#for clarification this is not a summary of the past few days. this is a one-off joke
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Behind the Scenes (05/05)
Behind the Success
pairing: actor!aemond × fem!reader
summary: you and Aenar finally meet Aemond's family, closing one chapter of your life and starting a new one with Aemond in it.
word counter: 8.7k
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it's here!🥳
I've finally finished the chapter and I'm so excited for you guys to read this!
and how is it possible that another story is going to end soon? because if you didn't read my previous message, there will be an epilogue, so it's not yet the definitive goodbye for this little family we have created🤭
also before reading I want to thank you for your support and please leave me your opinion, lately the comments have gone down and I wish to read you🙏🏻
oh I also want to make a small clarification before you reed:
in the second chapter it is mentioned how aemond at the end confessed everything to his family in a desperate attempt to find Y/N. but let's forget that hehe🤭 let's pretend that aemond never told them so you can enjoy this chapter and the light drama you are about to read.
now read and enjoy, ily all!
warnings: slight angst, aemond's family melting our hearts when they meet aenar.
Aemond immerses himself in the world of acting with the same fierce dedication with which he confronts his characters on screen. Every move, every word, everything is carefully rehearsed and executed.
Each project is a challenge, an opportunity to explore new roles and demonstrate his versatility as an actor.
The hustle and bustle of the film set fills the air as he immerses himself in his role. The bright lights illuminate his face, conveying the intensity of his character as he delivers his lines with palpable emotion.
But when the bell rings, as well as the director's shout of "cut!" is heard, Aemond is Aemond again.
Behind all those shots, scenes, interviews and awards, no one knows that Aemond is a father, at least no one outside his close circle. He only confided the news to a few close co-workers, some production people and his older sister, Rhaenyra.
He managed to persuade some rumors after some people at first saw him entertaining Aenar in the nursery on the set, because even though there is nothing wrong with it and Aenar is his most precious treasure and a pride of his life, he knows it is better to protect him from the public eye.
And now that Aenar has his own nanny at home, sometimes even then the whispers would start to get too much and he would make sure that some member of the production crew, known for their ability to spread harmless gossip, would plant the idea that it was simply a close family friend of the child they had seen him with.
And in the midst of all his work and everything he has to do, Aemond finds the precious time to be with his son.
Aenar, a whirlwind of laughter and childlike energy, fills every space where the two are together with light. Games, stories and hugs become routine and Aemond cherishes every moment he can spend with him on his days off.
He even reduces his own working hours and focuses entirely on filming his scenes, also attending one or two interviews per month, in order to have more quality time with Aenar, who is more important than having to please the press at every moment.
And as he balances the intensity of the job with his responsibility as a father, Aemond fights for to rebuild the trust you once placed in him.
Every gesture, every conversation, was an effort to demonstrate that he is fully committed to getting things right this time. Every encounter with you, he demonstrates a quiet determination to making amends for past mistakes.
With carefully chosen words and acts of genuine support, he tries to show you that he understands the pain he had caused and is willing to go out of his way to regain your trust.
And you accept this, because you see how he makes an effort to open up more, to share his thoughts, his fears and his hopes. But above all, you see how he is making an effort with Aenar, which is the most important thing.
And you also see how parental responsibility has changed his perspective and maturity. But still, Aemond knows that rebuilding trust takes time and forgiveness is not something that can or should be rushed.
Even if you decide never to forgive him, he's okay with that and is getting the idea from now on that you only allow him to be close to you because of Aenar and only because of Aenar.
So in the meantime, you immerse yourself in your own workday.
The makeup and wardrobe trailer is a world of constant motion and productivity in any given area, though your mind is always on Aenar and also on Aemond.
And even though you both carry separate jobs at the same place during the day, you both manage to create a balance between your jobs and raising Aenar.
Evenings were for you and Aenar if Aemond didn't finish recording at the same time as your shift ends. And almost at dusk is when Aemond comes from work and devotes every minute of his free afternoon to Aenar.
Instead if you both finished your shifts at the same time, you both spent time together with Aenar.
However, the nights brought calm.
Once Aenar fell asleep and before Aemond retired, you and he find your own space to talk, share thoughts, talk about work or more importantly about Aenar. And today just happens to be one of those nights.
You finish cleaning the kitchen, while Aemond is sitting on one of the stools, with a cup of coffee in his hands, looking out the large windows to the back garden, thoughtful.
While he has in front of him the IPad with the image of the camera in Aenar's crib that records him sleeping, attentive and making sure he is well.
"I've been thinking a lot lately," he says, breaking the silence in a soft voice, catching your attention.
You watch him from the sink, setting a clean, dry dish in the drainer, then drying your hands with a clean cloth.
"About what?" you ask him softly, attentively.
And he takes a moment before answering, thinking very carefully about his words and what he means, not wanting you to misunderstand him in any way.
"On Aenar and... us."
He confesses and you lean on the other side of the island that separates you both in front of him, giving him your full attention.
"At first..." he starts to say, slightly flustered, "You didn't want me to hide him from the world and I-I... well, I obviously disagreed with you."
He says and bites the inside of his cheek, lowering his gaze, feeling embarrassed.
"But now... I think it's not fair to him that no one has any idea that I have a son. It's also not fair for anyone to know that you're the mother of my child."
His gaze again meets yours and a sense of understanding envelops both him and you.
"Now things have changed," Aemond continues, his tone laden with sincerity, "And I know that you and I are n-not together but... maybe... I can announce the news, only if you want me to."
Silence fills the kitchen in its entirety for a moment, as Aemond holds his breath at your possible response, honestly feeling terrified to expect a bad reaction from you.
But none of that crosses your mind, on the contrary, you just digest his words. But your silence is what causes a mixture of expectation and anxiety in Aemond, who holds his gaze with yours, nervous.
And finally, with a serene sigh, you go around the island that separates the two of you and approach him, placing one of your hands on his shoulder gently and in an attempt to comfort and reassure him, instantly feeling his whole figure tense, while he watches you with his big healthy wide eye and his prosthetic eye remains the same as always.
"Aemond," you begin to say in a soft voice as he watches you completely attentively, "I always wanted you to recognize Aenar publicly, that was what I wanted most at first. But now...
You pause for a moment, thinking about your meditated words, as you sink for a second into your own thoughts and what you really want to say, as Aemond watches you intently, waiting for you to continue.
"I understand your world more now," you continue, "And, honestly, I can't blame you for not agreeing with me back then, only in this," you make clear, "Recognize him legally would have been the right thing to do and... enough," you say holding back the sadness in your tone of voice.
But Aemond catches that break in your voice, a moment of your vulnerability that makes him feel a sharp, simmering ache in his chest, as if every word you utter drops a weight on his shoulders, with shame again invading him, but this time with a mixture of deep remorse and regret.
A barely audible sigh escapes his lips, lowering his gaze, ashamed, feeling the burden of his past choices and he wonders amidst the brief silence if he will ever be able to fully redeem with himself.
But he doesn't have much time to think about it, as you gently squeeze his shoulder to bring his attention back to you.
"And now I understand that the press and people's opinions can be very dangerous and destructive," you say softly, "And I don't want that for Aenar, at least I don't want to deal with that yet," you confess, "I want him to grow up a little more and we can both enjoy his early years without having to worry about it."
An expression of surprise and also longing crosses Aemond's face, still watching you intently, processing your words.
"Are you sure?"
You place a soft smile on your lips.
"Very," you assure, "I just want him to grow up in a calm and safe place, without falling fame on him nor all this attention being so young," you explain, "I have no problem with it, but also your opinion counts."
"No, I-I... I want the same for him too," he agrees with you, nodding, with all the pressure and anxiety he felt being replaced by a mixture of gratitude and relief.
And you nod back at him, smiling softly in his direction.
"But..." he says with a slight urgency in his gaze and concern in his tone, "I just want you to know that when the time comes, I won't do it for attention or to be relevant."
He says seriously, softly and honestly.
""I'll do it because I know it's something I have to do, for him and for you, as in the beginning maybe it should have been. But for now I just want us to enjoy these moments and, when the time is right, make that decision together."
The room fills with the honesty of his words and you can feel the sincerity in each of them, as a sense of calm envelops you both and you share a soft, complicit smile.
"Sure," you nod to him, feeling a warmth wrap itself all over your chest.
Your gaze moves away from his for a moment, focusing on the iPad screen where Aenar is shown sleeping, while Aemond can't help but focus on the features of your face with an intensity that can't go unnoticed by you.
Deep longing is reflected in his gaze, with a palpable mix of regret and sadness that is projected beyond mere facial expression. And he feel that weight on his body and chest again, a burden he can't help but feel.
His healthy eye glides over your face as if searching for answers in every line of expression and in his gaze, you can perceive the longing to repair the irremediable, the need to know how much he regrets the decisions of the past.
"Y/N-
He starts to want to say, his voice laden with regret, but you turn your gaze to him and stop him.
"Aemond, we have already talked about this."
"But I'm sorry... I really am," he insists, with pain in his gaze, "And I know an apology isn't going to fix it, I know that, neither is anything else but... I am really sorry and you don't know how much I hate myself for everything I put you through."
"No," you shake your head, "There's no need for you to keep apologizing," you tell him softly, "It won't do either of us any good to keep bringing up the mistakes of the past. Nor will it serve you to keep punishing yourself for what has already happened," you say as tactfully as you can.
His expression reflects a mixture of gratitude and frustration with yourself.
"Yes, I know, I understand," he murmurs, lowering his gaze, "It's just... I feel like I have to say it."
"Aemond, what matters now is this, how we move forward from here now that we've both learned and grown. Aenar too," you add, "And that's all that matters."
He nods slowly in your direction, his gaze showing a mixture of appreciation and relief, even with the remorse within him, as you both then sink into a moment of silence, letting the unspoken words echo in the air, but you both know those words, they just don't need to be said.
The relationship dynamic between you and Aemond since then takes a new path, a less tense, more bearable path of total trust. And this is not lost when the two of you are together in Aenar's presence.
Until one day, on your day off precisely, Aemond after work, comes to you telling you some unexpected news.
"I told them."
You turn fully towards him, giving him your full attention, understanding but at the same time not what he really means.
The living room starts to feel tense, while Aenar completely oblivious to it continues to play on the floor with his toys, but you focus on his gaze, where there is a charge of confession in his eye and you notice his whole body in a position of determination but also nervousness.
"Come, sit down," you tell him in a soft voice, pointing to the couch, while at the same time getting up from the floor to take a seat next to him.
And he almost with a defeated expression and posture, does as you say, letting out a sigh.
"What happened?" you ask, watching him intently.
He inhales deeply, looking at Aenar on the floor, who is the only one who can make him feel a little calmer, as well as your presence next to him.
"I told them about everything that happened," he confesses to you, "Our relationship, your pregnancy, my team, the decision I made in the beginning, everything I caused and how much I hurt you," he says as he feels his heart knot, "Everything. Everything that happened from then until now... and Aenar."
His words leave a weight in the air, as you anticipate how bad and difficult that conversation must have gone with his family to see him this way, so serious and tense.
"And how did they react?"
Aemond closes his eye, lowering his gaze, his posture reflecting the emotional baggage he carries with him and how bad it definitely went with it.
"Just as I expected. Obviously they were disappointed in me."
He says without much emotion, but with slight pain in his tone
"My grandfather couldn't believe it and was shouting how come I kept all that from them. Hel was very shocked, Aegon and Daeron too. And mother said a few hurtful things, started crying and telling me how I could keep these things from her," he exhales deeply, "Rhaenyra and Daemon were the ones who helped me calm things down a bit, but still my grandfather and mother were upset with her for knowing and not saying anything."
The tension of what happened feels palpable, as if he is reliving his family's every reaction, with the heaviness of disappointment and pain reflected in his expression, as you beside hom, share the weight of that difficult moment.
You are both silent for a moment, only hearing the sounds of Aenar playing with his toys.
"I'm sorry," you whisper in his direction, placing your hand on top of his, as if trying to somehow ease the pain he feels, "It must have been very difficult for you."
"No, Y/N," he observes you instantly, speaking to you in a soft tone, "You don't have to apologize. I deserved this and I'm not saying it to cause pity or play the victim," he adds with earnest sincerity, "I'm saying it because it's true. This is the least I deserve after everything you had to go through because of me."
You decide not to say anything at this, just offer him your silent support, while he again seems lost in his own thoughts for a few long seconds, where neither of you say anything.
When suddenly, Aenar emits an infectious giggle, instantly attracting both of your attention.
His small hands hold a toy with enthusiasm, his smile and the tenderness he conveys bringing brightness to the living room and the state Aemond is in, who smiles softly at the scene, watching him with complete adoration.
He sighs and rises from the couch, moving towards him, holding him gently, needing the sensation at that moment of holding him in his arms.
Aenar squeals with excitement and joy, placing his small arms on his chest, moving energetically in his arms, smiling big at him with his blue eyes completely filled with a glow.
The scene makes you smile softly, especially when Aemond also takes one of his toys and begins to play with it in his arms as he starts to walk slowly around the living room, talking to it in a honeyed tone and causing Aenar to babble incomprehensible words but full of happiness in his tone.
And when Aenar entertains himself with his father's silver hair, Aemond speaks again, turning to you to observe you.
"Despite everything, they want to meet him," he says, watching Aenar in his arms, "And they also want to meet you, my mother more than anyone else."
And this also completely grabs your attention.
"Really?"
"Hmm," he nods, "But I didn't tell them yes or no," he lets you know, "I wanted to consult it with you first."
"But is this good or not?" you ask, looking to find positivity in the situation, "Or do you think they shouldn't know him yet?"
"Of course they should," he tells you softly, "I owe this to them, also to you. But as I tell you, I didn't know how you would react if I told you they would meet him soon, I wanted to check with you first."
You place a reassuring smile in his direction.
"Aemond, for me it's perfect for Aenar to meet his grandmother, his uncles and aunts. It's a great opportunity and will definitely be good for him," you assure him.
"Yes, it is," he nods, unconsciously beginning to imagine the moment, "They can come or we can go to them, whichever you decide."
"Either way is fine with me," you shrug, "When might that be?"
Aemond thinks for a moment before answering.
"We could arrange it next weekend. Sounds good?"
You nod with a reassuring little smile.
"Sounds good."
The Targaryen—Hightower family decides to come to you.
When Aemond gives you the news, even though at first you were totally fine and had no problem with it, inevitably knowing it instantly makes you nervous.
You've never met his family before, not even when you and Aemond were a couple for obvious reasons. And even though his family isn't involved within the entertainment and film industry, you've still heard enough about them to feel slightly intimidated.
About Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen more than anyone.
The uncertainty of how they will perceive you, especially after disappearing from Aemond's life without warning and also how they will treat you, that's what worries you the most.
But the fact that they will be coming to your house relieves you a little. Fortunately you won't be interacting with them in unfamiliar terrain and you're sure that the presence of Aenar, his toys and Aemond will go a long way to reassuring you.
"Do you need help?"
Aemond appears behind you, while you find yourself cleaning everything you can from your living room and Aenar, as usual, is sitting on the carpet with all his toys around him.
"I'm just cleaning up in here, then I'll go clean the kitchen."
"Don't worry, me and this little handsome will clean the kitchen."
He walks over to Aenar and takes him in his arms, who is already dressed in an outfit too cute for the occasion and smells like baby soap from the previous bath you gave him, ready to meet his family.
Aemond goes with him to the kitchen, sitting him in his perch, keeping an eye on him while at the same time starting to clean up.
You start moving some of Aenar's toys, organizing his play area a bit, to create a more orderly and cozy space in the living. You also mop the floor and arrange cushions.
Aemond washes a few dirty dishes and cleans all the shelves, also mops and spreads your favorite Lavender scent, which besides smelling amazing, calms your nerves.
You also ask him to help you tidy up the dining room while you clean the bathroom, wanting everything to look clean and spotless, while Aemond takes Aenar in his arms again to let him play in his play area and he watches him closely from that new distance.
"Maybe I should have cooked something?"
You walk over to him, slightly concerned.
"What? No," he turns to you, instantly, "Y/N, they're coming to meet Aenar, not to eat."
"I know, but..." you explain, nervously, "I thought maybe it would be a good idea to have something prepared, out of courtesy and.... I don't know. Won't it be rude of me if I don't have anything to offer them?"
"Of course not, you don't have to," he clarifies, more serious but with a soft tone, "If you want to have something prepared, let it be some drinks, nothing more."
Still you watch him hesitantly and worriedly.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, very sure," he assures you, "In fact I'll prepare them. You rest and take care of Aenar. I'll finish cleaning up everything else."
"No, I-I-
"Rest," he repeats, interrupting you, placing a hand on your cheek gently, "I know this may be overwhelming, but they will come to meet Aenar and you too. And you don't have to put too much pressure on yourself. Everything will be fine."
Her warmth and understanding manage to comfort you a little, making you stop feeling so tense little by little.
"Now rest, okay?" he says softly to then walk past you and head towards the kitchen, not taking any argument back.
It's clear that he wants to lighten your load and make sure you feel comfortable about all this that's about to happen, with his actions conveying reassurance.
And finally after a while, you are ready and waiting in the living room with Aenar, playing with him, while Aemond is sitting on the single sofa and who a few minutes ago let you know that his family is on their way.
And after a few more long minutes, Aemond now lets you know that his family has already passed through the security gate that leads into the private neighborhood.
Knowing that fills you with nerves again, but Aenar's babbling as he hands you his currently favorite toys distracts you a bit.
"Are you okay?"
Aemond asks you from where he sits, watching you intently and noticing the tension all over your face and body, while you try to look completely calm and relaxed.
"Yeah, yeah, just... a little nervous," you say trying to place a genuine smile on your face as you distract yourself by touching Aenar's toys, "Who exactly is coming? Other than your mother and siblings," you can't help but ask.
"My grandfather."
You watch him expectantly, waiting for him to tell you more, but he doesn't.
"And that's everyone?"
"Well, Rhaenyra said my nephews wanted to come too, my uncle Daemon with his daughters too but I asked them to wait a little longer," he explains to you slightly concerned, "I didn't want you to feel nervous and overwhelmed if my whole family invaded your house. And Aenar sure would have felt scared too."
You bite the inside of your cheek and he rises from the couch to walk over to you, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder.
"Hey, don't worry, okay? It's going to be fine. They're excited to meet you and Aenar."
You release a long breath through your nose, placing one of your hands on top of his, feeling your shoulders especially start to feel less tense.
"Yes... thank you," you tell him with gratitude in your gaze, appreciating his support.
And then the doorbell rings.
Aemond gives you one last reassuring glance, assuring you that everything will be fine, then turns and heads for the door to greet them, as you rise from the couch and take Aenar in your arms.
The tension in your shoulders gradually dissolves as you hold your baby in your arms, replaced by a sense of calm, as you watch the front door intently and finish mentally preparing yourself.
Aemond opens the door gently with a warm smile on his lips and the first to enter is his mother, Alicent Hightower, in a beautiful, elegant green dress, followed by who you assume is Otto Hightower, his grandfather.
His mother wraps her arms around him and leaves a loving kiss on his cheek which Aemond reciprocates, as he also greets his grandfather, who watches the entire interior of the house with an inspecting gaze.
Behind Otto enters Rhaenyra, who embraces Aemond.
"Thank you for coming," Aemond says to her, leaving a kiss on her cheek.
"Of course," she smiles at him, leaving a soft kiss on his cheek as well before pulling away from him.
"You guys too, thank you," she says to Aegon and the rest of her brothers, "Come on in."
Both brothers, Aegon and Daeron, embrace him, speaking words of assurance, leaving Helaena at last, who throws herself into his arms with obvious emotion, smiling with joy and longing, as Aemond leaves a kiss in her hair.
Then Aemond closes the door and before heading towards you, who are still standing very still near the couch with Aenar in his arms, his whole family finally notices you and especially the child in your arms.
"Thank you for coming, all of you," Aemond repeats as he turns to you, "Let me introduce you to Y/N," he points to you, "She works on the same recording set I am currently working on as well."
You put on the best friendly and kind smile possible, as Aemond takes Aenar in his arms so that you can meet his family. And the first to address you is Alicent, with her stunning elegance and a soft smile on a warm face.
"Nice to finally meet you, my dear. My son has spoken so much about you."
The tension almost completely leaves your body, feeling grateful and relieved by the welcoming tone of her voice, evaporating your fear about how everyone, especially her, would treat you.
"The pleasure is mine. I'm happy you're here."
You reach out your hand to her and, pleased, she takes it. But she takes you by surprise when she pulls you closer to her and wraps you in a gentle embrace, definitely not expecting that.
You freeze for a moment, then, a little hesitantly, return her embrace, grateful for the affectionate welcome. And when you both part, she has a smile that denotes sincerity and cordiality, then points you to Aemond's grandfather behind her.
"This is my father, Otto," Alicent introduces you as he watches you with an appraising expression, "He has also heard much about you and was very pleased to come here."
And though his look is somewhat... intimidating, you don't let that invade your nerves.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hightower," you tell him in a soft, polite voice, extending your hand to shake with his as well.
"The pleasure is mine, Y/N," he replies in a low, polite voice, shaking your hand briefly.
"And this is Rhaenyra," Alicent points you to the woman who is just as refined as she is and shares Aemond's same characteristic of silver hair, as do the rest of his siblings.
She smiles towards you and gracefully approaches, then embraces you in greeting mode, as does Alicent.
"It's nice to finally meet you," she tells you cheerfully, "Aemond told me so much about you and of course your little one," she tells you as she gives Aenar a loving look.
"The pleasure is all mine. Aemond also spoke a lot about you and was very excited to meet you," you tell her, as she holds your hands in a gentle grip.
"Well here we are," she tells you without wiping away her smile, then looks behind her, turning her attention to the rest of Aemond's siblings, "Oh and they are my siblings," she gestures you towards Aegon, Daeron and Helaena, who have friendly glances in your direction.
Aegon steps forward first, extending his hand.
"I am Aegon. I hope you're not feeling overwhelmed with so many silverheads invading your home."
"No, no, not at all," you laugh softly, taking his hand, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Aegon."
Daeron is next, greeting you with a friendly smile.
"Hello, nice to meet you, Y/N. I'm Daeron. Aemond told us a lot about you and Aenar."
"Pleasure to meet you, Daeron," you say, noting the sincere camaraderie emanating from both brothers.
And finally, Helaena gives a few towards you, with an expression of pure excitement on her face and hugs you effusively.
"At last we meet!" she exclaims happily, "I was so excited to see you."
"Oh," you respond to her hug also a little surprised and with gratitude, "It's nice to meet you. Aemond has also told me a lot about you.".
"Good things, I hope," she says with a smile, pulling away from you.
And gosh, you can just see how much her sisters and brothers resemble Aemond. Their beauties are otherworldly and even Alicent is truly beautiful, as much as Rhaenyra is.
"And this..." begins to announce Aemond with Aenar in his arms and a radiant smile lighting up his face as he approaches the center of the living room, where his entire family watches him intently, "This is our son, Aenar," he says with pride in his voice, finally introducing his son.
Everyone's gaze focuses on the baby in Aemond's arms, who oblivious to the situation, watches them back with his huge bright blue eyes curious and expectant, while you place a small smile, anticipating the magical meeting of your little one with the rest of his family.
Helaena, visibly moved, can't hold back tears and tries to calm herself, with happiness, longing and nostalgia in her eyes. Aegon smiles with pride and Rhaenyra with adoration.
And meanwhile, Daeron, Otto and Alicent barely finish processing the reality of having Aenar in front of them.
Until Alicent steps forward gently, his eyes and gaze shining with curiosity, slight surprise, longing and adoration as he watches the little one, his newly presented grandson.
"Is that my grandson?" she murmurs in disbelief with tears beginning to form in her eyes and a hand on her chest.
Aemond, with a warm smile, nods at the question.
"Yes, Mom," he gently observes her and seeing her condition, looks at her with complete understanding, "Do you want to hold him?" he offers, carefully extending Aenar to her, sharing in the joy of her holding her grandson.
Alicent, tears streaming down her cheeks and visibly moved, nods in a touched nod with her gaze reflecting all her emotions, joy and awe.
She takes another step forward and reaches out her arms, where Aemond carefully places Aenar in her arms, who now watches him adoringly and with a mixture of happiness and emotion reflected in her gaze.
Alicent can't help but let out a couple more tears as Aenar babbles and watches her with great wonder, moving his small hands to her brown hair, starting to play with her curls, making her laugh softly in the midst of her tears and all the emotions she feels.
Aemond watches his mother tenderly as she enjoys her first encounter with her grandson, while you can't help but feel moved as well and wipe away a few tears that have escaped your eyes, watching the moment with emotion and nostalgia.
"My little Aenar," Alicent whispers, tenderly kissing his forehead, cradling him in her arms.
Aemond, still smiling and holding back his tears, diverts his gaze to you and you watch him back, where you both share a small smile and a silent complicity, both feeling the same way and recognizing the happiness this moment has brought to your lives.
And then Helaena approaches together with Daeron towards her mother, to watch Aenar and share the joy of the moment.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" comments Helaena, smiling, as Daeron watches him with a small smile of adoration and strokes his silver hair tenderly.
"Absolutely beautiful," whispers Alicent, her eyes shining with tenderness, not taking her eyes off him for a second.
"He's lovely," Rhaenyra comments with her soft little smile.
And then Alicent lifts his gaze to Aemond.
"And he looks exactly like you, darling," she tells him tenderly, recognizing the familiar features on Aenar's face and creating a moment full of emotion and family connection.
Aemond, touched and grateful, smiles at his mother's words.
"I think he has a little bit of both," Aemond replies, sharing a proud look with you.
Aenar physically by hair and eyes resembles Aemond, but some features of his face he definitely inherited from you and you can't help but smile in his direction.
And then, within the next few minutes, the whole family continues to make affectionate moments with Aenar. Helaena being the most excited is the one who now holds Aenar tenderly in her arms, leaving a couple of loving kisses on her cheek, while Rhaenyra approaches her to observe Aenar with a motherly gaze.
The imposing figure of Otto Hightower stands watching with satisfaction the scene unfolding in front of him, especially as he sees the happiness and excitement of Alicent and his grandchildren.
He doesn't say much, but his presence exudes a sense of quiet approval and though he doesn't show it, he honestly feels proud of Aemond, this reunion of his family and the arrival of a new member to it.
As Aegon approaches towards Aemond with a friendly, warm smile, placing a hand on his shoulder where he shares his gesture of brotherhood and pride.
"Congratulations, brother," he tells him sincerely, "He is beautiful and a mini version of you."
Aemond nods gratefully, the smile on his lips and places one of his hands on top of his.
"Thank you, brother. I appreciate it."
Now it is Daeron who takes Aenar in his arms and carries him to his play area, followed by Helaena, Rhaenyra, Alicent and you.
Helaena also takes a seat on the carpet with Alicent and the three of them start playing with him, who shows his enthusiasm and fills the living room with his giggles, melting the hearts of everyone present.
The atmosphere definitely becomes livelier and warmer, transforming into a special moment for everyone, where both you and Aenar feel completely comfortable and happy.
And as a few long minutes pass, Aemond watches all the interaction, happy and completely pleased, seeing how you converse with Rhaenyra and the rest of his family is totally entertained by Aenar.
Even his mother asks to have her picture taken with him and slowly begins to fill a new photo album of her grandson on her phone reel, completely enchanted with him.
Such a sight and such a moment couldn't make him happier, being a moment he needed so much and couldn't be more proud of. And how could he not?
His watching his son integrate into his family. And you are definitely getting along great with all of them.
Aegon stands by his side, sharing the gesture of complicity as they watch Helaena and Daeron make sounds with Aenar's toys that make him laugh and squeal with happiness.
Absolutely beautiful.
"So..." Aegon begins to say beside him, catching his attention, "You're going to show him to the world?"
He watches him intently, as Aemond holds his gaze for a second to look back at Aenar with an affectionate gaze, smiling softly.
"That's what Y/N would have wanted at first, when she got pregnant," he says softly, remembering those painful moments, "But no, at least not yet," he replies, turning his gaze back to his brother, "We talk and want to give him a normal childhood as much as possible."
Aegon nods with understanding, listening to him with full attention, then lets out a sigh, watching Aenar.
"The world is going to go mad when they find out, little brother," he says with an amused smile.
"I don't care," he says with a shrug, "All I care about is him."
Aegon smiles warmly again, acknowledging Aemond's priority as a father and he couldn't be prouder of him. He may be the older brother but Aemond...he's the one who matured first, always cleaning up his shit and making sure everyone was okay.
And even though when Aemond told them about this, about you and Aenar, it turned out to be a complete disaster, Aegon is glad that right now his family is responding in this way, loving you and Aenar.
"And what happened to Criston?"
He decides to ask you, curious and attentive, as Aemond takes a moment and exhales deeply, he too being a person who brings back horrible memories of the past.
"I fired him," he replies with a disinterested wave of his hand, "And his entire team too," he adds, "That's what I should have done in the beginning with him."
"And he threatened you?"
Aemond lets out an amused smile, remembering those days as well.
"Yes but I hired a lawyer and they made him sign a confidentiality sheet," he explains, "He couldn't do anything against that."
Aegon nods, pleased to hear those words, as you both turn your gaze back to the family, where Aenar's laughter still echoes throughout the living room, Aemond smiling lovingly as he watches his mother assail him with soft kisses.
Your soft laughter catches your attention as well, watching you with almost the same adoration and love as he watches Aenar, watching you converse with Rhaenyra where you both let out soft giggles at whatever it is you are talking about.
And he can't help but watch you extra longingly, wistfully, happily and longingly, loving to see the smile on your lips and the look of joy you have, his perfect and beautiful Y/N.
He honestly doesn't know what would have become of him if he had never seen you again. He'll probably still be sunk in his misery, regretful and trapped. But with each passing day he thanks the Gods for this, again and again, this second chance.
And Aegon doesn't take this unnoticed, the way his brother is looking at you.
"You really fucked things up with her, didn't you?"
His words break the spell he was under and he bites his lips, averting his gaze from you, beginning to feel ashamed and also with that guilt simmering in his chest.
"Yeah," he replies in a low murmur.
"You still love her."
Aegon tells him watching him intently with a complicity and understanding, not asking any questions, as he is making a statement, affirming it.
And Aemond again speaks the truth, neither denying it nor hiding it.
"Never stop doing so."
Aegon lets out a long breath, honestly feeling bad for him, to place his hand on his shoulder again.
"Brother, we all make mistakes," he tells him softly, "People fuck up and fuck up badly. I'm sure you get that from a person like me," he points to himself, still speaking in a serious tone, "And the important thing is to learn from them and move on. And I'm sure she's seen that in you."
"No, Aegon," he says softly, shaking his head, "What happened between us was different and... unforgivable," he says with the slight pain in his tone, "This is all happening only for Aenar and his well-being."
"So you don't plan to do anything about it?"
"I don't know," he says regretfully, letting out a sigh, "Things are complicated. And with everything that happened surely Y/N doesn't feel that way about me anymore. Besides what really matters is Aenar and I want to be a good father to him."
"I understand that, brother. But maybe all is not lost and all you need to do is try," he tells him in an encouraging tone, "Life is unpredictable, you know? And who knows... maybe Y/N still has feelings for you."
Aemond grimaces.
"I don't know, bro. I don't think so."
Aegon decides to say no more, just nods, for after all, he understands the complexity of his situation. And inevitably, though he shouldn't, with the words he has spoken to him, Aemond feels a small glimmer of hope.
Meanwhile the inside of your house continues to fill with laughter and conversation as everyone enjoys family time. And in the middle of it all, Alicent notices you going to the kitchen for a moment, this catching her attention and being the opportunity to talk to you.
So, giving her attention away from her grandson since she arrived, without saying anything to anyone, she discreetly follows you into the kitchen.
As she passes through the frame, she sees you arranging the drinks that Aemond prepared for them on a tray, wanting to offer them. But when Alicent's figure entering the kitchen catches your attention, you immediately turn to her.
"I don't intend to take up too much of your time, my dear," Alicent hastens to speak with a small smile on her lips.
"Oh, yeah, yeah," you nod immediately, "Do you need something?"
"I just want to talk to you," she answers you softly, "And it's nothing bad, I just... want to thank you for welcoming us into your home," she says, showing the sincerity in her look and tone, "I honestly haven't felt this happy in my life in a long time. And meeting Aenar has definitely made me very happy," she pauses a little, "Thank you."
"No, no, you don't have to thank me," you reply, with a soft look, "It's a pleasure to have all of you here. And you have made Aenar very happy too."
"No, I really do thank you," she insists with a soft tone, "Your home is beautiful and definitely an excellent place for Aenar to grow up."
"Oh, thank you," you smile kindly at her, "Actually this house was bought by Aemond. He must have told them or at least you, I suppose."
"Yes, he did," she nods, "He also told us how much you refused at first but I understand you. It must have been a very meaningful but very overwhelming gesture for you."
You nod with understanding, biting your lips.
"Yes," you murmur, "Yes it was. But I only accepted for Aenar," you hasten to clarify, "I didn't do it for my own convenience, whether for money or fame. I accepted for Aenar, so that he could have his father in his life and together give him the best."
"Yes, sweetheart," she advances towards you and takes your hands between her gently, "I know," she assures you, "You don't have to explain anything, everything is more than understandable."
You let out a long breath.
"Thank you," you tell her sincerely.
"It's okay," she smiles softly at you, "And listen, I-I... I really don't want to make you uncomfortable nor do I want to make you feel bad, in fact Aemond asked me not to talk to you about this but..." she looks at you with some tenderness and longing, "I just want to tell you how very brave you are, Y/N."
You shudder at the sweetness of her unexpected words, feeling a warmth run through your chest as a mixture of gratitude and longing flashes across your face, suddenly feeling completely vulnerable.
"I didn't blame you for deciding to run away, no one judges you for it."
She lets you know by telling you in a soft voice and as tactfully as possible.
"As much as I would have loved to have met you sooner, Aemond's decisions were terrible and I can't imagine everything you had to go through on your own," she says with slight shock and sadness, holding your hand tighter, "Your pregnancy, living in a new unfamiliar place and trying to make it on your own."
You bite your lips, feeling a sharp pain in your chest and tears begin to form in your eyes, but you gather your strength and try not to let them fall despite the memories of painful moments.
Her words resonate with genuine understanding and her warm touch brings you a comfort you didn't expect but definitely needed.
"Yes," you whisper, feeling the lump in your throat, "It was very scary and very difficult," you confess, "But Aenar made every sacrifice worth it."
"Of course," she murmurs, with a sympathetic look.
"Oh and... it must have been hard for you too," you say, remembering, "In those days seeing Aemond so sad and desperate must have worried you a lot. It even almost put in danger his career and you had no idea about me and what had happened."
"Yes, that was very scary too," she nods with a sad smile, "We didn't know what had happened, he pushed everyone away, even Helaena and... I couldn't stand to see him like that, but he wouldn't accept our help either," she explains, "But now, just like me, I've never seen Aemond so happy in his life."
Her tone is genuine and you hold her gaze with appreciation and understanding, feeling completely grateful for this pleasant acceptance and welcome by Aemond's family.
And in that moment you can feel, as Alicent does, how your connection grows stronger in your shared understanding of past challenges and new hope.
"You are a strong woman, Y/N. And I also want you to know that regardless of the circumstances between you and Aemond, I want you to know that you are part of our family now and we are here to support you."
You feel a happiness and relief course through your body, grateful for her words and her total understanding, as you nod in her direction.
"Thank you, Alicent."
And Alicent unable to contain herself, wraps you in a hug full of tenderness that you reciprocate, with the atmosphere filling with a sense of mutual acceptance and support.
And from there, the rest of the afternoon is spent sharing laughter and creating special memories.
Aegon plays with Aenar while Daeron and Helaena join in the fun, making your little one laugh with every quip and funny face that Aegon especially makes.
Alicent and Rhaenyra also join in, creating a connection with Aenar and showing him affection, while Aemond and you watch it all sitting together on the couch, each with a smile on your lips.
Until the visit comes to an end and the family says goodbye with expressions of gratitude and affection. Helaena is the one who insists on exchanging numbers to stay in touch, while she along with Alicent and Aegon promise to visit again soon.
It's a bit hard for Alicent to want to let go of Aenar, but eventually she does and then Aemond and you finish picking up and sorting all of Aenar's scattered toys.
Until it's also time for Aemond to leave.
"Thank you for this day. It was amazing and better than I could have hoped for. Even mom loves you more than she ever loved me."
You smile in his direction sincerely, laughing softly.
"It was nothing, Aemond. It was all very nice. Your family was very kind and Aenar had a great time."
"Yes," he murmurs as he watches his little boy adoringly and then turns his gaze back to you, "Still, thank you... for everything."
You see the intent in his gaze, also in his body, the way he fights it, catching your attention and being a bit amused at it, then moving towards him and wrapping your arms around his neck, hugging him.
Surprised and definitely not expecting that, Aemond doesn't take long to reciprocate your embrace, a little hesitantly at first but he does, slipping his arms around your waist and pulling you close against him.
A sigh escapes his lips as he closes his eye, feeling that warmth in his body and that almost happiness at the sensation of having you close again.
He had missed it.
The embrace conveys a mutual support and understanding, also a kind of affection that Aemond can't quite decipher.
But honestly at that moment he doesn't mind and allows himself to enjoy and seize every moment of this feeling, knowing that he may not be able to have you again soon in this way, before you both part and he drives to his apartment.
Regular visits from the Aemond family to your home become a pleasant daily moment. Each encounter brings laughter, love and a sense of family unity.
Aenar, with his contagious laughter, becomes the center of attention, further strengthening family bonds.
The bond between Aenar and his relatives grows stronger over time, so his extended family becomes fully involved in his growth and development. Laughter and play fill the halls of your home, creating precious memories.
Eventually you also meet the rest of Aemond's family as well as Aenar, like Daemon Targaryen, who is definitely a bit more intimidating than Otto Hightower. But once Daemon feels confident, he's the coolest guy.
You also meet Aemond's cousins, the twins Baela and Rhaena, Daemon's daughters, who are extremely kind and sweet to you.
And you also meet Rhaenyra's sons, Jace, Luke and Joffrey, where eventually she also introduces you to her youngest children, Aegon and Viserys.
Your relationship with each member of the Targaryen-Hightower family develop into genuine friendships. Helaena, Rhaenyra and Alicent become confidants and allies to Aenar's shared upbringing.
The complicity between the women in the family is supportive and builds a safe and loving environment for Aenar and the rest of the children.
Until, on occasion, you decide to take Aenar to the majestic Targaryen-Hightower mansion. The incredible residence becomes a second home for him, who explores every corner with curiosity and becomes familiar with the new walls.
Aegon, as the older brother he is, becomes his second protective figure. Together they share adventures through the mansion's extensive gardens and enjoy playing with Legos blocks or his plastic carts.
With Helaena, she connects with Aenar through her charm and utterly beautiful aura, always playing with him, carrying him in her arms and telling him fantasy stories with gestures and figures.
And with Daeron, Aenar loves it when he watches his favorite cartoons with him. Also eventually Aenar becomes his weakness, as he always fills him with more toys and always thinks of him to give him everything that makes him happy, even food.
And when Aenar cries, Daeron is the first of the siblings to come to him, slightly concerned and immediately wanting to make him feel good.
Meanwhile, your relationship with Aemond, while not resuming the romance of the past, transforms into a serene, enjoyable and respectful one. Aenar's upbringing becomes the main point of building his future and lacking nothing.
Although memories of the painful past persist, both have learned to cope and accept it, in order to move forward.
And eventually, in a significant moment and one that lasted hours of conversation between Aemond and you, also one that was an arduous process of documentation and much waiting, a culmination of a stage of your life is realized that further solidifies the unique connection between Aenar, Aemond and you.
A recognition that brings with it a clear message of commitment and love for the future of your family. The significant moment when Aemond asks for your permission to legally recognize his child and you allow him to do so.
It was not something you had to think about too much, as Aemond has shown you so much and the emotion in his eyes through his tears when you said yes, only further confirmed the fact that you were not making a wrong decision.
And everyone in the family celebrates when Aemond's last name is added to your son's name and he is finally named Aenar Targaryen.
general taglist:
@imaegonstargaryenswife0 @bellstwd @gibbsgirl7 @toodlesxcuddles @imsoshygirl @croatianprincess @gemini-mama @a-little-roony-mara @mysteris-things @zenka69 @at-a-rax-ia @fan-goddess @duds31 @urmomsgirlfriend1 @eternally-passionate @bellaisasleep @ttkttt @aemshaircare @mellowdreamlandpost-blog @noodle81937 @mooncalvin @queenofshinigamis @n4tforlife @vexladin @dixie-elocin @wotcherpeak @watercolorskyy @shiny-trashs-blog @strangersunghoon @elysian0612 @skzenhalove @iloveallmyboys @cakescupcakesminicookies
#aemond targaryen#aemond targaryen x reader#aemond targaryen x you#aemond fanfiction#aemond targaryen fanfic#aemond targaryen x y/n#hotd aemond#aemond x fem!reader#aemond x oc#aemond x reader#aemond one eye#aemond targaryen angst#aemond x y/n#modern hotd#modern au#modern aemond
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when he loved me- e.m
Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader
Summary: the one where you feel eddie begin to pull away from you
Warnings: ANGST, falling out of love, misunderstanding, hurt, eddie being a total sweetie at the end, fluffy & cheesy ending
Request: No
Word Count: 3.6k
A/N: inspired by the song “when she loved me” from toy story 2 because i swear every time i listen to my sad sava playlist and that one comes on i’m a fucking bawling mess and thought it could be a cool fic with a twist at the end. benny’s and star court still exist so it isn’t canon but fanfic doesn’t have to be. also, this fic is set in the winter of 85’ and leading into the early days of ’86. one last thing, reader may be a junior but she’s around steve’s age, just for clarification :) enjoy! -sava
Part of you knew this day would come sooner or later, not realizing you got caught up in the grand scheme of the feelings of young love until it slowly starting inching out of your life. The fleeting feeling of dissipating love stretching you thinner and thinner, now becoming a shriveled lump standing the the corner of the parking lot of Hawkins High.
The school bell had just rung and the swarm of students began flowing into the parking lot, ready to celebrate the next two weeks off of school for the holiday break and come back to a fresh year and a fresh semester of classes. Laughter and screams of joy fill the lot as your peers say their goodbyes for the time being, the promises catching up at the annual holiday party held by Jason Carver lingering in the cool Indiana wind.
You’re body stays motionless as you watch cars fly past you out of the lot, a familiar lanky metalhead slinking along to his van catching your eye before you turn on your heel. His face is full of happiness as he opens the driver door with no hesitation. Not even a glance around the paved lot in search of you, something that used to be so common place between you two.
The resident ‘freak’ of Hawkins became your boyfriend at the beginning of the previous school year, with the start of his second attempt at a senior year and your only attempt at a junior year. He practically swept you off your feet with his naturally seductive charm paired with his eccentric and carefree personality. You were instantly hooked on the drug that was one Eddie Munson.
Days spent together laughing and exploring with one another quickly turned into relaxing evenings full of cigarette smoke and lazy makeout sessions on his bed in his uncle’s trailer, the two of you growing fond of one another quite fast and letting the thrill of teenage love keep you up at night. He invaded your mind like a sick plague, tossing and turning in your bed at night dreaming of Eddie and what the two of you would do the next time you’d meet up. It was an unhealthy obsession that made your heart flutter and love seep deep into your bones.
Which is why the last few weeks of quick glances and unspoken tension left you feeling queasy.
Weekly Saturday date nights had become less and less frequent, between being stood up at Benny’s Diner and the movie theater at Starcourt, or just a quick last minute cancellation phones call began to make your mind race. Part of you wanted to push any doubts you had down and just ask your boyfriend why he was being so flaky, but it’s hard to talk to someone who won’t hardly even look at you.
Conversations begun dwindling fast, and the lingering touches the two of you shared between classes and at lunch stopped all together. You weren’t sure if you had somehow managed to piss the metalhead off, but even the boys of Hellfire were beginning to pick up on his strange behavior. They attempted to reassure you that there was nothing you did wrong, but whenever you would try milking any kind of explanation out of them, the group would fall silent or quickly change topics, either keeping you out of the loop or also being as clueless as you were, you weren’t sure.
Your Friday nights spent at Hellfire had stopped as of last week, not really feeling up for sitting in a silent room aside from the instructions from your Dungeon Master with so much tension in the air you couldn’t even cut it with a knife. The cafeteria where you shared many memories at your favorite table surrounded by your favorite people became a sickening sight, opting to eat the little food you packed for a lunch in the sanctuary of the school library, thanks to the kindness of the librarian you’d befriended recently.
The squeaking sound of the tires attached to his van pulls you back to reality momentarily, watching as he exits the lot and leaving you in the dust. With a sigh, you turn on your heel and head in the opposite direction, beginning the trek back to your own home on the opposite side of town from Eddie’s trailer.
The rational part of your brain was telling you to run back and try to catch the bus, knowing the cool wind nipping at your sensitive skin would most likely give you a cold if you kept walking. But you were at the point in your life where you just didn’t care. With the school break starting, you could take the next two weeks to retreat in the comfort of your bed and put on the best Oscar-winning acting performance of your life when your family arrived in town within the coming days, pretending that you weren’t a miserable ball of constant anxiety as you kept waiting for the time to come for Eddie to finally approach you again, only to break things off officially.
You knew he had big dreams ahead of him. Tuesday nights at the Hideout were beginning to draw in more of a crowd from surrounding towns, with a record deal or agent coming to scoop them up in just a matter of moments. He would leave this town and never look back, only the occasional visit to see his uncle who has treated him right since day one.
And you? You’d go off to college somewhere, despite wanting to drop everything and follow him on the road to fame and success. Applications went out in a few different directions all over the country, you were just waiting for one of them to bite back and accept you with open arms. The dread you used to feel about leaving for college has slowly started to become an after thought, knowing it’ll be much easier to say goodbye and start fresh with the way things were looking between you and your boyfriend. The pain wouldn’t be as unbearable as the day he’d cut the last remaining thread that was clinging to the both of you, keeping this relationship tethered together.
After a little over an hour of walking, you pull open the front door of your house and immediately relish in the warmth surrounding you. Kicking off your converse, you climb your way up the stairs and walk into your bedroom, shutting the door behind you and throwing your backpack down on the floor with a thud. Your body was still shivering from the long journey back from school, prompting you to immediately jump in your bed and bundle up in your nest of blankets.
Just as you felt yourself finally getting comfortable and the shivers coming to a halt, you hear the phone seated on your nightstand ring. With a groan, you lift one of your arms out of the cocoon you made for yourself and pick up the bright yellow phone, holding it up to your hear with a huff and mumbling a quick ‘hello’.
“Y/N, hey, it’s Dustin. I was wondering if you and Eddie could give me a ride to Hellfire tonight? I tried calling Eddie but he won’t pick up, so I assumed that maybe you both hanging out at your house,” the curly haired freshman questions you. You let out a soft sigh and turn on your side, getting a better position closer to the tethered phone.
“Yeah, Eddie’s not here. But um, I’m not going to Hellfire tonight. I would suggest trying Eddie again or asking Mike,” you answer.
“What? But you missed last week already! You know Eddie is strict on attendance within the party-“
Dustin was a sweet kind who always meant well, it was a fact you were quick to pick up on when the school year started and Eddie roped them into the club, claiming they were just lost sheep who needed a proper home, which is very true. But the boy also wasn’t the best with boundaries, and you weren’t too thrilled about his insistence on the attendance policy Eddie set in place.
“Yeah well I really don’t give a shit what Eddie thinks at the moment,” you snap. There’s a long pause, the silence over the line making you want to bang your head against the wall for having an attitude with the young member. “Shit-I’m sorry Dustin, I didn’t mean to snap towards you.”
“It’s alright…but is there something going on with you and Eddie? The other members and I have noticed your absence at lunch and how weird things have been. I just want to make sure you’re okay,” he explains to you, raising your spirits a tiny bit.
“I honestly don’t know what’s going on, I wish I had a better answer for you. But you don’t have to worry about me Dustin, I’ll be fine. Whatever the outcome may be,” you tell him, the last sentence coming out much softer than the others.
“Okay, just making sure.”
“Thanks kid. I hope you find a ride, have fun,” you say, and quickly put the phone back on the console, a sharp ‘ding’ echoing in the room. You throw your head back against your pillow and stare at the ceiling for a good few minutes before closing your eyes and letting sleep overtake your consciousness.
———————————————————————————————
A soft sudden tap against the window coaxes you awake, blinking a few times in your current spot before sitting up right in your comfy bed and directing your attention to the noise. You feel as if your eyes are deceiving you as you watch your metalhead boyfriend knocking against the glass, his feet perched on the roof that sat outside your window.
You felt your stomach drop as you continued to look at him, a lump quickly forming in your throat as you throw the covers off your tired body and begin making your way towards the window.
The day you’d been dreading was finally happening.
Eddie Munson was here to finally cut the remaining ties that held your relationship together. He was here to kick you out of Hellfire and break your heart, all in one fell swoop.
You pause for a moment and direct yourself towards the side table you kept by your door, all the important things you always needed before leaving the house finding a home on the surface. You pull out a box on the lower level of the table, the collection of Eddie’s things you kept at your house all in one convenient location. He’d probably be wanting this back right about now, considering some of his favorite band t-shirts and a few signature jewelry pieces resided in the cardboard box.
Walking back to the window with the box in hand, you set it on your desk and undo the latches of your window, sliding the inner portion up and feeling the cool air meet your skin once more.
“Hi,” he lets out, a smile situated on his face as his hot breath collides with the cold Hawkins air. You’re quick to cross your arms, feeling as if you need to retreat in yourself and look towards your feet rather than meeting his gaze.
“Hi,” you muster out.
“You gonna let me in? I might just freeze to death out here baby,” he asks you, his big brown eyes widening into a puppy dog gaze when you look up at him.
“Probably not the best idea, you don’t plan on even being here that long, do you?” you question. His eyebrows furrow at your words, his nose scrunching ever so slightly as the silence is quick to fall between the two of you, but he quickly shakes out of the negative expression.
“Well Henderson told me you weren’t feeling up for the meeting tonight, and thought maybe I should come and check on you since you’ve now missed two meetings back to back. Is everything okay?” He asks, repositioning himself a little.
Damn Dustin with his lack of boundaries. You might just end up hurting the kid. But not before you hurt the man in front of you. Is everything okay, is he fucking serious right now? You truly couldn’t comprehend what was going through his mind. Was he being purposefully obtuse or did he really not notice you over the past few weeks?
“Are you actually ser-never mind,” you let out a harsh sigh and turn away from him for a brief moment, grabbing the box of his things and shoving it in his hands. “I assume this is the real reason you’re here, right?”
“Baby, Christmas isn’t for another couple of days, I’m not ready for the gift exchange,” he tells you, trying to hand the box back to you, but you hold your hand out to stop him.
“This isn’t a Christmas gift. It’s all the stuff you’ve left at my place over the past year and some months,” you explain to him.
“Okay now I’m lost sweetheart. Can I please come inside though? So we can properly talk?” Eddie asks, trying to step through the threshold of your bedroom window but you’re quick to stop his actions once more.
“Eddie just stop, please! I really don’t want to be broken up with in the comfort of my own home,” you blurt out. His features go from confused to sad in a matter of seconds, looking like a kicked puppy who was left on the side of the road.
You bring your hands up to your head and begin massaging your temples, the frustration building inside you beginning to effect the areas of your body most vulnerable to stress. You really weren’t in the mood to have this discussion right now. Frankly, you’d never be ready for this discussion, but you knew it had to happen at some point.
“You think I’m breaking up with you?”
“Eddie you cannot be fucking serious right now. Why else would you start pulling away from me? Cancelling dates, stoping giving me rides to school, ignoring my fucking existence? I know when someone is falling out of love with another, I’ve seen it happen to Steve when he and Nancy were dating,” you explain to him.
Without hesitation, he tosses the box of his things up on your desk and pulls himself inside your room, much to your protest. He stalks over you and crouches down, trying to meet your gaze as your eyes find purchase on the floor again.
“Baby, can you please look at me? I don’t want to break up with you, not ever in a million years,” his voice soft as he reaches for your chin. You pull away and turn your back towards him, Eddie throwing his hands up in a surrender pose that you see in your floor length mirror. He lets out a defeated sigh and runs his hands through his hair, worry etched across his face.
He began to pace around your small bedroom, muttering incoherent sentences under his breath as he bites at his fingernails, something he swore he never did unless it was the only possible thing that could sooth his frayed nerves, turning to weed or a cigarette instead. But he knew you couldn’t have the lingering smell of nicotine or the wretched marijuana smell in your home, your parents might actually kill you.
‘Fuck it’ Eddie thought, stopping in his tracks and turning his attention towards you. You watch from the mirror as his body disappears behind you. Your brows twist in confusion as you turn around to see what in the world he could possibly be doing, only to be met with his figure kneeling before you, one leg resting against the plush carpet of your room while the other knee pressed firmly into it, his fingers fumbling through the pockets of his vest and jacket before pulling out a small black velvet box.
“Oh my god, Eddie what are you doing-“
“This,” he opens the small box and presents you with a diamond ring seated between two satin cushions, the color similar to the box itself. The ring had a simple stone attached to a plain band, the diamond cut into the shape of a heart and measuring in at a quarter of a carat, but beautiful nonetheless. “This is why I’ve been acting do dodgy.”
Your hands fly to your mouth, covering the gasp you let out as you took in the image before you, the beautiful ring and the soft vulnerable expression resting on Eddie’s face. You shake your head as you feel tears begin to prick at your eyes, truly and utterly shocked by his actions.
“Eddie you totally suck at proposing!” You exclaim, removing your hands from your mouth and letting out a sigh, your hands running through your hair in frustration.
“This isn’t how I planned on asking you! I had this whole thing planned and then you started saying shit about breaking up today and I panicked!” He matches your energy, standing from his position. Your eyes meet his and another sigh slips past your lips. “I had this reservation at Enzo’s for literally tomorrow, and w-we were gonna go to Skull Rock, where we had our first date! And I was gonna do it there, I promise this was not in the plan.”
“Eddie, how did you even afford this? A beautiful ring and a dinner at Enzo’s? Baby that place is expensive,” you interrogate, willing yourself to rest for a moment and plop down on your bed. Eddie stands before you, the tiny box still open in his hand, ring staring directly at you.
“That’s one of the reason’s I’ve been so dodgy too. See, to afford this amazing ring for my beautiful girlfriend, hopefully turned fiancé, I picked up some extra dealing jobs and even found some side jobs over the course of the past few weeks. We’re talking actual manual labor, sweetheart,” he explains to you, bouncing down to look at your face, with his feet resting on the ground. You meet his gaze through your lashes, a pout pressed upon your lips.
“I picked this baby up today and the reservations at Enzo’s were made a week ago. I promise baby, you’re it for me. I-I know we’re young and not even out of high school yet, but I need you in my life forever, I love you so much. I’m sorry I acted like an ass with neglecting you, but you know I can’t keep anything from you! Our relationship is an open book and if I spent too much time around you, I’d spill the beans and the whole plan would’ve been ruined.”
“You really mean all that?” You ask him. He grabs hold of your chin lightly and tilts it, getting a better look at your sad eyes.
“Every fuckin’ word, sweetheart,” he promises, leaning forward and capturing your lips with his soft ones. Without a second thought, you melt into his touch, bringing your hand to his cheek and resting it on the delicate skin as you deepen the kiss. Tearing yourself away quick, the pout you had earlier quickly makes another appearance, your brows twisting in a bit of anger.
The lingering sense of guilt began washing over you, embarrassment quickly following at the realization of the misunderstanding settling in. Part of you did feel bad, especially seeing the reaction Eddie had when you tried giving him his stuff back, as if he’s been punched in the gut, like he did in the school parking lot at the beginning of the school year when Jason Carver inserted himself in your business, where he definitely didn’t belong.
But another part of you kept telling yourself that you had no idea. When someone acts standoffish and neglectful like Eddie had been, what else were you supposed to think? It wasn’t like the two of you could talk about the situation, because he wouldn’t reach out to you anymore. Even the Hellfire boys didn’t know what was going on. You thought, now knowing the circumstances of his odd behavior, he would’ve confided in Jeff or Gareth, but no. He kept everyone in the dark, at least from what you thought.
“You really did hurt me, you know?”
“I know baby, and I regret treating you so badly. I will do whatever you want me to in order to make it up to you and show you that I. Love. You,” he tells you, peppering kisses all over your face, a giggle escaping your mouth.
You take his hands in yours and stand to your feet, bringing him up with you. The two of you stare at one another, foreheads pressed together and basking in each other’s presence under the soft moonlight that creeped through the open window.
“I’m not accepting, just to let you know,” you announce. Eddie pulls away from you, his happy, blissful demeanor quickly fading with a frown slapping across his face and his eyes growing as wide as dinner plates.
“W-wait, what-“ you bring a finger to his lips, shutting him up.
“Let me speak Munson. I want you to actually ask me, just like you had planned. My answer will come to you tomorrow,” you tell him, closing the box with a snap and looking at him with soft eyes. His features twist back to what they were, the grin creeping along his lips forming the cute dimples on his cheeks you so desperately loved.
“Plus it gives me time tomorrow to go find a nice outfit and get my nails done.”
#stranger things#stranger things fanfiction#stranger things imagine#stranger things angst#stranger things fluff#stranger things x reader#eddie munson#eddie munson angst#eddie munson fluff#eddie munson x reader#eddie munson x you#eddie munson x y/n#eddie munson fanfic#eddie munson fanfiction#fanfiction#fanfic#steve harrington#dustin henderson#nancy wheeler#fluff#cute#cheesy#angst#when she loved me#song fic
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our little remedy
Pairing: Aether x f!Reader x Mountain
Rating: Explicit
18+ ONLY MINORS DO NOT INTERACT
Tags: threesome, PinV sex, anal sex, weed smoking, ghouls being tender as always, Cumulus and Dew cameos
Words: 2,416
Summary: Two ghouls at once was unprecedented for you. But you love a challenge.
a/n: PART 5 BABY HORNY HOURS ARE NOW the way i would let aether and mountain absolutely destroy me...whew
~~~
“Mm…’Lus…I have kitchen duties.”
The ghoulette smiles against your lips and pushes you further into the doorframe. Clearly she pays your concern no mind as she slides her hand into your hair, claws scratching lightly at your scalp.
“Not finished with you yet, my love,” she purrs, hand sliding down to cup your ass. A low wolf whistle comes from the hallway and the two of you part, brows furrowed. Dewdrop is leaning against the door opposite Cumulus’, wearing the biggest shit-eating grin you’ve ever seen. Cumulus lets out a little growl that makes your breath hitch.
“We’re busy, fuck off,” she snarls at him, gripping your hips and frowning.
“Oh I know,” he says slyly, “heard you both loud and clear last night. And you didn’t invite me?” His lips slide into a faux-pout and Cumulus looks like she’s going to launch at him.
“Dew, fuck off,” you say simply in an effort to de-escalate the situation, “and mind your business. ‘Lus, I have to go.” She looks so damn sad, tail flicking lowly behind her. Squeezing her hands you lean over and give her two kisses on her cheek and one achingly sweet one on her plush lips. Dew at least has the decency to look away as you give her a meaningful stare. She sighs and relinquishes your hands.
“If you must,” she says, giving Dew a sideways dirty look.
“Bye, love,” you murmur. “Goodbye, Dewdrop,” you say, brushing his shoulder affectionately as you pass.
You hurry down the hall to make sure you don’t witness any ghoul-on-ghoul violence. It’s still too early in the day for that.
—
A week passes, filled with duties both tedious and enjoyable, and you find yourself heading to the common room on your floor. You’ve earned the ire of your fellow siblings after the invasion of ghouls in the space but quite frankly you couldn’t care less. You walk in and immediately register a conversation.
“I don’t think she can handle it.”
Mountain is sitting on the couch, joint in hand speaking to Aether, who sits in a chair opposite with his feet propped up on an ottoman. You loudly deposit your bag in a chair and sidle over to them.
“Who can’t handle what?” It’s not like you to be this nosy but you and the ghouls had become close over the past few months and they seemed to prefer bluntness. Plopping yourself on the couch next to Mountain, you give them both a look. Mountain takes a deep drag from his joint and passes it to you.
“Can’t handle us,” he says simply, exhaling smoke.
You don’t have to ask for clarification - you’ve picked up on what he means.
“Took Cumulus’ strap,” you say, not without a little pride. Aether grins wickedly and winks at you.
“We heard,” he chuckles, watching you take a hit. “Been thinking about those sweet noises you made that night for days now.”
You cough a little on your exhale, making Mountain smile.Your cheeks are burning from the way they both look at you.
“Do you want it?” Mountain queries, accepting the joint back from you. “Both of us?”
Lust simmers low in your stomach as the weed pulls through your system.
“Yeah,” you breathe, biting your lip. Aether’s eyes fly to where your teeth tug on flesh and you see his fists clench. Mountain stands, positively towering over you and you crane your neck to look up at him. Aether follows suit, looming, and you turn your gaze to him.
Oh absolutely, you think.
As if reading your mind, Aether extends a hand and pulls you off the couch.
“Yours?” he asks Mountain as the three of you walk towards the door.
“Yeah. Bed’s bigger.”
–
Once again you find yourself in the ghoul den, standing at the threshold of Mountain’s room. He’s right - his bed is massive. The room is decorated with crawling vines and beautiful blooms and idly you wonder how he cares for them in such a dark space. Aether slides his hands around your waist from behind you as Mountain closes the door, making you jump a little.
“Easy,” he purrs, leaning forward to inhale deep at the crown of your head. When you turn in his arms to face him he’s gazing down at you with a soft expression, even with his pupils blown. Suddenly gripped with desire you slide your palm along his jaw and raise yourself on tiptoes to capture his lips. You whimper against him as he deepens the kiss, sliding his tongue against yours. As he devours you, he guides you backwards towards the bed, where Mountain is sitting. Upon your approach he stands and you slip from Aether’s grasp to enter his. He’s too tall for you to reach so you grab the front of his shirt, pulling him down to your level. When he slides a hand down to bring your hips against him, you moan at the feeling of his hardened cock resting against you.
“Beautiful, isn’t she?” Aether asks from behind you as he strips himself. You want to turn to look at him but Mountain grips your chin in his hand, forcing you to look up.
“She’s perfect,” he murmurs. Your flush continues to spread across your body and you’re filled with such emotion not only for the both of them, but for all the ghouls. They’ve been so kind to you, so loving - more so than anyone else you’ve met during your time at the abbey. Mountain must see the tears welling in your eyes because he sits, bringing you back to eye level with him.
“You’re perfect,” he repeats, and Aether echoes him before wrapping his arms around you once more. You’re finally distracted from emotion by the feeling of Aether’s lips on your neck as his hands slip the buttons of your habit loose. Mountain helps his effort, sliding the garment down and off your body until you stand before the both of them in your bra and panties.
“C’mon, Mountain,” Aether says, lips on your shoulder.
“Your turn,” you smile at him as he begins to remove his shirt and pants. As he is occupied with that task, you feel Aether unhook your bra and a shiver runs through you as his large hands slip down your body to remove your underwear. When you’re finally nude, you turn to face him and gasp. He’s gorgeous - big, strong, dusted with hair and his cock juts out proudly. He’s nowhere near as long as Swiss but he’s thick - so thick your body aches at the thought of being filled by him.
“You like it?” he asks, bringing a hand down to idly stroke himself.
“Mmhmm,” you respond, stepping towards him and sliding a hand into the hair on his chest. He purrs contentedly as he moves his hand to your breast, teasing your nipple into hardness. You lean into his touch, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of him fondling you when you realize Mountain has gone untouched. You turn to face him and your jaw hangs open. He’s already reclined on the bed, slowly stroking his (unbelievably big, you think) cock.
“Don’t stop on my account,” he says with a grin as the two of you make your way towards him.
“Didn’t want you to feel neglected,” you say as you kneel on the duvet. Slowly, you climb over him and swing your leg to straddle him. Leaning forward, you kiss him slowly, letting his cock drag between the two of you as you work your mouth over his. When you shift forward to drag him through your folds, you hear Aether moan behind you. You turn to beckon him and he kneels onto the bed behind you, mouthing at your shoulder blade. With every roll of your hips Mountain’s gaze darkens, and he grips you hard.
“Gonna fill you up,” he growls, making a surge of wetness slide out of you. “Both of us.”
Unable to handle the teasing drag of his cock against your clit any longer, you sit precariously up on your knees and take him in hand. You can barely wrap your fist around him and you feel a swoop of anxiety. Mountain seems to sense your nervousness and slides his hands to your waist, gazing up at you. When you position yourself above him, you take a deep breath before slowly lowering yourself on him. The stretch is divine, and you hear yourself whimper as you continue to ease him inside you. You finally take him to the base, and Mountain’s eyes roll back in his head. You’re content to sit there for a moment, simply enjoying the feeling of being full, when you feel Aether behind you sliding his hands up to your breasts.
“Look at you take him,” he breathes, pinching your hardened nipples. “How does it feel?”
Gently, you roll your hips a little and moan at the sensation.
“Good,” you say, head falling back against Aether’s shoulder as you repeat the motion, “so good.”
You lift yourself up enough almost for the entirety of Mountain to slip out of you and then bring yourself down. His hips jerk upwards to hit that beautiful spot inside of you. Slowly, you begin to ride him and he grips your hips, claws digging into you.
“Fuck, that’s it,” Mountain growls, thrusting up into you with every roll of your hips, “just like that.”
Aether continues to play with your tits, breath hot in your ear as you arch backwards against him. When he pulls away for a moment to grab something on the dresser behind him, you whine at the loss. He returns, murmuring sweet nothings in your ear as his hand drifts down your body to rest on your ass. He spreads you open and you lean forward, arching your back. Gently, he brushes his thumb over your asshole and you buck backwards into his touch. You’ve stopped riding Mountain, too distracted by Aether, but Mountain continues to fuck into you at a steady pace. You hear a small pop from behind you and when Aether’s fingers return to brush over your hole, they’re warm and slick. Biting your lip you let him gently probe a finger into you and he coos in your ear.
“Feel good?” he asks, teasing your hole open until he’s knuckle deep.
Too full to think, you nod your head dumbly, pushing your hips back on his hand so his finger is completely inside of you.
“Good girl,” he purrs, making your cunt clench around Mountain, “can you take another?”
Mountain thrusts up particularly hard, causing you to cry out.
“Yes! Please, Aether,”
Slowly, Aether adds a second finger and you moan brokenly. He eases into you, lightly scissoring his fingers and the stretch makes your clit throb. Aether continues like this for several minutes as Mountain steadily thrusts into you. But it’s just not enough.
“Need you,” you whine over your shoulder. “Need your cock, Aether.”
When Aether slides his fingers out of you you let out a pathetic noise, only to have your cunt clench at the sound of Aether slicking his cock up behind you. When he presses the head against your hole, you arch your back into his touch. With a leisurely pace he slides into you and your jaw hangs open as he stretches you.
“So tight,” Aether hisses. “Isn’t she?”
Mountain grins from beneath you as your eyes roll back. The feeling of both of them inside of you, making you feel so full, practically makes you drool. When Aether begins fucking your ass at an unhurried pace, Mountain joins in. You can barely bring yourself to move, let alone think, as your body hunches over in pleasure.
“Fuck, love,” Aether groans, as his pace begins to pick up. Mountain matches his speed, making you throw your head back and moan again and again. It’s somehow both too much and not enough as you work their cocks, drinking in the desperate and hungry noises they make.
“Mountain,” you pant as your breasts bounce, slick with sweat. “Aether!”
“Fuck I’m gonna cum,” Mountain says breathlessly. “Don’t stop fucking her.”
Aether’s lips are on your shoulder as he obeys the other ghoul’s command. Mountain’s thrusts become frantic as you continue to ride him, despite the burn in your thighs. When he cums, it’s with a shout and you moan at the feeling of his seed pulsing into you and spilling out. You don’t stop after he’s finished and softening inside you, determined to chase your own high. Aether’s own thrusts are becoming haphazard and he reaches around you to cup your mound, fingers sliding through Mountain’s cum to rub your clit.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Aether pants, “cum on our cocks.”
You whine, desperate to reach your peak and feel Aether finish. All of a sudden, your orgasm hits you like a freight train and you’re crying out over and over as you clench Mountain’s softening cock and Aether’s hard one. It’s exactly what Aether needs to hear because all of a sudden he lets out a broken moan and cums into your hole in drawn out spurts. A moment passes, the only sound in the room being the collective panting of the three of you. When Aether slips himself out, you let out another, far smaller moan at the feeling of his seed sliding out of you and down your cunt to where you’re still joined with Mountain. Gently, Aether urges you off Mountain and picking you up, lays you down on the duvet. You barely register Aether leaving and heading towards the bathroom but when he returns and slips a warm, damp rag between your thighs you make a sweet sound of thanks. Mountain shifts himself over to make room for both you and Aether and you sigh contentedly.
“Well done,” Aether says in your ear.
“Thanks,” you say breathlessly, running your hand over Mountain’s chest. Both ghouls are purring and the sound sets you immediately at ease. Suddenly, you think of something that makes you laugh out loud. Both of them cock their heads at you quizzically and you rub your eyes.
“Dew,” you say, grinning, “Dew said he wanted to watch me take both your cocks. He’s going to be so disappointed he missed it.”
Aether loudly snorts and Mountain rolls his eyes.
“Don’t worry,” Aether grins against your shoulder. “There’s always next time.”
They don’t stop teasing you about your blush for a while.
#mountain x reader#aether x reader#mountain x reader x aether#nameless ghouls#mountain ghoul#aether ghoul#the band ghost#the band ghost fic#rachel writes
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Ultimate Masterlist
💜Rules and Guidelines
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Genre: Fluff|Smut
Pairing: MLM/MLF
Short Summary: A Stray Kids Kink Book with 31 Days' worth of plot
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Pairing: Stray Kids Song: Venom/Stray Kids Song: Charmer/Fem! Reader
Short Summary: Have you ever wondered what it's like to fuck a humanoid version of your favourite song? This is that unhinged fic.
Mini Log Series
Genre: Fluff|Ddlg/Mdlg
Pairing: Bang Chan/Lee Felix/Fem! Reader
Short Summary: Domestic scenes of Chanlix and their little. There will be praise, there will be punishments and most importantly, there will be tooth-rotting sweetness.
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Genre: Fluff|Smut
Pairing: Doctor! Lee Minho/Fem! Reader
Short Summary: Medical play with heavy tension. Lee Know wearing glasses and a doctor's coat is very attractive.
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Pairing: 3Racha/Short Fem! Reader
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Pairing: Kim Seungmin/Lee Minho
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Stray Kids Scenarios Series
Genre: Undetermined
Pairing: OT8/Reader
Content: Tucking You In|First Time: Calling Them by Their Title|Pillow Fort|Nightmare|When They Notice You Crying During Sex|Lost My Way|Types Of Spankings|Sneak In
Mirror
Genre: Fix-it Fic|Hurt/Comfort|Angst
Pairing: Father! Seo Changbin & Son! Bang Chan
Short Summary: Coming out is never easy but imagine coming out to your adult son. Changbin just wants to explain to his child why he divorced his mother and left for ten years.
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Short Summary: Hyunjin wanted nothing more than to get railed silly by Minho but before anything could've happened. Our tentacle friend from Chanlix's endeavours joins in.
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Genre: Fluff/Slight Angst/Smut
Paring: Fem Dom! Reader/Bang Chan/Lee Minho/Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Felix
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Pairing: Virgin! Reader/Bang Chan
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Genre: Fluff|Domestic|Age Regression
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Pairing: Hwang Hyunjin/Fem Dom Leaning! Reader
Short Summary: You drove home thinking it was just another day. Hyunjin wanted to try something new to spice things up, who else to ask except his beloved members to help him out?
Teacher's Pet
Genre: Fluff|Smut
Pairing: Hwang Hyunjin/Fem! Reader/Lee Minho
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Moral Of The Story Series
Genre: Hurt/Comfort|Angst
Pairing: OT8! Straykids/Fem! Reader
Short Summary: When a poly relationship starts turning cold, with regret, fear, and betrayal tying the strings of fate.
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Genre: Fluff|Smut
Pairing: Fem! Reader/Lee Felix
Short Summary: Dance practice ended early and Felix had pent up energy. Carving is a strong emotion to deny when it comes to handsome men who can't stop holding you against them.
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Genre: Fluff/Smut
Pairing: Lee Minho/Bang Chan/Fem! Reader
Short Summary: Movie night snacks are always essential. Who knew bumping into a wall would lead to this?
Guilty
Genre: Fluff/Smut
Pairing: Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Felix/Fem! Reader
Short Summary: What's a little bit of teasing, when you're dating two most sexually driven men with the sheer need to ruin you.
9th Little Member Series
Genre: Undetermined
Pairing: OT8/Reader
Short Summary: You always felt that being a little was troublesome for the group. Hiding it was the only option you had. But you forgot one thing, your members can see through everything.
I'll Be Your Man Series
Genre: Undetermined
Pairing: OT8/Reader
Short Summary: Chan always loved caring for his members' needs. When you came into his life, it was definite that he would prioritize yours as well. It didn't take long before he imagined you falling apart under their hands.
Stray Heart Untold Series
Genre: Fluff/Angst/Smut
Main Pairing: Bang Chan/Fem! Reader
Short Summary: Hero/Villain, betrayal enemies to lovers plot with world building and live writing ARG. Cause of writing: The 2023 5 Stars Trailer - Bang Chan.
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Genre: Fluff/Smut
Pairing: Bang Chan/Fem! Reader
Short Summary: All you wanted to do want watch a movie. You warned him, you told him it was slow. It's all his fault that his cock took over his brain.
#✧*̣̩⋆̩☽⋆𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘫𝘪𝘪 𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴✧*̣̩⋆̩☽⋆#straylovehaven#secretmoonlight#stray kids bangchan#bangchan x reader#bangchan x y/n#bang chan x y/n#bang chan x female reader#stray kids x female reader#minsung fanfic#minsung#jikook smut#jikook moodboard#stray kids bang chan#skz x you#skz x reader#skz x y/n#jungkook smut#felix smut#fluff smut#bts smut#kpop smut#stray kids x reader#lee know fanfic#lee know smut#lee know x reader#seo changbin smut#seo changbin x reader#seo changbin x you#hwang hyunjin x reader
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Sweet Truth - pt. 1
Summary ~ Mr. Choi, an arrogant and cold boss, learns the truth when visiting one of his employees house, Y/n. Who is someone he would like to be more close with. Yet the lack of emotions is a great obstacle for him he will have to do a lot to get to her heart.
Warnings ⚠️ ~ FLUFF ☁️, angst, may contain some smut in future parts, language, long (sorry) - enjoy!!
a/n - definitely turning this into a mini series! Yes I love this so much 💕 I TAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS, sorry for bad grammar
You know what’s more exhausting than working almost 10 hours a day and barely getting any sleep? Having a boss like Choi Seungcheol. Honestly! You could ask anybody in the company, everyone hated him. He was so cold and strict along with being a perfectionist. It would be surprising if he remembered your name. He had also earned my hatred, when I joined the company he packed me with work and sent me for coffees every chance he got. This man had an addiction to dark coffee bitter just like him, and not to forget the fact that he underestimated my abilities.
My thoughts were interrupted by the voices of my co-workers as they bowed their heads greeting Mr. Choi, I took the files that I needed him to sign, grabbing my iPad. He walked past the workers so arrogantly didn’t even look at them and into his office. I sighed quietly and went to his door knocking three times before entering slowly closing the door behind me.
He was focused on something on his computer as I got there, I noticed he was checking the company’s finances, and checking the graphs.
“Mr. Choi…I have some requests from other companies for partnerships…and about the products—” I started while setting the folders down on his desk, but he cut me off.
“I heard about the problem with the products…I’m going to need you to stay overtime today…we’ll look at it and try to fix it” he said, starting to look through the folders I gave him.
“Oh…” I said quietly, not realizing that my disappointment was noticeable. He looked up at me and frowned, his eyebrows confused.
“Any problem with that Miss…” he mumbled and I clenched my fist gently.
“Y/n. sir…” I responded helping him out, I already knew he wasn’t going to get my name right.
“And no, no problem at all sir…I’ll just have to cancel my plans tonight,” I said softly “Well I need to go check something and I’ll come back to start working on fixing the problem” I said and he just gave me a cold nod going back to his computer. Forming a thin line with my lips I slightly bowed and left his office.
A few workers had already left and it was past my work hours, so I grabbed my bag and my work things and head back to Mr. Choi’s office. This time I found him standing up with his hands on his desk leaning down revising some papers. I had to admit that Mr. Choi was a pain in the butt at times but that didn’t mean he wasn’t good looking. Small strands of his hair fell on his face, and he had his sleeves rolled up revealing his veiny arms decorated with his expensive watch. I gulped and moved a chair next to his like I always did when we worked together.
There wasn’t much conversation in the first 15 minutes, only things I needed clarifications with but that was until my phone turned on revealing a
Text Notification
Vernon 💛
It’s okay sweetie, we can move our date another day!
don’t overwork yourself! ❤️
I had not really taken the message in mind until Mr. Choi spoke, making me widen my eyes.
“Tell your boyfriend that you are busy, remember you need to be professional, you're still at work Miss Y/n” he grunted coldly. I took my phone quickly into my chest slowly.
“No…he isn’t…I mean sorry sir…” I said quickly looking at my phone, putting it on silent, putting it down faced down. I tried to concentrate again until it hit me.
“Miss Y/n.”
He had remembered without me repeating it to him. I looked at him for a few seconds and his head turned to look at me. I’m not joking when I said that we stayed there for a few seconds staring at each other. He cleared his throat and glanced at my iPad.
“what? get back to work” he mumbled.
-minutes later-
Checking the time it read 12 am. Shit. I was so tired and I was afraid of passing out in front of my boss. My eyes started to close but his typing made me come back again.
“Um…sir I think I finished…” I whispered moving my iPad to him covering my mouth hiding a yawn. He hummed and started to revise my work. Silence. His classical music plays in the background. His lights dimmed. Perfect to fall asleep.
My eyes closed again while waiting for him to finish and tell me to go home. He for sure was taking his damn time. My head started to fall slowly to the side, along with my body, my head slowly rested on his shoulder. It was warm and big, of course, and incredibly comfortable.
“Miss Y/n…” I heard far, far away. I hummed softly until I heard it again. Gasping loudly I sat up quickly getting up from my seat.
“Yes sir!” I said quickly pushing my hair back, I started to recall that I had fallen asleep on my boss’s shoulder.
“I’m so sorry Mr. Choi '' I said quickly, starting to rant an apology. He waved his hand gently assuring me multiple times that I didn’t need to worry. I felt a hige wave of embarrassment washing over me.
“I think it’s best if we call it a day huh?” he said in a different voice, it was now his deep voice but now more, friendlier? As much as I wanted to be professional I agreed with him and nodded. I started to pack up my things and so did he.
“Have a goodnight sir…” I said politely bowing and starting to walk out and he came right behind me.
“Wait, why don’t you let me drive you home?” He suggested making my tiredness go away.
“Um…what? Oh no sir…that…that could affect your reputation” I mumbled feeling my cheeks warm up.
He scoffed as we walked out.
“Please, there’s no buses going around at this hour and a taxi is unsafe for a lady like you…at least you can trust me don’t you think?” he said, looking at me. I gripped my bag strap and bit my lower lip taking in mind what he just said.
Was he helping me? I was actually scared to go out alone and of course I trusted him more than a taxi driver or anyone at this hour.
“Um…only this once, thank you…” I said softly following him to his car. I wasn’t surprised but my eyes still went wide seeing his Mercedes g63, it went so well with him I thought and his words replayed in my head, he wasn’t going to let a lady like me go out alone at this hour. That just made him so different from the arrogant boss during the day. No Y/n stop it! He is your boss, you can’t see him any other way!
The car ride was silent except when I told him my address, a few minutes later he parked in front of my house and I sighed tiredly gently rubbing my eyes, stretching slightly, then the door ioening and closing startled me. Mr. Choi had gotten out of the car and opened the door for me.
“Oh…um thanks…thank you…” I said getting out shyly “Well have a goodnight sir—”
“Y/n!” My mom called out coming out of my house. She made her way to us and hugged me before looking at Mr. Choi.
“Oh my my Y/n! He is handsome!” she exclaimed giggling and I froze.
“M-mom…stop…he—” I mumbled.
“He must be a co-worker of yours! Wait! Why don’t you both come in? I made some bibipam, we can also talk about that rude boss that you talk about Y/n!” she yelled, pulling us in.
At that point I wanted the earth to swallow me whole. She kept rambling all the mean things I had said about Seungcheol and I glanced at him, his eyes were slightly wide, but interested in the conversation.
“yes sweetie! You tell me he is such a pain at times and how arrogant he is” she said and I made a face at her.
“mom—” I mumbled, waving my hands to make her stop, but Seungcheol’s hand slowly stopped my hand taking it in his.
“No it’s fine…gone on ma’am…” he whispered, his face didn’t express anger but interest in the conversation, as my eyes darted to our hands. His large hand gently embracing mine, I was so confused.
“Oh you know, it’s Mr. Choi or something, he overworks my little daughter! She works so hard to impress him! What do you think about him, young man?” She asked, setting two bowls with warm soups on the table.
“Well ma’am I think I don’t really pay attention to the boss’s actions…” he said in a gentle tone to my mom as we took a seat and she sat down across from us.
After a few minutes later I was helping my mom clean up, and praying that I don’t get fired. Wiping the table I noticed Mr. Choi looked over the pictures on the shelves, and a thin smile came to my mind. Shaking my head. slightly I went over to him while my mom finished cleaning.
“Nice family” he mumbled, making me look at him.
“Huh? Oh y-yeah thank you sir…what about you I think you’ve lived a wonderful life,” I said smiling softly and he released a soft scoff.
“I wish… my parents divorced and my relationship with my father isn’t that good…I think that’s why I try so hard…” he started still staring at my family photos.
“Oh I’m really sorry sir…I didn’t” I quickly added apologetically.
“It’s fine, sorry I shouldn’t be ranting about my personal life…um I should get going…” he said looking at me before checking his watch, earning a nod from me I followed him outside walking him to his car.
“Um thank you again for giving me a ride home Sir…” I said bowing my head. He gave me a soft smile and responded.
“Call me Seungcheol…” he mumbled. I looked up in shock. “It’s nothing but call me Seungcheol, let’s start from there…” he said, his eyes fixed on me, I could feel my cheeks heating up.
“Oh um start what Mr. Choi? I mean…S-Seungcheol?” I asked shyly and he placed his hands in his pockets.
“Let’s start with me not being a pain in the butt and an arrogant stupid boss…” he said recalling my mom’s words.
“I’m really sorry sir—” I spoke quickly but he beat me to it.
“Don’t be…That way I can see the things that need to be fixed for me to be a good boss and well…impress someone…” he said and he seemed to admire me for a moment. I gently clenched my fist in a soft ball. He slowly opened his mouth looking like he wanted to say something important to me.
His eyes scanned me for a few seconds. I tried to not get my hopes up. The words he said next were so shocking…
To Be Continued…
Part II
#seventeen#svt scoups#scoups x reader#scoups x y/n#svt fluff#svt smut#choi seungcheol#seungcheol imagines#svt imagines#scoups#seungcheol scenarios#Spotify
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TVT Adminpocalypse
TW: transphobia, acephobia, bullying, suicide
Hey, for those of you not aware, TV Tropes has gotten very bad in the last six or so months. I'll do my best to give a short summary.
2022: Fighteer, a mod notorious for using his post to bully others, takes a self-imposed leave after several users call him out on this pattern of behavior. Due to user backlash at general moderator behavior, a mod code of conduct was established. While self-enforced, the moderator discussion thread existed, in part, to discuss future incidents.
September 2023: User AgProv is suspended for calling Dylan Mulvaney a man. In his appeal, he tries to get around the issue by using they/them pronouns. Though Mulvaney uses both she/her and they/them, as this appeal was clearly done in bad faith, AgProv had been bounced from the site. A few hours later, however, Kory, a site programmer, unilaterally overrides the bounce on behalf of otherwise non-present site owners, citing he was a productive user with several edits. When called out on this, Kory doubled down, using thumps and suspensions to shut down conversation. Notably, AgProv was later suspended for messy editing, but to this day has not needed to appeal his transphobia suspension through the typical process.
youtube
Later that month: Fighteer is asked back by the admins, citing a need for manpower. Fighteer's "apology" amounts to being burnt out and justifying his meanness as being an "equal opportunity" bad cop. He promises to step back from areas of the site where he'd been an issue previously. This does not last. By the end of this one-two punch, the moderator discussion thread is reworked into a narrow policy clarification thread with issues of misconduct being exclusively handled by emailing the admins.
Past seven days: Fighteer makes a post in the social media thread stating that people threatening suicide over a possible TikTok ban should just do it. In another post, he considered this an act of terrorism. These post were thumps, but no other visible disciplinary action was taken. This is despite the US Politics thread being closed for celebrating the death of Henry Kissinger. Again, attempts at discussion were swiftly shut down. Notably, Kory all but stated that Fighteer, despite all the issues, was worth having as a mod.
So for anyone reading, consider spreading the word. While that alone won't fix the underlying problem of private tech companies pushing for content at the expense of user experience, if enough people, and especially, advertisers, catch wind of this, it may create enough of a PR disaster where the administrators will change course rather than quintuple down. For anyone who, understandably, does not wish to do that, then please, if you haven't already, get an ad blocker and make sure it's on for that site.
Thanks!
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Working on a survivor series fic for the trio so have this to tide y'all over until then.
Summary: Adam Pearce enlists the help of the Smackdown GM and her trio of boyfriends to handle Rhea Ripley and The Judgment Day.
You're sitting in your office enjoying lunch while answering a few work emails when someone knocks on the door.
"Come in." You call out, mouth half-full of food. "Adam? I wasn't expecting to see you today, Pearce. Did I miss an email about a meeting or something?" You swallow your food and glance at your laptop.
"No, no meeting." Pearce shakes his head and shuts the door behind him. "I saw you come in early and was hoping that we could chat. If you're not busy, of course." He explains.
You gesture to the empty seat in front of Adam and he takes a seat. You push your laptop off to the side of your desk and turn your attention to your fellow general manager. "I'm just having lunch, nothing important. So, what's up?" You ask him.
"Well, Y/N, if I'm being completely honest with you, I have a favor to ask of you." Pearce gets straight to the point.
"Oh?" You reply, curiosity piqued. "Alright, what can I do for you?" You ask him.
Pearce hesitates for a moment, unsure if he even wants to ask you for help. But he needs it. So he swallows his pride and gets to his point.
"I'm sure that you've been at least keeping up with Raw these past few months since I took over?" Pearce asks you and you nod. "Well, then you must know that Rhea Ripley and the rest of Judgment Day have been causing me grief." He adds.
"Oh yeah, I don't envy you there, Pearce." You tease him lightheartedly. "Kind of makes you miss dealing with Roman's BS, doesn't it?" You laugh.
Pearce lets out a small chuckle and shakes his head. "Not a chance in hell." He smiles at you. "But back to my point. I know that this must sound terribly desperate and in poor taste on my part. But, to be frank? I'm out of options."
"Alright." You nod. "So, what do you need me for?" You urge your colleague to get to the point already.
"Y/N, I'm here to ask if you'd consider helping me in handling Rhea and the rest of Judgement Day," Pearce explains.
Your eyebrows raise a bit in surprise. "Help you how exactly, Adam?" You prompt him.
"Rhea is the main problem that I'm facing, but as a man, there's only so much I can do when it comes to her behavior. But if a woman was to confront her. Specifically one in a position of power equal to my own. Then I believe that I might have a better chance of reigning her in." He explains.
"So essentially you want me to come over to Raw and put Ripley in her place?" You clarify for yourself. "Knock her down a beg so she's not such a pain in the ass for you all the time?"
Pearce nods and confirms your clarification. You study his face and can tell that there's something more that he'd like to ask you.
"Yes, essentially," Adam confirms. "I was also hoping that you might enlist a certain trio to aid with Damian, Finn, Dominik, and JD." He adds suggestively.
"Right." You crack a smile. "Well, you do seem desperate coming to me for help." You tease Pearce with a smile. "So, I'd love to help out, Adam."
Pearce seems slightly surprised by your willingness to help him out. "Really? Thank you, Y/N." He smiles eagerly at you.
"Of course, Adam. What are friends for? Just let me make a quick phone call." You pick up your phone and dial a number. "Hey, yeah I know I'm at work right now. Listen, I need you to come down to my office right now...Yes for work." You roll your eyes. "Mhm, and bring the two stooges with you. Alright, thanks. Mhm, love you too, bye."
You hang up the phone and turn back to Adam waiting patiently for your conversation to continue. "They'll be here soon." You inform him.
"That fast?" Adam replies.
"What can I say?" You giggle. "They're good boys. Always come when called." You joke.
You chat with Pearce for a while and finish up your lunch. Then, around half an hour later, a knock sounds at the door again.
"Come in!" You shout and turn your attention to the door.
"I grabbed Waller and Theory from the gym. So what's up sweetheart? What did you need all three of us for?" Knight walks into the room first and is quick to spot Adam sitting behind the desk with you. "What's Pearce doing here?"
You wait for Grayson and Austin to both file into the room after Knight. Austin shuts the door behind him and the two turn their attention on you before you speak up.
"Thank you for getting here so fast, Shaun, sweetie. And picking up Gray and Austin for me." You thank him with a smile.
"Yeah, no problem, hun." Knight nods. "So, are you going let us in on what you've got going on here?" He asks you.
Austin and Grayson share a small look before they both nod in agreement with Knight. "Yeah, what's he doing here?" Grayson points a finger at Pearce.
"It's a pleasure seeing you all again." Pearce nods to everyone.
"Pearce and I were just having lunch and discussing some business." You begin to explain the situation. "Adam has been having some trouble with Rhea Ripley and the Judgment Day. And he's requested our, or rather, my help. So, you three are coming to Raw this Monday with me. I'm going to handle Rhea, and you three are going to help Pearce with the rest of her entourage." You explain.
Knight, Waller, and Theory all turn to one another and share a few glances before they all turn back to you and Pearce. "What if we're busy on Monday?" Grayson asks.
"You're not." You reply plainly. "I have all three of your work schedules. And I also know your personal plans for the rest of the month." You remind them. "Austin has a mandatory physical next Wednesday. And Shaun has a PR thing on Tuesday. Besides that? The three of you are mine to order around."
"Well, she's got us there." Knight chuckles. "We'd be happy to help out, Y/N, of course." He grins at you.
You nod and turn to Pearce. "Well then, it looks like we've got a deal then, Adam." You reach out to shake his hand. "We can discuss the details of our little arrangement later. But for now, I'll be seeing you on Monday in Kansas City." You shake his hands firmly.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Y/N." Pearce nods. "I look forward to seeing you all on Monday." He adds before he makes his swift exit from your office.
The door clicks shut and the onslaught of questions starts to pour in. "What did he mean by arrangement?" Austin asks you.
"Just a little trade we've got going on. Nothing you three need to worry about." You reply.
"How are you planning on handling Rhea?" Grayson asks you. "I mean, if Pearce can't keep her in line?"
You smile to yourself and laugh a little. "Oh, I've got my ways." You assure Waller. "Rhea won't be a problem for Adam anymore when I'm done with her, trust me."
"Which one of us are you planning on traveling with this time?" Knight asks his own question.
You shrug and glance at your laptop when it pings with a new message. "Probably you so I don't have to share a room with those two again." You tease Grayson and Austin. "They get all possessive when it comes to who gets to share the bed with me." You giggle.
"Now hold on a second." Grayson protests.
"Yeah! We can get along for the night." Austin agrees. "Why don't you travel with us, Y/N?" He whines with Grayson.
You roll your eyes playfully and shake your head. "You two also get up to the most nonsense when you're on the road." You remind them. "And I don't need distractions when I'm trying to work?"
"Oh, so I'm not a distraction now?" Knight chimes in.
"You're plenty distracting, sweetie." You reply. "Just in a different way." You assure him. "Now all of you out! I've got another meeting soon." You usher the trio toward the door.
Austin, Grayson, and Knight all nod and head for the door, knowing better than to interfere with work. "We'll see you later, Y/N." Knight waves before he steps out the door.
"Yeah, take care, babe," Austin adds.
"We'll see you later, gorgeous." Grayson winks at you.
#wrestling#wwe fandom#wwe fanfiction#wrestling fanfiction#wrestling fandom#syd's wrestling fics#grayson waller x reader#grayson waller#austin theory#la knight fanfic#la knight
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Summer Breeze
Fandom: Star Wars (Modern AU)
Pairing: Poe Dameron x GN!Reader
Summary: Poe is back from his deployment and you two spend his first day back relaxing in your backyard. The sun is shining, a slight breeze rocking you in your hammock. All is good and right in the world.
A/N: heyoooo! i went through my tiktok favorites and buried within them were poe dameron fan cams so here i am writing a poe fic because i miss him
Poe finds you in the backyard. You're in the hammock that you set up a few days ago. As he grows closer, he sees you're reading a book. When he's standing above you, you place the book on your chest.
"Hey, handsome," you greet him with a smile.
He smiles back down at you, "Hey, honey," he leans down and presses a kiss to your lips, "Whatcha doing?"
"It's a nice day out, figured I'd put the hammock to use. Join me?"
"Will it hold both of us?" he asks in concern.
"Guess we'll have to find out." You do your best to make some room for Poe. He struggles to get in, but eventually flops beside you.
You're giggling out a "Hi."
Poe smiles back at you again, "Hi."
He maneuvers himself so that a part of you is resting on his chest, he wraps and arm around you. He lets out a content sigh, "I missed this. I missed you."
You hum back in response, "Yeah. I missed you too." Your fingers intertwine with his. You two lay there in silence, listening to the world around you. You hear birds chirping, cars driving by, the occasional neighbor walk past your street. The light breeze rocks the two of you in the hammock. The warmth of the sun and the warmth of Poe eases you into a calm and safe state of mind.
In this moment, it feels like all is right in the world.
"I want to stay like this forever with you," Poe whispers.
"Yeah?" you ask him, peering at him with a grin.
"Yeah," with his free hand, he digs for something in his pocket and pulls it out. A ring, "So how about it? Spend forever with me?"
You're beaming up at him now, "Do I even have to answer?"
"No...but just for clarification, 'cause it'd be really embarrassing if you didn't w-mmf!"
You silence him with your lips on his. When you pull away, you chuckle, "Does that answer your question?"
Poe smirks at you, "Not really."
You playfully roll your eyes at him, taking the ring and slipping it on your finger, "Yes, you dork. I'd love nothing more than to spend forever with you."
#star wars#star wars fic#poe dameron#poe dameron x reader#x reader#reader insert#gn!reader#gender neutral reader#lani writes
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KYLE BROFLOVSKI, STAN MARSH, AND THE FEMININE/MASCULINE QUESTION
(Or; In defense of feminine Kyle and masculine Stan)
(OR or; how Matt and Trey's outdated views prove their intentions for their characters...
...part 1.)
Normally, I would kick off the part of an essay like this above the ‘read more’ with a short summary, but given the complexity of this topic, I don’t think I can summarize it in the way it deserves in just a paragraph. Instead, I’ll start with this: it’s been a little over a year since I was freed from Tumblr shadowban hell, and nearly as long since I made my first original post on South Park tumblr. Since then, I’ve developed a pretty obvious brand in support of feminine Kyle, but I’ve never actually posted a meta justifying it. As such, consider this not a response to any discourse related to it, or a way of undermining the valid opinions that are being and have been shared, but instead as a long-overdue explanation as to why I see Kyle the way that I see him, and why I believe that interpretation is equally valid and equally progressive.
Thanks to everyone who’s shared their time and thoughts with me over the past year, regardless of how long I’ve known you, and let’s get into it!
INTRODUCTION:
Okay, HERE’s the introduction! As I type this from top to bottom, I expect it to turn out fairly long, so bear with me here: we’re going to need some exposition to explain the way I plan on going about this. I’m going to try and be concise!
i. A Bit of Background
Feminine Kyle has been a controversial topic within the South Park fandom for well over a decade, cementing itself as arguably one of the oldest ‘fanon vs canon’ debates within the fandom. Supporters, a wide group consisting of some of the most notable artists and writers in the fandom, insist the evidence is there; naysayers argue that not only is it not there, but that the mere existence of feminine Kyle reinforces old yaoi tropes, homophobia within fandoms, and most recently, antisemitic stereotypes.
For better or worse, such a portrayal has dwindled in popularity within recent years, with fanart and portrayals from the earlier fandom days becoming the subject of ridicule. Several other portrayals accompany feminine Kyle into forced obscurity - jock Stan and edgy Craig, to name a few - but only the former has drawn such politically charged discussion. Needless to say, there is plenty to discuss when examining its validity. I intend to try and cover all my bases, but first, some clarification:
This is not an unbiased analysis: this is a meta in staunch support of feminine Kyle. As such, not every single moment for or against such a portrayal will be mentioned here: I intend here to establish why feminine Kyle is a reasonable interpretation, not why the opposite may also be true. I also do not intend to prove that feminine Kyle is absolute fact, or the only valid interpretation; while I personally choose to base my portrayal off of what I’ve listed here, choosing to disregard it is also a perfectly fine conclusion. These characters are ten, after all; there is no objectively correct way to portray them!
Secondly; this is a Kyle-centric meta, but it’s also going to include a fair bit of Stan. Declaring Kyle feminine has no point if we have no character to contrast him against; femininity requires masculinity to mean anything, and vice versa. There has to be some point of reference. As a result, this meta will unintentionally make a declaration on Stan’s femininity as well; just like above, accept and reject it as you wish! ‘Correct’ characterization in the South Park fandom is understandably murky.
Speaking of characterization, we first need to discuss why a long-winded meta like this one is even necessary. Why can’t we decide whether Kyle’s feminine? Surely that should be pretty obvious, right?
ii. Why can’t we come to an agreement?
Well… not really. That’s the problem!
Nearly everybody in this little section of the South Park fandom (by which I mean the non-dudebro section) is progressive, which is a good thing. But that also makes femininity a really difficult concept to nail down. Here’s what Oxford Languages has to say about it:
Okay, straightforward enough. But what attributes are characteristic of women? That’s where we come across our problem; there really aren’t any. Many of the traits (at least personality wise) society used to consider characteristic of women are misogynistic stereotypes, or exist solely as a way to justify gender roles; as such, we can’t designate femininity based on personality traits, which is a great thing for society as a whole and a bad thing for the simplicity of my South Park meta.
Consider this example: being easily grossed out to the point of fear was, in the past, considered to be a trait typical of women. Consider all those boomer comics you’ve seen about women being afraid of mice. Surely then a reasonable conclusion would be that Kyle’s irrational disgust/fear of pee would be a feminine trait. But that conclusion actually isn’t reasonable, because we now know that isn’t necessarily a female-exclusive trait; as such, that interpretation is misogynistic and can be disregarded. Do you see what I mean? It’s really not that easy.
But I actually have a way to make that work. It is going to require some inception. Keep that in mind while we segue to another relevant question:
iii. What is effective characterization?
We talked about characterization a little bit above, but now we need to talk about it again: namely, how do you characterize a character? How many times will I say the word character in this essay?
This question doesn’t just apply to South Park: I mean this for all shows, but most specifically the long ones, and the ones with questionable track records in episode quality. We have all watched something and thought “he would not fucking say that”, even when the person who made him fucking say that was the creator themselves. How do we reconcile that with our vision of a character, especially when such a character assassination is often unintentional? Do we take everything the character does or says at face value by rating all of their behaviors as equal in the characterization scheme, or do we look deeper?
I think the answer needs to be the second one: we need to take characterization by intention, rather than what the character actually says. Generally, a creator will have an intention for their characters, whether that’s in personality, arc, or both. They typically have a plan for some aspects of the character, even in episodic shows like South Park, and they try not to diverge from that plan. For example, Kyle’s reaction will often differ as he is faced with differing events (as real life people do), but he reacts in a similar way, fueled by his consistent morals: he never responds in a Kyle way one episode and in a Cartman way in another. He always reacts like Kyle would, and rarely wavers from his fairly consistent characterization. It is clear that when planning Kyle’s responses to things, they do not start with a blank slate.
That’s the perspective we need to take on when viewing this; we need to look at these characters from the way Matt and Trey intended for them to be looked at, and we need to look at them with the perspective that Matt and Trey had. Segue over: let’s go back to the main point. Keep that in mind.
iv. How do we fix our dilemma?
You don’t really need to keep it in mind, because I’m going to say it again right here: we need to view the characters with the perspective Matt and Trey had. This applies to everything characterization related, including femininity. What makes Matt and Trey’s perception of femininity different from our own?
Well, that’s easy: they’re from a different generation, for one. They’re old white guys, for another. They naturally have different views on femininity than we do, because they have different (often shittier) views on women than we do! Matt and Trey have had some good takes, but their takes on women rarely fall into that category. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to deal with those takes for now if we want to draw a conclusion, because those are what we have to go by when deciding femininity.
We’re putting on the Matt and Trey goggles for this meta. What do they think femininity is? How would they portray a feminine character? What would a feminine character look like in their eyes? When judging characterization by intention, which I plan on doing throughout this meta, we need to Become Old White Men.
(That same reasoning is why I’ll essentially be using women and feminine people interchangeably throughout this essay; Matt and Trey tend to associate femininity exclusively with women or flamboyant gay men, and the way they portray them is often the same. Needless to say, those terms are not interchangeable in real life; I only use them as such here both because of the above reasoning and to try and shorten this behemoth of a meta.)
From Matt and Trey’s perspective, it would be much less ludicrous that women would be more easily grossed out; that is the common consensus among men of their generation, and they haven’t proved themselves to be more enlightened than the rest, so we’ll go with that common consensus. From their perspective, Kyle disliking pee would be a feminine trait; therefore, giving that trait to Kyle implies that, in that episode, Matt and Trey viewed him as feminine and intentionally portrayed him that way. This argument becomes stronger once the rest of his traits are considered, which we’ll do throughout this essay. From this point forward, I'll clarify that this is from Matt and Trey’s point of view less often for brevity; assume that unless I clarify it's from mine, it's from theirs.
Understandably, there may be some issues with this, namely: doesn’t temporarily taking on this perspective and then proceeding to label Kyle as feminine based on stereotypes imply that you agree with those stereotypes? To which I say: no, not really. You can take the intention (femininity, in this case) and disregard the bad that comes along with it: you can essentially claim Kyle as a feminine character without acknowledging what may be flawed reasoning on behalf of the creator, and choose to draw your own conclusions based off of that. I’ll explain this in more detail at the end.
So, that’s the introduction! But we still have one more thing we need to talk about before we can move onto the actual meat of the essay.
We need to talk about creek.
THE CREEK INTERLUDE.
Why do we need to talk about creek in a Kyle-centric meta, besides that I like talking about creek? The answer is that Matt and Trey’s views on creek answer a very reasonable question, that being: Why do we have reason to assume that Matt and Trey would intend for any of them to be feminine? Why do we have reason to believe the idea of femininity in relation to their male characters would even cross their mind?
Creek is our reason!
i. The Masculine/Feminine Divide
Consider Matt and Trey’s audio commentary for Put It Down, starting at :52. "One person wanting, which is usually the woman... who flips out a bit more about things emotionally, and generally the man is a bit more, like... not responsive to emotion, and just wants to problem solve. And we have had experience with that…"
Through that commentary, Matt and Trey have already assigned ‘roles’ to Tweek and Craig within the context of the episode; namely, Tweek being the woman and Craig being the man based on their behavior throughout the episode. Obviously, the stereotypes they suggest above very often aren’t true, and a gay man in a relationship is in no way ‘the woman’ regardless of femininity, but they reference them nonetheless, and this helps our case for three reasons:
It confirms that Matt and Trey view some characters as more ‘woman-like’ than others, even just within the context of a single episode: ie, more feminine than others. It shows that they take femininity into account when viewing character behavior, and it is possible they have done so with other male child characters than Tweek.
Furthermore, it shows that the above behavior is intentional; they’ve intentionally made one character more ‘woman-like’ than the other. Matt and Trey admitting that they “have had experience with that” implies that they, on some level, based the episode off of their own experience: hence, Tweek was intended to play the role of ‘the woman’ from the beginning of the episode. It is therefore possible they intended this with other episodes.
The parallels between Stan/Craig and Kyle/Tweek, and on a larger scale, style and creek as relationships, are obvious. The fact that creek exists in the Matt and Trey collective brain as a masculine/feminine relationship implies that their platonic parallel, Stan and Kyle, has the potential to exist in the same way.
I don’t personally think that Tweek is at all intended to be feminine throughout the series in the same way that Kyle is - Tweek’s meth-driven paranoia is a far cry from Kyle’s natural neuroticism (a trait which, while not inherently feminine, is obviously such within the eyes of Matt and Trey) - but within the context of that episode, the point stands. It also gives us something to look for: contrast. If Kyle is feminine, going by Matt and Trey’s way of portraying relationships, he must have a masculine counterpart. This part is easy.
STAN MARSH, ALL AMERICAN BOY:
When looking for traditional masculinity within the main four, Stan is our guy. Despite possibly being the most sensitive out of the group, the remainder of Stan’s traits, behaviors, and interests line up exactly with the typical perspective of what masculinity looks like. His consistency with this makes Kyle’s deviation even more remarkable.
i. Personality
So far, we’ve mostly talked about masculinity and femininity in reference to personality, so it only makes sense to start there with Stan. First, let’s consider the trait that Matt and Trey explicitly mentioned they consider masculine:
“Not responsive to emotion, and just wants to problem solve.”
We don’t even need to look through the series for evidence of this one: South Park Studios themselves confirmed it on Stan’s SPandMe results, a quiz intended to connect quiz-takers with their respective South Park character.
“You are an average all-American person, and despite your crazy surroundings, you remain levelheaded.”
Remaining levelheaded in crazy surroundings essentially boils down to being not responsive to sudden, situation-driven emotion, especially in the context of Put It Down, where Craig is able to step back from Tweek’s emotion-driven response to a crazy situation and consider it in a levelheaded way. Stan often tends to perform the same duty for Kyle as Craig does for Tweek in that episode, serving the role of someone to vent to in stressful situations.
Now that we’ve checked Matt and Trey’s explicitly mentioned perception of masculinity off the list, let’s consider some other traditionally ‘masculine’ personality traits: regardless of whether they’ve been explicitly mentioned, it’s a fair assumption that they’ve considered a few other traits within the ‘masculinity’ vein.
Quick to Threats: Stan has a tendency to be levelheaded, as mentioned above, but when angered he can jump straight to threats of violence; this serves as a contrast to Kyle, who tends to respond verbally instead. Consider this moment in Passion of the Jew:
While Stan actually gives Cartman a fair amount of time to ‘take it back’ before he resorts to active threats of violence, he still does so much quicker than Kyle has ever done in the past; Kyle, by comparison, tends to insult normally. Stan, when pushed by Cartman, responds with threats within a few lines of dialogue: Kyle, when pushed by Cartman, has only legitimately snapped a few times over the course of 25 years of harassment.
Another example would be in Cash For Gold, where Stan jumps to telling the jewelry salesman to kill himself without any prior conversation; unlike Kyle, who typically makes efforts to negotiate first, Stan resorts to threats.
Also consider Stan’s behavior in Stick of Truth, in which upon the character’s arrival into the Elf Kingdom, Stan is immediately ready to get into a fight to defend Kyle; as the character approaches Kyle, he threatens them by punching his fist. His method of protectiveness often boils down to violence on behalf of the people he cares about, and he takes personal affronts, or affronts to those people, extremely seriously. Kyle, on the other hand, is defensive rather than offensive in terms of protectiveness, and cares more about the wider populace instead of mostly the people directly relevant to his life; we’ll get into that more later.
This is a trait heavily associated with masculinity throughout history, and throughout media: masculine characters in shows, books, and movies are often the ones shown to pick fights rather than verbally negotiate. This trait is even shown through Craig, who’s already established as “the man”; throughout the first few seasons especially, he threatens other characters once aggravated instead of communicating.
Leadership Ability: Obvious disclaimer is that this trait in particular is not exclusively male, or even largely male (just like every other trait I’ve mentioned), but the world continues even to this day to associate leadership qualities with traditionally masculine qualities, and I have reason to believe that Matt and Trey do the same thing. Let’s go through a few episodes in which Stan is staunchly placed as the leader for some examples:
Stan, as a character who is often the protagonist of the show as a whole, naturally falls into the leadership role within The Boys. In this way, he once again serves as a contrast to Craig, who is obviously the leader of his own game; the official wiki goes so far as to call them Craig and Those Guys. An example of this would be in South Park Is Gay, in which Stan approaches Craig first to try and one-up him, and another more subtle example would be in Good Times With Weapons, in which Stan’s leadership is demonstrated just by him being front and center in front of Craig’s door.
He also serves as the lead detective in Lil’ Crime Stoppers, and tends to be the leader of his respective sports team, being chosen as both quarterback and pitcher in football and baseball respectively. On a larger scale, Stan becomes Captain in Whale Whores, where he is revered for actually making things happen in comparison to the previous Captain.
South-park-meta also has a great description of why Stan’s a leader which you can find here, which mentions a few things that I haven’t.
Stan in a leadership role comes up over and over again, and while I normally wouldn’t consider this a strong enough piece of evidence to bring up on its own, Stan’s other masculine traits (which I’ll be getting to shortly, outside of the personality department) make me believe that it’s intentional. This is especially relevant when the leadership within the girls is also considered: while the groups of boys tend to have a very obvious leader, the girls fluctuate often between Wendy and Bebe, with Matt and Trey unable to even keep the leader of the Pleases and Sparkles Club consistent. The fact that the boys tend to have leaders and the girls don’t leads me to believe that Matt and Trey do see leadership as a masculine trait.
Superficiality & Ego: To be clear before we start this section, I do think that Stan is legitimately very sensitive. He is my sensitive little guy. But he does have a tendency to be superficial with some issues, often unable to grasp the bigger picture, especially when failing to grasp the issue tends to benefit him specifically.
Consider his behavior in A Scause For Applause. Initially, Stan has no clue who the farmers are or what they stand for, and is labeled a hero simply because he likes his wristband and doesn’t intend on taking it off. However, as soon as he essentially becomes a celebrity, he pretends to be extremely passionate about the cause, despite the fact that it is all “bullcrap” to him. Stan is hugely empathetic, but only towards people that are close to him, or issues that are relevant to him (such as the whales, as he loves animals): he couldn’t care less about the farmers in Belarus, but relishes in the attention he’s getting because of it.
Another example of this would be in Butterballs, where Stan behaves in essentially the same way: he joins the anti-bullying campaign not because he is passionate about the issue, but because he’s being taunted and he wants to prove that he’s a leader, or, as Bucky Bailey says, a “big man”. His pride is extremely important to him, which is part of the reason why he steps up. As Stan starts to make the anti-bullying video increasingly about him, Kyle sees through him and points it out.
Once again, his ego drives him rather than genuine passion for the issue: his actual interest in it is superficial at best and serves only to fuel his ego. Both qualities are heavily associated with masculinity, and toxic masculinity in particular: as Stan gets pissed at Kyle in both episodes, that side of him and the anger accompanying it begins to show. We’ve now accepted those traits are generally bad, but they were often praised as a key part of manliness in the past: them continuing to be associated with masculinity in Matt and Trey’s mind would be very plausible.
ii. ‘Manly’ Interests
Stan’s one of the most fleshed out characters throughout the series in terms of interests, but he does have one that shows up more prominently than any other: sports! I’ve gone into exactly how frequently it pops up for him in my Jock Stan meta, so I won’t go into it now, but I highly suggest reading that if you’re interested. Furthermore, that’s also why I’m not going to be using basketball as a masculine justification for Kyle; from what I’ve found, it’s just not as relevant to his character.
Sports are widely considered to be an interest associated with men, and particularly, masculinity; while the gender split among people who are passionate about sports is much less divisive than the media would lead you to believe, few people associate anything other than women’s sports with women. Football in particular is typically considered a man’s sport, and has its heavy associations with toxic masculinity: the traits valued within football tend also to be the traits that our society values specifically within men, those traits typically boiling down to strength and competitiveness. As mentioned above, the desire to compete and show off (particularly with Craig, also considered to be the respective ‘leader’ of his group) is a trait much more heavily associated with Stan than Kyle; it leads me to believe those traits and his interest in football paired together are not a coincidence.
Another one of Stan’s larger interests are animals, which he consistently feels passionate about, but more specifically dogs. He’s shown to love Sparky dearly, with the first Stan-centric episode of the series having Stan’s crisis about Sparky as a main factor, and he even accompanies Stan in Stick of Truth for one of his attacks. I mention this because while a love of animals is often associated with women, or femininity, dogs specifically are consistently associated with men; when the term “man’s best friend” was coined, they were not considering ‘man’ as the wider mankind. Dogs are so heavily associated with masculinity that people naturally assume dogs that they meet are male, and that the large majority of dogs in fiction ARE male. The association between dogs and masculinity is actually a necessity for Big Gay Al’s Big Gay Boat Ride to work as an episode: Stan valuing “butchness” and wanting Sparky to behave in such a way acts as his main conflict throughout the episode.
While this last one is not quite as relevant to Stan’s overall character as the previous two, it’s frequently brought up as a “counter” to Stan’s sportiness, so I still find it relevant to bring up. Board games, which are certainly less associated with manliness than sports, are still an extremely male sport, particularly dominated by white males (with 93% of board game designers being white men); I am inclined to believe that Matt and Trey knew this, which was why Nichole, and the rest of the girls, stood out so much. They even address this within the episode, which has most of the boy gamers (excluding Stan, who is more open to girls joining the group) rejecting the girls who want to play. Even Stan’s least traditionally masculine interest is centered around manliness within the episode.
Is it coincidence that when Matt and Trey selected interests for their characters, they chose interests heavily associated with masculinity for Stan? Probably not. Again, these interests aren’t necessarily male-exclusive, nor do they even necessarily lean towards men in reality, but from the perspective of two older men like Matt and Trey, they ARE masculine traits. The fact that Stan is given those traits specifically while the other characters are not is heavily indicative of their intention; namely, to make Stan an obviously masculine character.
iii. Appearance
I swear we’re almost done with an insanely long Stan section in what’s supposed to be a Kyle meta. I may have to change the title.
The last thing we’re going to be looking at with Stan in regards to masculinity is appearance: how does he present himself? When he chooses roles in games, how traditionally masculine are they? Let’s start with his Stick of Truth role: Stan Marshwalker.
During Stick of Truth, Stan serves as Kyle’s devoted, protective knight: as I already mentioned above, he’s ready to pick a fight with the player just for looking at him. But even beyond his behavior, his appearance is undeniably masculine; knights were the ideal of manhood and masculinity for quite a long time, hence the trope of a knight saving a princess from a castle. Especially back when knights were a Thing, there was nothing more traditionally masculine than waving a huge sword around and fighting a dragon to defend someone’s honor. Stan doesn’t defend the honor of any princesses in Stick of Truth, but he does offer to duel Tolkien on what’s implied to be Kyle’s behalf, which could be easily interpreted as a parallel.
The knight motif comes up again in the episode Make Love, Not Warcraft, in which Stan’s selected character is this: a muscular, masculine presenting knight. I’m leaving this section a little short because I’m going to be bringing it up again when we get to Kyle , but keep Stan’s appearance here in mind.
Stan’s next most relevant character is Toolshed, from Stick of Truth:
Stan’s TFBW costume, who is essentially a handyman, is less ingrained in society as traditionally masculine than a knight, but still is a heavily male dominated field: in the United States, 96% of handymen are men. While less symbolic than a knight, handymen can be considered masculine even considering only that trait; they are heavily associated with men, which is essentially the definition of masculinity from the Matt and Trey perspective.
Stan has a ton of alter egos throughout the series, but we’re already at 4k words so I’m going to keep this section as brief as I can. The only other real thing of note here is that Stan seems to associate ripping off his sleeves with strength, as he opts to go ripped sleeveless in both Good Times With Weapons and as Stan The Man in W.T.F.
iv. Conclusion
What can we conclude from the above information, and how does it have any relevance at all to Kyle?
Firstly, we can conclude that Stan Marsh, in personality, interests, and appearances, was given traditionally masculine traits by Matt and Trey. Furthermore, we can conclude that due to Matt and Trey’s mention of masculinity and femininity within Tweek and Craig, this is not a coincidence; his masculinity was intentional. Finally, we can assume that Matt and Trey genuinely believe these traditionally masculine traits to be legitimately masculine: as in, it is unlikely they gave him these traits with any other intention than making it clear he was a masculine character.
Okay, so we’re done with Stan! Mostly. He’ll come up a little more later. But why did we need to spend this long talking about the character who isn’t even the main guy in this essay? I know I talked a little about it above, but surely I have more of a reason than that?
Well, it’s because of what Matt and Trey said in the commentary for Kenny Dies, around the 42 minute mark.
“A couple weeks before this, the idea was that we were going to kill Kyle, remember, and we'd make it a big thing - we'll kill Kyle, and Butters will step in... it always seemed to us that Kyle and Stan were really similar... so let's kill off one of those two."
As of Season 6, Stan and Kyle were too similar. In order to justify keeping Kyle on the show, they needed to draw an actual distinction between the two of them. Before this point, Stan had already been established as South Park’s masculine, golden football boy since his very first episode, so what would be the most effective way of differentiating Kyle from Stan in a consistent way?
The answer would be to give Kyle feminine traits to contrast Stan’s masculine ones. It required leaning hard on some aspects of the character, but it obviously worked: Kyle is still here, widely loved, and often very different than the way he was before season 6. If we can prove that Stan was intentionally given masculine traits, we have even more of a reason to believe that Kyle may be given feminine traits to separate their personalities, and we’ve already proved that! Now we need to prove that Kyle was actually given those feminine traits, and we’ll start right now.
...by which I mean tomorrow, when I post the second half of this. Please hold your applause and/or complaints until then, because you really need the second half to tie the whole thing together and actually come to some concrete conclusions.
You can read part 2 here!
#south park#kyle broflovski#stan marsh#south park meta#meta#WOW putting all these images in sucked#this is the mostly stan part BUT kyle is relevant so i'm tagging him too#kyle's part and the conclusion coming out tmrw!!#as well as acknowledgements
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Beyond Rumours
Remus Lupin x Fem!Reader
Chapter Nineteen
Summary: Y/n is a Malfoy. A Pureblood. A pretentious, blood-status-loving Slytherin. At least, those are the rumours, but since when has Remus Lupin ever really cared about rumours?
Warnings: none
Word Count: 1.5K
A/N: hi! sorry i haven't been posting much lately, i had my exams which was stressful, my mental health has gone a bit downhill AND (worst of all) i am suffering from extreme writer's block.
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Y/N MALFOY
Friday, 11th of December 1977
I sat in Transfiguration, watching the snow fall rather than paying attention to Professor McGonagall or the lesson at hand. We were supposed to be turning our fairy cakes into fairies, and after a few attempts my mind had wandered. I knew I'd probably get chastised for it, but there was so much going on in my mind.
The first was the Yule Ball. I'd been so surprised when Remus had asked me that I'd said yes automatically and embarrassed myself slightly. I hoped that he didn't think about how desperate I'd been.
The second thing I'd been thinking about was Remus (even though the two were sort of interconnected). Over the past couple of days he'd seemed agitated and fidgety. He'd zoned out a lot and appeared to struggle to hold a conversation. Maybe he was having trouble sleeping, or was stressing about his N.E.W.T.s? I was sure he didn't need to stress that hard – he was the smartest person in his year, and he studied like it, too.
The third (and most frightening) thought plaguing my mind was my parents. I hadn't heard from them – or my brother – in quite some time now. Luckily I was staying at Hogwarts for Christmas due to the Yule Ball, and I wouldn't have to see them. But their silence was putting me on edge.
"Miss Malfoy, your fairy cake still appears to be mostly edible."
I looked up to see McGonagall standing in front of my desk. She wasn't wrong – the only difference to my cake was that it had wings, and was attempting to fly away. Unfortunately it was too heavy for the wings, resulting in the cake just wobbling around.
"Yes, sorry Professor," I mumbled, flicking my wand at the cake.
Well, at least it had a head now. But it was utterly terrifying. Regulus snorted from the desk beside me, but shut up after a sharp glance from the professor. McGonagall observed my cake for a moment longer before walking away, leaving me to throw it at Regulus's head, a high-pitched shriek escaping him. McGonagall didn't even turn around.
It wasn't just me who wasn't paying that much attention. Everyone was ready for the Christmas holidays, and it showed. While barely anyone in my year was going home for the holidays, every student was still buzzing with excitement. McGonagall could see this, and the usually strict witch didn't comment on any of it, instead just giving pointers and clarification.
When the bell for the end of the lesson finally rang, there was a flurry of motion as everyone jumped up and left the classroom, talking excitedly. I grinned at Regulus, as we left, excited for the holidays.
I had no idea what the next day would bring.
It started out normal. I woke up late, glad for the sleep in. I walked down to the common room with Lily, where we met Regulus. Lily informed us that the other boys wanted a longer sleep in, so we went down to the Great Hall, which was decked in Christmas decorations. Most of the younger students had left to go home, but those who were staying for the Yule Ball mingled around. Instead of the four house tables, there were two, leaving us all to interact. Luckily it seemed that the Slytherins had claimed the table to the left, so Lily, Reg and I went to the one on the right.
We stayed at breakfast for a while, eating at a leisurely pace, not worrying about getting to class. The boys arrived late, and I noticed the absence of a certain someone.
"Where's Remus?" I asked.
The three gave each other a quick glance, before James addressed me.
"Hospital Wing," he answered, spreading jam on his toast.
He raised his head and looked me dead in the eye, and I remembered the conversation we'd had a month previous. About Remus, and his secret illness. Had it flared up again? Once more, I was curious as to what it could be. Perhaps a recurring case of the Dragon-pox? It sounded ludicrous, but I was so hypnotised by it. I wanted to know what was going on.
Curiosity killed the cat, a part of my mind whispered.
I didn't question James any further, instead simply nodding in understanding. Regulus looked between James and I carefully, reading our faces and body language. I realised that our friend group had gone quiet, and that James and Sirius seemed to be having some sort of telepathic conversation.
Luckily, Mary and Marlene came down and sat with us, filling our silence with their energetic laughs. Well, really just Mary's laugh, as Marlene rested her head against the table with a groan.
"You've had a late start," Lily said slyly. "Do anything fun last night?"
"Party in the Ravenclaw common room," Mary replied, heaping bacon onto her plate. "Marlene didn't want to leave."
Marlene let out a series of grunts and Mary stroked her hair affectionately.
"Thanks for inviting us," Sirius scoffed.
Mary smirked. "Just not cool enough, I'm afraid."
Sirius rolled his eyes and Marlene let out another string of incomprehensive words. Mary seemed to understand, though, because she just chuckled.
"Don't worry, Marls. I know you only wanted to stay because of hottie Steve," Mary grinned.
Marlene smacked her best friend in the arm, finally lifting her head. She glared at Mary, but only half-heartedly.
"You know I was only there for you."
"And a certain Slytherin."
Marlene threw her friend a withering glare, but Mary smiled warmly at her friend before heaping food onto her plate. "Eat up. It'll make the hangover better."
Breakfast passed quickly and we all hung out in the Gryffindor common room, playing various games. James and Sirius seemed to be nearly asleep. The same couldn't be said for Peter, though – he'd fallen asleep face-first into the couch.
It was suspicious that they were all so tired – what had they been doing last night? They hadn't been at the party – they'd all gone to bed early, and Sirius had been upset that Mary hadn't invited them. Was Remus being sick tied into this, somehow? Were they maybe just up late, worrying about their friend?
It was just after lunch when Remus arrived in the common room, and smiled slightly at everyone before sitting next to Peter on the couch. The other three marauders as well as Lily all gave him concerned looks, but he shook his head subtly. Questions bubbled up inside me, but I kept my mouth firmly shut. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable – especially not in front of so many people.
Night time rolled around quickly and I lay in my bed in the Gryffindor Tower, staring up at the ceiling. Everyone else was asleep – I could hear their even breaths. I couldn't sleep, couldn't stop thinking about Remus, and his illness. What could it be? The thought plagued my mind, and I wished I had an answer. I didn't want to invade his privacy, but I was just so curious. Did it have something to do with his many scars? I knew he wore jumpers a lot to cover them up. Most of them were massive – there was one that stretched all the way from his collarbone down his navel. I'd noticed it when we'd gone swimming at the lake.
Curiosity killed the cat, my inner voice told me again.
I rolled over and faced the window, looking out and into the starry night beyond. The moon was full last night, and now a sliver of the glowing sphere had faded.
My mind drifted to James's words. Remus's illness, and that he didn't like to talk about it. I could never ask him – but I wanted to know. Why had it flared up, exactly a month later? And why had it taken him out for only a night? Why didn't it last longer?
The light of the moon filled the dorm room, and I stared up at it, trying to figure it out. Remus's illness, flaring up after a month, only his close friends knew...
The moon looked down at me, as if it knew the answer, as if it were mocking me. Mocking me, mocking me...
I was nearly asleep when it clicked. The moon. A month. The scars.
I sat bolt upright in bed, my eyes still on the moon, feeling much more awake now.
Scars all over his body. Scars from claws. The claws of an animal. A month since his last "flare-up" – or a whole moon cycle. From full moon to full moon.
Remus Lupin was a werewolf.
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#remus lupin x reader#remus lupin x you#remus lupin x y/n#remus lupin#remus x you#remus x reader#remus#young remus lupin x reader#young remus lupin x you#young remus lupin x y/n#young remus lupin#moony#moony x reader#moony x you#marauders x reader#marauders x you#marauders era#the marauders era#the marauders#harry potter marauders#marauders#marauder#padfoot#wormtail#prongs#lily evans#james potter#sirius black#peter pettigrew#marlene mckinnon
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WolfBahn Ship Summary - Part 2
A Realm Reborn
Part 1 - Prequel
I realized the comics are... a lot. So I decided to make a short summary of my Wolfram x Raubahn ship. As I started to write I realized it was also... a lot. So clearly WolfBahn is simply... a lot. Eh, this is still way less to read than the comics, enjoy.
13 years after Wolfram and Raubahn had broken up, Wolf knew full well that he was still in love and would never move on. Frequently hearing news about the famous Flame General of Ul'dah probably hadn't helped matters. He'd made a sort of peace with it and was living as an adventurer in Limsa Lominsa, helping others in order to atone for his past. He and his friend X’Rhun Tia, trained red mages on the rare occasion they had an apprentice. Otherwise, Wolfram's time was usually spent working for the guild or doing odd jobs for the Admiral to pay the bills while Rhun traveled.
During one such job, Wolf stumbled upon a plot by the Serpent Reaver pirates to kidnap people and have them enthralled by the Sahagain god Leviathan. After saving the day, Admiral Merlwyb threw a banquet with the adventurer as her honored guest. It was here that Wolf revealed a crystal he had found to the city leader and his new acquaintance Y’Shtola. They talked about the Warriors of Light that had helped during the Calamity. He was told he held a Crystal of Light and was the vessel of a higher power. Once getting some clarification Wolfram burst out laughing. Obviously, someone tainted like him wouldn't be chosen by a powerful and benevolent goddess. Despite his skepticism, Y'Shtola invited him to meet with the leader of her organization.
After meeting Minfillia, he was relieved to learn about the Echo - it meant the voidsent hadn't been getting stronger as it had claimed. Wolfram joined the Scions to study his mysterious power and help people on a larger scale. However, he couldn't deny that another motivation for joining the was to potentially see his ex-partner again (without the threat of jail, given the Scions' political standing). Having an Echo vision of Carteneau was honestly a bit too much Raubahn for Wolfram to shake off.
Wolf spent some time getting to know his new allies whilst aiding Limsa Lominsa and Gridania. Then he found himself in Thanalan face to face with the primal Ifrit and only had a brief moment to question why he wasn't being tempered before having to fight for his life. He made it out but many of the Immortal Flames weren't so lucky. He lamented not being strong enough to protect them. While thrilled and terrified at the idea - he would apologize to their leader in person.
Wolfram entered Ul'dah for the first time in over a decade. He attended a speech Flame General Aldynn was giving. Instead of the fear he assumed would invade his thoughts - Wolf felt nothing but pride in how far the gladiator had come. His cheers were the loudest.
Raubahn noticed Wolfram in the crowd and hardly believed his eyes. He had spent years lamenting his actions, trying to move on but plagued with regrets and wondering if his former love had survived the Calamity. Even if he’d betrayed his trust, the gladiator didn’t want him dead. Finally, he knew - Wolfram was alive and well! After he was done addressing the Ul'dahn citizens he walked up to Wolf, doing his best to hide a smile, and asked if the adventurer would like a private meeting.
The General had a busy schedule but they had a few moments to speak before his next obligation. Neither could hide their happiness to see each other again. Wolf even teased Rau a bit for being surprised that Wolf hadn’t wondered about him, forgetting that he was famous. Raubahn didn't blame Wolfram for his soldiers Ifrit had taken and was impressed that the man he used to know as a simple cook had defeated a primal. He extended an invitation to join his Grand Company and Wolfram said he would be happy to join the Immortal Flames. The gladiator was relieved to know the mage was alive and well after so long wondering. Their reunion felt wonderfully strange to both of them - any awkwardness was overshadowed by their pure joy.
After returning to the Waking Sands to give Minfilia his report, Wolf went back to Ul'dah the next day to formally join the Grand Company. Raubahn had the day off but wanted to give Wolfram a tour of the headquarters. A new recruit receiving a tour from the General himself drew notice, but most assumed it was because he'd bested Ifrit. However, those who knew him best noted an odd change in their leader’s demeanor. Wolfram and Raubahn did some proper catching up, with Rau asking the mage what he’d been up to since he’d left Ul’dah. After hearing his journey of self-improvement, Raubahn told Wolf that he would have been happy to see him earlier and that his threat had been an empty one born from anger. Wolfram told the gladiator about his new life devoted to aiding others and was surprised to receive praise for the efforts he'd made to become a better person. Unfortunately due to some miscommunication and false assumptions about the other's preference, they ended up agreeing to keep things professional and not let anyone know about their past, despite them each secretly wishing to be friends.
For most of the events of ARR they were coworkers who occasionally fell out of formality accidentally - like when Livia raided the Waking Sands and everyone thought the Scions were dead. Raubahn couldn't hide his relief when Wolf walked into the Alliance’s meeting to discuss the Black Wolf’s ultimatum. Merlwyb even teased Raubahn in private later for the most she'd ever seen him smile in a single sitting. Whenever someone caught on to their familiarity they admitted only that they had been friends years ago but asked that the information not be spread. The Monetarists were enough of a problem already and would absolutely use it to accuse the Scions of favoring the Royalists.
Things started to change between them the night before their attack on Castrum Meridianum. Raubahn took Wolfram aside to speak privately. He hesitantly asked if the mage had enough control over the voidsent to go into a building full of Garleans. Wolf was offended, assuming Rau was worried he would hurt the other Flames. He swore he would end his own life if he felt his control slipping rather than endanger anyone else. The General explained that's not what he meant - he didn't want Wolfram to risk himself and ordered him to flee the battle if he became panicked as he had occasionally in the past. The mage was furious at the suggestion and repeated back word for word something cruel that Raubahn had said to him when they broke up. The gladiator was horrified that those hateful words said in anger had stayed with Wolf all those years and started apologizing in an uncharacteristic panic, stating that if anything he said made Wolf not value his own life he was sorry and didn't mean any of it. Wolfram calmed down and explained that he was just bothered by the hypocrisy of suggesting he take such cowardly action by someone who’d called him selfish. He told the General that his harsh words were the catalyst that had set him on the path of atonement. If he was the hero people claimed him to be - it was because of Raubahn. While tense, that night helped resolve a bit of the pain from their past they were holding onto, helping them move forward and finally become more casual with each other.
Part 3 - A Ream Reborn Patches
#oc wolfram#ffxiv#ffxiv wol#ffxiv oc#hyur highlander#hyur#wolbahn#raubahn aldynn#raubahn#WolfBahn#WolframSaga#WolframBlog
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Püha ja õudne lõhn (Sacred and Terrible Air) chapters 11+12 summary
Chapters index - ask away for any clarification or further details!
11. SELF-CHILLER
50s. As a child, Ulv does not care for people, nor anything else really. Being gifted a tape with a dance remix of a classic dodecaphonic piece (Theo Van Kok/Comte de Perouse-Mittrecie) opens a new horizon to him. He loses himself in the music, “self-chilling”.
Present. The trio reconvenes outside Jesper’s home, discussing their next steps as they walk through the woods. Khan points out that Tereesz’s approach isn’t going places and offers his alternatives: first, he is the one who sent the newspaper ad in the last chapter, hoping for new leads on the letters. Then, if Jesper bankrolls it, he would go see an unconventional special consultant, a medium of sorts, the so-called “self-chiller”. In the past, this gifted individual confirmed the identity of the remains of Dobreva and Abadanaiz and located the last traces of Cornelius Gurdi. He lives in the woods outside Lemminkäise, which is being swallowed by the pale. Jesper agrees, but he won’t go with them.
20 years ago. The boys sell dear belongings and do construction work to get the money to pay Zigi, the dealer, for the extravagant drug the girls asked for. Across the decades, the self-chiller is waiting for Khan.
Present, two days later. Khan and Tereesz hired the wildest taxi driver in the fleet, Kenni (who only speaks Suruese and generally exists in his own world), to get them to Lemminkäise in record time. It’s a three days ride. All three of them drunk on cherry wine, they pass through the end-of-the-world scenarios of a mass evacuation and, at last, face the rolling mass of the pale.
In his inebriation, Tereesz confesses to Khan that he’s been let go from the ICP. Khan had already figured out that much.
2 years ago. Khan dreams of receiving a phone call through the pale. A child’s voice tells him terrible things.
When he wakes up, he receives a shipment from Graad, from one Sarjan Ambartsumjan: a golden key.
An extended version of this scene found on the nihilist.fm blog spells out that the child’s voice was Målin’s, telling Khan to leave them alone and stop tormenting them. We are also told that Khan is already on Zigi’s trail and already wants to go see the man who speaks with the dead. Khan’s mother tries to goad him into getting a job and a girlfriend; the date she sets up for him is the one that will lead to the fallout with Jesper.
12. ZIGI
19 years ago. The trio’s older schoolmate Zigi is a leather-jacket-toting bad boy, a vandal, an atrocious sprechgesänger (rapper), outspoken dia-materialist, entropolist and fan of the nihilistic Innocence of Mesque, Ambrosius Saint-Miro. He preaches the upcoming total entroponetic collapse to the naive kids at school – it will happen within their lifetimes, he says, at a time when entroponetics was not even part of the curriculum. He is also a drug dealer. When the cops come for him, he flees the isola to reach his nihilistic drunkard kojko father in Graad. A few years later, his charred body is found in an incinerator.
#disco elysium#sacred and terrible air#püha ja õudne lõhn#pjõl summaries#(nature documentary voice) we see here the common Kurvitz self-insert in his natural habitat...
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reuniting with joyce byers would include...
pairing(s): joyce byers x gn!reader
summary: headcanons for reuniting with your lover, joyce, after she returns from russia.
warnings: st4 spoilers!! sorta hurt/comfort, brief mention of past trauma
words: 319
a/n: just for clarification, reader has been living in lenora with the byers and ended up going to salt lake city with the boys. enjoy!
(i do not give permission to translate or post any of my work anywhere else!)
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
ok so i feel like joyce would be a very protective lover, like how she is with her kids
so being away from you for so long and not being able to make sure that you’re safe would scare her
a lot
so when she finally gets to see you again after her, murray, and hopper manage to get out of russia, she’s immediately all over you
she’d run up to you and hug you so tight that you could barely breathe, throwing her arms over your shoulders and holding the back of your head with one hand
after a long moment, she would pull away to meet your eyes as she rests her forehead on yours and cradles your face, reminding herself that you’re really there and that you’re okay
i like to imagine hopper and murray just standing awkwardly a few feet away, trying their best to avert their eyes and give you two some privacy
JDSNKNCJSNA
anyways
she would probably be whispering various apologies to you
“i’m sorry i didn’t tell you”/“i shouldn’t have left you like that”
i imagine that joyce met you in lenora
so hopper hasn’t heard about you yet
and while he’s watching your reunion he’s just so fucking confused
LMAO
murray would notice and casually lean towards him to explain, as he had met you at the house before he left with joyce
i feel like he’d be kinda sad but he’d still support your relationship bc he wants her to be happy
😭😭
(could lead to a potential poly relationship👀)
(but i digress)
you’d both just be holding each other, and a few tears might be shed because let’s be honest, you’d both seen some pretty scarring things in the past few days
and for joyce, i’d imagine it would cause a lot of bad memories to resurface
but even though you’re both crying and traumatized, she’d still probably look effortlessly gorgeous as always <3 <3
#joyce byers x reader#joyce byers headcanons#joyce byers fluff#stranger things imagine#stranger things#spencer writes
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RECENT ECOMMERCE NEWS (INCLUDING ETSY), March 2024
Since I wrote so many articles on Etsy in the past 2 months, it took longer than usual for me to get the full ecommerce update out. Sorry about the delay, but here it is!
For fresher and more frequent updates, please follow me on Bluesky or on LinkedIn, or become a member of my Patreon.
TOP NEWS & ARTICLES
Etsy’s fourth quarter 2023 financial results came out February 21; I did a deep dive into all the announcements here. In short, there are a lot of new things coming, and some changes that may have affected some sellers already, including:
plans for more predictable shipping costs for buyers and sellers (what does that mean?)
Etsy Ads are now localized outside of the United States
search will be shifting to boost "high quality" items, going from highlighting what shoppers are most likely to buy to what shoppers are most likely to love
a buyer loyalty program is coming
the goal of “shortening our estimated delivery dates this year by at least 2 days”
This recent post on Bluesky indicates that Etsy is surveying buyers on what they would pay for shipping, which could be related to the “predictable shipping costs” mentioned.
A recent Etsy presentation at an investor conference provided a few clarifications on points discussed during the 4th quarter call, and in previous interviews and announcements.
“Our research showed that 10% off is a waste in this market. It's not enough to drive an incremental conversion, so all you did is give up margin. So recently, you've seen us both change the default and talk to sellers about how if you're going to put something on sale in this environment, it needs to be at least 25% off.” [my emphasis] Silverman has previously mentioned that buyers want discounts these days.
Since the information sellers provide when listing (i.e., titles, tags, descriptions, attributes) “is not always very reliable”, Etsy uses image recognition to classify items as well
They are working on improvement for international fulfillment
Most orders on Etsy aren’t impulse buys; 70% involve 2 or more visits, and 50% involve 4 or more visits
“only one out of every three women in the United States bought something on Etsy last year…. only one out of every 10 men bought something on Etsy last year.”
Etsy’s use of AI in places such as Gift Mode is not in-house. (We already knew they used OpenAI’s GPT-4 for Gift Mode.)
eBay increased the transaction fee from 30 to 40 cents as of March 15, for all orders over $10.
An Etsy fee increase of some sort is likely coming soon, as Etsy has surveyed sellers on which options they would most prefer. While I was not picked to take the survey, a few people who did have contacted me with screenshots and details, which I wrote about in some detail.
Packaging laws are becoming quite onerous for some ecommerce microbusinesses, but fortunately the Etsy forum crew has helped out with a recent summary of which countries in Europe require registration or payment to ship into the jurisdiction. Thanks to Claudia of https://www.etsy.com/no-en/shop/DoceVikaVintage for doing most of the legwork.
ETSY NEWS
Etsy is once again changing some sellers’ processing days, adding Saturday or Sunday into the mix when the shop owner only selected Monday to Friday. Some are seeing a notice on their dashboard, while others received an email.
Remember, in the 4th quarter 2023 earnings report, Silverman said “shortening our estimated delivery dates this year by at least 2 days” was a goal, and unilaterally changing your processing times is one step towards that goal. Please check your shipping settings, as this could mean you need to ship earlier than you realize, and Etsy could put you on reserve, remove your Star Seller badge, and deny you Seller Protection when you ship later than Etsy thinks you should.
If that wasn’t bad enough, some sellers are reporting that Etsy has changed the timing of sending the Abandoned Cart discount to almost immediate, and changed the official Help file on the topic to say the coupon was sent just 2 hours after the listing was carted, down from 24 hours. Others say they can no longer deactivate these coupons, and that Etsy Support told them it was a known bug.
If you want to learn how Etsy's algorithms work and what they favour, the company has added more details on "recommendations" modules we see all over the site to the legal policy page. I've written a short piece highlighting what sellers should pay attention to if they want visibility on Etsy.
Etsy is adding Regulatory Operating Fees to orders in India (0.29%) and Vietnam (1.24%) as of April 1, 2024. On the same day, the Regulatory Operating Fee in Spain will increase to 0.72% (from 0.4%), and the fee for Türkiye goes up to 2.27% (from 1.1%).
The Prohibited Items Policy has been updated in several places, as of March 5 2024. Some of the new sections are covered in this article. As always, the most important parts of these changes will be how Etsy chooses to interpret them, so for the moment I don’t have any further comment, other than to say these types of changes are sometimes driven by law, and sometimes by previous incidents in which Etsy is unhappy with the outcome.
Looks like businesses in China will soon be able to use Etsy Payments, meaning new shops in China may be able to open for the first time since 2021. (It's not unusual for Etsy to beta test new countries before announcing them officially; it’s hard to say if that is what is happening here or not.)
Etsy's forum restrictions - requiring a signed-in seller account to view most posts - will start on March 26. Only posts in the Announcements and Technical Issues sections will still be visible to everyone.
There has been some speculation that this is to reduce spamming of Etsy sellers after they post, but the change will also have the bonus of journalists, investors and others not being able to read Etsy sellers' complaints about the platform.
It’s possible to have your product photos featured on the persona page of Etsy's Gift Mode but not have the product available for sale in Gift Mode. I’ve checked several times, and have never seen that seller’s embroidery piece in the featured listings.
If you missed my blog post on Gift Mode, check it out here. Note that Etsy seems to have made some changes since I originally released the post.
Among other Gift Mode promotions, Etsy employees rang the opening bell at Nasdaq the day after the Super Bowl. Did you know that this year’s Super Bowl was the most watched show in the US since the 1969 moon landing?
Etsy hired Drew Barrymore to promote the corporation's new gifting push, which will continue all year. And the company has also released a new “gift teaser” email that buyers can have sent to recipients, which is useful for last-minute shoppers.
Elliott Management now owns 13% of Etsy shares and options - making it the largest investor - and now has a board member at the corporation. Known as activist investors, they usually force companies to cut costs ; for example they pressured “Salesforce, in which it has a multibillion-dollar investment, to harsh new policies for engineers and salespeople aimed at reducing headcount.”
Newly-opened Etsy shops will soon be subject to stricter ID requirements, a $15 fee, and longer holds on their early sales; I covered the details we know on LinkedIn.
If you use the new listing form, you may see a new pricing tool pop up. (It’s not on the old listing form.) Ridiculously, Etsy calls it an “estimated profit calculator”, when really, it’s just an Etsy fee calculator, and not a good one at that. It includes the lowest processing fee possible (some countries have a range of processing fees) and also excludes taxes you may pay on your fees. I don’t know if it includes country-specific fees such as regulatory fees, as Canada does not currently have those.
Etsy has several sales events coming up, including the “spring refresh” which has already started and continues until April 15.
There are reports of Etsy now advertising its commercials in Canada, which is a first as far as I know.
Struggling to update your tax information on Etsy? One tip is to use a different link to enter the updates. Another is to use a pdf or png file, not a jpg, when uploading documents, and to combine multiple documents into one.
If Etsy is asking your LLP/LLC or corporation to upload ID, I’ve had multiple people report that personal ID should work, even if the wording of the page says it won't.
If you are frustrated by the recent Etsy test removing the total number of items in a search, I explained here how to determine the exact number of results if there are less than 16,000 listings. Also, you can just try another browser or device because it is a test (I do not have it on desktop).
Remember when The Smiley Company sued tons of small sellers for trademark infringement, and asked for damages? Some Etsy sellers fought back - and won.
Who is removing Taylor Swift-themed items from Etsy - the artist, or the marketplace? Swift has sent cease and desist letters to Etsy shops in the past.
The articles about Etsy being awash with non-handmade and counterfeit goods never end. Here’s one from Australia. Here’s one about Etsy sellers publishing fan fiction that is already free on the web and charging a huge amount.
And the media attention to deepfake porn on Etsy also continues. AI use is also subject to media scrutiny.
TikTok’s push to attract more sellers apparently involves approaching Etsy shop owners. [soft paywall; Modern Retail]
Josh Silverman has sold off most of his remaining Etsy stock.
I did a short report on who Etsy laid off in December.
The scammers advertising a fake Etsy customer support phone number on Google are catching buyers too - why can't this be stopped? "Anyone looking to contact Etsy for customer service issues should be aware that there is no phone number to contact for Etsy support." It’s a big problem that Google seems unable to control, given this study on other fraudulent Google Ads.
Speaking of scammers, there is a new version of fake copyright takedowns affecting numerous sellers; the person who files the DMCA then offers to remove it for a fee, or even file takedowns against your competitors for a bigger fee. Etsy did fix the first round after 3-4 days, but the perpetrator then filed new DMCAs from a different email address.
ECOMMERCE NEWS (minus social media)
General
Michael’s Makerplace is beta testing selling third-party items in Michael’s brick and mortar stores. “Michaels says that MakerPlace garnered interest from thousands of sellers during its initial beta period, mainly through word-of-mouth. The company declined to disclose how many sellers are on the platform currently and is now focused on growing customers for those vendors to sell to. Buchanan says the next month will be "critical to make sure [the platform gets] some mass engagement from a buyer perspective."
Some Depop sellers had issues with deposits recently, with the money never being sent to their bank accounts, and instead the deposit was continually rescheduled for the next day. This may or may not be related to similar issues on Etsy.
Depop is also immediately scrapping seller fees for the UK (as long as the account sells in GBP), but is adding a 5% fee for buyers in the UK as of April 15. Clearly the site thinks it has more UK demand than UK inventory, and that at least some of those buyers will pay for the ability to buy second-hand. Depop press release.
Beni is a new “secondhand search engine” that pulls up used apparel from multiple different marketplaces such as eBay, Poshmark, and ThredUp. It offers an app and a Chrome browser extension.
Temu is subject to a class-action lawsuit claiming that the company’s app is highly intrusive and can read "literally everything on your phone." Also, businesses in the United States can now sell on Temu.
There are many different platforms and marketplaces to sell digital products such as ebooks, templates and courses; here are 20.
Amazon
If you sell on Amazon, make sure you have 2-factor authentication set up, as it will be a requirement starting March 28th. Users will need a mobile number or authenticator app.
Amazon is using generative AI to create new listings for merchants who enter a link of the product on another site. “The goal is to help sellers reduce the time it takes to bring the product from a different website onto Amazon.”
If you don’t use at least 3 images per product page, Amazon will now add in photos from other merchants on the site.
Amazon had a strong fourth quarter in 2023, beating all estimates.
Amazon Lending has been discontinued, but existing loans do not change until the term ends.
eBay
eBay agreed to a $59 million settlement in the US Department of Justice’s case regarding the selling of tools to make counterfeit drugs. The company must also modify its restricted items policies.
eBay joined the layoff race on January 23 when it let go 9% of its staff (~1000 people). Those layoffs were spread throughout the company, including plenty of engineers, legal and PR staff, and several recruiters, as well as authentication staff. The company also made upper-management changes.
eBay’s 4th quarter financial results were up a bit, but active buyers keep dropping.
Jewellery sellers in the UK faced an across-the-board fee hike as of March 7, adding 2% to the final value fee. This appears to be related to covering the authenticity process, which only applies to certain items above £500.
Be careful when you confirm your Promoted Listings Standard campaign on eBay - a few sellers report accidentally upgrading to a far more expensive Advanced Cost Per Click campaign.
Walmart
Walmart is offering discounts for new sellers, covering part of fees for up to 90 days.
If you sell on the Walmart marketplace, beware of the new rules on making authenticity claims.
Payment Processing
Klarna is now offering a monthly subscription to be able to use it at brick and mortar retailers without additional fees. The Verge speculates this may be related to Klarna’s rumoured pending IPO. The company has also employed an AI chatbot to do the work of 700 customer support employees.
A US study reports that at least 20% of US consumers have used buy now, pay later options at least once.
PayPal joined the tech layoff trend, getting rid of 9% of staff in January.
Venmo settings are public by default; here’s how to change that. [Washington Post gift link]
Shipping
Is “free shipping” becoming less common? It appears so. [soft paywall: Business Insider]
Apparently USPS has significant delays in the Atlanta area, leaving packages in limbo for weeks. (Strangely, I had a shipment held up in Atlanta in late January even though the new processing centre did not open until February 24, and that package was finally delivered last week.)
Good basic post on return policies (from a Canadian perspective). Note that half of those surveyed say that return policies affect their purchase decisions.
Canada Post has sold its logistics and IT companies as it struggles to become profitable, and may be looking towards more ecommerce options.
UPS will be laying off 12,000 employees this year, to save around $1 billion.
The company is also starting to deliver to homes on Saturdays in major Canadian cities by March.
That's it for now! I hope to have the full SEO & marketing report out next week.
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Oyuba'din - Chapter 17: Power
Summary: Jaine finally tells the Bad Batch about her past, but it all goes wrong when she gets startled.
Warnings: discussion of death, accidental injury, panic, Tech has an Attitude™
Author's Notes: *mushu voice* I LIIIIIIVE!!! Alrighty folks, hiatus is sort of ended (I’m not going back to my previous posting schedule quite yet, but I will be posting new chapters of this fic every Monday until I'm able to get back to my regular schedule! I’m really loving where this story has been going and I hope you all do too! 💛🤟
« Previous Chapter Next Chapter »
Jaine fidgeted with the hem of her sweater, part of her wishing she didn’t have to leave this little medbay ever again. She hadn’t realized how much she missed the Marauder after being away from it for only a day; something about it just felt right to her.
There was a light tap on the door, and it slid open to reveal Crosshair, his face still painted with concern.
“You can still back out of this, you know,” he whispered, taking her hand in his, squeezing it gently.
The softer side of Crosshair Jaine was now seeing warmed her heart. She wondered if anyone else had been allowed to know this side existed, let alone having it presented to them so wholeheartedly.
“You know I can’t do that,” she replied. “I’ll be okay.”
Crosshair’s eyes searched hers for a moment, before letting out a quiet sigh.
Crosshair led her out to the galley, where his brothers had gathered, waiting for her.
Jaine tried to read each of their faces. Crosshair was obviously still skeptical over whether or not this was necessary, and Echo had a similar look, though mostly concerned. Wrecker had a fairly neutral expression, if a little nervous. Hunter, with his arms crossed over his chest, wore a scowl that could indicate a migraine. Jaine wanted to ask, and grab his drink blend if he needed it, but she didn’t want to seem like she was trying to delay the conversation. Tech was looking at her directly, his datapad nowhere in sight, which threw Jaine off a little, but his was the hardest to read.
Tech usually had no problem deciphering how he was “feeling”. At least, that’s how it used to be. Over the past few months, however, he had noticed that he was experiencing multiple emotions simultaneously, and more frequently. This bothered him; these types of things weren’t alien to him, he just preferred to focus on other things, more interesting things. But this? This was a riddle that consistently pushed itself to the forefront of his mind, distracting him from all else. It was a complicated equation, one for which he was missing a few key elements, making the whole problem feel unsolvable. It frustrated him.
Jaine took a deep breath, closing her eyes.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ve died four times in the past 10 standard years.”
Just that tiny nugget of information made her heart leap into chest, but she pushed on.
“The first was when my ship crashed while I was attempting to flee my homeplanet with my Uncle and…his accomplice.”
“Was your uncle a criminal?” Tech asked.
“Tech, ask questions at the end,” Echo chided.
Tech hummed. “I am merely asking for clarification.”
“But you’ve interrupted her.”
“It’s okay,” Jaine chimed in. “I think I’d rather just answer any questions you guys have. And, technically, he was never accused or convicted of any crimes by either the Galactic Republic or our planetary government.”
Tech raised his finger, a question on his tongue.
“Qoljak,” she answered before he even began speaking. “My home planet was called Qoljak, before its civilizations were destroyed by a meteor shower. It was so far into the outer rim that most people just considered it wild space.”
Tech seemed satisfied with this answer, but Jaine was sure he’d be researching the little moon as soon as he could.
“What was all the red stuff?” Wrecker asked.
Jaine took a deep breath, raising her hand out in front of her, her palm up. She shut her eyes as she broke that promise she’d made to herself all those years ago; she brought her power forth. The red smoke cascaded from her palm, flowing like water, spilling over her hand and dissipating before hitting the floor. The squad watched with varying degrees of interest, awe, and anxiety.
“Some of the people of my planet were…gifted. From the beginning of our people, the Chromira blessed seven with these powers.”
“‘Chromira’?” Tech questioned.
“Powers?” Hunter repeated warily.
“One at a time; don’t overwhelm her,” Crosshair scowled at them, before looking back to her, his gaze softening considerably.
“The Chromira were our gods. They blessed us with our strength and guided the powers to their destined bodies,” she shrugged. “When a Chromai would pass, their power would move onto the next Chromai.”
Her eyes fluttered open, looking carefully at each of her squadmates, the red smoke fading from her hand as she wrapped it back around her body, almost as though she were hugging herself.
“When Mistress Ailyn Auten got sick, I told my father. He was a medic, and I told him we had to go help ‘the red lady’. He didn’t understand until Rix Auten commed. Sure enough, Mistress Auten, the Crimson Chromai, passed that night.”
“Who got her powers?” Wrecker asked, clearly gripped by her story.
Crosshair looked at his brother in disbelief.
“That would be Jaine,” Tech replied for her, adding a small “obviously” under his breath.
“How does it work?” Echo mumbled, his eyes still on her hand.
“I-I’m not really sure,” Jaine spoke, shifting her weight between her feet. “I was really young when I got my powers, and I was only trained a little before…”
Hunter squinted at her. He could hear how loud her heart was beating; he could feel how nervous she was and he hated pressing her like this. “‘Before’?”
Jaine swallowed hard, trying to force down the bile she felt rising in her throat. “Before my uncle started the war.”
The words settled heavily around the group. Echo looked at her mournfully. Tech, for the first time since she’d emerged from the safety of her medbay, glanced away from her. Wrecker’s face was full of concern, as was Crosshair’s. Hunter had a look of pure concentration, his eyes trained on her. He nodded lightly.
“It was my eighth birthday. I was coming home from training with my mentor, Mistress Rastee, the Rosate Chromai. K-kuna,” she trailed off, hating the way she stuttered over his name and the hot tears pooling at the corner of her eyes.
“Cyar’ika,” Crosshair whispered, watching tears begin to trail down her cheeks. He rose, coming to her side, reaching to take her hand in his.
The moment his hand made contact with hers, he pulled back, yelping in pain, and gripping his hand.
Jaine jumped, her hands falling away from their positions wrapped around her chest, the tiniest hints of red buzzing around them. Tech leapt to his feet, rushing to examine the burn now prevalent on Crosshair’s hand. Jaine didn’t miss the way his expression had lost all signs of his typical curiosity, replaced instantly with anger and fear.
Hunter, who could hear the way Jaine’s heart began to race, the way her breathing became rapid and shallow, came to stand in front of her. He reached out to her, but she pulled away.
“Hey, it’s alright,” he soothed, as though trying to comfort a cornered animal. “It’s not your fault.”
“It is her fault,” Tech spat under his breath.
“Stow it,” Crosshair growled.
Red electricity was sparking from her hands as she stared wide-eyed at the men before her.
“It’s alright, Cyar’ika,” Crosshair assured, the hints of pain leaking into his voice. “I’m alright.”
“You need some bacta,” Tech replied gruffly, hauling his brother toward the medbay, his eyes cold and calculating as they passed over the frightened medic. Wrecker, stunned into silence, followed, worrying after his brothers.
“I-I’m sorry,” she whimpered, staring after them. “I didn’t- I never-”
“We know,” Echo tried to say calmly. “We know, and it’s alright.
“I-I didn’t mean to-” her breathing was becoming more rapid.
“She’s going to hyperventilate if we don’t get her calmed down,” Hunter warned.
“Hey, Jaine, I need you to breathe, okay?” Echo whispered. “Just breathe; Cross’ll be fine.”
The mention of him brought fresh tears to her eyes and they poured down her face as she fidgeted nervously.
Her hands were still sparking red, and she looked down at them in horror.
Hunter seemed to follow her train of thought, watching as she looked from her hands, to them, to the door behind him.
“Don’t go anywhere,” he whispered, almost pleading. “We just want to help.”
“I don’t w-want to hurt you,” she cried.
“And you won’t,” Echo replied, reaching his hand hesitantly towards her arm.
“N-no!” She sobbed, tossing her hand in front of her, unprepared for the blast of energy to lash out from her hand, hitting Hunter and Echo across their torsos, throwing them back against the table and booth behind them.
“No, no, no!” she wailed, rushing toward the door, opening it up and freeing herself from the confines of the ship.
“Jaine!” they called after her, but she couldn’t hear them. Her feet were carrying her quickly, and she paid no mind to where they were leading her.
Hunter groaned, gripping his side as he pulled himself to his feet. Echo rose next to him, looking about the same as Hunter was feeling.
“I’m going after her,” he told Echo.
“Hunter, wait-” Echo sputtered, but it was too late.
-
Hunter had been tracking her through the city for nearly an hour. She had the advantage over him; yes, she was panicked and likely not thinking straight, but the barrage of stimuli constantly changing and shifting, covering her trail remarkably well. He’s always hated cities. Her scent was nearly all he could go off of this time. He resented that the normally sweet, comfortingly warm scent was marred by her fear and hopelessness. He needed to find her, to tell her it was all going to be okay. He could feel himself becoming frantic, his own worry growing like the pain in his side.
And then he saw it: the Jedi Temple. Maybe she’s seeking out Kenobi.
“Hey! Hold it,” ordered a Coruscant Guard as Hunter approached an entrance to the Temple.
“I’m looking for a woman,” he started to explain.
“Ain’t we all,” chuckled the other guard.
“She’s my squad’s medic,” Hunter replied gruffly. “I think she came this way.”
The first Corrie hummed a little as he thought. “Shorter girl, red hair?”
“Yeah, that sounds like her,” Hunter confirmed with relief.
“She was crying, you know,” the second Corrie said, walking over to join the conversation.
“And she had the right access codes to get in,” the first added. “Makes you wonder who could upset someone looking as precious as that, someone who can get into the temple. Who is she, a youngling?”
“Like I said,” Hunter asserted. “She’s my medic and-”
“Why was she crying?” the second guard asked. “Makes you wonder, doesn’t it, Roller?”
“Really does, Tuck.”
The first guard, Tuck, as Hunter now knew, stepped towards him, and without needing to see the regs’ face, he knew he was scowling.
“I don’t want any trouble boys, I just want to help my medic,” Hunter said, low. “I need to take her back to our ship.”
“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” Roller mused. “That’s right, you’re the sorry leader of that sorry batch of defectives, aren’t you?”
“Are you then? How’d you end up with a medic as pretty as that?” Tuck chuckled.
“And worse off, how could you fuck it up badly enough she runs off, goes crying into the temple like that?”
“Yeah, what’d you do to her anyway? How should we know if she even wants to go back with you?”
Tuck prodded Hunter’s chest, clearly trying to provoke him. Hunter was seething, but doing his best to take steadying breaths.
“Gentlemen, this is hardly the place for playground squabbles, don’t you think?” All three men straightened to attention at the sound of General Skywalker’s voice. The General, along with Commander Tano, were exiting the Temple.
“Apologies, sir,” Tuck spoke, his voice rigid.
“Sergeant Hunter?” Skywalker said, approaching him.
“Yes, sir.”
“What is this I heard about your medic running off?”
Skywalker eyed Hunter suspiciously, but Tano looked between them, concerned.
“I thought everything was fine after the meeting. What happened?” she asked, confusion evident in her voice.
“Wouldn’t be more of those pesky ‘irreconcilable differences’ again, would it?” the General chuckled, ignoring the stern look from his padawan.
“Hunter?” she prompted.
“Lieutenant Vale was filling us in on certain aspects of her history, but she got upset and ran off. I followed her trail here.”
Ahsoka thought about this for a moment, before looking up at Anakin. “Master, I’ll meet you at the ship after I escort Sergeant Hunter into the Temple, and assist him in locating Lieutenant Vale.”
Anakin had a soured expression, but nodded, huffing off to his ship.
“Thank you, sir,” Hunter said warily.
“No need,” she waved him off as they entered the halls of the Jedi Temple.
Thanks for reading! - Dang
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chapter four: clarifications (wanderer)
pairing: wanderer/reader
title: First Love/Late Spring
summary: Clarifications lead to a deal being made.
tags: angst, fluff, love/hate, hate sex (eventual), enemies to friends to lovers, afab reader, sucide mentions
notes: biweekly updates. also posted on ao3. wednesdays.
parts: chapter three - chapter five
“Irminsul…”
He watches you digest everything he says in your mind. Your pretty face shows him an array of emotions that flash to him like pages of a book. You must be afraid, or cautious now, of him. He told you about his birth, of what he is, what his purpose was supposed to be, why he was here, everything. For someone as smart as you, you must have probably figured out much of why he was here before he told you, but he doubts you know about his origins. It was erased, after all.
You look at him, eyes narrowing, “And you are here because you have a favor to ask of me.”
“Yes. I have one and only one goal, and that is, to erase myself from this world,” he says with a smirk. The puff of confidence on his chest must have confused you. “I cannot do that, as I am immortal. The technology that made me has long been cast to forgotten soils by the heavens itself.”
“Heavens…” your gaze flicks from him to the ground, deep in thought. “Celestia… The Irminsul…”
“Yes,” he says.
“But, you have no guarantee of me agreeing to your proposal,” you reply. “Now that even you admit that the technology that has created you has been brought down by Celestia, what is stopping them from smiting me down as well? Also, what makes you think I know how to shut you down? I may not be as good as the Snezhnayan doctor that you have mentioned. I feel as if the better chances of someone helping you would come from someone such as Lesser Lord Kusanali, as she is the God of Wisdom.”
Before he cuts you off, you continue quickly, “The Irminsul is used to hide the past, right? It does not change it, but it does rewrite what the people of Teyvat know…”
The wanderer watches you trail off as you intently look at the ground. It is something you do ever so often whenever you are deep in thought about something difficult. Rarely has he observed you doing this during the past few days, and he finds himself almost satisfied to have brought out a true reaction from you. This is a lot to take in, that he was sure of, but if you will not agree to his requests, he might request Lesser Lord Kusanali to wipe your memory out. She would disagree vehemently to it at first, he thinks. But he finds that she spoils him most of the time with whatever he may need, as long as he is not hurting people. Would she count this as hurting people?
He is certain that you will think about it, probably long and hard, but he does know from observation and your obsessive thirst for knowledge that you will not squander this opportunity of learning about advanced technology, unlike any made by the people of Teyvat. But he will never tell you this.
As he looks at you, his eyes blink slowly to gaze at the way you lick your lips, how you hide your eyes from view. It seems you do not want him to see your expression.
“The Heavenly Principles are inactive, and have remained quiet ever since the Cataclysm happened five hundred years ago. I doubt they will make a move when you are merely trying to help out someone. And it is not of my concern whether you think you can or can’t do this, all I want you to do is try,” he says firmly. He supposes it is best for him to lay this out as early as he can.
“You didn’t answer the last question. What about Lesser Lord Kusanali?”
Now that is a question he cannot answer. He doesn't know how she moves or thinks, yet. He may have an idea, but her actions are unpredictable, and she could be watching at any moment. But for the best of his interests, it is the most logical option never to lie in front of you, "I don't know. But I doubt she'll interfere, just as long as she knows that I'm helping you with your thesis, and you are just exploring my technology for the betterment of it."
He has been patient with you thus far, but now annoyance is getting the better of him. He wants an answer immediately. He dislikes wasting his time, and he is certain you dislike wasting yours too.
"All right, I agree," you say after a long, silent pause. "The matra are keeping a close eye on me, but they won't interfere when they don't know who you are. To them, you are human. To me, you are not."
The wanderer feels a mild sting in his heart at the last sentence, but he doesn't dwell on it, but rather, takes pride that his plan has been successful. He has succeeded in roping you in, and perhaps this may prove to be a successful attempt in shutting himself down. That way, he can finally close his eyes, and achieve the high quality rest one can never get as an immortal or as an Akademiya student. He can say his farewells to Teyvat and get lost in the throes of the Irminsul's memories.
——
A few days pass. You and the wanderer exchange and give responsibilities to one another. You are in charge of the compilation of information, translating and condensing them into coherent, and concise paragraphs for the thesis. You share the responsibility of reading and looking for information, but he is in charge of getting it from the House of Daena, the Restricted Repository, and other spaces that may aid the both of you as you have expressed openly you prefer not to leave the warehouse. He wonders if you have a house in Sumeru City. It is natural to want to work here since it is peaceful and shielded from prying eyes, but he doubts it would hurt to take a rest and enjoy the comfortable furniture a fully-furnished house has to offer. With the way the Akademiya is sponsoring this thesis, he guesses that you get on well in life just fine, a rare thing for a Kshahrewar graduate. To top it, he does not see you using the funds to support yourself, as you told him before you pull directly out of your pockets, so he must pull from your pockets as well, not the funds. He finds it strange but makes no comment of it.
He gets the food for you too, after he found out you eat nothing but berries and apples that you pick around the area. You had stared at him for a few seconds, an open mouth to disagree, but you shut it afterwards and looked away. You are quite horrible at holding eye contact. He doesn't know yet why he offered, maybe some sick reason because now he is indebted to you for agreeing with his request, especially that you are swamped with work? He doesn't know, and he refuses to think about it too much.
He finally gets around to finishing the roof in just under a night. When he comes down from the ladder, he sees you shivering with your eyes closed. He assumes you must be fast asleep, but the lack of your stillness fails to convince him. He watches you adjust every minute. Ah, you forgot the sheet you cover yourself with. You are human after all, you react to even the slightest bit of significant change in temperature. The wanderer refuses to call it a blanket, more like a fabric closer to a paper with how thin it is. He sees it in the corner of his eyes, near your desk.
He grabs it and drapes it properly on top of your body, kneeling down next to you. He tucks the sheet firmly under your shoulders to prevent it from being carried around by the wind in the near future. When he looks up from your shoulders to stand up, his cheek brushes against your lips. He stumbles backwards out of shock, and if he had a heart he swears it would have started beating fast. His eyes focus on your face to see if you were awake, and he sighs in relief to discover that was not the case. Your shivering has stopped, and a peaceful look rests on your face.
Dust falls to the floor as he sweeps them away from his shirt and shorts. He organizes the place first, putting the chairs out of the way. He cleans your desk of cut paper slips, dust, tiny pieces of rocks, and the leftovers of some Baklava. The leftovers are covered by a clean cloth he fishes from a box made from your clothes. When he gazes upon the room under the threshold of the entrance, he is satisfied, and he leaves. He thinks that with this everyday routine, he can finally start expecting you to warm up to him, give him some information about you, so you may fold to him and give him what he wants. To be shut down. He wishes for you to gaze upon him with adoration in your eyes. Maybe one day. Not now, for you barely look at him straight. That adoration must turn to you wanting to do what he wants.
While walking to Sumeru City, with a rented house the goal in his mind, a thought passes by his mind. It isn’t until it passes his mind a second time does he stop in his tracks. He forgot to give you dinner.
#fl/lswanderer#firstlove/latespringwanderer#genshinimpact#genshin imagines#scara fluff#genshin impact#fanfiction#genshin fanfiction#a03#series#slowburn#eventual smut#reader#self insert#ao3#scara x reader#scara smut#scara genshin#scara beloved#wanderer#wanderer smut#wanderer fluff#wanderer x reader#scara/reader
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