#[I do plan to get some drafts done today but I won't be

[tenebriism]

// I have... a three day weekend. o_ o This feels so strange. Is this what it feels like to be the Chosen One? Ahh, that just put me in SUCH a good mood!!! <3

[sturniqlo]

Shrunken Laundry- M.S

summary: matt loves doing the laundry, and y/n finds out she's pregnant what better way to tell him than using the laundry BLURB

cw: pregnancy, fluff

an: this has been sitting in my drafts for about two weeks now lol

masterlist

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Y/n and Matt have been married for almost two years now. Dated for three engaged for one and now married. They were in that point in their lives where they wanted to start a family. They've been trying for about a month at this point. After countless negative pregnancy tests and disappointed tears, Y/n had finally gotten a positive. The only downside? Matt wasn't there when she took it.

Matt had to go and film with Nick and Chris for their channel earlier today. Y/n was sitting on their dining table eating a bowl of cereal when she got a notification from her cycle app. 'your a week late!' She gasped, Y/n was always the one to keep track of her period cycle, however this time it might've slipped her mind.

She nervously, yet excitedly, stood up with her phone in hand and went into her shared bathroom with Matt and started recording on her phone in case it was the moment. "Okay, so I just got a notification from my period app and I'm one week late. So, hopefully I get a positive." She props her phone on the counter and crosses her fingers in hope. Bending down to the cabinets she grabs the last two test and opens them. "I'll be back." She says to her phone, walking to the private toilet she closes the door behind her. She pees on the sticks, and puts the cap back on both of them.

She goes back out, washes her hands and flips the tests over and waits. "I'm nervous but excited if that makes sense? Me and Matt have been wanting a baby for some time now. And I hope I can give us a baby." She tears up at the thoughts. After five minutes of talking to her phone she notices that it's time to check. "Okay, I'm going to check now." With shaky hands, Y/n grabs both test in one hand, still flipped over, and she lets out a shaky breath. She flips them over and gasps. || is what she sees on one test and sees + on the other. "Oh my god! Oh my god! I'm pregnant!" She cries happily. She looks at the test again and laugh. "Oh my- look at it! She flips over the test to show her phone and squeals.

the next day

"Okay, so it's the next day. Specifically laundry day as Matt likes to call it." She whispers to her phone so Matt won't hear her. He's currently in their room, sorting out their laundry. Ever since they moved in together, he's always done the laundry. Anytime Y/n tries to put a load to wash, he takes it away from her. "This is my job, you already do so much for us." Is what he always says. "Yesterday when I found out, I ran to the nearest store to buy something to tell Matt about the surprise and I found this. It's so cute." She flips her phone and shows the baby onesie that has a eeyore on it.

"My plan is to throw this into the dryer once it's finished and it can be the first thing Matt sees as he opens the dryer." She flips her phone back to her. "I'll record his reaction." Forty minutes later, the dryer dings while Matt is in the bathroom. She takes the opportunity to quickly enter the laundry room and open the dryer door and nicely places the tiny clothing on top of the warm clothes. She quickly closes the small door and runs out.

Quietly she starts recording once she hears Matt come out the bathroom. She makes sure the camera is filming from her back camera and she pans in to the floor for the time being. "Did the dryer stop?" Matt asks. "I think so." She nods. He goes to the laundry room and she quietly follow behind. He opens the dryer door and grabs the tiny item. "Baby, what's this? Did one of your bodysuits shrink? I've never seen this one be-" He looks confused at first but when he turns around and sees you filming on your phone and a blue and white stick in your other hand he gets what your hinting at.

"Oh my god! No way! Are you actually?" He asks, his eyes glossing over. "I found out yesterday. We're having a baby!" She squeals. He scoops her into his arms and lifts her up. "Holy shit! I love you, I love you, I love you!l He places her down and she stops recording putting her phone in her pocket. He grabs her chin and puts his lips on hers.

"We're going to be parents!"

[theta-walti]

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Summary (requested): Hi! Would you maybe write something for lia wälti were her and reader are really close friends who do a lot of domestic stuff together (think cooking, keeping each other company when studying etc) and everyone except those two knows that they are in love with each other? I just have this scene in my head where reader walks into the living room to find lia on the couch wearing their hoodie cuddling with readers dog and just thinking "i'm gonna marry this girl" and that being the realisation that the feelings are indeed more than friendly. Maybe some confessions and fluff after that

Warnings: Alcohol and fluff

A/N: ahhhhh l love Wally sm, l has bracelet for her, again, this has been in drafts as long as l can remember, this is dedicated to the anon who waited so patiently for so long, thank you and enjoy 🫶

Word count: 2.5k

"Lia!"

You said, lying on the living room sofa, completely bored out of your mind.

You had came over to Lia's this morning, only because you both don't have training today and the Swiss invited you over, usually when both you and Lia are free you would spend the day together, weather it's at hers or at yours.

This started when you met each other in Langnau, when she was coached by her father, you and her were the only girls on the team, so automatically you two became friends really quickly, and ever since you and the Swiss is done everything together, even moved up the ranks together, from Langnau to Huttwill Training Center to Team Bern West to BSC Young Boys for a year before signing to Arsenal in 2018, whenever boys bullied her you stood up for her and vice versa, that's how your friendship bloomed, that is until you started to develop feelings for the Swiss.

"yes kärlek?"

Lia said, looking up from her laptop, she is currently sitting on the kitchen counter, studying for her bachelor's degree.

"I'm bored!"

You throw your head back and groan. Usually, you and Lia would be spending time together, but ever since you arrived, she’s been too focused on studying, leaving you feeling a bit neglected.

Suddenly, an idea sparks in your mind—you know the Swiss won't like it, but you decide to go for it anyway. Rising from your seat, you stride over to where she's sitting, and without a word, you close her laptop and took it. Lia looks up at you, a bit stunned, before letting out a small, exasperated protest.

"Hey, that's my uni work! Give it back!"

She tried to get it back by reaching out, but you were having none of it.

"No! You've been ignoring me since l arrived. You invited me over, so now you have to hang out with me!"

You said, hugging her laptop close to your body, refusing to give Lia back her laptop. The Swiss got off the kitchen counter and started walking towards you.

"please Härlig, don't be so chrildish. Give me back my laptop. This is important!"

You start to back up, leaving the kitchen with a big smirk on your face. Then you start to run, running around the house with Lia behind you, chasing you, trying to get her laptop back.

"I'm not saying this again! Give me my laptop back!"

Lia said with a smile on her face, You yelled back a no and kept running, and you continued to do so until you faced a dead end, somehow you ran into the bedroom and ended up in the gap between the bed and the bedside table, basically tucking yourself in a corner, Lia smirked as she walked towards you slowly, her head high and hand out.

"You have nowhere else to run now. Give me my laptop,"

She said with an outstrached hand and stopped in front of you.

"YES, I do!"

You declared, scanning the room before charging forward with determination, aiming to bypass Lia and return to the living room. However, fate had other plans.

Mid-stride, you stumble over one of the bed's legs, instinctively reaching for Lia's arm for support. Instead, you only succeed in pulling her down with you. Her initial shock quickly gives way to a smirk as she realizes your vulnerable position, now looming over you with a newfound confidence. Despite the situation, you cling tightly to the laptop, refusing to surrender it.

That is, until you notice the position you’re in and froze, realization flooding over you. When you glance back at Lia, a mischievous grin is spreading across her face. Seizing the moment, she swiftly takes the laptop from your grasp, leaving you sprawled on the floor with a blush creeping across your cheeks. As she steps back, you lie there, replaying the scene in your mind, trying to process what just happened.

Just on cue, your phone rang in a notification. Thank gods, it was a text from your favourite teammate (you won't admit it, but she is) and one of your closest friends, Leah.

Hey, me and the team are going out tonight, you wanna come with? Bring Wally too if you want, l texted her, but she never replies

You replied immediately.

Yes! I'll tell her now, where is it?

You and Leah continued texting, and she gave you the address and time. Turns out you and Lia only have two hours left until the meet-up.

"Lia! Lee just told me that the team is hanging out tonight. They invited you too, It's in two hours"

You said as you walked out of the bedroom and into the living room where your best friend is, the Swiss turned her focus to you as soon as you entered the room, telling her the news.

"Where are they meeting up?"

Lia asked with an arched eyebrow. This is the first time she has heard this, or someone has already texted her, but because her phone was on dnd, she didn't know.

"A bar, apparently it's new and everyone wanted to go"

She leaned back, considering the invitation. You knew how she could be, sometimes hesitant to go out when she had work on her plate, even when it meant spending time with the team. Still, you were determined to have a proper night out with her by your side.

"Oh, come on, Lia. It’ll be fun! Besides, we haven’t all gone out together in ages,"

you pleaded, throwing her a hopeful smile. She looked over to you for a moment. Then she sighed, agreeing to go with you and the team.

"Alright, alright, but only for a bit. I still need to finish that assignment later."

You grinned, feeling triumphant.

"Yes! You won’t regret it, I promise."

The next two hours passed quickly as the two of you got ready. There was a comfortable rhythm to it, swapping makeup, sharing jewellery, and debating over outfits. You couldn’t help but feel a little thrill when Lia playfully pushed you aside to steal the mirror for herself, laughter bubbling between you both.

Finally, you were ready, and with one last look in the mirror, you grabbed your things and followed Lia out the door.

At the bar, the energy was electric. Leah spotted you as soon as you entered and pulled you both into a hug.

"Finally! Thought you two wouldn’t show,"

slshe teased, grinning. Leah knows that Lia can be serious when it comes to her work. She had no idea how you did it, but she was glad you did it.

The night was a blur of laughter, drinks, and dancing. You felt yourself relax completely, revelling in the time with your friends and, most of all, with Lia by your side. Every so often, you’d catch her eye across the room, and she’d smile, that warm, familiar look that made you feel closer than ever. A few of your teammates had noticed this, but they didn't say anything.

At one point, after a round of shots, you both found yourselves laughing uncontrollably at some inside joke. She leaned in close, her hand brushing yours, and the warmth of her touch lingered. For a split second, you thought about how easy it would be to just lean in, close the distance between you two, and say what you’d been feeling for so long. But you held back, unsure if now was the right moment.

As the night continued, Lia had looked at you, her eyes soft with something unreadable. "Thanks for dragging me out tonight,"

she murmured as her face s close to yours.

"I needed this."

"Anytime,"

Your heart skips a beat as you respond, barely able to keep the excitement from your voice. Lia’s smile widens, and before you know it, she’s pulling you onto the dance floor. The two of you begin to move in sync, letting the rhythm of the music guide the two of you.

After a few more drinks, you and Lia were completely wasted and could barely walk. Thankfully, Beth and Katie had came to the rescue.

"Alright, let's get you two home, you two have enough to drink"

Beth said, carrying you by your arm and you stumbled out of the bar, Katie had carried Lia and also did the same, when they got to the car you had protested.

"But we haven't danced yettttt!"

You slurred your words as Beth put you in the passenger seat of her car and katie and put lia and herself in the back.

"Yes, you did. You danced with Lia all night, remember?"

You had foggy memory because of the alcohol, but somehow, you had remembered what happened in the last hour of your life.

"Oh yeaaaaaaa!"

You had stopped for a minute before you continued your sentence.

"Where is Lia?"

You looked around frantically trying to search for your best friend, Beth had chuckled at your state.

"She’s in the back, turn your head, and you'll see her"

Everyone in the team knew that your friendship with Lia was not just friendship. It was something more. They can see it through every training, the way you two look at each other, your inside jokes, and the small gestures Lia does for you, no matter if it is after losing a match or winning one, you and Lia was always togather.

When you had turned around, you saw Lia was already asleep, leaning on the Katie's shoulder. A small part of you had wanted to at the back, so her head could be on your shoulder, not Katie's. You didn't realise you had stared at her for so long until Beth had announced that she had arrived at your apartment.

"Come on, let's get you up"

Beth was the first to exit the car, helping you out while Katie shook Lia awake and did the same. It seemed like the smart choice to take the elevator, so the two sober friends led the way. As soon as you stepped inside, you immediately searched for Lia again. This time, she was awake but still groggy and a bit tipsy. You took her hand and held onto it tightly for the entire ride until Beth had to gently pry your fingers apart to take the keys from you.

Once Beth opened the door to the apartment, your Goldendoodle, Peanut, was already asleep, waiting for you. She wasted no time in ushering you to bed, thinking that as soon as your head hit the pillow, you'd drift off to sleep. But that was quickly proven wrong. The moment you landed on the bed, you whined for Lia, who was sprawled on the couch. Beth reassured you that Lia wasn’t going anywhere, but your cries only intensified. Finally, she offered to get you a glass of water to help sober you up before you went to find Lia.

What Beth didn’t know was that the moment she left the room, you slipped out of bed and made your way downstairs. Slowly but surely, you found your way to the living room and joined Lia on the couch. Without a second thought, you lay down beside her. She stirred, blinking sleepily before wrapping her arms around you, and within moments, you both fell asleep.

By the time Lia had settled on the couch, Katie had already left. When Beth returned with the glass of water, she paused at the sight of you cuddled up with Lia, both of you fast asleep. A chuckle escaped her lips as she placed the glass on the table and snapped a quick photo of the adorable scene to send to the group chat. Afterwards, she filled another glass and set some painkillers on the table, then quietly left the apartment, leaving you and Lia in your sleep.

---☆☆☆---

It was after already afternoon when you woke up the next day. The sunlight had filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the living room. You had slowly gotten up from the empty couch, holding your head because of the major headache you are currently having. After you have stabled yourself, you had slowly padded towards the kitchen, planning to get a glass of water. But when you arrived you saw something that warmed your heart.

Lia, a cup of tea in her hand, was sitting on the floor, her slender fingers slowly running her fingers though the fur of Peanut, who was laying contentedly, his head resting on her lap, his tail wagging lazily.

You couldn't help but smile as you entered the room, taking in the sight. Lia looked up, her eyes lighting up with genuine warmth as she saw you.

"Hey Kärlek,"

she greeted, her voice soft and inviting.

"Hey,"

You replied, unable to tear your gaze away from her. She looked so effortlessly beautiful. Maybe last night's alcohol hasn't been completely warned off yet, Lia was wearing one of your oversized grey hoodies like it was made just for her. And in that moment, it hit you like a ton of bricks – you were in love with her.

You took the painkiller and glass of water Bath had left you and took a seat beside her. Suddenly you felt a rush of emotions swirling within you, threatening to burst forth like a dam breaking.

"Lia,"

You began, you voice barely above a whisper, both because of your hangover and the fear of this turning into something bad.

"There's something I need to tell you."

Her eyes had turned to you, searching with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.

"What is it?"

You took a deep breath, gathering your courage before speaking.

"I... I think I've known it for a while now, but it's taken me until last night to truly realize it. Lia.... l like you, like l wanna be with you."

The words hung in the air between you and Lia. You felt a vulnerability that you feel exposed to. But as Lia's eyes widened with surprise, you saw something else flicker within them – hope? Maybe? Hopefully?

"Really?"

Lia whispered, her voice barely audible above the gentle hum of the room. You nodded, unable to trust your voice as you leaned in closer to her, your heart pounding.

"Yes, really. And seeing you here, wearing my hoodie, cuddling with Peanut... It just made me realize that I never want to let you go. I want to spend every moment with you, making more memories together."

Tears welled up in Lia's eyes as she reached out to cup your face in her hands, her touch gentle yet electrifying. And in that moment, as your lips finally met in a soft and emotional kiss, when you pulled away, a big smile appeared on your face.

"Does that mean you like me too?"

You said excitedly, a bit too loud for a hangover person.

"yes dummy, yes l do, l like you too, now lower your voice please"

Your smile was so big that you had leaned in and kissed the Swiss again.

The next morning, you and Lia walked into the changing room hand in hand. Just as you're about to head to your respective cubbies, you share a quick kiss, savouring the moment. Suddenly, a loud yell pierces the air, echoing through the room.

"Finally!"

The whole room erupted in laughter.

A/N: ANDDDD THAT'S A WARP! thank you sm for reading this. Two fics in a day omg, l hope you had fun <3

This is Theta, signing out, see you next time!

[mactavishwritings]

Hello! I have a request for poly!141 + Keegan maybe where their wife(if you’re okay with fem!reader) is pregnant and she comes to base with food for them but she can’t get past the gates bc they won’t let her past and she calls price and they all come out pissed before bringing the reader inside and they eat together. And maybe the reader gives them all a little note of the baby’s gender(u can pick) just a lot of fluff.♥️

I'm so mad. i started this request earlier today, but my work redid the wifi so i lost my draft :( oh well

so i took this and ran w it omg

You were growing more and more frustrated, a pounding headache taking the forefront of your mind. The soldier who was standing guard, minding the gate, refused to scan your pass. The main issue was that your visitor pass was expired. You had already renewed it and were just waiting for the new one to come in the mail. John assured you that you could still use the old one, that all they had to do was scan the old one and it'll prompt for the new, updated pass.

The soldier refused to even listen to you, just telling you to get off the base. You were damn near about to stomp your foot like a child, feeling completely helpless. "Just humor me and scan the damn pass!" You shoved your pass towards the man, who took a step back from you. You were completely done. You had planned on going on base to reveal the gender to your boys. You just wanted to get in and to them. You angrily grabbed your phone and the soldier sighed. "Jesus I knew pregnancy affected a woman's emotions, but I didn't know it would affect her intelligence!"

Your eye twitched and just smiled tightly at the man. "Just give me one moment." You nodded as you immediately dialed John. "Hey baby, what's up?" You could hear the boys in the background and it helped your mood a bit. "My darling. Can you do me a favor and come sponsor me? They won't let me on." You heard him chuckle to himself and it sat weird with you. "What do you mean? Just have them scan your pass. The system will say you're valid." John clearly had a smile on his face and didn't understand what the issue was. "That's what I thought, however, this soldier guarding the gate said that wasn't possible. But as this soldier said, pregnancy affects a woman's intelligence so what do I know?" The laughter in the background immediately went silent and you just heard breathing. "Stay there. We're coming."

You waited for John, smiling at the soldier, who was on the verge of kicking you off base completely. You saw John's black car roll up at a speed that even made you nervous. You shifted in your seat as you watched John step out of the now parked car and all the other three boys stepped out, but stayed by John's car. John calmly walked towards the gate and the soldier immediately stood at attention, saluting John. He nodded at the man before snatching the scanner out of his hand. "Watch this, ya fuckin' dumbass," John stated before holding his hand out for your pass. You happily handed it over and John scanned it himself. The gun beeped for a moment before showing a green check mark. You were clear to enter the base.

After you smiled sweetly as the soldier mumbled an apology, you followed John's car as the boys drove back to their barracks. The base was huge, you could easily see yourself getting lost if not for the boys in front of you. You pulled into the parking spot reserved for expecting mothers and Simon was quick to run over to help you out of the car. "Let's get you in mama." Simon kissed your head and Johnny pulled the cake from your backseat.

"You make this yourself, Chridhe?" Johnny hummed, coming to kiss your hand before rushing inside as Kyle held the door open for all of you. John entered after you and Simon and they all brought you down to their rec room. You sighed, finally happy to be able to sit down. "That idiot up front was a dick." You mumbled and groaned, rubbing your head. "Said some dumbass shit." You rolled your eyes and sat forward looking up toward the boys.

"You got through it, babe." Kyle placed a kiss on your forehead and smiled. "I'm ready to know what we're having." All the boys nodded in agreement and you immediately got excited. "Oh yeah! Let's cut into this cake." You grabbed a knife and told the boys to close their eyes. You cut them all slices and placed a piece in front of them. "Okay ready? Open."

You had tears in your eyes as the boys looked down at the cake to expose the blue filling inside. Johnny and Kyle both jumped up with joy and John laughed loudly. Simon reached out to hold your hand tightly as Johnny and Kyle both wrapped you up in their arms.

"I'm so happy!" You squealed, tears rolling down your face. "Thank you so much, woman." John grabbed the sides of your face and kissed your nose lightly.

You felt completely content, ready to share this moment for the rest of your life with these men.

[the---hermit]

09|12|2023

Again working today was not planned, but I had to cover my brother's shift, which means that again my study productivity was not what I was hoping for when I planned at the beginning of the week. I did finish the organized draft of the speech for the seminar, but it needs a bit more fixing and practice. I still feel like I did something so that's okay. Tomorrow will be a day to rest and recharge and then next week will hopefully be very productive. I need to get as much reading done for my power practices and men theories book, so that will be the focus of the second half of the week when I won't have to commute to lectures. I am feeling a bit anxious regarding exam season, but I have to stay focused on what I am doing now and not worry about that.

calm hobbit winter activities and productivity:

read first thing in the morning

worked in the morning and started planning ways we could reorganize some things

finished writing down my terrible speech draft for the seminar and tried to practice it a bit, but I need a key word list to do so well enough to time myself and see if it needs fixing so I will do that on Monday and Tuesday after I come home from class

continued my tma relistening

continued crocheting a hat for my mom

daily Irish practice on duolingo

today's self care:

took my supplements and meds

organized my tasks around my very low energy

📖: Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree

[xxwritemeastoryxx]

Ambush

Author: xxwritemeastoryxx

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x Fem!reader

Word Count: 3.7k

Warnings: Canon typical violence. Use of Google translate for one scentence.

Author’s Note: This has been sitting in my drafts for weeks, left untouched. I couldnt get past a few things, but it's finally done and passing in my standards 😅 Two more parts are left for the main story and then I'll be posting the 'memory lanes'. As a reminder, please be sure to follow @xxwritemeastoryxxlibrary and turn on notifications so you never miss a fic!

I do not and will not ever give permission for my fics to be copied and posted on other sites. Don’t do it. Don’t be that person that ruins it for me and everyone else.

Feedback gives me life and motivation for future things. While likes are appreciated, reblogs are gold. Seriously, if you enjoyed this in the slightest, please reblog ♥

Phantom Masterlist || MCU Masterlist || Taglist

Tony sighed as he looked over at Steve for a moment before looking back at Bucky. “That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Y/N won't be at either of them.” 

“Why wouldn't she be?” Bucky asked with a raised brow. 

“Unless this is another false lead, which doesn't seem likely, given how Natasha obtained the information, but Phantom has a new mission she's been tasked with.” When Bucky crossed his arms over his chest, Tony continued. “It's us.” 

“What do you mean ‘it's us’?” Steve asked. 

“We're in the way.” Both Bucky and Tony said at the same time. 

Of all of the scenarios Bucky’s mind had come up with on finding her, this one hadn't come up the most. He knew the chances of her being sent to take them out were high. And now that it was here, he hoped it didn't go to the worst scenario his mind came up with. 

“Take out the key players and they have a winning chance.” Tony added. 

“Did they say when this is supposed to happen?” Bucky asked. 

Bucky knew they needed to be ready. His mind was already going through everything they'd need to safely stop Y/N. He knew it wasn't going to be easy but he was going to make sure everyone would do as needed. 

“Don't know.” Tony answered. “We don't know if this will be a hit all three at once situation or attempt to take us out and then get what they need.” 

“She could have been given that mission at any time.” Steve looked over at Bucky. “If she's coming, we're going to need a plan and fast.” 

“The only way to know for sure is if there were any attempts at getting our information.” Bucky noted. “We'll be able to come up with some kind of timeline we're working with. But I gotta say this now. It's gotta be non lethals only, or me going up against her.”

“Of course.” Steve nodded. He was sure if given the right amount of time, several plans could be put into place. The amount of non lethals they had wouldn't run out. “There is the option of Wanda. She could do something to stop her without any harm coming to her.” 

Bucky nodded. “We'll have to make sure Wanda is close by at all times.” Both Steve and Tony nodded. 

“Now the question is how long do we have to prepare before she drops in. FRIDAY, has there been anything flagged as suspicious activity in any of the systems?”

All three of them looked towards each other for a moment. FRIDAY normally answered seconds after anything was asked. But this time there was silence. A moment later, alarms were going off through the compound. 

“I'd say that's suspicious enough.” Tony said before the three of them began running out of the conference room. 

On the opposite end of the compound Hydra soldiers continued to spill onto the property. The moment Phantom disabled the security systems, they were making their way in. While the numbers weren't one of a strong army, they currently had a bit of an advantage. 

A quinjet flew overhead. One that had been in Hydra’s hold since the fall of SHIELD. Putting it to use today made it almost too easy to get close enough for Phantom to hack into the system and disarm it. 

Hovering over the roof of the compound, the ramp lowered. Several soldiers moved towards the end and made their way onto the roof. A moment later, Phantom was making her way towards the ramp. 

She wore black tactical gear from head to toe. The hood of her shirt had been up, casting a shadow on her face. A black fabric mask covers the bottom half of her face, adding to the illusion of her not being seen under the hood. 

Several tactical belts laid at her hips. Any weapon that would be needed for her was within reach. Straps that holstered guns and blades ran down the sides of her leg ensuring that once the back up bullets ran out, she'd have other weapons to use. 

Before she could put one foot on the ramp, a set of commands were thrown into the air. The words caused her to stop in her tracks and wait for either information or one last check. 

A soldier came to stand beside her. His attention was on the building just below them. Her temporary handler while on this mission. 

“Your mission?” He asked. 

“Take out the Avengers.” She responded instantly. 

“The priority?”

“The traitor to Hydra.” Phantom hadn't moved or looked his way.  “He's problematic to the mission. He feeds information to the Avengers. His death means Hydra can do as it needs to.” 

“Stark and Wilson are already working the perimeter.” Steve said as the group made their way towards the main floor. “We'll meet them in the middle. Take any you can for interrogating.  If you see Y/N, non lethals only or call for Bucky. Anyone see Maximoff?”

“Good. Ensure this mission is successful.” He nodded his head towards the opening. “Don't return until it is. Preferably with his head.” Without any acknowledgement, Phantom was making her way down the ramp. 

“We're down two. Her and Vision had plans.” Natasha added as she tightened the widow bites around her wrists. “Already sent a message to them and they're on their way.” 

“Keep your eyes scanning.” Bucky noted as they reached the end of the hall before the main floor door. “She can come out from anywhere. If she's got all the information she needs-” 

A hunter's knife blew past them before embedding itself in the door in front of them. The way the knife hit the door was a way to keep it from opening. A strategic move to keep someone from leaving. 

For a brief moment as Bucky’s eyes landed on the embedded knife, a quick flash of a memory played through his mind. One where he was throwing the blade to keep Y/N from leaving. And now he was on the receiving end of it. 

“No need to go looking for her.” Clint stated the obvious as they turned to look down the path they came from. “She found us.” 

In the dimly lit halls, the four of them found the silhouette of Phantom. Her face couldn't be seen from their position. And from what they could see, her hands rested at her side, almost as if she was waiting. Waiting for one of them to make their move. 

Bucky moved himself from his current position in the back to stand in front of the others. “Get going. I've got her.” 

There was a part of him that was relieved at seeing her. He hadn't physically seen her in two years and now she was standing in front of him. The other part knew this wasn't going to be the reunion he thought about for the past several months. At this very moment, she wasn't the woman he knew. She was an asset that was sent on a mission and wasn't going to stop until it was done. 

“She won't hold back.” Natasha voiced his thoughts. 

“And I won't stop until I get through to her.” Bucky added. 

A heavy feeling of deja vu was played on the  group. They had been here once before, under different circumstances. If history was repeating itself, at least they knew the outcome would be in their favor. 

“If you need us…” Steve trailed off as he motioned for the other to began making their way down the adjacent hallway. He only received a nod from Bucky before he was following closely behind. 

When Bucky took one step forward, he watched her carefully. He watched for any of her movements that she'd make. He still couldn't see her face but he knew she was watching him like a hawk. 

“We don't have to do this.” His voice was loud and clear. 

He took several more steps closer to her but she remained still, just watching him. When he came to a stop a few steps away from her, her eyes finally became clear within the darkness that surrounded her face. It was as he took in her eyes, the eyes he once believed that he could get lost in them, he was met with a cold and empty look. 

Her mind registered different things about the man before her. His appearance was familiar to her from the several files she had read through the night before. Everything within the file had been accurate. The only difference was that his hair was several inches longer now than it was in the surveillance photos. 

The gun that he carried was down by his side, hanging from the strap on his shoulder. His posture was calm, as if he wasn't currently going up against someone who could take his life. 

But there was something about his eyes. How they moved over her the moment he was close enough to really examine her. The way there was concern in his eyes the whole time he walked towards her. It set off something within her she didn't understand. 

“‘This’ only ends one way.” Her voice was almost monotonous. The moment the words left her lips, she was unsheathing two of the combat knives at her hips and advancing forward. 

Even with it being longer than two years since the last time he had any training with her, he knew every movement she made before she had. Every strike she attempted he was blocking it. Even when she attempted to use the gun at his side, he had it out of her hands and the gun thrown down the hall. 

Her tactics hadn't changed. There were slight differences but a majority of it was the same. And for a brief moment it hadn't been them standing in a hall with her attempting to kill him. They were in the gym with a sparring session. It's why he couldn't stop the words from leaving his lips. 

“You're going to have to do better than that.” It was followed by a chuckle. 

The response had been a lift of her eyebrow before she manuevored herself to connect her elbow to his face, hard. Based on his stance stumbling slightly, the man before her hadn't been expecting it. She almost smirked as it gave her the opportunity to sweep her legs, knocking him down. 

I can't show you all my moves, then you wouldn't spar with me. 

Her own voice echoed within her brain that caused her to hesitate. A response to his remark that she hadn’t even thought about responding to. Yet the echo of her own voice told her that would have been the response. 

Bucky noticed the slight hesitation as he moved to get up off the ground. The shift in her eyes reminded him of his own moments when Steve was trying to break through to him. He knew he officially had one foot in the door. 

“You know me.” He tried, hoping to push further.  

He watched as she shook whatever was happening in her mind off before sending the blade in her hand his way. Bucky caught it by the hilt before tossing it off to the side. 

“You are the Mission.” She responded. A moment later Bucky was blocking more of her advances. Including one that almost had the blade of the second knife embedded in his thigh. “That's how I know you.” 

The words had stung Bucky’s heart as he managed to pull the blade out of her grasp and throw it, with the blade embedding itself into the wall. It was strange to be on this end of things. To be the one fighting to get through to someone within Hydra’s hold. He just needed to break her free from it. 

It didn't take long for Bucky to find himself in a favorable hold with her. One that he knew he could easily get her pinned on the ground. And with one more maneuver he had her on her back, with him following her. 

When her back hit the ground, a strange fuzzy memory quickly passed her mind. One where the man before her had a smirk on his face instead of the serious look he had now as he looked at her. The sound of a giggle echoed in her ears before the memory completely faded. 

Out of instinct, she was able to manipulate the hold he currently had on her, forcing him on to his back. A blade she had attached to her hip was released from its sheath and brought up to his neck. It had been too easy to draw the first drop of blood from his body flinching against the pressure. 

He raised his hands up by his head, practically surrendering to her. “I'm not going to continue to fight you. ” 

She watched as his eyes met hers and never looked away. There was something in his eyes she hadn't believed she had seen before. She watched many with fear in their eyes before they began pleading for their lives. He didn't have the same look in his eyes. 

There was understanding and acceptance. For a man that hardly fought her back during the last several minutes, it made her curious as to why he hadn't tried running like the others had. Or at least attempted to use his arm in defense. 

She had been expecting it. She had read the information before coming. She knew the man used it to his advantage in combat. So why not with her? It had been almost too easy to have him pinned as he was now. 

Her head tilted slightly as she studied him. The blade against his neck never loosened as she did. Deep within her, in a way she didn't understand, there was now a feeling of familiarity. But how could someone she did not recognize hold such familiarity. 

Bucky noticed the way she was hesitating. He should have taken that opportunity to get himself out of his current position, but he was watching her reactions.

He knew from experience what could possibly be happening within her mind. He knew there was a possibility that something was coming over her that she couldn't explain. He knew that the woman deep within the asset was attempting to break through the surface. 

"Do you know who this is?”

A picture was held in front of her, and all she could focus on was the man's eyes. The same one that was currently pinned down to the ground beneath her. The sadness that was in those eyes. An ache in her chest when she couldn't remember his name, but she knew him intimately.

“Now you know me.” He said softly. His eyes still never left hers. Even as her eyes flicked back to his, he couldn’t bring himself to move. “You can't place it, but you feel it.” He slowly brought his fleshed hand up to her wrist. He gauged her reaction as he did, but she didn't move to stop him. “That's what's stopping you.” 

His fingers moved in a pattern against her skin that his mind had once created one night while spending time with her. The very pattern he continued to do any time he was feeling overwhelmed in any way. His signal to her he needed an out from wherever they were at. 

Bucky watched as she didn't flinch away from his touch. It was as if she was just watching his movements, taking in the familiarity of something unlocking within her brain. As she did, he noticed another shift in her eyes. He was getting through to her. 

He just needed something else to help break through to her. To help give that final break through the wall. But a moment later he could hear the sound of someone speaking to her through her coms. 

The shift in her eyes disappeared and she was twisting his hand away from hers as the blade of the knife pressed deeper into his skin. All she had to do was slice and it'd be over. Her mission would be complete. 

“Ty zakonchil zdes’, Fantom.” You're done here, Phantom. The words had quickly left Bucky’s lips in one breath. 

He watched as she paused once more. He knew her programming was working its way through her. Her mind was trying to take in what the word meant. The blade against his skin eased up slightly. 

A part of her mind was screaming at her to stop and stand at attention to wait for the next command. That the punishment would be worse if she didn't obey. And for a brief moment her weight lifted off of him slightly. But the other part of her mind didn't register the command. In all the new conditioning she had over the last several months, that command didn't exist. 

There was no new command to stop. There wasn't a punishment waiting for her if she didn't respond to the command given. The main goal that was embedded this time around: complete the mission. 

When Bucky saw her grip tightened on the hilt, he knew it didn't work. He knew that whatever command he'd throw at her, there would be a possibility of it no longer working. He was out of options. 

When the blade of the knife began sliding across his skin, Bucky grabbed a hold of her wrist with his vibranium hand, halting her movements and pulling her hand away. He adjusted himself to flip her back on to her back as she continued to fight to free herself from his hold. 

With a hard hit of her knee, she had him flipped off of her and she rushed to stand. In the process, she pulled the hand gun strapped to her ankle out and aimed. Her finger pulled at the trigger easily. 

Bucky barely had a moment to steady himself before he was blocking bullets with vibranium. He moved closer to her with each pull of the trigger. Counting each until he knew for sure the clip would be empty. Before the final count, he noticed that she stopped. 

If he hadn't looked up at her eyes, he would have missed the way her eyes suddenly flashed red before returning to their normal color. He watched as the gun dropped to her side as something changed within her. Fear filled her eyes where there was emptiness moments ago. 

He watched as her eyes flicked to him before her eyes welled up, causing a tear to fall down her cheek. He could see that the wall he was trying to break through earlier had finally broken. In the next moment, Bucky was taking a few steps closer as she fainted forward. He caught her easily, pulling her up into his arms. 

“Thank you.” Bucky said as he looked over at Wanda the moment he had a hold of Y/N. 

It was easy enough for Wanda to work her way up behind Y/N. Her target had been keeping her busy and it had been easy for Wanda to give a small hand wave and Y/N was sent into the spell. 

Bucky gently brought her over to a padded bench against the wall and laid her down. His fleshed hand gently pulled down the fabric away from her face. It was a way to free her from Phantom. To separate the two entities as best as he could for her.  It wasn't long after that he was pulling the coms out of her ear and crushing it within vibranium. 

“I came as fast as I could.” Wanda said as she moved closer. “Though if I had come sooner you wouldn't have been shot.” She pointed towards Bucky’s right arm. 

Bucky looked down at his arm. His shirt had blood seeping through the fabric. He had been so focused on Y/N that his mind didn't register the fresh wound. From the looks of things, the bullet had grazed him. 

“It's superficial. I'll be fine.” He nodded. 

“And your neck?” She asked as her eyes began scanning for any possible threat. 

“Occupational hazard.” He shrugged slightly as he brushed his fingers along Y/N’s cheek. “I almost got through to her. But she got pulled back in.” He looked over to Wanda. “What did you make her see?” 

“Exactly what you might think I showed her.” She began. “Though what she is actually seeing, I'm not sure.” 

Bucky knew Wanda meant fears. He saw the look on Y/N's face before she passed out. He knew that if anything fear would be the thing to break through to her. That maybe once she'd wake up, the mind block would be gone. 

Bucky, what's your status? 

Steve's voice came over the coms. Bucky ’s hand went up to his coms as he looked over at Wanda. “We're clear. She's secured. “ 

The words almost made him cringe. He should have said she was safe. He should have said things were cleared there. He could have said a million other things, but out of habit he said what he did. 

Perimeter is clear. We're working our way in. Sam's voice came over the coms next. Stark got FRIDAY back up. 

The East Wing is cleared. Natasha added. 

Conversations continued through the coms but Bucky was barely listening. His attention was still on Y/N and he was sure it would stay that way for quite some time. 

She may have been unconscious but he could see the movement beneath her eyelids. He wondered what fears she was living through at that moment. What details she was reliving or what story her mind formed as the worst thing she could ever face. 

“The med bay may be more comfortable for her.” Wanda offered. The three of them were still in the walkway. Wanda knew that once the team had full control of the compound, a lot of people were going to be making their way through that walkway. 

“It can't be the med bay.” Bucky shook his head slightly before he moved to lift her up into his arms.  The possibility of Y/N waking up in the med bay and taking it out on the medical staff wasn't something they needed. She wouldn't know where she was let alone what they could possibly be doing to her. “I'll get her set up in one of the spare rooms for now. She'll need space.” 

As he began walking towards the living quarters, he felt the shift in her body. The tension she had from the spell began to ease up. Relaxing into his hold a little more with each passing second. 

“You're safe.” He promised her. “I'm never going to let you out of my sight.”

If he hadn't been holding her as he was, Bucky was sure he would have missed it. It had been soft as if she was sighing. And part of him deeply hoped he hadn't been just hearing things. 

Home. 

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[kangshxrtie]

ch. 9 ⤍ kazuha’s vlog

the video starts with kazuha greeting her viewers and explaining the plans for the day before doing a quick morning workout. she showed the workouts she does and for how long. afterward, she does a morning routine showing her getting ready process for the day.

first, she goes to a cafe with yunjin. they order a drink and some pastries and just sit there talking for a while. once they were done they decided to go to the mall to try on some things. they didn't end up buying much, but they did have a good time.

later on in the day, sakura walked up to kazuha with a camera in her hand putting it in her face before asking a question.

"have you been on twitter today?" sakura asked making kazuha confused.

"not since this morning" kazuha replied.

"you should check it, you're trending" kazuha quickly grabbed her phone going to twitter, and went to trending. she let out a sigh of relief when she saw it was nothing bad.

"why'd you say it like that i thought i was in trouble for something"

"who is this though?" kazuha asked sakura as she clicked on your clip.

"just watch the video" sakura told the younger japanese girl.

"fuck she's pretty" kazuha said once your clip played.

"she's so fucking pretty" your voice rang out making kazuha blush.

"she thinks i'm pretty, what about her?" kazuha asked out loud.

"that's y/n. she's a friend of my old team" sakura finally answered.

"you know her, you should introduce me" kazuha looked up noticing sakura was still recording her.

"wait don't post that" kazuha covered the camera lens.

"i won't. just need this in case you try to deny anything" sakura pulled the camera back and ended the video there.

"repeat that" sakura turned the camera back on not wanting to miss this opportunity to tease kazuha.

"stop don't record this" kazuha laughed covering her face, "just answer if i should reach out or not"

"i mean if you want to you should" sakura shrugged.

"what should i say though? if should be flirty but not too strong in case it makes her uncomfortable" kazuha had her twitter post page open drafting responses and then deleting them.

"just say what you thought the first time you saw her" sakura suggested.

"i just thought she was pretty. would saying that be too much?"

"she did it too, you're just returning the favor" sakura replied.

kazuha nodded her head as she finally typed out a reply and posted it without thinking, wanting to get it over with. she immediately closed her phone and turned it over not wanting to see any of the replies.

"i did it"

ALL CHAPTERS !!! | NEXT CH !!!

[that-disabled-princess]

Six Sentence Sunday

Me? Sharing a WIP two WIPsdays in a row? It's more likely than you think! Man, I've been on a writing kick lately.

@carryon-disability-week starts today!! I'm excited to see what everyone creates.

I've pulled out something from my drafts that I originally wrote for the 2023 COC, but never posted. I am, once again, struggling to tag smut xD But we're persevering! Here's a scene from the fic that probably won't stay in:

Simon leads me away from my setup on the coffee table and into the kitchen. I want to go back, make sure I have notes for where I’m going next, but I'm just expanding on some lesson notes, and my lesson plans for the next week are mostly set. And I trust Simon. He’s right—taking breaks will help me work better.

I take a seat at the kitchen table and take my glasses off while Simon grabs the freshly baked scones. I reach out and grab the end of his tail. He smiles when he turns around and sees me fidgeting with the black spade, sitting next to me with a plate of scones and butter. I twine his tail around my forearm, making sure I can still fidget with the spade, and reach for a scone.

The scones are perfect—still hot, wonderfully pumpkin-y, and way too many chocolate chips. I moan happily, devouring the rest of the scone.

“Did I do good?”

The teasing is evident in Simon’s voice, but I don’t care.

I tug him forward by his tail and kiss him hard. He tastes of butter and pumpkin, and I lick into his mouth to taste more of it.

“You outdid yourself, darling.” I lick a crumb and smear of butter off the corner of his mouth, humming. “It tastes even better off of you.”

He blushes, smacking my chest lightly.

“Eat your scones, you dork.”

I smile and eat my scones.

There's also this fic idea I've been thinking about for a while, and after @run-for-chamo-miles's comment on my NSFW ruthari fic, I found the motivation to start writing it! So, here are some sentences of Runaan and Ethari complaining about the cleanup part of sex. I'll probably wait until CODW is over to post this.

Some context: Post-coin (amputee Runaan), Runaan has EDS and POTS, Ethari has POTS.

[Runaan] grumbles as he braces the washboard against his left thigh and scrubs away at the laundry.

When his brace is properly adjusted and supporting his right knee, he takes Ethari’s offered hand and stands, kissing Ethari’s cheek before making his way into the bathroom to use the toilet and brush his teeth.

[Ethari] eases his legs over the side of the bed, wiggling his toes to get the blood flowing before standing up.

[Ethari] would ideally leave it until later—or tomorrow—but he knows if he does, it wouldn’t get done until the next time they want to use it.

Fuck laundry and fuck flareups.

Tagging you in, Elle, plus @hoothalcyon @bazzybelle @no-cinnamon-for-synonym @valeffelees @stitchyqueer

@you-remind-me-of-the-babe @artsyunderstudy @forabeatofadrum @larkral @wellbelesbian

@imagineacoolusername @rimeswithpurple @hushed-chorus @youarenevertooold 💖💖

[its-all-papaya]

hands on your keyboard cowboy i want to hear about the rest of your directors commentary pls !!! i LOVE the last landoscar convo in AN i absolutely need to hear more about it

likely place for you to be !!

(me, frothing at the mouth waiting for someone to ask me about this convo after I told you I was staying off tumblr for the rest of today)

ask me anything about my writing and read anybody, nowhere

OKAY. so. the LAST last scene of AN (fan stage) was like one of the very first things I wrote for that fic. I think the paragraph that starts "Lando's not online much these days" was first, followed by the Silverstone podium thing I used in the blurb, then it was fan stage. (Not to keep russian doll nesting asks, but the fan stage scene is a WHOLE other topic I could ramble about, I won't get into it too much here.) Anyway, other than those little anchors, I essentially just typed everything in chronological order and included what felt right when. So it was building in Lando's brain and building with Oscar and I KNEW I wanted it to end with the fan stage, so I KNEW I had to give some mental and emotional like... break? payoff? for Lando before then so that the fan stage would read like I wanted it to.

(break bc this got disguuuuusting long)

The other thing though is that I originally fucked up the Austria sprint finish order? So like 2/3 of the way through I realized I had to switch Lando and Oscar and that obviously like REALLY changed the entire tone of that passage and the bits right after, because the whole thing NOW is Lando getting beat by his teammate, but that super didn't exist until after I'd written all of Austria and started Silverstone. So I added the stuff about Lando battling Oscar and losing, and I loved it bc I think it gives the whole thing more depth, but then I was like... I need to write Lando out of this. I can't finish the fic without resolving the "Lando resents Oscar for beating him" plot-line. And I hadn't actually drafted anything for the last scene, but I had vague ideas of how it was gonna go that changed drastically when I started thinking about how to include some resolution for the on-track stuff.

SO. I'm done with the whole fic minus the conversation scene. We've had the Lewis Silverstone podium (probably my favorite part of the whole fic, and again, one of the original theses of it) and we're trying to get to the fan stage (probably my other favorite part) and I just like... sent Oscar to Lando's room with him? I didn't plan on all of their relationship development being in that one room, but I liked that it ended up that way because it felt really safe and contained for Lando, so I wanted them to get their payoff there, too. I don't really have anything to tell you about the first bit because it REALLY wrote itself. Like I was IN Lando's brain while writing this fic, all of his stuff was kind of me blind reacting to my own lead-up and then polishing it. Oscar was a bit harder to write, and this scene is the first time I felt like I had to actually make him like... do anything. Other than passively react to what Lando was doing. But even his dialogue just sat really right with me, and once I started the conversation it just felt really true to how they'd been all fic.

PAUSE for me to say I was so paranoid all fic too that I wasn't letting Oscar be enough of a real person with real emotions? I was like... some of these races sucked for Oscar too... ESPECIALLY silverstone... am I just going to make him Fix Lando anyway and not address his race? But THAT felt kind of true to Oscar too. Like he's not burdened the way Lando is and he at least seems to let things roll off easier, so I don't think it's OOC for him to not bring it up or be especially affected by it when Lando was a more pressing issue for him at the time.

Okay anyway. I really really loved the weird fight/not fight energy where Lando was fighting Oscar but Oscar just was not fighting back at all, like the one-sided argument was exactly what I wanted. I got through the part where Lando's like "I'm just not winning because I'm not" and then I got. So motherfucking stuck. Because at this point I'm like... okay. Lando has to give something back. We have to address Oscar's races. And I wrote the end of the convo no less than five times and it took probably three hours. I actually have a draft that I liked (I'll include it at the end) where they did address the Lando-hates-Oscar-beating-him thing, but then I had NO IDEA how to get them out of that. Like Lando admits that he hates losing to Oscar, but then wtf is Oscar supposed to say to that? Like... okay? Yeah? And I tried a bunch of stuff and hated it all, so I literally started a new word doc, dumped everything after "I'm just not winning because I'm not" in there, and started completely over from there in my actual WIP doc.

And from THERE I was like. You know what? We actually don't have to fix this for them? Like LANDO thinks this is a huge deal and makes him a horrible person, but does Oscar give a shit? Obviously they all hate losing to each other, that's like... the whole thing. Their whole goal is to beat everyone. So I was like "I'll indulge myself and just let them not deal with it right away" and I'd already written the "oscar's hand is out, palm up" paragraph for that original draft I liked, so I slotted her back in instead. And again, I am IN LANDO'S BRAIN, and I was like if EYE am thinking too much about how this conversation "should" go in a perfect world, Lando is DEFINITELY thinking about it. And I was like oh I need to stop thinking? Lando needs to stop thinking. And it sounds insane now because when I re-read the fic now, the through-line of Oscar calming Lando's thoughts is so so so obvious, but I promise that until writing "I need to stop thinking" it had never ever occurred to me that that's what Lando and Oscar's building relationship was doing for Lando the whole time.

Oh ALSO, in my original concept, they were never going to kiss because I felt like it would be forced bc I hadn't built to it enough. But once I hit on "I need to stop thinking" I was like OBVIOUSLY Oscar will kiss him to shut his silly brain up. Which, fun fact, is where "Lando isn’t even surprised. At any of it, really. It was always going to end up here" came from. It was just me, Soph, being like... oh. OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE ALWAYS GOING TO KISS.

So then I finished the kissing part and I was like... how will we get to fan stage for REAL. And I was still kind of worried about not resolving the on-track tension thing, so I was like... Lando is probably worried about that too! And the last "No, babe. That's your job." came to me straight from heaven or something, idk, but it was so perfect for ending the scene. Like I had spent HOURS AND HOURS worried about how to make them authentically address this and still stay soft and warm with each other and Lando's been panicking about it for eight straight days and we finally get the nerve to bring it up and Oscar is like "you silly silly goose, of course you hate losing to me!"

hahahahaha okay final notes then scene draft: as I said in the answered ask after I first decided to write AN2, I feel like I ended up with a version of this scene that was.... SO accidentally foreshadow-y of Hungary?? I was watching the team orders situation play out during that race and I felt like that dodgeball "the gift of prophecy" meme because I was like... holy fuck, this is EXACTLY the kind of thing that AN Lando was afraid of. The other note is that the line "we don't have to fix it right now, Lando" in the hollow hereafter is a direct result of my fight with this scene in AN and the topics of it. AN2 was destined, it's literally the only thing I can think of with the amount of weird pre-work I'd already done for a situation I didn't know was going to exist ever when I published AN????

oKAY THANKS FOR ASKING CLEARLY I HAD THOUGHTS!! Here are your demos/deleted drafts !!

this is how the austria sprint scene finished when I thought it was Lando P2, Oscar P3:

As he clasps Oscar’s gloved hand in parc fermé, he wishes for a blind second that it was a grand prix so he could remember how Oscar’s eyes looked squeezed against champagne spray up close. Then he remembers that place in the back of his mind and the ugly, twisted relief he felt passing his teammate for the final time, and he shoves the idea away. He doesn’t deserve that, either.

And this is how the final convo went when I was trying to make them discuss things (picks up after "It’s just me. I’m just not winning because I’m not.” and the rest of that paragraph didn't exist yet):

“We drive the same car,” Oscar says and Lando already knows he’s not going to like the rest, “and I’ve been qualifying like shit the whole month, too. It’s not just us out there. You know that. You’re being really hard on yourself.”

Lando remembers then that Oscar’d had his race ruined too. Worse, probably. Without a choice in the matter. And instead of wallowing he’s here comforting Lando, who should know better by now. Who should be better by now.

“I’ve been here three times as long as you,” he’s teetering on that precipice, deciding between anger and the other thing. “And I’m still making stupid mistakes. It’s worse because I should be better by now, and-” he stops. Considers.

“And?” Oscar prompts and Lando still can’t look at him.

“And you beat me. In Austria.” He says, quieter than anything since they’ve entered his room.

Oscar takes a breath so deep Lando can hear it. When he finally glances up, Oscar is already looking at him. His eyes still have that stupid warm, fond look in them and Lando’s afraid he’s going to do something dumb, like apologize, but instead what he says is “I beat you in Monaco.”

Lando scoffs, eyes back on his feet. “That wasn’t the same.”

“Why?” and he’s still asking like he doesn’t know the answers.

“Because it wasn’t, Oscar, people weren’t saying things in Monaco.” He’s losing the thread of the conversation a little bit, brain wrung dry from hours of thinking these things over, and it feels ten times harder to do it all out loud.

“Is this about what people are saying?” Oscar asks, then, and maybe they’ve both talked themselves in a bit of a knot.

“It’s not about anything.

“Lando,” Oscar says. “C’mere.”

His hand is out, palm up, and he’s taken his cap off at some point so his hair is messy and ruffled and he looks soft even though he’s got his damn polo neatly tucked in like always. He should be mad. Lando’s selfish, he’s so… he’s always taking what he shouldn’t from Oscar, but he goes anyway, puts his hand in Oscar’s and lets his teammate pull him down next to him on the bed.

“Are you upset about Austria?” he asks gently. He’d let go of Lando’s hand as soon as he was sitting, so his arm is free to curl around Lando’s waist, drag his palm up. Hip to ribs.

Lando sucks on the side of his thumb where it’s started to bleed. When he brings his hand to his face, it’s shaking a little. “Not…” he pauses, concedes, “Kind of. But not at you, I don’t think. I like when you do well.”

Oscar laughs a little and Lando’s eyebrows pull together, but it doesn’t feel mean. Lando’s not sure Oscar has a mean bone in his body when it comes to him, and that should be an issue, probably.

Oscar’s palm slides back down, ribs to hip.

“At what, then?”

And that’s the question, isn’t it.

And then I couldn't get them out of it so all that went to the graveyard! But I like the way it ended up, so I'm really really not mad about it.

KAY THX CHARLIE love u <3 if anybody else made it this far, ask about other scenes, I dare you >:)

[armoricaroyalty]

Previous | Chapter Start | Beginning | Next

Transcript under the cut!

Blackwell Beach // November 2017

[waves crash] ANDRE | ...what else do you have planned today? ROSALIND | I'm meeting with Theo to finalize our itinerary for the Uspana trip, and then I'm touring the rebuilt dam in Surmonte. ANDRE | Have you talked to your borther about the itinerary? He and Emily have been in Nakawe for a week already, I'm sure they'd have some input. ROSALIND | Freddy put together the first draft, but I'm going to have to make a couple changes to account for Jacques' absence... ANDRE | [sighs] He's training for the Olympics, Roz. ROSALIND | He's slacking off. ANDRE | Not everyone can work the way you do. ROSALIND | [sighs] I don't want to talk about Jacques' duty roster. ANDRE | Good. Me neither. ROSALIND | Actually....there was something I wanted to ask you. ANDRE | Oh? What's on your mind? ROSALIND | Well...Mary and I have been together for almost three years. ROSALIND | I love her, Dad. I want...I want to ask her to marry me. ANDRE | ... [waves crashing] ROSALIND | In January, it'll be five years since her husband disappeared. She'll be able to have him declared legally dead, and then... ANDRE | I like Mary. And I like the two of you together. ROSALIND | But? ANDRE | [sighs] The monarch's marriage — and the heir's — is not just about love. ANDRE | She won't just be your wife, Roz. She'll be your consort. She'll be the one who will help you carry the weight of the crown. It is not an easy role. ANDRE | All these years...I couldn't have done it without your mother. She sacrificed more than you kids ever realized, and I wasn't always the husband she deserved. ANDRE | [sighs] I haven't been the king that our country deserves, either. ROSALIND | Dad, don't talk nonsense. You've been— ANDRE | It's true. Armorica hasn't had a worthy monarch in almost a hundred years. ANDRE | But you...you have the markings of a great queen. ROSALIND | [softly] You think so? ANDRE | You are going to be the queen our kingdom deserves. ROSALIND | Thank you, Dad. ANDRE | As for you and Mary... ANDRE | She'll be a good consort. And more importantly, she makes you happy. As your king, you have my permission. And as your father, you have my blessing. ROSALIND | Thank you— ANDRE | Congratulations, sweetheart. I hope you're very happy together. ANDRE | We should get back up to the house and tell your mother. And then the two of you can go to the vault and pick out a ring... ROSALIND | I already have one in mind, actually— ANDRE | [chuckles] Of course you do. That's my girl.

[schrodingers-egg]

28/06/23: Today these shorts arrived, I decided to start working out (spoiler alert I have not worked out at all in the 15 months since drafting this post), I registered with a local GP, and I decided to start saving so I can try and start HRT before the end of the year. More details below the break but there's also photos there so continue at your own peril ig.

I've never really liked taking photos of myself, I can count on one hand the number of selfies I've taken and putting up photos like this online is unheard of for me. I've barely even worn shorts. At this point I've only just started shaving my legs (and doing a terrible job, I want to get hair removal cream and then start epilating). I haven't done anything to my arms yet cause they're the most likely part to be visible to other people.

I'm not socially transitioned at all because I don't think my parents (dad specifically) would take it well and with my colleagues generally being older, as well as some comments one coworker has made about trans people in the past, I'm not comfortable with them either.

-------------

OKAY HI so It's been over a year since I last interacted with this draft, that's wild. So HRT stuff first, I started DIY at the end of Jan 2024, that's almost 9 months ago! I plan to swap from pills to patches when I order more stuff some time in November, and try starting with prog and dropping the bica. Sadly the photos above suck so won't be great for comparison, and I don't even know if that much has really changed (apparently my bust has been the same size for like 5 months, I suck at measuring) butttttt here:

There’s three photos cause the second one is closer to what I took last time but my arse looks flat so the third one is cope. Also you might be able to tell that I'm much more comfortable taking photos of myself, even if i still haven’t learned how to pose :P

I also very recently got a referral to the gender clinic, and back around March I did manage to get some initial bloods done after starting HRT, things looked fine, T was low, and my more recent bloods are also fine so that's great!

okay this post has like no structure, oops. Well I do take more photos of myself now, I can sometimes see myself in the mirror and think I'm cute, I'm a bit better at shaving my face (but still bad) and I just use a trimmer on my arms and legs cause it's more convenient and epilation hurts.

Oh and I picked the name Elsie! I imagine most people who care about this post know that already tho. I came out to my brother and sister-in-law cause I didn't want to sign the wedding guest book with my deadname but if I signed with Elsie they'd probably be confused, they were super accepting and told me they would always be a safe place for me! I know they have queer friends, which is mostly why I was comfortable coming out, and they even made a joke about being the token cishets of the group. Oh and I also came out to the mental health nurse (I had to go to sessions after getting my autism referral and I felt comfortable telling them - that's part of how I got to the point of having a gender clinic referral)

I'm still not out to my parents, and a month or two ago some of my coworkers were talking and said they were definitely on the side of Rowling, that only people who have daughters would understand because "I wouldn't want a man in the same changing room as my daughter" so yea that's suuuuper fun... Probably means I won't be coming out at work like, ever.

[chayscribbles]

chayscribbles’ monthly writing update ☆ february 2024

yes, i know, february has an extra day this year, but i'm posting this today bc i won't have time tomorrow lol

☆ STATISTICS.

projects worked on: The Gemini Heist

proudest accomplishment: i... wrote?... i guess??? *can't remember a single thing i did this month for some reason*

books read: Witch King by Martha Wells. i'm ngl, i was lost like 80% of the time, but that might just be a skill issue on my part (it's the kind of book that throws you into the thick of it without holding your hand and listening to the audiobook with the attention span that i have was... probably not the wisest idea lol)

(alhough funnily enough, it's while having this audiobook on in the background that i came up with a lot of my plot thoughts for gemini heist LMAO. either that or while playing zelda.)

☆ GENERAL COMMENTS.

although i did get writing done this month, this update's gonna be short. i don't really have much to say lol

more specific wip-related comments + featured excerpt below.

☆ COMMENTS: THE GEMINI HEIST (draft 0.5)

it's very weird to not be using word count to track my progress anymore. freeing, but weird. i have no concept of how much i've actually done for this wip this month.

i do know i've figured out a bit more stuff about the heist and the lore. i had a big plot brainstorming session and untangled a few scenes. while i know what direction i want the story to head, i still don't know how any of this gets resolved, tho.

and i wrote out a few important scenes. that's progress, right?

☆ FEATURED EXCERPT.

i've been writing so chaotically out of order based on whatever scene i feel most inspired for in the moment that i,,, honestly can't remember what i've written this month vs what i had already written before 🥲 here's a scene that i THINK i wrote in february. Leo and Illiana might be my new favourite dynamic. (for context, Illiana is posing as her identical twin at a party, and Leo is posing as a guest. they came in separately.)

With the bodyguards tailing her the entire way, Illiana slowly made her way towards [Leo]. She tolerated a few brief exchanges with other guests she crossed paths with to appear natural, then, once she was close enough, she slipped the extra comm out of the pocket concealed in her skirt. She made a show of bending down to pick up something, then strode towards Leo. “Excuse me,” she said as she approached. “I believe you dropped your earring.” Leo turned to her, smile strained underneath her veil. “Oh, thank you,” she said, holding out her hand. Illiana placed the comm into her palm, taking care to hide it from the guards. As Leo angled her head away to slip it into her ear, she added, “I must say, your Holiness, this is quite a lovely party.” “Why, thank you, Miss…” She faltered, realizing she didn’t know Leo’s alias. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe I’m familiar with you.” “I’m a business leader from Tharekkan,” Leo said, pressing her palms together and giving Illiana a slight bow with her head. “It’s an honour to be here.” Illiana was surprised that Leo, with all her meticulous planning, didn’t have a fake name ready, and now she was curious. “How may I address you?” Leo’s already tense smile tightened even more. “‘Miss’ is fine,” she replied, practically through clenched teeth.  “No, I meant, your na—” “I’ve been told much about how lovely Fiolsby is, right before the winter,” Leo cut off, an unnatural segue back to the script they had practiced. “But I haven’t had the time to properly see the city.” Now Illiana just had to pry Leo's fake name out of her. “Really? That’s a shame. You know, the gardens offer a wonderful view of the city. Would you like to see, Miss…?” She let her sentence trail off, watching Leo expectantly. “If it’s not too much trouble, I would love that,” Leo replied, to Illiana’s annoyance.

☆ TAGLISTS. let me know if you want to be added/removed to any of them.

general taglist:

@dgwriteblr @the-orangeauthor @onomatopiya @quilloftheclouds @ashen-crest @writeblrfantasy @celestepens @stardustspiral @pepperdee @extra-magichours @avi-why @lefttigerobservation @chazzawrites @bardolatrycore @innocentlymacabre @subtlefires

gemini heist taglist:

@florraisons @akindofmagictoo @cream-and-tea @memento-morri-writes @antique-symbolism @rose-bookblood @afoolandathief @pepperdee @avi-why @zonnemaagd @chazzawrites @analogued @enchanted-lightning-aes @innocentlymacabre @kahvilahuhut @celestepens @cilly-the-writer @extra-magichours @onomatopiya @outpost51 @planets-and-prose

[tarnishedxknight]

{out of dalmasca} Hey guys! I'll be on tonight as scheduled, and Noah and Ashelia are LOUD today, if that influences what replies anyone does or what asks you guys send it, haha. Otherwise, I'll just attack random things in my drafts and inbox later. I will be writing some quick little starters here in a bit for spooky season, because... spooky season! 🎃

I also want to let you guys know about activity on this blog over the next week or so. After I'm on tonight, I'm not sure if I will have any time to write tomorrow (10/25). I usually do write here on Fridays, and I honestly want to, but with Halloween coming up, my dad and I will be decorating out front yard for the kiddies (we do a whole graveyard scene on our lawn, it's loads of fun, hehe). And then at night we'll either be catching up on Agatha All Along or watching horror movies. If I have time, I'll be on, but I don't think I will. I want to write for this blog, though, I have so much muse, so if I have extra time on Sat (10/26), I'll try to get a bit more done. My Sat group of muses this week has low activity, so I may have some time to be here too.

Next week, I'll say for now that I won't be around on Thurs/Halloween. I usually just stay home on Halloween, dress up in costume, move a lot of my decorations into a big display the kiddies can see from the front door, and hand out candy to them. We have a ton of kids in our neighborhood, so it's usually pretty active. Plus we're kindof known in the neighborhood for having some of the best decorations and candy, so we've got a reputation to uphold! XD But Halloween is on a school day and a school night this year, so sometimes that kills the activity, so if I end up being bored, I'll be on. If not, then Happy Halloween and I hope you all have a blast! 🎃

As of right now, I'm planning to be here on Fri (11/1). I did get a PS5, though (yes I bought it specifically to play the Silent Hill 2 remake, haha), so I'll be looking for time to play. My free days on Tues, Sun, and Fri may be the times I allot to do that for the near future, but we'll see how it goes!

That's my plan for this blog at the moment, but I'll update as needed to let everyone know where I'll be. Also, Halloween is my absolute favorite time of year, so I understand that others may feel the same and be very busy over the next week. Please don't feel obligated to do any replies and things for my blogs if you have other Halloween activities you'd rather be doing. By all means, please indulge in all things Halloween and spooky and pumpkin-flavored, and have a wonderful time. Writing will still be here when we all get back! 🧡

[helianskies]

reflecting on my 2023 in this fandom, i wanted to share some observations, reflections and projections for 2024. it's a little mix of positive and negative stuff so, and as this will be something mostly only mutuals will read (if at all), i just wanted to give you that heads up. i have some bits to get off my chest.

so, to start with, some little observations about myself as a writer:

i tag it 'nationverse' because i don't tend to write nationverse (the odd bit of historical, but not consistently), and i think it's useful to signpost to my readers 'oh btw they are actually nations in this one, in case that's not what you want to read today'. that is okay.

i will always call it 'engspa' to distinguish it from 'spuk' because i have a preferred dynamic for them and i grew up in a fandom space that tagged things as such to help readers know what they were getting into. that is okay.

i prefer having a ficlet collection to posting small works separately because it helps me manage my fics, see what i have and haven't done, navigate my profile, keep the request fics in one place, and maintain my drive to write small things compared to posting them all separately. that is okay.

i block people in order to curate my online enviroment, to avoid topics or content i'm not interested in or that i don't want to be in my happy space, and to manage my own emotions - and i am allowed to do so. that is okay.

i don't like every ship under the sun and so won't fulfil every request or suggestion i receive into my inbox, no matter how many times i am asked to. that is okay.

i just feel a need to address these things that have cropped up in my year. at a few points i've felt like a 'bad writer' for doing certain things or have been made to feel like a 'bad writer' for... essentially having preferences. at various points i lost confidence and contemplated throwing the towel.

thing is, we all do things differently, and we all have our own systems, preferences, and needs. i wish we'd stop putting each other down for that.

while i don't doubt my insecurities won't shift much next year, in 2024, i'll be in my eighth year writing. that feels like an achievement i ought to be celebrating. and it reminds me how important writing is in my life - because that's a third of my lifetime i will have been writing for. and mostly for this fandom, haha...

.°˖✧

looking on the fics i've written and finished this year, if i had to pick my favourite three, they'd probably be...

'Let Me Go' - i'm still patting myself on the back for this one. it's my favourite piece of nationverse i've written to date, and i could do so much with it...

'Want' - begging myself to write a sequel that i probably won't, but i can dream!

'Smokescreen' - ...it felt good to be bad, just for a little bit!

if i then think about my favourite aus in general from this year, then it's got to be:

the zoo au, from 'Lovebirds' because it's just CUTE, okay?

the RNLI au, from 'Swell', in which Arthur and Antonio are lifeboat volunteers (10/10 would write more)

the dragons au, from 'Scales' because worldbuilding is fun but also,, Rhys, my boy! :D

the school au, from 'The Note', for the memories it brings back and the reminder that i can write fluff, dammit!

and if only you guys knew the aus happening in my messages with maiva,, we are so smart we are so cool we are constantly drowning in cats :)

to conclude these little reflections on my year in fandom, things i'm a bit sad about:

i've given up on 'Bound' as a series - i just haven't been able to get anywhere with the plans or drafts i have, and i've lost my love for it, so it's officially parked.

'Hopeful Waters' will also definitely not continue - i will, however, not delete it as i have stopped myself from doing a million times this year. i may write snippets of 'what would have been' but my relationship with the fic is... largely negative, so i make no promise.

hetaween fics slipped through my darn fingers this year and i didn't write as much as i wanted. next year, i will return with vengeance... ùwú

and things i'm happy about or proud of from this year:

romespa ✨everything✨

i've written now well over a million words on ao3 which feels,, just surreal, honestly. 16 year old helia would never

i finally cleared out my ao3 inbox and stopped hoarding comments for months and i'm keeping on top of it!

i've continued to write dialogue prompt lists! it always makes me happy when i see others using them as well <3

.°˖✧

and so, looking at 2024...

next year, what i'm hoping above all else is that 'For Me?' reaches its conclusion. it's been slow-going this year with updates, and it's nearly two years old (ouch), but i'm now finally getting the plot back on track and i know my direction. i hope the wait will be worth it! i'm excited about what's to come for Antonio, Arthur, and the others :)

i also hope 'Bitter Teeth' keeps going strong. i hope i let myself take breaks without feeling so guilty. i hope i get more into historical hetalia again. i really want to explore the implications of the events of 'Let Me Go'. i hope i learn to love my unfinished works or abandoned wips. i hope i start sharing more of my ideas. i hope i learn it's okay to not always want to write the same characters over and over, even if they are my favourites.

really, i just want to keep moving forward. i want to keep writing. i want to keep loving writing. i want to keep exploring. i want to not succumb to negativity as much. i want to indulge even more in what i want and what i feel like.

oh, and i want more cat aus. sorry maiva. we're not finished.

.°˖✧

to finish, i just wanted to leave a little thanks to the friends i have here who read my stuff, who encourage me, and who give me the confidence to continue forwards. i treasure you. i hope you know who you are. and i offer you cookies, hugs, and well wishes for the year ahead 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂

thank you guys for everything <3

[mightbeorphanedidk]

Hello everyone,

So uhhh school's kicking my ass... errr

I have two assignments due this week and a school event then ANOTHER school event next week toppled on top of ANOTHER assignment and exam and then toss a couple booklets of homework into the mix, and AFTER I get those assignments done I have an art project to conplete from scratch in a month, and AFTER THAT a presentation to prepare.

So, because of this, posting will probably be put to a halt. I will be writing, trust me, I don't feel obligated to-- as much as I love you guys (A LOT) you guys and your lil funky chapters on ao3 are not my top priority. I'm writing because I WANT TO, but updates on chapters and fics will take a brief hiatus. Yeah. What else..

I don't know how long it will take to ease it down with all the stuff to do. Maybe one.. two, or maybe even three weeks. Three weeks will 100% be the longest break I've ever taken so far, so sorry about that.

Nothing is set in stone for now, this is just a heads up in case I actually do need a break. It's nothing to do with mental health or anything, but I've got a lot going on right now, and worrying about posting new chapters won't help me. I WILL be writing, no work is being abandoned or forgotten, but I just need a bit of time to get through everything on my plate.

Thank you, and sorry for the inconvenience. :D

Update: i lied by accident, i posted two new things yesterday... oops. I mean, in my defence, i did say nothing is set in stone, so uhhh

I mean my three, four day break was pretty nice, I finished my assignments, got to play some cuphead and TLOU and whatnot. I'm stuck on DR Kahl's robot and I'm gonna keep trying again today. Will something be released today? Probably not. Here's a list of updates for upcoming fics!

Lucifer & Alastor fic: last chapter drafted out (still trying to figure out the kinks of the ending), no writing done yet

Angel Alastor au: Last chapter drafted out, trying to perfect it, no writing done yet

Next request for the Vee!Alastor AU: Nothing complete yet, but I do want to write it

Lilith & Alastor torturefic: Last chapter planned out, no writing done yet

Other miscellaneous fics: All in progress.

Is it easy to tell I've been indulging myself?

Thank you! :D

[ashadowcalledkei]

So ... QSMP Purgatory huh ...

I had too many thoughts last night to fit in the tags of other people's posts, so I just chucked it all into a draft and polished it up today. Who knows how it'll go from here, everything could change in an instant, but as it stood at the end of yesterday, well ...

It was interesting, because the challenge they were given can be overcome in a way that doesn't follow the eye's wishes. 'Can', being the key word. They've clearly been set up to turn on each other with intent to break the bonds that made them strong. Especially with couples and close friends being split apart like that. They've made it hard for teams to cooperate. However, compromises, workarounds, and cooperation could ensure that the chance of ultimate failure and losing the eggs is minimized. Sharing information, making unified plans, trying to find the cursed team, or find the exit, or find the eggs.

The team I thought most likely to think that way and try new things to get around the system was team red. After all, they did think outside the box with how to get resources and overcome their built in limitations. Why not take that further and think their way out of the situation as a whole? But being hunted for sport while your competition mostly leaves each other alone doesn't exactly allow for that kind of lateral thinking.

So they broke. Understandable.

It was actually so demoralizing watching that happen before it spiraled so far that it twisted around on itself and became utterly hilarious instead. Screaming and singing and dancing around the death pit and the ashes of their own bodies? Fascinating. The surprise lore drops around the 'house' which is only a floor? Fantastic. Funny and oddly touching as they started spilling secrets, no judgements just shocked laughs and a numbed acceptance, to each other in the ruin of what they once tried to build. They 1000% deserve to just go crazy. Do it kings, build that village, become npcs.

(Quick side-bar ... guys, don't you find it odd that our three confirmed avians, Baghera, Jaiden, and Phil, are all on this one team? And two of the three 'odd' tickets, with the only other one being Q himself? It's just strange, it seems significant in a way I can't put my finger on.)

But also. The admin team has done a great job placing clues that all point to blue being the cursed team which Must Not Lose. Great job there, it's a fun little puzzle and just because it looks like people have solved it already doesn't take away from that. We might even be wrong about it, but I hope not, because a good puzzle should be solvable. So ... it's probably team blue. And with certain members of team blue going murder mode and terrorizing team red till they shattered, giving up on points or standings or winning ... that potentially locks it in for them for the rest of the event.

If team red isn't playing by those rules anymore they aren't a threat. And team blue only needs to not be last for the eggs to be saved. Right? Well, done deal. Blue and green can go at it for clout unbothered by red and the threat of true failure. The event might has well have been 1 day. The rest of these two weeks won't matter beyond the lingering effects of personal actions if we truly are going with this format being the majority of the event (and if red truly has been beaten into a pulp).

And honestly ... I'm glad. I'm glad they locked it in. I'm glad team red was so crushed and demoralized that they broke down into madness. Because this is more fun.

Now it's possible that after some sleep red will decide to actually try again .... out-skilled and out-gunned with half their team perma-mia ... or that they'll end up getting member shifted over to make them an actual threat ... but I hope not!

I watch this roleplay server for the stories and drama and comedy. And for the truly beautiful way it has woven together people from different countries and cultures into a close knit group of friends. For the bond forged through joy and terror and loss that made some of these strangers into family. I don't want two whole weeks of sweaty pvp and grinding! Sounds boring. (To say nothing of the jarring tone shift and how it'll change character dynamics after as the memories and guilt and knowledge of how quickly and brutally some of them turned on each other linger.) But you'd best believe I'll tune in to see what these already traumatized people who cracked to pieces do next!

So don't re-balance it admins. Let it ride and let team red do whatever the fuck they want. They earned it. They put in their time being tryhards and it didn't work so fuck it all let's just have fun. Let's go npc madness village! Or whatever new chaos comes next, I'm sure they'll come up with something sufficiently scuffed. Few things are as intriguing and mildly-terrifying as Charlie Slimecicle with 'a plan'.

Go team blue to win the event. Go team red to keep the server fun.

And just as a quick addition ... Charlie summed it all up best. "We were put here to tear each other and ourselves apart ... " "When you guys finally come to your senses ... maybe it'll take a day, maybe it'll take two, but it won't take two weeks. And when you realize what this place is taking from you, you come find us."