#(yes i am fighting this because i deserve the B+ i worked for in that class and yes i will be getting my disability coordinator involved)

[astriiformes]

Not saying that people with more obvious physical limitations have it any easier, but if you're going to have a disability that gets in the way of schoolwork and class attendance, you are absolutely screwed if it happens to be "totally invisible and mostly unheard of 'can't wake up and get to morning classes on time' syndrome"

[verstappenf1lecccc]

All the Miles Between Us

Fernando Alonso x Wife!Reader -

A Life in Five Decades

hi babes this is my favourite work I’ve done I am absolutely sorry for the heartbreak hehe!!!

Youth (Ages 22–30)

Barcelona, 2005

You were scribbling notes in a corner of the paddock, trying to finish your article on tire degradation, when a shadow fell over your notebook.

“Do tires always get that much attention?” a Spanish accent teased.

You looked up, annoyed. “Only when the car’s too fast to blame anything else.”

Fernando grinned, lowering his sunglasses. “Ah. So you’re one of those journalists.”

“I’m not a journalist,” you replied. “Just an intern. So don’t waste your charm on me.”

“Too late,” he said, already leaning against the railing like he had all day. “What’s your name?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to need something to call you when I win on Sunday.”

You rolled your eyes but smirked. “We’ll see.”

He did win that Sunday. And when he stood on the top step of the podium, champagne in hand, he winked right at your press box.

The next morning, there was a single flower taped to your locker.

It was worth it. – Fernando

⸻

Paris, 2006

It wasn’t fast. You kept it slow. Careful.

You didn’t want to be another name in a long list of weekend flings. And to his credit, Fernando never once treated you like one.

He wrote to you. Real letters. Called when he could, texted when he couldn’t. You still remember one from Istanbul:

Today the car felt like shit but your voice felt like home. I miss you more than I miss sleep. Love you already, I think. Don’t tell me I said that.

⸻

Oviedo, 2007 – The First Fight

The first time you shouted at him was in the kitchen of his family’s house.

“You never stop,” you snapped, slamming a drawer shut. “You don’t eat, you don’t rest, and when you’re not on track you’re still thinking about it!”

“It’s my job!” he fired back. “It’s what I was born to do!”

“And what about us?” Your voice cracked. “Were you born to destroy this, too?”

Silence. Long and awful.

Then, softly, “Do you think I don’t love you?”

“I think you love racing more.”

He walked out that night.

Came back the next morning with a bruised heart and a bouquet of gardenias.

He knelt at your door. “I didn’t sleep. I can’t sleep if we’re not okay.”

You let him in. You always would.

⸻

The Proposal – Oviedo, 2009

It was winter. Snow dusted the rooftops. You’d spent the day trying to assemble Ikea furniture while he read instructions out loud in a horrible British accent.

“I swear I’ll propose before I figure this out,” he grumbled, upside down under a bookshelf.

“God help us both,” you muttered, laughing.

That night, you were in pajamas, wine in hand, fire crackling in the hearth. He looked over at you, completely unguarded.

“You want to marry me?” he asked suddenly, softly.

You blinked. “Is that a serious question?”

He got up, walked over, and slipped his grandmother’s gold chain into your palm. “This is all I have on me. But I swear I’ll give you everything else. Please. Say yes.”

You were already crying when you whispered, “Always, Fernando.”

⸻

The Wedding – Asturias, 2010

The ceremony was on a hill, the wind catching your veil like it had a life of its own. Fernando looked at you like he’d never seen the sun before.

Your vows were whispered but felt louder than any engine.

“I promise to never let you go to sleep angry,” you said.

“And I promise to make you laugh when you least want to,” he added.

You both cried during the first dance. He held your waist like you were made of something ancient and holy.

“You’re too good for me,” he murmured.

“No. I’m just the one who stayed.”

That night, you lay tangled in white sheets, his fingers tracing the lines on your collarbone.

“I’ll spend every day proving I deserve this,” he whispered. “Even the hard ones.”

⸻

The Miscarriage – Rome, 2011

You were nine weeks in. You hadn’t told him yet. You were going to surprise him in person bought a tiny onesie that said papa’s lucky charm and everything.

Then the cramps started. The blood came. And you knew.

You didn’t cry at first. Just stared at the ceiling while the world turned inside out.

When he called from the hotel, you said, “You should come home.”

He knew.

He arrived the next morning, eyes red from the flight, his jacket still smelling like rain.

You collapsed in his arms.

“I didn’t know how to tell you,” you sobbed. “And now it’s just gone.”

Fernando sank to his knees in front of you, pressing his forehead to your stomach.

“I already loved them,” he whispered. “Even if I never got to meet them.”

That night, he built a fire and held you close, rubbing your back while you shook with silent grief.

“We’ll try again,” he whispered. “When you’re ready. And even if it never happens, we’ll still have us. Always.”

You cried yourself to sleep with your hand over his heart.

⸻

Monaco Crash – 2013

You were watching live, laughing at a silly commentator’s remark when his car veered, slammed the barrier.

Your scream startled everyone in the room.

The headset fell from your ears. Your body moved before your brain could.

You were at the medical center before they could stop you, face pale and hands trembling.

He saw you through the glass, smiled weakly. “You’re more dramatic than the crash, mi vida.”

You shoved the curtain aside, tears in your eyes. “I thought you were dead, Fernando!”

He pulled you close, wincing. “Takes more than a wall to take me away from you.”

“Don’t joke,” you choked out.

“I’m not. I saw your face when they pulled me out… and all I thought was, ‘thank God, I’m still hers.’”

⸻

Final Moments of Youth – Austria, 2015

You were on a hiking trail, breathless from the altitude and the laughter. He had his arm around your shoulders, cheeks flushed.

“I think this is it,” he said, stopping to stare at the valley below.

“What?”

“The moment I stop chasing speed. I’m tired and for the first time, I think I want a slower life.”

You looked up at him, heart softening.

“You sure?”

He nodded. “I’ve been fast long enough. I want to learn how to be still with you.”

You kissed him. He kissed you back like he was anchoring himself to the ground.

⸻

The Middle Years (Ages 30–50)

⸻

Oviedo, 2016 — Slow Living Begins

Your house on the hill became a sanctuary. No roaring engines. No flights every weekend. Just wildflowers and books stacked in uneven towers.

Fernando gardened badly. You teased him relentlessly about the crooked tomato vines and his “tragically overwatered basil.”

“You’re just jealous my plants love me more,” he said with dirt on his cheeks, offering you a squashed-looking tomato like it was a diamond.

“You’re lucky you’re pretty,” you smirked.

He grinned. “So you do think I’m pretty.”

You rolled your eyes. “I married you, didn’t I?”

Evenings became your favorite time. You’d sit on the porch with mugs of tea, listening to the wind and letting your legs touch under the table.

“You know,” he said one night, his voice low, “this is the happiest I’ve ever been. No trophies. No pressure. Just you.”

You rested your head on his shoulder. “Then you finally understand what I’ve been trying to give you all these years.”

⸻

Barcelona, 2017 — The First Baby

The second time you got pregnant, you were terrified.

Fernando kissed your stomach every night like a prayer. “You’re not alone this time,” he whispered.

He went with you to every appointment. Held your hand when you cried during the heartbeat scan.

At twenty-three weeks, you woke him up at 3 a.m. in a panic.

“I had a dream the baby didn’t make it,” you whispered, voice shaking. “I felt so empty, Nando, I couldn’t breathe-”

He sat up immediately, pulling you into his lap.

“Feel this?” he said, placing your hand over your belly. “That’s life, cariño. And this…” He pressed your palm to his chest. “That’s love. I swear on both we’re going to be okay.”

Your daughter, Lucía, was born on a foggy autumn morning in October.

He cried so hard when he first held her you thought he might drop her.

“She’s got your nose,” he sobbed.

“And your stubborn brow,” you said, brushing her downy hair. “We’re doomed.”

⸻

Marbella, 2020 — The Second Baby & Pandemic Isolation

Your second child, Mateo, came during the quiet panic of the pandemic.

You gave birth wearing a mask. Fernando wasn’t allowed in the room for the first hour.

When he finally held him, he whispered, “You came into chaos and still brought peace.”

Those months were strange. Locked indoors with two small children, restless hands, and headlines full of dread.

One day you snapped, tears streaking your face after three straight nights without sleep.

“I don’t even know who I am anymore!” you yelled, cradling a crying Mateo while Lucía smeared crayon across the walls.

Fernando took the baby gently, whispered, “You’re the strongest person I know.”

“I’m falling apart.”

“So fall,” he said. “I’ll catch you.”

⸻

Oviedo, 2022 — The Cancer Scare

You found the lump in the shower. Firm. Small. But undeniably there.

You didn’t tell Fernando for a week. He was already overwhelmed his mother’s health was declining, the world still uncertain.

When you finally sat him down, you said it fast “I found something in my breast. I have a scan tomorrow.”

The way the color drained from his face nearly broke you.

He reached for you instantly, thumb trembling as he stroked your cheek. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I didn’t want you to panic until I knew.”

“But you were already panicking,” he said softly. “Weren’t you?”

You nodded.

He pulled you into his chest and held you for so long you lost track of time. The night felt like a never-ending breath you couldn’t release.

At the hospital, his grip never left yours. The waiting room. The ultrasound. The biopsy. Each click of the machine felt like thunder.

When the doctor finally said it was benign a fibroadenoma, not cancer Fernando laughed and cried at the same time. His head bowed in relief, tears soaking into your shirt.

That night, he held your scarred breast in his hands and kissed it.

“This body… it’s given me everything,” he whispered. “You. Our children. Our life. I’ll never take a single piece of it for granted again.”

You wept into the crook of his neck. The way he looked at you never changed. Not through aging. Not through scars. Not through fear.

Only deeper. Only fuller. Only more.

⸻

Asturias, 2023 — Losing Your Father

He died suddenly. A heart attack in his sleep.

Fernando drove you six hours overnight so you could say goodbye at dawn.

At the funeral, you didn’t speak for three days.

He cooked for you, sat beside you without pushing, held your hand even when you wouldn’t meet his eyes.

On the third night, you finally spoke.

“I didn’t even say ‘I love you’ the last time we spoke. I told him I was too busy to call.”

Fernando pulled you close, your grief soaking into his shirt.

“You were busy. Loving me. Raising our kids. Being the person he was so proud of.”

You sobbed into his chest, the pain blooming like wildfire.

He stayed up with you all night, listening to stories about your dad. Never said a word. Just listened.

⸻

Oviedo, 2028 — The Anniversary

Lucía was fourteen. Mateo was eleven. Your house was loud with hormones and burnt toast.

You’d forgotten it was your anniversary until you came home and found the entire garden lit with string lights, your favorite dinner steaming on the table.

Fernando stood in a button-up shirt that didn’t match his pants, holding a wrinkled card.

“I panicked. The kids helped. Lucía picked the flowers. Mateo made dessert so eat at your own risk.”

You laughed until you cried.

Over dinner, you held his hand and whispered, “You’re still my favorite thing in the world.”

He kissed your knuckles. “I’ve had so many lives… but the only one I ever wanted was the one where I’m yours.”

⸻

The End (Ages 50–70)

⸻

Oviedo, 2040 — The Quiet Years

The house grew quieter with each passing year. Lucía left for university first,political science, all fire and fight like her father. Mateo followed soon after, gentler, more like you, always calling just to hear your voice.

You and Fernando got used to cooking for two. Walking the same forest path behind the house each morning. Picking out tomatoes at the market like it was a grand adventure. Reading in bed with your feet tangled together under the blanket.

“This is the good part,” you whispered one morning, watching the sun spill golden over his lined face. “No rush. No races. Just you.”

Fernando chuckled. “I liked winning. But this—” He reached to brush your hair back. “This is better.”

⸻

Barcelona, 2046 — The Diagnosis

It started with fatigue.

You thought it was just age. Then the headaches came. The weight loss. The vision blurs.

They found the tumor in June. Glioblastoma. Terminal.

You were fifty-nine.

You waited until you knew for sure before you told Fernando. You practiced the words in the mirror a hundred times. Still, nothing prepared you for the way he crumpled in the hospital hallway, clutching the edge of a plastic chair like it might save him.

“No,” he said. “No, no, no don’t say it. We still have time. We always have time.”

You held his face and made him look at you. “We have time to love, Nando. But not forever. And that’s okay.”

“It’s not,” he sobbed, voice breaking. “It’s not okay.”

You kissed him. “We were never promised forever. But we earned every second.”

⸻

Oviedo, 2047 — Preparing for Goodbye

The house changed again.

He moved the bed to the sunroom so you could see the trees sway while you rested. He played your favorite records on quiet mornings Piano Concerto No. 2, Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac. You talked about everything and nothing.

You asked him to write to you again. Like he did when you were twenty.

He filled six notebooks.

“I never knew how much I still had to say to you,” he whispered one day, holding your hand like it was made of porcelain. “Even now.”

You cried together, often. But you also laughed about how bad his cooking still was, how Lucía inherited your temper, how Mateo cried at commercials.

You made him promise something, one night when the pain was bad.

“When it’s time… I want one last dance,” you said, voice raw but soft. “Just you and me. Like before.”

“Of course,” he whispered, pressing his lips to your knuckles. “Name the song, mi amor.”

You smiled. “Infinity Jaymes Young.”

His voice caught. “That’s our song.”

“It always was.”

⸻

October, 2048 — The Final Dance

You knew it was time. The doctors said days, maybe a week. You didn’t want machines. You just wanted your family.

Lucía and Mateo flew in. They curled beside you in bed like they were little again. Fernando never left your side. Not once.

On a soft October evening, with the windows open and golden light pouring in, he helped you out of bed. Your body trembled. He held you up.

And then he played the song.

“Baby this love I’ll never let it die…”

You danced.

Slow. Barely moving. His arms around you. Your head on his shoulder. Your breath shallow.

“You gave me the best life,” you whispered against his neck. “I wouldn’t trade a second.”

He cried freely, holding you tighter. “I’m not ready. I’ll never be ready.”

You smiled, even through the tears. “I’ll wait for you. Wherever the next place is, I’ll be there.”

“Promise?”

You kissed his lips. “I promise.”

⸻

A Week Later

You passed away in your sleep, in the home you built together.

Fernando stayed beside you until the sun rose. He kissed your forehead and whispered the last words you ever said to him: “I’ll wait for you.”

⸻

Years Later — After You Were Gone

He kept your books on the shelf.

Still made tea for two, sometimes forgetting.

Still wrote you letters even when there was no one to read them.

Your children came often. Brought your grandkids. Told stories you’d once told them.

Lucía once asked him, “Do you still miss her, after all these years?”

He smiled, eyes soft with memory. “Every day. But I know she’s just ahead of me. Not gone. Just waiting.”

⸻

The Reunion

There’s a dream Fernando has often.

He’s young again. You’re waiting for him beneath a streetlamp in Florence, wearing the dress you wore the night you told him you loved him for the first time.

Music floats in from an open café window. He reaches for your hand.

“Dance with me?” he asks.

You smile.

“Always.”

And you do.

Dancing with him forever

[thedevilsoftruth]

Say you're sorry

Congressman! B. Barnes x f! reader

Sum: Bucky is called out of a meeting because you--his wife--had " hit his aide" after he wouldn't let you in to see him. So, he decides to deal with you in a different way.

Warnings/smut tags: porn no plot, rough sex, desktop/office fucking, piv sex, from the front and behind, brat tamer Bucky, crying during sex, implied choking, hair pulling, bondage, light usage of " daddy, " established ( married ) relationship. Not beta read.

Little drabble for you all to enjoy while I work on RIBB. sorry if this one is weird, I dont normally do daddy kink stuff, but I was feeling adventurous today.

MDNI!!! I am not responsible for what you find on the internet!!

[ My marvel request box is open. Please see my pinned post for additional information regarding my request rules. ]

" I can't believe you'd fucking do that! "

His hissed words are harsh and laced with dominance per usual, but there's a very discreet underline of disbelief in them.

" Bucky please-- "

You're sobbing as he stands in front of you as you sit atop the mahogany desk in his office with your hands bound behind your back by his black tie. He cuts you off quickly and sharply as if he didn't even want to hear you speaking.

" I don't want to hear your pitiful excuses. " He spat, his cock dragging across your drooling cunt at a pace so fast that you can barley hand onto the loose strand of his tie. He'd been practically yelling at you all night since the incident happened. He was in so much disbelief. He was shocked, moreover, but he was very upset with you, and that was very apparent to you with the harsh, punishing thrusts he gave you.

" Seriously, what the fuck were you thinking? " He asked you with gritted teeth, poking your forehead with his index finger. You gulped hard and threw your head back, a loud, strangled moan leaving your mouth.

" You know I dont like your competitors. " You managed between sobs, even with your throat filled with the salvia that you were desperately trying to clear out of your way. Bucky scoffed at you, his head jerking back as he shook his head at you.

" It's politics. " He tells you like it's the most obvious thing in the world and you're too dumb to understand it. " There's always going to be split sides and enemies. You don't get to just waltz in uninvited and start fighting them! "

His words truly do mirror how angry he is at you. You can't deny that he's not wrong, either. Bucky usually never yells at you, but this situation is different and you had done something that deserved the treatment he was giving you.

Your thighs are shaking around him, your hips jolting as if trying to get away from his wrath. But he holds you down by his right hand, and you whine loudly as he begins to slow done his pace.

" So here's what we're gonna do. " He begins, pulling out of you completely, making you feel empty and cold. He forces you to your feet, your heels clicking on the floor as he pulls you down. Your legs are trembling, your body feeling heavy and sore as he immediately brings you into another position. He puts his hands on your hips, and you attempt to back away from him, but fail from how much you were stumbling and shaking.

" No, no, no, none of that. You know better than that. " He grunts, pushing you back against his desk with rough hands. " You're going to stay right here and take what I fucking give you, do you understand? "

You choke on a groan.

" Yes, daddy. " You sniffled. He smiles and wipes away the warm tears running down your wet, pink cheeks.

" Good girl. " He praises, cupping your face in his big hands as he leans down to kiss your puffy lips. You kiss him back greedily and hungrily, like you were waiting for it to happen and almost as if it was the last kiss he was ever going to give you. His salt-and-pepper beard scrapes your skin as his mouth moves against you. His metal arm falls between your shaking legs and he cups your sex hard, making you gasp into his mouth.

" That's what I thought. " He said gruffly as he pulled away from your lips.

" Now turn around. I ain't tellin' you again. "

And you did. You moved so quickly that it made you dizzy. The second you had bent over, he was placing his metal hand on your back, holding you down firmly that way you couldn't move. You gulped hard and your nails dug into your back the moment you felt him slide back into your pulsing pussy. He didn't even give you time to adjust to him or a single second to breathe before he was going back into fast and hard.

You could barely hold onto anything; the best you had was the hanging piece of his tie that was wrapped around your wrists. Your tears started back up again when he grabbed a fist of your hair, pulling your head back as he pounded into you from behind. Your shoulder shuddered, your wet eyelashes fluttering shut as you let him take you.

Everything felt so warm, so tingly and oh so perfect. You couldn't help the absolutely pathetic, cock hungry sounds that were coming out of you; a little chat of the word " yes. "

And then he let go of your hair and he somehow found a way to go even faster. You squealed, your body jerking upward, almost trying to get away from him again--but he pinned you back down because the both of you knew that wasn't what you really wanted.

" You're going to fucking apologize. To me and to my aide. " He told you, again with the same harsh tone that made you pussy flutter. You bit your lip, almost not letting your next words, but they slipped out anyways.

" He wouldn't let me in! " You wailed, your fingers flexing outward when he cock began hitting your sweet spot, your words and moans coming out in stutters. Bucky sighed, slowing down a bit.

" Are we really going to do this again? "

He stopped completely, and he moved his vibranium hand from your back to the curve of your ass. You immediately knew what that meant, and out of fear of that happening, you started shaking your head frantically, throaty protests leaving your lips.

" No, no, daddy I'll be good-- "

" Have you not learned enough? " He whispered in your ear, the cold metal of his hand sending shivers down your spine.

" I'm sorry! " You cried, your toes curling into your heels, your nails digging so deeply into your palm that you were sure it would draw blood. Despite your apology, Bucky's flesh arm came around your throat--not squeezing enough to brutally choke you but enough to make you squirm.

" Oh yeah? " His mouth ghosted over your ear, his warm breath tickling your skin. " What are you sorry for? " He inquired, his hand still on your ass but prepared to strike Incase you pulled something.

" I'm sorry for defying you. " You sobbed, lowering your head into the table, your hot laboured breath and tears implanting a little wet spot on the table beneath you.

" and? "

" And for hitting your aide because he wouldn't let me in. " You admitted embarrassingly, your legs clenching together, your heart racing excitedly with the idea that he was going to spank you.

But instead, you felt his arms slowly unwrapping around your body. Relief filled your body, and you exhaled deeply. Bucky slowly started rocking his hips forward, making a small moan leave your lips as pleasure electrified your body.

His hands ran across your hips, and he took them in the palm of his hands, a sign that he was about to go faster. You heald your breath, expecting the worse, but all he said was, " Good girl. That wasn't so hard now, hmm? " But just because he was being nice to you in the moment didn't mean that he was going to be nice to you later, and it definitely didn't mean that he wasn't upset with you anymore.

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.227 Grill and chill

We hugged and said all the things friends say when they haven't seen each other in a while. "It's been way too long," "good to see you," and so on. But one thing I heard Maia say to Sophia made me question if I had mis-stepped as a husband. She complimented her appearance and asked if she had lost weight. Sophia said she had, and Maia showered her with even more compliments. Of course I noticed her missing weight, but I never said anything about it. I didn't know if I should call attention to it or not because what if I did and she thought I was glad she lost the weight, implying I didn't appreciate her body before? Nothing could be further from the truth. Frankly, I preferred her with the weight, but that doesn't mean I don't like her thinner body. When it comes to women and their bodies, men need perception, intuition, and a silver tongue to avoid getting blown up in that minefield. But I should still try. Losing weight at our age is no easy feat, and she deserves all the recognition.

Dub's not-so-little girl marched confidently in the middle of the adults, and those sparkling gray eyes demanded my attention. Maybe me and Dub should start working out together because I know our two daughters will surely be the it girls on campus. I'm not a parent who fights kids, but as long as I look the part, everything should be fine.

"Hello, Tami! Do you remember me, Luca? I swear, you have all the pretty dresses!"

"I know!"

I threw my head back and let out a hearty laugh.

"Oh, man! She still says that, huh?"

"She is very self-aware," Dub said before turning his attention to her. "What else do you say?"

"Thank you," she said sweetly.

"You're very welcome."

I felt Desiree hovering behind us, so I called her out.

"Des, do you remember Tami from when we stayed in the big house when you were little?"

"I think so?"

"I remember you," Tambara shouted. "We played pretty girls!"

"Oh, yeah," Desiree replied.

"Why don't you guys fix a plate and have a seat," I suggested.

"We have a tree just like that," Tambara said, pointing at the money tree.

"Yes, I know. I got mine from your dad."

We ate, talked, and enjoyed each other's company before the inevitable. Sophia took Maia to sit in the shade, and the girls went with them, leaving me and Dub alone to speak more freely. In the middle of him asking about my life as a landlord, Desi left the ladies' table with a stack of dishes.

"You must be so proud of her," he said.

"Bruh... You have no idea."

"I do, but I get what you mean."

We sipped our teas and reflected on our collective pride in our daughters—at least I assumed he went down that rabbit hole with me, heh. When Sophia and I started dating, I discovered how funny she was and thought the relationship was going to be the death of me because I'd surely die laughing. Then I told her I loved her, and we got engaged. The woohoo got exponentially more intense. I didn't think I'd survive the engagement. Now, everywhere I look, I find another reason to be proud of Desi, and I feel like one day my heart will explode from too much happiness. Being one laugh, one smile away from death is a sweet way to live, I think.

"Did you do well in school?" I asked.

"Yeah, I did okay. A's and a few B's."

"I didn't like school. Sophia too. We got by, but Desi is killing it! She went from a C to an A in just a week!"

"Wow! That's quite an accomplishment!"

"Right? I want her to go down whatever path she feels is right, but I kinda hope she goes to university. I'd love for her to be the first in our family."

"Oh, your parents didn't go?"

"Nope."

"Mine did. So did my grandparents. I enrolled but didn't finish."

"Everyone finds success in their own way. My family did well without formal education, so I know she doesn't need a degree, but... I just want so much for her, you know?"

"Oh, I know! Tami's birthday is in a few days, and I am DEEP in denial!"

"You and me both, brother. You and me both."

He took another sip of tea.

"By the way, what did you put in this tea?? This slaps!"

"Ha! You like that, huh? I just threw a little of this and that in there."

"I hope you remember what it is because you need to make this every time I come!"

He enjoys a few more sips and glances behind him at the ladies' table.

"Since we're talking about children... I know you guys had trouble and all, but did you and Sophia ever discuss having another child?"

"Yeah," I said in between a deep sigh. "Yeah, we did."

"Uh oh. I guess it didn't go well?"

"Nah, it wasn't like that. Sophia came to me and asked if I would be satisfied with just Desi because she didn't want more children."

"But?"

"Most of the time, I'm cool. When I hang with my niece and nephews, sometimes I go to bed so exhausted and wonder how my sister does it. But other times, it sneaks up on me. Sometimes, I'd really love to have a son."

He nods like he knows how that feels.

"Would you ever revisit that conversation with her?" he asked.

"No. The IVF process is very invasive, on top of adult pregnancies being harder. She told me as soon as she got home she wasn't interested in repeating it. It's too much to ask of her. And Desi is about to be a teenager. Even if we adopt, it's kinda late to be starting over. Can you imagine trying to intimidate some boy with spit up on your shoulder? I'm good. And even when I'm not, that's just something I have to deal with."

"Hmmm."

He sat there for a few moments, clearly mulling over something, so I let him. Nothing with Dub is random; he always has a reason behind every question. Whatever lightbulb just went off for him, I hope it helps whatever drama they left at home.

"I didn't think about it like that," he said, finally.

"Like what?"

"What you said about starting over and adult pregnancies. I brought it up with Maia. It didn't end well, but she definitely made sure I understood she wasn't interested. I was gonna bring it up again, but she was upset about something else and wanted me to listen, so I did."

"You should do that more often. Us men, we like to fix stuff. The problem is women aren't always looking for a fix. Sometimes, they just want to be heard, or hugged, or seen, or whatever. Listening is vital to learning what they really need."

The sky opened, and the rain I'd anticipated earlier poured on us without warning. Everyone jumped up, grabbed a dish, and ran inside.

[nilolemillion]

Let’s get one thing straight (very unlike me): Batman loves his kids. All of them. He’d die for each one in a heartbeat (of course not kill for them, cough cough Jason). But if you think for one second that Bruce Wayne, the guy who regularly dresses as a bat and fights crime at 3 AM (cough cough insomniac furry.), has a favorite BatKid, then clearly, you’ve never met his children. He doesn’t have a favorite, not because he loves them equally, but because none of these potatoe pie pumpkin cutie-headed chaos gremlins deserve to be his favorite.

Let me explain.

Dick Grayson (WOOP WOOP that’s the sound of that police. Yes Karen, I know he’s no longer an officer, NO KAREN I DON’T GIVE A FUCK.):

The first pancake. The golden boy. Everyone assumes that Dick has a special place in Bruce’s heart because he was the first Robin. He’s charming, he’s capable, and he smiles like he’s got a fucking sponsorship deal with Colgate. But let’s be real, this guy left the nest the second he could, started his own superhero gig in Blüdhaven, and still occasionally shows up to remind Bruce that he doesn’t need him (yes king, show your independence, love that for you.) And you know Dick is the type to throw that ‘you’re getting old, B’ line out there just to twist the knife. Bruce loves him, but how can he be the favorite when he’s busy playing Batman-lite with better hair?

Jason Todd (My personality favorite zombie, resuscitated character in the whole world, I love him so much and all the Outlaws.):

Oh, Jason. The problem child. The one Bruce failed, died, and came back with a vengeance (literally). You’d think after all that tragedy, Bruce might go a little easier on him. But Jason? This kid shows up at family dinners with guns blazing, ready to debate the morality of lethal force like it’s Thanksgiving dinner conversation (and it is, I did it and it was quite fun.) Sure, Bruce would die for him (again), but Jason pushes every button Bruce has like it’s his job. One minute he’s trying to be the better vigilante, the next, he’s making Gotham’s criminals wonder if Batman has gone completely off the rails. If Jason’s Bruce’s favorite, it’s in the ‘how are you still alive and not in jail?’ kind of way.

Tim Drake (DC DROP ANOTHER CANON ILLUSTRATION OF TIM BEING A CUTE LIL STALKER AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!):

Tim’s the brainiac of the family, the kid who deduced Bruce’s secret identity with zero help. Naturally, you’d think this would earn him some serious brownie points. But here’s the thing, Tim works way too hard. He’s got all the signs of a caffeine addiction (which is completely and absolutely understandable, he’s just a little silly and caffeine addicts are hot, yes I am too), zero concept of work-life balance, and is always trying to out-detective Bruce. Yeah, Bruce admires his dedication, but let’s be honest: Tim’s the kid you have to physically shove into bed because he thinks sleep is a myth. Bruce is just trying to prevent this kid from burning out before he’s 30. How can Tim be the favorite when Bruce spends most of his time making sure he doesn’t turn into an insomniac vigilante-zombie?

Damian Wayne (I’m literally making my birthday party theme of him, that should explain enough.):

Ah, Damian. His literal blood son. You’d think that alone would give him a shot at favorite-child status, right? Wrong. Damian is an adorable, pint-sized murder machine with a superiority complex the size of Wayne Manor. Bruce loves him fiercely, of course, but Damian’s idea of father-son bonding is training in deadly combat and arguing about why his assassination techniques are totally valid. Plus, he’s got that whole ‘I’m the heir to the world’s deadliest league of assassins’ thing going on. Sure, he’s Bruce’s kid, but you know he’s never going to let Bruce forget it. Not exactly favorite material when he’s constantly plotting world domination during family movie night. (Dw, he won’t act on it, Alfred made very clear that the batkid who dares dominate the world will be banned from his pastries. Besides, he’s too busy scratching Titus’ belly, he doesn’t have time to dominate the world. PRIORITIES BITCH.)

Cassandra Cain (I stan her more than I stand my own life. Help. I literally crocheted a plushy of her.):

Cassandra is probably the least rebellious out of the bunch, which should give her an edge, right? Wrong again. Cass may be quiet and respectful most of the time, but when she does go rogue, it’s on her terms, and it’s not just a small rebellion. No, Cass will disappear for weeks on end, take down a crime syndicate by herself, and then show up like it’s no big deal. Bruce can’t even stay mad because she’s so good at what she does. But Cass’s habit of ghosting the entire family and dealing with things solo? Yeah, it keeps her out of the running for favorite. Plus, she’s secretly the most dangerous one, and Bruce can’t play favorites with someone who could take him out without even blinking.

Duke Thomas (He’s was the sunshine I was midnight rain. DC DROP ANOTHER CANON ILLUSTRATION OF ISABELLA WITH DUKE AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!):

Duke the daylight protector of Gotham, which is cute and all, except that Bruce has no idea how to parent in the daylight. Duke brings this bright, positive energy to the BatFamily, which sounds great in theory, but this is Bruce we’re talking about. The guy who lives for darkness and brooding. Bruce loves Duke’s optimism, but it’s like trying to teach a vampire to enjoy the sun. Plus, Duke has a habit of questioning everything, and sure, Bruce appreciates his independent streak, but do you really want a favorite who keeps making you reconsider your life choices?

Stephanie Brown (My sweet dear and beloved purple queen, I love her so much.):

Not an adopted batkid, her mom is alive I think… But I don’t give a duck KAREN. Stephanie is the wildcard, the one who does whatever she wants, whenever she wants, and somehow gets away with it. She’s staged fake deaths, gotten fired from being Robin, and still keeps coming back for more. Stephanie’s whole existence is an exercise in chaos theory. Bruce loves her resilience and her ‘never-say-die’ attitude (literally), but how can she be his favorite when her middle name might as well be ‘Loose Cannon’? She’s the kind of kid who’ll fight crime while live-tweeting it. Yeah, Bruce loves her, but he’s not rewarding that kind of energy with a favorite child title. (I’m still confused about her age thingy.)

So no, Bruce doesn’t have a favorite. Because how could he? His kids are walking, talking disasters, each one a different flavor of chaos. Bruce loves them all more than anything in the world, but picking a favorite would be like trying to choose between different natural disasters. Earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, they’re all beautiful in their own destructive way, but you wouldn’t want to pick one to live through. In the end it’s about Bruce somehow surviving all of them.

[knockyasocksoff2022]

BSD Skillswap HCs

I'm going to write some one-shots for these later.

PORT MAFIA

MORI

Scared when Elise disappears

Wondering where the hell she went

Thinks he’s sick or has been poisoned

(because when his energy is drained it’s hard to keep her around)

Can suddenly feel all of his subordinated abilities.

CoNfUsEd

Then he realises that he had Fukuzawa’s ability 

But wait, they’re the wrong ones

And then Chuuya comes to him ranting about how a sleezy mackerel did something to him

and it all makes sense

CHUUYA 

I know that transferring a God from one vessel to another is prob hella complex

Just don’t think too hard about it

It’s the ~ magic ~ of  ~ L O V E

falling from mid-air

No longer feeling the thrum of Arahabaki

Bro finally gets a break from the constant ache to cause destruction.

He takes off his gloves

But puts them right back on when he realises what that means

He doesn’t want to go around nullifying people’s abilities accidently

KAJII

Getting blown up by one of his bombs and it hurts him

But then he heals really quickly in a flurry of butterflies

Surprisingly, very calm

Does a quick scientific method to  figure out what the hell happened

Scared for Akiko when he realises 

because he does in fact have a crush on her

He worries she’ll get hurt or hurt someone else

He starts running to the Agency

AKUTAGAWA

Rashoumon goes in the middle of a fight

A fight with Atsushi, no less

Then suddenly he’s a tiger

He pAnIcS

He’s trying to hide the pAnIc

It’s not working

They’re both terrified

And trying they're very desperate best not to show the other that they are

They keep fighting

“Cuz damn if I don’t keep my promises

I said I’d fight you

So I will!”

Also, I’m extra mad at you for whatever you did!

“B-but I didn’t do anything!”

"DaMn JiNkO, you’re so incompetent you can’t even hold onto your own ability."

“Hey! We both switched, don't act like you’re better than me!”

“Think of it like Rashoumon . . . but in reverse. Byakko isn’t a gun or spear, but a massive shield!”

“You gave this . . . thing a name?”

“Yeah, so what? She may be an ability, but she deserves a name, just like Elise.”

TACHIHARA

He’s sparing with Gin when he suddenly flickers out of sight

He sees the snow but Gin doesn’t

He immediately recognises Tanizkai’s ability

“How could I forget it after he almost decapitated our entire organisation?”

But why tf would I have suddenly got Tanizaki’s ability

“And do I still have mine?”

Then he starts figuring it out

He uses it to his advantage during the sparring match

Because he figures I can’t solve this right now 

so I might as well make the best of it

He thinks there’s a cool kind of power in knowing your invisible

“You can do basically anything you want!”

ARMED DETECTIVE AGENCY

FUKUZAWA

Gets jump scared when Elise appears in his office

So confused

She’s like “I’m yours now.”

He’s like “nO, you are NOT.”

“Of course I am, you do love Stupid Rintarou, don’t you?”

“Y-yes . . .? Normally I’d say so without question, but I have a bad feeling about where this is going.”

She explains what happened, because as an ability she has an understanding of it

He’s a little shaken

But he likes her so he becomes chill with it

He does know however that his employees won’t be chill with loosing their abilities

He hides Elise in his office with a colouring book he had bought for her

Constantly reminding himself that this is temporary

“I’m a grown man with employees working under me, I must remain calm”

He actually loves Elise, even if he doesn’t spoil her as visibly as Mori does

As soon as the ADA realises (yet the employees still haven’t realised who some of them have swapped with and what it means 😉) he’s like “I’ve got to call O- Mori-dono”

“Why?” They’re all immediately suspicious

“To let him know this is not in any way our doing of course.”

“Oh, yes, of course.”

He and Mori are like “I was just about to call you!”

“Ougai, come get your feral child!”

“Yes, I’d like her back as much as you, but shockingly, we have larger problems.

He tells him that the PM members have the ADA members abilities

dun Dun DUN!!!

DAZAI

Knows what’s going on at once

He’s thrilled!

“I can fly!”

“I can jump off the roof and scare the crap out of Atsushi!”

“Oh wait, but now I can't jump to my death anymore, stupid automatic activation ability.”

But he’s always worried for Chuuya

b/c Chuuya is used to having his ability

He doesn’t want Chuuya to be hurt

He also thinks it’s funny as hell

Because he’s a little shit

He wants them to all get their original abilities back

But he FULLY intends to take advantage of this while he can

Chuuya calls him like “WTF did you do to me mackerel!”

Then Mori explains and Chuuya calls Dazai to rant about how he “can’t believe a piece of garbage like “shitty” Dazai is my soulmate!”

KUNIKIDA

After he sees everyone’s ability is messed up he tries to make something with his book but it doesn’t work

He wonders who he swapped with because he doesn't feel any different

He starts trying to do other abilities (reminds me of that once scene where he’s buy Atsushi’s bedside after the fight on the ship and he’s trying to show Atsushi that he’s calm and ready for anything and is doing martial arts to the air or whatever) and none of them work

Then he gives up and decides he should ask around if any of his underground sources know what’s going on

He’s trying to call it and the phone is doing stuff without him touching it

He’s like OHHHH

 . . . shite

Goes to get check up on katai before he loses his mind of boredom and sadness without his computer skills

KATAI

He never uses paper so he doesn’t notice he’s gained a new ability

But he does notice that his computer has stopped listening to him

He’s confused and distraught

He thinks he’s lost the only quality of his that matters

But he’s far too emotional and lazy to inquire so he just starts to mope in depression

Luckily Kunikida is there within 30 minutes to “save” him

AKIKO

She doesn’t notice until she has to treat Tanizaki 

b/c he stabbed himself by mistake when he magnetised a scissor to him

He explained it that he just dropped it

b/c he didn’t want to admit what happened b/c he was to freaked out

She starts dismembering him when and then realises😬😰😶

Oof size large

Tanizaki starts panicking and unintentionally flinging her metal tools everywhere, injuring both of them.

Yosano immediately knows he swapped with Tachihara but has no time to be amused

They speedrun like every ability to figure out who she swapped with

“Try levitating something!”

“Here touch Tanizaki, see if it makes him stop!”

In the end, it’s Kajii who comes to them because he likes Yosano and wants her to be safe.

So he shows up just in time and Yosano shows him how to heal her and Tanizaki.

ATSUSHI

Suddenly he’s no longer a tiger, but a human

And tendrils are coming out of his clothes

He’s scared because he can’t regenerate now

And he’s scared for Aku 

b/c Aku doesn’t know how to defend himself using the tiger

He wants to stop fighting

But at the same time, he pushes to his highest potential (it makes him exhilarated, and maybe something else . . .) because he knows Aku will just regenerate

Aku’s teaching how to use Rashoumon while they’re fighting

“Not like that, idiot!”

“It requires finesse!”

“As base a creature as you doesn’t deserve her*!”

*rashoumon is a referred to with s female somewhere in the manga/light novels I think

“Slice with the edge, imbecile!”

“Don’t use your body weight, you brute! Let Rashoumon do it for you!”

“How can’t you grasp something so simple!”

“Stab, not slash, you stupid oaf! And send tendrils out remotely. You don’t have enough technical skill for that, weretiger. Your specialities lie in brute strength and maximum destruction. Use that! Don’t try and fight with your weakness, deliberately doing so sets you up for failure. Only a fool sets himself up for failure. Don’t be a fool, weretiger!”

They’re still arguing to cover their fear

Yeah, it’s really just them showing off how well they know each other

Eventually, the others find them.

KYOUKA

doesn’t notice at first

Then Kenji comes in and male blond Demon Snow is trailing behind him

He’s completely unaware

It’s so cute

Kyouka doesn't want to tell him 

so she experimentally lifts Kuni’s desk 

and when she can easily do so, Kenji’s like “Wow, you’re so strong Kyouka!”

She’s like “Yeah *_* We swapped abilities.”

He turns around and notices

He loves Demon Snow

Kyouka kind of wants to give it to him

Even though it’s the last piece of her mother, it still brings painful memories

He tells her she should keep it.

All smiles

“It was your Mum’s gift to YOU. You can use her to help others and make her your own. Just please, give her a chance, for me okay.”

[saschax]

Hello! I hope you are in good health.

I was wondering, can you do an alphabet with Ghost? Please, and thank you.

Take your time! <3

hello, and i am in good health.

yes, and your welcome..

i hope this is okay, my first time doing this!

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

ghost is not affectionate, at all. he is the opposite, antisocial, distant, detached.. reader will only find him affectionate if he's delirious or drunk.

and if reader happens to find him in either situations- which is rare, he'll show affections by just.. touching. he's touch starved, and since he is in a delirious or drunken state, he doesn't know what he's doing.

most likely will pass out, with his head into your neck.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

hm, best friend..?

you'll have to be in the team, task force 141. otherwise, ghost does not interact with strangers. now, best frienddss?...

years, years of work together. years of staying alive, and mutual respect.

be admirable! be impressive, try and catch his eye. if you manages to beat him in sort some of a competition, he'll respect you more.

( i personally think you can beat him if you play your cards right. i think ghost is a risk-taker, so.. use that to your advantage.. i guess. )

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

no.

gO aWay! he'll throw you across the room if you fuckin' cuddle with him! he has claustrophobia, and help me god if you lay on top of him-

anyways, no. no cuddling.

go.

get out.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

NO, no and nO!

he is an workaholic, and his friends dying- might i add, in front of him, only encouraged him to pursue his work.

he is guilty, he feels like their deaths is his fault. and to honour their deaths, he'll continue his line of work.

running away from his work is cowardiance, and a disgrace to his friends' deaths.

no. if he settles down, he can't bear the haunting grief setting on him.

he lives, and got to settle down.

they didn't.

and he (didn't) caused their deaths.

he doesn't deserve to settle down and rest, not after all he done.

the souls of his friends' faces looking at him, with teary eyes. saying "why are you resting?? after you got us killed?? why aren't you getting revenge for us?? you traitor-"

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

straight up to your face. he seen much worse. he'll just bluntly say "i'm done with you, its over."

he has nothing to lose.. well, he lied.

he's not over, he just wanted to end the relationship because he doesn't deserve this, and he feels like you could get a better guy.

a whole man, not half of a man; like him, a shell of a human being.

and he is sort of holding you back from touching him, he doesn't trust you very much either.. so this relationship is hardly beneficial to both parties.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

he is very committed.

not.

if he thinks you're going to dump him, he'll dump you first- to save him from the pain of abandonment.

no marriages, he'd cry, crumble and break again if he sees you in a wedding dress.

he doesn't deserve this, go away go away go away-

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

physically, he's.. cautious but not? for example, if you and him are training. he'll go sheer hard and will use everything he have against you.

no exceptions.

a woman? who cares, lets fight. you're in a goddamn military for fuck's sake. no one is going to go easy on you in real combat.

( you get hurt alot because of him )

EMOTIONALLY?

eMOtIONALLY??

this man, is stone hard, cold, blunt, brash, sassy, and act like he HATES you with his GUTS. he does not let you close. sure, he'll say a few words here and there, but he's not actively revealing his personality to you.

stone cold, ghost.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

hates hugs. it reminds him of his family, roach and johnny all at the same time.

never, he doesn't do it once. even if you and him are best friends. you tried hugging him once (he was having a mental breakdown), he punched you square in the face and shakily left the room.

.. no one knows how his hugs are like, everyone who felt his embrace died and never could tell the story.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

never, and not fast at all. he hates that word too. again, his past.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

doesn't really gets jealous? more like sad if he sees you hanging out with another man more.

abandonment, but again, he did keep pushing you away..

his fault, i guess.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

he never kissed. i dont know.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

i think he is a gentle man when it comes to them, he looks out for them of course. but he doesn't really .. hug.. or do affectionate behaviors- bending down, makes him smaller- less frightening to the kids- he doesn't really do this.

more like a guard dog around them.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

you dont know, he's never there when you wakes up. he's up and gone.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

he appears rarely. and if he is sleeping next to you, he'll have some sort of barrier (aka, pillows) blocking you from touching/reaching out to him.

you keep waking up because he keeps squirming.

you get used to this eventually.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

I DO not think ghost will reveal things about himself.

he'll just be a different character around you, but never exactly saying his identity (aka, age, full name, how his parents was like, his backstory, etc). just more softer, kinder, and more.. willing if he warms up to you.

does. not. share. his emotions.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

he's very patient, a patient man indeed. no.

he's not patient, he just sounds patient. inside, he's angry.

and every now and then, you'll encounter his outbursts on you. bottled up feelings, leashing hell.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing or do they kind of forget everything?)

remembers everything, but he will forget sometimes.

R = Remember (What is their favourite moment in your relationship?)

when he made you laugh, a geninue laugh. it felt nice to make someone happy and not make them upset/sad/annoyed.. y'know...

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

he's protective but not. depends. if you're hanging with a friend, he won't be "HmMmm, ARE YOU SUSPSICOIOUSS???" or try to y'know, get you away.

how? get a guard dog, and he'll also train you about self defense, and what-to-do if this happens.

does not feel the need to be protected by you, and he thinks its a bit offensive. you think he can't protect himself??

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

he does put a lot of effort, however, no dates, or anniversaries...

he'll give you plenties of gfits!

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

a really bad texter, so expect to get left on read often.. and! staring.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

not insecure about his looks, he knows he looks good. but he is a bit nervous when it comes to showing his scars.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

he's already incomplete, wouldn't make any difference. although, it does make a slightly more void in his life.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

doesn't sleep often. he's the type to just..stare at his ceiling or longue around in his room and wait til another mission comes up or something.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

dislikes laziness, in terms of your work ethic. likes somebody who is as committed and hard-working as he is to their job.

HATES. betrayals (also one of the reason why he doesn't quit his working)!! and he does not like dependent people.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

he usually fall asleep on sofas, or on uncomfortable things. the bed is wayy too soft for him, not used to it..

NEED SOME LIGHT ON!! in the dark, he sees faces and it creeps him out.

he doesn't like it, so he need some light if he want to sleep better.

[rebouks]

Now now now! Ivan and Frankie! I saw it and I'm in! Could they? Might they become an item? Hmm? :3c One for us to kiss and hug and cuddle and smooch and cradle and put on our desks and admire and giggle and twirl our hair and kick our feet and shake the bars of our little cages? Idk what kind of trouble Frankie's ex-husband is, what danger he poses to her and others that might get in his way, but I'm interested in this mess now! And Ivan is great at solving messes lol And please, if Ivanesca sails, make it so that Bruno finds out about them! Maybe bc Jacob slips about them during one of their convos and he gets even more miserable and depressed! Oh, I'm such a messy bitch. Imagine if Jacob and Jude gossip about each other's dads? "I accidentally told him your dad is going out with Frankie..." "HUH?" "I know. But he... he just sat there like a stone and stared at me for a while. Then said 'he deserves to be happy.' and that was that." And in the following weeks we follow Jude as he fights the demons and the shadow people and the bloodsucking monsters to decide whether or not he should tell Ivan that that happened lol But seriously, idk what you're gonna do with him. He chose to go back to that life but I'm done with the mafia story. Sorry, but I am. I'd be happy if Bruno only showed up to talk with Jacob when he goes to visit him to vent about his teenage life, but I know that won't be just that, so... good luck sorting that guy out and how you'll handle the new side of this mafia again. Personally, I'd just dip Bruno headfirst in boiling oil. Yes, he's handsome. Yes, the most handsome of all your characters. None can hold a candle to him. Your people can fight this all they want, but even me, his official hater, know it's a FACT. And it's too bad because he's trash. So, I guess... Stay strong, Becca. Or consider the boiling oil.

this ask is so chaotic i LOVE it skjkjs... HMMMMMMM you're not the only one intrigued by Frankie's mess tho! what on earth is going on with that woman, her ex and her mess?! i'm sure we'll find out, right? girls night with some gossip WHEN Cookie?! 👀

i'm sure Bruno would find out tho right? i bet Jude and Jacob DO talk about their dad's now n then and ofc Jude will remember much more about Bruno than Pixie and i reckon B himself is miserable enough to ask Jacob for the deets don't you think?? 😅 idk what i'm gonna do with Bruno tbh.. he's just chillin' as a mobster in Oasis Springs for now ig and who knows what that really entails, Jacob usually goes to see him a couple times a month but ofc B is never working when he sees his son, i wonder how much Jacob rlly knows about his "work"?? 🤔

[gerec]

For the past couple of weeks I've been part of a small team responsible for the logistics of a prestigious competition/event; last night was the formal Awards Banquet where we were served an amazing dinner catered by one of the city's best restaurants. During the breaks where we weren't running the show/working, I had a very long and in-depth conversation with a young colleague who's worked on this project all the way from the beginning planning stages (i.e. as far back as Feb/Mar this year). She shared her disappointment with the lack of acknowledgement that she's gotten from the agency's management for all the long hours and hard work she's poured into this project, and also the incredible frustration over the poor treatment she's getting from the same. For instance, she flew in from out of town, but because she's contracted to work 4 out of 5 days a week they're not paying her for today's travel day back home (which if you don't know is standard practice for event management - travel time is part of the job). This is just one of a long list of examples she shared with me.

The good news is, she's already decided to quit at the end of her contract (which is soon), but she still had some misgivings about doing so; like asking herself what, if anything, she could have done differently, and feeling like she failed because this is her first job out of uni and she couldn't make a longer go of it. For the record, she's an absolute delight and a superb employee - and if I were in a position to hire staff I would hire her in a heart beat. (Also she's been full time for a year and part time for 2 before that so...she's absolutely not leaving without giving it a go.)

I guess I'm sharing this story because there might be young people like her out there who need to hear what I told her last night. So here goes:

Yes, work can be frustrating and can suck - badly - at times, but you should not hesitate to leave any job where you're crying on a regular basis because of how stressful it is and how badly you're treated.

Yes, you should leave a job where your manager berates you regularly, or sends you emails on weekends/outside of work hours to berate you. If they have an issue with your performance, they should explain what you're doing wrong and help you or give you the tools to do it properly not just yell at you. I know this happens a lot (sadly) but also know that this is NOT normal and NOT something you simply have to suffer in silence over. You have every right to expect to be treated fairly, courteously and professionally at work.

Yes, you should leave a job where people take advantage of you and don't pay you for the hours you work. I read a lot about Gen X and Boomers lamenting the Gen Z's for not being good workers because they're not willing to put in the blood sweat and tears to hang on to their jobs but I'm Gen X and I say that's BULLSHIT. A) Not every Boomer/Gen X feels that way, and B) Employers, no matter how nice they are as people, or how much you might like them will absolutely take advantage of you and SCREW YOU if they can. You can and should fight for your every goddamned hard-earned/well deserved dollar because no one else will do it for you. Same goes for your career - you are the only one you can rely on to make the best decisions for you.

So why am I working with these guys? Well, I'm a freelancer (I'm a Marketing Consultant) currently going project by project so I have the freedom to say no to any job I don't want to take and also to walk away the minute it no longer suits me to continue the relationship. I've also been at this for 28 years, so I imagine there's a bit of reverse ageism going on because they know they can't pull the same crap with me. (So there you go, this one time in this one instance, being older helps lol).

Anyways, the job market is rough, many employers are appallingly rude to job seekers (ask me about ghost job postings some time UGH) and people can be dicks (water is wet ha). Just...know your own worth and don't feel bad about leaving something if it's not working - you owe loyalty to no one but yourself.

[spoiled-fawn]

Lust by Nature {Part 5}

Masterlist, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Read on ao3

Pairing: Captain John Price x fem!Reader

MDNI: 18+!

Warnings for this chapter: None

Word Count: ~6.5k

Summary: In Mexico with Los Vaqueros!

A/N: I swear I didn't take a break, I just wrote this a billion times and am struggling to make my writing better without a beta writer. I hope ye enjoy!

The constant drone of the plane's engines became white noise after the first hour. It blended into the sound of your breathing by the 10th. Given four days after the medical ward stint, exhaustion still coats your nerves with a steady hum, rivaling the plane’s engines.

Thankful for your government stipend coming back into play, a private plane across the pond was allocated to the team. Besides this, it meant you got to lie down and sleep during the flight to Mexico.

“Sae whit th' heck ur we daein' ower 'ere again?”

Groaning at the man whose lap your head rests on, you slap his knee weakly.

“Soap, be quiet.”

“Sorry, bonnie.”

His warm hand that's been petting you throughout the flight cards through your hair. A soft laugh bleeds through his breath. He’s been careful not to touch your horns after giving him a warning bite to his thigh earlier.

The sergeant had been an angel the past few days, as had Gaz and Ghost. After Deidrick was reported and shipped out in handcuffs, the boys stuck to you like glue in the easy moments. Annoyingly hovering because they had no issue with your protests.

Price and Gaz sit adjacent to you with laptops clicking away. Ghost, sitting opposite of you, spread out like a pampered cat. Something you feel that man deserves to enjoy.

“Tha’s the fifth time you're asking, Soap.” Gaz groans out. Making a noise that you can assume is him stretching out, the lower timber of Price echoes him a moment later.

“Alejandro’s men are having a tiff about selection to bring in a hybrid operator.” Price begins. “And they’ve got an issue with a renegade group. So, they’re having us help with their bug problem and show off Saint.”

“Show off that she’s a little shit most of the time?” Ghosts' deadpan humor never ceases to amaze you. All you manage is a small flip of your middle finger in response, making him laugh again.

“The fact being…” Price begins, voice coming closer to where you lie. “She is an enhancement to our team. Show ‘em how we work and help ‘em outta bit.”

You catch the small frown on his lips as your eyes blink open. The ocean in his eyes seems colder, foggy. A shallow wave of concern emits, forcing you to become conscious of how you’re curled into a ball, searching for warmth in the comfort of Soap’s legs. Goosebumps have been in a constant roll on and off during the flight, the chill on your body never ceasing to crest over you.

“How you feelin?”

“Cold, and like I need a B-12 shot with a Red Bull.” Looking much better than days prior, the dark circles under your eyes were still present. You’d all chalked it up to being subjected to a serious wound, then fighting against restraints whilst wounded, followed immediately by an 18-hour flight.

At least Mexico was going to be warm.

The feeling of a cheap blanket covering you brings some sense of ease as Price gently tucks it around you.

You miss the look Soap gives him when your eyes close.

“We’ll be there soon and can get you an IV if you want.” Is all the Captain offers before he goes back to his seat.

Truthfully it wasn’t even something that would help at this point. You’ve been starved of anything intimate for days you don’t care to count. As dry as the salt flats, your body groans with each crack of your powers. Stiff, split, and rough on each edge that tries to hold itself together.

In this state, your body let a small remnant of human mechanics take over to get you in good health. Eating food felt good, and drinking electrolytes and vitamins made you perk up. Your demon accepted emotions offered in your presence; love and care.

And usually, you would preen in the presence of these, savoring every moment you could. Yet right now, you hated the taste of it on your tongue.

Every ounce of care you received felt embarrassing. Coddled like something so fragile that can’t be protected. It angered you, the sense of superiority you radiated washed out and dragged under sea foam while trying to grasp at the surface. As if the moment you were left with the humans and away from the lab, every force of nature wanted to knock you off the water you walked on.

For now, you were surviving.

Price hadn’t said much after the interrupted kiss on the couch, having to scramble while Laswell mandated him on everything to be done.

The kiss was just that. A kiss.

Something passionate in the moment, but you knew it didn’t hold even a flicker of a flame. There wasn’t time in the dark hours of the night to huddle around the wet wicker that he is. He’s in charge, and his life is sacrificed to do so.

Sure, it would have been easy enough to come in and check on you while practically being babysat by the others. You listened for his familiar gait to approach your room in the late hours of the night.

But it never came.

With Laswell on base, the lack of interaction between her and Price made you feel like a toy soldier. Forgotten and avoided. Like he was embarrassed after it all. It made the attention from the others feel artificial, pitiful of his absence that was painfully obvious in the way you silently pleaded for him.

You had a bit more pep in your step by the time the plane landed.

Stepping into the Chihuahuan desert greets you with an eye-blinding brightness. The warmth is unrivaled as you open up like a sunflower. Looking around the expansive base, did you become coherent to where you are. Oh. This is familiar. Very familiar.

The mountain range peaks in the background of the small town in contrast to the flat land the base is planted onto. The airstrip has an impressive size, yet your plane is the only one showing activity. Like a barricaded wall, your teammates form a barrier around you while walking forward.

“Bienvenido de nuevo, my friends.” The first speaks out. Is that-?

“Good to see you all, again.” The second voice followed immediately after.

No fucking way. Had Price not been blocking your view with his large and toned back, you’d have recognized the voices sooner. You wait, rather forced to, while the men stand in a guarding wall before you.

“¿Dónde está tu demonio?” The men shift to disperse and greet each other with handshakes and half-hugs.

“She’s ‘ere. And don’t call her-” Ghost starts, looking over his shoulder to you while Price stays blocking your view.

“¿Y a quién llamas demonio?”

Ringing out from behind Price, peaking your head out to make your appearance.

Meeting the gazes of Alejandro and Rodolfo.

“They call me Saint, now.” Walking forward with an almost shy smile, you take in their reactions; Alejandro looks as dumbfounded as the day he first met you while Rudy almost cycles through the emotions of grief before blatant excitement settles on his face.

“Santa madre de-” Rudy punches Alejandro’s arm as if to make sure they're not in one of your trances. “You? It’s you?”

Dropping your bags, you meet him in the middle with a small hop into his arms. Peaking an eye open, you watch Alejandro walk with an almost angry swagger to wrap his arms around your back.

“Is this where you went? After how long- ¿Estás bromeando?” He almost shouts against your hair, each of them leaning down to leave a kiss where your horns won’t poke them.

“Are they takin’ the piss?” Gaz whisper-yells behind you, followed by Soap. “Does she speak Spanish?”

The small reunion disperses after a moment. Turning to face your teammates by the sides of the Mexican operators, a dazzling smile on your lips. Something they hadn’t seen before.

“Care to enlighten us how you know each other?” Price's arms crossed, body rocking on his heels. Chin tilted down in almost a parental look while flicking his eyes between the three of you. Your smile falls while taking in his sharpness.

“She came on a test assignment with us, in the forest. Even let us interview her.” Alejandro claps your back, looking down with an affectionate smile. “Was supposed to be for us, but they felt our men were not ready to handle a mujer malvada like her.”

“So when she left, we thought that would be the last of her we’d ever see.” Rudy finishes, moving a hand to pet your hair. “Mira cómo has crecido, princesa.” The low murmur draws a soft smile as he looks you over, almost too intimate with so many eyes watching.

Price shouldn’t feel threatened as threatened as he does.

Getting a move on, you’re led into the base's hallways. Nostalgia rushes over your lungs, almost suffocating from having the tangible feeling. Back when you were less experienced in a trepidatious custody battle.

An empty barracks hallway designated to 141 has three rooms lined up. Soap and Ghost already make their way into one, while Gaz moves to the one next to them. Price watches as you enter yours, staying in the doorway while Rudy enters the room with you.

“Are you not going to sleep with her?” Alejandro’s voice startles the seasoned vet. Watching as Price tries to move away to hide the tips of his ears turning red.

“No- No. It’s not like that.” He shakes it off, saying it for the thousandth time. Setting his bag down opposite where Gaz lays. “She’s her own person. I’m not using her for my entertainment.” There’s so much more he could say to defend himself. Dispel any feelings or even waste a breath trying to justify himself. But he leaves it at that.

He can feel Alejandro watching, hearing the cogs in his brain turning at the lack of an answer. Gaz brushes aside them to join Soap and Ghost.

“She’s different.” Alejandro starts, checking to see your door closed before he moves closer to Price. “She needs you to survive, Capitán. Nothing wrong or in the way of it- Yet you’re not getting your team to its full potential.”

This whole trip should have been a video call. Price’s clothes drop on the bed with heavy thuds, no soft movements but refrains from snapping at his host. Tension glimmers in the silence. Sounds of their breaths cut at your voice through the wall, almost smothered by the boys on the opposite side.

“We’ve been here less than an hour. How are you already giving me pointers on my team?” It’s not meant to be as harsh as it sounds. Alejandro can read between the lines from his position.

“She’s quiet. She’s not happy yet, not to what she should be.” His murmur breaks down the grating air between them. “You need to be careful with how slow your bond is going-” There’s that fucking word again. It pisses him off. It pisses him off more so that Alejandro knows your schematics exceptionally well to dish out advice. “Before something happens to her.”

“An’ what’s going to happen?”

The sound of your door opening as you and Rudy enter the hallway pulls Alejandro’s attention for a moment. Arms crossed while leaning against the wall in a relaxed form, his eyes almost appear softer with a quiet plead behind them.

“Just don’t let it get to that point, cabrón.”

Whatever means Price and the Colonel had drafted up was to show Los Vaqueros how your integration uplifts the team's mission while coinciding with integrating you into society. It sounds like a reentry program, save for the fact that you weren’t a criminal. The obvious added perk that you’ve been shaped into a soldier.

Plus you were fucking hot, so the perfect candidate to be a psyop if needed to sway the Mexican forces.

Tensions were underlaid with the men’s belief that having more than human power in an ordinary fight would soon lead to their dismissal. That, and that there was an underlying bias towards hybrids and creatures even stepping into war.

Having met Alejandro and Rudy previously set you at a higher level than respect. They know your capabilities and knew how to promote you.

You can hear the gym filled with deep voices that speak fast and low. Some women linger in their respective groups, but there was less of them compared to the base in England. The sound of the voices diminishes as you and the team step into the room.

Confidence exuded from Price, Gaz, Ghost, and Soap as they entered; Finally being able to parade you around in front of strangers made that feeling of being their pet return. Chin held high, your horns pointed towards the sky with a shine that catches the lights. Tail flickering behind you teased the soldiers with glances. The shape of your wings almost seemed like a shadow on your back, so black that it almost absorbed the light if not for the reflection of the soft scaled texture.

They move and flex in time with your breaths, brushing against Ghost as his hand keeps on your lower back to guide you through the door. Some whispers still stand out for those taking in your appearance, some speaking “Demonio” if they remember you.

When your red eyes look up and over the crowd, silence takes over.

“Buenos días, gracias por estar presente.” Alejandro breaks the static with an introduction and reasoning for the meeting- mandatory for the entirety of their base to move in on better resources, opportunities, and allocation of funding. “We welcome our friends back, to bring information on their newest addition.”

His speech moves through the facility definitions on the program; Highlighting the newest strategies for combined arms, and operations other than war, while showcasing how 141 has been integrating you within previously followed operations. A piece of them that solidifies their objective's success.

In the middle of the gym is a kill house. Made of plywood and spray-painted markings to denote entry and exit points, furnished to simulate a residential environment that tests differentiating friendly from hostile. Above is a projector screen, playing feed of the inside walls. It’s not the largest kill house you’ve been in, but tighter situations like this cause more stress and demand quicker reaction times.

In events such as this, where it's kill or be killed, those with a quicker reaction time will always come out on top. When Price steps up to speak, he presents you like a new piece of artillery.

“Saint can empathetically rule out emotions. Being able to sense them without even seeing the person, she can discern the intentions of the individual.” He shifts his weight, looking over the kill house before turning over to you. “The test will showcase her reaction time, and ability to compensate hostile forces while being mindful of civilians- if any, around her.”

Speaking on the heavy stress of why you were chosen for them, Price continues on while you're led to a small armory table by Rudy. His voice similar to telling a story with a moral at the end; Gloating on your interrogation skills and how you could make the information come out in less than a few minutes.

“Her breed is beautiful. Known for her looks, that's one of her greatest advantages. But-” You can hear him move about, getting comfortable in the crowd. “She is much more, than just a piece of art.”

Rudy’s hands check your gear, handing you an ISO and two 30-round mags while he leads you to the doorway.

“Show them what you’re made of, princesa. Eres mortal.” His lips meet your ear, giving a soft kiss that makes your smile grow pointed at the edges, giving a dangerous lick to your teeth. Rudy had learned how to rile you up since the first meeting, even in ways that Alejandro couldn’t.

You let your letting your lips kiss his cheek while smiling. A silent thank you for something sweet to make you feel just a bit more sinister. His hands give your waist a rough squeeze, your body absorbing his arousal as if sucking down water in an oasis.

Price’s voice booms a bit louder as the countdown begins overhead and signals Rudy to step back.

Ten. Nine. Eight.

“The challenge she faces today-”

Seven. Six. Five.

“will be the lack of human opponents.”

Four. Three. Two.

“But instead, virtual targets.”

One.

The buzzer rings out and your boot is already kicking in the door before it can finish. Sharpening your senses, to scan the maze-like layout of the house. The sound of your heartbeat pounding in your ears fades in your mind.

As the first apparition appears, your hand moves with lightning speed to draw your weapon. The projected figure seemingly peaks by a bookcase with a weapon trained on you.

“Hostile.” Speaking in a growl from the back of your throat, a single burst rings out, hitting the target square in the chest before it fades away. Moving from the living room to the kitchen, four apparitions pop up from unexpected angles, forcing you to adapt and react in real-time. Going in time with how quickly the projections have them raise their weapons, you shoot bursts into their chest before looking at the figure displayed in a crouched position.

The barrel of your gun guides your eyes to focus, noting it's displaying a child crouched on the floor. “Civilian.” By the time you reach the fifth and final room, you’re met with a hostage situation playing on the bedroom wall.

“No te muevas o dispararé!”

Stilling, your gun stays trained on the man who holds the woman to his chest with a pistol raised to her head. The actor cries, cheesy enough it almost ruins the atmosphere. Before the animation can play out any further, a burst of fire embeds itself into the wall and they both disappear.

Finding your way back out, you dispose of the gear and fix your hair. Making your way back to the sides of your CO’s, the hidden signs of their approval don't dispel how it radiates around them.

But the sting of something sharp catches your heart. Surfing your gaze over your teammates, you catch Price’s eyes.

A sharp, hard-set stare holds you captive. Anger. You can tell from the sharp feeling in the back of your throat and almost as displeasure as pepper spray makes you recoil.

Did you fuck up?

The screen above draws your attention away. A fleeting excuse to turn away from him.

Your analytical statistics are side by side with the footage, showing near-perfect numbers; Two minutes in and out. Your figure, or lack thereof, looks as if a black haze in the kill house. Static borders the edges of you, leaving your eyes almost pitch black in the light amplification of the video.

“Think you look more of a ghost than Ghost does, lass.” Soap’s hushed laugh comforts you.

Trying to brush off whatever is stuck so far up your Captain’s ass, you stay between Ghost and Soap, hiding from Price’s aura that sours your confidence.

“Vaqueros,” Alejandro’s voice cuts the silence after the video ends. “It is time for your challenge.” He moves to the middle of his impromptu stage space where a sparring mat lies with a clear circle in the middle.

“War is changing, and now we have to. Pick a brother to fight and test her. Make it count. ¿Comprendido?”

The resulting answer is louder than you expected for a bunch of men who looked like they may faint at the sight of you.

The man sizes you up. Short wavy hair that looks black. About 6’ in height, medium build. Brown eyes. He’s by far no Gaz or Ghost, a lighter hue that doesn’t hold a depth like theirs. Less inviting.

The first lunge is led with his chest, feet following with the weight in his toes. Heavy in his strikes, you give the man credit and think you’d have been at least hit if he wasn’t a bit fearful. You can taste it.

Not using an increase of speed, you dance your dodges with him. He presses on, each time more intense as he gets used to your presence, your appearance, and nature. Not like you’d bite his hand off, damn. Having enough, you catch his wrist, using the shock of your touch to the advantage before turning and tossing him over your body and to the ground.

A collective sound of “Aye” and low whistles ring in the room, taunting and scrutinizing the operator looking up at you.

“Otra vez.” Masculinity in this culture is a serious thing, you learned a great deal from Alejandro and Rudy. There’s no smile, no laugh, or taunt, to your demeanor. His glare is vicious, but it means good progress for an actual spar.

Resetting, he wastes no time to tackle you.

You let him, wanting him to have his moment and feel a semblance of training. Your body rolls with his, absorbing his momentum while adjusting your limbs to grapple against his hold. Vaguely, he reminds you of a boar. Head-driven while using his size as intimidation, the testosterone that leaks from him is almost enough to make you cough.

It’s when you release a hiss of air from taking the knee to the ribs that you decide the show’s over. Elbowing the arm that holds himself up, locking your legs around his hips, you push him onto his back, growling. “Enough.” Your voice has that ethereal chime, sending shivers down the spines of those looking on with an intent to devour.

Focusing on his eyes, the connection forms a bridge. Golden glowing embers that only you can imagine leading your intentions to coat him with a soft push of influence. He stills beneath you. His grip on your thigh which was previously attempting to push you off becomes soft. Almost petting your muscle before he nods.

“Sí, señorita.”

The men watching start to holler, making enough racket that you have to push your control just a bit harder. Hand trailing over his face before taking his wrists and printing them above your head.

“Very good. Wake up.” As easy as it was to enter his mind, and form around him in a soft embrace, you pull back your influence. The trance leaves him in a breath, becoming aware of the crowd before looking up to find you smiling down on him.

The erection pressing against your ass is immediate. Giving his wrists a small squeeze, you stand from his lap a second later to let your actions speak.

It takes about another ten minutes for the meeting to adjourn. Some of the men had spoken up and even asked questions, and a lesser tension could be felt, compared to the beginning. They’d have much more work to do if it was ever to become a safe environment for whatever creature was chosen, but you had hope for Los Vaqueros.

Alejandro and Price agreed on having downtime before meeting for the second reason of the task force’s visit. With an hour to do nothing, Price decided to walk around on a self-guided tour, wanting to separate himself from the others.

He isn’t one to let curiosity get the best of him, but that became a lie when you joined. Tension in his knuckles begs to be cracked by the force of at least hitting something, pent-up frustration storming.

It was the moment between you and Rudy. He’d seen it.

What seemed like a private moment between you two hadn’t been fully concealed at the entrance point of the kill house. While everyone else had watched the feed of internal cameras, he’d been watching you.

Seeing you instantly melt into Rudy’s affection sparked something far too inappropriate for a man his age. Immature for a Captain. The nagging thoughts of hands coating something that belonged to him, made him want to lay his hands on you in any way. Spar marked as training, or grabbing you by the waist and against his chest.

Maybe you’d ask for a transfer. Fuck, maybe you’d be in bed with Rudy and Alejandro at the end of the night.

He doesn’t understand how you could chase him like a puppy, just to sniff a new bone and run in the opposite direction. Fleeting and impatient where your attention should be on him. You’re on his contract. Not theirs. That can’t possibly be broken and torn up. You’re his and his alone.

“I’m a fucking mess.” He admonished. To whom, he wasn't sure.

The hallways of the base were more intimate and narrow than the ones back home, making an eerie quietness come over him. Minimal sounds echoing, letting Price’s footsteps reverberate quietly on the concrete ground. It's when walking past a small corridor of offices, that the silence breaks.

“-your face, princesa. You’re tired and cold. No nos mientas.” Alejandro’s voice breaks over the hum of electricity in the halls. Straining to hear the vibrato of the conversation, Price follows the sound coming from an office a few yards away

“Tell, him. If he doesn’t know, how is he supposed to fix you?” Rudy’s voice consumes the space in a whisper, absorbing sound as he speaks gently. Price leans against an adjacent wall, the blinds on the door’s window blocking any view of him.

He can see you sitting on the desk with the two men he has loathed far too harshly since the start of the morning, crowding you. You lean into them, the movement of their hands petting you isn’t missed by Price.

The unspoken relationship between the three of you is so blatantly contrasted against you and the 141, that he wants to throw himself out of a window. The ignorant belief you wouldn’t stray from his heel grating in his mind.

Jealousy makes his lungs stutter at the wave of pressure from the sight. It makes him want to have a team bond that makes holding and sharing you in soft moments. It’s what he’s beginning to crave as he watches it happen with them.

Maybe if you weren’t a self-righteous prick it would be different. He tells himself, seething as he watches on.

“I’ll be fine. Just a few more days like this and I’ll be back to normal.” You almost sound defeated with the insistent directing and questioning.

“You know… We could always just-”

Before you can finish the sentence, Rudy’s hand gives a smack to your arm in the form of a reprimand. “No, cariño.”

Alejandro follows the reprimand, capturing your chin in his hand. “We respect the Captain. We’re not going to interfere with what you have together.”

Alright, Price is fractionally less mad at them, his paranoid mind bristling still.

“Yeah, right.” An irritated scoff leaves you, shaking your head from his hold. “Doesn’t want me. Made it known.”

When you hop off the desk to gather yourself, you miss the look between the Colonel and Sergeant Major.

“Price is a good man, princesa.” Alejandro starts, and the words stir you enough to let the disbelief on your face show.

“Why are you-” You cut yourself off, moving to turn on Alejandro. “Look at me. Any man would have fucked me on the first day. You know what's going to happen, if-”

It almost sounds as if you’re going to cry. Has it really been this big of an issue?

“Shh, you’re okay. Estas perfectamente bien.” Through the blinds, Price watches as they bring you back into their embraces. “We believe in you two, just let him come to his senses.” Rudy murmurs against your hair.

“If he doesn’t… Please call us, mi amor.” Alejandro finishes.

You don’t make it more than five minutes before being grabbed and shoved into an empty conference room.

“What the fuck-” A hand covers your mouth as the door locks behind you, flicking on a yellowing overhead light.

“What the fuck was that?” Startling at the intensity of his voice, your eyes dart to the ice-blue ones glaring at you, filled with rage.

“The hell are you talking about?” Your muffled reply makes his hand move from over your mouth and down to your jaw, his body crowding you against the wall.

“Don't you play stupid, girl.” Price’s voice drops lower than you’ve ever heard. Even thicker than when he finishes a cigar. The prickling feeling rolls off of him again, making your throat tighten. There’s another feeling to him. A crash of emotion that makes you want to lower your head and dispel any argument between each other. To please him.

Your silence makes him continue. “That little thing you had with Rodolfo earlier today. That little meeting you just had with them. What the fuck is going on?”

It's suffocating how fast your brain spins to make sense of it all. Trying to remember while the weight of his emotions makes a cyclone crash into you. It’s not fair that his eyes are boring into you, scanning for a lie.

Oh, Christ. That moment with Rudy. It almost feels shameful to know that he had seen it, and watched the intimacy between someone you trust. But the anger at Price for now approaching you like this, like he cared, outweighs everything.

“That wasn’t anything. It wasn’t even a thing.” Hissing back, gaze unmoving from his while puffing yourself up in defense. “It was a small pick me up.”

Price's expression turns dark. For a moment, all you can hear is the light humming above you.

“I saw it. Plain as day, Saint. The whole team did.” You feel the pressure on your body getting firmer. “Do you know how fucking embarrassing that is? Seeing you act like a little slut for all to see?”

If it wasn’t for the anger boiling in your veins, you’d be turned on by how degrading he is.

So, you play his game.

“Oh I see.” A silent grin haunts your lips. “You jealous, Price?” Tilting your head up before he reaffirms his hold on your jaw. “Didn’t like how he touched me?”

You can see how close he is to doing something, being on the edge of a tipping point you don’t know of. The anger floods into you, making your own emotions match. The previous submission evaporates into a storm of fury, potent enough that your tail twitches aggressively against the wall.

“You’re really askin’ for it, ain’t cha?” He fumes. Breath fanning across your lips, the heat makes you lick your own. The buckle of his belt presses against your stomach, and you wonder if it’ll leave a mark with how much he pushes onto you. “Say that again, I dare you."

The heated air between you charges something greater than your dream ever did on him, heavier than any touch you’ve felt by his hands. So, you do what he asks.

“Are you jealous, Captain?”

Before you take your next breath, his thumb moves to invade your mouth; Pressing against the backside of your lower teeth, he opens your mouth for you while leaning to speak against your ear.

“You think I don't know what kind of games you’re playing, right? Tha’ I don’t see how you’re acting right now?” The brush of his beard itches your right cheek. And god damn this forsaken man, your panties are already soaked from the feeling.

Your jaw is still trapped in his hold, not allowing you a noise besides the garbled mess of a protest.

“You’re trying to piss me off right now so I punish you, and give you the satisfaction you want eh?”

You’d argue that it didn’t start that way, but now he’s certainly correct. “Keep acting like a child and you’re gonna be treated like one. Demon brat.”

Had it not been for the use of that insult, you could have forgotten that you were mad in the first place. Saliva pools in your mouth, and you can see his eyes dart down at the stand that drops onto your shirt.

You remind him of your fangs with a curl of your upper lips.

Seemingly reigning himself in, he releases his hold but lets his thumb remain on your bottom lip as you swallow.

“You want me to behave?” Inhaling shakily, as if high on a stim, your head tilts back to match his glare. “You gonna keep me on a leash? Make sure I’m by your side so my tail only wags for you?”

Price raises his eyebrow at that and somehow you feel like you’ve just let him win.

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" His expression transforms into something more dangerous; A small smile curls on the corner of his mouth. "To be my little demon dog, staying by my feet, always ready to obey. Is that what you're after, Saint?"

Your hands move from the wall to instead find the meat of his hips, digging into his jeans with the tips of your nails. Pressing against him to stand on your tip-toes, the pressure of your hips together makes you bite down a groan, feeling a flicker of his arousal inlet to you.

“I’m not your little bitch.”

“You’re not?” He drawls, looking at you in fake surprise. The hand previously on your shoulder moves to your ass while he presses into you harsher.

"’Cause right now, you’re barking an awful lot with tha’ pretty little mouth of yours." He sneers, his hips grinding against yours forcing a gasp from you.

"And I think that pretty mouth of yours could make some different kinds of noises. Hm?"

At that, your head thuds against the wall. Fisting your hands onto his jeans, you don’t offer a response.

“Tsk. Gone quiet now?” His low laugh saturates your heart, the heat flowing to your core. To your surprise, he encourages your behavior. Lifting you with a hand under your ass with the other on your back, he turns to lay you on the conference table.

His erection grants you friction across your damp panties, good enough to almost sedate you in a drunken haze. When you prominently roll your hips against his straining cock, he groans loud enough to make him turn and bite his shirt.

“Maybe if you used me, I wouldn’t have to go bending over for anyone else.”

“You’re my operator. Your loyalty lies solely with me.” Snarling in a sharp contrast, a choleric look peers into you. “Is that understood?"

The drag of his beard across your cheek comes back, scratching your skin to bring you back from the feeling of his hardened cock rocking against your clit through your clothes. When you can only grunt in response, the hold on your jaw is the only warning before he kisses you.

Tongue diving in to meet your own, he dominates his way in while holding your jaw. Breaths borderline panting, the searing anger turning into a lustful spark, and fuck he tastes so good on your tongue. It almost dulls the meaning behind his words, of his claim and possession that comes to the surface. The feeling of submission comes to you again; Understanding that it's not you empathetically picking up on it, but rather the way your body wants to submit to his domineering energy.

His hand fists into your hair, holding you down as he licks into your mouth. You find your ground in the moment, kissing him back like a cannibal and expecting to see red smeared across each other's lips if he were to pull back.

“Show me you’re mine and I’ll give you what you want.” You can feel him start to leave you, his hold lessening to leave you on the table.

“Don’t you fucking dare.” A broken growl rumbles your chest, eyebrows furrowing as your jaw sets. Reaching out a hand to latch onto his belt, frustration glowing in your eyes.

He scoffs. Actually scoffs as he looks down with a twisted smile.

“Careful sweetheart. Don’t go ordering me around.” He easily shakes off your hand and greedily lets his eyes take in your body underneath him. It's uncomfortably tense as he grips your hip, moving to get off and away without a second thought.

The feeling of your pants tugging makes him stop.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding.”

Looking down, you both find you're stuck together; The button of your pants having looped into his belt buckle. It doesn't make any fucking sense whatsoever, but rather keeping his hips tilted against yours with the pull.

“Could be fucking. But not kidding.” You griped, not offering any assistance. Wanting to keep him there for longer, your hips buck up.

“Stop. Moving.” He hisses, adding emphasis as he smacks the top of your thigh. “I'm trying not to bloody rip it.”

“Just take it off.”

The whine comes unabashedly from you, childishly biting your lip as you laugh at him. His fingerwork is clumsy, unable to unhook the button from himself. Huffing, you swat his hands away to take over. “Let me-"

Your fingers fumble between the button seemingly wrapped around his belt buckle, weaving around the metal in a way unknown to either of you. You’d settle for divine intervention.

“How’s it so fucking tight-” His hand holds yours while he tries to pull free again, only to feel you’re still stuck.

“Ye sly. Old. Dog.”

The speed at which Price’s head whips back over his shoulder is almost concerning for a man his age. Had you not also immediately looked to see Soap standing at the door, staring with the proudest shit-eating grin, you’d have noticed the vein pumping in Price’s neck.

“Soap, ‘ave you gone daft? Get. Out.”

You can’t even respond as your jaw drops from the surprise. The man wolfishly snapping his eyes to find yours, and holding it with a tick in his jaw. Fuck, even he's aroused with the imagination of finding you and the Captain fucking. Without validating any part of the story, Soap darts away with the door clicking shut, Price aggressively pulls hard enough that you’re freed- clothing unscathed.

“That’s gonna be spread like wildfire now.” He busies himself with being sure his pants are on correctly and probably hiding any remnants of his hard-on. You let the silence hang while fixing yourself up, wanting to walk out of the room as if you weren't close to being fucked. Trailing your eyes over Price, he doesn't bother looking at you, but the subtle flush on the tips of his ears is there. An expert in hiding his emotions and blending in for whatever the social context calls for.

“Don’t act like that’s not what you want to happen.” Hopping off the table and heading to the door, he crowds you from behind. His warmth makes your hand pause on the door, feeling the draft of his breath skim your shoulder. The hair on the back of your neck stands up, sending an anxious chill down your spine. More and more it feels like you've lost your advantage with him.

“I don’t want an endless fling to become your permanence. To sustain you.” His hand wraps around your front, securing a place on your neck.

“I want to drown in you.”

[horizon-verizon]

I'm still trying to see this complexity that TG has, and that's why TG stans like them?? Alicent changes her opinion and personality every hour, is the complexity of her still having any consideration for Rhaenyra? not have imagined that a war would start? or just have the same crying expression? Please....!! What complexity does Helaena have? supposedly having dragon dreams and not knowing how to interpret them? the girl doesn't say anything in 1S and everyone just thinks she's weird, she doesn't do ANYTHING! Aemond's complexity is that he was bullied and became a presumptuous arrogant who killed his nephew? and I'm not even going to talk about Aegon..... he's an abusive drunk but yes.... he's a complex character

A)

I think that "interesting" for them is actually"potential for high drama, spectacle, and foolishness just because" for some TG stans who say the greens are more interesting. Yes, the green side is actually a complex group AND they rely on fear (amongst themselves and sometimes against the blacks) & strategy...because they have to strategic in order to try to justify some of their actions or wrest the power Rhaenyra's allowed or could accrue at court. To wittle her already-given status as heir to a more passive role. And beyond-court, they wished to convince the realm that Aegon was the rightful king both before and a little after he's crowned. The greens basically had the task to work past the whole "my heir should rule after me" deal that many lords wanted to stay as solid and meaningful as possible by precedent while also arguing on the precedent set by the GC of 101...which was itself a vote based on the adulthood as well as maleness of the candidate chosen. So, again they had to be strategic and shady and underhanded. And that will inevitably give us more drama.

Funny. Ironic.

We already know that the greens were not that successful with the convincing part even with Rhaenyra at Dragonstone and their long success at isolating her, bc it is only Alicent's move to hide Viserys' body, imprison courtiers and servants, hurry to search for Aegon that enables the greens to take the throne at the end AND Rhaenyra still was able to have many more supporters fighting before and after her death for her and her sons' claims.

Which if this is why you like the greens and not bc you think Aegon deserves the throne or ay sort of leadership [bc we see how unwilling and determined he was to not allow his grandfather to actually try to rule him in canon for the very paradigm that develops from Otto-Alicent's style & aims, they created their own monster], valid. I admit, they make the perfect antagonists & foils to the blacks and they do what they are supposed to do.

B)

People, not just TGs, have cited Alicent's past affecting how she views her own and Rhaenyra's motherhood, that chain of abuse. I'm fine with this, this is true. As for Aegon, I wrote a whole master post for what I think is his "deal" HERE, which is long but you can really sum it up as him trying to prove how great of a leader and man he is in lieu of the all the years he's been on the side and Rhaenyra was Viserys' heir. Yeah his life and misery and nastiness is in part bc Alicent wishes to prepare him to become king and "peacefully" reestablish the order of patriarchal feudal primogeniture/order so she'd not have to confront her own suffering and still materially benefit from it in "exchange". This sentence in itself reflects more on Alicent's complexity than Aegon's.

Aemond? Show!him, as presented, is interesting in that he's going to show a sort of vulnerability from his inflexible role as his side's militant "guard" and his worth being drawn mostly from that. He is there to be the support to Aegon's claim. hamliet describes what I am saying well. "Love is a transaction for the Hightowers". He seeks to "prove" himself and tries to make the glory of a warrior replace real love, but it can never so he's a ball of terror.

And love is a transaction, conditional and more so than on the black side because the greens really rely on putting their children's bodies to some sort of use, from Alicent to Otto to Aegon himself and there is no recourse or sign of deep bonds where each understands the other, comforts each other, reaffirms their emotions etc., or tries to make them happy just for the sake of it formed between any green member. (prob should have made this part part of the 1st paragraph but idk how to):

Helaena's body is made into a breeding machine for Aegon's claim for Otto

Aegon is a tool for Otto's desire to move the crown how he wants and is thus not really asked to be a great leader so much as it there & take his orders/suggestions

Alicent was a Helaena for Otto

Alicent uses her kids to stick it to Rhaenyra (show & book) or else ignores them bc of the troubled context from how they existed even as she genuinely loves them

Daeron--if the show will show that dynamic b/t Daeron and Ormund--is suggested to be more of a tool for his way into high prestige behind Alicent and Aegon's own rise, which is why Daeron's sent to Oldtown in the first place, away from his own family for years...yes I know about fosterage, but I'm speaking to the effects this has on the actual bonds b/t these family member s being reduced to transactions towards their goal towards power

So this troubling, repression, and denial of love is itself intoxicating, and thrilling to people who even don't have to be part of any team. I don't blame them.

C)

This issue for me is then:

Alicent could have been a lot more coherent without the inherent benevolent sexism of her becoming Rhaenyra's only friend and underdeveloped writing that makes her a lot less rational, deliberate, & mentally vulnerable to manipulation than she was in the book....all of which undermines her "complexity" bc she becomes less active as a character much sooner than she does in the book

people say all this ethically justifies the greens' actions, determine that their moral examinations of psycho-social conditions yield the correct and only conclusions to then just reveal that they just want their thoughts to be the general thought in contrary to the evidence in text, or hide behind their real biases and need for validation of those biases through the greens

Don't get me wrong, the black side aren't angels and do heinous actions...but it is simply true that they do not create the conditions for the war to begin and are also reacting to the usurpation.

Moreover, the blacks are pretty open when they can be to be about their actions and Rhaenyra is also already the heir. But the show didn't explore her life as a mother, what her relationship to womanhood as a mother AND heir looks like without Daemon there, or her kids' development after episode 5:

Rhaenyra being reduced to her body (advertisement of "Realm's Delight"; affairs and talk of them)

her kids' understanding, more of this from episode 6 and how exactly they interacted with Alicent's sons...how does Aegon enlist them and their frustrations against Aemond and from their perspective; court interactions, including those with Viserys and Harwin or any of the Strongs; education

Rhaenyra's perceived lack of ability that really just comes from her society evaluating her gender

[book] how she forms bonds with women around her, her relationship with Daemon and their journey towards each other, her relationship with the other Velaryons (Corlys and Laenor)

Daemon as a father -> how he "settles" but not really -> how he navigates/learns to raise another life form(s) & instill pride in their heritage and family after years of his beef with Viserys and losses and his resentments he tried to allay or "make up for" through social advancement and by becoming a warrior/has moved for mainly his own validation [idk how to say this concisely]

how he met and developed whatever relationship he had w/Laena...Corlys and Rhaenys' reactions to that (yes, bring Daemon & Laena back from Essos sooner)

The blacks comparatively do not have to be as underhanded and sneaky, and yet you will also have green stans argue that they are entitled, malicious, terrible threats to a perceived order (a projection--the greens are more that bc they are going against the king's word and what I said above about heirs and precedents).

This and majorly bc of how much opportunity we lost from the writing of this show focusing on developing the greens is also why they appear as "boring" or uninteresting while overbearing, scheming, manipulative agents of destruction at the same time to some people, even though they have more than their fair share of drama and angst from the very hierarchies they are perceived to totally benefit from.

[cindersnows]

this au i made like,,, all the way back in june i think? when i was like In Love with spot. (still am but not hyperfixated anymore)

the basic timeline is like, jon gets bit by the spider a week before miles was supposed to, basically gets fired from alchemax because he's not too keen on being tested on. gwen finds him in the middle of nowhere, they meet the other spiders, everything goes pretty similarly except aaron doesn't die.

when it gets to the final fight, he sends everyone home (ft a strangely romantic moment between jon and peter b) as usual. unlike miles he is not merciful at all and pours out all his anger over losing his entire life in a span of a day into Killing Fisk. when the collider starts to shut down, he panics and goes to grab it because even if he doesn't care about alchemax anymore, that's his work and he deserves to keep it! then the same thing happens, and in the explosion a building collapses onto mile's dad and he dies.

in the aftermath, jon gets caught discovering the body and everyone assumes he killed jeff so he just flees the scene. he's wanted by the whole city now... but hey at least he still keeps his spider powers :D

his morals are still fucked up but he cares about his spider friends a lot and so does everything with them in mind (e.g "what would spider-noir do? what would peter b do?" because what He would do in that moment is level the city and that's not allowed)

yes he's overpowered. but uhhhhhhh. shush lol

[fave-fight]

ROUND 1, MATCH 9

NO MAGIC, POWERS, OR WEAPONS

Utatane Piko:

“Wow a vocaloid with an actual last name what a shocker *AHEM* Was made by Sony (yes morbius-releasing Sony made a vocaloid), was unfortunately released RIGHT NEXT TO two other way more popular vocaloids, ended up becoming half-obscure and more people know about him now that he's been discontinued. Yippee 💥”

“literally the most pathetic a boy can get discontinued (he is literally already losing) stuck in v2 forever and has no eng voicebank still assigned meme by fandom silly another vocaloid was meant to be his counterpart but they got split due to their original company going bankrupt sony hates him (yes hes owned by sony) sony please revive our baby boy :[”

“Imagine if a discontinued computer program won, just imagine, that would b cool”

“He deserves to win because he sadly probably won't ever get a voice update, and the little babyman deserves at least something good to happen to him.”

“Discontinued robot man. Let him kill.”

“ROBOT SWAG!! very skrunkly, looks really fucking tired in his official v2 art, dicontinued please give them some justice he has a beautiful voice :(”

Jonathan Sims:

“It would be really funny if he and Jonah Magnus both got in so John could literally strange his boss to death. That would be so much fun. He should lose to everyone else tho bc he is doomed by the narrative to always take the L”

“Listen. Listen this is a fistfight, im not sure if his all knowing fear god bullshit powers will work here. If he can’t smite people. If he can’t Know things about them and scare them to death. If it’s just a fistfight of pure ability. He is going to get beat up so badly but I think he’ll live. Jon’s sturdy. He had a rib taken out. Was kidnapped and forcibly moisturised by an evil ringmaster puppet. He is… the fandom interpretation is that he’s skinny. Thin. His boyfriend is the strong one. Jonathan Sims would probably lose in a fistfight -he’s Just A Guy without the antichrist shit- but it would be so fucking funny. He might win. He might lose. It’s 2:18 AM here and I cannot sleep.”

“He has an endless supply of disdain and is so willing to use it Especially if there's Martin He HATES Martin Martin can do no good Let me tell you, that Martin... Wait, where'd you go?”

[eri-pl]

@edennill I just had an… well, not epiphany because it's not theological, but an insight or something. Tagging, you, because a) it may be interesting b) you often wonder (in frustration, I think) why do people make so much fanart of the bad guys. (Tagiing you doesn't mean the later rhetorical "you" is you. It's a different you. Huh. Maybe we should start using "thee", it would make things easier.

Why do we deny canon characteristics of characters?

(long post below cut, no triggers, kind of fandom discourse-related but tries to empathise with both sides?)

(It's rhetorical "we", I am trying to not do it. But I'm 40 and got many things sorted out. Probably still do it anyway, esp around kidnap fam)

Imagine: you suffer. You read about a character that suffers in the exact same way, or at least a way that rings a bell in your heart.

This is you.

So you love them, you try to defend them, they didn't deserve it — you didn't deserve it — extept it turns out they kind of did deserve it. And all the unsaid accusations you felt from people — well turns out for the character they're true. So are they true about you?

Of course it would be most natural to unlink yourself from the character, but that's not how human brain works. also, unlinking it would be very painful and take a lot of time and effort (and still may not work) and often feels like betraying yourself.

So you fight. For your dignity.

So you fight against people correcting you with things that are actually in the book.

…I legit think it's how it works usually. (Of course, echo chambers and unwillingness to factcheck are a thing too, depends on the person probably.)

So when we engage with someone speaking about their beloved character and it's OoC — there are, at least partially, speaking of a part of themselves. And, while it's technically true, telling someone "a part of you commited [insert a Silm-typical deed here] is very painful.

(Aaaand now the rhetorical "you" is again my friend Edennill, because I can't into rhetorics…) When you engage with someone hyping about Sauron, there are two three Saurons in the conversation: yours (obvious. the Númenor stuff and all other stuff), canon (very similar, maybe with more focus on other evil stuff and not Númenor on top position, idk, anyway close), and theirs (a child who wwas told too many times that they are unforgiveable, or something like that + also has flaming hair and cool ring).

What to do with it? I have no idea what to do with it, except the obvious.

I'm looking for ideas.

And yes, people do project on the good characters too, and criticizing those characters hurts in the same way, only it's also factually false (usually, because not all characters are black and white). I know. I don't mean to say that the "good guys" are ok to criticize and the "bad guys" not, or that book canon should be not spoken about.

Maybe the answer is just "don't hate characters to their fans"? (Facts and hate aren't the same, but with facts, there's still a need for compassion and getting a feel when to say what)

Truth is an important thing. Yes. Truth about what's in a book…. still it is a thing worth saying. Especially when the book is as good (even with it's problems and kitchen sinks) as Silm is. But as I said, empathy or something is needed?

IDK, I'm still figuring it out.

I think I've kind of know this for a long time, half-consciously, but today I had a moment when something clicked and things started making much more sense. Like: why people do have takes that are so far from canon and still call the character the same character. It does make sense in the contaxt...

(Also, no: I'm not like that with Melkor, I'm much more aware of my stuff and of what's canon and what not and I can switch between perspectives… But as I said, I'm old. It comes with some amount of wisdom. Funnily I can deal much better with people hating him than hating Maglor. But I can deal with people hating Maglor (filtering too counts as "deal with" ;D) and I can admit all the stuff he did in the book and that he's a coward, and all that (relateable). I just feel sad when people say he deserves all the worst.)

[rc--chan]

Gym Leader Pokespe AU

This is basically an au where the dexholders are gym leaders. I picked what types they use based on which type is the most populous in their teams for the most part, but there are cases where a) there are no repeat types in their team, b) I don't think that specific type fits them or c) someone needs to take that type for some variety. I am also making their teams as if they were the 8th gym leader, so you can just imagine the pre-evolutions for earlier gyms.

Red: Fighting type gym. Yes I know Red had 2 water types on his team but I do not see him as water type gym leader. Also he's the Fighter so…His gym is located in Saffron City, Sabrina finally gets booted like she deserves, in place of the Fighting Dojo. He has a strength gym puzzle, if you place the boulders correctly around the room a door opens up that leads you to him but if you fail a trap door opens under you and you fall into a room filled with trainers. There are also Machokes in the room with the puzzle that will try to mess with things so you have to defeat them if you don't want to restart everything. His team is: Hitmontop, Machamp, Hitmonlee, Primeape, Hitmonchan and Poliwrath. Poliwrath is obviously the ace. If you win you get the Dynamic Badge and the TM for Dynamic Punch.

Green: So I know Green already is a gym leader, but I still wanted to give him a monotype team, so…he's a Steel type gym leader now. Did I choose steel simply because I like Scizor a lot? Absolutely. Do I regret it?…partially. I am trying to give them teams that mostly have pokemon from their home region…but Kanto has like…two steel types and that is the Magnemite line so…yeah I had to get some other generation steel types in here. But anyways, onto the gym puzzle…it's the exact same, hooray! His team is: Skarmory, Steelix, Alolan Sandslash, Magnezone, Aegislash and Scizor. I know none of these are gen I pokemon…but I'm doing my best. Steelix, Magnezone and Scizor are evolutions of Kanto pokemon, Alolan Sandslash is an alternate form of a Kanto pokemon and Aegislash he could have picked up while he was in Kalos. Skarmory is there just to set up Stealth Rocks. Scizor is his ace. If you win you get the now renamed Metallic Badge and the TM for Iron Defense.

Blue: So before Fairy was introduced, Blue basically had 4 normal types on her team, so she's a Normal type gym leader. Her gym is located in Vermilion City, since you use a boat from there to get to the Sevii Islands so I think it works for her. Her gym puzzle is basically a sales pitch. You craft some items, like TMs or potions and then you try to convince the gym trainers to buy them. You need to get 1000 pokedollars from your sales if you want to fight Blue. If you don't manage to convince the gym trainers to buy, you have to fight them for the money. Her team is: Ditto, Persian, Kangaskhan, Chansey, Snorlax and Wigglytuff as the ace. If you win you get the Craft Badge and the TM for Hyper Beam.

Yellow: Electric type gym. Pikachu is her whole thing, it would be wrong not to make her an electric type gym leader. Her gym is located in Pewter City since it's the other city close to Viridian Forest. Her gym puzzle is finding 'injured' pokemon in Viridian Forest and healing them. They're not really injured, they're pretending to be for the puzzle. Around the forest there are gym trainers that will battle you to prevent you from helping the injured pokemon. Her team is: Electrode, Jolteon, Electivire, Raichu, Alolan Golem and a Pikachu with a Light Ball to make it strong enough to be her ace. I did not give her any pokemon from the Magnemite line because I don't want 2 gym leaders from the same pokemon line in one region. So she gets Alolan Golem, an alternate form of a Kanto pokemon and Electivire is there because it makes sense as the evolution of a Kanto mon. If you win you get the Lightning Badge and the TM for Thunderbolt.

Gold: Fire type gym. So, personally when I think of Gold the first pokemon that pop into my mind are Togetaro, Mantaro, Explotaro and Ataro, since they are his most iconic in my opinion. So it was a choice between these 4 and since Typhlosion is my favourite starter, he's now a fire type gym leader. His gym is located in Goldenrod City, since it's next to the Day Care. RIP Whitney's Miltank, you will not be missed. His gym puzzle is hatching 4 pokemon eggs and delivering the babies to their mothers. You have 20 minutes after the first egg hatched to deliver them and gym trainers will do their best to stop you, either by stealing the baby pokemon or by putting obstacles in your path. His team is: Arcanine, Magmortar, Ninetales, Magcargo, Houndoom and Typhlosion as his ace. If you win you get the Hatching Badge and the TM for Blast Burn. Yes ik in the pokespe world this is not a TM but let me have this, I swear I have a legitimate reason for giving them the ultimate moves as TMs.

Silver: Water type gym. Silver has 3 water types on his team, ain't no way I am giving him something else. Sorry Weavile. His gym is located in Blackthorn City simply because we cannot have 2 Kingdra trainers in one region and also fuck Clair, she sucks. His gym is a trading game, you give your pokemon to the Gym guide and he distributes them among some of the gym trainers, then you have to trade using rented pokemon to get them back. However if you ask someone to trade and you do not have the required pokemon they will challenge you to a battle using your own pokemon and another pokemon that you might need for another trade. After you get your team back you can challenge Silver. I feel like his gym would be very popular among people that want to evolve their pokemon but don't have friends to trade with. His team is: Shiny Gyarados, Lanturn, Azumarill, Slowking, Kingdra and Feraligatr as his ace. If you win you get the Trading Badge and the TM for Hydro Cannon.

Crystal: Mega is absolutely her most iconic pokemon and since Parasee is part grass, this makes it her most populous type on her team. Technically so is Psychic due to Chumee and Xatee but we'll ignore that. So she's a Grass type gym leader. Her gym is located in Violet City since that's where the orphanage/Pokémon Academy is located. Her gym puzzle is catching specific pokemon that can be found in the grass in her gym. You get 10 of each pokeball and you have to catch a pokemon for each one. The gym trainers will try to stop you either by catching a pokemon before you can get it, scaring pokemon away or battling you. Her team is: Parasect, Jumpluff, Exeggutor, Bellossom, Vileplume and Meganium as her ace. If you win you get the Catching Badge and the TM for Frenzy Plant. So, for the record, I did not plan for the Johtrio to be a fire, grass, water trio, it happened on accident as I was deciding the types for their gyms and I decided to just roll with it and have them match by giving all 3 the ultimate moves as TMs.

Ruby: Fairy type gym. Fairy is like a very pretty type and Ruby is someone who values beauty so it works. Also I refuse to make him a water type gym leader. Sorry Mimi. His gym is in Lilycove City because that's where the Master Rank Pokémon Contests are held. His gym puzzle is basically a bastardized version of a Pokémon Contest, the only difference is that if you don't get a high enough score you have to battle a gym trainer. Ruby, Wallace and White via video call are the judges. His team is: Mawile, Wigglytuff, Clefable, Togekiss, Azumarill and Gardevoir as his ace. Ruby is in a similar situation to Green, not a lot of fairy types in Hoenn so I borrowed from other generations. Also since this is a different region Wigglytuff is fair game for Ruby to have. If you win you get the Beauty Badge and the TM for Charm.

Sapphire: Rock type gym. Imma be honest, I did not know what to do with Sapphire, so I just took all the types of her team, put them on a wheel and it landed on rock so…yeah. If you're disappointed in me, trust me, so am I. The gym is in Rustboro City because we cannot have 2 rock type gym leaders. Her gym puzzle is basically the tower defense game, you get to construct your own secret base and you have to defend it from invaders, be they wild pokemon or gym trainers. If you manage to successfully defend your base for 30 minutes, Sapphire will come to your base to battle you. She's basically the final boss. Her team is: Relicanth, Armaldo, Cradily, Kabutops, Tyranitar and Aggron as her ace. I gave her Tyranitar to make up for the fact that she has Relicanth, Armaldo and Cradily. I feel like these three's uselessness balances out Tyranitar's power. People who play competitive pokemon know what I'm talking about. If you get past Tyranitar you win the Corundum Badge and the TM for Sandstorm. Fun fact, corundum is what sapphires are made of.

Emerald: Psychic type gym. Emerald was the exact opposite of Sapphire, the moment I looked at him I was like, 'Psychic, Emerald is a Psychic gym leader and I will not take any criticism'. He also has a connection with Jirachi, Latias and Latios, who are all psychic types so it works. His gym is in Mossdeep City because again, we cannot have 2 psychic gym leaders. In his gym you are handed a slingshot and small capsules with soil from a pokemon's birthplace. In the gym there are wild angry pokemon you have to shoot the soil at to calm them down. After all of the pokemon are calm you can challenge Emerald. Gym trainers will attempt to anger the pokemon again and if you want them to stop you have to defeat them in battle. His team is: Grumpig, Medicham, Claydol, Starmie, Xatu and Mr. Mime as his ace. If you win you get the Shooter Badge and the TM for Psychic.

Platina: Ghost type gym. This is the exact thing that happened with Green, I really like Froslass so she gets to be a ghost type gym leader. Her gym is located in Hearthome City because Fantina exists so we have to steal her gym. Her gym puzzle is a trivia game combined with an escape room. You get into a room and are given a piece of paper, a feather, the TM for Thief and an Ultra Ball. On the paper there are 3 pokemon listed: Mismagius, Bastiodon and Milotic. Bastiodon's Sinnoh Dex number, #039, ends up being the combination to a safe. You open it and you get a scale. The scale is a clue that leads you to figuring out you need to know the weight of Mismagius, 4.4 kg and with that you find out how much weight you need to put on a pressure plate. A door opens and you get led to another room where you find a plastic copy of the Griseous Orb, a stick and a wild Misdreavus. You use the Ultra Ball to cath Misdreavus and teach it Thief. You also find out it's holding rope. Milotic is 6.2 m long which is how much rope you need to create a pulley system using other items from the room that allows you to open a rusted trap door. You jump into the room and find a Glameow that is very skittish and won't stay still. You use the feather, a stick and some leftover rope to create a toy that will distract the cat long enough for the Misdreavus to use Thief and steal the item the cat had around it's neck. It is a locket with a picture of Giratina, you insert the fake Griseous Orb into the wall and a door opens up to a room where you finally reach Platina. If you don't manage to escape in less than an hour you get taken out of the room and have to beat 6 gym trainers. Her team is: Rotom, Drifblim, Gengar, Spiritomb, Mismagius and Froslass, with the ice type as her ace. If you win you get the Apparition Badge and the TM for Shadow Ball.

Diamond: A Normal type gym leader, because he has 3. This is our first repeat type because there are more dexholders than there are pokemon types. His gym is in Pastoria City because it's in between Hearthome and Sunyshore, which are the gyms of his friends. His gym is a cooking game, you are presented with 5 pokemon with different natures: Naughty, Bold, Sassy, Hasty and Rash. Your objective is to make Poffins that cater to their tastes. If you fail you have to fight that specific Pokemon's gym trainer. His team is: Purugly, Staraptor, Ursaring, Blissey, Lickilicky and Snorlax as his ace. If you win you get the Chef Badge and the TM for Return.

Pearl: Ground type gym. Pearl has almost no repeat types on his team, with the only overlap being Tauhiko and Chahiko, but I already made Dia a normal type gym leader so I went with ground because I also needed someone to take that type. His gym is in Sunyshore because I wanted to place Dia in between him and Platina. In his gym puzzle you are given a pokemon that knows Helping Hand, you have to traverse with the pokemon through a labyrinth. Inside the labyrinth there are pokemon that are able to shatter parts of the walls to make a path or to obtain you a clue, you have to determine what move the pokemon will use next and use Helping Hand to boost it. However if you guess wrong the pokemon will fight you instead. There are also trainers there that will try to stop you. His team is: Hippowdon, Gliscor, Rhyperior, Gastrodon, Garchomp and Dugtrio as his ace. If you get past Garchomp you win the Willpower Badge and the TM for Earthquake.

Black: From his team, the pokemon that always stood out the most to me were Brav and Musha, and I like Braviary more so, Flying type gym leader. His gym is in Mistralton City, because Skyla is a type overlap. In his gym you have to win 3 consecutive battles with only one of your pokemon against trainers who have 3 pokemon so it really forces you to strategize. You have to do this for each one of your pokemon, leading to 18 battles in total. There are flying Braviarys above you that you have to latch onto to get carried to the next trainer. His team is: Archeops, Emolga, Swanna, Mandibuzz, Sigilyph and Braviary as his ace. If you win you get the Aerial Badge and the TM for Aerial Ace.

White: Grass type gym leader because she has 2. Her gym is in Virbank City because of Pokéstar Studios. Her gym puzzle is a musical. Your pokemon have a chance to become actors and they have to reenact a movie where they are the heroes of the story. All trainers are hidden from view for the camera and gym trainer's pokemon act as villains for the movie. Once most of the story is over you get to battle White, with her pokemon pretending to be the big villains of the story. Her team is: Simisage, Lilligant, Ferrothorn, Whimsicott, Sawsbuck and Serperior as her ace. If you win you get the Story Badge and the TM for Magical Leaf.

Lack-two: This is another dexholder with three water types on his team, so he gets the Water Gym. His gym is in Humilau City because of Marlon. His gym puzzle is a murder mystery. You get a file for the fake victim and have to find who killed them. There are clues all around the gym and you have to battle the trainers if you want their testimonies. This all leads around to discovering that the murderer was actually the gym leader all along. Once you figure this out, you can challenge Lack-two. His team is: Simipour, Seismitoad, Jellicent, Carracosta, Kabutops and Samurott as his ace. If you win you get the Clue Badge and the TM for Scald.

Whi-two: Bug type gym leader. Whi-two has 2 pokemon if you don't count the Delphox she got at the end of XY and one of them is a grass type, so we only have one other option for her. Her gym is in Castelia City, taking the place of Burgh. In her gym you have to 'liberate' Pokémon from evil humans. Her gym trainers are pretending to be bad people that you have to defeat to steal their pokemon. Once you defeat them, you take the pokemon to a safe place. You have to be careful because the gym trainers will try to get their pokemon back. Your goal is to help as many pokemon as possible before 15 minutes are up and if you haven't managed to liberate at least 6, you fail. Her team is: Leavanny, Scolipede, Crustle, Galvantula, Volcarona and Accelgor as her ace. If you win you get the Critter Badge and the TM for U-turn.

X: Dragon type gym. Someone needed to take that type and Mega Charizard X is right there so…His gym is in Lumiose City because that's where Professor Sycamore's lab is and he's the one that gives the player the mega evolving Kanto starters. His gym is a long series of mega evolving battles, there are 10 gym trainers in total and all of them have pokemon that can mega evolve. After you beat all 10 you can challenge X. His team is: Tyrantrum, Dragalge, Hydreigon, Goodra, Noivern and Mega Charizard X as his ace. If you win you get the Scales Badge and the TM for Dragon Claw.

Y: Flying type gym. Everyone saw this coming. She's a Sky Trainer so it makes sense. In the games, the first Sky Battle happens on Route 8, if I remember correctly and the nearest city is Cyllage City, so that's where her gym is. Her gym puzzle is gliding down from the top floor of the gym to the bottom, along the way you have to fight gym trainers and defeat them. If you don't have pokemon that can participate in Sky Battles, platforms will appear in places for them to land on but the trainer cannot use them. Her team is: Altaria, Vespiquen, Crobat, Drifblim, Pidgeot and Talonflame as her ace. If you win you get the Sky Badge and the HM for Fly. I know normally gym leaders don't give you HMs, but it would be weird to give her anything else.

Sun: So Alola doesn't have any gyms, but they do have Island Kahunas, which are similar enough for me to make him and Moon a team. He specializes in Dark types, because he has 2 on his team, so he takes Nanu's place as the Kahuna of Ula'ula Island. The Kahuna grand trials are just battles so I'll just move on to his team: Sableye, Honchkrow, Umbreon, Malamar, Alolan Persian and Incineroar as his ace.

Moon: I think we all know what type Moon uses: Poison. She's the Kahuna of Akala Island, because both Slandit and Mareanie can be found there. Her team is: Tentacruel, Dragalge, Arbok, Gengar, Toxapex and Muk as her ace.

Sou: So for Sou, I did something a little different, I looked through the pokedex and searched which type has the most pokemon holding items, since that's his thing. And the answer to that is Psychic, with 7 pokemon if you count Galarian Slowbro's Shellder-gun-arm thing, which I have to, because otherwise I have to give him Hoopa and that is not happening. Does this make you mad? Because it makes me mad, but oh well. I did not spend 40 minutes searching for pokemon with items just to scrap this. I don't know if some of the pokemon in his team even are in the Galar pokedex, but I don't care. It's too late to change it now. His gym is in Stow-on-Side, because it has the Bargain shop and you can get cool items there. His gym puzzles are item based battles, like against a Focus Sash pokemon with Endeavor and Quick Attack or a Toxic Orb, Guts pokemon. You have to battle against 10 gym trainers if you want to battle Sou. His team is: Delphox, Hypno, Galarian Slowbro, Alakazam, Mr. Rime and Oranguru as his ace. If you win you get the Psychic badge, because Galar names their badges after types and the TM for Magic Room.

Schilly: Ice type gym leader. As I'm writing this I realize Platina would have made more sense as the Ice type gym leader but in my defense, I need someone to take the ghost type and Schilly has none but also, it's 5am as I'm writing this and I'm tired so you will just have to deal with it. Her gym is in Circhester because of type overlap and for her puzzle you get placed in a room in the middle of a blizzard and are given a drone that you have to use to find 10 pokemon before 30 minutes are up. As you attempt to do this, gym trainers will try to shoot your drone down so you will have to battle them if you want them to stop. Her team is: Weavile, Frosmoth, Arctozolt, Arctovish, Galarian Darmanitan and Eiscue as her ace. If you win you get the Ice badge and the TM for Ice Beam.

Bonus:

So we all know how close the Sinnoh trio is and it feels wrong to split them up in different gyms so I also did a version where they share a gym.

Sinnoh Trio: So the type that all 3 of them share, that isn't Normal, is Electric, so they share an electric type gym in Sunyshore, because Volkner is a type overlap. I really like the rotation battles that were introduced in gen V, so even though they don't exist in DPPt, I decided to give them a rotation battle gym. You have to win against 10 gym trainers to battle the gym leaders. And yes, even their battle is a rotation battle. Their team is: Magnezone, Jolteon, Raichu, Pachirisu, Rotom Wash and Luxray. If you win you get the Friendship Badge and the TM for Thunder Wave.

[ellena-asg]

sparrington last name when they get married? :-)

Hello ♥️ Ohh, when Gibbs makes these two pirate husbands (on Pearl?) 🥹

Hm, I like hyphenated surnames, I really like them but... in this case I am more for J&J keeping their own ones.

Why? Because "Sparrow" is something very special to Jack, I think. Everyone heard this name and knew the man. He's one and only. He worked for it, didn't he? And what is most important here: he needs it. It's something very his. Something that separates him from his abusive father.

Leaving family home - not enough, Jack needs to escape in other ways too. So he always calls himself Sparrow, he does identify with it and not with "Teague". By the way, in Sins of the father, Jack isn't eager to call Teague his family. He very often calls him a guy who may or not be his father like a) Jack isn't sure about being a son of this man or/and b) Jack hopes this asshole isn't really his biological father.

Jack is Sparrow and a sparrow. He's a bird needing freedom (he can't be himself and he can't be safe in own home so he gets out of the cage and lives on his own). He's a little hurricane (well, just like these birds, believe me 😉). He's a brave boy and he's a brave man fighting for himself. He's a man showing Teague and guys like this "Fuck you, I am who I am, I do what I want".

So, "Sparrow" stays 😉 And James is totally okay with that. James is even like "Jack Norrington. Nice but naaah. Oh dear, marry me ASAP but you're Sparrow forever and you know it".

Now James. Not that James Sparrow sounds bad, no! Well, it would be quite cute to have Sparrows on the seven seas - I can even imagine pirate family calling them fucking lovebirds and joking that they made Pearl their nest (oh, Hector! 😂). But as I said, Sparrow is so much Jack's that formally it's still his. There's still one famous pirate known as Sparrow. But it doesn't mean that Jack wouldn't share something dear to him with his beloved Jamie. And I think they both are okay when people sometimes call them (as a couple) Sparrows or Norringtons (yeah, Jack hated this family but now Norrington means only James, only love). Or Sparrow-Norringtons.

And, you know, I really want James to be still Norrington. Because... Gosh, he deserves so much to heal from his past and from his family's ghost. He deserves to understand that he's The Change. He's a ray of hope. He's a free man now who can clean Norrington name. He's the one who can make this name friendly. Not only to his pirates but also friendly to himself. I don't want him to feel old shame. To feel his father's toxic breath.

James proved he's not Lawrence 2.0. James proved there's a good spirit in the cursed family. He's the good one. The one who finally understood. The one with a heart. Lawrence may say "You are such a disgrace" but James should see that the true disgrace is named Lawrence. Lawrence may say "You've always been so weak. Always not like me. Not like Fitzwilliam. Not like...". And James deserves to show them how strong he is and how weak THEY are.

I want him to make Norrington name something new, something good. I want him to make Norrington HIS name. I want people to hear "Norrington" and say "Aye, our James" and never "Oh yes, old admiral Lawrence...". I want him to work for it. And to be proud he's The Decent Norrington.

(and Jack is sooo proud of him! that's his Jamie! that's that boy he was rooting for so much!)

And of course I want all Norrington-Dalton family to hear every day about a very fine and very skilled and very respected PIRATE NORRINGTON 😈 (and his very PIRATE and very much BELOVED husband captain SPARROW 😈). Who knows, maybe that would kill them all? 😂 ("Norrington. A pirate..." *heart attack*).