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the-insomniac-emporium · 3 years

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Serenade (Daniela Dimitrescu/Reader) Pt. 12 FINALE

Fandom: Resident Evil: Village Rating: T for language Warnings: Nope! Notes: How lovely it has been, to go on this journey with you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to every person who has liked, reblogged, or left a kind comment on this story. Combined, you all have genuinely changed my life. I'm writing more than ever, more consistently, and I'm having a blast. So if you like this story, and wish it wasn't ending, well... maybe don't worry too much. There will be a sequel of sorts, same timeline but new reader, instead focusing on Cassandra. Also oops this is hella long. And mostly dialogue. Past Chapters: Pt. 1: Nocturne, Pt. 2: Overture, Pt. 3: Accelerando, Pt. 4: Toccata, Pt. 5: Poco a Poco, Pt. 6: Elegy, Pt. 7: Harmony, Pt. 8: Obbligato, Pt. 9: Berceuse, Pt. 10b: Hymn AMAB, Pt 11: Cadence

Chapter 12: Cadence (Reprise)

(Cadence: Two chords that mark the end of a song)

Truth be told, she had never expected much of anything to come from this. ‘Twas not that she thought her daughter to be talentless, or that she denied the capabilities of the servant-turned-teacher, rather that she knew just how difficult it was to keep Daniela’s attention for any measure of time. Even as the weeks went by with undeniable progress, there was a part of her awaiting the collapse of it all. How long would this instructor last? How long before they were drained of blood, either for some perceived insult, or merely out of boredom? Surely, in the end, Alcina would not need to lift a single finger.

And yet here she was, at the end of a concert, pride roaring within her chest. What had she missed? What clues had eluded her, what had changed within her child’s nature? She knew that there were hints of deeper affections, fragments of a would-be love, but she had thought them miniscule. Thought that those feelings were doomed to crash and burn, unable to live up to the expectations set by decades of romance novels. Well, maybe they had failed. Maybe, somehow, Alcina had missed something else entirely.

The thought might have sent a shiver down her spine, if she weren’t so readily distracted by praising her youngest child… or by the looming shadow of a life-changing revelation.

“Mother… we need to talk. I… I have a confession to make,” Daniela explains, hesitantly slow, but with a conviction she rarely ever showed. Taken aback by the unexpected announcement, Alcina pauses, silently awaiting some form of elaboration. Instead, Daniela takes her hand, pulling her towards a set of chairs. They sit gingerly, each feeling the weight of terrifying possibilities upon their shoulders. When she at last continues speaking, she does so without a trace of showmanship or false bravado, trading it in for heartfelt sincerity. “I love them. All of this- these lessons, this concert- has been for them. For my sweet, innocent little songbird.” So here it was, the birthplace of her fears, brought forth from her mind into reality.

“I was afraid you would say that,” Alcina muses, leaning back into the chair with a deep sigh. Something itches in the back of her throat, and she yearns for her pipe, or even just a normal cigarette to distract herself. Without one, she is left to metaphorically chew on her thoughts. Realistically, there has to be some way to deal with this, some way that she can convince her daughter of the sheer foolishness of this mess. “Daniela… how can I put this in a way you will understand, hmm?… The two of you have only known each other for three months. There is no chance that you truly love them, or them you. How close can you possibly have become?”

“When have I cared about anything for three whole months? I dedicated myself to-” Daniela is cut off by the sound of the door opening, revealing the rest of her little family. It was guaranteed that they would have heard the conversation from outside, seeing as they were all inhuman, though they perhaps intended to intervene. A single hard glance from both of the room’s occupants convinces them to change their minds. “Wait, Ava, can you get us some tea, please? Something tells me I’ll need a soothing drink soon.” Hesitating in the doorway, the butler in question eyes the both of them, naturally tempted to stay and fill the role of a therapist.

“I do believe my daughter gave you an order, Ava. Don’t tell me you have forgotten the stipulations of your agreement with Mother Miranda?” Alcina interjects. With that said, the butler finally moves, exiting with an apologetic bow. An awkward silence hangs in the air once xe closes the door behind xerself, as Daniela takes a moment to recall her place.

“Three months is a long time for me. I put all of my energy towards both them and what they taught me, almost every single day. Even when their work kept them busy for too long, I still practiced, because I wanted to make them proud! For all my flirting, I’ve never bonded with anyone this way before now,” she says, hating the way her voice gets a little shaky. No matter how much confidence she has in her own writing, it is another thing entirely to be convincing out loud, with a truth she had been hiding for so long. All of her practice had been with lies. Now she had to contest with the hope that the strength of her emotions would be enough. “That song we played together, at the end, they wrote that for me. Doesn’t that mean something?”

“Oh, my dear… I want you to be happy more than anything. But we both know that your ‘history’ is stained with a number of incidents. You have always been absorbed within those books you read, and the fantasies that they provide for you. It is one thing to enjoy these stories on the side, but another matter entirely to let them corrupt your relations with others. As your mother, it is my duty to keep you safe, first and foremost,” Alcina proclaims, sitting up straighter, trying not to let her frown evolve into a full out scowl. Beneath the table, her hands ball into fists, clutched tight to stop herself from breaking the table. In the back of her mind she could think of little other than dismembering that damned piano instructor. Focusing on the discussion at hand, she takes a deep breath before finalizing her point. “You don’t know what a healthy relationship looks like, nor what it feels like. Your books are not ideal models for reference. One- or both- of you are going to end up suffering, and that is something I cannot allow, regardless of how ‘happy’ they make you before then.”

“You’re right,” Daniela whispers in defeat… or a feigned version of it. A split second later she’s making eye contact with her mother again, lips curling up into a smile. “I didn’t want to admit it, especially not to someone as attractive, talented, and charming as my Songbird, but I didn’t have to. They understood from the very start. We talked about it, about my expectations and my shitty behavior, and we worked on it. We’re still working on it. Maybe there will be bumps along the way, just like in every relationship, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be worth it in the end. What we have is still real, and they make me want to be a better woman. I know they’ve already helped me make the change.”

Once more the door opens, making the conversation pause, as Ava near-silently brings in the requested tea. If a pin had dropped at that moment, it would have felt as ear-shattering loud as a gong. Every second that passed felt like it dragged on, stretched out by the tension in the room, as though xe was moving in slow motion. The ‘clink’ of ceramic against the table makes xer flinch, almost spilling the tea. Neither Alcina nor Daniela react, or even acknowledge xer presence with anything more than their eyes, instead remaining impassive until xe makes a hasty retreat.

“Use what you’ve learned on someone else, then. Perhaps another one of Miranda’s experiments will someday provide a suitable match. But this ‘songbird’ of yours? They’re nothing. A human, a servant, they are not worth your time, nor are they worth mine. No matter what words or songs they weave, or illusions of grandeur they show you, you will end up getting bored of them. I’m afraid it is inevitable, my dear,” Alcina says, as soon as the door is closed once more. Then she attends to her tea, with the composure of someone convinced that they had just won an argument. On the other hand, Daniela was not so quick to give in, some of her worry melting into anger.

“How can you say that? How can you be sure? We were all human, once! Even Mother Miranda was human. And my Songbird is no mere human- they are wondrous, with flowery prose and lovely melodies, with soft-lipped smiles and reassuring eyes, and don’t even get me started on how beautiful they are!” She rambles, voice getting louder with every word. All at once it is too much for Alcina, who sets down her glass a little too hard, nostrils flaring as she stares at her daughter. When Daniela speaks again, she does so with love coating her tone. “We have weathered each other’s anxieties with no signs of stopping. I promised that we would weather yours.”

“I only want you to be happy. I need you to understand where I am coming from. This may be your longest lasting infatuation so far, but you have yet to honestly convince me that this is any different from your past ‘distractions’. I’m sorry, Daniela, I simply cannot allow this to continue,” Alcina sighs, hating to break her youngest daughter’s heart like this. There was only one thing that Daniela had yet to try. Maybe two, if she was willing to resort to begging.

“Can’t you trust me enough to give us a chance? Cassandra of all people seems to understand. Bela went as far as to lie to you, for our sake! She never does anything she thinks will hurt me, or you, or any of us. Please, mother, please. How can you ever know if what I have will last, if you cut it down now? Are you going to wait forever for some ‘perfect candidate’ for me? And what if that person loves someone else? Or what if the ‘perfect’ person doesn’t exist! What if we’re stuck waiting for them like Mother Miranda waits for another child, hmm? Would you have me spend another century alone, my only memory of genuine romance being poisoned by the thought that you broke us apart?” Daniela’s words ring throughout the chamber, echoing a damning accusation, somehow more bitter than the taste they left in her mouth.

All at once, Alcina’s heart takes a hit like no other. Her hands damn-near tremble, her lungs ache, her lips purse, and her brow furrows. So be it, she thinks.

“Bring this ‘Songbird’ here. Let me talk to them.”

—————————

Goddess, you are practically vibrating at the speed of sound, palms sweaty, nervousness trashing your mind. What the hell had Daniela done? Last thing you knew, she was determined to keep your secret, even if meant being unable to celebrate with you. But now you were getting tugged along by her, while tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She had said something about “mother” and “important”. That was all the context that you had been given. When you round one last corner, pulling up in front of Lady Dimitrescu’s study, you are shown a sight that somehow makes you feel worse: Bela, Cassandra, and Ava are all resting outside of the room. They appear exhausted, and motion for you to be quiet as you approach.

“They’ve been listening in on our conversation,” Daniela admits with a whisper. Then she’s pulling you into the study, ensuring that the door doesn’t open wide enough for the eavesdroppers to get spotted. Something told you that Alcina was already well aware of their presence. “Alright, mother, here is my Songbird. What did you want to ask us?”

“Daniela… leave us. My questions are for ‘Songbird’ alone,” Alcina replies, seemingly confirming the absolute worst of your fears. This was where you would die. By her hand, without your lover by your side, after what could have been the happiest night of your life. Of course. But Daniela is not willing to go without a fight. As soon as the words leave her mother’s mouth, she is moving between the two of you, just as she had when she first called you her teacher. Before she can speak, her mother stands up and stares her down. “Don’t make me ask again- there will not be a third time.” When she still hesitates, it is your turn to be brave.

“Hey, it’s okay, we’ll be okay,” you promise her, reaching out to take her hand. Instantly she’s returning to your side, hand cupping your cheek, eyes filled to the brim with sadness. “Firefly… ‘Tell me love, we shall last until the end of days’. I love you. Nothing is going to change that, not now, not ever. We’ll be okay.” Maybe not now, you think, but you’ll be okay eventually. Cassandra and Bela, and Ava I suppose, will make sure of it.

“Okay. We’ll last until the end of days. I love you too,” Daniela says, swallowing the lump in her throat. With one last kiss she pulls away, wishing that her departure didn’t feel so much like a betrayal. She pauses in the doorway, meeting your gaze, unable to bring herself to move until you give her an accepting nod. The door swings into place with a click, sealing the room and your fate.

“So,” Alcina begins, returning to her seat as she does. For now you stay standing, unsure of just about every part of this situation, especially your upcoming role in it. “You have been deceiving me. That alone is a crime worthy of severe punishment, and yet you stooped so low as to do far, far more. I had hoped you had, somehow, managed to teach my daughter a real lesson, that you had inspired a love of music in her, that you had made an honest difference in the way she learns. But all this time… it has been nothing more than a ruse.” The last word comes out dipped in venom, acidic enough to make you flinch. Thankfully, your beloved was not the only person who had a gift with words. More than that, this was a topic that you had spent numerous nights thinking about, making you as prepared as you could ever hope to be.

��You know, as much as I desire to claim that I am that interesting, or that Daniela felt so strongly from the very start, I can do no such thing. The truth is this: Music is what brought us together in the first place. It was the catalyst for our first real interaction, the first time she ever looked at me as more than just another servant or bloodbag. We bonded because of it, and so when we went to play together, to learn, Daniela honestly did connect to it,” you explain, despite the fire in Alcina’s expression. To your surprise, she does not interrupt you, and you take it as permission to keep going. Which was very good, considering that being nervous only made you ramble more. “Music is something we’ve shared for the entirety of our relationship. Even if it’s not something she would do much of on her own, I know that she’s grown to care for it more than she might be willing to admit. And, well…

“Even if you decide that what I’ve done is unforgivable, even if I’m destined to die within the hour, I know in my heart that everything the two of us worked on still matters. Because, like it or not, she is capable of growth, of change, of progress. And even if I die, someone else will come afterwards. Daniela will get to use music as a way to forge connections for the rest of her life, now that she knows it works, now that she knows how it works. And every goddamn time that she plays, or Bela plays, or you play, she’s going to remember me. She’ll remember every moment we spent together, every piece we ever played. I’ll live on in the melodies we made. In the song that you can’t quite place, that gets stuck on loop in your head. In the song the maids sing to themselves between shifts. In the quiet evening when the rain against the window feels so much like a familiar rhythm that your daughters can’t help but start humming along, without even thinking, muscle memories in sync.”

“Are you trying to convince me that there’s no point in killing you? That, regardless, you will be in my life until the end of time?” Alcina’s eyes are narrowed, but there isn’t even a hint of anger in her tone. Just curiosity.

“No, not really. Guess I’m just making peace with my fate the best way I know how- by remembering the echoes I’ll leave behind,” you answer, pausing to wipe a few tears from your eyes. All you can think about is how much Daniela will miss you. How much pain you think she’ll go through. Because at this point, who are you trying to fool with your hope? Yourself, or the people listening?

“Hmm. I think I understand. Now, tell me… what was that you said to my daughter a minute ago, before she left the room? It sounded familiar, though I cannot place it,” Alcina questions, idly toying with her glass of tea. You’re not entirely sure why it matters to her, but you have no qualms delaying the inevitable by answering. Besides, it was a chance to talk about how much you loved Daniela (and you’d never skip such an opportunity).

“It’s a line from a poem she wrote for me. “Tell me love, we shall last until the end of days”. A promise. The song Daniela and I played together… I wrote it in response. My way of doing what she asked of me, I guess. Like I said, she’ll always have the music we shared,” you answer, unable to stop yourself from smiling.

“Damn this… I can hardly believe I am asking this, yet I feel I have no choice: Tell me, do you love my daughter? Do you honestly, with your entire being, desire a future with her? Or was this a game of survival you couldn’t afford to lose, that turned out to be more ‘fun’ than you had anticipated? Show me your heart, as it is, bare as it would be if I tore it from your chest, this very moment.” There’s no room for argument in her voice, using the very same tone she reserved for maidens who got a tad too close to refusing her.

“Alright. It was a game. At first. Daniela wanted a distraction, something to entertain her. I didn’t want to die, like I had heard so many of her ‘playmates’ did. I can’t tell you when things changed, at least not for her,” you confess, with a shaky breath. Did that make you a monster? One worthy of death? If so, you wondered if it actually made you more fit to date Daniela. “For me… I just remember her smiling wide at me, hand on my cheek, having just cracked some lame joke. Next thing I knew, well, I knew. We had a spark of something, and all I could think about was how badly I wanted to make her happy, you know? All the sudden there was nothing I wouldn’t do for her. I just wanted to see that smile again, everyday for the rest of my life.

“To answer your question: Yes. Goddess, yes. A thousand times yes. A ‘yes’ for every smile she’s ever shown me, for every butterfly in my stomach, for every time she’s held my hand, for every breath she’s stolen from my lungs, and for every single time my heart has skipped a beat in her name. I love her. I know we haven’t been together long, but the things I feel are undeniable. I will give her every part of myself, for as long as she wants me, for as long as I am blessed to live,” you pour your heart out, weaving your heartbeat into every turn of phrase, spilling your lifeblood onto the very conversation.

“And what will you do if she does change her mind? If she grows bored of you, as she has done with a dozen others?” Alcina counters without hesitation.

“I will weep. I will fall to my knees, and mourn this beautiful thing. But I will cherish every memory she leaves to me. Every moment where I am hers is a moment worth living, worth remembering. It will be better to have loved her with all my heart for a little slice of her immortality, than to love another, lesser so, for all of my life.” With that, Alcina sets her empty glass of tea onto the table, eying you with an unreadable expression. Something seems to stir in her chest, and at last the mask crumbles. She smiles.

“I see. Daniela, you may come back in now. Do not bother pretending that you have not been eavesdropping.” Not even a full second passes before the door opens, revealing a shaking Daniela, both of her sisters quite visible behind her (though they quickly move out of frame, leaving behind Ava, who gives a cheesy thumbs up as the door closes in xer face). She rushes to your side, taking your hand, looking stunned that you were still alive. But what shocks her more is what her mother says… “Of all the women I have ever known, family or otherwise, you are, perhaps, the most determined. Normally only in… ‘spurts’. Yet here you are, defying what I have come to expect of you. It almost feels as if I have been fooling myself this whole time, falsely believing that there is more than one possible outcome. So, ‘Songbird’, I say this: Three months ago, I agreed to give you a chance to prove yourself worthy of my daughter, for the sake of her happiness. Now, I suppose it is only fair that I do so once more.”

“Wait. Are you saying-” Daniela is once again cut off by her mother, who seems eager to avoid a trademark rant.

“Yes, yes I am. For the time being, the two of you have my blessing. I cannot say that I am entirely convinced of your chances at success, but, having seen the strength of your affections for one another, I sincerely hope that you will prove me wrong. Now come here, Daniela. I never got to finish telling you what I thought of your concert…”

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In the glowing comfort of your girlfriend’s room, with the fireplace keeping things warm and cozy, you lay with your head against Daniela’s chest. One of her hands absentmindedly plays with your hair, and you release a sigh of bliss. Ava had assured you that xe would let Daphne know the good news, as xe thought that having one of the castle ladies visiting the servants’ quarters might cause a stir (and Daniela was far from willing to let go of you so soon). Now the two of you were just enjoying time holding each other close. Regardless of Alcina’s concerns, you knew that everything would be looking up from here. Assuming that Daniela didn’t have any more surprise confessions to involve you with.

“That was one hell of a surprise, Firefly. But I’m glad we don’t have to hide anymore. I love you, and I don’t know how long I could have survived without being open with it,” you say, a light teasing to your voice. Beneath you, Daniela chuckles, but holds you just a bit tighter. Then she places the softest of kisses to your forehead. “I’m always gonna love you, Firefly.”

“Until the end of days?” She asks, in a delighted whisper, grin practically audible.

“Until the end of days.”

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Elsewhere in the castle, a caring mother takes another long, hungry drink from her glass of wine, staring intently into the fireplace. By her side is a silver-haired servant, who wordlessly watches her every move.

“There’s still a chance that this will all end horribly. Only time will tell, of course… but I can’t help worrying for her, she’s my daughter,” Alcina proclaims, gripping the glass hard enough for a web of cracks to form along its bell. But it does not fully shatter. No, it remains just steady enough to still be of use to her. For now. “Of course, you knew about this all along, didn’t you, Ava?... I know that you value how close you are with my children, and I know that they trust in you as much as I do… but if there are relationships or entanglements that I am unaware of, I expect you to tell me, or there will have to be consequences, regardless of your affiliation with Mother Miranda. Do you understand?”

Sighing, the mute servant pulls a notebook from xer pocket, opening it up to pen in a fresh script. There’s much tension in the air, and it only gets worse when Alcina catches a glimpse at what the note reads. As xe hands it to her, she scowls, and the wine glass fully breaks into countless shards. Immediately, Ava gets to work, picking up the largest of fragments with xer bare hands, refusing to complain about the resulting cuts. All the while Alcina stares into the fire, thoughts racing, wondering if maybe this time she could end her daughter’s problem before it was too late. Beginning to brainstorm ideas, she sets the notebook aside. Inside, in perfectly penned cursive, is a very, very dangerous piece of knowledge. The sort that could affect not only Castle Dimitrescu, but the entire village.

“In that case… there’s something you need to know about Cassandra- and Mother Miranda’s lovely little ‘pet’.”

#daniela dimitrescu x reader #daniela dimitrescu #resident evil: village #re8 village #it's really here lads #this is it #gonna go cry now #oh my god #i can hardly believe it

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mrsalwayswrite · 3 years

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To Call Forth Love - Chapter 6

Haha, I’m so excited for this chapter. Please let me know what y’all think! Also a huge thank you to everyone who has liked/commented/reblogged. You guys deserve all the love and cookies possible!

Warnings: swearing, fluff (i think that’s it, sorry if i miss something)

Words: 7300 (i feel like my chapters keep getting longer. oops?)

Tag List: @heavenly1927 @youbloodymadgenius @zuxiezendler @punkrocknpearls

Series Masterlist

The aroma of coffee surrounded Kari like a warm, comforting blanket. The café was just the perfect amount of busy, there were a few other tables occupied but without feeling cramped or overwhelming. The lunch rush was just beginning, indicated by the number of patrons standing in line to order now.

The brunette sipped on her latte as she slowly swiped through the pictures on Gyda's phone. The two were finally meeting up for an early lunch and coffee after a yoga class. Gyda had been gushing about the trip she just returned from to Phnom Penh, telling stories of the week she spent there and letting Kari slide through the pictures on her phone.

"These are just gorgeous. Gods, you have the best job, I swear."

Gyda laughed, picking at the muffin in front of her. "I know. I can't imagine doing anything else though."

"When do you leave again?"

"Mmmm…. I’m not sure yet. The company is wanting me to go to Vancouver, British Columbia next. I might wait until the end of September to go. I'm not sure. Either way, it won't be for at least a month. Depends on how soon I want to go visit mom."

"Why wouldn't you want to go soon?" Kari perked up at the mention of Gyda's mother. She knew the two were close, but all she really knew about Lagertha was from what Ivar told her.

"I'm not a fan of her new boyfriend. Sorry, she prefers the term "lover". Kalf works for her, specifically with contacts from their Mediterranean partners and overseeing some of the shipments."

"Why don't you like him?" She swiped to the next image, a stunning picture of the Cambodian royal palace.

The blonde waved her hand vaguely, as if swatting a fly. "He hasn't done anything; I just don't like him."

"That's fair. Does he treat your mom well?"

"Yeah. She just has shit luck with men and I'm worried how this one will turn out." She sipped on her coffee, gazing out the nearby window for a moment.

Kari turned back to the phone, guessing there was more that Gyda was not saying. Not that she needed to know. No, she had enough drama in her life currently and his name was Ivar.

Both women lounged in the wooden café chairs, still in their yoga clothes, having come straight from the studio. Except Gyda changed her footwear, losing the sandals for a pair of wedge heels that made her long legs look like skyscrapers. It was hard not to envy Gyda's body, and Torvi for that matter. They both had the perfect hourglass figure, with all the right assets and gorgeously braided, blonde hair. Maybe it was some standard that women around the Lothbroks had perfect bodies. It made Kari wonder why Ivar paid her any attention then. Her body was far from perfect. Her chest side was decent, but she always thought her hips and thighs were too large. Most likely leftover critiques from her mother who not-so-lovingly would say Kari was pear-shaped and needed to focus on losing all that extra or no man would want her. Not that she was trying to get a man. Over the past two years she had finally come to embrace her body and was learning to be comfortable in her own skin. Though some days were better than others. It was still difficult to watch Gyda receive appreciative looks from many of the patrons as they passed by their table and know none of them would even give her a second glance. The blonde was effortlessly beautiful. Perhaps there was a way for her to teach Kari that.

Suddenly Gyda zeroed in on the brunette with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Speaking about men…."

"Are you going on a date?"

Gyda snorted, with an amused grin on her face. "Hell no. I'm not interested in a relationship right now. I am perfectly fine being single. Stop changing the subject. There is a little something going around the Lothbrok rumor mill that Ivar took you on a date to Casa mia, Maggiore."

"Not a date, it was just as friends." Kari clarified.

She gave her an incredulous look. "Just friends?"

"Yes."

Gyda narrowed her eyes at her.

"What? We went out to Casa mia, Maggiore and then I convinced him to go to Masterpiece. After he dropped me back off at home. Nothing happened."

"Right…." Gyda hummed. "So, it was a date."

Kari dropped her face into her hands with a groan. "Not a date. Just friends."

"Whatever you say. Just know Ivar doesn't take just anyone to his favorite restaurant. Hell, I think he only took his ex there once in the ten months they were dating. He usually only goes with Aslaug."

"Oh? Um, I didn't know…" The brunette hated how she perked up at this new information. It should not matter hearing that he never took anyone, that it really was his favorite restaurant and he wanted to share it with her. In their texting, he made reference to when they went back, what food he wanted her to try next. Something apparently, he was not even inclined to do with an ex. No, none of that should matter. But it did, and the way her heart swelled at the realization only proved that to her.

"Clearly he really likes you to take you there. Do you like him?"

"Sure, he's a good friend."

Gyda sighed dramatically, tipping her head back. "You're killing me, Kari! Fine! When was this not-date? A week ago?"

"Eight days, yeah."

"Have you hung out since then?"

"Yeah, he picked me up once and we went out for dinner. Another time, he took me out on my lunch break. He had to go on a business trip so I haven't seen him in…. three days?"

"Right. I'm guessing he's blowing up your phone while he's been gone?"

Kari took a sip of her drink as she mumbled, "sort of." The truth was they were practically texting non-stop. It was mostly discussions, and arguments on his side, of superficial things like TV shows, the proper time to wake up in the morning and her lack of clothing that was more than yoga attire. Other times they sent memes back and forth or links to funny YouTube clips. Kari never realized how lonely she was before Ivar thrust himself into her life with all the force and subtlety of a rocket.

"What does that mean?" Gyda eyed her for a long moment before she gasped and slapped the table. "Oh shit! Is he sending you dick pics?"

Kari choked on air. After hacking for a couple of seconds, tears coming to her eyes because of the action, she vigorously shook her head. "No! No! Ewww....no! We keep sending stupid memes to each other and talking about where we should go out next. That's it. I promise."

The blonde laughed loudly at Kari's reaction, who fiddled with her earring, face burning with embarrassment. The two sat quietly for a couple of minutes, sipping their drinks and watching the line of lunch patrons increase.

"So…. it kind of sounds like you're dating."

"No, we're just friends. Why can't friends just hang out?" Kari tried to argue. The beginning tendrils of annoyance creeping in at constantly having to defend their friendship.

Gyda stared at her. "Have you made-out?"

A blush colored Kari's cheeks before she could figure out a good enough lie, giving away the truth.

"What?! How often?!" Her enthusiastic friend cried, before waving her hand once again. "Never mind. Listen, he's taking you out to his favorite restaurant. He is clearly going out of his way to spend time with you. He is texting you! You don't realize how big of a deal this is for him! He generally hates people. I'm positive he has murder plans for most of those he is forced to be around. Does he know you're just friends? Because to me, it doesn't sound like it."

Kari covered her face with her hands, tears of frustration springing to her eyes. Ivar and her could only be friends, that was what she promised herself. If he knew her, the real her…. it would never happen. He would never want her. So it was best to remain friends, to protect both of them from the inevitability that anything more would never happen. Even though their line of friendship was blurring…. and that was the worst part. She found herself wishing to continue to blur that line, even when she knew it would only end in disaster. Taking a deep breath, she could smell his cologne, a scent she had become so used to now. Her mind could easily conjure the feeling of being in his arms, his mouth on hers as she gave in under his touch. She cared for him, deep down she knew more than a friend. Although he could annoy her to no end, she enjoyed his presence, his humor, that vulnerable side that peeked out occasionally, how he made her feel safe and beautiful.

Now hearing Gyda pointedly telling her that Ivar was treating her as more than a friend. It left her speechless and wondering if she was making a mistake.

Gyda’s tone softened when she spoke next. "Why are you so set on just friends?"

"I just…. I don't want to date right now. After my last relationship, I just want to focus on myself."

"That's fair but listen, he isn't going to wait around for you forever."

"I know. I don't want him too." She admitted, tugging on her earring. Though her statement was the truth, it still tasted bitter on her tongue.

"Ok, but does he know that? It sounds like he’s set on you, but I'm going to warn you. Don't break his heart. He isn't the type to recover from heartbreak. His heart is already locked up more securely than Fort Knox but if you break it…."

"I promise, that isn't my intent. I just…. can't. I like him, more than I thought I would. He is funny and charming and sweet but also infuriating and demanding and I've had more fun with him than I've ever had with a guy friend before. He…. I can be myself around him and I think he can too. But I just…. It can't go further than friendship."

Gyda mulled over her words. "Alright. I don't fully understand but I get it. It's nice to hear that he's connecting with someone. None of us liked his ex. He only really spends time with family or Floki."

"I don't want to hurt him." Kari whispered.

"I know. You're too sweet to purposefully do something like that." The blonde tilted her head to the side with a slowly growing smug look. "I give it until the end of the year and you'll be naked in his bed."

"Gods! What? Why would you say that?"

"He's a Lothbrok. They always get what they want."

*****

Kari laid curled up on her full-size bed, her laptop up and watching Downton Abbey. A heating pad rested on her abdomen as she waited for the pain relievers to kick in. Most of her life she was happy with, but the one thing she would easily trade out would be the painful cramps when PMSing. The birth control she took helped out, but there was usually still one day that the dreaded cramps hit hard.

Her phone dinged. Languidly reaching over, she grabbed it from beside her pillow and opened it to check the text.

Ivar: wat r u doin?

He texted her earlier that day saying he was returning home from his sudden business trip.

Kari: nothing

Ivar: good. bts.

She groaned, slamming her face into her pillow. She did not have the energy to deal with him right now. All she wanted was to relax and eat her body weight in chocolate. After a moment of self-pity, she texted him back, hoping she could get out of whatever he had planned already.

Kari: no, I don't feel good.

Ivar: wat wrong?

Kari: nothing bad.

Sure, they had been talking daily for over a week but that did not mean she wanted to divulge her period issues to him. There were a few things she knew and one was that guys did not like talking about the menstrual cycle.

When he did not text back right away, she turned her attention back to her laptop and the TV show playing. Soon enough the magic of pain relievers and hot pads kicked in and her pain was minimal, though she had no intentions of leaving her warm cocoon. Alana was at her night class, so Kari was home alone. Not unusual really, but tonight she certainly felt the urge to lay around and do nothing.

After about twenty minutes, she heard a loud knock on her front door. Alana was not home, so it could not be any of her friends. Her neighbor, Erik, never just showed up. He always made sure to text before coming to her door. Maybe there was some kind of emergency? Or a package being dropped off? Though at this time it was certainly getting late for any kind of deliveries. Then it hit her.

Ivar.

"Ughhhh," she groaned, rolling out of her bed. For a split second she contemplated not answering it, just staying in her warm bed. She knew, though, if she did not get it, he would probably bust the door down. Maybe even set it on fire to make a point. He seemed like the type to light things on fire for fun.

As soon as she opened the front door, those intense blue eyes scanned over her body as if looking for some unseen disease. "What's wrong with you?" He barked at her, one hand still on the doorframe.

"What?" She blinked owlishly.

"You said you don't feel good." He gestured towards her, his gaze still searching. "What's wrong?"

"Um, it's nothing. Just cramps. It's better now."

"You sure? It's nothing worse?"

She was touched by his concern, the way his last questions were said in a breath of relief as if actually worried about her health. "Yeah, happens every month. I'm fine."

"Ok, good. Get changed, Hvitty and I are going to see a movie. I want you to come with us."

"Ivar, you should hang out with your brother…."

"I fucking live with him. He's fine with it. Go change."

She sighed, knowing by now there was no way she was making it back to her warm cocoon and Downton Abbey. Besides, she had missed him while he was gone and found herself wanting to spend time with him. Not that she wanted him to know that, it would only inflate his ego. "I'll only agree to come with you on two conditions."

"Fucking what?" He growled, though she could see the amusement in his eyes.

"First, I'm wearing my comfy clothes." She waved her hand at the pair of soft, black leggings she wore and the thin, slouchy sweater with the word 'beautiful' printed on it. "Second, and this is the most important condition, you have to buy me a stupid amount of chocolate."

He rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged on his lips. "If that's all, princess…."

"Oh, give me a minute. I'll think of something else… and it's not princess. It's m'lady."

"Shut up. Get your shit. I'll meet you at the car."

She laughed as she raced up to her room to grab her purse, not even bothering to change out of her clothes. The only addition was to throw on a zip up jacket that was a size too big on her. She always found movie theaters too cold to be fully comfortable without a jacket.

The vehicle waiting for her this time was a luxury SUV. She stopped for a moment in the driveway, unsure what to do. She wondered what the neighbors would think of her getting picked up in this and how many knew Lothbroks were sitting in it. Hopefully no one was paying attention. The one of the back doors opened so she headed that way. Ivar slid over and she followed him into the vehicle, closing the door behind her.

"Took you fucking long enough, m'lady."

She smirked at the nickname. "Well, you did just show up at my door and told me we were going to see a movie. At least the other times you gave me a heads up to be ready."

"Ivar, you said you text her we were coming." A man she had not noticed said. He sat across on the bench seat facing them, watching her curiously. It was now Kari noticed how both Ivar and the guy were dressed casually, both in jeans and t-shirts, though Ivar had a light jacket on also.

"She said she wasn't doing anything."

The flaxen-haired man sighed, before reaching his hand out. "Hi, I'm Hvitserk. This idiot's older brother."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Kari." She took his hand, but instead of shaking it like she expected, he turned it over and pressed a lingering kiss to the back of her hand. When he released it, he gave her a quick, flirty wink and leaned back in his seat.

Startled by his bold action, she looked at Ivar, unsure how to respond. What was with these Lothbroks and their unabashed flirting?

He had his eyes narrowed at his brother, teeth practically grinding. "Fucking touch her again." He snarled.

Hvitserk chuckled, a smug look on his boyish face. "Relax, brother. I know you don't share…. even if you're just friends." Either he was purposefully antagonizing his younger brother or did not notice the anger seething off of him.

Ivar started to lean forward but Kari wrapped her arms around his, pulling him into her. She was not about to watch a fight go down between the two. "Didn't you just get back from your trip? I thought you'd be home resting." She quickly asked, trying to distract.

After a long moment of the brothers staring at each other, Ivar with a glare and Hvitserk looking amused, the raven-haired brother leaned back. He turned his head to look at her as he answered. "You said you wanted to see me earlier, and going to see a movie isn't strenuous."

"Everything involving you is strenuous."

As soon as she muttered the words, she wished she could take them back.

A devilish grin spread across his face, those blue eyes dancing with something mischievous and forbidden. "I can show you strenuous." He shifted to hover over her, lips dangerously close to hers. "All. Night. Long." He whispered, one hand leaving a trail of fire as it slid from her thigh up to the curve of her breast. A shiver ran down her spine at the low, hungry tone and the naked want in his gaze. "You'll be begging for more of me…. to destroy that pussy and leave you completely undone and hoarse from screaming my name." His tongue flicked at her earlobe, a choked gasp leaving her mouth at the sensation. Her eyes fluttered shut on their own accord, the knot in her core tightening painfully. She both hated and loved what his touch did to her, how it gave her a taste of pleasure otherwise unknown. His nose traced her jawline as he spoke again, tone filthy, making her core ache. "You'd like that, wouldn't you, kattungen?"

She gulped, her voice coming out far more timid and needy than she wanted. "That's...um, that's nice."

Hvitserk's laughter broke the smoldering tension. Her blue-green eyes blinked rapidly as if wakening from a dream, darting to stare at the older brother before returning to the one who still lingered over her, his presence alone keeping her pinned to her seat.

"En dag, søte Kari, blir du min." Ivar whispered into her ear, then kissed her temple tenderly. After he leaned back, legs splayed out and arms across the back of the seat. A rapid conversation in that foreign language started, Hvitserk saying something that had Ivar snarking back and rolling his eyes.

The whole time, Kari focused on slowing down her breathing and trying to tamper down the warmth radiating from her core. There was no denying it, Ivar did something to her on a primal level. Her body wanted him. Even her mind wanted him. When he directed that sensual, seductive side at her, she melted like an ice cube in June. Her panties were testimony to that. Thankfully, he did not turn that powerful ability onto her frequently. She doubted they would remain 'just friends' for long if he did.

Suddenly, Ivar tugged on the sleeve of her fleece jacket, drawing her from her thoughts. "What is that?"

"Um… a jacket?"

He hummed then glanced over at his brother. "Sigurd had the same one, doesn't he, Hvitty?"

"I think so." Hvitserk ran a hand over his braids, a smile on his lips. "Didn't you set it on fire?"

Ivar waved off the question, still scrutinizing her jacket. "Whose is it?"

"Mine now." She replied, wondering what he was getting at.

"Whose was it?"

"A guy friend. He lent it to me years ago and I never gave it back."

"He's in England?"

"Yeah…"

He grunted, rubbing a hand over his mouth for a moment. "Take it off."

"Wha…. what?" She sputtered.

"Take it off. I don't want you wearing another guy's clothes."

"Ivar, this is stupid. Plus, I always get cold in movie theaters. That's why I brought it in the first place."

With a deep scowl, he tugged off his own gray, soft shell jacket. When he saw she was not moving, he tugged on her sleeve roughly. She huffed but gave in, not willing to fight him over something so childish. She slipped the fleece jacket off and placed it in her lap. Before she could stop him, Ivar snatched the jacket out of her lap and threw it on the seat to his other side. He dropped his jacket in her lap then leaned back, watching her with a serious expression. This was one of those times she wondered why she put up with him. Who cared where the origins of her clothes came from? It was comfy. Sure, it had some sentimental value but it was a nice, warm jacket.

Quickly, she slipped his gray jacket on…. and was immediately hit with his scent. A salacious side of her wondered if he would let her keep it. He always smelled incredible and having his jacket now wrapped around her, enveloping her in that…. her libido definitely woke up, begging for attention. Especially after the tease he just bestowed upon her.

"Happy?" She asked flippantly, smoothing the gray jacket down over her and trying not to be obvious with her sniffing it.

He grinned. "You look better in my clothes."

"Ugh. Is he always like this?" She turned to Hvitserk.

"I wouldn't know. He's never asked me to take my clothes off. But if you did, I'd happily oblige." He playfully winked at her.

She groaned. "You both are unbelievable. No wonder you're brothers." She looked at Ivar beside her. "Can I have my jacket back?"

He raised a single eyebrow as if surprised by her question. After a second of mutual staring, he slid over and opened the window, maintaining pointed eye contact the whole time. Before she could process what he was going to do, he balled up her jacket and threw it out the open window. Without a word, he rolled the window back up and slid over to her side again.

"What jacket?" He questioned impishly.

She stared open-mouthed at him. "Was…. was that really necessary? Gods! Why did you do that?"

"I don't want you wearing another guy's clothes." He shrugged. "If it's that big of a problem, I'll buy you some new clothes."

"That's not…. that's not the point! You can't just get rid of something of mine without my permission!"

"But it wasn't yours, it was some guy friend's."

She covered my face with her hands. Why should she expect anything different from Ivar? He had a vendetta against her clothes. With a sigh, she scooted away from him. "I feel like we need to make a list of things that are not ok for you to do."

"I'm not following some fucking list."

"Alright, I'll stop wearing clothes that belong to someone else if you promise not to throw away my clothes without my permission."

He yanked on her arm until she was at his side again, despite her half-hearted attempt for space. "You can wear my clothes anytime, especially if I can take them off of you."

"Ivar, I'm serious."

He nuzzled the crook of her neck, making her squirm. Sweetly, he pressed a kiss to her neck before leaning back. "Fine." He muttered, tucking her into his side.

She glanced over at Hvitserk, having momentarily forgotten his presence. A broad smile covered his face, highlighting his handsome features.

"I like her." He declared, meeting his brother's eye with a nod. Next he looked at her, cocking his head to the side. "What are you doing with his sorry ass?"

That earned a low growl from the youngest Lothbrok, causing Kari to jump faintly and Hvitserk's smile to grow.

"Well, I didn't have much of a choice. He showed up at my work the first time." She answered honestly, though she mostly did it to tease Ivar.

Hvitserk threw his head back with a groan before narrowing his eyes at his brother. "I told you not to stalk her!"

"What the fuck is this? Gang up on Ivar day? She wouldn't have gone out with me otherwise and afterward she said she had fun, so it's not a big deal."

Hvitserk's brown eyes met her blue-green ones with true sympathy in them. "I'm sorry, Kari. I would say he isn't normally like this but I'm guessing you know that's a damn lie by now."

She giggled, "Yeah, I do. Thank you though."

"You know, we could always ditch him and go to the movie just us."

"Oh yeah?" She tapped her chin, pretending to think the offer over. "That sounds like fun. Ivar did promise to buy me a stupid amount of chocolate though. It'd be a hard sell to pass that offer up."

"I'm sure I can come up with something." He wiggled his blond eyebrows, smiling again.

"Shut the fuck up, both of you."

Kari laughed at the look on Ivar's face. Peering up at him, she changed the subject. "What movie are we seeing?"

"Ask your new friend over there."

"Come on, Ivy. You know we're just fucking with you." Hvitserk sighed.

Ivar grumbled, looking out the window and ignoring both of them.

Hvitserk answered her question. "That new horror movie."

"Oh ok." She hoped she sounded confident but kind of wished she had known before coming. Horror movies were not her thing. As a child, she had watched 'IT' at a sleepover and decided then that purposefully being scared was something she could do without. Though knowing Ivar, he would have laughed and pushed her out the door, saying something about how she needed to watch better shit than she normally did. Maybe this one would be more action-based than real horror. She could only hope.

Thankfully, they pulled up at the movie theater soon after. The driver dropped the three off at the door, driving off after to go park and wait.

"Ivar, hold on." She tugged on his arm, forcing him to slow his steps instead of walking ahead of the other two. "Give us a minute, Hvitserk."

The blond brother gave her a quick nod. "I'll go buy some snacks."

After he walked away, she tried to meet Ivar's gaze, though he pointedly stared over her shoulder. "Hey, we're just teasing. I'm sorry if we pushed it too far. I'm really happy you asked me to come out with you and your brother. It's been years since I've gone out to the movies."

He remained stubbornly sullen, continuing to stare just over her shoulder as if her presence was a nuisance.

With a sigh, she shifted closer, taking the initiative to wrap her arms loosely around his waist. Something she had noticed during the times they had hung out was he liked touching her, not always sexually, but just casual, intimate touches. A stray thought of him being touch-starved crossed her mind.

"I also really like your jacket, it's soft and it smells like you." She softly said, peeking up at him, suddenly nervous about her forwardness.

"Yeah?" He breathed out, placing his arms around her and tugging her closer. In just that movement, she could feel the hostility drain out of him, the hard tension in his muscles easing away into a softness she was beginning to doubt many people were allowed to see.

"Since you threw my other one away, can I keep this one?" She teased, lips curling up at the edges. If he said no, she was inclined to steal it anyway. For emotional damages, of course, not because it smelled good.

"Fuck, yes, kitten." He nuzzled her neck, making her squirm in his arms and giggle at the sensation. After a moment, still chuckling, he kissed her neck then laid his forehead against hers. When he spoke, it was with a quiet hint of vulnerability, his voice just above a murmur. "You really are happy to be out with me?"

"I am." She confirmed with eyes closed, soaking in the heat from his body against hers. This moment felt so strangely intimate that she struggled between prolonging it or tearing herself away. It was in these touches, she found her resolve wavering, a longing rising within her to give in. His arms around her, just holding her, their foreheads pressed together as if grounding one another. It was euphoric and dangerous.

He broke the silence between them, tone muffled as if regretting speaking up. "We should go in; the movie is going to start soon."

"Ok. Hvitserk will probably come looking for us if we don't."

"Ah, fuck. He will."

They untangled, but as she moved to step away, he snaked his arm around her waist, tugging her next to him. When she glanced up at him, he only looked down at her in wide-eyed, mock innocence. She rolled her eyes but giggled. He was like a puppy afraid to let go of his new toy.

As they started towards the doors, she finally paid more attention to his gait. Each step was stiff but powerful. One more than one occasion she ogled him and his swagger that seemed to scream predator, a dark and deadly thing meanwhile also being so enticing. She wondered how he managed so well without his cane but decided not to bring it up.

Once they passed through the door, Ivar slowed down, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"Shit. I've got to take this. Go wait with Hvitty. Oh, here." He pulled out his wallet and handed her his credit card. "Go buy all that chocolate I promised you and drinks for us."

Normally she would protest, saying she could buy her own stuff. This time she had full intentions of spending his money on chocolate. "Do you want anything to eat?"

"Are you on the menu?"

"Gods, unbelievable!" She laughed though, watching him smile genuinely. After an arrogant wink, he stepped away, bringing his phone to his ear and speaking rapidly in a foreign language. She scurried over to Hvitserk, who stood near the confessions counter.

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah," she glanced over her shoulder at Ivar quickly, "he just got a phone call he said he had to take."

Hvitserk hummed, watching Ivar across the lobby with a peculiar expression.

While they waited, she ordered her snacks and the drinks for both of them. Though her doubts rapidly spun out of control as she realized she did not know what Ivar would like or want. With a pleading look thrown at him, Hvitserk gave in with a chuckle. Together they picked out snacks and drinks that would have the youngest Lothbrok's approval. Once done, they gathered their stuff and moved over to an open, standing table to continue waiting.

"While Ivar is busy, I wanted to talk to you."

"Ah, sure." She felt a tendril of dread grow in her belly. Nothing good ever came out of a conversation with such an inauspicious beginning.

"I know Ivar can be a lot, closer to fucking insane, and not many people can tolerate him." He looked down at her with brown eyes that seemed to see more than they let on. "But you're good for him. You don't take his bullshit. Fuck, he even listens to you. I could count on one hand how many people Ivar actually listens to. What makes you different?"

"I don't know. I'm just…. I don't know." She stared down at her chipped, teal fingernails, unable to meet his eyes now.

"Well whatever you are, we've already noticed a difference since you two started talking. He's not as angry, he doesn't just hole up in his room as often."

"That's good."

"Mmmm…. Ivar is my brother and I love him. But I also know his temper can get the better of him and when he is on a rampage, nothing can fucking stop him. He is easily jealous and possessive of things he deems his own…. and he clearly had staked a claim on you."

"But…. we're just friends."

"Not to him." He huffed, running a hand over his braids. After checking to make sure his brother was still on the phone, he continued, lowering his voice even more. "You seem like a nice girl so I'll only say this once. Be careful of what promises you make to him…. and if he ever does something to harm you or scare you, I want you to call me. I'll do what I can to protect you. Alright?"

She nodded, unnerved by his warning. Sure, she knew about the Lothbrok reputation. Yet this was the first time someone point blank warned her with true understanding. She was unsure if she should appreciate the warning or be terrified that he thought Ivar could hurt her.

"Give me your phone."

Silently, she handed it over. He plugged his number in and called himself. With a satisfied nod, he gave it back to her.

"Good, don't ever hesitate to call me. Besides, if my brother has his way, none of us would ever meet you. My other brothers want to meet the girl who has Ivar wrapped around her finger already." He winked at her, making her blush.

"Hvitty, stop flirting with her!"

The flaxen-haired brother grinned, as he watched his brother approach. "I'm not. Just telling her the others want to meet her."

"Fuck no." Ivar growled, coming to stand between the two.

"I'd love to meet your brothers." She commented lightly. "After hearing you talk about them, it'd be nice."

"Awww, Ivy, you talk about us?" Hvitserk teased, nudged his shoulder with his own.

"Not you, asshole."

Hvitserk laughed, pressing his forehead swiftly to Ivar's. "Come on, the movie has probably started."

Ivar and Kari followed behind Hvitserk, as he led them to the correct auditorium. Along the way, she handed Ivar a couple of the boxes of candy she bought and the drink picked out for him.

"How much fucking candy did you buy?" He grumbled, eyeing the boxes suspiciously.

"Enough. If you ask nicely, I might share." She quipped. "I even bought Heksehyl for both of us. Hvitserk said it's your favorite…. and I also got Dumle. Oh, and Guld Barre!"

"I did promise you chocolate."

She giggled. "Yes, you did."

The three of them found the auditorium and took seats off to the side. Ivar sat in the middle with Kari on his right and Hvitserk on his left. The movie had just started as they sat down, the lights and noise minimal. Though apprehensive about the movie, Kari found herself smiling at just the nostalgic feeling being here evoked. There was something so simple yet profound at being with friends, eating sweets and watching the silver screen. Let alone the darkness of the theater and the nearby munching of popcorn by others and the occasion sound of people talking. She missed this. So, she endowed to enjoy every part of this. Quietly eating her chocolates, she kept her gaze on the screen.

After some time, Kari felt a large hand on her upper thigh, inching slowly higher and higher. Jolting at the sudden feeling, she grabbed it, trying to stop its further ascent. Immediately, Ivar flipped his hand over and entwined their fingers. She tried to half-heartedly tug out of it, but he maintained a vice-like grip on her hand. In an attempt to glare at him, she swiveled in her seat to gain his attention. Only for him to remain solely focused on the screen. Rolling her eyes, she gave in, shifting back to continue watching the movie. Their fingers remained entangled.

Eventually, the chocolate lay forgotten in her lap as the images on the screen became more disturbing and graphic. A few chuckles came from Ivar and Hvitserk and whispered comments made between them. Once someone in the theater screamed as a person on the screen was suddenly killed. The abrupt sound made Kari jump, squeezing Ivar's hand. He laughed, but squeezed her hand back. Not long after, she gave up on watching the movie and just tucked her face against his shoulder. Horror movies were never her thing, the idea of purposefully being scared never appealed to her. And this movie had a thing for people being eaten alive. Not something she wanted imprinted into her brain. The thought crossed her mind that Ivar orchestrated this on purpose, since he seemed to be fully enjoying her cuddling into him. As if without concern, his head lay on top of hers, continuing to hold her hand. If she was not so concerned about having nightmares and trying to block out the hair-raising screams, she might have liked the cuddling. In this instance though, if he moved, she was going to punch him.

Once the movie ended, Ivar and Hvitserk argued about the movie- how some of the people should have died or about the graphics of the terrifying creatures. They both became more and more animated as the three of them walked out of the movie theater and towards the waiting SUV.

"What did you think, Kari?" Hvitserk asked, taking his seat across from the others, once they all piled in.

"She was scared." Ivar answered, leaning back, his arm on the back of the seat and behind her.

"That creature was eating that girl's brain while she was still alive! I did not want to see that! I'm going to have nightmares."

Smirking, Ivar tilted closer, invading her personal space. "Want me to stay with you? I'll keep you safe…. and make sure you dream of other more, pleasurable, things."

"No, you'd probably try to scare me on purpose." She accused, pushing his body away from her with a pout.

"Well, thanks for seeing it with us." Hvitserk spoke up. "Gods, Bjorn would love it. We'll have to tell him."

The youngest brother nodded before turning back to the brunette by his side. "You coming out with us for drinks now? We always get drinks after."

"No, I can't. I have to open tomorrow. I need to sleep."

"Come on, it'll be fine."

"No. I'll be getting up at 5:30. That's in like…. six hours." This was one thing she was not going to give into. He had dragged her from her bed already once tonight. He was not about to make her lose out on anymore sleep. Not everyone was able to sleep all morning like certain people.

"Next time," Hvitserk said with a shrug, a grin on his face as if amused by the interaction across from him. "I'm sure we can all go out again soon. Right, Ivy?"

Ivar snorted, "Fine. We'll drop you off."

A discussion about the movie and comparing it to others swiftly captured the two brothers' attention. Finding herself growing tired, Kari just leaned back and listened, her head resting on the back of the seat, and consequently, Ivar's arm. It was different and refreshing seeing him interact with someone he clearly trusted and cared about. His guard was down and even if some of his comments sounded more like sharp barbs, it was said without true malice. The flaxen-haired brother took each verbal jab like water off a duck's back, either making a joke out of the comment or ignoring it. Throughout the interaction, the care and respect for one another was evident, even if on the surface level it appeared dysfunctional. A smile hinted on her lips as she listened to the brothers. She hoped this was not the last time she spent time with Hvitserk. Though his warning still rang in the back of her mind, she liked him. The whole ride back, Ivar kept his arm behind her, sporadically playing with the ends of her hair.

At their arrival to her townhouse, Hvitserk said his goodbye to her in the vehicle, surprising her with a swift hug and peck on the cheek. Her face must have been quite flushed if his laughter after meant anything. Ivar grumbled something at his brother in their foreign language as he pulled her out of the SUV. To her further surprise, Ivar walked her to her front door instead of staying with his brother.

"Thanks for inviting me out." She said honestly, once they reached the door.

"Next time we'll watch something you enjoy."

Before she could second guess herself, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. Instantly, his arms went around her, pulling her closer. While the hug at the movie theater was sweet and intimate, this hug carried a different tone. It was more urgent and passionate. Her face rested on his collarbone, allowing his scent to envelope her. He laid a soft kiss to the top of her head, resting his chin there after. For a split second, she realized she never wanted to leave this moment. To be safe and warm and comforted and wanted. It was all she had ever hoped for. This was dangerous water they treaded in. With each intimate action, she could feel their friendship sailing closer and closer to the waters of something more. The gentle, easy waters of friendship would not be enough to maintain them.

With that thought in mind, she regretfully pulled back. "Goodnight." She murmured.

"God natt, kattunge."

"One of these days, you have to tell me what you're saying."

A devious smirk grew on his lips. "No, I think I like you being in suspense."

She laughed, shaking her head. They both hesitated to move, the air tense with something, as if both were waiting for the other to say or do something.

"Ok, bye." She finally said, opening her front door.

He nodded, taking a step back without removing his heated gaze off of her.

Shuddering at the feeling of his smoldering gaze, she let herself into the townhouse and made sure to lock the door behind her. Releasing a deep breath, she leaned her back against the door. What was it about him that tempted her so? He was bad news for her. Yet the more time she spent with him, the more she craved being with him.

Glancing down, she stared at his soft, gray jacket she still wore and wondered how symbolic this unintended action was.

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earlgreytea68 · 3 years

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Tagged by @carbonbased000 and @pyrchance

1. why did you choose your url?

Many years ago, EarlGreyTea was the name I chose for the late, great Television Without Pity. I didn’t want something fandom-specific, so I chose the name of my favorite tea. I only found it later that it’s a Star Trek reference, oops. EarlGreyTea was already taken on LJ, so I added the 68, which is my birthday, and I’ve kept the name on every platform ever since.

2. any side blogs? if you have them, name them and why you have them.

I actually have several, but I don’t really use any of them, except the armes4eva blog, which I sometimes post interior design and Sebastian Stan things to lol

3. how long have you been on tumblr?

oh, goodness, I think 2012. Yes, I just checked, 2012.

4. do you have a queue tag?

No, I can’t be bothered lol. The only time I use the queue is when I do my year-end round-up (which didn’t happen this year because I was too depressed alas).

5. why did you start your blog in the first place?

Right after “The Reichenbach Fall” aired, I started writing “Sherlock” fic. But I was having a hard time finding active Sherlock communities on LJ. When I asked about it on Twitter, many people were like, “Oh, you’ve got to go to Tumblr, that’s where fandom is now.” And so that’s what I did!

6. why did you choose your icon/pfp?

That’s my icon! I’ve had it for years. I wonder if I can even remember how long. It’s a picture I took of a teapot and teacup I was served at breakfast outside by the pool at a fancy hotel in Las Vegas. I haven’t been to Las Vegas in a long time, let me see, it must have been...11 or 12 years ago.

7. why did you choose your header?

Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass is basically my favorite book (I count them as one). The older I get, the more relevant I find those books to what adulthood turned out to be like. So, anyway, it’s a quote from “Looking-Glass,” it’s what the Red Queen tells Alice, and I say it *all the time.*

8. how many mutuals do you have?

I do not even know how to figure that out, I fail Tumblr lol

9. how many followers do you have?

7,359

10. how many people do you follow?

Why don’t I see this information??? In the beginning, I tried to follow back everybody who followed me, and that was how I learned that at the time there was a limit to how many people you can follow. So I stopped following back at that point (this was years ago). Then I realized I could follow people again because I guess people had deleted their Tumblrs or whatever, so I’ve tried to start following people back again, but I’m kind of sporadic about it. Anyway, all this is to say that I probably follow a lot of people.

11. have you ever made a shitpost?

I suppose I will let all of you be the judge of that!

12. how often do you use tumblr each day?

I mostly just glance at it for twenty minutes or so a night. Sometimes I might scroll on mobile during the day, and it’s actually my favorite social media platform to just scroll endlessly through if I’m feeling anxious and need to calm down. But if I’m having a normal stress-level day, I just kind of glance it over a little to see what’s going on in fandom-world.

13. did you ever fight/argument with another blog once? who won?

I don’t think so.

14. how do you feel about “you need to reblog this” posts?

I don’t do any of the chain-mail-ish ones. However, I am superstitious enough that I always reblog the good luck ones. They have never actually had an effect that I can see but why tempt fate! I’m not going to turn down luck!

15. do you like tag games?

Love them.

16. do you like ask games?

Love these, too.

17. which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

“Tumblr famous” seems like it should be an oxymoron lol

18. do you have a crush on a mutual?

I’m sure they’re all awesome, but sorry, I’ve got no notes to pass “Do you like me? circle y or n!”

Tagging whoever feels like doing this! And I guess I’ll also tag @godless-lunatic @thisisnotjuli @thumbllebee @unicornshatetacos @jinxwild19

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dont-bee-shy · 3 years

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Got tagged by the lovely @go-catch-a-chickn an eternity ago and i’m only doing this now but at least i’m doing it i guess?? anyway thank you for the tagging, love!

Rules: Answer these questions and tag as many people as you like (because how many of us realistically have 20 people to tag???)

name/nickname: Alexie (or alternatively Alexis but the s is silent (sorry this is how we do it here)) / Alex

gender: wait you guys have a gender??? i go by she/they but life is confusing and i don’t have many braincells

star sign: scorpio

height: 170cm (i think it’s like 5′7″ or so?)

time: 01:15 in the morning why am i doing this to myself? (edit: someone called me in the midst of doing this and now it’s 2:11 and i hate myself)

birthday: november 1st

favorite bands: the cure, the 1975, arctic monkeys, måneskin, fall out boy, my chemical romance (yes i’m a former emo kid, hit me), wallows

favorite solo artists: how am i supposed to choose? lorde, taylor swift, harry styles, cavetown, mélovin, coeur de pirate, probably a lot of people i’m forgetting right now?

song stuck in my head: no control - one direction

last show: i’ve just finished the last season of shameless

last movie: i rewatched captain america: civil war a few days ago because it was on tv

when did i create this blog: 2014?

what do i post: i mostly reblog tbh, but when i post it’s random tmr thoughts

last thing googled: “supermarkets open on Bastille Day” (i planned a party and forgot to buy drinks ugh i hate bank holidays)

other blogs: i have no other blog this is a trashcan on fire and i’m throwing everything i love in it regardless of whether my editorial line is coherant or not and it’s your problem not mine

do i get asks: a few but i always forget to answer them oops (i would probably forget less often if i had more *wink wink*)

why i chose my url: this is my secret no one is allowed to know that, i can give you my social security number though if you want

following: 181, apparently

followers: 229 wait i have more followers than followings? is this what fame looks like???

average hours of sleep: 5/6

lucky number: i don’t really have one but i prefer odd numbers to even numbers BY FAR

instruments: i have a guitar that i don’t know how to play

what am i wearing: i’m in my pjs right now, so it’s a black harry potter t-shirt and blue shorts with polka dots (i’m wearing yellow pants tomorrow though!)

dream trip: san francisco, moscow/st-petersburg, go to québec with my mum, go to japan with my sister. go back to the loml that is sweden, i would love to do a road trip all across Europe with a bunch of friends tbh

favorite food: garlic bread, knödel, kniddelen (if you know what those two are please marry me), lemon pie, bahlsen’s contessa, any italian cheese, pesto pasta, anything mexican but make it veggie (where the hell is this list going), melon, a warm slice of apple pie and you put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of it, a grilled cheese with a nice pumpkin soup, those pizzas with baby tomatoes arugula and parmesan on top of it

nationality: French with a little Luxembourgish on the side

favorite song: wait by m83 (no i haven’t changed since 2014)

top three fictional universes i’d like to live in: i just want to live on a little animal crossing island please i need a break and also a neighbour who’s a frog

i’m gonna tag some lovely people, sorry if you’ve been tagged on this before oops, @hippygirl14 @ohbluesky @sizzlingballoonbasement @imadetheline @its-tea-time-darling

#i should be asleep but i'm doing this instead #oh well

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reen-da-queen · 3 years

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Top 20 Songs of 2020

Hello! I honestly thought about doing this for a long time. I wasn’t going to but said fuck it why not lol. I really just reblog other peoples stuff but thought I would maybe try to post something and do something new. I thought it would be a good way to get back into writing! Idk man this is all just bc I feel like doing it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Disclaimer: I’m new to writing on tumblr, I don’t own any of the gifs, and this post might be a little long so sorry! :)

20. Oh My Girl - Nonstop

Not an Oh My Girl fan but they caught my eye during Queendom/Good Girl

Summer bop

Mimi’s rap is everything

The fits and hair are super cute

19. BTS - UGH!

The moment I heard the gunshot it was game over

THE ENERGY IN THIS SONG

Jhope’s rap was everything to me

Love a good BTS rapline hype song

18. IZ*ONE - AYAYAYA

Iz*one always got that one b-side that goes hard and this is one of them

These girls can literally do any concept from innocent to baddies

Might be an unpopular opinion: loved the 9 version of this song but I liked the choreo as 6 it seemed more cleaner and tighter

17. Taemin- Criminal

This song DESTROYED ME

HE HAD NO REASON to look this good or do that with a silk ribbon

This felt like a classic Taemin song and I was 100% here for it

The song and dancing was truly immaculate

16. Stray Kids (3RACHA) - We Go

Was I the only one who was stuck listening to the fancam audio for a year until they officially released the song? Okay cool just me.....

The beat and rapping goes way to hard...honestly are we really surprised

The performance of this song just made me like the song more

15. Everglow - La Di Da

EVERGLOW FOREVER LETS GO

My favorite comeback by them

Reminded me a lot of blinding lights by the weekend

Voguing Queens

14. Itzy - Not Shy

NOT SHY NOT ME IITTZZAAAY

Wannabe was a strong contender but I overplayed that song..oops

Izty’s fits are usually bomb but the outfits this era were tragic I was not a fan

13. Twice - Can’t Stop Me

These girls deadass came out of a lotus idk what else I need to say

12. Hyolyn - Say My Name

Another summer bop loved the Caribbean vibes

I loved the choreography which was choreographed by none other than Aliya Janell a Queen herself

I DIED when I saw Mommy Son trying to do the choreo in the mv but tbh that’s how I would look doing it.....

11. Taemin - Idea

I was shook by the beat drop in this song bc it was something I wasn’t expecting

BoA singing “Killing me softly”

Taemin in a crop top?!?

Criminal was a classic Taemin song but something about this song made me like it more

10. Kang Daniel ft. Simon Dominic, Jamie - Wave

JAMIE y’all JAIME wtf she bodied this song

I’m honestly shocked Daniel went for a vibe like this...I’ve never really listened to his music but I didn’t expect this...v impressed

The backup dancers dancing in the water is truly immaculate...I really wanted a dance practice because I wanted to see the choreo in full

Jamie and Daniel’s soothing voices went well with Simon Dominic’s unique rapping tone

9. BlackPink ft. Selena Gomez - Ice Cream

Selena Gomez fit really well with this song and was really impressed with her

BP has such a strong image I forgot they can also rock a cute concept

Lisa’s rapping in this song hit different...it really changed up the vibe of the song

8. ChungHa - Stay Tonight

Miss Chungha had many bops this year but this one was THE ONE

MEN IN HEELS sign me up

Another voguing queen

THE LOOKS IN THIS SONG

Really such an elegant queen

7. Stray Kids - Gods Menu

You know they didn’t come to play bc Changbin started the song

LOOKIN LIKE A CHEF IM A 5 STAR MICHELIN....ummmmm OKAY FELIX

One of their best comebacks, best styling, best hair, best everything really

Hyunjin’s hair....*chef’s kisses*

6. Yunhway - One More Night

One of the best songs to come out of Good Girl

Talented singer/rapper

Going out with my girls type of vibe

5. BlackPink - Pretty Savage

This song makes me feel like a baddie

BORN SKINNY BITCH.....WE SOME BITCHES YOU CAN’T MANAGE

Lisa came for my life in the performances she made me think for a second that she can become my bias

She made me falter for A SECOND BUT I’m a loyal hoe and Rose is my queen

4. Jessi - Nunu Nana

Jessi and Lee Hyori were such a vibe in the song

Her twerking and dancing gave me life

GEURRRAESEO NAN NUNNUNANNA

3. Kai - Mmmh

Kai’s backup dancers.....do I need to say anything else

Body roll for days

Kai in a crop top......men need to wear more crop tops

I’m a hoe for R&B

2. WayV - Love Talk

First of all this song is in all english?!?!

Love the R&B vibes

Played this song nonstop

1. Jay Park, pH-1, Sik-k, Big Naughty, Trade L, HAON, Woodie GoChild - How We Rock

Love the hook of this song

Woodie going BITCH IM PAPI

It’s Big Naughty and Trade L only being 17 and 18 for me

They are all super talented rappers love them

If you guys are wondering what I mean about getting back into writing or want to see a more detailed post on my Top 20 you can check out my friends and I’s K-pop blog :https://wordpress.com/view/quintkpop.wordpress.com! We started writing on it a year back. We ended up going on a longish hiatus BUT we both want to get back into writing and will try to post atleast once a week. My friend has a more professional type writing style with his post while my post are more of a nonchalant, casual. We are still trying to figure things out but if y’all interested you can check it out.

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oonajaeadira · 3 years

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TAGGED BY @grogusmum !

1. Why did you choose your url? I originally started writing my fic with an OFC and that was her name. But eff it. Reader insert is more fun.

2. Any side blogs? Nope. Just side hogs. (I don’t know what that means.)

3. How long have you been on Tumblr? Oh, I was on many years ago. Under this handle? About 4-ish months.

4. Do you have a queue tag? Your ex is a queue tag. (Again. What.)

5. Why did you start your blog in the first place? So I could read/write Mando fanfic and ogle at all the pretty art. And lookit I found all you nice folks.

6. Why did you choose your icon/pfp? The biggest reason I came around here was to start Losing My Religion. (Not literally, I already did that years ago. It’s the name of my SoftDinFic.) I adopted the cast-off character name for my URL and that was her lightsaber--gold with a teal blade. In the end, I changed her to a reader character and left the lightsaber details out so the reader could choose their own.

7. Why did you choose your header? Besides Din, my greatest Mandalorian love is the Razor Crest. Bringing it back was the only non-canon concession I wanted to make in the fic. Technically, it’s another Crest. But it’s easier to write in an environment that everyone already knows. And I’m still not ready to let it go....

8. What’s your post with the most notes? Looks like it’s my masterlist! Yay!

9. How many mutuals do you have? About 20?

10. How many followers do you have? 265

11. How many people do you follow? 70

12. Have you ever made a shitpost? I don’t think so. Unless I did so unwittingly??? I’m sorry?

13. How often do you use Tumblr each day? SO MUCH. OOPS.

14. Did you have a fight/argument with another blog once? Not yet. Now taking applications for a grand nemisis.

15. How do you feel about “you need to reblog this” posts? If it’s a gif/header/visual artist asking me to reblog in order to use or save their art? ABSOLUTELY. I am getting better at reblogging fic and leaving notes after being a lurker for so long. (Honestly, I just didn’t want to be creepy, but I understand how it works now.) Sure, I LOVE it when my writing gets reblogged, but I would never ever require it. Although, everyone’s got a right to do what they want on their own page.

16. Do you like tag games? Yes, although I get shy about tagging others. I know they don’t have to play, but I don’t want to be a nuisance. SORRY, MUTUALS.

17. Do you like ask games? Yes! I love to find out more about folks and it’s nice to have pre-made questions! IT MAKES ME LOOK LESS OF A CREEPER.

18. Which of your mutuals do you think is Tumblr famous? They all are, in their own way. I think we’re all in a lot of galactic spheres here and in every orbit there are stars. Not just saying that to be nice. I think we’ve all followed someone who admired us (whether we knew it or not) and I hope we’ve all had the swooning pleasure of being followed by someone we adore.

19. Do you have a crush on a mutual? Artist crushes, 100% yes. I am a little flustered by a few of them. Especially my fanart/visual art mutuals. I wish I could draw and I worship what they do. <3

20. absolutely no pressure tags: (adira’s note: but really curious, esp about #1!)

@honestly-shite @cannedsoupsucks @feralhotmess @archaeoheart @unbound-space-trash @shanediomorrissey and @thepoisonofgod

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doomed-syko · 3 years

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thank you so much for the tag @carmccannt 🖤💕

1. why did you choose your url?

actually, i don’t really know anymore haha. what i know is that it wasn’t my first url for this blog (the first one was probably tøp related; shame on me) and i do still know what it’s referenced. when i chose this url i was in a pretty heavy bring me the horizon phase (i still am, who am i kidding?) and their song doomed was on repeat for me at that time. the syko comes from oli sykes twitter name, which is @/olobersyko… long explanation i know

2. any sideblogs?

no, not really. i have one url saved but i don’t actually use it, but i’ve thought about maybe making a sideblog

3. how long have you been on tumblr?

tbh? i have no clue. i’ve had this blog for probably two, maybe two and a half years at this point? (the first post i made on here was in february 2019 i’m pretty sure) but i’ve had a blog before this which i deleted at some point (huge fucking regret) so i would say i’ve been on tumblr probably since late 2017/early 2018?? really no clue sorry

4. do you have a queue tag?

probably? i don’t actually use it tho because i always forget lol 😅

5. why did you start this blog in the first place?

to post and read about anything regarding tøp lol, which over the last years turned into me talking about basically anything i’m obsessed with at the moment and posting some of my writing here and there

6. why did you choose your icon?

because i’m very fucking bisexual and very in love with robert keating and anaïs gallagher… i remember when she posted this picture in colour (because it only existed in b&w before) because inhaler twitter lost their goddamn minds lol

7. why did you choose your header?

i quite like a matching layout (i blame twitter) and i didn’t want anything too busy as my header so i opted for the dark burgundy red with my url on it

8. what’s your post with the most notes?

probably just one where i thirsted over sweaty van mccann…

9. how many mutuals do you have?

honestly? idk. i have the tendency to not follow people back for the simple reason that i honestly and truly just forget to do it, oops… so i can’t name and count them all but they probably know who they are and they are very loved by me and all deserve a huge kiss xx

10. how many followers do you have?

253… which first of all: thank you so fucking much, second: why the fuck do you guys follow me 😅 like that’s so many people huh

11. how many people do you follow?

62 ranging from catb related blogs over marvel fic writers to mcr update blogs lol

12. have you ever made a shitpost?

all the time omg. a lot of my tumblr posts are just my last two brain cells fighting to survive while creating dumb memes and making stupid one liners

13. how often do you use tumblr a day?

idk probably between 5 to 10 times a day? it just really depends. there are days i’m rarely on here (for just like a minute before i close the app again and don’t look at it for the rest of the day) and sometimes i can spend hours browsing tumblr… still not as bad as twitter because i just checked and i spend almost 18 hours on there on average this week 💀💀

14. did you ever have a fight/argument with another blog?

no and i hope it stays that way. i’ve only had good interactions on this hell site so far lol

15. how do you feel about “you need to reblog this” posts?

depend on what it’s about in the end of the day. if it’s something that’s very important to me i’ll probably reblog it

16. do you like tag games?

i love LOVE tag games!! especially if it has anything to do with favourite artist or music in general! tag me as much as you want i’ll probably do them even if i did them before (if i don’t forget to do it haha)

17. do you like ask games?

YES SO MUCH!! i rarely get tagged in them but pls keep em coming!!

18. which one of your mutuals is tumblr famous?

i’ve i had to pick one person it would probably be @pacifymebby because i don’t know if she realizes how well known she is outside of tumblr/wattpad but believe me she’s basically carrying catb wattpad/catb fanfic tumblr on her back!! (i’ve had conversations on fucking twitter about this before actually) she has also super kind and has on many occasions complicated my music taste which makes her automatically fucking cool hehe… besides that, i feel like especially on catb tumblr the core people are pretty well known around :)

19. do you have a crush on a mutual?

no, not really because i don’t know you all enough and the ones i do know are people i consider very good/close friends!!

this took long but it was very fun (that kinda rhymes lol). i’m tagging: @itwontalwaysbelikethiss @fenderenderender and @pacifymebby (don’t be pressured tho, if you don’t wanna do it that’s totally fine xx)

#tag game

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astroismypassion · 3 years

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Hey i saw ur reblogs about mars in 12th house being sexualized and mars in cancer holding on to toxic and people who treat the bad. I have both ny mars is in cancer 12thhouse (my cancer is also in 12th house ).ofc i don't know much about my mare being in 12th house but the cancer mars omfg like srsly thats so true srsly when i was 6 yrs old (i have a great memory gemini sun and Mercury lol) back to the story yeah so i had a bestfrnd and she was like super obssesive and possessive she nvr let me make any othr frnds and ofc i was like so blinded by her that i wld reject prolly anyone who wld want to be frnds with me she was a new transfer student and i was her first frnd in the school we were frnd slike three years like 1,2,3 we were in the same class for three freking years and yet when we got diff classes she decided to insult me in the cafeteria infront of evryone nd dump me midway she like literally ignored me as soon as the new session started and i like a pathetic idiot kept goin aftr her evnthough i had a really messed up personal life like i got separated from my cousin elder sister who was like a mother figure for me and then we got kicked out of the apartment me and my family lived in and i was a single child , etc . Like i needed her so much back then and it really hurt but aftr sometime like in 5 grade she came back to me and I being the idiot i am accepted her and then again it hpped and then agin in 7 she came bck to me and yet i decided to be bestfrnds with her and she told all my othr frnds bad things about me and then again i was lonely like not lonely idk being the popular girl i had alot of snakes around me and then i just got tired and all so i finally decided to let go ... She still has 2 guys to come up to me and ask whatsup but god i just cant bring myself to hate her no matter what and even if now she asks me to take her back im 110% sure Iwould . But now i have a cancer sun frnd and she is like really nice and consider me as her soulmate although I'm not so interested in frndship nd all but i try my best to stand up to her expectations and i do too. Im well aware im just waiting for her to get bored of me and leave me too find someone who will be true amd commited to her..

Oops that was long . Sorry i needed to rant nd like i never told anyone all this before so it feels good . Thanks!

Hi!

Thank you for being so sincere and open here on this blog. Yes I definitely agree that it brings so tough lessons about emotions. I've seen people in my life with Cancer Mars especially go through tough situations. Some were more emotionally resilient, but others were just afraid of abandonment, so they were still holding onto their toxic friends.

@astroismypassion

#astroismypassion #astrology #answered #cancer mars #mars in the 12th house

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missgeniality · 3 years

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check in tag!

thank you @kithtaehyung for the tag!

1. why did you choose your url?

miss congeniality bbyyyy – and id like to think im genial (moots feel free to refute >.>) but yes! i also didn’t want a very bts centric url, cuz even though I write for bts, I listen to a lot of music, post about many different things, so I wanted my blog to be very open ended

2. any sideblogs? if you have them name them and why you have them

i dont have the brainpower to handle more than one LOL

3. how long have you’ve been on tumblr?

sept 2019? only started writing in jan 2021!

4. do you have a queue tag?

#queue and i *proceeds to sing one direction very off key*

5. why did you start your blog in the first place?

i had been reading fanfic for a while and just decided to write! it was a fun experience and i got to meet so many people, so im happy that I did hehe

6. why did you choose your icon?

i- noot noot bby

7. why did you choose your header?

cuz it’s a phrase I love! idk how the phrase came to be, but its so ME, im always floating in the land of my imagination (sometimes too much)

8. what’s your post with the most notes?

my first fic! adwd has close to 1k i think

9. how many mutuals do you have?

lol quite a few! im very bad at making friends and supremely awkward, but somehow found people to match my wavelength <3

10. how many followers do you have?

a decent amount! idk if anyone cares about the real number but its way more than what I had anticipated (i.e., 10)

11. how many people do you follow?

i follow a lot of people, mostly talented writers, khh/krnb update accounts, anime accounts and 3 very specific meme brands lol

12. have you ever made a shitpost?

idk what you mean im a vv serious blog (yez)

13. how often do you use tumblr each day?

once a day if i remember oops

14. did you have a fight/argument with another blog once? who won?

lmao who has THE TIME!

15. how do you feel about “you need to reblog this” posts?

if its something important that im educated about, i usually do so on my #never not reblog tag, and if im not completely educated on it I wait until I get all the details and then reblog

16. do you like tag games?

i do! im bad at getting to them (I have like 6 of them in drafts LOL im SO SORRY) but i try to comment on most if not all!

17. do you like ask games?

i def do, but i also def do not have the following for that yet, so i don’t post them much on my blog (but I do lurk on my moots’ blogs and hit their ask games eheheh)

18. which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

what is tumblr famous anyway? until this shit feeds a whole family im not gonna accept it to be a thing lol sorry

19. do i have a crush on a mutual?

from the bottom of my heart and the heart of my bottom, yes.

taglist (no pressure!): @softyoongiionly, @gguksgalaxy, @monvante, @erotikkook, @mimikookie, @voiceswithoutlips, @dis-easedfairy, @ditttiii, @staywithmoon, @writtenwhalien, @bangtanhome and anyone else who is interested!!

#tag games #beauty moots

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cordonian-literature · 4 years

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The Aftermath - Ch. 18

News

SUMMARY: Drake gets a chance to talk with Riley, while Olivia and Hana begin their journey to Ramsford

Word Count: ~2.6k

Warnings: Mention of character death

*All characters belong to Pixelberry, except those that are unique to my story (I’ve also used some characters and fictional instances from Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch”)*

A/N, 9/6/20: you don’t have to read this, but just as a heads up, i’ll probably be updating a bit less since school’s starting. i know i should have posted this notice last week.. but oops. anyways just wanna say thank you all for the likes, reblogs, and comments, it means the world to me. also my bad for not having replied to people recently

Catch up here

Tags: @captain-kingliamsqueen @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @gkittylove99 @lovablegranny @loudbluebirdlover @mom2000aggie @kingliam2019 @queenrileyrose @shanzay44 @cordonianroyalty @hopefulmoonobject @hopelessromanticmonie @cinnamonspongecake @queenjilian @kuladekiwi @twinkle-320 @iaminlovewithtrr @charlotteg234 @amandablink @texaskitten30 @tinkie1973 @louiseingram1208 @queencatherynerhys @pens-girl-87 @missevabean @ladyangel70 @sanchita012 @cordonianprincess @liamandneca @cordonia-gothqueen

I’m so sorry, the tags are being really weird and I don’t know if they’re working or not... but I hope I got everyone down. If I missed someone, or anyone wants to be added/removed, let me know!

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- Drake -

After everyone had breakfast, the rest of the morning revolved around teaching Gabriel and Eleanor about Cordonian history, diplomacy, and courtly etiquette. Drake, Maxwell, Savannah, and Bartie helped the children in their lessons, while Rowan tagged along.

Liam had told Drake that him and Bertrand would be planning out announcements and a press conference, but also changing Gabriel’s name from Blaise to Rys. Liam was unsure whether it would be alright with Riley if he changed Eleanor’s last name, too, but he told Drake that he would rather leave Riley to herself for the time being.

Gabriel and Eleanor were fast learners. Near lunch, out of the eleven topics that were covered, they mastered almost all of them — except Gabriel fell a little behind on learning the Cordonian Waltz, and Eleanor was having a difficult time remembering her fork placement.

When Maxwell announced their achievements to Bertrand, he said not to get too enthusiastic, considering that it was easy to forget everything they learned. Liam on the other hand, was beaming, and during lunch quizzed Eleanor until she could put down forks and figure them out with her eyes closed (Liam didn’t let her practice that though).

After their plates were removed, Liam retreated into the ballroom with the children, focused on helping Gabriel master the waltz, and teaching them some other dances.

Eleanor picked up each dance quickly, and when she noticed her brother was falling behind, stopped following Liam and helped Gabriel.

“Wait wait wait!” she would occasionally exclaim when they were in the middle of a dance. They were each other’s partners, while Liam and Maxwell would guide them from the sidelines. Both children stared at their feet, and when Eleanor noticed that her brother’s foot placement was off, she would halt.

“You have to put your foot like this,” she would say while repositioning her brother’s feet. “If you do it the other way you’re going to fall!”

“No, I won’t!” Gabe defended himself.

Eleanor stood up straight, squinting at her brother with a partly mischievous, partly evil look in her eyes. “Fine.” she whispered suspiciously. “Then do it the way you were doing.”

They reposition themselves and go through the dance again, Gabriel half a beat behind. When they get to the part where Eleanor corrected him, Gabriel falls sideways.

“Told you so,” Eleanor says, giggling.

Liam helps Gabriel back onto his feet, then Maxwell demonstrates the dance again while both children watch.

Drake’s phone vibrates in his pocket. He leaves the ballroom to check it, wondering who would text him, when he sees that it’s a message from Jessica:

i miss you

Drake thinks, I don’t miss you, and is suddenly shocked with himself. Almost a month ago he was ready to marry this woman, but he hadn’t even thought about her this past week. He suddenly feels guilty, but then a little confused when he tries to remember the last time they talked. If she really missed him, shouldn’t she have contacted him sooner?

Drake turns back to the ballroom to see Liam and Maxwell applauding Gabriel and Eleanor. Sensing that there was nothing they needed his help with, Drake begins to make his way to his room, deciding that it was best to call Jessica.

On his way down the hall, he passes by an open door and suddenly hears someone call out his name. He slowly backs up to peer into the room, and finds Riley sitting on her bed. “What are you up to, Drake?” she asks.

“Oh, I was...” Drake trails off, looking down at his phone, wondering if he should go call Jessica, or take a seat with Riley.

He begins walking towards her. Motioning towards her cast he asks, “Does it still hurt?”

She looks down at it inquisitively and states, “Not really. Liam told me that a doctor would come to check in before dinner. Hopefully they’ll let me know when I can take it off.”

Noticing a chair in front of the vanity table, he pulls it next to her bed and takes a seat. Before either of them can say anything else, Drake’s phone vibrates again with another text from Jessica:

babe? call me when you get the chance

“Who is that?” Riley asks, leaning towards the phone.

“It’s, uh...” For a moment, Drake doesn’t know whether to announce to Riley that he had a girlfriend. He didn’t expect that having Riley back in his life would bring back the feelings he had for her as well. Because of those confusing emotions, Drake was unsure what to do with Jessica.

Of course he wanted to be honest with Riley, but telling her that he was already in a relationship would close any opportunity that they had.

What am I thinking? She’s got a kid with Liam. That door is already closed. There’s no point in keeping it from her.

“It’s just Jessica,” Drake finally tells her. He scratches the back of his neck before continuing, “We have... a history.”

“Really?” Riley smiles, playfully smacking his shoulder. “And here I was thinking that Drake Walker could never let anybody into his heart!”

Drake chuckles, but thinks to himself, Is there a chance she doesn’t remember when I told her I cared about her? It was ten years ago... maybe she remembers it differently.

After a few moments of silence, during which Riley stares at Drake, waiting for him to say something else, Drake cocks his head towards the door and says, “Eleanor’s doing great learning the Cordonian Waltz. Liam’s walking them through the Viennese Waltz right now.”

“Ella’s always loved music and dancing,” Riley states. She looks straight ahead, lost in thought. “When she was a baby and would get really fussy, we’d just put on some music and she’d calm down. She would always sway like she was dancing.” She turns back to Drake and continues, “Theo was the one who decided to sign her up for ballet. She was only five when he said we could put her on Broadway, but I didn’t want to put her in the spotlight.”

Well, with Liam back in your life, they’re not going to be kept away from the spotlight for much longer, Drake thinks to himself.

He clears his throat and says, “So what’s up with this Theo guy? How’d you end up married to him?”

Riley’s face falls, and she stares down into her lap. “We thought it would be temporary. I wanted to come back before it was time to have Gabe, but Theo said that it wasn’t safe in Cordonia.”

“What happened after you had Gabe?”

“It’s all just... a blur.” Her eyebrows furrow, and Drake notices a confusion in her eyes. He thinks it could also be a sort of sadness, but he doesn’t want to assume. “I couldn’t just bring a baby to another country and go up to Liam and say, ‘Hey, this is your son!’ I cut ties with everyone, so there was no way to get in contact. I couldn’t go and announce it publically, either. I just got out of a scandal. I didn’t want to jump right into another one. And I was just... so tired. And mad at Liam. I can’t even remember why I was mad at him, but the feeling is still there.”

Drake expects her to keep talking, but she doesn’t lift her head, and there’s a dark shadow over her face. She finally notices him staring at her, and Riley picks up her head with a smile.

“So,” she starts again. “Tell me about Jessica!”

Drake laughs, running a hand along the back of his neck. “A while after you left... I started going to this bar in the capital, just to have some time to myself. I just wanted to get away from the court permanently... but I couldn’t. Y’know, because of Liam. I couldn’t leave him alone.”

Drake takes a moment to look up at Riley. She’s no longer smiling.

“Anyway. I met a couple of guys, we became friends, they invited me to this party. Jessica was there and we hit it off. We actually were just friends in the beginning, bumping into each other at the bar sometimes. Then it was sort of like a friends with benefits thing, but when Savannah started asking me about it, she commented that we were practically dating. After a while I decided to officially ask her to—” he takes a moment to scan Riley’s expression. “—To, uh, be my girlfriend. We’ve been together since.”

Riley nods her head, trying to keep back a wide smile. “That is... a very simple and uncomplicated love life, Drake Walker. I’m happy you’ve found someone.”

Drake wanted to say something, but decided that there was a better time to talk to her about everything. He knew that she was in a weird position with Liam, and didn’t want to stress her.

“Exactly how long have you been with Jessica?” Riley continues to ask, her eyebrows raised.

“About... six years,” Drake answers.

“And...” Riley shakes her head, a curious look on her face. “You haven’t put a ring on it yet?”

Drake lets out a laugh and leans back in his seat. “Y’know, Liam said the same thing.”

She nods, but then a shadow falls over her face.

“Are things any better between you guys?” Drake asks. He knew that they were both having a difficult time, and it wasn’t really his business, but if there was anything he could do to help them, he would.

“We talked last night,” she states.

“And?”

“We decided that we have to talk more.” Riley chuckles, but the melancholy look on her face doesn’t lift.

Drake leans forward to put a hand on her knee. He was slightly confused at the reserve in her voice. “Do you want to talk to him?”

“Of course I do, Drake,” she states. When she turns to look at him, her eyes are moist. “I’ve wanted to talk to him for the past ten years! But now, I...”

“What?”

“I don’t know if I can.” Silence stretches between them. Drake respectfully doesn’t ask her to continue; he wasn’t going to force her to talk about it until she was ready.

Finally, she speaks up again. “Sometimes I had wished that he would forget about me. So I wouldn’t have to confront him. So I wouldn’t have to tell Gabe the truth.” Riley pauses for another few moments. “I talked to Theo about changing Gabe’s name to Rys a couple of years ago. I thought it would be a way for me to tell him everything, and it would be a way for both of us to get back to Liam. That never happened, though.”

“Why not?” Drake questions.

“Because even though I knew that there were so many things Gabe deserved through birthright... I... still hoped that Liam would have forgotten about me. I didn’t want to go back to all the pain... and I believed that if he forgot, there was no chance at him ever being angry at me for keeping Gabriel from him.” Her voice falters, and she stops talking.

“Brooks, you know Liam could never forget about you, right?”

She squints, and Drake thinks that she’s about to say something about his statement, but instead she just breathes, “Yeah.”

Minutes drag by, and neither of them speak again. Drake notices Riley thoroughly zoned out. He didn’t want to interrupt her thoughts, but he also didn’t want to leave her alone.

Drake forces himself to stand, than gives Riley a pat on the shoulder. “I’ll let you rest,” he says. They smile at one another, and he leaves the room.

- Olivia -

“‘His Majesty, King Liam, announces the return of his ten-year-old son to Cordonia,’” Olivia reads out loud to Hana. They were in a limo again, on their way to Ramsford after Liam’s request a few hours ago. He had also told them to keep a lookout in the news. Just a few moments before, Jacob had sent Olivia a link to an article titled Cordonia’s Heir Will Be Anointed — Ten Years Late?

Olivia continues reading, “‘Mothered by the infamous Riley Brooks, who made an appearance in Cordonia before King Liam’s Coronation, Gabriel Liam Rys has spent the first ten years of his life with his mother and recently deceased step-father, Theodore Blaise.

“‘Gabriel, along with his half-sister, Eleanor, lived in New York City while Cordonia and her king recovered from the treachery of foreign and domestic forces.

“‘A press conference is scheduled for a day before the Masquerade Ball, which will kick off the beginning of this year’s Social Season.

“‘Now, only one question remains: will recently widowed Lady Riley Brooks vie for King Liam’s hand again, or will the mother and daughter be swept aside in the boy’s royal rise?’”

“They are no less cruel, are they?” Hana wonders aloud.

Olivia sits back in her seat. “They can be as kind or as harsh as they want. At least Cordonians are aware.”

“There’s a possibility that some of them have lost trust in Liam,” Hana mentions.

“Of course the fools would. They don’t know that their king was as oblivious as them. And if Liam decides to tell them that he didn’t know he was a father, then all they’ll do is put the blame on Riley.”

The women scroll through their phones for a few more moments, before Hana speaks up and asks, “Did Liam tell you anything else? About Gabriel?”

Olivia puts down her phone and tries to remember her conversation with Liam. “No. But he said that he’s walking the children through a lesson plan of things that are important for them to know before the season starts.”

Hana nods. Both of them look out the window, watching the freezing mountains and icy roads shift into a floral, bright, and warm landscape.

...

“I told Neville that I decided to stay for the Social Season,” Hana states. For the past four hours, the two of them had sat in silence. Olivia would occasionally close her eyes to rest, and when she would open them again, saw Hana doing the same thing.

“Really?” Olivia exclaims, trying to hide the disgust in her voice. “And what did he say?”

Hana’s hands are tightly clasped together. She looks down at them and says, “He says that he doesn’t think he’ll make it to the Masquerade, Derby, or even the picnic, but says that he will be able to join the court at Lythikos.”

“What a doting husband,” Olivia jokes. She said that hoping to make Hana realize that her spouse was incompetent, but Hana’s head hangs low. “At least you’ll be able to enjoy the first few events without his abhorring presence.”

“Yes.” Hana looks up slightly. “And I hope Lady Riley will participate in the festivities.”

“I’m sure she will. I don’t believe she’ll allow her children to go through the season by themselves. Liam will of course be there, but it never hurts to have a motherly presence.”

They both glance off again, but Olivia turns back as her phone vibrates.

There’s a text message from Jacob. It’s a link to an article titled Breaking News!

Olivia opens the link and reads: “Queen Mother Regina has been pronounced dead of a suspected heart attack after being rushed to the hospital hours ago. Her quarters were searched and it was reported that some of her goblets from her famous antique collection have been stolen. Other artworks around the palace are missing as well. Are Cordonia’s enemies back? And if so, what’s with the artistic inclinations?”

#the royal romance #choices trr #choices the royal romance #trr fanfic #trr liam x riley #trr liam x mc #trr king liam #trr fanfiction #trr king liam x mc #trr choices

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