#cliff x sierra

[thedevilsruby]

Foe of The Guide (Multi-chapter Clierra fic)

Sierra Rossi's parents died in front of her because of Giovanni Pasini and his family's invention, the Guide. Oppressed by years by corruption and greed, she comes of age to fight against those who have wronged the world she lives in. She just didn't expect to fall in love along the way.

Chapter Ten: Interview

Sierra's stomach has never felt so tight before.

She shivers as she stares up at the skyscraper of Pasini Enterprises. Her neck almost aches as she arches it to look at the top.

"Sierra, you don't have to do this." Candela says through her mic. "This is going a bit far-"

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Sierra says, making sure Kaito is near. "We'll be rid of him soon."

"I'll make sure Kaito sees everything Giovanni has open on his computer." Blanche assures Sierra. "Maybe we'll even find something out about how to shut Guide down."

"Maybe not right away." Sierra replies. "But hopefully soon-"

"Sierra?"

The brunette whirls around at the familiar voice and sees Cliff behind her. She blinks. "Cliff?"

"Oh look, it's Sierra's rescuer." Spark teases.

"What are you doing here?" Cliff asks, smiling at her. "Checking out the view?"

"Err...something like that." Sierra says, rubbing the back of her neck nervously, trying to ignore the stirring in her chest. "I'm...here for an interview as a guard."

Cliff freezes for a moment. She was...?

Oh.

OH.

Cliff's smile turns into a beaming grin. He claps his hands together once to show his excitement. "Oh my legendries, that's amazing!" He says, pure excitement in his voice. "Oh man, I'll put in a good word for you, I'll make sure you get in!"

Sierra forces a smile, wishing Cliff wasn't this excited. She felt bad, getting his hopes up like this. "Thanks."

That's when he notices Kaito flying beside her. "You're...bringing Kaito?"

"Is it not allowed?" Sierra asks, now nervous that the plan could backfire. "He's kinda my support Pokemon."

"Well..." Ciff thinks, he never heard of a rule saying an applicant couldn't bring in a pokemon. Why is this any different? "I don't see why you can't."

Sierra lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank Darkrai."

"Here, I'll walk you in!" Cliff says, putting an arm around her shoulders.

Heat fills Sierra's cheeks and ears at the contact.

"Uh, that's okay-"

"No, I'm boss's top guy, it'd be rude of me not to!" Cliff replies, walking with Sierra.

"Wow, personal escort already!" Candela laughs. "I swear if he's your partner after-"

Sierra glares at Kaito to send her message across.

"...Sorry." Candela replies meekly.

Sierra's head spins after Cliff opens the large doors, revealing a grand lobby that looked like it better suited a five star hotel rather than a cruel business.

She froze as a Guide bot flew up to her and Cliff.

"Mr. Grossberg, who is this?" Guide asked. "A guest?"

"Actually she's here for an interview, Guide." Cliff smiles.

"I see, your name?" Guide asks Sierra, seeming to inspect ehr with an invisible eye.

Sierra gulps nervously. "Sierra Rossi."

Guide seems to gather information on the screen before a ding is heard. "I have found you, Sierra Rossi for 10:30 AM. You are five minutes early. That is a good sign."

"Thanks?" Sierra raises an eyebrow.

"That will be all. Thank you, Mr. Grossberg. Good luck, Ms. Rossi." and with that, Guide flew off.

Sierra breathes a silent sigh of relief. No matter how long it had been around, Guide still made her tense.

"Here, boss's office is on the top floor." Cliff walks Sierra over to the elevators.

"Of course it's on the top floor." Spark groans.

"It's only logical." Blanche replies. "He can oversee the city and be reminded that he rules it. He's a tyrant that way."

Cliff leads her and Kaito into an elevator large enough to fit at least 30 people in it. He presses the top button. It glows an eerie red, making a shiver run down Sierra's spine.

"Pretend to make small talk with Cliff, get info out of him." Candela urges Sierra.

Sierra looks at Cliff. "So uh...what's working here like?" She asks.

Cliff merely shrugs. "It's good, worth the pay he's giving us. We just need to make sure there's no trouble."

"And Giovanni? What's he like?" Sierra tries not to spit the name out like it was poison.

Cliff smiles at her. "He's the best. Always looks out for his workers. Only wants the best for his people."

The sound of Sierra's parents' screams ring in her ears.

"'The best?!'" Spark gasps. "What a load of Tauros-!"

Sierra shoots Kaito yet another glare, then turns back to Cliff. "And what about Guide? Does it bother you at all?"

Cliff raises an eyebrow. "Why would Guide bother me? It's only doing what boss says. The whole company relies on it. Without it, the city would fall apart."

"Can you believe this guy?!" Candela growls. "The city would be better off!"

The elevator dings and the door opens. The pair and Kaito step out onto the floor.

Sierra sees a pair of large doors at the end of the hall. She gulps as she eyes the large cursive 'GP's that decorate them.

"Come on." Cliff says softly, walking ahead. Sierra follows suit, making sure Kaito is near her side.

Cliff knocks on the door. Sierra's heart pounds as she hears a voice on the other side.

"Enter."

Cliff opens one of the doors, smiling and saluting the man in there. "Hello boss."

Sierra's breath hitches as she sees the man who was responsible for slaughtering people for so many years and getting away with it at a computer, a large Persian at his side. He smiles at the pair.

"Oh Cliff. And you are Ms. Rossi, I take it?" Giovanni asks.

The way he says her name makes her want to vomit.

"Yes sir, this is Sierra." Cliff smiles. "I have a good feeling about her."

"I'll be the judge of that." Giovanni replies, waving Cliff off. "You may go, thank you."

Cliff salutes him one more time before smiling softly at Sierra and walking out the door.

"Please, have a seat." Giovanni says, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk.

Sierra walks slowly to the chairs, choosing the middle one to sit in.

"Babe now!" She hears Spark say.

Kaito suddenly flies over to Giovanni's desk, right beside him. His eyes quickly scan the screen.

"What in the-?!" Giovanni asks, scooting his chair back from the sudden intrusion.

"Kaito!" Sierra pretends to gasp, horrified. "Sir, I am SO sorry! He gets so curious about human technology, I don't know what got into him! Kaito, here, NOW."

Kaito looks dejected for a moment before flying back to Sierra's side and settling on the ground.

"I'm so sorry again." Sierra says.

Giovanni rolls his eyes. "Just...please keep your pokemon away form my work. And next time, recall him before you go to an interview."

"Noted." Sierra replies, internally grinning that she managed to annoy him.

"So, what brings you to apply for Pasini Enterprises?" He asks. "I see from your resume, you worked for Professor Willow for quite some time."

Sierra gulps. She wonders if he knew Willow was a student of Oak's. "I....I needed a change of pace, something new. I want to expand my skillset and I believe Pasini Enterprises can help me do that."

"I see." Giovanni mutters, jotting something down on his notebook. "What would you say is your biggest weakness?"

"Your temper." Spark laughs. "You have one hell of a temper."

Sierra growls quietly before clearing her throat. "I would have to be honest and say it's my temper. I get aggravated a little too easily if pushed enough."

Giovanni writes something else down. "I see. I'll have to remind you as a guard, you need to be patient before really getting angry at anyone."

"I understand." Sierra nods. That's not gonna stop me from being pissed at you, parent murderer.

"Another question, what drives you, Ms. Rossi? What really makes you want to succeed?" Giovanni asks.

Sierra freezes. All she can think about are her parents. Making her parents proud of who she is today. Avenging their deaths.

"I...I want to be honest and say my parents." She says. "You see...they died when I was five."

Giovanni gets a look of realization. Then he smiles at Sierra "So another parent driven worker. Cliff will like you."

"What?" Sierra asks.

"You're hired." Giovanni states simply. "You start Monday, your shift is 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Don't be late."

Sierra blinks before putting on a fake grin. "Oh thank you, thank you! You won't regret it!"

"I better not." Giovanni replies. "Have a nice day, Ms. Rossi."

Sierra shoots him one more fake grin before walking out with Kaito, she walks into the elevator and glares.

"'I better not.'" She mocks Giovanni. "Screw you and the Rapidash you rode in on..."

"Well, you got the job!" Candela grins. "We're gonna study what we saw on his computer and let you know what we find!"

"And take this place down once and for all." Blanche says.

Sierra nods, glaring in determination.

This had to work.

#pokemon go #pokemon #leader sierra #leader cliff #team go rocket leader sierra #team go rocket leader cliff #cliff x sierra #clierra

[illusionsignmisdirection]

Mal x GN! Reader who is a little shit

this one goes out to you, dusky boy. now learn about Xigbar, my brother, he’s your type.

@glitched-out-dusk requested this. They are the only one who can do this besides @insanetvgirl.

TW: Mal, swearing

So! For this, we’ll assume Zoke doesn’t exist. Or that Pointy likes Zoey, but Mal doesn’t. Yay, because I don’t like Zoke!

Now, let’s assume (almost) everything plays out like in canon. You’re placed on the Heroes Team, due to “NEVER letting you and Jo be ANYWHERE near each other again. Seriously, how did you even get in there?”

Proximity to Mal: increased.

Of course, Evil Dread plays out like usual. However, the newly-emerged Mal decided “hey, I like this crazy son of a bitch! Why did Mike even go for Zoey?” and, well, suffice to say, he likes you.

He gets close to you (and away from Zoey and Cameron, who could tell if Pointy’s out) under the guise of making friends. Oh, he is making friends. More than friends.

The moment he truly falls in love with you is the moment he catches you changing the password on Sierra’s phone(s). Someone like you will rule beside him on the Dark Throne™️ he plans on buying with the million!

Cue everyone’s stuff getting stolen, and regifted to you with slightly sappy, slightly threatening letters. Don’t worry, Dudcan will be getting the blame for this. He’ll make sure of it.

He stands extremely close to you in challenges, often keeping a hand on one shoulder or on your waist. Sometimes he’ll even sabotage ones you struggle in.

Of course, you help him out with his more legal schemes. Taking stuff and putting it in the bags of others, deleting Sam’s save files, uploading Noco (i do NOT ship it) to Sierra’s phone, and being generally horrible people. The explosions and attempted murders are kept from you, though.

If you have any enemies, don’t worry! They’ll be in for HELL. Mal will mess with them in so. Many. Ways. Turning their friends/allies/partners against them, sabotaging challenges, even bribing Chris if he finds a way. And believe me, he WILL.

Now, as for changes to canon.

Sundae Muddy Sundae is not horrible now. He keeps the chart a secret, as so to torment Pointy with Zoey’s elimination. As a result, the game comes down to The Evil Troublemakers vs Courtney’s Polycule. Unfortunately, there’s probably another episode added between this and the penultimate one, leaving either you, Scott or Gwen gone. We’ll go with Gwen for this.

In the penultimate episode, Chris decides who goes to the finale: Courtney and Mal.

Mal

is

PISSED.

Expect Chris’s “cottage” to be blown up once again. Or worse (better), his hair gel to be replaced with something like mud. Or you could expect to see Chris with some new burgundy scars. Something of the sort.

Anyways, Courtney vs Mal finale. Courtney wins. Better than canon.

No reset button. Somebody decides to bring another alter out, possibly by dropping him off a cliff so Svetlana HAS to come out or they’ll die. Either way, no reset button.

After the show, Mal does sometimes emerge (under supervision) to meet up with you. Expect stories of juvie, horror movie marathons and Gamer Rage™️.

I don’t have the energy to write the rest of this lol

#mal x reader #< here ya go dusky #total drama x reader #td mal #td x reader

[mapsontheweb]

Mountains in the Contiguous U.S. by Rise Above Surroundings / Jut

by u/Gigitoe

Jut is an indicator I developed to quantify how sharply/impressively a mountain rises above its surroundings, factoring in both height and steepness. A mountain with a jut of X rises as sharply/impressively as a vertical cliff of height X. Roughly speaking, the higher the jut, the "bigger" and more imposing a mountain appears.

Some things to note:

Jut hotspots (places with the most impressive mountains) include the Cascade Range, North Cascades, Glacier National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Yosemite National Park & Central/Southern Sierra, and Mount San Jacinto. The highest jut in the lower 48 is measured atop Mount Rainier (jut = 1312 m), a massive stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of Washington.

Even though the Colorado Rockies have a high elevation, they have a lower jut than some other mountain ranges in the West, as they rise from a high plateau. The Grand Canyon in Arizona has similar local rise as the highest peaks of the Colorado Rockies, despite having a much lower elevation.

A point with a jut of 10 – 100 m is perhaps more aptly described as a hill. Points with a jut below 10 m do not rise significantly above their surroundings, so they were not included.

Mountains in the rest of the world can have a significantly higher jut. The Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps has a jut of 1451 m. Aconcagua in the Andes of Argentina has a jut of 1827 m. Mount Everest has a jut of 2211 m. The North Peak of Denali in Alaska has a jut of 2549 m. Annapurna Fang in Nepal, the apex of the biggest mountain face on the planet, has a jut of 3395 m, the highest in the world.

This visualization was made possible with Google Earth Engine, MERIT DEM, GeoNames, and QGIS.

#maps #Gigitoe #us #mountains

[meltangospelhour]

Notes on Reverie & Discipline: Chapter 3

Format: 1st Person Narrative

Chapter Rating: +18 [Peak Smut]

Summary: This story was written after and based upon the 2020 GOFest that's been collecting dust. It's a first person recollection of thoughts after certain events, as well as repressed feelings coming to the surface between three characters in particular.

This is the last chapter.

Chapter 1 // Chapter 2

Arlo

For as long as I’ve known Candela, it’s safe to say that she certainly has a type. I’m confident enough to say that I, Arlo, most certainly fall under that type.

...Then again, so does Blanche. Tch, not that it matters.

While we’re on the subject: my feelings regarding Blanche and Spark are on par with how I feel about anything or anyone associated with Candela...

...Of which I’m sure you know exactly what that is. These things work much like a play. No need to read in between my lines; I’ve laid everything out on the surface. By working for Giovanni, I’m seeking my revenge upon Candela for what she’s done to me. Simple as--

The door of my office knocks. I ditch my lines and draw open the metaphorical curtain. I secretly hope that it isn’t a grunt, or worse.

Those grunts..

I’ve never, simultaneously, felt so much disgust and pity in my life.

You serve a man--a man who doesn’t even have eyebrows--who claims everyone's successes for his own. He makes people shrink down to feel good about himself. Weak. Disgusting.

The strongest trainer in the world? The absolute joke. I knew about what he did in Alola, and I’m more disgusted than impressed. And yet…

It’s Cliff. Or, it’s Sierra. The situation is almost interchangeable.

Sierra and Cliff are never together in the room with me when they come to speak to me in this fashion; and it’s only been as of recently that they’ve come to address me in such a way. If they do happen to turn up at the same time, they’ll flip a coin to see who goes first, and who waits outside for the other to finish.

Relax; we’re backstage. My glasses lower, my hair comes down. I only speak to them when they’ve finished talking.

I roll my chair to where they’re standing. Or sitting. Or even sometimes kneeling, but only for the case of Cliff. Sierra would never; she preferred standing in the corners closest to the exit. Cliff, however, has moments of sadness so intense to where he can hardly support his own towering form. That, or he simply likes kneeling in front of me. I’ve never asked, and I certainly don’t mind it.

(Is this the part where I say, “If only Candela would kneel before me?” There, there; I’ve said it. Gobble it up, you wretched peasants. Yes, Candela has knelt before me, but not in the way you're thinking. If anything, I was the one that could barely stand up by the time it was over. Hah!)

We talk. I don’t keep track of time. It isn’t important. I am, with this, mining for gold; spelunking for a gem with greater fervor than the Devon Corporation heir himself. Although, we’re mining with an obsidian scalpel and not a pickaxe; precise words and salty tears, carefully slicing away to expose what might be hiding beneath the skin and of use to certain parties. It bleeds, it stings, and I'm the one who gets to see it all. Not Giovanni; never Giovanni.

Heaven forbid what he’d do if he saw or heard any of this.

Sierra hardly trusts me, but knows that, even with Giovanni, I refrain from touching upon certain subjects no matter how much he tries to pry or initiate small talk. She needs someone who will listen and who won’t ‘rat her out,’ as they say. And Cliff? Cliff doesn’t want to upset Giovanni by appearing too weak or incompetent beyond his self suppression, so he’s come to confide in me.

Just how I’ve wanted it.

We finish; they leave, and I return to my desk.

I then write a note. Something to tune of:

[His obligation is unyielding.]

[She’s scared. She only trusts Giovanni.]

I send them. Quickly. For the sake of everyone’s safety, I’m obliged to obsfuscate my trail.

[Arlo reacts poorly when it comes to being embarrassed.]

The receiver tells me they knew that.

Of course you do. Don’t you do this to me, woman.

[That’s right. There’s someone over there who had been friends with him in the past; yes?]

{Yes, me.}

I wanted to ask more. I always wanted to ask more. And, I was permitted to ask as much as I like, but questions still risked details that could reveal my identity.

[I want you to understand this: this is all for you, for us.]

[Do you miss him? Are you angry at him?]

[He mentioned a photo from Wyndon. Do you still have that? We need it.]

[Do you love him?]

[I see. We’ll do our best to keep closer tabs on him, if you’d like.]

{Please.}

Please. I could almost hear her voice. Just as when she would crawl into my bed, and make a request of me. Her sweet murmurs into my ear always ended with that coquettish, “Please.” It would always be such a contrast from those beautiful, ferocious cries she made in battle and to command our fellow team members.

Such a beautiful, fickle fire.

A fire that I once hated. A fire that I once foolishly tried to conquer, only to realize my steel needed that fire, and that fire required the most reliable weapons in their aresenal to burn even brighter.

I fluttered between wanting to seize it, wanting to destroy it, and wanting to become utterly consumed by it. In the beginning, I only appreciated her sweetness, wishing she could remain at that temperature and nothing beyond my own comfort; only to come to appreciate the contrasts and extremes that were unified within.

It was a contrast I myself had been exploring in my quest to become a better, no, the best weapon. To exist with my steel within the fires as comfortably as the Heatran did. The masks I’ve worn since childhood to navigate the rungs of my society, the one I wore first and foremost was the brittle facade of strength. For anyone who couldn’t see through it, it was incredibly effective.

It was the one that I wore for this role. A mottled mask, made from poorly infused steel, and given an artificial shine to compensate for its rust, crags, and dullness. Well-forged beauty atop of an insufferable nature; one that compensated because they merely thought they were confident in their skills. Cobbled together by the idiocy of my youth, past carelessness, and misguided passions.

For Giovanni, it was absolute perfection. He adored those with great potential and broken spirits. It meant he could thrive while they remained content climbing the ranks, but never surpassing him. They rewarded the strong and the loyal. There was no cutoff for loyalty, but the strength had to yield to Giovanni.

Only Sierra and Cliff had seen the true radiance that now lay beneath that mask.

No; I am still by no means perfect. I accept that none of us can be.

But, some of us are better than others in a wider variety of ways. That just so happens to include me.

She replied.

{By the way, who are you?}

[I cannot reveal my identity. I am truly sorry.]

Oh, this connection between the informant and the receiver! You project an image of the person reading your words on the other end, hoping, and yet knowing. Knowing their longing to show their gratitude, and suppressing your own longing to accept it. To reassure them and to tell them so much...

...To know a passionate soul lies on the other end.

It's like that novel she'd read about the spy. God, did she hate that novel.

Considering the ending, I truly cannot blame her. Unlike the novel, she will know who it is that lies on the other end.

What if it isn't her…? What if someone is pretending to be her for the sake of my own morale?

Don't think about that.

It’s happened before. Not to me, but to others, in the past.

That barrage of playful quips amid strategic, stoic words. My opponent in chess is flirting with me, is what I like to imagine. I have nights where I desire to make small talk, under the impression that they would never guess who I might be. I’ll not allow it for myself.

This world is ours, just you and I.

Whomever you may be.

Long fingers running through my hair; the smell of what must be vanilla, ylang-lang, and rich cinnamon fill my nose; the sound of heartbeat against my ear, the soft galloping, the gentle buzzing, and that breeze that rustles through the grasses create a sound like the gentle waves upon a calm sea in the distance.

I wish I'd still had the photograph we'd taken together before we decided it was best to take off from the group after that morning tournament and enjoy a picnic together in the wilds. I do recall we'd laid in the grass, somewhere tucked away, while our Pokemon played nearby. Their innocent eyes spared the sight of our own moments together.

..I'm not entirely certain if I prefer your legs crossed behind my back;

Or you straddling my waist whilst I gaze up upon you as the sunlight frames your magnificent form in its divine radiance;

Or holding your leg up while you lay on your side, writhing as beautifully as a Milotic dancing along the reefs, and cooing in such a sweetly spoiled manner as your hands caress your own body;

Or my head between your thighs as you grab my hair and tell me you accept my apology for being late this morning to the tournament as I become further addicted to you and your precious nectar, more enticing than a pecha;

Or--My god.

...

I’d worked myself like a piece of steel.

That memory, so incredibly vivid. Her passionate melody, which included my name, was so deliciously sweet.

Like some bewildered fool, I stared at the aftermath of that unbridled lust which now sullied my bare hand.

I needed to clean myself up immediately.

This is a time where Cliff’s philosophy of “don’t think” becomes its most useful. But sometimes, I had to allow myself some degree of surrender as a reminder to focus.

My glasses are back on. My hair is back up. I return to the stage.

🖤🖤🖤

Let it be known that I am forever grateful for interns.

Let it be known that I am forever grateful for the outrageous and utterly wasteful amount of incompetent interns Giovanni has onhand.

A knock came to my door at a time where neither Cliff nor Sierra should have been available.

“Enter,” I called.

It was Archer. And Proton.

I abhorred Archer for many reasons, but especially for the way he looked down at and upon me. I knew that stare, and I had avoided making assumptions about it until he commented upon, in his words, the cherubic nature of my features. While I am well aware of my own undeniable allure, it was the very manner of his delivery that had me dry-heaving with rage. To connect with such a stare was to, potentially, shatter the mask I wore for my performance. My penchant against being embarrassed amused him to no end, to the point where it reached a perverse level. Far further than what I had anticipated, I often found myself at odds and fighting against myself when he came around. It ventured past the point of my character’s own senses of embarrassment, and my actual, very real fears that I’ll only admit right here. I was fortunate the Shadow Mewtwo project stifled his visits to this branch; Giovanni would have murder his beloved second-in-command of the main branch if it came to pass that his precious yet brutal weapon’s developments were off-schedule because of Archer insisting upon stopping by and hovering around me like so much Mandibuzz to a corpse.

This particular encounter was amusing, to say the least. Archer alone could put me on edge; however, his bringing in Proton? I felt the upper hand. You see, Archer was more than aware of my capabilities when it came to the fine art of fisticuffs and my lack of hesitancy to engage, if necessary. I’ll spare you the details, gentle reader; but this man once sorely underestimated my prowess until he fell privileged to witness my treatment of a grunt that had crossed my line one too many times. I still have that poor fool’s teeth in a Kalosian porcelain trinket box.

This fool has clearly never handled a Mawile; has he?

For whatever Archer had to tell me, he feared it justified his needing a bodyguard, and he bought Proton to do just that. Perhaps these fools finally remembered: Valor is merely Rocket with white hat connections, improved postures, slightly less recreational drug use, well-earned pride, intact souls, and far better lawyers. I had come from no weak roots, nor I had abandoned my knowledge and training when I arrived at their doorstep in Viridian City.

I’d only met Proton once, and that was more than enough. While I admired his shameless techniques and his unbridled savagery, his loud, elaborate confession of what he wanted to do with Candela during an intel briefing fully cemented my opinion of him. I care not whether it was genuine, or to goad me on and test my ravings against her. He is not the first, and he will very likely not be the last to regard her in such a way. Someday, I plan on discussing it with him in a gentlemanly fashion, which will likely end with his head beneath my foot just as those who had come before him when I was once a man of Valor, my fellow brethren similarly spewing such colorful vulgarities because of their unyielding desire to become a Ghastly by skilled my hand.

With the green-haired man barely fit to be my chauffeur standing and leaning smugly against the archway, staring me down with his arms folded and off-guard as if I wouldn't be able to roll over in my chair and eradicate the future of his entire bloodline in one swift uppercut to his netherregions, Archer stepped within my line of sight.

“Who was behind the leak?” Archer asked?

“...Excuse me?” I replied, despite knowing well what he was on about.

“The email leak.” Proton spoke up. “Don’t play dumb, Lil’ Prince.”

Oh, just the email leak. Then again, I suppose the sacrificial Wooloo will be punished for both leaks, considering...

“One of your interns.” I proclaimed, slowly rising to my feet, which startled Archer enough to be wise and stumble back towards his trash-heap guardian angel, King of the Garbardors. “Do you even think that I have time to keep up with their names with such an outrageous turnover rate? When I ask of you, ‘Don’t send incompetent assistants to my laboratory,’ I mean that. Likewise, when I demand you enhance your security network, I mean that as well. It’s your own fault for allowing this to happen. Tell me,” I asked, snatching up my Rotomphone, who, from so much practice, knew exactly what to do: get The Boss on speed dial. “Did Giovanni ask you to inquire this of me, or did you take it upon yourselves to do so? Wanting to frame me, knock me down a peg? Hmm? Trying to gain credit? Tch. What do you even think you’d do if it were me? Dispose of me by your own hand, thus interrupting the work upon the most potentially deadly Pokémon known to modern history? Are you even capable of finishing what I’ve begun, and administering the amount of training and conditioning that absolute monster is required for Giovanni to even be able to safely secure it within a Pokeball, let alone issue any command in its impure state?”

Preaching what could be best described as a ‘word salad’ while threatening to call Giovanni often worked for me. This being the first time in a long time I felt the heat of the forge, I felt panic behind my lecture and translated it into an aggression-rich snarl to help further project my voice that surpassed my stature, betrayed my ‘cherubic’ appearance, and furthered the impression that I, miraculously, eschewed the need to breathe as I rarely ever offered a pause during these tirades. Fortunately, they did not seem to sense it for what it truly was, and accepted it for what I’d peddled it to be. Archer disrupted my sermon, seeing as I had Giovanni’s photo, from his contact profile, sneering towards him onscreen. “W-we’ll find the intern,” he promised with surprising reassurance. I could see the strength of his grip in Proton’s arm as he pulled him along to follow.

I watched the elder admins disappear down the corridor. The enforcer Proton seemed shocked and full of questions that were going unanswered despite being constantly interrupted by Archer, who told him repeatedly he would explain it upon their return to Johto.

It then dawned upon me: This must be Proton’s first time hearing about the Shadow Mewtwo project.

🖤🖤🖤

Later that day, I found that three interns had been singled out. Two reprimanded, one fired.

I closed the door. I sent a note.

[I’m sending you information on a grunt that was recently discharged. Could you please keep an eye on them? Perhaps help them find other, more reputable work?]

...Was the receiver even capable of such a task?

{Sure!}

Of course she was.

The sudden idea to reach out to the cast-off intern, and bribe them into delivering a gift, came to me immediately.

..Just as quickly, I knew better not to do so. I needed to see this through the end, lest my emotions ruin this entire mission.

🖤🖤🖤

That confetti-wrought day came and went. It was as maddening as can be.

I wanted to look back as I ran, but I refrained. I knew what would happen, had I decided to do so.

And then, I couldn't resist.

I was a sword long overdue for tempering. Yes; terrible metaphor.

I returned long enough for a remote briefing, and immediately assured Giovanni of his insipid concerns. It was clear he wasn't happy with my words. Frankly, I cared little. I had a personal desire to fulfill that he could not.

I had created the shadow Mewtwo to be almost idiot-proof; and even I could not overcome the blessing of Victini. And yet, Giovanni, in his enviable levels of megalomania, would not take this for an answer.

It was ridiculous. What a buffoon!

...This newfound rage also meant that Cliff and Sierra would be stopping by more often. Though he berated me most often, they took any and all degree of negativity stemming from Giovanni so very personally.

Good.

Off on my own, I found Candela. She stood there in the darkness of night, in that field beyond the festival grounds. It was never hard to find her. I could always feel her, in a sense. I moved as quietly as could be.

.. How is she so beautiful? She was born to wear that uniform. Such a divine figure that married a certain elegance with an appeal to my own lust and possibly many, frankly worthless, others; a strong, yet erotic body; a sweet face that could invoke command at a given moment. The aura she radiated, powerful, enviable, yet addictive. She could cause so much damage when necessary, just as much as she could heal and mend.

My tongue slowly ran across my own lips.

I was more than ready to apologize.

The Rapidash that had been with her lifted its head, and made eye contact with me. It was the same little one Candela had raised so long ago. How bright and beautiful it had become! Even with my glasses, it must’ve recognized me. I’ll sneak treats to you again, someday, Little One.

In more ways than one, I had steeled myself up to advance. And yet, my plan to strike was so easily shattered by the giggling Galarian, the young Professor, with her body up against Candela’s.

...I should have made my move, even with Sonia present. I certainly wouldn’t mind if she wanted to join us to learn a thing or two. I--

(Don’t judge me; I’m an aristocrat!)

Under my breath, cursed Sonia for ruining the chance my mind, body, and spirit had yearned for for three long years. Upon reflection, I realized the Galarian may have spared me from making a massive mistake that would have not only sabotaged this entire mission, but guaranteed that another moment, like those happier days in the fields in the not-so-distant past, would never be met again.

Mea Culpa; I nearly played the part of a fool. Thank you, Sonia.

🖤🖤🖤

Upon my return, Giovanni had grown laughably ornery; gradually worsening to the point where Ariana forced him into leaving immediately for a vacation after an amazingly brutal argument during dinner, even comparing him to Ghetsis in the level of madness he'd taken on. It had already taken everything in my very being not to laugh in his face when he berated me for his own lack of talent before my earlier departure; so this moment came quite close to ruining my own masquerade and choking on my dinner.

Humor aside, I am beyond ready to burn this place.

Even amid this low-brow, uncouth chaos, I still can’t remove the visage of her in that field, as if waiting for someone.

Please. Please, let it have been me.

I had my dessert sent to my quarters in order to enjoy it in peace while reflecting, away from the buffooneries. At some point, in between bites, I decided to order a bouquet.

Red and white; delivered anonymously.

~Fin.

Chapter 1 // Chapter 2

#pokemon go #arlo #candela #proton #archer #pokemon go fanfiction #leader arlo #leader candela #leader cliff #leader sierra #executive archer #executive proton #love triangle #candarlo #candela x arlo #arlodela #arlo is a dirty boy #hes an aristocrat and its like the joke #pokemon giovanni #team rocket #team go rocket

[of-house-atreides]

Under the Veil | Part 12

Summary: Every good thing comes to an end...

Pairing: Duke Leto Atreides x OFC x Lady Jessica

Words: 6587

A/N: Please note that I am French so there might be some mistakes here and there.

This is the last chapter. There will be an epilogue then perhaps some one shots to add to the story, please do let me know if you have some ideas for Leto, Jessica and Sierra, I can't guarantee I'll write them, but they could be helpful to me!

I hope you'll like this, and please do leave feedback, I really wanna know what you think! Enjoy!

Warnings: 18+, minors DNI - smut, piv, oral sex, cum play I guess?

Masterlist

Tags: @karolajnx0yep @partypoison00 @beepboopyoda @cute-baby-ducks @theliterarybeldam @slytherisstuff

A light breeze was blowing the curtains inward, carrying with it the refreshing air of the sea. Sierra could hear the waves splashing against the rocks of the cliff, the wind whistling outside, the ships flying in and out of the docks, as she was lying in Jessica’s bed, studying her environment. Almost four weeks had gone by since the wedding, and it was only then, as she was settled between her husband and his concubine, that she finally felt at home. Only then was she able to truly hear the waves and smell the sea. Only then did she feel curious about her new planet, an adventurous spirit calling her to explore the beautiful green hills under the cold grey sky of Caladan. She wanted to know her home, to find more reasons to love it, as it would find more reasons to love her.

Jessica had propped herself up on her elbow and was hovering over her with a loving smile as she ran her fingers across her cheek. Leto refused to let go of her as he lied on his side, an arm wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on the top of her head. Sierra just needed time to get herself back together after her recent breakdown. She needed time to recharge before dinner. Before seeing her father again. She just lied there, her empty eyes moving slowly across the room as she let Jessica caress her hair and Leto hold her against him. She knew they didn’t have much time as the clock was going to ring seven any time now.

Alys, Jessica’s housekeeper, reluctantly came to remind them of the time. Edward had told Nesta where their mistress was, and she was anxious to get her ready in time for dinner. Jessica thanked and dismissed her as she sat up on the mattress and, once they were alone again, turned back to Sierra and ran her knuckles softly across her cheek to give her the strength to go on.

“I will be with you, always,” Leto whispered before he finally let her go.

Sierra took a deep breath, cleansing herself from any remaining doubt and fear, filling her lungs with Caladan’s air, summoning the courage to start anew. She had to make her husband proud. She would make her husband proud.

She could feel their eyes on her as she sat up. She wiped dried tears from her cheeks and concealed a yawn with a hand. She heard Leto chuckle.

“It’s all over, sweet girl. Everything is going according to your father’s plan. It will all be okay.”

He cupped her chin in his hand and leaned over to press a kiss against her temple.

“They agreed to denounce the Harkonnens?” Jessica asked.

“They couldn’t refute the evidence. And Dr. Yueh’s testimony is damaging. They will be calling for the Emperor to sanction them. Your father is very pleased. He’s already been asked about hiring talents from Valentia.”

“What about you? Will you be hiring talents from Valentia?” Jessica teased.

“I think I will,” he nodded. “I need a new doctor.”

***

The dining room had grown small as Castle Caladan welcomed more guests, and dinner had to be served at the banquet hall, where decorations for the ball that was to be held on the next evening had already started to appear. The buffet tables had been set against the walls, adorning champagne glasses and other silverware. The stage for the musicians had been built and was covered in entangled wires, half of which had invaded the dance floor. Some of the tables had been put together to form a rectangle and the guests were seated quite randomly. All eyes were on Lord Valen as he held the answers to their burning questions. Most of the Great Houses knew they were being manipulated so Valentia could finally get that esteemed place in the galaxy, but they were smart enough to know what to do when they were being used by someone: use them right back.

Valentia was expending. But Abel Valen was an intelligent man. He knew the Great Houses wouldn’t allow him to own them and their power, so he had to find a way to lease Valentia’s power to them without putting their sovereignty in peril. If Valens were to swear an oath to be loyal to the Houses they were offering their services to, then they would keep face. But still, Valens would always serve Valentia first. So, there was another step that needed to be taken. Valentia needed to expend.

More weddings. More girls sent away from their home to join another they might not be welcomed in. To marry a man who will never love them or treat them well. And although they may not have married for love on Valentia, they would have been home still, they would have been surrounded by friends and family still. Sierra listened as her father promised more alliances through marriages. Smart, educated, gifted Valen girls would be ripped from their family to join another that would use and parade them around. Because Valentia was selling rare jewels, and the universe expected them to shine.

Soon, every Great House will be employing weathermen, oracles, element masters and other talents. Soon, most Great Houses would have gifted descendants of their own. Soon, House Valen would be recognized as a power to respect. Valentia’s gifts wouldn’t be feared but sought out. They wouldn’t be strange but a part of their everyday life. Soon, Valentia would own the galaxy.

She tried to stay silent, to keep her outrage to herself, her tears to herself, her feelings to herself. She thought about all the dreams and hopes that would come to an end just like hers had. But it wasn’t her place to say anything, and nothing she could say would stop her father’s great design. It would only anger him and bring shame on her family. There was nothing anyone could do to stop Valentia from expending.

It made Sierra sick.

She had her head in the toilet bowl, throwing up her dinner, when Jessica joined her in her bathroom. She kneeled near her without a word and brought Sierra’s hair back as she emptied her stomach. She shushed and soothed her as she held her, until Leto collected her from the floor, and put her to bed.

***

Abel Valen was jubilating. Members of the Great Houses were questioning him and his people, his talents, watching with awe the spectacle they were happily showing them. Oracles had turned into personal gossips for ladies and cunning strategists for their lords. Telepaths were embarrassing easy targets and empowering proud nobles. Fire masters were giving a hell of a show as water masters built ice sculptures of impressionable ladies.

It was a ball for the ages.

The music had become background noise, and nobody paid any mind to the skilled and talented musicians as Valens showed off their gifts. Gasps and applause had replaced the usual laughing and dancing customary to balls. Sierra was sorry Jessica was missing it, when she wasn’t too busy sending glares to Sophie who was clinging to her brother like a leech.

“You really don’t like her,” Leto commented as he pressed a kiss on the line between her forehead and her hair.

They had been dancing for a while now. Her heels tapped on the parquet and the skirt of her beautiful green dress swiped the floor as they slowly swirled around. And although they hadn’t eaten much of the delicious food Jessica had helped Sierra choose, they refused to let go of each other, even for just a moment.

“She’s a gold-digging sangsue.”

“What’s that?”

“A warm that sucks your blood,” she told him, making him laugh.

“Is she really that bad?”

“She’ll leave my brother as soon as one of those lords proposes to her.”

“She seems sincere.”

“She’ll love anyone with a title.”

“Your brother seems happy enough.”

“Until the day she breaks his heart.”

“What about her?” he asked as he twirled around to show her the girl Paul was talking to in the corner of the room. She was a blonde fifteen-year-old, as timid as her cheeks were red. She was wearing her pale pink dress with modesty and was listening to Paul with seemingly great interest.

“Oh, that’s Sisi. She’s nice.”

“Who’s she?”

“She’s the daughter of my father’s prime minister. I’m surprised she’s talking to anyone at all. She’s very shy.”

“They seem to get along well,” he said as he saw his son make the girl giggle and blush.

“Her father will be pleased.”

“You think it’s a set up?”

“I think I wouldn’t be surprised to hear he encouraged her. Although he does love her very much. She wouldn’t be talking to him if she didn’t want to.”

“What are her gifts?”

“She’s a wind master.”

“Ah. Aren’t they the strongest of the element masters?”

Sierra laughed. “Depends on who you ask.”

“I’m asking you,” he said as he kissed her nose, making her giggle.

“Fire masters are the most dangerous in my opinion. But wind masters make mean hurricanes.”

“I think I’d like to see that, at least once.”

“Well, that can be arranged, I’m sure.”

A sudden movement from the crowd accompanied by gasps startled Leto, who instinctively tightened his hold on Sierra, bringing her closer against his chest, as they turned around. She huffed a laugh as she brought a reassuring hand on his arm.

“It’s okay. It’s not real fire,” she told him as he couldn’t look away from the fire dragon flying above their heads. “It’s just an illusion.”

“It looks…”

“I know. But trust me. We’d all be burning right now if it were real fire.”

“It’s… an impressive trick.”

“Illusionists are very popular at parties.”

“Your father said they were good on the battlefield as well.”

“Of course.”

“Have you ever seen them at work?”

“Not on a real battlefield… but I’ve seen what they can do.”

“I think I’d like to see that as well.”

“Mmh. Maybe not.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Why not?”

“Illusions… aren’t good for the minds… especially the ones used at war.”

“Are they very horrible?”

“They need to be. To scare your enemy.”

“Mmh.”

“What?”

“It’s something Jessica said once. Valentia can either be a dream. Or a nightmare.”

“When did she say that?”

“When I asked her if I should marry you.”

“Oh…. Was that… helpful?”

Leto chuckled humorlessly. “No.”

“Did you think you’d regret it?”

“What? Marrying you?”

“Not marrying her.”

He pondered for a moment. He looked down at her but she was avoiding his gaze, he could see she was embarrassed, although she didn’t need to be, but what broke his heart the most was the sadness in her yes. He sighed.

“Did you not believe me yesterday?”

“About what?” she frowned.

“When I told you I loved you.”

She winced. “I… I don’t think you lied.”

“But you don’t believe me…”

She felt dizzy as her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. She didn’t want to talk about it. It made her eyes teary. She looked away.

“Sierra… I…”

“Please, don’t say it again,” she begged in a trembling murmur as a lump formed in her throat.

He froze as she tried to smile, but looked down as she failed. She moved her hands on his back and rested her head against his chest, holding him in a tight embrace.

“I meant it,” he whispered. “I do.”

“You do not have to keep the promise you made me, you know. Your kindness is enough.”

“What promise, my love?”

“On our wedding day… you said you would never love me like you love her… but you said you’d try. You don’t have to try.”

“No, I don’t. I don’t have to try anymore. You are mine as I am yours. It is so easy to love you, my love. And I hope one day you can love me as easily… as simply… as fully.”

“You think I do not love you?” she asked as she finally looked up. “How can I not love you?”

He considered her words for an instant, as they had taken him by surprise and he needed time to fully understand their meaning, as if he didn’t believe her either.

“You have been so kind. You are so kind,” she told him as if she didn’t deserve his kindness or his affection. “And Jessica… has been…” she stopped as her voice failed her and tears fell down her cheeks. “Why are you so kind?”

She broke down in tears but tried to conceal it. He swirled around so no one could see her distress, but all the guests were too distracted by the magic show to notice.

“Oh, sweet girl, I know you didn’t expect kindness when you were brought here. I don’t know what your father did or said to you to make you believe you don’t deserve to be loved, but you do. And you are. You thought I would hate you, that Jessica would hate you… but we don’t, we never have and we never will.”

“I ruined everything,” she sobbed.

“You ruined nothing. Nothing at all.”

“You were happy before.”

“And we are happier now. We want you to be happy too. We want to make you happy as you make us happy.”

“I make you happy?”

“Don’t we make you happy?”

She nodded as she sniffed. “Yes.”

“There you go sweet girl,” he said as he placed his hands on either side of her face and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “Please believe my affection is sincere. It hurts me to know you doubt my love for you. It is so strong. And it gets stronger every day.”

She smiled as she put her hands above his and nodded. “Mine too.”

He grinned and she thought her heart would burst out of joy. He leaned to press a long kiss on her lips and she put her hands on his cheeks, pulling him towards her.

“You know,” he said as he let her breathe, “Jessica loves you too. And she will grow to love you as I do. You are a part of us now. You are home.”

And as she listened to his final words, her tears vanished with her doubts, and she allowed her heart to feel fully for him as he wasn’t afraid to feel fully for her. And she didn’t feel that broken piece of her finally fall back into place as a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

***

Sierra was once again emptying the content of her stomach as she woke up feeling painfully nauseous again. Jessica was there, as she always was, holding her hair back so they wouldn’t get in the way.

“I thought you said you didn’t eat anything.”

“I didn’t…”

“Love, perhaps you should see a healer,” Jessica suggested as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

“It’s fine. I’m feeling better already.”

“You say that every night,” Leto disapproved, as he was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest.

“And I get better every night.”

They didn’t insist, although their worry remained, but Sierra was a healer, and for sure she knew what she was talking about. For sure, she would get better. But when they returned to their bed and Sierra laid her head on Leto’s bare chest, he thought her skin felt a little warm.

Days past, and Sierra’s mysterious illness only got worse, as Caladan bade farewell to its guests. Her father conducted his business with the Great Houses from the library, that Leto had offered to turn into a temporary office. All they had to do now was wait for the Emperor’s decisions on how to sanction House Harkonnen, and his reaction to Abel’s proposition.

Sierra stayed in her chambers, feeling too unwell to leave her bed. She assured Leto she just needed some rest, and he left her with Jessica as he had his duties to take care of, although his wife remained constantly on his mind.

Sierra was lying in her bed, curled up around herself, shivering under several layers of bed covers. Jessica was sitting by her side, adjusting the pillows under her head.

“You’re warm,” the concubine said as she pressed the back of her hand against Sierra’s forehead. “You have a fever.”

“I’m so cold... I don’t feel well,” she finally confessed.

“I thought you didn’t get sick?”

“I don’t. I didn’t... I don’t know what’s happening. I’m so cold..."

“Are you sure you don’t want to see a healer?” she asked, again, as she had every day since she had gotten sick.

“I am a healer.”

“But you’re not healing.”

“I’ll be fine.”

But she wasn’t.

She was sobbing from pain when Leto returned to her chambers around noon, and he ordered Nesta and Edward to fetch a healer in a hurry. He remained by her side as they waited. She was leaning back against the bed frame, and he was sitting at the edge of the bed, holding her small cold hand in his large palm and cupping her cheek with the other. She leaned into his touch as she enjoyed the warmth of his skin on her face.

“I’m sure you have better things to do,” she told him with a weak smile.

“You’re sick. My place is here, with you.”

He stroked her cheek with his thumb as he leaned his forehead against hers. Her skin had turned icy, it almost burned him, and he was reminded of the time when she had died in his arms and the ice had come to cover her body, but it seemed to hurt her now, when it had saved her life then. It worried him just as much.

“Ando.”

Sierra sighed as she saw the middle-aged woman appear from behind the curtains, led by Nesta.

“Ando,” she nodded, welcoming her inside her private rooms.

“Leave us,” she instructed with a thick accent, as she gestured for Leto and Jessica to exit the room.

Leto raised an eyebrow as he wasn’t used to getting orders.

“It’s okay,” she reassured him. “I’ll be fine.”

He gave her an uncertain look, but she insisted, and he reluctantly agreed to go.

“I’ll be right outside,” he said before placing a kiss on her forehead.

Jessica brought a hand to Sierra’s face and gently squeezed her cheek as she gave her a smile that she returned before following Leto out of the bedroom and into the living room, allowing the healer the start her work.

“Ando, Caro.”

“Hello, your Grace,” Caro said with a bow of the head as she put her suitcase at the end of the bed. It was a heavy wooden bag, resembling Sierra’s potion box. “What seems to be the problem?” she continued in her own language.

“... cold,” Sierra stuttered. “And my belly hurts.”

Caro nodded as she came to sit where Leto had been a few seconds prior. She raised her hands, silently asking Sierra if she could touch her. Sierra nodded. Caro hummed as her fingers met her icy skin.

“It seems your body is confused,” she said. “It’s hurting you instead of healing you.”

“Why?”

“It’s healing something else,” she answered as she brought a hand on Sierra’s abdomen.

“Ouch!”

“What happened here? It’s damaged.”

“It’s been painful since I was poisoned. My husband didn’t know what to do and gave me too much potion.”

“What poison? What potion?” she asked, and Sierra explained, not without difficulty, as she was trembling from the cold, and her headache was growing more painful.

“I see...”

Sierra whined as Caro pressed her hands against her abdomen, but that didn’t make her stop.

“What’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing’s wrong with you.”

“Why won’t I heal?”

“The regenerating ice did its job. It cleansed your body from the poison and the overdose of potion. But you awoke too soon, and there’s a part of you that needed more time. The ice is being a little... overprotective.”

“How long will I remain sick?”

An amused smile appeared on Caro’s face.

“Oh, child. You’re not sick.”

***

Jessica was sitting on one of the sofas, watching Leto pace back and forth in Sierra’s living room. He almost went back in the bedroom when he heard Sierra cry out in pain. She had to stop him, hold him, keep him in place.

“She’ll be just fine,” she promised him as she brushed a strand of curls from his forehead.

“This isn’t normal for her. She said she never got sick before.”

“There’s a first time for everything. It’ll be alright, you’ll see.”

“You don’t know that. You’re as worried as I am.”

Jessica sighed as she looked away. “She was… so cold.”

Leto let out a miserable groan as he sat on a sofa, running his hands across his face, only to jump back up on his feet as Caro emerged from the bedroom.

“How is she?”

Caro eyed him funnily, as if his worry was amusing to her.

“She’s fine. I fixed the… issue.”

“What issue?”

“She’ll have to tell you,” she told him before she turned to Jessica. “She’s asking for you.”

“For me?” Jessica raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, you. Go on,” Caro gestured for her to hurry, as if she was wasting her time.

Jessica turned to Leto who gave her a confused and worried look. He wanted to see her. Why didn’t she want to see him?

The concubine found Sierra looking out the window from her bed, seemingly lost deep in her thoughts. She slowly made her way to her and Sierra swallowed thickly as Jessica came to sit by her side. She looked anxious. She looked apologetic.

“Everything okay, love?”

Sierra looked down at her hands, opening and closing her mouth as if she was trying to find the words. She didn’t. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Jessica and pulled her into a very tight hug.

“Please, don’t be mad.”

“Why would I be mad?” she wondered as she moved back so she could see her face. She was happy to feel her temperature had returned to normal.

“I…”

“What happened, love?”

“I…”

She could see in her eyes so much was happening in her mind as she tried to find the words, maybe to make sense of it all herself.

“Tell me, I promise I won’t be mad. There’s nothing you could possibly do to make me mad at you,” she gave her a reassuring smile.

“Jessica…” she breathed. “I…”

Sierra shook her head as she looked down at her hands. She was pulling nervously on her fingers. Jessica stopped her as she took her hands in hers and gave a gentle squeeze.

“What is it, sweetling?”

A shaky breath escaped her as she tried to find the courage to speak up. She took a deep breath as she stared Jessica right in the eyes and said the words like she was ripping off a bandage. Jessica’s eyes grew big and Sierra thought she was mad at first, until a grin appeared on her face.

“Oh, Sierra. That’s great news!”

“You… you think so?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?”

“I… I don’t know… I… we haven’t talked about it and… Leto and… with Paul…”

“Oh, love. Leto will be over the moon,” she assured her as she cupped her cheek with her hand.

“He… he will?”

Jessica breathed out a laugh before she leaned her forehead against hers.

“Are you happy?” she whispered.

“I… if Leto’s happy…”

“He will be. I am. Are you?”

“He’ll be happy?”

“He will be full of joy. I know it.”

Sierra released a shaky breath as she nodded. “It’s so soon…”

“It is,” Jessica realized. “How far along are you?”

“About five weeks…”

“That’s…”

“My wedding night.”

Jessica smiled. “Oh, love. I’m so happy for you.”

Sierra grinned as a laugh escaped her. “Thank you.”

“Shall we go tell him?”

“Are you… will you…”

“I’ll be right there with you. But he’ll want to hear it from you.”

Sierra hesitated, just for a second, just until she gathered her courage and nodded. Jessica pulled her out of bed, and quickly fixed her hair and nightgown before opening the curtains. They found Leto standing anxiously in the living room, hands behind his back, waiting to be let in. He seemed relieved to see her standing on her feet, and she didn’t look as pale as before.

“Everything okay?” he asked as he hurried towards his wife.

Sierra couldn’t help but stare at him with big eyes as if he was a wild animal she would scare away with too loud a movement. She looked down at her hands and started pulling on her fingers again.

“Sierra,” Jessica called her name softly and gave her an encouraging smile.

“What is it?”

Sierra looked back at her husband, forgetting to breathe for a second as she searched for the courage to say the words. She was anxious about his reaction. Although she knew she shouldn’t be, she trusted Jessica. But she couldn’t stop fear from invading her heart.

“Leto, I, um…” she started but then stopped, her nervousness holding her back.

“What is it, my love?” he urged her to put his agony to rest.

“I… I have… um… there’s something I need to tell you…”

“Yes,” he said. “Tell me, what is it? Are you okay?”

She could see the concern in his eyes and felt bad for worrying him so. He took her face in his hands and caressed her soft skin with his thumbs, trying to read in her eyes the secrets she was keeping.

“Leto,” she breathed.

“Yes, my love?”

She wrapped her fingers gently around his wrists as she searched for the courage to say the words. She didn’t know how to tell him. She could blurt it out or whisper it low. She wanted to say it with a smile, but she was too nervous for that. She looked deep into his eyes, deeper than ever, as she built up the courage to tell him. To make him even happier.

“I’m pregnant.”

There was no fear in her voice, no concern on her face, she had said the words, had spoken the facts, had told him the news, and now it was his turn to tell her. He didn’t react right away. He frowned, for a second, tilted his head to the side, almost asked her to repeat because he wasn’t sure if he had heard her right. It was the last thing he expected to hear. But then he understood. Then he realized. Then the words moved into place and made sense.

She saw the confusion on his face, then, slowly, gradually, the wonder, the realization, the shock. Like he had been struck by lightning. He faltered as he tried to take a step forward, his grip tightening on her face, but he didn’t hurt her, he just held her, his eyes moving across her face looking for something, for what, he didn’t know, maybe just the confirmation, the certainty that he had heard her right.

“Pregnant?” he asked, demanding her to repeat, to give him the answer, to tell him he had heard her right, to tell him he was going to be a father again.

She nodded as she bit her lower lip. “Yes.”

He breathed out a laugh as he launched towards her. He lifted her off her feet and brought her into his arms. She gasped at the sudden movement but wrapped her arms around his neck as he placed a hand behind her head.

“My love,” he murmured as he placed a kiss in the crook of her neck. “My wife.”

Sierra smiled as she tightened the embrace and buried her nose in his hair.

“Are you happy?” she whispered in his ear and she felt him smile against her skin.

“Oh, Sierra. I couldn’t be happier.”

***

Sierra covered her ears as the fireworks popped above her head. She laughed as everyone did as the illusionists worked with the element masters to present a show Caladan would remember. They were celebrating. With smiles and laughs, and food and drinks. Drinks that Sierra wasn’t allowed to touch. Nobody knew about the pregnancy. It was too early. And she wanted to enjoy it with her family. Only four people knew about it, and she didn’t want anyone else to know. They didn’t get to know. Because they didn’t love her. Because they weren’t family. Not even Jason knew. Because he’d tell Sophie. And Sophie would tell her father. And he was the last person she wanted to know. She didn’t want him anywhere near her child.

“To House Valen!” Leto raised his glass.

The entire party cheered and clapped. Even Gurney. Even Gurney raised his glass. Even Gurney smiled.

Caladan was free. Caladan was safe. They weren’t leaving their home. They weren’t going anywhere.

Abel Valen’s plan had worked to perfection, and all his goals had been reached. He had reached for the sky and collected all the stars. He wanted a name, he got one. He wanted prestige, he got it. He wanted legitimacy, he got it. He wanted power, he got it. He wanted spice, he wanted Arrakis, he got it. He got it all. He wanted the future to remember him, it will.

He barely acknowledged his daughter as he was a guest in her home. He had always favored his son. Jason now had more to give, as there was nothing more she could give him. He was the future of House Valen. She was the future of House Atreides. And although that thought used to pain her to her core, now it only brought her immense joy.

As he celebrated his victory, Abel didn’t pay any mind to the Bene Gesserit sister who had joined the party, on the order of the Duchess. Jessica could handle the stares and the grimaces of disgusts from the Valen guests. She could mock them or ignore them, either would leave her absolutely intact. She kept an eye on her son, as he was in what seemed a very deep conversation with Sisi. She wondered what remained to be said, as they had been inseparable for days. But Sisi seemed fascinated. Either by his words, or his lips, Jessica couldn’t tell, not from where she was standing near Sierra and Leto.

“Are you having fun?” Sierra asked.

“Your people are impressive,” she nodded as she watched rainbows detonate in the Caladanian sky. “They will take possession of Arrakis in no time.”

“I’m sure they already have,” Leto scoffed.

Indeed, he had. Abel had already sent an army of settlers to tame the desert, at first as support for Caladan’s own army, but now they were helping them pack up to go home.

The party carried on all night long, Caladan’s providential relief mixing with Valentia’s flamboyant pride. And when the sun appeared on the horizon and everyone returned to their chambers, the clear blue sky of dawn glowed with the iridescent sparks of Valentia’s victory

***

Sierra was lying on the silken sheets of Leto’s bed, her head resting in Jessica’s lap as she massaged her temples while her fingers were caressing her husband’s hair as he planted kisses on her growing belly. A moan escaped her as Jessica relieved her body of any soreness and aching the pregnancy had brought along. She wasn’t showing much yet, she was only three months along, but the morning sickness and the headaches weren’t exactly pleasant. It had become a ritual for them to soothe her before bed, so she could spend a good night of sleep, and maybe have a chance of spending a pain free day.

She groaned as Jessica triggered a deep nerve and a smirk creeped on the concubine face.

“Look what I found.”

“You like that, don’t you?” Leto whispered as he leaned forward to press a kiss on his wife’s lips. “You want Jessica to make you feel good?”

“Mmh-mmh.”

She felt Leto smile against her mouth before he kissed her cheek, then her chin, then started nibbling at her neck. Jessica went deep within her pleasure center and a sigh escaped her as an ache grew at her center. She desperately wanted Leto to touch her, but she knew he wouldn’t, he liked to let Jessica make her come with only her fingers. It made her wet enough for him to slip inside her afterwards. She hiccupped as a surprise orgasm traveled through her body and begged Jessica not to stop as she felt it fade away.

“Oh, please, do it again.”

“Yes, do it again,” Leto agreed as he kneeled on the mattress, trapping his wife’s body between his thighs.

He brought her nightgown up and ripped her underwear from her, which made her roll her eyes. He chuckled. He looked down at her middle and licked his lips as he saw how wet and ready for him she was. He pulled down his pants and settled between her legs. She bit her lips as she felt the tip of his length against her sex. A deep groan that sent chills down his spine escaped her as he entered her.

“You feel so good, sweet girl. So fucking good,” he cursed as he thrusted into her.

She was too out of it to really react to it, between her husband and his concubine’s hands, all she could do was take it, and enjoy it. She hiccupped and sobbed and moaned and groaned and all the little noises she made only made Leto hungrier for her. He pushed the nightgown higher to reveal her chest, and she gasped as he grabbed her breast in his large palm. She covered his hand with hers as she brought her other hand on Jessica’s. She looked up at him as she bit her lips and implored him with her eyes, and he was more than happy to give her what she wanted. He looked at Jessica and gave her a nod.

“Je-Jessica,” she breathed as the pleasure center of her brain lit up.

That was Leto’s cue. He thrusted deeper into her as he brought his thumb over her clit and started rubbing it gently. She groaned as her back arched and Jessica tightened her hold on her head as Sierra saw stars explode before her eyes. She clenched around him and he knew he was close, and it took great strength for him to pull back. It was even harder as she whined and pouted at the loss of him. He moved his thumb faster to make up for it, as he stroked his length with his other hand. They came together as she squirted on his thighs, something she had only started doing ever since she got pregnant, and he came over her belly, as he refused to come inside her as long as his child resided there.

She felt the hot sticky substance on her skin and licked her lips as she saw it cover her abdomen. Jessica moved from under her, carefully resting her head on the pillows before placing a loving kiss on her lips.

“You want some?” she whispered and Sierra nodded desperately.

Jessica smiled before she made her way to Leto, whom she kissed deeply before seizing his member in her hand then bent over to put it into her mouth. He groaned as she licked him clean, tasting both him and Sierra on his skin. She then moved back towards Sierra and pressed her lips on hers. She immediately opened her mouth, eager to receive what Jessica had brought her. She moaned as she tasted her husband and herself on Jessica’s tongue. Leto grew hard once more as he watched Jessica lick Sierra’s belly and feed her with his semen, until there was none left.

“Leto,” Sierra whined.

“You want more, my sweet girl?” he asked, knowing she had grown a taste for him in the past month.

“Mmh-mmh,” she nodded.

He smirked as he moved to kneel near her head and her eyes moved from him to him as he came to rest before her. She sat up and pressed a kiss on his groin and licked his skin as she looked up at him from under her eyelashes.

“You’re going to have to share,” he said and she saw Jessica sit beside her with a smile.

The concubine ran her tongue across his length before she wrapped her mouth around him. He closed his eyes and moaned as he buried his fingers in her red hair. Sierra kept pressing kisses on his skin and his other hand found her head as he gently pushed her towards him. Jessica groaned before she let him go and rose onto her knees to kiss the duke. Sierra wrapped her tiny hand around his large length and stroked him once, twice, before she put him into her mouth. He was too big for her, she couldn’t take him all the way like Jessica could, and she wouldn’t make the mistake of trying to. Another hand found her face as Jessica returned to where she was positioned and kissed her cheek. She whispered encouragements and advice and helped her take her husband deeper into her mouth, so deep he could almost reach her throat.

“That’s it, sweetling, you’re doing so good, listen to him,” she said as she looked up at Leto who was moaning in bliss.

He fisted his fingers into her hair and she knew he was close. He moaned and she moaned and Jessica watched with a smile as Sierra couldn’t keep her eyes off his face as he came into her mouth and spilled himself down her throat. He kept her right where he wanted her, where he needed her, and she could taste him, all of him, and that calmed her desire for him as it calmed her desire for her. For now.

“Happy now, sweet girl?” he asked with a cocked eyebrow and she nodded as she licked her lips.

He moved to place his large hands around her waist and he lifted her off the mattress like she weighed nothing. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against him as she knew exactly where he was taking her. She smiled at Jessica who was following in their footsteps. Jessica smiled back.

And as Sierra was leaning against Jessica’s chest in the bathtub and her skilled hands were massaging her neck, and Leto’s fingers were rubbing her sole, she smiled to herself and wondered what the next day would be like. And the day after that. And the day after that.

She was resting in their arms, with a smile, the tears of her wedding day long gone and forgotten, wondering what Caladan would offer her next, as it had already given her a husband and a child, a woman she loved and who loved her back. A family, and a future.

That night hadn’t been so different from the previous ones, but as she took Jessica’s hands in hers and rested them on her belly, and returned the smile her husband was giving her, she said the words she had never understood before, as she only now believed them. And she said the words.

“I love you.”

#dune #dune (2021) #duke leto atreides #duke leto #leto atreides #lady jessica #jessica #jessica x leto #leto x jessica #oc #ofc #reader #you #imagine #fanfiction #fanfic #duke leto atreides x reader #duke leto atreides x oc #duke leto x reader #duke leto x oc #leto atreides x you #leto atreides x reader #leto atreides x oc #oscar isaac #rebecca ferguson #smut

[katchihe]

" you never talk about your past... why? " with Arlo x Corsen? please?

This might go longer than expected 'cause 1. I have no self control and 2. I was already planning to write something like this hueheuehe

Things will not make sense until all the previous stuff gets written or drawn x'D so sorry for that! ToT but enjoy~! Everything is under the cut! <3

The brunette glanced over to the man sitting beside her. Who would've thought she'd be working by his side now, not that she had a choice if she wanted to keep her loved ones safe.

It had been a little over a year since Corsen had left Team Mystic behind and with it, Blanche. Corsen contained the somber frown from forming as she watched Arlo scribble away in an old journal, too focused to notice the brunette eyeing him. Oddly enough he had grown comfortable with the presence of the, what used to be in his own words, pest that she had been back then.

The moments when Arlo would get too focused in his work would remind the brunette of Blanche, and alongside it came the wash of guilt. She could only wonder what they thought of her now. Corsen would give up anything to make them understand.

"Are you going to keep staring?"

Blinking, Corsen turned her eyes up to meet Arlo's who looked at her with a slightly raised brow. Those eyes had changed in the past year. They no longer looked at her with so much revulsion.

"Ah. No, sorry," Corsen looked away embarrassed. "I just got lost in thought."

Arlo hummed putting his pen down.

"You've been quite distracted lately. Giovanni is not going to like that," Arlo said as he crossed his arms over the wooden desk relaxing.

Corsen clenched her jaw at the comment. Of course he wouldn't.

"It's just silly thoughts," Corsen assured turning to look at the leader once more, a smile on her face.

Arlo eyed the brunette silently.

"If I'm being honest, the more I try to understand you the more lost I get," he said bringing a hand up to rest his cheek over his knuckles.

The brunette chuckled. "Why would you try to understand me? Thought you already knew who I was?"

"Back then you were highly annoying. It was irritating seeing you almost everywhere I went," Arlo smirked towards the brunette. "So impulsive, you thought you could dominate the world."

"And I can't dominate the world?" Corsen teased scooting closer towards the red-eyed leader. Just as she expected, Arlo scooted back letting his hand drop down to the desk. Something shifted in his eyes that caused him to look back to the screen in front of him. The smirk vanished as he cleared his throat.

Corsen eyed the man in silence before speaking.

"Can I ask you something?"

Arlo glanced at the brunette, a serious demeanor now on his features. "What is it?"

The brunette huffed with a roll of her eyes. "If you're going to be like this, let's just forget about it." she waved her hand and prepared to stand up but a gloved hand on her wrist stopped her.

"Tell me what is it?" Arlo asked only this time a little softer. Corsen searched his eyes for honesty, if she could find any. Regardless it wasn't worth it to search for something that didn't exist.

Arlo let go of Corsen's wrist as she sat back down. There was a moment of silence before the brunette spoke once more.

"I know everyone has their reasons to be here," she began to say bringing her gaze up to the red-eyed leader. "the base of it all seems to be broken family."

Arlo remained quiet. He silently searched Corsen's face to see where she could possibly go with this.

"But you're different than Cliff or Sierra," Corsen continued, a little cautious on her word choice. She knew Arlo had had everything anyone could possibly want as a child. A loving family, a stable home, and all the love and attention from both parents. One could even say he was a brat for having abandoned everything to join an organization that did more bad than good. Was it because of a tantrum? The loss of his father couldn't have been the cause for such decision. She remembered all those comments he would throw out involving Candela's name and it made her wonder a million things. Whatever might've happened there had to be a good reason for his choice.

"There are times when Cliff and Sierra talk a little about their past, but you..." Corsen stared intently into Arlo's crimson eyes. "You never talk about your past. Why?"

The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy as Arlo closed his eyes with a deep sigh and turned to face away from the brunette.

Corsen waited for an answer despite the suffocating feeling in her chest. The clock on the wall silently ticked time away while the lab remained in silence.

"It's late. You should go get some rest." Arlo said finally breaking the silence. He didn't turn towards the brunette but his voice was deep, and absent of any emotion.

Corsen furrowed her brows, looking up at the clock it didn't even read midnight yet.

"But it's no-"

"I said leave!" Arlo raised his voice threateningly but still didn't turn towards Corsen. The brunette's anger started to slowly rise much like her heartbeat, she had to get her emotions under control before she blew.

"You could've just said you didn't want to!" Corsen retorted as she glared at Arlo. The red-eyed leader turned to glare daggers at the brunette. She once was afraid of that stare. Once.

"But I'm starting to think you're so stuck in your past, so stuck on an emotion, you're willingly hurting yourself." Corsen said as she stood up. She couldn't understand the disappointment she started to feel, it made the brunette furrow her brows at herself.

"You push everyone away and now look at you," Corsen rolled her eyes, now mostly talking out loud towards her own thoughts. "You're so lonely, Arlo."

Corsen shook her head not giving the leader a second glance. She began to make her way towards the exit when a presence behind pushed her up against the wall. It reminded her of the first time this had happened, back then it was much different.

The brunette stared up at Arlo, all of his irritation had vanished.

"Guess that makes two of us, doesn't it, love?"

#pokemon #pokemon go #leader arlo #team rocket arlo #thedevilsruby #pokemon go trainer #trainer corsen #LMAOO TELL ME HOW TO END THINGS AOUHFAUOHF #katchihe writes #drabble #in my head it was originally Corsen who was gonna say the last line without the nickname #but then it was like nah let him have the realization or something #thanks for the ask my dearest asufhguaf

[spencerreidsmiles]

I Don’t Love You

Written by: spencerreidsmiles

My dear friends, this is my first Hotch fic in a VERY long time and it's a request from @hommoturttle from literally eight months ago (haha let's not talk about that, sorry it took so long <3) They requested a “super angsty” Hotch fic, so here it is!

This is a Hotch x gender neutral!Reader that is just straight sad. There is zero plot, barely any Hotch tbh, it's literally just depressing! That being said, I actually do really like it. This fic takes place right after Haley's passing, and the reader is in a very unhealthy relationship with Hotch.  

Trigger Warnings: vague descriptions that could be interpreted as ab*se, vague depictions of an extremely unhealthy and unloving relationship, but overall just extremely sad and emotionally taxing

Word Count: 999

MASTERLIST // WATTPAD VERSION

You stared at nothing in particular, just wondering. Your eyes were hot, stingy, and red, and they hurt, bad. You had been crying for...well, you didn’t really know how long you had been crying. You just had been. Not in front of him, of course. You knew better than that. But there were no more tears left. Your body had exhausted every last one left in you and now you were just numb, but hot all over, a statue on fire. 

You wondered if he felt the same. You wondered if he felt anything about you at all. If he ever did. 

You wanted to say that it happened out of nowhere, that it was a complete shock to you, that nothing, nothing, could have prepared you for it, but that would have been a lie. The signs had pointed to this forever, but you pretended like you always did. You chose to walk with hands over your eyes, knowing deep down that you would fall. And you did. 

But you never thought, or some hopeful part of you did, that he would actually say it. That he would mean it. That you could believe it. 

“I don’t love you. I’ve never loved you. And I will never love you.” 

It wasn’t the heartbreak that hit you first. It was the smooth calmness of his voice that did. There was no hesitation, not even a hint of regret. You couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe he had been saving these words. Keeping them locked up tight behind his facade, just waiting for the right moment to say it. The words slammed around in your head, “I don’t love you” echoing in your skull. You knew the words “I love you” had impact. Why didn’t they tell you that “I don’t love you” had more?

Then your throat closed up. All of the breath you were filled with before was sucked out of you until there was nothing left. You could feel your soul clawing at you from inside your body to be let out. Felt it screaming, rattling at the bars to be freed. But nothing, no words or sounds would come out of your mouth, they were too hard. Instead, you just let the silence speak for you. It didn’t say anything. 

Your body shook when he slammed the door. It was an all too familiar sound, but this time, it rattled you. You stood there, blinking and silent, because that was the only thing you could do. The door would open. It had to. It wasn’t going to end like this. It couldn’t. But it didn’t open. 

You tried to justify it at first. He didn’t know what he was saying. It wasn’t him. He was drunk or hurt or confused. But that wasn’t it. You knew all of those excuses you made for him weren’t true because for once, he had looked you in the eyes when he spoke to you. He hadn’t done that for so long. 

He was angry. He was always angry these days. It was rarer to see him happy than not. But even happy days weren’t immune from his anger. It was crazy, to you at least, how much things changed without you even noticing. How a simple smile, that not long ago was just the norm, had turned into a prize. How ordinary it felt to go to bed never happy, never smiling. How even a speck of love would be the cliff you held onto while everything else crumbled around you, convincing you that it was okay. That it would always be okay and it would get better. But it never did. 

You told yourself that it was you. That you were the problem. Maybe if you changed, then he would stay. That maybe if you were more like her then things would be good. What did you have to do for him to see you? Did he ever see you? Or were you a poor knockoff replacement for someone he still loved that was taken too soon? 

No matter how hard he tried to fit you into whatever Haley-shaped hole he had, you never could fit just right. You didn’t look enough like her, you didn’t sound enough like her, you didn’t feel enough like her. You weren’t her. But you tried so hard. You tried because he still wanted her but all he had was you. You tried because it was good in the beginning, it was so good, so maybe if you just gave a little something up, then it would be good again. And it worked so well, he had a smile he only reserved for when you reminded him of her. So you kept giving and giving and giving to see that smile until there was none of you, the real you, left. 

You wondered if any of it - one word, one smile, one touch - had ever been real. If there had ever been a point where the two of you had actually been really, honestly happy. Or if it had always been like this and you had just been too blind to see it. 

You looked at the empty apartment around you. It looked like it always did, but you saw it for what it was now. No more rose-tinted glasses. No more silver lining. A house, not a home; a prison, not a paradise. 

When your tears had long dried up, leaving streaky marks down your cheeks, you found the words you couldn’t speak before. The truth washed over you for the first time in a long time. 

I knew you were using me, I just didn’t care.

But realizing the truth didn’t make it hurt any less. Because you still didn’t care. You knew what you had wasn’t love. You knew he could never really love you, but it didn’t matter. You didn’t want love. You just wanted him. Even if it meant losing yourself in the process.

TAG LIST - @reiding-and-writing @twelveyearoldchildprodigy @philsreidingglasses @marshmellow-mouse  @huntynut-queerios  @sierra—king  @thnksfrbuckybarnes  @hope-hopr @rosyreid @scbcar @ultrarebelheart @headshotsandcanons @lyrasilverroseelizabethamanti @heyitskatrina @mainstreamqueen @prettyrickyreid @theresnothingformehere @donuts1324 @lookingforgalifrey @doyouheardeansing @stunudo @captainreid @little-pan-trash-can @the-one-and-onlyqueenasf @the-and-sign-anon @princesswagger17 @spoonsandthings14 @nerdyfandom20 @spencerreidsbitch @irjuejjsaa @philspinkyfinger @peter-parker-steve-bucky @biscottibitch @bucky-smiles @youngmalfunctionarts @spacedustdoll @shotarosleftpinky @jjwrites @rosyreid-blog @essayzine-blog

#aaron hotchner x reader #hotch x reader #aaron hotchner angst #hotch angst #aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner x you #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds #criminal minds self insert #spencerreidsmiles

[neo-princess]

hi! could you please do fluffy A-Z for jaemin? thanks x

Absolutely! Thank you for your request!

A = Attractive (what do they find attractive about the other?)

I think anything! Jaemin can always find something to compliment you on. He could go on and on about the things he likes about you.

B = Baby (do they want a family? why/why not?)

Why not? You know, I think he really likes to raise someone. On account of all his jokes of raising Jisung. But honestly, I don’t think he’d mind having a family someday.

C = Cuddle (how do they cuddle?)

Oh gosh, so jaemin is most definitely a sucker for clinging too you while you cuddle. He will literally wrap around you like a koala, and won’t let got. While, the whole time just having this large smile on his face.

D = Dates (what are dates with them like?)

These are the moments where the real romantic in Jaemin comes out. He loves to take you really nice places, like board walks at dawn. Or at some large cliff or rock so you guys can see the start. Dates with him usually are something unforgettable, and they really pull you guys closer.

E = Everything you are my ____ (e.g my life, my world…)

You are the best thing that has ever happened to him. He’s gotten a lot of things, and a lot of opportunities. But, you by far are the best thing he’s ever had.

F = Feelings (when did they know they were falling in love?)

I think he knew he was falling in love from the beginning. You were just all about him as he was about you. You guys had energy that matched perfectly, and synced so he had no choice but to fall.

G = Gentle (are they gentle? If so, how?)

He’s very gentle with you most of the time. He loves doing things so that you can relax, like brushing or coming your hair. Or even just running his hand through you’d hair. Any texture, any length, he just loved it.

H = Hand/Hold (how do they like to hold? how do they like to hold hands?)

I think jaemin likes to hold hands, but that’s such a discrete form of PDA. And we know that he is not discrete with PDA. He’s more of a letting you sit on his lap like a big baby, or he will carry you again like a baby.

I = Impression (first impression/s)

Right from the start he thought you were beautiful, funny, and fun to be around. He loved the energy that you exuded, and he wanted to match that.

J = Joker (are they into pulling pranks?)

Oh poor you, you’ll never see the end of it. There’s most likely a prank war going on between the two of you. Jaemin loves to prank you, but you aren’t going to let him get away with it. Thus, the never ending cycle.

K = Kisses (how do they kiss?)

Well there’s two for jaemin. When he’s babying you are if you’re around the others, he will just make a kissy face and kiss your cheek over and over. However when you guys are alone, it’s different. I imagine him lifting your chin by his fingertips, and pressing a soft kiss into your lips. Pulling away slowing, though going back for more.

L = Little things (what little things do they love/notice?)

He loves how everything you do is cute to him. You don’t even realize how cute you truly are. And he can help but just stare and smile.

M = Memory (their favorite moment together)

There was this one time where you guys were both jumping on your bed. And jaemin fell off and bust his bud on the hardwood floor. And you rushed to ask if he was okay, and you were so concerned. And jaemin was just laughing. The whole situation was so funny to him.

N = Nickel (do they spoil? do they buy the person they love everything?)

Jaemin is definitely a spoiler. He loves to buy you things that you’ll wear or use often. He enjoys getting you friendship necklaces with him. Or a few rings sometimes. You probably have about 5 promise ring from this guy.

O = Orange (what color reminds them of their other half)

Pink. The color is cute and fluffy, and reminds him of how cute you are.

P = Petnames (what petnames do they use?)

Any pet and you can think of, especially the cringy ones he calls you. That’s mostly when he’s really in a babying mood though. But he usually goes for the regular “baby.”

Q = Questions (what are the questions they’re always asking?)

He’s always asking “do you love me?” Just so he can hear you say it. You know that’s why, but you still play along because how could you say no to that cutie.

R = Remember (their favorite memory of each other)

Another memory he has is on Valentine’s Day, he bought you flowers among other things. He just remembered how happy you were to recieve the gifts from him. He was glad to make you happy, so it was one of his favorite memories.

S = Sad (how do they cheer themselves/each other up)

No matter what, Jaemin always tried to keep a smile on your face. He will lay on you like he’s a big baby, smiling his perfect smile up at you. And you have no choice but to smile, because you can’t hide a smile from him. He knows that he makes you happy, so he just tries to be cute and lovey-dovey so he can see you smile.

T = Talking (what do they love to talk about?)

He loves talking about you honestly. Some of his members joke around with him about it. How they ask about you once, and he immediately goes off on a tangent. He just could tak about you for hours, he is definitely not ashamed of this.

U = Universe use a metaphor, what are they to each other? (e.g he was the universe, ever-changing and mysterious)

It’s as if you’re the sun and he’s the planet. His happiness constantly revolving around you.

V = Very ___ they’re thoughts about each other (e.g she’s very smart, he’s very stubborn, they’re very annoying etc.)

She’s amazing and perfect, nothing less than that.

W = Why (reasons why they love each other)

He loves you cause you’re the light of his life. Honestly he doesn’t even remember how he was so happy without you. He knows loosing you isn’t an option for him, you’re a vital part of his life.

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

I love you - Alex & Sierra

Y = You the ___ to my ___ (e.g the cookies to my milk, the macaroni to my cheese)

You’re the key to my heart

Z = Zebra (if they wanted a pet, what pet would they get?)

He gives me bunny parent vibes

#nct nctzen #nct jaemin #nct Dream #nct nana #nct na jaemin #na jaemin #fluff a to z

[kas-e]

Dreamscape X Bulgaria

I cut my teeth in the Western US.  From the vast canyons of Moab, to the tundra atop the Colorado Rockies, to the incredibly underrated Sierra Nevada mountains, to the cliffs of coastal California, I will always have a deep love and fascination with the wilderness of my home country.  But my visit here changed my perspective of these special places peppered around the globe.  This place restored my faith in not only nature, but humans as well.  I’ve spent the summer here in Europe, and I can’t get enough of the nature and the culture.  It feels reminiscent to the first time I drove out west and first hit the mountains in Wyoming, I’m floored in the face of nature again. 

Whether I’m standing somewhere on the coast, swimming or surfing in the sea, or hiking in the mountains, I only feel truly at home in nature.  My life in the city has always paled in the face of my routine jaunts into the wild.

#travel #europe #bulgaria #mountains #landscapes #mountainscape #hike #photography #nikon #peaks #summit #national park

[morkofday]

ten favorite characters from ten different things

thank you for tagging me into this jaz @jazthespazz and sierra @jockvillagersonly ♥ 

i decided to make this a list of characters i’ve fallen in love with during this year bc otherwise it would be way too hard to decide. prepare yourself for a lot of rambling bc my heart is an ocean and i can only float in it aimlessly as well as song recommendations bc those are a must! (vish making things about music? unheard of)

tagging: @i-am-just-a-kiddo @ashenlights @zhanqzhehan @underaswift-sunrise @jaecomments @s1utspeare and @xiejie-liubo ♥ no pressure getting this thoroughly into this or at all and if you’ve done this already, please ignore me :’D 

my faves under the cut~

Hei Xiazi / DMBJ

(live footage of hei xiazi jumping out of a coffin and straight into my heart like the menace he is)

ok so this might have a lot to do with liu yuning playing the role but i have just found a totally new love for hei xiazi after ultimate note. while i was talking to ashen the other day, i came to the realization that hxz has become my new favorite character in the whole world of dmbj. he is just... there’s a lot of inside of him that makes me curious. behind that goofy smile, stupid jokes, posing, leather jackets, sunglasses and attitude acres wide, i see many mysteries i am very keen on solving. he’s an interesting character that leaves a lot of space for headcanons, and i’ve crafted a couple of those myself. i see a lot of fragility behind his confidence, though i also think that he’s extremely strong in many aspects. he’s gone through a lot and survived, and despite his smiles, he has his burden to carry. he’s surprisingly kind and caring despite his harder edges. he’s selfless despite pretending otherwise. he’s loyal and trustworthy and in this essay i will-

Kamikaze by Night Argent x

Qin Yiheng / Psych-Hunter

(my best boys on their moonlit date. this is my fave scene in the whole drama. also shows off the amazing costuming)

after being absolutely enamored by jiang shuo (bc of hou minghao and his ridiculously pretty face), it didn’t take me long to fall in love with qin yiheng. this boy is an absolute gay disaster and i love him for it. he makes my heart ache with his puppy eyes. he is so, so in love with jiang shuo, and even if his devotion to him is explained in other ways, i will never believe anything else. he would give his life for jiang shuo. meanwhile, he ignores most of his own emotions and worries and doesn’t talk about them, making me hurt. there is so much queer coding to his story. all his struggles with his family hit me really close. he’s lovely. i’m happy jiang shuo and muqing return his devotion in the end, especially when his and jiang shuo’s quest turns upside down and qin yiheng becomes the sole focus of the story for once (i keep juggling between wanting a second season and being absolutely terrified of how badly they could ruin that bc some of the plot already makes zero sense)

In Time by Koste x

Sui Zhou / The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty

(sui zhou is just a house husband who wishes to cook for his husband and their adoptive daughter and their misfit group of friends-become-family)

when i started watching tsomd, i didn’t expect to fall in love with anyone. listening to my dear kiddo talk about this drama and their feelings on it, i didn’t really see anything else to grasp on but the found family aspect. i expected to maybe adore tang fan a little and otherwise just enjoy the ride. jokes on me, sui zhou hit me like a train. he absolutely wrecked me, and am currently circling around the suitang pit that is threatening to swallow me up. but sui zhou is just... he is so selfless somehow? those he loves could ask him to jump off a cliff and he would ask how high the cliff should be. there’s zero hesitation in him when it comes to keeping ppl safe. he’s strong and soft at the same time and his inability to face his emotions while drowning in them is making me ache. there are some aspects to his character that i do not enjoy (his obvious distaste towards the oirat ppl for example bc that’s very prejudiced of you my guy) but i still love him with my whole chest. i just wish him happiness. i just wish him to see that he is worthy of not being in pain.

Demons on the Side of My Bed by Teflon Sega x

Hao Du / The Long Ballad

(he looks so pretty ok. after ultimate note, am absolutely ecstatic to see liu yuning’s beautiful eyes doing things)

with tlb, it’s very hard to choose a favorite character out of everyone when they have so much good in them. but bc liu yuning was my reason to start this drama, i have to say hao du. my precious, broken boy hao du. from the moment i first saw him in the drama, with his stoic face and pinched eyebrows and proud 188cm(?) of height, i was in love with him. i have never cried this easily over one character. there were scenes where hao du was merely present and i was just sobbing bc he’s so good. i loved his and leyan’s storyline, which slowly turned into hao du finding his place among ppl that care about and accept him (i loved his and wei shuyu’s grudgingly sprouting friendship around leyan the most. this is how my ot3 was born and you can pry it from my cold, dead fingers). he had so many doubts of himself, and his tendency to appear scary bc ppl had always reacted to him with fear tore me apart. it was wonderful to see him grow soft over leyan and his love for her. it was wonderful to see him accept that being scary-looking didn’t mean that he was a bad person. his smile melts my heart. he should smile more :’)

눈 Snow by SURL (설) x

Cao Weining / Word of Honor

(just look at those eyes!!)

my sunshine boy! my starry-eyed son!! the best human puppy out there!! ah gosh i love him. he is just so pure? he had to smile once at a-xiang and i was sold. his love for her, his devotion and loyalty and purse adoration, his strong as all hell first love for this wild girl he once met in a tavern, is just everything to me. i was terrified that the show would ruin his character to me with some weird jealousy bullshit but cao weining always delivered. he stayed true to himself until the very end. i adored it how soft and sappy he was, how kind he was to everyone, how he became to adore wenzhou and chengling too and was just so, so proud to have a-xiang by his side. i ached for him and his devastating smiles a lot. i cried for him being just so horribly sweet and breaking a-xiang with it. he would’ve deserved everything and i am so terribly sad that his final happiness was taken from him through a betrayal that absolutely shattered his heart right before his end. 

紙船 by Joker Xue and Yisa Yu x

Bo Ya / The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity

(he is the most beautiful man out there. i still remember how i was watching this movie for the first time and texted kiddo that i would be dying if boya let his hair down and guess what happened in the next scene :D)

i think boya being here might also have something to do with the fact that i am just very much in love with deng lun. but even without that, i just love yuan boya so much. i don’t even know how to describe him exactly? he is very stubborn, first and foremost. he chooses to believe into one thing and he could die for his beliefs but he is also one for doubt and critique. when met with qingming, he doubts and feels absolutely puzzled bc the other man doesn’t fit anything he’s learned in his life. it’s interesting to see how he comes into terms with that puzzlement and then decides that he adores it. he is so loyal once he decides that someone is worthy of his loyalty. i loved seeing how his distaste turned into adoration. i loved seeing how his stoic demeanor slowly cracked and we got to even witness some joking from him at the end of the movie. he’s wonderful and so graceful and i could write poetry out of how beautiful he is. he is a protector and i am glad that he found a companion in qingming. 

心動 by Liu Yuning x

Li Jia / The Journey Across the Night

(he is a puppy. i have no idea how zsx has such a puppy face but he does. i adore him.)

i have talked about this before but i absolutely adore it how kind li jia is. his determination and desperation to help other ppl, to reassure them, guide them, support them, feel for them and understand them is very admirable to me. he is so ready to help even a total stranger bc he sees ppl’s pain. he feels their pain as his own. and bc of this he bleeds: he takes his own heart and rips it right open and bleeds love onto everybody he comes across even if he lacks love for himself. he’s terrified of hurting ppl accidentally, and i think i saw something of myself in that. i have never felt so much for a character or adored a drama this much. i will always have a place in my heart for li jia. especially for the scene where he finally understands that his life is not destined to go to hell; that he can affect his own future. that he can be happy and take strength from other ppl. that his sickness doesn’t dictate his life and can be turned over. that he is not broken rather than he is just a human. i love him so much. i wish, sometimes, that i can be someone like him. 

Kansas by Talos x

Teng She / Love and Redemption

(his sassiness is so delightful and his actor does so well with all the snake mannerisms, it’s so clever)

i was not left with much once i finally finished watching lnr. i did like sifeng a lot but him getting hurt over and over again became a bit boring towards the end. the main lady (whose name i have conveniently forgotten) was someone i did not care about at all. the romance between her and sifeng had so many aspects that made me gag that i didn’t really root for them either (tho i was happy they got their happiness in the end, good for them). but teng she was an absolute delight amongst everyone. his snarky comments and bickering with the main lady made me so fond (also his love for sifeng? the best). he was a total disaster but i liked him more bc of it. his struggle between his growing fondness for his friends and his duty to the heaven and its king made a great conflict and following that was actually interesting. i hope we could’ve seen more of him. i hope we could’ve seen more about his and the green dragon’s relationship bc those two were so obviously going somewhere and i think the green dragon was having a big, fat crush and. i don’t blame him. as said, teng she is a delight. he’s so pretty. i would adore him too if he was bothering me every day and existed at a grabbing distance.

Rosario by Epik High ft. CL, ZICO x

Jiang Yuelou / Killer and Healer

(am glad that he got to smile despite everything sob)

my therapist asked me, back when i was talking about killer and healer to her bc what else would i blabber about than my various dramas, if there is a character in this one that i relate to. back then i very smoothly lied that it’s chen yuzhi bc of his kindness. right after that session i came to realize however that it’s actually this bastard. jiang yuelou, as disastrous and, at times, horrible as he is, has some aspects i can recognize in myself. he even has some of the insecurities and fears. he is an absolutely horrible cop and i doubt he actually enjoys his job that much but he wants to do good. he is loyal to a fault, loves to death, fights for justice (at least his own idea of justice). he’s fierce and smart and resourceful, and i remember admiring his persistence. i wish his anger and other emotions wouldn’t have clouded his mind so much. he would’ve deserved his happiness with those he cared about and not as much pain as he was finally put through for his own ambitions. he is an interesting character and i think his many sides and flaws made him someone that caught my attention.  

Strangers by TAEMIN x

Xie Xiaoman / Time Flies and You Are Here

(using one of the promotional pics bc am lazy. and she looks lovely in this :’) this whole drama looks super lovely tbh, i keep giving hearteyes to the sets and outfits)

the only lady on this list which is probably sad but the things i consume these days offer very few women that stick with me. xie xiaoman is an exception, even if i never could’ve predicted this. ppl have probably figured by now how much i love and hate time flies as a drama but it has just been so interesting to follow. it has moments that get me groaning and moaning and i have almost lost my faith in humanity at least a dozen time watching this but then there are moments that feel good? moments that feel brilliant??? and xiaoman has had many of those. i like it how she actually talks back to the prince (zeng shunxi’s character) and puts him to his place. i like it how she addresses all these difficulties and injustice the women of her society face. she’s from a poor family and doesn’t have the social status to actually do much about things but she doesn’t care. she’s vocal about the pain she and other women feel. she wants to be her own lord. she wants to give that strength to other women too and be a proper part of the society bc that’s what she deserves despite being a woman. i admire her for that, tho sometimes i am also frustrated with her bc in the end, he gives in to the prince. i get it tho; she’s in love with him. as much of a wreck as their relationship is (i keep telling kiddo that they tear each other apart and that their love destroys them), i get it that she can see the good in it too. they could be happy if not for the circumstances. i don’t think i still support them getting together bc the prince is an absolute ass but i feel her hesitation. it’s hard to let go of something like that even if it hurts.  

Summer Clouds by How Great Were the Robins x

Honorary mentions: Gu Xiang and Ye Baiyi from Word of Honor, Wang Zhi from The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty, Mi Rou from Anti-Fraud League and Gene from Lovely Writer.  

if anyone dares to point out that i have a type when it comes to characters i love, i’ll just answer that i pretend i do not see it. my so already tells me all the time that my type is “twinks” and am just,,, ok. ok i admit. but i still pretend i do not see it. don’t come at me and my tragic twink sons 

this was so much fun. thank you if you read this far ^^ have a wonderful day ♥

#tag game #i have legit done this for three days #i have way too many feels #tho it was just #very hard to come up #with the last two #so jiang yuelou and teng she #are very tentative haha #and xiaoman is such a shock #for me personally #bc time flies is such bullshit at times #but well apparently am fond #thank you for listening lol

[thedevilsruby]

Foe of the Guide (multi-chapter Clierra fic)

Sierra Rossi's parents died in front of her because of Giovanni Pasini and his family's invention, the Guide. Oppressed by years by corruption and greed, she comes of age to fight against those who have wronged the world she lives in. She just didn't expect to fall in love along the way.

Chapter Nine: Apply

"Absolutely not!"

It was rare when Blanche raised their voice, but it was scary when they did. Sierra winced as their chair scraped when they stood up.

"Blanche-" She tried to calm the water trainer but her word fell on deaf ears.

"We can't have you risking the Golden Fighters!" Another trainer shouts. "What happens if you get caught?!"

Sierra glares slightly. "I won't get caught! I doubt Giovanni remembers-"

A flash of blood and her father's voice rings in her ears. "GO!"

The brunette winces but shakes it off. "Look, I've thought this through and I think it'll be the best way to get more dirt and info on him-"

A female trainer glares at Sierra suspiciously. "How do we know this is gonna work? Do you even know what you're doing?"

Sierra glares back at her. "Excuse me? I just said I thought this through! Our recent excursions haven't gotten us anywhere!"

"What about Blanche's drone?" The male trainer asks. "I thought there was progress on it."

"We can only get so much information on the drone!" Sierra snaps. "So far we haven't gotten anything on it, this is gonna make more progress than anything we've gotten!"

Sierra looks and sees the hurt look on Blanche's face. A pang of regret fills her. "Blanche, I didn't mean it like that. You did great work on it, but we-"

Blanche storms out of the room, Spark looking at Sierra conflictedly before following them.

Sierra sighs. "Please excuse me." She mumbles loud enough for the room to hear before walking out and leaving the group to their own thoughts.

-

She looks in the main room and sees Spark hugging Blanche from behind. Spark is rubbing their forearm with his thumb and whispering soothing things.

Blanche looks like they don't know whether to glare or to cry.

Sierra takes a quiet breath. "Blanche?"

Blanche looks at her and glares "Here I thought you said my drone was going to help the rebellion." They turn away. "I thought I was doing great things for the Golden Fighters."

"Blanche, you're doing amazing things!" Sierra replies, putting her hand on the silver haired trainer's shoulder, only for them to rebuff the touch.

"I guess we can just retire Kaito," Blanche snaps "since it's not going anywhere."

"Blanche..." Sierra sighs, rubbing her face. "Please let me make this up."

"May I intervene?" Spark raises his hand like a student in school.

Both trainers stare at him, Blanche looking perplexed at their boyfriend.

"What if we could get more this way?" Spark asks. "We told Cliff Kaito was your partner right?" He looks at Sierra.

That's when Sierra remembers. She nods.

"Then take Kaito to your interview, and we'll use him to look at Giovanni's computer, he'll be bound to have something on his screen he doesn't want anyone else seeing." Spark shrugs. "You can just tell Giovanni he's just a really curious pokemon."

Sierra blinks. Did Spark just come up with a plan that actually made sense?

"Dearest, that's...amazing." Blanche says, genuinely impressed.

"Thanks." Spark grins, then looks at Sierra. "You in or out?"

Sierra stares at him, then glares and gets her phone out. "I'll apply for an interview ASAP."

#pokemon go #pokemon #team go rocket leader sierra #team go rocket leader cliff #cliff x sierra #clierra

[starcountesseevee]

Just another one shot with Cliff x Reader, enjoy

Lending a Hand

Cliff ran over to his fainted Pupitar as it crashed backwards into the dirt, frantically checking over it's injuries while his opponent gloated.

"Ha, and I thought Team Rocket was supposed to be tough."

Cliff ignored the remark as he grabbed for his bag, desperately searching for a health potion as his opponent sauntered off. As he reached the bottom of his bag he realized he must be out. Dammit! He pounded a fist into the ground cursing himself for being so forgetful. And now his Pupitar might pay the price for it.

He shouldn't be this sentimental about a Pokemon and he knew if any of his fellow Team Rocket coworkers found out they would tease him mercilessly for it, but this was one of the very first Pokemon he ever caught as a Trainer and was ultimately what made him decide he wanted to specialize in Rock Types. He had worked hard to evolve it to a Pupitar and was working towards its final Tyranitar evolution just like he was working hard to become a Leader with Team Rocket. Although a loss like the one he just had was not Leader material and definitely not something that should have happened to an Officer such as himself.

Scooping up the Pupitar he frantically looked around the road he was on. He knew there was a town the way he had come but it was miles away and it had taken him most of the morning to get to where he was now. The Pupitar shook as he held it and a knot began forming in the pit of his stomach. Would he be able to get somewhere and get help before it was too late? Swearing under his breath he tucked it closer to him and began to run down the dirt path back the way he came. Even if he could keep this pace up it would still take at least an hour to get back to the town he came from, he just hoped that would be enough.

You shut and locked your back door, double checking that you had everything you needed in your pack before heading to the shed to retrieve your bike. It was a beautiful day out and just the kind of afternoon that would be perfect to get some more practice in with your new lens. You had finished processing your photos from over the weekend and while they were good they were not quite as good as you would like them to be. Which just meant you had an excuse to take more.

As you pushed your bike up the walkway you called for Emi, your Emolga, that obediently flew over to perch on your shoulder, trilling excitedly. He knew what getting the bike out meant - going somewhere out of town where there would be plenty of fresh berries and worms to eat. You crinkled your nose at him, giving the top of his head a little scratch before you set off.

It didn’t take you long to pass the edge of town and get onto the main path, a wide open dirt road with lush fields on either side. Your destination was a small forest a few miles up the road that had plenty of nice scenery to take pictures at. As you picked up the pace the warm summer breeze tousled your hair and Emi flew off your shoulder to do loops in the sky above you. It was definitely what you would call a perfect summer day.

Cliff’s legs and lungs were burning and despite his efforts there was still no glimpse of the town in sight. Jogging to a stop he fought to catch his breath, but even taking a brief rest felt like a betrayal as a fresh wave of guilt washed over him.

"It's gonna be okay buddy, we'll get you help soon." Although he wouldn't be caught dead talking to a Pokemon like that in front of his colleagues, especially not Sierra, in this moment it felt like the right thing to do. After a few minutes he felt like his breathing was under control enough to continue on but when he looked up at the road he spotted a cloud of dust being kicked up by something a bit further down. Hoping it was someone that could help he rushed forward, waving an arm to flag them down.

Emi was the first to notice the man running towards you and returned to your shoulder chirping incessantly before flitting about in front of your bike. Spotting them yourself you back pedaled, maybe a little too hard, making the bike skid to a stop in a cloud of dust. As the man approached it only took you a moment to notice the large, red R Team Rocket logo on his uniform and you gasped audibly, your first instinct being to turn your bike around and hightail it out of there. You were about to call Emi back to you when you spotted the Pupitar in the man’s arms and hesitated, it clearly looked injured.

“Hey!” Cliff called out, hoping to Mythics that whoever it was had some sort of health potion on them as he jogged to a stop. You were eyeing him warily and he couldn’t help noticing that you seemed poised to turn around. “Wait...please.” He panted out, motioning to the Pupitar. “I need help...it’s injured and I don’t have any health potions left.”

Emi was flitting around by your side, the yellow spots on his cheeks crackling with electricity in warning. “Shh, it’s okay Emi.” Motioning for him to come back to your shoulder you turned your attention back to the man as you toyed with your conscience. On one hand Team Rocket had a reputation, and it was not a good one. Could this all be a ploy to divert your attention away from your own Pokemon or distract you from something else? On the other hand he did look desperate and the Pupitar did look like it needed help. You always carried at least one health potion in your pack for emergencies and after a brief hesitation you flipped down the kickstand of your bike and hopped off. Setting your pack on the ground you began rummaging through it until your hand landed on the bottle.

“Here.” You offered and he hastily took the potion and administered it. A few moments later and the Pupitar’s eyes opened slowly, its coloring returning to a more normal shade.

“Hey buddy.” Cliff smiled down at it. You couldn’t help noticing how handsome his smile was as a warm flush crept across your cheeks. But that was neither here nor there. Job complete you stood back up, brushing any dust off your knees before returning your pack to your shoulder and swinging yourself back onto your bike. This hadn’t been much of a detour and there was still plenty of time to get some photos in.

“Thank you, oh!” Cliff hadn’t realized you had gotten back onto your bike. “Listen, I really can’t thank you enough, um…?”

“Oh, its (Y/N). Glad I could help.” You smiled warmly, flipping the kickstand of your bike back up as Emi chirped impatiently on your shoulder. Not wanting to stall any longer you straightened out and began pedaling forward.

“Wait, (Y/N)!” It seemed wrong to just leave it at that. You were clearly kind and when you turned back you seemed to be practically glowing in the afternoon sun like the angel you apparently were. And now that he wasn’t preoccupied and had a chance to really look at you he wanted to find something else that would prolong the conversation. “Thank you, if there is anything I can do to repay you…”

“How about just don’t let it happen again?” You smiled again and gave him a small wave before taking off again, heart fluttering in your chest, much to Cliff’s dismay.

The sun was just beginning to set as you pushed your bike up your street to the small building you called home, the front of which served as a small studio for your budding photography business. As you got closer though your heart skipped a beat when you saw the man from earlier sitting on your front steps. He noticed you as well and stood with a smile. That damn cute smile.

“Um, hi?” You questioned, stopping short of your house as you eyed him up unsure of whether you should be worried or not.

“Hi…” Cliff started before nervously faltering. He had figured you lived in this town as it was the closest to where you two had met and seeing as you were on a bike and didn’t seem to be carrying much it was the logical assumption. You also had a logo on you pack that he had matched up to the one on the front door here and had taken a chance that you might be back at some point. But now that he was here he was beginning to realize how it must look to you. “I’m sorry, I know this must seem...a bit weird. And I will absolutely leave if this is uncomfortable.” He laughed nervously. “But I was coming back into town anyway and I really just wanted to say thank you again. I really don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t shown up.”

You were silent for a long moment as you considered what to do. This was definitely a bit strange but oddly enough you weren’t uneasy about it. Team Rocket reputation be damned, someone who cared that much about their Pokemon was decent in your books. “It’s not a problem, happy to help. But you really didn’t have to track me down just to say thank you again. I really didn’t do all that much. Although," You paused, your brows knitting in question. "how did you find me here anyway?”

“Maybe I can tell you over a cup of coffee?”

Smooth. You thought, biting back a grin. “Alright, just let me put my bike away first. I think the StaryuBucks down the street is still open.” You began pushing your bike down the small walkway next to your house but paused before you got very far and turned back. “You know, I don’t think I ever got your name?”

“Cliff.” He grinned, leaning against the railing as he waited for you.

“Well, Cliff, it's nice to meet you.” You returned the smile before turning back towards the shed and hoping he didn’t notice the flush that was spreading across your cheeks as you did so.

#pokemon go fanfiction #team rocket cliff #pokemon go cliff #cliff pokemon go #pokemon cliff #leader cliff

[mapsontheweb]

Mountains of the World by Rise Above Surroundings / Jut

by u/Gigitoe

Jut is an indicator I developed to quantify how sharply/impressively a mountain rises above its surroundings, factoring in both height and steepness. A mountain with a jut of X rises as sharply/impressively as a vertical cliff of height X. Roughly speaking, the higher the jut, the "bigger" and more imposing a mountain appears.

Some things to note:

The most impressive mountains in the world, measuring over 3000 m of jut, are Annapurna Fang (world record, jut = 3395 m), Nanga Parbat, Machapuchare, Dhaulagiri, and Gyala Peri—all of which are in the Himalaya.

The Alps have 2.5x the jut of the Colorado Rockies, despite having a similar elevation. That's because the Colorado Rockies rise from a high plateau, rather than from close to sea level. Other mountain ranges with a higher jut than the Colorado Rockies include the Canadian Rockies, Southern Alps, and even the British Columbia Coast Ranges.

Jut-to-elevation ratio increases as one moves closer to polar latitudes, as glaciers carve steeper slopes and deeper valleys. The Equatorial Andes and Patagonian Andes have a similar jut, even the Patagonian Andes have about half the elevation.

A mountain with a jut of 10 - 100 m is perhaps more aptly called a hill. Points with jut below 10 m don't rise significantly from there surroundings, and were not included.

Some regions of the world are not well-mapped in the GeoNames database, including Mexico, polar regions, and the Tibetan Plateau. Places without dots may still have mountains, that just aren't in the database and therefore couldn't get measured.

FAQ:

Q: How is jut different from prominence?

A: Prominence is actually a bit of a misnomer, and should be called "independence," as it determines whether a point rises independently enough to be considered the summit of a mountain, rather than being a subpeak or non-summit point.For instance, Lone Pine Peak in the Eastern Sierra has a low prominence of 129 m, as it is connected to Mt. Whitney, and might as well be considered a subpeak on the Whitney massif. However, its jut of 911 m is very high, as it rises very sharply above Owens Valley. There are many non-summit points with low prominence that still have a high jut, such as the Nose of El Capitan, or the rim of the Grand Canyon.On the other extreme, an example of a high-prominence, low-jut point is Dome Argus, Antarctica. Since it's the highest point on the Antarctic ice cap, its prominence a high value of 1639 m. However, since the ice cap gains elevation super gradually, its surroundings are flatter than Kansas. Not surprisingly, its jut is only 0.2 m.

Q: How does jut work?

A: Let P be the summit (highest point) of a mountain. You're standing at some point Q on the planetary surface, looking up at P. How impressively P rises above you depends on both the height (h) of P above Q and the angle of elevation (θ) of P above Q.The formula h|sin θ| factors in both height and steepness to describe how sharply/impressively a mountain rises above an observer. Note that |sin θ| equals 1 when θ = 90° (standing under a vertical cliff) and is lower for less steep rises. Thus, it can be thought of as a penalty to impressiveness incurred for lower steepness.The jut of P is the maximum possible value of h|sin θ| from any viewpoint on the planetary surface. The location that maximizes h|sin θ| can be called the "base" of a mountain, and is usually at the bottom of a major mountain face or an adjacent valley.For example, a vertical cliff of height 100 m, a 45° slope of height 141 m, and a 30° slope of height 200 m would all measure a jut of 100 m, and be considered to rise equally sharply.

For more info on how jut works, check out this post.

This visualization was made possible with Google Earth Engine, MERIT DEM, and GeoNames.

#maps #Gigitoe #geography

[meltangospelhour]

Favorite PKMN Ships

I felt like listing my current favorite ships so you can get an idea of what kind of content to expect from me over the next few years as I tend to ride pretty long and hard in a fandom. I'm never restricted to these; I like shipping in general if the chemistry is there. That said, I'm not above shipping people if they just look hot together and don't put much investment in pairings beyond entertainment value. I'm big into het and yuri with some yaoi on the side.

Candela x Blanche

Candela x Arlo

Spark x Sierra

Candela x Spark (only because art of it is so rare and I like seeing Spark with older women)

Candela x Blanche x Arlo (HEH.)

Candela x Arlo + Sierra x Spark (This is just putting the two GOships together that I like. It's more fluffy, friendship focused, and double datey than anything.)

Sonia x Leon

Sonia x Nessa

Nessa x Raihan

Sabrina x Erika

Giovanni & Cliff (This is a very toxic one but I like idea of exploring it. It'd be very one-sided. I don't expect anything remotely sexual beyond Cliff's own worship and openness to please Giovanni. Hence the "&" and not "x")

Blanche & Cliff (Another nonsexual one that's a deep and romantic friendship where they learn from one another. I'm actually working on a story about that.)

Arlo x Cliff (Only if portrayed in a very particular way. I haven't seen it yet.)

Sawyer x Cliff

Candela x Sonia (lol)

Candela x Arlo x Sonia x Leon (It's in the header.)

Candela x Arlo x Spark x Sierra (w/Blanche as a special guest and Cliff as the bench.)

Arlo x Leon (Hahahahaha)

Arlo x Raihan (WHEEZE)

Arlo x Raihan x Leon (That's more like it)

Candela x Sonia x Nessa (Since we're at it)

Spark x Guzma (I actually love the potential with this one)

Colress x Spark (Think about it)

Candela x p. Much any Pokegirl (Even Opal. Especially Opal.)

Candela x Silver (I have no shame)

Cynthia x Dawn (I have no shame and will not abstain)

Willow x Sycamore

Willow x Oleana (shh)

*I was a crack pairing enthusiast. I still might be.

#pokemon #pokemon go #pokemon shipping #leader candela #leader blanche #leader arlo #leader spark #leader cliff #leader sierra #giovanni #sonia swsh #leon swsh #nessa swsh #raihan #colress #Professor Willow #professor sycamore #professor juniper

[morsking]

Got around to starting and finishing Old World Blues in the past couple of days. I think it’s the strongest of the game’s DLC I’ve played so far.

At first, it feels like you’re in for some wacky science fiction b-movie shenanigans once you’re introduced to the Think Tank. They’re all whimsical idiots who forget what words are, repeat themselves to elongate their sentences to look smart, and even one of them is bizarrely horny and has a fetish for... innocuous human behavior? Stretching? Yawning? They are neurotic brains in machines who take stuff apart and break it without really creating anything with it, just replicating the same results over and over and none of them seem to notice how stupid they are and it’s amazing. They took your brain, spine, and heart out of your body in an attempt to turn you into a walking vegetable, only for them to become so fascinated with the damage you took from Benny’s bullet that they fuck up the surgery and end up finding a way to keep your intelligence about you with a remote device that connects your brain to the tesla coils in your skull. Their biggest scientific discovery since... who knows how fucking long, was an absolute accident. It could only come about by chance, because you, as an existence alien to the static Big MT, shook things up tremendously. 

But as funny and baffling as all these things could be, the more you explore Big MT, the more apparent it is that for all their quirks the Think Tank are also responsible for some of the most heinous crimes against humanity you can witness in Fallout: New Vegas. They experimented with carnivorous, parasitic plants on human beings, spliced humans, dogs, and robots together, developed nightstalkers and cazadores you see in the base game, used the Sierra Madre casino and its inhabitants as a petri dish for holograms, the claustrophobic hazmat suits, and the poisonous Cloud that killed everyone and turned them into zombies. Their experiments killed all their staff, and not one of them batted an eye to what they did. And their most shocking crime is the repetition of Japanese internment with Chinese hostages, who you can find ghoulified from radiation and are forced to kill them. These prisoners can’t be reasoned with or saved because the Think Tank stripped them from their humanity long ago along with any humanity or rationality that was left in the Big Empty. The only thing they can do as being robbed of their humanity is lash out at anything that still looks human. All throughout the DLC, you are subjected to displays of the Think Tank’s obsessions and cruelties and aimless ambitions, and you wonder why. How did things get this twisted and distortioned? And then you meet Dr. Mobius, and you find out why.

In his introductory segment when you start the DLC, he seems like the parody of the crazed mad scientist terrorizing the slightly less crazy eccentric scientists and the bastard who kidnapped your brain. But when you meet him, he’s like a sweet, confused, senile old man. He’s got an endearing if a little weird addiction to radioactive snacks despite him being a brain in a machine who has no mouth to eat them. He forgets he keeps a giant killer robot scorpion with a OHKO death laser of infinite... death powered on and sucking up energy all the time and that’s why his shit never works. He uses the wrong words on his sentences because they sound like the actual words he means to use. He didn’t just steal your brain, he kept it safe for you. And also, he’s the one who lobotomized the Think Tank into the witless abominations they are now. 

Dr. Mobius witnessed his co-workers, his friends, pushing the boundaries of science further and further into dark places. Terrified for what they might do, he robbed them of their sanity and created an army not to terrorize them, but to keep them busy and from getting out. Dr. Mobius feared for the world, that it might be subjected to one new horror after another. There is great compassion in his actions but also great cruelty. He was so afraid of his friends the new world he trapped them in the old one. That’s where obsession and abhorrence belong, in the big emptiness of the past. It’s so appropriate, that Big MT is misread as “the Big Empty”. Because obsession and madness are an abyss, and also because everything that happened there was meaningless and hollow. There was no purpose to the Think Tank repeating its process of lobotomizing and observing the lobotomites. The great irony is that. That they don’t realize that what they do to human beings is what’s been done to them. Like the nature of all their names, their actions and their philosophies are cyclical and self-consuming. (Ouro)Borous. Zero. (Man)Dala (circle in Sanskrit), 8, Klein and Mobius. They are concepts that loop into themselves, symbolic of the futility of holding on to the grudges and ambitions of the Old World, a world that new only conflict and supremacy and paranoia and hostility. The fact that Mobius had to resort to brainwashing his own colleagues itself is evident even he didn’t know how to let go of the brutal utilitarian methods of the Old World in an effort to save the New One.

And what’s even worse is that didn’t matter anyway, because the mutated abominations that Borous created still found their way into the Mojave anyway. Are we supposed to accept that as a mercy that night stalkers, spores, and cazadores are the only things that slipped through the crater into the desert and be thankful for it? The only thing you can do about it now is say “Enough.” Enough of the Old World and its curses. It has no right to turn this world into a graveyard with it. It has no write to take from it and toy with it. Many times that attachment is played for laughs in Old World Blues, particularly Borous’s anti-communist fixation and enactments of his high school trauma being the basis for a training operation. But when you truly look at it it really feels like gallows humor. How many people do you reckon died in those tests at Lab X-8 because he used the test subjects as a means of catharsis? What was the human cost of that myopic insecurity and resentment? You only have to look around you. The facility is littered with guts. And it’s not the only one that looks like that. Not by a longshot.

So it came my time to also say enough to the Think Tank. I chose to kill them (more like stumbled my way into killing them because you have to thematically cycle through speech and skill checks for Mobius to give you the option of sparing everyone). It was both a roleplay gesture of revenge as much as it was a choice from me as a player to put the Big Empty out of its misery. It was already a graveyard in concept, it had to be made a graveyard in reality.

So that’s it for my review of the story. As for the more physical aspects of the DLC, I’ll say the Big Empty is probably the most interestingly designed setting I’ve ever seen. From the moment I woke up at the top of the Sink’s balcony I fell in love with what I was seeing. The layout includes some interesting platforming and traversal of the terrain from labs to cliffs to caves. Every laboratory houses something useful for you or relevant to the story and it’s easy to circle around the entire map and unlock everything as you go. The exploration comes naturally and you’re always encouraged to go back and look to see if you missed something (which you probably did, because it sure happened to me). One of the best things I found was the stealth suit. I’ve written about it already, but it is simply adorable, quirky, and also very helpful. Getting all its upgrades is worth it and not all that difficult even if it looks like a case of trial and error. There are some neat unlockables in terms of weapons as well like the stuff Elijah and Christine left behind, and lore that elaborates on their time there and Christine’s chase of Elijah to make him pay for his crimes. There is also the excellent set-up of your encounter with Ulysses in Lonesome Road, since he’s left his mark everywhere for you to see, as if luring you and taunting you. The dialogue is some of the wittiest and funniest Fallout’s ever been. The personalities in the Sink’s assistant appliances are so varied and interesting. You have the weirdly horny and seductive seed processor, the germaphobic water sink, the pessimistic and exhausted Muggy mini securitron, the jealous bickering light switches, the radio man juke box, the brave little toaster that could (murder everything), the ultra-patriotic and self-unaware book chute, the compassionate level-headed Auto-Doc, and finally the neutral, loyal, and polite Central Intelligence Monitor. Old World Blues had such an interesting and loveable cast. There is not a single human character in the entirety of the DLC, yet all of those feel vivid and alive. 

Those are my two cents on Old World Blues. A beautifully written, poignant, and entertaining piece of gaming. Now, we move on to Lonesome Road. 

#homecooked meta #fallout #new vegas #fnv #old world blues #fallout nv

[jacksonsdead]

FALLOUT OC INTERVIEW

Tagged by both @robobrainmurdermysterytheatre​ and @ticktockthem​ Thank you!  Rules:

1. Choose an OC. 

2. Answer them as that OC.

3. Tag 5 people to do the same. I’m choosing my courier!

(Also some of the answers feature Jack, who belongs to @robobrainmurdermysterytheatre​ ) Callie and Desmond are my other OCs ;) 

What is your name? Haley

How old are you? Late twenties? Hard to keep track out here

What do you look like? Blonde, been told by plenty of people that I’m pretty, unfortunately...that’s not always an advantage.

Where are you from? Where do you live now? I’m from Nevada, lived in a little community just outside of West Vegas when I was a kid. Now I mostly still travel but the boyfriend has a house just outside of Freeside so I guess that’s what I’d consider home.

What was your childhood like? Not...great...Don’t really remember much of my parents, just flashes. They were apparently pretty famous singers/performers but they died when I was still really young. I was raised by my older sister and most of my memories of her are good, which... makes dealing with things harder considering how she died. And after she died? Well...I was 17 and stupid and I’m not getting into the rest. 

What groups are you friendly with? Are you allied with any factions? I don’t consider myself ‘aligned’ with any factions but there are some I’m on good terms with, honestly I try to keep my nose out of things entirely but...well you have to draw a line sometimes. I respect the hell out of the Followers of the Apocalypse, one of the few factions I’d go out of my way to help out. And the Kings? I like their leader a lot, seems level-headed and pragmatic. And have you seen the way they dress? Every member of the Kings is attractive as hell. 

Tell me about your best friend. Don’t have that many but my closest are probably Callista, Cass and Jack. Callie’s running New Vegas now, was always ambitious as hell, no one I’d trust more to get shit done and done right. Plus we’ve been looking out for each other since we were kids. 

Cass is the type of friend who is going to tell it to you straight--she doesn’t mince words, doesn’t bother with niceties, and honestly, there’s something refreshing about that. Really fun to drink with too.

And Jack? Jack is...well he’s way more than just my best friend, more on that later.

Do you have a family? Tell me about them! I have a daughter, didn’t know about her until a few months ago. Basically one day this 12-year-old kid shows up and introduces herself. We’re still getting to know each other at this point, but she’s sharp; really clever and funny. 

What about a partner or partners? ...I could have you sitting here all day but I’ll only mention the ones that matter. There’s Manny, Desmond and Jack. 

Manny is an ex but when we were together? He was just, such a genuine person; authentic and honest. I knew pretty much *right* away that he was way too good for me, but it was hard to not want that, to not want someone just...nice? But he was still so obviously in love with someone else so I ended things and maybe that wasn’t fair; I honestly hope him and Boone work out. 

Desmond...well the way we met isn’t exactly the type of story you tell the family. Thought he’d just be another in the line of feeling-sorry-for-myself-late-night-mistakes. But he ended up being one of the most decent people I’ve ever met, quit the raiders for me and buy a house kind of decent--didn’t think I’d ever find something like that. He’s also really good with the kid so, think I’ll stick around. 

And finally, Jack. 

(screenshot courtesy of @robobrainmurdermysterytheatre​ )

I met Jack when I left Nevada for a while--took the first caravan I could find going the furthest away and eventually made it to Boston. I was...not ok. I’d had one foot off the edge of a cliff for a while at that point, ready to fall, just waiting for a push. Turns out Jack was too--and I think we both felt that instinctually, that connection. We had a lot in common, that disregard for our own lives, that recklessness born of misery and through it all, somehow, we each became the one thing keeping the other from drowning.  And man, we had fun too. I can honestly say there’s no one that *gets* me like Jack, knows how to have a good time. Some of my fondest memories are my time with him; Sometimes I wonder why I even left Boston at all. We still talk, and he visits in the winter, wish he could visit more though, I miss him all the time.  Who are your enemies, and why? The Omertas and I have history and no, I don’t want to talk about it. All I’ll say is that if you go into Gomorrah knowing that they get teenagers hooked on chems and then force them into prostitution to pay back their debt, then fuck you. 

Have you ever heard of The Brotherhood of Steel? What do you think about them? They’re kind of assholes right? I mean, you fly around on airships with prewar tech that could be used to help, I don’t know, the world, but instead you use it to grind people under your heel, to “civilize” and then you take any prewar tech they may have away for yourselves. Not a huge fan of them honestly, don’t trust them...but the power armor and airships are pretty cool, I’ll admit. And to be fair, there are a few individuals in the brotherhood that seem pretty decent, I’m just not a real fan of organized militaristic factions as a whole.

What about The Enclave? Don’t really know very much about them but the propaganda spewing fascist patriotism is annoying as hell. 

How do you feel about Super Mutants? Hate fighting them, try to keep my distance; there’s just something viscerally terrifying about mutated GIANT used-to-be-people that turns my stomach and gets the fight-or-flight response going.  Granted, the friendly ones are fine, but there’s also something so sad about them too, makes you sick to your stomach knowing that they used to...not be that way.

What’s the craziest fight you’ve ever been in? The entirety of my time in the Sierra Madre Casino was just one awful clusterfuck that’d I’d rather forget. 

Have you ever fought a Deathclaw? Unfortunately, and I have the scars to prove it. I typically try to avoid them or snipe them from a distance. Better make your shots count though, cause once they see you, it’s over. 

Do you like fighting? To be honest, most times I try to talk my way out of it, but sometimes there’s nothing that you can do to avoid them. And then? Well sometimes there’s stress that nothing but a good fight can ease. What’s your weapon of choice? Prefer to keep things at a distance, typically use a Anti-Material rifle. But if things get close a .45 pistol or That Gun is my next choice.

How do you survive? Your wits, your charm, your skills, brute force, some combination? (a.k.a. what’s your S.P.E.C.I.A.L?) Half the time? Spite. Spite and instinct. Charm can usually get me out of most situations, or into them depending. And usually if you’re stuck, hacking a terminal or two can get you all the information you need. 

Have you ever been in a vault? What do you think about them? 

👏I👏Hate👏Vaults👏

How do you beat all the radiation around here? Has it affected you? I carry a lot of Rad-X and try to filter my own water whenever I can. I have no issue with ghouls but I don’t want to be one. 

What’s your favorite wasteland critter? I know that they’re dangerous but NightStalkers are just cool.

What’s your least favorite wasteland critter? MOTHERFUCKING CAZADORS. You see one set of wings? Don’t worry there’s 50 more nearby AT LEAST.  How do you feel about robots? Robots are honestly fascinating, Jack taught me a lot about programming them. And I’d do anything for ED-E, they’re my favorite to travel with. 

How many caps do you have on you right now? Doesn’t matter how many I have, if I need more I’ll just play a few hands of Caravan or Black Jack. 

Nuka Cola or Sunset Sarsaparilla? I like both honestly (especially Quantums) but out of the two I’d take a Sunset Sarsaparilla, way more refreshing in the desert heat. 

Do you do chems? Used to be a Med-X junkie when I was a teenager, try to stay away from it now but it’s hard not to use when they’re such a tactical advantage. I keep chems on me for battles and occasionally for recreation even though it’s probably not a great idea. Used to do drug runs for the Great Khans too. 

Do you ever think about the Pre-War world? I hack a lot of terminals and read a lot of emails and it really does get me curious. Trying to imagine a world that I only have the skeletons of to use as a frame of reference? A lot of the stories Jack tells me seem impossible, but the evidence is all around us if you know where to look. It’s honestly fascinating to learn about. 

What’s your deepest regret? What would you do differently? My sister shouldn’t have died, I should have stopped them or, hell, I should have been the one to...It just shouldn’t have happened.

What’s your biggest achievement? Or what do you hope to achieve? I’d say that being a courier and going to all these places that most people have never seen or heard of or imagined is definitely a big accomplishment. I’d like to see more.

What do you want for the future? For yourself? Your friends? The world? I could try and say I have lofty, big goals for the world, that I look at the big picture but honestly? I just want to find peace for myself. To not wake up already tired. I want my kid to be happy and provided for and never go through anything I went through. I want to see Jack. 

I TAG: @undeadcourier and @courierspikeee

#fallout new vegas #fallout #new vegas #courier six #courier 6 #haley #long post