#and it’s a fickle thing but it’s a companionship that they both appreciate | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

favoniuscodex · 3 years

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slate. [albedo x reader]

prompt: slate, for without which chalk has no use. (alternatively: albedo finally begins to understand why humans succumb themselves to the everchanging tides of love.) pairing: albedo x gn!reader warnings: albedo worrying ;;; mentions of death, albedo being angsty about destroying mondstadt, but also soft albedo :DD word count: ~2.8k words

[ part two ] (coming soon)

a/n: getting back to my usual writing style of too much purple prose <333 gotta love it. part two will be the second and final part. send in an ask if u wanna be pinged when its posted!

albedo believes himself to be well-acquainted with the intricacies of human nature. sure, albedo is an outsider looking in, but he finally has perfected his study of the human psyche. behind all actions and thoughts of humanity lies one rationale: irrationality. humans are motivated by the most fickle of things, albedo determines.

some may go to the ends of the earth for someone who wouldn’t even go a single step for them, yet the one who gives far too much of themselves smiles nonetheless. irrationality lies within a mother’s love for her child, in which they unite themselves based upon naught but the dna that coils itself deep within their veins. it also houses itself within hatred, in which competing souls are divided, but not over basic evolutionary demands such as competition of food or housing.

rather, their relationship fractures due to the irrationality of human emotion. what can be a unifying force is what drives them to move in different directions and spit scathing words in the presence of the other, despite having no issue with each other that would affect their daily survival. such analyses of mankind lies not within scrupulous examination, but rather everyday observations albedo has amassed over time.

despite what his research notes would likely tell you, albedo isn’t immune to the throes of human emotion either. for an outsider looking in, albedo isn’t quite good at remaining stealthy in his observations. rather, he has fallen through the sunroof of human emotion and fallen into the living room, but irrationality welcomes him as an esteemed guest nonetheless, despite the chalk that crafts albedo’s bones and the alchemic creation of albedo’s soul.

irrationality shows in albedo’s desire for companionship with both sucrose and timaeus alike, his esteemed colleagues. it shows in his care for klee, whom has imprinted upon him in all the ways a younger sister should. albedo knows, archons, he knows, he agonizes over how his own presence is one that reeks of danger, yet he indulges in human companionship anyways. albedo is a threat to those he cares about, yet he stays nonetheless and prides himself on having evaded the jaws of irrationality, not knowing his mind is but a gilded cage for irrationality to hang as yet another one of its prize victims.

but even achilles knew that he was not entirely invincible. if he must answer the question, albedo can name one singular chink in his armor of rationality: you.

the two of you met while albedo was on duty within the walls of mondstadt’s inner city. the alchemist, cooped up in his laboratory, had been interrupted by your superior, cavalry captain kaeya. kaeya had explained to albedo that one of his subordinates had been injured in an encounter with an electro hypostasis, yet nobody was quite sure how to fix it. albedo had simply nodded and offered his assistance.

when albedo finally met that injured subordinate, he had been immediately enraptured by them. the subordinate, you, had taken the brunt of an electro hypostasis hit in order to spare another one of your peers from a crippling injury. the anemo vision at your waist glimmered in contrast with your outfit, a shining beacon that revealed the source of your survival. however, albedo was not impressed with your beauty, nor the charming yet nervous smile you had sent his way, nor the vision that dangled from your hip.

rather, albedo found you fascinating, his newest and most intriguing subject for a single reason: in the aftermath of the electro hypostasis attack, your skin had become tinted with a deep purple tone and, upon albedo’s cautious touch, had sent a jolt of electro energy up his arm in response. in his recent years of alchemy, albedo had never seen anything like it and he longed to know far more than the information a single interaction with you could provide.

three days was all it took for albedo to find a solution to your ailment. within those mere seventy-two hours, you had propped yourself up on the countertops of his lab tables, allowing yourself to be poked and prodded by various instruments and consuming copious amounts of different potions. you had stared at albedo blankly as he had explained the expected outcomes of each experiment, but whenever the alchemist finished speaking, your eyes would light up as you began to ask a plethora of questions.

albedo always appreciated those who wished to understand more, even if alchemical research was a foreign subject to you.

upon your departure from his lab for the final time, after multiple follow up meetings to ensure there were no negative side effects and that the solution was effective, albedo realized he would miss the rigorous challenge that your temporary condition had provided him. a part of him, however, longed for your presence instead, desiring to hear another enthused question fall from your lips once more as you lazily swung your legs back and forth, perched on the edge of the lab countertop.

albedo sidelined such thoughts. relationships required far too much effort than what he currently had to provide, so he resigned himself to play the part of your acquaintance. should your paths ever cross once more, albedo would greet you with a nod of acknowledgment and provide small talk should you so desire it. of course, in this equation, albedo had forgotten to account for the unknown variable: you.

when you had strolled into his laboratory once more a week later, albedo’s heart rate had skyrocketed in concern, but he had kept his expression aloof. his worries that you were experiencing unknown side effects quickly subsided as you bashfully presented him a small gift. it was a simple brown box, but on its lid lay a golden hued sketch of his typical geo blossom.

“thank you,” albedo had said, setting the box aside, but your soft giggles sent his heartbeat into a frenzy once more for entirely different reasons.

“you have to open it, silly. the present isn’t just a box. that would be lame!” you teased playfully and albedo felt a light dusting of rosiness sprinkle across his cheeks at his ignorance of your intent.

“ah. i suppose you are correct. my apologies,” he mused, gently lifting the lid off the box and setting it aside. within the box sat a small collection of various vibrant vials of powder. one emit a soft cerulean light, yet the powder inside was colored with a deep indigo. another was a vivid gold, the color of pure opulence, while another was a luscious light pink, akin to the color that currently resided on albedo’s cheeks.

“they’re powdered watercolors,” you explained, voice filled with anxiety about the silence of the man in front of you. “sucrose told me you liked to paint and i knew someone in liyue who specializes in art supplies, especially rare ones such as these! i was hoping they had mondstadt-related ones, but all my friend had left was the rare liyue pigment set. you enjoy learning about new things though, so i figured you wouldn’t mind it!”

albedo let out a huff of air before looking up at him. he could see the worry on your expression, so he plasters a soft smirk on himself, even if such platitudes are unfamiliar territory for him.

“thank you,” he murmured, sincerity dripping from his words. “this is... quite a thoughtful gift.” albedo relished in the way your expression lights up once more. the craving he had to see such delight cross your face once more emerged from the depths of his subconscious as its conditions are satisfied. all at once, albedo had been confronted with a contradictory answer to a hypothesis he had long since rejected. for once, his physical form that he had resented had realized the answer before his mind had.

albedo was experiencing symptoms of romantic attraction. increased heart rate, the warming of the face, and the adrenaline rush that lit up his veins whenever he spoke to you were all clear side effects of such an ailment, but the only one who could provide a cure to such misery was you. upon this startling realization, he had gripped the sides of the box a bit tighter and his smile drooped a bit, but you looked undeterred by such changes, beaming carelessly at him with the smile he was beginning to adore.

“i’m glad you like it! the colors represent different specialties of liyue. silk flowers, cor lapis, noctilucous jade, and a bunch of other things!” you elaborated excitedly, pleased by his reaction.

“which of them is your favorite?” albedo had blurted out, but such abruptness from him only made your smile grow, which in turn made his heart beat just a bit faster.

“hm,” you pondered, leaning in closer to the alchemist as you looked at the box once more. “jueyun chili. it’s a bit darker than the actual thing, but from the sample it creates quite a beautiful color.”

albedo hummed in approval of your choice, lifting up the vial to inspect the deep vermillion pigment. above the two of you, the clock within albedo’s laboratory, one sucrose had insisted upon installing after albedo missed one too many meetings, chimed, causing your eyes to widen and you to take a step back. for a brief moment, albedo had never hated such a mundane object in the way he loathed the clock’s interruption, especially as the following words escaped your lips, tinged with sorrow.

“ah, i’m sorry! i have to get going, i have a meeting with kaeya in a few minutes!” you apologized as you turned to head out the door. “i hope you enjoy your present! it’s a sign of my thanks for helping me out with the whole ‘electro hypostasis’ thing!”

“wait,” albedo had commanded, before he could stop himself. the alchemist regretted his words as soon as you looked over your shoulder at him inquisitively. he spoke the following words faster than his brain could prevent him. “would you care to go to lunch with me?”

but before the throes of anguish and regret consumed him whole, he was once again greeted with the brilliant smile of yours and a friendly tilt of your head.

“i would love to.”

after a few lunch rendezvous at a variety of local mondstadt restaurants, albedo finds himself performing yet another uncharacteristic act: seeking out human contact. even more uncharacteristically, the interaction was not with you nor any of his immediate circle of friends and adopted family. rather, albedo finds himself standing outside the office of the cavalry captain himself, knocking on the thick wooden door. kaeya was known amongst the knights of favonius for being a flirt. such rumors were so potent amongst albedo’s peers that even the alchemist himself had heard of them, but the blonde had simply shrugged them aside.

objectively speaking, kaeya is an attractive man with a honeyed voice. of course kaeya would allure unwanted suitors. albedo approaches the man not to flirt with him nor to seek his affections, but rather to obtain guidance towards wooing the one who had captured albedo’s own heart: you. after the cavalry captain swings open the door, the two stare at each other in silence. kaeya breaks the ice by flashing a charming smirk at albedo, stifling his shock of seeing the alchemist needing his assistance.

“ah, albedo. what can i help you with?” kaeya asks and albedo swallows his pride before darting his eyes down the hallway to ensure no unwanted ears overhear albedo’s following words.

“kaeya,” albedo begins, causing kaeya to fold his arms and raise his eyebrows in intrigue due to the nervousness. “i was wondering how one should go about... courting another individual.”

much to albedo’s own mortification, kaeya breaks out into a fit of surprised laughter, before quickly ushering albedo into his office. kaeya closes the door after the two of them enter and catches his breath, before sitting down at his desk and sending an apologetic look albedo’s way.

“sorry, i just...” kaeya begins, trying to find the words. “you’re quite the hot topic when people ask me for advice as how to... charm someone else. however, i had never thought that you would come to me for advice. not that such a thing is bad, it’s just...”

albedo awkwardly shifts in place before taking a seat in front of kaeya’s desk. “yes, it’s quite the... interesting position i have put us both in, wouldn’t you say?”

kaeya nods, before placing his elbows on the desk in front of him and propping his chin up on his hands, grinning at his fellow knight. “so... who is the lucky person? who has finally captured the heart of the oh-so-elusive kriedeprinz?”

albedo briefly considers leaving, but resigns himself to his fate instead with a sigh. in the next few moments, albedo’s favorite word falls from his lips: your name.

for all of kaeya’s lighthearted teasing, his advice is sound. granted, albedo isn’t too familiar with the ideas of sweeping another individual off their feet. romance novels that he has secretly consumed provide him with a similar situations nearly every time and albedo realizes that, much like alchemy, getting someone to fall for you is no more than a simple formulaic process.

why, albedo wonders, am i so nervous then?

when you approach albedo for your typical lunch dates, his hands grow shaky and his knees feel weak. you make albedo feel powerless, but when you giggle at a subtle quip of his, albedo feels like he could conquer the world if he so desires. as the two of you walk together, kaeya’s words echo in his mind. be bold was the cavalry captain’s first instruction and albedo decides to take the plunge by taking your hand in his. he fumbles slightly as he does so and you glance over at him in concern, but as albedo’s hand closes around yours, a bashful smile crosses your face.

your hand gently squeezes his as a reassurance and albedo nearly feels overwhelmed due to the adrenaline that surges through his veins. as fast as it arrived, it begins to ebb away as your fingers intertwine themselves with his. such experiments in your budding relationship are ones that albedo longs for. however, the methodology is different in the laboratory. in the comfort of his laboratory, albedo has a controlled environment with controlled substances and the ability to take a step back and perform countless calculations before seeing what works in a situation and what doesn’t.

with you, albedo has naught but you and the irrationality of humanity that plagues him both. it seeps into him like a contagion, a vile perpetrator of bringing out his worst fears and insecurities, including ones he didn’t even know he had. for once, albedo wonders if he is enough. these thoughts extend past wondering if he is enough to control the inner turmoil that rages inside of him like a ticking time bomb. for once, albedo is concerned not with the danger inside of him that wants nothing more than the destruction of mondstadt, but rather the utterly human worry of being enough for the one he loves.

such negative thoughts that cloud his mind vanish as you smile encouragingly at him, swinging your conjoined hands lightly back and forth. a giggle erupts from your lips and albedo has the fleeting thought of how he wants to consume it, how he wants to silence such beautiful noises with his lips upon yours, how he wants to feel more of your body heat than what he receives from your hand in his, how albedo wants to make you his one and only lover, how albe-

“you know, i was waiting for you to do that,” you tease. you give his hand yet another playful squeeze and his frenzied thoughts grind to a standstill. a vortex of emotions swirls within albedo, yet he thrives.

“ah, really?” albedo responds, swiping at a lock of blonde hair that falls loose from his braid and into his face. he pauses, before smirking in return. “good.”

you laugh once more and albedo’s chest constricts and his stomach erupts into butterflies. with you, albedo no longer feels like the alchemist desperately seeking ways to not destroy mondstadt. instead, he simply feels like the albedo everyone believes him to be: human.

#this isnt the birthday fic i promised but its the birthday fic y'all get ;;; i hope u like it !!! i really like it personally ;;;;#genshin impact x reader #albedo x reader #genshin impact #albedo

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riddlecrux · 3 years

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Rosehall

Day 1 of Elriel Month is here! Summary: He knew that Rhysand's orders weren't fickle nor laced with lies, yet he couldn't phantom how his brother turned on him. How he, of all the people, couldn't understand how badly he wanted to be happy.

You can also read it on ao3!

They didn't talk.

No shy glances, no accidental touches while passing each other through the corridor, no warm smiles behind the rim of a wine glass. Even the silence in which he was sitting was unbearable, so different than the one that carried comfort and jasmine scent that always made him content, whole, at ease. Now, sitting alone on the fine chair in the House of Wind he was barely breathing. He was suffocating with loneliness, heavier than the one that crawled through his bones in that dark cell from his childhood. A real pain exploded behind his closed eyelids.

The night air pricked on his face as he tried not to think, not to feel. It was as if the gaping hole in his chest was a thing of his own shadows - swirling inside, eating him out and leaving only shreds of his broken emotions. He tried. He tried so desperately not to fall for her. For yet another unattainable person that was next to him just to mock his misfortune. It was something completely wrong. How one can take so many failures and still delude himself that maybe this time the ending would be different.

He was such a damned fool.

Azriel opened his eyes as a sharp pang in his chest enveloped him in another wave of utter bitterness and helplessness. The thing with Elain was something he hadn't expected - she came into his life wielding a fork and suddenly he could see clearer than ever before in his life. How sun caught in her golden-brown hair and how the freckles on her left cheek created a small triangle. And the way all that loveliness faded away when she was stripped of her own free will - and how he failed her at that moment. The arrow to his chest didn't hurt as much as her screams. The terror of them was still haunting him during long nights of insomnia and half slept nights.

And there was that companionship they formed. Based on silence and gardens. Teas full of leaves and sticky fruit floating on its surface. Elain always preferred her to drink sweet, even if her nose scrunched each time she sipped from a porcelain teacup - pale pinky held in the air as if she was still a lady in a room full of liars and men trying to woo her. Maybe during those moments of tranquility between them, he started to appreciate her gentleness even more.

Their meetings slowly but surely transformed into nights full of sleeplessness and sore throats - silence turned into constant chatter about everything and nothing. The first time he heard her giggle his world turned upside down. In that particular moment she was all he saw, in all her golden glory and chocolate smear on her chin - so warm and bright, so out of his reach. A secret. His secret, a memory to be locked inside his mind's labyrinth.

Sometimes he wished that both of them stopped before they had even begun their… relationship. Because maybe if he possessed more self strength and if he was less selfish, he would have protested when Elain touched his hand while they were resting in the garden. Or when he caressed her cheek while trying to get rid of the soil splattered there. Whenever they touched Azriel felt as if he was healing. These small palms that traced ridiculous figures on his scarred hands brought him comfort no one else did. A touch so tender that he wanted to break in halves only for her to mend him again. She was nothing like him and at the same time so familiar, so understanding. When she looked at him with her brown eyes full of terrors and beauty, he knew that she could see his soul. Every ugly part of him. And she never averted her stare, never flinched from his touch - she wholeheartedly accepted him.

Sighing out loud his wings twitched behind him when his eyes darkened once again. He knew that Rhysand's orders weren't fickle nor laced with lies, yet he couldn't phantom how his brother turned on him. How he, of all the people, couldn't understand how badly he wanted to be happy.

"Long night?" He snapped his neck at the voice and inwardly relaxed seeing cold silver eyes staring at him without fear.

"I suppose so," shrugging his shoulders he turned back toward the city, one hand still on the glass of strong alcohol he was pouring into himself for hours. A screech of a moving chair resonated next to him and with a slow exhale he sipped his drink.

"Not the fire this time," Nesta huffed and he saw in his peripheral vision that she poured herself a decent shot as well. "Both of you are the same," a small smile ghosted on her lips before she drank the brownish liquid in one go.

"Me and who?" He knew playing stupid wouldn't work on her but he was so tired. He had already lost, so Nesta seeing him at his worst would be nothing in comparison to the thunder inside his mind. The oldest Archeron sister let out a dry chuckle which indicated that she was aware of his silly attempt of deflection.

"Elain," her name awakened something inside him. Like a golden tether holding him upwards, longing after the female that brought up such emotions from him. "She used to glow these days, you know," he saw her playing with the rim of the goblet. Long finger stopping suddenly as if the glass burned her. "I know what happiness looks on her, and whenever both of you interacted or spent time together she was always… so bright. So alive," his heart thumped a few times before it gave him a painful tug. "The moment you saved her life was the first time I had wished that you were her mate," the wound opened again, a small sound escaped his mouth before he slumped forward. "But fate isn't so merciful. Yet, Elain made her own way in this life. I saw how she escaped that empty shell she used to be and how she learned to breathe again… with you ," Azriel wanted her to stop. To let go of this torment she was exposing him to.

"I can't listen to this," he stood up, his wings stretching to its whole span. "You know it's impossible," his bitter laugh echoed in the interior. "We both know that it doesn't matter if I have feelings for her," he was ready to fly away when Nesta's hand caught his elbow. Silver eyes shone in the darkness of the night with ancient power.

"It's her choice," she whispered. "She doesn't want her mate, she has never wanted that bond," her grip loosened for a bit and he was tempted to run away but her expression held him in one place. "But she wants you. She chose you. And you know it because I saw how you look at her, how both of you glance at each other," she pinched him when he was composing himself from snapping at her. "Ask her. Ask her about what she wants. Take her to the place where it's just both of you, so no one can interfere," her nod was final and with it, she slowly turned around and vanished upstairs. His jaw hurt from the force he was clenching his teeth. Nesta's words were a poison that circulated through his bloodstream.

Could he have that conversation?

Could they possibly be together?

The night air was cold against his burning skin when he shot up in the sky, wings outstretched and tense.

He landed on her balcony.

The beige curtains were dancing in the air, metal dreamcatcher swaying on the wisps with a soft melody. There were plants and flowers scattered around the balustrade and his shadows skittered around them, leaping into petals and leaves before returning to his form. He stopped beside the wooden table to see half-finished tea and some papers - a few of them with drawings of different gardens, trees, and notes about the seeds. However, what caught his attention was a stash of papers with Elain's handwriting. All of them were thrown around the surface with drops of tea marking some of them. There were letters forming sentences, he could pinpoint some of them, ones that weren't completely crossed out in the pale moonlight. He was about to touch one scroll with his name on it when his shadows whirled around him with a soft warning.

"Spying on me?" The sweet scent of jasmine and honey embraced his person as his hazel eyes blinked at the sight in front of him. Elain was in a white nightgown, tiny ribbons on her freckled shoulders were something he didn't know he needed to see in his life. Her loose hair was curling at its edges as the tresses touched her middle. She was watching him, big brown eyes stoic and unnerving.

"No," he breathed and her smell attacked his senses, driving him crazy. She crossed her arms under her breasts and padded towards him. Her feet stopped next to him and with a lazy movement, she gathered her papers without glancing at him. He could see her nape, soft and pale and so inviting as she leaned across the table. His fingers curled into fists when her presence burned his self-resilience.

"Do you need me for something?" She inquired letters in her grip and a slight frown on her perfect face.

"Actually," his shoulder tensed when she shot him a questioning glance. "Yes, I need you," he left it there. A pause and weight of his words, waiting for the judgment and perhaps hatred. But it never came as Elain silently turned to him, her lips parted and a soundless sigh ghosting in the air between them. She peered at him, irises wide and somewhat gentle before she touched his biceps and he was ready to be undone.

"We should talk," her breath tickled his skin as he nodded without thinking twice. "Here?" Her question woke him up and trying not to scare her, he offered his scarred palm while stretching out his wings.

"There's a place I want to show you," his words echoed in the dead of night and as her small fingers wrapped around his hand he could finally breathe again.

When they arrived the moon was high in the sky, its light reflecting on the waters of a marble fountain in front of the manor. He exhaled letting Elain down as she politely exchanged her thanks. She pried her hair from the face and with newfound excitement, she whirled around facing him with a bright smile.

"I dreamed about this place," her voice was warm and all he wanted was to touch her to make sure she was standing there under the moonlight. "The gardens were something I have wanted to see," she pointed a finger in the direction of a greenhouse and a patch of flowers and vines.

"Dream or a vision?" He knew he shouldn't test his luck, yet deep down inside he felt as if he had already known the answer. As if it was imprinted inside his heart for a long time.

"Vision," she answered, walking towards the field of roses. Her palm touched some petals while her hair tumbled down towards the ground. "I saw you here," her digits closed around the stem with silent amusement. "You were happy," she turned around and looked straight at him.

"This is Rosehall," the lump in his throat made it difficult for him to speak. It was like a fever dream of his, having her here in the fields of flowers and so painstakingly real.

"Very suitable," she smiled and turned once again stepping onto the soft grass. "It's a pretty name," he heard her sitting on the ground and when he glanced up he saw her lying flat on the earth. Her knees were slightly angled but her face was upwards as if she was watching stars. Azriel staggered towards her, breathing fresh air as he finally stood up on her right.

"I haven't thought about its name for years," he slowly sat and looked at her profile. She was gazing at the sky with a small smile. Happiness looked beautiful on her, it made her glow.

"There's so much...space," she breathed and her chest moved in a slight erratic manner. "You can almost taste freedom here," Elain blinked as she turned onto her side. She faced him and he thought that there was never a time in his life when he felt so many emotions at once.

"I'm sorry," the edges of him crumbled as his eyes started to burn. He didn't mean to hurt her, not in the slightest. He was just too… selfish. And she was everything he had ever dreamed about, an embodiment of home, of a warmth he so desperately searched for. "It wasn't a mistake," he whispered as her hand fell upon his abdomen. Always trusting, always inviting.

"Then what? A distraction?" She mused as her body leaned forward and she was mirroring his position. "I will never know as long as you won't talk to me," she supplied with a pain in her voice.

"No, never a distraction. I have wanted this," he circled the air with his hand ambiguously. "From the moment you clenched onto that fork you were someone I have wanted to be with," his head lowered down Azriel didn't want to meet her eyes.

"Why haven't you told me?" Her confusion mixed with regret pained him.

"You have a mate," he muttered while plucking on some innocent straw of grass.

"And you know I don't want him," her palm searched for his cheek and as she turned his face to look at her, he saw tears in her eyes. "Whenever I'm with you I feel whole. Alive. I look at you and feel so scared," he inwardly flinched yet she held him in one place. "Scared of losing you. Every time I lose sight of you I feel like I'm drowning. It's as if a part of me was ripped apart," she closed her trembling lips and stared at him with utter devotion.

"Elain," his fingers touched her neck, his thumb circling around the hollow gap between her shoulder and jaw.

"That night I chose you. Us," she said with a final note, leaning against his hand. "It's my choice, no one else's," a butterfly-like kiss ghosted on his inner palm.

"Rhysand's orders," he gulped when she pushed him down and climbed onto his lap.

"Fuck Rhysand's orders," she spat and for a moment both of them were silent. Then he laughed, a true bellowing laughter erupted at the back of his throat at her vicious remark. Her giggles followed and he had never heard such an extraordinary sound.

"Never deemed you as a foul mouth," he managed when she slumped forward, enveloping him in a warm hug.

"I live with Illyrians and a very pissed immortal being," a hot kiss on his neck made him shiver.

"Elain," he took her face in his hands and stared at her brown eyes with a heat crawling down his spine. "Elain," he whispered again while closing the distance between them. She whimpered when he finally nibbed at her lower lip. The sensation waking up something primal inside him, a storm of feelings and needs attacking his senses. Her warm mouth opened and he finally kissed her - something exploded in his chest, something brilliant and intimate. It was as if everything was set in order, the way her lips moved against and how their bodies molded into one. He could feel her, smell her need and anticipation. She was shaking as her small fingers dug into his neck.

"Azriel," his name on her lips was his undoing. He opened his eyes and saw her… glowing. The golden hue enveloping both of them into a cocoon of intense bliss. When she opened her eyes the golden color lingered there for a while before vanishing, leaving both of them gasping for air.

"You were always there," he realized touching his chest. A vibrant thread blinding him with its magnitude.

"Rosehall," she laughed tracing his scars. "You have waited for so long," Elain kissed his temple while embracing him again. "I'm sorry I have made you wait for so long," the bridge between them sparkled with love and belonging.

"I knew you would come to me," nothing but the truth slipped through his lips as he gently cupped her chin. Both of them stared at each other, halves of two finally found. A home he had longed for, held in his arms as a scent of roses and jasmine shielded him from the world.

#elrielmonth #elrielmonth21 #pro elriel #elriel #day 1 #rosehall #pro elain archeron #pro azriel #elain and azriel

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fuwafuwamedb · 4 years

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Kishi Nami Services Pt 5 (Hakuno, Gilgamesh, Artoria)

Previously: 1, 2, 3, 4

___

Artoria was a vision of blue. Deep azure blue.

She had her hair loose for once, a bow keeping the front part of her hair tied back so she could still function. There were diamonds and silver around her neck for her necklace. She had beautiful lace gloves that were clearly handwoven lace.

Truly, there was nothing more stunning in the restaurant this evening other than her. Hakuno felt her own heart skip a bit at the sight of her. She was so tempted to go over and compliment the living daylights out of her. However, this was Gilgamesh and Artoria’s date. This was their night to be together and to get to know one another.

She stood in waiting, next to the host.

And- right on cue- came Gilgamesh.

This was a five star restaurant. It was one of those places where suits and ties were needed. It was a place that took only the most upscale. Hakuno herself had called in a favor from one of Artoria’s friends, despite her making the woman agree not to bring them along. Bedivere had made her change three times before telling her that she was finally dressed well enough to get passed the hosts near the door.

However, Gilgamesh was wearing jeans.

Not only was he wearing denim jeans, but he was wearing absolutely no shirt whatsoever. A gold necklace hung over his chest. A black jacket with red and gold trim was buttoned over his upper torso, both showcasing and censoring his body from being exposed to the room.

Geez!

Artoria was already raising a brow as he addressed her, her smile faltering.

“Y-You’re Gilgamesh?”

“That would be me.”

“Sir-“

Gilgamesh flashed his business card. The host backed down.

“…right this way.”

Gilgamesh offered his arm. When Artoria hesitated, he took it anyway.

Not good. Not good at all.

Rin and Cu had had their fair share of bad starts though. She’d seen Miss Sakura Matou and Shirou Emiya have their share as well. No couple failed to have some awkwardness. For those in power, these awkward moments were much more likely.

Come on, Gil.

Gilgamesh pulled her chair out a bit for her. He helped her into the seat and pushed her chair in, careful of the dress skirts. Although Artoria still looked a bit perturbed, she was going with things.

Bad fashion could be improved slowly.

Although, in his defense, Gilgamesh did hold a stunning, untouchable vibe to him.

The man was offered a menu, he waved it off.

“Merlot. A dry one. Get me the 12 ounce steak and make it medium rare. I’m not sure what my companion will be having so feel free to give her a moment by discussing the specials.”

He knew the place. He knew it well. It was unsurprising since he had chosen the place, but he had offered Artoria some time. She had the opportunity to tell the host to give them a moment for her to decide.

Instead, Artoria was still frowning. She listened to the menu and ordered three different platters.

“Are you inviting guests?”

Hakuno winced, motioning for Bedivere to sit.

Bad choice, but Artoria did have a voracious appetite. It was disconcerting at first. She just needed to say she enjoyed eating and maybe talk about her restaurants with the knights. It was a Segway kind of conversation topic. It didn’t have to be bad-

“Is there a problem with a woman knowing how to eat? Some of us like looking like we hydrate.”

Not great. She was defensive though.

Surely Gilgamesh saw that this was a touchy subject. He’d probably had some fickle women in the past be this way with him during important events and things. He was probably able to navigate properly around-

“Do I look dehydrated to you?”

“The muscle definition is a sign of dehydration when it’s as bad as yours.”

“Bad? I was unaware that you were taking the time to ogle me instead of thinking about what to eat here. Does the place lack that much interest or did I simply shine too brightly?”

Artoria shook her head, fixing her napkin onto her lap and pulling her gloves carefully off.

“What do you do, Artoria?”

“I run a business.”

Gilgamesh raised a brow.

Easy, Gil, Hakuno pleaded mentally. Easy. She’s a good person.

“What kind of business?”

“I run a chain of restaurants.” Artoria smiled, holding up her glass of water. “The fairest of restaurants at that. None of this political nonsense and ladder business. The business is family and so is every person within it. We make decisions with all the managers of the chains. We listen to our employees and allow their unions to come to meetings to discuss grievances. I always compromise as well. It’s best-“

“So it’s more like a cult than a business.”

“Excuse me?”

Hakuno motioned for Bedivere to sit as their food came. This was not the time for intervention. They were here to watch, to listen. They were not here to participate.

Artoria was glaring at Gilgamesh though, waiting.

“Your business can’t survive with the concept of constant compromise. A business is run by their leaders, not their employees. Bending to whims means you stand for nothing.”

“We are the best restaurant chain in Fuyuki.”

“Camelot Knights, huh?” Gilgamesh laughed, leaning back against the back of his seat and giving her an almost pitying look. “I’ve seen your business and its functionings. I suspect a coup will end you in the next few years. My friend and I have been looking forward to watching.”

No.

Goodness no.

Hakuno groaned setting down her fork as Artoria stared at the man a moment.

Bedivere was already standing up, motioning to the woman.

“You know what?” Artoria stood up, flashing Gilgamesh a dark smile. “I hope your choke on your steak.”

“Excuse me?”

Artoria slammed her heel down on the man’s foot, taking his water glass and pouring it over his head. The moment that was done, she moved to the door, followed closely by Bedivere.

No no no no no!

She was in motion before she could stop herself, her hands were in her purse, pulling the thing along and pulling out her small towel. She grabbed Artoria’s chair and pulled it over, finding Gilgamesh toweling at his face and moving his soaked napkin away so she could dry him off properly.

“…You’re here?”

“I always sit nearby for dates. Didn’t you read the contract?”

Hakuno shook her head at him, motioning for one of the hosts and demanding a couple more towels. One of the other hosts brought her meal over, setting it where Artoria’s would have been placed.

“We will tell the kitchens to cancel her order,” one of the men told them quietly. “The bathrooms are to the left end of the room.”

Thankfully, Gilgamesh wasn’t really wearing a shirt, but…

“Hold on,” Hakuno told him, fumbling with her purse again. She grabbed a comb, brushing the man’s hair back and ignoring the eyebrow raise.

“…How many of these dinners have you gone on to have this many supplies?”

“Enough.”

She wouldn’t mention the burner phone, the lighter, the batteries, the taser, or the emergency hotline numbers in case of poisonings. What she had was all necessary and when she was without them, she was at a loss.

A bottle of wine and two wine glasses were placed on the table. Hakuno could see that her plate was replaced with a freshly made version of what she had ordered.

“You don’t have another date in there, do you?”

“I don’t, unfortunately.”

It was a shame, but… she was not a miracle worker. Clearly she needed to pick someone more in his vein of interests. Opposites did not always attract.

It was a shame.

“You may as well sit and dine with me,” Gilgamesh told her simply. Let’s at least save face for this place, lest they know both the owners of Camelot Knights’ restaurants and Uruk Enterprises both left their establishment without eating.”

His eyes went to her plate, to the steak platter she’d ordered.

“I ordered the same thing you did,” she told him. “It seems we have that in common. Do you want to share until your order comes?”

“I am not so impatient that I must dine on another’s plate.” The wine was being poured now, Gilgamesh’s bemused expression softening. “However, I can appreciate someone with sense. Do you drink?”

“Occasionally.”

“I’ve had my foot stomped on and my person splashed with sparkling water. Tonight, we’ll drink to proper companionship.”

“You could have been easier about her business.”

Gilgamesh sipped at his glass, humming appreciatively before those eyes turned to her. “And why would I do that? A woman who cannot handle someone being honest with them should not look for someone in the first place. She would have heard my words in time if she did not hear them upfront.”

Perhaps, but…

Well, it didn’t matter.

She sat next to him, their chairs close together and their eyes roaming over the other patrons. He’d undone his jacket, leaving her to roll her eyes at him and ask where his shirt had gone.

“Is this not a good outfit?”

“It’s distracting.”

“I am distracting. Unerringly so.”

“Yes, you are,” Hakuno agreed, sipping at more of her wine.

“And you are getting tipsy,” he pointed out, tilting her chin back. “You have an interesting blush to your face, Hakuno.”

“I’m not a toy, Gilgamesh. I’m here for you.”

“You are, aren’t you? So reliable.”

He smiled, the sight doing something weird to her stomach.

“Do you have a ride home?”

“I could get a taxi.”

“I have my car here. I will see you home myself.”

She sipped her wine, looking for courage in the bottom of the glass. What she found instead was warmth and the promise of a dry ride home. It was raining a bit this evening, from what she could see in the window. A quick ride to her apartment would be nice.

Even better, Gilgamesh ordered dessert. The liquor infused chocolates were absolutely breath-taking, leaving her to hum appreciatively.

“Try the caramel liquor,” the man bid, holding up a confection only for her to hum again.

“The mint would be more to your interest. Try it,” she told him, holding up another one of the treats.

Patrons were almost gone when they finally stood from their table.

She stumbled a bit, but the golden haired man held her close, his arm around her waist and his jacket around her shoulders.

She closed her eyes as she was settled into a leather seat.

Warmth was radiating from the leather. The sound of the rainfall in the distance and the soft music from his car speakers were doing wonders to let her mind drift.

“Are you falling asleep?” Gilgamesh’s voice asked from somewhere nearby.

“no…”

A small chuckle came.

Something pressed softly to her lips.

“You are a terrible liar, Hakuno. However, you are nothing if not entertaining. I’ll get you to bed soon enough.”

Bed sounded nice.

Hopefully, it was as warm as his seat.

#drabble #drabbles

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yourstrulyalexanderdietrich · 5 years

Text

A casual conversation between Nicolas de Lenfent and Alexander Deitrich: What to do about the mortal Jeffrey Todd

FROM HERE

@echo-de-la-lumiere

echo-de-la-lumiere:

Nicolas gives Max an appreciative and relieved look as he hands off all the gifts. He plops down on one knee and gestures for Alex’s hand to kiss yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Oh stop it now you’re being ridiculous. What the fuck happened the other night, Nic?” *settles into a comfortable chair, gestures to an identical one across* echo-de-la-lumiere: *thwarted, huffs and throws himself backwards into the chair with as much exhale as he can manage* “I did what you said. I sucked him, fucked him, the rest, all of it. *counts off on fingers as he speaks* yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *rolls eyes* “No. The zombie. People are already talking Nic. They want to know who your boy is, this boy worth pulling rank over. So. Who is he?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “He touched my stuff!” *sits up, looking indignant* “I thought your people knew better than to touch another vampire’s mortal. He should have been able to smell me on him.” “He’s the whore you called for me. The one with the Dead twin brother. Or were you going to surprise me at my funeral?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Be that as it may, you know it is your actions which will draw attention, not that of a zombie guest.” Alexander sighs. “So I take it this means you like the redhead?” *laughs* “Oh. Well. That. What does it matter? ” echo-de-la-lumiere: “He’s a fiery little devil. Your kin mistook him for the Dead one. If this happens again, talk is more expensive than one dead whore. What did you think I would do with him? Bring him into this life?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Oh I wouldn’t dare make such an assumption. I only figured if uninterrupted the boy’s path would be inevitable. Why not expose him to as much as possible before he makes his decision? It’s just a bit of fun.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “And if his brother yells for something like a war?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “You think Niki London or Madame de Paris would lead us into war with the vampires over a yearling’s destroyed brother? Ha. What a fantasy.” “I am curious how things are going though. You like him enough.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “I’d prefer to be spared the interrogation and skip to the lecture, if you please. And we both know I am allergic to oversight.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Then why are you here Nicolas, if not to gossip?” *lifts a perfectly arched eyebrow.* “I all but gave him to you. I deserve to know. If you’re just going to waste him...well, how terribly boring.” “Do you get good use out of him at least?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *finally looks over at Alexander and grins* “I enjoy the way he asks for more and regrets it in the same breath. Especially when his ass his full.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *rolls his eyes again* “Getting your money’s worth then. When is he going to start giving it to you for free?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “Ah, the boy is a professional, n’cest-ce pas? He wouldn’t.” “Whoever heard of a whore giving it away for free? Bad for business, even for a regular.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *regards Nicolas carefully* "So what is this then? You going to pay him twice a week until you exhaust him? I assumed you wanted more." echo-de-la-lumiere: “How much do I pay to keep him *only* mine?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Well that depends of course. Does he want to be yours?" echo-de-la-lumiere: *watches Alexander carefully* “This is why I asked about the brother. Why does it matter what Jeff wants?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Well if he does not want you, you're going to have a helluva time convincing him to only work for you. Does he like you?" echo-de-la-lumiere: “Bien sûr. I make him like me.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Mmm, you're so charming of course," *sarcasm is heavy enough to crush any spirit* "Do you want him to like you?" "Think about it before you answer." echo-de-la-lumiere: *grins, all fangs* “I want him to love me.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Why?" *sharp, to the point* echo-de-la-lumiere: “I want him to need me.” “Why do you have Max?” *asked almost idly, but eyes are watchful* yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Max assists me in most aspects of my life. He's versatile and resilient, and I need someone I can trust." echo-de-la-lumiere: “But you could manage without him, yes, you could survive, if you wanted?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *shrugs* "Of course Darling, I'm a cockroach." "But I would not have the same sense of security and well being as I do with him. He does so much for me, you know that." "Do you know how much work it is to care for a mortal?" "You want him to love you, you want him to need you, those are big and broad words Nicolas, do you know what you want them to do for you?" "Consider, for example, if he falls in love with you. What will you do then? Consider if he needs you--not only that precious cock of yours, but everything you could conceivably provide as a...well a patron to his art. He needs a shelter, food, proper care. How much of that responsibility do you want?" “Now I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with keeping a pet, but is that what you want?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “What does Max require? Is that what you give him? Does he love you?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Max is self sufficient. He only needs me for one thing and that’s keeping my end of our bargain. I would say he’s grown accustomed to me.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “Be truthful. Does he love you?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *pauses, features arrange into something pleasantly neutral* “Ours is an arranged marriage. Maybe it’s easier if he’s grown to care for me. But love? Darling, as pretty as it would sound if I told you he did, I really don’t think so.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “How do I do it without driving him mad? I want to see what happens, what he does.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “What? Like you drive me mad?” *smirks* “Define “mad”. What do you really want from him? Companionship? Housework? Blood letting? Something you can dress up cute and fuckable to take with you to the parties you ruin?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “I don’t ruin every party I attend!” “Let him keep my house if he wishes. I would prefer to leave him trussed in my absence and trotted out at one of those awful soirées.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “So you want to show off? Play with the big kids? Well I suppose it’s good for you. How old are you? Probably time you put in a little effort to your reputation. Well. A house pet then. You don’t care what he does for you as long as he looks, tastes, and fucks good? You’re probably more or less on the right track then.” “Do you intend to enthral him?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “What do I do with him, do I tell him I’ll buy out his contract?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “I’m not going to talk to you if you won’t answer my questions. Are you going to enthral him? If you do, he’ll beg to be yours Nicolas. That’s exactly what I mean, you’ll have him without having to spend another euro.” “Does he know what you taste like? Can you tell if he likes it?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *frowns, puzzled* "Why does any of that matter? Isn't it enough if I make sure he won't want to live without me?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "*Is* it enough? Do you want him clawing at you at every moment? You've seen how ugly the botched ones are. Don't you want someone who can still stand up with his own goddamn spine? I mean it isn't always the vampire's fault, sometimes people just aren't cut out for it. You should be able to tell even now if he'll crumble. You know, like those miserable ones Dorian has had to put down early, the ones who just beg and whine the entire time and cry without a pacifier. You know, you've seen them." echo-de-la-lumiere: "How *is* Dorian? I haven't heard him in quite some time. No, Jeff quite likes everything I do. Perhaps it's time he realizes it." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Oh he’s well. Just got back from Iran. Business is going well for him.” “So what, you think you’ll just convince him? Offer a full time position and he’ll jump on it?” (He assumes so) echo-de-la-lumiere: *makes a face* "A messy orchestration. He creates such messy arrangements. Will his brother interfere? You seem to know more about this than you're willing to allow me to operate on." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “The brother is fickle. They’re young. Obviously he’s a bit preoccupied at the moment. It only happened about eight months ago. From what I understand he offered his twin come over with him, even though they have no bloody idea how to do it, and the twin—yours—left in the middle of the day for Paris. I think it damn near broke the kid’s heart.” *shrugs* “I’m sure the brother won’t cause you trouble unless you let him. If you dispose of your pet once you get bored with him I’m sure there will be hard feelings.” *pouts* “I know I’ll be disappointed.” “What do you want him for anyway? I know it was a marvellous suggestion made by a very good friend with the best intentions but if I’m honest Nicolas I never expected you to put in the effort. Why make him yours when you can have a new one every night?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "I've had him." *he shrugs* "Now I don't want anyone else to. What were this very good friend's best intentions?" "I cannot give him what you want. Hundreds of years later, I am still watched." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “I’m not suggesting you turn him. That would be an irresponsible recommendation.” *grins* “I just...well from a bystander’s perspective darling I just want to see what happens. Besides you say he likes you already. I can’t imagine. Have you given him your blood?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "Well of course I have! I fucked him, why wouldn't I give him a taste? I am a responsible lover." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Ever the gentleman. A taste Darling? A drop? Or do you shoot it in the back of his throat?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *proudly* "All of the above. But what's the point of you asking?" "Do you suddenly have an interest in our bestial affairs, O Holy One?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “You know what I’m asking, Monsieur. At least you should if you know how Dorian keeps his beauties wanting. You do know how thralls come into being yes?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *sighs wearily* "You mean when you don't finish your food and they come back wanting more?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Mm that’s certainly one way to put it. What do you make of such situations?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "It..." *looks away* "I *looks surprised when his voice cracks* "—I am not overly fond of the arrangement, no." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *watches Nicolas falter. Doesn’t actually want to offend his friend but has a clear desire to understand his motives* “Darling, if you feed him too much, and by too much I mean mouthfuls, he will be entirely and completely devoted to you. He will crave everything about you, your touch, your scent, the taste of you, any spare glance. You’ve seen these creatures. But if you do it, if you want that from him, you must be able to provide for him.” “He would be a good companion for you. Hell, if he can handle you already even without a thirst f his very own then I think he’s worth he effort.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *looks at Alexander* "How do you do it with Max? He provides for himself, you don't feed him. I've seen the two of you." *wistful look* "He's always so warm and wiling." "Even when he doesn't need to be." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Max and I have a business relationship, that’s all. I employ him. If you want to give this boy a job to do, fine...ask him to clean your house and take your clothes to e dry cleaners and pay him twenty euro an hour to do it. But if you want him in your home and in your bed and under your teeth, you’re going to have to do something to negate what is only going to be a natural animal rebellion. What kind of creature puts himself in a position to be /fed/ on at the leisure of his predator?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “You know I don’t drink Max. I certainly don’t fuck him.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "I don't need an assistant, I need someone who will fight me on things. What's so bad about that?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Nothing at all!” *grins* “You want him for yourself. You don’t want to break him.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "What do I do if he's broken already?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *somewhat surprised* “Why? Do you think he is?” *laughs* “This might come as a surprise but just because he likes you doesn’t mean he’s broken.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *expression is carefully blank* yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “All the better if he can naturally tolerate you. There are very few of us who can, after all.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *smiles at Alexander fondly* "And do you merely tolerate my awful presence, Alexander, dear?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *pouts* “Darling didn’t you just say you like it when people fight you? That must mean you adore me as much as I you, if you tolerate my constant “affection”...” *rests head in his palm, sighs pleasantly* “So. Tell me more. Do you have a plan?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *bites into his lip idly, deliberately letting Alexander smell him, goading him on* "You overestimate me, my dear. If I had a satisfactory plan, would I be asking what you do with Max?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *notes that Nicolas trades the tease of fresh Blood for the admission of a need for council* “Well all I know is that you want him to need and you don’t want him to go mad. A dilemma indeed.” “Do you want him in your home? Or farther than that?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "Are you going to laugh at my answer?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “No, of course not. Not if you’re honest with me.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "I want something that'll love me, and let me fuck it when I want to but not all the time, and maybe I'd always find it at home when it was time to sleep, but it could entertain itself and tell me interesting things when I got home..." *trails off* "Max does that for you, right, except for the fucking? He loves you." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Yes,” *smiles fondly* “if those are your criteria I suppose he does. Now. Will I ever get to meet this Living boy you want to love you?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “What would you intend with him?” “I saw him first. He has my Blood.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *laughs gently* “Consider me curious. I only want to know if he is as handsome and angry as his brother.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “He’s not promised, then? I can have him? What do I do if he starts going...” *makes a squiggly hand gesture* “Tiresome?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “You back the fuck up and call me before you do anything.” “Would you have any objection if I asked you for the leftovers? Personal project.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "You want a little one running around, is that it?" *smiles, amused* yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “No. I only believe my stamina for curiosity will outlast your patience.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *suddenly sits up straight from where he's begun to slouch* "Is that so? Care for a wager of some kind regarding dear Jeffrey's survival?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Mmmm. Interesting. What would the stakes be? We both want the boy to survive but don’t exactly have the utmost confidence in the other’s motives. Is that correct?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "What is it you want that I've been refusing you?" "Make it interesting." "*I* want Max. For an evening performance on the saxophone." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “No. You do not get Max. I don’t even know what that means no you can’t have him.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "You can be present, I only want to hear him perform!" "Entertain *my* curiosity, why don't you?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Do you withhold from me, Darling? I couldn’t tell. If I win...if you grow tired of the boy or kill him prematurely or neglect or fuck him to death I win. I win...your cooperation and time until the end of the world. If the brother steals him from you or makes an attempt on your life, you win OR if he boy asks you to and you successfully turn him, you’ll be granted an automatic win. How does that sound?” “No. Leave Max out of this. What kind of performance would you want from him anyhow? I won’t let you.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "No deal. If I turn him, your people give me safe harbor from *my* people. And would you render me a slave with my services? If I lose, you may call upon me once a year with a request that does not endanger myself or my interests, until Jeff is destroyed. And Max plays the saxophone, does he not?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “No. He does not play the saxophone and even if he did how do I know this performance you have dreamed up for him won’t be something depraved? He’s not to be fed from, pushed, tortured, entrapped, or fucked by any one of my peers.” *breathes* “If either of us turn him it’s an automatic win. But he has to choose which side he goes to, go willingly, and survive the transformation. I can grant you my own protection but Darling I do have my limits. It’s not the only way to win, besides. Let’s give it a year. One year. If he survives the year win defaults to you. I shall permit you an evening’s /conversation/ with Max at a location of his choosing...just the two of you. If you kill the boy before then or he is not of sound mind or body, then I win and my prize is the leftovers.” “After a year we renegotiate, and present options to the unfortunate one.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *raises one eyebrow* "That's all you want? Leftovers?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “To do with as I please, yes.” “No stashing corpses in your closet. I can’t turn an already rotting body but I can work with a dead one.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *visibly more eager-looking* "That all sounds quite reasonable." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Does it?” *quirks a brow* “Shall we shake on it then?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *looks up at Alexander incredulously and stands up with his wrist offered* "Are you Undead or not?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *drags himself up from the hair with minor theatrics* “As you wish, my love.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *grins and bites his own wrist with a loud popping sound, then offers it to Alexander * yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “If you can stomach it...” *offers his own wrist, unbitten for the vampire’s pleasure, and dips with a delicate flick of hair to drag his Dead purple tongue against the offered wound.* echo-de-la-lumiere: “I wasn’t doing anything else tonight anyway.” *closes his eyes as Alexander drinks, then delicately* “Pardon.” *slips fangs in for a quick draw before sealing the wound with his tongue* *shudders at the Dead Blood sludging through his veins and slowing him down*

#spooky action

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riverheadbooks · 6 years

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READER HOROSCOPES FOR MARCH 2018 Plotting your destiny with matriarchal literati

PISCES

Welcome to March, my friend! It’s your birthday and you can cry if you want to, laugh if you want to, or curl up in an invisible corner with your journal -- you get it! But seriously, we can’t recommend a better way to usher in a new year than taking some time to reflect on where you’ve been, and where you’re hoping to go. Life comes at you fast, and this month will be no exception: things are changing quickly and there are a lot of factors outside of your control--but not all! What are some goals and milestones you set for yourself that, in hindsight, weren’t all that realistic? Use the wisdom and experiences you’ve gained since then to reset those expectations and adjust your methods to make your new goals more attainable. For a touching reminder of just how fickle and unpredictable life can be, your lucky book this month is a novel that explores the reality of loss and the joy of finding love and companionship anew. If you’re a dog lover, you’re really going to enjoy this one.

LUCKY BOOK: The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

ARIES

This month has all sorts of interesting things in store for you, Aries. If that sounded vaguely ominous, well, we’re not taking it back. You know that old British motivational phrase (now defunct internet meme) that starts with “keep calm”? Yes. That one. That is your objective for the month. While ‘calm’ is not your typical or preferred setting, practicing a bit of serenity will come in handy when the plans you think you’re headed toward at 100 MPH go sideways. Rather than continuing to barrel toward them, try slowing down, and envisioning what else might be accomplished. Some doors just don’t stay open forever, unfortunately. But having an open mind in the face of unexpected challenges will take you far! If the disappointment of your temporarily thwarted plans is really getting to you, call a life time-out (that’s a thing) and disappear into your lucky book this month: a fascinating peek back to the ‘20s and 30’s and intersecting destinies of two women who had no idea what their futures held. The promise of a new day and all of the freedoms that accompany it can quickly overcome your previously held negative assumptions...but only if you let it. Go on, give it a try.

LUCKY BOOK: The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

TAURUS

Congratulations to you, Taurus, for making it through February! Shortest month it may very well be, there were a few points that felt completely interminable, so we salute you. And good news: March is going to be much kinder. So relax: unclench, shed that tough exterior, let some of the light in! This month will reinvigorate your appreciation for art--either through new creations that you dream up, or by getting lost in someone else’s. Try to let out the child living inside you, as it will only widely expand your imagination and capacity for love and play. Yes, you’re an adult, you pay bills, you have boring responsibilities, but you’re also a person living in a world that has new wonders to offer every day, if you just let yourself look. It’s possible to use the insight and wisdom you gain every day from living your very grown up life to inform the art you make or take in--rather than letting it burden or exhaust you. Even negative experiences can be someone neutralized through a unique or humorous lens. Fortunately, the author of your lucky book this month is something of a master when it comes to this. This memoir takes you through the life of a girl whose father is a married Catholic priest, and all of the misadventures--hilarious, raunchy, heartbreaking--that comprised her unusual childhood. Past hurts and trauma can make way for a more enlightened (and brighter!) future, so shine on!

LUCKY BOOK: Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood

GEMINI

Welcome to March, Gemini! You’re quite the busy bee this month; does your calendar have any open nights left? No worries, we’re just teasing you. Sometimes you’re on, sometimes you’re not so on, but this month is your time! Enjoy meeting new people and charming the pants off of them; many of these relationships you establish now will prove mutually beneficial in the immediate future and further down the line. Of course, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be discerning. After every date, outing, or social event, do a solo recap of everyone you meet, ideas that were proposed, new ventures you’re considering. What are the pros, what are the cons? Think carefully and weigh all of your options; no one is expecting answers tomorrow, as you shouldn’t be, either! Maintaining a clear viewpoint and cool head will be essential this month, as there’s some family drama brewing (isn’t there always?). There’s no need for things to turn ugly as long you keep those lines of communication open, which unfortunately, is often much easier than it sounds. Remain cognizant of old wounds--sometimes, they go back for many years. No one knows that better than the family in your lucky book this month, whose young daughter goes missing, the manifestation of a generational curse. When her older sister sets out to find her, she uncovers a host of secrets that change their lives forever. Trauma has a way of uniting family, but healing together will bring you even closer. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the ones who know you the best.

LUCKY BOOK: Forgotten Country by Catherine Chung

CANCER

Hey, Cancer. You’ve been working through some stuff lately, and it hasn’t felt very good. There come times when we have to pause what we’re doing, look around, and wonder why and how we got there. That’s kind of where you are right now: realizing that you’ve been going through the motions, not 100% into the roles you’ve been expected to play for some time now. If you’re questioning your place and second-guessing your enthusiasm, it’s okay! You’re not an automaton; people’s wants and needs change all the time. Pay attention to how you’re feeling as you navigate through the day: what’s wrong? What’s missing? Chances are, your dissatisfaction is showing in the parts of your life you see fit to share with others. Your group chats, your tweets, your Facebook statuses. Communicating your unhappiness is healthy, but be careful of where do you it. But more importantly, be prepared: what you’re putting out into the universe may come back to you sooner that you expect. When you gain freedom from the thing you feel is holding you back, what will you do next? The main character in your lucky book this month experiences much of the same anxieties and doubts that you’re facing this month, so dive in and take whatever wisdom you can from her intense emotional excavations. You’ll both come out the other side a bit spent, probably, but ultimately exactly where you’re supposed to be.

LUCKY BOOK: A Separation by Katie Kitamura

LEO

Listen to your heart, Leo! This month, let your compassion be your guide. What causes are you feeling called to? What news cycles have you followed diligently? What are the charities you consistently donate to? Take those passions and run with them: turn your care into tangible projects! Can you begin a fundraiser? Sponsor a trip? Hold a letter-writing marathon? It’s good to be concerned about things that are happening in the world, but what’s better is to figure out meaningful ways to put that concern to work in ways that feel feasible to you. But be aware: in taking on these projects, you’re going to be showing a side of yourself that others may not yet be privy to. This is how creativity works: when you envision a product that will go out into the world, you’re necessarily giving a piece of yourself that reveals what’s important to you. Scary, but worth it, wouldn’t you say? In your lucky book this month, you’ll encounter a young woman who is on the brink of freedom, but experiences a true crisis of choice when her siblings back home require much more from her than she feels equipped to give. And when a young man from a powerful political family enters the picture, the stakes are suddenly much higher. When is sacrifice worth the possibility of love? Let this book keep your fire burning as you set out to make the world a better place this month, Leo. You’ve got this.

LUCKY BOOK: Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

VIRGO

Well hello there, Virgo! Your energy levels are off the charts this month, and it’s contagious! When you’re feeling determined, there’s precious little that can get in your way, and it’s beyond exciting when you feel like you’re getting closer and closer to achieving your goals. Continue to be strategic in how you move--in your relationships, at the office, with your friends--and be sure that you’re not allowing your drive to completely take over. There will come times when you feel certain that people that you’re doing business with just aren’t at your level, and subtly persuading them to do what you want is the best course of action. While we’re all for playing to your strengths (and sometimes, saving someone from themselves is the kindest thing to do!) be mindful of when you’re playing into this: are you genuinely trying to find a solution that works for all, or simply focusing on number one? Tunnel vision may feel enlightening at first, like you’re working toward a singular purpose, but in reality, it’s blinding. You have the power to be the sort of person you’d like to work with. During your well-deserved breaks, pop into the world of a young museum curator, who quickly finds herself completely of her depth. Two years after the tragic death of the last curator, she finds that the secrets and lies of the past live on in the museum and its staff, and she struggles to bear the weight of her new role within the mounting tension. You may not be an Alena--or the hapless new curator--this month, but sinking into a tale about a dysfunctional workplace can shed some powerful perspective on your role as peacekeeper where you work. When new tensions arise and lines are drawn in the sand, how will you respond?

LUCKY BOOK: Alena by Rachel Pastan

LIBRA

Libra, sit down, take a load off. You’ve been carrying a lot lately, and it may be time to look through some of the baggage you’re carrying, as it isn’t even all yours! Being a support system for loved ones is a beautiful gift, but within reason. How much of yourself are you giving, and how much time are you taking for yourself? What are your needs? Are they being fulfilled? It can be hard to feel good about withdrawing that helping hand when the people you love are depending on you, but if you’re empty, you’re not able to fill anybody else up. Slow down and acknowledge that you are just a human being, and you need to recharge just like anybody else. There are real consequences to running yourself ragged; you will not win any trophies for being the most tired, despite what you may think. Make a vow to yourself, or to another friend who you can rely on, that you will use this month to slow down and give yourself a breather. Find less labor-intensive ways to help, if you need to, or sub out for alternate systems of support that can help shoulder the load. Lose yourself in a book that is guaranteed to replenish you: witty, frank, and gorgeous meditations on how the victories in life, no matter how large or how small, change us for good, and for the better. You do so much, and give so much--know that the positive energy you’re putting into the world is making a real difference. Yes, you!

LUCKY BOOK: Small Victories by Anne Lamott

SCORPIO

Change is hard, Scorpio. It’s unsettling, and sometimes downright scary. But it can also be a blessing. Consider this your warning: opportunities are coming this month that may uproot some significant aspects of your life. This is good thing, though--with change, comes growth! But use any anxiety you may experience at the prospect of this change to examine what’s going on internally. Are there places in your life where you know that you’re getting in your own way? Are you trapped in a cycle of bad communication in a relationship? Are you holding yourself back at work because you’re afraid of taking on additional responsibility? Is there a goal you’ve been putting off for months or even years because you’ve convinced yourself you’ll never reach it? Now is the time to end the negative self-talk and take a chance on yourself. Stop feeding the impulse to limit yourself; it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy! Keep your eyes open; don’t let yourself be caught off guard by the new opportunities coming your way. If you stay ready, there’s no need to get ready. Your lucky book this month is just what you need to keep you on your toes, Scorpio. Sometimes a bit of fear is a good thing....and this novel of power, desperation, and broken souls is absolutely designed to unsettle you just enough to keep you paying attention. Get swept away in a Fever Dream, and then wake up to the reality of a new day on the horizon. Good luck!

LUCKY BOOK: Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin

SAGITTARIUS

It’s oh so quiet, Sagittarius. And thank goodness--life has just been rather loud lately, hasn’t it? March will be your month to spend more time alone, someplace peaceful, and just reflect on life. You’ll likely experience a burst of creativity--follow where that leads you, by all means. That story you abandoned months or even years ago: don’t be surprised if you finally find your ending. The face that’s been in your dreams: it may be time to rent a studio somewhere and get back into painting. However your creative energies want to make themselves known, let them. This intense introspection and processing of emotion is healthy, and it’ll feel amazing, too. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should shut yourself away from the world completely. Taking it to that extreme may result in an actual depression, so accept company when you feel up to it, and give your parents a call, too. They’d love to hear from you. Your lucky book this month is a collection of vignettes by a character who is rather like you this month. Charming, quirky, interrogative of herself, her surroundings, the random pleasures and annoyances of daily existence. Take these in bit by bit, or all in one sitting, however you feel is best. It’s your world, Sag. Sit back and enjoy it!

LUCKY BOOK: Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett

CAPRICORN

March is a tricky month, so watch out. You’re feeling pressured to perform--whether at work, at your side hustle, or both--and it’s more than a bit stressful. How this usually manifests in you is your need for competition: how are the others in your field doing? Is there someone you perceive as on your level, and are you alarmed that they may be ‘winning’? When these sorts of thoughts pop up, try to identify them for what they are (unnecessary! unhealthy!) and keep it moving. Giving in will only result in your needing to prove yourself in ways that maybe, in the short term, get you what you want, but you’ll be leaving some pretty annoyed and hurt friends in your wake. No one likes a sore winner, Cap. Think about where this pressure may be coming from--is it anxiety, insecurity, a distraction from a larger issue? You have the final say over your actions, no matter how strong your impulses may be. Second-guess your immediate responses when you feel yourself going to that place. And maybe take a few more naps! Being overly tired always makes you extra snappy. For even more R&R, your lucky book this month is a story collection perfect for transporting you away. Filled with tales that explore love, childhood, parenthood with a light touch of the fantastical, you’ll have no trouble coming back to center when everything just feels like too much. You can do this, Cap. Just remember to breathe.

LUCKY BOOK: Awayland by Ramona Ausubel

AQUARIUS

Whoa, there Aquarius! You’re go go go all March with barely any time to slow down. But is that actually true? With so many crossed signals (quick question: just how many times have dinner/happy hour/brunch plans been thwarted by time or venue mixups?) you’ve got to find a spare minute to catch your breath. Move with purpose, not just speed. This goes for all areas, but particularly in your career. Where are you going, and what is your strategy for getting there? This path that you’re on right now, are you positive this is the best one? If it’s not, get off of it! You won’t lose any time by making sure you’re in exactly the right place; you’re actually saving it. Never hesitate to redirect your steps when you realize that it’s time. And don’t be too proud to admit when you were the one who entered the wrong address in Google Maps (it happens!). For a riveting tale of mystery, thrills and reversals, look no further than your lucky book this month. An orphan is raised to assist in a daring, seductive heist, but when she comes to care for the mark in unexpected ways, plans go awry and true loyalties are revealed. When you need refuge from the breakneck pace of your daily schedule, this book will be your perfect armchair companion. Inhale, exhale. Then dive in.

LUCKY BOOK: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

#riverhead #riverhead books #march horoscope #reader horoscope #readerscope #astrology #zodiac #pisces #spring reads #winter reads #lol what season is this #books to read #whenever!#women's history month #women writers #women authors #books by women

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kurojiri · 6 years

Text

To the birth of a new era

Fandom(s): Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming GEN: Tony Stark & Peter Parker, May Parker & Tony Stark Summary: Somewhere along the way Tony Stark’s schedule aligned itself to Peter’s own academic calendar. And while that was both exulting and nerve breaking, it also made Tony want to take a step back to reevaluate how he got there in the first place. Not only that, but he couldn’t help to worry about the future.

Tony Stark never wanted to admit it, but the world would eventually need Spider-Man more than Iron Man. (And he was scared for that day to come, for Peter to bear the world’s flaws and misguided problems.)

Prompt Used: Peter’s birthday, Peter invites Tony to a school event @petertonychallenges Words: 2,035 Ao3 or ffnt

In a sense of self preservation, Tony had managed to even his breathing in hopes that his decisions in life hadn't fully sunken in just yet. Or brushed against the unraveling sense of anxiety filling his body. Not that he had even the time to recover his feelings to see the damage and occurrence that left him in a conscience ordeal. One that made him feel even more of a failure of having to be a witness of his own spiral life and its chaotic indifferences. In any case, Tony had no other choice but to agree that he did leave behind too many loose ends and in sub-consequence made more susceptible destructive debris loitering around his troubles.

Whether he had been informed by the world or by SHIELD, Tony Stark’s own personal responsibilities had become everyone's background noise.

After years of cementing his status and influence Tony had still found that the limelight was still a bittersweet victory and pillar. Because, in one end he still had the world at the palm of his hand, and another, Tony was still an instrument to his own plans. Getting wrapped up at the world’s own problems had never sat well with him. Not because he didn't particularly hate the attention of being a superhero gave him (he always did appreciate a good photo session) but rather, because Tony had not seen himself as a proper person to be labeled as a Hero of any kind in the first place.

He had been referred to as the merchant of death for a grace of time to change a majority of past opinions that quickly.

He gave the younger folks some benefit of doubt when they encountered and adored his new attached name of Iron Man. The youth had always been more adaptable and nimble with their choices. Yet, that had not made him approve of their support because in the back of his head, Tony had always been afraid. Of being casted away when one-day Iron Man would be yesterday's old news and he would be laid off as a forgotten old disappointment from history.

In that kind of fickleness charging his views, it made him weary of Spider-Man’s initial introduction and passage of being a vigilante and overall friendly neighborhood superhero.

Iron Man had been the first hero to the modern world since Captain America was abruptly put to sleep back a few decades ago. Years after him and Tony’s own personal hell of never being good enough to appease his father had crafted him to simpler conclusions. And that was, that being a superhero had never been his intention. Nor had it ever been something he would have predicted would stumble into his resume or self-introduction.

It came with backlash, hypocrisy and ongoing worship mindlessly humming when he created the suit and eventually revealed himself in that same breath of chaos ensuing his public life. That was why meeting Peter Parker and in turn, also meeting the beginning of Spider-Man had made the pit of his stomach to drop further. The kid had started too young. Still too naive to see how the world (but mostly humanity) corrupted everything it touched. It was if Peter was a small child that had never gotten over playing dress up on Halloween. Peter had created his costume and name a few months prior of meeting Tony Stark, while at the same time, he had made his own brand of cult followers before Tony officially stepped in to help.

And while Tony had done his best to integrate Spider-Man’s life with Iron Man by default, there had still been too many loose ends etching into his nightmares. Ones that already buried his already crippling addiction to caffeine when he couldn’t find time or peace to sleep. The kid wasn’t even his own by blood, but that hadn’t mattered when he took in all sides that Peter Parker showed him. Tony Stark had been pulled in by his boyish charms, Pepper and Happy too with the way they all loved seeing Peter come out of his shell and bravery as he welcomed their light teasing and companionship they endowed him.

His constant upgrades to Peter’s suit were a testament of his underhand fear of losing such a bright light and mind.

Tony had already messed up too many times. Like a long lifetime of screwing up his own adolescence to his eve of being Iron Man. It basically made him exhausted that he had lived a life of nothing but cynical values and horrible coping mechanisms reaching deep inside his soul. Peter had become a sort of clasp of hope in his life. The boy who was the opposite of him. It genuinely scared him at how attached and awestruck the kid was to him, because that meant that Tony had to tread carefully.

Because if he said something wrong again, or did something it would be on him. The Vulture had gotten too close. Their government was taking notice and Tony was feeling like a father.

It was getting real.

Too much that Tony Stark had to reel himself in a panic stride to his lab in hopes of being alone in his thoughts. The cool metal and rumpled clothes he had on were all he could focus as he started mindlessly tinkering. The music blasted his ears and just like that, his worries muffled within his body. In mid turmoil and with FIRDAY still speaking clearly and going along with his random conversations he started was what made his tension leave in slow breaths. He still wouldn’t be completely okay with Spider-Man being dragged along with the Avengers’ crap but for now, he was grateful that he was Peter’s backup.

For now, mentoring Spider-Man and giving Peter, a legitimate internship would be on his agenda. Because when he thought about that kid, he always remembered the sincerity in his words when he described his desire to help the little folks. The righteousness was unparalleled, that was why it always made Tony want to be better.

Not only for himself but for Peter as well.

(The kid deserved that much at least, if not more.)

Rising at mid-morning had always been a dull echo. The aches in his back, the coffee that was ready for him to consume and the simple routines of FRIDAY helping him start the day was all the same. Pepper would be annoyed but when he didn’t have a scheduled early meeting he had the right to wake up whenever his brain felt like getting up. It was one of the few perks he had for being a billionaire genius. The only thing that subtly changed the cycle was the addition of Peter. It started leisurely and almost undetectable in the way that Peter’s school calendar and pre-arranged events were combed over to FRIDAY’s knowledge.

It had become a surreal kind of epiphany that blazed into Tony’s core.

The month had been faring better than usual and after his three hours of sleep and coffee almost done from his cup FRIDAY had informed him of Peter’s birthday and science fair was coming up soon. It had been just a simple schedule rundown. The one that came with him looking at his tablet as he usually poked around his to do list and picked the ones that felt more pressing or entertaining.

“Can you repeat that again.”

Her voice again repeating the two things that shook him: 1. He for a second forgot birthdays existed. 2. He almost forgot about Peter’s offhand comment and low-key invitation for him to coming to see his school’s science fair.

Sometimes he really hated how real life had made a mess of his previous life lessons. All that bitterness and self-doubt had meddled with his sleeping routines. Its effects had him imploding him to race through his passing memories to pick up anything concrete to dissect. He had to give Peter something good—scratch that, something better than perfect. An object at least that had a sentimental message for the kid. But that was the problem.

He was out of his element. Tony had all the money in the world but he usually never gave proper gifts. (That had been Pepper’s job.) Now he was stumped.

Teenagers had always been a handful angsty shits. (He’d been there and done that phase.) Yet, Peter wasn’t an actual normal teen. The kid had better morals than most of his peers all combined. He was selfless as he was generous whether he wore the suit or not. That was what made it tricky for him to figure out what he could give him that didn’t seem too redundant or overly pricy to make Peter feel uncomfortable about repaying him for his generosity.

(Which was stupid because Tony was a billionaire who ninety-nine percent of the time didn’t really care how much money he blew off because he could afford it. That and Peter deserved to be pamper after all the shit he had to put up with for being a teen vigilante.)

He knew that both Ned and MJ (the girl that Peter had started to mention more often) were all going to give him gifts that revolved to Star Wars or something close to that realm. Then there was his Aunt May that would be giving Peter something probably really sentimental from his late uncle. Either way, Tony was at a loss of where he could venture. He ended up throwing a large pile of crumpled paper balls into a trash can after he had a long session of brainstorming. It entailed of him pulling at his hair and dunked a couple of cups of coffee for the rest of the morning and first hour after lunch.

Strangely enough it had been May that opened to him one random afternoon when she was calling if he wanted to meet up with her before the science fair started so they could both greet Peter together.

“I thought you hated me.”

He had remembered at how angry she had been when she saw Peter wearing a custom-made Spider-Man costume that had screamed Stark technology from a mile away if anyone was really paying attention. And May Parker had always been scarily observant on occasions that needed it. Peter had mentioned that trait a couple of times in passing when he babbled about his family life.

“I disliked all of the possible scenarios of him getting hurt running through my mind when I saw him in that suit. But I do appreciate the time (the suit upgrades) you are giving him.”

An air of acceptance passed on to Tony as he gripped his coffee mug. He kept looking at the screen of May’s contact name on the screen. On the other line May kept talking.

“You are a part of the family, you know.”

In the background, Tony almost dropped his mug when he couldn’t help but suppress a shocked gasp. It went unnoticed as she kept talking about how Tony was doing good for Peter since Ben’s death. She described how painful it had been to see Peter a couple of months ago when the accident had been still fresh. How he had shut down and dropped most of his school activities before he started to come home late. When he got the ‘Stark internship’ May had seen another layer of happiness that brewed into her nephew.

Something that had been obviously been due to Tony’s sudden guidance. There still had been some instances when May had been skeptical but she had always found herself to always be proud and supportive for Peter. That was why she took the time to speak to Tony now, with Peter’s birthday and science fair coming around the corner. He needed to know that while May would always be paranoid and worried (for good reasons) that she would be there for either of them. No matter the time and place.

Because, that was what it meant to be a family.

“So then, what do you think I should get or do for the kid then?”

May’s chuckle only made him feel more hopeful as he heard her suggestion.

#petertonychallenge #tony stark #may parker #peter parker #marvel #Spider-Man: Homecoming #gen #fic: 1-5k #Ttboane: To the birth of a new era

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