#novemindie

[hiddcnhorizcns]

open to: @novemindie connection: amidst the court's opulence, magnus becomes intrigued by y/m, a mysterious figure who appears at royal gatherings but seems to belong nowhere. y/m is elusive, often disappearing before anyone can learn more. Drawn by curiosity and an unexplainable pull, magnus seeks to uncover y/m's true identity.

lord magnus valkenhayn leaned against the marble balustrade, his cold blue eyes scanning the room with practiced precision. the annual royal gathering was in full swing, a tapestry of power plays and subtle alliances. yet, amidst the familiar faces of courtiers and nobles, one figure consistently eluded his grasp. there, near the ornate fountain, stood them once again, their presence as enigmatic as ever. clad in garments that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly quality, they moved through the crowd like a shadow, barely registering the attention of those around them. to most, they were a fleeting mystery, a whispered curiosity. but to magnus, the unexplainable pull was more than mere curiosity—it was a challenge. magnus's mind raced as he observed them from afar. their grace, the way they seemed to exist on the periphery of every conversation, hinted at secrets waiting to be unraveled. he had seen many intriguing individuals at court, but none with the air of someone who belonged nowhere and everywhere simultaneously.

"lord valkenhayn," a voice interrupted his thoughts. lady isolde, his most trusted advisor, approached with a discreet bow. "another round of introductions is about to commence. shall i arrange another alliance for tonight?" magnus turned his piercing gaze toward her, masking his intrigue with a facade of indifference. "not tonight, lady isolde. there are matters that require my attention." isolde raised an eyebrow but remained silent, understanding the unspoken command. as she retreated, magnus's thoughts returned to them. he had to know who they were and why they captivated him so. were they a potential threat, an unknown ally, or something altogether different?

the night progressed, and the chatter grew louder, yet magnus remained focused on his quarry. as the clock struck midnight, the crowd began to disperse, but they lingered, as if awaiting something—or someone. sensing an opportunity, magnus made his move. he approached with measured steps, his imposing stature drawing subtle attention. it was only a matter of time before magnus would find out if they would finally stay put or they'd try to disappear into the night again. either way, he was going to satisfy his curiosity tonight, one way or another. his guards were prepared this time.

[slashcrz]

private starter -> DELIVERY!! @novemindie

inspiration: detroit: become human 💜

as soon as misti had pushed open the door, a scent of sweat && rust reached her nose. the latter not being from the selection of performance androids on display - her pale eyes swept over them appreciatively, forms fine && unyielding to wear&&tear.

no; it was the building itself, archaic && rooted in the past. offering indulgences of pleasures and anonymity that transcend progression. exactly what the programmer desired. everyone, regardless of the era, wishes to hide for a night, and feel a little less alone.

perhaps someone should have warned her that this was not a location that clientele among the ladies seemed to care for - misti ignored the look of surprise that seemed to bounce like a shadow around her, and pulled her jacket around her shoulders a little tighter. it was a few moments before ocean hues met mocha, and misti smiled at the android, eyes lingering with a hint of curiosity && allure.

[etxrnaleclipse]

Cont. from @novemindie || Pedro and Eamon (x)

There was a moment where Pedro paused, because damnit, this man knew how to get to him. How to win him over in every way possible. But he quickly recovered and shook his head. "Eamon... This isn't fair. None of this is. If you don't want anything serious, then I respect that. But you can't keep messing with my head."

[tearfest]

ㅤㅤ" i mean no offence when i say this, ma'am— but i'm a little tired of hearing you talk so highly, and so frequently, of him. "

closed starter for @novemindie, based on.

[hiddcnhorizcns]

@novemindie from here

jesse—or rather caleb— watched her approach, the sway in her walk casual, confident. her words were sharp, but he could see the glint of curiosity behind her eyes. he knew women like her—strong, sure of themselves, used to being in control. but there was something else about sawyer that made him feel… exposed. like she could see through the mask he wore. that thought unsettled him more than he cared to admit. as she tossed her words at him, dismissing his warning about being out here alone, jesse fought the urge to smile. stubborn, like he’d expected. still, hearing her call him sir made something in him stir, and he hated it.hated that this girl—this woman—could so easily unravel the walls he’d built around himself. when she offered the flask, a playful smirk tugging at her lips, he hesitated. he didn't drink much anymore; not since he learned that a clear head kept the ghosts at bay. but there she was, standing in front of him, eyes gleaming with mischief, and it was hard to say no. "rum, huh?" he said, his voice low, as he wiped his hands one more time, stalling. he could feel the tension pulling tighter between them, the way it always did when she was close. maybe it was the way she looked at him, like she wanted to figure him out, peel away the layers he'd spent years hiding behind. or maybe it was the fact that she was doing exactly what he told himself he couldn’t—getting under his skin.

he reached out, his rough fingers brushing against hers as he took the flask. for a brief second, the warmth of her hand lingered on his skin, and it unnerved him. the old jesse—the one who lived before vengeance poisoned his heart—might’ve flirted back, might’ve even let himself fall into her easy, teasing rhythm. but that jesse was long gone. taking a swig of the rum, he let the burn settle in his throat. his eyes, dark and unreadable, locked with hers. “i ain’t one for overdo'in it,” he finally said, handing the flask back. “but i appreciate the concern.” she wasn’t just offering him a drink, though. he could see that. no, this was her trying to dig deeper, to pry open the part of him that he kept hidden from the world. she was sharp, no doubt about it. "you don’t seem like the type to worry about a ranch hand," he said, voice soft but probing. his smile was there, that slow, practiced grin he gave when he didn’t want people to dig too deep.

[hiddcnhorizcns]

@novemindie from here

alex stood frozen, his gaze locked on wilhelmina—mina, the name he had once whispered with such tenderness. the woman who now stood before him, barely inches away, looked so much like the mina he remembered, and yet... so different. she was more composed, more elegant, but the way her eyes widened as they took him in—the way she said his name, almost reverently—struck him like a hammer to the chest. he hadn’t prepared for this. he hadn’t thought he would ever need to. all those nights on the battlefield, when he had allowed himself to think of her, he had imagined a different world, one where he returned and took her into his arms, where they would pick up where they had left off. he had thought that maybe, just maybe, the time apart wouldn’t change what they were to each other. but now, standing in the great dining hall of blackwood estate, reality was colder, harder. mina was no longer just the woman he had loved. she was his brother’s fiancée. as she spoke his name, he saw the flicker of emotions behind her composed exterior—the awe, the surprise, the pain. he wasn’t the only one haunted by the past.

"mina," he managed, his voice barely above a whisper, yet the sound of it was weighted with all the memories, all the unsaid things that lay between them. her face faltered, the mask of calm cracking for just a moment. her lips parted as if she wanted to say something more, but no words came. the room around them buzzed with conversation, laughter, the clink of silverware, but it all faded into nothing for alex. the only thing that mattered was the woman standing before him. his brother, unaware of the tempest swirling in the room, clapped a hand on alex’s shoulder, laughing loudly. "i told you she was wonderful, didn’t i?" he said, beaming, his face flushed with joy. alex swallowed, his throat tight. his brother’s voice, usually so comforting, now felt like a distant echo, a reminder of everything that had shifted, everything that had changed. alex forced himself to smile, nodding mechanically, though his mind was miles away from this room. "she’s… she’s amazing," he said, the words feeling like ashes in his mouth. he couldn’t say what he really felt—that he had loved her first, that she had been his. but that was gone now. he had no claim on her. his brother had that now. for a moment, alex dared to glance at mina again, his heart twisting at the way her eyes lingered on him. he could feel the unspoken question hanging in the air between them. what happened to us? but there was no answer. not now.

as the evening went on, alex drifted through the conversations, though he could barely keep track of the words being spoken. his brother was in high spirits, speaking of the future, their marriage, their plans for a life in yorkshire, and alex listened with a sinking feeling in his chest. he couldn’t bear to watch the way mina smiled at his brother, even though he knew it wasn’t the same smile she had given him all those years ago. she wasn’t pretending—not fully. she had found some happiness with his brother, and that was the hardest part to swallow.

it wasn’t until much later, after the dinner had ended and the fire had burned low in the hearth, that alex found himself standing alone on the terrace, the cold night air a welcome distraction from the turmoil inside him. the moon hung low over the estate, casting a pale light over the stone terrace, and he took a deep breath, trying to ground himself in the quiet stillness of the night.

[hiddcnhorizcns]

@novemindie from here

carlos was silent for a moment, his brow furrowed, trying to process ainsley's words. he had noticed the growing distance between them, but he couldn't place the blame entirely on them. he had been distracted, tangled up in something much bigger than either of them. he felt the weight of the illegal world he was a part of pressing down on him, suffocating the parts of himself that once felt free and open with ainsley. but what had stung him now, more than anything, was that ainsley had started to keep their distance too, like a ghost slipping away before he even realized they were fading. they'd once had this unspoken connection—he could feel what they were feeling before they even said a word. but now? now it felt like every conversation was a minefield. he clenched his jaw. he hated that they felt this way, that he was scaring them. that wasn’t who he was—or at least, it wasn’t who he wanted to be. but this life, this other side of him, was changing things. carlos could feel it. “i’m not trying to track you, ains,” he said, his voice softer, though still carrying an edge of frustration he couldn’t entirely mask. “i just... i don’t know where you are half the time. and yeah, maybe i am paranoid. but you’d be too if you saw what i’ve seen lately.”

[rcguelcver]

in reply to x @novemindie

Annika could not help herself; the moment had allowed her to get carried away, and for a moment, knowing that she had torn the buttons from Edgar's shirt had been thrilling, that is until the others panic set in, changing the mood somewhat suddenly, and realisation came crashing down. A bound chest, a slim figure, and his statement had her mind blurry, trying to come down from their heated encounter to really register, pulling back a moment, brow furrowing. "I think that best." Annika muttered, eyes slowly coming up from their chest to meet their face, a face she had come to love.