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goshikitsutomusmommy · 3 years

Note

I’m not sure if you’re ok with trend requests but can you please write for “I have a boyfriend, he goes to a different school” trend with haikyuu boys? Like obviously faking having a s/o with any characters of your choice, if not, then please ignore this💕💕 your page is so cute btw🥰🥰

“I Have a Boyfriend, He Goes to a Different School” Trend with Haikyu!! Teams

Synopsis : You Lie About Having a Partner and This is How the Haikyu!! Boys React

Genre : Comedy , fluff

Pairing(s) : Inarizaki x Manager! reader , Seijoh x Manager! reader , Shiratorizawa x Manager! reader

Word Count : 0.76k words

Warning(s) : She/her pronouns used

Masterlist Link : Here

“Yeah, actually, just letting you know... I have a boyfriend who attends a different school, in a different prefecture as well.", you announce as the entire Inarizaki members have bewilderment written all over their expressions.

The Miya twins happened to be the first to break out in laughter. You cannot help but feel somewhat offended, querying what could be so hilarious about you having a significant other.

Soon Suna follows over in their laughter with muffled snickers of his own, which encourages Ginjima to join in as well.

Ojiro being the gentlemen he is, attempts to showcase an earnest expression out of respect. However, the quiver of his bottom lip threatening to betray him tells you a whole different story.

"Oh, that's pretty interestin'! How long have ya been dating? Can we meet 'im?!" Akagi guilibly believes your trickery.

"Am pretty sure that [Name]-Chan here is just jokin' 'round, ya know 'er, so silly!" Atsumu quickly steps up and puts an end to the false narrative Akagi accepted.

"Why wouldn't she have a boyfriend? [Name]-Chan is the prettiest person ever! Anyone would be lucky to be a potential partner of 'ers.", you could feel hot tears on the brim of your eyes approaching to disappoint your frantic efforts.

"Akagi-Senpai, yer the best! We don't deserve ya," you exclaim as the tears glide down your face. "Excuse me while a go cry in the storage room now. Miyas, am beating ya identical dunces in a moment.”

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make; I have a boyfriend that goes to a different school, he lives in another prefecture too. You probably never heard of him.", you declare to the Seijoh boys as you meet their doubtful gazes.

"Liar." Kyotani 'Mad-Dog' Kentaro quickly accuses you before you could dupe any person in the room. "Why wouldn't I have a significant other, huh?" you challenge immediately after.

"[Name]-Chan lying about having a boyfriend is none of our—" Oikawa was instantly interrupted by a harsh thud of a volleyball smacking him in the back of his head. "Whether or not she has a partner is none of your business, Shittykawa." Iwaizumi criticizes the Aoba Johsai captain for conversing so condescendingly with their manager.

Matsukawa and Hanamaki were lovingly cheering in your favor for finally accomplishing your long-awaited mission of getting a significant other. They were a charming pair that you were more than honored to be a friend of, unlike the so-called charismatic captain of Seijoh.

Yahaba appears to be disheartened by the news he had just overheard. Meanwhile, Watari tried his best to reassure his friend that he's still got a chance in the long run.

Stirring in your lap, Kunimi wakes up due to the commotion his team members have caused. "What happened?" he groggily asks, evidently fatigued. "Nothing, just letting the team know about my boyfriend." he hums in response, nuzzling his head back in your lap, planning to rest once again.

It was moments like these that you couldn't help but compare him to an adorable petite kitten.

"Hey, what did I miss?" Kindaichi asks, perplexed. "I have been betrayed by my lover!" exclaims Yahaba as Watari holds him back from tackling you in an embrace.

"Prepare yourselves for have I, [Surname] [Name], have pitying news to present; I have a boyfriend, he attends a different academy in a whole separate prefecture. Now, don't be too upset. It is only reasonable for someone like me to have a partner." you declare, obtaining your presence heavy and sharp throughout the Shiratorizawa enormous gym.

Reon nods hesitant, baffled as to why you're asserting your relationship status so dramatically. "Yeah, right." Shirabu lets out an inaudible scoff.

Goshiki stares at you with stars in his eyes, "You're so cool, Senpai! I always knew you would be the first to get a partner. You're pretty, and your confidence radiates so flawlessly." he praises with the slightest blush adorning his chubby cheeks.

You silently coo at how charming he unintentionally is, pinching his cheeks— more like dragging him around by his cheeks, leading them to redden even more than they previously were. Semi promptly comes to his Kouhai's rescue and attempts to peel your hands off of his cheeks.

Tendou laughs at the scene in front of him as Goshiki rubs his now numb face, and you being at the receiving end of another lecture via Semi about not harming your Kouhais— no matter how cute they are at that moment.

Ushijima joins in his best friend's laughter with soft chuckles of his own. He wouldn't replace this for the world, and he loves the team dearly.

Author’s Note : KAHZWJS THANK YOUU AND YES YES I’M MORE THAN OKAY WITH TREND REQUESTS😚😚 I hope you don’t mind me doing this to my top three favorite Haikyuu teams! This was a very fun idea, thank you for wanting me to write this🫂

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imanes · 3 years

Link

@canadians!! this online event organised tonight will highlight the many ways in which canada is complicit with israeli apartheid and actively enables it. for starters, you can read this pretty damning endictement of the canadian media and government’s obfuscation of war crimes commited by israel. but i’m guessing it goes much deepeter than that, which does not come as a surprise for a state built on the still ongoing ethnic cleansing of its indigenous people, the First Nations.

there are also resources at the bottom of the page when you click on this link: a petition as well as the possibility to sign a letter to be sent to the ministry of foreign affairs.

i know after over one year into a pandora’s box a lot of us are tired of online events and such but as someone who actively abhors them, i’ve found that the ones that actually deal with topics that i care about are tremendous sources of information disseminated in accessible terms and they can pretty much be consumed like podcasts. so if you don’t like walls of texts and you want to know what your government is actively doing to silence any movement or scholar that speaks out against the ongoing colonisation, apartheid and ethnic cleansing in palestine, here’s your occasion. i’ll post the recording once it is made available.

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raysiterator · 3 years

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HELP STOP PIPELINE 3

I haven't seen a single post on my dash about pipeline 3 but I'm gonna change that. I'm tagging major fandoms and tags to put this on everyone's dash. Please reblog the shit out of this and add more info and resources.

As of making this post, pipeline 3 is 70% complete.

Why is stopping line 3 so important you may ask?? Because it's violating several Indigenous treaties and has a history of oil spills and pollution. The completion of this line will risk contaminating the potable water we have left.

There are ways for you to help though (that don't include donating but donating helps alot).

This link will explain further the risks of line 3 and there is a petition you can sign.

If you live in the US, contact your rep about stopping line 3.

Call the Army Corps of Engineers (202-761-5903 & 202-761-1878) and demand they revoke Enbridge's permits

The Higgins Eye Pearly mussel is on the endangered species list. It is a mussel that the EPA and the MPCA wants to keep alive. If the EPA finds out that line 3 is gonna kill this mussel, they will stop this project

https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/forms/contact-epa https://www.pca.state.mn.us (Contact info is on the bottom of the page)

Here is the contact pages linked.

Our water is sacred. We cannot survive without it. This is everyone's problem. Please help stop pipeline 3!!!

Edit: the EPA don't care about the pipeline being built and will not step in. They've been payed to not care. Keep advocating to save this endangered mussel.

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nurvuss · 3 years

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I Watched the First Episode of Every New Spring 2021 Anime Airing on Crunchyroll

Hey, are you like me, and feeling like you're not getting the most out of your Crunchyroll subscription? Sure, there's stuff on there that you know you like. But whenever I look at the big long list of simulcasting shows, my eyes glaze over and I don't even know where to begin.

I wanted to change my habits and see if there were any shining gems that I should be watching. So, as per the title, I watched the first episode of every new Spring 2021 anime on Crunchyroll. And guess what? There’s a lot of crap! But indeed, there’s some stuff that’s worth your time.

Some clarification: I've only watched shows that began their first season in April 2021.

Backflip!!

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The Lowdown

As Futaba Shotaro comes to the end of middle school, his interest in baseball has begun to wane. Soon he notices the Ao High Boys Gymnastic Club and becomes enthralled, especially after seeing them perform. Once he learns they're down two members, he chooses to sign up and pursue the art of gymnastics. The club is also joined by Misato Ryoya, a star solo gymnast looking to expand his technique through teamwork.

Our Thoughts

Pretty formulaic shoujo sports anime: you've got your himbo, your thug, your ladies' man, your stoic guy, with Shotaro rounding out the cast as the shy and awkward audience surrogate. It looks wholesome enough, and the choreographed routines employ CG in a way that's quite convincing without being hideous.

Who It's For

Fans of FREE, or Yuri!!! on Ice, or any similar shows about cute boys who succeed at athletic feats.

Borscht Rating

Burning Kabaddi

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The Lowdown

Legendary high school soccer star Yoigoshi Tatsuya has given up on sports! That is, until he's blackmailed to join the high school kabaddi team, under threat of his online persona being leaked to the entire school. Although Tatsuya initially writes kabaddi off as stupid, the unexpected happens as he begins to have fun.

Our Thoughts

Kabaddi is kinda like competitive tag, or dodgeball but with your body instead of a ball. Burning Kabaddi is basically the shounen alternative to Backflip!! above, replete with nosebleeds, pratfalls, and dudes punching each other. The main cast don't seem to like each other very much; that probably changes as the show goes on but at first blush it's a dynamic I always find annoying.

Who it's For

Fans of Haikyuu!!? Maybe?

Borscht Rating

CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD overDress

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The Lowdown

The newest series based on Bushiroad's collectible card game, featuring character designs by the beloved collective CLAMP. Petit middle schooler Yu-Yu just doesn't know how to say no. As his older students dress him in drag to use as live makeup practice, he suffers a panic attack and flees into the streets. After being accosted by a pickup artist, he's befriended by Megumi, who invites him to witness a Cardfight match at the local abandoned amusement park. However, Yu-yu is too shy to tell Megumi he's actually a boy…

Our Thoughts

What an unexpectedly weird concept for a show about a card game. Our hero spends the whole episode in drag, whimpering and simpering at the sight of any conflict. Then they show off the latest series of cards, which all seem to be giant buff knights with names like "Bad Steve" and "Violent Bruce". Your guess is as good as mine.

Who it's For

Cardfight!! lovers, Japanese gender studies majors, or the most desperate fujoshi.

Borscht Rating

Cestvs: The Roman Fighter

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The Lowdown

The year is 54AD, and Nero has taken the throne as the youngest emperor of Rome. At the bottom of the population, Cestvs is a young slave training to be a colosseum boxer. Reluctant, his only choice is to fight or die.

Our Thoughts

Seeing Nero depicted as a gentle little twink is pretty funny. It's also pretty funny that the central character is named after a Roman boxing glove. The animation style transitions to some very uncanny CG when a major fight takes place, and I didn't like that one bit! This seems like a pretty average tournament anime but with a historical setting. It's currently unknown if any of these dudes are fucking each other. I'm gonna say probably.

Who It's For

The venn-diagram of Greco-Roman history buffs and lovers of tournament series?

Borscht Rating

Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro!

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The Lowdown:

Hachioji Naoto is a nerdy, introverted student who spends his time studying and avoiding socialising. When pages from the fantasy manga he's drawing fall out of his bookbag, they catch the attention of a younger student named Nagatoro Hayase. Nagatoro begins to tease Naoto for his otaku interests and awkward demeanour, peppered with some suggestive flirting.

Our Thoughts:

What would you do if a younger girl flirted with you? Would you cry? Piss your pants maybe? Maybe shit and cum? Don't Toy With Me… attempts to barely conceal its BDSM fantasy with its comedic elements, but it's incredibly apparent as Nagatoro always wipes away Naoto's tears as a sort of aftercare. It's like a lighter, comedic version of Aku no Hana, but lacking any of the ponderings or danger that made that work so special.

Who It's For:

People who search Pornhub for "bratty sister femdom".

Borscht Rating:

86 Eighty-Six

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The Lowdown

The Republic of San Magnolia and the Giad Empire, have been at war for nearly a decade. Using advanced military technology, the frontlines are fought by giant mecha drones called Juggernauts, controlled remotely by Handlers. Major Vladilena Mirizé is one of the military's most talented Handlers in the 1st District, and one who is constantly teased by her peers for the humanity and empathy she shows her squadron. The government line is that drone warfare has kept casualties to zero, but unbeknownst to the public these "drones'' are piloted by 86ers—the lowest class of citizens, forced to live in military internment camps in San Magnolia's 86th District.

Our Thoughts

This is incredibly my kind of thing. We've got a dual narrative being set up here: Vladilena as the kind, reluctant officer of a fascist regime, and the Bad Company-esque antics of her new ragtag squad, Spearhead. The first episode is split pretty evenly between the two, with each story converging at the end as Vladilena "meets" Spearhead for the first time through her comms station. It's an explosive and enticing first episode, and I can't wait to watch more of it.

Who It's For

Fans of Fullmetal Alchemist, Psycho-Pass, Gundam, or any number of anti-imperialist war stories.

Borscht Rating

Fairy Ranmaru

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The Lowdown

In a quiet corner of the city sits Bar F, a modest drinking establishment staffed entirely by five hot young men. Unbeknownst to the general population, these men are a crack team of fairies sent to the human world to gather the latent energy of "attachment". They do this by solving the problems of young women, taking their hearts in the process.

Our Thoughts

Hubba hubba, a little something for the ladies! It's Weiẞ Kreuz with a bar instead of a flower shop, fairies instead of assassins, and some pretty revealing outfits. There's definitely a little Persona 5 inspiration here too, from the punctuating phrase "Take your Heart!" to many of the visual cues. Make of that what you will.

Who It's For

Fans of Weiẞ Kreuz, slash fic authors.

Borscht Rating

Farewell, My Dear Cramer

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The Lowdown

Onda Nozomi was once the star player of her middle school football team. Completely unmatched, she no longer plays as there's no opponent she deems to be on her level. Meanwhile Suou Sumire far outpaces her teammates, causing her frustration. By a twist of fate, these two girls find themselves joining the scrappy Warabi Seinan High School FC as they begin to learn the value of teamwork and friendship.

Our Thoughts

I don't know sports. And I really don't know football. I had to look up what the title meant, and now I barely know who Dettmar Cramer is. I'm really not the best person to judge this, but it seems like a pretty good female-driven sports anime.

Who It's For

Fans of Ace o Nerae! or other sports manga/anime about those ever burning bonds between young teammates.

Borscht Rating

Gloomy, the Naughty Grizzly

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The Lowdown:

Pitty lives with his pet Gloomy, a massive pink bear. Can a boy and a bear truly get along?

Our Thoughts:

This is a series of minute-long gag episodes in which Gloomy mauls Pitty and blood squirts everywhere. It's definitely meant to be a morbid parody of Sanrio or San-X; it might be a Rilakkuma parody in particular? Gloomy is the kind of thing you might laugh at if it came on in between shows, but it's pretty slight to go through the trouble of putting on.

Who It's For:

Gag anime fans with one minute to spare.

Borscht Rating:

Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway

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The Lowdown

After a night of drinking in Tokyo, slovenly salaryman Yoshida encounters a teenage runaway sitting under a lamppost. She offers to sleep with him in return for letting her spend the night in his apartment. Yoshida refuses her offer but allows her to stay. The next morning the girl, Sayu, reveals she's travelled all the way from Hokkaido, sleeping with random men in return for lodging and money. Feeling responsible for her safety, Yoshida agrees for Sayu to stay indefinitely in return for handling household chores.

Our Thoughts

This is kind of the inverse of Koikimo (see below), but without a scumbag character and from a male perspective. It's not nearly as nauseating as that show, but it's still a fantasy about living with a busty teenage girl.

Who It's For

Libertarians.

Borscht Rating

I've Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level

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The Lowdown:

Office lady Aizawa Azusa dies of overwork in her early 20s, and finds herself standing before a lecherous goddess. Allowed a wish as compensation for her untimely demise, Azusa wishes for an endless life of leisure. The goddess reincarnates her as a 17-year-old immortal witch in an RPG-coded fantasy world. Thrilled, Azusa lazes about, brewing potions for her neighbouring villagers, and kills a small amount of slimes each day to supplement her income. After doing this every day for 300 years, she inadvertently finds herself at Level 99. Her peaceful life is soon upended as adventurers and dragons come from miles around to challenge the legendary witch.

Our Thoughts:

I'm not really an isekai fan, and that goes double for series which aren't set in an RPG, yet use RPG mechanics. Levelling up, grinding stats, min-maxing, as if it's a part of the fabric of the setting. I don't get it. I like watching numbers go up as much as the next dork, but I don't need to watch numbers go up in absolutely every piece of media I consume. Just play a fucking video game, Jesus Christ almighty.

I thought this might be setting up a fun series in which a layabout is reluctantly called upon to undertake a dangerous quest, but I don't think that's what's going on at all. When the red dragon Laika wrecks Azusa's house, she transforms into a cute young girl and the two begin living together, teaching each other the pros and cons of hard work and slothfulness respectively. The trajectory of the series might be as laid back as its protagonist in the end, which, ultimately, would be fitting.

Who It's For:

Isekai fans, slice-of-life fans. The twain have met!

Borscht Rating:

Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood

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The Lowdown

In alternative history Japan the Meiji Period continued well into the 1930s, and the ongoing Tokugawa Shogunate has brought technological prosperity to the nation through a magical energy source called the Dragon's Vein. Sawa Yukimura runs a bookshop where she lives with her little sister by day, but by night she's an assassin for Nue, the shogunate's secret police. As the terrorist group Kuchinawa deploys transforming beasts in an attempt to topple the shogunate, Nue springs into action with their own abilities.

Our Thoughts

There are a lot of concepts competing here, and a few too many flashy transformation sequences for my taste, but I'm really into it! Nue are made up of sex workers and street musicians, often overlooked and therefore easily able to blend in. There's a supernatural Standalone Complex vibe to how the team operates, and they're almost assuredly on the wrong side. Worth a shot!

Who It's For

Fans of alternate history science fiction, Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex, Demon Slayer.

Borscht Rating

Koikimo: Koi to Yobu ni wa Kimochi Warui ("It's Disgusting to Call This Love")

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The Lowdown

Amakusa Ryo is a womanizing salaryman concerned with nothing but his own base desires. As he slips on the train station stairs one morning, he's saved by the swift action of Arima Ichika, a kind-hearted high schooler. When it turns out Ichika is friends with Ryo's younger sister Riou, he decides she's his soulmate, and begins to pursue her no matter how many times she refuses him. Comedy ensues!

Our Thoughts

Yeah, OK groomer.

Alright look, Korikimo is written by a woman and told from Ichika's perspective, so this is obviously meant to be a lighthearted "older man" shoujou romance. As an older man, all I saw were the adventures of a paedophile and the teenager he's stalking. Fuck off.

Who it's For

There's probably other stuff like this, right? If you like that, here you go.

Borscht Rating

Let's Make a Mug, Too

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The Lowdown

After the death of her mother, Himeno and her father relocate from bustling Tokyo to quiet Tajimi City in Gifu Prefecture. The former salaryman opens a quiet cafe using the remarkable mugs made by his late wife, while Himeno follows in her mother's footsteps and joins the school pottery club. Although her first project ends in disaster, Himeno makes fast friends with the eccentric pottery enthusiasts who make up the club.

Our Thoughts

It's no Eizouken, but I guess it's probably not meant to be. I'm not a big iyashikei genre fan, but if that's your thing, you might enjoy the wholesome non-adventures of three girls trying to make a mug. It's worth noting these episodes are only about 12 minutes long, with the remaining runtime segmented into live action episodes where the voice actresses tour Tajimi and unconvincingly pretend to be interested in Gifu's famous mino-yaki pottery. I think this must be a tie-in with a local tourist board.

Who It's For

People who enjoy stuff like Aria, actually.

Borscht Rating

OddTaxi

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The Lowdown

In a Tokyo populated by anthropomorphic animals, a solemn walrus named Odokawa spends his nights driving his cab around the bustling metropolis, spending his free time drinking with his pals. Odokawa soon finds his quiet life disrupted by a caper involving a missing girl, some crooked cops, and the animal yakuza.

Our Thoughts

A deft blend of working class slice-of-life with mystery, cute animals, and striking visual design. OddTaxi might be the sleeper hit of Spring 2021.

Who It's For

Fans of existentialist film noir with absurdist comedy, Polar Bear Cafe, walrus lovers.

Borscht Rating

Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose

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The Lowdown

Suehiro Maruo Sueharu Maru has his heart set on Shirokusa Kachi, the hottest girl in school. When she begins dating a young actor, Sueharu confides in his childhood friend Kuroha Shida, who's openly in love with him and he rejected in the past. Kuroha suggests the two get revenge on Shirokusa by pretending to be in love. Will Sueharu fall in love with Kuroha for real, making her dreams come true?

Our Thoughts

Give me a fucking break.

Who It's For

I don't know and I don't care.

Borscht Rating

SD Gundam World Heroes

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The Lowdown

The newest instalment of the SD Gundam media-mix franchise. In a world populated by super deform mecha, a burning meteor lands in the middle of Captain City. From it launches a terrible mechanized beast: Naughty Lion. When the police are powerless to stop it, a crack team led by Zhuge Liang Gundam and Liu Bei Gundam sorties to bring Naughty Lion to justice. When the beast stops rampaging, it transforms into Sun Wukong Gundam, a youthful amnesiac mecha horrified at the destruction he wrought. The Three Kingdoms Gundams welcome Sun Wukong into the fold to make sense of this mysterious event.

Our Thoughts

I'm an 80s kid, I know a 30-minute toy commercial when I see one.

No, seriously though, I'm aware of SD Gundam's merchandising—they're cute designs, and I even used to have a bunch of the gum rubber mini figurines. I've played the SD Great War Super Famicom games, they're fun! This is a vehicle to get kids hyped up about the latest toys, which are...based on a hodgepodge of Journey to the West and Romance of the Three Kingdoms this year? There's even a little SD Guan Yu Gundam with a big long beard!

I kinda wanted to like the idea of a bearded robot, but the mechas are super busy and overdesigned. I guess there's only so much you can do to make your next series of toys bigger and better, so these guys are all decked out in gold accents, capes, horns, and antlers, and half the time I couldn't parse what I was seeing.

I'm so glad I don't have to watch any more of this.

Who It's For

Very, *very* young mecha fans.

Borscht Rating

Seven Knights Revolution: Hero Successor

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The Lowdown

Long ago, the Dark God Nestra ruled the world through fear. Standing against him were the Seven Knights, seven brave warriors chosen by the Light Goddess Serrass. With their powers combined, Nestra was defeated and the lands returned to peace. Hundreds of years later the wicked Physis Cult seeks to revive Nestra, summoning undead beasts to ravage the countryside. With the Seven Knights long dead, the Granseed Academy has risen to train the next wave of heroes to combat this threat. Using special cards, the students of Granseed are able to call upon the power of the Seven Knights to guide them in battle.

Our Thoughts

As soon as the opening started with its transforming heroes and lovingly depicted weapon cards, I realised this must be based on a mobile game. Indeed, this is based on a free-to-play gacha from Korean developer Netmarble. Even before I was able to confirm this, Hero Successor failed to draw me in, eschewing details on the nature of its world in lieu of a glamourised marketing push for its source material. What's here is incredibly slight, and likely to be of little interest to anyone who isn't deep into this game.

Who It's For

Seven Knights whales, I guess.

Borscht Rating

Those Snow White Notes

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The Lowdown

Sawamura Setsu mourns the death of his grandfather Matsugorou, a talented shamisen player who refused to pass his secrets on. Not knowing what else to do, he leaves his remote village for Tokyo, taking nothing but his shamisen along with him. Soon he finds himself wrapped up in the complicated life of aspiring actress Yuna and her scuzzy rockstar boyfriend Taketo. When Setsu opens for Taketo's band, he stuns the audience with the raw emotion of his playing. However, his heart is still tumultuous.

Our Thoughts

An entertaining first episode of a speciality music series, which is the kind of thing I have a place in my heart for. I couldn't shake the feeling of some latent misogyny that suggested the role of a woman is to inspire a tortured artist, but I might be wrong. The final few minutes take a twist by introducing Setsu's weird, horny mother who seems to have her own personal SWAT team, and it looks like the series becomes a more conventional high school anime from episode 2 onwards. Don't know about that!

Who It's For

Fans of Kids on the Slope, Sound of the Sky.

Borscht Rating

Tokyo Revengers

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The Lowdown

Former delinquent Takemichi is unsatisfied with the way his life turned out, living alone in a paper-thin apartment and working a minimum wage job under a boss who doesn't respect him. When watching the news one evening, he learns that his highschool sweetheart Hinata was killed, alongside her little brother. On the way to work the next morning, Takemichi falls in front of an oncoming train and wakes up 12 years in the past. Armed with foreknowledge, he attempts to turn his life around and save his onetime lover.

Our Thoughts

This is drawing from a lot of sources; the whole train sequence is lifted straight from Gantz, while the story itself initially seems like a Life on Mars kind of deal. In fact, Tokyo Revengers sees Takemichi jump back and forth between the present and the past, seemingly making small changes until he achieves his desired outcome. It feels like a very video gamey depiction of time travel, and one that's not super interesting.

Who It's For

Steins;Gate fans, maybe? Delinquent manga (Shonan Junai Gumi, Crows, etc.) fans, maybe? It's pretty self-serious compared to any of those.

Borscht Rating

To Your Eternity

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The Lowdown

An immortal being in the form of an orb falls to earth and becomes a stone. Years pass, an ice age sets in, and a white wolf stumbles onto the tundra and dies. The orb, able to take the form of anything that leaves a strong impression on it, transforms into the wolf and slowly learns how to use its newfound ambulatory body. The creature treks back through the tundra where it meets a boy living alone, after the rest of his village left in search of a better life. The boy recognises the wolf as his beloved pet, Johann, and the two begin living together in the harsh, lonely wastes.

Our Thoughts

I'm being a little coy with the synopsis here, and there's a major shake-up at the end of this debut episode. This one's based on a manga by the critically acclaimed Yoshitoki Ooima (A Silent Voice), and it's a depressing, compelling, and exciting start to a series. Lots of potential here!

Who It's For

Fans of NieR, Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, Last Exile, Kino's Journey.

Borscht Rating

So, there you have it. I'm hoping this will be of use to anyone who experiences a similar sense of dread when faced with so many choices. Maybe we’ll do this again during the Summer 2021 anime season.

Also, please don't get mad at me if I'm snarky about your new favourite show! It’s just TV and I'm a big idiot anyway.

39 notes · View notes

snesdudes · 3 years

Text

28 dates with Unit Bravo

Day 1: CHOCOLATE

Pairing: Nate x f!Detective (Berenice Bailey)

Warnings: None, this is pure fluff. I don't think there's even any swear words (which for me is weird). Also Berry is a nerd and Nate loves it because he's a nerd too.

Words: ~1.7k

A/N: So!!! I've decided to join this. I should post a one shot with each of the prompts everyday this month for Mason x Alice or Nate x Berry. Let's see if I can keep up 😉

☾ 一一一一一一一一一 ☽

Not an inch of the coffee table was visible under the blanket of books spread over it, open in pages that needed revision before she had traveled to the next one. Her notebook was full of scribbles and notes in different colors, highlighted bits in a bright yellow if it was something really important, unfinished information in green, false legends in blue and so on…

And sitting on the floor, her petite body folded almost impossibly, with her head resting against a behavioral guide of some mythological creature, was his girlfriend.

Nate was observing her with a soft smile on his lips, the sight both heartwarming and slightly amusing. She was snoring softly and the pages in front of her lips trembled slightly with every breath she exhaled. Her nose wrinkled every once in a while in a way she also did when she was awake - a habit he found utterly adorable - and the corners of her mouth curled upwards… the dream was pleasant, at least.

But that posture can not be good for her back and knees, Nate mused to himself, a mug of chocolate on each of his hands as he stood a few feet away from the table.

He had been patrolling and the best gift he could receive when he went back to the warehouse was the news that Berenice was in the library researching on her own. He had to refrain himself from going running to her and instead thought of bringing her some of her favorite beverage - hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Only to find her sleeping deeply over his books.

He left the mugs on the floor for a moment before gently removing a raven strand of hair from her freckled face, placing it behind her ear tenderly.

If Berenice could see how he was looking at her - she could barely be able to believe someone could hold such warmth in only a gaze. He whispered her name in the silent library, as if it was a secret which had to stay among the books for no one else to discover.

But she jolted awake with a jump and an exclamation.

"Wolpertinger!" She yelped, bright blue and brown eyes blinking unfocused, a mark on her cheek where she had been resting it against a book. Nate stifled a laugh at her alarmed expression as her eyes fell on him, cheeks quickly warming.

"Oh? Is that my new pet name?"

She groaned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, proceeding then to stretch her arms as far as they could go up and behind her head, and Nate watched attentively every motion, dark eyes drinking in the sight of her slightly disheveled.

"Don't tell me I drooled over the books." She spoke, voice thick with sleep sending a delicious thrill through him, as she scanned the pages of the books she had used as a pillow. "Thank God." She muttered to herself, checking there was no harm done, and turned her face to Nate, more awake now. A wide smile instantly lit up her face at the handsome features she had come to adore. "Hi."

"Hello." Nate answered, and the pair of them let the moment linger for some seconds, eyes locked and smiles firmly planted in their lips. Their relationship was still so new, so exciting, and still so little moments had been shared, this felt like a blessing. Nate was the first to snap from the trance. "I brought you something."

She perked up, curiosity all over her features as he presented her the mug of hot chocolate. The rich smell of it instantly invaded her nostrils and she all but moaned, hands enveloping the warm ceramic.

"Thank you so much. You read my mind."

"Let's move to the couch, shall we?" Nate offered her a hand and she took it, the familiar spark lighting up her nerves at his touch making her smile widen.

They settled on the couch side to side, his arm falling over her back to surround her almost absentmindedly, bringing her closer. She sighed with satisfaction and stared at her drink.

"So many marshmallows. You're my knight in shining armor." She took the first sip as Nate grinned at her, happily watching the joy this simple gesture had brought to her features.

"Anytime, beautiful." He replied, squeezing her the slightest bit.

Berenice got comfortable, throwing her legs over his lap to turn her torso towards him more easily, the look on her eyes silently asking if it was okay, the pressure of his lips against her forehead a better answer she could have ever hope for.

"What were you researching? Are there wolpertingers in the Wayhaven forest now?" He asked with a hint of amusement on his smile. She snorted softly before taking a big gulp of chocolate.

"I was investigating how many myths repeat themselves in different countries and cultures and the differences between them." He could see in her face that innate thirst for knowledge she had, something he found incredibly attractive. "I want to create a database with all of them so we can go through it faster when we need it. A software with a collection of all the names and characteristics that had been assigned to the same creature over the years. Maybe also link them to the historic period they were first discovered? And a list of the myths that are not true? Hmm." She reached out for her notebook and a pen and started writing quickly her new ideas, leaving it on the table and looking back at Nate, who was staring at her with something akin awe in his face. She started talking faster. "I know you don't like technology, so it'll be really easy to navigate and completely encrypted so it can only be accessed from a computer in particular. I have one to spare at home and I thought, maybe, I could install it here? I would only need a corner, I know the library is your favorite place and I don't want to spoil it for you but… I'm rambling, aren't I?" She let out a breath sheepishly, hurrying herself to drink some of her chocolate, hands slightly shaky due to excitement and anxiety.

His big hands engulfed her smaller ones around her mug, the heat of it warming them both.

"You're brilliant, do you know that?" He asked softly, watching how her entire demeanor relaxed at his words. "I want to share everything I have with you. And that includes this place."

She took the last sip of the chocolate and left the mug on the floor, turning to him with a small frown. "I just don't want you to feel forced to it. I thought it would be nice to do the research together, maybe? I would do all the data dump in the software, but I need to recollect the data before I do that."

"Like a side project? Only the two of us?"

His earnest smile gained him a matching one from her. "Yeah! It will be a lot of work, but I could learn so much. And you, too, if you wanted I could teach you about the software as I create it!"

Technology was still incredibly frustrating for the vampire, but for her, he would sure as hell try. The excitement in her features so intoxicating he would have agreed to practically anything she had asked.

"I would love to."

"Really?" The question was slightly breathless.

"Really."

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, knocking him backwards in surprise, his back against the couch and his girlfriend practically on his lap.

"I can come here after work every day, and on the weekends we can use the mornings and then have the afternoons free." She spoke, her breath hitting his neck and making his heartbeat quicken. She pulled back slightly until they were nose to nose.

"And what would we use the afternoons for, I wonder?" His voice had dropped an octave and she swallowed, eyes falling to his lips before going back to those gentle ones of him.

"I'm open to ideas." She retorted, licking her lips and making his focus snap to her mouth. He moved softly forwards, giving her time to stop him. When she leaned in as well, he lost no time in capturing her lips with his.

Berenice groaned almost instantly, one hand taking the nape of his neck, the other tracing his jawline with a featherlight touch. His fingers grasped her hips firmly, digging into her flesh hard enough to let her know how much he wanted her, not enough to hurt her.

"Nate…" she sighed against his mouth, and he traced her bottom lip with his tongue, a growl forming deep inside his chest at the sweetness of her lips.

"Gods, Berry…" he pulled her even closer, chests pressing against each other, breaths quickening. "You taste like chocolate."

She giggled against his lips, the sound more enticing than a siren's song. He couldn't help but smile, their lips still touching.

"I'm gonna request for more chocolate kisses if we're going to spend so much time together." She pecked his lips one more time before pulling back, licking her lips with her neck and ears flushed red.

"I'll give you everything you want, Berry." Their eyes met and she could see the honesty there.

"What a dangerous thing to say."

"And still so true."

She got up from the couch and stood between his spread legs, his hands coming to rest at the sides of her knees. He looked up at her, for a change, her 5 foot 2 towering over him for a moment. Her soft hands took his face, thumbs brushing his cheekbones before she leaned down, his hands unconsciously traveling upward to the back of her thighs.

"Then, Nate…" her breath hit his mouth, her lips brushed his so softly it could have been his imagination. He could only see the uneven colors of her eyes, drowning in them, his breathing hitching. "Help me put the books back."

And she was gone, only the smell of chocolate and her apricot shampoo surrounding him. He let out a huff and she giggled, it was nice to be the one doing the teasing for a change.

"What a mean girlfriend I have." He shot her a grin, getting up and helping her collect the books.

"Let's put these in their place and I'll show you how good I can be."

He watched her march towards the shelves with a raised eyebrow.

He had never moved so fast.

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fdelopera · 2 years

Photo

Welcome to the 2nd day of 15 Weeks of Phantom, where I post all 68 installments of Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, as they were first printed in Le Gaulois newspaper 114 yeas ago.

Thanks again to @paperandsong for their interest in the Gaulois edition of Le Fantôme, and for encouraging me to update and repost this series!

In today's installment, we have Part I of Chapter 1: "Est-ce le fantôme?" ("Is It the Phantom?") I’ve included it as a single panel, and as two panels for easier reading.

This section was first printed on Friday, 24 September, 1909.

For anyone following along in David Coward's translation (which I recommend for its completeness and accuracy), the text starts at the beginning of Chapter 1, and goes to Sorelli's line, "Is there anyone behind this door?"

There are some differences between the standard 1st edition text and the Gaulois text. In this section, these include:

1) La petite Jammes (Little Jammes) is "la petite Saint-James" (Little Saint-James).

2) Minor differences in punctuation.

Click here to see the entire edition of Le Gaulois from 24 September, 1909. This link brings you to page 3 of the newspaper — Le Fantôme is at the bottom of the page in the feuilleton section. Click on the big green arrow buttons towards the top of the webpage to turn the pages of the newspaper, and click on the magnifying glass icon at the top left to zoom.

#phantom of the opera #gaston leroux #le fantôme de l’opéra #le gaulois #15 weeks of phantom

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bills-bible-basics · 1 year

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Facebook Private Text Messages https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/facebook-private-text-messages/ Folks, unless you happen to be one of my longtime Facebook friends -- meaning that we have been friends for many years -- who I have grown to trust, and unless you have a very IMPORTANT issue to discuss with me as one of my longtime friends, please have the courtesy to NOT private message me. For the record, I did NOT join Facebook so that I can engage in private text messages. I joined it so that I can share the Christian Gospel in an open, PUBLIC forum; meaning on my timeline, on my Facebook page, and in the Bill's Bible Basics group. If you are really interested in the Word of God, then please visit one of those three pages. The way I see it, if something can't be said out in the open, in public, on Facebook, then maybe it shouldn't be said at all. If your true interest is God's Word, then please consider taking some time to visit my actual Bill's Bible Basics website at: https://www.billkochman.com Trust me when I say that you will find a lot more there than you will on any of my Facebook pages. The truth is that aside from the fact that I keep rather busy here working on the Bill's Bible Basics ministry, I get way too many private chat requests from people in African and Asian countries who have ulterior motives. I am sure that many of you reading this know exactly what I am talking about. Such people will start an innocuous-sounding conversation with a "Hello" or an "Are you there?", or some similar opening. After that, they will try to engage in a simple, casual conversation in their broken English for a while. But then, they finally reveal why they are really texting you. It is not because they are really interested in being your friend and having Christian fellowship with you. It is that they have this mistaken idea that all Americans are just loaded with money, and they are hoping that you will help them out. Trust me when I say that over the years, I have heard it all on Facebook. They want money to purchase school books. Their husband died, and now they are out on the street living with their kids. They have an orphanage full of starving children. They need money to build their church. Their children have no clothes to wear. They need Bibles for their congregants. And on and on it goes. As I said, I've heard it all. It's possible that some of these stories may be true; but I am inclined to believe that many of them are bogus, because I have caught some of these people in their deception. The bottom line is this: I am not a rich American. I am old and retired, and I live on a fixed income. My gosh, I don't even own a car. So I am really sorry, but even if your needs are real, I simply cannot help you. Then, of course, there are those women who seem to think that I would make a fine, Christian husband. Sorry, ladies, I mean no offense to you, but I am not interested, so please desist. There are also some well-meaning friends who constantly send me video links, news article links, links to petitions to sign, announcements regarding their new book, chain messages, etc. Folks, as I have mentioned many times before, it is my personal policy to NOT click or tap on any photos or links which are contained in private messages. Doing so is dangerous business, and it is risky. One never knows what might be happening in the background when you do that. You may end up embarrassing yourself. So I am sorry if it may offend some of of you, but I don't care who you are, or how long I have known you. I will NOT click or tap on your photos or links. Neither will I forward ridiculous chain messages. So please stop. Now if you choose to persist in sending me unwanted text messages, I will set you to "Ignore messages"; and if you really annoy me with your persistence, I may even unfriend you. I am serious. To those of you who respect my wishes, thank you for your consideration and cooperation! I appreciate it.

https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/facebook-private-text-messages/?feed_id=61374&_unique_id=6455c36d085cd&Facebook%20Private%20Text%20Messages

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matildashoney · 4 years

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Loving You’s the Antidote: Epilogue

MASTERLIST // MOODBOARD // TAG LIST // TAGS // PLAYLIST

TAG LIST: @cock-a-doodely-doo, @ihearthemcallingforyou, @goldenfeelin, @detroitkiwis, @wherearethewatermelons

talk to me about it! feedback is greatly appreciated!

author’s note: to begin, there are no words to describe what a horrible time this is in the world, right now. obviously, reading is one the last priority for everyone, but i want to provide a space away from negativity if you want one. take care of yourself. here is a page of links for you to sign petitions, learn, and donate. i encourage everyone to educate themselves. thank you for reading. i love you. i’m here for you. i see you.

there is a thank you note at the end of the chapter. thank you for reading.

February 2026

Harry swears that traffic only gets worse the longer they live in London, the older their children get, the faster he wants to get home to his wife and family. His lips pursed in a tight line, frustrated and angry that his daughters are at home waiting on him for their bedtime routine. His want for stability was the reason for going to their lawyer’s office, today. He needed to get the paperwork for Amelie to sign to take over the deed to her grandfather’s house in Neuilly-sur-Seine, to finalise their commitment to making the move to France and settling down. Harry would still have worldwide tours for the fourth and fifth and sixth albums and Amelie would still have her global exhibitions. Having children changed something, though, and Harry and Amelie wanted their children to grow up as normal as they could. Neuilly-sur-Seine was their best chance for that, and it was a chance they were willing to take, especially with how much Amelie loves it there.

His lungs heave a breath when the light turns and his car is slowly inching down their street, the lights that their daughter insisted stay until after Valentine’s Day hanging along their roof trimming and lighting their drive. His heart is always at home with his family, and the greatest feeling in the world is when his legs are met with tiny arms and his shirt is tugged with chubby fingers. Harry shifts the gear as the tires roll into the garage, the engine turning and his hands grabbing all the paperwork as the door slowly closes, the chill from the wind hitting his cheeks.

“Papa!”

His legs are met with tiny hands and a cheek pressed into his thigh, his hands setting all the paperwork on the table near the door and reaching down slightly to lift his daughter into his arms. His cheek meets a sloppy kiss, the dimples in her cheeks on mimicking the features on his face. His heart is so warm, so full of love. “Hi, m’little butterfly,” Harry whispers, kissing her temple and squeezing her tight into his chest. “Did you have a good day?”

“Very good day with Mama,” Hensley assures with a smile, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her cheek on his shoulders. “Missed you.”

“Missed you more,” Harry smiles, kissing her hairline sweetly and petting the dog that trots alongside his thigh, wagging his tail excitedly at his arrival home. “Hi, Moose.”

Hensley’s ears perk like Harry’s to the distant wails coming from the kitchen, a melancholy in her voice that her father can only identify with the empathy that she’s inherited from her mother. “Stevie’s been cryin’ fo’ you.”

“Has Mama gotten her to calm down?”

“Not yet,” Hensley sulks, upset by her younger sister’s sadness. Her eyes flutter shut as Harry brushes the tiny curls away from her forehead, her hazel eyes hueing a golden brown under the dimming sun. Her appearance was beginning to resemble her mother’s much more than his, and there wasn’t any part of him that was bitter about having a replica of the most beautiful woman he’s ever laid his eyes on.

And both are his to love.

“Alright, little bug,” Harry sighs, puckering his lips and peppering kisses along her chubby cheeks. “Bisous.”

Her eyes widen with his statement, shocked at the lack of politeness when her mother and father are always stressing the importance of having manners. ��Have t’ say ‘si vous plait’, Papa. ‘s not polite.”

“Je suis désolé,” Harry hurries, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Only their daughter would be so bold. Only with Amelie’s personality. “Bisous, s'il vous plait.”

“Better,” Hensley nods, “More polite.” Her tiny hands grab Harry’s cheeks and press a kiss to his lips, “Muah.”

Harry sets Hensley on the ground, squeezing her in a hug before tickling her tummy and nodding for her to play as she was earlier. His eyes set on their crying child, her bottom lip jutting out and her eyelashes coated with tears, the tiny curls clinging to hair. Stevie’s arms are wrapped around Amelie’s neck, clinging to her as she bounces her slightly and quietly hums, her eyes flickering back and forth between the meal on the stove and the baby in her arms.

“Hi, Mama,” Harry smiles, his heart warm at the sigh that leaves his wife’s lips and the smile that follows. Her eyes squeeze shut as their daughter quiets, Harry kissing her forehead and taking her into his arms. “Hi, m’little ladybug. Are you having a hard day? Come hang with Papa and give Mama a break.” His knees bounce as his hands gently rub over her spine, her breathing evening out and her tears drying. “You’re okay,” he soothes, kissing her temples and rocking her gently. “Are you okay?”

“Hard day,” Amelie sighs, heaving out a shaky breath and setting the washcloth on the marble counter. Her chest shakes with her breathing, trying to steady her shaking, her eyes welling with tears as her hand cups the underside of her belly and leaning against the cabinets.

His heart is heavy, walking towards her and welcoming her into his arms, his lips touching her hair as he soaks in the feeling of her arms around him. “Know it is.”

“Glad you’re home. Think she could feel the energy around us, you know? Like what would happen when Mama was writing a book and I would get anxious because I could feel it,” she whispers, forcing a smile as their daughter turns her head and smiles sleepily at her. “All I want to do is to take it away from her.”

“Good thing we’re figuring it out for her, right? That’s what we do,” Harry smiles, kissing her lips sweetly and having his mouth linger on hers, the sensation of their lips touching one that he misses on his days out and about. He is well aware of what she needs to hear, and it breaks his heart that she doesn’t necessarily believe him. “You’re a great Mama, Ames.”

“Think so?”

“Mama, you’re the best mama in the whole world,” Hensley squeaks, wrapping her arms around Amelie’s waist and squeezing tightly, cheek pressed against her mother’s tummy. “You too, Papa.”

“Why thank you,” Harry smiles, his lips tugging into a grin as Amelie grabs his cheeks and bringing him into a kiss, releasing her grip on his waist and walking towards the stove and finishing up their meal for when their daughters are tucked away in bed. “Let’s go have a bath, H. What do y’a say? Bath time and a story for bed.”

“Can we listen to Baby before bed? Haven’t heard Baby in a while,” Hensley pouts, raising her arms and giggling when Harry lifts her onto his spare hip, her younger sister nearly falling asleep on his shoulder.

“Think we can do that.” Harry grins, kissing her temple and beginning to walk towards the stairs, his arms supporting their bodies as they walk into the bathroom and begin clambering into the bathtub, filled with bubbles and toys and warm water.

Harry’s favourite time of the day is the night. His quality time with his daughters to soak in the cuddles and the kisses and the babbled nonsense that he adores. Hensley always asks about his day and insists on singing a song. Stevie splashes the water and makes Harry kiss the rubber ducks. His moments with his girls that are solely his, that all of his love and attention could be given and devoted. His heart yearns to have these moments forever, that his daughters never grow up and always want to be this way.

Harry’s hands gently cover Stevie’s eyes as he rinses the shampoo from her tiny curls, the lavender aroma lingering in the air as the bubbles begin to fade and Hensley’s hands reach for a mug to rinse the soap from her hair. His hands scoop the toddler into her kitty printed towel, laying her gently behind him and sorting her nappy and warm pyjamas before settling her in his lap, his hands taking the mug from the five-year-old and rinsing over her chocolate curls. Her resemblance to Amelie was growing more and more, especially in her attitude, and there was a big part of him that savoured the way her personality and appearance reminded him so deeply of his love.

“Daddy?”

“Hm,” Harry hums, ignoring the way that slowly but surely his name has begun to disappear from her vocabulary with being in school. His heart yearned for Papa, but Daddy would have to suffice. “Close your eyes, butterfly.”

Hensley’s eyes squeeze shut, the water running over her face and Harry’s thumbs wiping her eyes for her to stare at him. “Daddy, how many songs do you write for Mama?”

“Mama would say I write too many,” Harry chuckles, shaking his head and opening the drain on the bathtub, opening her towel and wrapping her tightly in it, kissing her temple and gently drying her hair. “Like, I wrote Adore You and Sunflower for Mama.”

Harry gathers their youngest in his arms, rocking her and gently cooing her to sleep, his elbow flicking the bathroom light and walking into the nursery, nodding towards the sound machine for Hensley to turn on and the lights to dim for the baby to calm. His body settles in the rocking chair, one leg open for her to sit on and join in their snuggle, his hands gently rubbing their backs soothingly.

“Daddy, will you write a song for me?” she wonders quietly, laying her cheek on her father’s chest as her younger sister falls asleep in his arms. “Like you do for Mama and Big Sister.”

“Hensley, I’ll write a million songs for you,” Harry whispers, kissing her forehead and squeezing her tighter into his chest. “A million and one, actually.”

“That’s so many.”

“That’s how much I love you.”

Hensley’s face turns to the sound coming from the nursery door, her mother’s voice recognisable from a thousand miles away. Harry gently sets her on the floor, giving Hensley a moment to say goodnight, kissing their youngest daughter’s cheeks and laying her in her crib, whispering his love to her and lifting Hensley in his arms to walk into her bedroom while Amelie says goodnight to their baby. His hand opens her bedroom door quietly, reaching for her pyjamas and her hairbrush and having her get ready for bed before their story and quality time.

Hensley’s smile widens as her mother walks inside, their puppy – although he is far from a puppy’s size – following closely behind and settling at the edge of her bed, as always. Her hands reach out for her mother, wanting to be as physically close to Daddy and Mama, as always, Harry settling her in between their bodies as Amelie cosies into the duvet. Amelie kisses Hensley’s hair, gently brushing her fingers through the curls that have grown to her shoulders and are messily strewn about from her bath. Harry leaves the bed for a moment, grabbing the doppler that was brought in and opening the gel that goes over her tummy.

Harry’s heart stops beating when the doppler turns on, the sound much too loud for their ears and his breath held in his lungs until the heartbeat sounds through the speakers, his thumb wiping under his love’s eye with a smile and a kiss to her cheek as the sound soothes their anxiety for the day. His anxiety over this day, this week, this moment doesn’t fade away, despite having two pregnancies and children since their first. Harry simply swallows it down until they are alone in their bedroom, holding each other and crying and missing their first baby that was gone too soon.

“Holy moly, Mama!” Hensley whispers, laying her hands on her belly and trying to feel for the baby that is much too tiny to significantly push against her tummy yet. “That’s Baby’s heart? They’re okay?”

“Mhm,” Amelie smiles, kissing her temple and blinking away the tears welling in her eyes. “Baby says, ‘hello’ to you and Stevie and Papa.”

“Hi, Baby,” Hensley whispers, pressing her mouth against her stretched skin and kissing her belly button. “Je t'aime so much.”

Amelie grins, her heart so swollen in her chest that she swears her ribs are going to break. Her lips feather kisses along Hensley’s cheeks, soaking in her giggles and the sweet hugs that are wrapping around her shoulders as Harry gently wipes the jelly from her belly and brings her sweatshirt back.

Hensley clambers to the edge of the bed, wrapping her arms around Moose and laying her head on him, his tongue swiping over his snout and having her cuddle him. Her cheek presses against his sweetly as she whispers, “Goodnight Moose.” Harry’s hands hold her waist as she steps onto the chest at the end of her bed to walk to her string of photographs hanging on her wall, the rainbow painted through the clouds and the flowers adorning the moulding. Her hands touch the two photographs closest to her height, “Goodnight, Big Sister. Goodnight, Pepe.” Harry and Amelie are silent as she stares at the sonogram quietly, the photograph of her great-grandfather a copy of the one in Amelie’s photo album that Harry made for her years ago. Hensley turns around and walks towards the bed, waiting for Harry to lift her onto the mattress and snuggle in with her. “Goodnight, Mama and Baby,” she grins, kissing her mother’s belly and puckering her lips for a kiss, giggling when kisses are peppered across her cheeks. “Goodnight, Papa.”

“Love you to Jupiter and Pluto and,” Harry says quietly, his hands working to tuck their daughter in as his wife kisses her hair.

“The Moon, and to the stars, and all the way back,” Hensley giggles, soaking in all the kisses and cuddles and squeezes that she’s given every night.

“To wherever you are,” Amelie smiles, kissing her cheek sweetly, her sleeves pulled over her hands as Harry nods towards the door, his hand splayed over the small of her back and leading her into the hallway and the kitchen. “Goodnight, baby.”

“Goodnight, Mama. Goodnight, Papa.”

Harry quietly shuts her bedroom door, their voices silent as they walk into the kitchen together and the aroma of their dinner wafts through their senses. Harry is suddenly aware that he hasn’t eaten since lunch and his stomach growls much too loud for the silence that’s settled in their home at bedtime. Amelie laughs, spooning their pasta into bowls and leaving her husband to set the table, the bottles and dummies and bibs scattered across the countertop really displaying who they are ten years later.

“Never gets easier when Hensley does that,” Harry says, breaking their silence and setting their glasses of water on the freshly cleaned table.

“Know it doesn’t,” Amelie agrees, carefully carrying their bowls to the table and taking a seat, her hand rubbing over her tummy mindlessly as her lips blow cool air on the pasta to eat. “Makes me cry in the mornings, usually.”

“Don’t really want to explain what happened to H, you know? Don’t want her to feel guilty that she’s here and Grace isn’t. Know that we have to, eventually, but that’s a really hard conversation to have.”

“Have to do it together.” Amelie squeezes Harry’s hand, kissing his knuckles and lacing their fingers together on the table. “Like we do everything, baby.”

“Mon ange,” Harry whispers, leaning over the table and kissing her cheek, laughing when her face turns and meets his lips in a kiss. “I love you.”

“Love you.”

Harry and Amelie eat their dinner together in the quiet, only the hum of their playlist basking in the background of the kitchen, soaking in the moment together and alone solemnly. Harry and Amelie would never get over how much they love the clinginess and the teddy bear tea party conversations with their daughters, the routines and the stories and the playing. Having their daughter was the best moment of their lives, and every pregnancy since that is a miracle that they cherish and adore, and nothing would ever compare to how much they love being parents.

And yet, there is a significant part of their family that is always missing.

“Hearing the heartbeat make you feel better?” Harry says quietly, taking their bowls and setting the dishes in the sink, wiping his hands on the washcloth on the counter and returning to his seat, his arms outstretched for his wife to come into.

“Little bit, yeah,” Amelie sighs, standing and walking to Harry, straddling his waist and settling on his thighs, her fingertips brushing away the curls that have fallen into his face throughout the day. “Have to get through the week, that’s all.”

“I’m so proud to call you m’wife,” he whispers, his hands gently rubbing her thighs, his lips touching her jaw as she wraps her arms around his shoulders. “Amelie, you’re the strongest woman that I’ve ever known. I’m so in love with you.”

“Doubt that much about me being the strongest,” she breathes, kissing his cheek and taking a moment to stare at the green eyes that she’s loved for so very long, his dimple indenting his cheek with a smile.

“Husband said it, so it’s true,” Harry smirks, squeezing her thigh and smacking the side of her bum. “Husband of nearly six years, thank you very much.”

“That means we’ve been together for over ten years, Harry.”

Harry snickers, “Must be a pretty good lay if you keep me around for ten years.”

“Eh,” Amelie shrugs, her fingertips toying with the curls at the nape of his neck. “Got better over time.”

Harry’s eyes roll, his heart swelling in his chest as Amelie giggles and kisses his temple, squeezing her arms around his shoulders with a tight hug. “Have about a million more years to go with me, love. Many years with these three, too.” His hands splayed over her bump beneath the sweatshirt.

“Think you know what they are? Guessed right with the girls,” she wonders, reaching to tuck her sweatshirt beneath her breasts and stare at the way his hands are covering nearly her entire belly. Only sixteen weeks along, her belly is barely noticeable to the common eye, but Harry swears he can see a change every single day.

“Want this one to be a real surprise,” Harry says, kissing her cheek and smirking into her skin. “Until we find out next week.”

“God, you’re so annoying,” she groans, rolling her eyes and pushing his chest away, grumbling when his mouth begins pressing kisses along her jaw and cheeks. “Où sont les papiers que je dois signer?”

Harry’s hand squeezes Amelie’s knee, gesturing for her to stand and take his seat while he walks to get the paperwork from the counter. “Sur la table. Je vais les chercher.”

Her torso twists in her chair to continue speaking to him, “Are you sure about this, Harry? I mean, your whole family is here. Our family is here.”

He shakes his head, setting the file in front of her and taking the seat closest to her, “And your whole family is in California. Our family is in California,” Harry says, kissing her cheek and setting the pen near her fingers, “but you moved here with me.”

“That was for us.”

“And so is this,” Harry assures, kissing Amelie’s cheek comfortingly. “This is for our family.” His cheek lays against her shoulder, his eyes squeezing shut as she kisses his temple and scratches his scalp soothingly. “Think I want to be stuck missing hours upon hours of their lives because I’m stuck travelling? No. Of course not.” His heart is heavy at the thought of having to be away from his family longer than necessary. “Do I think they’ll have a better, more normal life in France than England or America? Yes. And that’s what we always wanted, anyways.”

Amelie’s hand grasps the pen, hovering over the lines where an x is marked for her to sign and the house would legally become theirs, and their family would begin making the transition to move. “Are you absolutely sure?”

“More sure than anything,” Harry says with a smile, a warmness overwhelming his emotions at the thought of having the opportunity to raise his children in an environment where they can be authentically themselves without having to worry about the glamour and flash that living in California or London brings.

“Hensley is going to love it.” Hensley loves the house in France. Harry and Amelie have only taken her a handful of times, especially when her grandfather became sick earlier last year, and Harry swears he’s never seen a child so in love with something. Hensley wanted to be in the garden, in the flowers, singing and dancing and soaking in all sunlight that encompassed them. “Mean, she already does.”

“Might be good to be out of the way for Stevie, too.” Harry’s heart hurts with how much anxiety their youngest has been having. Her anxiety was always the worst when they have to leave the comfort of their home and venture into the heart of the city, as there isn’t the understanding quite yet as to why so many voices are around theirs and why lights are flashing in their eyes. Harry does all in his power to protect his family. Maybe living in France in their calmer months would be best. “More under the radar.”

“And we have the houses in Malibu and London, still,” Amelie reasons, brushing a stray curl from his forehead and kissing his temple. “Can come up with a schedule on where we’ll take them according to wherever you are when you’re writing the album and be around for a few months depending on school.”

“All of it is going to work out,” Harry says, his voice feigning assurance and confidence. Amelie can read through his demeanour without having to ask a single question.

“Have to let Jupiter and Pluto do their thing,” she smiles, gently swinging her leg over his thighs and straddling his waist, her lips kissing the corner of his lips teasingly.

“Their thing.” His hands grip her hips, his thumbs rubbing the skin lightly and pecking a kiss to her cheek, his cheeks flushed as her tongue darts across her lips. “Trying to get me going, angel? Is that your plan?”

“Find it ironic that you’re tired from traffic and bath time and ’m the one growing a human,” Amelie teases, her lips dragging along his neck and kissing at the spot that makes him moan, his hips shifting uncomfortably under her thighs.

“All of us are facing our battles, honey,” Harry moans, his dimple dipping into his cheek with his smirk on his lips as his nose nudges her cheek slightly and his lips ghost across her ear. “Find it ironic that you want nothing to do with me until the second my eyes can barely stay open.”

“Can I not think my husband is sexy? Didn’t know that was a bad thing.”

“Definitely not,” Harry chuckles breathlessly, tucking his arms tighter around her waist and squeezing her into his chest.

“Love you,” Amelie whispers against his lips, the sensation of their kiss making her thighs tuck tighter around his waist and their bodies to shift slightly. Harry’s hands settle on the curve of her bum, the intimacy of the moment made private into something that could only be theirs, only in their world.

“Love you more.”

Harry and Amelie kiss lazily on the chair in their dining room, happily unaware of the snow outside and the chaos around their lives. All that they need is each other and their family and their love, and their next adventure would be alright.

After all, it’s all about how Jupiter and Pluto align, and all that.

/ / /

so, this is the end of loving you’s the antidote.

i don’t think i ever thought this day would come. i have had the idea for this story for nearly three years, and i have countless drafts to the story that seemingly never made it anywhere. then, in december, i went to @youcheekylilmonkey with an idea for a story. a story about a girl, struggling with her mental health and her art, and harry, struggling with the idea that you can’t fix everyone. a story about two people falling in love in a pretty unconventional way. a story about two people who want to grow together and support each other, no matter what. this story started with one idea and one line and one premise and turned into something so much more than that.

to those that read weekly and biweekly and on the days where i only posted once a month, thank you. thank you for your patience and your understanding. to those that read when the series was nearly done, binging it all in one night and finding yourself falling in love and becoming more invested than maybe i was, thank you for your love. to those that reblogged and liked and sent me messages, thank you for your validation and your love. to those that checked in every so often, thank you for thinking of me.to the readers that felt connected to our sweet amelie in more ways than one, i hope that you find comfort and support in her story. i hope that you know that there is someone out there - a friend, a partner, a relative, a stranger - that is going to support you and love you unconditionally, sometimes they just take a little bit longer to find. i hope that you felt seen, that her story showed you that you are never alone.

thank you to my sweet friends who talked about this story with me, whether it was from the very beginning or halfway through, i appreciate you all very much. you’ve helped me along the way, even if you didn’t know.

to harry styles and fine line for being inspirations to this piece.

and to harry and amelie for being the characters i wanted to write and read, you’ll stay with me always.

“i love you. i love you to jupiter and to pluto and to the moon and around the stars and all the way back to wherever you are.”

until the next one, i love you all that much. caitlin x

(p.s. feel free to imagine jack’s ending in whichever way you want. sometimes i think he got hit by a car. it’s all up to you.)

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do-androids-dream-ao3acc · 3 years

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Done on request (out yourself if you dare): What if Geralt receives fan mail? Well. Have 2317 words of corniness. On AO3 or below the cut.

It began, of course, by accident.

Geralt now spent almost half the year in Vizima, less when he was on contract or on his vineyard or Emhyr was called to Nilfgaard by matters that could not be postponed. So Emhyr had a room set up for him in the palace. Geralt used the place to make potions when he needed them; he kept a second armor set there (after some events had taught him that this might be necessary), and at some point even had Eskel send him some books from the old fortress.

That evening, Emhyr found him in that room. Geralt had not bothered to arrange the chamber in any way to his liking. This was an indelible trait about him, a habit with such a pull that even the – compared to the capital palace – rather modest luxury of the surroundings did nothing to change it. In principle, Geralt knew all facets of comfort. Still, he had slept outdoors longer in his life than in a bed with silk sheets, so perhaps it was no wonder that he didn't value the furnishings in this room. There was a kind of work table against one wall, a few bookshelves, an armchair, and a desk, which he at least used occasionally to write letters. It was austere and utilitarian, more a place of work than relaxation, so Emhyr was almost surprised to find him sitting in an armchair reading.

"Please tell me this is not another one of those erotica slush from that anonymous hack," Emhyr said as he entered.

Geralt looked up in surprise. "If I were you, I wouldn't be so disparaging about the author – as far as I know, you've profited from his fantasies," he replied with a wink. "And no, it's nothing salacious."

He lifted the booklet so that Emhyr could read the title. As he did so, a slip of paper, apparently used as a bookmark, fluttered out of the pages. In a fit of gallantry, Emhyr bent down and picked up the sheet. He glanced at it, suddenly frowned.

"What's that?" he asked, his voice a mixture of amusement and, oddly enough, nearly accusation.

Geralt shrugged. "You remember that tournament I told you about?"

"In Touissaint? Hard to forget, since you won it – and are fond of telling about it when you've had too much to drink," Emhyr replied dryly. "However, there had been no mention of love letters in the stories so far."

"That hardly passes for a love letter," Geralt replied.

Emhyr turned the paper back in his direction and read aloud, "To the owner of those strong arms, men like you drive me wild. I want to have a herd of your white-haired, scar-faced babies. Signed by an enthralled admirer."

"I got another one that describes me as perfectly muscled," Geralt said.

Emhyr's raised brows might indicate surprise or disapproval; it was hard to tell.

"Flattering, I'm sure. But why did you keep the letters?"

Geralt thought about it for a moment. "I don't really know," he finally admitted.

"You use them as bookmarks."

"Fine, let's say they're flattering," Geralt replied lightly. "You should have seen the ones in Palmerin de Launfal's tent."

On the surface, that was the end of the matter. But somehow, it wasn't. The sex they had that night was... interesting. They were often tempestuous, usually of a fervor that was difficult to contain, and it was noticeable that Emhyr's lust was not infrequently linked to his moods. When he was troubled inside, for whatever reason, it always showed in their love life. But this was different. It was rough, hard, but in a different way than usual; wilder, downright dominant – and above all, extremely exciting.

The following day, they did not address it, although they both seemed utterly satisfied. On the other hand, they were usually easy to please as far as that was concerned; they fitted each other like lock and key, were almost physically addicted to each other. The fact that they sincerely loved and adored each other was like icing on the cake that no one had expected because the filling was already so satisfying. It had taken them a while to realize that that one did not work without the other because that's just how they were.

Despite everything, it was hard to define what had been different, and everyday life left them little opportunity to delve deeper into it, even if it had been significant enough to them at all. Life went on as usual, as far as could be said in this case, when one ruled the greatest of all empires and the other willingly threw himself in the way of monsters.

Neither Geralt nor Emhyr were really convinced of the power of coincidence, and yet Emhyr stumbled upon a little secret purely by chance. That day he sat in his study, as usual, alone in the contemplative quiet that came both from his surroundings and his work routine. The things he did here – reading, evaluating, deciding, signing – were little different from anything he did in the many hours he spent in public; here, however, there were not the manifold distractions of the overloud, exceedingly annoying courtiers and his advisors, who were always trying to outdo each other in their boot licking.

There was something familiar and reassuring in the stack of papers on his desk. There were always a good number of letters among them; petitions, invitations, reports, and the like. One of the envelopes caught his attention. It was narrower than the others, inscribed in fine, delicate handwriting, and surprisingly, a slight hint of a rosy perfume emanated from it. Although Emhyr made a point of handling his mail almost ritualistically from top to bottom as it was presented to him, he pulled out this envelope and noticed to his surprise that the letter was not addressed to him at all. It was for Geralt.

What exactly was it that drove him to pull the ornate knife through the envelope and open a letter that was obviously not meant for him? Emhyr preferred to ignore a certain voice inside him, too tempted by the scent and the handwriting. It was, of course, a love letter, a many-line ode to white hair and, by the great sun, strong thighs.

He did not even try to claim that he had opened the letter by mistake, and strangely enough, there was no expected accusation from Geralt as to why he had read his mail. Emhyr felt strange as he presented the letter, and his tone sounded rather strained with amusement as he said, "I guess you have more admirers than you think."

Geralt said nothing to this; he took the letter, skimmed it, made some mocking remark, and put the paper aside. They spoke no more about it, but that night they loved each other again with that distinct fierceness. Their passion was almost painful; still, at the same time, of a kind that needed no words, no explanations. But once again, neither of them drew a connection or wondered what exactly was so different. Those were unprecedented, memorable moments, and in the face of permanent, smoldering danger, they had learned to live in the present: to enjoy what they had, to appreciate when times were quiet.

They might never have talked about it because it might never have happened again – and it would have been all right, a special gift at an ordinary time; a surprise no one expected and could never hope to repeat. Until that particular evening, which seemed almost like a repetition of the first event, a strange deja vu. It had been a particularly long day, a day full of things that threw Emhyr out of his usual routine, and as for Geralt, he had spent hours poring over an old potion recipe that Eskel had sent him and asked him for an opinion on. That they found time for each other was more than a welcome change, and the kisses they exchanged were a mutual assurance that their companionship, their love, would always be their common refuge.

How exactly it came about that Emhyr stumbled upon the pile of letters was hard to reconstruct later, and it was not important. As a matter of fact, a loose piece of paper and a note in a fragrant envelope had turned into a whole bunch of love letters. A pile of love vows, adorations of pale skin and milk-white hair, of tight muscles and... well, powerful privates.

"When did they all arrive?" asked Emhyr, a little stunned, although always trying to keep his composure.

"In recent weeks. Well, months," Geralt admitted bluntly. "Basically since the wedding... I hardly get any to Corvo Bianco, but they seem to find it kind of stimulating to send them here."

He actually seemed blatantly amused by this fact, and Emhyr didn't ask why he had kept the letters. Instead, he pushed Geralt onto the desk, and then across it; and what happened next had as much to do with the word lovemaking from one of the letters as a body of stagnant water has to do with the ocean. It wasn't just rough, it was close to absolute ruthlessness, and it didn't stop at the desk.

The polished stone floor of a plain study room was hardly the appropriate place for the conversation, but now seemed like the right time, and they realized they had simply been delaying the inevitable. It was the floor where they ended, breathless and amazed.

"I don't know why you're angry, but.... could we do this more often?"

Emhyr appeared taken aback as he replied, "What makes you think I'm angry?"

Geralt looked at him for a long moment. His hair was a mess, and he lay there almost shattered. It wasn't true that witchers couldn't blush; there was this particular spot on Geralt's neck that bore witness to the past few minutes. Emhyr couldn't stop staring at it.

"I don't know," Geralt finally replied, "but if that wasn't rage sex..."

"You're still reading those stories," Emhyr sighed. Then he half straightened, propped himself on his elbow, and admitted, "I don't know what that was."

Geralt shook his head. "Are you perhaps jealous?" he asked frankly. "Don't get me wrong; I really want us to do this again. But didn't you notice that it has something to do with the letters?"

"They're love letters, Geralt."

"Yes, and they're flattering, sure, but..."

"Is that what it is about?" asked Emyhr. "Do you want me to compliment you? You're as romantic like an old ass, Geralt, but maybe there's more to you than…"

The words came mockingly, but Emhyr broke off when he saw Geralt's perplexed face. Then he smiled one of his incredibly rare and special smiles.

"You have no idea," he said. "After all this time, you still have no idea how beautiful you are, and that's why part of you doesn't believe that anyone could give you an honest compliment. But another part of you wishes that's exactly what happened, and that's why you kept the letters."

"Men are handsome, not beautiful," Geralt said evasively.

"I suppose it depends on who's looking at them. Anyway, there are obviously more who appreciate your features than you think," Emhyr said as he ran his fingers over some of the scars on Geralt's chest, causing the latter to shiver with pleasure.

"Jealous after all," Geralt returned, almost sounding as flattered as he was by the stately number of letters he had received.

"Stupid after all," said Emhyr, tenderly knocking his fingers against Geralt's sweaty forehead. Considering the fact that he extremely rarely joked, that was almost an accolade. Then, suddenly, he became serious. "You're right," he admitted unexpectedly, "it has to do with the letters. My life is predictable to a certain extent, Geralt. Determined by routines, rules, and regulations, full of constants, and that's good, that's... order. And then there's you. The one undeterminable, the unknown in the equation."

"I bring chaos?" Geralt teased, but Emhyr didn't buy into it.

"You bring life. A whole other constant. Trust without rules. I don't know what it is that keeps you, but it's not power or wealth or prestige. To try to hold you anywhere at all seems to me like trying to... well, let's save comparisons with wild animals. But you could always decide to leave, couldn't you? You are not bound by any etiquette, tradition, or rules."

Geralt shook his head, almost indulgently. He took Emhyr's right hand in his, pressed a kiss on it, and then held it in front of his face.

"Isn't that a bond? Is that not a promise? I don't even know who you think less of, me or yourself."

"I think very highly of you," Emhyr said softly.

"Well, I guess the feeling is mutual. And if I had known that love letters would spur you on like that, I would have written some myself. Besides, you get mail from admirers yourself, my dear."

"In which I am not usually promised kisses on my white neck," his spouse replied dryly.

"Unimaginative," Geralt returned, and his smile shone up to his eyes. "Maybe I really should write some of these letters myself and mix them inconspicuously in with your mail. I could praise myself being a white stallion..."

Emhyr raised his brows and sighed. "You have been reading those books again, haven't you?"

"I don't know where you get that idea. But if you need inspiration outside of corny letters, there's this one, it suggested…"

Geralt leaned forward. White hair and warm breath brushed Emhyr's ear, and at a few whispered words, his eyes widened. He pressed his hands against his witcher's chest, pinning him to the floor.

For this, he did not need instructions.

#writing #fanfiction #fanfic #Emhyr x Geralt #Geralt x Emhyr #witcher 3 fanfiction #Emralt #Emhyralt

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