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queenshelby · 3 months

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Our Little Secret (Part 23)

Pairing: Cillian Murphy x Reader

Warning: Infidelity, Age-Gap

Minutes later, Cillian helped you into the passenger seat, buckling your seatbelt securely before closing the door quietly.

"I am only 32 weeks pregnant, Cillian. It is too early for her to be born," you whimpered, your voice hoarse with worry. "Please tell me everything is going to be alright," you implored, the fear clearly written across your face.

"Everything is going to be okay, Y/N," Cillian assured you, his voice calm and steady as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Babies can be born at 32 weeks these days, even without complications. Lets just stay positive, alright?" Cillian insisted, his voice low and soothing. "Remember, your doctor told us that it was common for women to go into labour early, and that the baby could be perfectly healthy even at 32 weeks," he reminded you, his eyes locked on the road ahead.

You nodded, taking a deep breath to calm your racing heart. Your palms were sweating, and your muscles were taut with tension as you tried to focus on the rhythmic pattern of the contractions.

"Focus on your breathing, Y/N," Cillian urged, his voice quiet and comforting.

"Take deep, steady breaths," he instructed, his gaze locked on the traffic ahead. "Try to relax," he added, his voice dropping to a whisper.

Despite his efforts to soothe you, waves of nausea washed over you, accompanied by sharp pains that rippled through your lower abdomen. You clenched your teeth, grimacing with each contraction.

"Can you hear me?" Cillian asked, his voice cutting through the haze of pain. You managed to nod weakly, your gaze glued to the dashboard clock. Time seemed to stretch impossibly, each minute agonizingly slow.

Eventually though, you made it to the hospital, where doctors and nurses quickly whisked you away.

The next few hours were a blur of medical procedures, tests, and unfamiliar faces.

Throughout it all, Cillian remained close to your side, offering support and encouragement as you struggled to cope with the overwhelming anxiety and pain. You clutched his hand tightly, drawing strength from his unwavering presence.

His stoicism and dedication were testament to the depth of his feelings for you, and you couldn't help but feel grateful for his unconditional support.

"What's wrong? Is she going into labour?" Cillian asked the doctor urgently, his voice betraying the panic he was struggling to conceal.

"No, apparently not," he responded calmly while assessing the situation and reviewing the ultrasound pictures.

Your partner is experiencing something called Braxton Hicks contractions, which are essentially strong, frequent contractions that aren't necessarily related to true labor," he explained, addressing you directly. "These contractions are typically harmless, but they can cause a great deal of discomfort and anxiety," he added, his voice soothing as he sought to alleviate your concerns.

You sighed deeply, your grip on Cillian's hand tightening reflexively.

"How do we stop them?" Cillian pressed, his voice tight with concern.

"Rest and hydration can help manage the discomfort," the doctor advised, his voice steady as he continued to explain the condition. "However, if the contractions persist longer than expected, we may need to consider other interventions to ensure the health of both mother and baby," he cautioned, his gaze locked on you.

"Now, Miss Y/LN, I will need to place you on to bed rest for the duration of your pregnancy," he declared, his voice firm, "This means no working, no running errands, and no unnecessary stress. Just take care of yourself and your precious baby," he added, patting your shoulder affectionately, "Trust me, I know it's challenging, but we want to create the most favourable environment for your baby girl's development," he reasoned, his words resonating with genuine concern.

You took a deep breath, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over you.

"I am living on my own, I can't really," you began to say, trailing off uncertainly. "I mean, I don't know about that," you admitted, glancing at Cillian warily.

"I can stay with you until Mara is born," Cillian offered, his voice laced with concern. "I mean, if you let me," he added, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

"Really? For eight weeks?" you gasped, unsure about his proposal, which is when the doctor interrupted.

"Actually, it will only be 4 weeks as, in my opinion at least, we should consider a c-section after 36 weeks. Your daughter is measuring ahead by one week and will unlikely have to go to the NICU. Your placenta is no longer fully intact and whilst, currently, your baby is getting all the nutrients she needs, we will need to keep a close eye on this," the doctor announced, his voice warm and confident.

Cillian squeezed your hand, the gesture serving as a reminder of his unwavering support. You glanced gratefully at him, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude for his steadfast presence.

"We're going to start monitoring you closely over the next few weeks," the doctor continued, addressing the both of you now. "As long as you stick to bed rest and maintain a healthy diet, we expect things to progress smoothly," he said, patting your shoulder gently.

"And, of course, your partner will need to assist you with daily tasks which I assume is not going to be a problem," he added, gesturing towards Cillian who felt a little uncomfortable about being referred to as your partner, but still chose not to correct the doctor.

"Of course not," Cillian responded, his voice resolute. "I will make sure Y/N gets the care and assistance she needs during this period," he assured the doctor, his gaze meeting yours.

You smiled weakly, your hand instinctively resting on your rounded stomach. The thought of sharing your home with Cillian, day in and day out, was both thrilling and daunting.

You wondered whether his presence would stir up feelings that threatened to consume you, or whether it would provide the stability you desperately craved.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" you asked Cillian, your voice shaky with uncertainty. "I mean, it's a lot to ask," you added, your gaze flickering between his eyes and the wall.

"Of course, I'm sure," Cillian responded, his voice soft yet determined.

"I want to be here for you and our daughter, however long it takes," he emphasized, his gaze locking onto yours.

"I appreciate that," you murmured, your voice trembling slightly. "I just hope you won't regret it later," you added, the thought of imposing upon his life weighing heavily on your conscience, knowing also that Amanda wouldn't appreciate this situation.

***

Later that day, after around 8 o'clock in the morning, the electricity came back on and Cillian went to his home to pack some clothes, make arrangements for Max and call Amanda to inform her of the recent developments.

Just as expected however, Amanda did not take lightly to hearing that Cillian would be staying with you for four weeks.

"You can't stay with her, Cillian," she snapped over the phone, her voice trembling with anger.

"Amanda, listen," Cillian began, his voice steady yet apologetic. "This is an emergency, and I need to be there for Y/N. She is pregnant with my child, remember?" he explained, his gaze flickering between the open closet and his unpacked bag.

"Yes, I know. How could I possibly forget when her pregnancy interferes with our lives this much?" Amanda retorted sarcastically, her voice dripping with contempt.

"None of this is her fault," Cillian argued, his voice rising defensively. "She needs my help, and I intend to give it to her," he asserted, his gaze unwavering.

"Fine," Amanda spat bitterly, her voice choked with resentment. "But just know that she is probably playing you. I am sure all of this is a set up. She is probably faking it," Amanda accused spitefully, her voice trembling with suspicion.

"You are seriously delusional and, you know what?" Cillian said, his voice steely with resolve. "I am done," he declared flatly.

"You are done with what?" Amanda demanded, her voice echoing with desperation.

"Everything," Cillian responded coldly, his voice void of emotion. "Our relationship, this constant bickering, the mistrust. Everything's finished," he stated bluntly, his gaze fixed on their entangled history. "I should never have gotten involved with you," he told her and, immediately, silence enveloped the line, the tension thick enough to suffocate. Amanda's breathing quickened, her heartbeat pounding erratically in her ears.

"Perhaps you shouldn't have, but you did, didn't you? Because of boredom or what?" Amanda challenged, her voice cracking with bitterness. "Or was it simply to get over this little whore of yours because this is exactly what your sister seems to be thinking," she sneered, referring to Cillian's younger sister and this was exactly when the realization daunted upon him.

Just as Amanda's voice trailed off, it was replaced by a deafening silence, thick with tension. Cillian stood motionless, the receiver clutched tightly in his hand.

"You are in love with her, aren't you?" Amanda whispered, her voice laden with accusation. "That's exactly what Shiobhan tells me. She insists that you are merely projecting your feelings about her onto me because you are too fucking ashamed to admit to yourself that you love this little slut," Amanda added, her voice wavering slightly. “So, congratulations Cillian. This whole pregnancy thing is the perfect excuse for you to finally break free from that shame of yours and run straight into her arms," Amanda conjectured, her voice cracking with desperation.

"Amanda! Stop, I--" Cillian stammered, his voice trailing off uncertainly.

"Listen, Cillian," Amanda interrupted, her voice gaining momentum. "It's alright, we had fun while it lasted. You were never really able to commit to me because you were already committed to her. Now just leave me the fuck alone. I endured enough," Amanda snarled, her anger boiling over as, finally, she hung up on Cillian.

He was silent for a moment, staring blankly at the cordless phone in his hands as reality dawned upon him. There may have been some truth to what she said, and he felt a pang of guilt for not confronting his feelings earlier and instead allowing himself to hurt her unintentionally.

He sighed heavily, feeling defeated and utterly drained. He gathered his belongings, placing them in the duffel bag hastily, focusing on the task at hand.

He knew he needed to clear his thoughts and prioritize your wellbeing and that of his child. He felt conflicted and guilty, overwhelmed by the torrent of emotions surging within him. However, he pushed these thoughts aside, focusing on the present situation. He knew that he had to be there for you, and any distractions would only complicate matters further.

No matter what his feelings for you might have turned into over the past few months, it really did not matter. Nothing could ever become of you and Cillian was very well aware of that.

To be continued...

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oliversrarebooks · 6 months

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Ooh ooh I just had A Thought. How would Lily react to my OC Val (S) who would put up zero resistance to being conditioned?

Val is a great OC and definitely deserves the Lily Treatment.

Masterlist

TW: Mind control, hypnotic induction

"Well, you're a well-behaved one, aren't you?"

"That's what my teachers often told me," said Val, sinking into the comfortable leather chair, not looking at the vampire across from her. Lily looked a lot like a schoolteacher, with a sensible blue cardigan over a modest gray dress, with a sweet smile that seemed calculated to put people at ease.

Of course, Val knew better. They'd seen Lily take the other people from the cells and return them in varying states of mindless obedience.

Val knew they should be struggling, should be fighting this with all their might. But they knew it was a battle they didn't stand a chance of winning. The vampires were strong and powerful, they clearly knew what they were doing, and there were a lot of them patrolling the auction house.

Not to mention the fact that even the thought of causing trouble caused them to freeze up in a wave of cold, overwhelming fear.

So yes, Val had been well-behaved.

"I think it's very smart, and not because it makes my job easier. And not just because resistance is completely futile for you, either," said Lily. "If you're well-behaved, and don't resist, it'll be a lot easier to preserve your mind. Not only is that good news for you on its own, it also means you're more likely to be bought by a master who enjoys the company of humans. It's a winning situation for everyone."

Val nodded, feeling miserable. What Lily said might actually be correct, but it didn't really make them feel all that much better at having effectively just given up.

"You don't seem to see it that way, of course." Lily leaned in, with an expression that almost seemed like genuine concern. "You're so sad and fearful. You're scared of what I'm going to do, aren't you?"

Val had to hold themself back from a sarcastic remark. Obviously they was scared of the vampire here to wipe their mind and turn them into some obedient thrall. "No," they lied. "I'm fine. Go ahead and do what you're going to do."

"You don't need to be scared -- "

"I'm not scared!" they snapped, and then immediately shrank back into their seat. Great move, shouting at Lily, angering the vampire who held their fate in her hands.

"I know you're scared. And I'm not angry," said Lily, in a strangely reassuring way. "Everyone who comes in here with me is scared."

"Even if I am scared, it doesn't change what you're going to do to me."

"It does, actually," said Lily. "Well, you're going to be a thrall either way. But I was completely honest that you'll have a much better outcome if you're honest with me and don't resist. My powers are very relaxing and pleasant... but only if you don't fight them."

Of course, she would say that. Much more convenient to not have to subdue a struggling human, no doubt. But there also wasn't a real reason to doubt her, either, especially if they weren't walking out of here with their mind intact either way.

"Let's try something. Humor me," said Lily. "I'll give you one command. One simple, harmless command, with my powers. You won't resist it, and you'll see how it feels. If it's awful, you can fight me all you like. But if it's not, then maybe we can come to an understanding."

This was probably a bad idea. The fact that Val was considering this at all was probably an indication that the mind control was starting to work. But they also didn't seriously think they were leaving this room without submitting to the vampire, so they really didn't have a lot to lose here. "Okay," they agreed. "One command, and I won't resist it."

"Very good." Lily leaned forward, so close now, and very lightly touched the sides of Val's temples. "Is this okay, dear?"

Val didn't really want to think about how nice the kind-seeming touch felt. "Yeah."

"Are you ready for your command?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Then relax."

Val frowned. Even if they wanted to be obedient and not resist the command, there was no way they could relax under these conditions. They were horrible at relaxing even when they weren't in immediate danger from vampires. Lily might as well ask them to walk on the moon or turn inside out.

"You don't need to try and relax," said Lily, as though she'd sensed Val's thoughts. "What you actually need to do is to not resist when I command you to relax."

"...I can try," said Val.

"That's all I'm asking." Lily's hands began to trace soft circles on their temples, and it felt so weirdly nice. "Now relax."

Val felt something, something in her tone of voice pushing at their mind. That must be what Lily meant. Well, they did agree to not resist one harmless command, so --

They let the command in.

And the relaxation washed over them, the first real relaxation they'd had in what was probably years. It felt amazing.

"There you are," said Lily, a hint of smugness in her voice. "You see?"

"That was..." Val struggled to find the words. They only knew that they wanted Lily to do that again.

"Relax," said Lily, her fingers brushing Val's face. "Relax, relax, relax, relax."

With every command, Val found themself floating in a sea of bliss, as their muscles finally unclenched and their anxiety washed away. Lily had been telling the truth. Her powers really were wonderful when Val wasn't resisting them.

"Now you understand," said Lily with a smile.

"Yeah..." they said softly. "Is this what it's going to be like?"

"It is," she said. "Do you like feeling this way? Be honest."

Val had no inclination to lie. "Yes."

"Then relax, dear pet." Lily brushed her hand through Val's hair. "You like being obedient, don't you? Being obedient feels so good."

They shuddered from the intense feeling. "I'm not -- I'm not sure it's exactly --"

"Shh, shh, hush. Relax. It's natural that you feel good when you're obedient. You've been so well behaved. You haven't caused any trouble. Obedience is your nature. I can tell."

Val's head felt more and more like it was being filled with soft cotton as Lily stroked her hair and talked softly. "...You think so?"

"Yes. And you're going to make an excellent thrall. You'll make a vampire very, very happy, and I'm sure they'll treat you very well."

They didn't want to hope. They'd spent their entire time in the auction house scared out of their mind of what could become of them. But the hope that things might not be awful, that they could even be pleasant --

"So obedient, so docile, so relaxed," said Lily, tracing a pattern on Val's forehead. "Let it all in, and it will feel so good."

Oh, it did. Val was staring directly into Lily's eyes now, soaking in her words uncritically, the hypnosis setting in before they'd even fully realized it. After all, obedience felt so good.

"You must be so exhausted from all that worry and struggle."

Val nodded, feeling the weight of years of stress. "I am. I'm so tired, all the time."

"Of course you are. You are so tired. So sleepy. So drowsy." Lily's finger traced downwards on Val's forehead, between their eyes. Down, down, down. "So, so deeply tired from all of that anxiety. It's going to feel so good to surrender to me and lay that heavy burden down."

"Yeah..."

"That's right. Your burden is becoming lighter and lighter even as your eyelids become heavier and heavier. You're relaxing and letting yourself be taken care of, just like you've always quietly desired. And now that you're finally relaxed, you are. So. Sleepy."

They couldn't help but yawn. Lily was right. They were so sleepy, and the room was warm and the chair was comfortable, and Lily's voice was soothing.

"Surrender," Lily whispered. "Just shut those heavy, heavy eyes and take a nice long nap, and everything you've been worried about will be all sorted out when you wake up."

Val blinked their heavy eyes. That sounded so good. They wanted to take a nap so badly; they kept yawning, and their eyelids kept drifting down, begging for sleep. They were aware in the back of their mind that this was all Lily's doing, but they didn't really care that much. All they could focus on was how tempting it was to give in and do whatever Lily said.

"Close your eyes and sleep, dear pet," said Lily. "I'm only going to train you to be more obedient and feel more pleasure, and you don't have to be awake for any of it. In fact, it's preferable that you aren't. So go ahead and shut down those heavy, tired eyes."

They couldn't do anything but nod. They felt like they were floating in a warm cloud made of sleep and peacefulness, and every time they accepted one of Lily's commands, they received a warm rush of comfort. Lily had been right. There had been no reason at all to resist.

Val shut their eyes and began to dream.

Masterlist

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#whump #whump writing #vampire #mind control #hypnosis #hypnotic induction #rare bookseller #lily #val

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landograndprix · 2 months

Note

Hi! I just learned about F1 and some drivers but don’t know where to start learning or what to learn about F1 racing 😭😭😭 I really want to get into F1 so if you could recommend me something or idk anything to help me that’ll be great

Okay so I think knowing the basics goes a long way so here's a simple explanation—

The grid consists of 10 teams with each 2 drivers ⤵

red bull -> Max Verstappen, Sergio 'checo' Perez

mercedes -> Lewis Hamilton, George Russell

ferrari -> Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz Jr

Mclaren -> Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri

Aston Martin -> Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll

Williams -> Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant

racing bulls -> Yuki Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo

Alpine -> Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly

Stake -> Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu

Haas -> Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg

there's third drivers as well who for example take the seat of a driver who's fallen sick and aren't able to race that weekend but we'll get to that once it actually happens 😅

Race weekends consists of three days ⤵

Fridays are for free practice 1 & 2

Saturdays are for free practice 3 & qualifying

Sundays are for the race

* schedule is different during sprint weeks, you can read about that here.

- free practice 1,2 & 3

Are sessions where teams and drivers get used to the track and test car setups and gather data and all that.

- qualifying

Determines the starting grid.

The first five drivers with the slowest laptime will be eliminated in Q1

In Q2 the next five slowest drivers are eliminated

Q3 will determine the top 10, the driver with the fastest lap will get pole position, so will start in p1.

- race

should be simple, just the race.

the drivers who finish in the top 10 all get points.

P1 - 25 points

P2 - 18 points

P3 - 15 points

P4 - 12 points

P5 - 10 points

P6 - 8 points

P7 - 6 points

P8 - 4 points

P9 - 2 points

P10 - 1 point

+ 1 bonus point for the driver with the fastest lap, that is if they place in the top ten.

++ there's a thing called Driver of the day where we can vote for who we think deserves to be called driver of the day but they don't get points for it

there's the drivers championship for the drivers obviously and the constructors championship for the teams.

tires ⤵

Softs –> the fastest tire, but are likely to wear out before the harder ones do.

Mediums -> somewhere in the middle tire. usually slower than the softs and faster than hards, should also last longer then softs and shorter than hard.

Hard –> don't have a lot of grip but should last the longest.

intermediates -> used on a wet track as well as a drying track

full wets -> for the heavy rain

flags ⤵

Green flag -> means the track is clear

Red flag -> means the race has been put to a stop and all cars should make their way back to the pits. Most likely after an incident or during risky weather conditions

chequered flag -> first one to see this flag is the race winner

yellow flag -> means the drivers need to slow down most likely due to debris on the track, a driver's spun out

sc -> Safety Car is put on track when an incident blocks the track and/or leaves a lot of debris. The drivers need to stay behind the sc until the marshals have cleared up.

vsc -> virtual safety car put out for minor incidents, where no safety car is on track, but drivers need to slow down to a required delta.

* there are so many flags but I feel like these are the most important ones for a beginner to know

honestly, there's so much to f1 and I'd be here for hours if I have to talk about it all but my best advice is to watch the races, look things up, watch stuff on YouTube and driver wise, if you want to get to know them more, look up their teams YouTube channels they do challenges and all that and hell, some drivers have their own channels and most importantly, don't be afraid to ask others if you're confused about something..I remember my first f1 race 😅

got you some links that might help you 😘

f1 glossary

f1 beginners guides

f1 YouTube

drivers

Charles YouTube

Carlos YouTube

Lando YouTube + quadrant

#id make such a shit teacher so pardon me if its confusing as hell 💀

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wedonthaveawhile · 8 months

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The Serpents Hold // Chapter Eight

Summary: When Sebastian turns to dark magic to cure his sister, Nova and Ominis find themselves reluctantly thrust into a partnership to aid him. Amid the disapproval of Ominis' family, Nova wrestles with her growing feelings for him and also with the nagging suspicion that Ominis knows more about Anne's condition than he's letting on.

AO3 // Masterlist

Nova found herself crafting another vague excuse for Professor Shah due to Sebastian's absence, hoping it would be met with some understanding. Her relationship with the astronomy professor had been frosty ever since she overheard Nova brand her a sadist for banning warming charms during her classes. Consequently, Nova had been permanently assigned to the most wind-swept corner of the tower.

"So, you like Ominis now?" Poppy asked, nose wrinkled in confusion as she peered through the telescope. It wasn't the most outlandish conclusion, considering Nova had circled the conversation back to him three times now. "We are talking about Gaunt, aren't we?"

"Do you know more than one Ominis?" Nova huddled closer to her friend as their conversation misted up into the frigid air. "It's still up for debate, like is a strong word."

"It's really not..." Poppy said as she adjusted the focus. "So, the same Ominis you were moaning about a few weeks ago? See, I told you he was nice."

"Mm, nice might be pushing it." Nova squinted at the night sky as she assisted Poppy in locating Orion with her naked eye.

Her vocal interactions with Ominis had been minimal, but a routine had blossomed between them: twice a week, whoever was second to arrive at Professor Binns' class would claim the seat next to the other. Nova's nights were haunted by nightmares since the scriptorium, and the only semblance of unbroken sleep she managed to get was, for some reason, the shared nap they took side by side in History.

"Do you think he's warming up to you too? He did ask you to spend Christmas day with him."

"He invited me to spend it in Feldcroft," Nova corrected, "and I'm fairly certain he was just passing along the message from Sebastian."

Poppy's grin widened. "So, are you going? You could ask Sebastian to deck his house out in mistletoe."

Nova jabbed her in the ribs, prompting a surprised shriek that caught the attention of several neighbouring classmates.

"Girls", Professor Shah's threatening glare bore down on them. "One more disruption, and you'll both earn yourselves detention."

"Apologies, Professor," Poppy mumbled, turning her focus back to the celestial map.

Nova shot a scowl at Shah's retreating figure. "I'm not sure if I'll go. The last time was... uncomfortable," she admitted, recalling the heated clash between Sebastian and Soloman. Her thoughts then drifted to the peaceful forest walk she had shared with Ominis. "Though, I suppose I don't have any better plans."

It took three days for Sebastian to emerge from the scriptorium, his bloodshot eyes a testament to his sleepless nights. He had lugged two trunks filled with Salazar's manuscripts down to the Undercroft, crafting an improvised study and dedicating every second to inspecting the ancient texts. Persuading him to return home for Christmas had proven to be quite a challenge, but Ominis' relentless persistence had ultimately prevailed.

Nova's initial excitement of being the only Slytherin in the castle during holidays had faded rapidly, giving way to overwhelming boredom.

Sat in solitude for her third lonely breakfast, she twirled her spoon through a bowl of yoghurt, engrossed in Ominis' latest literary suggestion.

In just two days, she had devoured Great Expectations. Seizing the opportunity while Ominis dozed off in class, she slid the book into his stack of study materials alongside her favourite novel. This exchange sparked an unspoken game of tucking book recommendations amongst each other's belongings.

She counted the days until her visit to Feldcroft, pondering which novel she should bring to tuck into Ominis' stocking. Her thoughts were interrupted when an owl swooped in, delivering a letter with a gentle flutter.

Dear Nova,

There have been several disagreements between Sebastian and Solomon. It might be wise to give them some space; visiting for Christmas might not be the best idea.

Warm regards,

O. Gaunt.

Disappointment seeped under her skin as she re-read the letter, praying she had misunderstood its message. Realising that she hadn't sent her heart plummeting to the pit of her stomach. The cluster of students at the adjacent table exchanged concerned glances as she stormed out of the Great Hall, tearing down a pitiful line of tinsel in her frustration.

She slumped into her usual spot by the common room window, giving the letter another scornful skim before crumpling it and flinging it aside. As the day dragged on, she gathered pillows and blankets to construct a nest in the alcove – Opting to forgo lunch, she stared absently at the fish gliding through the murky depths of the black lake.

The sound of footsteps descending the staircase was what ultimately shattered her brooding silence. She resigned herself to ignore whichever Professor had come to check on her, but the clatter of luggage knocking against steps stirred her attention.

The figure turned the corner, shoulders dusted with remnants of snow and suitcase in hand.

"Ominis?"

"Good afternoon," he replied, setting his bag down and shrugging off his coat as if his arrival were the most mundane thing in the world.

"What are you doing here?"

"Didn't you receive my owl? Things are more than unstable between the Sallow's. They should be left alone for the holidays.

Hauling herself out of the pillow fortress, she nearly bowled him over with a fierce hug. He hesitated for a moment before his hand found its way to her back, fingers tentatively grazing the fabric of her jumper with a hesitant pat. A brief silence slotted between them until it was broken by the growling protest of Nova's hungry stomach.

He chuckled lightly, "Are they not feeding you?"

"They make no effort to serve edible food when only seven of us are here."

"Hogsmeade?" Ominis redirected his attention to his trunk, curling his fingers around the handle as he prepared to haul it towards his dorm.

It took her a moment to register it was an invitation, but when she did, her agreement burst out with far more enthusiasm than she had intended.

Ominis strode confidently from the Hogsmeade Floo flames into Honeydukes, barely relying on his wand for guidance. His familiarity with the shop was apparent as he blindly plucked numerous items from the shelves, tossing them into the floating basket that trailed behind him.

"What are you getting?" Ominis asked over his shoulder, tossing another chocolate frog into his expanding collection.

"Probably just some toffees," Nova replied, tapping a box of cockroach clusters on the shelf. She winced at the unsettling sound of tiny legs scratching around inside.

"What? Given your grim description of holiday Hogwarts meals, you should stock up."

"Surely you're not planning to survive on this stuff for two weeks?" She stretched on her tiptoes to grab a container off a high shelf. "I don't get full access to my parents' inheritance until I turn eighteen. At the minute, I'm just on a meagre monthly allowance."

Ominis paused briefly before nudging his basket toward her. "Fill it up."

"Thank you, but I'm fine, I wouldn't want you to spend your money unnecessarily."

"I'm not; I'm spending my father's money unnecessarily." He countered, holding out two soda flavours for her to choose from.

"So, you haven't completely severed ties, then?" She accepted the pumpkin flavour and tossed it into his basket. "I suppose I can't refuse your father's generosity."

"Just remember, you owe me when I'm cut off."

They strolled beneath frost-covered branches, choosing to walk the scenic route back to Hogwarts. A bag of every-flavour beans was passed back and forth, Ominis grumbling that Nova was purposely steering him toward the unpleasant ones. Amidst her indignant denial, she glimpsed the Quidditch pitch casting elongated shadows over a blanket of snow.

"How about dinner with a view?" she proposed, shoving the bag of sweets into her cloak pocket.

"I wouldn't know the difference."

Ominis trailed behind as she circled the pitch and assessed which Slytherin tower offered the best vantage point. With a flick of her wand, she incinerated the wooden planks barricading the door and they slipped inside unnoticed.

Ominis sprawled across a bench while Nova settled cross-legged in the row above. She admired the view, captivated by the hypnotic dance of sunlight on the waves of The Black Lake.

"Open your mouth," she commanded, her voice cutting through the mounting wail of the wind as she took hold of a marshmallow.

"Why?"

"Trust me."

Raising himself on his elbow, Ominis obediently tilted his head back with his mouth open. Nova narrowly missed her mark and the sweet bounced off his chin, leaving a dusty residue on impact.

"Say something," he instructed, recovering the wayward confection from his lap and aligning his aim with the sound of her voice.

Nova extended her arm to its full length, snapping her fingers rapidly to create a diversion.

"Dirty cheat." He adjusted his aim to the sound of her laughter and bounced the it off her forehead.

"Ow!"

"Ow? It's a marshmallow, you delicate soul."

"Tell that to my black eye."

"So, you offer yourself to the cruciatus curse twice in a night but capitulate to a marshmallow?" He shook his head with feigned disapproval, "Pathetic."

Nova laughed as she tossed the soiled sweet over the tower's edge. "I appreciate the flattery, but I did vomit and faint."

"Then attended your classes the following day as if nothing ever happened."

Nova smiled at the veiled compliment. She watched as he ran his wand over the selection of sweet packets, deciding on his next snack.

"How do you do that?"

"How do I do what?" He asked, tearing open the box of Bertie Botts that she hadn't already sifted through for the good ones. "What colour is this?"

"Pink," she answered with a glance at the unmistakably black pepper-flavoured bean. "How do you read like that?"

"My wand," Ominis didn't elaborate further, tossing the sweet into his mouth and instantly contorting his face in disgust. Her laughter was cut short as she was pelted with a bean.

"Will you teach me the spell?"

"To read? It's not a spell you cast; my wand just does it." He twirled it between his fingers before offering her the handle.

She closed her eyes and glided his wand over one of the packets. Her inner voice began to speak to her involuntarily as if someone were whispering in the depths of her mind.

"I'm not sure I like that. It feels like I'm possessed."

"Here," he retrieved the most recent book she had slipped into his belongings and tossed it to her. "See if you can manage a whole passage."

She squeezed her eyes shut and attempted to read the words aloud but faltered as her voice intertwined with the compulsive reading in her mind. "A pair of new mutiny hands, unclean foes... Ugh, I can't keep my lines straight." She peered out of one eye to steady the wand.

"If you're peeking, that's cheating," Ominis scolded, moving up to the seat behind her and covering her eyes. "Now, read."

She barely navigated through the first page, her sentences frequently interrupted by Ominis laughing at each fumbled word. Eventually, he lowered his hands, and she regained her rhythm. She was aware of his legs directly behind her and mustering some courage, leant back to rest against them while she read.

She was almost certain he had stopped breathing, but as she began to move away, he parted his legs, inviting her to settle snugly between them. With her head resting on his knee, she read the book to him, cover to cover, as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

The biting wind lashed at their skin as they descended the creaking staircase and stepped over the threshold of their warming charm. Ominis gritted his teeth, holding his wand outstretched as the relentless flurry battered his hand. His fingers were turning blue at the tips, and he pulled his thin sleeve up to shield them.

"Put your wand away," Nova ordered, her voice cutting through the howling wind.

Ominis obediently pocketed his wand, and Nova slipped her warm hand into his frozen fingers and steered them towards the castle.

As Nova shouldered the ornate door closed, she expected Ominis to let go of her hand but he maintained his grip and tugged her toward their common room.

"I just want to check the post in case there's any word on my father," she explained, leading him toward the Great Hall.

"I'm afraid there's nothing for you," Nova announced, sifting through the mountain of mail left by the owls. "Ah, there's one here for me, but it looks like Sebastian's handwriting."

"So, he gives you a card?" Ominis feigned a scowl, precariously picking at a wax seal on a abandoned howler.

"Jealous that I'm the favourite?"

Ignoring her comment, he slid his hand back into hers. "Come on, I want to go warm up."

"Gaunt?" An ostentatious voice rolled its way down through the hall, and Ominis dropped Nova's hand as if it were on fire.

"Headmaster."

Nova dissected Professor Black's imposing figure from head to toe as he strode towards them. "I wasn't expecting you here during the holidays, sir."

The headmaster paid no heed to her comment as he halted in front of them. "I presumed you'd escort my niece to dinner tonight, Gaunt. Why are you here?"

"Excuse me, sir?"

"Your father's Yule feast," Professor Black said impatiently, his fingers tapping a staccato rhythm against the wooden table.

"I don't speak to my parents, Professor. I won't be attending their Yule feast."

"You shouldn't be roaming the halls; you ought to be preparing for such an event," he cautioned, barely acknowledging Ominis' reply as he peered down his nose at his pocket watch.

"He said he won't be attending," Nova snapped sharply, an unexpected twinge of jealousy piercing her composure.

Professor Black recoiled as if she had sprung out of the ground. "And what exactly are you?"

"A person?"

"Nova is the new sixth-year student, sir," Ominis interjected, nudging her with his elbow.

"Ah, yes, the one with the... unconventional parentage," he remarked, his expression turning sour. "Yes, well, you can run along. And straighten your posture, you'll give yourself psychosis."

Nova's nose scrunched in confusion. "Do you mean scoliosis?"

"What did you call me?"

"Nothing, sir," Ominis replied quickly, his voice dripping with forced respect. "We were just leaving."

Questions were swirling in Nova's mind. Why did Professor Black assume Ominis would accompany Alice to events if their betrothal had truly been dissolved? Why did Black care? It almost felt as though he had been actively seeking Ominis out. She tore open her letter, hoping a Christmas card from Sebastian might provide a welcome distraction.

Dear Nova,

I have made a discovery within Feldcroft catacombs, but I need your help in gaining access. Meet me there tomorrow after dark. Please refrain from disclosing this to Ominis.

With anticipation,

Sebastian.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She studied the letter again, lingering on the final sentence, before shoving it into her pocket and shelving the issue for later.

With a few rigid flicks of his wand, Ominis rearranged the common room, hauling one of the plush leather sofas in front of the crackling fireplace. He made himself comfortable, enjoying some taffy and engrossing himself in a book. Nova dragged over her accumulation of blankets and pillows from the alcove and sunk into the opposite end of the sofa.

As the hours ticked by, Nova grappled between not wanting to wake Ominis and the increasing discomfort that urged her to search for a more comfortable position.

While attempting to free her leg from a tangle of blankets, Ominis reached out and snatched her ankle. "If you don't stop kicking me, I'm shoving you to the floor."

"How long have you been awake?"

"I haven't been asleep," he muttered, sweeping away the hair tumbling across his drowsy face. "You're so wriggly."

"I'm just trying to get comfy. Why are these sofas so hard?" Nova shifted again, the abrasive sound of her skin peeling off leather filling the room as she settled into a more comfortable spot.

"Then go to bed," Ominis grumbled, burying his face in the crook of his elbow.

A tense silence hung heavily between them, and Nova couldn't shake the feeling that he knew exactly why she chose the agony of the sofa over the solitude of her dormitory.

"Do you want me to?" she challenged, deciding to call his bluff.

She squirmed again to ease the persistent ache in her back. Ominis misunderstood her intentions, clamping down on her ankle to prevent her from leaving.

"No," he mumbled from under his arm.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwarts oc #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #ominis x mc #ominis gaunt #ominis x reader #hogwarts houses #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #ominis #ominis gaunt fic #the gaunts hc #the gaunt family #marvolo gaunt #the serpents hold

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mistressemmedi · 10 months

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May sorry for the incoming rant but the latest nate saunders article is idk but i really don't like how daniel's camp is trying to frame some stuff. First of all, his best lap time (completely ignoring the tyre, the conditions and the fact that it was not quali yk it was just him hanging out on the track by himself lol) was not enough for the front row but again Nate repeats this which made me think it was daniel's side that started this rumor at the first place. Apparently Christian has never wanted Nyck at the first place and after he called Marko to inform him about Daniel's "impressive" times, Marko just casually called Nyck's manager and fired him. Just like that. But Nyck's manager "tipping off" some Dutch journalists "forced" redbull into announce Daniel "fairly sharply" while the desire was to announce it later this week. Like idk him talking about the issue in here being red bull being forced to announce the news "fairly sharply" but not someone losing his job over a phone call is little bit wtf.

Then he goes on about that Nyck was told he had time until Zandvoort in August but that soon became austria/silverstone but he does not explain why the timeline is brought forward (and this is the first time i read about this). And at the end he mentions the "mixed" opinions about Nyck in the paddock as "some say he was difficult to work with, some say the opposite" and continues on how he wasn't a typical rookie per se. (Ofc we aren't gonna hear every paddock rumor but this is again the first time i read this rumor about Nyck.)

Idk if i am making out a big deal of it and obviously Daniel isn't guilty or anything in here but how his side is trying to make it seem like the decision was already gonna be made in silverstone and he was hard to work with so they chose daniel seems more like they are trying to get rid of some of the backlash because the truth is someone lost his job over a phone call without even an explaination. Also when you consider the difference between the treatments Nyck got from Redbull and Daniel got from Mclaren and how all they played was the mental health back then, idk the whole piece is just a huge ick to me.

But i think the main point is Daniel is aiming to beat Yuki and he accepted the alpha tauri seat hoping the rbr seat. If he performs decently i don't think we are gonna see checo in rbr in 2024 bc especially horner is backing daniel up.

I genuinely think one has a higher chance to win the lottery than to understand what's happening behind the scenes at RBR.

Listen. I'll admit that on a business level I kinda understand - you hire a guy with certain expectations, he doesn't meet the expectations, he is fired. But I do find a bit (a lot) unfair the fact that it does sound like the guy was not given the support/tools necessary to succeed (allegedly). I mean, when Yuki had his initial flop era as a rookie, Alphatauri moved him to Faenza to work closely with the team to improve his results. And it worked! I don't think the same courtesy was extended to Nyck. So yeah, on a personal level it reeeeally sucks.

I do feel like that RBR is trying so hard to justify their decision by hyping up Daniel. "Look guys! Dan's timing is sooo great, we had no other option. We totally are not villains" 👹 I do hope Daniel lives up to the expectations because if he flops after all of this, the second hand embarrassment may skyrocket me to the moon.

And also, yes. Checo should sleep with one eye open and his lawyer on speed dial.

#long post #sorry yall #anon #q&a

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fan-mans · 1 year

Note

send aran headcanons plz 👉👈

Oh god... you have opened an absolute wormhole, my dude. I'll try and contain myself but no promises, lmao

First and foremost: All of his boxer info is wrong. Well, almost all of it. This is in part because there are 2 Aran Ryan's in the wvba, the east coast Aran in new york (His wii iteration) and the west coast Aran in seattle (His snes iteration). For the sake of clarity, just know that I'm talking about the wii Aran for this ask. The other half is that (Wii) Aran basically lied about everything- all of his documents are forged and he's just been rolling with the lies since he entered the wvba.

(It's a long, long, story, but I'll elaborate if someone asks)

Aran is very close to his family! He adores his parents, grandma, and younger siblings and does everything he can to support them. This, unfortunately, means that his living conditions aren't the best, but it's family, and Aran knows they need his match money more than him.

He's the eldest of 11, with 4 sisters, 4 brothers and 2 adopted brothers. He had to help take care of his siblings his whole life, but at around 14 his family hit hard times and he dropped out of school to fill in a '4th parent' role that his grandfather's death left. As such, his relationship with his adopted brothers and youngest two siblings leans more towards parental than anything. (I have more of this and will expand if someone asks)

Because of all this, Aran is one of the 3 boxers who can actually parent (The other two being bear hugger and kaiser). He basically has a 'parent mode'- like, literally if there is an unattended kid within a 20 meter radius of him, he is now that kid's dad. On more than one occasion (During another boxer's match ofc) left his seat and returned with someone's kid sleeping in his arms.

He loves kids to death and taking care of them is something he really enjoys. He'd love to have a bunch of his own kids one day.

Since his house was so crowded growing up, living in new york is a very, very lonely experience. As much as he likes having his own space, he doesn't like how empty his apartment is, even with his dog. Nights were especially bad before his dog because, without someone sharing a room or bed, he has nightmares that leave him irritated and paranoid.

His dog is an Australian shepherd/border collie mix named Cu Chulainn, who he normally just calls 'cu'. This dog has as much energy as Aran and is probably the only reason he does cardio at all. Also, Cu has very strong herding/protecting instincts, which means he is more than happy to go apeshit on anyone trying to fuck with Aran.

His mental health is an absolute clusterfuck that deserves its own damn post to go into.

He doesn't cheat out of maliciousness, or at least not fully. He cheats because he feels like he has to. The minute he saw Hippo and Great Tiger in the ring, he knew playing clean would do him no favors. He's a good boxer outside of his cheating, and could probably do well as a clean fighter but doesn't trust his skill enough - especially with his family on the line.

He's so so so creative. This man paints and draws and sculpts, though he prefers painting and sculpting. He also loves knitting! All of the world circuit (Aka his besties) have at least one hat/sweater/pair of mittens made by him. Costumes are his jam too- he will spend months hyperfixating on a perfect costume for halloween.

He couldn't decide on short or long hair, so now he has a mullet that he cuts all by himself thankyouverymuch (Which is why it's so badly cut lmao)

His facial hair grows black in the summer/fall and more dark reddish-brown in the winter/spring. His dad grows a blonde beard in the summer/fall and a reddish-blond one in the winter/spring.

He adores growing his hair out when the boxing season is over. He's barely recognizable with a full beard and looks exactly like his dad. Shaving is the worst part of the new boxing season and it always takes him a few days to recover from the dysphoria all that shaving causes him.

Aran is punk as all hell. He's got 11 piercings and a handful tattoos and plans to get more. All of his clothes are either thrifted or hand-me-downs to some degree and patched to hell and back. His aesthetic tends to scare people, which Aran is perfectly okay with.

Speaking of clothes, he refuses to wear fake leather or wool. He knows how the real stuff feels and hates the feeling of pleather or acrylic wool. He insists the real stuff is better and why he's never cold in the winter.

Aran cannot wear ties. He can wear scarves, chokers, collars, anything but ties. Shirts fully buttoned up are also uncomfortable for the most part, but he has a few that fit him.

#aran ryan #punch out wii #punch out #headcanons #ask game #can you tell he's my favorite?#because he is #I wub u stinky rat man #i have so many more so PLEASE keep these coming #my hcs

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just-pearce · 2 years

Text

scabiosa / vyn richter

—previous | chapter four | next

—masterpost here.

“Mausi, did you know? You remember things better if you use your senses.”

Octavia hands you a small piece of lemon flavored candy, smiling from ear to ear as you huddle at the corner of the ballroom.

“What is this for?”

“Eat it. So you can remember this day.”

The glint in her eyes were mischievous. Two pair of children hiding from the eyes of adults disguising each insult with a subtlety only nobility would notice.

“...Remember us knocking over the punch bowl?”

“No! Silly,” She laughs out loud, nodding her head to the venue. “Our first ball together! We look like characters from a fairytale.”

You can't help but blink at her words.

“But aren't you? You're quite literally a princess, Via.”

At that time you still didn't know why she was different from other noble children. Why she could do anything she wanted without consequences.

Why she wasn't part of a fairytale.

Octavia smiles. Placid and fake. And for the first time you thought to yourself, ‘Oh. She really is a noble.’

Not very soon, you came to know why.

On your sixteenth autumn, while tending to the flowers Octavia grew as a hobby, a secret under wraps finally unfolds before you.

The smell of iron penetrated your senses.

Your hands shook, and you think you were white as sheet. You couldn't hear anything apart from the blood rushing in your ears—you couldn't even think straight as you crouched beside your best friend who was coughing out blood and crying.

“Via... Via!” Your nonchalant expression had long disappeared from your face. “Help! Someone!”

It was a blur of events that ended with you sitting motionless on the hospital's waiting seats. Your mind couldn't stop racing and though your outward appearance didn't give off how you felt, the dread and the loud beating of your heart told you everything you needed to know.

This isn't a game anymore.

This was your reality.

And in that reality, there was no room for you nor Octavia.

You lived each day detached from the world, looking at the people around you like they weren't real. You looked at them like how an audience from a play would towards the actors on stage. Most of the time, you didn't even bother knowing their names.

And yet, you began to genuinely care for the girl whose family adopted you out of their own benefit. In all her unashamed humor and arrogant personality was your best friend of ten years who treated you like you were her real sibling.

Octavia was the only person who ever made you feel like you belonged. And in a world where you thought you had no place to be, she was like a savior.

“Mausi, are you okay?”

You turned your head to meet a pair of familiar golden eyes. Vilhelm frowned as he takes the seat next to yours and his eyes becomes unconsciously drawn to the blood smeared on your rumpled clothes.

“T, This isn't mine,” You try to offer him an explanation, voice breaking against your better judgement. “It's Via's she...”

“...I know. It's okay, you don't have to force yourself to recall.”

He doesn't look you in the eye as he says it, choosing only to stare at his balled fists instead. You look at him and his gestures—trying to deny the meaning behind them. That he didn't lie through the years you knew each other. That he, out of all the people you knew in this world, wouldn't lie nor be unfair to you. He wouldn't hide Octavia's condition to you won't he? After all, he knows she was your everything.

You laughed, almost madly, as the pieces finally made sense in your head. “You knew.” Repeating his words, Vyn's worried expression falls into guilt. “But of course, why else would you be there when I first came into the duchy.” You hugged yourself, trying to control your thoughts so it doesn't control you. So that you won't say anything hurtful—so that you won't lose yourself. “To greet an orphan who was sold by her parents? I don't think so.”

“You were there to size my worth. To see if I would be a great candidate, weren't you?”

This was why you were always calm and collected. Because the moment your predicament really sets into your mind, you were afraid of what it would do to you. Would it turn you into someone you didn't know? Would the stress finally break you and give you a reason to aggressively vent out your feelings in a situation that was out of anyone's control?

“Don't you think I deserved to know?”

Now that the illusion has faded, you're forced to look at reality with your own eyes.

“How long were you planning to make a fool out of me?” You wish you never found out. You wish you never said these words. “I would expect this treatment from her parents. After all, I'm an outsider to their family. But you—Vilhelm, you—”

I trusted you.

We shared something, didn't we?

He doesn't answer. He neither confirms nor denies it. You knew it wasn't his fault yet your heart, so hurt from the possibility of everything you ever had was a lie, couldn't help but pin the blame on him.

“I'm sorry.” He says, voice shaking yet the damage has been done.

Tears fell from your eyes and you knew you were past a point of no return. So you did the only thing you were good at—

You ran.

You stare at the person in front of you, a bouquet of flower in hand and a well-placed smile plastered on his face.

Vyn Richter had once again invaded your personal space which you lovingly call your flower shop and this time he's buying Red Spider Lilies for some ominous reason.

“You look like you're dying to know.”

Oh, someone's dying alright. You already feel bad for the recipient of those flowers.

This has been going on for almost a month now. Once or twice a week, he drops off at your store and picks a random flower to make as a bouquet. At first you thought nothing of it, just another harmless prank of his was what you tried to convince yourself. But as the days pile on and his visits doesn't seem to dwindle with it, you figure it wasn't as harmless as you initially thought.

“Why do you keep coming here?”

He flinches a little at the question as though not expecting you to actually speak up.

“Whatever do you mean?” He smiles innocently as you ring up his order. “I'm only here to purchase flowers.”

“We no longer have anything to do with each other. I don't understand why you keep coming here,” You lift your eyes to meet his before handing the taller man's bouquet. His face scrunches up ever so slightly, a frown forming in his face once the words were out of your mouth.

“That's not entirely true, is it? We've known each other since we were children.”

“Out of obligation. Because I'm your cousin's playmate.”

“Calling it obligation is a tad too harsh—”

“But it's true.” You avoid his gaze, turning your body away to focus your attention to the shelves behind you before trying to busy yourself. “If you feel guilty for what happened in the past then please don't. It wasn't your fault, you only did what you had to. The things I said that day were out of frustration and I apologize for saying hurtful words.”

“But there's nothing linking the two of us anymore.... so you don't have to concern yourself over me.”

“Octavia wouldn't want me to—”

“Octavia is dead.” You hastily cut him off, accidentally knocking off a jar and shattering it from your hurry. The two of you stare at the broken fragments, the smell of lavender wafting from it.

On that autumn day, you decided not to let yourself want anything. To go on as you've had before: offering all that you are to Octavia and her alone. And rid of the affections you've began to harbor towards Vyn, no matter how difficult it was.

After all, Vyn belongs to the heroine. He was a piece of her you weren't allowed to covet.

If — even if it had the smallest chance of occuring — you had started to become greedy for the things you could never have, that would be the day that you lost. That would be the day you'd start to get accustomed to the things that were not meant for you.

That would be the day that you'd feel envy, and the day that you'd die.

After all, if the story went on as planned, then the prince shall always have his princess.

There was no room for anomalies like you and Octavia. That was what you firmly believed.

“Mausi,” Vyn suddenly calling you by nickname causes goosebumps to run along your skin and you bite your lip to suppress your reaction. “You talk as if you have no emotions left.”

“Would you rather I looked pathetic in front of you and cried?”

If you had any desires before, it was all gone the moment she died. You believed that you didn't need anything because everything around you already had an owner.

“But that would only be pointless, wouldn't it? Octavia has died and yet the world still hasn't fallen apart. Nor does anybody else die with her.”

And that was the truth. She had died and yet the world would still move forward regardless of her existence. Time would erase the wounds she left at her wake and even you would start to slowly forget the things about her—no matter how much you force yourself not to.

You couldn't even be sure if you still know the sound of her voice anymore, nor the name of the TV show running on the background as you last talked.

“I don't want to disrespect her memory like that.” You declare with finality, crouching to gingerly pick up the bigger shards of your carelessness. “If you're worried that I'm suppressing my emotions then don't be. I'm sincerely living my life properly just as she wanted me to.”

He quietly looks at you, mouth opening slightly to talk before deciding against it and clenches his teeth.

“...I understand.”

Once again you turn your back to him to discourage any further conversations. It wasn't until you heard the bell of your store's door ring did you finally look at him.

It was better like this. To look at him without his knowledge. Just like how it's supposed to be.

“With this... we're finally strangers.” You say to yourself.

Ignoring the prickling at the corners of your heart, you distract yourself by dumping the broken shards of your now broken jar.

“Ah...” The edge slightly grazes your skin that you couldn't help but pull your hand away on instinct once blood starts to flow out of the small wound you accidentally inflicted on yourself.

Sighing, you look back to your door only to see no one there.

“Looks like I'll remember this one too. ”

You just wish that his departure didn't feel like he took a piece of you with him.

#tears of themis #vyn richter #isekai #vyn richter x reader #vyn richter x you #tot angst #scabiosa chapter 4

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nameless-and-joymaking · 9 months

Note

advice for someone from another country visiting new york for the first time for like 2weeks?

ahh honored that you would ask my advice!

General/boring advice: be prepared for Weather (carry a sweatshirt and an umbrella bc the ones they sell on the street are shit, carry a handfan bc the trains aren't always air conditioned), avoid the G and L trains wherever possible, and the 1 train on the weekends, be alert but don't be afraid, pay attention to subway announcements and read the subway maps carefully (ppl will know you're a tourist if you're glued to the map inside the train car but who cares), avoid times square if you can help it, walk fast if you're in midtown everyone will be grateful, dont smile at strangers except old ladies and babies, thank your bus driver. Follow @got2gonyc on insta bc they have a map of public bathrooms that is VITAL (my personal favorite public bathroom in nyc is inside the shops at columbus circle.)

NOW for fun stuff/ Grand List of Recommendations. im going to split this into sections and go into WAY too much depth. im also assuming you're staying in manhattan but going to provide recs throughout the boroughs

Culture

if you have some money to burn, definitely see some theatre. If you like musicals, Kimberly Akimbo has $40 rush tickets (meaning if you show up at the box office right when it opens you can get cheap seats), Parade has $45 rush (if you're going to the city before it closes).

see a film at the Metrograph or Film Forum (metrograph has uncomfy seats tbh but always shows great stuff.) The Angelika is also fine, and Alamo Drafthouse is not NY-specific but it's cool.

go to The Strand! not on a weekend bc it's far too crowded but there are just so. many. books. or go to a community bookstore like Word Up in Washington Heights or Bluestockings downtown (lots of queer and political books)

You gotta do a museum or two. The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens is all about film and if you love movies, it is beyond delightful. You can spend a whole day at the Met just wandering, but if you like an agenda, I really recommend going to the Dutch painting collection in Gallery 964 and checking out my favorite painting I've ever seen up close, as well as the sculpture garden in the American Wing, the Asian Wing, the Islamic Wing, and the Egyptian exhibit (you have to walk through it to get to a bunch of other things anyway). There are some van Goghs there, too, and the costuming exhibit and and and-- ok i'll stop here. The American Museum of Natural History has the ability to make you feel like a kid again if you were into science as a child.

Lots of museums, including El Museo del Barrio, Bronx Museum of Art, and the Museum of Jewish Heritage have days where admission is free. Lot of the galleries in Chelsea are also free every day (including the Gagosian Galleries on West 24th and the Chase Contemporary)

Visit a library! The big one in midtown or a smaller one (Morningside Heights Library by the Columbia campus is nice, I like the Mosholu one in the Bronx as well)

Food

you cannot leave NY without having a good NY bagel. Downtown: Bagel Bob's. Uptown: Pick-A-Bagel. Bronx: Riverdale Bagels (you need a bus to get to this one, or a long walk, but worth it.) Downtown, midtown, and Brooklyn: Russ and Daughter's. any old dollar pizza place is probably great, but if you want to be fancy, go to Luzzo's on the upper east side.

if you eat fish, Astoria Seafood is a MUST. fresh, delicious, no frills, BYOB. easy to get lost on the way there if you don't know Queens, so be careful.

Queens in general is a great place to eat. Most diverse urban community in the world! Mama's Empanadas (right by the Museum of the Moving Image, on Steinway Street) is a strong recommendation there, as well. Hot pot, bubble tea, Greek food, and momos are, as a general rule, very good in Queens.

if you want relatively affordable sushi and sake, Marumi is my go-to in Manhattan.

if you want a bougie brunch or dinner, go to Lido in Harlem. Any Jamaican place in Harlem or buffet-style southern food is likely to be good if you want to be adventurous and just pick one. Pies n Thighs in Brooklyn is also good southern-inspired food if you eat meat.

Tasty Handpulled Noodles in Chinatown (there's one on Doyers and one on 9th ave) is some of the best Chinese food. Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is upsettingly expensive but very delicious.

If you like to cook, go to Kalustyan's in Little India and get yourself some spices. They have more kinds of pepper there than you've ever seen in your life.

there is a sandwich shop in the Bronx i will ONLY tell you about via dm bc i won't have my secret faves revealed in a public forum.

lmk if you want Fancy-fancy recs for food, I can make a whole other post.

Green Spaces/Nature

Wave Hill up in Riverdale is beyond beautiful, and free on Thursdays. A bit of a trek from any trains, buses involved etc, but worth it!!

If you're going with friends or peers, a picnic in Central Park (North Meadow by the 103rd st/CPW entrance is a good spot, also Sheep Meadow or the Great Lawn) or just a walk through the park can be amazing. A little touristy, but who's counting.

The Coney Island Aquarium (whether or not you also go to the amusement park) is really nice. Very far from Manhattan, but easy to find (lots of crowds lots of signs)

I don't know Prospect Park in Brooklyn super well, other than the area right by Ample Hills Creamery-- great ice cream, by the way-- but it's pretty and really huge. On that note, also try The Social in Brooklyn for ice cream and DEFINITELY eat an icee from a cart. Churros from a cart in the subway in particular also always hit.

It is tenuous to call this nature but the Union Square Farmer's Market pops up every Saturday and you can buy really good produce/honey/flowers/booze (also, incidentally, right by a good ice cream place, Van Leeuwen's) ((also incidentally, I'm at the market pretty much every Saturday. idk if meeting a tumblr friend is on your want list but yeah.))

#this list is also quite summer-centric so if youre going when it's colder lmk and ill revamp the list #have the best best time i love my city so muchhhh

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itsuki-minamy · 8 months

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"AYAKA – SIDE STORIES 10" (Part 03/04)

"THE PARADOX OF KAMEIDO AKI"

TRANSLATION: NARU-KUN

* List of Chapters

Aki Kameido had an old friend, or rather a comrade.

They informed each other of the content of the training almost every day. They often went out to eat and drink.

If she had a complaint, she would call him in the middle of the night.

The man's name is Masaru Hiratome.

"Hey, Hiratome is a track athlete?"

"It is said that he became a strengthened athlete for the next Olympic Games..."

"He is great."

In the spring of her fourth year at the university, Aki didn't know which way to go. An Achilles tendon rupture is an injury that can be completely cured with proper treatment without rushing, but leaves you blank for almost half a year in competition. As a result, there are many people who have returned to active duty but eventually retire without being able to reach their original peak, and conversely, there are many people who rush back and relapse. Since she was in her early twenties, that would determine her competitive career, and it was a delicate period before she started looking for a job, there was some risk in every decision she made.

It was there that Hiratome made a proposal.

If Aki wants to go pro, of course he'll support her, but if she's not sure, she should have the option to withdraw. It makes a lot of sense for her to continue running as a regular runner for a long time, rather than risk a recurrence and aim for a momentary good result.

If you are concerned about your livelihood, you can take care of yourself for years, even the rest of your life. She thought about her course with that in mind. He wanted her to think about the path that Aki thinks is the best.

"...A proposal. That's a proposal."

"The conditions are really good!"

"He is a good person."

"I don't know why you're running away."

Aki waved her hand at the students who said that.

"No, that's why I didn't run away. I just kept my distance and hid the conclusion."

"You're running from your decision, aren't you?"

"Something called Blue Marriage."

Besides...

"This time the other party was waiting for me, so it's fine, but normally he would be surprised and cut ties with me."

"Don't test people's feelings with an ambiguous attitude."

Aki still made excuses to the students admonishing her.

"No, I don't. I just decided to rearrange things and try to think for myself."

"I do not think."

"You drink alcohol every day and play with Jingi."

"Haha, yes."

"Jingi, shut up for a moment."

"That is..."

Aki lowered her eyes,

"...That's Sagawa's fault."

"What's that?"

The students groaned.

"It's natural for him to be bad. This guy is always the worst."

"But just because Jingi is bad doesn't mean you don't have to do it right!"

"Don't blame others for your problems, even if they are loyal."

"Haha, yes."

"Shut up a second."

If it crosses the vermilion, it turns red. Aki, who runs with Sagawa, has already become a "same guy" among the students. If you think about it normally, no matter how people's commitments are or how life is, there is no reason why a good adult should poke into a high school student in that area, but after all, it is "similar", so this is unconditionally a sermon. It became a target.

As the curiosity trivia session began to show signs of ending...

A student came in from the hallway.

"Kame-chan, you have a guest in the principal's office."

A tall man was sitting on the couch in the director's office, in the seat reserved for visitors.

The muscular figure is clearly visible even from the top of the suit. He looks like an athlete.

"Masaru Hiratome."

"Wow, it's real."

"It's great, isn't it?"

Students looking from behind the door. The man on the couch...

Masaru Hiratome looked in that direction.

The students suddenly descended into the hallway, leaving Aki alone.

"Aki!"

Masaru Hiratome got up, walked towards the door and grabbed Aki by the shoulders with both hands.

"Aki, what are you doing in a place like this?"

"Masaru..."

"If you want to be a teacher, that's fine. I said that I would support you no matter what. Why did you decide without consulting me? I was worried because you disappeared without telling me where you were going..."

(Oh, this is...)

(That's really romantic.)

The students, who had been half listening to Aki's story, leaned forward to see the development that took place more than they had imagined.

Aki, on the other hand, stiffened with both shoulders grabbed, but before long...

"That's... you're wrong."

(What are you talking about, Kame-chan?)

The students were stunned for a moment, but Masaru winced as if he had been struck by the void.

"If you say, "I'm rooting for you" or "I'm worried", that means you're putting me down. That's not good for me."

(Wow, this is one messy pattern!)

The students joked in their hearts.

"I see... that's correct."

Masaru smiled sheepishly.

"Well, then it's a match."

He also said something strange.

Aki had an angry face, but she nodded naturally. It seemed that there was something decided between the two of them.

They didn't know the details, but...

(In short, both are weirdos.)

The students thought.

++++++++++

They all moved to the schoolyard.

Lead-colored clouds hung in the sky and a little wind began to blow.

Aki Kameido, Masaru Hiratome, the principal, Aki's students, and other staff members and students also heard the commotion and gathered together.

As the crowd watched, Masaru removed his jacket and tie and traded in leather shoes for sneakers. He thought that if they met that could happen, so he brought it as luggage.

It was decided that the tour would begin in the school yard, follow the road towards the coast, and end at the tip of the breakwater. The distance is about 1000 meters. It is said that the students will be placed at important points and guide Masaru to run across this land for the first time.

Masaru was somewhat relieved to know that there were children around Aki who found this kind of thing amusing. He at least believes that she felt less alone than she did when she was in high school and college.

One of the students drew a line in the dirt with his toes and Masaru took a starting position standing next to Aki.

He and Aki Kameido have known each other since they were in elementary school, and for more than half their lives, they have been more deeply involved than each other's families.

According to Aki, Masaru was the first to call her a turtle. It was then that her life began to go crazy.

He doesn't remember it clearly, but it may be true. It is natural to call a person named "Kameido" a "turtle". Aki used to call him Saru, a play on Masaru's name (he remembers it). He believes that dependent on the other in that sense, but when he thinks that he might have been the one to set the direction of Aki's life in the first place, he feels a certain responsibility.

When she beat him in the fifth grade relay, he was embarrassed to be beaten on the big stage, but he didn't regret it. He knew that Aki was working harder than anyone, more than him. Her triumphant smile was radiant.

In high school, they both joined the track club. The activities were divided between men and women, and he was a little relieved that there was no direct competition. However, because this was an individual competition, there were many situations where simple numerical values could be competed for, such as records and amount of practice. Aki seemed to see him as her imaginary enemy like always, but there was simply a difference in physical strength between men and women.

Furthermore, he was blessed with a good body and during the three years of high school, his skeleton and muscles grew significantly.

At first, he felt guilty, as if he was playing an unfair game, but before he knew it, he began to think that he might be the pacemaker to guide Aki.

Five years from now, ten years from now, someday when he stops running, Aki will triumphantly catch up with him like that day. She always wins in the end. She is the tortoise of the rabbit and the tortoise. He already figured it out.

It was the biggest mistake of his life when he told Aki about "Achilles and the Tortoise" when he was in high school. The demigod Achilles, origin of her name, was her pride and support. He made a joke and contaminated that feeling. Furious, Aki ran to her father at her house and after that, she didn't speak to him for a week. He still regrets that matter.

After entering high school, Aki's attitude towards competition changed even more. What had always been a rather stoic way of dealing with him had become an afterthought, almost austere way. It was as if she carried an invisible load on her back and kept training to the limit.

So when Aki injured the Achilles tendon in her right leg, he told her, "There is also the option of dropping the load". Aki was not convinced and got angry. That anger may be directed at him, but that's okay. If it started because of him, it's okay if she blamed him for messing it up.

However, contrary to expectations, Aki disappeared without saying anything. She didn't tell anyone where she was going and even canceled her cell phone.

He recently found out that she became a teacher on a remote island. It's been almost a year since she went missing.

"Okay, go ahead!"

With that order, the two began.

Masaru had the disadvantage of running on an undeveloped road that he had never seen before. As he waited and watched, he slowed down and let Aki take the lead.

But, Aki jumped in much earlier than expected. It's like running a sprint.

Is it a strategy to gain distance first and escape? Although it is fast. He can't believe there's been a blank for over a year.

However, if he had to say that, she was always on active duty without a break. Masaru quickened his pace and closed the distance to Aki's back.

Of course, he wouldn't take shortcuts. He knows that would hurt Aki's pride more. He would simply show a careless look touching the scales. As a result, Masaru has always put his all into his races with Aki and has won most of them. Each time, Aki became angry and frustrated, and worked even harder to move forward.

No thanks to that, in fact, she probably even hates him.

However, now Masaru's self-imposed mission is to continue playing the role of "Achilles' tortoise", the unpleasant guide who runs ahead of Aki.

++++++++++

Masaru caught up with her.

Aki felt the pressure on her back as if a thick wall was approaching her.

Normally, that wall ran in front of her, no matter how much she ran, she couldn't catch up with it and couldn't even touch it.

But today, in this place, Masaru will only apply pressure from behind and will not surpass Aki. The actual attack will occur once the breakwater is reached and the goal is fully visible.

High school students stand at regular intervals on both sides of the road.

"Good luck to both of you!"

"Hiratome-san, go straight for a while!"

"Hey, hurry up you two!"

Each supports the other. And when the two passed by, they ran after them making a lot of noise.

Aki kept pace with her as she walked through the school gates onto a gentle slope towards the coast. She ran across the asphalt pavement near the school and eventually entered an unpaved gravel road.

Both gravel and slope are road conditions that Masaru, a competitor, would normally avoid. If you get used to it, you will be able to run without problems, but inevitably the load on your ankles and knees and the possibility of falling will cross your mind.

Failure to get used to it creates disorder in form and muscle stiffness. Unlike Aki, who has run this course hundreds of times, Masaru's body will become more fatigued the more he runs.

May his legs get tired before he reaches the breakwater. That was Aki's strategy.

She assumed that he was trying to stay back to see how things were going, but when he wanted to pass, he couldn't pass.

No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he struggled, he couldn't reach the back in front of him. He tasted that feeling. Today it is the other way around. She is the tortoise and he is Achilles.

From the sandy beach she climbed a short flight of stairs to the breakwater. Last straight course.

Aki ran towards it.

But...

Contrary to Aki's expectations, Masaru was unable to turn around.

Fatigue clung to him like a burden and still all of Aki's power remained.

The physical strength of a top-level active player was something like that.

And his mental strength.

Masaru never lost sight of his purpose. Risk of injury and even loss of a future career for taking this irregular route. He ignored them and did the best he could.

Masaru pulled Aki. There was a complete difference in strength.

There were now less than 50 meters to the tip of the breakwater.

The battle is already completely decided. It was a situation where everyone thought so.

But Aki still didn't give up.

(Why can't Achilles catch up with the tortoise in the first place?)

That's because Achilles "exactly wants to win". Aki thinks that's it.

Achilles always points to the "current position" of the turtle. So when you get there the turtle will take the next step.

It's like a stone curling, thinking to stop as it continues, trying to stop safely in a chicken race. It's essentially a chicken.

#ayaka #sagawa jingi

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meteodrives · 8 months

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silence pervaded the night, somehow leaking into the bar long after the closing hour. only the sounds of gentle shuffling could have garnered any attention — but not from tifa. her eyes were focused on the damp rag, finding it now painted with a soft pink hue : blood. it meant but naught, finding a towel irreplaceable. a person, however modified or altered, was not. ❛ let me switch this out , yeah ? ❜ with a gentle smile, her body turned to hop off the stool, feet working their way to the other side of the decently clean countertop. ( save for the spots of spilled alcohol needing to be wiped down before resting . )

𝚁𝙴𝙼 : ❛ aren't you going to say i told you so ? ❜

it hung between heartbeats, contemplated in the moments that followed. the stillness felt much more tense from what it was mere seconds ago. peace had dissipated, only a great urgency having been left to fill the void. you shouldn’t let them get to you, tifa had warned, knowing full well what sort of motivation bitterness could provide in a fight. motivation that saw no satisfying end. years could pass & there would be no real feeling of achievement — no retribution now that blood - stained palms were all that was left to reach out. ❛ no , ❜ her voice finally emanated. in her head, everything had been done right. tifa would have told the girl that such things would happen, either by incident or with purpose ; she’d be sure to mention that holding her ground was more important than giving up & that, so long as she’d use her strength to protect, gloating words would not be uttered. in practice, when the moment mattered most, not a semblance of such thoughts had been spoken. ( no language , written or considered , could have conveyed it in a way that sufficed . ) she’d settle for simplicity & care.

her back turned to the woman, rinsing a new cloth under some warm water. ❛ you got pretty banged up … ❜ an off night, supposedly. tifa chuckled to herself, head shaking ever so slightly. ❛ but i’d hate to see what the other guy looks like . ❜ undoubtedly worse. the aftermath of it all could be handled come dawn. she’d insure that no detrimental damage had been caused on the other’s behalf, allowing rem the time to rest & recover at whatever pace needed. the rag was rung dry, twisted between her hands, to avoid the excess dripping. ❛ so then … ❜ a beginning compromise, spoken with newfound optimism, as she returned back to settle in her seat. ❛ ready to tell me what really happened ? ❜ gentle pressure applied to the affected wound, careful not to worsen the condition. ❛ or would you rather have another drink first ? ❜

* ◞ @axgmented | prompted !

#axgmented #i offer u. tHis. hsdjsdhsj #pls lmk if i got any bits wrong bc i'd be happy to adjust <3

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localwebslingers · 8 months

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NEGATIVE ENNEAGRAM TEST

Enneagram Tests are often criticized for focusing too much on the positive aspects of a person’s character. Are you ready to face your Enneagram dark side?

------

((Like I said I did this for both of them. And while this Peter managed to only score into one type(thank the gods) he did come REALLY CLOSE to two other. Like I'm pretty sure there was almost another 3-way tie. Since they were so high, and completely different from the other, I'll at least share what they were type 6: The Loyalist and type 8: The Challenger. Both of them managed to score in this type so...

MCU, aka Part Two

Type 2

The Enneagram Type 2, often referred to as "The Helper" or "The Giver," is characterized by a deep-seated desire to connect with others by offering assistance and support. While this personality type is known for their kindness, generosity, and empathy, the negative aspects of their nature can create challenges in both their personal lives and relationships. Their negative aspects tend to take the following forms:

Overly Self-Sacrificing: Strong inclination to prioritize others' needs over their own, often to the detriment of their own well-being.

Validation Seeking: Seeking approval and validation from others by constantly helping and being indispensable.

Manipulative Behavior: Tendency to manipulate situations and emotions to feel needed and valued.

Hidden Agenda: Helping others with the underlying expectation of receiving appreciation or reciprocation.

Boundary Issues: Difficulty setting healthy boundaries, leading to emotional exhaustion and burnout.

Resentment: Developing resentment when their efforts aren't acknowledged or reciprocated as expected.

Ignoring Personal Needs: Neglecting their own needs and desires while focusing excessively on fulfilling others'.

Fear of Rejection: Constantly fearing rejection or abandonment if they don't meet others' needs.

Dependence on Others' Approval: Relying on external validation for their sense of self-worth and identity.

Loss of Authenticity: Suppressing their own feelings and opinions to cater to others' preferences.

Emotional Manipulation: Using emotions to control situations, often making others feel guilty for not complying.

Avoiding Conflict: Going to great lengths to avoid conflict and disagreements, even at their own expense.

Loss of Identity: Struggling to distinguish their own desires and identity from those they help.

Exaggerated Selflessness: Displaying excessive selflessness to the point of denying their own needs altogether.

Emotional Volatility: Swinging between feelings of selflessness and moments of frustration or anger.

Martyr Complex: Adopting the role of the martyr, using their sacrifices to garner sympathy and attention.

Conditional Giving: Giving with strings attached, expecting something in return for their help.

Neglecting Self-Reflection: Focusing so much on others that they fail to reflect on their own feelings and motivations.

Unhealthy Attachments: Forming co-dependent relationships based on their role as the caregiver.

Burnout: Constantly overextending themselves without proper self-care, leading to burnout.

Loss of Autonomy: Feeling trapped by their need to be needed, which can hinder their personal growth.

Fear of Abandonment: Worrying that if they stop helping, they'll be abandoned or unloved.

Validation Addiction: Becoming addicted to the emotional highs they get from being needed and appreciated.

------

Tagged by: @f1rstresponder

Tagging: @ghstspidey, @eideticspider, @the-mjolnir-owner, @what-the-stark, and anyone else who wants to steal this(you can blame me for it)

#dash games #muse | peter parker(mcu)#headcanon #((again they are way too accurate not to be basically headcanon at this point))#((type 8 came out of left field and I did not expect to see that))

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fascinationex · 1 year

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A little about Caltrop and Silica from Date Night, which is the Outsider POV fic in which Megatron and Starscream ruin their date.

I've been thinking about them a bit since. The setting of that fic is a post-war society in which the Decepticons and Autobots are living in relative, if tense, peace on a restored Cybertron. It was a poorly defined continuity soup so that's where they live!

Added a cut for length—

Caltrop is a long distance space hauler and Silica is a little motorbike.

Silica is like 500 years old and she's self-assured, self-confident, opinionated and pretty sweet. Caltrop was constructed during the very last days before the Cybertronian civil war really exploded, and some of her earliest work was in getting rich neutrals off the dangerously unstable planet—and then being sent back herself, of course.

Throughout the war, Caltrop has done logistical/supply work for the Autobots off and on, but she thinks that it's been more off than on so she's... basically a neutral, in her own view. (This is not always everyone's view—she's done some scary supply trips and OP would recognise her name (he remembers everyone).)

She admires Silica for being *so* forthright and certain, in part of because she (Caltrop) feels kind of beaten down by... everything, and like not much is really as certain as she'd have liked it to be. She recognises that part of Silica's attitude is because she is comparatively very young—and she certainly hasn't had the kind of life experiences Caltrop has, so she hasn't built up a lot of anxiety as a defence mechanism.

Caltrop often feels too big and clumsy for polite society, because she is of a large size class (being a space hauler). She's not really a glamorous build, and she feels keenly when seats are too small or too close together or the standard cube size is less than one fifth of her tank. Despite feeling too big to be allowed and seriously out of place a lot of the time, she still really enjoys being big enough to pick her partner up and haul them away from danger! She can also pick her partner up for. Other things. 👀

Silica is not a thoughtful person. Where Caltrop is perpetually noticing shades of grey, Silica takes information at face value, decides if it's good or bad, stamps it [GREAT] or [SHIT] in her head and rarely revisits it. She finds Caltrop frustrating and unadventurous sometimes, but she still likes her because she enjoys that someone so much older and more experienced thinks she's awesome. Must be true, right? She likes Caltrop's admiration probably a bit more than she likes Caltrop, if she's honest (she does not practice excessive self reflection, though—it's bad for you).

Silica is a courier by profession, which means she spends a lot of time going really fast and getting annoyed with traffic conditions that prevent her going real fast. She's a big fan of the recently reopened Pre-War Artefacts and Art Museum, which is a labyrinthine hodgepodge of cultural and historical stuff that predates the civil war on Cybertron ("Wow," she says to Caltrop. "It's older than you!" Thanks, Silica.) It's not an unbiased collection, but she doesn't really think about that stuff—she just loves a lot of the old holos and the art and, unf, the filigree. Could Silica get filigree? She wants this.

I think this relationship is not destined to last. They don't have that many interests in common, and each of them is using the other more as a buttress for a weak sense of identity than because they really like each other—although they both are perfectly pleasant people and aren't, like, mean about it.

But I would really like to write them going back to the museum and running into megastar there again. Maybe Silica overhearing Megatron's incredibly cynical perspective on the displays can catalyse their break up.

#OC: Caltrop #OC: Silica #tf #tf oc: caltrop

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fictionalmenmistress · 1 year

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Hey everyone! I'm selling my one ticket for the IMPRACTICAL JOKERS 2022 DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE TOUR, To the FEBRUARY 4TH date in BOSTON. I am selling it for the exact same price I paid for it during the sale on presale price, so its a great price for the ticket.

SECOND ROW, left side isle seat. So its pretty front and center!! (I bought it with that intention for myself, but now I want someone else to be able to have that oppertunity!).

The first rows of the tickets went super fast, so this is a great offer. I can't go to Boston anymore, because I was supposed to stay with a friend who said I could stay with them, and now I can't get in contact with them. I'm really dissapointed about it all, and really sad I can't go. On top of that, my uncle got into a deadly car accident the other day, and he lost his wife in the accident. My uncle was put into the hospital in critical condition, and I really need those funds I used to get my ticket back. Please tell anyone interested and help me spread the word. I really want someone else to be able to have the oppertunity to have my ticket!

PLEASE COMMENT OR MESSAGE ME, and I will send you all of the details, proof of price I got it for and am selling it for same!! I'll send photo evidence, video evidence if wanted, and all the details.

If you aren't interested, PLEASE RESHARE AND REBLOG so that others can have the oppertunity to see! I really need help.

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sunshine-overload · 4 months

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[BSTS] Main Story S4CH4 ‘The One Without’ - Part 2

Part 1

Chapter 3

(cw: stuff gets kinda heavy from here on 🥲 warnings specifically for hospitals and emergency surgery)

-backstage-

saki: Great work, Lico-san, Heath-san. That was a really fun show!

lico: Thanks for the support, Kotori-chan~

heath: Thank you.

lico: I'm covered in sweat so I'm gonna go take a shower. What about you, Heath?

heath: I'll go after taking a little break.

lico: Ok. See you later then.

-lico leaves-

saki: Are you feeling ok, Heath-san?

heath: Yeah. I'm just... a bit tired. I guess I'll go and take a seat and rest. Would you come with me?

saki: Yes, of course.

-break room-

heath: I've calmed down now.

saki: You worked hard again today, Heath-san.

heath: Thanks. Say, was my singing good?

saki: Yes! It had a real sense of speed to it, it was wonderful. Everyone else's performances really added to it too.

heath: That so? You see, I don't possess a certain ability. The ability of being ‘healthy’. When you lack something, you have to make up for it through something else. Like with hard work, or time.

saki: Heath-san...

heath: I'm sure that my life will be shorter than that of a healthy person’s. That's why, whilst I'm still here, I want to create something that no one else can match up to. That is what I'm on the stage for.

saki: Your songs and shows always portray new worlds each time. That's why one day you'll be able to create something that you're satisfied with, Heath-san. I'm sure of it.

heath: Yeah, for sure. Yawn... I'm sleepy. I'm done for the day. It's been a while since I've felt this tired, maybe it's because I feel at ease having you beside me. Could I close my eyes for a moment?

saki: Sure. Sleep well, Heath-san.

-time pass, lico walks up in his casual clothes-

lico: Sorry for the wait~ Wait, hm? Is he asleep?

saki: Yes, he said he was going to take a short nap. He only fell asleep a little while ago.

lico: Hm. Oi, Heath, wake up. At least wipe the sweat off your body first, it's not good for you to sleep like that.

heath: .......

lico: Just how deep of a sleep is he in? Oi, wake up already. Oi. C'mon, Heath...?

-lico steps over to check him-

saki: U-um, is something the matter, Lico-san?

lico: Stay calm ok, Kotori-chan? I need you to keep calling out to Heath. I'll go and get Kei to call a car!

saki: Ok! I understand!

-saki moves closer to heath-

saki: Heath-san! Heath-san! Please hang in there! Heath-san!

—end

Chapter 3 extra

-hospital reception area-

takami: How is he?

kei: He's in a critical condition. His symptoms are those of acute respiratory failure.

lico: Respiratory... What? So you mean he's in a really bad way then?

kei: His chances of surviving are fifty fifty.

lico: What...? Are you being serious right now?

takami: Saki-san said that Heath was sleeping, yes? In the worst case scenario, this may even cause damage to his brain.

lico: ...No way.

kei: For now, all we can do is have faith in the doctor's abilities. There is nothing more that we can do for him right now. Takami, thank you for making arrangements so promptly.

takami: I simply did as I was told to.

kei: Lico, pass this information on to your team members. If I receive any news I shall contact you. That is all for now.

lico: Say... Aren't you acting pretty damn distant this time around? Last time Heath collapsed you took care of him to the point it was unlike you.

kei: ...…. (exhales)

kei: This is my own problem. It is nothing that you need to concern yourself with. Rather, you should be thinking about your own team right now. The team that Heath staked his life on creating, the place where he belongs.

It was you along with him and Mizuki that started it, was it not? Will you continue on, or will you let it all come to an end? In any case, you have a lot that you must now consider.

lico: ......

kei: The show must go on. Withdrawing from the versus is also an option you can think about.

-kei leaves-

takami: Lico, thank you for bringing him here. This isn't something that Mizuki will be able to decide by himself, so do your best as their number 2.

-takami leaves-

lico: Godammit... Just what the hell am I supposed to do in a situation like this?

—end

Chapter 3 SideA

-break room-

saki: Mizuki-san... Are you alright?

mizuki: ......

mizuki: Ah. What the heck, it's just you. What is it?

saki: Oh, it's nothing, I was just wondering if you're alright.

mizuki: Of course I’m fine.

saki: Um, Heath-san is...

mizuki: ...I know. He really was overdoing it after all. But, this sorta thing happened last time too and he was fine, so it'll be fine again.

saki: Yeah, I hope you're right...

mizuki: Of course I am. You worry too much.

saki: Sorry...

mizuki: Once he returns I've gotta give him a good whack. Want me to give him a punch for you too? Or are you gonna slap him yourself?

saki: Please don't punch him. I'm fine, there's no need to do that.

mizuki: You sure? Then I guess I'll let him off the hook.

saki: Yes.

mizuki: .......

mizuki: I'm going for a walk outside. Just leave me alone for a bit.

saki: Ok... Take care.

mizuki: Yeah.

-mizuki leaves-

—end

Chapter 3 SideA extra

-starless lobby-

maica: Rindou.

rindou: Hm? What is it?

maica: Is it true that Heath was taken to the hospital?

rindou: Oh, yes... It's true.

maica: He's collapsed on stage once before too, hasn't he? B still has shows to perform, what are they going to do?

rindou: I don't know... Only Team C has shows today. So I think a solution will be decided tomorrow. Maica, don't talk about Heath's situation where we can be overheard. If Team B keeps performing it will become known to the guests eventually but I wouldn't want to cause them any unnecessary worry by spreading gossip.

maica: You're right, it would be bad if they overheard. I'll be more careful. I wonder what's going to happen.

rindou: I don't know either...It's a decision that will require all of the team leader's input as well as Kei's. However, no matter what shape it takes, I think that the shows will go on.

maica: Yeah. Team C are still here too after all. As for what Heath will do from now on, we won't know until he returns and we can talk to him... Speaking of, how has your sister been recently?

rindou: She's been well, her condition is stable.

maica: I see, that's good. Team P won't be too busy for a while so you should take the opportunity to visit her. I'll handle the team related stuff.

rindou: Yes, thank you.

—end

Chapter 3 SideB

-rehearsal room-

hari: Have you heard? Heath was taken to hospital.

zakuro: Indeed, so I've heard. His condition is quite a serious one as well.

hari: Are we going to continue the versus in these circumstances?

mokuren: Of course.

hari: Firstly, Team B won't be able to perform, right? So the problem of whether it will continue lies there.

mokuren: Then go and tell Team B to drop out of the versus.

hari: That's...

zakuro: Impossible, yes? Our opponents are a pack of wild dogs, even if one is missing it's inevitable that the other four will still attack.

hari: ...Are you saying they'll perform with only four members?

zakuro: Who knows? This is Team B we're talking about, it's not outside the realm of possibility for them.

hari: It's not a formation that will work for a Starless show. Their singer is the one that's missing after all.

mokuren: Those guys haven't cared from the beginning what a 'Starless' show should consist of. They just want a place where they can run wild together, it doesn't particularly have to be here. That's the kind of group that they are.

hari: .......

mokuren: Mizuki's fists are still raised. Until the other side surrenders I have no intention of stopping this versus.

hari: So you'd like to continue this as an endurance contest until the winner is decided?

mokuren: Endurance contest? You've misunderstood. I've already won against them.

hari: Huh?

mokuren: Originally Team B were supposed to have a solo performance. But that's not the current situation is it? Failing to address their glaring issue, they accepted the versus and had their amount of shows cut in half. Team B's opportunity to express themselves was stolen by us. Is that not the same as winning?

hari: So you're saying you don't care about the results of the versus?

mokuren: That's a different story. The more you fight the more you'll win. That's all there is to it.

hari: Your goal is to simply stand on the stage and that has already been achieved. I see, I understand now.

mokuren: Exactly. However, that doesn't mean there isn't anything I'm unsure about...

zakuro: Oh dear, as expected of our leader. Arranging your thoughts in such a way.

mokuren: Hmph... Let's up the ante, once everything is ready we will make the final adjustments.

—end

Chapter 3 SideB extra

-behind starless-

kokuyou: So you were out here.

akira: Hm? What's up?

mokuren: Heath was taken to the hospital.

akira: Again? And so, is he ok?

kokuyou: I don't know the details but it sounds like it's pretty serious this time.

akira: That so? He's so stubborn after all. What's going to happen to their shows?

kokuyou: They'll probably continue as is. Mokuren isn't going to go easy on them, not until B admits their defeat.

akira: Ah, yeah that sounds like them alright. And it's not like Mizuki is going to back down either, so the versus will continue.

kokuyou: Exactly... So, what about you?

akira: Me? All of this has nothing to do with me, no? Heath is Heath and I'm me. Besides, this whole show was a question of whether this would happen sooner or later, wasn't it?

kokuyou: Maybe.

akira: Well, once things have settled I guess I'll go and check up on him.

kokuyou: ......(smoking)

—end

Chapter 4

-starless office-

haseyama: And so, how is Heath?

kei: He has yet to regain consciousness.

haseyama: Right. So he won't be returning any time soon then?

mizuki: ....….

haseyama: Oi, Mizuki. Just give it up, it's your loss.

mizuki: As if!! B hasn't lost yet!

-mizuki tries to punch haseyama but kokuyou stops him-

kokuyou: Chill out, Mizuki. It's the truth, without Heath you can't perform. You can't decide this by yourself, go back to your team and discuss it with them.

mizuki: Tch... Fine.

-time pass, restaurant (not starless)-

kongou: Without Heath it's impossible for us to perform right?

ran: If it was just the song that we needed then we have the recording but...

mizuki: That's it! Let's do that.

lico: Sure, but then what are we going to do about missing a person?

mizuki: What do you mean?

lico: Are you stupid? A show is performed with five people. We need someone to fill in.

kongou: Hmm, how about asking Gui to help us?

lico: You're saying he can learn Heath's part this quickly?

mizuki: No. Nobody can stand in Heath's spot but Heath. Don't fill it with anyone else.

lico: Excuse me?

ran: Oi Mizuki, now isn't the time to keep being unreasonable. I hate to say it but you're to blame for Heath gettin' up on stage this time. So quit obsessin' over the details.

mizuki: Heath's spot won't be filled by anyone else. Even without Heath we'll win.

lico: Have you lost it? Are you saying we'll perform as four? Are you serious?

kongou: As four...

ran: ....... (serious)

ran: Well, fine, we can do that this time. If that's what our leader has decided it can't be helped. Let's perform as four. However, just remember this, Mizuki. Your decisions are decidin’ whether we live or die. That's the responsibility that you’re carryin’ on ya back. Never forget that.

ran: (suddenly smiling again) Welp, I said what I wanted to say, I'll be headin’ home now. Cya tomorrow~

-ran leaves-

kongou: See you.

mizuki: ...Godammit.

—end

Chapter 4 extra

-izakaya-

ginsei: Sorry I'm late.

menou: No worries. We just started ordering without you.

nekome: Yo~

ginsei: Are the other two not coming?

maica: Rindou messaged me saying he'd be late. Sinju is with him.

ginsei: Oh, are they still at Starless? I didn't realise.

menou: No point doing a cheers now. Here's your beer Ginsei.

ginsei: Thanks. (drinks) Phew... Today was another tiring day.

nekome: Pfft hahah, that's your opening after having some beer? How come you're completely exhausted when we don't even have a show right now? Ah, is it cause you're getting old?

ginsei: Quit teasing me. I've had to take the shifts that Mizuki's been boycotting.

maica: What, why you?

ginsei: I got asked by Unei-kun and couldn't find a way to refuse.

nekome: It's cause you look like a pushover. You just have that sorta face.

ginsei: My face has nothing to do with this. And while I do have sympathy for Mizuki I just wish he'd notify me in advance.

nekome: So Mizuki's boycotting work huh~ I see, I see.

menou: How nostalgic. He used to run away all the time because he hates Rindou, didn't he?

maica: Had he always been like that from the start?

menou: As far as I know, yeah. Haru-san had a knack for incorporating it into P's shows.

nekome: Ah~ That sounds like her~

ginsei: There's no way Koharu-sama would've done that. She looked after Mizuki more than anyone.

menou: Uwah, there it is.

nekome: Whenever I hear Ginsei talk like this it feels like I'm back at the old Starless~

ginsei: ...These drunks.

maica: Before they left today Team B looked like they were at a loss... What do you think Mizuki will do?

ginsei: Who knows. Mizuki is a team leader, so I'm sure he'll work something out on his own. He's different from the days where he would just run away from everything.

—end

Chapter 4 SideA

-rehearsal room-

mizuki: Oi, cut the music.

kongou: Got it.

mizuki: Guys, we can't perform like this, where's the energy? Lico, Kongou, you gotta be more like 'GYAA' or it won't have any impact.

lico: (heavy breathing) ...Listen. It seems like you're too dumb to understand this so I'll put it bluntly. It's impossible for four people to keep up with something that was meant for five. Our own parts aside, needing to fill in for Heath's is unmanageable.

kongou: We're just doing what we can... Say, Mizuki. I know it's a bit late but couldn't we still try and look for a substitute?

mizuki: No way. Even if we got someone they wouldn't be able to match up with us. No one but us can do this.

kongou: Hm...

lico: Then why don't you cover for Heath's part yourself. You’re the leader and it was your decision. Surely you can do it and weren't just bluffing.

mizuki: You bastard...

-ran breaks them up-

ran: Ok ok, stop~! Lico, I get what ya sayin' but watch the wordin' yeah?

lico: ...Tch.

ran: You too Mizuki, you need to realise that what ya sayin' is unrealistic.

mizuki: I already—

ran: 'Know that' is what ya wanna say right? Mizuki, ya don't get it at all. Ya need to properly think about a feasible way for us to perform this show as four people. This is what ya proposed and what ya wanted, isn't it?

mizuki: Tch... I'm gonna go wash my face.

ran: Sure.

-mizuki leaves-

kongou: Thanks Ran, I thought that was going to turn into a fight.

ran: No problem~ But ya really ain't very useful when it matters huh, Kongou.

kongou: Sorry about that…

—end

Chapter 4 SideA extra

-outside shrine, day time-

mizuki: ......

gui: Mizuki.

mizuki: What? Oh it's you, Gui.

gui: Here.

mizuki: Hm? What's this?

-opens bag-

mizuki: Takoyaki! But why? Are you giving these to me?

gui: Yeah.

mizuki: For reals? Thanks! Holy crap, it's the 16 pack! C'mon eat some with me.

gui: Ok.

-gui sits with mizuki-

mizuki: (eating noises) Takoyaki tastes swo gwood!

gui: (also eating) ...Yeah.

mizuki: How come you brought these to me?

gui: Kongou told me to bring you something to eat if I saw you. You didn't eat your staff meal today.

mizuki: ...You guys don't need to worry about something like that. You're overblowing it, I just wanted to step outside.

gui: .......

mizuki: Gui, these are from the usual takoyaki joint right?

gui: Yeah.

mizuki: How come you bought nothing but takoyaki? They have sets with karaage too don't they?

gui: Yes.

mizuki: Why didn't you get that one? I wanna eat it.

gui: Ok.

—end

Chapter 4 SideB

-break room-

hari: Things have turned out how you predicted, Zakuro.

zakuro: Hm? Predicting the future is not my forte, whatever could you be talking about?

hari: Team B will be performing as a group of four.

zakuro: Oh I see, I do recall saying that.

kasumi: It's a show that was made for five, so it's going to be tough on them~

hari: I know right. I wonder why they didn't try to find a substitute.

kasumi: I think it's probably due to Mizuki's personality. He wouldn't want to find a substitute.

zakuro: How admirable. Does he mean to say that no one on this earth could be a replacement for Heath?

hari: Admirable, you say? Hm, I suppose. However, what about when you look at it as a leader's decision? If Mokuren were to be in the same situation, do you think they'd decide for us to stand on stage as four?

kasumi: I don't think so. Mokuren would find a substitute for any position.

hari: Right? Most probably of all the current team leaders, Mizuki is the only one who wouldn't find a replacement.

zakuro: Hm. So basically you think that Mizuki is a fool?

hari: Yes. I think that he is foolish. However, I feel like this is also part of Team B's appeal in some way or another.

zakuro: Oh? How would you describe their appeal then?

hari: Their bonds, I suppose. They have a strong sense of unity and don't change.

kasumi: Whereas for Team K or Team P, the members switching out doesn't cause any issues.

hari: I think the team leader's disposition also plays a large part in it. However, this time Heath's absence has exposed Team B's weak point. I wonder how they will compensate for this issue from now on.

zakuro: As expected of you Hari, worrying about our rivals future. We must follow your noble example.

hari: Ah, no, I wasn't trying to say I was worried about them...

zakuro: However our opponents are mad dogs, if you let your guard down they'll be at your throat in an instant. Team B are a wounded beast that's missing part of itself. Let us proceed without getting too careless.

—end

Chapter 4 SideB extra

-starless hallway-

saki: Hello, Qu-san.

qu: Oh, hello. And to you too, Yakou.

yakou: Hey, did your rehearsal finish?

qu: Yeah, there weren't any issues.

yakou: That's good. Cause I mean, Team B are trying and failing to make it work with four people, so I can't help but think that I'm glad C also has a show—

qu: Yakou.

yakou: Ah, sorry. She was there when Heath collapsed right? My bad, I should've been more considerate.

saki: No it's fine... I think the ones that are the most worried are Team B themselves.

yakou: The versus is continuing then huh...

qu: Seems like it, that's what Team B want. So we need to fight back. I don't like it but if we hesitate then the guests will realise something is up. Not to mention Mokuren is the kind of person who won't back down until a conclusion is reached.

yakou: Mokuren huh... They seem like the type that wouldn't compromise when it comes to a competition.

qu: There's that but it seems Mokuren also has his own opinions towards Team B, or more specifically towards Mizuki.

saki: Huh? Mokuren-san does?

qu: I wouldn't go as far as to say he regards Mizuki as an enemy, but lately he seems to be quite fixated on him.

yakou: You mean like, as rivals?

qu: No, nothing friendly like that. Their beliefs towards the stage are just fundamentally different. They can't see eye to eye.

yakou: Mm... I kind of get what you mean.

qu: In Team B's case, they all move forward with the same feelings, the place they arrive at together would be called their goal. Team C is different. We all individually find a way to move towards the goal that's decided by our leader.

saki: When you put it that why, your teams really are completely different.

yakou: Yeah, it's like your directions were different from the very start.

qu: That's why I don't think it's possible for those two to become rivals.

yakou: I see. Thanks, sorry for asking about strange things right before your show.

qu: It's fine. I should get going, I hope you enjoy the show.

saki: Yes, please do your best.

yakou: We should get going too, I'll take you to your seat.

—end

To Part 3

#bsts main story #bsts team b #bsts team c #bsts translation

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