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skyler10fic · 8 months

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Wonder: Ch. 1 - By Day

Summary: In a world of elemental magic, orders and houses train novices in the ancient mystical arts and help them find suitable careers to use their talents. But for young witches, the power of true love can tempt them away from the high ambitions their magical families have for them. Can Daisy of the House of Shield and Carol, Captain of the Mar-Vell Order, have it all?

For Witches in the @augustwritingchallenge and Flight, just in time for @sapphic-september

Read on Ao3 (chapter 1: rated G, chapter 2 will be M)

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Magic isn’t consistent from person to person. It’s as unique as a fingerprint. Or the flecks of hazel in brown eyes. Or the kiss of a woman who knows what she wants.

And Carol, witch of the Order of Mar-Vell, knew exactly what she wanted—or rather, who. And every time Carol saw her beloved in the village marketplace, her fire magic sparked inside with longing and warmth. The jewel of her affections was Daisy, witch of the House of Shield. Daisy was beautiful in the wild charm of the fae folk. Her raven hair, dark almond eyes, and quick smile made Carol’s heart melt.

But it was her kindness to young and old that drew Carol to her. Well, and her sheer power. Knowing Daisy was skilled in the destructive art of earth magic made her gentleness all the more attractive. It is sweet to observe the weak helping the weaker, and it’s impressive to watch the powerful at work, but to see someone capable of such powerful magic use it for small delights for children or favors for the elderly, so quick to offer help to any in need… that’s what won Carol’s heart forever. It also challenged Carol to use her fire magic for the benefit of others and not simply for pragmatic needs or dangerous tricks.

As they walked and browsed the market under the late summer sun, Mother Mar-Vell, head of Carol’s order, sighed and rolled her eyes at Carol’s obvious pining. She turned away to pick some powders on a display outside the apothecary for their potion stock and Carol reluctantly joined her.

“You could browse for some charmed objects at the House of Shield tents,” Mother Mar-Vell offered. “I know you’ve been saving up your wages from the Bird. Even taking extra cargo flights after the passenger ferries are done for the day?”

“But I’ve been saving up to buy something for her, not from her. I want to impress her. Ask her on a dazzling first date, you know? Something…”

“Magical?” Mother Mar-Vell laughed. Young love delighted her, but she needed her pilot to keep her head in the skies, not on Daisy of Shield. And the only cure for that was for the heart-eyed witches to settle into a comfortable but ordinary, boring, ol’ established partnership. In the meantime, Carol and Daisy would have to slowly progress through the stages of flirtation to bliss to honeymoon to the steady ground of taking each other for granted and mundanity. And the rest of the village would just have to pretend like their love story wasn’t as obvious as if it were written in the stars. And though the celestial witches would say the stars in the sky don’t work like that, the stars in their eyes as they blushed and fumbled their way toward their destiny certainly told everyone without the need for prophecy or divination.

Carol stayed outside the apothecary, leaning on the open wooden doorway to dreamily watch Daisy work her family’s shop at the market. Their large silver caravans, pulled by two giant eagles, traveled the county’s green hills, bringing trinkets, charmed objects, and enchanted wares to all, which they displayed under a row of tents. Some tables displayed the latest in magical innovation, and others showed antiques of legendary power—if one only had the right powers to unlock them.

The order settled here in the largest village on the days in between their travels, at a tall, grand house of similarly gleaming silver. Carol had walked by one day and seen Daisy training in the front garden, and every day after, she made it a point to walk that way every opportunity she had just on the chance that Daisy would be outside. They had gotten close, literally, as Daisy taught Carol the archery she was practicing, and Carol turned the bolts to flaming arrows to impress Daisy, extinguishing them as soon as they hit the target. They’d made an art form of flirting by magic tricks in the year since.

They were still novices when they met, forbidden from romantic partnerships until they learned to master their witchcraft. But now, they’d each earned their places in their orders, though they maintained a friendship of innocent banter and undeclared yearning. Nearly everyone could see they were essentially courting, but the villagers didn’t consider it their place to assume or intervene. Countryside magical culture taught them to leave people to their business and what would come to be would be. (Not that it kept them from gossiping when the subjects of their talk weren’t around, of course.) But no one dared mention it to Daisy’s parents, the Lord and Lady of the House of Shield.

Mother Mar-vell exited the apothecary with purchases in hand and tsked at Carol still standing there, exchanging blushing smiles with Daisy but not actually approaching her in public.

“C’mon, Captain,” she scolded and continued on in the opposite direction from the House of Shield tents and tables in the market square. “You missed your chance. We’re off to the bookshop.”

Carol pouted slightly, like a pagegirl half her age, but continued to walk through the marketplace beside her mentor. She usually enjoyed the special attention Mother Mar-vell gave her and the privilege of spending a day off in the village together one-on-one. And the older woman was almost literally her mother. Carol’s own parents had dropped her off at the order at the earliest possible age, just (an admittedly highly flammable) 10 years old. She grew tough as the little sister of all the teens and young adults, rising quickly in the ranks and learning to control her fire magic from hard-earned experience and training from the Mother herself. They didn’t spend as much time together now that Carol was fully certified as a pilot and spent all her work time in the flying machine. She should be grateful for a day with her kind, generous matriarch.

Still, Carol couldn’t help but wish she could spend all day browsing the House of Shield shop, getting Daisy to tell her about each knick-knack and bobble. She only perked back up when the bookshop keeper showed her a new atlas called a Grand Perspective System, or GPS for short.

“See,” the old man gestured as he flipped the cover open, “you just find the right page for the part of the world you’re flying over, then say the enchantment for your destination, and it shows you the grand perspective of your route as well as how to get there and how long it will take.”

“That’s incredible,” Mother Mar-vell praised as Carol fiddled with the features along the edge of the book.

The shopkeeper whispered, “They say the next model is going to be able to fly the Bird for you.”

Carol let out a laugh, “Well, that seems to be the only thing this doesn’t do, so I suppose it’d have to.”

Pleased, the shopkeeper offered his top price for a case of them, one for each Bird in the fleet, but Mother Mar-Vell countered until they reached an amicable agreement. Carol had managed to get her mind off the daughter of the House of Shield for a while, until, of course, she thought of the awed grin Daisy would make if she could show it to her.

—-------------

Daisy was almost relieved when Carol disappeared with the head of her order into the crowd. The Shield shop was too busy for her to get distracted, and with the blonde pilot watching her, Daisy could barely breathe, much less make correct change. She’d had to use the counting machine for even the simplest exchanges and simultaneously hide how flustered she was from the customers.

“Stay focused,” her mom, Lady Melinda, reprimanded. “What’s gotten into you today?”

Her dad, Lord Philip, placed a large crate of cauldron-stirring utensils on the table. “I know what it is. Same problem I had.”

He winked at his wife as she raised a questioning eyebrow, but he just went back to the storage wagon to get more, so Melinda redirected her attention to Daisy, awaiting an explanation.

Daisy took a deep breath. “You know how you were a pilot of Mar-Vell before you met Dad?”

“That’s how we met,” Phil added. “She flew the cargo machines. Her air magic swept me off my feet.”

“Right,” Daisy picked back up, “well, there’s this witch. She’s a pilot too. But with fire magic. She’s ….” Daisy trailed off and searched for the right words to describe Carol to her mom.

“Dangerous?” Melinda filled in. “A distraction?”

“Mom!” Daisy protested. “That’s not fair. Just because she has fire magic!”

“Sweetheart,” Melinda warned, “the last time you were courted by a fire magic user, he made his way racing fire-powered carriages, and need I remind you of the light magic user before that from the Eternal Valley…”

“She’s not like those boys! Or anyone. She grew up in the order of Mar-Vell. Your order!”

Melinda rubbed her forehead. “Daisy. Tell me that young woman watching you today isn’t the same 12-year-old that set her cat on fire the first day Mother Mar-Vell brought him home.”

“No,” Daisy protested in a small voice, “okay, yes, but that was a long time ago! We’re adults now. And he was fine. He’s a magic kind of cat.”

“I may not spend much time with the order anymore, but I’ve heard stories about this girl. And I know young pilots. You aren’t a novice anymore, so you’re free to make your own choices, but just be careful.”

“I know, Mom.” Daisy helped her father unpack a new crate of anti-anxiety soaps and lotions. If only her mom would use some, maybe Daisy could get some peace around here. She knew her mom couldn’t forbid her from seeing Carol anymore, but doing it anyway also meant going against her mom’s wishes. And try as she might to be a rebel, Daisy did deeply care about making her parents proud. At least her dad seemed supportive.

When Melinda had left, Phil said softly to Daisy, “You know, sometimes the best way to win her over is to prove her wrong. If you start courting Carol, can you keep up with your duties here and your new product ideas and the repair work you promised the Eternal Valley?”

Hands braced on the edges of the empty wood crate in front of her, Daisy hesitated but looked her father in the eye to instill confidence in them both. “Definitely.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her flicker of uncertainty but let her off the hook. “Then prove that to your mother. And use your powers responsibly. I don’t want to hear about hills turning into volcanos or anything because you two tried to combine your magic.”

“Wait, could we do that?” Daisy’s curiosity did not help her cause. Before her dad could take back his support, she changed the subject. “Not that we would, I’m just interested in how different magic types work together. For work. It could help us make new charms other sellers can’t?”

“Good save, but keep that one academic for now. We have enough trouble on our hands. The Eternal Valley is tightening restrictions on outsiders.” He sighed and surveyed the products that were selling and the ones that weren’t. He picked up a box of quick-healing bandages. “Take this to Jemma. She’ll sell them faster than we will, and it opens up space for Wanda’s Washer Wands.”

“Will do.” Daisy took the box from him and put it in her bag with magically enhanced storage capacity. To the nonmagical, this feat would have astonished the eyes and defied the imagination, but for the House of Shield, it was unremarkably common. “Have you told Wanda we can’t keep those in stock? The new stain-removing ones are sold out before I can get to the taverns. They want me to take orders so they can have enough for their whole staff.”

Phil turned and blinked at her in awe. “You’re selling them to the taverns? I hadn’t thought of that.”

Daisy shrugged. “Parents aren’t the only ones who need Washer Wands. I know Wanda made them with other moms in mind, but why not double our profits with the industrial uses as well?”

A proud smile bloomed on Phil’s face. “Brilliant.”

Daisy turned to walk away but paused. “Do you think they remove blood?”

“Sometimes you ask really disturbing questions, you know that?” He picked up a wand and read the note Wanda had attached to each. “Huh. Looks like they do.”

“What if I ordered a few for Jemma? Healers need Washer Wands as much as taverns do.” She shrugged a little too casually. “It could be useful.”

“You can ask her, but sure, and we can offer them to the healers in other villages. You’re full of uses for these!”

Daisy grinned. “That last one was Carol’s idea.”

With that, she sauntered off to Jemma’s clinic where she could get some real advice about courting Carol without dropping the ball on anything else.

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As usual, Carol ferried passengers in the big metal Bird across the skies. Some were headed to the gleaming city to visit the palace, whether as tourists or as guests of the queen and king. Others left the city for the lakeside towns, ready for a business deal or a relaxing getaway. And the lakeside region provided plenty of passengers and cargo headed to the valley for trade or to visit family or to seek the solace of the forests. Most cargo floated down the river to the lake ports via boats with enchanted sails, but Carol took the more urgent packages and perishables.

On the last flight of the day, one passenger stayed onboard after all the others had left. The flight attendant gave up trying to persuade the woman to get off and informed Carol, “She insisted that she speak to the pilot.”

Carol groaned and emerged from the cockpit, hands red and painfully swollen from a full day of channeling her power into the Bird.

“Sorry, ma’am, this is the last stop. Oh!” Carol startled as she saw who it was. She bowed her head in respect and hid her hands behind her back. “Lady Melinda, I didn’t realize…”

Lady Melinda didn’t react. “I see you watching my shop. And I know why.”

Carol hesitated, but from what Daisy said, honesty was her best route to the good graces of the House of Shield. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I could ask you to stop, to stay away from her, but I won’t.”

“You won’t?” asked Carol, genuinely surprised. “I mean, thank you.”

Lady Melinda huffed. “Don’t thank me yet. I am only here because I know it’s out of my hands. My daughter is going to court you, no matter what I say. But you are going to listen very carefully.”

Carol tried to contain the flood of joy at the news. Daisy wanted to court her. “Anything! Whatever you ask.”

Lady Melinda stepped closer to Carol with a look of challenge, the kind that left no doubt as to who was in charge. “If you hurt her, or if any harm comes to her because of you, you will feel the wrath of the House of Shield.”

Carol swallowed hard. “Yes, ma’am.”

She heard and then felt a rush of air from the open door, but didn’t see anything there. Then, when she looked back to the woman she needed to impress with promises of devotion, Melinda of Shield was gone. In her place, a flat box laid as if it had been there the whole time. When Carol opened it, she saw a pair of pilot’s gloves sat neatly inside. The instructions promised that they would protect a pilot’s hands from getting overworked while channeling her magic. The credit to the designer was marked, of course, with a stamp of a daisy flower.

Carol relaxed, but then she realized what this visit meant. She was being given a fair chance to prove herself worthy of the heir to the House of Shield. Courting Daisy wouldn’t be as simple as flirting over charmed objects in the marketplace and flying her anywhere she desired. Daisy had something Carol never did: a family legacy to carry. The House of Shield had taken in many over the years into its order of magic, training curious students into healers and tinkerers and much more. But none were under as much scrutiny as Lady Daisy to make a name for themselves and simultaneously carry generations of hopes and dreams. Their highly selective elite order of applied magic served as a portal to a wide variety of trades. As a lady of the House, Daisy would be expected to understand the material needs of each and use magic to manipulate objects to help meet those needs.

The Order of Mar-Vell, on the other hand, tended to rely on sheer power: piloting massive vessels, for example. Speaking of, the day wasn’t over yet. Carol had two more cargo flights on another Bird built for the purpose. She had to focus while doing her work, but as soon as she was done, she knew exactly where to find Daisy of Shield.

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whumpsday · 2 years

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AUgust Day 3: Countryside

this one is pure fluff

This is an AU of the recovery arc, specifically. Instead of moving out to the middle of the woods to escape being a known whumpee, Jim moves to the countryside. He’s got some chickens that he gets eggs from, and takes EXCELLENT care of them. These chickens want for nothing, the most spoiled birds on the planet. It’s therapeutic, in a way: Jim wants to prove that you can harvest food from a living, feeling being in a kind manner. He also grows his own vegetables. He makes a mean home-grown veggie omelet.

In canon, Jim goes vegan after escaping from Kane. This is still mostly true: the only animal product he’ll eat is the eggs of his own chickens (and sometimes dairy from local farmers if he knows & trusts the source), because he knows the animals were treated well. I can imagine Jim going to a farmer’s market and selling eggs :) I’ve heard that people who keep chickens always have an overabundance of them because chickens just shoot ‘em out so much.

During the recovery arc, after Kane’s eventually stopped being Jim’s (willing) captive and started being Jim’s housemate, he’ll be allowed outside, and he can help out a little. Jim would be very hesitant to let Kane near his birds, and Kane can only go out at night anyway, when they would be sleeping since chickens are diurnal. But Kane could help with the garden :) I think it would be nice.

@augustwritingchallenge

#au_gust #kane and jim au #btw fun fact: i was a vegetarian for 10 years ages 9 to 19 but then i gave up lol

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yaoyoroz-oops · 2 years

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AU August Day 4: Dinosaurs

#the owl house #toh #owl house fanart #lumity #luz noceda #amity blight #au_gust_2022 #au_gust #dinosaurs #alternate universe #fanart #zoops art

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star--joy · 2 years

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Artist’s Muse - Perc’ahlia

Percy, unsatisfied with Vex's refusal to buy the pair of earrings she wants, makes some himself. Somehow, he lands himself a date in the process.

Day two of the AU-gust challenge. Prompt: Artist's Muse.

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: None

Words: 2273

Originally posted: 8/5/22

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40815714

Percy wouldn’t normally consider himself an artist. An inventor, yes, and a brilliant one at that. The word artist, however, holds certain connotations that he doesn’t feel are accurate. Art isn’t meant to be purely functional, which his inventions are. Even his drawings are more meant to document than to perform.

It doesn’t bother him. He’s far more suited to a practical life. Always has been, even as a royal child. So, no, it doesn’t bother him that he's not an artist.

Most of the time, at least.

Vex’ahlia, though, always seems to make him break his own rules. Like right now, as she eyes the pricy piece of jewelry from across the boutique, envy swirling in those mesmerizing hazel eyes. For her credit, the set of earrings are beautiful, dazzling blue gems embedded into glittering gold. They would suit her perfectly.

Of course, she won’t buy them, not with that price tag. Even her bargaining skills wouldn’t be able to bring them down to a reasonable cost. So Vex settles for letting her gaze linger every time she gets a moment.

Percy doesn’t like it, the pucker between her brows as she walks out of the shop. He could, of course, buy it with his own funds as a gift, but Vex might never forgive him for paying such an atrocious price, so he tries to push it out of his mind as he trails behind the rest of the party.

That proves to be a challenge. He can’t stop thinking about how beautiful she would look in them, in large part due to the smile she’d no doubt wear. It makes his fingers itch.

“I’ll be right back,” he announces to the party, taking a sharp right at the next turn. “I have a few errands to run.”

“Oh,” Vex says, looking at him curiously. She’s too good at picking up on subtleties. “Anything interesting?”

Percy shakes his head. “Unfortunately not. I need to get a few parts for my Pepperbox.”

Keen eyes stare into his soul, definitely aware that the gunslinger is lying through his teeth. Vex doesn’t push, though, and he thanks the gods for it. “Have fun, Darling,” she simply says, throwing in a sly wink.

A red hot blush rises in Percy’s face, but he walks away before Vex can catch sight of it.

His errands don’t take long, and he arrives at Greyskull keep before the rest of his party is done with their shopping. Good, that allows him to slip into his workshop without interruption. Pulling out the items he’d purchased, Percy gets to work.

It’s harder than he expected, crafting jewelry from scratch. Perhaps Percy should have done some prior research. After his sixth or so failed attempt, he’s almost ready to throw in the towel, suck it up and just buy Vex the goddamn earrings. Surely she won’t mind that much if he uses his own funds?

Percy rubs his chin thoughtfully, feeling the growing stubble under his calloused fingers. This is all foolish. Vex has probably already forgotten about the damn earrings.

But, fuck, Percy wants to make her smile.

“Percy, Darling, are you alright? You’ve been down there all day,” Vex herself calls from outside the door to his workshop, startling him so much his knee jerks up and hits his work table. “Won’t you come get some food?”

“In a minute, Vex,” he responds, grabbing some more supply. Surely one more attempt won’t hurt.

But Vex isn’t done, apparently. “For someone who prides himself on being polite, you don’t tell the truth very often.”

He snorts. “Being polite is the opposite of telling the truth.”

“Seriously, dear, you can’t hole yourself up forever.” Curse her and her persistence. “If you’re not up in ten minutes, I’m coming back down,” she announces, followed by the sound of her retreating footsteps.

Ten minutes. Percy can get a lot done in ten minutes. Surely he won’t lose track of time.

Except it only feels like it’s been seconds of crafting the earrings when the door to his workshop slams open, Vex not even bothering to knock. “You’re so stubborn, Percy. It’s really quite a flaw.”

Trying to hide his current project by hunching over his workbench, Percy scoffs. “You’re not exactly one to talk, Vex.”

“Hush,” the archer demands, stepping around his workbench and wiping away a spot for her to sit on the opposite side. Two plates are set down. “Now, because you’re such a loner and refuse to eat with the group, I have to make sure that you actually do get enough nutrients to keep yourself alive. Eat up.” One plate full of steaming food is passed in his direction.

Percy blinks. It’s such a small thing, one that he might have found offensive if anyone else did it. He does not need a babysitter. With Vex, though, he feels flattered that she cares enough to make sure he’s taking care of himself. “Well, thank you.”

She softens, eyes crinkling around the edges with her smile. “Of course, Darling.” Leaning back in her chair, she throws her legs up onto his workbench and begins eating.

“Did everything go smoothly today? I do apologize for not being there to try and tame the lot, somewhat,” Percy says in between bites of food.

Vex laughs. “Percy, you are a man of many skills, but I do not believe even you can tame them. On the bright side, we only got kicked out of one pub.”

“That’s certainly an improvement.” Their last outing without Percy had resulted in three bar fights and one permanent ban from the nearest tavern. Perhaps next time, they'll manage to get through the whole night without issue.

Probably not, but Percy can dream.

“You know, you provide much better dinner company than Grog. Or Scanlan,” Vex says.

“I’d imagine so, yes,” Percy says through a chuckle. “You’re not half bad, yourself.” A pause hangs heavy in the air, making his throat dry up. Was that the wrong thing to say?

When he finds the courage to glance at Vex for a better gauge of her reaction, she’s observing him with a considering look, eyes trained on him in a way that makes him feel like her prey. He wants to ask if everything’s alright, if he had offended her in some way, but all the letters and words jumble around in his brain.

“Perhaps,” Vex murmurs, finally looking away and letting Percy breathe again, “we could make a habit of it, then.”

Oh.

Percy’s smile is nearly boyish. “Yes, I think that would be lovely.” The soft and saccharine tone he uses is a rare thing, the novelty of it causing a light blush to brighten Vex’s face.

“Alright then. Tomorrow, six o’clock. Meet me at The Oaken Tavern,” she demands, stretching her sore muscles before standing. “Don’t be late.”

“I’ll be right on time,” Percy assures her, collecting their plates. His back is turned towards the half elf, so he doesn’t see her approach behind him, but he does feel her lips, soft and plush, brush against his cheek in a barely-there kiss.

Every muscle in his body goes taunt, eyes growing to the size of the plates in his hand. Vex chuckles behind him. “Have a good night, Percy,” she hums, turning and walking up towards the main room as if she hadn’t just rendered him useless and flustered.

It takes almost a minute for Percy to remember how to use his body, and another after that to actually follow through and sit back down at his work bench.

The broken earrings stare up at him, glittering in the dim lighting.

He sets his face in determination and gets back to work.

Four hours and several cups of coffee later, Percy surveys his work. He’d had to go out and get more supplies, after ruining all his own, and he’s pretty sure that he’s now spent more on materials than the original earrings cost. At last, though, he has a set that looks good. Not perfect, not identical to the ones in the store. But passable.

If he weren’t worried about sleeping through his date (holy shit his date) then he might stay up and try until he’s created better. As it is, he wants to be well rested and completely attentive tomorrow, so he quickly flops down into his bed, not even bothering to change out of his daytime attire.

*LINEBREAK*

Percy checks his watch for the tenth time in as many minutes. He’s still got a bit to go, but it was better to be early than late, he’d decided. Vex’s earrings are in a small golden box that he can’t help fiddling with relentlessly.

Maybe he shouldn’t have made them. Too late now, though. Besides, she’ll surely like them more than a bouquet of flowers, which was his other idea.

Perhaps a bouquet of enchanted arrows would work best. Unfortunately, Percy doesn’t have time to procure those at this point. The earrings will have to do.

“Hello, Percy,” Vex greets from behind him. He doesn’t jump, but it’s a close thing as she takes his hand in hers. Turning to look at his date, Percy’s remark dies on his tongue. Oh, dear Gods, she’s going to kill him .

Her dress clings to the curves of her body, the navy material accentuating every little dip. Golden gemstones sparkle in the lamp light of the street, creating the illusion of a starry galaxy, contained in her dress. Red-painted lips smile sharply at him.

Percy, for all his training and refinement, lets out an undignified choking noise. “Vex, you look-- stunning,” he breathes, suddenly feeling very inadequate, despite the effort he’d put into dressing up. How can his plain suit compare to the beauty that stands before him? It clearly can’t.

Vex smiles, all too pleased with herself, and does a little twirl. The golden gemstones shimmer and flicker with the movement . “You like it?”

“It’s beautiful.” He wants, so badly, to reach out and grab her hips, pull her in close and press their lips together. A proper kiss. If he did that, though, Percy wouldn’t be able to make it through the date, and would surely try and drag her back to the keep for an early night in, one spent deliciously alone together.

“Percival? You’re staring, dear. Is everything alright?” Vex asks, all faux innocence and concern as she steps closer and cups his face in one hand. Her calloused fingers stroke comforting circles into his skin.

“Everything is fine, darling,” he assures her, but when he tries to focus on taking deep, calming breaths, all he can do is smell her spicy perfume and that just makes everything worse.

Vex grins, slowly letting her hand drop from his face and gripping his arm, instead. “Well then, shall we eat?” It’s almost comical, how she has to almost drag him into the restaurant as he tries to remember how his muscles work.

Somehow, they end up sitting at a table in the corner, ordering off a menu. Percy comes back to himself just as the waiter asks, “And your order, Sir?”

Swallowing, he forces himself to look at the menu and rattles off the first appealing dish; a shrimp and garlic pasta. All throughout, Vex is just grinning deviously, especially when he catches her eye and blushes deeper.

When the waiter finally leaves, Vex leans across the table so she’s closer to Percy. “You seem a little distracted, Darling. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

He laughs, looking at the ceiling. “This is going straight to your head, isn’t it?”

“I can’t say I don’t enjoy it,” she admits in turn, hand reaching out to take his, which, he notices, is still clutching the golden box. “What’s this?”

Percy forces himself to stay calm. “Ah, that would be a gift. Something to celebrate our first date.”

Curiously, she takes the small box, inspecting it closely. “First of many, I would hope.”

“That is-- yes, I hope so, too.” Gods, where did his charisma go? He’d grown up as royalty, learning how to speak to others with dignity and grace and charm, yet here he is, nervous and stuttering like a lovestruck teenager.

Vex seems pleased at her effect on him, though, so he can’t be too upset.

Carefully, she begins to open the gift. The cocky, suave smile is wiped off her face when she sees what’s inside, but before Percy has time to worry about her reaction, she’s looking back at him with awe. “Percy, did you make these?”

He adjusts his glasses. “Well, yes. I do hope you like them?”

She doesn’t break out into a grin, or thank him profusely, or overdo her reaction. Instead, Vex just stares at him with a gratitude that makes his chest flutter. “Thank you, Percy. They’re very beautiful,” she murmurs, taking one out of the packaging to further inspect it.

“Ah, it was nothing.”

“Don’t be modest, you dick. They’re a great gift. Own it,” she demands, unhooking her current golden studs to put in the new pair. Percy thanks his lucky stars that they match her dress so well.

Looking down to hide his proud grin, Percy says, “You deserve it, Vex. I’ll have to make you more, sometime.”

She smiles again, but it’s nothing like the sharp, seductive grins she’d sported just earlier this evening. This one is soft and gentle and Percy wants to look at it forever. “That would be lovely.”

And with her as a beautiful source of inspiration, Percy has no doubt that he will follow through on that.

#Percy #Percy de Rolo #Percival de Rolo #Critical Role #Vex'ahlia #Vex #Vex'ahlia Vessar #Perc'ahlia #Percahlia #Percy x Vex #Percy/vex #Au-gust #AU-gust 2022 #AU_Gust #AU_gust 2022

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windflowering · 2 years

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Celebrity Skin

Objectively speaking, the model was gorgeous—but that wasn't what seized Itachi's attention. That wasn't what made him stare at the photograph, breath caught in his throat. It was the model's eyes that held him captive. They were beautiful, an amber so bright it was nearly gold, glittering from a frame of thick lashes. And there was no trace of a smile in those eyes, no sign of anything but a hollow, empty melancholy. Itachi swallowed, his throat tight. How could someone with such a captivating smile look so sad? (A story about Itachi, a photographer, and Kisame, a model.)

fandom: Naruto

rating: Explicit

relationships: Hoshigaki Kisame/Uchiha Itachi

characters: Hoshigaki Kisame, Uchiha Itachi

tags: AU - Modern Setting, AU - Celebrity, Celebrity Crush, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Hook-Up, Smut, Size Kink, Frottage, Hand & Finger Kink, Consensual Kink, Breathplay, Body Worship, Loss of Virginity, Bathing/Washing

this was written for several events: - kisame week hosted by @kisames-corner (prompt: pinup calendar) - @naruto-smut-monday's july prompt: innocence/ruin - @augustwritingchallenge's second prompt: artist's muse - and the sweet & spicy bingo challenge on twitter

#kisame week 2022 #naruto smut monday #AU_gust #AU_gust 2022 #au gust 2022 #kisaita #itachi #kisame #uchiha itachi #hoshigaki kisame #naruto fanfiction #minors dni #kasarin fic

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augustwritingchallenge · 2 years

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Nobody likes Mondays, but Monday the 1st of August 2022? Best day ever! 🥳 We're launching the third season of #AU_gust with the prompt Underwater.

Merfolk, the lost city of Atlantis, submarines, life under the sea… So many ways to take this prompt! Where did Your mind go? 🧜‍♀️🌊

[Image ID: Daily Alternate Universe August prompt 1: Underwater]

#AU_gust_2022 #au_gust #au gust #alternate universe #prompt

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random-writerings · 2 years

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Fitzsimmons - Teachers AU

• After Fitzsimmons retire, they live their idyllic life in a cottage in Perthshire with little Alya

• But when she's old enough to go to school, they get kinda bored

• They miss the thrill and excitement of working at S.H.I.E.L.D.

• Hell, they miss just having something to do all day

• So they decide to teach at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy

• It's the best of both worlds; they stay informed about the goings-on in S.H.I.E.L.D., but they're far enough away from action that they can still claim they're retired

• Another upside is that they get to see their friends more often

• Of course the S.H.I.E.L.D. Science Academy is very excited to welcome them back

• They get a little embarrassed when students gush over them and their work, both in the field and the scientific papers they've published

• But eventually the excitement dies down and the students begin to love them as teachers rather than famous S.H.I.E.L.D. agents

• And after a while, what started out as a way to keep their brilliant, fast-paced brains occupied, becomes something they genuinely enjoy

• They love having a steady routine again

• Getting ready for work in the morning while also getting Alya ready for school feels so right, so normal

• Jemma makes them all lunch everyday, and of course she gives Fitz his beloved prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella sandwich with a hint of homemade pesto aioli

• They're also those teachers that have hundreds of mugs from students

• Fitz’s favourite mug is shaped like a monkey, with the tail forming the handle

• Jemma can't pick a favourite (“they were all chosen with care!”) but she really likes ones with science puns

• Even though they don't see each other much during work, they still love working together

• They run assignment ideas and exam questions by each other all the time

• They spend their evenings in comfortable silence marking papers and drinking hot chocolate

• Jemma is a very organised and professional teacher

• She plans lessons months in advance, has an extensive booklist for students that somehow keeps growing, and has made many posters and handouts about lab safety

• She also colour codes everything

• Her preparedness can sometimes intimidate new students but the older students reassure them that she's actually a very caring teacher

• She has lots of extra stationary and chargers that she can lend to students

• Even though she sets a lot of challenging assignments, she always finds the time to help out those who are struggling

• And she writes detailed notes summarising each lesson in case a student is ill or can't make it to class

• These are not used very often because students love attending her classes

• She's so passionate about her subject and she inspires that passion in others

• She also finds very fun and interesting ways to explain things and she's patient with students, offering extra study sessions for those who still don't quite get it

• She's not much of a sharer, preferring to stay focussed on the lesson, so her students know very little about her

• They know that she's married and that she adores her husband and daughter

• But that's pretty much it (apart from stuff on her S.H.I.E.L.D. file, like how she joined the Academy at 17 years old)

• Meanwhile, Fitz is total opposite

• He definitely plans his lessons, but they do tend to go off topic a bit

• It's not his fault that a student asked an interesting question and he had to find out right there and then if it was possible

• The students love how chaotic his lessons are and they end up learning so much more through the experiments than they would by just listening to his lectures

• He also has the messiest handwriting in the world, especially when he has an idea and has to write it down quickly before he forgets

• So he usually types things out and prints them off

• He starts off the year with neat folders and everything arranged nicely but a few weeks later everything is super messy but he insists he has a system

• He also overshares a lot

• And I mean, a lot

• He talks for ages about his badass and super smart wife and shows the class cute photos of Alya (with guest appearances from the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents which are endlessly amusing to the students)

• “I've never seen Agent May smile before. She's always so serious, I didn't think she could.”

• “I knew Director Mackenzie was secretly a softie. Look at how tiny Alya is when he holds her!”

• But sometimes, these photos bring up hard to answer questions

• “Dr Fitz, is that Agent Daniel Sousa having a tea party with your daughter? I thought he was dead?”

• “Uhh, he is. That man is … uh, just a … family friend. They just look very similar.”

• “Yeah and what about that guy? I'm sure that's former Director Coulson, who is also dead.”

• “Uhhhh …”

• He always tells himself to be more careful which photos he shows the class, but he always forgets

• A lot of the photos also include Jemma but because there's not much crossover between engineering students and biochem students, most of the class don't recognise her

• The few students that do recognise her decide not to say anything because they know Jemma likes to keep her personal life private and they respect that

• They also think it's kinda funny that no one else has worked it out yet because it's so obvious once you know

#au_gust #au_gust 2022 #august writing challenge #marvel #agents of shield #jemma simmons #leo fitz #fitzsimmons

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theunseeliemperoress · 2 years

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AU August Day 5: Teachers

(TA Lityeres and English teacher Apollo with a little smut thrown in anyone? this is my first attempt at writing anything explicit.)

This fic is 18+

Lityerses took a deep breath as he stepped through the school gates. The building a strange mix of old brick he’d once been familiar with and new glass and steel that had been added after he’d graduated. Never thought I’d be back here, he thought as he looked around. Besides the new extension it hadn’t changed much. Walking through the doors he found the inside was also more or less the same. New photos had been added to the trophy cabinet, Lit couldn’t help but pause to find his old hockey team photo, and it seemed someone had finally fixed that damn light a few tiles down. Good, the incessant flickering had always gotten on his nerves. He was just about to pull himself from the cabinet when he heard a voice from behind him.

‘Can I help you?’ he turned around to see a man not much older than himself standing behind him. He was a tall man, though not lanky. With blonde hair, well gold might have been more accurate, that was long enough to just touch the top of his shoulders. He was smiling at Lityerses but in a way that made it clear he wanted to be somewhere else. Judging by the stack of papers and folders in his arms that somewhere else was a classroom.

‘Oh right sorry. Um I’m the new TA.’ The man nodded.

‘Oh for the biology class right? I heard you’d be coming. You’ll be heading for the principals office I can show you the way if you like.’ Lityerses shook his head.

‘No it’s okay. I actually went to school here so I know where it is. That’s if it’s still in the old building.’ The man nodded.

‘Well I’m going to walk with you anyway, since my classroom is down that way as well.’ The two men began walking down the left side hallway.

‘So what was your name again?’ the man asked.

‘Lityerses Green.’ He answered. The man let out a laugh at this.

‘Mr Green the biology teacher. Well weren’t you made for this job.’

‘I’m only a TA.’

‘Still you never know. Anyway my names Apollo. Say Lit you wouldn’t happen to know the teacher you’ll be working with? Ms Green.’

‘She’s my mother.’ Lityerses admitted shifting a little. He hoped Apollo wouldn’t ask why he had his mothers last name. Truth was he’d changed it after a particularly bad falling out with his father, which had ended in him being disowned and fired from the family company. To prideful to ask for help from his mother or any of his friends he’d found a job as security for a man his father often did business with. Or at least that’s what they called it on his contract. Truth was something had never felt right about that job from the first pay cheque, or should that be first wad of cash, but by the time he’d realised what exactly he’d gotten himself in for it was too late to bail out. Not without his boss securing his silence. He’d only gotten out because the police got involved, and the only reason he wasn’t in jail was because his mother had threatened his father until he agreed to let Lit use his lawyer. The lawyer had hammed up his naivety to the whole situation, playing the sheltered little rich kid angle to its full potential. He would have cracked up at this if he hadn’t been so scared. He’d spent most of his highschool and all of his college years street fighting, as well as selling a few bags from his, secret, garden.

‘So you got this job through nepotism. Same here though mine goes all the way to the top.’ Lityerses stared at him.

‘So you’re dad’s the…’

‘The principal that’s right.’

‘So I’m guessing you also went to school here?’ Apollo shook his head.

‘Nope I was sent to boarding school along with my sister. You’ll see her around, she’s a gym teacher as well as the coach for several of the girls sports teams.’ With that he stopped outside a door and turned to face Lityerses.

‘Well this is my classroom so this is where we part ways.’ He began to push the door open before turning around again. ‘Oh I just remembered I’m going to get drinks with a few of our co workers after work on friday, would you like to come? It’ll be a great way for you to get to know everyone. Well everyone who wouldn’t have taught you that is.’ Lityerses blinked at him but then smiled.

‘Yeah I’d like that. If you have room for one more.’ Apollo nodded, his smile somehow managing to brighten, and disappeared into the room that from what Lityerses could see was an English classroom.

***

As he approached the front door Lityerses could here the clanging sounds that could have only come from his youngest sisters attempts to play the piano. Either that or someone had gotten sick of her attempts to play the piano and had pushed it down a flight of stairs. Deciding there was no way the door bell would be heard over that racket he raised his fist and pounded on the door instead. It was soon opened by a haggard looking young woman who was casually tugging on her dreadlocks.

‘Hey Persephone.’ He said giving his sister a quick one armed hug.

‘Hey yourself.’ She replied giving his arm a squeeze in return. She was wearing a lacy top which showed most of her back and midriff, Lit couldn’t help but to think she’d done so to annoy their mother, and there was a fairly new tattoo on her arm of a skull sitting in a bed of flowers.

‘Do you like it? Hades paid for it as a wedding anniversary gift.’ Lityerses smiled and said he did, though he was also dreading the fifty times their mother would bring it up to complain. He was about to mention this when he heard a familiar voice coming from the living room.

‘Lit? How nice to see you.’ He turned to find Apollo standing there grinning from ear to ear. Lityerses stared at him mouth agape. He’d never seen him in his casual clothes before and it certainly wasn’t what he’d been expecting. He wore skinny jeans and a t-shirt that was even skinnier that showed a faint outline of his muscles every time he breathed in. His hair was tied back in a messy bun and draped over his arm was a bomber jacket as well as a hoodie that was too small to be his. Lityerses suddenly became very aware of the small stain on the sleeve of his hoodie, and had to fight back the urge to fix his hair.

‘Uh yeah you to. Um what are you doing here?’ he asked. Shit why did he have to say it like that? Apollo however seemed unfazed.

‘I was giving little Meg her piano lessons.’

‘You teach piano?’

‘I teach a few instruments. As well as archery. Teaching in a school doesn’t pay as much as you’d like and I have five mouths to feed. Talking of which, Lee hurry up.’ He yelled this last part into the living room. There was a sound of the old armchair creaking and shuffling footsteps. Lityerses stared as a boy around ten appeared in the doorway. He stared up at Lityerses with round blue eyes that seemed almost too big for his small face.

‘What happened to you?’ he asked pointing at Lityerses. Without really thinking about it he reached up and touched the scars that ran along his entire face.

‘Lee that’s rude.’ Apollo scolded. ‘I’m sorry about him, he’s a good kid but he has no filter when it comes to his curiosity.’

‘You can say that again.’ Lityerses turned to see his mother walking out of the kitchen. ‘Though I’m more than happy to let you bring him again.’ She added as she handed Apollo his money for the days lesson.

‘Thank you. But hopefully after this test we won’t have anymore hospital visits.’ He gave Lee’s shoulder a quick squeeze. ‘Well we’d better go or we’ll be late.’

‘Aren’t you going to give your auntie Persephone a hug?’ Lit’s sister teased. Laughing Apollo gave her a quick squeeze and Persephone bent down to let Lee give her a kiss on the cheek. Lityerses watched the two leave until his sister closed the door, before turning to look at her.

‘Auntie Persephone?’ he asked.

‘I’m married to his uncle, which makes me his aunt.’

‘And the kids great aunt.’

‘Oh shut it.’ She snapped giving him a light shove.

***

He wasn’t sure what made him approach Apollo’s classroom but for some reason Lityerses found himself standing in the doorway watching as he looked over the papers on his desk.

‘I swear they’re so stupid.’ Apollo muttered to himself. ‘I mean who describes as persons face as being “Like a drawing but in 3D?’ Lityerses couldn’t help but let out a snort at that. Startled Apollo spun round his face breaking out into a smile when he saw who was standing there.

‘Lit. Please come in.’ He pushed the papers to one side and stood up. Lit closed the door behind him and approached the desk his heart pounding. This is ridiculous he thought, I shouldn’t be doing this, not here.

‘Is there anything I can help you with?’ Apollo asked his smile faltering as a look of concern crossed his eyes. Lit swallowed and took a deep breath.

‘Would you like to go for dinner with me? Tomorrow night that is? Just the two of us…’ shit he felt like he was going as red as his Corn Huskers sweater. Apollo blinked at him.

‘Oh uh well I’d have to see if I can get a babysitter for the kids.’ Lit felt his heart sink. ‘But if not I can do Saturday. My moms having them all round for tea anyway.’ Feeling his face split into a smile Lit nodded.

‘Saturday’s good.’

‘So it’s a date.’ Apollo nodded.

‘Yeah a date. That is I mean if you want it to be. I don’t mind if we just…’ he stopped when he realised Apollo had one hand resting on his hip and the other cupping his chin.

‘Oh but I do want it to be a date.’ He said as he lowered his face so that his lips were touching Lityerses’s. For a second Lit was surprised, but this quickly wore off and he was soon kissing him back. Not really thinking about what he was doing he found one hand reaching for the back of Apollo’s head and the other for the small of his back. For a moment he wondered of this would make him pull away but instead he found himself being lifted on to the desk as Apollo moved his lips away from his own and down to his neck. As he did so his hand made its way up Lit’s shirt making him shudder in pleasure. He wanted more so much more. And he told Apollo as much whispering the words into his ear. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the other man’s eyes light up as he took Lit’s hand and lead it to his belt. Realising what he wanted him to do he began to fumble with the buckle as Apollo eased his own pants down.

‘So do you want to go first or shall I?’ he asked.

‘You’d better go first. Since I’m already sat down.’ Lityerses replied. Apollo gave a chuckle at that and kissed his lips again, then his neck, his chest and his stomach before kissing his inner thigh. Taking a deep breath Lit leaned back and closed his eyes as he felt the other man’s fingers stroke along his cock. The anticipation was enough to make him cry out but he didn’t have to wait for long. A feeling of extasy ripped through him and a smile plastered itself upon his face as he grasped at the back of Apollo’s head. When he was finished Apollo gave his thigh one last kiss before standing up.

‘So what did you think. Not bad huh?’ Lit grinned at him.

‘I think coming back to school was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.’

#au_gust_2022 #au_gust #fan fiction #riordanverse #litpollo #lityerses #apollo #long post #smut #just a little at the end

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