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elisysd · 10 months

Text

Boat - Ed Sheeran

Masterlist - Previously - Next Chapter

The more that I love the less that I feel The times that I jumped never were real

Lyanna had woken at dawn. Like Charles, she had had a bad night. She had spent the hours after the door closed letting the tears flow until she was exhausted. She knew she had been hard on him. But she hadn't been able to stop herself. The Ferrari project seemed incredible and in other circumstances she would have jumped at the chance. But all her fears and doubts had resurfaced at breakneck speed. For a moment, she remembered why she didn't want to get involved with famous people. Her self-confidence was fragile, and a single grain of sand could shake the whole foundation she had built up. She loved Charles but she didn't want to live in his shadow, she didn't want to wonder if she was being offered great things just because she was associated with him. Her career was her baby, her purpose, her escape. A place where she had always felt free and for the first time, it was as if someone had suddenly taken the wind out of her sails.

So she contacted the last person she thought she'd contact one day, who arranged to meet her in a café not far from the station.

“I never expected you would use my phone number.” Told her Charlotte, sipping her cappuccino.

“Yeah, well never did I.” confessed Lyanna. “It’s just… I didn’t know who could understand. Beside Arthur. But I don’t want to put him between his brother and me.”

“You did the right thing. I know what it feels like. I understand you. But… can I be honest?”

“Go on.”

“Charles can be blind, can be stupid, can be too caught up in his little world sometimes, can be stubborn and can be naive but he is also the most loyal person I know. He has your back. He will always have it as long for as you want him. Because that’s how he is.”

“I just don’t want to live in his shadow and spend my time questioning everything.”

“That’s seems to be something that has more to do with you than with him. Listen, I’m going to be frank here. Whenever you’ll go out in Monaco with him, people will look at him and won’t care about you. You will always be his girlfriend. You are going to be seen with him at a GP, you will be talked to as his girlfriend. You attend an event sponsor related; you will be looked upon as his girlfriend. These are facts and you can’t do anything about it. The sooner you accept it, the better it will be for you. But he has no control over it. It’s not his fault. He didn’t dream to be a famous racing driver, he just wanted to drive an F1. Just like you didn’t dream of being a mega famous actress, you just wanted to make art. There are things on which you have control and others you don’t and have to learn how to let go. Of course you are going to have different opportunities now that you are with him. But does it make you less worthy if you take them? I don’t think so. As long as you make your choices with the heart at the right place, I don’t see the problem. You are not using him. He knows that. So chill girl.”

Her conversation with Charlotte had been strangely good for her. She felt calmer. Not more reassured, but at least she felt understood, that what she was feeling was normal and valid. Now it was up to her to decide how she wanted to handle the situation. Was she going to let her head rule her relationship or was she finally going to learn to let her heart do the talking? With her head full of questions, she made a diversion to the port and then to the beach, where she took off her shoes to feel the sand beneath her feet and the gentle crash of the waves tickling her toes.

She eventually returned to the residence with the firm intention of apologising. When she opened the door to the flat and expected to see Charles rushing towards her, she was surprised not to hear so much as a sound that she wondered if he was there. She found him sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee by his side, tapping away on his phone. He saw her out of the corner of his eye but didn't move in her direction. Lyanna approached gently, opening her arms, silently asking for the comforting warmth of Charles's arms, but he remained still.

“You ran away again.”

It was not a question. It was a bitter fact. When she did not react, he continued.

“You promised that you were done with the running away when things get tough.”

“I needed some air. I did not run away.”

“You slept in the guest room because you did not want to face me, Lyanna.”

“I did not sleep well if it can make you feel better.”

“No. It doesn’t. Because you should not have slept there in the first place.”

“We were both angry.”

“We did not have to be.”

She lowered her head in shame before taking her place opposite him. His sea-green gaze locked with hers.

“I love you Lya, but I don’t know how long we can keep going like that. We need to learn how to communicate. You need to let me get through to you. I’m trying to but you are not letting me. We promised to stick to each other during good and bad times but, at the smallest difficulty you panic and you run away. That is not how relationships work. That is not how I want our relationship to work.”

“Are you breaking up with me?”

“Oh my god, Lyanna, no! See, this is what I’m talking about. It’s not because we face hardships that it means that it will be over for us. Communication and trust are what matter the most to me and lately it seemed that we are both failing at that.”

“Most of the time it comes from me… I’m still insecure about so many things. Maybe I should try to contact my therapist and schedule a few session to work on that. It could do no wrong.”

“If you think that it’s something that you need, I won’t stop you.”

“It’s just…” she sighed, trying to find the right words to explain her thoughts. “You know how important my job is, how much it’s a part of me, how hard it has been for me to get back to it after… you know. The last thing I want to feel is what I felt yesterday… To feel like a pawn.”

“I’m not saying that I understand what it feels like. I don’t think I can but, I don’t want to ever feel like I’m an obstacle to your career. I don’t want to be one. And yesterday it felt like that. I didn’t choose to be a public figure, it just happened. We both have very demanding careers, we both made a lot of sacrifices to be where we are at today, but our jobs don’t define us. You are much more than just an actress or my girlfriend and I wish you would see that. I did not fall in love with you because you were Lyanna Michel, we both know that I had not the slightest idea of who you were. I fell in love because you are compassionate, you are kind, you are funny, you are smart, and brave, and driven, and I could continue the list because it’s a long one. I believe in you Lya, and I’m your number one supporter, but I need you to believe in you too.”

Tears streamed down the young woman's face and Charles did his best to resist taking her in his arms. She had to understand. He might have been hard on her, but if this was the wake-up call she needed to move on, then it was the right thing to do.

“I’m sorry I keep letting you down. I’m trying to be enough. I’m trying, really hard.”

“You are enough, Lya. You are putting too much pressure on you. I don’t need you to be perfect, I just need you to be you. A happy you. You are letting me down when you shut me out, not when you doubt yourself or you are getting scared. I wish you would have talked to me about the movie and your fears and concerns. We would have found a solution. Together.”

“Sophia still sent me the script… she won’t tell the production I said no until I’ve read it.”

“And are you going to do it? Read it, I mean.”

“I… think so. You are right, I overreacted and got scared.”

“Okay. I’m glad. I have to leave for a few days to Maranello. Ferrari wants to shoot some things for the social media. It will do us good, I think. We will have time to think things through on our own. And I was meant to ask, Silvia and the media team want to shoot some things with me here. They want you also in the video… I haven’t said yes to them, I want to know how you feel about it…”

“Maybe that if we do it, they will leave us alone…”

“Only if it makes you comfortable.”

“I’m an actress Charles. I can put on a show if I want to.”

In the end, what was supposed to last a few days turned into a week and a half for Charles. He was dragged back and forth between photoshoots, interviews and shooting stupid challenges with Carlos for Ferrari, clinical tests, and simulator work to make sure he hadn't lost any of his reflexes. In the end, he had very little time for Lyanna. He'd only spoken to her a few times on the phone, but the very few occasions he had, she'd told him that she'd actively taken up the sessions with her therapist, who'd decided to schedule consultations for her twice a week. Charles was pleased to hear her say that this was doing her a lot of good and that she was already seeing progress.

What Lyanna had not mentioned to Charles, however, was that her psychotherapy was not the only thing helping her to move forward. Surprisingly, she had become much closer to Charlotte, to whom she could confide her doubts and anxieties, because the young woman had gone through more or less the same things.

“The only big difference between you and me, is that you already have a successful career and no one can accuse you to use him for fame.”

“People find other things to criticize.”

“As always and there is nothing you can do about it.”

“How did you handle that? The expectations that come with being his girlfriend.”

“As cliché that it is going to sound, by trusting him and our relationship. There is no miracle solution. Our relationship went down because we did not love each other anymore, we were just comfortable with one another at some point but there was no spark. We were making each other content, not happy.”

“That’s another thing that scares me… to wake up one day and just feel that we are not in sync anymore.”

“It will happen eventually, I won’t lie. But if you really love each other and from what I’ve seen it’s the case, then there is nothing you won’t overcome. But you need to communicate Lyanna. I should not be the person you ask these questions. You should talk to Charles about it.”

“I will. My therapist said that it’s better to overshare than keeping things bottled up, even if it’s something that I think is no use.”

Charles returned a few days later. December was already well under way and Lyanna had started thinking about Christmas presents. She loved this time of year. Christmas romances, hot chocolate, silly jumpers, decorations, and festive entertainment. She just thought it was a shame that Monaco wasn't covered in snow. So when Charles pushed open the door to his flat and saw large boxes strewn about the floor with garlands of every colour, and the smell of biscuits coming from the kitchen, surprise and doubt could be read very clearly on his face.

He stepped forward cautiously, avoiding getting his feet caught in anything lying on the floor, and a smile spread across his face when he saw her humming a Christmas carol as she meticulously decorated a tray of biscuits.

“I feel like I'm entering Santa's world.”

“Charles! You are back!” she exclaimed as she was throwing her arms around him.

“I see you kept yourself busy.”

“I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t find any Christmas decorations at your place so I bought some… maybe I went a little overboard. Sorry.”

“Don’t be, it’s nice. I never decorate the flat because I’m never here during Christmas but if it made you happy, that is what matters the most. Speaking of Christmas… I gave that some thoughts and was wondering if you would like to spend it with me and my family in the mountains in Italy… that’s where I spend it generally so I can also prepare for the season. I would love to have you there but if you would prefer to spend it with your family I would understand.”

“I… well… I was not expecting you to ask me that. I did not make plans yet, but I guess I could come yeah. I would love to, actually. But in that case, maybe we can spend New Year’s Eve with my family? What do you think? We compromise. This year Christmas with yours and next year at mine?”

“It’s perfect for me.” He said while giving her a light kiss on the forehead. “I like when you talk about the future and I’m included in it.”

“Yeah, me too. It feels nice. I took the time to go through the script and to talk to Sophia about what I feared.”

“Yeah? It’s great, Lya. I’m proud of you.”

“I’m glad I did. Turns out we were both right… They don’t specifically want me because I’m your girlfriend, they wrote the character while having me in their minds which is very flattering. But they don’t hide the fact that since I’m your girlfriend it’s going to give a nice promo to the movie.”

“Okay. And what do you want to do? Are you still hell bent on saying no?”

“I said I was interested. I’m going to do some camera testing in the beginning of January in LA and they are hoping to start filming in late February. And the nice thing is that it will be shot in Italy, in Modena so I won’t be far from Maranello. You are definitely going to see me around.”

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author's note: Oh and a wild chapter appears! At least someone put some senses into Lya's head.

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sovtwords · 2 years

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With Oikawa mayhaps 👉👈

Or Itadori Yuuji whoever you want!!

for: jujutsu kaisen

pairing: itadori yuuji x reader

warnings: none!

w/c: 600

a/n: MY LOOOOOVE thank you for sending in a request! i wrote this for yuuji, if you don't mind 👉👈 please enjoy, ily!

Let it be known that Itadori Yuuji is not, by most conventional terms, the most perceptive person to ever exist.

He would argue that, sure, he can be a little dumb at times, a ‘himbo’ as Nobara had called him, but he wasn’t the stupidest person to walk this planet. He has moments of both pure genius, and sheer idiocy. He’s human, after all. He’s prone to making mistakes.

Itadori is, however, exceptionally blind to the fact that the girl of his dreams is literally head over heels for him.

Maybe it’s denial, unable to accept that someone who shines like a beacon of pure perfection could ever want to spend their time with him (“you’ll suck up all her brain cells and make her dumb”, Sukuna had cackled). Maybe it’s deeper, a self hatred rooted so deep for what he’s become, for the dangers he now poses to everyone around him because of a mistake he didn’t know he was making. A need, now, to make sure you never get caught up in the damage he will inevitably create.

Whatever the reason is, he’s turned a blind eye, or rather, all four blind eyes, to any advances you may have been trying to make on him.

Nobara is just about ready to throttle him for it. Even Megumi, for all his nonchalance about Itadori’s love life, looks annoyed at how oblivious he’s being.

“How the hell could ya miss it, idiot?!” Nobara screams.

How exactly could he miss the fact that you make it a point to sit next to him for every class, every lunch time, every train ride? He’s more focused on how dizzy your presence makes him he fails to notice you’ve done this intentionally.

How could he miss all the treats and presents you gave him? Maybe he’s too busy shoving cookies and brownies into his mouth at a speed that would make Sonic the Hedgehog jealous, not realising all the pink hearts that have been carefully iced onto the top with love. No, he’s too busy trying not to drool all over himself when you begin hand feeding him with a sweet grin.

How exactly could he miss the way you blush and smile when he goes out of his way to make you laugh by falling on his ass? To be fair, usually he’s distracted by either Maki or Nobara following that up by calling him a clown, but he’s too focused on the sound of your laughter to really care that he’s embarrassing himself.

It sort of all clicked for him one night, around 3am and deep into the lovey-dovey playlists he saved on Spotify. He never sat up so fast, the answer to all these questions coming to him after thinking about your beautiful face for hours after curfew began.

“Took you long enough, lovesick dog,” the King of Curses spat, and that’s when Itadori realised it must be true!

He wastes no time the next morning, not even allowing you you complete your morning greeting before he’s blurting out:

“Do you…love me, by any chance?”

He’d set himself up for failure, convincing himself that this was one big mistake because how could you ever truly love someone like him-

“Yeah. Why?”

“Well, I’m sorry, I was just- wait, what?”

Your laughter lifts all the weight off of his shoulders, and when you take his face in your hands, Itadori wonders why he was such a fool in the first place.

The love and adoration you hold for silly Itadori Yuuji has always been the most obvious thing in the world.

#jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen fanfic #jujutsu kaisen imagines #jujutsu kaisen scenarios #jjk #jjk x reader #jjk imagines #itadori yuuji #itadori yuuji x you #itadori x y/n #itadori yuuji x reader #yuuji x reader #itadori x reader #itadori imagine #itadori scenarios #drabbles #fluff #answered

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errythinisblue · 2 years

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Hello, first I want to say that I love your post, and second could yyou do a Ruben Dias one in which he takes a day off to take care of you when you're sick

Hiii babe! Thank you for your lovely request 🤍 Here it is! I really hope you’ll like it!🤍

A big koala boyfriend.

Rúben Dias x Y/N

Summary: When you start to feel sick during your work shift, your boyfriend comes to the rescue.

Warnings: none.

gif credit to @ruben-dias

You work day was far from being over. It was early in the afternoon, and since the moment you stepped foot at your workplace this morning you’ve felt absolutely exhausted. You knew you shouldn’t have gone to the game on Tuesday night, but you couldn’t keep yourself from doing so; Rúben would have led the team as City’s captain, and God only knows how much you missed seeing him wear that armband. You softly smiled as you remembered how your heart was threatening to beat out of your chest at the sight of him in his blue kit, number 3 big on his back and the yellow Captain armband wrapped tightly around his bicep as the match was about to start. You were so proud of him, so proud of how hardworking and talented he was that you didn’t really care about how freezing it was at the Etihad, too concerned about your centre-back to notice how much you were shivering from the cold, and too preoccupied with keeping your eyes on him.

You were sure the way you’ve been feeling since this morning was connected to that night, and you could only hope that you didn’t catch a cold. But your hope wasn’t enough as you could feel a headache coming, and by the way you were starting to sweat too you knew you were about to come down with a fever. There was no way you could work in these conditions, but your only hope was for Rúben to pick up his phone and come pick you up, as he was supposed to do so when you were done with your shift, since the two of you happened to finish at the same time strangely enough.

“Pick up please…” you silently begged for your boyfriend to pick up his phone.

“Hey baby, everything alright??” he asked as it was unusual for you to call him while you both were at work.

“Hey, yeah I just don’t feel that good and I wondered if you could come earlier to-” you were saying before he cut you off.

“I’ll pick you up right now, no need to say anything more baby I’m on my way…” he said, sounding worried.

“Are you sure you can? I can wait some more…” you tried to say but he was having none of it.

“I can and I will, I’ll take the rest of the day off don’t worry your pretty little head…” he told you, “I’ll be there in ten baby okay? I love you…”

“Thank you I love you too…” you said before ending the call; you really couldn’t wait to see Rúben now, as your muscles were aching and you dreamed about being in his arms and never leave them.

As soon as he told you he was out front, you opened the door to walk out in the street; a gentle breeze hit you straight in the face, making you shiver as you tried to hid every part of your exposed skin in your jacket. That’s when the chills took the place of the sweating, and there you knew you were fucked. As you were trying to keep the cold away, you noticed Rúben’s car right in front of you; the warm light coming from the sun was painting his face in orange and yellow as he was looking at you through the rolled down window.

“Hey…” he softly smiled at you, taking in the pale color of your face.

“C-can you turn the heating on p-please?” your croaky voice didn’t go unnoticed by Rúben, who quickly rolled up his window as he turned the heating on for you.

“Is your throat hurting baby?” he asked, his soft voice had a slightly worried tone as he looked at you.

“No but I-I’m freezing…” you spoke quietly as you tried to warm yourself up some more by placing your hands between your thighs, “I think I’m getting a fever…”

“Come here, let me feel your forehead…” he instructed as he gently pulled your head towards him to place his lips on your skin, “Baby you’re burning up! How long have you been feeling like this??” he asked, clearly preoccupied now.

“Not long baby really… I called you when I felt I was getting worse…” you whispered as you leaned your head into his touch.

“Worse?? Why didn’t you call me sooner?” he argued, “I could have picked you up…”

“Can we just go home please? My head is pounding Rúben…” you whined, frowning as you really didn’t want to argue with him right now.

“Of course babe, I’m sorry I raised my voice at you…” he murmured as he didn’t want your headache to get worse, “Let’s go home, I’ll come up with something to make you feel better…”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” you softly smiled as your glossy eyes locked in his, “you’re just acting like my big, overprotective koala boyfriend…” you breathed a laugh as Rúben giggled, turning the engine on and pushing on the gas pedal as he set the car into motion.

“I only clung to your side for one day, and I was injured!” he laughed at the nickname you called him with since he was spending his time at home, recovering from his injury, “It happened almost two months ago, and I’m still your koala boyfriend??”

“You’ll always be my big koala boyfriend.” you stated, shivering as you moved around your seat.

“Okay…” he chuckled as he placed his hand on top of yours between your legs, “As your big koala boyfriend I’d like to know if we have everything you need at home, like paracetamol? Tissues? Something you’d like to eat, I don’t know…”

“I’m not hungry Rúben…” you whined as just the thought of food made you want to throw up.

“But you have to eat something amor… you can’t take your medicines on an empty stomach…” he protested, taking your hand to his lips and kissing it as you sighed at the feeling of his warm skin against yours. “Look I’m gonna have to stop to buy what we need, are you okay to wait in the car? I can take you home first if you want…”

“Baby I probably have a fever, I’m not dying…” you giggled as he parked the car right in front of the shop.

“Hey I was just trying to be nice!” he playfully rolled his eyes at you as he opened his car door, “You know, as you really look like death warmed up!” he snickered as he got out of the car in a haste, to escape your revenge, “I’ll be quick!” he laughed before he stuck his tongue out at you, looking at you through the glass as you shook your head at him.

He really was quick! After barely ten minutes, he was walking out the shop with two bags full of so many things you automatically put your face in your hands; he probably bought all those things because he wanted to spoil you, he always did when he had the chance but when you were sick he would go all in to make you feel better.

“Rúben there was no need for you to buy everything they had in the shop…” you softly laughed as soon as your boyfriend opened his car door, making you shiver as the cold air hit your body.

“I think you’ll change your mind when you’ll see what’s in the bags…” he winked at you, placing his lips on your forehead once again to control your temperature, “How are you feeling right now?”

“Like shit…” you breathed a laugh once again, before you yawned just as Rúben was about to reverse the car.

“I’m gonna take care of you baby, don’t worry okay?” he murmured sweetly, taking your hand in his and leaving a kiss on your knuckles once again, before he rested your hand in his lap as he held it safely in his own while he drove you both home.

He parked the car right in front of your house; he didn’t bother parking it in the garage, as he only wanted you to be safe in the warmth of your house as fast as it was humanly possible.

“Rúben it’s so so cold…” you whined as soon as he opened your car door.

“I know baby I know,” he whispered as he crouched down in front of you, “but you have to get inside, you’re tired and feverish, I don’t want you to stay out here in the cold a minute longer.” he tried to reason with you as he looked at your droopy eyes, “Fancy a piggy back ride?” he laughed as he stroked your thigh.

“Please…” you moaned as you leaned your head back against the headrest.

“C’mon then, I’ll carry you inside…” he said in his usual sweet, soothing voice, while he turned his back to you.

“You’re the best boyfriend ever…” you mumbled as you wrapped your arms around his neck and your legs around his waist. He effortlessly got up on his feet again like you weighed nothing, and after he turned his face to the side to kiss your warm cheek, he carried you inside.

“Are you okay to stand now babe? Should I carry you to bed?” Rúben asked you while he closed the front door.

“Here is okay…” you breathed as you slowly unwrapped yourself from him, “I have to leave my jacket here anyway…”

“I’ll help you…” he offered as he stood in front of you, his City jacket still on, but his priority was you now, the rest could wait.

“Thank you,” you weakly smiled as you felt his hands graze your body, “you really are the best…”

“If you don’t stop saying this I might have to believe it,” he giggled as he took in your sleepy appearance, “now come on, I’ll run you a bath, we’ve got to lower that fever of yours…” he said as he took you in his arms once again and carried you to the bathroom.

“Are you gonna join me?” you softly asked your boyfriend as you watched him preparing your bath; you didn’t mean it like a dirty proposition, in all honesty you couldn’t help but want him close to you.

“Just relax now babe,” he said as he helped you out of your clothes, “I’m gonna go and take the bags out of the car, start the dinner and then I’ll join you okay?”

“Mh hm…” you nodded before you hissed as your right foot touched the water, Rúben was helping you by holding your hand as you lowered your body in the lukewarm water, “Did you really have to make it this cold?” you said through gritted teeth, as you could feel the water’s effect on your body already.

“There was really no point in running you a warm bath when you have a fever baby… I’m sorry.” he admitted, showing you a sympathetic smile before he walked out of the bathroom.

You didn’t know how much time it passed since you closed your eyes, you only knew you did it as soon as Rúben closed the door. You noticed you must have fell asleep when you woke up with a gentle hand stroking your hair, a feather light touch that was making you lean your head further into it. When you opened your eyes you were feeling slightly better, your head wasn’t feeling that heavy anymore and once you looked into those brown eyes that you loved so much you knew you would be okay as long as you had Rúben by your side.

“Hey you…” he breathed, “Feeling better?”

“I am…” you rasped, “How long did I sleep?”

“Ten minutes,” he laughed as he watched your shocked expression, you really thought you were asleep for half an hour at least, “I took everything out of the car and I started cooking dinner before I came to check on you and found you asleep in the bath tub…”

“I think I have to get out of the water or else I’ll risk falling asleep again…” you chuckled as Rúben was gently stroking your forehead, checking your temperature to see if the bath worked the way it should.

“Do you want me to grab your bathrobe?” he asked as he stood back on his feet, while his eyes never left your body.

“Yes please babe…” you smiled as you slowly stood, waiting for Rúben to come back so that he could help you out of the bath tub.

“Here…” he said as he wrapped you up in that soft, fluffy robe you loved so much, “Give me your hand, I’ll help you.”

“Thank you my love,” you smiled as he was dabbing your face with a clean towel to dry your skin, “I love you…”

“I love you too baby,” he grinned as he pressed a kiss to your cheek, “now, come with me, I’ll give you one of my shirts to wear…”

“You know me so well…” you softly laughed at how caring your boyfriend was being, you really thought you couldn’t get any more lucky.

“Of course I do, none of my clothes is mine anymore…” he giggled as he watched you flop down on the bed, still in your bathrobe.

“Hey that’s not true!” you whined, “And you can’t tell me off, I’m sick. You should be taking good care of me instead of scolding me…”

“Am I not taking good care of you?” he questioned as he walked out of the closet, your favorite shirt of his in his right hand and the sweater he just removed from his torso in the other.

“Not when you say I steal your clothes.” you pouted as you turned your head to look at him, noticing the sweater in his hand that looked much more inviting than the shirt, as you were starting to shiver once again.

“But it’s true!” Rúben laughed as he offered you his shirt, standing right in front of you, “Here take this, I know it’s your favorite…”

“Can I have the sweater too?” you whispered, pointing at the sweater in his hand.

“Babe I was just wearing this, I’ll give you a clean one if you want-” he said as he sat down on the bed next to you.

“That’s the point Rúben, it smells like you…” you sighed, your eyes falling shut again as you rested your head on his thigh, “You didn’t train in it did you?” you joked as you peeked at him through one eye.

“You know I didn’t babe…” he giggled, stroking your cheek as he checked his watch, “Come on now, I’ll help you get your clothes on, or well my clothes…”

“Okay daddy…” you chuckled as your thoughts were starting to get blurry, a signal that your fever was rising again.

“You’re not funny babe, c’mon wear this…” he said as he helped you put his sweater on, noticing how hot your skin was once again, “I’m gonna bring you your dinner and your medicines, you just lay down okay?”

“Okay…” you laughed as you laid down under the warm duvet.

“Hey wake up sleepyhead,” Rúben whispered as he put the tray on your bed table, “I have a surprise for you…”

“I’m so tired amor…” you mumbled as you were already drifting off once again.

“You really have to get a fever to speak portuguese to me??” he joked as he sat down next to you, “Come on baby, eat this, take your medicines and then I’ll let you sleep I promise…”

“You really promise?” you asked, propping your body up on your elbows as you looked at the bowl of soup in his hands.

“I’ll feed you if you want, but you have to eat…” he pouted, silently begging you to eat something, “I even cooked my mother’s soup, the one you’re fond of…”

“You did? For me?” you were shocked to hear this, and you immediately sat up in bed as your mouth was watering just by smelling the food he cooked.

“I promised I would take care of you didn’t I?” he smiled as he grabbed the spoon from the tray and started feeding you.

Once you ate the soup and took your pills, you and Rúben laid down in bed; the both of you were focused on cuddling, before you would eventually fall asleep in each other’s arms. He was slowly stroking your back as your arm circled his waist, while your leg crossed his naked thigh; his warm skin against your own was providing you with the biggest sense of safety you’ve ever felt, and the fact that he took care of you when you were feeling like shit was making you feel even safer as you laid in his arms.

“Hey what was the surprise you were talking about?” you murmured in his neck, your eyes closed as you relished in the feeling of his big hands on your sore body.

“Are you sure you’re ready for it?” he smiled as he kissed all over your face, “You wanna see it now?”

“I do, I can’t wait anymore Rúben…” you giggled under his attack.

“Wait here!” he winked as he got out of bed, giving you a full view of his naked back and his firm butt covered only by a pair of black boxers.

“Gladly…” you chuckled once again, at the thought you’d have the chance to admire his naked body when he would come back to you.

“You shouldn’t get dirty thoughts when you’re sick baby, it’s not good for you!” he tutted as he walked back into the bedroom, hiding something behind his back, “Now, are you ready for what I’m about to show you?”

“I am!” you sat up in a hurry, feeling your head pounding as you did so, “Ouch…”

“You okay??” Rúben frowned as he looked at you holding your head in your hands.

“Yeah, I just sat up too quickly I suppose …” you said, “Now what about my surprise??”

“Okay…3…2…1…” he giggled as he was just as impatient to show you his surprise as you were to see it, “Tah dah!!!” he exclaimed as he showed you a big stuffed animal. A big, fluffy koala bear was in Rúben’s hands, as he held it out to you.

“Awww babe you didn’t have to do that…” you cooed, “oh my God it’s so cute! I love it! I love it, and I love you!” you said as you kneeled on the bed and wrapped your arms around Rúben’s torso, holding him as close as you could, already feeling better as the medicines were working their magic, together with your boyfriend’s unconditional care.

“I had to! I couldn’t resist it, it was too cute! And I thought about you when I saw it so it had to be yours…” he confessed as he stroked your hair, the furry koala crushed in the middle of your bodies, “In that way you’re gonna have a little koala with you when I’m away…”

“Believe it or not, you’re the best boyfriend ever…” you smiled as you pressed countless kisses on his cheek.

“I love you amor…” he giggled upon hearing that nickname once again.

“I love you too, my big koala boyfriend.”

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sunshine-in-a-bottle · 2 years

Note

I think someone should give c!Dream new eggs to protect. I think this would fix him

(I have given him new eggs. They are called hermits and they will love him very much.)

Pearl wanders through the woods of this server, another place to build, another game to play, and its beautiful out. Light dapples the trees as she wanders and wonders what this world will become when they are done with it. Explosions, traps, delight in the hunt when the hunt truly starts, and when its over Scott will smile at her. They are still friends. They are all still friends.

The woods grow darker as Pearl slips deeper into their shadows, leaves hiding away the light. She thinks idly of the monsters the hide there, but they are irrelevant in her search for the borders of their arena. If she is hit it will not be the end of the world. This is only game, after all, and while she wants to win, its pointless to succeed if she never gets to enjoy herself.

She finds the border. Of course she does. The barrier is solid red against the green of the forest. It warns her not to get too close, but she presses her palm against it and watches the light ripple from her touch.

She looks away from it for only a moment, and nearly flinches back at the figure sitting on the other side.

"Oh! Sorry about that. Didn't realize this place wasn't empty."

This is not a player she recognizes, but he must be a player, because he is green. Green as life itself, his cloak tattered and dirty but still so bright. His hair looks a bit matted, like he didn't have the energy to wash it, but its swept back enough that the green of existence is in his iris.

He blinks at her. He does not try to get up from where he sits, half concealed in the underbrush. Instead his nose scrunches in confusion. Its incredibly endearing.

"Now how'd you get all the way over there?" She teases. She remembers the broken barrier from another session, so really, it isn't surprising at all that this would happen again. The green life opens his mouth, but he doesn't speak. A forked tongue flicks out, once, twice, before he closes his mouth and lets a hint of fang peek out.

"You're a snake hybrid, then? Very cool," she tells him, because it is. When he tilts his head at her, she taps her skull and grins. "I'm something of a celestial body myself, you know how it is."

Well, he probably doesn't, but he slowly begins to uncoil from his spot on the forest floor, lifting himself up with a strange grace she's never seen before. It might be a snake thing, or a him thing. Its quite neat, either way.

"I know its probably tempting to try and hide over there the entire game, like a little secret base, but I think Grian would call it improper conduct. Not very fun, yeah?" Pearl makes note to scold Grian for not telling people when he brought in new players. It was quite like him to only give them half the info. "Since you probably don't know very many people your first time around, you can stick by me. I won my last game, so you're getting a bit of an advantage here."

And yeah, maybe its a little cheeky, but his mouth quirks up in a soft smile. "... I suppose I am."

His voice is rough, low and careful. He shuffles a bit closer, enough for the light to hit silver scars as they spiderwebbed across his face. Something must have hit the poor guy in the face outside of the games, but no matter. Pearl was here to protect him now, and she would do a very good job.

"Have you met anyone here yet? I'm Pearl, by the way, it's nice to meet you!"

She extends her hand. On the other side of the barrier, he hesitates before reaching through to shake it. The red gives way to him like his hand is emerging from a lake. (Rippling, Rippling, what's that old story of the lady of the lake-?)

"I'm Dream," He says, and she steps back to pull him through. The name is familiar, but most of the names here were familiar before they were friends.

"Very nice. I think we'll have a good time. I don't know all the rules this time around, but I'm sure someone else will." His eyes were red rimmed, she noted with alarm, but he didn't seem like he was going to cry. Just wary and puzzled, towering over her but not intimidating. Just a man. A tall, sad, snake man.

(Is that what she looked like when Scott left her last game? A green life shouldn't look so withdrawn.)

"... well, what do you know?" Dream asks. She doesn't let go, pulling him along back the way she came.

'Scott will like this one,' she thinks to herself as she explains the rules. He's ever so polite, never interrupting for a moment. Its calming, and while she might already be gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss again with Cleo and Scott, she would be willing to find a new name for them all when she brought him into their little group.

#my writing #god killer dream au #this is going to be multiple chapters sorry for the inconvenience #this was probably not at all what you were thinking of when you sent this wjfjedjsksk

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rosie-b · 11 months

Text

True Blue

Chapter 4: A Stylus Girl (8269 words)

The Evillustrator raised his hand to draw out a weapon, but suddenly, he froze.

His hand was empty. There was no stylus for him to draw with.

“Hey, Evillustrator!” a voice called out from the boat floating aimlessly down the Seine. Marinette stood on the deck, tied to the railing and holding the stylus high in her free hand. “This is what you get for manhandling me and hurting my friend!”

You can read the whole chapter below or on AO3!

Marinette had never thought her first date would be with a mind-controlled villain, but here she was, taking a ‘romantic’ boat ride down the Seine with Hawk Moth’s newest akuma.

At least the Evillustrator isn’t following any special instructions from Hawk Moth right now, Marinette thought gratefully as she adjusted the gold-tipped rose she’d placed behind her ear. If I had to fool two people into thinking I like Nathaniel back instead of just one, I think I’d crack under the pressure.

Looking out over the Seine from the boat’s deck, Marinette rested her hands on the railing and gazed across the water at the people along the shore, wondering if they had noticed her boat’s unusual captain yet. He wasn’t as obviously akumatized as Stoneheart had been, but his light purple skin and bold costume were obviously the work of Hawk Moth, weren’t they?

“Would you like anything to drink, Marinette?” Nathaniel’s voice interrupted Marinette’s thoughts.

She gingerly turned from the railing to return Nathaniel’s gaze and tried to ignore the unnatural ice that she found there.

“I can make anything you want, even draw up a completely new drink, just for you!” the Evillustrator offered. His enthusiasm didn’t match her memories of the quiet boy she’d known in school.

Marinette forced a smile onto her thin lips. “Thanks, Nathaniel, but I’m okay for now.”

The Evillustrator was crueler than she’d thought at first. She’d asked him to erase the mountain in Adrien’s room, and he had, but with no warning, leaving Adrien and Chat Grise to fall down from the ceiling’s height. She hoped he wasn’t hurt. She was tentatively confident that Chat Grise wouldn’t have been hurt by that fall, either, but she didn’t know for sure how much protection her suit offered.

She hoped they were both okay.

She hoped that Chat Grise and Golden Bug would come soon. They always knew just what to do, exactly what object the akumas went into, exactly how to break them and win the fight.

The Evillustrator frowned. “Are you sure? I’ve been dying to test my new powers out and see how far they’ll go. I could make you a mocktail that tastes like it has real alcohol in it, or lemonade that changes colors as you drink, or anything else you or I think up! What do you say, Marinette? I want this date to be perfect,” he said earnestly.

Marinette suppressed her flinch before the Evillustrator could see it.

“Nathaniel, there’s a violet shadow around your eyes,” she said, trying hard to keep the bitterness out of her tone. “You’re still akumatized. Do you really think any date could ever be perfect like this?”

The Evillustrator scoffed. “Me being akumatized doesn’t change who I am, Marinette. As long as we care for each other, that’s what matters most, isn’t it?”

Marinette brushed a speck of dust off the boat’s railing. “If that’s what matters most, then why worry about whether I want a drink right now or not? Let’s just enjoy the ride, Nathaniel. Maybe we could head below deck and watch the Seine flow around us. You could make the hull invisible, like you did with the chariot we rode off in. It would be just you and me,” Marinette offered.

“That sounds nice,” Nathaniel said, the shadow around his eyes lightening a little. “And very romantic. But being here, dating you, is only part of my dream, Marinette. I want more than that. Come back to school, Marinette,” Nathaniel whispered, and his eyes gleamed as he stepped closer to her, ignoring the way she backed into the rail of the boat. “Alya can only do so much to stop Chloe’s bullying. That rich brat is still the most powerful person in school. And maybe you being there wouldn’t change that, but it would make everything so much more bearable! Why did you let that bastard Agreste get to you? Were we, your friends, not enough to keep you at school just a little longer? Don’t you even care a little about us? You’re not even old enough to become M. Agreste’s apprentice anyway, Marinette! He’s probably just using you for free labor, and you’re letting him and his son take advantage of you! So listen carefully, Marinette: You need to come back to François-Dupont before it’s too late. There’s no—”

Nathaniel fell onto his knees and clutched his head as Marinette gaped at him, her eyes wide in horror as the shadow around his eyes darkened, and a glowing butterfly outline appeared over his face. Marinette reached out, her hand shaking, waving her fingers through the glowing light delicately. Nothing happened.

Then Nathaniel reached out, grabbing her hand in his and squeezing it like a vice.

“If you won’t date me, will you at least come back to school?” he begged, a wild, desperate look in his eye.

Marinette tried to free her hand from his grasp, but found he was too strong for her. His stylus dug into her palm as he gripped her, and she knew it would leave a mark.

Panicked, she cried out, “What do you mean, if I won’t date you? I’m on a date with you now, aren’t I?”

Nathaniel let out a low, dark chuckle. “Oh, but we both know you’re smarter than that, Marinette,” he said in a voice that didn’t quite sound like his own. “You’re using yourself as bait, aren’t you? Staying out in the open so long, making sure everyone can see us together and report our location to the ‘heroes,’” he spat out, “Then trying to distract me by suggesting we go under the deck and watch pollution pass us by in the water. Meanwhile, Golden Bug and Chat Grise would arrive above deck, and I wouldn’t notice in time to do anything about it! Oh, you’re smart, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” the Evillustrator said with a bark of a laugh, “But Hawk Moth is smarter, I’m afraid. So you want to be the bait, huh? Wouldn’t that leave you a bit too tied up to ruin my plans?”

Switching the hand that was holding her prisoner, the Evillustrator used his stylus to sketch something on his tablet. A rope appeared in the air, and the Evillustrator quickly tied it around Marinette’s wrist before she could free herself from his grasp.

Although her heart pounded so hard and quickly that she was afraid it would fall out of her chest, and her fingertips were beginning to go numb, Marinette didn’t stop struggling against her captor. But the Evillustrator was already securing the other end of the rope to the railing.

“I wouldn’t fight back, if I were you,” he said in a cool voice, catching Marinette’s wild punches with both his hands. Again, the stylus dug into her palm. “Who knows what kind of fish will bite if you fall into the water.”

Stepping away from the railing, the Evillustrator raised his head and looked into the distance with his fists clenched at his side.

“I can see you, you know,” he called out. A zipping noise followed by a metallic clank reached Marinette’s ears, and she whipped her head around to see what Nathaniel saw.

“Taking innocent civilians hostage is never the right move, Hawk Moth!” Golden Bug called out as he stood on the riverbank, ready to challenge the Evillustrator. To his left, Chat Grise was shooing curious bystanders, one news van, and Alya Cesaire away from the area.

“Does it count if they volunteered for the role?” the Evillustrator jeered. Tugging Marinette’s rope until she stumbled back from the railing, he scowled at the heroes as they readied their weapons for a fight. “Let’s make this easy, shall we? You already lost to me once. Just hand over your Miraculous, and Marinette won’t get hurt. But if you refuse to, well!”

He jerked the rope again and Marinette fell to the deck, her vision greying at the edges as her breath caught in her throat and lost itself on the way in and out. A violent shudder ran through her, and she cursed herself for ever leaving the safety of Adrien’s room. Surely Chat Grise would have found a solution eventually, right? She could have cataclysmed the mountain, and then at least she and Adrien would have had a pile of ash to cushion their fall instead of the hard floor. The fight could have been over by now if she hadn’t had this dumb idea!

“If you think we’ll give up our Miraculous to some guy who’s willing to tie up his date, then you’re out of your mind,” Golden Bug growled. “Release Marinette now and maybe I’ll stop Chat Grise from cataclysming that grin off your face!”

“I guess I don’t make as good of a bait as you thought, Hawk Moth,” Marinette said quietly, her voice growing stronger as she accepted that she’d done all she would be able to. She’d made the right choice, or at least she’d done the best that she could. And the heroes had never failed yet!

They need to save Nathaniel, she thought solemnly as she watched Nathaniel leap off the boat with a growl, summoning a sword to strike out at Chat and Golden with. The boy who’d endured Chloe silently with her would never have acted like this on his own. This had all turned out to be Hawk Moth’s doing in the end.

“You just don’t want to let me save Marinette from the Agrestes!” the Evillustrator howled as he leapt backwards to protect himself from the heroes’ attacks. “You want me to be lonely and friendless again! You’re letting Chloe win, you’re letting all the genteel win! They’re a plague on Paris!” he cried in anguish.

“All of them, really? That’s quite an extreme view,” Golden Bug shot back as he threw his yo-yo at the akuma.

The Evillustrator raised his hand to draw out a weapon to defend himself with as he dodged, but suddenly, he froze.

His hand was empty. There was no stylus for him to draw with.

“What?” He gasped and spun around, looking on the ground to see if he’d dropped it during his maneuvering, but there was nothing there. Meanwhile, Golden Bug threw his yo-yo again, successfully wrapping Nathaniel in it like a fly caught in a spider’s web.

For some reason, Golden Bug looked almost starstruck as he gazed across the river at Marinette. She blushed nervously as Chat Grise smiled and used her pole to vault onto the deck.

“If I may?” she asked in that quiet voice of hers, an approving look in her eye.

Marinette barely managed to nod as she handed the stylus off to the holder of destruction, and her blush deepened as she took in the hero’s appearance up close. Chat Grise had wide brown eyes, jet black hair with green tips, and thin green piping like stripes along the sides of her black suit. She was strong, stylish, and sure of herself as she cataclysmed the stylus, releasing the akuma.

As the boat and the rope faded from existence, Chat Grise grabbed Marinette and leapt to shore, not even getting Marinette’s shoes wet as they landed safely by Golden Bug, who had caught the akuma and was releasing it in its white, purified form.

Instead of waving the butterfly off like he usually did or asking the formerly akumatized Nathaniel if he was okay, Golden Bug turned his grass-green eyes on Marinette, and his brows knitted together nervously as he clipped his yo-yo back on his waist and stepped towards her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, sincerity in every word and swimming in his eyes, and Marinette felt her heart skip a beat.

“I- I’m fine,” she stuttered out, a blush strong on her cheeks.

Nathaniel groaned weakly as Chat Grise helped him up from the ground, where Golden Bug had pinned the Evillustrator during the fight.

Golden Bug’s eyes peered anxiously into Marinette’s own. “Are you sure? That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do,” he said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck anxiously.

Then his eyes flashed angrily. “And it was also the dumbest! What if the Evillustrator had caught on to your plan? What if Chat Grise wasn’t able to get you to shore in time? What if the akuma wasn’t even in the stylus?”

Marinette couldn’t help herself. She smiled as the hero spluttered his upset concerns at her.

“I had faith in you,” she said simply. “It’s something I’ve learned always pays off, when it come to you and Chat Grise. It’s hard to find someone like you two, someone who you can really depend on to have your back through thick and thin. I’ve never really had that kind of person before, but both of you are willing to be them, not just for me, but for all of Paris. Helping you just a little by finding the akuma was the least I could do in return.”

Golden Bug’s jaw had gone slack sometime during Marinette’s short speech, and a blush was staining his cheeks, too, now.

“You still should be careful,” Chat Grise muttered, brushing her bangs out of her eyes as Nathaniel, still dazed, leaned on her shoulder. “We can’t have your back all the time. And you need to have a back for us to protect it.”

Golden Bug’s jaw shut with a snap. “Right! What she said! We can’t protect you if you’re too dead to protect,” he scolded, taking Marinette by the arm and marching her off in the direction of the Agreste mansion. “Well, we could still protect your body, I suppose. But that’s just too grave of a situation for me to think about,” he said with a shudder.

Marinette held back a laugh as the city’s hero stumbled over a curb he hadn’t seen in time.

“Hey, how do you know where to take me? Did Chat Grise fill you in on the action you missed?”

Golden Bug froze, getting his bearings after his near fall. “Uhhhh yes, she did,” he said uncertainly. He nodded, once and then once more, firmer this time. “Yes. You take classes with Adrien Agreste, right? That’s what the model said, at least. Do you like studying with him?” he asked, anxious to avoid talking about his little stumble, apparently.

Marinette grinned. “Yes! He’s like an unfair amount smarter than me, so he always finished his work first, which is annoying, but he’s so sweet and nice about it,” she gushed, spreading her arms expressively and twisting her neck so that she could look up at Golden Bug as she walked. He listened attentively, a light flush covering his cheeks.

“Don’t tell anyone, though,” Marinette continued, twisting her hands together as she kept walking, “but he’s not going to be homeschooled for much longer. He’s going to start attending François-Dupont,” she said proudly.

“O-oh, really?” Golden Bug’s voice cracked mid-sentence. Marinette smiled.

“Yep! Once we talk to his father, he’ll be joining the other students. It’s like we’re switching places,” she giggled.

Then a shadow crossed over her eyes. Golden Bug looked questioningly at her.

“I really abandoned Nathaniel and the others, didn’t I,” she said glumly. It wasn’t even a question. The stone dropping down in her stomach was an answer on its own.

Golden Bug swallowed, reaching out and hesitating like he wasn’t quite sure what to do. He settled for resting his hand lightly on her shoulder.

“I don’t think so,” he said gently. “You did what was best for you, and that meant switching schools. But you’re happy, right?”

Marinette nodded, her eyes shining as she looked up at the hero timidly offering comfort to her, a stranger who’d endangered her life recklessly, risking the outcome of his fight, and then started talking about her own problems, like he didn’t have enough of his own to worry about. He really is amazing, she thought as she wiped her eyes and sniffed once or twice.

“Then that’s all that matters. You can still keep up with your friends, you know. I... might not know how strict M. Agreste is, but I’m sure you can convince him to give you some free time for a friend date if you can convince him to send his own son to public school. And hey, you’ve already helped us beat an akuma, which I’m still not over, by the way. You’re pretty awesome, Marinette. Don’t beat yourself for having your talent recognized and taking advantage of an opportunity like this.”

Marinette felt her cheeks warm slightly as she looked at Golden Bug in awe.

“Thank you,” she said, stunned by the sincerity in his voice as he spoke about her talent. And had he sounded impressed by her plan to defeat the Evillustrator?

Golden Bug looked away with a flush. “Well, we’re here,” he said, gesturing to the mansion’s gates with a flourish.

Marinette blinked. “Wow,” she said. “We were much closer than I thought!”

Golden Bug smiled. “Well of course, I would never have made a princess like you walk all the way across the city! If the mansion were further away, we would’ve swung here on my yo-yo, instead.”

Marinette’s cheeks heated further as she imagined how that would look, her pressed close against the hero’s lithe body as he carried her across the city, the sun reflecting in his gorgeous green eyes...

“Well, thank you!” she said abruptly, shaking herself. “Sorry for unloading on you back there. I wasn’t planning on bugging you, I swear.”

Golden Bug blinked once and then smiled. “You didn’t bug me at all, Marinette! But do know what does?”

Marinette frowned in confusion. “What?”

Golden Bug’s smile grew into a predatory grin. “Aphids,” he said jubilantly.

Marinette blinked.

Golden Bug’s smile faded slightly as he waited for her to get the joke.

“Get it? Because ladybugs eat aphids? And I’m wearing a ladybug suit?”

“Is that what it is?” Marinette asked politely, even though she already knew the answer.

Sighing, Golden Bug drooped over, head and arms dangling dramatically near his knees.

“Well, I tried,” he said, and Marinette giggled at his theatric display.

At the sound of her laughter, Golden Bug straightened up with a hopeful smile.

“Ah, so you do get my jokes! I’m hilarious, right?” he asked playfully.

Marinette shook her head as she stifled the rest of her giggles. “Only sometimes,” she teased. “You’re too full of yourself to be funny all the time.”

Dramatically raising a hand to his brow, Golden Bug declared, “If the lady insists, it must be so! But we don’t have the time to talk about my bold personality any further. Your teacher and that Agreste kid must be waiting for you, right?”

Marinette winced. “They probably are,” she agreed.

Golden Bug nodded and took a deep breath as he looked at Marinette solemnly. “Well, I’ll leave you to it, then. Have a good day, Princess,” he said sincerely.

Then he dropped to one knee in front of Marinette. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, and he gently took her hand, the one which had been tied to the railing of the boat, in his. As a ruddy blush covered Marinette’s cheeks, Golden Bug pressed an almost reverent kiss to her knuckles, staring deep into her eyes as he did so. A shiver ran down Marinette’s spine, and she stared back at the boy kneeling in front of her, unsure of just what was happening.

In an effort to return the conversation to some semblance of normalcy, Marinette stammered out, “Day you good too!”

Although she was hyperaware of her misspoken words and the blush on her face, Marinette couldn’t look away from Golden Bug as he stood up and stepped back from her. He squeezed her hand once before letting go of it and shot her a teasing yet affectionate smile as he prepared to leave.

“Bug out!”

With a quick salute, Golden Bug swung off on his yo-yo, away from the mansion.

Marinette stood still in front of its gates, her hand half-raised as she watched the hero vanish behind the city buildings.

“Marinette!”

A voice came from behind her, and she jumped as she recognized Nathalie’s voice coming from the security panel on the gate.

“Oh! Ms. Sancoeur,” she exclaimed nervously, walking over to the camera peering at her with its red eye. “Sorry for missing the start of lessons, I got a bit tied up,” she giggled, and fought the urge to slap herself.

Ms. Sancoeur hummed. “Well, since Adrien missed the start, too, and because you were just held hostage by an akuma, I would say that it’s okay,” she said, and Marinette wondered if this was her attempt at being humorous.

“Uhh, thanks,” she said uncertainly. The gate cracked open, and a rustling sound came from the security panel.

“Hurry inside, Marinette. We found something in Adrien’s room when we went to check on him after the akuma struck, and I think you and I should talk about it.”

Something in Adrien’s room?

Marinette struggled to remember what she’d been doing before the akuma struck. She’d been with Adrien, of course, going over— the slideshow! As long as it hadn’t been destroyed by the akuma attack, it was open to the presentation she’d drafted up. And if Nathalie and Gabriel saw it, then—

It wasn’t good, to say the least.

Marinette walked into the study room like a prisoner on the way to the scaffold, scratching her hand absent-mindedly. What if she’d just ruined Adrien’s chances of going to public school with her childish attempt at a persuasive slideshow? She’d still had the code names up!

At least she hadn’t had anything criticizing of Gabriel’s parenting style for him to discover, she thought glumly as she halted in the center of the study room and looked up to meet Ms. Sancoeur’s stern gaze and Adrien’s nervous grin.

“H-hello,” she said, and swallowed hard.

“Ms. Dupain-Cheng,” Ms. Sancoeur said in acknowledgement. “Do you have any idea how lucky you are that it was the Gorilla and I who found your laptop, and not Ga— Mister Agreste?”

“You call him that, too?” Marinette asked, and squeaked as Ms. Sancoeur’s gaze hardened.

“Yes, but that’s beside the point. You want to try to convince M. Agreste to let Adrien go to school through a PowerPoint? I told you, he’s not going to listen.”

“No, you didn’t!” Marinette shot back, her heart pounding in her chest. “You said that trying might not not work. Your words,” she said proudly.

Adrien twitched.

“Listen, I don’t want to be a bother,” he said hesitantly. “I already ran away once, and Father still said no. If it’s going to get either of you in trouble, then let’s just forget about sending me to François-Dupont.”

Marinette crossed her arms. “Nonsense!” she cried. “You’re not bugging either of us—” curse you, Golden Bug! “ —and even if you were, it’s practically my job as your friend to make sure you’re happy. And you’ll be happier at school than you are here, so,”

“So?” a deep voice came from behind Marinette. She froze in place, eyes widening as her jaw locked itself in place.

Slowly, she turned around to face Gabriel Agreste, who was looking down at everyone in the room with a pinched expression.

“So, we were wondering how you feel about aphids,” she tried, and flinched in fear and surprise at her own words.

Adrien’s face flattened, and he stepped forward, standing beside Marinette as she faced his father with a horrified look of embarrassment.

“It was my idea,” he said, glancing back at Nathalie, who’d stepped sideways to hide the laptop as she bumped its power button. “I wanted to try asking you about enrolling in François-Dupont. Marinette was just boosting my confidence and repeating something I’d already told her.”

“That you’d be happier at public school than safe inside the mansion?” M. Agreste asked in a voice that, aside from being stern, was devoid of emotion. “Even after Hawk Moth’s rise, even as François-Dupont has become the most targeted place in Paris? You still want to leave the safety of home, Adrien? Are you sure,” he asked, and the light from the windows glinted off his glasses.

Adrien swallowed. “Well, it’s not exactly much safer here,” he said, and then snapped his mouth shut as a flush took over his face. He took a half-step backward, looking up at his father in fear. He grimaced and set his jaw. “Marinette was just attacked,” he said. “I was just knocked off a magic mountain and fell ten feet down without warning. If it wasn’t for Chat Grise, I could easily have been hurt. Marinette, too,” he said, looking at the girl with concern. “Do you really think it’s safer for me here, Père?”

Gabriel raised a single eyebrow as he looked down at his son in surprise.

“Ms. Dupain-Cheng has really convinced you, hasn’t she?” he asked. Adrien opened his mouth to defend her again, but Gabriel raised his hand, cutting him off. “Fine, if you want to go so bad, then I presume you have the papers somewhere?”

Adrien floundered, blinking and tilting his head almost imperceptibly as he stared at his father.

“Uh, yes, well, not exactly, but I do have them! Or the school does,” he said with a nervous chuckle. “Chloe had her father speed me through registration, so you don’t really have to do anything, just go to the school and sign to make it all official.”

M. Agreste pushed his glasses up and hummed consideringly, looking at Marinette out of the corner of his eyes. She held herself stiff and tried to look polite and hopeful without letting the fear she felt leak out into her body language.

“All right, why don’t we all head over together, then?” he asked after a moment. “You, Nathalie, Ms. Dupain-Cheng, and me. I’ll sign you up for classes if you want it... son. Make yourselves presentable; we’ll leave as soon as classes finish at François-Dupont. Ms. Dupain-Cheng, what time would that be?”

“3:38,” she recited promptly. She’d spent the last two years staring at the clock in school and waiting for that time to come, after all. She was probably going to remember it for the rest of her life.

“Such an arbitrary time,” Gabriel sniffed. “That leaves us just over an hour. Nathalie, please call the chauffeur to drive her home for a shower. Golden Bug didn’t cast his Lucky Charm today,” he told Marinette with distaste. “You still smell of the Seine, and it’s not proper for someone representing the Agreste household. I expect you to be rid of the stench by the time we arrive at the school. You'll be giving Adrien a tour of the building, since you know it best.”

Turning around, M. Agreste left just as abruptly as he’d come.

__*__*__*__*__

There was a time, not long ago, when Marinette had thought she’d never step foot into the halls of François-Dupont collège again. Now, as she walked through its doors with Adrien Agreste, his father, and her primary teacher, a distinct sense of wrongness settled in her bones. She didn’t belong here, not after voluntarily leaving school and her classmates behind.

Adrien’s hand brushed lightly against hers as he walked next to her.

“Are you all right?” he asked in an almost inaudible whisper.

Marinette twisted her head around to look at him.

Adrien met her eyes with a concerned look, his eyebrows drawn together in a way that seemed to ask her to trust him with her secrets, no matter how dark they were.

Stupid model training.

Marinette tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and moved a little closer to Adrien as they moved through the halls, M. Agreste and Ms. Sancoeur having taken the lead.

“Just feeling a bit anxious,” she whispered back to Adrien. “It feels weird being back here.”

Adrien nodded. “That makes sense. You know, they could have found someone else to give me a tour of the building, you know? If you knew it would make you uncomfortable, you shouldn’t have had to come.”

“Your father thinks I’m the one who convinced you to sign up for school,” Marinette replied. “If I don’t at least show you around so that you’ll be ready for class, what kind of message does that send? I’m vouching for François-Dupont’s safety; I should be able to handle a quick tour through it.”

“What are you two whispering about back there?” Gabriel called in a stern voice.

As his voice echoed through the hallway, the few students who were lingering around suddenly stopped staring at the strange family making its way through their school.

“I asked Marinette where we should go first for the tour,” Adrien responded promptly, his shoulders shooting up into a poised position.

“Hmm. And what did you tell him, Ms. Dupain-Cheng?”

Marinette felt her cheeks heat up as she floundered for a reply.

“Oh, uh, the gymnasium sounds good, since every class uses it. O-or the chemistry labs, because there are a lot of those, but they’re all pretty similar!”

“Very well, we shall begin our tour with the chemistry labs.” Gabriel clasped his hands behind his back as the group reached the principal’s door. “Did you let M. Damocles know that we’re coming, Nathalie?”

Ms. Sancoeur adjusted her glasses and tapped something on her tablet.

“Yes, as soon as the trip was announced, sir,” she confirmed.

“Then he will be waiting for us. After you, Nathalie,” Gabriel said, and pulled open the door.

As predicted, M. Damocles was waiting for the group, clicking a pen against his desk as he watched Marinette and the others enter the room and take their seats with an expectant look on his face.

“Good afternoon, Mister Agreste! And company,” he said with a nod.

He sat back in his chair, which creaked loudly. Gabriel frowned and tilted his head.

“So, you’re here to sign Adrien’s papers? I would say it’s a little late in the school year for him to join our school here, but I presume you’ve been keeping his education on schedule, right?”

“Adrien receives only the best lessons possible,” M. Agreste shot back in a cold voice. “You will find him to be ahead of the other students, not behind.”

M. Damocles clicked his pen twice. “All right, sir, I meant no harm by asking a question! Well then, if we’re ready to move on to the signing—”

Suddenly, he stopped talking with a frown.

“Are you also here to sign Marinette up again? Her parents should be here to do it all properly, and anyway, I don’t have the right papers for her.”

“Ms. Dupain-Cheng is only here to give Adrien a tour of the building. After that, she’ll return to the mansion, where she is receiving an education of the same caliber as Adrien’s in the past.”

M. Damocles raised his eyebrow as Marinette wiggled nervously in her chair, the farthest one from the principal’s desk.

“Really? If she’s going to give Adrien a tour — and I suppose I trust her to do that, even if usually it’s the class representative’s job — then the two of them can start their tour while you sign the papers. It works out very well, because the adults need to have a little chat afterwards! No worries, Mister Agreste, it’s just about classroom expectations, school rules, and such. Boring material, but I’m required to go over it.”

Adrien peered around Ms. Sancoeur at his father.

“May we be excused now?” he asked, a hopeful shine in his eyes.

Gabriel sighed.

“Very well. Begin with the chemistry lab, as planned, and don’t waste time,” he said with a hard look at both Marinette and his son.

Marinette gulped as she stood up.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

M. Damocles cleared his throat as she walked to the door.

“You’ll need Adrien’s schedule,” he said, shuffling the papers on the desk as he searched for it. On finding it, he held the schedule out to Marinette, who took it with a quick “Thank you,” and turned back to the door.

“Mind what M. Agreste said, now,” M. Damocles said, barely holding back his amusement as Marinette fumbled to open the door without wrinkling the delicate paper of Adrien’s schedule while he stood helplessly to the side. “No funny business on the tour.”

“No funny business,” Adrien repeated with a smile as Marinette finally got the door open and took an energetic step out of the office. He closed the door behind him as he followed her.

Marinette practically flew down the hallways, going much quicker than she had when M. Agreste was leading the group.

Adrien easily caught up to her.

“Where are we going after the chemistry labs?” he asked curiously.

“Whatever’s closest,” Marinette responded, pausing mid-stride to look down at Adrien’s only slightly wrinkled schedule. “Although it looks like you’ll only be in two classrooms. And you have Ms. Bustier,” she said in surprise. “I would have had her this year, too. Your having Ms. Bustier means Chloe has her, too,” she realized with a gasp. “Maybe taking M. Agreste’s offer was the right choice, after all!”

Adrien lightly bumped his shoulder against hers. “Of course it was,” he said, his expression friendly but vulnerable as he looked at Marinette. “It’s what led to us meeting! And without your help, how would I have convinced Père to let me go to school?”

Marinette offered Adrien a smile. “I’m sure you would have found a way,” she said warmly.

Breaking eye contact abruptly, she turned and gestured to an innocent-looking wood door. “That’s your chemistry lab,” she said. “You’ll have physics, chemistry, and math with Ms. Mendeleiev here, but most of the day you’ll spend with Ms. Bustier. Her room is up three doors, on the left.”

Marinette pointed at the door to Ms. Bustier’s room, and Adrien wandered a little up the hallway to glance at it.

“Got it,” he said. “Are there any other rooms you can show me while we’re here? Chloe said that there was an art room; did you used to go there a lot?”

Marinette shrugged. “Not as often as some of the other students, but yes, I did love the art room here. M. Monlataing is a great teacher! And art club is lots of fun, although I don’t think you can fit it in on your schedule.”

Adrien smiled ruefully. “Probably not, though maybe it’s for the best. I’m nowhere near as good at art as you are! Still, I did always like making crafts with my Maman.”

Marinette looked sympathetically at Adrien. “Well, let’s go to the art room, then! Maybe you’ll get to visit it someday. Your father can’t keep you busy forever! It’s just up the stairs — over this way.”

As they climbed the stairs, the sound of laughter and loud voices faintly reached their ears, and Marinette slowed down, pausing halfway between floors. Adrien looked up at her questioningly, but she didn’t seem to notice him.

“There must be an art club meeting,” she said in a low voice. “Alix will be there, and Rose...” Marinette swung her head around to face Adrien. “Do you think Nathaniel will be there? I never got the chance to talk to him after his akumatization today, when Golden Bug had purified the akuma. He said I’d abandoned him,” she said with tears gathering in her eyes. “I left him and everyone I knew here at school! What if he doesn’t want to see me?”

Adrien swallowed and took her hand in his, running his thumb over the back of her knuckles. “I don’t think you abandoned them,” he said. “And didn’t Nath want to go on a date with you? I think he won’t mind seeing you again. It’s more likely the opposite,” he said, his eyebrows furrowing as he spoke.

Marinette relaxed. “You’re right,” she said, reaching up to wipe under her eyes. “He wants to see me; that’s what made him get akumatized. I just need to be brave.”

“You’re plenty brave, Marinette,” Adrien said with a smile. “We haven’t had a chance to talk about it, but that stunt you pulled in Nath’s boat today? I saw it all. On TV, of course! You were amazing. It scared me to death,” he said, running a hand through his hair with a laugh.

Marinette smiled. “To death, really? I’m surprised your father hasn’t killed me for it yet. Well, next time I save your sorry hide from one of Hawk Moth’s akumas, I’ll be sure to warn you first,” she teased.

“Ha-ha.” Adrien rolled his eyes as they started moving up the stairs again.

As they neared the top, a pair of loudly stomping feet began their furious descent down. But when the feet’s owner saw who was coming upstairs, they promptly stopped, dropping an easel on the stairs. It slid down a few feet and stopped, face-up, displaying a collage of pictures, all of them featuring one Chloe Bourgeois.

“Adrikins?”

Marinette’s stomach churned, and she gripped Adrien’s hand like she was hanging on for dear life.

“Chloe? Are you in the art club here?” Adrien asked, sounding genuinely surprised. “I never knew you were into that kind of thing.”

Chloe huffed. “Well, I am, but those imbeciles won’t let me join their stupid clicky-thing! They say that I’m uninspired. Well, I’m inspiring! My face is the most inspiring face in all Paris, next to yours, of course, Adrichou. They should be lucky to have me in the same room as them! But instead, they wanted to focus on cheering Nathaniel up, and— oh. I didn’t see you there. Why are you holding my Adrikin’s hand? Let go, you’ll contaminate him,” Chloe said with a huff, rushing down the stairs and trying to pry Adrien’s hand out of Marinette’s.

Adrien only tightened his grip on her. “Chloe, this is Marinette. I understand that you’ve met before, under circumstances which should have been more pleasant. And I think you should apologize for what you did to Marinette in the past,” he said firmly, moving his hand away from Chloe’s when she tried to grab it.

Chloe pouted, crossing her arms and jutting out her lip in the most ridiculous manner. Marinette tried to breathe.

“Adrikins, why would I need to apologize to Dupain-Cheng? She hasn’t said anything bad about me, has she?”

Adrien frowned. “Marinette told me that you bullied her, as well as other students, for years. At the very least, I think you should apologize for that if you want to keep being my friend. We’re going to be in the same class together this year, thanks to Marinette, and I’d really like it if you two could make up. There’s no reason to hang on to the past, is there?”

Adrien looked appealingly at Chloe and then Marinette. Marinette looked at him in disbelief. He squeezed her hand reassuringly while Chloe lowered her eyebrows and stared at Adrien’s display. She huffed and put her hand on her hip while behind her, Sabrina ran up with three heavy cans of paint and one golden frame.

Chloe looked back at Sabrina, then Marinette, and finally Adrien. A smile slowly grew on her face.

“I guess I can make up with Dupain-Cheng,” she said casually. “It can’t hurt, after all. Though I’m sure she still smells of the Seine from her little trip earlier today. Not a good look, volunteering to be akuma bait just for a date. It makes you look— well, anyway, you’ll do better in the future, I’m sure,” she hastened to say at Adrien disapproving glare.

Marinette’s jaw tightened. She looked up at Sabrina, who looked back at her with wide, confused eyes.

Suddenly, Chloe clapped her hands together. “Oh! Adrikins, you haven’t met Sabrina, have you?”

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I—”

“Perfect! I’ll go off to a private room with Marinette, and we’ll apologize to each other while you and Sabrina stay here and meet and greet and all that. Be nice to her, she’s just a policeman’s daughter, and you know how poor people are!”

“Actually, I—”

“Ta-ta! Have fun, Adrikins. Mwah!” Chloe blew him a kiss and rushed down the stairs, grabbing Marinette’s wrist as she went. With no choice, Marinette let go of Adrien’s hand and followed Chloe downstairs, looking back at Adrien with a pleading glance. He shot a helpless look back at her, and before she could do anything more, Chloe was shoving her into an open janitor’s closet.

Standing just outside of it, Chloe frowned in disgust.

“Since when do you have the right to talk to my Adrikins?”

Marinette felt a bug crawl on her hand, and she looked down as she tried to scratch it off, but nothing was there.

“I don’t need your permission to talk to my friends, Chloe,” she said, keeping her voice as even as she could. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and her fingers felt sweaty. The lights in the janitor’s closet flickered.

“You need my permission for everything, Dupain-Cheng. Or have you forgotten the lessons I drilled into you? It took so much work, too. Years of it — and you still need to be reminded that you’re nothing compared to me, it seems. So let me say it: You are nothing. You’re lower than the worms under this school, and your only purpose can come from serving me, like the obedient doll that you are. Understand?”

Marinette could feel her pulse jump in her wrist. “I don’t need your permission,” she said, her voice a bit stronger this time. “And I don’t need your ‘lessons.’ And compared to you, I am stronger, braver, and more talented than you ever were. Don’t you know why I left school? It’s the same reason I was with ‘Adrikins,’ as you call him. Gabriel Agreste offered me an apprenticeship. And I took it,” she said with satisfaction as Chloe gasped, scandalized.

For a few seconds, Marinette was able to calm down. She was okay now; she’d left Chloe’s bullying behind. And the others were fine, too, since the Goldenblogger had apparently broken Chloe’s influence over them.

Then a laugh burbled out of Chloe’s mouth. It started out as a trickle and built into a river of laughter, an ocean, wiping Marinette’s last shred of courage away and whisking it into the sea of Chloe’s pride, where it drowned.

“You think that changes anything?! All it changes is who you work for, Dupain-Cheng. Instead of me, you chose Gabriel Agreste. Well, I don’t see how it makes any difference, you being my lackey or the Agrestes’. You’re being put back in your place either way. And how much use can M. Agreste have for you, anyway? What does he say to you, ‘Be a good girl and fetch my sketchbook for me?’ Oh, it’s too perfect! And to think that you really had me worried for a second there. But Adrien will never see you as his equal. You’re just a servant, Dupain-Cheng. Exactly as you should be.”

Chloe stepped back from the closet, smirking as she turned to walk away with a confident swing in her step.

“Have fun cleaning the Agrestes’ lampshades,” she called back mockingly. Her laughter echoed in the janitor’s closet.

Then she was gone.

And Marinette stayed where she was, frozen by Chloe’s words. The light flickered in the closet again, and she shuddered in the flash of dark. There was an ant crawling over her foot, and a spider on her arm. She couldn’t brush them off, though. Their tiny legs kept moving over her skin, taunting her. Laughing at the baker girl who thought she was mightier than them.

“-Dupain-Cheng? Where are you?”

Gabriel Agreste’s impatient voice shook Marinette out of her frozen silence.

“I’m here,” she said, stepping out of the janitor’s closet. She winced as M. Agreste turned around and saw her.

“What on earth are you doing there? Never mind. It’s time to leave. I’ve had enough of this place,” M. Agreste said distastefully as he headed toward the exit. “There is no one here with any functioning cells left in their brain. Adrien and Nathalie are waiting in the car, Ms. Dupain-Cheng, and once we get in with them, we are leaving this place behind. You made the right choice in leaving here. Adrien will be sick of public school in less than a year.”

Marinette stumbled as she tried to catch up with M. Agreste. He glanced back at her but did not stop.

“Try not to be surprised, Ms. Dupain-Cheng; my son is far too perfect to fit in here. He’ll be more comfortable at home. Surely you can see that.”

Marinette swallowed and braced herself against the wall as she gingerly walked behind M. Agreste.

“I see,” she said softly.

The car ride back to the mansion was quiet. Adrien kept glancing guiltily at her, as if he wanted to ask her something. She didn’t have the energy to answer whatever it was.

As the car pulled into the driveway, only Marinette and Gabriel unbuckled their seatbelts. She looked at the others in surprise.

“Nathalie will be taking Adrien shopping for school supplies,” Gabriel explained curtly. “He doesn’t have the right kind of water bottle or notebooks yet, let alone a book bag. He’s never needed one before, so Nathalie will have to select one from an appropriate brand for him. Now, come on,” he urged, and Marinette got out of the car. Immediately, the Gorilla began to back the car out of the driveway.

Adrien waved goodbye as he and the others drove off. Marinette barely raised her hand in reply. As the gates shut after the car, M. Agreste stood with his hands clasped behind his back, frowning deeply.

He turned to Marinette.

“I need some time to wipe the memory of that school from my mind; it was frankly disgusting. I’m going to Emilie’s statue and work on some designs. Bring me my sketchbook from the mansion. It should be in the atelier.”

Marinette looked up with furrowed brows. “What about the rest of my training hours? Did you get my schedule from Nathalie?”

M. Agreste clicked his tongue dismissively. “I won’t require any more of your help today. Once you’ve brought me the sketchbook, you may go.”

He turned and headed to the small rose garden past the steps, where a statue of his wife rested in the shade.

Watching him go, Marinette stood helplessly by the long staircase leading up to the mansion’s doors. With a resigned sigh, she began to climb up them, taking each step slowly and with caution. The world was less stable than it usually was. She could swear that the sun’s light seemed to be flickering. She reached for the handle of the door. Her hand twitched as a phantom spider crawled over it.

“I don’t see how it makes any difference, you being my lackey or the Agrestes’. How much use can he have for you anyway? Be a good girl and fetch my sketchbook for me! Oh, it’s too perfect!”

Marinette gripped the door tightly and pushed it open. The floor was steady. The lights were on.

Her hand still itched.

“Adrien will never see you as his equal. You’re just a servant, Dupain-Cheng. Exactly as you should be.”

Marinette entered the mansion with the stinging sound of Chloe’s laughter in her ears.

A tear rolled down Marinette’s cheek. She brushed it off without noticing that she was crying.

“She’s not right,” Marinette whispered to herself. A hiccup pushed itself out of her throat. “She’s just being mean because she found out that Adrien and I met, and she didn’t know about it. I’m better than what she said. After all, M. Agreste himself offered me this apprenticeship!”

But it wasn’t a real apprenticeship, was it? It was just early training, just an offer to take private lessons and help Nathalie and sometimes M. Agreste with afterwards. It was mostly her, doing the chores of a famous designer.

It was just an excuse for the Agrestes to claim Marinette’s talents before she had the chance to decide for herself what she wanted to do with them.

Marinette pushed the door to the atelier open.

She’d get out of this funk eventually, even if it hurt now to have these thoughts in her head.

Chloe’s words were just jealous lies. Adrien and M. Agreste saw Marinette as more than a lackey or a servant! They called her talented. They wanted to hear her ideas. They could touch her and not worry about ‘poor people germs’ contaminating them. She was wanted and respected here!

Marinette furiously brushed the last tear from her eyes and scanned the room for the sketchbook M. Agreste had asked for.

She didn’t see it anywhere yet, but over by the glass easel he normally used, something was off. There was something unusual.

The safe door was open.

Marinette hadn’t known they had a safe.

#bluewing au #rosie-b writing #ml fanfic #ml au #kwami swap #miraculous ladybug #ml leak free #miraculeakless

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motownfiction · 1 year

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wolf moon

Charlie is back home in Detroit for the wolf moon.

It’s Epiphany, twelve days after Christmas, and he still has some time off before the spring semester begins at the end of the month. Cal doesn’t go back to school until Monday, so until Sunday morning, they’re here: Charlie, Carrie, Cordelia, and Cal, the four C’s, all in one place. It’s been a while since anything like that has happened. Too long. He wouldn’t have even been here for the holidays if Maeve and Michelle hadn’t asked Sadie if they could meet him. Even after all those years of ice and radio silence between brother and sister, she still couldn’t deny them that. Maeve and Michelle are sweet girls, and after almost twenty-four years of not knowing half of their family, she’s not going to deny them the chance to meet their uncle (especially when they have no way of meeting their dad).

So Charlie’s back home in the first week of January. He’s staying with Rocky Sullivan and his wife, both of whom keep giving him the evil eye. Charlie doesn’t blame them. Rocky is too loyal to his family to ever really forgive anybody who hurts them, even if they say it’s all water under the bridge. But when Charlie says he doesn’t blame Rocky, he’s not kidding.

Cal wants to look up at the wolf moon in the backyard. He doesn’t care that it’s cold. Cal’s so much like Charlie. At least, that’s what Charlie himself thinks. He doesn’t care about the elements so long as he walks away with a pretty story to tell … a new memory to take out when he can’t sleep and needs something beautiful to dream about. So they stay up and watch the moon in the yard. And it’s pretty. Big and full of light. Charlie thinks he understands why Sam was always so infatuated with the moon … thinks he understands why he passed shared that Emma O’Connor, too. Maybe Maeve and Michelle would like to look at the wolf moon. Typical Charlie. He never even thought to ask.

Cordelia joins in to look at the moon. She’s reading all about it on her phone. She says that this year, the wolf moon is in the constellation Gemini. Charlie snorts. Gemini, he thinks. The twins.

He should have known. His whole life, he’s never been able to escape the power of twins. First, it was Sadie and Sam, his own brother and sister, who always loved him but not in the same way they loved each other. No matter how much they adored Charlie, it would never be right. It would never be the same. They’d always understand each other at a level so basic, they couldn’t even make up the right metaphors for it. They were closer than close, and Charlie just had to watch it. Just had to listen.

He could vomit just remembering it.

Maybe that’s why he didn’t ask Maeve and Michelle to join him for the wolf moon. Maybe it didn’t have anything to do with spending quality time with his son while his son still cares enough. Maybe it’s that Maeve and Michelle are twins – Sam’s twins, more children he didn’t even know he had – and he can’t go through that again. He can’t go through a life where he’s not special, where there’s something he doesn’t understand, some intimacy he can’t touch. When you have to watch twins together, you start to wonder if anyone ever loved you at all, even if they said they did. Charlie’s not sure he can do that again. Not when it reminds him of what he didn’t have … of what he chose to give up after they put Sam in the ground.

After all, he doesn’t talk to Judy or Jenny very often, either.

He looks up at the wolf moon and lets the light bounce right off his eye. The lone wolf, trying to squeeze in between the bright, shimmering twins. It’s the kind of metaphor a child writes so they can be proud of it.

And yet, it works. It works so much that Charlie thinks about crying.

But then Rocky gives him a dirty look through the kitchen window, and he knows he can’t afford another wasted tear.

(part of @nosebleedclub january challenge -- day vi!)

#drabble #writeblr #ch: charlie doyle #year: 2023 #yes i did just drop insane lore in here #sam has four kids! including a set of twins he never knew about!#no i don't know who their mother is!#i'll figure it out!#also this isn't even remotely good it's just a vehicle for exposition

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sunlightsshadow · 1 year

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Heal What Has Been Hurt Liveblog

hello and welcome to the first of 5 initial (but probably not Only) posts recounting my liveblogging of Heal What Has Been Hurt by @sunlitmcgee

ch1: and the universe said "I Love You"

c! tech did one (1) good thing and it was burning the egg

gogy mention/pos

its only ch1 and they've already gone DadMode. hasnt even even , talked to the boy yet/lh

XD :D

ch2:Flower Gleam and Glow

"weirdo mother hen guardian angel nanny thing." hehehe

moths moths moths moths moths

Clara :D

ch3: I've Been Ghosting Your Dreams

i wonder how tommy feels about warm rain

my browser crashed god dad is too powerful/j

ghostbur :DDD

oh i have so many feelings about ghobur

ch4:Come, My Child

not lots of thoughts just enjoying the domesticity of the bois

did enjoy the star freckles tho

ch5:Like A Busy Bee Taking Flight

"large purple man" thanos/neg

compass compass compass compass (im wearing my Your Tommy compass my bf bought me <3)

heheh dad said pogchamp

ch6:Flying Like a Bee, Black and Yellow Energy

hehe derivikat lyrics

xd dad god. why is that form even still in your rotation/lh

ranboo/pos. i love all Ranboos

hehehe time to sin!

c! techno/neg

xd having several children who are gods and can take care of themselves and having to focus your attention on the whole of creation is different than abandoning your litteral tiny children to go adventuring w a gladiator who hears voices

xd you could have shifted forms dont yell at them/lh

ch7:Cold. Why You Gotta Treat Me So Cold?

weird schlatt tubbo/neg nightmare tubbo/neg

GOD I hate exile

I am so emotional over them GODS

I need someone to be proud of me like xd is proud of tommy

I want a god dad. the yearning is strong

ch8: sweet like honey

any time someone writes tommy saying the phrase "ill be good" istg i feel my heart break

back sore, clue #1

micha 🥺

ch9: I Think You're All Insane

_beloved family/pos

PUFFY!!

every time i manage to forget the captain is dreams mom someone reminds me :/(/hj/nm/lh)

no more memory broke :D

am i using that emoji to much? i do not care<3

god enderman lore/pos

ch10: Deep In The Meadow

i also feel Okay. this is a good place to be

there is something so personal about tommy wanting to end the cycle of abuse and worrying he'll end up like the people who hurt him

good people have intrusive thoughts tommy:(

ch11:Here it's Safe, and Here it's Warm

hehehehe Wings also toms XD would never leave you :(

"you'll instinctively know" its not instincts if it hurts Philza

god i fucking love the personification of instincts. so much. its such a cool thing

ch12:Why, Tell Me, Father?

tommy has a perfect comfy bed and doesnt wanna move. mood

tommy is starting to heal and i love that for him/gen

how DID xd figure that out?

ive just decided just now while rereading that xd was too nice to phil

"you're still here" im gonna SOB

heal! emerald duo/neg

I wanna hug tommy :(

ch13:It's a Promise for Life Between Father and Child

what if i just [takes a white out pen to tommys trauma] look now hes just a lil guy! (someone do this to me)

[beats the doomsday bitches over the head with a stick] i will actually never be normal abt c!tommy

mmmm i should play omori

tinyboo. itty bitty

i dont wana read the interaction w technoooo [reads it anyways] its important

Ghobur! he back!

i think more people should let ghostbur get angry

ch14:How Would You Know?

idk how phil cant sense the Pissed Off aura xd must be giving off rn

in which xd is my spirit animal

:D(malicious)-XD

i like his hat :(

somebody please do this w my dad

ch15: Remember to be Patient

i am obsessed w instinct stuff. lil baby birb go peep peep

i was so lost in the euphoria of birb i forgot to have thoughts

ch16:Fold Up Your Wings, Close Your Eyes

WING TIME WING TIME WING TIME

"it's beautiful… except of course for the unholy screams"

xd " claws" and " adorable" are not generally words that go together

he is SAD the baby is SAD :(

what would xd do if tommy turned into an actual baby?

"its me?" AWWWW🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

hes a baby

i will kill any god for him

baby boy

precious

oh boo even *mentions* agere how did I miss that the first time? tommy is simply baby

ch17: See the Sunset

cant see glass<3

i want a cool space blanket (I have a non-binary flag space blanket tho :3)

I also like when things make click clack noises… am i birb?

I love hiiiiimmmmm

ch18:Nothing Could Tear Us Apart

they can both be clingy it's okay

i almost forgot to open my document when I started reading again

[wilbur voice] quackityyyyy

hes not even actually here but I'm lobe himb

hehehe lovey dovey qpps/pos

i adore my qpps and my bf

GOD i am not NORMAL about platonic soulmate clingyduo there is nothing normal abt my mind state towards them!

"You were worth more than L'manburg ever was…" grrrrrr growl hiss its so GOOD

more baby birb🥺

ch19:Come out and Play

is he a demigod now?

bird time again!

i love instinct shit have i mentioned that?/hj

baby baby boy/pos

i was reading this the first time and I was just like. hes so small

i fuckin love my comfort chara using my coping mechanisms

And with that it's back to reading<3

#cass speaks #dsmp #heal what has been hurt #c!benchtrio

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knittastically · 2 years

Text

Bring Me To Life 3

Chapter 3 Sanctuary

On a windswept beach in Ireland, Raymond de Merville faced his destiny and mastered it.

Not sure where this is going, whether I like it, or if I will continue but here we go!

Pairing 13th C Raymond/ Modern Raymond x ofc, Sister Matilda and Carrie Hart

Characters Raymond de Merville, Lay Sister Ina, Sister Matilda, Abbess Eithne, Prioress Emma, Harry Bellamy, Carrie Hart. Lorraine Tyson

If you’d like to be added to my Tag List please let me know. Also a like or a comment and a reblog would be much appreciated.

WARNINGS, Blood, Dead animals, Feeding on raw animal flesh

Ao3

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Tag List

@fizzyxcustard @lathalea @vaneaustation

Carrie was tired, the last few days had been frenetic and stressful, each night she collapsed into bed hoping for a deep undisturbed sleep, but she tossed and turned restlessly, plagued by strange dreams only to wake feeling shattered. As she picked at her dinner, the combination of wine, warmth and subdued lighting were making her drowsy and for the second time she dozed off and was lucky not to face plant her risotto. She woke with a jerk of her head and flushing with embarrassment quickly glanced around to her left and then her right.

Professor Demmerville leaned in a little and seemed genuinely concerned as he whispered, “Are you alright?” It surprised her that he would even care let alone ask. The answer she wanted to give was “Not Really,” but she smiled. “Yes Thanks.” “If you’re sure, is there anything I can do?”

“No, really I’m fine thanks just a bit weary, it hasn’t been officially announced but I’ve taken up the post of Festival Director and Lorraine is driving me nuts, she obviously thinks I’m incompetent and probably couldn’t organise….well you know the proverbial.”

“Oh our paths have crossed several times and she sets very high standards, but tends to forget she’s not the only one who can reach them.

”Carrie sighed, she could feel the tension in her shoulders and the ache spreading up the back of her neck. “I admit I’m already wondering if I’ve taken too much on. I manage the bookshop for Jeremy and Howard though why they let me take the job I have no idea, I almost have my allotment thanks to Harry, and now I have a third hat, the Director of the Literary festival. I honestly feel as if I’m going to meet myself coming back!”

“I’ve been friends with Jeremy and Howard for years and if it’s any consolation, they never do anything without a great deal of thought, believe me if they chose you, it’s because they trust you.”

Carrie smiled across at him, but she found it hard to hold the intensity in those blue eyes and looked away as she felt her cheeks flush. “The thing is their provincial, very rural bookshop is well known and very highly regarded; it makes me nervous.” She stirred a half teaspoon of sugar into her double espresso. “I’ve never seen you in the shop though Professor.”

His eyes sparkled “Oh my interest is mainly antiquarian books and manuscripts for research, so I generally deal personally with Howard. If it exists, then he’s the man to find it.” He braved another sip of the wine and shuddered slightly.” “I hope you won’t mind me talking shop but something has just occurred to me and as you’re the Festival Director then it’s your call. What do you think the response would be if I was to put on displays of books, manuscripts and artefacts in context to periods of history, I would be more than happy to be on hand to talk about them, and there’s plenty of space at the Hall.”

She grinned “Well Prof, my response would be that it’s a bloody fantastic offer, even if folks turn up in the first place just to have a good old nosey around your house.” She didn’t notice him tense his shoulders. Hosting talks was one thing, having nosey individuals tramping around was another. He made a mental note to talk to her later about security and privacy. Carrie sipped at her wine and grimaced slightly as she swallowed. Lorraine had chosen the wines for the dinner, and as usual her selection was limited to those she liked, but dammit, what she liked was always horrible and this was no exception.

Raymond leaned a little closer, so that she could hear him above the rising volume of chatter. ‘’You don’t like the wine I gather?’ Her stomach fluttered at the sound of his voice so close to her ear. “That obvious huh!” She shifted in her chair to talk to him.

“Just a little and it’s certainly an interesting choice.”

”Carrie laughed and wondered if the professor had really just winked at her “That’s one way of describing it.”

“But you drank it anyway?’

“Yeah, out of sheer desperation, after the last few days I’ve had, wine is necessary believe me, even this, she raised her glass, downed the last mouthful, and pulled a face that would have won a gurning competition. She noticed he’d barely touched what was in his glass.

“I agree, it’s grim.” Raymond smiled again, this time it reached his eyes

“No, it’s sodding awful.”

This time he chuckled, a rich, melodious sound that bubbled up from his chest. “So, if you had the choice and money no object, which wine would you have chosen?”

Shrugging and pulling a face she considered the question. “Oh Hell knows, I didn’t even look at the list and anyway my knowledge of wine begins and ends with stuff that doesn’t cost more than ten quid, trust me, it all tastes better than that.” She stabbed a finger towards the offending bottle and was rewarded by Raymond flashing another even warmer smile.

When Carrie realised she was being seated next to the enigmatic Professor Demmerville nerves kicked in. She needn’t have worried. He was charming, his conversation was entertaining, interesting, and surprisingly funny. And I when she dug a little deeper found quite a wicked sense of humour lurking beneath that straight laced academic exterior, certainly if his impersonation of a well-known celebrity Historian was anything to go by. He almost had her crying with laughter.

The added bonus was he was handsome too, yet there was something about him that Carrie couldn’t fathom, something that niggled at her. She pushed it out of her mind. Nothing could detract from his looks not even the curved scar that swept from the outer corner of his right eye, down over his cheek bone and up to his temple. Along with his greying hair and salt and pepper beard it only added to the overall effect, though it was his eyes that drew her in. The dark Limbal ring accentuated their colour, which seemed to shift from blue, to grey, to silver at any moment.

Forcing her mind to take a different tack she nodded at his plate. “Don’t you like the food, Professor?” The barely touched wafer thin slivers of almost raw beef were drying out and curling on his plate. He shrugged and smiled ruefully as he ran the long, elegant fingers of his right hand through his hair. “Actually, it’s delicious and I feel guilty about leaving it, but I forgot the time and fe...” he stopped suddenly correcting himself. “And ate a large lunch, much later than usual.”

“I wouldn’t have taken you for the stereotypical absentminded professor.”

“How can I be absent minded, when I can remember every fucking thing that has happened to me whether it was eight hundred years ago or eight minutes.”

“Oh, there are moments, believe me.” He treated her to a wide bright smile. “I’ve been known to lose hours, days even when I’m doing research for a book, it wasn’t so bad when Harry was fit and well, he would turn up at all hours of the day or night to make sure I wasn’t wasting away and badger me to stop.

“Yep that sounds like Harry.”

“Oh a wise man is Harry, he told me I’d find some of the company here entertaining.” He flashed another grin. “He was right.” Carrie blushed, smiled a shy closed lip smile, and tried to bat away the compliment with humour and a cod cockney accent. “Aw Lordy Professor Demmerville, you do say the nicest things to a girl.”

It caught him unawares and crinkles formed at the corners of his eyes as he laughed out loud. “Christ how long has it been since I laughed like this?” Then he remembered and even though he laughed, the pain of remembering sliced into his heart. “I think you might have made it to the top of Harry’s list, if you weren’t there already, especially after introducing him to the combination of whisky and chocolate biscuits.” His slow beating heart almost stalled, as she laughed and shook her head so much that the piece of leather thong holding her messy hair in place, slid off and the plait unravelled. Her eyes sparkled and flashed, and he had to rest his hands on the table, lacing his fingers so tightly that his knuckles turned white, other wise he would have have cupped them around her face or threaded them through her copper coloured hair and kissed her into oblivion.

Ina took a lantern from the lower room and went up to the bed chamber. The rabbits and hare she carried with her were dropped on the floor beside the bed. They were already pee’d out but not paunched, Raymond would have to deal with that himself and she knew it wouldn’t be pretty. Sister Matilda and the Abbess sat close together but as far from Raymond as they could, he hadn’t stirred since Ina had left and they watched as she pressed his fingers to the pulse in his neck and felt the by now very slow heartbeat. He was still so pale; his hair was plastered to his head and his body was covered in a sheen of sweat as it fought with itself and created a fever.

“Until Sieur Raymond’s behaviour is more stable he must feed here, I advise you to leave Reverend Mother and you Sister, he will rip his food apart with hands and teeth; before you go Matilda light some more candles and set them in the lanterns.

”Matilda jutted her chin. I'm a farm girl I��ve seen hounds with rabbits, and beasts slaughtered it wont worry me.” She moved slowly around the room setting candles into lanterns and onto prickets, in her wake pools of light chased away the gloom and above the small alter in the niche opposite the bed the carved oak crucifix glowed like dark honey.

Eyes wide and dark, Sister Ina turned on her, “Think carefully, this isn’t something for your entertainment, a mummers play to gawp at. This will be harsh, sickening, and bloody. It’s dangerous and he won’t be completely in control of himself, if you get too close or he smells any fear, his need for human blood will override everything and it will be you rather than the rabbits he choses to feed on.” Matilda’s stare was unwavering.

“I’m staying.”

“As am I.” The Abbess sat firm. “I won’t allow you to be here alone with him and I have faith that you can deal with him.”

Ina set her face into a cold mask “Faith may not be enough. He’s dangerous, as time passes and he strengthens it will be harder for me to stop him, he is not a dog that can be chained.”

“I shan’t change my mind.” Abbess Eithne was adamant, and Matilda nodded in agreement.“

Sieur Raymond, look at me.” He groaned and opened his eyes slowly to look at Ina,“Leave me be.” His voice was hoarse and raspy, like a sulky child he turned his head away from her.

“You have a choice My Lord, feed or die.” Ina snapped at him. “But you must eat now, before the blood congeals.” As she hauled him upright with, he bared his teeth and snarled at her, his blue eyes darkening. Unconcerned by his show of aggression, she dragged the bedcovers off him then grabbed his legs and swung them over the edge of the bed. He had no choice but to sit up and plant his feet on the floor. “There.” She pointed to the animals on the floor. “You must do this.” To encourage him she dropped the hare into his lap, the soft pelt tickled his thighs and he could feel the last of its heat against his skin.

Raymonds eyes turned inky black as his nostrils flared. His speed was alarming and as he caught the scent of flesh and blood he dropped to his knees to hunker naked and growling on the floor. He shielded his food like a wild beast as he ripped at the neck of the hare to drain any blood, within minutes the animal had been eviscerated. As he threw the carcass to one side and picked up the first of the rabbits, Sister Ina heard retching disguised by a cough. She glanced at the Abbess whose face was as pale as her habit. “You ignored my warning and chose to stay Reverend Mother, so be still you can’t leave until this is done.”

There was no comfort or charity in the Sister’s sharp voice. So there they remained until Raymond had fed. Small shreds of flesh stuck to his face, blood slicked his cheeks, chest and beard and there were bloody smears down his thighs where he had wiped his hands. But Ina was content, he had fed, he would survive and he had managed to control himself. A new-born Vampire taking their first feed could make a room look like a slaughterhouse.

“Clean yourself.” Ina set a bowl of water and some linen cloths on the floor beside him. “Don’t think you’re getting into bed in that state, have some respect for yourself at least.”

Sister Matilda wanted to cry, not from fear but from compassion. She sat on her stool, hands folded in her lap and her expression calm. But tears formed in her eyes, she felt as if her heart was breaking. Raymond was caught between two worlds and hardly belonged to either. Slowly she rose to her feet and took a step towards him.

“Stay where you are.” Ina growled. Matilda ignored her and took another step towards that broken soul kneeling naked on the floor. “I said, stay where you are.”

“No, I won’t.” She hissed. “If you won’t show some compassion and kindness then I shall. I don’t treat you as if you’re less than human so why would you do that to him?” Sister Ina physically stepped back at the first absolute admission that the Novice knew what she was.

“The lessons he needs to learn are harsh girl, it will take him months before he can fully present himself to the world. Yes, it is sometimes cruel; but it is as it is, now Sit Down!’

“Sister, for the love of our Lord do as Ina says and stay still.”

“He won’t harm me Reverend Mother, I know he won’t.” The look that passed between Eithne and Ina was one of disbelief; but each saw the fear and panic in the others’ eyes.

“Sieur Raymond.” Matilda spoke softly and reached out her hands to him. Sieur Raymond let me help you, please.”

As he looked up at her she smiled at him, his eyes were blue again and she focused on them rather than the gore spattered on him, or the utter nakedness of him.

“N’as-tu pas peur de moi cela?”He rasped out the words as he pointed to the savage gash on his neck which was already healing.

“Should I be afraid My Lord?”

He seemed surprised that she understood French. “I don’t know.” He whispered and grasped her hands, she winced but said nothing. Raymond saw the look of pain flash across her face and eased his grip as she helped him to his feet, He thought it curious that Matilda showed neither fear nor embarrassment as he stood before her. Her soft voice and calm manner soothed him, and he relaxed his grip a little more. “Bring me the stool.” Eithne and Ina stared slack jawed at each other and two sets of eyebrows flew high at Matilda’s tone of command.

Ina carried the stool across and hissed at her “Mind your manners girl and mind your safety she wanted to drag her away but didn’t dare create any commotion.”

Matilda motioned Raymond to sit and when he was still, she slowly and gently started to clean the blood and gore from his face and beard. “I need more water.” She glanced over her shoulder at the Lay Sister, Ina scowled but now wasn’t the time to take the girl to task, and she had to admit that Raymond had calmed. She whispered to the Abbess. “Come with me, it will need two or three pails and more cloths. I can’t carry them all.” They moved slowly out of the bedchamber glancing nervously across to Matilda and Raymond. “I’ll deal with her disobedience and insolence later,” Reverend Mother sighed, “I hold great hopes for that girl, if only she would adhere to the rules and apply herself.” Ina laughed quietly, “She reminds me of someone else I know, who didn’t always do what she was supposed to, yet always managed to do what is right.” They hurried out to the well.

Raymond swayed forward; he was exhausted. Cool gentle hands dropped lightly on his shoulders, there was a strength in those fingers, and he stilled under her touch. “All will be well Sieur Raymond, you can rest soon.” His own hands were large and calloused, still gloved in dried blood, but this time when his fingers wrapped around her own, they were gentle.

“Merci pour votre gentilesse Sœur Matilde” So, he had heard far more than they realised, he knew her name and the sound of it whispered from the lips of this French Knight made her stomach flutter,

“C'est mon Plaisir Sieur Raymond. She smiled at him, a wide, warm smile. The moment he smiled back at her she knew she had nothing to fear, she knew he would not harm her. He bent his head and kissed the backs of her hands then with shuddering a sigh leant forward and pressed his forehead against them.

Lorraine tapped her water glass with her coffee spoon. “If I could have your attention.” She paused and stared pointedly at Carrie and Raymond “Everybody, please your attention.”

Carrie pressed her lips together and tried not to laugh as Lorraine launched into her presentation about the Winter Lights Literary Festival with all the fake humility of Uriah Heep as she thanked Professor Demerville, the world and the worlds dog for their efforts. “My last news is that for personal reasons Natalie has sadly decided she can no longer continue in the post of Festival Director. She has asked me to pass on her thanks to you all for your support and apologises that she couldn’t be with us this evening. However, I’m delighted to confirm officially, that Carrie Hart has agreed to take on the position, at least for this year.” She looked to her right pinning Carrie with a wide stare. “Welcome to the team Carrie given how close we are to the start of the Festival, I hope, that with your relative inexperience, you won’t find everything too overwhelming or too taxing.” She smiled a slightly feral smile as some around the table shuffled in their seats embarrassed at the implication that Carrie wasn't up to the job. And most of them knew that the personal reason for Natalies departure was Lorraine.

Raymond couldn’t be certain, even with his acute hearing but he was fairly sure Carrie hissed “Fucking bitch” under her breath. For a moment there was silence then suddenly the guests responded with raucous applause and table banging. It took Lorraine by surprise and in a chilly voice she invited Carrie to introduce herself, though it was clear she hoped she wouldn’t. Carrie was fuming, as she shoved back her chair, Raymond could physically feel the anger seeping out of her. She took a breath to steady her nerves.

“I’m pretty sure everyone here knows me so I’ll skip the introduction, but I’d like to say thank you to Jeremy and Howard of Swale Gate Books for Twenty years of support for the Festival, It was your vision and passion that launched the first festival in the town, thank you both for your continued support and generosity. Score one!

“I know the programme has almost been finalised and ready for print, however in addition to those events I have one more to announce. Just this evening, Professor Demmerville agreed to open up his home to small groups who have a particular interest in antiquarian books and manuscripts, believe me there was no way in Hell I was going to turn that down and I accepted before he had chance to realise how rash he’d been and change his mind.” She grinned down at him; his returned smile almost knocked her off her feet. Loud applause erupted from around the table. Score Two!

Lorraine’s jaw dropped at the news, and it was about to drop even further as Carrie continued, “I’ve also had an email from my contact at English Heritage, and for first time in the history of the Festival, they’ve given permission for us to hold the Winter Lights End Of Festival Ball in the castle grounds. Obviously, there are a certain proviso’s but at first glance they don’t seem too restrictive. I should have the confirmation and contract by tomorrow. I hope that meets with everyone’s approval and,” she added pointedly “remove any doubt regarding my inexperience and ability.” “Hat trick Bitch!

”As Carrie flopped into her seat, she smiled sweetly across at Lorraine, and wondered if she had overstepped the mark. Then suddenly the the air was full of the sound of applause, cheers and well done and she knew she was fine.

Raymond watched her quietly, he felt his slow beating heart thud against his ribs as he wondered how many more times during his life he would come across someone who would remind him of Her. Slamming her folder onto the table Lorraine got up from her seat and shimmied towards him. “Professor if it’s convenient for you, could we run over one or two points?”

She leant down and practically draped herself over Raymonds shoulder.

“Now Lorraine?”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to clear them up before I leave.”

“Of course.” He gestured to the chair on his right and began to pull it back from the table.

“I’d prefer that we discussed them in private.” Lorraine, kept a tight smile fixed on her face, “Could we step over to the bar for a moment.?” Without waiting for an answer she walked away.

“Would you excuse me, Carrie?”

She smiled up at him, “I’m about to head home any way, perhaps you could call in at the bookshop tomorrow and we can talk about your generous offer?”

His eyes darkened a little, she watched entranced as he swiped the tip of his tongue over his upper lip then caught the lower between his teeth. He looked almost shy, almost!

“Perhaps we could talk here, over your choice of wine, if that suits you”

Her jaw dropped a little, but she managed to stutter out a yes.“

“I shouldn’t be too long,” He made his way over to Lorraine.

“Well, well Raymond, you are certainly mellowing in your OLD age to let that.” She waved her well manicured right hand towards Carrie. “That rural clodhopping ingenue talk you into opening up your home.”

“Careful Lorraine, your rancour is showing, and for the record I offered.” He leant against the bar top and was completely unruffled by her artfully crossing one leg over the other, exposing even more of that shapely limb.

“How many more times Raymond, how many more pairs of green eyes and faces framed with untamed red hair hmm?” She leaned forward a little and laid her cool hand against his cheek, then stroked her fingers down over his beard and traced them his over his lips.

Carrie looked round wondering how long she’d have to wait, and couldn’t help her stomach knotting as she caught sight of the sensual, intimate gesture, she quickly turned away and concentrated on her empty espresso cup. “Easy girl, get a grip, he’s nothing to you.”

Lorraine’s eyes flew wide, and she winced as Raymond clamped his fingers around her wrist in grip which would have broken the bones of anyone else. “As many as it takes Lorraine.”

“And us?” She pouted at him.

“As pleasant as our time together was Chérie ,” the sarcasm dripped from him and his French accent grew more pronounced as he growled. “There is no us, what happened was a flirtation a dalliance, nothing more.” Raymond released his grip, he had felt absolutely nothing when her fingers touched his skin, it was over. “And I strongly advise you to give Carrie a wide berth, unless you need to discuss Festival business, good night, Lorraine.” He spun around and headed back to the table.

“Is everything alright, or is Lorraine pissed about what I did, I mean I sort of went behind her back or over her head or whatever.”

Raymond shifted his chair slightly so that he faced her. “Oh she’s delighted, just making sure I was happy to do it.” He ached to smooth the frown from her forehead and kiss away her worried expression.

“Yes, she does like to Mother Hen her artistes.” Carrie giggled “Still you’ve already been very generous giving your time for talks and signings, but if you’re happy about it I’m sure it will be a success.” He shrugged, the prospect of strangers poking about appalled him, but he didn’t let it show. “I’m sure the whole event will be a total success, now shall we have that wine, to celebrate you taking up the post of Director.”

“Why not as long as you’re ready for me to fall asleep over the first glass.” Her smile was blinding.

“Good, so the question again, what would you chose, money no object.”

She pointed to a Burgundy, 2007 Grand Cru. Not the most expensive by any means but high up the list. “I’ve had this before when Max took me to Dinner at Gravely Manor, it was delicious. If I had the money, then that would be my choice.”

“Well Max whoever he is has good taste, and so do you.”

“Oh max is very much a “was" not an "Is" thank God. She had no idea of the exhilaration he felt at those words. He glanced across to the waiter and nodded, the young man seemed to glide across the floor and all Carrie could hear was a hushed conversation in what sounded like French, but it certainly wasn't anything like any French she’d learned in school.

“You haven’t ordered it have you?’ she squeaked.

“Of course.”

“I can’t accept, I mean I wasn’t expecting you to…. I was just saying that’s what I would choose, you have to send it back, I mean it Professor, I can’t accept.” She scraped her chair back and started to get to her feet to head off the waiter.

“Miss Hart, Carrie, please it’s just a bottle of wine.” He gave a rueful smile. “If I’ve embarrassed you I apologise, but please sit down, taste it, enjoy it and we can talk about how you can help me organise the event at the Hall.” He poured two glasses of wine and handed one to her.

“WelI I doubt I can help you, surely you know which books and manuscripts you’re going to put on view, in any case, anything to do with antiquarian stuff is way out of my league.” She scowled at him, but he smiled back though he hadn’t missed the cool edge to her voice as she dismissed his books as “stuff.”

“Well, you already know I can be absent minded, and dealing with people sometimes doesn’t sit easily with me. If you could help me on those day’s I would appreciate it, unless it conflicts with your other festival commitments.” He raised his glass in a toast, Carrie huffed and did the same and savoured her first mouthful. Raymond watched her expression change and bowed his head to hide a smile as she let slip the tiniest purr of pleasure.

N’as-tu pas peur de moi cela? Aren’t you afraid of me?

Merci pour votre gentilesse Sœur Mathilde Thank you for your kindness Sister Mathilde

C'est mon Plaisir Sieur Raymond It’s my pleasure Sir Raymond

#Raymond de Merville Pilgrimage Vampire Raymond Time shift AU

11 notes · View notes

travelling-on-the-octopath · 2 years

Text

S Plays 'Golden Wildfire' - Part 2

Chapter . . . 5? The Golden Guardian

Story content

JUDITH <3

Oh? Judith says she's filled Count Gloucester's seat, so has Daphnel been given Gloucester's power? Stand by.

Holst """"""ate the mushrooms"""""" again.

Shez: "It's like no one can even sneeze around here without it turning into an endless debate." Wow I wonder what's going to happen to the Alliance

Claude's still talking about retreating when things get rough. Wonder how that's gonna hold up.

He also has a plan up his sleeve. that would have had me cheering in Three Houses, but this is . . . not Three Houses

MARIHILDA C SUPPORT <3 I love them

Missing the Lions a little in this moment

There is SO MUCH PURPLE in this house. Claude, Lorenz, Lysithea, Shez. Kinda wanna recruit Bernadetta and Petra to complete the set.

"There are more commanders of common birth in the Empire of late." Keeping an eye on THIS.

Lorenz "I just came to remind you of your place in Fódlan's society" Hellman Gloucester is uh . . . he's something!

I love him so much flkgjldfgj his voice acting is stellar.

Marianne was forced to join the war by her father.

The Imperial army's head right for Derdriu; conquering is still very obviously the intention

Claude: "It never should have come to this. If only I'd managed everything better in the first place . . ." / "I can't help but feel there was another way I could have handled this."

claude. baby. my love. do you not understand that you're about to proceed to manage it in the worst conceivable way?

Well. Three Hopes is Claude's bad ending. Couldn't have conceived of this for my fallen claude!AU at all.

"I had all these grand ambitions when I became leader. So much I wanted to achieve. But there's no time for any of that now."

See. Here's the thing. Claude was in the exact same position in Houses, but he has the good fucking sense to bow out once he assures the Alliance is safe to work his dream from another angle. He's either forced into surrender in CF (or killed, and the Alliance is stolen), or able to trust a leader on VW/AM. So what you're telling me is that going to Garreg Mach was crucial to him not becoming a literal nightmare for Fódlan.

I'm tempted to be harsher, but I want to know what's going on with Almyra before I fucking tear him to shreds.

Fun, this. Arval: "Do you think your leader is all right? He seems a bit . . . worn out."

People from the Central Church are planning to set up shop (temporarily? permanently?) in Camulus

Soldier acknowledges that Leicester's military is shit; feeds into Faerghus' quality > quantity and Adrestia's quantity > quality.

Priest says Claude invited him there with a direct invitation. Noteworthy?

Gloucester becoming an Imperial vassal has directly and negatively affected trade, according to merchant

?????????????? Judith is . . . hang on--

"The Empire's digging their own grave if they're trying to wipe out the Central Church. Surely the goddess will rain down divine punishment on them. Actually, Judith might crush them before the goddess even gets a chance. She's an extremely devout believer of Seiros, you know." - Alliance soldier

Which is . new? I think?

"House Ordelia doesn't have a shred of good will towards Adrestia [angry portrait]" / "[smiling] The Empire will pay for what they've done!"

WHY IS LYSITHEA SB RECRUITABLE WHAT IN GOD'S NAME?????

Random merc says the world is rotten and needs changing, and she doesn't care whether Adrestia or Leicester wins

Hilda could become a hit musical sensation. "Why do we fight when we don't even hate each other :("

Linhardt refers to the beagles as his former friends which i think is cute (and a little sad)

[Sorry this is taking so long, y'all, this game is so fucking big.]

OH?? INTERESTING. Lorenz, during and excursion: "My father has an unsavory reputation amongst the other nobles, but he is well-loved by the commonfolk."

Honestly? I don't think this is directly contradicted in canon, unlike Duke Aegir who's seen as the direct opposite of his son, so I think I will take this funky piece of information and slot it into canon.

Lysithea and Marianne's support :(( oh the sweet girls.

Claude is being tight-lipped about his scheme (typical) to the frustration of certain Deer (also typical) with the implication/wording that makes it seem like it has something to do with Almyra.

OH GOD? "Lorenz, apologies in in advance" ??? FUCK

????????????? Gloucester launched an attack on Myrddin and took back the bridge? Gloucester and Ordelia are about to own Acheron's land?????

Ferdinand made a promise to Edelgard? Interesting

Anyway, nothing to do with Almyra; when Claude and Count Gloucester were seen chatting in the demo, this is likely what they were planning. Gloucester's attack hinged on the success in derdriu

HE WALKS LIKE A CLAUDE AND IS SWEET LIKE A CLAUDE BUT THIS CAN'T BE A CLAUDE

Gameplay

You can revisit main battles! Which is cool

You can customize weapon builds; i.e., choose whether you boost things like might or uses

Changed voiceover languages and AAAAAAAA JP!Claude you make everything okay <3<3

Claude and Lorenz are tied for my favourite units (but cavalry has been my favourite overall)

Main Battle - The Derdriu Gambit

God help me

OHO SHIT FERDINAND AND BERNADETTA (dialogue scene)

Breaks me feeble little heart to hear Ferdinand talk about capturing Derdriu I won't lie

Claude sounded so vulnerable (JP voice) asking Judith to win this fight for him fgkjdglkj Claude my baby i love you but also I hate you right now

Okay, so Balthus can be recruited here. I have no strong feelings about him, so I'm . . . not gonna do that.

A little annoyed that i HAVE to deploy shez for the battle but oh well

Sorry but Derdriu is fucking gorgeous??? damn i get why everyone loves it now

HOLST OVERPOWERED THE MUSHROOMS

PLAYABLE HOLST

yikes. time to start over.

The music in this game fucks

FINALLY i did it

Side Battles

PETRA NO WAIT DON'T MAKE ME FIGHT YOU

So the side battles here are a mix of fighting Adrestia in northern Gloucester, fighting off both bandits and Imperial soldiers, and saving sailors from bandits.

Oh hello ladislava

Blurbs

Claude actually shouting after a victory--love him. I can ignore his horrendous morals for that voice <3 /j

Usually I would be flirting with Claude but fuck Hopes!Claude so Lorenz it is

OH MY GOOODDDDDDD WAIT WAIT WAIT I HAVE TO ACTUALLY TAKE A PICTURE FOR THIS ONE. I think i'll post this separately. (the little byleth running animation from the loading screen in Houses is now any two units on horseback if you go on an excursion.)

Oh my god the excursion animation

AND WE'RE DONE

#s starts a wildfire #fewth spoilers #fire emblem warriors: three hopes spoilers

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valiantgentle · 2 years

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A SIMPLE NAME. a mara el-masri one-shot. c. 1925, pre act one of the breezes whisper.

─ mara and jonathan meet for the first time.

THERE WAS SOMETHING CHARMING ABOUT CAIRO that Mara had yet to put her finger on. Though only a few months had passed since she moved here, leaving everything she knew in London behind in pursuit of her dreams, the city welcomed her with open arms and made her feel like this was truly where she belonged. Her wildest dreams were proven to be exceeded each morning when she looked out her window, at the rising sun in the distance, and marveled at the beauty of the city. She often thought about how proud her past-self would be of her, all of her childhood fantasies about living in Cairo come true. Her present-self wondered if her father held any pride in him for her now (he had not seemed pleased when she announced she was moving to Cairo and showed very little verbal support, but to his credit, he did listen to her and help her move).

Mara was sure a considerable part of the reason why Cairo had charmed her so were the people. She had not yet heard a rude word from anyone she had met on the streets (though, admittedly, she had been subject to a few denigrating remarks from her colleagues at the museum, who were not happy to be working so closely with a woman and believed that her gender prevented any progress in their work, but she did not let their feelings corrupt her own), and she had even made a friend for the first time since—well, since she was a teenager.

Evelyn Carnahan was one of the few women in the museum’s employ and worked in the library, which was a place Mara found refuge. There was something comforting being surrounded by so many books, a feeling Evy shared. The curator introduced them on Mara’s very first day when he was showing her around and before she knew it, Evy was her best friend and she was Evy’s. It was strange, really, and took some getting used to, for Mara had never something like that before. No one she had called a friend in the past shared her love for ancient Egypt or cared enough to listen to her talk about it.

But Evy did, and she had some really wonderful insights that Mara had not previously thought of and an engaging way of speaking, as well as having many other things in common with Mara (such as having an irritating brother a few years apart in age from them, but all sisters thought that of their brothers and Mara had not thought that of hers since…well, she had not thought of Talib as irritating in a very long time). They were friends, and Mara was grateful for her.

It was an early Thursday afternoon when Mara met Evy’s brother. Mara spent nearly the whole of the week in the library reading and adding context to some of the artifacts in the Ramesseum just next door, and she had scarcely seen anything outside these walls and all of the mahogany bookshelves. She had even taken one of the tables for herself, had a stack of books sat at the end for her to go through. She wouldn’t make it through all of them by the end of the week, and most likely not before the arrival of new artifacts from Luxor scheduled for Monday morning, but Evy previously agreed to let her check out a few books to bring home and she made a note of the titles to buy for her own personal collection.

Mara, so engrossed in the words on the page as she was, did not hear the footsteps as they approached. Surely she should have, for she was the only person in the library at this time of day (not for long, of course, because Evy would be returning with their lunch soon), but this always happened to her. She would find herself focusing so intently on a book, thinking about a long ago world that she had the honor of studying, that she would not realize she wasn’t alone until someone spoke. That was what happened today.

“Hello,” said an unfamiliar voice in the silence.

Mara startled at the sound of it, her heart jumping at the sudden shock as she turned to the source. She hadn’t expected to hear anyone’s voice but Evy’s, and she certainly had not expected to hear a voice that did not belong to any of her colleagues. There was a man standing at the end of her table, by the stack of books with one hand on the back of the nearest chair, looking at her with raised brows. His hair almost seemed to waver between light brown and dark, and his blue eyes stood out against the more beige colors of his clothing. He was handsome, she would admit, but she didn’t recognize him. He didn’t work for the museum.

“Oh, you scared me,” Mara told, hand over her heart to calm herself.

He gave a charming smile. Yes, he certainly was handsome. “Apologies. I just wasn’t sure if you’d heard me come in. It wasn’t my intention.”

“It’s all right,” Mara said truthfully, and she brought her hand down as her heart was slowing its rapid rate. He simply nodded and said nothing else, but he was still looking at her curiously. In a way, it flustered her. It wasn’t often she received such a look from a man. “Um, can I help you?”

“Yes, maybe you can. I’m looking for my sister, Evelyn Carnahan. You can usually find her in the library, but seems she’s stepped out on me today.”

Ah, so this was the brother she had heard so much about! Indeed, she could see it now even though he and Evy did not share much of a physical resemblance. She remembered Evy showing her the photograph of her parents in her locket, when they were sharing stories about their families; Evy had remarked that her brother looked far more like their father, whereas she had inherited her mother’s looks.

The realization made the corner of her mouth quirk upwards. It was nice to finally put a face to the name and the stories. “So you’re Evy’s brother. I wondered if I’d have a chance to meet you. It’s Jonathan, isn’t it?”

His reaction affirmed that she had remembered his name correctly. “Seems we’re at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”

“Mara El-Masri,” said she, offering him her hand. He came around the table to shake it and had to lean across a little in order to reach her. His hand was slightly calloused, a little rough, but warm. Their hands locked together like they were always meant to. The feeling that they had done this all before occurred to Mara. She did not dwell on it. “I work with your sister.”

“And she’s told you about me, has she?”

“All good things.”

“I really think I ought to be the judge of that,” Jonathan said, echoing her jest. Mara’s smile widened and she laughed (albeit in a silent way, the hardly noticeable way in which it’s an exhale more than anything, like one has just seen something vaguely amusing).

His grip on her hand tightened just a little. They had yet to part. Mara had not even realized she still held his hand in hers and pulled hers away, ears burning. How silly of her, and really, she ought to pay more attention to prevent herself from being embarrassed like this in the future! More chides of a similar nature, all very much overthinking it, echoed through her mind as she looked back at Jonathan. He was looking around the library, hand flexing at his side, and inquired again about his sister’s whereabouts.

Mara shook away her distractions and her ridiculous thoughts and managed to compose herself rather quickly when the matter of her friend came back into question. “Oh, yes, um, she’s stepped out to get lunch, but she’ll be back soon if you want to wait for her.”

“Thank you. I will.” Jonathan pulled out the chair across from her when she gestured, giving her another friendly smile. He made polite conversation, his next inquiry being what she was reading. She, rather than telling him, lifted the book up to show him the subject. “The 19th dynasty. That’s Ramesses the Great’s dynasty, isn’t it? A fine choice.”

“Indeed,” Mara agreed, a hint of surprise to her tone. It wasn’t that she doubted he would know that, having Evy as a sister and their father being a well-known Egyptologist surely meant he had some knowledge of the ancient world, but very few people who did not work for the museum seemed as genuinely interested as he did. “The 19th dynasty is my area of study.”

“Who would you say is your favorite Pharaoh from the era?”

“I find myself most drawn to Seti I.”

Jonathan merely raised a brow at her choice. “Most people would say Ramesses.”

Mara conceded to that fact. “He’s certainly fascinating, no doubt, but Seti just interests me more. In comparison to his son, we know so little about him.”

“Maybe you’ll be the one to fill in the blanks.”

“Wouldn’t that be something?” Mara said, a certain twinkling levity to her voice as she leaned forward somewhat conspiratorially. Jonathan only grinned at her and put one elbow on the table, leaning toward her in kind. The width of the table meant there was still quite some space between them, but nonetheless, Mara was captivated by the conversation. “I suppose every Egyptologist has a dream discovery.”

“Evy’s is the Book of Amun-Ra.”

“And yours?”

Jonathan shook his head and, much to Mara’s dismay, leaned back in his chair. “Don’t have one. I’m not really what you’d call an Egyptologist, per se. Treasure seeker, maybe. But you could call Evy that, too, depending on how you look at it. The Book of Amun-Ra is made of pure gold according to legend.”

“But her interest lies more in the secrets it allegedly holds inside than what it’s made of.”

“Just like a librarian to prefer knowledge over gold,” he said flippantly with another glance around the library. It was a familiar tone, that of an annoyed older sibling, and she should know; she had used a similar one when speaking about her brother enough times that it was easily recognizable on someone else. This time, she did audibly laugh, and his gaze fell upon her again, though it did briefly lower to the book in front of her. “Sorry. I’m interrupting your reading.”

He had no such book with him, and therefore he had nothing else to do whilst waiting for his sister but to talk. Mara didn’t mind it. It was easy, talking to him, and easy conversation was a rare thing to come by. Truthfully, she did not want the conversation to end so quickly. She gave a vague gesture to their surroundings. “If you’d like, there are plenty of books here to read to pass the time until Evy returns.”

“And have her lecture me about proper library etiquette when I inevitably put something back on the wrong shelf? I had enough of that growing up. And she’s half a decade younger than I am.”

“She can be rather passionate about the library, can’t she?”

“You don’t know the half of it. Tell you what, maybe I’ll tell you some stories one day, get back at her for telling stories about me.”

“If the stories you have to tell are as engaging as hers, then I look forward to it.”

Mara could have talked to him for hours, listened to every story he had to tell her and learned about the things that interested him most. She didn’t know why. Yet it felt like the most natural thing in the world to think, as if she had listened to him so many times before that it was second-nature, but the very thought struck her speechless. She had only known him for all of five minutes, and yet she found herself charmed by him while not knowing more than a simple name!

Oh, she knew all of Evy’s stories, of course—her friend was quite the storyteller, able to draw attentive eyes to her with her words—and admittedly, the ones she heard about Jonathan had interested her most of all, if only because she wanted to meet such a man as the one at the heart of her childhood tales. She said as much to him just minutes ago, how she wondered if she would ever have a chance to meet him. Reminded of it now, she wondered just what she was thinking telling him that—what must he think of her after that? Knowing that she had wanted to meet him?

But he was smiling at her now, a boyish, crooked grin upon his face that lit up the room, and somehow she knew nothing would ever be the same.

“Mara, I’m back,” Evy’s voice called hardly two minutes later from the very same door Jonathan had come in through. The heels of her shoes clicked on the floor as she made her way through to the table, carrying a sizable bag of food in containers in her hands, and came to a surprised stop when she saw her brother sitting across from her friend. “Jonathan. I wasn’t expecting to see you today. He hasn’t been bothering you, has he?”

“Not at all,” said Mara. A part of her wished that Evy had arrived just a few minutes later. “I’ve found his company to be quite pleasant.”

“See, contrary to what you might believe, Evy,” Jonathan stood from the table and began to go around to his sister, “some people actually like me.”

Evy was quick with a witty retort. “She just hasn’t gotten to know you yet.”

Jonathan’s gaze followed the bag as she set it at the end of the table not far from where Mara sat, where he had previously been sitting. He gestured toward it with both a wave of his hand and a nod of his head. “Could I have some of that? I haven’t eaten all day. Just got back from Abydos,” he added, enunciating the name, and when saying it gave a smooth look directed to Mara, as if he were saying it to impress her. Mara just quietly laughed again. He looked pleased with her reaction.

“No. I take it you have another artifact to try and sell to me and the curator?” Evy inquired, apparently choosing not to entertain his ‘antics’ (oh, yes, that was a word she used often when telling Mara about him) and get to the real reason he was here. Jonathan wore a tired, defeated expression on his face before he reached into his jacket. Behind his back, Evy threw Mara, who was opening the bag, a knowing ‘I told you’ look.

Jonathan pulled a small object from his pocket about five inches in height and handed it across to Evy. Mara sat up in her chair a little, straining to see it fully. She couldn’t see all of it, could just barely make out the finer details, but it appeared to be made of Egyptian faience in the shape of a sarcophagus, with hieroglyphics written on its legs. There was a hoe in one hand, a pick in the other, and a carving typically meant to represent a bag of seeds on the back.

Evy raised a brow. “An ushabti figurine.”

“Yes, yes, I know they’re a dime a dozen,” Jonathan said, “but it has to be worth something. Please, Evy.”

Evy narrowed her eyes. When she glanced to Mara, like she was gauging her thoughts on this, Mara merely shrugged, for this was not really something she felt like she should have a say in. Though it was true that ushabti funerary statuettes were the most common artifacts to find when on archaeological digs of ancient Egyptian tombs, it didn’t make the discovery mean any less. It was Mara’s own opinion that the more the better, which was a view her friend often shared, and Evy finally agreed, “Fine. But if Dr. Bey doesn’t want it—”

“I know, I know, we’ve been through this before. Shall we hurry this along so I can stop starving myself to death?”

Evy promptly told him to stop being dramatic, and then said to Mara that she would be back in a few minutes and not to wait to eat lunch on her account. Mara finished getting their food out—kofta kebab for both, in two separate containers, with pita bread as a side and water to drink—as Evy left, the ushabti figurine in hand. Jonathan did not follow immediately, casting one final glance to the food before he began to move.

“Jonathan,” Mara called, getting up herself. He turned back, hardly more than six feet away from the table, and she waited until she stood across from him to offer him some of her portion of the sides. It would hold him over until he could get an actual meal, and she didn’t mind having less than usual. “Pita bread,” she said, and continued in a tongue-in-cheek way, “I can’t let someone starve.”

Jonathan looked at her with surprise at first, but then he accepted the bread with a smile. “I think I like you, Mara El-Masri. Thank you.”

Mara nodded and held his gaze for a very long moment, until she remembered that he was her best friend’s brother and, well, the food was not going to stay warm forever. So she returned to her seat, setting aside her book for now in favor of eating lunch, but found herself glancing toward him one final time. Jonathan was on his way out as well, but he too glanced back at her, that charming grin still on his face.

Indeed, Mara thought her life had just changed for the better.

#ch: mara el masri #ocappreciation #allaboutocs #type: writing #okay this isn't the jara one-shot i mentioned the other week #but this one was easier to write and it's one i've wanted to write for like two years :)

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whoviancumberbunny · 1 year

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Part Three: Leave A Tender Moment Alone - A Scanlan Fluff Fic

Part one: Tentative Love

Part Two: Small Miracles

Leave a Tender Moment Alone

Scanlan Shorthalt & other Vox Machina Characters Created by Critical Role

Lucy Collins-Shorthalt Created Melissa C. Scraper @whoviancumberbunny

It was their fifth anniversary and Scanlan knew it would likely make his friends mad that he was doing this without asking first. But he had learned this spell from exiled king from another dimension, by the name of Quentin Coldwater. “Damn it, how do the hand motions go again. I remember one of the last hand motions is crossing my fingers and holding my wrist. But it all has to be one smooth motion.” He closes his eyes “This is for my wife.” He mumbles he loved to see her smile he gets the hand motions right and Suddenly Percy and Vax start singing backing harmony for a love song

He grabs his mandolin and thinks back to day they met she was walking few steps behind everyone else because she hadn’t eaten in days and something made him want to look back at her even with sadness in her eyes there was still light around her “I don’t care what consequence it brings I have been a fool for lesser things. You needed me and I needed you too I intend to hold you for the longest time.”

Vex “they are so going to kick his ass later. But it is kind of sweet.” She said “I wonder if she’s told him yet she is pregnant again.”

Kiki “No telling. Grog Lucy keeps telling you not to help daphne get to high spaces she is only three years old.”

They look on top of the book shelf and see giggling half gnome child, who always wore a beret to match her father.

He frowns “it makes her laugh. I like seeing her smile. Most kids are afraid of grog because I am a goliath.” Vex goes over to the book shelf “Daphne go play with my kids okay sweet girl.”

“Okay, Auntie Vexy.” She grabs her bongos off the floor and runs to find the playroom

Pike “Whose idea was it to give her bongos.” She sighs “that’s right. Mine.” It wouldfine if she had the same musical skill as Scanlan. But Daphne was quite adept for three year old.

Meanwhile as Scanlan finishes the song and spell breaks “How the fuck did we end up in the hallway outside your living quarters Shorthalt?” Vax grumbled about to hit him over the head “It is their anniversary isn’t it. We will discuss you shanghaiing us later. You little weasel. Happy Anniversary, Lucy.”

None Quite understood how vax was alive logically he should have died three years before “Thanks, Vax/.go spend time with Kiki.” Percy hated hangovers from magic spells as he went back to the kitchen area to make something to eat.

Lucy “I was thinking about that one time, the first time w made love. Before we rented the room at the inn.”

“Oh when that guy was hitting on you and I used my polymorph spell to make myself a few inches taller than you. It took a while for the spell to wear off. That was the first time in my life I have never needed to use my magic music to convince someone to go to bed with me.”

“that was first time I realized you were willing to protect me. For the few months in Whitestone I always felt like I was not going to find some place to feel safe.” She had never considered the battle with Gabriel them protecting her. She was no fighter. She had always felt blessed that Vox helped in so many ways She he sits next to her “I want you to have this. It is the only thing I have that belonged to my father.” She puts compass on a chain in his hand “I love you Scanlan and gods helo us if either of these twins ends up being like you.”

“Did you say twins?” he places his hand on her stomach after placing the compass around his own neck “Quentin Percival and Elijah Vax’ildan, if they are both boys.”

“They are.” She had had prophetic dreams more like vision of the spirits of her mother and grandmother introducing her to two young boys. Because time wasn’t a straight stream when it came to her dreams

“We’ll need more space.“ she caresses his face to calm him down

“Going into panic mode isn’t going to help. My handsome gnome. You’ve been avoiding Kaylie since she arrived in Whitestone two months ago you know if you don’t speak to her she will just believe whatever her mom may have told her about the man you are.”

The gnome looked down for moment “I Know. But I am just unsure what to say to her.”

“Just tell her the truth. If you had known about her you would have been in her life.” He he looked down at his hand gently placed on her “All I can do is be honest with her.” He laughs when she reaches into his bad of holding takes out his beret.

“You are braver when you have this on.” She put it on his head “Scanlan the revolutionary!” Lucy had Shaun become business partners when she had donated the money to help expand Gilmore’s Glorious Goods. Last time she had gone into town she had crossed paths Kaylie. More like caught the young gnome woman staring at her with Daphne.

He laughed “You always know how to make me smile. You and Daphne are my world. For the longest time I felt alone.” He kissed her “Twins.” He sighed, as he went into town to find Kaylie and when he finally finds her she punches him In the face “If beating me up will make you feel better, I will gladly let you. But I am here to speak honestly with you. I will admit that I don’t remember your mother’s name. I was a selfish asshole before I met my wife.”

“The human with the scars on her neck.” They go to the inn to talk, a after few hours “I am not going to say I forgive you. But thank you for being honest. Why this inn specifically I know there are three in Whitestone.”

“Because every important moment in my life that didn’t happen in front of the other members of Vox Machina, happened here.” It was even because of having family that he drank less when he was spending time on missions with his friends.” Lucy had her reasons she didn’t like alcohol

“What’s the deal with the beret?”

“I wear it when I want to be brave.” He said looking down “You’re welcome in my home. I understand if you never accept the invitation.” His face still stung where the bruises were forming and he knew pike would offer to heal them. But it was Karma for the man he was. He had heard somewhere that it took 20 positive experiences to override one negative one. All he could do was his best to help Kaylie understand that he is not the man he was.

“Why does the kid wear one too?”

“Diedre the hat maker gave it to her as a gift to match mine.” He said grinning, then he winces because the smile had made the bruises hurt

“Geez I am sorry I beat the crap out of you.”

“I deserve it.” He stood up “I need to go it is my anniversary. I will see you around.” went home “Let the bruises heal on their own. She needed to get her frustrations out.” He responded when Pike offered to heal him. Now all they could do was wait and see what Kaylie’s next move would be

“Vax’ildan, Percival I am sorry about casting magic spell on you. Lucy is pregnant with twins and we already decided if they are both male we want to name them Quentin Percival and Elijah Vax’ildan.” He walks into the bedroom and leans against the door “Gods how is someone I only just met so much like me it hurts.” He goes over to Lucy “Thank you for making me talk to her.” And she takes his hands in hers. There was soemthing comforting about how it felt to look as his hand almost disappearing into the gentle caress of lucy’s grip

A few months later the day after the twins are born, Kaylie cautiously enters the house “Hello My name is Kaylie I am Scanlan’s daughter.”

“Welcome to the family. Come say hello to your new brothers.” Pike says as she drags Kaylie over to the bassinettes “It is hard to tell them apart sleeping. Elijah has blue eyes and Quentin has brown eyes.

Scanlan sat in his rocking chair with Daphne asleep in his lap “Before you ask the bruise on my forehead is from tripping over your sister’s bongos.” He looks at them “remember everyone be quiet, Lucy just spent twelve hours giving birth to these little guys. “ he carefully stands up and takes Daphne to put her in her bed. “I think she sees spirits like her mother. she talks to them.”

Pike “whenever I am called upon to pray for someone who is about to go to the clearing, Lucy comes with me to see if the spirits have any messages for the living.” she said , they all wondered how she managed to stay mildly sane when she could clearly view the veil between live and death

To Be Continued…

Saturday, February 4th, 2023

#vox machina au #scanlan shorthalt #fluff #scanlan x oc

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pinkalliums · 3 years

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List of DSMP Characters That I Think Should be Able to Absolutely Deck Someone

For one, c!Tubbo. Man has gone through so much shit and has never had an outlet for it, and his trauma has always been undermined by the other characters (minus c!Ranboo in my eyes). It would be incredibly nice to see him absolutely go feral.

Also c!Sapnap. I think he should just punch someone. He deserves it after what he’s gone through with c!Dream saying stuff like he never cared about him. that sucks. he also needs a hug while he’s at it.

Three, c!Jack. He deserves the world but gets none of it. How they have massacred my man. I think he should punch someone, but also not c!Tommy. Just like, anyone else.

c!Nikki also because she’s been so repeatedly hurt by so many people and also has never had a healthy outlet until more recently(Not tooo sure about this due to not watching her recent dsmp streams if there have been any). Also should not be allowed to punch c!Tommy.

I would say c!Tommy but I’m sure he already decks people on a daily basis and y’know what? Good for him.

And lastly c!Ranboo. I just think it would be funny. He could honestly murder someone and I’d still be an apologist.

Also just saying if none of this happens I am going to infiltrate the dsmp and make sure it does. /j

Feel free to add onto this list but this is all my brain is allowing me to write for now.

#dsmp #ranboo dsmp #tubbo dsmp #sapnap dsmp #jack dsmp #nikki dsmp #tommy dsmp #my ramblings #i mostly posted this cause i was feeling bad about c!sapnap again #imagine if one of your closest friends turned out to be a manipulator and said that he also didn't have any attatchments #therefore meaning he doesnt refer to you as a friend #i think id shatter on the spot #i cant even imagine how he feels still now #wonder if he thinks that c!dream never cared about him in the first place #and now im sad #thus is the way of ranting in the tags #im not good at analysis posts and it shows #dsmp analysis

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miyaagis · 3 years

Text

oikawa is a handsome man, there’s no denying it. he might be twice your age but his trademark charm never fails to lure you in. too bad he’s your dad’s best friend

+ pairing. oikawa t. / fem reader

+ word c. 2,730

+ warnings. age gap, alcohol, mild degradation, mindbreak, noncon filming, squirting, watersports, mating press, one (1) slap in the ass, u call him uncle but he isn’t, so pseudo-cest? no beta we die like men

+ author n. my piece for the miki mouse whorehouse collab ♡ three weeks late, yes

the mid-afternoon sun burns above you, your exposed skin glowing under its blaze as you try to ignore the bickering of your dad’s friends.

oikawa’s playlist blasts through the speakers, the one with latin songs and that he’s been listening to since he went to argentina (according to uncle makki). you hum along with the beat unconsciously, so close to dozing off that you miss the sound of the approaching steps.

“a drink for the princess.”

flirty brown eyes meet yours through the tinted glass of your sunglasses, his handsome smile making your heart skip as you sit up and take the cold drink from his hands.

oikawa takes the seat next to you, handing his phone over to you to let you choose the next song. his fingers trace the rim of his beer bottle as he watches you type something on the screen before leaning back against the chair.

“my dad will yell at you for giving me alcohol,” you peer up at him, taking the straw between your lips.

he takes a long sip of his beer in hopes of calming down the myriad of thoughts swirling in his mind. it’s sinful how the wet fabric of your swimsuit clings onto your form while you lie under the sun—unbothered. but it’s even worse how the star of those thoughts it’s his best friend’s daughter.

“you’re an adult, you’re allowed to have fun.”

you scoff, “tell him that.”

iwaizumi has never been a strict parent but he likes to play the overprotective dad role every once in a while.

“he’s your dad. it’s kind of his job,” he tilts his head in his friend’s direction, his stare serious before switching into a playful one, “and mine is to be the cool uncle.”

you can’t help but snort, “who said you were cool?”

oikawa fake gasps at your statement, but his posture immediately tenses up as uneasiness takes over his body.

he doesn’t have an idea when it all started, or when did the playful banter between you two turned into this unbearable sexual tension. many nights he has been haunted in his dreams by your cute but taunting smile, poking fun at him until his lips land on yours, and kissing you until you’re reduced to a pathetic whimpering mess.

“–kawa you asshole!”

hanamaki’s voice snaps him out of his trance, both of your heads turning to look at said man as he scolds matsukawa for spilling his drink on the table.

“don’t stay under the sun for too long,” oikawa suddenly stands up, shooting you a forced smirk, “or you’ll get wrinkles.”

you stick your tongue out at him and watch him walk away, staring at his back while a silly smile settles on your lips.

—

the sun has already set when you make your way inside.

you ignore the two drunk men passed out on the couch as you look around for your dad, but when you fail to catch sight of him, you decide to take a look in the kitchen.

oikawa’s shirtless back greets you, his muscles bulging under his tanned skin as he seems to be struggling with a bottle of wine.

“you’re doing it wrong.”

he immediately halts his movements and turns to look at you, “i’m sorry?”

you smirk, “you’re forgiven.”

he scoffs at your little joke, but when you see the hint of a smirk tugging his lips upwards you know he’s enjoying it as much as you are. with a push of your hips, you shove him aside and grab the corkscrew from his hands.

“this, is how you do it.”

he leans on the kitchen counter with his elbow as he observes you do your thing, “you’re being too awfully cocky lately.”

“not my fault you can’t open a wine bottle the right way,” you shrug before smiling triumphantly once it's open, taking a swig of the bottle.

it’s probably the way your eyes gleam under the dim lights, or how your lips look plump and glossy after drinking the wine. either way, the words leave oikawa’s mouth before he can think twice.

“oh? care to tell me what else i don’t do the right way?”

you watch as he takes the bottle from your hands and takes a sip, “you’d be surprised. i know more than what you may think.”

“i doubt it.”

“try me.”

the words hang in the air, the hidden meaning begging to be addressed but you stare at each other in silence, your chests heaving up as you wait for the other to make a move.

“do you know what’s been on my mind lately?” he’s the first one to break the silence, his figure looming above you while his hand moves to rest on your hip.

your breath hitches as you shake your head. gone is the playful gleam in your eyes, his stare feeling as if he’s a predator and you the helpless prey.

“you.”

he pauses, gauging your reaction while you feel your heart pounding wildly in your chest.

“oi!”

you both jump at the sound of your dad’s voice. iwaizumi stands behind you with his car keys on hand, exhaustion evident in his posture.

“they’re hammered, i’m going to drive them home. you need a ride?”

the question’s directed at oikawa, who’s suddenly feeling like a deer caught in the headlights.

did he see anything? he wonders. but the tired look in his best friend’s face lets him know he doesn’t suspect a thing.

“nah, i’m good,” the odd look iwaizumi sends his way prompts him to come up with an excuse, “i’ll clean up and then i’ll be on my way out.”

on a normal day, iwaizumi would’ve refused. but if he could escape your mom’s wrath after the mess they made, then he’d take it in a heartbeat. good thing she’s out on her casino night.

“thanks, man. see you around.”

you both watch as he exits the kitchen, the tense atmosphere remaining even after hearing the front door close behind the three men.

you can’t help but deflate a bit, sensing the ‘moment’ between you is gone.

“where were we?”

your eyes widen and refuse to meet his, choosing to fiddle with your fingers as you repeat what he said earlier in a small voice, “you said… you said you were thinking of me.”

oikawa has to stop himself from cooing at your nervousness, humming instead as he takes one step in your direction.

“mhm, all day,” his hands snake around your waist to pull you flush against him, “i’ve been thinking about fucking you.”

a small gasp leaves your mouth, a satisfied smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

“you enjoyed teasing me, didn’t you? parading around in that slutty swimsuit of yours with your tits spilling out of your bra?”

he hauls you up by your waist and places you on the granite counter, settling himself between your legs, “i could see your nipples getting hard, begging to be kissed,” one of his hands leaves your waist and moves upwards to pinch your nipple. he can’t help but coo at the faint whimper that escapes your lips, “hmm, so cute.”

oikawa’s lips connect with yours, his other hand holding you by the back of your head while the other keeps rubbing the hardened nub. once his tongue glides into your mouth, breathless moans fill the kitchen.

“a-ah, uncle tooru,” you run your fingers through his hair, pulling him closer.

he starts to make his way down, kissing your neck and collarbone before he reaches your chest. his teeth graze your hard nipple, toying with it while a large hand moves down between your legs and pushes the fabric covering your pussy aside.

two long fingers prod between your folds, sliding in easily and making you groan.

“naughty girl, so wet already,” he rasps in your ear, throat dry at the sight of your wet folds.

the wetness dripping from your hole immediately coats his digits, making it easier for him to tease your insides. the pads of his index and middle fingers curl upwards to touch the soft walls, massaging them in slow movements.

“mm, fuck–” it’s exhilarating how good he’s making you feel just with his fingers, pulling moans so effortlessly out of you.

“feels good, hm?”

“yes, yes, so so good–” your head falls limp against his shoulder, your hands resting on his biceps as you try to hold onto something, “please… faster.”

the pace of his hand picks up while his thumb brushes over your clit, watching you lose yourself in the pleasure. his cock hardens at the filthy sounds of your pussy sucking his fingers in and your wanton moans.

“so needy,” he murmurs, a breathless chuckle falling right in your ear, “be a doll and cum for me. will you? c’mon, baby. i know you can do it.”

your grip on his shoulders tightens, his encouraging words awakening something in you that has you cumming right after. warmth floods your body as you chant his name desperately, the friction of his finger against your clit prolonging your high and making it difficult to catch your breath.

it takes you a minute to recover from the daze, his body-heat overwhelming you and fogging up your mind.

it’s not until he takes his fingers out of your dripping core and has a taste of your juices when he truly feels the lust take over him.

oikawa immediately picks you up from the kitchen counter, your legs wrapping around his torso as he blindly makes his way to your room.

his mouth moves hungrily against yours, your bodies occasionally colliding against the walls since you refuse to let go of each other. once you reach your bedroom, he pushes the door open and places you on the bed, climbing on top of you and latching his mouth onto your neck.

“baby, i need to– hmm,” the roll of your hips against his front causes his cock to twitch in his shorts, “need to fuck you.”

your eyes close when he moves your bra down and starts sucking on your nipple, one of your hands tangling in his hair and pushing his face onto your chest.

“want you so badly, please.”

“don’t worry, princess. i’ll make you cum again, so many times, and fill your needy cunt with my cum,” he murmurs against your chest, his tongue gliding over the sensitive skin while he rolls his hips against your core, “you’re gonna be a good little slut for me, right? bounce on my cock like a bitch in heat?”

you have never heard something so filthy leave his mouth, the promise of another orgasm sending a jolt down to your center.

“y-yes, i’ll do whatever you want! just please, fuck me.”

“yes, what?” his eyes glint with malice as he looks down at you, waiting for you to reply.

“yes... sir.”

a captivating smile graces his lips as he moves up from your chest to your face, his mouth hovering right above yours, “good girl.”

before you can process his words, he flips you on top of him, his hands going straight to your ass and squeezing the flesh. you notice the hardness underneath you and you have to stop yourself from bucking your hips against it.

with a tap on your butt, he signals you to lift your hips, taking off his shorts and turning to the side to place them somewhere. but in your drunken state, all you can focus on is on the cock in front of you, the flushed head glistening with pre-cum and causing your mouth to water.

he’s turning around when you wrap a hand around his girth, making him jolt under you before you lift your eyes to stare back at him.

“patience, baby. i’m not going anywhere,” he chuckles at the same time you rub his cock between your folds. his eyes stare intensely at you, watching you coat him with your juices before aligning him with your hole, “shit, i wish i could watch you like this forever.”

“you can have me whenever you want, sir. i’m yours.”

his cock parts your lower lips as you start sinking down, the vein on the underside of his shaft rubbing deliciously against your walls until he’s bottoming out. his hands rest on your hips, letting you get used to the stretch before he starts to rock you back and forth, slowly.

“feels so good… m-more.”

strong arms wrap around your waist, bringing your torso down until your breasts are pressed against his chest. his thrusts become intense, making you squeal as his laugh reverberates in his chest. he slaps your ass with one hand, groaning when your walls clamp down around him.

“tightest cunt i’ve ever fucked,” he groans.

“h-harder, fuck me harder,” you plead and, in a matter of seconds, he’s ramming his cock into you just like you asked. the friction of his length against your insides makes you dizzy, your mind wandering to how would it feel to be filled with his seed, “god– ugh, want your cum.”

“hm? my pretty little cumslut wants to milk me dry?”

he pushes you up as he slows down his pace, whines leaving your mouth in frustration. oikawa helps you bounce on top of him, his pelvic bone brushing against your swollen clit which causes your orgasm to approach faster than expected.

“‘m so close,” your rhythm falters, hips moving back and forth desperately in search of that delicious friction, “gonna cum, sir. please, make me cum.”

oikawa’s grip on your hips tightens, one of his hands moving down to your clit and rubbing it in fast circles, “shit– so tight,” he moans when you clench your muscles around his cock, feeling it twitch inside of you, “fuck, fuck, i’m cumming!”

he barely manages to rasp out before warm spurts of cum paint your walls, his cock throbbing against them while he keeps moving in and out of your hole. you follow suit, your pussy trembling around him as you both ride out your orgasms.

his cock visibly twitches once it's out of your cunt, lying flat on his stomach while white cum slowly drips on top of it. spreading your asscheeks, he stares at your glistening cunt and watches your juices coat him before flipping you onto your back. his entire weight rests on top of you, caging you in a mating press and entering your raw walls again.

“s-sir, no more! ‘m too sensitive– ah,” your legs are shaking at the overstimulation, his cock reaching so deep that you can feel it nudging at your cervix.

he grunts as he keeps thrusting into you, his balls slapping against your ass while you try to fight him, “one more, baby.”

“i-i can’t! no, no, no, please...” your nails dig in his muscles, a futile attempt to get him to slow down.

the slapping of skin on skin is loud, your cries encouraging him to drill harder into your pussy until he’s flooding it with his thick cum.

“shit, princess. of course you can. isn’t this what you wanted? you’re such a slut for me, i’ve known it all this time.”

you know you want to cum, but another tingling feeling settles on your belly and, after a perfectly directed thrust from his part, you gush around his cock.

“holy shit.”

everything seems to stop around you, drooling and babbling nonsense as you’re sent into a high that leaves your mind floating, your body growing limp under oikawa as he continues to fuck your hole until he’s filling it again.

the euphoria stops you from noticing when he pulls out, also missing how he remains above you with his softening cock in hand and pumping it slowly. a groan escapes your mouth when a sudden warmth soaks your sweaty skin, making you close your eyes and bask in it.

“fuck, baby,” he angles his cock in your direction, allowing his piss to pour down onto your ruined pussy and down your bedsheets, “look at you, my pretty little slut.

your craving for him was so powerful that you failed to notice the phone standing on your bedside table, angled directly at you. even when familiar moans blare through its speakers after oikawa picks it up, smiling down at it as he readies himself to enter you once more.

taglist. @newfriendjen @tsumue @cyb3rbab3 @lets-go-datehoe @kageyamakock @oneholetickler @idiotgu @kageyama-i-want-tobiors

#oikawa x reader smut #oikawa smut #oikawa x reader #tw.alcohol #tw.degradation #tw.noncon filming #tw.watersports #tw.mindbreak

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