#plush reviews: final thoughts

[pickingupmymercedes]

Your future was Ferrari - Part 2/?

Part 1 here

summary: She was finally making her dreams come true, but as the old saying goes "when it rains, it pours" and maybe the nudge Charles gave her might get her somewhere she would never find on her own.

pairing: Lewis Hamilton x Ferrari!Reader!

warnings: alusion to mature content.

wordcount: +2K

a/n: Bit of a more internal debate chapter here, but it kind had to be done. Also, would you guys mind if I put explicit description of mature content on this fic? I skipped it on the first one but was thinking that it may be needed for the next ones

As always, I'm open for feedback, come say hi!

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The crisp January air of Maranello was a welcome change from the desert heat of Abu Dhabi. Three whirlwind months had passed since that unforgettable night, and now, amidst the intricate tapestry of Ferrari's world, everything was beginning to feel like home—the rhythmic pulse of machinery, fervent debates over car performance, and the rich aroma of freshly brewed espresso.

One tempestuous afternoon, while engrossed in finalizing a critical report, a summons arrived from Fred’s secretary. Your heart thudded against your ribs like a frantic drumbeat as you made your way to his office. Upon entering, you were greeted not only by Fred's imposing presence but also by Charles, whose eyes sparkled with an enigmatic glint.

"Ah, y/n! Glad you could join us," boomed Fred, gesturing to the empty chair opposite him. Charles flashed you a friendly grin.

As you settled into the plush leather chair, a tidal wave of nerves began to recede. The meeting commenced with a comprehensive review of your contributions and insights into Ferrari’s new car. Then, Fred dropped a bombshell that sent shockwaves through your core.

"We've been impressed with your work, y/n" he began, his voice serious. "I already knew of your great technical understanding and a quick-thinking, and Charles here, has been particularly vocal about his…" he paused, glancing at Charles with a smile, "enthusiasm for your skills."

A blush crept up your neck. Charles cleared his throat.

A blush surged across your cheeks, painting them a vivid shade of crimson. Charles, leaning in with a playful smirk, chimed in, "As you know, we’re an engineer short at trackside. The demands are intense—the relentless travel, the grueling 24-race season—but the experience is unparalleled. We believe you'd be the perfect addition to my side of the garage."

Your mind whirred at breakneck speed. The prospect of working trackside with Charles, under the revered banner of Ferrari, was intoxicating. You couldn’t deny the thrill of being closer to the action, the adrenaline rush of race weekends. Yet, a nagging voice of caution whispered reminders of the relentless schedule and unyielding scrutiny.

"It's a lot to consider," you admitted, looking between the two men.

Charles leaned back, a playful smile on his lips. "Think of it, y/n! You’ve always wanted that, even back at Alpha. Although, you would have to face the brunt of Fred's coffee breath during briefings" he joked, earning a chuckle from Fred.

"Alright," you announced, a grin splitting your face, "I'm in!"

The joy in Charles' eyes mirrored your own. He bumped your fist with a whoop. But as you left Fred's office, Charles stopped you in the hallway, his smile fading slightly.

"Hey," he began hesitantly, "about Abu Dhabi… I got a little carried away that night. What happened between you and Lewis? I never saw you after…"

The question sent a jolt through you. Your stomach lurched. How could you tell him the truth? Shame burned in your throat as you fumbled with your thoughts. "Oh, you know" you resorted to lies, forcing a casual smile "Fan stuff. Autographs and all that."

A flicker of disappointment crossed Charles' face. "Ah, right" he mumbled. "Well, see you in Bahrain then, it’ll be nice to have you in the pit wall!"

You plastered another smile on your face. Packing for Bahrain. Excitement bubbled beneath the guilt gnawing at your conscience. You were going trackside.

The shrill ring of your phone pierced the quiet of the dawn. It was an unusual wake-up call at 6:00 AM, especially on a Wednesday mid-winter break. Squinting at the screen, you saw your dad's name and answered with a groggy, "Hello?"

The familiar booming voice filled your ear. "Y/n! Did you hear the news? Lewis to Ferrari! Can you believe it?"

You forced a laugh. "Dad, there have been rumors about Lewis to Ferrari for years. Remember that time they photoshopped him in a red suit?"

"This feels different, though! There are articles everywhere, even F1 is buzzing about it." Your dad's excitement was palpable through the phone as a wave of nausea washed over you.

You mumbled an agreement, hanging up before he could pick up on the tremor in your voice. The news hung heavy in the air, a dark cloud amidst the usual pre-season jitters.

As you went about your day, the rumors intensified. Mentions on social media turned into breaking news alerts. By lunchtime, a tense hush had fallen over everyone at Maranello. An unexpected staff meeting announcement sent a jolt through everyone.

As you walked towards the assembly hall, a colleague whispered, "Did you hear? Brackley's having a meeting too."

Dread gnawed at your insides. You knew what this meant.

The hall was packed, a sea of expectant faces illuminated by the harsh fluorescent lights. Fred stood at the center; his face uncharacteristically serious. The silence in the room was deafening.

"Everyone," he began, his voice carrying an air of gravitas, "as you may be aware, there have been a lot of speculations circulating today. Speculations that have become… well, reality."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. You could hear the collective intake of breath from the crowd.

“Lewis Hamilton is joining Scuderia Ferrari for the 2025 season.” A triumphant glint briefly played in his eyes, but before anyone could respond the team principle continued “But, that’s not for another year. In 2024 we have Charles here and Carlos, who have given us amazing years”

The hall erupted in a cacophony of comments and stunned silence. You felt the floor tilt beneath your feet. Your heart hammered against your ribs, a frantic drum solo threatening to burst out of your chest. Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. Your secret, your shame, was about to collide spectacularly with your professional life. You were frozen, a lone island of stillness amidst the storm.

The conversations faded into a distant hum. You gripped the edge of a chair, trying to anchor yourself amidst the emotional turmoil. You had hidden that night from everyone, from yourself even. And now you would have to possibly work alongside him.

The desert sun beat down on the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, baking the asphalt and testing the limits of both man and machine. For you, it was the third day of your first official trackside deployment with Ferrari, and a whirlwind of emotions churned within you. The initial media frenzy surrounding Lewis' arrival had subsided, replaced by the usual pre-season buzz: championship predictions, car evaluations, and the ever-present debate about the second-fastest team.

You'd managed to navigate the past two days with a semblance of normalcy. Charles appreciated your input during pit stops and strategy discussions, and Fred's reassuring pat on the back after a successful test session confirmed he hadn't made the wrong choice in calling you in. Yet, a constant undercurrent of tension ran beneath the surface. The ghost of Abu Dhabi loomed large every time you passed the Mercedes garage.

On the morning of the third day, an urge for a pre-dawn run propelled you out of bed and straight to the hotel gym. As you hopped onto a treadmill, lost in the rhythm of your steps, a familiar voice jolted you back to reality.

"Well. Look who it is." There he was, Lewis Hamilton, a smirk playing on his lips. He looked effortlessly cool in a sleek tracksuit, his dark braids damp from a workout. Your heart stuttered in your chest.

"Uh, hi." you stammered, desperately trying to appear nonchalant. You cranked up the treadmill's speed, hoping to appear absorbed in your workout.

Lewis chuckled, amusement dancing in his eyes. Briefly, he lingered by the treadmill before heading out, leaving you feeling exposed and flustered.

The rest of the day unfolded in a blur of data analysis and strategy meetings. By the time everyone else had left, you found yourself volunteering to stay back and finalize some reports. The solitude, however, was short-lived. As you gathered your belongings, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness of the paddock.

"Still here, I see?" Lewis' voice sent shivers down your spine.

He motioned towards a secluded corner of the pitlane, and you hesitantly followed.

"Glad to see you're part of Ferrari. You failed to mention that" he began, his tone casual.

Feigning ignorance, you played along. "I don't think we've met." A single eyebrow of his arched up in a silent challenge.

"Babe," he drawled, his voice laced with amusement, "I've kissed every inch of your skin that night. We've been introduced alright."

Your cheeks burned crimson. His laughter did little to ease your mortification.

"You left pretty early the next morning," he continued, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Didn't even leave a message. Quite the enigma" He reached into his pocket; his phone poised. "How about we change that?"

Panic surged through you as his intentions became clear. Just as you were about to stammer a response, he intervened with a disarming smile

“Relax” he reassured, his tone softening. “What happened between us was a one-off thing, if you want it to be just that. But, since we’re gonna work together next year we could find ways, I get you’d want discretion though. I won’t deny it, I had fun that night”

Just as you looked at him deciding if you bought into his sudden innocence, a voice cut through the tension.

"Y/n? Are you still here?" It was Marco, a data analyst from your department, Lewis’ face etched with confusion. Seizing the opportunity, you called out, "Yeah! Just finishing up here! Coming!"

With a fleeting glance at Lewis, who seemed momentarily taken aback, you practically sprinted towards your colleague, your heart pounding a frantic escape rhythm.

You couldn't allow yourself to be alone with Lewis, not after that. Not when the truth could come spilling out like a dam bursting. Not when he was offering you something you didn’t even know could be within your reach, something you had never even thought of being a possibility.

With each step away from the empty paddock, you faced a choice: to embrace the unknown allure Lewis offered or to just forget that anything had ever happened. The impending collision of your professional and personal worlds loomed large, leaving you to wonder: would Lewis Hamilton be worth having your world come crashing down?

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TAGLIST - @saturnssunflower @xoscar03 @chocolatediplomatdreamerzonk @happy-golden-hour @vicurious28

@0710khj @thecubanator2 @neilakk

If you’d like to be added to my taglist you can leave a comment or send me a dm/ask.

#lewis hamilton x reader #lewis hamilton x you #lewis hamilton imagine #f1 x reader #lewis hamilton #f1 imagine

[shirakow]

˗ˏˋ꒰ summary ꒱ ; he wanted to practice kissing with you .

‧₊ ᵎᵎ 🍇 pair ⋅ ˚✮ ; Rody Lamoree x GN!reader . College AU pre dp

. . . words ; 1.2k+

WARNINGS ! semi-nsfw, like one mention of addiction, whiney rody, and also no genitals or gendered terms used !

⁺ ⛧ ; i made this instead of continuing to make my reviewer for like 5 tests tomorrow. Someone wish me luck and maybe I'll pop out another vincent x reader by saturday ^3^ love you guys endlessly . Also made this while listening to the an evening with silk sonic album. Def worked for motivation

"Please?" Rody begged on his knees in front of you, his eyes pleading you for help as he clasped his hands together in a praying manner like you were his God.

You could only sigh and shake your head, "Fine. I'll practice kissing you." You murmured a bit shyly. Despite being incredibly against the idea —not that you would mind—you were just nervous because Rody was literally asking you to kiss him.

Actually, the term he used was make out but that's too embarrassing to think about.

It hit you in the wrong way because you were best friends, that's all you've ever thought of him. Sure you were glad he was comfortable enough to ask you for tips on this, but hands on teaching? Consider yourself fucked!

Perhaps there were lingering feelings in the back of your head that you never paid any mind to as you were never this nervous for a damn kiss.

Rody's eyes immediately lit up at the agreement, even if a bit hesitant. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," he tackled you into a hug, pushing you down on the couch with his full weight flush against yours.

You smacked the back of his head multiple times to get him off before he could crush you, which he did thankfully. The two of you sat faced to face, the way Rody twiddled with his fingers did not go unnoticed by your keen eyes.

"If you're nervous, you could just back out now while we still haven't done anything." Who were you kidding? By the looks of it you were even more nervous than him! By the way your feet couldn't help but bounce itself on the ground whilst you anxiously waited for his answer.

"I'm not nervous! I'm just embarrassed..."

"Same thing you nut job." You quipped with a sigh.

"Just, come on." If he wasn't gonna initiate it, then you'll do it. You could tell how much this meant to Rody, or else he wouldn't have asked you in the first place.

Because if there was one thing that Rody hated in the world aside from cleaning: it was to burden others. Besides, he's done so much for you in the past, it's only right you pay him back even if with a mere peck on the lips.

You scooted closer to Rody, your knees brushing against one another as you placed your hands on his chest. He looked down at you with his blush growing more prominent, yet you only did nothing but stare at him. "W-What're you looking at?" The almighty Rody Lamoree stuttered.

"Backing out?" You teased with a small chuckle. A grumbled curse erupted from his throat and before you knew it, his lips were against yours.

Well that was surprising.

They were soft, tentative, and more importantly: incredibly gentle. It was like he was trying to learn for his own gain but prioritizing your comfort at the same time, which was quite lovely if you do say so yourself.

Your hands on his chest moved up to caress his jaw, then his neck, then his cheek, and finally his hair which earned an unexpected whine from Rody. You fought back a smile that threatened to form on your face at the sound, and he could easily tell as your lips were connected after all.

Rody mumbled a quiet 'shut up' that was immediately drowned out when he kissed you deeper. But you noticed it was too sloppy. This caused you to pull away slightly, leaving only an inch between your lips that Rody fought to keep closed by the way he chased after you.

You put a finger against his plush lips which in turn earned another whine from the male in front of you. "Calm down big guy... Don't rush, or else you'll chase away the person you're pining for." You whispered breathlessly, and Rody pursed his bottom lip out like a pleading dog.

"I'll... I'll try..." He grumbled as you put your hand back down to his shoulder. Rody pressed his lips against yours once more, starting off slow, and gradually growing deeper like you instructed him to.

He grazed his teeth against your bottom lip, the feeling making your breath hitch. Noticing your reaction, Rody decided to tread the waters and gently bit your lip, before pulling on it while maintaining hazy eye contact.

"Sorry... Just wanted you to open your eyes and look at me while I kiss you..." Rody said in a raspy voice as his blush deepened. You hadn't even noticed that you closed your eyes, you were too busy feeling him to feel your own sight go away for just a split second.

He was starting to get the hang of it, that's for sure.

Rody's calloused hands finally found somewhere to put themselves on and that being your hips, which he then pulled onto his lap as he leaned back on the couch; his thumbs gently caressing and rubbing circles under your shirt.

You just let him do what he want, this was all just for practice anyway, right?

"Can I..." Rody trailed off as he pulled away, his face flush and mouth agape—gasping for breath. You could only imagine what you looked like right now if he was this disheveled already. "... Can I french kiss you?" Rody bit his bottom lip as he thumbed at yours.

"Wouldn't this already be considered a french kiss?" You chuckled at your pun.

Rody rolled his eyes and let out a breath that you could only guess resembled a laugh. "Yes or no is all I wanna hear... Please?" He quietly begged you, staring up at you with his pretty green eyes that were lidded from all the kissing.

"That's all you wanna hear?" Another groan from him. "You're insufferable..." He used his hand to part your lips as he stuck the tip of his tongue out, before suddenly pulling you down and shoved his tongue inside your mouth.

It made you gasp against his lips, but you leaned into it invitingly. You placed your hands on his shoulders for support as he explored every inch of you.

For someone claiming he hasn't made out with someone for the duration of his entire life: this sure didn't feel like it. Your fingers threaded through his hair and grabbed a fistful of his dirty orange locks, making him moan into the kiss, albeit a bit too loudly.

Rody made you grind against him, his hands gripping onto your hips for dear life. "Mmmm...~ feel good... keep going... please..." He whispered as he pulled away for air, before pulling you back down for another round of tongue kissing.

It was messy, but you started not to care a few minutes ago. You were completely drunk on Rody's taste, and by the looks of it—he was already long gone. "Y-You'll help me out, right?" Rody panted while throwing his head back, helping you grind on his groin.

"P-Pretty please?"

And who were you to decline such a pretty face begging for more?

Safe to say the day after that was far from normal, because now he's completely addicted to kissing you.

© shirakow . reblogs and reposts are greatly appreciated <3 .

#rody lamoree #rody lamoree x reader #dead plate #dead plate rody #dead plate rody lamoree #x reader #dead plate x reader #gender neutral #rody lamoree x you #rody lamoree x male reader #rody lamoree x fem reader #rody x gender neutral reader #x gender neutral reader #x male reader #x fem reader #. . . 𝘀𝗵𝗶.𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 ?

[pandoraheadcanons]

Josh Izzo Q&A from today's Omaticon 2024 panel!

There will be new content supporting the franchise throughout the year

JimCam personally reviews every piece of outgoing lore/content

The lore books are being updated with running changes when vigilant fans point out mistakes in the text/lore

Spider was not the first human to be born Pandora, though there are only a few Pandora-born humans do to resource constraints. Spider was born about 4-5 months before the Battle for the Hallelujah Mountains

The inclusion of "Spider's Adoption" in Jake and Neteyam's song-cord's is CONCEPT ART, and not canon (seen in an Instagram post from Deborah L. Scott, costume designer)

Josh would love to one day cover the time of the First Songs

All moons are named after characters from Greek mythology, Pandora's closest moon is Cassandra

His favorite characters from A2 are Kiri and Ronal

Expect a new 24" Payakan plush and a breaching Payakan statue (with lights!) on Shop Disney!

Different clans have different Iknimaya rights, and getting a banshee is not always the end-all goal of different clans' coming-of-age rituals.

There is a ritual around an akula hunt

All the main family's banshees are still at the reefs, just chilling in the mangroves. This lead to a discussion surrounding a "Banshees playing poker" image based off the "Dogs Playing Poker" image

Some leaders obtain more "political" sway and influence through their actions and state of their clan, such as Tonowari being highly respected among the various reef clans

Still no official confirmation of Neytiri's banshee's name, though remember Zoe has a name for it that is used on set

The "feathers" we see are NOT feathers, and are actually....scales! They were picked for their aesthetic and cinematic design, and officially they are scales. Do with this what you will.

Aonung is the son of both Tonowari and Ronal, so that debate on how the line was said can be put to rest.

Josh knows the gender of Ronal's baby, but cannot share it.

The souls we see in the Tree of Souls and other places exist as a "static backup," as if they were in an archive in Eywa-net. Memory-reliance, and conversations hold no permanent state in the "mind" of the deceased. They "live" in memory moments, a mote of memory. So, every conversation will begin afresh, with the deceased oftentimes not being aware of their death. This will happen every time, and there is no permanence.

There are new comics in the works, expect 2 between now and A3. They may feature movie-related lore.

The old lore is not canon, and lore-rebuild is constantly on-going.

He would love a complete map of Pandora "one day"

There will be more live and interactive experiences coming

They (Disney/Lightstorm) sometimes reach out to companies, though companies will also reach out to them. Merch is carefully constructed.

Finally, when asked on his thoughts on the fandom he said that we are "the kindest, nicest, understanding, and gracious fandom."

#avatar #avatar the way of water #avatar 2009 #payakan #lore #omaticon #ikran #avatar: frontiers of pandora #a:fop #avatar 3 #thus far there was no one to say i had to refrain from posting all of this so #spider socorro

[arminsfavoritepookie]

Something about professor Nanami.. 🙏🏾

You step into his office, well past the hour when the final bell rings, carrying your latest essay for review. He's had a long, wearisome day, and it's evident in his rumpled demeanor: his sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, spectacles teetering on the edge of his nose, hair slightly tousled as if he's been ruffling through it more than usual. You sink into the comfort of a plush chair, your heartbeat racing as he leans in from behind to examine your work on the computer screen. The quiet stretches for a heartbeat, until he breaks it with his evaluation.

“Decent work”, his voice murmurs in a low baritone, so close that the soft patter of his breath grazes your ear. Yet, he's too engrossed in the contents of your work, brows drawn together in deep concentration, sporadic groans marking his immersion. The taut silence grips the room again when his arm reaches out, your gaze following the network of veins crisscrossing over to the mouse to scroll further. His unexpected proximity triggers your breath to hitch, introducing a dose of quiet, intense tension that cloaks the room.

“Just decent?” The query escapes your lips, your breath hitching slightly as you grapple with the meagerness of his praise. You look at him again - this intellectual behemoth, your professor. His hand, lithe and sure, pushes his glasses up. You'd never registered just how hot he is until now.

“Don't misunderstand me”, he retorts, his voice unyielding. “Your work is solid but I know you can do better.” You barely notice the insistence in his tone as your gaze fixates on the plush curve of his lips - so disarmingly soft amidst his rigid countenance.

Your eyes eventually find their way back to his, yet he is slightly closer this time, his stare is almost unnerving in its intensity. “You need to focus”, he murmurs, his jaw clenching ever so slightly as he wrestles with frustration, or perhaps another emotion you couldn't quite put your finger on. Stop getting so distracted. Holding yourself back.”

With an urgency previously absent, his hand is again thrust into his mane of blonde hair. His appeal almost desperate, “Instead of settling for fleeting praise, imagine how it'd feel to reap a harvest of resounding commendations.”

The tranquil silence descends upon the room once more. The tangible tension so vibrant, you could almost touch it.

His retreat is swift, too swift; he undoes the noose of his tie around his throat in a haste that's verging on desperate. “Is that all you've prepared for me?” His voice - it has this unfamiliar rasp to it. He's sounding not like his usual eloquent self but rather more edgy, unsteady.

“I- um have I upset you, sir?”

His eyes close in a slow blink, a distressed sigh seeping through his clenched teeth. The way the strident reality of his stress unfolds before you sends an unexpected tremble up your spine, coiling a heat deep in your abdomen. You snap your thighs shut, discomforted and thrillingly confused by your own reaction.

“Upset? No” he manages, catching his breath and attempting to refocus. “Not upset. Quite the opposite”

Oh.

All of a sudden, you find yourself hastily gathering your belongings - your laptop and bag. In truth, you're a bit confused by his comment, and honestly, you're not sure you even want to understand it. You're about to rise from your chair when his voice cuts through your hurried thoughts, “I thought I asked is that all you have?”

You attempt to reply, “Well, no, but—“

His interjection is sharp, cutting your sentence short as he re-enters your personal bubble. His scent engulfs you - fresh and posh. “Then why are you in such a hurry to leave?”

Oh.

“Let's discuss what needs improving and any gaps in your comprehension. Don’t run away until you got what you came here for”

Ohh.

#nanami x black!reader #nanami kento x you #nanami kento x reader #nanami headcanons #jjk x reader #jjk headcanons #jjk imagines #jjk x black reader #nanami x you #nanami fluff #jjk x gender neutral reader #jjk x y/n #jjk x you

[carcarcraziiv2]

HEARTSTEEL FIRST MEETING HCs (PART TWO)

Dis for daddy Yone and my love Aphelios. 💗

~*-If you enjoyed, feel free to send me asks (however that works) with prompts. I also enjoy writing about other league characters as well if you're into that!-*~

Aphelios:

Art classes were never really your thing. You were more into writing, and when your best friend invited you to a creative writing workshop you couldn't help but take the opportunity.

You two got to the class early and were shocked to find out that it was being sponsored by one of your favorite band's lyricists, Aphelios from Heartsteel. The excitement you felt at being able to spend your time at a place that someone in the band even thought about had you more inspired than you were previously.

During the workshop, you wrote a nice little series of poems while you daydreamed about the band. The entire time you kept getting nudges from your best friend because you found yourself mindlessly humming their songs.

At the end, you were surprised to find out that they were hosting a contest to meet the band based on the works submitted if you so wished at the end of the night. You did, and you were even more shocked when a few weeks later you got an email stating that you had won!

The email read as follows-

Dear Y/N,

We would like to begin by thanking you for your submission to the Heartsteel: Meet the Band! competition hosted by Aphelios. Based on the band's review of your work, they would like to designate you as the winner! With our sincerest congratulations, please see the information below with the destination, date, and time!

The rest of the letter contained as it stated, and you were ecstatic. The days passed quickly and before you knew it, you were driving to the location of the meet and greet.

Walking into the small very secure building, you were greeted by a pleasant young woman who led you to a small room with a couch and a few plush chairs. You took a seat, and she left letting you know it would be a few minutes.

You were antsy as you sat there but giddy none the less. Soon enough, the door opened, and you stood in excitement as the members of Heartsteel walked in. Sett, Kayn, Ezreal, Yone, K'Sante, and finally Aphelios.

They all greeted you happily, and finally Aphelios gave you his hand in greeting, a sweet smiling gracing his face. You all discussed things, you got photos, and by the end you were feeling so happy that they were all as cool and nice (Kayn was kinda sus but...) as you had hoped!

It seemed like during the whole time, Aphelios kept writing to you that you had genuinely impressed him.

I really liked your work. It spoke to me. Did you write them based on each of us?

"I did! I thought since you were sponsoring the event I may as well make it Heartsteel inspired," you laugh nervously, running a hand over your head. "I'm glad you like it."

I was wondering if you would like to get together for some writing sessions? I know it's kind of off the wall here but... I wouldn't mind learning more about the way you think.

"I would love to!" You smile, and he gives you his phone to type your number into, and you couldn't help but add a cheeky smiley face next to your name.

I look forward to seeing you again soon! He wrote, and you all said your goodbyes.

You were smiling your whole drive home, and as you got ready to go to bed you heard your phone vibrate on your side table.

Your heart fluttered as you read the message:

Hey, it's Aphelios. Is this Y/N?

YONE:

You always liked going out to a coffee shop to do your work in the mornings. It made you feel more businesslike, for some reason, when you got to go work in a place where everyone is in suits and also on laptops.

The day started like any other. Gathering your things, you headed to a new-to-you coffee shop downtown. When you arrived, you headed inside and sat down after you ordered your drink and a little breakfast sandwich.

Opening your laptop, you got right to work moving files and typing away at emails. You had your headphones in listening to some soft indie pop and you bobbed your head along to it as you wrote.

After about thirty minutes, you took a little break to stretch your fingers and glance around at the other people sitting at tables around you. Turning your attention toward the window, you saw him.

A tall looking man with long white hair with red streaks in a ponytail sat with his head face first into a little MacBook. You couldn't help but gawk at his overall attractive features, as he has focused green eyes and neat but chiseled features. You wondered what his voice sounded like.

You nearly fall out of your seat the way you turn away when his gaze shifts to look at you. He must have felt someone staring at him, and you could feel the heat rising in your cheeks. Okay, that's awkward.

Trying to quickly forget that you just got caught staring, you get back to work. You had only planned on staying at the coffee shop for a few hours while you got through your morning emails, but this man was a revelation you weren't willing to leave just yet.

Over the next few minutes, you kept stealing peaks at him, and to your surprise he kept looking back at you. At one point, he smiled politely at you as if to say, "Need something?"

Finally, after getting multiple messages from your boss that you hadn't noticed due to your wandering thoughts you decided to brush it all off and dive back into your work. Before you knew it, an hour had gone by and you looked quickly toward the direction of where the man had been sitting. Disappointed, you realize that he was no longer there. You shrug to yourself and start packing up your things, pulling out your headphones and shoving them in your bag.

Just as you are about to stand up, you feel a tap on your shoulder that causes you to jump slightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," You hear as you turn to face the person who tapped you. To your dismay, it was the man who you had been caught staring at.

"It's okay!" you laugh nervously. "Um... What's up?"

"I just noticed you kept looking at me and well, I couldn't help but keep looking at you... and I was wondering if you would like to meet here again for coffee in the morning while you do whatever it is you're doing?" You can see the man blushing, and you wonder inwardly if he was as nervous talking to you as you were about talking with him. "Oh, and I'm Yone. Sorry, I forgot to mention that."

"I'm Y/N," You say in response. "And that would be cool, I usually go get coffee in the morning anyway. Sorry for staring at you earlier, I got kind of carried away I guess." Oh. My. God. Why am I word vomiting on this poor man?

"Don't worry, I kind of liked catching you off guard a few times. It was cute." He says, and you can't help but to blush again. "I'll see you in the morning then, Y/N." He smiles, turns away and leaves you flabbergasted and blushing in the coffee shop.

#Heartsteel Yone #Heartsteel Aphelios #League of Legends Fanfic #vi league of legends x reader #heartsteel x reader

[theforgottenmcrmy]

Honor~ Part 2/2 (Ser Harwin Strong x Reader)

᯽ Please note that this is an overall part 9 of the series “Growing Strong”, the masterlist of which can be found on my pinned post on my profile. tumblr hates me today and won’t let me post the link here. :( ᯽

᯽ Honor Part 1/2 can also be found on the series masterlist ᯽

Pairing: Ser Harwin Strong x Tyrell! Female Reader

Warnings: GOT typical sexism, canon divergence, suggestive themes, violence, references to infidelity, mentions of blood

Summary: Honor was subjective; it meant different things to different people. That was one of the most difficult concepts you’d ever had to come to terms with, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t a lesson worth learning.

A/N: Some of you may hate me for this one, some of you might love me. Either way, the captain will go down with the ship😅 ... wait, that sounds so much worse than it is. I’ll just let you all read this now. You may throw tomatoes at me afterwards if you wish.

As always, thank you for your kind words and support🖤🖤🖤

Princess Rhaenyra summoned you to her chambers shortly after your husband and sons left for the training yard.

You’d been in the middle of reviewing some correspondence from Highgarden when the messenger relayed the notice to you. There were important business matters regarding a recent trade agreement that you wished you had the chance to see to- but you had no choice but to heed the Princess’s invitation.

You entered the Princess’s chambers quietly, coming to stand beside the wetnurse lingering by the doorway.

The Princess, looking remarkably better than she did the day before, but still by no means back to her normal self just yet, was sitting upon the plush sofa near the foot of her bed. Unsurprisingly, Prince Joffrey was in her arms.

Despite the silent entrance, Princess Rhaenyra noticed you immediately. “Lady Y/N.”

You curtseyed. “Your Grace.”

To the wetnurse, Princess Rhaenyra said, “Leave us, please.”

The woman did as instructed. Once the doors were shut, the room was quiet, save the mewlings of the babe.

When you received word that Princess Rhaenyra wished to speak with you, you had suspected that you were going to have a conversation of much import. And now that the two of you were completely alone- save Prince Joffrey, of course- you knew with absolute certainty that that was to be the case.

The tension in the room was thick.

“Won’t you sit?”

Wordlessly, you did as she bid. You lightly sat down beside her, mindful of the distance between you. You did not allow yourself to get too comfortable; you wanted to be prepared to rise to your feet at a moment’s notice. Though you could feel the Princess’s eyes on you, you did not look at her until she compelled you to do so.

“Y/N.”

When you looked up at Princess Rhaenyra, your immediate reaction was to feel sympathy for her. You could tell by the way her face twitched ever so slightly now and then that she was still in a considerable amount of pain. You could empathize with her in that regard. She looked tired; circles under her eyes indicated that, even if the pain had subsided enough to allow her to rest over the course of the night, she had not been able to do so.

“As we are alone,” the Princess began knowingly, “I thought we might be able to speak plainly to one another… If you are agreeable to it, that is.”

“If that is your wish, Your Grace.”

“Y/N-”

“Yes… Rhaenyra,” you corrected yourself. The informality of it all felt quite foreign to your tongue.

The Princess smirked at your uncomfortableness. But you could tell by the look in her eyes that she had meant no ill-will by it. She adjusted the babe in her arms and carefully tucked him closer to her. Then, she sat up straighter. You noticed the pain on her face as she did so.

And it was then that you realized, with undeniable relief, that Princess Rhaenyra had truly come to the table. You were finally going to have a conversation that had been brewing for years. A conversation that ought to have been had the day that Prince Jacaerys had been born.

The two of you could have discussed this matter anywhere else, but that was only if she had wanted a discussion to be had at all. Princess Rhaenyra was the Princess, the Heir to the Iron Throne. And you- you had come such a long way since you had first come into her service as a girl. You were the Lady of Highgarden now, the ruling member of House Tyrell, and had earned the same amount of respect as the lords of the other great houses in Seven Kingdoms were due. But, in the eyes of Westeros, you were not Princess Rhaenyra’s equal. You never would be.

But here, in the Princess’s chambers, where she had taken the initiative to invite you to speak with her privately, it certainly did not feel that way. When the two of you were able to be alone, the pair of you were comfortable enough to see past the titles, proprietorial demands, and societal expectations. And it was in that moment that you were so clearly reminded of what was at the very core of your relationship.

A genuine friendship.

It was this friendship that had encouraged Princess Rhaenyra to speak with you. And it was this friendship that you hoped to salvage through the conversation you were about to partake in.

“For over ten years now, you have remained loyal to me,” she recounted seriously.

“I only serve at your leisure, Your Grace.”

“It is more than that, Y/N, and you know it,” Princess Rhaenyra disagreed heartily. “We have shared confidence and supported one another for years. I have found that there are few I can trust around my sons, but you and your family are among them. I hope our sons might continue to enjoy spending time with each other; if your sons are anything like their mother, I know they shall be loyal companions to my own… And you have proven to be such a true friend.”

You smiled poignantly. “As you are mine, Princess. You honor me, and my children, with your kind words.”

“You are my friend, and yet… I have not treated you as one.”

A beat of silence.

Princess Rhaenyra’s eyes scanned around the room thoroughly, despite that you were both certain that not a single person was around to overhear your conversation. It was a cautionary habit to reinforce privacy and security; a necessity of living in a castle where the walls had ears.

“I know of the vicious tales spun by my enemies,” she acknowledged in a low voice, her eyes snapping back to yours with vigor. “I know they question the parentage of my sons. And you are no fool… I am certain that you have heard these tales as well.”

You said nothing; your silence was an adequate answer.

“I consider Ser Harwin to be a close confidant of mine, as you are,” Princess Rhaenyra confessed. “But, I swear to you, Y/N- I have never, and would never, betray our friendship in the manner that these vile accusations suggest.”

You nodded earnestly in response to her vehement words, and whispered, “I know, Your Grace.”

There had never been any doubt in your mind; despite what all the wicked rumors insinuated, Harwin was not the father of Jacaerys, Lucerys, nor Joffrey.

Harwin was an easy man to read, and he had always worn his heart on his sleeve. Had he ever begun to pull away from you, emotionally or romantically, you would have felt it, you would have realized. But Harwin remained as faithful, devoted, and loving to you as he had since the truth of his feelings for you had first come to light, some ten years ago.

Ser Laenor’s relation to Princess Rhaenyra’s sons might be questioned… But not your husband’s. 

“A good friend does not bring embarrassment upon the other. But I have caused you to feel and carry the weight of shame that is not yours to bear,” Princess Rhaenyra admitted, uncharacteristically timid by her guilt. “Though we know the truth of this matter, I can not compel others to see reason. And for this, I am truly, deeply sorry… If I had known what frequently inviting you and your family back to Court over these past ten years would mean for all of us…”

Though Harwin was not the father of Princess Rhaenyra’s children, he had unintentionally given the Princess’s enemies significant cause to believe otherwise. And, in a way, you could admit that perhaps you had, too.

Though you were committed to serving the Reach, whenever Princess Rhaenyra requested you to visit King’s Landing, you, and Harwin, abided. Princess Rhaenyra and you were close; this was common knowledge to all among the Red Keep. And wherever you were, your husband was never too far away. In addition to this, Harwin had a friendship with Princess Rhaenyra, too. After your respective children were born, it was only natural that all four boys had become close companions. Harwin was a caring man; he'd noticed the lack of paternal interest on Ser Laenor’s behalf early on in Prince Jacaerys’ and Prince Lucerys’ lives. The Princes’ needed fatherly guidance, and Harwin had stepped into that role before any one of you realized what doing so might look like to others at Court.

“The truth of the situation is… complicated, Your Grace,” you agreed.

“The truth is complicated,” Princess Rhaenyra acquiesced hesitantly.

The truth was extremely complicated, for, in a sense, Prince Jacaerys, Prince Lucerys, and now, Prince Joffrey, had three fathers. Their legal father, Ser Laenor Velaryon. Their rumored father, Ser Harwin Strong. And their true father.

You dared to ask, “Does he know?”

Princess Rhaenyra looked at you wearily. Still, she answered, “I believe so.”

Ser Royce Baratheon.

There were always trade matters between the Crown and House Baratheon to be discussed. A friendship between Ser Royce and Princess Rhaenyra had been inevitable, ever since the two struck each other’s fancy at the tourney for Princess Helaena’s second name day celebration. Storm’s End was less than a day’s ride away on dragonback, after all. 

The truth of the parentage of the Princess’s sons, which her enemies so desperately sought, was right under their noses the entire time. But those at Court never saw it.

They only ever saw you, and more importantly, your husband, frequently present around Princess Rhaenyra over the years. They did not focus on the fact that, aside from the lack of Targaryen silver hair and violet eyes, the physical similarities between the Princess’s sons and Harwin ended there. They wanted to focus on the fact that, despite any presumed duty he may have owed them, Harwin readily took those boys under his wing, mentoring and treating them almost as if they truly were his own sons. They refused to understand that the reason that your sons were so amicable was because they were all around the same age, and had been growing up together for significant portions of their lives. However, they had a far easier time understanding such a close connection if the boys were true brothers.

Whether or not Ser Royce knew about his children through the Princess, it was undeniable that he was more than well aware of their intimacy. But none of that mattered. Ser Royce, now the Heir to Storm’s End after the passing of his grandsire, Lord Boremund, the year before, would become the rightful lord after his father’s passing. It was a miracle that a marriage had not been arranged for him yet. And though he might have been able to admit to fathering illegitimate children, specifically sons, through any other woman, Princess Rhaenyra was not just any woman.

Ser Royce would never claim the Princes.

Ser Laenor would never disinherit his wife’s children, even if he didn’t always take care to play the role of their father.

And Harwin would never leave those poor boys without the fatherly figure they so desperately yearned for.

“As much as I detest the very thought of it, I have come to realize that I am powerless to do anything but continue to denounce these wicked rumors, and reiterate the legitimacy of my sons,” Princess Rhaenyra proclaimed. The way her voice wavered was terribly out of character for her, but that only reinforced her sincerity. “But even so, I know that will not be enough to placate my enemies. And as a result, you, your children, and your husband will still be victims of the webs those spiders weave.”

You had sworn an oath to the Princess, in front of her, King Viserys, and the rest of the Court.  Despite her infidelity, you would not sully your own honor by breaking that oath. No matter how much it pained you, you would not turn against Princess Rhaenyra in order to save yourself in the eyes of those who conspired against her. You would not counter the cruel rumors by allowing the truth of her sons’ parentage to be known. Not when the very life of your friend, and those of her children, depended on it.

Let the Princess’s enemies assume your husband was the father of her children. You would resign yourself to your assumed shame. Princess Rhaenyra was right; it was not your shame to bear, but you would do so anyway. The perceived truth of the princes' parentage was dangerous enough; the real truth would be deadly.

Despite your resolve and acceptance of the situation, tears began to well in your eyes. Truthfully, you said, “I appreciate you coming to that of my husband's defense, Your Grace... And I bear no ill will towards you for the false tales your enemies spin.”

The look that flashed across Princess Rhaenyra’s face was a conflicted one. At first she smiled; she felt relief. But then, the smile fell. And sadness, mirroring your own, reflected in tears that begin to well in her own eyes.

“And I appreciate your loyalty, now, more than ever before,” she vowed. “And still, I am completely aware that it is not fair for you or your husband to carry such a heavy burden as a direct result of mine and Ser Laenor’s actions… or, inactions, rather.”

Princess Rhaenyra removed one hand from the hold she had on her son, and firmly grabbed your hand closest to her. When she did so, her eyes locked with your own. The grip she had on your fingers tightened.

“Though it is not today, there shall be a time when I will be able to properly compensate you for your unyielding support. Y/N, I swear to you, by the old gods and the new, that when that day comes, I will not hesitate to do so.”

What Princess Rhaenyra would offer you, and Harwin, in exchange for your silence was beyond your wildest imagination. But, as she was still clinging on to your hand so tightly, you decided it was best to simply agree.

You nodded understandingly. “Thank you, Your Grace.”

As if to seal the deal, and confirm that you had reached a new understanding with the woman you had once been in the service of, her newborn son cooed happily.

A few watery laughs escaped the two of you. The tension in the room dissipated; you could feel a sense of contentment, which you had not known in some time, began to creep back into your heart.

“Would you like to hold him?” the Princess offered suddenly, nodding down towards the Prince.

As a way of an answer, you did not hesitate to reach out. The Princess placed the babe in your arms gently, and once he was settled, you couldn’t help but marvel at him.

He was rather adorable.

Princess Rhaenyra watched with a content look on her face as you lightly rocked the young prince. “Perhaps, one day, the gods might bless one of us with a daughter… Of all the lords and ladies to share grandchildren with, I believe you and Ser Harwin would be some of the most agreeable candidates.”

You couldn’t help but smile at the thought of that. “That would be the highest of honors, Princess.”

By the time Harwin reached the training yard, the Princes’ training had already begun. He surveyed the yard briefly.

First, he spotted your sons. Thankfully, Derrik and Selwin were doing exactly as they’d been instructed to do, standing nearby on the far periphery of the yard. They were close enough to bear witness reasonably well to what was going on, but far enough away to hopefully avoid the temptation of getting involved before it was permissible to do so. Harwin headed over in their direction.

As Harwin headed over to your sons, his eyes then wandered across the training yard, where he immediately spotted King Viserys on the balcony across the way. It was not an unusual sight; the King often took joy in overseeing his sons and grandsons in their learning. A delighted smile was plastered on his face as he made a visibly spirited comment to Harwin’s father, the Lord Hand Lyonel Strong, who was standing beside him and watching the events unfold as well.

Derrik and Selwin looked up at him intriguingly as he approached.

“Now lads, remember, you are to stay here until the Princes are excused,” he instructed the boys under his breath, so as not to disturb the training in progress. Harwin glanced across the yard once more, immediately locking eyes with his father. The look Lord Lyonel gave his eldest son was one of caution.

Harwin tore his eyes away and looked back down at your sons. Derrik looked receptive to his instructions, but Selwin looked a bit antsy. He reminded them, “Your grandsire is watching. Please- stay put.”

“Yes Father,” Derrik agreed, while Selwin nodded reluctantly.

Harwin knew your sons were anxious to train for the day, but there was something to be said for patience, and from watching and learning what to do from others.

As well as learning what not to do.

Harwin tactfully chose to not acknowledge when Prince Aegon, who had just turned away from his attack of one of the straw stuffed training dummies, made some bluntly lustful eyes at some handmaidens who passed through the yard.

Ser Criston Cole- whom Harwin still believed ought to have been stripped of his position in the King’s Guard following his atrocious behavior and murder of a guest at Princess Rhaenyra’s wedding celebration a decade before- was half-heartedly giving the four Princes instructions as the young boys hacked away at the straw dummies.

When Aegon subconsciously conveyed he’d gotten too comfortable with the level of difficulty of the instruction, the knight decided to challenge both of the Queen’s sons- Aegon, and the Prince Aemond- to take him on at the same exact time. Harwin internally rooted for the princes; in his opinion, Ser Criston was long past due for being put in his place.

Unfortunately, Ser Criston had both time and experience advantage on the Princelings, and they proved to be of little match to him.

Harwin’s eyes then drifted over to the Princes Jacaerys and Lucerys, who were standing and watching the sparring match. To their credit, they were trying to pay attention to the sparring match before them, but with boys at that age, including the likes of his own sons, Harwin was inclined to believe that more hands-on instruction would be more beneficial to their learning.

A bout of pity struck him when he watched the Princes standing by, waiting for instruction, and more importantly, attention, from their instructor. But, like the boys themselves, Criston seemed far more entertained when he was able to partake in the training with his own hands. His favoritism for the Queen’s sons was blatant; but it seemed that he was one of the few willing to recognize it.

It was at that moment that Harwin was reminded of the difficult position he had put himself in.

Had Ser Laenor bothered to reevaluate his priorities at any point throughout his marriage to Princess Rhaenyra, Harwin might not have even felt compelled to oversee the Princes’ training. Ser Laenor was not cruel to his sons, but neither was he invested in them. It was a concept that Harwin would never be able to comprehend. He had only ever wanted what was best for Derrik and Selwin; surely the Princess’s sons were owed no less. Especially when one of them was to be the King of the Seven Kingdoms one day.

But Harwin was no fool; he had his all but confirmed theories as to why Ser Laenor was less hands-on with the Princes’ education than Harwin was with his own sons’. He knew of the cruel rumors that swelled about the Red Keep, the vicious words only ever seemed to grow in volume and malice with each passing year and visit your family made to King’s Landing. 

Perhaps Ser Laenor truly was the Princes’ father. There was the proclivity for dark hair on Ser Laenor’s side of the family, through his mother, the Princess Rhaenys. Then again, maybe he wasn’t. Harwin did not know the full extent of it, but he was aware of the existence of an old friendship between the Princess and the now Heir of Storm’s End...

But regardless of whoever the Princes’ true father was, Harwin knew that, beyond a doubt, it was not him.

At one point, he was inclined to encourage the four of you to confine yourselves in the Reach; the rumors of the Princes’ parentage were not likely to take on lives of their own without him physically present in the capital. But, whenever Princess Rhaenyra beckoned you for a visit, you did not want to deny her. And Harwin did not have the heart to deny you.

It troubled him, knowing what the Princess’s enemies thought about him and the nature of his relationship with that of the Princess Rhaenyra and her sons. And it absolutely pained him at the thought of what those gossips implied about you. Yes, Harwin had more than willingly chosen to mentor Princess Rhaenyra’s sons; but if he had known what strife that decision would have caused you years later, he would have refrained from doing so entirely.

But it was too late now. At least he knew the truth of it. And he prayed to the gods every day that you did, too.

“Ah,” Harwin called over to the Princelings, who were still standing idly by and merely watching as Ser Criston’s focus was solely on that of the Queen’s sons. He encouraged them, “Weapons up, boys. Give your enemies no quarter.”

At this, Ser Criston whipped his head over in his direction. But Harwin stood steadfast, his facial expression firm, his body unwavering under the eyes of anyone, much less the likes of someone as Ser Criston Cole.

“It seems the younger boys could do better with a bit of your attention, Ser Criston.”

The other man narrowed his eyes at him briefly, before looking off into the distance with a blank look and locking his jaw. “You question the method of my instruction, ser?”

“Oh, I merely suggest that method be applied to all your pupils,” Harwin countered pointedly.

All four boys slowly filed into a line, awaiting their next instruction. Aemond glanced around the yard, immediately taking note of Derrik and Selwin, who were still standing nearby.

“Look,” the Queen’s second son directed quietly, nudging Prince Jacaerys as he did so. “Looks like we have an audience… seems that your brothers have come to take a lesson or two.”

The other prince glared at him. He demanded, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Brothers in arms,” Prince Aemond clarified swiftly, though he was neither apologetic or afraid.

“Why does he keep saying things like that?” Selwin wondered quietly, looking up at his older brother for an answer.

Derrik’s focus was still on Prince Aemond, giving him a hard look across the yard. Without looking his brother, he replied, “‘Tis nothing to concern yourself with, Sel. A poor joke, is all it is.”

Meanwhile, neither Harwin nor Ser Criston had overheard the exchange, and the latter had devised a quick scheme.

“Very well,” Ser Criston conceded to Harwin’s suggestion. He approached the boys calmly. “Jacaerys?... Come here.” He abruptly yanked the boy in reference out of the line and tugging him roughly across the yard. “You spar with Aegon… Eldest son against eldest son.”

Derrik and Selwin whispered among themselves in protest to the suggestion, but they quieted themselves when Harwin gave them a pleading look. It would not do, for anyone’s sake, for his own sons to intervene at this particular moment.

Then, Harwin rolled his eyes at Ser Criston’s little ploy, not bothering to hide the gesture from the other man at all. Ser Criston had once been Princess Rhaenyra’s sworn shield. Following a discretion unbeknownst to Harwin, the member of the King’s Guard had decided to remove himself from the Princess’s post. It was extremely inappropriate for him to relay any malice towards Princess Rhaenyra through the means of endangering her eldest son.

Aegon had the years and height advantage over Jacaerys. It was folly. He argued, “It’s hardly a fair match.”

“I know you’ve never seen true battle, ser, but when steel is drawn, a fair match isn’t something anyone should expect,” Criston retorted.

Harwin bit his tongue.

“Blades up,” Criston ordered the boys a moment later. The boys did as instructed. “... Engage.”

Harwin had no choice but to watch as Aegon advanced upon his nephew. Prince Jacaerys was unceremoniously knocked to the ground, and the Queen’s eldest son snickered to himself at his brief apparent victory. To his credit, Jacaerys scrambled up and off the ground swiftly, and caught Aegon off guard when he attacked him with enraged vigor. Harwin watched him with amusement, and perhaps the smallest bit of pride. Jacaerys was every bit as fierce as Princess Rhaenyra, that much was beyond dispute.

Only when did Aegon knock a training dummy down and upon the younger boy did Harwin jump in to intervene. Shooting a disapproving look at Cole, he declared, “Foul play!”

“I’ll deal with him,” Criston snipped, grabbing and pulling Aegon aside.

Prince Jacaerys looked up at Harwin expectantly, eagerly awaiting his guidance.

“Aim for his chest, not his eyes,” Harwin advised the boy quietly, but encouragingly. “And you’ll have him.”

The boy smiled at the thought of besting his uncle, and nodded in understanding to the instruction. He then looked to his brother Lucerys, and then Derrik and Selwin, all of whom gave him reassuring looks.

“You!”

Not but a moment later, Aegon was descending upon the Princess’s eldest son once more. Prince Jacaerys did his best to block the oncoming blows, but the older Prince’s blind rage, fueled by his wounded pride, only proved to be an additional advantage for him.

Too soon, Jacaerys was knocked to the ground, helpless to his uncle’s furious onslaught.

The completely insufferable Ser Criston did nothing but continue to shout instruction for Aegon to further torture the pooy boy. “Don’t let him get up! Stay on the attack!”

Harwin could only watch for so long before he felt the need to intervene once more.

“Enough!” he bellowed, yanking off the oldest prince before he managed to strike a blow to Jacaerys’ head.

Aegon fell to the dirt gruffly. After an initial moment of shock, emphasized by his dropped jaw, he rapidly scrambled to find his footing. “You dare put your hands on me?!”

“Aegon!” the King chided him disapprovingly.

“You forget yourself, Strong,” Criston declared. “That is the Prince.”

“This is what you teach, Cole?” Harwin demanded in disgust, retrieving the abandoned training swords. “Cruelty, to the weaker opponent?”

Prince Jacaerys was just a boy. And, as far as Harwin was concerned, Criston was a fully grown man, with a seemingly personal vendetta against his mother.

“I see that your own boys are present, Strong,” Criston noted nonchalantly.

Harwin paused for a minute, feeling the protectiveness of your sons already creeping to the precipice of his composure. He glanced at Derrik and Selwin. The boys were still where they were, but they were leaning forward, practically jumping at the chance to leap in at a moment's notice. Harwin shook his head at them subtly, hoping it would discourage them from giving in to the temptation.

“I thought your focus might be on them, rather than that of the other boys,” Criston continued. “…Your interest in the Princeling’s training is rather unusual, Commander.”

Harwin stayed focused on picking up the wooden swords, fighting the urge to appease the disgruntled knight by indulging him with a response.

“Most men would have only that kind of devotion toward a cousin… or a brother…”

Harwin rose to his feet.

“... Or a son.”

Harwin had been forced to silently endure years of insults not only to his honor, but to yours, and your family. Not to mention that of Princess Rhaenyra and the Princes. It’d been the only thing he could think of to keep you all safe.

But he’d be damned if he let pretentious scum like Ser Criston Cole get away with his snide little comments any longer.

And so… Breakbones broke.

Harwin whirled around, tackling Ser Criston to the ground without a thought.

“Get him, Father!” Selwin shouted, too young to have an understanding of the great error his father had just made.

Derrik shushed him worriedly before looking over at their grandsire, who was watching with utter dismay as the scene unfolded.

Harwin reigned severe blows upon Ser Criston easily. The other man was either unable or unwilling to fight back. But he didn’t care. Harwin didn’t bother to hold his punches, either; he’d been nicknamed Breakbones for a reason, and he intended to live up to that name.

In hindsight, Harwin wished it’d been another. But in the moment, he was more than happy to be the one to finally serve Ser Criston Cole his due.

Even when blood appeared on Ser Criston’s face, Harwin was not deterred. He couldn’t bring himself to stop. He couldn’t think about the frightened boys watching their altercation, nor the confusion of the King, nor the pure horror that was likely to be upon his father’s face. Years of pent up anger and shame had culminated into this single moment.

Not even when members of the King’s Guard began to rush and attempt to remove him did Harwin relent. In fact, it only encouraged him more.

In the end, it took four of them to properly restrain him.

“Say it again!” Harwin spat venomously at Ser Criston, who was still lying upon the ground. The other man did not move much, but Harwin could see the faint outline of a smirk on his lips.

Bastard.

“Say it again!”

You were still sitting with Princess Rhaenyra still when a handmaiden interrupted you.

“Princess, Lady Y/N… There’s been an incident in the yard.”

“Is it the Princes?” Princess Rhaenyra demanded worriedly, her grip on Prince Joffrey tightening in fear.

“No, Your Grace.”

You were on your feet at once, fearing for your own boys’ safety. “Is it my sons?”

The handmaiden shook her head slowly. She glanced between you and Princess Rhaenyra apprehensively as she whispered, “... It’s the Lord Commander.”

“It fills me with unrelenting shame…”

“So that’s what this is about, then? Your shame?”

“Our shame, Harwin! Shame on the whole of House Strong!”

“Because I laid my hands on that insufferable Cole? The son of a Steward?!”

“He is a Knight of the Kingsguard now-“

“He assailed Prince Jacaerys-”

“-a defender of the crown-”

“-the future heir the throne-”

A loud clattering was heard as something metal fell to the floor. You bit your lip to prevent the surprised gasp that nearly slipped from your mouth.

The secret passages that ran through and beneath the Red Keep were extremely beneficial, particularly in times of war. Princess Rhaenyra directed you to them swiftly, arming you with directions as to where you needed to go. The walk through the passages was very unnerving; it was dark, cold, and pools of water and mud littered the stone beneath your feet. It was not a time of war, but you were thankful for the passages regardless.

They allowed you to make your way over to the Tower of the Hand completely undetected, where your Good Father had reportedly dragged your husband off to following the incident in the training yard.

In all the years you’d known him, you had never heard Lord Lyonel Strong so angry. While he had the tendency to be soft-spoken, his words always carried more weight than the manner in which they were delivered. But this…

Though you could not see him, you could easily imagine the enraged look upon Lord Lyonel’s face as you waited on the staircase below, out of sight. You tried to imagine Harwin’s face, but you felt the pangs of distress every time you did so.

The Lord Hand sighed heavily, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before addressing his eldest son once more. “You have laid us open to accusations of an uglier treachery.”

“And what treachery is that?” Harwin challenged swiftly.

“Don’t play the fool with me, boy,” his father warned him threateningly. “Your intimacy with the Princess Rhaenyra is an offense that would mean exile and death… For you, for her, for the children!”

“It is rumor, only… spun by the Princess’s rivals.”

Harwin denied the accusation, though his dejectedness resulted in his tone lacking the conviction it desperately needed in order to be entirely convincing.

“People have eyes, boy. Yet, His Grace the King, it seems, will not accept what his eyes see. This flimsy shield alone stands between you and the headsman- the willful blindness of a father towards his child.”

“I wish my father affected a similar blindness.”

Your heart wrenched at the sound of the raw hurt that was evident in your husband’s voice.

“Have I not, these many years?!And yet today, you publicly assaulted a Knight of the Kingsugard in the defense of your...”

The moment of silence that followed in the wake of the Lord Hand’s near slip was so loud, you thought the two men might actually be able to hear your heart’s panicky beating beneath your chest. 

“You have your honor, and I have mine,” Harwin asserted, half-heartedly.

“You wish to talk about honor?” Lord Lyonel confronted. “What of your wife’s honor? What of that of your trueborn sons?!” 

More silence.

The next time he spoke, the Lord Hand’s voice was so quiet, you nearly had to strain yourself in order to properly discern his words.

“I fail to understand why Y/N chooses to remain by your side all these years, despite your heinous transgressions against her, against your marriage… Does she offer a blind eye as well, or is it simply apathy?”

“My lady wife puts no credit in the wicked rumors that target Princess Rhaenyra.”

“A foolish mistake, if not a grave one. What will become of her, of Derrik, of Selwin, if you continue on this way? When they drag you off to put your head to the sword, do you think the blood lust will end there?”

Your jaw clenched as the frightening images began to paint a horrid picture in your mind.

“When they go through you, the Princess Rhaenyra, and then her sons, do you think the call for heads will end there? … Or will they remember this? Will they remember that your wife has stayed by your side ever so faithfully, in spite of her own closeness with Princess Rhaenyra? My poor boy… I know not what they’d do to Y/N, but I can promise you this: you would not wish the extent of her involvement to ever be questioned.”

It was a gross suggestion- that you’d be not just knowledgeable, but complicit in your husband’s supposed affair with Princess Rhaenyra. But the thought had your gut sinking with dread; the point Lord Lyonel was attempting to convey was a solid one. An argument that your enemies could put weight into.

Harwin was silent. You wanted nothing more than to see his face, to try and determine what he was thinking, feeling- but you had to be patient.

“I cannot forbid you from acting as you see fit,” Lord Lyonel acknowledged defeatedly. “But I refuse to stand by as you willfully put the lives of your wife and my grandsons at stake as well. You must all leave King’s Landing.”

“You would send us back to Highgarden, over some mere courtly gossip? You would send your grandsons away so swiftly, just to appease the vultures?!”

“I would have my grandsons live enough years to surpass my age!”

The implication behind the Lord Hand’s words lingered heavily in the room.

“This is not up for discussion, Harwin,” he concluded tiredly. “I must go to the King now. I expect he will have some choice words for me. Do take care to clean yourself up before Y/N hears of this… Since you were courteous enough to carry out your assault in front of an entire audience of witnesses, I suspect it will not be long she does.”

For a few moments, only the soft footsteps of Lord Lyonel’s retreating steps could be heard, followed by the closing of a door. Once the door was shut, more loud clanging erupted alongside an angry shout, as Harwin presumably threw something across the room.

You took a deep breath and ascended the rest of the stairs. To confirm your suspicions, a bowl was pittering and settling near your feet, while various fruits rolled and splattered across the stone floor.

Harwin’s back was to you. His back and shoulders rose and fell steeply with every deep breath he took.

“Harwin.”

He turned around slowly to face you. He was still wearing the armor he’d been wearing that morning, but it was no longer clean, as was how he usually kept it. Instead, it was spattered with blotches of angry red. You could only assume what the residue was.

When Harwin’s eyes met yours, all the anger and frustration in them faded at once, immediately replaced with sadness and regret.

“What happened?” you coaxed him softly.

Harwin looked at you sorrowfully for a moment, before bowing and shaking his head.

You crossed the room in long strides, reaching him in an almost impossibly short amount of time. When you did, you took his hands in your own. “Look at me, Dearest,” you plead. He finally did as you bid, but you suspected it was only after the use of the pet name was he convinced to do so. You squeezed his hands tightly, imploringly. “What happened?”

“Cole,” he huffed. “He made a comment about the Princes and I…” Harwin took another deep breath to steady himself. Timidly, he confessed, “I wanted to kill him, Y/N.”

Based on the conversation you’d overheard, you didn’t have to ask what the comment might have been about.

You placed one hand on the side of Harwin’s face comfortingly. Tears began to well in your eyes as the consequences of your husband’s actions began to register in your mind. Before, the Prince’s suspected parentage had been nothing but speculative rumors. But now, since Harwin had reaffirmed the snakes’ suspicions with a supposed physical outburst against Ser Criston Cole, it was no longer speculative. It was supported, and by evidence Harwin had unwittingly served up on a silver platter.

Harwin’s eyes fell to the floor. “My father wants to talk about shame on our House… But I don’t care for all that. I have shamed you, and for that, I will never forgive myself.”

“Whatever do you mean, Dearest?”

“More than ten years past, on a night I can still remember very warmly, I vowed that I would be yours, and you would be mine. From that day, until the end of our days.”

Your cheeks warmed; you recalled that night very well. “Yes, that was our vow.”

“It is hard for me to remember what my life was like before you, but I know I never wish to be familiar with such a state again. You are the calm that soothes the storms that cloud my mind. You are a light amongst the darkness that bids me to follow, in the hope that doing so might make me a man more worthy of standing beside you. I cannot bear the thought of ever losing you. I would anguish not only for my fate, but at the thought of you having to face this cruel world alone.”

His words were deeply moving. But you were rapidly growing concerned as to why he had suddenly deemed them necessary.

“I have never, ever broken the vow I made to you,” he asserted firmly. “I love you.”

“As I love you,” you returned with great ease, your other hand reaching up as well. You cradled his face, silently begging Harwin to look at you, but he would not. Not yet. “Tell me- what is all this about?”

“Those boys are not mine.”

…

The Princes?

“Of course they’re not,” you confirmed, taken aback.

“Even if I could force myself to commit such a treachery against you, I would never do so with someone as dear to you as the Princess.” Harwin’s face visibly twisted at the thought. “My Love- I have never, and would never, lay with Princess Rhaenyra.”

“I know that, Dearest,” you assured him sincerely, pressing your palms to the side of his face firmer. “I’ve always known that to be true.”

Harwin’s eyes finally met your own once more. The tears you saw unshed in his eyes only furthered your own. “I thought you knew, but as of late… I was not so certain anymore.

You frowned, slightly disappointed in yourself. “I will admit, those damned whispers have begun to gnaw away at me more and more… But I am truly sorry if you have ever thought I doubted you in this.”

“It is I who should apologize,” Harwin disagreed.

He attempted to pull away from you. You refused, and your hands moved to wrap around the back of his neck in an effort to lock him in place. Harwin paused, and upon seeing the determined look on your face, ceased his efforts.

“I have not laid with the Princess,” he reiterated. “But they all think I have. And my past actions have done nothing but encourage those foul rumors. Seven Hells- my actions today have all but confirmed them. And all because I took it upon myself to care about sons who aren’t even my own-”

You shushed him. “Stop,” you pleaded. “You have offered those boys guidance that they’ve needed, and gave them attention that their own father has failed to provide. You did what you thought was right, what you thought was honorable by Jace and Luke.”

Honor was a heavy subject among House Strong, whose words were, “Strength from Honor.” Harwin might not have always felt it, but you’d always known him to be one of the most honorable men you knew.

“You have a big heart, Dearest,” you told him sweetly, and proudly. “But I would never fault you for that.”

Harwin looked at you hesitantly, as if he was trying to determine the seriousness of your words. You hope you gave him no cause to doubt you- for there was none.

Eventually, Harwin must have been reassured, for he lowered his head and buried his face into the side of your neck. His arms wrapped around your middle, clutching you to him with little reprieve. You could tell he did not put quite his full weight into the embrace, though you could still feel a great deal of it. You didn’t care in the slightest; one hand traveled upwards to run soothing fingers through his disheveled curls.

“The gods blessed me the day you deemed me worthy of your affection,” he decided bittersweetly, his words muffled. “And I shall never be able to repay them.”

“You were blessed?” Despite the intensity of the moment, you let out a soft laugh. “If you truly think I would have been able to stay as strong as I have all these years without your unyielding support, my Lord Husband, I would be inclined to question whether that insufferable Cole might have actually landed a blow to your head.”

“... Forgive me, My Love, but I do not wish to speak of that pompous prick at this moment.”

“I know.”

Harwin withdrew his face from your neck, but he did not go far. Instead, he pressed his forehead to yours, your noses brushing with the movement as the two of you settled comfortably.

“I know you care for the Princes,” you acknowledged. Your voice was barely above a whisper, as there was no need for more. “But the Lord Hand is right. We must leave- you, me, Derrik, and Selwin. We cannot stay in King’s Landing.”

“You heard my father, then? He is convinced that-”

“I know. And for that, I am truly, truly sorry.”

The true parentage of the Princess’s sons had to be kept a closely guarded secret. Unfortunately, that meant that if the Lord Hand was inclined to believe the rumors- and why should he not?- there was nothing either of you could do to dissuade him, except continue to denounce them. It often felt like a trifling, futile effort. Ser Laenor might not have been a visibly viable option for fathering Princess Rhaenyra’s sons, but none of you could produce their true father for explanation, either.

It was almost cruel. For how much weight House Strong put on the notion of honor, Lord Lyonel was likely to believe that his eldest son and heir had committed one of the most dishonorable deeds imaginable until his last breath.

“He says I am likely to be stripped of my post as Commander-“

That was news you did not know of, but which was also not unexpected.

“-but I can talk my father out of forcing us away,” Harwin proposed. “I can explain to him why we cannot leave-”

“No.”

“I can tell him that Princess Rhaenyra needs you-”

“I would rather never see Princess Rhaenyra again then stay here in King’s Landing forever and watch as they take you away to the headsman,” you declared vehemently. You forced him to look at you as you attempted to convey the seriousness of your conviction on the matter. “Harwin… It is too dangerous. We must leave.”

Intentionally or not, Harwin had placed himself, and by extension, you and your sons, in a terribly threatening situation. Your loyalty was not one taken lightly. But if you were forced to choose between your loyalty to Princess Rhaenyra and the safety of your husband and sons, your heart knew the answer.

Fortunately, Harwin seemed to be in agreement with you on the subject. Once he realized how dire the situation was, he had no more energy to fight the inevitable conclusion. He would do anything to keep you, and your sons, safe.

Harwin admitted defeatedly, “I suspect my father will suggest we go to Harrenhal. He has mentioned more and more frequently that he feels it is time for me to learn how to properly rule the family seat.”

You hadn’t been to Harrenhal in years. There’d been too many reasons to stay in the Reach, whenever you weren’t in King’s Landing, that was.

“Harrenhal,” you echoed, feigning deliberation of the idea. “... Seems like a far better destination than the black cells, don’t you think?”

Or worse.

Harwin pulled one of your hands from the back of his neck, and kissed your palm tenderly. He looked down at you with hopeful eyes as he asked, “Will you go with me, then? You will not flee back to Highgarden?”

Highgarden could wait, if only for a little longer. “Do you remember any other words you also said on that night, all those years ago?”

Harwin blinked. It was obvious he did not recall.

But you remembered the words very well. You’d replayed them in your mind many times over the years, particularly in moments of doubt.

“You told me, ‘nothing, save your command, would ever part me from you.’”

Harwin’s eyes lit up with remembrance.

“We will need to think of how to explain this to Derrik and Selwin,” you realized out loud, you mind already shifting to your next plan of action. “Perhaps it is best if we-”

You gasped in surprise when Harwin’s lips crashed upon yours with sudden fervor.

It was glaringly obvious that the distance and strain you had felt between the two of you since your most recent arrival in King’s Landing had faded. The fire behind your husband’s actions was a familiar one. It was most welcomed, as your heart desperately sought soothing from the recent pains.

It took only a moment for you to close your eyes and willingly allow yourself to succumb to the comfort of your husband’s affections once more.

A/N: Off to Harrenhal we go!😁 i’m sure nothing sinister is waiting for them there...

I am sorry if some of you are disappointed by this decision. I just couldn’t make Harwin do that to Miss Tyrell. But I think it’s pretty imperative to the rest of the story that the concept of the “Strong” boys still exists, so this was my compromise for that.

I hope you all have a great weekend!🖤🖤🖤

#harwin strong #harwin strong x reader #house of the dragon #ser harwin strong #ser harwin strong x reader #ser harwin strong x you #ser harwin strong x y/n #harwin strong x you #harwin strong x y/n #hbo #ryan corr #hotd #got #house of the dragon fanfiction #house of the dragon fanfic #game of thrones fanfic #game of thrones fanfiction #harwin strong fanfiction #harwin strong fanfic #ser harwin strong fanfiction #ser harwin strong fanfic

[shegxox]

the beauty of language: giving gifts. | sova

how your tradition if gift giving with sova started

c.w: swearing, other than that, just fluff

w.c 2,558

a.n: also just wanna say that all my valorant fics will be "scattered" and throw bits mc's lore here and there. I will also be very 'vague' when it comes to the character's feelings, meaning, I won't confirm or deny whether the relationships are platonic or not, that will be up to you– my readers. . . for now ;) enjoy!

previous : next

THE first time you gave Sova a gift was technically the first time you met him, which was after you saved him from your double that was apparently from another Earth. Fighting yourself was probably one of the weirdest and mind-boggling experiences you had; you even questioned yourself if you were drunk or going crazy because of college.

Ah, yes. You were a college student before getting recruited into the protocol.

---

You groaned for the umpteenth time, slumping back to your chair as you grabbed your plump bumblebee plushie and stuffed it on your face, screaming through it.

It was already two in the morning, and you were almost done reviewing for your finals that will take place later at 9 a.m.

'Why the fuck did I choose this course again?' You thought to yourself, dragging down the plush toy from your face. 'Do I hate myself that much?'

You sighed, setting down your plushie on your lap before staring down at the countless notes, flashcards, and textbooks that were scattered on your study table.

"I love my course. I love my course; I love my course. . ." You muttered repeatedly to yourself as you organized the clutter on your desk.

You clearly need to take a breather, or maybe even a drink. You don't want to see anything related to school for at least an hour.

"Fuck it." You made up your mind; self-care is important, mental health goes first. You stood up from your chair, stretching as you do so.

"And fuck you. . ." You insulted saltily to your reviewers and reading materials before grabbing your jacket, keys, and a bag with a bottle of wine (Yes. Wine) and your bee plushie in it. After that, you were out of the house and riding your sleek motorcycle down the road.

A ride and a drink make the stress go away in a blink.

There was a spot near your neighborhood where it had a reputation of being haunted, and because of that, no one really dares to go near it other than delinquents and lil fuckers who vandalize the place. It was just an abandoned school that was near the woods, a questionable location for a school– which is probably why it was abandoned– but it became one of your spots where you can just chill and relax.

You never really checked if it was haunted or not, you were actually scared to go in and find out even if you're a supernatural yourself, but the eerieness strangely added to the peace, so you usually just sit outside the entrance steps.

You thought your destressing was going to go as usual– sit on the steps, drink whatever alcohol you had on you, sober up, and then go back home.

Oh boy, you were wrong.

You had literally only taken three sips of wine straight from the bottle when you felt the ground shake.

"What the fuck. . ." You stiffened, blinking a couple of times in surprise. "Earthquake?"

You stayed still for a moment to get a feel of the situation. The ground didn't continue to shake; however, you heard this distant scream that echoed from the inside of the building.

You stood up immediately with your guard up, whipping your head towards the broken doors of the entrance of the building.

Your heartbeat started to elevate.

"Shit. . ." Was this place haunted after all? But why now? After all this time and opportunity for the ghost to fuck around with other people trespassing, it just had to fuck around with you?

You checked the wines' alcohol content.

"I must be drunk already," you laughed nervously, eyebrows furrowing as you felt the fear starting to creep up your spine. "Yeah, I must be. I'm starting to hear things."

The alcohol content was 5%. . .

You were practically drinking mildly spicy grape juice.

At times like this, in your situation, you thought it would be better to gaslight, gatekeep, and girlboss away yourself from the situation.

'. . .But what if that scream came from a person?' You paused, thinking. It is entirely possible, this place is practically a good spot for y'know. . . hiding a body.

You swallowed thickly, 'If someone dies here, then this place may actually be haunted.'

'Ah shit. . .'

With that stupid excuse and thought in mind, you placed down your wine and wore your backpack before reluctantly going in.

Your exploration was very nerve-wracking, but at the same time, your curiosity only grows bigger with each step you take. You didn't fail to take note of the stacks of radianite in almost every corner of the place.

Was this some sort of secret facility?

But if so, where are the people?

If it is some sort of secret facility, then their security should be better than this.

As you were about to turn to a corner, you suddenly heard an explosion out of nowhere, confirming one of your thoughts.

'Yup, not ghosts.'

And because you're kind of a gossip, you kept going in further to investigate instead of minding your business and getting the fuck out of there.

The sound led you to the field area of the school; the only light source there was is an actual fire burning the grass. You could make out big lumps on the ground–which you dare not to assume were human bodies (even though it seemed that way) and two forms facing eacother.

One was wrapped around in some thick binds that were rooted from the ground, slightly hoisting their body up in the air, and the other was before them seemingly to be the one controlling the binds.

Were they a radiant just like you?

You were close enough to possibly hear them, but not near enough to make out what they look like, especially with the dark shading the fire provided.

The person in control then spoke, and their voice immediately made you froze on your spot.

"Accept your defeat; you lose this time." That voice sounded exactly like. . . you?

Ah, so it's true. . . College does make you crazy eventually.

'What the hell?'

You couldn't believe what you were hearing; it might just be a crazy coincidence, but the resemblance was uncanny. You leaned in closer to your hiding spot, trying hard to see what the person looked like.

Your mind was already forming possible conclusions to this situation.

"Any last words, hunter?"

Your eyebrows furrowed as the person raised their hand and manifested something from the ground, it looked like a collection of vines wrapped together to form a pointed end.

You frowned in familiarity. 'That power. . .'

"Your life is mine."

Your blood ran cold as you heard those words. You don't know exactly what's happening, but one thing is clear for sure: someone could die.

You can't let that happen. Ever. It doesn't matter if you judge the situation as right or wrong. You have to move. Now.

As the vine moved to pierce the other, you disappeared from your spot, only to reappear in between the two before quickly raising your hand to meet the sharp end instead. As it made contact with your palm, a green light glowed before the manifestation transformed into countless blue butterflies, fluttering away as you caught a glimpse of the attacker's face.

Your expression shifted to disbelief as you stand face to face with your own self. Your double mirroring the surprised expression that you held.

"You. . ." The other you said, completely flabbergasted from the sudden sight and intrusion.

They had the same hair, same features– the only thing different was their clothes. They look like they're dressed for battle and the eyecatching thing about their outfit was the shade of dark red staining them.

Just what in the world did you decide to step into??

"Well, nice to meet you too." You said sarcastically before swiping your hand harshly to the side. A thick vine erupted from the ground before hitting your double hard, sending her flying quite a distance.

As you turned around, vines started to surround you and the captive person, forming a beautiful protective orb.

The bind from the other person came undone, and you caught them as they fell from a short height.

"Hey, are you okay?" You asked with concern lacing your voice. The person was a man, and he gazed upon you, stunned by your sudden appearance.

"You are. . ." He gasped, trying to catch his breath.

"Shhh, it's okay. It's okay, I'm here to help, I'm friendly. Are you hurt anywhere?" You asked, inspecting the man. "Oh my gods, you must've been scared, uh–"

You held the sides of your head for a moment, thinking of what to do first.

You were getting overwhelmed.

He's probably traumatized, right? Maybe? You have no fucking idea. But you can't stay here in hiding, you have to take care of the other you outside.

You then reached for your backpack and pulled out your bee plushie before unintentionally shoving it into the man's chest.

"Wha–"

"Uhm, here it's a gift to help you calm down– that's Mr. Bee– uh, try not to freak out. You're– you're safe as long as you're here. Okay?"

"But I'm–"

"I'll take care of it, okay?"

Honestly, you were the one panicking. The seriousness of the situation was slowly dawning on you. You could already feel thorny vines starting to sprout out of your head.

A sign of you being in distress.

"But I can–"

"Hold on to Mr Bee. Don't be scared; he'll protect you."

Without another word, you opened just enough space for you to get out of the vine barrier before closing it again tightly behind you.

The man reached out his hand but wasn't able to catch you in time. He himself could tell that you were the one deeply panicking; everything happened so fast. He had to help you out somehow.

He tried to break the vines in any way possible, he tried to slash them with his knife but the vines only grew thicker; he couldn't see much from the other side, but when all spaces closed in, dots of light started to come into view.

His eyes wandered around in bewilderment.

"Fireflies. . ?"

They acted as his light from the inside and small white flowers began to bloom on the barrier as well; it had a strangely calming effect watching the flowers bloom.

The man sighs in defeat, eyes still brimming with concern. He looked at the bee plushie that he held with his right hand, gripping it tightly.

"I finally found you. . ." He utters softly.

"Please be safe."

---

Yep, that's how the two of you met. You saved four of his companions that night as well who were laying unconscious on the cold ground; he was the only one left alive and if it weren't for you meddling, that would've been the end of his life.

Much more happened after that but you ended up getting recruited in this secret organization called the Valorant Protocol, you put up a bit of a fight before joining but eventually, you gave in. And because of that, you had to leave your current life– which means no more college.

You sighed, looking at the empty room that was provided for you within the protocol headquarters.

"New home again, huh?"

Moving from one place to another wasn't so new to you, you're quite experienced in that to be honest, and decorating a new room is something that you enjoyed doing.

In the midst of your work you heard a soft knock on your door, followed by a familiar voice that you were slowly growing fond of hearing.

"Gaia?" It was your given callsign. "May I come in?"

"Yeah, come in!" You called out as you arranged an array of plushies on your bed.

The door slid to the side and there revealed the man that you saved. His eyebrows raised at the sight of your new room.

"A comfortable nest you have here." He comments as he looks around. "How unique."

You let out a soft chuckle before approaching the man.

"Thank you, Sova." You smiled. "It's nice to see you again, I didn't expect you to be back so soon from your mission. How did it go?"

"It went very well, we managed to secure the stolen radianite quickly."

"That's great!" You praised. "But why are you here? You should be resting after the mission."

"Ah." The man instinctively hid something behind his back. "I brought gifts."

Your left eyebrow shot up in curiosity as you glance at his hidden hands, your smile turning into a small smirk.

"Oh really now?" You say, small curious yellow flowers sprouting on your head. Your eyes twinkled in wonder as you gazed up at the man.

"What is it?"

The man stepped into your room and you took a step back to give him some space. Only then you realized how big the guy actually was.

'Damn, so that's where all my height went.' You mentally joked to yourself.

"I apologize if Protocol requires you to leave your current life behind, but that doesn't mean you have to stop your education." Pulling out his hands behind his back, he revealed a big blue paper bag.

"I heard that you were studying in the field of medical technology." He handed you the bag and you graciously accepted it, peeking inside. Your lips parted slightly from its content.

"What. . ."

"I believe you could still study on your own here. And if you ever need anything, you could always ask me."

The bag contained four science books– specifically about the Anatomy and Physiology of the human body, Histology, Biochemistry, and Phlebotomy. Along with two notebooks, and a set of colored pens.

"You– How did you get all this. . ." You uttered in astonishment. These books were hella pricey and you couldn't even find a physical copy of one of the books.

"When I was patrolling the area I came across a bookshop." Sova explained. "I just thought of you at that moment and. . ."

The man revealed his other hand and you gasped.

"I figured it would also be nice to give you a housewarming gift."

On his other hand was a potted succulent plant.

Your eyebrows furrowed and you feel your heart swell. Raising both your hands in a cupping position as Sova placed the plant on your palms.

"I hope you like it." He said before scratching the back of his neck. "I don't know much about plants but–"

Sova's eyes suddenly widened, and he cut himself off. The sight of you looking lovingly at the plant as blue hydrangeas bloomed beautifully around your hair made him pause for a moment.

It was always so fascinating to see your emotions show through your ability, and he felt relieved that you enjoyed his gift.

You then looked up at him, eyes glassy as you gave him an endearing smile.

"Thank you, I'll treasure it forever." You uttered softly, Sova felt his lips part slightly, feeling his heart thump hard against his chest.

He couldn't help but return the smile.

"You're welcome."

From then on, he wanted to see that expression on your face again. Full of appreciation, full of joy.

It oddly gave him a sense of fulfilment.

That was Sova's first gift to you, and the start of your random gift-giving tradition.

#valorant imagines #valorant x reader #valorant x you #valorant sova x reader #valorant sova #oc reader #valorant #valorant fluff #valorant fic #valorant fanfiction #sova x reader #the beauty of language series #valorant series #my fic #my writing #gaia valorant #valorant gaia

[cryptids-of-spielzeit]

The Review

(The Package: Part 3/Finale)

"Well...where are they?"

"...in the woods."

Almost immediately, Angelo got his ranger hat on, picked up Poppy, and walked right out the door.

"Time for a little reunion, then..."

"WAIT!", Poppy shouted, stopping Angelo in his tracks.

"What? We can't have those things out there, think of the wildlife, THE TOWN?! If someone runs into one of those things, what's stopping them from doing what they did in the factory?"

"You have a point..." Poppy looked anxious, before speaking up once again.

"...but hear me out. Not all of them are bad. How do you think I got out?"

"Your friend, right?"

"Yes. Did you think they were human? Go on ahead, they told me where they'd be hiding until I got you."

With an exasperated sigh, Angelo went forth. He walked for a good 20 minutes before noticing smoke.

"That's it, that's where they are!"

"Alright, you don't have to shout it. Need to hurry anyway, they might cause a forest fire."

Angelo was always good at his job, even if it wasn't his job. He had to cover others shifts many times during his time at the Factory. He was a security guard, but it isn't like they had great security anyway. He has been that, along with a janitor (A+ cleaning skills), a custodian (he couldn't save the slop they served, sadly), a desk clerk (customer service wasn't his forté, but he did an okay job regardless), and tour guide (surprisingly charismatic). So it was no surprise to Poppy that he took being a ranger just as seriously.

Eventually, the two made it to the source of the smoke. A small campfire, made of twigs, leaves, and small plushes. Plushes with big smiles. The smoke had a very pungent mixture of smells, it was like if you burnt down an entire Yankee Candle store. Pleasant, yet nauseating. At the fire were two figures, one tall, one short. As Angelo walked closer to them, he realized they weren't humans.

The tall figure was covered head to toe in pink fur. It had bulging, black eyes and big red lips. It was Kissy Missy, one of the attackers in the tape, yet, strangely, she wasn't covered in blood.

The other figure was incredibly worse for wear. They were missing their entire bottom half, only alive by what seemed to be luck. Luck, and a tight belt around its waist. Otherwise, it looked like a giant, orange dog. This was Dogday, the self-proclaimed "last" of the Smiling Critters.

"...I thought you said 'friend'. As in, singular. And why is THAT THING HERE?! SHE KILLED PEOPLE TOO, DIDN'T SHE?!"

"I did. They just helped. And no, she simply knocked them out. What's burning in the pile is what killed them."

"She's right," Dogday spoke, his voicebox still somewhat clear. "We 4 are the only ones who had a lick of common sense in that hellhole. But if I'm honest, I really hope I'm wrong."

"4? I"m not a part of this-"

"Not yet, you aren't!", a voice cried out. It sounded like a small child, yet there were none in sight. It was then that Kissy pulled out a small, multicolored toy phone, adorned with a smiley-face.

"That, Angelo, is my friend. The reason all of us are here."

"Hello! The name's Ollie! Pleasure to meet you, sir!"

"Great," Angelo thought to himself, "they even turned them into phones. How low could they go?"

"Uh, pleasure to meet you too. So, how in the everloving hell did you manage to form an escape plan. That, and, now that I realize it, how is Mr. Ray of Sunshine over there still alive?"

"Oh, I can answer both of those rather quickly. 1. I have ears everywhere, so I knew where everything is, was, or would be. That's also how I found out where you were, you weren't very subtle about your resignation plans. We found a spare box, had our message written, and Kissy delivered, great job on her part. As for Dogday, well, it's just luck. Luck, and a very tight belt."

"Okay. Now, why do you need me?"

"Also a simple question. You're the only one alive that we can trust. All of us got out, not just us, as Poppy may have mentioned to you. And they are all around us. Those critters in the fire? They only attacked us about an hour before you two got here. You need to make sure none of them hurt anyone. You were always good at that."

Angelo stood in silence for a moment. He wondered why fate had to rope him back in the clutches of Playtime again. Why he had to face the horrors head on, with no glass windows protecting him. Why? Because that"s just the way fate decided.

"I'll do it. It can"t be that hard, right?"

"Right. Now, one more thing. Do you have a needle and thread? Dogday needs to patch uo his wounds before we all depart."

Strangely enough, Angelo did. Thresd was the right shade of orange, too. He knows he didn't bring it. The doll must've slipped it in his pockets. Regardless, he got to work, and not long after, there was no need for that belt on Dogday.

The group, sans Angelo, said their goodbyes. Dogday crawled towards the hillside, a makeshift dagger made of wood in hand. Kissy wandered further into the woods. She could manage.

Ranger Angelo Floros, with a living doll and living phone in hand, went back into his cabin. How he would manage protecting a whole town from deadly toys while also doing his job was beyond him, all he wanted now was to get some good rest. He was going to need it. Dearly.

The End....?

[FURTHER SHORT STORIES YET TO COME! Up Next: Sundae: starring the Sun Dog]

#poppy playtime #poppy playtime au #cryptid au #cryptids of spielzeit #cryptozoology #cryptids #do you believe #don't go into the woods #smiling critters #poppy playtime dogday #dogday #kissy missy #poppy playtime ollie #the package #part 3 #OH YEAH #PROLOGUE COMPLETE #*untz untz untz* #UH HUH #WOOO

[helloescapist]

OOOOOH I can't wait to read a fluff story of Shinobu x Reader from you !!!

"not at all an obvious excuse to make more" 😳👀

Awww thank you! 🥹I have a shamelessly large amount of fluff prompts and ideas stored away for a rainy... or really, as the mood or requests hits me.

And I really do seize any moment to write for overlooked characters like Shinobu. Soooo...

Welcome Home | Shinobu Kocho

Setting: Shinobu Kocho x gn!reader

Content Warning: none 🐛 just a SFW short

Summary: there's nothing like coming home after a long day of work to a bed, and snuggles.

[art is not mine]

Your bones felt weary as your fingertips tugged at the buttons of your uniform. The fatigue of a long week worn across your features, the long hours of the night beginning to take their toll. The faint shades that had begun to blossom beneath your eyes met with the stifle of a yawn, Kocho would scold you when she found out. Having arrived home in the dead of night, far later than you had expected. The Butterfly Mansion was sirene in it's silence, absent from the usual rush of kakushi that frequented the care of patients. The younger occupants had likely turned in for the night, seizing the rare moment of peace. You couldn't blame them though the small corner of your heart felt saddened not to be greeted by the excitable trio, but given the late hour, it was ultimately for the best. Aoi would never forgive you if you offered their sweet treats at this hour of the night. Procuring the satchel from your pocket, and leaving it at the genkan. Carefully placed at the entrance before their shoes, confident that they would locate it in the morning. Though you savored the sweet silence as you followed the path to your shared bedroom, it was so rare to have such a moment. The giddy thought of an intimate moment shared between the bedding, only allowing yourself but a second to mourn not being greeted upon your arrival-- she would afterall, be in your bed. Curled into bedding, plush fabric that bore the signia of the insect pillar, her dark hair fell in ribbons over her shoulder. Her night wear flushed of moonlight as the peek of pink that tickled her nose. Nipped from the cold, aware of your absence at her side. The small touch of a smile peeked over the pages of a medical book, Shinobu's amethyst eyes greeted you with the flip of a page. Hummed her welcome, allowing you the necessary time to strip from your uniform, to toss the work day from your side. From your mind. Muffle a yawn, her silence, a welcome moment of peace. Of safety. The fatigue that crashed your bones. Folded you into the bedding that bid your embrace. Curled against her shoulder. The scent of wisteria from her various concoctions welcoming and comforting as the way she welcomed the nuzzle against her throat. The press of your nose against her throat, your head rested upon her shoulder. Warmed by the embrace of the liver, savoring the quiet of the night, taking only a moment to whisper, "I'm home." "Welcome home," she hummed in return resting her cheek against your hair. Peace finally residing in the Insect Pillar's heart. Never truly willing to admit that your late arrival home and left her unsettled and anxious. It was only when your breath fell into shallow huffs, delicate as the breath of life that linger on her skin. Savored the touch of your scent upon her night gown. Carefully marking her page amongst the medical text. Tomorrow, tomorrow she would review what she had read. Shinobu was all too aware that her thoughts had not lingered on the page, nor had the information been absorbed. Far too nervous that perhaps, this would be the night in which you would not return to her side. Delicately wrapping her fingers to your side. Shifting you to the comfort fold at her breast. Abandoning the book to her side, embracing your slipping form secured by blankets she tucked you into her heart. The safety of your scent beckoning her, allowing the sigh of relief to escape her form. To release the fears that had plagued her soul, savoring this moment of her lover pressed into her. Your forehead met to her collarbone, her fingers toying with strands of hair. The patter of your heart soothing the frays of her mind. Your fingers clasped at her kimono, curling around her. Captivating. The slow gasps of sleep, of exhaustion warmed into her bones. Safe. Alive. "Welcome home, my love."

#demon slayer x reader #kimetsu no yaiba x reader #shinobu kocho x reader #shinobu kocho #🍡tsuyospeaks #kny x reader

[happybird16]

A short little soft and sweet drabble on something that happened to me a couple years ago! I couldn’t come up with a name for it.

Levi/ Gn reader

Word count: 2k

Warnings: Alcohol mention, that’s it.

Note: I wrote most of this on my lunch break today lol.

On your first date, Levi didn’t drink.

It’s not something you’d really noticed at the time. Head buzzing, tongue thick with the taste of delicious red wine, you’d been far too enraptured by the man sitting across from you.

The tight, button up shirt had taken no prisoners. His sleeves rolled up to reveal firm lines of muscle and blue spider webs of veins. Conversation flowing easily, his eyes, dark and enchanting, had seemed to pull you in. You could think of nothing else.

Months later, countless restaurants visited in the passing weeks, you finally take notice.

For your as-often-as-possible dinner -and sometimes even lunch or breakfast- dates, you’ve settled into a routine of picking a place at random. As long as the reviews seem decent and the cleanliness seems up to code -Levi’s insistence, he hates food trucks with a passion- you try whatever place you can find from a random Google search.

It’s a small little pub today, out of the way and barely populated. It’s cute, decorated with hanging bare light bulbs and little wooden knick knacks. In fact, everything is made from dark wood, from the walls to the table and chairs. You like the nice, homey old fashioned feel of it, especially compared to the bland spartan setting most expensive restaurants have.

Sitting across from you, Levi immediately hands over the tiny ‘today’s drink specials’ menu that the waitress had left on the table. Staring down at it, the realization suddenly strikes you: Levi never drinks. Sticking to tea or water, he never so much as glances at the alcoholic section of any menu in all of the places you’ve visited.

You suddenly feel unsettled, staring down at the stiff off-white page in your hands. The laminated paper suddenly seems impossibly heavy.

Your mind whirls with possibilities.

Maybe he’s just a lightweight. It wouldn’t be too unexpected given his smaller stature, the booze quickly filling his veins and making him loose-lipped and lackadaisical. He could also be an embarrassing drunk, a prospect that excites you.

Or it could be for religious reasons, though he’s never spoken about such things. Or maybe it’s even family related, the result of a bad experience with an addicted family member. The thought makes you feel bad for casually drinking in his presence.

It’s not too big of a deal, if you need to stop for him. It’s not like you drink too often anyways. Normally just a glass of wine here and there to unwind, perhaps even an occasional cocktail to keep the excitement flowing through your veins during a girl’s night.

Though, it could even be as simple as Levi not liking the taste. You certainly remember disliking the acrid burn of booze when you’d first started drinking, the overwhelming taste making you cough and wheeze. A finicky man, it’s certainly a likely possibility.

Still, it feels odd to be drinking alone. Now that you’ve noticed, it weighs on you like an itch you just can’t scratch. The waitress will be back soon, but now choosing a drink from the page seems impossible.

Gaze straying to the man across the table, you can’t help the breath that catches in your throat. Now matter how many times you see him, the sight of your boyfriend always leaves you stunned.

Winter having recently arrived in a snowy flurry, Levi is dressed in a thick wool sweater. The fabric is tight, carefully fitted to curve around his smaller frame. You should feel at a loss, with less of his perfect alabaster skin bared for your gaze, but instead you drink in the sight eagerly. He looks so warm and cozy, comfortable in the plush fabric.

“Levi,” you start, voice cautious and steady. Headless to your own intention, you fiddle nervously with the menu in your grip.

“Hmm?” Levi grunts, glaring down at his own menu. Always a picky eater, it consistently takes him absolutely forever to decide on an entree, even if he always looks up the place beforehand.

“Do…,” you hesitate, unsure of how to word the question. “Is there a reason you don’t drink?”

Levi’s sterling eyes stray up to meet yours, wide in shock. “Ah,” he says, ears burning with a tinge of red. “You -er- noticed that.”

“Is it a family reason? Should I not be drinking in front of you?” You vaguely remember him mentioning a ‘shit-bag’ -his words- uncle, but you aren’t sure if alcohol was ever an issue with him.

“No no,” Levi assures with a wave of his hand. “Nothing like that.”

Levi’s words have done little to calm the lingering worry in your heart. “Why then? Is it me? Are you not comfortable…”

“No!” The word comes quickly, a bit too loud for the quiet ambiance of the establishment. Quiter, Levi continues, “I’m more comfortable around you than I’ve ever been with anyone.”

The raging anxiety eating at your insides finally calms, like a roaring thunderstorm fading into the distance. “Why then?”

The blush coloring the tips of Levi’s ears spreads, pink dusting across his cheeks. “It’s…embarrassing.” The words are surprisingly hushed, his silver eyes quickly darting away before meeting yours again.

“More embarrassing than that time you kissed Erwin?” It’s Levi’s most humiliating moment -according to him- one you dragged out of him late one night when he was particularly drowsy.

Levi cringes, face twisting up at the memory. “I shouldn’t have told you about that.”

“I’ll never let it go,” you chime in a sing-songy voice.

Levi grunts in response, pale skin darkening further. You have no doubt it’s spread to paint his neck and chest with splotches of pink. “You're going to laugh.”

“Really? Now I’m intrigued!” You can’t help but lean forward, enjoying the light pink dusting his face.

“It’ll be easier to show you,” Levi states with a heavy sigh, waving a hand to flag down the waitress.

Tucked up along the back wall of the little pub, it’s amazing how quickly she spots the signal, coming over almost immediately. “Hi again! Are you guys ready to order drinks?”

“Yeah. What did you want, sweetheart? The wine?” Levi asks, using the term of endearment he knows always makes your heart race.

“Oh!” You quickly glance down at the drinks menu again, slightly bent from your nervous fingers. “I’ll have the raspberry liquor hot chocolate.”

Levi hums at your choice, no doubt holding back a snarky comment about your chocolate addiction. “I’ll have a scotch on the rocks.”

The waitress takes her time to write down your orders on her notepad. With a hum, her gaze sweeps Levi before she asks, “Can I see your ID, sir?”

Never breaking eye contact with you, Levi quickly reaches into his back pocket to procure his wallet. Flipping the leather open with a smooth flick of his wrist and pulling the plastic from its sleeve, he hands it to her. “Here.”

The waitress takes it, glancing back and forth between the card and your boyfriend several times with a click of her tongue. She bends it, the plastic creaking audibly in protest, as she accesses the ID.

You don’t think you’ve ever seen someone get ID’d so hard before. Levi gives you an exaggerated grimace, eyebrows tilting up as if to say ‘see’.

“Uh…I’ll be back real quick sir,” stutters the waitress, before she quickly shuffles towards the back of the establishment.

“She left with it!” you note, struggling to keep your voice low in your surprise.

“That happens sometimes,” Levi explains, unperturbed by her quick exit. “She’s probably going to show it to her supervisor. They’ll both be back in a moment.”

“You get ID’d a lot?” you question. “I’ve never seen anything this intense before.”

“Every goddamn time,” Levi spits with a roll of his eyes. “I’m in my fucking 30’s and I’ve never not been ID’d. They always think it’s fake! It’s embarrassing.”

Struggling to keep to a quiet chuckle, you laugh, “That’s why you never drink?”

Levi nods his head before speaking, “It's always a whole scene. I feel like an out of place teenager the entire time.”

You can only imagine how anxiety inducing it must feel, his skin prickling hot with nerves and anger. Levi certainly does look youthful, in more than just his stature. Despite the fact that he’s often scowling, his face is smooth and free from any lines of age or worry. Still, you wouldn’t dare think him underage. “That’s hilarious! It happens every time?”

“Mhmm,” Levi confirms with a hum. “Maybe it’ll stop once I start growing grey hairs.” With the words, Levi gestures to his inky locks, shining even in the low light of the pub.

“If you ever do! Your mom certainly hasn’t. You could just be doomed forever.” Only having met her a handful of times, even in her 60’s Kuchel -who wants you to call her Mom but you struggle with it- seems youthful and vibrant. “Oooh, I bet they still size-check you at amusement parks!”

“Hey-” Levi chides, lips turning up in a barely-there smile. Despite the stiffness in his jaw, there’s very telling crinkles around his eyes that betray the fact that he’s enjoying your banter.

Unheeded, you continue, “This isn’t nearly as bad as discovering you’re bi by clacking teeth with your best friend.”

“Fucking-“ Throwing his head back, Levi sighs over dramatically. “Do me a favor and never remind Erwin of that.”

“Oh I definitely will.” Your words bring about a full, beautiful, fond smile. Now that his reason for not partaking is out in the air, Levi seems more relaxed, his shoulders loose and his face open. It’s a rare sight, especially in public.

Heart hammering in your chest at the sight, you love him, you can’t help but think. It’s not a new revelation, but certainly not something you’ve ever said out loud. Suddenly you feel like you're bursting at the seams to let the words loose. This isn’t the place though, not in some cliche little restaurant and certainly not in public. You’ll tell him later, when there’s nothing between you but bed sheets.

Eyes full of scorching warmth, one of Levi’s hands reaches across the table to clasp yours, the thumb gliding smoothly across your knuckles. “Thank you, for this. For taking it all in stride. I know I can be…tedious at times. Part of me was afraid that the sheer awkwardness would ruin things.”

You love him. You love him. You love him.

The words burn hot on the tip of your tongue, desperate to leak out, so instead you say, “Levi Ackerman? Afraid? As if!”

You can see why he’d been so tentative in the first place. Had this been the first date, or even the second, and you’d been less familiar with one another, the awkward silence while waiting for his ID to be returned would have been excruciating. It’s already been over ten minutes since the waitress left and still there’s no sign of her return.

Part of you wonders if it’s ever ruined things before, you know his height has been an issue with previous dates. Given his hesitation, you're willing to bet it has. “Were you just gonna not drink forever then? Was that the plan?”

“Maybe…,” Levi starts, lips pursed in almost a pout. “I’m sure there would have been some sort of holiday gathering eventually where it wouldn’t have mattered.”

You smile, struggling to picture him sipping cheap beer at your regular family barbecues. “So you’ll be ordering with me from now on?”

“If you're okay with dealing with the whole rigamarole, sure.” Levi shrugs, eyes dark and fond as they bore into your own.

“I bet you're a lightweight,” you tease, squeezing his hand in your own.

“As if,” Levi scoffs. “Though admittedly it’s been awhile-“

“Oh, here they come. You were right, she brought the manager,” you interrupt, spotting a sharply dressed older woman following behind the waitress. As they approach, you spot the white plastic of Levi’s ID clasped between two of her fingers.

“Would you mind if I cause a bit of a scene?” Levi asks. “Sometimes if I bitch the restaurant will end up comping my meal.”

“That sounds like fun!” This whole thing certainly was a bit much. You understand carding is necessary but jeez. To another couple, this could have been a real disastrous stall to an otherwise lovely evening out. “I’ll help!”

#levi ackerman x reader #levi/reader #levi ackerman fluff #sfw #tw; alcohol #fluff #levi ackerman #mydrabbles #gender neutral reader #attack on titan fluff #levi fanfiction #fanfics

[cookierunauprompts]

Hi I'm still alive. School has just been beating me up recently. Anyways this ask is going to be long again, but don't worry, it's not about Golden Butter Cookie this time. (I still like drawing her and Arcane Egg a lot though)

This actually concerns about the dolls GBC makes, mainly the 3 you've mentioned. (I added a 4th, but I will explain that in a bit). This entire thing actually made me research a lot about dolls in a weird way. Honestly I didn't think I would get very invested in it very much but I did, so I think I should thank you for that.

So to get things started, and reviewing back to the last few long asks I've sent the past weeks, the Toybox Realm has 2 level sections (The main layout/landscape, and the Dollhouse). When Rosemary saves the gang, when you fight through the levels, you are mostly required to have her on your team, thus you can only pick 4 cookies from your roster to fight. Enemies that you fight are composed of dolls and toys that make up most of the population of the Toybox: - Poppets (Mostly does healing) - Toy Cars (Charges at the cookies at the front of your line up and stun them, flips over and explodes, damaging only cookies at the back of your team) - Teddy Bears (Toybox version of Bear Jellys. Act like big walls of defense) - Rag dolls (Acts as ambushes, aiming for cookies in the middle) - Apple Doll (Giant creature that acts as a midboss before reaching Salvation's Stitch) When you're in Salvation Stitch, there are dormant and passive versions of the dolls you fight that reside there. In the Dollhouse, they're more damaged and destroyed looking if anything. When you fight GBC as the final boss of the Dollhouse, you're still required to have Rosemary with you, however, she is removed from your team once the boss battle starts, leaving you with only 4 members to endure GBC's constant attacks until Goldie times out.

Alright, let's discuss the main 3: Rosemary, Basil, and Thyme. I wanted to find a way to distinguish them from the rest of the dolls and toys, not just from the name of their spices alone. Originally I wanted to just give them a specific type of doll body and be done with it but I thought that wasn't enough. So I ended up basing them off the 3 wise monkeys. Hear me out. The 3 Wise Monkeys is traced back mainly from a saying in Confucianism. Confucius lived in a chaotic time in China and yet he wished to see peace and harmony, thus he emphasized the importance of moral conduct and virtuous behavior. Comparing this to what was happening in the Toybox at the time, I like to think that these 3 embodied what each conduct was since they were practically the only ones keeping everything from falling apart. Let's start with Rosemary. (Rosemary Lemon Cake). One of Goldie's first living creations, a classic plush doll. She follows the concept, "See no Evil." Though she's lost one of her button eyes, she is still quite perceptive and observant. Despite such harsh conditions, she is still able to see the good in people and believes in second chances. Let's go to Basil. (Basil Mousse). He is based off a Corn husk doll and follows the concept, "Hear no Evil." While Rosemary is the one that goes off in order to scout out the hyperfocused toys, Basil stays behind in Salvation's Stitch, ensuring order and safety is well kept and observed. Though the other dolls may doubt Basil and question him, he doesn't let it bother him. Moving on to Thyme. (Blueberry Thyme Scone). Her body resembles one of a knight, being an action figure, following the concept, "Speak no Evil." Once the leading figure of the Defense Doll Squadron, was forced to leave the other members behind as they succumbed to becoming hyperfocused. They could not listen to her words of reason, to snap out of it... Now they stand silently... thinking to themselves in front of the door of the dollhouse. Making sure no one gets in... and NO ONE GETS OUT.

That seems to be it, but wait, I added a 4th one. Apparently, there is another saying, the concept of "Do no Evil." Lavender. (Honey Lavender Posset). The very first marionette puppet to be created. Unfortunately, they were created during the time Shadow Milk had 'abandoned' Goldie, so she was made in the heat of the moment as a venting process of sorts. A little bit of Goldie placed into Lavender... literally. Being one of the last things Goldie had created before falling into slumber, Lavender craved attention from their creator, dedicated to stay by GBC's side and attend to their needs when necessary. However, sometimes when she isn't busy with Goldie, Lavender spends time with Rosemary who taught her how to do certain things. Think Big Sister dynamic. However, not everything good lasts. Lavender broke, seeing Goldie, her creator inside of that glass coffin. Sleeping their life away, not responding to their calls to wake up, or to eat... or anything at all. Having little to no sense of free will, especially after being created so recently, Goldie was literally her whole life up to this point, and yet in that short amount of time, she never got the chance to thank her for giving her life... All of this spiraled into one single question. "What was she going to do with herself now?" Fear started to rise among a... certain population of dolls... and it wasn't stopping from there. No, it can't be, Mistress isn't in an eternal slumber, she will wake up soon. We just need to wait... Don't you see? For now, all we have to do is focus on the simple task she left with... Defend the Toybox. Years, and I mean many years later... As Gingerbrave and Co. with Rosemary return to find and wake up Golden Butter Cookie, they explore deeper and deeper into the dollhouse. Strung up dolls across the ceiling in a sticky and chaotic manner as strawberry jam stained and dripped down the walls... Being ambushed left and right by disfigured dolls that have gone haywired... Stuffing all over the floor... It was a sight to behold that the weak could not handle. But that overhanging feeling of dread didn't last long as Rosemary stepped out into that hallway first, the scent of burnt butter overshadowed by the overwhelming scent of lavender wafting through the corridor. The pure terror reflected upon her one button eye as she stared back into at the figure across the hall, illuminated by the faint light that shone through the window, petals scattered about all over the floor. ______________________________________________________________

Yee, okay that's it. I wanted to make designs for everyone but I had no idea how you imagined Rosemary, Basil, and Thyme to look like so I only have old concept sketches I made of Lavender.

ooooo... I really like the concepts for the dolls you're proposing here! And I also love Lavender! Her design in the second image reminds me of Mimi's true form from Super Paper Mario and I think that's very cool!/pos

As for concepts I planed for the doll-trio (Rosemary, Thyme and Basil) I imagine them looking almost like cookies but there are slight differences (button eyes, stitchlines, the fabric texture of their bodies) that let's you know that they're dolls.

For starters, I imagine them all in sort of like... cottage-core medieval outfits if that makes sense? Maybe like these but maybe a bit more simplified? And more yellow of course in some of their cases

now onto more specifics, Starting with Rosemary!

I imagine that Rosemary has blond hair with her bangs barely concealing her missing eye. And speaking of her eyes they're made with green buttons(or well, now just one button). She looks quite similar to Goldie herself as Golden Butter imagined her as her successor of sorts.

Now onto Basil, despite their usually composed demeanor their anger is certainly a force to be reckoned with (for example, them telling Shadow Milk to grovel at Goldie's feet). I think their Plum hair would be neat at the beginning but more frayed at the ends to represent this.

Now onto Thyme, the solitary Knight. I imagine them looking a bit like mercurial knight and Silverbell in terms of clothing style with a few yellows thrown in. Their hair would be tied up, probably into a bun. Their eyes would be a shining yellow and their hair would probably be more of an off-white. They're definitely the more roughed up of the dolls so they have a few scars(as in repair stitches) than the others.

But overall, I love your concepts for them and I hope to see more from you soon! And don't worry i completely understand School has been kicking my but as well. I hope you have a lovely day!

#not a prompt #cookie run #cookie run kingdom #cookie run au #crk #cr kingdom #Golden Butter Cookie Tag #it relates to her so i'm putting it here anyways.

[justarandomreaderxoxo]

CHAPTER 2: BONDS UNVEILED

Tony Stark x daughter!reader

Pronouns: She/Her

Age: 14

Warning: OC character death

Summary: As Tony introduces Y/N to his longtime confidante, Pepper Potts, the trio grapples with the unexpected revelation, their evolving connections weave an unconventional family dynamic, bringing laughter, understanding, and a sense of unity.

Word count: 1506

The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the Malibu Stark Mansion. Waves lapped gently against the shore, and the rhythmic sound of the ocean provided a serene backdrop to the opulent surroundings. Inside the mansion, Tony paced nervously in the expansive living room.

He had always been a man of confidence, unshaken by most circumstances. However, the prospect of introducing his 14-year-old daughter, Y/N Y/L/N, to Pepper Potts, his longtime associate and confidante, made even the billionaire feel a bit uneasy.

Y/N waited in a separate room. Her eyes betrayed a mix of curiosity and nervous anticipation. She had only recently discovered her connection to Tony and was still adjusting to the idea of being a Stark.

Tony took a deep breath, attempting to muster the charm that had served him well in countless situations. With a final adjustment of his perfectly tailored suit, he made his way to the room where Y/N was waiting.

"Y/N," Tony began, entering the room with a grin that concealed his underlying nervousness, "this is a big day for us. Ready to meet someone special?"

Y/N nodded, a mixture of excitement and apprehension in her eyes. "I'm ready, Dad."

As they walked down the elegant hallway, Tony couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility. Pepper Potts was not just an associate; she was a crucial part of his life, someone who had weathered the storm of Tony Stark's heart. How she would react to the revelation of a teenage daughter was uncertain.

They reached the door to the home office, where Pepper was engrossed in reviewing some documents. The room was bathed in the warm glow of sunset, and the sight of the ocean outside the expansive windows added to the tranquillity of the moment.

Clearing his throat, Tony announced their arrival, "Pepper, we have a guest. Someone I'd like you to meet."

Pepper looked up, her eyes meeting Tony's with a quizzical expression. "Another surprise, Tony?" she teased, setting aside her work.

Tony grinned, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "This one's a biggie. Pepper, meet Y/N Y/L/N."

As the door swung open, revealing Tony and a slightly nervous Y/N, Pepper's eyes widened in surprise. The air seemed to still for a moment as the three of them faced each other in the opulent living room.

"Y/N, this is Pepper Potts. Pepper here runs the show. Keeps me in check, makes sure I don't blow up the house.” Tony introduced, attempting to diffuse the tension with his trademark humor.

Pepper smiled warmly and stood up. "Hello, Y/N. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Y/N, her nerves apparent, managed a polite smile. "Hi, Pepper. Nice to meet you too."

Tony, sensing the need to break the ice, gestured toward the stunning view outside. "So, how about we all take a seat? There's something we need to talk about."

The trio settled into the plush furniture, the atmosphere still tinged with a mix of uncertainty and curiosity. Tony, ever the showman, decided to cut straight to the chase.

"Pepper, there's something I haven't shared with you. Y/N is not just a guest; she's family. My daughter."

Pepper's eyes widened in genuine surprise, and Y/N's gaze dropped to her lap, her fingers fidgeting with the ends of her jacket.

"I know this is unexpected," Tony continued, his tone more serious now. "But it's the truth. Y/N is my daughter, and I thought it was time to make it official."

Pepper, ever composed, took in the information with a thoughtful expression. "Tony, this is a big revelation. Why now?"

Tony sighed, a rare vulnerability showing in his eyes. "She just found out. Her mom passed away recently, and she came looking for me. We've been running some tests, and it's confirmed. She's a Stark."

Pepper's gaze shifted to Y/N, who was still looking down to her lap, her eyes revealing a mix of emotions. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother, Y/N. This must be a lot to take in."

Y/N nodded, her voice steady but carrying a hint of vulnerability. "It is, but I wanted to meet my dad. Know him. And I guess I wanted him to know me too."

Pepper's professionalism softened into a genuine warmth. "Well, Tony has a way of surprising us, doesn't he?"

Tony, appreciating Pepper's ability to handle unexpected situations with grace, chimed in, "So, I thought it was high time you two met officially. Y/N, Pepper is not just a colleague; she's a friend, and she's been a big part of my life."

Y/N looked at Pepper with a newfound understanding. "I've heard a lot about you. Dad talks about you a lot."

Pepper chuckled, exchanging a glance with Tony. "He does, does he? I'm glad you found your way here, Y/N."

Tony finally looked at pepper with what could only be described as proud of his daughter," Pepper, Y/N's a prodigy, graduated college at thirteen."

Pepper's gaze shifted from Tony to Y/N, a mix of surprise and interest in her eyes. "Impressive. It's not every day you meet a college graduate at thirteen."

Y/N shrugged, a modest smile playing on her lips. "It's just numbers and equations. Not that different from the kind of stuff you deal with here, I'm sure."

Pepper's smile widened, and a subtle camaraderie formed between them. "True, we're all in the business of making the impossible seem routine."

As the evening unfolded, the trio navigated the complexities of their new dynamic. Conversations ranged from Tony's eccentric exploits to Y/N's academic achievements. Pepper, always perceptive, made an effort to include Y/N in the narrative of Stark Industries, explaining the nuances of the company and its projects.

The Stark Mansion, usually a symbol of Tony's solitary lifestyle, transformed into a space where the threads of an unconventional family began to weave together. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows in the living room as they shared stories and laughter.

As the evening draws to a close, Tony found himself glancing between Pepper and Y/N, a sense of contentment settling within him. The revelation had been met with unexpected understanding, and the three of them, bound by the evolving tapestry of their connections, looked toward the future with a newfound sense of unity.

As they settled into a conversation, Tony observed the interaction with a quiet satisfaction. His daughter and his closest confidante – two pillars of his life meeting for the first time. There was a certain weight to the moment, an unspoken acknowledgment of the roles these women played in his world.

Later as the trio gathered in the mansion's elegant dining room, Tony proposed a toast. "To family, in all its complicated, unpredictable glory."

Glasses clinked, and as they sipped the rich red wine, Tony turned to Y/N and Pepper with a mischievous grin. "You two are stuck with me, you know. Like it or not, we're a team now."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in her eyes. "Is that your way of saying we're officially a dysfunctional family?"

Tony chuckled, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "Dysfunctional? No. Unique? Absolutely. And hey, we make it work."

As dinner progressed, the conversation flowed seamlessly between technology, business, and personal anecdotes. Pepper and Y/N discovered common ground beyond their roles in Tony's life. They shared stories of challenges, triumphs, and the occasional frustration of dealing with a man as eccentric as Tony Stark.

As dessert was served, Tony excused himself, leaving Y/N and Pepper alone. The room, bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, created an intimate atmosphere.

Y/N regarded Pepper with a contemplative gaze. "So, what's it like being with Tony Stark? It can't be easy." Pepper smiled, a mix of fondness and wry humor. "It's a rollercoaster, that's for sure. But underneath the genius and the chaos, there's a man with a heart of gold. You just have to dig a bit to find it."

Y/N nodded, a newfound understanding dawning on her. "He's not exactly the easiest person to get to know."

Pepper chuckled. "True. But he's worth it. And I have a feeling you see that too."

Over the weeks that followed, Y/N and Pepper's relationship evolved from cautious coexistence to a genuine bond. The mansion, once a symbol of Tony's solitude, now echoed with the laughter and camaraderie of an unconventional family.

Y/N, ever the astute observer, noted the subtle shifts in Tony's demeanor when Pepper was around. The banter, the shared glances – it was evident that Pepper held a special place in Tony's life. While a part of Y/N grappled with the unfamiliar territory of a potential stepmother, another part recognized the genuine connection between the two.

Pepper, on her end, admired Y/N's intellect and resourcefulness. She saw in her a reflection of Tony's brilliance, a legacy that extended beyond the confines of technology. The initial skepticism Y/N had felt toward Pepper gradually morphed into a mutual respect, a recognition of their shared commitment to the enigmatic man at the centre of their lives.

#tony stark x daughter!reader #tony stark x fem!reader #Tony Stark #Teen!reader #fem!reader #reader insert #canon divergence #Pre Iron Man #The Prodigy

[chocoblep]

#26: Change in Plans

He kept reminding himself that this was necessary. Though he’d had a will drawn up already, it needed to be revised. Taking a deep breath, M’rath stepped into the office of the official in Gridania who was in charge of the document’s safekeeping. He was also one who specialized in such things.

“Ah, Master Highvale,” said the Elezen, standing from behind his desk to approach and hold out his hand. Rath shook it, tail swishing slowly as he put a smile on his face.

“Master Perrier,” he replied, and the pair seated themselves on opposite sides of the desk. “I thank you for meeting with me today.”

“Truly, it is my pleasure,” the man said, going through the motions. Though it wasn’t exactly a lie, it was not said for the same reasons that might have been present in someone who liked him particularly well. He respected the man’s honesty, which was why he was still his client. “You wished to make some changes to your will, yes?” He asked.

“Yes. Specifically, I want to add two people to it, and I want to make a specific provision that no changes are to be made to it after my death for any reason.” Rath drummed his clawed fingers against the armrest of the plush chair he perched upon, and the Elezen nodded.

“Go on.”

“Two next of kin, though they are not related to me,” he continued, and then took a deep breath. “The first is Daephrin Astramente. He is to receive a sizeable amount equal to one-fifth of my holdings. The second is Jaxon Tavard, to be left with the same amount as Daephrin. Of what remains, my estate and the remainder of my holdings will go to Illian Runetide, on the condition that he keeps my staff employed. If he decides to dissolve the estate at any time, he has agreed to pay out two thirds of his inheritance equally divided among the staff.”

When Master Perrier had finished his notations, he leaned forward and smiled. “So still no children?”

“I would be an unfit father,” M’rath said, shaking his head. “The best I can do is give what I can to those I care for.”

“You know that it is often the very same people who say such things who are the best caregivers,” the Elezen said softly.

“I am the not-so-often situation,” M’rath said with an entirely too predatory smile as he stood. The Elezen seemed to understand, then, what M’rath did not say out loud.

He was simply too dangerous to trust with a child’s life.

“I will have this drawn up and sent to you for review within the sennight,” he said, standing once more to extend his hand for a shake. Rath took it again, squeezing, and then let go. “Thank you, Master Perrier. A good evening to you.”

As he walked the short distance to the Aethernet shard, M’rath smiled. He’d not told either Daephrin or Jaxon that he was leaving them anything; he knew they would both likely protest. Still, it felt good to finally get things in motion. And it was necessary, because taking care of his people was the thing first and foremost in his thoughts.

(( @tavard-ffxiv and @starsworn for mentions!))

#FFxivWrite2023 #FFxivWrite #Story #M'rath Tia #Prompt 26 #Last

[lgcmanager]

FABULA MISSION 010

SCHEDULE TYPE: TRIMESTER ( PART 1 OUT OF 1 ) SCHEDULE RESTRICTIONS: cannot be paired with another trimester schedule, unless stated otherwise. for reference as to whether your muse is eligible for this event, please click over HERE.

on JANUARY 15, SHIM JOOHEE gathers the three fabula members. one could have guesses as to where PARK EUNSOOK had gone off to, but just like any other meeting they start off with JOOHEE mentioning the first point on their schedules.

LINE FRIENDS UPDATE

“after the teams reviewed your pitches, we’re happy to say that they’ve begun creating mock products for you to review one more time before we begin doing photoshoots for this campaign.” JOOHEE smiled while glancing down at her files to see the list of products that will be launched for their LINE FRIENDS x FABULA COLLABORATION later in the term.

the product list are as follows:

EUNHYE’S PLUSHIE ( MIEUN )

HAYOUNG’S PLUSHIE ( CHEYI )

MINJI’S PLUSHIE ( MICHOCO )

CHEYI’S LUGGAGE TAG ( SUGGESTED BY HAYOUNG )

CHEYI’S PAJAMAS ( SUGGESTED BY HAYOUNG )

MIEUN’S PHOTOCARD HOLDER KEYCHAIN ( SUGGESTED BY EUNHYE )

MIEUN’S USB RECHARGEABLE HAND WARMER & POWER BANK ( SUGGESTED BY EUNHYE )

MICHOCO’S CHARACTER HAT ( SUGGESTED BY MINJI )

MICHOCO’S PLUSH COVERED NOTEBOOK ( SUGGESTED BY MINJI )

the campaign will release 9 items in their collection and each of the girls will be scheduled for a photoshoot sometime around FEBRUARY where they will be modeling with their items! the FABULA members will also be asked to do a short video for LINE FRIENDS’ youtube channel where they will be asked a series of rapid fire type of questions ( eg. “what do you think would be your character’s favorite food?”, “name three hobbies or interests your character would have.”, “what is one thing that your character is afraid of?”, “what is one keyword to describe your character?” etc. feel free to add more if you would like ). these videos will serve as part of the set of teaser videos they will post in their youtube channel leading up to the day of the launch ( and during this time, they will also release introduction videos of the characters, similar to THIS ). the products will be launched on MARCH 8.

LUNAR NEW YEAR GREETINGS

a couple of days before LUNAR NEW YEAR ( FEBRUARY 10 ), the three FABULA members will be dressed up in traditional clothing and record a lunar new year greeting for all of the fans which will be posted on the FABULA’s youtube channel.

PROJECT ORIGIN EXHIBITION & SHOWCASE

“with the release of the OSTs and the start of the animation series, LEGACY has invited the debuted groups to take part in the PROJECT ORIGIN EXHIBITION & SHOWCASE, which is scheduled to happen on FEBRUARY 23. on this day, there will be the unveiling of the exhibition where the costumes used during both the original and second reiteration of the musical will be displayed. among that are some of the memorabilia we have collected from all of the groups participating, so this includes costumes and props used during some of the past future dreams seasons, year end ceremonies, and much more.” JOOHEE continues on as she explains the rest of the details regarding this event. “later on that day, there will be a showcase where the groups will be performing the webtoon OSTs and since this will be happening after the airing of the future dreams season 7 finale, HAYOUNG and EUNHYE will be given a chance to perform their original songs from the show ( ‘STUPID’ and ‘PSYCHO’ ).”

for EUNHYE, since she were a part of the original PROJECT ORIGIN MUSICAL, she will be given a chance sometime around JANUARY to record some narration parts about the musical and describe some of the initial thoughts she had when she was in the musical.

HAYOUNG & EUNHYE’S GIG ( TRAINEE MISSION 016 )

just like HARU, PARKER, and DAEHO, JOOHEE will inform the two rappers that they will be partaking in a separate gig involving the trainees. more information about this can be found in the TRAINEE MISSION 016 post.

NEW MEMBERS

the door opens and EUNSOOK enters inside first followed by SEO NINA, a trainee who had recently participated in TEAM UNKNOWN, and CHA SORI, another trainee who is currently a part of LGC GIRLS JAPAN. “apologies for the delay, but i hope you covered some of their schedules, JOOHEE?” EUNSOOK asks her fellow colleague before looking back at the other three members. “due to YEJIN’s departure and our upcoming schedules, legacy had planned ahead to find new members for FABULA. from what i was told, out of the ones participating in TEAM UNKNOWN, NINA was best suited to join the group.” she turns her head towards NINA, allowing her to introduce herself to the rest of the group.

EUNSOOK then looks at SORI and explains, “as for SORI, some of you may know her especially through her recent appearances in FUTURE DREAMS and LGC GIRLS JAPAN. based on her progress during LGC GIRLS JAPAN, we felt that she would help us fill what we’re missing in the group and strengthen the dance line following ARIN and JIAE’s departures.” just like before, the head manager of FABULA turns towards SORI, allowing her to introduce herself.

congratulations to NINA and SORI on being the newest members of FABULA! starting from JANUARY 15, NINA and SORI will be moving into the FABULA DORMS. SORI and NINA will be both taking ROOM B, so they will be each other’s roommates. this information will be updated on the room arrangements tab on the master sheet whenever we get a chance.

in addition to this, both NINA and SORI will be spending their time during this term learning all of FABULA’s discography. both JOOHEE and EUNSOOK will tell the two new members that these are the skills they will be asked to focus on for the next few months until their comeback:

SEO NINA: KOREAN, DANCING, SINGING

CHA SORI: KOREAN, PERFORMANCE, ACTING

GROUP ROLES

“as many of you are aware, the current three members; MINJI, HAYOUNG, and EUNHYE have their own group roles. we’ve decided that starting from now we will be dropping the official role titles. this is done because we’ve noticed how well-rounded the three members are and with the inclusion of the two members, rather than giving official role titles like a main or lead vocalist, all of you will be considered VOCALIST/DANCER/RAPPER. however, EUNHYE will still be keeping her title as the LEADER of this group.” EUNSOOK clarifies to all five of them the minor change that would be going on with the group.

do note that to the public, these roles will be official once FABULA has their next comeback, which is scheduled for Q2.

MINJI AND HAYOUNG’S SOLO SONGS

“after reviewing through the songs and seeing the outcome for FUTURE DREAMS: ALUMNI, MINJI and HAYOUNG will be the first two FABULA members to have their solo songs on a FABULA album.” EUNSOOK gives a gentle smile to the two idols before turning her head towards EUNHYE. “unfortunately your time to have a solo will not be happening any time soon, but we have something else that we want you to work on.” 

she then returns back to the topic at hand and glances at the file that JOOHEE was holding. “to create some hype and tease for FABULA, MINJI and HAYOUNG will be having pre-releases to their solos before the actual comeback happens. but during this time, we want you to slowly start working on recording the songs and music video because we’ll be busy in the next few months.” 

for the solo songs, here are what was selected for each of the girls:

CHERRY COKE ( HAYOUNG’S SOLO )

SUGARCOAT ( MINJI’S SOLO )

for HAYOUNG, SORI will be making a brief cameo in ‘CHERRY COKE’ as one of the women inside the subway ( for reference it’s around 0:20 in the video ). as for MINJI, NINA will be making her secret cameo in ‘SUGARCOAT’ as one of the girls passing by MINJI ( for reference it’s around 1:51 in the video ).

with ‘CHERRY COKE’, music video filming for that will happen sometime around late MARCH, but HAYOUNG will be practicing and recording the song for early to mid MARCH. HAYOUNG will be making a small contribution to the lyrics for the song as well. there will be some behind the scenes videos for this especially during the music video filming but all of that will be aired at a much later time. during that time though, SORI and HAYOUNG can participate in the vlog as they talk about filming for the music video.

on the other hand, MINJI will be flying to BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, where she will be spending two weeks there filming for the music video AND working with a professional choreographer over the choreography for ‘SUGARCOAT’. in those two weeks, MINJI will get a chance to film a short vlog series talking about her time and experience in BUDAPEST. later on, NINA will be flying over to BUDAPEST as well to film her cameo and stay in BUDAPEST for three days. the videos for this will be posted at a later time after the songs have been released, but in private settings ( eg. when they’re both in their hotel rooms ) they ( MINJI and NINA ) can record a segment talking about their thoughts and experiences about the music video. all of this will be happening sometime around LATE MARCH ( and due to MINJI being a part of matilda the musical, she will be skipping two weeks of rehearsals but will still be expected to practice for it overseas ).

EUNHYE’S PODCAST

“as i mentioned earlier, we’ve been approached by a company called OOTB STUDIO, OOTB meaning ‘out of the box’. with your countless variety and radio show gigs that had me losing some sleep sometimes,” EUNSOOK jokes before continuing on. “the studio is planning on creating a youtube series promoting universities and education. however, with the school term coming to an end and them wanting to see your individual reputation and skills, they decided to create a prequel to this project, which is called ‘BACK TO SCHOOL PODCAST’. this will be a short-term gig to test and see if their plan will be a success.”

starting from today until the middle of MARCH, EUNHYE will be given a chance to interview LGC individuals for the podcast! since this will be a short podcast, there will only be 5 episodes ( ranging around 30 minutes ) and all of them will be recorded in LGC STUDIOS. here is a general idea of how the episodes would go:

EPISODE 1: introduction of the podcast, EUNHYE will be describing her thoughts regarding university life and be asked the question about what major she would pick if she were to start attending university right now.

EPISODES 2-4: interviewing 3 people ( one per each episode, can be a LGC staff member, idol, actor, model, or trainee as long as they are CURRENTLY attending university ) with different majors. for each episode, EUNHYE must curate questions to ask the guest about why they chose that major and pros and cons about being a part of that major and/or school.

EPISODE 5 ( FINALE ): EUNHYE discusses her thoughts about what she feels about university life now that she’s gotten some insight from the guests and three majors that she would be interested in exploring.

the writing requirements for this one are a bit different seeing that there is a specific criteria for the guest. 

to successfully complete the challenge, you must write 2 THREADS ( 4 replies with a minimum of 8 lines; 2 posts per person ) with anyone who matches the criteria above ( one guest per each thread/episode ). the third guest and final guest will be a LGC staff member. there are no restrictions with whether this muse would have been a part of the previous or current term’s youtube shows, podcasts, or personal channels due to the requirements that the guest would have to meet ( eg. currently a university student, making sure the two muses have different majors ). completing this will earn you +5 MCING/HOSTING and +5 NOTORIETY for every thread completed !  the guest can also receive points ( +5 MCING/HOSTING, +5 NOTORIETY ) for helping and participating in the challenge.

for this task, please use the hashtag lgc:btspodcast for any threads related to this. you have until MARCH 30, 2024 at 11:59PM EDT to complete the requirements and validate your points. please submit the following form ONCE on the points blog.

MUSE NAME ∙ BACK TO SCHOOL PODCAST - THREAD: +5 mcing/hosting, +5 notoriety [ LINK ] ** for eunhye, this can be done twice **

WRITING REQUIREMENTS ( FOR EVERYTHING ELSE )

LINE FRIENDS PHOTOSHOOT: write a 300+ word solo about either your muse preparing for the behind the scenes photoshoot of their products OR them partaking in the rapid fire questions video for +5 MODELING and +9 NOTORIETY ! ** only available for MINJI, HAYOUNG, and EUNHYE **

CHERRY COKE BTS VLOG: write a 300+ word solo or a 4 replies ( minimum 8 lines; 2 posts per mun ) with another person participating in the music video filming for ‘cherry coke’. completing this will earn you +6 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE and +6 NOTORIETY ! ** only for HAYOUNG and SORI **

SUGARCOAT BTS VLOG: write a 300+ word solo or a 4 replies ( minimum 8 lines; 2 posts per mun ) with another person participating in the music video filming for ‘sugarcoat’. completing this will earn you +6 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE and +6 NOTORIETY ! ** only for MINJI and NINA **

DEBUT PREPARATIONS: write a 300+ word solo or a 4 replies ( minimum 8 lines; 2 posts per mun ) with the other person ( NINA/SORI ) about anything going on with their dorm life and arrangements or practicing fabula’s discography. completing this will earn you +10 POINTS IN THE SKILL(S) TO IMPROVE ON ( it’s listed under the ‘NEW MEMBERS’ section ).

SOLO SONGS BONUS: as a reward for completing the song selection task last term ( MINJI ) and doing well in FUTURE DREAMS: ALUMNI ( HAYOUNG ), each of you will receive additional rewards! for MINJI, she will be receiving +6 CHOREOGRAPHY ( POP/HIP HOP/STREET ) and +3 NOTORIETY while HAYOUNG will be receiving +6 LYRIC COMPOSITION and +6 NOTORIETY !

make sure to use the hashtag lgc:fabulamission for the task. you have until MARCH 30, 2024 at 11:59PM EDT to complete the requirements and validate your points. please submit the following form ONCE on the points blog.

MUSE NAME ∙ FABULA MISSION 010 - LINE FRIENDS PHOTOSHOOT: +5 modeling, +9 notoriety [ LINK ] - CHERRY COKE BTS VLOG: +6 ( skill points distribution ), +6 notoriety [ LINK ] ** only for hayoung and sori ** - SUGARCOAT BTS VLOG: +6 ( skill points distribution ), +6 notoriety [ LINK ] ** only for minji and nina ** - DEBUT PREPARATIONS: +10 ( skill points to skill assigned to muse ) [ LINK ] ** only for nina and sori ** - SOLO SONGS BONUS: +6 ( choreography (pop/hip hop/street) - minji OR lyric composition - hayoung ), +3 or 6 notoriety [ LINK ] ** only for minji and hayoung **

#lgc:event #lgc:q12024 #lgc:fabulamission

[daisiesonafield-blog]

Summary: B-

My Policeman is a movie set in both 1957 and the late 1990s, based on a novel first published ten years ago. But when one of your featured actors is the biggest pop star in the world in 2022, strange things happen to the reality-distortion field around a film. Policeman, which had its North American premiere last night in Toronto, is in almost every way the most classic kind of high-toned British period piece: a tea-kettle swoon steeped in stolen gazes, flocked wallpaper, and long, meaningful walks along windswept coastlines. But it is also the story of a love that, back then at least, dared not speak its name between a closeted young officer (Harry Styles), his naive bride-to-be (The Crown's Emma Corrin), and the man he actually has endless gymnastic sex with (David Dawson). 

The result, adapted by lauded London theater director Michael Grandage, is fevered, lovely to look at, and at times deeply silly, a plush romantic drama that somehow manages to be both explicit and decorous, like horny Merchant Ivory. Its title could have been Everybody Loves Harry: He's the film's ever-elusive object of desire, a dimpled dreamboat named Tom who first comes to Corrin's Marion, a schoolteacher-in-training, on a Brighton beach, the elder brother of her childhood friend and a long-simmering crush who finally deigns to turn his attention her way. [...]

[...] What the characters will do with this very British cycle of repression, release, and almost heroic self-denial is rendered in the script, by Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia, The Painted Veil), in sometimes delicate but more often jarringly unsubtle ways. That's a hazard, maybe, of trying to adapt the internalized world of a novel for the screen: Subtext becomes bolded and underlined as characters rush to spell out their intentions or long-held secrets in ways that may serve the plot — or at least make for gorgeous, tragic metaphors — but rarely resemble real life.

While the casting of Everett and Roache seems as if it should have been swapped to more physically resemble their younger counterparts, and Corrin feels sidelined both as a character and an actress by design, the actors do a lot to bring nuance where it doesn't always exist. Dawson (All the Old Knives) is quietly affecting as a man so used to subterfuge and fear that he's become defiant in the face of it; he knows the rules of survival as a gay man in a midcentury England where his "lifestyle" is still a felony crime, and how to still find pleasure in the cracks in between.

Styles' style is more remote: His Tom often feels like a cipher, thoughtful and charming one moment and heedlessly cruel and manipulative the next. That also makes sense in a way; Tom is, after all, a stranger to himself. And Styles doesn't hold back in the sex scenes, which seem destined to live a long life outside the film on the internet and amongst his considerable fanbase. Otherwise Policeman, as emotionally earnest and elegantly made as it is, mostly just feels like a movie we've seen many times before: a pleasantly escapist two hours with pretty people in pretty clothes, madly sublimating their feelings until the final, luminous frame. Grade: B–

Entertainment Weekly review by Leah Greenblatt, not full review, read here.

#Leah Greenblatt #Entertainment Weekly #EW #my policeman reviews #long post

[maple-writes]

WHG 21 - Train Ride (Viper)

Just Viper this time! ~1.8K words

Tagging @concealeddarkness13 @ratracechronicler @pen-of-roses

---

The stage had been torment, standing up in front of at least a hundred people. All looking, watching, watching me and there was nowhere I could go. I was trapped before them, helpless. It was all I could do to keep breathing, remember to breathe in and out to stay conscious. It passed in a blur, and they took me somewhere else but I didn’t notice very much. Eyes locked ahead of me, chest tight and stomach curling I should have paid attention to where they were taking me, what they were saying, but I couldn’t.

Someone brought me into what might have been a train, what might have been a strange building, and left me there. A door shut soft behind me and I was finally alone. Alone with no one staring, nothing on my wrists, and nothing but quiet. Nasea coiled in my gut, rising up too high. I found a sink and leaned over it, retching over it until my stomach calmed just enough. I slumped against the wall and shut my eyes.

What had I got myself into?

Chances were that Winter wouldn’t be able to come for me this time. I swallowed against the tightness starting to settle around my throat. Would she figure out what happened? Would she figure out that, at least for now, I was alive? Even if she never found out where I’d gone maybe by some miracle she would find out what happened to me, if only to save her from a lifetime without closure. Her and Stark both. Hopefully they would look after each other.

The ground shifted. A train, they’d probably brought me to a train. Sticking my head out of the washroom and glancing up and down, the posh carpeted halls and the outskirts of town passing by the windows confirmed it. This was a train if I’d ever seen one, though much nicer than I’d ever had the privilege to ride. I’d only seen trains like this in pictures outside of the stations advertising to those who could afford a private car. At least that’s what I assumed those posters were for. It wasn’t like I could read them myself to find out.

I stepped out onto the plush carpet, soft and thick underfoot. Outside the landscape flew by faster than any train I’d ever seen, and quieter too. The wheels and mechanical sounds just weren’t there, or if they were, too soft for me to hear. The car opened up with a coffee table and couch set on one end and shiny wooden tables laden with plates and bowls filled with food. So much of it, from sweets to savories. I frowned and looked back over my shoulder, but I was alone as I thought. This wasn’t all for me, was it? How long was this journey that they would provide this much food for one person?

A door at the other end opened and a glittering man stepped in. I blinked as I turned to face him, unable to tell if he was wearing a bodysuit or if he’d simply been painted silver and shiny. It took a moment before I realized I’d seen him before. He had been there, talking on a stage before my memory failed me on what happened next.

“There you are, feeling better?” He threw himself down on one of the couches with a dramatic huff. “You certainly look better. Less pallid anyway.”

I couldn’t place his accent. Somehow birdlike and fluid at once it wasn’t like anything I’d ever heard. Whoever this was, and wherever they were taking me, must have been a lot farther away than I’d thought.

He stretched his arms out over the back of the couch. “You don’t talk much do you? What was it they called you, Viper?” I nodded and he continued. “Well my name’s Daze, whether you decide to call me that or just think that in your head whenever you see me is up to you. Although of course I’d prefer to hear your voice and so would everyone where we’re going but also in my last performance review my supervisors indicated that persuasion and force were not my strong suits and so I’ve decided to just not try that anymore. So I won’t force you to talk to me because apparently I can’t force anyone to do anything. Not that I try to do that often of course, but you know, it would be nice to have a little bit of authority, a bit of intimidation per se where I could tell someone what to do and they would jump to it but a guy can only dream.”

Daze spoke so fast it was tricky for me to follow what he was saying at times. Why was he telling me all this? What was a performance review, what did that have to do with me, and what exactly was his job anyway? With his rattling speech and questionable choice in clothes he seemed the opposite of the kind of person I would get along with, but for some reason I found myself relaxing a little. Sitting down opposite from him, albeit with the coffee table providing a comfortable barrier, some of the tension in my shoulders and chest eased.

Maybe it was how he’d admitted he wouldn’t force me to try and talk. Maybe it was that he seemed more than content to ramble on and on without the expectation for me to join him.

“Oh right, forgot.” Daze gestured widely and unspecifically, “make yourself comfortable. All you see here is free for you to use, eat, mess with, whatever it is you like to do with your things and gifts. Ah, speaking of gifts! I had an idea.” He opened a small drawer on the coffee table and took out a small notepad and pen with strange logos and insignias on them. “Since you don’t talk you can write!”

Except, I couldn’t do that either. I sighed and leaned back on the couch as I shook my head. I only knew how to write my old name, and Viper. Winter had offered to teach me but I had declined out of fear that she would see just how slow I was to learn. How I wasn’t as clever or smart as she thought.

“Oh, well, there goes that idea. We’ll have to figure this out as we go then.” He smiled from ear to ear and his teeth shimmered like his clothes, or skin. “It probably won’t be too long before we get to the Capitol, which is where we’re going. I think the conductor said our next stop is in a town called Wayton.”

Wayton. I sat up, leaning forward with my arms against my thighs and pointedly caught Daze’s eye.

He cocked his head like a curious finch. “Ring a bell or something? I don’t know much more about it than the name. I think they’ve put forward some kind of magician boy but since he’s not mine that’s all I really know about him. Truth be told though I also don’t know very much about you since I was pretty much handed an empty file with a name and a picture but thankfully you seem very respectful, just a little nervous but I can work with that.”

I reached for the pen and paper and leaned over the table with it. I’d never be much of a skilled artist, but I took a little pride in being just a little better than most. Daze watched patient and curious as I sketched a rough depiction of Honey, with his unruly hair and mage’s chains next to myself. I turned the paper around and tapped at it with the end of the pen.

“Very nice!” He clapped his hands for me before picking up the paper to inspect it closer. “Look at this, you’re not half bad!” He turned it towards me, pointing at Honey. “This looks like the magician, is that him?” When I nodded he flipped the page back to look it over. “I take it since you know what he looks like that you know him. Oh, is he your son?”

A laugh caught me by surprise, but with the way his eyes widened and gleamed with excitement I couldn’t help it.

“Guess not then, darn, that would have made a great angle to go for but can’t always have everything handed to me outright like that. But you know him right?” He paused, and even after I’d nodded he didn’t continue right away. He leaned forward, worry scribbled on his face. “You, do you two get along?” When I nodded he flopped back. “Oh good, very good. I was worried I’d have to try and keep you two from each other’s line of sight which would be very difficult considering he’s set to be in that next car right there.”

Daze pointed at the far door and I twisted to look. It was non-descript, and if he hadn’t pointed straight to it would have been easy to mistake as just the pattern in the walls.

He shrugged and continued. “You seem polite enough, so I can look the other way for a little while if you want to test to see if that door opens once we stop in Wayton.” He winked. “I’ll come looking for you before we get to the Capitol and pretend I just noticed you were missing because you’ve been very cooperative and a very good listener. A lot of people end up tuning me out or trying to get away from me or cut me off or what have you but you’ve been paying attention and so I feel I at least owe you this one favor.”

That was a new one. Typically people said I came off as aloof, disinterested, rude or arrogant even when I couldn’t speak to them. A good listener… That was a new one, as was silence gaining me favor with someone I just met.

I think I liked this strange glittering fellow.

“Well,” he pushed off from the couch, half hopping to his feet. “I’m going to go and get preoccupied with something and not notice the time passing by or how quiet it’s been. Talk to you later.”

He left, drifting around furniture and snatching an orange off the table as he went and again the train car was quiet. I looked back at the separating door over my shoulder. Would there be another odd, Daze-like character waiting for me behind that door? No, probably not. Daze had boarded the train around the same time I had and presumably it would be the same in Wayton.

Once the train stopped I would go but for now I shifted and laid down across the couch and closed my eyes. If we were going to a city full of people like Daze I had a feeling this may be one of the last quiet moments I would get for a while.

#whg 21 #Viper (character) #She is not a fan of being up in front of the public #Also having more fun with this Daze guy than anticipated so I might have to hang on to him for potential future use in something