#((He'll probably note it more if she goes out into the water again))

[vodika-vibes]

Hi Vodika 🥰

I'm back with a second ask for your follower celebration!

Could I get a Wolffe x Fem!Reader with a narcissus and pansy bouquet? Where the reader ends up in the hospital and Wolffe confesses his love for her when he visits and realizes how much she means to him?

Please and thank you 💚😘💚

@the-bad-batch-baroness

Accidents Happen

Summary: You've been crushing on Wolffe for, what seems like, forever. But you're convinced that he'll never feel the same. However, when you're injured at work, things change.

Pairing: Commander Wolffe x F!Reader

Word Count: 2020

Prompts: Narcissus - unrequited love, Pansy - you occupy my thoughts

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni

A/N: You did say that Wolffe was on your brain! So I hope this story makes you happy! And here's your personal divider that I made for you. As a note This is Wolffe's message, and This is the reader's messaging.

Early mornings are the worst, you think as your alarm goes off at 5 am.

You lay in bed for a moment, listening to your alarm scream at you from across the room, before you sigh and swing your legs out of the bed and push to your feet. 

Early mornings where you actually have to do work the whole day are even worse. You blearily cross the room and hit the button on top of your clock, before you flip the lightswitch, making it impossible for you to go back to sleep.

And then you cross back to your bed, and grab your comm from its charger.

Several messages from your friends from the night before. Several more from your boss from last night and early this morning. A handful of emails that need to be deleted or responded to in kind.

You sigh heavily, and open the app for your work. You quickly log in for the day, before you go back to your emails. You absently answer several work emails as you pad through the apartment into your kitchen.

You set your comm down on the counter, still scanning your emails, and you grab your electric kettle to fill it with water. You set it back on it’s stand and flick the power switch, before you grab your comm again and turn to leave the room.

You start to reply to an email when the dark blue bubble of your instant messenger pops up on the screen.

You up?

Your heart speeds up and your face heats when you see the simple words sent to you by Wolffe. Your crush on him is, frankly, embarrassing. 

Tragically. Morning Wolffe. What’s up?

Comet has been harassing me to remind you about the book. The one with the birds.

You stare at the screen blankly for a moment, You mean The Raven Emperor series?

How should I know? Probably.

You giggle, Wolffe, there aren’t any actual birds in that book.

I really don’t care, sarad.

Well, someone’s grumpy this morning.

You’d be grumpy too if your twin brother stole all of your caf.

What, the GAR doesn’t give you a caf supply.

The GAR wouldn’t give us armor if we didn’t need it to win the war.

You can hear him rolling his eyes across the text message, and it’s kind of impressive. 

Anyway

Me and the boys are going to 79s this evening

Coming?

I wish.

I have a building that I need to appraise, and it’s something like 200 apartment buildings. 

I’m going to be busy until midnight

🥺

Ah.

Well, next time then.

You wait a moment for Wolffe to say something else, but he went offline soon after.

I want to go on a date with you. Your finger hovers over the send button, before you sigh and shake your head, deleting the message. 

Wolffe would never be interested in you. Not like that.

You just have to be happy with his friendship.

And here you thought ‘love unrequited’ was just something in the trashy romance novels you read in secret.

You allow yourself to wallow for a whole 30 seconds, and then you remember that you still have to shower and eat breakfast, and you toss your comm on your bed as you hurry into the fresher.

The chat with Wolffe means that you don’t have time for a proper breakfast, especially if you give yourself time enough to shower properly, but you think it was worth it. He’s Wolffe, after all.

Fifteen minutes later, you’re scrambling out of your fresher, pulling your wet hair into a messy knot at the back of your head, and you hurry back into the kitchen. 

In your rush you accidentally pour some hot water over your thumb as you fill your travel mug with the water, and you release a pained hiss. “I don’t have time for this,” You say to the empty apartment. You eye the blister critically, and decide that it’s not worth the hassle of treating it

Quickly, but carefully, you finish putting your breakfast together, and you hurry out the front door.

Your boss wants you at the complex by 6 am.

And luckily, you make it. By the skin of your teeth, maybe, but you’re still on time.

“You’re almost late,” the stern looking older man scolds.

“The keyword there being almost,” You counter, as you look up at the building, “This is the Meridian Complex?”

“Yep.”

“You spent how much on this?”

“2.5 Million Credits,” He sounds proud about it.

“This is a death trap.” You point out, cringing as a fake shutter falls off a window three stories up.

“It just needs a little work.” Your boss says, and then he pauses, “You are up to date on your vaccines, right?”

“Ha. You’re hilarious.” You pull your datapad out of your car, and glance at the information on the screen, “You have the keys?”

“Yup, all of the door codes are set to 00000.”

“Noted.” You make a note on the datapad, “After you.”

Half an hour later, you realize that your conservative estimation of this taking until midnight was far, far too generous. This is going to take days.

You look around at the rotting floorboards, and at the graffiti and holes on the walls, and you sigh. At least the paycheck is going to be really nice.

“Hey! I think I found a half decent apartment!” Your boss calls from down the stairs, “Second floor, 209. We can use this as a staging room.”

“Coming!” You shake your head at the sheer mess, and half wonder if you could message Wolffe and ask for the Wolfpack to help. You laugh softly at the idea, the boys would be more than happy to help, you’re sure, but it’s not realistic.

You start up the stairs.

But, if he was willing to help, you could spend more time with Wolffe, which would be a win.

A weird noise makes you slow to a stop, and you pause, tilting your head to listen better.

“What are you doing?” Your boss asks from the top of the stairs.

“...I heard something-” You trail off as there’s a cracking noise under your feet.

Your boss’ face goes gray. “Hurry!”

You go to take one more step, when the cracking noise returns. And when you put your foot down on the stair…it keeps going.

You don’t even have time to scream as the staircase collapses under you.

The last thing you see as you topple backwards is your boss’ horrified face, and you hear a shout of your name.

Wolffe is not having a super day.

On top of the fact that Fox stole all of the Caf and the fact that he’s been confined in his office doing paperwork all morning, the fact that the Wolfpack’s pretty sarad won’t be joining them at 79s tonight just shoved him into an awful mood.

Nights out are always better when she’s with them.

He glowers at the various documents that need his signatures. He should be grateful. He’s not Marshal Commander. He’s seen the amount of work that Cody, Fox, and Bly have on a daily basis.

He’s lucky that he is only a commander and he only has this much work to do.

…yeah, nope. That didn’t help.

He rests his head on his hand as he taps his stylus against the table. “When Alpha said that a command position was worth it, he was a filthy liar.” Wolffe announces to the room at large.

He should make Comet do this paperwork in exchange for the free time he’ll need to read that book series he’s going to borrow-

Wolffe’s thought process is cut off when his office door slides open and Comet bursts in, “Commander!”

“What is it?”

“Sarad is in the hospital.”

Wolffe’s heart drops into his stomach. He drops all of his work and grabs his helmet, “Which hospital?”

“Coruscant General. Sir, where-?”

“I’m going to go check on her, of course.” He pushes past Comet, “You’re in charge until I get back.”

“Yes, sir.” Comet pauses, “Let us know how she is?”

“I will,”

The trip to Coruscant General doesn’t take long, Wolffe is able to walk the distance. And, as luck has it, no one stops him when he enters the hospital properly.

“Can I help you sir?” The nurse at reception asks.

“I hope so,” Wolffe replies, before he offers her name, “I was told that she’s here.”

The woman nods, “Are you the husband?”

Wolffe pauses for half a second, “Yes, that's right.” He lies.

She nods again, “On the fifth floor, room 517.”

“Thank you.” He marches over to the lift, and presses the button for the fifth floor. Wolffe’s mind is whirling. How was she hurt? How badly? Does he need to set up a guard rotation for her?

Did someone attack her? Does he need to get the guard involved?

The lift comes to a stop and he steps out, and heads to the nurses station. He offers her name once more, and again, lies about being her husband, and he’s pointed in the right direction.

The door is shut, and Wolffe lightly knocks on the door. He doesn’t get a response, but he pushes the door open anyway.

“Sarad?” The lights are dimmed, but not so much that he’s not able to see her.

She looks…bad.

Covered in bruises and bandages. Various machines attached to her, monitoring her heart rate and blood pressure and giving her IV medication.

“Oh, cyare.” Wolffe walks over to her, and looks her over. Every inch of her is covered in angry looking bruises or cuts. “What happened?” Gently, very gently, he brushes a strand of hair out of her face.

A lot of the tension he hadn’t realized that he was carrying drains from his body now that he’s sure that she’s not dying or dead.

It’s kind of funny, in a way.

Sure, he’s always known that his sarad was important to him. He’s not been blind to the fact that she’s always on his mind and that he never isn’t thinking about her. But he didn’t know just how important until this very moment.

Wolffe’s fingers linger on her cheek, and he’s startled when he hears a soft moan from her. “Sarad?”

Hazy eyes peer up at him, confused, “‘lffe?”

“Yeah,” He smiles at her, “It’s me. How are you feeling?”

“...wh’re?”

“You’re at Coruscant General, you were hurt, do you remember?”

Her fingers flex, and Wolffe takes her hand in his free hand, “Stairs,” She mumbles, some of the haze leaving her voice, “The stairs collapsed-”

“Unlucky,” Wolffe says quietly, as he sets his helmet on the side table and then sits in a seat, “How are you feeling?”

She’s quiet as she considers his question, “...fuzzy.” She finally says.

He chuckles, “I’m not surprised, by the look of it, you’re on some good pain medicine.”

“Wolffe?”

“Hm?”

“Why are you in the hospital? Are you hurt?” She asks, her brow furrowed as she tries to puzzle it out.

“Come on, Sarad. You know the hospital doesn’t treat clones.” Wolffe brushes his fingers across her lips, “I’m here for you, of course.” He pauses, “I also let everyone believe that I’m your husband. Sorry.”

She hums, “I don’t mind.”

“That I lied?”

“Being your wife.” She clarifies, “Sounds like fun. Let’s do that.”

Wolffe laughs, “I think we’re skipping a couple of steps, Sarad.”

She hums again, her eyes fluttering closed, “Don’ care. Love Wolffe.” She mumbles.

His breath catches in his throat for a moment. And then a wide grin crosses his face. “Are you still awake, cyare?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I love you.” He whispers into her ear, and then he presses a light kiss to her temple, “You’re not going to remember this when you sober up, and that’s okay. I’ll just tell you again and again, as many times as you need.”

She smiles at him, the drugs hitting her hard again, “Stay?”

“For as long as you want me, sarad. Promise.”

[listofwhyyouloveher]

I love your writing so much! Hope the heat isn't beating you up and if I'm not bothering may I have an outsider request with part two of young Sheldon Curtis sibling? And how she is with the gang. Also in the show it shows that Sheldon is a huge neat freak and germaphobe and probably has OCD idk about that and how they slowly get into comic book you don't have to thank you drink water!

Summary: The Gang w Young Sheldon!Reader Warnings: none Author's Note: none PONYBOY is incredibly kind and compassionate when it comes to your situation. He realizes you aren't every trying to be rude or disrespectful, no matter how you come off. He lets you clean up anything without asking, and will help you if you ask or if the tasks not too big. He gets a little upset if you don't want to touch him because of germs but he understands and tries to be as respectful as possible. SODAPOP is actually the one who got you into comic books. He brought back a pretty battered copy of "Fantastic Four" from a garage sale and was excited when you asked to borrow it. He would bring back comics every now and then and would always turn the pages for you when you didn't want to touch a page or two. He appreciates your attention to detail, pointing out things that change or theories. He's impressed, once again, by your smarts. STEVE is also kind of a comic nerd, he'll dump old comics on you whenever he's got ones he doesn't need or is allowing you to borrow, (he's a little touchy with his stuff because to him you're like his sister, not a just a close friend!). He's impressed how quick you get through them. For your birthday, he bought you a brand new copy of your favorite, promising that it hadn't been touched by anyone but him and he washed his hand to wrap it. TWO BIT doesn't understand germaphobe very well. He understands your need for cleanliness but he doesn't know to what extend it goes to. He slips up multiple times, touching your silverware with unwashed hands, re-filling your old water cup instead of washing in between etc. But he's super apologetic, and genuinely gets upset at himself for messing up. But he learns how to make you feel comfortable and then he gets super excited. DARRY tries his absolute hardest to help you and make everything perfect for you. He doesn't see it as an issue that he has to give you a little more attention, you and your brothers get along beautifully, no one really feels left out, and your smarts and wit are really something to admire. He totally supports your comic book obsession, he finds it a good use of your time, (you're still reading and not watching the tv) and its sometimes hard to find topics you can talk about with the gang so this is perfect for you! He's even buying you some when he can, and a seperate copy for Pony and Soda if its an issue they like. DALLAS really struggles with being respectful. But he tries, and it definetly shows, otherwise the rest of the gang would've dropped him by now. He won't buy or 'buy' you comics unless he needs to apologize for something, like being disrespectful. He'll just drop it into you hands in a plastic bag, mutter a quick 'sorry' in his new york accent and then saunter off like he just ended world hunger.

[tip-top-cloud-surfer]

Head Over Heels - Goose

Pairing: Nick "Goose" Bradshaw / Fem!Reader (Nicknamed Honey)

Word Count: 1.5k

This work, all my works, and my entire blog is 18+ Only.

Warnings: Accidents; Referenced Bad Dates; Slight Self-Loathing; Female Reader with No Description, No "Y/N" or "You," Nicknamed "Honey"

Summary: Goose goes on a bad date and wants to give up. Maverick tells him that he just can't sit around and wait for the perfect girl to come around. Except fate has other plans.

Note: Set pre-Top Gun 1986. No Carole in this universe. She's off living her best life elsewhere. Bradley's not here (but maybe he'll come later? We'll see)

Master List

“I’m hopeless, Mav! Absolutely hopeless!” Goose complained, holding his face in his hands.

“You are not hopeless,” Maverick assured Goose, though his expression gave away his real opinion. “Just a little . . . rusty.”

The two were walking down the boardwalk after a disaster of a double date with two women that they met in town. And to say that it was a complete mess would have been generous. It all started with a spilled glass of water and ended with Maverick getting whacked in the face with a purse while defending Goose’s honor.

“Mav, let’s just face facts,” Goose sighed, turning to his pilot and best friend. “I’m hopeless, I have no idea how to impress women, and I’ll probably die alone because of it.”

“Goose, you’re overreacting,” Maverick cut in, clapping his best friend on his shoulder. “She just wasn’t the one. Anywhere near the one. But, hey, there’s got to be some girl out there who’ll be the perfect match to you. I can sense it.”

“But where the hell is she Mav?” Goose sighed, starting to walk along again.

“I don’t know, Goose, you’ve got to go out and look for her. The perfect girl isn’t just going to fall into your arms,” Maverick replied, shaking his head.

“Watch out!” a voice suddenly called out.

Goose turned just in time to see a woman on a pair of roller skates heading towards him. He had about a split second to react. Reaching out his arms as a reflex, Goose managed to catch her as she tripped on the uneven wooden paneling on the ground. Her momentum caused them to both dip towards the ground until they were rolling together.

Goose managed to stop their rolling and found himself staring down at the most beautiful woman that he had ever set his sights on. She stared up at him with wide eyes, panting a bit, and resting her hand on his firm chest. He didn’t know her name, but Honey just felt right. She looked sweet, just like honey, and he wouldn’t mind a—no, Goose, no, he scolded himself.

“Hi,” Goose breathed out, memorizing by the literal angel that crashed into him.

“Hi,” Honey returned, similarly dazed.

“Jesus Christ, are you two alright!?” Maverick yelled, startling the two of them back to reality.

“I’m so sorry!” Honey immediately yelped, trying to scramble up. “Are you hurt?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” Goose replied, getting up and keeping a hold on her hand to steady her. “Just a little dust. Nothing more.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, glancing over his form for any scratches.

“Yeah, it’ll take more than that to take me out,” Goose chuckled, holding her steady as she slipped a bit on her skates. “Are you alright?”

“Just a bit embarrassed,” she sighed, grabbing Goose a bit tighter. “This is what I get for trying to be someone that I’m not.”

And no sooner had she finished her sentence then Honey slipped towards the ground. Luckily, Goose had quick reflexes and managed to wrap his arms around her before she fell to the ground again. Of course, his maneuver ended up with her hanging in his arms like they were dancing partners and he was dipping her for some romantic move, which caused them both to grow even more flustered.

Maverick glanced between Goose and Honey with wide eyes. Glancing up at the sky and then down at his own hands for a moment, Maverick quietly wondered if he somehow summoned this woman to this exact spot.

“Why don’t we get you over to a bench?” Goose suggested with a chuckled, straightening her up again.

“That’s probably for the best,” she agreed, letting Goose help her over to a wooden bench.

Carefully setting her down on the bench, Goose kneeled down in front of Honey and started to untie the skates on her feet. Maverick hid a smirk behind his hand when he saw just how flustered and pleased Honey looked as Goose helped her with her skates.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Goose just needed to stand there and let fate do the work for him.

“There, now you’re safe,” Goose joked, setting the two skates beside her on the bench.

“Thank you,” she replied meekly, still highly embarrassed. “And I’m so sorry about running into you.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Goose assured her with a kind smile. “But, can I ask why you’re skating around the boardwalk if you . . .?”

“Can’t skate?” Honey offered with a laugh. “My friend somehow managed to rope me into it.”

“Where’s your friend then?” Goose asked her.

The call of her actual name caused Goose, Maverick, and Honey to turn around to see another woman quickly skating towards them. She was more than likely the friend who indirectly caused the whole interaction based on the way that Honey sheepishly waved to her.

“Penny, I told you that this was a bad idea,” Honey sighed, gesturing towards the skates. “I was this close to going into the water. And I accidentally tackled him along the way.”

“Better than most linebackers,” Maverick joked, smiling brighter as he turned to face Penny. Well, if Goose got a beautiful girl to pay attention to him, why should Maverick get the same opportunity? “I’m Pete, Pete Mitchell. But you can call me Maverick. And the sack of potatoes that your friend took down is my RIO Goose.”

“Goose?” Honey repeated, sounding confused.

“You two are naval aviators?” Penny asked curiously, glancing between Maverick and Goose with newfound interest.

“It’s a callsign,” Goose explained to Honey. “My real name is Nick. You can call me whatever you prefer. I answer to both.”

“Goose somehow seems to fit you more,” Honey mused, turning to Goose again with a bashful smile.

“I think so,” Goose agreed, his cheeks literally aching from how hard he was smiling.

“Are you two free the rest of tonight?” Penny asked, shooting a knowing smirk at her friend. “We were just going to grab some dessert down at the end of the boardwalk. If you two are interested.”

“Well, it would be completely rude and downright unchivalrous if we didn’t take them up on their offer. Wouldn’t it, Goose?”

“It would,” Goose quickly blurted out before he turned to Honey. “Unless, of course, you think it wouldn’t be.”

“No, no, you should come,” Honey agreed, grabbing his hand. “So that I can properly thank you for the mess that I created.”

“Well, I can’t say ‘no’ to that,” Goose stated with a wide smile.

“Great, it’s settled! Let’s go,” Penny urged, gesturing down the boardwalk.

“Penny, we should grab our real shoes first,” Honey insisted, standing up. “I can’t walk barefoot all the way down there. And the parking lot is just up there.”

“I can carry you,” Goose offered, causing Honey’s eyes to widen a bit.

“Are you sure?”

“Don’t let the chicken frame throw you off,” Maverick vouched on Goose’s behalf. “He’s stronger than he looks.”

“Thanks, Mav,” Goose hissed out, shooting his best friend a look.

“Great! Goose will carry you to the car and then we’ll all grab dessert together,” Penny stated, leaving no room for argument.

“You don’t have to carry me,” Honey assured Goose, but he simply smiled in return.

“No, no, I insist. Here, you can climb up onto my back,” Goose offered, turning around.

With some careful maneuvering, Honey clambered up onto Goose’s back and the new group of four headed up to Honey’s car. Goose and Honey fell into their own separate conversation from Penny and Maverick, who seemed to have instantly clicked. They reached Honey’s car in no time and with a quick shoe change, they were on their way down to the ice cream shop.

“So, what would you prefer me to call you?” Goose asked Honey, who smiled up at him.

“You can call me . . . tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? What kind of—oh,” Goose quickly caught on, causing Honey to giggle a bit. “Sorry, that wasn’t smooth at all.”

“I think it’s cute,” Honey replied, smiling at Goose bashfully.

“I think they’re so cute,” Penny whispered to Maverick, grabbing his arm lightly. “It’s been so long since she felt confident around a guy. She gets flustered so easily and they all make fun of her.”

“Goose isn’t like that at all. He’s a complete gentleman,” Maverick assured Penny, glancing back at Goose and Honey. “And between you and me, his confidence has been shot. The last couple of dates that he’s been on were disasters.”

“Who knows? Maybe they’re just what each other needs,” Penny mused before turning to Maverick. “So, tell me about yourself, Maverick.”

[just-my-latest-hyperfixation]

Congratulations!!

If you feel inspired by this combo and have time, could you write a ficlet using "I", 🍨, 🥰 or 😂, and 🔨?

Thank you!

(Apologies if you already got this ask--my device froze when I sent it the first time, so I don't know if it went through)

Thank you so much! 🥰I still remember your lovely comments on the mer-dude fic, so I hope you enjoy this little bonus! 🦕❤️🧜🏻‍♂️

Of mates and mer-dudes

Words: 996

Rated: T

Tags: summer camp AU; mer!Steve; established relationship; flirting; sexual tension; fade to black

Notes: Set in the same universe as Just add water

“Hammer.” 

“Hammer,” Eddie repeats dutifully. Dustin spends two or three seconds trying to drive the nail in with the object he's been handed, until he realizes it's a screwdriver. 

“Very funny. I said hammer.” 

“Apologies,” Eddie mutters, chucking the screwdriver back into the mess that is their toolbox with one hand and wiping his sunburnt forehead with the other. “I think we've been out here longer than is strictly healthy. How ‘bout we call it a day and head back to camp? It's almost dinner time.” 

Dustin scowls. The hair under his Thinking Cap is matted with sweat and he is red-faced and splotchy. An unavoidable side effect of working out on the secluded pier all afternoon. 

“We can't just stop now, it's almost done,” Dustin claims, gesturing at their rickety construction of wood and mesh - it’s supposed to be an oversized fish trap, even though Eddie thinks it’s turning out to be more of a funky modern art installation. “This'll work, I know it. This time, I'll prove that Lovie is real. All those past times, it got away too quickly, but if I could just-” 

“Jesus, kid,” Eddie groans. “You and your lake monster. You don't know when to give up, do you?” 

“Give up?” Dustin scoffs. “If Thomas Edison had given up, we'd still be lighting candles. If Homer Ahr had given up, we would've never walked on the moon. I sure as hell won't-?” 

“The fuck is Homer Ahr?” 

Dustin heaves a long-suffering sigh. 

“Only mission control's chief engineer, Eddie? Honestly, that's the kinda question I'd expect from Steve, not you. Where is he, by the way? I thought he wanted to help us.”

“No idea,” Eddie admits. “Lucky bastard.” 

Dustin draws a breath, probably to ask what he means, but Eddie is saved by the sound of the dinner bell floating over from the camp grounds. 

“Okay, you gremlin, off you go,” he says, pushing the kid towards the sound before another argument can break loose. “We can finish this tomorrow when we aren't dehydrated and grouchy.” 

Dustin grumbles. “What about you?”

Eddie waves him off. “Be there in a sec, lemme put away your shit first.” 

He starts picking up their scattered tools, throwing them back into the box. Only when he's sure that Dustin is well out of earshot does he collapse at the edge of the pier, naked feet dangling over the water's surface. 

“Man,” he says. “That kid, right?” 

There's a soft growl from behind him, and the barest of sloshing sounds, and a shadow falls over him. He only just manages to suck in a breath - knowing he'll need it - before a massive snout pushes between his shoulder blades and he goes plummeting into the lake. He’s dimly aware of the toolbox going down with him, and then the world vanishes in a whirl of bubbles.

He resurfaces to the feeling of arms wrapping around his waist and massive fins brushing his legs, and the sound of laughing voices - one human, one very much not so. He tries to glower at their owners, but actually needs a second to part the sopping curtain of his hair.  

“So fucking hilarious, you aquatic asshats. I thought I told you to quit doing that.” 

Lovie the lake creature just chirps merrily and dives back under again, splashing him with her fins as she goes. 

Steve shrugs. The motion makes tiny droplets of water run down his bare shoulders and collarbones, bringing out his freckles and moles and tiny, glittering scales. Eddie wants to lick them. He has long stopped worrying about what that says about him.

“Sorry. She just wants you in the water with us. She likes it when the flock is together.”

His smile is apologetic, but his tail curls around Eddie’s legs in the water, fins wrapping around the two of them possessively.

Because, see, here's the thing. Over the past year, Eddie has not only discovered that his infuriatingly pretty fellow camp counselor is a mermaid and the guardian of an ancient lake creature. He has also somehow managed to score said mer-dude as a boyfriend and been adopted into the lake creature's flock.  

“She never does that shit with Buckley,” he grouses, even though Steve’s words make something flutter in his chest. Steve's touch, also - hands on his hips, fins on his ankles. “She's part of the flock, too, isn't she?” 

“Yeah…” Steve blushes, a delicious pink hue on wet, sun-tanned skin. Eddie wants to lick that, too. “But Robin isn't my…” 

He trails off into an unintelligible mumble after that. Eddie wrinkles his brow. 

“Your what? Come again, fish boy, I didn’t-” 

“My mate,” Steve blurts, and the fins on his hips flutter excitedly under Eddie’s fingers. “Robin isn’t my mate.” 

Eddie feels his mouth drop open. The water is unpleasantly cold against his flushed skin. 

“Wait,” he says when he finally remembers how to form words again. “Hold on a second. When did that happen?” 

Steve’s face is still scarlet, but his lips start twitching when he meets Eddie’s eyes. “That’s just the way she sees it. You can’t expect her to think in human standards. Now c’mon, we gotta get to dinner or the kids will wonder where-” 

“Oh, no!” Eddie interrupts him, mouth tugging into a stupid, wide grin of his own. “No, no, no, sweetheart. You don’t get to tell me that we’ve been mer-mated for God knows how long and never officially consummated that sacred connection. I’m gonna get a mer-divorce if you don’t-” 

“Oh God, shut up,” Steve groans, and kisses him. 

As he gets dragged off to their favorite little shore, well out of sight from the camp grounds, Eddie bids a brief mental farewell to the toolbox lying abandoned at the ground of the lake. He’ll have to make up some story about where it went when Dustin asks him, but that's a problem for later. 

For now, he’s got other things to think about. 

More celebration ficlets

[multi-fandom-agereg]

HIII!!! I loved the Venti headcanons, so I am back for more!

Anyways, is it possible I could get babyre Wanderer with Caregiver!Nahida? Nahida suggested agere to him as a way to cope with his trauma !

(also, padded wanderer? I tried to find on your posts if you stated you were uncomfortable with mentions of padding but found nothing, sorry! Just ignore this part if you are uncomfortable with it!)

[Id text: "Regressor Wanderer" end id.]

ⓘ 🩹🩹 Hello again!!^^ thank you for requesting! I'd like to note that I'm not at all uncomfortable with Padding or padded hcs! As someone who needs to wear them medically, I'm more than happy to post about them! (Hc speaking jsjs) I did mention it in the past but I occasionally delete old posts so most likely it was mentioned in a deleted post. But I did add it in my pinned post 🩹🩹

ⓘ In-game spoilers!! So if you haven't gotten far into the game yet and don't want spoilers I will put (ⓘ) next to the hc(s) so you can skip them. Though as someone who didn't go far into the game to meet Wanderer, some of the hcs may be extra to fit the idea of wanderer being an age regressor. Ex; background with Nahida. Will probably mess the background slightly so I can make it hc accurate as possible (though trying not to change whole lot)

Anyways, enjoy! I wanted to do regressor Wanderer for awhile but I forgot. This is my excuse to do it 🙌

Regressor Wanderer (With caregiver! Nahida) 🍼

tw/cw: injury mentioned (bleeding)

🦆 || Wanderer is an age regressor. specifically a baby regressor! He regresses around 0-1ish age range. However he doesn't label his age whenever it's mentioned. (But he still is a baby regressor) He just doesn't like to admit it

🦆 || Wanderer is the type of little to have his baths be fancy. He requires baby lotion, baby shampoo (the one that doesn't hurt his eyes), alot of bubbles, toys and rubber ducks. Also he specifically baths in cold water. It makes him feel more little (plus it works wonders for him when he's roleplaying with his toys in the bath)

🦆 || even at his little age, he doesn't need assistance in the bath. All he needs help with is the shampoo bit and that's all he needs. He can spend hours in the bath if he so wished to. Then after he gets out and requires to help dry with his hooded towel. → But he will be a very fussy baby if he is told to leave the bath before his story with his toys ends. (He HATES cliffhangers in his own story afterall)

🦆 || when he's little he has random zoomies. He mostly does it when his mind is on idle mode. (Technically spaced out in irl terms I think?) So when he's spaced out his body goes on autopilot and he'll run. And run. And run some more. Majority, if not all the time, he's extremely hard to catch

ⓘ 🦆 || after being abandoned by Raiden Ei : that's when Wanderer shut down the world around him. He refused to trust anyone or anything for a very long time. Until however, Nahida met him one night when she noticed Wanderer loitering around. Since then, she took him in

🦆 || it took several months up to a year for Nahida to gain Wanderer's trust. Slowly working with him until he was able to trust again

🦆 || speaking of trust, shortly after Nahida gained Wanderer's trust, Nahida noticed how wanderer suffers from his last trauma and how much he mourns to live his life as a normal human being. Sooo- ↓↓↓

🦆 || Nahida basically introduced him to regression! She explained it and told him it was a healthy coping mechanism for inner child healing. At first, wanderer didn't know how to feel about it. In all honesty he took it negatively. Thinking Nahida was just babying him and refused to talk more about it because he was, "too big for something like that". Until just a week or so later after a PTSD episode with unwanted memories of his past, Wanderer decided to give it a shot. Nahida coaxed him into being little and ever since, she became his caregiver

🦆 || still calls Nahida "Lord Kusanali Nahida" but lately he's been getting used to calling her "sis(sy)" when little. If he's little and does call her by the title he normally calls her, he'd call her "lorb Kawa" since he can't form words too well

🦆 || either nonverbal or verbal. It mostly depends on the day. Most of the time when he's verbal he will babble for hours if you let him. When he's nonverbal he is more, less energetic and prefers low energy activities

ⓘ 🦆 || wears bandaids for the aesthetic of it. Even if he's not really human and is capable of still getting injured and bleeding, he prefers bandaids in places he doesn't need them. So if he did get a scrape, he refused to use a bandaid. So when his knees aren't scraped up, he has bandaids all over them! Because why not?

🦆 || is a padded regressor. Since he regresses so young, he isn't potty trained enough to use the bathroom on his own. Though most of the time he wears padding for comfort reasons. They make him feel a lot more smaller and refuses not to wear them

🦆 || hear me out, possible permaregressor wanderer?? Since he technically doesn't have an age and doesn't age, what if he is a permaregressor because it's an age he feels more comfortable when little?? Orrr he regresses 80% of the time and is more little then big

🦆 || duck obsessed. He loves ducks so so much. He has many rubber duckies, plushies, themed sippy cups, and alot of duck themed everything. He even has a duck shirt, pants and onesie!

🦆 || regresses at a very young age, however isn't much of paci fan. Of course he will use it occasionally- but sippy cups? That's where it's at. Not limited to- small rubber spoons and baby foods. His favorite little snack is Yogurt melts

🦆 || in a modern timeline, he is definitely an iPad kid. His favorite show to watch is more early 2000's shows like sesame street, invader Zim and maybe SpongeBob too

🦆 || Back to Nahida, she is an amazing caretaker for Wanderer! She is so sweet, patient, loving and very gentle with him. Which honestly is what he needed after suffering for so long into his life. Another pos to Nahida, she's literally cuddle size. She is the perfect teddy bear for wanderer. And yep, he does pick her up and take her everywhere his legs can take him. People would probably mistaken him as her dad/older brother and the child. When it's the complete opposite

🦆 || has his very own crib. He doesn't go a night without sleeping in it + without having some sort of white noise on. He will refuse to sleep if the fan isn't on and his tv isn't on when he's asleep

[k0uhi]

noo ahaha what do u mean im getting obsessed with the pairings of this year's april fool's event hahahahahahahah what do you mean

(short fics & hcs under the cut - before i forget)

vocaloids

ln!luka + wxs!meiko

shiho comments that she's never seen anyone pampered like that before (because luka's head was in meiko's lap) and to me that's two possibilities: that wxs!meiko was so distressed and missed her luka so much that she took the nearest one to calm herself; or that luka saw this meiko and immediately was overcome with the urge to put her head in meiko's lap

either way, my mothers are inseparable

can you imagine. they're lying on the forest floor and luka wakes up from her nap to see meiko who's looking at her but not at her. she misses her meiko too. so she indulges a little and reaches up to cup meiko's face in her hand and she doesnt expect it but meiko leans into it for a moment. they forget they have an audience actually.

when the exploration team comes back they see everyone red faced except n25!kaito, who looks surly, but if u ask him what happened, he'll explode

wxs!luka sleepily asks wxs!meiko what's going on, and meiko just pats her lap to let luka sleep. then ln!luka watches on the side pitifully and teases meiko about it. then ln!meiko pats her on the arm and says, it's a shame miku isn't here huh. luka swats her.

mmj!kaito + n25!miku

n25!miku comments in bewilderment that kaito gave her some water because it's his job as a manager to take care of everyone's health. this is completely not the kaito she's used to. she looks over at n25!kaito, who was watching them before they left the base. her expression is still dead but somehow she manages to convey, is this really you? and n25!kaito scoffs and said, you're an adult you can take care of yourself. then again, i should help you out since you probably dont know what to do

ena has words to say about that but mmj!kaito looks at him very disapprovingly. n25!kaito backs off, and says he has better things to do like light the fire

n25!miku looks at mmj!kaito again and he smiles at her and says, well you shouldnt take what he said to heart. he should've been nicer. and she says back, it's okay, we usually just let him since he apologises later. thank you kaito. and she looks at him like she's imprinted on a new big brother and oh no ena can see it. she's worried that she'd cry when they find their way out.

vbs!miku + ln!kaito

vbs!miku comments that kaito started avoiding her after she gave him a dish she seasoned and doesn't know why. girl he's too shy to say u need to fix it and knew you'd ask for an opinion since you're giving off strong cool girl energy. he's running away

she wants to ask vbs!kaito but he's already distracted with rui messing around with some drones. the next best thing was to ask kohane, so she did. she doesnt really get why kohane pales a little and tries to change the subject but whatever! all the kaitos seem really nice so far. they're probably more fragile than their kaito though, since kohane slapped her hand on her mouth when ln!kaito had quietly made a suggestion on where to look for food earlier on.

what! she was just going to make sure that kaito wasn't going to just look for ice cream!

she promises to herself that she'll be nice though, and when it's time for dinner, she makes sure that she's the one who hands him his food again even though he looks like he rather not, and she carefully, explicitly, says that she got it directly from the kitchen and didn't do anything to it.

their kaito immediately confirms this with a shout from the kitchen doors, and says "miku, you still havent graduated from meiko and i's oversight!!!!" she retorts back with "it's just seasoning! what could a little bit of salt do!"

"we don't have salt!"

their bickering goes on, and on. ln!kaito is saved from further interaction at least, when he gets to sit next to mafuyu and kanade.

n25!rin + ln!len

haruka notes that rin's been standing around on her own and len goes to play with her

it was inevitable when her len went with mizuki and rin vehemently denied wanting to stick to len. now rin looked a little dejected as they explored, so len started to talk to her and ask about cat's cradle, while he managed to steal a drone and they started playing with it

haruka is quietly relieved, but she doesn't notice that akito and rui make a mild comment about it as well. rui managed to craft a remote for the drone that he gives to len. and akito gets rin riled up enough to be less sharp, and more on the side of banter. mmj!luka asks how akito knows how to do that when he looks away and says something about his sister being the same

it's all just a little bit peaceful until ln!len crashes the drone and gets a little injured. n25!rin panickedly tugs at mmj!luka, but it's vbs!kaito who is most helpful. rin is visciously surprised how nice he is and desperately wants to tell someone, but mizuki is looking for food with her len, and n25!luka would just laugh it off.

wxs!miku also manages to make rin smile, so it was a plus.

ln!miku + n25!luka

ln!miku got SCARED of n25!luka im honestly so amused by this. it was nice to know she'd meet two other lukas and would be starstruck that one's an idol but the other is very much not like HER luka-senpai!!! why!!!!!!!

shes scary, she smiles with her mouth but her eyes are completely void. she laughs but it rings hollow. mafuyu looks quite the same but it's not like she can do anything about it!!!

she turns to look at their kaito, who is just as freaked out about vbs!miku, so she can't really ask him about it. and the kagamine pair from this luka's sekai are separated and completely different. so she. tries to talk, and there's this vibe that she's the same but not quite

emu seems to have more luck with this apparently, since mafuyu seems to go a little more soft around her but genuinely this luka is so scary ! she misses her luka

everyone else

minori

umprompted this girl was just drawing haruka i have nothing to add my lesbians are having the time of their life even separated

emu + ln!kaito

he's literally just so shy but she still calls him onii-chan because he still is one.

kaito would not like to be called this (senpai is infinitely better) but he's also called ani by their rin so like. what can he do.

emu likes this kaito just as much as she likes her kaito — three kaito-onii-chans! but the quiet one reminds her so much of shousuke-onii-chan that she can't help it! she wants to glomp him! and he lets her even though the rest really says she should be more mindful

she is! but she could tell that he likes it, secretly. would like it that he could do it to his bandmates too!

nene + n25!kaito

nene's not used to this kaito, god help her. he's so serious and scowly, she thinks he looks a lot like a frustrated tsukasa if he ever genuinely got pissed. he snaps when he's spoken to and when he initiates it's. a bit fine? but also he still looks like he wants to murder her in her sleep so she clings to anyone who could stand in front of her as a barrier.

but of course all is not perfect in the world. which means that everyone's out and busy when she's assigned to the camp alone with him and he's lighting the fire but doesn't know how.

she notices, but doesnt say anything until he frustratedly looks up from his task and he says, "hey, you."

she's seen ena talk back at him before and knows he caves easily if you show enough spine, but tsukasa nor emu is here at the moment so can you forgive her if she stutters a little when she answers him back and he asks for help?

she makes her way over and hopes it's not obvious that she's really really nervous but he's calm and he doesn't get angry, so she lets herself relax. he's just so different from the big brother, mothering, kaito she knows? everyone else from their sekai seem to miss him too. she overheard luka saying she lost another pillow and meiko said she lost someone to throw.

he says "thanks" after she shows him the spark of kindling and a shot of bravery makes her say "don't you have something similar, in your sekai?"

"there's nothing in that one's sekai" he replies. she really has no idea how to reply to that so she doesnt.

rui + vbs!kaito

HES UNUSED TO SEEING KAITO EXCITED I AM SO CHARMED HE'S ADORABLE.

big brother kaito who is literally just unflappable and reliable troupe leader who to the best of his ability can barely only impress — here's a kaito who seems a little bit useless but also easily impressed

rui's not gonna let this chance slip and finally get to hear the words "rui-kun this is so cool!" from him. or not him. it's a kaito!

ena + ln!meiko + mmj!kaito

she squints at him. he's so nice it's almost suspicious. and so kind. he reminds her of this other kaito that she met once upon a time in mikudemy. maybe theyre cousins, like he said? certainly they have the same demeanor. it makes sense

she watches this kaito hand n25!miku water and she feels so bad. man. their kaito needs to be nicer to everyone even if she knows that's not gonna happen. during their trip she overhears ln!meiko and mmj!kaito talk and apparently theyre close in age? kaito's a manager of an idol unit, while meiko is the drummer of a band.

they talk about keeping pace with the rest of the group and notice that she's listening in and includes her in the comversation

she has no idea why it feels like she's talking to two parents but she's not complaining! or maybe she is a little because theyre so nice it's so weird. she is half expecting for meiko to zone out or kaito to snap but they just keep talking.

she wonders how the rest are faring as they pile her with questions on what she's doing, and some encouragement.

mafuyu + vbs!meiko

she could say she was glad about everything, but that would be a lie since she doesn't actually know if she's relieved about it. hinomori is with her. and so is the luka she's familiar with, and mochizuki. but the rest... well...

she doesn't know them, period.

but since they're cleaning up the base, they kind of need role designation, and this meiko says she runs a cafe so she can be the barista

which is all well and good. mafuyu helps with the set up until meiko asks her if she wants to see how to brew coffee

she has nothing better to do so she says yes. meiko is quiet, but not the same way as her meiko. she hums, taps her feet. shes lively in a way that her meiko seems to deflate

she doesnt say anything

well at least until meiko asks her if theres anything she likes, and for some weird compelling reason she says she might be ok if they dont go home

it kinda spirals from there, an avalanche of words. good thing yhe rest werent there to see it

[acecasinova]

Hi there!! :D fear, secret and wound for the ask meme for Lazarus + another OC who you want to talk about? :D

My scrungy boy!!! I'll also answer some for Fion, another scrungy boy currently in my head lol~

fear: What is your OC's greatest fear? What do they do when confronted with it? Are they open with their fear, or do they hide it away?

Lazarus: His greatest fear is being weak and powerless- feeling small and ineffectual (Like when Strahd forced him to turn into a newborn kitten, or when he couldn't hurt Kindness at all, even when he knew he landed a blow). It freaks him the F-CK out when it happens but his base instinct is always survival, so he'll bend to whatever force seems to be on top. (It's very fun when the loud, abrasive, and aggressive guy goes still and quiet~ but laying low and NOT fighting back when the odds are garbage have gotten him a lot farther than insulting someone much stronger to their face) ....And on that note it's not THAT hard to see when he's afraid- he's a terrible liar and you can definitely see the deference in his posture.

Fion: His biggest fear is rejection! Fion wants to please and be accepted sooooo so bad and he definitely ends up fawning when faced with people who are mad at him. He'll test the waters a little, but if he gets pushback, he'll retreat and agree and probably walk on eggshells around that person for a while. He doesn't openly talk about it, but it's behavioral so it's not impossible to pick up on.

secret: What's one secret your OC never wants anyone to know about them?

Lazarus: Ohhhhhh he does NOT want people to find out the extent of what Strahd did to him before leaving him out for the party to find. It wasn't even anything physical, but he's still got the looming threat to the orphanage if anyone gets it out of him. (I'll say a lil more under a readmore so that it doesn't cut off the next one but people in the game don't read it if they're not butts)

Fion: HMMM well his biggest current secret that he'd die if people found out about is very topical to where they are right now story-wise.... Some of the group have found out he uses taboo magics, but no one knows he's a bit of a serial killer. Not that he'd phrase it like that- he goes after people who've been cruel to changelings and other species that are looked down on, and got.... maybe a little idea that the church and wizards might fall under fair game now too...

wound: How does your OC handle being wounded? Are their wounds mostly physical? Mental? Emotional? What's the worst wound your OC has ever experienced? Lazarus: He usually grits his teeth and deals with it- Laz is kinda just an overgrown feral cat, if a cat could turn into vermin or a red wolf lmao~ He'll usually sulk a little, maybe b-tch about it if the party is in a dungeon and he wants to bite somebody but they haven't fought anything alive in a while, but he tends to try and hide emotional or mental wounds and just not talk about them at all ever. (Which has just resulted in Laz being VERY emotionally stunted and bad at verbalizing things) Worst physical wound was probably when he tried to grab a little statuette for our party wizard, and whoops! Uh oh! Turns out evil and/or undead things can't touch it and it nuked him with radiant damage that ALMOST killed him on the spot, but it was just shy of twice his HP total, so he was only knocked out and fried his left arm to a crisp. The mental/emotional wounds really take the cake, though- the three days he spent arrested and chained up in that too-bright room with Kindness coming in just to repeatedly near-crush his windpipe and rip his fear of her wide open again, FOLLOWED by the humiliation of the carriage ride with her to Castle Ravenloft while she just raked what remained of his self worth over the coals was definitely a doozie. He REALLY hasn't recovered from that one yet but he also haven't tALKED about it to anyone because he's a prideful piece of sh-t who can't articulate his feelings.

Fion: His magical training really just put him through the wringer,,,, His mentor believed in "show don't tell" so he has first hand experience with all the spells he knows, like having maggots summoned in his stomach to eat their way out, or having his autonomy taken away. He's pretty accustomed to taking blow after blow, and usually takes them without complaint. His worst wound was probably when he was attacked while selling healing salves. Someone tried to rob him and ended up cutting him up. He lost his left eye in the attack and the shock of it nearly killed him, but he managed to stabilize himself after getting away.

So Laz's secret.....

He's a high enough leveled monk by 5e standards to be able to use "Stillness of Mind" and shake charms and such, and Strahd has underestimated him a few times before after dismissing him as a spawn. BUT Strahd found out Lazarus ISN'T a spawn, and is actually a full vampire in his own right, but he's a weird type that feeds on OTHER vampires and.... Strahd wants that under his thumb.

So after Laz got arrested (Long story of shenanigans but he f-cked up and his prey drive kicked in on a guard while reps from all three towns AND an entourage from Ravenloft were in town) and mentally beat to all sh-t by Kindness, Strahd showed up and offered him a "deal".

Lazarus could accept the charm Strahd was going to place on him. Or, he could try to resist it (historically something Laz has NEVER done successfully) and Strahd would go burn the Valaki orphanage to the ground and kill everyone here. That's Dissy's orphanage. That's where HE 'grew' up. So obviously he accepted the charm and now Strahd has a sleeper agent in the party. He STILL DOES. Lazarus cannot attack any sentient creature FIRST- they must attack him first. If no one has, he has to simply defend himself, but he's gotten to a point where he can assist others or use things like the "Cause Fear" effect on his mace. He can't let anyone try to help get rid of the charm or try to remove it himself. He also is forbidden from SPEAKING about the charm- he can't tell anyone why he can't attack or what Strahd did, and he can't tell them what might happen if he or someone else tries to remove the charm. (What might happen is Strahd burning the orphanage) ...And last but oh so certainly not least: He MUST obey if Strahd gives him a command with the trigger "would you kindly". (He hasn't tested if someone ELSE who isn't Strahd can also force him to do things with that phrase, but it's bad enough that Strahd can, and it isn't like Charm Person where it feels like they're your friend. Laz KNOWS what's happening but he can't do anything to stop himself from obeying and that, quite frankly, is the worst part for him)

[sacred-stanning]

Chapter 7 Part 3: The slings and arrows of outrageous ballistas

So we left off with Franz about to take an axe and arrow to the face, and Vanessa about to shrug off a pathetic magic attack.

So Franz does fine against the axe, as expected. He also kindly tees this up for Ross.

Having roided herself up with pure water, Vanessa laughs at this mage as she pelts him with her javelin.

And Neimi continues her streak of hitting 71% ballista shots.

Vanessa has two 73% chances to end this man's career.

Yup, that sure is a pegasus knight level up.

No, I'm not bitter about her gaining only 1 strength in 5 levels! Ha! Not at all!

Back to the main front, Ross follows up on Franz's efforts.

And then I double check ranges before deciding who to put in danger.

I remember that Artur exists, and that I actually was thinking of using him long term, so I decide to have him step out and soften up the axe dude. He'll have to take a hit from the archer, but he won't get doubled, and he can counter, so if someone with one range finishes of the axe dude, the archer will probably go for them instead of Artur.

Which means...

It's that time again! It's stat screens and elementary math time!!!

I'm thinking of taking out the axe guy with Eirika, but she's not super defensivey, so I need to run some numbers.

She has 5 defense and 14 speed.

The archer hits for 12 damage, minus her 5 defense. So that's 7.

And the axe fighter does 19 - 5 -> 14 damage.

7 + 14 = 21, and Eirika currently has 22 HP. Perfect!

(Isn't Fire Emblem exciting!?)

Oh, I also checked out the enemies' speeds, but Eirika is kind of ridiculously fast, so neither of these guys is even close to doubling her.

So I decide to send Eirika in. She's unlikely to get hit by the guy she's attacking now (30% hit in GBA is actually a lot less than 30% thanks to the weird system they use for probability) and if she does get hit, then I can rescue her out with Franz.

Also, I use the slim sword so she might crit and finish the guy off, or she might not crit and leave him with 1 HP for, say, Lute to finish off.

So Eirika chooses the way of the crit and just solves this problem all on her own.

Moulder lays down a heal and gets an important weapon level up. He's now at staff B rank! This is the reason why I prefer him to Natasha. It's easier to get his staff ranks up since you have more time with him, and I think he also starts at a higher rank.

(Side note: the relatively plain background on the stat screen makes it even more obvious how jank my "setup" is because it's even easier to see the reflection of my finger and the lens for my cell phone camera. I put "setup" in quotes because I'm not sure if holding a cell phone in one hand over a DS in the other can even qualify as a "setup".)

Speaking of jank setups, the photos of Eirika getting attacked on enemy phase were blurry, so I'm skipping ahead to the end results. She's fine. And she weakened the axe fighter enough that Ross can finish him off.

I think it was around this point that I suddenly realized, oh yeah, Ross is almost at level 10. I should make sure to get him there during this map.

Once a trainee unit hits level 10 or higher during a map, they automatically class up before the next map begins. They also have a level cap of 10, so if I don't get Ross to 10 here, he might get to 10 early in the next map and then be stuck unable to gain more experience.

Now we bully the archer from 1 range.

So not only have I been kind of neglecting Artur, but then when I do get him a level up, he goes and does this.

Neimi continues to bully this guy on the left.

Her cruelty is rewarded with a kind of mediocre level up, though at least she got strength.

I start checking ranges to see where Vanessa can go. I'm not going to wait around for Neimi to totally finish off the other soldier, and I don't think the ballista even has enough shots to do so anyway.

I leave her here to start hitting the soldier. She's not in range of the mercenaries to the right.

And then I check the range of the enemy ballista in the upper right. The enemy ballista won't do much damage to most units, but maybe it could do a bit to someone like Artur.

Franz can take a hit, so he's fine there. No one else can even get into range right now for the most part because of the forests slowing us down.

Next time: Instead of ballistaing, we get ballistaed.

[demcnsinmymind]

"Okay" he breathes, not at all sure if she actually means it or if she's just saying that to placate him. The truth is that he cannot quite bring himself to really figure it out right now as he's desperate for any sort of normalcy, any opposite of all that violence. I'm fine, she says. Not dead at least like all the others. Not physically harmed by the looks of it. He'll take it.

Still, he laughs once when she tells him it's not his fault. He guesses that in a way, it wasn't. He didn't pull that trigger, isn't part of that fucking cult, just wants to get the hell away from it all. Still. What a funny thing to say.

"Maybe not the fault, but the reason" he mutters under his breath, shaking his head. "Not sure if that makes it better or worse" he goes on. At last, she's talking more and more again, giving at least some credibility to the fact that she's not utterly wrecked by all this. Can still talk, even makes a lot of sense with it, too.

"I guess you're right" Lance acknowledges, shooting another look outside. At all this fucking desert. Everywhere. Not a drop of water in sight.

"Truck stops...he perks up, looking back at her at last. It's there already. All over again, that thought, that impression that even after all this time, likes to pop up first within his mind. He tries his best not to think it, to ignore it, but the more he does, the more it makes his hitchhiker perk right back up again, too. More than eager to speak it out for him. To make sure that he doesn't ignore the thought, his true self, his true colors.

Useful little thing, isn't she. Like she was made for helping you get back home.

Just for a little moment, he can't help but wonder. Past all the frustration and rage. Lance looks at her in discrete silence. Trying to convince himself that it's fucking ridiculous, but hey, so is the rest of all of this, isn't it? Why stop there. Just what was it exactly, that got them to talk in the first place? And what is it that is keeping her around? Almost eager to be made use of, it seems?

"They probably have cameras though, right? Lot of goods and shady people moving through every day... Fuck. I hope we're nowhere near a border..." As if on cue, he can see a sign in the distance, pointing out the next gas station, with an additional note on when the next truck stop can be expected after. A while, but not too far.

"Beats driving into a town with a cracked windshield and while covered in blood. One of those it is then. Good call" he settles on it at last, sighing when she gives him even more reassurances.

"I know"he says with a sigh, only half meaning it though. He knows that he'll be okay and that he'll figure something out. Always has, always will be. It's her he's more worried about in all of this, and even though he tries to keep that fact hidden from the expression on his face, it's not quite working. Still too shaken from it all, rusty on the acting. Either way, he forces himself to give her a little smile. Says nothing about the rest, leaves it at that. I know.

If there's a surefire way to jolt her out of her stupor, he's found it. The windshield cracks and Miriam flinches. Violently. Like a hare in its burrow, she flattens herself against the backrest of her seat. Wide eyes stare at the split glass. She follows the trajectory of the crack, futilely looking for the impact mark. Part-time shaman that she is, her mind snaps back to the way Matt's hand tore apart in the same way. Suddenly, from inside itself. She compares the physics of it, the arch of the cut. Isn't it the same pattern, the same outward spiral?

The pressure of a presence, of unactualized potential, tightens around her until her ears pop. She feels it on her skin, on some layer just beneath it, the mauve undergarment of her muscles. It radiates from Sean in erratic waves. How had she never noticed it before? Now it is giving her a skull-splitting headache.

He rambles about some plan, some destination. He has neither. Miriam watches him fumble. Yes, God will move in and out of you and give you not a single answer for it. She knows. Something monumental happens and unhinges your life, your very self, and all you can do is stagger through the aftermath, crying for another brush with ecstasy. Sean is staggered, even though it wasn't his hands that held the gun.

He suddenly becomes aware of her in a new way, a bodily way. Like she's been only a shadow until now, the image of a girl. Now he realizes the blood is real. She shrinks beneath its weight, diminished by the feeling of it drying on her skin. He reaches out, then doesn't. She watches his hand flinch towards her and then away. Then there come the apologies again. It's novel, really. No man has ever apologized for making her hold a gun before.

"No, I think I'm fine." She whispers back to him. Lie of the century, but there is nothing more to say. She isn't dead. That's the same as fine. Even if he can't follow through, she believes his concern is real. It softens her. It makes her ache in some place just below her heart. She draws a shuddering breath and scrubs some blood off her cheek with her fingernails. It itches. "It's okay. I promise. I know you didn't mean to. It's not your fault. I know it's not." This feels better, like some semblance of control.

"We won't find a creek deep enough for me to wash myself. And I don't know where we are, if there's any rivers here at all. But- But there's truck stops. Big ones, with showers and all. I used to hide out there a lot. They're not too busy, and we can get a different car." Funny, how quickly the plan assembles in her mind. Like she's just been waiting for this development. No, that can't be.

He can't reach out to her without feeling his fingertips singe off, but she is not so impaired. Miriam's skittish fingers creep over to him, brush against his shoulder. Just for the warmth of it, she promises. Just because no one else is going to touch her now. She is unbearable.

"It'll be okay, Sean, I promise. We can figure something out. We can... We can go somewhere else, maybe."

[therealvinelle]

The Cullen's are blessed by the vampire gods with the ability to eat one meal of their choice before they have to be plain old vampires again. What do you think they pick?

Ooh nice one. Though strangely I only have a set headcanon on this for Aro, and that's because of my conviction that the man is dying of curiosity surrounding every food he'll never get to taste. That man would be so excited he'd fail to make a decision and end up having Caius thrust a cannoli from a Volterran confectioner in his face. And then he turns out to be lactose intolerant (he likely would be) so it's a terrible disappointment all around.

But yes, Cullens eating human food.

Full disclosure, this is largely based on what I like to eat.

Alice doesn't remember being human. She has never had a meal, period. Had she not had her gift, I could see her being unable to decide and ending up with apple and a glass of water because it's just too much, but as it is Alice she can look through thousands of scenarios of herself enjoying various meals, and then choose the one where she's happiest.

I think she goes for sushi. It's beautiful food with very fresh and good flavors, and you get pleasantly full, not bloated.

She has the money to fly in a Japanese chef to make her a disgustingly expensive meal, and a cosmo to go with because now Alice will know what cosmos taste like.

Followed by chocolate cake because she must know if it's as good as the humans all said it was. (The type of chocolate cake is of course chosen the same way as the sushi.)

Bella doesn't see the point in this. She gets a coke and mushroom ravioli to recreate her first date with Edward, as he can get a meal of his own for once. She doesn't think to choose a dessert, and feels left out that everyone's having chocolate cake.

Edward I don't see caring much about food. At least, he's not pouncing on this with gusto like Alice or Emmett.

He might just get a pizza, just to mirror Bella's mushroom ravioli, so that more than food, this becomes a memory for them that they share together. Having a seventeen year old boy's body, he appalls Bella by eating the entire thing in one sitting.

He follows it up with a pomegranate, because it's a bit awkward to constantly be making Hades and Persephone allegories when you don't know what pomegranate seeds taste like.

Carlisle probably gets one of the new foods he's had to watch the world around him enjoy but never have for himself. Adding in that he wouldn't have been able to access or afford nice cuisine when he was human, he's going to enjoy himself. I can see a meal based on food raw materials he wouldn't have been able to access but feel fairly confident he'd actually like happening. So, carpaccio, gravlax, steak, pasta (gnocchi with quatri formaggi, lasagna, spaghetti vongole/bolognese/you name it), anything goes.

He gets good wine to go with, followed by chocolate cake (same reason as Alice).

He might have gone for communion, but judging by the way we see him practice his faith in canon (note that Renesmee isn't baptized) he doesn't seem to consider the holy sacraments necessary for maintaining your relationship with God. Communion wafers are flavorless and the wine is just a sip, I think it's gonna be a no on that from Carlisle when he could be having a proper meal.

Emmett gets a steak. Bear steak. With béarnaise (unless Americans have another stereotypical sauce they like to get with steaks. Picture the hollandaise-based sauce that guys want to get with their steaks here, guys) and potatoes, and beer on the side. Chocolate cake on him too after.

Esme is delighted she actually gets to taste her own food for once, and chooses to eat whatever she enjoys making most. I think she gets the chocolate cake dessert as well, since everyone else is doing it and good for licking the bowl, since that's finally an option.

Jasper would have the same considerations as Carlisle, but I see hum as choosing a sandwich made of really good, freshly baked bread. Nothing beats good bread.

He combines with an interesting-sounding smoothie so he can tell Alice what it was like, but regrets it because the interesting smoothies are rarely the good ones.

Rosalie seizes the opportunity to be healthier than everybody else. She's having a salad, thank-you very much, followed by some stupidly elaborate French pastry. To drink she's having a smoothie too.

[poisonouswritings]

im going through baby fever again...<\3. And I'm literally in love with sage and I think he deserves so much love and KISSES. Anyway what do you think sage would be like with a pregnant MC? Or if they're about to adopt a kid. Ultrasounds<33 sage crying when he first sees their baby. Yeah he gets emotional that MC wants to start a family with them. ALSOOMGG IM SORRY IF THIS IS A WEIED REQUEST IM JUST WATCHING THE MOVIE JUNO AND I TENS TO GET OBSESSED WITH THINGS

Y'know I've never actually seen Juno. I always hear how good it is but I just haven't gotten around to watching it. Is it really that good?

Also again? Are you the same anon that asked for this one?

First part is AFAB but GN!Reader, bullshitting my way through birth (and vague birth things therein), second part is GN!Reader, bullshitting my way through the adoption process, I'm in the US so I'm kinda using vaguely American standards/procedures because that's what I'm semi-familiar with, Disclaimer - I know very little about either of these topics!!, Modern!AU

Part One

Personally, I think the pregnancy was a surprise.

Sage might have wanted kids but he definitely didn't think he was ready for them. He never thought he would ever be ready for kids.

But he likes having sex, and he certainly likes having sex with you, and I just don't know if Sage uses condoms

God I miss the old team so much

Anyways one way or another, you're pregnant now.

Would you be nervous to tell him? Sage has made no secret that he gets antsy about commitment, but he's also head over heels in love with you so??

Once you show him the positive pregnancy test (or the several, if you wanna be sure), h o l y s h i t he is so excited actually!!! He's about to pick you up and spin you around but,, he's big and stronk and worried about accidentally hurting you so

He hugs you against him but just avoids squeezing your stomach in any way.

Starts getting like,,, a million baby-raising books but also doesn't have the patience to read them so he tries to flick through them but even that takes too much concentration so he just kinda. One time it's three in the morning and you go into the kitchen for water and he's just sitting at the table holding the book against his head,,, and you ask him what he's doing and he says he's learning through osmosis,,,, plz send his ass back to bed.

He tells Tulsi, Lucan, and Balsam right away (he got too excited and forgot to ask you if that was alright), but I think he waits a little while to tell the others. Probably the first 2-3 months (typically the riskiest period) or when you decide you're ready. But Lucan might have already spilled the beans so.

Y'know.

He goes with to all the appointments if you let him. He always asks the doctor a thousand questions. Takes notes. A baby is a very delicate and fragile thing and he wants to make sure he's doing everything right.

Side note if anyone - and that includes medical professionals - misgenders you, he'll correct them and clearly be a little annoyed. If they continue doing it he will 1,000% get in their face about it.

Ultrasounds,, just stares at it in fascination because Holy Shit!! That's a little person!!!! You have a whole ass little dude in you!!!!!! And that little dude is half him!!!!!!!!!!!! Mind-blowing.

If he hasn't gone to therapy yet I think he might start now! He has a lot of conflicting emotions (fear that he'll be a shit dad, anxiety that you'll regret this, an awareness that he can't just up and leave if something goes wrong, etc etc.) and he doesn't wanna burden you with them or risk letting them out in the wrong way and accidentally hurting you. Also cutting back on his drinking is,, more difficult than he expected,,,

He and Tulsi are out at a bar,, they've been there for over an hour and he's only had like two beers and that's pretty low for him!! They're playing darts. And she points out that he's grown up a lot. And then he promptly manages to throw a dart into someone's shoulder and it's like. Well. Alrighty then.

He's so good at accommodating your food cravings,, constantly looking up new recipes for you. If it's something he can't cook then he'll run to the store even if it's 3 in the morning.

Kitty is overprotective! Worries about you working too hard. Doesn't like you helping with chores because he doesn't want you overexerting yourself. Legit will carry you around if you ever hint that your feet hurt.

He is a vibrating heating pad!! Very good for when you're sore.

If you're over-emotional from hormones then he walks on eggshells to try and avoid upsetting you. Will tell stupid jokes to make you laugh.

As your due date gets closer, you guys put a birthing plan together, carry around a go-bag all the time, etc etc. He wants to be prepared!! It helps him keep calm. He also makes sure everyone else knows the plan just in case he's not around.

Would be hilarious if like,, you're out with Tulsi and Elowen when your water breaks/contractions start and Tulsi has to stunt-drive you to the hospital,,, fucking drifting,,,, badass woman. I love her so much. Elowen is trying to time your contractions but cannot focus beCAUSE TULSI THAT IS A FUCKING RED LIGHT!!!

Anyways you manage to text Sage (he was out with the bois picking up a crib and they'd stopped to get lunch) and then pull up at the hospital and get rushed around everywhere and lose your phone, so who the fuck knows where he is!!

Luckily the boys wasn't too far away (the baby store was near the hospital anyways) so they're able to get there in like,, ten minutes. Balsam has to ask where you're at because Sage is way too frazzled to form words rn. He was [] this close to just tearing down various hallways until he found you.

All hail Balsam, holder of the Holy Braincell

The rest of the Griefers hunker down in the waiting room while you and Sage are in the,, idk,,, labor waiting room? Wherever they take pregnant people idk. I tried Googling stuff but I'm getting a bunch of different answers so

Um. Idk. Waves hands vaguely. Birth things.

Actually I'm gonna tell you guys a story about how I was born!

So I was apparently a big ass baby, right? And the contractions were really really painful. So my mom was massaging her stomach and she somehow managed to turn me sideways. And then she tried to push me out but guess what!! It was like trying to shove a log through a Cheerio!!! So the doctors had to turn me so I could come out normally, and my mom said it was the most painful thing she's ever experienced.

Y'know the iconic chestburster scene from the original Alien? I like to say I did to my mom's vagina.

Anyways!

You give birth, hopefully less traumatically than that. Sage is next to you the entire time, squeezing your hand and trying to keep you calm and praising you for doing so well and 'Holy shit it looks like you're shitting out a watermelon!!! Babe-! right, not helping!'

Baby comes out. Once the doctors have cleaned it up and whatever else they do for a new baby, they ask him if he wants to cut the umbilical cord,, his hand is shaking a little as he does it,,, holding your child - his child, it hasn't sunk in yet - like they're the most precious thing in all of reality, because they are!! He doesn't even realize he's crying until you tease him for it. Very softly sits down on the edge of the bed next to you,, once the nurse takes the kid to go do final information and clean it up and put it in the baby room or whatever, Sage is hugging you and bawling his eyes out.

Meanwhile you just shat out a fucking watermelon so. Idk. Hope someone gets you an ice pack or something.

Part Two

I think Sage would like being a foster parent actually! But we'll stick with adoption for this post.

I think,, that,,, he would want to adopt an older kid. It's emotionally weird for him because he's been in that position and he knows how frequently the older ones get neglected and forgotten.

Idk. You guys can talk about it.

Adoption is like,, a whole ass process,,, apparently it can take between 6-18 months?? And all I can think of is the Stuart Little movie where they picked a whole ass mouse and then brought him home the same fucking day. Like. Okay. I guess. House mice only live like 2 years on average so presumably they got to skip the process cause he woulda been fucking dead by the end of it

Also can we talk about what a weird movie that was??

Anyways this is also a good time for him to start therapy!!! You gotta go through interviews and tests and shit and this is a weird emotional thing for him for obvious reasons so.

He is so terrified of fucking something up. Please hug him tight and smother him with kisses and reassure him.

The further you guys get in the process, the more confident he (gradually) becomes. As long as you're by his side, he knows everything will work out.

If my Googling is to be believed, typically there's several interviews/get-togethers with the child to make sure it's a good fit and everything? Sage is so nervous about making a bad impression oh dear. Luckily he kinda has a natural charm that makes kids like him so that works out pretty well. He's honest about his background and I think that helps them bond a lot.

When he tells Tulsi that you guys are gonna adopt, she cries a little. Refuses to admit it and swears something just got in her eye. Meanwhile Balsam is squeezing the life out of you. He gives big hugs.

Sage finds out the kid's interests and starts tentatively decorating the room,, wants the kid to have an input but also knows something needs to be set up for the groundwork.

Everyone starts referring to Sage as a dad and he tears up a little bit.

Kitty cat settling down and starting a family

[bestruction]

Making out with with them

- Armin Arlert

He was really shy at the beginning of the relationship. You weren't his first girl, but he doesn't learn too much about how to touch another person because 1. He was too scared to initiate anything. He was always thinking things like "what if she doesn't like?", "what if she doesn't want to?", "what if I being too desperate?" , "what if I end up offending her?"

• The truth is that he's just insecure about what to do

• The first time you two got alone in his shared apartment with his best friend it was cute

• And then the second was cute

• And the third

• You didn't want to force yourself on him eighter, but you were starting to feel like he didn't want to touch you as much you wanted to do the same with him

• And how to resolve this situation? Conversation. Did I heard amen?

• This time, he came to your house, and when he heard you said "We need to talk, Armin" he thought it was the end of you two 😂

• So when you open your mouth to say "Are you not into...you know...physical contact? It's okay if you're not. I just want to know" he was relieved.

• He tells you about everything he kept in his mind and now it's your time to feel relieved

• It'd be okay if he didn't like it, but you really wanna feel the blond boy in front of you

• You two talked about what each one likes and where to put the hands and Armin makes mental notes about EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE OF YOURS

• When the conversation it's over you simply say to him

"Do you wanna test now?"

"Yeah, practice it's the most important part of learning"

• You sit with him on the sofa and it doesn't take too long for Armin to cup your face with his hands. He brings your face to him and kisses you softly.

• Almost like he's afraid to break you

• His lips are sweet and tastes like coffee probably because he drinks it too much. Let me tell you something: Even if you hate coffee with all your heart, soul, and rationality you'll enjoy Armin's lips

• The way his tongue dances inside your month keeps you too busy  to think of anything other than him

• His hands go up and down on your arms, showing you that he's there, anxious to touch you more

• And as I said before, so do you

• When he sees how receptive you are to him his confidence will grow up more and because of that he's gonna put one of his hand on your chin and the other on your waist

• He doesn't know how seductive he can be, how much seeing him so willing to give and receive pleasure makes you squeeze your thighs

• Kiss Armin is charming

• It's like it makes you hungry for him and his touch

• And motivated by that you lean your body towards his, making him lie on the sofa

• He squeezes your thighs around his waist and breaks the kiss leaving you ❓❔

"Are we not going too fast?"

"Do you wanna stop? It's ok-"

"No, it's not me. I mean, are you okay with this?" He says squeezing your thighs again

• You smile thinking about how sweet he is and kiss him again

"What do you think?"

• He blushes! Not hard, but you're melting again for him

• With time he'll learn your sweet spots and you how just a kiss on his neck leaves him on fire

• He's not the type of guy who leaves you with hickeys. It's just not his thing, but he may leave one or two (sometimes three) in places that only you can see and always says "sorry" with puppy blue eyes for you

• Don't trust him! Puppies can be manipulative!

• But if you leave some on him he doesn't care too much, but Eren is going to annoying you two so damn much

"Stop perverting my boy!"

"Don't leave Armin with her alone. She might do something with him!"

• Just slap him. It'll be okay

• With time, you're gonna notice that make out with Armin can be soft. You two can lie down on the bed, sofa, or even on the floor and feel each other while talking about something that makes you laugh

• Or you two can kiss and get all handy and 🧚‍♀️horny 🧚‍♀️

• And in times like this he will end up with one hand inside his shorts

• Do you like to see him blush? Wait until you hear him moan

• In conclusion, he's very respectful and kind. He's always paying attention to your reactions and analyzing you to make things the more satisfying as possible for both of you

Now go there and marry him 🧍‍♀️

- Eren Jaeger 

• Just like with Armin, you were not his first girl, but you were the first one that makes him feels so connected

• And that's why he wants to make you feel this intensity. I said before that intensity would be his word and this extended to other spheres of his life

• Which includes you

• Eren is like a whirlwind of feelings

• And when he sees you smiling for him all whirlwind comes to your direction

• When you two started to date he was always leaving innocents kisses on you

• On your check, on your ear, on your forehead

• Time flies away and these innocents kisses are not pure anymore. They gained a very specific direction, your lips

• And be ready because this boy is gonna leave you a mess no matter where you two are

• Eren's kiss is breathtaking just like him and it doesn't take too long to figure out

• Make out sessions with Eren always leaves you with an "I want more" stuck in your throat and he knows it

• This little shit will even use it against you

• He'll notice how you melt on his hands when his kisses become more demanding, more urgent. He'll watch how you instantly search for his lips when he leaves yours

• And of course tease you for it since he's a very verbal boy good luck

"Someone is edger, huh?"

"Shut up, Eren"

"Is that what you really want me to do?" He says almost kissing you again and when you close your eyes he's gonna whisper against your mouth " It's not what it looks like"

• He usually goes to your house to watch a random movie with you  No one of you pays attention, but who cares? 

• he always sneaks up on you. One time you are really watching the movie and then ... What was the movie again? What movie? The only thing you can think is in the boy on top of you making your head feel dizzy

• Drunk by the way he kisses your lips, the way his tongue explore your mouth and his hands travel to your body

• Touching your thighs and then putting your legs around his waist to make the sensation grow up even more between both. He wants to make you feel him all over your body

• Eren is hungry for you and when he goes home, leaving you alone on your bed thinking about how your shirt smells his perfume now you'll be for him too

• Make out sessions with Eren can easily scale up to something else and by that, I mean dry humping

• If you two are lying down on the bed and he's kissing you slowly to torture you he'll grind his hips against yours

• Just a demonstration of how he wants to fuck you nice and slow after

• He'll watch you arch your back to search for more friction

• When he's feeling extra provocative (a routine) he's gonna use one of his hands to make small circles on your clit without taking off your underwear while he kisses your neck

• Speaking on your neck, one word: hickeys. Hope you like them because he loves to mark you

• That means he bites you too. Bites to annoy you, to tease you, to get you horny, bites you because why not?

• And when you complain to him later he's just going to say:

"It's not my fault, baby. I never can get enough of you"

• And I'm not defending him, but he means it. Sometimes he's just looking at you and his dick is already hard

• It's like just one of his heads can function properly by your side and we know which one it's

• Once, you two were at his apartment. You were on top of him this time and kissing each other with the same passion of always while he was grabbing your ass under your dress. You started to rub yourself against his boner and after hear Eren moan your name that's all you could think about -

• Until Zeke put his head in the room searching for something and finding you two like little rabbits. He could stay quiet and leave since you were too focused to notice his presence. Did he do it? Of course not

"Remember what dad says Eren. Use condoms"

• You jumped on your boyfriend's lap and turn your head to see his older brother with an expression like 😏😏😏

"Zeke, get off here!"

"Hello," he said to you and you almost died of embarrassment "I was just searching for my charger. Lock the door next time, dumbass"

• You were about to leave his lap when he grabs your hips once more asking you

"Where are you going?"

"that was a bucket of cold water"

"Oh, yeah? So I just have to make you hot again" And with that said he was already leaving sloppy kisses on your neck again

"Eren, the door! Lock the door"

• In conclusion, make out with Eren is intense just like himself. He might tease and annoy you, but it's exactly this relaxed and confident presence that makes him a perfect partner to laugh with if something goes wrong. He's great at building an atmosphere comfortable enough to talk about what you like, what he likes.

[dancingazaleas]

𖨆. 02 / all for us

summary: you’ve finally decided it was time to eat and bathe, but now that you aren’t worried about starving to death, you’re getting homesick. maybe a cup of tea and a movie is the best.

note: i, now, have a taglist for this series especially!! here’s the taglist form!! it will also be posted on the series masterlist!! much love <33

word count: +3.0k

warnings/notes: starvation, manipulation, abuse, slight panic attack, thoughts of suicide

IT'S been five days since you've had anything to eat.

your body is so weak from the lack of nutrients that you can't stand up on your own. your head is constantly aching from lack of food and you keep getting dizzy.

you feel like you're on the brink of death now, you can't even get out of bed to get yourself water out of your sink, shortening your life span if you keep this up. you feel yourself crying as you roll your body off of the bed and onto the floor.

hissing in pain, you dig your nails into the spruce hardwood floor.

"you are not weak for this. you're surviving," you whisper to yourself as you push yourself forwards with your arms.

it's so painful with the bruises. they rub up against your clothing, already irritating them a bit more than before, and now it's having pressure added onto it. your tears are blocking your sight, but you push on anyways. the door has never felt so far away.

you almost perk up when your nails scratch at the door. with weak fists, you bang at the door and call for one of the men that has captured you. your tears are dripping on the ground below you, forming a small puddle as they all bunch together.

"please," you croak, "please..."

the door is being unlocked and you feel as if all of your strength has been used at that moment. you lay still as your breath falters from your sobbing.

the door bumps against your head, shooting a sharp pain through your head. you can't find strength to care about it.

"so you're finally ready to listen. you look pathetic," you don't have to look up to tell it's levi speaking to you.

he calls out to erwin, telling him to fix you small and easy meal and to get you new clothes. he squats down and takes you into his arms bridal style.

if you weren't crying and letting out weak sobs, he would think your dead. you're so limp in his arms and your eyes are empty and droopy as they stare right through him. and it creeps him out.

he takes you into a bathroom with a tub, setting you gently on the toilet. he doesn't bother locking the door behind him, you're too weak to run away right now. levi's preparing you a bath, walking back and forth as he gets towels and soaps and checking the water.

you hiccup as you watch levi starting to remove that collar and chains around your neck, and you feel like a weight has been lifted off of your chest, literally. he's undressing you, obviously trying to avert his cold eyes away from your body. you're gently laid in the bath, head resting against the rim.

levi's quiet as he pours a warm cup of water over your hair and face, squatting down to reach your level.

"stupid," he scoffs as he lathers up shampoo in his hands. he washes your hair gently.

"this isn't mine and erwin's fault," he shakes his head while he pours water over your head, "it's your fault. you refused our care."

you don't argue back, too tired to even think of a comeback. you also don't feel like getting beat any more than you already are. your eyelids are getting heavy, immediately shutting them as soon as you feel the pressure on them.

levi stares, mouth slightly parted as you breathe in and out through your nose. your cheek was sprinkled in the color crimson, his own handiwork made him cringe. he just sighs, now brushing through your locks of hair with conditioner coated on his hands.

he rinses his hands off, letting the conditioner stay there just for a few seconds so it can soak in. his eyes trail down your body, stopping at your bruised breast. he didn't even realize he hit you there.

he shrugs it off and gathers water into the small cup in his hand, pouring it over your head. he expects you to jump up at the water over your head but all you do is mumble. he wants to wash your body, specifically your underarms, but with you half asleep and barely able to stand on your own without him holding onto you, he can't.

he clicks his tongue and pulls out the cover up blocking the drain. he grabs you by the arm, ignoring the whimper of pain that you let out, and pulls you up onto your wobbling feet. he helps you step out of the tub and wraps a fluffy pink towel around your shoulders, carefully sitting you onto the toilet again.

the bath water is a little murky and levi cringes at it because he knows it'll leave a ring around the tub. he'll clean it up later.

erwin's opening the door, a pile of clothes in his large hands.

"she's all tuckered out," he chuckles, handing off the clothes to levi.

"yeah. don't know how, she's barely done anything. must be the hunger or something," levi shrugs and watches the folded clothing come undone as he holds the hemline between his fingers.

"maybe we were too harsh on her."

"no, we weren't. we can't trust her. believe it or not, but forks can hurt whenever you put force into them when you stab someone. she could've hurt one of us or herself," he folds the clothes over his arm and holds out a hand.

erwin hands him underwear, "i suppose you're right."

"i'm always right," levi carefully puts on your underwear for you.

erwin rolls his eyes at levi's comment, "make sure to dry her hair."

"i know what i'm doing," he snaps, "go put her food in her room."

erwin complies, swinging the door shut behind him as he goes to fetch your food.

you've barely processed their conversation, too focused on levi's hands putting you in a satin light grey nightgown that ends just below your knees. the bishop sleeves keep your arms warm and cold at the same time, in fact, the whole material of the dress does as well. the neckline is a v-neck, not that you mind too much because of the risk you might get too hot.

"do i...," you manage to mumble, "do i have to wear this to sleep...?"

"yeah, unless you feel like sleeping in just underwear. i don't think you want that though," he scoffs as he towels off your damp hair.

you don't reply, far too tired to even say a 'whatever' to him. you let your forehead come into contact with his hip, taking in the cold temperature radiating off of his body. you want to nuzzle into his hip, but thankfully you have enough will to not do so. it reminds you of your friend, pieck, and her cat like tendencies. the memory has you letting out a pained laugh.

levi can feel his face getting warmer at every movement you make with your head, but he manages to play it off because of the towel blocking your view. he throws the towel into the basket by the tub, hand silently stroking at the back of your head in comfort.

it doesn't give you comfort. but you don't let it show.

levi's grabbing a hair brush, a clean and new one, and running it through your (hair type) locks. there are far too many tangles from the lack of care you've been giving your hair, but not enough to make a knot.

levi then pulls out a block of deodorant from the cabinet below the sink. it's unused and you can smell the scent of flowers on it as he brings it closer. his hands slide up your dress with caution, trying to avoid coming into contact with your bruised body.

he manages to put on the deodorant easily. he picks you back up with a grunt, eyebrows furrowing at your pained expression. he's placing you back onto your bed in just a matter of seconds, throwing the covers over your legs.

erwin's sitting at the edge of your bed, holding a fork with food already on it. your eyes are droopy while you look at erwin.

you don't eat a lot, they're in fear that you might throw everything up if fed too fast. you don't blame them, you haven't eaten in five miserable days. it's best to be cautious.

"scooby...," you manage to whisper out, eyes fluttering shut.

"she wants to watch scooby doo even though she's already asleep," levi huffs with the shaking of his head, grabbing the tray from erwin's hands.

erwin follows after levi, closing the door behind the both of them and locking it.

"she seems to be getting adjusted," erwin notes while standing behind levi and watching him wash the dishes.

"only because she was on the brink of death. let's just hope she learned from it," levi's aggressively scrubbing the plate with a sponge.

————

you lay in your bed a few days later, the feeling of homesickness is eating you up inside. did no one care? did anyone even notice you vanished? where was everyone? what were they doing?

you think of zeke. the man you were sort of dating, it's complicated. well, it was. now, it's just nonexistent.

zeke was out of the country for a bit, something to do with work. he left you with a kiss on the forehead and a hug. you wonder if he's texted you.

you think of pieck. oh my god, she's had to have noticed by now. she's your best friend, she lives with you. but the memory of the two of you fighting right before you were kidnapped comes flooding back, and you deflate. if you weren't in the house then pieck would probably think it was normal.

what about porco? reiner? your guys friends who act like guard dogs towards you. where were they? did they notice? surely they had to, you never not text them back.

bertholdt? your close friend that you also worked with him. he was a music prodigy and he texted you almost everyday. did he notice?

you're breathing erratically as you sit up and clutch your hands over your ringing ears. where were they? where even was your phone?

you're gonna get killed before you can tell any of them that you love them. the thought has you crying and tugging at your hair. you were so mean to pieck before you were kidnapped. you hadn't talked to zeke since the day of your kidnapping, who probably wasn't worried because he was busy with work.

when will you see them again? will you ever even get to see them again?

'maybe after death,' you think, eyes darting up to the mirror on your vanity.

you slap yourself upside the head, slapping away the thought. you struggle to get onto your feet, but when you do, you're banging at the door for levi and erwin again.

you have to know if they're okay, to know if they know you're gone. you step away from the door at the sound of keys jingling and their footsteps.

"what are you freaking out about now," levi's being followed by erwin.

"my friends... did.. did you tell them i was okay," with a boost of confidence, your gripping at levi's biceps.

"get your filthy hands off of me," he smacks them away.

"yes, we did tell them you were going away. we said you decided on a vacation," erwin speaks and watches your eyes dart back to the mirror.

"fuck," you whisper to yourself. everyone would believe you'd go on vacation, you had been stressed with your job for the past month.

"levi's gonna make you some tea and then we can all chat, we were about to do so anyways," erwin's hand rubs at your back as he pulls you close to him.

levi leaves the room, following the orders of erwin. erwin, on the other hand, is cooing at you.

"no one's going to miss you," he whispers in a sweet tone and it gives you goosebumps, "no one at all."

you know it's not true. it can't be true. zeke would miss you. reiner would miss you, pieck, porco, bertholdt. they'd all miss you.... right?

"we're the only ones who care, no one else cares," his grip tightens.

"want to know what that girl said," you hear the arrogance in his voice, and you can't do anything to stop it since he's buried your face in his chest.

"she said she was glad you were on vacation. she said that it was good that she didn't have to see you," yoy hiccup against his chest, pieck couldn't have said that, right?

he pulls away finally, satisfied at your expressionless face—if you overlook the tears. you can't give in, pieck would never say that. never in a million years would she say that, even if she hated your guts.

right?

levi comes back in, hands holding a tray that has teacups and a pot of tea on it. levi goes to the area with three chairs, setting the tray onto the coffee table and sitting himself down in one. erwin follows behind him, leaving the chair in between them open for you to sit.

they stare at you expectedly, it makes you uncomfortable so you decide to just deal with it and sit with them.

"what tea is this," erwin asks while levi pours everyone a cup.

"earl grey, what else do we have," levi hands a cup to erwin and then to you.

you hold it by the handle, silently admiring the cup's delicate and intricate design. you try to ignore the voice in the back of your head to break it on the ground and slash your neck open. you want to drink it too, it smells absolutely perfect, but if you hold it any longer you might just listen to that voice.

you set it back down, left hand immediately grabbing at your right wrist. you didn't trust yourself to make a move on your own, if you did you fear it might end up with a shard of glass at your throat.

erwin's ice eyes stare at your wrist and hand, taking in how your knuckles were white and the skin on your arm was reddening.

"just say if you want handcuffs," erwin sips at his tea and looks away.

"what," you flinch at his voice interrupting the quiet that was once there.

his comment has you looking at your hands, which you let go of at the sight of the irritation.

"sorry," you shrug and lean back in your chair.

"good. can't have you hurting your hands," levi comments, eyes staring outside of the bay window.

"speaking of that," you sigh, "why do you always leave my hands alone. you've shown no mercy to my arms, so why my hands?"

"when you're good enough, you'll be allowed to play the piano," erwin crosses a leg over the other, ankle resting on his knee.

"play? for who? there's no one in this empty house but us," you scoff and cross your arms.

"me. and there's more people here than you think," levi's giving you a small smirk, "you're just separated from them."

"it's hard to believe that you have friends, levi," you mumble loud enough for them to hear. your comment has erwin chuckling and levi rolling his eyes.

"i have friends, believe it or not. watch your attitude," he's putting his tea back onto the tray.

"i don't have an attitude," you sound like a child arguing with their parent.

erwin butts in the conversation before levi can get mad, "anyways, we will allow you to play if we think you've been good enough. levi likes the piano, remember?"

you bite down on your tongue to stop the words 'no but i remember getting kidnapped!!' from coming out of your mouth.

"when can i leave this room, it's too stuffy in here?"

"did you not just listen to erwin? he said when we feel you've been good enough. you've got to start by loosing the attitude," levi snaps his fingers irritatedly.

"how am i supposed to act?!"

"obedient," erwin's now standing over your chair, hands gripping the arms as he leans over you.

"like a dog," you look to levi at the sound of his voice, you try to make yourself smaller.

"you have on a chain and collar for a reason, don't you," erwin smiles gently, hand taking ahold of the chains while he stands up straight.

you choke when erwin tugs the chains towards himself, head knocking right against his stomach while the chains swing in the air and curl around his arm. his other arm swiftly grabs at jaw and forces you to look up at him with your chin pressed to his body.

erwin feels himself harden at the sight, your eyes are widened and your mouth his agape and panting because of the sudden cut off of air.

"just like that," he strokes his thumb along your jaw while you wonder what's caused a sudden change in him these past few days; he used to be so gentle. oh right, kidnapping.

his words have you turning hot, embarrassment hugging you from behind. it wasn't like you easily complied, you were forced to do so. you're also embarrassed because you can feel his hard-on against your sternum, and while you haven't thought about it before, you realize that erwin is fucking hung. you hope that you're not too good for them.

you're saying prayers in your head whenever levi speaks up, "i thought we came in here to watch a movie or something."

erwin lets you go, chains dropping from his arm as he does so. you sigh in relief as erwin grabs the remote from your bed and turns the tv on. you huff while you flop onto your bed and crawl up under your covers, knowing that you'll probably just fall asleep as you watch the movie.

unfortunately, this gives off the impression that you would like to be cuddled. levi's sliding under the covers with you, chest pressing against your back with arms wrapped around your waist. erwin follows soon after, inserting himself in your arms as he scrolls through the different movies at his disposal on the television. you're slightly frustrated at all of the physical contact, but you know that if you reject their advances it'll end up bad for you.

"put on heather's, please," you ask, which erwin obliges to.

as the movie goes on, you hope that they get the message.

you'll be veronica, and they'll be jd.

[mocacheezy]

Things that made watching Transformers (2007) easier and even enjoyable:

[note: B'verse gets the treatment that it gets by fandom for good reasons. There are tons of posts that dissect the bullshit of these movies far better than my second-language-english-non-american self could ever tackle, so I am not doing that, or plan on doing that. But if I decide that I'll get through every continuity of the franchise I will find a way to make it fun for myself. And so, this is my search for golden nuggets in these movies, because they did bring in new fans to the franchise and that's why we have other continuities that we might not have otherwise. Credit where it's due, and some positivity for those that did find B'verse at least amusing if nothing else. ]

🍴🥄🔪🍴🥄🔪🍴🥄🔪🍴🥄🔪🥄🔪🍴🥄🔪

Frenzy

Anytime Frenzy was on screen made me smile because his movements and personality were hilarious, he is just so expressive despite looking like someone super glued a bunch of knifes together. I wouldn't know it was Frenzy if I didn't go to the Wiki, but no matter that, he was funny and that's what matters.

The original Cybertronian robot modes

We don't see them for long, but the glimpses were glorious. Just look at Optimus

Gorgeous. What I wouldn't give to see the details up close. Maybe I'll go looking eventually, but this is just so nice.

We also get a "sexily rises from the pool" scene with Ironhide (probably unintentional and I am biased due to being a robofucker. In any case, very very nice and Cybertronians look so good as aliens)

"Excuse me, are you the Tooth Fairy?"

You see this kid?

This little girl was the only human I cared about in the movie until I saw just how badass Mikaela is, and how cool the military dude is. I don't like kids, but I would lay down my life for this girl.

This one scene just makes me think of what would happen if her parents showed up way earlier. Ironhide would be her guardian and it would be both adorable and hilarious because "Honey, you have to drive in a sentient alien that looks just like our car because the goverment men said so or there will be consequences and potential alien threats."

There are so many joke potentials there; the cultural barrier, the "I am the ine that is supposed to keep her safe" glaring contests, there is just so much shenanigans that could happen.

Also, tea party with the kid. Tea party with the kid.

Sam Witwicky actually reacts like an average human would when faced with the situations he finds himself in

Do I like Sam Witwicky? No, he is the kind of character that I would want to punch irl because of his personality and actions. He is disgusting. But watching him scamper and scream and stutter when faced with giant metal robot aliens that can squish him like a bug? Good, that was a beliavable reaction and I enjoyed it a great deal.

Megatron. Just, ✨Megatron✨

(the best screenshot of the few I could take while watching, no, I am not going back for a better one, he looks perfect like this)

I also laughted at how they kept him frozen like a popsicle. And not even well, like, they COULD'VE made an actual freezer and pop him in instead of using those couple of tubes just so he was displayed for all personell to gawk at. HE CRASHED IN THE ANTARCTIC!

The design looks so good, because it looks ALIEN and POINTY and AGH!!! The colors? There are no colors that would make him stand out, he looks like someone opened a cutlery drawer, mixed up what's inside, threw in some extra knifes for a good measure and then shook the whole thing until this guy materialized from the pile. It is both incredibly annoying and satisfying.

🔪

Mr. Welker did an amazing job with his voice, I don't know what the directions were, but oh man it sure sent shivers down my spine. That is the kind of voice that spells "You are going to die" and I already have my coffin picked out.

EDIT: SO APPARENTLY! IT WAS NOT WELKER THAT VOICED MEGATRON.

It was Hugo Weaving, and yes the man did am amazing job, but I apologize a million times, I was CERTAIN that THE OG VA OF MEGATRON WOULD ALSO HAVE VOICED MEGATRON. LIKE, OKAY BAY, OKAY!

🔪

LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF ICE! With how quick he came back fully online once Frenzy turned off the freeze liquid tubes, I bet he was half awake through the whole thing. Systems just below idling or something, in any case, AGENTS YOU ARE SO DUMB! WHO WAS GIVING SUBPAR FUNDING TO THEM, THEY BETTER BE FIRED!

I also was glad that Sam refused to call him by the name the sector asigned to him, despite Megatron being in stasis. And that he insisted they use the correct name. Good job Sam, acknowledge the threat by the actual name and show respect to a fellow sentient lifeform. Even though said lifeform is hellbent on destruction of the universe and your world.

ALSO, AND I CANNOT STRESS THE LAUGHTER AND AMUSEMENT HERE; the sheer DISRESPECT! They don't disassemble Megatron's corpse. No, these idiots, these absolute morons decide to dump him into the ocean, letting him sink to the lowest possible point (not sure if they did say it was the M' Trench or not), where there are proper freezing temperatures - good! You're learning, good job!! - just... In full. Full corpse. What's left of him. Just blup! Down with the fishies he goes!

I understand that they probably didn't know how to approach Optimus about it, but... At least behead the guy. He came back ONCE, who is to say he won't come back again?! Safety precautions my dears.

They also completely disregard what a giant extraterrestrial metal alien rusting away on the bottom of the ocean could do to the ecosystem at large. Like, I find this incredibly amusing, because this ISN'T something most folks think about when watching a movie but we have giant squids down there. We have so much weird things down there, the ocean isn't even fully explored AND YOU WANT TO CHUCK AN ALIEN CORPSE DOWN THERE?!

Now the real question: is he a looker? *looks at the pictures* hmmmm, depends on if you like knifes. Like, really like knifes. Like really, really REALLY want to get it on with a fine assembly of kitchen knifes that were exposed to the elements but somehow haven't rusted away completely.

I think he's neat.

Needs a good long powerwash though. Preferrably with something to help the whole "I was frozen for more than 50 years and sprang back to action as soon as I woke up" thing that happened.

My man needs to take a moment and get his bearings, like dude. Please. You can conquer the world after some energon and slow system boot-up period. The strain on the systems my dude, you ain't young.

Also love that this "death" was probably reused in TFP because lord golly, do we love our faves ending up under the sea. (Though Megan took a much bigger fall, Bayverse WAS PLOPPED INTO THE WATER LIKE A NEWLY ACQUIRED FISH I CAN'T YOU GUYS I CAN'T!)

In short: I love the comedy of american military giving such disrespect to an Alien Warlord. These guys are really sealing their fate.

I loved the way they got the Witwicky family to be important to the plot

The whole "selling my great great grandpa's glasses on e-bay" thing gives us a very good self insert/OC/rewrite/movie AU potential. Don't like Sam and his disgustingness? Find a way to write a cousin or some far off relative or hell, even just someone who buys the glasses off e-bay and go wild with it!

Archibald was also clearly an inspiration for Isaac Sumdac as far as I can tell, what with both of them using Megatron as a means of helping technology advance.

Only difference being one of them lived and actually talked to Megatron after he came back online and the other got driven to madness and death due to the amount of information beamed into his brain. Isaac also acquired a space baby daughter, so the guy is absolutely luckier of the two.

Mikaela being fucking competent and badass throughout the movie, and not being just fanservice eyecandy

I could do without the fanservice, but her personality? I loved it. I loved that she wasn't crawling to Sam and wasn't being "hard to get". Which is also why I was very displeased at the very sudden "oh yeah, romance! She returns his feelings after he took her for a ride and let her vent her frustrations!". The movie is 2 hours long and they could throw in some moments where these two connect?

Welp, it is an action movie, boy gets girl no matter what, can't complain about the staple in the genre.

However, Mikaela x Optimus? Now THAT is something I considered as soon as the two locked eyes and interacted. Like, even taking my shipping goggles off, these two could have a very interesting dynamic and Mikaela could be a very good protagonist. I wonder what the movie would be like with her as the lead and Sam being the fucking moron she has to drag along with her.

BUT ALSO! Can we talk about the horrible, excruciating fact that her and Bumblebee drove around with Bee's damaged legs dragging over asphalt all the time he was shooting at 'Cons? There were sparks flying! SHE WAS DRIVING BACKWARDS! She took command of the situation and did what she could because Bee still wanted TO FIGHT!

Also, they way she beat up Frenzy? Gorgeous, I want to slap Sam's non-existent balls off for not atleast saying "thanks". The dude would be sliced thinner than cabbage if she wasn't there.

The millitary man we are supposed to care about because his wife gave birth while he was on duty and we see his baby three times in the whole movie, actually being a pretty awesome and well-written character

Look, personally, I was a little confused at the reason why we were seeing his wife and baby interacting/the scene where she thinks her husband is dead. Mostly because I don't like kids, so scenes like that, when I don't even know who the character is, have no impact at all. Him having a baby isn't going to make me like the guy more, unless I know his character. Him being absent because he's on duty doesn't mean he'll be a good dad (though he looks like the kind of man that will try his best, and I like that in a man). So seeing his wife and kid at the start of the movie seemed pointless to me.

BUT! FOCUSING ON THE POSITIVES HERE!

Lennox is a good character and whenever he was on screen I was invested in what is going to happen to him. He's the kind of action movie lead that would have me invested, despite my meh interest in mainly gun fight oriented action movies.

Essentially, loved the guy, would love to see more of him while also being able to tell what's happening on screen. Also the comedy scenes he was in were usually funny.

~

Okay so these are the things I like about the first movie! It was very long, had to watch it on 2,5x speed because it simultainously dragged while ALSO giving me too much information, but the moments like these and the way my imagination latched onto characters I liked made it watchable. It isn't a movie I'd use to introduce someone to the TF franchise, but it provided me with lots of material for my imagination to run wild.

[angloie]

Beach trips and I'm Falling in Love • 2.5/2

When Annabeth meets a strange boy on vacation, she doesn't expect for their relationship to grow much. He's... terribly sarcastic. Cocky. A not-so great match for her witty self. But after learning he visits the same beach every year she does, their strange friendship blooms into something more.

Their realtionship isn't the only thing that blooms over the yearsー that meaning a certain raven-haired boy.

genre ; childhood friends to lovers, fluff, strangers(?) to lovers, exchanging letters au, percabeth mortal au.

warnings ; swearing, suggestive(?) themes.

prev.

That night, Annabeth can't fall asleep.

(Percy can't either, because he can't stop thinking about Annabeth and how he thinks he saw her back there.)

What is Rachel to him?

Annabeth thinks. Her mind is something like a broken recordー stuck playing the question on repeat. 

Not that she could judge, however, if Percy enjoyed her company more than hers, then that would be... Fine. Just fine. Rachel was probably more close to him after all these years unlike the blonde; who has been away for six years.

When Annabeth turns on her side to look at the shell seated stop her bedside table, she grimaces.

"You better make sure to return it!"

"I'll be waiting!"

Why does that make her frown?

The morning comes slow, slower than Annabeth would like, when the birds start chirping and evening comes to dawn after her sleep-deprived thoughts. 

She knows that Percy's curled up inside his bed, (though certainly not the cabin he used to occupyー there's no one next door) snoring like he always does. She knows that Percy doesn't know that she's here, and Annabeth also knows that he'll be asleep until promptly one in the afternoon.

Annabeth thinks she'll meet him around sooner or later.

The lull of waves crashing across the shore gives her chills. Mornings, she now realizes, are the best part of the day.

The rose gold sun comes down in tiny slivers along the sand.

Percy is loyal. He's a great friend, much more than Annabeth deserves, witty and sarcastic.

Percy is not hers. He never was in the first place, really; him with his cocky smile and his big heart. That heart of his can only hold so much, can't it?

She starts to wonder if she's in there.

The shell in her pocket suddenly feels heavy when Annabeth reaches for it, the chipped and cracked coat somehow still intact. She'll give it to him when the time comes of course. Just not now. Annabeth couldn't even muster up the courage if she wanted to. 

So, sandaled feet dug into the sand, she scans her surroundings.

At first glance the beach is beach is deserted, aside from a few lingering beach-goers that occupy the waves on their surfboards and the sand with their umbrellas.

It's quite tranquil on her ownー  under the morning sun and all. She's been to beaches near her house back home,e but nothing can really beat this view.

Her eyes dart towards the ocean, where the surfers ride on the waves, laughing and cackling whenever one of their friends falls face-first into the cold waters. She laughs a bit, too, the scene reminds her of how she always used to fall when she was learning to surf.

Speaking of the surfers... They all look like they're having a blast. You know, Annabeth might start to think that the raven-haired guy looks like Percy, that he has the same smirk as him, but that's just illogical.

Right?

It's only until that they lock eyes is when Annabeth freezes.

Same sea green. Same sparkle.

Same Percy.

And it's only until he freezes, eyes widening and stopping to stare, is when she thinks Oh shit.

Then he's starting to come over, and her legs start moving on their own. 

Away from him.

This can't be happening. It can't be. Not when she's not ready, when she's too nervous to even muster a word, not when Annabeth can't even look at him without her heart racing like never before. 

She starts to walk faster. Not so fast that it looks suspicious, but fast as to escape his gaze and go back to her cabin.

Annabeth can hear him saying he needs to ‘do something' to his friends. Annabeth can also hear his surboard digging into the sand, as well as his footsteps getting closer and closer. So close, that she thinks it'll only be a few steps longer until he reaches her.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, Her thoughts get even more rapid, Can't the universe just wait for a second?

Annabeth completely shuts down when someone grabs her wrist.

"Annabeth?"

It takes so much to not year away, to not run, to not speak. It takes so much to turn her head and look at him, more, though, when his tone is the most heart melting thing she's heard in a long time. (good timing, really, and just when she's been trying to get all the feelings she holds for him.)

"Percy." She breathes out, eyes widening when she finally gets a good look of him.

He's... Grown. 

His shoulders are broader. His hair, once unruly and messy, is exactly like in the previous pictures he's sent: Perfectly perfect and endearing. Annabeth notices that he towers over her figure quite a bitー what happened to the scrawny little Percy? Back then, she could easily look over him; but now? It's quite the opposite.

There’s an air around him, too, one that makes Annabeth gulp and her thoughts race.

Holy fuck.

Before she can let out a single word, she's engulfed into a bone crushing hug.

Thats pretty much when it all hits her.

Sure, he's wet and damp and smelling like saltwater and sweat, but she can't really pay any mind to that. Percy's warm. His touch is soft, gentle, just as Annabeth remembers. 

Why was she avoiding him in the first place?

Just when she thinks that it's fineー that she will not tear up over something like thisー her body betrays her and she starts to sink further, further into the hug.

Is she tearing up right now?

"I missed you," Percy mumbles against her head in a way that makes her heart pound dangerously against her rib cage. “So much.”

So just like that, Annabeth nearly falls for him all over again.

"You dumbass!" She pushes him off, hands fumbling through her pockets. "I m-missed you more." Hands come to wipe at her fresh tears. 

“H-here!” Annabeth sniffs as she hands him the one thing her mind has been lingering on non-stop: the shell.

He, blurry eyed and open mouthed, looks taken aback. For a second she thinks that he might be angry. That is, until he smiles.

“You kept it?” Percy asks. It's almost like he can't really believe it, like he didn't really expect her to keep it. 

"Of course I did, seaweed brain,” She gives a lopsided toothy smile. It doesn't really match her flushed face, but who's paying attention to that? 

When he looks at it fondly in his hands, Percy smiles to himself. “Its been too long, wisegirl." He looks her up and down. “You’ve changed."

She raises a eyebrow. "Like in a bad way?"

“N-no!” He's quick to correct himself. His looks the other way, trying to discreetly hide his blush. "No. Like i-in a... uhm- fuck." Percy covers his face.

"You've changed too.” Annabeth grins. “In a good way."

They smile each other for a second before someone from the shore line calls out Percy's name. He whips around, scowl growing on his face.

"I'll be back soon!" Percy rolls his eyes. He then turns to her.

"We should catch up," he says frantically, thoughts running on overdrive, "Have you been downtown yet? I'm staying at a new cabin a while away from hereー I'll take you there soon. Oh! And have you been to our spot? We can visit there later if you want.”

Annabeth cringes when the words fall from his lips. Our spot. She chews on her bottom lip. She can't really blame him for taking someone up there. Not even if she wanted to.

The rest of the day, and the next day after that, is bittersweet.

"I-Id be happy to.”

The sweetness is seeing Sally again. It's eating her famous blue cookies with Percy wearing bright smiles and her sporting the new sweater Sally crocheted. It's surfing for hours on end, it's playing with their dogs and meeting Mrs. O'Leary.

The sweetness is being with Percy once again; even if she does cringe when they go to their spot again.

The bitter, on the other hand, is meeting her.

Rachel.

Don't get her wrong. Annabeth was never much of a possessive or jealous person; and she still is not. She's level-headed, logical, and observative. Rachel is... Fine. She's crafty, Annabeth can tell by her paint-stained clothing and wry smile. She's pretty cool too. Rachel doesn't seem to have much of a problem getting along with her, so why does she feel so off about her?

"I'm Rachel," Annabeth remembers her smile quite clearly: It didn't quite reach her eyes. Or maybe Annabeth was just over-analyzing things? "It's nice to meet you, Annabeth!"

"Likewise." Annabeth gave a small smile. “Percy’s told me a lot about you."

“Oh, has he?” She giggled, "Well, I hope it's all good things." Rachel gave a teasing look towards Percy. 

Now thinking about it, Annabeth might have been a teeny-bit judgy. 

Percy, munching on a blue cookie, looks at her from his spot in his room. He narrows his eyes at her.

"I couldn't help but notice," He starts, as if reading her mind. "That you were a little on edge about Rachel.”

"Was I now?” She lazily questions, head hanging off his bed. 

“I think so." Percy hums.

"I was not," Annabeth scoffs. “I was just... Cautious."

"What's there to be cautious about?” He asks, spinning three times on the chair near his desk. He pauses to let the dizziness swirl his vision before coming back to look at her. the dog beside him, Mrs. O'Leary wags her tail lazily.

She sighs. "Nothing, I guess? It's just... Y'know what? Nevermind.”

"Spit it out.”

"No!”

"Yes!”

“No!”

“I’ll make you a container of blue cookies for the next three days?"

"...Fine!" Annabeth breathes after a beat.

She stretchesh her arms high above above her head. “What... W-what is she to you?”

Percy freezes, and she instantly goes into a panicky state. “Actually- Ignore that. Thats a stupid question so you don't need to answer, I just really-”

“Aww, is my little Annie jealous?" He unironicaly coos, “Don’t worry about it. Rachel's great."

Annabeth notices that Percy says her name in a intimate way. She notices how heat instantly flushes her face. She also notices that how he never answers her question in a way she'll understand.

Now that she's left hanging, Annabeth really can't stop more questions from flowing in her mind. 

Annabeth thinks that she's really been underreacting about Percy and his air of coolness. or maybe likeability?

Her arms flop down, and Mrs. O'Leary woofs.

Popularity?

Whatever it is, anyone can tell that Percy's much more than the dorky lame kid that used to be.

The group of girls that giggle and twirl their hair as they stare at him from their spot under an umbrella can surely see that, too.

It's not even those girls (who for the fact are pretty, much prettier than Annabeth) that can see that. Her neighbours talk about the 'handsome and nice young man that helped me carry my groceries'. (Guilty as chargedー the one and only Percy) or the 'Attractive boy who surfs early in the morning'.

The grannies at downtown's farmers market even gossip behind his back and treat him like some sort of Greek god with a perfectly structured jawline with a fit build and coy smile.

Oh, and did she mention he's as hot as the fucking sun?

(Which he, Annabeth thinks, owns up to.)

(She's really whipped for him.)

But he's respected her boundaries so far, so she'll keep her M rated thoughts to herself. But it's so fucking hard to not stare when he, clad in nothing but loose swimming shorts, shows up to her room at the crack of dawn.

"Looks like you're the talk of the town," Annabeth says teasingly as they settle into the sand. The umbrella provides the cool shade desperately need, to which Annabeth relishes in. “Is seaweed brain..." She feigns a fake gasp. “Actually likeable now?”

Percy threatens to shove a handful of sand down her throat, and she shuts up.

"Whatever," He mutters under his breath, eyes looking away from hers. For some reason he's avoiding looking at her. Annabeth thinks he's just embarrassed, but the way Percy steals glances at her when she's not looking, says otherwise.

"So where's Rachel?” She absent-mindedly asks. Not that she genuinely cares, or whatever, but theres really nothing else that occupies her mind. 

“Around,” He replies. "She told me she's going shopping in the next town for some swimsuits. Or something.”

"Ah."

A seagull screeches from above.

“Wanna see who gets in the water first?"

Annabeth already jolts upwards into a sprint towards the shoreline. "Hey! No fair!”

So the next while is spent with nothing but firendly smiles and secretive glances from Percy, surfing and swimming and having the most fun they've had together in a while. Annabeth grabs his ankle from under the waves, and she thinks that that might be the loudest scream she's ever heard.

Percy, mind stuck with thoughts on revenge, tried to come up with a scare of his own, until his lame scare comes out as throwing a peice of seaweed on her forehead.

 “Lameass!" She laughs, popping her head above the water.

“Smartass!” He yells back, eye twitching and tone sarcastic.

It isn't until the sun sets and the crabs crawl back into their caves is when they both flop back into the sand. Tired. Exhausted. Muscles sore and skin sunburnt.

For a solid thirty minutes it's just comftorable silence as the waves set the soundtrack. Along with the occasisonal him of the ocean, or even the cries of the cicadas back where the beach grass is.

For a solid thirty minutes, Annabeth thinks that she couldn't be more happier.

For a solid thirty minutes, all is calm, all is well, and nothing could be more perfect.

She closes her eyes for a minute thinking that she can spare one nap. Thinking that Percy will just wake me up, so it's fine if I snooze off, right? 

Annabeth dozes off with thoughts of him.

When she wakes up, Pery isn't beside her.

Nor is he on the beach.

For a hot minute Annabeth freaks out, squinting through the darkness to search for his figure. The lantern her doesn't really provide much light, let alone three feet away from her.

But then she sees that his surfboard isn't wedged into the ground, and his things are still there.

So where is he?

Oh. Annabeth thinks lamely to herself when she spots the figure swaying with the waves atop his surfboard. There he is.

It's illogical, really, for her to go after him.

If you don't go, that Rachel girl's got him forever, her head prods, you'll lose him forever.

It's even more illogical when Annabeth grabs her surfboard with a determined look; sandy hair and all.

The waves are calm tonight. No huge crashing of the chilled water, no raging seas or bitterly cold air. The clouds enclose the pale moon, only tiny beams managing to escape. She thinks it casts a blue hue to everything.

Using her arm to paddle her way over, Annabeth catches a glimpse at the stars.

Gods, the stars.

They're brightー brighter than the city that isー and bigger, too. They shine in a way that leaves Annabeth breathless.

Percy hums when she closes in next to him. His limbs dangle off of the surfboard and into the cool waters, occasionally shifting to keep steady. She hums back in reply.

A small wave laps across the shore.

 “That's Perseus.” Annabeth says lazily. She lays down, too, hair splayed across the board. "The constellation, I mean.”

“Perseus, huh?" Percy follows where she points: diagonal from the pair. “Like my name?"

"Like the Greek hero Perseus.” She murmurs quietly.

“You've told me about him." He recalls, "He slayed Medusa and saved Andromeda, right?"

"Mhm," Annabeth nods. "He also had a happy ending. That is, for most Greek heroes.”

She smiles to herself, and Percy can't really think of anything more beautiful than her.

Believe it or not, Percy is good at hiding things. 

Like when he hides the secret stash of snacks under his bed from his mom, (for three years straight and running) or when he hid Mrs. O'Leary when she was just a pup in his closet.

He likes to think that he's good at hiding his feelings too.

Feelings about Annabeth, of course.

Not that he really has anything for herー it's just that whenever he sees her he gets a fluttery feeling in his stomach, his voice gets all awkward, his mind instantly goes to how fucking gorgeous she looks, and how she practically radiates coolness and calm.

Okay. So what if he's head over heels for her?

Percy thinks it started a while ago.

He thinks it started when Rachel first called him seaweed brain.

“-Seaweed brain,” it falls from her lips on a warm spring day, when they're sitting in his room while it rains. 

Percy freezes to look at her. "What?"

“I said It raining cats and dogs out there,” Rachel repeats, “Seaweed brain."

When she catches the slightly shocked look on his face, she frowns. “Something wrong?”

"No,” He murmurs, looking down. "Actually- kinda. that nickname just threw me off a bit, I guess.” Percy give a lopsided smile.

Annabeth only calls me that, he thinks. It feels weird when you say it.

“Oh." She deadpans. “Should I not call you that then? I saw that Annabeth girl call you that, like, a ton of times in one of her letters.” Her eyebrows raise, and Percy reels.

“You were reading my letters?" He frowns. “...Whatever. The nickname- its kind of a personal thing. You know, between me and, uh... her. It'd be cool if you didn't say it.”

“Oh. Okay.” Rachel huffs.

Somehow, Percy never labeled it as love.

Percy didn't label it as love when Annabeth became the ‘nothing!' that came out of his mouth when Sally asked why he was smiling so much. Not when he couldn't stop staring at her in her swecause fuck, she looks so good. Not when Percy was confused on why his love for her became something more.

But that night, that one single night, when Annabeth came to join him under the stars, is when he thought otherwise.

With sunkissed sunburnt skin, 

lips cracked and dry,

moonlight against her face,

The last day of Annabeth's vacation comes on a sunny humid day with the clouds nowhere to be seen. 

He did label it love.

There isn't an air of despair, however, Annabeth'll be back next year for a solid week in winter. College would be a pain, so she'll have one last vacation with her family before she starts her career.

For some reason Percy isn't sad when the news comes to him on her college. New Rome, a prestigious school in the middle of both their cities. All he gives is a coy grin; she can't wrap her mind around hit quite yet.

 "You got plans tonight?” Percy asks suddenly, his voice echoing through Annabeth's room. 

“No.” She tilts her head. “Why? Got something planned?"

“Yeah, actually.” He grins. “We're going to a party of a friend of mine.”

“What?" Annabeth nearly falls off her bed, eyes widened and mouth agape. A party? Tonight? 

“Yup! You better get ready, 'cuz we're leaving in...” Percy checks the clock on her bed side table. "Two hours. See ya!" Is all he says before he hopes out of her window. 

Annabeth nearly screams, but remembers that he's been climbing and jumping out of her window for years now. she lets out a ragged sigh of relief.

"Fuck you!” She yells out to his figure, already dashing away. He turns around, sly smirk on his face.

“Only if you watch!" 

And then he's gone, leaving Annabeth with a red hot face and a flustered mess.

Fuck.

.

.

The next two hours is- um, well...

Chaotic.

Just plain chaotic.

Her who closet is thrown into her bed in a contemplation what to wear. Light or dark? Whats the occasion? How much people are attending? What's the setting?

You're overthinking things again, Annabeth's mind jolts. Just throw something on!

Along with chaotic, she would also describe the scene as a fever dream. 

She opts to wear a black bodycon dress with stringy ties and a loose and light jacket. Annabeth can't really deceive the rest of her look- her mind is all gushy and mushy.

So here she is, standing in front of the booming house, (Percy didn't even bother to drive here there, the jerk) hands fidgeting like she can't stop.

(She can't.)

Annabeth takes a deep breath. She won't be here for a while, so whats she so afraid about? Sure, there's somone puking in a bush that she wants no part in, and there might be concerning sounds coming from inside the huge building, but who's paying attention to that?

Before she can back out, a voice calls out her name.

"Wisegirl!" Percy beams, “Hey!”

“Seaweed brain.” Annabeth crosses her arms as a her bottom lip juts out. "We're were you?"

“Lets not focus on that." He nervously laughs. “But c'mon inside. I want you to meet a few people.”

"Hm?”

The house is just as bad as she thought.

Red Solo cups everywhere, the smell of alcohol and cigarettes especially strong near the kitchen and couches. Bodies bump into her here and there like some sort of mosh pit. They don't even apologize, instead murmuring something with a tipsy tone.

"Grover!" Percy calls a guy over. "Don't you remember Annabeth?”

"Annabeth?" Grover, what she can assume is his friend, looks over to them. His eyes light up when he meets her gaze.

"It's been a while!" Annabeth smiles. Grover! It's been a minute since she's seen him, back when they were all kids. She fondly remembers beach trips with him back then, eating popsicles on her cabin stairs and all.

“It certainly has,” He sighs happily.

Percy then introduces her to many others: Hazel, a bright girl with a even brighter smile, Frank, a towering guy with a friendly touch, Jasonー a blonde guy with a oddly stapler shaped scar on his lip, Piper, a bubbly girl with a flirtatious smile. 

She'd go on about more of them, but at that point Annabeth would be rambling.

"Have you seen Percy around?" Annabeth asks to Grover when she loses him in the bustling crowd.

He nods his head no, and someone tugs on her arm.

“C'monnnn," A girl she met earlier drunkenly tugs harder, “We’re playing truth or dare downstairs!"

She wants do pull away, say no, but then Annabeth spots him in the crowd with people slung around him.

By the looks of it, they're flirting with him, words forming and lips ruling into flirtatious smiles. They touch him in ways that make her cringe. 

Annabeth hates herself for frowning and continuing to stare. The worst part, thinks, is that he's not trying to pull away. Nor is he denying their actions. In fact, he's indulging in it. 

Shit. She shouldn't be thinking this way. Percy's popular and nice. He's bound to attract a few people, and he's not hers.

Annabeth was never the jealous type, but for now she can let the horriblefeeling in her stomach slide just this once. 

She accepts the girl's prodding with a feignged smile.

[vanderlustwords]

Liquor and Loose Lips

(not my gif)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Prompt: 15. Drunkenly confessing feelings

Summary: There are countless times Bucky has shared drinks with you. No matter how much he drinks, he’s always careful with guarding his feelings close to his chest. Maybe it’s the cocktail, maybe it’s the way the moon looks tonight, maybe it’s the way you look under the streetlight. Whatever it is, Bucky can’t hold it in anymore.

Note: My first Bucky fic! Feedback is always appreciated :) oneshot dedicated to @empyreanwritings​

Count: 2432

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Tequila.

Not Bucky's go-to ever, but he'll drink it if someone offers. 

Vodka.

A taste he's grown to love. During his time when he studied in Russia, there was probably nothing better to drink and help pass the time. 

Rum.

He likes it, but mostly because when he drinks it, he thinks this is what you'd taste like.

And that might be as close as he can get.

Whiskey.

Bucky finds himself in a fight when he has too much. 

Cocktails. 

No one could probably tell, but Bucky did have a specific cocktail. Something he enjoyed at a leisurely pace. A blend of rye whiskey, extra dry vermouth, and maraschino liqueur. He likes that it's smooth, it's dry bite keeping him coming back. 

Bucky has a high tolerance, he always has. No one could outdrink him, and you'd be hard-pressed ever to find him drunk. But he likes a good party. He likes being able to take care of you if you drank too much, even though it's not really his job.

Because you're not his girl. 

"Bucky!"

He turns over to see you coming over with a huge grin and rosy cheeks.

"Are you drunk already, doll?" He laughs as you stumble into him at your last step, fumbling over a faulty tile. He catches you easily as he wraps one of his arms around you as you fling your arms around his waist.

"God, no, maybe, yes, no," you decidedly answer with a laugh. "I think Tony poured me way too much rum in my last drink."

"And you drank it?"

"You know I love rum."

Bucky merely sighs playfully, painfully aware of how warm your body feels against his. How perfectly you fit under his arm and into his side. His fingers ache to flex, to hold you more tightly, but he can't. 

So, he helps you stand upright as you cheekily blow a raspberry at him.

"Careful now, you don't want to finish off so early when the night's just begun," Bucky tells you, and you blow air out of your mouth before grabbing a water bottle. 

"C'mon, it's my first party since the breakup. Surely this is better than having to hang inside watching b-rated chick flicks, eating an unhealthy amount of pizza and ice cream while I cry," you wryly quirk your lips.

But Bucky doesn't say that he secretly enjoyed those times.

Not you crying.

That was awful, and it broke his heart to see you cry like that. But there was something about hanging in your apartment for long periods with nothing to do but watch movies and eat together.

It was like on some level, only the two of you existed in those moments. It helped that you would snuggle up to Bucky under the blankets, and sometimes even fell asleep.

"You sure you're up for tonight? I know Sam is here too," Bucky asked quietly. 

You sighed but shook your head. "I can't avoid him anymore. Besides, I can't keep you locked up with me forever, either."

Bucky wishes he could say he wouldn't mind. 

He looks at you, watching as your turn to your head to look out into the living room where Sam is standing talking with a bunch of guys.

For the longest time, you were Sam's girl. 

Bucky has known you since pre-K, then Sam came in the picture in junior high, and when the two of you started dating in high school, everyone was surprised.

It was no secret that Sam was a notorious player, never have been in a long-term relationship. But the two of you had always clicked, and Bucky couldn't help but feel that it was like a cliche movie. 

The player settles down for the one girl who's always been by his side and keeps up with him the way no one else can.

Bucky was convinced this was only destined to end happily ever after. 

And so, he kept quiet about his feelings.

But then midway through the first year of university, Sam broke up with you. Sitting on the couch crying your eyes out, you had told Bucky that Sam said he just wasn't ready for a relationship right now. It was amicable, you didn't hate Sam, but it had also hurt a lot. He didn't know what to say when you had said that perhaps you just weren't the girl who could get a player to retire from his game. 

It made Bucky's chest ache painfully because he's stopped looking at other girls for a long time now. 

"Alright," Bucky decides, "finish up that water bottle, and we're going to find some duds to destroy beer pong at."

You smile at him, tipping the water bottle all the way up as you finish the last of it. Chucking the water bottle aside, you take Bucky's outstretched hand as he leads you into the living room. 

You pass Sam, giving him only a nod of acknowledgment as you keep walking. You hear Bucky give him a brief greeting, but he doesn't stop to chit-chat with his friend.

Entering the area for games, the two of you arrive just in time to enter into a new game with two strangers that seemed to have been dominating the game the entire night.

The two frat boys looked at you, making wolf-whistling sounds that made Bucky quirk his brow. You didn't react to it, but you did meet Bucky's eyes from the side. He gave you a knowing smile as the game started.

Sinking cup after cup, the game ends way too quickly, and the frat boys aren't too happy about being trounced, but they're not willing to start something with Bucky Barnes, so they leave quietly.

Bucky starts to walk off, but you pull his sleeve.

"Let's play a couple more rounds," you smile at him. He tilts his head, a little surprised as you usually don't like to play the same game in a row, but he nods nonetheless.

Seven rounds. 

You don't call it quits until after seven rounds. With Bucky by your side, you never lose a game, but you are feeling buzzed again. 

"Done with the games?" Bucky teases.

You're about to answer, but the words get caught in your throat. 

You probably weren't meant to see it, but you did. Sam's on the dance floor with some girl you don't recognize, she might be in her second year of university. 

They're grinding and kissing, and even though you're pretty sure you're starting to move on, it still hits you in the gut. 

There's a momentary flashback to when Sam first broke up with you and the painful feeling of knowing somehow, you weren't enough. 

You know Sam didn't mean it that way, but that's how it felt.

Bucky follows your line of sight and feels his gut sink. He doesn't know what to do other than to move to stand in front of you. You blink, your view being blocked as you look into Bucky's eyes.

"Let's grab some drinks," Bucky turns you around, pushing you towards the kitchen. 

He thinks it might still be too early for you to be out and partying when you've got a broken heart, but when you don't cry, he's impressed.

You swallow the lump in your throat, coughing lightly to clear your throat as you turn to Bucky. 

"This party blows," you tell him, watching him quirk his brow with a smile. "You know, Tony has the good stuff up in his study room."

You don't say anything, but Bucky grins right away, knowing what you're insinuating.

"Meet me out back?" You lick your lips.

"You've got yourself a rendezvous, doll."

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Bucky finds you not too far from the house, just down the block where the road curves. You're sitting on the edge of the sidewalk under the streetlight. 

Normally, Bucky would scold you for being so reckless, but it's late in the night, and you've got a look on your face that he just decides to let this one slide.

He walks up to you, taking a seat and shows you the treasure he brought.

You chortle, "I knew Tony was hiding the good stuff."

"We're probably going to hear about it from him tomorrow," Bucky smirks, but that doesn't stop him from cracking the bottle open. 

"That's a tomorrow us problem," you shrug, causing him to laugh.

You both take a shot of the premium vodka Bucky stole, licking your lips at how smooth it goes down. 

Even as good as it was, you still make a face and a displeased noise.

Bucky turns to you and laughs.

"I knew I should've brought the rum instead," he jokes, and you lean over and push him playfully with your shoulder.

"You fool," you smile, "there was rum, and you took vodka? Rookie mistake."

Bucky throws his head back with laughter. There's something that feels warm in your stomach as you watch Bucky laugh, and you wonder if it's the vodka.

"Here," you say, turning over slightly pick up two glasses you had brought out earlier.

"What's this?" Bucky asks as he looks at the cocktail. The orange color looks familiar to him, and there's a toothpick with cherries in it. 

You quirk your eyebrow at him as if he should know. "Your favorite cocktail? The Brooklyn cocktail. I think it should be called the Bucky Barnes cocktail, though."

Bucky takes the drink slowly, sipping it. He's not sure if it's because he's already had so many drinks tonight, or if it's the fact that you made it, but it tastes better than usual.

"I hope you appreciate this. I stole the cherries."

"From where?"

You were silent.

"From where?" Bucky jokingly begged.

The two of you burst into laughter as you share drinks under the night sky.

"How did you know this was my favorite cocktail? I drink everything, and I've never mentioned this drink," Bucky asked, savoring the flavor.

You look at him with furrow brows.

"What do you mean?" You lick your lips. "It's the only cocktail you'll drink twice."

It was so small, something no one else ever has noticed. Bucky likes to drink, and he really will drink everything. It's easy for people to assume he likes vodka the best. 

Fuck, he's so in love. 

But he downs the rest of the drink along with his feelings.

The night passes quietly with the two of you drinking from the vodka bottle, and Bucky is feeling the liquor a little more than usual.

"This is so dumb," you sigh.

"What is?" Bucky asks softly back.

"I dragged you and myself to this party, but now we're sitting out here on the curb."

Bucky shrugs. "This right here is the coolest party 'round town."

You laugh, "Not sure if two people make it a party."

"What does it make then?"

"A date, maybe?" You say.

It's meant innocently, but Bucky's chest flares with butterflies, and he's gripping the edge of the curb tightly.

Suddenly, you groan as you lean against his shoulder.

"Be honest, you think I'm tragic, don't you?" The warmth immediately seeps through Bucky's shirt against your temple. 

"Not at all, doll," Bucky licks his bottom lip.

You pinch his side lightly. "Doll this, doll that. Careful, Barnes, I might just fall for you."

And maybe it's the alcohol that has him relaxed. 

Maybe it's the way you look under the streetlight. 

Maybe it's the way you look like you don't believe you can be anyone's entire universe.

Whatever it is, it has Bucky leaning over your face. You look up, caught in his steel-blue eyes. Your breath hitches when you feel his breath ghost over your cheeks and on your lips. 

His other hand comes to cup your face, thumb dragging from the corner of your mouth across your cheekbone.

Your eyes flutter closed as you unknowingly move closer. 

"What are you doing?" You whisper.

You open your eyes when Bucky doesn't answer. He only swallows visibly. 

"How long?" You ask instead.

"Before Sam," Bucky's forehead touches yours as your noses brush.

Your jaw clenches because that was ages ago. 

You come to a sobering realization that Bucky has loved you longer than you have ever known. 

There's a nagging thought in both of your heads that this could be a mistake. 

But as quick as Bucky's lips brush against yours, he pulls back. 

You blink.

Bucky coughs, standing up.

"Sorry," Bucky smiles contritely. 

Because the thing is, even if you're not Sam's girl, you're not Bucky's either.

And he's not about to risk something just because his entire body feels like he's about to go through vertigo if he doesn't kiss you. 

You stare at Bucky as he gives you that goofy grin, scratching the back of his head. 

"Let's head back inside," Bucky starts walking, "I bet Tony is white girl wasted at this point."

You watch Bucky's back as you stand up.

The truth is, you don't understand. You don't know what the right decision is or if you'll regret it in the morning. 

The only thing you know is that things have changed regardless of what you choose to do.

There's this uncomfortable feeling in your gut as you bite your nail before running your hand through your hair frustratedly. 

You look to the side, huffing before you look back.

"Bucky!" 

You're already running when he turns around as you collide into his body, hand cupping his jaw with a bruising kiss. 

Bucky responds immediately, both his hands coming around to hold your face. You feel the ring on his thumb as it's pressed just right on the corner of your lips. 

He kisses you like he's known your lips forever. Even though the last thing you drank was vodka, there's still an underlying tone of rum, and Bucky thinks rum might be his new favorite. 

The smell of orange blossoms and dry leaves invades his nose as he pulls back, both breathless. 

He doesn't dare pull back any further, feeling your warm breath on his lips. 

He catches your eyes, the way they flutter to his as your chest heaves. Your fingers move to hold his fingers that are cupping your jaw and neck.

And Bucky falls all over. 

"I'm in love with you, doll," Bucky confesses, pulling you into another consuming kiss. 

Cars pass you, their headlights shining just momentarily on the two of you as you share something new from drinks. 

And whatever panic tomorrow brings, you'll at least have known kissing Bucky Barnes tastes like a promise.