#i loved him in 4.0 but he honestly shot up the ranks now to being one of my favorite genshin characters of all time

[aphel1on]

neuvillette's lore is actually insane. we all took one look at him and went "haha dragon🫵" but i significantly underestimated how big of a role he would play. he's the incarnation of the original hydro sovereign. he took back his rule right under the heavenly principles' nose. he's the one handing out hydro visions now (not even because he has to, he doesn't, he just grew so fond of humanity that he chooses to). he gave away the hydro gnosis bc he straight up doesn't need it. he's planning to DETHRONE ALL OF THE ARCHONS (in a few hundred years, when the traveler's not around to see it, so it won't be awkward for them). he's kind and soft-spoken. he's full of vengeful rage. he's a father to hundreds. he found his purpose after feeling lost for 500 years. skirk pulled him aside for a super-secret convo and when he saw us again he immediately spilled the tea. as far as i can tell, he spawned into existence fully formed. no other character can fucking compare

#neuvillette #genshin impact #4.2 #genshin spoilers #aphelion.txt #SORRY BUT I FINALLY FINISHED THE AQs TODAY AND IM IN MY FUCKING FEELS #by all rights he should've hated focalors- the thief of the hydro sovereignty- the most. #he cried when she sacrificed herself in front of him. #he is so gentle. i think he does feel genuine indignance and anger over what happened to the dragons #but he mostly talks about the eventual judgment as if it's something he must do out of obligation and duty #i loved him in 4.0 but he honestly shot up the ranks now to being one of my favorite genshin characters of all time #i'm still in awe at how he and focalors completely defied the heavenly principles and WON. #barring some big plot twist in future updates they fucking WON. #any victory against the heavenly principles that we've seen in the story so far has been pyrrhic at best #this is the sort of thing i'd think would usually cause them to nuke fontaine with a heavenly needle #(lol that would be a devastating one-off fanfic for someone to write) #but anyway focalors most bamf god of teyvat fr #and neuvi her accomplice my special guy

[yourobedientslytherin]

The Upper Hand: Jefferson x Reader {Part 4}

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 

Hamilton - Modern AU (Law School)

Jefferson x Reader

1907 words

Part 4 is here!! As you can probably tell, I write too much (some may even say non-stop!). So there will probably be 3-4 more parts before this story concludes. Enjoy Part 4 of The Upper Hand. 

Nearly fifty drunk and rambunctious law students are crammed into Angelica and Peggy Schuyler’s apartment, mingling and dancing to loud RnB music playing through Hercules Mulligan’s borrowed speakers. The HamilSquad has started a rap-off in the living room, which has drawn quite a large crowd as Hamilton and Lafayette go toe to toe. In the junction between the entryway and the hallway to the bedrooms, Thomas and James laugh at Aaron Burr’s reenactment of Hamilton and Samuel Seabury’s debate in Washington’s class earlier that week.

As Burr delivers the punchline, Thomas finds Y/N in the crowd. She’s leaning against the counter in the kitchen, holding a red Solo cup in one hand. He watches her chat animatedly with Angelica, finding himself smiling with her when she laughs at her own joke.

Nudging Thomas with his elbow, James clears his throat. “T, are you listening?”

“What? Uh, yeah.” He tears his eyes from Y/N and grins at Burr. “Funny.”

“Hey,” James says quietly, moving Thomas discreetly away from Burr. “Is there something going on that I should know about?”

“No! Why would you think that anything is going on between me and Y/N?” He knows James can see through his fake indifference, but that just makes him fight even harder to keep up appearances.

“Thomas, I’m your best friend. Let’s be honest with each other. She’s been over a couple times—”

“We’ve just been working on our project.”

“Sure. I get that. But it’s gotten weird. You cleaned the apartment; you never do that. And one time you baked cookies. Don’t try to deny it, T. I saw the frozen premade dough wrapper in the trash.”

Thomas rubs the back of his neck roughly. “I just wanted cookies, James. What’s wrong with that? And the apartment was a disaster, honestly. I was doing a public service.”

James merely raises an eyebrow and takes a sip from his cup.

“Seriously! There’s nothing going on between us.”

Incredulous silence.

“I’ll prove it to you right now.”

Thomas pushes his drink into James’ hands and walks over to Y/N and Angelica. When he gets within earshot, he hears Y/N laughing and a pang of regret at what he’s about to do goes through his chest. She tugs at her silky blue dress and grins at Angelica.

“Oh, thanks. It was a gift!”

Her dress hugs her waist and hips, highlighting her hourglass figure, and Thomas, not for the first time, notices how in shape she is. Her hair hangs down her back in loose ringlets. She really is stunning, he realizes.

The subject of her and Angelica’s conversation is wrapped around Y/N’s fingers: a thin silver necklace with some sort of pendant hanging off the end. It looks expensive, something a woman wouldn’t buy for herself. Does she have a boyfriend?

He sees James in the corner of his eyes, standing with his arms crossed and incredulous expression. Thomas clears his throat and steps into Angelica and Y/N’s conversation.

“Where’d you get the bling, Y/N?” he asks, the pang of jealousy that rips through his chest making it easier for him to speak harshly to her. “That looks too expensive for you.”

She looks up at him in shock and disbelief. He can tell by the way her face flushes that he has awoken that infamous temper of hers. “No, Jefferson, it was just a gift from a friend.”

“Did you find yourself a sugar daddy? That would explain how you’re paying your way through school. I doubt that any guys interested in you could be able to afford such an expensive piece of jewelry.” He takes a step closer to highlight their height difference, staring down at her with practiced scorn. “And, yes, I am insinuating that the only guys you could get would be farmers.”

He thought that she would shoot back an insult as powerful his, that somehow her power to hurt him back would soothe his conscience. But the expression on her face—betrayal, hurt, sadness—makes him regret his actions even more. He frowns, confused. Did she think they were friends? Something more? Did he actually have a shot with her? Oh, shit. What have I done?

Her face crumples into a sob, and she pushes past him.

“Wait, Y/N!” he calls out after her, his fingers skimming her elbow.

She looks up at him through her tears and shakes her head, disappointed. Then she disappears into the crowd.

“Nice, Jefferson,” Angelica says. “You’re such a dick.”

She leaves as well, leaving Thomas standing alone at the party. He presses his fingertips to his temples and lets out a long sigh. Her look of disappointment triggered something in his subconscious. Where is this guilt coming from? This feeling of loss? Does he have feelings for her?

“You really showed me.” James appears over Thomas’ shoulder and hands him a much-needed drink. “If I ever thought you had feelings for her, that little performance of yours proved that you didn’t.”

Thomas silently grips his red Solo cup and stares at the beer inside.

“No man who loves a woman would treat her as terribly as you just did.”

“I get it, Madison,” Thomas mutters through gritted teeth. “Ugh, what do I do?”

“Go talk to her, T. She deserves to hear an apology from you.”

Thomas nods in agreement and rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “So you’re okay with this? With me being friends with her?”

“I’m surprised, definitely,” James admits calmly. “But I’m cool with you being friends with her, or more, if she doesn’t hate you forever after this stunt you just pulled.”

His taller friend winces at the memory and claps him on the back. “Thanks, Madison. You’re a pretty good friend.”

“Only pretty good?”

“You knew that I had feelings for her. A great friend would’ve stopped me from insulting her.”

“I just thought you’d admit your feelings to me, T. You did the rest all on your own. Now go get her. You’re just wasting time with me.”

“Thanks, man.”

Thomas finds her in one of the bedrooms, sitting on the edge of the neatly made bed. Her elbows rest on her knees as she stares at the floor. He closes the door behind him and quietly walks up to her. She sniffles and swipes at the wetness on her cheeks, looking up far enough to recognize his magenta blazer before settling her eyes on Angelica’s bookshelves.

He stands awkwardly to her right, heart beating wildly as he tries to think of a way to apologize properly.

“I don’t belong here,” she murmurs into her hand.

He frowns. “Um, no, I guess you don’t. This is Angelica’s room.”

“No, Jefferson. I mean I don’t belong here at law school. No matter how much I try to reinvent myself, I will always be that little farm girl from Nebraska.”

Fearing that he will sound cheesy or insincere if he says anything in consolation, Thomas silently takes a seat next to her on the bed, making sure there is adequate space between them, and listens as she elaborates.

“Nobody in my family has gone to college, much less grad school. I’m the first one. They all said I couldn’t do it, that I was dreaming too big and should stick to what I know—farming. Not even my own parents believed in me. I worked my ass off in high school and got a full-ride to Nebraska State University in Lincoln. But even when I graduated with honors and a 4.0 they never said ‘good job’ or that they were proud of me.”

She looks up at him with tears in her eyes, and he puts an arm around her. He remembers all the times his parents have praised him for less-than-stellar achievements. He got prizes for participation and being average. And yet, Y/N worked her ass off all those years and never got any words of encouragement from her family. Leaning into his embrace, she sniffles and weakly laughs.

“When I came here, I hoped that I could ignore my humble beginnings and be known for my hard work and knowledge. But I told someone about my past, and soon everyone knew. They judge me based on my background. Like my parents’ success somehow determines the maximum of my potential.”

“Every time I made a joke about Nebraska or being a farm girl or your grades I reminded you that you’d never be good enough.”

She nods, and his heart breaks a little.

“Y/N,” he says after a moment of silence between the two, “I didn’t realize that my words affected you so much. I was cruel and insensitive and there is no excuse for how I treated you. I think that when I met you, I saw that you had all the characteristics of a great lawyer—tenacity, hard work, loyalty, compassion—and I realized that you’d make a better lawyer than me. I’ve gotten through life by coasting on my reputation, good looks, and money, but you actually deserve what you have, plus much more. You earned your grades and your class ranking. You are amazing and kind and brave and loyal and don’t take shit from anyone. I respect that.”

When she pulls away, he panics, thinking that she’s going to yell at him for his actions. Instead, she looks him in the eyes, and whispers a simple “Thank you, Thomas.”

A tear courses down her cheek. He wipes it away with the pad of his thumb, tenderly cupping her cheek in his hand. Her eyes close, and he has an opportunity to look at her up close, to really study her. The slope of her nose, the her damp eyelashes, the indent above her rose-colored lips. She looks so vulnerable and innocent; he has the sudden urge to kiss her.

His hand drifts back to the back of her head, his fingertips dangling in her curls. Her lips part slightly as her breathing shallows. His eyes close as he leans closer, his pulse quickening in anticipation of contact that never comes.

There’s a crisp knock on the door, and the two fly apart, hearts racing.

“Lafayette! You in there?”

“No!” Thomas answers, gritting his teeth.

The person on the other side of the door walks away. Y/N and Thomas sit in awkward silence. She smoothes her skirt and fixes her hair. Thomas runs a hand through his hair and grimaces.

“It’s probably—” “We shouldn’t—”

They both speak at once and laugh.

“You first,” she says.

“I was gonna say that it’s probably good that that person interrupted us,” Thomas says.

She frowns. “You don’t want to kiss me?”

“No! I did. I do! But not here. Not like this.”

“What’s wrong with here?”

“It’s, uh, Angelica’s bedroom, for one. And you’re emotionally vulnerable right now. I don’t want to take advantage of you. Let me take you out on a date!”

She stares at him, her expression unreadable. His mind goes into hyper-drive, wondering what he said that was wrong. “That is, if you want to,” he rambles nervously. “I don’t even know if you like me. I mean, I just insulted you, like, half an hour ago. There’s no pressure at all. I just think you’re cute and nice and you get me mad a lot, which for some strange reason I like. And I—”

“Thomas!”

“Yeah?”

“I’d love to.”  

#hamilton #thomas jefferson #thomas jefferson x reader #the upper hand