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prythianpages · 4 months

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Wanna Be Yours | Rhysand x Reader

Rhysand x Reader | When the Night Court and Dawn Court strike a deal, healers in exchange for Illyrian training, you rush at the opportunity to leave your home. You plan to keep a low profile but upon meeting the High Lord of night, your efforts are futile. He takes an instant liking to you and is set on being yours.

warnings: angst, mentions of blood and injury

a/n: This can be read as a stand alone imagine :) but there will be a part two. once again, we have another mini series inspired by a song: I wanna be yours by the Arctic Monkeys. I love when the guy falls in love with the girl first and I feel like it suits Rhys. This takes place before the events of ACOTAR.

The world awakens to a gentle warmth–a tender kiss from dawn. The stars are like a fading dream, bidding their silent farewell and the first tendrils of sunlight emerge, painting the sky in hues of soft pinks and purples. The world seems to hold its breath and so do you.

It’s so beautiful. The way night surrenders to day. The way that no matter how dark it gets, the sun will rise again. It makes you miss home but you don’t miss what waits for you there.

“You don’t belong here.”

You startle and the world tilts beneath your feet. The edge of the terrace offers a daunting view of the Court of Nightmares–a harsh landscape of rocky mountains that seems to promise a swift but unforgiving descent. A hand grasps your arm, pulling you back from the brink, the force spinning you around until you find sanctuary in a pair of strong arms.

As you lift your head, the world regains its focus, but your breath hitches at the sight before you.

A man, heartbreakingly handsome, captures your gaze. He has sun-kissed skin and short dark hair, reminiscent of a raven’s feather, that frames features that seem almost too perfect to be real. Yet, it’s his eyes that draw you in–a shade of blue so deep it borders on violet. Flecks of silver dance within those celestial irises, mirroring the stars that had bid their farewell earlier. His gaze is intense, sparkling with an allure that feels both familiar and bewitching.

“Breathe, darling.”

His voice, a velvet symphony, wraps around you like the answer to a question you hadn’t even fathomed to think of yet–a revelation that ignites a feeling you can’t quite discern but it stirs the deepest recesses of your heart.

Suddenly, you’re pushing away from the male with a deep exhale as a delicate pink that reflects the sky above you flushes your cheeks.

“y/n!”

Your eyes widen at the sound of your name being called.

“y/n.” The male in front of you repeats to himself and you never thought your name would sound so beautiful as it does in this very moment. His lips curl into a knowing smirk.

Alette, your guide, comes into your view. She bends over slightly as her chest heaves and she catches up with her breath. She turns to the male, bowing her head in acknowledgment. “My High Lord.”

All blood drains from your face and your heart skips a beat. High Lord. You just met the High Lord of the Night Court and embarrassingly so. You contemplate whether it’s too late to bow your head or not but the thought of Alette scolding you for not doing it sooner stops you.

“I see you’ve met one of our new healers.” Alette inclines her head toward your sorry state. “I do apologize for her entering your palace without prior clearance.”

Cauldron boil you. You caught a glimpse of him pressing his lips together, as if suppressing something. Perhaps a scowl, frown or smile–you don’t know– because you're swiftly averting your gaze. You’re too scared to move, not wanting to draw more attention to yourself than you already have.

“Forgive me,” you’re saying as you drop to your knees and bow your head. “I didn't mean to trespass. I felt a little suffocated down there and I had no idea this was your home.”

“Where are you from?”

Panic steals your voice and it’s Alette who answers for you.

“She’s one of the few healers that came from Dawn, my High Lord.”

You sense the weight of his gaze upon you, an intensity that envelops you with an almost overwhelming power. Your throat tightens.

“And what of her skill?”

“The best of this year’s cohort.” Alette replies with no hesitation. There’s a subtle fondness in her voice that makes your heart swell with pride. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed.

“You may rise.” It takes a while for you to register that the High Lord is addressing you until Alette is awkwardly clearing her throat. You blink and rise to your feet but keep your gaze low.

“You’re coming with me.”

You lift your gaze, gaping at his back. Does he—No, there’s no way he can know. The High Lord pauses.

He turns his head over his shoulder and looks at you in an expectant manner. You look at Alette, who nods her head at you, so hesitantly, you follow after him. Your heart races as you hear him tell Alette to pack your things because you won’t be staying in the Court of Nightmares anymore.

Velaris, the city of Starlight, is a breathtaking haven nestled within the Night Court. It’s often referred to as the Court of Dreams. It’s a place of ethereal beauty and enchantment. The stark contrast it presents in comparison to the haunting Court of Nightmares leaves you in awe.

But what strikes you the most is the High Lord of the Night Court–the master of duality. In Hewn City, where the air is always thick with tension, he wears a cold, stoic mask and every calculated step he takes echoes the weight of his stern authority and great power. This is the High Lord you’ve heard of. So when he told you, you’d be joining him in the city of his private residence, you were terrified.

It was a short lived fear because the High Lord you’ve heard of is not the High Lord you’ve come to know over the past couple of weeks. In Velaris, he sheds the shroud of shadows and reveals a different side to him. A softer side. A leader built from genuine warmth and kindness.

You’ve come to understand he has a complex role as High Lord of the Night Court. He is a blend that is both harsh and dangerous, yet undeniably beautiful and remarkable, constantly navigating through the delicate balance of power and compassion.

There is one unchanging thread that weaves through both cities. A thread of charismatic arrogance. He carries it effortlessly, employing it in a charming grace. One that he directs skillfully, particularly, when he turns the full force of his charm on you. You’d be lying if you said you were immune to it.

Upon your arrival, the High Lord–or Rhysand as he prefers you to call him– introduced you to the city’s healer. Madja. Though you’ve undergone extensive training in your home court, it felt little compared to the years of experience Madja carried with her, leading her to take you under her wing as her apprentice. You were a fast learner and given the nature of Azriel’s–Rhysand’s spymaster– and Cassian’s –Rhysand’s general commander– jobs, you had a lot of practice and challenges to hone your skills.

A tired yawn escapes from you as you navigate the halls of the infirmary to Madja’s study with the intention of wishing her a goodnight before retiring to your room. Your stops falter when your ears pick up on the distinct voices of Cassian and Azriel and suddenly you’re wide awake.

“–was ambushed by dark forces–”

“–never seen so much blood–”

“–I should make haste then–”

“–he only wants y/n–”

Shadows slink out from the corners, momentarily dimming the faelight in your hand in a silent greeting. The voices, once animated, hush and then cease altogether. Madja is the first to emerge from the study, with Azriel and Cassian trailing behind.

"The High Lord requests your presence.”

Not much can unsettle you, given your role as a healer. You’ve tended to a variety of injuries, seen tremendous amounts of spilled blood and have had to navigate through the sorrow of heartbreaking losses. But this. This feels different. This isn’t just anyone. It’s Rhysand. The male, who despite his shameless flirting, has consistently shown nothing but kindness to you. Though the nature of your relationship is uncertain, the mere thought of him being harmed sends a sharp pang through your chest, an ache that transcends the usual clinical detachment you maintain in your profession.

There’s an urgency in your steps as you approach Rhysand’s weak form on the infirmary bed. His body is extremely pale and shivering. A thick layer of sweat clings to his skin. There’s blood everywhere. On the floor, on the bed. It continues to seep out of the wound at his abdomen.

His lids are heavy, laden with exhaustion but he still manages a weary smile when he spots you. “You’re here,” he breathes in surprise, his words carrying a blend of relief and vulnerability.

“I’m here,” you confirm with a reassuring smile as you brush back the dark tendrils of his hair from his face. Though your touch is gentle, the lines on his face seem to deepen.

The air around you begins to shimmer with a soft, golden light. You cast a keen eye over his abdomen, the golden light dancing around you as you assess the full extent of his injury. The wound is deep and not healing as it should and your nose crinkles as the pungent smell of poison drifts up at you.

Rhysand winces as your healing touch meets his wound. Despite his blood staining your hands, you move with practiced grace, drawing upon the healing energies within you. Each movement is deliberate, an intricate crossing between magic and skill as you strive to counteract the effects of the poison.

Rhysand sucks in a sharp breath. He feels like he is dying but he won’t admit that to you. He doesn’t want to scare you. “It hurts.”

“I know,” you respond, your brows furrowing in concentration. The quicker you work, the less pain he’ll have to endure altogether. “It’s the poison.”

His eyes squeeze shut and his face contorts with agony as you press further into the wound. A strangled whimper escapes from his lips.

“I’m sorry,” you frown, halting your movements. You turn your head toward the double doors, where you know Madja waited in her study despite the late hour, in case you required assistance. “Should I go get Madja instead?”

“No,” his hands weakly grasps yours to keep them from leaving him. “I–I’m okay. I only need you.”

You nod and take a deep breath, urging your powers to continue surging through your bones and veins. Charged with vitality, they embody a tender current, eager to breathe life into every fiber of the recipient’s being. You sense the poison recoiling at your touch, prompting another cry from Rhysand. Though you know the poison will put up a painful fight, there’s a sense of relief as you realize it is one you can win.

“It’s going to feel worse before it gets better,” you say, your eyes darting to your makeshift table. “I don’t have anything for you to bite down onto. I’m sorry.”

“Tell me a story,” he pleads, his voice desperate and raspy. “Anything. Please.”

“Anything?” You say in contemplation, falling into a thoughtful pause as you search your mind for a story to tell.

“When I was a little girl and my parents were separating, my uncle would take me to the countryside,” you begin to share, your voice softening with the weight of the fond memory and in the intimate space between you and Rhysand, a subtle shift occurs.

“It was my favorite place in all of Dawn. The flowers were always in bloom and the grass was tall and green. We would wake up early to watch the sunrise together. Those were the moments where the world felt so still yet so gentle.”

“One night, as the moon gracefully surrendered its space to the emerging sun, I cried. The realization of the sun and moon being eternal strangers gripped my little heart. The sun, in its golden glory, would never know the tender glow of the moon, and the moon, adorned in silver brilliance, would remain untouched by the sun's warm embrace. It made me sad.”

“My uncle, at first, laughed. He teased me, which made me cry harder. He realized the genuine depth of my sorrow and that’s when he shared something with me,” you continue, a nostalgic smile plays on your lips as you recall the moment.

Unbeknownst to you, Rhysand’s gaze warms in the gentle embrace of the shared memory. He’s momentarily distracted from the stabbing pain.

"He told me that the moon's glow is but a reflection of the sun's radiance," you explain, the magic of your tale intertwining with the magic of your healing touch. "How beautiful, he said. That the love of the sun for the moon is so pure that he sets down so that people can admire the beauty of her.”

"I was still sad, holding onto that stubborn desire to witness the sun and moon together. That's when my uncle introduced me to the magic of an eclipse—a rare celestial dance where the sun and moon finally come face to face. When the next one arrived, my uncle whisked me back to the countryside to witness it, and for the first time, I felt such overwhelming joy. Tears welled in my eyes but they were tears of happiness. I didn’t know one could cry tears of joy until that moment.”

Still aglow, your hands continue their delicate work. You observe a subtle relaxation manifesting in the features of Rhysand but there’s a weariness that settles over you. You know all traces of the poison are gone because its toxic essence was absorbed by you in your haste to protect him. It takes its toll on you, wearing you down and leaving you feeling slightly unsteady, but all you care about is him.

The gaping wound on his abdomen gradually yields to your skillful touch, and a peaceful serenity settles over his face. His eyes flutter shut, and in the hushed atmosphere, Rhysand's words pierce through, lingering like a delicate whisper in the air.

"I think I might be in love with you."

The confession tugs at the strings of your heart, urging it to soar, but you swiftly quell the rising emotions. You attribute Rhysand's words to the delirium induced by his pain, knowing he’d forget all about it. You wouldn’t be surprised if he forgot your story as well. You swiftly clean him up and use your magic to replace the bloody sheets with clean ones before taking your leave. Exhaustion tears at your bones and you can only muster a meek smile to Azriel and Cassian, who waited anxiously outside the infirmary doors for an update. You head straight to your room after and collapse onto your bed.

The following night, as you retire to your room from another day of endless work and studying, you find a carefully wrapped gift at your door. There’s no name on it but as you read the note attached, you have an intuitive inkling as to who the thoughtful gifter was.

To the Sun, in your golden glory, may you always feel such overwhelming joy.

A beautiful embellished trinket box lays beneath the wrapping engraved with two cosmic entities–the sun and the moon. As you open the small keepsake, you're greeted by a soft, ethereal glow that radiates from within. It casts a warm and gentle light and you watch as a projection of the moon and sun dance around you before finally converging into a mesmerizing eclipse.

Rhysand's POV

Like clockwork, Rhysand wakes at the break of dawn with the tendrils of a persistent dream lingering in his mind. A dream that has possessed his nights for weeks. As sleep releases its grasp on his eyes, he reluctantly rises from the bed and decides to get ready for the day, knowing that if he tried, he would not be able to fall back asleep.

He navigates through the familiar halls of the Moonstone palace, mindlessly making his way toward one of the terraces. His steps falter.

There, amidst the soft hues of the awakening city below, stands a feminine silhouette–a vision bathed in the tender light of dawn. You. A sense of cautious curiosity courses through him, eclipsing the remnants of his restless dreams. His gaze lingers on you. There's a nuance in your presence, a fine radiance that hints that you are not from here and though he should be concerned over an unannounced visitor in his home, he can’t bring himself to do so.

A subtle flutter dances in his chest. He’s speaking before he could even properly think.

“You don’t belong here.”

You startle and lose your footing. You’re about to fall but before gravity claims its toll, he moves with swift determination. He reaches forward and grasps your arm, pulling you from the dangers of the edge of the terrace and into the safety of his arms instead. You lift your head and a gasp escapes your lips. Your eyes widen as they look up into his.

“Breathe, darling.”

His mind is searching yours with a quiet desperation but all you are thinking about is how devastatingly handsome he is. He doesn’t perceive you as a threat. Yet, there’s something hauntingly familiar about you.

He hears a name being called. Yours. And then it hits him like a sudden gust of wind. You’re the girl from his dreams. The one he’s dreamt of nearly every day this week and as he repeats the name, his lips curve up into a smirk.

He found you and realization dawns upon him like the morning sun. You don’t belong here but not because you’re from a different court. It’s because you belong with him.

a/n: this part came out a lot softer than I thought it would. The quote I used about the sun loving the moon so much came from something I saw on pinterest. I am a sucker for the sun and moon and stars lol

#rhysand x reader #rhysand x y/n #rhysand x you #acotar rhysand #rhysand imagine #acotar imagine #acotar x reader #acotar x y/n #acotar fanfiction #rhysand angst #rhysand fluff

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faeriichaii · 4 months

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hiii! Since your requests are open, could I ask for a Legolas × avari!reader (it's a type of elf in Tolkien lore)? I just have in my mind a repeat scene where Legolas invites Gimli and his partner to Mirkwood and Thranduil having a mini heart attack like "One of my only son's best friends is a dwarf and his betrothed is an avari".

But later on he ends up liking them :)

Blessing ~ Legolas x Avari!Reader

A/N: Hi :) omg I love it!! I struggled like a lot and idk why haha because like I kinda was lacking in a bit of knowledge idk idk but I still hope I nailed the avari part?? But yeah I hope you enjoy the story <33

Avari: a branch of elven race, who never journeyd to Aman and instead stayed in Middle-Earth

⇢ ˗ˏˋ Warnings: fluff, Thranduil being a bit cold at the beginning :( ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Words: 1.3k ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Request: Yes (thank you <33) ࿐ྂ ⇢ ˗ˏˋ Meleth Nin ~ My Love ࿐ྂ

Summary: The journey of the fellowship ended a long time ago and suddenly you receive the invitation of the prince to join him in Mirkwood, meeting his father. But how will Thranduil react to seeing his sons best friend being a dwarf and his betrothed being an Avari?

A smile graced your lips, as you saw Legolas standing beside his father. Both of them waiting for you and Gimlis arrival. You had received a letter a few weeks ago. The letter was written by Legolas, who invited you, as well as the dwarf, to meet up in Mirkwood. You remember that the three of you constantly joked and laughed about your different hometowns. Gimli, for example, always bragged about his home and the customs. You always expected to first travel there instead of Mirkwood. You especially remember that one time while you guys were eating the food prepared by one of the hobbits. The orange hue of the fire dancing away, as the laughter of the group filled the place.

“And I definitely would like to challenge the elvling to a little duel.” Gimli said, as he finished his dinner. You raised an eyebrow while looking at Legolas, who sat beside you. “Which one of us do you mean exactly?” You asked the dwarf. “How about the both of you against me? You won’t even stand a chance, so you might as well team up!” “A little bit confident don’t you think?” The elven prince set the arrow down, that he just finished. “I remember getting around ten more kills than you.” A smirk plastered his face, enraging the dwarf. “You did NOT have ten more kills than me!” Laughing slightly at their little antics, you smiled at them.

“Well, what kind of challenge would await us, if we would visit your hometown?” You asked him, also preparing new arrows for your bow. “It’s called the rite of sigin-tarâg. We will use hammers to smash up stones and the first one to lose normally gets banished from all dwarven realms. But we will just do the challenge.” “So you want to test our strength against yours?” The elven prince asks, as he hands you a finished arrow to put away with your own. A small smile formed on your lips at his sweet gesture. “This won’t even be a test, because I already know the results. I will beat the both of ya.”

“Whatever you say Gimli.” He began to grumble at you while searching for his axe, in order to sharpen it a little more. “I think you should visit me at Mirkwood after the journey ends.” Legolas suddenly said. You halted your movements. Visit him in Mirkwood? You bit the inside of your cheek, as you thought about visiting Legolas at some point in your life. You have to visit him. The both of you are courting, so of course you have to. But what would his father think if he suddenly introduces him to you? You were an elf yes, but you were an Avari. It was known, that most elves do not like your kind. Avari doesn’t mean ‘The Unwilling’ without reason. “Meleth Nin, are you alright?” The prince carefully asks you, laying a hand on your thigh. “Yes, I am alright. I think visiting sounds like a splendid idea. But only if Gimli is also joining us.” You say, while taking his hand on your thigh into your own, intertwining your fingers. If you had to face his father for the first time, then at least you would drag the dwarf into it as well. A laugh escaped his lips. “Oh, my father will be so excited to meet the both of you.”

And now you and Gimli were standing in front of the king of Mirkwood, while Legolas stood beside him. His eyebrow was raised, as he scanned Gimli from head to toe. “So, this is your… friend?” The dwarf let out a grunt, followed by a few grumbles at the attitude received right after his arrival. “Yes, I have told you quite a few stories about Gimli.” Thranduils eyes moved from the dwarf to you. You did a quick curtsy as a polite introduction followed suit. “My king, it is wonderful to finally make your acquaintance.” “So, you are the betrothed my son has mentioned?” His tone was slightly cold, which in result made you worry a tide bit. You didn’t wish for him to already dislike you. Especially if you haven’t given him a reason to do so. “Yes, yes I am. Which is why I am very grateful to be able to visit Mirkwood for a few days. And of course, to meet you, my king.” A small smile graced your lips, as you tried your best to get on Thranduils good side. He nodded gently at your words, before turning around and leading you through the castle grounds. Legolas walked beside you, gently taking your hand in his. “How are you doing Meleth Nin?” He whispered into your ear. A sigh left your lips, as you squeezed his hand. “I am alright. I just worry that your father might not give us his blessing. That he might already dislike me for who I am.”

Your gaze wandered to the floor. Suddenly Legolas stopped walking, making you halt in your steps. He took your face in his hands. The warmth of his palms made your face heat up, making you feel safe and sound. “Meleth Nin, I love you through middle earth and back. I only wish to spend my lifetime with you by my side. It doesn’t matter if he gives us his blessing, because nothing could ever prevent me from being with you. A soft blush dusted your cheeks. Your heart beating a little bit faster at the sweet words he just whispered. “I love you too Meleth Nin.” You whispered, before giving him a quick kiss on the lips. Taking his hands from your face, you intertwined your fingers with his once more.

The day passed rather quickly with the three of you being together once more. Even the king seemed to slowly warm up to the both of you, his welcoming scowl long gone. “I did not expect you to be so well read, dwarf.” “Don’t underestimate me too much.” Gimli said, as he laughed heartedly, the chalice filled with the elven wine in his hand swaying from side to side. You could already tell that the dwarf began to get tipsy from the alcoholic beverage. A small smile graced your lips at the scene in front of you, the light atmosphere making you feel more relaxed than at the beginning.

“I also must admit, that I am very impressed by your knowledge (Y/N). I did not expect an Avari to know so much about the elven history.” “Thank you for the praise my king. But it is only natural for me to know about the elven history. It is after all a very important subject and part of my culture.” The king took a sip from his golden rimmed chalice, before continuing his chat with you. “I do have to confess one more thing. That upon first hearing about you and my son’s courtship I saw it as… ill-starred. A misfortune bound to happen. I did not want to accept that he was willing to court an Avari out of all elves who roam the realm.” Legolas immediately grasped your hand, giving you a sense of security. You took a shaky breath as you looked at the king. “But now, after seeing you with him and the tender care and love you both share, I deem it cruel to rip the both of you apart. I also seem to start to grow fond of you, as well as his little friend.”

A bright smile adored your lips at the kings’ words. Squeezing Legolas’ hand, the both of you shared a look. “Thank you, my king. Your words mean the world to me.” You watched as a gentle smiled graced his lips, before they were covered by his chalice once more. “See, I told you my father would start to warm up to you. He might seem cold at the beginning but he still has a heart deep within.” The prince whispered to you, before giving you a soft kiss on your cheek. Warmth filled your heart, as all your worries disappeared into thin air. You got the blessing of the King of Mirkwood.

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ghost-bxrd · 1 month

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Greetings!

I was wondering about your thoughts on Bernard Dowd for the Owl Court Family AU, you said the Drakes were new money and that’s why they’re (in part) not a part of the Court.

Based off what we’ve seen of seen of Bernard’s parents in Tim Drake: Robin we know that 1) they have money (but not if it’s new or old money) and 2) that they’re up to something SHADY.

Would you imagine them as part of the Court? Part of some other organization/cult?

Do Tim and Bernard get together in this AU, and does that cause any drama because of Bernard’s shady parents?

How do the others react to them getting together if they do?

——

I personally can imagine Bernard’s parents, if they know about the Court, but aren’t a part of it, after finding out about Bernard’s crush on Tim, trying to get him to “snap out of it” (His mom did call Tim Bernard’s “friend” in Tim Drake: Robin #7) and then when that didn’t work think well, if he’s into Tim Drake, might as well make the most of it and try to manipulate the situation

Which, if that’s the case, poor Barnard because things would definitely not go well for the Dowd’s if Cobb found out about that 👀

——

(Sorry for the many questions/mini rant lol, I think your AU is really neat and I’m rather curious about how Bernard might be incorporated if he is)

Thank you for reading my rambles! ^.^

Hi! 💚

So I can totally see the Dowds being part of the Court, but also… I can see them keeping their… “extracurriculars”… a secret from their son (for whatever reason).

Bernard is the ultimate fanboy of anything vigilante/conspiracy related, and with the absence of actually vigilantes in Gotham I think he’d fixate on rumors of shady cults. Like the Court of Owls (something his parents are none too happy about).

Of course, there’s also Robin/Nightwing beating up criminals eventually, always accompanied by something darker, something scarier, that keeps the Boy Wonder safe. Bernard only gets far enough in his investigations to hear about “the Gray Son of Gotham” before he hits a dead end though, so everything beyond that is mostly speculation.

I think Bernard and Tim would meet in school during the time neither of them have anything to do with the Court. Maybe they’re friends, or perhaps just acquaintances. Either way, Tim ends up falling head first into the world of the Court (thanks to Jason’s near death) and as a consequence he would probably cut back on interacting with his civilian friends a lot. At first out of fear that Cobb will make true on his threat to kill everyone Tim loves, and later because… well, the damage of distance is done.

But they’d meet again a little later, hit it off (Tim just can’t help finding all those wild conspiracy theories absolutely adorable. Shut up, Bruce, I remember you staring at Will all night last night because the guys smiled), and I’d like to say the rest is history but… it’s not.

When Bernard works up the nerve to tell his parents about Tim Drake being his boyfriend… they appear curiously delighted. Ecstatic, even. Encouraging meetings and dates and inquiring one too many times if everything is going alright between them. (Never asking if Bernard is treated well, never asking if he is happy, only Drake, Drake, Drake…)

And naturally, the Dowds go too far. Demand too much. And Cobb becomes suspicious of their motives, uncovers a whole lot of dirt on the Dowds, and… well, the Court of Owls does not tolerate traitors. One foul egg spoils the whole batch. Court protocol is to exterminate the entire immediate family.

Including Bernard…

#I know it’s kind of a cliffhanger but… well ;)))#who knows what’s gonna happen~#or if Bruce or Tim or Dick (or Jason) finds out before tragedy occurs #or if Cobb ends up growing a conscience before that lol #William Cobb #Bruce Wayne #court family #court family au #the court of owl #Tim drake #Bernard dowd #timbern #timber #talon

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rhinestoneskye · 11 months

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Kick It Off Right

Word Count; 5.7k

Warnings; brief sex jokes, mention of alcohol, slight discussion of religion and mention of disbelief, Josh being Josh.

————————༒————————

A whole month off. Tour had finished, a new album released, their record company had the ball in their court. The final decision? Let the professionals plan while the band took a break.

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

Josh had a mini crisis in the middle of the living room three nights after they got the news.

“I can’t do anything. I can’t perform, there’s nothing to record.. I have no inspiration to write… the guys are all doing their own thing-“

I sat on the couch and tried my best to listen without seeming too excited. I already had ideas of ways to keep him busy, but I’d been waiting to suggest any until I knew for a fact he was at a loss for plans.

“Let’s go on a road trip.”

“That’ll never work…” he drew in a breath to continue before pausing. Josh’s arms folded across his chest, brow furrowing in question as he looked down at me. “A road trip?”

“I’ve always wanted to visit the state parks. Let’s go do something with nature.”

“A road trip?” This time he asked to make sure he was hearing me correct.

“Yes, Josh.” I folded my own arms across my chest. “We have a few months to do our own thing. Let’s escape.”

“What if they need me?”

“The label said they wouldn’t, and if they do, that’s the beauty of phone calls and FaceTime.”

“What if my band needs me?”

“They’re doing stuff too. And if your brothers really need something, they’ll have Danny. And Danny will have them.”

“What if-“

“Just pack your shit and go on a road trip with me, Kiszka.” I couldn’t listen to his endless worries any longer. He just needed to get out of his house in a way that wasn’t involved with work. Josh let out a sigh. He pursed his lips, a sign I knew all too well. He was ready to argue. To tell me no. To say I should go with the girls. I looked right back at him with a stern gaze. “You need it.” I pressed on.

There was a beat before his shoulders fell, and a sigh escaped his lips.

“Just a week.” He tried to compromise. I decided it was best to give in and not test further limits.

“We’ll start with a week.”

“Can we leave on Friday? So I can tell everybody and- and just be prepared?”

“Yeah. We’ll have to get a rental anyway.”

“A rental?”

“Absolutely. I’m not road tripping in an uncomfortable car.” Josh bit his bottom lip in consideration. “Let me handle it. Okay?” I offered.

“Yeah.. that’s fine.” He gave in easily. Josh seemed to be so stressed and yet so carefree at the same time. I could rent a van if it meant he wouldn’t have to worry about it. I’d already called a few companies anyway when I came up with the idea of road tripping. Id stumbled upon a perfect vehicle when I visited a place with an old Volkswagen camper van. Josh had talked about them before, and how much he loved them.

I already knew where I was renting from, so it made the task so much easier.

The week came and went. Josh became more and more comfortable with the idea of a road trip as the days passed. We purchased a few maps and planned our route together during quiet evenings on the couch. His excitement began to radiate as he talked about all the places he wanted to go. And of course he asked about my stops as well. Our compromise on one week immediately turned into the full month once he was fully on board with the idea. Josh and I settled on a few different bottles of alcohol to take, as well as snacks. We packed our bags according to the locations and the projected weather. Mostly shorts and tank tops. A few pairs of jeans and a sweatshirt or jacket in case of emergencies. A first aid kit was set out by our things, and a few blankets. Josh insisted on bringing his favorite pillow. Our pile was by no means big, considering the space we’d have to fit our things in, but we had certainly covered everything.

I thought we’d finished packing until I stepped out of the shower one night to see Josh sat on the floor by his nightstand, gently placing a camera into an old black bag I hadn’t seen in ages.

“You’re taking your camera?” I smiled, a laugh bubbling from my lips when he jolted at the sound of my voice.

“Uh.. yeah. I thought maybe it would be fun.. to film a little.”

“Oh yeah?” I prompted him to go on.

“I’ve always wanted to make a traveling documentary.” His cheeks flushed, embarrassed by the confession. But I found it endearing. If he hadn’t been so artistic and passionate, I never would have fallen as hard as I had.

“Only if I’m in it.” I teased, watching the way his eyes lit up.

“Of course.”

By Friday, Josh and I were practically sprinting out of the house to get to the rental company. He quizzed me the whole way there on the car I’d rented, but I didn’t let up until we got inside the building.

We spoke with the woman at the desk before we found a place to sit.

“What color is it?”

“White and blue.” I placed my hand on his knee, a gentle reminder to relax.

“Are you sure you got a good one?” He didn’t doubt me, he simply wanted to double check.

“I got the best one on the market.” I perked up at the sight of the man I spoke with when I visited, approaching with a pair of keys in his hand. I quickly stood, and Josh took it as a signal for himself to stand as well.

“Kiszka?” He asked, and we both nodded. “You two are going to love this piece of history. The company we bought it from spent quite a bit fixing it up to make it road safe and comfortable.”

“History?” Josh whispered in my direction. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

“It’s right outside. You can leave your car in the lot, and if you’d like to hand your keys over somebody will move it for you.”

“Thank you so much.” I held my free hand out to Josh, who fished his car keys from his pocket and rested them in my hand. I passed them to the man in an exchange for the van keys.

“Babe.” Josh whispered the moment the man turned to lead us outside.

“What’s up?” I asked, barely able to contain my smile.

“Can I see those?” I gave him the keys, allowing him to do his inspection, furthering his theories.

“No way-“ I had to assume Josh caught on the second he saw the logo on the key fob. “No fucking way.” I laughed quietly. The moment we got outside, Josh’s last theory became a reality. “Oh my god. It’s breathtaking.”

I released Josh’s hand to let him explore, giving a grateful nod to the man who stood by the front door. My lover looked nothing short of a kid in a candy store.

“If there’s any issue you encounter or if there’s information you need, you can give me a call. Ma’am you should have my number, and if you lose it, there’s always a backup in the car’s information package in the glovebox.”

“Thank you so much.” I flashed the man a smile. “We just have to get our things out of the car, then we’ll be out of your hair.” He nodded in understanding before turning to go back inside.

“Josh.” I caught his attention and tried to stifle my laughter when his wild expression caught my eyes. “Let’s go get our things.”

We decided to kick off our trip at Fall Creek State Park. It wasn’t a long drive, and it gave Josh and I a chance to get used to the van and all its glory. He loved it. Driving was a little different, the wheel turned a bit more stiffly, and the gear shift was a whole different style, but overall he adapted well. I sent a few pictures in the group chat with the band, most of which earned replies of excitement and playful jealousy. The three hour drive to the park was full of conversation. I’d never seen Josh so talkative, which said a lot. We stopped in between the second and third hour for dinner in an old diner, sharing quiet conversation over a stack of homemade pancakes and blueberry syrup. Then we got back on the road. Once we got to the park, it was a struggle to find a campground to settle in. The help of a ranger though, got us going in the right direction.

“I told you.” I pointed to the sign we’d passed a few minutes ago.

“You didn’t tell me shit.” Josh sassed with a playful grin.

“You better watch it.”

Josh pulled into the first empty lot, and we’d crawled out of the van with speed, pulling open the sliding door to step into the vehicle. It was a cramped space, and I had to shove Josh multiple times to get his backside out of my face, but we knew we wouldn’t be in it much other than sleep and driving. The space was sufficient for the things we’d need it for.

“We can’t change at the same time.” I informed him as I sat on the bed, watching his head turn to look at me.

“Sure we can!” I rolled my eyes when Josh pulled the door shut and tossed my bathing suit in my direction. “You just change there, and I’ll change here.” He gestured wildly to the small area, and I merely rolled my eyes at his persistence. I made sure the blinds in front of the windows were closed, and asked Josh to hold a blanket up between the back part of the vehicle and the windshield so nobody could see me. He was happy to do so. He was just as happy to stare at me while I changed too. But I let it slide.

Once I got my bathing suit on, I slid back into my shorts and t-shirt. Then Josh and I switched positions. I held the blanket while he changed into a pair of swim trunks, though I would say, I didn’t stare as much as he did. Only a little.

“Let me grab a few things to throw in a book bag, then I’ll be ready.” I informed him as he slid the van door open again. Josh gave a nod and snagged the strap of his camera bag to haul out with himself. It didn’t take me long to pack a bag. Two water bottles, a few bandages, a couple granola bars. I grabbed a towel too, stuffing that into the bag before I stepped out of the van, an immediate blush spreading across my cheeks when I caught sight of the camera in Josh’s hands.

“Josh.” I scolded in a whined tone, holding a hand up toward the lens, but I didn’t dare touch it.

“It’s okay, just smile. I want a couple pictures.” He was videoing, but I was none the wiser. So I gave in, lowering my hand and standing awkwardly for him. His smile was bright as day while his face lowered to look through the lens once again. “You look beautiful, hun.” He certainly knew how to make me open up. “Absolutely stunning.”

“Are you done yet?” I grew impatient and suspicious quickly, placing my hands on my hips.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay.” He waved a hand dismissively before finally lowering his camera, the item hanging from his neck by a brown leather strap embroidered with a white flower pattern.

“Can we go now? I wanna find those waterfalls.” I asked, hopeful to officially begin our trip.

“Yes, we can go.” Josh held his hand out, and I was swift to interlock our fingers. Work was long forgotten. Miles away back in the heart of Nashville. I had Josh all to myself.

We found a map of the walking trials and tourist spots. I helped Josh locate one of the beautiful waterfalls, and we spent some time trying to find the trail we were supposed to be on. Once we found it, our journey began.

Sometimes we shared a few words, but overall it was a quiet journey. A few stops were taken for photos, some I made Josh take, others he made me stop so he could take. We didn’t have to talk or pay much attention to one another to feel together. Doing this side by side was enough. I was certain Josh was at peace. Feeling a type of serenity he hadn’t felt in a long time. His silence was as comforting as it was off putting. I wondered what he thought. What was going through his head.

“Do you have a paper?” His voice tore through the silence at one point, tentative and distracted. Clearly still enveloped in his thoughts.

“Other than the map? No.”

“Do you have a pen?”

“Yeah. We needed one to write on the map.”

“Can I have it?”

My brow furrowed in amusement, but I turned my back to Josh for him to get the pen nonetheless.

“Side pocket.” He looked in the right one first, inconvenienced to find it wasn’t there. He quickly pulled the pen from the left pocket before unzipping the bag and grabbing our map.

“Hold still.. okay?”

“What?” I craned my neck to peek over my shoulder.

“Just hold still, please. I need to write something.”

“Okay.” I tapped my feet a few times, glancing down at the dirt while I waited for him. When the pen stopped against my back, and I heard it click, I finally turned toward him. Josh had to stretch over me to stick the map back into the book bag, flashing me a quick and lighthearted glare. I chuckled and turned back around so he could zip the bag.

“Can I know what that was?”

“Not yet.”

“Don’t make me wait years.” I groaned dramatically. Josh slipped his hand back into my own and gave a gentle tug to get me walking again. I fell into step beside him.

“You’ll be the first to hear whatever it is I’ve come up with. Okay? I promise.”

“You said that the last time.” I gently swung our hands between us.

“Well.. I mean it this time.”

“Mhm,” I smirked, glancing at him to catch the smirk on his lips.

“Can you at least tell me what’s on your mind then? Clue me in a little.” I bumped my shoulder against his own. Josh’s silence after such a question was normal. He liked to formulate his sentences in his mind before he spoke. At least when it was meaningful. When it wasn’t meaningful, he never gave a single thought to the words that came out of his mouth.

“How beautiful it all is.”

“The forest?”

“Creation.”

I should have known it was deeper than just the surface level things.

“As in.. the entire world?”

“No.” He didn’t elaborate, but I caught on.

Creation as in, the biblical creation. The creation that took seven days. Six if you don’t count the day God rested. The creation that quite literally marked the beginning of the universe.

The creation Josh wasn’t even sure he believed in.

“Somebody made it.” He paused. “Or something made it.”

His family had been raised religious. And while Josh always struggled between believing in the existence of a god or not, he did believe in something. He just didn’t know what.

“Everything has a purpose, you know?” Josh’s eyes fell to the ground. “It all fits together so perfectly. Every thing assists some other thing when it comes to living. It really hits you when you’re in the middle of it all. They used to tell us in Sunday school, that God made everything with a purpose. Sure as hell, everything has a purpose.. it’s just.. you know, there’s no real physical proof of anything.” He glanced at me, and I gave a nod for him to continue.

“There’s never an answer for any of it. You don’t know where it comes from, and even scientists can’t tell you for sure how each atom came together. I’d love to know how something so beautiful came into existence. It’s not fair we don’t get to know everything.” I chuckled softly at the almost childish expression.

“If you knew everything, you’d be unstoppable, rockstar.” I couldn’t stop him from thinking, nor did I want to, but I could try to bring him back from the existential cliff he stood on the edge of.

“Maybe.” Josh delved back into his thoughts at the end of our conversation, eyes trailing back to the forest around us.

I was thankful Josh had as much time on stage as he did, running about and simply being on his feet for hours at a time. He was certainly fit, but his short legs did him no favors when it came to physical activity. So to have the extra strength, it certainly helped. The hour walk went by fairly well, other than the occasional whine about his feet being sore or a groan about his back. Mostly just for attention.

When we came through the clearing in the forest, Josh and I finally came face to face with the beautiful waterfall we’d been on the search for.

“I’m so hot.” I mumbled, the sight of a body of water quickly making me realize my own temperature. I dropped our book bag by a tree and stripped out of my shirt and shorts, tossing both articles haphazardly into the grass before I took off toward the water. I heard Josh’s giggly laughter behind me. “Josh!” I called for him, a shiver wracking my spine the moment my feet hit the water and the droplets splashed up my body.

“I’m coming!” The water slowed my steps the deeper I got, and eventually my feet got caught so deep that I had to stop. I turned just in time to spot Josh running full speed ahead into the body of water, picking his knees up higher as it got deeper. A gasp escaped my lips the moment his body jerked forward, tumbling right beneath the water with a wild yell that sounded incredibly similar to any yell he’s ever let out for an album. I knew before he even surfaced that he had a mouth full of water. Josh’s once wild hair was completely soaked. His head whipped out from beneath the water along with most of his upper body, a scrape on one of his shoulders and one along the left side of his chest. He coughed and coughed, and my concern quickly dissipated. If he could cough he could breathe. He’d be fine.

“This is why we don’t run like idiots into shallow bodies of water.” I scolded as I leaned forward, brushing my fingers along the scrape on his shoulder. I tried my hardest not to laugh. Josh flashed me a distasteful glare and flinched away from my touch. His frown, no matter how real, couldn’t last long. His eyes met my own, and in a flash his lips turned upward in a smile to match my own. Though mischief was masked in his gaze. In my own, pure love and adoration.

That damned camera was recording again. Somewhere set up in the clearing. I caught one glimpse of it when Josh jumped upright and wrapped his arms around my midsection, lifting me up and promptly dropping me right into the water. I tensed in anticipation, prepared to scrape my own body on something, but no pain ever came other than a slight pressure when my back rested against a few rocks. I came up gasping for air, teetering on my feet and moving my hair out of my face. I caught my breath before I shoved Josh’s chest.

“You ass!” I yelled. He laughed.

“Let’s do it again!” His arms reached for me once again, but I immediately backed away.

“No!” His jovial giggles were contagious. The lighthearted nature of the entire ordeal had me laughing along with him. We looked like kids. We felt like kids. Josh always knew how to make anybody feel young.

“Josh I’m soaking wet!” I shouted through laughter as I tried to keep away from him. Though it became harder to move as he backed me deeper into the little lake.

“I am too! Just come here!” He reached for me again, but I swatted his hand away. Josh let out a rather pathetic gasp, cradling his hand to his chest in a flash.

“That didn’t hurt.” I immediately glared at him. But he merely responded with wide sad eyes and a pouting lip. “Josh, fuck off. That didn’t hurt.” I scolded him for his antics. We both knew that if he kept it up long enough, I’d give in. “Joshua.” I glared. He sniffed. I glared harder. “I swear to god, if you start crying in the middle of this place I’m gonna abandon you here.” I’d never dream of it, but we both had a rather aggressive sense of humor. Josh knew I didn’t mean it either, because the second I gave him the idea, he started acting like he was tearing up, drawing in a deep breath and readying for a long wail. Curse his family for supporting his theatre kid dreams. Since when did the the oldest children become so needy for attention?

“Okay! Okay!” I swiftly waded through the water to get to him, forcing my hand over his mouth, dangerously close to being a second too late. Josh’s arms immediately wrapped around me. I tensed, but relaxed when his hands rested on my back. A cheeky grin on his lips.

“That’s all I needed.” He confessed, content to stand there with the sun beating off our backs, wet and chilled, looking like a pair of rats. I rested my hands on his shoulders.

“You stress me out sometimes.” I teased with a quiet laugh somewhere between a sigh and a groan.

“But you love me.” He clarified. I had no choice but to agree with a nod. “May I have a kiss?” He asked, feigning a posh accent.

“You may.” I granted with a curt nod, gasping when he leaned forward and dipped me, the initial shock making my muscles tighten. Then our lips locked. I moaned in delight at the feeling, eyes closed while my hands struggled for a mere moment to slip around Josh’s shoulders. Every kiss with Josh was meaningful, but I saved the word passionate for the ones that felt truly magical. The kisses that made sparks fly. Kisses like these. He pulled away first, careful to help me up onto my feet before he pulled me by my sides into his chest.

“Will you take a few pictures underneath the waterfall for me?” He dipped a finger beneath one of the straps of my swimsuit top. Innocent, but fidgety.

“Yeah, of course. Anything for our documentary.”

“Our?” Josh acted outraged, pulling back with a bewildered look.

“If I’m your star, then yeah, it’s ours.”

“Fine. We split the credit 60/40.” He held his hand out to me.

“50/50 or you can find another star.” I argued. Josh pretended to consider it before he gave in.

“Fine.” We shook hands before trekking out of the water together. I fished the towel from our book bag and helped Josh dry off before he grabbed his camera. Ending the video I was oblivious to him taking.

“Come on.” Josh surprised me by grabbing ahold of my hand, pulling me in the direction of the water fall before I had even dropped the towel. I had to leave it in the grass a few feet from our bag, but with nobody around I assumed it would be fine. He guided me down into the water behind the water fall, holding onto my hand until I was off the slippery rocks.

“I just want a few of you behind the water.” He said, walking a little ways away, occasionally checking the lens to see what the camera would capture. Each area he wrinkled his nose at, until he stepped down into the water and found what he was looking for. What that was, I didn’t know. He gave me a thumbs up and told me to pose. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I’d been a teenage girl once, so I recalled the old dramatic bathroom photo shoots and mirror selfies, and pulled a few poses out of the old memories.

“Can you cross your wrists above your head?” I raised my brow at Josh’s words, but did so nonetheless. “Stand sideways and arch your back.” I couldn’t help but chuckle as I did so. I felt silly. “Look up.” He paused. “Beautiful.” He complimented, per usual, before taking a few more pictures. “Look over at me.” I turned my head to look at Josh.

“My back is starting to hurt, twinkletones.” I called, just barely hearing the faint click of a few photos being snapped.

“Twinkletones.” Josh laughed. “I like that one.” His head finally lifted. “I’m good now.” He stepped out of the water and came to my aid, pulling me out with a delighted expression. Josh loved music. He loved performing. But there was always a look on his face I could never describe when he was behind a camera. It was his first true love. His first dream before everything else.

“What’s next?” I asked, resting my hand on his shoulder as I stepped up the bank and onto the dry grass.

“I don’t know.. what time is it?” I checked my watch when he asked.

“Seven thirty.”

“The sun sets soon. We can go back to the van? Try to catch it before we shut in for the night?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” I slid my hand into his own as we walked back to our things, grabbing the towel on the way. Josh helped me pack our bag once again, and he slipped his shirt on after.

“We’ll wash off those scrapes too.” I made note of it, and he nodded in understanding.

The walk back to the campground was full of more conversation. Josh showed me the photos he took, and though I insisted he show me the videos, he refused, saying he’d show me when he had the ‘film’ all put together.

“Water?” Josh asked near the end of the trail. I slipped the book bag off my back and unzipped it, retrieving our waters. I passed one to him and asked him to zip the bag for me. “Yeah I got it.” Josh had mumbled before sealing the bag. With the van just in sight, we had stopped to take a few sips of water. I took note of the frizz in his half dried hair, a holy mess I knew I’d have to get used to during the month we’d be out. After we closed the distance between ourselves and the van, Josh dropped down by the sliding door of the vehicle, a long sigh tumbling from his lips as his head fell back against the siding door. I laughed, gently nudging his thigh with my foot as a signal for him to move over. As he did, I slid the door open. I dropped the book bag on the floor and stepped in to gather something for us to sleep in.

“What do you wanna wear?” I called, met with silence. “Josh?” Nothing. I swiftly turned and peeked out of the vehicle. I wasn’t sure if he wasn’t listening, or if he was asleep, but his eyes were closed. I crouched down and leaned forward to pinch his shoulder.

“Ow. Fuck- what?” His eyes quickly opened, looking up at me in irritation. I chuckled.

“What do you wanna sleep in?”

“Got my sweatpants?”

“If you packed them.” I answered swiftly. His expression shifted into consideration, uncertainty, then annoyance again. He slowly stood up, groaning all the while. I slipped back into the van and sat down on the bed, making space for Josh to go through his own bag while I rested my own legs.

“Got ‘em.” He held them up triumphantly, almost slamming his fist against the top of the van.

“Perfect.” I leaned forward to grab the clothes I’d laid out on the small countertop. One of Josh’s t-shirts and a pair of silk shorts. Josh shut the van door and reached for the blanket again. He considered holding it up before he lost interest in the idea, opting out for a new one. He draped the blanket over the headrests of the van, concealing us from the windshield and front window view. There was only a sliver of light coming through, and if one looked in, all they’d see was the tops of our heads.

“Come over.” I patted the empty space on the bed, and Josh quickly sat down next to me. He leaned into my side, sliding his shoulder past my own in such a slow fashion that I knew he was testing the waters. Trying to get away with laying down. “Not yet, troublemaker.” I laughed, pushing him upright. “Pull your shirt off.”

“For sex purposes… or?” I slapped his shoulder.

“For the scrapes on you. Behave.”

“Fine.” He pulled his shirt off and tossed it onto the floor. I began to change while he slipped his shorts off and got into his sweatpants. Once we were both re-dressed, I moved Josh to the floor of the van and opened one of the cupboards below the counter. I grabbed a washcloth and the bottle of hand soap we had, using one of the bottles of water to wet the cloth.

“Tomorrow morning we are finding a place to shower.” I spoke as I prepped the cloth.

“You think there’s shower-houses around here?”

“Probably.” I answered as I put a few pumps of the soap on the cloth, lathering it before I carefully pressed the cloth to his shoulder. I let him hiss through the initial burn before I gently rubbed the raw skin. “But the sun will have set by the time we even find them and that’s not safe.” Like the many true crime documentaries and podcasts we listened to.

“That makes sense.” Josh watched as I worked, using the dry half of the towel to wipe the water and soap from his shoulder before I repeated the process with the scrape on his chest.

“Thanks, beautiful.” Josh whispered as I dried the last scrape, tossing the towel into the sink while I put the soap back.

“Anytime, songbird.” I pushed his frizzy curls back from his forehead, laughing softly at the state of his hair.

“If we open the windows we can catch the sunset from the bed.” Josh slowly stood, walking maybe two steps before he collapsed into the surprisingly comfortable mattress. He reached upward to open the blinds opposite of the pillows. A perfect view.

“I can’t believe I ever ripped on van life.” I whispered as I followed him into bed. I waited for Josh to get properly situated before I laid down beside him.

“I can’t believe you had to talk me into this.”

“You seemed like you needed it. And I know road tripping is something you’ve always been interested in.”

“I couldn’t be happier right now. With you, and this beautiful van, and the wilderness. And I get to capture it all on camera.”

“You should teach me how to take some of those beautiful photos sometime.” If it meant getting a glimpse into his creative world, I would have loved to learn. I shimmied into Josh’s side, resting my head on his chest. I pressed a kiss to his skin, enjoying the warmth he radiated.

“I’d be delighted to.” He shifted his upper body away from my own only for a moment, moving his arm up to wrap beneath my shoulders, pulling me further into his body. I rolled onto my side and draped a leg over his own, placing my head on his chest again.

“How about a normal one though?” I suggested, glancing back toward the counter to grab my phone. I had to stretch to reach it, but once I had it, I opened the camera and raised the device above us. “Smile, J.” I spoke in a sing-song tone, laughing at the over exaggerated smile he gave me. I snapped a few photos with the flash unexpectedly on, but I had no interest in taking more. They didn’t need to look good, I simply wanted a few.

“Oh, oh,” Josh reached for my phone. I quickly handed it over. “Let’s get one of the sunset.” He turned the phone sideways and flipped the camera around. How he found the straightest angle, I’d never know, but he snapped a few photos and looked through them all before handing the phone back. “Okay.. now we can relax.” I set my phone on the mattress beside us.

“Thanks for your permission, sarge.” I teased softly, relishing in the way his chest rose and fell with his sporadic laughter. As the silence settled, I closed my eyes. It had been a great first day. An easygoing one, but a perfect opener to a month full of travel and sightseeing.

“I can’t wait to see the world with you.” I whispered as I rested a hand on his chest by my head. I felt his own hand come down on top of my own.

“The whole month is ours, baby.” I smiled, comforted by the feeling of his lips pressing a kiss to my head.

The whole month was ours.

#danny wagner #greta van fic #greta van fleet #greta van fluff #jake kiszka #josh kiszka #greta van angst #josh kiszka x reader #sam kiszka #josh kiszka fic #the van’s named daisy series

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septembersghost · 2 years

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jimmy sitting disheartened and all alone at the courthouse would be his day, every day, if he didn't indulge in ugly excess and fill every nook and cranny of saul's existence with continual noise and color and too loud advertisements and paid companionship and a bluetooth immediately in his ear. there's a piano in the mansion that never gets played, he can't explain why he even bought it, jokes it adds class. putting a tombstone in the middle of the room would be too unsubtle, not that he's aiming for subtlety. he avoids going down to court when possible, avoids interacting with the legal community in general, and they have a particular ire towards him when he does. they are not his colleagues, they are his adversaries.

suzanne called him a scumbag and there was only one person in the world who'd defend him against that accusation, and she's gone. when kim wexler left, the ada said, good for her, aloud to everyone in the vicinity, but then they all talked about what a shame it was to lose such a fine lawyer. it had to be the hamlin thing right? a few people whisper, maybe, in her time at HHM, she and howard were closer than they seemed, didn't you know the firm paid for her law school, there's another piece of the HHM legacy ruined forever, but those rumors are shut down quickly. first with, no, he wasn't like that. it's still hard to believe he could ever... and then with, no way, she was devoted to mcgill. she defended him at the hearing against his own brother, remember? that was the beginning of the firm's problems. even, i heard she accused howard of nepotism. then other details, she quit s&c abruptly, that was probably his fault. he did the same thing in santa fe. never made sense what she saw in him. or, she seemed to get fixated on wanting to help people, think it was guilt because she knew what he was becoming? or, she finally woke up, guess she was disgusted by what he was becoming. imagine having to live with him. or, why would a woman like that ever marry him? she disbarred herself! he totally tanked her life. or...?

discussions of james mcgill begin to treat him like he's dead, though no one quite realizes they're doing it. it wasn't that he'd been a bad lawyer, he was smart, he could be a really nice guy, but he was always wheeling and dealing. hard to know what was real until he showed it with that de guzman thing. maybe that was why she disappeared.

none of these discussions are had in front of saul because saul is never approached like a human being, but he still knows they have them. he's an annoyance, an aggravation, self-aggrandizing, tenacious. he succeeds with his cases, often. at a cost. they have to deal with his screeching commercials and his clashing suits, it is impossible to avoid this man in albuquerque, he rises to mini-celebrity status through sheer obnoxiousness alone, never letting anyone forget he exists. i'll fight for you. nobody knows what he's even fighting for - glory? money? respect is out of the question. they never see anything genuine from him except his desire to win.

he will not sit alone at the table. whatever, it doesn't matter who's there with him, but he's not pathetic. he's great. hell, he's untouchable. you've never mattered all that much to me...but so what? this is easier. no more pretending, no more attempts to play it straight, no one else to try and change for. he's a cathedral of justice with foam columns. they can't take him down. he beats them to it.

#IDK WHAT THIS IS #i'm upset #jimmy mcgill #saul goodman #kim wexler #better call saul #bcs spoilers #*#btw the rumors and commentary are dedicated to people who don't get this show lol

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purple-haired-faerie · 7 months

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Feysand children

Some H/Cs following the poll! Let me know what you think in the comments

A/N; mentions of violence, Sexual assault and rape and prostitution if that is a trigger please avoid!!

Nyx

First born and for a long time believed to be the only born.

Knows he doesn't want to be High lord. Doesn't want the pressure of not only the title but to live up to his parents legacy. Also it's not his calling, what his soul is telling him to do with his life, but alas if it is his duty he will do it. Not that he tells his parents this in case he disappoints them (they could never feel disappointed in any of their children)

Studies with Rhys and Amren and trains with all three Bat Boys. If he ends up high lord then he will do what he has to do be a good one.

Like Feyre he is creative but where Feyres creativity is her art, his is music. It helps him communicate things he can't with words alone. Piano, chello, violin and oboe. He joins a string quartet and knows this is really what he wants to do.

Selene

Eventually, having seen Nesta successfully pop out a couple of winged children, Feyre and Rhys try again for another child. Selene is born with a lot less drama and near death experiences than her older brother

It doesn't take long to realize she is Feysands true heir to the Night Court. Intelligent, cunning and the perfect mix of brutality and kindness. Violent criminals feel her wrath but innocent citizens feel nothing but her love

So when she's chosen by the court it takes no one by surprise. She makes history as the first high lady to sit alone on the throne. Vivian and Feyre were high ladies through their own merit and being mated to forward thinking males. Selene does it all by herself.

Total space need and having Rhys being...well Rhys and extra he commissions an observatory to be built for her. As much as she enjoys being there it also becomes a safe space for her and if she's had a bad day, you'll find her in the observatory

Poppy

Rhys had once mentioned he'd like to do what his mother had done for Cass and Az; and take in a kid or two and Feyre is supportive of this.

The bat boys are at an Illyrian camp. One even more backward than most Illyrian camps which says something. The Bat boys are there pushing for better treatment for the women.

They are coming back from a particularly long headache inducing meeting when a woman approaches with a young child. Both are in a bad way and the woman seems like she is close to death. She begs them to take her daughter, to give her a life she can't.

They bring the pair in and do what they can but the mother dies a few hours later. Her body no longer able to hold out. Rhys takes a long look at this child, and knows she's coming home with him.

Given her age, she has yet to have a period so her wings haven't yet been clipped but she hasn't had a chance to fly. Rhys takes it upon himself to teach her and she loves it. Where Rhys would have flights with just him and his mother, Poppy has flights that are just her and her Dad.

Given her love of flying she's a traveller. Not just around Prythian but to the mortal lands and to other continents. She's full of stories and gifts from when she returns home.

She becomes a Valkyrie and is a total badass. If we are making comparisons she's like a mini female Cassian. Scares her parents shitless. Selene knows her armies are in safe hands with her sister.

Arron

Arron is the next kid to be adopted by Feyre and Rhys. His mother died from sickness and his father got beaten by some guys who felt he had wronged them. It hit close to home for Feyre.

During his father's beating Arron had gotten hurt himself. Badly and he never fully recovered. On good days he is able to walk unaided. Some days he needs crutches and on really bad painful days he uses a wheelchair.

Rhys literally builds a fully accessible house so the family can live somewhere where Arron has full access even on bad days.

Like Feyre he uses art as a means to help him deal with his emotions. His particular talent is charcoal drawings and pottery. He likes that you can make a mess and end up with something beautiful.

He also really likes swimming as it's an exercise that he really helps him following his injury. The water takes some of his weight and he looks into utilizing hydrotherapy for other disabled people or those recovering from injury.

Dahlia

The last to be adopted is Dahlia. She's older when she gets adopted and it's Nyx who finds her. He's returning from music rehearsal and finds her literally half naked lying in a gutter. Covering her modesty with his coat he mentally contacts his parents and let's them know he's bringing her back.

She's 16. Has been working as a prostitute against her will. Her father abandoned her mother as soon as she found out she was pregnant and she made some desperate decisions to look after herself and her daughter. One such decision was taking a loan from a brothel madam and working the streets to pay it back. When she died and the dept was still owed, it fell to Dahlia to continue working the streets to repay the dept

Dahlia had been on a bad job. Her patron had beaten and raped her and left her in the gutter where Nyx had found her. Feyre and Rhys had been horrified that this sort of thing happened and sent Mor, Amren, Az and Nesta to 'do what they needed to to deal with it'. They did.

Dahlia, like Rhys' mother, loves clothes and she had always dreamed of having her own shop with clothes she had made. As well as modelling them. Of course her new parents support this.

She claimed the modelling helped her change the narrative with her body following what she had been through. Gave her back her ownership and confidence in her own skin, and eventually takes on other sexual assault and rape survivors when her business grows.

#acotar #dad! rhysand #feyre archeron #original child character #rhysand acotar #feysand

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27-royal-teas · 4 months

Note

play like a ‘big shot talent’ for the wip asks if you haven’t answered it already!

ok so this was kind of the first iteration of the tennis fic. because alright context i work teaching kids tennis lessons in the spring, summer, and fall, and basically i know a lot about tennis despite having no real interest or passion for it, so i was like ‘since pete plays tennis i should make him play the us open. lol’. so in the fic i stuck a bunch of people from bandom in the US open and pete’s on the older side of the players but he’s still pretty godly and patrick’s, like, the next john mcenroe (that is to say, he definitely plays Very Angrily but also Very Well). anyway pete and patrick become friends and andy is petes trainer and joe is patrick’s trainer and it’s kind of lame honestly but it was sort of a way for me to cope with the fact that the rest of my summers throughout my teenage career will be spent teaching children how to hit a ball around. anyway!! here is an excerpt:

****

Pete’s opponent was tall-- well, taller than Pete, but that wasn’t anything unusual, because practically everyone was taller than Pete. He had black hair and brown eyes and he was pale-skinned and probably too rich to have earned his way into playing the US Open, and Pete was going to utterly eviscerate him. Politely, of course. Tennis was, of course, the gentleman’s sport.

“Brendon Urie,” Andy had said to him last night, when Pete was preparing for the match. “Nineteen years old. He’s pretty light, has a good body awareness, but his main strength is his serve. He’s got a killer serve, which is the main thing you’re going to have to look out for. He hits a sharp serve to your backhand corner, which is bad, because your backhand kind of sucks. Also, he’s younger and hotter than you, so he’s got a better chance of getting sponsorship deals. You gotta up your game, man.”

“Rude,” Pete had said from where he was eating an apple on the couch. Andy fast-forwarded Brendon’s video fifteen seconds ahead, and the two of them watched as mini-Brendon hit a lob clean down the line. “Look, Andy, it’s the early rounds, I probably don’t have to stress too much.”

“Say that to the pilot on the flight home,” Andy griped, rolling his eyes. “I’m sure she’d love to hear it.”

Look, Brendon might be a good player, but then again, so was Pete. He wasn’t playing at the US Open for nothing. He had earned his place, and he was here to win. Normally he wouldn’t be as confident as he was now, but Pete had long ago learned that dwelling on the stress often got a guy nowhere.

And it was good, because Brendon and Pete were at a 5-5 tie, 45 all-- match point. For that matter, game point. In the present, Pete narrowed his eyes. If Brendon got this point, Pete wouldn’t be moving up at all. He’d be gone in the first four rounds of the Open. Embarrassing. He wasn’t going to let himself get beat by some nineteen year old with a god complex. From the other side of the net, Brendon grinned at him, showing pearly white dental work. He looked like a wolf.

“Your serve, Urie,” Pete called over, because it was, and Brendon seemingly grinned wider. He was full of too much confidence, but Pete could see even from afar that his forehead was beaded with sweat. Tennis was as much a mental game as a physical one, and the ongoing tie didn’t make Pete feel too great, either.

“Forty-five all,” Brendon called out for the chair umpire’s benefit, and prepped his full serve, bending low to scoop the ball up and hit it with full force into Pete’s return box.

Brendon’s serves were the most formidable thing, but after that, he was relatively tame. Pete returned the ball forcefully cross-court, but it wasn’t far enough back, so Brendon was able to return it with no huge issue. Dammit. Pete had been hoping that would take him out for good, but clearly not, because Brendon just turned his face into a grimace of concentration and hit it back to Pete’s court with enough force to cause permanent damage to Pete’s facial structure. Pete blocked it, feeling the vibrations from his racket run down his wrist, and the ball bounced short-court.

They continued on like that for what felt like forever, lobbying the ball back and forth. It was clear Brendon was getting tired. Pete hoped to tire him out for good. Maybe…

The ball came back to him. Pete hit it as hard as he could, nearly spinning with the force of his follow through, and the ball touched the left doubles line, just out of Brendon’s reach.

“And that’s the set,” the chair umpire called to them.

And that was the game. Pete let his racket fall to his side, breathing a sigh of relief-- he wouldn’t have to go home just yet. Andy would be thrilled. He trudged to the net, feeling an inhuman sense of exhaustion. Brendon was already waiting for him there, hand outstretched. He looked disappointed. Pete shook his hand. It was sweaty. Brendon said, “Great playing, man. You’re a really good player.” He still looked disappointed, which was understandable, but not too visibly upset about his loss, which Pete respected.

“Thanks,” he said, and smiled, and Brendon smiled back with a grin that didn’t quite match his eyes and let go of his hand. But hey, he hadn’t thrown his racket at Pete or anything, so Pete counted it a win.

“Brendon’s a good player,” Pete told the interviewer when she came up to talk to him a moment later. “He’s fun to play against, and his serve is insane. But I am also a good player.”

“Thoughts on the other players you’re up against?” The interviewer asked.

Pete shrugged. “I’ll beat them. Or, I’ll try. Like I said. They’re good, but so am I. I know I’ve got the determination to.”

“You’re not worried, or anything?”

Pete looked at her blankly. “Should I be?”

The interviewer considered. “There’s some very formidable competition on the roster, is all. Rafael Nadal. Novak Djokovic. Daniil Medvedev. Among others. You’re on the older side of our players.”

“I’m excited to play them,” Pete told her. “It’ll be a great challenge.”

She looked at him, either impressed or surprised by his audacity, and then said, “Pete Wentz, everyone,” and then he was off air.

“Nice job,” Andy said when Pete got into the locker room to change. “I’m surprised.”

Pete scowled at him. “Seriously? I’m a good player. Why are you surprised when I win?”

“Because not only are you a good player, you’re also a cocky little shit,” Andy said, not even bothering to sugarcoat it. He was right, but it still stung.

“Hey,” Pete said, weakly, because he WAS a cocky little shit and didn’t really have a defense against that. “I still won, didn’t I?”

“We’ll see who you’re up against tomorrow,” Andy sniffed, and then said, “Also, Wentz-- put on some deodorant. You smell like hell.”

“That was a fucking breeze, Andy,” Pete told him, pulling on a clean shirt. “A fucking breeze. I obliterated Urie, and I’ll cut down the others, too. Don’t worry. I got this.”

“I am so glad you have confidence in yourself, because sometimes I don’t,” Andy muttered.

“Good talk, Andy, I’ll see you in the car,” Pete said, and left the locker room.

#I feel like this just exposes how much of a loser i am but whatever #toby speaks #Toby’s asks #fic stuff

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neoninky · 1 year

Text

TWST Fic "Her Ivory Crown": Chapter 4

I am dubbing this the 'boys start getting agro' chapter lol

Ch. 4: Claiming Territory

"Ugh...seriously? We finally get off that island and manage to have some real fun and here he comes throwing marriage in your face like a magic grenade? I swear..." Manari sipped the drink in front of her with an annoyed expression.

Reine had calmed down after her two friends convinced her to take her break with them at Azul's 'mini' Monstro Lounge cafe but her stomach was still in knots. Elise frowned at the untouched pasta on Reine's plate, "He really got to you, huh?" Reine merely sighed quietly and Elise gently wrapped her arm around her, "Hey it's alright! Don't worry about that right now, ok? Manari is right, we came here to help with AND enjoy the festival so no more royal court drama for today."

"Or ever," Manari chimed in, "besides I don't think even Zehn would come bug you with them around." She gestured to the towering Jade and Floyd as she sipped the last remnants of the tropical drink in front of her. The loud slurping noise seemed to summon the twins immediately to their table. Jade was professional and smooth as silk, his smile never wavering as he swapped Manari's empty glass with a fresh drink he had already prepared. Either he was that good or the girl was predictable as this was her third glass.

"Thanks, Jade! Hey, you guys wouldn't be for hire, would you? Reine's got a guy that won't take a hint."

The twins turned to the mostly monochrome princess and Floyd immediately noted her defeated expression, "Ehhh someone is bothering Mantie Ray?" his expression quickly turned sinister, "I can squeeze him until he turns blue or goes 'pop'..."

Jade didn't seem bothered by his twin's tone whatsoever as he chimed in, "Oya~ Floyd...that won't do. You don't want to leave any evidence behind, you know?" his sharp-toothed smile matched his brother's.

The three girls exchanged concerned looked before Elise smiled up at the eel brothers, "Um that's very kind of you to offer, Floyd, but no thank you. I wouldn't want you to get your lovely suits dirty. Or your gloves for that matter." Floyd immediately switched back into his usual silly self and giggled.

"Ahh Star Fishie is so nice~ I wanna give you a squeeze~" Jade quickly pulled his brother back before he could pounce on the poor girl.

"Wait...did he just call you guys a starfish and a manta ray?"

Looking down at her mostly black and white uniform with angular diamond points, Reine could see the resemblance. Maybe. Jade offered an explanation in his calm voice, "Floyd likes to give others nicknames from creatures of the sea. It's something he's done since we were children. Miss Elise, or 'Star Fish' as Floyd calls her, has become a familiar face so it's no surprise."

Elise giggled, "I think it's cute."

"So what about Azul? What's his nickname?" Manari looked at the glasses boy across the way, charming guests left and right with a pleasant smile.

"Azul is Azul. Buuut Azul is also an oc-"

"Jade! Floyd!" the charming smile on Azul's face was replaced with a disappointed frown as he suddenly appeared at the table, "other guests are waiting. Stop bothering these ladies with your chatter."

"Ehhh...Mantie is sad and you're being lame, Azul," Floyd pouted. Twins were shooed away from the table despite Floyd's protests before Azul returned to his welcoming demeanor.

"What's this? Is something wrong, Your Highness? Is the food not to your liking?? That won't do."

Reine felt a pang of guilt and gave the Octavinelle leader a reassuring smile, "Oh no no, everything is perfect. I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind. I should probably return to my dorm's exhibit, however, I've been away too long."

"What? Reine, your girls are doing fine without you, come on. You've been pushing forward nonstop ever since you completed your mother's trials and were named the crown princess. An extended break won't kill you." Manari never beat around the bush about anything so why should she start now?

"Listen to your friend, Your Highness, it's no trouble at all. I'll bring you some dessert myself. On the house for all three of you and a nice discount for your dorms as well." Azul seemed to be acting out of generosity but in truth, the octopus never missed an opportunity once he sniffed it out. One taste of their special gelatos and he knew the Sacred Crown girls would be back for more in no time, tenfold as the word no doubt spread. So much that the discount he so kindly extended to them wouldn't even matter. Of course, those Royal Sword punks would still have to pay full price.

"I suppose a few more minutes wouldn't hurt..."

"Byyye Mantie, Star Fishie, and Tiger Barbiiiee~" Floyd and Jade waved the girls off as they left the cafe. Manari felt oddly happy about also earning a nickname from the odd twin like it was a badge to a special club or something. Elise waved to the boys and thanked them for the seashell hairpin she was given for visiting their cafe for the third time. Apparently, the booth had a points system. What Elise didn't know was that the hairpin was supposed to be reserved for guests on their seventh visit. Must have slipped the brothers' minds. Oops~

"Three times already? Wow. That's some serious dedication you got there, Elise."

"What? The food is delicious and I adore their underwater decor! It's gorgeous."

Reine seemed to space out as her friends bantered back and forth. She felt foolish as she tightly clasped her hands together, trying to forget how shaken she had felt earlier. Why did she feel so surprised when Zehn took the conversation towards courtship? It wasn't exactly a mystery, in fact, Zehn's information was at the very top of the stack of profiles she had been given of every boy that wished to become her suitor. It was all organized in a thickly bound portfolio for her to look at while she was here. She groaned to herself as she remembered leaving it back in her room on the vanity, completely untouched. He did check all the boxes she was groomed to look for: he had a flawless pedigree, he was an excellent student and mage, he was handsome, he already had extensive knowledge and pride for their homeland, and she was lucky enough that he wasn't exactly a stranger either. They had known each other since childhood...well...sort of. Any and every time they met, there were always at least two chaperones with them at all times and the number grew as they grew older. Each meeting was scheduled down to the very last detail every single time. Though there were others in line for her affections, Zehn was always in first place. In fact, their conversation in the tea garden was probably the first time in a long time they were ever "alone" together. Even so, Zehn had always had a polished, gentlemanly air about him and never hesitated to shower her with polite, appropriate affection when he could. Except for today...today he seemed so...

"Reine? Hello?"

The rose princess quickly snapped out it, realizing they were back at Rosabyrine's garden already, "O-Oh! We're here, good good."

The two girls exchanged a look, "You're sure you're feeling better?"

Reine slipped back into her regal, elegant mode so naturally, it was almost unnerving, "Of course. Thank you for my much-needed break, girls. I appreciate it."

She gave her friends a hug before walking back towards the entrance but heard Manari excitedly call after her, "Hey! Don't forget! Scarabia's hosting a party in their dorm tonight! It's gonna be a blaaaast~ Don't try to skip out, ok?"

Alyssa reopened the normal rotation for the next group as Reine got settled at her table, quickly setting out a fresh cup and checking the tea. She said nothing but she was relieved when she saw that Zehn was absent from the garden and the next group coming in. Once she was seated, she sat up straight and let out a sigh. Everything is fine, she thought to herself.

"Good afternoon, Miss Reine."

Reine looked up to the familiar voice and smiled brightly, "Riddle Rosehearts. How nice to see you again."

The Heartslabyul leader bowed to her and reached for the teapot as the princess began to stand up, "Please let me. I don't mind."

She watched him expertly pour her tea before pouring his own with a playful grin, "You've done this before I see. Just what one would expect from the Heartslabyul King."

The redhead's heart swelled with both pride and a flutter of bashfulness as he sat down and quickly changed the subject away from himself, "You are very kind, Miss Reine. How are you enjoying the festival?"

"Very much so. Your school is full of surprises. All good ones, of course," Riddle felt relief wash over him hearing this, "I even met a few of your juniors earlier," Aaaand it was gone.

"I see," he said a bit too stiffly, "I trust that they behaved themselves...?"

"Yes. They were wonderful boys," Reine laughed genuinely for the first time since the incident earlier that day.

After a while, the bell rang but Reine raised her hand to signal that she wanted to keep her guest's company a bit longer. Riddle was surprised but not unhappy. The two of them kept talking about the festival, who all she had met, her favorite things so far, and other normal every day topics that allowed the flow of conversation to stay relaxed and made her feel at ease. It was...nice. So nice that Reine raised her hand at least two more times. After a while, Riddle even had the pleasure to hear her candid laugh once again.

"I can't believe the hedgehog fell right into the teapot! The poor thing!" She chuckled at Riddle's story. He sighed and smiled at the memory, "Ace has never been the best shot in our croquet games. Thankfully the pot was empty."

The bell rang again for the last round of the afternoon and unfortunately Reine herself had made it a rule that the girls could forgo passing their guests along for three turns and three turns only. She pouted a bit to herself when she realized she had reached her limit but quickly recovered. She didn't want Riddle seeing such a face on her.

"Thank you for such good company, Riddle, but I'm afraid I must let you go now."

They both stood almost in sync and Riddle took Reine's extended hand...and gently kissed the back of it, "Thank you, Miss Reine. It's been a wonderful tea party."

The princess felt a small bit of heat light up her cheeks as she smiled at the red-headed boy...

"My my~ How interesting~ These Night Raven boys do move quickly don't they?"

Manari's musically impish tone popped into her head, making her face feel more heated. Nonsense! Riddle was a very courteous young man who was being polite to his homeland's princess and nothing more! Nothing...nothing? And yet it felt like something different than when Zehn-NOTHING.

The princess cleared her throat and bid Riddle good day as he started to leave her table but quickly remembered something else, "Oh, Riddle? Your classmates from Scarabia invited us to a party tonight. They said everyone was invited. Will I see you there perhaps?"

Riddle did hear about the party and frankly, the very idea of being there, surrounded by loud music, rowdy dancing, and the two rival groups of male students being forced to get along while being in the presence of the rare female specimen didn't appeal to him whatsoever...until right now.

"Oh...Oh yes, I and the others from Heartslabyul will be there!"

Great Seven, what had he just gotten himself into??

Again...what exactly had Riddle gotten himself into?

Thankfully it was cooler by the Scarabia oasis now that the sun had gone down but also cold enough to warrant a large bonfire which several students were dancing around like a well-coordinated riot. Mostly the boys of Scarabia and the girls of Almascaber, with Kalim, Manari, and Manari's vice dorm leader, Jinnah, in the epicenter. Poor Jamil had tried to stay on the outskirts of the group, not wanting to draw attention to himself, but the two girls leading the pack wouldn't hear of it. Thus Jamil found himself being dragged into the fray by an enthusiastic Jinnah. Riddle saw Elise and some of her dorm talking and dancing about with some other boys from Octavinelle and some more agreeable Royal Sword students that didn't seem to bother the first group of boys as much. Here and there, he recognized the other girls from Sacred Crown but Reine was nowhere to be found.

"Reine is over by the pool if you are looking for her, RRRiddle."

Riddle nearly jumped out of his skin as the chuckling cat boy snuck up behind him, "C-Che'nya! Stop doing that! Besides...h-how do you know I'm looking for her specifically?"

Che'nya's smile widened, "Hmmm? You've been standing alone for a while nyow, just looking back and forth like a lost little red rrrabbit...looking for a white rrrabbit purrhaps? Hmm hmm~" before Riddle could protest, the feline continued, "Reine looked like she had fun at the tea purrty today so maybe she's looking for you too, nya? Besides...it would seem he can't find her either."

Riddle's eyes followed the direction that his friend's floating head nodded to. On the other side of the crowd, Zehn Cavalier was peering about the area as if he were trying to locate a certain face. Riddle felt that same prickling sensation as before spread through his chest and set off towards the oasis pool without another word. Che'nya hummed in delight before fading away once again. When Riddle finally made his way through the crowd and into an empty open area, he took a breath of the fresh night air, already exhausted from just trying to navigate all the chaos. There was a small path through some palms trees that led him over a dune and to the edge of the actual oasis pool. Reine was standing at the very edge looking up at the stars. She looked so peaceful with the breeze brushing through her now loose, unbraided wavy hair that fell to the middle of her back. After being in her uniform all day, she and the other girls had changed into their gym clothes which were basically a t-shirt in their colors and either shorts or joggers. Reine was glad she had enough foresight to choose her black joggers that had white rose and diamond shapes along the sides, given the night's chill. Riddle almost felt guilty for disturbing her in this quiet moment but she looked so...different. Not that different was bad! Of course not, he would never think that! The princess could wear whatever she wanted and it would be perfectly acceptable regardless! ...Riddle then realized he had just been standing there, staring at her back like some sort of weird stalker, and gently cleared his throat before things got more awkward.

"Miss Reine??"

She turned to face him, a look of surprise in her violet orbs that still somehow shined in the dark, "Riddle! You're here..." she looked down at herself and felt a wave of embarrassment, "goodness I look strange like this, don't I?"

"N-No! Not at all, you look....very comfortable."

An awkward silence hung in the air for a couple of beats. The only things that broke it were Riddle's internal voice cursing his lame response and Reine's sudden laugh.

"Well, you are right about that. I didn't think my dorm heels would get me far in all this sand. That and...well I'm not that great at dancing outside of a ballroom setting to be honest," the princess shyly fidgeted with the hem of her white t-shirt, "Do...do you dance at all, Riddle?"

The redhead honestly couldn't remember the last time he had to. He was probably in the same boat at Reine, really. His mother had taught him proper ballroom dances and etiquette starting at a very young age so that sort of dancing came far more naturally. But this...

"I'm afraid not. At least not like this," he turned back towards the crowd of students clearly having a fantastic time, letting loose to the upbeat music. The princess understood perfectly and her empathy shone in her modest grin.

"Aren't we a pair of wallflowers," she sighed playfully, making Riddle smile awkwardly as he silently agreed.

Zehn was growing impatient. He searched the large crowd over one too many times and to no avail did he find the princess he was looking for and no one had seen her for over an hour, allegedly. He let out a frustrated sigh as his posse gave him the same answers that he had gotten from the other students as well. The little rose somehow slipped away without anyone noticing. Just when he was about to leave to try again another time, Elise came into his view. He knew that Elise was one of Reine's closest friends. Manari being the other but she was currently surrounded by a flock of fellow dance team members and that foolish Al-Asim character. He also knew Elise was easier to deal with and less stubborn than the commoner dorm leader. Thus a much easier source to utilize. Zehn shifted through the crowd with ease, getting closer and closer to the dark-haired princess. Just as he was about to put a hand on her shoulder....he noticed two very long shadows come from behind him. He wasn't exactly prepared for what or who was attached to said shadows.

"Oiii....why you bothering, Star Fishie?"

Floyd and Jade towered over the mage, both staring directly at him with conflicting expressions; Jade, calm but with a grin that didn't reach his eyes, and Floyd, like an unhinged attack dog on the edge of biting. He swore the gold eye on both of their faces was glowing but he refused to show how unnerved he felt on his face.

"I don't believe we've met. You're...friends of Lady Elise's?"

Neither one of the twins liked how this suspicious guy strained the word "friend" as if it was such an unbelievable concept. They both smiled down at him, showing off their pointy teeth.

"You could say that," Jade replied smoothly, "she is currently enjoying her time in our dorm's care...so maybe you should wait your turn and come back when you have better manners." Floyd giggled wildly at his brother's words, making Zehn feel even more uneasy about the two of them. Elise was none the wiser to the conversation happening behind her but Zehn could clearly see other Octavinelle dorm members around her shooting him pointed looks, reflecting the same energy the twins had. He said nothing before shoving past Jade and retreating to another corner of the crowd. Now that the twins had scared Zehn off, Floyd grew bored and unapologetically cut in to dance with the princess himself while Jade merely stared after the rude mage with a frown on his face.

Zehn resumed watching over the crowd from a distance, his aggravation growing. The twins clearly had Elise blocked off and made no illusions about the boundaries they had set. Manari was out of reach as well because of these irritating Raven boys. Jamil was giving him a suspicious look at the very moment as if he could sense Zehn's intentions a mile away. To the girls, these Night Raven students were probably just being friendly and entertaining them as their hosts. But to Zehn, he could see something else in their eyes: these guys were like animals staking out their territory and weren't about to let any 'intruder' even attempt to move in. It annoyed him to no end. The final nail in the coffin was Reine finally making an appearance...with Riddle Rosehearts at her side, gently holding her arm and guiding her down the sand dune's shift path and the two of them joining the others in the crowd.

"Very well..."

Despite the late hour, the girls returned to their foster dorm and the night ended with all seven dorm leaders sitting in the parlor, 'swapping notes.'

"Soooooooo...where were you during the party, Reine? You disappeared for quite a while."

Naturally, she was the first one in the hot seat. Manari was like a bloodhound when it came to getting straight to the heart of the matter.

"After today, I didn't feel like dancing. So I went to explore the oasis. And Riddle found me. So we talked for a while. That's all." Just the facts, that was her story and she was sticking to it.

"That's all huh...?" Manari had a grin that would put Che'nya's to shame.

"Yes, that is all," Reine rebutted with a strong poker face that quickly turned into a mischievous grin, "Honestly, I'm surprised you even noticed, Manari. You seemed to be plenty busy dancing your heart out with the Scarabia dorm leader and his second. And no one else...? How interesting..."

"Oooo~ she's got a point, Manariii~" Elise laughed.

"Oh says you, 'Star Fishie'! You have no room to talk and you know it. Hell, I'm surprised you have room for anything with all those Octavinelle boys wrapped around your dainty little fingers," Manari laughed right at Elise's gasping face after hitting her with a nearby pillow, making the other girls burst into laughter before resuming their own conversations.

This was definitely not the first late-night gossip session these girls had had in the past. Reine could remember other late nights back on their campus between phone calls. Talks of upcoming events with Royal Sword Academy. Talks specifically about Prince Rielle and Prince Yasmine between Manari, Elise, and herself...but now...Reine's ears picked up other fascinating bits of exciting talk from the others as her two best friends continued to pick on each other.

Charlaine mentioning how beautiful Pomefiore's dorm and uniforms were, how eager yet terrified she was to talk to Vil Schoenheit again to Petra who seemed very distracted by whatever she was looking at outside the window.

"I-I've seen all of his movies! He's amazing! I even brought the latest copy of the fashion magazine he modeled for in the spring. Do you think he'll sign it for me?!"

Petra, who normally never voiced any interest in this sort of thing, was listening to Charlaine but also trying to convince her that the 'tall, dark fae boy with horns' was real and was even pointing out the window to prove it but all Charlaine saw were green fireflies floating about. Petra eventually gave up and continued to listen to Charlaine spew more information about Vil's latest Magicame posts and beauty regiments.

Adela and Hebe, the more mature third years that normally stuck together, talking about Leona of all people. Idia had yet to make an appearance in person, much to Hebe's disappointment.

"He is a bit wild looking, isn't he? He's kind of attractive in his own way though right?" Hebe was definitely the kinder of the two. Adela smirked as she continued to file her nails while they talked, "Oh he is quite handsome...he'd make an excellent throw rug for my library." This made Hebe snort-laugh profusely, "Adela, you're terrible!"

Twenty-four hours max, that was how long they had been on Night Raven's campus and apparently, that's all it took for these new boys to take over their thoughts and words. Reine found her theory proven as she turned back to her two besties who were currently debating who was a better dancer: Kalim or Jamil.

"Hmmm, I dunno. Don't get me wrong, Kalim is SO much fun to dance with but Jamil's got some moves. He's just weirdly shy about it for some reason..."

Reine's memory flashed back to the party when she and Riddle returned to join the others. How happy and completely in her element Manari looked. How natural Elise seemed to be while being the center of attention. Neither one of them ever boasting or misleading any of the boys in their company. They were both just that alluring naturally in their own ways.

"You two looked like you were really having fun out there," Reine smiled.

The two other girls leaned in close to her, secretive grins on their faces, "you looked pretty happy yourself when you finally came back you know....you sure nothing happened by the oasis?"

The ivory princess just shook her head, eliciting disappointed groans from her friends, "We really did just talk. It was nice."

Manari and Elise noted the soft smile on their friend's face. Well, that was certainly something. The excited talk was interrupted by Adela clapping together her hands to quiet the rest of them, "It's very late, my darlings. Off to bed with you. We need to be in top form to support our boys in the Magift game tomorrow."

Petra was the first to protest but not because of the sudden push to go to bed, "Ugh why? We don't even get to play in the match! I finally make Captain and we can't even play? It's not fair."

No matter how much she begged, pleaded, and yes even tried to bribe their Headmistress to let the girls have a chance for the festival, Petra and any other interested candidates were turned down flat. It was an on-going tradition, because of course it was, that the girls were invited to attend Royal Sword's games and cheer them on as their sister school. Since they would be playing a match against Night Raven tomorrow, the girls were expected to attend in full force and support - as Adela put it - 'their boys' at the match tomorrow in the audience.

"I understand you are frustrated, my dear, but it is what it is. Besides...you know they are undefeated. We wouldn't stand a candle wick's chance. Even Night Raven College has yet to beat them in a standard game and we've seen how talented they are," Adela gently patted Petra's head like a loving older sister, trying to curb her disappointment. It didn't work at all but Petra resigned herself to a silent pout instead of continuing to argue.

"So we're just expected to show up, watch them crush their rivals per usual while pretending to be all impressed, and wearing their colors right? Sounds nice and boring," Manari rolled her eyes.

"In so many words, yes," the regal blonde stately flatly, "although I do believe our rose's beau has taken over as their captain, no? That should be an interesting change."

"Ew don't call him that, nothing is official!" Manari practically hissed at the notion of Zehn Cavalier being Reine's 'beau' or anything close to it. But Adela was correct, Zehn was picked as the captain specifically for this match against NRC. So he would be there, front and center, and expecting the girls to be sporting his team's colors in support. Especially Reine...who was not completely sold on the idea after the day's events. However, she did have another idea.

"It is tradition for us to wear RSA's colors for their matches. So of course, we will honor that and support our brothers...but in light of the circumstances, I think it would be nice to honor new friendships with our traditions as well. Don't you girls think so?"

"Meaning...?"

Reine's eye sparkled matching her growing smile, "Meaning...we're going to need more colors and ribbons. And maybe a few embellishments as well."

--------------------------------------------------

Re-reading through this I remember just how much of a smear on Royal Sword's good boy rep Zehn is lol. The villian bois don't like him, the good bois don't like him. No one likes you, Zehn Cavalier.

Tagging: @foxwitchaine

@iscarlettappel

@1ndigowitch

@nuitthegoddess

@wysteriadelights

@victoria1676

@the whole TWST community is welcome, hi

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pix4japan · 1 year

Photo

Train Station Police Box (Koban i.e. Mini-Police-Station)

I have only needed to use my local koban once when a neighbor was beating on another neighbor in our building with an aluminum baseball bat. I got trapped into being the only eye witness to the act, and ended up spending hours at the police station explaining my life story and of course appearing in court as a witness for the prosecutor. It was super time consuming and exhausting. By the way, the violent guy with the bat got put behind bars.

Unlike some countries, Japanese police fall under a national umbrella where uniforms, patrol car markings, etc., are pretty much consistent nationwide. The only difference I have been able to notice is the name of the prefecture on patrol cars.

Compared to Japan, some countries like the United States can have wildly different uniform designs, all kinds of hats, color schemes of uniform and car markings, and much more that differ at the town level, city level, county level, state level, and highway patrol level. Even to this day, I have never understood the difference between a sheriff, marshal, and chief of police in the States.

P.S. I only felt confident taking the police officer's portrait since his identity is partially obscured by the mask covering. He noticed me but ignored me so I guess it was OK.

Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter ISO 3200 for 1/100 sec. at ƒ/2.0 Provia Negative film simulation

#富士フィルム #ストリートスナップ #横浜 #お巡りさん #交番 #pix4japan #classic negative film simulation #Fujifilm X100V #Japan #Yokohama #koban #police #street photography

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animusiem · 1 year

Text

Billboard USA Exclusion Zone Episode 12 (05/20/2023)

The lull and the inactivity of the chart and pop music or even music in general has really got to me. We are nearly in June and we still don't get a lot of smash hits coming from big artists. I hope that with Eurovision next week the chart might be interesting to look into. But as it is, 2023 has been shaping up to be a bit of a lowkey year for the chart. Anyways we got Ed Sheeran mini album bomb so let's get into this short week.

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73. "Curtains" by Ed Sheeran

I'm kinda glad that over the past weeks, the music community has put aside their differences and backed Ed Sheeran in his court case against, you guess it, the Marvin Gaye estate over yet another copyright case over chord progression. Ed Sheeran is a good guy and while some snarky asswipe said that they'll be glad that Ed Sheeran lose the case so that he doesn't make any music anymore (and to those people I said go f yourself), there's a part of me that don't want to listen to his new album "-". Not because it's bad or anything, it's just listening an open wound album like that is not really fair? especially when that wound is still not healing yet.

Anyways, here we have his highest charting song from the album and this is very good. I always love when Ed Sheeran writes about something that isn't your top 40 formula and just let it sink in. And with the britpop production that's reminiscing of early Oasis, the writing here just worked for me. Definitely a worth listen.

77. "Spicy" by aespa

I think my favorite part of this song is not the beat which is kinda like a backwash of 90's trance song, but why this song was delayed. Apparently this song was supposed to be "environmentalist" which...okay then.

80. "Creep" by Radiohead

Imagine if the Guardians of the Galaxy movie will be the reason that Radiohead released their new album since 2016. That would be epic.

92. "Mejor Que Yo" by Anuel AA, Mambo Kingz & DJ Luian

Remember when Anuel AA was famous because of 6ix9ine cosign? Well anyways he's back with more generic reggaeton with admitedlly good bassline.

128. "Boat" by Ed Sheeran

This was the second singles from the album and immediately you can tell that this album is going to be more of a personal and moody listen than his previous two or even three albums. I will listened to the album when the time is right. But. for now all I can tell to Ed Sheeran is hopefully you'll have a better 2024.

I highly recommend everyone to listen to these songs

#ed sheraan #billboard #billboard charts #music review #pop music #review #pop #kpop #aespa #radiohead #guardians of the galaxy #grunge #anuel aa #reggaetón

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rjcollinsauthor · 2 years

Text

Chapter 28

I woke up in Noah's bed with my clothes on and was only in his shirt. When did I undress? Noah and I had fallen asleep watching a moving and waiting for whatever the high court could come up with involving getting the boys off without jail time. Part of me wanted to see them do a little time. And that was the problem with this whole thing. I got off his bed, walked to his mini fridge, and grabbed water. I looked around the room as I drank the best-tasting water I've ever had.

His room here was bigger than his room in Los Angeles. I remember that one being a lot more modern, this one had dark wood panels. You could tell from the few cracks on the floor and walls that this room had been passed down from generation to generation. I waited for Noah to come back, but after almost thirty minutes, he hadn't, and I was hungry. I planned to take these people down, yet the thought of walking around the house without Noah made me nervous. I pulled on a pair of Noah's sweatpants, tied them as tight as possible, put my hair in a bun, and left the room. I walked out into the hall, where I was greeted by paintings of different people. There was a little lamp above each painting and a place at the bottom of the painting stating who they were. These were Noah's ancestors. I walked downstairs and felt foolish every time I entered a room, and no one was there. After six rooms, I became exhausted. Lucky, a housekeeper saw me and pointed me towards the dining room.

I walked in, and Noah and his family sat at the dining room table, eating breakfast, looking freshly showered and dressed for the day. I was going to kill Noah.

"Good Morning," I said to them and took the empty seat next to Noah.

Immediately someone came over and set a plate down in front of me.

"Good morning!" Harvey said with a mouthful of eggs.

I smiled at him as I piled food onto my plate.

"Morning, babe." Noah kissed me on my forehead.

"How'd you sleep, Lena?" Della asked.

"Good. Thank you for letting me sleep over."

"Of course. You're practically family now. "

I almost choked on the toast. Someone escorted Harvey out of the room once his plate was empty. I looked at Wallace and Owen, who never greeted me and were busy on their phones.

"How's the case coming along?" I asked.

"It's coming. Owen talked to our lawyers, who are checking on what happened to the security cameras where Edward was murdered. Edward was coming out of a bar when witnesses say they saw four tall men grab him, beat him up, and stab him."

"Why do they believe it was the boys?"

"Randall's pocket knife was used," Noah answered.

"What motive do they have?"

"You," Wallace said without looking up from his tablet. "They know you're dating Noah, and you were seen several times with Edward. My grandson is known for his temper and obvious attraction to you. It would have been a shut and done case if it wasn't for whoever convinced Reyes to let them out on bail." Wallace gave me a quick knowing look before going back to his tablet.

Damn. They had no alibi and there was a murder weapon connected to them. Henry was good.

A man walked over to collect my plate when I was done with my food. He reached down for my new knife, and I simultaneously reached for my cup of orange juice. The blade cut me a bit, and the man started apologizing profusely..

"It's okay," I said.

I looked at Noah, who glared at him while he used a clean napkin to press on the small wound.

"I've got it from here. Leave," Noah said when the guy insisted on helping me bandage it up.

He nodded and took the dirty dishes and left.

"You didn't have to be so rude," I told him as he cleaned up and put a bandaid on me.

I was sitting on his counter in the bathroom, and he was standing between my legs.

"I did, actually. Now he'll know I don't like anyone but me touching you."

I rolled my eyes. "We are really going to have to talk about your positiveness."

"Okay, sure, let's talk. You're mine. Period. See? Simple conversion."

"You're an asshole."

"But you love me anyway."

That I did.

"Do you think your grandfather knows who I am?" I asked suddenly.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because he keeps giving me these looks like he knows."

"He thinks he knows everything."

"He's a part of the high court; of course he does."

"You need to relax."

"You might go to jail because of Henry, and it's all my fault."

"Shhh. Remember, we're doing this one day at a time." I felt his arms around me, and he kissed my forehead.

I wrapped my arms around him, content to be calmed down, even if it's just a little bit. I feel his hand lower until he reaches the tie of his sweatpants.

"Noah, do you think right now is the best time to have sex."

"Hell, yeah."

He lifted me and carried me to the shower. He kissed me and restarted the process of taking my clothes off. Instead of getting in the shower as I expected, he fills the tub and adds bubbles with stress-relieving body wash. When the bathtub was complete, I got in, and he got in behind me. I leaned back into his chest and closed my eyes.

"This feels good," I said.

He didn't say anything, but I felt his hand drift to my shoulders and start to massage them. It felt so good that I tried my hardest not to fall asleep.

"What are we going to do?" I asked him.

"Aren't you the one always with a plan?"

"Yeah, but this is above me."

"Nothing is above you while I'm around. We'll figure this all out. Together."

I turned my head around and kissed him. I tried to turn back, but he touched my cheek and deepened the kiss. I moved my body and straddled him, and the water carried us. I ground on him and felt him already hard beneath me. He placed a hand on my hip like he would put himself inside me, but I broke our kiss.

"Wait, we don't have a condom."

He groaned, and without waiting for a beat, he lifted me out of the bathtub like I weighed nothing, carried over to the sink, and placed me down. He went into his room to grab a condom while I sat on the sink, naked and dripping water. He came back with the condom already on. He walked over with me, lifted my leg, and pushed his way inside me. He wasn't gentle as he fucked me and gripped my neck to choke me lightly.

"I love you," he said as he fucked me.

He used his other hand to rub my clit, and it didn't take long to come, and he followed behind me.

"Fuck." he moaned and kissed my neck.

We drained the water in the tub and got into the shower. When we were clean and dry, Noah handed me the pair of jeans and shirt that were my exact size without me telling him.

"Do I want to know how you know my size?"

"The clothes I took you off last night."

"Ah. I need to go home soon. "

He wrapped his arms around me. "I want you to stay here with me until this whole thing is over."

"Would your family even be okay with that?"

"Are you kidding? Harvey and my mom love you. My dad is too self-absorbed to notice you here."

"What about your grandfather? It's like the longer I'm here, the closer he seems to be to figure me out."

"Even if he does, I'll protect you."

"Who'll protect you when he finds out you didn't kill me like you were supposed to."

He was quiet for a moment, and I could see the wheels turning in his head.

"There is something we could do?"

"What?"

"Marry me."

#romance #writers on tumblr #writing #fiction #dark academism #dark romance #bookaddict #dark stories #romance books #booklover #books on tumblr #bookboost #dark aesthetic #booknerd #bookstagram #free books #freebies #book boyfriend

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uncovering-resilience · 2 years

Text

Introduction

I am so many things but my most important identity is Mom. My oldest son is 6 years old. I also have a three and two-year-old son. My first son is from a different father than my younger two. I am still with the father of my two little's. Around Thanksgiving this year, we will be going on five years. He has three children from a previous marriage. I never got to meet them until a few months ago. I am not going to go into the details of how their mother manipulated the system, and how my boyfriend's ignorance of how the court system works prevented him from seeing his kids for five years. We will get into that another time. I will, however, give you a brief rundown of the past 6 months of my life if it sounds interesting enough... keep reading. If not, well thanks for stopping by anyways. After almost five years of my boyfriend's ex-wife ignoring every attempt he made to speak with the kids, her boyfriend randomly emails us telling us that we need to get the kids out of there because she does horrendous things to them and that he called CPS but they did not believe him and it sounded like he was going to be killing himself. This was in March. We have not heard from him, he is still missing. I messaged my boyfriend's ex-wife to try and get more information on his family because it sounded like he was suicidal and I wanted to reach out to them and let them know. Weirdly, when I reached out she very quickly agreed to let my boyfriend talk with the kids. After five years of being ignored, she said we could take the kids for all summer break. Didn't express any concerns about my boyfriend's parenting. She said: "FYI, it was never me that fought this so hard. Kevin did. He was terrified the kids would tell you guys what our daily life looked like and he shut it down." I had heard several rumors of her being abusive, but I had never met her in person so I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, start from scratch, and try to work on co-parenting. It went well for about 2 weeks. We would drive three hours to get the kids on Friday and another three hours to bring them back to our house. Then we would take them back on Sunday for school on Monday. On Mother's Day, we took all the kids out mini-golfing, and afterward, we had another two hours back to their mom's house. I was reading my sociology homework. It was talking about how 300 years ago they used terrorism as a parenting tactic. If someone was prosecuted for doing something wrong, they would do it in public and have the children watch. Scare tactics, beatings with whips, and other horrible acts. After reading that, I looked at my boyfriend and just said how crazy it is that people used to treat their kids that way, and how glad I am that it is not like that anymore. His 11-year-old daughter in the back seat says "Mom used to whip me with a whip until a man came, took it away, and made her stop." I apologized to her that she went through that and told her I was glad someone made her stop. That was the end of the conversation. I knew the kids were not in a good place. The 8-year-old was sucking her thumb, and the 11-year-old and 6-year-old were very far behind educationally. The 11-year-old was making suicidal statements at school. There was a list of red flags. I immediately wanted to call CPS, but we had called so many times and nothing had been done. On May 20th, we got to pick the kids up for the whole summer break. The first weekend I had a coworker's daughter over that was their age and we did a little slumber party. The 11-year-old tried to show her private parts to the other child. I thought maybe they were just being goofy and told her that it was not appropriate. Then more things started to happen. Within two weeks of having the girls, we realized that the 8 and 11-year-old girls were being inappropriate and having sex with each other. The older one was diagnosed with genital herpes. Fast forward to a few months later. We have six kids now, three with PTSD, I have PTSD myself, and this is the story of our healing journey.

#healing #journey #sex abuse #physical abuse #child abuse #ptsd awareness

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fictionalwh0ree · 2 years

Text

tennis camp- rafe cameron

summary: you've just started working as a tennis instructor at a country club in the figure 8 when you meet the infamous rafe cameron.

word count: 2k

warnings: none

pairings: rafe cameron x tennis instructor!reader

a/n: this is gonna be the start of like a little mini-series for rafe :)

the morning sun beat down on the clay tennis courts at the country club. you'd only just begun working there as a tennis instructor, yet you'd already become well known amongst the other employees for your friendly personality. currently, you juggled teaching those who requested you and teaching the tennis summer camp that was currently running. it was your full-time job as you'd opted not to go to college or university, but to work here and pursue writing. you loved it there, though.

you taught the group of little kids, their ages ranging from about 3-6 years old. most of them were shorter than a regular tennis net, so you had to use the pickleball nets. you tried your best to simplify the steps in hitting a ball properly for the beginning of the class, playing fun games to encourage their learning. you giggled as you watched one of your students, cora, try to hit the ball only to have it go right over her racket. she shook her head in a jokingly disappointed manner and went to the back of the line. this happened a lot, you found.

the next hour of class went by quickly, the time being consumed by all different kinds of fun games. when you saw another instructor, jen, walk past your court with her older group of kids, you knew it was time for lunch. you lined up your kids and walked them to the cafeteria, making sure not to lose any of them on the way. thankfully, the majority of your kids were well-behaved and didn't cause you too much trouble. you took a seat at the head of the table, facing all of the kids as you ate lunch. in the whole camp, you'd guess there was about 35 kids. you had to watch all of them at lunch today as the other two instructors had been booked for the hour.

as you all ate, a tall blonde boy walked in. a member, you were sure. when he walked up to the counter and ordered a drink, the conversation at the end of the table died down into some hushed whispers. at that end sat the older kids, the preteens. the conversation between the girls had come to a complete stop as they tried to discreetly look at the boy. as he walked out, he looked over at the large table, his eyes lingering on you for a second.

"oh my god, that was rafe cameron!" one of the girls yelled.

"he's so hot!" another one exclaimed.

"and tall!" another one added.

you giggled at their statements, but continued to eat your food. once the lunch hour was up, you began to walk everyone to their respective courts. now, you weren't alone, jen had come to help. you walked at the end of the line by the older girls.

“y/nnnnn," you heard one of them, violet, call.

"yesssss," you said, dragging out the word just as she had.

"do you have a boyfriend?" she asked innocently, the other girls giggling.

"no," you said, laughing at the question.

"really?" another girl, lilly, asked.

"yep," you responded.

"aren't people your age supposed to be in relationships?" she asked, but you knew she meant no harm.

"ouch," you laughed, the rest of them joining in.

"who's this rafe cameron guy you were all fangirling over at lunch?" you asked, changing the subject, though you already knew about him.

"we weren't fangirling," violet objected.

"oh yeah you were, you guys got all red and stopped talking," you began, "and you were hard-core staring."

kara, the third and final older girl opened her mouth to say something, but shut it before saying anything.

"he's like super rich, and super hot. his dad's ward cameron, they've been members here forever. he golfs, i think he plays tennis sometimes, too. he's in university nearby. did i mention he's like, extremely hot?" lilly dished.

"and his family has a massive yacht and a mansion here on figure eight. he's also like, the kook king," violet added.

"why do you two know all this?" you asked.

"our brothers," they shrugged.

they had to get back to their courts, so your conversation ended. you wondered why they were so fascinated by him, sure he was attractive but they acted like he was a celebrity. it seems like he might as well have been one around the club. you went back to teaching your group of kids for the next two hours. once the time was up, you took them all to the pick-up location and waited until all of them were collected by their parents.

your next lesson was only in an hour, so you headed to the tennis reception area.

"y/n," nia, the receptionist, called when she saw you.

"could you tell jen that her next lesson cancelled and that her afternoon lesson tomorrow wants to reschedule?" she asked.

"yeah, sure," you said.

after making a pit stop at the caf for a cookie and some water, you walked to jen's court. you opened the gate and walked in, waiting for her to notice you. she was teaching two guys, one coincidentally being rafe cameron.

"y/n, what's up?" jen asked as they took a water break.

you repeated what nia had told you to jen as you approached her.

"do you mind feeding to them while i go figure this out quickly?" she said.

"y/n, this is rafe and topper. rafe, topper, this is y/n," she said, running off. you shot them both a greeting smile which they returned.

"i've never seen you here before, y/n," topper said.

"i just started working here," you answered.

"are you always at the courts?" he asked.

"yeah, but i'm usually teaching the camp kids," you responded, topper nodding along.

you waited for them to finish their break, the heat clearly getting to them as they chugged their waters, sweat dripping down their foreheads. once they were ready, you picked up where jen left off, hitting the balls to them and waiting for them to return it.

when jen returned, you expected to go back to wandering around the club for a while, but jen had invited you to stay for a quick doubles match. the boys agreed, but to keep it fair, you paired up with topper.

you played out the points, but couldn’t help but notice that rafe seemed a little distracted, his eyes barely ever leaving your figure. he still played well, but jen telling him to pay attention you could tell it wasn’t his best. after a quick five sets, you’d run out of time, needing to get to your lesson. you all agreed that because the score was 3-2, you and topper had won.

after a quick handshake and wave, you were off. the rest of your day went by smoothly and once you were done working, you went back to your apartment. you fell asleep easily that night, exhausted from your long day playing tennis under the sun.

you woke up the next morning, sunlight seeping through the curtains, illuminating your bedroom. you followed your usual morning routine, picking out a tennis skirt and a workout tank before brushing your teeth and doing your skincare.

you arrived at the club at 8:30, an hour before the camp. you immediately headed to the caf, your stomach growling in hunger seeing as you hadn’t eaten breakfast at home. after ordering some food, you took a seat at a small table and enjoyed your food. just as you finished, you saw rafe enter. once he noticed you there, he walked up to you, which you definitely weren’t expecting.

“hey y/n,” he greeted.

“hey rafe,” you said back.

“do you know if anyone’s available this afternoon to play tennis? i was gonna play golf but top cancelled on me,” he explained.

“um, well i’ve got an opening from 2:30-4:30. i’m pretty sure everyone else is busy in the afternoon,” you answered.

“great, could you tell nia for me?” he asked.

“yeah sure,” you said as you got up from your chair.

“thanks, i’ll see you later then,” he said as he walked away.

you nodded as you walked in the opposite direction, going to start your day at camp. by 9:30, all the kids had shown up so you began your teaching, starting with hand-eye coordination and then moving one to co-operative games and exercises.

before you knew it, lunch had rolled around. as you lined your kids up, you heard some of them talking about how hungry they were. you lead them to their lunch area and sat them down, distributing their food before giving yourself a plate. for the second day in a row, rafe came by, strutting into the cafeteria and giving the older girls the same effect as yesterday. they all looked at him with heart eyes, but quickly diverted their gazes when they saw him walking in their direction.

“hi y/n,” he smirked, standing right next to you.

“hi rafe,” you smiled, having to crane your neck to look up at him.

“i forgot to tell you, you’re a pretty good player,” he complimented, his sideways smile and slightly raised eyebrows giving you a feeling you hadn’t felt in a while.

“i wouldn’t work here if i wasn’t,” you responded wittily, sending him a sly wink.

“i didn’t know you had this side to you,” he joked.

“what side?” you questioned curiously.

“arrogant,” he shrugged, a smile playing on his lips.

“that’s rich coming from you,” you shot back jokingly, the two of you smiling at each other.

“how do you know about me?” he asked, his once joking smile now turned cocky.

“everyone knows about you, rafe cameron,” you answered, “i’ve heard a lot about you.”

“only good things i hope,” he said, causing you to snort, both of you knowing that wasn’t true.

as you both looked at each other, someone called for rafe.

“cameron! stop flirting, we don’t have all day!” topper yelled from the door.

“alright, alright,” he answered, “i’ll see you at 2:30 then, y/n.”

almost immediately after, a collection of ‘ooo’s came from the three girls at the far end of the table.

“girls,” you warned, still smiling.

“y/n and rafe, sittin’ in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes-” they began to sing in a mocking tone.

“girls!” jen scolded, though she was smiling too.

they erupted into a fit of giggles as you shook your head at them. as the day went on, they continued to mock you mercilessly for your conversation with rafe and as you taught, you found yourself getting lost in you thoughts. when the camp was over, you made your way to the main desk. the sun had now disappeared behind the grey clouds that had overtaken the sky, giving you a break from the blazing summer heat.

when you got there, you opened your mouth to say something, but the receptionist simply held up a finger and handed you a note, effectively silencing you. you opened up the note and read the somewhat sloppy handwriting inside;

sorry i had to cancel, family emergency came up

text me and we can arrange a new date ;)

xxx-xxx-xxxx

the money then fell out of the note. you looked at it all and realized it was the money he would’ve been paying if you two had played. you quickly put his number into your phone and shot him a short message before stuffing your phone in your pocket and getting on with your afternoon.

#rafe cameron #rafe cameron x reader #rafe cameron x y/n #rafe obx #obx imagine #rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron fluff #rafe cameron x tennis instructor!reader

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acidiluc · 3 years

Text

haikyuu boys giving you signals as their sign of love during a game !!

characs: kuroo tetsurou & kageyama tobio <33

note: my brain randomly came up with this idea while reading the manga,, and now i kinda wanna do other characters as well 😩 tell me what you think!

and saeko supremacy! <33

kuroo tetsurou —

"go, go, nekoma! push it, push it, nekoma!" you cheered loudly with the crowd from where you stood as nekoma scored once again. you smiled proudly as you watched the opposing team call for a time out right after the ball was spiked by your ardent boyfriend— kuroo tetsurou.

despite being there to always watch and support tetsurou in his games, you only recently have taken interest in the players' way of knowing their next attacks, which are: hand signals.

and you smiled softly as you remembered randomly bringing the topic up to your boyfriend.

"hey tetsu, can you teach me those... hand signals you convey to your teammates?" you asked, scrunching up your nose as you looked down at your hand, mimicking the hand signals your boyfriend subtly gave his teammates during the match earlier.

you were always curious as to what the hand signals meant, and you figured out that maybe it has something to do with what attack they were going to initiate next during a match.

kuroo looked over at your direction as he was pulling on a new shirt, chuckling at your curiosity before making his way over to you. "well someone's curious." he smirked as he sat on the space in front of you in bed, demonstrating each hand signal he would convey to his teammates and explained each and every one while you listened carefully.

and after that, he made you explain what attacks each hand signals represent while he demonstrated each signal to you.

"—and that is a back attack!" you smiled widely, happy that you got all hand signals right.

"okay, how about this?" he asks, beating his chest lightly twice before pressing two fingers onto your forehead.

"huh?" you looked up at him in confusion, "you didn't show me this." you said, copying his actions. you beat your chest twice lightly and pressed two fingers on his chest. "what is it?" you asked.

"it's an 'i love you', dummy." kuroo teased, leaning forward to steal a kiss from your lips before laughing as he stood up. "now let's get some dinner!"

"wh— hey!"

you were taken back to reality as you heard the referee's whistle and as well as how the crowd started cheering again as yamamoto served. nekoma was at their set point and the battle was a little intense. you could tell everyone in the crowd was on edge, watching closely on what's happening on the court since it was a close game.

thankfully, kenma still had his calm composure despite the pressure and tension in the atmosphere in the court, still managing to make the right choices. he moved and jumped to perfectly set the ball over to kuroo,

and with that one last spike, nekoma won.

everyone cheered loudly, including you— you were basically jumping up and down while squealing with alisa, who came to support her brother's team. this, by far, is one of the best games you've seen your boyfriend has played. the sets, the tension, the pressure— it was intense, and you felt so proud for all of them, especially of your lover, since all of the hard work they put in training is slowly paying off!

you watched as the players shook each other's hands, then the shook the umpires' and referees', and the coaches'. then the crowd started cheering again as the team made their way to where nekoma's supporters were. you smiled and waved your mini banner while cheering with alisa. you locked eyes with kuroo for a moment, watching him bow with the other members before shouting a "thank you for your support!".

and as he stood back up, kuroo looked up and smiled at the sight of you. despite being all sweaty and tired... seeing you there to always support him in his games made him feel as if he can do several more sets of intense games and win every single one of them. just for you and his passion for volleyball.

kuroo looked back to his teammates as they called his name, ready to get off the court. "yeah, hold on a sec!" he called back.

he then quickly looked back up at you, beating his chest twice before pointing two fingers at you with a smirk. after that, he quickly ran over to his teammates, chatting among themselves about their victory.

alisa cooed at the gesture and turned to look at you. you can't help the butterflies flutter in your stomach, and the blush creeping its way up to your face as the people around you glanced at you, seeing how kuroo pointed at you.

"i love you too, you dumbass. i'm proud of you." you muttered and smiled to yourself as you watched the team make their way off the court, while you made a mental note to say it to kuroo's face later on.

kageyama tobio —

you sighed as you stepped in the massive gymnasium before you, looking around as you listened to the roars and drums of the crowd while walking over to the courtside balcony of karasuno's side. "damn, they're wild today." you muttered to yourself.

you looked over to the scoreboard and gasped softly. karasuno was falling behind by 3 points while the opponent was on their match point.

"oi, why are you so late?!" you flinched as someone shouted from behind you. you whipped your head to see saeko, tanaka's older sister, looking at you with an annoyed expression on her face, making chills run down your back.

you chuckled nervously and scratched the back of your neck, "to be honest, i wasn't really planning to come watch at all." you said.

you may or may not have had a fall out with kageyama the day before the match— the argument was no one's fault though, you were both in the wrong. kageyama was clearly exhausted from all the training he had that day and yet you clinged onto him when he wanted to have some time alone. the argument was stupid, really. he was stupid to let hurtful words slip out of his mouth and you were stupid for not understanding him.

and you weren't planning to watch him play at all because you are one prideful person. but you knew that tobio would still want you to watch him play and support him, so... you got over your pride and went to watch anyway.

saeko quickly made her way over to you, hitting your head with her bachi drumstick (drumsticks used for taiko drums!). "ow!" you exclaimed, moving your hand to rub on the spot to ease the pain. "what was that for?" you asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"did you have a fight with tobio or something?!" she asked, hands resting on her hips. "well... kind of. why do you ask?" you said.

saeko forcefully moved your head to make you look where the team was gathered during a timeout, where you saw your boyfriend with an expression he does when he's too deep in his thoughts. "well, your boyfriend is not in his best play today, which is affecting the whole team, by the way. and the girlfriend who was always there to watch his games is not here to watch him either! hmmm, i wonder why?!" she exclaimed into your ear.

"alright! alright! i'm sorry!" you sighed and distanced yourself from saeko before she does anything else to you.

did the argument affect tobio that much?

now you felt guilty. but you'll make up for it. you looked back to where your boyfriend was again and bit on your lip, thinking of ways to catch his attention. you looked around you and picked up an acoustic megaphone (not caring whose it is) and shouted, "kageyama!"

you grunted as he didn't look in your direction. he probably didn't hear you. you looked over to saeko to tell her to make the drums stop for a minute, but you saw her already instructing the drummers to do so.

you smiled widely and averted your attention, "kageyama!" you shouted, much louder than before. the boy perked up and looked over to the crowds, brightening up as he saw you. "you guys can do it!" you yelled, and as if on cue, the drums started beating again.

the boys almost sighed in relief seeing kageyama regain his composure once he saw you, "ah, love." tsukishima commented, making kageyama turn to him with a scowl. "shut up."

"well someone's bitter~" tanaka teased, knowing tsukishima also used to have a crush on you.

"oi! be ready!" daichi said, smacking each boy on his way back to the court as the referee whistled.

you bit on your lip as you watched kageyama walk over to the server's spot with the ball. he looked back up to the crowd again and locked his eyes on you,

he raised the ball with one hand and pointed at you, a growing smirk on his face.

and with this, you already knew the opponent team is about to meet their end. you smirked back and nodded.

kageyama spun the ball in between his hands before crouching to a ready position, pressing his lips against the ball, taking a deep breath.

and once the referee blew the whistle, kageyama threw the ball in the air and jumped, spiking the ball perfectly onto the other side of the court.

a service ace.

the crowd roared loudly with the drums while you smiled widely, "that's my boy!" you cheered before turning to saeko, "did you see that?!" you squealed, and saeko only smirked proudly.

despite having the opponent at their match point— with kageyama's service aces and their infamous 'weirdo attack', karasuno has claimed their victory.

* ˚ ✦ masterlist ˚ · ┊ * ˚ ✦ navigation ˚ ·

#kuroo x reader #kageyama x reader #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu oneshots #haikyuu drabbles #haikyuu scenarios #kuroo tetsurou fluff #kuroo tetsurou #kageyama tobio fluff #kageyama tobio #kuroo fluff #kageyama fluff #kuroo tetsuro fluff #haikyuu fluff #tcts : smiles #tcts : screams

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secretlynestaarcheron · 2 years

Text

Velaris University: Pitch it to Me

Cassian x Nesta love story

faint: Feysand and Gwynriel

A/N would you guys perfer multiple mini stories in this universe with each couple or all the couples intertwined into one major story?

Cassian

Cassian blinks up at the sun as he faintly listens to Rhysand yelling from his spot between second and third base. “Cassian, are you listening?” Rhysand yells, turning his attention towards where Cassian stood on the mound.

“Unfortunately,” Cassian mutters before turning to his captain and friend. “We’ve been out here for three hours, practicing until we've died from exhaustion is not going to help us win against Spring court next week.”

A dark shadow passes over Rhysand gaze at the mention of Spring Court. “I am not letting Tamlin win,” Rhysand retorts before turning towards everyone. “Which means everyone needs to get their head in the games starting now.”

Rhysand jogs back to his spot and nods at Cassian to begin pitching again. As Cassian turns he catches Azriel's eye. Who shrugged and shook his head, Rhysand was normally extremely level headed except for when it came to Spring Court, especially since his summer “fling” started seriously dating Tamlin a few weeks ago. It was better to not fight him when he got like this.

Azriel held up three fingers as a sophomore walked up to the plate, bat in hand. Cassian gave a curt nod before throwing the ball. It landed perfectly in Azriel's glove leaving the sophore, who didn’t even swing, dumbfounded.

Cassian made a show of turning to Rhysand. “Is that more to your liking, Rhys?” he questions.

Rhysand cracked a smile. “Keep the attitude in check, Monte. Or else I am making everyone do laps,” he calls out. Cassian rolls his eye and turns back to the plate where he continues pitching for another hour. Finally as the sun begins to set Rhysand calls them in for a group huddle.

Azriel positions himself next to Cassian. “How's the shoulder?” he asks as Rhysand begins discussing the plan for the next week until they went up against Spring Court in a preseason scrimmage. If they kept up this grueling practice schedule, Cassian wasn’t even sure if he would have a shoulder to play with.

“Aches,” Cassian retorts, “I’ll grab some ice before I head home.”

Azriel nods, “I am having some people over and grabbing pizza for everyone,” he says. “I’ll save you some.” Cassian raises an eyebrow to ask who Azriel was having over since Azriel didn’t really have any other friends besides Rhysand, Cassian, and their childhood friend Mor. Rhyand finishes his speech before Cassian can ask.

“Monte,” Coach Hyberon yells and Cassian falls back from the group to head over towards him. “Hit the shower and then meet me in my office. We have something we need to go over.”

Cassian nods, as he heads into the locker room. He would have rather just had the coach say what he wanted to say then stew in anxiety. “What was that about?” Rhysand questions as Cassian walks.

“Coach just wanted to make sure I am up to par to beat the love of your lifes boyfriend,” Cassian retorts as he walks over to his cubby and peels off his shirt. He just wanted to head home and devour the pizza Azriel had promised.

Rhysand leans over to shove Cassian’s shoulder, earning a grimace. His eyes narrowed in concern. “Don’t worry about it,” Cassian says before Rhysand can ask. He wasn’t being pulled out of the Spring Court game because of a shoulder injury, he was in his last year an injury was not going to take him out.

After showing, Cassian walks down the long hall from the locker room to the coaches office. “You’re failing English,” his coach announces before Cassian even shuts the door. Amren, the team manager, chokes on a laugh as she looks over. He ignores her, he couldn’t wait for her insults once he left.

Cassian frowns. He had a C in the class, which wasn’t great when compared to his engineering courses which he was acing but he wasn’t failing yet.

Coach Hyberon frowns as he slides a paper over towards Cassian. Cassian glances down at the paper. “Your English professor reached out to me to let me know you would be receiving a C- on your midterm,” Coach says. “Which drops your grade to a D. Which means-,”

“Which means I am out for the Spring Court game next week,” Cassian fills in the blank. He hated Spring Court, but his captain and brother Rhysand hated them even more so it was a very important game.

“Which means that I am going to have to put a freshman pitcher in if you don’t get your act together,” Coach Hyberon scowls. Cassian raises an eyebrow, so he wasn’t officially out yet? “The professor also hates Spring Court, so we have come to an agreement. You have another opportunity in the midterm.”

Cassian stares up at the coach. “I can rewrite it with the corrections?” he asks, looking at all the red pen marks. He cringes at all the spelling errors.

“No,” his coach says. Cassian blinks up at him. “You will have to pick a new topic and rewrite it by Thursday.”

Cassian mouth drops. “Thursday? That's in four days,” he exclaims with his class and game schedule he wasn’t sure if he would be able to finish it in time but he couldn’t let the team down.

“At least I know you know the days of the week, I suggest you get started,” Coach says as he turns to face his computer dismissing Cassian. Cassian lets out a loud sigh as he grabs the paper from the desk and turns to leave. How the hell was he supposed to get this done in time?

An hour later, Cassian finds himself climbing the stairs of the library ignoring the dull ache in his shoulder and the growling in his stomach as he moves towards the tutoring center. He hadn’t been here since freshman year when he had a senior question how he made it into college based on his reading level. At the time Cassian was embarrassed about his learning disability and wasn’t about to tell a senior who called him stupid that he was actually dyslexic and didn’t have the best support system growing up. He stopped coming all together to the library when a TA told him he only got in because of his ability to throw a ball.

His footsteps slowed as he neared the entrance to the tutoring center. They stopped all together when he saw who was sitting behind the help desk. Nesta Archeron sat flipping through a thick novel which must be more than six pages long. Her hair was tied back but a few strains fell into her face as her eyes scanned the page intently. She glances up, her eyes narrowing as she spots Cassian.

She closes her book and he glances down at the title. Prythian Law and Policies. He briefly remembers Rhysand summer “fling” turned love of his life Feyre Archeron mentions that her sister was a double major in English and Political Science who was currently applying to law programs.

“Have you been here before?” Nesta asks.

He swallows the lump in his throat. The last thing he needed was for Nesta Archeron to know that he was stupid. Especially since he spent the summer trying to woo her once Feyre introduced them in passing at a party. She cleared her throat intently and he realized he had been staring at her. “Uh, not since Freshman year,” he replies.

She nods, flipping an ipad towards him. “We changed the system last year so you’ll have to make a new account. Just sign into your student profile,” she explains. He steps forward and his eyes scan the page. “Just to let you know we will be closing in ten minutes.”

Cassian freezes. “Ten minutes?” He repeats slowly. How was he supposed to write his complete paper in ten minutes so he could have the next three days to review it? He still needed to figure out a new topic and he didn’t know when he would have time-

“Cassian,” Nesta says and he blinks at her. He didn’t realize she remembered his name. “Are you okay?”

He shakes his head. “No-, well, I-,” the panic was setting in. The pressure he had been feeling since elementary school when he would say bog instead of dog in class or stumble over his words during read allowed time. By middle school he knew that he wouldn’t be able to get into college with his grades which is how he met Rhysand and Azriel who talked him into playing baseball. Now, his college and baseball career would be over because of a core English requirement.

He hadn’t realized Nesta had moved to the other side of the desk until her hands were on her shoulders. “Take a deep breath, follow my lead,” she murmurs, her eyes soft as she looks up at him. She grabs his hand and places it on her chest. She takes a deep breath and slowly releases it. As she does it again he matches her.

“Feeling better?” she questions after a few moments. He nods as he drops his hand, not trusting his voice, he wondered how she knew what to do. As if she was able to hear his question she supplies, “I used to get panic attacks in highschool.”

“Thank you,” he says, fidgeting with the straps of his backpack. “I just got some bad news and I think it was all hitting me at once. I appreciate you helping me.” He glances down at his watch. He had spent the majority of their short time freaking out. “I don’t want to keep you.”

He turns to go but she holds out a hand to stop him. “What did you need help with?” she questions.

“A paper,” he replies.

She laughs, “Okay,” she says slowly. “Editing? Helping with the topic? Presenting? Structure?”

Cassian grimaces. “Is all of the above an option?” he asks and she laughs again. “I massively failed a paper and it’ll drop my grade down so I won’t be able to play in the scrimmage next week but my professor is allowing me to give it another go.”

Nesta nods slowly. “When is it due?” she asks.

“Thursday,” he replies, running a hand through his hair. “But it has to be a new topic.”

Nesta’s eyes flicker to the clock on the wall. “I said I would babysit for a family friend,” Nesta says, and Cassian's heart drops. “But, I work at the diner downtown. Rita’s. No one is ever there since it's a work day so come by tomorrow between 6-12 and I’ll help you bounce around some topics.”

His eyes brighten. “Really?” he asks.

“I am not writing the paper for you, but I don’t work again until Thursday and the other English tutor is more likely to complain to you about her boyfriend problems than actually help you with your assignments,” Nesta replies with a shrug. She looks away sheepishly. “I mean only if you want.”

Cassian smiles brightly. “That would be incredible. I could pay you since you wouldn’t be on school hours. Whatever you want,” he replies. “Anything you want.”

“Anything I want?” she hums in thought as she moves around the table and grabs her book bag and book off the table. “How about a favor?”

Cassian quickly nods. “Yeah, of course. What do you need?” he asks.

She bites her lip as she looks up at him. “My dad is trying to set me up with one of his old business partners' sons,” she says. Cassian raises an eyebrow suspiciously. “He’s known to be cruel and my dad has invited him over for dinner on Friday. I’d like you to come.”

“You need me to beat him up?” Cassian asks. He could do it and he would do it if this guy touched Nesta but he wasn’t sure if starting a fight with someone based on a rumor would go over well with his coach.

Nesta laughs and shakes her head, more of her hair falling from her braid and covering her piercing eyes. “I need you to be my fake boyfriend.”

#Cassian #Nesta archeron #new story #elain archeron #nessian fanfiction #gwynriel #gwyn acotar #feysand

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