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#The Most Suitable Female Partner
jymwahuwu · 5 months
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Dan Feng x assassin female reader!!😍🥰😘😍😘🥰🥰🥰
Reader is an assassin that was assigned to kill the Yinyue Jun. The reader is very confident and accidentally messed up during her mission.
She was pretending to be maid in his palace. He doesn’t realis it and fell INLOVE with her 😍😍😍😍😍😍 He flirt and tried to court her several times. But she just tried to ignore him but then realizes this could be a chance to kill him. So she acted shy and pretend to like him back UwU
One day, Dan feng asked reader to come to his room to ‘accompany’ him. She thought that she will just need to sit next to him and hear him talk. So she said yes. What she didn’t know is that he was planning to breed her 😩😩😩😩😳😳😳
When she arrived she was quickly thrown to his bed. Then he begin breeding process.(can u explain it in full detail explicitly 😚☺️🥰😘😘😘🫶🫶) At the end her two holes were filled with his seed.
Later he found out she was an assassin and ‘punish her’ U3U💅💅
They got married since she’s pregnant shockingly
👩‍👧< Her holding Bailu🤟👁️👄👁️🤟
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My first reaction was that those assassin attempts were bound to turn into comedy and be misunderstood 🤭
CW: yandere, non-con, forced breeding, pregnancy, assassination, fem reader
You may have taken on this mission for some reason, perhaps because you were threatened or because you were waiting for money to save someone important. knew Imbibitor Lunae didn't deserve any of this, but you had no choice...
But maybe the Aeon Elation is playing tricks on you in the universe, and your assassination method is completely comic- Everything you do is considered a friendly signal or an expression of affection. You hide the knife in the void device. This can be summoned at any time using some kind of space technology and wielded towards the mission target.
However, the moment you were about to summon the sword, Dan Feng turned his head, took your hand, and enjoyed the garden with you. He thought your gesture was some form of waving hello. It's so sweet of you to show kindness like that. What's even more shocking is that he can weave a beautiful and delicate chaplet for you in just a few seconds and put it on your hair without any expression-
You (wearing a chaplet):???????
You took over the kitchen duties and put the medicine in his dinner. However, Dan Feng changed his mind temporarily. He only took you, one of his maids, on a Starskiff, traveling light years away and entering an exotic restaurant. The dinner you prepared is completely useless. The waiter will lead you to your seat. Under the candlelight, Dan Feng chats softly with you. You were confused, but nodded occasionally. He is very satisfied and thinks you are gentle and considerate, the most suitable candidate for his wife.
After these speechless moments, you gradually realize that Dan Feng is pursuing you.
That day, as always, you needed to be there for him. Dan Feng has not had any inappropriate physical contact with you in the past few months, so you think this is just an ordinary "company". However, it was different in the High Elder's mind. That day is the traditional day of fertility and mating in Vidyadhara…people look for partners to mate, and dating on that day means they are willing to mate. The appearance of your figure at the door was like the light of fireworks, igniting the happiness in High Elder's heart, but he just pursed his lips and did not show too much joy. His hands slide to your waist from your shoulders, leaning in close and pecking your lips.
"Wait-wait, my lord!"
Unbutton your maid uniform and lift it open. Your breasts are quietly wrapped in the bra, waiting to be rubbed. In the flash of clouds and rain, you vaguely witnessed him transform back into his full dragon form several times, his tail spreading and squirming around your body like it's entangled with prey. There… there were two of them, both vigorously erect against your belly. This will be a preview of how deep it will go next. You gasped. All intentions disappeared. You are inevitably aroused by the explicit visual sight before you. There's an unfamiliar, warm twitching in your vagina. You…can't believe you ever wanted to assassinate such a dragon. And this is his true form. Did he find out?
"I will turn myself in...don't do this..."
Your words confused him as the non-human cock sank into your pussy until it bottomed out, but the words were lost in moans and whimpers. The testicles press against your sensitive, glistening petals, and the cock is loud, ravaging the wet and sore vagina. The thrusting melody swayed together with the tail. Until a seemingly ordinary thrust penetrates deeper than ever before, pushing against the opening of your cervix and erupting dragon seeds, spinning and knotting.
After this mating, Dan Feng learned of your true identity and intentions. He knew he had to give you some punishment, and that included more mating…
Dan Feng took care of the scum who sent you to assassinate him, and paid off your debts and medical bills.
A few months later, Dan Feng is holding your shoulders as you sit on the water bed with a baby dragon in your arms.
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beta-therapy · 23 days
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Why can't betas just "act more alpha?"
We have all seen what it’s like when a woman interacts with a man who she wants. The man brings forth dominance and confidence, which pairs with the woman’s submissiveness and desire like yin and yang. You can easily tell that the two are destined to have sex (which can be thought of as the physical manifestation of these emotions).
A lot of men might witness that and think “Wow, I want a woman to look at me the same way she was looking at him,” then decide to go out and approach a woman in exactly the same way. He would try to carry that same bold, dominant energy he saw earlier.
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But instead of responding with submission and desire, the opposite happens. The woman steps back and delivers harsh criticism, like “I don’t give out my number to strangers, so stop acting like you’re entitled to it.”
The attempt at being charming, confident, and forward (traits that make a woman go head over heels for a man) ended up backfiring when a beta tried them, and it made the woman repulsed. Why? Because it’s not possible to “learn” confidence.
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Imagine if all the things that women find irresistible about the men they sleep with could simply be learned and implemented by anyone. Imagine if there was a blueprint that anyone could follow on how to seduce women, and the only thing separating alphas and betas is that the alphas followed the blueprint.
Then we would all just follow the blueprint and have a ton of sex! There would no longer be this disparity where sex is abundant for some men and extremely scarce for the rest.
But that disparity—caused by the tendency of females to all flock to a minority of males for sexual reproduction—has been a fundamental characteristic of our species for millions of years. There’s no blueprint that allows one to cheat human nature. A beta cannot put himself into the category of men that women desire by simply mimicking alpha behavior.
You can try to, but you’ll see that any woman will immediately know what you’re doing. Your body language will be slightly off. The expression on your face will be slightly off. The words you’re saying will seem canned and rehearsed. A woman will notice your fake charisma right away, and she will not be one bit attracted to it. Instead of fantasizing about you, she will be figuring out how to end the conversation.
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Some men have the ability to bring out the dangerous, adventurous, desirous, and hedonistic spirit in women, thus creating that yin and yang polarity mentioned in the beginning. Most men don’t have that power, and actually have a hard time getting women to have sex with him, if he can at all.
Some naïve advice might be “bro, you just need to flirt more and touch her physically to build sexual tension.” Yeah, good luck with that, especially with a woman who’s just not having it at all. That’s a good way to get her to smack you in face and call the police on you.
Indeed, if you try to tamper with the fabric of Nature, it always will snap back and hit you in the face sooner or later.
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Now we see that the question posed in the beginning is answered by a basic law of human nature:
It is not possible for any man to simply “learn” the things that make women sexually aroused, for if these traits could be faked, women would not find them attractive because they would no longer say anything positive about a man’s suitability for genetic propagation.
And to clarify, women don’t consciously think about any of this. But their interest in sexual partners is an unconscious process, and the natural law just put forth is a very strong, useful explanation of this unconscious process in the female mind.
The correctness of the law is obvious. Think about every one of the things women go for: confidence, charisma, money, status, sexual history, social dominance, blah blah blah... None of them can be easily faked, and in particular, faking them all at once is damn near impossible. Each of these things say something deep and substantial about you as a man. They each are like games with winners and losers, and the key point is that a loser can’t fake being a winner. That’s exactly why women find these things so attractive.
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hunwes · 2 months
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Pregnant aquanoid 🤰👽
There are some alien species whose natural habitat is water or some sort of fluid. Some of them are capable to live amphibian, meaning they can live on the surface, but most likely they are unable to mate and breed without fluidic conditions.
Thyr'ahnee is one of this rare and unique extraordinary species, whose ship crash landed in your own backyard. You've found her in the pool already in her adaptive humanoid skin. She was always an awesome hottie to you. After she shared her miserable life and fleeing to find a home, your heart felt sad for her. Eventually your unusual first contact ended up in friendship, then into a blooming love.
No need to stay she's chosed your swimming pool to live. It's her nest now. Of course for short periods she's outside the water to explore human things and be your companion. The months passed and she was offering you to have a family. You had your doubts, but she prepared you well for the breeding and aquanoid lifestyle.
Since your genetics were unsuitable for her to mate, she had to alter your DNA's. It was indeed a wicked and naughty process: first of all she made your lungs to have more space for air to use underwater. She did this to you with her long tongue, released deeply there. Then she womited some alien fluids to your lungs to keep the capacity extended. When you could stay longer underwater without approaching to the surface to breathe. Thyr'ahnee pulled you underwater to give you a lovely and strong BJ. Then you had to please her pussy with your mouth sucking on it with full devotion. When she climaxed, there were her unfertilised eggs sliding into your throat to swallow them.
After you've digested those eggs, it was only a few days for you to completely adapt and be suitable for an underwater sex with your lovely aquanoid female. Your manhood also chnaged. Now it's more like a pleasing tentacle, when it gets erected. Finally you have an extra long d*ck what you always wanted.
Not to mention you had previously sex with her several times, but you couldn't really made her satisfied with your sexual performance. But now: making love underwater is a pristine opportunity as not too many humans can enjoy the experience of breeding within fluidity and almost zero gravity. Your first perfect sex with Thyr'ahnee was like a huge explosion of sensation. Your cock never felt so good and properly handled.
Meanwhile thanks to your mutated, tentacle like penis you've not just pleased and fulfilled your aquanoid partner's horny desires but also for the very first time, your modified cum could impregnate her. More precisely: fertilise hundreds of eggs inside her alien womb. And it wasn't only just one round: she milked you that very night 5 more times.
The next morning in earnest, you've brought her a morning coffee and a pregnancy test. But after you saw this picture, there wasn't any need for the test anymore. Thyr'ahnee is heavy with fertilised eggs and glowing in the beauty of pregnancy. She's happily greeted and kissed you at the pool entrance waiting for you. She did a little waddle to reveal her pride.
She'll lay all the eggs in the pool soon where they gonna develop and grow further and if the time comes, hatch one by one. The birth is gonna be easy, so you may expect breeding sessions over and over again.
But you have a job to do as well: you need to get into the pool and cum into the water to create perfect fluidic habitat, full of nutrients for your offspring. You'll need to help your love to pump out breastmilk into the water as it's an important ingredient as well for spawning your offspring.
Now you're one big happy aquanoid family together. Your humanity is rejected by your own free will.
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heliads · 1 year
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It Gets Better
You are new to Mercedes. It's nice, then, to have Lewis Hamilton looking out for you. If you eventually want him with you more often than you should, well, that's nobody's business but your own.
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The lights are on. Crowds surge. Of all the people here wearing a Mercedes logo emblazoned on their chest, you think you’re the least likely candidate by far. The fans seem far more confident in their silver and black than you, but then again, they’re not the ones facing constant scrutiny by Sky Sports and the rest of the world alike.
It came as a surprise when Mercedes announced their second driver last year. You weren’t a newcomer to Formula One, having driven for a smaller team for the past year, but no one expected you of all people to have the sudden jump up to Mercedes. It’s certainly earned you a fair amount of criticism. The worst part is that you’re not entirely sure they’re wrong to question you.
After all, Mercedes has a legacy. Every detail of your new job down to your racing partner feels out of your league, but if Toto Wolff saw something in you, you trust the man enough to believe him. You’ve always had a dream of driving for a team even half as famous as Mercedes, so obviously this isn’t a punishment, but it does tend to rattle your nerves even more than usual.
The media sharks must smell blood in the water, because you’ve hardly taken a few steps into the paddock before reporters are brandishing microphones in your direction and screaming questions with every other breath. Cameras pick up your every movement, taking your startled response as proof that you’re not cut out for this.
You’re used to a strong media presence, of course; being a female driver in Formula One came with its share of aggressive commentators, but this is different. It was easier to brush you off when you weren’t in the limelight that much, but Mercedes is, well, Mercedes. It’s no surprise that they’d want to check your strengths before the weekend begins.
This is the first race of the season, your first shot to prove that you actually do deserve to carry the Mercedes banner with every lap. You do your best to answer the questions flung at you with a smile, but it’s starting to wear at the edges before you’ve even managed to make it to the Mercedes center on the paddock.
The reporters, sensing weakness, circle even closer. One steps in front of you, blocking off your forward motion in favor of getting an answer. “Most viewers seem doubtful of your ability to keep up with your teammate, Lewis Hamilton. Do you think you’ll be able to match him, or will you fall behind as expected?”
His blunt tone startles you, as does the lack of personal space due to the reporters jostling for a good shot of you. Before you can try and think of a suitable answer, however, someone pushes through the throngs of media to stand at your side.
Of all the saviors in the world, you have to say that you weren’t expecting the very same teammate that Sky Sports was grilling you about mere moments ago. Lewis looks just as cool as ever, his expression carefully controlled as he looks back at the reporters with faint amusement.
“As her teammate, I can say that everyone at Mercedes has the utmost faith in Y/N’s abilities. I would suggest that the rest of you get on board with that idea as well. I’d hate for you to fall behind in your reporting.”
You suppress a smile. The reporter was clearly expecting a different answer, and has to take a second or two to think of a followup question.
“What is it about Y/N that makes you think that? After all, this is her first race with the team. No one has seen her race in this car yet.”
Lewis lifts a shoulder. “No, but she’s been driving pretty well ever since she rose up to Formula One. We all believe in her, and that should be more than enough for you.”
Lewis starts to walk away and, not wanting to be left alone with the media, you follow him.
“Thanks,” you whisper once you’re out of earshot of the cameras.
Lewis dismisses this with a wave of hand. “Don’t worry about it. They’ve always been a pain, I wouldn’t let them take up too much of your mind.”
You nod slowly. “I’ll do my best.”
The two of you have reached the door of the Mercedes center by now, but you linger by the door.
“I meant what I said, by the way,” Lewis adds, “we do believe in you. You’re here for a reason. Might as well prove it, right?”
Someone calls his name inside, and Lewis disappears with a farewell wave. After a few moments, you do the same. The chill of the air conditioning billows around you, a relief compared to the morning heat outside. Lewis is already long gone, but you glance down the corridor after him anyway.
You didn’t think you’d be able to count on him this soon, but you can’t say that you mind it. You’ve met Lewis a few times over pre-season testing, but nothing too personal. Usually, the two of you show up to your strategy sessions, go over business, but never talk as actual friends. If today’s any sign of how things could go, you think you wouldn’t mind moving past that. If you didn’t know better, you’d say that Lewis thinks the same way.
As it turns out, Lewis was right to believe in you. The practice sessions and qualifying rounds aren’t much to speak of; they aren’t bad, to be sure, but nothing incredibly special. You’re ready to show the world what you’re made of, though, and when the lights go out, you take off with a phenomenal start that has even the gruffest commentators stunned.
You finish high up in the points, always a good thing, and when you climb out of your car when the race ends, Lewis is there to greet you with a grin.
“See?” He shouts to you over the roar of the crowd, “What did I say?”
Your response is a laugh. Lewis slings an arm around your shoulders, pulling you in for a quick hug before the two of you jog off to celebrate with your team. All in all, not the worst start to your season. No, not bad at all.
The next few races go the exact same way. You stay in the points, and then you’re on the podium again and again. Fifth and fourth place are left behind, replaced by third, even second. You get to know the cooldown room like the back of your hand, and those creeping feelings of self-doubt become more and more foreign to you.
That doesn’t mean your drive to improve has lessened. If anything, it’s become even stronger. You know how hard it is to win a race at this level of motorsport; most of the time, it takes drivers years to claim their first victory, if they ever make it to that point at all. What you’re doing right now is incredible, what with all your spots on the podium, but you want more. You want that race win, and you’re going to do whatever it takes to get it.
The only thing you can do is get better, and get better as fast as you can. You spend more and more time in the gym, working out until your entire body aches. You stay late after strategy sessions to make sure you understand everything, you grow to know your race engineers like your own family. Anything to make that difference, to make it to a place when you can finally take your first win.
It’s not getting to the point where the extra work is taking a toll on you, but you know people are watching you cautiously, waiting for you to break. You ignore them; let’s see how they talk when all this struggle makes a difference. You spend more and more time in the simulator, trying to shave off seconds.
Tonight is another one of those late sessions. You’ve been going over circuit after circuit, lap after lap, anything to make the high speeds feel more under your control. You complete yet another round and get ready for the next when someone taps your shoulder.
When you look up, you’re surprised to see your race partner standing by your side. He gestures to his watch, then glances around at the Mercedes staff lingering in the simulation room. Lewis is as polite as ever, but you get his message nonetheless. It’s time to clear out.
Now that he’s drawn your attention to it, you realize that the hour has grown far later than you expected. “Sorry, guys,” you call out, “I’m done for the night, I swear.”
You hear a few chuckles, and head out after saying your goodbyes to the rest of your team. You make sure to thank them profusely; one consequence of you trying to work more hours is that some have to stay late too, which isn’t what you wanted.
Out of the training room and in the empty hallways, you feel the weight of all those hours building up. You drag a tired hand over your face, flashing a grateful look Lewis’ way.
“Thanks for the reminder to check out,” you say, “I thought it was much earlier.”
Lewis’ expression is thoughtful. “Trying to work hard isn’t a problem, I just want to make sure you’re not working too hard. You’re a good driver, Y/N. Right now, one of the biggest threats to your career is burnout.”
You shake your head. “No, the biggest issue is if I can’t win a race. Mercedes is only going to want me around so long, I need to prove that I deserve to be here.”
Lewis frowns, then pulls you aside, forcing both of you to stop walking so you have to focus on him. “That’s not true in the slightest,” he counters, “you’ve already proven enough, trust me. No one expected half as many podiums as you’ve already managed to get. Everyone here thinks the world of you.”
He smiles somewhat self-consciously as he says it, and you get the feeling that Lewis isn’t just talking about general team members when he mentions Mercedes’ belief in you.
You sigh. “I know, but getting this race win is important. It’ll be the sign I need to finally relax.”
Lewis chuckles. “I don’t think you could ever truly relax, but yeah, I get it. Just lay off a little, alright? I don’t want you exhausting yourself. You already have the ability to win, Y/N. You just need the right chance to show everyone else that.”
You nod. “I’ll try.”
“I know you will,” Lewis says, and for some reason that’s enough to convince you to lay down the last of your stress. You walk out of that building feeling far more peaceful than you have in a while.
Your next chance comes sooner than expected. Race weekends always seem to fly by, and before you know it, you’re halfway through the season. You walk into the paddock for another race, and this time, you get the feeling that this is it, this is your time. Maybe Lewis was right. Maybe this is where you make that difference.
You get to see your teammate on camera before the race, as both of you are grouped together for pre-race press conferences. You keep up your appearance of control, taught to you by months of fielding questions, and you do your best not to let anything faze you.
Of course, that’s easier said than done, but you’d say that you’re doing a pretty good job of it this time. Perhaps that’s because you have someone you trust sitting by your side, a quiet reminder that you can get through anything.
Towards the end of the press conference, Lewis gets a question about you. This isn’t uncommon; most journalists like to ask the two of you about each other, hoping to pick up on some sort of tension that they can spin into a story about another year with Mercedes drivers despising each other. They’re usually let down by the fact that you and Lewis don’t hate each other, not in the slightest.
“Lewis,” the reporter calls out, “in the beginning of the year, you said that everyone at Mercedes approved of your new teammate. Do you think that’s still true, and do you believe the rumors that Y/N will be switching over to a new team for the upcoming season?”
Lewis doesn’t have to turn to you to answer. Both of you have laughed over the team switch rumors many times before. They’re all ridiculous. As if you would leave Mercedes after fighting so hard to get here. As if you would leave this team. As if you could find a single place where you could belong even half as much.
“I still stand by Y/N, if that’s what you’re asking,” Lewis says pleasantly, “and no, I don’t think the rumors are true.”
Lewis reaches for his water bottle, ready for another question, but the reporter isn’t willing to give up quite so early.
“Why?” The reporter presses, “do you know something to win her over in your eyes that we don’t?”
This time Lewis does look at you. He leans over, stretching his arm around your shoulders in as clear a display of camaraderie as you’ve ever seen.
“I know that she’s my partner,” Lewis replies simply, “and that is all I need to believe in her.”
You think you might drown in the depths of your mind were it not for Lewis’ grip on your shoulder, pulling you back to reality. He has always been your anchor, time and time again, even against the force of his own charm. You want to find the scared woman you’d been at the beginning of the season and tell her that everything is going to be alright. He’s convinced you of it at last.
That conference certainly sets off a round or two of whispering, but neither you nor Lewis let it affect you during the race. Qualifying finds you at P3, certainly not half bad at all. You have a brief moment to chat with your teammate in between the buzz of Mercedes backstage, and both of you congratulate each other on good quali results.
“This is your chance,” Lewis calls to you as he leaves. 
You raise a hand in both farewell and strong acknowledgement. You can feel it thrumming in your bones as you head to your car the day of the race, the howling of it in your blood as you settle into your seat. Lights are off, and you are going to win this race. This is it.
Formula One is a tricky sport. Guarantees are impossible; at any moment, a parts failure or crash could turn a winning streak into a DNF. Still, you somehow know from the moment you start off that this is going to be your first victory. Through the hairpin turns, you feel it. Passing Charles and gaining P2, you taste it. Succeeding in a difficult overtake against Max to claim P1, it is within your grasp.
You blink your eyes and you’re across that line, your race engineer screaming across your radio that you’ve done it. Y/N L/N, you are a Formula One race winner. The feeling is like nothing else. You’ve won races before in your history of motorsport, obviously, but this is something altogether different. This is what it feels like to finally come out on top. It is absolutely marvelous.
Your team is just as thrilled as you. Running over to them, you feel yourself lifted in the air by dozens of hands, your hearing shot to bits by the screams of hundreds of people. You’re yelling too, you think. You aren’t aware of it until now, when your breathing is finally back to normal.
You glance around for Lewis but can’t make him out in the swarming crowds. You ask a nearby engineer what happened to him during the race, and discover that Lewis managed to fight it out for a final P2 result. Toto is thrilled, a Mercedes 1-2 finish.
“He was following you the whole time,” the engineer shouts, “said something over the radio about you being his guide. He was right behind you with every overtake.”
You spin in a slow circle, and at last you see him. Lewis is leaning against the door to the garage, separated from the crowds so he can get a better view. His gaze meets yours across the tumult, and despite the thunderous shouting from the spectators and your own team, you swear you can only hear the pounding of your heart in your ears.
You murmur something about heading to the cooldown room, then leave without another word. You can feel people reaching out to you, trying to say something, but you don’t stop, not for a second. Soon enough, you’re away from the crowds, ducking down a hallway, trying to find him.
Footsteps sound behind you. You turn and Lewis is there, grin as bright as the sun. He’s laughing, shouting something about how he knew this was going to happen. The two of you meet in the middle of the hall, and that is where you make your first mistake of the day.
Looking back on it, you don’t know what either of you expected. Thanks to the 1-2 finish, both of you were high on adrenaline and joy like nothing else, feeling so unbeatable that you could do anything, and so you did. Lewis reached for you, pulling you close just like he always did, but instead of embracing him back, you kissed him.
It was not supposed to happen. It did. In the end, it was just as inevitable as your first race win. You and Lewis were spiraling towards that point from the moment you met. The only change you could have made was not if the kiss would happen, but when.
All of this runs through your head in about half a heartbeat. Just as quickly as you kiss him, you break away. The exhilaration leaves you in a rush, replaced by a cold, creeping dread that you might have ruined everything with the only person to truly care about you outside of a car.
You turn and leave before you have to look at Lewis’ face and register the disappointment that must be there. Your steps are quick, hastening when you hear him calling after you. You hurry into your driver’s room, your mind a mess.
Lewis follows you in. You still can’t bear to look at him, and direct your words towards the stretch of wall in front of you.
“I’m sorry,” you say, fighting to keep your voice steady, “I shouldn’t have done it. Can we just pretend that nothing happened? Please?”
“I don’t want that,” Lewis responds.
You pivot slowly. His face is calm, his hand on the door, sliding it shut with a click.
“I don’t want that,” he repeats, “because I don’t want to go back to what we were doing before. I want you, Y/N. Only you.”
There’s a look in his eyes, one you’ve seen before. It’s the same sort of expression he wears when he wins a race, a championship, every challenge set before him. It occurs to you now that Lewis Hamilton is the sort of man who fights for what he wants and gets it. If what he wants is you, then no amount of pretending will keep the two of you as mere friends. He knows you feel the same way.
This time, the kiss is slower. Neither of you have any reason to run. You had thought that nothing could beat that feeling of winning in Formula One for the first time, but this, this might even top that victory.
Even after it ends, the two of you stay there, hands pressed against chests and backs, breathing in and out in unison. You wonder how long you would have lingered there still were it not for one of the engineers knocking on your door, startling you half out of your skin and announcing that it’s time for you to head to the podium.
You laugh at the irritated look on Lewis’ face, then shout back to your engineer that you’ll be there in a moment.
“Later,” you whisper back to Lewis, and even though he still looks annoyed at the interruption, he manages to stow it long enough to lead you back to the door. Celebrations await. The good part has only just begun.
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luneengene2 · 3 months
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&Team Hyung Lines If They Were in a Movie?
A/N : What is meant here is their role, genre, story 'class', storyline, or trope in the movie (And all of this is based on my opinion as a writer)
Warnings : Fem!reader mention, grammar error
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EJ
|| Teenage Fiction, Teen Romance || Outstanding Students, Academic Rivals ||
: As we know, the leader of this &Team is an intelligent man and has high logic. If EJ plays the character of an outstanding student, then that role would be very suitable for him. I think, he will not be a geeky high achieving student, but an excellent student who is popular, handsome, and liked by girls, both seniors, juniors and his year mates. If the film takes a romantic direction, then a suitable partner for him (In my opinion) is a student who is equally accomplished like him. Or a lazy student who has bad academic grades, then EJ is chosen to be her tutor, and the two of them end up falling in love. Conflicts of jealousy or unhealthy competition can be added to this role. For example, EJ is jealous when his girl is close to a bad boy who has a bad reputation at their school, or vice versa. The issue of unhealthy competition is where EJ's academic rivals cheat so that EJ can 'drop in performance'. I really feel like this role is very relatable to EJ.
FUMA
|| Thriller, Action || A bodyguard who falls in love with his 'female' boss ||
: And yeah, the role of bodyguard is also really attached to Fuma. If he was offered a role as a bodyguard, then that would suit him. He will guard several important people such as the president or prime minister. Or if the film 'contains' mafia or crime elements, Fuma could be the main bodyguard of the Mafia Head. Action of shooting, running around in parkour style, dodging explosions, fighting really rolls into my head if Fuma takes the role of bodyguard. In the film, Fuma will play a good role in protecting his superiors. If he is assigned to look after a girl, whether the girl is his boss's daughter or his direct boss, he will be extra protective. If there is an element of romance, then his female boss or boss's daughter tends to express her feelings first to Fuma. However, in general, bodyguards 'don't' accept love from their superiors, because their job is only to look after them, not to fall in love.
Kei (K)
|| Romantic Fantasy, Action, Thriller || Alpha and his Luna (his Queen) ||
: As we know (2), Kei plays Khan in the Webtoon Comic 'Dark Moon : The Grey City', where his position is an Alpha. So this role is very inherent in him, his Alpha aura is truly invincible. He will become an Alpha who is truly respected by his followers, invincible, and has the highest magical powers. Alpha definitely needs his Luna, he still needs the Queen as the foundation for his life. I think Luna's character comes from a direct descendant of Vargr, which will make the chemistry even stronger with Kei's role as Alpha. Of course, wolves will never miss a fight with a vampire, maybe in the film, Kei will start acting and fight the vampires who 'kidnap' his Luna. His role will also be strong over love, as a werewolf will only love one person throughout his life. And if the person they love does not love them back, they will continue to love them one-sidedly until their death.
Nicholas
|| Crime, Romance, ANGST || "Mission, not love" ||
: Somehow I think this role is suitable for Nicholas. Where he plays a big-time fugitive who is most wanted by security officials. A detective or intelligence agent will be assigned to search for and arrest him with very thorough mission preparation. But in a crazy way, make him 'fell in love'. Nicholas will be deceived by the girl he 'of course' will love. The beautiful detective will trick Nicholas with her missions and tactics so that Nicholas can be truly fooled. In that role, Nicholas will be deceived by everything and actually sincerely loves the girl who is now tricking him. If the detective doesn't also fall in love with Nicholas, then the mission usually goes perfectly. However, if the detective also falls in love with Nicholas, the mission will be quite chaotic. The detective will feel guilty for fooling Nicholas, even though Nicholas' crime could have been very big. I can't imagine how the film would end.
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neuroprincess · 1 year
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Abbott Elementary - Having a baby with Melissa Schemmenti (Headcanon) - Part Two
Melissa Schemmenti/Female Reader
Classification: Fluff
Warnings: None
Word count: +1800
Part One | Part Two
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- The baby didn't have a name picked out until the birth, when Melissa looked at him she knew exactly which name from the big list you were going to choose. A name of Italian origin, simple, strong, beautiful and with a meaning to match, bringer of light. Suitable for your little human being who brought light into your lives, along with happiness and love. Luca Schemmenti;
- Luca was born with 6.2 pounds, 19 inches and completely healthy for a premature baby, perfect reflexes, intelligent, communicative and very bossy, gave work for the nurses, after two days in the hospital he was liberated to the relief of the new moms;
- Unlike what one might think, your wife prefers that you have no visitors in the hospital except Barb and the immediate family, considering it a very delicate and intimate moment to share. She also took hundreds of pictures, most of which were placed in a dedicated photo album to record each stage of the baby's development. There is a whole page especially for the first photo of you three together. In a few months your house will be full of framed photos of Luca;
- This woman would literally kill for her family, rest assured she will act like a 100% lion mother and devoted wife, you will both be in good hands. She will make sure you are all well and happy so there will be fresh meals, clean clothes, she will do the housework and help in every way, Melissa is a naturally protective person and her main love language is acts of service;
- Barbara was the best friend you could have in the first days of your child's life, as an experienced mother she has a vast knowledge of newborn care and basically teaches you everything you need to know, from the essentials to little tips that make everyday life easier;
- Luca is a bossy little boy, his needs have to be met quickly otherwise he will spend the rest of the day in a bad mood, sometimes he can be impatient, moody and have some attitude, even as a newborn, no surprise considering he is the son of the one and only Melissa Schemmenti. Like mother, like son;
- She hates being called by affectionate nicknames in public, but loves to give it to those she loves, Barb is one of the exceptions, you have several affectionate names and your son is no different, Melissa likes to call him by the affectionate Italian nicknames she gave the boy during your pregnancy (Tesoro, Amore mio, sometimes Bambino) and LuLu, her little LuLu. The teacher thinks it's cute and he seems to like being called that, especially if the redhead uses a baby voice, Luca always cracks a dimpled smile when he hears her;
- She is the best partner of all, Mel gets two weeks off to stay with you and give all the necessary support to take care of the baby, when your son cries she is the first one beside the crib, she changes most of the diapers, loves to give baths, talk and sing until he falls asleep, but her favorite things are cooking with Luca by her side in the stroller and choosing his clothes for the day, when you were pregnant she may or may not have bought an absurd amount of cute clothes and loves to dress him like a prince. Melissa feels the separation from this routine too much when she has to go back to work, secretly crying in the car on the way to school after dropping you both at home;
- The first month away is emotionally exhausting for the teacher, while at work all she can think about is how you two must be, you start doing video calls every break, lunch is the most torturous time because it's her favorite family time, she loved watching LuLu while making sure you eat well with homemade and healthy food. These calls calmed her heart and helped kill the longing, but nothing beats the feeling of coming home, finding her wife and son waiting with a smile and a warm hug to make the day better;
- It's cliché, but Melissa has pictures of Luca in the wallet, secretly waiting for someone to ask so she can show them all, then her phone gallery filled with pictures she's taken of the boy. The photo of him wearing the Eagles bodysuit is her phone's lock screen, the main screen is Luca lying on your lap being cradled in the nursery, she can spend the day staring at these two specific photos;
- The baby's nursery is decorated little by little, you were undecided about the theme, she painted the walls at least three times before the birth, choosing to keep it in yellow. Gradually the room has gained identity as Luca grows, when he shows interest in animals you start buying stuffed animals that he is obsessed with, suddenly there is a cute jungle-themed wallpaper, green blankets, themed decorations and a giraffe next to the nursing armchair that he likes to look at while falling asleep;
- If you feel very insecure about your body postpartum Melissa tries to assure you in every way that you are beautiful, always praising your body, kissing every stretch mark and that she loves each part of you. Thanking you for giving her a son, pointing out that they are memories of LuLu's home, where you welcomed and cared for him, and how you brought your baby into the world;
- In a few months you slowly return to work, coming to an agreement to teach part time so you can dedicate the rest of the day to your son, before you could even think about enrolling the baby in daycare most of the Schemmenti family offered to care for him during your hours, despite initial reluctance you left Luca with Melissa's parents, they simply love spoiling their grandson, this is a temporary option until you feel Luca is ready for daycare. Mel wouldn't mind if you preferred to be a housewife, the years of work have earned her a reasonable salary and we know that woman probably has many side businesses, the teacher always finds a way, so you staying at home is a possible option and she secretly likes this possibility;
- LuLu's six months arrive quickly and you face a dilemma, to continue breastfeeding the baby or not, the exclusive feeding of breast milk has been followed to the letter and this woman has been anxiously waiting for the time of introducing food. Melissa is that emotional support for both of you in this process, helping and respecting the time;
- The process of weaning becomes easier when your wife introduces other foods to him; at the beginning it's fruit, mashed potatoes and light meals, but when Luca's teeth start to grow Melissa can't resist giving him pasta, which quickly becomes his favorite food. Not surprisingly the boy begins to gain weight, turning into that baby of her imagination, with chubby cheeks, hands and feet, he is simply adorable and has indeed inherited Schemmenti's appetite;
- She is very worried at any cry different from him, a mom who suffers along with the baby and spends sleepless nights worried that something will happen. She has worked for years with little children, but they know how to communicate and say what hurts, so seeing your child suffer without knowing what it is and how to help makes her feel powerless, distressed. The teething moment was a nightmare, because besides Luca feeling a lot of pain he also became irritable, her co-workers were worried and then tried not to laugh when Melissa shows up one morning in a miserable condition and with the mark of two teeth on her hand;
- He is such a smart and precocious child, however you didn't expect Luca to talk before the first year of life, but one night while Melissa is preparing dinner with the baby in the feeding chair, he calls out to her by "Mel" trying to reach for the meal. The redhead brakes, not believing what she has just heard because your son is only 10 months old and has called her what you lovingly refer to her, letter by letter, waiting for an answer. Right away she cries out in tears for you to witness the boy repeat it several times until he gets some Penne Pomodoro. Melissa is sure to brag about it to everyone for weeks, teaching him new words and recording everything to watch like a fool over and over again, a month later she cries when he officially starts calling her Mama Mel;
- They are an inseparable pair, LuLu loves to sit on his mother's lap (usually playing with her necklaces), she takes him to Eagles games, he likes to sleep between you, share a plate with her and can be very jealous, he is that typical baby who doesn't like his parents kissing because he is jealous of one. You only realize this when he pushed you away from the redhead when you went to kiss her goodbye and made a funny face, which was supposed to be angry;
- Luca isn't just jealous of his mother, he's jealous of Barb too, you would easily be exchanged for the teacher since he is completely obsessed with that woman. She is his favorite person in the whole world. The little olive eyes light up when she shows up at Friday dinners, you have started this couples tradition and LuLu wants to spend the whole night on her lap, admiring and trying to communicate;
- And Barb is the first option to leave him when Melissa wants to take you out to dinner or do something different, followed by her parents, you have a good support network in this journey of motherhood, even the work team is there for you when necessary. She never imagined that one day she would have a baby and all these scenarios, feeling the love and support of the family is something priceless;
- A year after the arrival of the little bundle of joy you manage to settle into a peaceful routine after going through all the rough patches and first times in a first trip motherhood, your heart overflowing with happiness to see your prince so big, smart and healthy. Melissa insists on having a birthday party with everyone at home and thank god you recorded every moment, because this way you recorded Luca's first steps as he walks towards you to get the balloon shaped like One in the redhead's hand. It's another video that she would watch on a loop without getting tired. She picks him up in her lap and distributes kisses all over LuLu's chubby little face, then turns to you giving a gentle kiss on the lips, whispering thanks for that wonderful little being you brought into the world for her.
"You know, we could give LuLu a little brother or sister, I like the name Olivia.... Damn, Y/N! Just one of these doesn't seem enough."
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Note
Honestly, one of the "best" parts of Fates' writing is that it's bad in so specific ways that there is just enough good stuff there that it gets people thinking about ways in which it could be better. For example, here are some of my own ideas:
Anankos, the Rainbow Sage, the Nohr Dragon and the Hoshido Dragon were siblings like the "modern" Nohr/Hoshido siblings, and the Nohr/Hoshido dragons were female. Those two and the Rainbow Sage sealed themselves into a human form to put off the madness that inevitably befalls dragons in old age, but Anankos didn't
Anankos eventually went mad because of course he did, and went on a massive rampage across the continent, only to be stopped by the combined efforts of his siblings and their respective human allies/partners. Valla gets flung into a seperate dimension sorta thing because of it, and Anankos gets super duper sealed away, first in the way that he can't leave Valla, and then in the way that he is sealed away within Valla
A Lot Of Time passes and Valla + Anankos get either forgotten or are erased from people's memories, but Anankos eventually manages to break free from his seal within Valla... but the one keeping him in Valla, no such luck. The people of Valla can leave, and his influence and power can extend beyond Valla, but he physically can't leave Valla
So, next actual change: Iago and Yukimura are both from Valla and servants of Anankos instead of Generic Evil Henchmen #1 and The Most Forgettable Playable Fates Character (which is saying something). Both are trying to corrupt the respective rulers of Hoshido and Nohr enough despair so that they become a suitable vessel for Anankos, who can use their distant familial connection to get his mind into their bodies and leave Valla that way
Speaking of respective monarchs: Sumeragi's first wive, Ikona is still alive, and the queen of Hoshido even in the present. Corrin also still ends up outside of Valla, but Mikoto gets yoinked back right after she gets Corrin outta there
The whole Corrin getting adopted and kidnapped stuff still happens, but both sides believe that they are Corrin's blood family due to some Magic Mind Manipulation™ from Iago and Yukimura. Corrin's not vital to Anankos' plans, but hey, can't hurt to have a potential backup vessel, right?
About halfway through Conquest, Corrin turns against Nohr together with Camilla and Elise who are already with them, they basically join forces with the rebellion in Cheve, and by proxy, Scarlet, and manage to break Garon out of his mind control a good ten chapters before the game is even over
But, there's still a perfectly good Hoshido to ruin, and so Yukimura gets to work on Ikona, who's also susceptible to that shit, especially since Iago had to flee and seek refuge in Hoshido
In Birthright meanwhile, Hoshido just doesn't get to be the Magical UwU Peace Kingdom, and their relationship to the people under them is similar to how it is between Nohr and say, the Ice Tribe. Speaking of which, Flame Tribe rebellion
In Birthright's ending, Ryoma abdicates the throne and lets Hinoka become queen because he thinks he doesn't make a good ruler
Endgame for both Birthright and Conquest sees the siblings of the side you didn't pick get pulled into the whole mind control/Being Influenced deal, and they form the last line of defence for Garon/Ikona. To get to the chamber where the respective monarch has sealed themselves, you only need to kill three of the four siblings, and it's your choice who it is! Chances are that the remaining siblings may not have the best view of Corrin afterwards, though.
Conquest has Garon join as playable in the endgame, Birthright has Ikona join in the endgame, Revalation has both of them join. Also, they have supports with each other there.
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stargirlaveblog · 29 days
Text
7Seals
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Chapter 14
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•Previous Chapter: Chapter Thirteen
•Next Chapter: Chapter Fifteen
•Chapter List
•New chapters every Thursday
•Content: Levi Ackerman × OC female. Slow Burn! Canon verse!
•Word Count: 5k (I got carried away)
•Warning: This content may not be suitable for all readers. If you've watched all of AOT then you will understand that the show handles heavy subjects such as abuse, racism, violence, and other heavy subjects. This fanfiction will also have the same heavy themes. Chapters with heavy themes will be marked with (*) at each chapter.
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Her fingers traced the bumpy path of my ribs, each touch turning up the volume of the discomfort. With a casual hum, she locked her gaze on my stomach, methodically pressing into different spots.
"What's the news?" I groaned, the pressure intensifying with every poke.
"You're not gonna like it," she replied, fingers unrelenting.
"When do I ever?" I groaned again, feeling the pain spike. "Ouch, seriously, can't you ease up a bit?"
"Do you always have to whine?" she shot back, her fingers persistently prodding.
"Come on, just spill it," I urged, rolling my eyes.
"You'll be down and out for a while, maybe a month," she dropped the bomb.
"Not this again," I groaned, my gaze shifting to the ceiling.
"Well, maybe if you'd done what you were supposed to all those years ago, we wouldn't be here right now," she huffed, rolling back on her chair.
"Yeah, yeah, just wrap me up," I said, holding my shirt away to give her access. She worked in silence, securing the wraps around my protesting ribs with practiced ease.
"Has anyone asked you to the ball yet?" the doctor tried to spark a conversation.
I chuckled. "No time for that in my schedule."
Silence hung between us.
"How about you? Got a dance partner?" I shot back.
"Nope, and I don't need an invite to have a good time," she replied, a rare smile gracing her face.
The first time I'd witnessed that woman crack a smile. Her smile was infectious, I had to grin in return.
"Good. I know you'll rock it. Give me a heads up if you need some wine; I'll stash a bottle for you." I winked.
She rolled her eyes, laughing.
"Your tricks make me a bit concerned as a doctor."
"Hey now, I didn't down those bottles solo," I defended, throwing my hands up, but a sharp movement made me wheeze in pain.
"Careful," she cautioned, still wrapping my protesting stomach.
"Doctor Lange." The door swung open, and the voice echoed through the room.
"I'm busy!" She yelled, hastily trying to cover me. I quickly pulled my blouse closed, shielding my chest.
Levi's eyes met mine, and his cheeks flushed a deep crimson. He paced away, desperately avoiding eye contact, as if the wall next to him suddenly became the most intriguing thing in the world.
Today was my day off, and seeing Levi here was unexpected, especially after last night's incident. But here he stood, looking like a flustered teenager.
"Will you ever learn to knock?" The doctor huffed, clearly annoyed.
"Even after this, I doubt it," I laughed, finding the whole situation amusing.
Levi, for the first time, seemed genuinely embarrassed, and I couldn't resist enjoying the moment.
"Right. Yeah," he stumbled, avoiding looking at either of us. "I'll be... I'll be out there." He hastily walked out of the room.
"We're done if you wanna go," she said, clearly amused by the recent events.
"I don't know if I wanna leave just yet," I replied with a smirk.
"Well, that's the first," she laughed.
"Yeah, I didn't think my Captain would ever see that part of me, so," I said, shooting her a knowing look.
"You have to face him sooner or later. Use it to your advantage," she suggested.
"Y'know, I'm starting to like you," I laughed, hopping off the bed and adjusting my shirt, buttoning it back up properly.
"See you tomorrow," she smiled as I walked out the door.
Levi leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, gaze fixed on the ground. There was still a hint of red on his face when I approached him.
"Captain," I greeted him with a playful grin.
"Iris," he muttered, avoiding eye contact. "I didn't see anything, if that's what you're wondering."
"I'd rather pretend this didn't happen," I told him.
"Great. Good," he said, finally meeting my gaze. "Erwin is requesting all of us to meet in his office at noon."
"It's my day off," I protested. "Also, I'm not a captain."
"You were requested," Levi repeated.
"Fine. Whatever. See you then," I said, walking off. He headed into the doctor's office shortly after.
What could he possibly need in there? It's not like he's hurt, and if he was, he wouldn't be caught dead in the doctor's office.
I knew everything about that man's schedule he was supposed to have back-to-back meetings today. When did he find time to weasel his way out of them?
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"Commander. Sorry I'm late," I spoke out, pushing the heavy mahogany door open, its hinges creaking echoing my arrival into Erwin's office.
"Iris!" Erwin's authoritative yet welcoming voice filled the room. "Right on time."
"Uh, I thought I was late?" I questioned, taking in the dimly lit room, the sunlight struggling through the heavy curtains. The scent of polished wood and the slight rustle of paperwork filled the air.
My eyes danced over the orderly chaos of scouting reports and strategically placed documents. The faint scent of aged wood and ink lingered in the air.
As I took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the room, Erwin motioned toward a plush sofa near the window, bathed in gentle sunlight. The ambiance felt almost reverent, a sanctuary within the bustling headquarters.
"Where is everyone?"
No one else was here. I purposely made myself late to the meeting so I didn't have to attend the whole thing. Did they already finish up? I'm so confused right now. Why am I the only person here?
"They'll be joining us shortly. Please, take a seat and let me pour you some tea," Erwin invited, his movements deliberate and graceful. The rich aroma of brewing tea began to intertwine with the atmosphere.
Seated on the sofa, it's leather cool against my back, I marveled at the view outside. The courtyard was adorned with blooming flowers and the distant hum of soldiers preparing for the day. Erwin's office, a haven within the bustling headquarters, seemed suspended in time.
"How's the injury?" Erwin inquired, the concern in his eyes mirrored in the soothing warmth of the tea he offered.
"I'll be out for a while," I replied, sinking into the luxurious sofa and the fragrant tea creating a momentary escape from the real world.
"Thought so, you took a hard fall last expedition," Erwin remarked, his eyes held concern but something else lurked behind it. It was a knowing look I hadn't seen in a long time.
"Yeah, well, the ground wasn't as soft as it looked," I quipped, smirking as I sipped the tea.
"So how are you holding up?"
"I'm fine. Just bored," I shrugged, glancing around Erwin's office. The atmosphere, with its subtle scent of old books and polished wood, made it one of the few places I could tolerate.
"I've been bored myself. Not much to do when the weather is bad. Titans seem to be quieter when it's snowing, so it makes up," Erwin shared, his eyes focused on the swirling snowflakes outside the window.
"Are you still having night terrors?" Erwin's question hung in the air, breaking the comfortable silence. I felt a twinge of discomfort, knowing this conversation would tread on old wounds.
"No," I replied, my gaze fixated on the swirling patterns in my teacup. The memories of those nightmares were locked away, hidden from prying eyes.
"Really? That's pretty good, then," he continued, his tone measured. I nodded, not willing to delve into the details of a past I'd rather forget.
"Yeah, I guess so," I muttered, avoiding eye contact. The scars from those nightmares had faded, but their ghost lingered. I was a prisoner to my dreams.
"I saw your dad the other day. Have you spoken to him recently?" Erwin's question felt calculated, a deliberate turn in the conversation. Levi must have been in on this too. I wondered how long they'd been scheming to corner me in Erwin's office.
I sighed, realizing I was lured into this situation. Was there even a meeting with the other captains, or was it merely an excuse to draw me into this unexpected tête-à-tête?
"We both know the answer to that one," I replied, reclining further into the plush chair Erwin insisted I occupy.
"Well, it doesn't hurt to try. He did ask me about you and-" Erwin's sentence hung in the air, abruptly cut off as the door swung open, disrupting our conversation.
"Levi," Erwin greeted, his tone betraying a hint of surprise. "You're early."
I turned to find Levi strolling in, his signature stoic expression doing little to mask the annoyance in his eyes. He settled on the couch, shooting a pointed look my way.
"I thought you two would be done by now, knowing how stubborn she is," Levi remarked, the barely concealed irritation directed at me.
"It would have been nice if you knocked," Erwin chastised, attempting to restore some order.
"I see you didn't learn anything from earlier," I teased Levi, savoring the tension emanating from him.
"Shut it," Levi growled, his jaw tense.
"What happened earlier?" Erwin interjected, attempting to piece together the puzzle.
"Yeah, Levi, what happened earlier?" I prodded a mischievous glint in my eyes.
"I thought you said we were going to forget about it," Levi snapped, his frustration bubbling to the surface.
"Yeah, well," I mused, tapping my finger against my chin. "I changed my mind."
"I didn't," Levi retorted.
"What happened earlier?" Hange's sudden entrance startled all of us, breaking the building tension.
"Damn it, Hange!" I yelled out. "You gotta stop sneaking up like that."
"Haha, sorry," they chuckled. "But really, what happened earlier?"
"Nothing," Levi grumbled. "Drop it."
I couldn't help but smirk, reveling in Levi's discomfort. This unexpected turn of events was too good to pass up, and I was determined to make the most of it.
"Well, since everyone's gathered," Erwin declared, his eyes scanning the room. "We've got some event planning on the agenda."
"About time!" Hange exclaimed, their excitement practically bouncing off the walls.
"The Scouts got roped into organizing the Yule ball this year," Erwin explained, casting a glance at both Levi and me. "Now, that's not exactly my forte, so..."
"Not mine either," Levi grumbled, interrupting the commander, something I wished to do.
"For once, Captain Clean Freak and I are on the same page," I added.
"Watch it." Levi threw my way.
I rolled my eyes and watched Erwin continue to speak ignoring our opinions.
"You both will be participating in one way or another," Erwin said addressing us both.
"To make it easier on you guys, Hange is in charge."
What he meant to say was to make it harder on all of us. One thing Hange loved more than Titans, was parties.
"Nobles specifically requested you and Iris-"
Erwin paused, his gaze fixed on me. I could sense the hesitation in his words, the unspoken weight of what was to come. His regret was evident, etched in the lines on his face. It was almost as if a new wrinkle appeared when he said my name.
"Your father appointed you on behalf of the church to plan as well," Erwin continued, laying out the unexpected bombshell.
"Great," I groaned, my frustration evident as I pinched the bridge of my nose. Erwin had managed to turn a simple meeting into a tangled mess, and now the church was thrown into the chaos of unwelcome surprises.
"The church?" Hange echoed my disbelief. "They're in on this too?"
Levi's poker face slipped, his jaw hanging a little. His silver eyes widen showing the blues that lurked under his insomnia.
"Why are you representing the church?" Hange's voice cut through the silence, sharp and incredulous.
"My dad's a pastor."
"What?!" Hange's voice hit an octave usually reserved for Titans.
"How come you never told us?"
"It doesn't matter," I brushed off, trying to sound as disinterested as possible, but inside, I was already bracing for the fallout.
"This explains so much," Hange mused, eyes narrowing in a way that suggested they were re-evaluating every interaction we'd ever had.
"What else are you hiding?"
"Thirty bottles of wine," Erwin chimed in, an edge of mirth to his voice as if he couldn't resist joining the fray.
I shot him a look that could curdle milk, but he just smirked, unfazed. The man could face down a Titan without batting an eye, so what chance did my glare stand?
"I think my father can find someone else who can handle it on their own. I won't be attending," I declared, standing up in what I intended to be a dramatic exit, only to be met with Erwin's commanding tone.
"Sit back down," he said, and as a puppet with its strings pulled, I fell back into the chair, my gaze shifting skyward as if the ceiling held the answers to my current predicament.
Levi leaned in, his voice a low groan that carried a weight of resignation.
"If I have to go, you are going too."
"You have to go because you're humanity's favorite toy right now," I snarled back, letting my frustration bubble to the surface.
"And it looks like you're the church's puppet," Levi retorted, his words sharp, a mirror reflecting my own feelings.
The room was buzzing with the kind of tension you'd expect just before a storm hit. Except, instead of rain, it was Erwin's patience that was about to break. I shot Levi one of those looks that could easily turn wine back into water, but he just stared back, collected as ever. His eyes, though, were practically dancing. He was getting a kick out of this, the jerk.
"Enough." Erwin's voice, authoritative and final, cut through the standoff.
"Hange is in charge of the Yule ball planning. The Garrison and Military Police will also contribute. I expect full cooperation from everyone."
His gaze lingered on me, a clear directive that I was to play nice, especially with Levi—Mr. Grumps, seemed to find human interaction less appealing than a Titan encounter.
"Don't look at me,"
"It's not me who has issues with people."
I gestured towards Levi, ignoring his soft glare.
"Oh, cheer up, guys!"
Hange, ever the optimist, squeezed between us, their arms wrapping around our necks in a death grip disguised as a group hug. Their enthusiasm was unbreakable, their grip even more so.
"Hange," Levi groaned, his discomfort audible, yet he made no move to escape their embrace, a testament to his resignation or perhaps a rare show of patience.
With a swift dismissal from Erwin, I wasted no time. My escape was swift, my pace quickening with each step away from the office and the impending disaster of the Yule ball—a ball that, until moments ago, I had every intention of avoiding.
"Hey brat," Levi called out, his voice trailing me into the corridor. I ignored him, my determination to distance myself from the conversation—and him—as strong as my desire to steer clear of the ball itself.
The irony of my father's involvement gnawed at me. After four years of silence, and now he wants to inject himself into my life. It would be laughable if it wasn't so infuriating. There was no affection in his summons, no fatherly concern. Just demands, as always.
I seethed at the thought of being manipulated, a pawn in a game played by men who hid their insecurities behind badges of strength and independence. My father, Erwin, and even Levi in his own way—they all wanted something from me, yet none dared to ask directly.
I'm tired of being used, tired of the silent expectations and unspoken demands. If they wanted my help, they'd have to ask for it—plainly and without games. Maybe with a bottle of wine or two as well. I'm not doing shit for free around here.
I leaned against the doorframe, one hand resting lightly on the cool wood as I peered into the dimly lit room beyond. The scent of aged paper and ink filled the air, mingling with the faint aroma of fresh lemons and mint that wafted from behind me, the presence looming like a silent shadow.
"What?" I asked, my voice betraying none of the unease that churned in my stomach. I already knew why he was here, trailing me like a ghost haunting my every step.
"I'm checking on you." His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it carried a weight that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
"I'm fine," I insisted, though the words felt hollow even to my ears. I moved to close the door behind me, but Levi stopped me with a well-placed foot and a firm hand, pushing the door open once more as he brushed past me and entered my sanctuary uninvited.
"Don't believe you," he muttered under his breath, his tone clipped and devoid of its usual edge. His eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail with a scrutiny that made me squirm under his gaze.
"I don't know what you expect," I snapped, my frustration bubbling to the surface.
"I was just cornered by you and Erwin, bombarded with news from my dad, so forgive me if I'm not in the mood for visitors."
Levi's response was unexpected, to say the least. Instead of arguing or pushing further, he simply reached past me, his chest brushing against my shoulder as he closed the door behind me with a soft click. His eyes gazed at for a moment but he quickly returned to looking elsewhere.
"Then go relax," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear after he shut the door. His voice was oddly gentle as he gestured towards the room beyond.
"But we still need to talk."
I watched him pace around my office, his movements controlled yet restless as if he were searching for something he couldn't quite find. The sight of him, usually so composed and unflappable, acting so strangely sent a shiver down my spine.
I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening as I watched him, his demeanor a far cry from the stoic Captain I was accustomed to.
“Captain.”
"If we're off duty, it's Levi," he interrupted, his voice tight with tension as he turned to face me, his eyes dark and inscrutable.
I nodded, though the gesture felt more like a surrender than an agreement. "Right," I murmured, my mind racing with unanswered questions.
"Levi," I began, the name feeling foreign and unfamiliar on my tongue after years of calling him Captain. "What's going on?"
But Levi's response was evasive, his gaze flickering away from mine as he spoke.
"Just get yourself together, Iris," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of urgency.
"Then we can talk."
I frowned, a knot of unease forming in the pit of my stomach. Whose plan was it to send Levi to my room after the meeting?  
"Fine. Make yourself at home. Teas in the left cabinets. There's some hidden sugar in my desk," I informed him, motioning toward the makeshift kitchenette before retreating into the sanctuary of my room.
The ache in my ribs throbbed insistently, a relentless reminder of lingering memories I've tried so hard to forget and push away. With careful precision, I shed my clothes, each movement a delicate dance with pain. But comfort awaited, a fleeting respite from the relentless demands of our world.
Clad in baggy sweatpants and an oversized shirt, I embraced the familiar warmth of familiarity, seeking solace amidst the chaos. Yet, even in the quiet of my sanctuary, Levi's muttered commentary permeated the air, a discordant melody to my solitude.
He should have known coming into my room it wasn't going to be a pretty sight. It's not like I have time to clean.
"God, she is so filthy," his words floated through the door, my room will never be up to his unyielding standards. I couldn't help but chuckle, imagining his frustration with the disorder that was my office. But in a world plagued by fates and uncertainty, chaos was the only constant.
Summoning what remained of my waning energy, I corralled my unruly curls into a messy bun, a few stray strands framing my face in a halo of chaos. Stepping back into the lion's den, I found Levi attempting to bring order to the chaos, his efforts both futile and endearing.
"It's dirty," he observed, his voice tinged with a hint of resignation.
"I know,"
Levi's eyebrow quirked in response, his gaze lingering on my form as I brushed past him, his curiosity still getting the best of him while he cleaned. I could feel the heat radiating from his skin mixing with the coolness of my own.
I reached for a bottle of wine nestled within the depths of my desk drawer, the familiar glass cool against my fingertips. Levi's eyes followed my every movement, a silent observer of the dance of shadows in the dimly lit room.
"You stupid brat,"
I merely shrugged, uncorking the wine bottle before sinking back into the plush cushions of the couch. Propping my feet up, I took a long swig straight from the bottle, relishing the fiery warmth that spread through my veins.
Levi's disapproving gaze bore into me, but I met it with a defiant glare of my own.
"You know that's contraband, right?" he chided, his voice laced with thinly veiled frustration.
I rolled my eyes, the corners of my lips quirking up in a mischievous smirk.
"We're off duty, aren't we, Levi?" I retorted, savoring the way his name felt on my tongue.
His response was a begrudging nod, his gaze flickering away from mine as if unable to withstand the intensity of my stare.
"Yeah," he muttered, his voice barely audible above the crackling of the fire.
"Then I don't see an issue," I declared, taking another swig from the bottle and relishing the burn as it traveled down my throat.
Levi's scoff filled the air, but I paid it no mind, focusing instead on the comforting numbness that washed over me with each sip. Meanwhile, Levi busied himself with straightening out my desk, his movements precise and purposeful.
"So, did you come here to clean or?" I asked, my words dripping with sarcasm as I watched him fiddle with quill and ink.
"Someone has to," he grumbled, his attention still fixated on the task at hand.
"Suit yourself," I replied nonchalantly, leaning back against the cushions and cradling the bottle in my arms.
"Your hair," Levi said still cleaning.
"Uh, yeah? What about it?"
"What's wrong with it?"
"Uh, nothing?" I replied, feigning innocence. "Why?"
"Because it looks messier than usual," he remarked, finally tearing his gaze away from the papers strewn across my desk to meet my eyes.
"Thanks," I shot back, my tone laden with sarcasm as I took another swig from the bottle.
As the minutes ticked by and the wine continued to flow, I found myself slipping further into a haze of intoxication. It had been a hell of a day, and from the looks of it, the night promised to be just as tumultuous.
Levi's offer of tea was met with a dismissive shake of my wine bottle, a silent refusal echoing through the room. Undeterred, he proceeded to pour himself a cup, his movements deliberate despite my lack of interest.
"Where's that sugar?" he inquired, his voice betraying a hint of annoyance.
"In the drawer with my wine,"
Levi's lips formed a thin line as he glanced at the drawer, clearly hesitant to delve into my personal belongings. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction at his discomfort.
"I don't feel like snooping through your stuff," he muttered, his gaze fixed on the once-cluttered desk.
"You didn't have a problem earlier going through and cleaning all of it," I retorted, the bitterness of my words hanging in the air.
With a frustrated sigh, I rose from the couch, retrieving the sugar and another bottle of wine from the drawer. Placing them on the coffee table, I settled back into the cushions, uncorking the second bottle.
As I took a long swig, I noticed Levi's gaze lingering on me, his expression a mixture of disdain and concern.
"How much are you going to drink?" he asked, his voice tinged with disgust.
"Until your nagging doesn't annoy me," I shot back, my defiance unwavering.
"What? Do you want some?"
Levi shook his head, his features hardening. "Alcohol doesn't do anything to me anyways," he admitted. "Do you drink like this every night?"
I scoffed at his question, taking another sip of wine.
"I don't see how that's any of your business," I replied, the bitterness of the wine masking the bitterness of my words.
"But since you asked, yeah, I do. Got a problem with it? It's not a secret or anything."
In reality, the alcohol served as my sole solace from the relentless nightmares that haunted my nights. It was the one remedy that could momentarily numb the sharp edges of memory. If Levi failed to grasp the depth of its necessity, then he had no right to cast judgment upon me.
"You're an idiot."
Levi's voice was sharp and unforgiving. I merely shrugged off his insult with a casual smirk, taking another swig from my bottle as if his words were nothing more than background noise. The wine danced across my tongue, its familiar burn serving as a welcome distraction from the chaos of the day.
With each sip, the tension in my body began to melt away, replaced by a warm, fuzzy feeling that wrapped around me like a blanket. It was a fleeting escape, but at that moment, it was enough. I closed my eyes briefly, allowing myself to sink into the blissful numbness that the alcohol provided.
But even as I basked in the temporary relief, I couldn't shake the nagging awareness that this was just a temporary reprieve. Tomorrow, the pain would return with a vengeance, a harsh reminder of the battles yet to be fought. Yet for now, I pushed those thoughts aside, choosing instead to savor the fleeting moment of respite that the wine offered.
"How come you've never mentioned your family?"
I cocked an eyebrow, taken aback by his sudden curiosity. He always drilled into my head to leave our personal shit away from the survey and now he wants to mix it?
"How come you've never mentioned yours?" I shot back, refusing to let him catch me off guard.
His response was a low, almost approving hum, followed by a curt declaration.
"Don't have one."
I shouldn't have been surprised. In the years I'd known Levi, he'd built walls around himself so impenetrable, that they made the Walls of Maria look like child's play. Yet, in that moment, as he offered a rare glimpse behind those walls, I found myself unexpectedly intrigued.
For the first time in what felt like ages, a flicker of curiosity sparked within me, igniting a desire to peel back the layers of his guarded facade and unearth the truths hidden beneath.
"You," he added abruptly, his gaze fixed on the crackling flames of the fireplace as if retreating into the safety of silence.
His vulnerability hung in the air between us, a reminder of the complexities that lay beneath the surface. In response, I found myself opening up in turn, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.
"My mom's gone," I confessed, the weight of the admission heavy on my tongue. Levi's eyes flickered briefly to mine before returning to the dancing flames.
"My old man's off his rocker, and I've got a little sister who's the epitome of perfection."
The contrast between my sister and me felt like a clash of light and shadow, as if she embodied everything bright and radiant, while I remained cloaked in darkness. Her presence illuminated any room, with her golden locks cascading like sunlight, and her cerulean eyes mimicking the beautiful waters. She was the epitome of perfection, effortlessly graceful and flawlessly composed, while I stood in her shadow with my messy black curls and deep emerald gaze seeming to absorb the light around me.
From a young age, my sister had been the embodiment of everything pristine and flawless. Her every action was met with admiration and praise, her every word uttered with grace and charm. Meanwhile, I struggled to find my place, often overshadowed by her brilliance. While she effortlessly danced through life's challenges, I stumbled in her wake, grappling with my insecurities and doubts.
But despite our differences, I couldn't help but admire her. She was the light to my darkness, the embodiment of everything I wished I could be. And as much as I tried to resent her for it, I couldn't deny the love and admiration I felt for my perfect little sister.
"Shit, Captain, you'd probably smile just by being near her. She's that perfect," I remarked, a hint of tease in my tone.
Levi's gaze shifted, his usually stoic expression softened by a flicker of something I couldn't quite decipher. His raven hair fell carelessly around his face, and for once, his scowl seemed less severe, almost as if he were at peace.
"You've known me long enough to know I'm not easily impressed," he replied, his voice steady but with an underlying warmth that caught me off guard. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I felt like I wasn't a nuisance to him. It was as if he had shed the weight of the world for just a moment, revealing a side of himself I had never seen before.
But then reality crashed back in, and I quickly diverted my gaze, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck. His words startled me. Just how long was I staring at him?
"Iris, I rather stare at eyes that have seen death than fool myself with someone who portrays a false reality."
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uncharismatic-fauna · 8 months
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Soaring with the Tarantula Hawk Wasps
Tarantula hawk wasps, or more simply tarantula hawks, are a sub-group of the spider wasp family Pompilidae, famous for both their painful sting and their tendancy to predate exclusively on tarantulas and large spiders. The tarantula hawks encompass two genuses. Pepsis, which includes about 133 species, is found exclusively in the Americas, and occupies a range of habitats including rainforests and deserts. Hemipepsis has 180 species and is found in tropical regions on every continent.
Although tarantula hawks get their fame and their name by hunting tarantulas, only larval wasps actually feed on arachnids. The adults actually consume nectar and fermented fruit, like other hymenoptrids like bees and hornets. In fact, many species of flowers rely exclusively on pollination by tarantula hawks. The painful sting they carry is enough to keep away potential predators. In general, however individuals are not aggressive and won't utilize their defenses unless provoked. In addition, though the sting is extremely painful to humans, it is not venomous and doesn't require medical attention unless it triggers an allergic reaction.
Members of both Pepsis and Hemipepsis are active during the daytime, and spend most of their time foraging. In the summer, females will also actively hunt for prey in which to lay their eggs, while males will practice a behaviour called 'hill-topping', in which they perch on a tall flower or shrub and wait for reproductive females to pass by. Males can become defensive of their territories, but lack stingers as they have no need to hunt.
When males locate a receptive female, they engage in elaborate aerial dances to entice her to mate with them, sometimes reaching heights of over 305 m (1000 ft). After a male and female mate, they go their seperate ways; males to find another partner, and females to find a source of prey. Once a female has located a suitable tarantula, she stings it-- the venom she injects paralyses the arachnid but keeps it alive. She then drags it back to a specially prepared burrow, where she lays her egg inside the spider and covers the burrow.
The egg hatches about 3-4 days after being laid, and begins consuming its host. The sex of the larva depends on fertilization; unfertilized eggs produce males, while fertilized eggs produce females. Over the next several weeks, the larva will consume the tarantula in its entirety, keeping it alive as long as possible and going through several molts. Eventually the larva forms a pupa, and 2-3 weeks later emerges as a fully mature adult. Both sexes have fairly short lifespans: males only live for a few weeks, and females only live for 4-5 months, but in that time they will produce over 13 eggs.
Tarantula hawks are among the largest wasps in the world. The very largest can grow up to 6.5 cm (2.5 in) long, and have wingspans to match. The females' stinger is equally impressive, reaching a length of up to 12 mm (0.47 in). Species can come in a variety of colors, most commonly orange, blue, or black, with bright orange or red wings. These features, combined with the tarantula hawks' long, hooked claws and large eyes, make members of any species easily distinguishable from other wasps.
Conservation status: No species of tarantula hawk wasps is currently threatened, although many species are facing habitat destruction and a decline in their primary prey. One species of tarantula hawk, Pepsis grossa, is the official insect of the state of New Mexico in the United States.
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Photos
Hemipepsis ustulata by Gary McDonald
Elegant tarantula hawk wasp (Pepsis menechma) by Will Stuart via iNaturalist
Hemipepsis tamisieri by Debbie Hall
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theforgottenmcrmy · 1 year
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Honor~ Part 1/2 (Ser Harwin Strong x Reader)
᯽ Please note that this is an overall part 8 of the series “Growing Strong”, the masterlist of which can be found HERE ᯽
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Pairing: Ser Harwin Strong x Tyrell! Female Reader
Warnings: GOT typical sexism, canon divergence, suggestive themes, violence
Summary: Honor was subjective; it meant different things to different people. That was one of the most difficult concepts you’d ever had to come to terms with, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t a lesson worth learning.
A/N: Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 I hope you guys are having a much better day/night than I am, cause your girl is going through it rn🥲 *handing out tissues* so, how are we feeling about the season finale, everyone?🥺 … on that note, I regret to inform you that these next two chapters will have some angst. I just ask that you hold off on throwing tomatoes at me until you’ve read it all. Part 2 will be up on Thursday 11/3.
As always, thank you all for the love🖤 eat all the candy you want today/tonight/whenever, you deserve it!🖤
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Ser Laenor Velaryon was many things.
He was kind; he’d never laid a hand on Princess Rhaenyra. He’d been knighted at a young age, and had proved to be an asset to the Crown during the war in the Stepstones. He was daring; he’d claimed Seasmoke, one of the more nimble and faster dragons that the Targaryens boasted.
But, like all others, Ser Laenor also had his shortcomings.
As you purposefully entered the banquet hall you’d been directed to by a chambermaid, you frowned immediately at the sight that you were met with.
Ser Laenor was seated upon one of the tables in the middle of the room, apparently having decided that a chair was not suitable for such a purpose. His most recent companion, Ser Qarl Correy, was seated upon the table as well, right beside him. The pair talked loudly about something you couldn’t quite pick out the specifics of amongst their inebriated babblings.
You continued to watch with dissatisfaction as Ser Qarl raised a goblet of wine to you as a poor form of greeting before handing off said goblet to his drinking partner.
A few servants waited in the periphery of the scene, ready to jump in and assist the prince consort with whatever he may require at a moment’s notice. The looks on their faces ranged from neutral to weary.
“My Lord.”
Ser Laenor flinched at your bellow, but regained his composure fairly quickly. “Good morrow, Lady Tyrell!” He took another gulp of wine and before wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “How fare thee? Ser Qarl and I were just breaking our fast.”
The near empty plates beside and around their seated rear ends had gone unnoticed initially. You’d been far too distracted by the notion of Princess Rhaenyra’s husband and his companion already indulging themselves at such an early hour of the morn.
Ser Laenor inquired curiously, “To what do we owe the pleasure?”
“I was told the Princess’s labors are drawing to a close,” you informed him neutrally. “Perhaps you might be a bit more… coherent, when you go to her?”
“... Ah, yes, yes. Of course.”
Despite your increasing irritation with the situation, you knew better than to show it. You bowed your head and gave the pair a strained smile before excusing yourself without another word.
Ironically, Ser Laenor Velaryon’s degree of interest in his family was like the weather over the sea: constantly changing with the seasons and tides.
And, for all the many things that he was, Ser Laenor Velaryon had never been a particularly attentive father- a fact that had cultivated a dangerous situation for you and the ones closest to you over the past decade.
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As you made your way through the halls of the Red Keep, headed back from whence you’d come, you realized with dread that the castle had begun to awaken for the day.
You were not naive; cruel whispers had never been foreign among the halls of the Red Keep. But it appeared that the vipers had only become more venomous over time.
And those brazen whisperers had not spared you as a subject of their poisonous words.
Though… you had hoped they might have.
You were the Lady of House Tyrell, Mistress of Highgarden, Defender of the Marshes, Lady Paramount of the Reach, and Wardeness of the South. In the ten years you had taken up your family’s seat, you had come to live up to both your father and brother’s names. With your husband’s unwavering support, you worked tirelessly to ensure that you earned your right to the family titles that King Viserys had declared belonged to you. Sleepless nights preparing contracts for the crops trade, countless hours of council meetings regarding the issues facing the noble and common people, and thousands, perhaps even millions of gold dragons invested back into your homeland and the people who lived and worked there had finally begun to pay dividends.
Most of your time throughout the year was spent in the Reach, as was what you deemed necessary to adequately fulfill your obligations. You were well respected there, with only some, though plainly, expected, dissension… primarily from the likes of those who resided over in Oldtown.
You’d have been content to stay in the Reach, but your loyalty and friendship to the Princess had repeatedly called you back for visits to the capital. At first, you had been regarded with the respect you had earned over your years of service to the Reach and the Crown.
But with each passing year, the esteem the other lords and ladies placed upon you slowly began to diminish. And now, most of your noble peers did not hesitate to reveal exactly what they thought of your… circumstances.
In passing, most of them only seemed to offer you one of three looks: a look of pity, sympathy, or disgust.
Pity, for how could you have “failed to keep” your husband’s attention?
Sympathy, for how could you be held responsible for your husband’s lustful “wiles”?
And disgust, for how could you have “allowed” your vows to each other and before the gods to have been soiled so easily?
If only they knew…
You must have had the gods’ favor that morning, for you managed to make your way through the Red Keep without happening upon too many others. That was just as well; you’d gotten hardly any sleep the night before, and if you had to tolerate another single pitiful look at that moment, you might not have been able to properly mind your tongue.
And that would be an awful slip that neither you, your husband, nor Princess Rhaenyra could afford.
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As you entered princelings’ chambers, you were pleasantly surprised to be greeted with the voices that had been suspiciously absent when you’d awoken that morning.
All four of the boys had their backs turned to you as they played in front of the fire with their miniature knights and dragons. They were so consumed in their games of pretend that your sudden reappearance had gone unnoticed.
But you hadn’t gone unacknowledged by your husband.
Harwin, who had been ever so carefully watching over all four of them, saw you enter immediately. As you walked further into the room, he rose from his crouched position and gave you a soft smile. 
You watched the boys in silent amusement for a few moments before finally deciding to make your presence known. “There you are. I had wondered where the four of you might have wandered off to this morning.”
Just a few hours before, you’d been given a bit of a start. Right before the sun rose, you’d stirred from a less than pleasant sleep to find yourself alone in the room, despite having succumbed to your dreams sometime in the night to the sound of animated whispers of four young boys filling your ears. But you’d known there’d been little cause for panic; Prince Jacaerys and Prince Lucerys seldom made a move without eyes upon them. And wherever the young princlings went, your own sons were never too far behind.
Upon hearing your voice, all four of the boys turned and lifted their heads in your direction. They smiled and rose, before bounding over to you with excitement.
“Has there been any news?” Prince Jacaerys, or Jace, as Princess Rhaenyra had nicknamed him early on in his life, asked. He was the Princess’s oldest son, and nearly ten years of age. Though being third in line for the Iron Throne would have deemed him worthy of such attention regardless, additional interest had been placed on him shortly after his birth. Prince Jacaerys had been born with dark hair and eyes; he blatantly stood out in the sea of the other Targaryens he lived amongst.
“None yet,” you answered him truthfully. Upon seeing the disappointed look on the boy’s face, you quickly promised, “But soon.”
“We went to the dragon pit this morning!” your oldest son informed you enthusiastically, coming to stand beside Jacaerys.
Derrik, despite having been named in homage to your predecessor, bore little of the physical characteristics that had been passed down through generations of House Tyrell. At nearly ten years of age as well, just a few months younger than Prince Jacaerys, you imagined that he was a spitting image of what Harwin must have looked like at that age. His grandsire, the Lord Hand Lyonel Strong, had frequently made such a comment to that extent. Derrik was already the tallest of the four boys, and had even begun to encroach upon your own height. In addition to all the other traits he took from his father, he also shared Harwin’s dark curls. But his eyes were your own, as was his generally agreeable temperament.
Upon your oldest son’s admission, you looked at Harwin with surprise and mild concern. “Did you, now?”
“Look, Lady Y/N!” Prince Lucerys bid, running to the table beside you. You hadn’t noticed the sizzling pot upon it until the youngest of the Princess’s sons called your attention to it. But you knew what it contained, even without the young boy having to remove the lid.
“Jace let me pick out the egg!” Prince Lucerys, or Luke, beamed up at you. The youngest prince was over seven years old, though closer to eight. Like his older brother, Lucerys also had dark hair and eyes. But there’d never been any doubt as to who his brother was, nor his mother- his smile mirrored Princess Rhaenyra’s perfectly.
You returned his familiar smile with genuine ease. “I see that. Well, I am certain that your little brother or sister will be very grateful, Your Graces.”
It had become a custom during King Viserys’ reign for all newborn Targaryen children to have a dragon’s egg placed in their cradle. While you were wary of Princes’ safety whilst they underwent whatever necessary to secure the egg before you now, you were relieved at the thought that Princess Rhaenyra would be spared a trip to the dragon pit. Though she was likely to be exhausted, the Princess’s stubbornness had not diminished in the slightest over the years. Both of her older son’s eggs hatched in their cradles, and there was no doubt that she would wish the same for her next child.
While the Princes smiled to each other at your praise, you almost lost your footing when the fourth boy, your youngest son, threw his arms around your waist in an impromptu hug.
The boy looked up at you with wide eyes pleadingly. “We’re sorry we didn’t wake you when we left, Mother.”
Your resolve faded; it was extremely difficult to be cross when such a look was being given to you.
Selwin, the youngest of your boys, was a few months Prince Lucerys’ junior. He had been named after Harwin’s grandsire. Despite this, and in contrast to that of his older brother, not many physical traits of House Strong were made apparent in him. In fact, your youngest son resembled your late brother Derron so greatly, you found it to be unnerving at times. Selwin, though also tall for his age, was more lean and slender than Derrik. His hair matched your own, but he had your husband’s hazel eyes. Like Harwin, it seemed that he had inherited a bit of a fiery temper… which had been discovered fairly quickly after the boy was old enough to spend time in a training yard. But, also like Harwin, Selwin treated his family and those he cared about very sweetly, and never showed them anything but the utmost kindness.
You patted Selwin’s hair soothingly as silent acceptance of his apology. In the gaggle of young babbling boys surrounding you, you had failed to realize your husband had made his way over to join you.
Harwin, dressed in his armor and gold cloak, gave you an apologetic look.
Your family’s recent trip to King’s Landing had become less of a visit, and more of an extended stay. As he usually did, upon your return to the capital, Harwin had resumed his old post as a captain within the City Watch.
But through extenuating circumstances, the Commander of the City Watch had been forced to resign recently, and King Viserys had appointed Harwin in his stead… A perk of being the son of the Hand of the King, and retaining a close friendship with Princess Rhaenyra, you supposed.
It had been an unexpected appointment, but Harwin took it in stride. Though your family would eventually depart King’s Landing, he was determined to serve dutifully until that time came. In fact, just the previous evening until early that morning, he’d been out in the city, on patrol. Despite the tiredness that you could see lingering in his eyes, you knew he’d never let it show in front of the children.
Now that the boys had greeted you, their attention quickly returned back to their games. The boys fled back their miniature knights and dragons, but you remained where you were, watching them fondly as Harwin took another step towards you.
“When I returned this morning, you were still asleep,” he explained quietly. “I thought it might be best to let you rest whilst I escorted them to the dragon pit myself.”
Before Princess Rhaenyra had begun her labors the previous evening, she had asked you and your children to keep her sons company in the princes’ chambers. She wanted Jacaerys and Lucerys to be comfortable, and more importantly, kept distracted. Your sons, who had become close companions to the princlings throughout the course of their lives, fit the bill. You’d never spoken of it with her, but you suspected the fate of her late mother was never too far from her mind. Watching over her sons while Princess Rhaenyra labored was a small price to pay for ensuring that she had some peace of mind.
You gave Harwin a small but appreciative smile. “I am surprised the boys were already awake,” you confessed. “They were talking and playing well into the night.”
All of the boys, but particularly the Princes, were ecstatic with the idea of another addition to the royal family. At some point past midnight, you’d given up on encouraging them to get some rest. They would fall asleep wherever and whenever their bodies told them too, and not a moment sooner, you had realized in defeat. While the boys had engaged in another spirited game of pretend, you had drifted away on one of the sofas.
“Well, the Princes and Derrik were awake,” Harwin recalled, somewhat hesitantly. “I may have had to stir Selwin a bit…”
You gave him a mock look of disapproval at this revelation.
“In my defense,” your husband added hastily, “He was sleeping at a rather odd angle. I feared his neck would ache and pain him this morning, if I continued to let him lie as he was.”
On the contrary, and comically so, your youngest son briefly caught the room’s attention by breaking into an energetic sprint about the room, maneuvering a toy dragon to soar through the air as he did so. Prince Lucerys was just a step behind him, flying a dragon of his own.
“Although, he certainly doesn’t look to be in any discomfort,” Harwin observed bewilderedly, letting out an amused chuckle. “... Come to think of it, I don’t believe there is much at all that is able to truly dampen his spirits.”
You accused teasingly, “He gets that from his father, you know.”
“Funny,” Harwin exhaled, looking down at you with an amused twinkle in his eyes. “I always thought he got it from his mother.”
A comfortable moment of silence passed between you. Only the sound of the children’s laughter and the crackling of the fireplace was able to be heard.
It was an oddly peaceful moment that made it so very easy to forget that there had been any strain at all between you and Harwin as of late.
A knock on the door shattered the moment of calm.
You gave Harwin a forlorn look as you went to answer it. You opened it slowly, revealing one of Princess Rhaenyra’s handmaidens. She reported the information she’d been tasked to relay, excused herself, and you shut the door once more. When you turned around, all five of the room’s other occupants looked at you expectantly.
You announced, “The Princess has had a boy.”
All four boys broke out into cheers.
“A brother?” Lucerys exclaimed with a smile.
Derrik asked, “Is he healthy?”
“Is Mother alright?” Jacaerys added on.
Selwin demanded, “What’s his name?”
You held your hands out in a gesture you hoped would calm all of them. “I was told both the Princess and the young Prince are well. And, as for his name- I do not believe he has one yet.”
“Be patient, lads,” Harwin encouraged the Princes upon seeing their fallen faces. “I am sure your mother and your brother will join us in a few hours.”
“In the meantime, perhaps we might call for some food?” you suggested then, immediately piquing the group’s interest. “After your trek across the city this morning, I dare say the five of you must have worked up quite an appetite.”
The boys agreed, and after a servant had been called to request the meals be brought up, they returned to their games once more.
None of them noticed the uneasy look exchanged between you and Harwin.
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When Princess Rhaenyra entered the room some time later, you were pleasantly surprised to see that she was accompanied by her husband. Ser Laenor looked vastly more coherent then when you last saw him. That was much to your relief, considering he was holding the newborn prince in his arms.
Harwin, who had indulged the children by participating in their most recent game, stood tall, and you rose from your seat on the sofa nearby.
Upon noticing their parents' attention had been diverted, Derrick and Selwin also rose to their feet, and quickly bowed to Princess Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor.
You couldn’t help but smile at them, happy that despite the commotion, their manners had not been forgotten. For all the shame you had felt as of late, your two sons had never made you feel anything but pride.
“Mother!” Jacaerys greeted, swiftly rising and rushing over to the door. The other three boys were quickly on his heels. When he reached the table near the door, he removed the lid of the pot sitting atop of it, revealing the dragon egg. Crackles of embers filling the pot in the effort to keep the egg warm filled the room.
“We chose an egg for the baby,” Lucerys explained to his mother.
“Ah,” Princess Rhaenyra mused, flinching as she carefully took a step towards the sofa. “That looks like the perfect one.”
It was obvious by the Princess’s voice that she was still in great pain. You immediately grabbed two nearby cushions, fluffing and putting one upon the seat of the sofa, and the other up against the back of it. Harwin came up from behind the both of you and offered her an arm, which she took gratefully, before cautiously lowering herself down onto the sofa.
Jacaerys lightly swatted his younger brother’s curious hands away from the egg, and your own children leant closer to it as they tried to get a better look.
“Not everyday an egg leaves the dragon pit, Princess,” Harwin informed her. “I thought it best to escort the lads.”
Princess Rhaenyra smiled at him genuinely. “Laenor and I thank you, Commander.”
“Another boy, we heard,” you chimed in. You lowered yourself onto the sofa beside the Princess slowly, so as not to disturb or cause her additional pain. “Congratulations, Your Grace.”
Princess Rhaenyra looked at you with a veiled expression and gave you an appreciative nod. She was clearly tired, and in decent discomfort, as was to be expected. But there was still a sheen layer of sweat upon her face, meaning that either the midwives had not bothered to wipe her brow, or something else had happened more recently that had caused her to strain herself further.
You suspected the latter.
“Might I?” Harwin asked Ser Laenor, his eyes darting downwards towards the babe in the prince consort’s arms.
Princess Rhaenyra turned away from you. To her husband, she said, “Ser Harwin wishes to be introduced to Joffrey.”
Joffrey.
You took care to hide any facial response you might have had to the announcement of the newest prince’s name. A well enough name, you supposed, but it was greatly unlike the names of his older brothers. It didn’t take much thought to surmise who the responsible party must have been. Come to think of it, the name sounded awfully familiar…
Ser Laenor nodded understandingly. “Of course.”
Harwin gently took the newborn prince from the other man’s arms. Despite everything, as Harwin smiled down at Prince Joffrey and began to bounce him lightly, you couldn’t help but feel warmness begin to stir in your heart. Seeing Harwin with a babe in his broad and protective arms reminded you very much of when your own children were that young. It was a sight which you were unsure if you would ever witness again.
“Father?” Lucerys asked Ser Laenor, “Please, may I hold Joffrey?”
“No, no, no,” Ser Laenor said, patiently, but firmly. As the second-born prince made grabbing hands at the babe in Harwin’s arms, Ser Laenor had little choice but to calmly redirect him, and his elder brother, towards the door. “Back to the dragon pit for you two, before they send out a search party.”
The Princes grumbled as they were led out of the room.
You looked at Derrik and Selwin, and asked them both pointedly, “It is about time you both reported to your tutors for the day, don’t you think?”
Your sons also grumbled in protest. Thankfully, your husband caught on to your not so subtle hint at once, and he gently deposited Prince Joffrey back into Princess Rhaenyra’s awaiting arms.
“Come now, lads,” he beckoned Derrik and Selwin, before placing guiding hands on their shoulders. As he led them towards the door, he continued, “Let the Princess rest. We shall see your mother later.”
Harwin’s eyes lingered on you as he closed the door. You gave him a grateful look before he disappeared from view.
Once you were finally alone with the Princess, your focus was able to be solely put on her and the babe.
“How was it?” you dared to ask, though you knew her answer.
Princess Rhaenyra deadpanned. “A perfectly pleasant experience, as it always is.”
It was quiet for a moment, before you both let out a few hearty laughs. But when Princess Rhaenyra abruptly hissed in pain, you sat up straight.
“What is it?” you demanded worriedly, reaching out to support her hold on Prince Joffrey if needed.
The Princess gritted her teeth. “‘Tis nothing,” she attempted to dismiss your concern. “... It seems I have simply overexerted myself.”
“Then let me take him,” you offered readily, glancing down at the newborn prince in her arms. “Or, I can call for the wetnurse, if you’d prefer.”
“No, no,” the Princess insisted. “It is not that.”
“Then what is it?”
Princess Rhaenyra’s eyes never left the babe when she spoke next. Perhaps it was in an effort to keep herself composed. In the years since you had both become mothers, you had noticed it was nearly impossible for the Princess to be in a foul mood whenever she was around her sons. She loved them deeply. They gave her great joy, and, to put it simply, she was completely devoted to each of them.
“The Queen requested that Joffrey be brought to her at once.”
You blinked. “Now?”
“No. After. Laenor and I have just come from her chambers.”
Your brows furrowed. “... Surely you do not mean-”
“But I do.”
“Gods.”
The thought of Princess Rhaenyra, minutes after giving birth, being forced to walk the halls of the Red Keep to present her newborn son before Queen Alicent was appalling. You wanted to believe it was a joke, but you severely doubted that Princess Rhaenyra would ever jest about such a thing. And the hardened look in her eyes confirmed to you that it was anything but.
You leaned closer to her, attempting to get a better look at the babe you had yet to hold. “Why in the Seven Hells would she-”
Prince Joffrey fussed slightly, causing the blanket he was wrapped in to shift. The fabric around his head fell, revealing a crown of dark brown hair.
You fell silent.
Princess Rhaenyra quickly adjusted the blanket, covering the babe’s head once more. But the damage had been done.
“... I suppose the blood on his father’s side runs strong,” you found yourself commenting tactfully, referring to Princess Rhaenys’ brunette locks.
Princess Rhaenyra laughed once, shortly, and looked thankful for having been offered an out. But she said nothing further after that, choosing instead to focus back on the squirming child in her arms.
A very uncomfortable silence took over the room, and the pair of you had no choice but to endure it.
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Later that night, you laid in bed, wide awake and restless, staring blankly up towards the ceiling of your chambers as your own thoughts tormented you.
…Another princeling born bearing little resemblance to that of his father… more fuel for the fire… those reprehensible whispers that you now knew would never cease…
The only person in the world with whom you wanted to talk to about your thoughts and feelings was lying right beside you. But he was fast asleep, and despite everything, you did not have the heart to wake him.
If sleep claimed you that night, you do not recall it.
Little did you know, Harwin had not slept that night, either.
Like you, his own thoughts only ever came back to two things… the third princeling born with hair and eyes unlike either of his parents… and the cruel rumors swirling about the Red Keep that he knew would only become more twisted because of it.
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The following morning, you found both of your sons awake in their chambers.
You entered without announcing yourself, genuinely curious about the scene that awaited.
Selwin was already dressed and sporting his training armor. As he fought an invisible enemy with an invisible weapon of his choice on one side of the room, Harwin was assisting Derrik with securing the last few straps of his breastplate on the other side.
Once Harwin was satisfied with his work, he looked at the armor appraisingly. Your son looked up at him patiently, and somewhat timidly, waiting for his father’s opinion.
“It looks as though you’ll need some bigger armor soon, at the rate you’re growing,” Harwin decided, causing Derrik to smile widely. The pride was very evident in your husband’s voice. As Selwin suddenly ran past them, Harwin fondly rustled his hair in passing, and added, “You too, lad.”
You couldn’t help but beam at the scene.
Harwin had taken to fatherhood like a duck to water. He’d always been fiercely protective of his younger brother and sisters, and when it came to you and your children, it was no different. He’d been hands on with their learning and training since the day they were born, as had you. It hadn’t always been easy, but you had no doubt that there was no other man in the Seven Kingdoms that you would have wanted to raise your boys with.
Though initially you’d both been nervous at the prospect of parenthood, it was later proved that neither of you had any need to worry. Your children loved you as much as you loved them; and in turn, they’d always been decently behaved. In due time, they’d make fine lords in their own right.
“I can’t wait to take on Prince Aemond!” Selwin declared excitedly.
You weren’t sure why he had called out that young Prince specifically, but you made a mental note to speak with him about it later.
Derrik countered with a disapproving frown, “Prince Aemond is several years older than you.” He was right. Prince Aemond was closest in age to Jacaerys and himself, but even so, the Queen’s second son was still older than both of them.
“But we’re about the same size. I’d be more than a fair match!” Selwin argued lightly. He looked up at your husband with pleading eyes, giving him the same look the boy had given you the day before. “Please, Father? Can I spar with the Prince?”
Harwin sighed, and shook his head regretfully. “Sorry lad, but you know the rules. You are to sit and watch- and only watch- until the Princes’ training is done. I’ll work with the both of you after that.”
“But we’ve trained with Jace and Luke before!” Selwin protested.
“Aye, and that is only because the Princess Rhaneyra gave you permission to do so,” Harwin reminded him patiently. “The Queen has not given you such permission. Prince Aegon and Prince Aemond are to have more attentive instruction… as they deserve.”
Selwin did not look too happy, but he relented nonetheless.
“Besides,” Derrik said to his younger brother then, “You know Mother doesn’t like us sparring with the Queen’s sons.”
“She worries too much,” Selwin denounced.
“Come now,” Harwin frowned disapprovingly at the boys. “Your mother has every right to worry about you, as do I.”
Derrik and Selwin looked up at their father, slightly taken aback by the seriousness of his tone.
“What I am about to say is not meant to scare you, but it’s about time that the two of you hear it,” Harwin cautioned them. He let out a small sigh as he visibly contemplated his next words. “... Those around you, especially those here in the Red Keep, may treat the two of you with respect, but that is only because your station commands it. Some of them may even be pleasant enough to you… But that does not mean that they will have your best interests in mind, or that they are able to be trusted.”
Though he had prefaced his warning, your sons still looked alarmed by the gravity of Harwin’s words. You didn’t relish in the fact that they seemed scared, but it was necessary.
The plot against you the night before your wedding; the scheme devised to swindle your birthright out from underneath you… Ten years had passed since both had occurred, and you had no more answers now than you did back then. Over the years, you’d wondered if your brother Derron had been able to uncover any more information into either of those matters, particularly in regards to those who may have been orchestrators…
But if Derron had discovered anything, that knowledge had died with him.
With the exception of the gossip swirling about the Red Keep, neither you nor Harwin had been the target of any further conspiracies since then. But just because an enemy was dormant, that did mean that the threat was at bay. You had children now, and the reality of the situation was that you and Harwin were more vulnerable now than ever before.
Noting the sudden fear on the boys’ faces, Harwin placed one hand on each of their shoulders comfortingly. “But you can always trust that your mother and I will look out for you,” Harwin promised them, smiling softly. “And that is why we worry. That is why we want you to study, so that you might become wise, and be one step ahead of anyone else who may target you. That is why we want you to train, so should the situation ever call for it, you will know how to defend yourself.”
Derrik and Selwin looked up at their father with large eyes as they clung on to his each and every word.
“Do you understand?” he coaxed.
The boys nodded eagerly. “Yes, Father.”
You decided that that was the best time as any to make your appearance known. You stepped further into the room, putting a smile on your face as you did so. “Good morning.”
“Mother!”
You braced yourself, and smartly so, as your boys rushed over to hug you. You laughed and patted their backs lightly; the metal of the small armor was still cold to the touch. “Look at the two of you… You look as though you're ready to go man the Wall!”
“We’d never go that far away, Mother!” Derrik corrected quickly.
“Good,” you affirmed. “I’d miss you both terribly.”
“Run along to the training yard, lads,” Harwin suggested then, his eyes locking with yours. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Derrik and Selwin gave the pair of you knowing smiles before promptly heeding their father’s suggestion.
“Be careful!” you called after them cautiously, though only half-heartedly.
The sounds of the boys’ laughter slowly dissipated the further they ran down the corridor. When it was just the two of you left in the room, you turned to Harwin expectantly.
You weren’t sure what look you anticipated him to have, but it definitely wasn’t the one upon his face at that moment. Sadness lingered in his eyes… or perhaps guilt.
“Might we talk?” he asked, nervousness and uncertainty plain in his voice. It reminded you faintly of when you’d first met him, “Later, I mean. Over supper, perhaps?”
You did have a great deal to talk about. “Of course… That sounds quite lovely, actually. I’d like that very much.”
Relief visibly washed over Harwin’s face at your agreeable response. He nodded firmly once, though it looked like it was more to reassure himself than to confirm anything to you, and went to leave.
You stood still, expecting him to walk by without another word to follow your sons to the training yard, as promised. But instead, Harwin came to a halt beside you. You looked up at him curiously, your guard slightly raised.
Harwin leaned down and placed the lightest of kisses upon your forehead. Any emotional shield you tried to craft crumbled at the simple but extremely meaningful action. Despite his gentleness, you could feel the emotional depth behind it. Your heart lurched at the feeling of his lips upon your skin, and you found yourself feeling remorse when he slowly pulled away.
“I shall see you tonight, My Love.”
And with that, he left.
It was only when the room was quiet and still that you breathed out your response, despite the fact that there was not a single soul around to hear it.
“Until tonight, Dearest.”
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A/N: Thank you for reading! Part 2 will be posted this Thursday, 11/1. If I remember, I’ll try to post a link to it here. Either way, I’ll make sure it is added to the masterlist. I hope you all have a wonderful week!🖤
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darkwinganimus · 25 days
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Why The Icewings Really Can't Have Been Trying That Hard To Regain Animus Magic
I always wondered why Queen Diamond didn’t just have more eggs (or enchant some into existence) herself. It’s possible Arctic had a sibling before I suppose but if it was a sister she could have died failing to take the throne.
In any case, she ends up in a situation where her only son is the only dragon carrying the animus gene for sure (how much of their extended royal cadet branches are dead?) and he elopes with a nightwing having two hybrid eggs she disapproves of.
Whilst Queen Diamond can't have seen Arctic's specific death coming she did tell him to kill his own dragonets (her only grandchildren) holding Foeslayer hostage. It's implied she expects him to then marry a noble of his choosing to get proper icewing heirs but so far as problem solving goes she's unreasonably limited herself.
Frankly luring a grandgragonet or great-granddragonet back to the tribe to in a generation or so get closer to proper icewings (in her view) again would have been a smarter move.
But all of the above is at least hitting close to home so the real question is how in two thousand years not one icewing successfully "reclaimed" animus magic despite Winter clearly showing that culturally it remained a huge complaint.
If they were betting on a random icewing manifesting animus powers to marry into the royal family as the only acceptable method it seems they lost in any case, which may or may not link to the previous enforcing of all animus dragons to marry into royalty.
Queen Glacier has access to Jerboa and the vault which seems to satisfy her but there's just so many ways of solving the "problem" they could have at least tried.
In no particular order, plots to retrieve the animus gene could include:
_Pearl and Fathom wouldn't have married out (the seawing massacre), but a generation or so on the icewings could have offered a marriage alliance with any royal seawing through a cadet branch with a royal/prince far enough out of inheritance their dragonets couldn’t have inherited the throne but still diplomatically first circle etc to bring the gene back in. Or sent a random aristocrat to marry one first, then marry their hatchlings into the royal line so it’d be a 3 quarter icewing on the throne (the seawing royal line had icewing heritage that wasn’t that notable after all).
_Marry a skywing. Their population still randomly manifests animus dragons- they’re all killed at birth but that means just marrying a skywing, any skywing, into anywhere in the kingdom, had a better chance of restoring magic than doing nothing. (if being brave marry a cousin/sibling/relation of a murdered animus dragonet, though that'd look more suspicious)
_Marry/have eggs with a mudwing, it's a longshot but they live near the skywings and have eggmaking nights where they're nearly completely random choosing any partner around and in the Guidebook one of the featured mudwings (the one from the blood red egg story) doesn't even know if her partner was a skywing or a mudwing. There's a chance some of them carry the animus gene is the point. Mudwings also lay more eggs and since hybrids tend to take after their mother's most there'd be more dragonets with a female mudwing and no dedicated dragon guarding the eggs, alternatively a female icewing would have hybrid dragonets that looked more suitably icewing. Hilariously, Snowfall's sister could be the way this one happens.
_Present day specifcally, attend Jade Mountain Academy, Sunny's father was an animus, Anenome is there and there's two more seawing royals to potentially romance (as a student or teacher) for a chance at animus dragonets.
_Present day specifically, arrange a marriage with one of Queen Coral's 32 sons, undoubtedly at least one would be happy with such a setup and deliberately built relationships aren't inherently bad.
Whilst I don't think an icewing takeover of the continent via animus magic would have been a good thing (over 2000 years they'd undoubtedly edge towards it with magic) the point is they really can't have been trying that hard to regain animus magic if over 2000 years all they did was complain about it.
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mischiefmanaged71 · 1 year
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Let’s Fall In Love For The Night - (2/10)
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Summary: Being the eldest daughter of a Duke and Duchess means that Lady Y/N has been prepared for society; to fulfil her duties as the next heir to her family name and estate. However, she dreams of so much more than that, particularly, finding someone she truly loves rather than a political match. Intrigue sparks an idea with the introduction of Tom Bennett, a soldier she meets on a Press tour - forming a new relationship that could either make or break her apart should things turn against her favour.
Pairing: Tom Bennett x fem! reader
All of her attention fell onto the book in her lap as Y/N poured over the pages. The overcast sky shrouded the enormous front lawn in a dull light, suiting for the crisp weather. She found herself drifting from the pages, lost within a daze. Her thoughts wandered to him.
The young sailor she had met those days prior. Tom Bennett. His behaviour would have been presumed as controversial and arrogant, to ask such questions. And yet, she found his conversation quite refreshing. He was respectful in the way he treated her, not gawking at her as many men did. There was much to appreciate in both his conversation and his appearance. She wouldn’t deny there were many parts to his appearance that drew her in. His blonde hair neatly brushed atop his head. Those soft blue eyes which grew mellow with the contrast of the sky and sea. His strong bone structure, the curve of his lips-
Her train of thought was cut off with the approach of footsteps, followed by her door swinging open. She groaned as her youngest brother, Matthew, leaped into her arms. A laugh escapes her mouth as she excitedly embraced him back. "Someone's very excited today." She smiled, "What are you up to?"
Her smile dropped, meeting her mother's concerned gaze from the doorway.
"Something distracting you?" Her mother asked.
Y/N raised her eyebrows, releasing her arms from her brother's shoulders as he wandered off, probably to find some entertainment.
"You seem distracted, as of late."
"It’s nothing. I find myself absorbed in my books." She replied, eyes distant.
Her mother smiled, accepting the answer "How was the tour?"
Y/N didn’t meet her gaze, "It was perfectly fine. Although I wouldn't say I'm comfortable with the attention."
"I'm sure they were stunned for many reasons. It's not every day they grace a Lady."
"Yes, but they are also deprived of female attention." Y/N pointed out. "You should see the way they stare."
"I know how they do." Her mother replied.
"It's disconcerting. And dehumanising." she stated.
Her mother agreed, but what else was there to do within their world?
"I understand your father spoke to you already, but I’ve thought over it. Are you sure there isn't any possibility out there you haven't considered? Is there anyone-"
"My answer is the same, mother." Her expression hardened, "I do not desire the same things as you and father. I don't care for any of the men you’ve proposed."
"And that is okay. There are plenty of opportunities to meet someone."
Y/N sighed, "I do not believe I will find a suitable partner in the current circle you have me entangled in."
"Why not? Why have you dismissed them all?”
She raised her eyebrows, "Mother-if you'd only speak to them, you would understand. Many of them are ludicrous, pompous and entitled. The appeal ceases to be seen."
"But, not all of them will be like that." 
Y/N sighed, shaking her head. Her mother was relentless in her questions. She loved her parents, but their persistence on certain matters threatened to drive her to insanity sometimes.
"One of the things I adore about you, my daughter, is your passion and imagination. I've always hoped you would hold onto that keen sense of the world. But I'm afraid the kind of dreams you pursue aren’t a reality, especially for people like us."
"Ah, yes.” she smiled sardonically, “We are most proud of living with zero ounces of happiness in our lives in favour of supplicating the opinions of others." Y/N strained a smile, standing from her seat to cross her room. "Of course, one cannot be happy in our realm of the world, right, mother? Not with all our privileges, wealth and status."
"What has caused this pessimistic behaviour of recent?" She breathed in a low whisper.
The smile fell from her face as she stood tall before the woman, “I'm just being realistic, mother. Isn't that what you wanted?"
The Duchess' strained jaw and unwavering stare told her otherwise.
Her daughter sighed, grabbing her coat from the rack, "I'm going out. Don't wait up for me."
"Y/N-"
"-I'll be back later.", her tone of voice was curt.
"Take care of yourself." Her mother left her with that.
***
Usually Y/N would take the chauffeur and car, but that day she felt up for travelling without the extra pair of eyes. She headed to the garage, collecting the keys to her Jaguar for a trip.
It was freeing, pulling away from the winding roads of the manor to the main road and off to somewhere further. An enticed feeling rushed through her as the wind flowed through her hair. The time gets away from her while the towns pass by. Many hours have left her before she stopped in the nearest town. It was by the sea too, which was a grand idea to her in the moment. Another upside was, she'd never stepped foot in the town, increasing the appeal without, hopefully, too many wandering eyes.
Y/N wandered the street, scanning her surroundings with interest. Many identical buildings lined the street - evidently flats and store fronts on the opposite end. There was an essence of freedom laced in her veins as she wandered the streets aimlessly, studying her new scenery with interest.
A giddy feeling stirred in her chest at the sight of the beach in the distance. It was still daylight, although later in the afternoon, which was the perfect timing for a stroll. While the Manor was certainly lovely with its picturesque setting, horse paddocks, and gardens - it could not compare to the serenity of the ocean.
She slipped off her heels, digging her toes into the sand as she walked along the shore. A deep sigh left her chest, the calming crash of the ocean and the quiet swallowing her overactive thoughts.
Tom Bennett strolled down the street from his house after departing once again for some fresh air. In his running streak of behaviour, there always seemed to be something for his dad or Lois to pick out. Not that he wasn't perpetuating these behaviours. He was an instigator of many fights and arguments, inside and outside of his home. That's what made him a bit of a troublemaker and arrogant sod. At least that is what he'd heard.
He exhaled, a puff of smoke releasing from his mouth. The man halted in his steps, closer to the turn off toward the beach. Perhaps a walk would clear his head. Not that he didn't already spend enough time in the ocean.
Tom considered whether it was luck, fate or some other being at work. It was probably pure coincidence as he recognised the woman walking along the shore.
"What brings you back here so soon?" He called out, seeing as she was less than twenty paces away. He didn't want to frighten her by standing so close and addressing her straight away.
Her head whipped around in confusion, not expecting attention. Y/N gasped and faltered in her steps, recognising the man upon meeting his gaze.
"I'll be honest. I don't really know." She confessed, "I just kept driving."
"It's a bit far, isn't it?"
She nodded, "I needed a getaway."
"Troubles at home?"
She glanced at him, hesitant to answer. Tom continued, stepping closer.
"Nah, I know all about that." Breathing another puff from his cigarette. "What are you doing here then?" He gestured.
She shrugged, "I needed space, and this is the most quiet I'll get. It's so peaceful."
"I best be going then." He said, turning to leave her to her quiet/
"No-um. You can stay." She waved a hand, taking a seat on the sand. He smirked, enticed with her flustered face as she recovered. Tom watched her push the hair from her face. "I promise, it's fine."
"Alright." He agreed, taking a seat next to her, "I'll stay."
A silence passed for a minute or so as they watched the waves crash on the shore. It was a comfortable silence that stilled over the moment. And yet, Y/N felt something stir in her stomach as she anxiously thought over something to say. Tom broke the silence.
"So, what's got you down here? By yourself.”
She glanced from him back to the waves while the tightness in her chest returned, "My parents can be...overbearing sometimes."
Tom raised his eyebrows, allowing her to continue.
"They keep persisting about this one thing no matter how many times I've told them of my place." She continued, shaking her head in exasperation. "Do you know how infuriating it is? It's like they don't even want listen to what I have to say at all."
"I can understand that." he tilted his head, leaning his arms across his knees, “Have you tried another approach or...”
She huffed, shaking her head. What options did she have besides badgering her position over and over to a brick wall. “I couldn't possibly know what's good for myself, or what I want. As a woman, it doesn't matter. In the end, everyone judges me no matter what decision I make."
He glanced at her, his lips tucked in a tight line “What is it that’s bothering you, exactly? That is, if you don’t mind sharing.”
Y/N opened and closed her mouth, "They expect me to meet people. To be married one day to some pompous Lord, or even a Prince, despite my heavy dispute of the matter."
"Why? You don't like those posh types?" A smirk lining his lips.
She sent him a ludicrous look, "I do not want to spend the rest of my life under someone else's thumb. If you met any one of the possible options my parents put forth, you'd agree."
"Don't think I'd have to meet them." he murmured, humour in his tone.
Y/N continued, unloading the weight on her mind. "They are arrogant, overconfident pricks - expecting of a wife to do everything but share her thoughts."
He nodded, "They sound lovely. It's a wonder the bastards get so far without a personality."
“Yes, they all seem to share the same patronising stare and snobbish look.”
They laughed together, the conversation flowing back and forth for long until they realised it was hours later.
"It's been nice. Talking with you." She ducked her head, "I do hope to see you again. If that's possible." glancing at him briefly.
"Sooner rather than later." He smiled, leaning closer.
"Your crew leaves in two months." she stated.
Tom nodded, "Ready to ship me off to the next battle. Be lucky if we manage to sink their ships before they do ours."
"Be careful." She mustered a small smile, "It would unfortunate to lose you so soon after we just met."
"Worried about me, love?" He teased, "Don’t be. I've been told I’m stubborn, so they'll have to try very hard."
A beat passed before she whispered, “Are you ever afraid?" 
Tom swallowed, tilting his head "All the time. All it takes one mistake, one hit and we could all go down. What I’ve learnt is -you have to look out for yourself." He stated, "The world is fucked up. We're paying the price for someone else's war."
The breeze drew through her hair as she looked down at her hands, listening to him.
"I can't say I know the same struggle as you, but I can hope to understand your fear. I have two younger brothers...I fear what would happen to them if they were forced to fight. It is not fair that others should have to fight, while we reside comfortably in our homes."
"I assume your family don't share that view."
She sighed, a breathy laugh escaping her mouth "No. Many of them do not. Many of my relatives regard me as rebellious for my opinions. Because a Lady should not speak her opinions, no less controversial one's regarding them."
Tom laughed, and she chased the lovely sound, looking at him with wonder. "You'd get along with my sister."
"What is she like?"
"Lois is smart, and caring. We get along right. She takes care of me and Dad." He smiled, something sad there, "My mother died when I was young, so Lois took on a lot of her roles. Keeping us boys in check."
"I'm sorry." Tom looked down at her hand covering his. He hummed, clasping her hand as he nodded.
"It was a long time ago. Lots happened since."
"And where do you see yourself later?" She asked, bringing his gaze up. "You know, when you get back?"
"Why you asking?”
She shrugged, leaning back on her hands. "Just wondering. A lot can change in two months.”
"No plans." He replied, moving closer to her. There was only a small space left between them now.
"Have you travelled much?" Y/N asked, meeting his gaze. His eyes were this particular shade between blue and grey that she could find herself lost in. The subtle scent of something citrus and spiced filled her senses.
"Round England. That's about it. I haven’t really had a reason to travel.”
She mustered a smile, looking down "Maybe you could show me Manchester sometime? I could show you around where I grew up."
"Just say when and I'm yours." Her cheeks flushed and she turned, gasping at the gap between them. Tom's smirk fell into a stare as his eyes darkened, glancing between her eyes and lips. She felt her heart pound in her chest at his stare and the his warm breath mixing with her own.
Neither of them said anything, Y/N's own eyes falling to his full lips that seemed to instinctively twist into a playful smile that drove her mind into overdrive. Her eyes fluttered shut against her better judgement as she felt him lean closer and all logic left her with the thought of a kiss sending a rush of vertigo through her veins. That's what the feeling was with him, the brush of his hand and that stare sent shivers along her skin.
Something twisted in her gut as she suddenly realised what she was doing. She had only just met Tom. It wasn't suitable, and she wasn't going to rush into things. Y/N's felt her face flush as she exhaled. Her breath brushing Tom's face cheek as she pulled back.
"I should go. It's late." She smiled apologetically.
"Right." Tom nodded, his eyes glancing around before he helped her off the ground. She was hesitant to let go of his hand, allowing him to walk her to the car. 
She finally broke the silence, deciding to just go for it "What would you say if I came back on Monday? Around noon?”
"I'd call it a date." a grin grew on his face as he shut the door for her, "Drive safe, love."
TAGS
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beta-therapy · 29 days
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Is there really such a thing as alpha and beta males?
The most basic fact about human society is that men compete with each other to find out which men are the very best (best in some deep, fundamental sense), and then women select those winners for reproduction.
This process, occurring over vast expanses of time, is the very thing that separated us evolutionarily from the chimps! Female chimps typically just mate with whichever male can get to her first.[1] The human-chimpanzee split was in large part caused by the tendency of females to reject potential mates and to exert strong sexual selection pressure onto males, so that not all males would get to reproduce, even if they could make it to a female.[2] This led to us evolving a larger brain, the ability to use tools, language, etc., because the neurological structures associated with this intelligence made it more likely for a male to be chosen by one or more females to pass his genetics on (it gave him a courtship advantage, in other words).[3]
Female sexual selection of males is likely the explanation for why we humans differ significantly from our last common ancestor with the chimps, but modern-day chimps are still nearly identical to this ancestor.[4]
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The hallmark of our species is competition among men, where the winners of the competition get selected by women to have their genetics passed on. This idea is embedded at the core of our perception. The devastating feeling of rejection by females, as a fundamental judgement from Nature against the suitability of our genetics for propagation. The crippling, crushing, confusing feeling of having been assigned to the “friendzone.”
“She is very sexually active, but just not with me, even though she knows me well. I guess I’m just not in the category of men she considers ‘sexual material.’”
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And consider for instance the very familiar situation of seeing a beautiful woman in public. As we move our eyes away to avoid staring, experience heightened alertness, and become slightly extra cautious to not make a fool of ourselves, the image of what we just saw lingers in the imagination for a minute. It can be correctly said that the powerful, captivating, vibrant experience that any man feels from having been in her presence—a force which we call beauty—is greater than anything human. Quite ironically, this nurturing, benevolent, innocent beauty is exactly the cruel, unforgiving force of Nature that selects. Woman demands that man (through a process you could call “competition,” or also more accurately call “productive endeavor”) bring forth his best leaders, those men with top-tier genetics, those men who are respected, competent leaders. Women select their sexual partners from this pool of “winners.” And what about all the other men who didn’t fare as well in the competition? Woman encourages their genetic lineage to end.
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Every time we witness feminine beauty, we are reminded of this stark duality to our existence. Woman is so beautiful, yet represents a reality that is so cruel. In the same way that nature is breathtakingly gorgeous, but displays no mercy when it comes to wreaking havoc, especially on the weakest among us. In fact, the first thing humanity seeks is shelter to protect us from nature!
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So to answer the question posed in the title, it sure would be nice if all of us were judged equally by Woman. It sure would be nice if finding a sexual partner was just a simple matter of finding someone who has similar hobbies, matches your personality, etc. It sure would be nice if our nature was characterized by the principle of “standing up for the little guy,” so that every man is loved by Woman, regardless of his socioeconomic status, power, genetics, respect, influence, social status, intelligence, articulateness, competence, and regardless of whether he’s a “winner” or a “loser.”
But to pretend like nature is purely benevolent and all this is true is to live in delusion, and nothing good can possibly come from that. The only choice we have is to live in Truth. Woman, like Nature, is arbitrary, unpredictable, chaotic, selective, beautiful, and infinitely more powerful than you are. The alpha/beta dichotomy of men is a fundamental reality that is rooted deep in our biology and persistent beyond belief. It manifests itself in every place we interact with the world. It’s not fair. It’s cruel. But it’s the Truth, so we best look it in the eye and confront it forthrightly instead of hiding from it because it’s scary. We will always operate within the laws of nature whether we like it or not.
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Matsumoto-Oda, A. Female choice in the opportunistic mating of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at Mahale. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 46, 258–266 (1999).
Dixson, Alan F. Sexual selection and the origins of human mating systems. Oxford University Press, USA, 2009.
Ryan, Michael J. "Darwin, sexual selection, and the brain." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118.8 (2021): e2008194118.
Ebersberger, Ingo, et al. “Genomewide comparison of DNA sequences between humans and chimpanzees.” The American Journal of Human Genetics 70.6 (2002): 1490-1497.
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deathmetalunicorn1 · 1 year
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Good evening, my request is for a protagonist who is the daughter of Leviathan and Behemoth. And Ziz's younger sister Let me explain, well… with the version of the myth that I understand. God had created three creatures to be tied to the will of his creator, but they challenged him and managed to have free will on their own and decided to live as they saw fit. Behemoth would travel to the plains he wanted and would populate the green fields that he liked the most, Leviathan would rule the depths of the sea and could devour anyone who trespasses his already marked territory, Ziz would fly through the firmament and cover the sun whenever he pleases and play with the birds that it protects under its shadow. God got upset and tried to kill these three creatures, but he could only kill Leviathan after sending an angel with his blessing, Behemoth never knelt before his creator and was furious when his partner (Leviathan is female) was killed, Ziz was more fast and never allowed to be reached by any attempt to knock him down. Well, going back to the request, let's say that Behemoth had a baby with Leviathan, and Ziz took her to a place out of sight of the gods by order of Behemoth, the latter to save his baby was chained by the gods below of the earth and that these will think that only the elusive Ziz was left. Ziz raised the baby until she became a strong girl, because they can have human form, something like Kobayashi-san's dragons, which in their human forms still have their tails, horns and wings showing. Ziz, then receives the help and protection of the Valkyries when they find out what happened, giving them a more suitable and comfortable place to live. How would Poseidon, Shiva and Buddha react if they fall in love with a mysterious woman who is always with the Valkyra as a bodyguard, and then find out who her parents are?
-It had been thousands of years since Ziz, the ruler of the skies, had been seen, hiding away from the eyes of all, gods and humans both.
-Ziz vanished shortly after the gods banded together to destroy their first creations, Ziz himself, Behemoth, and Leviathan.
-They were only successful in killing Leviathan, only because she was in labor with a child, fathered by Behemoth, but she refused to let them know that, as she knew the gods would take and do who knows what with her child.
-Behemoth was captured, chained deep below the earth, captured willingly, so Ziz could escape with his daughter, Y/N, who then hide himself and the child away, taking on a human form to hide his massive form and using his abilities to transform Y/N into a more human-esque form.
-You were an inquisitive child, giving Ziz several heart attacks when your own wings grew in, scaly like a reptile, then came horns and a long tail, all of them making sense when you were able to transform yourself back into your true form, a dragon, covered in F/C scales.
-Ziz taught you to fly, hiding beneath clouds to avoid the eyes of the gods, and he taught you to fight, to defend yourself, and how to be compassionate, teaching you to love, being the best big brother he could be to you.
-Once you were old enough, Ziz told about your parents, about the death of your mother and the sacrifice of your father and his imprisonment.
-You argued with Ziz, demanding that he take you to your father, so you could rescue him, but your brother refused, telling you of the wishes of your father, as he wanted you not only safe, but free, and your freedom was worth his imprisonment.
-You grew into a lovely young maiden, but even in your human form, your tail, horns, wings, and clawed hands remained, but you were bothered by them.
-You were flying high in the sky, flying amongst the clouds, changing the shapes with your speed, having fun when you spotted a maiden on a winged horse, making you blink in awe, as you had never seen another flying creature that wasn’t a bird or your brother.
-You kept your distance, hiding in the clouds, wanting to see more of this maiden and her mount, but you remembered Ziz’s warnings, to not be seen by others.
-After following her for a while, you dove down and took off back home, remaining out of sight, or so you thought.
-When you arrived home you called out for Ziz, letting him know you were home and instantly he charged out of the home, putting himself in front of you, protecting you as you turned, your eyes widened, seeing that maiden had followed you.
-The maiden’s name was Brunnhilde, a Valkyrie, introducing herself as a demigod, and one that hates gods, for their selfish and cruel natures.
-Ziz knew of the Valkyries and knew that she was telling the truth and you were introduced to her, as she knew Ziz.
-She had no idea that Behemoth and Leviathan had a child together, but nobody knew except for the three of you.
-Ziz spoke with her, inquiring why she was out and about, while you were inspecting her horse, stroking carefully and her mount wasn’t scared of you, allowing you to do as you wished.
-She was just out to get away from Valhalla for a bit, getting some fresh air and getting her horse some exercise.
-Ziz was looking over at you, a smile on his face as you fed her horse an apple, a smile on your face, before she spoke, “Would you consider living with us, Sky Ruler, with the Valkyries in Valhalla? The gods know you’re still out there, and I know you don’t want to risk Y/N’s safety, so what is your opinion on hiding right under their noses, with us?”
-He chuckled, smirking lightly at her, amused at her plot, but he could see that she was concerned about you, wanting you to be safe, as she remembers the day Leviathan had been killed and Behemoth imprisoned well, she didn’t want anything bad to happen to you.
-You were in awe in Valhalla, getting to live with the Valkyries as well as Ziz, who became their stablemaster for their winged horses, so he could continue to fly, but told you and Brunnhilde both, that his name was no longer Ziz, but Renanin, to keep himself hidden.
-You weren’t bothered by his name change, as you knew that he and you both were now hiding, just in better living conditions, and your only rule was to not let anyone know who your parents were.
-The Valkyries were quite taken with you, from Brunnhilde, the eldest, to Goll, the youngest, as Brunnhilde had confided in them of who you and Renanin both were.
-Renanin could handle himself when it came to fighting the gods, if they ever figured it out, as his power grew with age.
-You however, were still considered quite young, despite being around for centuries, and although way stronger than you let on, they all wanted you safe.
-You were never seen without a Valkyrie by your side, sometimes with more than one of the sisters at a time.
-Nobody knew who you were, besides the Valkyries, many gods had seen you around, and they knew you were a dragon goddess of sorts, but other than your name, they knew nothing about you, and several were curious about the mysterious maiden that was constantly guarded by the Valkyrie sisters who never seemed to let anyone get close.
-Poseidon- You were different, you seemed to radiate power, he could tell by your aura that you were very powerful, but also so unique with your dragon like features. You were unlike any maiden Poseidon had ever laid eyes on, and adding on the fact that you were guarded by the Valkyries so fiercely, he wanted more, you were like a treasure being held just out of reach. The Valkyries were respectful to him when he approached but he knew they didn’t want him around you, not trusting him as his temper has been known to violent at times. He surprised all of them by speaking quiet with you whenever he came around to visit, gifting you shells, being… gentle! Even Zeus was shocked by his brother’s actions towards you, teasing Poseidon who got defensive and threatened his brother with violence. He found it a bit amusing when you took him flying, him riding on your back after you turned into your dragon form, in return taking you to the ocean. Many thought it was cute, seeing the god of the sea courting a flying dragon maiden. When it was slipped, completely by accident by Renanin, Poseidon was stunned, to learn you were the daughter of the first lord of the sea, your mother Leviathan and Poseidon thought it was amusing to see him and the Valkyries ready to throw hands with him to keep you safe, thinking that he was going to threaten you. Poseidon agreed to keep quiet, asking for nothing in return except for being able to still speak and hang out with you, which shocked many, some thought he was going to take you and out who you were to everyone, while some were thinking he was going to blackmail them for his silence. Your relationship with Poseidon was slow, he didn’t mind, as he had all the time in the world, plus it gave him more chances to prove to the Valkyries and Renanin that he wasn’t going to betray them or you.
-Shiva- He had seen you in passing, walking with Thrud who was showing you around, he had done a double take when he first saw you, the dragon parts of you catching his eye first then your beauty. You were so unique! Parvati, Durga, and Kali all saw you as well, taken with your looks as well and they were quick to approach, greeting you warmly. Thrud didn’t seem too bothered by the three goddesses as you introduced yourself and they returned it, the five of you talking warmly with each other, as she knew that she could easily pull you away if you felt uncomfortable. Shiva was a bit intimidated to approach, even though he was married to three of them, but you were in awe of his own unique features, five eyes, purple-blue skin with tattoos, and he had four arms! You were adorable to all of them when you asked Shiva why he needed so many wives, Parvati giggling warmly at you, before he just grinned, “I’ve got lots of love to give!” all four of them were so nice to you, and Thrud took a step back, letting you do as you please, trusting your judgement with these four. They all seemed drawn to you, to your uniqueness, and they had so much fun riding on your back after you changed into your dragon form, flying high in the clouds above with them, letting them play with the clouds. The Valkyries were hesitant with your growing relationship with the four of them, as was Renanin, your brother inquiring if you were okay joining a relationship where a god had four wives already. You were hesitant, but at the same time, they made you feel so welcome, they never made you feel like the oddball out when you were with them. It was your brother who accidentally let it slip who your parents were in front of your partners, all of them gawking in shock at you before your brother stood in front of you, ready to defend you. However, Shiva wasn’t bothered, as he had not participated in the events that had befallen your parents as he saw nothing wrong with them, and all four swore to keep your secret, wanting to protect you, as you were the fourth wife to be and they weren’t going to betray you.
-Buddha- Had met you only in passing at first, sensing your power and interested in your wings and tail, but didn’t go out of his way to seek you out, at first. The Valkyries had no issues with Buddha, as he was the same, hating most of the other gods, and he didn’t abuse his power like they did, so when he started to come around more, they were a bit more laid back. The same couldn’t be said for Renanin, who only saw Buddha as a man going after his little sister, which the Valkyries thought was rather cute. Buddha was very laid back but enjoyable to be around, and you were one of the few people he shared his snacks with. He found your reactions cute when you would try something new, seeing your eyes sparkle and the blush on your cheeks. He couldn’t imagine a life without his snacks, especially sweets, he was distraught to find out that you grew up without these things, only being introduced to them when Buddha gave them to you. Flying with Buddha had been eventful, when it was around Valhalla he found it enjoyable and fun, but when you went higher, into the clouds, he was hugging you so tightly, afraid of falling off. Buddha wasn’t even alive on earth when your parents were killed and captured, so when you told him of your lineage, he wasn’t overly bothered, he wasn’t going to say anything that was going to risk your safety, plus it was another middle finger to the other gods in power. You adored Buddha, enjoying any time you spent with him, and he felt so at ease with you, except when flying, that’s when he would pout and refuse anything to do with you, which was amusing to you.
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sad-lutin · 11 months
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TIANSHAN DYNAMIC IN THE PRE-RAPHAELITE SETTINGS
Like I promsied I got more in depth of a couple of figures and tried to apply them to our boys. Here is an interpetation:
TIANSHAN DYNAMIC AS OPHELIA AND HAMLET
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I will start by saying that there are some similarities between Mo and Ophelia, but differences as well: for example Ophelia, like Hamlet, is part of the royal court, and her father, Polonius, is a lord, so although she isn’t royalty like Hamlet, she would be a suitable match for him in Danish society; meanwhile Mo, even if is father was a buisnessman probably involved with the Mafia, is from one of the lowest rank in society, therefore is not a suitable partner for He Tian , and above all he is even a "male partner". He is totally inadeguate for this role, but that's a difference that's not important since Ophelia shares this oddity with all the other pre-raphaelite women in general.
Therefore what makes Ophelia a pre-raphaelite woman? The answer is: her madness. She drowns herself; wich is a self-harm action that recalls Mo selfless personality, because Mo is the first to hurt himself, by isolating himself and getting blamed as the evil one in moments of difficulties, his first reaction to uncertainty is self-distruct for others (ex. getting the blame for the rapist boy for his mother sake, being used and molested by She Li for his father sake or getting away from He Tian to not him intrude his chaotic life). Ophelia goes mad for the death of his father and drowns herself. Like Mo, she have a strong attachment to the father figure and both of them suffer from their lost. Ophelia thus became one of Shakespeare’s most famous female tragic figures, along with Cleopatra, Cordelia, Desdemona, and, of course, Juliet (wich can all be analysed in the future if you want ;) )
Yet another similarity Ophelia shares with Mo is that, at some point, they get "turned away" by their partners: Hamlet says that Ophelia has a problem, wich lies not in herself but in what Danish society will encourage her to do: marry and give birth to ‘sinners’ like him (wich, for Hamlet, all men are). Just like He Tian tried to shoo Mo away with all his "aren't you scared of darkness?" speech.
But the biggest similitude between Ophelia and Mo is that they both get used by men. Ophelia is used by two men, her father and Hamlet, as a pawn for them to enact their deceptions. And Mo is used by He Tian and She Li in the same way. They both try to use him to go against eachother. Unfortunally Mo is easily toyed with and used as a pawn. Even He Chen uses him to lure He Tian in doing what he wants, everyone in 19 days at some point deceived Mo to gain something, that's because (like Ophelia) he is the purest character of them all, he has a candid soul which tries to hide under a scowl, but it can be found with ease because he is not made to fool anyone, he IS the fool (say yes for a tarot cards analysis?). Luckily we can say that He Tian uses him in another way tho: to free himself from his shadows. (See the end my previous post) Because if He Tian is this dark figure, Mo is the candid light that can cleanse him. And like the Yin and Yang, light cannot shine without the dark. (But with this I will stop here or the analysis will be 2 days long)
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He Tian seems so different from Hamlet, but lets dig into it: Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark, although he is still a student, he is going to take an important role soon. Just like He Tian, but I don't even have to say it out loud, everyobody knows.
Hamlet is often characterised as ‘a man who cannot make up his mind’. The words that tend to come up when people try to analyse the character or personality of Hamlet are indecisive, delaying, and uncertain, with ‘inaction’ being the key defining feature of what Hamlet actually does during the play. Wich can seem like the total opposite of the active and energetic He Tian. BUT HEAR ME OUT: He Tian is exactly that. He knows he is going to take his brother role, he knows he is going to study abroad, he knows he have to leave Mo behind. But what does he do? NOTHING. He keeps delaying everything. He is indecisive about his future with his brother, trying to run away from it without actively doing nothing, he is uncertain of how Mo will feel once he is gone ("will he miss me" note), he keeps delaying telling Mo everything because he is hoping that this solution will solve itself. And at the last She Li action, when he asked his brother for help, he knew he couldn't delay his destiny any longer. But right now what he is trying to do? NOTHING. He keeps running away from his duties, trying to live in the perfect and utopistic bubble that he built around Mo, and he will do this until it pops. But this pop is going to be fucking demaging. How will Mo take the lost of the only other male figure in his life? Will he succumb to madness like Ophelia?
Because like Hamlet contemplated suicide (to be or not to be monologue) but didn't take action, Ophelia drawned herself, the water (a super feminine energy symbol) took her life, and maybe Mo will walk the same path, but unfortunally, we have to wait to know it...
TIANSHAN DYNAMIC AS "LA BELLE DAMME SANSE MERCI"
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La Belle Damme sans Merci is a short poem by Keats whom describes the encounter between an unnamed knight and a mysterious fairy; who, in this analysis, are obviusly He Tian and Mo Guan Shan (duh).
The poem opens with a description of the kight in a barren landscape, "haggard" and "woe-begone", wich can represent the solitude of He Tian life before meeting Mo. He was alone surrounded by hypocrisy, sterility and fakeness (his cold and anaffective family, his fake frienships, all the attention-seeking girls... ecc).
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The knight tells the reader how he met a beautiful lady whose "eyes were wild" (this should be the perfect moment to analyze the expressions of Mo eyes but, again, you know what I'm talking about), how he set her on his horse (analogy of how He Tian "set" Mo on his wealth) and how they went together to her "elfin grot", where they began to make love. Falling asleep, the knight had a vision of "pale kings and princes", who warn him that the pity-less lady "has you in her charms". He awoke to find himself on the same "cold hill's side" where he is now "palely loitering".
A straightforward reading suggests that the Dame entraps him and punish him because he raped her, so this is a well deserved punishment. In the same way, He Tian, forcing Mo like he did in the beginning of their relationship, violated him, hence Mo decided to "kill him". Mo actively inquired into their relationship and they formed a profound bond. Mo destroyed his aspectation and accidentally seducted He Tian whom, falling for him, escaped the boring and barren life he lived before. Mo murdered He Tian meaningless self and punished his careless ass by letting him care for something (Mo himself and their other 2 friends). And with a further interpretation we could infer that, with falling for Mo, He Tian has now a weakness that could kill him for real if the wrong people get to know it. Like She Li almost killed him, in the future his love for Mo could be even more dangerous.
In this poem the knight is associated with images of death (again a symbol of how He Tian is the darkness): a lily ( a symbol of death in the Western culture), paleness, "fading", "witering",... hence he may well be dead himself at the time of the story. Meaning that He Tian, was already doomed from the start. His life had never been easy, and his fate was already decided. Mo encounter just gave him a last adventure, a reason to die eralier then expected. Because, just like the knight, who is clearly doomed to remain on the hillside, but the cause of this fate is unknown. We don't know what will actually happen to He Tian or Mo. We are just seeing a glimps of what happens and what is going to happen in the future.
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I hope that this is of your liking, I'm sorry if there are grammar error, english is not my native language.
If you have any other opinion, please, feel free to comment them, and the same thing apply if you want me to analyze something more specific, something else or something I quoted up here!
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myobsessionsspace · 6 months
Text
The Culture of Pop Music
Just like any other culture it has a history. It has people who belong to and appreciate it and it has people that don't.
Jungkook has clearly stated his wish to be part of it.
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There’s been a massive resurgence of early 2000s trends including fashion and music trends. We can see music of 2023 sampling, covering, being influenced by and paying homage to that era in their sounds and visuals.
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Jung Kook - 3D feat. Jack Harlow
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Example of pop/r&b of the early 2000s
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Victoria Monet - On My Mama MV & Jung Kook - 3D MV
There *IS* a conversation that has been going on for as long as I can remember AND before, as to pop music and it’s relationship with black culture. That’s not a topic that will be covered here. However it’s worth noting that Pop music, being so heavily influenced by black culture, leads to sensitivities when highlighting the things liked or disliked about pop music, it’s lyrics, visuals, sounds etc.
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Victoria Monet MV & Jung Kook - Seven Performance MV
A lot of dance moves in pop music videos, seen as provocative by some audiences are praised and not seen as anything more than an extension of the music. The artists are praised for their sensual movements to the beat, reminiscent of how the listener may dance to the same song with their friends or partners at the club, in their car, at a house party, places you’d expect to enjoy pop music. The dancing mostly isn’t taken for more than what it, an addition to the visuals. Pop music videos are rarely seen as a reflection of the artists real life interactions, most viewers don’t expect the artists to dance off a car, on a metal fence or on a crane in real life.
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Example of pop/r&b visuals & lyrics (Normani - Motivation)
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Jungkook's pop/r&b visuals & lyrics (Jung Kook - Seven feat. Latto)
Music can be playful, music can be fun, music doesn’t have to be serious, filled with soul searching, heartbreak, lyrical genius, layered production or activist messages.
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Pop music in particular is meant to be catchy, it’s meant to be easy listening. Not always require of depth and analysis. With pop music especially, sometimes it is what it is.
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Justin Bieber - Sorry MV Jungkook - Seven
Billboard Hot 100 Number 1 song, with the video choreographed by The Lab's Sienna Lalau, who also featured in the video. Sienna and The Lab are also known to have worked with BTS and performed with j-hope at Coachella.
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Example of Lyrics of a Number 1 pop/r&b song
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Globally recognised Pop Star Justin Bieber with R&B artists Daniel Caesar & Giveon with their Billboard Hot 100 Number 1 song, Peaches
This is the genre that JK has based his solo debut on so far. These are a few examples of his peers within that genre. Not BTS.
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Critically acclaimed Singer & Songwriter Victoria Monet, known for writing for some of the biggest pop stars including Ariana Grande. MV visuals with male and female dancers, chores, skin on display. Singing about confidence, sex and the addition of strong language to her lyrics.
Pop music of different decades has always had those that didn't subscribe to it and had lovers of it, it was seen with The Beatles, it was seen with Elvis, it was seen with Madonna. They all had the terms ‘scandalous’, ‘not suitable for kids’, ‘too provocative’, ‘basic’ etc attached to them at some point in their career.
Opposers of pop music have been heard time and time again over the years to praise their favoured genre for having more depth, more quality, more artistry etc whilst seeing pop music as lesser, as commercial and lacking artistic integrity.
Michael Jackson had major push back when shedding his child star image from his group with his brothers to become a soloist, yet today he is one on the biggest icons of music history, pop music, as are all the aformentioned artists.
In every period there were people for and people against.
This post is not about the harmful tropes within pop music, the objectifying visuals, the problematic lyrics etc. There are many issues with pop music, just like there are issues with rock music with parent and religious groups, divisive issues with country music, appropriation issue with the aforementioned and with Jazz music. Each genre has its issues. Each genre have people who love it or hate it.
This is just about the fact that pop culture exists, it has always existed, it's a culture that is important to a lot of people, it is understood and appreciated by a lot of people. It has always had people also against it, it has always had people trying to hold it accountable and people who do not enjoy it.
This is the culture, its always been here and most likely always will.
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You don't have to like it, you don't have to love it, but there are those that do and that doesn't make one wrong and one right, it doesn't make one superior nor on inferior.
It’s the genre at present that JK wants to be apart of, that he wants to fit in with and he’s doing so well when looked at along side those successful and praised in that genre.
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Comparing Jungkook to his old solo or group music and old style or comparing Jungkook to his members recent solo works does a huge disservice to him and to the other members. They've specifically stated that they wanted to show their individual colours separate to the group's.
By Jungkook's own admission he wants to be a global pop star, instead of looking to compare, either him to himself or him to others, when you look at the examples of popstars of today and of the early 2000s, Jungkook has achieved that and is continuing in that path. His solo rollout fits in with his pop peers.
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It's a culture, its always been here and most likely always will.
💜
Jungkook’s Pop Peers:
Links & interesting reads
Who is Victoria Monet Grammy Nomintated Singer-Songwriter Victoria Monét? (Article)
Justin Timberlake - Like I Love You (MV)
Justin Timberlake - Rock Your Body (MV)
Normani - Motivation (MV)
The music video starts with a child version of Normani watching 106 & Park, the music video countdown show that ran on BET from 2000 to 2014, and then shows grown-up Normani recreating scenes from some classic videos from the last two decades. Article Source
Who is Normani? From Fifth Harmony to Soloist (wiki)
Justin Beiber - Peaches feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon (MV)
Jung Kook - 3D (MV)
Jung Kook - Seven (MV)
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