#(well that and sometimes you need to just. you know. bump the line of succession along a bit for plot reasons.)

[msmk11]

Maybe

Coriolanus Snow x fem!reader

WC: 1.3k

CW: Pregnancy, giving birth, Coryo being absent, some fluff, ANGST

Summary: You love your husband, but his growing inattentiveness becomes harder and harder to handle, especially with the arrival of your baby.

A/n: I don’t think I’ll ever have it it in me to write Coryo as perfect and sweet cuz he SUCKS. So you get a little fluff here, but a lot of angst still.

Day 8 of mk’s mad dash

The last certainty your husband offered you was on your wedding day when he said “I do.”

That was a year ago.

You knew he was busy. Coriolanus was rising through the ranks so rapidly you wouldn’t be surprised if he assumed the presidency within the next five years. Of course, you were proud of him. Not only was it your duty as his wife to wholeheartedly support him, you also truly, genuinely cared about his happiness and success. But as with everything, there was a cost. In your courtship, Coryo was so very attentive, loving, and dedicated to you. He made you feel special, and you had no trouble falling in love with him. But once he slipped that ring on your finger, all of it came to a halt. It’s not that he entirely ignored you- no, sometimes you saw the glimpses of your old Coryo when he was on top of you at night, or when you went to socialite parties- but you had often been left to fend for yourself this past year.

You absolutely tried to be understanding when your husband would remind you how busy he was, and how he was doing all this hard work for your happiness, but frankly, you missed him. And was it really so wrong for a wife to miss her husband?

Your loneliness and desire for your husband only worsened tenfold when you learned that you were with child. Coryo, of course, was thrilled that you sired an heir. But with him gone all day, and often at outings at night, you saw less and less of him as your pregnancy moved along. You went through your morning sickness alone, felt the first kick alone, learned the baby’s sex alone, and picked out the baby’s room decorations alone. You were desperately hopeful that the birth of your child, your son, would bring Coriolanus back into your arms, a paternal instinct drawing him into the realm of the domestic.

So when the day came that your water broke and contractions started, though you were overcome with anxiety about giving birth, the hope that fluttered in your chest for the return of your husband far superseded it.

You were out tending to the rose garden when it happened, your long, white flowy dress suddenly soaked. You calmly rushed inside to the phone and dialed Coriolanus’ office.

“Office of Coriolanus Snow, this is Lilith. How can I help you today?” A perky, feminine voice asked.

“Hi Lilith, this is Coriolanus’ wife. Can I please speak to him?” You said kindly as you rubbed soothing circles over your swollen stomach.

“Mr. Snow is very busy right now,” Lilith told you calmly, “can I take a message?”

“Lilith, please,” you answered a little more desperately, “this is an urgent call.”

You heard the clacking of her nails against the computer, “one moment.”

The line goes silent, and you know she’s stepped away to speak to your husband. Every second you had to wait to hear Coryo’s deep voice on the other end, the more anxious you began to feel. It was really starting to kick in- you were about to have a baby.

The line crackled and then, “Darling?”

“Coriolanus” you sighed, relieved.

“What’s wrong? I’m very busy here,” he told you seriously.

“The baby. He’s coming. My water just broke.”

Your husband inhaled sharply on the other side of the phone, “Oh, okay. Okay. Well, are you alright? How’re you feeling?”

You cupped your bump gently, “I’m okay right now, sweetheart. But I imagine contractions will start to kick in soon. Can you come home?”

And then, your voice slightly broke, “Please. I need you Coryo.”

“Yes, of course, darling. I’ll be home as soon as I call the doctor.”

“Okay, thank you,” you said, voice shaky.

You hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Everything was going to be okay.

*****

Pain. White hot, blinding pain consumed your body and you couldn’t stop the screams that were leaving your body. The doctor was saying something to you but you didn’t care. You just wanted it all to stop.

Tears were streaming down your face and you kept shaking your head, “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.”

Suddenly, like an angel, Coriolanus was in your view, white light shining down on his blonde curls creating a halo. Your sobs quieted at his face.

“Coryo,” you hiccupped, “I can’t. I can’t do this.”

He placed his hand on your forehead, stroking your sweaty baby hairs away from your face, and your eyes fluttered shut at his touch.

“Darling, you can. I promise. You know why?”

You opened your eyes again and stared intently into his bright blue ones, “why?”

“Because you’re a Snow now. And Snows can do anything.”

“Snows can do anything,” you murmured.

Can. Coriolanus said can. The first firm answer from him in a year. If he could give you that, you could do this.

Your husband nodded at you, a soft smile on his face, “Good girl.”

He moved his hand from your forehead down to your hand and clasped it tightly. His encouragement is what allowed you to start pushing again.

As you pushed, your screams returned. But instead of hopeless, frail screams, they were determined and strong. Soon enough, smaller, whiny screams filled the air- your baby’s.

The doctor swooped the baby out from between your legs, “it’s a boy.”

Tears began to stream down your face again, but they were happy tears.

“Coryo, we have a baby,” you sobbed.

Your husband bent down and kissed your forehead tenderly, “well done, darling. Our very own baby boy.”

“Mr. Snow, the umbilical cord.”

Coriolanus stood and gave your hand one more squeeze before walking over to your baby. With slightly shaking hands he cut the cord, and then your baby boy was placed gently into his arms. He walked over to you, the softest look on his face.

“He’s here,” Coriolanus said, placing the baby into your arms.

Your son was the most beautiful thing you’d ever seen, and your heart swelled as you quickly noticed some of Coryo’s features and your own on the face of your son.

“He’s perfect.”

*****

After everything had settled and the doctor left, it was just you and your perfect little family cradled together in the master bedroom of your home. Your baby boy sat cooing in your arms, swaddled in a soft blue blanket, while Coriolanus sat behind you, arm around your shoulders and head peering over you to stare at him.

“We make a pretty good baby, Coryo,” you told your husband softly.

“Mhmm, that we do.”

You leaned into his touch as your husband began to run soothing strokes up and down your side. If everything could stay just like this, you would be perfectly happy. You’d never ask for anything else in your life.

“Sweetheart,” you implore softly.

“Yes, darling?”

“Do you think you’ll be able to take some time off work, to be with me and the baby?”

His hand on your side stilled and he inhaled sharply, “darling.”

You turned to look at him, big eyes soft and pleading, “Coryo, please. The baby needs his father.”

You paused.

“And I need my husband.”

Coriolanus hesitated, and you wished you could tell what was going on in that always-running brain of his.

“Maybe, darling.”

Maybe.

The death and birth of hope.

It wasn’t a no- the word so ingrained in your brain that you saw it seared on the back of your eyelids. And in that, there was hope. Hope that you’d get your husband back. That you’d get to be a mother alongside him as a father. That everything could be the way it used to.

But maybe wasn’t a yes either. One too many times now you’d gotten your hopes up when Coryo responded to one of your requests with a maybe.

Well maybe you didn’t like his answer.

Maybe you didn’t like feeling abandoned or alone.

Maybe.

But instead, all you said was, “okay.”

[afyrian]

line six - creamer over conversations m.list

    "what was i thinking..." you whisper to yourself, walking down the same hallway you find yourself walking down nearly everyday. 

  the photos on the wall just reminding you of atsumu's success with sakusa, something you can't seem to find. in the ones clustered together, you can feel goosebumps run up your arms. the feeling of your hair standing up on the back of your neck suddenly overtaking you. pulling your gaze from the photos, you continue walking down the hall. stepping gingerly into the break room, you spot atsumu standing by the coffee maker.

  taking a step back, you suddenly feel your want for coffee to dissipate. however, you can't seem to back out of atsumu's ability to see all as he turns to look at you. garnering a smile on his face, he lifts his stir stick up with a wave, "y/n, aren't you in the middle of a show right now?"

  "came in for a coffee break, shouldn't you be headed home?" you grab ahold of the doorframe, pushing yourself through and towards the coffeemaker. 

  atsumu shrugs, setting down a coffee creamer for you, leaning his free hand against the counter. "just sticking around for a few more minutes, thought maybe i could catch sakusa... speaking of him, the two of you seemed pretty cosy last night," atsumu nudges your shoulder as you pop the creamer into the machine, turning it on. 

  "it was nothing, just hanging out for the event," you shrug your own shoulders, unable to look him in the eyes as you now know it wasn't just you who thought something was budding.

  raising an eyebrow, atsumu shakes his head. you spot a short smile on his lips, like he knows something you don't. turning his head back to you, you can see the way his finger taps against the counter, impatient with his thoughts. "really? because a little birdie told me that the two of you shared cake before grabbing the table?"

  grabbing your steaming cup, you roll your eyes. a part of you hopes that the little birdie is sakusa. that he gushed to atsumu about the time you spent together, the forks that were shared, those little indirect kisses. taking in a deep breath through your nose, you try to ignore the swirling thoughts that seem to escape your grasp. 

  "yeah, it was fun. the cake was good, too. but no need to dwell on things," you swallow the nervousness in your throat, pursing your lips, "besides, i need to be getting back to the booth."

  "yeah, yeah, of course. it's just, he was good for my show and i miss having him there. just trying to make sure he's working well with you, especially because i know how annoying he can be at first," atsumu can't help but laugh as he walks into the hallway with you, definitely not letting you go alone.

  stirring your coffee with a stir stick, your footsteps fall in line with his, trying to keep up with his long legs. taking in a deep breath, you shrug once more, trying to stay relaxed under his many questions. the last thing you wanted to do is go crazy over sakusa and have atsumu relay it. “yeah, he’s anything but annoying most of the time. i appreciate having him there,” you look over at atsumu, giving him a short and unimpressive smile.

  everything in you wants to explode about the back and forth emotions you have about him. the way he acts so nonchalant about everything, how you can have a special evening with him one night and the next day he acts like you’re a stranger. how you have no idea if your beating heart is pumping with blood filled with romantic or platonic energy.

  however, all you can do is take a sip of your coffee. “well, with how he’s talked about you and the show, i’m not surprised. seems to enjoy the relaxed feel of your show, especially after how much he complained about mine,” atsumu bumps you once more with his shoulder, stuffing his hands into his pockets as you reach your studio.

  “we should hang out again sometime, when you have more than a few minutes,” he finishes, taking his hand out and patting your upper back.

  nodding, you open the studio’s door, closing it behind you. looking towards the sound booth’s door, you lock eyes with sakusa. your hands start to feel clammy, the warmth of the coffee not helping. immediately, you head for your set up, setting your coffee down and pulling yourself close to the table.

  his gaze bores into the side of your head, your gaze unable to return the look. waiting for the song to trail off, you tap your finger sporadically against the table. with every deep breath you take, you fight the urge to meet his eyes. to finally tell him what’s running through your mind. however, you’re quickly stopped by the song stopping, your subconscious taking over. 

  pressing the live button, you hold a smile, “hello caller number four, what would you like to talk it out with me about today?”

  “i think my friend is in love with an acquaintance of mine, and neither want to do anything about it, what do i do? it’s clear that they’d be good together, but both of them can be so stubborn,” the voice, garbled, strikes right through your heart. 

  “well, you can’t force a relationship, not even a friendship. so trying to force them isn’t going to do anything. but maybe if you talk to your friend you can nudge them in the right direction,” your gaze finally flickers back to sakusa, noticing him doing the exact same thing with you.

taglist (open): @eggyrocks @causenessus @applepi25 @softpia @bakery-anon

@jadeoru @yessimo @lale-txt @writing-for-the-hell-of-it @sugacor3

@quikhs @todorokiskitten @mollyrolls @honeyfewr @pookiebearcave

@phoenix-eclipses @madiexuberant @kameyyy @cr4yolaas @asrichin

@bakugouswh0r3 @bakingcuriosity @zazathezaer @diorzs @urslytherin

@ghostreader0307

[taeiun]

just a little sick with love.

synopsis: it spills out too fast; hard to contain this blurted confession about you (in other words, txt when asked about you during an interview)

who: txt's choi line x gn!reader

categories: a little smth extra fluffy, interview style scenarios

warnings: might be ooc here? reader is referred to as "pretty" and "beautiful" a few times (not in a physical appearance context really), love and babe and jagiya are used as petnames, use of "yn" in the fic, mentions of food and drinks

word count: 0.9k

interviewer: ...but, while we’re on the topic of romance, i’ve heard through the grapevine that you’re currently in a relationship. now, i’m just dying to know, and i’m sure the viewers are too, about who you’ve been seeing so, what can you tell us about them?

✧ YEONJUN !

yeonjun: well to start, they’re the love of my life. [he laughs and runs a hand through his hair with a hum] they understand me in ways no one else would, not even the other members. i can be choi yeonjun with them, you know? not just an idol on stage, not just yeonjun of tomorrow x together. being with them… it’s like walking into a cold room after being out in the sun all day. 

interviewer: aw, that’s sweet! how did you get to meet them? 

yeonjun: i spilt my drink on them. [he smiles sheepishly] i was in a rush and wasn’t looking where i was going. we bumped into each other and i ruined their shirt. i offered to pay for a new one but the thing about yn is that they’re stubborn. they refused so i asked if could take them out lunch instead. things kind of went from there.

yeonjun: now, they send me tiktoks and reels that remind them of me when we’re away on tour. they surprise me with roses after a show win and always welcome me with a smile, no matter how tired they are. yn is the best thing that’s happened to me and i can’t see myself without them. 

interviewer: wow sounds like i might need to sweep them off their feet for myself! [the interviewer laughs]

yeonjun: [he lets out a tense chuckle that ends in a sigh] ah… yeah no, tough luck buddy. they’re mine and always will be.

✧ SOOBIN !

soobin: hmm [he takes a moment to choose his words carefully] where do i begin? [the interviewers laughs] yn is my other half. i don’t really know how else to explain it other than that. they’re effortlessly kind and the nicest person i’ve ever met. they never fail to cheer me up after a long day and are so understanding of my needs. sometimes i think they know me better than i know myself. [he laughs]

interviewer: when did you know they were the one?

soobin: i think i knew we were going to work out for sure when the group and i first went on tour. yn took care of odi for me and sent me video updates. they don’t like recording their voice so i asked them why they sent videos instead of pictures and messages. they replied, “because i know you can’t sleep soundly without hearing my voice, soobin.” i was already in love before then but i think that only grew after hearing those words. 

interviewer: if you had to pick between your partner and your career, which would you choose?

soobin: i think that’s an unrealistic question to ask. yn made it clear that they’d never make me pick between our relationship and my idol life. they said i deserved to be happy, to receive the good things in life. for the longest time, i thought i could only have one or the other, a relationship or a successful career, and it wasn’t until i met them that i realized those things could coexist. they’re my biggest supporter and i couldn’t be more grateful for that.

✧ BEOMGYU !

beomgyu: oh, y/nnie! [he visibly brightens] it’s crazy. even though we’ve been dating for a while now, sometimes i wake up and i’m like [beep]... i’m actually dating them. they’re so sweet to me. i’m starting to get cavities from just how kind they are. [he and the interviewer laugh]

interviewer: why them? what is it about your partner that caught your eye?

beomgyu: oh it had to have been their smile. they have the prettiest smile i’ve ever seen and their eyes crinkle in the corners when they do. their laugh is the most beautiful thing i’ve heard. i’d play it on loop twenty four seven if i could. their happiness is infectious. i’ll let you in on a little secret [he leans in, forearms resting on his thighs as he moves to fake whisper to the interviewer] sometimes, they’ll dance and sing around the kitchen when they think im not watching. [he laughs, leaning back in his seat] they probably have way more blackmail on me though. 

interviewer: would you say you’re happy?

beomgyu: i’m the happiest i’ve ever been. yn… they make everything i do worth it. i don’t know what i’d do without them. i wish they could see themselves through my own eyes because i think they’re the most stunning and beautiful, in every meaning of that word, person on the planet.

bonus:

interviewer: is there anything you’d like to say to your partner back home?

yeonjun: hey, babe! i hope you haven’t forgotten about our one year anniversary coming up. [he says in a teasing voice] you better be taking care of yourself properly while i’ve been gone. [he smiles warmly] i miss you. tour is almost done, love. i’ll be seeing you very soon. 

soobin: i hope you’re doing well, love. you better be asleep when this program is airing and i don’t want to see a single text message from you until it’s morning in your time zone. you can get more work done when you’re well-rested. [he smiles] just a little longer, dear. i’ll be home soon.

beomgyu: yn! i can’t wait to see you again, jagiya. there’s so much to tell you and i miss stealing the blanket from you when we sleep. [his expression drops to a serious, but playful one] i’m cashing in that cuddling coupon you gave me for my birthday last year when i get back and expect top tier service.

^ . _ . ^ !? hehe was inspired by a couple cute insta reels that came up on my for you. next txt post will be for ot5 hopefully as long as i have the time

© taeiun 2023. all rights reserved. do not copy, repost, translate, modify, or claim any of my writing as yours.

[queerly-autistic]

I've seen some concern about the fact that the BBC has double-billed the last four episodes of Our Flag Means Death and bumped it up later in the schedule - concerns that this means it's not doing well for the BBC - and so I'd just like to allay some of those fears, if possible? To start with, it's important to recognise that the BBC does this all the time. I was in EastEnders fandom for many years, and nonsense schedule changes were a regular annoyance. When I shared OFMD's schedule change with my little group of friends from that fandom, everyone rolled their eyes and went 'oh yeah, typical BBC shenanigans'. As an example: the BBC was really pushing EastEnders last year, they'd been hard-marketing towards the big iconic Christmas episode since February, and then, around comes Christmas, and the BBC inexplicably sticks it on at 10pm (when it's usually broadcast at 7.30pm).

So this isn't unusual. This is extremely common. There's often very little rhyme or reason to the BBC live broadcast scheduling. To try and accurately read between the lines of this is like trying to analyse the written output of a cat walking across a keyboard.

But another big thing to remember is that Our Flag Means Death is a streaming show. The BBC dropped all of the episodes in one go because they know that it's the streaming audience where the show is successful. It's the same with What We Do In The Shadows - we know that the show does well for them, because they keep renewing their contract to show it, but because it does well specifically with a streaming audience the live episode broadcasts are perpetually bumped to a weird time (sometimes one in the morning!!).

The BBC is under contract to do a live broadcast of these shows, but that's not where the audience is. And that's why the episodes get shuffled around or bumped to a late timeslot or double-billed together. Them not necessarily getting spectacular overnight live broadcast ratings is not a big barrier to potential pick-up - streaming numbers is the important metric. And, just yesterday, the BBC dropped a card for the show over the credits of House of Games, a very popular (and mainstream!) afternoon gameshow, asking people to go stream it on iPlayer. if you haven't seen it, I managed to screen-record and post it on Twitter here (subtitles included): https://x.com/QueerlyAutistic/status/1762913455051325888?s=20. This is a really, really good ad to get - a very mainstream slot that potentially brings attention to the show from new audience demographics. The fact that they put an ad-read for the show in this particular slot is more indicative to me of the fact that the show is doing well for the BBC than any predictable shenanigans around live broadcast times. They advertised the 'niche' queer pirate comedy to a very mainstream middle-of-the-day audience! That's not nothing! And the fact that they were specifically advertising it as being on iPlayer - not the live broadcast - indicates to me that that's where it's doing well: that's where they know their audience is, and they don't care about the live broadcast, because the streams are where it's at. The live broadcast is probably just a contractual obligation at this point.

Our Flag Means Death is still regularly listed under 'trending' on the iPlayer website, and the Parrot Analytics for the show in the UK are excellent. And that's what we want. That's what we need to convince streamers. Remember: the YouGov survey about the show specifically asked questions about it in the context of streaming services. Overnight figures are lovely to have, too (so keep tuning in!) but this is a show made to stream. It was all dropped on iPlayer first for a reason; they're specifically pushing it on iPlayer for a reason. And, at the end of the day, it's streamers we're currently trying to convince to pick up the show, not broadcast television networks.

So, don't read too much into it. We're still doing good, UK crew!

[composerbutnevercomposed]

Reading Recap - March

This month I read 5 books total: The Night Circus, Legendborn, Bloodmarked, Oathbound, and Butcher & Blackbird. I feel like I’ve been getting a lot of 5 star reads recently, and I don’t know if that’s because I’ve been picking well, or I’m just easy to please lol.

** Spoilers Ahead! **   

The Night Circus - ★★★★★

Wow! What a great book, let’s start off with that. I picked this up on a whim, cuz I kept hearing it’s a “modern classic,” and everyone was right! It’s a solid piece of fantasy, and I recommend it to anyone who’s looking for something different, yet familiar in the genre. I really disagree with people saying this book is “no plot, just vibes” as I feel it’s clearly building to it’s ending all the way throughout. When we find out Isobel is the reason everything’s been so balanced and harmonious in the circus, and we as the reader know everything’s about to fall apart once she stops intervening? Hell yea! And I really like Celia and Marco together, it was love at first sight that felt “believable.” I’m not entirely sure what inspirations Erin Morgenstern turned to when writing, but I couldn’t help but draw comparison to The Master and Margarita; it’s approach to magical realism reminded me a lot of it, and the ending of the book (”I don’t want a story you create from here,” he taps his temple, “I want a story that comes from here,”) is incredibly reminiscent of the famous “manuscripts don’t burn” quote from the novel.

The only thing I have about giving it 5 stars is I feel after reading the Legendborn cycle directly after is that it didn’t stick with me as much as that series did? I don’t know, part of me wants to bump it down a star in Goodreads after the fact, but I also don’t feel like I should “punish” a book that I did actually enjoy because of comparison. Either way, I’ve picked up the Starless Sea since I enjoyed Erin Morgenstern’s writing so much.

The Legendborn Cycle - ★★★★★

Individual Ratings:

Legendborn - ★★★★½

Bloodmarked - ★★★★½

Oathbound - ★★★★★

Legendborn is a book series I’ve had my eye on for a few years now, and I genuinely am kicking myself over not reading it sooner! I think I said this to someone, but reading the first book gave me the same vibes of reading Percy Jackson for the first time. And, not complaining, but Tracy Deonn’s frame(s) of reference is incredibly apparent within the first book; 2010s YA fantasy but with a modern understanding of why these mythologies have persisted over others (spoiler alert: it’s white supremacy). If you’re a PJO alumnus who was emotionally attached to Nico di Angelo ten years ago, and you don’t come away with a soft-spot for Selwyn Kane, I don’t know what to tell you. 

The reason why I didn’t give Legendborn + Bloodmarked five stars is kind of due to my own personal code when I rate my books; if there’s something that detracted from my personal enjoyment of the book, I take off half-a-star. That doesn’t mean I didn’t love the book (I’m obsessed), just something was needed for it to be a 5. For Legendborn, that was me personally struggling to understand the “calling” system of the Scions. I understood the concept of Scions of <Blank> being called first, and then the next lowest rank, and so-on and so-forth; I just started to get confused when William tries to explain the individual lines and who gets called when. I don’t know why; but on top of the ranked knights thing, I came away thinking that all of the lowest in the line of succession gets called until the first-in-line does? I don’t know, sometimes I get mixed up; and I don’t think it helped they tried to explain the Regents thing in the same breath, and that’s a whole different beast to me. And then looking back, my gripe with Bloodmarked feels a bit petty? I don’t know, I may bump it up to a 5 in Goodreads posthumously. I really was bummed we rushed through how the hell Nick and Sel got there in time to help Bree, and it was explained away in a large paragraph said to Alice in a coma; I would’ve liked to see that. On top of that, it was a bit difficult to understand how Bree came to the conclusion to run away with Erebus/Shadow King, it felt out of the blue (but the impulsive stuff she did at the end is sort-of explained in Oathbound? so I’m more willing to let that go)

Oathbound, I loved however, which seems to be against the grain of how other people view it based on Goodreads. Maybe it’s because I recently read another highly-anticipated, third-in-the-trilogy book in Jan. that I wasn’t impressed with (that has the initials O and S, ahem); but this just felt really really, well-done for a “”slow-paced”” book (which I don't agree with, just saying). It didn’t feel like filler, it felt like expansion; which is more that can be said for “let’s go to fantasy-<insert real-life equivalent culture here> island” book -- I say this as someone who does actively read that series, don’t kill me.

What can I say, I’m a sucker for a training arc, and it felt very much like the Son of Neptune in a sense, with the battling POVs and the dramatic irony of it all. I love Bree, and having a whole book dedicated to Bree just being on her own for once after The Six Weeks From Hell was really great. I really liked being able to see the collision-course everyone was on towards each other, and the ending I think is the strongest of the three books. The only thing I really struggled with was how “different” Sel’s character voice was; which I get is the point, but it did make me miss the Sel in Bloodmarked. But I think Nick’s character development from off-screen taking front and center and just getting an influx of sheer Nick (I missed him in Bloodmarked) more than balanced it out. God, I love those three so much.

Now, about the ending of Oathbound. I really, really liked the plot twist. I thought it was the perfect way to differentiate our characters, and really tightens the strings that tie the three main characters together. I also think it’s really, really funny that potentially Sel has always been a balanced cambion (since we now know he’s probs 51% demon based on the ending); regardless if it's true, the thought that he may have been just acting like that because he thought he was “succumbing to the blood” tickles me. I know that’s probably not what happened, but I would expect nothing less from him lol.

The thing that most stood out to me in the ending, however, was the repetition of “Loving people is a practice.” I know it’s probably just something Deonn wanted Bree’s dad to say, or is the take-away from this book, but the words “a practice” really perked my ears up. I couldn’t help but draw comparison to the idea of practices in Rootcraft, and wondered if Deonn was trying to imply either something about this book, or the future of the books. I don’t know, the idea of Bree or someone practicing Lovecraft (haha) is an interesting idea to me, but I think it’s more about how loving people is it’s own form of magic; and that’s why Bree was able to heal over her soul. But yea, overall my favorite of the three, can’t wait for the next! 

Butcher & Blackbird - ★★★★★

I was trying to finish Vicious as my last book of March (see below), but just wasn’t vibing; so I picked this up on a whim as I’ve heard good things, and man was I really delighted! This is a really cute “murder rom-com” with a lot of fun little bits to sink your teeth into (no pun intended). Without giving too much away, it was really fun that all of the victims of Sloane and Rowan were kind of parodies of the classic slasher/killers in horror (i.e. Norman Bates, Hannibal Lecter, Leatherface); and the main characters were super cute and honestly very well-developed. I’m quite hesitant of a lot of “book-tok” books, but this is worth the hype; I get it. I even found myself really relating to Sloane a lot, she’s a data scientist, I’m a computer scientist, she likes to draw, I like to draw, she’s kinda emo and has red nails, I’m kinda emo and have red nails. I don’t know, I could be a serial killer with social anxiety too lol. But make no mistake this is a “book-tok” smut book for sure, and it definitely was raunchy, but surprisingly didn’t fall too hard into the stereotypical “spice” scenes books aimed at modern female audiences do. The only gripe I had is they went to the Omni Hotel in one scene, and I have a grudge against that place lol. I bought and read this the same day I’m posting this, and I’ve picked up the next two in the series, so I’ll probably pound those back as well lol. Good quick read, what else can I say.

Currently Reading

Vicious by V.E. Schwaab

Man, I’m really struggling with this one and I don’t know why! I picked this up about a week ago and only have a hundred pages or-so left, but I cannot get into it. Make no mistake, it’s written well, has great characters, and an interesting premise; but I’m feeling super removed from it for some reason? That’s why I picked up Butcher & Blackbird; I wanted my fix of evil characters but it wasn’t clicking with this one. I’m trying not to soft-DNF this one, so I might just trying and use my Spotify audiobook minutes to finish it off, see if changing the format fixes whatever’s wrong with my brain. I have Vengeful as well, as I’ve had the box-set sitting on my shelf for a while, and depending on how I feel when I finish this I may or may not read the sequel. I don’t know yet, my mind could change. I will be picking up other books by Schwaab, I love her prose; just not this book all that much.

April TBR

This is just a list of the books I have my eye on to read in April, not sure if I’ll even read any of them.

Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrel - I picked up a gorgeous anniversary copy after reading the first page, I’m obsessed. Def something I want to read sooner rather than later. I read Piranesi, and that was good, but I’m hoping to like this one a bit more

Everything is Tuberculosis - I’m a sucker for a historical science novel (Demon in the Freezer is one of my fav non-fiction books) and I did really like The Anthropocene Reviewed, so I’ll probs pick it up at some point.

The Cruel Prince - I started getting a bunch of Tik-Toks for this out of the blue, and found out it was written by Holly Block (aka. the Spiderwick Chronicles). I loved those books as a kid so I had to pick this up, though I’m trying to limit my YA reads. 

I might throw some lit-fic in here? I have a tendency to just keep reading the same genre until I get tired of it, but I have a lot of Joan Didion books on my shelf I’ve been meaning to pick up. A few of them are small, so could be easy to throw on top of the pile.

[asinglemagpie]

The Golden Raven: Here Be Spoilers 10 (Once More With Feeling)(Chapter 22)

Oof those were some heavy chapters... Now I'm well rested, let's dive into more!

Why didn't they flop on anyone's couches? Rhemann would have taken them in, surely!

Can we start a fund to order some takeout from a very specific restaurant? Neil knows the one.

When your therapist helps get access to money... you gotta admit sometime that you're in so shitty a situation that they would risk their career to help you even the smallest bit.

Okay look. Thea is a touchy subject from what I've seen, especially regarding Kevin, so I'll be brief. She and Kevin should not have happened - she was far too old and he far too young. But. We have to remember that the Nest ran on its own twisted set of rules and morality, and nothing they did was outside of the lines that they had been bullied and tortured into. I do not think they are good for each other. Kevin needs someone to be more than exy with. Someone who can knock him down a few pegs and then hold his hand as they rebuild him into something better. Thea is what he needed, but now she holds him rigidly in place when he should be blossoming.

That said, she sounds hot AF and I'd stick around too so...

The fact that Kevin is letting himself be annoyed with a camera in his face? The interview either broke him from being "I must have a perfect public persona", or shit going on that we're not privvy to yet has gnawed through him and this is what he's got left.

AARON DRIVING THE MAS MEANS MORE TO ME THAN I CAN EXPRESS OKAY?! 😭

It never gets old calling Kevin "Queen" (always capitalised).

Andrew showing signs of taking to heart what Jean said is also INSANE. Like... He's forgoing one of the significantly few things he finds comfort and calm in because he won't risk being too slow to save Neil? I... I just... 😭

How does their relationship even work anyway? They never see each other, I doubt they call each other because they don't seem the type. Just... ???

Thea's harsh AF but totally correct statement. Honestly she has to be scary as fuck and again I'm not entirely against that...

Kevin and the moment of "well I can't fix that".

Spader also being incredibly correct. Sadly the Ravens do NOT have access to adequate mental healthcare.

The fact that the FBI know who started the fire, but Laila's family doesn't sits weirdly with me. I can't decide if I'm misunderstanding, or if Nora is frantically waving a red flag.

William is still one of my favourites.

Warren however can choke on a whole bag of thorny dicks.

In a just universe, a recording of that conversation would have fucking ruined the Wilshires. Alas there is no just universe and skinbags of anal leakage like this cunt get away with this shit.

Jean getting to truly own something of his own choosing 😍

Honestly I'm 50/50 on the "are they suicides or murders?" purely because Ichirou wouldn't draw eyes onto the Ravens, and by extension the Moriyama name, by just bumping them off. There would have been a couple of tragic accidents, people got rattled and performed badly, pushing some to that point, but it would be so much... Less. Than how it's going down. BUT those three going in such quick succession - when there's been days for what Thea said to sink in - just seems... Too coincidental. Hella fucking sloppy though. Like suspiciously sloppy. Are we sure it's Ichirou we should be looking at? Or any Moriyama at all?

Laila taking her life in her hands riding pillion 😂

Jean quietly absorbing everything he can about a Jeremy he doesn't know.

Jean openly choosing a path where there are no Ravens is just... Everything.

Kevin isn't a Raven. He's fine on a technicality.

Jeremy thinking he's taking it out of context when he's very much in the right context lol.

[narugen]

I love blurred lines and broken walls so much!!!

What do you think a fic idea with cat shifter!Hoshina, who's a little nippy at first but quickly warms up to Mina's unrelenting love and affection for cats?

JAW DROP A HOSHIMINA ASK

first of all thank you so so much for coming here to tell me omg that means so much 🥹🤍🤍🤍🤍 i’m so happy you enjoyed it!!

also erm just expanded on ur idea a “little” under cut LOL i went crazy I MIGHT ACTUALLY WRITE IT? gid bless u

secondly IH MY GOD CAT SHIFTER HOSHINA NOT KNOWING WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE LOVED AFTER BEING ABANDONED NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE… as a cat.. as a human… so he lives his life wondering as a stray cat wondering if there’ll ever be someone who’ll love him…. cue ashiro mina…. mina whom he finds one day, aged 18, crying her eyes out (let’s say this is an au and kafka is going to a different country or something he’s #successful and uhhhh idk he’s just leaving Her and she’s SO upset about it but in true mina fashion all she can do is wish her best friend well and cheer him on…. but she is so lonely…)

if we wanna make it a bit older. maybe office worker mina, 25, feeling like such a mundane life is Not for her.. and she keeps making mistakes at work and she’s so frustrated. also crying but not really and hoshina notices her and he doesn’t really know what’s going on - doesn’t even reach out to humans (or other cats, cat shifters) alike but he finds himself drawn to her so he walks up to her in his cat form and bumps his head against her ankles…

something something she loves cats so much and this felt like fate (but also omg imagine if she’s SCARED of adopting another after losing miko when she was a kid) and she thanks him for accompanying her but god. she wants to bring him home so bad but she just Can’t.

until they keep running into each other bc she passes by this park on the way to the train station and HES ALWAYS THERE waiting for each morning and she starts bringing food for him. never forgets to leave without giving him chin scratches. somehow after that going and coming home from work isn’t so awful anymore.

bc she knows she’ll get to see hoshina (cat) and omfg imagine what if one day it’s fucking storming. typhoon warnings and mina made it home before it started getting bad but it’s raining and she’s searching all over the damn park for hoshina bc she can’t just Leave Him outside and she’s drenched by the time she finds his cat form hiding under a tree/in bushes/whatever and she’s SO RELIEVED. she places him in the safety and warmth of her coat, against her chest and makes the mad dash home…

I CSNT STOP KEEPING THE WORDS FROM FORMIMG BUT LISTEN LISTEN. AND THEN SHE SNEEzes and hoshina cat places a paw on her face like: bless you and she’s still scared (of loss) but decides. after the storm. she’ll get all the supplies she needs. and and and then hoshina starts living with her and and and hoshina is Genuinely so loved for once in his damn life and he’s so ARGHHHHHHHH

picture this: ur a fucking cat guy who never had anybody keep u for long. always getting abandoned. have braved through storms and winters alone and cold and that was fine until one day u understand what it’s like to be wanted (because a human, drenched to the bone, hair soaked and curling against her forehead breathing a sigh of Relief, upon finding him in the rain? hoshina can’t get that sight out of his mind even if he Tried)

and he’s so scared of fucking up bc SHE likes him as a cat. in his cat form so he tries his best control his powers but one day . idk what’s the criteria for shifting but he shifts one day (because. there’s a reason actually. he wishes he could Hug her sometimes. the way she hugs him but his little legs and paws aren’t enough to show her how much he wants to return her affectionate gestures and-)

and one day mina is SICK down with such a high fever he doesn’t need to shift to know she’s burning up and he thinks. he’ll apologize. maybe leave if she kicks him out. but he needs to do something for her he wouldn’t be able to as a cat (buy medicine, cook for her because he knows quite a bit, etc) and mina is delirious, she has to be, as she drifts in and out of consciousness seeing someone who..? whom she doesn’t know but feels like she’s known for ages take care of her and she manages to croak out a weak hoshina before she calls back asleep to the feeling of a cool hand and even cooler towel on her forehead GOD I COULD GO ON FOR AGES and mina thinks the entire thing must’ve been a dream but she wakes up to warm soup on her bedside, her cat (hoshina) curled up against her in bed and she can’t make sense of it Now. but she will. when she’s feeling better.

I HAVE SO MANY IDEAS FOR THIS CAN U FUCKINH TELL UR MAKING ME GO BONKERS HERE ANON anyway she sits him down at the dining table and it’s comical seeing him sit on the table as she sits on the other end dead serious like. Do You Know What Happened.

and cat hoshina is like mrmrf (cat noise) but he’s so adamant on not revealing himself bc he’s so Afraid.

and then she tells him that she’ll love him no matter what and he’s like Poof instantly and he has to get down from the fucking table bc HELLO THIS WASNT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AND TJEY GAPE AT EACH ORHER IN SHOCK AND ITS THE FIRST TIME HES TRANSFORMED WITHOUT HIS CONTROL???

she doesn’t scream. she doesn’t hurl insults. she doesn’t call him a freak. she simply stares blankly at him and goes. Oh.

“makes sense.”

“??????”

in tears and then they lived happily ever after the end bc. god knows id write out the whole outline here if i let my brain keep going

[strwbmei]

"Does anyone else just have an inherent belief that they are a bad person?.."

•

Literally. I had this little thing from a few years ago that I managed to somewhat push down. It's weird and I don't know how to feel about it. It's like- I sometimes overthink too much and sabotage myself, thinking something in the lines of; "I am not attractive/good/successful enough to be happy alongside my friends/family" (and it's something simple like laughing together or just hanging out around them)

[It got so bad that I dedicated 2 years into 'fixing' my nose bump that was (and kind of still is) my biggest insecurity, and ended up breaking my nose, damaging some internal shit that made it fill with liquid, not to mention the pain, and now I am left with a permanent red scar on my nose bridge, but at least I got over it and changed my view of it - it's something so little and so insignificant but it somehow makes me feel like less than other people.]

In my case it's mostly based off appearance but I also feel like I should be as productive as an adult while I am actually just a depressed teenager (16). I feel like I am wasting my time with anything that I don't get a clear result out of. I have really high standards for myself. Being a perfectionist also doesn't help my case. So a 'solution' to this is my new schedule that I hold myself strict to - getting up at 5 am, doing all sorts of things while still having most of my time go to school, doing a specific sport 3 times a week for my dad (nevermind that I still have my own goals and work out separately), actively trying to get better at art and writing, as well as pick up new hobbies, and still aiming to get around 8 full hours of quality sleep.

What I'm trying to say is that I subconsciously and consciously think that I will become a failure if I don't excell in every aspect of my life - education/hobbies/skills/social life.. etc. And that gives me the twisted thought that I don't deserve happiness before I actually achieve something significant.

I kind of went on a bit of a ramble here but your post awoken a memory that I needed to write down (to maybe get my head cleared)

One thing that has really helped me, and continues to, is MBTI. But the deeper version of it that's more than just the immaculate, 'for fun' test - the actual trying to understand the way that different people's brains work.

I am no expert on it but I am getting the hang of it. Enough to find out my MBTI - ENTJ (8w9). Knowing my strengths and weaknesses, and the thought process I go through have really helped me better understand and eventually better myself, I also find it quite fun.

So yeah, I feel like a 'bad' person quite a lot.

I'm sorry if my post made you uncomfortable in any way. I can't say that I've ever gone to the same extent, but I definitely empathize with the feeling that I don't deserve to be happy unless I do something that others deem remarkable and worthy of attention. I don't know you personally, but I'm sure that you aren't a bad person!

On the more positive side, mad respect to you for somehow being able to balance all of that stuff! I can barely keep up with having 3 hobbies, ahaha... I'm glad you found a healthy way to cope with what you're feeling, though.

[mysticalwriterwithintrusivethoug]

What Small Brands Should Know Before Signing with a Lifestyle PR Firm

In the media and PR world, the tug-of-war between 9‑Figure Media vs. Edelman often pops into conversations.

You’ve probably heard both names one humming about big budgets and flashy campaigns, the other about heritage and scale. This piece asks: what really sets lifestyle PR agencies apart? And why should you care?

Let’s talk about what these agencies actually do for their clients past the polished presentations and catchy taglines. Their roles have changed a lot over the last few years, and not always in ways you’d expect.

Some things still work, some don’t, and a few new tactics are starting to catch on. I’ll walk through some of that, share a couple real-world cases, sprinkle in some numbers not too heavy and offer a few comparisons that, with any luck, feel grounded.

And yeah, there might be moments where I go slightly off topic. That’s kind of how these things go real thoughts aren’t always perfectly linear. It’s how thinking works, right?

The truth is, most people don’t know what happens behind those glossy PR campaigns. There’s planning, crisis checks, and a strange mix of psychology and trend-forecasting.

Agencies aren’t just pitching articles; they’re engineering moments. Sometimes those moments work. Sometimes, they just fade into the feed.

But lifestyle PR in particular is a strange space. It’s aspirational but grounded. You’re selling ideas more than products, values, habits, aesthetics.

So a PR firm might push a wellness campaign not just with statistics, but with curated influencer interviews, brand tie-ins, and messaging that resonates emotionally. Not everything lands, and not everything should. What matters is how people feel after they’ve seen it.

Current Trends and Analysis

PR used to be simple: press release, media tour. Now? It’s a mash‑up of influencer partnerships, social media drops, short‑form videos, brand missions even NFTs here and there.

Sure, there’s data showing engagement rates are up about 15‑20 percent when lifestyle brands partner with micro‑influencers but success isn’t universal.

One brand saw a 30 percent lift in awareness but no sales bump, while another tripled ROI with the same model.

You ever catch yourself wondering if all this data obsession is actually making things better or just blander? It’s a fair thing to ask. Sure, numbers help steer the ship, but they don’t always point to something people care about.

I’ve seen campaigns that hit every metric on paper perfect targeting, polished visuals, smart timing and still? Nothing. No buzz, no real engagement.

Then there was this quirky TikTok collab that honestly looked a little chaotic. But it exploded. Not because it was flawless, but because it felt human, like someone took a risk instead of following a script.

Back then, PR used to be more about earned media getting a quote in a magazine, a name drop in an article. That kind of stuff had weight.

Now it’s layered in with paid posts, social chatter, and algorithm chases. A lot has changed, and not all of it’s clear-cut better. Today, match that with paid and shared content, and things get messy.

Budgets used to be 80 percent PR and 20 percent paid. Now clients want splits closer to 50/50. That upends how agencies pitch and execute. And with algorithms constantly shifting, even “paid” doesn’t guarantee visibility.

PR professionals now need to think like strategists, sociologists, and sometimes, behavioral scientists.

The bottom line? Lifestyle PR has become more layered. Success isn’t just about getting featured.

It’s about crafting an experience that sticks and doing it across channels that barely existed five years ago.

7 Key Services Offered by Lifestyle PR Agencies (and When to Use Them)

Let’s break it down:

Media relations and press outreach the classic — If you’re launching a new watch or home goods line, you’ll want this. It’s still essential but harder to stand out when dozens of pitches land in an editor’s inbox each day.

That said, a strong relationship still matters. Journalists are overwhelmed. If your agency has credibility and context, you stand a better chance.

There’s nuance, too. It’s not just about blasting pitches. It’s about timing, narrative, and understanding which outlets matter for your brand’s audience.

A small feature in a niche digital publication might drive more traffic than a national hit. I’ve seen it happen. One client got a two-line mention in a targeted lifestyle site and saw sales spike over the weekend.

2. Influencer and creator campaigns — these come with mixed results. A brand I worked with got major traction from a mid‑tier creator yet the conversion track was flat.

Pro tip: always test first. Also, don’t chase follower count. It’s tempting, but micro-creators often bring tighter engagement. People trust them more. A 40k follower skincare influencer might drive more action than a celebrity who’s repping five brands a month.

Measurement is tricky here. Likes and views look good, but the real question is: did the message resonate?

And did it convert? Agencies worth their salt will track that, segment by creator type, and adjust fast.

3. Event coordination and experiences — From exclusive pop‑ups to virtual brunches, this one’s relevant if you want direct consumer touchpoints.

I once attended a rooftop “brand and brunch” reveal that felt more like a friend’s gathering than a marketing stunt. That closeness works. People remember how the event made them feel.

But events can flop. Low turnout, poor timing, awkward activations it happens. Smart agencies know how to pivot mid-event.

One firm actually turned a rain-soaked beach campaign into a cozy indoor retreat. Attendees loved the unexpected vibe shift. That kind of nimbleness builds long-term brand trust.

4. Social content strategy — Building content calendars, cross‑platform synergy, branded reels. The strategy often leans heavily on TikTok or Instagram Reels key for reaching Gen Z and early millennials. But platforms change quickly.

What works this quarter might be irrelevant next.

And it’s not just about being present it’s about sounding right. A brand voice that feels authentic across platforms wins.

The trick is balancing brand identity with platform expectations. You don’t post the same video on LinkedIn and TikTok. Well, some do but you probably shouldn’t.

5. Brand partnerships and collaborations — Two brands together can amplify each other think capsule collections or co‑branded events. There are legal hoops, but when it clicks, it can multiply reach overnight.

And the halo effect can be real: consumers perceive both brands differently post-collab.

Still, partnerships fail too. Values misalignment, messy rollouts, or flat visuals can sink the whole thing. Good agencies vet these moves like dating matches. Is there chemistry? Are the goals compatible? If not, better to pass.

6. Crisis and reputation management — Not glamorous, but what happens when something goes wrong matters. A small food brand faced backlash over an ingredient timely messaging and community engagement quelled it before it blew up.

Timing is everything. The first response often shapes the entire narrative. Also, crisis comms isn’t only about damage control it’s about preparation.

Agencies that run regular audits and scenario planning are better equipped. You never know when a tweet, review, or old video resurfaces. Better to be ready.

7. Measurement and analytics — These days, if you don’t show ROI with numbers, the campaign looks weak.

These services include tracking media impressions, sentiment analysis, click‑throughs, mentions, even hashtag virality. But don’t get blinded by volume. Sometimes, fewer high‑quality engagements matter more.

Dashboards help, sure. But qualitative feedback how people felt, what they said in comments, offers nuance numbers miss. Smart clients ask for both.

So How Do Approaches Vary?

Take APCO vs. BCW for instance. APCO often positions itself as strategic counsel first big investor messages, corporate storytelling. BCW leans into integrated comms with digital, consumer, and brand narratives. APCO might deliver a clear, top‑down message.

BCW may build a campaign with a dozen moving parts from press to TikTok to retail activations. One’s a sculptor, the other’s a choreographer. Which fits your brand? Depends if you want discipline or a full playbook.

Both have their strengths. APCO can offer gravitas a sense of senior-level confidence in a crisis or IPO. BCW might move faster, pulling creative assets from across divisions to meet a flash trend.

The trade-off? Depth versus range. Some clients want both. And that’s when smaller hybrid firms often come in offering personalized strategy without the giant agency sprawl.

You also have to consider culture fit. Are you the kind of brand that needs weekly pulse checks and daily calls? Or would a quarterly strategic reset work better? Choosing the right agency isn’t just tactical, it’s relational.

Future Outlook and Predictions

Expect boundaries to blur further. Data‑driven creativity will rise, think campaign decisions based on real‑time sentiment analysis.

Sustainability proof‑points will be more than bullet points they’ll fuel influencer content and media storylines.

But not all future shifts will be digital. There’s growing fatigue with screens. Brands might find value in real-world activations again, even if they’re harder to measure.

One prediction? The return of tactile storytelling print zines, ambient street campaigns, physical tokens.

I also see more AI‑assisted storytelling drafting pitches, trending content suggestions but humans will still handle nuance, tone, unpredictable consumer reactions.

And while platforms change fast, trust and authenticity don’t so agencies that lean into sincerity even when imperfect will be memorable.

Another shift? Regionality. Hyper-local campaigns with neighborhood influencers or cultural micro-movements may gain momentum. As the national narrative fragments, these pocket stories can feel more personal and relevant.

Conclusion

We’ve covered how lifestyle PR has grown beyond press, what services agencies offer, who does what, and where it’s going. You might walk away thinking: “There’s more to PR than products and press.”

And you’d be right. You’re steering a ship that’s part media company, part brand advocate, part crisis responder.

Those early moments of doubt are natural. But here’s the thing: executing well isn’t about perfection.

It’s about layering smart tactics, staying nimble. Now, when you circle back to APCO vs. BCW, or revisit the clash of 9‑Figure Media vs. Edelman, ask yourself which flavor matches your ambition and if you’re ready for what comes next.

It’s not about choosing the best agency. It’s about choosing the one that gets you. One that understands not just what your product is, but what you want people to believe about it.

And when you find that partner, that’s when strategy becomes more than execution it becomes identity. And in PR, identity is everything.

[draegonkin]

Warren's Peace

Today I said goodbye to the grumpiest, crankiest, and best cat I have ever known.

Just barely seventeen years ago he was the last one of his litter not spoken for. He had four sisters and everyone (even me, admittedly) wanted to take one of them home instead. He was mine, though, and when I saw him I couldn’t have been happier. Fate works wonders sometimes. Even though he liked my wife and kids well enough, I was the one he loved and would put up with just about anything from.

Even as a kitten he was ornery, and grumpy, and mean and as he grew older he would gain quite a reputation (especially among vets - spicy, fractious, a note in his file marked: dangerous) for his attitude. Over the years he was directly responsible for the death of five mice (one those being an ex-snake snack, turned pet, turned escapee) and one human emergency room visit (where the doctor mistakenly assigned my mid-twenties-at-the-time wife to the pediatrics ward). He also put holes in COUNTLESS SOCKS. The menace.

He was also with me for most of my adult life:

He’s lived with me in three apartments (including my very first), one temporary basement dwelling, and two houses. He was part of what made each of them a home.  

He saw me at my first job, through one failed college degree, one successful one, and he saw me go from line cook to engineer. 

My wife-to-be was how I met him and he was with us through every bump and trial, every day of our marriage, and every day of the lives of our kids. As grumpy as he was with everyone else, he was patient and kind to them. They were just big, noisy, kittens and he could live with that.

He saw me get back into D&D and find my passion for storytelling. He watched me run seven campaigns (four complete, two failed, and one current) and play in countless others. 

And he was a great friend and companion through every day that he was at my side.

But today his journey found its end. His story is told, but it is a permanent part of mine and will always be. His fight is over and he can rest peacefully now.

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

I am a sucker for stories about love, as everyone that knows me knows. Love doesn’t always look the same, and for you it was letting me pick you up no matter what you were doing. Of putting up with me brushing you. It was you sitting in my lap, claws slowly and contentedly sinking into my leg as you relaxed. It was meowing for your food every morning. It was butting your face against mine while I drew and played games. It was jumping onto battle maps and playing with my dice. It was sleeping in sunbeams. It was purring when I scratched your head (but never past your shoulders). You were loved, Warren, and that will never change even if today is goodbye. The least I can give you is a heartfelt (and nerdy) farewell.

Today Kentha met you and guided you to Selanna’s Gate at last.

Today you were greeted by the Keeper and asked to tell your story. He’ll walk with you, side by side (letting you take as many naps as you need), towards the Halls where your story will be kept forever.

Today you were able to find rest until we see each other once again.

Goodbye, my old friend. My life wouldn’t have been the same without you.

[rey-townsend]

"I am good at my job, but I've an entire town of folks to watch over.. you may just slip through the cracks by accident," with each word, her fingers lightly tugged at a frayed piece of the couch's pillow. Mostly because she sometimes had difficulty lying to a person's face. It was her father's fault-- the man had instilled a certain kind of fear in her, if she dared utter any false word, to the point where she could burst into tears for even trying to mislead him. Her father hadn't been an abusive man, of course. He just commanded that respect. One look of disappointment could destroy her.

"You could, but you didn't, and haven't, so I don't think you're going to because it's not a bad idea." Finally, she did look at him, so he could see how well she wore that pleased expression. "Besides. what else is there to do? If you don't go, you'll just be stuck back at home as any other day, doing the same old boring stuff you always do. Don't you get tired of that?" Probably not. His past relationship must have done a number to him, because he wasn't even in his forties and yet, one could live by that mundane, set routine. She'd wager money he went to bed at a specific time, too. Ney did as well, but!-- the difference was, it was often past midnight, before one, and on the heels of incredibly long, exhausting days that were not always the same. "Literally, the absolute worst thing that could happen is you get there, feel awkward turtle, decide to nevermind, and nope out of there before anyone has a chance to notice you." Really, far as she could see, there wasn't any downside to the ordeal.

Ney's stare dropped away, to anything else in the room to focus on as a noncommittal 'hm' sort of sound came in response to his seemingly innocent comment. Nathan hadn't meant anything by it, and yet the words still managed to wound somewhere. Because naturally, it forced the woman to have to look at herself and ask the age-old question of what was wrong with her then? People all around her, Nathan included, apparently found their people without any bumps or forks in the road-- everything was easy, simple, and perfect. It all fit right, even if it sometimes fell apart somewhere along the line. Ney had yet to get to those first baby steps with anyone. It was like pulling teeth, some of the most awkward and awful situations that never bore any fruit, not for lack of her trying. Oh, she had tried. She had lost count on how many times by now, too. Lately, she didn't see the point in trying anymore.

For herself, that is. For Nathan? Absolutely, he should try. His luck in that department held a much better success rate, even if the last one had failed so spectacularly. In her opinion, that only said his next was bound to be exactly what was meant for him. Like Goldilocks. Or... did he need to go through three for that? Maybe he already had? Actually, just nix Goldilocks altogether, she was a picky bitch anyway.

"I don't know, I thought dancing sounded fun," she shrugged, though wasn't too surprised to find out of his aversion to it. Most men usually were. Her lips pulled into a smile at the mention of Mikael, one of her best friends. She got to be more open with that twin, actually-- more... womanly, as weird as that sounded. She could giggle and be silly and play with the makeup and wear pretty things to be admired in, and Mikael played along right with her. "You could always ask him for tips?" she suggested, because sadly Neylani had no real experience with dancing either. As pathetic as it was, she'd gone to prom on her own and spent the time chit-chatting with one of her favorite teachers about what her after-school plans were from here. And the other one, in seventh grade? She was helping to document everyone else's good time with crappy, overexposed pictures. "But it's not like you have to dance, either," Ney went on with a light eyeroll, "use your imagination. Someone asks you to dance, divert the conversation to something else so that way, you continue their interaction yet avoid the dreaded dancing. Be like-- WOW, that color on you is amazing, or try the classic 'I was actually just going for a cup of lemonade first, would you like to join me?'" She gave him an expectant look. "Be spontaneous, think on your toes!"

Nathan chuckled lightly, setting down his coffee cup on the kitchen counter before he'd moved to sit near her. "You're too good at your job to do that to me and we both know it." He'd lived on Greywood long enough to know a thing or two about the safety of the town, himself. Don't go wandering off alone on nights where the moon was full. Be cautious around newly turned wolves and vampires. It was all pretty basic knowledge at this point. But still, there was plenty that still went wrong in this town, try as they all might to keep it safe and secure.

"I could just say 'great idea Ney, but no thanks,'" Nate sighed, shoulders lifting with a bit of a shrug. It actually wasn't a bad idea, though. He hadn't really been looking for someone as of late; He'd been focused on other parts of his life, his career, his family. But maybe putting himself out there, even if it was just to meet people and make friendships - it couldn't hurt. Well, maybe it could, in an emotionally awkward sort of way, but what else was new?

"It was easy, once," Nate huffed, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck before looking back at her again. He wasn't the type to really date around, he hadn't had a ton of relationships in his past - but the one...it had been simple. It had been easy. It had simply made sense. They were going to make a family together.

And then she'd disappeared.

Maybe, for a while, he'd held onto hope that she'd come back with an explanation. But that hope had died years ago.

His brow furrows a bit at her suggestion that he might even get a dance. "Do you think that is supposed to be a selling point or are you intending to make it sound more awkward?" He cleared his throat, giving the slightest hint of a self deprecating smile. "I can't dance for shit. Mik got all the good flirting genes, I think."

[starshipsofstarlord]

All mine

liam dunbar x reader / masterlist

summary; alec, scott’s new beta has a thing for liam’s girl, and sufficed to say, liam is anything but happy about the predicament / warnings; jealousy, smut, some choking, fucking in a playground, daddy kink, mentions of masturbation, mentions of phone sex, mentions of exhibitionism, oral sex (fem receiving).

the boy with anger issues was feeling a rage boil in his veins; they were in scott’s home, he had came back from college for a break, and thus, alec had joined in meeting with their alpha, though, not all his attention was reprised upon said pack leader.

there was a movie flashing upon the screen, you sat cross legged on the couch, whilst liam had been sent to the kitchen to grab a bowl of popcorn. he could feel his hand putting amble pressure on the plastic bowl, as he watched you explain every dumb thing occurring in the motion picture film.

alec was acting clueless on purpose, he could tell, more so since when he had first joined the pack, he had made such moves on you. and spoiler, eventually they had been successful. you were the same age as scott, meaning that you too had returned to beacon hills for your half term clause in the higher education, and liam wanted you to spend every moment with him, not this stray.

it took all his supernatural strength to restrain the growl threatening to rumble from his chest, his claws bent into the flesh of his palms, drawing a pooling of blood to the tether down from the self inflicted wound. scott smelt the blood, and wrinkled his nose at the scent that invaded his nostrils; he thought liam had his issues under control, but supposedly not entirely.

he couldn’t help himself, alec was trying his best, slyly glancing down your top, and he got he was only a hormonal teenage boy, same as him, but you were his girl. a rumble, resembling the natural force of thunder echoed around the living space, drawing all eyes, human and otherwise, in his direction.

the growl that had erupted from his chest had been possessive, a warning to the young, adopted beta, who quickly adjourned his arm away from the back of the couch, and shuffled from right beside you.

“li, are you good?” in an instant you removed yourself from where you were sat, walking towards him, and smoothing his shoulders over with your palms, watching as he heavily breathed. amber eyes flickered up to you, making you gulp; you now understood what had him so relentless and blunt with his aggression.

“i want to leave.” it wasn’t a question, it was a defiant statement. in turn, you nodded, grasping anything you needed, such as you jacket, and pulling it over your arms, liam quickly heading out, without bidding either of the boys a goodbye.

“see ya.” you waved at the pair, you would apologise for liam’s behaviour later to scott, he of course understood the situation nevertheless, he had been his alpha for a long time now. a hand grasped you as soon as you exited, pillowing roughly into your skin as he dragged you down the street, his pace quick and daring.

“you think i didn’t notice that beta’s eyes drifting down to your cleavage or him practically pawing for your attention.” he had stopped the two of you outside of a playground, you gulped, listening to him with an adjacent inclination.

“liam, there’s no need to be jealous.” your words had the priority of calming his angered exterior, though it happened that you had done rather the opposite. there was a firm line deposited between his dark brows, a frown that was aimed towards you directly.

“me, jealous? oh no, i know that you’re mine, but it comes to the question, do you?” he bit his lip, tensing the bridge of his nose as he moved his face closer to your own. “for all i know, at college, you don’t even let anyone know that you’re in a relationship, it could be your little secret, so you can fuck whomever you want.”

“that’s something i’d never do, you know that!” his accusations were flimsy, that much was liable, though although knowing that all his words came out of a place of secluded insecurity, you still felt the necessity to defend yourself. if you played his game, it would make him subconsciously doubt himself, and possibly believe the things that he was saying were true.

“do i?” the beta pried. liam made directories closer towards you, taking steps to discern your defence, letting his hand ravel up, and close around the front of your neck. your breath instantly hitched, as he wordlessly stated the power he had over you; not to mention, he was stronger, and he was irked, meaning that he would go to any lengths to prove his point, or lack of one.

“liam.” your hands came up to scratch at the exterior of his, worried that he would do some prominent damage, but rather than releasing his grip, he tightened his fist, triggering a hitch in your breath, and a uncoordinated, surprising moan to fly from your lips, as though your body was inherently howling at him for more.

“does my girlfriend like that? i think she likes daddy having his hand around her throat, don’t you baby? are you daddy’s dirty girl?” his slick words made your brain disintegrate into a contortion of confusion; more specifically, riddled with uncertainty, searching for a reason as to why his mature words were affecting you so.

there was no question about the matter, he was well adorned with the specifics of how it was affecting you. the reverberating of your heart thumped in his ears, like drums of a sacred matter, telling him how your hormones crazed, thundering with potential submission, that alternately had your knees quaking, fighting to remain standing.

then, there was the intoxicating aroma that scaled up to his nose from between your legs. that alone was a dead give away, he was lucky that it hadn’t killed him in the dead of night yet. being apart from you for so long had drove him borderline insane, one touch from you had him swooning, wanting nothing more for your hands to drift and intimately pet him.

phone calls, as erotic as some of them were, was just enough. the two of you were sectioned off for education in different counties, the distance pained him, in more ways than one. sometimes he’d wake up with a throbbing appendage between his thighs, begging for attention, more specifically, yours.

his hand got by, completing the job, but it wasn’t the same as the feeling of your sweet velvet walls encasing him likes an umbrella pouch, hugging his shaft tight as he rammed his length inside of you, preening moans of ecstasy out of your sinful mouth. the thought of such scenarios would have hun instantly hard in the school showers, leaving him frustrated for the rest of the day.

and though you had returned for a couple of weeks, he remained prominently stressed, never having enough contact with your skin that he had missed so much. he wished for nothing more than to spend it in a godforsaken rut, trapping you in the confines of his bed as he thrust in and out of you, but it so happened that isn’t how your return had panned out.

the luxury of the bed was not present, in its place was the soft breeze prickling at your skin, making every lingering, and restraining touch that he gave to it that more sensual. it was like nature was biting at your skin, plucking up the courage to adorn your flesh in small bumps, coercing your nipples into being erect, although, that was admittedly not all down to the wispy air.

your boyfriend had turned you on, his methods of doing so far different from anything that he had ever embraced before. whom would have ever thought that the once youngest member of the mccall pack would not forlorn in his youth, but instead want to demean his title as something as sexual as ‘daddy’? you sure as didn’t, but you couldn’t deny, it was kind of hot.

okay, more than hot, a lot more. “answer me y/n.” that’s right, you had gotten swept away with this whole new side to your partner, to say that you were drooling was an understatement, if he pointed it out, you’d blame it on him choking you. choking you! damn, he really had been reading up on some kinky shit whilst you were away.

“i do.” it was an honest answer, traded from you to him. though, it wasn’t entirely what he wanted to hear, you recognised that as he promptly squeezed your air way, causing your tongue to dip out of your mouth as you momentarily gasped for an ounce of breath. to spare you a second to respond, he pardoned his grip, stroking down the side of your face with the back of his stern hand.

“answer properly this time babe, else, i’ll fuck you over the swing set.” gulping, you locked eyes with liam, rubbing your thighs together at his prospect, inhaling heavily, as you felt him soothe his thumb rub upon the crevice of your chin, moisturising your own saliva into your skin.

“i love you choking me, daddy.” the word had a strange affect on your body as it rolled almost effortlessly off your tongue. instantly, verbalising the phrase had you feeling meek under the cold gaze of your boyfriend, a smirk ruling his face, as he clasped his knuckles into the dips of your waist, tugging you close.

“good girl.” he ushered the words into your ear as though he were a pro at doing so, lowering his palms to grab both your ass cheeks, a shocked squeal clawing out of the colander of your throat. “but i’m still going to fuck you over it, and i expect you to grasp onto the chains like you’re holding on for your life, and wail like a banshee that you are all mine.”

a slither of a sound, radiating utter betrothal escaped your withering lips, it was something between noise of a whimper, and a small moan. liam took that, and rightfully so, as approval to proceed with his intentions, and thus, he lead you through the gravel of the empty playground, directing his footsteps to the swings, and pushing you to be in front of him.

he bent your waist a little, so that you were hunched over, offering the perfect angle to generate pleasure for the both of you, as he began to tug your jeans down, letting the tight material meet with the croons of your ankles, and remain tethered around them.

“shit, you’ve already soaked through your panties baby.” liam soothed his fingers over the wet patch that opted through the thin material, brushing directly over your sensitive bundle of nerves, causing your mouth to wantonly drop open, in a silent beckon for more. “i can smell you too, you know, and damn, do you smell fucking divine.”

“daddy please.” the beg fell comfortably from you, there was no sudden recital to saying it once more. peculiarly, it felt natural, the dynamic between you and your partner being a stable structure to begin exploring further aspects that spectated in intimacy.

“sit on the seat, daddy will help you out darling.” trailing around the side of the metal structure, you carefully strode to do as liam has said, perching your ass on the swing, it lightly swaying from the impact of your weight upon the small dipped hammock. “there we go.”

liam knelt, scathing his covered knees upon the ground, as he ran his eager palms along the insides of your thighs, plucking at the band of your panties, before shuffling them down far enough so that he had all the access that he hungered for. the brisk whim that waded through the nighttime air had your pussy clenching, feeling the cold integrate against your folds, as liam puckered his lips.

he blew hot air upon your labia, enforcing your grip around the malleable metal chains to tighten, as you lightly shuffled the way that you were sat, spreading your legs a little wider, as your toes scratched relentlessly inside your socks, digging the front of your sneakers into the tarmac below.

your boyfriend leant forwards, swiping his tongue up your folds, causing you to press your head back, as you airily sighed from the contact, loving the way that his tongue delved around the area of your clit, swirling the bud in his mouth, as his teeth gently pinched the sensitive fumble of flesh.

“li- ah, daddy.” he had nipped at your outer lips, serving his actions as a form to correct how you had labelled him. “fuck, you’re so good with your tongue- shit.” his tongue slipped down into your entrance, thrusting the part of himself in and out of you, as you almost fell out of the swing seat.

“mmh.” your so called daddy hummed, sucking once more on your clit, before pulling his head away, as he stood, dragging you with him to force you to stand, delving his saturated tongue into the depths of your mouth, giving you no other option than to taste yourself on his buds. “what do you say baby?” his hand crawled into your hair as he bit his lip, staring with heavy lids at your flushed expression.

“thank you daddy.” a strong nod, he swiftly rotated you around, giving a light smack to your ass cheek, pinching the flesh, as he hurriedly undressed his bottom half, after fishing a loose packaged condom out of his back pocket. his tongue toyed with his top lip, as he ripped open the plastic square, rolling the condom onto his erect cock, giving himself a couple of jerks, as he steadied himself behind where you had hunched over once more.

he grasped his heavy cock, sliding his length through your smothered folds, teasing you as he tapped your clit, resting his hips flush against your own, as he pressed inside of you, causing an elongated string of obscene sounds to cast out of your mouth, playing a tune out of your melodically fawned lips.

a grunt tore itself out of his chest, as he clenched his fine jaw, digging his thumbs into your ass cheeks, as he began to move; delving deep within you, before pulling out of your tight walls, and rutting himself back inside of you. “fuck, feels so good da- ah!”

your natural sounds of pleasure drowned the surrounding area in an epitome of adulterated musings. adjoined with the sounds of liam’s skin slapping against your own, it was a surprise that no one had intervened, nor walked by. though, liam would have heard if they were in a nearby radius, with his supernatural hearing, that he had gotten through a set of canines digging urgently into his wrist, as he hung solemnly off the side of the hospital.

“you’re all mine, you hear that? those frat boys can keep their pervy gazes off of my girl, otherwise i guess i’ll just have to pay you a visit, and fuck you loud enough for anyone to hear.” he began panting, flowing his breath down upon your lower back. “yeah, you like that idea baby girl, how about i take over in the lecture hall and bend you over that desk, drilling into your tight cunt in front of every one so that they know that you belong to me?”

his half conceived promises, his taunting of you had you rolling closer to the edge, backing your hips backwards as you urgently met with his thrusts, forcing him to hip deeper into your cervix, a light growl prowling out of his chest, as he leant against you, angling his waist lower as he thrust upwards, his chest flat against your back.

“yes- fuck! please daddy, i wou- love that. love for you to fuck me for everyone to see, fill me with your cum, make me cu-um.” his heated breath strained against your skin, as your eyes fluttered, feeling succumbed to a white flush inside your veins, your body halting with it’s stability, resting helplessly over the swing seat, a she kept you steady.

“all mine.” your boyfriend stated, as he made you fall over the edge, ravenously thrusting into you to chase his own high. “gonna fucking cum.” a minor roar yelped out of his mouth, as his eyes strung shut, his shoulders relaxing as he emptied his seed into the condom, pulling out of your sopping cunt, as he removed the layer of protection, throwing it successfully in a bin a few feet away.

hazily, you went to stand, liam helping you pull your bottoms up, as he did so to himself too. he held you up, as he hoisted a passionate kiss onto your lips, a satisfied smile on his face once he pulled away. “i miss you so much when you’re away, i love you y/n/n.”

an appeased expression faulted your expression, as you reached up to entwine your hands together at the back of his neck. “i’m all yours li, or should i call you daddy?” you teased, causing a blush to fathom the apples of his cheeks. he looked down, an embarrassed poise covering his face.

“shut up.” he jokingly prompted, wrapping his arm around your shoulders as he began to walk you home, as you continued to tease him about his newly revealed kink, or multiple.

[sunkissedpages]

instead of you [part fourteen]

pairing: [best friend’s brother] tom holland x college!reader

summary: you didn’t expect to spend your summer pretending to be your best friend’s girlfriend- then again, you didn’t expect to fall for your best friend’s brother, either.

warnings: swearing, alcohol consumption

word count: 2.6k

series masterlist

“Just that you’re not technically a chef yet,” Tom explained defensively. “You’re not certified.”

“A chef doesn’t need a piece of paper to call themselves a chef,” Leo countered. “Anyone can be a chef. But don’t tell the WAC I said that.”

“Yeah, Tom haven’t you ever seen Ratatouille?” you teased.

“Great movie,” Leo added. “Sam, great job on your dough,” he reiterated.

Sam stuck his tongue out at his brother across the table who rolled his eyes in response as Leo picked up his ball of dough and rolled it in his hands.

“Tom, yours is still a little tough. Keep working on it.”

He nodded and took his dough back to continue kneading it. You noticed his jaw clenched subtly in frustration, but he didn’t say anything else. You watched as he rolled the pasta dough with a little more force, maybe a little too much.

Leo checked yours next and gave you similar feedback to Tom’s, even though Sam had helped you with yours. You didn’t want to think about what kind of feedback you would have gotten on your own.

Your dough was still flaking apart when you went back to working on it, and you tried desperately to hold it together with little success. Sam had left your side to help his mom so you were on your own.

At least Tom was also struggling. You felt a little better knowing he was miserable too.

You were starting to sweat with effort, you were so out of shape that even cooking had you catching your breath. You had thought this was going to be fun, but instead you were having flashbacks to high school P.E. class.

Leo made his way down the rest of the table and checked everyone else’s dough before circling back to you and Tom. He took over for Tom and instructed Sam to finish kneading yours so that he could move on with the lesson. It was embarrassing to be singled out, but Sam assured you it wasn’t your fault. He wasn’t making much progress with yours either.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with yours,” Sam whispered to you.

“I probably did it wrong,” you hissed back.

“I watched you do it, you did it the same way as everyone else.”

“Then why is it being like this?”

“Sometimes food has a mind of its own,” Leo interjected, making you realize the entire class had been listening to you and Sam’s back and forth. “This is good enough, though. We can set it aside with the other balls of dough to let them rest while we make the fillings.”

You and Tom set your sad pasta balls on the counter with the others before moving to the sink to rinse your hands.

“I think they’ll still taste good,” Tom said thoughtfully as he offered the bottle of soap to you and pumped some into your hands.

“I hope so.”

“It’s pasta, it’s almost impossible to fuck it up.”

“Yet somehow we still managed to.”

“Some would say it’s talent,” he said and shrugged.

You bumped his shoulder with your own as you fought over the water stream. You managed to stick your hands in first and Tom put his above yours only for you to shove them away.

“Hey!”

“You’re completely ruining the purpose of washing my hands!”

“I have soap on my hands, you have soap on your hands, what's the issue?”

“And you’re washing off your germs and they’re going on my hands now!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll wait my turn,” he seceded and let you finish washing your hands before he rinsed off his own.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Making the fillings for the pasta was a much simpler process than making the dough. All you had to do was mix certain ingredients together. It didn’t matter what order you added them, if you whisked fast or slow, the only important thing was that everything made it into the bowl one way or another.

You worked in pairs for this step. Sam mixed together the pesto filling while you did the parmesan-truffle one.

“This is different than the pesto I make,” he said, looking at the mixture in his bowl.

You frowned. “But I like your pesto.”

“It’ll still be good, baby,” he assured you with a kiss to the forehead. “Don’t worry.”

When the fillings were done it was time to revisit the balls of dough and roll them into pasta. Sam explained it to you like rolling Play-Doh, but it was far more difficult in your opinion. Play-Doh was nowhere near as stubborn as this. The pasta dough somehow retained tension, and would bounce back every time you tried to stretch it.

Sam ended up having to help you and Tom because both of you were starting at a disadvantage with your fucked up dough.

“I never want to hear you say I have it easier than you ever again,” Sam warned as he folded your strands of dough into raviolis.

The class had moved on to the final step, shaping and filling the noodles, but you had already tapped out. Sam was done with his portion before you had even finished one so he had taken over for you.

“I’m sorry for saying that,” you said, remembering all the times you had teased him for stressing out over his ‘soufflé final’ or ‘crepe labs’. “I would much rather be writing a paper right now.”

He shrugged. “Everyone has their strengths.”

“I’m starting to think that Ratatouille movie was bullshit,” you groaned.

“How ironic,” Tom snorted across from you.

He was really starting to get on your nerves. But you let his comment go, not allowing your temper to get the better of you. He was still Sam’s family, even if they had a... complicated relationship.

When the class finally settled in the dining room of the restaurant to eat you were sweaty, sore, and exhausted. You could feel your skin sticking to the leather seat, and you felt severely underdressed. Back in the kitchen you hadn’t been so self-conscious. But now you couldn’t stop thinking about your appearance.

The atmosphere was much more sophisticated. The lights were dim, and soft music played in the background. All of the other guests were following an unspoken black-tie dress code while the fifteen of you were still wearing your disposable aprons, only now they were covered in flour and egg yolk.

And to make it worse-

“Smile!”

Nikki held up her phone and motioned for you and Sam to scoot your chairs closer together. You took a deep breath and complied, leaning your head against your fake boyfriend’s and managing a grin. You really didn’t want this moment to be immortalized, but you didn’t want to be difficult either.

The camera flashed once, then again. Sam wrapped a hand around your waist and pulled your body against his, pressing a kiss to your cheek for another picture. You scrunched up your face as the flash went off, the tickle of his breath against your skin and the feather-light touch of his lips making you squeeze your eyes shut.

“That’s a good one!” Nikki complimented, even though you were sure it wasn’t as flattering as she was making it out to be.

The pasta was served with a glass of red wine for everyone. Sam was right, the pesto was different from his, but it was still good. It was no match for his recipe, but the handmade pasta did give it a few bonus points. You were sure you hadn’t gotten any of the noodles you made because all of the ones on your plate were perfect. It didn’t feel fair that you got to enjoy somebody else’s hard work while they got your shitty excuse of a ravioli.

But as the wine dwindled from your glass the negative thoughts began to ebb away too. Your muscles, though still sore, relaxed slightly and you rested your head on Sam’s shoulder as everyone else finished their meals around you. The conversation carried on without your contribution. Your social battery had died hours ago, but you were content to listen to the Hollands chat with other students at the table.

You weren’t a huge fan of wine, but the one served with dinner was palatable, and to be honest you weren’t one to turn down complimentary alcohol anyway. It tasted more expensive than anything you had ever drank, like the equivalent of velvet on your tongue. You finished your glass and the rest of Harry’s.

-

The next few days in Florence passed in a similar fashion. You ate a lot of carbs, drank a lot of alcohol and let the business of the itinerary overwhelm you. It was getting tiring, living in an act. Trailing along behind the Hollands like a dog, worn on Sam’s arm like an accessory.

You had known what you were getting into, and you were trying your best to enjoy the experiences- because who the fuck knows when you’ll ever get to go on such a nice vacation again, but pretending to be in love with your best friend was a harder feat than you had thought.

It felt like being in a school play. Every move and phrase had to be intentional. You tread the lines of your relationship with rehearsed expertise. And you had to watch what you said, because everyone’s eyes were on you. At least that’s what it felt like.

Sam’s parents were easy. They fully bought into your lie, seeing what they wanted to. They usually left you to your own devices, too. His brothers were the ones who needed convincing. Not even Harry, though. Tom was the problem. Tom was always the problem.

You were in Rome now, walking back to the hotel from the Colosseum. Sam had his arm slung around your shoulders and was talking his twin brother’s ear off about the Gladiators and inaccuracies in films about Ancient Rome.

You didn’t think you’d seen him this excited the entire trip. It was cute, the way he talked with his hands and looked off into the distance whenever he was really engaged in something. Harry was also cute. He was trying his best to keep up with Sam, nodding his head at all the right points, asking questions when there was a pause in conversation.

“Yeah, gladiators fucking unionized,” Sam explained. “They put their lives on the line all the time, ya know? Might as well get benefits.”

“If I was a gladiator I’d join their union,” you said, adding to the conversation for the first time in a while.

“There were women gladiators too, babe! You totally could’ve been one.”

You laughed. “You remember my season on the intramural dodgeball team? I wouldn’t last a day. But I appreciate the thought, Sammy.”

You had dinner in the restaurant attached to the hotel lobby. Nikki passed around her Canon for everyone to look through the pictures from the day while a bottle of limoncello was passed around the table.

You’d scarfed down your pasta and passed on dessert in favor of another shot of limoncello. Rookie mistake.

In the past the sugary drink had always tasted like cough syrup to you, but this batch tasted like straight-up lemonade. You were tipsy, bordering on drunk, but nowhere near blacked. Nikki and Dom turned in around shot three, leaving the tab open for the four of you. Sam went upstairs next, having gone too hard too fast on the limoncello (he was on shot five when his parents went back to their room).

Then it was just You, Harry, and Tom. You told Sam you’d join him in a bit after the pianist played a couple more songs. In all honesty, the music reminded you of Sam. Back at school you could always find Sam in the music hall if he wasn’t in the culinary building. You’d always hear him playing as soon as you walked through the double doors. You could always tell it was him at the keys by the way the playing sounded. He was self-taught, but still a genius in your mind. He didn’t need any formal training to make beautiful music, and that’s what you loved about it.

When he moved out of the dorms and into an apartment he bought a keyboard, and you’d spend nights together in his room illegally pirating sheet music for him to learn new songs. He’d play whatever you requested, and if he didn’t know how to play it he’d teach himself.

The pianist in the restaurant played with a little more expertise. The notes sounded refined, perfected. Sam always told you that perfect music was restrained music, that real music had flaws, that a song should sound a little different every time it was played.

After an encore of Beethoven the man at the piano stood from his bench and took a bow, passing his hat around the room to collect tips. Tom dropped a bill into the hat and you did as well, handing it back to the man afterwards. He dumped the contents of the hat into a briefcase and closed the lid of the piano, thanking everyone in the audience for their donations.

“Well, I think I’m going to head up now,” Harry said, yawning for emphasis. “We still have to get up at the ass crack of dawn even though we’ll all probably be hungover.”

“Speak for yourself,” Tom said cockily, then turned to you. “One more shot?”

The bottle of limoncello was almost empty anyway. Might as well finish it off, it’d be a shame to let it go to waste, right?

“Hit me.”

“God, you’re both going to be so fucked tomorrow,” Harry groaned.

“We’ll be fine,” Tom insisted, rolling his eyes at his younger brother.

“Good night, Harry,” you sang, waving at him as he walked off.

“Yeah whatever.”

Tom wasted no time pouring you both a shot of what was left of the limoncello. The restaurant was beginning to clear out so he worked fast, filling the glasses up to the marked line. You both took one and clinked them together before throwing them back.

You winced at the burning sensation in the back of your throat and put the glass back on the table, searching for something to chase the shot with. Your eyes fell to Tom, lingering on his cheeks, his lips, both pink from the alcohol or something else. You flicked your gaze down to his neck, his collarbone that was peeking out from the neckline of his shirt. You thought about how it would feel to kiss him there, to run your tongue over a love bite you’d given him.

You forced your gaze back to his eyes, hoping he hadn’t caught you staring. You had to act uninterested, you couldn’t let on to- but he was staring back. His eyes were intense, and almost impossible to read in the darkness of the room. You knew you should look away, knew you had to keep up appearances, but you couldn’t.

Later you’d blame it on the alcohol, but in that moment you knew the limoncello wasn’t what was making your head spin, or your what was making your vision cloudy.

You were about to leave the table, about to rush to the elevator and back to Sam but then suddenly Tom was kissing you. He cradled your head in his hand and tilted your chin up to meet his lips. It wasn’t desperate or messy like most drunk kisses were. Instead, it was delicate. You swore you could feel every line of his lips against yours, feel his heartbeat through his hands on your cheek.

It was only for a second, not enough time for you to react or reciprocate and then he was pulling away, eyes wide with panic.

“Please don’t tell Sam.”

logging off before i get yelled at but lmk what you think i always appreciate feedback!!

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[luimagines]

Hey, I’m not sure how to explain this but getting straight to the point, I’m the person who runs the yandere-linked-universe blog and I’m pretty sure you’re pinkittwice.

So, I was just wondering what ideas you might have about the chain being yandere for one person. Like, what would the dynamic be and how they would behave as yanderes, you know that kind of stuff.

I hope it’s not too much to ask but I’m just curious to see what you might think of it since you’re pretty much the only person on the sight that I know of who also writes things involving lu and the reader. I’m not unhappy or dissatisfied in any way but it does get a little lonely being the only person who writes stuff like this. Sorry if this is too weird.

Masterlist

Yahaha~! You found me!

Everybody go check out their stuff @yandere-linked-universe

They do cool art sometimes and are even writing a whole fic which you can find right here.

It's really well written and I'm excited to see how the story progresses and where it goes- especially endgame.

And I'm assuming the ask means if they were yandere in the same circumstance than in the story.

That being said, I'm still going to apply the rules I have set for the Links. Like how Sky was never with his Zelda and similarly how Time and Malon never really happened. As for Wind, he will not be platonic unlike in the fic mentioned above- I will explain this in his section I promise.

Also, disclaimer, I'm not good at horror and I've never written for these types of characters before. But if you want headcanons then I'll provide the brainstorm that I've been cooking up of ever since I got this ask. (And it was a while ago I'm sorry for the wait.)

I'm also including some songs that I think best fit their rose tinted glasses ideal. Not necessarily yandere and can apply to Link being in love with you in general but it's as close as I'm going to get to making a playlist.

I might come back and change them to stalker songs and add these songs to a separate list entirely but maybe not...

Content under the cut!

It's long, brace yourself.

As a group, I think jealously would run high.

Everybody wants the attention of a single person and there's eight other people as competition.

If the group was tight knit as we like to portray them, it won't last long.

If dear reader was a little caring or naturally falls into a healer/medic position in the group, the group becomes more reckless, less caring about their personal safety- if only to get a momentary caress from the love of their life's fingers as their wounds are tended to.

There's less group unity and alliances between them form.

If the reader isn't a fighter well...

They would take turns guarding their prize and fight to be the one to do it.

Leaving you behind when they go to dungeons is a must.

They won't risk you getting a scratch on your person let alone putting you in a potentially dangerous situation.

They try to keep all their weapons away and out of reach. Less you get any ideas and try to fight with them or worse, get hurt playing with them.

Or try to fight against them. HAHAHAHA!! How crazy would that be?

Like you would stand a chance.

When you're simply traveling with the group, your designated spot is on top of Epona, hands down, no questions asked.

Not only would be easier to keep an eye on you, and make it harder to get away, but Twilight has personally asked Epona (through Wolfie) that if they were ever ambushed, she was to take off with you and get away from the fight no matter the cost. She'll always come back to him anyway- so if you're tied to connected to her than all the more reason for him to be the one to retrieve you when it's all over.

The others don't like how Twilight gets to be the one to greet you first. But Epona is on Twilight's side and everyone knows it.

So they wait their turn.

You're on top of Epona even if you're a fighter as well.

If you can prove your salt and fight with them, they actually don't try to keep you away as much as they can (because now it means that they can spend more time with you!)

It instead becomes a competition to be your partner. Among the younger ones anyway.

The older ones, are less concerned now by you fighting, and more by the younger ones who keep trying to be by your side (even if that's their spot) and try to keep them out of your way.

Every bump and cut you get is treated immediately by who ever reaches you first.

It's once again a race.

The group, as yandere's go, do not know how annoying they're being nor do they plan to stop.

If you told stories of your past conquests, it a mixed bag of awe, adoration and anger for you even being put there to begin with. These thoughts are not voiced however, and they instead stew and simmer and grow into their possessive tendencies.

Because they would protect you, honor you, worship you and you wouldn't have to worry about anything ever again. Not if you were with them, not if you stayed with them, not if you were in their Hyrule.

There's a slight knee jerk reaction when you bring out your items to take it away because it's dangerous. But not only would that piss you off, it would take away what little protection you have on your person and they don't want to take any risks when it comes to your safety.

I wouldn't share too much if I were you.

Now as Individuals they're all different, obviously.

Let's explore that.

Time

He's the most dangerous

I'm starting this off with that

I'm talking the most calculating, scheming and devious of the whole group

He know he's in charge and that the others will listen to him regardless if they actually agree with him or not

Because he's the leader

His grip on the group lessens as time goes by and their unity dissipates

But he's delusional and he doesn't realize it

However, because he's already in this position, he takes it upon himself to take care of you

And others let him

Less work for them to focus on when they can be by your side instead

You never have watch

You're always in the middle of the group

He'd gladly send the boys ahead of you into danger to make sure that they deal with it before you even get there.

The others let him with little thought because it's for you

So they go for it

Time however, is somehow, never the one to go ahead, instead waiting behind (with you) while they go ahead and deal with the issue

He gets away with this 8/10 times

Mostly because he rotates who's he's sacrificing

Dad! Time is not here- not anymore

But he lets them near you because he's only biding his time

You're meant to be

Soulmates, if you will

If a little time with you is all those boys need to stay in line and listen to him then he'll allow it

Because they're only boys

He's a man through and through

They have nothing on him

And you deserve more than a mere boy

He has some other concerns on his mind while the boys fight each other like street dogs

Time has to think about your future together so he daydreams the most out of the group.

He doesn't really have a home and a roof over his head for himself- let alone you and he knows he'd have to change that

He thinks about staying as a permanent employee at Lon Lon Ranch

He can save enough money

Buy a house

Maybe some land

And enough things for you and him to make a comfortable life without any worries

Maybe even start a family?

The dream is a reprieve form the headache that are other boys who won't leave you alone

Pray you don't end up in his Hyrule

EVER

This is just the gateway he'd be waiting for to keep you all to himself

Fighter or not it's dangerous to travel with them

You're in danger

And he won't stand for that.

He doesn't know how exactly he'd do it

But he plans to leave you at Lon Lon Ranch, waiting for him, for when he comes back after the mission

He'd have to find some kind of way to actually keep you there and find you when you inevitably try to leave the Ranch

But he's traveled all over his Hyrule

There's no place you could go that he doesn't know about

As the adult of the group, he'd step over all the others

He's not going to listen to them when they try to stop him

They don't know as much as he does

They haven't experienced as much as he has

He knows that this is the best and only option to ensure that you're safe and well taken care of

He'd doesn't mind leaving you as prisoner to the Gerudo instead either if the others start to really get pushy

It won't be comfortable and it won't be glamorous

But they'll definitely keep you in one place

And he can walk in whenever he wanted thanks to that note from the chief from a time long ago

Pick you up, take you away and you'll be his

He daydreams a lot

And he knows that you'll choose him

You have to

He's the best and only option

He's never felt happier thinking about you and the life you'll both have

He's struggled so much anyway

Maybe you were the blessing the goddesses owed him for all his work in his youth

And surely they aren't so cruel to give you to him and then take you away by some monster attack or some terrible unforeseen fate

He can't have that either

So he'll take the first and best out he's given

But while you're here with him...

He's looking at you like you're magic

Warrior

Warrior is the least dangerous

He knows the feel of being on the receiving side of someone's obsession

He was ignorant for a long time about it

But he wasn't sure how to feel comfortable in his own skin again when he found out about it

He can see how the others are starting to show similar obsessive tendencies and tries to mitigate what he can

He does a lot of damage control

It's what he's trying to do anyway- he's not very successful

Warrior is the one who's challenging their train of thought

Why do they think this is ok? Why don't they ask you for your opinion? Why do they not give some time alone to recharge? Why don't they lay off?

Because it's totally for your benefit- AND THEIRS

Because it's not ok

He doesn't see himself follow the exactly same train of thought

He doesn't see himself doing what they're doing

He's just annoyed that they're the ones doing it

Warrior becomes the very definition of hypocrite.

However- because he's the one acting as your advocate- the others don't consider him as much as a threat and therefore more inclined to listen to him at this point in time than Time himself

It also means that they don't fight him as much when he wants time with you. Mostly because in their eyes, he's not interested

They're wrong

At some point in Warrior's attempt to keep the group together and keep you from going crazy or hating all of them, he begins to gain ulterior motives in his mission

He begins to play the role in an attempt to win you over.

Because- see, he's not like them

He won't violate your space

Go through your stuff

Or keep you from doing what you love

He's the one to say you should join them in fights, that you should stay, that you can hold your own

Since he's the main strategist in the group, he takes into account your skills and always places you at a distance from the fight or from the most obsessive the group.

He knows that their one track mind could kill you or them and there's still the darkness to defeat.

They don't have the luxury to afford this kind of distractions

When the others aren't paying attention to him, he'd pepper you with compliments and flirty lines, playing up his charm and suave attitude

He becomes the perfect gentleman

You'd never know that he's crazy

Just join him and be with him- that's all he wants

He loves you so what more is there to offer you?

He's got the status, the looks and the means to take care of you so you wouldn't have to worry about anything else

He'd be the best husband that Hyrule has ever seen

He'd hate to have the group scare you off with how over the top they've all been.

He knows the group is being annoying with being by your side all the time and how they don't let you be and how there's always someone by your side even when you're at your final straw

Warrior is the one who takes over guarding you when you need to pee or bath and actively argues on your behalf to let you take care of your hygiene.

He's not always successful but it's the thought that counts right?

Hyrule agrees with him most of the time and since Hyrule seems to be the only one who still cares (somewhat) about the mission, they make an agreement

Warrior isn't at all concerned about the others and know that you'd come around to him eventually.

Since he's not like the others

You're his first thought in the morning, his last thought when he rests his head to sleep and there's nothing that he hasn't been doing that wasn't for you

Hyrule

Hyrule is the least possessive

Mostly because of his low confidence.

I've mentioned in a previous post that is unrelated to this, his love language is physical touch- so he's all over you

There always have to be some way that he's holding you- whether its a hand on your shoulder or the small of your back, maybe he's holding your hand or maybe he's just pinched the edge of your tunic

But he's careful to not go beyond what you're comfortable with

He doesn't want to you to pull away from him

Because the others will not hesitate to push and pull him away if you so much as hinted at not wanting him near you

So he plays it cool

Hyrule also gets concerned when there's too many injuries to go around and he needs to heal the group

Because if you hurt then he can't spare anything else to help you

It's one of the few things he thinks that he's useful for- so if he can't do this little thing for you then why does he bother?

There's so many other guys here that could easily sweep you off of your feet and have so much more to offer you

He doesn't have any land

He doesn't have a house

His Hyrule... isn't the most welcoming and he doesn't like the idea of bringing you from one dangerous situation to another

Especially since he's being hunted for sport back home

It doesn't stop him from trying to win your heart obviously and he tries to show you and win you over in whatever little ways he can.

He's the gentlest with you

Whatever hurting you, he'll heal

Whatever scaring you, he'll deal with

Whatever danger comes your way, he'll end it's miserable existence

He- like Time- daydreams a lot but he's trying to live for the moment

He's almost resigned in a way- that you won't pick him

He knows they're on borrowed time, he knows that something dangerous can take you away from them or that he could be the one to be taken away instead

So he's trying to make up for it in the time that you do have together and spend every second by your side that he can

Because the group gets a little more reckless in their attempts to impress you and be dealt with (whether you're healing them and tending to their wounds or just yelling at them)

He heals the group a lot little less

If they're going to be stupid and get hurt- then he's not going to waste his magic when they're only going to do the same thing the next day

Soon, with enough time and patience, Hyrule begins to hoard all the healing potions as well.

It's an attempt to keep them away from you so when they're hurt he can step in and just get them healed up in a minute

But it also works to keep the group from getting too reckless

It's not his intention but he takes it as it is

If they get hurt too much anyway then that just means less competition for him to deal with and a higher chance with you!

Because of his low confidence about you actually ending up with him, he becomes one of the more mission minded of the group, probably right after Warrior

Since they both have their sights on eradicating the darkness instead of focusing on their love lives (for different reasons) this is the first alliance to be formed

Hyrule wants you to be his but he's at a crossroad

He knows Warrior has a lot of charm to win you over and has the means to make sure you live a good life

He knows it's more than he can ever give you

But he's fairly certain he can take Warrior in a fight

One well timed Thunder Strike and Warrior wouldn't stand a chance

Not to mention that they've been fighting side by side now, so he knows what to look for to bring him down

He doesn't think it'll come to that though

Warrior doesn't seem that interested with you anyway so he doesn't worry about him

Which just leaves the problem of winning your heart

He wonders what life would be like he can love like you do

Twilight

Twilight is the most protective

It's his wolf instincts and his caretaker instincts combined.

He's used to being the one to look after everyone else

Being his village's primary babysitter and all

But wolves are family animals and they protect their mates

He's the one to fight to keep you away from the fights, whether you can handle yourself or not

He can Four agree with this and it's the second alliance that forms

You must be protected at all costs and there's many things around that can injure you, or worse

So they both try their hardest to keep you safe and secure

If bubble wrap existed in Hyrule you would have been wrapped in it and then wrapped again for good measure.

He's the first to run up to you and the first to drag over Hyrule or someone with a fairy or a potion to treat you

He's not afraid to start punching anything that dares to threaten you

Forget the sword

He'll just start swinging... or maybe just go full Woflie even if he's not in his form and go for the jugular

He lets you ride on Epona more often than not and refuses to let you work more than you should

He's quick to carry things for you

He tries to impress you by being a handy man and tries to fix whatever he can get his hands on for you

He's not good at it

But he tries

His love language is acts of service so he's trying

You don't really need his help though

But let him get it out

And tell him that he's doing a good job please, for your sake

He talks a lot about his home life with you and he ask a lot of questions about your own

He's comparing notes

Trying to see what way of life you'd be more comfortable with and how he can accommodate to it

He tries to win you over with the simple life and he paints pretty pictures of having a ranch and a farm and letting you have all and any animals you want

Wolfie make an appearance every other day instead of simply whenever it's convenient

If you're a dog lover then it's even better.

Twilight is not afraid of taking advantage of it to give you all the kisses and cuddles he can get away in his other form

The others would have to fight the each other just to get kisses from you but Wolfie gets special privilege's

He gets kisses no problem

He's not above using it to his advantage

Epona is always on Twilight side and while he's in wolf form, he tells her all about you and how much he loves you and all the ways he finds you amazing and spectacular

Because you're riding Epona more often than not, he tells her to watch after you and to keep your safe and to get to a safe area if they ever get ambushed

She doesn't know how human romance works, so she agrees.

Link is her master and her best friend, so she trusts him with her life and you're important to him, clearly, so you're important to her too

He's not going to lose you like he lost Midna

She left him behind with barely a glance behind

You won't leave him at all

He'll make sure of it

The others won't take you away from him either

Four seems to be the one who's most on his side right now and together they can lessen the competition

He'd hate to fight the guy and maybe they can come to an understanding but he knows he's got the brute strength that Four lacks not to mention Wolfie and Epona as well

So maybe he'll listen to reason

His world used to be so grey with no change in either direction

An eternal twilight

You became his light in the gloom

Sky

Sky is the least violent

He actually falls in the middle of both protectiveness and jealousy.

But he's more set on letting each of the boy pick each other off (not unlike Time) and then he'll figure out who's left over to deal with them then.

Sky also isn't one to fight off the other people who you interact with

He's not going to go confront the person or drag you away and definitely not going to start swinging

He still feels uncomfortable if you aren't by his side but he'll make up for it when you're done by sticking to your hip

Sky doesn't want you to feel cramped by only talking to the group

But he does get a little jumpy when you're beyond his line of sight.

That being said- he will let you out of his sight

Not for long periods of time, mind you, but he's not going to be in your shadow the entire time or demand to be glued to your hip

He's arguably the most normal out of the group- the least yandere if you will

Still crazy though

Sky is also one to agree with Warrior and Twilight.

He's not a part of any alliance but between wanting you to be safe and still wanting you to be healthy and clean (he knows how being clean helps out ones moral and he doesn't want you to be depressed when you're with them) he'd let them do the fighting and arguing for him and when they lose a bit, he'll say something and add to their cause

He's trying to be chill and he plays on his harp when you're nearby.

If you come sit next him to listen and chill- he will absolutely be over the moon

He will go through some of your things to make sure you have anything and everything you'd need for their adventure

But he won't take away your weapons or go through your diary (he wouldn't be able to read it anyway)

He does try to ask you in some roundabout way if he has permission to do that.

It'll be long winded and vague and a total play on words, so be careful to what you agree with when he asks something of you

Sky although is the least violent, that's in regards to other humans

Monsters have learned to keep away from him when he's on the battle field and if they haven't learned that...

They will

He's the one that tries to have your relationship mature and grow naturally.

Sky is going to simply be your friend first and show you that he has your best interest at heart

So when you talk to him about your problems and how the others are driving you crazy, he'll give you advice, tell you he's on your side and openly give you outs to avoid the others.

If you want time alone and the others begin looking for you, he'll tell them you went in the other direction and he'll send them on a wild goose chase.

Since he's on your side, he tells you to at least let him know where you're going and for how long so he can distract the others.

He's not concerned about you running away, since the others are going to do the work for him

Four and Twilight and Wolfie can find and hunt you down in a heart beat and you'll be together again

He won't blame you for running away, there's a lot of people who won't leave you alone in the group and it annoys him too

And Hyrule, Wind and Time keep you within the group and close by so he never has to worry about not knowing where you are at all times

Warrior and Wild keep you well fed and well taken care of

And Legend makes sure that you always have a potion on you and has even given some power rings to ensure your safety

So all he has to do is butter you up by being the least persistent of them all and you'll fall for him and you can be together forever and ever and even be the start of Hyrule as everyone knows it

Wouldn't that be nice?

While he may not be the most musically inclined of the group, he's the one to serenade you when he gets the chance

He plays his harp more often than not, trying to get the notes out that he hears in his head when he looks at you

His life was such a simple song before you came along but now... It's a symphony, he wants you to know this

Four

Four is the most controlling

He's the one putting restrictions on you left and right and is the one to never want you to leave his side- let alone his line of sight.

You see, he's got these voices in his head that bounce ideas off of each other.

When one might be, hey that guy is talking to you

The other responds with, he's close to you too

One might say, you're smiling and it's beautiful

Another says, why is it directed at that guy?

Which snowballs to, you're a little too close, a little too nice, is he flirting? Has he touched you? Is he trying to make a move?

And then he's even more possessive and it grows and spirals and next thing he knows, he's next to you again and chewing the poor guy out for no reason when it was a simple conversation about the weather and directions.

And that's in public

Now add in the threat of monsters and traps and many other dangerous that surround the group as a whole

He's paranoids in the extreme

So when Twilight suggests that they tie you to Epona and keep you where he they can always see you, he's the first to agree

In fact he feels as if Twilight is the only one who's actually looking out for your well being

Wind tries to throw fits and get the two of them to back off but he's just a kid, what does he know? He should know better anyway, he knows how dangerous this journey is going to get, so why is Wind trying to actively put you in harms way?

Twilight a least can get Wind to listen to reason and Twilight's better at explaining it than he is so while Four'll yell, Wind is really Twilight's problem.

He doesn't like the idea of fighting is friends but he can see that well... He's the only to notice that they're not as close as they used to be when you first joined.

He thinks that Warrior can feel it but Four is the one who'll say it out loud.

Four is actually the most trigger happy out of all them, he's not afraid to break character and yell at some poor passerby who's too foolish enough to even look in your direction

He's the angry guard dog in public and it's a little hard to reign him most of the time

Twilight agree with him in this but he's also the one to hold him back

The last thing they need is to be kicked out of town

But if while you're there maybe he can get something for you?

He's the kind of person to make something for their beloved but he only knows how to make weapons and tools

Things that he's never going to give to you and actively tries to keep them away from at all costs

Yes, if you have your own weapons he'll also try to take them away

He'd rather see you angry than injured

No, he does not see how being weaponless in a fight will lead to more injuries and no, he not going to listen to those who try to tell him that.

Maybe he can learn how to make jewelry and gift that instead?

A pretty thing like yourself should be adorned in more beauty.

And he can save enough to make it with rubies and diamonds and any gold that he can salvage in Hyrule

He'd give you and make you anything you want

You'd be dripping in jewels if he had it his way

He also knows that the voices try to point out his flaws and all the ways that he's really not that appealing to any potential partners

It doesn't matter that he's merged and they all have the same flaws

But whenever he's next to you and things are calm, the voices are quiet and he feels like him

Wild

Wild is the Most violent

Like Four, he does not care if it's a simple conversation, if someone else is taking up your time and attention then he will want to start swinging.

He's usually held back by Warrior and Time since Twilight typically has to restrain Four

But if you're in danger? Real danger?

He becomes the equivalent of the Fierce Deity, no mask required

The battle field becomes a blood bath by his hand alone

Sure the others will want to to cause some destruction as well and destroy any and all threats to you, but Wild goes the extra mile

Forget Twilight going feral, he has an excuse- but Wild?

He'll go ballistically feral, even going as far to drop his weapons to rip into the threats with his hands and teeth

He has to make sure there's absolutely nothing in between you and him

He's not afraid to throw away his whole good guy reputation and even the reputation of the hero in order make sure he's the last man standing

Wild is now taking notes on how the the group fights and how they defend themselves, defend you and try to figure out the best ways to take them down

If there was ever to be a physical fight within the group, he'll not only be a part of it but most likely also the instigator

Wild has already lost all his friends and family before, he can't afford to lose anyone else

Besides his Hyrule has so much more to offer you than some of the others

Not to mention he has his own house- in a safe village- with low monsters around it- and barely any reason to think that he wouldn't be able to provide for you

He's got the rupees he needs from his monster farming and everything's nearby. Whatever he can't get, he can teleport to and he wouldn't have to leave you alone for long periods of time.

Wild goes out of his way to buy you clothes since the others have taken care of your other needs (much to his chagrin)

But he also makes sure you have the best portions of the meals he makes

He keep tracks how much you ate and when

He always there to give you a snack if you even mention of being peckish

He knows the others won't mind if he dotes in this manner

Not only because it's for you...

He has all the food anyway.

When he sees that you're wearing Legend's old tunic, he instantly hates it

He and Legend are less of an alliance and merely on tolerable terms- not that Legend notices or cares- because of this and Wild knows that your clothes have taken a lot battery

He wants to you be warm and protected

But he also has a lot of extra outfits

So he takes a page out of Legend's book and gives you some as well

He's a little disappointed you don't wear them as often but he knows that most of them are specialized for certain terrain- Legend's is more of a catch all kind of deal so he can understand the need for general uses

He's not happy about it

But he understands

The crazy thing is, you wouldn't want to end up in his Hyrule either

Pray you never do

Like Time, Wild has been all over his Hyrule and has traveled to all the nooks and crannies

He knows that he can hide you away without the others ever knowing what happened to you

Not even Wolfie would be able to track you

Why?

Because (and this is from AoC) he can teleport more than one person at a time, so he can just take you far away and somewhere secluded, somewhere where you wouldn't be able to leave

Hebra region? In the cabin where he learned how to shield surf? Or play the snow bowl game?

Gerudo Wasteland?

Akkala Region? With Robbie? It's hard to get past the guardians and the high level monsters...

Or maybe ditch you in the mountains with Paya in Kakariko Village?

Or maybe leave you on the Great Plateau? You can't get down without a paraglider...

Life with you is the only reason he's still on this journey instead of just taking you and leaving

The darkness is still around and it threatens his future with you

But it looks bright in his head when all is over and he's so happy that he met you

Life is now pink! And he won't take off his rose tinted glasses any time soon!

Legend

Legend is the most possessive

As some people have headcanoned in the past, he has a problem letting things go

He's lost so many people he cares about- he knows that items are a little harder to lose

He's the Collector- the Hoarder

Naturally when he sees something that he wants, he'll stop at nothing to make it his.

However, since he has a problem coming into direct contact with his own feelings, he's projecting

Legend instead tries to keep you at arms length and fails miserably

He doesn't want to fall for someone only to have them be ripped form him again, and again and again,

He cares for the group still even after their disagreements and eventually mistrust

He doesn't want to leave this little family they've made for themselves and has disillusioned himself into thinking that he can save it before it's too late

But in his fairytale ending, you're with him

Legend, though, still knows that their time will end and everyone will eventually go home so by the time everyone begins fighting and jealousy runs amuck, he's trying to hold everyone at arms length

When you don't give him attention, he's prone to get angry and may very well at times act like he hates you

He doesn't like it when you so much as breath in someone else's direction

You're his and his alone, why is anyone else even worth your time and energy?

But he's not going to say this out loud

So he's frustrated with himself and pouts often

So he's stuck in a cycle of self hatred and jealousy and not willing to do something to change it

But when you do give him attention, he's melts into a puddle

He's at your beck and call if so much as say his name

There's very little that he isn't willing to do for you or get for you, anything to make you happy

He's also quick to give you power rings to protect you even if he's against you fighting

Legend is also going to give you an extra tunic if (/when) your clothes take too much damage and they're too far gone for him to fix

It's a power move on his part

Not only does he feel giddy with boyish excitement when he sees you in his old tunic (that definitely has some kind of magical properties to ensure your safety), it's also him marking you as his property

And the others know it

Wild does a similar thing so you can at least have a change of clothes but Legend is quick to tailor them when you're not looking to not fit you and be uncomfortable

He's the one going through your things for sure

He need to know that he's the one who's taking care of you

He needs to know you have everything you need

He needs to know if there's anything that you're lacking so that he can sweep in and provide it for you

He's not really planning on taking out the competition or is planning beyond keeping you by his side for the day

He (like Hyrule) is living for the moment, because he's afraid he's going to blink and you'd be gone and there would be nothing else left for him

But you won't be gone

He's going to make sure of that

He's got tunnel vision for sure

But since he's also trying to not fall for you and get his heart broken, it becomes a game of hot and cold with a whole lot of minefields in between that could set him off for (what looks like) no reason

He hates you- no he doesn't- he wants nothing to do with you- he wants to be your everything- he's not going to write you poetry or braid your hair or fall asleep listening to your heart beat- he would kill for that to be his reality- he hates that you're all he's able to think about now- don't leave him please

He's not crushing

He's not

He is

Wind

Wind is the least protective- Still protective but arguably not to the degree of the others

You see, he knows that the others protect him because he's the youngest

And he's not blind

He can see that they're just as, if not more, protective over you

He can see how you hate it and how much it annoys you

He's not going to make that same move

And as a bonus, since the others are protecting you anyway, why should he put in the work and protect you as well?

There's enough people watching you all the time

With the others taking care of it, he can plan on winning you over

He's going to give you as much freedom as he's able to get away with

It'll put him as your favorite

This immediately puts him at a crossroads with Four who's somehow a hair's breadth away from tying you up and chaining you together by the wrists

They fight against each other the most

He plans on marrying you

It's honestly in the same degree of young children that say they're growing to grow up and marry their dad or their mom

Because obviously you marry the person you love and you stay with them for the rest of your life

And he loves you.

So that's what he plans to do

Win you over is step one

Then he (and you) just need to wait a few years for him to get older

And then he'll marry you

He does not see a problem with this plan

Typically I make the reader the same age as him to avoid the worst of it but in this case, this does not matter

I'd say that if you're older, he'd get more easily attached to giving you the freedom you've been missing

With him by your side obviously

Because you're older- you're an 'adult'- you can take care of yourself

You're so cool in his eyes

The others, naturally, see a problem with this

Not only out of jealously at the very thought of it not being them to marry you but because they know he's young and if you're older, (say closer to Twilight and Warrior's age) then they can see the problem it'll prove to be for you from a moral stand point

The others (mainly Legend and Four) bully tease him when you're not around about how selfish he is to even think about making you wait, when you could easily marry one of them instead, so why would you ever choose him?

He tries not to let it get to him because he does hang out with you more than they get to- so maybe they're really just jealous that his plan is working

Wind has the more innocent approach to this whole ordeal out of the whole group

His obsession isn't healthy, obviously, but he at least the excuse of being young and not knowing how to deal with crushes

Because he's awkward with it, (and he knows it) he's actually pretty quick to shut away the worst of it when he's spending time with you, less you think he's weird and push him away

Not only does he not want that to happen, but he's heard the others come up to you countless times regarding him and his behavior and if you'd like him to leave you alone

Because they will deal with him if you so much as say one word of annoyance

The choice is yours

If you indulge him when he wants your attention then he's more like himself and becomes the most normal out of the whole group

He becomes the him when you first joined

Before the obsession

Wind becomes your safest bet in terms of keeping your sanity intact and it's the groups saving grace to keep up any illusion that they're still normal

Wind is dealing with a highly flammable vial of puppy love concentrate

All in the form of budding teenage yandere hormones

If you had met him any later in his life, the cocktail would have no doubt exploded into the form of the other's behavior and he'd seem like a completely different person instead

He's almost like a lost puppy, always following you around and being in your shadow

It would be cute if he wasn't crazy

Wind adores you though and he wants you to know that

[jaskiers-sweetkiss]

Coffee Shop Kisses

Pairing: Yelena Belova x Female!Reader

Word Count: 1.5K

Request: something soft with Yelena from @bright-molina

Summary: After moving back to her small Ohio hometown, the reader bumps into an old friend at her favorite coffee shop.

Warnings: none ?

A/N: Happy incredibly belated Birthday Bianca!!! Sorry this took so long for me to write but I really hope you like it!! This fic has everything: the gays, some light pinning, and chai lattes !

Masterlist

___

You couldn’t believe you were back in your small Ohio hometown. When you moved away after high school it was never your intention to come back but clearly, fate didn’t have the same plans as you drove through your childhood neighborhood.

It was nostalgic, driving through the familiar streets despite the changes in the neighborhood since your childhood. While the houses had mostly remained the same, you knew many of their occupants had changed. The Browns no longer lived in the house two doors down from yours, having retired to Florida not long after their children had moved out, and many other family’s you’d known growing up had followed suit. Others had downsized to smaller houses in other parts of the city, no longer needing the extra space. Now the neighborhood was filled with new families, young parents taking advantage of the location to raise their children.

Still, the atmosphere was largely the same, and if you let yourself you could almost imagine that the kids playing in the front yards and the street or biking through the neighborhood, calling out to friends as they passed, were the kids you’d grown up with.

It was strange, being back home. It felt stranger still to call it “home.”

It didn’t take long for you to fall back into a routine, despite the lingering nostalgia. You woke up every morning with just enough time to get ready and drive downtown to work, if you were lucky you’d end up with a few extra minutes to stop into your favorite coffee shop from your teenage years, which was conveniently located a couple doors down from your office. It was simple, sure, but it worked for you.

On the weekends you always made a point to walk to that downtown coffee shop with a book or some other activity, preferring the ambiance and the subtle noise of the building and its other patrons over the still silence of your house. Plus they had amazing drinks so you really couldn’t lose.

Normally you enjoyed taking in the hustle and bustle of the small town around you as people completed their weekly errands, but that day you were lost in your head as you walked along the sidewalk. It wasn’t as if you were thinking about anything in particular (when reflecting back later you’d merely blame it on having had a long week at work), but rather than enjoy the people watching as you normally would, you let them all pass you by without a single glance, all the way down the street and into the line at your coffee shop. You ordered your usual without much fanfare, still having the presence of mind to drop your change into the tip jar on the counter. It wasn’t until you had gotten your drink that you were thrust out of your thoughts, quite literally.

You had only just turned around from the counter, about to start scanning the cafe for a seat when you were knocked to the ground, your drink spilling in your hands.

“Oh my god, are you alright?” Disoriented and still in a haze, the thick Russian accent of the woman who had spoken caught your attention.

A hand reached down into your line of sight and you took it gratefully, managing to keep the pitiful drops of unspilled chai latte in your cup as you were pulled to your feet.

“Let me buy you a new drink,” she offered though you barely heard her.

Now that you were back on your feet you got a better look at the woman who had bumped into you. She was of average height and had her blonde hair pulled into a double ponytail. You didn’t know any Russians but you could’ve sworn you’d met before.

“Do I know you?” You blurted out before you could think and the other woman blinked at you in surprise, brows lifting slightly.

“Perhaps,” she shrugged, “I used to live around here when I was younger.”

You narrowed your eyes at that, certain you would’ve remembered growing up alongside a Russian family, everyone you remembered was as American as they come. It was a small town in Ohio, after all.

“So did I,” you spoke slowly, still trying to ponder it out in your head. “Over on Brown.”

Her eyes narrowed at that, now scrutinizing you as well.

“I grew up on State Street.”

That’s when it clicked for you. You remembered them; family of four, two daughters. Natasha used to ride her bike down your street all the time which meant the woman in front of you must be…

“Yelena?”

“You remember me?”

“Yeah, holy shit! Your sister rode her bike through my mom’s flowers one time by accident, pissed her off for the whole summer. Plus, we went to preschool together.”

“Wait, Y/N Y/L/N?”

“In the flesh,” you replied, spreading your arms out dramatically.

Yelena took that as an invitation to really study you then, eyes flitting up and down as she fully took you in.

“You grew up quite nicely,” she spoke, tone appreciative and you found yourself blushing.

“I- I could say the same thing about you,” you stumbled over your words, feeling flustered. “I don’t remember you being Russian.”

You mentally cursed yourself for once again blurting something out before you could even think about it.

Yelena laughed at that and you couldn’t help but find yourself smiling at the sound. She had a cute laugh. It was fitting.

“Yes, well, my ‘family' and I were actually part of a Russian spy organization, sent to infiltrate a nearby SHIELD facility for some information, so,” she shrugged and you laughed at first, assuming she was joking before you realized she wasn’t laughing along.

“Wait, seriously?”

“Why would I lie?”

You fumbled around with your words at that, unable to come up with a proper response but feeling as though you needed to say something anyway.

“How about I buy you a drink and you tell me about it?” You finally settled on saying and Yelena’s brows lifted again in surprise.

“Sure, but I’m buying the drinks. I owe you for spilling your first one.”

You nodded in agreement, somehow having forgotten all about your spilled drink in the excitement of reconnecting with an old friend. An old friend who was very attractive, if you were being fully honest with yourself.

With new drinks ordered and retrieved, the two of you made your way to a small table by the front window of the cafe. True to your agreement, Yelena explained to you that her “family” when she’d lived in Ohio wasn’t actually her family at all, the entire thing fabricated for their mission, and that after their success she continued to work for the organization before finally getting out as an adult. She skimmed on a lot of the details but you got the sense that the entire ordeal was traumatic for her so you didn’t press. Though, you were quite amazed that the woman across from you (and the tiny blonde girl you’d played dolls with as a kid) was a former spy and assassin. In comparison, your own life story was much less exciting, though you guessed it also held much less trauma as well. Still, Yelena asked and she listened intently as you explained how you’d wound up back in your hometown all these years later.

After that, the conversation seemed to flow seamlessly from one topic to another, and it was so nice to talk to a friend and catch up that you didn’t even realize how much time had passed until you went to take a sip from your long-forgotten chai and found it ice cold. You checked your phone and were surprised to see that nearly two hours had passed and while you were planning on spending much longer at the cafe anyway, it still caught you off guard.

“Oh, I’m sorry, am I keeping you from something?” Yelena asked, having noticed you checking the time.

“No!” You rushed to reassure her before flushing slightly at the knee-jerk reaction. “No, I just hadn’t realized how much time has passed. It’s been really nice to see you.”

“It’s been nice to see you too, perhaps we can do this again sometime?”

“I’d like that a lot.” You tried to fight the heat that you felt rushing to your cheeks once more. You weren’t sure if she meant it the same way you did.

“Me too,” she replied softly, ducking her head so that her face was out of view. “I actually do have to get going but maybe we can meet here again next week?”

“Absolutely!” You nodded, trying not to seem too eager and failing miserably. “It’s a date.”

Once again the words slipped out on their own accord and you were left scrambling to do damage control.

“I- I mean like, y’know-”

“A date is good,” Yelena cut you off with a smirk, though you could’ve sworn you could see your own nerves reflected in her eyes.

“A date then,” you agreed, flashing a nervous smile.

“Goodbye, Y/N.” She stood from her chair with a smile, pausing on her way to the door to press a quick peck to your cheek, and then she was gone.

You sat there, still as a statue, for quite some time afterward, your fingertips lightly grazing over where Yelena’s lips had been moments before. You really loved this coffee shop.

[aizawasgoodgirl]

Love & Concussion Chapter 3

Summary: Readers life is returning back to normal while Aizawa continues to keep his distance.

Pairing: AizawaxReader WC: 3016 Warning 18+ It’ll get spicy later on and I’m an adult. Some violence and cursing. Minors do not interact. Previous || Next

Chapter 3: Denial

It had been a week since your encounter at the bar and most of your bruising had begun to fade, which made them look a lot worse than they were originally. Your friends would titter here and there about the little encounter making jokes at your expense, all in good fun, they would say. 

You let them make their jokes and rolled your eyes at their dramatic retellings. Eventually the story became olds news and everyone moved on, and you told yourself you had to. Life seemed to progress as it usually did, you went to work, you ate, you went home, you slept.

But then, in a moment when all was quiet, when your brain wasn’t firing ten thousand things at once, you thought back to the night at the club. Something about it stuck with you and you couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. All in all it really wasn’t anything special, you got shoved by a fleeing criminal, you bumped your head, and a random pro-hero watched your loopy ass til the paramedics came.

You weren’t kidnapped, you weren’t held hostage, you weren’t dangled over the side of a building while your rescuer made a decision between you and the city they protect. No, you bumped your head.

These thoughts mused through your head as you sat in the waiting room of the hospital for your checkup, something about making sure your head was still intact. You sipped your coffee trying to ground yourself in the real word and watched the others who shared the room with you.

There was a businessman whose knee kept bouncing up and down causing his keys to jangle in an annoying rhythm. A mother who watched her kid play at the activity table smiling through the worry that lined her forehead. There was a couple in the corner who argued in harsh whispers that were too low for you to pick up. 

All of it mundane, unimportant.

“Just like me,” you mumbled.

“Y/N L/N?” You heard someone call, jarring you out of your thoughts.

You stood up, smiled at the kid as you passed, and walked back for your checkup.

That too turned out to be mundane. You passed all of the tests: following the light where it went, touching various parts of your face, balancing on one foot.

The doctor nodded her approval at each success and made notes on her clipboard. You watched, wondering which checkbox she would check to let the world know you were normal. 

Dr. Yua smiled up at you after a moment of scribbling. “Well Y/N, I just have a few more questions and I’ll give you a clean bill of health.”

You nodded. “Whatever you need.”

“Alright, So any mood swings since the incident?” Dr. Yua asked.

“No,” you answered.

“Perfect, perfect. Alright, any headaches, body aches, sensitivity to light, anything like that?” she asked, reading from her clipboard.

“No none. In fact sometimes I forget it ever happened,” you joked.

Dr Yua looked at you over the clipboard. “Any memory loss?” 

You pursed your lips, not answering, holding your breath; a second later the good Doctored smirked, letting you in on the joke.

“Alright, well, aside from your sense of humor, I think everything is intact! I’ll write you up a clean bill of health for work, and I’ll send a nurse in to help you file some paperwork. Any questions for me?” she asked, standing up from her stool..

You shook your head, and Dr. Yua nodded as she shut the door behind her. A moment later a nurse came in with billing paperwork and release forms. 

“Hello there, I just have a couple of forms for you to sign and initial, -oh,” he exclaimed, meeting your eyes. “you’re the one Eraserhead came in for,” he said, before going back to explaining the paperwork.

You stared at him. “I’m sorry, Eraserhead came in for me?”

The nurse laughed. “Well, more for your paperwork. Most pro-heroes have to give a statement for insurance purposes when a civilian gets hurt.”

You let your body relax. “Of course, paperwork.” 

The nurse flipped through a couple of pages, indicating where you needed to sign. ”It was weird for him to come in person. Its normal for them to give a statement, but usually they send the paperwork through their agency. It’s very rare for us to see a pro in person unless we’re the ones treating them for injuries. As for Eraserhead, well, that's a rarity all on its own.” The nurse talked as he pointed to each line for you sign.

“What do you mean?” you asked tentatively.

“I’m sure you know how illusive he is. It's strange to see him before dark or outside of UA. I wasn’t going to complain though, that man is ruggedly handsome.” You could practically hear the wistfulness in the nurses voice.

You kept your eyes on the paperwork in front of you, not really sure what to say. You barely remembered what the guy looked like. 

“Oh, he did ask about you though,” the nurse said offhandedly, taking the finished paperwork and clipping it neatly back onto the clipboard. “When he was giving his statement, I mean.”

You watched as the nurse went to the door and held it open for you. You didn’t speak but gathered your things and shuffled out of the doctors room, still unsure what all that meant. 

The Nurse smiled as he led you to the front waiting room. “You know you must be something special for him to have come in person. Do you know him?” he questioned

You shook your head. “No, I barely know who he is.”

—---------

“I need the schedule now, Y/N!” You hear the shout from across the studio and wince.

You had been cleared for work after your appointment and, as glad as you were to be getting paid, you did not welcome the hell your client Mt. Lady put you in. Taking a deep breath, you let yourself rush to her side, slipping a piece of paper in front of her. 

“Took you long enough,” Mt. Lady snapped, reading over the schedule. 

“We need to reschedule that dinner with Shinji,” she stated, bluntly marking it off.

Before you could stop yourself you blurted, “again?” 

The second it was out of your mouth you knew a lecture in the form of screaming and cursing was coming your way. You had been Mt. Lady’s personal assistant for about three months now, and you were longest one yet. Most get scared off by her diva nature, but you needed the job and the experience working with a Pro Hero. 

So, as Mt. Lady unleashed her ‘How dare you’s’ and ‘You do What I tell you’s,’ you let your mind go blank and simply stood there. You knew everyone in the studio was watching you, and you wondered if this changed their view of the hero. 

You doubted it. 

You would just let her yell, send her off to her live interview that she had been prepping for, and then once again cancel dinner with Kamui Woods. 

The crack of a whip snapped you out of your trance and seemed to bring a halt to the screaming tirade. There standing in the door of the studio was the Pro-Hero Midnight, as if things couldn’t get worse. 

“Oh my. Is that how Pro-Heroes are treating their assistants nowadays?” Midnight purred.

Next to you, you thought you heard Mt. Lady growl. The interview today was supposed to be a peace meeting between the two heros after their disastrous last one. The hope was that Mt. Lady would be prepped and ready to go before Midnight even arrived, as to avoid any interaction between the two. Your client’s shouting must have delayed the schedule just enough to allow for their paths to cross.

“Y/N, you told me I would only have to see that ugly face during the interview,” Mt. Lady snapped, glaring at you.

Before you could get a word out, Midnight took another step closer. “Come now, my dear, I like pain as much as the next woman, but you’re taking it a bit far.”

You stepped in between the two before they could get any closer and stared hard at Mt. Lady. “Miss I believe they are ready to set your mark on set, please follow the stage manager. I will be sure to cancel your dinner plans tonight.” You pivoted and turned to Midnight.

“Miss Midnight, I believe they are waiting for you in makeup, which is just through that left area there.” You gestured to a curtain next to the door that she had come through.

There was a pause and you worried you had directed their anger at you, but after a few beats Midnight sniffed and gave a playful wave as she headed off. You turned to address your client, but she had already stormed off into a huff toward the stage. You released the breath you had been holding and collapsed into the now vacated chair.

“I need coffee,” you muttered.

Today was only going to get more stressful as you went. After this interview, a car would take you and Mt. Lady back to the agency just in time for her to go on patrol. You would then spend your entire afternoon going over rating reports, fielding interview requests, and sorting fan mail. Even thinking about it was exhausting enough.

The red light of the LIVE sign in the studio lit up and the backstage area went quiet. You felt your phone buzz in your pocket and pulled it out to see a new text message from Ryuko.

Ryu: Pst, lunch today?

Y/N: Depends on if Bosszilla lets me even have a lunch break today.

Ryu: You know, offer stills still stands to come work for me. (Smiley face Emoji)

Y/N: No handouts remember? Where lunch?

Ryu: Nori’s? I’m cravin some dumplins.

Y/N: (Think emoji) I suppose I could allow fro some dumplins

Ryu: like you would turn me down. See you at 1?

Y/N: I’ll keep you updated should be fine.

Thankfully you were allowed to take a lunch, as Mt. Lady had been called out for hero duty earlier than anticipated. After finishing a stack of sponsorship offers and interview requests, you grabbed your jacket and headed out, fixating on the dumplings you were about to consume.

Ryu was already there when you arrived and sitting at one of the outside tables, sipping on what you assumed was hot green tea. You were always a little surprised seeing her outside of her hero suit, her blonde hair worn down and in pedestrian clothes. Today she wore a light pink blouse that looked thin and perfect for the hot weather, pairing nicely with the short khakis that hugged her thighs. You opened the gate to the patio and smiled wide as Ryu finally saw you and waved excitedly.

“Y/N! Mt. Monster let you roam free!” Her voice was always soothing to you.

Laughing you replied, “well, I only have about an hour so I hope the dumplings have already been ordered.”

On cue, a waiter walked to the table and set three plates of dumplings in front of the two of you, the rising steam enticing you to consume them. Your mouth was already watering, and the two of you made quick work of splitting them up, making sure neither took more than the other.

“So,” Ryu said through a mouthful of dough, “what's been going on? We haven’t had time to catch up for a bit.”

The first time you had met Ryuko, you had been on an internship at her hero agency, and you were immensely intimidated. You felt like a mouse next to this confident and bold woman who knew her place and didn’t let herself be lost in the fray. But, at the end of one day Ryuko had invited you to dinner with the rest of the agency and you two have been best friends ever since. 

The Mouse and the Dragon.

“Well, I’ve been doing more research on the various agencies, debating whether I want to move cities for a job. I’m not sure my resume stands out yet, I have so much to learn,” you rattled off.

Ryuko rolled her eyes. “You have your degree, the internship, 3 months working as the assistant for the she-demon. Plus, you’re so dedicated and organized any agency would be lucky to have you on their team.” 

It had been like this with Ryu since day one and while you never did believe her when she hyped you up, you still appreciated it.

“Well, I’m going to wait a couple more months and see where we go from there.” You bit into one of the dumplings with hot broth inside it and almost burnt your tongue. 

“Oh,” you said after awhile of chatting. “I did have a question for you.” 

“Go on,” Ryu replied, already intrigued.

You hesitated. “Do you know much about the Pro-Hero Eraser head?” 

Ryu’s shoulder relaxed and she looked disappointed. “Oh, um. I’ve only worked with him a handful of times, and I know he teaches at UA, but other than that I got nothing.”

She paused as she chewed a bite. “Well, other than he’s as talented as he is grouchy. Why are you asking about him? He doesn’t have an agency, and I don't think UA is hiring for an assistant.”

You chuckled nervously. “No, I was just curious. He, um, well he didn’t save me per say, but he did keep me conscious during a concussion.”

That perked Ryu right up, and she begged for every detail and scolded you for not telling her sooner you had been hurt. You went on to tell the story, playing it off as a little insignificant event that you barely remembered; Ryu didn’t seem to believe that.

“So he saved you and now you want to…what?” Ryu prompted.

You gave her a quick look. “I just want to be able to thank him, that’s all.”

Ryu nodded. “Of course, of course.”

Your phone buzzed as your alarm went off. 

“I gotta head back to work. We definitely need to schedule like a whole day to be in our pjs and eat junk food and watch stupid sappy romcoms.” 

Ryu agreed wholeheartedly and gave you a quick hug. “Listen, about Eraserhead, I know you just started working at the agency so you may not know, but Mt. Lady occasionally helps out at the school to train the upcoming heroes. Maybe you’ll get your chance to say thank you sooner rather than later.”

Shota Aizawa’s headache was growing worse and worse with each passing second. He could feel himself on the edge of his patience and his students knew it too as they all stared nervously at him.

“I am only going to ask once,” he growled. “What happened?”

No one spoke for a moment as they all gave each other glances of anxiety. In the middle of the floor laid a broken desk in the center of a smoking crater. Aizawa thought he could piece together exactly what happened, but his anger won over and he decided he wanted to make his students sweat.

There was a cough from the second row and Kaminari opened his mouth to answer, but quick as lightning Aizawa whipped his scarf out and wrapped around Kaminari’s head. 

“Not you.” Aizawa growled.

Uraraka stood up then, warily eyeing her Sensei’s scarf. “Um, Mineta, um, he thought it would be funny to put a water bucket on the door. So that, um,” here Uraka paused, licking her lips nervously.

Aizawa only glared in response, commanding her to continue.

She took a deep breath, “So that when one of the girls came in they would get wet.”

“Pervert,” hissed Jiro.

Aizawa sighed, “and the floor?”

Uraka continued, “well, Bakugo came through the door.”

That was all the explanation he needed, and he gestured for Uraraka to sit down. He let the silence hang in the air, glancing at a drenched and slightly steaming Bakugo.

“Since it is the end of the school day, you need not worry about being punished today.”

There was a slight gasp and cheers amongst the classroom until they all saw the smiling face of their sensei.

“Tomorrow,” he continued, “you will all arrive, change into your hero costumes, and meet me in the arena where we will do a full day of condition training.”

There were complaints and groans as they were dismissed for the day, dreading the ache their muscles would feel tomorrow. As the last student left, Aizawa couldn’t keep it together any longer and slouched down in his chair, the headache consuming him. It had been like this since the night he touched his soulmate. It started off as a dull ache, similar to the headaches that plagued him daily, so he took little notice. Then they grew to migraine levels only held back by frequent extra strength tylenol, but they could only do so much. 

“You know it's only going to get worse, my dear,” A smooth silky voice called from the doorway.

“You are the second to last thing I need right now, Midnight,” Aizawa growled.

“What's the first my man?” came the last thing Aizawa needed, Mic.

In response, Aizawa laid his head with a thunk on the desk, turning his head so his cheek was pressed to it and his eyes facing the door. “Tortur., You two are torture.”

Midnight smiled. “Come on Shota, dinners on me tonight. But-” she said, holding her finger up before Aizawa could protest.

“You are going to tell us each and every detail about your soulmate and then we are going to help you find them. I do not want to see you spiral further into this pain.” Her eyebrows were raised in question, waiting for Aizawa to say no.

Aizawa just closed his eyes, knowing there was no point in resisting.

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