was going to come as a vice but she insisted,” Kenneth said, pointing at Iona and you giggled.

“Well you both look amazing!”

“I cannot believe there are fire breathers,” your father said. “Are we sure that’s safe considering you and Elias being here?”

“Father!”

“I’m just expression a safety concern,” he held up his hands, gesturing surrender with a grin and you heaved a sigh.

“Speaking of, where are they?”

Kenneth pointed at somewhere over your shoulder and you turned your head to see Elias and Cecily entering the yard. A smile pulled at your lips and as if on cue, the fireworks started, drawing gasps and noises of admiration from the crowd. You quickly approached Elias and Cecily and hugged Cecily, then Elias.

“Welcome!”

“It looks wonderful Chérie,” Elias smiled at you. “And so do you.”

“Everyone is already talking about your gown,” Cecily said and you grinned.

“Why thank you,” you said. “So Cece, I know you are Hope and Elias you are...”

“Love!” he said, motioning at the small heart pinned on his jacket. “I’m Love. I figured since you’re not going as that…”

“Good choice, it suits you.”

“And wrath suits you,” he said before his eyes caught the sight of something to your left and his jaw clenched. “Speaking of wrath…”

You stole a look in that direction and that familiar fury roared through you as soon as your eyes fell on Frederick. He raised his glass and looked around, then made his way to you.

“Make sure father is alright,” you told Elias and he took a deep breath.

“Chérie…”

“These are his last hours, Elias,” you murmured. “Anthony already presented the court the papers, they know where he will be tonight. It’s just a matter of time until he’s gone for good.”

Cecily squeezed at Elias’s arm.

“We will be with Lord Avon and Aunt Lavinia,” she told you and pulled him in their direction as soon as Frederick reached you.

“Well well…” he said, “It seems that you took after your mother on how to throw a ball as well. She certainly knew how to gather attention, both to the ball and to herself.”

You narrowed your eyes.

“I didn’t know you would be here.”

“Why would I not?” he asked. “Your husband invited me.”

Of course. Frederick would have got suspicious if you had invited him, but having Anthony invite him had only served to make him believe this deception even further.

“Oh did he?”

“A smart man, your husband,” he said as the fireworks kept exploding in the sky and you grabbed a drink from one of the trays. “Too bad he was blinded by love before you got married but I’m glad he’s seeing sense now.”

“And let me guess, you’re helping him?”

“It’s only fair,” he pointed out. “After all, you have come between me and the one and only thing I wanted in the world.”

“My mother never wanted you,” you deadpanned and his jaw clenched.

“Careful there.”

You tilted your head. “Or what?” you asked and he gripped the glass tighter. “It hurts doesn’t it? Deep down?”

“What?”

“You hate me and my father wholeheartedly,” you said. “But my mother loved us both. She loved me and Elias and my father more than anyone or anything in the world. But you? You went through all that, even more than 20 years later you’re trying to take some sort of revenge because you made yourself believe you loved her, she on the other hand didn’t even care about you at all.”

“You have no idea what you speak of.”

“I do though,” you said, looking him dead in the eye. “It’s not that you lost her, you do realize that? You never had her to begin with.”

He gritted his teeth.

“Let me tell you something about my parents,” you said. “My mother was so in love with my father that even after not seeing him for more than twenty years, his name was the only name she was saying on her deathbed, like she was talking to him. The same with my father, after his incident, when he had fever, when he was on death’s doorstep, all he could see or think about was her, he thought he was speaking to her. In their case it makes sense but in your case, I can’t help but find it ironic, almost.”

“Ironic?” he repeated. “And why is that?”

“Because when it’s time for you to die,” you said. “You’re going to go through the same. You’re going to see her, but…she won’t answer.”

A shadow crossed his eyes and you smiled.

“So yes, it’s ironic,” you said. “Because my mother felt love when she was dying, and I’m sure so will my father. But you? You will only feel the pain of never being loved by the one and only person you wanted the most in the entire world.”

He stared at you and your smile widened.

“Enjoy the ball,” you said and walked away from him to your family, fireworks still exploding in the sky.

By the time the firework show was finished, everyone was already impressed by your ball but you were nowhere near done. The ballroom made the exact impact you wanted as soon as the doors were opened, and people had spent so much time just admiring the setting and complimenting you before the orchestra started.

You and Anthony hadn’t danced yet, you didn’t want to raise any suspicions in Frederick until the last moment, but you could almost feel how much he wanted to be close to you because you were taken by the same urge as well. You absentmindedly played with your necklace and stole a look at him to see him repress a smile, twisting his ring around his finger. You stopped the warm smile threatening to pull at your lips as well, and turned your head when you heard someone clear their throat.

“Hugh!” you said, grinning at him and he bowed his head.

“Lady Bridgerton.”

“I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come.”

“And miss your first ball?” he asked. “Never. Apparently my sister is in love with one of the lords in here, so I had to wait for her to pick the perfect gown. Took an hour.”

“Abby and Edith are here too?”

“Mm hm. Just over there, see?”

You looked to the corner of the room and waved at them.

“I will welcome them in person and thank them for coming,” you said and tilted your head at Hugh. “How angry would you be at me if I told you I’m planning on matchmaking Abby with the one she loves?”

“You know who it is?”

“Mm hm.”

“Who is it?”

You shrugged your shoulders. “I’ve had my experiences with my own very protective brother, I will not betray Abby that way thank you very much.��

He threw his head back and groaned. “Y/N!”

“What?” you asked airily. “Besides if it’s true love, you cannot possibly be thinking of standing in their way.”

“Will you not rest until you wed all my sisters?”

“I will not rest until everyone that I love finds true love,” you corrected him and he stole a look at you before sipping his drink.

“And how do you feel?”

“Hm?”

“I heard about the…” he motioned in Anthony’s way. “Rumors. Are you alright?”

“Oh!” you said and nodded. “Of course.”

“You don’t have to lie to me, you know that.”

“I’m not lying to you,” you said. “Trust me. It will all be alright in the end.”

He heaved a sigh and you offered him a small smile.

“But enough about my love story,” you said. “How about yours?”

“Hm?”

You looked around to check whether anyone was listening and leaned in closer.

“How are you and my cousin?”

He shot you a light hearted glare. “Your cousin and I decided that we should remain friends actually.”

You gasped, pressing a hand over your chest. “What?”

“Mm hm.”

“Oh no, that’s a disaster!”

He pulled his brows together. “Not it’s not, I told you—”

“Are you very heartbroken Hugh?” you cut him off. “When I was heartbroken I locked myself in the house and I refused to see anyone, do you feel the urge to do the same? Because I can be there for you and visit you every day if you’d like, I have experience in heartbreak now so if you ever need—”

“Y/N, I’m perfectly alright, and so is he,” he said, nodding in his direction and you looked over your shoulder to see Kenneth catching his gaze, then raised a glass in his direction. There was no hostility whatsoever in his eyes and you frowned in confusion before you turned back to Hugh.

“But you were in love!”

“No we were not, as we both told you over and over again.”

“But I saw you two…um—”

“You do realize that not everyone whom you happen to like spending time together has to be your one and only love?”

“You were kissing though!

“To repeat, it doesn’t mean we’re each other’s true love.”

Your frown deepened before you heaved a dramatic sigh.

“Very well then,” you said. “I had originally planned to put all my efforts into finding Edith her one true love after I was finished with Abby, but I’m afraid this is more urgent.”

“Uh oh.”

“I will find you your one true love, a lady or a lord,” you said. “And I shall do the same for Ken when I visit Scotland. I think he prefers lords though, so I shall find him a dashing lord.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“Besides, we’re family now,” you said, motioning between yourself and him. “We will visit each other a lot after the season is over, remember?”

“You’re always welcome in my house but I’m begging you, please—”

“I will throw a ball at the Aubrey Hall as well, I think that would multiply the chance to find someone who happens to catch your interest.”

“Why is love like the plague for you?” Hugh asked. “Just because you have it, does not mean you should infect everyone with it.”

“I will not stop until the whole world is as happy and in love as I am,” you said, wagging your finger at him in a threatening manner and he repressed a laugh, holding up his hands.

“You don’t have to be so menacing about it.”

“It appears that I must,” you said and he heaved a dramatic sigh, shaking his head.

“Will you change your mind if I fight you on this?”

“Of course not.”

“Thought so,” he said before holding out his hand. “A dance with the lady of the house then?”

You smiled at him and took his hand, then let him lead you to the dance floor.

An hour into the ball, you had already danced with Kenneth, Elias and even your father before accepting Mr. Sinclair’s dance request. Now that he was completely smitten by Jane, for the whole dance he hadn’t stopped talking about her and made sure to thank you for introducing him to his true love, a statement that put a smile on your face. However, towards the end of your dance with him, you caught the sight of Cecily walking out of the ballroom so as soon as the dance was over, you grabbed another drink and excused yourself to look for Cecily. After a maid informed you that she had gone upstairs to the washroom, you quickly made your way to upstairs as well to knock on the door.

“Cece?”

“A minute!” she called out before the noise of heaving reached your ears and you scrunched up your nose, then leaned back to the wall.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want me to get Elias?”

“Oh no, I don’t want him to worry, this is—” she was cut off as she heaved again, then cleared her throat. “This is completely normal, as terrible as it sounds.”

You repressed a small chuckle and soon enough she opened the door of the washroom, wiping at her mouth with a towel.

“Should I send for a maid?”

She shook her head and offered you a smile.

“I’m getting used to it actually,” she said. “As much as one could get used to it, that is.”

“I do not envy you on that part,” you pointed out. “But I admit, I envy you on every other aspect of it.”

“Oh don’t worry, I’m very certain that soon enough you will be going through the same thing that I am going through right now.”

You sipped your drink. “Who knows?”

“I do,” she said and frowned. “Where’s your other earring?”

You touched your earlobes and let out a whine.

“I must have dropped it on the dance floor,” you said. “Great. I’ll just change them and look for it after everyone else leaves.”

She grinned. “Maybe a jealous lady stole it.”

You burst into a laugh. “Cece!”

“Could happen.”

“No it couldn’t,” you said and her grin widened.

“Alright alright…” she said. “I’m going back to the ballroom then.”

“I’ll be right there,” you said and made your way to your bedroom. You put your glass on the vanity, quickly grabbed another pair of ruby earrings –the spare ones you had saved for tonight- and checked your reflection in the mirror. You turned a little to check if your gown still looked as good as it did when you first walked into the ballroom, then smiled and grabbed your drink again before leaving the room.

It was only when you reached the hallway that you saw Anthony on the other side and you tilted your head.

“What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you,” he said with a small smile and you grinned.

“I had an earring emergency,” you said. “Why were you looking for me? Is everything alright?”

He looked over his shoulder as some noises reached you from the foyer downstairs and then turned to you again.

“You wanted to enjoy the view from a good spot, did you not?” he asked and as soon as it dawned on you what he was implying, your breath got caught in your throat, then you rushed past him to reach the mezzanine, where you could look down at the foyer that seemed to be swarming with people now, giving you a clear view.

“Let go of me at once!” Frederick’s voice rang through the foyer as two men –armed guards, as you could see- yanked him into the foyer. “How dare you? What is this?”

“Earl Woodhall, the parliament found that you have committed forgery and fraud,” one of the guards by the foyer said, not even moving an inch as your eyes caught the sight of your family, Lady Danbury and the Bridgertons leaving the ballroom as well to step into the foyer, the remaining guests following them. “You have broken her majesty the Queen’s laws as well as the parliament’s, and you will be punished accordingly.”

Even you could tell that all blood had left Frederick’s face as Anthony came to stand beside you while a dark smile curled your lips.

You wanted to see the look on his face one last time.

You held out your arm and let the glass slip from your grasp and in mere seconds it hit the marble floor, shattering into pieces, the sound gathering everyone’s attention considering how it was completely quiet because of people’s shock. Frederick’s head snapped up and Anthony threw an arm over your shoulder, raising his glass at him with a small smirk while you tilted your head, a pleased smile apparent on your lips.

“…You.” Frederick growled and you leaned your elbows on the railings, letting out a small laugh.

“It was about time you saw what real revenge looked like, and you’ve made it very easy,” you commented, entwining your fingers with Anthony. “Goodbye Frederick.”

With that, the guards dragged him out of the house and you stole a look at Elias and your father, who were both wearing similar smiles before turning to the rest of the guests who were staring at you and Anthony.

“Speech?” Anthony murmured and you nodded, then cleared your throat.

“Well now that the only traitor among us has been taken away and soon to meet his fate,” you said with a smile. “Allow us to welcome you to the Bridgerton House, and the last ball of the season.”

“Hear hear,” Elias called out, raising his glass and you let out a laugh as people started clapping.

“First of all, we would like to thank our dearest friends here who knew what has been happening for the last month was nothing but a necessary deception to uncover Earl Woodhall’s crimes,” you said. “Thank you so much for keeping our secret and not telling anyone.”

Anthony raised his brows and repressed a smirk.

Of course. The ton liked to be involved in anything and everything, especially any kind of secret. So by making them think some people among them knew your fights and divorce rumors were nothing but a deception, you were making sure that they wouldn’t suspect anything otherwise.

You were certain that so many people were going to tell each other they had known all along, even if they had been the first ones to jump on the divorce rumors.

“And to the rest who did not know,” you said. “For not being able to share it with you and for making you worry, we apologize.”

“Wholeheartedly,” Anthony said, pulling you closer to press a kiss on top of your head, earning a chorus of “aww” from the guests and you giggled.

“The second part of fireworks are going to start in half an hour as a celebration,” you said. “So yes, thank you so much for coming, and we hope you will enjoy the rest of the ball!”

Another round of applause exploded through the hallway and Anthony kissed the back of your hand, then winked at you.

“Come on,” he said. “We should go and get scolded by my family before we celebrate with yours.”

The ball was finished towards the dawn, and in your opinion –and also in almost all guests’ opinion, as they kept telling you- it had been the best ball of the season. After everyone left, instead of going back to your bedroom, you pulled Anthony by the hand to step outside, and went to the yard to sit down on the grass, with him following you. He leaned back to the tree you were sitting under, then pulled you closer to hold you in his arms, nuzzling to the top of your hair while you made yourself comfortable, resting your head on his chest, twisting his ring around his finger.

“I can’t believe it’s over,” you murmured, keeping your eyes on the gorgeous shades of orange and red painting the sky and he chuckled.

“Me neither,” he said. “I’m actually relieved, I kept thinking something would come up at the last second. That he would somehow figure it out.”

“He was too blinded by his hate to figure it out.”

“Lord Moore told me that his wife didn’t even tell him about our plan, but apparently she knew.”

“Mm, I overheard the same from Lady Bolton,” you said. “Apparently she knew as well.”

Anthony scoffed a laugh. “Unbelievable…”

“Do you think your mother and Lady Danbury forgave us when we explained it to them?” you asked. “They looked like they forgave us.”

“I think they did forgive us, but I can’t say the same for Eloise.”

“Oh me neither,” you said. “But I mean, this time next week we will all be together at Aubrey Hall, so she will have to forgive us.”

“After some bribe yes, I’m sure she will.”

You let out a giggle and craned your neck to look up at him only for him to dip his head to brush his lips against yours, then caressed your cheekbone with his thumb, smiling softly.

“Have I told you how beautiful you looked tonight?”

You hummed, pretending to be in deep thought. “Only once.”

“Ah that’s simply not acceptable,” he joked, making you giggle again. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on my love.”

“And you’re the most handsome man I’ve ever laid my eyes on, so we make quite a fine pair in my humble opinion,” you said with a grin, making him chuckle.

“We do.”

“And I love you.”

“I love you too darling. With my whole being.”

You squeezed at his arm and nibbled on your lip.

“Anthony mon amour, I realized something tonight.”

He buried his nose into your hair again. “What is it?”

“I feel like…” you paused for a moment. “Every single thing that has happened, it had to be. It was all supposed to happen from the beginning, and now I feel—I feel like I am home now. Like I actually belong here, like this right there was where I was meant to be all along. We were meant to find each other and be together, it was just meant to be.”

Anthony pressed a kiss on your temple, holding you tighter.

“It was,” he murmured. “And you are home now.”

You smiled slightly and took a deep breath, leaning your head back to his chest and inhaling his scent, a sense of relief washing over you.

“Yes,” you said. “Yes I think I am.”

The End.

Epilogue

PS: Wow, this was a long ride!😁 Thank you so so much to every single one of you my loves who has given me amazing support and HCs and ideas! I wouldn’t be able to write this without you, I love you so much!❤

And special thanks to my wonderful friend and beta Bea for helping me with the whole story and making it so much better with her ideas and editing skills, and TM anon for their wonderful analyses of the chapters! You are awesome! ❤

#anthony bridgerton x reader #anthony bridgerton #bridgerton #bridgerton x reader #regency fic

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adobe-outdesign · 1 year

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Have you done regigigas?

I mentioned in my 'regi reviews that Registeel's my favorite, and while that's true, I also like Regigigas a good deal. I do think it has a few issues, but the concept of a giant golem that's powerful enough to not only have made the other 'regis but also move entire continents is just awesome.

Visually, it's pretty good. I love how it has the braille-like eyes of the other Regis on the band on its head, but then also has multiple-colored eyes on top of that, bringing the total eye count to 13 (which is the amount of eyes I like to see on a legendary monster). I also like that those six colored eyes seemingly represent the three 'regis it made (at least before two more were added, but hey, that's not Regigigas' fault).

The white color and general appearance do a pretty good job of conveying its neutral normal-typing, and it definitely gives off the impression of it being big and powerful... which is ironic, because it's actually only like 12' in both the Pokedex and the games. What the hell, GameFreak? This thing should be dynamax size at all times AT LEAST.

However, I do find something about the design to be a bit off. I think it's the random black raised markings; it needs something to fill the space so it doesn't look too empty, sure, but there doesn't seem to be much rationale or thought put into the stripes. Maybe if they were gold so they weren't so "heavy" looking they wouldn't be so distracting.

I'm also not a huge fan of the bushes on its shoulders and feet. Don't get me wrong—I absolutely love the idea that this massive creature has been asleep for so long it's actually started to have plants growing on it. It's just that the plants feel too full—like it has bushes glued to it—and the placement of them is too even to feel natural.

I think the plant areas would've worked better if they were flatter, covered more of the body (this could also fix the issue with needing the stripes), and less symmetrical. A few hanging vines also could've looked sweet, and really would've helped to capture that ancient vibe it's trying to go for.

Still though, as a whole, I really like this one overall. It's abstract, slightly ominous and otherworldly, and has some interesting mythology behind it—everything I like in a legendary.

While I really dislike legendaries getting powerups in general, I actually wouldn't mind Regigigas getting something akin to a mega. It's saddled with Slow Start, but nowadays it's not really all that strong. Imagine a mega that reverts it back to how it used to be back in its glory days—no plants, maybe different markings/more eyes/bigger, and no slow start. Could be really sweet from a conceptual standpoint if nothing else.

Also, side note: Regigigas also happens to have the best anime cry of all time, in that it sounds like a malfunctioning computer trying really hard to boot up for the 17th time today:

#regigigas #pokemon #pokemon reviews

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blackjackkent · 6 months

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At first Hector isn't sure what it is Isobel hears - what caused her to look suddenly fearful.

Then he hears the sound too, a sudden rushing of enormous wings. And then a thump as the man lands outside on the balcony.

He's a huge, broad-shouldered fellow clad in shining armor, and from his shoulders jut enormous, black-feathered wings. He hits the balcony in a heavy three-point landing and stands rapidly, bouncing back to his feet and looking around with pale eyes under heavy, narrowed brows.

"Hello, Isobel," he says, fixing his eyes onto the Selune cleric and striding into the building without hesitation.

Isobel has gone even paler than she was before, and her eyes are wide with alarm. "Marcus? Is that you? What's happened to you?"

Marcus gives her a wide smile, tinged with madness. "I've been blessed," he says. "You can be too. Come with me, and you can hear it all from Ketheric himself."

Hector stiffens. Ketheric - the name of a major Sharran leader, wasn't it? Halsin mentioned his name in conjunction with the huge Shar temple they saw in the Underdark. He glances sharply at Shadowheart, but she is watching the man with intense wariness, her face giving nothing away.

Hector looks to Isobel instead. "Do you know this man?" he asks in an undertone.

"He's a Flaming Fist," she says anxiously. "Or was. Came with the others when we created this haven."

Marcus sneers. "And I thank you for your hospitality."

His eyes flash, locking onto Hector's, and then Hector hears the man's voice directly in his mind without any movement of his lips. "True Soul. My instructions are clear: take the girl to Ketheric. Alive."

Hector's skin prickles at the intrusion, and he pushes back, trying to understand what is happening, what the man wants.

Narrator: A haunting face swims into your mind's eye, its instructions vivid in your mind: nothing is more important than bringing the girl - alive.

Well, Hector thinks. They certainly are not going to let that happen.

Isobel can see the wordless communication even if she can't understand it. "What's going on? If you have something to say, say it!"

"Marcus is trying to kidnap you, Isobel," Hector says flatly. "We're going to need to fight our way out of this one."

"Pathetic," roars Marcus. "The Absolute sees all - your treachery will be punished!"

"The Absolute. Of course." Isobel shakes her head fiercely. "You can't believe them, Marcus. Ketheric will never give you whatever it is you've been promised."

Marcus smirks, lets his wings unfurl in a sharp movement that sends a gust of wind through the room. "He already has. Time to go, Isobel."

Arching his back, he turns his face towards the ceiling and bellows, a thundering, otherworldly roar that resonates through the whole building and out into the darkness beyond.

Everything suddenly happens at once. More of those rushing noises split the silence of the unending night, and a horde of demonic-looking creatures descend on the inn's shattered rafters.

There is the sound of running footsteps, of combat erupting below.

Mol's voice, dimly screaming as a devil snatches it up in her claws. "Let go of me!"

All of a sudden there is no safety here. And Hector feels a rush of fury at this broken man who has shattered it. He draws his quarterstaff and leaps forward with a roar, lashing out at Marcus's face.

#bjk plays baldur's gate 3 #hector carlisle #well that escalated quickly #i never got my drink with jaheira :(#hopefully i didn't just cut something off in terms of getting to talk more with her

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misspearly1 · 1 year

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When Two Worlds Collide Series

Chp1 || Chp2 || Chp3 || Chp4 || Chp5 || Chp6 || Chp7 || Chp8

Pairing: Joel Miller x F!Reader x Arthur Morgan

Chapter Three: The Lady They Both Want

WC: 4.8k

Warnings: 18+ Content. Minors DNI. Joel’s POV & Readers POV. This is more of a filler chapter. Mentions of female masturbation. The guys are getting along now and they’re both very interested in their female companion. Friends to Lovers. Eventual Smut. Love Triangle. Alternative TLOU & RDR2 Universe. Mentions of guns. Light amount of jealousy. Bounty Hunting. (And the usual outlaw stuff).

AN: Ahhh! I really enjoyed writing about Joel and Arthur getting along here. They’re finding common ground now at last. The next chapter will be the kinktober fic, so lookout for the reblog tomorrow! Hope you enjoy the read, thank you.

People sometimes forget the value of the little things in their life. It happens, and it’s ok to forget from time to time, but Joel really forgot about those little things, and it really never occurred to him before just how easy everything was back home. It never occurred to him just how hard it would actually be to adapt in a world where someone like Arthur Morgan thrives.

It’s a different way of life here, and it was most shocking to the man to realize all of those little things that he so dearly misses were a luxury. For example, there are no cars here in this otherworldly dimension. They have been invented, but they’re so incredibly rare that Joel is yet to see one driving around, and he doesn’t particularly favour traveling everywhere he needs to go via horseback.

At least it’s better than walking though, he thought while sitting atop his horse.

It took a hot minute for Joel to get used to the saddle again after it had been a shameful amount of time since he went riding. It was a struggle in the beginning, but he eventually got the hang of it again and now he rides like it was as easy as breathing.

When he was just a young boy, he used to visit his grandpa's ranch and his parents taught him how to ride a couple years after he learned how to walk, so he felt lucky and thankful for even remembering how to ride a horse, otherwise he would’ve had a much harder time getting around with Arthur as they work day in and day out thieving from undeseving rick folk.

That’s another thing Joel didn’t think would be so hard: trying to earn a living. It’s a hell of a lot more difficult gathering money here, and it makes him realize that much more about how easy his life was back home. Of course, he had his fair share of difficulties much like everyone else does and there were a few bumps in the road that he didn’t think he’d be able to overcome, but generally speaking, his life was pretty good compared to most.

The man thinks about all of the good things he once had, and took advantage of, whilst waiting for Arthur around the outside of his campsite. He watched from afar as the members of the Van Der Linde Gang went about their usual daily business and made the most of everything they did have. Albeit, it wasn’t much and they weren’t living an easy going or unproblematic life, but they had each other and their loyalty was unlike he’s ever seen before.

Arthur’s gang didn’t need a roof over their head. They lived freely and comfortably off the land. They were one big happy family without that blood related bond and Joel can understand that. He, too, has friends that are like brothers to him. They would take him in without hesitation and put clothes on his back and food in his stomach should he ever fall on hard times and need the help.

Having said that though, he feels a strong pang of sadness in his gut just thinking about his friends and how they’ll probably be searching the whole of Austin, Texas after his sudden disappearance. He can’t even bring himself to think about his little brother as the pain is too much to handle. Tommy will be worried sick and heart-broken, probably beating himself up over the possibility of never seeing his big brother again. And his parents would be even worse.

This is, undoubtedly, what Joel struggles with the most: trying not to miss his family so much that it makes him depressed. He couldn’t afford to spend too much time thinking about all of those scary what ifs. He had to remain calm and cool-headed. Not only for himself, but for you too.

It’s been almost two weeks now in this otherworldly dimension, and yet there’s still no answers on finding a way back home. Arthur did send a letter off to that man who talks like he’s from the future, but it’s just a matter of waiting until he hears back from him.

While Joel has been putting on a ‘brave face’ and trying to stay positive and hopeful for your sake, he has found some form of comfort and release by working alongside the cowboy. You were right about taking a chance on trusting him. He’s been nothing but generous and helpful ever since that day by the pond, even though Joel is almost certain that Arthur is only helping out because he’s attracted to you. But that doesn’t really matter though. It shouldn’t matter.

What’s most important is making sure you’re safe until he finds a way to get home. Then, and only then, will he ease up a little on being so overprotective over you. He can’t help but feel that responsibility to take care of you and provide everything you want or need. It’s his fault you’re even here to begin with and it’s become his duty to fix everything and make it right again. The man knows how hard this has been on you. He sees you lose a little hope every day that you're stuck here, and although he knows you don’t hate him, or blame him for all of this happening either, he feels responsible.

Despite the fact Joel didn’t really like how much Arthur was attracted to you at first, because there is a fear he’ll take you away from him, he can’t deny that the cowboys presence has helped lift your spirits. You’ve slowly but gradually become less frustrated and anxious about this whole situation. It’s become a little easier for you to cope. You’re still worried, of course you are, but you’ve not been so emotionally overwhelmed and swallowed up by the fear of never finding a way home.

To put it simply, you’re becoming the very thing that Joel was trying to be for you, which is cool, calm and collected while providing help wherever and however you can. You can’t deal with the emotional guilt around robbing folk, and he understands why, so he and Arthur take care of that sort of stuff instead. Besides, he prefers it that way anyways. It’s much easier for him to know you’re safe and secure back at camp instead of being out here doing the sort of things he and Arthur do.

So that’s what you have been doing this last week; keeping busy and making yourself useful with setting up the temporary campsite every day. The location near the pond is long forgotten about now. It was moved to a much safer and more discreet location yesterday morning and it will probably stay there for a few days before moving again.

The campsite is set up along the shoreline of Flat Iron Lake, just beneath a couple trees hanging over the embankment to provide some cover and it’s also just a short ride away from the Van Der Linde’s hideout in Horseshoe Overlook. Arthur chose that spot to stay close in case of emergencies. His gang doesn’t know about Joel and you, but Hosea Matthews does.

Joel has met with Mr. Matthews twice now, and you’ve had the pleasure of his company more than that. He’s a kind old man, wise spoken and open minded to the bizarre occurrence of falling into a different dimension. Hosea has even pitched in to help out too. He’s been finding jobs to ear some cash and set up a connection with someone in Rhodes who regularly hands out tips for stagecoaches to hold up. That’s what Arthur is busy with right now as a matter of fact. He’s chatting with Hosea in camp and gathering a couple more jobs to be completed for the day before meeting up with Joel.

Putting his binoculars away when noticing Arthur leaving Horseshoe Overlook, Joel sat on the saddle of his horse and waited patiently for the man's return. They’ve amassed a comfortable amount of money in the last week, but there needs to be a constant flow of cash coming in to supply everything the camp needs. You have plenty of clothes and a copious amount of food now, but there’s only two tents, one bedroll and one blanket. And you don’t have a horse yet either.

Joel, as well as Arthur, want you to be prepared and ready for every possible scenario, therefore you need guns and ammunition kept in camp, and you need to learn how to use them too. That’s the next order of business; getting you a horse then teaching you how to use a gun, but first, he needs more money to do that.

And since Arthur approached with a hopeful look on his face, Joel assumed there was a handsome amount of money to be earned today, which means they’re going to be busy. “You look very happy.” He pointed out that shit eating grin on Arthur’s face, then jerked his chin outwards in question. “What do we have on the list today?”

“Take a look for ya self.” He replied. Handing the list over then reaching into his satchel for a pack of cigarettes, Joel scanned the piece of paper and nodded approvingly. He was right to assume there’s a lot of work to do. The list was bigger than the last and it looks like they have a long day ahead of them.

First up was heading into town and collecting all of the bounties from the sheriff, which was four suspects in total and they were worth two thousand dollars all together. Next on the list were two stagecoaches with the time and location of their travels. One of them will be passing through Strawberry this afternoon, and the other will be passing through a place called Tall Trees in the middle of the night. Then, the last couple jobs on the list were buried treasures and where to find them.

“Hm. This is nice.” Joel nods again and folds the piece of paper before handing it back over to Arthur – who then held out a half smoked cigarette for him to take. Joel accepted the offer and brought the butt of the object to his lips, sucking on the thing a couple times to take the edge off his nerves. He doesn’t smoke regularly. It’s never really been his thing, but he’d indulge with the occasional cigarette here or there whenever he’d be stressed with life and work back home. And since he’s been feeling extra stressed-out these last couple of weeks, he’s smoked more than he usually ever does.

“Thanks.” He muttered. “And make sure to pass my thanks onto Hosea too. I appreciate all the help.”

“Ah, there’s no need.” Arthur shook his head, waving him off like it wasn’t a big deal. “Hosea already knows you and Y/N are thankful. Old man’s just happy to help.” He took the cigarette back from Joel and puffed on the thing a couple times before flicking it into the grass. “We ready, big boy? I wanna get a chunk of this done before this afternoon. Maybe check on Y/N before heading over to West Elizabeth if there’s time.”

“Ready.” Joel grunted and rolled his eyes over the pet name. Readjusting his position on the saddle to better suit his comfort, he commanded his horse and started heading east. “Let’s go, sunshine.” He called out casually and stifled a smile upon hearing the man chuckling behind him.

Joel didn’t want to admit that he enjoyed the cowboys company just as much as you have. He’s a little rough around the edges and they got off to a bad start with each other, but he’s got a sarcastic sense of humour that Joel likes no matter how much he tries to deny it on the inside. They argue and bicker quite a lot, but they also work well together and get the job done without issue.

The only real underlying issue between them is that you’re the lady they both want.

Much later that day along the Dakota River, Arthur stood by his horse and watched the show unfold as Joel tackled a female suspect to the ground. He tied her hands and feet together behind her back as she tried with all her might to resist, and the man found it rather amusing. She’s a real nasty piece of work who deserved it anyway after kicking him right between the legs earlier.

“Make sure those ropes are tight.” He instructed acidly, still bitter over the fact his balls were aching. “I don’t fancy another run around trying to catch her.”

“You couldn’t fucking catch me, ya slow sack of shit.” The suspect – Darla – replied, making Joel chuckle with the use of her insult toward Arthur. He found it funny that she, too, called him a sack of shit just like he does. But he did as the cowboy instructed and made sure the binds around her ankles and wrists were tightly secured. He didn’t fancy another run around either.

Darla is the last of the bounties and she’s been the worst one out of them all. Arthur was kicked between the legs, and Joel’s face was clawed by her hands. “Why don’t you let me go? I’ll show you a better use for those ropes.” She tried to bargain for freedom, but to no avail.

“Christ almighty. Will yer just be quiet.” Joel sighed heavily, tiredly, then yanked her up off the floor before carrying her over his shoulder. He walked towards his horse and stowed the woman on the back, securing her tightly with some more rope to make sure she couldn’t escape. They’ve learned their lesson once by underestimating her, and they shan’t make the same mistake again. After she was dealt with however, he turned to face Arthur and asked: “Enjoying the show, asswipe? Could’ve helped me out back there.”

“C’mon now.” Arthur winced while readjusting himself then mounted his saddle with a painful groan. “I assume ya got a pair of balls, right? You know how much that shit hurts.” He gave an unwanted explanation as to why he didn’t help chase after Darla. He was too busy laying on the ground, heaving with pain while Joel hunted her down instead. “Besides, she’s the last one and we got some time to waste before heading over to West Elizabeth, so keep ya hair on and cut me some slack, big boy.”

“Big boy!” Darla squawked and burst into a fit of laughter, the sound annoying Arthur so much that reached over and yanked on her binds. “Shut the hell up, woman.” He warned, only it didn’t work. She didn’t stay quiet and proceeded to insult the men all the way back to Valentine. They were quickly pissed off by her remarks about their friendship and the use of their pet names for each other, but once they made it to the sheriff's office and handed her over, they savoured every minute of silence on their ride towards camp on the shores of Flat Iron Lake. It was just after midday now and they were not only hungry for food, but hungry for your attention too.

Approaching camp with a smile on their faces, both Joel and Arthur felt proud of you leaping into action as you assumed they were trouble. You went for the gun and savings box, but relaxed quickly after realizing there was no threat. “Hey.” You waved, but furrowed your brows with concern when seeing Joel’s face. “Oh my…” You sighed then moved towards him and reached out to cup his face with your hands. “What the hell happened?”

“Just a scratch, darlin’.” He shook his head, assuring you that it was nothing to worry about, but you didn’t take your hands away from his face and he began to lean into your touch as you dragged the pad of your fingers over his cheek. It felt so comforting. Your hands were soft and delicate, but beside you though, Arthur cleared his throat and tore your attention from him.

You pulled your hands away and spoke to the man, asking him if he was okay and Joel bit his tongue as Arthur explained what happened and didn’t leave out the details about how he was kicked in the balls either. “Oh, you poor thing.” You sympathized. “C’mon. You should rest a while and eat before getting back to work.”

To Joel’s surprise and delight, you turned back to face him and held his hand, pulling him toward the campfire to sit down on the sandy shores around the lake. You grabbed a little first aid kit and opened it up, instructing Arthur to take a seat and relax. “Let me fix lunch for you both, but first I gotta take care of this-” you gesture to the scratch on Joel’s face. “-Don’t want you to catch an infection.”

Leaning back onto the palms of his hands while you attended to his minor wounds, Joel saw the expression on Arthur’s face in the corner of his eyes and struggled to hide his smile. It spoke of envy and desire, as if he were wishing he had a couple wounds you could attend to.

While you cleaned his face and your fingers dabbed his skin gingerly with a featherlight touch, Joel couldn’t help feel so free and easy, his shoulders slumping with a heavy exhale as he closed his eyes to revel in your attention. He’s been so starved of your company ever since Arthur came along, and as selfish as it sounds, he has missed having you all to himself.

“You look exhausted, Joel.” You point out and rest a hand on his chest, his eyes opening to look at you. “Why don’t you eat something then rest for a while. D’you think you’ll have time to?” You asked, to which Arthur replied instead. “Plenty of time, Miss Y/L/N. We don’t have to leave for another hour or so. But we’ll be back really late tonight.”

You turn to face Arthur and don’t see the way Joel glared at him. “Well that settles it. Both of you eat up then lay down-” he smiled with that, feeling a sliver of victory that Arthur wouldn’t have you all to himself either. “-I’ll keep a look out while each of you rest in the tents. Arthur, you’ll have to get your bedroll off your horse. We don’t have another one unfortunately.”

“Naw, it’s alright.” He shook his head and lay down on his back, resting his hands behind his head before closing his eyes. “I can sleep anywhere. It’s no problem.” You turn back to face Joel now and smile, watching the irises of his eyes expand the longer he looks at you. He smiled as well, and you didn’t miss the way his eyes dropped to your lips either. It was quick, but you caught it and started to burn up under his wanton gaze. “You uhh… You hungry?” You asked bashfully, and he only nodded in reply, his eyes slowly blinking with tiredness… or with something else.

Moving towards the fire and scooping out some of the stew into a bowl, you also asked Arthur if he would like any, but he politely declined and closed his eyes again, opting to get a little more sleep instead. You moved back to sit beside Joel and handed the bowl over. “It’s hot. Be careful.” You said in a whisper, keeping your voice low so you don’t disturb Arthur or the peaceful silence that had fallen over camp.

Joel had the opportunity right here, right now, to have you all to himself, but you were right. He is exhausted and he does need some sleep for the long day that awaits him. The list isn’t even halfway done and he wants to have a day off tomorrow to spend some quality time with you.

After eating every last bite that you scooped into the bowl for him, you took the dish and put it to one side before grabbing a pillow. “Rest up, Joel.” You urge him to lay back and place the pillow beneath his head. “I’m not going anywhere and I’ll keep watch.” You reassured as he closed his eyes, relishing in the warmth of his hand resting on the small of your back.

He didn’t take his hand away, not even after he had fallen asleep and light snores left his lips. It’s like he just wanted to feel that you were beside him; to know that you won’t leave. That’s why you assured you wouldn’t be going anywhere. You’ve spent multiple nights in the tent with Joel before getting a second one for yourself, and during that time you slept together, he would always be so close and feel that you were safely resting beside him. He must be a physically touch kind of guy, and you don’t mind that at all in the slightest.

Although you felt a little weird to stare for so long, you felt confident that he wouldn’t mind you watching over him attentively. You’ve missed gazing at him while he sleeps. It’s been nothing but a pleasure to have Arthur around, and you really like the man, but you’ve not given Joel the attention you once used to give. He needs it; needs your comfort like he would comfort you during your meltdown. It’s obvious that he’s missing his family, his pets and his friends back home, and you worry for his mental wellbeing because he’s quite clearly trying his darn hardest to keep you safe and happy.

Later when the time came around to wake the men, you decided to wake Arthur first and offered him some food. He accepted this time and thanked you for the bowl of stew. He, just like Joel, ate every last bite and you took the dish away to be washed. Once you were finished cleaning up however, he approached with an offer that piqued your interest. “Would ya like to learn how to shoot a gun tomorrow? Me an’ Joel will teach you.”

“Oh yes. That would be really useful.” You nod eagerly, not because you want to learn how to shoot someone, but because you want to learn how to properly use the firearm should you ever need to defend yourself. You can wave the gun around and pretend to be serious about using it on an attacker, but if push comes to shove, you’d miss every shot and very quickly become defenceless.

Arthur is an outlaw. He sure knows his way around a gun, and Joel would regularly visit the firing range with his brother on the weekends. He knows his way around a gun too. But you, on the other hand, do not know how to use a firearm or how to aim with precision.

“Here.” Arthur moved towards you and pulled out one of the guns from the holsters on his belt. “I’ll give ya one quick lesson right now. First thing you’re gonna do is take a firm stance and plant yer feet in the ground. Like this–” he showed you first before moving to stand behind you, correcting your position by pushing your feet apart with his boot. “That’s much better. Keep ya feet parallel to your shoulders,” he instructed with professionalism, then stood closer and brought his arms around you to place the gun in your hands.

You felt your heart skip a beat when he stepped closer, the proximity between you and the man was so small that you could feel his chest mere inches away from your back. It was a breath-taking move that sent a signal straight to your heat naturally with the presence of a big strong burly man so close to you like this. You could feel his breath rolling down your neck as he sighed heavily. “There you go, just like that.” He kept his hands hovering beneath your elbows, re-adjusting your arm ever so slightly to better your aim, only you couldn’t concentrate after hearing him praise you in that thick southern drawl.

Perhaps the real reason you trusted Arthur so easily is because he’s just like Joel in so many ways. Not only do they work similarly with drive and focus, or share the same sarcastic humorous nature, but their voices are deep and rough, yet equally soft like honey and it always reels in your attention in the very best way.

You gripped the gun with both hands and held your breath with anticipation as Arthur leaned in a little closer to place his hands atop of yours, helping you keep the gun nice and straight. “I think you’ll do just fine tomorrow.” He said earnestly. “I bet you’ll surprise yourself. You got the stance nailed down, sweetheart.”

“Thanks, Arthur.” You replied gratefully. “I appreciate your vote of confidence, but I don’t know. I’ve never fired a gun before and I think the kickback will probably surprise me the most.”

“A smaller gun would be better.” Said Joel, the sound of his voice startling as you quickly tilt your head to look at him. He stood with his arms above his head and stretched out his muscles, but his shirt riding up his body a little made your eyes drop to look at the revealed skin. You rolled your lips together and stifled a moan at the trail of hair beneath his belly button. It disappeared into his pants, which were hanging so low on his hips right now that you could see his v-lines and a glimpse of the curled hair above his mound.

Quickly turning away with fear that he would catch you staring and call it out, you don’t really think Joel would mind all that much, but to save yourself the embarrassment of practically stealing a glance and drooling over what you could see, you turned away before he noticed.

Now that you were feeling aroused and hot with passion, you couldn’t even get back to what you were originally doing and lowered the weapon. “A smaller gun would be better.” You agreed with Joel and handed the weapon back over to Arthur. “We’ll pick this up again tomorrow.”

There was a smile on Arthur's face that spoke of mischief and perversity as he drawled in a flirtatious way. “Sure thing, sweetheart.” He winked at you, the gesture making you choke on the moan in the back of your throat before you quickly turned away and busied yourself with something. You needed a distraction, and a moment in privacy to relieve the palpable ache between your legs. Joel and Arthur were both turning you on, and it was driving you feral. It's been a while since you pleasured yourself and the need for relief is growing exponentially.

Once the men had got themselves prepared and ready for the workload ahead, they each said their goodbyes in their own sexy and adorable ways before leaving camp with a promise to be back after midnight. As soon as they were out of sight, you ran straight to your tent and buried your hands between your legs, mewling softly into your pillow with the wishful dreams of feeling their hands working you open instead.

However, as soon as Arthur had a moment alone with Joel, he turned to face the man with that same mischievous and perverted smile on his lips then revealed a little secret. “That woman is head over heels for you friend, and you don’t even see it.”

“No she’s not.” Joel retorted quickly, denying what he yearned for so badly every night. “Y/N and I are just friends. She doesn’t like me like that and besides, it’s you who she’s head over heels for and you’re the one who doesn’t see it.” He said with a slither of spite in his tone.

“You think so?” Arthur questioned optimistically, to which Joel looked into his eyes and nodded with deject. He truly believed that you were head over heels for the cowboy, and not him, but Arthur persisted. “Well, maybe we both can’t see it, then. Maybe it’s because we don’t believe a lady like Y/N could even feel such a way about us, but I’m telling ya. She likes you. Didn’t you see the way she was looking at ya back there?”

“And I’m telling you the same thing.” Joel persisted as well. “She likes you. Didn’t you see the look on her face when you winked and called her sweetheart?”

With sudden realization striking the men simultaneously, they each slowed their horses down to a complete stop and turned to look at each other with disbelief etched on their faces. “Y/N likes the both of us?” They asked in unison, hopeful that it was true. They both wanted you. That’s a fact. But the thought of sharing you and that beautiful attention you give them didn’t cross their minds.

Until now.

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aurathian · 7 months

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Yes, I'm asking about 'love me (and leave me to die)', what about it? 😆

How did you come up with the idea? What's your favorite part of the story (mine is Impa lying to Zelda).

thank you zelmo this fic is like a beast lying dormant within me waiting to be unleashed i need to talk about it so bad 24/7 (read it here)

TOTK SPOILERS AHEAD BEWARE <;/3

i don't remember entirely how i came up with the idea, but i was inspired by the carvings the player finds underneath the castle in totk, ESPECIALLY when you can go back and unveil the rest of the carvings covered by rock. i found the lore it revealed so intriguing, and it inspired my favorite part of the story, the scene where link and zelda secretly meet in the middle of the night underneath the castle. (this is the excerpt below the cut!), which in turn inspired the whole fic.

this is usually how most of my fics come about--i get inspired by something and have a scene in my head that i base the story around, which is what happened here. i played around with ways i could fit it into the various zelink week prompts and had to do some tweaking to make it work, but i am so so proud of this fic and everything that it is. like... my planning doc has SO MUCH worldbuilding in it that i just couldnt ultimately fit into the final fic i put so much thought into it.

i also got the idea from botw with zelda's struggle to awaken her powers. she knows what she has to do but she can't do it. the zelda in this story has a similar but not identical dilemma--she (thinks she) knows what she has to do and is willing to do it but when she finds out the truth, she doesn't know if she can. but in the end she accepts it and angst occurs lol.

i already mentioned my fav part of the story but to elaborate. ow they hurt me so much i love angst and tragedy and oh my god they are sooooo in love and sad. this is such a quiet and tender and lonely scene and i love it. here it is (very long excerpt):

“You are much more hopeful than me,” she teases with a grin. “I don’t dare fantasize.” And even though she has convinced herself there is no point in imagining a future, she pictures it in her mind. The tension in her muscles starts to dissipate and she worries she’ll melt. A sparkling blue lake brimming with fish, surrounded by dense forests, in the middle of nowhere, where nobody can reach them…

“You should try it sometime. It’s good for you,” Link suggests, and although his expression is teasing, his words are sincere. So, Zelda tries.

“On warm days, we can swim in the lake,” she musters, entertaining the idea. “Then we can go home and enjoy some tea afterwards, before turning in for the night.” Imagining such a peaceful scene feels like a sin, but when his palm comes to rest on her face, cupping her cheek, all notions of divinity leave her mind. With a sigh, she relaxes into his hand.

“We can get married,” Link dares to say. “Just us, by that lake, with only the birds and the water as our witnesses.”

Her breath catches in her throat and she wants to say yes right then and there, but her holy senses return for just a moment and she blurts, “And the Goddess Hylia.”

“No.” The Hero, chosen by her, shakes his head. “By that lake, there are no goddesses or calamities. There is only us.”

Then surely this lake is fictional, Zelda thinks. For so long she has tied herself to the Goddess and her wishes that to even think of a world without her is blasphemous. But something about the idea is charming… alluring, even, something she desires deep within her. A land, green and lush with sparkling blue waters, untouched by divinity or holy, otherworldly ambitions, a land where the Hero and the Princess are no longer tied to destiny or fate or duty. A land where they are simply Link and Zelda, where they are in love and they hope.

“I would like that,” is all she whispers.

“We have children.” Link strokes her cheek with his thumb. “Two of them, and a pet. A cat, maybe. And we live on that lake and teach them what normal kids are taught and we play with them, raise cows and ponies.”

“They are carefree.”

“Yes, and we live there for the rest of our days.”

Tears are pricking her eyes and she angles her head so he can’t see through the fickle light. “And those kids grow up, have children, and they spend their days there until we become part of the Long Ago, too.”

“And they are not Princess or Hero. Simply our sons and daughters.”

A silence looms, floating in the dusty air between them, and Zelda cannot bring her teary eyes to meet his once again. Because she knows–she knows it's wishful thinking, and that such a thing will never come to pass. For this eternity and the next and the next and the next, there will always be a Hero and a Princess, doomed and destined to save the world. The Princess and the Hero, by blood and soul, bound by fate, were doomed to a life of calamities. In the Now, in the Long Ago, and in the Far Away Future, there would never be a lake void of calamities and goddesses.

“Not in this life, Link.”

“No.” He looks down. “Not in this life.”

“And not in the next, either, or the one after,” she proceeds. Her posture straightens in an effort to hide the shaking she feels in her hands and the quivering in her lips as tears threaten to fall. “Perhaps it is not meant to be.”

She curses herself as his thumb swipes away an escaped tear and he moves to pull her in close, his other hand finding her back and nudging her into him. He is warm and strong, arms firmly wrapped around her, head placed atop hers. He knows it cannot be, and still he fantasizes, bringing her into his head and allowing her to live peacefully if only for a few moments, even in the shadow of her fate.

Her regrets are amplified when she is in his arms, the guilt washing over like a strong wave. In his arms, she is reminded of the talks from her mother and Impa that if she were to be romantic with him, as so many Heroes and Princesses had been before, it would spell the world’s doom. And yet she can’t help it. From such a young age they have relied on each other, understood one another in a way no one else could. It’s only natural, Zelda knows, that sharing a fate so deeply intertwined through thousands and thousands of years would result in, perhaps, a small kiss that became much more over the years; a kiss that turned the Princess and the Hero from an obligatory pair to a couple utterly devoted to each other.

As duty-bound and destiny-aware as the Princess of Hyrule is, she cannot deny her heart.

Link murmurs something in her ear and it makes her heart flutter and sink into her chest all at the same time, so full of love but also brimming with despair.

“My Zelda,” he sighs.

Not in this life, she thinks.

#totk #ask game #zeldaelmo #thanks for the ask!! <3

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bmptm · 5 months

Text

Glimpse of Utopia

Wandering in a meadow covered with petals Was a ghost who heard a song. Startled by this unusual beauty He wanted to follow the melody. As if the world wanted them to meet, The petals blown by a mystical wind Pushed the ghost and guided him. "What is it?", he asked the wind. The question was followed by a silence. Slowly, the petals stopped pushing. One after the other, they laid in the grass, Guiding his eyes till they opened wide. In the midst of secular trees sat with grace The most magnificent rose his sight could embrace. Like a testament to its purity, From the rose emanates the melody. The ghost approaches and kneels, Admiration and love, that's how he feels. "Come closer", says the rose. "I can make you real". With his whole soul, he surrendered to its appeal. These otherworldly entities touched and suddenly The light of the moon gave birth to this alchemy. The hand of the ghost is no longer translucent And the feelings in his fingers came back in an instant. "Now stay with me, this is all we need", says the divine flower. In an osmose, they share their whole with another, And with every passing day, the ghost realized he loves her. Together they watched the stars and shared their love, Projecting their minds and ideas way up above. Together they watched the land and pictured their future, Laying in the grass, feeling the butterflies in a lifetime that is pure. Together they watched the depths and felt more alive than ever, As they realized they still had so much to discover about one another. However, despite this unquestionable bind, A doubt grew in the ghost's mind. "What will happen when I will be real again? When I will be able to feel and smell the rain? These endless fields are only for ghosts to nurture, Becoming real will make me disappear, that's my nature." Heartbroken and preyed by his inner blame, This pure love was then mixed with shame. For the last time, the ghost released his grasp, While the flower, devastated, utters with gasps "I am a creature of both worlds, I will follow you everywhere. As long as we are together, home can be anywhere". The ghost takes a step back and confesses his pain "In the real world, my hands can caresse, build and protect Yet these could also pluck your petals through neglect I know my fields and trees down here and I think they need me. Or maybe I need them. I don't know." The helpless but selfless flower felt a pinch in her heart "With you I saw the stars, the land and the depths I showed you my whole and shared my tenderness But I can only accept your fears and let our amours In the hand of a univers where I won't be yours." The rose then continued to spread the beauty she hosts, But continues to wonder what real life would be like with the ghost. The ghost walked away, contemplating the life he chose But continues to wonder what real life would be like with the rose. "Thank you for everything" I am sorry for my flaws, I am now going to build myself stronger and am getting the help I need to understand myself. There are so many things I want to tell you but I am sure you know what they are... However time for this has passed now. You also have brought me my most beautiful moments too. You are my muse. I honestly never felt such "osmose" as with you. It is "funny" how in my mind, the simple mention of your name creates an immediate thought that says "beauty". That will forever be the way I'll think about you. I loved you more than anything. I truly wish I could have brought you a lifelong happiness and held you long enough to see the real life. I wish you well, Bryan

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tomboyjessie13 · 1 year

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At Kakyoin's Hospital room in Aswan, Medea was sitting by his bedside eating fruit with him, namely some peeled oranges and cherries.

Kakyoin: *Licking his cherry* Rero rero rero rero rero rero rero....

Medea: *Staring blankly at this weird habit while holding a orange slice* Does that taste good or something, or magical like what are you...?

Kakyoin: *Takes seed out* It's magical to me, cherries are my favorite after all.

Medea: Tch, you're so weird.

Kakyoin: Says the one who ate a peanut butter and bacon sandwich back in Singapore.

Medea: ...... Touché, cherry boy, touché. Although my friends back home never had a problem with it since it's a Elvis thing.

Kakyoin: Geez, I knew DIO's servants were odd but-

Medea: I wasn't talking about those guys, I was talking about my old friends back at California growing up.....

Kakyoin: ....Oh...... *Looks away despite being bandaged* You're lucky, you get to have childhood friends despite being a Stand user, me and [Hierophant Green] grew up alone, the others were the very first friends I ever had in my life.

Medea: .............. *Sighs* I guess you and I are complete opposites then, you gained friends after Jojo kicked your ass while my old friends cut me out of their lives when I did the same thing to Jason, *lays her head on the bedside, arms folded* like you think they'd understand because he cheated on me with his classmate Glauce Ono but no, they instead took his side and labeled me a "jealous bitch". It's because his family's rich, isn't it? *Eats an orange slice*

Kakyoin: There's something I really don't get though: Why would Jason need Mr. Joestar's wealth and influence when he's already well off to begin with?

Medea: *Glances away from him* That's the thing about greed, Kakyoin, it wasn't enough, and it's never going to be enough for him... even I wasn't enough for him... *Grips sheets* It just blows that my friends would just leave me for him like this, and the agents serving DIO are no better either. The ones who aren't perving on me are alright but we're not really friends, we're just a bunch of degenerates looking for a way to satisfy our selfish desires, or crazed fanatics who worship a gorgeous sex god like he's Jesus Christ himself.

Kakyoin: Speaking of which, how did you even meet up with that monster in the first place?

Medea: ........ *Sits up and sighs deeply* As I mentioned before, I kicked Jason's ass after I found out about his and Glauce's affair about a year ago. While it was justified, I was horrified by the whole thing as I had committed two sins that night: Second degree battery, and using my martial arts for anger. I literally lost everything shortly afterwards: my aforementioned friends, my black belt, my intuition, my love life, and even my home. I was forced out of the US to live with my Maternal Grandparents in County Cork, Ireland for protection, never to return again.

~Flashback - One year ago~

Medea: While my grandparents loved me and cared for me, my mind and heart was shut off from them and the rest of the world, I felt nothing but hopelessness and despair, not even [Flogging Molly] could bring me out of it. One mid-December night, I went to Blarney Castle alone, contemplating on whether or not I should end it all by throwing myself off it's walls... when I attempted it however, I found myself back on the castle roof, I tired again but with the same result, I didn't know what was happening and thought that maybe I was just tired.... That's when I heard a cold but calming voice behind me:

DIO: "My my, why are you climbing these walls for, my dear? Don't you realize how reckless it is?

Medea: Standing there under a bright full moon was DIO himself. His hair; gold like the blazing sun, his skin; white like snow on a winter morning, and his eyes, amber like the flames of a fireplace, I was so surprised by how otherworldly beautiful and terrifying he was that I thought that he was an Olympian god. But of course, I got into a fight with him as well because I wanted to be alone, but no matter how I tried to approach him, he always seems to have disappeared into thin air and then reappear at another spot. After the dust settled, he surprised me with a vision....

DIO: *From behind, he gives her a crystal ball before activating it with [The Passion], showcasing Medea's past and her relationship with Jason*

Medea: "Huh...is that?"

DIO: "I understand the pain and suffering that you've felt, for you see I to used to have a loved one many years ago; a young man whom I considered an equal. I had loved him very much like a brother and thought that he and I would become best friends. But then he did the most unthinkable: he has hurt me and betrayed me to secure his own legacy, leaving me scarred and broken. It had since taken me years to recover and start my life over, but even then... I can still feel the scars of the trauma he caused." *Rubs his neck where his scar is*

Medea: ".........*Tears up* I had loved Jason with all my heart, for years I poured my own heart to him and he just tosses me aside like I'm nothing. He ruined my life before it even began, I can never achieve my dreams or return home ever again! *Drops the crystal ball with tears falling* I don't know what to do now, I got nothing left to live for, you should've just let me kill myself!" *Starts sobbing uncontrollably*

DIO: *Hugs her from behind, whispering:* "Shuuuuu, there there, my sweet Medea, there is no need to cry anymore. *Wipes tears with his right palm* You and I both share the same pain we gained from our former loved ones, why don't we become friends? I promise that your suffering will end if you choose to join me and my conquests, I can even give your Stand more power, that power could ruin Jason's life just as how he ruined yours... It's only fair~"

Medea: *Sniffles and hiccups*..... *Turns around to hug him, burying her face in his chest*

DIO: *He hugs back as he smirks evilly*

Medea: Like the others, I became convinced that he was my savior and agreed to join him on his conquests, even becoming a servant at his home in Cairo.

~Flashback ends~

Medea: ..... But even though I was able to finally have my revenge against Jason, I didn't feel better at all, the suffering I felt still stayed. I was later convinced that killing Joseph would finally give me peace of mind since he left me for the old goat's wealth and influence. But the more I've spend time with you guys, the more I don't know what to believe anymore.

Kakyoin: I suppose the reason you feel this way is because it's not in your nature to ruin someone's life. True, Jason deserves his comeuppance for how he's treated you and what he tried doing to Mr. Joestar, but two wrongs don't seem to make a right in this case. Not only that, but you're literally stalking someone who didn't even know you two existed until recently and is just another target of a spoiled rich kid's envy.

Medea: *Covers face with hand, letting out an exasperated laugh and a pained smile* Hehehehe, I'm such an idiot. I gave up my hopes and soul to a lunatic who's willing to throw even his own closest allies under the bus just for petty revenge. Even if Jonathan fucked him over, DIO had somehow managed to make himself look even worse than him... I believed him, I completely fell for his empty promises. How could I've not seen this sooner?

Kakyoin: That's how his charisma works, it's how he gains a large number of followers to join him this way, with or without a fleshbud... I should know, it worked on me and Polnareff in the past.

Medea: .....*Shakes her head* I really should've saw those red flags coming when he approached me. *She looks at him* How did DIO approach you?

Kakyoin: ..........*He remembers how DIO "persuaded" him, which caused him to gag a little* Hurk... I'm sorry but.... *Grips his night shirt* thinking about it just makes me feel gross.

Medea: *Shocked* ......... He did something terrible to you, did he?

Kakyoin: *He silently nods*

Medea: *Looks away in horror and shame, then turns back to him* .............. *Stands from her seat and goes over to hug him*

Kakyoin: *Surprised* Hm!?

Medea: I'm sorry.

Kakyoin: ....... *Hugs back* Thank you.

- Medea and Kakyoin bonds over past loneliness and encounters with DIO while at the hospital

#jojo's bizarre adventure #noriaki kakyoin #dio brando #oc #jojo oc #incorrect quotes #tw: suicide attempt #three of the crusaders had detailed their encounter with dio #why not medea as well?

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hrroruja · 2 years

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So I had yet a OTHER Peter/001 dream but it was some odd what if El never opened the portal with him but it was someone else and Peter never killed the kids but still was doing questionable things but trying to find a other way out?(No killing kids!)

Warning;sexually suggestive at the end

The first part of the dream,it was just me venting about my problems,situation and how i’m slowly losing it and felt shitty and horrible overall experiencing a bad day and Eddie being the way he is was there all smiley with a lot positive energy dragging and taking my depressed self to my favorite fast food chain and making me forget it in the first place telling me”Hey woman,it’s all gonna be fine!You got this plus I look up to you!”then he gave me THAT hug awkwardly we stared into each other’s eyes too long then Bang!the door slammed wide open as Will(mostly Will!) came rushing in and Nancy was behind him a bit out of breathe as they ran?in telling us they found it wasn’t El that opened the portal this whole time but some other human that wasn’t even superhuman like her and she was way more powerful than Elven AND One as Nancy yanked Eddie away from me and Will gave me a up and down suspicious glare probably thinking I had something to deal with it,didn’t want to explain everything to me and left me there then Boom!i turn my head around quickly seeing a huge red portal open and to the floor besides me I see Peter shaking,writhing and curled in fear and barely breathing,coughing and whimpering then turn looking at the huge red portal that he was thrown out of already knowing it was the person Will and Nancy mentioned earlier and as I slowly try to step closer and reach out to help Peter,the mysterious little girl comes out from the portal carrying this heavy aura and otherworldly power like no other and looking down harshly with a glare at Peter telling him to beg for his pathetic life and he desperately gets on his knees in front of the little girl wailing and crying to please spare him but I’m presuming he did something enough to wrong and hurt her so badly cause she didn’t hear or listen to his pleas and didn’t have any mercy or remorse with him then she closed her eyes as she slowly started tearing his whole self and core of a”human”he is from the inside out as I saw him screaming out in pain,agony and fear and also saw Venca slowly seeping into him and transforming his human body in front of me as I stood there in frozen in fear everything seemed to be going in slow motion as it was happening not realizing I put her under a cursed spell and was undoing she was doing to him and slowly got Venca off and out of his human body and stitched him back whole and slowly grabbed his limped weakened self gently putting his arms around my shoulders and we went through a other portal I made on spot then vanished then he finally woke up from the bed groggily but his blue beautiful eyes widen seeing me as he told me he had seen me way before and got his flashbacks on us meeting and presumably we were playing and he was on the ground looking up at me with his true wide happy smile and was so so happy seeing me?(Like Jamie’s real smile!like aw lol)and said it was like destiny we even met but i never recalled ever seeing him in my life but he did admit it felt like love at first sight to him”Thank you for saving my life angel””I didn’t save you just had to get you out of there before something worse would of happen”later laying cozily in bed he talks in his quiet soft voice about his now bright,free and happier future and how he wants kids with me and how I gave him a second at that while looking at me with that soft sweet smile and patting the empty spot on the bed next to him,then gently grabbed my waist and put my short self in his lap asking in shy whisper by my ear if I could be on top of him but asked in sheepish soft tone to go slow and gentle with him and with his smile looking down at me(the gif and the rest was you know history)

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ratticus-the-emperor · 2 years

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had a weird dream where a king's entire court was somehow transported to the underworld and for some reason a fae king and his son were there too? everyone else was nameless in my dream (their names were never mentioned) but for some reason i vividly remember the fae prince's name being Lucas.

While the whole court was panicking, the human king was trying to keep everything in order and he clearly told everyone to huddle together, not wander around and stay where they are until they can figure something out. Everyone did so because y'know he's their king.

Everyone except the princess because while her dad was doing his job she wandered off because she saw a trail of blue glowing mushrooms or something. She followed the trail because she was curious and took some mushrooms while she was at it because they were pretty.

Turns out those mushrooms were spawned by the fae prince. My brain decided to not only make Lucas the only named character but it also made him handsome and a nervous mushroom boy. At the end of the trail the princess sees Lucas sitting on one glowing mushroom surrounded by other bigger mushrooms.

sign that he probably is having a panic attack due to being in the underworld so when he sees the princess— panic mushrooms in hand —he gets really pissed.

Now I don't really need to tell you guys about the consequences of angering fae so long story short, they have an argument (they're royals and one is otherworldly buy they were like teenagers) and Lucas ends up cursing the princess and flying off with his blue butterfly wings.

princess doesn't know she's been cursed though (Lucas was vague about his wording) and goes back to her court pissed as hell just in time for everyone to be huddled together in a big circle. At this point she's dropped the mushrooms and her sad scolds her for wandering off but then the Fae king and Fae prince fly in.

turns out Lucas flew off to tell his dad and his dad took this offense very personally. See while the humans were organizing themselves, the Fae king was talking to the king of the underworld (not Hades apparently) about the "we suddenly got transported here situation" and making deals with him to let them leave.

and at the end of it the king of the underworld agreed and gave them directions and instructions to leave his domain. the fae king was just about to leave to grab his son when Lucas came in, visibly (and gracefully somehow) furious and told his dad what happened between him and the human princess.

The entire human court is shocked speechless and even more shocked when the fae king called their princess and their king forward. Now the royals are standing face to face while the Fae king told the human king what the princess did.

but he was like really vague about it and was like "your daughter did something really offensive to my son/our kind" (i can't tell what the end part was it wasn't clear)

and the Fae king also adds that she's been cursed to which the human king scolds his daughter for not following basic instructions to stay where she is and then he scolds her for picking up suspicious glowing mushrooms.

then he apologises to the fae king and fae prince on her behalf and asks if there's anyway to break the curse.

I can't remember what happened from there but i do remember:

Human king making a deal with the fae king,

Lucas and the princess dancing as an act of solidifying the deal (the deal wasn't a marriage between these two btw),

Lucas and the princess having another arguement in front of everyone,

Lucas and his dad leaving the underworld,

human king being pissed at his child and lamenting the fact she's cursed now,

then i remember the humans getting back to their realm somehow and the princess goes to bed with the voice in her head going "one should know the consequences of dealing/dancing with the fae" before drifting off to sleep.

princess sleeping was when i was woken up by my little doggy pouncing on my bed but yeah. weird dream.

#one time i dreamt #my dreams #Fae #I'm only tagging that because a fae was the only named character in my dream #i have no idea why he looked like if Howl from Howl's Moving castle and Oberon from FGO had a child #but he was a certified pretty boy

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denimbex1986 · 6 months

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'GamesRadar+ Verdict ****

A thrilling start to a new era of Doctor Who which promises to be the beginning of something special, it’s good to be back!

Much rests on the shoulders of 'The Star Beast', the first of a series of specials which celebrates the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who. Not only is it marking a milestone year, but it also welcomes back beloved showrunner Russell T Davies 12 years after he left the show. On top of that, it sees streaming service Disney Plus bring the series to a wider international audience for the first time. Oh, did we mention that actors David Tennant and Catherine Tate have also returned to once again portray The Doctor and companion Donna Noble? As if things weren’t exciting enough already.

The question is then, does it deliver on such a promise, despite the hype being at an all-time high? Thankfully, the answer is a resounding yes! 'The Star Beast' kickstarts a whole new era of Doctor Who with style, providing a warm embrace for the already dedicated Whovians and welcoming with open arms those who are new to the widely adored show. Much like how Davies gave the show a new lease of life in 2005 with that exciting relaunch, with the first of the anniversary specials we are on a similar trajectory.

Admittedly the episode does get off to a strange start, with both The Doctor and Donna addressing the camera directly, breaking the fourth wall to speak to the audience. Whilst certainly unusual, the pair briefly recapping previous events works well, giving newcomers everything they need to know going into this special episode. And if you happen to be an expert on Doctor Who lore, this history lesson doesn’t overstay its welcome; instead, it immediately captures our attention, setting the scene in a curious manner, hooking us right in.

It’s a risk that pays off, but that’s Davies’ filmmaking in a nutshell. Whilst fans celebrated the announcement of his return, describing the showrunner as a safe pair of hands, that’s actually one thing Davies never does - play it safe. He’s one of the best in the business due to how much he pushes boundaries and breaks the rules, which is what he does again with The Star Beast. Sure, we do see The Doctor and co. fighting off aliens, but the story dives much deeper than that, exploring more complex themes relating to identity, all of which are beautifully handled with a sensitive touch. Many of the characters may be otherworldly, but Davies understands that, ultimately, Doctor Who is a very human show.

Central to that is new addition Yasmin Finney, the trans trailblazer from beloved drama Heartstopper who portrays Rose, daughter of Donna and Shaun Noble. From the moment she appears on screen, Finney brings warmth to the episode, fitting right in with the Noble family (who remain as endearingly hapless as ever). Tate steps right back into Donna’s shoes like she never left, chattering away at a million miles per hour, delivering the exact right level of sarcasm and comic relief. This is an incredibly fun episode, with much of that coming down to Tate’s quick wit as Donna.

And then, of course, there is The Doctor himself, with Tennant’s addictive energy radiating from the screen the minute he steps out of the TARDIS, all wide-eyed, ready to jump right into action. As charismatic as ever, you are reminded why Tennant is a fan-favorite, but crucially here he is playing the Fourteenth Doctor, not the Tenth Doctor, and so there are new edges to remind us that this isn’t quite the character we know. It’s an interesting challenge that the actor has been presented with, but one that he more than rises to the occasion for.

Another notable change this time around is the budget, as Doctor Who now has that sweet, sweet Disney money to play with. The special effects and visuals have therefore never looked better, with all the stops being pulled out to bring Meep to the screen. Adapting the comic story The Star Beast, it’s Meep who drives this tale forward as the creature who lands on Earth causing chaos. Wonderfully voiced by the always brilliant Miriam Margolyes, who ensures her character is both cheeky and adorable, Meep is one of the most meticulously crafted Doctor Who aliens yet, looking entirely realistic.

Whilst it is glossier than it has ever been, The Star Beast never once forgets the humble beginnings it came from. The love the filmmakers have for Doctor Who is ever present, especially with the numerous Easter eggs and nods to previous stories that are scattered throughout, celebrating the show’s long history. It’s a shame then that the ending does feel rushed, almost like they were racing to the finish line, which ultimately does take away from the emotional impact of the tender conclusion. Perhaps it would have been better to trim away at the middle acts, so the gorgeous finale could have more room to breathe.

However, it’s a thrilling start, and perhaps what is most exciting about The Star Beast is that it feels like Davies and the team are only just beginning, leaving us on the promise that what lies ahead will be truly something special. The bar has been set high, but all signs point to remaining specials Wild Blue Yonder and The Giggle somehow surpassing that. And that’s before we even get to the upcoming Christmas Day special which will see Ncuti Gatwa step into the TARDIS for a new season as the Fifteenth Doctor. For now though, Tennant’s Doctor sums things up pretty neatly himself - “Allons-y!”'

#The Star Beast #Doctor Who #60th Anniversary #Yasmin Finney #Rose Noble #Catherine Tate #Donna Noble #Russell T. Davies #David Tennant #Ncuti Gatwa #the Meep #Heartstopper #Miriam Margolyes #Wild Blue Yonder #The Giggle

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echantedtoon · 6 months

Text

Allison Chapter Four

It was....good to have someone around to talk to again wouldn't you agree? Someone who didn't expect a lot out of her, someone who she could laugh with, sing silly songs with, and ...be herself around again. Now don't get her wrong. It certainly didn't happen overnight now. She still was grasping at the sudden and huge concept that her old memories weren't just childish adventures of an imaginary friend and a whole bunch of the fairy tales and nursery rythmes she grew up with were actually real..or well WERE real, Chesire did mention that most of them were ancient history just repeated and long ago over, but I digress. She was expecting one of these days to just wake up and everything be gone and back to her normal life, but then she'd find breakfast made and waiting for her or finding Chesire all curled up beside her sleeping. He was kinda like a pet cat of her own that doubled as a best friend she could talk to and let reveal about her life. But some things were a little frustrating. One day she stacked books neatly on a shelf- Only to rush back into the room by the sounds of books falling down one by one and saw the site of Chesire looking wide eyed at the books and like a cat in those videos, was pawing the books off one by one. He seemed to snap out of it when she shouted at him to stop and apologized before snapping his powers and having them fly back into place. She told him he didn't have to use all this magic and cook for here but in his own words:

"You fed me. You gave me a home. You became my friend and showed me kindness when a lot of people wouldn't. I could have easily died. This is the very least I could do and it'll still be never enough in my opinion. Now hush and help me decide which scones looks better with this tea. I like macaroons. So sweet and delicious!"

He wasn't there sometimes and a few days he didn't show up, when asked he simply told her he had to spend some time in his world too, which she respected. He wasn't obligated to stay around if he didn't feel up to it and she certainly knew that she would be ok-ish without him. There was plenty of things to keep her busy, she still had the whole yard and fence to recover, and a job to find, didn't she? Which went about well as you think. Said fence was old and rusty and leaned in odd places, she had to REALLY put her back into it to push the awkward rusty poles into place, which left her pretty sore for the rest of the day. But the next day she stepped out to the smell of freshly cut grass and the sight of a tamed lawn and new white painted fence had taken it's place. When questioned he admitted to it, but only because she looked really hurt and tired trying to do it herself. It took a moment to explain to a confused talking cat that she REALLY DID appreciate his help but sometimes she WANTED to endorse the hard labor and he just tilted his head confused and blinked at her.

"I don't understand your human logistics. You could just as easily have me snap my fingers and everything you desire done will be finished in due time."

"It's not that! I mean it WOULD be nice to have everything fixed back up to the way it was, but humans, well most humans anyways, enjoy working for something. It makes us feel better getting it."....He cocked his head more and rose a brow obviously still confused and she face palmed, how does she explain this in a more simpler terms so a fairytale otherworldly cat would understand??...She looked back up at him dragging a hand down her face. "....OK! Lets go with one example. Uh...Um...Y-You know the story of Cinderella right?"

"Absolutely! Her glass slippers are still passed down in her family! Her great great niece looks so nice in them."

She rose a brow but shook her head and held up her hands. "Ok! Well you know how her fairy godmother granted her wish of going to the ball and meeting her future husband?" He nodded his head, of course he knew that. "Ok. Well you know why the fairy godmother did that right? It's because Cinderella worked hard everyday of her life and made an effort to be kind all the time, which with a step family like hers, it must've been hard. It's the same with most humans. Getting everything just handed to us on a silver platter without having to work for it just seems wrong, like there was no real effort to put into it to actually earn it. It's not about getting it done fast, it's just about that feeling of earning something." She pointed to herself. "I want to fix up the house and while I appreciate your attempts, and not in anyway discrediting you for what you've already done for me or for wanting to help, I want to be able to stand on my own two feet and show I can fix up the whole place."

He stood(Floated in the air-) and stared at her as she explained to him her feelings on the matter and hummed after a few seconds of it being done. "So....In order for humans to in their opinion earn something and be worthy of it they must work hard for it?"

She smiled and nodded. "Now you're getting it! After all an easy reward wouldn't be very good." She wracked her mind for another example. "Uh...Like let's say a princess has a whole bunch of suitors, and then she gets kidnapped by a dragon, and then a knight finds her, defeats the dragon, and worked very hard to rescue her. Wouldn't that make the knight more worthy to marry her than all the others?"

He looked at her thoughtfully, before nodding with a smile. ''Now that you mention it, it does seem you humans have more noble qualities than I thought.~"

She chuckled. "Now you get it. Besides wouldn't it get a bit annoying if everyone just asks you to use your magic to fix all their problems?"

He hummed, "I never thought of it like that before. Yes. I suppose it would get very annoying, I have other things to do with my magic than play life savior all the time."

"There you go! Now you're getting it! You can still help if you want to and I won't make you, but leave some stuff for me to do. Ok?"

He nodded and now that they had a better understanding she had less surprises. In fact she was made to make her own meals now, which she didn't mind cuz y'know independence in all, but now she could also show Chesire some of the recipes she picked up. He never even heard of a lemon marange pie until she made it for him and he puckered from the lemon flavor. Understandable. Not everyone enjoyed lemon, but things got a bit confusion when she tried to make pineapple upside down cake. She made it all the way and turned her back away from it for a second when she turned back and almost had a heart attack from Chesire using his magic to hold in place upside-down.

"What are you doing?!"

"Helping you with the recipe. I don't think you'll be able to make it stay upside down on your own will you?"

"T-That's not...Wait." She blinked. "Your Upside down cakes are ACTUALLY upside down?"

"Of course they are! It wouldn't make sense for it NOT to be. What's the point of having an upside-down cake if it's not made properly?"

"Huh. You'll have to show me your world sometime."

"Really?!" His tone radiated excitement as that idea was thrown at him and he giggled. "What a splendidly marvelous idea!! You could take my portal but...perhaps it would be better if not. There is dangers still left to be undangered."

"What do you mean?"

''Hopefully you'll never find out. Now let's cut this open! Im starving so to speak."

She let that one slide since no real harm was done. But he was still asking a few questions about her world that still didn't make much sense to her but it seemed he was used to different forms of things which was all but fine. The real things she was concerned with was the restoration of the garden and repainting the house. She didn't know if the roof was ok after all this time, but she guessed she was finally gonna find out wasn't she? She had been working on the back of the house for a few days now. As well as one could with old rusty garden tools and a small cat who found more fun in playing with the tossed weeds than helping her, but she didn't ask for his help and like before he was being more considerate in wanting to let her do her thing. She wasn't sure how many times she fell down on her behind trying to pull weeds out or tripped over another giant root in her granny's old flower bed. But all of that was put on hold when the first giant black storm clouds appeared and thunder gave out a warning of what was to come. Which came in the form of rain just a few seconds after. Chesire bristled and gave a startled meow as he jumped into her arms, and she ran like a bear chasing bees back into the safety of the house. Barging in just in time as the speed was starting to pick up the pace and rain down harder. Which left them now in this situation. Curled up on the couch, warm fuzzy blanket around her shoulder, and a purring magical cat curled up in her lap. And phone in hand. Her unlimited data plan was great for unlimited internet, though it was a little glitchy. One of the better things she did in her life. Might as well search for a job. I mean. She didn't have a car, and she couldn't just walk all the way to and from town everyday...And she already felt guilty for everything Chesire already done. If she found an online job then that meant she didn't have to walk all that way and could save up for a car and maybe get a job in the nearest town or something. After a while of surfing the web, a blue head popped back up and smiled at the strange blue screen.

"And what is this I wonder?"

"Hm?" She blinked and looked at him as he stared at the phone. "Oh. It's my phone. Im trying to find an online job but so far no luck. If my luck runs out I'll just try to open art commissions I guess."

....He blinked. "A...'phone'? What is that?"

"Oh, well it's a..Uh.." How do you explain to fairytale cat what a electronic phone is?....Maybe she should use another fairytale reference as an example? "Well...You know how magic mirrors or crystal balls show us stuff like other people and answer questions? L-Like the mirror in the Snow White story? You know how she would ask it every day 'Who's the fairest in the land?'''

"OH! So you have a small hand held magical mirror!"

She shrugged. "Sort of. It lets me talk to people, watch things, see fair away places, answer questions-"

"So it's more of a fortune teller's ball?" He nodded with a thoughtful look. "I understand now. I know of a great fortune teller where I am from! The descendent of the oh so wise Mr. Caterpillar!"

"That's one way of putting it."

That was probably the best she was ever going to get to explaining what a phone was to him- A flash of lightning flashed outside lit up the entire room along with a roar of thunder that shook the glass of the windows. Chesire bristled more and leaned back further into her blankets shielding the two from the cold air. She comfortly reached out to pat the poor slightly shaking fellows back and sighed. She didn't blame him for being scared of rain. After all she wasn't enjoying this anymore than him....Then she got an idea. She smiled and tapped the top of his head to get him to look up at her.

"Hey. You like tea right? How about I go make you a cup?"

He blinked slightly surprised up at her. "Really? Y-You'd do that for me? In this dire time? ...Oh, no, no, no. I couldn't ask you to do that for me. I'll be fine."

Her brow rose. "It would be the least I could do for all the things you've done for me. Here." She gently put her arms around him, enough to lift him off the couch and picked him up just as she stood up.Blanket falling of Allison's shoulder as she turned back around and placed the small cat back to where she was sitting just a moment ago. He blinked as said fuzzy blankets was drapped the top of his head and around him. Almost like a swaddled baby. She straightened back up and glanced back down at him. "There! Now don't you go anywhere. It'll only take like ten minutes tops." She slipped her phone into her back pocket. "Besides. I know I could use a warm drink right now."

He chuckled. But it was short lived by another loud thunder that shook the windows again and Chesire gave a startled 'Mmmrowl' and ducked under the blanket turning into a shaking lump under it. But that's not what made her stop and pause. A loud clanking sound itself heard before stopping after a bit. What was that? ANother loud thunder sound shaking the windows another soft but loud metal tapping noise and she snapped her head in the direction the sound was coming from...Sure enough ANOTHER thunder clapping. Another shaking. AND ANOTHER METAL NOISE!

"H-Hey. Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?! I hear nothing but the sound of absolutely silence u-under here!"

Well he wasn't going to be much help was he? She rolled her eyes and looked- BOOM!! Another shaking. What was up with this giant storm!? Seriously?! And another tapping sound. This time DEFINATELY from her Granny's old meditation room. Raising a brow, she cautiously began slowly walking her way over there. The dimly lit room and rain outside wasn't helping her whole horror movie scenario running through her head as she got closer and closer. When she was finally in there...She saw nothing. Lightning lit up the entire room as ran still poured buckets outside. ....Then where was- Another thunder slammed the skies and shook the windows. Which also shook another thing. The giant mirror hanging on the wall tapped against it swaying violently and made the same tapping sound she had heard before. She gasped and ran to it. Not actually touching it when she got there but holding her arms out as if ready to catch this thing. It looked too big and heavy to lift by her tiny self, but it looked so freely hanging from the wall that it could fall and shatter into a million pieces at any moment. Which is what scared her.

Her head snapped over her shoulder. "Chesire!! The mirror's about to fall! Help me put it back into place will ya?!"

The shaking lump stopped shaking in an instant. All fear of ran and thunder and lightning pushed aside and that blue head snapped up and out of the blanket wide eyed. "THE MIRROR?! ALLISON, NO!!" He leapt from the couch and zoomed towards the tiny room. "WHATEVR YOU DO, DONT TOUCH THE MIRROR!!"

The rest of his warning was drowned out as thunder once again rang out and shook the house, this time there was no tapping as the mirror jumped off the nail and as she watched in horror as he fell on her, she thought she could hear Chesire shout 'Allison!!'. As it consumed her. A giant shattering of glass was heard as shiny shards spilt to the floor in the place the girl once stood, and shined when lightning struck the entrance way. A heavily breathing cat was floating there for a moment staring in absolute horror at the mess on the floor. He snapped two it. Little paws pushing around a few pieced before lifting up the mirror and still seeing no strawberry blonde woman. His paws went to clutch his head as the realization hit him harder than any lightning.

"By tea and biscuits...WHAT HAVE I DONE?!"

#allison #helluva boss #hazbin hotel #zoophobia #timber

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cassurrjoybell-30 · 9 months

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Bonding with the Enemy - Chapter 22

*Warning Adult Content*

Suspicious

"That's his daughter?" Darren replied, shocked by this new information and he stared even harder at the girl as he tried to spot the family resemblance.

It was a bit difficult to do when she was facing away though.

"But wait, that's impossible. The girl earlier was definitely a ghost..."

"Maybe the other ghost just looked similar?" Jasper suggested.

Darren scratched his head and pondered that possibility but it was hard to deny that it went beyond coincidence since her hair and clothes were exactly the same.

"Maybe something happened to her this morning? Something shocking that would cause an out of body experience?"

"Like she died for a moment?" Jasper seemed concerned at that possibility and pulled out his phone.

"I'll ask but I'm pretty sure Kenny would have told me if something like that happened."

The rogue waited patiently as Jasper dialed the Beta's number.

The Alpha then walked a short distance away to have a private call with him.

Darren's eyes kept flitting back to Holly as he constantly expected her to disappear like earlier.

Moments later, Jasper returned shaking his head.

"Nothing. He said everything was fine this morning."

Well that just confused Darren even more.

"Look," Jasper sighed. "It doesn't look like we have any other leads here, so lets try another spot, okay?"

Darren, not having any better ideas, shrugged in agreement and waved goodbye to the professor's ghost.

He then let the Alpha lead him to a nearby neighborhood where one of the other victims had disappeared.

They parked the car along the sidewalk and started circling the block, hoping to spot another otherworldly witness.

Unfortunately they weren't as lucky as they were at the school and it seemed like this street was poltergeist free.

Just as Darren was ready to suggest moving on, Jasper put a hand on his shoulder and he stared at a nearby house.

"What is it?" Darren asked.

The Alpha made his way towards the building.

"Since were' already here, I figured I might as well cross one person off my list," he explained just before ringing the doorbell.

A moment later, a man answered the door.

He was tall and slightly muscled with short brown hair and a five o'clock shadow.

Darren recognized him as one of Jasper's many victims and the man took a whole two seconds to recognize his visitors.

"Jasper? What's up? Is something going on?"

Jasper glanced to the side as he thought of the right words to say.

"Hey Rory. No, nothing's wrong, I just... wanted to talk. Do you mind if we come in?"

Rary glanced behind the Alpha and spotted the rogue twiddling his thumbs awkwardly.

He seemed hesitant but let them in anyways and they were seated in a small dining room with a wooden table and chairs.

"So uh... you sure there's nothing wrong?" the paranoid man asked as he took a seat himself so he could face the two.

Jasper chewed his lip for a moment before continuing.

"Do you remember how we met?"

Rory's entire body appeared to stiffen at the mention of their first meeting.

"Yeah, it's kind of hard to forget actually."

"Right," Jasper rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, first off, I wanted to apologize about... well, everything. And also, if you still have issues with me, I want you to know I understand. It's been made clear recently that I was kind of a jerk and... well... I want to fix that."

Rory let the man's words sink in before he sighed.

"You made me bow to you in front of my friends. You ordered me to hand over my coat so you could toss it into a puddle for some girl. You made me buy you and your friends lunches and even made me take the blame for setting the Chemistry lab on fire."

Hearing the list of atrocities that Jasper made this man go through was enough to reignite Darren's hatred for the Alpha and his jaw dropped as he stared scornfully at the man beside him.

"I went through high school feeling like a total embarrassment. I felt like I had no right to be here. I considered dropping out just so I wouldn't have to put up with it anymore. If you came here to apologize just to make yourself feel better, then fine. But if you genuinely mean it, then that's fine too. You're going to be Alpha someday, so it's not like my personal feelings matter in the long run."

"That's not true," Jasper argued.

"How you feel matters. I just didn't let myself consider it before because I was led to believe that it would make me look weak. But I don't care about that anymore. I just want you to know that I do regret what I did. You can stay mad at me. You have a right to be mad at me and I'd like to try and fix that but I also understand if it can't be fixed anymore."

Rory eyed him speculatively, then turned towards Darren.

"Is he serious?"

Darren was surprised to be dragged into the conversation.

He turned to Jasper, who was looking back at him with an unreadable expression.

Considering the lengths he was going to recently, maybe he was being legit?

With a sigh, the rogue nodded.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Damn," Rory raised an eyebrow.

"You're that quiet kid, Darren, right? He treated you even worse than he treated me. I guess if he's got you convince that he's being genuine, then I can try and accept the apology."

Darren scoffed inwardly.

He most definitely was NOT completely convinced of Jasper's sincerity.

If anything, the rogue was only acknowledging that the guy had started to make an effort but that was it.

"Really?" Jasper asked in disbelief.

"Even after everything I did?"

"Yeah," Rory stood and held out this hand.

"It's in the past anyways and I'd like to move on."

The Alpha shook the man's hand in relief but Darren felt like that entire exchange had happened far too fast.

If he had been in Rory's shoes, he'd demand that Jasper get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness.

Then again, wasn't he already in Rory's shoes?

They were both Jasper's old victims after all, yet this other guy was willing to try and forgive Jasper over a mere apology?

Did that mean that Darren was being too conceited?

"Let me know if you ever want to talk about it," Jasper offered the man as he pulled away.

"If you ever want to rant, I'll accept it all, no strings attached."

"I appreciate it," Rory nodded.

As the rogue struggled with his thoughts, the two men exchanged a few more words before leaving.

Then, on their way to the car, Jasper's cell-phone went off.

The Alpha answered it and his expression went from relieved to serious.

"What is it?" Darren asked.

"They got the results back."

"Already?"

"Apparently Liam pulled some strings to get it expedited."

Darren quirked an eyebrow in surprise.

He had hardly seen the Alpha do anything to help in the case so far.

As a matter of fact, the rogue realized that the man was practically absent in the investigation aside from when he was directly called out.

Back at the Alpha's house, Mary greeted the two and led them to the living room where Liam was going over some papers with Gerrit.

As though sensing their presence, Liam turned his attention to the younger Alpha.

Their previous fight seemed all but forgotten as the two addressed each other in a business like fashion.

"It's one of the victims," was all he said as he held up a file with the picture of a young boy paperclipped to it.

"His name was Shane. He disappeared near the Morning Run Grocery Store a month ago."

"What about the finger prints?" Jasper asked.

Both Liam and Gerrit shook their heads.

"Shane's finger prints were the only ones on the shoe. Whoever took him didn't seem to be the one who removed it."

"Wait a minute," Darren remembered something important.

"It was a girl's shoe we found but isn't Shane a boy's name?"

Liam turned his attention to the rogue and maintained his air of business.

"Yes, Shane was a boy but according to his parents, he liked to wear his sister's clothes."

That explanation threw Darren for a loop as he realized the importance of modern technology.

If it weren't for the finger prints, he'd have continued to assume that the shoe belonged to one of the missing girls instead.

Liam returned the file to the folder and handed it back to Gerrit.

"I'm going to step out for a bit but I'll be back later."

"Where are you going?" Mary chirped up.

"Will you be home in time for dinner?"

This was one of the rare occasions where the Alpha's cold, stony expression changed into a warm smile.

"I will, don't worry. I just have to follow this lead while the trail is hot."

"You have a lead?" Jasper perked up.

"Let me come with, I can..."

"No," Liam shut his protege' down immediately.

"This is something I will be taking care of myself. I will let you know if anything comes of it when I return."

Jasper looked ready to argue but decided to stand down instead as his mentor left.

There was a heavy silence afterwards, then Mary clapped her hands, startling everyone.

"Well, it looks like I should get back to my chores."

And with a smile, she headed for the hall closet to pull out a vacuum.

Gerrit was sorting through the folder once more when he noticed Darren staring and smiled.

"Yes?"

"Is there anything we're missing?" Darren decided to ask, finding Liam's immediate departure suspicious.

"Like what?"

"Like some other kind of evidence that would have Liam run off without his second in command?"

"It's fine," Jasper interjected.

"I trust him. He probably has his reasons for not bringing me along."

"Riiiight," Darren says, scratching his chin.

Gerrit eyed the two before answering.

"Unfortunately, no. I've been through the file, front and back and didn't find anything useful," he then tucked the folder under his arm.

"Well, this was fun and all but it looks like I'm no longer needed here. I'll be heading back to Town Hall for now. See you guys tonight."

They waved the man off before Darren turned on Jasper.

"Didn't you find that suspicious?"

"What?"

"Liam."

The insinuation didn't seem to cross the young Alpha's mind.

"You think Liam is a suspect?"

Darren tilted his head.

"Think about it. How much has he actually helped with this investigation?"

Jasper laughed.

"Okay, so theoretically, if it were Liam, explain why? He's already the Alpha. What would he have to gain from kidnapping kids?"

The rogue hadn't quite thought that far ahead.

Quite frankly, Liam really didn't have any reason to kidnap anyone.

Like Jasper said, the guy was already in charge and probably making plenty of money running the town.

The only other reason would be if he were secretly some sort of pedophile but that seemed unlikely since the guy was bonded.

Eventually the rogue's shoulders slumped as he admitted that the guy was right.

As much as Darren hated Liam, he couldn't suspect the man based on his skeevy-ness alone.

Frustrated, Darren decided to head upstairs to charge his cell-phone.

As he went to plug it in beside the bed, he noticed a shadow fall over him and turned to find that Jasper had followed and was openly staring at him.

Darren glared back.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer."

Jasper snapped out of his momentary daze, blinking rapidly and blushing profusely.

"Er... I wanted to talk about what happened on the hill earlier."

Memories of that intimate moment flashed through the rogue's mind and he felt his heat react.

Urgently, he stood and tried to concentrate on other things to keep it under control.

"I'd rather not."

"I think we need to."

"I don't."

"But this is important."

"No, it's not," the rogue rebuffed stubbornly.

One stray thought was all it would take for him to go into heat again, so he had to avoid the topic at all costs.

"Darren," Jasper called his name sternly and the next thing the rogue knew, he was being grabbed by the shoulder and pushed against the wall.

An irritated Jasper loomed over him as he glared down at the smaller man.

"I'm serious," he argued.

"What happened earlier wasn't... it wasn't..." the Alpha seemed to lose his train of thought as his eyes soften and his grip relaxed.

A smell then filled the room and Darren immediately recognized the scent of Jasper's pheromones.

"Jasper?" Darren asked cautiously as the man's eyes locked onto his and he slowly began to inch closer until he was nuzzling the rogue's neck.

The collar was blocking most of the man's access but the warmth was still seeping through the thin leather.

"Why do you smell so damn good?" the Alpha murmured against the rogue's skin and the scent of his pheromones coupled with the knee pressing between his legs immediately reignited the fire in Darren's body.

Jasper then slid his hands down along the rogue's arms as he took another deep breath, enjoying Darren's scent and letting out a possessive groan.

Just as Darren began falling back into his heated daze, Jasper punched the wall, startling the rogue out of his heat as he stared back at the Alpha who was struggling to regain his composure.

Jasper was taking deep, steady breaths, pulling away and calming himself down so he could talk.

"I think I'm going to have to find my mate after all," Jasper admitted.

"Ever since I tried accepting that I've been rejected, I've been getting excited over the littlest things. I think, maybe if I properly settle things with her, then I won't feel like jumping the nearest person anymore.

His words seemed more aimed towards himself than towards Darren but the rogue nodded anyways.

Unfortunately, he knew that meant he was going to have to put up with the guy's mental pull on their mate bond again and he wasn't looking forward to it.

1 note · View note

fictionfixations · 10 months

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orders and gods and stuff

Everything needs order. It might not always work, but it makes people more civilized and more synchronized. It's teamwork that can have people be much more efficient in their duties because of sharing and stuff. Not to mention I guess, while a bunch of deities are cool and all, some people would prefer this one main person whose all important. Or as like, the main face, the.. I can't remember what they're called. Poster boy?

Point is, if people look at Greek mythology but are a newbie, they'll at least know of Zeus, and point out Zeus as a god. So on and so on.

Or people looking at Egyptian mythology from an outsider perspective might think of Ra first, as the big ol' important sun god.

I mean, nearly everyone, even if they don't believe in Christianity, or have even touched a bible know of God. (..and Jesus Christ)

Or Buddhism with the Buddha.

Also the family tree stuff probably made it more.. human? People being related to people. I don't really know, but since back then people would know that they were born via their parents, then it would only be logical to have that explanation be added to the gods as well, it just means that their parents might've been a whole lot more. well. more.

It likely would've made sense in their eyes (they'd literally just be blank slates otherwise, because certain parts of the body are meant for well, childbirth, or well, the chest being to feed, y'know), and not to mention their own thoughts on animals and why they do certain things, likely leading to similar explanations would explain similar supernatural creatures. Certain animals if I recall that right can actually notice certain things, like signs of danger faster then humans. There's that one I think bird that would go down to the mines with people, and I think if it died then it would tell people there was poison early, giving them enough warning to leave. Or like.. animals, like maybe dogs, I can't remember the story but it was something about them noticing like early signs of an earthquake or something and saving their owner.

Or good old coincidences that could make people think of animals as otherworldly, or something.

It just gave order to it, organizing it in a way that made sense, and like a logical thing.

On that line of thinking, I think I understand why people think of gods and all that stuff. There's a game called Detroit: Become Human, where you play as three androids who have the potential to become a deviant, or basically go against their programming. Having feelings, and wanting to be free (there's a lot of dark themes, but it's a game that is defined by your choices. Endings differ vastly.) Getting back on topic, there's this, well, 'god' they worshipped. Or some of the deviants, I mean. RA9. The story is that they were basically this android, their 'savior' that was gonna save them all or something.

Nobody knows who RA9 is, but still that idea flourished, and many deviants shared the same idea (it could be that they shared this idea with others). The first time we even see any mention of RA9 is for like some worshipping thing. As far as I'm aware, there's been no actual explanations as to how it happened.

The point is, it just ended up becoming this point of worship, something that gave them hope. That RA9 will come for them and save them (it's thought that Markus was RA9 because that's the role he can end up playing, but it's genuinely all by chance that he even stumbles on that chance to do such). And while it is just a game, it's a little fascinating, that this idea can spread and be shared, something to be believed even if there might not have actually been any proof of their existence.

I was honestly just watching a 5-year anniversary playthrough, and staring at the idea of RA9 with new eyes, or well new 'lenses', I'm understanding it a lot more (that game won't ever get old to me).

future me here. i genuinely dont remember what the question was, but for summer school the teacher gave you discussion assignments so youd be given a question to answer. i always wrote LONG answers with plenty of paragraphs.

#thoughts #random thoughts #mythology #school stuff #this is old #order #i dont remember

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cozycottagetarot · 3 years

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Who's Coming In & Why? (General)

Here’s the thing… I'd love to tell you this is all love and friendships, but it’s not. It’s more of a who’s coming in to help you move forward.

Still, I’m posting it because it may still resonate with some people.

However, I will do a second reading of the same topic in the future focusing on love and friendships in particular.

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PILE 1 — The Inspiration

Energy surrounding them: Queen of Pentacles

I see this as being some person you need to move you forward, be it a general mentor, someone with a career, or someone to get you motivated to get up and take action (the latter comes through strongest) . They could be well off, not necessarily lavishly rich, but more so in the sense of being a better situation than you. There could be a nurturing or gentle energy to them as well.

The vibes I get: Vision boards, goals, goal setting, power move

Why they’re coming in? The Empress, Judgement, The Tower (all reversed)

There may be some kind of disharmony in your life, particularly with you. You may be too much into your masculine energy (logic and material) and neglecting your feminine energy (nurturing, intuition). It could be a matter of self confidence and unhappiness with how your life is going. This person is coming in to put you back on track, and shift your perspective. Them entering your life will help you to face your fears and release any self doubt you may have. They may help you to avoid ending up in a bad place. Because all your cards keep coming out reversed (even though I didn’t want to take all reversals) I see it as a sign as well to don’t be afraid to start anew, instead of trying to situate everything exactly the way it was in the before. Like that quote/saying that goes something like-- "don’t be afraid to start over because this time you’re not starting from scratch, your starting from experience?"

How they'll help you? 10 of Swords, 9 of Wands reversed

The only place to go from here is up, but you need to stop being so stubborn about it. This person coming in is going to help you get your back you drive to 'fight' so you can pursue happiness/goals in a new way.

Potential Struggles? Knight of Wands, The Star reversed

Be careful your inspired action is not really impulsivity . You’ll have to do some inner work as well. You may compare yourself to this person and risk falling back into the same state again. You need to take responsible actions, get in tune with your emotions and work on your confidence and any anxieties you may have. Healing from the past as well, because your past isn’t your future.

PILE 2 -- The Therapist

Energy surrounding them: The Star

The energy surrounding the person coming in is one of calm and stability, and that is what they will bring to you. This person is going to help heal you, be it professionally (a therapist or psychologist) or unintentionally (someone who triggers our healing). This person is going to feel like everything will be okay.

The vibes I get: therapy, a guiding star, two people sitting and talking, letting your soul speak

Why they’re coming in? 6 of Wands reversed, The Moon, 6 of cups reversed

This person is going to help reveal the truth about a situation. Particularly if you haven’t had the best things happening a) in most of your life, or b) in this particular chapter or your life. This person will help you realise the things that weren’t your fault, the things you can change and the things that all come down to your beliefs. You may come to realise with the help of this person, that a lot of fears and limitations you have are self imposed. Not only that, but this person may help you figure out what your positive inner voice sounds like and help you to embrace it. Any dreams you’ve had hidden away (sleep dreams or goals-dreams) may also become more clear to you. After this you’ll be able to move forwards in live. The past won’t hold you back anymore. You’ll be able to move on or view these events that took place through a new lense.

How they'll help you? 3 of Wands, 8 of Swords reversed

The blindfold is going to come off. You’re going to be able to move forward in your life. The work you put in is going to help you move forward with a new found confidence and belief in self. You’ll be able to take your life into your own hands.

Potential Struggles? king of pentacles & ace of swords

You may struggle with the whole process of breaking through and envisioning a different future for yourself. Also, seeing your growth and how mature and stable (as in the different areas of your life) you may have become may take you some time or be difficult.

Pile 3-- The Sage

Energy surrounding them: The Emperor

The person coming into your life has a strong energy to them. They are most likely older than you or at the least has a very wise energy to them. They might not be the most emotional or expressive, but they are reliable.

The vibes I get: Someone with an otherworldly energy or wisdom. Someone established. You can't help but notice them.

Why they're coming in? 4 of Pentacles, The Chariot, Page of Cups

This person is coming in to show you how to find and build security in many aspects of your life the right way. You may be holding onto things that aren’t good for you and this person is going to come in and force you to ask yourself why. Also potentially isolation may be something you need to deal with. You may be currently playing defence. But once you allow yourself to let go, you may find new things, people, and opportunities come in, better than you image. You may find yourself becoming someone you really want to be as well as finding yourself in the beginning stages of tapping into your emperor energy.

How they'll help you? Strength reversed, Knight of Swords

They’re going to help you tap into your inner strength so you can take the necessary actions to help yourself. They’ll help trigger the arrival of big changes in your life.Things will finally start to flow.

Potential Struggles? Judgement, 6 of Pentacles

You may feel resistant at first, feeling as if they don’t know what they’re talking about and are just trying to bring you down. You may be hesitant to take their advice or trust that they have your best interest in mind.

** Gandalf. Gandalf came to me but I don’t know why as I know practically nothing about him. 😬 Maybe you do!?

Pile 4-- The Charmer

Energy surrounding them: 8 of Cups reversed

The person coming in is going to scare you, but not in a bad way. You may have this happy, “I’m put together” facade, and this person is going to be able to see right through it. They have the ability, literally or metaphorically, to bring you into something better and that may leave you feeling afraid.

The vibes I get: Someone clever and charming. Feeling flustered. Oh no, I have a crush.

Why they’re coming in? Temperance, 9 of Pentacles, 8 of Swords

They’re coming in to show you that if you stop allowing fear to keep you where you are, peace, balance, and contentment will find you. The situation you may be staying in may not be a result of your actions, and taking the steps to get out of it may be difficult, but this person is one hundred percent here to challenge your reasoning for why you can’t.

How they'll help you? The Magician, 10 of Swords, The High Priestess reversed

They’re going to show you magic. I’m feeling like you might develop a romantic or platonic crush on them. There’s just that vibe. They’re going to show you how amazing you truly are. They’re going to show you that you have the ability to make things happen. They’ll help you create that ending and see your new beginning.

Potential Struggles? Knight of Cups reversed, 2 of Wands

This person most likely isn’t going to stay long and that may throw you off guard. This all feels very fast paced so their quick arrival and departure may leave you feeling a little bit broken hearted. Be careful you’re not investing too much headspace and emotion in this person.

Pile 5-- The Cheerleader

Energy surrounding them: 3 of Swords reversed

This person has a very calm healing energy to them. I feel like if you’re going through a heartbreak in particular, the prominent pain of it is going to start disappearing. I actually redid your reading and the vibes I was getting before were not good ones. I felt like I was trying to shoo it away, and the reading felt like it was about someone leaving you who had hurt you so I think that’s what this could be. This could also be someone from the past. An old friend in particular.

**As for the person from the past, to help you figure out if this reading is for you— i was thinking back of the cards I pulled and this person felt emotionally immature and manipulative, though I’m not sure it’s intentionally. Were you trying to fix them? To make them feel better? But they were so stuck in their toxic habits/mindset that they just ended up sending your world into turmoil? Because that came through strongly just now.

The vibes I get: thank you, troubles disappearing, a sigh of relief

Why they’re coming in? King of Swords, King of Cups reversed, 4 of Cups reversed

This person is coming in to help you move on from the pain and worries that you have been in. You’re ready to get back to business and this person will be there for you. Cheerleading came to me as well, so that’s what they’ll be— your cheerleader. You’re also going to be stepping into a new chapter of maturity and level headedness. Any responsibilities or ideas you’ve been putting off, this person is going to help you with them.

How they'll help you? 9 of Wands, The Empress reveresed

Like I mentioned before, they’re going to help ease your anxieties, pain and sadness. With The Empress rx, ‘makeover’ came to me as well and I got super excited, so maybe that’s what you need and this person will help you with? They’re going to help you sort your emotions, make sense of everything and feel confident, attractive and capable again.

Potential Struggles? The World, Page of Wands

Setting your world back in order is going to take some work, but the results will be worth it. The only caution would be don’t rush your actions, without thinking about the consequences fully.

———

Disclaimer: I read tarot for self reflection and guidance purposes, but as always, this reading is for fun and entertainment purposes only. I may include advice for if you find a particular topic resonating, but it is in no way meant to replace any kind of professional advice. Any reading I post is in no way meant to act as or replace professional advice of any kind. You know yourself and what’s going on in your life best so I ask that you trust yourself above all else. Prediction readings are to be seen simply as a potential outcome. Finally, please take only what resonates from the reading which may be some of it, all of it, or none at all.

#pick a card #pick a pile #pick a card reading #pick a picture #ariesmoontarot #tarot reading #pac #pick a pile reading #pac reading

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