"Even before Laurent had hit the ground, the man had drawn his sword. Damen was too far away. He was too far to get between the man and Laurent, he knew that, even as he drew his sword—even as he wheeled his horse, felt the powerful bunch of the animal beneath him. There was only one thing he could do." -Prince's Gambit by C.S.Pacat

and a continuation of the same scene with more spoilers:

(Prefacing this with, this is a paint by numbers that I painted, but I did NOT draw the original. However, it looks so much like Laurent that I couldn’t help myself)

"Is this one to your satisfaction?" Damen jumps at Laurent's voice, turning to see his husband leaning casually against the door frame. He smiles at the person who'd painted the portrait as they bow to him. "Or do you wish to commission yet another?"

"None of them truly capture your beauty," Damen huffs, turning back to his scrutiny. It really is a nice picture, showing Laurent more relaxed than he is with most people, but, to Damen, it really doesn't show just how breathtaking his husband is in real life.

"You cannot keep commissioning portraits when you know you will never be happy with them," Laurent teases. Damen hears the door close as the artist leaves, then feels two arms snake around his waist. "Besides, where will we hang them all?"

Damen laughs. "I would build a palace just for them."

"I'm sure the people would love to hear their tax dollars are being put to good use." His voice is dry, but Damen can hear the undertone of laughter and fondness that Laurent reserves just for him. "Would you build me a garden of statues, as well?"

He turns, cupping Laurent's face and leaning down to kiss him. "I would build you an empire, if you wished it so."

Laurent hums. "I think we have a good one already, husband, and I do not need a new palace or portraits or a garden of statues." He leans in to kiss Damen, so sweetly that he feels as though his knees are going to collapse. "All I need is you."

"You will always have me. The world can burn and I will stay by your side until the end."

"So no more portraits?"

My valentines piece for @folfar @caprivalentine 🌹

"If Laurent moved back even a half-inch, he’d bump the shutter. To prevent this, he was plastered so tightly against Damen that Damen could feel every crease in the fabric of his garments, through which, the warm, transmitted heat of his body.

The Summer Palace 

(Click for bigger/crisper images as always!)

Private royal swimming spot.

Again, 90% of this was inspired by the vacation feels I get from Assassins Creed Odyssey locations. I know that it’s missing waves and reflections, but I kinda enjoy the calm pool feeling I got by accident, so left them out on purpose.

I also enjoy how different crops can make it like a little comic!