#Edit: I FUCKING LIED CHECK THE KEEP READING

[greatooglymooglyyy]

Heyyyyy

I suck at coming up with requests but I want stories so bad lmfao 😭✋

Anyways, I saw that you were looking for requests and decided to throw one over.

Could you do a story that has to do with Matt and a reader who is really artsy and will straight up draw on his arms and color in his tattoos at the most random times?

Hope thats not too terrible an attempt at a concept lol, thanks

🦥

You Drew Stars (M.S.)

contains: fluff, kissing, general teethrotting sweetness, 900+ words

a/n: anon do you even remember requesting this? lmao listen i love you. this is a bit different from what you said butttt i tried.

“You sure you won’t be bored?” Matt asks as he settles in his gaming chair, looking over his shoulder to where I’m seated.

I smile over at him and shake my head at the question. It's one he asks every time he starts a stream when I’m around. “I’m sure. But are you sure it’s okay if I paint in here?”

After I fell asleep waiting for him to finish a game last week, Matt came home with an unreasonable amount of art supplies. I’d been watching Bob Ross videos on repeat for a couple of months- What can I say? He’s a gateway drug- and he thought I'd like to try painting for myself.

“Of course you can. That’s like the whole point.” Matt answers with a smile. I readjust the sheet under me anyway before I squeeze a small amount of paint onto my palette.

As I start to sketch out an outline with a pencil, I hear Matt start his stream and greet everybody. He starts his game up and begins to explain where he is in his game so I pop in one of my airpods and try to focus. After about twenty minutes, Matt swivels his chair around quickly and I look up at the sound.

“What’s on my floor?” He reads out with a laugh making me realize I hadn’t thought to check if I was in the frame. But it's too late now and I’m not about to crawl across the floor so I pop my head up and wave. “Hi, chat.”

He gestures out for me so I stand and go to his side, letting him wrap an arm around my waist. I lean into him, resting my head against his, while I read. “I was painting but I’m just a beginner. It’s not good yet.”

“That’s not true,” Matt says, holding up his phone and showing off his lock screen. It's a picture of a drawing I did on his back a couple of days ago. We’d been watching a movie in his bed when he fell asleep so I’d taken the opportunity to paint Charmander. “She did this in like an hour. I didn’t want to wash it off.”

I roll my eyes at him and squint at the chat trying to pick out a comment to respond to. “Do another one? I should when he’s done streaming.” I say with a smile, going to pull away and lay back on the floor.

“You can do it now,” Matt says, pulling me back to him. “Go get the other chair. I’ll stay still.”

I give him a look of disbelief. “You can’t sit still and stream.”

“I only need one arm. C’mon.” He says, moving me gently out of his way so he can scoot his chair over.

Well, I guess this is happening. I shrug and do what he says, collecting my art supplies and rolling the spare chair over to him.

I decide to try painting tiny planets because they seem easy enough and they fill in the gaps between his tattoos. He smiles when I begin, muttering about it tickling, but then turns his attention back to the game.

To his credit, he does try to keep his promise and stay still, only jumping up or making a big disturbance a couple of times. When I’m done, I sit back and stare at his arm. It’s kind of cute when you turn your head and squint.

Noticing I’m not painting anymore, Matt looks down at his arm and gasps dramatically. “Look, guys.” He says, carefully lifting his arm to show his stream.

I cover my face with my hands and shake my head. “You’re so embarrassing.”

He nods at where his phone lies between us. “Take a picture before I accidentally fuck it up.”

*******************************************

A week later, I’m still being tagged in edits of us from the stream. Currently, I’m lying on my stomach, kicking my feet and giggling over the comments on a new one. ‘The way he looks at her. God, when will it be my turn.’ As if my ego needed more stroking. Just as I like one asking if I can fight, Matt’s door opens and I look up. I hadn’t even heard them come home.

“Hi, baby.” He says as he pulls off his shirt and opens his closet. My face screws up when I notice his arm has been wrapped in saran wrap. “Hey. You got a new tattoo? You didn’t tell me.”

Usually, the night before he gets a tattoo, he googles images to have a good idea of what he wants. We stay up for hours looking through drafts together so I’m a little sad he didn’t want my input this time.

Matt grins at me, coming over to sit on the bed. “It was a surprise.” He starts to unwrap his arm, wincing slightly, and my jaw drops when I recognize what it is.

With as light a touch as I can manage, I smooth my fingers over the tiny drawings of Saturn and Venus. My eyes start to water as I look up to meet his eyes. “You got my painting.”

“I did.” He says, leaning in close and placing a kiss on my jawline.

“Why?” I ask, in equal parts wonder and bewilderment. “You said you want to fill that gap with something special.”

He pulls back and raises his brows. “It is special. My girl drew it for me.”

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[desswright29]

Contains: Petty Argument, Overreacting reader, Overprotective Shuri, Bratty reader, Angry Shuri/reader, Reader testing the fuck out of Shuri’s patience, apologetic reader. Smut (18+), Sub Shuri 🫦, (I was inspired lol) Reader has PTSD from her past abusive relationship. A/N: This is in the “Shame” universe. I just felt like writting. So this is a side quest as I write PTV. I hope y’all enjoy! Also this shit is not edited. Read at your own risk lmao.

“Mholo ngalentsasa, umfazi wam.” Your wife’s voice was soft, slightly raspy with sleep this morning. You sensed an aggitated apprehensiveness in her tone, even in your groggy state. Her back was to you as she sat in the lounge area of the bedroom, eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch while watching the news. Your vision was still blurry, eyes sensitive to the amount of sun shining into the room, as you stare at the back Shuri’s head from the bed.

“Good Morning baby, are you eating cereal? I was going to cook breakfast for us.” You stretch, becoming more aware of your surroundings, and most importantly of your body, you recognize the pounding headache at your temples and the aching in your bones.

“It is just after noon, 12:02 to be exact, and you sweet girl, are sick.” Your eyes bulge at her revelation of the time.

“Afternoon!” You shot up fast, and was  immediately hit with an overwhelming dizzyness that forced you to lay back against the headboard. You were in denial about the final part of her statement, even though your body ached from head to toe, you had the sweats, and your head was pounding. But, you were on tour and had no intention of canceling tonight’s show.

She glanced at you over her shoulder. “Take it slow, my love. You tossed and turned all night, running a fever. I had Griot check your vitals and your fever got dangerously high. I was up all night making sure you were alright. You’ve been sweating a lot so you need to hydrate.” Hesitance laced her tone as she stared ahead at the television. Your face was plastered all over the news. Fans already lined up outside of the arena waiting to see you perform. “I think that it would be best if you cancelled tonight’s show, no?” Shuri knew that her advice would not be well received, and braced herself.

“Uh no! Shuri you should’ve woke me up. I’m not canceling my show! Now I’m gonna be rushing.” You try standing only for your body to reject it. Landing right back onto the bed. Shuri’s chin dropped to her chest, pinching her nose trying not to allow her frustration to over power her rationale.

“Sthandwa, it’s been weeks. You’re over due a break. I told you this was going to happen and that you need to slow down.” Shuri spoke with her usual calm demeanor. Trying to keep you from going into a panic.

“I have!” Your voice went up an octave as you lied to no one except for yourself. Shuri threw her arm over the back of the couch, finally turning to look at you fully “No. You have not.” She rebutted. You roll your eyes sitting on the side of the bed. You notice the lounge wear you wore to bed had been changed. You were sure that was courtesy of your thoughtful wife.

“Uuuuugghhh Shuri. Please. I don’t have the energy for this.”

“Right. That is exactly my point. How do you plan to do a show in your condition ubusi?” Shuri cocked her head to the side as she waited for an answer that would make sense.

“I’ll take something for the pain and fever, go back to sleep for a couple of hours, and I’ll be ok when I wake up.” Shuri placed her half eaten bowl onto the table, getting up to walk over to the bed. She got on one knee in front of you. Grabbing one of your hands and lifting your chin with her other.

“No you won’t. Baby, your body is exhausted, it can only take so much more.  I’ve been medicating you all night. It keeps coming back. You need rest. You have to know when to take a break, or this lifestyle is going to break you.” You groan in defiance.

“I understand you mean well Shuri but I have an obligation to my fans. If I cancel tonight it’s going to complicate everything. We’ll have to refund everyone. Pay a fine to the venue…and damnit I just want to perform! It’s Madison Square Garden for Bast sake!” You whined. You leaned forward catching your head in your hands in frustration. Shuri rubbed your arm comfortingly. 

“Don’t stress yourself. I understand. I know you love what you do. You put a lot of hard work into it, and I admire that. But, Thando you’re taking your body through a lot of physical strain. Training with the Dora, learning your duties as consort, and actively on tour. It’s physically impossible for any human.” 

“You have more on your plate than I do. And you’re doing just fine!” Shuri, being true to the patient woman that you married, continued being calm during your temper tantrum.

“Bambo’lawami, while I am human, I have a bit of an advantage here. I should hardly be the determining factor for your work ethic. You need to let something go.” If Shuri only knew where her statement would take this, she would immediately swallow those words. Your head jerks back as you look down at Shuri, chuckling though very unamused.

“OOOOh, ok… I’m getting it now. Is the career I built getting in the way of my duties for Wakanda?” You raised a brow as Shuri mimicked your prior movement, her head jerking back in confusion.

“What? That has nothing to do with what I said.” 

“No. But, it has everything to do with what you implied.” You say, your words laced with spite. 

The creases in her forhead increased with each word that came from your mouth.

“Sthand-“

“Don’t fucking SthANdwa me. I already know what you’re gonna say. ‘You are being unreasonable Entle, I only want what’s best for you.’ When we both know that this your way of introducing the idea of me giving up my career, so that I can play the submissive Queens consort? Walk to the right and two steps behind you!?” Shuri sat back on her haunches, completely taken aback. She snickered.

“Are you for real? I-“ Your hand comes up, placing it directly into your wife’s face. She bit into the corner of her bottom lip. A sneer appearing on her upper, as her nostrils flared.

“I don’t want to hear shit you have to say. I’m doing this and every other show I have scheduled for MY tour. I’m not giving up who I am and what I’VE built to play small and be your little wife.” You go to mush Shuri’s face but her hand quickly grasped your wrist placing your hand gently back onto the bed. 

“Whoa. You’re loosing it Nkosazana. Dont put your hand in my face. Don’t ever disrespect me like that.” Her pointer finger came up, centered between your eyes. 

“And what are you gonna do?” You say swatting her hand away. She removed her hand before you could make contact. You place your hand back into her face and she swats it. The two of you go through this back in forth for a moment until frustration takes over and you catch Shuri off guard pushing her away from you making her land on her butt. 

“Y/n what the fuck are you doing!?” Shuri’s voice became high pitched as confusion took over her. She remained seated on the floor.

“My intent is not to start an arguement with you. You’re stressed and not feeling well. Apparently, you have some other unrelated issue with me, that we should discuss at a better time. Because, no way you’re taking my concern for your health as some sort of power play.” The statement came out as a question.

“Yup.” You say crossing your arms and rolling your neck. 

“Y/n.”

“Yuuup.” You say more aggressive. Shuri squinted her eyes a smirk turning up one of her cheeks.

“Yea?”

“Yup” You repeat.

“Childish.” You shrug staring at her waiting impatiently for whatever it was she had to say. Quietly, her eyes scan over your body. Had it been any other time, or had you felt better the look on her face would’ve folded you like origami. However, now you had an unwarranted point to prove. Just because Shuri was a sexy, domineering goddess didn’t mean you were going to drop everything for her. You built your image without her and planned to maintain it. You were a Queen in your own right before marrying Shuri, this was your shit!

“It seems as though we’re past not arguing.” You cock your head to the side with all the attitude you can muster, as Shuri stands to her feet, clenching her jaw. 

 “Llisten, Your health at the moment is what matters to me. That is all this is about.”

“Puh’ lease, you been on this shit. Does my success make you insecure Shuri?” You continued pushing your invalid point. Shuri closed her eyes.

“Bast, I’m trying to keep my composure.”

“And if you loose it?” You raise a brow continuing to challenge Shuri. She stepped forward Jaw clenched. 

“You want to act like a child, y/n? Fine, I’ll treat you like one. If you so much as think about going to that show tonight, I’m going to hunt you down and drag your little ass back into this house and chain you to the bed. Do you understand me?”

Your mouth dropped, a sudden burst of energy hit you as you lept to your feet standing on the bed in an attempt to over power Shuri. 

“Who the fuck you think you talking to?!!” Shuri snorted turning to walk away. 

“The only person confused in here is you. I guess the 103 degree fever you were running was boiling your brain cells. I’ll be happy to remind you who YOU are speaking with. We maybe consorts but I rule over you. Calm yourself.” She punctuated her sentence jabbing her finger in your direction. “You’ve gotten beside yourself. I’ll shut the fucking city down before I let you leave this house thinking it’s ok to distrespect me the way you are. The only point I’m making is that you’re running that beautiful body of yours into the ground. And it’s going to give way mama.” At this point you were relentless. 

“Ha! Oh that’s cute kitten.” Shuri shook her head chewing on the insides of her cheeks. Confused at how you even got to this point. She’d made her way back to the sitting area plopping down onto the couch. You followed. “Be serious, your intimidated because I’m not one of these thirsty bitches that need you. I’m good on my own and I could have just as much without you and your trying to ta-“ Shuri shot back to her feet. Making her way to you in a few long strides.

“I DONT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOUR LITT-.” Shuri tried stopping herself before playing into this foolish argument, but it was too late. You had shook her calm front, and cut her off.

“There it is!! There the fuck it is! Show yourself!” 

“EVERYDAY! Y/n EVERY FUCKING DAY I go out of my way making sure you’re happy and ok. And you think I would wait until you were ill to push some dumb ass agenda I’ve been hiding onto you.” You stare at her unyielding in your point. Shuri stepped back chuckling, She threw her hands up in surrender.

“You know what. Fuck it. Do as you please! Fuck me for giving a shit about my wife. Go risk your LIFE to dress in a strip of fabric and clap your ass in front of an a arena full of strangers. I’m done!” You smirk.

“Proved my point.” 

“Discussion over.”

“I bet it is.”

“OVER!” Your eyes connected with Shuri’s. Though you may not have been very connected with your own limits. You knew Shuri’s. So you chose to heed her warning. You stomped around the room collecting your things while Shuri sat slumped on the couch attending to business on her Kimoyo beads. 

“I’m going to wait for the car at Bruno’s and I’ll stay with my sister after my show.”

“Do what you gotta do.” Her voice had gone down an octave, raspy and tired. Your aching body wanted so bad to go over, fall into her lap, and let her nurse you back to health. But, the stubbornness in you, the part that was afraid to rely fully on Shuri or anyone because of your checkered past relationships, pressed on. 

“Eat a dick.” You say calmly before snatching open the door, and slamming it as hard as you could behind you. 

“Tuh.” And a snicker was Shuri’s only reaction. Her nonchalance only a weak bandage for the wound you’d just caused her.

Shuri was in a bad mood. It was apparent in her stifling demeanor as she swaggered backstage. Her lack of sleep, the heated argument between the two of you, and pure worry for her wife drove her to an astute level of unapproachable. Her shades hid her frustrated eyes, but her demeanor was not to be misunderstood.

She’d tried getting some rest, tried staying away and letting you do your thing. But, even when she was pissed at you her love and protective instincts for you would always over power any anger. So, after stubbornly tossing and turning on the couch, and stomping through the house mumbling angrily to herself, after her failed attempt at sleeping. She decided to take a shower, and then she found herself getting dressed, grabbing keys, and heading in the direction of Madison Square Garden in the Royal Talon. 

You were halfway through your set, as she walked over to the wings. Your tour Manager Wayne stood watching intently, until he felt the presence of the Queen approaching. Shuri saw his shoulders visibly tense as she walked up beside him.

“Why do you look nervous Wayne? Is there a reason you would need to be cautious around me?” She never made eye contact. Just leaned  her shoulder onto a pillar, crossing her legs at the ankle, staring out onto the stage.

“N-no I-“ She cut him off, not having the patience to beat around the bush.

“Tell me, have you seen my wife today?”

“Uh, Well yes.” Shuri’s jaw tensed as she nodded, somehow the shades covering her eyes made this moment even more frightening for the man. The lights from the stage casting a red glow over her. 

“Really? Because if you had. You would know that she is in no condition to be on that stage tonight.” Her head turned slightly to the right of her where Wayne stood shifting on his feet.

“She said she’d be good by show time. E-everyone was already here I-I couldn’t cancel. I was just doing as she sa-“ 

“Isn’t apart of your job to make sure that my wife is in good health. Does it not matter if the artist is well? Or are you just worried about your check? Because, I can get you your check, and  it’ll be the last. Was this one show worth your job Wayne?” Shuri raised a brow, and a sarcastic smile spread across Shuri’s face. 

“I’m so-“ The shivering teary eyed man began. 

“Shuri!” Dani marched up standing in between the two of them. Interrupting the tense moment.

“Wayne, go gather yourself. I hear the Queen is on a little power trip because she can’t control my sister. She’ll get over it.” Shuri scoffed as Wayne rushed off. 

“I heard you were here terrorizing the staff because y/n went through with her show. Lay off it Shuri! This is a sold out show at Madison Square Garden! You’re not about to mess this night up for her.”

“Me! Mess it up! Dani have you even seen your sister up close for the past couple of weeks!? She’s fucking exhausted. She’s pushing herself entirely too hard.”

“So, she has to give up her career?!”

“WHO THE FUCK IS SAYING THAT! Demethi! You two are definietly related. She JUST NEEDS A BREEAAAAAK! From EVERYTHING! GAHDAMN!” 

“I think she knows her limitations. She’s putting on a flawless show. You can’t control-“

“I don’t -…. You know what Dani, It’s best if  nobody says shit to me tonight. I’m here to ensure my wife’s safety. Keep the rest.” Dani rolled her eyes.

“Whatever.” She said as her and Shuri stood silently watching the show. 

She watched your body move, as you sang effortlessly. The truth was, Shuri loved watching you in your element. The joy in your face, the sound of your voice. How you lost yourself becoming an entirely different being on stage. She loved even more the private shows she got after a show was over, the both of you all riled up. You, from trying to turn your wife on while onstage. Her, from you succeeding. Yea. After show sex was Shuris favorite. A smirk found it’s way to Shuri’s lips as she thought about your escapades. She didn’t want to argue. She just wanted you to be ok, and she couldn’t rest until she felt that you were. Taking something that you loved and excelled at would have never crossed Shuri’s mind, and it hurt her that you believed it would.

The show was coming to an end, and per usual it had been effortless. You did your final song. thanking your fans as the band continued to play you off stage. Shuri felt silly. Maybe she had overreacted. But, was she wrong? All she’d wanted was for you to be safe and healthy. You couldn’t be too mad at her for that. Could you?

The crowd roared as you did your signature strut off of the stage. The walk Shuri loved so much. Her eyes trailed over your body, starting at your feet, up to those thick thighs, your non existent waist, your beautiful bouncing breast, and then that gorge-. That’s when Shuri saw it,  your face was pale, washed out. There was fear in your eyes as you approached the wings as fast possible. Shuri’s face dropped as you got out of view of the crowd. She stepped forward.

“Y/n, babe.” Your eyes met her shaded ones, and you made it to your wife just in time to wrap your arms around her neck and faint. 

“Sis! Y/n!” Dani yelled, running to Shuri’s side. Jumping into action Shuri swooped the rest of your limp body up into her arms. 

“Move!” She yelled as she made her way through the crowded back stage. Chaos, ensued as everyone realized what was happening. Shuri tried making it to the Talon fighter, everything she needed to nurse you conscious was there, but suddenly she felt you stiffening in her arms. She stopped in her tracks looking down at you.

“EVERYBODY GIVE HER SOME SPACE SHES SEIZING! Someone get me something to cushion her head!” She barked orders as people ran around trying to find ways to help, or just stood staring. She gently placed you on your side as your sister took off her jacket placing it under your head, as your body began jerking. 

“It’s ok baby I’m here. I’m going to make sure you’re ok.” Medics rushed in with a gurney, directing everyone not to hover. Shuri lie on the floor above your head. Whispering words of encouragement. 

“I got you baby. Hang in there. It’ll be over soon.” Once you stopped seizing, They moved into action. Hurrying to get you onto the gurney before you went into another seizure. 

“Take her to the roof. I’m taking her home. We have whatever medical assistance she needs.” Shuri ordered as her and your sister ran beside the gurney. The Dora and your team followed close behind. 

Once safely on the aircraft Shuri had you placed you in a bed. Her first goal to hydrate you. She’d noticed weeks ago that in your attempt to juggle everything you weren’t eating enough, or staying hydrated. Your body had been running on fumes. Not getting nearly enough of anything it needed. Food, water, or sleep. Not to mention all of the sweating you did in your sleep last night. She’d spoken on it several times, and she continuously went ignored. Now your body had finally caved. She worked on you silently. Cutting off the restricting clothes. Giving you fluids through an IV and placing a cooling pad over your body. A tear fell from her eye and she quickly wiped it away. She’d never forgive herself for not being more insistent on you canceling if something happened to you. 

“Griot. Does she show any signs of injury?”

“Assessing damage Panther.” She waited patiently as Griot scanned your body. “Ikumkani wam shows no signs of injury.”

“Thank Bast.” Shuri breathed a sigh of relief. 

You began to stir and Shuri stood to her feet walking over to your side. She held your hand as you opened your eyes. 

“Hey there, pretty girl.” She says leaning in, gently caressing the side of your face. 

“W-what happened?”

“You fainted, and had a seizure.” Your eyes widened before you averted your eyes. 

“I’m not here for I told you so baby. I’m just happy you’re ok.”

A soft knock at the door interrupted the moment. 

“Did I hear her talking?” Your sister walked in with Wayne trailing behind. “Girl thank God you’re up. You scared the shit out of me!” Your sister came over kissing your forehead.

“Yes we’re all happy to see you up. You gave us all quite a scare.” Wayne said. Your team stood outside of the door not wanting to overwhelm you. Shuri spoke up. 

“I’m glad you all are here. I think this is a perfect time for me to voice how I don’t appreciate the complete disregard for my wife’s health. If it was my say all of you would be fired.”

“Shuri.” You say about to chastise her when she threw a look over her shoulder that let you know now was not the time.

“I’m being as nice as I have the patience to be right now….It’s been a long day. You all will postpone the tour for two weeks.” You gasp.

“Shuri that’s excessive! I alrea-” Shuri turned all the way around looking down at you from her seated position. 

“I’m sorry sthandwa..Did that sound like a request? I should’ve went with my first mind and shut it down last night. However, this is your thing. So I deemed it necessary to run it by you first. But, since you don’t seem to know your limits I’ll be taking things into my own hands until you prove to me you can. And it’s not up for discussion.” She spoke firm staring directly into your eyes, and there was no room for argument. She directed her attention back to your team. 

“Call the venues, get a price point on the fines and the date changes. Let me know. I’ll take care of it. Staff will also be compensated. Just get it done. All business is to go through me and me only for the next two weeks. Got it.” Everyone acknowledged her with a firm yes and she dismissed everyone to allow you to rest. With the exception of Dani, who decided to stay with the two of you to help out.

Shuri pulled up a document on her Kimoyo beads and began typing.

“What are you doing?” You ask

“Requesting that M’Baku take my place for the next two weeks. So I don’t overwhelm myself.”

She side eyed you and you looked away. She turned around to you grabbing your chin, turning your head back toward her. 

“Ubusi, when I met you…It’s like….like I grew another limb. You became apart of me. Apart of my body, and If you’re not ok neither am I. I need you to take care of my body baby. There is no strength without rest.” You bite into your lip. Your wife always had a beautiful way with words. 

“I understand. I’m sorry about earlier I-“

“Let’s not talk about that now. You need to get some rest. I’m not dismissing it. Just saving it for another time. Ok?” You nod and she softly kissed your lips.

For the next week you watched your wife take care of your business. You noticed how much attention to detail she had to have been paying to the way you ran things, before you got sick. She didn’t miss a beat. She made sure you ate, hydrated, and rested. Took meetings with venues and made sure your staff was paid, suggesting that they rest as well. You also noticed, that with all the care and love she was giving you, she was still a bit stand off-ish. 

“Baby what’s wrong?” You’d find yourself asking constantly. She’d always rebut with, “Nothing my love, just a lot on my plate.” However, you knew better.

Her kisses were light and didn’t linger, she’d bring your meals, but, wouldn’t snuggle up, and eat them with you. And when you two went to bed she’d kiss your forehead and turn over away from you. You hated it! 

The two of you still hadn’t talked about the argument. The more you thought about it, the more guilty you felt for overreacting. You’d gone entirely too far. You knew that you had really hurt her with some of your harsh opinions about how she felt about you and your career. Regret was as simple as you could put it, as you watched her handle the the career you built with all the love, just as you would. You had been wrong, and hurtful. And It was your turn to apologize.

Shuri pulled into the driveway. Taking a deep breath as she turned off the car. To be honest, home had been hard for her lately. She struggled with when to bring up the fact that you had hurt her. How did this part of your relationship go? Was she even allowed to be hurt? The two of you had never made it to this point. Shuri had always been the one ruining everything, and apologizing profusely. But, she’d fixed it. She was putting her best foot forward in this marriage. Being the best wife she knew how to be. She thought you’d known that. What was she doing wrong where you didn’t see?

She had been sitting in the car for 15 minutes. Meetings with your team, updates with the council, and checking in on her lab filled her day and she was ready to get some rest. Finally she decided to get out. Her energy was heavy as she walked to the front door placing her key in the lock. Stepping inside of her home she was immediately met with red and gold rose petals. Large glass vases filled with long stem roses, and candles led a path to a table beautifully set for two. You sat on the table, legs crossed in your sheer black floor length dress, breast on display with an edible arrangement settled on your lap, with the words sorry carved out in pineapple. A huge teddy bear that read “I love you” sat in the corner and balloons with apologies written all over them,  littered every corner of the room. But over top of your head were huge balloons that individually spelled. IM SORRY. In case she wasn’t getting the message.

Shuri was stuck, speechless at the door. The last time you’d done something this beautiful for her was when you proposed. The thought brought tears to her eyes, as she took it all in.

“I know grand gestures and elaborate apologies are usually your thing. But, I thought I’d take a jab at it this time.” Shuri chuckled as a tear fell down her cheek. You looked at your beautiful wife. Today she was apparently feeling her femininity. A jean dress that hugged her silhouette so perfectly graced her beautiful body. Her braids were adorned with golden string, and her makeup was perfection. You couldn’t help but think that you were a lucky women. 

“You look beautiful, Sweet Lady.” She look down slightly and you could tell she was trying to hide her blush. It brought a smile to your face.

“I promise I didn’t over exert myself. Dani helped with dinner, and I had a few other hands with helping me get all of this set up, before I kicked everyone out.” You stood from the table placing the edible arrangement onto it. You reach out your hand to her. “Come here.” Shuri made her way to you, heels clicking against the marble floors. When she was close enough you grabbed her hands.

“Baby I’m sorry. For a lot of things. But, first of all for putting my hands on you. I was delirious. I am fully aware we don’t operate that way. I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you, and that I made things more difficult than they had to be. And most importantly, I’m sorry for the things I said. I know I have a habit of putting my guard back up in certain areas of my life out of protection for myself. I recognize I don’t have to do that with you. I recognize how ungrateful and entitle I’ve been. Overlooking your effort. I do see you. And I’m very appreciative of the work you put in for us.” Shuri sniffles looking down at her feet. You lift her chin slightly so that her eyes can meet your own again. She bit into her lip, her low eyes connecting with yours. 

“I can see that I hurt you, and I hate it. I wish I could take everything I said back because I didn’t mean it in the slightest. Those weren’t words meant for you, and who you’ve shown yourself to be to me. I let the past infiltrate what we have now, and for that I truly apologize Shuri. So, if you give me the chance, I can be better at showing you how much I appreciate you. I know you know I love you. I’ll forever be in love with you. I don’t want to mess us up either. Your love is wonderful, and I don’t want to loose you.”

Shuri had tears streaming down both of her cheeks now. You use the pad of your thumb to wipe away the tears. Finally, the two of you step into eachothers arms. “I love you sthandwa, I’m giving this all I got.” She finally says. The softness in her tone almost broke you.

“I know baby. And you’re perfect.” you say wrapping your arms around her neck as she buries her face into yours. She picks her head up, placing her forhead to yours staring into your eyes.

“I miss you.” She says. You nod. Knowing exactly what she means. 

“I miss you too. Can I kiss you?” You ask. She nods.

You close the distance and give your wife a long lingering kiss for the first time in days. Your lips slide against eachothers longingly. Passionately. This woman would forever be your heart. Your everything.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper against her lips.

“I forgive you, baby.” She responds.

“I need to touch you Shuri. Can I touch you please mama?” Another request came from you against her lips. She moaned her reply into your mouth. One of your arms slipped from around her neck. Gliding down her clothed chest to her abs, to the hem of her form fitting dress. You hike up her dress, your fingers brushing against her silk lined clit, her body shivered against your touch as she stepped further into you. Her mouth gapped open at the sensation, as you rubbed up and down against her. 

“It feels like you need me to touch you. But, you won’t tell me what you need beautiful.” Shuri’s knees buckled a bit as she backed you against the table. 

“Uh uh, calm down panther. I want to take care of you. Tell me you need me.”  She panted against your mouth as you stroke her bud. “Uhn. I-I need y-you please baby.” You smirk against her lips. “Good girl.” 

Shuri moaned, as the two of you switch positions Shuri now pressed into the table.

Your kissing became more intense. Pressing her up against the table, she lifts your dress as you firmly plant your thigh between her muscular legs. Shuri whimpers quietly, grabbing the back of your head and kissing you voraciously. Your bodies heave together, squirming, and writhing. Your thighs intertwined as you hungrily rub her vulva over her panties.

 She pulls you as close to her as possible, her nails unconsciously digging into your back. You pull away from her mouth, and begin kissing her neck. Sighing as she tugs on your hair. 

“I need you Shuri.” You say as you find the zipper at the back of her dress. Slowly unzipping her dress, pulling it down her shoulders. “I need you in my life. To be loved by you. To touch you. To taste you. I love you so much.”

Your hand finds her breast under a sheer, silky bra. You feel her nipple poking through the soft fabric, and take it between your two fingers, massaging it slowly.

“Fuck y/n.” She whispers, her hips continued to rotate on your thigh, her head thrown back eyes closed in concentration.

Wanting to feel her skin, you unhook her bra and let it fall off of her shoulders. Taking her small perky breast in your hand, you caress it softly, tracing circles around her nipple. Giving each one equal attention. 

“You’re so perfect. Beautiful and perfect. All of you.”

You take a nipple into your mouth and suck lightly, encircling, and kissing each one. Shuri begans frantically moaning  trying to rub her self against you harder. You lightly run your fingers up and down her bare back. 

“Tell me what you need pretty girl.” You whisper in her ear. “Tell me what I gotta do?” Shuri whimpers.

“Bast, I love it when you talk to me like that.”

“Mmm Daddy Panther wants to be my pretty girl tonight?” Shuri grabs the front of your dress. As her hips continue to grind against you. 

“Ewe! Let me be your good girl.” Your core throbs at the pretty sound of her voice. 

She sits eye level with you. You stare intently into her eyes taking her lower lip into your mouth, sucking as your hands slide gently down her sides, onto her thighs, and inside her panties. 

She lets out sweet a little moan and buries her head in your neck. She breathes heavily on your skin as you gently rub her mound, pressing hard against her clit. Your finger slides between her lips to find her slick and wet, her clit rock-hard. 

“Ndive kamnandi (make me feel good)” Her body shivered against yours. 

“Whatever you want baby girl. Whatever you want.”

You continue, rubbing on her clit, with calculated strokes soft, slow, up, down. 

“Please baby I need more. Uhn I want to cum for you sthandwa.”

She grips the back of your neck tighter as she lets out a breathy shudder. You move your  fingers in and out of her pussy. You felt her ridges squeezing against your fingers as her hips meet your thrust. Your thumb rubbed delicate circles on her clit as tears began to run down her cheeks.

"Yes baby right there!” She says. You start pressing hard against the upper wall of her pussy. She nearly collapses from this intense sensation. Her thighs shaking beneath you. 

“Ooohh fuck me y/n. You make me feel so fucking sexy.” Your mouth was agape as you watched Shuri bounce against your fingers. She looked more erotic than you’d ever seen her before dress bunched at her waist. Sweat begining to glisten over her beautiful breast, and one of her toned legs thrown over your shoulder, her pretty feet still adorned in her heels. 

“I could cum just looking at you right now Shuri. I can’t believe you’re mine. Fuuuck.”

Your arm supported her back so she wouldn’t  fall as you brought her closer to the edge of the table.  She tenses up against you now, squeezing you with both arms. A steady stream of the most beautiful sounds to ever exit Shuri’s mouth flowing into your ears.

“You’re close baby I can feel you. Give it all to me.”

The web of your hand pressed hard against her clit as your fingers pump in and out of her. You grab her clit between your middle and index fingers, pulling the foreskin up and down. A gasp escapes her mouth. 

“Ahhhh fuckgiveitgiveittomegiveittome!”

Her words ran together as you continued to work her pussy. Teasing bringing her to the edge and slowing down because you didn’t want this to end. You loved seeing your powerful wife like this. Putty at the tips of your fingers.

By now your fingers are drenched and pruning. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, as she fell back against the table gripping the cloth. She's whispering under her breath for you to fuck her, growing more and more insistent. You were mesmerized. She began to stifle screams and you reach forward pulling a pineapple from the stick. Placing the S in sorry into your wife’s mouth. 

“Here baby. That should keep that pretty mouth quiet.”

She bites into the fruit hard. It’s juices running down the sides of her face. “Uuuuuuhhhnnn.” She lets out a long moan muffled by the the fruit. You fuck her harder, as she drools, her back begining to arch off of the table. "I'm gonna come," she says breathlessly, her mouth still full. Her body begans twitching and convulsing uncontrollably.

"It's okay, l've got you baby. Give me that shit." You lean over whispering in her ear and kissing it lightly. A few more strokes to her G-Spot, your thumb circling her clit, and you finally let her release. She lets out a long, tremulous sigh, her eyes rolling back into her head before her whole body goes limp in your arms. She comes hard, her pussy clamping down on your fingers. Her warm cream coating your hand as  you take out your dripping wet fingers. You suck her juices from your fingers and lean over her grabbing the bottom of the s of her pineapple with your teeth. Tearing it from her mouth and pecking her lips as she lay catching her breath.

You squat in front of her. Coming face to face with your work. Her panties soaking wet and rolled to the side of her fat pussy her clit jutting out between the lips. Quivering. Calling out to you. You place her heeled foot onto your shoulder and answered the call. Cleaning her up, sucking all the cum from her lower lips. And spitting it back into her clit before taking it into your mouth. Her hips buck upwards as she reached down holding your head in place. 

“Too sensitive.” She says. You reach up moving her hand from your head holding it in your hand. “You can do it.” You kiss the tip of her clit and once again engulf it. 

“Uuughhh!!” She lets out, as you suck up and down on her engorged clit. “Baby it’s too much.”

“She’s calling me Shuri.” 

“Umphhh Fuuuck!” She says as you continue sucking her. You rub your face in it. Getting your face full of her juices. You felt Shuri tensing underneath you. Holding her breath. 

“Breathe, baby. Deep breaths.” She tried following your instructions, and you felt the exact moment the pleasure took over body.

Her heels painfully dug into your shoulders, egging you on. 

“Damnit! Y/n!” She yelled, as she let out huffs of breath. Breathing through the intense pleasure. 

“Tell me you like it baby.” Your fingers reentered her sweet pussy as you ate her like your final meal.

“FUUUUUCCCCK! I love it. You drive t-this pussy crazy! Uuhhhnnn Bast! Get up! I gotta pee! I-I’m gonna e-explode!” You dive in fucking her harder sucking her faster. “Y/n, MOOVVVEE!” Her body writhed violently on top of the table anything that had been on top of it now long gone. 

“EH!” A high pitched scream left her mouth as her body almost levitated into a seated position. Her eyes and mouth wide. She grabbed the back of your neck pressing you up into her pussy, as her hips began to thrust hard against your face. You felt a gush of liquid hit the back of your throat. Unattatching yourself from her you began to cough, only to go back in and suck some more of her. Letting Shuri cover your face in her essence. She slid from the table. Both of you falling to the floor. She landed on all fours. Pussy still hovering over top of your face. You lift up kissing it. 

“Stop! Stop, stop.” She said shivering. She lowered her body between your legs laying on top of your chest, and you let out a hiss. She looked up seeing small holes left by her heels on your shoulders. 

“Did I do that!? I’m so sorry babe.” You laugh. 

“Trust me baby, I enjoyed it.” She leaned forward kissing, licking and sucking your sex injuries as you carressed the small of her back moaning from the feel of her mouth on you. 

A wrapped gift caught the corner of your eye amidst all of the broken dishes and fruit on the floor. “Oh. I almost forgot!” Shuri hummed as she continued to tend to your wounds. You reach over grabbing the box. Tapping her back, signaling her to get up. She looks down at the box as she sits all the way up straddling your waist.

“What’s this?”

“Open it. You’ll see.” You giggle as she rolls her eyes. She removes the ribbon and wrapping paper. Opening the box to two diamond Catier bracelets. 

“Apology diamonds” you say. “ They’re engraved.”She picked them up looking inside. 

One read ‘For better’ the other read ‘For worse’. 

Shuri looked looked into your eyes tears brimming. You smile.

“Forever baby.”

#Spotify #shuri x reader #shuri fanfiction #shuri udaku #shuri angst #shuri fic #shuri x you #shuri imagine #shuri smut #shuri black panther #princess shuri

[shakirawastaken]

dsmp if...they were teachers part 2

ANON I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED UR REQUEST IM SO SORRY IM GONNA CRY BUT here it is :D with techno too :) please people send in some requests for meee check out part 1 here!

techno: english (with 1 mythology class for seniors): - hates his english classes wishes he could just teach mythology - would make all the students do a little project on a greek mythology story - rivalry with mr soot  - “ill give u each 10 dollars if u go to mr soots class tmrw talkin about how im a better teacher” - supports each and every kid no matter WHAT even if its not english related - holds detention in his room cause no one wants to fuck with him - like dream he doesnt anyone to get fucked over his english class so he hosts after school office hours like its college - has read all the classic novels and makes his classes read them. he wont move to something else unless some kid IS REALLY passionate about it - “ranboo we will not be reading the diary of a wimpy kid series even if you resonate with greg heffley on an emotional level” - BUT for his english classes he makes them do a general book report project so he can see and appreciate his student’s taste in books  - albeit not the biggest fan of romance novels but knows it ends with us for some reason - brings all the projects home and keeps them in a big storage bin. he loves showing them off to future classes and even you - light. acadmeia. dresses formal, long sleeves, hair tamed, glasses on the bridge of his nose - “tommy please stop swearing. tubbo calm down?” - hold detention with him cause no one fucks with mr blade

phil: principal - best principal ever - has a great relationship with all the staff tbh  - wilbur and techno and tommy arent his sons wdym - no ones rlly scared of getting sent to the principals cause like yk theyre like “oh phil??? hes nice”  - everyone calls him phil - ok i lied everyone BUT tommy isnt scared of going to phils - “I DONT WANT TO GO TO PHILS” “tommy calm down-” - hates the school board, lets the teachers teach what they believe is best for the students - can deal with the consequences - once wilbur got him to play a role in on of the school’s productions - big year for the dsmp high thespians tbh - is married to the guidance counselor kristin - who by the way is a GOOD COUNSELOR - actually does guidance - phils whole office is green - always wears his bucket hat tbh - besties with the other school’s principals

foolish: architecture/woodworking - i think this one was another “duhhh” one - builder man teaches builder children - starts the year with teaching them the basics of everything and then sort of lets them go wild  - is so scared some kid is gonna get hurt - has goggles in every corner of his room, gloves, whatever safety stuff  - loves it when kids work together to make some big project - IN YOUR GUYS’ HOME YOU HAVE A SHELF full of little sharks all the kids made for him its so cute - he makes stuff for you in class and uses it as an excuse to teach  - wears muscle t-s or normal t-shirts never dresses formal  - “it would get in the way of the wood?? duh” - id want to be in his class - is besties with mr jacobs and mr punz the random coach who shows up just to coach basketball in the winter - another teacher everyone simps over - once refused to teach tommy cause he didnt want to “catch a case”

i kinda want to write for the bench trio so here’s STUDENT EDITION

tommy: junior in high school, ta to mr wastakens math class  - tommy signed up to TA for wilbur but then wilbur said “absolutely not” so he got put into dream’s introduction to stats class  - but he also has dream for the period after that for his ap stats class - so hes stuck there for like 2 and a half hours  - dream groaned when he saw who his TA was - makes tommy grade papers and stuff but never tests  - he doesnt trust him with that - tommy is a good kid and usually doesnt disrupt class but when he does its hilarious - expect mr blade doesnt give a second shit about tommy in his class  - tommy is rlly good at drama and math (even though hed never admit hes good at math)  - his locker is a mess  - besties with tubs and ranboo ofc - phil is his father dont tell anyone - he is so adamant on walking home bc he doesnt want people to know that his family works there - always has his red jacket on  - never gets school lunches says they are cursed

tubbo: junior in high school, ta for mr quackity’s spanish class - tubbo likes quackity so he signed up to ta for his class - he isnt good at spanish tho- - quackity knows that but likes tubbo so he lets him be  - sapnap ADORES tubbo for some reason - “TOBY!!! WHATS UP!” “hi mr sapnap” - sapnap thinks tubbo is such a good kid - but  - mr notfound knows tubbo is a menace - “good morning toby” “good morning mr notfound *innocent*” “sit down and get started please” - SO FUNNY LMAO  - tubbo is a menace - pulls a bunch of pranks on the teachers but then the blame always ends on tommy somehow “wHAT- TUBBO DID IT” “no he didnt” - besties with tommy and ranboo ofc - tubbo is rlly good at science but isnt so hot at english - but mr blade is rlly nice and takes him time to help tubbo  - tubbo appreciates it so he gets mr blade a gift at christmas - mr blade teared up - runs thru the hall dragging tom and ranboo behind him no regrets - “STOP RUNNING THROUGH THE HALLS” “no” ranboo: junior in high school, ta for mr blades mythology class - lOVES ta-ing for mr blades class - mr blade kinda lets him chill in the back, stapling papers - no interaction whatsoever - he also now cant wait to take that class next year - mr blade refers to him as my protege a lot  - i hope i used that word right - besties with tommy and tubbo - all the teachers are nice to ranboo and kinda sorry that hes friends with tommy and tubbo LMFAO  - “hi ranboo u doing ok” “yes thank u mr jacobs” “RANBOO! LETS GO! PUDDING DAY IN THE CAFETERIA” “thats my cue mr jacobs” - ranboo usually doesnt get into trouble when he does oh boy its good - not pranks on teachers but school wide pranks - is shy but when someone picks on tommy and tubbo he GOES OFF - attacks them through words - when he gets comfortable in a class he lets out these small comments that get the whole room laughing - so not the class clown but people know hes funny and people respects him 

#technoblade x reader #philza minecraft x reader #tommyinnit x reader #tubbo x reader #ranboo x reader #dreamwastaken x reader #sapnap x reader #georgenotfound x reader #quackity x reader #karl jacobs x reader #wilbur soot x reader

[fuckyeahdindjarin]

A Palomino Christmas

Jack Daniels x f!reader

|| Palomino universe oneshot, out of chronological order as I haven't finished the series yet. Can be read as a stand-alone. ||

{ Fuck Yeah Holidays | Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist }

Rating: E

Summary: You spend Christmas at the ranch with Jack. You thought the present you got him was inspired until you see him wearing it - the cowboy way.

Inspired by snowsuit anon and this adorable post (and a super cute nickname for a pony) sent to me by @aynsleywalker.

Warnings: !Ski suit action!, drinking, mention of food, gratuitous descriptions of the male bulge body, dirty talk, safe unprotected sex, feelings so fluffy. These holiday fics are for fun, so not as *rigorously edited* as my regular stories, please forgive any mistakes or plot holes!

Word count: 4.5k

Dedicated to @guiltypleasure-girl who I'm so grateful to have made friends with this year and who, imho, draws the best Jack in all the lands. If you don't already, follow her art page @guiltypleasure-art for the most gorgeous fanart ❤️

It’s always busy in the Stateman’s main kitchen on Christmas morning. The smokey burn of firewood warms the cozy space as the radio blares holiday tunes. Poppy presides over the operations at the head of the table - everything is planned down to the T and everyone has a role.

On any other Christmas day, Jack would be her sous-chef, the one she relies on to keep everyone on schedule and in their place.

But alas, today is not any other Christmas day.

The normally put together cowboy ambles around the place like a headless chicken, leaving a trail of half-completed tasks in his wake. Tequila, in uncharacteristic discretion, follows two steps behind.

He turns off the tap that Jack’s left pouring into the already full kettle, draining the excess water and putting it on the boil.

There’s one slice of bread in the toaster, while another lies forgotten on the table, which Teak slides into the free slot and pushes down the lever.

Jack pulls a jar of pickles from the fridge unseeingly, putting it on the table and walking away in search of a mug under three sets of watching, worried eyes. Teak replaces it with his friend’s favourite strawberry jam without a word.

While the oblivious cowboy’s back is turned, Teak motions his hand and forth across his neck in a slicing motion, mouthing nope emphatically at the occupants of the kitchen table.

On his cue, Poppy clears her throat and speaks up, ‘Jack, sweetie, why don’t you go check on the horses after your toast? The stable boys want to leave work early today after doing their morning rounds.’

‘Yeah, sure,’ he answers absent-mindedly, staring down into the empty mug in his grasp as if he’s lost his train of thought.

At that very moment, the toaster pops and Jack practically jumps out of his skin, stepping on Jameson’s paw where he’s lying on his rug in front of the fire, prompting an indignant yelp from the border collie and winces from around the table.

‘Sorry boy,’ he apologises and picks up his toast - burning his fingers - and stumbling over his feet to set his plate down. ‘Mornin’,’ he nods to the others without really registering who’s there.

Jack proceeds to butter his toast with such singular focus that he doesn’t notice when Tequila fills his still empty cup with coffee, only to knock it over immediately when a phone buzzes and his hand flies out to grab his. Ginger and Poppy trade concerned looks as he jumps onto his feet with another apology, snatching a tea towel to clean up the mess.

Eggsy, on potato peeling duty on the other side of the table, isn’t so diplomatic. ‘You’re jumpier than Bambi this morning, cowboy.’

Jack grunts noncommittally and chews on his toast, not rising to the bait.

‘Don’t be so nervous mate, we promise we’ll be on our best behaviour.’

Teak snorts from the kitchen counter where he’s making his PBJ. ‘I don’t know about England, but around these parts, lying on Christmas day is frowned upon.’

Eggsy replies high-handedly, ‘Can’t speak for you, Tequila, but I’ll be on my best behaviour.’

Ginger chuckles as Teak sits down at the table with his sandwich. ‘Ha! I’ll believe it when I see it.’

Jack points a forceful finger at the boys, one after the other. ‘I swear to the baby Jesus Christ, if you two don’t behave yourselves, there will be hell to pay.’

Eggsy snickers. ‘Never thought I’d see the day. Ol’ cowboy Jack falls heads over heels for a bird -’ he screeches when the coffee-soaked rag hits him in the face, which sends Teak into hysterical laughter. ‘Oi! What the fuck, man!’

Ignoring the ruckus, Jack dusts the crumbs from his hands and shrugs on his jacket, grabbing a thermos and filling it up with fresh coffee. With a hurried later, he strides out of the warmth of the kitchen and into the frigid morning air.

Thermos tucked under his arm, Jack rubs his palms together, warming his fingertips with his breath as snow crunches beneath his well-worn boots. The ranch is blanketed in thick snow, a picture-perfect postcard landscape as it is every Christmas. The morning mist has yet to burn off, but he can tell by the peek of blue through the clouds that it will be a fine day.

If your flight is on time, you should be on your way by now. He’d wanted to pick you up from the airport, but you insisted that there’s no point in him driving all the way there when you already know the way. Depending on the conditions, it shouldn’t be long until you arrive.

His list of chores isn’t long this morning - the stable boys will be on duty until lunchtime - but still, he wants to tick all the boxes before you get here. Striding into the heated stables, he says howdy to the grooms and whistles, smiling as dozens of faces appear at the doors, ears pointed forwards in attention, snickering and whinnying at him.

This never gets old.

‘Mornin’ ladies and gentlemen,’ he calls out, wandering down the stalls, rubbing a velvety nose here and pulling on a furry ear there. ‘Who’s ready to stretch their legs this fine mornin’, huh?’

Starting at the end of the stables, he unlatches Bourbon’s door and ushers him out of the stall, then crosses the aisle to let out Tanqueray, Champ’s elderly but still supremely poised Friesian, who clops leisurely towards the exit. Zig-zagging back and forth, Jack whistles, jostles and chats to the horses, all smartly dressed in warm rugs, as they file out down the corridor and into the courtyard for a bit of morning exercise while the stable boys mucked out their stalls.

‘No loitering, ma’am,’ says Jack sternly when Poppy’s mare, Pie, idles in the middle of the building. He gives her a firm pat on the rump to get her moving and whistles at one of the cheeky Shetland ponies who’s snuck into someone else’s stall. ‘Half-Pint! What did I say about stealing your friends’ treats? Shoo, now!’

The stables empty, the echoes of hooves on the concrete ground fading, with Scotch being one of the last to exit. Looping back to make sure there are no dilly-dalliers, Jack’s surprised to find the palomino, who would normally be leading the charge towards the grazing fields, still lingering at the barn doors.

‘Whatcha doin’, boy?’ he calls out.

Scotch tosses his head and steps to the side -

And you appear.

With the biggest grin, you run towards him and fly into his arms.

Your cheeks are wet, the spray of snow powder melting when it hits your skin. It drifts all around you as Scotch eats up the white ground, the thundering hooves muted by the soft cushion of the untouched, overnight snow. The mountain air is sweet and pure and stingingly cold, you can barely feel your face anymore - but it might just be from how hard you’ve been smiling.

You feel like you’re in the middle of a Christmas movie. The lush, green landscape you remember so well from your trip months ago is now all coated in wintry glory, but you still recognise the contours of the land and the mountains. It’s your first time in the saddle since - the whistle of the winds in your ear is a song you remember all the words to, the burn in your out-of-practice muscles all over a familiar old friend.

And you’re happy.

Slowing Scotch to an easy trot as you approach the end of the trail, your breath mists in front of your face as you look down over the ranch, a scene straight out of a classic snow globe, thin wisps of smoke drifting from the chimneys of the wooden lodges dotted across the property.

Gently manoeuvring the palomino to a halt and giving him a pat on the neck, you turn to smile at Jack as he walks up beside you on Whiskey. ‘I’ve missed this so much.’

‘Me too,’ he answers, warm eyes on you.

You give him a sidelong glance. ‘You’ve been here the whole time, cowboy.’

‘I know. I’ve missed you being here.’ He reaches over and pulls your gloved hand towards him, presses a kiss to the back. You want to shuck off the leather and cup his whiskered jawline in your palm, push the well-worn hat off and twine your fingers into his hair -

Later. There will be time for all that later, preferably in front of a roaring fireplace.

You break the moment with an eyebrow arched in a challenge. ‘Race you to the stables?’

Jack grins. ‘You’re on, darlin’.’

Christmas dinner is in the main lodge, which you didn’t use during your trip in the summer. The intimate space is exuberantly decorated in red and gold, a huge, freshly cut pine tree stands proudly by the antique fireplace, a merry fire burning. The table is beautifully laid, silverware immaculately polished and fine china sit alongside holidays-themed napkins. A magnificent feast lines the length of the mahogany dining table comfortably seating eight.

But any kind of decorum stops there.

As the hours tick by and bottles of wine and sherry are emptied, the meal has descended into what Jack warned you in advance as ‘typical Kingsman chaos’. According to the cowboy, the whole Kingsman team comes to the ranch every summer for their annual company retreat, but only Merlin, Eggsy and Harry fly over for Christmas. And while their contingent is small, havoc is an inevitable conclusion where any number of the Kingsman are involved.

Desserts are still being passed around the table - sticky toffee pudding, pecan pie and Yule log - when Teak and Eggsy start to raise their voices and slap the table about British and American Christmas songs. They’re currently yelling - not singing - carols at each other, with Jameson barking excitedly in the background.

Tequila throws his hands up in frustration at Eggsy’s rendition of Twelve Days of Christmas. ‘Why is there a partridge in a pear tree? What the fuck is a partridge?’

Champ and Merlin are having a more civilised but no less intense debate about pies - specifically mince pies versus pumpkin pie as a holiday dessert.

‘Next year, old chap,’ declares Merlin. ‘I’ll bring mince pies with me and you’ll be eating your words, just you wait.’

Jack whispers in your ear. ‘He says that every year, but never does.’

You chuckle and turn your attention to Harry, who’s now insisting that they should put Love Actually up on the big projector screen after dinner, whereas Ginger and Poppy are lobbying for Elf.

‘Why not The Holiday? It’s literally the perfect American-British movie,' you pitch in, which launches another furious tirade of debate at your end of the table.

Jack mumbles under his breath. ‘Because they’re idiots and pointless, festive arguing is a winter sport around here.’

His arm is warm around your shoulders as you giggle into your mulled wine. ‘Is it like this every year?’

‘Yup,’ he answers, really popping the P. With a mild touch of embarrassment, he holds your amused gaze and asks, ‘Too much?’

Tipping your face upwards, you press a chaste kiss to his lips.

‘Just enough,’ you assure him as the corners of his eyes crinkle in the warmest smile.

You didn’t have time to drop off your suitcase at Jack’s cottage, which is a short drive from the ranch, when you arrived in the morning. Instead, with Champ’s blessing, you commandeered one of the guest cabins, all empty in the off-season - which is just as well. By the time midnight rolls around, it’s clear that no one is in any state to make their way back to their respective off-site houses.

Harry and the ladies retired to their borrowed rooms a little while ago, leaving you and Jack to round up the stragglers. You check on Teak, lying face down on the sofa, bundled up in his winter quilts in an aborted attempt to leave. A few steps over, you drape a blanket on Champ and another one on Merlin, who are passed out on armchairs which look comfortable enough to sleep in, socked feet up on matching ottomans. Eggsy is cuddling with Jameson in front of the fire, and Jack feeds the logs to make sure it burns till morning.

It’s bleak outside. Jack shields you from the worst of the winds, tucking you into his side as you trudge across the snow, the early start you’ve had catching up on you. Thankfully, the heating is already on in the cabin when you get there, and he starts a fire as well while you get ready for bed.

When you pad into the bedroom in your pyjamas, teeth brushed and makeup washed off, Jack looks up to see you holding a neatly-wrapped present, a shy smile on your lips.

Standing up from the fireplace, he dusts his hands and reaches for you, palms settling on the small of your back, leaning down to graze his still cold nose against yours. ‘Is that for me, darlin’?’

‘Maybe,’ you reply coyly. ‘Do you want to do presents now or tomorrow morning?’

‘Let’s do it now, I have to feed the horses early tomorrow,’ answers Jack, pecking you on the cheek. ‘Give me five minutes.’

The bed is cold, and you have to steel yourself to burrow into the icy cocoon of the thick covers, missing Jack’s warmth. He doesn’t make you wait long, re-appearing in just boxers, and a big box in hand, switching off all but the bedside lights.

Sliding under the duvet, he yelps when your icy feet tangle into his longer legs, making you laugh. His bare skin heats you up instantly as he wraps one arm around you and pulls you into his broad chest. You feel him hum when he asks, ‘You want to go first, darlin’?’

Blinking up at him, you answer nervously, ‘No - you first.’

He pushes the box your way and you sit up, pretending to shake the package to gauge what’s inside. Jack chuckles, his strong forearms dark against the beige quilt wrapped around his middle. Only his fingers give away his nerves, picking at loose threads in the fabric as you carefully unravel the wrapping paper.

Lifting the lid of the box, your lips part and you stare wordlessly at what’s inside.

‘Jack,’ you breathe. ‘It’s beautiful.’

Gently, you pull out the cowboy hat in tan suede, the smell of fresh leather comforting as you turn it over in your grasp, marvelling at the craftsmanship in the dips and swells of the construction.

‘Try it on, darlin’,’ he says, his shoulders relaxing in relief at your reaction.

You do, and of course, it fits perfectly. Shuffling onto your knees, you crawl closer to kiss him fully on the lips, tilting your head to the side so that his face fits under the brim of your hat. ‘Thank you, I love it.’

Jack arches an eyebrow. ‘You might want to check the box again, darlin’.’

Sitting back on your haunches, you send him an almost accusatory look. ‘You can’t give me two presents, cowboy.’

He shrugs with an insolent grin. ‘I’m a grown man, I’ll do what I like. ‘

Your eyes alight on the black velvet case at the bottom of the box, and you draw it out with careful fingers as if it will break. With one last glance at Jack, you gingerly lift the lid, feeling the hinges creak.

Jack watches you closely, his own breathing suspended as you stare down into your hands, thoughts whirring in his head. Is it too much, too soon? Is he comin’ on too strong? Would you even like it?

After the longest ten seconds of his life, you look up at him with soft eyes and brows drawn, a crack in your voice. ‘Jack.’

He gives you a lopsided smile and reaches for the box. ‘I went back to the same silversmith who made my belt buckle and asked him to make this.’

The chain is delicate in his big, weathered hands. It takes him a couple of tries, but he eventually manages to pry open the hinge of the clasp and holds out the necklace towards you in a question. ‘May I, darlin’?’

Turning around, the bed dips behind you as Jack shifts closer, cool silver kissing your décolletage as he fastens the clasp behind your neck. Your gaze drops downwards, the tip of your index finger testing the weight of the solid sterling pendant in the shape of a flask, Statesman emblazoned in delicate lettering -

A much smaller but exact copy of his belt buckle.

His words draw you out of your thoughts. ‘You like it?’

‘I love it,’ you correct him, twisting around to tackle him into the mattress, your knees around his waist as you loom over him, knocking off your hat so you can kiss him properly. ‘It’s perfect. Thank you.’

The pendant dangles from your neck, tickling him on the chin as he winds one big hand into your hair, his eyes following as it sways. ‘It looks good on you, darlin’.’

The warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest starts to recede as your eyes land on the present you got for him on the bed. The giddiness you felt when you found it is a distant dream, instead, anxiety threatens to take root deep in your head. If you got something from Amazon tonight, is there any chance that they could deliver tomorrow -

‘Darlin’. You’re thinking too loudly,’ says Jack soothingly, chucking you gently under your chin. ‘What’s wrong?’

You shake your head. ‘I got you a really stupid present. Let’s forget about it - I’ll get you something else.’

His brows draw together in concern as he grabs your wrists and pulls you flush against his chest so that there’s nowhere else to look but at him. ‘Don’t say that, there’s no such thing as a stupid present. Whatever you got me, I’m sure I’ll love it.’

You inhale deeply, chewing your bottom lip. ‘You mentioned a few weeks ago that your leather jacket and fleeces are too bulky and it’s hard to move around in all the layers when it's cold.’

He nods encouragingly. ‘That I did.’

Propping yourself up on your elbows, you reach out and drag the package towards him. ‘Well, I saw this at my local shop, and thought it might help.’

Jack gives you a reassuring smile and leans back into the pillows, grabbing the present excitedly. He pulls you against his side, as if he’s trying to squeeze all the self-doubt out of you, the gift draped across your laps as he starts to unwrap it.

You’re a bundle of jitters when he rips off the wrapping paper with impatient fingers, and the lightweight and puffy blue fabric comes into view.

Jack shakes out the neatly folded one-piece. ‘Is it - a ski suit?’

You nod and point out the black contrasting detailing on the front of the suit. ‘It's light and it's warm. Look at the western design with the single point pockets - I couldn’t not get it for you.’

Jack chuckles, the sound warming you as his arm tightens around your shoulders. ‘Well, I’ll be damned. So simple, yet so clever.’

‘You like it?’ you ask in the smallest voice.

‘I love it,’ he grins, drawing you in for another kiss. ‘Thank you, darlin’.’

Finally assuaged, you sag against him, a yawn creeping up on you as the tension in your body recedes. ‘You want to try it on now?’

Tucking you in, he says, ‘I’ll try it tomorrow, it’s been a long day for you, darlin’.

Putting your hat and his ski suit on the bedside table, Jack turns off the light, his body immediately seeking out yours under the sheets, claiming every inch of you with a leg between your thighs, front plastered to your back, palms under your ratty pyjamas top, splayed across your naked skin.

It’s been too long.

Nose tucked behind your ear, his arms full of you - finally here after months of feeling your phantom weight in his embrace - the night slips away as the snow falls outside.

It’s too warm under the covers when you wake up, even though Jack’s side of the bed is empty. You stretch lazily, the clock reads 8am but the fire is still going strong, he must have stoked it when he got up.

You decide to make some coffee and wait for him to come back before venturing to the communal kitchen for breakfast. While the water boils, you smile as you fiddle with the necklace sitting on your chest, warm and reassuring against your skin.

The smell of caffeine fills the cabin as you sip from your mug, and before long, you hear Jack stomping up the stairs, humming a country tune in his raspy baritone as he approaches the door.

Pouring him a steaming cup, you say, ‘Hey, I made you some coffee -’

You trail off when you turn around.

Your morning brain can’t quite grasp the picture in front of you. Jack’s still wearing his cowboy hat, his nose red from the cold. Vaguely, you realise he’s wearing the present you gifted him - and you congratulate yourself on the fact that it fits him like a damn glove.

The ski suit accentuates his broad shoulders and tapers in at his waist in a flattering cut, the zipper drawn all the way up to the hollow of his throat. He’s replaced the detachable belt that came with the ski suit with his own, the flask bottle buckle popping against the blue.

But the bottom half - that you have trouble comprehending. It takes you a beat longer to realise why.

He’s wearing full-length cowboy chaps over it.

Chaps are essentially leather trousers with the seat cut out, and Jack's wearing them with his belt looped through the straps. You know he only uses them when it’s muddy, to keep his jeans clean. He didn’t wear them at all on your pack trip, but you’ve seen a peek on Facetime in the rainy months in between. And now that you're seeing them in person, you decide that like them - a lot.

Your gaze, slow as molasses despite being completely unburdened by shame, slides all the way down to the triangle of blue framed by the negative space in the brown chaps where - for the lack of a better expression - his prominent endowment hangs heavy at the apex of his strong thighs. Not that you’re trying to look, but you can see the very heft of him through the fabric.

Jesus H. Christ. It’s too fucking early to be sinning.

When Jack realises that you’re staring, he says somewhat apologetically, clearly oblivious to the merry tangent your mind has gone off on. ‘Sorry, I know I’m not meant to wear it this way, but I didn’t want to get it dirty -’

You shake your head hastily. ‘No, it’s not that. It’s - perfect.’

Something breathless in your tone catches his ear, and he tilts his head to the side, one large hand coming to rest on his hip, thick fingers spread obnoxiously wide over the side of the chaps. The beginning of a cocky smile lifts the corner of his mouth. ‘Yeah, darlin’? You like it?’

Leaving your mug on the counter top, you bite your lip and give him your best teasing grin. ‘Why don’t you turn around so I can take a better look, cowboy?’

He arches an eyebrow at your boldness, but decides to indulge you. Voice dropping an octave, he rasps, ‘Better take a seat for this, darlin’.’

You grin and do as you’re told, turning the kitchen chair around so that you’re facing him, running your eyes up and down his frame as he steps into your space, narrow hips swaying to a beat you can’t hear. Hooking his thumbs into his belt, he suddenly turns with a dramatic flourish and arches his back, granting you an unrivalled view of his behind framed by the chaps cut off at the top of his thighs, the ski suit tight against his pert bottom.

‘Enjoy the view, darlin’?’ he asks, grinning over his shoulder at you.

You swat him on one cheek playfully, and when he swoops suddenly into your lap in a classic burlesque move, you squeal, ‘Jack!’

Bending his knees, he grinds into your thighs as you laugh, the ski suit soft on your skin while the leather chaps scrape against your bare shins. Turning around, he reaches up to tug the suit’s zipper downwards in a slow, deliberate course, and he purrs, ‘What say you if ol’ cowboy Jack gives you a proper show, hmm?’

You inhale sharply as the white wife beater underneath comes into view, and you reach up to help him push one side of the ski suit off his shoulder, revealing the firm line of his left arm.

‘Thought that was more of Teak’s thing,’ you quip, licking your lips as your eyes skim down his front to settle on the weighty bulge now straining against the front of the suit, your eager fingers pulling him closer by his belt buckle.

Gripping the edge of the table, he traps you into your seat, his stare dropping to the matching pendant resting on your now heaving bosom, taking in your blown pupils as he grins. ‘Anythin’ for you, darlin’.’

‘Aren’t I the luckiest girl,’ you muse, taking off his hat and flinging it onto the table, his hungry stare alone pinning you in place when you drag him down to you by his lapels.

Warm lips part yours and he delves into your mouth, kissing you deeply. The promise of more leaves you chasing him as he draws back with a drawl. ‘You’re about to get a whole lot luckier, darlin’.’

The thick material of the ski suit is almost pillowy as your fingers dig into his shoulders to steady yourself. It rubs gently on your nipples as you rock against Jack, arms wound around his neck while his desperate hands cup and knead the plump swell of your ass, dragging you up and down his hard cock.

‘That’s it, you’re ridin' me beautifully, darlin’,’ he growls into your ear, exhaling hot and heavy as he nips your collar bone. ‘Missed you so much.’

His chaps are slippery under your bare thighs from your slick, and you clench at the sensation of being completely naked on top of him when he’s still fully clothed, only his belt and zipper undone so that he can fuck up into you, the rickety kitchen chair groaning under the weight of the two of you.

‘Missed you too,’ you whisper against his lips, crying out when he hits a particularly deep spot inside you. ‘Yes, yes, harder, Jack.’

Leaning forward, he takes one breast into his hot mouth, one eye on your necklace that’s sticking to your sweaty skin before licking you between your tits and over the silver pendant, the salt sharp on his tongue. He hums, ‘You wear it so well.’

‘I won’t take it off, ever,’ you swear, throwing your head back when he scrapes his teeth against the column of your neck, so full of him that your knees quake.

‘Good,’ growls Jack, thrusting harder into you, making your breath stutter. ‘Keep me with you, darlin’ - always.’

You smile, fingers curled into his hair, stealing a tender moment as your noses bump and eyes meet with the easiest promise you will ever keep. ‘Always.’

Notes: Am I allowed to pick favourites? I'm not? I'm doing it anyway -- this is my favourite out of all the holiday fics, no question! I'm so soft for cowboy Jack and his darlin' 🥹 We've been spending time with just the two of them so far in the series, so it was really fun to explore the group situations, especially with the Kingsman involved!

I hope you enjoyed this fluffy interlude. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and thank you so much for reading ❤️

#jack daniels x you #jack daniels fanfic #jack daniels x reader #jack whiskey daniels #jack daniels #jack daniels x fem!reader #jack daniels x f!reader #kingsman golden circle #fuckyeahholidays #‘tis palomino season

[oh-surprise-its-me]

Roy/Jamie/Keeley prompt: Jamie starts to feel weird and gets checked out. Turns out he’s got the carrier gene and is pregnant by Roy. He’s shocked but pleased. Kids just haven’t been brought up between him, Roy and Keeley. Later on at dinner Jamie casually brings up the topic hoping to surprise his lovers. He’s left heartbroken when both Roy and Keeley vehemently deny wanting any kids. Jamie doesn’t know what to do. Terrified, he asks Rebecca for a leave of absence and then disappears, leaving only a note explaining the situation. Roy and Keeley are devastated and desperate to get both Jamie and their baby back. Several agonizing weeks pass by until Roy and Keeley get a call from Georgie who can't stand to see her boy so alone and unhappy. She tells them Jamie's hiding in a little seaside village. Roy and Keeley rush to the village and find their beautiful but heartbroken Jamie. They convince him to come home and immediately seek out Dr. Sharon and the Richmond fam. They all come together to take care of Jamie and the newest edition to their Richmond Fam.

I’m not normally a Roy x Keeley x Jamie person but I’ll do my absolute best at them all together.

But once again. I’ve written and read worst things to be afraid of a little requested mpreg. I was in the Hannibal fandom for years, bring it on. . Again in this universe they can only have the kids by C-section thanks.

So tw. Mpreg.

Jamie found the cottage. The woman is lovely. Treats Jamie like a grandson, Jamie’s mom has been around a few times. She loves taking care of him. But hates watching him be so sad.

When he hears a car pull it it he drive he thinks nothing of it. Probably Marie checking on him and the cat she gifted him last week.

She said it would be good practice.

Jamie had to laugh. It hurts. Knowing that the baby will look like him and Roy. Christ.

There’s a knocking on the door. Jamie sighs and gets up. His right hip hurts today. Stupid baby. No not stupid. Incredible baby. Little baby girl. He’s thinking Lucy would be a good name. Lucy Tartt.

Lucy Kent.

Lucy Jones.

Fuck.

Jamie yanks the door open.

There standing on his small front porch is Roy and Keeley. “What the fuck.”

Keeley can’t tear her eyes away from where Jamie is showing. He’s only got a small bump not really noticeable unless you know what a carrier gene looks like in men. Or since he’s shirtless that’s also making it noticeable. Sue him. He was planning on a swim.

Roy coughs. He makes an aborted motion to hug Jamie. “You look good. Happy.”

Jamie thinks maybe the past four months have been a fever dream.

“Why are you here, leave.”

Keeley makes a hurt noise. “Jamie no baby please? Let us talk to you?”

Jamie laughs. “No hell no. You guys don’t want kids. I decided to remove myself from the situation. I’m keeping this kid.”

Roy winces. “You’re right we did say that. But things changed. We were wrong.”

Jamie laughs. Wrong answer. “No. You weren’t. You said what you said. Own it. Own it and think about the fact that this means permanently being in each others lives in some way. I refused to have my child have her parents in only glimpses of her life. If you guys don’t want her that’s fine. Then you’re out. Permanently.”

Roy reaches forward. “Her?”

Keeley has mascara running down her face. “A daughter?”

Jamie sighs. He wishes this had just been Marie checking on him. “Jesus Christ come in side I’m putting on a shirt.” He turns and walks away. They can make their choices.

-

They end up in the living room. Jamie is sitting in the leather chair he’s grown so fond of and Roy and Keeley are sharing the couch. His new cat is curled in his lap staring at them. He likes to think she’s threatening them.

Keeley catches sight of the ultrasound photo. “Oh fuck Jamie is that her?” Jamie smiles, he can’t help it. “Yep. All four months of her. Got that last week when I learned the gender.”

“I lied. I don’t know why. I was scared. But I want the kid with you Jamie. I want to help you do things. Watch the kid grow. Watch her grow. I wanna be there for all of it. Fuck I’m sorry if you ever thought otherwise.”

Jamie blinks at Roy. Shit. He’s serious.

He goes to speak when Keeley cuts him off. “I didn’t want kids because I assumed I’d have to have them. No way I’d do that. But kids themselves? God Jamie I want that with you two.”

Oh.

O h.

Fuck.

Jamie can feel the tears start. He doesn’t even mean to cry. Stupid baby hormones.

“You don’t hate me for having her?”

Keeley and Roy practically throw themselves off the couch towards Jamie. Roy makes it first and sits on the arm of the chair. “I love you for having her. Christ. A kid. Our kid. All of our kid.”

Keeley lands at his feet and wraps her arms around his left leg. “Love you for doing this. You’re so brave for being alone. I’m sorry we made you feel like you had to be alone.”

Jamie leans into Roy’s side. He reaches for Keeley’s hand. “It’s okay. I mean you’re going to have to explain all of this to Marie but it’s fine.”

Roy blinks down at him. “Marie?” Jamie grins and nods. “She’s a terrifying little French Lady. I think she adopted me.”

“Fuck.”

“Oh shit.”

“Also I’m naming her Lucy.”

Roy grins. He kisses Jamie. God it has been months since he kissed Jamie. “Love it.” Keeley crawls up onto the other arm of the chair. She leans down and kisses Jamie herself. “Lu for short.”

Jamie nods.

“We can go back to Richmond but I think Isaac and Dani might try to kill you guys. I uh. Told them everything. Colin too.”

Roy blinks. “Is that why they’ve refused to listen to me? They literally pretend I haven’t said anything.” Jamie nods. He taps his stomach. “Yep! They said they’d, and I’m quoting them here. ‘Rip out your organs like a good old fashion thriller movie.’ So maybe wait till I say it’s okay again.”

Keeley smiles at Jamie. “I’m glad they love you.”

Jamie smiles up at them. “Love you both. Even when you were stupid.”

Roy winces. “Yeah sorry. So sorry.” “Yeah Jamie. I’m really sorry.”

Jamie just shakes his head, “It’s fine. Just means I get to boss you both around for a while. Five months to be exact.”

Roy presses a kiss to Jamie’s hair. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Keeley nods. She kisses Jamie’s cheek. “Can’t wait to run to the store at 4am.”

Jamie smiles, he knows they’re going to have a lot to work on but hey. What family doesn’t have small issues. The important thing is that their kid will have love all around them.

#if this is your ick just don’t click! #ted lasso #jamie tartt #roy kent #jamie x roy #royjamie #roy x keeley x jamie #keeley jones #keeleyroyjamie #keeley x roy x jamie #cw mpreg #thanks for the ask I hope you like ! #keeley x jamie #keeley x roy #they’re all one happy family! #I Play fast and loose with their forgiveness idk man

[elaine19day]

The obligatory bottom!HeTian post lol

Since the old post got lost, let me compile a new list here for fanfics where HT is the one taking it up the ass (it's a rare thing on Ao3 haha) First of all, THIS is the tag for bottom HT fics on AO3 - but then again, not every author who writes it also uses the tag. So here's a list of works that I know of which definitely contain bottom HT: (there might be more, but I haven't had time to read and verify it) • vulnerability by powerandpathos Mo and HT try out something new • Merman Kisses and Devilfish Wishes by blackmore Little Mermaid AU (contains switching) (RU version here) • Backstage Escapade by Potchans (havent read it) Band fic where Mo fucks HT backstage • Body Language by AtomicNebula13 HT comes back and tries to mend the relationship he had with Mo (contains switching) • into camouflage by minisoysquares (havent read it) Cop AU • going stupid by hetiansboi (havent read it) [no summary] • The Gift & What's in the box? by kruder HT gives Mo a special birthday present • I'm Not A Prostitute by traceytries Mo and HT become fuckbuddies (contains switching) • Stages by domini_moonbeam band AU, poly fic where everyone tops/bottoms • Blowing Up by domini_moonbeam HT returns and worms his way back into Mo's life (contains switching) • Open by domini_moonbeam poly fic where they all fuck each other (moon has also written several oneshot-spin-offs to this fic, just check her account) • the voyagers by powerandpathos (havent read it) was told this fic has implied scenes of bottom HT (non graphic) it's on my reading list anyway since it's a D&D AU ...and finally there's a bunch of stuff I had written myself over the years, which you can check out here: ♦ November Night (oneshot) Mo keeps fantasizing about having sex with HT - when it finally happens, HT leaves the decision to him which way it'll go. ♦ While you were Sleeping (oneshot) HT got drunk, Mo decides to cease the opportunity (contains somnophilia, sort of...) ♦ I won't let go 'til it bleeds (multi-part, finished) HT comes back and things are different. Though he doesn't have to try THAT hard to win Mo back over... (contains switching) ♦ Tianshan 18+ (fanart/edits compilation) not a fic, but a collection of my artsy stuff, some of it contains HT as bottom ♦ Nothing Left to Give (multi-part, unfinished) HT loses his memory after a car accident. Mo tries his best to win his heart again. (contains switching) ♦ Merry Fucking Christmas (multi-part, unfinished) She Li lurked in the shadows all these years, waiting for his revenge. Contains SL/HT and rape, torture, etc

#19 days #old xian #tianshan #he tian #mo guan shan #bottom he tian #fanfic recs #19 days fanfics #if you know of any more fics please comment or link them below so I can add it to the list

[taiiunknown]

I BET ! (WHIPPED CREAM PT2)

Disclaimer: THIS STORY IS BASED ON THE SONG “I BET” by Ciara. The story will not be as long bc SPOILER ALERT 🚨 y/n will be leaving shuri for RiRi 💋 … Anywho enjoy 😉

⚠️ warning: HEAVY SMUT , KINDA HARDCORE SHOWER SEX SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK !, name calling, kinda mean shuri but a little of nice shuri, daddy & mommy kink, Y/N is indecisive

Note: y’all I did not go over nor edit this so please excuse me for typos and ect … hope you enjoy 😉

It has been 9 Months of being in a relationship with shuri , and trust me I have been getting treated like shit since we been together. She told me she love me everyday and I believe it bc I have so much love for her as well, and besides we have been through a lot with each other..but I think it’s time to move on from each other bc due to her cheating and manipulating me I have been stuck in the bubble of if she loves me or just using me.

*A month ago*

“Shuri? Who keeps blowing up you phone..it’s literally two in the morning!” I asked rubbing sleep out of my eye while checking the time on my phone “Shuri ?” I look around and see she want in bed , but I hear the shower on , she must just now getting home..

I reach over to her phone to decline the call due to me thinking it was a scam caller. I flip the phone over and see “makayla” who tf is that ?. I was choosing between answering or just asking who makayla is . I was so deep in my thoughts I didn’t even hear the bathroom door open until I heard shuri say “The fuck is you doing y/n?” Shuri said in a annoyed tone “who is makayla shuri ?” I said with a tear filled eye “No one” she says walking up and snatching her phone from me “Shuri it can’t be “no one” WHEN SHE IS BLOWING UP YOUR PHONE AT 2 AM!!!” I yelled , “First watch your tone! I told you about your mouth for a week now, So CHILL !” she yelled back “NO YOU STFU! AND LET ME TALK FOR ONCE BC YOUR SORRY ASS LIES YOURE FINNA TELL WONT MAKE ME BLIND ! SO FUCKING ANSWER ME WHEN I ASK WHO TF IS MAKAYLA?!” Believe it or not I was shocked by my own words bc I have never stood up to shuri like this before, Maybe bc she use to be sweet and loving, and just peaceful …but this new shuri can rot in hell ! “She a friend I met at the Royal gala 6 months ago when we went together to announce us becoming a serious couple” she said lowly , I guess she was feeling guilty bc atp I’m shedding tears and almost snot bubbles . “are you sleeping with her ?” I asked looking at my thighs that are now crossed crossed on the bed “Ya” she said with a evil grin , WHAT TF IS WRONG WITH THIS BITCH?!!! “Okay” I said in a non caring voice bc at this moment I knew I was done , so I rushed passed her to get to our walk in closet to pack all my things . “WHAT ARE YOU DOING Y/N ?!” Shuri yelled pulling me by my waist and away from the closet, “LET ME GO , IM LEAVING YOU! MAYBE MYKEL WOULDNT MIND A VISIT FROM ME !” I said tryna get from her grip that only grew tighter bc at that moment all hell was finna break loose when I said his name , on top of that she haven’t heard his name come out my name since she made me stop talking to him. She turned me around around with full force but at the same time not to hard to hurt me , grabbed my shirt and kissed me HARD with full passion , I gave in and kissed back , she lifted me off the ground and carried me back to the bed and started ripping my clothes off including my panties ( I don’t sleep with a bra on) and shoved 3 fingers in with no warning , which made me yelp a moan . Shuri began drilling me with full force and I was a teary eye moaning mess ! “BABY IM FINNA C-CUM !” I screamed “DONT YOU FUCKING DARE ! YOU SLUT ! YOU WANNA GIVE WHATS MINE AND YOU KNOW BETTER TO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT WALKING OUT THAT DOOR! uyaqonda ! ( DO YOU UNDERSTAND!)??” Shuri said while slapping my clit which made it jump “Y-Y-YES!!!” I squeal “YES WHAT USANA ?” Shuri said slapping my one more time bc she felt my cunt tighten around her fingers which mean I was finna break any minute . “YE-S D-DA-DY! PLEASELETMECUM!!!” I screamed “Go ahead y/n” she said while kissing my face to cover the hot tears I had coming down “Shit I love you so much” I said lowly while tryna come down from my high after cumming hard . “ I love you to my love” she said kissing my lips softly “ I love this pussy too” she said cheekily while now kissing my pussy lips . “Don’t ever try me like that again, Okay?” She said with a stern face while slapping my sensitive clit which made a moan slip out my mouth “yes daddy, I’m sorry” I said feeling like I overreacted over the whole situation.

After she cleaned me up and tuck me back into bed while pulling me closely to her . I dozed off after that.

*END OF FLASH BACK*

But now I’m a new bitch who don’t take shit , even though I’m just now turning into this new bitch now . To be honest I didn’t get the balls to finally leave until two hours ago when I found out I really wanna take Riri serious, Yes! I have been talking to Riri on the low for 4 weeks now and Yes! I have a burner phone to talk to her on since Shuri started putting heavy security and monitoring everything I do, she started doing that the same night I tried to leave her so it’s basically like I don’t want to leave but I do but at the same time she won’t let me leave so I’m kinda like a indecent prisoner.

Riri was a old friend I met when I use to go from America to Wakanda all the time and we hit it off and fucked twice, but shuri doesn’t know about me and Riri and hopefully she won’t find out about us soon.

I’ve been looking for cute condos and Riri texted me today telling me that I can move in sooner than I expected, ( yes the condo is in Riri name so if shuri do try to find me it might now be easy for her). Now that I know I’m good on my living situation, all I have to do is find a way to leave without Shuri knowing . Im thinking of putting something in shuri food that will put her to sleep for some hours and then leave but if I do go through with this plan ima have to use a large dose since she is the black panther .

*NEXT DAY*

It is 6 am and shuri usually work out around this time while I make her morning smoothies and yesterday when I went to my close friend who knew about my situation ( Her name is tranese she is half American and Wakandan to) she is from the River tribe , she found some sleeping fruit that she said with 80% help with putting shuri to sleep and bast and god knows I really hope this works !

“hey usana, my smoothie ready ?” Shuri asked wrapping her hands around my waist while I cut her bananas “yes my love” I say “okay hurry, you know I don’t like being late to my lab so chop chop.” She saying kissing my shoulder blade, chop chop ? Bitch I will chop your fuckin- “Y/N DO YOU HEAR ME?!” Shuri says coming out the bathroom, I was so caught up in my head I didn’t hear her say she wanted to shower with me “Here I come let me blend this right quick” I say quietly “Alright” she says smiling . By the time I’m done pouring the smoothing I’m her to go bottle I take the crush plant and secretly sprinkle all of it inside the bottle and quickly shake it up, by the time im done come back in with her boy shorts and no bra “let’s go I don’t have all day ma” I quickly towards the room to enter the bathroom

*IN THE SHOWER*

I couldn’t even strip my self bc as soon as I step foot in the bathroom shuri quickly began stripping me and tearing my underwear in the making of it, “baby I actually like those” I said a little hurt bc the were a cute collection I bout online “I AM THE QUEEN OF WAKANDA,DO YOU NOT THINK I CAN BUT YOU 5,000 PAIR OF THOSE ?! MHM !” She yelled in my face as I backed into the shower wall (ngl she was turning me on with all the dominance she held) “no” I whisper “NO WHAT ?!” She growled “no daddy” I said half confident while now looking in her dark lustful eyes “Good girl, now bend over that wall and arch that little frame of yours” I did as told with out hesitation bc I do not want her to take away my chance of cumming for her “GRIOT ACTIVATE VIBRANIUM!” “Yes Queen shuri” I soon felt a very long gliding up and down my lower lips, a moan quickly slip from lips but turner into a louder one when shuri unexpectedly shoved the dick in my cat with hard fast strokes that almost had me coming in one second ! Pleasure tears started to fall from my eyes as she started talking dirty with going at the same pace with a little tight hold on my throat “UYAKUTHANDA UKUHLANGABEZWA KANJE AWUTHANDI NAWE PRINCESS?!” (YOU LOVE GETTING FUCKED LIKE THIS DONT YOU PRINCESS ?!) shuri says not letting up one but bc she tryna give me and her one of the biggest orgasms “YES DADDY ! FUCK MOMMY YOU GIVING IT TOO ME SO G-GOOD UGHHHHHHH” I screamed. Even though me and her been going through so hard things , she is the person I love the most but that doesn’t mean I still have to stay here “YOURE MY LITTLE SLUT ?!” She asked biting my ear “YES BABY NDILILO LAKHO! UMAMA WAM NGOWAKHO MAMA !” (IM YOUR SLUT ! MY PUSSY IS YOURS MOMMY !) I moaned quickly knowing it kinda sound like gibberish “I know my sweet girl, ndiyakuthanda kakhulu ima ndifake intwana kuwe” (i love you so much ima put a little one in you) when she said that I literally fell in love with her all over again bc that’s all I have wished for me and her “you want my bby ?” Shuri say while moaning a little that’s how I knew she was close “ Yes I want that s-s-so FUCKINGMUCH!” I said while throwing it back on her “say less Y/N” she says afterwards was a blur…

I woke up with one of shuri large shirts that looked like a dress on me due to the different height difference I checked the time and seen it was 3pm, did I pass out ?!, when I look to the side I see that shuri was beside me but I also notice he smoothie bottle that was beside her on the night stand… I quickly get up and go on her side of the room to see if it was empty or full and THAT BITCH WAS CLEARED ! I started snapping my finger in shuri face to see if her panther senses was working and thank bass the plant worked but it wouldn’t last for long considering how strong her powers were so hurried up and took the suitcase I hit in the hall closet and pulled on some legging with crocs along with grabbing my , two phones, charger and leaving my letter on my side of the bed so when shuri roll over and see I’m not beside her she would see the letter instead. I hurry and called tranese so she can sneak me pass the boarder since her boyfriend work the exits , as I made it pass the royal guards I froze and started rubbing my belly that started feeling a little overwhelmed when I looked up I seen ayo who winked at me since she knew what was going on as well and wanted me to be happy. I quickly aboard the talon and take off slightly missing shuri already and feeling guilty, but this was a new beginning for me,

And my baby. Until we meet again shuri yam emnandi (my sweet shuri)

Love you shuri Udaku

AKA , Aja-Adanna

#wakanda forever #shuri x reader #shuri x riri #shuri x y/n #shuri udaku #riri williams #shuri smut #riri x oc #iron heart #riri x reader

[dirtbag-linecook-kyloren]

oh sHIT I FORGOT TO POST THIS EARLIER i had an idea for an epilogue scene to an au I haven't written yet and I needed @jaynesilver to see it so I typed it as a warm up for once which i NEVER DO but because it's typed you all get to see it too!!

all you need to know if kylo is a beauty youtuber at abt jeffree star's peak fame levels and Hux is a guy with an engineering job who also streams stardew valley speedruns as a hobby and they're very in love at the end of the fic (that again I haven't written yet)

ANYWAY have 1.6K of beauty blogger au under the cut, I'm gonna keep it out of the main tag bc It's not for a current au and I don't wanna clog it up

Armitage doesn’t read Chat while he’s in the mines, with the small exception of checking to make sure he hasn’t missed a ladder. Most of his viewers are used to this. When the first good luck day of a run comes along, and he makes the loop for foregables around the map, when he skips several cutscenes using exploits and puts years of animation-canceling muscle memory into his keystrokes, Chat dies down, mostly talking amongst themselves. 

Commentary is easier; he can talk and click, talk and type, talk and debate using a cherry bomb on a group of copper ore to save himself a few seconds. 

“I’ll save it,” he tells Chat, shifting in his chair. “If I can use it on iron later, it’ll save even more time.”

This run is going well, so far. It’s his third reset of the stream, but Armitage already has all the copper he’ll need for basic sprinklers and he’s almost through the dark levels. Huffing under his breath, Armitage imagines explaining any of this to his coworkers, can already see the glazed-over look in their eyes. He’s familiar with how they stop paying attention when Armitage talks about his hobby. Gaming, they can understand. Replaying the same niche farming simulator over and over to get the fastest time on a silly leader board? More of a stretch? Do that for strangers on the internet to watch as they pay him money? A step too far. Most of them don’t know what Twitch is, let alone understand why anyone would watch it. 

Kylo shifts in his chair on the other side of the room; it’s quiet enough that Armitage can’t hear it over his headphones, so he doubts the microphone picked it up, but the movement catches his eye. This is their first time having him in the room as Armitage streams. He’s editing, an oversized t-shirt hanging off his shoulder, and Armitage wishes there was time to have more thoughts about that, but he gets one last ladder and moves on to the iron floors. 

“I’m suspicious of how well this run is going,” Armitage says, eyes darting to his second monitor as he works his way through dust sprites. “I’m good at the mines, but I’m saving this seed to see if I can work out a perfection run from it.” 

It’s as he’s reading through other people agreeing that this level of luck is unusual, including a stranger accusing him of using mods as if Armitage would dare bother to cheat instead of just ‘getting good,’ as the kids say. 

BornToSlay: what’s ur skincare routine jesus

The huff of laughter is involuntary; he upgraded his web camera at Kylo’s request, and now it feels like his every fucking pore is captured and streamed. He’s gotten a few comments about it, but beyond technical questions and a single curious person asking why he upgraded, something Armitage lied about, the new image quality has gone unnoticed. Because he’s a good mod, Mitaka has already messaged him that the same user asked about Kylo earlier, and Armitage just missed it. 

They expected this, and they were prepared for this. Kylo’s channel has millions of subscribers on YouTube, he’s arguably a D-List celebrity at this point. Armitage speed runs Stardew Valley as a hobby. They’re operating on different levels of internet fame in different niches, but people have been curious, and some of those people are bound to stop in and watch him break rocks for fifteen minutes while hoping for a bounty of cave carrots. 

Still. Most of them have dropped in, decided his content wasn’t for them, and gone away. Apparently, this user has stuck around for a few streams, and Kylo said it was up to Armitage how much or little they interacted. He’s right there, and the run is going well enough he can afford to waste a few seconds entertaining this line of questioning. 

“My skincare routine is whatever Kylo forces me to do, now,” Armitage says, popping his headphones around his neck. “Kylo?”

When he looks over, Kylo is editing; he’s just also got Armitage’s stream up on his second monitor. He doesn’t bother to pretend he was working when he looks at Armitage, turning in his chair. 

“Someone wants to know what my skincare routine is, and I doubt you trust me to explain it properly.” 

Kylo laughs, and when he stands, Armitage can finally read the text on his shirt, and - Jesus, he’s wearing Armitage’s merch, they’re never going to hear the end of this. He can already see the stream compilations, and Armitage thinks he’s wearing Kylo’s sweater. 

Armitage finally uses the cherry bomb on a chuck on iron and Kylo settles behind him, his chin resting on Armitage’s head and his arms around Armitage’s shoulders. 

“It’s not consistent,” Kylo says, looking at the camera. Armitage can see him in the Streamlabs window, a lazy face of makeup and his hair piled on his head in a messy bun. He looks fantastic, which is to be expected when his entire internet presence revolves around beauty, but Armitage will never get tired of looking at him. Kylo keeps talking, but Armitage tunes him out, focuses on hitting floor forty, getting seven more iron, and then passing out so he can start building furnaces. 

Chat has started speeding up; Armitage doesn’t even have to ask Mitaka to turn on slow mode so Kylo can read anything, he just already does it. Kylo doesn’t have his contacts in, so he shifts his glasses up his nose to read the screen. 

“They want to know if I ever put makeup on you,” he says, and as Armitage makes his way into town to buy seeds from Pierre, he huffs. 

“I’m wearing makeup now,” he mutters, and he knows the mic will pick it up clearly, but he almost wishes it could be an aside. “I’ve been wearing makeup from streams since my first few months. Someone wouldn’t stop talking about my freckles, so I bought some shitty foundation at the grocery store so I wouldn’t have to ban the word.”

Kylo laughs, and Armitage can feel him look down, can feel his thumb drawing circles on his chest. 

EmilysWife: Beauty icon Hux PierreSucks: omg is that how you met

Now it’s Armitage’s turn to laugh. In the few weeks since someone recognized him out with Kylo, the few weeks since Armitage tweeted to confirm that was him, that he wasn’t Kylo’s assistant, it hasn’t come up how they met. They’ve not talked about keeping it a secret, although perhaps Armitage would like some parts of their relationship to stay between just them. 

This seems harmless enough, though. 

“Kylo tells this story better,” Armitage insists, because he loves Kylo, but he’s also cruel. Kylo’s breath is warm against his skin as he hides his face in Armitage’s neck. “Would you like to tell Chat how we met?”

“No...” The words are groaned, drawn out, a tone that perfectly conveys both Kylo’s embarrassment and his willingness to share. He stands up straight, and Armitage misses the press of his body, but he can hear the shuffle of his shirt, can see the chat as his absolutely ancient merch is on display, the screen printing cracked and faded from wear and hundreds of washes. “I was a fan.” 

“That’s shorting them the full story.” Armitage’s tone is teasing as he sleeps, wakes up, loads his furnaces and waters his crops. It’s a cycle of days he could do with muscle memory alone, has done blindfolded for a video on YouTube. “Phasma is a friend of mine, and when she did a video with Kylo, they had to pick up something she left at my house. What were your first words to me, Kylo?” From his spot hiding again, Kylo’s words are muffled. “I’ll tell them, then. He said, and I quote: ‘You talk me to sleep every night.’ That, Chat, was his opening line.” 

Kylo’s head pops up, and Armitage can see his pout on the screen, his playful glare. 

“It worked.” 

Armitage laughs. 

“After seven attempts to make yourself not sound like a stalker, I suppose it did work. Or, alternatively, I didn’t know you were hitting on me until we were on our third date.” Armitage could sound sad here, but he decides against it. He hadn’t been able to imagine a world where Kylo found him attractive. It never occurred to him that Kylo might be interested, so he lusted in quiet, alone at night with his own hand. “I still maintain that those dates don’t count, since I was unaware they were dates.” Kylo’s acrylics dig into his shoulders, and Armitage hisses in mock pain, as if Kylo’s nails aren’t rounded at the tip. “Don’t put holes in your own sweater, idiot.”

Though he attempts to fake angry, the last word comes out soft and fond as he looks up, doing his best to forget they’re on camera for a moment, to forget that he’s streaming this live and that he’ll be hearing about this for weeks. Phasma has already messaged him on Discord; Armitage will deal with her after the stream. 

The press of lips on his cheek is welcome, the loss of Kylo’s warmth less so. He waves to the web camera one last time before heading back to his own desk, putting on his headphones. Half of Chat is talking about his insane luck and all the pumpkins he’s going to plant while the other half still can’t quite believe Kylo was there, and is speculating how many streams he’s been just in the background of. Armitage won’t answer that; he doesn’t want to encourage them to ask for Kylo every stream, though he imagines they will anyway, now that the flood gate has opened. 

KyloAmidala: I normally just watch from the other room, though now I have to settle for replays if my sleep schedule is messed up. 

Armitage can hear Kylo snickering even as he puts his headphones back on.

[quinnthebard]

wip wednesday

still on my Astarion bullshit, this is a snip of a future chapter of my fic Siren Song on AO3. Full rough draft, no editing passes yet, I'm just happy with how it's coming together.

After the encounter with the Gur, Astarion senses that Sarynna is avoiding him and that wouldn't do for his plan to manipulate her so--sigh--he supposes he'll check in on her.

CW: Self-harm

Sarynna had been avoiding him.

Not that it bothered him—not in any way that mattered. It was just such an inconvenience to his plan. He had to ensure she wanted to keep him around lest the others decide he was no longer worth having at camp. Pouting, he stared at the mirror where his reflection did not stare back. Perhaps a show of good faith, checking in on her, was in order. Yes, that’s what friends do. She had squirreled away into her tent nearly an hour ago and hadn’t peeked out since. Maybe he could help.

Ew.

Hopefully it wasn’t anything too bad and they could go back to bantering like fools again. That was fun. Teasing Sarynna was much better than brooding Sarynna and few others were as open to his favored discussion points as she was. In some ways, she was another boon gained after being kidnapped by the ilithids and one he didn’t intend to lose quite yet.

Heaving a sigh, he turned and made his way across camp. He could see the flicker of candlelight through the canvas and hear her rustling within as he approached. Out of habit, he knocked on a pole outside before remembering he didn’t have to be invited in and just strode through the flap.

Then it dawned on him just what she had been doing.

“I couldn’t help but notice that my favorite—” He had begun carefree with his words, expecting her to be simply reading or meticulously cleaning her weapons as she seemed so fond of doing.

Astarion hadn’t expected to walk into her tent to see her bandaging her thigh. First, the scent of her blood was so strong, so suspiciously fresh. Then he saw her weapon out, cast aside, blood still on the blade and glistening in the candlelight. Last, he saw the look of horror on Sarynna’s face, as if she were caught doing something awful.

“What the fuck, Sarynna?” Misplaced anger laced his words and she flinched at the bite behind them.

“It’s nothing. Just wrapping an old—”

“Don’t lie to me. I can tell the difference between old and fresh blood.”

Approaching, he ignored the tension in his chest as she scrambled to hide what she had done from him. As he knelt beside her, her fingers gripped the bandage roll tightly, knuckles white, and on her leg next to the eight scar lines was a ninth newly added, angry, and red.

“Past reminders.” The words were hissed out from between clenched teeth, his jaw aching as he tried to overcome his anger. Anger he didn’t understand. Why would he be upset about this? He didn’t care what she did to her own body. He didn’t care why she’d choose to—

“Why?”

She looked away, staring at the ground. The silence lasted so long, he thought he’d have to press her for answers, demand an explanation but just as he prepared to try again, she spoke. “To remember those that didn’t deserve death.”

He considered their day. The redcaps, the hag, Mayrina’s close call, and— “The Gur.”

“He was just doing his job.”

“He was out to get me.”

“I know. And we did what we had to for ourselves. That doesn’t make killing him right.”

“What else would you have proposed?”

“He didn’t know! He had no clue who you were. By all rights, you shouldn’t have been able to stand before him in the daylight like that. We could have fed him misinformation, lied, misdirected him far away from us and yet safe.”

“You don’t know that would have been enough.”

“I also don’t know that it wouldn’t have been.” Her fingers dug into the dirt floor of her tent. “I don’t enjoy killing, Astarion.”

“Then why did you—“

“I allowed it because, in the moment, it felt like the only way. I take care of my own and—for better or worse—that includes you.” He hated how that stung, but she continued before he could react to them—words tumbling from her mouth as she confessed her guilt.

“That man was a threat but that doesn’t mean I don’t regret what I did.”

“You did what was right.”

“Just because you hate the Gur doesn’t mean he deserved it.”

“The feeling is mutual. They hate me just as much as I do them.” He’d argue they hated him far before the seeds of his own distaste were even planted. For what? He still didn’t know why but they were there and integral in the event that changed the course of his afterlife. That was reason enough for him to foster a healthy distrust of the people.

“You don’t know what they’ve done.”

“Don’t judge the actions of a few on the whole of a people.”

Astarion scowled, unsure how to respond. He knew the Gur and they were not trustworthy but arguing this was pointless. Not while Sarynna laid here bleeding by her own hand. He needed her.

So, taking the bandage from her firm grip, he began to wrap her wound with practiced motions. He’s bound his own many a time before, ensured all was cared for and treated to prevent infection. This was no different—barring the fact that he was treating someone else but the fundamentals were the same.

“You don’t have to.” Her protest was weak, the usual strength and bite in her words lost in the vulnerability of the moment.

“I do.”

And he did. He couldn’t help but feel a little responsible for this—as much as he hated it. They sat in silence as he worked, neither willing to break the tension between them quite yet. It felt as though the world was holding its breath, waiting and watching to see what would happen next.

Would this flimsy alliance fail?

He tied off the bandage, tight but comfortable. Sarynna hardly winced as he did so, unwilling to show discomfort.

Finally, he broke the quiet in a rare moment of vulnerability. “Thank you.”

Her brow furrowed and she hummed in question. Of course she didn’t understand, he barely did. For so long it’s been him against the world, survival his only goal. He never had protection that he couldn’t manifest on his own. Until now.

“Thank you for choosing me. For choosing to protect me.”

“Like I told you before, I protect my own.”

“You’d be surprised by how easy it is for people to turn on a monster.”

A pause. He could feel her eyes on him, surveying him. He refused to meet her gaze, instead pointedly staring at the candle resting on top of a crate, but then he felt her warm fingers turn his head to look at her.

“You are only the monster you choose to be.”

He’s not sure what he recoiled at—her words or her touch. Both felt like alcohol on a fresh wound, intended to heal yet stung with the intensity of a roaring fire. Their truth rang between them as her hand remained suspended in the air, her lips parted in surprise.

“I’m sorry.” Sarynna put her hand in her lap, wincing as it laid on her bandaged wound before she shifted more comfortably. “I just meant… I meant that our choices are what makes us and while I have made some poor choices myself, that doesn’t mean I can’t make better ones in the future. Everyone has that chance.”

“Not everyone.” Spawn don’t. They only have orders and pain and torment and if they exercise their free will outside of their master’s wishes, that too was taken and swiftly squashed.

“Perhaps.”

“But now you do. Right? Along with being able to stand in the sun?”

He pursed his lips. He did have freedom, at least a little. He proved that when he broke Cazador’s edict and fed from her. But acknowledging that meant accepting other truths, taking responsibility for things he’s done. No. He’s what Cazador molded him to be. Nothing more, nothing less.

--------

Bonus from later in the chapter:

He saw her shift her hand, almost reaching out to his before she settled it on the ground beside her, obviously unsure of what was fine after earlier. The restraint was meaningful and he felt a tell-tale twinge in his chest, one certainly not related to his centuries dead heart.

#cw: self-harm #bg3 #bg3 astarion #bg3 oc #astarion x tav #bg3 fanfic #wip wednesday

[cosmos-coma]

Hey!! I really love your writing! All witcher characters are very much on point, it’s amazing😍 i would have an idea for a Lambert fic if you don’t mind! How about reader is very much interested in learning from the witchers and hunting down monsters herself but Lambert is just very overprotective of her and thinks she’s insane for risking her life but in the end reader actually saves Lambert’s ass?? And they get together after that and it’s all fluff?? You can add anything to it, i love your Lambert!💜

Beasts and Books

A/N: Aww, thank you so much! I've been worried about my characterization- especially of Lambert, but I'm so glad you like him! and Okay, so fair warning this isn't edited like my other ones usually are and that's because I got carried away and wrote the longest one shot of my fucking life lol. I hope you enjoy it!!

Pairing: Lambert X Reader

Words: ~4k

________________________

Years ago- back when you were growing up in Velen, you actually started out as a farmer's daughter. Your mothers worked hard, taking care of the sheep, shearing them, and weaving the wool into yarn or bolts of fabric. You had been placed in charge of raising the lambs, rounding them up, and generally keeping them out of trouble. It was a lot harder than it sounded. 

They often fought with each other or knocked over their milk buckets and seemed to do everything in their power to get you just that close to selling them and being done with them. But you knew your mothers would never allow it and so you grumbled and just kept on.

But it was the lambs actually that happened to change your life too. It had been raining all morning and you had almost finished feeding the lambs when “Hold on- One, two, three, four, five- Where is number six?” you questioned, looking to the rest of their little faces as if they’d even have the manners to answer you, let alone the vocal cords. 

You scowled, hiking up your skirt as you stepped around in the muck, trying to find a sign of the tiny little lamb that got loose- the youngest of the batch this year. “Ah-hah!” you exclaimed when you spotted the trail of little hoofprints that slipped past the gate. He must’ve slipped through the fenceposts- he always was good at using his size to his advantage.

“Come on, lamb! I’m not gonna do this all day!” You followed the hoofprints into the forest nearby, prints few and far between as he must’ve been having the time of his life evading you. “Baaaa!” he let out a little bleat from just beyond the shrubs before you.

“Gotcha!” you grinned and popped your head over the shrubs, finding the lost lamb chewing on a rather damp book. “Well now, what have you gotten into?” You asked as you scooped him up, another bleat escaping him as the book fell away from his mouth. It looked like he’d found his way into an abandoned camp. There was a cold abandoned campfire and evidence of a bed roll flattening down the lengthy grass; you found bits of broken leather here and there- probably from someone doing repairs. 

“Looks like whoever it was left in a hurry…” You commented, ignoring the lamb who was now more interested in chewing on the ends of your hair than anything else. You flipped open the worn cover and read the title of the book aloud, “Brother Adalbert’s Bestiary… huh” 

“Y/N!” You heard one of your mothers call from the house; she must’ve come to check on how you were doing in the rain and not seen you in the lamb’s pen. “Coming, Mother!” You shouted in her direction and quickly scooped up the book before trudging back towards the house. 

Once you got back home and finished up with the lambs you parked yourself right in front of the crackling fireplace, drying both yourself and the book as you carefully flipped through it again and again, reading as you dried out its pages. 

‘Ghouls, nekkers, wyverns, barghest, the list goes on and on’  you thought to yourself as you skimmed through the pages, despite having been out in the rain it wasn’t as damaged as you thought it might be, even the notes lining the margins of each entry were still legible. You flipped to the beginning again to make sure the pages were dry when you came upon a little mark on the inside of the cover. It was a little sketchy and messy, but it looked like a little drawing of a wolf head next to the Letter ‘L’.

That was then- now you were a little older- still a farmer’s daughter, but now you were responsible for hunting monsters. You were no witcher, that was obvious- but you still made do. You had studied that bestiary until you knew it like the back of your hand, you saved up all your money to buy yourself a rinky-dinky set of armor and an old sword. You started small- fighting only what you knew you could take on; barghests and ghouls mostly- occasionally you attempted to help rid the swamp towns of bloedziuger, but you had yet to get down the speed you needed when they exploded into acid. 

You ran your fingers over the dappled scaring on your arm, a testament to when you had started out on this path you had chosen. You had used your smarts to set traps for your monsters to make it easier for you as a regular human, earned some good coin, and invested that into better equipment. Now you had a good custom-made silver sword, a sturdy but light set of armor, and were beginning to save up for a good horse too. 

“Alright Miss, this is as far as I’m taking you.” the cart driver had said, pulling his mule to a stop  in the middle of a small village. “You can walk the rest if you really need.” he kept watching you expectantly as you hopped off the back of his cart, making sure he didn't see the few apples you had swiped into your bag. 

“Yeah, thank you…” You murmured and handed him a few orens from your satchel to which he grinned and nodded his head. 

“Much obliged, Miss…” He tipped the edge of his worn-out hat and continued off down the road. 

“Yeah, sure you are…” You let out a sigh and stretched your legs, before heading over to the notice board. “Let’s see what we’ve got here…” 

You glanced it over, seeing mostly trade notices, but it seemed that there were a few notices you could actually fulfill too; wolves had attacked the livestock of one house, while wyvern seemed to be picking up the sheep of another one nearby. Probably were getting bothered by the same monster, but you figured you'd check them both out to be safe. 

You glanced around the town as you stood- it smelled overwhelmingly of animals and stove fires, but your nose had become so used to those over the years that it hardly struck you anymore. A few old women sat out in front of a house, idling and chatting in the late afternoon while chickens clucked and scurried around the streets openly. You guessed there would be a few more hours of sunlight left, so you probably had time to start your investigation before it became too dark for you to see. 

You set out to the other side of town to investigate the wolf contract first, figuring yours get the easy things out of the way first. 

And Thankfully it really was only wolves that were bothering this farmer and you were able to finish up the contract just before the night began to really fall. So you headed back to the local Inn, coin enough for a room now in hand, and maybe even enough for dinner too if you negotiated right. You were fortunate, you knew, that you were completely human- After all, it meant that people almost always treated you better. You didn’t have any problem with nonhumans, in fact, in this line of work you had even met several pleasant ones you'd like to see again- but you also couldn't ignore that you benefited from the way others treated them. 

It had just become fully dark when you came up outside the inn, torches along the road lighting your way back. When you came to the town square you heard a man trying to talk to one of the older ladies you had seen before. 

“Hey, you. Yes, you Miss. Where the hell are all the notices for witchers? I thought this was Velen- you guys always have some sort of shit going on for us to solve.” he said, sounding rather obnoxious as even his horse seemed to huff in protest. 

After grumbling something about ‘kids these days’, she motioned towards you, “apparently you’ve been beaten to it, Mutant. And I thought you witchers were supposed to be faster than us humans…” She snapped back at him with a smug look on her face. 

The man quickly turned to you and now you could see his yellow cat-like eyes and the scar running down beside his right eye. He had worn but rather unique armor and twin blades strapped to his back. 

‘Nope. I’m not dealing with this right now’,  you thought to yourself and quickly slipped inside the Inn. You went up to the innkeeper first thing, getting a room for the night and what little food and drink you could afford with the rest of your coin. Thankfully the witcher still had yet to come inside yet so you tucked yourself in a corner to eat and read by yourself. 

You opened up the bestiary as you ate, looking over the entry on wyverns. You had read this entry over dozens of times, but you didn’t want to risk missing anything that could help you later. 

“One room for the night if you will.” The man from earlier asked, now at the innkeeper's table. 

“Afraid we’re all out of rooms. She got the last one.” The keeper said as he threw a thumb in your direction. 

The turned to look and you were sure he swore under his breath at the exact moment you did before his face twisted into a frown. His footsteps were quiet as he came over to your table, setting his swords down. “So first you take all my contracts, then you take my room. Who the hell are you anyway? You don’t even look like a witcher, you look more like a wannabe knight.” He said callously. 

“Wow, quite the introduction. Are all witchers as charming as you Or do you have them all beat?” you retorted flatly, not even sparing another glance up at him. “It’s just my luck I  guess. My luck and your getting fucked.” you added, chucking a bit at your own rhyme. 

A wicked grin crossed his face and he leaned in closer, chin resting in his hand. “Oh..? You’ve got a bit of a bite in you, huh? I’m Lambert…” He introduced himself.

You looked at him, giving him a quick once-over with your eyes before you cracked a small smile his way and nodded. “I’m Y/n.” 

“Y/n? Well, now I have a name for all my problems. So what’s got you so enwrapped that you can barely look up at me? It’s gotta be pretty good because I’m- Hey, I know that book.” He reached over and took it from right in front of you. 

“Hey!” you yelled and went to snatch it back, but his witcher instincts made him far faster. “That's mine-”

“Where the hell did you get this?” he seemed a lot more serious now as he held up the book and looked back at you, suspicious eyes looking over your face to see any indication of lying. 

“I found it in the woods years ago, its Mine-” you went to emphasize again, but he interrupted you once again.

“No. No, this is mine.” He stated and opened up the inside cover, pointing to the little wolf drawing and the ‘L’. “This is me. Lambert of the school of the wolf. I lost this thing ages ago. I didn’t think I’d ever find it again.” 

You sighed as you watched him look over it with a level of care that was reserved for that of something like a childhood friend. This was the book that had shaped your life up to this point, but…. If it belonged to someone else, isn’t it only right that they have it again? You’d read that thing forwards and backward anyways, what more will it be able to tell you? 

You let out a small sigh but kept quiet as he flipped through the pages when he paused for a moment. “Wait- this note isn’t mine… Neither is this. ‘Afraid of bees and will actively avoid established hives’ , ‘bad climbers. Easy to trap in pits and kill, but will become feral in their attacks. Keep out of reach.’ “ Lambert read aloud, looking from entry to entry at the notes you had written in as you learned. 

“These are… yours? Did you… use this book to become a monster hunter?” He asked, looking at you in a mix of wonder and confusion. “You’ve got to be fuckin' insane- why would a human ever want to become a monster hunter?” after a half second of thought he handed the book back to you, which you brought to your chest possessively. 

“You said it yourself, Velen always has shit going on for you guys to solve. I grew up here and it's turning into something that’s almost too dangerous to live in. I wanna change that.” you shrugged it off as if it was nothing, but what you did held great importance to you.

Lambert was quiet for a moment, something that you gathered was probably unusual for him, as he seemed to take in your words. 

“But-” you started, trying to shift the topic and lighten the mood a bit. “How about to make up for stealing your book and all your jobs I let you stay in my room with me. You set up a bedroll in front of the fireplace or something.” you grinned a bit as you offered, watching his face turn from something serious into a charming smirk that you could feel draw you in a little more than you'd like to admit. 

You two spent the rest of the night chatting and throwing quips back and forth at each other, and before your drinks were done it felt like you had known each other for decades. There was a layer of sarcasm over much of the vulnerability there, but you could see past it easily. 

When you two made it up yo your room for the first time that night you discovered that the one bed the room had was actually a lot bigger than you had thought it would be. There was easily room for 2 people to sleep and still keep a bit of distance if they wanted. 

“Hey, Lambert?” you looked back at him as he came to the door, “not to be too forward, but would you like to just share the bed? I can keep to my own side if you can.” you posed to him and set your stuff down on one side. 

“Sure as hell beats the hell out of a bedroll.” He smiled and dropped his stuff on the other side and began pulling off his armor.

Your brain became like fuzzy static as you watched his tunic ride up through the motions he went through. The thin strip of skin and the distinct line of the ‘V’ his pelvis made was all you saw, but it was all you needed too. 

“Don’t tell me our little monster hunter is getting distracted…” he said smoothly with a little chuckle to his voice. 

Your blush glowed like a radiant lamp and you quickly turned away to snuff out that burning flame. “I just- well. You don’t want your armor on for sleeping? Isn’t it safer that way?” 

“What- are you gonna stab me?” he moved to lounge out on the bed, putting his arms behind his head and exposing his midsection to you again. 

“Well- I. No, of course not.” 

“Well, then I should be fine. Are you just gonna stand there all night?” He said with a huge grin, patting the bed beside him. That bastard knew exactly what he was doing.

“Shut up” you looked away and quickly and quietly got down to your tunic and underclothes. You climbed under the warm covers and pulled the blanket high around your shoulders. “Are you gonna sleep above the covers tonight?” You asked, rolling over to face him and pushing your hair out of your face. 

A smile came over him when he looked over at you, it was softer than the others he had offered you tonight and a little more sincere as well. “I’m gonna be up for a little while. You know us Witchers, we don't really sleep much.” He shrugged and ran a hand through his already pushed-back hair. “Don’t you worry about me, you get some sleep…” 

You struggled to hold back a yawn as you nodded in agreement. “Goodnight, Lamb.” you mumbled before drifting off into a sound sleep.

“Goodnight, little monster hunter…” the witcher mumbled quietly as he watched your sleeping face. He hadn’t felt this… soft sort of feeling before. Something that felt so deep and so real it almost scared him to admit he was feeling it, but as he looked down at your sleeping face he felt ease wash over him. How could you throw yourself into such a profession? Didn’t you know the risks? You even had the choice of it, unlike him…

“Mmph…” you mumbled out as you shifted in your sleep, reaching out for something that wasn’t there. 

Without a second thought, Lambert put his arm in the way of your reaching hands, smiling a bit as your hand naturally found his and you held his arm close to you in comfort. 

“What am I gonna do with you..?” he mumbled into the quiet night once more.

When morning came you woke up to an empty and cold bed, but you weren't sure why that seemed to hurt for some reason…. But within minutes your witcher had returned with breakfast in hand.

“So, we’re hunting a wyvern?” Lambert asked as he handed you a plate. 

“Good morning to you too.” you remarked with a smile, “looks like. We can prepare after breakfast?” 

And so you two did, when breakfast was finished you two gathered up your things and made for the stables. 

“Here, you can ride on the horse. I’ll walk- I hate trying to follow a creature's trail on horseback…” he justified as he helped you up, hands on your waist as he boosted you up. 

“Thanks, Lamb… lead the way?” you smiled down at him, grabbing the reins. 

You two made your way to towards the last house on the way out of town, looking around for evidence of this wyvern and following the blood trail towards what you could only guess would be a nest. 

“So, look-” Lambert started. “Why don’t I just take this one? You know how tricky these draconids can be.” He offered, looking up at you to see your reaction, but it wasn’t exactly what he was hoping for. 

Your brow furrowed and you shook your head. “What? No. I’ve taken monsters on my own before so why should this be any different?” you argued. “No, If you want we can fight it together, but I'm gonna be there either way.”

“Look- I get that you’re supposed to be a monster hunter and all, but why would you want to go ruin a pretty face like that? Why don’t you just keep yourself out of trouble?” he sounded a bit less hypothetical now and a little more like an argument.

“So you think I’m pretty?” you asked with a smirk, trying to turn the topic of conversation. You really didn’t want to have this conversation right now. You’re a monster hunter! And even though you’re still figuring things out you didn’t want it to stop you.

The witcher only sighed at your response. “Yeah, I do…” his words drifted off a bit as he slowed to a stop, his horse automatically stopping beside him. “Hey, I’ll be right back, okay? I’m gonna go take a leak before the fight. First rule of being a witcher you know”, He said and headed off into the thicker brush, his somber tone resonating in your mind. 

“That cannot possibly be true.” you laughed a touch and watched him go, sighing a bit, but taking the moment to get your things ready, bombs and potions from the recipes scribbled in the back of the book. 

But it was taking quite a while for Lambert to come back…

“Come on, Lamb! I’m not gonna do this all day!” You shouted, feeling a sense of Deja vu as you called those words. You waited around a few minutes more until you heard an exasperated and pained cry coming from far off past the brush. 

“Damn it, Lambert!” you yelled as you processed what he had done and stirred his horse into motion, tugging its reins towards said noise. You were angry, to be honest. I mean, did he just think you couldn’t do it by yourself? Did he think that because you were human you couldn't fight like he did?  The thoughts alone made your blood boil and your skin grow hot and itchy as it was whipped by the wind. 

When you finally came onto the scene you saw Lambert rushing around on the cliff's edge, battling the aged draconid all by himself. You practically threw yourself off the horse and into the fight as you came in close. “Damn it, Lambert! You lying bastard!” you yelled and drew the Wyvern's attention to you now as you stabbed your sword into its tail. 

“Don’t yell at me, it was for your own good!” He yelled back as he cast Igni, vying for its attention to come back to him. 

“My own good? You sound like my bloody mothers!”  

“Sweet Melitele, I did it to protect you!” Lambert shouted, looking to you instead of the wyvern now and dropping his guard. 

“Lambert…” you sighed, breath coming out in heavy huffs as you fought off the creature. But you didn’t get the chance to say anything more before the annoyed creature whipped its tail at the witcher and flew off with the last of its strength. 

He had jumped back in just the nick of time but unfortunately didn’t realize how close he was to the edge. With one foot on stable ground and the other about to step off the cliff’s edge, his body's momentum had him off kilter and about to topple over….

“Lambert!’ you yelled and ran towards him, grabbing him by his sword’s sheath strap just in time and yanking him forcefully back onto safe ground. You stumbled backward to safety and landed on the ground right beside your annoying witcher. 

“How’s that for ‘I did it to protect you’?” you huffed in an attempt to catch your breath, nudging Lambert with your elbow as he processed that he had almost died. 

“Holy shit….” he muttered, reaching unconsciously for your hand- much like you had done just the night before. 

You set your sword down and put your hand out to find his. “Lamb… while I admire you trying to protect me I don't want you to become overprotective. I love doing what I do- after all, I chose this path. And I know I'd love it more if I could work side-by-side with you” You looked to him as you talked, watching his expression turn sincere, but not uncomfortable. “I’d love to learn more about monster hunting from you, but don’t count me out just yet, okay?”

Lambert nodded, a smile forming over his features as he squeezed your hand. “I suppose it’s the least I can do since you saved my life… How about we finish off this wyvern together?”

You nodded, a grin spread across your face once again. “Together.”

_________________________

Taglist: @open--till--midnight @writingmysanity @dark-academia-slut @madamemelancholysstuff

If you wanna get added/taken off the taglist or if I've made a mistake just DM me and let me know!

#yesss i love a good lambert #i hope you enjoyed it! i know it might not have been everything you asked for but i got really passionate. #Lambert #witcher lambert #lambert imagine #The witcher #As always im usually thinking of Game!lambert #but you can imagine him however #tw3 #Lambert x you #Lambert x y/n #Lambert x Reader #Witcher self insert #self insert #the witcher fic #the witcher fanfiction #Request me anytime!

[thechaoscryptid]

🌿 ⇢ give some advice on writer's block and low creativity

(ask me writer questions!)

I love this question! I have many thoughts on this and I'll try to make them coherent lmao. I'm pulling out my writing books for this too because in Gentle Writing Advice (pg. 199), Chuck Wendig pretty well summarizes my thoughts:

And therein lies the secret: Writer's block isn't all that bad. Because, if you really think about it, writer's block is sometimes like a warning light letting you know something is off. It is a tremor in the spider's web, or an ill wind blowing. It's doing us a service, as bad as it might feel. Think of writer's block as the voice of your intestinal flora, the choir of hypersentient bacteria in your gut that provides the insight of instinct. You can ignore them and push on - that's okay, too, as long as you fix in edit - and there's also nothing to say our instincts are uinversally correct. [...] My process in this regard needn't be your process: certainly there's value to mashing the accelerator and driving that machine as fast as you can till the thing either gets you over the finish line or explodes in a fiery ball before tumbling down a plot hole big enough to swallow Central Park. You can always fix it in subsequent drafts. The point stands, though, that writer's block isn't necessarily all bad. There's gold in them thar hills. The question is whether or not you can dig for it.

I think writer's block is unfairly maligned. That's my hot take on it. We should spend less time boohooing the fact we're blocked and more time figuring out why it's happening.

Throughout the above book, Wendig talks a lot about the writing process and how your life outside of writing relates to it, and there's also a great section that basically boils down to "block or breakdown," in which he posits that some of what writers consider "creative block" is actually something more serious (mental or physical illness, weird/wrong environment, etc).

Writer's block is my sign to check in with myself on both a writing and personal level to ask what's gone sideways. Sometimes I can push through it with an extra coffee and a little effort. More often, it's my sign to rest, chill out, cool my jets. Take a break for once.

In the same vein, low creativity!

AWFUL thing to experience. Terrible! The worst! There are fewer things I hate more than the times my creative well has turned to sludge and writing is a fucking slog.

And, like writer's block, realizing my well is running dry is a signal for me to stop, step back, and reassess.

I've actually been struggling really hard with both block and being creatively dry for like, four months now. I've been writing fuck all except 100 words of BG3 fic at a time on work breaks, and it's been rough.

What I have been doing?

Reading. A lot of reading, and analyzing style/structure/characterization to figure out what new elements I might be able to incorporate to a new creative project. I've been reading fantasy, sci-fi, classics, writing books, other nonfiction, books on myths - I'm really chewing through titles 😅

Resting. Not forcing myself to sit down and work on projects. I've actually avoided working on writing projects even on days I feel like I can or want to write.

Other creatively involved work. I've been cooking and baking more, as well as doing a lot of zine admin work. Shit that involves creative projects but doesn't necessarily involve creativity. I looooove creative-adjacent work for low creativity times!

Redoing old work. I'm talking like, rewriting and editing 5+ year old work from the ground up. You already have the raw material, and this is an easy, low-pressure way to get back in the saddle OR just keep those writing muscles limber (but also, you canNOT beat yourself up about "oh I was so bad how did anyone ever like this" that's not allowed).

Not putting pressure on myself to perform. This is a huge cause of creativity issues for me, ngl. But over the past two years or so, I've really been working hard at just allowing myself to create at my own pace. I feel, especially in fandom, people feel obligated to churn out content as quick as they can lest they get ignored and forgotten; learning to break out of that "gotta go fast" mentality has done WONDERS for not draining me as quickly, even if it still feels shitty to see more popular writers dropping a new 15k fic every week.

Slowly but surely, my creative well is refilling. My blocks are becoming fewer and farther between and when they do hit, I'm better prepared to know if it's something I can push through and fix later OR if it's something I really do need to sit back and consider.

So yeah!

I guess TL;DR my advice is basically (though easier said than done, I will admit):

Know thyself and thy limits

Step back, get your head clear, and assess

Do non-writing creative work that sparks joy

Remove yourself from the comparison game

#asks answered #monstersinthecosmos

[digital-corruption]

I didn't mean to leave it so long... 😅 I rewrote a fair chunk of the dialogue yesterday, but then I kept falling asleep while editing. 😆

Unrecognisable Part 5

I can’t say showering in some random guy’s bathroom was the worst experience I ever had. I certainly didn’t feel that I had fully removed the stench though even after several washes. The guy's cheap soap and shampoo made it an absolute challenge. I liked to think by the time I finished, being near me was at least tolerable.

After getting out of the shower, I realised the next problem. Deodorant. I checked the man’s vanity, pleading to all the gods in existence for a spray and not a roll-on. I didn’t want to have to choose between my body odor or having to apply a used roll-on. One of the gods out there must’ve heard me because I found a spray. Never have I been so relieved over deodorant.

Out of nowhere, the bathroom door burst open. I shrieked and grabbed the towel around me.

“You’re taking too fucking long!” Jake complained pushing past me.

I watched in shock as he started stripping right next to me without a shred of decency. Immediately, I was distracted by the sight of his toned upper body and the tattoos over both shoulders. I tried to get a better view of them, but Jake shuffled into the stall too fast for me to get a good look.

“Less gawking, more walking,” he tilted his head out of the shower stall with a smirk on his face. “If you nicely, maybe I'll even let you touch later.”

I rolled my eyes and turned away to walk out of the bathroom with the clean clothes to change elsewhere. I left my dirty clothes behind, but I'd come back for those once he was done. Quickly I dressed and towel dried my hair as best as I could.

While drying my hair, I noticed that Jake had opened the man's laptop and big surprise, he'd managed to unlock it. He even left the browser open, which was on the same news site as before. Jake doesn’t accidentally leave these things open, right? I sat down and started skimming through the live updates on us. It detailed how there was a major joint-force operation to apprehend an international fugitive that resulted in several explosions. Several law enforcement dead or injured. To my surprise though, it didn’t refer to Jake as Jake - only as the hacker known as Nym-0s. As I scrolled down further, it continued to say that we had escaped and were believed to be headed south. Checkpoints were being set up on all roads from here to the border. They warned readers that we were to be considered armed and dangerous. Even I was scared of us after reading the page.

At the bottom there was another article titled, “Who is Nym-0s and why is he so dangerous?” I went to click the link, but I was stopped by Jake suddenly leaning over me.

“Only read that if you enjoy fairy tales,” he warned softly, his mouth right next to my ear. “The Grimm kind, not the Disney mutations.”

“Are you saying it’s all lies?” I asked inquisitively.

“I'm saying they are only parroting what they’ve heard from the spin factories. They don’t know me at all,” he stood upright behind me.

I turned to him, saw he was still shirtless and immediately looked away again, “Could you put a shirt on!?”

“I thought you wanted to have a look. Suddenly feeling guilty? Shameful maybe? Like you’re betraying your boyfriend?” he teased.

“So you have been keeping tabs on me,” I raised my eyebrow.

“No, I couldn’t care less what you've been up to,” he insisted.

“Yet you know I am seeing someone,” I pushed.

“Well it’s not everyday I see an old mark on PornHub,” he said nonchalantly.

“What!?” I exclaimed, twisting around to face him.

“Oh, didn't you know? Don't tell me, he never mentioned the camera in the bedroom?” he asked bemused.

“You’re lying!” I shook my head and turned back to the laptop to ignore him.

“No, no, let me show you,” he pushed.

Jake’s two hands suddenly came around and typed the PornHub url into the browser. I would’ve been impressed by the speed and dexterity if I wasn't so distracted by his comments. No way would my boyfriend betray me like that! Jake looked up a particular user that had 28 videos from the past 9 months and clicked on a random video. Sure enough, it was my boyfriend and I doing the dirty in his bedroom. I was so aghast that I was absolutely speechless.

“I have to say, in this one, it's so obvious you were faking it and he didn't even notice,” he shook his head. “That’s nothing to be proud of.”

I felt so sick, I wanted to get away, but with Jake's arms around me, I was trapped.

“Please!” I closed my eyes. “Please stop!”

“Oh MC,” he mumbled in my ear. “You really didn’t know?”

Clenching my fists, I gathered all my strength to politely ask, “Can you please take them down?”

“Unfortunately, we have to get moving now,” Jake placed his hand on my cheek to gently turn me to face him. “But I will take care of it as soon as I can. You have my word.”

He was so close to my face then that I started to notice small things that I missed before. His eyes were soft and gentle as opposed to earlier, but they were sunken from countless sleepless nights. His lips were cracked and weathered, but on the mend. His black hair, hidden by the hood earlier, was short and messy. It still had water droplets gathering on the ends as he hadn’t properly dried it. Damnit, despite the recent revelation, I found myself unable to look away. If he hadn’t been such a jerk all day, I would’ve found myself falling for him all over again.

“Are you ok?” he asked out of concern.

“Oh yeah, I just... I just can't believe he would do something like this,” I said defeated.

“Everyone has their dark side. It's just a case of unearthing it,” he shrugged.

“I thought... I thought he could be the one,” I thought out loud.

“It is better you find out now rather than later, before it is too late,” he sympathised.

“You could have told me sooner,” I frowned.

“I didn’t think it was appropriate for me to mention it earlier. Not with everything that's happened today,” he explained.

“No, you obviously knew about these for a while,” I narrowed my eyes at him. “And yet you never thought to contact me?”

“Honestly, I thought you knew,” he defended. “It hadn’t occurred to me that they were published without your permission.”

“Published? I didn’t even know they existed!” I corrected and paused for a moment. “How many of these did you watch?”

“MC, I didn’t know you were unaware of their existence,” he reiterated while looking away.

“You avoided the question,” I glared.

“I fail to see how that is relevant right now,” he shook his head. “I hardly am at fault for having seen public videos.”

“One, sure. Two, perhaps. Three is pushing it. There are 28 videos here, Jake. Once you realised it was me, did you think to stop?” I raised my eyebrow.

“MC, we can’t stay here any longer. We have to go,” he tried to avoid my question again.

“But then, to even find these in the first place... There’s got to be billions of videos on PornHub,” I pointed out. “Exactly how did you come across them?”

“I don’t recall,” he lied. “But is that really what’s important here?”

“Oh my God, you were looking for dirt on my boyfriend!” I remarked as I stood up. “You hacked, what, his email?”

Jake sighed, “He’s using the same username as the one I found in a leak.”

“I have no words for you right now,” I shook my head.

“MC, aren’t you misplacing the anger just a little? I told you, didn’t I? I didn’t have to. I could’ve kept it to myself,” he tried to reason.

“You waited until it served a purpose for you,” I gritted my teeth.

“And what purpose would that be?” he questioned. “Looks to me keeping quiet would’ve served a better purpose. Now I have to take them down.”

I slapped him across the face, “You got off on them!”

“I didn’t mean it like that! Why the hell would you think I would get off on some prat fucking you!?” he growled. “Can we please go!? I will take care of it later!”

“Yes, we can leave. And the fucking second you sit down at a computer you are pulling that shit down!” I ordered.

“Look, I get you’re pissed, I would be too, but don't take it out on the messenger!” he stressed. “If it's any consolation, you can’t see much anyway because he doesn’t know shit about setting up a camera.”

I shook my head, “No, no consolation at all. I feel so... I feel so... I don’t even know how to describe it!”

“I will take them down, ok? You’ll never see or hear of them again,” he assured me.

“Please,” I sighed. “Can we just act like they never existed? I just can't right now. Not on top of everything else.”

“Of course,” Jake nodded. “We should go. Find something to put your dirty clothes into. I'll erase our history on the laptop.”

I nodded and walked off to the kitchen to look for a garbage bag. Glancing back, I saw Jake putting a different shirt over him - one that hugged his biceps. Shit, he didn't make it easy. Jake noticed me staring again and raised his eyebrow in amusement. I rolled my eyes and went back to looking for a bag. Eventually I found one behind some cleaning chemicals and went to the bathroom to collect my clothes.

As I stepped back out, Jake was closing the laptop back up. He'd already put his hoodie and mask back on. It was a bit painful to see him covered up again. Despite him being a total jerk, no one deserved to live in fear of revealing their identity.

“All right, let’s go,” he gestured.

Grabbing my purse and Jake’s clothes bag, I headed out of the apartment first. Jake followed, making sure to lock the door behind us. As we headed back downstairs though, I noticed Jake playing with a key fob.

“Jake, you didn’t!” I gasped.

“Really? What did you expect?” he laughed. “This was the real objective all along.”

“Won’t he report it missing when he wakes up?” I pointed out in a hushed voice.

“It’s Friday night and he’s passed out drunk,” Jake rolled his eyes.

“You mean he was knocked out,” I corrected.

“It doesn’t matter. By the time he wakes up and is even in a condition to realise the car is missing, we'll have ditched it. Don’t worry, I’ll leave it somewhere nice. Think of it like borrowing it for a little bit,” he smirked.

“Anything else you borrowed?” I frowned.

“Nope,” he shook his head as he rounded the man’s car. Somehow, I didn’t believe him. “Come on!”

Sighing, I opened the passenger door and climbed in. There was still a stench from earlier inside. As Jake started the car and drove off, I opened up the vents, desperate to cycle the air. As Jake hit the motorway, I relaxed back in the seat.

“What about the checkpoints?” I asked.

“Those are out of the city,” he reminded me. “We’re going further in.”

“We are?” I did a double take.

“Best place to hide right now is in a crowd,” he insisted.

“Ok, sure, but they put our photos on the evening news,” I pointed out.

“I already have a plan for that,” he said vaguely.

“Mind sharing with the class?” I raised my eyebrow.

“I will tell you when the time comes,” he answered so nostalgically.

“Ugh! You know how much I hate it when you say that!” I rolled my eyes.

“I do, but I mean it,” I detected a small smile behind the mask as he glanced over at me. "You should relax and rest your eyes. We've still got a way to go before we can stop for the night."

Nodding, I leant back and took his advice.

#duskwood #duskwood fanfiction #duskwood jake x mc #duskwood jake #unrecognisable fanfic

[the-queenoftrash]

Alright I’m gonna try something

Milly’s Raincode Playthrough Post

New to Tumblr so idk this will work but I’m gonna try to keep editing/updating this post as I play through Raincode with my thoughts and stuff. Full spoilers for the game but I’ll mark stuff as I go along. If this works out I’ll do it for other media i experience too! Feel free to check back occasionally as I update this post.

So I think that barrier means now you have to actively click through to read so I should be able to start typing spoils now.

Chapter 0 -

This one’ll be a bit different since I already completed it by the time of typing this but I enjoyed this chapter! It’s been a while since I’ve played danganronpa or watched akudama drive so I forgot how,, unhinged Kodaka was. I also didn’t really follow the marketing material so I thought we were legitimately being introduced to the main cast LOL. Melami’s design was really cute… Yuma and Shinigami’s relationship reminds me of Ryuki and Tama’s from AINI, so that’s to say I enjoyed them.

When first broke into the infirmary I felt like there was some fuckery going on cause the body burned too quickly but I thought that was just a suspense of disbelief moment… I was expecting a simple first case so I was actually tricked. The cart switch was kinda a weird plot point but I didn’t feel cheated tbh.

I enjoyed the gameplay of the labyrinth but it felt a little lonely compared to the class trials. Not gonna hold this against the game yet though cause I know later on other character’s will join you.

Game’ll be fun if it keeps this up!

Prologue -

Now I’m gonna be kinda writing down my thoughts as I go along.

Escaping Kaiji Tang is impossible holy shit

Why do they make him play all the hot characters

I remember Kodaka saying somewhere once he liked writing delinquents/outcasts because they were more interesting, so it’s interesting to see even in a detective game he tried to make that the case

Hm, so there’s gotta be something about the rain. They’re bringing it up so it’s not just an aesthetic thing. Probably some mind control virus or some shit..

Love the city’s aesthetic

RINDO TWEWY?????

Non-binary,,,,, so real

I recognize this girls VA… I know what you are……. But who… OH ITS HARU THATS WHY

THEIR NAME IS NIGHTMARE?????? So real

Luke from Streets??? Damn how did the dub department have this much budget LOL

Yakou,, babygirl,, don’t give up all hope, I am here…

Fubuki is so real tbh I don’t remember anything

Yuma’s gonna unlock an insane forte in the final act isn’t he

Also this music is going crazy btw super chill

The ultimate secret… the 16th detective… lying hidden somewhere in this rain..

Interesting that this game seems to directly follow up Damganronpa V3’s themes of truth vs lies

The end of this game is gonna dumb as hell I can’t wait. Great global mystery? Fuck that’s gonna be so stupid I can’t wait.

Alright that’s the prologue done. Like the characters so far but I’m interested in how the chapters are gonna be set up since this set up doesn’t feel like it fits a ton of individual murders? Idk. We’ll see I guess.

Chapter 1 -

Hm so something to do with voodoo dolls… off the bat I’m guessing whoever the killer is, is associated with Amaterasu and will try to pin the killings on some religious fate or something

Weird that they’re just staying in a hotel when what is basically the government obviously wants them dead LOL

Yakou just let him cook you don’t see the vision of his dish

What if number one is dead and that’s what shinigami knows about him!!!

Cloaked figure that’s the same height as Yuma (short baby man) hm not suspicious at all definitely no time travel twin weirdness happening

Vivia is such an odd little man I like him

Hm the book he’s reading feels like it’s gonna parallel either one of the chapters or the whole game hm… someone who was already dead, making someone come back day by day to do the same thing… number one is dead theory is going WILD

Nail man sounds like a really stupid super hero/villain that flopped after a single issue. Couldn’t stack up to Big Wheel from spider man

SHINIGAMI WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

These load times are ROUGH man

I love that they made the gremlin mascot character that Monokuma was into our ally this time

The peace keepers definitely planted the hammer on the guy they arrested or something

Oh the save icon is halara I wonder who our partner is gonna be

HALARA GO ENBY GOOOO

Damn Halara you can’t just extort a kid like that

Shinigami even if you can’t create money just go like!! Steal it idk girl!!

Surprised the peacekeepers even keep track of the cases

Only the info in the report can be sent to the media so they aren’t just playing dumb, they do know more. Does the nail man work for them?

Danganronpa ⁉️

This killer is extra. You strangle them and then do a big mystery box with nails? Ok bro.

Yuma the culprit literally had a rope how do you think he got down

Alright that’s the first investigation I guess. Is there gonna be more victims or something or is this all we have to work with?

They weren’t walking through the wall they had a fucking rope!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was !! A fucking rope!!!

Seth bring do quiet he needs a megaphone is just like me fr

We’re gonna enter the mystery labyrinth right as the execution starts aren’t we? Is that gonna be a running theme of only using it at the last minute?

Kodaka please make Halara an enby like I heard pre launch instead of a gender reveal plot twist please I wanna like this game I’m begging you kodaka please please I do not trust you

Ah so are these priests our culprit list? Well before taking to them I’m gonna call out the big one.

The nun is way too sus to be the culprit. Saying you’re with the peace keepers? Nuh uh.

Alright so it’s definitely the Servernt or Worshipper I think. I’m leaning towards Servant.

Does Halara’s forte have to do with the intel they gathered and hope they were waiting?

Oh nvm they just told us LOL

That’s a convenient forte lmao

Hm specifying that only a thin person could get through the vent ok so that leaves out the servant since the game was literally making jokes about him being fat

Yknow, respect to the killer for valuing aesthetics lol

Glad they kept the pink blood

Hm so our partner just forgets about the case when they come into the labyrinth? I guess that makes sense since the others are more skilled than us

Halara is so nonchalant lmao

BUSH SETH!!! No wonder he shows up at a tower

Yuma not understanding the concept of ropes is stupid bro!!! I get it but!!!

That nun looking super sussy idk they wouldn’t make it that obvious but

This mansion got me stumped

Nah that throw definitely took the killer a few times 💀💀💀

Hm maybe the third locked room was a copycat cause Halara calls it amateurish and it doesn’t bring us any closers…

Bluffing? That’s how you get false confessions too Halara

Hm phantom Seth is still alive though, there’s more here

IT WAS A COPYCAT I WAS RIGHT

It’s obviously not the kid but I’m trying anyway

Shit

Hm maybe it was the servant since we were most clearly thrown off his trail before. If that doesn’t work than I guess the nun.

Oh by having info it meant the worshipper oopsie

Shinigami you can just possess bodies LOL at least make the confession convincing

Hellsmile is a hell of a last name. Heh. Hell.

I wonder what the point of saving us from Seth is, not like that helps them in any way

HOW DOES THIS KID KNOW ABOUT THE SUB???

Awwwww that’s so cute

Well I guess that’s Chapter 1! I’m liking the game so far but I hope cases get a bit more personal. Danganronpa made things super personal by making the cases about characters you’ve spent hours learning about and ace attorney lets you meet the chapters cast for a while before any dramatics. Raincode hasn’t really offered that in this chapter (it kinda did in ch0 by introducing a fake cast).

Anyway onto ch2!

Chapter 2 -

This Desuhiko dude is kinda annoying ngl

Oh he’s gonna be a murderer in a future chapter isnt he? There’s no way they don’t use his power for the mystery and just have it during investigation

Yakou you are never getting that food

Secret research? Oh god this is gonna get wacky at the end

Shinigami when she sees a teen who doesn’t have boobs touching the floor (ugly)

“The peacekeepers were eager to take the body” and “secret research” oh fuck no Nuh uh no way

I am going to kill desuhiko i think

Stab burn murder kill stabby stab explode rip tear

I’m not prepared to have 50% of this chapter’s cast be completely annoying

Yuma just like me no way

First impressions is the honor student is the killer

Oh I just realized we’re gonna have to kill a high schooler oh

Yuma so skilled his fem voice doesn’t even have to exist‼️

I’m gonna be real I’m not absorbing any of this play

Oh girl’s fucking dead ok

Could Kurumi be the killer somehow????

Ah

Well I was excited to have a connection to the chapter’s mystery as a partner but if she’s being arrested there goes that idea

Everyone thinks Yoshiko did it so it can’t be her

SOMEONE KILL THIS GREMLIN MAN DESUHIKO I HATE HIMMMMM

Martina?? Imposter????? Like??? Among!??? Us???

That’s a lot of mystery phantoms goddamn

I have genuinely no clue who the culprit may be

atp I think all these girls are just haters and did it together

Ok yeah

Oh so they did it as revenge…

oh

Shinigami you don’t *have* to do them like that yknow

ok

The homunculus is gonna be made of the corpses isn’t it fuck off Nuh uh no way girl I am not sleeping if I see that thing

Oh is Kurumi gonna be a reoccurring character now?

Vivia sus as hell he’s definitely got his own death god or something

So Yomi believes in his justice it’s just his justice is fucked up that makes more sense

Martina get the FUCK out of there

WHAT

…

And that’s chapter 2! The game is just getting better and better so far, really enjoying it.

Chapter 3 -

Masked man?? Mother 3?? Real?.

So, Makoto is definitely clone Yuma or something crazy like that

I hope he’s not evil I like this fucked up little rat

Yeahhhhh Yuma and Makoto are related I’m just that good a detective

Local kid(?) gets kidnapped twice in a row, wins record

Given the posters I’m assuming these are some sort of rebels

Oh please tell me they didn’t actually kill the agency before a Fubuki chapter……

Whatever this chapter’s case is, one of these people is the killer. I’m saying the old man.

Idk why we have to run this guy seems fine even if his comrades are way too trigger happy

Making the enemies of a game about murders and a death god supposedly “immortal” is interesting

Ohh what if a culprit is immortal and we can’t destroy their labyrinth because of it

FUBUKI!!!!!!!!!! <3 she’s,,,, just like me,,, fr,,

I love kindhearted dummys. Galo, Milly, Fubuki, Kronk. My beloveds.

FUBUKI THEY CALL YOU WHAT??? GIRLIE?????

NOOO THE REBELS WERE NEEDLESS TERRORISTS 😔😔😔😔

blow up ameterasu buildings not schools!!! Or make sure no civilians are around!!!!

What is the point of this being a game this serves no one

Girl can TIME TRAVEL???? Huhhhh????

Shachi’s gonna be dead when we get to roof won’t he

Yuuuup

My guess is this was a coordinated effort by everyone else since they thought he was holding them back

I did not understand that 2nd bomb puzzle but I got it so ok

The resistance wasn’t blowing up random civilians instead of peacekeepers we won (unless this old guy’s completely bullshitting)

I wish you could use forte’s in the labyrinth I feel like it’d make for a lot of unique scenarios

Girl who jumped on a moving vehicle earlier: “I’m bad at jumping”

If this was a suicide who would die at the end of the dungeon? Would he come back to life?

I’m not even gonna lie all of this for a bank robbery is kinda fucking stupid very solid case of chapter 3 syndrome let’s fucking goo

At least Fubuki carried

KODAKA AFTER V3 YOU CANT HAVE VIVIA CASUALLY BREAK THE 4TH WALL

Sooooo we did all of that for nothing this truly is a case 3 syndrome moment

Shinigami recognizes Vivia he definitely used to be her master…. But isn’t she with us until death…. Wait is he a homunculus?

WAIT A FUCKING SECOND DOES HE SAY I WANNA DIE ONE DAY CAUSE HE CANT CAUSE HES AN IMMORTAL HOMUNCULUS

MAKOTO IS WHAT

What was he cooking

Nah I do NOT trust this submarine

I’m gonna let Vivia cook here

Alright that’s chapter 3. I was so with this chapter right up until the end where it kinda fell apart. Oh well. Gotta have case 3 syndrome or it wouldn’t be a true danganronpa successor. Anyway, I’m assuming we learn about Vivia next… hope I’m right about him being a homunculus

Chapter 4-

Kurumi wouldn’t an area Amaterasu not want you to go to be an opportune place for secrets

Corpse disposal… to be made into experiments…

Makoto is so funny he’s just here he’s just a smelly little rat man

I feel like Makoto is gonna be the murder victim here with him hyping up how Yuma is gonna die in the lab but obviously that won’t happen

The intruder is probably Vivia isn’t it

Is Vivia one of the hitmen hired to stop the WDO?

That short peacekeeper is desuhiko isn’t it

Yeah

NONO NO NO DONT TELL ME THE CHIEF IS DEADN NO INONONONONO

FUCK

I’m about to hire a hitman for the hitman fuck you Fink

Shinigami is having us remember all these forte’s and the chapter is about an “insider” god it’s one of the detectives isn’t it

Rip vivia is a homunculus theory

GODDAMN PHANTOM YOMI GOES HARD

This mystery labyrinth is fucking with my head I got no idea what’s going on

Oh wait if the doctor was escaping then he just faked his death, got caught by Yakou, killed him, and then fucked off. That’s why the hooded man had a lab coat. I think I solved it on the “motive” side route I’m just that good.

He would need a body double though I guess….

I like how twisty this mystery labyrinth is getting

So if the culprit is dead.. then yakou…

Hey why is the blood on Yakou’s design red when it’s supposed to be pink? At least I think? That’s supposed to be blood??

Oh shit there’s more?

I hate how solving the mystery labyrinth basically does nothing for us and we’re always just bailed out anyway. I guess that’s the point? Knowing the truth is enough? But in the past we’ve lied about why they died.

Is my memory failing or Martina more pale…. Homunculus……….

Why would they hide a man that important in an HQ

oh

Well that’s chapter 4! Really really good chapter. Kept me wondering and I was kinda thrown off by Fink looking like the Dr lol. This was for sure the best mystery labyrinth as well, super twisty and confusing and the death matches were way more intense. Cant wait to solve this mystery in…

Chapter 5 -

Alright now we get into the monster corpse homunculus stuff

WHAT THE GIRLS FROM SCHOOL FUCK

I knew we’d probably get a homunculus of dead characters but I didn’t expect straight up zombies of them

Wait WaitWAITWIARIRIWIAISIT

THE MEATBUNS OH GOD

What the FUCK

FUCK ARE WE GONNA GET CH0’D AGAIN FUCKFUCK FUCK I NEVER THOUGHT ID BE SO SAD TO SEE DESUHIKO’S CORPSE

I’m trying to figure out who this announcer is. It doesn’t sound like number one but…

YO CHAPTER 0 CHARACTERS I FORGOT ABOUT THEM

Man this is fucked up

The void century? Nah the blank century mystery.

What is the “Unified Government” needing military force for, they’re unified 💀

NOT ZOMBIE YAKOU 😭

Oh it’s makoto… maybe he can see shinigami cause hes us

Is the escaped homunculus Makoto/us

Yup the meatbuns are…

Wow it’s weird seeing the city in full sunlight lol

I fully expect makoto to fake being frozen in time

YEAAAAHHHHH HARD READ

Damn this is a pretty labyrinth

EVERYONE???

THE PINK BLOOD IS A PLOT POINT??????????????????? WHAT THE FUCK OH MY GOD ARE YOU KIDDING HOLY SHIT????????????

Oh my fucking god

AND NOW WE HAVE A DUEL WITH MAKOTO DAMN???

OH HE’S HERE CAUSE WE TOOK HIS HAND OH MY GOD

MAKOTO IS US I FUCKING KNEW IT

So was the old number one just a figurehead?

OH THATS WHY THE RANDOM RAMEN GUY KEPT GETTING FOCUSED ON

OH AND HE RUNS A FOOD STAND CAUSE HE CAN COOK

This ending is kinda peak

Gonna keep going through the epilogue like this

I like seeing the kanai culture after this

What how are they alive??? Are they homunculus?

Makoto what the fuck what was the point of that

#raincode #master detective archives: rain code #danganronpa #kazutaka kodaka #idk I should come up with a tag for these probably

[pngboomer]

Things that help with focus/productivity, while I'm thinking about it.

This is by no means a comprehensive list but as someone who struggles with keeping up with workflow (especially going back to college), and balancing taking real breaks and how my brain works/keeps up with tasks, I've tried a lot of different apps, methods, and other such stuff -- especially stuff targeted toward ADHD brains and such.

So here is a non-exhaustive list of things I've tried and my rough opinions on them. A Disclaimer: I prefer handwriting things and tend to lose or forget things if they are on a screen. So please take any application/browser use with that grain of salt.

Notion

Calendar, wiki-maker, to-do list tracker, automation and innovation that excites. I get very overwhelmed in Notion, there's so much you can do there, but I get the interest in how it works and such. I use it to track my reading list (a snippet shown below) and a few other things that I don't really want to put somewhere else (because the tables on Notion auto-format, which is nice), so it's like a good 4/10 for me.

Obsidian

The markdown file creator and organization vault system. It's daunting to get into, a bit confusing at first, but there's a ton of videos on how to get started and how to get organized and it's so nice to have everything link together in a way that follows a legitimate train of thought. You will have to force it to be your second brain, but I like it so much better than other note-taking apps. 9/10 (it is so terrifying to get into). Bonus, though, look at my baby:

Google Calendar

yanno, one of the OGs. I want to use Microsoft calendar but that application has crashed every device I have tried to open it on. Google Calendar is good for organizing events, doing all the stuff calendar's do, and setting up recurring events and editing them with little hassle. I don't work in a team or need anyone to look at my calendar's except me, so I can't speak to that functionality, but I know it's used by a lot of people for that reason. 7/10 just because I only recently learned how to customize colors.

Microsoft Calendar

just to be fair. It would be an amazing application: integrated to-do list that is in-app, a very clean weekly look, sticky notes, all of it is hooked directly into the window you're looking at your emails at, it can auto-set reminders on a separate tab for you. Except, again, it has crashed every single piece of technology I own, including my university desktops. Just from opening it. 2/10 for wasted potential. If it works for you, I am so happy for you, but I cannot get it to work for me and that's what I'm focused on here.

Bullet Journaling

Another classic. Ryder Carrol was on something else. Quick, efficient, a great way to use up the notebooks you bought that you swore you'd use and then didn't touch for months because it "wasn't the right thing to use it for". You don't need the special dot-grid book, you don't need fancy fucking layouts. You just need a pen, some kind of notebook, and a list of things you need to get done. I love being extra about it, but there's no reason to. It's a good planner, I like having a physical copy of my life to look at and organize my thoughts with, and it's fun to do. 9/10 for easy onboarding and versatile creativity.

Various "Calendar/tracker/etc" Apps

I've gone through the gauntlet on these. Productivity apps that "plant a tree" so long as you don't use your phone so you can get stuff done, group calendar programs and browser applications, minimalist to-do lists on your phone, maximalist to-do lists on your phone, Habitica, etc. Fully ymmv on any of those, I do recommend checking out the to-do lists if you need them, but unless you have a team to manage, you don't need a calendar that isn't Google/iCal/Microsoft realistically.

Sticky Notes

Bad. Terrible idea. I hate doing it, I never remember them, and it feels wasteful. If it works for you, I'm so happy for you (genuine), but I hate it. 1/10.

White Board

Like a physical one. Full opposite of Sticky Notes, I'm not gonna lie. It's delightful, I love having it, it's not wasteful in the same way, and there's a satisfaction to erasing shit off that board. If you can afford a big one, get a big one. I have a desk one and I love it it's so nice to have. 10/10 no notes.

There's not a lot else I can think of at the moment, but thank you for reading if you've gotten this far. I do have YouTube recommendations if you would like to learn to use (say) Obsidian or Notion. I also have videos on formatting Google Calendar.

#personal #productivity

[a-library-cat]

A review of Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao @xiranjayzhao

Publishing info:

First Edition published in 2021 by Penguin Teen Canada. My copy is a first edition that I purchased brand new.

General info:

This book is for a young adult audience. Genres include Sci-fi, fantasy, and LGBT+. One main character and POV. A love triangle that turns into a polycule.

StoryGraph page

My overall score is 5 out of 5 stars, and I would recommend this book to sci-fi lovers, mech anime fans, Chinese history buffs, and people sick of YA love triangles. Notes under the cut (spoilers):

Wu Zetian said Fuck the patriarchy. Also gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss.

This is one of those books that probably wouldn't have been rated as high, if I hadn't burned through it in 2 hours. Not because it's an easy or short read, but because it's one of those books that you can't put down once you start it. I already had my eye on this book before publication, simply because the author went viral (for completely unrelated reasons) before the book was out. It was also one of those books that I knew I would fall in love with, so it was one of the rare instances where I bought a book brand new without reading it first, because I knew I would like it. I love this book and story so much that I have to keep myself from preordering the sequel, Heavenly Tyrant. Give coin, receive sequel?

Pros:

The worldbuilding is based off of mecha anime tropes, Chinese mythology, and the life of the real Emperor Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. It sounds like a weird combination, but it all works really well together.

I love the characters. Zhao clearly is very attached to all their characters, because they're all written very well. They're all horrible people, but they are also people that you want to see succeed, and by the end of the book you're rooting for them. Your heart is also breaking for them. I love Li Shimin so much, he deserved better.

The love triangle is so good! A lot of people joke about how love triangles are dumb and how everything would be solved if they just all fucked together. Of course, this isn't necessarily true with every love triangle, but Zhao made it work! They even made it an essential plot point, so it would tie back into the narrative and character arcs.

A! content! warning! I love this! This is a very dark book, with dark themes and explicit violence at some parts, so it was much appreciated! I wish more books would do this so I don't have to rely on Does the Dog Die.

Cons:

This books feels rushed, in a "I had a fucking word limit" way. I believe Zhao confirmed that Penguin made them cut their word limit down significantly, so I can't necessarily fault them for it, but it's still disappointing.

Zhao also said that the original script was a lot darker and more explicit, and all I can say is I want the directors cut. To be serious, I feel like this series would've had more room to breathe as an adult sci-fi rather than YA, but I'm not sure what Zhao wanted and what their literary agent thought would sell. I can only hope Penguin gave them more wiggle room for the sequel.

These characters are not... good people, to be blunt. While this isn't a con for me personally, a lot of people like reading books where the protagonist is also a hero/good person, so I feel like I should add this for those people. Tbh the real Wu Zetian was shady and Zhao does not seem like the kind of person to sugarcoat history for a wider audience.

If you made it this far go check out Zhao's YouTube for more info on Iron Widow, Wu Zetian, and Chinese mythology/history/culture!

#iron widow #xiran jay zhao #wu zetian #li shimin #lgbt books #ya books #book review #the minute heavenly tyrant drops i will be buying it #most likely on bookshop so i can support my local bookstore

[khoicesbyk]

The Royal Romance.

Love Everlasting.

A/N: I had a different name and plot for this fic over a year ago. But after being in the RP community for more than a year, I've decided to write the current Royal Life of my favorite OTP.

Rated: Mature (at times can and will be Explicit. I'll be sure to change the rating when and if that happens). | Contains sexual content and strong language. (You know? The usual. Y'all should be used to this from me by now 😁) | Bolded and/or italicized words are conversations and thoughts of the characters. | Main Characters: King Marquise Rys (LI) and Queen Shanelle Miller-Rys (MC) | All Characters and names: (except MC and original characters created by me and/or other authors [their characters have been mentioned and/or used in the story with their permission] ) are property of Pixelberry.

Current Word Count: 40K words. (may be slightly more or may be slightly less. Look, I stop counting after editing and re-editing and driving myself insane. 🤷🏾‍♀️).

If you’d like to be added to my tag list. Just reblog or dm me and I will gladly add you! 😁😘

This series is rated Mature and/or Explicit. It is NOT reading material that is safe for those under 18. Reader discretion is STRONGLY advised!

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Tag List: @choicesficwriterscreations @shewillreadyou @txemrn @twinkleallnight @peonierose

This goes without saying but MAJOR SHOUTOUT AND THANK YOU TO @shewillreadyou! I swear! She always helps me untangle the tangled mess that is known as my brain when it comes to writing and story ideas. I love you girl! 😘

Listen this chapter has 8 different ideas and story plots that I had all dumped into one chapter. Hence why it is so damn long. I just kept writing until I knew it was done. This will be a four-part chapter. This is part one.

Chapter 7.) One Last Goodbye. Part 1.

Shanelle was sitting at her desk going over her business model for Rys International with a fine tooth comb, when her phone started to vibrate. When she looked at who was calling her on FaceTime she rolled her eyes. It was her best friend's twin brother Cassian, who just happened to be her childhood ex-boyfriend.

“Hello?” 

“What the hell is wrong with you Shanelle?” he asked. 

“Excuse me?”

“When were you going to tell me Nina was in rehab?!”

Shanelle looked around like she was hearing things. 

“First of all, who the fuck are you talking to like that? Second, I didn't tell you because it wasn't my story to tell.”

“I had a right to know!” he snapped at her. 

“Cass. You got one more time to raise your voice at me before I make you a distant memory.”

Cassian backed down.

“When did this all happen?” he asked. 

“The night she came home,” Shanelle replied.

Cass shook his head. 

“Well, that explains why you walked right past me and didn't say anything that night at the hospital.”

“Your memory must be slipping. Because I stopped talking to you long before she came home. Why the hell would I have talked to you that night?” Shanelle asked. 

“Because I'm her brother Princess,” he replied.

“That's Queen you dick!” she hissed. 

“You should've told me, Shanelle.”

“Okay, I'm gonna say this again. No, I shouldn't have.”

“I'm her brother. I should've been kept in the loop.”

“Exactly. You’re her brother. Not your father. Although you constantly like to act like your dad.”

Shanelle watched him roll his eyes.

“How did she even get to rehab?” he asked.

“Not that I owe you an explanation but, remember when she moved in with me when I worked in D.C. for a few months?” 

“Yeah, what about it?” he asked.

“That was the cover story we came up with to put your parents at ease. The truth is she wasn't staying with me, at least not the whole time. She was an hour away at an inpatient rehab facility in Virginia. And before you go flying off the rails, I called and checked on her every day. And she was allowed to come to my place on weekend passes. I made sure to keep up with the staff treating her. And when she got clean and felt strong enough, she went back to New York, and moved in with Chut and continued at an outpatient rehab facility.” 

“And you didn't think I needed to know any of this?” he asked Shanelle.

“Nope. Not in the least. My priority was her and her well-being not you and your need to know. Besides, the last thing she needed at that time was you and your constant condescendence.” she replied.

“That is not fair and you know it Shanelle.”

“Yeah well, neither is life, Cass. But hey! We all gotta deal with it somehow.” 

“Whatever.”

“Yeah. So are we done here?” she asked. 

“No. I'm not letting you off the hook that easily,” he replied.

Shanelle groaned. 

“Last time I checked, I don't answer to you. Hell, I don't answer anyone for that matter.”

“You could've told my parents. Hell, you could've told Chut or my brother. But you decided to keep your mouth shut. You decided to keep her family in the dark.”

“Yeah, I did. Because I had to, she begged me to keep quiet. It was the only way she would ever agree to go to rehab. So I swore to her that night that I would take it to my grave. Only she and I would know. She needed help, Cass. And I did what I had to do to get her that help. And if it bothers you that I didn't tell you or anyone else, then it's just gonna have to bother you. Because I will never apologize for helping her and not telling you about it.” 

“You have a really misconstrued view of what loyalty means Shanelle.”

“First of all, go fuck yourself. Second, hello pot. My name is kettle. You wouldn't happen to be calling me black, would you?”

“I would've told you if the roles were reversed, Shanelle.”

Shanelle rolled her eyes. 

“A.) you’re lying through your teeth. Which means  B.) you wouldn't have said a damn thing to me.” 

“I'm not lying.”

Shanelle pinched the bridge of her nose.

“I know I've said this to you before Cass, but I'll go ahead and say it again for old time's sake: you are a terrible fucking liar. You have a Tell, you idiot. And it's quite literally the easiest thing in the world to spot.” 

She watched him cut his eyes at her.

“How did you even find this rehab place in Virginia?” he asked.

“The Cordonian Consulate hosted an event for a D.C. charity that provided rehab services to veterans. So I called the director of the charity and he put me in touch with the rehab facility and the rest is ancient history. Or it should be.” she replied.

“So you got her in for free?” he asked.

“Nope. I had to pay for it.”

“How were you able to do that?” he asked.

“I did what I always did. I signed my father’s signature on a check,” she replied.

“You committed check fraud?! What is wrong with you?!” he asked.

“Oh, I'm sorry. Are you complaining? You? Mr. ‘Hey Nelle. Listen um I don't mean to ask this but I'm a little short this month, do you think you can help me out a little bit?’ Are we really having THAT conversation?” 

Cassian kept his mouth shut.

“Oh, well would you look at that? Sweet silence!”

Cass let out a frustrated sigh.

“How much was the check?” he asked. 

Shanelle shrugged.

“$9,800.00 for six months inpatient,” she replied. 

“Does your father know you forged his name on a check that big?” 

“No, he doesn't. At least he doesn't know about it to my knowledge. But my husband knows about it.” 

“Oh so you can tell him but you couldn't tell me?!” he asked.

Shanelle rolled her eyes.

“No, I didn't tell him. There was a 7-day hold put on the check because it was way over the international limit of $5,000.00.” she replied.

“Meaning what?” he asked. 

“Meaning that since it was written from my dad’s Cordonian Account, it had to be cleared by The Royal Treasury. And at that time, Marquise was the head of the Treasury so he was the one who had to clear it.” she replied.

Cass scoffed.

“So he busted you?” he asked. 

“Yeah. He figured out that my dad didn't write the check, so he called and asked why I wrote a check that big. All I told him was it was an emergency and that I needed the check cleared immediately. He cleared it and warned me never to write a check that big without telling him first. Otherwise, I would've had to get approval from either his father or my uncle at the time. And he knew that I would rather have a root canal from Edward Scissorhands without any Novocaine than face either one of them.” she replied. 

Cass shook his head.

“You're lucky I don't have my badge anymore.”

“Oh bitch, please! Even if you had that stupid ass badge you still wouldn't have been able to do shit about it.”

“I could've busted you for check fraud Shanelle.”

“First off, you God awful twat, you were a low-level marshal! You couldn't bust anybody. Second, Diplomatic Immunity exists for a reason. Third, even if you were somehow able to bust me for it, you'd then have to turn around and explain every single check that I ever wrote for you, because of course there is a record of each check.”

She watched a muscle in his jaw tick.

“So in conclusion, I'm gonna need you to get off your self-righteous high horse. Because you are no hero. You love to act like one because you have a severely fucked up hero complex that isn't satisfied unless you’re riding in on your white horse to save the day, but you sir are no hero. Far fucking from it.”

“You always did know how to cover your tracks.” he sneered. 

“I know you mean that to be an insult Cass, but I'm choosing to take it as a compliment. Because you’re right, I do know how to cover my tracks. That's why I'm a lot better at playing the game called life than you are.” 

She watched as Cass rolled his eyes.

“Now, are we done?” she asked.

“I should be even more pissed at you than I actually am.”

Shanelle rolled her eyes.

“My dear Cassian. Allow me to say this so that it is crystal clear: I don't give a flying fuck about you being pissed at me. I did what I had to do and I would do it again.”

“That's the problem. But I am thankful that you were there for Nina. And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that.”

Shanelle scoffed. 

“Classic Cassian Keane ladies and gentlemen. You are STILL the same pigheaded, impulsive, arrogant idiot that you have always been. You never change.”

Cass shook his head.

“Could be worse. You could've called me a son of a bitch.”

“Nope. Calling you a son of a bitch is an insult to your mother. I'd rather just call you a piece of shit.”

Cass sighed.

“Thank you, Shanelle. I don’t understand why she didn't lean on family. But at least she had you to turn to. And whether you believe me or not, that means a lot to me.”

Shanelle scoffed. 

“You're right. I don't believe you. Not for a second. Because knowing you, you don't mean it. But you’re welcome all the same. She would've done the same thing for me.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Good. Now get ya sorry ass off my phone.” 

“Bye Princess.”

With that Shanelle hung up the phone with a groan, just as her husband walked into her office.

“Uh oh. I know that look on your face. What happened?” he asked her.

“You will not believe who just called me,” she replied.

Marquise started to guess.

“Your father?” 

“Nope.”

“Your cousin?”

“I would never be that lucky.”

“Okay then who called?” he asked.

“Good old Cassian Keane,” she replied.

Marquise rolled his eyes. 

“Why did he call you? Also, why does he still have your number?” he asked.

“A.) It was a FaceTime call. B.) it was about Nina,” she replied.

“What about her? Is she okay?” he asked as he sat on the edge of her desk.

“She's fine. Do you remember the check I wrote from my dad’s account a few years ago for almost $10,000.00?” she asked.

“Yeah. What about it?” He replied.

“I wrote that check so she could get into rehab without anyone knowing.”

Marquise nodded.

“That's what you meant by it was an emergency.”

“Yeah.”

“So how did he find out about it?” he asked.

“Nina’s personal page on Instagram went dark a few days ago. And nobody could find her. So Cass and Lo hopped on a plane to New York and when they got to Nina’s they found Fentanyl in her bathroom.” she replied.

Marquise exhaled slowly.

“Damn.”

“It wasn't hers.”

“Then who's was it?” he asked.

“It was Sam’s.”

Marquise choked on a laugh.

“Wait! Are you telling me that Sam Dalton is using?” he asked.

“No. At least I hope not. It apparently belonged to his dead wife. And he carries it as a reminder to not be neglectful and be present in someone's life.” she replies.

“So, what does any of that have to do with you?” he asked.

“The boys got the girls and me together to talk about it and I let it slip that she had gone to rehab.” she replied with a sigh, “I can't believe I didn't trust her enough to know she would never go back. She probably hates me right now.”

That's when Marquise stood up and then pulled her to her feet and into his arms.

“Stop that. She doesn't hate you.”

“You don't understand, I promised her that no one would ever find out. Not even you. And I panicked and blurted it out to our entire family.”

“My love, that just proves why you’re her best friend. You kept this a secret from even me, your husband, for a reason. Just so you could protect Nina. You shouldn't feel guilty about that.” 

“You sure?” she asked.

“Positive,” he replied before softly kissing her forehead. 

“Then why do I feel so horrible?” she asked.

“Because I know you. I know how your emotions work. You feel like you betrayed her but I promise you that you didn't. She's not gonna love you any less because you told everyone. My love, you helped save her life. She can never hate you for that.” he replied. 

Shanelle smiled softly.

“I don’t know why I'm so in my head about this.”

“Because that idiot called, riled you up, and it upset you that's why. You swore to your best friend who needed help at one of the most difficult times of her life that you wouldn't say anything. And no matter how upset your ex is, even he can't hold that against you.” 

“How much do you wanna bet that he will?” she asked. 

“If he does then I will deal with him,” he replied. 

“Ever the Knight, my King.”

He chuckled low.

“For you? Always my Queen.” 

Just then there was a knock on her office door from an attendant carrying a large box. 

“Pardon me, Your Majesties. But this came for the Queen, and I was instructed by Mrs. Geaneaux to deliver it to you.” the attendant said as he set the box down. 

“Thank you very much,” Shanelle replied with a smile.

“You're very Welcome, my Queen.” the attendant replied before he walked out. 

Marquise looked at the box with an eyebrow raised. 

“Now what could this be?” he asked as he reached for the box.

“Quit being nosy! It's addressed to me. Not you, Your Majesty.” Shanelle replied as she swatted his hand away.

“First of all, ow! That was uncalled for! Secondly, it's in my palace.”

“Our palace sir.” Shanelle corrected him.

Marquise shook his head with a smirk.

“Okay fine. It's our palace. Now, what's in the box?”

“What do you care?” she asked. 

“Call it curiosity killing my cat,” he replied. 

Shanelle rolled her eyes good-naturedly as she read the shipping label on the box.

“Ahh. This must be one of the boxes I had when I moved back to Boston. The shipping label is covering what it says is inside it.”

“What's in it?” he asks.

“Nosy ass!” she replied.

“Very. Now let's open this box.”

Shanelle took a letter opener out of her desk and opened the box. In it were several old photos, old birthday cards, her old diary, her high school yearbooks, and one item she had completely forgotten she had packed. 

“Why do you have a jacket in this box?” Marquise asks as he peered inside.

“It's not mine,” she replied as she glanced at it.

“Okay, then whose jacket is it?” 

“This is Cass’s letter jacket that he got our senior year.” 

“Why do you still have his old letter jacket and why does it smell like mothballs?” he asks. 

“Because he left it at my parent's house and never came to get it before I moved. I must've packed it out of habit.”

Shanelle saw the look on her husband's face and raised an eyebrow at him. 

“You're not jealous are you, Your Majesty?” she asked teasingly.

“Hardly,” he replied. 

“Liar.”

Marquise gave her a side-eye.

“I'm not lying.” 

“Marquise, the same way I know when Cass is lying is the same way I know when you’re lying. You two dumbasses wear your jealousy, annoyance, and anger on your sleeves.”

Marquise had a disgusted look on his face. 

“Did you just compare me to your ex?” he asked. 

Shanelle shrugged with a smirk.

“I can not believe that you just compared me to him.”

“Not my fault you and him are two sides of the same idiot coin.”

“I don't have to stand here and take this slander from you! I'm a King dammit!”

“You forget how easily I can read people. Especially the two of you.”

“You dare insult your King?!” he asked in mocking disgust.

Shanelle winked at her husband.

“Yes, I dare to insult my King,” she replied with a smirk that matched his.

“That's it! I'm leaving! I will not just stand around and be insulted like this!”

Shanelle shook her head with a smile.

“See you later babe.”

“I'll see you later, my love.”

With a quick yet sweet kiss, Marquise was out the door. Leaving Shanelle to reminisce about her past life. Before she had kids, King, and a kingdom to call home.

As a kid growing up in Brooklyn, life was as simple as it gets for Shanelle. Her dad worked at the United Nations as Ambassador of Cordonia and her mother was a 5th-grade teacher at the time. She had her best friends Nina and Chutney. The three amigos. They were always together. Always running every classroom they were in together. Especially her mother’s 5th-grade class. Try as Shantel might, she couldn't separate the girls. 

And then there was Cassian. He was her childhood sweetheart and she was his. They had been together for as long as she had known him and his twin sister. When her grandfather died, Cass was there. When she needed him, he was always there. Whether or not he liked getting bossed around by her was another story. Like the one time, they went to the movies.

“How much farther?” he asked her over his shoulder.

“Just a few more steps. Stop complaining,” she replied.

“My arms are getting tired, Princess.”

“Well, that's what you get for having pseudo-chivalry.”

“What does that mean?” he asked.

“It means you don't want me to carry anything because according to you, the guy in the relationship never lets the girl in the relationship carry anything, just for you to turn around and constantly complain about having to always carry everything,” she replied

“Okay, if I drop all this stuff because my arms fell off.”

“Cass, if you drop damn near 28 dollars worth of popcorn, candy, chili cheese dogs, drinks, and those nasty ass Coney corn dogs that you love so much, that I paid for, I will kick your ass from here to kingdom come.” 

Cass grumbled under his breath but kept walking down the steps to their seats. 

“Stop and turn to the right,” she said to him.

He stopped and turned to the right. 

“Keep walking…and stop,” she instructed.

He walked 5 steps and then stopped.

“Now you can sit down.”

“Finally,” he said as he sat down slowly.

“Exactly. Now if you'd be so kind as to hand me my food.”

She took her chili cheese dogs, a box of M&M's, her drink, and a small popcorn and sat down. Cass looked over.

“Greedy ass.” 

Shanelle set her drink down.

“You get three loaded corn dogs, two boxes of Peanut M&M's, one box of plain M&M's, a large Coke, and two boxes of Reese's Pieces on top of the large popcorn with extra butter and salt. But I'm the greedy one?” she asked.

“Yes. That’s way too many calories.” He replied.

“Hotshot, you’re literally eating your way to clogged arteries and type 2 diabetes. Also, you forget I have track practice after we leave here. So unlike you, I will burn these calories off.” 

“Still too many calories, Princess.”

Just as Shanelle started to speak up the previews started. 

“Saved by the previews,” Cass said triumphantly.

Shanelle rolled her eyes and went back to eating her food. Only to feel his arm around her shoulders. She laid her head on his shoulder.

“Wanna bite?” she asked him, holding up the chili cheese dog in her hand. 

“Nah. I'm good. Thank you. By the way, what time is your track meet next Saturday?” he replied.

“1:00 PM. But I have to be there at 10:00 AM. Coach Howard’s orders.”

Cass scoffed.

“I still don't like her.”

Shanelle snickered.

“That's only because she said you have chicken legs. And she wasn't wrong.”

“Who's side are you on?” he asked. 

“Mine,” she replied. 

Cass rolled his eyes with a smile.

They were together all through middle and high school. Made plans to be together forever. Even though he had objections to always being bossed around by her. After graduating, each went off to different colleges. It was a long-distance relationship but they vowed to make it work. And it did work until it didn't. 

They went from texting and checking in with each other every day. To once a day, to once a week, to sparingly, to complete radio silence throughout her freshman and sophomore years. And Shanelle couldn't figure out why. No matter how many times she texted or called, he never answered. So she decided to drive to see him at school. She had to know why he wouldn't talk to her. 

After texting his then-classmate Robin, she hopped into her Jeep and drove 5 hours from Boston to Philadelphia to see him. When she pulled into the dorm parking lot, she met Robin outside.

“Hey, babe. Are you sure you’re okay?” Robin asked Shanelle.

“I will be once I talk to him. Have you seen him?” Shanelle replied.

Robin scoffed. 

“Not lately. The knucklehead has been avoiding me.”

Shanelle shook her head. 

“Probably because of me.”

“If that's true, I am gonna beat him within an inch of his life.”

Shanelle scoffed. 

“You get whatever part of him that I don't beat, break, batter, or bruise.” 

Robin nodded.

“He always said that you have a scary right hook.”

“And if he doesn't answer the door, you'll get a front-row seat to what happens.”

They walked into the coed dorm. When they got outside his dorm, Shanelle started to wonder if this was the right thing to do.

“Rob, can I ask you something?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Robin replied.

“Am I tripping? Should I even be here?” she asked.

“No, you’re not tripping and yes you should be here. You have tried to contact him every which way. And he's just been silent. At the very least he could explain why he's been silent. He owes you that.”

Shanelle closed her eyes and nodded.

“You're right. Thank you. That's why I like you. Well, that and the fact that since I'm not here to get on his ass, someone has to.”

“Thank you. And to think your man was scared for us to meet. And now he hates it that we met.”

Shanelle snickered.

“That's because we became friends and his worst nightmare.”

Just as Shanelle went to knock on the door, it swung open revealing a shocked and shirtless Cassian. 

“What are you doing here Shanelle?” He asks. 

“I came here looking for you. You haven't been answering the phone and apparently, you've been avoiding Robin. What is going on?” she replied.

“You shouldn't be here, Shanelle,” he said to her. 

She turned to Robin. 

“Give us a minute?” she asked.

“Sure. I gotta get ready for my next class anyway.” Robin replied. 

“Okay. I'll text you later.” 

Robin smiled at Shanelle before walking down the hall to her dorm. Shanelle watched her disappear around a corner before turning back to Cass.

“Go home, Princess. Now.”

“Not until you talk to me.”

“I can't.”

“The hell you mean you can't?!” she asks him.

“Look, you just gotta go,” he replied.

“I'm not going anywhere.”

“This is not the time for you to be stubborn!”

Shanelle scoffed. 

“Pot meet kettle.”

“Shanelle please, just go. It's over. There's nothing left.”

“Cass, what are you talking about?” she asked.

“Us, Shanelle. There is no more us,” he replied.

“No. You're not serious.”

“Yeah. I'm serious. It's over between us. Go home.”

Shanelle was stunned. 

“What is happening?” she asked.

“I have to do this. I have to let you go. So go. It's over. There is no more us.” he replies.

“Cass, why are you doing this?” she asks.

“I can't tell you,” he replied.

“What the hell do you mean?” she asks.

“I can't tell you and I'm not going to tell you. So go home!” he growled. 

Shanelle took a step back from him. She couldn't believe what was happening. It was over.

“Wow. Okay then. I guess that's it. I got the answer to the question I had.” 

“I'm sorry, Shanelle. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that.”

“No. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that all I wanted was to get some kind of an answer. I'm sorry that the only place I was ever going to get that answer was from you. I'm sorry that I drove 5 fucking hours for those very answers. I'm sorry that I came all the way here with the hope that if I could've just talked to you and gotten to the bottom of the problem then maybe we could've fixed whatever the issue was between us. I'm sorry that I came all the way here for nothing.”

Shanelle closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling.

“Look Princess, I'm sorry.”

“You know. I always knew you were a lot of things, Cass. But never in my life did I think that you, of all the people in this world, would be a coward.”

“That's not fair Shanelle.”

“Oh! So you wanna talk about what's fair and what isn't?! Okay fine. Let's talk about it, shall we? So it's fair for you to break up with me without at least giving me the common courtesy and decency of telling me why, right? But it's not fair for me to call you a coward? Did I get that right?”

Cass just shook his head. 

“Alright then. I guess I got what I came here for and now I can go.” Shanelle said to him with tears in her eyes.

“Shanelle, you can't drive back to Boston like this.”

She scoffed.

“Why the hell do you care, Cass? It's over between us, remember?” she said to him before walking out of the dorm. 

Shanelle got in her Jeep and peeled out of the dorm parking lot without a second glance back. She got to a stoplight before tears blurred her vision and she couldn't see clearly enough to drive. So she pulled over into a grocery store parking lot, killed the engine, and broke down into tears. It was over. And there was no going back. There was no more pleading for answers. The only thing she could do was pick up the pieces of her broken heart, move on, and move forward. 

Two weeks later after her abrupt breakup, Shanelle started taking classes at a local MMA gym. It was a way for her to channel her anger, learn self-defense, and ease her heartbreak. She spent the next two years, which was also the remainder of her college years going to that gym. She would be in the gym 3 times a week. But little did she know, she was being watched. 

Every day she was at the gym, she would notice three guys always watching her. But she put it out of her mind. What she didn’t know was those three random guys were actually guards the Prince had assigned to follow her and keep tabs on her whereabouts. Within a few days, the guards had her routine down to a science. They knew when she was on campus, where she went for coffee and for lunch, how she trained at the gym, and things like that. Whatever the Prince wanted to know about her, his guards found out. 

He had the guards set up a secret feed at the gym through its shoddy security system so he could watch her train in the gym. He was impressed with how good she was. He knew he would one day want to spar with her, so he began to study her fighting style with his lead guard Alex. 

“She's good Marquise,” Alex said to him. 

“Indeed. That's why we're practicing. I want her to be great. Not just good.”

“From what I've noticed, she's become a master at the chokehold and the armbar. Are you sure you'd want to spar with her?” Alex asked. 

“Yes. By practicing I can learn how to counter her.” Marquise replied.

“Won't that just piss her off even more?” Alex asked.

“That's the point, Alex. The angrier she is, the more adrenaline. She's a fighter who's highly competitive and hates to lose. Now shall we get started?” Marquise asks. 

“Sure. Although she and I are in different weight classes.” Alex replied.

“You'll be alright. This isn't the first time that I've tossed your sorry ass around like a rag doll and it won't be the last time that I've tossed your sorry ass around like a rag doll.”

The two smirked at each other before they began to train. Within 3 weeks, Marquise had her fighting style down and knew how to counter every move in her move set. All while she was none the wiser. 

Meanwhile, Shanelle had another problem that had nothing to do with the Prince but everything to do with her best friend Nina, who had been kidnapped by her abusive ex. It had been 3 months since anyone had heard from Nina, but it didn't take long for her family and friends to realize why. Nina’s ex Slater had kidnapped her and had no plans of ever letting her see the light of day until Nina escaped and was able to make it home. 

Shanelle had come home for Memorial Day weekend and was asleep when her phone started going off. It was Chutney.

“Helluh?” Shanelle answered half asleep.

“Wake up Nelle!” Chutney shouted. Causing Shanelle to bolt straight up in bed.

“What the hell Chut?” Shanelle asked, trying to get her bearings before turning on the bedside light in her room. “Why are you calling at…2 in the morning?”

“It's Nina,” Chutney replied. 

Hearing Nina’s name sent a chill down Shanelle’s spine and she began to fear the worst.

“What about her Chut?” Shanelle asked.

“She's alive! I'm with her now.” Chutney replied. 

“What?! What do you mean she's alive?!” Shanelle asked.

“She showed up at the hospital and they called me,” Chutney answered.

“What hospital?” Shanelle asks.

“Mercy Hospital.” 

Shanelle looked at the time on her phone and made a decision.

“Chut I'm on my way. Do NOT let her leave! Do you hear me?!”

“Yes, I hear you. Just hurry.” 

Shanelle threw on some clothes, grabbed her keys, and nearly broke the sound barrier trying to get to the hospital. She had just gotten into the hospital lobby when she saw Chutney. 

“Where is she, Chut?” Shanelle asks.

“Down the hall. ER room 7. I was able to get her to get some sleep.”

Shanelle nodded.

“Go call your uncle. Tell him she's here and that she's alive.”

“Okay.”

Shanelle hugged Chutney who was shaking.

“It's okay babe. She's home. That's all that matters.”

“I know. I just…she's so scared Nelle.”

“I believe it. As I said, go call your uncle. I'm gonna go talk to her.”

Chutney nodded before going to call Nina’s dad. Shanelle walked down the hall as fast as she could until she got to Nina’s room. When she got there, her heart seized. Nina was alive and asleep at the moment. Shanelle was relieved, terrified, and angry. All at the same time. 

“Nina?” Shanelle asked gently, rousing her from her sleep. Nina slowly woke up and looked sleepily at Shanelle.

“Nelle?” she asked.

“I'm here baby. I'm right here.” Shanelle replied while gently squeezing her hand.

Nina bursts into tears before she threw her arms around Shanelle. 

“I am so happy to see you, baby.”

“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.”

Shanelle hugged her tighter.

“Don't you dare apologize. This wasn't your fault. This is that monster’s fault.”

Nina buried her face into Shanelle’s shoulder and cried. 

“I messed up.”

“No one is mad at you Nina. Certainly not me. I just wanted you home and safe.”

Shanelle rocked her best friend as she cried. 

“I trusted him. And he…”

“Shhh! Baby. You don't have to tell me.”

Nina looked at Shanelle before rolling up her sleeve. Revealing needle marks much to Shanelle’s horror.

“Oh my God.”

“The hospital gave me Narcan.”

Shanelle nodded slowly.

“Do you think you can answer a question for me?” she asked Nina.

Nina nodded.

“Are you going through withdrawals?” she asked her.

Rather than answer Nina just clung to Shanelle.

“My God. I'm so sorry.”

“I said no. I tried to stop him. But he forced me. I tried–”

“Shhh! It's okay babe. You do not need to tell me anything more if you're not ready. Okay?”

Nina nodded. 

“But you need help. You need to get into rehab.”

“No. Shanelle no.”

“Listen to me. The Narcan the hospital gave you will only last for so long. I don't want to see you like this.”

“I can't afford rehab, Nelle. I can't.”

“You won't have to. I'll pay for it.”

“What?! No. I won't let you.”

Shanelle smiled at Nina with tears in her eyes.

“Try and stop me. I will do whatever I have to in order to get you the help you need.”

“You would?” Nina asks.

“Absofuckinglutely!” Shanelle replies.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes. Whatever the costs are, I will pay for them. I don’t care.” Shanelle replied. 

“Okay. I'll go. But you can't tell anyone. Please.”

“I swear to you. I won't tell a soul. It'll be our secret.”

Nina nodded tearily.

“Thank you.”

“It's what best friends are for. We stick together through thick and thin. I got your back. You got mine. Remember?”

Nina nodded just as Chutney returned.

“Nina, your parents and your brothers are here.” Chutney said to the girls. 

“And that's my cue,” Shanelle said.

“You're leaving?” Nina asks.

“Yeah. I don't want to be around your brother right now.” Shanelle replied. 

“Okay.”

Shanelle hugged Nina tightly.

“But I promise. I will come to check on you later. Okay?”

“Yeah.”

Shanelle stood up and dried her eyes.

“You call me whenever you need me, alright?”

Nina smiled at her. 

“I love you, Princess.”

“I love you too baby. I'll see you soon.”

Shanelle hugged Chutney just as Nina's family showed up. 

“Thank you for calling me,” she whispered to Chutney.

“Of course. We're the three amigos, remember? We always look out for each other.” 

Shanelle walked down the hall walking past Cassian without so much as a second glance. Within a few days, Shanelle had Nina with her in D.C. and they were getting her settled into the rehab facility.

“Now you have my number, right?” Shanelle asked Nina.

“Yes, mom. I have your number.”

Shanelle snickered. 

“If I want to deal with your sarcasm, I'll call your brother.”

The two laughed. 

“I'll call you if I need anything.”

“Okay. I'm an hour away. Well, 30-45 minutes if I don't do the speed limit.”

Nina snorted before shaking her head.

“Get some rest, love.”

“Will do.”

A week after getting Nina settled, Shanelle was sitting on her couch flipping channels, when she got a surprise late-night FaceTime call from the Prince himself. 

“Hello?”

“Well hello, Princess.”

“Good Evening Your Majesty.”

“It's Your Highness, love,” he replied, correcting her. 

“Your Highness, what can I do for you?” she asks.

“I'll get right to it. Have you spoken to your father?” he asked.

“No. Not today anyway. Why?” she replied.

“Well because of a curious thing. Did you know he wrote a check for nearly $10,000.00?” he asks.

“No. I had no clue,” she replied.

“Are you sure, Princess?” he asks.

“Your Highness, why would I know anything about the checks he writes?” she replied.

“Because you see the thing is, he didn't write a check for nearly $10,000.00. And neither did your mother.”

Shanelle went quiet. She was busted. 

“Princess, why are you writing checks in your father's name?” he asks. 

She cursed under her breath.

“I had to. It was an emergency,” she replied. 

“A $10,000.00 emergency?” he asks.

“Yes. How did you figure out he didn't write the check?” she replied.

“I'm glad you asked. It was quite easy actually, had he written it, he would've never gone over the international limit of $5,000.00. It's not his style. Not without alerting the Royal Treasury. But you on the other hand.”

Shanelle groaned.

“Also there's a hold on the check until it gets cleared by the Treasury.”

“What do you mean there's a hold on the check?” she asked.

“Every time a check is written over the allotted amount, a 7-day hold is placed on said check. It's standard procedure,” he replies.

“Would it be too much to ask for you to go ahead and clear the check?” she asked.

“It must be important to you,” he replied.

“It is. I need it cleared immediately. Please.”

The look on his face was unreadable and when he switched his camera off, Shanelle started to panic.

“Done.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Yes, Princess. It's been cleared,” he replies.

She let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Marquise.”

“You're welcome. Now I want you to listen to me and listen closely. Don't you ever write a check for that big of an amount without telling me first.”

“Why? What's the big deal?” she asked.

“The big deal is if I hadn't caught it and cleared the check you wrote in time, bad case it would've had to go to my father or worse case it would've gone to your uncle for clearance,” he replied. 

The thought of having to deal with either one of them made Shanelle shudder.

“Exactly. So next time, if there is one, you are to let me know the minute you write the check. Do you understand?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied quietly.

“Listen, I'm not trying to scare you or reprimand you. I just know that my father and your uncle would've instantly rejected the check.”

Shanelle nodded.

“Again, thank you.”

“Of course. It is a curious thing though. What's so important that you had to write a check that big?” he asks.

“I can't tell you,” she replied.

“Must be serious.”

“The check didn't say?” she asked.

“No. It just shows me the check number, the amount written, and the routing numbers of the Treasury and the bank requesting that the hold be lifted.” 

Shanelle internally sighed in relief.

“In other news, you look beautiful.”

“I look homeless.” 

Marquise groaned. 

“Just take the damn compliment, Princess.”

She broke out in a small smile.

“There's that pretty smile. Much better. That's what I like to see.”

“I've never seen you be all business-like. It's kinda hot.”

“Of course, you like it. You like it when someone else takes control. That way you can be as reckless as you want to be.”

Shanelle tried and failed to hide the blush on her cheeks.

“How was your day?” he asked.

“Long and arduous. How was yours?” she replied.

“Boring. Budgets, Cordonian tax laws and guidelines, and more budgets.” 

“Oh, you poor thing. Are you at your Duchy?” she asked.

“No. I'm in my office at the palace,” he replied.

She grimaced.

“You sound thrilled.”

“Oh yeah. Positively enthralled.”

Shanelle snorted.

“Are you off the clock?” she asked.

“I've been off the clock for three hours now. I just had a few loose ends to tie up,” he replied.

“I didn't mean to keep you up so late.”

He waved her off. 

“You weren't.”

“So you say.”

He smirked at her.

“I'm actually on my way to bed now that business is done. It's a shame you won't be there when I get there.”

Shanelle rolled her eyes.

“Oh my God! You're not even subtle.”

“I don't have the time or luxury to be.”

Shanelle shook her head.

“I know I'm going to regret this but hypothetically speaking, what would you do if I was there?” she asked.

Marquise cocked his head to the side with a smirk.

“Curious are you?” he replies.

“Morbidly.”

Marquise put a finger to his lips with a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Let's see. Well for starters you wouldn't be wearing any clothes.”

“You pig!” she hissed.

“I'll be Wilbur if you be Charlotte.”

“Ugh! You are so fucking irritating.”

The smirk on his face made her thankful she was sitting down.

“Okay fine. So you wouldn't be completely naked. Is that better?” he asked.

“Much. Now continue. Correctly.” she replied.

“To be honest, you'd either already be asleep, laying across the bed flipping channels like you are now, or you'd be out on the balcony with a glass of wine watching the stars.”

“Not bad. And nowhere near as disrespectful as I thought you'd be. Also, I didn't know your room had a balcony.”

“Every room in my wing has a balcony.”

“You have an entire wing?!” she asked.

“Mmmhmm. 12 bedrooms all to myself. At least for now,” he replied.

“And here I am thinking that I'm a spoiled brat.”

“You are a spoiled brat Princess.” he quipped. 

Shanelle shook her head. 

“So let's say I was out on your balcony, what would you be doing?” she asks. 

“Your curiosity must be killing you,” he replied.

“Humor me.”

“Very well. As you may know, I am a servant of the people. But none more than you, my future wife. I would always want you to be comfortable. No matter what. And nothing is more comfortable than a couples’ bubble bath.”

“Oh really?” she asks. 

“Mmmhmm. It would help me forget my day and would give me a reason to put my hands all over you. If you know what I mean.”

Shanelle couldn't help but blush. And he noticed. 

“It's okay to say you like the idea, Princess.”

“Okay fine. So I like the idea. I love bubble baths and as much as I hate to admit it, you are good with your hands.”

“There you go. Now that wasn't so hard, was it?” he asks.

“Get off my phone!” she replied with a smirk.

He smirked.

“Goodnight Shanelle. I'll talk to you soon.”

“Goodnight Marquise.”

When she hung up the phone she couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach. She turned off the TV and went to bed. When her head hit the pillow, she dozed off dreaming she was falling asleep in the Prince’s arms. 

As the months went on, Shanelle watched her best friend flourish and become herself again in rehab then eventually move back home to New York while she stayed in D.C. Shanelle also found herself more and more enamored with the Prince. He would text and call her every day. He would have a dozen roses sent to her office every Friday. He was starting to wear her down. Not that she minded. 

And it showed in one of their nightly FaceTime calls.

“So how did your parents meet?” he asks.

“My mom got a summer internship at the United Nations and would ride the elevator with my dad every day. She worked on the floor below him. And one day he finally mustered up the courage to ask Shantel Fletcher out on a date.” she replies.

“Your father has courage?” he asked.

Shanelle snickered.

“Yes, every here and again he does,” she replies.

“How long did this go on?” he asks.

“Maybe 3 weeks? They would go out for lunch every day until her internship ended and she had to go back to D.C.” she replied.

“And he chased her?” he asks.

“Yup. He transferred his assignment to the Consulate,” she replied.

“Talk about dedication.”

“He was in love. When mom found out she called him and told him to go home but he stayed. And they started dating again and then got married.” 

“He got married and didn't tell his parents?” he asked.

“Yup. They got married at the D.C. magistrate with her parents as witnesses,” she replies.

“When was this?” he asked.

“June 1st, 1986,” she replied. 

“That's a long time to be married to your dad.”

“She loves him. Someone has to.”

“Did you ever meet his parents?” he asks.

“Yes. The first time I ever went to Cordonia was because of them. It's how I was granted my title.” she replies.

“Really?” he asked.

“Yup. I actually met them by accident,” she replies.

“How'd that happen?” he asks.

“My parents had barely been married a year and a half when my mom got pregnant. She was excited while my dad was apprehensive,” she replies.

“Why?” he asked. 

“Because he was sent to America to work for Cordonia, not get married and have a kid,” she replied.

Marquise nodded.

“I met them after the betrothal agreement was signed.”

“How old were you?” he asked.

“I was 10 months old. As I said before, I met them by accident,” she replies.

“How?” he asks.

“My dad had gone to the store for milk and eggs and more baby food. While my mom stayed and worked on her thesis paper,” she replies.

“Where were you?” 

“I was in my room sleeping. It was naptime for me.”

“Where did you all live? Embassy Row?” 

“Nope. We lived here at the apartment where I am now at the Consulate.”

“So what happened?”

“As I said, my dad was gone and it was just me and my mom. It was a pretty typical Saturday. Until there was a knock at the front door. My mom went to open the door and when she did there stood my grandparents.”

“Awkward…” 

“Very. According to my mom, they stared at her and she stared back at them until my grandfather asked her who she was. That's when it clicked that mommy was staring at her in-laws.”

“Yikes!”

“Oh, it gets better. So when my mom realized who they were, she said ‘you must be Damien’s parents’.”

“Wait! She addressed the former Iron King of South Cordonia like a common parent?” Marquise asked with a cackle.

“Yup. And that's when my grandfather said,  ‘young lady my name is King Dominic Miller. And this is my wife Queen Angelique. And we're here to see our son Prince Damien. Thank you’, according to her.”

“Well did she let them in or make them stand there?”

“I'm getting to that! Of course, she let them in. She had to move some of her papers and books out of the way first before they could sit down. And about 10 minutes after my grandparents arrived, my dad showed up carrying grocery bags. Much to his mother’s horror.”

“Oh. My. God!”

“You see, the former King and Queen didn't inform their youngest son they were coming. Based on a suggestion made by their eldest son.”

“Your uncle didn't tell them about you and your mom?” he asks.

“Nope. He thought it best they find out about us on their own,” she replies.

“So he set your father up?” he asked.

“Yup. They wanted to surprise him and boy did he get a surprise. And so did they,” she replies.

“Wow!”

“Just wait. I'm just getting to the good part. When my dad walked in, my mom looked at him and was like ‘when were you gonna tell me your parents were coming?’ to which my poor dumb daddy goes ‘I couldn't tell you because I had no idea they were coming.’”

Marquise cackled. 

“So after my dad set the groceries down, my grandfather asked him who this common woman was, meaning my mom, and why was she there. And just as my mom got ready to respond, guess who woke up from their nap and was very fussy.”

“Uh oh!”

“Yeah. So my mom disappeared into my room and when she reemerged, she had me on her hip. My grandparents were stunned.”

Marquise stared at her.

“That's when my dad took me from my mom and turned to his parents and said ‘Father, mother, this is Shantel. My wife of two years. And this beautiful little girl is Shanelle. Our daughter. Your granddaughter.’ and as I said, his parents were stunned.” 

“You know your grandfather had a reputation for being everything but quiet right?” he asks.

“That's what I've heard about him,” she replied.

“So what else happened?”

“After several minutes of my dad’s parents being in shock, his mother finally spoke up and asked if she could hold me. And he placed me in her arms. Which was a miracle, because when I was a baby, I didn't like being held by anyone except my parents and my grandma Venita. Apparently, my grandmother had this diamond brooch on her jacket lapel that I kept reaching for, and she took it off and gave it to me to hold. And that was the first time I had ever smiled at her.” 

“Wow.”

“Apparently, I looked over at my grandfather and crawled into his lap and was giggling and waving my grandmother's brooch around. And according to my dad, that was the moment I melted my grandfather's heart.”

“Wow!”

Shanelle shrugged.

“I am their oldest grandchild after all. Anyways, after watching me play in my grandfather's arms, my grandmother asked my dad why he didn't tell them about me and my mom sooner.”

“What did he say?” 

“He was honest. He said he just knew that if he showed up with my mom and me, they would reject his new family and disown him. And he couldn't take the risk of losing his family. Besides, he didn't want me to grow up in the palace. He wanted me to have as normal of a life as possible.” 

Marquise nodded.

“So your dad does have a backbone?”

Shanelle snickered.

“I mean it's flimsy but yes, he has one.”

“What did your grandfather say to all that?” he asks.

“He was furious with my dad. According to my mom, he said he still should have been told that he had a granddaughter. And he was hurt and disappointed that my dad would think that they'd disown him. Because at that time, I was the oldest living child in the family, that meant that I would be the new heir to the throne.” 

“You?” he asked.

“Yup. Me. Because you have to remember, Edward was not married and had no children. Which meant that if he died after taking the throne, South Cordonia would be without a Monarch. But because my dad had me…” she trailed off.

Marquise nodded.

“South Cordonia would have their Monarch.”

“Bingo! But that's not why he didn't tell them.”

“Why didn't he say anything?” he asked.

“He was afraid that something called a Coventus Nobilis would be called?”

Marquise whistled low.

“Yikes! No wonder he was afraid.”

“But why? What is a Coventus Nobilis?” she asks.

Marquise sighed.

“It's an old and antiquated law that dates back to when the 7 Great Houses Of Cordonia were the ruling body of all Cordonia,” he replied.

“What does that mean?” 

“A Coventus Nobilis is a vote of no confidence.”

“No confidence in what?”

“If the safety and upbringing of a Royal heir is ever called into question by a Head Of House, a Coventus Nobilis can be convened to address the matter. And a vote of no confidence must be unanimously approved.”

“You're not making any sense.”

“Had a vote of no confidence been reached, your parents would've been stripped of custody of you.”

“WHAT?!”

“As I said, it's an old and antiquated law. It hasn't been called upon since at least the 1600s.”

“Can it be changed?” she asked.

“Nope. All Monarchs are forbidden from ever touching the law. That's what your father was really afraid of. And that's probably why he agreed to the betrothal agreement. It protected you in case your grandfather had the law called upon as King and tried to have you taken away from your parents.” he replied. 

“He wouldn't have done that.”

“Shanelle, your grandfather was notoriously known as the Iron King. I'll let you figure out the rest.”

Shanelle exhaled slowly.

“Well, that explains why my grandfather extended his retirement by at least a year.”

“I remember that. Kinda.”

“Yeah, he extended it so I could have my coronation when I was 18 months old. That was the first time I had ever traveled to Cordonia. And it was on Easter Sunday so I had on my Easter Sunday dress with bows, barrettes, and those white shoes with frilly white socks. And because I was granted a title, my mom was too.”

“I'm sure. Your grandfather had to grant her a title. She was the Mother Of The Heir at the time.”

“But all I cared about that day was eating my first ever sugarcake. It was my grandmother's favorite too. That's why I love it so much. It came from her favorite bakery in Gianko.”

“I know that bakery. They make amazing Paninis.”

“Of course, you know it. You live there.”

Marquise smirked.

“I don’t remember much about it but, one of the last things my grandparents did with me before they died was they commissioned two portraits. An official Royal portrait of me with my parents and a portrait of me with the two of them.”

“Really?” he asks.

“Yup. Daddy is actually in Cordonia now. He always goes back for a month to lay flowers at his parent's graves. That and to bring me back a box of sugarcakes. Anyway, according to my dad, he hasn't seen those portraits in years. He thinks Edward may have gotten rid of them after their parents died.” she replies.

“Nah. He didn't. I can assure you of that.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because it's illegal to do so. Instead, he would've had to turn them over to the Cordonian Hall Of Archives.”

“Oh.”

Marquise noticed she was biting her lower lip.

“Shanelle?” 

She let her bottom lip slip from in between her teeth.

“Huh?”

“You're biting your lip.”

“So?”

Marquise shook his head with a smirk.

“You only do that when you're scared to ask a question.”

She went quiet.

“Is there something that you want?” he asks.

She nodded her head yes.

“What is it, Princess? What do you want?” 

“Will you look in the Archives for the portraits?” she asked.

“I mean of course I can. But why would I do that when it serves me no purpose?” he replies.

“You're gonna make me explain why I want you to look aren't you?” she asked.

“Naturally,” he replies. 

Shanelle whined.

“My dad’s birthday is coming up and I want to be able to give him something special when he comes home. Also, I would love to have something to remember my grandparents by.”

“Very good. So you can be taught, I see.”

“Don't make me regret asking.”

“You won't. I'll put the call in to have them retrieved and sent to you before he leaves here. Shall I have them gift-wrapped as well?”

Shanelle snickered.

“I know you’re being funny but yes, I would like it if you could have them wrapped.”

“Consider it done.”

She smiled before hiding a yawn.

“Sorry about that.”

“Don't be. You should go get some sleep. I'll talk to you soon.”

“Goodnight Your Highness.”

“Goodnight my future wife,” he replied with a smirk.

Shanelle rolled her eyes before ending the call. 

Sure enough, the portraits arrived a few weeks later gift-wrapped and in pristine condition. They arrived two days before she moved back home to New York just in time for her father's birthday. When she moved back in with her parents she had the portraits stored in the attic. 

Being home felt good and weird at the same time. She had her job working for her dad's office at the United Nations. She had her friends who were happy to have her home for more girls' nights and gossip. She even had endless other suitors that were interested in her. Each suitor was wealthy, connected, and powerful. But none of them were as wealthy, connected, or powerful as the Prince. 

Also, most of them were boring, stuck up, narcissistic, stuffy, and stiff. They were perfect for someone that didn't want anything out of life. Not her. She wasn't trying to be some diplomat’s smiling trophy. And at the end of the day, that's what she would be with those other men. So she skipped them and stuck with the one man that wouldn't turn her into the black version of a Stepford Wife. The Prince. 

You have reached the end of part 1! Stay tuned for the next part!

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