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kitkatscabinet · 1 year

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As you wish

Aemond Targaryen x reader

Summary: You and Aemond have been by each other's side since childhood. He'd drop everything for you, bending to your whims with an 'as you wish.'

The five times Aemond says 'as you wish' + the one time you do.

Word count: 2.2k

A/N: I couldn't not do it. There’s no mature content don’t know why this got slapped with a label :(

One.

"Aemond!" your gleeful shout of his name pulled the boy from the book he had previously been enraptured in. Looking up towards the source of the call he couldn't stop a small smile from forming. You were running towards him, skirts hitched up in your hands and a grin lighting your visage.

Aemond felt his stomach flutter at the sight of the smile you had reserved for him, at the sheer glee you were exuding just for him.

"Aemond, you must come quickly," you said, panting slightly from your run and hauling him to his feet with surprising strength. The prince could do nothing but stumble after you, a slave to your whims.

"Where are we going in such a rush?" he asked while continuing to let you pull him along.

"We're hiding from septa Cerelle. I'm supposed to be attending lessons but I'd much rather spend time with you." Aemond's breath caught slightly at how easy the admission had come.

"You'll help me hide won't you" you questioned, smiling sheepishly in his direction, and Aemond's mouth was moving before his mind could properly register.

"As you wish." The blinding smile and quick hug he received in return left him feeling oddly floaty for days after.

Two.

Upon returning from lady Laena's funeral Aemond had refused to see you. The queen had gently taken you aside to explain the dreadful events that had taken place on Driftmark. Naturally, you had been appalled, but not for Aemond's supposed ruined looks, but for the wild injustice that had befallen your best friend.

You had instantly marched yourself back to his chambers, banging against the door and yelling to be let in. You had stayed planted in place for what felt like days before the door finally cracked open. Causing you to let out an undignified shriek as you tipped backwards, having sat to lean against the wood earlier.

Looking up you were disconcerted to see that Aemond had already turned and fled, hiding his face from your view. Pushing yourself to your feet you quickly closed and barred the doors behind you.

Your heart shattered even further as you finally looked at your friend. Aemond had always been a quiet presence but was nonetheless proud, posture tall and refined. Yet now, hunched over in a chair by the fire you saw none of what made Aemond himself. He seemed so small, vulnerable even as he resolutely stared away from you.

"Oh Aemond" you gasped, feet swiftly moving to kneel in front of him as you grasped at his hands. Forcing yourself not to react to the bandage that was still wrapped around his head. Still, you gained no reaction and fuelled with spiteful anger on his behalf you spoke again.

"I'll beat him up" you promised nothing but sincerity in your tone. Though you hadn't mentioned a name, it was clear who you meant. That finally elicited a slight upwards quirk of his lips. Nothing like the reaction it should have.

Queen Alicent had told you of the large beast her son had claimed, fear clear in her being and in that moment you saw no other option.

"Will you take me to meet Vhagar?" For the first time since you'd entered his chambers, Aemond looked up to meet your gaze. And seeing no apprehension in your smile he shakily exhaled.

"As you wish."

Three.

Aemond hated grand events. Feasts and balls were overcrowded and far too loud, and people expected him to dance. There were few things he despised more. He was acutely aware of the fearful and disgusted stares that would pass over lady's faces as they saw his.

As a second son, he had no great need to socialise or search for a betrothal. Both actions he had zero interest in. As such these sorts of events presented no enjoyment for him

You on the other hand, for reasons he simply couldn't fathom, adored such events. Relished in the opportunity to drink and dance whilst parading the newest gown his mother had graciously gifted you. You were an ethereal vision in the dark emerald satin, and though he couldn't remove his gaze from your form, neither could many other lords. Lords that practically tripped over each other in order to win some of your time. Forcing him to watch as other men placed their hands on you, another reason for him to hate these events.

His outrage was steadily growing as he threw a frosty look at the lord that had monopolised your attention for the last three dances. He was some minor lord from the vale, hardly worthy of your attention. Yet you had seemed to genuinely enjoy his presence, going so far as to laugh at something the man had whispered by leaning far closer than appropriate in your ear.

Aemond is spared from wetting his hands with blood and the lord his life by the song ending, and you parting from him. So focused on making sure the lord was indeed walking away from you he had barely noticed your approach. Only when the familiar scent of your preferred oils caused his head to spin did he see your dazzling smile. The real thing. Not the painfully and politely plastered thing you offered your many insufferable suitors. The one you had also offered lord deserved to die.

He could not however be angry at you, and the frost in his gaze immediately warmed into something reserved only for three people in existence as he greeted you.

"Dance with me?" you asked, briefly surprising him. You knew how much Aemond hated to dance, to be at the centre of attention and as such never asked him. Yet even so he finds himself taking your arms and leading you towards the dance floor barely a second later.

"As you wish."

You danced with no one but him for the rest of the evening. Leaving Aemond forced to admit to himself that dancing wasn't all that bad.

Four.

He'd heard it from one of the guards casually conversing in the hall. Aemond couldn't recall a time he had been as frantic as now, running through the keep and snarling at anyone that moved out of his way too slowly.

You had been attacked during one of your usual trips visiting the smallfolk. Aemond could not say he was fond of said trips, even if your kindness and generosity only endeared you further to him. You had always assured him you were completely safe, under the watchful eye of both the kings guard (courtesy of himself and his mother) and the city watch. Yet someone had still managed to get far too close, and once Aemond found out who had allowed such a thing heads would roll. But for now, you needed him.

One look at his menacing glare was all he needed to get the guards to your chambers to step aside before he was throwing the doors open. Chest heaving from the fast pace of his run his feet only stopped long enough to identify your location within the room.

Both his mother and sister were by your side, whispering soothing words to your obviously shaken form. Helaena was simply holding your hands, as one of her ladies in waiting the two of you had grown close, whilst his mother rubbed your back.

The relief he had felt for a few seconds quickly morphed back into fury as he took in your still-shaking form. At his arrival, Helaena stood, and after levelling him with a knowing stare announced her leave. Although more hesitant than her daughter, his mother followed suit, but not before glaring at him to 'fix this.'

Hands scrunched in the fabric of your skirts you didn't address his arrival, not even when he gently sank onto the mattress next to you. Slowly, to gain your permission, he wrapped his arms around you and pulled you into his chest when you didn't deny him.

Aemond wanted to scream, to yell until he was red in face, to hunt down and slaughter the men that had come so close to taking you from him. He did none of those things, however, forcing himself to remain calm and gentle for your sake.

As if his arrival was the final catalyst, you instantly burst into tears. Shaky hands fisted into doublet as you shuddered against his chest. Aemond could do nothing but pull you closer, moving one hand up to stroke your hair as he tucked you into him as best he could. His sheer helplessness in the face of your terror distressed him so greatly that he became aware of his own shaking.

Even when you had cried yourself into exhaustion he couldn't bring himself to let go.

"Please... stay" you whispered hoarsely, looking up at him desperately.

"As you wish" he whispered back just as gently, before kissing your hairline in an uncharacteristic show of vulnerability.

Five.

It hadn't been the first time you had gone to Aemond for consolation, tears in your eyes that only he could remedy. It was beginning to feel as if it could be the last, however.

The queen had come to you, gloom dampening her visage as she informed you of the betrothal your father had recently arranged. You had been horrified, at the match and had begged for her interference. Unfortunately, she had already tried, but your father was a stubborn man and had already made up his mind.

You had devolved into a fit of rage, throwing a vase at the nearest wall as you screamed. Which of course, had sent the queen into a quick exit as she called for her son.

Your anger had faded into resignation, and by the time Aemond arrived, you were two cups deep and slumped in a chair staring listlessly into the hearth.

In a mirror of your actions so many years prior, he silently crossed the space, coming to kneel in front of you as he fully witnessed your melancholy.

"Aemond. I don't wish to marry him" you needlessly confessed, pausing briefly before adding "or any of the other lords my parents would foist me upon."

Your confession hung heavily in the air and you watched as Aemond's face hardened with resolve.

"As you wish." He elaborated no further, giving your hands a reassuring squeeze before he stalked out of your chambers with purpose. Leaving you to blink at his retreating form in stunned and confused silence.

When he returned the next morning, a smug smile adorning his face and the promise you wouldn't have to marry any you wouldn't choose you could do nothing but launch yourself into his arms. Heart hammering in his chest at the feel of his satisfied chuckle and enveloping warmth.

One.

Despite the fact that you hadn't wished to marry some lord twice your age, you couldn't help but feel despondent at your unmarried status. Many of the lords and ladies your age were already wed, babes in their belly and children underfoot.

You thought you hid it well, but you had yet to realise that there was almost nothing Aemond didn't notice about you. He noticed the longing in your gaze when you stared after the few happy matches that paraded the keep. His stomach twisting at the thought of you happy and in love with another.

"Aemond!" the scolding tone of your voice pulls him from his thoughts. Blinking, he looked down to where you lay in the grass, pout on your face as you caught him looking elsewhere, and presumably not focusing on you.

"Are you even listening to me?" you whined in a way that from anyone else he would have found annoying, but from you it was incredibly cute.

Your nose was scrunched up and he couldn't help the amused huff that escaped him when you smacked his thigh.

"Aemond." you drew out his name, "Did you hear a word I said?"

"Something about how dashingly handsome I am?" he joked, leaving you to gape up at him in astonishment.

"Not even close" you objected with a scowl before a mischievous look replaced it and you rolled closer to him, "though if you wish for me to sing your praises all you had to was ask."

Aemond could do nothing but stare, mouth suddenly as dry as Dorne. While your tone had been teasing, there had been something in your gaze that indicated you spoke nothing but the truth. His tongue was led, eye darting between your enchanting eyes and perfect lips.

Evidently, he had been staring at your visage for too long, your face crinkling in concern "Aemond? Are you alri-"

"Marry me" he blurted breathlessly, not an ounce of jest in his being. He watched with mortified anticipation as your face lost its smile and your eyes widened in shock.

Yet as what seemed like an age passed and you offered no answer he felt embarrassment like no other burn in his chest. Just before he can make a hasty retreat in order to lick at his newly acquired wounds, your hands snaked out lightning fast and claimed his.

"As you wish" you replied confidently, taking delight at the look of wonder on his face. It was your turn to be breathless as he closed what little distance remained between you. Pulling you into the first of many time-stopping kisses.

TAGLIST: @etherily @psychwardsiren @mihrimahsultan03 @bbyaemond @krispold @hyperfixated-freak @eudximoniakr @deadstarkblacksoul @weepingwitchofthewest @kaitieskidmore1 @eli1fict @rainerax @dsl1999 @uno7 @shine101 @xinyourdreamsx @targeryenmoony @thelittleswanao3 @thenovelcarnival @yourlittlehoe @chattylurker

#aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x reader #hotd #hotd x reader #aemond targaryen fic #house of the dragon #house of the dragon fic #house of the dragon x reader

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thecoolblackwaves · 3 months

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Family Of Nerds: Feanorian Modern AU

(I’m sorry this is somewhat Americanized I just don’t have enough knowledge about anywhere else to make those allusions) (Also please reblog with your own headcanons or other thoughts!)

Feanor

Philologist; studies language history

Often assists at various museums, colleges, archeological sites, etc

Has published several books and given many lectures

Creates his own languages like Tengwar for fun, also is a hobby blacksmith

Teaches his children many archaic languages no one else speaks and takes his family on "educational" vacations

Also attends every convention known to man, even ones that have seemingly nothing to do with his own interests, dressed to the nines and spends his time there signing books and debating other people

Loves his wife just as madly as the day he met her and is ecstatic he married his high school sweetheart

Idolizes his father. Would have done great following his political career if he hadn't "ruined" his public image by becoming a teen parent, ultimately feels he's made the right decisions for his life though and is happy with his work

Rivalry with Fingolfin over who can host the best dinner party (and you best believe he wears smart-ass punny aprons while cooking a six course meal for his guests)

Nerdanel

Professional sculptor and multimedia artist

Teaches classes at an arts college

Is known to eat the fruit out of the bowls her students are sketching when no one is looking

Cannot cook to save her life

Enthusiastically attends every possible event in her family’s calendar no matter the weather or lack of skill at a toddler dance recital

Dresses in a fabulously bohemian eccentric artist way; stole the show when she attended the Grammys with Makalaure and has been featured in several fashion magazines

Carries all sorts of art supplies and seemingly random tools in her purse at all times, including a chisel, googly eyes, edible glitter, a bajillion hair ties, DW40, and peanut M&Ms

Has a calm, wise disposition that belies her truly chaotic nature

Often looked to for advice from her students and children and will only pull your leg when she thinks you’re being stupid

Does give genuinely good advice though, mostly because she is uncanny in her ability to read people and observe subtle hints

Maitimo

Studied communications, currently working as his father’s apprentice but hopes to find a position as a public relations specialist

Uses his intimidating stature and loud, deep voice to his advantage as needed

Was born while his parents were teenagers and still living with their families, he remembers watching cartoons with Grandpa Finwe and being babysat by his uncles

Also attended his mother’s graduation from art school as a small child and clapped until his little hands hurt

Is painfully aware of how all his younger brothers look up to him - literally - and sometimes struggles with the pressures of setting a good example, though he does much better than he realizes

Drinks his coffee from a mug that reads “don’t make this ginger snap” (Nerdanel has a matching one)

The gayest gay to ever gay, informs everyone of this via cheesy tee shirts gifted from his brothers and cousins

Drives a minivan, claims he chose it because it was the only car that would fit his legs and not because he can haul his brothers around in it

Frequently complains about missing the technology of his childhood but resents being called a millennial

Makalaure

Grammy award winning artist and composer

Created the score for a recent movie that bloomed his popularity and brought him to the limelight

Has a Youtube channel with several music videos he definitely didn’t blackmail his family into filming with him

Also performed on Broadway once and will not let you forget it

Used to skip school to busk in the train station and once caught his math teacher also skipping school

Extremely popular with interviewers, camera crew, and other industry specialists for his kindness and crazy stories about his family

Donates large amounts of his royalties to children’s hospitals and other charities

Used to hog the bathroom in the mornings to put on makeup and style his hair

Practices Beyonce dance routines in the mirror, has convinced Curufin to do them with him before

Spent a semester studying in Sydney, Australia and fainted after encountering a large spider in his dorm room

Tyelkormo

Forest ranger at a National Park

Works at outdoor summer camps every year, all the children love him and his giant fluffy dog

Also volunteers at animal shelters and the wildlife rehabilitation center at the National Park

Creatine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; drinks so much milk Nerdanel used to tell him it was why his hair was white

Wakes up at 5 in the morning to exercise (disgusting)

Got a long bow for Christmas one year (the note said Santa but he knows it was his mom) and practices in the backyard by shooting at Amrod’s pumpkins

Metalhead, particularly likes viking metal and Nordic black metal

Made Huan his own battle vest complete with dog-themed patches such as “Bad to the Bone” and “No Leashes No Masters”

Tells the most terrible jokes you’ve ever heard then laughs like a seagull vomiting up a stolen bag of Doritos

Extremely loyal to his family, sometimes to a fault

Carnistar

Professional business accountant

Also does taxes as a side hustle because “it’s so easy”

Is obsessed with Oreos but will not admit it because of his brother's teasing about "Moryo's Oreos"

Obligatory family goth and not ashamed of it

Started mending his hand-me-down clothes as a necessity and got into sewing, now makes fantastic garments for his family and friends to wear

Halloween is the only valid holiday, he spends the entire year making his costume (it’s usually a vampire or some fandom character)

Stays up until 3am gaming on a PC he and Feanor built together one summer, favorite game is currently Balder’s Gate

Had to take speech therapy as a child and later some anger management classes.... because he got too good at expressing himself

Curufin

Silversmith and jewelry maker

Specializes in accessories for ballet dancers and other performers

Ballet dancer since he was young, never succeeded with a professional career but still practices daily and chose his specialty to remain part of the scene

Holds a serious grudge against certain critics that failed his entry to ballet academy (will not sell his products to them or their schools)

Always looking for new business opportunities, not always in the most honest of ways

Struggles with self esteem issues

Has several cats and claims they betray him when they snuggle with Huan but secretly finds it adorable

Frequently collaborates with Caranthir to make elaborate costumes just for the fun of it

Made a tiara for his favorite cat, Princess Paws

Would sleep until four in the afternoon if you let him (or if Princess Paws didn’t wake him up screaming for food)

Amrod

Gardening Club President at his school

Started a trade and barter farmers market after school to reduce waste and share the bounty of his and fellow club member’s gardens

Frequently tries to convince his parents to turn their property into a “self sufficient homestead”, leaves pamphlets and pictures of adorable baby animals lying around the house

Enlisted the help of his twin and Maitimo to build a chicken coop, forgot to ask Feanor’s permission first

Demands payment in the form of fresh caught fish or deer jerky for the use of his gourds in Tyelko’s target practice

Has definitely switched places with Amros to escape trouble or science tests

Often neglects his homework for pursuits he feels are more important, will only do it without complaint when Carnistar tells him to

Had eyes for the cool-looking red glow on the stove as a child and was banned from the kitchen for most of his adolescence

Is generally a persistent and stubborn person (wonder where he got it from)

Amros

Amateur photographer with an instagram following nearing one million

Account consists of 95% nature photography and 5% “The Adventures of Huan and Princess Paws” as he follows them around the back yard

Takes all of Makalaure’s headshots and creates his album covers, also photographs Curufin’s jewelry to upload to his retail website

“Borrows” Carnistar’s prized PC to upload and edit his photos

Conspired with Amrod to convince their elementary school classmates they were secretly Fred and George Weasley disguised as Muggles, ultimately failed because someone thought their accents “just sounded like they were copying Peppa Pig”

Still pulls out his British accent on occasion when someone needs cheering up

Inherited Nerdanel’s keen observation skills, mostly uses them to blackmail his brothers into doing his chores

But also gives the most amazing presents because he knows exactly what everyone truly wants

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dangermousie · 3 months

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Poll time!

Watching W reminded me of two things (1) how much I adore Lee Jong Suk dramas and (2) how much freaking suffering man likes to do in them. So, a poll:

OK, now the explanation part.

Secret Garden - he's a hipster composer with unrequited crush on delightful himbo superstar Oska. Honestly, not getting that fine piece of man is indeed a tragedy. Here is Oska hauling off our composer and is all "you are not leaving, kid," not helping that crush one bit:

I Hear Your Voice - serial killer offed his dad and almost offed him when he was little, has ability to hear everyone's thoughts that he cannot turn off, same serial killer is now gunning for him (or just turning him into killer), is a high school kid with hopeless (or is it? :P) crush on decade older prosecutor, accidentally stabs her once, loses his memory etc etc. A great time is NOT had by all. But it is had by me.

Doctor Stranger - stuck in North Korea as a kid, forced to perform human experiments as a doctor for years, has to kill his OTP's dad to save her, believes his OTP died (twice), hunted by NK goon squads etc etc. My pick, tbh.

W Two Worlds - his family killed and he's convicted for their deaths, after he gets out eventually discovers he's a fictional character and fights to keep free will and oh, a killer who literally is inhuman narrative is hunting him and the woman he loves across worlds.

While You Were Sleeping - childhood trauma, present day psycho fixating on him (why ARE his characters psycho catnip?), an almost fatal stabbing now and then...just a routine life of a prosecutor.

Romance Is a Bonus Book - for once he decided to take a break from whumptown. Ummm...a romcom with no blood is a form of suffering for angst lovers? (There is no pic as there is no gut wounds, sorry.)

Big Mouth - framed for something he didn't do, convicted and has to cope in jail full of psychopaths who go after him, stuck in a lunatic asylum and tortured, and after all of that, his wife dies. Go big or go home.

#kdrama #poll #lee jong suk #w two worlds #big mouth #i hear your voice #secret garden #doctor stranger #while you were sleeping #i need a nap tbh

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blurredcolour · 1 year

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Extrication in G Major | Part One

Extrication in G Major Masterlist

Summary: Your first encounter with Lieutenant Commander Jake Seresin gives you the impression that he is rude and arrogant, but he is determined to convince you to get to know him better.

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Female Cellist Reader

Warnings: Language, Blood, Reader Injury, Dress Uniforms, Jake Being a Bit of a Jerk, Jake Being a Lot of a Flirt, Alcohol Consumption

Word Count: 3738

The door to your apartment wavered in the slight breeze, the latch broken – likely to never function again. Warm liquid dripped from the underside from your worn kitchen table, bearing the scars of your childhood and its journey across the country in the back of a U-Haul. The droplets hit the linoleum tile with a soft pat, pat at first, before enough of them accumulated to change the sound to a sharper plink, plink.

Your eyes scanned over the hunting knife driven through your ruined hand and into the wood of the tabletop, the blood pooling in your palm. As the bitter taste of fear belatedly flooded your mouth, panic setting in at the gravity of your situation, it was ironic that the fingers of your free hand were reaching for your phone, fumbling across the fractured screen to call Lieutenant Commander Jacob Seresin of their own volition. Or perhaps it was not ironic at all.

Driving cross-country in a ten-foot rented moving truck from Boston to San Diego in January had not been an act born of choice, but one born of necessity. You had needed to leave the east coast. To put more than just a few states between you this time. The opening with the San Diego Symphony, courtesy of an early parental leave, had presented itself at the perfect time. And was geographically ideal in that it was in the diagonally opposite corner of the country from the orchestra you had just left.

Given that it was well outside the top twenty symphonies in the country and maybe, just maybe you would have just a little time to do what you loved before what you had left behind caught up with you.

With your finances in their abysmal state, you barely had enough to make a security deposit on a dubious studio apartment in a neighbourhood the internet indicated you probably should not consider. But San Diego was expensive, and this living situation would hopefully be temporary until you received a few pay cheques in your new position. You were careful, however, to never leave your cello unattended in your apartment; carrying it with you everywhere as you rode public transport and relied on ride shares to get around.

It was with great relief, then, that you happily accepted an invitation to join a few of the other musicians in a performance quartet. They had approached you after string sectionals as their usual cellist was out with the flu and they had a performance booked for that Friday. Four days of focused practice would be more than enough for you to prepare, you assured them, agreeing to stay after ensemble rehearsal to practice together on Thursday evening.

That was, after all, the life of a professional musician – a great deal of your rehearsal time was spent in isolation, perfecting your portion of the piece, learning your cues, and studying the composer, with the expectation of arriving at the final rehearsal able to play flawlessly.

The four of you were roughly halfway through the selection of pieces to be played, when the lead violinist Marco asked you and Haeun, the violist, to the work through a section together to ensure a more complimentary sound. The door to the auditorium opened, immediately bringing your bows to a halt, and sending all of your eyes to your watches. The security guard, Hal, had assured you it would be no issue for you to remain until ten. But it was only half past eight. And the man who strutted in was most certainly not the retired police officer with a shock of white hair sprouting beneath his black security officer’s cap.

No. The man who strolled in was tall and broad, tanned and blonde, dressed in military khakis with biceps that tested the limits of his shirt sleeves. He had a pair of aviator sunglasses dangling from the breast pocket of his uniform, and suspicion in his eyes as he looked towards the four of you on stage.

“Lieutenant Commander Seresin!” Marco gasped and set his violin and bow on his now empty seat before disappearing in the wings, only to re-emerge off stage, meeting the imposing man in the front row.

There were about the same height, just under six foot tall, but next to Marco the width of the man’s shoulders made up from any lack of altitude.

“Good evening Mr. Campillo, just thought I’d come by and see how the preparations are going…” His eyes raked across the stage before settling on you, narrowing slightly. Instinctually, your fingers tightened on the neck of your instrument, knees hugging the sides slightly under his scrutiny before he turned back to Marco. “I see your quartet has a new member…”

You gritted your teeth at the doubt in his voice, trying to keep your face passive as you were really counting on the extra funds this gig would afford you.

“Yes, she graciously agreed to step in for us as Cecily caught the flu this week. We are extremely fortunate to have her on such short notice.”

“You’ll forgive me if I’m not as excited as you, Mr. Campillo, to have a brand-new cellist in the quartet I hired for an event I’ve been personally charged with. Admirals don’t retire every day, and everything must be to the highest of standards.” He cast a glance back at you over his shoulder, hands coming to rest on his hips. “No offence, miss.”

Your spine stiffened as the second violinist Benoit was barely able to contain his gasp beside you.

“Now, Lieutenant Commander, please let me assuage your concerns. She’s Julliard trained and most recently played for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, widely considered one of the top five in the country, truly, I assure you that…”

Marco’s words barely reached your ears, blood rushing through them as you tried to take deep, calming breaths. The fingertips resting on your bow grip were losing colour from how tight you were holding it…from the audacity of this military man waltzing into your practice, insulting your capabilities at merely a glance. You had swallowed more of your pride in the last few weeks than your stomach could manage, and this muscled idiot was more than you could stand.

If the moron needed proof of your worth, then you could certainly deliver that. Fresh in your memory from your audition for the seat, wordlessly you relaxed into a proper playing position began to play Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1: Prelude. It was perhaps the most famous cell solo, mostly due to the efforts of Yo-Yo Ma, and a rather melancholy piece. There was no lack of sadness in your life upon which to draw from and mixed with the burning sense of challenge the Lieutenant Commander raised within you, your fingers flew across the fingerboard, head bobbing slightly with the rhythm of the piece. As you played the higher notes, your eyebrows naturally rose, not unlike that of a singer, and neck extending backward slightly on the longer notes, it was as though the music was being produced from within you rather than through an instrument.

So absorbed in the music, you missed the way the group fell silent until you pulled your bow from the strings, the last of the vibrations fading away, and opened your eyes to find him staring openly at you. You swallowed tightly to clear your throat.

“Will that suffice, Lieutenant Commander?” You asked pointedly.

He supplied you with a vague nod in reply, reaching behind him to fold down the nearest seat before sinking into it. Marco stayed by his side for a moment, hesitating, before jogging back to rejoin the three of you on stage. Lieutenant Commander Seresin remained there, seated in the front row, until nearly ten o’clock, watching the four of you finish your rehearsal. You could not help but wonder if he had more ‘important’ things to do.

You could hear him and Marco making final arrangements as you packed up your cello, pulling out your phone to summon a ride share to make the trip home. You frowned slightly at the jagged crack down the face of your screen; yet another thing that would wait until funds allowed for a replacement. You slung your cello onto your back, making your way out to the parking lot until a blur of khaki halted you in your tracks.

“I really meant no offense, darlin’.” Seresin grinned from much closer this time and you were irritated to note that the pale, jade green of his eyes reminded you of sea glass. “You know how it is…” He shrugged in a way you were certain had previously charmed the undergarments off countless bodies.

“I’m certain I don’t, Lieutenant Commander, being a civilian and all. But your concern is wasted. A musician is accustomed to proving their abilities to anyone and everyone who demands it of them.” No matter how unqualified. You kept the last to yourself and moved to step around him.

You caught the way his eyes shifted to your cello as you hiked it higher upon your shoulder.

“Please, allow me…” He reached for it, and you shook your head firmly.

“No thank you, Lieutenant Commander, I’m fine.”

“Please, darlin’, it’s Jake. There’s no need to be so formal…” He flashed his perfectly straight, white teeth and you had never been more grateful to receive a notification on your phone.

You looked down to see that your driver ‘Andy’ had arrived before the glow of headlights shone through the glass doors ahead.

“Looks like my ride is here. Good night, Lieutenant Commander.” You nodded to him, swallowing back a sigh as he still insisted on holding open each of the lobby doors for you.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, darlin’.” He nodded, undeterred, helping you and your cello into the maroon sedan.

“Tomorrow.” You replied with a nod before he shut the car door for you, sighing heavily and dropping your face into your hand as the car pulled away. San Diego was supposed to be simple, so why had the universe just set this stubborn, gorgeous man in your path?

The ride share driver and you had competed to vacate the parking lot of your building once he had dropped you off. He had won, but just barely. Locking the door behind you, you breathed a sigh of relief to find your meagre possessions intact. You tucked the cello into the back of the closet, inside one of the moving boxes you had saved for just that purpose, to make it as unappealing as possible, and pulled out one of your performance dresses to be sure it was free of wrinkles for the party tomorrow night.

After another dinner of cup noodles, you put on some white noise on your phone and did your best to get as much sleep as possible, forgoing any practice the day of the party to ensure you were as rested as possible. You arrived at the hotel an hour before the party was scheduled to begin, freshly showered and wearing subtle make-up, the breeze from the nearby ocean catching the skirt of your dress as you climbed out of your ride share.

“You clean up nice, darlin’.” You heard the familiar voice and looked up, the moisture in your mouth suddenly evaporating at the sight of Lieutenant Commander Jake Seresin standing before you in his dress whites and…was that a fucking…sword at his hip? How had you not been mentally prepared for the possibility of dress uniforms.

“You, too…” Your lips somehow mustered to ability to move, and you barely heard your voice above the buzzing in your ears as you watched him reach into the car to fetch your cello, too stupefied to protest this time.

“Why thank you, you’re too kind.” He flashed that ruinous smile again. “Follow me.” He jerked his head to the right and turned to lead you inside.

You followed without a word, past the reception desk, down a few hallways, and into a ballroom decked in Navy decorations. Of course, the dress whites meant the Navy. He was a Navy man. Slowly your cognitive skills were returning to you.

“Your fellow musicians are set-up right here.” He led you over to a platform in the corner of the room where the others were just unpacking their instruments and gently set your cello case on the carpeted floor. “You all have programs on your music stands, but please let me know if need anything else.”

“Thank you very much.” You nodded earnestly, nibbling on the corner of your lip as you quickly went about setting up so the four of you could be in place and ready to play before the guests arrived.

He grinned, looking more than a little pleased with himself, before stepping away to take care of other responsibilities. You could not deny that your eyes found him several times throughout the evening during your warm-up, between songs, as the guest of honour arrived, as they served dinner. The military most certainly had numerous lethal weapons in its arsenal and Lieutenant Commander Jake Seresin was handcrafted to bring about your death it seemed.

It was a miracle that you made it through the full set, the evening a true test of professional abilities, taking a bow as the emcee took to the podium to ask those in attendance for a round of applause for the music your quartet had provided. He then announced they would be moving onto speeches as the four of you began to pack up as quietly as possible.

“Hey, thank y’all again that was fantastic.” Jake whispered, shaking each of your hands with a warm grin, a hint of whisky on his breath. “We’ve got some extra dinners from folks who couldn’t come are any of you hungry?”

While Marco and Haeun opted to head home to their families, you and Benoit agreed. Jake got you set up at a table in the back, speaking to one of the waiters who promptly brought out two plates. Jake slid into the empty chair beside you as the speeches echoed through the ballroom, glancing at you happily as you did your best to act like this was not your first proper meal in weeks. You carefully cut and savoured each bite – even the veggies tasted like heaven. When they cut the intricately decorated cake, Jake disappeared only to return with three sizeable slices.

“I’m glad you approve of my meal selection.” He winked and you sipped your water sheepishly.

“It was very good.” You admitted before looking over the cake. “Did you select this as well, Lieutenant Commander?” You tilted your head, enjoying the way his eyes crinkled at the corners in annoyance.

“I’ve told you to call me Jake, darlin’, and yes, yes, I did. Lemon cake with a vanilla bean buttercream but there’s a surprise in the middle. Go on and tell me what you think.” He leaned in watching you expectantly.

Lifting your fork, you used the edge of it to slice through the soft piece of cake, mouth already watering at the promise of something sweet, before stabbing a bite-sized portion and sliding it past your lips. As you chewed thoughtfully, you fought back the urge to moan at the delicious combination of flavours but could not help the gasp that flew from your mouth when the bright tang of raspberry cut through the sweetness of the buttercream.

Jake grinned broadly and leaned back in his chair, nodding heavily with satisfaction. “Raspberry compote.”

“That is fantastic.” You grudgingly admitted before going in for a second bite.

He chuckled richly and watched you enjoy a few more bites, nodding to Benoit as he excused himself for the evening. You swallowed nervously, realizing you were now alone in a room full of dress uniforms, under the intense gaze of one Lieutenant Commander.

“Are you enjoying San Diego?” He asked, breaking the silence as the DJ began to set up for the dance portion of the evening.

You nodded slowly, swallowing your most recent bite.

“Haven’t really been here long but it’s beautiful….” You glanced at him and tilted your head. “So aside from choosing dinners and cakes and musicians, what do you do for the Navy?” You asked, hoping to distract him by getting him to talk about himself.

His lips twitched into a smirk.

“Well darlin’, I’m a Naval Aviator…a pilot…” He replied confidently, tapping the set of golden wings on his chest, making you swallow the last of your cake painfully.

“Fuck me…” You breathed as the DJ introduced herself through the sound system. You tensed and quickly took a deep sip of your water.

“Sorry didn’t catch that?” He leaned in, eyes twinkling with a dangerous mischief.

“F... Fancy.” You said loudly into his ear as the first song of the night began throbbing through the speakers, something from the eighties – the retiring admiral’s heyday.

He straightened with a knowing smirk on his face and offered his hand.

“Dance with me.” It was more of a command than an invitation.

“I should really head home; we’ve got a concert series next week and I…” You swallowed hard as he raised an eyebrow and stood, extending his hand to you once more.

You glanced at your cello beneath the table, loathe to leave it unattended, even in a room filled with commissioned officers.

“Is that the real problem? One moment.” He nodded and squeezed your shoulder before disappearing into the crowd, the heat of his touch lingering through the fabric of your dress.

You had just risen to your feet, prepared to make your escape, when he returned with another officer with wings on his chest but no sword at his hip.

“This is Lieutenant Javy Machado, my wingman. There’s no one else here I would trust to look after your cello.” Jake slapped him on the back proudly and you pressed your lips together trying not to grin at how adorable a picture they presented.

“Your instrument is in good hands ma’am, though might I persuade you to dance with me instead? Hangman is a terrible dancer…” He trailed off as Jake pushed him down into his recently vacated chair and silently accepted defeat as Jake offered his hand to you once more.

“Please?” He asked, raising an eyebrow hopefully and you swallowed, not quite finding the heart to turn him down after he had found someone to mind your cello – despite how complicated this was getting.

“One dance, Lieutenant Commander.” You acquiesced, setting your hand in his, licking your lips involuntarily at the intensity of his responding smile.

He led you out onto the dance floor, sliding his arm around you to rest against your lower back and your heart leapt into your throat as you realized at some point between the table and the floor the music had changed to a slow song. Sinking your teeth into your lower lip at the warmth of his palm seeping through your dress, you set your hand in his, letting him lead. He easily navigated past the other couples, and despite his wingman’s warnings, he was an excellent dancer.

“Why did he call you Hangman?” You looked up at him, startled to find his eyes already fixed down on you.

“It’s my call sign, we use them in the air. Javy’s is Coyote. Still working on getting you to call me Jake first, though. One step at a time.” He smirked and you could not help but laugh softly, shaking your head. “I have to say…” He murmured, leaning in close to your ear. “I’ve never been jealous of a cello before…Wish it was me between those lovely legs of yours.” He breathed against your tender skin, making you shiver involuntarily.

It was by no means an inventive pick-up line to receive as a cellist – had even been successful a time or two during your studies at Julliard, but it had become tired and cliché as you had matured. Yet there was something about the earnest way in which he delivered it. Or maybe it was the Texas drawl, thickened by the whisky you could still smell on his breath. It sent a thrill of desire through you that was altogether dangerous.

Mercifully, as the song came to an end a rather frantic looking individual bustled up to Jake and tapped him on the shoulder. He reluctantly released you and turned to look down at the smaller man.

“Terribly sorry to interrupt, Lieutenant Commander but Admiral Simpson is looking for you…” He fidgeted nervously and you honestly pitied the man for the murderous look Jake was currently raining down on him.

He turned back to you and frowned.

“Forgive me darlin’, duty calls. I hope you might stay but I…”

You shook your head sadly and he all but pouted yet nodded graciously. You took a deep breath, knowing you would probably regret this, but selfishly wanting to see his smile one last time.

“Goodnight, Jake.” You smiled softly and bit your lip painfully as he pressed both hands to his chest, green eyes glittering and smile stretching his lips wide as his face lit up with glee.

“Goodnight, darlin’.” He crowed, walking backward through the crowd towards his beckoning admiral.

You shook your head, ducking your face as more than a few people turned to glance your way. Picking your way quickly across the dancefloor, you returned to your table, smiling fondly to see Lieutenant Machado waiting patiently with your cello.

“Thank you very much, Lieutenant. I hope you enjoy the rest of your night.” You smiled warmly and grabbed your instrument, slinging it over your shoulder and booking a ride as you wound your way through the halls to the front of the hotel. You walked quickly, nearly holding your breath, hoping the admiral would keep Jake long enough, or deliver a request complex enough, that you could make your way out of there before he realized he did not have your number.

Despite your initial impression of him, the evening had more than confirmed that the man did not deserve to be entangled in the morass of your life. It would be best for you to disappear tonight and for him to take that charm and those ruinous good looks elsewhere. Your paths were highly unlikely to ever cross again, anyway.

Read Part Two

Extrication in G Major Masterlist

Image Credit: Devotion (2022)

#jake seresin x reader #hangman x reader #jake seresin x you #hangman x you #jake hangman x reader #jake hangman x you #jake hangman fic #jake hangman imagine #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin imagine #top gun fanfiction

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abronzeagegod · 3 months

Text

Dead Letters, Missing Wife

Dead Letter #0 & 1 Marriage Certificate and 'Come Find Me'

[a cleaned up and longer version of this post and prompt]

You had just turned 18 over the weekend. Reaching the age of majority or whatever. Sunday birthdays are whatever, you have the day off of school and responsibilities but the looming threat of Monday hangs over the entire day.

At least with this Monday you have the joy of looking forward to belated birthday letters and things being delivered to you since the mail doesn't go on Sundays.

Sure enough after school there was a small stack of letters for you.

Grandma, aunts, uncles, your one weird cousin that lives in the mountains.

All birthday wishes and greetings. I was nice.

Then there was a large, thick envelope that said, "Department of Recognition, Vows, and Contracts."

You carefully tear along the edge of the large envelope and open it. Two things are there. One is something that looks like what you imagine your eventual college diploma would look like. Thick, impressive paper that almost feels laminated, some kind of fun calligraphy across it. There was also a piece of paper.

The paper was forgotten about at first.

The certificate, was a marriage certificate. For you and your first crush, your best friend at 6 years old, Siobhan.

There was your name and Siobhan Winters.

"This certificate recognizes the wedding vows exchanged between these two parties as complete and binding upon the youngest reaching their age of majority."

The memories come flooding back. You hadn't thought of Siobhan in years. Hell, you haven't even seen them in twice as long.

You were a demanding six year old. It was something about you that you were just adamant that this was how things were and how they were supposed to be. And seeing Siobhan, a cute little kid with long blonde hair that was so blonde it was almost white, big green eyes, and just this quiet demeanor to everyone but you, of course she was the one that you figured out what the terms "crush" and "fall in love" and everything meant. Those words were just words, descriptions of parents and grandparents and why they were together for so long, but Siobhan was the person that made the definition real and gave it tangibility and form for you.

She was your best friend but that wasn't quite enough for you at six years old. You dragged her to the pond out back of the neighborhood. The pond was on the edge of a small wood, really nothing more than a copse of trees and wilderness in the suburban sprawl, but it felt like a great and terrible wood when you were that small.

You donned a veil because there was something Traditional, and Correct, about hiding your face from your best friend/crush. You didn't have a ring but you did spend your allowance on candy at the corner shop, and in your haul were two candy rings.

There were somethings about weddings that you know, but you don't know much.

You know there was a veil, that was very important. You know there were rings. You know there were vows and witnesses.

There were vows, you know that for a fact. You just can't quite remember, now, what they were. Siobhan said them with such gravitas and meaning and weight to them that you still feel the shivers up your spine when you think about it.

The frogs were your witnesses.

The ring pops were the binding rings, exchanged with words of devotion.

Siobhan lifted your veil, and pulled you into a hug.

As far as the two of you were concerned, you were married!

The frogs croaked in happiness.

Apparently, the Department of Recognition, Vows, and Contracts also thought that the marriage was real. And as the younger of the two, you were the last one to reach the age of majority, and the marriage certificate was mailed to you.

As if that answered any questions.

The nostalgia calls after you and you want to remember Siobhan as they were and not the hazy memories of childhood.

You immediately start digging through your old year books, or whatever the grade school equivalent of a year books was.

It was only then that you recall that Siobhan never made it to picture day in kindergarten.

Nor did she make it to picture day the year after, or the year after, or any year until she moved away in sixth grade.

Puzzled, intrigued, and now even more confused, you head downstairs where you find your mom working hard on a crossword puzzle.

"Hey, what's a four letter word for black and white?" she asks.

"Oreo," you answer without really thinking about it. "Hey, do you remember my friend Siobhan? From kindergarten and grade school?"

Your mom finishes filling in your answer, looking pleased with herself for having most of the puzzle finished. "Was that the weird one with the cape and the glasses?"

"No, that was Steph."

"Oh yeah, she really loved random trivia, didn't she?"

"Yup."

"Siobhan was the one that was always looking for dinosaur bones in everyone's backyard?"

"That's Joel. No, Siobhan. She came over all the time, we would go play in the backyard, and went to the park together like every day. You didn't like her dad like at all. One day after kindergarten I demanded that I was gonna make her my wife and did a little ceremony out by the pond."

"Oh! Right!" Your mom looks up at you, lost in memory for a second. "Lived across the street, wild black hair, always asked if we had Cheetos."

"No. Mom. That was Matt. Siobhan. Cute kid, always seemed to be the smallest kid in class. Green eyes that had a look you called 'an old soul with the million yard stare'. Platinum blonde hair that was almost grey in a very long braid all the time."

Your mom makes eye contact with you but she doesn't seem to see you. "You never had a friend like that," she says in a strange, almost monotone.

Confused and a little weirded out, you decide to drop it, and head back up to your room. If you mom wasn't going to help you then perhaps the internet would. You don't like to brag, but you're extremely adept at Facebook stalking and finding people.

One time, at your part time job over the summer, you had a really weird coworker that you only knew for three days, lied about almost everything, and then was fired for being outrageously high on the clock. They claimed that they were getting a job in a small town in Alaska as a Fire Marshall and promptly disappeared.

All you had to find them was their first name and the fact that they worked at the same place you did for a very short amount of time.

It took you only a couple of days to find them. They did not move to Alaska, they went one town over and bounced around between barbacking jobs and running a mildly successful etsy shop.

So you use all the skills that you possess and try to reach out to all sorts of people to find someone with a shared memory of Siobhan. Friends, teachers, people you shared classes with that you'd rather never speak to again.

Every. Single. Response. "You never had a friend like that."

This went from being some weird, intriguing mystery, to something vaguely sinister, and deeply creepy.

No one seemed to remember Siobhan except for you. You remember them now, perfectly. Your first crush. The first person you ever developed feelings for, as real and as deep as any 6 year old possibly could develop.

You remember her vividly. Hugging her was the best. She was shy and didn't like to be touched too much, so when she did let you hug her it was the best. It was like hugging a piece of glass. Sharp, beautiful, and fragile. You always felt that if you hugged her too tightly she was shatter.

There was no way you could let this rest now. No way that you could let this end now.

You call the government office that issued you the certificate of marriage. Or at least. You tried to contact the government office.

The website listed no such department, neither locally nor federally.

You called city hall and they transferred you to a dead line.

Out of desperation you called the post office to see where the letter came from.

"Hello," you say for the fifth time this particular call after being transferred too many times. "I was hoping that you could help me track down who sent me a letter and not transfer me to someone else. I received a marriage certificate with my name and information but I can't find anyone who would have sent this to me, the department seemingly doesn't exist."

The deep, bored, and phlegmy voice asked simply, "And your spouse?"

"Siobhan Winters, I can't find any record of her either!" you say, perhaps too loudly, but your frustration is overwhelming you.

"Oh. You got a dead letter. Undeliverable since Siobhan Winters ain't here. But if your her spouse w can send you all the stuff we got sitting here for her. Do you accept?"

"Yes! Wait. What? What do you mean?"

"Everything will be delivered to you in the next two to three business days, thank you for contacting the Dead Letter Office. You have a pleasant day."

You couldn't do anything else before he hung up. You stare at the phone for a while before putting it down.

All you can do is wait for the dead letters to make it to you.

When the letters finally arrived there were boxes full. At least six boxes full of mail, and a few packages. It would take you, by rough estimate, at least three days to go through it all. Even if half of it was spam mail, it would take forever.

But on top of one of the boxes that you just found outside your front door, seemingly delivered before the sun rose, was a letter. It was addressed to you, sort of.

"To the spouse of Siobhan Winters"

That was you, by all accounts.

The letter was sealed with wax, and seemingly made out of heavy parchment, like some kind of ancient letter.

You opened it first.

"To my love,

I fear I must apologize for a great many things. I never wished to abandon you or break our vows, but there are actions I must take, deeds that must be done, purposes I must fulfill. If you have found this, found me, then I am sure you have many questions.

If you must search me out, then you can find my trail starting at our favorite place.

I love you still. I love you forever.

I still remember our vows and will endeavor to never corrupt or break them.

Please find me.

I miss you.

I need you.

I am so afraid.

Yours till the end of time,

Siobhan Winters"

You carefully fold the letter, and hold it close to you for a second.

It seems like you have to go out and find your wife.

You bring all the boxes inside, carefully put them in your bedroom where space is already running low. Your parents, barely awake and carefully sipping coffee watch you with mild confusion and interest.

"Everything good?" your dad asked as you carried in the last box.

"Mix up with the post office. A bunch of unsent mail finally made it my way," you half explain.

"Ok..."

With all of the boxes in your room you start to unpack and sort them.

There were hundreds if not thousands of spam mail for Siobhan. It seems that the only people that remember her are you and the person in charge of trying to sell HelloFresh boxes.

There seemed to be four serious piles of mail by the time that you finish sorting all six boxes.

The first pile, the biggest one, was spam mail. The one inexhaustible truth in the universe.

They were all addressed to Siobhan Winters, but seemingly were listed under a couple dozen addresses all over the country. There was something there, a code or a pattern in Siobhan's movements. But you don't quite have the brain power to think that one through.

The second pile were bills. None of them were overdue, but just notices for the stopping and starting of service. This felt like a pattern too, one that you could combine with the spam mail to really track where Siobhan had been over the course of the years she's been gone.

But that wasn't the important thing, yet.

Because the third and forth piles were much more interesting, and they were all addressed to "The Spouse of Siobhan Winters".

There were letters, all extremely similar to the first one you opened, all addressed the same, all sealed similarly.

Then there were packages. They were of various sizes but most of them were pretty small.

This was a mystery and an adventure, so you wanted to start at the end. Find Siobhan right away and then work through the rest.

After carefully looking over each letter you see that there were small numbers written on the back of each letter and package, right near the seal.

You couldn't make out the exact details of the seal in the dark purple wax, but you realize that it was probably a tower of some kind with some squiggly line accents.

The last letter, one with the number 60 on it, was the highest one you found, so you opened that one first.

Answers to start, adventure later.

"My love,

There is an order and a reason for this. It may be difficult, and it may change you in ways that you cannot see or predict. I say this now, here, that the road is long and difficult, for the better and the worse, and the changes are fundamental and total and incomprehensible until you go through it.

I do not want to discourage you from this journey.

I want you to be prepared.

You cannot remain, the act of searching has already started and changed you. There is no going back.

If you stop I would not blame you, nor would I intrude upon the peace you would inevitably seek and find. I would weep for the loss.

If you do wish to continue, you must know that there is an order, a reason, and a pattern to the journey. You cannot jump to the end, even though I recall you desperately reading the last chapters of books in school because you needed to know if there was a happy ending. This is not a story you can skip to the end.

I'm sorry.

The journey will be long and will alter everything for you. In the end there will be a choice, for you to make alone.

I'm sorry that all you have of me are these dead letters. But if you follow them in order, if you undergo the journey with me, after me, you will understand.

Yours for all time,

Siobhan"

You close the letter and sit on your bed.

After all this time she still remembers you so clearly it seemed. You still look up the plot summary of movies and TV shows before you start watching them. You'll spoil yourself left and right on things to make sure that they aren't going to end badly or not be worth the time investment.

It seems that this is not something that you can skip to the end of, this is a journey that you will have to take from the beginning.

There were so many letters and packages.

And you had a feeling that many of these things would have you going to wildly different places.

You grab your bag, stuff in some snacks and a bottle of water, and grab letter number 2.

If this is how it has to be, then you're going to start walking to the old pond where the two of you got married in kindergarten.

i have a kofi

#dead letters missing wife #i have some ideas going forward but before i went further i had to double back and clean some stuff up #work has also been killing me so time is precious #i'm working on like 4 other writing projects at the same time too #my fiction #writeblr #writers on tumblr

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persephoneseye · 4 months

Text

🖤🗝️Friendliness

Sal Fisher x fem reader PART ONE

Feel free to send requests (NO NSFW)

Your phone blared in your ear, informing you that it was time to wake up. You begrudgingly got up from your bed and dragged yourself to the bathroom to get ready. It had been a few months since you moved to Nockfell, and they weren’t anything special. You had spent most of your summer days locked in your room, mourning the loss of your childhood friends, school, and home. Today was the first day of your sophomore year at Nockfell High School, and you were definitely not excited. As you got ready, your chest filled with more and more dread of what was to come in the day ahead of you.

“Morning, sweet pea.” Your mother said with a bright smile. How was she always so chipper in the mornings? Must be all that coffee.

“Morning, Ma.” You replied sleepily, grabbing a cereal bar from the pantry. You didn’t exactly feel like talking, but you knew she’d figure something was wrong if you didn’t make conversation.

“Excited?” She asked curiously, taking a sip of her coffee.

You shook your head slowly, shoving the cereal bar into your mouth hungrily. Why should you be excited? It’s not like you’d make any friends on the first day.

“I’m sure it won’t be as bad as you think.” She said softly, trying to comfort your anxiety.

You shrugged, walking back to your room to then slip on your shoes and grab your backpack. You walked to the front door and waved goodbye to your mom. You opened the door to instantly feel the cold morning air of Nockfell. You sighed and shut the door and began your commute to your new prison. As you approached the large brick building, plenty of kids were already looking at you. “Great…” You thought to yourself. “I’m already being judged.” You took a deep breath and opened the front door to the school, fishing out the paper you got at orientation out of your pocket. Luckily, they gave you your class locations and locker number before school started. “78…” You mumbled to yourself, looking at the paper while making your way down the hallway to try and find Locker 78. As you got closer, counting down the lockers 76, 77… and finally 78, you noticed a strange group of kids your age near your locker. In fact, they were RIGHT next to your locker, almost blocking it. There was a boy with ginger hair and glasses, a girl with long brown hair, a boy who also had long brown hair, and then…there was another. You didn’t really register anything more about the group of kids, why should you? You didn’t get a good look at the last one, they were short and kind of in the middle surrounded by the others. You opened your locker and set down your backpack to bring out your books when you heard whispering from the group.

“Isn’t that the new girl?” Said one.

“She looks nice.” Said another.

You decided to stop eavesdropping, their opinions didn’t matter. You were just trying to get through the day. You pulled out a massive stack of books from your backpack, trying to haul it into your locker. You failed miserably though, dropping them immediately with a loud BANG of the hardcovers.

“Here, let me help you!” A girl said as you kneeled to clean up your mess. You looked up for your eyes to meet hers. They were bright green, shielded by dark eyelashes. She looked down at your books and began to stack them. You immediately panicked.

“No, really it’s fine! You don’t need to help!” You stammered, trying to get the stranger to stop assisting you.

“I know I don’t need to, but I want to.” She replied matter-of-factly, smiling brightly at you while handing you your books. “I’m Ash.”

“…Y/N…” You mumbled, blushing from embarrassment. You didn’t want some random girl to pity your clumsiness.

“Nice to meet you!” She said cheerily, standing up to introduce you to her friends. “This is Todd,” She said, motioning to the redhaired boy with glasses, “Larry,” she continued, referring to the boy with long brown hair, “and that’s Sal!” She concluded, pointing at a…strange (to say the least) looking…boy?

The individual had olive skin, from at least what you could see from their hands and neck. They wore a long sleeved black shirt that was far too large for them, black ripped jeans, and red converse that were littered in doodles. Their wrists were adorned in handmade bracelets, spelling out various words like “punk”, “Sally Face”, and “BFFS”. Their hair was tied back into two electric blue pigtails, with short bangs covering their forehead. But the strangest thing…was their face. Or, what seemed to be a face from what it looked like. They wore a stark-white mask that covered their whole face, with little holes for their eyes and nostrils. You couldn’t tell what material it was made out of, but it looked fairly…medical? You decided to go with the assumption that it was just a strange fashion choice when a voice came from the off-putting mask. It was raspy and deep, yet timid. Okay, so it is a guy!

“Hello.” The boy said, blue eyes glimmering behind the mask. His voice had a tinge of kindness to it. Your eyes roamed over his masked face, taking in little details like scratches and parts where the paint was peeling.

“Yo, earth to new girl. You good, bro?” The boy with long brown hair said while waving his hand in front of your eyes. “Shoot…was I staring?” you thought to yourself.

“Huh? Oh, yeah I’m fine.” You replied, blinking a few times at the masked boy.

“I’d love to stay and chat, but I gotta head to class. See you later guys!” Ash said as she bid farewell to the others, walking to a nearby classroom.

“Me too, I have robotics.” Todd added, leaving the three of you alone.

“What class do ya got, newbie?” Larry questioned, towering over you and looking down at the paper in your hands.

“Oh, I have Geometry. You?” You replied.

“Sick, us too!” He said excitedly, motioning to a door down the hall. “Follow me and Sal.”

You nodded, following them with a slight smile. They seemed…nice. Your anxieties slowly started to melt away with each step you took, feeling more confident in the day ahead of you. You were so wrapped up in these positive thoughts that you didn’t notice the blue-haired boy staring at you while you walked side-by-side.

“Y/N, right?” He asked.

“Huh?” You snapped back to reality, “Oh! Yeah, that’s me. Sal?”

“The one and only.”

You laughed, he seemed cute…and oddly intriguing.

He laughed himself, even if it was only a light chuckle.

You made your way to the classroom and stepped inside. The teacher was sitting at her desk, taking roll. On the whiteboard was written, “Welcome! Feel free to sit anywhere.”

“Wanna sit together?” Sal asked, looking at you and Larry.

You nodded.

“Duh.” Larry snorted.

You all found a group of seats where you sat next to Sal, and Larry sat behind you. You took out a notebook and began to doodle. Sal leaned over and watched you diligently.

“Ignoring us already?” Larry chuckled, looking over your shoulder.

“What? No! Sorry- I just-.”

“Don’t give her a hard time, man.” Sal said with a hint of frustration in his voice. He turned to you. “So, what do you like to do for fun, Miss Y/N?”

This was new. You hadn’t really introduced yourself to anyone in a long time. It took you a second to gather your thoughts. Who were you?

Okay PLEASE SEND REQUESTS!! I’m continuing this story with requests, so tell me who you’d like the reader to be and I’ll continue this!!!

#writers #sally face #sally face x reader #slow burn #send requests #sal fisher #larry johnson

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ninja-muse · 4 months

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As you might know if you saw my review the other day, my December felt very slumpy even though I read a lot of good books. I suspect this is because of book hangovers and working a busy Christmas retail season. (I also didn't write much because I kept coming home too wiped to think.)

But it was a good month! I managed to get to a couple new releases that I really wanted to, and I knocked a lot of books off my physical TBR because none of my ARCs looking interesting. I did have a DNF again, though, of a book that I was really hoping would be great. Isn't that always the way?

I also had two rereads! One because sometimes when you're at a loss to read, you pick up Pratchett, and one because I'd promised myself I'd get to it this year and dash it, I was going to! Weirdos of the Universe, Unite! was one of the most seminal books of my childhood, and it wasn't until I reread it that I realized just how much it was. I saw a lot of my personal attitude to life in Maddy, it was probably my first true urban fantasy even though there's a whole act on a spaceship, Baba Yaga is there as a very cranky but practical sort of witch…

As for my book haul, I just want to say that it was Christmas and I didn't actually buy anything? My parents came through with some really oddball picks, as I'd expected, my sister gifted me one of her favourite reads of the year, and friends helped feed my T. Kingfisher addiction. (More on that in my yearly wrap-up.)

But the book I'm most excited to have gotten is Hogfather, and not because of the pretty cover though that's a bonus. It is, in fact, the most astounding misprint I've ever seen and I couldn't pass up a chance at a free copy. I mean, how many times do you find a beloved book in which the entire thing is bound backwards?! Thank goodness the publisher didn't want it back, is all I'm saying.

And that's probably about it! I have no idea what book I'm going to start 2024 with, because I sort of read 200+ pages of Persepolis Rising last night so I could knock it off my list and now I'm recovering from the binge.

And now without further ado, in order of enjoyment…

A Power Unbound - Freya Marske

Jack, Alan, and their friends must find a hidden artifact and foil a plot. This would go better if Jack and Alan got along.

8/10

🏳️‍🌈 main characters (gay, bi man), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (gay, bi woman, lesbian, genderfluid) 🏳️‍🌈 author

All the Hidden Paths - Foz Meadows

Velasin and Caethari are still feeling out their relationship when they’re summoned to the capital and almost immediately find themselves targeted again..

7.5/10

🏳️‍🌈 main characters (mlm), 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (mlm), mute secondary character, cast of colour, 🏳️‍🌈 author warning: anxiety, aftermath of trauma, dubious consent

Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams with Mark Carwadine

A bumbling science fiction author travels the world in search of endangered animals.

7/10

Illuminations - T. Kingfisher

Rosa wants to help her artist-magician family, but instead she accidentally releases a creature bent on destroying them!

8/10

Lovecraft Country - Matt Ruff

Two Chicago families in the 1950s become caught up in a world of cults, ghosts, monsters, and magical danger. Fortunately, they’ve had lots of practice at mistrusting white folks.

7.5/10

primarily Black cast

warning: depicts Jim Crow-era racism, including slurs; also abusive family dynamics

Persepolis Rising - James S.A. Corey

Thirty years on, the system has achieved a new normal. So of course one of the colony planets decides it’s time to shake things up.

7.5/10

very racially diverse cast

Remarkably Bright Creatures - Shelby Van Pelt

A cleaner at an aquarium mourns her losses. A young California man seeks his absentee father. The resident octopus tries to bring them together.

7.5/10

Jamaican secondary character, Korean-American secondary character

Ragnarok - A.S. Byatt

A child in wartime discovers Norse mythology, and the ways myths and the world reflect each other.

7.5/10

warning: animal cruelty and injury

While Idaho Slept - J. Reuben Appelman

Four students are murdered in a single night, and what came before and after.

7/10

warning: violent murders

Monstress, Volume 3 - Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (illustrator)

Maika finds temporary refuge from the people chasing her, but the local leaders want a favour in return.

7/10

one-armed protagonist, cast of colour, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (sapphic), Taiwanese-American author and Japanese-American illustrator

Reread

Weirdos of the Universe, Unite! - Pamela F. Service

Mandy and Owen get assigned a mythology paper, but then the characters they pick start coming to life and insisting they have a great purpose.

Black secondary character, Indigenous secondary character, Chinese secondary character

warning: somewhat lazy depictions of Indigenous and Chinese people

The Unadulterated Cat - Terry Pratchett with Gray Jolliffe (illustrator)

A humourous celebration of all things cat.

DNF

The Undetectables - Courtney Smyth

Someone’s committing Occult murders and a crack team of Occult investigators has been called in. Or, they’re totally going to be the crack team someday, at least.

main character with fibromyalgia, 🏳️‍🌈 secondary characters (lesbian), fat secondary character, Chinese-British secondary character, 🏳️‍🌈 author

Currently reading:

Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth Century - Richard Taruskin A history of early written European music, in its social and political contexts.

The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle Victorian detective stories

major disabled character

warning: racism, colonialism

Stats

Monthly total: 11+1 Yearly total: 128/140 Queer books: 2 Authors of colour: 1 Books by women: 6 Authors outside the binary: 0 Canadian authors: 0 Off the TBR shelves: 7 Rereads: 2 Books hauled: 8 ARCs acquired: 2 ARCs unhauled: 2 DNFs: 1

January February March April May June July August September October November

#books #book reviews #reading wrap-ups #stacks of books #read in 2023 #book recommendations #rec lists #my photos

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baked-bread · 4 months

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local library book sale section haul

i don't check the book sale section of my library very often, but I was there yesterday and found some really great finds for really cheap :)

more info + rambles under cut!

top row:

- Call The Name of The Night

(never heard of it, but it sounds interesting. $1 is such a small amount of money that it's worth taking the risk in not liking it. i can just give my best friend whatever i don't like in hopes that she might enjoy it <3)

- I'm in LOVE with the VILLAINESS

(best friend loves this one. i want to also love this one. i think she would be happier if i didn’t like it so she gets to keep it)

- Little Witch Academia

(read a few volumes of this (that i checked out from the same library lol) when i was young. it's really good iirc. i lack the motivation to finish most series but i wish i really could've w this one)

- Bloom into You

(cute yuri!! never read but i'm looking forward to it :) )

bottom row:

- Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku

(actually read this exact volume while visiting another library in the city not too long ago. really good imo. a cute and fun read, gotta place the others on hold)

- Land of the Lustrous

(i've heard of it, but i actually don't know much other than the description at the back and that cosplayers love this one. again, $1 is such a small loss that it's nbd if i don't like it.)

- citrus

(pirated the whole thing as a kid. stole my older brother's ps vita and wouldn't give it back because this was my wallpaper. this is the most controversial choice, but i'd like to see the rest of y’all NOT buy a childhood fave for $1. i think i'm in the right here. cute series, would be perfect if they weren't stepsisters, but that's literally the core plot so. y'know. it's regular good.)

all first volumes, and all for $1 (CAD)!! total value of the haul is $7. significantly cheaper than buying the random manga that people donate to the thrift store, except w way better selection (not counting the trashy thrift store yaoi because i've only seen that twice in 5 years.) AND with the knowledge that you've supported your library a little :) definitely would recommend checking this section out once in a while for anyone that buys books.

#i was so happy that i showed my coworkers (bought it directly before work)#and they were like 'holy shit. that is good.' except they could all guess the exact library i came from w frightening accuracy #anyway i love libraries i love libraries #had there not been so much manga i would've picked up a novel or two because some of them seemed pog #image #rambles #library #book haul #citrus #bloom into you #i’m in love with the villainess #little witch academia #call the name of the night #wotakoi #land of the lustrous #haul

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90s-2000s-barbie · 5 months

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Hello, Megan! How are you doing? I was wondering if you have any tips for someone wanting to start a 90s/2000s collection like yours.

Where do you shop? How long did it take to accumulate your collection?

Last question might be weird but do you sleep in the room in the photos? The reason I ask is because I want to make my room look like that but I'm a little worried about what people will think...

Hi! This is a great questions and literally anyone can do it and affordable! So I’ve been collecting my whole life but I started going super into it in 2009. Not only do I collect nostalgia, I collect about anything I would see and like, antiques, records vintage clothes, toys, ex. What started my interest is I just saw something a couple antiques i wanted at goodwill and passed it up and I would never live it down. I will forever remember is and kick myself in the ass for it. I said that’s it, I’m not regretting leaving something so cool behind in fear of being judged.

Even though I started in 2009, I will admit, no one has to break bank to start collecting. The best place to start is goodwill, local thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales. I don’t pay much for anything I own in my collection. One time I thrifted an entire huge box full of vintage McDonald’s toys for $2! It’s very simple to do. Some garage sales, people were so tired of selling, they would tell me to have things for free! Like I’m doing them a favor getting rid of the items. lol u really don’t need to spend much.

I started collecting by going to my local goodwill every week and I’d find a cart FULL of 90’s -2000’s finds and I’d spend like max, $50 for my entire cart and I’d find the coolest stuff, toys, clothes, books, ex.

I leave no stones unturned. Some people hid things at goodwill and wait for the color tag to go on sale so look everywhere! I would go by myself and look for a few hours and pick out everything old, and decide at the end what I LOVE and put back things that I just don’t. I’d find cool 2000’s clothes hidden in the kids clothes! I found a vintage adult sized Powerpuff girls sweater in the kids! People hide stuff everywhere and workers also put things in wrong spots just cause it’s got cartoons on them. lol

So the photos of my room is right before I moved into my own house but YES. I slept in that room for years and everyone that walked in thought it was cool! Now I have childhood friends sending me photos of it and asking why my room is all over the internet! lol 😂 I had 2 beds so I could have my best friends over and have cool sleep overs, all my friends, guys and girls loved it and even my boyfriend loved it when we first started dating. My mom loved it cause it reminded her of when me and my sister were kids. She would come up and hang out with me and we would watch Britney and Backstreet Boys videos. I say, do things FOR YOU. If people aren’t supportive, then that’s there problem. As long as ur responsible and not harming anyone or anything, then there is nothing wrong with u doing what makes u happy! ❤️ If u have anything ur really into, the fashion or toys, ask any questions u want, fill free to ask. Something I always do with everything, is pick something up, look for a year. Sometimes older stuff didn’t always have a year on it. Now they always have years.

Also I don’t make YouTube videos anymore but I do have one thrift haul on my YouTube channel Nostalgic Studioz. Can kinda see what I found going to one goodwill! One store is all it takes. lol

Thanks so much for the ask! I love talking about my hobbies and I hope this helps u too! ❤️❤️

Here is one flea market haul and there is that box I spent 2 dollars on to the right. lol I bought all of this in one place, one day at the local flea market. Ohio’s biggest flea market is like 30 mins away and it’s my FAVORITE place in the world. It’s opened all year around and it’s like a giant garage sale.

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oldshrewsburyian · 1 year

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I loved this book -- and its fantastical cover -- when I was growing up. (And yes, it shows its age; it was my father's before it was mine.)

#the great childhood book haul #contes de perrault #illustration #fairy tales #charles perrault #book cover #cover design #booklr

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stalkedbytrains · 2 months

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Dead Letters, Missing Wife

Dead Letter #1

At least with this Monday you have the joy of looking forward to belated birthday letters and things being delivered to you since the mail doesn't go on Sundays.

Sure enough after school there was a small stack of letters for you.

Grandma, aunts, uncles, your one weird cousin that lives in the mountains.

All birthday wishes and greetings. It was nice.

Then there was a large, thick envelope that said, "Department of Recognition, Vows, and Contracts."

The paper was forgotten about at first.

The certificate, was a marriage certificate. For you and your first crush, your best friend at 6 years old, Siobhan.

There was your name and Siobhan Winters.

"This certificate recognizes the wedding vows exchanged between these two parties as complete and binding upon the youngest reaching their age of majority."

The memories come flooding back. You hadn't thought of Siobhan in years. Hell, you haven't even seen them in twice as long.

There were some things about weddings that you know, but you don't know much.