#blind date with a prompt

[millylotus]

Ghostlights Prompt Event: Blind Date With a Prompt - @dcxdp-ghostlights

To See Your Face Again, is to remember you're not really there

'I thought I knew you'

Join Me, he beckoned.

Stay With Me, he cooed.

Love Me, he demanded.

He didn’t need to ask for the last one.

The Phantom had been watching Gotham for some time now, more then he had in his twelve years of terror. Lurking around the domed city, peering in from up above. It got to such a point where Gothamites would travel through the treacherous cave system beneath their city just to escape his gaze.

The Signal wasn’t one of those people of course, he was one of the remaining vigilantes he had to stand tall, a pillar of light in these hard times. In the End Times. Even as Duke Thomas he stood upon the surface, staring up at the Phantom, The Phantom grinning down on him in return. He knew exactly what the monster wanted of course, & at times he wanted to give in, to hold him again, this was one of those few times.

-⁎-

The Phantom waited above the dome, not the highest point but nearby it, waiting patiently, pridefully, maybe even a bit hungrily. Watching as a disturbance in light, invisible to most, made their way to the top of the tower Phantom stood over.

The disturbance sat in the sturdy satellite dish at the top of Wayne Enterprise, positioned just so that they would never be seen from below, they shimmered & became Duke Thomas once more, in a hoodie & jeans, an ecto-gun strapped to his side, a bracelet made specifically to keep The Phantom away. He chose to not look at that one for long.

The Phantom stared at Duke, examining the face he could not often see. Counting the beauty marks sparsely decorating his lovely face. Taking in the scars the Phantom had once adoringly traced, & the ones he’d never touched or seen before. The Phantom wanted so desperately to see Duke’s gold-brown eyes fully, without the wicked green of the dome overlying them.

“You’re not going to say anything?” Duke said glaring up at Phantom. God he hated that smile on Phantom’s face, all lecherous & possessive. It used to be devoted & respectful some many years ago.

“I thought you hated hearing me speak?” Phantom said playfully, moving into a laying position in the air, “But if you want, allow me to try & convince you once more.”

Duke sighed as Phantom began to re-hash the same speech he’d given many a time before.

Join Me, he beckoned.

Stay With Me, he cooed.

Love Me, he demanded.

He didn’t need to ask for the last one.

Most of the time Duke didn’t want to listen, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop coming up here, to stop caring.

He looked up at Phantom & like many times before tried to connect this version to the one he’d known before.

The freckles that where once prominent & dark upon tan skin connected by scars like images in the stars, had blended like blush over pale green skin. Teal blue eyes that sparkled like starlight, where now a matte blood red that held no real light in them. Fangs that once seemed cute & mischievous, had sharpened to the point where they looked to even hurt the one who bore them.

A soul that was no longer happy, but a phantom of it’s former self. Barely the same, in a way it looked like it never had been.

“Duke,’ Phantom said, more focused then before in it’s tone that it Duke pulled out of his musings as he blinked the mirage from his eyes.

“Why must you be so stubborn,’ The Monster said like he always did, ‘I could give you so much, you know that. Puzzles to invigorate the mind made by creatures longer lived then you’ve ever met, stories from dimensions you’ve never even hear of, songs sung by beings you’d barely comprehend. All you’d have to do is be Mine again, My Star, My Light, My Everything.”

He had to hold back from rolling his eyes in annoyance, he was far too tired for this.

“I don’t want that, I don’t need that,” Duke knew he was half to blame for some of this, though his remaining friends & family had said differently. Maybe if he’d reached out to him after the accident sooner, or flown out to Amity to talk him down from the edge, gotten in the way of Vlad adopting him. Maybe this would all be different, maybe he’d truly know who was floating above him.

“And I thought, I knew you,” The Phantom teased, crossing his arms & staring down at Duke as if what he said didn’t set a bomb off in Duke’s heart.

“If you think I’d go with you as you are now… I’m starting to think you never really did,” Duke said, allowing no emotions on to his face, he could feel tears tapping at the back of his eyes insistently.

Phantoms, grinning face turned into one of silent overwhelming annoyance as he glared down at Duke.

“I do know you, and that’s exactly why I need you,’ Sighing The Phantom turned away from the dome, ‘You’re being rather depressing today so I’ll be going, see me again in two weeks & I’ll see if you changed your mind.”

In an instant The Phantom was gone, not even bothering with going invisible, just dropping his tangibility & heading to Amity at mach speeds most likely.

In the new found silence, the only thing Duke could hear was his fast beating heart & shaky breath, tears beginning to run down his face. Staring up at nothing, features pinched with rage, & fear, & most prominently, heartbreak.

“Danny… what happened to you?”

Half of it was that he wasn't there.

DEADLIGHTS MASTERPOST, GENERAL NOTES, AO3

Okay like but that was too much fun!!! q(≧▽≦q)

#millywrites #dc x dp #dp x dc #dp x dc fanfic #danny x duke #duke x danny #danny fenton #duke thomas #dc #batman #signal #the signal #danny phantom #crossover #crossover ship #ghostlights #ghostlights-prompt-event #blind date with a prompt #event #event update #dcxdp #dpxdc

[oops-i-dropped-the-galaxy]

Ghostlights Prompt Event: Blind Date with a Prompt

aaaaah I'm doing it, I'm gonna post some of my work!

BAM!!

My first time ever posting anything and it's ghostlights, typical. Anyway this was tons of fun to do and I managed to pump this out in like two days. I really hope the smaller details are easy to see bc I had a lot of fun doing things like Dukes heart blush and eyes and Dannys electric scars and it would be a shame if Tumbler crunchifed it too much like Insta usually did.

The prompt I got was Duke is Danny's secret admirer and sharing headphones (that's a lie, it was actually sharing headphones and 1930 but I had no clue how I would do that so I just rerolled and got lucky lol). I might end up doing some more idk I've just never been this inspired before :>

#dpxdc #fanart #ghostlights #ghostlights-prompt-event #blind date with a prompt #fun fact #Dukes shirt is merch i made up of the band 'Batmans [expletive]' that he listens too #i thought it was funny lol #this was also the first time i drew Duke in civilian clothes with is why it looks kinda weird #i was just trying to figure him out and part of that is forbidden shrimp color clothes #fav headcannon of Duke btw top tier #i also realized i havent drawn tucker in ages so he also looks a lil odd but its okay bc hes trying to stay hidden #dont question why they're all on a bus or why Dukes even with them it takes to much backstory to explain they just are okay #good #the preview tumbler gives me makes it look so much brighter than it was on my tablet which is sad but whatever #if you couldn't tell tags are my fav thing on tumbler

[dcxdp-ghostlights]

The first Ghostlights Ship event is here! Blind Date With a Prompt invites fans of Duke/Danny to create something based on prompts received from this random prompt generator.

The minimum number of prompts to use is 2, but you can always use more! Create anything you want for this event -- fic, art, playlists, memes, whatever you're inspired to create!

This first event will run for two weeks (March 23, 2024 - April 7, 2024). Post your creations on Tumblr and tag them with #ghostlights-prompt-event to have them shared onto this blog! And if it hasn't been reblogged within two days, feel free to tag @dcxdp-ghostlights to make sure I see it.

Happy creating, everyone!

💚👻💛

#ghostlights #ghostlights-prompt-event #blind date with a prompt #event #event update #dcxdp #dpxdc #dc x dp #dp x dc

[creativepromptsforwriting]

Blind Date Dialogue

"Why do I feel like you look disappointed?"

"Is it too early to show you pictures of my fur babies?"

"Hopefully you're not a serial killer. I promise I'm not one either."

"I really don't know why my friend set me up with you."

"So both of our friends think we can't get dates on our own."

"To be completely honest, you are not my type."

"I'm sorry for being awkward, I don't usually do this."

"My last blind date left after five minutes, so we're breaking records here."

"Have you ever been on a blind date before?"

"Our friends must have thought we would click."

"Since this is not going horribly, do you feel like getting a dessert?"

"It's a bit awkward to be on a date with someone who my mother picked out."

"Nice to finally meet you. My friends have told me absolutely nothing about you."

"To be honest, I don't really have any interesting hobbies. Do you?"

"I don't like surprises. So I'm very happy to be able to plan our second date all by myself."

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#blind dates #writing prompts #writeblr #writing prompt #creative writing #writing ideas #dialogue prompts #writers on tumblr #writers

[blindbeta]

Heyy, one of my oc's blind, and he has a wife that isn't visually impared. I've read a post a while ago, (I don't remember if you wrote it or not) that talked about "how blind people love" so to say, where it mentions that it is different in many ways to how not visually impared people think it might be, so I'd want to know if you had some fluffy prompts for me. Thank you <3

Blind Characters Falling in Love + Prompts

The post you are referring to is actually by @mimzy-writing-online and you can find it here.

A few prompt ideas I have include:

-consider the trust and automatic habits that might build up between the blind character and the wife. For example, describing things the blind person would be interested in without always needing to be asked, automatically offering to guide, automatically orienting the character to their environment, and knowing when to offer help. These are things that build up over time and with trust.

-Also, consider how wonderful a consistent lack of discomfort with blindness would be. In the beginning of a relationship, the person who isn’t blind may feel uncertain or unsure how to fit into their partner’s life when it comes to their blindness. An example of this would be questioning whether or not a description of a bench to their left would be welcome. A wife who has been with her husband for years may simply verbalize where the bench is, being familiar with the husband’s habit of stopping to enjoy the sounds of birds.

-Specific situational prompts ideas include: the wife describing TV shows that don’t come with audio descriptions as they watch them, the couple learning Braille together and leaving Braille notes for each other, the couple cooking together and using accessible tools, the wife placing markers on the shampoo and conditioner, the couple knowing not to move each other’s items, inside blind jokes, and knowing how best to give directions in reference to that restaurant they like or using left and right because the blind character never understood cardinal directions.

-Alerting the blind character to steps or curbs or changes in environment.

-A big one is an accessible house. If the couple got a home together, they would consider accessibility. This might include high contrast, extra lighting, textures, and no touch screen appliances as these can be harder for blind people to use. There is a comfort in having someone else consider your accessibility needs.

-Other ideas include accessible and comfortable dates. While this might depend on the specific person and where they live, a few ideas include:

-getting audio descriptions at cinemas or even for plays if offered

-reading the menu out to him and knowing what foods to mention or skip over because she knows his taste

-getting Braille menus

-making tactile art together using dot paint or puffy paint

-depending on vision and comfort level, they might avoid dimly lit or overly loud areas, but not all blind people will do this. Conversely, he might also only be comfortable going to such places with her.

-playing accessible games together

These are some ideas I had. You can also follow blind folks on YouTube or Tiktok, such as blindtobes, to see how they talk about blindness and dating.

#blind #blind characters #writing blind characters #blindness and dating #prompts

[stars-of-kyber]

Kanthony + 38?

38- “You fainted…straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”

Ok, Anon, you inspired me.

Let's see Anthony and Kate and their completely crazy first date.

PS: I am a teacher. I am most certainly NOT a doctor nor do I claim to be. Most of the medical advice in this story came from @mimix007 who was a queen and helped me with the basic of humans.

Also, I NEED to thank all my girlies who read this but specially @waterlilyrose who embarked on this journey with me when I got the little lightbulb moment and sprinted and cheered me on me as I went through this whole mess today. Thank u <3

Enjoy!

If 24 hours earlier, someone told Kate Sharma she'd be sitting in a hospital room in the early hours of the morning, still in her nice green dress, heels and fancy lacy lingerie, her hair and make-up done, she would have called the person crazy. Maybe laughed to their face. 

And yet, there she was.

She’s been set up on a blind date by Ben, her coworker from the gallery. Apparently, she reminded him so much of his brother and he imagined they’d get along famously. 

Kate did not have the best track record with men, especially posh guys with more money than they knew what to do with, which was Ben’s family’s case, but her friend had shown her a photo and, well… the man was hot. Not just handsome. It was almost unfair how one man could be so sinfully attractive. 

Even if the date didn’t go anywhere, at least they could have a bit of fun. He looked like a guy who knew how to pleasure a woman in bed and Kate most certainly could use a guy like this in her life right now. Plus, Ben wouldn't set her up with someone who was a complete arse, would he? They were friends and he was a nice person, he wouldn't do something like that. 

Or maybe he would. Because Anthony Bridgerton seemed like a huge jerk. 

Anthony, that was Ben's brother's name, showed up to their date late, looking a bit worse to wear. Don't mistake her meaning, he was still one of the hottest men Kate'd ever lay her eyes on, but there were dark bags under his eyes and he looked pale and sweaty as if he was fighting off a nasty hangover. The first few buttons of his dress shirt were undone and his hair sticking up a bit as if he had run his hands through it a few times. She wouldn't judge him if he did though, his hair seemed perfect to run your hands through.

He didn't seem to be drunk. There was no telling alcohol smell and his speech was clear. But he wasn't really alright either. He pushed his food around on his plate without really eating and he barely touched a drop of the wine he had asked for. Hungover for sure. Kate tried interacting with him, asking questions and offering information about herself but Anthony looked distracted, taking a long time to answer her, if he listened to her at all.

By the time Anthony started excusing himself to go to the toilet,  Kate stood up as well. She was ready to tell him she was leaving and that if he hadn't wanted to have a date with her, he could have told her so and she wouldn't have wasted her time and energy trying to look her best. She really would have been less offended if he had just told her to her face he didn't want to meet her than whatever was going on that night. 

But before she could get more than two words out, Anthony's face went ghostly pale, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed against her. They both went down, his skin clammy and feverish under her fingertips, his breaths heavy and raggedy. 

Kate was doing her best to remember the few first-aid lessons she'd taken in uni, but she wasn't sure how good that would be. The first step was always don't panic and she was already failing in that quite spectacularly. 

Perhaps he wasn't just being a rude arse, after all. 

Kate had yelled for someone to get an ambulance, they had patched him up in a gurney and Kate hadn't even thought twice before accepting the paramedic's help to climb in after him. 

Anthony had been rolled straight to surgery as soon as they rolled into the A&E and Kate was shown to a waiting room, a kind nurse telling her someone would give her an update soon. She tried calling Ben, to let him know what was going on, but somewhere during the chaos, her battery had died. She had Anthony's phone in her purse, but he had a password and all Kate managed to do was to block his phone for a full hour trying to guess it. 

It had been a couple of hours of waiting nervously when a doctor told her he had a problem with his appendix, but the surgery had been successful and her boyfriend would be up to a room soon and she could wait for him there. 

Kate only thanked the man and followed the nurse towards the lift without another word. What was she supposed to say? That they were on a sort-of-blind date, meeting for the first time and she had been sure he was a huge jerk until he passed out in her arms? 

No. That wouldn't do at all. Kate was just going to go along with it, wait for him to wake up and managed to call on a family member and when he was properly accompanied, she'd go home. That sounded like a reasonable plan.

And that's how Kate found herself half-dozing off on a not-very-comfortable hospital sofa on the sickbed of her sort-of-date as the first strakes of daylight started to colour the sky. 

That would most certainly be the craziest date Kate had ever been to. She doubted anything could ever come close to that. 

From the bed, Anthony groaned, squirming on the mattress before his eyes slowly started blinking awake. 

"What..." His voice was husky as he looked around, completely confused. "What happened?"

"You fainted…straight into my arms." Kate was up in a flash, reaching for the cup of water the nurse had instructed to give to him slowly. "You know, if you wanted my attention you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”

 He started to chuckle, which quickly turned into a pained whine, as he clutched his stomach. "Oh, ouch." 

"Oh God, I'm so sorry." Kate looked around desperately for something she could do to help, but of course, there was none. Damn her and her smart mouth. "I was trying to lighten up the mood."

"S'alright." Anthony waved her apology away. "Water?"

"Oh, yes! Here." Kate reached the side of the bed, helping him gently plop up enough to be able to sip on the cup. "Just go slow, the nurse said drinking too fast might make you sick.

"Too late for that, I guess." Kate looked up at him desperately, ready to bolt out to the corridor and find a nurse if he was feeling unwell, but instead, Anthony was smiling humorously at her. "Since I fainted and all." 

"That's not funny." She huffed, pushing the hair away from her face. 

"It is a little bit." 

"You had to have surgery!" She stared at him with narrow eyes. "Your appendix was inflamed. Or burst. Or something." 

"Which one was it?" Anthony groaned in pain as he let himself fall back against the soft hospital bed. "I think one of those things is considerably more severe than the other." 

"I don't know. I went to art school, not med school. " She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in front of her chest defensively. "The doctor didn't tell me much and I was kinda nervous at the time to pay too close attention."

Kate thought he'd call her out on her stupid comment, or say anything about the situation he was in, but instead, he just turned his eyes on her and asked: "Can I have more water please?" 

"Right. Sure." Kate took the plastic cup back to the jar in the corner of the room, clearing her throat nervously. "I"m sorry I didn't call your family, by the way. My battery died and I couldn't unblock your phone."

"Thank God," Anthony whispered with a sigh as she stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "Please don't call them." 

"What do you mean?!" She squeaked. "You had surgery!" 

“Do you have any idea how much I'd hear for this?" Anthony looked at her face and then at the cup clutched to her hand. 

"Right, the water, sorry." Kate was back by the side of the bed. "What do you mean how much you'd hear?"

"I have a large family." He gulped the fresh water, sighing appreciatively. "My mother is... She's great but she's been telling me I need to slow down for a while now. If she learns I was sick and didn't get checked out, I wouldn't have a moment alone in the next two months."

"Trust me, I get the feeling. My stepmother is just the same." Mary Sharma was a force to be reckoned with when she wanted to be. She'd probably place Kate under house arrest and she didn't live in her family home anymore. "She'd probably force feed and not allow me out of the bed." 

"I have seven siblings." He chuckled and groaned again at her surprised face. 

"Seven!" 

"Yup." 

"I have one and she drives me insane." 

"My mum could have someone on every hour of the day sitting with me. I'd never be alone again." He told her dramatically. "I'd not put past her grounding me and taking away all my electronics." 

"I understand your suffering." Kate nodded sympathetically. "But I'm not letting you check out without anyone to watch over you. Is there a friend you can call?" 

"This would be Simon." Anthony shifted in bed with a whimper, trying to find a more comfortable position. "But he's gone and got engaged to my oldest baby sister, so I can't really trust him with it." He sighed. "He'd tell on me the moment the phone was off and Daph's almost as bad as my mother."

"Well, that would be less than ideal, I guess."  

"The only person I could trust to keep this quiet is Hyacinth, but somehow I don't see a 10-year-old being much help in this situation." He gave a half-shrug, clearly trying to keep his abdomen from jostling too much. "Well, her and Fran, but she's in Scotland and I won't have her miss classes to come watch over me." 

"Can't you talk to Ben?" Kate rested her elbow on the mattress next to his arm and her chin on her palm as she watched him gingerly reach up to muss his hair. 

"Ben's a tattletale and momma's boy. Mum can break him in less than a minute." 

"What's the least worse option, then?" 

"You really won't let me go on my own, will you?"

"Absolutely not." Anthony seemed to consider that for a moment before sighing defeatedly. 

"I'll end up calling Ben." He sighed dejectedly. "He'll probably be able to hold Mum back the longest. At least he's got a flat I can hide on for a bit."

"Sounds like a plan." They sat in companionable silence for a moment, Anthony's face twitching with discomfort as Kate chewed on her bottom lip, unsure of what to say or if she even should say anything at all. "I'm sorry for the date thing." He told her, the tip of his ears turning pink. "I promise I usually behave much better."

"Well, it is a bit funny... After all the panic passes, anyway." Kate chuckled awkwardly. 

"At least it's a story for the ages." His smile really was quite dashing, she had to admit. 

"That it is."  The silence that settled on them for a moment was a bit more light-hearted than the one before as Kate tried to gather the courage to speak. "Sorry, I really have to ask..." 

"Hum?"

"People say... Well, my sister had an inflamed appendix and that's a really painful thing." Anthony raised his eyebrow at her but did not speak. "And for you to faint, you were probably feeling pretty shity..." She trailed off, unsure of how to continue. "Why didn't... You could have just rescheduled the date, you know?" 

"I mean... yeah, I guess." His shrug was a bit self-conscious. "But I'm kinda used to some pain in my daily life. Like migraines from lack of sleep or gastritis from spending way too much time without eating or whatever stupid thing doctors like to go on about." Kate had to press her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing at the dismissive roll of his eyes. "And... I don't know... I really wanted to meet you. Ben talked a lot about you and, I'm not trying to be disrespectful or crude in any way but you're really beautiful." Kate felt a blush rise to her cheeks, unable to keep the tiny smile from creeping into her lips. "I wouldn't let a bit of normal pain get in the way of that." 

"I'd say you underestimated the levels of what's normal pain a bit there, didn't you?"

"I'll admit I didn't imagine it would get so much worse so fast." He admitted with a grim nod before his eyes softened as he turned them to her face, making heat pool even hotter in her cheeks. "Please tell me I didn't ruin things and I'll get another chance?"

"Well, that depends." Kate grinned, her eyes alight with mirth. "Will you faint on me again?" 

"Nop, never again." He shook his head, wincing as the movement sent a flare of pain up his side. 

"I suppose we can work something out then." His smile was so bright Kate desperately wished to feel it against her mouth. To feel if those lips were as soft and plump as they looked. And so, to hell with it, she did. 

Kate blamed the lack of sleep and the adrenaline and nerves from the night before for her poor impulse control. She leaned forwards, careful not to jostle the mattress too much and risk hurting him, and she pressed their lips together in the gentlest of kisses, just a brush followed by a little pressure before she pulled away. Anthony tried to chase her mouth, leaning forwards before grunting in pain. 

"Down boy." She laughed, something stirring at the pit of her stomach by the way his eyes darkened. 

"Come back here." His words were half a command, half a desperate plea. "Please." 

"You just had surgery." She reminded him with a gentle pat on his hand as she settled back on the seat, trying to ignore the spark of electricity that went through her arm at the touch. 

"One more." He pleaded, lacing their fingers together. "To help me heal faster." 

"Na-hum. You'll have to wait." She tutted at him. "I'm not having a doctor call me out for opening your stitches or something.”  

Anthony let his body rest in the bed, sighing in defeat, but he did not let go of her hand. Outside the window, the sun was slowly starting to show its bright face, making the sky turn a hundred different hues of blues, oranges and pinks. 

"Will you at least tell me how much the dinner was so I can refund you?" He asked and Kate froze in the spot, her eyes growing triple the size of her face. 

"Oh God..." She choked between a laugh and a desperate sob. Anthony's head snapped to look at her.  

"What?!" 

"You fainted and the ambulance came and they were taking you to the restaurant and I..." She covered her mouth with her hand, her face flooding with colour. "I didn't pay the bill." 

They stared at each other for a few silent moments before they burst out in laughter, Anthony clutching his side with a grimace. 

"Oh God, I can't believe I dined and dashed." Kate wanted to shove her head under a pillow, her face flooding with colour and her chest heaving from giggles she couldn't quite control. 

"Please stop making me laugh," Anthony begged, although it didn't seem he was having any success in stopping it either. "I just had surgery and laughing hurts."

"Hell! Sorry, oh my..." She snorted, burying her face in her palms, trying to control her breathing. "That's so embarrassing, oh lord..." 

And although it had been most certainly the weirdest date Kate had ever been to, she was quite certain it was one of the best ones, in the end. Well, after the panic passed, of course. 

Ben arrived a little more than two hours later and the moment he crossed through the room's large door, Kate was sure Anthony had made a mistake calling his brother and not his best friend because Ben looked livid. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" The tallest man cried in a harsh tone, sending the two other people in the room, who had been talking since Anthony had woken up jumping in surprise. "Hey, Kate." He looked at her, his entire posture shifting for a moment. "Thanks for sitting with him." 

"S'all good, mate." She replied, blinking at the sudden change, and then Benedict's attention was back on his older brother, the sweet, funny man absolutely fuming. 

"I cannot believe you, Anthony Bridgerton! I don't even...." The painter breathed in deeply, making a visible attempt to calm down. "You had surgery...."

"Emergency surgery." Anthony corrected, which did not help at all in his brother's attempt at remaining calm. 

"You had SURGERY to remove your goddamn appendix and you didn't..." 

"It was my fault, Ben. My phone was down and..." Her friend stopped her words with a raised finger. 

"You did nothing wrong Kate, I'm actually really grateful for you sitting with him all night." His narrowed eyes didn't leave his brother's face. "You, on the other hand..."

"I am sick," Anthony warned. 

"How long have you been sick, you stubborn idiot?!" The youngest of the brothers roared. "That's why you looked like shit in Greg's competition last night!"

"I..." 

"And on Hyacinth's match!"  He looked accusingly at Anthony, who had the decency to look ashamed. "How much did you eat in the past two days?" 

"I don’t really see how..." The words were so low and jumbled Kate couldn't understand any of them. 

"Anthony!"

"Alright, you're annoying, Christ!" The eldest sibling finally spoke up. "I didn't eat anything, alright? I was feeling nauseous, couldn't keep anything down anyway." 

"You were drinking black coffee!" Benedict threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "Why didn't you go to the goddamn doctor?! Are you trying to die?"

"You're being dramatic." 

"I'm so mad at you right now, I could punch you." 

"I didn't go to the doctor because I had a lot of shit to do, Benedict," Anthony spoke slowly. Apparently, his patience had run out. "I had a pile of documents waiting for me at work. There was Hy's game and Greg's swimming and Daphne's wedding planning. I sometimes have a stomachache, because according to that doctor you forced me to go, I have gastritis."

"You have gastritis because you spend days without any proper food, running on coffee and self-sacrifice, you pompous arse!" Ben retorted with a huff. "Hy and Greg would have understood if you missed ONE game or swimming competition. Daphne's wedding is more planned and organized than my life has been in the past, I don't know, ten years! And you haven't had a day off in three years, Anthony. The last time you did was because Hyacinth got a broken arm when she was seven." Ben clapped his hands in front of his face as if praying for something, although Kate wasn't exactly sure what. 

She couldn't judge Anthony too much. She worked two jobs and used to work three until she had a burnout crisis the year previous and Mary forced her to quit one, kept track of Edwina's grades, helped Mary with the house and the bills and still walked Newton every day. Her sleep schedule was erratic at best and she ate only because her stepmother called her periodically at meal times. 

Maybe Ben did have a point when he said she reminded him of his older brother. 

"I don't know why you're so mad at me." Anthony insisted. 

"You don't... You know what Ant, I'll tell you." The tallest brother lowered his hand with a strange fire in his eyes. "I'm mad because you think you are indestructible and you don't give a shit about your own health although you can spend literal hours lecturing us about ours. I'm mad because it didn't occur to you, at any point in the past week, to turn to me and say 'Ben, I'm feeling overwhelmed.' and..."

"I wasn't overwhelmed," Anthony scoffed in annoyance. "I had appendicitis." 

"It didn't occur to you, at any point, to turn to me, or to Simon, or to Daphne, or to anyone, to say 'I'm having a very strong pain in my abdomen and I can’t keep food down' and any of us would have gladly stepped up to help you with all the shit you needed to get done while you went to a goddamn doctor instead of having to get an emergency surgery in the middle of your date!" 

"Alright Benedict," Anthony mumbled with a mocking roll of his eyes. "next time I sneeze, I'll let..." 

Kate understood the reluctant feeling in Anthony's tone. It was hard to ask for help, especially when you had people depending on you for a long time. How did you turn to someone that came to you for absolutely everything for years and years and said 'I have too much on my shoulders, I need help.' without feeling like an absolute failure? And at the same time, without making them feel like failures because you never told them you were overwhelmed. 

Kate was also very, very bad at asking for help. 

"You know what, Anthony? I'm not going to try to reason with you. There is no point, you won't listen." Benedict sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of his nose wearily. "I'm taking you to Mum's." 

"You're absolutely not." Anthony scoffed, trying to cross his arms stubbornly in front of his chest, but failing miserably when his entire face convulsed in pain. 

"I can't see how your sorry arse is going to stop me." Ben looked triumphantly at this older brother. "You are going to mum's and you are staying there until you are 100% recovered from your surgery and maybe  an extra week to be safe and you are going to eat three proper meals a day and work regular hours if mum allows you to work." 

"You're going to have to kill me," Anthony told his brother completely determined. 

"I am considering it." 

"I'm not going." 

"Oh, you are." Ben nodded his head and his grin was absolutely diabolical. If Edwina was looking at Kate like this, she'd probably have run for cover and it was clear in Anthony's face he would agree. "Please ask me how." 

"I'm not giving you the pleasure." Benedict just waved his grumpy brother's words away completely at ease. 

"It's not a problem, I'm telling you anyway." He rubbed his hands together and in Anthony's eyes, Kate could see he was considering just jumping out of the window not to suffer whatever fate his brother had planned for him. "Because I’ve already called mum," Ben lifted a finger, as if counting. "and Daph," One more finger up. "and I called your work and told them you're taking the next week as sick leave and are not to be disturbed." A third finger was lifted but he was clearly not done. "I have also already bribed Eloise with something she wants quite a whole lot so I think you'll be hard-pressed to get her to cooperate with you." With each finger that went up, Anthony's eyes went wider. "And to finish it off, I've spoken to Hyacinth and Greg." Benedict looked triumphant with his entire palm open in front of him. 

"What did you say to them?!" 

"I might or might not have implied that you are really sick and that if you don't rest, you might have a big health problem that will be a risk to your life." The taller man seemed to be feeling pleased to see Anthony so shocked in a way only a younger sibling could. "They're really scared, you know?" 

"So, you lied!" Anthony accused.

"No, I didn't, you lout! If you don't fucking rest you're going to rip a stitch and bleed inside out or something!" Benedict stormed. He had also been to Art school and was certainly not a doctor. "And honestly the worst they'll do is spend a shitton of time around you and you'd never complain about that." Anthony did not seem to have an answer for that. "What you really should be worried about is Daphne. She was talking about taking a few days from work to look after you." 

Honestly, if Anthony made an attempt to jump out of the window, Kate would probably help.

Anthony had been released from the hospital and into Benedict's clutches in the afternoon, with a list of medicine and doctors' orders to follow and several overprotective siblings to look after him at home. Kate did not envy him at all. 

She had awkwardly stood there as Anthony signed a pile of forms under his younger brother's watchful eye and asked them if anyone could call her an Uber, since her phone was dead, which immediately prompted Ben to offer to just drop her home. And that was how she found herself sitting in the back of a car with Anthony Bridgerton as his brother drove. 

He was sitting half-bent in what looked like an uncomfortable position, his mop of brown hair falling to his forehead, dark circles under his eyes. Kate just felt the desperate need to curl around him, have his arms around her, holding her tight. He had quite spectacular arms, really. 

She managed to fight back that one impulse, too afraid to hurt him if she tried. It didn't keep her from reaching out to his hand, lacing their fingers together. Anthony looked from her face to their joint hands back to her face, a tired but bright smile blooming on his lips. 

From the rear-view mirror, Kate could see Benedict's smirk, but she ignored it. She'd let him groat, at least for a little bit. He deserved it. 

The car pulled at the curb in front of her small block of flats and before she could think twice about it, Kate leaned forwards, kissing Anthony with another of those ridiculously soft kisses, their lips brushing together gently for a moment before she pulled away. 

"I thought you said I'd have to wait?" He asked, a satisfied smile gracing his lips as he looked at her. 

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure you'll need something to help you keep sane in the next week." Kate giggled as he groaned. "And something for you to think of, you know? Until our next date. Once you're better." 

"I can't wait." 

And really neither could she.

Anthony was a model patient. An annoying one, the biggest pain in his siblings arse he could manage to be, but a good patient none the less. He took his meds, ate his food and rested. He complained and bitched and moaned every second of it, but he was doing it. He and Kate texted everyday and seeing a message from him light up her phone make a silly smile take over her face like a stupid teen with a crush. 

And finally, three weeks after their disastrous first day, Anthony got the all clear from the doctor and he was waiting for her at the door of a fancy restaurant, looking exactly like that hot, hot man Ben had shown her in a photo that had convinced her to accept the date. 

"You're not going to faint on me, are you, Mr Bridgerton?" Kate asked, with mirth on her smile as she approached him, enjoying the way his eyes raked darkly over her purple dress. 

"Not a chance, Miss Sharma." He barely got the words out before pulling her into his chest and finally, finally, kissing her properly. 

It was a kiss worth waiting for.

And a year and a half later, Anthony's eyes were still raking over her, this time with tears pooling on them as her mother walked her down the isle, the flowy white dress contrasting quite beautifully with her raven dark hair and the henna tattoos on her skin. 

"You're not gonna faint on me now, are you, Mr Bridgerton?" Kate asked for the thousenth time, smiling up at him as she let go of Mary's hand and took his. The smile he offered back was as bright as the sun. 

"Not a change, Mrs Bridgerton." 

Truly, that first date had been one of the best things in her life, after all. 

#my writing #modern AU #First date #blind date #Anthony's just stupid #and stubborn #bridgerton #kathony #anthony bridgerton #kate sharma #my fic #tumblr prompt #Asks #medical emergency

[mercurygray]

A fun announcement as we near the end of January - Blind Dates now has its own blog!

@blind-dates-fest is now live to collect all of your hard work for this year's fest and keep track of some of the old work as well. I've queued up the last three years of prompt submissions, as well as some askbox memes, to run over the next several weeks.

Several of you may have noticed likes and reblogs as I got the hang of running a sideblog - and there may be more to come in the future.

I may be moved to wrestle with a custom desktop theme in the future, but for now it's doing what it needs to.

#blind dates oc prompt fest #blind dates #blind dates fest 2024

[theflyingfeeling]

Seventh Day of Gift-Giving: Seven Nights

Prompt: Light fell through the window, illuminating the couple lying in bed, entangled with each other and perfectly content with it.

The two idiots in love have also been idiots in the kitchen, but not for much longer! 💞

~

After all the food-related disasters, their dinner date had been nothing but lovely, if simple: arriving at the restaurant, it had turned out someone working there knew Olli from one of their music projects back in their conservatoire days and had happily arranged a table for them at the back of the dining hall, hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the restaurant. There they were left in peace to chat about everything that crossed their minds, to make each other giggle by “stealing” food from each other’s plates, or just to sit in silence, finding deep comfort in each other’s easy company. The atmospheric lighting of the restaurant had made Olli’s expression look especially soft, and if they hadn’t, in spite of everything, been in public, Aleksi wouldn’t have hesitated scooting his chair next to Olli’s to whisper sweet nothings into his ear or pull him in for a long kiss, one he had been dying to give him the entire evening.

That was why, after having picked up Rilla from Tommi’s temporary dog daycare, Aleksi was more than happy to be back at Olli’s again, because he couldn’t have pushed Olli against the door to crash their mouths together at the restaurant, could he?

It seemed Olli shared the sentiment, as he was quick to undress Aleksi of his overcoat and wrap his arms around Aleksi’s waist to pull him close, never breaking the kiss but instead smiling into it. 

“Thanks for the date night,” Aleksi said, pulling his mouth apart from Olli’s just enough to form the words before savouring the taste of Olli’s bottom lip again. He could still detect traces of the chocolatey dessert they had enjoyed.

“The best idea we’ve had all week, huh?” Olli’s speech was but slur, with Aleksi nibbling on his lips with great appetite despite having just dined the better part of evening; now, he was ravenous for something else entirely.

“The best idea we’ve had all week so far,” Aleksi murmured in turn. He hoped Olli would get his hint and was rewarded when the shade of Olli’s eyes darkened and his sighs against Aleksi’s lips, cheek and neck became more shallow, more greedy. 

It seemed Tommi had done an impeccable job at activating Rilla all evening, since the dog wasted no time in making herself a nest in her little dog bed and was already settled in by the time Aleksi and Olli stumbled in the bedroom. Aleksi made a mental note of buying Tommi a beer as a thanks the next time they’d hang out, because Rilla’s sleepiness made it possible for him to grab Olli by his hips and gently guide him straight towards the bed, all the while leaving small, soft kisses on his lips.

Throughout the whole dinner, Aleksi’s mind had kept wandering to how amazing it had felt to hold Olli close and keep him there without the fear of rejection, to kiss him without alcohol clouding his judgement or regret banging the door at the back of his head; he was only just beginning to wrap his head around it all. Even now, with Olli’s body pressed against his, eagerly echoing every movement of Aleksi’s own, Aleksi almost wanted to stop and pinch himself to make sure it wasn’t all just another unattainable fantasy, a daydream that would turn into a nightmare when Aleksi would realise that was all it was: nothing but wishful thinking of a fool who had gone and fallen for a friend. 

As if reading his thoughts, Olli let their final kiss linger unnecessarily long before he opened his eyes to look up into Aleksi’s. His pupils were dilated and his eyelids hooded, but his hands were no longer roaming Aleksi’s backside aimlessly but instead slowly caressing his neck and chest before grabbing Aleksi by his shirt and pulling him on top of himself as they fell on the bed.

After the brief interruption, their mouths found the same rhythm effortlessly as a familiar feeling began to set in Aleksi’s lower stomach. Underneath him, Olli let out a long moan, his voice low – and insanely sexy, might Aleksi add – but just as Aleksi had begun to subtly roll his hips against Olli’s, his efforts were interrupted by Olli’s hand on his pelvis and his lips withdrawing from Aleksi's own.

“Aleksi, ummmm…” For one terrifying second, Aleksi paralysed in fear of having done the wrong thing or having misinterpreted Olli’s cues. Olli must have sensed this, for he immediately flashed him a reassuring smile and brought his face closer so their foreheads were touching.

“Is it okay if we just sleep tonight? Let’s just… not rush things, yeah? We’ve got time, don’t we?”

The relief almost brought tears to Aleksi’s eyes. 

(And maybe it did for real, but just a little, mind you.)

“Yeah,” Aleksi nodded, his nose nudging Olli’s. “We’ve got time.” 

Suddenly feeling exhausted (perhaps it was the stress from all the bottled-up pining finally pouring out of him all at once), Aleksi slumped next to Olli on the bed with a quiet oof, careful not to alarm Rilla. Olli turned to his side to face him, his fingers stroking the exposed parts of Aleksi’s hands below the rolled-up sleeves of his sweater. He seemed particularly fascinated by the tattoos on Aleksi’s forearm, tracing them with his fingers. The touch was just soothing enough for Aleksi to ignore that they should maybe change into something more comfortable before they’d cuddle each other to sleep, but then Olli’s lips began to slowly work their magic on Aleksi's own again, so he really wasn’t in the mindset to care all that much.

“Can I help you undress though?” Olli asked him after a series of long, slow, mind-blowing kisses.

As if Aleksi was ever going to say ‘no’ to that.

Once they had successfully (although not without tired giggles) removed each other’s shirts, they spent a good while taking turns at mouthing one another’s bare neck, shoulders and chest with all the care and love they could possibly put in such a gesture. It would have been easy, oh, so easy, to grab Olli with a little more intent, a little more craving, and resume what they had almost started, but Aleksi pushed aside his desires because he did agree with Olli: now that they were finally here, lost in each other’s touch, there was no more rush, no more fear of it all slipping through their fingers. Even when they were already stripped down to just their underwear, with Olli’s bulge pressing against his, Aleksi was content in having Olli by his side exactly like this.

“You’re so fucking lovely, I want you so much,” he told him, the words out of his mouth before he had a chance to evaluate just how sappy and desperate they sounded. Lucky for him, Olli didn’t seem to mind terribly.

When their kisses grew lazier and their hands found peace at last, fingers intertwined, Olli’s soft voice spoke from the dark.

“I want you too. So fucking much. Just… just so you know.”

Such simple words, yet they took Aleksi’s breath away.

I know now, he would’ve said if he had been capable of talking in that moment. Instead he left a light kiss on Olli’s fingers, hoping it might be enough of an answer. Under the touch, the fingers clasped on to Aleksi’s hand tighter, only softening their grip when Olli fell into a peaceful sleep.

‘The best idea we’ve had all week, huh?’ Olli's remark echoed in Aleksi's head.

Sure, Aleksi had agreed then, but if Olli would’ve brought it up again now, Aleksi would’ve answered differently.

The best idea we’ve had? This. Us.

#blind channel fanfiction #blind channel rpf #ollixallu #24 days of gift-giving by theflyingfeeling #the prompt is not included explicitly but rather as a mental image 💕 #a short one again 🤧 but so incredibly sappy to make up for it!! #sorry for any ridiculous typos btw i wasn't feeling 100% yesterday when writing this (aftermath of an awful headache 😵) #i would've made the dinner date part a bit longer but my brain was just not having it 😩 #a heads-up for tomorrow: expect something a little different again 👀 (i.e. not the main story) #btw i can't believe i've managed to keep this going for a whole week already?? are ya proud of me yet guys (because i'm proud of me 🥺) #thanks everyone who's been reading these so far i love youuuu 💗 #i'm having so much fun writing these too so i'm happy if i manage to spread some more love and joy with these 😭💗

[otpcompendium]

A and B both get ditched/stood up by their dates at a concert, and decide to spend the rest of it together instead of sulking alone and wasting their night (and their expensive tickets).

Like my prompts? Leave me a tip!

#otp #otp prompts #imagine your otp #writing prompts #ship prompts #story prompts #character prompts #dating #meet cute #concert #music #blind date #meetcute

[stoically]

"Could it be called a blind date if two people who have never met spend hours together heading the same direction?"

Lilith asks to arrange Beatrice's ticket. Beatrice's only excuse for not seeing this at the brilliant red flashing warning sign it is, is the headache she's been fighting since she woke up ten hours ago. Not coincidentally, at the same time she saw her mother's email message. The one that demanded her home for her brother's wedding next week. Beatrice agrees with a quick (unnecessary) reminder that she'd prefer a train to a plane. Lilith waves her off to her room and the blissful dark quiet with a snarky quip about how they've known each other long enough for Lilith to know what she needs. Beatrice is asleep before she can wonder why Lilith said 'needs'. Lilith, of course, knows the thing Beatrice needs most for that trip is a distraction. Thankfully her girlfriend has a devilishly wicked mind. Camila doesn't need to wait patiently for ten hours as her best friend works herself into a stress headache trying to love both herself and her family. "Hey Ava, remember that favour you promised me last week for bringing you ice cream home at 2 am?" Ava's head pops up over the back of the couch. "Yes! It was amazing Cam. You totally deserve a 'best roommate' award." "Good," Camila grins. "I'm cashing it in." Ava fist pumps. "Alright! What'll it be? Supper for a week? The best cupcakes you've ever had? Want me to beat up Todd for you?" Camila adopts a thoughtful look. Todd had seemed like a great guy. His wife thought so too. Fortunately in learning about Mrs. Todd Camila had the great fortune to meet someone she liked a whole lot more. "Can you even bake?" She finally asks. "Nope!" Ava cheers happily. "But oh my god, I found the most amazing cupcake stand at the farmer's market last week. I was going to bring you one but I ate them all." Ava's utterly unrepentant. Camila gasps. "Betrayal!" She clutches at her heart. "E tu, Pikachu?" Ava shrugs. "I'll grab extra next time I'm there. Seriously though, what's the favour?" "Oh, that, I'm sending you on a blind date. Pack an overnight bag." Ava tilts her head. "We're that confidant are we?" Camila laughs. "Trust me, you won't be able to stop." Two days later, trapped in a two-person train cabin for the next sixteen hours and thirty-six minutes Ava doesn't know if she should be impressed or scared of her best friend. She's hopeful that her blind date is at least how. She doesn't know she should be hoping someone (anyone) told Beatrice this is a blind date.

#avatrice #ficlet #warrior nun #prompt by @scooby-doo-creepymechclown #ava x beatrice #blind date AU #Let's be honest Lilith doesn't expect Beatrice to like Ava she just expects her to be distracted #Lilith has met Ava and can confirm she is very distracting (but not in a good way) #Can Ava and Bea make it 16 hours confined with just each other before they bone? #I don't think they can #Bea's going to try #Ava... not so much #She's super impressed Camila realized she has a thing for slight repressed very pressed soft butches given Ava didn't even know that #Camila doesn't even know who Lilith's best friend *is* she just wants to score brownie points with her new girlfriend #Ava is now a willing sacrifice #10/10 would recommend

[therealvikingstrash]

Not Alone

My third entry for @vikingsevents Valentine's Week, with the prompt First Date. And also for the Blind Dates OC Fest 2023 hosted by @mercurygray! It's a canon divergent fic after Season 2. Freydis/OMC, no smut. (2,8k fic can be found under the cut)

With Olaf gone, the threat against her life disappeared as well. Freydis had found herself living in a hut near Kattegat. It was nothing that she had imagined for herself, but surely needed. Being a mother was exhausting, she soon realized. Her knowledge of children was not as vast as her knowledge of combat and Freydis tried to form a timid bond with the people living near her. The elders loved Harald, cooing at him and handing him toys to play with every so often. Small puppets with friendly smiles stitched onto their faces or wooden figurines smooth to the touch. Freydis imagined that her own parents would do the same; love Harald just as much and her heart grew heavy knowing they would likely never meet their grandchild. 

She had yet to hear from her brother as well. The uncertainty of his whereabouts cruel to her lonely; for family yearning heart. Before her pregnancy Freydis had never felt this way, not so intensely. Her mother always said that a baby changes everything. It was only now, far away from home, that Freydis knew what she meant by that. From now on, she wasn’t the only one whose life was at stake when she was threatened, it was also her sons. A very different responsibility. 

For the first time in months, Freydis went to the market without thinking of her son's father. Harald was less fussy than he’d been the days prior and Freydis was glad about it. This was like a sign from the Gods that she was finally allowed to breathe. The tentative alliance with Ælfgifu and her son Sweyn was possibly only a short lived arrangement. Nothing was set in stone after all.

The smell of properly roasted pork made her mouth water the closer she got to the booth. An open fire was bristling; the skilled cook turning the meat as the fat dripping down into the fire made a sizzling tone. Freydis looked at Harald’s little face– eyes closed and fast asleep and softly kissed his forehead as she moved towards the booth to acquire a piece of the pork that had been taxing her with its scent ever since she stepped onto the marketplace at the  far side. She bumped against someone, which left her on momentarily unsteady feet. Usually people were considerate enough to give her room due to the child she was carrying.

When she looked at the person who’d thoughtlessly cut in front of her, Freydis felt heat rise up her face. Anger built up inside her while the man simply looked at her with a smile. The way it pulled at his lips reminded her of Harald and she quickly looked away; finding a new spot to purchase the food. “Where’s your husband?” the stranger asked amused after he noticed the baby fastened to her chest. “Shouldn’t he provide for his wife and child?” 

Freydis decided to ignore him, even though everything inside her wanted to shove him into the fire pit in front of them. She quickly gave him a once over but couldn’t find a cross around his neck. Although that didn’t mean he wasn’t a Christian. Freydis had to admit that many people in Kattegat were praying to a false God and those who weren’t managed to pretend to be of Christian faith well enough. She knew Ælfgifu was a pagan at heart and didn’t think she would have to fear for her life while she was instructing Sweyn on how to rule. 

With envy Freydis watched the man exchange a big amount of pork and stew for coin– two bowls full of food!–  and for a moment she wondered if he was here to gather something for his own family. She hadn’t even thought to purchase stew as well, her wealth not vast enough for great expanses yet. When he turned around he made a point of standing right in front of her before handing the bigger bowl of pork and stew to Freydis who had trouble reacting so fast. Of all the things to imagine that might happen, this was not it. He was licking the fingers of his now free hand slowly where the pork had briefly touched him. “Enjoy,” he told her with a nod and stepped around Freydis to leave. 

At a loss for words she looked down at her child, who was staring right back– awake and alert for the first time today. “What a strange man, hm?” she said to him, stroking his soft blond hair with her free hand before she found a place to sit and eat. Soon Harald would demand to feed– tiny fists balled and his face red from his effort to cry, she knew it well by now. 

The only free table appeared to be the one where the stranger was seated. All alone. Freydis squinted at him momentarily, but he wasn’t even looking her way. Or so it seemed. She timidly walked towards his table and sat down as far away as possible. “You did not have to buy my meal,” Freydis let him know as she poked around her bowl. “I can take care of myself.” The stranger nodded slowly, humming in agreement. He continued to eat as if Freydis wasn’t there and soon she followed his example. No need to waste a warm meal.

Her craving for meat almost made her moan in pleasure when she tasted the well-roasted pork. The last time she’d eaten like this was at her hut with Harald. Deep in the woods and near the mountains where there was always game to hunt, but here in Kattegat where it was loud and full of people everywhere, she could not hunt the way she wanted. Not with her child strapped to her chest. “What is your name?” Freydis asked, not looking up from her bowl as she ate, appearing as disinterested as possible. Sitting on the opposite side of the table, she had a better view of this man and noticed a long but faint scar at the side of his face. It was oddly shaped like a cross, but that could be a coincidence. 

Long moments went by that Freydis assumed he wouldn’t answer at all or hadn’t even heard her over the bustling people around them. “Tove,” he finally told her. With a sniff he leaned back and away from his almost empty bowl before he asserted Freydis carefully. “Tove the Wise.” he added, causing Freydis to frown. In turn Tove huffed amused. “It is true, you can ask around in the tavern.” When she didn’t respond right away, he finished off his plate, holding his cup up for a refill as soon as a servant walked by with their pitcher of ale. 

“I’m Freydis,” she stated. Green eyes captured her attention, their locked gaze only broken by his deliberate wink. 

Tove nodded sagely, “I know,” he replied, a smile forming on his lips. “Freydis Eriksdottir.” His knowledge of her should make her worry, but many people in Kattegat knew her or better said of her. Surely Tove didn’t plan to hurt her and Harald. Her sweet son who currently suckled on his own fist. “You’re a great warrior.”

Freydis quickly ate the rest of her meal so she could tend to Harald who was steadily growing fussy. “They should have called you Tove the Knowing,” she remarked. It was an intricate procedure to get the upper part of her dress moved to free her breast for Harald to feed while he was still fastened to her chest in the fabric wrapped around her. She carefully moved him around to lie comfortably in her arms as he immediately started suckling great gulps once he latched onto her. Freydis smiled proudly at her son and quietly addressed him, “There you go.” 

When Tove stood, Freydis assumed he was leaving without another word, but he only changed his seat. With his back to the table, he sat down on the bench next to her, watching the people around them that Freydis couldn’t see. “That would be a great exaggeration,” Tove responded, sounding calm. “I don’t know everything, but my choices are wise.” he made a wide gesture with his hand as if to present something. It sounded true enough for Freydis to accept. “For one, I do not know if you are married,” Tove said after a while and then looked her straight in the eye, “But I’m wise enough to assume you might be.”

She absentmindedly caressed Harald as she thought of the events of the past year. Freydis broke their eye contact to look at her son. “He is not here.” she simply said, unwilling to give away too much. It implied that he might be at their hut, or that there even was a husband to begin with. Neither was true. 

Out of the corner of her eye Freydis could see how Tove slowly nodded in understanding. He got up a second time, strategically placing his hand on her shoulder to make her look up at him. “You don’t have to be alone.” Tove said, squeezing her shoulder with care before he left her to her thoughts. 

It felt like she had pushed him away too quickly and she turned around, “Wait,” Freydis called after him. “I wouldn’t mind company.” she admitted, absentmindedly caressing Harald’s cheek with her thumb. Tove appeared to be contemplating her invitation. He spared the marketplace a short look and then went back to lean against the table. 

“Somewhere else, not here,” Tove said, nodding forward without telling Freydis which place he had in mind. “I need to wash. You can watch my belongings while we talk.” he said and Freydis knew this man could have ulterior motives of the worst kind. By leading her away from people, she could easily be ambushed. And yet, there was no fear inside her, no unease when she met his honest eyes. Perhaps she could trust him, if only for today. 

Once Harald was satisfied with his meal, Freydis held him up to let him burp. She quickly rearranged her dress before she followed Tove. The longer they walked the less people were around. Freydis knew where he was going and was aware enough people would be at the riverbank to wash their clothes or themself. “Have you always lived in Kattegat?” Freydis asked, noticing how he casually leaned his hand over his sword as he looked around.

Tove shook his head, “Far up north,” he told her. His expression had changed miniscule and if Freydis hadn’t watched him carefully she wouldn’t have noticed. Something within her told Freydis she should let it rest for now. The silence must’ve grated on Tove just as much as on her. “Is it a son or a daughter?” he asked, indicating that he meant the small bundle attached to her. 

She couldn’t help but smile, “A son,” Freydis answered, watching Tove nod in understanding. “His name is Harald,” she added without thinking and saw how her companion's eyebrow moved up in acknowledgement. She wondered if he knew that Freydis had been with Harald Sigurdsson and a small part of her wanted him to stay clueless. 

“A strong name,” Tove commented as they got closer to the riverbank. “Was he named after someone in your family?” he asked, but Freydis could tell that he most likely knew the answer already. He dropped his sword, not waiting for her answer, and soon his fur and belt met the same fate. It took Freydis a moment to notice that she was basically watching him undress and averted her eyes to look at her son. There was no one else at the river though.

She licked her lips, suddenly dry after her meal. “His father,” Freydis answered and looked up without thinking. Tove’s chest and shoulders were adorned by swirls and runes on his skin. It derailed her attention from the silver cross he was wearing around his neck, but not for too long. “You’re a Christian?” Freydis asked, involuntarily taking a step back. She didn’t know when she started to react this way towards them, but she had no doubt that Olaf’s hunt for her played into the fact. 

Tove let up from his breeches and reached for the cross. “Not always.” he told her, carefully taking the cross off and laying it on top of his tunic. “Not willingly.” Tove added much quieter. His eyes found hers and it was then that she knew he hadn’t gotten the scar on his face during battle. She had to look away due to the intensity with which she was met. His eyes told a story of great loss. 

By the time she turned her gaze back to him, he had already shed the rest of his clothes and waded into the water. Freydis walked closer to the water and sat down on the little pebbles. “Will you go back home one day?” she asked, unwilling to believe he could be happy in Kattegat. “To your family?”

He’d been scrubbing at his face and hair with the piece of soap he’d taken with him, dunking his head into the river to rinse it out before lathering up his hands again to wash his beard. Against her better judgment, she let her thoughts drift as she watched him get out of the water eventually. Freydis came to the conclusion that she found Tove attractive, a jolt of want hitting the pit of her stomach. Something she hadn’t felt in Jomsborg, not ever after parting with Harald. 

Every step he took was followed by her eyes, watching him closely as he sat down onto his fur to dry. With his knees up, he lay his arms on either of them and watched the water. “There is nowhere for me to go,” Tove told her, taking a deep breath before he looked up. “I was a pagan, viking.” he said and then reached for the cross to hold it up. “This is nothing but a piece of metal to me,” Tove explained. “It is armor against the Christians.”

Freydis furrowed her brow at the last bit, but Tove didn’t let her ask another question.

“I heard you were Jomsborg to hide?” he waited for her nod to confirm, “From what I know, the village I grew up in was much like it. Not visible for those who did not know where to look.” Tove explained and let the cross fall onto the tunic again. “One day they must have followed someone back to us.” he let his head fall forward, the water dripping from his wet strands. It was only when Tove righted himself that Freydis saw the tears. She kept silent, aware how painful it must have been for him. Not long after, he turned his attention towards her, his hand moving up to his face, softly following the scar. “A man named Gunnar cut me for I did not perish even after the third day of torture.” 

Freydis perked up at the name and Tove noticed. “Was this Gunnar with Olaf?” she asked, her hands automatically balled into tight fists at the thought of him. She could feel herself start to shake and tried to stop it, but it was no use. When their gaze met, Freydis could see empathy as Tove nodded slowly. “He came to Greenland,” she said briskly, averting her eyes when she felt hot tears glaze over hers. “He-...” she didn’t want to say it while she had Harald in her arms and swallowed. “I killed him.” Freydis said instead and quickly wiped the tears away before she looked back at Tove. There was no need to tell him what Gunnar did, she knew he understood perfectly well. 

“Good,” Tove replied to her last statement. He sounded delighted, something that had her warm up from the inside. Harald had never told her she’d done good, only Leif understood what she’d done and why. “I hated fighting alongside Olaf and him. I left and became part of Sweyn Forkbeard’s men.” He made a wide gesture as if to say and ended up with Olaf’s troops again. She could see how frustrating this must’ve been. 

Tove was mostly dry when he started to dress again and Freydis got to her feet as well. He was closing the belt around his waist when she cleared her throat. “You are welcome to accompany me back to my home, if you like?” Freydis suggested, knowing full well that he was aware of her ulterior motive. She did not care. Harald was not likely to come back to her and she was so utterly alone in Kattegat. Freydis needed to change this. 

There was a bashful smile Tove tried to hide, but he nodded in agreement. Maybe with him, she was not alone, even if it meant only for the time being. 

#vikings: valhalla #freydis eriksdottir #Freydis x OMC #vtrash writes #vtrash edits #prompt: first date #vikingslove #blind dates of fest 2023 #vikingsevents #vikings: valhalla spoiler #this is also my 2.700th post on this blog xD

[sophiesdailywritingprompts]

Prompt #27: Blind Date

Two characters are on a blind date. What they say is different from what they think. Write the dialogue, and incorporate their private thoughts in italics or parentheses. 

#creative writing #literature #story writing #writeblr #writing #writing prompt #writers and poets #romance #dating #blind date #dialogue

[creativepromptsforwriting]

Date Prompts Masterpost

Romantic Fall Date Ideas

50 Cute Date Ideas

50 More Cute Date Ideas

Romantic Date Dialogue Prompts

Museum Date

Things to do at a carnival

Anniversary Dinner Prompts

Blind Date Prompts

Blind date after ONS Prompts

Date with a nice guy Prompts

Date gone wrong

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#date prompts #masterpost #blind date prompts #prompt lists #writing prompts #writeblr #writing #writers of tumblr #writing ideas #writing inspo

[youhavereachedtheendofpie]

But does he do the dishes?

#pie vs español #well does he? and without prompting? #also why does she look like she's trying to sell me on a blind date with this socialist man?

[darkhorse-javert]

Vignettes on Pickwick; Jonathon 'Jonny' Johnston

Posting my 'Blind Dates' contribution now, as I'm not sure if I'll have time closer to the day @mercurygray.

Everyone, meet Flying Officer Jonny Johnston, and our old Friend from last year 'Pickwick' AKA Samuel Wellerun.

ON AO3 because it did grow, very big.

#blind dates oc prompt #jonny johnston #samuel wellerun #foyle's war fanfiction #very loosely

[mercurygray]

In a God's Eye - Naera, Tynara's daughter

I'm so excited about this new OC! I've had this idea ever since we saw the dragonkeepers in House of the Dragon. A few disclaimers - I didn't make it all the way through Fire and Blood, so some of this might not exactly be bookverse compliant. I didn't necessarily get a strong sense that the dragonkeepers have been fully developed, as an idea, so I borrowed some from what I could find in the books and the images presented to us on House of the Dragon and tried to come up with some bits of culture that would blend the two.

Anyway. This is Naera.

The princes would be making an appearance after breakfast.

Jaekar, the chief dragonmaster, had received a message after the morning meditations - a squire in the Queen's green cowered slightly in the shadow of the great white dragon skull in the front of the hall while he waited for the reply, the seven-pointed star faintly glistening on his livery. The smell of incense was still in the air after the meditations, and there was a faint haze of smoke around the skull, making it even more menacing in the low light.  

Yes, Naera thought to herself, watching the squire's uneasy gaze with pride, our gods are far older than yours. What does that star know of fire, and the Doom?

It was easy to pity and scorn him - he could not see her, out in the crowd of faces, and one dragonkeeper was much like another, if you were only here once or twice. There was a whole village here, in the Dragonpit, if a man knew where to look - goatherds and saddlemakers and blacksmiths, servants to the crown, the customs of Old Valyria, and the dragons. No mere stableboys here to mind the king's sons - they were dragonkeepers, trained from the egg as the saying went, born alongside the creatures they helped to hatch and raise.

And the whole of them were assembled in the hall now, watching as Jaekar read the message twice and then, choosing his words in Common carefully, gave his reply to the messenger.

"Tell the princes we will be happy to receive them."

The squire nodded, and Jaekar's gaze moved to the table where the keepers sat, catching Varra's eye. The eldest of the keepers nodded and rose from the table, the others following her lead, out of the Hall and deeper down into the Dragonpit. 

"It wasn't like this when the Princess Rhaenyra was a girl," Authan complained, once they were out of the hall. "Every day she'd be down to see Syrax, sun, rain or wind, and no messenger boy to tell us she was coming."

"Aye, well, the Princess's mother knew what was good for her.” Varra replied sagely, walking quickly at the head of the group. “Queen Aemma was from the Vale and understood the wind and the sky. These Hightowers are…” she paused, knowing that many were listening. “Different. They do not value the old ways."

"Or the old gods," Naera added, thinking of the messenger and his seven-pointed star and the unease with which he'd observed the dragon skull.

Varra nodded to the younger woman’s wisdom. "Or the old gods, indeed. Still, Prince Aemond is a good son to his father. He understands tradition. A good student, and a good dragonrider."

The youngest voice in the group spoke up with excitement. "Who will take Vhagar today, Master Varra?"

Varra looked conflicted for a moment, knowing exactly why the adept was asking. "Authan and I will have Vhagar, Gaela. Naera will show you Sunfyre today. And you must watch her carefully, little mousling!” she added, smiling at Naera. “She has a good touch and you can learn much from her."

Gaela's face fell, but she joined Naera as she was bid, her disappointment a cloud on her usually sunny face. "You know, I wasn't much older than you when Vhagar first came to the Dragonpit," Naera said, trying to cheer her up a little, breaking away from the larger group to go and find Sunfyre's roost in the depths of the dragon pit. 

"When Prince Aemond captured her?"

"It was Laena Velaryon who captured her," Naera corrected, as gently as she could. "She had been living wild on Driftmark, in the high crags.” Dragons like stone, and small dark places where they can be at ease. “And Laena was not much older than you when she did it. Climbed the rocks and tempted her with sweet songs and bits of goat meat.  When she died the prince Aemond took Vhagar from Driftmark. It is good to remember properly," she added, leaving the sentence open so her young companion might respond. 

"Because a dragon remembers," Gaela parroted the correct response, the one that every child in the dragonpit learned from birth.

"Yes. A dragon remembers," Naera repeated with a smile. 

"What else do you remember, Naera? About the night that Vhagar came?"

Naera considered the request, thinking about that night. Vhagar had still been damp with the seaspray from Driftmark and the long miles to fly back to King's Landing. How huge she'd been then! A creature out of legend, more old and terrible than any beast living in the Dragonpit, hatched from an egg when Valyria was still in living memory. She'd lifted one great and sleepy eye when Naera had approached, and almost immediately closed it, hardly threatened by a slip of a twelve year old girl. That was how Laena Velaryon did it, too, she'd thought.

She could remember other things, too - the look of old Master Aenor's craggy face, calling her into his chamber. “You have the dragondreams, child. See how she sleeps, now that she has lost her rider.”

She had slept that night at Vhagar's side, warm next to the dragon's skin, and dreamed of Laena Velaryon, waking with the memory of her bloody shift and her last terrible dracarys, a dragonrider to the last. Naera had run her hand over Vhagar's snout and the dragon looked at her again, this time with interest. A dragon remembers. Vhagar's memories were broad and deep and Naera wished she could know more of what she knew, of the Years of Blood, and Visenya. But there had been few dreams after that - and few save Master Aenor, and now Master Jaekar and Varra, knew that she had them. 

Well, that was ten years ago now, and Naera was a child no longer. She had shaved her head at the accepted time, and burned the hair in front of the bleached white dragon skull in the shrine, eyes closed as the Master marked her forehead with ash and blood. The dragonkeepers kept the old ways, just as their kings and princes did, the blood of old Valyria just as strong. The shivering princeling who'd ridden Vhagar triumphantly home with a bloody eye was a tall prince who spoke fluent Valyrian to the keepers and looked after his own saddles and bridles, as he'd been taught to do as a child. Naera wished they had Vhagar today, too - she was ponderous, certainly, but her rider was easy to handle. 

His elder brother, on the other hand, was not.

Prince Aegon could be relied upon for nothing except to be amorous, which was bad, or drunk, which was worse. Keepers weren't supposed to have favorites, but Sunfyre was, in Naera's opinion, the prettiest of the dragons currently in the Dragonpit, and absolutely wasted on Prince Aegon. He hardly came to visit, let alone ride. But no one asked a keeper about these things. Valar Doheris - all men must serve.

"I remember," she said, returning to Gaela's original question, "that she was very large, and smelled of the sea, and that I thought she was not as pretty as Meleys, or Sunfyre."

"I never saw Meleys. Is she really red, like they say?"

"The Red Queen, indeed. She lives on Driftmark, with the Princess Rhaenys. Perhaps when she visits Kings Landing next you will see her. But come. The prince will be waiting and we must not keep him."

Sunfyre was in an unusually calm disposition this morning- he came when he was called and settled quickly after his breakfast, burrowing a little into the dust of the main chamber to close his eyes and go back to sleep. It only remained for them to wait.

Not want to keep him, indeed. Naera had forgotten that timeliness was not one of the prince's virtues, and had already pulled out her knucklebones to play dragon-dancing with Gaela when two figures finally appeared - Prince Aegon, at last, with his kingsguard companion in his white cloak lingering a respectful distance behind him. One of the twins with the rhyming names, she thought. She quickly tidied the bones and ball into Gaela's pocket, brushing the dust from the girl's tunic as well as her own. When a Targaryen is born the gods flip a coin - and flip another when Aegon Targaryen rises in the morning and decides to visit the Dragonpit. Which shall we have today?

The prince, for his part, looked thrilled to be here - his eyes were a touch bleary and his shorter, curly hair was rumpled, like he’d only just been roused from bed. Drunk, then, Naera thought to herself, or as good as. "How is Sunfyre today?” Aegon spoke in Common, rather than the High Valyrian of his ancestors. 

Naera swallowed her frown and tried to look pleasant as she replied back in Common. "Well, my lord. He had two goats for his meal this morning, and happily ate both." 

Aegon's eyes followed the sinuous curves of the dragon's back and resting wings, the most cursory of inspections. He made a small noise of approval and turned back to the pair of them, reaching out to flick a speck of debris from the shoulder of Gaela's tunic. "And who is this beauty?" he asked, his smile lingering over Gaela's finely-featured face. "I've not seen you before."  

The younger girl made the appropriate bow. "Gaela, my prince."

"Gaela," the prince repeated, his hand tracing her cheek. "Pretty."

Naera felt her blood rising, the urge to hit the prince's hand away as strong as anything. A dragon remembers - another day, and a Targaryen princeling, blond and gangly, clutching his bleeding cheek as they stood in front of Master Aenor.

"She hit me!" Aegon had bawled to the master keeper, slightly taller than her but somehow more pathetic, making a show of the pain he was in. "I want to see her punished."

You put your hand where it wasn't wanted. I wanted to see you punished. 

But Aenor had been a fair man, and a master of his domain, and he had no fear of princes or kings. "Naera has the right to defend herself, the same as any creature here. This is a lesson, my prince. A dragon does not care for titles and honors - and he remembers disrespect. He will not be punished if he hurts you in his anger. A prince would do well to remember this, too."

"But she is not a dragon!"

"She is his keeper.” the old master had said, fairly. “And a dragon remembers." 

That had been long ago, and Aegon remembered her face, now, if he could not be bothered with her name.  But he was also older, and he had fouler tricks to play if she lashed out at him like she wished to. 

It appeared, however, that she would not have to - behind Aegon, one great amber eye suddenly opened up. Sunfyre sat up, sensing her anger, ruffled his head a little, and very clearly growled, his eyes fixed on the back of his rider's head. Aegon, startled by the noise, turned around, his hand dropping back to his side. Sunfyre stared imperiously, as if he were daring the prince to challenge him.

Naera tried not to smile. I have no fear of fire, Targaryen, nor does Gaela. If I burn, I return to the gods. Can you say the same, with your seven pointed stars? "I think the prince's dragon takes offense, my lord. He likes your attention."

Aegon sneered, but there was still a trace of fear in his face. "Are you claiming the beast is jealous?"

He is no mere beast - but he knows you called him such. We have shared dreams, he and I. "Who are we to truly know what a dragon likes or dislikes, my lord?" she asked, her voice moderate and her expression neutral. "Can he speak to tell us?" But you would know, if you minded him more. He is jealous, and proud - a worthy mount for a prince.

Aegon looked like he was seriously considering hitting her. "My lord!" His kingsguard had suddenly spoken to interrupt them. "There is to be sport, tonight, at Jotho Whyte's. I was bid to remind you. Mya said she missed you, when we were there last."

"Mya.” Aegon repeated the name, as if he were surprised to hear it.  “Mya spoke to you?"

The knight nodded, almost certainly lying through his teeth. "She did, my lord. She knew you might forget." 

Aegon nodded, distracted by the promise of whatever entertainment he'd find at Jotho Whyte's. Naera did not know the name, but she could guess what he did there, and who Mya was to him. There were places in the lower city that made her wish she rode a dragon, so she could burn them all.  "Better sport than this," Aegon said, with a scowl. "Come, Cargyll, and we'll have some real fun on the way home."

He and the knight turned to leave, making a hasty exit, and Naera let the breath she had been holding out in a long, low hiss. Gods bless us with Princess Rhaenyra and her sons, she thought to herself. How glad I am that will never be king. 

---

Erryk Cargyll hated the Dragonpit. Too dark, and with too many things in it that could not be mastered by sword alone. But a Kingsguard goes where he is bid, and Targaryen princes have dragons that need tending. He was beginning to learn some of the faces he saw when they went, though the names were harder for him. And he knew her on sight now - the dragonkeeper who had brought out Sunfyre today.

It had been the impulse of a moment, to say what he did about the fights at Jotho's. He hated being there almost as much as the Dragonpit - the press of bodies and the shouts for blood. But he could not stand by and let Aegon hit the keeper, as he clearly wished to - not when she would stand her ground about the matter of that little girl. They were alike in that - the look of cold disdain in her eyes as she watched the Prince, slowly starting to boil as he considered the girl with her. And the way she'd stared at him, ready to take whatever blow he dealt.

His eyes met hers for a brief moment before he followed the Prince, and he nodded in farewell, silently agreeing with her scowl.

“Gods, this bitch again,” Aegon had said, when they'd first come in and seen Sunfyre's attendants. “The keepers should give me another, Jaekar knows I don’t like her.”

That bitch has a name, Erryk thought to himself. It's Naera. I remember that.

--

I hope you all like her, because I sure as hell do. Any spelling mistakes are entirely my own. If I did the reading correctly, and I think I did, it's Erryk who works closer with Aegon than Arryk does. (This is one of the reasons he defects to Rhaenyra's side.)

#blind dates oc prompt #blind dates oc fest #naera tynara's daughter #dragonkeepers #fyeahhotdocs #ocappreciation #house of the dragon fanfiction #house of the dragon oc #blind dates oc fest 2023 #blind dates