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bambambunny · 2 years

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FATUI CAT :D

I am here to deliver on my promise of cat!reader headcannons, under the cut cuz its long

Tw: none i think??? If there is then pls tell me

Relationships: Platonic harbingers / reader

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Pierro

Scary

Just say away if you dont particularly like him

He probably wont mind, he’s too busy to care about a cat of all things.

But like if you do like him, i recommend snoozing in his lap.

He’s got a lot of paperwork to do so its unlikely that he moves around a lot.

Its giving villain in a turning chair menacingly stroking a cat while giving an order to a nervous henchmen to inconvenience the heroes.

You could try yelling at him and only quieting down when he pets you or lets you onto is lap

But, depending on his mood, he might just kick you out of his office

Would assign some poor Fatui henchman to take care of you so you have a constant guardian even if the other harbingers arent there.

Dottore

Again

Scary

If you, as a cat, show human-like intelligence dottore will certainly pick up on it

Personally, as someone who likes cats and science, I would hang out with him

But like bad vibes

The worst vibes imaginable from this man.

Dont touch the chemicals he has.

We dont know what it is but just to be safe, assume all of them are acid.

Columbina

I love her sm 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Gives the most satisfying scritches and sings the sweetest songs

She’s one of the most safest harbingers to nap around

She’d put clips and bows in your fur regardless of gender.

Spends like 5 hours singing and grooming you like she doesnt have work to do.

No one has the guts to interrupt her though.

Capitano

Even though he’s scary i have a hc he’s nicer than he looks.

He isnt around Zapolyarny palace very often bc he’s out doing military campaigns and what not

But when he is at the palace, its safe to hang out with him

He’d have no issue with you catching a ride on his shoulders.

I also like to think he has a pyro vision(if he has one) and so he’s warmer than most

Perfect for a cat in snezhnaya.

I think he’s nicer than he looks and it would be funny for the tiny cat to run straight to the big scary harbinger for pets and cuddles.

Pulcinella

Its grandpa time babey

He gives you only the highest quality cat food.

You spend the day with him and you leave with 5 extra pounds just from the amount of treats he gives you.

You dont even have to do tricks or anything he just rewards you for existing.

He’d give you a kitty version of the harbinger coats, sponsored by Pantalone.

Scaramouche

Oh this is fun

You know how cats are just assholes sometimes and like do things specifically to piss you off

Yeah do that

Swipe at his hat tassles

Get on a cabinet and yell, mocking him for being so tiny

Rest assured that he will torment you in return

Like i love scaramouche so much, he’s my baby, id adopt him a million times over if i could

But i can only restrain the bastard instinct for so long

He told the fatui in charge of you to make sure you leave him alone and is so close to killing him when you inevitably waltz around the corner.

Sandrone

You’re not allowed in her workshop

No ifs ands or buts

Her robots are to delicate to risk getting knocked over by a cat

If you’re really insistent on watching her then she might allow you to watch from the door

But thats it

Outside of the workshop though, she wouldnt mind letting you in her lap while she is carried around by her robot.

Just dont jump off without letting her know before hand

You might get crushed by the robot

If you manage to make her like you and look sad enough, she might make a robotic toy for you.

Maybe a robot cat friend or a mouse for you to chase.

It keeps you occupied and lets Sandrone make another robot, win-win!

Signora

She does seem a bit cold at first

Feels like the type to not like animals bc of how messy they are, etc.

But she will warm up to you quicker than say Pierro or Sandrone.

Another source of heat in this frigid country.

She sends one of those fire moths to go with you and it is very much appreciated.

Girls night with Her and Columbina hanging out and taking care of you ^-^

Pantalone

As mentioned in the original post, i think Pantalone likes cats

He’d spoil you so bad lmao

Doesnt matter if you’re mean or nice or apathetic

He has a corner in his office dedicated to you.

Its got a box of toys, the softest bed money can buy, the most elaborate cat tree imaginable like wtf man, one of them self cleaning litter boxes, a water fountain, and an automatic feeder.

The feeder is on a schedule but that doesnt really matter because Pantalone will give you treats anyways.

He even gives you your own allowance from the fatui treasury.

He gives you one of those cat collars with the little bell.

Arlecchino

You could hint to her that you want to go to the orphanage.

Everytime someone mentions it, give a little chirp and stare at her intently.

She’ll probably get the idea and set aside a week or so for you go to the orphanage to play with the kids.

They’re all very gentle with you and like to call you a mini snow leopard.

Arlecchino thinks its kinda cute but she wont say it.

Tartaglia

The bastard instinct returns

I like to think that he isnt present when the other harbingers found cat!reader

Imagine he arrives heavily wounded and is confined to bed rest

And like, when the doctor gives the go ahead for guests, cat!reader jumps onto the bed and starts purring up a storm

Cats purr to comfort others as well as to show happiness

Childe’s barely conscious but the fluffy thing is comfy and he cant move so might as well let it stay.

When he does wake up he’s more than a little surprised to find a cat in his bed

You have a collar so he assumes you already belong to someone, pets you and then lets you out of the room while he goes over to see what the other harbingers are doing.

Khdsgoiewjrlksjf might try making this a longer fic if i have the skills but anyways-

Very nice to you

A bit rough on the playing but hey, it helps hone your hunting skills

Not that you need to hunt, you get fed regularly and i doubt there’s much mice in Zapolyarny palace.

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And thats all i got. If yall want, feel free to expand on the concept or send some asks for more specific interactions! This is the first time ive done anything like this so i hope its good enough.

Tag list:

@etherisy @franc-1-s

#genshin fatui #fatui x reader #capitano x reader #pantalone x reader #pierro x reader #sandrone x reader #arlecchino x reader #columbina x reader #tartaglia x reader #childe x reader #signora x reader #dottore x reader #pulcinella #scaramouche x reader #kunikuzushi #fatui cat

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theladyismyshepard · 3 months

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Hi there I haven't requested anything here in almost 2 years now and I won't lie I miss it, so if it's alright can I ask for Astarion and shadowhearts separate reaction to the Reader who is a magic user coming from a different world where magic is seen as a disease and those who have control of it are marked with a lightning like mark on their cheek

(Similar to the bearer mark from FF16)

I actually have a dusty old draft that's been collecting 2 years worth of cobwebs and it's a WIP that haunts me every time I see it when I open my drafts... and that just so happened to be a request of yours @adryanscott... so for you? Anything at all. The outline seems a little different, but bear with me

Tags: Mentions of abuse, torment, descriptions of chronic illness, Bearer enslavement canon to FF universe

Will You Be My Final Fantasy?

You were but a child when the magic lying dormant beneath your skin burst forth, crackling at your fingertips and ready to be cast. You were but a child when you yourself was cast away by your own parents, your entire world shifting upside down when you were sold off to the highest bidder. Gaia did not feel too much like home anymore, not when the people you had come to know as family and friends looked upon you with such disdain. The neck-breaking pace of which you had gone from carefree to chained was a shellshock that you were forced to adapt quickly to lest you learn the lesson of just how expendable you really were to your own people. At first, it had cut you so deep down that it pierced your soul.

Once the branding tattoo had marked the flesh of your cheek to signify the power brewing underneath, you were scorned. The people of Gaia thought you to be diseased and more monster than human. They feared your power and what you might be capable of, so they had come up with the idea of the bearer mark. Not only did it act as a red flag to warn others that you possessed natural magic and that you were owned, it dulled your powers in a painful way that left you with a permanent uncomfortable itch just beneath your skin. No amount of scratching or tearing away at the skin of your cheek would bring you relief, and at first, your struggle provided a great source of amusement for your enslavers until you began slacking on the quality of your duties.

As the years gave way to decades, the fiery fury that fueled your desire to see another day had slowly begun dwindling. You felt as if you yourself was an upturned hourglass, and with each grain of sand that flowed with time, your hope for something better faded with it. All you were living for was an end… an end to your torment, an end to your captors, an end to your miserable existence. You weren’t sure if you’d call yourself lucky or not that your Masters demanded back-breaking physical labor from you rather than casting spells at their convenience. With each draw of your magic, you felt a stiffening in your bones that brought with it a deep chill that was impossible to ward off. Maybe you were diseased…

The day had started as any other had in the past couple decades, with you rising in time with the sun to get prepared for a gruesome day of withering yourself away to nothing. As you glanced up to the sky to watch the first peeks of sunlight bleeding into the blanket of night, you couldn’t help the furrow of your brow when you noticed a small tear. Your lips parted, but as you took a step forward for a closer look to assure yourself that you weren’t hallucinating, there was an audible ripping sound as the tear in the sky widened into a large hole. Before you could even feel fear chill the blood in your veins, there was a gigantic ship soaring through, and across the horizon. You had never seen such a horrific-looking vessel that had long, flowing tentacles such as the one overhead at the moment, and your flight instincts kicked you into overdrive as it veered in your direction.

There was no time to register the long, fluid shadow of the tentacle hovering over you before it struck, and all you could do was watch on in horror as your hands began to disintegrate. First, you lost feeling in your fingers before the cracks broke apart your wrists, leaving nothing in its wake. The disintegration process didn’t take long to travel along the lengths of your forearms and up your biceps, and no amount of harsh gasps of air could pull enough breath into your lungs. You were fading fast. As your arms disappeared, you began to choke on the tightness in your chest before ash peppered your tongue and lodged itself along the walls of your throat. With a final gurgle, your eyes disintegrated and darkness enveloped you until there was nothing left.When you had awoken, you discovered yourself in a world where nearly everyone wielded magic. It was a culture shock that left you reeling, and even though you witnessed open displays of magic, even from some of your own party members, with no repercussions involved, you didn’t feel safe enough to expose yourself for what you were.

Shadowheart –

Even as you found yourself drawn towards Shadowheart, and felt yourself relating to the air of mystery (you understood better than anyone the need to bury the past and never let anyone see), you were so traumatized and so used to being seen as an animal to be used until broken that you could not speak the words. You were too fearful of being cast away yet again.

When Shadowheart had kissed you after revealing some of her own memories, you had tasted the bitterness of both the wine and of your own backstory on your tongue. It was the perfect moment to open up to the cleric, especially when you had never seen her eyes look so soft as they did when they gazed upon you at that moment. She had even asked you about your Bearer’s mark…but panic had seized control over any inklings of rationality you had left, and you had mumbled something about “everyone else had one” and “giving into the peer pressure”… The romantic atmosphere didn’t go any further than that, and you were grateful because the tightness in your chest proved too distracting to properly worship Shadowheart’s body. As you learned more and more of Shadowheart and who she affiliated herself with, you gauged other people’s reactions and deduced that her magic was frowned upon by many.

Her head never ducked beneath the weight of heated gazes sent her direction, and she never faltered at barbed words spat at her. You were in awe of how confident and self-assured she seemed in her worship, and you felt the connection between you two surpassing just your ability to relate. You admired Shadowheart to the point where you wanted to be more like her. You wanted to be free… But as you glanced between the woman you had come to care for and the shackled Nightsong, you couldn’t help thinking that Shadowheart was the true one in chains. To give blood, sweat, and tears your entire life and still have to fight through fire for any scraps of approval… it sounded too close to home for you. And if you yourself could never be free of the chains still holding you to Gaia, you would fight like hell to rid Shadowheart of hers.

You knew talking her down would prove challenging, but what you didn’t expect was how easily you had revealed your magic to the indignant woman. It was the accusation of you being clueless and ignorant spat so venomously at you that did you in. What do I know?! What do you know?! And it was the same moment your irritation boiled over that you remembered that she would never know if you refused to say something. Before she could turn her assault back onto the Nightsong, you sent a wave of your worst memories through your connection, and you were so overwhelmed yourself that you didn’t notice Shadowheart falter.

You can smell the leather of bootstraps as your bones snapped beneath heavy stomps. You can feel the sting of your open wounds rubbed with salts. You can hear the mocking laughter as your body writhes in a pool of your own blood. The stench of your boiled flesh was so pungent that you could almost taste it. There was a gnawing hunger that threatened to eat away at your stomach, and after a while, any thought of food would make you sick enough to dry heave. Through it all, there was the constant heartbeat in your cheek where the mark was tattooed. Sometimes you fear that the poison used in crafting the ink had seeped into your very pores and was burning you from the inside out. You were itchy, and so very stiff… And you couldn’t tell anyone. Keep your pain hidden. No one can help you. They’ll all hate you. You’ll be sent ba–

There were hands cradling your face, and the abrupt touch had you jolting out of your memories. Shadowheart was standing before you with tears welling up in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. Concern and anger had flared across your connection as she glanced you up and down, desperately searching you for any lingering wounds or scars. Her eyes stopped on the lightning-shaped mark on your cheek, and you felt her thumb trace the skin below it, too hesitant to cause you additional hurt. You hiccuped as you became emotional at finally revealing the extent of your torment to the woman you loved. Your hands were shaking as you reached up to loosely grasp at her wrists, and she curled one hand around the back of your neck to bring your foreheads together.

“Never again,” Shadowheart swore thickly past her own tears, “No one will ever harm you again, not for this, not for anything…”

Your shoulders shook as an impending panic attack loomed over you.

You were taught to be ashamed of who you were, that you were less of a being and deserved the world’s spite just for being alive. You had watched people just like you call upon their magic one time too many, and the stiffness in their bones overtook them and morphed them completely into stone before withering away to dust. You were afraid of yourself for a very long time, and here this woman stood before you with nothing but love and sorrow on her face. Sorrow for what you had gone through, sorrow that you felt forced to hide from her, sorrow for you thinking you were anything less than perfect. She leaned up to place the gentlest kiss you’ve ever felt on your mark, and butterflies filled your stomach as your heart started racing.

“You have always been magnificent… I love you,” Shadowheart insisted earnestly, both of her hands now holding you close by the back of your neck, “And magic or no magic could make me need you any less, I assure you… Could you ever hate me for my magic?”

“Wh- No!” You rush to insist, but your shoulders deflate as her point reaches you… Maybe it was time to finally let yourself believe that you were really out of that place, and you never had to go back.

“I know what it’s like when something is too hard to let yourself believe… but you’ve helped me to see that there just might be the sweetest of rewards in doing so,” Shadowheart said before capturing your lips in a kiss intended to banish all doubt, and when she pulled away, she finally turned back to the Nightsong with nothing but sympathy in her heart.

You watched on in amazement as Shadowheart broke three sets of chains all at the same time.

— — — — — — — —

Astarion —

Despite the fact that a vampire had threatened to kill you in self-defense and still joined your party, you couldn’t bring yourself to fully open up. Each time his silky smooth words were close enough to reach you, your chest would seize up, keeping any and all secrets trapped within. As the weeks turned into months, you and Astarion had grown closer along the dusty trail. You had helped him to feel safe enough to confide in you about Cazador and the torments he had endured by his Master’s hand. You had felt your own misery and pain bubbling within your vocal chords, just begging to be released and revealed to the vampire. If anyone could understand the years of enslavement you had gone through because of your magic, it would be Astarion.

But throughout decades of cruelty, punishment, and humiliation, the one thing you never learned how to endure was being looked at as if you were something to be treasured rather than exploited. You knew where to cover when the blows started coming, you knew how to disassociate when the hunger set in, you knew what it was like to be more dead on the inside than on the outside… But you didn’t know how to react to any display of affection. How were you supposed to respond? You never quite learned how to convey compassion or how to accept it, and all you could do was curse yourself when you’d notice his shoulders slump the tiniest bit before his signature smirk was back in place to hide his own vulnerability.

But you had seen the smallest glimmer of how truly broken Astarion was, and now that you did, there was no unseeing it. Every sugary drawl, every deflecting answer, every flirtatious banter, it was all a facade, one that always seemed two steps away from crumbling. You wanted to help him, to fill in every fissure of his cracked heart with your presence until the very idea of Cazador was gone from his being, but you still felt too diseased yourself. When your fingers itched to reach out and comfort him when you’d notice the foggy haze of the past clouding over his eyes, you’d instead lift them to scratch at your burning bearer’s mark.

And bless him, Astarion had asked you about the tattoo one night after you had let him feed from you. You two were lying side-by-side as you gazed up into the vast blanket of stars, and there was a comfortable silence between you two that had only been broken by the question. He made no immediate comment even though you knew he felt you tense up next to him and you greatly appreciated it, especially knowing his penchant for starting trouble and watching others flounder in it. Before you could even attempt to think quickly on your feet, his hand had snuck down between your bodies to grab yours, and you were the one linking your fingers, squeezing his grip as the tension left your body. Only when he felt you fully relaxed did he assure you that that sounded like a topic better suited for another time. Your clasped hands never let go, even as you two fell asleep.

When your travels had brought the party to Baldur’s Gate, it was a chaotic mess with people wedged into any and every crevice. There were murderous cultists, sneaky thieves, and Astarion’s “sibling” spawns lurking about. The vampire tried his hardest to appear unaffected by the warnings, and he was successful to those on the outside looking in, but the tadpole connection was a deeper rooted relationship that proved nearly impossible to withdraw from. His emotions were a waged war, going back and forth and back again, and you so badly wanted to reach out and grab his hand to comfort him just as he did for you, but you had the same suspicion that this was a topic better suited for another time.

But you felt it, boy did you feel it through your connection… The same haunting feeling that clung to your bones, the chronic illness that stiffened your joints and left you too restrained in your own body, the horrific notion that you would never really belong to yourself, not ever again. Astarion’s back was rigid the entire way to camp, all traces of his charismatic aura gone. He was on edge, and would remain so forever until his Master was defeated, releasing him from the invisible chains still binding him. The rest of the party knew well enough to give him space (though everyone pretty much had their own problems they were in the middle of overcoming), but you would not leave him to wallow in the burning itch to go forth and rip, tear, kill…

You had the sense to bump up the urgency of seeking out Cazador’s lair and striking him down in Astarion’s name… but if he was as powerful as led to believe, and if there would be a chance of losing each other, that night wouldn’t be for Cazador, it would be for you and your love for Astarion, for him and his love for you. If he required a night of distraction to get him to the impending final showdown the next day, you would offer whatever he needed; If he needed blood, if he needed words, if he needed your body… With each gentle kiss that you placed on his skin, he seemed a little less further away. And as you watched him cum and was immediately brought to your own peak as well, you knew then that you would do anything to free this beautiful man.

You let that thought guide you as Astarion was forced under Cazador’s influence once more. The sight of him entrapped in the red beacon of his Master’s control had petrified you. To reach his full Ascension, Cazador had to absorb the special spawns’ life source, reducing them to a pile of ash, and you were paranoid with each attack he unleashed, each time he opened his mouth, that he would utter the spell to take Astarion away from you. When you could no longer withstand the mental torment, you raised your hand, and watched the magic crackle to life at your fingertips. Your cheek was burning, and you could see from your peripheral that your lightning-shaped mark was glowing, but you didn’t let it dissuade you. You were on a mission to save your lover, and you would use everything in your arsenal to do it, including your magic, even if it crystalized you in the process.

Your party members were thoroughly surprised to see you casting spells, but you couldn’t focus on that, not when Cazador was staggering on bended knee before attempting to rush back to his coffin. As Astarion dropped to the ground, he wasted no time in chasing after to peel the lid away before Cazador could begin healing himself. A weight lifted from your own chest when Astarion drove a dagger through his biggest nightmare over and over until his own sobbing pain began bleeding dry. He was free… and you will be, too…

As you stiffly knelt at Cazador’s dead body, right beside Astarion– always beside Astarion– you cupped his cheek with one hand, and grabbed the back of his neck with the other before bringing him into the sweetest of kisses. You scratched at the hairs at the base of his neck and before you could talk yourself out of it, you released all of your memories through your connection. You felt his gasp on your lips, but you pressed on, he deserved to know your biggest secret considering he shared his with you. He needed to know that you saw him… far deeper that he originally knew. You could taste his tears even after he pulled away.

“Oh darling…” Astarion whispered, his throat raw from screaming himself hoarse while boiling over, “I hate that you understand a little more than others… and I hate that such a beautiful soul like yourself has been bruised so heavily.”

You sagged into him before hugging him tightly. He began petting your hair and cooing praises into your ear, pressing an occasional kiss to your forehead every so often. You eventually craned your neck and caught his lips into a kiss, and if he couldn’t sense the love through it, you made sure to spread the warmth through your tadpole connection. His lips curled into a smile wide enough to break the kiss before he collected himself enough to pepper a handful of quick kisses onto your own bashfully grinning mouth.

“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me–well…” His eyes momentarily cut down to Cazador’s body before meeting yours unwaveringly. “And I would continue to love you lifetimes after you were gone, only hoping you would return to me again someday.”

He dropped a reverent kiss to the back of your hand, brought you into one last searing kiss, and moved to stand, helping you up as he went. Astarion had a way of making you feel so safe and loved, even when exposing yourself, your body and your secrets. He would always assure you that he has his own skeletons in his closet… but at least they were finely dressed might he add.

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amaranthinedream · 8 months

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Our Entangled Lines - snippet

For context, Katsuki and Eijirou are making their way into Bluemoon city in disguises in search of a gift for Izuku.

“I take it we're not just getting him a trinket then?” Eijirou said, resigned.

Katsuki didn’t reply. They had reached the store, a grandiose building bustling with rich patrons cooing over the wares on display.

“We haven’t been here before.” Eijirou warily watched their surroundings, on alert for the tiniest hint that someone recognised them or for aggressors aiming for Katsuki. There were always threats against the Emperor, and it was Eijirou’s job to make sure he stayed safe.

“It’s newly opened,” Katsuki replied and headed inside.

They weren’t in the main shop for long though. Katsuki approached one of the workers and whispered something quietly to them. Whatever it was got the worker to lead them to a side-door and pull back the curtains with a bow, allowing them into the backrooms of the shop where a man was waiting for them.

“Lord Shindo,” the man greeted with a small bow.

Out of the corner of his eye, Katsuki could see Eijirou look at him in surprise before taming his expression. Katsuki was glad, it wasn’t like he could just come into any random store as the Emperor, otherwise the news that he liked to visit the city in secret would spread like wild-fire. And for the sort of requests and purchases Katsuki needed to make today it wasn’t like he could pretend to be any random civilian either, he needed a measure of prestige to his name for someone selling this level of wares to think of him as a legitimate buyer. So, instead, Katsuki tended to use the names of any lord he knew to be in town.

“Thank you for meeting with me,” Katsuki said, lowering his hood. “I was assured that you carried the finest jewels in the city, with the best craftspeople?”

“That is correct, my lord. I only handle the best, so all my jewels are sourced – at great expense – from the mines of Creati and so are of course of the highest quality, which has been assessed and notarised. You’ll be the first person I’ll have shown them to. They’re brand new pieces, never worn before.”

“Excellent.” Katsuki sat down on the plush chair across the desk from the owner, Eijirou taking his place standing at his shoulder. “I also heard that you specialise in Yueh fashions. I have a gift to give, so go ahead and show me your most expensive choker.”

Eijirou started coughing, choking on his own spit.

The merchant just gave a quirk of his brow. “A choker, my lord? That’s an unusual gift. Do you have a special someone?” At that, Eijirou’s coughing got somehow worse and the merchant's knowing look turned into one of concern. “Are you sure you’re alright, sir? Can I get you something to drink?”

Eijirou nodded, backing away a few steps. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me,” he wheezed, looking very much not fine.

Katsuki ignored his friend, resolving to kick him as soon as they were out of the store. “Yes. A choker or collar, the new Consort is quite fond of them.” And then, because it occurred to him what it looked like for Shindo Yō to be buying Katsuki’s Consort such an expensive and provocative gift, he said, “I’m here on behalf of the Emperor, so price is no matter.”

It was the owner's turn to choke on his spit. “The Emperor?” he rasped, smacking his own chest in a bid to breathe right. “The Emperor is buying one of my wares for the Yueh Consort?”

“Yes?”

“Then for you, my lord,” the owner's voice was suddenly a lot sweeter. “I shall gather my absolute finest. You’re in luck that Yueh designs have started coming into fashion recently.” He laughed. “But you’d know about that. The Consort is, after-all, quite a trendsetter. And he’ll be wearing a piece made by me.”

The owner seemed to drift into a daze at that, perhaps seeing how much revenue this venture could bring to his store. Katsuki had heard that Izuku had been slowly influencing the fashions in court, but it was another thing to see it up close.

“And when will the Emperor be gifting the Consort with this?”

Katsuki raised an eyebrow. “He shall give it to him personally, I’m sure.”

The merchant fussed as he collected some lacquered boxes from the many shelves and display cases around them. “My lord, may this humble servant suggest that you advise his Majesty to send it during one of the harem gatherings?”

Katsuki had to bite his lip to stop himself laughing. This merchant wasn’t being slick, talking about Izuku being a trendsetter and then suggesting he receive this necklace in front of all the omegas in the harem. He decided to play along anyway. “Wouldn’t that inconvenience his Highness the Consort, to receive it during an event? He’s very modest-” next to Katsuki, Eijirou coughed loudly to hide his snort - “he’d hate to stand out by receiving the Emperor’s favour in front of everyone.”

“No my lord!” The merchant rushed to say. “In fact, it would make him feel supported. In Yueh, a collar given by a lover is a type of claim – it doesn’t have the same impact if no one knows who it’s from!” It was Katsuki’s turn to wheeze in a breath. “Plus, it would make the Consort stand out in front of the other omegas. That’s how you become a beloved and doting husband - the Emperor would surely receive the Consorts adoration!”

Whatever Katsuki tried to say in response got stuck in his throat. The words ‘claim’ and ‘beloved and doting husband’ echoed in Katsuki’s head. His cheeks felt warm.

Adoration. Katsuki liked the sound of that.

The merchant did make a point though, and it was one that Katsuki already knew and had come here to capitalise on: if Izuku received the choker in front of the harem with Katsuki’s words of gratitude for raising the egg, it would cement his status in front of the omegas, even if they didn’t know the Yueh meaning behind the gesture.

Katsuki had been going to do it anyway as a way of bolstering Izuku’s position while he was in the early stages of taking control of the harem; he hadn’t known the depth of meaning behind the choker. It was not a custom he was used to.

It seemed obvious, in retrospect. The intimacy of barring access to someone else's scent glands. It appealed to a base part of him that tingled with heat.

Katsuki tried not to think too deeply on the Yueh meaning behind the gesture. He imagined Izuku wearing the collar Katsuki gave him, and the reaction of the rest of the court – especially the Yueh nobles – would have once they realised the meaning behind it. The debate All-for-One would have on whether Katsuki knew, or whether it had just been a perfunctory gift.

“Well in that case.” He gestured to Eijirou. “We will advise his Majesty that he makes sure Deku receives it in front of the harem.”

The merchant clapped his hands, a delighted smile on his face and a greedy gleam to his eye. “Wonderful, my lord! Now here, observe. My finest collection of chokers.”

#our entangled lines #oel #my fics

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hazbinextgeneration · 5 months

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Housed Hearts Ch3 Job Opportunities

(Art is mine. Heim belongs to Mortisfox. What Rose does to help Heim with his lawn is described in the video linked below.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=FJYDXC9x8z4&pp=ygUXZ3Jvd2luZyBncmFzcyBmcm9tIHNlZWQ=)

-THIS SPANS OVER A COURSE OF A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS-

The apartment she temporarily was moved in was quite nice even if most of her belongings were still going to be in boxes stacked around everywhere until she was located and given a house. She had all the basics she needed anyways. It was only a matter of time until she would be given a full house anyways. The very next day she was back to work as usual taking one of the many greyhorse buses until she got to that greenhouse in town. It was always so calming being around so many plants and taking care of something. They were her babies in a way. She was always watering them, giving them the highest quality fertilizer and plant food money could buy, and trimming away any dead leaves or stems. Only the best for her babies and her customers. She was often complimented on how healthy her plants were or how pretty the flowers were or how delicious the various fruits and vegetables that she had grown was there. It was hard work but hearing that people were happy with her work was reassuring to hear. She hadn't seen or heard anything from any REALTORS for almost two weeks since meeting Heim a while ago but she wasn't surprised too much about it. REALTORS were going to do what they please despite her offers. However she had a small surprise waiting for her when she arrived home and found a certain lure huffing and puffing down the street and towards the apartment complex and towards herself.

"Well if it isn't Mr. Baile. How nice to see you again," Rose greeted amused and crossing her arms, "Are you on the hunt for more buyers today?"

He stopped right in front of her wheezing a bit and taking a moment to catch his breath so to speak before smiling at her. "Nah. I'm on my way to that burger place near here. I got a few coupons off for 'em from some newspapers."

"I see." Her brow rose at him. "I wasn't aware REALTORS had money. Or are you awarded a lump sum along with your feedings?"

Heim paused for a moment before looking off. "Ah..I uh... Didn't think of that. Guess I'm kinda stuck. I..Guess I don't need it anyways." His arms flopped down deflated. "! did already got my delivery this month anyways."

She chuckled despite herself and he blinked as she patted his shoulder. "Well I probably shouldn't do this, but If you really want one I can lend you a hand."

He immediately perked up. "You mean that?!"

She nodded. "I wasn't feeling up to cooking dinner tonight anyways." She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. "C'mon. You can pay me back by letting me use your coupons."

"DEAL! Wow. Not only are you pretty, but you're S-So nice to an old run down house like me too."

"Hey. You're not run down." Rose assured him with a smile and pat on his shoulder. "You're a really nice person and it's what's on the inside that matters."

He hummed. "Well I do have a nice TV so not every house can claim that!"

She giggled again. "I was talking about how nice you are again but it is a nice TV." Heim puffed his chest in pride as he waddled next to her. He certainly was a sweet guy. Can't say that about a lot of REALTORS. "We can bring them back to my place and watch some TV if you'd like."

"Really?!"

"Sure. It'd be nice to have company."

She had a quiet evening and spent it with Heim watching TV. A few nature documentaries and a few generic drama shows here and there. It was new to have a REALTOR sit on her sofa for a few hours watching TV before leaving with his burgers to no doubt be digested by his main body. He surely was a sweet little guy. Perhaps all REALTORS could learn a lesson or two from him. She again didn't see Heim for about another week until he showed up again walking past her apartment building and it was her day off. She was just taking a potted plant outside to plant in the apartments lot when she spotted him waddling his lure down the sidewalk.

"Hello, Heim. Going to the burger place again today?"

He seemed happy to see her but shook his head no. "Actually there's a new ice cream place that sells burgers AND ice cream! Can you believe it? I heard they're giving away free food all day for their grand opening! I can't miss that!"

"Didn't you get your monthly dose of feeding this month already?"

"Well..yes. But I can't miss a good deal like this!"

Her brows rose higher as she looked at him. "You're still eating fast foods huh? Have you tried the salads and fruits the convience stores have? I think those are pretty good too."

"Yeah. Sure. I've had them a couple times but if there's somewhere that's giving away free burgers then I'm game!" He smiled wider gesturing at her to come along. "You wanna come?"

She shook her head before holding up the small potted plant. "Nah. I'm doing some winding down today and planting a few things."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Feel free to come join me later!"

"I'll think about it."

He nodded before walking away and she watched as he went off on whatever trip he had planned. He sure ate a lot of fast food huh? That can't be too healthy for him even if he wasn't human. Was that why he was in such bad shape? It didn't seem the ones who were feeding him didn't care or were even aware of that fact. He didn't even seem to mind that actually himself despite his initial nervousness when she first saw his main body. Things could only get worse if nothing was done about it.

.... Tomorrow morning she would be sure to bring everything she needed for the first step.

She was expecting Heim's surprise when she first got there. At first he didn't even respond to her showing up. Rose assumed he must've been asleep considering his lure cord wasn't leading anywhere outside. So she wasted no time stretching on the thick rubber gloves, opening the giant trash bag she brought along with her, and started walking around the yard picking up the many pieces of trash (again mostly empty take out containers) and throwing them inside the bag. The first step was to clean up the top mess, then she'd come back the next day with a company truck and haul what she really needed for this job.

Heim wasn't there the first time she showed up but his lure answered the door and stared in surprise at her when a company truck she borrowed and rolled up to his house. He stared in surprised silence as Rose just went about her business opening the back of the truck and hauling out a tiller she had also uh... borrowed from her boss's company for this task. He continued to watch as she rolled it up onto his front lawn and then turned around to walk back into the truck only for this time to struggle with a heavy bag of fertilizer.

"Uh...Rose?"

"Hello Heim," she grunted out between trying to haul the bag out.

"Um... Hey, pal. Whatcha doing there?" He pointed towards the truck and everything else.

"Fertilizer. I'm gonna till it into the dirt," she grunted finally dropping the massive bag by the tiller with a sigh. "Then I'll add a layer of top soli. I'll need to borrow a seed spreader and some grass seed from work later this week and we can get your situation better."

His eyes widened if that was even possible for his lure to do before looking around his yard. "You mean... You're gonna fix my yard?! For free!?"

"You'd better believe it. Now stand back. I wouldn't want to get your lure caught in the tiller." With one hand on the tiller and the other on the starting cord, Rose yanked it hard. And the engine roared to life.

The hard parts was tilling the fertilizer into the ground and then shoveling all the top soil everywhere. Good thing her bosses also ran a landscaping gig. She'd make up an excuse for why a bunch of fertilizer and top soil is gone later. Probably pretend she used it in some of the pots at work. Overall the hard parts were done and she could rest for a bit. Later that week she returned once again with the company truck and a few bags of grass seed and a seed spreader to start spreading the seeds all over the lawn before watering it all down with a nearby hose. It should take about a month to fully grow in. Hopefully she wouldn't have to overseed any spots. For now she could move on to the second thing he wanted to do. So imagine Heim's surprise when one day there was a knock on his door. Strange. He didn't order any takeout and he wasn't expecting anyone to deliver anything from the Mayor's office until his monthly feeding next month but he puppeteered his lure anyways to answer anyways. So imagine his surprise when he opened the door and found Rose standing there, but there was something else. In her hands was a giant basket of...fruits and vegetables??

"Uh...Heya, pal!" He smiled anyways upon seeing her albeit confused. "Sure is nice to see you again but what's up with the basket of goodies you're holding there?"

"This, Heim, is the new addition to your diet." Before he could ask anything she was already placing the giant basket into his arms as he blinked. "You need more nutritious foods and better carbs if you're going to repair the outer shell of your main body. Greasy fast foods like burgers and ice cream and anything else you're eating might keep you full, but it's not healthy. From now on You're going to be eating these fruits and vegetables and I want you to start repairing your outer shell. Once that's done your illusions should get better too." She smiled at him wider. "You'll be better soon. I'm going to be seeing you a lot more to make sure it happens too. Bet on it."

Rose kept her promise. Slowly but surely she began coming back more often than not when she could to deliver what actual healthy foods she could or anything extra her boss was about to throw out anyways. It was always still good enough for Heim to eat. Over the course of the next two months she made sure that his lawn was kept up as it slowly grew in an eventual bright green color and a few of the smaller cracks in Heim's walls had already healed. Heim himself was mostly flabbergasted about it all but also very grateful and even happy to see her a whole lot more.

"Hey! Y'know You're more than welcome to come inside," he said to her early one morning she showed up with a giant paper bag of apples from a sale down the street. "You've been so nice to me... It's the least I could do for ya."

Of course she had her concerns. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to cause any inconvenience for you... Or let something else happen by accident. Aren't you still waiting on your feeding for this month from the Mayor's office?"

Of course he winced from her implying to be eaten alive but it was a valid concern considering most REALTORS wouldn't hesitate. "Well..Yeah. But I'm not really hungry right now." He gestured to her bag as if to get his point across. "You've been feeding me a lot more than I'm actually used to so I've been a lot more full lately. Honestly I -I wouldn't mind getting able to spend some time with you that's not you just taking care of me."

She hummed raising a brow at him. His words were genuine and he was really sweet...but she wasn't going to take a chance without ensuring her safety first. "Alright then. I have nothing else to do today anyway." He lit up but blinked as she held the bag to him. "But I want you to eat these first. I don't want to be in there while you digest them. No offense." And it'll help with any lingering hunger he might be feeling.

"... Kay. Fair enough, pal."

Actually being a REALTOR sure was... different. Can't say she'd ever done something like this before. She'd waited around forty five minutes for Heim to finish digesting and fully ensuring his insides weren't in the digesting process anymore before he (or more accurately his lure) answered the door again and happily beckened her inside. Rose hesitated at first. Heim wasn't a danger, not really. But when a REALTOR was hungry...Well she might've become food on accident if anything else. So she only stuck in her head at first. His illusions were gone allowing her to see the real meaty, fleshy insides. And across from her was Heim's lure resting on an armchair of the meaty flesh, eyes blackened.

"Are you gonna come in?", his voice asked slightly worried from everywhere around the room now that his lure wasn't in use anymore.

"Are you sure it won't be uncomfortable for you?" She asked concerned raising a brow. "I'll literally be walking around on what's probably you're stomach."

"Nah. It's not like I haven't felt it before walking this around all the time. It's a pain in my gutters chasing around people sometimes lemme tell ya."

"Alright. If you're sure."

She hesitated a few seconds but slowly stepped inside the doorway before pausing...and then slowly walking inside. Well this was certainly a new experience wasn't it? Other than poking her head in a few times she's never been inside another living creature before. The fleshy recliner Heim's lure sat on extended into the flesh sofa making it big enough for her to sit on. Slowly she walked over ... and slowly sat down. It was.. surprisingly comfy and soft albeit warm and squishy. The sounds of a nearby game show popped up on the TV and it soon had her attention gravitated towards it. Although she was aware in the back of her mind. But.. nothing happened. Other than Heim shouting excitedly at the screen every time the host asked a question to one of the contestants. It was cute to hear him so excited. Until around two hours later the door knocked causing Rose to immediately look towards it in question.

"Are you expecting someone?"

"Not really," his voice answered from everywhere. "Unless it's a door to door salesmen. I hate those guys."

Rose continued to stare as the knocking came again before she stood up. "I'll see who it is. You just watch your show."

"Can't complain about that!"

She chuckled but walked over to the door and grabbed the doorknob and turned it. She opened it and paused. A pair of brown eyes on the other side also froze upon seeing her standing there. Both women just stood there for a long, long moment staring at one another. Eventually the other woman shook her head blinking at her.

"Excuse me for asking this...But have we met before?"

"I'm pretty sure we have." Rose rose a brow at her and the clipboard in her hands. "Ms. Woodrow if I remember right." She then looked at a stack of at least three boxes stacked on top of each other than almost reached Ivy's mid forearm. And a delivery truck was parked not too far from Heim's lawn. "I wasn't expecting you to show up here."

"I'm making sure a few of our known REALTORS get their monthly attoinment this month." This time it was her turn to look her up and down confused. "But you're not a REALTOR. Do I have the wrong address?"

"Did someone say food?"

Rose turned her head back inside and nodded. "Yeah. She says she's here to give you that monthly feeding you've been waiting for." She pushed the door all the way open to allow Ivy full access to the inside of the home. By now Heim's lure had popped his eyes back to normal to look at them both.

"Really?! Neato! I've been waiting for that forever."

"What exactly are you doing inside a REALTOR'S home?" Rose turned back to a confused and astonished Ivy. Her eyes looked between her and Heim. "I don't suppose I walked in on something bad happening."

"Actually we were just watching TV."

"TV?!" Ivy looked more perplexed at Roses casual answer.

Rose nodded again. "But I suppose it is time for me to go."

"So soon?" Heim looked saddened but Rose nodded.

"You have some more digesting to do and I don't think I should be inside while you do that but I'll tell you what. I don't have work next Friday. We can hang out then. Sound good?" He happily nodded. "Then I'll see you then." Rose then turned to Ms. Ivy. "You should make sure whatever you're feeding him is healthier than what he's been getting. He needs to start healing his outer shell more. Excuse me."

Ivy's eyes followed Rose as she stepped around her and walked away down the driveway and back into the street and down the road. She watched Rose go for a long moment before looking over at the REALTOR in a long, long moment of silence.

"Hey. What can you tell me about your relationship with her?"

More days passed since that day. She still did what she always did. Going about her day to day life until there was a knock at her apartment door early one morning. Confused she opened the door and on the other side was none other than Ms. Ivy. Rose blinked at her but before she could say anything Ivy spoke.

"Ms. Rose Willow I assume. Do you have a moment? I think we should talk."

Rose rose a brow at her. "I'm sorry but I'll be late for work."

"I've already informed your employers about that," Ivy interrupted by holding up a hand. "Please. This is really important."

Rose stared at her for a long moment before crossing her arms and leaning against her door frame. "Alright. You got my attention."

Ivy smiled at her. "Thank you. It won't take too long I promise. I just wanted to talk to you about what happened last week."

"Was there something wrong with me visiting Heim?"

"No, no. Not at all. I was actually quite intrigued by it all. He told me everything you've been doing with him." Rose rose her brow higher suspicious. "You know usually it's not advised to feed REALTORS then again there's not a lot of people who willingly associate with them."

"Am I being arrested for giving him fruit?"

She shook her head smiling wider. "Quite the opposite actually. I'm impressed with the level of kindness and humanity you've shown towards Heim Baile. So I came by to stop and ask you a question. What is your opinion on REALTORS and other non-human species as a whole?"

Rose was surprised by the question but answered. "I think they're alright. Obviously you should be careful around a lot of them but that doesn't mean I'm going to treat them like a pack of cockroaches. I find a lot of them pretty nice actually. Heim sure is."

That made Ivy light up more. "I'm glad you think that because I'd like to offer you a job opportunity."

That was certainly a surprise. "A job?"

"It would only be once a month and you'd still be able to work your regular day job," she assured Rose, "I think you'd be a great addition for the Mayor's REALTOR feeding program."

"Oh. The feeding program huh?"

"I'd be your employer for it of course as the Mayor is usually busy with more important matters. But it has good benefits. You'll be paid a hundred dollars for every one REALTOR you feed. We'll start you on just feeding one REALTOR per month and then slowly add more but it'll be an amount you can surely handle. What do you say? I think with your way of thinking you'd be great at the job."

Rose still stood there for a solid moment before humming. "That's...a tempting offer but I don't know."

"You don't have to answer now. Here." A small card was held up to her. "Here's the number for the Mayor's office. Call me if you change your mind." She slowly took the card and looked at it. "If you change your mind, there'll be a certain amount of food given to you to distribute to certain REALTORS. More will be explained if or when you decide."

"...Ok. I'll think about it but no promises."

There was a few days of rethinking it over. In that time life passed on as normal or as normal as it did around here. She had thought about it for a while... before calling the number. Why not? It sounded like a great deal and it wouldn't hurt to make an extra hundred dollars a month. So she dialed the number and arranged for it to be done. It wasn't so bad meeting with Ivy again and having her explain the basics. Once a month a supply of food would be delivered to her apartment and it was her job to deliver it all to Heim and then mail the Mayor's office a filled form with Heim's signature confirming he had gotten it. The check for a hundred dollars would be mailed to her a week after. Seemed simple enough. Sure enough the very next month there was a knock on her door one day and she answered it seeing a mailman delivering three Giant boxes before having her sign for them and leaving. All Rose could do for a moment was stand there before lightly kicking the stack of boxes. It felt heavy and barely budged from her light kick.

"... I need to buy a car."

#maison talo #heim baile #house hunted game #house hunted visual novel #househunted game #house hunted #house hunted 2

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dmagedgoods · 1 year

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Along the path - Frozen Grapes

Male Commander/Daeran, alcohol, intoxication AO3 ~~~ Drezen, Arodus 30, 4716 “Shouldn’t it be a given that the people of this gorgi … gorious … glorious nation are also able to exercise a minimum of control when the head of the executive is chosen? We need far-reaching instruments to monitor or even impeach those who rule with false beliefs of falsehood and …” “Like the inquisition?” “No! The contrary of that! An anti-intiqui … Antiquisition!” His husband snorted. Had he said something funny? He of all people should be able to see the appeal of those ideas! Instead, he was smirking like some kind of amused and very self-satisfied cat. Well, if cats were actually smirking, of course, they weren’t, and instead … “Where d’ya think you’re going?” Daeran had left the couch. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your fierce speech, my love, I’m only getting us more wine.” “More of that sweet atrocity? Something is wrong with this wine, aside from the fact that it’s distasting … disgusting.” He had only accepted it because Daeran had insisted – once more – that today was the day that for the first time, he’d win a drinking contest against him. But the only thing still left in the house was this damn ice wine. “I don’t … I don’t think I feel so good.” “The wine is perfectly alright and of the highest quality. You’re only drunk, my heart.” Now it was for him to snort. “So much time and you still didn’t learn that I don’t … don’t do that.” “Do what?” “Getting drunk!” Daeran cheerfully came back with two more glasses and handed him one. “Then you can drink this without worries.” He did, emptying the glass like medicine and grimacing. “Right. Where was I?” “Abolishing the monarchy.” “What?” He felt dizzy and slightly nauseous. “I think I need … air.” “Wait, let me …” The moment he stood up the room seemed to dance around him. For a moment he thought he’d vomit right here onto the carpet. He collect all his willpower to fight the urge down. Daeran had jumped to his feet to support him and Salvadore held onto him, needing a moment to remember what he had wanted to do. With a miserable groan, he turned towards him. “What did you put into that wine of yours?” His words tumbled from his mouth in a rush of barely distinguishable syllables. “Such rude insinuations! It’s wine, nothing more!” Something smug appeared on his face. “Icewine from Alkenstar, made from grapes that are flash-frozen in a magic blizzard. The refreshing effulgence comes from trace amounts of positive energy. It’s fascinating, this wild magic. The grapes absorb it and it stays in the wine.” “You let me drink this? Positive energy?” His eyes widened and from one moment to the next his head felt the slightest bit clearer again. Daeran pulled him into a little kiss. “It doesn’t even harm truly undead creatures, there is not the slightest danger involved for a dhampir like you,” he assured, then grinned: “Although it comes with the highly entertaining effect to strongly lower your natural immunity, or almost-immunity, to alcoholic effects. It’s the first time you are drunk, isn’t it?” “I’ll kill you. Slowly.” “As endearing as it might turn out to watch you try in this state, I advise you take your vengeance tomorrow instead. Besides …” He still was smirking. “You would die yourself from missing me. Now let us get you into bed. Unless you want to hold another speech and tell me more about the benefits of the Antiquisition?” ~~~ For @turbulentpumpkin43 who wanted to see drunk Sal after I had found out that Alkenstar Ice Wine is the way to get there. 😁 In all the ten years I write him now, I never included a scene with him being drunk to this extent. Premiere!

#pathfinder wotr #pathfinder: wrath of the righteous #daeran #daeran arendae #commander x daeran #knight and dae #daeran x commander #wrath of the righteous #dmagedtexts #my writing #knight commander salvadore #oc: salvadore #my ocs #along the path

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echantedtoon · 5 months

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Housed Hearts Ch3 Job Opportunities

(Art is mine. Heim belongs to Mortisfox. What Rose does to help Heim with his lawn is described in the video linked below.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=FJYDXC9x8z4&pp=ygUXZ3Jvd2luZyBncmFzcyBmcm9tIHNlZWQ=)

-THIS SPANS OVER A COURSE OF A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS-

"Well if it isn't Mr. Baile. How nice to see you again," Rose greeted amused and crossing her arms, "Are you on the hunt for more buyers today?"

"I see." Her brow rose at him. "I wasn't aware REALTORS had money. Or are you awarded a lump sum along with your feedings?"

She chuckled despite herself and he blinked as she patted his shoulder. "Well I probably shouldn't do this, but If you really want one I can lend you a hand."

He immediately perked up. "You mean that?!"

She nodded. "I wasn't feeling up to cooking dinner tonight anyways." She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. "C'mon. You can pay me back by letting me use your coupons."

"DEAL! Wow. Not only are you pretty, but you're S-So nice to an old run down house like me too."

"Hey. You're not run down." Rose assured him with a smile and pat on his shoulder. "You're a really nice person and it's what's on the inside that matters."

He hummed. "Well I do have a nice TV so not every house can claim that!"

"Really?!"

"Sure. It'd be nice to have company."

"Hello, Heim. Going to the burger place again today?"

"Didn't you get your monthly dose of feeding this month already?"

"Well..yes. But I can't miss a good deal like this!"

Her brows rose higher as she looked at him. "You're still eating fast foods huh? Have you tried the salads and fruits the convience stores have? I think those are pretty good too."

"Yeah. Sure. I've had them a couple times but if there's somewhere that's giving away free burgers then I'm game!" He smiled wider gesturing at her to come along. "You wanna come?"

She shook her head before holding up the small potted plant. "Nah. I'm doing some winding down today and planting a few things."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Feel free to come join me later!"

"I'll think about it."

.... Tomorrow morning she would be sure to bring everything she needed for the first step.

"Uh...Rose?"

"Hello Heim," she grunted out between trying to haul the bag out.

"Um... Hey, pal. Whatcha doing there?" He pointed towards the truck and everything else.

His eyes widened if that was even possible for his lure to do before looking around his yard. "You mean... You're gonna fix my yard?! For free!?"

"Uh...Heya, pal!" He smiled anyways upon seeing her albeit confused. "Sure is nice to see you again but what's up with the basket of goodies you're holding there?"

"... Kay. Fair enough, pal."

"Are you gonna come in?", his voice asked slightly worried from everywhere around the room now that his lure wasn't in use anymore.

"Are you sure it won't be uncomfortable for you?" She asked concerned raising a brow. "I'll literally be walking around on what's probably you're stomach."

"Nah. It's not like I haven't felt it before walking this around all the time. It's a pain in my gutters chasing around people sometimes lemme tell ya."

"Alright. If you're sure."

"Are you expecting someone?"

"Not really," his voice answered from everywhere. "Unless it's a door to door salesmen. I hate those guys."

Rose continued to stare as the knocking came again before she stood up. "I'll see who it is. You just watch your show."

"Can't complain about that!"

"Excuse me for asking this...But have we met before?"

"Did someone say food?"

"Really?! Neato! I've been waiting for that forever."

"Actually we were just watching TV."

"TV?!" Ivy looked more perplexed at Roses casual answer.

Rose nodded again. "But I suppose it is time for me to go."

"So soon?" Heim looked saddened but Rose nodded.

"Hey. What can you tell me about your relationship with her?"

"Ms. Rose Willow I assume. Do you have a moment? I think we should talk."

Rose rose a brow at her. "I'm sorry but I'll be late for work."

"I've already informed your employers about that," Ivy interrupted by holding up a hand. "Please. This is really important."

Rose stared at her for a long moment before crossing her arms and leaning against her door frame. "Alright. You got my attention."

Ivy smiled at her. "Thank you. It won't take too long I promise. I just wanted to talk to you about what happened last week."

"Was there something wrong with me visiting Heim?"

"Am I being arrested for giving him fruit?"

That made Ivy light up more. "I'm glad you think that because I'd like to offer you a job opportunity."

That was certainly a surprise. "A job?"

"It would only be once a month and you'd still be able to work your regular day job," she assured Rose, "I think you'd be a great addition for the Mayor's REALTOR feeding program."

"Oh. The feeding program huh?"

Rose still stood there for a solid moment before humming. "That's...a tempting offer but I don't know."

"...Ok. I'll think about it but no promises."

"... I need to buy a car."

#maison talo #heim baile #house hunted game #house hunted visual novel #househunted game #house hunted #house hunted 2 #housed hearts

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raxistaicho · 1 year

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Hey, give this FE8 fan hack a try :)

So recently, Rengor told me about this FE8 fan hack that I decided to give a try, and it was WELL worth it.

Made by Scraiza, Souls of the Forest is a fan hack of Sacred Stones that tells a completely new story with all new maps of its own. It’s still under development, but it’s in a very good place as of the time of this writing, with one of its two planned story routes completed.

So fun features?

It’s got a bow lord (they’ll have customizable features in a later version, but as of the time of this writing Beryl can only be youthful guy), while your Jagen is the troubled Valkyrie Rakel.

The game gets unabashedly busted, with items both early and great having seriously high power behind them. Foot units especially tend to make out like bandits to compensate for their lower move and lack of access to Canto.

Though that’s not to say the mounted units are completely screwed, because they have the Tellius version of Canto.

There’s also holdable items that grant hefty stat boosts for being held, and staffs that boost the damage or durability of the units they’re used on. You also pick up multiple Hammerne (though they can only be used on weapons in this hack) and Warp staffs for extra fun.

Let that sink in. You get two mounted staffer dancers, and a unit with Xane’s gimmick!

Rest assured, the gameplay is balanced around these features and you’ll have to use all the tools in your arsenal to come out on top. You’ll just have a lot of fun doing it with crazy numbers in the meanwhile.

Effective weapons and the weapon triangle play a larger role, and as such, both have upgraded versions, as do Brave weapons. There’s even weapons that exist to impart stat bonuses to the holder if they have S rank in the given weapon type.

Speaking on the Weapon Triangle, it’s made stronger in this hack, modifying damage by +-4 and hit rate by +-15%. Reaver weapons double this modifier, and Reaver vs Reaver combat doubles it again. Since effective damage in the GBA games scale with being at triangle advantage or disadvantage, using a Reaver weapon to place an effective weapon at disadvantage will harshly reduce the damage dealt. Then you get Reversal weapons, which reverse the triangle and have double the impact on it that Reavers do.

There’s also other smaller quality of life mechanics, such as a warning indicator for effective or killer weapons in enemy possession, an indicator for when thieves will open chests or brigands will sack villages, an indicator for when enemies will drop items, and an indicator when enemies have an item to steal. Vulneraries and Elixirs are always dropped, so steals are almost exclusively master seals or stat boosters.

Although there’s a LOT of units in the game, Scraiza did an excellent job of giving them fascinating stat lines. For example there’s Troy here who joins as a Brigand with capped Power, Speed, and Luck, and high growths in the first two stats and high hp, but with basically zilch in either bases or growths for Skill, Def, or Res. Then there’s Emma, the tank thief, or Tero with his shitty bases but ability to endless promote while also having high stat caps and the ability to use weapons and items locked to armor units, or Nuar with her 0 across the board bases but access to unique prf status staves (the only ones in the game in fact!) and growths that hover around 200% in each stat.

And you’d do well to train a pretty good selection of units, because the final few maps have some very high deploy caps!

The hack has three levels of difficulty (it’s balanced around the highest, Lunatic) and has built-in customization options for Reverse mode, Anti-Reverse mode, Fixed growths (meaning no RNG upon level up), 0% growths, and several more options.

The game very much follows the design principles of New Mystery of the Emblem’s highest difficulty, meaning difficulty is more geared toward enemies being placed with devilish precision and not by simply throwing a lot of them at the map or giving them huge stats.

DS-era save points also dot nearly every map. (You can see one in the first screenshot I posted). Also returning from the DS era are generic replacements for your units if too many of them die that you can’t fill your deployment slots.

Though the story and writing are not the focus of the mod, the story is reasonably engrossing anyways, and tells the tale of the soldiers of the Treuran Empire as they try to bring peace and security to a brutal, hard land.

The characters are all very well-written, the villains included. Supports are not yet completed, but work on the hack is ongoing and Scraiza promises to have them in a future version. There’ll also be an alternate story route in future versions of the game.

In terms of representation, no classes are gender-locked. You can have male Pegasus Knights and Troubadours or female Fighters and Pirates. Female generic enemies are also frequently present, as are female bosses and major villains.

Some characters are explicitly LGBT+, and there’s even a weapon that can only be used by gender nonconforming characters. Genderlocked weapons do exist, but with a twist in that some women can use the supposedly male-only Mars tome (such as Aenny who finds the idea of throwing fireballs cool enough to call herself a tomboy) and some men can use the apparently female-only Ladyblade (like Steel who’s so insanely dedicated to the blade that he’ll become whatever the sword he’s holding requires). But the real fun behind them is they’re locked to the UNIT, not to the CLASS, so you can give a swordsman the Mars tome to let them hit at range, or an archer girl the Ladyblade to let her defend herself up close.

So yeah, all in all, Souls of the Forest is a delightfully (in many ways absurdly) fun fan hack and well worth giving a ghost! It can be found here:

https://feuniverse.us/t/fe8-fire-emblem-souls-of-the-forest/4300

And have fun!

#fire emblem #fire emblem fan hack #souls of the forest

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dylan-hayes · 8 months

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How Kimberly Clark's Unconventional Testing Strategy is Raising the Bar for Diapers and Training Pants

News Anchor: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to " " Insight Hour," where we bring you the latest news and insights from around the nation. Tonight, we have a special guest with us from Kimberly Clark, a leading name in personal care products. Please welcome Ms. Jessica Rodriguez.

Jessica Rodriguez: Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.

News Anchor: Ms. Rodriguez, Kimberly Clark's new line of disposable diapers and training pants has been causing quite a buzz, with an astounding 90% of parents choosing these products over their competitors. Market surveys also found that even current parents that are currently happy with their current brand have even considered making a switch! All reviews from parents, especially new parents love that your diapers hold up all night, are blow out proof, and are great for sensitive skin. Could you tell our viewers a bit more about how the company ensures the quality of these absolutely phenomenal products?

Jessica Rodriguez: Absolutely. At Kimberly Clark, our primary focus is always on the safety and satisfaction of our customers, especially the parents and their little ones. To ensure the highest quality and performance of our diapers and training pants, we have an extensive testing process.

News Anchor: That sounds intriguing. Could you give us some insights into how these tests are conducted?

Jessica Rodriguez: Of course. One unique approach we take is to scale a small batch of new and current products to adult sizes and have adults test them instead of infants or children. This might sound a bit unusual, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Adults can provide valuable feedback on comfort, fit, and overall performance, which helps us identify any potential issues or improvements that need to be made. We also tend to do quality assurance tests quarterly with our current product lines to ensure that the factories producing our product meet our high degree of quality.

News Anchor: That's quite an interesting strategy. So, by using adult testers, you gain more insights into the products' performance?

Jessica Rodriguez: Exactly. Adult testers give us more objective feedback since they can articulate their experience better than young children. It also allows us to avoid any potential risks or discomfort that children might face during testing. We want to be absolutely certain that our products are safe and reliable before they reach our consumers.

News Anchor: That's commendable. I can see how using adult testers can help improve the products even further. Could you tell us more about the feedback you receive from them and how it influences the final design?

Jessica Rodriguez: Absolutely. The feedback from our adult testers is incredibly valuable. They provide insights into the products' fit, absorption, and any potential leakage issues. They also help us identify any areas that may cause discomfort or irritation. This data, combined with feedback from our team of experts, is meticulously analyzed, leading to continuous improvements in our diaper and training pant designs.

News Anchor: It's impressive to see such dedication to product improvement. Finally, Ms. Rodriguez, how do you assure parents that the adult testers' experiences truly reflect what their little ones will experience?

Jessica Rodriguez: It's a great question, and one we take very seriously. While adult testers give us crucial insights, we consider the need for a controlled environment. So naturally we also conduct extensive trials with adults in simulated infant /childhood settings. This approach ensures that the final products are not only safe and effective but also meet the needs and expectations of our young customers and their parents.

News Anchor: Thank you for clarifying that, Ms. Rodriguez. It's evident that Kimberly Clark's commitment to safety and quality drives your product development process. We appreciate you joining us today to share these fascinating insights.

Jessica Rodriguez: Thank you for having me. It was my pleasure to shed light on our testing processes. If there are any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

News Anchor: I'm sure our viewers are now well-informed about Kimberly Clark's approach to product testing. Once again, thank you, Ms. Rodriguez, for your time and valuable information.

Jessica Rodriguez: Thank you and have a wonderful evening.

#ab/dl #ab/dl lifestyle #ab/dl story

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wonderingsoulehh · 1 year

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Hii, can I have hcs for baking with toya 💖💖

oh my anon are you trying to make frankenstein's cupcake,

anyway here are some hc's for baking with Toya (under the cut) <33

Toya has ambition, to say the least. He wants to make something good, but I think he would ask you to bring a recipe. Baking in a place with lots of windows and ventilation is a good idea.

Because of his wealth, I think he would be the one to do the shopping beforehand, making sure to get the highest quality products possible.

For example, if you give him a recipe for vanilla cupcakes, he will bring Tahitian vanilla beans or all the vanilla products he can find.

"I'd better bring them all rather than bringing only the wrong one," he would assure you, just don't look at the grocery bill…

Toya would make sure to ask questions about the whole process as he wants to improve. He relies on you for guidance, which shows an amazing sign of trust.

Of course, if there is something you don't know the answer to, that's alright. He will make it an opportunity to learn together, maybe even watch some of those YouTube tutorials.

Speaking of which, he did watch a couple before coming to bake with you. He wanted to be prepared (just hope it wasn't a 5-minute craft video).

Regardless of how the baking goes, Toya is happy to have spent time with you and would definitely ask to do so again.

Bonus point: Next time he comes over to bake, he will bring a friend or maybe even the rest of the Vivid Bad Squad!

#good luck with the cupcakes anon #toya aoyagi #toya #vivid bad squad #pjsk #project sekai.#pjsk headcanons #headcanons #soul story

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calumincolor · 1 year

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#roof in toronto #roof replacement #roof replacement in toronto

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sabraeal · 2 years

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If You Dare, Chapter 1

[Read on AO3]

Written in honor of @krispy-kream’s birthday! Sharon wrote the first obiyuki fic I ever read, and truly sealed the deal on this being one of my forever OTPs-- and she was also one of my first friends in this fandom...after I replied to a reply she made on someone else’s review, telling her than if she needed ideas for a Knots continuation, I certainly had some...She was also one of the few Hakizana shippers in fandom at that time, and so it’s only fitting that she’s my #1 Hakizana fic requester when her birthday comes around 🤣

When Izana wakes, it is alone, in a bed that is hardly his, with the fire all gone to ash.

He can hardly expect anything else; an outpost is not an inn. There is no kindly matron to oversee its running, no servants who know how to keep a king in the way he has become accustomed. No, in places such as this he is an interloper, a man whose very presence demands upheaval-- starting with this room, stolen from the post’s own commander.

A request he would have rather not made, but it is expected, an insult if it was not offered-- and an even for unforgivable one if he refused. But such sacrifices must be made if he wishes to arrive at Wirant in good time, or at least long before its lord can anticipate him. Any more advanced notice and he might as well be serving Makiri Arleon the upper hand on a platter.

Which is the last thing he needs, considering just who brings him breakfast this morning.

“The pickings are slim,” she warns him, cheeks rosy from the checkpoint’s chilled halls. “But I do believe I managed to convince the soldiers on duty to make us something edible.”

In Wistal, Haki is every inch a king’s betrothed, her skirts artfully folded to fall just so, the fabrics both restrained in ornament while still the highest of quality. The very same sensibilities that had drawn him to her as a potential bride when he visited Lilias all those years ago: both luxurious while not ostentatious, practical without being prudish.

The only hint of that woman here is the attention to details. There may be no exquisite embellishments, but her costume is well-kept, not ragged even if it is travel-worn. It is not unlike the dignified practicality his brother’s precious herbalist has come to be known for, though no discerning eye would ever mistake his betrothed for anything like a commoner.

“If they are anything like the guards in Wistal,” Izana drawls, taking in the porridge and dry toast, a generous rasher of bacon beside it. “I will keep my hopes moderate.”

��Come now,” she murmurs, setting it on the desk that serves as his table, a smile curving her mouth. “You can do a little better than that. Any cook in Wirant is due to be twice of one in Wistal, just from the seasoning.”

Izana huffs, smoothing out the twitch at the corner of his own. “You Northerners put far too much stock in your spices, and too little in the quality of your cooking.”

“Spoken like a true Southerner.” Her foot darts out, as if she might hook a chair’s leg like one of the guards-- but she stills, retracting her boot before she can do anything so unladylike, glowering at the seat with a mouth so knotted up in consternation he has to smother a laugh.

“Allow me,” he murmurs, sweeping the chair up behind her, letting her settle into it as if it were a formal dinner instead of a hasty breakfast in a commander’s commandeered quarters.

“You have my thanks.” Her legs cross neatly at the ankle, tucking up beneath the seat. A proper position for a young lady, though in clothes cut as her are now, he cannot help but find it...charming. Unexpectedly so.

“My pleasure,” he assures her, oddly warm, before he sweeps back into his own seat. As Haki leans in, serving herself from the plate of bacon between them, he must admit that as humble as these quarters may be, the view he has across this table is as pleasurable as any he might have in Wistal.

More so, when she smiles up at him through the first bite, hand lifting up to curl over her already pursed lips. Haki has always been a pretty girl-- inoffensive, he’d once sniffed, after Earl Arleon’s carriage had rolled away-- but now that he knows her, that she’s lived among the castle for these few months, she is more than just a handsome face. She has become, quite against his will, a welcome one.

Ah, how it rankles that not all of his Father’s ideas had been bad ones.

The porridge is hardly appealing, but a lack of lumps and a few speckles of spice give him hope that it might be the best of what the post offers. At least, the best thing that is not a cooked cut of an animal, dripping in its own fats. A dish he’ll work his way around to, once his stomach wakes, but for now he wants something palatable, even if it is not quite appetizing.

It is, of course, when the first spoonful is halfway to his mouth that Haki ventures, solicitous as always, “I trust you slept well, Your Majesty.”

It had taken years-- long, hard years of raw knuckles and bruises beneath his clothes, of pain so great he could not lift his arms into his jacket and made a fashion of it instead-- to train him out of spontaneous reaction. There are no rogue smiles for Izana, no brows he does not hoist himself. Not a single muscle twitches when he does not tell it to, and today--

Today, Izana has never been more glad of it, for it is only that iron control that keeps the spoon in his hand and the porridge safely in it. That his jaw snaps shut instead of dropping like a fool’s is already miracle enough for one day.

“As well as could be expected,” he manages, his drawl catching like silk on splinters. “A place like this can hardly be expected to have all the amenities of the palace. Or it’s--” he allows his words to hang while he busies himself with selecting a piece of dry toast-- “comforts. But then, there are few places on the road that can claim them.”

Haki may lack his immaculate control, but still, she gives no more than a short, stilted breath. “Perhaps if you had patience to wait for your entourage, you would not have such lean service.”

He lets his lips part in grin, one that is not quite impish but has certainly not graduated to devilish. “Ah, but then your brother would anticipate me, and he is so much more amenable when he cannot make plans.”

There is a a certain satisfaction in watching the way his betrothed’s mouth cants, both amused and irritated both. “Makiri would be so glad to hear that you find pleasure in his service.”

With a sincerity he hardly means, Izana drawls, “I’m sure.”

He expects to fall into a companionable silence; one in which they both consume a breakfast that tends more towards filling than satisfying, but still are careful to pass along their compliments to the chef, preferably through his displaced commander. There is no reason to be leisurely, and neither of them are of the type that need to fill the air to be sure of themselves. And yet--

“You are sleeping though, are you not?” It’s concern that creases her brow, her gaze tracing beneath his eyes. “You are not...having troubles when you lay down at night?”

“No.” His stomach churns as he pushes the porridge around in its bowl, moving it more than he consumes it. “I am fortunate that our journey has been so...demanding. I dream just as soon as I fall to the mattress each night, and do not wake until I am roused.”

A convenient little truth, so long as he does not say what by. Even so, more mornings than not he has woken with the dawn, not his dreams.

“I will admit,” he says, so lightly, as if each word isn’t being pulled from him like a tooth. “I wake far warmer in Wistal than I have since we left.”

Haki may be as pretty as a child’s doll, but her face is not made of such stern stuff as porcelain. That delicate flush of pink should not please him so, but it does; a small victory, won before he has even finished his toast. “And you...miss it?”

It is with a careful evenness that he replies, “I do. I have grown...quite accustomed to such comforts. But,” he hurries to add, a smile stretched across his lips, “I suppose I will have to do without for a while yet.”

“Will you?”

“I...” The sharpness of her words strikes him silent before their meaning makes itself plain. “I had assumed so?”

One elegant brow arches, a challenge. “Do you think so little of the comforts Wirant may provide?”

“Not at all.” The platitude flies from him before he can quite think it through, a reflex rather than a reply. “It is only...”

“Only...?” There is a sly tilt to her mouth as she informs him, “You might be surprised by what comforts could be found, should you only think to ask.”

“Ah...” His palms prickle where he lays them on his lap, heart drumming out a discordant beat beneath his breast. “I see. Well, then we should speak plainly--”

“Why?” A woman should not seem so innocent asking such a question, and yet his betrothed is every inch the wide-eyed maiden, eyelashes batting becomingly against the round of her cheek. “It is so much more amusing to speak in circles, is it not?”

If there is one reason for Izana to be grateful to his brother, it is this: he had practice aplenty for pretending patience. No sigh escapes him, just a simple exhale as he forces his shoulders to keep their casual slope. “Your brother would not appreciate it if he were to hear that you were overnighting in my chambers.”

“What business of it is his?” That troublesome mouth curves, framed by a casual brush of her fingers. “We have done nothing he could possibly take offense to.”

Spoken like a beloved younger sister indeed. Izana smothers a grin, ducking his chin to take in another bite of barely seasoned porridge. In his experience, there are few things he can to right in Makiri Arleon’s eyes, and none of them include anything that an attentive husband might do to his wife. At least, so long as the woman meant to fill that role was his sister.

“I think he might take exception enough to finding you in my bed, no matter what happened beneath the sheets.” He lets a laugh escape him. “And I doubt he would be moved by any evidence to our innocence.”

Haki waves her hand, as if she could clear his concerns like smoke from the air. “There’s no need to be worried about Makiri. He’s as tame as a housecat.”

“To you perhaps.” His mouth twitches, threatening a smile. “But he does not have the same affection for me. And I do not mean to give him any reason to call his banners and force me to say my vows at sword point.

“Ah,” she hums, mouth wrapping around the sound with deliberate care. “I see. So you are scared of him.”

“I am not afraid of Makiri Arleon,” he scoffs, leaning back in his chair, ignoring the unsettled sensation in his stomach. “I do not fear any lord. But poor relations with your brother could lead to tension among the northern earls, and that is a state of affairs we can ill afford to have.”

It is easy to forget that Haki is her brother’s sister, she is fair where he is dark, and poised where he is passionate. But as the humor drains from her face, it leaves only the steady intensity for while her brother has become known, her mind working quick as a mill wheel during the rains.

“Touka,” she says tonelessly, her knuckles white where she grips her knife. “You mean you are worried about Touka’s coup.”

“I am less worried about Bergat’s plans--” especially since his brother had seen to charming the fool’s heirs so thoroughly-- “and more concerned that some of these lords were simply looking for a pretty face to pin their hopes.”

She nods, a curt gesture, more at home in a war room than a bed chamber. “They made him a figurehead instead of a cause, you mean.”

Izana blinks, his carefully constructed explanation collapsing behind his teeth, utterly unnecessary. “Just so. And though Makiri has no great love for me, I trust that he is loyal. But if I were to flaunt my station beneath his own roof...”

“Ah.” Her mouth cants, curious. “You mean to say that the other lords might find opportunity in your argument.”

“In his displeasure,” Izana informs her, stern enough to earn a smile. “I have no intention of being disagreeable.”

A flash of her teeth peek through her lips as she muses, “I suppose one could hardly question a king.”

“I do not plan to make myself an issue, regardless.” He dares a glance at her before fixing his attention back on his porridge. “A strong king does not need to make a show of his power to remind his people that he wields it.”

“Of course.” She sounds sincere-- but too much so, enough that he suspects she find more excuse than explanation in his words. “And I suppose it has nothing at all to do with my brother defeating Sir Mitsuhide in the yard only a few weeks ago.”

“Sir Mitsuhide is distracted.” His grin is real as he recalls their spar; the big man had gone down like a sack of potatoes the moment he remarked at how fine a pair Kiki Seiran and her little traitor made. A pity he won’t see how that little drama ends in its final act. “But that’s neither here nor there. I have no intention of doing anything so base as meeting either of them in the yard.”

She hums, neatly stacking her spoon and fork over her empty bowl. “If you are finished, my lord, should I see to it that the carriage is readied for us? I know you’re eager to be off.”

He waves her off, leaving his silverware stuck in a half empty one. “No, no carriage for me today. I think I would rather ride into Wirant.”

A carriage was an announcement, a statement of class. But to ride in all unnoticed, to make it nearly to the lord’s office before he is announced-- that says something too. A message Makiri will hear much better than any formal meeting can make.

“Is that so?” Something sparks in her eyes, quickly extinguished. No, not extinguished, banked. “Then I will tell him to saddle my mare as well.”

Izana blink. “You wouldn’t rather the carriage?”

Haki sweeps to her feet, cheeks flushed with vigor, and-- there is something to the way her joy fills the room, inviting him into it, that is more intoxicating than any perfume, more alluring than any stretch of skin. His heart gives a single, terrible thud, and, ah, so this is what his brother sees in his herbalist.

“Of course not,” she hums, lifting his dishes into her arms. “I have always said: the North is best experienced by horseback.”

The yard is not empty when he arrives in it, a mere hour later. Or rather, it is not just the handful of horses and men he expected but instead--

“Your Majesty.” Makiri is not a man who smiles, not in the same easy way his sister has, but oh, he is grinning now, ear to ear and so satisfied Izana’s teeth ache. “You’ve finally arrived.”

“Lord Makiri,” he does not grit out, letting his own mouth spread into a smile. “How pleasantly unexpected.” His gaze drifts just over Makiri’s shoulder and-- “Ah, and brother. You are here too.”

Miserably, Zen replies. “Yeah.”

“Since you are always so keen on getting to business, I thought we might get the jump on it.” Makiri’s smile is all teeth. “It’s a lovely day for an inspection, isn’t it?”

#hakizana #akagami no shirayukihime #snow white with the red hair #my fic #ans #listen this was supposed to be a smutty one shot #but as we all know it's impossible to do a hakizana fic without POLITICS #so now it's gonna be a multichapter with smut 🤣#i'll probably finish this up before i get back to The Sword Between #but we'll see! maybe i'll make room to squeeze in both updates at some point #in any case i get to make Izana suffer so it'll be great

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world-of-fire-and-flight · 2 years

Text

Mirth's Ebenezer: Part 7

A/N: I lost the plot a little in this one but I’m sure I’ll find it again…maybe…

Warnings: Some snark, bickering, name-calling, handcuffs/restraints, reference to arrest/house arrest

My Masterlist | Mirth’s Ebenezer series masterlist | Taglist Info

“Drop me off at my place first?” Mirth asked hopefully as she and Superhero led Baron down the back hallways of the courthouse so the press wouldn’t see them.

“Sure,” they said without glancing back at her. Mirth narrowed her eyes at their straight back. They were standing to their full height, and rigid to the point where she could trace the lines of their muscles through their uniform.

She rolled her eyes. They were in “I’m officially on duty mode,” and until they weren’t, it was going to be short clips and stiff character until such a time as Baron wasn’t around or Superhero realized it was hopeless to keep their professionalism on their highest setting for next three years.

“You’re not coming with us?” Baron asked, glancing over his shoulder at her. “You’re really just going to leave me all alone with Captain Procedure here?”

“Yep.” Mirth nodded.

“Well who’s the Ebenezer now?” Baron turned his head to face forward again. “I was thinking we were gonna celebrate or redecorate what can only be a truly horrid and lifeless safe house, but I guess it’s just going to be me and Sir Glares-A-Lot.”

“Watch it, Baron,” Superhero grumbled. “Calling me names isn’t going to help us through the next three years, let alone the night.”

Mirth groaned. “If it’s really that much of an issue, I’ll co—”

“No.” Both Baron and Superhero said at the same time. They glared at each other briefly before Superhero cleared their throat. Mirth arched an eyebrow, staring at the back of their heads.

“I think we’ll manage one night without killing each other,” they assured her through what sounded like clenched teeth.

“Just one?” Baron chuckled, shaking his head as Superhero pushed open the exterior door of the courthouse and encouraged Baron through the door with a firm hand to his shoulder. Or perhaps they’d shove him? Mirth wasn’t really certain, but definitely couldn’t rule the idea out. “After all Mirth and I have been through, and you can’t even try to give us a week’s break before turning into Warden No-Fun?”

Mirth stepped out into the hazy evening air with a frown. She’d hoped that as the sun had gone down, the oppressive humidity and heat trapped between the city buildings wouldn’t be so bad, but if anything, it’d only gotten worse.

“Mirth can take the week, sure, but I sincerely doubt you’d be able to control yourself from badgering me or taking cheap shots at me for even one night.” She caught Superhero saying as they led the way to their truck.

“Is that a challenge?” Baron smirked.

She rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long three years with her trying to balance the personalities of someone who liked to lead and someone who didn’t like authority. The only problem was, she wasn’t sure which was which. Baron was a criminal yes, but she saw some leadership qualities in him. His henchmen were always well-organized and clearly respected him as a villain and their commander. But he was a criminal, and she doubted very much that he liked being ordered around by anyone but his own—however broken—moral compass.

And then there was Superhero. The authority figure who hated the responsibility of their position. She thought it was what made them someone worth following—and respecting. They never expected anyone to do something they wouldn’t, even if they weren’t able to do it. Like turning invisible to get an inside look at a bank robbery. Superhero would’ve infiltrated that bank if they could’ve, but the fact was, it literally wasn’t in their power to do so. They didn’t take their command lightly, and they were loyal to a fault, a trait she expected Baron could prove to be too.

By all means, Baron and Superhero were startingly similar to each other. Moral, loyal, trustworthy, honest—but their methods were different. And that’s where the problem lied in her humble opinion.

“It’s only a challenge if it’ll get you to make this house arrest gig easy.” Superhero opened the back door for Baron and motioned for him to climb in.

He did, but not without further goading Superhero as they unlocked his cuffs and put one end through the handhold by the door. With a click, Baron was safely locked in the backseat, his hands bound by the handcuffs and rendered useless by Superhero’s quick thinking.

“You don’t sound confident that you can handle babysitting me for one week.”

“So now you admit that you’re just as exasperating as a toddler and need constant supervision?”

Mirth stifled a laugh. Baron had only set himself up. Baron frowned.

“You’re lucky I’m on the path to redemption,” he said, his eyes shifting to Superhero, darkening into a scowl. “In another time, I would’ve made it my life’s mission to inconvenience you every chance I got.”

“Like you aren’t already,” Superhero mumbled, getting ready to shut the door.

Baron got one last word in before Superhero shut the door with a long sigh. “Just remember you signed up for this.”

Mirth laughed as Superhero shook their head, pulling the keys from their pocket. Their brow was furrowed and their lips twisted down in a troubled frown. Walking around the back of the truck, she playfully swatted their arm, bringing them out of their stupor.

“Oh come on, he’s just testing the boundaries. Don’t they all do that?”

“They do,” Superhero said, their shoulders slumping a little and tension easing from their body with a long exhale. “If you need some time—”

“Just the night, for now,” Mirth said, laying a hand on their arm to stop them in their tracks. They sometimes fussed too much, and while she was touched by their thoughtfulness, right now she wanted to get home and put herself back together now that she was free again. “I just really want my own bed and my own coffee mug and my own space.”

“If I’d known you were uncomfortable in the guest—”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I was fine, and you were more than accommodating. I just…I wanted to be home. I really appreciate all you did for me though, and I’ll never forget it. If I had to be under house arrest with anyone, I’d hope it was with you.”

Superhero laughed, throwing their head back. “Well you’re in luck then, seeing as we’re stuck with Baron’s house arrest.”

Mirth chuckled. “We did accept the position voluntarily, so really I think he’s stuck with us.”

“When you put it like that…” Superhero trailed off, their brows quirking mischievously as they grinned.

Mirth playfully whacked them on the arm, trying not to giggle. “No! We are heroes, Supe, not evil housemates!”

They shrugged, the keys jingling in their hand as they resumed their walk around the car. Mirth stopped at the rear passenger-side door, getting ready to sit next to Baron as she assumed was her duty in case he managed to break free or something.

“Uh, Mirth?” Superhero stopped her, “You don’t have to do that. He’s not going anywhere.”

She blinked. “Isn’t it protocol though?”

“So is going straight to the safe house, but we’re already breaking that rule with the stop at your apartment and for the ice-cream.”

“We’re seriously getting ice-cream?”

Superhero shrugged, opening up the driver’s side door. “Sounded good to me.”

Mirth rolled her eyes. Of course it did. Walking around the front of the truck she said, “Well, okay then. Lilly’s on Parsons has a drive-thru.”

“Yes!” Baron leaned forward in his seat, attempting to lean over the center console, though his bonds wouldn’t allow him. “Lilly’s or nothing!”

Pulling out of the courthouse’s private alley, Superhero smirked. “Well now that that’s settled, we’ll get the ice cream first, drop Mirth off, and then it’s safe house sweet safe house from there.”

Mirth snorted, falling back in her seat and resting her elbow against the windowsill, hiding her smile behind her fist.

~ ~ ~

Mirth finished the last of her cherry vanilla ice cream just as the elevator doors of her apartment complex parted open. Savoring the last of the bright and savory flavor on her tongue, her soul glowed. Ice cream had been a wonderful idea. Ice cream from Lilly’s had been a spectacular idea.

Nearly floating down the hallway in the midst of her bliss, the idea of taking a nice soak in her own bathtub flitted through her mind, but the overwhelming exhaustion in her bones weighed her down. There would be plenty of time for a bath tomorrow before she headed to the safe house.

Or maybe she’d take a couple days to herself before going back into the fray. After all, Superhero had said to “take all the time you need” before dropping her off, and Baron had assured her he wouldn’t be too much of a pest in her absence—not that she truly believed him. She imagined that the moment Superhero had pulled away from the front sidewalk of the apartment complex, Baron was needling Superhero over their driving or their choice in ice cream flavor or something silly like that just to get under their skin.

But tonight, whatever bickering those two got into wasn’t her problem. The mole wasn’t her problem either, and best of all: her Rogue Trial was over. Swinging the door to her apartment open, she let it shut behind her, taking a deep breath of the pine and cedar scent of her apartment.

Even though the Christmas season had long since ended, Mirth liked to keep some holiday cheer around the apartment year-round. It was usually something subtle, like the unlit candles that lent their scent to her apartment or a string of garland along her mantel piece. She took it all in. The wall-length window across from the front entry, the exposed beams, the wide-planked floor, the exposed brick, the gleaming metal of the loft balcony, all of it.

Tears pricked her eyes. The aromatic air and sight of her things, her apartment, her life, made her chest swell.

Home. Finally, she was home.

Taglist: @heroes-villains-side-blog, @selene-stories Let me know if you'd like to be added or removed!

Part 8

#heroes and villains #hero x villain #hero x superhero #writeblr #Mirth's Ebenezer series #Mirth's Ebenezer #house arrest #fun fact about Lilly's Creamery: I'm actually writing a not-so-secret secret hero urban fantasy novel #and Lilly's Creamery is my MC's ice cream of choice #the love triangle is stronger than the plot #thanks to my bestie I actually have an idea for part 8 because I got a little stuck on this ngl

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inanthesis · 2 years

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@kissahten | happy birthday childe

The day had finally arrived that Zhongli had been looking forward to for months, feeling a sense of giddy excitement uncharacteristic to himself at the prospect of once again seeing Childe, but this time on a special day. Try as he might to deny it, Zhongli was a sentimental man in his old age. Even with all of the understanding in the universe that time will flow heedless of one’s desires and life will always eventually end in death- even near immortal ones- he could never help the attachments he had grown over his life, especially now as he’s better learned to cherish them and not take them for granted.

So, that is what brings him here.

He had planned a rather simple day for them to spend together given the complications of Childe’s presence in Liyue Harbor. A stroll together through the mountains ( hand-in-hand at any point weapons did not need to be drawn to fight off any foolish treasure hoarder or hilichurl that dared cross paths with the Lord of Geo and a Fatui Harbinger ), simple dinner prepared by Zhongli ( who did his best not to take ages in the kitchen when he was known to be slow moving in many ways ), and now a quiet moment viewing the sun set over the harbor from the old adeptus’ balcony where he’d brought out a long, ornate box to gift to his beloved.

“Countless hours were spent perusing near every shop in Liyue attempting to find a gift I found suitable for this occasion only to come to the conclusion I would have to take matters into my own hands. In a way I fear I have set expectations far too high for any subsequent year when I know not how I could outshine what I have made for you today, but I do hope it is to your taste.” Unable to waste a second more, the box was settled on a small table he kept outside, Zhongli taking it upon himself to flick the clasp open and lift the lid to reveal an ornate sword with swirling blue patterns on its blade.

“Forged from the highest quality steel personally gathered from the mountains of Liyue and decorated with fine leather and embeds of Noctilucous Jade on its hilt, this is a blade that will not waver in the face of any enemy. Whether you take it into battle or not is your decision, but I assure you that any weapon molded by my hand is capable of slaying gods which is why I know it is worthy of a warrior such as yourself who has taken the time to master many weapons in a small fraction of the time it takes most to master one.” Zhongli began, wearing a fond smile all through his explanation.

“Please, allow me the selfishly foolish thought that no matter where your path may take you, you will be protected against even the most unexpectedly powerful of foes so that I might enjoy many more birthday celebrations with you in the future.”

#kissahten #ZHONGLI || interactions #ZHONGLI || v: main

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cdroofingmap · 7 days

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superavenueduck · 18 days

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