#we're getting closer pals

[abernant]

thank u lesbianism 4 getting me in2 undertale never couldve done it without you

#got into it 2 get closer 2 a girl . girl was DEEPLY in love w sans & i subsequently hated him weve made our peace now we're pals #NOT the girl i mean sans undertale . the girl caused me perhaps the most acute + prolonged mental distress of my life

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Greenwashing set Canada on fire

On September 22, I'm (virtually) presenting at the DIG Festival in Modena, Italy. On September 27, I'll be at Chevalier's Books in Los Angeles with Brian Merchant for a joint launch for my new book The Internet Con and his new book, Blood in the Machine.

As a teenager growing up in Ontario, I always envied the kids who spent their summers tree planting; they'd come back from the bush in September, insect-chewed and leathery, with new muscle, incredible stories, thousands of dollars, and a glow imparted by the knowledge that they'd made a new forest with their own blistered hands.

I was too unathletic to follow them into the bush, but I spent my summers doing my bit, ringing doorbells for Greenpeace to get my neighbours fired up about the Canadian pulp-and-paper industry, which wasn't merely clear-cutting our old-growth forests – it was also poisoning the Great Lakes system with PCBs, threatening us all.

At the time, I thought of tree-planting as a small victory – sure, our homegrown, rapacious, extractive industry was able to pollute with impunity, but at least the government had reined them in on forests, forcing them to pay my pals to spend their summers replacing the forests they'd fed into their mills.

I was wrong. Last summer's Canadian wildfires blanketed the whole east coast and midwest in choking smoke as millions of trees burned and millions of tons of CO2 were sent into the atmosphere. Those wildfires weren't just an effect of the climate emergency: they were made far worse by all those trees planted by my pals in the eighties and nineties.

Writing in the New York Times, novelist Claire Cameron describes her own teen years working in the bush, planting row after row of black spruces, precisely spaced at six-foot intervals:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/15/opinion/wildfires-treeplanting-timebomb.html

Cameron's summer job was funded by the logging industry, whose self-pegulated, self-assigned "penalty" for clearcutting diverse forests of spruce, pine and aspen was to pay teenagers to create a tree farm, at nine cents per sapling (minus camp costs).

Black spruces are made to burn, filled with flammable sap and equipped with resin-filled cones that rely on fire, only opening and dropping seeds when they're heated. They're so flammable that firefighters call them "gas on a stick."

Cameron and her friends planted under brutal conditions: working long hours in blowlamp heat and dripping wet bulb humidity, amidst clouds of stinging insects, fingers blistered and muscles aching. But when they hit rock bottom and were ready to quit, they'd encourage one another with a rallying cry: "Let's go make a forest!"

Planting neat rows of black spruces was great for the logging industry: the even spacing guaranteed that when the trees matured, they could be easily reaped, with ample space between each near-identical tree for massive shears to operate. But that same monocropped, evenly spaced "forest" was also optimized to burn.

It burned.

The climate emergency's frequent droughts turn black spruces into "something closer to a blowtorch." The "pines in lines" approach to reforesting was an act of sabotage, not remediation. Black spruces are thirsty, and they absorb the water that moss needs to thrive, producing "kindling in the place of fire retardant."

Cameron's column concludes with this heartbreaking line: "Now when I think of that summer, I don’t think that I was planting trees at all. I was planting thousands of blowtorches a day."

The logging industry committed a triple crime. First, they stole our old-growth forests. Next, they (literally) planted a time-bomb across Ontario's north. Finally, they stole the idealism of people who genuinely cared about the environment. They taught a generation that resistance is futile, that anything you do to make a better future is a scam, and you're a sucker for falling for it. They planted nihilism with every tree.

That scam never ended. Today, we're sold carbon offsets, a modern Papal indulgence. We are told that if we pay the finance sector, they can absolve us for our climate sins. Carbon offsets are a scam, a market for lemons. The "offset" you buy might be a generated by a fake charity like the Nature Conservancy, who use well-intentioned donations to buy up wildlife reserves that can't be logged, which are then converted into carbon credits by promising not to log them:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/12/12/fairy-use-tale/#greenwashing

The credit-card company that promises to plant trees every time you use your card? They combine false promises, deceptive advertising, and legal threats against critics to convince you that you're saving the planet by shopping:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/11/17/do-well-do-good-do-nothing/#greenwashing

The carbon offset world is full of scams. The carbon offset that made the thing you bought into a "net zero" product? It might be a forest that already burned:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/11/a-market-for-flaming-lemons/#money-for-nothing

The only reason we have carbon offsets is that market cultists have spent forty years convincing us that actual regulation is impossible. In the neoliberal learned helplessness mind-palace, there's no way to simply say, "You may not log old-growth forests." Rather, we have to say, "We will 'align your incentives' by making you replace those forests."

The Climate Ad Project's "Murder Offsets" video deftly punctures this bubble. In it, a detective points his finger at the man who committed the locked-room murder in the isolated mansion. The murderer cheerfully admits that he did it, but produces a "murder offset," which allowed him to pay someone else not to commit a murder, using market-based price-discovery mechanisms to put a dollar-figure on the true worth of a murder, which he duly paid, making his kill absolutely fine:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/14/for-sale-green-indulgences/#killer-analogy

What's the alternative to murder offsets/carbon credits? We could ask our expert regulators to decide which carbon intensive activities are necessary and which ones aren't, and ban the unnecessary ones. We could ask those regulators to devise remediation programs that actually work. After all, there are plenty of forests that have already been clearcut, plenty that have burned. It would be nice to know how we can plant new forests there that aren't "thousands of blowtorches."

If that sounds implausible to you, then you've gotten trapped in the neoliberal mind-palace.

The term "regulatory capture" was popularized by far-right Chicago School economists who were promoting "public choice theory." In their telling, regulatory capture is inevitable, because companies will spend whatever it takes to get the government to pass laws making what they do legal, and making competing with them into a crime:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/13/public-choice/#ajit-pai-still-terrible

This is true, as far as it goes. Capitalists hate capitalism, and if an "entrepreneur" can make it illegal to compete with him, he will. But while this is a reasonable starting-point, the place that Public Choice Theory weirdos get to next is bonkers. They say that since corporations will always seek to capture their regulators, we should abolish regulators.

They say that it's impossible for good regulations to exist, and therefore the only regulation that is even possible is to let businesses do whatever they want and wait for the invisible hand to sweep away the bad companies. Rather than creating hand-washing rules for restaurant kitchens, we should let restaurateurs decide whether it's economically rational to make us shit ourselves to death. The ones that choose poorly will get bad online reviews and people will "vote with their dollars" for the good restaurants.

And if the online review site decides to sell "reputation management" to restaurants that get bad reviews? Well, soon the public will learn that the review site can't be trusted and they'll take their business elsewhere. No regulation needed! Unleash the innovators! Set the job-creators free!

This is the Ur-nihilism from which all the other nihilism springs. It contends that the regulations we have – the ones that keep our buildings from falling down on our heads, that keep our groceries from poisoning us, that keep our cars from exploding on impact – are either illusory, or perhaps the forgotten art of a lost civilization. Making good regulations is like embalming Pharaohs, something the ancients practiced in mist-shrouded, unrecoverable antiquity – and that may not have happened at all.

Regulation is corruptible, but it need not be corrupt. Regulation, like science, is a process of neutrally adjudicated, adversarial peer-review. In a robust regulatory process, multiple parties respond to a fact-intensive question – "what alloys and other properties make a reinforced steel joist structurally sound?" – with a mix of robust evidence and self-serving bullshit and then proceed to sort the two by pantsing each other, pointing out one another's lies.

The regulator, an independent expert with no conflicts of interest, sorts through the claims and counterclaims and makes a rule, showing their workings and leaving the door open to revisiting the rule based on new evidence or challenges to the evidence presented.

But when an industry becomes concentrated, it becomes unregulatable. 100 small and medium-sized companies will squabble. They'll struggle to come up with a common lie. There will always be defectors in their midst. Their conduct will be legible to external experts, who will be able to spot the self-serving BS.

But let that industry dwindle to a handful of giant companies, let them shrink to a number that will fit around a boardroom table, and they will sit down at a table and agree on a cozy arrangement that fucks us all over to their benefit. They will become so inbred that the only people who understand how they work will be their own insiders, and so top regulators will be drawn from their own number and be hopelessly conflicted.

When the corporate sector takes over, regulatory capture is inevitable. But corporate takeover isn't inevitable. We can – and have, and will again – fight corporate power, with antitrust law, with unions, and with consumer rights groups. Knowing things is possible. It simply requires that we keep the entities that profit by our confusion poor and thus weak.

The thing is, corporations don't always lie about regulations. Take the fight over working encryption, which – once again – the UK government is trying to ban:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/24/signal-app-warns-it-will-quit-uk-if-law-weakens-end-to-end-encryption

Advocates for criminalising working encryption insist that the claims that this is impossible are the same kind of self-serving nonsense as claims that banning clearcutting of old-growth forests is impossible:

https://twitter.com/JimBethell/status/1699339739042599276

They say that when technologists say, "We can't make an encryption system that keeps bad guys out but lets good guys in," that they are being lazy and unimaginative. "I have faith in you geeks," they said. "Go nerd harder! You'll figure it out."

Google and Apple and Meta say that selectively breakable encryption is impossible. But they also claim that a bunch of eminently possible things are impossible. Apple claims that it's impossible to have a secure device where you get to decide which software you want to use and where publishers aren't deprive of 30 cents on every dollar you spend. Google says it's impossible to search the web without being comprehensively, nonconsensually spied upon from asshole to appetite. Meta insists that it's impossible to have digital social relationship without having your friendships surveilled and commodified.

While they're not lying about encryption, they are lying about these other things, and sorting out the lies from the truth is the job of regulators, but that job is nearly impossible thanks to the fact that everyone who runs a large online service tells the same lies – and the regulators themselves are alumni of the industry's upper eschelons.

Logging companies know a lot about forests. When we ask, "What is the best way to remediate our forests," the companies may well have useful things to say. But those useful things will be mixed with actively harmful lies. The carefully cultivated incompetence of our regulators means that they can't tell the difference.

Conspiratorialism is characterized as a problem of what people believe, but the true roots of conspiracy belief isn't what we believe, it's how we decide what to believe. It's not beliefs, it's epistemology.

Because most of us aren't qualified to sort good reforesting programs from bad ones. And even if we are, we're probably not also well-versed enough in cryptography to sort credible claims about encryption from wishful thinking. And even if we're capable of making that determination, we're not experts in food hygiene or structural engineering.

Daily life in the 21st century means resolving a thousand life-or-death technical questions every day. Our regulators – corrupted by literally out-of-control corporations – are no longer reliable sources of ground truth on these questions. The resulting epistemological chaos is a cancer that gnaws away at our resolve to do anything about it. It is a festering pool where nihilism outbreaks are incubated.

The liberal response to conspiratorialism is mockery. In her new book Doppelganger, Naomi Klein tells of how right-wing surveillance fearmongering about QR-code "vaccine passports" was dismissed with a glib, "Wait until they hear about cellphones!"

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/05/not-that-naomi/#if-the-naomi-be-klein-youre-doing-just-fine

But as Klein points out, it's not good that our cellphones invade our privacy in the way that right-wing conspiracists thought that vaccine passports might. The nihilism of liberalism – which insists that things can't be changed except through market "solutions" – leads us to despair.

By contrast, leftism – a muscular belief in democratic, publicly run planning and action – offers a tonic to nihilism. We don't have to let logging companies decide whether a forest can be cut, or what should be planted when it is. We can have nice things. The art of finding out what's true or prudent didn't die with the Reagan Revolution (or the discount Canadian version, the Mulroney Malaise). The truth is knowable. Doing stuff is possible. Things don't have to be on fire.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/16/murder-offsets/#pulped-and-papered

#pluralistic #logging #pulp and paper #ontario #greenwashing #a market for lemons #incentives matter #capitalism #late-stage capitalism #climate emergency #wildfires #canada #canpoli #ontpoli #carbon offsets #self-regulation #nerd harder #epistemological chaos #regulatory capture #Claire Cameron #pines in lines

[fafnir19]

Contagious fuckboy charm

Under the vibrant sunlight of Hamburg, the street cafe buzzed with life. Leonhard parked his old bike, clad in his trusty yellow safety vest, displaying his dedication to safety.

Sandrina, elegant in her classic attire, exuded confidence with her long blond hair catching the light. "Hey, Lenny! You made it!" Sandrina beamed, sliding into the chair opposite him.

Leonhard chuckled, "Wouldn't miss our coffee catch-up, Sandrina." They shared a laugh, their banter flowing easily like a familiar tune. Leonhard's eyes wandered to a trendy bar across the street, where stylish men with goatees paraded. "Look at those fuckboys strutting around," Leonhard teased. Sandrina joined in, "They're multiplying like rabbits. Let's hope it's not contagious." Leonhard chuckled, "Hopefully the fuckboy epidemic won't spread here."

As the hours unfolded, their playful ribbing continued, the easy camaraderie between them palpable. But as Sandrina's phone pinged with a work email, she sighed reluctantly. "I hate to cut this short, but duty calls. See you soon, Leonhard," Sandrina said, planting a quick kiss on his cheek before hurrying off. Leonhard watched her go, a fond smile tugging at his lips before turning his attention back to his coffee. Left alone, Leonhard awaited the bill, musing over the eccentricities of the day. Suddenly, a cocky guy swaggered over from the bar across the street, introducing himself as Ronny. "Hey there, buddy!" Ronny boomed, extending a hand towards Leonhard. "I gotta say, you've got yourself a hot girlfriend there. Lucky you!" Ronny remarked, eyeing Sandrina's retreating form. Leonhard raised an eyebrow, taken aback by the unexpected compliment and shook his head with a chuckle. "Oh, Sandrina? She's just a friend, actually." Ronny's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Just a friend? No way, man. A nerd like you must be getting some action on the side, right?"

Leonhard's patience wavered as Ronny continued with his condescending remarks. "We're really just friends, Ronny. Nothing more." A smirk played on Ronny's lips as he leaned in closer. "Come on, buddy. Friendship between a man and a woman? That's a load of crap. You're probably just too shy to seal the deal!” Leonhard clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. The nerve of this guy. How could he be so ignorant? Leonhard felt a mix of frustration and embarrassment bubble inside him. He searched for a way to gracefully end this absurd conversation, his thoughts racing as he battled to maintain his composure. Before Leonhard could muster a response, Ronny's tone shifted dramatically. "I know what you need, pal. You need to get laid, and I'm just the guy to help you out!" With a sudden exclamation of "No homo!" Ronny leaned in and pressed his lips forcefully against Leonhard's, his beard scratching against Leonhard's skin. A surge of energy surged through Leonhard, electrifying his senses and setting his skin ablaze with a tingling sensation. It felt like a storm of sensations, a clash of conflicting desires waging war within his very being. His heartbeat quickened, each pulse a drumbeat of transformation reverberating throughout his body. He felt his vest melting away, replaced by a sleek race-cycling outfit that hugged his newfound athletic physique. His old bike transformed into a sleek racing machine, the embodiment of speed and adrenaline. Suddenly, a surge of heat erupted from deep within Leonhard, a primal force awakening with a raw intensity he had never experienced before. A wave of desire crashed over him, engulfing his senses in a whirlpool of lust and longing. His body responded, betraying him with a throbbing ache that pulsed with a need he couldn't deny. A tingling sensation spread through his body as a goatee sprouted on his face, mirroring Ronny's signature style.

Leonhard sat there, dazed and bewildered, as the truth dawned upon him like a blazing sunrise. He stood up in disbelief, now resembling the very image of a stereotypical fuckboy. He had been reborn, no longer the nerdy Leonhard but a transformed entity – Lenny, the fuckboy extraordinaire. His mind reeled, consumed by a singular desire. "I have to... I have to get laid," he muttered, his thoughts clouded by newfound impulses. As he bid farewell to Ronny, who now called him "Lenny," Leonhard embarked on a journey of self-discovery and newfound confidence.

The nerdy Leonhard was no more, replaced by the embodiment of a true fuckboy. The streets of Hamburg whispered tales of a transformation unlike any other, as Lenny set his sights on a new goal: seducing the irresistible Sandrina.

#male tf #male transformation #personality change #musclegrowth #fuckboy tf #fuckboys

[free-chozo-hrt]

Let's talk about the retconned lore from Metroid Prime

Way back in 2002, Metroid Prime was released for Gamecube in the United States. Play through the game, and you'll eventually reach the final boss, who is also named metroid prime! But just who is metroid prime? Well, the original release of the game had quite a lot of things to say about the final boss! There were space pirate logs that detail how the creature came to appear in its final state. You get to read about the formidable beast, and how the pirates tried and failed to keep it contained. Eventually, you get to have a showdown with this terrifying creature you've heard so much about.

A couple months later, the game released in Europe, and several of the pirate log entries were completely revised, scrubbing away most mentions of metroid prime. The creature was no longer built up as a villain, but only mentioned in passing and left largely mysterious until the final encounter. These changes would persist for subsequent versions of the game, and the original NTSC logs would not be acknowledged again.

What happened? Why did they change so much in the PAL version? Well, let's start by taking a closer look at the log entries we're not supposed to see. The following log entries are courtesy of the independent Metroid Wiki, and you can read all the old and new logs there.

The retconned logs

The following logs are all from the NTSC version of the game, and none of them appear in subsequent versions.

Pirate Data: "Metroid Prime" Test subject Z-d, hereafter referred to as Metroid Prime, was recently discovered in a cavern by mining crews. It quickly dispatched the miners, but was eventually contained by security units and drones. Once contained, we were able to begin studies upon Metroid Prime. The results have been astonishing. It is genetically similar to a Metroid, albeit on a high evolved level. It displays a limitless capacity for Phazon infusion and shows no Phazon-based degeneration whatsoever. It continues to grow in size, and while it has manifested some psychotic behavior, the cold field we use to pacify remain effective. Authorization for advanced studies on Metroid Prime have been approved.

This entry describes how the pirates chanced upon metroid prime and managed to capture it. It likely looked very different at this point in time, since they were able to subdue it and still had a lot of growing to do. They decide to keep it as a research subject.

Pirate Data: "Prime Breach" Subject Metroid Prime's breach has been contained. Reports indicate that it sensed a large batch of raw Phazon in the lab from within its stasis tank and broke through the glass, using previously unsuspected strength. Besides consuming all of the Phazon, Metroid Prime assimilated several weapons and defense systems from fallen security units. It has suffered no ill effect from said assimilation: indeed, it began to use its newly acquired weapons against us. Once we pacified it, we were unable to remove the assimilated gear without threat to Metroid Prime — the gear is now an integral part of its body. Command is intrigued by this newfound ability, and has ordered further study to commence at once.

This entry describes an incident where metroid prime escaped containment and got a hold of some space pirate weapons. The technology was permanently melded to its body and instantly made it much more threatening. Nonetheless, they were able to contain the creature for further study.

Pirate Data: "Prime Mutations" Metroid Prime continues to feed and grow ever larger in the impact crater caves. Its hunger knows no bounds, and it has begun to manifest unusual mutations since its breach. These include armor plating on its epidermis and mechanical outgrowths that generate defense screens. These screens render it invulnerable to most weapon systems, but a flaw in the mutation leads to increased vulnerability to certain weapons. It compensates for this by shifting the screens quickly. This latest development concerns Security units greatly: they feel it's a matter of time before Metroid Prime corrects this defect and renders itself invulnerable to all weaponry. Containment would be nigh impossible if this were to occur.

The pirates continue to monitor metroid prime, and take note that it is only growing more powerful. It now has armor plating and defensive screens that block most types of damage, and the pirates grow anxious that it might soon become completely impervious.

Pirate Data: "Chozo Artifacts" We are particularly interested in a number of curious Chozo Artifacts we have been able to recover from a number of religious sites on Tallon IV. These relics resonate with power, and yet we are unable to harness them in any way. Science Team is attempting to fuse them together with Phazon, believing that a link might exist between them. We know that these Artifacts are linked to the Chozo Temple that block full access to the Impact Crater. We have yet to crack this enigma, however. Command grows impatient regarding this matter: results must be produced soon.

I am including this log for the sake of completeness, even though it has nothing to do with metroid prime. It was replaced with a similarly-worded log, the only difference being that the new log implies that the space pirates have no knowledge of the artifacts' locations.

What do they imply?

There's one important thing I want to point out about these logs. The story about metroid prime assimilating space pirate armor and weaponry does a lot to explain the boss's appearance and abilities. I believe it was a very intentional choice that the player encounters beam troopers earlier in the game, who are only vulnerable to one of several specific weapons, and then this mechanic is iterated upon during the battle with metroid prime. Metroid prime's design even calls back to the armor of the beam troopers.

All this to say: according to the NTSC version, the boss we encounter at the end of the game is some kind of phazon-mutated metroid that's been souped up with space pirate technology. The logs end without any conclusion to this story, so we're left to assume that metroid prime has become too powerful to be contained, so it decided to make its home in the impact crater, where it could feast on an endless supply of phazon.

I also want to note something the logs don't tell us: where the creature originated from. The space pirates simply found it in a cave during a mining operation, so its origin is left unclear.

And that brings us to the next topic...

Why were they changed?

Anyone familiar with the lore of Metroid Prime will have noticed a huge plot hole in this story. In all versions of the game, the lore entries explain how the Chozo erected an impenetrable containment field around the impact crater to slow the rate of corruption, and the space pirates have spent considerable effort trying to break through it. This leaves no explanation for how metroid prime, the creature, could have entered the impact crater after spending time in the pirates' custody. Unless it has some unexplained method of effortlessly passing through the barrier, the story told through the pirate logbooks doesn't make much sense.

In order to fix this plot hole, all of the above pirate data entries were replaced in the PAL version with completely new ones, most of which make no mention of metroid prime. The following is the only PAL log entry which makes reference to metroid prime:

Pirate Data: "Impact Crater" Investigations into a possible ingress point for the Impact Crater continue to meet with failure. The shield of strange energy that protects it is impermeable, and all attempts to tunnel past it have proved fruitless. Our continued futility in this matter is made all the more significant in light of recent life form readings we've discovered emanating from deep within the crater. Analysis of the readings indicates that a massive creature is gestating in there, absorbing enormous amounts or Phazon from the Phazon core at the heart of the impact crater. This discovery makes accessing the crater doubly important - not only will it open the door to the vast deposits of Phazon within, but it will also lead us to this creature, whatever it may be.

The new lore emphasizes that the space pirates cannot breach the impact crater, but they can sense the presence of a powerful being inside. In this version of the game, this is our only hint towards the existence of metroid prime. It makes more sense that the final boss lurking inside the impact crater has been trapped in there the whole time, festering in its own juices, growing more powerful until our fateful encounter.

You could also read these changes as being more in line with the lore developed in the rest of the Prime trilogy. Metroid prime is implied to be the guardian of Tallon IV's leviathan core, or perhaps a mutated version of the core itself. Either way, it cannot leave the leviathan seed that it is bound to.

What was lost?

The new lore introduced in the PAL version gives no explanation for why metroid prime so strongly resembles a space pirate trooper, since according to the current canon, it would have no contact with pirate technology. We can only interpret its similarities as a coincidence. This is unfortunately a very cool design choice that will forever be a leftover of a patched over plot hole.

While I'm extremely interested in the retconned log entries as a historical curiosity, I think the writers ultimately made the right call changing the lore to be more consistent with the rest of the game and the trilogy as a whole. I know it couldn't have been an easy choice.

And hey, if you learned something new from this analysis, I'll consider it a job well done!

#metroid #metroid prime #space pirates #analysis

[shesjustanothergeek]

His Love

|Aegon II Targaryen x Fem!Reader|

Part Eighteen

Masterlist of Series

Summary: Being a bastard born in the slums of Flea Bottom was all you were known for. Not the streak of white you had in your dark hair, the violet ring around your pupils, or how your sharp tongue and skills with the blade resembled your father, Daemon Targaryen. You were just a bastard, nothing more, but to him, to Aegon Targaryen, you were everything. You were his love.

Author's Note: Sorry for blue balling you for the past two weeks, but we're finally at the long-awaited feast for Aegon's 20th birthday! I hope my kitty meow meow gets everything he wishes for. Thank you so much for sticking with me through 18 chapters and counting! Y'all have no idea how much it means to me when I see every comment, note, or notification regarding this story. It always makes me so happy. :)

Chapter Warnings: Ableism, implied sex slavery.

"scream 

so that one day a

hundred years from now

another sister will not have to dry her tears 

wondering where in history 

she lost her voice."

- Jasmin Kaur

You were in the guest chambers, readying for the feast that concluded this week-long celebration. The days had been daunting, anxiety and hardship looming over you like a cloud covering the morning sun. You hoped the future held a more effortless and less taxing light, but your sense made you believe otherwise.

Fiora and Dyana took to bathing you, assuring your flesh had no speckle of dirt or sebum, inspecting each limb, then scrubbing with a floral soap imported from Yi Ti. They changed the typical lavender body oil you wore to a sweet and uplifting scent of Port Wine Magnolia for the special occasion, the candy-smelling flowers that were one of the many planted in Aegon the Conqueror's Garden. Jeyne sorted your attire, holding pieces of different golden jewelry to the sparkling cider of embroidered fabric that was your dress.

It was not your usual color choice, finding comfort with your family's statement reds and blacks. But tonight was not about Houses and the game of thrones you constantly played. It was only an evening meant for you to unwind, perhaps indulge more in food and wine, and dance until your feet bled.

You were drained from the daytime already, desiring to crawl under your refreshing cotton blankets and sleep until your servants woke you in the morn.

Jeyne hardened your struggle with consciousness as her gentle movements in your hair made you relax further, leaving your black tresses in the same underlying style from before but braiding it elegantly and sticking twinkling Aurelian pins to hold the thickness together.

The three ladies ushered you out to the Great Hall, escorting you until you heard the waves of laughter and the hum of music. The tall oak and bronze doors were left open for the many entering and exiting guests, chuckling in their expensive and different-colored outfits, each aiming to display their wealth to those around them. Two guards stood on each side of the frame, hands hanging stiffly at their sides.

The fare had yet to be served, but the small group of musicians in the corner played a spirited tune for the people dancing and clapping between the rows of long tables, a substantial pile of gifts just out of view. You wondered if Aegon was asked for input on this. You were sure if he was that there would be much fewer male servants working tonight and more women as you took an open seat closer to the royal family.

You assumed that you would be given a place at the high tableland with them since you were also a royal, but every chair was taken though there was plenty of room to fit more. No doubt a detail Queen Alicent enforced to slight your faction of uninvited Targaryens and further plant the seeds of their secession in the court's mind. Everything with the Hightowers was carefully planned and crafted to the final minute detail. You were zany to think tonight would be any different.

A male orderly walking with a silver tray in his palm caught your attention, signaling him to ask for a drink while you waited for the celebration to begin with the arrival of the King.

From Aegon's elevated off-centered place at the royal table, he could see all who came and left, sizing each noblewoman on who would be the easiest to bed. He was drowning in his cups before you entered, his blurry vision creating an almost ethereal glow to your silhouette in the gilded room.

You looked stunning, utterly unaware of the Prince's gaze. Aegon nearly lost his grip on his chalice filled with his favorite wine as he saw your sandy dress, dragons of the same color sewn into the bodice, reminding him of Sunfyre.

Did you pick that shade specifically for him, knowing it was his favorite? Had you stood in your bed chambers in your thin chemise, nipples pert from the cold air as you stared between your plethora of gowns and, by chance, settled with something he adored? No. You were a pragmatic woman, meticulously determining your and your opponent's next ten moves. You choose this for him.

Aegon knew you weren't upset after last night, a sentiment of relief settling in his gut along with the wine. It was just the loss of your post-coupling bliss that allowed doubt to fester. His little dragon was finally experiencing the emotions and urges that came with eros and didn't know how to cope appropriately. He remembered when he first encountered it. That insatiable itch. Having been exposed to sex at such a young age, Aegon understood what to do and how to handle it, placing his fist on his more petite cock during youth and pumping it until ecstasy.

You had grown in many ways, but with regards to fucking, you were still that same little girl from Flea Bottom with those peculiar, searching eyes, looking to him for guidance as you asked for the knowledge of pleasure.

The band finished playing their last melody as the King entered, the dancers parting like the sea to make room for his chair as they carried him to the middle of the high table. There was a small bandage on his cheek that had not been there earlier, and it made you smile, knowing that someone took your words seriously. Viserys stood from his wooden throne, using the table for support as he raised his brass goblet to the room.

"A toast," he wheezed, gazing at nothing imparticular, "in celebration of this joyous occasion. My eldest son, Prince Aegon, is now a youthful twenty, married to his beautiful Lady Wife with two healthy children." You noticed Helaena fidgeting in her olive green dress, looking down at her empty silver plate. "Let us drain our cups to the children of the House of The Dragon! May they live long and prosperous lives..."

Viserys trailed off with a cough but was drowned out by the roars of people shouting "hear! hear!" to his toast, vibrating the high narrow windows as the musicians started another upbeat tune.

Servants dressed in red emerged from the oak and bronze doors, carrying plates and trays of different food. Scores of delicacies were served before you. They brought pigs, mutton, goose, venison, and enough hearty sides to feed the entirety of Flea Bottom into the Great Hall. The smell was enough to make your mouth water, waiting to be served after the royal family as you took a swig of your wine, your rings clinking against the cup.

Through the flurry of servants and maids, you felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. An uneasy feeling washed over you as a woman set a platter of meat on the table, blocking your vision for a moment but then revealing the fierce look of Dalton Greyjoy across the room. You had the urge to give him an annoyed expression for staring but thought better of it as you remembered his importance and position. Instead, you extended a smile, nodding your head as you began to plate heapings of food.

The eldest Prince was too engrossed with the arrangements of sweets in front of his mother to notice the exchange, sneaking a hand to snatch a sugar-coated puff pastry before the Queen could stop him.

Soon you had your full, eating in silence as the nobleman next to you was not one for conversation, no matter how you tried to start one. You could still feel Dalton's watchful brown eyes on you, attempting to ignore him as he observed every sip of wine and swallow of food you took. With the screech of Ser Otto Hightower's chair, he announced that the gift ceremony could commence, snapping Aegon out of his dessert-induced trance.

You were apprehensive about the present you got him, a simple, tiny box tucked into your skirt pocket. It was commissioned before what happened last night when you were in a happier and more sentimental mood. You regretted it sorely as you saw the different Lords and Ladies kneel before Aegon sat in a carved wooden chair before his family.

They bestowed him with countless grandiose and superficial gifts of swords, pelts, jewels, and a diamond-encrusted wine decanter. At one point, a Lord from Pentos came strolling in with two caramel-skinned women, all clad in turquoise and bronze. They were so beautiful and exotic-looking that they would shame the most gorgeous women in Westeros.

"A gift to you, my Prince," the man bowed, gesturing the women forward as their metal jewelry jingled. "My pick of the most beautiful desert flowers. May they serve you well in whatever way you desire."

The Queen bowed her head in embarrassment as her son eagerly rose from his seat, gathering the women under his arms as he thanked the man most graciously. Aemond placed a comforting hand on Helaena's back as she looked forward, not entirely seeing what was happening. Your expression mirrored Alicent's, looking away with downturned lips as Aegon stole a glance as he returned to his honorary throne.

You felt like a fool for getting him something so plain, the box it resided in burning through the palms of your hands. It would have been best had trusted your gut when walking into the local jewelsmith. At first, your present was meant to be an insult, knowing his desire for extravagant things and only getting something plain, but after the moment you shared in the Godswood, you decided to make an ordinary object into something special.

Your lip was nearly raw from your incessant chewing, feeling the thin liquid of blood pool into your mouth as you ripped a thin piece of skin.

After the line of people dwindled to only a few, you gained the courage to step in with the rest of the noble people, shifting your weight on the soles of your feet in anxiety. It also didn't help as you felt Ser Dalton stare at the side of your face, the urge to unsheath the dagger from your calve and plunge it into each of his annoyingly observant brown eyes. Life would be better without men in the world, you thought to yourself.

Soon you were only a meter away from Aegon and his two desert flowers leaning over his form, whispering words you did not want to hear as they trailed their fingers along his skin. He quickly swatted them away once he saw you standing before him. You inwardly scoffed as you bowed into a deep curtsy, your breasts nearly spilling out of your bodice, much to the Prince's delight.

He could now see you in all your beauty. The way your dress sparkled in the candle-lit room, watching your decorated chest rise with unsteady breaths. Aegon hadn't noticed the half-golden wreath of flowers on the back of your head, contrasting wildly from your silky black hair with rings of the same metal on your blanched fingers tightly gripping a small box. You were a picture of the Maiden with your radiant youth and innocence, and despite his best efforts, he felt his heart beat faster as he watched your painted lips move.

"Lady Targaryen, daughter of Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen," you introduced, even though Aegon knew who you were.

"Come now, sweet cousin! No need for formalities; we are kin!" He said jubilantly, his voice echoing in the cavernous hall. Aegon signaled a serving maid for another glass of wine, downing the entire contents of it and placing it back on the tray. "Now, what have you gotten me, cousin?"

You unfurled your grip, walking closer to Aegon before a steward came to have you gave the present to him. The Prince waved dismissively, rising from his chair as he met you at the foot of the stone stairs.

Opening the tightly sealed case, you took a breath.

"A ring for the eldest Prince of the Seven Kingdoms, crafted by the finest jewelsmith in King's Landing. Black garnet mined from the Dothraki Sea is the main centerpiece, and Rubies from our land in Westeros are embedded in the solid gold band," you paused a moment, steeling yourself for the consequences of your past actions as you angled the ring in the yellow light. "And here, a personalized message for His Grace."

As Aegon studied his nameday gift, you bowed your head, retreating a few paces. You saw his pupils dilate as he read it, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

'For my sweet boy, Aegon.'

He left you to stand in uncomfortable silence, beginning to gnaw on your lower lip once more as he slipped the gift onto his left pinky, admiring it in the glow of the candles. Aegon met your gaze when finished, filling the gap you made with his tall but stocky body. You could smell the sticky scent of Arbor Red wafting off him, his lips stained.

Fear coursed within you at that moment, the memory of how he forced himself upon you the night prior flashing through your mind's eye, but you steeled yourself. Clenching your soft jaw and digging your nails into your palm until you were sure they broke the calloused flesh.

Aegon opened his arms, signaling he wanted to embrace in thanks for your present. You hesitated but leaned forward as you saw the hundreds of eyes watching you. He squeezed you harshly, nearly suffocating you as he brought his mouth to your ear, inhaling your candied scent before he whispered.

"You are too good to me, little one. I know you are frightened by what happened last night, but there is no need to be. Any uncertainties you have, your sweet boy will help you."

A shiver ran down your spine at his words, your knees nearly buckling as he pulled away and kissed both cheeks. You stood there for a beat too long, your head reeling at losing his warmth and the haunting things he promised. You swiftly curtsied again as you saw him plop down into his seat, a smirk on his rosy lips, and returned to your own.

You stayed there as the rest of the Lords and Ladies gave their gifts to Aegon, staring down at the food scraps on your plate, your appetite never returning, not even for dessert. When the sounds of stomping boots vibrated the stone floor, you still refused to look up, lost inside a blank yet cluttered mind.

You should be relieved that Aegon was not upset with you for abandoning him and that your plan could continue. You should be smiling, knowing that everything was falling into place, but you weren't. You were terrified. Terrified of what you had gotten yourself into. This was the only way to assure Aegon never ascended the throne, but the cost was almost too much to bear.

Your family.

Rhaenyra, Daemon, Jace, Luke, Joffrey, and even little Aegon and Viserys. You had to think of them. This was for them. Everything you did was for them. Selling yourself to Aegon and giving in to his depraved desires would save them all from a fate that could break the Targaryen dynasty forever. A small price to pay for the sake of those you loved, you told yourself.

"Cousin?" A soft angelic voice startled you from your stupor. "Would you care for a dance?" Helaena asked, her palm facing upwards as you stared at the serval vein-like wrinkles expanding across it.

You gave her a polite smile, though it did not reach your eyes, nodding as you wiped your hands on the green cloth napkin on your lap. Keep your mind off the impending future for a moment.

"It has been quite some years since I last shared a dance with you Princess," you said as her delicate fist wrapped around yours. "I am much more skilled at the art now."

Helaena giggled, leading you out to the ocean of people. "I seem to recall us never needing any guidance on it before. 'Tis more fun to sway to your own beat." Her grin reached her ears, crinkling the creamy skin around her eyes as she spun you in a dizzying circle.

Neither of you paid attention to the other's rehearsed moves, creating your own as you jumped, clapped, and spun. It felt like you were both girls again, laughing as she linked her slender arm with yours, skipping back and forth, your skirts in your free limb. The momentum of your movements continued as you grabbed her hands, lifting one arm to twirl her underneath you, her golden hair tickling your chin.

Helaena was always a beacon of light in the darkness, the embodiment of the lantern the Crone used to guide those in her wisdom. Her laugh was like the first breath of spring after a seemingly never-ending winter, her voice as gentle as the early morning rain in summer. She was all heart and kindness and too good for this world, too gracious to deserve the hand she dealt with.

Helaena loved her family and was one of the few who treated your brothers with the same politeness as if they were anyone else. She had a deep bond with her brother Aemond, a bond that only blood could give. The type you could only dream of with yours. And despite the man she was forced to marry, she still loved Aegon. Not the way a wife would love a husband, but the love of siblings who were forced into something they had no choice in, pushed into the confines of duty.

You felt guilt for what you did with Aegon, the disrespect and shame you would bring upon her if anyone found out. You knew she would not feel scorn the way a partner would, though that did little to ease your conscience. While it was a relief not to hurt Helaena like that, she would still have that same sense of betrayal she did when Aegon went out to the Silk Streets.

You resolved your thoughts. Helaena would have to understand why you did what you did unless she desired to see the casualties of war.

Pushing those feelings down, you brought another smile to your lips, your cousin placing her hands on your waist and spinning you until your steps faltered, nearly tripping over your skirts. Helaena steadied you, closing the space as she grabbed your biceps with a guffaw. She moved a strand of hair that had fallen over your shoulder in your promenade, smoothing it down your head as she rested her palm against the base of your neck. You watched her with a curious but joyful expression as her other hand moved to grip the side of your face.

To anyone observing from the outside, it appeared as if she was about to kiss you, but if they saw the look within her amethyst eyes, glazed over, looking at you. No. Looking through you, they would see she was not in the moment.

"Hand turns loom; spools of green, spools of black; dragons of flesh weaving dragons of thread," she whispered against your face, your noses nearly touching. You grasped Helaena's wrists, trying to pull her away as her touch became painful. "Beneath the boards, rats bite; their teeth burn, a sacrifice of her blood, peace reborn."

Her words covered you in a blanket of dread, cold and unwelcoming, as her nails dug into your skin. A whimper escaped your throat, wriggling uncomfortably at the sting and confusion.

The guests around you continued dancing, unaware of the agony piercing into your flesh, Helaena repeating her words with urgency.

"A sacrifice of her blood, peace reborn. A sacrifice of her blood, a sacrifice of her blood, her blood, her blood, her blood."

"Sister," a baritone voice cut through the air. Helaena suddenly released you with trembling fists, stumbling backward into her brother, clad in black leather.

"Aemond," she gasped, grabbing him by his forearms. "A sacrifice of her blood," she heatedly whispered as you placed a comforting palm on her shoulder.

You glanced at Aemond worriedly, but his eyes were trained on his younger sibling.

"Sister," Aemond repeated, this time softer. "Mother requests your presence at the table."

Helaena nodded absentmindedly, ridding her mind of her trance as her brother's one-piercing eye trailed after her retreating form. You continued to stare at Aemond, your mouth opening to speak before he interrupted.

"Pay no mind to Helaena; she sees and understands things in ways we could never comprehend."

You wished to ask for more but knew you would only receive what Aemond allowed. He was so protective over his sister, and you understood why. In spite of having a fearsome dragon of her own and having done the difficult task of birth while still a child, she was not hardened, nor did she need to be. She was just Helaena, meant to be guarded and cared for, and that was enough.

You started into a curtsy to bid Aemond farewell, assuming he had only come to rescue his sister, but instead stopped you with the wave of his hand and outstretched it, an invitation to dance. Raising a quizzical brow, you stared, eyes flickering from his chiseled face to wrinkled palm. Perhaps he felt obligated to offer it after Helaena had frightened you, but you still hesitated as you narrowed your eyes at him.

"My Prince, I know you have never cared for me or my brothers, so do not insult me with this farce of chivalry," you said unabashedly, crossing your arms.

You expected Aemond to give you a sneer, storming away and back to the high table with the rest of his family, but he did neither. On the contrary, he laughed wickedly and unwrapped your arms as the music changed to a darker ballad, the minor chords sending tremors up your spine.

As the One-Eyed Prince led you into song, you focused anywhere but on him, your lips pursed and your body stiff, attempting to put as much space between your linked elbows.

You continued your silent dance, refusing to be the proper lady your Septa taught you to be as Aemond lifted you into the air by your hips at the swell of the tune, forcing you to seek purchase on his slender shoulders. An arrogant smirk laced his lips as he brought you to the ground, your digits burying into his leather tunic for balance. He didn't give a moment to recover as he took your hands in his, pulling you close to his chest before unwinding you into a subtle push movement as you struggled to become centered.

Before you could think to protest his nauseated action, he brought you back in, twirling your arms so your back was pressed against his front, a position that was hardly proper for the duty-bound Prince.

"Have you found yourself well to be back in King's Landing?" Aemond purred darkly into your ear. You swallowed a lump that had formed in your throat, trying to turn your head to face him.

"It has been a rather eventful occasion, though it hardly looks of the Red Keep I know. If I were not any brighter, I would think this is the seat of House Hightower, not Targaryen," you replied coolly, voice neutral to not expel your beliefs.

He hummed in response, releasing you from his harsh embrace as you proceeded to the next step in the choreography. "It gladens me to hear you are in good spirits. I could not say the same if I wore your shoes."

You snuffed the instinct to sneer at the arrogant man. Tilting your head, you peered at him from your lower height as you began to circle one another, like a fox to a rabbit. Which one you were you did not know.

"Oh? And why would that be, your Grace?" you asked with feigned interest.

"If I were summoned to a place which held such harrowing memories, I would be aching to return home, not taking a permanent position on the Small Council," Aemond answered in a grandiloquent tone.

You had to resist the urge to bite at his jabs, nearly snarling your teeth before you took a calming breath, plastering your political costume that was a smile. You were keen to the art of backhanded courtly discussion and realized the second son was trying to get a rise out of you, tormenting the bastard princess when he could not do the princes.

"Time heals all wounds," you quipped shortly. "I've made peace with what happened to my family. They broke the law, and our honorable Lord Hand served justice." The Prince replied with a grunt to your lies, following with the other nobles in dance as they jumped and clapped on the beat. "Tell me, Prince Aemond, have you returned to Driftmark since that fateful night?"

You saw him stiffen as you repeated the movement from before on his other side, only to be stopped by an iron grip. "Do not presume to speak freely before me. I am a true-born prince of the realm, not a bastard to the Lord of Flea Bottom."

That had you smiling genuinely, rising to the tops of your feet as you met his one piercing eye with your two, brimming with barely controlled ire.

"A true-born second son, but not good enough to be the spare. A crippled boy whose eye was taken out by a child half his junior." Your words poured out like the molten steel of a sword, searing into Aemond's essence as the ballad ended.

Yanking your arm out of the Prince's grasp, you backed away; chin held high in triumph. He took significant bounding strides in your direction in response as you prepared to defend yourself just as Lucerys had. Perhaps you could carve out his working eye and offer it to the younger boy? He had told you of his fear regarding Aemond, the hatred he held in his heart for the loss of sight.

By the grace of the Seven, a loud shriek was heard from the head of the Great Hall, momentarily distracting Aemond as you scampered into the crowd of people, making your way to your seat. Luckily there was no danger to be found at the royal table, only Prince Aegon diving under the skirts of one of his desert flowers as men cheered and women turned away in shame. You ignored the disgust that came as you saw him lift her on his shoulders, his head hidden underneath the sheer layers of her dress.

***

The hour of ghosts was upon you, but the feast still raged, no signs of anyone retiring soon. The wine and mead had settled in everyone's stomachs, making for an ear-deafening obnoxious roar of laughter and cheers.

You, too, had begun to feel the effects of alcohol but had not ventured out to the dance floor since the interaction with Aemond. You were right to be cautious when he offered you his hand. It was only a ploy for him to gain superiority over someone he deemed less than him, but ultimately it failed, turning it around for him to become the victim of his own game. Life was cruel, but it was good not to be on the receiving end of it for once.

You rested your chin on your knuckles as you watched the twirling fools before you, yawning. You realized it was time to retire as you felt your fist slip out from under you, nearly slamming your face on the now-empty wooden table. Releasing a heavy sigh, you stretched your upper body, quietly groaning as you downed the last few drops of your drink.

"Surely, my Lady Targaryen, you are not retiring so soon," a familiar gravelly voice asked.

"I am, Ser Greyjoy. The hour grows late, and there is much to tend to on the morrow," you answered unhurriedly.

"I had hoped to steal you for a dance or two, but much of tonight, you were already preoccupied."

You scoffed, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. "Not by choice, I am afraid. I would not have denied you had you asked," you replied truthfully, standing from your seat with another stretch.

"Well, if you'd allow me to escort you to your rooms, I'm sure we could make for lost time," he offered with the bend of his elbow.

You were exhausted from the facade required to put on for appearances and slouched as you took his offer without resistance.

Unbeknownst to you, a pair of violet eyes had followed the whole night, observing his little dragon but never moving to mount. He hadn't felt the need to until the squid boy hooked himself on you, a problem Aegon knew he would have to remedy but was unsure of how as he fidgeted with the new ring on his finger.

Aegon watched you exit the Great Hall with Ser Dalton, a frown tugging on his crimson-stained lips as he took another swig of his Arbor Red. The girls beside him noticed his sudden change in mood, one tracing an extended slim index along his jawline to capture his attention, the other whispering something he did not care to hear. He saw the squid lord link arms out of the corner of his eye before one of the women brought a full cup to his mouth, your glimmering golden dress a distant memory in his drunken mind.

"I must say, my Lady Targaryen, you looked ravishing tonight. The whole court could not take their eyes off you. I was afraid I might have to defend your honor," Ser Dalton chortled, following your lead down one of the many corridors that led to the guest wing.

"That must have been why I felt like I was being stalked like a doe in the woods," you snipped with your nose in the air.

Dalton turned, his lengthy Dragonglass colored hair falling over his slim shoulders as he laughed, his canines glistening in the yellow torchlight. His teeth were so white, so sharp. It looked as if they could pierce flesh with a single bite.

The exhaustion, combined with the half a dozen glasses of wine you had drunk, lowered your inhibitions and made your lips loose. "I had half a mind to gouge out your eyes and feed them to my dragon," you joked.

Dalton stopped his long strides at this, causing you to jerk and do the same, stumbling around to face him. Suddenly, your world was a blur of colors, your head struggling to keep up with the fast movements of the Red Kraken as he led you to an untraveled hallway.

"Lord Greyjoy!" you shouted in protest, groaning as the abruptness made you sick.

"You speak lots of threats for a lady of your stature," he taunted, his toned arms caging you in.

It took you a moment longer than expected to process what was happening, but you were in no state of alarm despite the nonconsensual circumstances. You didn't feel the same rush of fear you had with Aegon, only raising one unamused brow as you gave Ser Dalton a lofty stare, almost daring him to try something as you released a huff.

"And what, prey tell, are you implying, Lord Reaper?" you questioned with a lazy tilt of your head.

Dalton laughed lightly, raising his arm to toy with a strand of your hair as he leaned closer. "Only, my Bastard Princess, that you have the fire of a true dragon born of pure Valryian blood, not something muddled with common folk."

"You think our people are beneath us?" you asked pointedly, arching your back to reach his slumped form. "What would happen if your armies raised their swords against you, hmm? Our people let us rule."

Lord Dalton dropped the hair he was toying with, running his digits through the rest until he reached your waist, pulling you flush with his. Your eyes widened in surprise as you felt his manhood press against your stomach, freezing for a moment as your mind went blank.

"With a dragon, no one could stand in my way. We could burn all who dare test the power of House Greyjoy and Targaryen. We do not sow. We will reap through fire and blood." Dalton leaned closer to you, his spine hunched like a startled cat from the height difference. "There was no mistake in my intention yesterday. You will become my wife."

Your head finally started working again; instincts pounded in from years of training controlling your movements. Wrapping your leg around Dalton's hips, you brought him closer, angling your body so that your skirt rose above your ankle. You snaked your fingers down his back, nails scraping his maroon woolen tunic, unsheathing the hidden dagger your father gifted and pointing at his chest.

The Lord Reaper of Pyke's brown eyes briefly flashed with terror but swiftly smoothed into their dark expression, a taunting grin on his lips.

"Ser Dalton of House Greyjoy," you chortled. "I have heard many rumors about you." You pushed the blade tip further into his chest, where his heart would be. "Of you emerging from battle, drenched in blood from a thousands cuts on your body. Claiming a Valyrian Steel sword in victory. Of your countless salt wives who would rather throw themselves into the sea than bed you?" Dalton's pupils dilated as he watched your mouth move, nails digging into the plush skin of your waist. "You get bored of women too easily, and I do not intend to move from one forgotten position to another."

You clenched your leg, cinching him to you in a vice-like grip.

"Tell me, Red Kraken, will you bleed the same as I when you tear my maidenhead?" You slid the dagger tip dangerously up his chest, resting just below the notch in his throat and causing it to bob uncomfortably.

You observed Dalton licking his lips, hands sliding to the plump flesh of your arse as he ground his manhood into your heat. Both stared, willing the other to break it and lose the unspoken challenge. The many ways you could quickly kill him popped into your head with a sly smile, continuing to size him up as you saw the faint trickle of blood down his neck.

A chorus of giggles caused you both to default, the contest ending in a draw as you saw the two desert flowers from earlier walk in your direction. They draped over Aegon's sides; all smiles as he led them to what you could only assume were his bed chambers. You felt sick at the sight, unraveling your limbs from Lord Greyjoy and placing your dagger back in its holder. His hands moved to a more appropriate place on your body as you both turned to acknowledge the Prince's presence.

The searing emotion of betrayal coursed through your veins as bile burned your throat. How could Aegon whisper such intoxicating and mind-numbing things about your time together but, in a fell swoop, go whoring with two women he did not know? Anger tugged on your heart, inhaling a raging breath as you both bowed to the eldest Prince, his purple eyes bypassing you and Dalton.

A part of you wished for him to notice the Lord's improper hold on you, for Aegon to become filled with the same scornful rage he created within you, but you swallowed the thought down, turning to your escort to continue the journey to your rooms.

It was silent from then on, your wrath simmering just below the edge. You were certain Ser Dalton could sense it.

Once you arrived at the Guest Wing, you turned to him, swiftly ordering the guard at the door to walk to the other end of the hall so he could not overhear your words.

"If you wish so ardently to marry, Lord Dalton, I suggest you do it correctly," you commanded sternly. "You will court me properly as any other man would, then when the time is right, you will contact my father, informing him of your intentions. Just because I was born of sin and impropriety does not mean I want to live it myself." You raised your black eyebrows at him, waiting for a response.

"I understand, my Lady," he confirmed solemnly. "You will be given the respect you deserve and I hope you can accept my sincerest regrets for my actions prior."

You rolled your eyes, slightly probing your hip out as you stared at him, unbelieving. "Do not apologize," you said bluntly, "I know you do not regret it. Had you did then, that would have never happened."

You saw a slight smile grow on his thin pink lips.

"I expect a letter from you upon your return to Castle Pyke. We will converse and learn about one another until the time is right." You moved away from him, pulling the handle to your chamber door, and bid him goodnight. "Sleep well, Ser Dalton. I await your letter should you decide to write me."

As you enter your chambers, you couldn't deny your hope that you were just another one of his female conquest he would tire of, calling for your maids with a bell. You wanted to stick to your plan, and Dalton would be another obstacle in securing Rhaenyra's throne.

The same exhaustion from before crept through your bones as you slumped over your vanity, your servants arriving a few moments later to undress you.

Today had been fruitful, and you prayed to the Seven that everything would fall into place as time passed. You knew this would be difficult and had prepared yourself accordingly, though you sensed that something would happen to topple that self-perseverance as things tended to do, but shoved it away with the rest of your many doubts and worries.

As you drifted into a peaceful slumber, you dreamed of a time filled with less duty and more freedom, a distant memory of long ago filled with laughs and love that had now been forgotten.

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I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Aegon really needs to work on his drinking habits because he literally walked right past his girl with another man! He becomes a different person when he's under the influence of alcohol. If Aegon was only a bit tipsy, you know that man would've beat the fuck out of Dalton even though he is severely outmatched. I also want to mention that I purposefully don't have Aegon speak in High Valyrian when calling the reader "little dragon" because I remember Tom Glenn Carney saying something along the lines of Aegon hating the traditionalism of the Targaryen and being that rebel child, but at the same time he uses that God complex whenever he sees it as an advantage. Idk. Just a little peek behind the curtain of my writing lol. Thank you for reading!

Tagged Peeps: @zeennnnnnn , @malfoytargaryen , @targaryencore , @justasmallbean , @alexandra-001 , @omgsuperstarg , @sommornyte , @silverslive , @unclecrunkle , @prettykinkysoul , @duesobabe , @djlexi , @ynbutbetter , @honestlykat , @graykageyama , @legolas017 , @iiamthehybrid , @brezzybfan , @dd122004dd , @ladybug0095 , @millies0bsimp , @kalfild , @sheislonelyalways , @tempt-ress , @bellameshipper , @minttea07 , @trikigirl271 , @esposadomd , @buckylahey , @justarandomflowerchildofthenight , @partypoison00 , @please-buckme , @pastelorangeskies , @joliettes , @existential-echo , @priyajoyy , @valaenatargaryensdragon , @merovingianprincess , @rachelnicolee , @candy12110 , @w3ird11 , @ruhjkie , @somemydayy , @ariana-dumbledore8 , @marikkjj , @zillahvathek , @sunfyresrider , @sunny-boy-06 , @heavenly1927 , @prettylittlelady

#aegon the second #aegon ii #house of the dragon #aegon targaryen ii #aegon ii targaryen #aegon targaryen x reader #aegon x reader #aegon ii fanfic #aegon ii targaryen x reader #aegon ii x reader #game of thrones #aegon targaryen #aegon targaryen x you #aegon x you #hotd aegon #tom glynn carney #aegon ii fic #aegon ii x you #aegon ii smut #aemond targaryen #aemond one eye #aegon ii x y/n #helaena targaryen #princess helaena #hotd fanfic #hotd #hotd aemond

[heartfullofleeches]

Yan bandits but sheriff reader has an idea to let internal conflict take down their little schemes

Reader gets one of them in private and kisses them and tells them not to tell anyone, and that theyre the only person theyve kissed,, but doing this with all of them

In an argument, one bandit spills the deal that sheriff kissed them, and they all realize theyve been fooled by the sheriff <3

"Arson...Robbery.. Destruction of Property."

The list goes on. You pace back and forth through the empty corridor as you list off the crimes carried out by one person and their merry little crew; said individual locked behind the steel bars before you. A rush of adrenaline courses through them everything your eyes glance in their direction; not a single ounce of guilt on their face.

"Breaking and entering." You come to a stop, sitting in the chair placed in front of the cell. "Couldn't avoid staying out of the lion's den, could you? Or wearing its clothes."

The bandit shrugs, grinning from ear to ear. "What can I say? The color suits me, but I'd wear a garbage bag if it was something you touched."

You scoff. "Can't hold your tongue either, huh?... You're lucky that's what I like about you."

The bandit's cocky personality shatters. They swallow hard, shrinking at the shutter in their voice as they speak. "W-what did you just say?"

"I said I like you. More than the rest of your little pals at least." You stand up, walking over to the cell; dangling your keyring between your fingers. As you unlock the door and step inside, they feel like they're trapped in a room with a snake. That same devil that tempted man as the fables go. You crouch beside them; their heart melting at the passive smile on your face. You stroke their cheek as you lean in.

"You're a special one, you know that? You don't belong with that bunch. Tell you what, I'm gonna give you a little present just to let you know how special you are."

The bandit dives in to meet your lips as you draw closer, but you subside their fantasy with a small peck to their cheek. Though it wasn't what they were expecting, the poor fool is nearly drooling with their jaw on the floor at the kiss. You unlock their uncuffs and they just sit their for a moment - mesmerized. Your stare weighting on their back; they finally hop up from the bench and scurry out the open cell. Before they can leave the jail you call out to them, holding a finger to your lips.

"Make sure you keep this our little secret."

-

Returning to the hideout, the bandit can already hear commotion from inside. Opening the door, they find the rest of the gang at their card table; betting the belongings they stole from you over a game of poker. They come to find out that after a particular nasty hand, another had spilled the beans that you had kissed them on the wrist.

"You call that something?" Another barks. "The sheriff kissed my forehead."

"Yea, well they said I saw their favorite."

"They said that to me too..." The one who just entered adds. "Before kissing my cheek."

"Bullshit!"

"Shut your traps!"

A booming voice from the corner of the room brings silence across the floor. The leader of the gang sits up from their seat, disgruntled over the fact that they'd been woken up from their plesant dreams involving the town sheriff - and that everyone was fitting over something so stupid.

"How dumb can you idiots be? Don't y'all see what's going on here? We're all the sheriff's favorite. We're a team afterall, and a team shares their winnings. However- if you want to find out who's really better than the rest, well- we'd better go pay them a visit, right?"

#Yandere bandits #yandere oc #yandere #yandere imagines #yandere x you #yandere x reader #yandere scenarios #yandere headcanons #yandere insert #yandere blurb #yandere harem #yandere x darling #yandere drabble #yandere x y/n

[feelbokkie]

One Last Dance | Chapter 10

pairing: Minho x fem reader

genre: smau, crack, angst, fluff, non!idol au, major character death (I am apologizing now), friends to lovers, soul mates, first love, roommates

pov: 1st/2nd person (depending on how you view it)

warnings: swearing, suggestive (things get steamy guys, gals, and nonbinary pals, buckle up), mention of food, mention of death

summary: Childhood best friends Lee Minho and L/n Y/n are in their final year of university. While both of them are in love with each other, the only thing keeping them apart is Minho’s fear of change. As both dancers prepare for their lives after college, will Minho finally let fear rule him and his emotions or will he finally gain courage before he loses Y/n forever?

word count: 5,847

screenshot count: 10

taglist: closed!

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©feelbokkie (2023) — all rights reserved. reposting/modification of any kind is not tolerated.

"Look, the only person I care about being in the car is Felix since we're doing this for him. If your asses aren't in the car, ready to go in the next 20 minutes, we're leaving you behind." You call into the boys' apartment. It's more for Hyunjin than it is for the rest of them.

Today is finally the day of your beach trip, and to be honest, you're quite excited. After the stress of midterms and the bullshit you've had to endure because of Minho's temper, you needed one day in the sun. The group decided to head to one of the further beaches, Daecheon Beach, a painstaking 3 hours away from Seoul. And because you plan to spend the whole day at the beach, you had to leave at 7 in the morning, much to Hyunjin, Felix, and Ma-Ri's dismay. Luckily, you won't have to worry about driving in the traffic on the way back home, Ma-Ri went ahead and booked three rooms for the night at a nearby motel.

"Where are you going all bright and shiny this morning?" A familiar raspy voice calls.

"Oh wow, Chan, you're up before noon." You tease as the older boy leans against his doorframe. He's dressed in black basketball shorts and a zip-up hoodie. His hair tousled around like he's been running his hands through it.

While you and Chan haven't hung out one-on-one since your little business meeting, you two still talk and meet at his apartment. You've gotten to know Changbin better and see a different side of Jisung that wasn't at all present while he was living with Felix, Hyunjin, and Seungmin.

"Why would I be asleep when the sun is gracing me with her presence?" He smirks, licking the corner of his lips. How he's able to be so flirty after waking up, you'll never know.

"It's too early for this." You mumble while blushing.

"No but seriously, where are you going?"

"Felix is super homesick and since we can't all take a spontaneous trip to Australia, we're going to spend the day at Daecheon Beach. Spending the night there too."

"Wish you told me, I love the beach."

"Pretty sure you just want to see me in a swimsuit."

"Well, that's just a bonus." He leans down closer to he's more to your eye level. He said he's back off, but he seems flirtier than before.

"You just don't quit." You tighten your grip on your beach bag and suitcase.

"Why quit? I'm just having fun. You tell me to stop, I'll stop."

"Channie, my brain isn't awake yet." You whine. You're too tired to banter back and forth with him.

"Okay, okay. No, but seriously, if your friend gets homesick again, send him my way. I got him, us Aussies got to stick together."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks. I think he'd like that a lot."

The two of you fall silent for a second while Chan's eyes look you up and down. His eyebrows furrow together in concern and he bites his bottom lip.

"It's 6 in the morning and you're dressed in a tube top and shorts. Aren't you cold? It's freezing."

"Oh shit, I left my jacket." You suddenly remembered that you left your jacket on the couch when you went to put more food and water in the cats' automatic feeder and water bowl. You turn to head back to your apartment, digging around in your bag for your keys.

"Here," You look up at Chan as he quickly unzips his hoodie and pulls it off before handing it to you, revealing that he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath. You can also see now that his shorts are pulled low enough to see the waistband of his boxers. You can't help but stare at the perfectly toned six-pack in front of you. You quickly shake your head to bring yourself back to reality.

"You're just naked underneath your jacket?"

"I'm like this 24/7. I just wear clothes when you're over so you don't fall madly in love with me." He smiles, his dimple prominently showing.

"Get over yourself," You scoff.

"I saw you ogling me, don't lie Y/n." He pushes the jacket towards you again.

"It's fine, Chan. I can go grab mine real quick."

"Yeah, but mine is right here and toasty. It'll warm you up faster. Plus," Chan walks out of his apartment and leans into your ear, you can feel his breath on your skin. A chill runs down your spine. "it'll make lover boy jealous to see you wearing another man's clothes."

You don't want to make Minho jealous, you never wanted to. You know he's a jealous person. The fits he used to throw when you two were little were evidence of that. But he's already under the impression that you're trying to make him jealous. And you're cold and Chan's warm jacket is right there. Maybe that's why you find yourself setting your bag on the floor and taking the jacket out of Chan's hand, quickly slipping it on before you can argue how bad of an idea it is.

"Atta, girl," He praises into your ear before placing a kiss on your cheek and finally backing up.

"What happened to you backing off?" You ask as you zip up the jacket, looking at Chan. It's evident to both of you that the kiss flustered you a bit. You're certain Chan can see how red your face is.

Chan doesn't answer, just smirks, as he nods his head to tell you to look behind you. You grab your bag before turning around to find an angry Minho. His arms are crossed and his fists clenched. You watch as his jaw tenses as he stares are you and Chan.

"If you're not in the car in the next 5 minutes, we're leaving without you. We still have to pick up Ma-Ri and get breakfast." He says flatly, fire burning in his eyes as they refuse to leave Chan. He's actually staring him down.

"I'm going to kill you." You whisper at Chan.

"You took my jacket, sweetheart." He whispers back, shrugging.

You sigh as you walk towards the stairs. You're almost halfway to the stairs when you realize you don't hear Minho walking behind you. You turn around to find Minho and Chan staring each other down. A scowl on Minho's face as he shoots daggers at Chan. Chan, on the other what, has an amused expression on his face, clearly enjoying this.

"Minho, let's go," You call quietly, aware that most of your neighbors are still asleep. Minho doesn't move for a second as he continues to stare down Chan. Eventually, he breaks eye contact and walks towards you. When he's a bit closer to you, you start walking again.

"Bye, babe. Make sure you take lots of pictures for me, yeah?" Chan calls out, loud enough for Minho to hear but still not loud enough to wake up the neighbors. You roll your eyes and mentally start drafting the text you're going to send him in the car.

“It’s 7 in the fucking morning,” Minho grumbles as he walks past you.

***

“Wow,” Ma-Ri breathes.

The seven of you got to the beach earlier than expected. You're almost certain that Minho was driving illegally fast to get as far away from Chan as quickly as possible. If that's the case, your 3-hour drive tomorrow might become 5 hours. Because of how fast you were going, Minho missed a few stops and you ended up getting McDonald's close to the beach. It may have been a pain in the ass to hear Hyunjin complain about how he was hungry, but having breakfast by the ocean.

"Something about the breeze and the salt water making eating food better." Felix hums, bouncing in his spot before he takes another sip of his Jeju Hallabong chiller.

"Noona," In says before swallowing the rest of the food in his mouth, " why are you eating a choco oreo mcflurry this early in the morning?"

"Hm, if you mix it with coffee, it tastes better. And I need coffee if I'm going to babysit you five." You answer as you finish mixing the mcflurry into your coffee.

Truth be told, you didn't order the mcflurry, Minho did for you. You don't always mix them but he knows that it's your favorite thing to do when you get coffee from McDonald's. You could just get an ice cream latte, but the oreos and chocolate add to the coffee.

"What do you mean babysit the five of us? There are four underclassmen." Ma-Ri asks with her mouthful of food.

"Disgusting," Hyunjin mutters under his breath. You grab a napkin from the bag and then grab Ma-Ri's face, wiping the ketchup off her face.

"I think you're the fifth one, noona," Seungmin adds.

"Okay, yeah fair."

Minho sits quietly eating his food, laughing when someone says or does something funny. He's been deep in thought the whole time you guys were eating. He silently helped you apply sunscreen on your back after you helped everyone. Insecure about the scar that stretches across his abdomen, he's wearing a loose white sweater and doesn't need help getting sunscreen on his back. You haven't talked to him all morning, other than helping him with directions on the drive to the beach. His little jealousy act is getting old. You know Chan is flirty and that's just his default setting with you. He's not really going to act on his feelings because of your situation with Minho. But Minho doesn't know that, and unfortunately for you, he's never going to let you have the chance to explain. Even if you were completely over him, Minho's overall demeanor is enough to scare off any decent guy. And for that, you're mad at him too.

"I'm going in the water!" Felix shouts the second he finishes eating.

"Just wait a few minutes. If you get a cramp in the ocean, you're fuck." You explain as you start picking up the trash and collecting it into an empty food bag.

"What if I promise not to go all the way in yet? Just my legs." Felix asks as he stands up, brushing sand off of his hands.

"Yongbokkie," You sigh. You know there's no point in arguing with Felix. He'll start pouting if he doesn't get his way and you'll cave like always.

"I'll go with him, noona. I'll stop him from just throwing his whole body in." Hyunjin says, also getting up and handing you his trash.

"I want to go in too, actually," Jeongin adds.

"Me three," Seungmin says as he hands you the bag of trash he collected.

"Okay, okay. But if any of you get a cramp or gets sick, you're Poseidon's problem." You wave them off. All four of them kick off their sandals and run towards the retreating wave. You know it's only a matter of time before they're all soaked.

Ma-Ri takes the trash from you, offering to throw it away for you. You silently thank her as you get up and head towards the boys. You stand on the shore, on top of the cool, wet sand, watching as all four of them are already soaked to the bone and attempting to drown Hyunjin.

"Be careful!" You call out as you watch them. You're going to go in after them, eventually. It's too cold right now and you want to at least wait a few minutes to be sure none of them are going to need your help. With the way they're all tackling each other and hopping on each other's back, you may need to go in soon.

The beach isn't too crowded yet. For a Saturday, you know it'll be backed by the end of the day. Which is one of the main reasons why you came early. If it wasn't for all of your work and school schedules, you would have preferred to come on a weekday when you know it wouldn't get busy until late afternoon. But, with how cool it is today, maybe you'll get lucky and everyone will stay home.

"Give me your hand." You hear Minho call from behind you.

"No," You say simply, refusing to look away from the boys. Ma-Ri walks into your line of sight, finally returning from throwing away the trash.

"Y/n, give me your hand," Minho says again, getting slightly impatient.

"Why do you want my hand?"

"Just give it to me,"

"No!"

Minho walks in front of you, blocking your view of the boys and Ma-Ri. He roughly grabs your wrist, gripping it tight enough so you can't pull away but not too tight where it hurts. He places something hard and small in the palm of your hand before closing your fingers around it. His fingers linger over yours for a second before he finally lets go. You look at him, your eyes narrowed in annoyance. His eyes shift down to your hands, trying--begging you to look at the object he put in your hand. you let out an annoyed sigh before looking down at your hand and lifting your fingers slowly to reveal the mystery object. Your heart jumps in your chest when you're met with the ombre of copperish red of a perfectly intact scallop shell.

During the drive to the beach, everyone was talking about what they were excited to do once you all got to the beach. You answered that today was going to be the day you find the most beautiful sea shell and that it would be perfectly whole. Shell collecting has always been your favorite part of the beach. You can't even begin to count all of the beach trips where you spent hours just looking at shells. The fact that Minho was able to find the perfect one in such a short amount of time and brought it to you immediately warmed your heart. You flip the shell over in your hand, hoping to marvel at the slightly holographic inside of the shell only to be met with the other half of the shell. He managed to find a perfect scallop shell with both halves. You look up to meet his eyes.

Being stubborn, you and Minho rarely apologized to each other. It almost always ends in another argument or makes both of you feel awkward. So you just stopped, finding other ways to resolve your issues. You could tell by the twinkle in his eyes, the soft, pleading look, that this was his way of apologizing. And while it may be a simple apology, especially after how he's been acting, it means the world to you.

Your eyes drop back down to the shell and examine it carefully, making sure the scallop has vacated the premises. Once you're sure the shell is empty, you try to carefully pry both parts apart.

Pop!

The scallop shell separates with a small yet satisfying pop. You examine both halves before taking Minho's arm and placing the nicer of the two halves in his hand, closing his fingers around it. You finally look up at him, squinting your eyes a bit because of the sun bouncing on the water behind him. A small smile forms on his mouth, making him smirk more than anything as he tries to stop himself from grinning. It makes you melt, the look on his face. At the end of the day, you know Minho loves you more than anything. He's always had trouble controlling his emotions when it comes to you. You remember back when you were in preschool you told him you were going to play with the girls instead of him for the day and how much he cried. Deep down inside, he's still that little boy.

"I--What the fuck?" You had taken your eyes off of the boys and Ma-Ri for 2 seconds to have a moment with Minho to find that they're playing chicken in the ocean as the rough waves crash into them. Ma-Ri stands to the side acting as a referee. "Here, can you put this in my bag, please? Hey! Cut that shit out!"

"Felix, I know you're a fish but the waves are too rough for you to be back floating like that." You warn as you swim out to Felix.

The two of you aren't too deep into the ocean. The sand is only a couple of feet away, but as the day went on, the waves got rougher. Ma-Ri gave up after getting absolutely trashed by the water and is working on her tan next to Minho. Hyunjin, Seungmin, and Jeongin are playing in the sand, letting themselves get hit by the waves and struggling to stand back up afterward. They're having fun quickly building sandcastles before the waves destroy them. You and Felix, being the braver two of the group, decided to swim a bit.

"It's fine, I'm straight up chilling, noona," Felix says. Still, you hold onto his ankle to prevent him from floating too far away.

The day has been perfect. It wasn't too hot or too cold. It wasn't too crowded either. All of you took a break to eat lunch, reapply sunscreen, and play some beach volleyball. You even took a little nap on Minho's lap after lunch. You didn't mean to, but he was playing with your hair the same way he pets the cats. That paired with the sounds of the waves breaking on the sand, you couldn't help but fall asleep. Ma-Ri had also fallen asleep and when you woke up, Ma-Ri's whole body was covered in sand while only your feet were buried. The boys innocently built a sandcastle off to the side.

"Are we leaving soon?" Felix asks suddenly after a wave quickly washes over both of you.

"Hm, probably. We have to have enough time to take showers before dinner. My hair alone is probably carrying most of the beach at this point." You say after spitting out some water.

"I wish I could live in the ocean." Felix pouts.

"We can come to the beach more often. Not this one but the one closer to campus." You think for a moment as another wave washes over you. "Just, promise me if you ever feel homesick or down again, you won't bottle it in and come to one of us, yeah?"

"I promise!" You fight against the current as the water starts pulling you back again, pushing Felix in front of you.

The two of you quietly float for a few minutes, letting the waves wash over you. You drift a little further every time, and every time you try to bring both you and Felix closer to the shore. Felix eventually situations himself in an upright position, tired of getting water in his mouth. He starts to splash you hard with the water. You, in return, splash him back.

"Felix! Noona! Behind you!" You hear Seungmin's panicked voice call. You and Felix turn around to see a large wave barreling towards you.

"Oh shit," You quickly turn to the younger boy. "Quick, to the shore." You tell Felix.

Felix quickly turns around and starts swimming towards the shore. You also turn and start swimming. Felix is much faster than you, already halfway to safety as you feel the water start to rise above you. You take in a deep breath just as the large wave consumes you. Completely submerged in the salt water, you're jostled around. Your arms and legs flail around. You're not entirely sure which way is up or down anymore. You feel something attaches itself to your ankle. You try to ignore it as you attempt to swim to the surface. You do your best to remain calm. Your lungs are already starting to burn. Being a dancer, your lung capacity is a bit larger than normal. But you were already tired and out of breath from trying to keep you and Felix close to the shore. Your lungs and eyes are burning but you still hold on as you try to swim towards the light. You weren't deep in the water in the first place but you're not sure how far out you were dragged. Involuntarily, you take a breath as you feel something wrap around your waist. Scared of what that could be, you thrash around a bit. Whatever you're caught in now only gets tighter.

A few seconds later you feel your toes drag across the sand. Then your feet and your knees. The cool air hits your back as your hands also hit the sand. You gain enough strength to crawl onto the sand. The thing around your waist suddenly disappears. Coughing and sputtering out water, you continue to crawl on the sand. When you feel like you're far enough away, you collapse on your stomach. Your eyes remain closed

"Go get some towels! Quick!"

"Noona! Hey Noona! Can you hear me?"

"Fuck, this is bad."

"W-where's F...Lix?" You choke out as you gasp for air.

"I'm right here. Noona, I'm right here." You feel Felix's small hand rest on your back.

"T...hank god." You sigh. Your lungs are still burning but less so now that you're out of the water.

"Here," You feel something, probably the towel, get placed on your back. You then feel a few hands grab you and put you in a sitting position.

The towel wraps around you tighter. You feel a hand on your face and another towel being dabbed over your eyes. After a few seconds, you slowly open your eyes. They're burning but feel much better compared to when you were in the water. Your red, stinging eyes meet Minho's concerned eyes. You blink a couple of times to make sure you're not seeing things, but when they're settled, you still see that Minho is dripping wet.

"Did...did you go in after me?" You ask him.

"Of course I did," He says simply.

"How fucking stupid," You say sternly.

"Noona--" Hyunjin starts before you cut him off.

"No, that was stupid. He's an idiot. You're a fucking idiot." You push Minho's hands away from you and stare him down. Tears begin to prick the back of your eyes.

"Hey, Y/n, that's not fair. He was only trying to help," Ma-Ri says as she puts her hand on your shoulder.

"He shouldn't have."

"So what, I should have just let you drown?" He asks, quickly getting annoyed with you.

"Yes! You can't swim, you do remember that, right? What the fuck were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking!"

"Yeah, no shit! Don't you ever, ever do anything like that again."

"Noona, he was just trying to--"

"He can't swim. You all know that. He had no business jumping in the ocean. We both almost drown. Do you understand that?" You don't break contact with Minho once, making sure he hears every part of what you're saying.

"We didn't," He replies.

"But we could have. That was the stupidest shit you have ever done in your entire life. You do know that, right?" You sniffle, your face becoming wet again. This time, from your tears.

"No it wasn't," He says firmly. The two of you stare each other down, neither one of you willing to back down. Everyone else is tense around you.

"Maybe...we should clean up and head over to the hotel. We can relax a bit before dinner." Ma-Ri suggests. The boys all quickly nod. Refusing to back down, you keep glaring at Minho. He lets out a frustrated groan before throwing down the towel and walking over to where your belongings are.

***

In all three of the motel rooms that Ma-Ri had booked, you and Minho had to get stuck in the one with one bed.

You're still mad about what happened at the beach earlier. Well, half of you is mad. Pissed even, that he's so careless with his own life that he would run into the ocean knowing he can't swim. Another part of you is touched. He still went in the water after you to try to save your life. It was reckless, insane, and romantic all at the same time and it's making you feel conflicted inside.

You step out of the shower, hair dripping wet all over your shoulders. You quickly wrap it up in a towel and continue to change into a pair of shorts and one of Minho’s old shirts. You didn't mean to grab one of his shirts. You were packing last minute and grabbed the first shirt you saw. It seems a bit ridiculous looking at your current situation with him. But your other option is to wear your pajamas to dinner and while that'd be comfortable, it would not be sensible.

Minho quietly brushes past you and takes his turn in the shower. You sit there in silence for a moment before you hear the shower turn on. You let out a breath you didn't even know you were holding in. You're not even sure why you were holding it in. Your lungs still slightly burn. Ma-Ri made you go to the medical tent before you left the beach. They said you'd be fine in a few hours but if it got harder for you to breathe, you should go to the hospital. So far, so good.

You pull the towel off your head and let your damp hair fall on your shoulders. You go through your suitcase and pull out your makeup bag. You originally planned on doing some makeup for dinner, but the tension from earlier changed your mind. Instead, you pull out a tube of chapstick and your face moisturizer. As you finish getting ready, you hear the water shut off. You go to put your things away neatly in your suitcase. You drape your wet towel over the back of your chair and place it in front of the air conditioner to dry just as Minho makes his way out of the bathroom.

"Hey, are you seriously mad at me?" He asks.

"Not mad, pissed off," You answer back quickly.

"Those are the same thing," He groans as he walks over to his suitcase.

"Barely," You mutter.

You finish tidying up to room and pulling your pajamas out for later as Minho puts on cologne. It's the one you like on him. It's his scent as far as you're concerned.

"I don't understand how what I did was bad. I saved your life, you should be bowing down and thanking me. Not bitting my head off."

"Minho," You stop what you're doing and turn to him. "You cannot swim. You do know that right?"

"Of course, I know that."

"Then why the fuck did you--"

"I panicked! I-I wasn't thinking, okay? One second I'm watching you go under, waiting for your head to pop back up, the next I'm pulling you out of the water. I wasn't in control of my body."

"That's stupid."

"How is that stupid?"

"When people drown, they panic. They desperately thrash about trying to get air. People get dragged down when they try to save someone from drowning. There was seaweed caught on my leg. This could have ended horribly in a million different ways--"

"But it didn't,"

"By some miracle, yeah we're both alive. What if we both drowned? What then?"

"We'd be dead," He deadpans.

"I'm serious," You cross your arms, your eyes stinging once again.

"So am I," He steps closer to you, "If we both had drowned, then we'd both be dead. End of story. But we didn't and you're being ridiculous."

"You should have just let me drown." Your voice cracks. You squeeze your eyes shut as you try to drag your emotions deep down inside you so you won't have to deal with them.

"What?" He whispers. His voice is so low you almost don't hear him.

"Min, you almost died today too and it would have been my...I almost...fuck!" You quickly turn around and wipe your face. The tears you were holding back making a violent reappearance.

"Hey, hey, hey," Minho is suddenly in front of you.

He pulls your hands off of your face. He gently cups your face and tries to wipe your tears away. You look into his eyes. They are large and rimmed with tears and yet, he still wears a stupid smirk on his face

"I'm fine, okay. We're both fine. So stop crying. If I had drowned, it would have been nobody's fault but my own. But if I drowned saving you--hell, if I drowned while you made it out, I would have been fine with that."

"You need to stop doing reckless shit like that. Like, moving to the side of traffic when we walk on the sidewalk and waiting outside the bar for me to clock out and, picking fights with everyone who looks at me weirdly or cat calls me on the street."

"Y/n," He presses his forehead against yours, "I do reckless shit when I'm around you. I can't help it. I love you and I want to protect you. If something happened to you and I did nothing to stop it, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"And I'm supposed to live with myself if something happens to you? Because of me?" Your voice cracks again.

"I much rather have that than the other way around. Contrary to popular belief, I care and I would rather something happen to me than the people I love--to you."

"Stop saying you love me." You whisper, your tears slowly falling again as you blink.

"Why lie?" He whispers, slowly closing the gap between you as his nose rests on yours. You can smell the mint from his toothpaste.

"Because you don't mean it." You barely manage to choke out. He's so close to you, that your heart is about to burst out of your chest, you're almost certain he can hear it. His fingers feel like fire on your face.

"I do mean it. I've never lied to you a day in my life. I'm so in love with you that my body isn't even mine anymore. I lose control. That's why I always get mad easily when I see you with someone else. That's why I jumped in the water to save you. I can't go to the store without seeing something and wondering if you'd like it. Or hear a song and imagine you dancing to it while doing that high-pitched giggle you do when you're embarrassed. And that open-mouth smile you'll do while dancing when you know you're doing so well. You consume my every waking thought. And my sleeping ones too."

"Then...why aren't we together."

"You already know the answer to that," He closes his eyes, "I'm a coward. I don't want to fuck this up. I don't want to lose you. I rather have you in my life as a friend than not at all."

"But I can't be with someone else?"

"I'm a selfish bastard. I want everything all at once. You have no idea. Even now, you're crying and all I can think about is kissing you."

"Then do it," You breathe.

Minho pulls away from you, his eyes finally opening again. His hands don't leave your face. He's loudly breathing as he's deep in thought. His eyes move to your lips with an expression you've never seen on him before. For the first time in your life, he's unreadable.

"Y/n, I can't..." His eyes meet yours again.

"You just said you were a selfish bastard. Be selfish and take what you want. I promise you, I want it to." Your hands rest on his wrists.

He stays there in silence again, thinking. Probably contemplating the pros and cons of kissing you. You know he is, you've done it too, and every time the pros outweigh the cons but you still never act on your whims, terrified of scaring him off.

Minho leans in quickly. You close your eyes and brace yourself for the impact of his lips on yours. Only, they never come. You slowly open your eyes to find Minho close to your face, his lips hovering over yours.

"Are you sure?" He whispers, his lips brushing past yours.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life." You whisper back.

A few more seconds go by before Minho finally closes the gap. His kiss is soft, almost as if he's scared you're going to vanish right now. You place cup his face in your hands and he melts into your touch. Relaxing a bit, he presses his lips into yours a bit deeper. You slightly part your lips to breathe and he takes the opportunity to slip his tongue into your mouth. His hands drop from your face to your waist. You slowly start to get lightheaded as you quickly become intoxicated with his scent, his touch--him.

Your hands drop down down to the bottom of his shirt. You play with the hem of his shirt before your right hand makes its way under his shirt. Your hand resting on his defined stomach. Your finger gently strokes the scar on his stomach. Your left hand finds itself on the waistband of his pants. Your finger wraps around his belt loop and gently tugs. His right hand softly grabs your wrist and he pulls away from you. His hands are still on your waist and wrist and he stares at you, trying to breathe. His lips are wet and slightly swollen, probably just like yours. His eyes are full of both lust and concern, it's almost cute.

"Are you sure?" He barely whispers.

"I'm sure," You pull on his belt loop again, this time with more force, closing the gap between the two of you. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

"I don't want to hurt you," He says softly, the lust slowly retreating from his eyes as becomes more concerned.

"Selfish and cocky," You chuckle.

"I don't mean like that. I mean that too, but I don't really, really, really don't want to fuck this up."

You press your lips into his. It's a simple, yet passionate, peck on the lips but it causes him to loosen up a bit. You slowly pull away and look him in the eyes.

"I trust you. With every part of me. Always have. You could never hurt me."

The concern melts off his face, being completely replaced by lust. He still hesitates moving for a second. You're almost certain he's about to chicken out before he crashes his lips onto yours, almost as if he's desperate this time. Your head becomes dizzy all over again as his hands trail over your body. You don't even notice Minho slowly walking you to the bed until your back is flat against it and he is suddenly hovering over you.

"Are you sure?" He mumbles against your lips.

"Positive."

Bonus:

—

Buy me a coffee?

—

Taglist

Red means that it wouldn't let me tag you (either at all or properly)

@amyyscorner @aaasia111 @weird-bookworm @allaboutyej8 @kangaracharacha @lilcutieana @jungkookies1002 @lanatheawesome @hanniemylovelyquokka @jiisungllvr @marked-unknown @kitheat @spearb-99 @chlodavids @veedoesntknaur @yongbbokkie @warlockwithoutcharisma @fennecnco @aslou  @babygirlsuna @jihanlovic @kalopsian-thoughts @reianagarcia @sunshinessky  @brain-empty-only-draken @f9clementine  @jaydebow @phtogravi @mal-lunar-28 @jhstayy

#feelbokkie writes #one last dance smau #stray kids #skz #stray kids smau #skz smau #chan #bangchan #bang chan #lee know #minho #lee minho #changbin #seo changbin #hyunjin #hwang hyunjin #han #jisung #han jisung #felix #yongbok #lee felix #lee yongbok #lee felix yongbok #seungmin #kim seungmin #i.n #jeongin #minho smau

[yanderes-galore]

Hi, may I have something with platonic yandere Toy Freddy with the Yandere Prompts 13, 26 and 59?

I struggled on this so much. I first hated the plot, then found a plot I liked and accidentally deleted my draft. So this was... an experience. Luckily the one I accidentally got rid of was a poor version of this that was badly organized so here's a revised version :)

Note: Tee Hee I had fun with this, made it scary and gorey for once :)

No dead kids, just self-aware robots

Yandere! Platonic! Toy Freddy Prompts 13, 26, 59

"So what if a few people have to die? It'll only bring us closer!"

"Look! We're bonding, just the two of us!"

"Are those friends of yours? Are they your everything?"

Pairing: Platonic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession at first sight, Slight stalking, Clingy behavior, Violence, Gore, Murder, Kidnapping/Death implied, Forced companionship, Jealousy, Possessive behavior, Blood.

Toy Freddy loves to make friends. Every day the tubby bear animatronic seemed to make a new pal at Freddys. He always had so much fun on the job!

Freddy loves to play games and sing songs with his new friends, too. If anything... the bear just likes to be involved. Playing 'Hide and Seek' while singing songs with Bonnie and Chica to occupy hyper children was one of his favorite tasks.

Although, none of his other friends compared to his BEST friend.

The moment Freddy met you, the new dayshift guard, he knew you and him would be great friends. In fact... Toy Freddy was determined to be YOUR best friend, too! How could you not see him as your friend?

Toy Freddy always watched what you did eagerly. You delivered cake, sang songs with the crew, and all around entertained the kids. Toy Freddy was always around to help, too.

In Freddy's eyes, you were always destined to be best friends. In your eyes, you saw the bot as friendly... but not entirely a friend. You were closer with your coworkers more than anyone.

For the most part, Freddy either didn't notice this or denied it. The overly friendly, to the point it's suffocating, bot just liked your presence. It was unnerving to have the bot so close all the time.

"Hey, kids! Who wants to meet Freddy's best friend?" The bear would always say, optics clicking over to you to greet groups and groups of children. You wished he'd leave you alone at times.... Unfortunately, when the bear wanted attention, he was determined to get it.

He didn't even leave you alone on break, either. You'd take time to eat lunch in the break room and coworkers would report the bear looked frantic. It amused you to think the animatronic had attachment problems.

Until you realized how bad it got.

For the most part, the beloved Toy animatronic was tolerable. He was like a clingy teddy bear. Always around... always eager to please.

Problems truly started to arise when you noticed what looked like Freddy's optics having issues. At times the bear would glitch, blue eyes flickering into a dead black stare before returning to normal. That or his eyes would just stare at people around you blankly.

It didn't usually happen during performances, although it was only ever getting more frequent and creepy. Close friends who worked with you often commented on the malfunctioning eye tracking, saying Freddy stared at them strangely. You called a mechanic for a maintenance check in the future.

They'd come near the end of the week... and you just had to hope Freddy won't break until then.

"Feeling fine, Freddy?" You ask while taking paper dishes off tables. The bear's ears click and he turns his head towards you quickly.

"Of course, best friend!" The animatronic chimes, bounding over to you heavily. "Never better! Why'd you ask? Want anything?"

"I'm getting reports of your glitching..." You comment, placing the trash from the party room you're cleaning in a garbage can.

"Glitching?" Toy Freddy asks, clicking his head to the side. "I feel fine...."

"You're staring at employees. I've heard of your series of bots having a scanner problem... but you never acted up this much." You explain, the bear blinks slowly. His optics flicker yet you're too busy cleaning tables for another party.

"Are those friends of yours?" The bear asks suddenly, causing you to turn towards him. His tone is strangely not as cheery as usual. "Are they your everything?"

"That's a weird way to put it..." You laugh softly, the noise pleasing to the clingy bot. "We're friends. Great people to talk to on the job, y'know?"

"I thought I was great to talk to...." Freddy whines in a sad tone. You pause, thinking about your words.

"You are... but you can't be around all the time, Fred." You smile, the bear's eyes locking onto your face. "We just talk about things outside of work. I can't do that with you."

The bear bot gives you a neutral look. You clear your throat, nervousness clogging it up for a moment. You then pick up your cleaning supplies.

"Freddy, you have kids to see. Come on."

You exit the room and Freddy obediently follows. He was way quieter after the conversation you had. The day was almost over, anyways, you just hoped his AI would fix itself when the kids went home.

---

Tragedy at Freddys was common. It was always in the papers. You just hoped your own time at a location would be... normal.

Talk about wishful thinking.

Yet another accident occurred... and you couldn't help but feel it's all your fault. You knew something was wrong with Toy Freddy yet didn't get him repaired fast enough. A malfunction must've caused all this....

The only good thing about this was it happened when the day ended...

That did nothing to ease your trauma, however.

Only to hear liquid dripping onto the floor, followed by a disturbing stench of blood.

You were cleaning last second and your fellow coworker on duty went down the hall. The bots still wandered, they would be recalled before you left. When you finished your section... you went out into the hall...

You run down the hall only to see Toy Freddy standing still, metal body hunched over. In front of him lay a quivering body bleeding on the floor. On closer inspection... it was a much more grisly sight.

Gorey matter covered the bot's jaw, you had no idea he could bite. The body on the floor is indeed your coworker... with their head crushed and body broken with pooling blood. You freeze, trying to see if Freddy was moving at all.

He looked offline... he wasn't.

"Best friend..." Freddy's voice box trails off, blackish eyes locking on you when he turns his head. "They were going to replace me as your best friend... you didn't need them."

"Freddy. Shut down! They need help-"

"They won't be moving anymore, friend."

"You killed them-"

The usually friendly bot quickly looks angry, twitching aggressively.

"So what if a few people have to die!? It'll only bring us closer!"

"Shut down, Freddy!"

"Best friend... our fun is only just starting! Why should I go to sleep now when you're right... here...!"

The bloodied bear makes a lunge for you, you move out of the way and look for an emergency phone. The bear's voice box glitches, the bot turning around slowly to see you gone.

"You know me so well, best friend!" Freddy giggles.

"Hide and Seek has always been my favorite game...."

---

You hide quietly, awaiting sirens. The cops were called but you weren't even sure what they'd do with Toy Freddy still roaming. Would they even believe you?

They had to... the bot was covered in blood. The franchise couldn't frame you....

Toy Freddy had been patrolling the exits, searching frantically for you. You couldn't tell if he was nervous or excited by the idea of finding you. All you knew was you weren't safe... and you yearned for the police to save you.

"Look! We're bonding, just the two of us!" The bear coos in a sing-song voice. You bite your lip and cower in a party room. Deep down you had a feeling he knew you were somewhere here...

He wasn't planning on letting you waltz out of those doors, even if he needed to find other bots to help.

"Best friend...? I know you're in here! After all, I'd never let you leave...."

You remain silent.

"You said you couldn't talk to me about outside of work? Now you can! I'd listen to everything you say about yourself!" The bear says into the empty halls, giggling.

"We could do so much together... just the two of us! If you'd just let me get closer...."

The blood certainly didn't help.

You hear footsteps step closer to the room you were in. You catch a glimpse of his dull eyes, blue orbs now a midnight black. You've never seen him like this...

"You must be in here..." The bot ponders aloud. You shuffle closer to a table to stay out of sight. Unfortunately... that does not stop the bot from stepping into the room.

"Come on out, best friend... I always win my favorite game...!"

Steps crept closer and closer to you... making you shuffle around the table to stay out of view. You strain your hearing... catching the sound of faint sirens under the heavy sounds of metal. Just a little longer....

The bot must've registered the sound too, his ears twitching.

"No fair, friend!" He cries into the dark room. "You're cheating! You're a cheater! This game is over, come out now!"

You don't move. The sound of sirens progresses until they're in the parking lot. You catch sight of lights... and Toy Freddy loops around your table.

"There you are, best friend...." Toy Freddy croons, stepping closer. You shuffle backwards, shaking your head.

"Game over... right?"

You hear the sound of a door being kicked in... you also see Toy Freddy back you up against a wall.

After that... everything's black.

#yandere five nights at freddy's #yandere fnaf 2 #yandere toy freddy #platonic yandere

[donovanlizzie]

LETTERS FROM HOME - BRAD COLBERT

The desolate desert stretched endlessly around the Marines of Bravo Company as they huddled together during a rare moment of respite. The sound of boots shuffling through the sand was interrupted by the unmistakable thud of a bundle of letters hitting the ground.

Mail dump day was always a mix of anticipation and anxiety, a brief connection to the world they had left behind.

Brad Colbert picked up the bundle, scanning through the envelopes until he found one that stood out from the rest. The familiar handwriting, a source of comfort in the chaos of war, bore the name Y/N.

His friend had been faithfully writing to him, offering a lifeline to the world outside from the harsh reality of the desert.

Ray Person, Brad's close friend and fellow Marine, eyed the letter with a teasing grin. "Oh, who's this from, Colbert? Got a secret admirer?"

Brad shot Ray a sidelong glance, clutching the letter protectively. "It's from Y/N, alright? Just a friend."

Ray's eyes widened with exaggerated interest. "Y/N, huh? Is she hot?"

Brad rolled his eyes, trying to dismiss Ray's playful prodding. "She's just a friend, Ray. She writes to keep me sane out here."

Ray, undeterred, leaned in with a mischievous grin. "So, what's she saying? Anything interesting? Does she talk about me?"

Brad sighed, reluctant but amused by Ray's persistence. "She asks about how we're holding up, when we might be coming home. Just normal stuff, you know?"

Ray burst into laughter. "She sounds cool, man. Keep those letters coming. I want to hear more about our pen pal !"

As days turned into weeks, the letters from Y/N became a lifeline for Brad. In the quiet moments between missions, he found solace in her words. Ray, on the other hand, continued to tease him relentlessly.

"Hey, Colbert, any romantic confessions in those letters?" Ray nudged him with a grin.

Brad shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "Just friendly stuff, Ray. It's nice to have someone who cares, that's all."

Yet, as the correspondence continued, something shifted within Brad. Y/N's letters became a source of comfort, a connection to a world beyond the harsh reality of war. In the quiet solitude of his tent, he found himself contemplating his responses, pouring his thoughts and feelings onto paper.

One day, as Brad eagerly tore open another letter from Her, he discovered something tucked inside. A small photograph slipped into his hands, transporting him to a moment frozen in time. The image captured a carefree day before deployment – they had just finished surfing, and Y/N, with her infectious smile, had jumped on Brad's back as he carried her up the sandy shore.

A nostalgic warmth spread across Brad's face as he traced the contours of the photograph. The sound of waves crashing, the feel of the sand beneath their feet – it all came flooding back. That single picture became a cherished token, a reminder of a life left behind and the person who waited for him.

Unable to resist, Brad carefully tucked the photograph into the dashboard of his Humvee. It became a silent companion on every mission, a small but powerful reminder of the world beyond the war zone.

Ray caught a glimpse of the photograph. His eyes widened with a mischievous grin as he leaned in to get a closer look.

"Well, well, Colbert," Ray teased, "who's this beauty? You've been holding out on us!"

Brad shot Ray a look that was equal parts annoyance and amusement. "It's just a picture, It's from Y/N, before I left. when we went surfing."

Ray, undeterred by Brad's dismissive tone, continued to playfully push his buttons. "Just a friend? Come on she’s Been writing to you ever since we got out here and she's hot! if you don't want her, can I have her number?"

Brad rolled his eyes. "she's not interested in you, Ray."

Ray let out a dramatic sigh. "Well, fine. No need to be so protective. But seriously, how did you end up with a friend this hot?"

Brad's stoic expression softened as he looked at the photograph. "We've been friends for a long time.."

Ray, sensing a genuine connection, decided to ease up on the teasing. "Alright, alright, no need to get all sentimental on me. Just making sure you're not hiding some supermodel pen pal from the rest of us."

As days turned into weeks, Ray noticed a subtle shift in Brad. The stoic Marine, known for his unwavering composure, the ‘Iceman’ persona seemed to carry an extra layer of motivation and purpose. Ray, perceptive despite his laid-back demeanor, began to understand the significance of Y/N's presence in Brad's life.

One evening, as they shared a quiet moment in the dim glow of the camp, Ray nudged Brad with a knowing look. "You really care about her, huh?"

Brad nodded, a rare vulnerability in his expression. "Yeah, I do."

MASTERLIST

GENERATION KILL MASTERLIST

#hbo war #generation kill imagine #hbowar #brad colbert imagine #Generation kill imagine #generation kill #ray person

[khorren]

Tutorial: 5 second options for making a clear screenshot of your GW2 character

Hello and welcome to a very quick and dirty "screenshot of your character 101". This isn't gonna cover everything, but just some settings you may not know about to take a nice picture of your pixel child.

Say hi, Aisling. Aisling is dressed very nicely, but this screenshot shows off too much background. It's a very nice background, but we're here to see you, Ais!

So we're gonna crank the "Field of View" slider all the way to the left and get all up her face.

Drag this little baby alllllll the way to the left.

Lovely! We see her face a bit better now but the background is still very much like 70% of the screen. Also we probably want to see her bottom half. So we're gonna crank these two settings allll the way to the left.

Ah, she likes that. Lovely.

And if you wanna play with a tall or small little pal, then be aware of this ticky box!

And if you want a nice shot of their face/upper half, we're gonna zoom in as close as we can….

Oh no. That's not her face. So we go back to the "Vertical Position Near" setting and move that a bit to the right.

Wonderful. Now my screenshot is majority my character rather than the crumbling ruins of the Eye of the North. And if you wanna get in closer you can zoom into first person then back out and quickly snap a pic if you like the background, or if you're not too fussed about the background then go stand up against a wall.

Thank you, Aisling. You can go back to WvW now.

#gw2 #guild wars 2 #tutorial #screenshots

[prismaticpichu]

If Sephiroth lost his mind in a less destructive way and just reverted to the mentality of, say, a 3-5 year old, would Zack take care of him himself in Midgar, spirit him away to the countryside, or take him to a nursing home and visit him a lot? Would Cloud join them?

Either way, I demand Genesis come around to apologize and Sephiroth stick his tongue out at him and go ppbbttthhhh. And maybe eventually hug him, that's negotiable.

What he looks like to Zack:

What he actually looks like:

THE GIFS ddgdgdggcc xD

-------

If Sephiroth were to somehow get reverted to a childlike state, I do actually imagine him taking on some animalistic tendencies. Not a feral child or anything--but just tapping in a LOT more to those alien instincts as a kid than as an adult.

Altho it would be... very awkward at first, I do think Zack would take care of him <3 Sephiroth probably wouldn't even recognize him at first, all those books having completely warped his mind into something vulnerable and splintered and instinctive. Zack would have to approach him calmly--like taming a scared, bristled animal. Seph might back away as Zack tries to step forward, eyes wild and frenzied and unseeing. But Zack would keep going, would take it step by step. He would extend his hand and talk in a low, hushing voice. Talk to the friend that he knows is in there.

"C'mon, buddy... you know me. We're pals."

Sephiroth's breath is labored, a book skidding across the floor as he backs away.

“Please, bud... Don't let them turn you into a monster."

It takes time, it takes patience, but eventually Zack makes a break through. He gets close enough to Sephiroth to place a comforting hand on his shoulder--a gesture of affection that Sephiroth displayed to Zack countless times in ShinRa. Sephiroth doesn't speak, can't find the will to make a coherent sound. But Zack understands from the look in his eyes that Sephiroth remembers him--somewhere in the tangled web of confusion and truth and lies. Somewhere within the threads, there's a part of Sephiroth that knows he is safe.

The bond is fractured, of course, and it takes days upon days of care for Sephiroth to fully trust the person that he's with. They bade Nibelheim and ShinRa goodbye as soon as they left the library, stopping at Cloud's house one last time to have a proper goodbye. Needless to say Cloud is... startled by the drastic shift in his commander. Sephiroth is practically hiding behind Zack the whole time, unwilling to step into the house or even the porch. It's a saddening sight--and Cloud is very confused--but Zack assures his friend that Sephiroth is safer if they leave, even if it's in this condition. The boy understands, sharing a hug with Zack. And, promising not to return to Shinra himself, he watches the two depart into the outskirts of Nibelheim.

What proceeds in the following days is essentially how Zack took care of Cloud--except Sephiroth is conscious on most levels. Zack brings him food and water to eat when he can find them, having to urge Sephiroth to have some H2O and actually digest some nutrients. He's a picky eater, but Zack is always ginger, and ultimately nourishes his friend. They spend the days trekking across the continent, Zack making sure to have his sword ready and always keeping an eye out for helicopter-shaped shadows. At night they sleep under trees--unless lightning storms calls for other arrangements. Separated by a few feet at first, Sephiroth insists on sleeping closer and closer to Zack as the days pile on. His back would be pressed to the other's, just to always ensure that his friend is there. That he hasn't left him. Left him like... like the people in his mind that memory couldn't quite reach, but their spirits still loom in his mind. He's afraid of being alone. Of being abandoned. And every night, feeling the way his friend's body tenses, Zack mumbles to him that he's not going anywhere. And he mumbles it as many times as he needs to until he feels those muscles relax.

This arduous routine carries on for weeks--almost months, And while Sephiroth is nowhere near his normal self, bits and shards of his humanity begin to break through the surface again. He doesn't sleep coiled up anymore, but instead on his side; he stands up straighter and eats with far more care. Once, Zack even hears him trying to croak his name--like he's remembering he can speak, trying with strenuous effort to form the syllables and remember which order they go. Tears nearly welled in his eyes when he recognized the vague sound of a "Z..." pushing its way through Sephiroth's teeth. He's coming back to himself, piece by piece. And with each recruited fragment, the hope in Zack's heart burns even brighter. The hope that everything is going to be just fine. That they won't go back to that hellish life. That nothing is going to hurt them.

Until that day.

One afternoon, when the glaring orb of the sun is blazing high in the mountains, it's not the shadow of a helicopter that Zack spots. No. It's something... sharper. More arched. Almost like--

And the feathers begin floating to the ground.

Zack sprints to where Sephiroth is resting--currently eating a piece of meat that he had used his own Firaga to cook. The warrior hardly has time to register why his friend is so frantic before Zack is standing over his body like a shield. And he hardly has time to register that before a red-cladded figure descends before them--Rapier flaunted, eyes glimmering with vulpine intent.

Genesis laughs that he has finally found Sephiroth after all this time--taunts Zack for being his little guard dog. But what Genesis can't see behind guard dog!Zack is the way Sephiroth is reacting. The way the man is bristling as he listens to his voice, the way his muscles are tethering into knots and the embers purring in his eyes--ready to be ignited. Something inside of him is being stirred; something visceral, something raw. A flash of something that extends beyond his earliest memories of the library--beyond the books and shelves and sickening splatters of words. Something that transcends all of that. Something that catalyzed it. Something that he remembers.

And he hisses.

The conversation--argument--that Genesis and Zack are having is cut short, severed mid-sentence. Genesis initially thinks it's a monster--some piercing sound made by some animal in their proximity. But it's not. Of course it's not. And as Zack sees the look in his eyes, the confusion--all those horrifying feelings he felt when he first found Seph in the Nibel library--he decides to show Genesis the full consequences of his actions.

Visage stern, Zack steps aside, and reveals the hunched, dehumanized Sephiroth behind him. Seph's eyes are blazing--more wild than they hd been in month; his lips are pulled back in a vicious snarl; his muscles are tauter than rope, almost ready to snap at the faintest quiver of his limbs. He looks insane, rabid. Dangerous. Monstrous.

And Genesis is horrified.

He tries asking what the Hell happened to him, tries to get through. But he can't. There's no response--which is somehow the loudest answer he could have been given. Zack takes the reins then and explains exactly what happened--how he found Sephiroth in this state in the Nibel library, all after what happened in the Reactor. After what he learned; after what he was brutally told. Genesis can't speak, is unable to grasp onto any semblance of coherence. He can only take step after step back, staring at his friend--gaping, the glimmer in his eyes extinguished--unable to tear his gaze away from the sight of his old friend.

Of his old friend...

Of his old friend...

His old friend....

The first words he sputters are messy, broken. Pained. They're laden with something--heavy with some ghostly form of regret and sorrow. They're words that are sunken deep, poisonous and dry in his throat. But he gets them out anyway. He needs to. He needs to, because they are eating his voice away.

"This.. this isn't what I wanted..."

But it's what he got. It's what he did. The words are no more healing outside his lips than they were inside his body. He continues to stand there, staring at his shattered friend, feeling so incredibly caged amid the endless swaths of stone and mountain surrounding them. He drops his sword, lets the echo ripple and rattle. He wants to clutch his chest; he wants to fall to his knees. He wants to say something that matters.

He... he wants to...

"Can... can he hear me?"

Zack, recognizing the genuine swarm of emotions consuming the auburn, lets his visage soften. His eyes lose a lot of their malice, his heart slackens from its vengeful grip. And he responds to the question honestly.

"I don't know, really... but I think so."

It's all Genesis needs to hear. With a lump of iron in his throat, he begins to cautiously approach the snarling Sephiroth--step by step, inch by inch, like he was barefoot and walking on a sheet of flaming coals.

"Sephiroth... it's not true, okay? I was wrong. Do you hear me...? I was wrong."

Sephiroth doesn't take his eyes off of him.

"Don't listen to what I said... please. I was angry... so angry. And i just wanted your help. And... and I didn't know what to do when I couldn't get it."

A flicker, distant and almost imperceptible. A glimpse of something. A response.

'You're not... okay? Please, just listen to me. You're not one. Okay? Okay..?! Do you hear me?!"

Sephiroth closes his mouth, loosening... listening. Watching as the red-cladded figure grows closer and closer. Closer and closer. Zack doesn't intervene, doesn't say a word. He recognizes the shift, can feel it in the air--the faint shadow of a smile falling onto his lips as Genesis continues to approach him.

"Please... you're not.. you're not a monster, Sephiroth. Don't do this. Please. I'm..."

A deep, broken breath rattles through the air. A swallow. A choke. And the unmistakable shimmer of a teardrop.

"I'm sorry, my friend. I'm... I'm so sorry... for everything"

He is practically standing in front of Sephiroth now, legs shaking. Weak. The air had grown significantly thicker, a dense and heavy pressure weighing on all three's shoulders. Sephiroth has gone completely silent--his mouth closed, his muscles untethered, the embers controlled and purring. He stares at the red-cladded man for a long stretch of time, not saying a word. Almost like he's thinking. Considering.

Until. suddenly, faster than the speed of a bullet, the man pounces.

"Seph, DON'T!--

....

....

...

But he hadn't pounced to attack; he hadn't pounced to kill.

Instead, the man had lunged forward, and wrapped his arms around the winged SOLDIER.

"...F... forgive."

#sephiroth #zack fair #ffvii #crisis core #ff7 #asks #ty!! #pichu writing #genesis rhapsodos

[silens-oro]

Spoils of War: 5. Consequences

Aemond Targaryen x F!Targaryen!Reader

Spoils of War Masterlist Masterlist

Synopsis: Every action must have a consequence, and there is no turning back from what is to take place.

Word Count: ~4,073

Warning: 18+. Targaryen uncle/niece incest (lite, nothing truly weird other than they are both Targaryens), death, blood, gore, suicide attempt (this term is used very loosely), heavy angst.

AN: 😅 We're in this together, pals. xoxo

Likes, reblogs, and comments are highly appreciated.

The turbulence was like nothing you’ve felt before as you steered your dragon through the dangerous storm. It had only gotten worse since you landed in this gods-forsaken place. A single strike of lightning could fell the likes of Vhagar, so you did all you could to lead your brother to safety above the clouds. 

Your hands tightened on the handles of Maestron’s saddle as a bellow sounded behind you, overpowering the clash of thunder. It shook you to your very core.

“Faster!” You screamed to the dragons, pleading with Arrax to fly with all of his might. Aemond was giving chase and at this point, you did not know what he would do should he actually catch Luke. 

You were sure your earlier provocation did not help. Dread pooled in the pit of your stomach as you thought back on your own foolishness. How many times must you strike a dragon before it strikes back? -your words to Aemond resonated ironically. There were only so many cruel words you could throw at a person, no matter how much they had hurt you, before they too snapped.  

The rain blinded you, its droplets hitting your face like shards of glass with the speed that Maestron reached. Arrax struggled to match with Luke on his back. The beast, still so young, did not have the strength he needed to fly as efficiently through the storm. 

Whipping your head from side to side to try and locate Vhagar, you only saw black clouds and strikes of lightning. As you looked up, a shuddersome shadow moved overhead. You wanted to sob at the sheer vastness of Vhagar as she flew above, a mere puff of cloud separating her from you and Luke. 

Luke looked up when he saw your neck craned and the fear that enveloped your entire being. 

The foul beast swooped down in the flash of a second, her razor-clawed feet stopping short of grazing your brother’s head. 

“Stop this!” You screamed to Aemond, who only laughed as Arrax dropped in surprise. He quickly righted himself, but the dragon was very much panicked. Vhagar flew up into the darkness, making your head turn on a swivel. Luke called your name in fear.

“Stay steady!” You called to him. Just as you turned forward, Vhagar broke from the clouds ahead of you, flying at break-neck speed straight for the two of you. She growled dangerously, mouth open. Luke split from you, Vhagar gliding through the space he once was.

“Aemond!” Your words fell on deaf ears. You tried not to cry, but the fear of what could possibly happen was just too much. 

“To me!” You shouted to Luke. His head turned to find you, steering an erratic Arrax to your side. “You will head for that break in the clouds!” You ordered, pointing above you. He nodded. “You push Arrax as hard as he will go, regardless if I follow or not -you will continue on to Dragonstone!”

“I will not leave you!” He shouted.

“You will do as I say! Now!” Luke shot you a sad look before pulling Arrax to ascend near vertically towards the opening ahead. 

Aemond’s cruel laughter was heard over the thunder, taunting you. The great beast had turned around, getting closer and closer to chomping her massive teeth through Maestron’s tail. 

“Still see me as weak, my love?” Aemond shouted to you, standing from his saddle to welcome the rain. You turned and saw the maniacal grin that nearly split his face. “I ride the largest, fiercest living dragon in the world!”

“Seems you are overcompensating, my Prince!” You couldn’t help yourself. You would not be treated as prey by anyone, him least of all. This seemed to push Vhagar even closer, causing Maestron to bail to the side to avoid her jaws. Every muscle in your body screamed as you held on for your life. “Stop this, Aemond!” He responded with a slew of taunts in High Valyrian that you could not discern over the blood and wind rushing through your ears. 

A weight lifted from your shoulders as the last of Arrax’s spiked tail left your view. He made it out of the storm and to the clear skies above. 

You did what you could to keep Aemond’s attention on you so that Luke may flee. Bringing Maestron as low to the ground as you could, you maneuvered him around mountainsides and through canyons -anything that would make it difficult for Vhagar to follow. 

It mattered not. 

Aemond continued to laugh as if this was a friendly game of chase and not a life or death situation. Oh how wrong your heart had been to love this monster of a man. Had his feelings for you been genuine? These thoughts you could ponder on later, but the pain he had caused hurt all the same. 

Maestron roared in warning as he pulled his wings tight to his body, shooting himself like an arrow through a narrow rock path that the beast giving chase could not follow through. 

Looking behind you, you saw Aemond’s face drop as he pulled Vhagar up. She flew above you, trailing the slightest bit as you pushed Maestron through the narrow canyon. 

“Had the boy just given me what was owed, this would not be happening!” He shouted down to you. 

“This is tiresome, Aemond!”

“For you! I will not stop giving chase! Not until this war is over or I claim my prize!” You pushed Maestron into a band of thick clouds for cover once the canyon opened up. Maestron's pale coloring camouflaged with the clouds and Aemond immediately lost sight of you. High Valyrian curses shouted from his lips once more, mocking you as you fled. He beckoned you to come out with cruel words, but you would not take the bait. 

“Arrax, dohaeragon!” Luke shouted from behind. Flames burst through the clouds overhead, followed by the pained roar of Vhagar. 

“No!” You shouted in terror, tears springing to your eyes as you turned Maestron to go back. 

You made it to your brother just as Vhagar began to descend away from the flames. Fire had burned the dragon-rot scales of her muzzle, creating the perfect deterrent for you both to escape. If Aemond had been singed in the aftermath, then so be it. 

“Go!” Luke shouted to you, turning Arrax to a break in the clouds above. Once you saw the tip of Arrax’s tail clear the surface once more, you felt hope that you’d make it out of this.

Gasping for breath as Maestron followed through the surface of the clouds, it felt like the first breath of air after submerging under a tidal wave. 

“We’ve made it!” Luke shouted, Arrax gliding at a higher altitude than Maestron. 

“Why did you do that?!” You shouted up at him angrily, hair whipping in the dry wind. Frustration, panic, worry, and fear were all evident on your face. All of the emotions swelled together, making it hard to differentiate one from another. 

Luke looked taken aback. 

“When you did not surface, I could not leave you!” He reasoned. “I would not! Just as I know you would not leave me!” You pushed the wet tendrils of hair from your face that had gotten loose from your riding braids. 

“It is your duty to follow what I say and you deliberately disobeyed me. Your safety and well-being is of the utmost importance, Luke! You are the heir to Driftmark! You have a legacy to uphold!” You said sharply, sighing when you saw tears shine in his dark eyes as you reprimanded him. 

You breathed a moment to calm yourself. His brows furrowed in anger as response.

“As is yours!” He shouted. “If you do not make it to Lord Stark, we will have nothing! Without the Northern bannermen we will lose! You know this and yet you still put yourself in harm’s way!” Luke turned it on you, though the anger had fallen away immediately. The dragons glided through the air for a few moments, the only sound between you was of their wings flapping. 

“What you did was brave,” You started, “and I thank you for it, but there is a razor thin line between bravery and stupidity, Luke. You need to understand that and differentiate between them when you are making such rash decisions.” You tried to council. Aemond was right about one thing -Luke could not expect you to stand by him forever. It was painful to think about. You had shielded him as much as you could his entire life in a way your mother couldn’t. You and Jace were closer in age, and while you were still fiercely protective of him, he could handle himself. Luke would always be the toddling child in your eyes, even though you knew it wasn’t reality. You were seeing that now. 

“I won’t apologize!” Luke shouted back at you, shaking his head. His emotions bubbled up to the surface. “I am to protect you just as you protect me!” Tears fell from your eyes as you looked at him when his voice cracked. You bit your lip to the point of drawing blood to stop the sob that wanted to escape. “I cannot lose you!” Stopping any further words from leaving your mouth, you kept your lips closed tight and nodded. 

You shared a look of understanding. Luke was growing up. You could see that he would be a good Lord of Driftmark by his convictions alone. He had a lot to learn, but he would surely grow into the role set before him. There was no doubt in your mind.

Luke took point in leading you both back to Dragonstone.

You would be a few days behind Jace, who had already started the week-long journey to Winterfell himself. It would be a day or so later than you were to be expected, but Jace would buy time. He was charming enough. The second you had an audience with your Queen Mother and father on what transpired at Storm’s End, you would take flight to what would be your new home should Lord Stark accept the betrothal. 

You panted, head leaning down to rest between the handles in front of you as you absorbed the heat of the sun on your back. You brought a gloved hand down to rub at the only flesh you could safely reach of the dragon’s, whispering gratitude to the beast in your native tongue. You knew he was exhausted just as you were. 

“Keep your eyes open. We are not safe until we see the Dragonmont, Luke.” You warned, looking back down to the storm below. 

“You think he’d still give chase?” Luke questioned, looking down at you with furrowed brows.

“I don't-” Your words were cut short, the air pushed from your lungs. Maestron barrel rolled out of instinct to the right to miss the hooked claws of Vhagar’s feet as she burst through the clouds on Luke’s other side. The action nearly broke your neck with the sheer force of it. Your brother’s name tried to tumble from your lips and by the time it did, Luke was gone. 

“No! Vhagar, no!” Aemond shouted atop his rogue mount. There was no stopping the Queen of Dragons scorned by what she surely viewed as a wyrmling.  

Snapped within the massive jaws of Vhagar, Lucerys disappeared entirely, and Arrax’s body -minuscule in comparison to Vhagar’s head alone- severed like shreds of parchment. Blood and flesh rained down through the clouds and out of sight to the ground below. 

Vhagar roared in victory, a deliberate warning to Maestron. 

Your screams of terror came from a place deep within you that you did not know existed. They were guttural and agonizing as you caught sight of Aemond’s horrified face. He called your name, begging you to listen to him, just as you pushed Maestron to flee once more. 

“Sōvegon!” Fly, you shouted. The dragon moved with more speed than he had with Arrax beside him. At twice the size that Arrax was, Maestron flew with twice the speed and twice the agility. 

Even still, it would take nothing short of a miracle to escape the cruel fate rapidly catching up behind you. You did not think Aemond capable of such treacheries, and yet…your brother’s remains would never be found. 

You could not catch your breath through your sobs of devastation. Your dragon screeched in shared terror as Vhagar only inched closer. He tried to out-maneuver Vhagar, shifting left and right, up and down, cutting back and forth to try and lose her.

Gone. 

Gone. 

Luke was gone. 

Dead. 

“Land or Vhagar may kill Maestron! I cannot predict what she will do! Do not meet your end as your brother has, I beg!” Aemond shouted behind you. 

You lowered Maestron as you had previously, but you had no intention of landing. The flat lands just past Bronzegate were not as inviting as they once were when you spent nights out here with Aemond. The grounds had been tainted with your brother's blood and there was nothing in this world that could cleanse it.

“You will take my life before I submit willingly, you wretch!” You shouted back, Maestron rolling once more to the side to switch directions to buy time. “Murderer!” You wailed as Aemond shook his head, still in shock. 

Continuing to head Northeast, you were reaching the stretch of land leading to Massey’s Hook. Once you reached the end of the Peninsula, you would see Dragonstone as a in the distance, Blackwater Bay, and any loyal dragonriders who were on patrol. Aemond would not dare cross into your mother’s territory. Not after what he had done. 

“You will not make it!” Aemond shouted in promise. “Land and we shall speak!” 

“You hold no words I wish to hear!” You felt the determination that Maestron willed as he pushed on. Never had you flown so fast upon his back. He knew just how grave of a situation this was. So focused were you on the passing lands of Massey’s Hook, so close to the cut off of the bay, that there was nothing you could do to save Maestron’s wing from the clutches of Vhagar’s jaws. 

It felt as if you had been slingshotted from your saddle. Maestron’s velocity had ceased, giving way to Vhagar’s. You screamed in pain, for yourself and your dragon.

Aemond shouted at his mount to hold. Your beast roared and screeched, kicking and biting at Vhagar to release him. Had you not strapped yourself to the saddle, you surely would’ve fallen to your doom below. Your face met the last sight your brother saw before he was taken, but she did not welcome you within her putrid mouth as she did him. Dragon blood sprayed across your face and soaked your hair as you tried to hold onto the slippery handles of the saddle. Vhagar held Maestron’s wing in her mouth, his body hanging vertically. The sounds he made ripped your heart from your chest. 

“Aemond!” You begged, though you did not know what for. Release? Death? Any end, surely. Bone twisted and snapped sickly as Maestron continued to fight. You did not know how much longer you could hold on nor how long your straps would keep you secured. You prayed Maestron’s wing did not rip entirely, plunging you both to the land below. Perhaps that would be the best way to go, hand in hand with your valiant mount. 

Vhagar’s landing near the cliffs of the hook was rough, Maestron’s legs and tail dragged along the terrain, tearing his pale skin from flesh. 

“Release him!” You begged hysterically, your throat raw from screaming. 

At her rider’s command, the Queen of Dragons released the mangled dragon to the ground. His wing was brutally twisted, broken, and torn. Blood, bone, and cartilage were visible, flapping in the breeze. Your stomach turned at the grizzly sight. Maestron let out pathetic whelps as he tried to scurry away from Vhagar’s reach. You felt his pain, his agony, his fear. The shared connection between you sizzled and popped in a frenzy.  

Maestron would never fly again if he lived. 

“I’ve warned you!” Aemond shouted, though you saw the raw fear on his face. “Remove yourself from your dragon or she will strike again. You do your beast no favors by resisting.” It felt like your chest was caving in with the devastation that overtook you. Like your brother, neither you nor your dear Maestron were making it out of this, you realized. 

Betrayed and murdered by a man whose affections you once held dear to your heart. 

“We will speak, and nothing more!” He promised. 

You paid him no mind, trying to soothe Maestron as best as you could. Aemond watched from his saddle, a frown set upon his lips as he witnessed the suffering before him. This is not what he wished to happen when he gave chase. Stupid, stupid, stupid, he berated himself. Everything had gone so horribly wrong, so terribly fast. 

Knowing it was dangerous to unstrap yourself from the dragon as he tried to hobble his way to safety from Vhagar, it was much more dangerous to stay upon him. Both dragons were volatile and could attack each other at any given moment with you in the crossfire.

Tensions were too high to remain where you were, so with a pull of your strap you tumbled free from Maestron as he flailed, narrowly smashing you with his mangled foot as you fell in a heap to the ground. Ducking under the chaotic swing of his partially skinned spiked tail, you scrambled to get out of his way. 

Vhagar took her moment to assert herself upon Maestron. She growled menacingly, inching forward as a predator would cornered prey. Maestron hissed and roared, trying to ward the she-beast away. You stood away from the dragons, watching helplessly. 

Maestron would not live through this, you concluded. The dragon that had hatched in your crib as an infant, that bonded with you so ferociously as a child, that served you loyally and you it -would die slowly, or he would die quickly. Either way, you would grant him the mercy of ending his suffering. Your lower lip trembled terribly as you looked upon him, eyes blurring from the wall of tears built over them. He was beautiful even his last moments. He was powerful and strong, but he was no match for the dragon before him.

No dragon alone was. 

It would be quick for him and that gave you little comfort. With a fist clutching your heart you made your decision.

“Maestron!” You shouted, your voice riddled with fury, pain, and misery. Maestron and Aemond both looked at you. “Dracarys!” Maestron looked to Vhagar, and with his last burst of energy a fury of flames burst forth. 

“Ossēnagon!” Kill, Aemond shouted instantaneously. Vhagar did not need her rider’s command. 

You fell to your knees as Vhagar took three massive steps forward through the flames and clamped her jaws around Maestron’s neck. The flames died instantly with a sickening crack as she bit down.

Maestron’s head hit the ground like a boulder fallen from a cliff as his body flailed and twitched, blood raining down onto the field.

“He will only bring pain and misery.” Sobs broke free from your lips as your father’s prophecy rang true.  

Vhagar let out a ground trembling roar that shook the dirt beneath you before flames shot from her mouth to roast the fallen dragon before her. She descended upon his carcass in a feast right before your very eyes. 

All sound gave way to a high pitch in your ears as you watched the scene before you, unblinking. Your body bent forward to the ground and your forehead touched the dirt as you cried in pain, in agony now that you had a void where your connection to Maestron once was. You did not know a life before it, and you certainly did not think you would have much of one after it was gone.

You cried for Luke.

You cried for Maestron.

You cried for Arrax.

You cried for your mother, who will surely be devastated once the news reaches her.

You cried for yourself.

So much had been lost in such a small span of time.

This felt like the beginning of the end as you pulled yourself back up to a kneeling position upon your knees, gasping for breath as you looked to the skies above. How could your gods forsake you as they had? Your eyes were pulled to the sound of crashing waves and whipping winds to your right. The tides were calling you, beckoning you into their safe embrace.  

This would be done.

Aemond, who had since dismounted, called your name as he cautiously approached you with one arm reaching out ahead of him as if he were about to tangle with a wild animal. You looked over to him, still a good distance away, with such a look that it stopped him in his tracks. He knew what a rabbit looked like just as it was about to flee, so he started running towards you before you made your move. Instantly, you jumped to your feet clumsily and started running towards the cliff’s edge in the distance. 

“Stop!” Aemond yelled your name, his long legs easily narrowing the distance between you. You did not turn back to look at him, only forward to your salvation. As the sparse trees around you cleared, the endless horizon of the sea came into view. The muscles of your legs cramped and burned, your lungs clenched painfully as you ran faster than you ever had in your life.

“Stop!” His breaths were quick, but his training had built a stamina that you simply did not have. You relied on your sheer will to continue forward, one foot in front of the other as you ran. Aemond called your name once more before you were tackled to the ground from behind. The flesh of your palms and face tore as they skidded across the ground, an eerie likeness to what Vhagar had done to Maestron in their own landing. 

Your body rolled with Aemond’s from the sheer force you both exerted. Dust created a cloud that followed the breeze and dissipated into the air. You both ended in a tangle of limbs, but Aemond was quick to straddle your hips to keep you to the ground. His gloved hands held you down by your shoulders, using his weight as leverage. Pebbles and stones beneath you dug into your back painfully and the wounds in your face and hands stung. You could feel the warmth of blood trickle down your chin to your neck.  

The both of you were panting, eyes wild as you stared at each other. You tried to push Aemond off of you, but he was quick to hold your hands above your head in the struggle. Aemond’s face lowered closer to yours, his long hair curtaining around you with the loss of the leather tie that usually fastened it.

“You’d jump?” The natural softness of his voice broke you. You screamed and thrashed, kicking your legs to get him off of you. His free hand pinned you by your neck, his long fingers wrapping around it easily. “Answer me!” He shouted. 

“Kill me now! If you will not allow me to do it myself, then you will do it! You have my life, so take it!” You demanded. Aemond’s frown only seemed to deepen. “You’ve taken everything else!” Your eyes left his as you tilted your head back as far as it would go to look up at the sky. Such a vast difference to Storm’s End, you thought. A cascade of pinks and oranges were painted above you as the sun set, and not a single cloud could be seen. “If ever you loved me, Aemond, you would grant me this small mercy.” Your voice was hoarse and small as the pressure of Aemond’s hand left your throat. You closed your eyes, allowing the beauties of the sky to be your last sight in this life.  

Your thoughts were sent to darkness, the hilt of a blade knocked against your skull. 

Finally, you had peace. 

“Your Grace, I apologize for the intrusion, but I have urgent news from Stonedance.” Maester Gerardys entered the Solar without a single knock. The room was currently occupied by Daemon and the Queen, who had just finished their dinner. Both stood at the maester's entrance. Gerardys looked panicked and quickly handed Rhaenyra the scroll held tightly in his shaking hands. 

“Massey’s Hook?” Rhaenyra looked at Daemon in confusion before pulling the scroll open. Her eyes scanned the words and she nearly collapsed against the table before her. She read it over and over to make sure she was truly seeing the words written before her. The scroll fell to the table, rolling back and forth as an uncontrollable sob left her mouth. Daemon was quick to grab the rolled parchment, nearly tearing it in half with how roughly he pulled the ends apart. His jaw clenched and his eyes turned to slits

“Shall I gather the council?” Gerardys suggested. Daemon gave him a single nod before Gerardys excused himself. The maester wasn’t out of the room but for seconds before Rhaenyra’s legs collapsed under her. Daemon was quick to catch her, holding her as they both fell to the ground. She wailed horrifically into his chest, clenching her hands around him. Daemon could only feel anger, brutal and bloody anger.

His daughter and step-son had perished, and their dragons with them. The Kingdom would burn for this.

Show of hands, who's cryin'? ✋

Taglist: @thelittleswanao3@bellameshipper@praline357@crazymusicgirl104@visenyaverse@nina2697@malfoytargaryen@ana8swift

#aemond targaryen imagine #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen #house of the dragon imagine #house of the dragon #hotd #hotd imagine #aemond x you #x reader #hotd x you #angst #spoils of war fic

[layce2015]

Supernatural (Dean Winchester x Female!Reader)

Time Is On My Side

Masterlist

The Demon began screaming and thrashing about in the chair, he was tied up to, after I threw Holy water at it. "You ready to talk?" Dean asked him. "I don't know. I don't know anything!" The demon shouts. "Oh, you hear that, guys? He doesn't know anything." Dean sneered and Sam and I smirked. "Yeah, we heard." Sam said.

"I'm telling you the truth." the demon said. "Oh, you are? My god, then I owe you an apology. Allow me to make it up to you." Dean said as I hand him the holy water. Then he forces holy water into the Demon's mouth. "I'm gonna ask you one last time...Who holds my contract?!" Dean asked, angrily.

The Demon goes quiet, head hanging, then he looks up his eyes are black and he is smiling. "Your mother. Yeah, she, uh, showed it to me right before I bent her over." The demon sneers and Dean leans in closer to the demon. "I want a name. Or else..." he growls.

"Or what? You're gonna squirt your holy water in both ends? Please. Brother, that's like a fleabite compared to what's coming to me if I tell you jack. Do what you want. The only thing I'm scared of is the demon holding your ticket." the demon said and Dean stares at the Demon then looks at Sam, who nods and begins reciting an exorcism.

"How does that feel? Does that feel good?" Dean asked the demon as he starts to scream and squirm. "Go ahead. Send me back to hell...'Cause when you get there, I'll be waiting for you...with a few pals who are dying for a nice little meet and greet with Dean Winchester." The demon said.

"Should I?" Sam asked Dean and Dean glares at the demons. "Send him someplace he can't hurt anyone else." he said and Sam continues the exorcism. As the Demon begins screaming, I look over at Dean and noticed that he looked a bit nervous and fearful.  

After burying the body, Dean and I make our way back into the cabin and enter it just as Sam got off of his phone. "Bury the body?" He asked us. "Yeah. Looks like these demons ride 'em hard just for kicks." Dean said as he opens and chugs on a beer then crashes tiredly onto a couch. 

"What was the phone call about?" I asked Sam as I grab a beer too and drink it. "Remember that thing in the paper yesterday?" Sam asked us. "Stripper suffocates dude with thighs?" Dean asked. "Of course that would've caught your eye." I grumbled while Sam chuckles.

"The other thing." he said. "Right, the guy that walks into the E.R. and kneels over dead. His stomach's ripped out?" Dean said. "His liver, actually. Anyways, I just found out something pretty damn interesting." Sam said. "What?" I asked him. "The dead body covered in bloody fingerprints, not the victim's." Sam explained.

"Okay, great. My man Dave Caruso will be stoked to hear it." said Dean. "Those fingerprints match a guy who died in 1981." Sam added and Dean and I sit there in silence. "Really. So, what are we talking? Uh, walking dead? Walking, killing dead?" I asked. "Maybe." Sam said, shrugging. "Zombies do like the other other white meat. Huh." Dean said then he looks up at Sam. "Speaking of, what do you care about zombies?"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. "Well, you've been on soul-saving detail for months now. And we're three weeks out, and all of a sudden, you're interested in some hot zombie action?" Dean pointed out. "Hey, man, you're the one who's been all gung ho to hunt. I just thought I'd be doing you a favor." Sam said, offended.

"Hey, no, no, no, no, no. I didn't say I didn't want to do it, okay. I mean obviously I want to hunt some zombies." Dean said. "Okay, fine, whatever." Sam said, exasperated.

"Yeah, the rest of the body was intact. The liver was the only organ missing." the coroner said as we stand in his lab, listening to him. "Now, where the liver was ripped out, did you happen to notice any...ah...teeth marks?" Dean asked and Coroner gives us a look then asked. "Can I see your badges?"

"Of course, sure." Sam said and we show him out badges. "Fine. So you're cops and morons." He said as he leads us to the cabinet where they hold bodies. "Excuse me? No, no. We're very smart." Dean said. "The liver was not ripped out. It was removed. Surgically. By someone who knew their way around a scalpel. Didn't you read my report?" The coroner asked us.

"Of course we did." Dean said and I nod. "Oh, it was riveting. It was a real page-turner, just delightful." I said giving a small smile to the man. "You done?" he asked me and Dean. "I think so." Dean and I said. "Please go away." The coroner said. "Okay." Dean said just as Sam and I said. "Sure."

As we walked down the hallway of the hospital, I noticed Sam smiling. "What?" I asked him. "Nothing. So, that kind of punches a hole in our zombie theory, huh, that scalpel thing?" Sam said. "Yeah, zombie with skills, Dr. Quinn, medicine zombie." Dean jokes.

"Maybe we're on the wrong track, guys, looking for hacked-up corpses." Sam said. "What should we be looking for?" I asked Sam. "Survivors. This isn't zombie lunch. This is organ theft." Sam said then we head towards a different part of the hospital. 

"I told the cops all of this yesterday. I don't want to talk about it anymore." the patient said, annoyed. "It's just a couple of questions, sir." Sam assures him. "Hey, man. I just got my kidney stolen. I'm tired." The patient said. "We'll be out of here quick. Don't you want to get the guy?" Dean asked him. "Will it get me back my kidney?" The patient asked back with attitude.

"So what's the last thing you remember?" I asked him. "Feeding my meter. I got jumped from behind...and then I wake up strapped to a table. And then the worst pain you could possibly imagine, only worse. And then I black out again. Thank God. And then I wake up screaming in some no-tell motel in a bathtub full of ice." he replied to me with a bit of much calmer and better tone than he was giving the boys.

"Do you remember anything about the surgery – you know, what the guy looked like, any details about the room?" I asked him, calmly. He looks me over then shakes his head. "No, the thing I only really remember was getting my kidney cut out of my body." He replied and I nod, giving him a sympathetic look.

Later, at the motel, the boys and I were sitting at the table, Sam was using the laptop and Dean was happily eating a burger while I flick through a book. "So, I got a theory." Sam said and I look up at him. "Yeah?" Dean and I said. "Yeah, I talked to Mr. Giggle's Doctor. Turns out his incisions were sewn up with silk." Sam said. "That's weird." Dean remarks.

"Yeah, nowadays it is, but silk used to be the suture of choice back in the early 19th century. It was really problematic. Patients would get massive infections. The death rate was insane." Sam explained. "Good times." I said, sarcastically.

"Right, so Doctors, they had to do whatever they could to keep infections from spreading. One way was maggots." Sam said and I give a disgusted look as Dean's face scrunches up. "Dude, I'm eating." He said but Sam continues. "It actually kind of worked because maggots, they eat bad tissue, and they leave good tissue. And get this. When they found our guy, his body cavity was stuffed full of maggots."

"Dude, I'm eating!" Dean yells as I try not to gag. "Alright, let me get this straight. So, people are getting ganked, right?" I asked Sam. "Yeah." He replied. "A little antiques roadshow surgery, some organ theft. But why is this all sounding familiar?" Dean said.

"Because you heard it before. When you were a kid...from Dad. Doc Benton...real-life Doctor, lived in New Hampshire, brilliant and obsessed with alchemy, especially how to live forever. So, in 1816, Doc abandons his practice and..." Sam said and Dean nods as it now started to ring a bell to me. "Right, yeah, nobody hears from him for like 20 years, and all of sudden, people start showing up dead." I said. 

"Dead or – or missing an organ or the hand or some other kind of part." Sam said. "Cause whatever he was doing was actually working. He just kept on ticking. Parts would wear out, he'd replace them. But I thought Dad hunted him down and took his heart out." Dean said. "Yeah, I guess the Doc must have plugged in a new one." Sam said.

"All right, where's he doing the deed?" I asked Sam. "According to this, Benton's picky about where he sets up his lab. He likes dense forest with access to a river or stream or some kind of freshwater." Sam replied as Dean takes another huge bite of his burger.

"Why?" I asked, curiously. "Because that's where he likes to dump the bile and intestines and fecal matter." Sam replied and I felt my stomach turn at this, and tried not to gag, while Dean looks disgusted and lowers his burger, gagging slightly.

"Lost your appetite yet?" Sam asked us. Dean considers this, looking at the burger and then at Sam, then back at the burger. "Oh baby, I can't stay mad at you." Dean said to the burger and takes a huge bite, staring at Sam as he chews. "I think I lost my appetite for the rest of the year." I remarked and Sam chuckles.

Later, Sam, Dean and I lean over a map on the bed then Sam points at map, where some areas are circled in red. "So these are all the cabins. Most of them have been abandoned for years." He said. "So what the hell are we waiting for?" I asked just as Dean's phone rings and he answers. "Bobby." He answered then he straightens up at this. 

"I'm listening. Who's that? Like a Cleveland steamer?" Dean asked and he listens into the phone. "And now?" He asked and there was a small moment of silence. "And he thinks it's Bela?" He asked and my ears perked up at this. "She's used that before. Well, it's kinda of a sloppy move, isn't it? Getting in contact with one of your old friends." He said and Sam and I exchange looks.

"Thanks, Bobby. We're on our way. Okay." Dean said then he hangs up and looks over at us. "Come on. We're going after Bela." Dean said and I smiled. "Good, you don’t have to tell me twice." I said while Sam looks at us, confused.

"What? Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on a second." Sam said as Dean and I start to pack a bag. "Come on. Get your stuff. The clock's ticking." Dean tells him. "Look, I think we should stay here and finish the case." Sam said and Dean turns to him. 'You insane?" He asked.

"Dean, there's no way she still has the Colt! That was months ago! She probably sold it the second she got it." Sam said. "Well, then we'll kill her. Win-win." I said and Dean nods. "Exactly." Dean said. 

"Guys..." Sam said, exasperated.

"Sam. We're going!" Dean yells.

"No!" Sam yelled back.

"Why the hell not?" Dean asked. "Dean, this, this here. Now. This is what's gonna save you." Sam replied. "What? Chasing some Frankenstein?" I asked him. "Chasing immortality." Sam said and Dean and I stare at him, startled. 

"Look, Benton can't die. We find out how he did it, we can do it to you, Dean." Sam said. "What are you talking about?" Dean asked, shocked. "You have to die before you go to hell, right? So, if you can never die, then..." Sam started to explain but then I raise my hand.

"Wait, wait, wait. Wait a second. Did you know that this was Doc Benton from the jump?" I asked him. "No." Sam replied, quickly, but Dean and I stare at Sam, tilting our heads in a question.

"Look, I was hoping." Sam replied. "So the whole zombie thing, it was lying to us?" Dean asked him, angrily. "I didn't wanna say anything until I was sure, Dean. All I'm trying to do is find an answer here." Sam said. "No. What you're trying to do is chase Slicy McHackey here. And to kill him? No. You wanna buy him a freaking beer. You wanna study him." Dean said, getting even more angry. 

"I was just trying to help." Sam said. "You're not helping! You forget that if I welch on this deal, (y/n) dies. Guess what, living forever is welching." Dean yells. "Fine! Then, whatever the magic pill is, (y/n) and I'll take it too!" Sam said. "Oh, what is this? Sid and Nancy? No. It's just like Bobby's been saying. We kill the demon who owns the contract and this whole damn thing wipes clean. That's our best shot." Dean said.

"Even if you had the Colt, Dean, who are you gonna shoot? We have no idea who holds the ticket." Sam said. "Well, I'll shoot the hellhounds then before they slash me up." Dean yells and there was a pause before I turn to Sam.

"Now, you coming or not?" I asked him. "I'm staying here." he replied, quietly. "No, you're not. 'Cause I'm not gonna let you wander out in the woods alone to track some organ stealing freak." Dean said.

"You're not gonna let me?" Sam asked. "No, I'm not gonna let you." said Dean, firmly. "How are you gonna stop me?" Sam asked and Dean again looks startled. "Look, man, we're trying to do the same thing here." Sam said. "I know. But I'm going. So if you wanna stay...stay." Dean said and we watch Sam but Sam continues to stare at the wall.

Dean shrugs, puts his bag on his shoulder and heads over to open the door but Sam doesn't move. I grab my bag then turn to Sam. "Sammy, be careful." I said, concerned, then Sam finally turns to face us. "You too." He said, quietly. We stare are each other for a long moment, then I turn and walk out of the room while Dean reaches out and closes the door behind us.

CANAAN, VERMONT

Dean and I climb the tall stairs onto the porch where we see a handwritten sign saying No solicitors, that means you! No asking for donations. No selling ANYTHING! ​​​​

"Sounds friendly." I muttered and Dean smirks before he rings the buzzer, then bangs on the security door. Then we hear a noise and look up to see a security camera moving to train on us.

"What?" a voice said through a speaker. "Hi, uh, Rufus?" Dean greets, cautiously. "Yeah, even if I am, the question is still the same. What?" Rufus said, annoyed. "Uh, I'm Dean Winchester and this is (y/n) (l/n). We're friends of Bobby Singer's." Dean said.

"So?" Rufus said. "You called him this morning." I said as I look towards the camera. "So?" Rufus said again. "Uh...you told Bobby about a British chick who made contact with you." Dean said. "And so?" Rufus said. "You know where she is?" I asked him. "Yeah." said Rufus.

"Great. Could you tell us where we could find her?" Dean asked. "No." Rufus said and Dean looks down. "Course not." I muttered then Dean looks back at the camera. "Look, Rufus, man..." he started to say but the door opens and Rufus steps out. 

"Look, let me point something out to you and your girlfriend. You two are knocking at my door, so don't Look, man me. I'm not your man." Rufus said. "Sorry, sir." Dean and I said. "All right, let me tell you a little story. See, once upon a time, Bobby called me, asked me to call him if I got a whiff of this Bela Talbot. I got a whiff. I called. The end." He explains.

"Okay, yeah, if you could just tell me where she is, I mean, that would be great." I said and Rufus looks between us. "Dean Winchester and (y/n) (l/n), right?" Rufus asked. "Yeah." We replied. "Dean and (y/n), do I look like I'm here to help you two?" He asked. "I'm gonna say no?" Dean said and Rufus nods. "Then get the hell of my property." He said but I step in.

"All right, yeah, fair enough. We got one more question for you, though. See, I got this, uh, this bottle of scotch, and...uh, is this considered good?" I asked as I pulled out the bottle of this certain alcohol Bobby told Dean that we needed to pick up.

Rufus eyes the bottle, then eyes me and Dean before he starts smiling.

After downing a few glasses of the drink, we were sitting at the table with glasses in front of us. The bottle now is three quarters empty. "Bottoms up." Dean said and we click glasses and drink. "You know, I don't even bother drinking unless it's this stuff. Nectar of the Gods, I'm telling you." Rufus said. "Yeah, it's a nice change, you know. Most of my whiskey comes from a plastic jug." Dean said and the three of us laugh.

"So, Bela was here because..." I said, trying to ease into the subject. "She wanted to buy a couple of things, which is gonna take me some time to round up." Rufus replied as he takes a sip. "Where is she now?" Dean asked him a d Rufus watches us closely.

"Can I ask you two something?" he asked. "Sure." we replied. "You got three weeks left, Dean. Why are you and your girl wasting time chasing after that skinny, stuck-up English girl?" He asked and I raise an eyebrow. "How do you know about that?" I asked, suspiciously, then Rufus leans forward.

"Because I know things. I know a lot of things about a lot of people." Rufus replied. "Is that so?" Dean said, intrigued. "I know ain't no peashooter gonna save you." Rufus said.

"What makes you so sure?" I asked him. "Cause that's the job, kid. Even if you manage to scrape out of this one, there's just gonna be something else down the road. Folks like us...there ain't no happy ending. We all got it coming." Rufus explained. "Well, ain't you a bucket of sunshine?" Dean said, snarkily.

"I'm what you've got to look forward to if you survive." Rufus said then he smirks then raised his glass again. "But you won't." He said then he downs his drink.

"So, Bela..." I said then Rufus begins to speak but I could tell that he was quite drunk. "Hotel Canaan. Room 39. But watch your back." He said. "I think we can handle Bela." Dean assures. "Oh, don't be so sure about that. There are things that you don't know about her." said Rufus. "Oh, and you do? Right. Because you know things." I said. "Yep." Rufus said in a superior tone.

"And let me guess...you lift her fingerprint?" Dean asked.

"Yep."

"And that got you jack."

"Yep. She burnt them off. Probably years ago." Rufus said. "Yeah, so you're right where we are." I said. "Nope." He said and we give him a funny look.

"You do her ear?" Rufus asked, which startles us. "Sorry?" We said, confused. "You do her ear?" Rufus asked again then Dean and I exchange looks before Dean looks back at him. "Hey, man, I'll try anything once, but I don't know. That sounds uncomfortable." He said. "And painful." I added as I scratch my ear.

"Ears are as unique to humans as fingerprints." Rufus said. "No kidding." Dean said before Rufus continues. "Of course, that don't fly in the courts over here, but in England, they're all over it. A friend of a friend...of a friend faxed me 10 pages of confidential files within a day. All I had to send him was one clean shot off the security camera." He said as he gets up and walks over to a desk.

"Right. One clean shot of her ear." I said and Rufus comes over and hands us a folder. "The so-called Bela Talbot." He said and Dean accepts it and the two of us began to read through it. And let's just say, I was shocked at what I read.

Bela enter her hotel room then turned to close the door behind her when Dean pushes her back against the door. He lays his arm across her throat and I point my gun at her face. "Where's the Colt?" Dean asked her. "Dean. (Y/n). She replied, calmly. "No extra words." I growled. "It's long gone, across the world by now." She replied. "You're lying." Dean said and he grabs her bag from her hand to look in it.

"I'll call the buyer. Speak Farsi?" she asked just as I grab her arm, pulling her against me. "What the hell are you..." she started to ask as I quickly frisks her and found her gun. And I hold it up to her. "Don't flatter yourself." I said as Dean snaps on the room's lights and I point my gun at her again.

"Don't move." I threatened as Dean begins searching the room. "I told you I don't have it." she said. "Oh, yeah, we're definitely gonna take your word for it." Dean said and turns his back and continues rifling through her draws. Bela tries to slink away but I cock my gun and aim the barrel of the gun closer to her head.

"Don't move." I growled. "It's gone. Get on a plane if you two must. Track down the buyer. You might catch up to him eventually." Bela said as Dean finishes searching then returns to my side.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked me. "Oh, yeah." I said. "You're not the cold-blooded type." Bela said. "You mean like you? That's true. See, I couldn't imagine killing my parents." Dean said and Bela seemed shocked that we knew but she tried to regroup from the shock.

"I don't know what you're talking..." she started to say but I shook my head. "Yes, you do. You were, what, 14? Folks died in some shady car accident. Police suspected a slashed brake line, but it was all too crispy to tell. Cut to little Bela...Oh, I'm sorry, Abby...inheriting millions." I sneered and her eyes widen again.

"How did you even..."

"Doesn't matter." Dean interrupts her. Bela stares at us for a few moments then she swallows as she gives a small smile. "They were lovely people. And I killed them. And I got rich. I can't be bothered to give a damn. Just like I don't care what happens to you, Dean." she said and I push her roughly against the door with my arm across her throat.

"You make me sick." I sneered at her. "Likewise." she spat at me and I felt her hand go into my pocket. I take a step back and again points my gun at her head, smirking. She stares back, then closes her eyes. I started to place my finger on the trigger when Dean places a hand on my shoulder. I look over at him and he nods towards the upper doorframe.

I look up and see some woven herbs hanging over the ledge. I stare at the herb then at Dean before he nods. Bela opens her eyes as I drop the gun. "You're not worth it." Dean said and I push her aside and we leave. 

"Guys." Sam said after he called us on my phone, which was on speaker. "Yeah." We replied. "Did you get the Colt?" Sam asked. "What do you think?" I said, annoyed. "So, does that mean Bela is, uh..." Sam started to ask but Dean speaks up. "No, no, she deserves to die a dozen times over, but I couldn't let (y/n) do it."

"Dean..." Sam said, worried. "I'm really screwed, Sammy." Dean said. "No, you're just..." Sam said but I speak up.. But you were right. Bela was a goose chase." I said. "The Colt's gone, and this time I'm really screwed, Sam." Dean added.

"Maybe not. Look, guys, I found Benton's cabin." Sam said. "You okay? Was he there?" I asked him. "Yeah." replied Sam. "Did you kill him?" Dean asked. "No." Sam replied. "What do you mean, no?" Dean asked, annoyed. 'Dean, please just listen for a second. I found his lab book, and it has the formula." Dam said.

"What, the live-forever formula?" I asked him. "Yeah." Sam said. "Great, let me guess. I got to drink blood out of a baby's skull?" Dean asked. "No, that's the thing. It's not black magic. There's no blood sacrifice or anything. It's just science, Dean. Very, very extremely weird science, but..." Sam said but Dean speaks up. 

"Wait, wait, wait. What are...What are you saying? You think..." Dean said. "Dean, I think it might be doable. I mean, I know we've hit a lot of walls, but I...I think this formula, I think it might be it. This could save you." Sam said.

"Okay, so, this formula..." I said. "Well, I mean, look, look, we're not in the clear yet. There are still things that I don't get..." but Sam stops and it sounded like there was a struggle going on. "Sam? Sammy!" Dean and I called out but the phone ends the call. "Damn it." Dean growls and he puts his foot on the gas pedal.

We were able to track down Benton's cabin in the woods and made our way in. As we entered, we looked around and could hear Benton talking. Then Dean found a bottle of chloroform and dipped his knife in it. "Back up plan." He tells me after I gave him a confused look.

I nodded and we made our way down the stairs and we could see through the plastic curtains of Benton's lab. We see Benton standing over Sam, who was strapped down to the table. I pull out my gun and fire three shots at Benton.

He turns to us and I could see that he was basically an abomination. He had scars and stitches all over his face, like he had patches of different skins and sewed them together to make a face. "Shoot all you want." He said and he approaches us and I let loose two more bullets.

Benton throws me into the wall and I fall to the ground. Dean plunges a knife into Benton's chest and Benton knocks him down then starts to laugh. "A knife? What part of immortality do you not understand? Pity about the heart, though. It was a brand-new one." Benton said. "Good. It should be pumping nice and strong..." Dean said and hd holds up a bottle of chloroform. "Sending this stuff throughout your whole body. See, I picked up your little bottle upstairs and dipped the knife in it." He said and Benton collapses.

Later, we freed Sam and then tied up the unconscious Benton to his operatiing table. Eventually, he wakes up and sees his predicament. "Oh, hiya, Doc. Wakey, wakey, eggs and bac-y." Dean greets. "Please." Benton bega. "Please what? You've been killing poor bastards for over 150 years and now you got a request? Shut up." Dean sneers.

"No, you don't understand. I can help you. I know what you need." Benton said. "We might have to cut him up into little bits. You know, this immortality thing is a bitch." Dean said. "I can read the formula for you. You know...immortality...Forever young, never die." Benton said and Sam comes up to Dean. "Dean." Sam said. "Sam." Dean said and Sam walks out of the room, indicating me and Dean should follow.

"What?" Dean asked as we go to the other side of the room. "I mean, we're talking hell in three weeks. Or needing a new pancreas in like half a century." Sam said. "Yeah, well, you can't exactly get those at a Kwik-E-Mart." Dean said.

"It's not perfect, but it buys us more time to think of something better. We just need time, Dean. I mean, please, just...just think about it." Sam said to him. "No." Dean said. "Dean, don't you want to live?" Sam asked him. "What he is, isn't living. Look, this is simple." Dean said, firmly.

"Simple?" Sam asked, confused. "To me it is, okay. Black or white; human, not human." Dean said and he walks back to stand in front of Benton. "See, what the Doc is is a freakin' monster. I can't do it. I would rather go to hell." Dean said. "You don't understand. I can help you!" Benton calls out but then Dean covers a rag with more chloroform and places it over Benton's mouth.

Then he turns to us. "Now, I'm gonna take care of him. You guys can either help me or not. It's up to you." He said and I step forward towards him while Sam looked upset.

Sometime later, we put Benton inside refrigerator and put a chain around it. Then we dug up a grave for him then place the fridge in the large hole. We also placed some heavy stuff on top of the fridge, including Benton's book. 

As we got out of the grave, we heard Benton waking up and he tried to get the door open but of course he couldn't. "No! No! Don't! Stop it! I can help you! No!" We hear Benton scream out but Dean shakes his head. "Enjoy forever in there, Doc." Dean growls and we began shovelling in the hole while Benton yells. "Let me out! I can save you! No. Don't."

*3rd Person POV*

Bela slowly walks down the hallway and picks the lock on a door. She removes a gun from her jacket and quietly enters. She raises the gun and puts three bullets into the bodies lying under the covers on each bed, then moves closer, turning on a bedside lamp.

Bela pulls back the covers to find two sex dolls slowly deflating. She checks the other bed, another sex doll. The phone rings and she quickly picks it up. "Hiya, Bela. Here's a fun fact you may not know. (y/n) felt your hand in her pocket, when you swiped that motel receipt." Dean said. "You don't understand." Bela said, her voice shaking.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I understand perfectly. See, I noticed something interesting in your hotel room. Something tucked above the door. An herb. Devil's shoestring? There's only one use for that. Holding hellhounds at bay. So you know what I did, I went back and I took another look at your folks' obit. Turns out they died ten years ago today. You didn't kill them. A demon did your dirty work. You made a deal, didn't you, Bela. And it's come due." Dean said and Bela sits there in shocked silence.

"Is that why you stole the Colt, huh? Try to wiggle out of your deal, our gun for your soul?" Dean asked her. "Yes." She said, her voice full of tears. "But stealing the Colt wasn't quite enough, I'm guessing." Dean said. "They changed the deal. They wanted me to kill Sam and (y/n)." Bela said.

"Really! Wow, demons untrustworthy. Shocker." Dean said, sarcastically. "That's, uh, kind of a tight deadline too – what time is it? Well, look at that, almost midnight." Dean said as he looks at the clock on his car. "Dean, listen, I need help." Bela cries.

"Sweetheart, we are weeks past help." Dean said, angrily. "I know I don't deserve it." Bela said. "You know what, you're right, you don't. But you know what the bitch of the bunch is? If you would have just come to us sooner and asked for help we probably could have taken the Colt and saved you." Dean yells at her.

"I know, and saved yourself. I know about your deal, Dean." Bela said. "And who told you that?" Dean asked her. "The Demon that holds it. She holds mine too. She said she holds every deal." replied Bela. "She?" Dean asked.

"Her name's Lilith." Bela said and Dean's eyes widen a bit. "Lilith? Why should I believe you?" He asked while Sam and (y/n) share a scared and worried look upon hearing the name Lilith. "You shouldn't but it's the truth." Bela replied.

"This can't help you, Bela, not now. Why you telling me this?" Dean asked. "Because just maybe you can kill the bitch." Bela said and Dean smirks a bit. "I'll see you in hell." Dean said and he hangs up.

Bela sits on the bed, listening to the dial tone. She hangs up and takes a deep breath just as the clock clicks over to midnight. A deep howling starts in the distance, then closer vicious growls begin.

@rach5ive @kitsun369 @itzabbyxx @cevans-winchester @ellie-andthemachine

#fandom #fanfic #fan fiction #reader insert #x reader #supernatural #dean winchester #dean winchester x you #dean x you #supernatural dean #dean x reader #deanwinchtser #dean winchester x female!reader #dean winchester x reader #dean winchester imagine #dean winchester x y/n #supernatural fanfic series #supernatural fandom #supernatural fanfiction #fantasy #horror #tv show fandom #tv shows #tv

[shoumeitsuki]

shu yamino × fem!reader❗

characters : shu yamino

side characters : rosemi lovelock, ike eveland, uki violeta, mentions of selen tatsuki, fulgur ovid and vox akuma

warnings : you guessed it, it's fluff so there's pretty much no warnings

summary : you & a pen pal who goes by the name of "ike" decide to meet up after only communicating through writing letters and mailing them to each other's address.

btw you guys turn out to live in the same city and area so the letters come fast

can you tell that i tried to make an ike is shu shu is ike joke

kinda ooc

sorry if the chats look weird

notes :

p/n = pen name

f/c = favorite color

f/s = favorite scent or favorite smell

f/f = favorite food

⇚ ↺ ⇛

today was one day closer to the day you & "ike" are going to meet up after writing to each other for a year, which is tomorrow.

you're really excited to see who your pen pal actually is. you guys have been writing to each other for a while and you were super curious to know the real identity of this so-called "ike".

you woke up, and immediately going to your mailbox which is outside to check for any replies from "ike".

then, you found an envelope with the usual banana sticker that was a sign that the latter was from "ike", and immediately take it inside to see the contents of the letter.

inside, you found a note from "ike".

to : p/n written 06:21 eyy! i'm assuming it's morning for you. tomorrow, we're gonna meet up! i hope you're excited, cause i am! i hope you had a good rest, hm? i'm gonna give you something, by the way! i hope you'll like it! see you then. - ike

you thought about what the gift could be, but you didn't waste time wondering and just decided that you were just gonna wait to see.

you took a paper & pen and started writing to send a note back to him. you placed the paper on a table, sat down and immediately started writing.

to : ike written 07:18 hi ike! good morning. yeah, i'm also excited for tomorrow! so excited i don't know if i'll be able to sleep tonight. you're giving me a gift? how thoughtful! guess i gotta go somewhere and buy something for you too, haha. see you soon! - p/n

when you finished writing, you put it in an envelope and sealed it with a f/c flower seal, and wrote your pen name & address along as the sender address along with "ike's" name & address for the destination address.

when you finished writing, you decided to mail the letter after you ate breakfast and showered.

you went to the bathroom and quickly undressed to take a cold shower since the water is usually still cold during the morning.

then, you got dressed in an oversized black hoodie and some shorts. you decided to just leave your hair as it is since you weren't planning on going anywhere.

you had some toast and poached eggs for breakfast, along with some orange juice. when you finished eating, you went to the sink and washed the dishes.

you then brought the letter you wrote earlier and brought your bag, which has your phone, house keys, motorcycle key and other stuff.

you went outside and locked the door behind you to make sure intruders don't get in, and got on your motorcycle to make your way to the post office.

you turned on your motorcycle, put on your helmet and immediately started driving to the post office, not that far away from your home.

when you arrived, you did what you usually did to mail the letter to your pen pal.

when you finished, you got on your motorbike and put on your helmet before turning on the motorcycle and making your way back to your home.

when you arrived, you unlocked the door and closed it behind you after you enter your home.

you decided to just sit on your sofa while scrolling through tiktok or any other social media you felt like checking.

then, you just went on with your day.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

the next day; 12pm

as always, you woke up, checked your mailbox, read & sent a letter from "ike", ate breakfast, and all that other stuff.

you & "ike" agreed to meet at 1pm at a nearby shopping mall. so, you started getting ready.

you went into your room and took a look inside your closet. then, you picked the following pieces of clothing:

a white shirt with long sleeves and a geometric plaid-patterned, black colored vest over it, a short, black skirt and some knee-high white socks along with some black platformed shoes.

you also brought a small purse, containing your house keys, your phone, some hand sanitizer and whatever you bring to go out.

when you finished, you put on some f/s scented perfume and decided to go out at 12:30, since the mall is 10 minutes away and so you would have plenty of time to stroll around, finding some stuff you guys can do at the mall.

you made sure you locked the door, went up to your motorcycle and started the engine, before driving to that mall.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

12:55; you went to the ramen shop somewhere in the mall where you & "ike" agreed to meet.

you went to the 2nd floor, where the ramen shop you two agreed to meet at was located.

when you arrived, you immediately started looking around to see if "ike" had arrived yet.

then, you spot another person who seems to be looking for someone.

he had brown hair with magenta & purple streaks, with a yellow ahoge resembling somewhat a banana.

he looked back at you, and slightly hesitated to go up to you. but he did.

"hello... are you p/n..?" the boy, who you now believe is "ike", asks you a question.

"hi! yes, i am. and... you are "ike"?" you answer, waving with a smile.

"what's your name?" he asks, trying to spark up a conversation.

"i am 'y/n'! what about you? what's your name?" you say enthusiastically, wanting to give a good impression.

"my name is 'shu'! it's nice to meet you, y/n!" shu gives back the enthusiasm, talking with confidence and a smile plastered on his face.

"likewise, shu!" you also say with a smile of content.

now, you know who your pen pal has been and how he looked like after all this time.

"hm... should we eat here first?" shu asks you. you didn't eat lunch yet, so you agreed.

you both sat down and ordered some food after taking a look at the menu.

you decided to take a picture of both of your foods. you brought out your phone and asked him if you could take a picture of his food too, which he agreed.

when you finished, you both dug in. the food was really good — it didn't take long before you two finished eating.

when you finished, you and shu fought about who should pay. in the end, you split the bill.

"hm... where should we go now?" shu asks, thinking about the stuff you guys could do in the mall.

"oh! i saw an arcade somewhere on the third floor! maybe we could go and play some games there." you suggested, remembering how you saw an arcade when you took a stroll earlier.

"oh, sure! let's go?" shu offers his hand, which you took as you both went up to the escalator to the third floor.

you both started looking for the arcade together, and started going over to the direction of the arcade.

the name of the arcade read "D_D arcade", which is quite a popular place in the mall — so it's surprising that it's not very busy today.

you both walked over to the desk so you can buy points. again, you & shu bantered about who should pay for the both of you, and you ended up paying after he gave up trying to persuade you to let him pay. you both split the points.

you both decided to try some claw machines, since you wanted to try and win a prize for once.

you went up to the machine and fed the machine a few points, before taking control of the controller stick and moving it to a cat plushie.

shu decided to try one of the claw machines himself, and he decided to try and get a banana plushie.

in the end, you both got the plushies you desired, and decided to exchange plushies for the fun of it, and to keep as a memory.

you guys did a couple of other things, like eat ice cream, stroll around, go shopping, and a lot of other things. you both enjoyed each other's company.

"ah! before you go, here's the gift i promised you!" shu rummages through his pockets, before picking a box and giving it to you.

you open the box and find a necklace, one with a flower charm, the same flower design on the seals you use to seal mail.

"wah~ so pretty! thank you, shu!" you thank him, grateful for the gift.

"no problem!" shu smiles happily, knowing that you seem happy with the gift he chose.

sadly, it's time for both of you to go home. you exchanged goodbyes and went back to your homes.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

it's been a few months of you guys meeting up and spending time together. you guys got even closer than you thought you would.

everytime you both met up, there was this unexplainable feeling that you felt, though. like some sort of attraction to shu.

you absolutely loved his cute smile, and liked his contagious laugh. he was also tall, and... 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺?

everytime you both had to part ways, you were always dissappointed you couldn't spend more time.

everytime there was a girl who asked for his number, you felt a sense of 𝘫𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘺 deep down inside you.

you had no idea what was happening to you. what he was doing to you.

you talked to your friend, rosemi, about it, and she went down to one singular conclusion. 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.

"wha-! no way..." you said to rosemi over call. "even if i did... i should probably stop trying..." you added.

"whaa? why would you?" rosemi asks, confused.

"because there's no way he likes me back-"

"girl! i've seen your insta stories. he looks cute. he seems husband material. are you really gonna let him go? what if he likes you back!" rosemi cuts off what you said earlier.

"well..." you think for a bit. "𝑠ℎ𝑒'𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡... 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑟𝑦... 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑚 𝑖 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜? 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠...?"

"heeey? are you still there?" rosemi's voice snaps you out of your thoughts.

"oh yeah?" you answer quickly, wondering why rosemi called for you.

"uhh, i gotta go. call you later!" rosemi says before ending the call.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

4 months later; in your room with rosemi

"can i borrow your phone?" rosemi asks, her voice sounding a little bored.

"why?" you ask. "no reason. just bored." rosemi says with a smile.

"that smile looks a little sketchy, but okay..." you say before handing over your phone to rosemi.

"thank you~" rosemi says, being secretive about what she's doing on your phone. you don't think about it further since she's probably just gonna text selen or something.

little did you know, she was doing something far worse.

10 minutes later...

"hey~ i'm done. thanks for letting me borrow your phone!" rosemi pauses, "ahaha... i'm gonna head home now, see you!" she then adds.

"see you." you both bid your goodbyes and rosemi leaves your room in a hurry.

wondering what she just did, you check every single app to see if something happened.

you checked the messages app last, and you see something that wasn't there before.

shu's contact was at the top of your message list. meaning the last person you messaged was shu.

but... the last person you chatted was rosemi.

you immediately clicked on his contact to see what the heck rosemi just did.

"...!!" you read the final rosemi sent.

shu 🎦 📞 ︙

today, at 13:12

hi shu :D

eyy hi

what are you doing rn?

nothing, why?

let's talk lol

okay

(too lazy to make a convo)

i have something to confess

what is it

i like you /r

you looked at the chat, eyes widened. you immediately opened rosemi's contact to message her, only to find out that she had blocked you.

"shit...! rosemi..!" you quietly whisper to yourself, scared of what shu would answer.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

"hey dude, you okay? your face is red." Ike asks to shu, but he doesn't answer.

"shuu? shu!" ike shouts again and again, finally gaining the attention of the boy.

"ah- yes?" shu blushed, even more embarrassed since ike had to shout his name to him.

"what are you looking at? you're blushing, and it's very obvious..." ike says out of curiosity.

shu's never gotten that flustered before, so seeing him blush that hard is uncommon.

shu hesitates a bit but shows his phone to ike anyway.

"damn. your own crush likes you back? when is it my turn?" ike says, looking at shu and joking slightly at the end.

"w-well what should i answer with...? i can't just leave her on read..." shu says, stuttering a little bit at the start.

"confess? what else? are you really gonna miss this chance?" ike says, making it seem like the answer was obvious.

"n-no way...!" shu shouts immediately, blushing even redder than before.

"just do it! she says she likes you. and you like her back! just try." ike encourages, with a reassuring smile.

"are you sure...?" shu asks, quite hesitant to confess his feelings to her.

"yeah. do it. don't be a pussy." box comes into the room, surprising both ike and shu.

"what the- you know what, i'll do it." shu opens his messages app and decides to answer that message.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

"oh god. what am i gonna do? whyyyy rosemi...!" you whine and complain over call to rosemi after she unblocked you to see your reaction.

"i've hung out with him and you before, it's evident he likes you. just trust me! the way he looks at you, the way he gets shy whenever you brush past him! he definitely likes you." rosemi says in a reassuring voice.

"you don't know tha-!" you speak to rosemi, however, you got interrupted from a notification.

it was from your messages app, and you immediately got nervous to see who just texted you.

"that's shu, isn't it? check it out!" rosemi says, excitement in her voice.

shu 🎦 📞 ︙

today, at 13:12

hi shu :D

eyy hi

what are you doing rn?

nothing, why?

let's talk lol

okay

(too lazy to make a convo)

i have something to confess

what is it

i like you /r

i... like you too. will you be my girlfriend...? not that i'm forcing you or anything. if you aren't ready, we can wait. 13:41

"...! r-rosemi...!" you start blushing. 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵.

"what?! did he say yes?" rosemi asks, feeling more excited to know what shu said.

"he said that he likes me back... and that he wants me to be his girlfriend..." you blushed harder, as if it was even possible.

"YES! w (double u) y/n!!!" rosemi shouts, but not too loud so her roommate, or rather 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥, selen, couldn't hear.

"w-what should i say?!" you panic a little, asking rosemi for advice.

"say yes!!" rosemi tells you excitedly, even more excited than when she gets to talk to selen.

"o-okay...!" you say, before opening up the chat and typing your answer.

shu 🎦 📞 ︙

today, at 13:12

hi shu :D

eyy hi

what are you doing rn?

nothing, why?

let's talk lol

okay

(too lazy to make a convo)

i have something to confess

what is it

i like you. /r

i... like you too. will you be my girlfriend...? not that i'm forcing you or anything. if you aren't ready, we can wait.

yes, i'll be your girlfriend.

you screenshot the conversation, sending it to rosemi. and when she sees it, she squeals in excitement.

"you aren't single anymore!!!" you can practically hear the fact that rosemi's eyes are twinkling. "congrats!!! i'm so happy for you!!" she adds.

"thank you, rosemi... i guess giving you my phone wasn't a bad idea, after all." you chuckle, happy to know that now, shu came from being just a pen pal to being your boyfriend.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

2 days later; 10:15

you & shu agreed to meet up and hang out after he asked you for a date.

he told you to dress in a cuter outfit, so you had your friend uki help you dress up.

"wait... this!" uki finally finds something after rummaging through your closet for 10 minutes.

he shows you a short, lilac dress with lace and frills along with some ribbons. it also had some gold accents.

"wear this." uki puts the dress on your bed before going to your shoe rack to see if you had any shoes that would go well with the dress uki chose.

"aha. this makes a great outfit." uki pulls out some light purple flats, the color almost completely matching the color of your dress.

"go put it on! i'll wait when you're done so i can do your hair next." uki says before leaving your bedroom.

and so, you listen to him and put on the dress carefully so you don't mess anything up.

"i'm done!" you call uki in once you finish putting on your dress.

"that's perfect. okay, now go sit down near your vanity table and i'll help with your hair and makeup." uki says, bringing a chair over to the vanity table.

as you say down, uki immediately put down your hair and starts to brush it.

he put your hair in a half-up half-down hair style and put on a golden colored ribbon you happened to have.

then, he started with your makeup. he wanted to go for a more natural look, so he decided to just stick to mascara and blush with some lip gloss.

"aand... done! i'm sure he'll love the way you look. and if he doesn't.... you wouldn't mind giving me his family member's names, right?" uki says, finishing your look by spraying on some f/s perfume.

"dang. you're pretty good at this." you say, looking at your self in the mirror.

"there's a reason why i get laid by fulgur every night." uki says in a serious voice.

"i did not need to know that — aanyway, i should go soon, he's gonna pick me up soon. take care of my house for me! see ya later!" you tell to uki, before taking your purse and leaving the room, later leaving your home.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

as if timing was by your side, shu's car had just arrived. shu gets out of the driver seat and goes over to you.

"eyy. you're looking cuter today. shall we?" shu compliments you, and offers his hand to you.

"ah... thank you!" you take hisnahnd, an she leads you to the door of the pasenger seat and opens the door for you.

you get in, and he goes to the driver's seat to start driving to the area shu was planning to bring you to.

when you arrive, it turns out he had taken you to a flower field to have a picnic together.

"it's so pretty..!" your eyes sparkle, looking at the beautiful lily field, which had a picnic blanket in the middle of it.

"surprise~ beautiful, isn't it? though, it doesn't defeat your beauty, of course." shu flirts with you, making you slightly blush.

"oh stop it~ let's just sit down." you try to switch up the subject, which shu chuckled at.

he takes your hand and leads you to the picnic area, where he offers you to take a seat.

you hadn't realized it earlier, but his outfit was absolutely amazing.

his hair was tied up in a ponytail, and his outfit was a casual suit; a white button up, a white vest with purple accents and some white pants.

he also wore combat boots and white gloves, along with a purple ribbon decorating his ponytail.

"well, you look lovely, 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘺." shu complimented, making you blush at the nickname.

"you too..." you say, trying not to stutter. you have to admit, he was looking quite fine.

"i brought food my friend & i prepared for us. have as much as you'd like!" he says with a smile, grabbing a plate and some food for himself.

you also take a plate, and take some f/f. you tried some, and it was really good. it seems he and his friend are good at cooking.

"wow, you should share the recipe with me some time!" you laugh a little, before taking another bite of your food.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

you two finished eating and packed up the stuff.

you decided to take a stroll around the garden and take a look at the lilies.

"the lilies are gorgeous..." you look closely at the lilies.

"they are! i usually go here to calm myself down." shu spoke, sharing a fact with you.

you two talked for a while, while complimenting the lilies and walking around. it was very peaceful.

"hey... i love you." shu says out of nowhere, making you blush slightly.

"ah... i love you too." you respond quickly, smiling.

"i hope we'll be together forever, okay? 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮." shu wrapped an arm around your waist.

"you're saying that as if i can even try to leave you." you laugh, stating a fact. you probably won't be breaking up with him anytime soon, maybe even never breaking up with him.

but right now, you just want to think about the present. right now, you are with shu, and that's not changing anytime soon.

⇚ ↺ ⇛

i didn't know how to end this story so sorry if it's a little weird at the end lol

#shu yamino x reader #nijisanji #nijisanji en #vtuber #fem reader #luxiem #luxiem x reader #fluff

[anonymityisfunwriter]

Pal-entine's Day

"Making the most of your day off, Pinkie?" Tony asks, nudging his head towards the box in your hands. 

"Well, Palentine's only happens once at year," you quip, placing the box on the common room coffee table.

Tony dramatically sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know I'm going to regret asking, but what?"

"Palentine's Day," you state matter of factly. "It's a thing."

"It's definitely not a thing," Steve agrees.

"Of course it is," you retort, dismissively waving at the both of them. "Why else would me and Sam, every year on the day after Valentine's, go look for all the leftover candy that's on sale. After that, we go have lunch and discuss the rest of you."

"You talk about the rest of us when we're not there?" Tony indignantly guffaws.

"Can I just add how nice you look today?" Steve quickly compliments.

"Duly noted, Steve. I will take that into consideration."

"Alright, this year I know I've got you beat-" Sam starts as he walks into the room with an oversized box in his arms, only to stop when he sees Steve and Tony also in the common room. "Oh, hey, Steve, Tony."

"What's in the box, Sam?" Tony deeply sighs. "A gift for a holiday that no one has ever heard of?"

"Someone's exceptionally bitter today," Sam quips. 

"Well, when two of my colleagues take the day off for a made up holiday it tends to put you in a bad mood," Tony sarcastically remarks.

"Aren't most holidays just made up?" Sam counters.

Tony opens his mouth, only to close it when he realizes he doesn't have an adequate rebuttal. 

"Oh, you should open mine first!" you eagerly insist, gesturing to the box in front of you. 

"Aw... you didn't have to get me -," Sam stops mid-sentence as he pops off the top of the gift box. He softly gasps at the sight of the glass bottle securely tucked into the box. He lifts it closely examine the contents: a miniature replica of his family's boat. "How did even you do this?" 

"I asked your sister for several very detailed pictures of the boat. And getting it in a bottle? That's for me to know."

"This is so cool," Sam marvels, still holding the bottle an inch away from his face. "Looks just like my family's boat in Louisiana."

"Your family has a boat?" Tony questions.

"You're from Louisiana?" Steve simultaneously asks.

Sam shakes his head, rolling his eyes as he puts the bottle back in the box. "Okay, okay, your turn."

"Alright," you excitedly agree. You tear through the tissue paper of Sam's gift bag to reveal a giant, green, plush animal inside. It's only when you pull the plush out of the bag that you see that the gift is an oversized plush chameleon, just like the sidekick in your favorite movie. "Oh my God, this is amazing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"It's a chameleon..." Steve awkwardly lilts. "Because you're adaptable?"

"Or like the sidekick from her favorite movie," Sam corrects with a sigh. Sam's head turns slightly, his voice dropping slightly, "You didn't invite them, did you?"

"You know, we're right here. We can hear you," Tony points out. 

Sam drops his voice even lower, leaning in closer to you, "You didn't-"

"This is not normal," Tony interjects. "This is a very weird thing to do with your friends."

"You mean your friends don't get you giant, plush versions of your favorite cartoon characters?" you pose.

Tony fervently shakes his head. "No!" 

"Then you guys need better friends," Sam mutters under his breath. 

"Tell me about it," you mumble. 

Grumpy Sunshine Series Grumpy Sunshine Drabbles The AnonymityIsFun Loves Tangled List

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[my-soupy-brain]

skinny dipping with ted

I'm gonna make this short n' sweet because I THINK I have an idea of how this should go, and I hope it's fun. Skinny dipping is a blast I recommend it to anyone if you can try it once. Let's gooo!

---

Relationship: Ted Lasso x reader (f)

Warnings: Lust, touching, teasing, smut

---

Ted held your hand as you snuck out of your hotel room, tiptoeing down the hall to the building's roof access where the pool was.

"How'd you get a key?!" you asked with shock when he pulled the keycard from his pocket.

"Made pals with the front desk guy," Ted winks, smirking as he opens the door.

The air is hot but the stars are bright. The lights are mostly off, except for the underwater lights lining the wall of the pool. Ted's wearing a pair of red swim trunks and you're in your own swimsuit, dipping your toe in and getting in the water.

Ted goes underwater immediately, wiping the water from his face when he stands up, his chest hair wet and sticking to his skin, his hair flopped over his forehead until he brushes it back with his hand.

You could melt into the water.

Dating Ted was an adventure. He wasn't big and boisterous with your dates and activities, but he pulled out the stops for things like this: A private swim in a hotel pool during an away trip with the team.

You walk closer to him and smile. "I guess I should go under," you joke, and before you know it, he's roped his arms around you and pulled you under with him.

The water bursts when you emerge laughing, splashing, and playing. You try to be quiet so you don't alert hotel staff of your...breaking and entering?

You float around together, laughing lightly. Looking at the stars. Ted talks about the match this weekend, and you listen intently. He didn't know what he was doing when he got here, and every day he learns more. You love watching him flourish.

When Ted leans his arms over a wall to look out over the city you're in, you decide to take your own risk, sliding your swimsuit off and plopping it on the pool's edge.

When he hears the wet clothes hit the pavement, he spins around to see you bare under the water.

"What'cha up to there, sugar," he asks, his voice deep and husky as he walks toward you.

"Decided to enjoy the water a little more," you answer with a glint in your eye. His hands go to your bare hips, down your back, down your ass, and he can't help but groan.

"Sexy," he murmurs, kissing your temple and then capturing your lips.

You rope your arms around him and then your legs as he walks you toward deeper water where he stands a bit higher than you. His hands cup your bottom as he holds you, though the weightlessness of the water doesn't require it.

But he likes to anyway.

You lean against his ear and playfully whisper: "You should join me."

He moans a little and blushes. He's never skinny-dipped. Some friends in college did once on a spring break trip, but he didn't feel comfortable doing it then.

But with you...

Your arms hold him a little closer, your bare body running against his tummy.

"You don't have to but you're sexy and it would be sexy," you joke. "And we're all alone up here anyway."

He grins and tilts his head, letting go of you for a minute while he slides his trunks off and tosses them on the edge, too.

Your eyes trace down his chest, under the water, and you can see how excited this little detour to your late-night swim has made him.

His hands pull you back to him, your legs wrapped around him and you can feel his cock against your legs in the water.

"Fuck," he murmurs, almost so quiet it's to himself rather than to you.

"Doesn't this feel good, baby?" you ask with a sultry voice, running your fingers through his wet hair.

"Y-yeah, it does," he says, leaning in to put his lips on your neck. The warmth of his kisses sends a tingle down your spine.

In a couple of wide steps, he takes you to the wall of the pool and pushes you gently against the edge, your legs still locked around him.

His cock nudges against you and you nod, agreeing to what he's putting down. When he slides in, you sigh and try not to moan too loud as his hips work against the force of the water to slowly move in and out of you.

Your fingers clutch his shoulders and his lips join yours as you share moans between baited breaths.

"Oh God, Ted... yes, baby..." you murmur against his ear, his head buried in your neck.

"Feels so good, sugar," he answers. "So good."

The heightened awareness of being in public, in a pool, under the stars, is enough to send your brain careening your body into climax. With no warning, your body clutches around him, your breath sputtering as you moan.

"That's it, my sweet girl," his voice staggered and hips reaching his own release.

"Oh, God," you murmur, and Ted pushes a few more times before releasing his own ecstasy. His forehead meets yours and you burst into laughter.

"That took a turn," you joke, and he blushes and giggles, his arms around you still.

"A good turn, yeah?"

"Oh, the best detour."

He laughs with you, and you return to paddling around, playing, laughing. As you both face the wall and look at the city lights, you hear a door open and your heart drops.

"CANNONBALL!"

And in a whoosh of... NUDITY?!...Coach Beard cannonballs into the pool, making an epic splash. When he surfaces, Ted's eyes are wide with terror.

"Beardo...are you...?"

Beard looks at the two of you.

"Oh, hey guys. I didn't know anyone else was up here," he says while he shrugs his shoulders.

"So you just wanted to...skinny-dip...alone?" you ask.

Beard nods. "Yeah. Ancient texts have revealed the spiritual connection between body and water with no barriers."

"Of course they do," Ted nods.

"Looks like you two got the memo of those texts, too," Beard jokes, nodding at your respective bodies. You're hidden behind Ted, feeling self-conscious.

"Y'don't have to hide, y/n," Beard says. "I've only got eyes for Jane."

Ted smirks behind his shoulder. "It's true, but you can put your suit back on if you want."

You don't want to be a party pooper so you opt to stay in the pool. Ted and you are on the opposite wall from Beard. Hidden just enough to be comfortable, but all three of you enjoying whatever bliss the ancient texts say about skinny-dipping.

#ted lasso x reader #ted lasso fanfic #ted lasso fanfiction #ted lasso smut #ted lasso fluff #ted lasso x you #skinny dipping IS FUN