#-become one you regret wanting it' or something like that right?

[miwiheroes]

Mike Wheeler and his Promise

"It means something that you can't break. Ever."

A huge part of Mike Wheeler's hidden character arc is set up in season 1, episode 2 with this scene right here. It's pretty much the motivation behind many of his actions towards El and Will, can be a partial explanation for his internalised homophobia and explains why he seems like to have a saviour complex.

Narratively, promises are made to be broken. When writers decide to make a promise 'important' and emphasise that this promise cannot be broken, ever, it will always come back to bite that character in the ass. Promises are either made to be broken in stories like these, or they are made to make a character feel trapped. Promises are rarely ever used in a romantic fashion unless the character cannot keep their promise or they feel like they are forced to.

What makes it really seem like Mike and El are a doomed couple to me is that the writers chose Mike to say: Ever.

No word is misplaced in writing a script. There is no such thing as an unintentional line in Stranger Things tbh, and this word in particular means two things:

Mike will always keep his promises throughout time.

Mike will keep his promises no matter if circumstances change, no matter if his feelings change.

There is no reason for this line to be in there other than to foreshadow the fact that Mike will eventually have to eat the words from his naive 12-year-old self. He will eventually regret promising something, but he'll feel like he can't go back. Ever.

The domino effect Promise begins:

*Smiling* "And we can go to the Snow Ball."

*Smiling* "Promise?"

*No longer smiling* "Promise."

This promise was made in order to foreshadow that it doesn't come true right? Because that is often what happens to promises narratively, and of course, it can't come to be because they get separated and Mike thinks she's died.

But.... the promise does come true.

So instead, this promise was made, narratively, to trap Mike. While this seems harsh of course, this young Mike has no idea that what he has just promised to himself is not only to go to the Snow Ball with El (which was a promise made to comfort her here, to make her feel like she will survive). He doesn't necessarily seem happy about making this promise. He seems more... indifferent. Knowing that this is something he just has to do.

Yeah, because this is definitely the actors' expressions and lighting and scenery you want for a first kiss, right?

So not only has Mike promised to go to the Snow Ball with her, he has also promised to save her, he has promised to be with her. And he can't break this promise, ever.

Even when his feelings change:

The writers separated Mike and El and put Mike with Will in season 2 for a reason. They used it to build up a good development of Mike and Will's dynamic of course, but it was also to change Mike's feelings.

It eventually becomes apparent to the viewer that Mike has resigned himself to not finding El. In season 2 episode 2, the last time we see Mike on the walkie, he walks away. Music swells and El looks onwards. Instead of looking happy, she seems disappointed that her bond with Mike is not as strong as she thought.

Mike, after his talk with Will in the same room, has begun to give up.

And over time, he figures out that maybe... maybe finding and choosing to Will's friend is the best thing he's ever done instead. Once he figures this out, he cries, he's not loud, he's not angry. But it's at least the thing to bring Will's message forward.

Then El comes back, and Mike feels like a liar.

I've never really figured out why Mike shouts 'LIAR!' many times towards Hopper when he's clearly projecting as he starts to cry. Until now. It's the guilt that he didn't keep his promise. The promise he had made back when El had almost died, back when El had clearly thought promises could never be broken. EVER. Even when feelings change.

Of course he'd felt pissed at Hopper. Hopper was the one to keep El safe, not Mike, which is not the thing he had promised.

When El returns, Mike says:

"I never stopped looking for you."

Woops, Michael, that's a bald-faced lie, and you know it. But he also knows what a promise is, something that can't ever be broken.

Mike is now committed into this relationship. He's ready to keep El as his girlfriend for many reasons, but the next commitments he makes (i.e. saying 'I love you') are not intentional.

In season 3:

Saying 'I love her' happens on accident, she's never meant to hear. The next time he's asked about it, he fumbles and wants to deny ever saying it. But when El says it back, he realises... oh shit. I really am in this now. I can't escape, even though I know my feelings are different.

In the famous words of Hopper. "I don't want things to change." "[I want] to go back to how [we] were."

Throughout summer, before the Mindflayer, his relationship with El was easy, it was fine. He could deal with this because he can still go to movie theatres with Will and his friends and El can't go out in public. His relationship isn't real, and the fights they have are just 'silly, stupid fights'.

But then she says she loves him too and now what? He realises this is real, he can't go back on what he's said again. Because no matter what, a promise can't be broken.

Now:

He has to reject childish things and pretend to be 'normal' (but only around El).

He has to keep away from Will, who has the potential to break his promise to El forever.

He still can't say 'I love you' because of this great big commitment, this potential for change, and El clocks him, despite his best efforts to keep up the same relationship he was trying to have in season 3.

When he no longer has the threat of this great big PROMISE looming over him, when he feels that El has no broken up with him through that note signed 'From, El', he now suddenly has the ability to act close to Will. When he's confident that El's safe and that they just need to get back to Hawkins, he's able to express how he really feels.

He can finally, finally work with Will without feeling guilty.

That is, until El's in danger again. Until Argyle reminds him of the ramifications of his girlfriend being missing, reminding him of the promise that he's always made.

That's when this intimacy with Will suddenly feels taboo again:

The next time he needs to make a commitment towards her, it's through pressure. The bottom line is, Mike likes being a hero, he wants to be a saviour, but he was never ready for it to feel like this.

When Will reminds him that he's the heart of the Party in Surfer Boy Pizza, he believes that it could never be Will that needs him, but that Will's telling him that it really is El that still needs him. And that she always will.

So he holds her hand, exactly like he did back in season one, and makes his Promise again, this time, knowing that he's trapping himself.

Now, instead of a naive kid, he's a teenager, he's changed, despite not wanting to. He's resigning himself to a life without truly being able to express his feelings. He's not just some kid going to the Snow Ball with a girl that he cares about, he's promising to love her, knowing he's trapped himself in this promise again.

After all, he's already promised to save her, and if he thinks saying 'I love you' will save her, he's gotta do it no matter his true feelings right?

In season 5, someone, someone needs to tell this poor boy that he does not need to keep his promise. El needs to tell him about her growth, what she has learned from her time at the lab---that is, that she does not need Mike to love her, which she seems to have understood. She has already accepted that her lover won't arrive at the train station.

And Mike should realise that saying 'I love you' did not in fact save El. It was the reminder to fight, that Max is in trouble, that there are more important things, bigger than their relationship, that allowed her to escape the vines.

So when Mike hears that he no needs to keep up this promise, that he no longer has to hate himself for being a 'liar' to someone he cares so much about, that he can open himself up to happiness and understanding again, he'll probably feel pretty complete.

What do you think?

[midnightminx90writings]

Emmrich wasn’t lying to Rook when he said he doesn’t regret their relationship.

But he did have second thoughts about it, before the end. And those are the thoughts he regrets more than anything, because they could have cost him everything.

His whole life, all Emmrich has wanted is lasting love, something that will last into eternity. Someone to hold his hand, to sleep next to at night. A person that will sit next to him and read books, or work in a garden.

Someone who will say “I love you” in return and mean it.

Wanting is a scary thing. A terrifying thing, if he is to be honest with himself.

Because now he has found someone who wants him back, and while Rook flirts with him in return, and does so at frankly the strangest occasions, Emmrich is terrified this is just another fleeting thing.

But Rook takes his hand, takes his heart, takes all of him and turns those too large feelings into something slightly more manageable.

Parts are put into Manfred; into carefully guiding him to become more, to become someone who can take care of himself long after Emmrich is gone.

More than an assistant; now a prodigy. A son, as Rook says, and a part of Emmrich settles, a part he did not know needed settling, but there all the same.

Like the piece of a puzzle he never knew the scope of.

Then there’s Rook himself; calming and exciting in equal measures until Emmrich no longer knows which way is up.

Rook, who loves unconditionally and surprisingly, who turns Emmrich’s knees weak and holds him up with the same look in his eyes. Rook, who tells him gold is his favourite colour and in the next breath admits that Emmrich is his first in everything.

And how can a man respond to that?

By bewilderment, at first, then pure joy and pride over being chosen. And lastly, thoughts he would like to not admit to, calculating ones entailing how to best go about it, to show how good it can be with the right person. How right.

It feels selfish, Emmrich thinks, but shows an immense amount of trust.

He cannot say no to that. To hold that honour.

So he kisses Rook, shows him the merest hint of what he can look forward to, even as his own body screams at him to take it further but also to step away before he ruins something beautiful again.

He gives, in the end, helpless not to.

Emmrich knows the exact number of days that pass between Rook’s first expression of interest, to their first kiss, to their first time.

And he knows the exact number of days between that, and when Rook is taken from them. From him.

When Rook is taken, Emmrich is terrified.

His love is gone without a trace, after an argument between them that they did not resolve, and the loss of two of their dear friends.

Emmrich can see why people are driven to madness, to desperation, doing whatever it takes to get their loved one back. His books hold no aid for the first time in his life. He cannot return to the Necropolis because what if…

And so he cries and he rages and wears himself into exhaustion again and again, dreams filled with nightmares where Rook is never found and there is an empty grave next to those of his parents.

Even Manfred holds no comfort for him now, as hours turns into days, turn into weeks until finally, there is a hand in his, and he knows that hand unlike none other, and he thinks do not let go this time, clutch it as tight as you can until only eternity remains.

EDIT: now on AO3

[talesfromawannabewriter]

@things-arent-what-they-seem66

Cain thought good and hard about what he wanted. On the one hand there was the possibility of having to deal with the overbearing mess of his father and Charlie. On the other….His mom needed him. That was enough to make up his mind.

Cain: (Nods) let’s go.

Satan smiled at his mate and immediately conjured a portal to where Adam was.

—

Adam screamed as he felt another contraction hit him. It had been so long since he felt a great pain such as this. He didn’t even get periods up in Heaven, because again it was Heaven. Meaning no physical pain. Currently he was lying in a hospital bed, sweating bullets while all the doctors and nurses kept jittering about.

As for Lucifer he was trying his utmost to comfort his mate.

Lucifer: It’ll be alright love just breathe

He demonstrated

Lucifer: Three in, one out. It’s easy

Lucifer regretted those words the moment they came out. Adam turned and for the first time in a while gave him the scariest rage filled expression he had seen since he was still an angel. Possibly worse.

Adam: Lucifer is you want your penis to remain intact by the time our daughter is delivered then I suggest you shut the absolute fuck up!

The words came out in a low growl as his eyes flashed yellow. Adam then went back to trying to block out the pain. After about a minute of that a behemoth nurse came up to him asking if he wanted an epidural.

Adam: W, w, what’s t, that?

Nurse: An epidural your highness is a drug used on delivering mothers so that they won’t be able to feel any kind of pain, just slight pressure.

The nurse suddenly found herself mere inches away from the Queen’s face as he pulled her in and screamed,

Adam: PUT ALL THE DRUGS INSIDE ME!!!!

—

Cain and Satan entered the hospital and spotted Charlie sitting in one the lobby’s chairs with her mate beside her. He marched right up to her and asked in a serious tone,

Cain: What room is my mom in?

Charlie: Cain? What-

Cain: What room is my mom in Charlie!?

Charlie: Delivery room 666 on the third floor.

Cain: Ok thanks!

Cain made a dash toward the elevators leaving all three demons behind. Satan didn’t blame him, he was just worried. Instead he sat down next to his mate’s sister and her mate as they waited. By the time Cain made it he was almost out of breath as he swung the door open. Where the sight of his mother vulnerable while a doctor invected something in him. Cain: MAMA! Adam turned to see his eldest child in the doorway. Tears filed his eyes as a wobbly smile rose from his lips.

Adam: CAIN!

The two once humans rushed to embrace each other. Cain: Oh Mama I’m so fucking sorry. I never meant to cause any stress or for my sister to come early. Please, please, please forgive me.

Adam: There’s nothing to forgive. Cain I’m the one sorry for pushing you when you obviously weren’t ready. I just didn’t want discord around our baby. But I know you can’t force people to like each other. Someday you’ll see how much those two love you. But I can’t blame you for being angry at your father for not listening or your sister for not understanding. And I wish I can say more but I’m about to have another contraction so if you’ll excuse me AGHHHH!!!!!

Adam screeched as he rode out the pain. Thankfully, it wasn’t as long as the first ones. It meant the medicine was already kicking in. Cain: Mom is there anything I can do? Like get Dad! Wait where is he?

He noticed the lack of his father.

Adam: He went out to get me ice chips and check on Charlie. Hopefully by the time he gets back the pain meds will have fully kicked in.

Cain watched, completely helpless as his poor mother started to clutch his belly as another one hit him. He winced feeling pain just from seeing his mom in pain. He still remembered back on Earth when it happened. Unless one of them could help they were to remain outside the den. By order of their papa.

When some of his brothers and sisters learn to become mid wives did Cain ms worry slightly dull. However, there was still the heartbreak of not being able to take the pain away. Something that when he learned why it happened made Cain curse the angels. Looking back it was probably one of the reasons they made him commit the first murder. Still Cain wanted to help his mother relax, to ease the attention and get his mind off of the pain. At least until there was none.

An idea popped into his mind like a light bulb. Tenderly he grabbed one of Adam’s hands, the other reaching around to his back and began rubbing soothing circles. Both on his back and hand. He then began to hum and Adam instantly recognized the melody. It was the same one he used to sing to Cain.

As the song progressed Adam’s anxiety dwelled along with the pain. Until finally it was gone at long last. He reached a shaky hand to Cain’s head and tussled his fluffy hair affectionately. Adam: Thank you my sweet baby boy. You’re a good son.

The First Anti-Christ

@things-arent-what-they-seem66

(excuse me for the long prologue)

Anti Christ, the child of the fallen one, the devil. Everyone knows of the name and what it means. However, they don’t know of WHO that child is do they? Everyone thinks that the child will make themselves known as they bring on the end of humanity. What people don’t realize is that the anti-Christ has already walked upon the Earth.

In fact he was the first to be born on the planet. You see he was one of the very first humans. The very first child and son of the mother of humanity, Adam the first omega. His name was Cain.

Now many must be wondering on how this came to be. Why did it happen. How and why did the first omega manage to give birth to the fallen one’s offspring. All will be explained here, in this story.

A long, long, long, time ago when the Earth was still young the creator of it had decided on what its final inhabitants would be. They were called humans, the very first of their kind. He made them into something special. With their names came their designations.

Lilith the first woman and alpha

Adam the first man and omega

He made the two to be companions, to watch over another as one would for a friend or as he hoped like siblings. However, his other creations had other plans. While the Lord was busy attending to his purpose of watching over the universe. The other creations, the angels went down to the humans and they told the two that they were more than just companions. They told them that they were mates and they would bring forth true humanity.

Both were confused and asked how? The angels told them that once a month Adam’s womb would welcome Lilith’s seed and instructed him for when the time came for Adam to lay on his back and to spread his legs for his mate. When they heard of this both were rather disgusted by it. They hadn’t known each other for long but they simply weren’t compatible in that way. They couldn’t even bother to be friends for they both had too many differences that often clashed with each other.

While Adam was energetic and outgoing, Lilith was reserved and careful. It would often cause arguments from the two, especially when it came to their duties. Their first duties, of naming and caring for everything in the garden. Lilith thought Adam to be immature. Adam thought Lilith to be demanding. Both seemed to think that nothing was ever good enough for each person. One thing they both could agree on is that they did not wish to be mates.

Still Adam did not wish to upset the angels and simply bowed his head and nodded submissively. They began to explain other sets of rules that both were to follow. Lilith as the alpha was to always provide and care for her omega. Adam as the omega was to always follow her way and submit to his alpha. Both were to bring children into this world.

Lilith would become the father of humanity. While Adam would become the mother of humanity.

Lilith, disgusted at the thought, disagreed wholeheartedly. She fled from the garden and away from the omega. Hoping to never set another foot in there again. She was found by someone, an angel of the Lord himself, whom she would soon call a friend and sometime after that a husband. Though she didn’t trust him at first she eventually told the angel of why she ran from paradise.

The angel was shocked and confused. Why would his siblings do that? Why would they mess with his Father’s creations that way? He wanted so badly to go up there and tell his Father of what they had done to Lilith. He knew that they would somehow find a way to pin the blame onto him.

That is why he came up with a new plan. To meet and talk to Lilith’s supposed mate. What he didn’t know at the time was that the omega was actually his true mate.

He crept into the garden, careful not to aware the elders of his presence. What awaited him in the garden was not what he expected. A true beauty, one that took his breath away. Though he had thought Lilith to be pretty. She was nothing compared to Adam.

His soft brown hair, honeyed eyes that sparkled, and tan skin that was splattered by freckles. His Lucious curves was enough to drive him insane. The angel managed to open his mouth and introduced himself. His name was Lucifer, the angel of light and God’s most favored son.

[mrs-kodzuken]

early christmas ⟢ rintarou s.

synopsis: you get an early christmas gift from your boyfriend and love it beyond no end, timeskip!suna x fem!reader, christmas time, fluff, short fic

“You've been on that thing forever, at this rate you’re likely to forget me soon.” Rin deadpanned, almost regretting buying that damned thing for you.

Almost.

He could see how happy it made you, especially now that when he got on the game with his friends, you weren’t completely lonely with your new switch lite.

Of course, Christmas was coming up but with being stuck in the house for days due to snow and not being able to make it to work, he knew the best solution for his dear girlfriend.

He watched carefully as you concentrated on digging perfect holes to place trees in, your face was definitely one to remember. He loved seeing your joy filled face as you explained the animal crossing terms to him, even though he'd probably forget half of them within the next hour.

"Uhh, nuh uh." you retorted, not even looking up at him from where he was standing. After Rintarou surprised you with an early Christmas present, even though the big day was less than a week away, you could not stop playing. It was like an excitement that was slowly becoming an addiction.

You took your nintendo lite with you everywhere, to the bathroom when taking long, relaxing baths, to the bar in the kitchen where you both eat breakfast.

And even so far as playing it in public during downtime if you both were able to leave the house. You loved every minute of your new game console, especially since it was in your favorite color too.

However, Suna had to draw some lines when you pulled an all-nighter playing your game because you 'just had to get something done'.

"I think it's mostly your fault though, you let me open it early, so." you trailed off, sticking your tongue out wherever you thought he was from your peripheral.

Your eyes stuck to your little character as she ran around the plaza trying to talk with every villager. You couldn’t help but to get so happy when you saw the Christmas decorations around your island. As well as hounding on your game for so long, day and night, you were able to make lots of progress.

You barely noticed that Suna sat down beside you on the king sized bed, his PS5 left on and if you really paid attention, you could hear his friends calling for him.

"Love, at least give me a kiss before you leave off into the island of Y/n." he joked, you tore your eyes away from the screen and started to feel bad in the way that you were ignoring your boyfriend.

"I'm sorry Rinnie, I just really love the game, but I'll be sure to take breaks and spend actual quality time with you." you promised, saving and putting your game console away.

The relief basically melted off of Suna, now he finally understands the other side of the story when he used to not pay enough attention to you when gaming.

"Thanks, love." he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to your lips, relishing in the fact that he could taste the leftover dark chocolate crumbs on your lips from when you snack as you play.

"You're such an angel, you know that right? My angel." he couldn't help the smile that broke out across his face when you laughed and rolled your eyes. You were such the purest sight ever to him, this is what he missed. Of course he loves when you have an enjoyable hobby but physical contact was so much better in his opinion.

"Want to ditch the games for the rest of the night and watch a Christmas movie with me?" you giggled into his black sweatshirt, it smelling of his fancy body wash that you gifted him as a 'just because' gift.

"Obviously, anything to spend more time with you love." he hopped up, turning off his own gaming console and sending a text to his group chat before lounging with you in bed.

After a small discussion on which streaming service, you both finally decided on Hulu to watch Elf.

As the movie played and the lights were dimmed in the bedroom, you got sentimental, watching Rintarou’s handsome features being lit up by the movie.

"You know, I'm really grateful for my gift. I love it." you said quietly, hiding your face even though you both have been together for almost four years now.

He squeezed you tighter to him, loving your small confession, his heart felt unbearably warm at the act.

"I'm glad love, only the best for you." he kissed your temple knowing that his small confession would ring true when he got the balls to get the ring box out of his sock drawer and pop the question.

But for now, he smiled and watched your reactions to the movie, wondering how he got so lucky. 

a/n: hihi! i've been obsessed with animal crossing lately, so sorry i've been inactive!! i hope you enjoy, and requests are open! <3

[jubshead]

In my opinion <- strongly for ME

When it comes to Agatha All Along seems like people lose the plot & content about it as it goes, idk why but

1) Agatha is a Villain- she doesn't need redemption she's aware of herself & acknowledges her doings ( like wanda says " you do it you become the hero , I do it I become the enemy)

Agatha doesn't have to atone to what she's done or will continue to do ,does she feel bad hmm 🤪

So she's a serial killer - most those witches deserved it if you ask me, her salem coven completely did for wanting to put a child on trial because they were scared of her powers

"You don't see it holding me back " & it shouldn't hold her back she's a cunty witch no one forced anyone to follow her in her scheme she's a great con artist 🥵 I'd willing volunteer for you AGATHA HARKNESS 😏

Now I'm not saying her grief is an excuse, & that it's ohkay what she's done with her & Nicky's song but isn't a lil evil enjoyable😈 don't always have to be good doesn't mean you're always right

Like the ballad where all that's wrong is right & all that's bad is good!

² ) Agatha & Rio's love IS NOT toxic. What makes it toxic that rio gives & Agatha takes? If you think in depth their love is dynamic! Agatha is a person who time & time again is wronged by close & acquainted people of course she'd close herself from hurt when that's everyone's intentions without giving her a chance it's not her fault that people misunderstands & here comes Rio our amazing entity who knows how to show compassion because no ever will this is something Agatha deserves & Rio is literally the best example being that homo sapien feel the same way about death so who's best to understand Agatha than Rio herself & show & give Agatha what no one has? Their love makes sense & is precious because death can be seen to never be loved & here comes Agatha someone that's put off by people whom in their eyes seem like she's not capable of ever loving, yearns to want & give it & is giving it to death the best way she possibly knows how to, so who's to say their love is toxic?

3)Agatha is a Villain! That's what's perfect about her it's what makes her likeable

She is not evil( yes she is 😏🤭) , just misunderstood, not given a chance . She can still do & is doing the things even if she was good

] a daughter, a mother, a mentor ! Being a Villain doesn't stop her for being the things she was gifted with as Rio sees her for what she masks with - you just have to look through the disguise as well cause in time you'll see notice & you see if you pay close attention she isn't hiding as one would say you just aren't taking the time to notice because she's good at what she does best DECEPTION!

1 and 3) Yes, I agree! Agatha is a villain and she shouldn’t have a redemption arc! She doesn’t want to change and she won’t (tbh I prefer her as immoral lmao)

I think redemption arcs are usually very forced, just bc someone regrets their doing it doesn’t change what they did. She can have better actions, but being a villain isn’t really about what you do in the present, is about the way people view you and she’ll always be a villain in someone’s perspective, there’s no way for her to run from that title anymore.

People have the need for their favorite characters to be liked by everyone, have a moral high ground or something like that, but making her greedy and egoistic (in my opinion) gives her a bigger depth than “oh she always does what’s right”. Who the fucks only do what’s right?

I don’t agree that all of the witches she killed deserved, the only ones I know that deserved were her previous coven!

2) Agatha and Rio have a VERY complicated relationship.

Would I say it’s toxic? No, I wouldn’t!

Are they toxic people? Yes, they are!

I think they basically match each others freak to the point their toxicity doesn’t become toxic lol

And I also think that they have true feelings for each other, they can fight, they can argue, they can hurt, but when it comes to the important stuff they will take things seriously! Just like Rio did when she defended Agatha from her mother.

[maxdibert]

Hi, me again👋

How are you?❤

I was wondering what you thought about the relationship between Severus and Voldemort. The way Severus should not even be in the DEs, let alone in the inner circle sitting on Voldemort's right because of his blood and social status. Grayback is also part of them, but they treat him like filth for his blood and werewolf condition. All the while, Severus is Voldy's N1. advisor.

Also, the way he keeps bending his own rules and principles to accommodate Severus, have him fit in and even keep him above the purebloods. Voldemort, who does not do favours, agrees not to murder Lily, a muggle-born witch, a memeber of the OotP and Harry's mother, because Severus asked him not to. How that plea becomes the Dark Lord's doom later.

The way Narcissa asks for Severus' help instead of Bella's or Lucius' when they are both purebloods in the inner circle, swimming in money. She knows, if there's anyone that can "handle" Voldemort and save Draco it's Severus.

And lastly, how Voldemort does not want to kill Severus, how he says he regrets it. That does not happen with any other of his victims.

And I don't mean this relationship as romantic either, just as two people, one the master and the other- the servant.

That's all,

Have a nice day❤

Hellooo <3

I really don’t think it’s such a big deal. Voldemort is a natural manipulator and knows how to exploit people’s fears, weaknesses, and needs to his advantage. It’s clear that he probably heard about Severus’s abilities—most likely from his long-time associate, Lucius Malfoy—and became interested in having a talented recruit among his followers. I wouldn’t be surprised if he saw Severus’s lack of resources and his disdain for Muggles (due to his association with his father) as an opportunity to manipulate and radicalize him, enabling Voldemort to exploit his talents as he pleased.

We often view villains as irrational, but through Tom Riddle’s memories, we know that Voldemort wasn’t just a crazed supremacist. He was always intelligent and cunning, using his charm to seduce and manipulate people for his own benefit. The fact that Severus was a half-blood was irrelevant—if anything, his status made him easier to manipulate. Voldemort valued talent, and Severus had plenty of it, so it seems perfectly logical that Voldemort prioritized his abilities over his blood status.

Severus turned out to be a very useful member—why not do him a favor? I’ve always thought that Voldemort viewed the matter of Lily as a youthful, lust-driven whim. Something like, “Fine, let him keep his little Mudblood toy if it means he keeps doing such a good job.” People often overthink this, but to me, giving him a “small gift” to keep him “happy” and working better is a common strategy used by those in power to control their subordinates. Voldemort’s mistake was failing to realize the depth of Severus’s feelings or to investigate why Lily, specifically, mattered so much to him. If he had done so, instead of assuming it was just a passing fancy, the story might have turned out differently.

On another note, I don’t think Narcissa went to Severus because she saw him as a role model. She approached him because Lucius had fallen from grace, making him an unsuitable option, and because she knew that:

Bellatrix would never go against the Dark Lord’s orders, let alone stop Draco’s “initiation,” which she saw as an honor, and

Severus was Draco���s professor, and since Draco’s mission was to kill Dumbledore, the only person who could realistically monitor Draco 24/7 and step in if necessary was Severus.

I also think Voldemort appreciated Severus as a highly capable and talented individual. I believe he liked him more than some of his other followers because, unlike a spoiled pureblood brat, Severus had risen from humble beginnings and earned his place through ambition and skill—qualities Voldemort valued because he had done the same. Beyond that—and it’s not a minor point, considering most of his followers, except perhaps Bellatrix and maybe Barty, meant little to him—I don’t think there was much more to their relationship. Voldemort valued Severus in the same way a hunter values one of their best weapons: an incredibly effective, rare, and valuable tool that is almost impossible to replace. He appreciated Severus because he was useful, but that’s about it. At least, that’s how I see it.

[fairyniceyeah]

💎 All 13 parts of my heart (Part 4/5)

Title from 1 to 13 (SEVENTEEN)

All 13 parts of my heart I Part Two Part Three

Summary: “Carats often describe you as being very close, some even say Nobody loves SEVENTEEN as much as SEVENTEEN does. Why do you suppose that is so?”, the interviewer asked.

CW: fighting

Whumpee: OT13

At the interview company the next day a new problem made itself known. 

Seungcheol had barely slept all night, tossing and turning, worried for his members and the interview. He was so so scared of what the day would bring, afraid that the group was actually falling apart. How long was it until somebody said something they would regret and could not take back? How long until insults were spat that could not be forgiven? How long until a member wanted out? 

For now Seungcheol could only helplessly watch how the team had split itself into four little groups that somehow got along within each group but seemed to be unable to control their disdain for the others. Well, at least three of four groups.

The first group had built itself around Seokmin and Minghao. The four of them were lounging on a sofa in the corner of the waiting room of the studio where they were set to film. Vernon, while he was still quiet and withdrawn, seemingly was touched by their care and was now hanging out with them. It was better than him being alone, Seungcheol supposed. To his surprise Wonwoo had joined their group but apparently Vernon had forgiven him? 

Jun and Dino were on their own, no surprise there. Both of them tended to stick to one person most of the time and Jun was probably helping Dino’s insecurities of being alone in this case, while Dino reassured Jun of his place in the group. It was toxic for the rest but helpful for them.

Who had not forgiven Wonwoo, was Mingyu, who had built his own front with Seungkwan and Jeonghan. Seungcheol didn’t know how that had happened either but he was more than unhappy about it and he could help but keep glancing at them, sitting at the other side of the room on floor mats, Seungkwan laying with his head in Jeonghan’s lap.

Seungcheol couldn't help but miss Jeonghan at his side and just two days ago Jeonghan had sat like that with Joshua. Now both of them wouldn’t look at each other. Seungkwan and Mingyu needed a hyung, yes, but was Jeonghan in his anger really the right idea?

Seungcheol, Joshua and Hoshi had become their own group without any of their own intent. They were just the ones mostly uninvolved in the fighting, reluctantly joined by a lonely Woozi who seemed to have sought out the least drama. 

But these groups meant that the seating chart from yesterday was moot. So, in a fit of desperation, Hoshi, Joshua and Seungcheol stared at Hoshi’s phone minutes trying to change things before the interview was set to take place, while Jun, Dino and Woozi were still getting their make-up done.

“What if we put them together in the groups?”, Hoshi asked, glancing at them, “separated by us, uh, neutral ones? I hate to put Jihoonie in the middle of it all but if we … hold on.”

He scribbled onto his note app, showing the result to the other two. Seungcheol nodded slowly, agreeing with his idea. Jeonghan and Seungkwan in the back, with Mingyu sitting in front of them were separated from Jun and Dino in the back by Seungcheol and in the front by Hoshi and Woozi from Wonwoo, Minghao and Vernon. Joshua would then separate Dino and Seokmin, also in the back, from each other. It wasn’t ideal with Dino diagonally behind Minghao but it would have to do.

Joshua sighed and said: “Let’s switch Junnie and Dino. I don’t want Dino and Seokmin too close to each other. There is only so much I can do and over there you are at least two. Also, let’s switch Hannie and Seungkwannie and uh, no, don’t. It’s fine like that.”

“Good idea!”, Hoshi agreed, but winced when he saw why Joshua had interrupted himself. Seungcheol bit his lip, hating that he and Jeonghan were to be separated. Over the years it had come natural to the members to place him and Jeonghan together when possible, but now with him and Jeonghan fighting it would be easier to just have Seungcheol buffer Seungkwan and Dino on his own instead of having Jeonghan next to him to keep Dino and Seungkwan further away from each other.

“It has to work. I am lost on any other ideas”, he said weakly.

Hoshi handed the phone to Seungcheol, who had no choice but to rush over to the managers. “Jisu-noona”, he called, bowing his head, “could we re-arrange the seating again? We have a better solution now.”

The manager looked at Seungcheol in disbelief. “You are … you aren’t kidding. I’m sorry, we can’t. We already turned the seating arrangement in to the director. We can’t change anything now.”

“Damn”, Seungcheol cursed. “Yeah, yeah, okay. We will have to make do.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Make sure you do, S.Coups-ssi.”

💎

The tears Seungcheol had tried to push away the past days were about to spill over. The interview had gone surprisingly fine until that point, he supposed. The tension wasn’t as obvious as they had feared. But then it all went downhill so fast he didn’t even have time to think about how to stop it.

“Carats often describe you as being very close, some even say Nobody loves SEVENTEEN as much as SEVENTEEN does. Why do you suppose that is so?”, the interviewer asked.

An embarrassing silence followed, drawn out by the collective group not meeting each other’s eyes. Seungcheol felt himself flush, body going hot as he felt shame creep up. But what was he to say? He wasn’t sure if a lie could cover the issues now.

Finally Jeonghan cleared his throat… and made it worse. “We are like a family”, he said, pointedly looking at all members, “and we love each other very much. Of course there are times we don’t agree and fight over stupid things but at the end of the day, we truly are more like a family than friends or colleagues.”

Seungcheol closed his eyes, already knowing the drama that would unfold. Why would Jeonghan choose now of all times to try to mediate between the members? He knew it was an idea to make the group agree and remember their love for each other but right now it was more like forcing them to reveal their troubles to the public. It was just plain stupid and the company would have to pay off the interview company a lot for damage control. Jeonghan meant well but he was too deep in his quest to make everything sunshine and rainbows.

“Stupid things?”, Dino muttered under his breath, loud enough that it was obvious he intended for Jeonghan to hear.

Jeonghan shot him a glare. “Yeah, stupid things. We are all vastly different people, of course we are going to react to things differently or have different opinions.”

“Stop, Hannie. Stop”, Seungcheol pleaded, feeling everything spiral out of control. The interviewer was watching them with eyes as wide as saucers and the cameramen were looking away, seeming very uncomfortable. Their managers at the back were glaring at Seungcheol, Hoshi and Woozi. But it was too late.

“Good talk”, Minghao cut in, completely ignoring Seungcheol and leaning forward so he could look at the two at the other end of the group. “So you have never shouted at members because they were doing their own thing and you felt disturbed by their mere presence? You have never fought over stupid things? You are a lying hypocrite, hyung.”

“Don’t talk to me this way, Xu Minghao”, Jeonghan spat back, “stop riding on your high horse. You have fought too. We all have done things we aren’t proud of. That doesn’t mean we can’t apologize and forgive.”

“That doesn’t mean we can’t apologize”, Dino repeated mockingly, “when is anybody going to apologize for treating me like shit and making me do chores because I’m the maknae? When are you guys going to stop doing things without me because Dino is the youngest, just a baby?”

“Not everybody can be - what do they call it? - maknae on top. At least you weren’t dumped for a dinner date because you were working hard”, Seungkwan yelled, jumping up. “Do you know how it feels to be one of the best vocalists in the industry and still you don’t get stage front and center because you are singing high backing vocals? It must be so hard to be in the middle with all the fans' eyes on you, dancing and …”

“Oh, shut up, Seungkwan”, Jun interrupted, his tone mocking, “it must be so hard to have fans praise your vocals and actually get lines!”

“It’s not Seungkwan’s choice who gets which lines, you idiot”, Mingyu called.

Seungcheol felt Woozi shrink into himself beside him but before he could react, Hoshi jumped up and turned around to face the group. The unintentional side jab at his uninvolved best friend must have been the breaking point for him.

“Stop it! I have enough! You are all acting like kindergarteners and I am sick of it. Hyung said it, we are family, but I am slowly beginning to stop believing this. Where is the love we have for each other? You are embarrassing us all with your fights. Maybe we should start calling ourselves Sixteen because the One team is utter bullshit!”

Hoshi turned back to the cameras and bowed. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore. Please forgive us.” Then he stormed off.

The interviewer just slowly nodded, his mouth half open. He had not expected his simple question to escalate like this and how could he have? They were known as a group who was very close. For fucks’s sake, the basically shared parents, were closer to each other than to their own siblings at this point.

Seungcheol, feeling like he was trapped in a nightmare, stood up slowly and also bowed. He hated his leader title more than he ever had but he knew he needed to damage control first and foremost. “I’m very sorry too. We are … going through a hard time right now. We would be very grateful if you would delete those scenes…”

He wanted to continue but was interrupted by Manager Hyunseok, who was red in the face and more angry that Seungcheol had ever seen him.

“S.Coups-ssi, stop. Take the group backstage and handle this. Now. I don’t care how you do it but I don’t want to see you all again until you have managed to overcome this. I expect you to write an apology to the interview company and to HYBE. I am deeply disappointed by you all”, he spat. “I don’t trust you to handle anything else right now.”

Ashamed, Seungcheol stared at his shoes and bowed deeply. He had truly fucked up as leader.

“Let’s go”, he hissed through clenched teeth, pointing the group at the backstage area. It was time to set an end to this. It had gone on for far too long.

Slowly they all shuffled out, some looking angry, some close to tears.

💎

“Well, this sucked”, Jeonghan surmised in a dead pan as he pushed open the door to the waiting room. Irony seemed to be his defense at this point, a way to protect himself. Seungcheol knew there was deep hurt below the cold exterior.

“No shit”, Dino agreed darkly. 

They filtered into the room in deep silence, none of them knowing what to say. And what was there to say? The fights had completely escalated and become too public for any of their likes. If the interviewer or any of the staff said anything to the wrong person their careers might be over. They were lucky if the interviewer’s company didn’t manipulate HYBE into debt to pay off their silence.

As Seungcheol closed the door behind himself he saw that Hoshi was pacing up and down the waiting room’s length. His heart felt a little lighter knowing where the younger member was. Seeing him storm off like that and not knowing where he was …

“Hyung”, Hoshi called, glancing over his shoulder, “oh my god, hyung, I am so sorry, I …”

The dance leader whirled around to rush to their leader, apologetic. In his haste he didn’t notice that Seungkwan, who had been closest to him, was opening his water bottle and collided with him. Water sprayed everywhere, soaking both of them in it.

“Hyung”, Seungkwan yelled in shock, his face and hair positively dripping. “Can you stop being so clumsy? You are worse than Mingyu-hyung!”

“I …”, Hoshi started but Mingyu cut in, exploding: “No! Enough! I am tired of you all making jokes about how clumsy I am. Haha, funny. I get it. Big bumbling idiot or whatever. At least he’s pretty. I am so done with these jokes!” Apparently he had reached his end too, now that everything had escalated. 

“Well, if it bothered you that much you should have said something”, Wonwoo, surprisingly, replied loudly.

None of the members seemed to be even close to wanting to talk about their issues, instead choosing to lash out now that the volcano had erupted. Family had turned into enemies.

It’s too late. They were broken. Was there enough gold to fill the cracks in the china plate to repair it now?

Seungcheol took a step back, as the group started taking steps forwards. It was so out of control. Where was the love they shared, the kindness they shared? If one had asked a few days ago if he believed his member capable of actual physical fights he would have laughed and told them that that wouldn’t happen. Right now he was afraid that fists would start flying any second. The room had become a battlefield of insults and wounded pride.

The voices went louder and louder, rising like a wave that swallowed them all. The angry faces, the anger and hate in their voices. It felt like slow motion, a nightmare. And Seungcheol was helpless to watch as they fell apart. 

Seungkwan, still dripping, was up in Mingyu’s face, on his tiptoes while Jun’s grip on Jeonghan was a bit too tight for comfort. Vernon was red in the face, Minghao was so angry. Dino had his hands raised as he and Seokmin yelled at each other. Wonwoo was glowering at them all, giving dry, harsh comments, lashing out for once. A cacophony of voices blended into each other, making words ununderstandable.

Joshua and Hoshi were in the middle of it all, trying to break it up. As Hoshi darted around and physically placed himself between fighting parties, Joshua was patting back and whispering calming words, trying to pull members away from fights. All the while Seungcheol was frozen in place. Nothing would be able to stop them now.

And yet, a tiny sound did. It wasn’t loud, it wasn’t dramatic.

Just a small gasp, nearly swallowed by the raised voices. But it made Seungcheol’s blood run cold. The members froze, turned, horror on all their faces. 

Stumbled a few steps behind Seungcheol stood Woozi, tiny in relation to the angry mob of members.

And he was crying.

Part Five: Scheduled for 06.01

Preview: “What if we aren’t strong enough to weather this storm?”

Masterlist links: Fairy's Full Masterlist Fairy's Masterlist - SEVENTEEN

[lottluvs]

PLEASE give us your lottie x reader headcanons if reader was the one to draw the queen card!!! 🗣️ bonus points if you add fluff please please 🙏🙏🙏

i assume this is in the view of lottie and reader being the closest two on the team for a bit, therefore i will be going off of that ! ( this has been rotting in my drafts for about a month im so sorry anon ! 😭 )

a / n : sorry for the spam posting ! trying to post all my drafts and asks so i can write more for the newer ones !

Drawing the Card

‣ The moment your hand hovers over the deck, Lottie feels it in her chest. It’s a quiet pang of dread, as though the wilderness has already decided.

‣ When the Queen is revealed, her breath leaves her, but she doesn’t say a word. Her eyes lock onto yours—wide, searching, conflicted.

‣ She doesn’t argue outwardly. She has always taught herself to accept what comes, but the flicker of fear and regret in her expression says otherwise.

‣ Lottie can’t bring herself to look at the others, not when she feels like they’re already circling you in their minds.

‣ She knows she should be calm, a leader, but her body is stiff, her fingers twitching. It feels personal now, too personal.

The Hunt

‣ Lottie lingers behind the group as preparations begin, her movements slower, more hesitant than usual. Her usual conviction isn’t there.

‣ When the others chant and the hunt starts, she doesn’t join in. Instead, she watches you run, her expression distant and unreadable.

‣ She feels her stomach churn when she hears the first sounds of pursuit—footsteps crashing through the snow, branches snapping in the distance.

‣ Her instincts pull her in two directions: the leader in her says to follow the ritual; the human in her says to run after you and never let them touch you.

‣ She stays back as long as she can, but the further the hunt goes, the more restless she becomes.

‣ When she hears the scuffle—the sharp intake of breath, the sound of you hitting the ground—Lottie’s legs move before her brain can process it.

‣ She breaks through the trees to see you surrounded, their weapons raised, and something in her snaps.

‣ “No,” she says, her voice sharp, cutting through the chaos. She steps between you and the others, her arms outstretched like a shield.

‣ Her voice doesn’t waver as she addresses the group. “This isn’t what the wilderness wants. Stop.” It’s not a request—it’s a command.

‣ When someone protests, her mask slips. “If you want to shed blood so badly, take mine,” she snaps, her voice taut with anger and fear. “But you will not touch them.”

After the Hunt

‣ Once the group reluctantly backs down, Lottie doesn’t speak. She kneels in the snow next to you, her hands hovering like she doesn’t know what to do.

‣ “Are you okay?” she finally asks, her voice low, almost detached. She won’t meet your eyes right away.

‣ Back at the cabin, Lottie doesn’t let anyone near you. Her body language is closed off, protective—an unspoken warning to the others to keep their distance.

‣ She doesn’t say much as she tends to your wounds, her hands methodical but shaky. You can feel the tension radiating off her in waves.

‣ Later, when the cabin is quiet, she sits next to you, her knees pulled to her chest. “I didn’t know if I could stop it,” she admits after a long silence. “I don’t think I could’ve lived with myself if I didn’t.”

‣ From then on, her presence around you changes. She doesn’t hover, but she watches more carefully, keeps closer, more attuned to any shifts in the group’s dynamic.

‣ I also like to think she makes you sleep next to her.. or maybe even in the same cot, hands always right there.

[3rdsday]

Broken Vows and Mended Trust

Sonic 3 spoilers ahead!

Summary: Things are settling after the events of the third movie, and Sonic and Knuckles need to have a conversation about Sonic's broken vow.

Note: Hi I did NOT expect to write this tonight it just had to come out and I did 0 editing on this whatsoever but here it is. I will be going to bed immediately after posting this <3

Read on AO3 here

---

Sonic clutched his left arm in his right hand, rubbing it. He wouldn't meet Knuckles' eyes, instead studying the forest floor.

It had been a few days, and everything had finally started to settle following the... Eclipse Canon incident. Tom had finally woken up and would be okay, so a layer of tension that had been blanketing the rest of the Wachowskis had fallen away.

For Sonic, its place was taken by Knuckles' request that they have a discussion.

Knuckles was typically an echidna of few words. He preferred to make his point made physically when possible. So a request for a discussion, especially a serious one, immediately put Sonic on edge.

He was certain he knew what it would be about, and it only took a few words from Knuckles to prove that his intuition was correct.

"You broke our vow."

Sonic knew it was coming, but he still flinched. It wasn't even Knuckles' tone that caused it; the words weren't harsh or accusatory. Rather, the sentence was spoken simply, a pure fact.

Sonic just hated that it was true.

"I know, Knuckles, I am so sorry-"

"Wait!" Knuckles cut him off, raising a gloved hand. "I am not finished."

Sonic's mouth snapped shut, his stomach churning as he awaited Knuckles' next words.

"After our fight against Robotnik last year, I chose to trust you and the fox to share the duty of protecting the Emerald. Yet you were willing to compromise the Emerald's safety for the sake of seeking revenge."

"I was wrong," Sonic couldn't help but say. He wanted to wait until Knuckles was finished, but he couldn't help it. He had to know how terrible Sonic felt. How much he regretted it.

"You broke my trust, and in doing so, you could have risked the safety of the entire planet."

Sonic's shoulders hunched in as he instinctively tried to make himself smaller. All the guilt he was already feeling was increasing tenfold with each word out of Knuckles' mouth.

"Yet, I chose not to stop you."

...That made Sonic pause, blinking as he took in the words. "You didn't," he said slowly. "You let me go. ...Why? You could have won that fight."

Knuckles sighed and sat down on a felled tree trunk, motioning for Sonic to join him. After a moment that felt like it was teetering on the point of something, waiting to fall to one side or the other, Sonic joined him.

The view from their perch was beautiful. They were on a cliffside, overlooking Green Hills below.

"You might have broken our vow, but I still decided to trust you."

"I don't get it," Sonic insisted. "I betrayed you. Why would you still trust me after that?"

Knuckles turned his head to look at Sonic, who was still not meeting his eyes. "Because you're my friend, and my brother," he explained, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

Family was a concept that took Knuckles a little bit to truly understand, having lost his so young. It wasn't something that came naturally to Sonic or Tails either, both of them having been alone from an early age as well. But over the past year, the three of them had settled comfortably into their newfound roles as brothers. Sonic reveled in it, taking great joy and delight in his family. Tails was a little more tentative about it, hesitant to open himself up to familial affection when it had burned him in the past, but he had become a delightful little ball of chaos once he fell into his place in their dynamic.

Knuckles, though, once the concept had clicked in his mind, had taken up his role of eldest brother with an unrivaled enthusiasm.

Being Sonic and Tails' older brother was as important to Knuckles as guarding the Master Emerald was. Keeping his younger brothers safe and happy was a job he treated with the utmost importance, even if he was willing to tease and annoy them as he did so.

Sonic had forgotten that, somehow.

"I didn't know what would happen if you took the Emerald," Knuckles continued, not acknowledging the way Sonic finally met his gaze, or the way his eyes shone in a misty way. "I feared it would lead to catastrophe. But I knew what fighting you would lead to: both of us hurt. And I never want to hurt you.

"So I decided to trust you. Trust that, if nothing else, you could keep yourself safe while you took the Emerald long enough for Tails and I to back you up. And trust that you'd realize what a mistake you were making."

Sonic swallowed hard, fighting the lump in his throat. "I don't deserve that trust from you."

Knuckles hummed. "Maybe not. And I am still hurt by you violating our oath." He placed a hand on Sonic's shoulder with a gentleness not usually associated with the echidna. "But even if it takes some time for you to regain my full trust, I still forgive you."

Knuckles' eyes were filled with such intense genuineness that Sonic couldn't bear to look at it anymore. He turned his head away, staring out into the distance again as he shrugged Knuckles' hand off his shoulder, letting it fall away. A moment, then another, passed before he spoke again. "How can you forgive me so easily?" he asked, voice wavering.

"You forgave me for siding with Robotnik, did you not?"

Sonic let out a small chuckle that he didn't fully feel. "Yeah, I did."

"We all make mistakes, hedgehog," Knuckles insisted, "You regret yours. That's all I need to know."

Silence fell over the duo. Birdsong filled the mid-afternoon air. A chilly breeze, heralding the approach of winter, cut through the trees, although it was not quite harsh enough to be felt through the thick fur of the brothers. Despite the chirping and chittering of the small forest creatures, a calm silence seemed to settle over the scene in the woods. For just a moment, time was suspended, as two young boys, who normally stopped for nothing, took time to sit in the world around them.

But the spell did not last forever. Sonic found the courage to speak again, finally trusting that his voice would stay steady when he did.

"You shouldn't trust me with the Master Emerald again." Despite his efforts, his voice still came out small and hesitant.

Knuckles frowned, although Sonic wasn't looking to see it. "Why not?"

"I've proven that I can't be trusted to resist the temptation to use it," Sonic explained. It felt like he was stabbing himself in the chest at the admittance, but he knew it was true. "You should keep it safe from me, hide it somewhere secure. More secure than Wade."

Knuckles hummed again, taking a second to consider Sonic's plea before shaking his head. "No, I don't think I should."

"What do you mean? If I hadn't-"

"If you hadn't used the Emerald, you wouldn't have been able to share that power with Shadow. And if you hadn't done that, Shadow wouldn't have been able to help save Earth. Therefore, you taking the Emerald was the best possible outcome."

Sonic's head snapped to the side quickly to let him look at Knuckles. He didn't make any attempt to hide the surprise on his face.

"I- what- but-"

"Maybe you took the Emerald for the wrong reasons, but it worked out the way it needed to in the end. So I am glad that I trusted you," Knuckles said, giving Sonic a small smile.

"But- but it all could have gone so wrong!"

"But did it?"

"I- well, no, but-"

"Then there's no reason to worry about it, is there?"

Sonic's mouth hung open as he stammered a bit more, trying to find the words to counter Knuckles. When he couldn't form a reasonable argument, he sighed and let himself slump over slightly.

"I still don't think I should be allowed to consider myself a 'guardian' anymore," he muttered, bitterness leaking into his tone.

"What?" Knuckles exclaimed, a small bit of outrage entering his tone for the first time during the discussion. "You would abandon your duties?"

"I already broke the oath. I don't deserve to have them as my 'duties' anymore."

"Sonic," Knuckles said seriously, intensely. "There is no one else in all the worlds that I would rather have help me guard the Emerald than you and Tails. Your mistake does not change that."

"But how do you know you can trust me?!" Sonic insisted, feeling almost hysterical. He had gone into this conversation expecting Knuckles' anger and hurt, but instead he was insisting that Sonic still share the duties of guardian? How could that bethe case?"

"I don't need to know for certain. I just know that trusting you has never failed me yet, even if there has been some rough parts to get through."

Sonic's eyes darted between Knuckles', searching for any hint of a lack of sincerity or the trust he claimed to have. When he found nothing but the unwavering loyalty he'd come to know from Knuckles, he hung his head.

"I don't deserve your trust."

"Then do better. Work harder to earn it." Knuckles returned his hand to Sonic's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Fight to be better than you were yesterday. I know you can."

Sonic leaned into Knuckles' touch until he was essentially slumped against him. Knuckles wrapped his arm around Sonic's shoulders, careful not to get pricked on his sharp quills.

The two of them remained there for what might have been two minutes or two hours, pressed together in their half-side hug.

If a few tears slipped down Sonic's cheeks, nobody had to know.

Eventually, Knuckles pulled away and stood up from the tree trunk, stretching dramatically. "I don't know about you, hedgehog, but I'm ready to eat. Race back to the House of Wachowski?"

Sonic stood up to join him, giving a small but appreciative smile as he tried to fall back into his usual energy. He didn't quite make it all the way, but he was closer than he'd been in days. "Oh, you're on. Don't get too sad when you lose."

"Only if you don't get too humiliated when you are utterly defeated!"

With those words, the brothers disappeared into bright streaks of color, speeding off towards a better, trusting future, and leaving the weight of their emotional talk behind.

[thatawkwardmoth]

It's a normal Sunday afternoon. Jean is on the couch. She's done tidying up the place for Sunday dinner. Rachel and Scott, ever acting like the same person, are building a tower together. And Rachel is an odd little kid. All the ones Jean and Scott have known, all her preschool classmates, they want to destroy right after they build. They want to watch it all crash down and clap happily.

Rachel enjoys building it, especially with Scott's help. He makes sure it's stable and knows where to place the blocks so it doesn't topple over. Rachel becomes very distraught if it falls before she's ready to deconstruct it block by block. 

So she sits on her Dad's lap, the same pensive look in their faces as they make a giant city on the living room carpet of the Boathouse. Jean is watching with a soft smile, mostly asleep after a long day, but she can't sleep yet. This scene is too precious to miss. Her husband is so soft with Rachel. His voice is calming as he praises her on her tower skills, giving Ray time to decompress after her own long day. 

This hour of 'quiet time,' as Scott calls it, is needed. Sometimes it's just because they have a hyper toddler who needs time to mellow out before naptime. Other times it's because Ray's already budding powers have overstimulated her. Feeling people's emotions around a bustling school isn't easy. 

Jean reaches out telepathically, just picking up her daughter's surface thoughts. She's tired and thinking about just falling asleep on her daddy because he'll let her. He'll let her sleep in his and Jean's bed if Jean doesn't put her foot down. 

Scott's thoughts, ever present in her mind, are worrying about them both. As always. He's wondering if, when he checks Rachel's lunchbox, if she ate everything. If Jean's feet still hurt from the heels she had to wear to a conference with the Professor yesterday, if his team is going to be able to complete the danger room scenarios he has queued up. Jean lets him worry, he always does. 

"Ray, you ready to take it apart?" Scott asks. He's noticed how heavy Rachel's eyes have gotten. Rachel pouts and shakes her head.

"Mama, move it?" She asks Jean, yawning as she curls up in her father's lap, bright curls tickling his chin. Jean sighs like it's something she wasn't expecting. Rachel is an only child, she can have her creations be moved to her designated area of the living room and it won't be destroyed come morning by anyone. It's something she's realized early on. If it's moved out of the walkway, she won't have to pack it all up. 

Meaning Jean spends a lot of her time 'training' as she tells Scott and the Professor by moving Rachel's creations telekinetically from one spot to another. Rachel always claps like she's never seen it before.

"There you go. Remember honey, Aunt Ororo's coming by tonight. So are a few other people. You might have to put your blocks away." Scott reminds her as he stands, her head on his shoulder. For a second, Scott's thoughts are a mess. Jean can't help but melt at them. 

Whenever Scott does anything with Rachel or anything happens with her, even just someone mentioning her name sometimes, his thoughts pause. They automatically think of her as still a baby. His hand sometimes cradles her neck when he's holding her a certain way, he still checks her car seat buckles even if she's at the phase where she 'can do it herself, daddy!'

It's comforting. And part of the reason Jean doesn't want another baby. Her sister keeps asking her when she's going to have her second. 

"Rachel's not getting any younger!" Sara says constantly. "Neither are you, Jeannie." 

And Jean knows that. Her biological clock is running out. But how could she have another baby? 

It's mainly the mutant situation and the hate coming towards their people that stop her and Scott from ever going through with having a second child. It's too dangerous. Scott had regrets he voiced shortly after Ray was born. 

But a small part of her doesn't want Rachel to have to share the overwhelming love Scott has for her. She could. She has potential to be a great big sister. But she's Scott's baby, through and through. 

He wakes up early, even earlier than he did before she was born, to make her a homemade lunch, to make sure she's got her favorite clothes cleaned for preschool, that all her papers have been looked over and read. That her shoes are clean and still light up. He makes a fresh pitcher of lemonade every two days for Rachel's small tumbler she takes to school with her. 

He builds towers with her when he should be grading. He takes her out to movies every chance he gets, giving Jean the most heartbreaking excuse. 

"I don't want to give her away to some random boy," He always says, already thinking of Rachel getting married. "But when I do, I want her to know how a man is supposed to act on a date."

Jean couldn't imagine having a second child. Scott wanted a big family, only stopped by the opinions of people about mutants. Jean thought she wanted a big family too. 

But she's content with one. She's happy with one. Besides, she tells herself, Rachel is horrible at sharing.

(She's not. Ray is a sweetheart. That's what everyone tells her. She's a sweetheart like Jean. Kind and caring and darling. No one ever says she's sweet like Scott. Jean thinks it's sad. Don't they know how caring her husband is?)

Jean's pulled from her thoughts by a small shake, Scott leaning down to kiss her head when he's got her attention. 

"I'm going to put our little firebird to bed." He mutters to her, keeping his voice low. "You can go nap in our room." He orders her, always worried about her before he's worried about himself. "I'll handle dinner." 

Jean watches him leave for Rachel's room, the door creaking open. Rachel sleeps through it and Scott tosses a boyish grin back at her. They've been arguing over fixing the hinges for a few days. Jean thinks it will wake Rachel up, Scott likes it because it lets them know when she's sneaking out of bed. 

Jean rolls her eyes and stretches out on the couch before heading for the master bedroom. She peeks into Rachel's room as she passes. The quietness of the house makes Jean contemplative, makes her emotional. She'll blame that. 

Scott lays Rachel down in her small bed with as much care as he did the first day they brought her home. Hand on the back of her neck and everything. He takes a moment to turn on her fan and remove her socks, knowing Rachel runs hot. Every movement he's done a hundred times before but each one he takes his time with. He doesn't rush this. Even if Ray is already asleep. He makes sure her windows are still locked and that her nightlight is still working. Her closet door needs to be closed and her stuffed tiger has to be close to her but not touching her. 

Scott does it all with a smile, only leaving the room after every little thing is done, giving her a kiss on the forehead before meeting Jean in the hallway. 

What's wrong? Scott asks through their link. Jean didn't even realize she was projecting how sappy it made her. 

Sometimes, I think you're sweeter to her than you are to me. She teases. She caresses his cheek as he pulls her into his embrace. She loves this man with everything she has. 

"I don't think we can have another baby." Jean whispers, looking back at the cracked open door. Scott hums curiously in response. His chin is in her head, his arms around her waist. 

"Were we planning on one?" Scott asks slowly. 

"No. But people keep asking." Jean shakes her head in response, laughing softly at his careful treading. "I don't think you could handle two." 

"I could!" Scott defends in mock outrage, pulling away to stare down at her with a playful frown. "I could definitely handle two kids." His thoughts are different from Jean's about this. In his mind, he can easily carve out time for a second. He could easily juggle two kids. His thoughts focus more on the second child getting time and effort. 

"You can." She agrees. "But it wouldn't be fair to Ray." She leads him to their room, away from the light sleeper that is their toddler. 

"How so?" Scott asks as he pushes to sit on the edge of the bed. "We could make it fair." 

"You give your everything to Rachel. It wouldn't be fair to ask her to share or cut back on her time with you just because we decided to have another baby." Jean tells him, wanting him to be on the same page as her. "And don't mention her asking for a sibling. She wants a sibling like she wants a puppy." 

Scott chuckles at that, pulling her in by the waist. "I guess you're right. She's been spoiled." He sighs with a dopey grin. 

It's a sight to behold. Her husband, the stoic leader, uptight, no nonsense teacher, looking so smug about how spoiled their child is. 

He takes pride in it. She knows he does. He was raised in an orphanage and the one couple that wanted to adopt him met an untimely fate. Every time he can give Rachel the childhood he begged for, he gets a burst of joy. Anytime he can beat Corsair in parenting, he's on cloud nine. 

"Try not to raise a monster." Jean jokes. 

"My baby could never be a monster." Scott quips back. He's looking at her with a fond smile. The 'baby' he's talking about isn't just limited to Rachel. 

"Sap." She accuses him, kissing him to wipe that smile off his face. 

"I spoil you too." He says after he pulls away, tugging her down on the bed with him. "So, if we're not having another, does that mean we're not allowed to practice?"

"I didn't say that." 

[hiwelcometothemonstersancturary]

Sooo…kind of a weird question, but you mentioned this once in one of your posts, and now I can’t help but wondering: What if one of the toys actually started to date a person outside the family? Like a complete stranger that they met somewhere, but they have formed a good relationship with.

How would everyone react to it? And who would be most likely to be the lucky one?

My bets are on either Poppy or Crafty, but most probably Poppy! She was always a pretty social girl, and I have a feeling that Elliot pre-Prototype used to have so many headaches because of the boys she crushed on. Girl really was testing the old man's heart lmao

Kissy knows about it from the get-go because she's probably there when Poppy is interacting with her crush, but Bobby is the first one the doll tells about it on purpose. Bobby just KNOWS something is up from day one, and Poppy of course spoils her friend/baby sister with gossip. Bobby ofc keeps it all a secret from everyone, but Ollie is very quick to find out by pure accident. His reaction is just "you do realize our dads are going to freak out, right?", Poppy tells him that it won't be that bad, Ollie shrugs.

Kissy and Bobby make a mini protection squad for their sister so nobody outside of them and Ollie will know about the crush until Poppy is ready. And then Bunzo finds out about it by accident, but he SWEARS to keep it a secret, but he does annoy Poppy about it. When she does tell everyone, the reactions are many.

Marie, Kickin, Catnap and Hoppy are quick to start annoying and teasing her. Esp Marie. Dogday, Bubba and Piggy are pretty okay about it! You go, girl! And Crafty is very VERY curious about the person. Huggy and Boxy are just "okay!", and then we have Delight. She's. Protective, to say the least. Probably tries to intimidate the person like "if she gets sad because of you I will make sure you'll regret it 💖".

Then we have the parents of all time. The Prototype is partially happy she's come this far, but then he feels that familiar headache from decades ago... He sighs. Alright. May Poppy please don't be as chaotic this time around. But he becomes worried about one thing, and that is Angel.

Oooooh boy. Angel is all "oh, that's pretty nice" but everyone is just "dad why are you with that murder face". Yeah, they DO NOT trust the person at first, and it takes some time for them to trust however Poppy's partner is. Angel is afraid the person just wants to take advantage of Poppy, or harm her and the rest of the family. Their worries are genuine but they'll try their best to not be a weird overprotective dad over the situation, Poppy knows her way and Angel trusts her enough, but also. They WILL intimidate the person.

[thecherrygod]

hm

[insertcoolnameherethanks]

My one fear is that ST5 does go back in time and no one remembers, therefore Steve is still King Steve and loses the friendships he's made with the kids and Robin

[deathbxnny]

Arcane characters saying things they'll regret during an argument with you. | Vi, Caitlyn, Jinx, Ekko, Sevika x Gn!Reader

(Part two)

Because if I can't be happy, then neither can you./j✨️

Content: Alcoholism, spoilers for season 2, heavy angst, toxic behavior, cursing, established romantic relationships, potential mentions of cheating, gaslighting/ manipulation, probably ooc idk, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns.

((Not proofread))

》VI

You hated the cycle she had trapped herself in. It was never-ending and beyond self-destructive. For a while, you tried to get her out of it by attempting to reason with her, show her the light, tell her that everything is going to be okay and to just stop with the senseless fighting. But then the heavy, out of control drinking began, and she became unrecognizable to you.

She barely spent time with you, and when she did, then it was due to an extreme hangover that you had to nurture her through before the next fight began. You were so sick of it. You couldn't take the state she was in anymore. You wanted your girlfriend back but didn't want to suffer anymore as a result of it. And so, you tried one last time to snap her out of it.

"Hey, uhm... can we talk?" You ask nervously whilst peering at her from the doorway into her room. The roaring of the crowd and indistinguishable words of the announcers buzzed over your heads, reminding you of the timelimit you had to do this right. Vi didn't turn to you and instead focused on smearing the black paint over her eyes, a dark gaze glance cast your way at your meek plea. "Make it quick. I got 10 minutes before I have to be out there again."

You took a deep breath and tried to ignore the coldness in her tone. It was so odd, so not like her. "Vi... I... I need you to stop this. I understand your pain. I really do, I... get it. But this isn't right. You're practically killing yourself here, and I can't take that anymore-" "-This topic again? I told you to fucking drop it already." She hissed with a shake of your head and something about that made you finally snap. "I care about you Vi! That's why I'm doing all of this shit for you. No one else would do as much as I did. Why can't you see that? What the hell happened to you-" Your voice was cut off by her hand slamming into a nearby wall, anger written all over her face that made you flinch away instinctively.

You had never been scared of her before and this just broke your heart further.

"Shut up! You haven't done shit for me, except for pissing me off and whining and crying about every little thing I do! How about you fuck off and leave me the hell alone instead!? The only person who ever did shit for me is Cait and look how that turned out!" Silence. Deafening silence. Except for Vi's heavy breathing. You were rendered speechless. All the years you've spent with her at her side even as children flashed through your mind, before it all stilled and went cold. Your gaze hardened, and you nodded slowly, turning away wordlessly to do as she asked. You understood now. You were always the second choice in the end.

Vi seemed to only notice that you've left once she heard her name being called from the ring above. And her heart sunk at the realisation that this time, you wouldn't be there to watch her win.

And so she didn't.

》CAITLYN

Zaun was becoming a sensitive and dangerous topic to bring up around her. Even the slightest mention of it made her face harden and earn you a dismissive hand waving all of your protests away. It also didn't help that she was pulling away from you and instead getting closer to a certain red-headed officer of hers. It was frustrating and so exhausting to deal with, on top of all the grief that hung over your heads constantly. It was driving you mad. Nothing you said got through to her.

It wasn't a secret that you disapproved of the war and the alliance with Ambessa. You could look right through her, see with a clear mind that she was up to no good. Whatever she had planned wouldn't bring either nation anything but more plight. This wasn't the right way to go about things. It wasn't humane. The people she hated were no different from you both. But she just couldn't see it the same way, her judgment clouded heavily by her need for revenge on Jinx. A singular person had shifted her perception about a whole group of people... and it was becoming suffocating. You couldn't recognize her anymore.

You were trying to find the right time to finally confront her about it fully, and thankfully, the opportunity came up one evening whilst she was going through paperwork in her office. You were pacing nervously around the room, trying to find the courage to speak your mind, but she beat you to it. "If you have something to say, then say it. I have work to do and can not be disturbed like this." She muttered, eyes focused on the sea of papers before her rather than your stilling form. Very well, she asked for it. "I... want this war to end. This isn't right."

Her hand froze before she hummed and resumed her task. "I thought we had moved on from this topic." She said calmly, not betraying how clearly irritated she was becoming. But you couldn't give up now. You'd go crazy if you did. "Caitlyn. There is no moving on from it if people are going to die as a consequence! How could you ever look away from that? Why can't you see that this is wrong? Why can't you see that Ambessa-" You stepped towards her grand desk with every word, hands coming down to push the paper she was holding away from her face. You just wanted her to finally look at you again after so long. "-Is playing with your mind!" "Enough. Don't you dare say another word."

The Kirammann stood up and towered over you, a strong hand grabbing onto your arm with a sharp shake that surprised you. Had the grief taken over her mind this badly? So much so that she couldn't see how much this was hurting you to lose her? "I demand you see reason and stop sympathizing with those treacherous animals... unless you want me to see you as one of them as well." "You think I'd betray you?" You breathed, and suddenly the realisation that you had lost her for good finally sunk in. You needed to go. Now.

Caitlyn's face sobered up at your question, yet before she could say a thing, her dear officer Nolan stepped in with a report in hand. Seeing the position you two were in, she nervously tilted her head. "Oh, my apologies, am I disturbing you-?" "-Not at all. In fact, I'm the one who's disturbing YOU. My apologies for that." Ripping your arm out of her gloved hand, you pushed past the girl and rushed out of the room.

Your girlfriend watched you disappear down the dark hallway before she straightened up and gave the officer a curt nod to go ahead with her report. But it was hard to listen to a word she was saying when Caitlyn's head was replaying the memory of your teary, heartbroken eyes over and over again.

》JINX

She didn't care about her life anymore. That was clear as day, and unfortunately, your relationship was suffering because of it. You knew that Silco's death had killed her inside, that his absence left her lost and confused. But you were so desperate to keep her together. So much so that you were practically destroying yourself for her well-being. Eventually, this boiled over when she was beginning to pull away from you. You, who had always been there. You, who she always cringed onto and begged to stay with her. You only had eachother now. It was impossible to think about a life without her now.

The unhinged spark in her eye had faded away and was replaced by an empty shell of what it once was. That scared you more than you'd like to admit. "Jinx... what are you thinking of?" You asked her one night whilst you quietly snuk around the dark lanes of your home. She didn't respond at first, and your eyes were focused on the back of her hooded head, wondering if she even heard you. But you know she had, when she came to a sudden stop. "... I... I think we should part ways, sweetheart. This ain't gonna go over well forever." She said in that hauntingly calm voice you've grown to hate. And you'd be lying if you said that you didn't see this coming.

"But why? We've always been together through everything. This isn't any different-" "-But it is! It's over! Jinx is over!" Facing you, you near flinched at her glowing, violet eyes, heart beating against your chest. She would never hurt you. You knew she wouldn't. And yet... you found yourself ever so slightly stepping away. Maybe that's what set her off in hindsight. "You're gonna leave me like everyone else anyway. Might as well beat ya to it-" "-I would never do that! What has gotten into you? You should know better than to think that-" "-You're scared of me, ain't ya?" You pressed your lips together when you realised that her mental state had gotten much worse than you expected.

She was losing it.

"In fact, I bet you're thinking of me the same way Vi does. You'll be so much happier without me. But... actually... what if you're going to backstab me like her one day?" The look on your face must've been horrific enough to sober her scrambled mind then because even she seemed to be unsure of what she's saying. And yes, you knew she wasn't doing well. You knew she was just saying things without thinking them through. But you were sick of it. So tired of it all. She could practically read your mind.

"W-wait, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, I-" "-Okay... you're right. We truly would be better off going our separate ways." You were stepping away from her quicker now, and then you were running, your view becoming blurry and unintelligible. "WAIT NO, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME, I DIDN'T MEAN IT, I-" Jinx screamed after you, her breathing heavy and uneven, but she didn't go after you. She knew she had lost that right the second she opened her mouth.

You disappeared into the lanes, for the first time ever sprinting away from rather than towards her. And like the Jinx she was, she had screwed up another good thing up for herself. Perhaps deservingly this time.

》EKKO

Ekko was extremely busy with his duties lately and practically completely neglecting himself for them. It was very concerning to you and everyone, to say the least. Especially now that a war was practically forming at your front door from Piltover. And you were grateful and thankful for all he did for you. You really were. For that reason alone, you wanted him to take things easy at least sometimes to eat and sleep properly when he can. So, on the request of other members, you went to go looking for him one night before it was time for bed. He was sitting up in the tree, clearly planning to keep watch all night, like he usually did.

But you had come with a mission of your own and refused to leave until he came down to bed with you. "Ekko." You hummed as you finally reached him, a friendly smile on your lips. Balancing a nice basket of baked goods you had made yourself, you stepped towards his form that was beautifully illuminated in the moonlight. Seeing him here made you feel content and relieved since you were barely seeing each other to begin with anymore. Which you have been trying to be understanding about.

"I know what you're here for, and the answer is still no." The young man sighed with a shake of his head and frown. You weren't the first one to come by, that's for sure. "Hey... you know this isn't healthy. We're counting on you to stay strong for us, and you can't be that if you're starving yourself." You say with a slight falter to your smile, yet you tried to keep your tone playful and light. He, on the other hand, did not.

"I already told you that it's a no. Now go to bed and let me work." "But I made you these and-" "-I said, no." He hissed out, and that took you aback. He never raised his voice at you, nor did he ever have an attitude with you either. But the stress was getting to him badly, and so was the lack of sleep. "Why can't you just get that? How many times do I have to say it to get it through your thick skull? The least you could do is go and make yourself somewhat useful by patrolling, instead of wasting your time with this."

Oh, how his words cut you deep. Rationally, you knew that everything was just getting too much for him. But it didn't stop you from feeling hurt anyway, as your lip wobbled, and you slammed the basket on a nearby desk before quickly taking your leave wordlessly. Ekko froze at that and reached out to you, your name on the tip of his tongue, but the guilt stopped him from saying a thing.

"Fuck!" He cursed at himself, as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with a disappointed sigh. He definitely was losing it... and you unfortunately had to unfairly take the brunt of it.

》SEVIKA

"What did I tell you about running off when I tell you to stay put? You could have fucking died out there and then what?" Sevika was angry at you. Not that you could necessarily blame her since you did nearly get killed by an Enforcer earlier. But you had no real choice in this. You swore you didn't mean for this to happen. It was supposed to just be a quick errand run. You wanted to make her something nice for dinner, spoil her a little as a thank you for all the work she was putting into Zaun. Yet you couldn't explain any of this with the way she didn't let you even say a word now from the anger running in her veins. In fact, you had never seen her this enraged before.

"I am sick and tired of you disobeying what I tell you. I can't always be there and save you from everything, you know? I got better things to do and than to babysit you all the time-" "- I'm not asking you to do that either! I'm a grown adult, I can take care of myself!" You yelled back, absolutely angry now yourself at the way she always infantilized you like this. It always the same conversation and argument over and over again. You were so sick of it. You could handle yourself just fine and have proved this before. Yet she was so hellbent on proving you wrong every time, you couldn't take it anymore!

"I'm your partner, Sev. You're supposed to treat me like an equal." "I would, if you weren't so fucking incompetent. If I wasn't there, you would've been dead. Why can't you get that? Should I spell it out for you more? Dumb it down even more?" You hated when she was being like this. It was rare for a reason, and you despised this side of her. The side that was so prideful and egotistical. And you were trying so hard not to stoop to her level. It didn't help that you were a little injured and struggling to stand as is. "I'm not in the mood for this shit, I'm literally bleeding. Can we argue about this later, please? I just wanted to surprise you with something nice for once, and I get that I was wrong, but you don't have to be so mean about it, damn it!"

The tears in your eyes were betraying you, and the embarrassment of that just made you push past her and disappear into your shared bedroom. You'll just deal with the injury yourself. Sevika stared after you in slight surprise, considering it was rare for you to yell back like that and cry at that... but the sight of the flowers and half prepared food on the kitchen counter made the regret finally set in.

Perhaps you were right after all.

[wrongtvrns]

The way the blonde looked at her, the way Maeve spoke with softness and understanding, compassion and sympathy lacing every tone — it was obvious that this young woman knew what Kira was feeling. On one hand it was comforting to know she wasn't alone, that someone understood just how heartbreaking it could be to see couples merry and bright together. To see families holding each other tight and sharing glee. The brunette had the attention of many, came with the territory of being a celebrity, but the holiday only highlighted just how alone she was. Just how broken she felt internally. Somehow a little laughter bubbled up and spilled out, soft and light, that smile not quite reaching her eyes. "You're right about that. This open bar of sorts just sounds like trouble." And knowing her ex had now moved to her city? The possibility of running into Leti and the likelihood of some beautiful woman on her arm nearly had Kira running to the eggnog herself.

"The sweaters are amusing because people are so passionate in their hate for them yet people seem to be having fun with them?" Kira was trying to avoid that tug on her heart. Pretty, dark eyes framed with long lashes scanned their surroundings. Maybe some part of her had hoped she could soak up the love and cheer through osmosis. Could that have been why she subjected herself to this? But those words... just to remind us of what we don't have... caused the brunette to swallow down the emotion knotting in her throat. "Wait — you don't have family around?" They hadn't quite shared their stories. For some reason protective of their pain. Talking about things made them all the more real, didn't they? "I feel so out of touch," she said blinking the fog in her head away and shaking it gently as well, stepping a little closer to Maeve, "I'm sorry, I think I assumed you had a partner. I do listen, I apologize, I've just got my head so far up my own ass feeling sorry for myself..." Kira offered a rueful smile.

The humor was appreciated and a more genuine look of amusement momentarily crossed Kira's face. She wholeheartedly appreciated what Maeve was trying to do and even let out a chuckle, but those would be problems she'd love to have. With her parents she still wasn't allowed at the table.The boyfriend? He was for show and to gain some ground back with her parents. Friends were busy with their own lives and families and loved ones. She was becoming weak enough that she might call her ex in the middle of the night just so she could feel a little something. Even if that would end up only being more torture. "No, no... you're right. Sorry, I'm being such an insufferable bitch, aren't I? Just wallowing over here." The brunette hauled in a breath and tried to sober herself of the downward spiral she'd been taking on. She perked up, listening with a faint smile at the blonde talk about her little plans with her little one. "That's really sweet and so meaningful. Even if she's too young now, there's a day soon where that will be the world to her." The invite had actually surprised her and Kira was certain her initial reaction had displayed that. Before she could form the words in response, however, Kira was nodding. "We could..." The brunette encouraged, more nodding of her head. "We could cook up a little dinner and do presents." She wasn't even Christian but she wanted to be apart of something somehow. "Thanks to my mom's bakery I'm fairly decent at that. I could make us some treats?" She was starting to go off with ideas, just tossing out and seeing what stuck with Maeve. "You'll regret the ugly sweaters but I'd love that. If I wouldn't be imposing of course."

Maeve listened, her soft gaze never wavering as Kira spoke. There was something unspoken in the air—something heavier than the twinkling lights or the festive music surrounding them. It was in the way Kira’s smile faltered just slightly at the edges, in how her words danced between humor and heartache.“Oh, I’m sure someone will make a scene before the night’s over," Maeve teased, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "The holidays do bring out the best and the worst in people… especially when questionable sweaters and too much eggnog are involved.” But as Kira’s tone shifted, Maeve did too. Subtle. Softer. She tilted her head just slightly, a quiet understanding settling over her features. “It is tough,” she admitted, no judgment in her voice. “All those picture-perfect moments—it’s like they’re lit up in neon this time of year, just to remind us what we don’t have.” There was no pity in Maeve’s tone, just the honesty of someone who knew that ache far too well.

Her lips quirked into something gentler, a faint, reassuring smile. “But don’t let the staged scenes fool you. Half of those people are fighting over whose turn it is to take the trash out, or burning the turkey.” Her voice dipped a little, almost conspiratorial. “And you? You’re not the only one who’s had a rough go of it lately, I promise you that.” The question about her plans earned a small chuckle, low and self-deprecating. “Christmas? New Year’s?” Maeve ran a hand through her hair, her shoulders lifting in a loose shrug. “Honestly, my plans are mostly kid-centered. I don't have any family here so it's just me and my little one this year around.” Her expression softened as she added, “She keeps me grounded, though. Reminds me that the holidays don’t have to be perfect to mean something. I mean she's still too young to know it but I want her to always know that.” She glanced at Kira, brows raised just slightly as if testing the waters before offering, “What about you? If you don’t have plans, maybe we could, I don’t know… make some of our own? A little less ‘Hallmark movie,’ a little more us.” Maeve’s smile grew, teasing but sincere. “I’ll even let you pick the ugly sweaters.”

[yanderenightmare]

TW: nsfw, noncon/dubcon, omegaverse, subjugation, some type of sexism, bad politics, chemically induced heat? institutionalized reader, doctors, wack rehabilitation program, ish brainwashing

fem reader

You’d been difficult to tame. Or, he just didn’t have the time to do it properly—too busy at work and too tired when coming home. He’d wanted a sweet Omega, one who did house chores when he was away and had dinner ready for him when he got off.

You’d looked real sweet at the auction—a perfectly beautiful Omega. You weren’t cheap either—everyone had made their bids, but he’d been the one to walk away with the prize in the end. He can’t say he regrets it—he still has a fondness for you even though you’re not what he’d thought he’d purchased.

You just need some behavioral correcting. And so, he put you in an Omega institution.

It had been recommended to him. It’s not so uncommon, he later found out while reading up on the place. Auctioned Omegas tend to end up a little rough around the edges—here, at the institution, they’ll smooth those edges right out.

Sadly, there’s been a rise in unstable Omegas as of late—he reads on their website. It’s a misguided revolution taking place in several auction homes that’s to blame for it—circling modern ideas of liberation, equality, andindependence. It all stems from a place of fear, the website explains in detail—Omegas seek to stand on their own in the world. Cooped up in auction homes, they fear they’ll never see the outside without a mate—and as the years dwindle on and their prospects become slimmer, they start fantasizing about doing it on their own.

He feels sorry for you while reading it. Your attitude makes more sense now, knowing you’ve been fed a bunch of deluded nonsense. He can’t blame you for getting swept up in it—you’re a little younger than him, after all. But the silly idea of a lone Omega isn’t just laughable but dangerous. It was best of him to make sure any such notions were quashed—for your own good—before you end up doing something you might regret. 

And it seemed this place was the place to do it. In fact, many of his fellow Alphas had done the same, and they’d all sung this particular institution’s praises.

Oh, but it’s been hard. You wouldn’t talk to him much or even keep him in good company at home, but still, he misses your presence. The house seems so empty without your little everyday spats to keep him on his toes.

You’ve been away for a whole month now, and he hasn’t even been allowed to visit, not once. It would ruin the process, he was told. But he’s been assured that the caretakers there have been making great progress with you. He should be able to come pick you up as soon as the start of next week.

He remembers having been skeptical about leaving you here as he walks to announce himself at the help desk. The facility is pristine and sterile—very impersonal, just like any other hospital. He wonders if you’ve been scared. After all, it’s most likely your skittish nature that makes you so hostile, joined with misgivings making you confused. It can’t be easy. He hopes the doctors here have helped you sort things out. Maybe you won’t be so frustrated all the time.

He was led to a private room where he could complete some paperwork for your release while waiting for your discharge. He made quick work of it. A door opens, and your doctor comes through, and then, following right behind him, there’s you—his pretty little Omega.

He doesn’t think he’s ever seen you quite so subdued—not even when you’d been caged at the auction, there’d still been some fight to your spirit. Now, not so much—taking quiet and careful steps with your head hung, looking at your slipper-clad feet.

You pick your face up when you recognize the scent, and then you look at him like you’ve just seen a ghost. Wide-eyed and lock-jawed—your breathing picks up rapidly, and his name drops from your lips like a pained whimper, followed by a sudden burst of tears and a rush toward him. “You came back—” 

You’re on him before he has the time to blink—pressed against him tightly, skin-to-skin and heart-to-heart, with your face buried in the grove of his neck. Your claws are slightly drawn, but in no effort to hurt him—rather, to cling to him. It’s not any normal hug—not that you’d ever given him one before—but even so, you’re swaddledaround his neck with your legs crossed at his back.

He’s taken aback by the behavior—it isn’t like you at all. He remembers your aversion to his touch, how you’d regard him like a plague, snarling each time he’d get too close. This was beyond new.

But you leave him no opening to comment either, too busy rambling in meek little whispers pressed into his skin, “Thank you, thank you, thank you—I knew you’d come back—knew you hadn’t forgotten about me. I’m sorry I was being difficult, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You’ve forgiven me, right? You’ll take me home now, right? Please—”

He’d never been in a position to soothe you before—you’d never wanted it. He doesn’t know what else to do but smooth a hand over your hunched and shuddering back, shushing you like he’d seen mothers do with their sobbing children. You didn’t look much different right now.

“Yeah… we’re going home,” he assures you. 

You hug him a little tighter as a sob wreaks through you.

This isn’t exactly what he prepared himself for. He thought you’d be... well, he doesn’t really know... nicer?Perhaps. Agreeable. Not so violent. But not this—this broken little ball of shivering sniffles holding onto him as if the world was about to end.

He swallows thickly, then looks at your doctor—he doesn’t seem surprised. In fact, he seems utterly unfazed.

It makes him wonder, a little warily, “What have you done with her?”

The doctor seems more than happy to explain—it’s only customary, after all. He’d paid a lot to have you rehabilitated here.

“Each omega requires special treatment suited to them,” the doctor explains. “Yours was particularly unruly.”

You flinch. He feels your claws dig deeper, but they’re too blunt to draw blood and too weak to hurt anyway. But even so, your sentiments are more than clear—you fear this doctor with your entire being.

“We’ve found that in the case of hostile Omegas, the most effective way to correct their behavior is to keep them isolated and let their own instincts remind them of what they need,” the doctor continues. “Of course, we’ve taken protective measures to ensure she wouldn’t harm herself in said isolation and have fed her accordingly at scheduled times every day.” He smiles. “We can assure you she’s been perfectly safe in the pillow room.”

He lifts the silver suitcase he’d been holding, props it up, and pops the lid, revealing a row of ten syringes—a hot pink fluid within.

“This is our recommended medicine.”

You shudder even more, unrelenting in your grip around him—hanging on so tightly as if you fear someone would come and pry you off him at any moment.

“Give one to her if and when she acts up. More instructions come with the case—please read through them carefully.”

He eyes the syringes with furrowed brows, picking one up to inspect it further. They don’t look like anything he’s read about in the brochure or on the website—perhaps a brand new method for treating Omegas? This is a cutting-edge institution, after all.

He can’t guess what they must do to make you cower like that. The spit-spire he left here a month ago wouldn’t cry over a tiny needle.

“What are they?” he asks.

The doctor’s smile stretches. “Nothing dangerous. All natural hormone components.”

He’s not sure what that entails, and so he quirks a brow while laying the syringe back in its designated mold. “And what does that mean?”

The doctor clasps the case shut and hands it over to him while explaining plainly, “They induce heat.” 

He accepts the case before his ears have the chance to draw back at his words. Now that explains your sudden clinginess—why you’re so frigid.

The doctor adds, “Poor thing’s spent quite a few alone in the pillow room, so I’m sure she’ll be grateful to finally be by her mate’s side again.”

He’s speechless.

Spending heat alone, without any relief, is a form nothing short of torture. If he’d known that was what they were doing to you, he wouldn’t have sent you here in the first place. He very nearly chews the doctor out for using such barbaric methods but thinks better of it. If anything were to be done, it would be through a well-worded and filed complaint and a vow to never do business with them ever again.

Though, coming home with you by his side, still clinging to him… he can’t argue with the results. 

So he doesn’t complain. He just enjoys your new and improved wellness and promises never to use those injections on you himself. Yes, they’d forego their expiration date soon enough, dusting away in the back of his closet. He’d never ever put you through something so horrid. That’s his pledge as your mate.

Oh, but then... the honeymoon phase dissolves. And you return to your old habits of teeth and claws.

It’s never-ending barking with you all over again—you want to leave, you want to be alone, you don’t want him to touch you, you blame him for what you went through at the institution, you hate him for it, and you’ll never ever forgive him.

He doesn’t want to—he swears while holding the syringe to your thigh where he’s strapped you down in bed with ropes and knots—he doesn’t want to, he really doesn’t, but you leave him no choice when you act like a wild animal. 

The first time is always the hardest. But he doesn’t leave you alone in a room like they did at the institution—no, he helps you through it. It’s not torture this way. It’s just… well, what can he say? It’s just a little reminder to get you back on your good behavior.

You would rather stay here than get sent back to the pillow room, right?

It’s all too easy the second time around even though it shouldn’t have been. It was only a day of small uproars, nothing all that bad—refusing to greet him at the door, to make dinner, to fix his plate, to wash dishes, to come to bed. He’d allowed you days like that in the past, but this time, he’d felt himself gravitate towards his so-called last resort once again. 

Still, he’d felt a little guilty about it. 

It would be easier to refrain if it didn’t work like a charm.

Now, he goes and finds the briefcase at the drop of a hat. Say something snarky or look at him funny. Give him any opportunity, and he’ll abuse it—even things you don’t even mean to do, like burning the food, shrinking his clothes in the wash, or forgetting to make the bed in the morning. He’s on you with the syringe deep in your flesh before you can even mouth the words “I’m sorry—”

You’re limp and sweat-drenched after a few hours. He spoons you as the spasms continuously ricochet through you—his spent leaking down your thighs. Even after several rounds, the hormones are still brewing up a bad storm within your gut, thundering in your heart as its lightning zips along your limbs. Your head is a rainy cloud—heavy and full yet soft like cotton.

“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to—it was an accident—” you mumble between labored breaths, not entirely sure what error you’d made this time, shivering against his warm chest as he cups your breast in one big hand and your swollen cunt in the other.

“I know, I know it was, baby,” he coos. “But you need to be more mindful—can’t be making so many mistakes all the time.” His lips brush your skin as he purrs, placing small pecks against your cheek and neck. “How can I trust you with my pups if you’re gonna be such a scatterbrain, hm?”

The mention of pups makes something roar more ferociously in your underbelly, and you whimper meekly in return. “I’m sorry—I’ll do better.”

“Good. I’m sure you’ll get there, sweetie.”

The storm within crackles, rumbling with a deepening hunger. Even though you feel battle-worn and ever ready for the sweet escape of sleep, there’s something even needier and heedless that makes your body feel all but set ablaze.

You’ve cum so many times already, but it’s still not enough—it’s never enough. It takes everything in you to make sense of his words—to act civil even when all you want is to jump his bones—make him fuck you until your fever breaks, then allow you rest.

But act in any way out of turn, and he’ll only drag this out. Be sweet, you remind yourself—sugar, syrup, honeycomb—sweet and soft like velvet—no teeth or claws or growling. No matter what, don’t let the animal out of the cage.

“No matter how many lessons it’ll take…” he murmurs. “I’m here to help.”

“Thank you—” you wince while rubbing your thighs together—grinding against his hand in desperation. “Can you… can we—”

He chuckles fondly, feeling you rub your ass back against his crotch wantingly. “Oh? Another round so soon?” 

You bite your lip at his teasing. Far beyond proud to not be begging, “Yes, please—pretty, pretty please—”

The sweet warble in your voice is so pitiful and cute—he can’t help the smile it brings him. “Alright, honey,” he hums while shifting, getting up with a hearty sigh, then leaning over you to give your pleading little pout a kiss. He feeds you his next words with a grin on his face, “Let’s see about that needy pussy of yours.”

He spreads and shimmies himself between your aching thighs, nice and snug against the weeping little thing between them—looking down at you with heavy-lidded eyes and a smug smile that makes you feel like the most hopeless little Omega in the world.

He places another kiss upon your forehead—dwarfing your hand in his big one, braiding your fingers together while the other carries his meaty cock, holding it steady up to your fluttering and glossy slit. 

The size never fails to make you squirm as you look down at it—wondering why you crave it so badly when it only serves to make your body twist and scream from the stretch it gives you.

 “Don’t worry, sweetie,” he soothes the tiny cry that cracks from your throat once he starts easing the length inside the snug comforts of your walls. “Your Alpha’s here to make it all better.”

♡ BNHA – old man Bakugou, Deku, Kirishima, Enji ♡ JJK – Nanami, Geto, Kusakabe ♡ HQ – Daichi, Ushijima ♡ AOT – Erwin

♡ FEM x M INSERT masterlist ♡ GN x M INSERT masterlist