#...maybe that will be the fire that gets put out though.....

[revelboo]

I'm waiting very impatiently for my boy. I will have an army of Waves.

Nice! Copter Wasp arrived today. I’m dying that they gave him a crotch stinger, though

Worker Bee Pt 18

Waspinator x Reader

• Swearing you grab at the electrical cord for the microwave to unplug because it’s smoking and sparking. And then you’re swearing because the cord is so hot it burns your palm. Grabbing a dish towel and yanking the plug loose, then turning to snatch the sprayer head for the sink, cranking the water on full blast and hosing the microwave down in a sort of mute panic. Aware of Waspinator lingering in the doorway, servos clasped together and thankfully keeping out of the way. Also aware of the fire alarm still screaming as your burned palm manages to break through the adrenaline kick.

• You’re just standing there staring at the little, food box and you release the sprayer suddenly to send it banging as it retracts back into place. And his antenna flatten back waiting for the anger. Had only been trying to prove he can take care of you. Had put your food things from the cold box in the small one. Added some of the snacks you call spoons for good measure and had made it beep and hum like you do. But it has gone wrong. “Little friend?” It’s then he notices your hand. How red and shiny your palm is.

• He’s right there when you turn, servos reaching and you walk past him, grabbing the broom from by the fridge and aggressively stabbing at the fire alarm until you knock it loose, and bending to awkwardly fumble the battery out of it with one hand. You’re definitely feeling the burn now, can’t close your fingers, skins feeling tight and throbbing with your heartbeat. And you’re pretty sure you’re about to start bawling again. Feel one of his hands catch at the back of your shirt. “I can’t right now, okay?”

• “Little friend hurt,” he insists, catching your wrist in his other hand to examine your hand. And your eyes are blank as you stare at him. “Waspinator trying to help.” Why does he always get things wrong? Knows something is wrong with him, that he doesn’t think quite right sometimes, but he tries. And it’s always wrong. Maybe he deserves to be hurt. Almost wishes you’d lash out instead of just looking at him like that.

• “It’s fine,” you insist, trying to tug free and freezing when he bends over your trapped hand, mandibles spreading and glossa sliding over your palm. Tensing for more pain. And surprised when the pain eases instead as he pins his antenna back and keeps laving your palm with his glossa. Numbing it somehow. Apparently bug breath has magic spit. Still disgusting even if you are slightly thankful for it. Those big optics flicking hesitantly up at you as his wings fidget. Calming enough to remember what he’d said before. About dating.

Previous

[woso-dreamzzz]

Melting Pot IV

McFoord x Child!Reader

Ruesha Littlejohn x Child!Reader

woso-dreamzzz Kids x Child!Reader (Kiddo)

Summary: Sports day with a bunch of hyper competitive people

"Ouch!"

Caitlin sighs, massaging her temples as she comes down the stairs.

It had already been a loaded morning, crammed full of everything and nothing at the same time.

"Stop it!"

She'd only been upstairs for a moment, separating Gremlin's kitten from your own.

They were two vastly different cats.

Gremlin's Spicy was angry, a walking ball of fuzz that leapt first and asked questions later. He was liable to throwing up hairballs while making eye contact and bringing in dead rats from the railroad tracks.

Your Baby was the opposite, a demure little lady who groomed herself all the time and took naps on your blanket. She craved affection and wound herself around ankles whenever anyone even so much as looked at her.

Two vastly different cats like their vastly different owners.

"Hey!" Katie snaps as Caitlin turns the corner," Gremlin, knock it off! Leave your sister alone!"

A very clear bite mark is on your wrist as you sob, curled up on Katie's lap as she struggles to get your sister's shoes on her feet.

"I've got her," Caitlin says, nudging her girlfriend away," Go and put Kiddo in the car."

Usually, a Saturday morning meant a chill day.

Sleeping until noon and having some brunch. Most of the time pancakes, sometimes waffles if Katie could be bothered to get out the waffle maker.

But today was Sports Day at the school so you were all up bright and early to make it there in time.

Caitlin already knew how this was going to go though.

Gremlin would get hyper competitive and most likely push someone over in her haste to win and you would linger at the back of your pack of peers with no hint of athletic ability in you.

Your little sister was much younger than you so she was separated with the other nursery age girls while you were included in your class.

"That wasn't very nice," Caitlin says as she slips the leash straps over Gremlin's shoulders," You know your sister is sensitive. Why did you bite her?"

Gremlin shrugs. "Dunno."

"Well, I think you should apologise."

"Dragons not say sorry!"

"And dragons don't exist," Caitlin replies, hoisting Gremlin up onto her hip," Maybe you should think about that."

You've stopped crying by the time you're all in the car, a few fingers in your mouth and the other hand out for Katie to hold during the drive, Gremlin's ring of teeth marks displayed so obviously.

"Sorry," Your sister mumbles to you, kicking the seat in front of her.

"For?" Katie prompts.

"Bitin' you."

You mumble your thanks through your fingers just as Caitlin pulls up in front of the school.

She can see a few of the parents she knows well heading into the gates.

Life working at the fire station tended to bond people.

Leah is corralling Bean inside while Jordan (who used to work at the fire station but left after one too many near death scares) crosses the street with their Bug. Lia, their constantly exasperated admin person, is crossing the street with her Guppy as well, joining up with the two of them with a smile.

"Alright," Katie says, turning to look back at her two daughters," Remember what I said about today?"

"It doesn't matter if we don't win because you'll still love us the same," You recite through a mouthful of your fingers and Katie smiles.

"That's exactly right."

You hold Mammy's hand as you all cross the road.

Mammy holds Caitlin's hand. You hold Mammy's. Your little sister holds yours.

She raises your wrist up to her mouth and you tense but all she does is give you a little kiss on the bite mark.

"Sorry," She says again.

"It's okay."

Gremlin smiles at you and you smile back,

"Hey," Katie says, swinging your joined arms," Ma's over there."

It wasn't your week with Rue but she's still come to your sports day and the only hint of athletic ability you possess is put into running over to her.

"Ma!" You cry and she hoists you into her arms instantly.

"Look at you! Looking good, kiddo!" Rue says, bouncing you up and down as you lean into her, breathing in her familiar smell. "You ready for today?"

Your stomach suddenly starts swirling a little.

You know Katie's views on your sports day performance. You don't know Rue's.

"I won't be very good," You say softly, barely above a whisper.

"You don't have to be good," Rue says decisively," Listen, I've got permission from your Mammy that after this is over, we can go to that fancy bakery you like and get some cakes before I take you back to her. Would that be nice?"

"And we can get cupcakes?"

"As many cupcakes as you like!"

Like you thought, you don't do overwhelmingly well at sports day.

You lag behind in the races and in the big jumping. You do fairly well at throwing the beanbags into the hula hoops but that's about it.

Sports day finishes with the sporty girls winning like everyone thought and a big barbecue to celebrate.

Your little sister eats a lot, Caitlin gets you cotton candy and your mothers even end up being civil.

"Caitlin," You say as your eyes rove around the school field," Why are the mummies and big sisters stretching?"

"Huh?"

Caitlin has a piece of beef hanging out of her mouth.

You point.

Over on the far end by the fence, Alexia and Jenni are stretching their legs. Leah is a few feet away doing the same. Alessia is jumping up and down a few times, warming up her muscles.

Even Katie is doing the same, chatting away to one of Bear's mummies.

"Well that's for the parent race."

"Parent race?"

"Uh-huh." Caitlin takes a wet napkin to Gremlin's face. "So the mummies can all race each other to see who's the best."

"But why?"

"Because adults can be competitive too. They get bragging rights."

That sounds...

Well it doesn't exactly sound weird.

Mammy and Caitlin work at the fire station together and you know all the firefighters there are super competitive with each other.

You didn't know that other adults were competitive too.

"Be careful, Magda," You hear one of Princesse's mummies say," You're not as fit as you used to be."

"Please," Princesse's other mummy scoffs," I'm not letting anyone beat me."

"If you pull a muscle, you get no sympathy from me."

You turn back to Caitlin in alarm. "Is Mammy going to hurt herself?"

"No...Probably not...Hopefully not."

That doesn't fill you with much confidence as Katie takes her place on the starting line.

It's carnage the moment the start is called as adults shove each other and get their legs tangled and fall to the ground in heaps.

Katie goes crashing into the ground in a heap with Leah, Steph and Lucy. Alexia and Jenni collide with each other and Irene. Mapi somehow trips over herself.

Against all odds, it seems, Duckie's mummy Jessie comes first.

Squish's mummy Frida is second and Conejita's mummy Caro ends up in third.

"Get off!" Katie says, shoving the pile of people off of her as you, Caitlin and Gremlin approach.

You crouch next to her.

"It's okay, Mammy," You say," You didn't have to win. I still love you the same."

[deerlysacred]

🍲 yellow fever & pinkie pie { dean winchester x witch fem!reader }

𐂂 𝄢 { you're taking care of dean, he's been scared of tiniest things because of a ghost sickness, while sam and bobby works to kill that ghost, they have to kill it as soon as possible since this sickness is known to lead to a heart attack that would kill dean.}

𖣂 𝄢 established relationship & fluff {s4 e6}

‼️ 𝄢 i do not own supernatural or any of its characters; all rights belong to their respective creators. this is purely a work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only, with no intention of profit.

You arrived back at the motel, leaving Sam and Bobby to deal with this ghost Luther problem, because let's face it, someone needed to babysit Dean before he jumped out of a window over a dust bunny because of this ghost sickness.

The second you stepped inside, you heard a high-pitched yelp and saw Dean standing on the bed, brandishing a motel lamp like it was excalibur. His wide, panic-stricken emerald eyes found you, and he exhaled like he just saw an angel descend from the heavens.

Not Castiel, though. Castiel makes him uncomfortable for… reasons.

"Y/N!" he sighed, dropping the lamp. "Thank God. You're back. I was just—uh—checking for… uh, ghosts and stuff…"

You glanced at the floor. A sock. He screamed at a sock.

In his defense, it was a very threatening sock. Looked like it hadn't been washed since '98. But still.

You raised an eyebrow, but decided to let it go. "Okay, Dean. Sure." You walked past him towards the tiny motel kitchen to put the grocery bags on the counter.

You looked at Dean again, who was back to surfing through the channels. He was gripping the blankets up to his chest, eyes darting around like the walls were gonna close in on him.

Poor thing.

"You hanging in there?" you asked, soft but teasing.

Dean scoffed. "Oh yeah, just peachy, Y/N. Love having my whole nervous system on fire." He scratched his arm for the hundredth time. "You sure Sam and Bobby got this?"

"Positive." You placed a bag from the diner on the table. "Got you something, by the way."

Dean's head snapped to attention like a dog hearing the word 'treat'. "Is that—?"

"Pie."

His eyes misted over like he was a kid and you just told him he was finally getting a game console for Christmas.

"Not yet, though. You can eat it after you eat your soup. No sweets before feeding you properly. I thought soup would be the safest choice since Sam said the healthier you eat, the better in this process. Just bear with me until you get free from this sickness — even if it means eating veggies. Which— I know! is a torture for you."

You smiled to yourself when you heard him complain but still accept it, and turned back to focus on making the soup, fingers grazing the crinkling plastic before pulling out the ingredients one by one. A can of chicken broth, a bundle of fresh parsley, carrots, onion and garlic. You rolled up your sleeves, pushing your hair behind your ears as you reached for the knife.

The first cut into the onion sent an immediate sting through your eyes, the smell crisp and sharp. As you worked, slicing through the layers with careful precision, Dean groaned dramatically from the bed.

"You know," he said, voice hoarse from too much panicked yelling earlier, "this whole nurturing thing you do? It's unnatural."

You didn't look up, chopping the onion into uniform little squares. "Feeding my sick boyfriend is unnatural?"

The knife in your hand hesitated over the onion, its papery skin crackling under your grip. You weren't stalling —well, maybe a little— but something about cooking for Dean in this moment felt oddly… adult. Which was ridiculous, because you were an adult. Technically. Legally. And yet, standing here in this dingy motel kitchen, dicing vegetables like someone who had their life together, felt… weirdly comforting, yet different.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm the one who's supposed to be taking care of you." His voice was muffled, probably because he had pulled the blanket halfway over his face in some half-hearted attempt to hide from reality, embarrassed. "Instead, I'm over here in full damsel mode, while you make me soup like a… like a wholesome 1950s housewife."

You scoffed, swiping the onions and garlic pieces into the pan, to the melted butter. "I'd be a pretty awful housewife. Witches don't exactly thrive in suburbia."

Dean grumbled something under his breath, then turned onto his back, staring at the ceiling. A beat passed. Then—

"…So, you don't think you'd be good at it?"

"Good at what?" You tossed in the carrots, their color bright against the golden broth.

"You know. The whole—" He made a vague circling gesture. "Domestic thing. Housewife-y stuff."

Oh.

Your hands hesitated, fingers tightening around the wooden spoon. The question felt heavier than it should have, like an old doubt creeping back.

"I don't know… I don't think I could handle it."

The words slipped out before you could stop them, and suddenly, the air felt a little heavier. You focused on the simmering broth, stirring absently. Dean propped himself up on one elbow, giving you a skeptical look. "Why not?"

You hesitated. "Because… I don't know." You stirred the soup, watching the vegetables bob in the broth. "I love taking care of people. And I like doing this. But I dont think I'd be the perfect wife type. I'd get distracted with my own things and forget to clean. I'd forget which bills are due… Like… I don't even feel like an adult at most days. I just feel like an overgrown child in adult clothes, trying to mimic other people who seem to have it all together. I struggle with the easiest and most ridiculous things on a regular basis. I forget what day it is all the time. I still have to remind myself to drink water some days. I can't even commit to a consistent sleep schedule." You sighed, setting the knife down for a moment. "I can make soup, sure, but can I handle, like… taxes? Mortgage payments? Children? That's a whole other level of responsibility, and I still feel like I'm barely holding my own life together. The idea of people depending on me all the time kinda freaks me out."

Dean tilted his head. "I depend on you all the time."

You froze for half a second before keep stirring the soup, trying not to let that sink in too deep. You poured a splash of heavy cream into the pot, watching it swirl into the broth like a tiny storm. "Yeah, but that's different. That's us."

"Uh-huh." He shifted, wincing. "And what exactly do you think a housewife does?"

"Be perfect?" you guessed. "Know all the right things? Handle everything without panicking?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Oh, so like Bobby."

"Shut up! You'll make me burn the soup. Just… don't distract me with these topics." You laughed, shaking your head as you decreased the heat. You reached for the celery, chopping it into small pieces before tossing it into the pot with a satisfying plop, finally with a flick of your wrist, you sprinkled in a generous pinch of salt and pepper, giving the pot a quick stir. Then you wiped your hands on a paper towel, surveying your handiwork. The soup was coming along, a slow-simmering concoction of broth, vegetables, and herbs. A warm, homey scent curled through the air. You put the pan lid on, accidentally dropping the lid on the pan loudly before you fixed it.

Dean flinched against the unexpected loud noise that was heard.

You turned to him. "Did you just—?"

"I didn't flinch." he said quickly, hugging the pillow.

You raised an eyebrow. "Dean, it's just a sound."

"Yeah, well, it was loud."

You hid your grin and started to tidy the dishes, letting him keep his dignity, or what was left of it at least. It was quiet for a moment, just the sound of bubbling broth and whatever dumb reality show Dean had landed on. You figured he'd be fine for at least thirty seconds.

And then—

"GAH!"

You whirled around to find Dean half-off the bed, eyes huge, you nearly dropped the spoon you were about to wash. "Dean?!"

"What? What is it?" you asked, heart pounding.

Dean lifted a shaking hand and pointed at the TV. "Oh my God. Y/N. That was—" He swallowed thickly, visibly trembling. "That was so messed up."

You squinted at the screen.

It was My Little Pony.

…You've gotta be kidding me.

"…Dean."

"They stared at me, Y/N," he whispered. "With those big, dead eyes."

You blinked. "The… ponies?"

"Yes, the ponies!" His voice was an octave higher than normal. "That pink one was too happy, like… Like, she seemed… nuts—happy. That was scary…"

You pressed your lips together, exhaling through your nose. "Dean. It's a children's cartoon."

"I don't care if it is a cartoon at the first glance, that is a psychological horror show!" He rubbed his arms like he was cold. "No way kids watch that and come out normal."

Ouch. Rude much? Patience, Y/N. Not a great time to argue about one of your favorite childhood cartoons.

You sighed and turned back to your tidying. "Just… pick something else."

A few moments of silence.

Then:

"OH, HELL NO!"

Your head snapped up just in time to see Dean fling the remote across the room. It bounced off the wall and landed with a thud on the carpet.

You gaped at him. "Dean! What now?"

He was breathing hard, practically pressed against the headboard. "A COMMERCIAL CAME ON."

You waited… He didn't elaborate?

"…A commercial for what, exactly?"

Dean shook his head, traumatized. "Headache pills.”

You stared. "You're scared of pills now?"

"They were listing side effects, Y/N." His voice was hushed like he was revealing a terrible secret. "Side effects."

You bit your bottom lip to not laugh and leaned against the counter. "Dean, side effects are on, like, every medication—"

"ONE OF THEM WAS DEATH, Y/N! AND I TOOK ONE EARLIER!"

You sighed, rubbing your temple. "Dean, I promise you are not going to die from headache pills."

"YOU CAN'T PROVE THAT."

And that was it. You couldn't hold it in anymore. You burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the motel room like it had no business being that loud. Dean just stared at you, wide-eyed and offended.

"You think this is funny?" he hissed, like you just personally betrayed him. "This is life or death, Y/N!"

You snorted, trying to reign it in, but the sheer absurdity of the situation had a chokehold on you. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry,it's just… Dean, you're literally the guy who laughs in the face of actual death. Ghosts, demons, werewolves— you name it. But today, a sock, a cartoon pony, and a bottle of pills are your mortal enemies."

Dean glared, but it was hard to take seriously when his hair was sticking up like he just wrestled with the blanket and lost. "Hey, those ponies were unnatural. And don't even get me started on side effects. Internal bleeding, Y/N. Internal. Bleeding."

You chuckled, grabbing a bowl from the counter and ladling some of the soup into it. "Here. Eat this before you spiral into thinking the spoon's out to get you too."

He eyed the bowl like it might explode but took it anyway. You plopped down on the edge of the bed, watching him blow on the soup carefully.

"See? Not so bad, right?" you teased, nudging his leg with your foot.

Dean took a cautious sip, then sighed like you just handed him the elixir of life. "Okay, I'll admit… This is freakin' good." He shot you a sideways glance. "Suspiciously good. You sure you didn't put anything weird in it?"

You placed a hand over your heart and spoke with a fake offended voice. "Wow. Accusing your loving girlfriend of poisoning you. That's rich."

Dean pointed his spoon at you. "Hey, I've seen Hansel and Gretel, okay? Witches making suspiciously good food? Classic setup."

You rolled your eyes, scooting back against the headboard. "Right, because if I wanted to fatten you up and eat you, I totally would've waited two years into our relationship to do it."

Dean took another sip, visibly relaxing with every bite. "Could be a long con."

You smirked. "If I wanted to kill you, Dean, trust me, I wouldn't use soup."

Dean paused, spoon hovering in mid-air, before he slowly turned his head to squint at you. "…That was an unsettling thing to say."

You batted your eyelashes innocently. "Was it?"

Dean huffed, and scooped up another spoonful, chewing.

He talked after seemingly getting lost in thoughts for a while. "Y'know… If you really don't think you'd be good at the whole domestic thing, you should know— being perfect at it ain't the point."

You blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone and topic. "What do you mean?"

Dean shrugged, keeping his eyes on the soup. "I mean, you don't have to be some apron-wearing, 'dinner's ready when you walk through the door, honey' type for that whole 'apple pie life' to work. You already take care of people, Y/N. Not just with food, but… with the way you are." He gestured vaguely, wiping his lips with a napkin. "You make things feel… safe."

Your chest tightened at that.

Dean cleared his throat. "And, I mean, hell, if we're talking responsibilities? You think I keep track of bills? Babe, that's Sam. If it were up to me, we'd be in jail for tax fraud or something."

That earned a laugh from you. "Yeah, I believe that. And thanks for saying those, but still…"

"But nothing," he cut in. "You care, Y/N. You give a damn. And you fight for it. That's what matters. The rest? That's just details."

You gulped and looked at him as your heart did a ridiculous little flip. "You make it sound so simple."

Dean shrugged. "'Cause it is. You and me? We've handled worse than taxes."

You snorted, finally looking up at him. "That is… an accurate point."

"Damn right it is." His smirk softened, his thumb brushing absentmindedly against your hip. "So stop freaking out. You're doin' just fine." He pulled you to his side and kissed your forehead. Your brain short-circuited for a second at the casual intimacy of it all. But as you stared at him—his usual confidence, the way he looked at you like he knew you better than you knew yourself— you felt some of the weight on your shoulders lift, you hummed and nodded. Wanting to believe him.

Dean finished the last of his soup with a satisfied hum, setting the empty bowl on the nightstand. He still looked like hell —fidgety, tired eyes darting toward every shadow like they held inevitable traps— but hey, at least he wasn't actively jumping stupid things. That was something.

You reached over and tugged the blankets up around him. "See? A full stomach makes everything better."

Dean exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand down his face. "Yeah, well… I'm still dying, so."

You gave him a flat look. "You're not dying."

"You don't know that." he muttered, shifting under the covers, eyes flicking towards the TV away from you.

You sighed, setting the remote out of his reach. "Sam and Bobby are handling it. They're gonna find the ghost, and you'll be fine."

Dean didn’t respond right away. His fingers curled into the fabric of the blanket, his jaw tight. You knew this kind of quiet. It wasn't just the sickness messing with him— it was the vulnerability. The kind he hated. The kind that made him feel small. And maybe even the memories that haunted him from back in Hell. Yeah. Dean was stubborn, insisting that he doesn't remember anything from Hell but you had your doubts rightfully — because of the regular nightmares he woke up from in the middle of the night and the unexplainable, gloomy look of him in general. But you didn't push him to admit it, not yet. And you weren't going to do it now, absolutely. Not when he was a heart attack away from the tiniest death.

Without thinking much, you scooted closer, wrapping an arm around him. His body tensed for half a second before he melted against you, burying his face into your chest with a heavy sigh.

"Everything's gonna be okay…" you murmured, resting your chin on top of his head.

Dean huffed a quiet breath, his eyes slipping shut. "Hope so. Kinda tired of being a little bitch."

You smirked, curling into him. "Kinda? Babe, I love you, but today was tragic."

Dean let out a low groan, burying his face in your chest. "Ugh. Never living this down, am I?"

"Not a chance." You grinned, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "Sam's gonna be the easy part. Beware of your girl. I'm never gonna let go of your Pinkie-Pie-Phobia."

Dean stiffened in your arms, pulling back just enough to squint at you. "The hell is a Pinkie Pie?"

You grinned. "The pink pony you were terrified of."

Dean blinked, then recoiled like you just slapped him with the word. "You're tellin' me that thing— that creepy, serial-killer-smiling thing— has a name?"

"Oh, they all have names."

"Jesus Christ." He rubbed a hand down his face, looking like he aged ten more years. "Of course, they do."

You bit back another laugh, deciding to push your luck. "Pinkie Pie's actually really sweet. She's good to her friends, throws a lot of parties—"

"I don't care! What if she's got hobbies? That doesn't make her less terrifying." he said, voice hoarse but full of indignation, "also that little demon horse does not deserve the 'Pie' title."

You blinked at him, then let out a wheezy laugh. "Wait— what?"

"You heard me! Pie is warm. Pie is good. That thing? That thing is a menace. She ain't worthy of the name."

You clamped a hand over your mouth to keep from wheezing. "Dean, oh my God."

"I’m serious, Y/N!" He huffed and clung to you tighter. "That thing looks like it was made in a lab specifically to drive people insane. Don't trust her. Nobody's that happy all the time without something sinister going on."

You were crying now. Actually crying. "Dean Winchester, you absolute menace. You're literally beefing with a cartoon pony."

Dean scoffed. "Damn right I am. And I'm winning."

Before you could inform him that no, he was absolutely not winning against a fictional pink horse, his phone buzzed on the nightstand.

You unlocked the screen and, and behold, Sam's name lit up in a new text.

Sammy : Ghost's toast. You're good, stop being a wuss now 👍🏻

Sammy : Bobby says you owe him beer

Sammy : Y/N, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid while readjusting to normal life

You smirked, nudging Dean. "You're free. No more ghost sickness. Your dignity, however, is long gone."

Dean perked up immediately. "Wait— seriously?!" He snatched the phone, scanning the message like he expected you to be lying. His whole body sagged in relief. "Oh, thank God."

"See? Told you everything would be okay." You leaned back against the pillows, stretching with a satisfied sigh.

Dean pushed himself up and —before you could react— hooked his arms under your legs and back, effortlessly scooping you up into his arms bridal style.

"DEAN!" you squeaked, instinctively grabbing onto his shoulders. "What are you—"

"Getting you off your feet," he said simply, carrying you towards the kitchen with steady strides. "You've been fussin' over me all day, and it's my turn to take care of you now."

You blinked up at him, momentarily surprised by the sheer effortlessness of it all. "But I—"

"Nope," he interrupted, giving you a playful squeeze. "You became the mother-hen enough. Now it's time to sit your pretty ass down and enjoy some pie."

Before you could argue, he set you down onto the kitchen counter gently, his hands lingering on your waist. His fingers drummed playfully against your sides. "There. Now, stay."

You squinted at him. "Did you just command me like a dog?"

"Yup." He turned toward the pie, grabbing two forks.

He handed you a fork and plucked a generous bite of pie for himself, moaning dramatically the second it hit his tongue.

"Oh, baby, that's the good stuff." he groaned, swaying slightly like he'd just been spiritually enlightened. "You're an angel, y'know that?"

…

Your fingers stilled on his arm.

"Did you just… Did you just call me an angel?"

Dean squinted. "Yeah? And?"

Your smirk grew. "You hate angels."

Dean groaned, throwing his head back. "Aw, c'mon, Y/N, don't start—"

"You literally go on rants about how much you can't stand them," you continued, grinning now. "You've called them dicks in trench coats, winged bastards, self-righteous flying monkeys— need I go on?"

Dean scrubbed a hand down his face, his fingers dragging down to his jaw like he could physically pull the embarrassment off his skin. "Okay," he grumbled, "that was a figure of speech."

You leaned in, resting your chin on your hand, all faux innocence. "So what you're saying is… I'm a figure of speech angel?"

Dean's eyes narrowed, but the twitch of his lips betrayed him. "You know what, smartass?" He reached over to the nightstand and snatched the half-eaten slice of pie, wielding it like a weapon. "You're gonna eat this and shut it."

Your eyes widened. "Dean—"

But it was too late. He was already shoving a forkful of pie, and before you could dodge, it was in your mouth, sweet and warm and way too good to argue against.

You glared at him, cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk, and he laughed heartly.

"Mmph!" you tried to protest, but your mouth was too full of pie.

Dean grinned all dimples. "What's that, sweetheart? Can't hear you over the sound of deliciousness."

You chewed quickly, swallowing the absurdly large bite with a dramatic gulp. "You're the worst."

"Yeah?" Dean's eyes gleamed mischievously, and before you could blink, he leaned in, lips crashing against yours in a very messy, very pie-flavored kiss. His lips were warm and soft, but the kiss was anything but gentle— sticky and sweet from the pie. You could taste the sugary filling on his tongue, the buttery crust lingering between you as he deepened the kiss, tilting his head to slot his mouth perfectly against yours. His hands slid to your waist, pulling you closer until there was no space left to breathe, not that you needed air when he was kissing you like that. You tangled your fingers in his hair, nails grazing his scalp enough to make him groan, the sound making your heart stutter. When he finally pulled back, both of you breathless and grinning like idiots, his thumb brushed a stray smear of saliva and filling from the corner of your mouth, and without breaking eye contact, he licked it off his thumb with a wink that made your knees weak.

Damn him.

[teaguehq]

There's no doubt in my mind you made Calgary all the better, even if it's a beautiful city on its own. It was just better for having you there with me, not to mention we kept each other warm despite all the cold! And we found plenty of fun things to do together, thankfully. You know I'll always attend your premieres with you, and of course cheer you on in your projects! I'm already so excited for seeing Fantastic Four now that there's a trailer, and I know you'll have done an incredible job in that. Though that aside, you looked so handsome in the trailer too - no wonder they chose you for Johnny Storm when you're already hot and it's entirely believable you can set a fire all on your own! I know you've got promo coming up, so I'm just happy I'm not working for the moment and can travel around with you for it all. I'm so happy you liked being in Florida with me, and happier that you got the chance to visit and meet my parents. Though sorry about all their questions and their asking so many. You're only the second person I've ever brought home, so I know they were a little curious, if anything. Though it's no surprise to me that they like you! I know what you mean when I already miss Florida's warmth myself, though just means we'll have to go on a vacation soon. I love that you want to match costumes for Halloween, and you know I'd be all for planning that! Maybe the big costumes this year will be the Fantastic Four though, so I hope you're ready for that. Well, I'll say you don't have to worry about losing me, because I'm here as long as you'd like me to be. But I know I'd be lost without you too, so that feeling is definitely mutual, love. In that case, you can have me in your arms as much as you'd like, just putting that out there. You want to take me somewhere special? Now I'm wondering what you have in mind, though it's likely I'd like any date you take me on. Well, I had to show you some of my hangouts while we were there in Tampa, including some places that play live music since the guys and I have had gigs there before! I'm happy we had another chance to dip into the hot springs before my filming ended, since I did have the best time there with you. I had a feeling, though it's mutual since I can't ever get enough of you. And well, since you didn't know what I was planning for your birthday at the time, you know I had a lot more than just the hot springs on my mind for a post-filming celebration. Plus having a hot tub handy and enjoying it with you certainly felt like a great vacation. I can't help it since every time I think about being all yours, it just makes me smile so much. I'm not even close to being sick of knitted items, especially since they're made with your own hands. At least we don't have to miss each other for a little while, right? I know, and neither of us wants to hurt Bach's feelings, so better we let him believe he's the best cuddler. A friend for Bach? Will it be another dog just as big as Bach, or did you have something else in mind? I'm excited for visiting more Catacomb entrances since it seems like such a secret thing! I'll always protect you, never have to worry about that. It's a good thing you like it when I blush, since you make me blush so often! I don't know that I'll always be the sexiest of us when I think you are, without question. Now that filming's over, breaking in both our places will be an easier goal! Maybe after you're all finished with promo. Of course, and I love London too, so it's certainly not like you'd have to pull my arm if you wanted to visit there. And I'm happy being where you are too, so honestly, that sounds perfect to me.

Well, I want to show you all of my favorite places, and especially those we can dance! I'm smiling hearing you say that you love cooking with me, and whether it's in cooking classes or at one of our places, I know we'd have a great time and learn to make something new. I'm excited to fill up those cooking books too! Bentley definitely liked you, though I had no doubts at all that he would! I know the sanctuary appreciated the donation so much, and at least we got to interact with some of the other animals while we were helping feed them! You absolutely have a kind heart, love. I knew my parents would end up liking you, and I think they're so happy they've met you since I talk about you so much! I'm just telling the truth, you're amazing! Though you're making me blush saying I'm the amazing one. Do you really think your family will like me? Because I hope so! I'm all for visiting London and seeing them whenever you'd like to. It's a good thing I make you smile and make you happy then, since that's a reason for them to like me. You're welcome for the camping spot, and I knew you'd enjoy seeing the cattle and being on the ranch. Maybe cows are just like giant puppies around you, since they clearly wanted your affections! Turkey will be a lot of fun, although you know I'm all for any holidays with you. And we can spoil each other everywhere we go, no question on that. Now that I'm not working, you can wake me up that way as much as you'd like, especially since most days, we don't have an early call time. Or yet, I should say, since I know you have some promo coming up. Between those and the morning showers, I'm definitely becoming more a fan of mornings. No, you didn't scare me off at all, Joseph, and if anything, it means a lot to me that you're thinking about us in future terms. And I love you, and I'm so happy you feel the same way about me. Not to mention I feel so incredibly lucky for it, too. I want that with you too, living together at some point and getting married when the timing feels right for it. Makes me curious if you've thought of where we should live, like where you'd want a place together. I do love you, Joseph, and it makes me smile that I can say it now without holding back. Nothing I can say would scare you? Not that I'd test that theory, though saying I love you out loud was the scariest thing up until now! And I do want forever with you, and honestly, it makes my heart race just saying that out loud too, not to mention knowing you want the same thing. I'll kiss you as much as you'd like, that's a fact! well, no surprise when you linger on my mind in general, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I absolutely loved the decorations and the red theme, and well, I feel like I showed just how much I loved it with including it as part of the photo album I gave you! It just meant the world to me since no one's ever done that for me before. Christmas and New Year's with you was incredible, and it was fun getting to spend both of them in New York. I bet you'll end up playing the mandolin beautifully too, and we'll have to start in on the lessons soon! I really did love your gifts, and that necklace is honestly my new favorite. Plus we'll definitely have to plan the cruise soon since it'll be a lot of fun! The kiss in Time's Square was so memorable, and well, I don't doubt in the least that all our New Year's kisses will be that memorable, too. I'm happy you liked the idea of Devonian Gardens before we had to leave, albeit a week earlier than I'd said in honor of your birthday! I have a feeling you liked it, but did you enjoy the cabin I rented for that week along with your other birthday gifs? It was difficult to keep from you, I can say that! And well, you're stuck with me since I don't have to film anything for now, so I can take care of you while you're having to work. | @josephafq

i feel like it's easy to appreciate calgary more because i'm here with you, yeah? but you're right -- aside from the cold, it's a nice city and we've really had a great time and have done some fun things together! and you know i feel the same way about you, love, that anything is more fun with you at my side. i'm glad you love attending my premieres, because i love having you on my arm so much, and it means the world that you're so supportive. you're making me blush a little right now saying that, and i'm glad you think it ends up being special, love. i'm glad it might be a little bit before i work again, so i get to spend as much time with you as possible. and i was very glad for your time off for the holidays as well, because i loved getting to go to flordia with you! the warm weather there was gorgeous, and i almost hated to leave to have to go back to the cold! i like the idea of dressing up in halloween costumes that are popular at that time -- i'm sure we can have a lot of fun with that, i just know i want to match with you! i'm glad to put your mind at ease, love, but i'll admit i have those same kind of worries too, you know? i know that i would be lost without you, so i'll do anything to make sure i don't lose you. i'm glad being in my arms is so comforting, love, and i love having you in my arms so lucky that, yeah? i love your clinginess, honestly, and love that you love mine too! i have been thinking about new dates to plan, i really want to take you some place special that just shows you how much you mean to me. and i loved the something fun you had planned while in tampa, i had a very good time and you know you're the most thoughtful man on the planet, right? oh, very much so, because i love the hot springs there so much and i love going to them with you! i'm glad we'll get to visit them again before your filming is over! and i love recreating everything we've done there together as well, i can't get enough of you, though i'm sure you already know that, yeah? i'm glad that you're on board with staying at the hot springs a little longer so we can truly take advantage of them, and you're right, it would be the perfect post-filming celebration! i'm glad you always love hot tubs with me, love, and we've had a lot of fun in them, haven't we? i love hearing that i made you blush by saying that, but it's the truth, the best feeling is knowing that you're all mine, and it's safe to say that i love being all yours, love. i mean, as long as you're not sick of my knitted items, i'll make a ton more for you! i'm glad that you always want to be near me, like i do you, and i miss you so much when we're apart. i especially miss having you in my arms! it's good that we don't let bach know that we like each other's cuddles better than his, it might hurt his feelings. though speaking of bach, i've been wondering, do you think he looks lonely? because i was wondering if maybe we should get him a friend. i'll reach out to jamie and let him know that we'd like to meet up with them and visit some secret catacomb entrances, he'll be shocked that i'm asking! and thank you for saying you'll always hold my hand, love. it's my favorite when you blush, i hope you know that. but i really do think you're the sexiest, part of why i can't keep my hands off you, love. plus, i'm glad you think i'm so sexy and all, but you'll always be the sexiest of us. i love kissing you every morning too, love, it really is the best way to start the day. i love sending you off to set with plenty of kisses! i'm looking forward to breaking in your place a little more in new york as well, and of course we've still got some places in my apartment as well that we need to break in! yes, wherever you are, i'm happy to be right alongside you! and i'm glad that's mutual, love, and thank you for saying you'll always be willing to visit london whenever i'm missing it. though i've been feeling good, lately and just happy being where you are.

it's sweet that you wanted to take me to one of your favorite spots in new york -- and honestly, the dancing with you was the best part of the night! i'm glad you're all for taking more cooking classes, love, and i know we'll have a fun time with cooking new things and filling up those books. plus, i just really love cooking with you, you know? it's sweet! it was so fun getting to meet bentley, and i have a feeling he liked me, do you think he did? and i'm glad that i was able to donate a little something to the sanctuary, as well as help out with some things while we were there too. though you're making me blush saying i have a kind heart. it was a little scary meeting your parents, i'll admit, but i am so happy they ended up liking me. and now you're really making me blush saying your'e with someone who is as amazing as i am, when you're the amazing one, love! once you're done filming, we'll head to london for a little bit so you can meet my family -- and they really are going to love you. anyone that makes me smile as much as you do and makes me happy as you do, they're going to love. and thank you for taking me to such a great camping place, i loved it so much, and i had fun seeing the cattle. also, i didn't realize that cows could be like giant puppies, you know? i'm glad you're all for going to turkey, love, and that you're as excited as i am about all the holidays that we've got planned. i love the idea of seeing the world with you, love, and can't wait to spoil you at every place we go, as well as have you spoil me! i'm also very happy i can wake you up in the way i like as many times as i'd like, given it's my favorite way to help you start the day! well, it's tied with our morning showers because i love them with you and agree that i'm liking mornings better as well. first let me say that i'm glad i didn't scare you off, because i was really worried. but yeah, i do love you, i love you a whole lot and i've wanted to tell you for a while now. and i do think about us living together and getting married at some point -- which is a little scary because you're right they are big things to say, but i wanted you to know that i'm thinking that, and that i want that with you. and you love me too? just getting really emotional with you saying that i'll have you know, and it makes me feel better you've known for a while too. nothing you could say would ever scare me though, just putting that out there, alright? god, i'm so glad that you want forever with me too, owen, i can't even put into words how that makes me feel. and you're right, neither of us have any reason to be scared since we're on the same page. you'll kiss me all the time? lucky me! oh, i really will always enjoy those favors, love, and i'm glad they tend to linger in your mind as well, that makes me feel very good. it makes me so happy that you loved all the decorations i had done at my place, love, and of course i had to do a red theme since it's your favorite color after all! i'm glad our christmas together was a good one, same with our new years! i can't wait to start mandolin lessons with you, love, i'm really excited and hope i end up playing it decently! i'm glad you feel spoiled by my gifts though, love, and it makes me smile you're never taking off that necklace! plus, i love that you're excited about the cruise because i know we're going to have so much fun on that ship! oh, i loved kissing you in times square as well, i'm so glad you were my new years kiss, and look forward to you always being my new years kiss. and going back to devonian gardens before we leave calgary sounds like a brilliant idea, love. i'm pretty happy you're stuck with me for a while, honestly. and exactly, i'm happy when we can take care of each other, i love taking care of you. and you always make me feel happy and safe, there's no doubt about that. || @teaguehq

[spideyanakin]

summary - sirius black x malfoy + slytherin! reader, ever since regulus drowned, you keep dreaming about him, but what if your dreams weren't just dreams? aka: we are saving regulus

warnings - angsty, near death experience but ends well, dumbledore being an icon

part of all I think about now - masterlist

read the part right before

"Let me offer you a cup of tea," Albus broke the silence.

Your breath was still held as you watched the pieces of the shattered locket, mixed with the shards of heavy wood from the desk bellow. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore restored the desk that had shattered with your blow.

You watched, almost as if you were having an out of body experience as he was poured you the tea, and you sat on the homely couch by the fire place.

You found it impossible to have a sip of the warm liquid inside the flowery porcelain cup. Your hand was shaking.

Maybe what had happened was actually sinking. Your chest felt warm, heart beating loudly and pumping blood in places you did not know you could actually feel.

Would he know? Would the dark lord sense that a Horcrux had been destroyed? Would he know by whose hand the object had been shattered?

And suddenly, a look received from Dumbledore melted all the worries from you.

No. He couldn't know. You couldn't let doubt sink in. Not now, not when you were a step closer to ending this once and for all.

Dumbledore needed you, and if this meant continuing to put yourself in danger, to continue living a double life to save thousands; then you would.

So you breathed, smoothed down the rumbling of your bones, and smiled back at him the best way you could.

Something itched in the back of your throat though, and suddenly you found yourself speaking before you could stop it.

"Albus," You shifted uncomfortably in your seat, placing your steaming cup of tea back on the table in front of you. "Ever since my husband- ever since Regulus passed, I have been having these dreams, but they do not feel like dreams."

He nodded for you to continue.

"I thought it was Kreature's memories, from that night, but the more I think about it, the less it makes sense," you breathed, closing your eyes for a brief second as the memory flashed before you. "It is, as if I am seeing his memories. He is dragged into the depths, there is a flash from his wand, suddenly he is breathing, and then he is back to struggling, but the inferi could not reach him."

"How long have you had those dreams?"

"Since the night he passed."

Dumbledore nodded.

"Every night, he breathes, then suddenly struggles again, stops, he feels cold, but not quite dead, right until he takes a new breath, and every time he does, I wake."

Dumbledore quietly placed his cup back onto its saucer. He itched his thin white beard as he peered at his desk, and then to a painting of a wizard you did not know.

"Sir Watson," he adresses him, and the funny looking, very small wizard with a bright pink hat and matching robe with diamonds sewed to the sleeves looked at Albus.

"Yes?"

"How did your partner survive your last mission with him?"

The wizard jumped from his bright baby blue rococo chair, clapped his hands with a bright smile on his lips. Cheeks filling with his smile.

"I love this story! Brilliant wizard was he!" He nodded eagerly and you raised an eyebrow at his enthusiasm. "The poor lad was stuck, attacked by rogue and vicious mermaids! He used a scutum charm, protecting him from their attacks. He was able to empty the water from this shielded bubble you see, the shield made it impossible to move but he was able to survive days underwater! Days! He even did a silencing charm so he could block out the mermaid's luring voices! Genius wizard, I tell you, brilliant man."

"How did he get out?"

"Sent me messages, through dreams. We were married you see, magic intertwined and all."

"Thank you, Sir Watson." Albus smiled, and the wizard happily nodded before sitting back on his chair and grabbing the book he always seemed to be holding.

Your mouth opened in shock, hands shaking as you brought your hands to your warm cheeks, already wet with tears.

"Tell me. Do you think there is a chance he might still be alive?"

~

You shivered. The wind was rustling harshly, and drops of salt water were picking at your eyes. Your thin coat and skirts of silks were already starting to feel heavy from the accumulated rain drops.

You held your arms close to yourself. This was the place of nightmares, of your nightmares. Your gut was twisting in itself and you felt like you were going to retch everything in you as you walked through the opening to the cavern.

You shivered again. The rain was replaced by the harsh voice of the wind, waves crashing against the rocks of the cliff and the screech you were so familiar with in your nightmares.

The icing screams of the inferi.

Albus Dumbledore muttered something, you assumed a spell, you did not recognise.

Suddenly the pitch black water turned crystal clear.

You could see them. The dead creatures slithering at the bottom of the lake, harshly tapping onto something.

Dumbledore threw something on the other side of the lake using his magic, and only when their attention caught on the pebble and they swam towards it did you see him.

Regulus. You could see his fine features, eyes closed in pain, hand clutched tightly against his wand. Suddenly he breathed again, and you watched as, just like in your dreams, bubbles rose from his lips before air was sucked into the shield he had created himself.

Indeed, Regulus was still alive, and barely hanging on to life.

"Quick, he will not be able to hold it for long."

"What do I do?" Your heart was racing, and your hands clammy as Dumbledore walked closer to the water where Regulus lay.

"Asciendio!" With a flick of his wand, you watched as Regulus was pulled out of the water, faster than the dead creatures could reach.

You dropped by his side, and before you knew it, Dumbledore’s hand was on your shoulder and the three of you aparated to location twelve.

"Regulus," you cradled his head, attempting to lift his upper body. He was coughing, trembling as he tried to hold on to your shoulders for support.

His eyes were bloodshot, his skin paler than his already pearl colour. His plum lips were blue, and the tip of his fingers a matching colour. You held onto him as he continued coughing water, severely shivering in your arms.

"Y/n," he croaked.

"Shh, you're safe my love." You pushed his hair away from his face. Suddenly you felt the weight of his body on you, head heavily resting against your shoulder. He was crying, hot tears streaming down his face. "It's over, my love, you're safe."

Albus wrapped a large blanket over the both of you, and you thanked him as a shiver tumbled down your own spine.

Your hand held tightly onto the back of his head, the other firmly pressed against the space in between his shoulder blades. You shivered with him, your own body shaking with relief and emotions you were yet to decipher.

"He is soaked to the bone Albus, I need to get him home." You spoke through a hoarse voice, tears blurring your vision

"Alright," the elder nodded. "Do you remember our agreement?"

"Yes," you roughly nodded, pressing your cheek against Regulus’s cold forehead, your heavy tears dripping into his hair.

Although his voice held gravity, it wasn’t a hard agreement to maintain. That you’d take care of Regulus, nurse him back to health. That you’d tell him all the things he needed to know, and that if he truly wished to change sides, he would meet with Dumbledore to discuss further agreements.

The rest was the plan for the news of his come back to the purebloods and death eaters.

The story that was bordering truth. That you had seen the signs, that he had sent you the signs and you saved him. But how you were to tell them the story would remain in the choices Regulus had to make upon his return to full consciousness.

Your face softened as you met Dumbledore’s eyes, "thank you, Albus. Thank you."

[jamiedc-they-them]

Mushy: Part I (Platonic)

Summary: Reflecting on how everything went wrong, the middle adopted child of two sisters reflects on their past as they try to make a better future.

Note: This one isn't as long as my other pieces as it's more of a prologue type thing setting up Y/N and their dynamics with Jinx and Vi before the other parts (if people want them, of course!) will go more in-depth to episodes and build on them like my writing normally does.

Hope you enjoy :)

Seeing that blue flare light up the night...it couldn't be. It just...it just couldn't be.

Vi put a hand on your shoulder, shaking it. She could see it too. She could. She shook your shoulder again.

Caitlin looked at you both, "who is that?" she asked, voice soft.

"Powder," you both said, before taking off. Caitlin hurrying after you.

You had found your way into Vi and Powder's life when you were very young. Barely any memories. Just fire, screaming and death.

Trauma, was what Vander told you it was. He said that it was only natural, for anyone in a scenario like that to be traumatised. He seemed to know all too well about trauma, but you never got the chance to ask him about it.

"Something like that doesn't leave you," Vander told you, one evening, "let yourself feel what you need to about it, but try, try not to let it cloud any judgement. There's always another battle, Y/N, another fight - be it big or small. You have to keep your eyes on the bigger picture, else you get lost forever in the details."

You never knew what he meant by that. Still, didn't matter, at least not then.

Then, you had a family. Sure, you did not sound like the rest of them at all, though whoever said you sounded like you were from Piltover, they would be put down by Vi.

You never even thought about your voice, just took it as was and moved on.

Now, making your way towards that flare, you were realising just how much weight Vander's words had.

Vi taught you a lot, you picked up on it all quick. You were the middle child out of her and Powder. You weren't as good as a fighter as Vi, but you weren't the worst either.

"Distracted," is what Vi would say whenever you lost.

You were pretty sure she let you win sometimes.

Powder's hair was blue, as were the crystals she found. You tried to call it a coincidence.

You hated that you put those two together, you hated it so much. You hated how it made you, subconsciously view your sister when it all went so wrong.

You'd fix that, you vowed as you climbed up with Vi's help to reach the flare.

An explosion you barely escaped brought some heat (ha) for you all, but you made it out, scrape and all to get home.

"You alright, bluey?" you asked Powder, sitting on her bed.

She nodded, "I - I'm sorry about today," she said.

"Shit happens," you said, "try to get some rest, ok?"

She nodded, but didn't make any moves to try to go to sleep. She looked to the door instead, "what about Mylo and Claggor?"

You sighed, "they'll come around. We're family," you assured, "sure Vi and I can speed up the process, though. Anyway, we all make mistakes. Small steps, that's what counts."

Powder giggled, "thanks, mushy."

You never understood the nickname. Maybe it was the soft voice you had, one that wasn't the most intimidating.

"Anytime. Now," you said, getting up and getting a blanket for your sister, "get some rest, ok?"

"Ok. Love you."

"Love you too."

Love was a power thing. Love was a dangerous thing. Love could be all you needed to get through the day. Love could be the thing that made you not wake up the next.

Love was what made misguided decisions to occur.

It led to Vi knocking you out to try and give herself up.

Love was what led Vander to take the fall instead.

Love led to Mylo and Claggor waking you up and reuniting you with Vi to try go and save Vander.

It led to a fight, one you and Vi very nearly lost. You managed to push through, together. Just about making it.

Then, the explosion occured.

You fell and Vi was unable to reach you.

As far as she knew, you were lost to the flames. She screamed. She screamed as loudly as she could.

You coughed...you coughed again.

You weren't you right now, you were the child who was on a bridge on fire, surrounded by ash, bodies and the sound of screams, of crackling.

The smell, god the smell. Strong. Overriding all else.

The flesh burning. The smoke entering your lungs.

Too many details, not enough time.

You slipped, but Vi caught you.

"Don't look down!" she told you, helping you up.

"I'm not letting you down again," she vowed.

You never quite knew how you got out of the building. You looked at it, fire being reflected in your eyes.

You let a sob out, the lone survivor that you believed you were.

You then ran, as far as your legs could carry you. You didn't care about your lungs burning more than they already were or the scrapes on your arms and legs when you tripped from exhaustion, you just had to get away.

The constant flashes in your minds eye.

The family you gained. The family you lost.

You reached it. The flare was still going. There was still time to fix this.

You looked at Vi, the pair of you nodding at each other. You weren't running away this time.

[lyracarvahall]

HeartBeat Sync Part 16

Showtime Shenanigans

Part 15 Here

The trio talked about the events of the day as they ate. San occasionally offered Y/N bites of his food. It was sweet that he wanted to make sure that she ate well. Seonghwa seemed particularly ravenous.

"He always eats like that. He eats the most out of all of us honestly." San smirked as he began packing up the trash and throwing it away. He tied up the leftovers and put them to the side.

Y/N did not want to get between Seonghwa and his food conquest so she attempted to get up to get ready to record San's track. Seonghwa whimpered and placed a hand on her leg mid-bite. After he slurped down his noodles he blushed. "Sorry. I don't know why I did that."

"Don't worry honey. I know the connection is new and raw. I can be with you as long as you need me to be.."

Seonghwa teared up a little and nodded. "Thank you. I am alright but I have a small request if that is alright."

"Of course."

"I know we have to hurry and record San's vocals but I don't want to leave you yet. Is it alright if you sit in my lap while he records or is that too forward?"

Y/N put her head on his shoulder. "That is fine Seonghwa. I honestly need the contact right now too." She worried though that her thicker frame would crush the poor guy. He seemed to sense her insecurity however and took her by the hand, leading her to her chair and pulling her down onto his lap, placing his head on her shoulder. After enjoying a few seconds like that in silence, he scooted the chair closer so she was able to reach her laptop again. Seonghwa began clicking away on his phone.

Y/N giggled at the sweet gesture and she looked to her left to see San looking very happy watching the pair of them. She sent her gratitude to him through the bond and his smile widened.

Suddenly her phone went off.

"Okay baby, I will get the recording going so we can head back for the show tonight." San walked into the recording booth and put on the headphones. She fired up the reference vocals and she watched him sway and listen. He looked peaceful and content. After the first playthrough, he looked at her with pride.

"Baby, this is wonderful...I see what they were talking about now. It is a bit different than our usual sound but still screams 'us'. Plus your vocals are so lovely."

Y/N blushes at this awed response. San chuckled at her reaction and said, "I am ready to try it now if you would like. I may need some notes from you though."

"That is fine honey. Alright." She cued up the reference track again and San started singing the highest melody in the harmony. She gave him a few low notes through out so he was the weaver throughout the other tracks. She gave him a couple of notes and soon enough he was also done with his recording.

"Did you guys want to hear how you all sound together?" Y/N was trembling both due to nerves and pure joy in sharing her baby.

Both men huddled around her laptop and she hit play. Through the speakers, a haunting 4 part harmony came and seemed to hold the trio captive. It was her first track to the rock and house opera. It came out better than she ever could have thought and it was due to these men's amazing talent. It would not be nearly as epic without them.

Seonghwa rubbed his hands up and down her waist and San cradled her head against his stomach as he stood next to her. When the song finished, there was silence for a few moments. Y/N began to panic that maybe they didn't like it.

San seemed to sense her unease and began to stroke her hair. "No no no baby! We are blown away! This is incredible! I cannot wait for the final results!"

"Really? Are you sure it isn't too much?" She asked hesitantly.

Seonghwa spoke from her right shoulder so his low soft voice was right by her ear. "We are ATEEZ honey. We are the definition or extra. Don't you dare sell yourself short. This is wonderful."

She shivered with the way his voice in her ear effected her. he chuckled darkly which only furthered the effect.

San chuckled as he released her head from his hold. Sinking down to his knees, he whispered into her left ear. "Oh my poor baby. being effected by your men so strongly. Later I will kiss it all better." With that he got up and walked to the studio door, opening it and lingering in the doorway. "I ordered a driver as we need to get back. You coming baby?"

Y/N quickly got up from the chair, nearly toppling Seonghwa over. "Oh my gosh I am so sorry!" She covered her face in embarrassment.

Seonghwa belly laughed and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay sweetheart. Sannie was the mean one teasing you." With that he began to gather her supplies and cords and placed them in her bag. San had the food already in his hands and made his way out to the car. After she saved their progress, she closed her laptop and hurried and packed it before ducking her head in embarrassment and heading out the door. Seonghwa laughed and followed behind.

Once they got to the car, she sat in the front seat and the two men sat in the back chortling to themselves. Y/N rolled her eyes in the rearview mirror and they were off. On the way to the venue, she messaged Eden thanking him for letting her use the studio space.

She appreciated but also felt very pressured by the faith everyone had in her. Hopefully she lived up to expectations.

Finally turning into the arena basement parking, the car dropped them off and they headed inside. Y/N followed the guys since they knew where they were going and there were security just inside the doors to collect them. Suddenly, out of nowhere someone flew towards Y/N and wrapped around her like a koala. As she was pinned to the wall, she realized it was Wooyoung. Her face was swiftly covered in kisses and he clung to her tightly. He was swiftly removed by San picking him up by the collar like a cat being lifted by the scruff.

"Wooyoung! Damn you gotta be gentle!"

Wooyoung looked at her and suddenly appeared to look guilty. "Hey I'm sorry babe! I just saw that Mingi got hugs and kisses from you and I got super jealous so i figured if I snuck some now I could say that I won. I mean I didn't mean to run into you that hard but I was running a long ways and..."

"Woah woah!" Y/N grabbed his face and smooshed his cheeks, making him look adorable. "Honey it's okay. Come here." She leaned forward and gave him a bunch of gentle pecks on his lips and he seemed to melt in San's arms. "If you are a good boy for the rest of the day, I will reward you, ok?" She saw his pupils dialate and he rapidly nodded.

"Yes ma'am!" He took off back towards their dressing room.

Y/N giggled as he watched him run like a track star. Seonghwa seemed to beam at her laughter and squeezed her shoulder. "We should get ready sweetheart. Feel free to come with us. He slid his hand down her arm to intertwine his fingers with hers. Gently guiding her, she followed him back to the dressing room. She looked around at all of the staff on the way and not many of them even noticed. The couple that did gave subtle nods and she had a feeling they were a part of the NDA signing spree.

Once they opened the dressing room door, the boys seemed to stop what they were doing and focus their eyes on her and Seonghwa's joint hands. He felt her embarrassment and pulled her to him, lifting her hair up out of the way so her new mark was visible to everyone. Hongjoong came up behind Y/N and gently combed his fingers over the mark. "It's beautiful baby." Seonghwa flinched a little bit at the nickname Hongjoong gave her but swiftly returned to petting her hair. Y/N knew it was hard but that he was trying. She let Seonghwa cling to her as long as he needed to.

"We'll talk soon." Hongjoong said quietly and then he walked away. Seonghwa let out a shuttered breath and she squeezed him to show her support. He cleared his throat and released her, making his way to one of the makeup chairs to start getting ready for the show. Various members were occupying themselves in different ways. Some were also getting makeup done. One was listening to music on his phone. Mingi and Yunho were taking selfies in a corner.

"Hey baby! Come over and take pictures with us!" Mingi shouted across the room.

"No! No way! I can't..." Yunho began to pout. "Oh Yuyu don't start...I...okay fine." She couldn't resist that face.

Making her way to the two trees, she found herself smooshed between them with each placing a kiss on one of her cheeks. They showed her the picture and she looked beautiful with a beaming smile and they looked totally smitten as they kissed her.

"Oh my god I love this so much! Please send it to me!" Y/N gave each of the a kiss on the cheek but Mingi pulled her behind a dressing partition.

"Hey baby. Is it okay if I touch you?"

"Mingi there are people over there."

"Okay but I am taking a kiss. Come here." He put a couple of fingers in the hem of her jeans and pulled her forward. Gently combing his other hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, he kissed her like he meant it. Plump lips trying to imprint themselves upon hers. "Mine"

Looking in his eyes, it was like she could see the loving and dominant sides battling one another.

"Until later baby." He left her pent up behind that partition. What is the deal with these men teasing her today? Made her want to stomp and throw a fit but she took a couple of deep breaths. Soon, the stage hand came in announcing it was showtime. She scurried to the door just in time to give small kisses to each of her men as they made their way out of the door.

One of the makeup artists dramatically fanned herself as she put her kit away. "Girl you are so lucky! Pardon me for saying so but DAMN they are hot and you have them all in your pocket!"

"They are hot, but they are also so much more."

The makeup artist swooned a little. "This is why they all love you." She finished packing up her kit and walked out the door. Y/N went to follow her but then stopped in her tracks. Wait...Did they actually love her? As a person or was the bond all of it. She knew she really needed to step up getting to know these men she cared so much for. She nodded at her internal commitment as she left the dressing room to root her men on from backstage.

Next Part Here

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

Taglist: @imbaebi @vtyb23 @nuggiesnuggetdog04 @mrsminseochoi

[pearlescentparade]

If its fine or im not bothering you but..

Can u pease do a forsaken elliot x reader where they own a baby pet chicken and is over protective of it? Id like a fluff :D

(Please please i rarely see forsaken x reader)

THIS IS SO RANDOM BUT SO CUTE OMG....

🍕elliot x reader fluff + a pet chicken��

rush hour at builder brother's pizza is nothing short of hectic. lines upon lines of people are waiting to be served both inside and outside of the establishment, many of whom just got off work and simply opted for pizza dinner. elliot, being assigned to cook duty today, juggles between building pizzas and keeping an eye on the ones cooking in the oven. images of pizza or soda continue to pop up on the order screen ahead of him. everytime he submits an order onto the conveyor belt to the boxing station, another takes its place instantaneously. it feels almost never-ending.. but it's no biggie for builder brother's best employee!

at this point, elliot's working on auto-pilot. he doesn't even have to look as he tosses another pizza into the oven! maybe he should've though, because the fire alarm starts to blare. elliot winces and groans at the deafening noise interrupting his highly efficient work mode, a red tint flashing in the kitchen as it wailed.

what could've possibly set it off? he didn't accidentally throw a soda into an oven, did he? no, he hasn't done that since his rookie days... he'd know the difference between a whole pizza and a cold soda! and he most certainly didn't use any pizza with bugs crawling all over it...

oh well, only one way to find out.. elliot nabs the fire extinguisher on the wall near the door to the cashier area, aiming the nozzle and putting out the flames with the extinguishing agent. white chemical solution permeates throughout the room, and when it settles, elliot opens the pizza oven to discover the source of the problem...

a terrified, soot-covered, baby chicken.

"woah- hey little buddy! now's uh.. really not a good time to be in there.." he's quick to take the chicken out from the oven and gently plop it on the floor where it's safe. the chick chirps in distress, furiously flapping its wings at the pizza boy as he puts his hands up in defense. rightfully so, it almost got baked alive!

"hey, i'm- i'm sorry! truly! but how was i supposed a chicken was in the kitchen? ...how did you even get here in the first place??" seriously, nobody saw a whole animal waltz into the building and decide to say anything about it? the chicken only stares up at elliot, its big beady eyes peering into his soul. his heart twists at the sight. it's so young.. could it have been separated from it's momma? it's practically a lost baby.. and it wouldn't survive for very long by itself (considering that it has displayed absolutely zero survival instincts)... and you did say you want to get a pet...

opening the pocket of his work uniform, elliot securely stows away the baby chick. now that that's settled, it's time to hit the rest of these orders!

...

imagine your shock when your boyfriend comes home with a chick after texting you that he 'had a surprise for you'.

the creature fits in the size of your palm, as you both stare at each other with curiosity. "oh my- elliot, where did you get him from?! and why is he so dirty..." "i-i don't know, he just appeared while i was working! ...he uh.. must've rolled around in the oven charcoal. good thing i found him before anything happened, haha..!" nervously, he shrugs, hoping you don't prod deeper. while elliot hates lying to you, he would hate to tell you that he almost cooked the fella alive even more. you wouldn't let him hear the end of it.. "ohh, poor guy! let's get you cleaned up." as you march to the bathroom to run a bath for your new friend, elliot lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. he then trails after you, following you to the bathroom to help with cleaning the chick.

the chick splashes vigorously in the bubble bath as you attempt to wash out the dirt from between his feathers, excitedly zooming around the tub. from the sink, elliot supervises with instructions for how to clean a baby chicken pulled up on his phone. soon enough, you've completely gotten rid of all the soot and reverted him back to his sunny yellow coat.

"he's so small.. what if he gets hurt or sneaks off somewhere when we're not looking? oh, and he'll get colder much easier.." you express your worry with knitted brows as you carefully dry him off with a small cloth. for something his size, everything can be dangerous! even something as mundane as a ball could easily squish him if it lands on him. "maybe we oughta babyproof the house? i could ring up builderman tomorrow and ask him to install some baby gates to keep him from running everywhere! until then, we can use some makeshift stuff."

and so, operation: childproof the chick is a go. first things first, you need a way to know when he's on the move!

"look elliot! this collar has a bell and a bow!" "we might have to adjust it a bit considering how small the guy is... but he'd look so cute!"

all your doors and windows are to be tightly shut and locked at all times, so the chick can't slip out and get eaten by a hawk or something. and finally, double-check appliances before turning them on (elliot suggested this one). you considered having the little fella sleep with you in your bed, but the fear of accidentally squishing him when you roll over is very real. instead, he gets a small but well-furbished crib padded with blankets.

in the next few days, builderman comes over to help. all elliot told him is that you two wanted some extra security precautions. the engineer is all smiles and jokes until he reaches your shared bedroom and spots the crib.

"...now, i don't mean to pry into your guys'.. 'personal' business but, are you two er.. expecting?" elliot quirks an eyebrow, "expecting what?" builderman vaguely gestures with his hands, "y'know, any.. 'bundles of joy' on the way? i know kids these days are excited to settle down and all." "whaddya mean?" you and your boyfriend share a mutual confused look. cheeping emits from the crib, and as builderman peers into it, he realizes there's been a misunderstanding. "..ah, nevermind."

while you do have a baby, he's more of the feathery kind.

(parade postscript: just realized that about half of this drabble is only elliot and how he met the chicken </3 sorry)

[more-sonorous]

Uh I love going through your channel and reading all of the stories you come up with and I’m amazed and love them. It brings me joy to read them. I don’t know if you take requests I was wondering if you could do one where race has some problems and Jack is the only one who can get him to talk. Thank you!!!

i loved this ask! played around with it a bit and created a piece full of brotherly love that i'm truly hoping is what you were looking for!

have this little slice of life :)

.....

little ray of sun-- racetrack and jack

By all accounts, Jack Kelly had a decent day. He’d spent the morning pissing Pulitzer off by drawing egregious comics all of the other artists found funny, flinging droplets of ink onto the man’s shoes every time he strolled up to his desk, and using the most horrible grammar he could muster. By five, Pulitzer’s jaw was twitching but he had three spectacular political comics staring him down, so he couldn’t complain. Instead he glared up at Jack and a snarl formed beneath his perfectly groomed mustache as he dismissed him for the day.

Pushing old Joe’s buttons was Jack’s favorite work pastime when he worked at The World on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. It always put him in a chipper mood to know that he was one of the most popular artists on Pulitzer’s team, so the old bastard couldn’t really fire him even if he wanted to since people were raving about his comics. He couldn't fire him over little things anyways, like Jack putting his feet up on his desk or wearing a bandana ‘round his neck instead of a tie. He’d gotten good at subtly irking the man without breaking any office rules, and it added a bit of life to his boring office work. When he earned that little jaw twitch? Well, Jack considered the day a win. 

He carefully shelled out a few cents on a pretzel for dinner and finished it on his way back to the Lodgings, brushing the coarse salt off on his trousers and whistling to himself as he walked. At his core, Jack Kelly was a little shit. He enjoyed his little shit moments when he could.

As he dreamed up ways to dramatically retell his office antics for the littlest newsies, he rounded the corner to find Albert’s head of gleamingly red hair perched on the steps leading up to the familiar lodging house. The moment the sarcastic ginger laid eyes on him found him shooting to his feet and practically speedwalking to Jack. 

“Kelly!”

“Yo, Albert.” Jack greeted cheerfully, removing his own hat and pushing a hand through his hair as he took a glance at the distressed expression on the freckled face in front of him. His cheer seemed to slip into nothingness. “Everythin’ okay?”

Half of Albert’s thin mouth curled into a snarl. “No. Obviously it ain’t. It’s fuckin’ Racer, Jack, he’s– he’s doing that thing he does and I dunno what the fuck to do.”

“Ah, shit.” Jack sighed, glancing up at the doors as a spike of worry for his almost-little-brother shot through his chest. Tension coiled through his limbs. “Okay, I’ll handle it–”

“You better, man, because I couldn’t. I even got Crutch and Davey to try. He wouldn’t budge, wouldn’t say a goddamn word to us. Davey’s out collecting bits from the guys to pay for Race’s bunk tonight, and I’m sure he’s gonna get enough, but this can’t happen tomorrow. Racer’s already short on cash–” Despite Albert’s harsh, biting tone, Jack knew the kid well enough to see deeply rooted concern in the furrow of his brow and the tight shrug of his shoulders. He was tense right up to his ears.

“I got it, Albert. Anyone tried getting him to eat yet?” He started a quick jog up the stairs and into the building. Though Jack knew what to do, that didn’t make him any less jittery when things like this happened.

He found himself despising his ‘real job’ because it meant he couldn’t spend mornings here with the boys. If he’d’ve known about Race’s situation sooner, maybe his brother wouldn’t’ve missed out on a day of selling. Jack barely checked in with Kloppman as he thundered up the stairs, Albert trailing behind and talking a mile a minute through a lopsided, thickly accented mouth. His speech might’ve sounded like another language to someone that didn’t know him well.

“Yeah, Crutch’s up there workin’ on dinner. I just dunno what coulda caused this one, Jack, he seemed fine yesterday and he was playin’ poker last night before bed– he seemed fuckin’ normal and now he ain’t even speakin’ to anyone–”

“Well, sometimes there ain’t a reason.” Jack toed open the door to the bunkroom and Albert stumbled to a halt behind him, both of them gazing at the sight of Crutchie murmuring softly to a despondent lump of Racetrack. Other newsies lingered silently around, awkwardly pretending like they weren’t nosy-ly watching the scene in the corner unfold. Jack’s chest squeezed tightly and a soft exhale escaped him, worry and exasperation all in one. “Sometimes he just gets like this. But I’ll figure it out, Al, don’t go all batshit on me.”

The redhead practically growled, proving every stereotype of fiery gingers more than true at that moment. Race would be delighted to know that he had an angry guard dog as a best friend. “I ain’t even close to batshit, Kelly.”

“Well, if that's the case, why don’t’cha help Dave collect donations? Scare the kids into puttin’ a penny in your hat or somethin'.” He swiped Albert’s backwards cap right off his head and held it out with a well-practiced cheeky grin, earning him another sneer. 

Albert snatched his cap back and stormed out of the room, each movement tight and tense with worry. Jack crossed the room in a few strong strides, gently tapping Crutchie on the shoulder. He held a glass of water and a sandwich wrapped in wax paper, both entirely untouched. When Crutch met his eyes, a silent understanding passed between them and like the well oiled machine of brotherhood they were, the boys switched places. Crutchie ruffled Jack’s hair and tucked his crutch beneath his arm, immediately limping off to go clear the stragglers out of the room.

Jack pushed a hand through Race’s head of fair hair and glanced over his expression– tight with sadness, blue eyes staring straight ahead. “Mornin���, buddy.”

Racer closed his eyes at the sound of Jack’s voice, which he took to be a good sign as he ran his fingers through his brother’s tangled hair. Jack's skin seemed darker than usual against the light coils of Race’s dirty hair, matted and tangled. “Rough day today?”

As expected, Jack didn’t receive a response. He carefully set the sandwich and water aside and tugged his fingers through Race’s hair. It wasn’t very intimate or sweet as it might’ve been with someone like Dave or Kath, because Race was a proper mess and his hair was beyond tangled. Jack worked the kinks out and watched his nose wrinkle and twitch, upper lip curling every so often as a reminder that he was cognitive and alive and feeling something, still. 

“Everybody’s worried about you.” Jack started, trying not to betray just how deep that worry was. This wasn’t the first time– far from it– but that didn’t make it any less scary. “I am too, a’course. Wish I woulda been there for you this morning, buddy, but Bastard Old Joe would fire me if I was any more than a minute late to his shitty office. Still, ‘m here now. Want’cha to talk to me, if that’s appealing at all. You gotta talk to someone, after all, or Albert’s gonna get so mad his head’ll turn as red as his hair. Then he’ll explode or some shit, I dunno.”

Jack knew this side of Race like the back of his hand. He remembered countless days in their shared past when Race would wake up just the same as he was now, glued to the sheets and subdued and silent, remaining still and motionless for as long as possible. The impossibly impish trickster he normally was would disappear beneath lumps of thin quilt and stony silence would take over in its wake, turning Racer into someone unresponsive and lethargic. Jack had a hunch that it was because of the constant motion Racetrack was in. Always with a smirk or a stinging quip, running betting circles and poker games and puffing cigars. Full of biting sarcasm, mind racing a mile a minute, bright as a star with nowhere to shine. An engine constantly chugging along, overheating until the point of exhaustion. Breakdown. That was whatever this was– the point where he chugged to a sudden halt and collapsed, withdrawn and almost unreachable. 

It happened once or twice a year, almost always in the bleak, dark, wintry months. Sometimes Race would spring out of bed the next morning, chipper like nothing ever happened. One time, when they were around ten and twelve, he was stuck in bed for a week. Jack wasn’t about to let that happen again.

“You don’t want Alfred to explode, do you? We’ll hafta find another token ginger…”

“No.” Race croaked, finally responding to the subtle joking that always drew him out of his shell. 

That’s what Jack had figured out– gentle touches, lighthearted mood, quips and teases. It took that. He didn’t respond well to Crutchie’s optimistic mothering or Albert’s intense pushing. Jack could picture Davey in all of his awkward loveliness trying to sternly coach Race out of the bed with false logical positives, like he was waking Les up and trying to get him dressed for the day. No, Jack knew Race, and he knew that Race responded to the feeling that he hadn’t done anything wrong. That things were normal.

“That’s what I thought.” Jack responded, with the same calm cheer coloring his tone. “Now c’mon, you can’t let me have better hair than you for a whole day. You wanna get up? Have a bite of dinner? Looks like someone got you somethin' from Jacobi’s…”

After a moment of silence, Racetrack weakly shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. “Can’t.”

“Can’t get up, that’s okay. I ain’t gonna make you.” He parroted, gently pulling his fingers through Race’s separated curls. “I would like it if you’d talk to me, though. So’s I can get a good night’s sleep, knowin’ what’s on your mind. I know you like torturin’ me but I sorta need my rest…”

The blonde let out a quiet snort, the motion jerking the blankets he held clutched to his chest. Jack couldn’t help his own smile at the transformation in the younger boy’s expression. He seemed to soften around the edges, with a little exhale that spelled progress. “Can’t deprive the great President of his beauty sleep… How’s he gonna sell papes without his pretty boy face?”

“That’s the problem– I need my pretty boy face. It’s the only thing I got goin’ for me.” Jack joked back with practiced ease, like everything was fine and Race wasn’t having one of his bad days. It was good, and it worked, because Racer snorted again.

In one shift of obviously difficult motion, Racetrack rolled onto his back and stared up at the wood holding up the bunk above them. Jack placed a careful hand on his shoulder and went still, waiting patiently. He could see Race’s mind moving behind intelligent blue eyes, the dart of his irises and the wrinkle of his nose as he thought. Sorting through his thoughts. Analyzing. A mathematician's brain, not at all like Jack’s artist brain or Davey’s literature brain or Kath’s journalist brain. Solving a problem. Race was a skeleton of problems and solutions wrapped in skin with a trickster’s smile. He was missing one of his pieces in that bed, because half of his face was occupied by an uncharacteristic frown. 

Finally, he spoke. “I can’t stop thinkin’ about what the fuck I’m gonna do after this.”

“After what?” Jack tried to put the pieces together, but he’d never been good at solving Race’s cryptic riddles. “When you get outta bed?”

“No. After all’a this.” He muttered, throwing one hand up as if gesturing to the entire bunkroom. “I got nothin’ planned. Once I’m eighteen and Klop gives me the boot, I’m done.”

Oh. Jack knew this rabbit hole of thought all too well. The cause of Race’s spiral was one that had caused him many spirals of his own, and it probably did the same for almost every newsboy that came before them. “You ain’t done. You basically got two years to figure shit out, man. Plus, you’se smart as a whip. Anybody would kill to have you workin’ for them if they knew how your brain worked.”

“Yeah, but they don’t, and since my Ma had to go and fuckin’ die on me, I ain’t got no schoolin’ to show for it. No proof.” He muttered, dragging his hands over his face. “I hit eighteen and boom, I’m on the streets. My Pa’s gonna want me to join his fuckin’ gang and I can’t do that, Jack, I swear to God–”

“You don’t hafta join any gang, Race, we’ll find you some other job. Stuff comes up when you least expect it. You gotta look at the good and the bad.” Jack reassured, carefully squeezing Race’s shoulder.

He sighed, hard and long. “Well sometimes it don’t feel like there’s any good.”

“Yeah, I hear you.” Jack responded, even though he knew the feeling far too well. Before Pulitzer miraculously offered that job, he’d been thinking the same thoughts. Now he was staring down the barrel of a secure future where he worked full time as an artist for the paper. It had all been pure luck. Chance. How was he supposed to explain that sorta thing? “I hear you, but you might not be lookin’ in the right places. Listen– we’ll get Davey on the job hunt with us. I’m sure he knows a couple places that are hiring. You can get in early, start up part time like me, work your way up. By the time you’se eighteen, you’se set.”

“Okay.” Race breathed, eyes fluttering shut. “Okay, that… that sounds okay.”

“Yeah?”

A tiny nod, a jostling of blonde curls. Jack let out a sigh of relief as Race finally pushed himself to sit up, rubbing his hands over his face. Every movement seemed like he was pushing through a sea of syrupy fatigue, fighting his own body to get things working again. Jack rubbed his back through it all– though he’d never experienced this sort of thing, Race had been through it more times than he could count, and it looked the same every time. Painful, difficult, but a surefire show of Racetrack’s incredible determination.

After a moment, he twisted awkwardly and lurched into Jack’s arms, wrapping him in a messy embrace. “Thanks, Jackie.”

“Don’t call me that, bud.” Jack responded simply, swinging his arms around Race and embracing him happily as the little shit exhaled a harsh laugh into his shoulder. He smelled like sweat and stale bed linens but he was talking and awake and moving, and that was more than enough to make Jack grin. “You want dinner? Water? You’re prob’ly fuckin’ parched.”

“Huh. Guess I am.” He said almost absently, like he was just then remembering his own humanity. Race reached across Jack and downed the glass of water in one go, before Jack offered him the sandwich and he slowly tucked in.

Moments like this made Jack remember why he’d stayed in this position for so long, leading these boys. They made him dread the day he had to leave, too. He slung an arm around Race’s shoulders and leaned back against the headboard of the bunk as the door creaked open, revealing a green-eyed boy with his cap held carefully in his hands. Jack motioned Davey in, tugging Race closer up against his side. The younger boy curled up beneath his arm, seeming to melt into the embrace.

“Hi, Racer. Feeling better?” Davey asked politely, coming to a halt beside the bed and tucking freckled hands into his pockets.

Race nodded wordlessly, without making eye contact as he bit his sandwich. He’d probably only be talking to Jack for a few hours, but that was how things always went. Jack had a remarkable knack for weaseling into people’s cracks and gently breaking them open. Davey rocked back on his feet, wearing a pleasant little smile. “That’s good. Your bunk is all paid for tonight, so no need to worry about that.”

“Great. Thanks, Dave.” Jack briefly grabbed his hand and squeezed, and like clockwork, Davey squeezed back. He trailed up to hold onto the taller boy's wrist as an idea struck him. “Hey, Davey, you think you could help Racer here start up a job search? Like, a post-newsie career?”

“Well, sure. I can think of a couple things that suit you, Race.” He smiled the type of smile that appeared when he had an idea. Jack felt confident for Racer that Davey was going to take good care of this little issue. Things would be okay, even if it was slow going. Even if Race was burrowing further into his arm, looking stony and miserable. “I’ll get back to you on that as soon as possible. Is it alright if I go tell the guys you’re alive and well up here?”

“Go inform the masses.” Jack responded easily, shooting Davey a lazy grin.

Davey returned the bright smile, crinkling his wide eyes into crescent moons. “Yessir. Oh, and Jackie?”

“Yeah, Dave?”

“Les gave me a couple of taffies for Race.” He briefly dug into his pocket and carefully deposited the candies in Jack’s palm, just a simple brush of pale skin against tan. “You don’t have to eat them if you don’t want to, but if you do, I promise they’re safe for consumption.”

Jack thanked him and he disappeared as quickly as he came. Only once Jack had set the taffies aside, did he notice Race’s shit-eating smirk. A little bit of bright mischief was returning to his eyes as he trained them on Jack, brows curling downwards into a ghost of his usual impish expression. That was both a good and bad sign. Jack felt his own eyebrows raising. “What? What are you making that face for?”

Race’s teeth flashed in a little grin as he did a remarkable impression of Dave: “Jackie…”

And that earned him a smack upside the head. Jack’s face prickled with heat as he adamantly shook his head, rolling his eyes to the soundtrack of Race snickering beneath his arm. “Shaddap, ya’ bastard.”

Then he started fucking cackling, and Jack didn’t even have the energy to be pissed off at being the butt of the joke, because Race was gonna be okay. Rough patches were tough, but he could see a bit of sunlight through the clouds. Jack held him a little bit tighter and thanked the higher powers for small breakthroughs. 

....

thank you for the ask, darling! <3

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.210 Fire Marshall Luca

We finished our hike and went sightseeing in time for our departure. This vacation is definitely one for the books, but man is it good to be back home! When we arrived, Alessia was waiting for us with the fur kids in tow, and Kooper was beside himself with excitement. Rosie, on the other hand, was like, "oh, good, you're back," and ran off to wherever she goes, heh. Love that girl.

Less pulled me aside and told me she left something out of her story when she called yesterday. A rather concerning incident took place, but she didn't want me to worry or cut our vacation short. They were in the living room opening presents when a loud bang startled them. It sounded like an explosion, but the house remained intact, so she searched for the source of the sound. In the kitchen, she found a plume of smoke trailing from the stove. The cabinets and countertops seemed unaffected, so they gathered the presents and went to our house until the smoke cleared. I snorted at the thought that it was our house she referred to when she said the kids were destroying it. I'm sure she cleaned up for us. Anyway, I told her I'd go look at it right away.

I saw Arvin when I came in, so I greeted him before checking out the kitchen. Black char encrusted the stove, and a smoky smell still lingered in the air. How in the world did this happen? I'm thankful to Watcher; no one was hurt, and nothing else was damaged. The stove was toast, so I ordered a replacement and rejoined Arvin in the living room. He seemed a bit bummed, and I thought maybe he was still upset from the explosion. I kinda wish that were the case because he hit me with a question I'd kinda been expecting, but reeeeally hoped they would never ask.

"Do you know my dad?"

My stomach did a flip, and I thought I might get sick.

"Ummm ... I met him once. I wouldn't say I know him, though."

"How come he doesn't live with us?"

"He, uhhhh..."

I shifted in my seat, uncomfortable and a little upset. I still haven't forgiven Jace. What has Less told them about him? I wish we would have developed a game plan when they were babies because I knew this would happen. Still, I don't like lying to children and talking to them like they're inept, so I gave him a very vague truth.

"He, umm, he and your mom didn't get along, so he lives somewhere else now."

It didn't occur to me before that we could have run into him since Mt. Komorebi was where that punk ran off to.

"Do you think he'll come back?" he asked.

"I don't think so."

Before I could ask how he felt about that, I heard the girls screaming outside. I ran toward their frantic voices and saw them running away from the science lab. It was on fire! Flashbacks of my last trauma threatened to paralyze me again, but my child's safety wouldn't allow it. Lex must have heard the screaming too and ran behind me, but I told him to go back inside. The fire spread quickly, just like it did in Maira's kitchen. By the time I got the fire extinguisher, the tent that housed the lab was just a pile of ash! The boys were too close, running around and panicking. I yelled at them to go back inside, but they were scared, just like me.

Desi and Breanna made it to the sidewalk. Knowing they were safe allowed me to focus on quelling the fire. I needed to act fast because if those jars of chemicals broke, I might be a goner. I swept the extinguisher back and forth, hoping it wouldn't spread to the tree branches hanging overhead. Moments later, nothing but smoke and the charred lab remained. My heart raced, and I felt like I wouldn't be able to catch my breath. I was on the verge of breaking down, but I needed to make sure the kids were okay.

They were in pretty bad shape. Arvin cried so hard he could barely stand. Alessia ran out of the house to collect her children, and I hugged Desi and told her she was safe now. I put her to bed and stood outside her door for a moment, processing everything that happened. Sometimes, I envy the impulsive bravery of the macho man. But that's just not me. I get scared, I panic, and I might even cry a little. I'm not ashamed of it. Fires are so unpredictable and super fast. Frankly, I think it's appropriate to fear them. Still, I hope this is the last time I have to go toe to toe with one.

Sophia was kind enough to give me a little space before checking on me, but I would have appreciated her presence sooner. As soon as she wrapped her arms around me, I fell apart. I told her how scared I was, not just of the fire, but all the what ifs that came with it. What if Desi and Breanna hadn't gotten away in time? That one tore me up inside, and I couldn't deal with it, hypothetical or not. But Sophia sweetly reminded me that Desi is safely sleeping right behind us. Alessia's kids are also safe. And I am safe. That's so true. Even beyond this situation. I'm always safe with her, and it's been that way since the very beginning. I love her so much.

[beyondthetemples-ooc]

You know what I think would be poetic justice?

Now, bear in mind that this is purely emotional and irony-seeking thought spaghetti'ing against the walls of my blog here. I'm not going to cite the text or media this was successfully done in.

But I would LOVE to see Harrowhark usurp John.

This is why I love that idea.

First of all, he's not fit to be a God. He plays his part well, but also he's just PLAYING at it.

I am currently royally incensed at what he did to Gideon.

So, enter Harrowhark. Devout to a fault. Heretical, but still loved him, at first. Until she didn't anymore. Disillusioned now, and already canonically seeking the "discrepancies". She will find out what he did to Gideon eventually.

John was gifted his necromancy.

But Harrowhark had it thrust upon her as a burden.

John is only one man with one soul.

Harrowhark has 200 "stamped" on hers.

And John's actions, from what I understand, led to necromancy being more widespread, more practiced, more studied, more powerful.

He hid the Lyctoral processes, but no less than three Lyctoral pairs have been made outside of his original blueprint.

He is immensely powerful, enough to be disintegrated and resurrect himself from dust, but Harrowhark was already a powerhouse before she was a Lyctor.

I would LOVE to see him overthrown by the very force that he put into motion. I would DELIGHT in seeing that done by Harrowhark, the product of a generation of children being wiped out all to uphold their precious necromantic line. I would absolutely be overcome with euphoria at the delicious, satisfying irony of God falling at the hands of his own creation.

I can't say I know, or even have reason to believe, that's the way Alecto the Ninth will end.

But watching Harrowhark overthrow God would satisfy me in ways no carnal pleasure ever will.

[danwhobrowses]

Now that Critical Role's VOD of episode 120 is out and everyone in the fandom's had a moment to breathe, simmer, and adjust to this all. I wanna do a big talk about my favourite idiot punk rock, Ashton Greymoore.

Because over these last few episodes, I've been so proud of them.

Many people have had vocal opinions on Ashton, not all of them positive either; I've seen many berate them and say they're selfish, not a team player, or that they 'don't add anything to the group'. But over the past few episodes, I feel like Ashton has been an unsung hero in the battles with Ludinus and Predathos, with their contributions, oftentimes selfless and cooperative, ending up providing the floor for others to deliver strong and impactful actions.

While Dorian and Imogen will rightfully get the lion's share of praise for their clutch moments - Dorian's Force Cage on Ludinus saving Liliana and defeating Predathos' first stage alongside Imogen's Power Word: Stun setting up Ludinus' death and defeating Predathos' second stage - Ashton's actions were often the prelude to moments that could not have succeeded without them, including these clutch moments. Their attack on Ludinus in 117 prompted the Silvery Barbs that burned up his reaction - which allowed Dorian to successfully use Force Cage without being Counterspelled, their high-damage attack on his neck hole in 118 broke Ludinus' concentration on Ravenous Void - which somehow later got credited to Chetney - which gave Imogen the freedom and mobility to get in range for Power Word: Stun, they got the Insight check whisper on Predathogen in 119 to know that Imogen was physically inside of the body and needed to be pried out - which Imogen achieved herself thanks in part to Fearne reaching her, and recently in 120 they pulled Imogen out of Predathos' maw, abandoning the Hammer synonymous with their character (to the point that Keyleth titled them the 'Paradox Hammer') to prioritize saving their friend, which - following Dorian's healing - gave her the chance to use the Ring of Remembrance for the finishing Meteor Swarm. Not to mention all the other damage they dealt and tanked throughout the four fights, the passive d4 bonuses and advantage they gave the party (almost acting partly as a secondary paladin or a tertiary bard) to buff their damage and saving throws, and accepting the risk of disintegration when Laudna used their Hammer's spell splitter - which forced Predathos to use its final Legendary Resistance.

The Disintegrate moment itself was tense because we all know that Ashton is high among the Hells who would sacrifice themselves to save the group - a mentality most of the Hells likely shared in this fight - but fortunately they don't have to, they'll never have to, and they gained something just as if not more valuable than a heroic sacrifice: they get to live. The person who before meeting these chucklefucks believed they'd likely die face-down in a ditch in some backwater alley and thrown into an unmarked grave AT BEST gets to live, and the people that mean most to them get to live thanks to their efforts, their successes. And that's the most important part; for all the times they couldn't help or save someone because they were unconscious or out of reach, for all the times they let their imposter syndrome tell them they're just a fuckup undeserving of trust, praise, or love, and for every fear they had that one day they'd mess up and this new family of theirs will abandon them like the Nobodies did, this time they were there standing beside their people to the very end - and they helped get them out alive. No mistakes, no carelessness, and no-one left behind.

For that, I am proud of Ashton Greymoore; not Bells Hells' Weapon but their Helm, not a Blunt Instrument but a Protector, and not a Hero who needs to do 'what needs to be done' but a Friend who is saving their people no matter the odds. Under all the hardened and rugged exterior that has always been who Ashton is - the perfectly flawed character they are.

[funsizedcrow]

People love to talk about how much arson wild does and thats fun but also lets remember that in twilight princess in order to progress the game you do have to set a building full of bombs on fire. and it does explode.

[roseofhybrids]

Would Thad install skate ramps, rails, and basketball hoops in his church that he'd run in the Godhood au?

At the start of each service he just ollies down to the podium and does a slam dunk before he lands

every service at the church of Saint Thaddeus the Cool carries the energy of a 90's toy commercial

Thad rolls in teaches a few important life lessons, maybe goes over a story about solver war misadventures, then he plays basketball with some of the kids

I'm picturing something between church and a YMCA. The building probably started off as just a rec center/GYM run by Thad. But as the decades passed and his position as a "saint" solidified, drones kept coming to talk to him about the solver and main trio, and to ask for blessings and advice. So, at some point, he turned one of the rooms into a sort of cathedral so he could hold services. I mean if a bunch of drones are coming to you for advice and questions, might as well try and put them on the right path yeah?

Don't think he'd see it as a church the same way the younger drones do. I mean, he's known Uzi, N, and V personally for several decades at this point. Would feel weird to start treating them as these larger than life untouchable beings. Like, imagine if one of your own friends suddenly gained superpowers and a cult formed around them. Really cool that they can do space science magic now, but worshiping them as being a higher being? After you witnessed them having daddy issues in the nurse's office and drawing little doodles of their boyfriend in class? Bit of a hard sell But, he knows he won't be able to stop the younger drones from doing it. So he just tries to make sure they turn out as good people

I'd imagine Lizzy and Thad share a church, mostly because I don't see Lizzy being interested enough in spreading the good word of Uzi to run her own

so instead, she helps Thad out at his occasionally tells stories that mainly involve V or times that Uzi killed people

but if you catch her on a good day, she'll tell you about times like the prom and final battle where the purple freak actually did good (but like, don't tell her she said that. Totally embarrassing)

[sunmoontruth-stiles]

I need a completely rewritten teen wolf series with Derek Hale as the main character. I think it would heal me.

[ssreeder]

Hi! I have read a lot of LIAB and I loved it but it was honestly getting a bit too much for me and I had to stop reading cuz I was way too lost in the depressive feels. Your writing is so brilliant though!

I was just wondering how you think Azula would feel if she saw Zuko’s scars? I’m not even sure if you’ve already written this as the story continued or if you plan to soon and so won’t be able to answer, but the thought intrigues me!

haha yeah I have had NUMEROUS people say they started LIAB & couldn’t finish because it got to be too much, which is totally fine!! That’s why I love fanfic because there’s so many options for what different people wanna read. When I started liab I wanted to write a really dramatic emotionally dark and tragic love story - which I know some people aren’t into haha especially with how it’s written. (It was my first time writing ive learned a lot haha)

Seriously though! Thank you so much for complimenting my writing!!<3

ok that’s so crazy you asked this because we’re just at the part in the story where azula will be in the same city as zuko. But in ANY liab situation, I do think her initial reaction would depend on if she was prepared to see zuko or not and how much she knows about where he’s been.

Azula doesn’t enjoy not having control over people and situations- and we all know that when azulas not having a good time no one else is either. So if zuko pops up alive and she’s not expecting it I’m sure she’s going to be annoyed

But no matter what, I do think seeing his scars would surprise her, whether she expected them or not the sheer destruction that was done to zukos body would shock anyone. That’s also her brother, like she knows him he’s not just some extra in the background. she grow up with him and watched him throw tantrums and whine about his mommy and they played in the garden sometimes - & yeah she was prepared to see the SCAR but not all the Scars.

Since she’s rarely caught off guard I think her initial response would be to say something mean and clever to try and overcompensate for the shake in her voice and tremble in her hands. I’m sure she’d have a physical reaction - elevated heartbeat wandering eyes increased breathing but she wouldn’t wanna give zuko the satisfaction of catching her off guard (especially not if she thinks he’s working with his uncle to overthrow her)

she’d play it off but I think it’d haunt her, even if she had zuko in her clutches as a prisoner or ally his scars would stick with her. she’d see them in her dreams and when she closed her eyes, they’d burrow into her consciousness and if she starts to mentally unravel in liab like she did in canon and I’m sure zukos scars would be a significant part of pushing her into that insanity. Especially if she doesn’t know what the fuck happened to her brother lol. sorry I started rambling! I hope I answered the question lol! Thanks for the ask!!