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angelltheninth · 6 months

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Better Off with You Here

Pairing: Jinx x Lux

Tags: fluff, angst, kissing, getting into fights, mention of Shimmer, blood and injury, redemption, long distance relationship, worried Lux, scary Jinx

Word count: 2k

Ao3

A/N: November 2024 everyone! More Arcane!

Jinx whistled as she bounced from one end of her room to the other, occasionally checking herself in the mirror, making sure her hair stays behind her ear and that that defiant lock of hair stays in its place over the side of her face. "Looking good Jinx! Yeah? Thanks Jinx!" She made phew-phew noise when she flashed finger-guns at the mirror.

"What do you have to look nice for?" Jinx spun around at the sound of Caitlyn's voice, one hand still doing the finger guns and now pointed at Caitlyn's chest. "Date night tonight?"

"Yeah! Luxie is visiting!" It was odd how normal of a conversation the two could have now, even with a gesture that could be taken as threatening. Jinx hummed and then chuckled when Caitlyn didn't flinch as the phew sound she made, "Kidding, kidding! I'd never shoot you Tophat."

"What's that about shooting my wife?" Vi appeared at the door, leaning against it, arms crossed over her chest. Jinx dropped the finger-guns instantly, looking very much like a scolded child whose fun was ruined.

Caitlyn chuckled and pated her sister-in-law on the head, "She's getting ready to meet Lux."

"Oh, wondered why you had those fancy pants on. Although the pink dye might take away from the black but hey, I'm not the fashion police." No she was the... not at all regular kind who was married to the Sheriff of Piltover. And the sister of a former most wanted criminal.

"Oh I'm not worried about the pants, it's this damn tie." Jinx gestured to the silver and blue tie around her wrist.

"I hate to ask... but why is that around your wrist?"

"Cause it was damn annoying trying to tie it around my neck. Besides I think the suit looks better without it. Really brings out... er... my eyes." Everything brings out the link in Jinx's eyes, which is why it was so easy for her to shop around. "Now if the two of you would excuse me, I'm gonna go meet my girlfriend, who I will then smooch and-"

Vi pulled her out the door, "Have fun, don't do anything I wouldn't and always remember to wrap it up." Her open palm collided with Jinx's back making the pyromaniac wheeze.

"Wrap what up? Gods you're gross sometimes." Jinx ran out right as Caitlyn put her hand over Vi's mouth. She was already freaking out, no matter how many years she spent in Piltover, or going back and forth to and from Zaun, she got looks. They were worse in Piltover though.

But they never made Jinx want to hide who she was. She knew she looked odd when she had all the pink on her outfit, the tie around the wrist, her hair in a ponytail that almost dragged against the floor. She didn't care that there was a group of people approaching her with frowns on their faces. She didn't care because Lux would be here soon.

Meanwhile in Demacia, one blonde mage was getting the talk from her own sister-in-law. "Remember, always go for the eyes first, groin second, and then the stomach. They can't hit you if they can't see." Katarina just finished zipping up Lux's blue dress. She wanted to match Jinx's hair, yes she was that sappy.

"When you said you wanted to have a talk about protection this isn't what I thought you meant." It was less embarrassing than the alternative, she would admit that.

"Neither of you have the proper equipment for the other type of protection. Besides this is universal knowledge, and you know how protective Garen is over you." Katarina weaved her hands through Lux's hair, getting rid of any knots in it.

"She's right. It's either that or you take guards with you." Garen's laugh boomed across the room from his spot in the chair. "Sorry Lux, it's hard for me to... I know you can handle yourself but I'm your big brother, I'll always worry about you."

Lux sighed as she leaned against the chair, she knew her brother meant well but he was a grow woman. At least Katarina was here to keep him in check, to an extent, except that one time she told Jinx she would cut off her tongue after she made a crude joke.

Was it a joke if there was truth to it?

"Thank you both for your concern but I'll be alright. It's Piltover, it's not as chaotic as Zaun." Only a small lie on Lux's part, anywhere Jinx went there was chaos. The dosage just varied. Something about that made her excited, she never knew what to expect, it made her get-togethers with her girlfriend more exciting.

She fixed her skirt and looked at herself one more time. That was as good as it was gonna get. Luckily she never ran late, she could teleport.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" She kissed both Katarina and her brother on the cheeks and teleported out and into the busy streets. "Sorry, sorry!" Lux dodged the people but not the puzzled looks. They seemed to relax once they saw the Demacian symbol on her right glove. "Jinx?" She looked around the restaurant where they were supposed to meet, she wasn't there. Odd. Maybe she got the place wrong? Should she ask-

"Fucking crazy bitch!" A woman ran out to the street, her cheek bruised.

"Huh? Are you okay?" Lux ran to her right away, voice and face conveying worry.

"People should ask her that!" The lady pointed into the alleyway. Lux peaked her head past the corner and her heart stopped.

There was Jinx, beating the living shit out of a guy who hung limp in her hand, with two more groaning in pain, one against the wall, one with his face in the dirt. She didn't know if Jinx was hurt, or how much of the blood on her clothes and fists was hers. But she knew she had to make her stop right now.

"Jinx!" Lux ran towards her but the Jinx didn't stop, even though she turned to face her.

"Flashlight. You're here!" Jinx smirked while blood covered her face, her eyes shining pink, "I've been waiting for you." The scary part was how while she was talking she kept punching and punching, spraying more blood onto herself and the ground.

"Jinx stop!" Lux lunged forward to pull her back but even restrained Jinx could still kick him in the face with her boots. "Hey, hey, Jinx, darling, look at me." She grabbed Jinx's face and forced her to look into her eyes. "Whatever they said, they're not worth this." She gestured for the group to leave while they could still walk.

The two who could still walk lifted the one who fell free from Jinx's hand and began dragging him away, quickly joined by the lady who ran out before. "Bitch should lay off the Shimmer."

Jinx grit her teeth until they bleed, but she held onto Lux as hard as she could to ground herself. Her whole body shook with adrenaline and anger, every sound becoming too much, too loud, every voice real or not overlaying in her ears. "Shhh, it's okay Jinx, you're gonna be okay, let's just take you home okay?"

"No, we got a date. I even got a tie. Oh... it's all bloody." She pouted, more upset at the blood getting on her tie than how it got there.

People quickly gathered around and started to stare, which wasn't good. Jinx was already a bloody mess and she didn't need the extra attention. Thinking quickly Lux opened another portal and leaned into it. She wasn't too picky with where in Jinx's room they appeared so she promptly tripped into Jinx's bed, getting blood all over it and her dress.

"Skipping right to the fun stuff huh? I can work with that." Lux tried not to shiver when Jinx ran her bloody hands up her legs, "You look like a nicely wrapped gift. Can't want to see what's underneath."

"Uh, maybe after we get these clothes cleaned up." The rejection visibly hurt and for the first time Jinx looked down at herself, then at her hands and then at Lux who was now on her elbows, looking up at her with pretty, yet worried eyes.

Jinx turned her head away in shame.

"Let's get you cleaned up." It was very easy to move her now, she followed along without resistance. Jinx allowed Lux to take her suit jacket off and wipe the blood of her face and fists. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What's there to talk about now? I ruined our date. And you... you came all the way here just to see me... I'm sorry Lux." Jinx wrapped her arms loosely around Lux's hips and leaned her forehead against her stomach. Lux knew her girlfriend was very upset when she used her name instead of one of her nicknames. "Let me make it up to you. I'll do anything you want." Jinx's voice was on the verge of breaking, she couldn't stop glancing around every now and then.

Anyone would be pained to see their lover in this state, so if Jinx needed to be reassured then that was what Lux would do, "I just want to know what happened that upset you so much." To provide some comfort she eased herself into Jinx's lap and wrapped her into a soothing hug. "I just want you to be alright."

It was probably minutes of silence but it seemed to drag on and on like hours.

"They asked how desperate you were to be with someone like me. I'm not an idiot, I know you could do better then an an ex-terrorist, and it's pretty easy to find someone who doesn't have Shimmer running through them all day. I can take the looks, the hits, the insults, but I can't take it when they drag you into it too."

So that was it. Jinx got angry on her behalf.

"While I appreciate you standing up for me, you shouldn't have beat them bloody. People like that will tell you anything to get a rise out of you." As a mage Lux heard more than her fair share of colorful insults. All behind her back of course, she was still a Crownguard. Those insults got to be few and far between the more time she spent protecting Demacia but it sickened her that she had to be of some kind of use for people to accept her for who she was.

"But... they were a bunch of jerks! I would've..." Lux interrupted her with a kiss, a very delightful surprise to be sure. Lux's lips were always so damn soft against Jinx's she could not get enough of them.

"Gone to jail. That's what could have happened. I know your sister and her wife are the Enforcers but there's only so much they can do for you." Jinx could tell how worried Lux was about her, about what she knew Jinx was capable of. "I love you Jinx, I want you to be okay, so please, no more fights like that."

"Can I yell at them at least? I have some really good insults." She had some stored up since her days of hating Caitlyn. They were good.

Lux chuckled and bumped her forehead against Jinx's, "Sure. I'd love to hear them too, so make sure I'm around." She loved it when Jinx cursed.

"Yeah? You like me saying bad stuff?" Due to Lux's prim and proper upbringing she had a real taste for dirty talk, it might even go so far as to be a kink of hers. One that Jinx regularly made her blush over, like right now when she had to hide her face by pushing Jinx down and pushing her own face into the pillow. "Gonna dirty talk your panties off tonight."

They were already coming off and Jinx didn't even have to try.

#lightcannon #jinx #luxanna crownguard #arcane #arcane fanfic #arcane angst #league of leguends #league of legends fanfiction #league of legends angst

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maboroshi-no · 7 months

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So now that you finished LN13 - what is your opinion on it? What did you like? Was there something you didn't like?

I am not sure I can organize my thoughts well but I'll do my best 😅.

Overall, this volume was really dense! A lot happened and a lot of information was given on various fronts: dark magic, the organization, Monkey Girl's past life, worldbuilding, Uncle Stuart...

Lots of intriguing parts:

Who manipulated Katarina's body when she lost control of her body? Could it have been the OG!Katarina part in her?

Why could Maria feel the use of dark magic without seeing dark magic? Can Marquis Dieke(?) use dark magic in a special way?

Why would Marquis Dieke(?) be in the organization? If he pulled the strings in Raphael's incident, does it mean he manipulated Raphael?

If the man really is Marquis Dieke, shouldn't Raphael have a role in Fortune Lover 2? Raphael can't be the second hidden capture target?

What's with Marquis Dieke(?)'s resemblance with Laura? Still, they can't be the same person since the man has wind magic while Laura is said to have fire magic.

Why didn't Sarah say a single line in this story? Why was her face hidden when Katarina saw her unconscious on the floor?

Why did Sarah go on her mission with thugs this time?

Why did Uncle Stuart dust off the leaves on Katarina's head even though he appears to hate her?

Is the fact that Nathan is missing on the day we see Uncle Stuart supposed to lead us to think they are the same person?

Dark magic was already around before normal magic was developed in Sorcier? Could dark magic be some kind of fundamental magic?

How will Sorcier's old tales impact the story? We have already seen the place to power up magic in LN7, now there is a mention of the founders of Sorcier again. How about the tales of the rampaging beast?

Is it a coincidence that Katarina lost control after getting back the pocket mirror object?

How did OG!Katarina learn magic?

So Maria is not immune to dark magic after all?

If the organization attacked Maria to prevent her from using her spell, why didn't Marquis Dieke(?) try to capture Maria?

Why didn't Pochi come out when Katarina was fighting?

the cold thing in Katarina's body, the black thing in Geordo's heart. I wonder if they are related

could the black thing in Geordo's heart be dark magic? Could he be manipulated by dark magic? Could he have dark magic inside him?

The volume was heavily focused on Cezar's romance. I was surprised Cezar was given so many sweet moments as if to set him up as Geordo's rival. The moments are nice but I am kind of neutral regarding Cezar. He has so many sides to his personality that it feels inconsistent at times: the sulking little brother, the workaholic concerned for his country, the adventurous and easygoing mercenary, and the two-faced prince. I didn't like it when he willingly deceived Maria and decided he would work on making Sorcier indebted to him so that he could marry Katarina. It felt like he wasn't a kind person concerned for his country after all. He also had no afterthoughts about Liam even so he almost made him cry with happiness. But Cezar is kinda fun in mercenary mode. I loved his moments with Katarina in chapter 4.

Also, I love Jean. Each time Jean appeared, I loved it. How he smoothly played wingman is fun to see.

But since this volume was focused on Cezar, the romance didn't develop at all for the others. Keith barely had any lines, and Nicol and Alan didn't get even one line, which is a shame.

I loved Maria's scene when she confronted Cezar. Seeing Maria with so much fighting spirit was a sight. I was surprised she was willing to confront a prince because I thought she didn't compete with the others because of their high-ranking status. She confronted Cezar, used the fiancée card against him, and smoothly prevented him from going home with Katarina. It feels like she has learned from looking at Geordo and Keith bickering, and looking at Mary scheming against Geordo.

I definitely love how Raphael had so many scenes in this volume. I like how it might imply he will have a big role later on, regardless of his possible connection with Sarah.

I also loved Laura's scenes in the volume. Whether Laura bonds with Katarina or with Raphael. Supposing Laura is Marquis Dieke, I wonder how he would consider Raphael.

It seems like Cezar is still in Sorcier by the end of the volume. Katarina has finished his route, so maybe he will lose his "capture target" status and ask for his member card in the harem? There were also so many stories about Monkey Girl's older brother that it feels like he might be revealed in the next volume. Also, with Marquis Dieke(?) mentioning how Katarina could work on their side, I wonder if it will happen in the future.

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thequietkid-moonie · 1 year

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When i saw you took requests for hamefura i SCREAMED, could i please have hc on being the youngest of the claes siblings?

Being the youngest of the Claes siblings

[ PLATONIC HEADCANONS ]

[ My next life as a Villainess All Routes Lead to Doom! ]

Dear I understand your excitement =w=

This was super cute to think!! Thank u for requesting it!! I hope you like it! ❤️

When Keith and Katarina heard the news that they will have a young sibling they got really excited

Keith remembered when he came to the house of the Claes for the first time, he was nervous and sad but they recive them with open arm, specially Katarina, she was really sweet with him and even helped him win more confidence in himself, he was so happy for had the opportunity to meet his precious family and he wants to become a great big brother too, he wants to give you that feeling of security and love he felt

And Katarina was just excited in general, she can be pretty childish on times so this could mean more fun! Her excitment last for a while until she remember the whole thing with the videogame, trying her hardest to remember your history to came up with a plan to prevent you to became a villian too, she would hate for her precious little sibling get involved in her terrible fate too

To be honest their mother, Millidiana Claes things that Katarina will be a bad influence for you, but will never stop you to past time with her, while your father, Luigi Claes just find it pretty funny, he loves seeing his kids having fun. When you were just a baby she didn't leave her with you much time (specially after she tried to fed you with some cake), your mother trust more in Keith than in Katarina when it came to you (even if they are still young)

While you grow up Millidiana try to teach you how to properly behave for a Duke/Duchess, but Katarina is always there to mess the lessons, even if you try to learn and follow what your mother tells you she will always inviting you to play. If Katarina and Keith already go to the Magica School then she will take advantage of those moments where your siblings where busy to teach you

While Keith is trying to follow the lessons your mother gives you, Katarina is always trying to make you act like someone your age, like a child

It doesn't matter your gender or your age difference, Katarina is always up to play with you, always inviting you to eat some sweets together and even will teach you about her crops, and of course she will introduce you to the novel she loves the most

Even if you are more shy or mature she will always drag you to do things with her, whenever she does plans you end envolved too, from go take care of the crops to go in small trips (like when they went to the lake)

Keith really wish to be a big brother you can be proud of, to be that person that you can relay on whenever you need help with something, also he makes effords to make you feel comfortable and safe around him. And whenever you tell him how much you love him or how you are proud of him, even the smallest hint that you look up at him Keith gets blushy and melt in the spot for your cuteness (but if you show that you admire someone else aside from him or Katarina he will get jelous and sad but won't tell you anything about it, he will just be a little pouty)

As much as Keith wants to be more strict with you he just can't bring himself to do it, you and Katarina are his weakness, you just have to make some puppy eyes and he will give you whatever you want, and, he wont say it out loud but he really likes to spoil you (Katarina spoils you a lot without noticing)

Also, Keith grows quite protective over you, he just cares about you a lot, you are his cute litte sibling after all (and having a lot of people interested in Katarina doesn't help either), specially when it comes to Geordo, he just don't like him at all

When they have to be in school Katarina is constantly writing you letters about what happen to her in school, like when a girl blame her of doing something against Maria, about her crops she have in school, the school play in which her friends forced her to participate and the school festival

Keith and Katarina are very proud siblings too, they praise every improve you have, from your firs steps to your magic power, it doesn't matter if you aren't the smartest or the sportier they will always ve proud of you. And your parents too, but while Luigi show it all the time, Millidiana is more discreet

It's just matter of time for you to meet the others too, and everyone will end up caring about you in their own ways

Geordo is mostly polite whenever he sees you or spend time with you, but if you tell him that you see him more like a friend he start spending more and more time with you and be more friendly too (using it as a excuse to spend time with Katarina too), even start playing with you whatever you want (and will show it off to Keith just to annoy him)

Alan wasn't too interested in meeting you and he just keep your interactions to a minimum, but with time he grow fond of you and start spending more time with you and playing a lot with you when it come to something sportier, he will never say no whenever you challenge him. He also will grow quite protective over you, Alan will be the type to follow you around to makes sure you don't hurt yourself

Mary will totally baby you, she likes to hug you and pinch your cheeks whenever she have the opportunity and even gives you cute outfits (specially if you are a girl or girly), at first it was because it was like having a mini version of her beloved Katarina, but with time she just start loveing your cuteness. She will spoil you a lot and she can easily become your best friend

Sophia is really sweet and gentle with you since the first moment she met you, she isn't exactly the atletic type so she will spend time with you mostly by having tea parties, she will recommend books if you want and even will read to you if you ask her, and will love to draw with you or even study (or just hear you talk about your special interest whatever you like the most)

Nicol doesn't talk much and he finds difficult to approach people, but he is happy to help you with whatever you need, even if he doesn't express it he likes spending time with you too, and, just like her sister, he doesn't mind hearing you talk about everything and anything

Maria is really caring and sweet too, she will be happy to meet you, she is always looking after your well-being, you could easily see her as a second mother, but she, along with Keith, is really weak before your puppy eyes. She happyly play with you whatever you want and loves helping you with whatever you need

When you start spending more time with your own friends all of them feel their little baby is growing up so fast, and Keith can't help feel a little leave behind but just at first

At the vert moment they know exist the smallest possibility of you having in a near future a partner/fiance they will be all over you, but their reactions are diferent. Katarina, Mary and Sophia wants to know every detail they can get from you (or your parents), hoping for you to live a cute romance, Nicol and Maria wants to know to but mostly because they wants you to be happy, having by your side someone who cares about you and loves you inconditionally, and, in the other hand we have Keith, Geordo and Alan who Will be pretty wary of this idiot person since they don't want you to be stuck with a person who don't deserve you

All of them make a pretty messy group, but, over all, you are in good hand and you will have a lot of fun!

#my next life as a villainess #otome game no hametsu #hamefura #hamefura x reader #hamefura imagines #katarina claes #katarina x reader #keith claes #keith x reader #anime and manga #anime x reader #anime x you #x reader #x gn reader #anime #manga

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zephyr-rat · 7 months

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League of Legends Lore Reactions

So League of Legend lore video came out. 2 main points came out of this: Point 1: They will try to unify League of Legends lore under 1 unified Canon and Arcane is mainly part of that canon

I mean... It's nice to have a consistent timeline, but the more I think of this, the more I'm cynical. Like, anyone who knows League of Legend lore knows how much of a mess the canon is. It always goes through some retcons every 5 years or so. Anyone who knows anything about DC and Marvel comics know how hard it is to maintain such canon due to conflicting writer voices. It feels like a Crisis on Infinite Earth problem where the company is destroying a lot of the pre-existing champions lore or other "multiverses" per-se because they don't "matter" compared to the stories / timeline that do "matter".

And the definition of "matter" is what makes the most money and drive engagement! (Arcane). Anything in Universe (the short story bargain bin now) that has never expanded to a different medium (Riot forge or Arcane or maybe the comics?) is not officially canon and it's not safe until it moves out of that bargain bin. Arcane Viktor is significantly different from what Viktor was. Convergence camille is significantly different from what Camille was. Katarina wasn't that devoutly loyal to noxian ideals until that pre-comic for Mageseekers came out. Jayce wasn't originally a himbo with too much political power, he was diet Tony Stark. Point 2: We will no longer do short stories because they don't drive engagement. We will look into other mediums

As someone who likes 2 very unpopular characters (Twitch and ZAC), I hate this. Short stories are (compared to other mediums) the quickest and easiest way to deliver lore. If we ditch short stories entirely, then they have to go to other mediums which take much more time and investment. With such investment requires bigger returns on their offers because that's how a corporation works. The problem is that not all 200+ champions are created equal. A lot are more popular than others and those (if they want to make a profit on such projects) are the ones they will invest in at the cost of all others. This is why the only time we saw Twitch content is when it was related to his release on wild rift. I doubt we will ever get Twitch content in the future (unless he's some generic villain for a more popular character like Ekko). Or why we never get anything with ZAC because he's infamously a character that's hard to make skins for in general (thus very little profit for an already unpopular character)

So yeah, I'm not that happy with the update. I'll probably continue working on my Twitch and ZAC game and maybe write stories about them in the future. Because I already know that they don't "matter" to riot (the corporation) if engagement and profit is the only thing that they care about.

#League of Legends #Arcane #Lore #Negative

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cyclaes · 2 years

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fic fragment - title undecided for now

Summary: Selena Burke has a bad reaction to hearing about Prince Geordo’s new engagement, and Prince Ian is having none of that. Inspired by this post and the rumors of LN12 involving a new fiancée for Prince Geordo.

The engagement between the third prince and the daughter of Duke Claes has always been a topic of much discussion among the people of Sorciere. All four princes and their fiancées are much-discussed, of course - but unlike Mary Hunt and Susanna Randall, too competent to attack, or Selena Burke, weak but disgustingly proper, more boring than hateful - the eccentric and magically-weak Katarina Claes is always good for a sneer and a gossip session.

And, unlike Alan and Geoffrey, their blond brothers are subject to unceasing speculation as to whether their engagements are...open to negotiation. It has died down some since the incident with the kidnapping, at least for Ian and Selena - but now it is raging at full force for Geordo and Katarina.

(Quietly, with the secrecy of men aiming for a previously-unthinkable goal, there are those who gossip about the rumored break - but about Katarina Claes's availability, not Prince Geordo's)

"...what can you expect, with a prince that capable and the Claes girl being like..." sniggers one nobleman to another in the halls outside the public throne-room.

Prince Ian, with his fiancée on his arm, are nearby - close enough to catch the unkind remark, far enough for the nobles not to notice them. Selena, more resolute than people think she is, controls her reaction to a small flinch. But Ian notices it.

***

"...I won't!" Geordo is insisting to their father when Ian walks in. For a rarity, all the male members of the royal family are now gathered in one room at the same time - the king behind his desk, weary; Geoffrey leaning against the wall and watching, his face uncharacteristically somber; Alan standing near his twin, his expression complicated.

All conversation cuts off as Ian strides to their father's desk and upends a portmanteau, covering the teakwood surface with papers and envelopes.

"Ian!" King Owen says in surprise. "What are you..."

"This talk of new engagements for Geordo is stupid," Ian says bluntly. "So I went ahead and got the rescindments from everyone who sent in their application. There. That should fix it."

"...what?" comes the same reply from four different voices at once.

"Everyone who's sent in an application has now sent in a formal renouncement of their offer in writing," Ian explains, slowly, in a tone that indicates his opinion of his family's intelligence is dropping rapidly. "There they are."

King Owen picks up a particularly creamy-looking envelope and studies it. "This - this is from Duke Richaud of Quid. We don't even have an application from him."

"Oh, his application must not have gotten here yet." Ian shrugs. "Well, whatever. It doesn't matter. We can keep this on file for when it does show up."

Geordo is staring at him with the shocked look of a drowning man who has unexpectedly been hit in the head by a life-preserver dropping out of the sky. "Ian...Ian-nii..." He swallows hard and stands up straight, shoulders relaxing from a tension that has been stiffening them for days. "Th-thank you!"

Ian slants a cool blue gaze at his younger brother. "I didn't do it for you," he informs Geordo. "Next time - better let a few months pass first, a half-year if we can - just let her be the one to break it. Don't let her name be dragged in the mud further than it has been already just because she's had the terrible luck to be engaged to you."

Geordo staggers backwards as if Ian has struck him in the face. "What?"

Ian ignores Geordo and turns to his staring father. "And then, adopt the girl as a ward of our family. We don't, legally speaking, need to have precedent, but Grandmother Calla's link to the Adeths and your own time as a ward of Duke Lucan Claes will serve as justification. That way it'll be clear that it was us seeking a tie with House Claes, and not the other way around, and people will stop running their mouths about a girl who deserves better at our hands."

"Duke Claes is still alive, though," Geoffrey points out. "As her legal guardian and actual father..."

"But she's not his heir, and as a ward of House Stuart we can make her one," Ian replies. "The estate I was given from mother's side, Atholl..."

"What are you talking about?" Geordo demands, grabbing Ian's shoulder.

"She doesn't need to marry you to be my younger sister," Ian states baldly. "And at Atholl she'll be closer to me and Selena..."

"She's not yours!" Geordo screams.

"And she's certainly not yours, nor do you deserve her," Ian says coolly. Alan flinches, but Geordo just stares with eyes aflame. Ian stares back, water-magic as potent as Geordo's fire-magic backing the coldness of his gaze. If Geordo's eyes flare with inferno, Ian's has all the dark, hidden depths of a northern sea.

(Ian thinks back to his visit with Selena to Katarina at her Claes household; the staff staring with anger at the royal sigil on Ian's clothes. They are well-trained and the pick of the wealthy and expansive Claes holdings; still they cannot help but show it. They, too, have heard the unflattering rumours about the prince casting off their young mistress.

But Katarina Claes herself does not look the slightest bit unhappy or flustered as she welcomes them to tea with the grace only actual happiness at a guest's arrival can give.

"Oh no," she laughs, waving her hand airily, when Selena - anxious, sad, seeing herself all too easily in the younger girl's place - brings the topic up with much fear. "I always knew Geordo would end up with someone better than me."

There is a moment of silence.

"But…Katarina…you're crying," Selena says, her voice very soft.

Katarina puts a hand up to her face, feels tears on her fingertips. "Oh.”

She swallows hard. “Oh, you're right."

And Ian remembers the feeling of watching Katarina Claes, who had given Selena the confidence she needed, had given Ian the chance he didn’t deserve, who had forgiven her own kidnapping and imprisonment and become the best friend her kidnapper could have, who had been the reason he and Selena had finally realized their love - watching the girl who had been so bright and joyous in the face of so much darkness - watching her smile waver and tremble but stick on her pale face as the tears streamed down - remembers the sick twisting in his belly, remembers the answering and too-empathetic tears on Selena's face as she had taken a finally-sobbing Katarina into her arms.)

And, remembering, he finds the strength to tell his younger brother, "She deserves better than this."

"How dare you," Geordo begins to snarl.

"And I don't deserve Selena. I hurt her, for longer. I was pathetic. You - you've been braver than me, but just as pathetic. You're braver, but not brave enough to actually open your heart enough to convince her. Not when she knows the real reason you pushed for the engagement to begin with," Ian tells Geordo, remembering what Katarina had gasped out to Selena as she sobbed in the older girl's arms.

Geordo goes pale. "She - she knows?"

Alan is pale as well. "Knows - knows what? Geordo, what real reason? Ian!"

Geoffrey exhales sharply, in conjunction with his father.

"She's always known."

#hamefura #my fics #fic scrap #geokata #geordo stuart #ian stuart #selena burke #katarina claes #using 'nii' because english has no good sibling-relationship modifiers/pronouns/etc #it's so cute when the twins have their big brothers visit

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entamewitchlulu · 8 months

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I love your take on the hamefura polycule. I'm wondering if you wanted to share any other thoughts on the guys' pairings?

this has been sitting in my inbox for AGES i completely forgot about it, sorry!!! s.lkdjfaslkfda....but yeah I have lots of thoughts about the guys!

I think the first guy to start feeling out relationships with the other guys is Nicol. You wouldn't think it because he tends to be shy and keep to himself, but once he's in the polycule and has a chance to feel more comfortable with himself, he does start to reach out more - plus, he has Sophia feeding him ye olde yaoi 24/7 so he genuinely doesn't think it's weird for boys to fall in love with each other. He's not actively flirting, per se, but he is definitely most comfortable with casual touch and romantic-like gestures that the other guys at first don't recognize, then recognize a little too acutely, and then start to settle into it.

So the first relationship between the guys that actually comes to fruition is actually Jeord/Nicol. At this point Jeord has already had angry hate sex with Mary at least once and has become more comfortable with the idea of not only sharing Katarina but becoming involved with the other members of the polycule, and that's when he starts to recognize that he mayyyyyy have had a small baby crush on his childhood friend Nicol for a long time and it wasn't until he got together with the polycule that he could recognize his feelings for what they were.

Jeord and Nicol are very soft and gentle. While Jeord's first love is always Katarina, he really appreciates how kind Nicol is, and how he completely understands all of the pressure that Jeord is under and can comfort him. Nicol has known Jeord's full personality since the beginning and can accept all of him, and likes that Jeord can be more expressive than him and put words to some of Nicol's own feelings, so they complement each other well.

Nicol accidentally seduces Keith, next. Ironically, Nicol can help Keith relax and let loose a bit more, as he doesn't have to be the responsible one for Nicol like he has to be for Katarina, so Keith is able to be a little more childish in a relieving way when he's around Nicol. Nicol can't help but dote on Keith a little bit and they're very cuddly.

Jeord and Keith happen after that in much the same way that Jeord and Mary happened, which is to say, they got into a heated argument that ended in even more heated sex. They still outwardly hate each other and are still often negging each other, but to be honest the catharsis they get from each other now that they aren't really competing anymore is good for both of them as a release from all the stresses of their respective positions.

Alan, like usual, is the slowest to get the handle on his feelings. He also ends up falling for Nicol and the two of them are very, very good at sitting silently together and just enjoying quiet company without feeling awkward. Alan also surprisingly becomes very close with Sora, who finds Alan's bluntness and honesty refreshing, especially from a noble, and Alan is at first pretty embarrassed by how freely Sora flirts with him but then starts to appreciate how casual Sora can be with him.

That's most of my thoughts off the top of my head but i'm sure they'll evolve over time. Hope that was worth the wait haha! Thanks for asking

#hamefura #lulu answers #serekan

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almdragonrend · 2 days

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Hey, so I found a new Hamefura x pokemon fanfiction and had a short talk in the comments and I wanted to show how it got as you see my stands on OG Katarina and how I feel about her and it always feels freeing when I get to talk about it. So here's it

That was when it hit me ‘Wait… How am I gonna get food for everyone, let alone myself. I don’t think there’s many employers that’ll be willing to hire a teenager or former noble as a mercenary or bodyguard so I won’t always be able to get jobs, If only I could get a Pokémon that makes food for me’

That is really hate OG Keith and Geordo and Maria, OG Katarina was just fighting for her 7 year long relationship and all the promises made to her, and they send her Fu*ing die for it, they CHOOSE to be Monsters!!!

Page_Plague on Chapter 5Wed 24 Apr 2024 02:23AM CEST

Yah, I mean OG Katarina is a b*tch, especially to Keith, but she definitely didn’t deserve to starve to death and OG Geordo most certainly could’ve attempted to try and fix some of the behaviour but he probably didn’t because of apathy.

AlmDragonrend on Chapter 5Wed 24 Apr 2024 08:11AM CEST

OG Katarina isn't really that bad, we see how she interacted with Sianna and Anne and even some of her group to an extent in VoD and she was certainly a lot Kinder than 99'9,8% of the Noble's of Sociar, and the only people we have seen her openly be mean to are Maria and Keith both of which she has pretty strong and justified reasons to Hate, in case of Keith his me presence has torn her parents relationship apart, I know it wasn't his fault but she was a little Girl than he showed up and her family got torn apart how can anyone expect from her to take that well ? + he had it we better with the Claes than with his Original family the Colemans who.. ah yes WANTED TO KILL HIM!!!!! The funny thing is Keith has that "I'm don't want to be a Monster *crying noise*" thing going on the thing is when he partook in the Conspiracy against Katarina he very much CHOSE to be a Monster!!! What he did made their made him a Monster no qustiones ask, Luigi saved him from being killed of by his own family sacrificed the state of the Claes family in the process and how does this little parasite thank him ? By helping send the Daughter of his Savior to her demise! I think alone for that he should have left him with the Colemans!

And when it comes to Maria, Original Maria is literally a Bitch, she is the main character of FL and chose the route she wants to go which means she actively pursued 5 different Mann of high political status and while I'm not against polyarmoy if everyone involved is okay with it, in this case two of them already had a fiancée and both of those fiancée but a lot of afort in this relationship they had for half their lives and now they are expected to give up all they worked so hard for their entire life and take the L just because Miss Campbell comes out of nowhere with no idea of how a princess has to act and non of the training both Katarina and Mary had to endure for years on end !!! just because miss Campbell thinks she deserves to be Princess, and when one of them justified fights back she steals everything this girl has her home, her family, her parents, her birthright, and send her over seas to die! And Don't make me start on how she used Sophia to get close to Nicole, Original Maria is a greedy, malicious, underhanded, selfish and heartless Monster !!!!

Page_Plague on Chapter 5Wed 24 Apr 2024 09:16AM CEST

Oh ok, I didn’t read Verge of Doom cuz I didn’t think it was all that different to the main series Manga and Anime that I did finish (I’ll read it later)

Also good argument

AlmDragonrend on Chapter 5Wed 24 Apr 2024 03:06PM CEST

Thank you, I'm just glad more people start to realize those facts, that is a pretty good sign I think

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tahthetrickster · 11 months

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🗡️ SINISTER FORTUNE 🩸

A little slutty—a little violent—a little obsessive—a little hateful—a little in love… it’s complicated.

They wouldn’t have it any other way.

a katarina/miss fortune playlist for all those “fuck, i caught feelings for my friends with benefits but if i say it out loud then i lose what little we already have and i can’t risk that” moments of miserable, livid, delicious mutual pining

💿 LISTEN HERE 💿

#IN 2023 WE MAKE MIXTAPES FOR OUR FAVS AGAIN #miss sarah fortune #katarina du couteau #sinister fortune #mipokata #no alts just yet srry im on mobile i’ll add them on pc later #tah mixtapes #shoutout 2 my most excellent partner tumblr user xhuuya for giving me music recs for them that made me very sick in the head for many days

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tragedybunny · 10 months

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🗣️Talk about your favourite WIP, 💗Is there a scene you can’t wait to write for a WIP?, 📝Share a snippet of an unposted WIP, with or without context.

(If you feel like it🤍)

🗣️ Ok , so currently my favorite WIP is something original I'm writing. Might end up a total cliche mess but here I am.

💗 I have the ending all mapped in my mind already so I'm excited for the journey.

📝 Here's something from Swain / Katarina modern AU

"So noted." He finally turned back to face me. "Do control your tone, Ms. Du Couteau. I'd hate to think you were about to lose your composure. Although I was warned about that." The bastard, I could tell he was goading me. Was he trying to make me get myself fired?

Time froze and I debated internally about just letting go and having it out with him or sucking it up and behaving myself. "Fine. Anything else or am I free to go?" It was a little more forceful than I had decided on.

"Just go and see that your attitude improves." Danger filled the room but I was too livid to see it.

"You know what just fire me if you want to. I'm not going to play this game with you." That I managed with deadly calm as I turned and headed back out of his office. "The assignments will be made by the end of the week if I'm still employed." I strode off ignoring the beginning of the response behind me.

#my fanfic #my writing #asks #thanks dear #i appreciate it

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vulturevanity · 11 months

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I love that Selena is a parallel to Katarina in that they're both very dumb ladies engaged to princes they don't realize are severely head over heels for them, and the dramatic irony is that Katarina never even gets close to making this connection -- but the glaring difference is that Selena so desperately loves prince Ian that she can be manipulated into kidnapping someone for him, while Katarina is simply vibin' so hard no amount of dark magic can touch her pristine heart.

Edit: WAIT NO FUCK

The parallel works much better if we disregard romantic intentions!! Katarina loves her friends fiercely and intensely, and that includes Geordo! And she cannot let herself believe that her friends love her too, because she's too caught up on the thought that she's The Villainess, their nemesis, the one who ruins everyone's lives, the one forever doomed, to realize that she's more than a stupid girl who fails at everything! God. Okay I changed my mind, season 2 has rights

#hamefura #my next life as a villainess #hehehe. santa catarina.#the difference is that Katarina has never considered even the thought of Geordo being her romntic partner #it does not occur to her until he flat-out shoves his tongue in her throat #(which I still hate him for! sir that is assault)#she just doesn't think of him that way #POST EDIT TAGS #would Katarina let herself be corrupted for the sake of her friends? YES! BECAUSE SHE ALREADY DID!#POCHI IS THE RESULT OF HER IMPULSIVELY RUSHING IN TO SAVE KEITH #god i love doomflags so much

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villain-in-love · 1 year

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Messy headcanon collection for Jamil/Prefect relationship

⬩ It’s calculated genius x chaotic genius duo. In other words, classic INTJ X INTP couple.

⬩ Katarina is absolutely smitten, and Jamil doesn’t know how to deal with it.

⬩ At this point it’s hard to tell which one of them is the bad influence. The correct answer is both – they are full of spite and only enable each other.

⬩ Both Jamil and Katarina are lowkey two-faced, putting up a friendly façade for their own benefit when in reality they are much meaner. When left alone together, though, they can be as honest and sassy as they want, complaining about the shared struggle of being surrounded by idiots.

⬩ The relationship that started with scheming, deception, and double-crossing, but I guess that’s just how life in the Night Raven College is…

⬩ Apparently, plotting against each other really brings people together.

⬩ Jamil was rightfully baffled when after all the trouble he put her through during winter holidays Katarina not only didn’t start hating him, but instead started to actively express interest in him, as if he wasn’t a traitor and a villain in this situation.

⬩ He asked her about this bizarre reaction, to which Katarina replied that she was only mad about him dragging her into his scheme without her consent and locking her up in Scarabia, but she already avenged herself by demolishing his plan, putting the trio from Octavinelle against him, and beating him up in his overblot. She couldn’t care less about him betraying Kalim’s and everyone else’s trust, along with using mind control on people.

⬩ Jamil started to suspect that she might have a few screws loose.

⬩ In any case, he’s in conflicted feelings – Katarina is one of the very few people whose company he actually enjoys, and he started respecting her more after she managed to destroy his plans and defeat him. On the other hand… she managed to destroy his plans and defeat him, and you can imagine what kind of damage it did to his ego. Not to mention, now that he knows that Katarina can be almost as cunning as he is, Jamil couldn’t help but trust her less. Plus being a direct target of her attention makes him anxious.

⬩ Being the only girl in all boy school is awkward enough, but can you guess what’s even more awkward? Being the guy with whom the only girl in school is in love with.

⬩ That’s one of the reasons why Jamil later insisted on their relationship being if not secret, then at least not as obvious to public.

⬩ But seriously, Chapter 4 turned out to be kinda hilarious in a way that when Katarina got stuck in Scarabia as a part of Jamil’s scheme, her thought process was like “I like spending time with Jamil, but why do I have the feeling that he’s screwing with me in some way?”. And when she escapes just to come back with Octatrio and their counterplan, this feeling starts to become reciprocated, because now it’s Jamil’s turn to think that, on the one hand, he likes spending time with her, but it feels like something is clearly wrong and the situation is rapidly getting out of his control.

⬩ Katarina befriended Kalim solely for the purpose of having more excuses to hang out with Jamil (Also because having a kind and dumb friend who is ridiculously rich is very convenient).

⬩ Only by the end of the first year Jamil finally admitted that he sees Katarina as a friend, which is a great achievement in itself, because Jamil barely considers anyone at Night Raven College to be his friend. In any case, he decided that he does not want to think of it as anything more at that moment.

⬩ The romantic tension between them was obvious for a while and watching them beat around the bush for two years was lowkey insufferable. It wouldn’t have happened any other way – even if they had feelings for each other, Katarina and Jamil are the type of people who prefer to form a proper friendship and trust first, instead of acting on emotions and getting into relationship with someone they don’t fully know.

⬩ Fun fact: while she’s not at fault for what happened and nobody knows about it, but Katarina actually personally added fuel to the fire by commenting one time that she sees Jamil as much better candidate to the Scarabia's housewarden position than Kalim. Which only served to convince Jamil further that what he’s doing was a good idea.

⬩ Because Jamil is perceptive, and Katarina isn’t actively trying to hide her feelings anyway, he quickly realised just what kind of influence he holds, and so he became the most insufferable (affectionately) tease on earth. He enjoys the indescribable look on Prefect’s face when he casually compliments her in some way or gets too close. Good job, Viper, Katarina.exe stopped working and we’re not even sure she’s breathing… And Jamil is terribly proud of himself. Yes, he started doing this even before they became an “official” couple because it’s fun.

⬩ Truth be told, it stopped working like it used to after the confession. Not that he can’t get her stunned or flustered anymore, but this reaction had a lot to do with the fact that Katarina just didn’t know what would be an appropriate response to what Jamil's actions. Now, when she knows for sure that he loves her, she just outright pounces on him whenever he shows her affection (because such thing causes her to become affectionate in response). Jamil might give her a soft kiss on the cheek, and a few moments later he’s pinned against the wall with Katarina showing her tongue down his throat. Now Jamil is the one who is dazed and flustered. Whatever shallow complains he has about it – they are not genuine.

⬩ Jamil gets embarrassed and might play a tsundere when Katarina is being affectionate towards him, but really, Jamil is very needy for her love and attention, he needs it to function properly. However, this couple generally dislikes pda or overall making their relationship too obvious in public, mostly preferring to keep it all behind closed doors.

⬩ When meeting in public they usually greet each other by casually bumping into each other, shoulder to shoulder, as if letting the other know “Hey, I’m here, I’m with you”.

⬩ From time to time, Jamil comes to the Ramshackle when he gets too tired of Kalim and the liveliness of Scarabia dorm. But more often than not Katarina and Jamil prefer to hang out in Scarabia and in Jamil’s room, as it’s generally cosier there.

⬩ While another of Kalim's parties is raging in Scarabia’s dorm, Jamil and Katarina can often be found aside from the crowd and the noise, drinking tea with sweets and talking somewhere by the window. That’s their definition of fun, so please, don’t interrupt.

⬩ Seriously, interrupt their alone time and they will be ready to kill you.

⬩ Who kills a bug in this relationship? Fucking no one, they both scramble away from the damn thing to hide on top of the cupboard, throwing shoes at it. If it doesn’t work and the bug is still alive, then someone would have to stop Jamil from setting the room on fire.

⬩ Spiders are the exception, though, at least for Katarina. When Jamil and the others were staying at her dorm in preparation to VDC, Katarina and Jamil argued a lot over spiders that live everywhere in the Ramshackle. Katarina insists that spiders are "friends" and can stay, while Jamil wants these hell spawns out of the damn house, the fact that they are not technically insects means nothing, he doesn't buy the idea that another pair of legs makes them better in some way.

⬩ Jamil: Do you even eat anything besides chocolate and apples?

Katarina: *awkwardly looks away*

Jamil: …now, I really don’t like this response.

Later:

Jamil, opening Katarina’s fridge: WHAT KIND OF BARCELOR’S FRIDGE IS THAT?! HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE WITH THIS DIET?

⬩ She didn’t want to tell him about not eating properly because he already works too much, but now Jamil knows and he’s lowkey horrified. They just agreed that whatever he’s cooking for himself or Kalim for lunch, he can just make an extra portion for her.

⬩ They are each other’s consultants when it comes to scheming and strategies. More often than not it’s Jamil who ends up helping Katarina, usually with predictions of all possible obstacles and outcomes, while Jamil himself is generally more secretive, especially when it comes to his schemes, but as he grows to trust Katarina more he also starts to ask her for critique of his plans.

⬩ If she has time for that, Katarina might join Jamil when he’s tutoring Kalim on some subject, out of curiosity and convenience (they are still a grade above her). Usually Katarina understands the theme first and then helps Jamil explaining it to Kalim.

⬩ As funny as it sounds, Jamil often holds Katarina’s grudges for her, if that makes sense. Because Katarina is terribly apathetic and hard to offend, while Jamil is… much pettier and vindictive. So if anyone wronged her and her reply is “lol, okay”, then Jamil might take the role of karma and get back at them himself.

⬩ While not exactly identical, their music tastes overlap a lot – generally speaking, they both prefer something dark and intense. It’s kind of their thing to share new songs that they found and think that the other might like, and they often listen to music together, sometimes by sharing earphones.

⬩ It took some time (and some manipulation because she refused at first) to teach Katarina how to dance, but now they can steal the show at every dancefloor. Jamil is lowkey proud of himself for being able to teach her how to dance, and proud of Katarina herself, of course.

⬩ Most of the time they won’t dance in public. If they end up at any sort of event Jamil and Katarina most likely going to stand apart from the crowd and just talk, maybe commenting on what is going on (and judging everyone). But if they see some couple of a prince and a princess, who obviously think that they are the main characters tonight, Jamil and Katarina will be strongly inclined to go on a dancefloor to completely steal the spotlight and make it obvious for everyone how much cooler they are. It’s a villain thing.

#I think it covers the basics #but there's still a lot more important points that I didn't mention here.#I can't believe I'm actually posting this #ship: Just Villain Things #s/i: Prefect #self ship #self shipping #self ship community

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noxianwilled · 10 months

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when's the last time katarina gave herself a break. rather, did she even allow herself any or would she rather keep pushing herself onto the brink of exhaustion to the death?

(we know the answer. it's really a way to say this gal better take some holidays)

— @axewhirl

define break.

if you mean like, a vacation, a couple of days to herself to do nothing and chill and such? the answer is never lmao. BUT i don't think katarina actually often pushes herself to the point of exhaustion if the situation doesn't demand it, or at least she prefers to avoid that if she can. the reasoning is simple: as much as she hates being idle, she is well aware being tired makes her more prone to mistakes, or to not react to things fast enough, or it takes a toll on her mind that can get in the way of judging a situation correctly. she knows well-rested is when she'll be at peak performance and be the unparalleled weapon noxus needs her to be. that is how she is more useful to the empire — and while she would gladly lay down her life for noxus, for the most part katarina knows she has more use alive than dead.

dying for the empire is a desperate last measure (such as in the comic, when she's ready to sacrifice herself to ensure the bomb won't cause the damage marcus intended it to, even if it costs her life). working herself to exhaustion to the point of near death is, usually, also a necessity rather than a choice (such as, you know, when she killed a king, fought the captain of the dauntless vanguard, stole a silverwing, was wounded by said silverwing, fell to what would likely be her death if not for the magical forest beneath, had the demonic ravens wake her up with a terrible nightmare, and didn't get a moment to rest until two weeks later when she got back to noxus and found drann).

which isn't to say she doesn't often work herself too hard, because she definitely doesn't rest as much as she should. she gets as little sleep as is necessary to function well (and her sleeping times are all fucked up, between assassinations, traveling, and if we're also considering my hc of her being the faceless, the fact she's also in those meetings with the trifarix sometimes). so without meaning to, she is rather prone to working too much and getting too close to exhaustion way too often.

if you want her to take some holidays you'll have to force her to i'm afraid. she hates being idle and would spend too much time of her vacation itching to do something useful because on day 2 she'd already be this was enough rest let me get back to work --

#workaholic i'm afraid #» out of character — ⌜main sup irl.⌟#» character study — ⌜fear is as powerful a weapon as any dagger.⌟#axewhirl #like sure she'll get some sleep she'll take some time to be with people she loves #(before darius and draven and qiqi honestly not even that)#but she works too much too hard and she's sooooo incapable of staying idle for long

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maboroshi-no · 1 year

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Hamefura LN11 Extra Story Translation (Part 3)

I have started translating the extra story which comes with the special edition of volume 11 of the Hamefura light novel.

I posted some notes about it a while ago.

This is the second half of Geordo’s POV, which is focused on how he feels about Alan, and Alan’s feelings towards Katarina.

Previous parts: Part 1 Part 2

~The Story of the 4 Stuart Brothers~ (Part 3)

Remark: Indented dialogues are dialogues that Geordo thinks about in his mind.

Geordo’s POV

I was aware that Alan had been frequently going to Katarina's home lately since I had heard the servants talking about it. Still, when I visited the Claes household today, I was shocked when I first saw him. So Alan could laugh like that… Despite Alan and I being twins, we had mostly never spent time together. That is, because he had been spending most of his days completely secluded in his room due to his poor health at birth. His physical condition had nonetheless greatly improved after we'd turned five, and he was completely healthy now. But he hadn't come near me since he seemed to hate me. The only thoughts I had about him were: "We have mostly never been in contact, so why does he hate me so much?", or "This hostility directed at me is so bothersome… ". …Up until I met Katarina.

After I had met Katarina and started to pay attention to my surroundings, I understood right away why Alan would frown that much just by looking at me. Alan seemed to be upset because the teachers and the servants around us were comparing both of our achievements. They were saying that he was inferior to me at everything, no matter what he did. Such a rumor was especially at the center of talks among the nobles who tried to curry favor with me, and they were talking about it while making sure that it would reach Alan's ears. To annoy him as much as possible. To begin with, Alan had been spending most of his time in bed up until he was five. It was just crazy to suddenly compare him to me who had been receiving education even while he was bedridden. These talks were no more than silly jokes uttered by people who wanted to kick Alan down because of the faction strife. While I thought that he should just ignore them, Alan didn't seem to think the same.

My younger brother, who had been isolated in his room and raised with great care surrounded only by the people that he was familiar with, must have never been in contact with this dirty and sordid side of the nobles until now. He had been upset about it, just like these people had expected. He always had a stern look on his face whenever I saw him at the castle. His face would especially grimace whenever he caught sight of me.

This constantly frowning Alan was clearly smiling. And the one he was smiling at was the similarly smiling Katarina. I had a surge of complicated feelings over seeing these two having fun, and on that day, I headed back home without speaking to Katarina.

Then after a while, Alan came visiting during a time when I was visiting the Claes household. It was the first time that we faced each other there.

Alan: Geordo?! What are you doing here?!

Upon looking at me, Alan's face grimaced as usual. My younger brother had been giving such happy smiles to Katarina, but his attitude towards me hadn't changed after all.

Geordo: What a curious thing to ask. This is my fiancée's house, so there is nothing strange about me being here.

When I replied this while trying to sound as normal as possible, Alan gave me an even sterner look.

Alan: Urgh… Anyway, I'm having a contest with her today, so don't get in our way.

Hearing Alan's words, I felt irritated. Katarina was my fiancée in the first place, so why would he take priority? He had even been monopolizing Katarina before that.

Geordo: Regarding these contests, you've been going at it so many times already but it doesn't seem like you can win, right? Don't you think that it is about time to give up?

While I was slightly irritated, my voice resounded somewhat cold. It might have been why the color on Alan's face had suddenly changed.

Alan: …No, I can't!! The contest is still on! Even I can do this! Even I…

Alan broke down badly and said this. As I was wondering what happened for him to break down so badly, Katarina opened her mouth.

Katarina: …Umm, Prince Alan! If it is alright with you, how about we change the type of contest? If we keep on climbing trees, Mother will end up finding out about it and get furious at me.

After hearing her voice, Alan looked back at Katarina. He had quickly regained his composure. I had a feeling that it was coming too late for various reasons.

Then, as per Katarina's suggestion, the tree-climbing contest was changed into a piano contest, and they moved to another room. Of course, I went with them.

First, Katarina played an etude for children. She made several little mistakes but she still could play the tune to the end. Until now I had only seen her thrusting her hoe into her fields, climbing trees, or fishing, so I was honestly surprised that Katarina could play piano. I was so sure that she couldn't do anything a noble daughter would do. Katarina still had many sides that I had yet to discover.

Next, Alan faced the piano and started playing. The music that he played on the piano was so beautiful that I found myself entranced by it.

Katarina: This was amazing, Prince Alan! You really play so well!

Katarina exclaimed this with sparkling eyes.

While I was feeling a tiny surge of complicated feelings after Katarina's reaction, Alan gave me a sidelong glance and said…

Alan: Not really, this is nothing special.

Alan said this. Giving such a splendid musical performance and calling it "nothing special" sounded like sarcasm to me, but his face seemed serious. The rumor that those nobles had been making Alan hear then came to mind. "The Inferior Prince". "The Incapable Prince". I realized once again that my honest younger brother was taking these malicious rumors seriously.

Katarina: It's not true. You have a wonderful talent.

Katarina insisted on it, but Alan's attitude didn't change.

Alan: I don't have anything that can be called talent.

Since his obstinacy looked somewhat painful, I also opened my mouth.

Geordo: It is just as Katarina said. It truly was splendid.

However, the moment I said this…

Alan: …You don't even mean that… Just stop with the stupid flattery! You're just making fun of me because you consider me a failure who can't do anything, right?

He said this and then stormed out of the room. While astonished by the sudden development, I figured that someone should probably go after Alan, but Katarina was faster. She had for some reason rolled up her skirt and gone after Alan at full speed. Why? Why would Katarina go after Alan now…? As I was even more dumbfounded, I completely got a late start. I recovered after a little while and finally went after them.

Today, because I had properly faced Alan for the first time, I had realized that, during all this time, Alan had been more upset than I thought. It was because of that situation that upon seeing me he would always make a stern face and leave. However… Maybe the turmoil in his heart was getting better. This was the feeling that I had. That is, because the Alan that I had seen before at the Claes household looked so cheerful. He had a smile, and also a relaxed expression, that I had never seen at the castle. Also, the one who had gone after Alan earlier was Katarina. If she went after him, I had the feeling that things would be alright. Katarina had probably just gone after Alan without much thought, but even so, I believed that she would surely be able to do something about the turmoil of Alan's heart, even if only a little. Just like she had melted my frozen heart.

Though, as her fiancé, I found this highly unamusing. I also greatly feared that she would not only do something about it, but also make him feel unnecessary emotions. I didn't want any more unnecessary rivals. I quickened my pace and searched for their whereabouts. Come to think of it, I had heard that Alan was coming here to challenge Katarina to a tree-climbing duel. In that case, there was a high chance that the place where he would run to on the spur of the moment, would be a place that he was familiar with. Considering this, I headed towards the area where the two had been climbing trees.

Then, the moment I arrived in the vicinity, something fell in front of my eyes. At first glance, it had a shape similar to that thing that I could not handle at all, so without thinking…

Geordo: Uwah?!

…I raised my voice and jumped. However, after I paused a little and looked at it calmly, it was some kind of toy made out of paper or something. ...Someone in the Claes household who would make this kind of toy and even throw it at me… There was only one person.

I headed towards the bushes in the direction from which the toy had come flying. When I looked at the other side of the bushes, Katarina was telling Alan something with an awfully triumphant look. Based on the current situation, I knew that it could only be something stupid. Honestly, knowing my fiancée, she needed a good scolding for this. I made a little sigh.

Geordo: Katarina. You look quite in good spirits, did something happen?

Katarina: …Pr-Prince Geordo…

Katarina's face twitched. Even she seemed to know that she would get scolded for what she had done just now.

Geordo: The two of you still wouldn't come back after you went after Alan, so I came here out of worry, and then… This… What in the world could it be?

After I said this, I held up in front of Katarina the snake-like toy that I was grasping.

Katarina: Ah, umm, this is…

Katarina said this and looked away. She seemed to be thinking hard for an excuse. Katarina's panicked expression felt somewhat new to me, so I intensified my black smile.

Geordo: Katarina, you turned nine last month, did you not?

Katarina: …Yes.

Geordo: A noble daughter from a ducal family who had already turned nine wouldn't possibly throw such a toy at her own fiancé, would she?

Katarina: …Uuuh…

Katarina had a downhearted expression, like it was all over for her. I felt a little sorry looking at her, but still… I had no intention of forgiving what she did here today. If she pulled something similar on me ever again, I would clearly not appreciate it, so I needed her to thoroughly reflect on this matter. And to that end, I needed the help of someone who could make Katarina reflect on this.

Geordo: Come to think of it, I haven't seen Duchess Claes today, how is she doing?

When I brought this up, Katarina gave me a confused look and replied this.

Katarina: …Ah, she should be having tea with Keith.

Katarina didn't seem to have realized my intention at all. I continued with…

Geordo: Is that so? Then I really should pay my respects to her. I would love to tell Duchess Claes about your tree-climbing contests with Alan, and about your throwing toys at people for fun as well.

After I told her this, Katarina was in great panic. After I had quickly started walking, she desperately went after me and begged me to stop. Of course, I had no intention to listen to her. Then, as I was walking, I could hear a voice from behind. When I looked back a little bit, Alan was laughing with his mouth wide open. Looking at my younger brother laughing like that, I somehow felt a little relieved.

After I had revealed everything to Duchess Claes, Katarina got dragged to the Duchess's room. Since we were left alone, Alan and I returned to the castle. After we had arrived at the castle, Alan, who seemed to have been relieved from a curse, spoke to me.

Alan: So even you have things that you are bad with.

With these words, I remembered that Alan had also seen my upset look at that time.

Geordo: I am not really bad with them, it's just that I don't like them much.

After I replied this, Alan was a little wide-eyed, and then…

Alan: I thought that there was nothing you were bad with, and nothing that you couldn't do.

…he said. What kind of superhuman did he imagine I was? I felt a little shocked inside.

Geordo: I can't say about things that I am bad with, but there are things that I can't do.

Alan: Like what?

Geordo: Like predicting Katarina Claes's actions, for example.

When I wryly said this, Alan also made a wry smile.

Alan: …That's… for sure…

It was about the first time that I was talking with Alan without him grimacing. Now that I had talked to him, my younger brother was honest and quite likable. Still… Even though he was smiling (probably after recalling Katarina since we had just talked about her), I had a bad feeling about this. So I tentatively…

Geordo: Come to think of it, in the end, you couldn't settle your contests with Katarina today either. Are you planning on going there again to challenge her?

After I had asked this…

Alan: Hmm… Well… I think I'm good.

Because he gave me this reply, I pursued the matter.

Geordo: Then you won't meet her at the Claes household anymore, right?

Alan: Eh?! Why's that?

Alan's face turned into a blank expression. He didn't seem to have understood what I was getting at.

Geordo: "Why"? Because if your contests are over, then there's no need for you to go there.

Alan: …Well, that's true, but…

As Alan looked reluctant, he may have understood that I was asking him whether he wanted to go to the Claes household to see Katarina even if he had no business there. I probably needed to remind him of this.

Geordo: She is my fiancée, you know?

I looked straight at Alan and clearly said this. But Alan seemed to be quite dense, just like Katarina. He only made a confused face showing that he didn't understand the meaning behind my words.

Geordo: No self-awareness, huh? But I have absolutely no intention of handing her over.

I had found her first, and she was someone special, the first person that I didn't feel like handing over to anyone. Not to my brother or anyone, I will never hand her over.

After I had declared this, I returned to my room. Then afterwards, I seriously pondered how I could make Katarina mine.

In the end, Alan had kept on visiting the Claes household even after his contest with Katarina was over, and his feelings towards her seemed to be growing. But luckily, my dense younger brother hadn't realized his own feelings. Though, I had been manipulating him so that he would remain that way. Also, not only at the Claes household, he had also come to talk to me normally at the castle. It was mostly due to Katarina who was our common discussion topic. Even so, the day had come where I could talk and laugh with Alan normally. It truly was a joyful thing.

Today too, we had returned home from the Claes household together, had a nice little chat about Katarina's delightful look today, and right after we had parted ways… the grinning Jeffrey who was watching… no peeping at us for who knows long, appeared before me.

Jeffrey: So you get along with Alan now!

Geordo: …I wouldn't say that we get along, but we have come to talk more than before.

I replied this in a slightly curt way. I couldn't warm up to this older brother of mine.

Jeffrey: I see, then it's great!

My older brother didn’t particularly ask for details on what happened, he just nodded happily. He must have been worried about my and Alan's poor relationship. Even though I myself had been mostly unconcerned by it… Somehow, I felt a surge of quite an indescribable feeling, and before I knew it…

Geordo: …Thank you for worrying about me.

Such words ended up slipping out of my mouth. I reflexively covered my mouth.

Katarina: Umm, rather than being honest, it is just that my feelings end up slipping out of my mouth.

What Katarina told me before came into mind. This must have been a case of feelings slipping out of my mouth. No, this was far too unlike me. Quite an indescribable bashfulness assailed me. My face had most likely become red. For a while, I waited for a reaction from Jeffrey without looking at him, but since no reaction had come, I shyly looked at him, and… My older brother was smiling with a happy face that I had never seen before.

#hamefura light novel #hamefura #bakarina #my next life as a villainess: all routes leads to doom #geordo stuart #alan stuart #katarina claes #Jeffrey Stuart

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