#((happy elements can always hit me when i least expect it))

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Drabble Roulette: You get what you give

For this round, drabbles are written based on a random choice of character and image from this pinterest board. Pls feel free to keep adding to it.

Character: Andy Barber

Prompt

Warnings: this drabble includes elements such as mentions of alcoholism and cheating. Please mind these warnings and take care.

Explicit, 18+. Please reblog and leave some feedback.

Andy Barber.

You'd know him anywhere but you didn't expect him there. The tight-ass, straight-laced family man in a place like this. His department store suit stands out on the dingy bar. So does the woman grinding in his lap. She's not his wife. 

He has one hand on a pint of foamy beer and his other on her ass. He encourages her with a growl as she nips at the air before him. The tension is palpable. 

Your hand rests on your phone as you hide on the gloom at the other end of the bar. Your vodka tonic is forgotten as quickly as the shitty day you hoped to drown in it. Your thumb hovers above Laurie's name, hesitant, calculating. 

Andy fucking Barber. 

That jackass with the side eye. You're not stupid. You heard what he said about you. He didn't realise you were in his bathroom, that you were witness to yet another row with his long tortured wife. 

Well, you might be a goddamn drunk but you're not a fucking cheater. The only man in your life is the bartender.  

You flick away your contact list. Instead, you tap the camera icon and swipe into recording mode. You carefully angle the lens up to catch the screen. Yoi watch through the screen as the woman straddles him, grazing her fingers through his beard as she draws him into a sloppy kiss.

Oh yes, it's very messy indeed. 

🍺

You expect chaos when you hit send. It isn’t thoughtless or spiteful. The truth is the truth. As he always says, honesty is the greatest virtue of all. You always roll your eyes when he goes on his exhaustive lectures; often treating Laurie no different than their son. 

‘Sorry, Laurie. I didn’t think you’d believe me but proof is in the pudding.’ 

Maybe there is a bit of spite left in you. You hope she’s happy now. Andy may have been right about you but you were just as on point about him. Let it burn, you might just smell some of the ashes as they settle. 

Days pass. No response. You don’t expect one. You were surprised she didn’t block your number when she cut you off. You wouldn’t have blamed her either. But you can still hate them all. 

It’s not Laurie, it’s him. He shows up at your office. You sit behind reception where you always do and tuck away the flask you keep in your bottom drawer. Shit. 

“Hello, sir, how can I help--” 

“Don’t fucking do that,” he points over the top of the square desk and grips the edge, “you know why I’m here.” 

You can’t help a smirk. You wiggle a pen and innocently tap your bottom lip, “I’m sorry, did you have a meeting with one of our agents?” 

“You are fucking low,” he snarls. 

“Ah, yes, but seems like we frequent the same gutters,” you sneer back. “She looked young. Did you check her ID? You might not just be a creep, you could be a criminal, Mr. ADA.” 

“Fuck you,” he bends over the higher shelf of the desk, “do you have any idea what the fuck you’ve done?” 

“Mr. Barber,” you reach for the phone, resting your hand on the receiver, “if you don’t calm down, I’ll have to call security.” 

He quakes with rage as his face turns red, “you’re a fucking bitch.” 

“Might be, but at least I’m not a cheater--” 

“Alcoholic slut,” he sneers. 

You lift the receiver and hit speed dial. You stare him down as you do, “hi, Joey, yes, I have a client here who’s a bit... aggressive, do you mind coming up here? Thank you.” 

You wink at Andy and put the phone down as you sit back. He glares back at you and stands straight. He puffs through his nose like raging bull. 

“Just you fucking wait,” he threatens as he retreats, “you ruined my fucking life. I’m gonna burn yours to the ground.” 

[chelseypprimrose]

Handy With His Hands / handyman!negan x housewife!reader / 18+ / pre-apocalypse

Warnings ⚠️ : unprotected sex, adultery, oral (f receiving), rough sex elements

Summary: being a housewife is quite dull, especially when your husband is a corporate jackass- until a sexy handyman comes to fix your shower.

A/N: I got this little saucy story in my head while reading some handyman!joel miller stories and I just thought: Negan + handyman? so hot! my stories are always something out of a cheesy porno scenario but idec , i know i’m never going to have these fantasies happen to me in the real world so i believe it’s self care to let my dulu stories write out on paper 🤭 please enjoy 🤍

not proof read yet 🫣

“can you please just get someone to come and look at that thing? i’m sick of having to take cold showers!” you exclaimed, your voice travelling from the kitchen to the living room where your husband was on a phone call. “i’m on the phone, honey.” he replied back, hidden annoyance in his tone, recognisable to you but if anyone else was to hear, they’d think it to be cheerful. you cursed him out in your head, counting down the hours until he was going to be gone on his long business trip. finally, you’d be able to take a break from your expected housewife duties, one of your favourite things to do when your husband was away, catch a few rays in your back garden, take a dip naked in the swimming pool. you had to find thrills where you could as your life was a revolving door of the same boring routine, day in and day out. you craved for something, some sort of adventure to come into your life and completely turn it on its head, you were still waiting on that day unfortunately.

you’d been married to your husband for around three years now, even if it felt like forty. it had been a fairytale at the beginning, he’d get you flowers every week, freshly picked, take you out for dinner at least four times a month, he’d seemed like the perfect man to get married to, until you were locked in, bounded by the commitment and paperwork. he’d neglected those responsibilities, it was rare for him to even take you out for a date night anymore, it was usually just forcing you to go to dinner meetings so he could show you off to potential clients, having to spend your evening being hit on and leered over by slimy old men, your body used to close business deals. always buying you some diamond necklace or earrings after the fact, to keep you happy. you spent most of your time at home when not being used as a dress up doll for your husband, cooking, cleaning, keeping the house in perfect condition - not that he ever noticed.

“alright, i’ve got someone coming round to look at the shower, i’ve got to leave for my flight dear. i love you. i’ll give you a call when i land.” he says, his suitcase rolling on four wheels beside him, his head coming down for a peck on your lips, absolutely no spark or electricity through the kiss, not like it used to be. you mumbled a love you back, as you watched him walk out of the front door, a sigh of relief when the door shut behind him. you took your apron off, placing it on the hook next to the cabinets in the kitchen. walking upstairs into your shared bedroom, you quickly changed out of your clothes, putting on a new two piece bikini you’d treated yourself to a couple weeks ago, topping it off with a pair of sunglasses to keep the sun out of your eyes. grabbing a towel on your way out, you slid the patio door open, folding out the towel and placing it on the sun lounger, sitting down on it and lounging out. connecting your phone to the bluetooth speaker outside, you decided to put on your relaxing mix, hoping it would help you get a small nap in before the repairman was here.

it was really hard to get one on such short notice, how your husband had been able to get one the same day baffled you, probably pulled some strings with one of his business buddies you thought. while you had good money in the bank, you despised how your husband would treat other people that weren’t in the same tax bracket as you both were. you were the more generous person in the relationship, giving to various charities when you could, even though it annoyed your husband to no end when you did. in a selfish way, you revealed in it, any subtle way you could piss him off without making it obvious that was your intention, you’d jump at the chance. giving money to those who needed it AND being able to make him angry - win win scenario.

you’d been sat in the back yard for around a hour, lightly snoring as you went in and out of a light sleep, you hadn’t heard the doorbell go the multiple times it had, being awoken when the wooden side gate hit the fence with a loud crash. “holy shit!” you shouted, pulling your sunglasses off your eyes to look towards the gate, seeing a man standing there with a large toolbox in his hand. “hey, didn’t mean to scare you doll. no one answered the doorbell and i saw the gate was unlocked so.” you got yourself up from the sun lounger, taking a couple steps towards the man so you could get a better look at him. damn he was fine, a tight white t-shirt with black cargo pants, covered in what looked like dust, white paint, other substances you could only assume he’d gotten from his line of work. a tattoo peeking out from underneath his sleeve, one on his forearm as well, steel-toe capped boots making slight clink noises as he moved on the concrete path underneath him, you thought he was too attractive to be a handyman, a ‘magic mike’ dancer sure, you give over everything in your bank account to see that little fantasy come to life. his hair slicked back and beard trimmed neatly, your eyes couldn’t help naturally scanning over his muscular, dominating frame.

“hi! you must be the handyman my husband ordered?” you asked, eyebrow raising as you put your hand out for a handshake. “well, i work for the same company, i’m Negan.” he introduced himself as he grasped your hand, meeting yours. his hand felt slightly calloused, a side effect from his job you gathered, you couldn’t deny how sexy they made you feel, being used to the smoothness of your husbands, it was a unlikely turn on. “oh right! i’m y/n. thank you for coming on such short notice, i’m absolutely sick of having cold showers, don’t know how much more i can take of it.” you joked, a small smile sat on your face. “i’ll show you where it is so you can get cracking, i bet there’s more things you’d rather be doing, so hopefully it won’t take too long.” you motioned for him to follow you, walking through the patio door.

Negan followed you into the house, unbeknownst to you, his eyes glued to your small bikini bottoms, showing off your ass in what could only be described as gorgeous. he knew it was wrong, looking at the bosses wife in such a way but he couldn’t help himself, becoming a recent single man again, he hadn’t had the time to get back into the dating scene which in turn meant he wasn’t getting any action and it was driving him nuts. he was only a man, when he’d got the call from your husband, he wasn’t expecting his wife to be home alone, dressed in a bikini, looking good enough to devour.

you got to the en suite bathroom, opening the door, showing him where the controls were. “here it is, i have no clue what’s wrong with it, it just won’t let any hot water through.” you stated, you’d never been good with stuff like this, your husband had always had people on call to fix problems around the house. “i’ll be fine doll, i’ve dealt with this problem loads of times before.” he waved it off with a laugh. “would you like anything to drink? to eat?” you questioned, putting on your best innocent smile. “i wouldn’t mind a coffee, doll but don’t make one on my account.” he beamed back at you, turning away to grab something from his toolbox, you took a look at his tight cargos as he bent down, they shaped the muscularity of his thighs perfectly, his ass looking perfect in them. “i’m sure i can rustle something up for you, how do you take it?” you asked, a slight smirk on your face from how you’d worded the question to him. “no milk, two sugars please. i like it sweet.” he bantered back, leaving you to saunter off to the kitchen.

you returned back to him, slightly boiling coffee in hand, placing it on the large counter where the sink and mirror were placed. “so, how long have you worked with my husband? i don’t think i’ve heard about you before?��� you quizzed, knowing the names of your husbands many business partners and staff, you’d have remembered a unique name like Negan, you were sure. “ah not long, used to be a gym teacher before this job, needed a change and i’ve always been good with my hands.” you laughed, the image of Negan bossing around a load of pre teens making you smile. “i wouldn’t have pegged you as a gym teacher, to be honest with you!” he laughed right back at you, turning his head to look towards you. “yeah, a lot of people have told me that, i loved working with the little shits all day, gave them a run for their money, i can tell you that much.” he grimaced, realising what he’d done. “sorry doll, don’t mean to swear, pretty unprofessional of me.” you giggled again, shaking your head at him. “i don’t mind, stop worrying! it’s nice to be in the company of a man who doesn’t change himself to suit other people.” Negan took notice of that, wondering if you were talking about your husband. “well, that’s fucking me all over doll. so, what do you do?” you sighed, knowing how what you said next would come across. “housewife, i stay at home, look after the house and get taken to business dinners when i’m needed.” he noticed your drop in tone, he could sense that you weren’t really happy with that but he didn’t want to speak out of turn. “well your doing a bang up job, this place is immaculate.” you blushed, your husband had never complimented your hard work, always just expecting the house to be sorted, never thinking to thank you for your efforts. “thanks, it’s nice to hear that. i’ll let you get on, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

it was about a hour later when Negan had finally finished the shower, it now letting out hot water again. “you are a angel, finally i can have a nice shower!” you exclaimed, hands clapping enthusiastically, Negan laughing at your actions. “absolutely no problem doll.” he smiled at you, trying to escape his thoughts of you taking said shower, the bubbles dripping down your body as you washed them away, how good you’d look naked. “so, stop me if you have somewhere to be but i just got finished making dinner, i forgot i was alone so there is more than enough if you wanted to stay for some?” you asked sheepishly, expecting him to decline, a young single man probably had better things to do on a friday night than sit in with a boring housewife for dinner. “i’d love that doll. let me just take my tools back to my truck.” you freaked out internally, you were excited to spend some more time with this devilishly charming man, he was a breath of fresh air compared to the people you had to hang around with when you were with your husband. always other couples that were all business talk, how many sales they’d made that year and how much they were getting for their bonuses, it became exhausting over time.

you plated up the chicken florentine, along with some vegetables and sauce, bring the plate from the counter to the dining room table, the dimmed lights almost highlighting your body, you’d changed into a pretty sundress while he’d gone out to the truck, deciding a bikini wasn’t proper dinner attire, not bothering with underwear, if your plan was to go your way. placing the plates on the table, you grabbed a bottle of wine from the vast array of choice from the wine cooler and glasses for you both. you took a seat just as Negan walked back through the door, his eyes rising up as he smelt the food from the table. “fuck me doll, that smells good!” he clapped his hands together as he sat down beside you, starting to eat. “i hope you like it, i didn’t know if you ate meat but…” you trailed off. “no i do, i’m not one of those vegan pussies, don’t worry.” you laughed, his vulgar language causing a stir from within you. you poured out a glass of wine for you each before tucking in yourself. “i’ve got to say, i’ve never had such hospitality from anyone before, i’m always called to clients houses but the most i’m offered is a drink and then they leave me alone to work, this is a nice change.” you smiled, hoping you hadn’t been too much in his hair, you just couldn’t stop yourself, you wanted to know more about the intriguing man. “well, i aim to please. hospitality gets drilled into you as a housewife, it’s sort of all i’m good for.” you said, taking a sip of your wine, feeling like you were softly venting a little due to feeling comfortable in Negan’s company. “i’m sure your good at other things doll, better than the shitheads i normally encounter in this job.”

“well i understand that, i’ve met my husband’s clientele and they aren’t my type of people. always boasting about themselves, not caring about others, i hate it really.” you confessed, knowing you were opening up to much to a man you didn’t really know but you felt at ease, like you could speak freely, unlike when you were in your husbands company. you and Negan had finished eating, you finished the last of your wine, taking your plates to the dishwasher, bending down to place them inside, not remembering you had no panties on, fully on show for Negan and he’d definitely noticed. he’d almost done a double take, seeing your pretty pussy on display, a grin widening on his face as he understood the message. he got up, walking towards you as you raised up again, going to put the cooking utensils in the dishwasher when his large hands wrapped around your waist, you turned to look at him.

“you know doll, i think i should thank you for such a lovely evening. don’t you?” you looked up at him through your eyelashes, your chest heaving up and down with deep breaths as your heart began to beat irregularly at the closeness of such a gorgeous man. “i don’t know… what did you have in mind?” you questioned, your arms coming to meet at the top of his neck, wrapping around to pull him closer as your faces were inches away from each other. “i think it would be fair payment to screw your pretty little brains out, right over this countertop.” you moaned out at his statement, his hand coming to tug at your hair softly, before yanking harder, testing the waters. “i think, you should put your money where your mouth is, Negan.”

he growled, backing you up to the countertop that was behind your back, slightly pushing you against it. he captured your lips in a heated kiss, his hand still pulling at your hair as you whimpered into the kiss, silently begging for his hard touch. no one had ever been so rough with you, husband included. “i know how much you’ve wanted this, don’t think i didn’t notice how you aren’t wearing any panties, you were planning for this, weren’t you doll?” he whispered against your lips, his other hand now going underneath your skirt, dancing on your thighs before he got to your wet heat. “i don’t just offer dinner to anyone that comes to the house, you know.” you whimpered out, feeling his finger tips on your clit, moving small circles on top of it. “i’m hungry for dessert now doll, open those pretty thighs for me sweetheart.” he lifted you up onto the counter, your legs sat on his shoulders as you lifted your dress up enough for your whole pussy on display for Negan. his tongue met your hot skin, licking a stripe up your core, starting slow. your hand came down to meet his hair, gripping tightly around the strands that had fallen loose from his slicked back style. you moaned out, not used to the feeling of having such a skilled man between your legs, savouring every movement you felt him make. so methodical and well thought.

he sucked on your clit harshly, you squeezing his head slightly as your thighs contorted together, trying desperately to grind yourself closer to his tongue, chasing the blissfully sinful feeling that was racing through your body. “fuck-fuck! Negan, i’m not- going to last much longer if you keep doing that! fuck!” you panted and whined at the impending arrival of your orgasm, he chuckled at your confession, pulling away from you to back up. “i want to feel you doll, i want to feel you clench around my dick, turn around for me.” he purred, letting your stumbling legs fall back onto the ground as you turned to face the counter, your nipples standing erected through the thin material of the dress, contrasting against the cold marble.

he dropped his cargo pants, letting them fall down to his ankles, his impressively large piece now hanging out, you felt the bulbous tip playing around on your entrance, running up and down your folds at Negan’s movements. he finally entered you, holding a tight grip on your hips, nails slightly digging into your soft flesh, letting your pussy stretch out to accommodate his girth. he pulls out, and slides back in with little to no hesitation, finding a happy pace between rough and soft. you moan out, one hand coming to wrap around your throat as he moved his pace to more rough. “fuck doll, you fit me so well- taking me so good baby.” you whined out again. “please, please! harder! i need you, Negan- fuck!” he grinned at your begging, leaving your lips like a pretty song. he obliged, upping the ante to absolutely rock you.

“RING! RING!”

you gasped, pulling your head up from the counter to see the light illuminating from the landline phone situated near the window, your husbands name on the caller id.

“fuck, fuck! stop i need to answer him!” you tried to manoeuvre your body to grab the phone that was finger tips away from you, pushing your body closer before negan reached out over you to grab it.

“better answer it before he gets suspicious dollface.” he clicked the green button, passing it down to you, your face bright red with nervousness.

“hey-hey honey.” you breathed out, finding it hard not to make pleasurable sounds while Negan was still fucking you rough, you could barely talk with his hand still grasped around your throat. he showed no mercy.

“i just got to my hotel, did Negan manage to fix the shower?” your husband asked, you allowed a small grin to peak out on your face, thanking god your husband couldn’t see you right now. “yeah, he did a really good job, such a nice guy!” you drabbled on, hoping he wouldn’t ask many more questions, fearing you couldn’t stay quiet for much longer. “that’s great, so i’m going to try and get some sleep before the big meeting tomorrow. just wanted to let you know i got here okay. i love you.” he said, you almost dropped the phone from how rough your stomach was hitting the side of the counter, Negan relishing in the predicament you’d found yourself in. “ok-okay honey. i love you t-too.” you gasped as Negan proceeded to smack your ass hard, the sting catching you off guard, making it harder to find your words for your husband. “are you okay? you don’t sound too well?” you rolled your eyes into the back of your head, wishing he’d just fuck off so you didn’t have the anxiety of having to string sentences together. “yeah i’m fine, think i’m just a bit ill. i’ll l-let you get some sleep. love you. bye.” you quickly got out, pressing the red end call button, slinging the phone off the counter, the object hitting the ground with a smack. “you are such a bastard.” you slightly laughed with another moan. “didn’t want him worrying about his dear wife now did we doll? thank you for the five star review though, i appreciate it.”

the wet sounds still echoed around the room, you could feel yourself getting ever so closer to what you knew would be a world shattering climax. “fuck, i’m so so close, please! fuck!” Negan held you firmer in place, his hips snapping against your behind, his dick filling you up to the brim. “let go doll, come all over my dick.” that was all the permission you needed, you let yourself climax, sobbing in pleasure, waves of pleasure rippling through you, nearly too intense for your body to handle it. you cried out his name, your fingernails digging into your own palms as you circled your hips, riding out your orgasm.

Negan wasn’t too far behind, he couldn’t help but spill inside you, quickly pulling out to finish the rest on your now red glistening ass, from the countless spankings he’d given you. you both almost collapsed, breathless, unable to get your heart rates back to normal for the time being. Negan held you to his chest, your back meeting his torso in a warm embrace, chests heaving. you felt the sticky ropes of his seed on your dress, making it stick to your ass as you licked your lips to regain some moisture back as they’d gone dry from all your moaning and whining. his hands ran up and down your body, coming to play with your breasts over the material.

“fuck doll, do you have any more repairs for me to do? because i would gladly fix every goddamn thing in this house for this again.” you laughed, turning around to look at him, face beat red from the strenuous actions you’d both participated in. you reached behind him and pulled open one of the cabinets behind his head, the wood snapping with the force, taking it off its hinges so it hung off.

“whoops. you might need to take a look at that.”

[shady-swan-jones]

The Kiss: a pop culture-based analysis

The collective uproar about the kiss made me think about why it was there.

Plot:

In order to slip her the pin, it serves as a distraction — a classic move any heist/action lover would have seen coming. James Bond has done it, Person of Interest too; a kiss distracts the antagonists just long enough to do it.

But could it be done another way?

Yes. A hug, like Jake slipping Judy the key in Brooklyn Nine Nine. Or violence, like Hotch kicking Reed with the gun-holstering leg.

Thus, plot is one side of the coin. The other, I propose, is emotional

Romance in Friendship:

Can your romantic partner be your (best) friend? Easily, and that's a mark of a success relationship. The other side is, can romance seep into friendship?

I would argue that many genuine friendships have romantic elements that are left purposefully unexplored. They have the same building blocks, after all. Love and affection. Caring and worrying. elements of jealousy. Our heteronormative, romance-centered culture has claimed all that constitutes a deep bond as romantic. It has delineated the type of touch, as if our human need for tactile connection can be measured, neatly packaged and labeled.

Elrond loves Galadriel. Loves her so much he doesn't hold back when he's at odds with her. Enough to seethe with anger when he believes she strayed, and hold off an entire army at the sight of a drop of blood on her neck.

The entire season has been built on their fundamental disagreement on how to fight darkness, so this moment of unresolved closeness hits hard.

The framing of the scene, the closeup as well as the swelling of the music aid in creating an emotional moment.

It reminds of Nikita, where before the s2 big battle where it's likely they'll die, Birkhoff kisses Nikita goodbye, in front of her boyfriend no less. It's a good kiss, but the intent is clear, and no one is mad. Treat yourselves (x).

Body Language:

As another post explained (better than I could), physical touch varies across cultures, and we can’t always interpret everything through a Western lens where kissing equals romance.

The Celebrian of it all:

We cannot impose our knowledge of the Third Age onto RoP. Yes, Elrond will eventually marry Celebrian, but she doesn’t exist right now. He’s not seeing Galadriel as his future mother-in-law but as his friend. Is kissing her really weirder than holding back because he somehow senses he’ll marry her unborn daughter? I rest my case.

The reception:

After the initial shock, people don't think it's that weird, or at least they see its purpose (according to the poll I made and the part of twitter I haven't blocked). Trolls have blown it out of proportion, as expected, but I'm glad we're having more nuanced conversations here.

Conclusion:

I'm happy RoP is giving us another relationship dynamic, they're not afraid to push the characters emotionally. The scene hit harder with a kiss and it punctuated the doomed feeling of the narrative. Our emotional response is the very proof that it succeeded.

[rwrbficrecs]

September Faves

Enjoy these September recs from the team 🥰

Best Bar in The World by @pridepages (book-verse)

@heybuddy-drabbles: Well, I can now confirm that I'm 100% cerified a pridepages fan. The way she picks the themes of the original source and uses them in a different setting is just absolutely flawless, the same happens in Little Pages. It's gives you the same feelings of reading rwrb but also reading something new and different all at the same time.

My Brother’s Keeper by @indomitable-love (book-verse)

@janetical: Written in Philip’s POV, it tackles all the canon events in a frustrating yet heart-wrenching way. I knew what I was getting myself into when I noticed the POV, but I really did hate Philip less at the end of this fic. Everything is entailed in this little story: unresolved daddy issues and grief, internalized homophobia and Philip acknowledging Henry’s first time. It will make you cry, and it will end on a somewhat happy note.

For all the world to see by @everwitch-magiks (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This is a fic I couldn't put down! I'm always a fan of Henry being a writer in fics (so the description alone caught my eye), and the mix of cute moments with firstprince (and David) and plot twists had me hooked! It's also such an interesting look at the life of a writer and how difficult it is for them to have anonymity, which was especially interesting to me because of the writers strike in Hollywood.

he looks up grinning like the devil by @coffeecatsme (book-verse)

@read-and-write-: Also known as the frat boy AU, if you want some hurt/comfort that really does what it says on the tin. Don't be afraid because it is completely worth it!

written in the stars by @indomitable-love (book-verse)

@heybuddy-drabbles: This is just so beautiful. It's basically about Henry mostly. I didn't expect the "past" part would hit so hard but it did. I had to put it down a few times because it was truly heartbreaking but it has a happy ending. Don't be fooled like I was about it being all fluff. It's not, it's very nostalgic and they are apart for a long time but I still recommend it because, like I said, it's really beautiful.

Deep Blue by @myheartalivewrites (book-verse)

@thesleepyskipper: This was just a stunning piece of writing that does such a wonderful job of evoking images of the seaside cliffs, swimming in the cove and spending lazy days in the cottage above. At the same time, we get all that delicious pining and FWB to lovers fun within that beautiful setting. The spicy bits are beautifully done too! Highly recommend!

Rae of Sunshine! (series) by @three-drink-amy @indomitable-love @clottedcreamfudge @everwitch-magiks @the-amber-fox @villiageidiot @athousandrooms @welcometololaland @dustratcentral

@rmd-writes: I couldn't choose just one fic from this series gifted to me so I'm recommending them all, but every fic very much deserves the recommendation! Nine food-themed fics featuring everything from an exploration of Henry's life through food to chef!Henry to craft services trailer!Alex to matchmaker!Pez to the world's most cursed coffee habits from some of my favourite authors (and people)

What Do I Know? by @three-drink-amy (book-verse)

@babiemonk: The angst is so good I cried

Screw Your Courage to the Sticking Place (and forget macbeth is a fucking tragedy) by @celaestis1 (book-verse)

@babiemonk: So amazing, I didn’t want it to ever end. The angst was so good. The kidfic element was perfect. Possibly the perfect fic.

@dot524: I absolutely loved this one. Such a ride and I enjoyed every bit of it. I also really enjoyed the character of Alex’s daughter. Lots of complexity, great story arc.

God Save the Blessed American President Mom by @zipadeea (book-verse)

@babiemonk: This fucking broke me I cried for at least an entire day

@suseagull04: This is such an introspective look at Alex and Ellen's relationship (and Ellen as a character in general) and it's so good!

like father by rizcriz (movie-verse)

@indomitable-love: A really lovely and sensitively told conversation between Oscar & Henry, where Oscar catches Henry sneaking out of the lake house. This one got me right in my emotions. Very healing.

Bite Your Tongue On Purpose by Woodsarelovely (book-verse)

@darwinsfinchesx: Coffee Shop AU with a twist. This fic has some of the best dialogue I’ve ever read. It’s delightful, funny, and the characterization is on point. It leaves a big smile on my face every time I re-read it.

seldom what they seem by @jumpinginmuddypuddles (book-verse)

@gwiazdziarka: Sleeping beauty AU, where they don't need to fight with witches or dragons but there are... other problems. I love modern-day solutions to fairy-tale problems and here it actually just makes everything more complicated.

Mr. Bodypillow by @inexplicablymine (book-verse)

@gwiazdziarka: Yes, I recently recommended this one as wip, but now it's complete and I just need to bring it up again, because it deserves all the attention. Alex and Henry have the most amazing relationship here that goes outside of usual norms. It's also the warmest and the sweetest thing that I've read in a while. And it has great ace representation.

@read-and-write-: Is Ace!Alex very special to you? Do you want to feel like someone is wrapping you in a soft blanket? Then Mr. BodyPillow is for you! It's beautiful and will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside

come pick me up by @smc-27 (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This fic will both make you laugh and give you all the feels. An awkward first interaction when Henry requests an Uber ride leads to an instant connection and sizzling chemistry, all leading to a conclusion that, although satisfying, will leave you wanting more of this verse!

the winner takes it all by @dumbpeachjuice (book-verse)

@myheartalivewrites: A Tour de France, rivals cyclists AU! Keeping a lot of the book dynamics, Alex and Henry find themselves competing against each other on the Tour — and then falling into bed. This has everything: thrilling sports passages (even though I haven’t ever watched the Tour in my life!), romantic tension, a great read.

Love-Love by @smc-27 (book-verse)

@myheartalivewrites: a tennis AU set at Wimbledon, which obviously holds a special place in RWRB hearts. Alex and Henry as rival tennis players who’ve hooked up once, and then end up as doubles partners. A quick read that left me all warmed up from the inside.

a flicker, a spark by acastle (book/movie-verse)

@daisymae-12: Wow I don’t have the words to truly convey how much I loved this fic. It diverges from canon at Kensington and the events that follow are so beautifully written. This fic made me cry over an OC, made me feel seen when I recognized parts of my own cultural background woven into a story, made my heart ache for everything Alex and Henry have been through and made me tear up some more. This is one of the most heart-wrenching canon-divergence fics I’ve ever read and I know I’m going to be thinking about it for a long time.

Baby, All At Once (This Is Enough) by @iboatedhere (book-verse)

@daisymae-12: This fic is such a lovely look into Alex & Henry’s life post-canon and had me absolutely melting from the softness of it all.

Will You Brie Mine? by @cha-melodius (book-verse)

@daisymae-12: A fic featuring cheese and Henry being the one to sell it, what’s not to love? This was such a sweet fic and I loved the interactions between them! @cha-melodius always writes such amazing fics, and this was no exception.

[basedkikuenjoyer]

A Marvelously Wonderful Life

1102 was a very tough chapter to write about. I usually have a draft ready from the Raws, but here there were a few angles I had to look at it from. So y'all are getting a Christmas bonus. On the surface this is just a cool, cool chapter. We split between Kuma and Bonney's stories, showing the former's side of known events. It's so moving in it's own right, do remember part of why I choose to focus on the meta narrative aspects is because it's hitting very close to home. And y'all this one's a doozy. Bookends. So this flashback begins with Ginny saving the day at God Valley the way she did and now ends with Kuma setting a precedent for the exact narrative trope we're looking for? Showing hidden sides of known events.

That's it, that's like...the entire foundational building block of all this weird shit I've said. Kiku was perfectly set up to do this with all of Wano, but it'd really start looking like a new recruit narrative fast. It's not just saying that the same way anyone could do that, we've pointed out several specific places where you could guess something happened based on context clues. Miss Unassuming is kinda the #1 archetype to pair with a twist told that way. In essence, this flashback starts and ends by setting a precedent. That's one way you could look at it, given I can tie both to Victoria Cindry is blowing my mind.

You cheeky lil shit. Don't worry, I'm not getting ahead of myself. This could just be a last note of the flashback and next chapter we're back to fighting Saturn. Kuma pops in to save the day with a last ounce of humanity, the miracle we didn't see with Cindry. Tomorrow we'll talk big picture, why I still wonder if this is a red herring walking the same line as Yamato. But first we have to ask the basic question, where does 1103 go from here? Because it can do that...but did we see it? A repeat of how we came back from the big cutaway. When we skipped the night in the lab. Is this the start of us coming back to that? Don't forget that was a double-bluff too.

That is an intriguing possibility. Always cool when you see the concept you expected but in a different way that's instantly so much better. Yeah, that is the way to play with the flow of this narrative. Skip the night, get to the high drama, fill in the night, finish the fight. To me, if that's what we're doing then this is almost assuredly heading towards the "Double Rashomon" idea. There'll be one more segment away. Maybe it's the alternate take on Wano. Maybe that's through Sword and Drake's report. Maybe it's the two Stussys as a pretext to let Marco do it. Maybe it's something completely different with or without alt-Wano as the fourth, real one. Neat right?

Crackle. Oh man, story's picking up another frequency again. There's something I'm left with here. Kuma's a total patron saint of teddy bears and genuinely good dudes everywhere. He's so cuddly and sweet and I know some of y'all are gonna hate me for this but he's also kind of a trusting idiot. So it's interesting you have that "Bakura" split personality element seep in.

We've broached this subject before, it's where Okiku was an evolution of Himura Kenshin. Which is really just the difference between a man making big, grandiose axioms about nonviolence vs. a sensible, pragmatic woman who will bear the burden of doing what's necessary as a last resort. Remember how much Kuma's sacrifices troubled Ginny. A little more grit and realism from the very spiritual Kuma probably would have been better for everyone involved, but at least people end up remembering you as a figure like Oden.

Makes this little crackle very interesting. It theoretically works as a Chekov's Gun; a way for Kuma to have a happy ending if Vegapunk snuck it in anyways. Or it works as a roadmap for where Kuma, saintly as he may be, fell short and is part of something bigger. Recall, we do make a point of showing something similar out of Vivi losing her cool in a tense conversation with Cipher Pol. (Psst, and Stussy setting up still struggling with personal identity issues that are silly to worry too much about.)

[thoughtsbyharu]

Guts and Guts (spilled) Album Thoughts

My thoughts about Olivia Rodrigo's 2nd album, Guts!

Hi everyone! Long time no post! A lot has happened for the past months and I haven't posted a lot :(

Anyway, so Olivia released an album last September! This review is sooo long overdue haha but at least I could also review the new songs released on Guts (spilled) which is kind of like the deluxe edition of Guts.

I am very excited for this album because her previous album, "Sour" was one of my favorites. I listened to this on its release and it did not disappoint! So let's talk about my thoughts about it.

1. all-american bitch

Rating: 9/10

Memorable line/s:

"I don't get angry when I'm pissed. I'm the eternal optimist, I scream inside to deal with it"

"I'm grateful all the time (Grateful every f*cking time)"

Thoughts:

Way to start an album! The song is very catchy and the pop rock elements just hits up my alley. I heard that she used some American pop culture references in this song so I did some researching to know the meaning of them (since I am not American lol).

The overall tone of this song is somewhat sarcastic. I think the song is about how people expect her to be the "perfect American woman" when some of that ideals are quite destructive. Take for example the line:

"All the time, I'm grateful all the time I'm sexy and I'm kind I'm pretty when I cry"

and the line

"I don't get angry when I'm pissed I'm the eternal optimist I scream inside to deal with like "Ah""

It's like even if you are upset or angry, as a woman, you are expected to be calm and mature and handle things gracefully like a proper lady. Basically, bottling up your feelings because you, having negative feelings and expressing them doesn't sit well with people.

These types of expectations are toxic and unhealthy. Keeping your thoughts internally because people will be inconvenienced is such bs. Having emotions isn't a crime because guess what, women are people too. We should be able to laugh when you're happy, cry when you're sad and get mad when you're angry.

Overall (before this section takes too long), I like the song and it's meaning. I especially love the outro. Oh! and have you guys seen her performance of this song on SNL? It was amazing!

2. bad idea right?

Rating: 8.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"Seeing you tonight is a bad idea right?"

"I only see him as a friend (The biggest lie I ever said)"

This is like hearing the thought process of your friend who can't leave their ex or move on 😂

It's a fun song and really catchy. I love the build up before every chorus hits. It's fun to sing along to.

It's funny because this song reminds me of one of my friends and his on/off relationship with a girl. Like, he keeps ranting about her but he just keeps coming back to her. Saying things like, "Well, we're still friends so we're still hanging out" but then regrets it later when stuff happens. This song reminds me soooo much of him. No matter how much advice we give him he always does the opposite.

Anyways, to my friend out there, hope you move on already!

3. vampire

Rating: 9/10

Memorable line/s:

"I used to think I was smart but you made look so naive"

"You can't love anyone, 'cause that would mean you had a heart"

So this song was said to be about a previous boyfriend but others said that this is about Taylor Swift, but I think I'd go with the former. I did some research and she did have a former boyfriend that fits the description so maybe it's about him?

The lyrics is kind of like "All Too Well" all over again. Not saying it's bad but it's really weird to think that a lot of young women can relate to it. I mean, why do these men always go after young women who's like, years their junior? The line "Went for me and not her, 'cause girls your age know better"?? Like dudes, why can't you find someone your age? Young women in their late teens to early 20s are still figuring out life, leave them alone 😂

Anyways, the song is quite good and pretty hard to sing so kudos to Olivia! I watched her live performances to this song and it's just so amazing.

4. lacy

Rating: 7.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"I see you everywhere, sweetest torture one could bear"

"People are people but it's like you're made of angel dust"

"I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you"

This is definitely about envy. It's the kind of envy where you admire someone because you can never be like them. Do you guys get it? (haha)

She puts "lacy" in a pedestal because she's basically perfect; which is something that she (Olivia) thinks she could never be. Basically, "Lacy" brings out her insecurities and this is frustrating her.

I think most of us has their own "lacy". Maybe it's an idol, actress, friend, etc. and I get it because I also have my own. The thing is, you are your own person and that lacy is also their own person. You will never be them because you are you. It's alright to acknowledge the feeling of jealousy but don't let your life revolve around it. Do things that are best for you.

5. ballad of a homeschool girl

Rating: 8/10

Memorable line/s:

"I'm on the outside of the greatest inside joke"

"Each time I step outside, it's social suicide!"

This is not a ballad, this is an anthem!! 😂

I have to say, this ain't just for the homeschool girlies but awkward and socially inept people too (like me). I am laughing all throughout this song when I first listened to it because it is TOO relatable for my own good.

I love how chaotic it sounds, like a mind of a very confused and anxious girl who does not know how social stuff works.

P.S. can't find a fitting gif for this sooo bear with me

6. making the bed

Rating: 8/10

Memorable line/s:

"Well sometimes I feel like I don't wanna be where I am"

"Every good thing has turned into something I dread"

"I got the things I wanted, it's not what I imagined"

This is such a very personal and emotional song. I've been watching BoJack Horseman recently (I'm on Season 4 pls no spoilers) and this song reminds me of him. This song could be about her rise to fame but it could also be interpreted as facing the consequences of your own actions thus the title.

9. logical

Rating: 8/10

Memorable line/s:

"No, love is never logical"

"I know I'm half responsible and that makes me feel horrible"

"i fell for you like water falls from the february sky"

Another ballad~ It's about how she wished she left an unhealthy relationship sooner. She reminisced about how she ignored all the red flags because she loved him. This is probably about that guy on vampire because some lyrics talks about how he took advantage of her because she was young. And yes, when you are young, immature, and inexperienced, love is not logical. She seems to blame herself over it as well which made me want to give her a hug :(

The song makes me sad.

10. get him back!

Rating: 9.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"But I am my father's daughter, so maybe I could fix him"

"Wanna kiss his face, with an uppercut"

"I want sweet revenge, I want him again"

This feels like the continuation for "bad idea right?". Get him back is a song about having complicated feelings for an awful ex. She wants to get back with him but at the same time she wants to get revenge or get back at him for breaking her heart.

Song is very catchy and I hope I could hear this live soon! (Olivia please come to the Philippines) One of my faves in this album.

11. love is embarrassing

Rating: 9.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"My God, love's embarrassing as hell"

This is logical but in a lighter tone or when you are at the stage that you've moved on but you suddenly remember what you did and you get second hand embarrassment for yourself 🤣 It's giving "What the hell was I thinking, tf did I do that for??"

This song is so fun and I found myself singing it from time to time. One of my favesss

12. the grudge

Rating: 11/10

Memorable line/s:

"You took everything I loved and crushed it in between your fingers"

"My undying love, now I hold it like a grudge"

"I takes strength to forgive, but I don't feel strong"

"How could anybody do the things you did so easily?"

"It takes strength to forgive but, I'm not quite sure I'm there yet"

Ngl, this song made me cry. Every time I try singing it I always end up tearing up or crying. It's like you are trying to move on and forgive someone but that pain still lingers and it hurts so much and you can't bring yourself to come in terms with. To anyone who is in the situation, give yourself time because as they say time can heal all wounds. If you must cry, then there's no shame in crying.

13. pretty isn't pretty

Rating: 10/10

Memorable line/s:

"There's always something in the mirror that I think looks wrong"

"...I could try every every lipstick in every shade, but I'd always feel the same "

"You fix the things you hated, And you'd still feel so insecure"

Seriously Olivia. Why should you always write songs that are so personal and relatable?? I gotta be honest, but this song made me cry again haha. I dunno, I just can relate to this song soooo much. I love how Olivia wrote this because it captures the struggles of being an anxious and insecure individual. Anyway, on a lighter note, I love the guitar and the bridge of this song. This is one of my faves.

14. teenage dream

Rating: 10/10

Memorable line/s:

"When am I gonna stop being wise beyond my years and just start being wise?"

"They all say that it gets better, it gets better, but what if I don't?"

Another ballad and yes, I am crying because of this song yet again. If I have a song I want my teenage self to hear, it's this song. I am an eldest daughter in an Asian household so this song just pulls my heartstrings so much because it makes me feel heard and my feelings validated. I am expected of many things so this song comforts me.

The slow buildup to a rock tone during the outro is also such a nice tone.

15. obsessed

Rating: 10/10

Memorable line/s:

"You both have moved on, you don't even talk. But I can't help it, I got issues, I can't help it baby"

You don't know how guilty I felt when I heard this song for the first time hahaha. At one point in my life, I've been soooo insecure at my boyfriend's ex and the lyrics just hits me like a damn truck because my thoughts are exactly the same!! I mean, sometimes you just can't help to compare yourself from an ex you know?

I love the contrast of this vs. the other 3 songs because this is pop rock. I love the instrumentals for this!

16. girl i've always been

Rating: 8/10

Memorable line/s:

"And I can't say I'm a perfect ten. But I am the girl I've always been"

A country song! I love how lively this song is. The lyrics is kind of empowering in a way because it feels like Olivia has accepted that she is flawed and is not pretending to be that perfect girl anymore.

17. scared of my guitar

Rating: 7.5/10

Memorable line/s:

"I can't lie to it the same way that I lie to you"

"So we'll stay together 'cause how could I ever trade something that's good for what's right."

Another sad song (please Olivia I'll run out of tears!). I think Olivia is pertaining to her songwriting skills here and how she uses it to express her raw and authentic self. She compares how honest she is with her songwriting versus her relationship with others. It is implied that she isn't transparent about her feelings with other people, possibly because she is protecting herself.

18. stranger

Rating: 10/10

Memorable line/s:

"I cried a million rivers for you but that's over now. You're just a stranger I know everything about"

"You are the best thing that I'll ever keep so far out of my life"

"If I'm not enough for you, you're not enough for me"

This song is so uplifting and positive for someone who already moved on. I love the lyrics of this as it speaks about moving forward and forgiving someone but never forgetting. Oh! and I love the reference from "enough for you". I also love the guitar on this one.

19. so american

Rating: 9/10

Memorable line/s:

"He's like a poem I wish I wrote"

"Oh god, it's just not fair of him to make me feel this much"

"I'm probably gonna marry him if he keeps this shit up"

"I really love my bed but man it's hard to sleep when he's with me"

"I don't wanna assume this stuff. But ain't it love? I think I'm in love"

Guysss we finally have a love song!! This is such a perfect way to end an album together with "stranger" because it feels like a chapter has closed and another one has opened! This is her first love song since her debut right?? It's sooo good. The lyrics are so cute and makes me smile. She describes this guy as the best thing that's ever happen to her and that makes me happy somehow? She sounds sooo inlove and adorableee! I really love the bridge it makes me all giggly ><

-----

My Top 5 Picks:

stranger

the grudge

love is embarrassing

obsessed

pretty isn't pretty

-----

Overall Thoughts:

I gotta say, kudos to Olivia and her team because they manage to create another good album! It's great that they are consistent with pop rock and ballads and I especially appreciate that they added a little country touch on the song list!

Overall, like Sour, I love how this album is so personal. Ngl, this made me cry more than Sour ><

-----

[tc-doherty]

aaaaa thank you!!! I am awkward af when it comes to talking to people. I'm having a struggle with balancing fantastical and realistic elements in fighting. I am well versed in using a bow but that is where my experience in weaponry ends what advice do you have for weapon maintenance? Did things fall apart or break easily or were they generally pretty sturdy? Do you have a chart/info about the weights of weapons? (this is my main blog) I hope there aren't too many questions here!

You don't have to thank me, I am literally so happy to be able to talk about stuff like this with someone!!! On the flipside maybe I'll ask you some questions sometime because archery is the one thing I don't know anything about.

Maintenance tips: things are generally pretty sturdy but they still do need care. You would need to polish your sword and apply oil to it to keep the blade in good condition. Always clean it after it's used, nothing gets to me like seeing somebody put a bloody sword back in a scabbard LMAO

It will get nicks and scratches in it. In the sword style that I studied, the top half of the sword was sharpened and used for attacking, the bottom half was dull and used for blocking and defending so it naturally got a bit chipped. Especially the part that's sharpened will need to be re-sharpened from time to time. If you're talking about European swords at least, things like katanas are a whole lot more fragile and will shatter if you hit them at the wrong angle.

As per the weight of various weapons I can tell you from experience that they are actually not particularly heavy. A single-handed sword like mine is maybe 1 to 2 pounds, I don't have an exact weight for it. A two-handed sword is more like 3 to 4 pounds, but the weight is distributed between 2 hands so it doesn't seem very heavy at all. Mine is synthetic so it's clunkier than metal, but even so it felt light when I was using it. Even so, most fights don't actually last that long because you are swinging a weighted thing around and it gets tiring. Weapons are sized to the person using them so the weights can vary. I'm short so my swords are lighter because they aren't as long.

Daggers obviously are very light, I did cane fighting which is lighter even than a sword. I would say the buckler is about the same as a single-handed sword, maybe a little heavier? Definitely a bit more awkward. I never got to do anything with full-sized shields or polearms so I can't speak from experience but I imagine one that's being used is probably still relatively light. All of the gear together would start to weigh on you but the individual pieces I wouldn't expect anything to go higher than 5, maybe 6 pounds.

I'm about to run out but I will see if I can find anything specifically about the weights of various weapons and send it your way when I get back. And of course, if you have any other questions in the meantime feel free to send them!

[sickgraymeat]

whats your opinion/take on marceline and simon's relationship?

Good question that I don’t fully know the answer to tbh shdbdbbs but I’ll do my best. I have tried to write about it but I think I’ve always kind of shied away from actually thinking about it too hard. If anyone reading this has read my fics, please know that I am ashamed of the way I tried to dance around everything related to him lol. I have so much more to say but it’s pretty painful and I’m not great at writing or completing a story anyway so I took the easy way out and pretended sometimes. As many of us do, easily, and joyfully even— this is me saying that Bonnie being happy to hear Simon’s call doesn’t mean her trauma isn’t real or that she doesn’t associate him with it. If you have to be around someone who hurt you a lot, you can get so good at faking it that you even trick yourself, especially in the moments when they’re around or mentioned. That’s just survival. Anyway!

I think he was a good caregiver and I don’t think he abused her (and I think shipping them is capital G Gross I wish I didn’t know that was a thing lol). I think him flirting with her in “I Remember You” (is that the right one???) is probably NOT a common occurrence based on her reaction. Marcy is obvs experiencing a lot of heavy emotions in that scene and she can be overly trusting, and I obviously may be wrong about that regardless, but my interpretation is that she wasn’t expecting that at all. Simon in his shoulder length hair era (like flashback in “Simon and Marcy”) actually hits super hard for me as a caregiver with a fucked up (dissociative and sometimes dangerously distractible) brain, and I think his caregiving is a really good parallel to Bonnie’s in that it’s something they do for themselves as much as for the ones they care for. Which isn’t to say that it’s selfish (and I can relate to some degree so I can’t really judge either way) but Simon clearly needed Marcy — in particular, needed her to need him — at least at that point. She gave him a sense of purpose and a reason to both live and avoid the crown as much as possible. Also evident in F&C. Not going into specifics jic but if you’ve seen it you know what I mean. He’s also just very much a dad, even to the point of treating his penguins (and NEPTR….. to an extent lol) like children, which again parallels Bonnie— they both created kingdoms where they not only rule but also love in a way that they alone can define. I think Simon’s dad-ness is probably partly just in his character, but also partly missing Marcy and wanting to atone for leaving her, and probably partly just Gunther wanting a father figure if the crown is in play.

Ultimately Simon was there for Marcy when she had no one else, and when she didn’t believe she was worthy of being loved and taken care of. He did an okay job, but she’s spent her life inflating that and idealizing the Real Simon (as opposed to Ice King, who I have to say is not a different person — based on his range of emotions and actions and fallibility, closer to Simon than the pure elementals are to their regular selves). For me, Simon using Hambo to make a portal and everything else about their interactions in that episode is a pretty good indicator that she isn’t his priority. He’s obviously in a hurry and under a lot of stress, but even in “Broke His Crown” when he acknowledges that, his fatherly feelings toward her are pretty patriarchal and not as thoughtful as her feelings toward him. Regardless, I think it’s good for them to have some distance. He was a good caregiver, and she probably needed to believe that he was perfect, but I’m guessing what they have now is more like friendship, and that’s probably for the best. She’s no longer dependent, and he’s not dependable. AND most importantly, friendship might allow them to see each other more clearly and have the conversations they’ve needed to about the times he hurt her and yeah maybe also about the times he hurt Bonnie and everyone else.

Sorry that was so long and thank you for asking!!!!!!!!!

[r1ver-6]

2022 Fanfic Writing in Review

Tagged by @figsandfandoms Thanks!! This was super fun!

1. Number of stories posted

33

2. Word count for the year

126,935

3. Fandoms you wrote for

Community, Doctor Who, Firefly, Merlin, Psych, Star Trek: Voyager, Stranger Things, West Wing, The Witcher

4. Pairings

Troy x Abed, 9th Doctor x Rose, Firefly crew, Merlin x Arthur, Shawn x Gus, Tom x Harry, Chakotay and Tuvok, Steve x Eddie, Geralt x Jaskier, Josh x Donna, Sam x Josh, Jaskier and Yennefer

5. Story with the most

Kudos: 4503- If He Ever Hurts You

Bookmarks: 61-If He Ever Hurts You

Comments- 4 (+ my responses) on various works

6. Work you’re most proud of (Why?)

I have to go with The Joker and the King because I actually got all the elements of the song to work in a fic :) But If He Ever Hurts You and Battle Scars are close seconds due to their length and complexities.

7. Work you’re least proud of (Why?)

I love all my children equally. I put too much work into each of them to not be proud. Have confidence in the fact that you are creating something and never feel bad about it!

8. Favorite review you received (Why?)

The support from @figsandfandoms and @fruitygus always keeps me going! But anytime there’s engagement with my work, I blush so thanks to all :)

9. A time when writing was really hard

I had to take a long break from October to early December to focus on school assignments. I desperately missed the creativity and am so excited to get back into it!!!

10. A scene/character you wrote for that surprised you

I cannot believe I wrote so much for Steddie this year! I’d never written for Stranger Things but the fourth season opened the floodgates!

11. A favorite excerpt from your writing

I’m going to do a title instead with We both have cigarettes and cufflinks because of the randomness of the story behind it. I was at a memorial for work and overheard a snippet of two old men’s conversation. That line was the only thing I caught and I thought it fit Steddie

12. How did you grow as a writer this year

I cursed more which is a big step for me :) it’s not in my daily vocab but it was fun lol

13. How do you hope to grow next year

I hope to have more time and inspiration. The media I’ve been consuming recently hasn’t given me much to work with.

14. Who was your greatest positive influence as a writer (beta, another writer, cheerleader?)

Like I said, anyone who comments or engages in any way with my writing makes me so happy I cry! I never expect to get 10 hits let alone kudos or comments. The fandom community has been more than I could ever hope for and I love you all <3

15. Anything from real life show up in your writing

I saw a shirt at the mall that blew me away so much I used it Psyched!

16. New wisdom you can share with others

You can always get back into writing, even if you’ve taken a break. People will be there to cheer you on. And never be afraid to self promote!

17. Projects you’re looking forward to in the new year

I have a Spicy Six (Stranger Things) in the works that’s been knocking around for a few months. Just need that last burst of motivation. A couple of Shus ideas in the mix as well. One angsty, one pure tooth rotting fluff. Aside from that, I have no idea but I can’t wait to see where inspiration will strike

18. Tags

Anyone who sees this and wants to join in :)

[hotdogdynamitezzz]

I am sorry for this late feedback but something more important came up in personal life.

I truly agree with what you said that I will be going through a lot of personal transformations because I am. Everything that I used to believe in before, is slowly shattering down and it feels too sudden? I do want the good things for myself but the pace at which all these are happening, makes me distressed. I have started to keep less expectations from people/friends in general and this protects me from getting hurt. Also, yeah, i am charging ahead towards my goals in life , they are far now but i feel like i will be getting close to them soon. I am not the person that I used to be before and sometimes it shocks me but eventually i know that it will help me in the long run. I haven't been through a breakup, so i guess it means changing old patterns and coming out of them. Even though, i wanted something " lovey dovey" in my solar chart but i guess that's not important in my life right now.

Thank you so much for the reading, it was really helpful and insightful ✨

Hello! Omg don't apologize for the late feedback, I appreciate you even coming here to give me such personal thoughts and details. It was so honest I was really touched by what you've said. Touched as in I feel like crying with you cuz Ik how scary it is to have so many things breaking apart quickly and you don't feel ready :( and I wish I could give you a hug rn omg. It is super distressing and it sucks feeling like you have to change in order to be happy so you can protect yourself. That part really hit deep tbh, but I want you to know you don't have to stay guarded to protect your heart even though it feels like the only option rn. Staying true to yourself and keeping your peace protects your heart enough. I know you feel so shattered from everything you've gone through and it seems like you're going through a tower moment rn and seeking emotional shelter if that makes sense? Just something to keep your heart safe because you can't take anymore after everything you've gone through at once. It is overwhelming when this happens, it does feel as if you're breaking apart and no one can help. But those you've trusted and have stayed by your side during this you can always trust. Ik it can even be hard and draining to just talk to others when you go through these events and it seems neverending :( but it will come to an end and you will be able to keep your heart safe and your peace.

I'm not at all surprised you were hoping for a more lovey dovey year because honestly whenever I see a lot of change and turmoil present in charts I also hope they have a year filled with more love. Because that's when you really need it the most. So I'm hoping love does come your way this year and I'm wrong 🥺.

I think you will discover a lot of goals and be put on the path of what you're meant to do this year and that's beautiful. I'm happy that at least one good thing can be seen coming out of this year, it gives you strength and hope when you can see yourself getting close to them and that's sooo important for this development and painful growing stage in your life.

I'm seriously sending you so much love and hugs rn🫂🫂

This has been the most special feedback ever. This is totally unrelated but I had a really emotional dream last night and it was probably close to when this ask was sent because I woke up and fell back asleep around 5am my time and when I checked my tumblr this ask wasn't sent yet but when I woke up it was. The reason I bring this up is because I can't remember the dream exactly but it had to do with myself and this strange random man I've never seen before that turned on me and I felt really broken. He made me feel very threatened in a way? Like I couldn't turn to anyone for help. It had some fantasy elements to it as well but I can't really remember. It was a weird dream where he felt like the one for me but then all of a sudden turned on me and vanished. And for some reason in this dream others hated me too? I remember one part rn where I fell off a cliff and sunk into the water feeling unseen and suffocated? Basically I woke up wanting to cry because I felt so alone in this dream.

I just wanted to share that with you because I felt an emotional connection through this ask. I hope I'm not coming off as opportunistic or manipulative because I know some people say those things to take advantage of others. But genuinely that dream really struck me and it was such a similar feeling to your ask so I had to tell you about it.

I'm rooting for you and sending so much love and hugs🫂🫂💖💖💖💖💖 I'm really grateful for this special feedback, I wouldn't even call it feedback because it sounds so business-like and this feels way more meaningful. Sending you the best of luck to fight through this year and hopefully love will come your way.

(I'm also decorating this ask with the vibe I get from you and sending you beautiful angel numbers in the aesthetic that I feel for your current situation 💕 I'm seriously going to look back at this ask and think about it a lot. It's just a really meaningful ask for me)

[beseojun]

✰ Reflection: seojun looks back on the performance of cake ✰

being in the interview room again after a performance makes him feel giddy in a way. he remembers when he did his team performance to a cherish song and got to reflect back on that. sure his team didn’t do well since they didn’t bring anything new to make the song theirs but he had been reeling that he even got the chance to perform a song by a group he adored.

seojun bows toward the people in the room before he settles into the chair. he lets himself relax and doesn’t let the nervous feeling hit him. he can do this and he doesn’t mind answering questions. it’s just making him remember his time here more than he thought.

did you expect to be performing at all while being a coach?

he instantly finds himself shaking his head before answering. “i didn’t expect it but i should have. i don’t mind performing. i feel like i’m in my element whenever i do and i enjoy getting to perform alongside the group i helped out. i hope i was able to be an example for them as well.

was there anything you struggled with when it came to training your group at all? 

“i struggled with something internally more. i’ve been a dancer and can even make choreo but i always thought it would be hard to get people to follow what i tell them. sometimes i feel i can communicate better with dancing than words.” he just never taught before so it was different but he didn’t hate it. “it was nice learning though and i hope i taught them well with the small amount of time i had with them.”

so you’ve said it’s your first time coaching anyone. are there any doubts with doing this?

he nods instantly. “of course. i always have doubts in my mind and being a perfectionist doesn’t help. i always wanna prove i can do something even if it seems impossible plus i’m learning to enjoy being a special coach. seeing everyone learning what i did before just makes me happy and i like being able to help do so.”

you do know that your team could be the losing one tonight. how would that make you feel?

he bites at his lip some. he expected this question in a way and he already has an answer wanting to come out. “honestly, i’d feel disappointed and like i didn’t even do my job as a special coach. it would be a bit heartbreaking to lose but at least i know i got something across to my team. even if we worked together a little bit, i enjoyed my time beside all of them.

[call-sign-shark]

Now that I'm a bit more relaxed I can enjoy this new chapter of your marvelous work teehee! Sorry for the delay, I swear I couldn't wait to catch up with Nina's story and God I wasn't disappointed. I'm sorry if this comment is messy but I have so many things to say!

First of all, Nina being Tommy's personal translator should have bothered the fuck out of her lmao. Besides, the issue of unmarried women that is so relevant to your story is always perfectly handled. I particularly appreciate how you not only talk about dishonor and fear of Nina's uncertain future, but how Thomas Shelby marrying Nina would also be a revenge over Aunt Rita, hence showing the subtle competitiveness in Italian family. Wonderful. Moreover, the story of Winston is an absolute threat. The cunning beast always scaring Nina's mother certainly out of spite is such a fun idea. The cat is definitely as fierce as his owner. “Don’t trust him. He lets you get close and, when you least expect it, he attacks.// “He seems cute, but he’s feral.” Pretty sure we're talking about my adorable baby Nina and not the cat. She probably wanted to say "I". And it seems like Tommy agree with me. 😇

If I'm being honest Reb, I am genuinely amazed by your writing style. Descriptions and atmosphere are definitely your strengths and how you add little details only fleshes out the story even more and make it so realistic I'm wondering if it's really fanfiction or some canon elements I missed. For instance, the moment Tommy and Nina walk together and he starts paying attention to her features got me shivering. It was such a peaceful and poetic scene, which perfectly represents their relationship so far: they don't trust each other, but they can't deny the mutual respect nor... The crush curiosity they have for each other. "Some irrational part of him wondered how it would feel to brush his fingers against it" Like this line was so sensual and soft at the same time.

The whole way you write Nina's disgust at Stefano and how her mother smile and be like "oh look, come talking" don't only hit close to home, but is so well-described that I almost shivered. Also, I loved that Thomas already seems to know Nina well and even himself is surprised by her burning hostility. What a bastard, I'm kinda happy she threatened him with a knife but gosh it didn't even work... I swear I was tensed during the conversation and so relieeeeeved when Stefano's brother called him back.

He nodded, understanding that it was her way of telling him not to inquire further. But although it wasn’t his business, he couldn’t help but wonder what could’ve possibly made her mood darken like that. Being a man, he knew the look on that guy’s face all too well, but he could tell there was something more to that.

Admittedly, that's a big chunk I quoted here but the whole passage is amazing. I'm hooked by the way Tommy stayed behind, quiet, didn't intervene but still looked at the scene with his cold and piercing blue eyes, and display a hint of worry for Nina. Usually I love the "love at first sight trope" more because it's very difficult to write dawning feelings and it takes a long time, but you make it look effortless.

Now the plot of the marriage with Agnese is also perfectly handled, for you still keep the fact that she's a beautiful girl and Tommy isn't indifferent to her charms. But he's well aware that she might be too sweet for her, that's why I loved the line "he knew he probably wouldn’t be able to love her, with time he might learn to feel some kind of affection towards her". That's heartbreaking but so true and canon for Tommy. (pls Tom can't you realize Nina is made for you? I'm saying this because their hands accidentally brushing against each other got me feeling all fuzzy and I giggled like a schoolgirl)

I'm not going to copy paste the whole passage but Reb, honey, the entire paragraph about Nina's finding comfort in her father's office and her feeling of injustice about the fact she's a woman was a powerful, gripping and so beautiful passage. I think it's my favorite of the whole chapter. I already talked about it in last chapter but I am also in love with the relationship between Nina and her father. He's trying his best, conflicted between the love for his daughter and the fear she will never get married. It must be also difficult for him. I am glad he said no to Stefano's father even if it was temporary and wants Nina to think about it ...

Ahh Nina's cousins insulting her of being a witch because of an unfortunate event made me laugh! Especially their fear for Winston, sent by the devil aha! But I feel it, Sicilian family are sooo superstitious but I'm digressing. Also I must admit that I can only applaud that beautiful parallel between Nina and Tommy when they are talking in the kitchen at night and he explains to her how people also thought he was a wizard or something. As you pointed it in your work, this is such a genuine and humane moment for Tommy and I love how, for the first time, she doesn't see him as the cold gangster but as a man. Just a simple mortal man. Their banter about the tea and the whisky... Gosh I ship them so much it hurts. Like I really ship them. In truth I could perfectly picture the scene in my mind, the two of them talking for hours -- this is such a peaceful scene. They'd be so good for each other. Nevertheless, the “Yeah, you better do, ‘cause if you don’t, I’ll come all the way to fucking Birmingham to kick your ass.” line got me laughing. My sweet Nina! Truthful to herself. 🖤

THE ENDING? I am kicking my feet like a teenagers reading Vampire Diary, this is RIDICULOUS. But the "Call me Tommy" aawww... I can't wait for next chapter!! And seriously Reb you can't imagine how much I love Nina, she's so precious, she owns my freakin' heart.

Heart, Body and Soul || Tommy Shelby x OC

PART III

Summary: Tommy makes up his mind about who it his that he’s going to marry. An unwanted encounter rattles Nina, and leaves Tommy with questions.

Warnings: mentions of arranged marriage, slow-burn, small age-gap (Tommy’s 30, Nina is in her early 20s), time-typical misogyny, drinking, smoking, mentions of drugs, mentions of violence, English is not my first language.

A/N: here’s the third chapter! I got a bit carried away with this one, and I hope you’ll like it. Here and there in the series there will be some sentences taken from the show. At the end of the chapter, you’ll find the translation of a few Italian sentences. Feedback is always appreciated☀️

PREVIOUS PART

SERIES MASTERLIST

Gif credit

Dividers credit

The first few days following Tommy Shelby’s arrival were probably the busiest the Ferrante family had ever lived. Among lunches, dinners, nosy relatives and business meetings, no one had a moment’s rest, not even Tommy himself. The guest had been occupied by countless meetings with Vincenzo and Mario Ferrante, aiming to draw up a plan of action to take down Sabini. However, he had not openly declared his intention to court one of the girls yet, keeping everybody on edge. Nina had a suspicion that he took pleasure in keeping them waiting, enjoying that bit of control. Or maybe it was part of some kind of plan. Whether it was strategy or pure entertainment, it was working.

Sitting at the breakfast table, she tried to capture fragments of the conversation that was going on between Tommy Shelby and her father in the next room, but their voices were too low for her to pick up their words. The rattles of pots and pans caused by her mother surely didn’t help. After an indefinite amount of time, they made their way into the kitchen, apparently ready to go out.

“Nina,” her father addressed her, making her raise her head from her breakfast. “Mr. Shelby is coming with you and your mother to the city.” He announced, gesturing towards the guest. “He has something to do, and he’ll need someone to translate for him.”

Nina had to hold back a snort at her father’s words. She had totally forgotten she had promised her mother she’d go to the city with her to help her with the groceries, and now that she had to be Tommy Shelby’s personal translator, she wanted to go even less. However, she nodded in agreement, knowing all too well there was no point in protesting, especially with her father.

Satisfied by her answer, Vincenzo walked up to her to place a kiss on her head. “Grazie. Ci vediamo dopo, vado a parlare con zio Mario.” (“Thank you. I’ll see you later, I’m going to talk to uncle Mario.”)

Her gaze followed him as he said goodbye to her mother and moved to leave the room, but not before whispering something in the gangster’s hear. Once her husband was gone, Maria Ferrante smiled and gestured towards the table, encouraging Tommy to have breakfast, her lack of English making it impossible for her to formulate a single sentence. He nodded in thanks and sat on a chair, opting for a cup of coffee. Silence fell in the room, only broken by the clattering noise of the utensils. Nina couldn’t help but notice how neat he looked, even in the early hours of the morning, already dressed and freshly shaved, and she suddenly felt somewhat self-conscious about her disheveled hair and house clothes. It wasn’t like she cared about what he thought of her, but showing herself like that made her feel like she was at something of a disadvantage. Off guard, even.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mother glancing at them from time to time, unsuccessfully trying to be subtle as she waited for them to interact in some way. A sigh escaped her lips as she poured herself some coffee, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the situation.

She was well aware about her mother’s hopes and wishes. The prospect of having an unmarried daughter was terrifying, not only because marriage was a woman’s duty, but also because women didn’t get far in life without a man taking care of them. Moreover, the village was starting to talk. Older women speculated about Nina’s behaviour, about the reasons behind it, about where her fierceness would lead. If word about a possible dishonour spread, the whole family would be ruined. But it was also a matter of pride. If Tommy Shelby chose to marry Nina, it would be a victory against Aunt Rita and her beautiful, perfect daughter.

Just as she was about to get up to go and get ready, a dark shadow whipped past her head from above and landed softly on the ground without a sound. Tommy’s head snapped towards the spot where the shadow had landed, and Nina almost chocked on her coffee, already knowing that all hell would break loose as soon as she saw her black cat standing in the middle of the room. She was quick to put her cup back on the table, but before she could intervene, her mother let out a scream, waving the rag she had in her hand against the animal, a long series of Italian curses leaving her lips. Nina placed her hand in front of her mouth, trying her best not to laugh as the cat stared at the woman with his bright yellow eyes, an imperturbable look on his little face, but as soon as she caught sight of Tommy Shelby’s stunned expression all of her efforts to suppress her laughter failed.

Her mother glared at her, crossing to her to hit the back of her head with the rug. “Fai sparire quella bestia.” She spat out, before turning on her heels and leaving the room.

Winston had a habit of snuggling on tall cabinets, in the dark, where no one could see him, just to jump out at the least suitable times - that is, when Maria Ferrante was there. That cat terrified her, not only because she was scared of cats in general, but especially since he was a black one. When her daughter years prior brought that bad omen inside her house, she even threatened to leave. Sometimes, Nina wondered if the cat was doing it out of spite, somehow sensing that her mother hated him with all her being.

Nina watched as the Winston sat next to the table, starting to lick his paws as if nothing happened, then she glanced at Tommy, who had seemingly recollected himself after that burst of chaos. He stretched his hand out to the cat, which stopped his movements to follow him with his eyes, his little body slightly stiffening.

For a moment, just for a moment, Nina considered staying silent and let him risk his fingers, but her good nature took over. “He’ll scratch you.” She warned him. “He only lets me pet him.”

Tommy withdrew his hand, furrowing his brows. “It didn’t seem like he wanted to scratch.”

That’s the point, she thought to herself as she grabbed her cup again and leaned with her back against the chair. “Don’t trust him. He lets you get close and, when you least expect it, he attacks.” She explained, shifting her eyes in the direction of the cat. “He seems cute, but he’s feral.”

“Reminds me of someone.” He quietly murmured, and if the room hadn’t been so silent she wouldn’t have even heard him. But she did, and she was struck speechless by his statement. His eyes shined with amusement at her baffled face, clearly proud about the fact that he had finally managed to dumbfound her.

Was it a compliment? An insult? Was he just having fun? Nina couldn’t read him, and it only made her more nervous. But she quickly regained her composure, unwilling to give him too much satisfaction. She emptied her cup and put it on the table, clearing her throat. “I’ll get ready, and then we can go.” She changed the subject, getting up from her chair.

Tommy mirrored her action, and before she could leave the kitchen, his voice stopped her. “Do you have whiskey?”

She turned around, shifting her gaze between the clock on the wall and the man in front of her. She opened her mouth to say something, astonished by his peculiar choice of breakfast, but again, words failed her. Deciding that it wasn’t her business, she took a bottle and a glass out of a cabinet and placed them on the table, before walking out of the room.

Tommy Shelby undoubtedly wasn’t an ordinary man.

Tommy wasn’t so sure that the place where the Ferrante’s personal driver had taken them could be actually called city. There were a few shops, and even a public square with a small church, but it was kind of empty, and it was still within the limits of the village. He figured that “city” was probably their way of referring to the area outside the outskirts, where the whole family lived to keep a low profile while conducting the business in the big cities.

Walking next to Nina, Tommy took advantage of their proximity to take in the details of her face. She had an interesting kind of beauty, her features were sharp, but harmonious as a whole. Her brown irises shone with a golden hue in the sunlight, and were framed by long, thick lashes. She had pulled her long black hair into a braid, exposing her delicate neck. Her tanned skin seemed soft, even velvety, and some irrational part of him wondered how it would feel to brush his fingers against it.

He pushed back the thought, shifting his gaze just in time for her not to notice that he had been observing her. He had to admit that Nina aroused his curiosity, for one reason or another, and he would have sworn that she felt the same way about him. He was not unaware of the glances she stole him from time to time, when she thought he wasn’t looking. She studied him just as much as he studied her.

“What is it that you have to do, Mr Shelby?” Nina’s voice jolted him out of his thoughts, her question reminding him that it wasn’t her the girl he was supposed to keep his attention on.

Tommy sucked in a breath, the words he was about to say felt heavy on this tongue. “I need to buy a gift for your cousin. Today I’ll start courting her.”

Saying it out loud made it even more real. Until that moment, that marriage had felt like something that wouldn’t happen to him, like something he was setting up for someone else. Now Tommy was starting to realise how much his life was going to change, and that thought was almost suffocating.

“It’s about time.” She raised her eyebrows, a hint of mischief in her voice. “Finally we’ll be able to sleep at night.”

“What, you were so scared I’d choose you that you couldn’t sleep?” He squinted his eyes, the ghost of a smirk playing on his face.

“Yes, I was terrified.” She nodded, taking on a fake serious tone.

He was about to retort, when Maria Ferrante called her daughter from behind, making them stop in their tracks. Too caught up in their bickering, they hadn’t noticed that Nina’s mother had fallen far behind. A guy Tommy had never seen before was now walking next to her, amiably allowing her to lean on his arm.

“Nina, guarda chi c’è.” She slightly raised her voice, motioning her to get closer.

Tommy watched in confusion as Nina’s expression changed, the slight clenching of her jaw hardening her features, her whole body tensing. She didn’t obey to her mother’s request, choosing to wait for them to approach her instead. She kept her gaze fixated on the young man, staying silent even when he came close to them, Maria still on his arm with a big smile on her face. She told them something in Italian, sending a meaningful glance to her daughter, before leaving the three of them alone to walk into a shop.

Tension filled the air as Nina glared at him, visibly annoyed by the grin on his face. An unmistakable glint of malice sparkled in his dark eyes, mixed with an emotion that Tommy couldn’t quite recognise. And it seemed that the more she scowled, the more his grin widened. Tommy was already familiar with the hostility Nina was capable of, but the look in her eyes was nothing like the one she had given him the day they had met, or the ones she reserved him when he said something she didn’t like. It wasn’t simple distrust, or suspiciousness. No, it was much more than that. It was personal. She seemed repelled by his presence.

And Nina was repelled. Because she knew that behind the pleasant face, the charm and the good manners, Stefano Spinietta was a disgusting person. He was the son of one of her father’s business partners, the boss of another mafia family, which operated both in Sicily and in New York. In the last few years, Stefano had been very clear about his intentions towards Nina, and he had taken too many liberties with her, to the point where she had found herself in the position of putting a knife to his throat. But the threat didn’t have the intended effect; if anything, it only made him more relentless.

Stefano looked at Tommy as if he had just noticed his presence, before turning to her again. “Non mi presenti?” He asked, leaning towards her.

“Non parla italiano. Vattene.” She said shortly, eager to put an end to that encounter.

“Ah.” He said, as if he had finally understood something. “È il gangster.”

Nina was about to speak, but the words died in her throat. She didn’t want to fuel the conversation, and there was nothing she could say that would convince him to just leave. And Tommy’s piercing gaze kept her from being too obvious about how upset she actually was. Stefano wasn’t doing anything improper, after all, and she didn’t want to make a scene for nothing.

The sound of a clacson made them turn their head to the road. Stefano’s brother stopped his car next to them, leaning out the window. “Sali.” He gestured towards his brother, and Nina had to restrain herself from exhaling a sigh of relief. Giving them one last look, Stefano jerked his head in goodbye and got into the car, before disappearing down the road.

Probably sensing her irritation, Tommy took his case out of the pocket of his jacket, offering her a cigarette. Being an occasional smoker, she hesitated at first, but then she placed one between her lips, hoping that it would soothe her nerves. Tommy took a match and lit it for her, before lighting one for himself. She took a long drag, and although she wasn’t really used to the taste, it did help a bit.

Tommy puffed out the smoke, asking the question that had been burning on his tongue for a while. “Who was that?”

“No one important.” She shrugged, flicking the ashes.

He nodded, understanding that it was her way of telling him not to inquire further. But although it wasn’t his business, he couldn’t help but wonder what could’ve possibly made her mood darken like that. Being a man, he knew the look on that guy’s face all too well, but he could tell there was something more to that.

Nina suddenly threw her cigarette away, regaining her composure. “Don’t you have a gift to buy?”

That same day before lunch, Tommy Shelby gave Agnese the beautiful, expensive necklace he had bought for her, and the whole family knew he had made up his mind. She wore it proudly, with a radiant look on her face, well aware that this was only the beginning. Now they would start to get to know each other, to spend time together, albeit always accompanied by some of the female relatives. Then, when the right time came, a proposal would come, and she’d have what she had been wishing for all her life.

At the lunch, she sat next to Tommy, under the delighted eyes of her mother and aunts. They hadn’t had the chance to talk much until then, but Agnese could already tell she would’ve grown to care for that man. He was handsome, charming, he had decent manners. Despite his reputation, he didn’t seem cruel and he had been respectful towards her in their few interactions.

As for Tommy, Agnese’s beauty hadn’t left him unimpressed. She was a beautiful young woman, and more than once he had to scold himself for letting his eyes wander over the soft, generous curves. Her full, rosy cheeks were particularly pretty, especially when they took on a red shade of bashfulness. She gave the impression of being a gentle and sweet girl, and although he knew he probably wouldn’t be able to love her, with time he might learn to feel some kind of affection towards her.

He glanced over at Nina, who was playing with the food in her plate, scarcely paying attention to conversation going on around her. The light breeze of the garden stirred the few strands of hair that had escaped from her braid, making them brush delicately against her face. She extended a hand in the direction of a bottle of red wine, but it was out of her reach, and she struggled to grab it among the great number of plates, bowls and bottles laying on the table. Apparently being the only one to notice her difficulty, Tommy handed her the bottle, their hands accidentally brushing in the process. It was the smallest touch, barely perceptible, but it was enough for them to lock eyes. He let his fingers linger against hers for a moment, a brief moment that seemed to stretch into infinity, then, as if they had burned themselves, they both retired their hands abruptly. He cleared his throat, bringing his attention back to Agnese, hoping she wouldn’t notice he hadn’t been listening to what she was saying.

Nina poured herself a glass of wine, wishing the alcohol would numb the turmoil of emotions going on inside her. The encounter with Stefano, her aunts’ and cousins’ judgmental stares, the empty conversations, the way everybody acted overjoyed as if they hadn’t been on the brink of a war until just a week before with the very man they were welcoming into the family. Everything was becoming too much, and the only thing she wanted to do was to get up and run to the safety of her room. But she took a deep breath and stayed where she was, knowing that it would ruin the mood. She didn’t need to give her family yet another reason to resent her.

So she was patient, and sooner than she though the lunch was over. The routine was always the same - the women cleaning up, the men smoking, discussing business, and playing cards -, but this time, Nina didn’t even bother to get angry about it. She didn’t have the energy to deal with another negative emotion. She’d help around, and then lock herself in her room, or maybe go for a walk. It was a happy day for Agnese, and she didn’t want to spoil it with her sulking.

In the afternoon, when Tommy and Agnese went out for a walk, with the women of the family walking a few steps behind them, Nina took refuge in her father’s office. It almost felt like a sanctuary, sacred and untouchable, but even though no one was allowed in there without his permission, she never really cared to follow that rule. She found comfort in the dim light and the mahogany furniture, in the smell of books and cigars, in the ticking of the old pendulum clock standing in a corner of the room. It reminded her of a time when she used to sit at her father’s desk, drawing or doing her homework as he read through his papers, and they just enjoyed each other’s presence. It was a simpler time. Or at least, it was for a while. Because even then, she had to face the scourge of being a woman. Because she was seen as a girl before being seen as a child. And she could never understand why she had to fight to stay at school, why her, her cousins and her female friends were expected to retire after elementary school to stay at home and learn how to take care of the house. Why her brothers never had such problems. What she was quick to understand, was that the world wasn’t kind to women, that somehow being a girl meant being less smart, less strong, less capable. That gentle and nurturing were the only things she would ever be allowed to be.

Her father giving her permission to finish school had ignited a spark of hope inside her, hope that things might be different for her, that she could have something more than a family and a house to take care of, that maybe being a wife and a mother wasn’t everything that a woman was fit for. But that spark had been extinguished when she wasn’t allowed to get into university, or to have a part in the family business, not even in the legal side. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to despise her father, the deep affection she felt towards him was stronger than any kind of resentment. He had always loved and protected her, and he still did.

Sitting on one of the soft chairs with a book in her hands and Winston curled up in her lap, Nina found it hard to concentrate on the words she was reading. She blankly stared at the pages, her mind wandering somewhere else. The sound of the door opening cut through her thoughts, making her raise her head from the book.

Her father stopped in the doorway, putting on an expression that meant to be reproachful, but that was made useless by the softness in his eyes. He actually expected to find her there. His daughter didn’t move from her spot, knowing all too well that he wouldn’t kick her out. He had never done that, and he wouldn’t start now. It was not a secret that Vincenzo had a soft spot for that daughter who was so much like him, which made him overlook behaviours that most fathers wouldn’t accept from their daughters.

He sat on his chair behind the desk, folded his hands in front of him and looked at her, with the air of someone who wanted to say something but didn’t know how. Nina stroked the cat, tension rising inside her as she waited for him to speak.

“I talked with Spinietta.” He started, distractedly rubbing his hands. “Actually, I also talked with his son, Stefano.”

Nina gritted her teeth at the sound of his name, hoping that her father would stop beating around the bush and tell her what was going on already.

Vincenzo exhaled the breath he didn’t even notice he was holding, before straightening his back and going straight to the point. “He wants to marry you.”

Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach at his words. She blinked, trying to process the words he had just told her, hoping that she had heard wrong, or that it was a misunderstanding. Before she could formulate a coherent sentence, her father spoke again.

“I told him no.” He reassured her. “That at least for now, you don’t want to get married.”

“Good, because I have no intention of marrying-”

“Let me finish.” Her father sternly interrupted her, making her clench her jaw. “I told him no.” He repeated, his tone getting softer again. “But I think you need to start thinking about your future.”

Nina shook her head in disbelief, feeling the heat of anger rising to the back of her neck and spreading on her cheeks. She knew that this moment would come, but a part of her was starting to believe that at least her father would leave her alone.

“It would be good for business, Nina.” He leaned back in his chair, speaking to her as he would to a child. “And he’s a good guy.”

She scoffed, putting the book aside as she got up from her chair. Winston mewed in protest after being dropped so harshly on the ground, and if Nina hadn’t been so enraged, she would’ve felt guilty for forgetting about him. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking her father straight in the eyes. “I am not marrying him.”

Vincenzo nodded, knowing that trying to reason with her would be of no use in that moment. He would wait for her anger to wear down, then he would try to compromise. He didn’t want to fight with his daughter, and he didn’t want her to think he was trying to control her because he wanted her out of the house. They would talk again, maybe after his niece’s marriage, when everybody would be calmer. She would understand that he had her best interests at heart.

Nina walked up to the door, eager to leave that place that had become hostile to her.

“You don’t have to decide now.” Her father’s voice sounded behind her. “Just think about it.”

Laying in his bed, Tommy stared at the ceiling above him, taking deep breaths. The moonlight shining through the open window dimly illuminated the room, casting shadows on the walls. He closed his eyes, hoping that the night breeze would lull him back to sleep, but the shovels wouldn’t stop banging against the wall, keeping him on edge, threatening to break through. Green eyes hunted his dreams. Murderous green eyes, ferocious green eyes, scared green eyes, dying green eyes. A grey man with green eyes, coming for him. It was a matter of time.

He sat up, rubbing his face. On nights like those, he regretted not having opium or whiskey in his room to help him get through them. His throat was so parched it almost burned, and he found himself in an urgent need for water.

He silently exited the room, trying not to make any sound as he went down the stairs in the darkness. A strange noise came to his ears as he got closer to the kitchen, and from the living room he was in he could see that the light was on. When he walked through the door, Nina was facing the counter, fumbling with a kettle. Before Tommy could make his presence known, she turned around, flinching and dropping the knife she was holding.

“Shit.” She hissed, picking up the knife from the floor. She raised her gaze on him, her pupils still flaring, but she relaxed as soon as her brain registered who it was that was standing in front of her. “You scared me.” She mumbled, throwing the knife in the sink.

“I’m sorry.” He held back the smirk threatening to make its way on his face. “I just needed some water.” He explained, walking further into the room.

“Help yourself.” She took a glass from the cupboard and handed it to him, before pointing at the jug on the table.

Tommy poured himself a glass of water, and sighed with relief when the liquid ran down his burning throat. It wasn’t whiskey, but it was better than nothing.

“I was making myself a cup tea, do you want some?”

Tommy raised an eyebrow, glancing at the clock on the wall. “Do you always drink tea at this ungodly hour?” He teased her, taking a seat at the table.

“Only when I can’t sleep.” She replied, grabbing two cups nevertheless. “Are you always up that this ungodly hour?”

“Only when I can’t sleep.”

The room was filled with silence as Nina put the kettle on. The events of the day had troubled her so much that her mind wouldn’t let her sleep, racing without cease. Even though she’d never admit it to herself, a part of her was glad that Tommy was there, that she wasn’t alone with the thoughts inside her head. She sat on a chair in front of him as she waited for the water to heat, resting with her chin on her hand.

After pondering for a few seconds, Tommy squinted his eyes, pointing at her. “I spoke to your cousins, today, and they said some interesting things about you.” He leaned with his back against the chair.

“They do like talking about me.” She joked, mimicking his movement and crossing her arms over her chest. “What did they tell you?”

“That you’re a witch.” He revealed with a mocking tone in his voice. “And that I shouldn’t get on your bad side.”

A look of surprise crossed Nina’s features, mixed with something that Tommy couldn’t quite read. She shook her head, and an incredulous laugh escaped her lips. “So they still think that.” She said, more to herself than to him.

“Why is that?” He furrowed his brows, an amused smile appearing on his face.

“When I was a child there was a girl my age, in the village, we didn’t get along really well.” She started to explain. “She even pulled my braids, once. One day, while she was running around the school courtyard, I stood there whispering to myself: ‘fall, fall’.” She whispered the last two words, the corner of her lips slightly turning upwards. “She actually fell and scraped her knees. My cousins and some of their friends heard me, and word started spreading around that I could lay curses. When a few years later I found Winston, they just came to the conclusion that I was a witch. They thought he was sent by the devil or something.”

If there was one thing that her whole family believed in, it was superstition. For the first few weeks after Nina had taken the black cat in, her aunt Rita wouldn’t even enter their house. But now, calling her a witch was probably the only way of explaining to themselves her behaviour.

“They used to say the same thing about me when I was a boy, you know.” Tommy confessed, seemingly getting lost in some distant memory. “That I had the power to lay curses.” His blue eyes rested on her, shining with a mischievous glint that broke through his ever-unmoved expression. “Only that I didn’t go around with a black cat, but with a screwdriver and a blade.”

For the first time since Nina had met him, Tommy Shelby seemed human. He was always so cold and unfazed that one could hardly tell that he had any emotion at all. That childhood memory seemed to have awakened something in him, but it was something so ephemeral that it went away as quickly as it came, and soon it was as if it was never there.

She got up to turn off the stove, then proceeded put some tea leaves in the cups. “How do you drink your tea?”

“Black.”

“Of course.” She teased him, not really expecting a different answer. She carefully poured the water into the cups, trying not to burn herself in the process. She could feel Tommy’s gaze on her, and it surely didn’t help. Sometimes it felt like he could stare right into her soul.

“So what can I do to get on your good side, eh?” His husky voice broke the silence again.

Nina grabbed a lemon from the basket on the counter, then she placed it on the table along with a knife. “You can start by making yourself useful.”

Tommy frowned, looking at her in confusion. “What’s the lemon for?”

“The tea.” Her eyebrows furrowed as well, his perplexity leaving her as confused as him.

“You put lemon in your tea?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “I drink it with an awful lot of lemon and an awful lot of honey.”

“Sounds terrible.” He murmured.

“You have whiskey for breakfast.” She raised her eyebrows. “You’re in no position to judge.”

“I guess I’m not.” He conceded, tilting his head. He watched as she turned her back on him again, walking towards the counter. She had a quick wit, he had to give her that. He rolled up the sleeves of his undershirt, then he grabbed the knife and started cutting the lemon in half for her, grinning to himself.

In front of their steaming cups of tea, Nina and Tommy found themselves talking about anything and everything, not even fully acknowledging the time going by. Conversation flowed easily between them, and it helped them forget the very troubles that had kept them awake and brought them in that kitchen, even if just for that night. Maybe it was because they both needed it, or maybe because late nights were made for bringing down walls and sharing secrets that couldn’t see the daylight. Maybe it was because it is only in the deepest darkness that one’s true self can no longer be hidden.

But eventually, their night had to come to an end. Standing in the doorway of the kitchen, they exchanged the last few words. Nina’s face suddenly got serious, and she hesitated a bit before speaking again. “Just… be good to her, alright?” She asked him, her voice laced with worry.

She didn’t need to say the name for Tommy to understand who she was referring to. He nodded, and when his eyes met her brown irises, everything became clear. She never hated him. All that time, she had been trying to protect herself, and the people she loved.

As if scared by her own vulnerability, Nina recollected herself, her gaze hardening again. “Yeah, you better do, ‘cause if you don’t, I’ll come all the way to fucking Birmingham to kick your ass.”

Tommy held back a smile, still impressed by her boldness. “You have my word.”

“Good.” She nodded, taking a few steps back. For a few moments, neither of them said anything, waiting for the other to be the first one to go. Deciding it was time to go back to bed, Nina glanced at Tommy one last time. “Goodnight, Mr Shelby.” She said, making to leave.

“Nina,” he called to her, and the sound of her name rolled off his lips so naturally that it was hard to believe he had never pronounced it.

She stopped in her tracks, turning to look at him again.

“Call me Tommy.”

“Fai sparire quella bestia”: “take that beast out of my sight.”

“Nina, guarda chi c’è”: “Nina, look who’s here.”

“Non mi presenti?”: “you won’t introduce me?”

“Non parla italiano. Vattene”: “he doesn’t speak Italian. Go away.”

“È il gangster”: “he’s the gangster.”

Heart, body and soul tag list: @zablife @queenofshinigamis @raincoffeeandfandoms @call-sign-shark @kmc1989 @babayaga67 @kmhappybunny240 @diorrfairy @mariaelizabeth21-blog1

Regular tag list: @iamngoclinh08 @lilywinchesterlove @fandom-puff @capitanostella @caelys @lucillethings @peakyxtommy @queenofkings1212 @lyarr24 @kmc1989 @call-sign-shark @jomarch-wannabe

Tommy Shelby tag list: @50svibes

[canonicallysoulmates]

I'm glad I re-watched ep 6 cause there are little things I hadn't noticed before also I can process my thoughts a little better, and I do have a lot of thoughts.

It is heartbreaking to see Louis recovery but the moments between him and Claudia, and Claudia taking care of him are so sweet 🥺

I love how snarky Daniel is, he has no fucks to give 😂

Dr. Fareed saying "I'm not here" when someone tries to include him 🤣

Louis- Louis my boy why does it look like you're smiling when talking about how Lestat showed restraint by hiding the fact that he had the cloud gift from you, what is that about?

Daniel pointing out the abuse and Louis' response being "are we the sum of our worst moments?" He and Lestat might not have said the vows to each other but Louis is sticking to "for better or worse"

I'm sorry but Louis throwing Lestat's coffin at him from the window had me wheezing 💀

I think this is the episode where I said 'Lestat what the fuck?!' most often. Him recording a song for Louis was so sweet and romantic AND THEN IT'S REVEALED HE PUT ANTOINETTE IN IT LESTAT WHAT THE FUCK. I mean his plan worked he got what he wanted but still Lestat what the fuck.

At some point in the future, I need to know the story of this re-recording. I would like it to be a romantic, Loustat moment. Please and thank you.

Louis swimming the Mississippi to get to Lestat is unhinged, and the moment Lestat realizes it he looks like he's gonna melt into a puddle he's looking at Louis with the biggest heart eyes 💗

The vampire bond....suuuuure Louis, nothing to do with the fact that you're as in love with your husband as he is with you

I love Claudia staring Lestat down and letting him know to his face that she's only letting him move back because it's what Louis wants

Even though I am aware that this show is including elements from the whole book series a part of me wasn't expecting Lestat to actually talk about Magnus and how he became a vampire

I like the little moment of Claudia and Lestat telling Louis how they feel about his judgment of their eating habits. I wish we had gotten to see more nice, or "nice", moments between Claudia and Lestat preferably during the happy years but even him teaching her to play piano during this time period I would have liked.

Poor Louis just wants his family back 😔

"We leave the damage, so we never forget the damage" THAT IS SUCH A GREAT QUOTE 👏

LESTAT AND LOUIS SHARING A COFFIN AND CUDDLING 💕

ANTOINETTE BEING ALIVE LESTAT WHAT THE FUCK?!

Also Antoinette you dumb bitch, this man pursued Louis for six years while being with you, kicked you out of your own house so he and hubby could fuck in your room when they made up, made you fake your death, and cut off your own finger just so he could keep his marriage, and has you stashed away only visiting for a quick fuck and so he can complain about his husband and kid. He's not gonna leave his family for you. Have some self-respect.

Louis, learn from this, next time either kill your husbands mistress yourself or be there to witness it.

Louis knowing Lestat so well that he knows Lestat kept Antoinette alive on purpose and that he's just using her to hurt him and doesn't truly love her but still being hurt by his actions while also accepting that he'll take Lestat as he is hits like a punch to the heart 😭

I don't like Lestat's death in the book or the movie, and I am extremely doubtful that it will be any different with the show but something the show does better at least for me is make me understand why Claudia hates Lestat as much as she does and why he gets killed in such a brutal way. Because to be honest in the book I don't really get it like yes he's controlling and manipulative and wouldn't have let them go but I've always felt like 'damn did his death have to be so cruel?' but here I get it. I'm not gonna like it but I get their motivation and their reason.

At first, I thought Claudia's hatred for Lestat had to do with his coldness towards her, and while that certainly planted some resentment and started things I think her hatred actually has to do with his cruelty towards Louis, his hypocriticalness of having a mistress but wanting Louis to stay at the house and loyal, him physically attacking Louis almost to death, him continuing to hurt Louis by keeping his affair going and lying about it. Louis is the person she loves most, she wants to protect him.

Episode 5 is sad in a way that hits you like a truck, this one is sad in a subtle way. Both made me cry.

I don't know if this will make any sense but I find it interesting how Louis tells Claudia that give them a 100 more years and he can see them turning just like Lestat. Because I- I don't know how to phrase this but I feel it shows Louis starting to gain an understanding of why Lestat is the way he is.

Louis and Claudia's goodbye 😭

Okay, this is an extremely interesting change to me so in the book Daniel asks Louis to turn him at the end after Louis has told him about Paris and his time with Armand, and how he and Lestat had crossed paths again. But here Louis says that this, Claudia trying to leave for the second time, is the point in the story where Daniel asked to be turned which means this is where the interview stopped. I'm curious to see what changes this will bring to the story because so far every change has served a purpose I don't think they would throw this in randomly, in particular, I'm curious to see if this change will have some effect on when it comes to Louis and Lestat crossing paths again.

I find the little moment when Louis tells Daniel that he'd give him the gift now sweet. I really like their friendship.

And Rashid's face when Louis tells Daniel he'd be willing to turn him boy was like "what"

The moment one sees Claudia sitting in that chair is blood-chilling

And once again I ask LESTAT WHAT THE FUCK?! She was so happy and you hunted her down and forced her back home

Lestat using Claudia's trauma against her is so fucked up, I know she did the same to you by bringing up Nicholas and making you remember Magnus but still Lestat what the fuck?!

Sam Reid is such a great actor though! This show has such a talented cast

(the real fucked up thing is that I do understand how him forcing her to stay and remain by Louis side makes sense in his head. the last time she left Louis was devastated.)

Lestat makes the comment to Claudia that when he puts his mind to it he can hear the thoughts of other vampires at a very great distance, so I'm wondering if Lestat thought Louis how to hear other vampire thoughts at a distance the same way he thought him to hear human thoughts or if Louis learned that ability on his own, or through the help of someone else

Hearing Lestat saying "back in your cage sweetheart" when what the camera presents is Claudia crying is heartbreaking but also great use of the visual medium

Louis saying that Claudia and Lestat were more like each other than they cared to admit, that he could see he and Claudia becoming like him, and then this episode ending with Claudia saying that to beat Lestat you have to become him *chef's kiss* I love this show

The final chess game between Lestat and Claudia is so tense but also a great foreshadowing of what's to come

Louis, baby, can we put a pause on your story so Rashid can tell me his cause who is he????

Okay but the song Lestat composed for Louis is actually beautiful 😭❤️

[merakiui]

Hello! I come with an odd request, its smth i just thought of out of the blue, but can you write something for Diluc, Kaeya and Xiao's reaction to a GN!reader who has a soft spot for slimes? :")

Like they actually get followed by slimes but they dont hurt them or anything, theyre like their personal bodyguards of sorts ahhaha

I just find the slimes so cute, but if this isnt too interesting to write for its okay ;;3;; Thank you for your time!

Diluc, Kaeya, and Xiao with an S/O who Likes Slimes

note - awww this was a very cute ask, anon!! also, I hit the 900 followers milestone! omgomgomg thank you all so, so much!!!!! your support and nice messages are what keeps me going! :D <3 <3

🔥 Diluc 🔥

Diluc always thought slimes were annoying and troublesome. They’d get into his vineyards and bother his workers with their aggressive nature.

So he’s isn’t amused when he watches you walk up the winery steps, a group of slimes hopping behind you. He has to stop his work because he’s just so confused. Why aren’t you using your weapon to take them down? Why are they following you?

Maybe you’ve got some sort of attractant on you that’s enticing the slimes. Whatever it is, he doesn’t exactly care. He just wants those slimes off of his property.

Diluc stands out in the open, expecting an explanation as his workers look on in mild worry and bewilderment. It’s not exactly common to see so many slimes peacefully mingling with a person.

Even though he tries to dislike the fact that all of these slimes are bothersome, it’s hard to deny the fact that you’re so happy around them. You’ll tell him that one just started following you and suddenly it became an entire fan club of slimes, all of whom seemed to find comfort in your presence.

Diluc doesn’t really understand the logic or reason behind that, but as long as you’re safe and the slimes don’t wreak havoc he supposes it wouldn’t hurt to let them stay for a little bit.

Your cheery mood definitely influences this choice and he finds the sight to be endearing.

But that doesn’t mean the slimes get to stay forever. Diluc doesn’t want to risk losing business as a result of the slimes, so you’ll have to either spend time with them away from his property or on specific days.

Maybe the two of you have a small picnic in the forest and the slimes join you!

He doesn’t want to admit it, but whenever the slimes surround you like enthusiastic puppies he thinks it’s quite adorable.

🧊 Kaeya 🧊

He considers it to be charming in its own unique way. At first he assumes the slimes are up to no good, but when you hold him back from attacking he’s very confused.

And then the slimes hop over to you and they don’t even try to hurt you. He’s even more surprised when you go over and pat one of them, as if they’re your friends.

Once you explain that the slimes have taken a liking to you ever since you saved one of them, you’ve made it your goal to never harm them. So they’ve become your little guardians.

Kaeya thinks that’s absolutely adorable. His sweet, lovely partner surrounded by slimes… It’s a strangely cute sight!

Under the guise of a flirt, he’ll say how the slimes resemble overprotective children shielding their parent. And he slyly says something about how he could be the father. The lot of you can be one happy family!

But then the slimes turn on him, threatening him with their own elemental abilities. You can’t help but laugh as they surround you in their attempts to drive Kaeya away.

Whenever he tries to come within touching distance of you, your new friends are quick to lash out. Kaeya pouts about it, somewhat jealous that you’re giving the slimes all of your attention.

“I just want to hug you, my dear,” he says. “Perhaps even kiss you, but those slimes are quite tricky…”

Once you’ve had your fun, you’ll find a way to show the slimes that Kaeya means well. He is your lover, after all, and he’s not going to hurt the slimes. At least, you make him promise not to hurt them.

He doesn’t mind the slimes as long as they’re not going to cause any harm to Mondstadt and its people. And, of course, no harm to you!

The slimes have always looked cute, so he supposes he’d rather have small, cute things fawn over you rather than aggressive hilichurls.

☁️ Xiao ☁️

He probably noticed it when he was watching you from Wangshu Inn. You were coming back from a long day of commissions and a trail of slimes were following you.

He thinks it’s strange at first and then even stranger when they aren’t attacking. But there aren’t any signs of demonic influence and the slimes don’t appear agitated, so it’s really none of his business.

Maybe it’s safe? Xiao can’t be sure, so he meets you outside just in case. It’s a surprise to see him out in the open, but he just wants to know why you’re bringing dangerous monsters back to a public space.

You’ll have to assure him that they won’t cause anyone trouble. After all, the slimes are your friends! They helped you out when you were struggling during one of your commissions.

He’s a little relieved to know they don’t harbor any ill intent towards you, but he still has his doubts. Xiao doesn’t really think the slimes mean well; they’re always so quick to attack anyone within their proximity so it’s very weird to see so many gathered around you, peaceful and unbothered.

But you’re absolutely positive that they’re safe and won’t disturb anyone. They’ve started treating you like a friend and you think it’s only fair if you reciprocate those feelings.

Eventually, Xiao warms up to the slimes. It’s cute…in a weird way. He likes seeing you so happy whenever the slimes come hopping over to you.

As long as they don’t try to use their elemental powers against you, he’s fine with them crowding around you. Although he will get annoyed if they continuously prevent him from spending some alone time with you.

It’s a silly sight to watch him chase away the slimes as if they were stray cats.

At some point, though, he is going to want them to leave you alone. It can be tricky to have so many slimes near you when you’re trying to go on dates with him or relax after a long day of work.

[dauntless-gothamite]

Prove Them Wrong [1/?]

Fandom: Divergent Pairing: Eric Coulter x Fem! Reader Summary: Y/N is a Dauntless transfer from Erudite, and she has a drive, an ambition that sets her apart--it always has, even back in Erudite. She brings her perseverance (and need to prove others wrong) to Dauntless when she transfers, and she uses her mind to make her way through the initiation process. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies, and she finds herself comfortable around the man most people in Dauntless avoid at all costs: Eric Coulter.  A/N: hey, everyone! so some elements of this are based on myself and how I interact with people, mainly because I tend to bond with people who are not well-liked (i.e. I got along well with teachers everyone hated, consistently). I plan to keep most descriptions of the reader vague so you can insert yourself, though! this first chapter is a little bit slow, but I am already well into writing chapter 2, and I am really excited about where this fic is going! Enjoy!!

“Dauntless!” Marcus Eaton called out--Abnegation was hosting the Choosing Ceremony this year--and as your blood hit the burning coals, a series of cheers and claps erupted from the fearless faction. You took your place next to the other Dauntless transfers and snuck a glance at your family. Your parents looked sad--disappointed, almost--but it was nothing compared to the way some parents reacted to their children choosing another faction. Your father caught your eye as he pulled a handkerchief from his crisp blue suit and handed it to your mother, who was just barely containing her tears. Quickly, you looked away. A moment later, a girl with dirty blonde hair sat down beside you. Her loose grey clothing indicated she was in Abnegation, or at least she had been. She was Dauntless now, and so were you. 

A series of names you only half heard filled the room, and before you knew it, the ceremony was over. Then, as if they’d been waiting for the chance to get up from their seats, all the Dauntless rushed out of the building, racing for the train tracks. You and the other initiates stared at them as they began to climb, shocked. Sure, you knew you’d be taking the train, but you’d never thought about how you’d actually get there. Shoving the thought out of your mind, you began to climb, the Abnegation girl from before and a girl from Candor scaling the poles on either side of you. Once you made it to the top, you saw everyone standing in a line, facing away from the train. That’s when it hit you: they were going to run and jump onto the train. This was unlike anything you’d ever done, but it was exciting, and you knew that with the right speed and angle, you’d be fine. When the rails started to vibrate and the train came into view, you took off. 

You weren’t the fastest, but you weren’t the slowest either, and that was worth something. At the very least, you would make the train. Then, out of the corner of your eye, you saw an opening, and without hesitation, you jumped. It was so different from life in Erudite. There, nothing was done without consideration. You had to look at a problem from all angles and weigh the possibilities, consider the outcomes of every scenario, even for the simplest of tasks. Here, you could just do. It was liberating, and you knew you’d made the right choice. Although, it would be damn near impossible to drop all of the habits you’d picked up in Erudite. Some aspects of the scholarly faction were simply a part of you; it would be impossible to erase that. But, for the sake of your survival, you’d have to do your best. 

“Hey,” said a voice from behind you. You turned around and saw a boy with brown hair and dark eyes, which stood out against his pale skin. “I’m Albert,” he said. “But everyone calls me Al.” He stuck his hand out and you shook it.

“I’m Y/N,” you said, glad to have already made one friend. You smiled before turning away to look out at the city; the train provided a great view when it wasn’t in the center of the city surrounded by buildings. While you were looking at the skyline, you saw movement and heard screams of both terror and excitement to your left. You turned to see what was causing the commotion, and you saw people jumping from the train onto a gravelly roof. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Al said as he joined you at the edge of the train. 

“This is crazy,” you agreed. But whereas Al looked terrified, you were grinning, adrenaline from boarding the train still pumping through your veins, making you aware of each and every nerve in your body. Then, with the roof coming up, you took a few steps back, ran forward and jumped. 

Your body hit the gravelly roof hard, ripping a hole in your blazer. Thankfully, it seemed like that was the only thing that broke; your body felt perfectly fine, if a little sore from the impact. You looked around to see Al a few feet away from you, and you smiled, glad he’d made it. The two of you got up and headed to the other end of the roof, where the initiates who had already jumped off the train stood facing a tall man with cropped hair and neck tattoos. “Alright, listen up,” the man said when the last car of the train passed the edge of the roof. If someone wasn’t off of it yet, there was only one stop for them now: factionless. “I’m Eric, one of your leaders here at Dauntless. I will also be overseeing your training, which began the second your blood hit the coals. So, rather than waste any more time, let's get on with it. You want to get into Dauntless, this is the way in. Who is going to jump first?”

At this point, everyone was peering over the ledge Eric stood on, more focused on what was behind him. A dark hole in the concrete far below where we stood. You looked around you, nodding at Will, who you knew from Erudite, happy to see a familiar face amongst all this chaos. As you moved towards him, the girl from Abnegation who had sat next to you earlier stepped forward. “Me,” she said, volunteering to jump first. Everyone looked around with wide eyes while Eric scoffed. 

“The Stiff? Alright.”

Unbothered, the girl stepped onto the ledge, and a few seconds later, she disappeared into the shadowy depths of whatever lay below.

Watching the girl in grey jump first had sent a shock of surprise through you, but it was followed by something new, the desire to try this new and dangerous thing before you, and as the third jumper stepped off the ledge, you found yourself stepping forward, volunteering to go next. As you stepped onto the ledge, Eric raised a pierced brow at you, waited a few seconds for the previous jumper to get off of the net, and jerked his head towards the net, motioning for you to jump. And then, in a silent response, you jumped, a smile unexpectedly gracing your lips as you made contact with the net below, landing with a bounce. You turned to the man standing next to the net who helped you out of the net, and he introduced himself as Four before directing you to stand in line with the other initiates who had already jumped. Minutes crawled by as you waited for the rest of the initiates to jump, and after what felt like forever, Eric landed in the net and directed his cold stare at the initiates lined up as he slid off the net without Four’s assistance--though it didn’t seem like Four was inclined to help him, either. Interesting. 

--

The transfer dorm was small, crowded, and damp--somehow it was exactly what you expected and entirely different at the same time. As everyone claimed a bed, Four and Eric stood near the door, ready to make an announcement. You smiled at the Candor girl with short, black hair who was setting up the bed next to yours, about to introduce yourself when one of the trainers by the door--most likely Eric--cleared his throat, silencing the room. “Welcome to Dauntless, Eric said. “As Four just explained, this is where you will be staying for the next few weeks while you complete your training. You will receive more information about the training process tomorrow morning at the first session, but for now all you need to know about it is that the training room is three floors up, down the hallway, and to the left. Meet in the Pit, which is upstairs, in fifteen minutes for some announcements from Max and dinner.” Then, he left.

“That guy is all business, huh?” the girl you were about to introduce yourself to said lightly. 

“Yeah,” you smiled back. “I’m Y/N, by the way.”

“Christina,” she replied with an outstretched hand. As you shook her hand she looked you over and said, “So, Erudite. What made you want to transfer?”

“Well, it is best for one to go to a place for which they are well-suited…” you trailed off. “What about you, Candor?”

“Candor is a place of words and action, with slightly more words. I wanted more action,” she shrugged. A thud on the bed on your other side distracted you before you could respond, and you turned around to see familiar light green eyes.

“Will!” you said, wrapping your fellow Erudite transfer in a brief hug. You’d vaguely registered his name at the choosing ceremony followed by the word “Dauntless”, but it hadn’t really dawned on you until now that there were fellow Erudite transfers here. “Have you seen Edward?” you asked.

“Yeah, he’s right over there,” Will replied, pointing to the corner of the room. You waved at Edward, and he smiled back as he continued setting up his bed. 

“Amazing,” you said softly, more to yourself than to Will. “By the way, this is Christina, she’s from Candor,” you said, remembering your new friend. Will shot her a smile, and Christina reached out to shake his hand.

“Nice to meet you,” she said enthusiastically. 

“Likewise,” Will replied. Seeing all of your fellow transfers getting to know each other was exciting, and even though you wanted to stay in this room with all of them and get to know everyone else, you knew it was a better idea to start making your way to the Pit; there was rarely a time when showing up early was a bad thing, and leaving early would make sure you got there in time even if you got lost along the way. As you started to head out down the hallway, the former Abnegation joined you, seeming to have the same idea. “Hi,” you said, introducing yourself. “I’m Y/N.”

“I’m Tris,” she replied quietly. “You were in Erudite, right?” she asked.

“I was. And you were in Abnegation?”

“Yeah.” There was something sad about the way she said it, but you decided to let it go; you didn’t really know her yet. As you were thinking of what to say next, Tris interrupted your thoughts saying, “My brother just transferred there. To Erudite, I mean.”

“Don’t worry, he’ll love it,” you said, smiling fondly as memories of the Erudite libraries surfaced in your mind. “You get to spend so much time learning and teaching others, and they actually respect personal space--at least a little bit. I’ll even let you in on a secret: the suits are much more comfortable than they look, I promise.” She laughed a little bit at the last statement, and you relaxed, starting to enjoy her company. 

--

As it turned out, you and Tris had no trouble finding the Pit, and it wasn’t surprising that you were the first ones there. Both of you sat down, and you did your best to ignore the occasional looks from Four and Eric as they stood on a balcony overlooking the Pit with Max, the head of Dauntless leadership and the faction’s representative when the five factions held council, and talked amongst themselves. Soon, thankfully, a few more of the transfers sat down with you and Tris, and they were soon followed by a steady trickle of transfers, the room getting louder with each person who entered. Max walked to the edge of the balcony and called for everyone’s attention, and the room got quiet, a nervous excitement filling your body. 

“Welcome, initiates,” the leader’s low voice filled the room. “We are glad to have you here at Dauntless. Here, you will be trained to be protectors of our city. You will be tested physically, emotionally, and mentally, and it will be hard, but you will come out stronger and braver, which is what you need to be to survive in this faction. Your training starts tomorrow; you will be working with Four and Eric, the initiates who aren’t transfers will be working with Lauren. For now, dig in, you’re going to need your strength for tomorrow.” Cheers erupted across the room, and people got up to grab food before racing back to their new friends. This was the beginning of something new for everyone, and excitement raced through your veins. You were ready to start your new life.

[ventiskies]

when he accidentally injures you | Xiao, Albedo, Bennett

a/n: hello anon!! im doing well, thank you!! hope you are too !! thank you for giving me the chance to add characters HHHH ive been DYING to write for Xiao, Albedo and Benny so i took the opportunity to! hope you like it !! also,,, this is probably my longest post !! i loved writing this <3

pairing: Xiao x gn! reader, Albedo x gn! reader Bennett x gn! reader

warnings: vague mentions of injury and blood

Xiao

★Xiao and you had been on a stroll, something you casually did together whenever Xiao was in a good mood. the adeptus wasn’t one to get out of the confines of Wangshuu Inn, so every time he does, you cherish it and spend it as if it was your last

★but this particular stroll didn’t go as planned, at all

★the two of you had left Wangshuu Inn in the morning, when the weather had seemed as if it would be sunny the whole morning, but it had betrayed you the moment you had set foot in Minlin, the skies had loomed with darkness and occasional rumbles of thunder

★Xiao could have easily teleported the two of you together, but a sudden attack with a ruin hunter had caused him to get distracted

★he could easily defeat the creation with a simple use of his elemental burst, but you were in the vicinity and he didn’t want you getting injured, despite the chances of hitting you were low, he wasn’t going to take the chance

★he had strictly told you to stay back and out of sight, making use of the terrain to jump and strike at the core with his polearm whenever the hunter was aiming to him, but he should have known you were stubborn

★the moment you had ran into the fight, arrow pointing to the ruin hunter, the said war machine had immediately turned towards you, all four of its arms aiming missiles towards you

★Xiao had been too slow, and when he had realized it was aiming towards you, you had already been sent back flying after the hit

★your name fell on his lips, his eyes widening in anger when he had seen what the creature had done, and without any hesitance Xiao summons his elemental burst and sends the creature falling to pieces

★“y/n,” Xiao mutters, worried that he would be met with the sight of you dead, “y/n, where are you?”

★you gave a weak groan, unable to raise your head after hitting it on the sharp rocks. Xiao made his way towards you, and the rain started pouting

★Xiao knelt down and cradled your head gently, seeing the gash on your head. you were most likely suffering from a concussion as well from the way you were unable to look at him in the eye, and your hands grabbing your forehead as if it had exploded

★his eyes showing evident worry, and this was the first time he had felt so scared

★he knew he was powerful, and he was beginning to regret even taking you out of the safety of the Inn. this shouldn't have happened, he was with you because he wanted to protect you,

★and here he was being the cause of your injury

★“y/n, can you hear me?” he asked, and when you hissed the moment he placed a gentle hand on your head, he curses lightly, unable to keep himself calm as he always had anymore, “hold on,”

★Xiao had lived for years and had suffered watching deaths and injuries of the people he had been close with since he had became the adeptus of Liyue, but for once, he had felt a different type of hurt when you had been injured this time

★because this was his fault; what if it had happened again?

★he had teleported the two of you back to Wangshuu Inn, and had asked Verr Goldet to help you just because he was afraid of hurting you further

★and she knew more than to question what happened, especially after Xiao had told her with the weakest voice she has ever heard him use, and pleading eyes to take care of you.

★when you had healed completely, you noticed Xiao had distanced himself from you more than when you had both met the first time, and it had worried you to no end

★it had came to a point where he would disappear whenever you tried to search for him at the balcony, and you were getting upset that he was running away from you because of the accident that was caused by your stubbornness; and the fact that you knew Xiao blamed himself had only made you more guilty

★”Xiao,” you gently said, walking outside with a bowl of his favorite almond tofu, “I miss you,”

★he had to contain himself to avoid disappearing on you again after he heard the words. Xiao wasn’t much of an emotional person, but the memories from the accident had left him afraid of getting close to you again, in fear that he would hurt you once more

★but when he had met your glossy eyes and saw the pained expression you held, he knew that it was only going to be worse is he had avoided you

★”y/n-” Xiao started, but you had only dropped the almond tofu and ran into his arms, hugging him tight as if you were afraid to let him go

★and (with reluctance), Xiao had hugged you back, twice as hard

★it would take time for him to get back to his usual self and trust himself to go out and adventure with you again, but for him, you would wait your lifetime.

Albedo

★An experiment going wrong was a part of alchemy. It was something Albedo would expect to happen fifty percent of the time he conducts something for the first time

★He has gotten a handful of injuries from it that he had sometimes forgotten that people outside of the realm of alchemy wouldn't know what it would be like to expect a burn or scars after the first test

★So of course, sometimes even the smartest people could be careless

★Albedo had brought you to his lab in Dragonspine, claiming that he had found a rare plant and wanted to see if it was able to withstand heat

★Putting it in a flask, he had placed it on a test tube holder and your curious eyes had caught sight of the glowing pink tube

★“What’s this?” you stepped closer to inspect the glowing flask, and Albedo wordlessly looks at you with a fond smile. your curious gaze at his work had always made him feel happy; you truly were endearing

★Albedo turns on the burner, and the moment the fire had hit the flask, the substance had instantly exploded, causing you to recoil back and grab at your face when the substance had burned your face

★instantly, Albedo had abandoned his failed test and attended to you, trying to pry your hands away from your face

★“My love, I’m so sorry,” he says gently, trying to see the damage that the explosion has gave you, “please look at me,”

★you felt tears well in your eyes, the burns on your cheeks combining with the coldness of the snow stinging your face

★when Albedo had successfully pried your hands away , he grabbed them gently and looked at you, “we- we need to see the deaconess,” he mutters to himself, feeling his heart ache seeing you holding back tears, never in his life had he regretted conducting an experiment so badly;

★he had wished he was able to take the pain away from you, he absolutely despised seeing you so hurt

★after you had healed, Albedo would make a rule that you weren’t ever allowed in the premises of his laboratory ever again, and that you were banned from joining him whenever he was conducting experiments

★it had hurt you when Albedo had adamantly decided on it, but you knew that it would only hurt him more if you tried to fight him about it

★he was still blaming himself for the incident; despite him knowing that errors were completely common in alchemy

★his greatest fear was hurting you, and if he was given a choice, he would rather have you far away as possible from anything that could lead to potential harm

★(and that especially meant that when the time comes and he loses control and destroys Mond, he hopes you would be far away from him as possible, too)

Bennett

★Bennett knew he was bad luck, he knew that was mostly the reason there wasn't anyone on his team. no one wanted to get hurt and gain nothing on an adventure. no one wanted to bring a bunch of medical supplies for when an accident that was bound to happen, happens

★no one but you

★you were the only member in Bennett’s team; you were a duo. you didn’t wield a vision, but that didn't make Bennett think of you any less, in fact, he thought you were the bravest person ever for being just a feet away from him outside of Mond, and now you were a team member of his

★injuries were common for you. there would always be some sort of scratch or bleeding whenever you went out on an adventure with the pyro vision holder. if there wasn’t a monster encounter, the two of you would accidentally trip and fall into a lake

★but when the latter happens, Bennett would have a fire for the two of you, and settle in an empty (at least, you hope was) hilichurl camp nearby to warm up in

★it was the norm now, and despite Bennett wanting you to just choose another team because he couldn't handle seeing you in pain from his luck, you had always reassured him that the unexpected turns of events because of his luck was just what you had loved about adventure, and you always trusted him to take care of you whenever something like that happened

★but of course, it was only a matter of time until it was Bennett himself who had hurt you

★you were both fighting a cryo abyss mage, the bastard’s protective shield already broken by Bennett’s elemental skill, causing the creature to start crawling on the ground pathetically

★you were sure its health had already decreased a significant amount that one slice could kill it off instantly, and you had wanted to give the final blow

★but Benny seemed to have a different idea

★the moment Bennett had saw you coming, it had been too late for him to stop, because the same moment you had ran towards the abyss mage, he had raised his sword and sliced the creature hard to the point that his sword had accidentally sliced your stomach as well

★thankfully, your clothes were thick enough that the cut hadn’t been deep enough to get stitches, but it still hurt so badly that you had fallen to the floor, clutching your stomach

★“y/n, what happened?!” he asked, too worried to remember that it had been him who did it, “are you okay?!- wait, no, that was a stupid question, let me see,”

★Bennett was an excellent team leader, but sometimes, he could be a little oblivious

★he gently lays you on his lap, taking out supplies from his belt. he had saw a glimpse of red, so he takes out towels to wipe the blood

★he had gently asked if he could lift your shirt, and when you had weakly nodded, he assessed the damage

★and that was when he had saw the burns by your cut

★burns. the abyss mage was a cryo one, and there wasn't any source of fire where you were but him

★Bennett felt his breath hitch, hands holding the towel clenching in fear. what had he done?

★“no, no, no,” he says in slight panic; this was exactly what he was afraid would happen, “no, no, y/n I’m so sorry. I was supposed to protect you,” his voice broke, gently pressing the towel on your wound to soak up the blood, and when he heard you hiss in pain, he felt tears well in his eyes, “I’m so sorry...”

★he knew the cut wasn’t deep, and you were going to be okay, but the mere thought that the fact you couldn't move and were in pain was because of his doing had caused Bennett to be unable to focus

★you were taken to Barbara immediately, Bennett carrying you bridal style the whole way back (he had been silent, while you had tried to start a conversation with lighthearted banter with him, he had only given you a half hearted laugh before focusing on his journey back) and was healed with a simple swish of the deaconess’ hands

★but afterwards, Bennett had started to spend less time outside of Mondstadt, saying that he had preferred to read at the library with you, and that was extremely unlike of him

★you knew it was because he was blaming himself for what had happened, so you had to let him know that you were fine, and that you knew that it was bound to happen anyways

★It would take a lot of reassurance for Benny to agree to even step a foot outside again, but in the end, it would be worth it to see his adventurer spirit once more